Letters to the Editor

[November 5th, 2003] HOLDEN & ME

To Taylor Clark: Your article gave me enough of a feel for Zoe Trope's book that I don't believe I'll read it ["Zoe and Me," WW, Oct. 22, 2003]. Reminds me of when I was a teenager (I'm now 64) and I really latched on to J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye and the great misanthrope Holden Caulfield. I thought Holden was great because he put my own confusion into words and used the kind of foul language not permitted in my Catholic home or school.

The challenge for all of us is to take that teenage angst and somehow make it tolerable and maybe even useful. I don't think the ever-reclusive Salinger did a very good job of that. Hope Zoe does better.

Ed Colbach
West Linn

PLEASE DON'T COPY THE FRESHMAN

Q: What's more useless than the autobiographical dribblings of a "Zoe Trope" ["Zoe & Me," WW, Oct. 22, 2003]?

A: A satire (of a particular trend in publishing, near as I can tell) that fails to be funny once.

John Figler
Northeast Glisan Street

THE WAY WE WERE

I went to Parkrose High School during the "halcyon days" described in the 1960s through 1970s ["Land of the Lost," WW, Oct. 15, 2003]. I had great teachers whose positive effect I still carry with me to this day. But to think that this time was perfect is a falsehood.

Looking back, I know that the income level of the families was quite diverse. I knew other kids that lived in low-rent apartments, boat houses and trailer courts, and one that lived in a mansion on the Columbia River. I was the youngest kid of three, and my father (who still lives in the house he built in 1959) was in the plywood business.

During the time of high school, all that was talked about was "if only we had a new high school, things would be better." Those who remember the old high school know what I am referencing. To give you an idea, the high school was so ugly, there was nowhere you could photograph it for the yearbook that looked good. It was truly a low point of the post-war era of construction, but we made do.

I wasn't a great student, but tried to make up for it by being an active overachiever, because it helped hide the fact that I was gay. I never felt comfortable there after 12 years of trying, and felt that I was the only gay student in the school.

If I was to give words of encouragement to a Parkrose student (and a parent) today, it would be, "Don't expect too much from your school, teachers or other students; you need to learn to rely upon yourself. In the end, you make the difference, and with a concerted effort on your own part, the help and encouragement you need to succeed will come." It worked for me, because while I was busy trying to overachieve, I had some good times and positive experiences.

Additionally, the heading to this story is missing one word: Land of the Lost PARENTS." If we look back, these kids are the product of parents of the halcyon (period) days of Parkrose.

Jim Britt
Northwest 20th Avenue