The News Record
r
SERVING THE PEOPLE OF MADISON COUNTY
On thm Insidm
Patriot Seniors Play
Their Last Game
S. ? i,
. . . Turn To Page 2
78th Year No. 45
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE COUNTY SEAT AT MARSHALL. N.C.
THURSDAY, November 15, 1979
15' Per Copy
THE SIDEWALKS OF MARSHALL are
nearly complete, as the work crews race the
weather to finish the downtown street
renovation before winter sets in.
County Is Seeking Master
Plan To Aid Recreation
The Madison County
Recreation Department has
begun a county-wide survey of
citizens' recreations needs
and desires. In cooperation
with the Land -of -Sky Regional
Council and the North
Carolina Department of
Natural Resources and Com
munity Development, it is now
distributing a recreation ques
tionnaire and seeking to have
as many residents as possible
fill it out.
The questionnaire is being
handed out through communi
ty groups, schools, and other
organizations. It is also
printed in this week's issue of
The News-Record on page
four. Persons of all ages are
urged to participate in order
for the county to gain an ac
curate assessment of each
community's existing and
future recreation needs.
Questions regarding this
survey should be directed to
Kevin Morley, Madison Coun
ty Kecreation Director, at
?49-2905. Questionnaires
should be turned in by Dec. 14.
"This questionnaire is a
crucial element of our plann
ing process," said Morley. ,
"From it we will have a better
idea what the needs hwere
are. We know that the county
needs many, many more out
door recreation facilities than
it has now, and we are trying
to determine the best kind of
facility to use.
"One of the most practical
ways to encourage recreation
in this area," he went on,
"may be to build the kind of all
weather slab that can be used
for a number of activities,
such as tennis, basketball and
even dancing."
One advantage of these
slabs, according to Morley, is
that tbey don't require a lot of
supervision. Hie county can't
afford a large enough staff to
cover each community and
program various contests,
leagues, and so on that some
?ports require. But these slabs
pretty well take care of
themselves - they are what is
known as non-supervised, self
programming facilities. They
don't require a lot of
overhead, people can use
them in a number of different
ways, and they will be useable
year-round for 30 or 40 years.
Another reason the county
may use these slabs is the
gasoline situation. It would be
possible to build a large, cen
tralized facility, offeirng a
variety of fields, courts, or
other structures, but for most
people in Madison County the
expense and time involved in
reaching such a facility would
discourage the use of it.
The county Recreation Com
mission has been working on
ways to finance the expansion
of facilities here, and it now
appears that this will be possi
ble. The county can apply for a
grant from the federal Bureau
of Outdoor Recreation, which
would be distributed by the
state Department of Natural
Resources and Community
Development (DNRCD).
Such a grant requires that
the county contribute in two
ways. First, it stipulates that
the county draw up a master
plan, explaining what it in
tends to do county-wide. The
distribution of the question
naire is the first step in this
process, for which the plan
ners have to know what the
people's needs are.
Second, the government
money must be matched by
community money to the ex
tent of 50 percent - or by the
coat equivalent of 50 percent.
And it is this second possibility
that is relevant to Madison
County. The community's
share of the cost can come in
the form of cash, labor, or
materials. Thus if a small
community wants an $8,000
all-weather slab but can't
come up with $4,000, it might
come up with the equivalent of
that amount in labor or
materials. A bulldozer
operator might contribute
four hours of his time, accoun
ting for the market value of
that machine and labor. Or a
sawmill owner might con
tribute so many board feet of
lumber. Ten people with ham
mers and nails might spend a
weekend putting up
backstops; and so on.
Morley is a firm believer in
the importance of exercise,
not only during school years
but throughout life. "A goal I
hold very strongly," he said,
"is the goal of lifelong health
and fitness. I believe it is the
duty of local government to
provide the facilities; and it is
up to the individual to take it
from there. I believe that good
health is essential to overall
well-being, some people have
probably never been healthy
to the degree that brigns well
being. This is what we are try
ing to make possible in the
county."
The "master plan" required
for this project will involve the
entire four-county area com
prising Region B - Madison,
Buncombe, Henderson and
Transylvania counties. Beside
the recreations needs survey,
the plan will include an inven
tory of existing recreation
facilities and programs, iden
tification of problems, a five
to-ten-year plan for the pro
grams and facilities, and
means for implementing the
plan.
