tuesday, September 15, 1981
lincoln, nebraskavol. 107 no. 16
More students in private schools, say officials
By D.L Morton
Nebraska seems to be following a national trend of an
increasing number of students attending private elemen
tary and high schools.
Most Lincoln private school administrators interviewed
report an increase in enrollment.
Stan Carlson, of the State Education Department, said
Nebraska has about 230 legally recognized private schools.
The schools are "approved" by the state.
Carlson said this is a "basis level of quality for the
school to be considered legal.
In addition, 20 to 30 of those schools are accredited,
he said. Accreditation means a school offers more courses,
has larger libraries and a higher percentage of teachers
with a college major in the area they teach than an
approved school, he said.
Carlson said private education hasn't been growing as
fast as it may appear.
More applications
The list of schools applying for approval or accredita
tion was three times larger than normal this year. But he
attributed that to the state's prosecution of a non-approved
school, Faith Christian School of Louisville. The school
has been charged with violating a court injunction forbid
ding it from opening again without state approval.
Carlson said most of the new schools have four or five
students and won't have much effect on public education.
Carlson said he felt the schools want to be legal to pro
vide academic confidence to parents. The schools also
recognize that they can be prosecuted if they do not have
state approval, he said.
Rev. James D. Dawson, superintendent of Catholic
schools for the Lincoln diocese, said Nebraska has 135
Catholic elementary and secondary schools. Lincoln's.
Catholic schools increased their enrollment by 69 students
to 2,668 this year, he said.
Dawson said a U.S. Office of Education report showing
that private school students score higher on achievement
tests has probably influenced parents to send their child
ren to private schools. Many parents feel their children are
safer and better disciplined in private schools and receive
a religious education that the parents feel is important, he
said.
Tuition for elementary students ranges from nothing
to $150 a year depending on the school, and $350 to
$500 for high school, he said.
He added that if a student cannot pay the tuition, the
student is still welcome and the student's parish will help
pay the cost.
Catholics approved
All Catholic schools in Nebraska are approved or
accredited and all teachers are certified, Dawson said.
"Private schools strengthen public schools by "provid
ing a sort of competition," Dawson said.
Robert Den Hartog, assistant superintendent of
business affairs for Lincoln Public Schools, said Lincoln
public schools are experiencing a predictable decline in
students because of population decreases.
He said the growth in the number of students attending
private schools also is contributing to the decrease. Precise
enrollment figures won't be known for several weeks.
Den Hartog said he had no objection to private schools
providing the religious education that public schools can
not. He said he thought comparing public and private
schools was unfair because each provides different services
to its students after meeting minimum state standards.
Continued on Page 3
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Daily Nebraskan photo
Lines for season football tickets were a mite smaller Monday than when ticket sales began two weeks ago.
These two students and their shadows were the only standouts in line at one point during the afternoon. Stu
dent tickets purchased through the lottery can be picked up through the Penn State-Nebraska game, Sept. 26
at the Athletic Ticket Office.
Football tickets held
till Penn State game
Students who didn't pick up their football
tickets last week can still do so up until the second
home game of the season, a sales person said Mon
day. The deadline to pick up tickets ordered in the
spring h'as been posted as Sept. 11, but the tickets
will remain in the Athletic Ticket Office until they
are claimed by the student, jx ticket sales person
said.
Meanwhile, the 547 students who were left out
of the fall sale due to a ticket shortage have until
Wednesday to pick up season tickets.
Jean Walcott said that as of noon Monday, 83 of
the 147 reserved seats had been claimed, and 68 of
the 400 bleacher seats.
Walcott added the office will make an effort to
sell the reserve seats first, but after today, all priorit
ies will be lifted.
Joe Selig said the office encourages students to
pick up tickets as soon as possible, but they will be
held for the student until the morning of the Penn
State game.
Selig said those students whose names are on the
waiting list can pick up tickets today and tomor
row. The office is open from 9:00 a jn. through noon
and 1:00 through 4:00 pjii.
Selig said students who decide not to purchase
tickets can get a full refund until the first game.
After the first home game and before the second
home game, the student will be refunded $19.75.
After the second game, no refunds will be issued,
Selig said.
RHA president outlines goals set at workshop
By Roger Aden
Setting goals, gaining leadership skills and getting
acquainted were the main objectives of the Residence Hall
Association's Sunday workshop, according to RHA Presi
dent Robin Lynch.
The workshop consisted of six mini-sessions, including
parliamentary procedure rules, decision-making, group
dynamics and communication.
Lynch said stating goals now serves as an incentive to
RHA members and as a yardstick for students to measure
RHA's success.
"We forced RHA into making a commitment to the
students," she said. "We've set definite goals and deadlines
for accomplishing those goals."
Report planned
"As an added commitment, we'll issue a report in Dec
ember or January showing what we've done and what we
said we'd do," site said.
Goals set at the workshop include:
-Publishing a bi-monthly newsletter. It would be
distributed to floor representatives and posted on each
residence hall floor. The first newsletter is scheduled to be
published by the end of September.
-Sponsoring a project for a worthwhile charity. Last
year, RHA sponsored a dance-a-thon for Easter Seals.
Lynch said this year's project will be chosen at a later
date.
-Examining alcohol and visitation policies in the resi
dence halls and preparing alternatives to the present stand
ards. After a study on the two issues, a proposal will be
put together by mid-November.
-Planning of a residence hall conference for all colleges
in the state. The conference is scheduled for some time
next semester.
-Organizing a school display for regional and national
conferenpes. Lynch said the display would include a slide
show presentation about UNL.
Lynch said her personal goal for the year is to bridge
communication gaps between students and RHA, and be
tween students and UNL's Office of Housing.
Questions needed
"A lot of the problem is that students don't ask
questions," she said. "How are we supposed to know
about a problem if they don't ask questions?"
In another session, workshop participants were given
a presentation on communication by Sara Boatman of the
Campus Activities and Programs office.
Boatman, along with speech communication graduate
student John Cannon and O.J. King, prepared an audit of
the communication structure of last year's RHA.
"We tried to take a snapshot of what happens within
the residence hall relationships," she said. "We went over
the entire communicational structure, including students,
RHA, hall governments and the housing office."
Boatman said the study concluded RHA has marvelous
communication channels available because it has contact
with students and administrative personnel.
But, Boatman said, RHA needs to increase the involve
ment of residence hall governments in the information
process.
Lynch said RHA members are going to try to increase
communication with everyone, including residence hall
governments.
Workshop participants also discussed the role of RHA
representatives, making a list of the duties of a representative.
gy fiuesday
I do, I don't: FWlosophy professor says marriage is no
longer an absolute prospect Pige 7
God and Guitars: Chuck Lieurance reviews Bob Dylan's
latest album, Shot of Love Page 8
Trial Run: Nebraska football Coach Tom Osborne says all
three.of UNL's top quarterbacks may see action Sat
urday as he tries to pick the top signal caller. . Page 10
