Letters: Sep. 15, 1967

(3 of 5)

Sir: Your story "Smoking & Safety" [Sept. 1] misleads in regard to Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. On Aug. 25 we tested some filters made by the Strickman group in order to be informed of the present state of development. Such testing does not indicate, as you aver, that Brown & Williamson is now "satisfied with the Strickman device." That is a conclusion that you formed without any verification from us.

E. P. FINCH

President

Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp.

Louisville

> TIME is happy to print President Finch's rebuttal, but the conclusion was formed by Robert Strickman, and clearly attributed to him.

Sir: Regarding Physician Armstead Hudnell's suggestion to punch a small hole in the cigarette, I tried it and discovered very little trace of nicotine in the filter on the punched half. Then I punched two holes—more effective! I then punched three, four and five holes. With a pair of scissors I snipped a hole all the way around the cigarette. Would you believe, not a trace of nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide or smoke? What a Golconda for me!

CHET S. KACZKA

Phoenix, Ariz.

Sir: I wish the Cancer Society and the U.S. Health Department would go on about their business and leave us smokers alone. They must have other work to do.

FLO HUGHES

A.P.O. San Francisco

The Way It Is

Sir: From experience, education, and research, I challenge every aspect of John Holt's thinking on educational practices [Sept. 1]. Very few children have such excessive fear of teachers and schools unless they are extremely emotionally disturbed. He is judging teachers by 19th century standards. If children have some fear of being wrong, this is good. Authority figures abound in our world. Education's purpose is to prepare people to function in society as it is; not in some Utopian fairyland where there are no frustrations, or where no one is ever wrong or punished. The teacher's role is to impart the knowledge he has acquired, to guide the students' thinking, to explore, to experiment, and yes, even to test.

MARY P. AYSCUE

Staunton, Va.

Sir: I wish that all educators could share Mr. Holt's views and insights. Today's school system does more to suppress learning than to promote it. I am an honors student, but in these past twelve years I have learned neither history, science, French, nor English. Instead, I have learned how to fake an essay, how to cram, how to impress teachers, and how to comb my hair so that it will not appear to be in violation of the administration's dress code. The result is that upon leaving school one has the feeling that he never wants to "learn" another thing as long as he lives. Only through an approach such as Mr. Holt proposes will our school system achieve this ambitious, but necessary goal.

ROBERT LONDON

Los Angeles

Now for the Tar