Dear Editor,

In regards to the article in the paper about Lehighton mulls full-time at CCTI, I was a student at the CCATS at the school in JimThorpe over 35 years ago.As to the students from Lehighton and Weatherly school districts losing quality educational time, I also was a half-day student at the school. It did not affect my education, because I graduated top student from masonry class in 1976.Due to my sessions being half day, we in the masonry shop could do outside work at the school. We built a stone retaining wall. We also traveled to Palmerton Area High School campus and built a building there. How much money did we save the Palmerton taxpayers on this project?When I was in my junior year, the masonry class had just started up. We had to go to a garage in Jim Thorpe for our classes. We were required to eat our lunch on the school bus. But when I got back to Panther Valley High School, I also had a good teacher in my first period.If we vo-tech students got done with our work, he would let us go to lunch at the school. So lost time traveling on the school bus did not affect my education. If we wanted to we could also participate in sports. I do not know if the students there today participate in sports.The day after I graduated from high school, I had a full-time job with a masonry contractor from Slatington. We vo-tech students were also looked down upon by other students. The world also needs tradespeople, not just doctors or lawyers, etc.Thank you.Formervo-tech studentRobert BenekLansford