Editorials
Fixing the pound
Good news is showing these days at the Hoke County-Raeford dog
and cat pound near the eastern edge of Raeford Cemetery in a very
simple thing: transparent vinyl covering.
"Die covering shields the rear ends of the animal pens.
Now the County Health Department, which had the work done
with the approval of the county commissioners, is planning to add
more simple improvements -- put wooden floors in the boxes in the
pens.
Both materials will make the pens warmer in winter for the
animals. The vinyl covering will cut down the cold from the wind
that has been blowing through the kennels.
The simple floors in the boxes will allow the animals to sleep much
warmer.
They have been having to use the concrete floor or the joofs of the
boxes, and the concrete when wet can't be used for a bed.
The improvements also will prevent the animals' drinking water
from freezing in the cold days of winter.
All these improvements are costing the county only a few hundred
dollars in cash outlay. The cost originally was estimated at about
$2,000, but the switch from tarpaper covering to vinyl, and the use of
county and city workers to do the labor, brought the savings.
Much of the work of installing the vinyl was done by the County
Dog Warden William Hales and City Dog Warden John Riley.
Incidentally, the switch from tarpaper to vinyl was made out of
consideration for the animals as well as the mechanical difficulties in
using the tar material.
The tarpaper would not allow sunlight through, to provide extra
warmth, and the vinyl does.
Now the hopes are that a new pound with a building of its own will
be built possibly by next summer.
The commissioners are considering with the city administration
plans to provide a new building, part of which would be used for the
pound and the rest for sheltering the city-county landfill equipment.
--BL
Step in growth
The first opening of a major store in the new Raeford-Hoke
Village shopping center, with two more to follow soon, marks a
significant step in the growth of Raeford and Hoke County.
The new businesses will cut into the retail businesses of downtown
Raeford, but this disadvantage will be offset largely by the new
customers it will bring to the Raeford area.
These new customers include the many Hoke County people who
have been shopping in the centers outside the county, such as in
Fayetteville and Aberdeen.
At the same time, the new stores offer a broader choice for the
shopping public than the people have had these many years.
Then, too, the center will contribute considerably to the county
and city tax revenues money that hasn't been here before.
--BL
What shapes intellect?
Research takes a step forward with every finding that intellectual
ability need not depend on heredity. But individuals have to be no
less alert to alternative theories that could limit their freedom of
thought as surely as the acceptance of political tyranny. Here is a
challenge beyond the current controversy over the "Profile of
American Youth" commissioned by the Pentagon from University of
Chicago researchers.
The study of almost 12,000 young men and women had been
seized on to support racial genetic theories when black and Hispanic
participants got lower average scores than whites on an armed
services vocational aptitude test. Now Chicago researchers have
countered the heredity assumptions by attributing the differences to
the ethnic minorities' "cultural isolation" and social and educational
disadvantages.
One of the researchers reportedly suggested that tests like the
armed services test favor aptitudes and skills learned in the
prevailing white culture. Another generalized that one's human
mind is the result of experience, of "everything that the culture you
live in has put into it." He went so far as to say that "it's not your
own personal mind; it is your piece of the communal mind -- the
words, the mathematical tools, the habits, the diagrams of your
culture."
By this reasoning, society -- from the family to the federal
government -- ought to be aware of the cultural climate it provides.
It should offer susceptible intellects the highest standards of
thought, education, morality. It should recognize the potential
influence of bad examples, of wrong information, of harmful
attitudes.
At the same time, here is reason for the individual to guard
against susceptibility to the lower standards so blatantly displayed
right now. No one's intellect has to be a prisoner of circumstances
any more than of heredity. No one's intellect has to be a "piece of the
communal mind." -The Christian Monitor
eu'ii - journal
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Utters To The Editor
Exception Taken
To The Editor:
As a concerned citizen of Hoke
County and the director of the
Hoke/Raeford Humane Society I
feel compelled to respond to the
recent article concerning conditions
at the City-County Dog Pound.
I would like to address my
comments to two city councilmen in
particular. Robert Gentry and
Graham Clark.
First. I think Mr. Gentry had a
good idea when he suggested an
"Open House at the Dog Pound so
all the citizens can see it."
Great ? let's have it on a cold,
wintry, bleak day, perhaps with a
little rain for good measure.
Because these are the conditions
we're concerned about, and from
late November to April, we have
plenty of days and nights just like
this.
We. who care about the animals,
are not fanatics or people to be
riduculed.
Rather, we're just people who
ask tor a little humanity and
compassion towards the animals
who have the great misfortune of
being unwanted and unloved in this
world.
