There's an old Girl Scout song often sung in the round called Make New Friends. The refrain goes, "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other is gold."

The song came to mind as we thought of items in this newspaper over the past few weeks. In our Feb. 18 issue we reported that Dr. Sean Walmsley, an educational consultant hired by the Manhasset Board of Education to review the district's language arts curriculum, said that "we know from decades of research that the formal teaching of grammar has little effect on writing ability...however, teachers need to ensure that all aspects of writing are attended to." This prompted a letter to the editor (Feb. 25) from Alexandra Pappas, who said in part: "I feel that grammar has prime importance and forms the basis of a person's reading and writing ability for the rest of his life." Ms. Pappas' letter struck a responsive chord in this corner despite less than happy memories of learning those rules of grammar. Happy or not, learn them we did and they do indeed stay learned. So much for the old.

In today's paper we present two examples of creative new approaches to learning. English teacher Joie Hinden tells about the new Coffee House at the high school at which students read aloud their original compositions to their peers and their offerings are enjoyed by large numbers of other students. What a great idea! Check out page 4 for the story.

At another level, third graders in Patricia Siver's class at Shelter Rock school built a 3-D map of the Manhasset business districts, turned their desks into stores and learned a great deal while doing it. If you look at page 5 you will see the pride in the faces of these young entrepreneurs. So much for the new.

What it proves is that laying stress on the fundamentals of education need not preclude creativity and imagination in encouraging students to learn. Congratulations to today's talented teachers and hang in there, Mrs. Pappas.

E.F.B.