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The article "Saving The 7-Year-Old" brought back fond memories of the Good News Club I attended as a child. I was one of those who realized a need for a relationship with God in a club meeting. It helped direct me away from involvement in activities that would have ruined my life--drugs, pornography and violence. I applaud the efforts of anyone who takes the time to share moral principles with young children before they have been ensnared by the dangers of the world. SUE SPILLMAN Warrenton, Mo.
The Child Evangelism Fellowship is doing to children's minds what Joe Camel once did for their lungs--stamping an adult agenda onto defenseless innocents. Any faith pushed onto kids with bribes of candy reveals its deepest insecurity--that children allowed a free comparison of belief systems would not choose the one being hyped. EDWARD MIRACLE Livermore, Calif.
Ornithology for Everyone!
Thank you for the insightful article on bird watching [ENVIRONMENT, June 6]. The Sibley Guide to Birds is an informative and beautifully illustrated guide for any birder. Even more impressive is the possible impact David Allen Sibley's books may have on wildlife conservation. Bird watching is contagious; even our two indoor cats have become avid bird watchers, enjoying the view from our kitchen window. BEVERLY PROPEN Orange, Conn.
I rejoiced at seeing birding referred to as "hotter than ever" on your cover, and I agree that a passion for birds leads to a concern for their habitat. Last September I testified before Congress as part of an effort to catalog private conservation success stories, including Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Pennsylvania, the Natural Bridge of Virginia, Cypress Bay Plantation in South Carolina and the Roney Land and Cattle Company in California.
Sibley's book will introduce more people to birds; more bird watchers will lead to more individual initiative, and the birds will be the beneficiaries. ANDY THOMPSON, PUBLISHER Bird Watcher's Digest Marietta, Ohio
SATs for Jobs
Barbara Ehrenreich's article on pre-employment testing, "What Are They Probing For?" [ESSAY, June 4], was much more a pro-marijuana speech than a legitimate examination of management practices. Having been a therapist for adolescents in a rehab program, I can say marijuana is not the innocuous drug Ehrenreich considers it to be. Marijuana is a significant problem for employers, individuals and society as a whole. Impaired motor skills and judgment, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, antisocial behavior and psychological addiction may all be related to marijuana use. BRET J. HERROD Highlands Ranch, Colo.
Ehrenreich wonders why employers are so addicted to pre-employment personality tests. It's no mystery. These tests simply provide documented reasons to turn down an application from a person of an undesired race, sex or age or with a physical handicap, deformity or other characteristic for which discrimination is illegal or actionable. GEOFFREY A. GASS Portland, Ore.
Teach the Children