One of the best means for
implementing the plan here is
through the county's many
community development
groups, such as those in
Sleepy Valley,
Hopewell/Walnut, Upper
Laurel, Greater Ivy, and other
areas. After the results of the
questionnaire have been com
piled, Morley plans to talk
with members of these groups
to learn of their needs first
hand. All residents are en
couraged to contribute their
requests and information both
through the questionnaire and
by calling the recreation com
mission.
Broadway Director At MHC To Direct 'The Tempest'
Dr. William Martin - a direc
tor, playwright,
choreographer, critic, lec
turer, instructor. With all
those adjectives trailing after
his name, one would expect a
demanding, perhaps even
gruff person. Especially when
it is added that the person has
directed a Broadway play that
was nominated for five Tonys
(the stage equivalent of
fUmdom's Oscar) including
Best Musical of 1975, and
whose resume and conversa
tion drips with names such as
Edward Albee, Frank
Langella, Celeste Holm, Col
leen Dewhurst, Ben Gazzara,
and Anne Bancroft.
"I think that at the audition
and the firt rehearsals, the
students were actually scared
of me. They didn't really know
what to expect - who is he,
what is he," Martin comments
with a smile.
Actually Dr. William Martin
is a very amicable person,
with an infectious laugh, pier
cing blue eyes set off by a
shock of thick black hair. He is
at Mars Hill College to direct
the school's production of
Shakespeare's "The
Tempest," which will open
Dec. S for an extended run
through the 16.
The Department of Theatre
Arts count Martin's guest
directorship as one of the best
things to happen in a long
time. "We wanted to introduce
our actors and students, to
Shakespearian drama, but we
wanted an accomplished
Shakesperian to do this first
play," notes Jim Thomas,
chairman of the department.
"We are extremely happy to
be able to have Dr. Martin.
What he is doing includes giv
ing private acting lessons,
which is quite a bonus. Im
agine - one of Broadway's top
directors giving private
lessons to our students!"
"The students here are
beginning to realize that ac
tors have a great deal to say
about what happens in a
play," comments Martin. "We
are working with a lot of
young students - freshmen and
sophomores, and at first they
still expected the director to
be a person who tells them,
'Stand here, say this and move
there,' but now they are begin
ning to feel the character and
even to make suggestions."
" 'The Tempest' is really a
DOUG TAYLOR, left, of the
Farmers Home Administration in
Marshall accepts a Certificate for
Outstanding Accomplishment
from John Collins, FmHA district
director for the 15 westernmost
counties. The award, signed by
State Director James T. Johnson,
was made "In recognition of high
quality work performance
substantially exceeding the nor
} mal requirements of your posi
tion." These awards are given out
only rarely to FmHA personnel,
according to John Collins. Tve
... i ill ttnfW f nui A4]/ .IJin rc "
woi kw *itn mem tor ^4 years,
he said, "and I've only gotten ooe.
The main reason for this one is
that Douglas makes more farm
loans than anyone else in this
district." The primary mission of
the FmHA is the development of
rural areas through tow-interest
loans for houses, farms, cattle,
equipment, fertilizer, rental units,
water and sewer lines, and com
munity facilities, such as fire sta
tions, medical buildings, and
libraries. The FmHA helped build
story of two groups of people -
those who are natives of the
island and those Wtoo ship
wreck there. One of the things
I am doing wtth the actors is to
rehearse them separately
from each other until they
have realized their characters
and then begin to rehearse
them together, and let them
relate to each other."
Martin plans to drape the
stage of Owen Theatre with
mftaria) usually reserved for
scrims. Because this material
Is gauzy, it can be back-UI to
appear transparent or front-lit
to appear solid. "We want to
show the environment as a
fluid, living one," Martin
notes. Also contributing to this
"living" environment will be
the fairies and sprites whose
costumes will be made from
the same material. In fact,
With the addition of head
dresses and the like, these
characters will be the sets in
several scenes.
