Occupational Class H
Enrollment Growing
Enrollment In occv«Uonml
education classes is (rowing In
North Carolina. Almost 100,000
high school students took occupational
education courses last
year. They represented about 53
percent of the school population.
During the 1964 - 65 school
year, on the other hand, only
40 percent of the students were
enrolled. Projections for the
future show that more than
300,000 students will be enrolled.
Projections for the future
show that more than
300,000 students will be enrolled
in occivational education
classes by 1977. They will
represent 80 percent of the
total student body.
According to Dr. Charles
Law, Director of Occupational
Education for the State
Education agency, the North
Carolina program is growing in
size, scope and emphasis. In
years past students could study
agriculture, homemaldng and a
number of limited trades offerings.
Today North Carolina's
comprehensive high schools
make training available In
everything from horticulture to
short-order cooking and from
office management to marketing
techniques.
State School Superintendent
Craig Phillips considers occupational
education one of the
best solutions to the State's
growing dropout problem. By
teaching a student about the
working world, the opportunities
available, and how to meet
those opportunities, students
who might otherwise be dome
bored with school will remain
motivated. Occupational education
means relevance to
many.
In moving toward a more
comprehensive occupational
education program the State is
offering courses or instruction
to handicapped youngsters,
younger students, and gearing
subject matter for the disadvantaged.
Students are learning
about the job market as well
as developing actual trade
skills.
The Middle Grade's Occupational
Exploration Program,
authorized by the 1969 General
Assembly, provided exploratory
experience* to students
as early as grade six. The
model program, according
to Dr. Law, emphasises the relationships
between regular
curriculum areas—math, English
and so forth—and the world
of work.
And In recent action of the
State Board of Education, occupational
Education has been
"extended downward" so that
regular State and federal funds
may be expanded for seventh
and eighth grade occupational
programs.
Occig>atk>nal education, said
Dr. Law, Is now offered In some
622 high school* across tne j
State. The programs within '
these schools are belngexpand- j
ed to provide moT dlverslfi- |
cation, he said.
Library
News
MRS. L. S. DANIEL
Librarian
A blessed Christmas and a
prosperous New Year to all the
friends of the Warren County
Memorial Library. We will reopen
after the Christmas holiday
on Monday, Dec. 28. Our
circulation continues to be excellent
in spite of the December
rush.
Many beautiful Christmas
poems have been written. This
one is a favorite:
CHRISTMAS EVE AT HOME
Let us forget for a little while
tonight
The clamor of the world, Its
wild unrest,
And let us set a candle with its
light upon a sill,
And know how very blest Is '
any home, though humble it
may be,
B Christ be worshipped, and if
love be therein
a Christian land where a
people may be free
To live and labor, and to love
and share.
-GRACE NOLL CROWELL
Mrs. Henry H. Green's flower garden of the summer can now be seen as true "Winter Wonderland."
The area uniquely decorated with running cedar, boxwood plants, wild ferns and pine
are tipped with snow, while golden Reindeer frolic about to Christmas music played by sparkling
red elves on golden horns.
Inside, the warmth and spirit of the wlntery holiday, Christmas, Is also present. A bare
branched sweet gum tree has been quickly converted Into a pear tree. The unique decoration
downing the tree heightens the beauty of It. The decoration used consists of colorful sparkling
Jeweled pears that hang gracefully from the white branches while partridges nestle between them.
Miniature clear twinkling lights give the effect of sun upon freshly fallen snow.—G. W. Koonce.
— BY JIM DEAN
Take a football stadium and
cram it with some 40,000 avid
gridiron fans, and you've got
visible proof that a whale of a
lot of folks are fond of football.
A huge gathering of golf addicts
on the links at a major
golf tournament is Instant
evidence that books and slices
demand the attention of a great
number of Tar Heels. Same goes
tor automobile racing, basketball
and the other major athletic
sports which get the support
of the fans.
Because it is obvious that so
many people follow these fine
sports, it is understandable that
newspapers, television and
radio give them a lot of coverage.
The ink is well-deserved
because so many like to read
about them.
Unfortunately, the press has
generally failed to acknowledge
an equally large and avid
audience of readers—the men,
women and children who enJoy
such outdoor recreation as
fishing, hunting, camping, hlk
Ing, boating and birdwatchlng,
Just to name a few.
