ustxtxb_obs_1984_03_23_50_00007-00000_000.pdf

recognize that the problem is the Siamese twin centralization/ politicization. The texts used in any classroom should be professional decisions, made at local levels by teachers and supervisors who know the children’s needs and the total curriculum. A simple bit of legislation? “The sole responsibility for deciding on instructional matters rests with the local school board.” Radical? Jeffersonian. Ben Harris, Round Rock. In Summation I found your lead editorial/essay about the know-nothing Board of Education extraordinarily well crafted. I hope the Observer can long continue its scrutiny of the Texas scene. I saw your piece just after reading in Russell Hoban’s Pilgermann: “If two and two can be four then they already are four, you can only perceive it, you have no part in making it happen by writing it down in numbers or telling it out in pebbles.” Let the Board take note. Teg Grondahl, Austin. Franklin Garcia Last month a great friend of organized labor and of all working people of Texas died. Franklin Garcia was a great friend of all, but was particularly a friend of young Mexicano activists and organizers in the early 60’s. I first met Franklin while a graduate student at the University of Texas when I was beginning my own initiation into the movement in support for the United Farm Workers strike and struggle at La Casita Farms in Rio Grande City. Franklin provided encouragement and inspiration to myself, as well as other good friends including people like Elaine Brightwater, Frances Barton, Willie Velasquez and many others too numerous to mention. Because of Franklin and people like him, there continues a tradition of progressive grass-roots politics among Mexicanos in Texas. On behalf of my family, I want to express my deep sadness at the loss of a good friend. His memory will live through his work and through the people he touched during his life. I am saddened and bereft at the loss of such a friend. Ernesto Cortes, Jr., Mercedes. Eleanor Roosevelt Symposium As a long-time subscriber to the .0bserver, I hope that I may utilize your columns to give notice of an upcoming event that will be of interest to a number of your readers. It will be especially so to any who have memories of personal associations with Eleanor Roosevelt. On October 11, 1984, Texas Woman’s University will observe the 100th anniversary of the birth of Mrs. Roosevelt with a symposium on “Women in Politics.” As we complete plans for the symposium, we would like to locate people in Texas who knew Eleanor Roosevelt personally or who have been especially influenced by her. There will be a time provided during the conference for personal remembrances by these people. In addition, of course, there will be speakers and panelists for more formal discussion of Eleanor Roosevelt and about women in politics today. While the symposium will be open to the public, we would like to be hearing from people who will want to attend. At this time we would like to hear, in particular, from those people interested in sharing their remembrances of Mrs. Roosevelt during the conference. Please write me or Dr. Ingrid W. Scobie, Conference Coordinator, Department of History and Government, Texas Woman’s University, P.O. Box 23974, Denton, Texas 76204. Alonzo Jamison, Chairman, Department of History and Government, Texas Woman’s University. Turkey’s New Clothes I am a new and delighted subscriber to The Texas Observer, and I was especially impressed by Ray Reece’s articles on the lack of honest criticism New Group Fights Death Penalty Where There’s Life Austin FOLLOWING THE RULING by the U.S. Supreme Court that questions of proportionality \(TO, the implementation of capital punishment, the State of Texas quickly rolled its death penalty mechanism into place. With the killing of James David Autry on March 14 and the scheduled executions of Joseph Paul Jernigan, Ronald C. Chambers, and Ronald Clark O’Bryan before April 1, the statesponsored bloodbath has begun. Charles Sullivan, director of Citizens United for Rehabilitation l ip f Errants election there will be little possibility for judicial relief for years to come. The only death-penalty abolitionists on the U.S. Supreme Court, Justices William Brennan and Thurgood Marshall, are nearing the end of their tenures and will, undoubtedly, step aside during the next presidential term. The only possibility for eliminating the death penalty, Sullivan says, is an educational process that starts at the grassroots level. He believes one-third of the population in this country is opposed to the death penalty, one-third fervently supports it, and onethird goes along with it but can be educated to think otherwise. Enter Ken and Lois Robison of Burleson. He is a typesetter and Spanish teacher at a junior college. She is a thirdgrade teacher. Their son Larry, 26, is on death row in Huntsville. “I can’t honestly say I confronted the issue before I personally became involved,” Ken Robison said. “But I came THE TEXAS OBSERVER 7