Youth Forum Cover Variety of Topics

By Mary Manning (contact)

Saturday, Dec. 7, 1968 | 2 a.m.

Students expressed their opinions yesterday from abortion to riots at the 13th annual SUN Youth Forum.

More than 650 Clark Count high school students participated in the discussions divided into 14 panels.

Subjects were combined under seven separate headings, “The Teenage Dilemma,” “National Affairs,” “International Affairs,” “Crime and Law Enforcement,” “City, County and State,” “Education,” and “Social Attitudes.”

Topics were sent in by the students weeks in advance.

After students registered with members of the Service League, discussion begand at 9 a.m. Some of the conclusions reached follow:

• Peaceful student demonstrations should be held, but “with class” and “no violence.”
• Civil disobedience is justified, not killing and looting. Students criticized both police and demonstrators for violence at the Chicago Democratic convention and the current university disturbances.
• Vietnam protesters feel the undeclared war is futile and the soldiers “are just killing time while there is talk of peace.”
• Students should have a representative on university boards of regents, an ombudsman separate from student government to relieve the communication gap between students and administrators.

One student asked why the current mass revolts and others explained it was a “mass-oriented revolt in a mass society and cultural because participants in the riots didn’t feel involved in society.”

Several local examples of peaceful demonstrations were used, including Nevada Southern University Education City and Operation Lazarus, a student effort to raise funds to send representatives to Carson City for the legislative session.

Students approved this form of dissent. Many students related their experiences with demonstrations across the nation and were sympathetic to student views.

But organizations like Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) were condemned and labeled as “anarchists, further left than Communist.”

Summarist chosen by fellow students and moderators are Phil Aurboch, Russ Colletta, Scott Blackmer, Fred Gibson, Danny Morris, Louis Grimes, Bod Dickerson, Jeff Eshin, Mark Tratos, Dave Herrington, Jim Whitney, Greg Carter, Tom Collins and Althea Hall.

Alternates are Paulette Elliot, Jennifer Borthal, Mike Jacobs, Cliff Garland, Steve Silvangi, Tom Banfield, Steve Swander, Jill Ross, Daivd Freeland, Christine Brandt, Wes Loper, Chris Rieke, Quentin Anderson and Barbara Guerichio.

Summarists will appearon KLAS-TV Channel 8 Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. They will also report to community leaders at a noon luncheon Dec. 11 at the Thunderbird Hotel.

Entertainers performed for the students at 3 p.m. when the forum ended.

The event was held in the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Sahara Cashbar star Norm Crosby, known as the Master of Malaprop, emceed the special show.

Other acts seen during the one-hour performance included the Mod Squad from the Thunderbird and Hassell with Wisdom from Ceasars Palace.

Moderators were Mrs. Marion Bunker, Mrs. George Phillips, Mrs. Ed Phillips, Mrs. Mabel Mitchell, Joe Delaney, Harry Reid, Robert Mullen, Freddie Little, Richard Bryan, Heinz Rettig, Dr. Bernard Greenblatt, Zel Lowman, John Wawerna and Bill Briare.

The SUN Youth Forum is directed by Mrs. Ruthe Deskin of the SUN and Harvey Dondero of the Clark County School District.