The proof that outdoor recreation
enthusiasts are at least
as numerous as athletic sports
fans is not hard to produce.
Take golf, for instance. It's
a fine game, and somewhere
between eight and ten million
Americans play it with even
more fans following the results
of tournaments in the media.
R obviously deserves good coverage,
and it gets It.
But wait. There are 15 million
licensed hunters and 33
million licensed fishermen
In the nation, not to mention
the estimated IS million more
anglers who fish legally without
licenses.
Does hunting and fishing —
not to mention other outdoor
pursuits—get as much coverage
as golf? Of course not, yet this
is only one of many similar
examples.
Even In North Carolina, license
sales prove that roughly
one out of every five people in
the state hunts or fishes or
both. That's more than a million
folks. Given the additional
number of people who participate
in other forms of outdoor
recreation, and you've got
a group that compares favorably
with the vast numbers of athletic
sports fans.
In all fairness, this lack of
coverage is not entirely the
fault of the press. After all,
outdoorsmen are usually invisible.
Ne ver, do the y cqagr4 gate
by the thousands to cheer adeer
or root for a coot. By nature,
and by necessity, they pursue
their sports quietly and unobtrusively.
The angler seeks
solitude, the hunter the same.
Hikers like the lofty loneliness
of the mountains, skiers search
out snow-dad retreats.
Only among some campers is
there any tendency to congregate,
but even then they are not
as visible as a stadium full of
football fans.
Do this. Next summer, when
you're on a trip, count the
cars carrying visible camping
or outdoor equipment. You'll
be amazed at the number, and
no doubt wonder how many people
are beaded for outdoor pursuits
with equipment you can't
see.
There may be 40,000 people
in several stadiums across the
state, but on aspring, summer
or fall day, easily that many or
more Tar Heels may be tucked
away in generally secluded
spots across the state enjoying
the outdoors.
The snub on outdoor recreation
seems particularly Inappropriate
In an era when the
fight has been Joined to save the
environment (the outdoor enthusiast's
stadium).
Another point worth making is
that there are many basketball
fans who fish and many racing
fans who camp. The outdoor
recreation enthusiast is not at
odds with the athletic sports fan.
In many cases, be Is the same
person.
Therefore, this is not a plea
for more outdoor coverage at
tha expense of athletic sports.
Rather, It's a suggestion that
the various media bring the
largely forgotten multitudes of
outdoor enthusiasts into the
fold.
Garden Club Holds
Christmas Meeting
Tte Town 'N Country Garden
Club bald Its Christmas meeting
on Wednesday night, Dec.
10th. in Alston's Cli*> House,
"The Flame," on Franklin
Street with Mrs. K. W. Harris
a* hostess. The Club house
was beaotlfully decorated tor
the yuletlde season. Especially
Impressive was the beautiful
Christmas tree and the brightly
horning encased fireplace.
Owing the business session,
Mrs. B. M. Brown, Yearbook
chairman, passed out the yearbooks
and reviewed the program
and projects tor 1171.
The Projects Committee chairman,
Mrs. V. C. Henderson,
The Tar Heel'.Kitchen
Hopefully you will be lucky
enough to have one of North
Caraltna'a fine country style
hams (or the holiday aeason.
A recant visit to one of the
moat up-to-date ham curing
plants, with lta cleanliness and
careful handling of meat,
make It eaay to understand why
North Carolina la a leader in
our modern "old-faahloned"
country-style hams. The new
method la a far cry from the
old days of hog killing when
the weather had to be Juat right.
Do you remember all the work
Involved and the chore It was
to prepare the meat on hog-killing
day? Frequently you would
be terribly disappointed later
when hams would spoil, were
too salty, or were not top quality.
Maybe you were a "city
slicker" who would buy country
ham from a farmer. Often they
were good, but frequently the
quality was not dependable.
Now, quality Is assured with the
curing Ingredients measured
accurately, the temperature
and moisture carefully controlled,
and all the scientific
know-how put Into practice.
The price tag on cured hams
may scare you a bit as they
seem high in comparison to the
regular packer hams. It must be
remembered that.lt takes many
days and much effort to cure
hams plus the fact that country
hams will shrink approximately
20 percent of the fresh
weight. Don't forget the vast difference
In taste,,appeal. What
could be better than country
ham, hot biscuits, scrambled
eggs, grits and gravy on a cold
winter night?
