Nothing will tell you more about the past of IHS than the archives of The Tattler. Nestled into the back of E wing, in a small but mighty room, are filing cabinets containing bundles and bundles of past Tattler issues. As the Tattler Archivist and history enthusiast, it is my pleasure to bring a new life to the minds and ideas of our former students for you to enjoy!
September 1928
Thoughts of a Mosquito
“Now,” said the mosquito, “I will have to find a new home for my youngsters as I overheard those dreadful people say that they were going to pour oil on my rainbarrel home. I supose they think they are the only ones who have to live.”
Mrs. Mosquito was very angry as she was flying home. She had seen a man actually kill her husband before her very eyes. “If only my brother, Malaria mosquito, were here, then we would fix that man,” thought Mrs. Mosquito.
Mrs. Mosquito lived in a rainbarrel in the back yard of a very filthy home. She had lived in the rainbarrel very happily for six months. One day, the people sold the house and the new neighbors cleaned the filthy place and were just about to pour oil on the rain-barrel, when Mrs. Mosquito asked Mr. Bee to help her. Very obligingly Mr. Bee stung the man. Thus, the pouring of oil was detained for the day.
The next day Mrs. Mosquito taught her young ones to fly. They had just turned from little grubs to wee mosquitoes.
After having their first lesson, the little mosquitoes decided that they would go to bed and rest until their next lesson.The next minute they were all in bed and mother mosquito flew away to hunt for a new home. She hunted all morning and finally flew home exhausted.
She had found a nice little place in a dirty can. This can with many others lay in a back alley.
“This will suit my youngsters,” thought the mother.
On arriving home the little boy, whose family had moved in the house, was going through the process of pouring oil in the rainbarrel.
“There,” said Johnny, “those mosquitoes have said good-bye to this world.”
October 1975
A Modest Proposal
By Chris Payne
In 1970, 9039 people were murdered in the United States. 66 percent of the vicitims were killed with guns. In 1974, the number went up to about 20,000 victims. 67 percent were committed with guns.
To purchase a gun today, a person must do the following: show his driver’s license, be at least 18 years of age, and fill out a questionnaire. The questionnaire is absolutely pointless. It contains questions such as, “Have you ever been arrested?” or “Have you ever smoked marijuana?” If a person answers ‘Yes’ to any of these questions, then he or she cannot buy the gun. Not only can the purchaser answer ‘No’ to all the questions (whether ‘No’ is the correct answer or not), but even a truthful answer can be misleading. No one can tell if a person wants to or can reform their life or not.
Several years ago in Maryland, a mother went into a department store and bought a gun. She was in severe depression. The next morning, she killed her children with the gun, then turned it on herself. She left a suicide note explaining that the world was so bad, the best she could do for her children was kill them.
Many people feel that if there was a waiting period of five days before a person could obtain a gun, tragedies like the one mentioned would be avoided.
People who have been arrested once on a felony should be able to buy a new gun. However, their gun should be licensed (it’s easier to trace if lost or stolen) and they should be watched very closely.
Many people who have been arrested once will reform their lives, but people who have been jailed twice or more on a felony shouldn’t be given another chance.
Some people think that the Constitution gives them the right to bear arms, without any restrictions. Logically, the crime rate would be lowered tremendously if some tougher restrictions were implemented. This is why I support gun control. Self-protection is the excuse most people use to buy a gun. The only problem with this argument is that a criminal would be more likely to kill someone with a gun than someone who didn’t have one. However if a person feels safer with a gun and needs to buy one, the tougher restrictions again should be implemented.
The guns which have come under the most fire are “Saturday night specials.” They are cheap, poorly made, easy to conceal, and easier to obtain than other guns. In fact, President Ford has made these guns the target of his gun control drive.
Defending these guns is Merril W. Wright, president of the National Rifle Association. He wrote an article in the September, 1975 edition of The American Rifleman entitled “The True ‘Saturday Night Special’.”
In his article, Wright states that “To those whose livelihood is violent crime, higher gun prices will mean nothing more than an extra crime when they want the best gun on the market.” This argument isn’t difficult to debate, because common sense shows that the more inexpensive a gun is, the easier it is for a criminal to get one–and the more criminals who get them, the more murders and robberies.
Attacking the argument that the gun is poorly made, and therefore doubly dangerous, Wright said, “Any steel salesman can tell you that by using about 25 cents worth of additional steel, a gun can be made stronger than the high priced ‘quality’ gun.
Though Wright may be correct, he failed to point out that without the 25 cents of additional steel, the “special” is a real danger.
Wright also claimed that the “Gun Control Act of 1968 at federal level supplemented by thousands of state and local regulations was designed to sharply reduce the ‘ready availability’ of all guns.” If this statement is true, then why is it that anyone can buy a gun by filling out a questionnaire, being at least 18, and showing his driver’s license?
I wholeheartedly agree with those who feel the “Saturday night special” should be eliminated.
I must add that people should be fingerprinted and checked before buying a gun. There should be a waiting period of a few days, as I said before, before a person could actually get their gun. Licenses should be required, finally, on all guns, and Saturday night specials should be made illegal altogether.
These restrictions would make guns safer for everyone.
March 1968
The Inquiring Camera
By Bruce Mason and Monica Klinko
Question: To what extent, if any, does racial prejudice or discrimination exist in our community?
Where Asked: Afro-American Club
Deborah Wells, G-101, senior: “Being a resident of this community for over 11 years, I have been exposed to a great deal of discrimination. Perhaps it’s not as direct and violent as that displayed down South, but the whip-lash of prejudice is definitely whipped throughout this community.”
Linda Jones, G-115, junior: “The white majority of our community has a false front. They won’t show their prejudice at first, but when you get too friendly with them, it shows.”
Debbie Love, G-201, junior: “I think racial discrimination exists everywhere in our community… I think many people in Ithaca are unsure of the Negro, mostly because of the riots that have occurred in the country.”
Trudy Hagood, K-4, sophomore: “The prejudice in Tompkins County is not easy to detect; it is an undercurrent of hostile feelings, not only against the Negro, gut also against other classes and races of people.”
Pam Henderson, H-201, senior: “The racial discrimination in Ithaca isn’t the type that can be seen. You have to be a person discriminated against to realize it. To tell the truth, if there has to be discrimination, I would rather be where I know I’m not wanted.”
Rickie Johsnon, junior: “Racial prejudice doesn’t exist in this community. I’ve lived in Ithaca most of my life, and people are friendly. The teachers and students of Ithaca High seem unconcerned about color–just with ability and attitude.”
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