A Service of The Arrow              Saturday October 15, 2000

    JULIA MCKINNON and KC MCBROOM  - Arrow Staff

    Maybe they don’t hate us after all. Although one of the perceived benefits of School District 5’s option of a new high school is to relieve angry neighbors of the stress of dealing with high school students, few neighbors say they feel hostile. Most, in fact, are simply indifferent to the possibility of Flathead High School being relocated north of town.

    In spite of the speeding, litter and noise, neighbor Warren Plympton said, "Basically it’s a good place to live."

    "I’ve lived here since 1952," said Gladys Domgard. "Since I fenced the yard (about 10 years ago) nobody comes through here."

    Neighbors feel that most high school students are respectful of their property. Judy Williams, who has lived near the high school for nine years, said that if she is friendly and polite she receives the same attitude from students in return. She doesn’t care whether the high school stays or goes.

    Though most neighbors feel there is little to dislike about living next to the high school, there is one major complaint. As Williams said: "I don’t have any problems with the high school, except trash."

    Before mowing her lawn, she has to pick up broken glass and half-eaten hamburgers.

    "Once in a while they throw stuff out, but that’s a minor problem," said Geo Harrin, who has lived by the high school for thirty-three years. "It doesn’t bother me at all."

    Another minor problem for neighbors is finding a place to park.

    "I think it would be nice if they find a place for everybody to park because the only access we have is the alley," said Domgard.

    Many neighbors observed that adults can cause more problems than teenagers.

    "Adults come down and park in the yellow at night," Plympton remarked. "They blame everything on the kids here. Parents cut across my yard. I do get adults that throw trash out, too."

    "The kids are usually really nice," agrees Sandy Mansir of Dee’s Draperies. "We’ve had more trouble with adults who take parking spaces than kids."

    Dee’s Draperies employees enjoy interacting with the students and find the majority of them to be polite.

    "Somebody stole the sign out there this past weekend," said Erma Clark of the Dee’s parking sign, but she doesn’t necessarily blame the theft on high school students.

    "They don’t bug us," said Connie Martin of the high school students, adding that she enjoys listening to the marching band pass by her yard. She has missed the band since it stopped marching down her street and would be disappointed to see the high school be relocated.

    The mainstream attitude is that the students cause only minor disturbances to nearby homes. Most neighbors are indifferent to the location of the high school.

    But there are a few neighbors with adamant opinions on the subject.

    As Glen Allen says:  "Move it! Move it down south! Tijuana would be about right."

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