While I have been tempted many times to write a letter to the editor regarding an item that appeared in this column — and have never done so — the recent barrage of letters regarding the proposal to change the name of the Mehlville School District could not be ignored.

The Lindbergh School District — which stretches north, south, east and west along Lindbergh Boulevard and includes the neighborhoods of Sappington, Concord, Crestwood and northern Fenton — has only one high school.

The Board of Education and administration of the Parkway School District, which encompasses many neighborhoods in the western part of the county, had the good sense to name its middle and high schools North, East, Central, Southwest, etc.

Every flier for a home for sale within the Mehlville district, whether the house is on north Lemay Ferry Road, south Telegraph Road or Bauer Road, lists the Mehlville district schools and parish schools located within that area.

Anyone purchasing a home or renting an apartment within the territory bordered by the Mississippi River, the Meramec River and Lindbergh Boulevard cannot help but know they are moving into the Mehlville School District.

There has been a long-standing rivalry between adults whose children attend schools in the northern part of the district — Mehlville — and southern part of the district — Oakville — particularly those with high-school age students.

Maybe instead of changing the name of the entire district, the suggested “sense of community” could be solved by changing the name of a couple of schools — maybe Mehlville Senior North, Mehlville Senior South and whatever name would be appropriate for Oakville Middle.

I am sure Truman Middle could be used. As pointed out by other readers, changing the name of the entire district is neither a high priority for educating students nor a necessary expense.

I second Nikki Hickman’s suggestion of mailing the Mehlville Messenger to all homes within the Mehlville School District.

Why not take one page of the Messenger and devote it to a questionnaire for district citizens?

I am certain area residents who have strong opinions about changes they feel should be implemented or concerns they feel should be addressed would be more than happy to spend the 41 cents required to return the questionnaire.

Hopefully, there would be enough volunteers to tally the results of the questionnaire since only those with truly strong opinions about what’s right and what’s wrong with the district would respond anyway.

And who knows — maybe it would also be a great opportunity for the board and district administrators to learn that the majority of us out here are happy with the way the district is being run.

Reta Scott

Concord