TO THE EDITORS:

As reported in the Oct. 2 edition, Christopher Columbus was "very, very mean and very bossy," according to the teacher Jeffrey Kolowith. Columbus was the commander of a squadron of three ships, and kindergarten children are too young to understand that, even today, every ship's captain is the boss. There are no democracies on a vessel at sea.

Children must learn that no one is perfect, that we all "have feet of clay." They also have to be taught that whoever is being studied had to function and compete in that world. Commodore Columbus would never have considered that his men might introduce a new virus to the natives or that the native women would give his men &tstr; and Europe &tstr; syphilis.

The purpose of Columbus' journey was to find a sea course to India, as the land route through the Middle East had been closed by the Turks after they had conquered Byzantium. Explorations usually have an economic motive.

Young people are not yet able to comprehend both the admirable and the fallen nature of everyone. Thus, there is no good reason to give them a negative perception of any famous person, except to teach them to never trust, or put their faith in, any person, religion, or political concept then pledge their allegiance to nothing.

What may happen, though, is that they will then believe anything.

Robert L. Wichterman
Manheim Township