North Carolina Newspapers

THUR9[W’9 •.'^5 f • • » '' • I 9 • V • I • f « • mcs MOUhTWM MIRROR VOL. 90 NO. 3 KINGS MOUNTAIN, NORTH CAROLINA 2MMTHURSDAY, JANUARY 11,1979 15c H€RtMD School Bus Rules Made Stronger •kifk •kit* i^ifk ★★★ •kirit ifkit Housing For Couples Wanted Suggeatiotu Made At Public Hearing Oompletlon of ImprovemoiiU at Davldaon Paik and more houBlng for younc married couplee were two HCgeatlona made by dttaena at* tmdlng Tueaday night’a eecond end final hearing on how the city will ■pend |SU,000, fifth year en titlement In Community Block Grant PXinda, for 1970. Kathleen (Mra. Lulco) WUacn told the amall gathertng In Council Chambera that "I am worried and fael aura that moat folk hi the Black community are worried about the laek of houataig for our young married couplea who are moving out-of-town." She had poaad the queatlon to Mayor John H.Moaa, “howara weto grt houaing in Klnga Mountain (hat young married couplea can afford and are the programa we’re talking ■bout tonight funded only for low- toeome and alderly?" Mairor Moaa aiqolAlx^d that the HUD program, aa daalgned at the natlanal leval during the Kennedy ■ndJohnaon admkiletratlona, ware primarily to aaalat lew and moderate IncooM people and give flMm onwrtunlty to move Into ttie middle Income area. "Change la baalcally the name of the game In federal funding each year, aald the Maytw, citing new guldrUnee from the Department of Houaing and urban Davelopmant. Iheie la a continuing emphada on tmw jrtoctUea, aald the Mayor, but Klngi Mountain la fortunate m being one of only 10 cltlea In the atate dealgnated a "hold h^rmleaa" community, elaborating on the program accompUahed and con- thiulng by Commimlty Block grant funding. Replying to queatlona by Mra. tVUaon, Mra. Sarah Manning and Rev. M. L. Campbdl about progreaa of Improvement to Davldaon Park, the mayor aald that additional property acquired from KM School fiyatem will help davelope the area mto "one of the prettleat parka In the area” and that dugouta and aeaUng wUl be ready fcr the flrat ballgame hi the apiing, along with Inatallatlon of lighting and completion of road norii. The Mayor, hi elaborating on the need lor more houaing, aald there are appraxlmately 107 unuaed lota In the city with Immediate utUlty ■ervlce avallanle but applauded Mra. Wllaon’a auggeatlon that private developere be encouraged to oonatruct houaing for young couplea hi the dty. "But how can ^ulh afford ItT” Mked Rev. Mr. CampbeU, to which Mr. Mbaa repUad, "Someone haa to ■tart the ball rolling and thla la one area we can work on.” The Mayor ■aid that prior to the downturn of the economy In 1075, a houaing boon waa underway In the area and that "a real beginning" waa the con- ■truotton of OSOunlta of houdng In 14 montha." David Long, dty planner with the Department of Natuml Reaourcea, rdterated eligible adlvlUea under the Community Block Grant program and noted that the dty la filing on Jan. S3 a pre-application for a Small atlea grant. Additional public hearlnga will be neceaaary on the final applloatlon. He aald that in tha new year the city haa the op portunity to obtain IMS.OOO In the Cbmmunlty Block Grant program, uhlch la "phaalng out" this year, and up to H million over a three year period In the Small Otlee category for which the city will be competing with other cltlea for the funda. - laiaabeth Stewart MINISTERUL LEADERS — Taking offlce this month aa the leadership of the Kings Mountain Mhdaterial Aasodation for 1979 are (left to right) — Rev. J. C. Goare, president; Rev. Gary Bryant, vice prealdent; and Rev. Clyde Bearden, secretary- Photo By Tom McIntyre treasurer. Outgoing prealdent Is Rev. Dwight EMwards and outgoing secretary-treaaurer la Rev. Bob Boggan. Die assoclatian meeta monthly at Central United Methodist Church. Parents Surest To Board School Should Open Later Parents prefer next school term begin after Labor Day with fewer luUdays and less workdays for teachers. Teachers object. Over protests of teachers at tending Monday night's board of education meeting on setting the school calendar, Mra. Philip Witherspoon, a former teacher aid, complained that "all teachers are not In their rooma doing work on workdays." She asdd she thinks one workday after each nine weeks sufficient. ‘"nie day of schools beginning after Labor Day and ending In May ■re over," said Dean Westmoreland a teacher and past president of the N. C. Association of Educators, and George Lublaneszkl, president of the Association of Classroom Teachers. Explaining what he called the “direct effect the school calendar has on the school program," Westmoreland said the extended 10 month term helps teachers do the Job "we are hired to do" coupled with the demands which are so much greater today than 30 years ago. “Teachers, he said, must have time after each quarter to grade papers and 4 the work Isn’t done during the work days assigned, this means the work must be done during the school day, robbing the students of claaatlme which would not be giving students the best quality for the On Water, Sewer Pipe taxpayer’s dollar.” Mr. Westmoreland declared that “students need the time off between quarters. Diey’U tell you," adding that the Kings Mountain school calendar Is the envy of teachers In other systems because "this calendar Is tilted toward Instruction. Cary and Donna Osborn, among parents present, said that school children accomplish nothing by attending school In hot weather and John and Jewel WarUck suggested the term of school begin In late August or Sept. 1 with fewer holidays In a calendar similar to that followed by the Charlotte City School (Please Turn To Page tA) By EUZABETH STEWART Staff Writer Stronger enforcement of regulations for passengers on the Kings Mountain District School's 86 buses la now In effect, according to larry Allen. Allen, who recently moved from Central School, where he served as principal, to the administrative offices as new director of federal programs and support services, told the board of education Monday night that the stronger measures are needed. "Some particular measures have been taken to control vandalism, student behavior and ensure safety while the school buses are going to and from school,” he said. Allen continued. Indicating that the plan of aupervialon and in flection of buses by drivers and school-based coordinators Include assigning students certain sections each t-us wtthtn there seats are assigned to Individual students. Dally Inspection of each bus by the (bdvers with dally reports on known vandalism are to be submitted to bus coordinators at the schools. Allen said at least bi-weekly Inspections of buses by coordinators or aMUgnwu stsiff members la also expected. "Students will be given periodic reminders relative to bus conduct, care and safety,” Allen said. "A traffic safety study will be con ducted at some of the schools to determine the need for mechanlcsd flashing controls and or police to be assigned traffic control." These measures sire all part of the plan to deal with student welfare and sny disciplinary problems that occur. Allen told the board the majority of these "problems" occur on the "high school fleet of buses among students In grades six through 12." This Includes seven ★★★★★ buses out of the 86 assigned to the KM district. Allen told the board a new school bus driver workshop la scheduled for January and that presently the system has a full staff of drivers. Responding to a question from Kyle Smith, bosurd member, Allen aald vandalism to buses alone has been responsible for the achoo s spending about 11,863.13 for repairs. Gary Osborn, a parent attending the meeting, wanted to know If there Is a possibility the system could employ "only adult drivers," and Mra. (Donna) Osborn suggested that parents could ride buses aa volun teer disciplinarians. Supt. William Davis replied that he feels bus driver salaries would have to be raised significantly to attract sulults only to the Job and agreed with Mrs. Osborn that a volunteer program would be “a real plus for the system.” Pursulns his Question, Osborn said he felt that 16 suid 17-year old stuoeni drivers are Intimidated by rowdy bullies and could be afraid to turn them In for misconduct on the bus, but that this wouldn’t happen If the drivers were adults. Davis, commenting on driver agarics, said .le anticlpatvi e raise from the state by July 1, lf’>'9, but thathe didn’t know that for suj'r currently drivers are paid 13.62 per hour. Allen noted that, recently, "a series of unfortunate events relating to the effective and efficient operation of some of the system a buses has escalated the school system to center stage publlrly, resulting In a stepped up policy of discipline for both drivers and passengers. "An average of 60 percent of our student body ride the buses dally, ” Allen said. "Busing has become a trig business and a big operation." •kifkir-k Two-Day Workshop For Bus Drivers Set A two-day workshop for adults and students Interested In driving school buses Is scheduled Jan. 28 and 38. The sessions will be held In Barnes Auditorium from 8:80 a. m.