In the spring of 1988, the Farmington School District announced that starting in the fall of that year, its high schools would issue academic letters to those attaining a 3.3 grade point average or higher over the previous school year. According to an article written by Matt Calfin ('89) in the April 29, 1988 issue of the Catalyst, the academic letter was proposed by Assistant Superintendent Lynn Nutter, who explained, "Our main goal... was to recognize these students who are not in athletics or band."
In that same issue, Catalyst Co-Editor-in-Chief Sam Cannon ('88) wrote an editorial against academic letters, stating that academic achievement already had its share of rewards, including Phi Beta Kappa, the National Honor Society, and a better chance at going to more desirable colleges and universities. He said, "So this is what students need to perform academically, a condescending letter 'H' to fulfill the wanna-be fantasies of those who don't participate in sports or band? No, and the very suggestion is insulting."
I seriously debated buying a varsity jacket to put that letter on. I wasn't in athletics or the band, and I admit, I thought about being that first person who wore an academic letter jacket, who zigged while the others zagged, standing against the vast majority like Juror Number Eight in Twelve Angry Men.
So why didn't I get that jacket? It boiled down to a simple cost vs. benefit analysis.
In that same issue, Catalyst Co-Editor-in-Chief Sam Cannon ('88) wrote an editorial against academic letters, stating that academic achievement already had its share of rewards, including Phi Beta Kappa, the National Honor Society, and a better chance at going to more desirable colleges and universities. He said, "So this is what students need to perform academically, a condescending letter 'H' to fulfill the wanna-be fantasies of those who don't participate in sports or band? No, and the very suggestion is insulting."
I seriously debated buying a varsity jacket to put that letter on. I wasn't in athletics or the band, and I admit, I thought about being that first person who wore an academic letter jacket, who zigged while the others zagged, standing against the vast majority like Juror Number Eight in Twelve Angry Men.
So why didn't I get that jacket? It boiled down to a simple cost vs. benefit analysis.
- Matt Paletz (who, as a member of the band, proudly wore his jacket almost every day) said his letter jacket cost him $150. Supposing I had bought my jacket in November 1988, I would have only worn the jacket from then until the end of my senior year--roughly a year and a half. $150 was--and still is--a lot of money to spend on something I would wear for such a short time.
- In addition, my parents, both of whom were children of immigrants and grew up relatively poor, would have given me a long lecture about how I had my priorities screwed up, and that they would never have spent that much money in that fashion. The potential of my parents "laying a guilt trip on me" served as a hindrance.
Looking back, there are three more reasons why not buying that jacket turned out to be a good decision:
If I ever have kids, then someday, I can tell them I lettered in academics. I imagine that they won't believe me, at which point I'll dig into my box of high school mementos and pull that letter out. And won't they be stunned!
(Editor's note: If you received an academic letter, and you'd like to tell G&G about what you did with yours, please feel free to comment by clicking on the "comments" link right underneath this article. All comments are subject to moderation by yours truly.)
(Editor's note #2 11-25-2011: I had said that "the sight of that jacket would be a depressing reminder of how much weight I've put on since high school." At the time that I wrote this article, in March 2010, I weighed around 188 lb, which is terrible for someone who's only 5'7" tall. I ditched regular sodas and junk food in August 2010 and weigh 164 today. So maybe that jacket, had I bought it in '88, just might have fit me now...)
- I was inducted into the National Honor Society in my senior year. While both the NHS and the academic letter had the same minimum grade point average requirement (3.3), the NHS also had a much tougher set of standards for induction (applicants also have to do well in three other areas--character, leadership and service). Once I got inducted, the academic letter didn't seem so important.
- I never saw anyone wear the academic letter on a jacket or even a sweater--not Jared Goldapper, not Todd Rope, nobody.
- Today, the sight of that jacket would be a depressing reminder of how much weight I've put on since high school.
If I ever have kids, then someday, I can tell them I lettered in academics. I imagine that they won't believe me, at which point I'll dig into my box of high school mementos and pull that letter out. And won't they be stunned!
(Editor's note: If you received an academic letter, and you'd like to tell G&G about what you did with yours, please feel free to comment by clicking on the "comments" link right underneath this article. All comments are subject to moderation by yours truly.)
(Editor's note #2 11-25-2011: I had said that "the sight of that jacket would be a depressing reminder of how much weight I've put on since high school." At the time that I wrote this article, in March 2010, I weighed around 188 lb, which is terrible for someone who's only 5'7" tall. I ditched regular sodas and junk food in August 2010 and weigh 164 today. So maybe that jacket, had I bought it in '88, just might have fit me now...)
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