The Gateway Objectivist 

The monthly newsletter of the Gateway Objectivists, St. Louis, Missouri 

The Gateway Objectivists' September Meeting: 
 A Roundtable Discussion on Education

Summer Seminar recap 

At the last meeting, GO member Frank Bryan recapped the Institute for Objectivist Studies Summer Seminar, which was held at the University of Vermont at Burlington on July 3- 10. Frank has attended the seminar in the past and enjoyed it again this year. He said he finds the week to be a very special time, not only because of the lectures and events, but also because it gives him the opportunity to talk to so many people who share a passion for Objectivism until the Objectivism morning . 
Some of the lectures that Frank attended were the annual State of the Culture, John Bechtel on life inside a cult, Stephen Moses on the aging of the baby boomers, "Organized Individualism" by Bob Bidinotto, Ed Hudgins on rhetoric, Susan Dawn Wake on Francis Bacon, "How to Read a Novel" and "Why Johnny Can't, Like, Write" by Susan McCloskey, and *Objectivity" and "Choosing Life" by David Kelley. 
Frank said that one of the most interesting lectures was a last-minute addition by Jose Pinera on Chile's privatization of social security. He discussed both the basics of Chile's successful system and the important transition steps that must be made when changing from a government system to a private one. 
Pinera, who was Chile's Minister of Labor and Social Security from 1978 to 1980, created the country's Pension Savings Account system, which has become a model for other countries.
More information on Pinera, the importance of a privatized social security system, and ways it could be achieved, can be found at http://www.socialsecurity.org.
Aside from the lectures, Frank also talked about highlights from the 10th Anniversary Banquet featuring Barbara Branden, as well as some of the participant-sponsored sessions.
The biggest piece of news that Frank brought back was that IOS is changing its name to The Objectivist Center, which Frank calls, "a stroke of genius."  The new name reflects the organization's commitment to developing an Objectivist community as well as continuing its leadership in Objectivist scholarship.  Besides a new logo and website http://www.objectivistcenter.org, a new division called "The Atlas Society" will debut on January 1, 2000.  Its purpose is to reach out to people who enjoy Ayn Rand's fiction and to encourage them to participate in the Objectivist movement.
Once again, this was an exciting presentation by Frank Bryan. We are already looking forward to his Summer Seminar recap meeting next year.

The Joy of Economics 
by Joy Neweomb Kiviat 

Public Food: A Parable 

Just suppose... 
AP Washington, 5/7/02 In response to a Health and Human Services report showing that many American children suffer from poor nutrition and improper eating patterns, along with a survey showing many low income families lack access to affordable groceries, the federal government has determined that the grocery business' is too important to our nation's future to be left to market forces. "A healthy, well-nourished population is vital to maintaining prosperity and cherished democratic values," stated the President as he signed the Public Grocery Act into law. 
Under this new federal program, the government will open a nationwide system of grocery stores, managed and staffed by government employees, and funded by local property taxes. Each family is to be assigned to a store in their community's Food District, and will receive their weekly grocery allotment free of charge.  An elected Grocery Board is responsible for determining which food items constitute a balanced diet, and will reevaluate the grocery allotment on an annual basis to incorporate new nutritional research findings.
Owners of private grocery stores lobbied against the program, calling it a takeover of their industry, but officials assured them that private stores will still be allowed to operate and maintain their autonomy.  However, they will be denied access to any public grocery funds.
AP Washington, 9/1/03  Today the Senate passed a much-heralded amendment to the Public Grocery Act, creating a Special Food District for eating-disabled individuals.
Pressure from disability activists, physicians and food manufacturers had previously led the government to decree that people with special dietary needs due to allergies, diabetes, heart conditions, or other medical or psychological disorders, are a protected group under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The new amendment will provide additional dietary funds and specially trained grocery constants to help meet the special needs of the eating-disabled. 
AP Washington, 1/7/04 After a 3-week strike, creating hunger and havoc throughout the nation, the newly organized Public Grocers Union has agreed to a settlement. Among other concessions, the government agreed to higher wages, a generous benefits package, and the controversial Grocers Certification requirement. This last item specifies that henceforth, Public Grocery Stores may hire only certified graduates of Union-approved Grocers' Colleges. It's estimated that this settlement will increase program costs to taxpayers by at least 10% next year. 
AP Washington, 2/17/06 Minority leaders and civil rights activists led a march on the White House today, bearing placards and chanting slogans. Thousands of supporters joined in the protest against grocery inequality. Recent reports have revealed that the quality of food in certain low-income grocery districts is far inferior to that in wealthier communities. Citing problems such as moldy bread, spoiled meat, and surly employees, the movement's leaders called for federal-assistance to subsidize these poorer districts. 
AP Boston, 5/1/07 Harvard School of Public Health today release results of a 2-year, nationwide study on nutrition. Researchers found that the grocery allocation set by the federal Grocery Board is deficient in several key nutrients, contributing to a rise in diet- related illnesses. Further investigation revealed that the Board modified the original grocery allocation in response to intense lobbying by the Sugar Growers Association, leading candy and soda manufacturers, and the American Pork Association. A public outcry against the influence of special interests is anticipated.
AP New York, 3/14/12 The movement to reform the Public Grocery system appears to have stalled. The powerful Public Grocers Union and leading suppliers have resisted every effort to make the system more accountable to consumers and nutrition experts.  
Reports of widespread declines in many health measures, including stunted growth, poor dental development, and reduced energy among children and young adults has fueled the emergence of another movement, known as Food Vouchers. Leaders of the new voucher movement advocate providing food choice to all families by providing a debit card which can be used at any Public Grocery store, in- district or not. The most radical proponents of this reform favor permitting families to choose private grocery stores as well. 
What happens next? ...It's up to you! 

