Commentary
CHILDREN LEFT BEHIND
Editors, Vineyard Gazette:
Is the Island’s special needs education program in need of special attention? Our community considers itself to be enlightened and engaged. We pride ourselves on inclusiveness. But is it to a fault? When it comes to special needs students who need all possible resources focused on them in a space designed for them, our school system may be failing.
BYWAY JUDGE AND JURY
Editors, Vineyard Gazette:
Vineyard summer, with all its last-minute social scramble, is over, and I’m back in New York. I decide it is finally, finally time, after 25 years, to create a new address book. As a member of the pre-computer generation, I had kept my addresses and phone numbers in a black leather notebook on small sheets of lined paper, and in pencil so that I could make erasures and additions and changes. After all these years it was a mess.
You were wandering around looking lost and lonely. When we looked at each other, I immediately could see you wanted me to help rescue you. Your eyes said: “Please take me home with you — I promise to be good.”
For the next five years we were best friends.
On Sept. 11 I lost Happy to a series of illnesses.
Fordie would have grinned and shaken his head over the derby fish flap.
An Editor’s Musings
From the Vineyard Gazette editions of September, 1982: