American Legion team
icould use more support
Over 200 local residents showed up at a special dinner last week to
support one of the most worthwhile projects to be proposed in re
cent months.
The evening featured guest speaker and former Yankee baseball
star Bobby Richardson, and was held to raise funds to start a new
American Legion team in Hoke County.
Because of the recent moving of outfield fences, Hoke County
now has a fine facility for baseball at the old Armory Park. The
field is lighted and has newly refurbished bleachers and rest rooms.
Not only would the facility be good for a new American Legion
team, but it would also work well as a site for tournaments and ex
hibition baseball games.
Hoke County is lucky to have the Armory Park facility and is for
tunate that American Legion members have taken the time to get a
baseball program started in the community again.
However, to be a reality, the team still needs to raise about $3,000
to get underway. More community support is needed.
This county has a long history of fine baseball played here. The
opportunity to resurrect the tradition is being offered by members
of the American Legion. ?
We support the efforts and hope others in the community will
contact an American Legion member and donate to the cause.
Hoke County needs to build on our heritage for a better future,
and a baseball team here is one of those building blocks.
Christmas cards needed
to remind commissioners
Although appearances would indicate that members of the North
Carolina Utilities Commission are waiting for more information
before thinking about Extended Area Telephone Service (EAS) be
tween the Raeford and Fayetteville exchanges, there is little doubt
the state officials are being constantly lobbied by those who would
rather not see the local connections established.
Hoke County supporters of EAS need to meet the opposition by
reminding the commissioners of the importance of EAS to the
economic vitality of the entire community.
This county put on a good show for the state officials during
hearings held in Raeford, and the commissioners left here
understanding the need for EAS.
That was October, and now it is December. A decision may not
be reached until January. Some members of the commission are
noted for their short memories, particularly when they keep hearing
the same tune from the other side.
Hoke residents need to remind the commissioners we need Fayet
teville service and are willing to pay a rate comparable to that now
being paid by Cumberland County customers.
There is no reason for a vote of Fayetteville customers, because
there is no need to raise the rates of the larger exchange. An increase
in charges for the 90,000 Cumberland subscribers would line the
pockets of Carolina Telephone. It would also kill the question of
EAS, which would not serve the public need, the commissioners
should be told.
If Hoke County is going to attract the kind of new resident who
can pay taxes and who will be a productive part of this community,
then we need EAS.
Send the utility commissioners a Christmas card and enclose a
note reminding them the only thing which has changed in Hoke
County since their visit in October, is that the need for EAS and a
brighter future has grown a little greater.
The letters and cards may be addressed to: The North Carolina
Utilities Commission; Department of Commerce; Dobbs Building;
430 N. Salisbury Street; Raleigh, NC 27611.
Letters T o The Editor
Evening showed
Hoke Co. spirit
To the Editor:
Last Tuesday night's American
Legion banquet was a memorable
occasion for Raeford and Hoke
County.
Community members from all
walks of life were there to express
their support for the American
Legion's efforts to spark interest in
a Post sponsored baseball team.
Bobby Richardson, the guest
speaker, as well as featured enter
tainers, Joni Parker, Miss N.C.
and Kim Evans, Miss Fayetteville
shared their humor, talents and
Christian witness in a program that
was very well planned.
Such a combination of com
radery and Christianity is rare in
meetings outside of our churches
and religious organizations. I left
feeling not only proud to be an
American, but proud to be a part
of this community.
The American Legion is to be
commended for their efforts and
the wonderful opportunity they are
offering the young men of Hoke
County.
It is my sincere desire that
Raeford will continue to support
the work of this fine organization.
Sincerely,
Jackie Kicklighter
Director,
Hoke County Children's Center
Tour a success
To the Editor:
Raeford Junior Woman's Club
extends a warm thank you to the
Raeford and Hoke community for
its fifth successful Christmas
Home Tour.
To all tour participants, home
owners, and craftsmen who helped
us reach our goal on this project,
we heartily wish you a Merry
Christmas and congratulations on
offering our public such an
outstanding tour.
With these proceeds the club will
sponsor two needy families for the
Christmas season and support
other community improvement
projects through our club year.
Many thanks,
Sonya A. Falls
President, RJWC
Letters Policy
Letters to the editor are encouraged and
welcomed. Writers should keep letters
as short as possible. Names, addresses
and telephone numbers should be in
cluded and all letters must be signed.
Names will be printed; however, other
information will be kept confidential.
We reserve the right 10 edit letters for
good taste and brevity. Letters should
received by The News-Journal by
noon on the Monday of the publication
week.
Left attacking basic ed plan
RALEIGH ~ Almost since the
day legislators began considering a
plan to equalize education oppor
tunities in the state's 141 school
districts, the "Basic Education
Plan" has been under attack from
the political right.
Fiscal conservatives argue that
the BEP, which was passed by the
1985 General Assembly, is unaf
fordable. Social conservatives,
mostly fundamentalist Christians,
argue that the plan is the work of
secular humanists. Then there are
other conservatives who simply
argue that the plan doesn't stress
basic educational goals - like the 3
Rs.
Now the BEP is getting blasted
from another direction. An educa
tional research and lobbying group
which holds a liberal outlook has
come out with a strong criticism of
the plan. The Atlantic Center for
Research in Education (ACRE), a
non-profit group based in
Durham says -the plan will not
significatitiy^ualize educational
opportunity among the state's 141
school districts."
ACRE studied the school
systems of Alexander, Bertie,
Clay, Granville, Jones and Yancey
counties and tried to predict what
effects the BEP would have on
these systems. Five counties were
chosen, according to Elisa Wolper,
one author of the ACRE study,
because they are economically
disadvantaged, although not the
poorest in the state. Granville is
fairly affluent, she said.
Under the BEP, "the wealthier
school systems will be getting the
same influx of new state funded
teachers and counselors as poor
systems get," said Jeffrey
Starkweather, the other author.
"While poor counties may reach
the bare minimum in basic course
offerings, the wealthier systems
will be able to offer more advanced
courses, more variety of courses,
more individualized instruction for
advanced and remedial students,
and more support services. The
gap between the education received
by children in poor school systems
Watching
By Paul T.
\0 'Connor
and children in wealthy school
systems will remain."
ACRE says this inequity must be
addressed through a weighted
distribution system for state educa
tion money. Poor counties should
receive more money to help them
offset the shortcomings brought
on by their smaller economic base.
ACRE proposes that the state
develop a formula for comparing
the relative wealth of school
systems. If a poor system was mak
ing a "reasonable tax effort" to
support its schools, then it would
receive extra funds, under ACRE's
plan. An alternative might be to
grant extra funds only to those
"poor" systems that were in
danger of failing to meet basic
state standards.
Facilities may prove the big pro
blem for poor areas. The BEP is
based on the theory that even poor
counties are spending local money
on teachers. When the state takes
those teachers onto its payroll, the
local money they had been drawing
should then be available Tor use on
facilities.
Ms. Wolper argues that the
poorest counties don't spend local
money on teachers and therefore
will not be relieved of any financial
burden when the state improves its
student - teacher ratio, and will not
have any new money for spending
on facilities.
ACRE'S arguments are not new.
Some legislators have questioned
how poor counties will be able to
afford the facilities to implement
the BEP. That conqern was behind
one effort to raise the sales tax.
But until this time, there was no
study or document to which these
legislators could point to support
their concern.
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Tardy pancakes make
serving duty hard to swallow
It was time to eat for a lot of people. It was the opening of the an
nual Kiwanis Pancake Supper, and I had their meals in my hands.
Year after year, Kiwanis members challenge the tradition of pan
cakes at breakfast and successfully serve up the flapjacks for the
evening fundraiser. This year the turnout was bigger than expected.
In the previous years, I have been an "in training" helper at the
annual event.
"Sure you have a little kitchen expertise, but you don't know the
routine. Just stand around, take a few pictures for the newspaper
and don't get in the way," I was told by older and wiser members of
the club.
After two years of training, it was finally my turn to work.
"Here's your big chance, kid. You're on the serving line. Don't
mess it up," they said.
I was pretty nervous, but I accepted the job with a bravado which
could have fooled the best of than.
"No sweat. This will* be a piece of cake," I swaggered.
When the doors opened, and the customers flooded in, I was
ready. I set up the line myself. I knew it was correct.
With a smile and an air of confidence, I piled the pancakes high
and heaped on the turkey sausage. Afterall, it was all you could eat
for $3.
"Aren't you going to give me any syrup for the pancakes?" my
first customer asked.
tl 1 had no syrup. I had forgotten to get it from the syrup eookor.
{ Qim tk* problem was corrected, and 1 had been admonished by
.
m
p Warren Johnston
The Puppy Papers
L1
older and wiser club members, things went well for the next 15 per
sons to be served.
Then, we were out of pancakes. The grills were not cooking them
as fast as the demand, and from my perspective, the waiting line
seemed to stretch out the front door and wrap around the building
six times.
I donned a top hat, stepped out from behind the steam table and
began a soft-shoe routine.
"That won't do. We want pancakes," some of the waiting said.
I started to tefl them the latest one about the fanner's daughter,
but quickly realized some in the line made tAeir living through
agriculture. The old joke probably would not have helped my posi
tion, nor would it have eased the mounting hunger. -
A hot tray from the grill arrived, as I was beginning to imagine
rambling chants of: "Pancakes, pancakes, pancakes. We will kill
for pancakes.*'
Fifteen pleasant, but relieved, customers were served.
We were out of pancakes again. The line was growing. I triad a
version of "Suwannee River" and hoped to build audience con
fidence by asking for hometowns.
"Anybody here from Des Moines?" I asked.
Realizing my act was not destined for the big time, I excused
myself and rushed to the grill to see if I could speed up the pancake
production.
Two overworked cooks piled a tray high, and I returned to the
line. "Things will be better now," I thought as I returned to a sea of
anticipating smiles.
1 tried to convince myself that it had not happened when the tray
landed upside down at my feet, however, the reality of the moment
was overpowering.
It is said in some kitchens in France, that food has to bounce off
the floor at least once to be palatable.
I wanted to explain the theory to the crestfallen faces waiting in
the line as I scrapped up the freshly cooked pancakes from the
floor, but I decided they probably Weren't in a mood for French
cooking.
Some older and wiser, members relieved me from serving. I was a
nervous wreck. Before long pancakes flowed from the grills, and
li_~ ?- j.i a
UK line cumimsnea.
Everyone had all they could eat, and the pancake supper was a ^
success. ..i