My name is Kenneth Hamner, and I am a college student at Furman University in Greenville, S. C. I'm writing in concerns to a class called Humanities at McIntosh High School. This two-hour class is taught by two great teachers, Kelly Baker and Craig Humphrey, and teach classic texts, views of society, the values of an individual, and traditional high school material such as government and English. This is a voluntary class consisting of 40 to 50 students as an alternative to government, economics and senior English.

The morning announcements at McIntosh High School of March 2 told the student body that the class would not be offered in the 2000-2001 school year due to “budget” constraints and other problems.

This class has typically been viewed by outside teachers as a waste of time because it goes beyond traditional forms of teaching and high school material. They have wanted this class to be canceled for years. This budget excuse is in my opinion a ploy to help cancel the class forever. Despite the claims MHS might be understaffed, Fayette County is one of the wealthiest counties in the state. The true reason is this class teaches more than typical regurgitation, and shows anything outside of the set guidelines can be canceled.

I must say that I have never learned so much from a single class in my life, including my college classes. I learned how to study for college classes (something which most other classes ignored), learned how to do an oral and essay exam (which are the only things teachers give here for exams), and learned most importantly about myself and society. Without humanities I wouldn't be the individual I am today who tries to mold myself, the people I love, and my society into a better being.

Without this class no future McIntosh students will ever reach their full potential. This experience with these two great men will forever affect my life, my relations with other people, and my choices farther down the road of life, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart for teaching me attributes I'd never find in a high school (or college) textbook. This class must be saved!

I'm begging you to please help our school system, our community, and our future by giving this school issue some notice. This class has affected so many people in positive ways, and we cannot afford this class to meet its end. For example, you can read accounts how great this class is and comments about how this class changed people's lives at www.illogical.org. This website serves as the voice for us to save this class. If you need to get in contact with me, please feel free to call me at 864-371-4231 or e-mail me at Kenneth@Hamner.com.

I'd like to quote Kurt Vonnegut when he was contacted about author Joseph Heller's death. Vonnegut said, “Oh, God, how terrible. This is a calamity for American letters.” Well, with the cancellation of humanities for future students of MHS, this is a calamity for Fayette's education.

Kenneth Hamner

Kenneth@Hamner.com

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