There will be some special
effects, but these will be sub
dued because, according to
Martin, "The story line has to
be unobstructed, clean and
clear. Shakespeare is a great
(Continued on Page 3)
County Singers Will Perform
This coming Saturday and
Sunday there will be a special
celebration at the Walnut
School. The Madison County
Arts Council is sponsoring a
SongFest, a festival of folk
and sacred songs. It is
dedicated to all who sing in the
car, in the Adds or in the
shower when there's no one
around to hear, or sing tale
telling ballads 'and heart-felt
gospel songs to listening
children. The time informa
tion was misprinted last week,
so here's the schedule;
On Nov. 17, from 7 to 10
p.m., the program will be folk
songs and ballads, sung by
Berzilla Wallin, Dellie Norton,
Sheila Rice, Sharon Garter,
Peter Gott, Joe Chandler, Inez
Chandler, Mary Eagle, Debra
Ross and others.
On Nov. M, from 2 to S p.m.,
the program will be gospel
and sacred songs, sung by Cas
Wallin, Evelyn Ramsey, Hie
Green Family Trio, The
Walnut Gospel Singers, Ar
thur Nolan, The Gahagan
Cousins, The Tokens, Earl
Ramsey and Tricia Roberts,
the Dave Shelton Family,
Steve Rice and others.
There will be an admisaton
charge of 11 for adults and 80
cent* for children, and concea
stous will ba sold. The pro
ceedi from this SongFeat will
hopefully raiae enough fundi
to finish the last of the baaic
everyone's efforts, big or
small, whether they donated
money, cookies, enthusiasm
or elbow-grease have brought
the facility close to being
ready to open. A couple of
more work days and some
money raised, nickle by dime,
and it will be ready for
movies, music, plays,
anything.
But no one should ever lose
sight of the fact that this is the
Madison County Arts Council.
Our own. And our own
energies and support are still,
and will always be, needed for
the MCAC to survive.
All performers at the
SongFest are county
residents. The MCAC has
received a $500 grant from the
North Carolina Arts Council
and the National Endowment
for the Arts to help pay a sti
pend to the performers, all
other procees go to the
PAROTT Project.
Opportunity Corporation
Receives Grant Of $130,750
From Community Services
A Community Services Ad
ministration (CSA) grant of \
$130,750 has been awarded the
Opportunity Corporation of
Madison-Buncombe Counties,
Cong. Lamar Gudger an
nounced last weak.
Tfce funding is to administer
CSA programs for low-income
persons in the areas of
transportation, weatberixa
ttai, criaia assistance, houa
ing, health care and training
in nutrition and meal manage
ment.
Lonnie D. Burton ia ex
ecutive director of the Oppor
tunity Corporation of
Madison-Buncombe Counties,
which ia located at 50
Weatgate Pkwy. The Madison
County office is located at the
Marshall Recreation Park on
Skyway Drive.
Hot Springs Plans
A Public Hearing
11m Town at Hot 8priafi
will conduct a Mcond public
tearing on Nor. It at 7 p.m. at
tba H* Spring Town Hall -
i? to coaplat* $ pro
application for funds for Com
manity Envelopment from the
Department at nnwlig aad
CHARLENE BALL, president of the
Madison High School chapter of Future
Homemakers of America, displays some
March of Dimes literature gathered for this
year's Snow Queen/King Contest. FHA
members are now out gathering contribu
tions to the March of Dimes. Each penny
gathered counts as a "vote" toward election
as King and Queen, who will be crowned at
the FHA dance Nov. 17, from 8 p.m. to mid
night. The winners will be crowned by last
year's Snow Queen, Mary Jane Pressley. <
Last year Madison High FHA collected more
than $700 for the March of Dimes. County ^
citizens are urged to contribute if one of the
60 Madison FHA members comes to your r<
door or puts a jar or can in your store. The .
March of Dimes is the nation's leading ,
organization working to prevent birth defects
in children through education, training, and y
medical services.
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Maw Hill PTSA To Sponsoi
Its Annual Fall Festival
On Nov. IT the PTSA of
Man Hill School win -|
a fall festival Booths will be
8* up \m tow* along CoU<?e
, TV festivities will
a. I# a.n and will in
dart tow, football
tune teller, rata U
tree, ball throw,
and a booth