Pmg» a-BUBBOB HEBALD-ToMtey, June S, mt
Cheryl thinks Durante^s the greatest
■*
'*■ For ov«r a yaar now Charyl Pappart, afa
10, haa eorraapondad with eomadlan-
antartatnar Jimmy Duranta.
V It waa “lOTa at firat light" tha flrat tlma
’%a Bathwara School fifth gradar law him on
a telavlilon scraan. She aant him a card and
'rignad It "lova and kluaa".
JewStPappara aald the happiest day of her
daughter’s yohing Ufa was the day she
rscalvM a iaply from Duranta. It came In an
anvakqiw arlth tha star's picture. Cheryl
could hardly wait to gat to school to ahra tha
news with her friends.
Since Christmas, Jimmy hasn’t bean
able to writs his UtUa fiiend, so Margie
Duranta continues to be her pan pal. ‘‘Please
taU Cheryl’’, she wrote rocantly’’, that
Jimmy can’t talk. It Is vary sad. He had a
bad stroke. AU we can do Is pray." Replying
to an Easter card, Jimmy Durante wrote,
"Thanks a mlUlon for your kind words.
B^vo me, from the bottom of my heart, I
appreciate your thoughtfulness" • Love and
Klssas, Jimmy Dunuite.”
Cheryl asked her Sunday School class at
TOM MclMTYRG
Oak Orova Baptist Church to pray for the
fading comedian and she continues to write
at least once a month.
Five-year-old Derand Peppers Is also a
DArante fan and makes an effort to scribble
messages on the cards his sister writes tothe
Durantes, Including daughter, Cece.
In our famUy, aald Jewel (Mrs. Oerald
David) Peppers, Jimmy Durante will
always be a very special person.
-oOo-
-oOo-
€DI10RIN.9 &OPiniOrK
Mind your own business
It heats watching
To the editor.
My daughter was Involved In the
classroom' dlscusalon of sex education at
Kings Mountain Junior High.
I am glad because It gave us another op
portunity to discuss a natural process of life;
to explore together needs, values, morals,
commitments and responsibility for one’s
actions due to the choices made.
I will thank the Rev. Seay to keep moral
judgements and beliefs to himself, or to
those who seek hla counsel. I don’t want his
or any educators (g>lnlon of the rightness or
wrongness of sex before marriage, from
whatever source they choose, to be taught to
me or my family.
By the time I waa >0 I had had enough
church "don’ts” and "thou shalt note" to last
several lifetimes. I certainly don’t want It
being slipped In now under the guise of some
well-meaning person Involved In teaching
the availability of public resources.
If a local bankiwidl Milleii In to'diseuaa
before a lab class personal finances and the
availability of loans, savings, checking and
trust accounts, I certainly don’t expect to
have half a dosen ministers In also to teach
morality on stealing, forgery, post dating
checks and embesselment.
In these lab classes teach the basics and an
awareness of civil law. Keep your morality
as something you abide by, then be so busy
doing It that you don't have time to use It as a
yardstick to measure someone else’s life
with. Mind your own business.
.. My daughter understood the option of not
participating In the sox education program
‘and so did her friends. It was a good class
program, handled with the teenager and
potential parent In mind.
In view of the number of young women
pregpant at the Junior high. It would be good
forVuitb remember just that; they are young
women and not our little girls anymore.
Innocense In this case Is only a word for
Irresponsibility.
7es, Mr. Davis. Have the Instructors teach
sex education, but I do not want any one’s
moral code being iaught as "the way", thank
you. It la not th«ir job nor la It their right to
do so.
Censorship
four walls all day
To the editor.
I went to Russia In 1961 as a private cltlsen
to see how Russia and Its people differed
from America. There was very little travel
between the two countries In 1901. August 14,
1901 saw the Berlin wall begun. In the fall of
1901 the 100 megoton bombs were being set
off by the Russians. Bomb shelters were on
display for sale In Gastonia’s Akers Center.
