f
Congressional Dual To Wire
(Continued from page 1)
members, including Speaker Tip
O'Neill of Massachusettes and
Reps. Ralph Hall, Kent Hance, Jim
^Vright and Marvin Leath of Texas.
9 A $1,000 contribution was also
listed from the "Boll Weevil PAC"
by Hefner.
That PAC is made up of Demo
crats, including Hefner, who often
support Administration programs.
TTiis year's campaign is Blake's
first attempt at a districtwide
office. He is the owner of three
hardware and building supply
rfrms, including Pinehurst Hard
ware and Seven Lakes Hardware in
Moore County, along with Broad
way Hardware in Lee County.
Blake is a native of Jackson
Springs and graduated from West
End High School in Moore County.
He served two years in the Army
during the Korean Conflict.
Blake reported, as of the middle
of October, raising $175,548 and
spending 5173,561 on the cam
paign.
Of that money Blake borrowed
$56,500 and has received over
$20,000 from Republican Party
committees, including more than
$9,700 from the National Congres
sional Club, which is headed by
Sen. Jesse A. Helms.
The Eighth District stretches
from Yadkin County to Hoke
County, which is the smallest in the
jSjifctrict.
If elected, both candidates said
they would not forget Hoke, even
though it has the fewest number of
voters.
Because his home is close to
Hoke, Blake said it would be hard
for him to ignore this county.
If county voters cast ballots along
party lines, Hefner should have no
problem carrying Hoke. There are
slightly more than 400 registered
Republicans here.
Despite the likely victory here,
Hefner is spending time in Hoke
County campaigning to get voter
recognition, he said.
Why Qualified
Hefner is seeking re-election
because he believes that he has
helped the district and the state
during his previous terms, and
wants to continue serving the area.
"We have done a good job with
saving the tobacco program, and
with Social Security and for the
veterans," Hefner said, adding that
he was proud of the staff he has
assembled.
The seniority he has built up is
vital to continuing good service for
the district, the Congressman said.
Blake is in the race because he
can see the problems of the district
better than Hefner, he says.
The voters want Congress to deal
with government debt, and Con
gress is going to have to speak to
that question, Blake said.
"I don't think the Democrats can
speak to it because they are
obligated to the people they owe
over the years. Bill Hefner is part of
that party," Blake said.
Campaign Rhubarb
The most heated issue of the
campaign has erupted over the
issue of textile import quotas.
Hefner says that Blake is off base
when he accused the Congressman
of harming the nation's textile
industries by voting to give favored
nation status to China.
Blake television commercials
have said that Hefner cost the
district 12,000 textile jobs by voting
in favor of the issue.
Prior to the vote on China, the
U.S. was already maintaining de
fecit textile trade imports from
Japan, Korea and Taiwan, which is
a favored country of Sen. Helms,
Hefner said.
The vote on the China issue in
the House was 300 to 70, and 74 to
70 in the Senate. The trade
agreement with the Chinese is
being reviewed this year by the
Reagan Administration, the Con
gressman said.
The products we sell to tne
Chinese are far greater than the
imports we allow to come here, he
added.
"I think it is a cheap shot. We're
not losing jobs in China. The jobs
are going to Taiwan," Hefner said.
Military Spending
On military spending, Hefner
Cong. Hefner with the Singing Americans here last Friday.
said he believed it could be cut. The
Congressman wouldn't say how
much the cut could be, but
indicated that it should be less than
10%.
Blake said he saw no "sacred
cows" in the military, and did not
see why cross-the-board cuts could
not be made.
School Prayer
At least 85% of the country
believe that there should be some
type of prayer in the schools, Blake
said, noting that whatever time
Congress devoted to the issue was
well spent.
"Prayer is a natural thing for a
human being to do, and voluntary
prayer in the public schools should
be permitted," Blake said.
Blake said, however, that he was
not backing a Constitutional
Amendment for school prayer.
Hefner said he would favor a
Constitutional Amendment on the
issue, and that the amount of time
devoted to the issue by Congress
was ok.
Interest Rates
It is strange that less than two
weeks before the election, interest
rates begin to decline after years of
inactivity. Hefner said.
"I believe that the election is
having an impact on the interest
rates. It might be a ploy by the
Federal Reserve and the Admini
stration to show improvement be
fore the election," he said.
If the rates do not come* down
and remain low, the depression
could deepen, Hefner added
Rates should be brought down
slowly and no government pro
grams should be used to bring
interest rates down, Blake said.
