The morning announcements

at McIntosh High School of March 2 told the student body

that the class would not be offered in the 2000-2001

school year due to "budget" constraints and

other problems.

This class has typically

been viewed by outside teachers as a waste of time

because it goes beyond traditional forms of teaching and

high school material. They have wanted this class to be

canceled for years. This budget excuse is in my opinion a

ploy to help cancel the class forever. Despite the claims

MHS might be understaffed, Fayette County is one of the

wealthiest counties in the state. The true reason is this

class teaches more than typical regurgitation, and shows

anything outside of the set guidelines can be canceled.

I must say that I have

never learned so much from a single class in my life,

including my college classes. I learned how to study for

college classes (something which most other classes

ignored), learned how to do an oral and essay exam (which

are the only things teachers give here for exams), and

learned most importantly about myself and society.

Without humanities I wouldn't be the individual I am

today who tries to mold myself, the people I love, and my

society into a better being.

Without this class no

future McIntosh students will ever reach their

full potential. This experience with these two great men

will forever affect my life, my relations with other

people, and my choices farther down the road of life, and

I thank them from the bottom of my heart for teaching me

attributes I'd never find in a high school (or college)

textbook. This class must be saved!

I'm begging you to please

help our school system, our community, and our future by

giving this school issue some notice. This class has

affected so many people in positive ways, and we cannot

afford this class to meet its end. For example, you can

read accounts how great this class is and comments about

how this class changed people's lives at

www.illogical.org. This website serves as the voice for

us to save this class. If you need to get in contact with

me, please feel free to call me at 864-371-4231 or e-mail

me at [email protected].

I'd like to quote Kurt

Vonnegut when he was contacted about author Joseph

Heller's death. Vonnegut said, "Oh, God, how

terrible. This is a calamity for American letters."

Well, with the cancellation of humanities for future

students of MHS, this is a calamity for Fayette's

education.

Kenneth Hamner

[email protected]