May I share the most Important thing I
remember about this four day visit. I saw
people standing In small groups looking at
something on a wall. I asked my guide what
they were looking at. She replied they were
reading the newspaper. They were reading
wtia&the govemment wanted them to read,
where they wanted the newspaper read. Can
you imagine reading your paper In this
manner? I lifted a silent prayer of thanks for
living In a country where I can express
myself and read the expression of others
when and where I chose.
I have found one exception.
The Biblical Recorder, our Baptist
newspaper, restricts expression and
questions on certain subjects. The Recorder
especially likes to print letters and editorials
ttiat raise questions about other religious
organisations with problems. However, I
have found the Recorder will not print ex
pressions of concern about It’s own ad
vertising policy.
Why does the Biblical Recorder censor the
concerns and expressions on this matter.
The editorial policy says the Recorder does
not speak for Baptist of North Carolina. It
says every Baptist speaks for himself. I want
this privilege.
HARRnX JONES
not East Oiark Ave.
Gastonia, N.C.
A bus comes by their home In the morning
and picks them up. When they arrive they
have a breakfast snack and later, lunch.
They participate In a variety of arte and
crafts, educational and recreational
programs. They also take field trips, have
their own rtiythm band and play all kinds of
strange Instruments. The bus brings them
home In the afternoon.
Sound like a group of school kids? Sorry,
you couldn't bo more wrong. They sue a
group of 04 senior cltlsens and handicapped
adults who participate In one of North
Carolina’s 31 certified day care centers for
adults.
This partlculstf group participates In a
center near Fuquay Varina In Wake County
(derated by Wayne Tlngen and hla wife who
..also run a rest home.
' - Afhilt care l/tp. relatively new progrsun
'Hi ^ortti .CalrollW. It allows the siqe^y tq,
remain In their own homes, where ever
possible. It la one of the optional Title XX
programs that county social services
depsurtments msiy elect to provide.
Beth Barnes, consultant for Adult Day
Care for the Division of Social Services of the
N.C. Department of Human Resources, says
the division la requesting funds from this
session of the legislature to expand the
program to serve an additional 1000 persons.
Funds for this fiscal year are available for
only 470 people.
"After observing some of our adult day
care programs we feel that Is a very good
alternative to residential group care for
many of our state’s elderly or disabled
adults. Many of the parUclpants Uve with
family members who arork. This program
allows them to continue working and know
their senior members are being eared for
during the day. It Is also an excellent
program for the elderly who Uve alone,” Ms.
Barnes said.
Tlngen says, "After operating a rest home
for years, I saw that this was not what many
of our elderly cltlsens needed or wanted.
Before this program started there were
many negative statements about being In a
rest home. But, everything has been positive
about this program."
Ms. Barnes says when you look at It from
an economical standpoint It la less expensive
than group care. She gave as an example the
|1B0 per month plus $30 transportation
(effective July 1. 1979) for a totail of $170 per
month for day care compared to $370 per
month for rest home care.
Several patients Interviewed at Tlngen’s
Center verified what he said.
"It took a lot of begging to get me here, but
since I've been here It would taka a lot of
begging to keep me away.I thought I would
go crasy the week it snowed so much that we
had to stay home," said one elderly lady.
Aether said, “This Is where I get my joy.
I fe4 Uke when I’m home, ;;m just visiting. I
^ be^to be bashful, but mce I’ve bOen here,
* 1^ like a 10 year old."
"It’s not easy to sit and look at four walls
aU day. I needed something more than that
and I’ve found It here,” said an elderly man
In a wheelchair.
When 40 or more of the parUclpants began
playing "She'U be Coming Around the
Mountain" using kasoo horns, a bass fiddle
made out of a tin tub and many other unusual
Instruments, a man and woman In their
seventies got out of their chairs and began
dancing a jig.
