If the purpose of sending a young person to school is to teach them independence and self reliance, then closing South High School did just the opposite; instead of emphasizing the importance of contributing to the community, and providing leadership, students were shipped off to Union High School--out of their community; they were given the idea that it was alright to abandon where they were brought up   because the "Grass was Greener" elsewhere.  The spirit of South provided confidence , pride, and an energy that could not be duplicated by sending students off to the West Side-Union High School; Gerald Ford graduated from South in 1930-every Thanksgiving members of the 1930 football team would have breakfast together--this included our neighbor, Harold Boscher; that relationship continued over all of the years; Gerald Ford never forgot his team mates; however, the Grand Rapids Board of Education forgot what committment to the community means by closing South High--the pillar of the South end community.

Roger Plafkin-Plafkin Brothers-Grand Rapids Bolt and Nut Company-Plafkin Farms, Ada, Michigan