As people continue to let their
pets breed indiscriminately, we
shall, unfortunately, be forced to
continually deal with this problem,
but hopefully we're intelligent
enough to deal with this in a caring
way.
1 strongly object to the sarcasm
displayed by Mr. Gentry and Mr.
Clark in responding to citizens'
complaints about the pound.
Mr. Gentry states. "I told them
that we had plenty ot dogs tor them
to adopt."
Not everyone who is concerned
with animals welfare has the room
or resources to adopt a pet.
But that doesn't mean that
they're callous or uncaring towards
the unfortunates who are incarce
rated in our pound.
Furthermore regarding rest
rooms being installed in the pro
posed new building at the landfill.
Mr. Gentry's remark. "What tor.
the dogs"? was absurd, to sav the
least.
As 1 stated earlier we're not
fanatics but we are compassionate.
After reading Mr. Gentry's com
ment that "the pens he keeps his
own dogs in arc WORSE than the
ones at the pound." 1 can see why
conditions at the pound are as bad
and have remained as bad as they
are for so long.
Mr. Clark's comment that
"County health officials probably
want the pound heated and air
conditioned," only matches Mr.
Gentry's comments as absurdity.
I really believe these comments
were made only half seriously, but
still they are telling signs of these
two men's true feelings, and that is
the very crux of the problem.
We have some elected officials
who are completely dispassionate
towards this problem and therefore
this impedes any real progress
attempted by the concerned citi
zens of Hoke County.
We, at the Hoke/Raeford
Humane Society will just have to
work a little harder from now on to
prevent as many animals as pos
sible from being turned in to the
Dog Pound.
Also, we shall continue in our
efforts to make the incarceration of
dogs and cats as humane as
possible.
We would like to thank those
officials who are ernestly trying to
do something about this situation.
We are grateful for your concern.
Once again we're not asking for
"air conditioners" or "rest rooms"
etc.. bJt just a little compassion
and caring - in short, some
comfort.
Is that really such a lot to ask tor
those homeless cats and "Man's
Best Friend"?
Sincerely.
Shervl McGinnis. Director
HOKE/ RAEFORD
Humane Society
Compassion Needed
1 o The Editor:
P\e always considered myscll a
good judge of character.
Usually, if I felt a person was
kind, warm, compassionate and
humane, it proved in lime that I
was right.
But. this time I was wrong about
a man I've known -?*er since 1
mo\cd to Raeford.
When I read the bold print in
last week's New Journal that Gen
try says dog pound O.K., I
thought, thank God he's on our
side.
Ihen. when I read the small
prim. I knew I was wrong.
C an Bob search his heart and
really believe that we don't need a
new dog pound?
These poor animals ate so
helpless and dependent. I hey hurt
and bleed jusi as we do.
When they're hungry or thirsts .
it doesn't just go away because
they're animals.
Their needs are the same as ours.
I he only difference is we can ask
for what we need and somehow,
somewhere, our needs will be met.
These poor little animals are
completely dependent on us.
Please. Bob, remember, they
can't tell us why they're suffering.
T hey can't talk to us. They depend
on our love and humane feelings.
Too. they can't choose where
they want 10 be.
However, if Mr. Gentry's per
sonal dog pens are as bad as he
says, the pound dogs probably
wouldn't choose his place either.
In fact, the SPCA might be in
terested.
As for the other chuckles about
the restrooms, healing and air
conditioning, etc., this sounded
like a bunch of school boys trying
10 get a laugh.
Well, I didn't laugh; and I know
several other people in Raeford
who found no humor in these
statements.
We do need a new dog pound,
and I plan to put all my spare time
and energy into fighting for one.
1 have many friends who plan to
help.
I hope, when we finally get the
new pound, thai I can say "Bob
Gentry helped us too.
Margaret Thaggard
Hoke County
Organization Urged
To the Editor:
It would be nice to start some
kind of organization for separated
or divorced people here in Hoke
County.
Quite a few of us, who have had a
spouse to help out. in one way or
another, suddenly find ourselves
alone, scared & financially un
stable.
This causes strain and tension
that is sometimes released on
people we love, our children, family
members and friends.
I'm sure quite a few people here
?
in the county would benefit from it.
How can more information be
obtained about how one could be
organized?
By banning together, people with
similar problems can possibly give
each other helpful answers and
everyone involved would benefit.
People with a deceased spouse
would also be welcomed.
That way we could get together
maybe once a week or once a
month, whichever worked out best
for all involved; to share ways to
help each other cope.
I'm sure the response would be
overwhelming because sharing is
caring.
