Thoughts from the Third Grade

When President Ford called for ideas to conserve energy, the third-graders at the Sodt Elementary School in Monroe, Mich., decided to see if they could help. The students drew up some pledges and got the neatest penman in the class -- Brock Horsley, 8 -- to print the list on an outsize, 2-ft. by 3-ft. sheet of paper. Then they mailed it off to the White House. There a delighted President Ford called in reporters and read out some of the suggestions:

"We will turn off all lights when we're not using them.

"We will ride our bikes . . . instead of having Dad take us in the car.

"We will keep the thermostat at 68.

"We will always close the door in cold weather.

"We will get things out of the refrigerator quickly.

"We will limit our TV watching.

"We will eat dinner when Mom cooks it so that she will not have to reheat it."

If similar check lists were followed by all Americans, the energy crisis would surely be eased. The depressing fact about such suggestions -- including the President's own, due this week -- is that they have all been heard before.

During last winter's fuel shortage, the country learned pretty clearly what had to be done. But as soon as Richard Nixon irresponsibly proclaimed the end of the crisis, Americans were only too ready to resume their heedless, wasteful ways. It remains to be seen whether Ford's leadership will be more successful. Certainly the crisis will not disappear for years -- as every third-grader seems to know by now.

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