-2:80 p. m. and enrollees must attend both sessions to be considered. Drivers are currently paid 82.62 per hour and work about 14-16 hours ★★★★★ weekly. The Klnga Mountain District Schools system offers a au{q>lement of $200 a year to me fulltime bus drivers meeting certain criteria. The system operates 86 school'^uses. Interested clUsena are asked to contact Blaine Proneberger at 789- 6401 or Larry Allen at 789-6166. •kititirk Contracts To 4 Bidders Bryant “Not Proud” Of Testing R^idts Fdur separate bids have been received on water and sewer pipe for city construction, but the board voted Monday night to award con tracts to all firms based on unit pricing. Alvin B. Morets, city engineer, and Walt OlUs, public works supt., recommended the bofu'd consider doing business with all four firms rather than a single one. "I think If you will examine those bids you win find that one company otters the same materials for less than the other,” Morets aald. Commissioner James Childers wondered "If the taur firms bidding will go along with that?" "They were told this would probably happen when the specifications were sent out," OUla replied. “R has been done before and the firms are happy to do business that way.” The materials are to be used for the expanslan and upgrading of water and sewer lines. The bidders were Davis Meter and Supply Co. of Columbia, S. C. — 88,796.93; Municipal and UtlUty Supply Co. of Asheville — 89,690.86; nr-Grlnnell Corp. of Charlotte — 89,193.04; and Pico Supply Co. of Charlotte - 89,084.89. The above figures represent total bid price on all materials. The city prtqyoees to purchase various Items based on unit pricing. In other action Monday night, the board approved a petition from Parkdale and Mauney Mills to make Oak St. a straight line between Railroad Ave. to Cander St., and to Include curb and gutter on the north dde of Oak from the north end of Suber-Mauney to Cansler, and to close the portion of Oak now used as a parking lot. Jim caillders suggested that the textile firms be contacted to add five nmre feet of right of way to the proposal before the city fully agrees to accept the petition and places It on the street Improvement priority list. The commissioners also approved public hearings for Mon., Fob. 13 at 7:30 p. m. relating to assessments to citizens on Garrison, Downey and Wilson Sts. Mayor Moss read a statement Monday In which the cost of street Improvements, excluding In tersections, totaled 886,014.76 on (3arrison and Downey Sts. The petition for the Improvements was filed Apr. 4. 1973. The second cost statement was for Improvements on Wilson St. and excluding Intersections, that cost (Please Turn To Page SA) Reporting on test scores of Kings Mountain iith graders on the state competency test. Director of In struction Howard Bryant told the board of education Monday night, "I’m not proud to maaie this report but I’m glad It’s as good as It la. We had some anxious moments." A total of 830 students were tested at KM8HS and 390 students passed reading and 387 students passed math tests, said Bryant. Thirty students failed the reading teat and 68 students failed the math test. TVventy-flve KMSHS students taUed both parts of the test. Director Bryant told the board that five students achieved a perfect score of 130 In reading. "Some of the students showed marked Improvements over tests administered In the spring,” said Bryant. Students who failed can take the teat again May 1 or 2 and will also have two more opportunities during the following school years to make passing acorea Remedial claaaea at KMSHS begin during aecond semester. Twenty- five students who failed both tests may have to aacrlfice their time and give up Jobs to obtain a high school diploma, said Bryant, sliKe passage d both teats la requirement for graduation. Eighty percent of the students already enrolled In a remedial claaa at KMSHS passed the second teat. "I’m afraid that some of our students won’t be able to raise their ■cores by more than 10 points on the next go-round," said Bryant. Booater Club Meet Kings Mountain Boosters Club will meet Monday nlghtat7:80p.m. atB. N. Barnes Auditorium tor regular meeting. All members are encouraged to attend.