Another handicapped man. who Is par
tially paralysed, was sitting on tha sidelines
with several other men. During the tune he
began rolling his wheelchair closer to tha
band. Before the number was over, he was
beating two sticks together and playing with
the band.
The look on this man’s face and those of
the others who were participating told tha
whole story of what adult day care means to
them-a new life with companionship and
fun things to do togehter.
As the man says. It certainly beats sitting
alone and watching four walls all day.
Darrell Austin has had his first experience
as a Superior Court juror.
"Wasn’t much of an experience," Big D
aald. "I was never seated."
"You mean you had to stand up for a
week?"
"No, dummy. I mean I was never seated
on any of the cases tried In court."
"Oh."
Well, actuaUy, Darrell had one op
portunity to be seated, but he messed It up.
Seems someone was suelng this real
knockout of a beauty. The defendant's at
torney asked him If he would have any
problems making a decision In the case.
"To tell you the truth, she's so good-
looking I’d be reluctant to convict her of
anything," Darrell said.
The attorney laughed and said that’s the
first time he had ever heard that one. "Come
down."
Darrell said the cases weren’t very ex
citing, just a lot of people suelng other
people.
The judge had offered to let Big D serve
this week Instead, when the criminal cases
are to be tried, but D declined. "I didn’t even
want to be there (Or the civil cases,” he said.
Poets
Corner
TO MY FRIENDS
Sunny days suid starlit nights
life’s many joys to hold.
May today bring you happiness
With surprises to unfold;
Bluebirds and flowers
blessings by the score.
May today be the happiest day
you’ve ever known before.
Hearts to share love with
laughter by the hour.
Music that lings In the soul
As bells that shake a tower;
Quiet moments and pleasure trips
In ships brought Into shore.
May today be the happiest day
you’ve ever known before.
9
VIVIAN 8. BILTCJUFFE
MRS. JUDITH HENDRIXON
$14 Amherst Dr.,
Kings Mountain,N.C.
MiiSSfliiliiD
School bus safety program
PUBLISHED EACH
TUESDAY AND THURSDAY
By UNDA HOWELL
Special to Mirror-Herald
GARLAND ATHNB
PnbBslier
TOM MCINTYRE
Editor
C31APEL HILL — In North Carolina, this
school year has been unlike any other In one
unpleasant aspect. There have been eight
school bus passenger fatalities.
So far, the study’s findings suggest that
buses and driver’s training are good, but
passenger safety knowledge should be In
creased.
ELIZABETH STEWART
Woman’s Editor
GARY STEWART
Sports Editor
DARRELL AUSTIN
Geaoral Manager
CLYDE HILL ,
Advertlalng Director
MEMBEROF
NORTH CAROUNA
PRESS ASSOCIATION
Tbe Mirror-Herald la publlahed by
General PobUsUng Company, P. O.
Drawer 753 Kings Mountain, N. C. 35080.
Business and editorial offices are
located at 481 N. Piedmont Ave. Phone
739-7490. Second Class postage paid at
Kings Mountain, N. C. Single copy 15
cents. SidMcrIptlon rates: $8.50 yearly
In-state. $4.35 six months. $9.50 yearly
out-of-state. $5 six months; Student rate
for nine months $8A4. csVs 931-040
Louis Alexander, director of tran
sportation of the N.C. Department of Public
Instruction said, "Every other year, we’ve
had one or two deaths related to school bus
accidents In North Carolina, but this year
we’ve had five years’ worth."
At the Highway Safety Research Center at
the University of North Carolina at Chapel
IflU, concern about school bus safety began
more than a year ago. In 1977, the Gover
nor’s Highway Safety Program contracted
with HSRC to conduct a two-yestf pilot study
of how to further protect the more than
750,000 N.C. pupils who travel 500,000 miles
or more each day on buses.
Since the study began, the four-person
school bus accident Investigation team has
examined school bus driver training and
studied more than 54 accident sites In
Chatham, Orange and Dxirham counties.
