SOUTHWORDS
May 1969
Afterwords
Favors upper-class lounge
Maine South's first senior lounge was not exactly a roaring success. It was closed for a time because of gambling. Many arguments were raised against it.
However, there are many more benefits than detriments to a senior lounge. Recently the possibility of extending the privilege to lower-classmen has been discussed. Southwords feels that if the lounge privilege is extended, it should be extended only to juniors, not to the rest of the student body.
Benefits far outweigh the detriments of a senior lounge. SEniors are under greater pressure than other students because of the emphasis on college or job preparation in addition to their studies.
A lounge, as well as being a place to have an extra, or late, meal is a good place to have a discussion that is not directed, as in most classrooms. Discussion can be extremely valuable. Often, a student can learn by talking to others, not just by reading and studying what is iprinted in books.
Since many people do not study in study halls, anyway, their sitting ina homeroom complex does not benefit anyone. Free discussion could benefit several people. The lounge also affords the opportunity to talk to people you might not otherwise see.
If discussions are held during morning study time, students need not use evening time for this, and therefore devote more time to homework. For these reasons, the lounge is a good thing.
However, upper-classmen are generally under greater pressure than underclassmen. Because the lounge is a privilege, Southwords feels it should be reserved until the latter school years so that it is more valued, thus reducing the chances that the privilege will be abused.
Also, Maine South does not have sufficient room for an all-student lounge. Although students might be allowed to go outside, most of the school year is too cold to allow students to be outside.