Blake said he was unsure about
the permanancy of the present
decline, but suspectcd that it was
short term.
Six Hopefuls For Three board Seats ?
(Continued from page 1)
County's adult population received
all of their formal education in the
public schools. This will continue
?obe true in the future. Therefore,
the public school system will, more
than any other institution, de
termine the kind of county this is
and will be in the future."
What is wrong with the educa
tional system in Hoke County?
Cameron said, "I think the
negatives of our schools have
overshadowed the many good
things that are happening every day
r A our classrooms. There are many
good things going on in our
schools, ff I had to pick one major
concern, it would be the lack of
sincere unity and open and honest
communication."
Coley replied, "Instead of an
swering the question 'What's wrong
with our schools?', I would like to
ask a question in response as an
answer: 'What's right with our
^schools?' Students are achieving
"on state level. Large numbers of
students go on to college, and
appointments are made to the
various Service academies. Teach
ers are interested in pupils."
Wright: "We need more co
operation between the board of
education and the county com
missioners. We need to upgrade
our physical facilities. We need
flower pupil-teacher ratios. We need
parents to be more involved in our
system. We need to insure that
there are open lines of communi
cation within our system, and
between our system and the entire
community."
Mrs. Kelly replied: "I think the
Hoke County school system is as
good as any other system in the
state, but there is always room for
improvement. 1 feel my input will
}help make it even a better system."
Blue said: "A lack of longrange
planning in the area of curriculum
needs is probably the biggest
problem as far as education is
concerned. Politically, the biggest
problem lies in the way that the
board of education and the super
intendent have chosen to createan
atmosphere of distrust between the
^county commissioners and the
board of education."
Mrs. Dudley answered: "We are
constantly trying to improve our
educational system. I believe 1 can
help."
What about the physical condi
tion of the Hoke schools? Do they
need repairs?
Cameron said. "Upchurch Jun
ior High and J.W. Turlington
(which was built in the 1930s) seem
| to be in need of constant repair.
Eliminating the overcrowded con
ditons in these and some of our
other schools would alleviate many
of the problems regarding program
development, morale, and disci
pline."
Coley declared, "Some of our
schools are in good condition,
others need substantial repairs and
enlargement."
Wright replied: "The physical
condition of ou school(s) need
much improvement. Some schools
are old and overcrowded. We have
classrooms in every available space;
for example, we have classrooms
underneath a gymnasium. The new
roofs and larger maintenance
budget have helped but not solved
the problem entirely."
Mrs. Kelly's answer: "I know
that some of our schools in Hoke
County are in better condition than
others. J.W. Turlington is in need
of repairs, and maybe a few more."
Mrs. Dudley replied, "Yes."
Blue said, "Certainly, the physical
plant is large and some buildings
are approaching 50 years of age. A
continuing program of mainte*
nance and moderization is neces
sary if these present buildings arc
to meet present and future needs."
Should new facilities be built?
"Our crowded situations now
may or may not be a constant trend
into the future," Cameron said.
"We are one of the few counties in
the state that, reportedly, is grow
ing in size. However, an accurate
and factual analysis regarding the
projective needs of the future in
regards to new facilities should be
done. This data should be carefully
examined by the future board
members and administration, as
well as the general public in Hoke
County. Only then could recom
mendations be made. Building
schools is not the decision of one
body of individuals alone.
Coley said, "Yes, additions and
enlargements are needed at some of
our schools."
Wright said, "It is only a matter
of time before new facilities will
have to be built."
Mrs. Kelly: "New facilities
should be built when warranted."
Mrs. Dudley said, "Yes, if
needed."
Blue said, "If Hoke County
grows at the rate that census
projections indicate, we will have to
add facilities in the next several
years. We should prepare now to
minimize the impact of future
construction on county finances."
And if new facilities should be
built, where should the n\oney
come from?
Cameron expressed favor for a
one-cent addition to the state sales
tax. He said the additional cent
could pay a major portion of the
cost, "but, of course, this would
need to be supplemented locally."
Coley said the needed money
should come either from an addi
tional one-cent sales tax earmarked
for schools, or from a statewide
bond issue.
Wright said he also thinks the
money should come from a one per
cent sales tax.
Mrs. Kelly said she believes the
funding should come from monies
available or a combination of
county and federal dollars.
"I believe strongly in Revenue
Sharing," was Mrs. Dudley's
answer.