"The purpose of these Investigations Is to
Identify those (actors that lead to school bus
accidents and to explore other questlona,
such as what part of the bus causes In
juries," aald project director John Lacey.
"Despite the high number of fatelltlea,”
Lacey said, "this year’s accident rate at all
levels of severity is about the same as last
year’s. ’’
"Seven of the eight fatalities Involved
children who were either about to get on the
bus or had just gotten off the bus," Lacey
said. "Five of these seven were 5-and 6-year
olds. This has brought up questions about the
quality and quantity of school bus passenger
safety training that Is directed at primary-
grade age groups.”
HSRC has produced with the Division of
Motor Vehicles Traffic Safety EducaUon
Section "Wmie the Turtle," a sUde-and-
sound presentation on school bus passenger
safety aimed at elementary school children.
Two other solutions are being tested:
+A six-foot walking arm that
automatically swings out from the right
front bumper when the bus door Is opened.
Lacey said this "encourages the children to
pass further In front of the bus so they are
more likely to be In the bus driver’s view.”
-(-Four additional mirrors Installed at the
front of the bus.
"Both the walking arm and the additional
mirrors will be added next year to the 8,300
N.C. buses that carry elementary school-
aged children," Lacey said.
Other alternatives being cemsidered In
clude monitors to help school bus drivers
supervise passengers and a radar-sensing
device that signals the presence of children
In front of and behind the bus.
"Funding Is a problem,” Lacey said.
"These new additions will cost, and hiring
qualified monitors will bring up the same
recruitment and wage problenu that are
now being faced In hiring bus drivers. But
also at Issue is whether an> particular
coimtermeasure will work.”
HSRC researchers began their study by
attending school bus driver training.
"We were generally Impressed with the
quality of training," Lacey aald. "We spent
two days In the classroom and then began
the on-the-road training.
"One Instructor usually goes with three or
four students, and the Instructors won’t give
the student his license until the driver la
comfortable with handling the bus,” he said.
"Sometimes that means more than a week’s
worth of driving.”
For three weeks, the team followed 80
randomly selected busee to observe the
driving performance of the drivers and to
record any unsafe driving acts.
The researchers are combining their
observations with data obtained at accident
sites to determine the most frequently ob
served unsafe driving acts and how often
these acts caused accidents.
"The most frequent acts were Improper
stopping procedures and speeding," Lacey
said, "however. Improper stopping ac
counted for only 5 percent of the accidents.
Speeding as an accident cause was virtually
negligible. So although they were frequent
unsafe acta they are relatively low risk.”
"Improper backing procediures, driving
left of center and Improper turning were
mrely observed by the followers," he aald.
"but these acts accounted for 53 percent of Jl
the accidents making them high-risk unsafe
driving acts."
"An Interesting finding waa that high
school-age drivers had fewer unsafe driving
acts per mile than the adult drivers," Lacey
said. "The actual difference was not great, _
but It does Indicate that the young drivers *
are not driving about the roads In a more
reckless manner than the adults."
When an accident occurs, the Highway
Patrol, local law enforcement agencies or
local school bus officials notify the team. The
team members then go to the site to In- .
tervlew the bus driver, draw field sketches, *
Inspect the vehicle tor mechanical failure
and photograph the site.
The study Is continuing through the
current school year. After the results from
both years are combined, Lacey and hla
team hope to draw some firmer conclusions ^
about what leads to school bus accidents In
North Carolina and to make some helpful
suggestions about how they can be
prevented.
What’s your opinion?
We want to hear your opinion on ttUngs of
Merest to you. Address sU corrsspondenoe
tor this page to Reader Dtelogue, Mirror-
Herald, P. O. Drawer 783, Kings Mountain,
N. C., 3B(M6. Be sure and sign proper nanw ^
and Include your address. Unsigned letters f
will not be published.