Objectivist Tidbits 

Several new Objectivist-oriented organizations have appeared recently. 
They include:

• The Daily Objectivist is a website for the Objectivist community which is updated daily. It includes articles, reviews, profiles and links on everything. 
• The Journal of Ayn Rand Studies is the first-of-its-kind scholarly publication examining the life and work of Ayn Rand. Edited by Chris Matthew Sciabarra, it will feature new and original applications of Objectivist philosophy and scholarship. 
• Enlightenment is a publication which encourages original Objectivist scholarship. Two big upcoming projects are the Dictionary Project and the Encyclopedia of Philosophy Project, to which anyone can make submissions which are then discussed and critiqued before being published. 

"Introduction to Logic" Resumes 

Now that summer is over, we will resume listening to "Introduction to Logic" one hour before the start of our regular meetings. The (continued on page 4) visit our website at: http://www. umsl.edu/- newcomb/go.htm The Gateway Objectivist September 1999 (continued from page 3) audiotaped lecture series by Leonard Peikoff teaches deductive and inductive reasoning as well as logical fallacies. Be sure to arrive at 7:00 if you want to hear the lecture, The regular meeting will start at 8:00. 

Citizens for Educational Freedom Celebration 

Citizens for Educational Freedom invites you to their 40th Anniversary Celebration, sponsored by the Educational Freedom Foundation. Founded in 1959, Citizens for Educational Freedom was there front the beginning -- the first national organization exclusively devoted to advancing choice in education . 
As we stand poised on the brink of a new millennium, Citizens for Educational Freedom invites the many national and local organizations, research institutes, advocacy groups and individuals who support school choice to unite in celebrating these achievements, and to forge an alliance so we may all work together to foster a rebirth of educational freedom for the 21st century. 
The conference and gala banquet will take place at the Hilton St. Louis Airport, Saturday, October 16, 1999(10330 Natural Bridge Road, St. Louis, MO 63134). The theme is "School Choice for the 21st Century." The banquet will feature Clint Bolick of the Institute for Justice as speaker, with Charles Brennan of KMOX as Master of Ceremonies. 
The program for Saturday, October 16, 1999, begins with registration at. 12:00. The Unity Conference is from 1:00 to 5:00 in the meeting room, followed by the Reception and Banquet at 6:00 in the Hilton Ballroom. 
Fees for non-members are $25 for the Conference and $50 for the Banquet. For CEF members, the fees are $15 for the Conference and $40 for the Banquet. 
For more information or to obtain a registration form, please contact Joy Newcomb Kiviat at 314/469-2723. 

Date Change for October Meeting 

Due to the conflict with the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Citizens for Educational Freedom, we will move our October meeting to Saturday, October 30. Our meeting that night will be a combination Journal Club and Costume Party. So be on the lookout for interesting articles and scary costumes (or scary articles and interesting costumes!) 

Charter School Update 

In our last update on St. Louis's first charter school, the African-American Rite of Passage Learning and Education Institute, we reported that the chief executive was found to have spent time in a federal prison and that the St. Louis School Board was suing to block the' school's opening. 
The most recent news is that the school will not open as scheduled this fall. Because of the lawsuit, the school could not obtain a lease on the building it planned to occupy. Without the lease and unable to find another place to hold classes, the school management company, Beacon Education Management, cancelled its contract.  
In mid-August, still without a building and a management company, and still under threat of the lawsuit, the school announced it would not be able to hold classes this fall. The 426 students who planned to attend were asked to re-enroll in the St. Louis public school district. The school still plans to open once the lawsuit is resolved. 
In another setback to the charter school movement here, St. Louis Community College announced in August that it would not be a sponsor for future potential charter schools. The school's board of trustees decided that the college did not have the money or resources to devote to sponsoring potential schools. Under Missouri law, planners of charter schools must submit their proposal for the school to a sponsoring college or university in the city who would then approve or reject the proposal.