Blue said, "If, after careful
study, it is determined that addi
tional school facilities will be
needed in the future, the board of
education and county commis
sioners should work together to
establish reserves to meet these
needs."
The next question was: "What
do you hope to accomplish if
elected? Or what will be your
goals?"
Cameron's reply was: "I want to
be instrumental in providing the
necessary leadership in seeking and
selecting the next superintendent of
our schools; to provide the neces
sary leadership in establishing
longrange planning; and provide
the necessary services and resources
to support direct teaching and
learning in the classroom, where
many of our real needs are."
Coley said, "Reduce the dropout
rate, raise the achievement of all
levels of students, obtain adequate
physical plants, and pay a local
supplement if possible."
Wright's answer was; "As a
school board member, my goals
would be to have excellence in the
Hoke County schools. To endeavor
to bring about general improve
ments and the betterment on the
part of the schools and the school
board. I would continue to work for
these goals by passage of sound
educational program and policies.
By working hard to get the most out
of our school budget; by informing
the public conditions and needs of
the schools, and to arouse a greater
public interest in our schools; by
seeing that the effective hiring and
evaluation of teachers and other
personnel is accomplished so that
children in all classrooms have
excellent leadership ? these, all,
are some of my goals."
Mrs. Kelly replied, "One of my
goals would be to see that there is a
better coalition between board
members, administrators, educa
tors, and parents. To raise the ratio
and qualified minority teachers
hired in the system."
6lue replied, "My first concern
would be the development of
quality curriculum to meet the real
needs of our student population.
Second, I would be concerned with
improvement in teacher quality."
Mrs. Dudley said, "My goals
may differ from some other mem
bers, but when 1 am elected 1 will
work to bring parents, teachers and
administrators together in harmony
to make our schools better."
The ninth question they were
asked was: did they think all the
county's teachers are qualified and
doing a good job?
Cameron said. "The 'qualifi
cations' one may bring with them
into employment does not always
imply their true effectiveness within
the classroom. All of our teachers
are 'qualified' but, as in all major
institutions, some of our teachers
are far more effective than others. I
do believe the majority of our
teachers are doing an outstanding
job."
Colev said, "All of our teachers
are qualified to teach in public
schools, a few may be out ol field. 1
believe a majority of our teachers
are doing a good job."
Wright replied: "1 think about
95 per cent of our teachers are
qualified, hard-working, and show
a genuine interest in the welfare
and education of our children."
"1 sincerely believe." Mrs. Kelly
answered, "that the school board
would not knowlingly hire an
unqualified teacher. 1 believe our
teachers are qualified and doing a
good job."
Mrs. Dudley said. "I am not
familiar with all the teachers'
records nor am 1 familiar with all
the administration records; how
ever. I feel that the majority of our
teachers and administrators are
doing a fine job."
Blue declared, "My own daugh
ter was fortunate to have very good
teachcrs in each of her six years in
the Hoke County system. However,
conversations with other parents
and students indicate that quality is
not universal within the system."
If teachers are not qualified and
not doing good, how would the
candidates correct the problem if
he or she is elected?
Cameron's answer: "Supportive
supervision, construction criticism
and staff development. Let's be
specific in identification of the
problems, and focus in on correc
tion."
Here's what Coley had to say:
"For (hose teachers not doing a
good job. the newer evaluation
procedures will strengthen and
improve their efforts to facilitate
doing a better job."
Wright answered this way: "In
the future, we should be even more
selective and hire only the best
qualified teachers. We should work
through our RIF (Reduction in
Force) policy to eliminate those
persons not doing a good job."
Mrs. Kelly: "If we have un
qualified teachers, the principals
should bring that knowledge to the
superintendent ."
Blue answered: "We can get
improvement in teacher quality by
improving the environment in
which teachers work and by in
creasing the rewards for good
teachers. We should begin now to
build a meaningful local supple
ment for teachers."
Mrs. Dudley referred to the
answer she gave to tht previous
question.
Replying to another question.
Cameron said. "General tension
between teachers and administra
tion could be alleviated through
more democratic leadership style
by the administrators and a more
cooperative outlook by the teach
ers. Both go band in hand
Coley said. "1 do not belic\e that
the relationship between teachers
and administration is at a low ebb
or at an apex, hilt might In
considered on a par with other
school systems in North Carolina.
There is always room for improve
ment in any system."
ELECT
Robert A.
(Bobby)
Wright
Hoke County
Board of Education
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