Last week in this space we printed an appeal from Robert Dempsey, president of the Manhasset Student Aid Association. This week residents of Manhasset received the annual MSAA appeal in the mail. It is troubling to note that the fund did not reach its goal last year and had to dip into reserve funds. This year Manhasset has been hit with disaster and has responded generously to many appeals for help. Certainly every mail delivery has its share of requests for funds, but the MSAA is different from most of them. For one thing, it is entirely local. For another it is a court of last resort. As the MSAA letter explains, the funds are used for interest free loans to students. They are distributed only after the student making the request demonstrates need and proves that all other avenues have been exhausted. We read constantly that the greatest investment this country ever made was the GI Bill after World War II which enabled millions to receive educations that would have been beyond their reach without it. The MSAA is asking Manhasset to constitute its own counterpart of the GI Bill. These are loans that will be repaid when the student completes his/her education and the repayments will replenish the funds for future generations. We urge our readers to keep the MSAA going.

E.F.B.