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Blast levelled at Operation Open Door Chronicle Staft Adults returning to school through the Waterioo County board of education‘s Operation Open Door are receiving a "secondâ€"class education‘"" because of the program‘s inadequate resources and faciliâ€" ty, according to Open Door student Ann Josling. Enrolled in the program since January, Josling said she is "angry" and "outraged" because the Alexandra Avenue school does not have "‘decent" resource materials for students or even a library in which to put those materiais. ‘"‘It‘s so ridiculous...everybody is putting a smiling face on it (the school). They saying they‘re learning so much and we‘re not. We‘re only getting a lowâ€"grade education here. Sure we‘re learning, but it‘s only skimming the surface. Students are getting bits and pieces, but they‘re not getting all they could if (the school) had a library and more Open Door vice principal Jim Barlow admitted that the program is deficient in some of the ‘"‘extras‘‘ enjoyed by traditional schools, but he rejected outright the suggestion that the quality of education provided at the school is inferior. As proof, he pointed to the graduating class of last year: of 9% graduates, 35 have gone on to community college and 54 have returned to the workplace. Chronicle Statf The Waterioo county board of education is sacrificing the basic needs of its students by not placing a top priority on improving libraries in its schools, says Waterioo trustee John Hendry. ‘"I don‘t understand why our libraries shouldn‘t be a higher priorityâ€"why should putting in new rugs and other extras be more important than meeting the basic needs of our students...it‘s a disgrace," said Hendry. Open Door is an aduit high school program launched by the Waterioo public board, which allows adults to upgrade their academic skills and earn regular high school credits. Josling is one of *‘These students are not getting a proper education...we need books, more audio visual equipment. Al} we‘re getting is the secondâ€"hand stuff other schools don‘t want," said Josling. At the next board meeting Hendry plans to ask administration to prepare a report on libraries in the school system, and whether or not they meet ministry of education and board guidelines. He expects the report will find that many libraries do not come up to these 440 students now taking classes at the school‘s Alexandra Avenue, Waterloo campus. Hendry‘s concern was sparked by the situation at Waterioo collegiate institute, where the library is far too small to meet the needs of the school‘s approximately 1,600 students. Chronicie Staff certainly talk with the best of them. By the way, did we mention that Tuesday, the longâ€"time Waterioo institution celebrated his 90th birthday? Friends and family members gathered at the 404 Wing Thursday to pay tribute to the livelyâ€"spirited nonagenarian and @f course, listen to stories. In just a short halfâ€"hour interview, the WW : fiyer managed to answer every question with humer and sincerity . Erb set the tome right off the b&t when a somewhat â€" wetâ€"behindâ€"theâ€"ear uz!nen tioned that Irvin appeared in great for a man of his age. The answer was B##h funny and likely true. a$ "I could still put on the boxing gl0Â¥es and go reporter‘s dream . Quickâ€"witted, never at a loss for words, and questioner, some 66 years his s In fact, Erb mentioned he had quite a bit of boxing during his day in he tussle Lack of facilities, resources cited When Irvin Erb talks everyone listens in rogram is deficient in some of the ‘‘They can go to Wintario for grants; go to njoyed by traditional schools, but he difference agencies for money. The school doesn‘t tright the suggestion that the quality of have a vertical file of newspaper clippingâ€"that‘s provided at the school is inferior. As something that could be easily done. I‘m so Students at the Waterloo county board of ointed to the graduating class of last outraged that they just sit there twiddling their Qperation Open Door are receiving a 96 graduates, 35 have gone on to thumbs, waiting for something to happen They education because of inadequate resources college and 54 have returned to the have to get off their butts and start doing loo student Ann Josting * something for themselves." * Hendry urges library stud as a ‘‘The students we are graduating are pretty well prepared. Admittedly there are things to be done here, but we‘re definitely not lacking," said Bariow, who has requested that three portables be placed on school property next year, to accomâ€" modate a library, day care centre and science lab. This, however, is not the first time Bariow has requested the portables in the four years since the school opened on Alexandra Avenue. Previous requests have been denied by trustees. ‘"In fairness to the board, Open Door is an alternative school...when it was set up it was a pilot project and it could have ended at any time. In the past adult education programs in this province have collapsedâ€"that could have happened here too,"" said Barlow. He expects to see an increase in resources allocated to the school now, because Open Door has ‘"proven itself." ‘‘*Now we‘re at the bottom of the totem pole. We‘ve got what we need, we‘ve got the textbooks, but not much else. But now the board‘s philosophy is changing. They‘re saying ‘yes, adult education is here to stay. It‘s not a pilot project anymore,‘ and the resources will be forthcoming," said Barlow. Josling argued, however, that the Open Door‘s students shouldn‘t have to accept an inferior education while Barlow and his staff await approval of muchâ€"needed resources. She said the school can help itself, and get a temporary library going by contacting other libraries, bookstores and other agencies for books they might be casting off. The school should aiso write to the two levels of government for publications which are provided free of charge. name meant very little to someone who grew up during the Muhammad Ali era. Sports has played a major role in Erb‘s life and during that time he has encountered many of the greats. A promising hockey prospect, Erb claims to have been chased by both the Toronto St. Pat‘s and the Montreal Maroons prior to 1920. Legendary names such as Conn Smythe, Frank Selke and Art Ross all have stories attached to them which Erb is only too eager to recount. War is another area which brings a twinkle to his eye. A proud veteran of the first world war, Erb was a founding member of the Air Cadet League in 1941.As for the obvious question, his secret to longevity, Erb says its ‘‘just a case of continuing to breathe.‘"‘ ‘""In 1906 I signed a pledge that I wouldn‘t drink or smoke and to this day I couldn‘t tell you what a beer tastes like,"" he said, adding that might have something to do with it. An unlike many of his age who are content playing the odd game of bridge or bingo, Erb continues to work as an agent for the Mutual Something tells us he wouldn‘t be an easy salesman to say no to. According to WCI head of library services Bob Derksen, at its present 2,880 square feet, the school‘s library is far below Ministry guidelines, which state that there should be five square feet of library space provided for each student. If these guidelines were followed, at it is the Waterioo county board‘s policy to abide by the provincial standards, the school‘s library should be at least 8,000 square feet. Because of space constraints the school also has far less books per student, 8.75, than the board suggests, 15 books per student. *‘We‘re at capacity. We don‘t have enough space for students to study, and we‘re at capacity in the library (book ) coliection . For every book we buy now, we have to put one in storageâ€"â€"they wind up in boxes in basements or in department offices. I don‘t even know what the collection contains outside the library." said Derkson. He noted that the library was built to accommodate a student population of 600 to 700. WCJ principal Richard Smale said that situation can Students at the Wateriloo county board of education‘s Operation Open Door are receiving a secondâ€"class education because of inadequate resources, says Waterâ€" loo student Ann Josling. Chronicle photo 404 Wing president Howard Halilman presents irvin Erb with a plaque commemorating his 90th birthâ€" WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 1987 â€" PAGE 3 only worsen because of increasing enroiment, and changes to Ministry of Education programs, which require students to conduct more independent research. The school has asked the board to approve an expansion of the library to bring it up to ministry requirements, however, there is no indication that work will be occurring in the near future. While it tops the priority list for library expansions. Hendry said, an addition to the WCI facility isn‘t included in the fiveâ€"year capital forecast. He intends to launch a campaign to have the work stepped up. ‘*To me, it would seem that books are fairly basic to education, and it isn‘t fair that we should expect our students to go to Wilfrid Laurier University or the University of Waterloo to get books. We are supposed to be preparing students for the future, but we can‘t even provide them with the books to learn," concluded Hendry.