Tuition attack is wrong

President Barack Obama is wrong to attack institutions of higher education for raising tuition rates (“Obama decries college costs,” and “Obama’s remarks irritate higher ed,” both Jan. 28).

In view of the shocking decline in public funding for education over the past few years, public institutions hardly have a choice but to raise tuition. What is generally less well-known is that most private colleges funnel added tuition receipts back into financial aid, thus enabling students who otherwise can’t afford it to get a good education.

This practice operates as a system to equalize costs based on ability to pay. It is certainly much fairer than our present federal tax system, which allows even presidential candidates to avoid paying their fair share of taxes on their enormous wealth.

Rod Stackelberg, emeritus

Gonzaga University

Spokane

Save Jensen-Byrd Building

I hope Washington State University will reconsider its decision to allow demolition of the Jensen-Byrd Building. This building is significant to the heritage, people and character of Spokane, and is valuable economically and structurally, with materials and craftsmanship that could not be purchased today. Additionally, it contains embodied energy that would be wasted were the building razed and dumped into a landfill. In today’s sustainable culture, such waste is irresponsible, especially for a public institution.

Published studies abound demonstrating the economic, sustainable and urban-plan benefits provided by retaining existing buildings. Money spent on renovation is weighted toward providing local jobs, while new construction spending is weighted on purchasing materials (generally from outside the community).

Contrary to the belief of some, historic preservation does not dislike development. In fact, it embraces it, with an understanding of the inherent value found in reusing existing buildings, structures, and their infrastructures, materials, and embodied energy.

Additionally, listing a building in the National Register of Historic Places places no limitations or restrictions on property owners; rather it serves as honorary recognition providing benefits including economic incentives.

Jensen-Byrd could be developed by someone who understands and will take advantage of these benefits; in turn benefiting our community.

Annie Doyon

Spokane Preservation Advocates

Spokane

Bible led to Dark Ages

I’d like to respond to Gavin Dluehosh’s Jan. 29 letter, “Know Bible in context,” where he disputes Tim Wolfe’s Jan. 20 letter claiming that the Bible was written by men to frighten and control the uneducated population to conform to their way of thinking.

If anyone knows the real history of the early church, they would side with Wolfe. Writers those days had a wealth of information on ancient history’s saviors to start their new religion, and once Christianity was established, they had to annihilate all evidence of its mythic nature to make it their own. And they did it with a vengeance. It was burn, baby, burn.

By the Third Century, almost all knowledge of Greece had disappeared. By the Fifth, the destruction was so complete, Archbishop Chrysostom could boast of it thus; “Every trace of the old philosophy and literature of the ancient world has vanished from the face of the Earth.” Enter the Dark Ages, a curious effect for “The Light of the World.” Education was frowned upon for centuries to keep the populace in line before the Renaissance.

Gary Garoutte

Newport, Wash.