The

door is still open for McIntosh High School's

popular humanities program to possibly return in

teh future, but for now the program has been

dropped for next year, and some students aren't

happy about that.

"In

four years, it's the toughest class I've ever

had... we have in-depth conversations... it

should be offered to other students, it means a

lot to us," McIntosh senior Mike Coloney

told the Board of Education recently.

About

a dozen students expressed their support of the

integrated English, economics and government

class.

The

reason given by McIntosh High School principal

Greg Stillions for eliminating the class was the

need to maximize the teachers' instructional

hours in combination with the increasing number

of students and their unit requirements for

graduation.

The

two-period class typically enrolls about 38 to 40

students and is taught by two teachers. In order

to maintain low pupil - teacher ratios, assistant

superintendent Stuart Bennett explained earlier

that it is important for teachers to equalize the

class loads.

"The

issue here is to look at the whole school,"

superintendent Dr. John DeCotis said. He advised

Coloney and the supporters of the class to meet

with Stillions to discuss their concerns.

"These decisions are made at the school

level," he told them.

Craig

Humphrey, one of two humanities teachers at

McIntosh, called the decision to drop the class

"unfortunate."

"This

is a class that's structured for students who

like to see relationships," he said. This

semester, students are involved in a mock

campaign to elect a state senator.

Humphrey

explained that the two-hour class incorporates

literature and what it has to say about politics

and economics. He referred to the last portion of

the school district's mission statement for

support of the program. "The system commits

itself to excellence through continued

improvement, instructional innovation and high

expectations."

Coloney

is the webmaster of an Internet site designed

specifically for feedback about the humanities.

Comments made by former humanities students can

be read at www.illogical.org .

Kenneth

Hamner, a McIntosh alum and student at Furman

University in Greenville, S.C., wrote a letter to

the editor of this paper which appeared March 8

citing the benefits he personally derived from

the class.

"I

learned how to study for college classes, learned

how to do an oral and essay exam, 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."

Stillions

and Bennett said the class may return in the

future in a different form, but for now, next

year's seniors will not have the option of taking

humanities. McIntosh is the only high school in

the district which has offered it.

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