Enticing packages of sliced
country ham are available
in most grocery stores.
These slices may be pan fried
very quickly until the fat is
translucent. Be careful not to
brown ham for It will become
hard. Breakfast in a restaurant
not long ago was terribly disappointing
for the ham was
cooked until It was brittle
and almost tasteless. Good
cooks differ in ideas about that
southern red-eye gravy. An
easy way is to take up ham when
done then pour the fat Into a
gravy bowl. Add a small amount
of water to the pan, bring
to a boll and pour.^t^pgfavy
folks add a tablespoon of Strang
coffee to the gravy. Have you
ever wondered where the name
red-eye came from? The fat
and water part separate to make
gave the final report of the
club's Antl-Lltter Campaign
-citing as highlights the bulletinboard
contests at John Graham
High School and Mar lam Boyd
Elementary School; garbage
cans that were painted and
placed on some of the streets
here in Warrenton, and of efforts
made to encourage business
places and homeowners
to "Keep Warrenton Clean
And Free Of Litter."
uec. co 1 rum i:a\J to o:ou
p. m. was the date aet for
Judging the annual cltywlde
Christmas Decorations Contest.
Mrs. S. H. Brown, Mrs.
C. H. Hawkins and Mrs. E. W.
Harris will serve as Judges.
The club received a check for
$100.00 - the Civic Award for
1970, given annually by the Oxford-Henderson
Chapter of the
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.
The check was presented to the
president by Mrs. C. H. Hawkins
and Mrs. 6. H. Brown,
members of the Sorority. The
president asked the members
to give a rising vote of thanks
for this great honor of the Garden
Club being chosen to receive
the 1970 Civic Award.
The members participated
in a round table discussion of
"Using Clippings from Evergreens
for Christmas Arrangements
and Decorations." A
workshop "Potting Christmas
In The Living Room" was held.
Afterwards on display were the
following arrangements! Punch
Table by Mrs. E. M. Brown and
Mrs. S. H. Brown; End Table,
Mrs. M. H. Powell; Occasional
Tables, Mrs. V. C. Hendersoc
and Mrs. G. J. Emm; Coffee
Table, Mrs. E. W.Harris;Door
Decorations, Mrs. A. M. Alston
and Mrs. c. H. Hawkins,
and Window Decorations by
Mrs. E. W. Harris.
During the social hour the
hostess served a delicious turkey
dinner with all of the trim
Christmas gifts were,
by Mrs. C. J. Emm from "Heart
Sisters." A "Yuletide JumbleGram"
game was conducted by
the hostess. Mrs. A. M. Alston
was the winner and received
a beautiful Christmas cor
layers and may have given the
To prepare a whole ham tor
cooking, erash and scrub
thotauctty with a at Iff brash.
A small. amount of mold may
be present but that doesn't mean
the ham la spoiled Trim off
all dark, dry and hard edges.
Some people tike to aoak country-style
cured hams covered
In water tor at least 13 hours;
however, this Is not necessary
tor well-cured hams of good flavor.
Mew Jim Butler, of the M. C.
Pork Producers Federation,
says his favorite way to cook
cured ham Is to place the washed
ham on a rack In a large
boiler and cover with boiling
water. Simmer (do not boll) until
tender or the meat thermometer
registers 160 degrees
F. According to Mr. Butler,
cooking time should be approximately
15 to 20 minutes per
pound tor whole hams. Allow
ham to cool in the broth. The
broth from my recent ham was
refrigerated and used for cooking
cabbage and beans. Part of
the fat may be removed If
there Is an excess.
cleaned ham m»y be put
side up on a rack la aa open
pan. Bake uncovered and w(tbv
out water la a alow oven $00
degrees p.) until tender. This
will take 25 to 30 minutes her
pound tor whole hams, or aljout
45 to 50 minutes per pound for
butts, according to Or. Jbhjf^
Christian at N. C. State University.
A thermometer jcwi
take the guess work outofknawlng
when the ham la done, k
should register 170degrees P.
Inserted In the center of,the
ham.
Country ham Is ready to eat
whether "boiled" or baked but
may be glazed It desired. Happy
eating to you. If you haven't
had ham for the holidays, you
will want to go out and buy
slices or a whole one to enjoy
now. When you taste country
ham, you will understand why
the North Carolina Department
of Agriculture has featured
them as outstanding gift items.