I've talked to other people and
most of them seem quite interested.
A lot of people I know would be
reluctant to talk to a psychiatrist,
but probably would feel more
comfortable in a group with others
that have had. similar experiences..:
Any and al i help that concerned
readers have would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Ashley Bruster
Nominees A Question
To the editor:
Last week the Hoke County
Democratic Party discharged what
it believed wjjs its duty and
nominated three persons to fill the
vacated county commission seat.
These nominations have caused
some to wonder aloud if it is not a
trifle irresponsible to appoint to
the County Board individuals who
have twice been rejected by the
voters in the past 120 days.
Although my personal
knowledge of each nominee's
qualification and ability to serve is
limited, I strongly feel that each
could serve as commissioner.
However voters with elephant
memories may feel a need in two or
four years for reprisals against
those who accept appointments as
well as those who appoint.
The commissioners could be
playing a game, not Pac-Man,
checkers, chest or a host of others,
but a new game.
The strategy may be to form
commissioners and nominees and
to block voters.
The argument could be raised
that a two year appointment could
give one time to prove himself.
To this I say Bal-der-dash!
Bob Warren
Hoke County
Letters
Policy
Letters to the editor are
encouraged and welcomed.
Writers should keep letters as
short as possible. Names, ad
dresses and telephone numbers
should be included and all
letters must be signed. Names
will be printed, however, other
information will be kept confi
dential. We reserve the right to
edit letters for good taste and
brevity. Letters should be re
ceived by the News-Journal by
S p.m. on the Monday of the
publication week.
It's a Small World
byBf UUh
One of the Republican people
demanded and got a recount of the
November 2 general election re
turns in Moore County except for
the sheriff s race, which he didn't
include in his demand, and which
the Republican sheriff won.
In the years I've been doing
business on elections -- about 40
years of them, take or give a few --
I've not seen a recent changing the
originally reported results. Another
guy in Southern Pines who's been I
around about as long as I have says
the same thing.
The closest a recount came, in
my experience, to changing a loser
to a winner, happened about five
years ago in another county. That
was in a primary for sheriff. The
incumbent sheriff finished second
in a three-way contest, and he
called for a recount.
The recount, however backfired:
the new count showed the third '
man tied with the sheriff.
In the case of a tie for second
place, the state election law at the
time said, one of the two in the tie
has to withdraw before a runoff
primary can be called and set.
But the third man stubbornly
refused to withdraw.
The result was the leader in the
contest was declared winner of the .
nomination and didn't have to go '
through a runoff primary cam
paign. He was unopposed in the
general election the following No
vember,. incidentally.
The time finally arrived that I'd
been dreading for months -? start
ing to apply for Social Security
payments. I'd been advised by
Social Security office news reports
to start the machinery going at least
three months before I become
eligible, on my 65th birthday.
"Normal" people, however,
don't need that much time. I was
told by the lady I got to be
interviewed by in Carthage a couple
of days after the November general
election. She said the reason is the
Social Security system has cut down
on the time, even a year ago, by
installing a new computerized sys
tems.
However. I'd been dreading
starting the process because I'm
not one of those "normal" people.
A "normal" person has all his/her
papers in order, like his/her birth
certificate. My birth certificate got
loused up 65 years ago less three
months. So supporting evidence
I'm the right age to qualify for full
SS benefits has to be obtained,
from Trenton, N.J.
I've got this faith, though, that
the proper stuff will come through
before the money runs out.
Being a pessimist, however. 1
have impulses to think that the
word will come back: "Sorry, pal,
but your parents ran away from
home right after you were born and
joined a monastery on top of Mt.
Everest. Apply to the register of
deeds. Mt. Everest, for records.
They may have them."
Incidentally. I also was informed
that Social Security doesn't accept
copies. Xeroxed or other, of neces
sary documents, as these could be
forged: the applicant must show
the true documents.
Funny thing, though: nobody
asked me to show documents (
proving 1 was eligible to give some
of my pay to the Social Security pot
when 1 stalled working in 1940.
* * *
To change the subject, here's a
story out of the early days of Army
training in World War II.
Paratroops were new then, and
many civilians hadn't even heard of '
them. One of these was a farmer
working his fields far out in the
country one morning, when down
from the sky came a paratrooper.
The farmer was paralyzed with
wonder. But he recovered quickly
after arriving at the only logical
explanation for this phenomenon.
"Good morning. Mister Jesus,"
he addressed the 'trooper politely.
"And how's your Daddy this fine j
morning?"
Smokey Sayg:
I
Smokry'i friends don't play
with matches!