. .
blic Aroused, Finally
For two and one half years, The
Times has bee* attempting to alert
the public to the drug abuse problem
in Brevard and Transylvania county.
But until recently, we have met
with just mHd success.
At times, We have felt like the
little boy yelling “wolf”.
We were beginning to think that
we had said so much that nobody
was paying any attention to what we
were writing.
All along we have been saying
that we have problems here, and
we have been reporting what the
law enforcement agencies have been
doing about it. But nobody seemed
to get excited.
That is, until we published a re
port of the Transylvania Committee
for the Prevention of Drug Abuse
last week.
Then we were bombarded with
— n ^ ^ im An fvans 0.11 njniin
CulnuiCntS irOXTl oil Slutro.
We repeat our editor's note- just
for the record:
“We make no verification as to
the accuracy of this shocking infor
mation. We publish it as a public
service in the knowledge that,
whether accurate or not, it depicts
a dangerous situation that is fully
possible; and in the knowledge that
this might, in its brutal frankness,
serve to alarm the public into com
munity action that will prevent such
things from happening if they have
not already.”
As we said in the beginning:
After two and one half years, we are
glad that we have alarmed many
citizens to a bad situation. Maybe
they will help to do something
about it.
Let The Student Decide
A House subcommittee is now
considering the future of Federal
subsidies for higher education.
While enrollments have increased
270 per cent during the past 20
years, expenditures have increased
1,000 per cent. And yet, our institu
tions of higher learning are in seri
ous financial trouble.
A basic "problem is the improper
pricing policy which results in aver
age tuition costs considerably below
the actual cost of providing instruc
tion. This policy not only creates an
excess demand for higher education,
but subsidizes those students well
able to pay the, true cost of school
ing as well as those from low-income
famiies. It encourages enrollment
of many students who have no
strong desire for higher education
and, through taxation, forces the
young person not able to attend col
lege to support those who do.
Some of the inequities of the pres
ent structure could be overcome by
direct subsidy to students on the
basis of need or by providing in
creased forms of student loans. This
would give students a choice of
schools, and institutions would then
be forced to compete on a more
equitable basis for educational ex
cellence.
One Moment Please!
Before we kick too^^auch. about
telephones that don’t do what they
should, it is worth remembering
that, measured by other countries,
U.S. telephone service is still tops.
Other countries have fewer tele
phones and far less reliable service.
A study was conducted in Mos
cow, a short time ago, by a Soviet
newspaper to see if that city’s tele
phone service is really as bad as the
Moscovites say it is. To an Ameri
can, the findings are almost un
believable. At the information desk
of the largest hotel in Europe, lo
cated in Red Square, it was found
that three telephones were served
by two girls. When there was no
response to calls, an investigation
revealed the telephones were off the
hooks while the two operators
argued over who would take the
next work shift. The last telephone
directory in Moscow was published
two decades ago, and directories are
not given away but sold in book
|i|um»inimi...UIIUIHHIII....
stores.. Moreover, it js nearly impos-*.
sible to get through to information.
One thing revealed in the survey
by the Moscow newspaper sounds
like practical suggestion for irri
tated telephone users everywhere.
“It has”, says the Moscow publica
tion, “become the fashion to put the
phone next to the couch where you
can lie down and talk.”
Paragraphics. ..
Folks with a lot of brass are sel
dom polished.
An antique is an object which has
made a round trip to the attic.
This is the age of tension- Almost
everyone lives in fear of bending an
IBM card.
--—-—....
The Transylvania Times
10T Broad St Brevard, N. C. 28712
The Transylvania Pioneer, established 1887; The French Broad Voice, established
1888; The Brevard Hostler, established 1881; The Sylvan Valley News (later Brevard
News), established 1886; The Times, established 1931; Consolidated 1832.
A STATE AND NATIONAL PRIZE - WINNING NEWSPAPER
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY
ED M. ANDERSON — Publisher — 1841 - 188ft
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SUBSCRIPTION RATES PER YEAR
Hbside the County—$4.50 year Outside the County—$5.00 >
itroit—Atixoti
A RARE SPECKS
nr**
1
SMATOft
SAM ERVIN
* SAYS *
WASHINGTON — The Sen
ate bill to extend the draft
presents the major issues of
whether to extend the Presi
dent’s induction authority and,
if so, how long.
I think that it is essential
that the draft be extended,
and that it should be for a
period of at least two years. I
have reached (this conclusion
not because there is some in
trinsic value in the draft but
because it is totally impractical
to think that we can maintain
military forces of reasonable
size without it.
On the surface, this is what
the debate is all about, but
when one delves more deeply
into the arguments of the op
ponents of the draft extension,
it quickly becomes apparent
that for many this is the con
venient method to attempt to
put restraints on the Presi
dent’s power to wage war in
Vietnam. Others have chosen
this as the time to establish an
all - volunteer force, and some
"- apparently believe that an all
volunteer force would accomp
lish both of these objectives.
While all can agree in prin
ciple that the Senate should be
concerned about our foreign af
fairs, it seems to me that there
is real danger in using the
draft as the vehicle to alter
the course of the President’s
Vietnam policies, or to adopt
an unworkable system of pro
curing military manpower, such
as the all - voliinteer force.
The truth of the matter is that
the vast majority of our mili
tary manpower is today pro
duced by the draft, and I do
not think it is presently feasi
ble to talk about relying on an
all-volunteer force.
There is much danger too in
seeking to limit the Presiden
tial authority — the authori
ty to induct — in order to have
an effect upon another — the
authority to use men in com
bat. Actually, the extension of
the draft deals with our nation
al security for years to come
and not just our ability to ex
tricate ourselves from Viet
nam.
The crucial factor in the
strength of any nation is the
belief by others that its mili
tary power is and will remain
effective. The world is too inse
cure a place — from the har
bor of Cienfuegos to the Near
East to the international wat
ers off North Korea — for us
to be able to rely on the good
will of others to maintain the
peace. It is naive to believe
that we can deceive the world
into believing that underman
ned and under - strength forces
can provide credible military
power. Ours, thankfully, is an
open society, and this means
that most of the deficiencies
and problems of our military
are public knowledge to the
rest of the world in a matter of
minutes after they are known
to us.
In our weaker moments, we
—Turn to Page Eight
THE EVERYDAY
COUNSELOR
BY
DR. HERBERT SPAUGH
“Prayer Changes You.” I have been affirming this for years
in this column. I repeat it now in response to a pathetic letter
from a wife and mother.
“I have just finished reading your article in the Everyday
Counselor column, “Prayer Changes Things”. 1 have been pray
ing day and night for two years, My son, 19), haa turned to drugs
and my husband in grief and dissapeintment over this has turned
to alcohol. My home life is so unhappy, but 1 try to go on and
do my best for the five other children in the family. My heart feels
so heavy, but I know prayer will be answered. Will you please add
us to your prayer lilt?”
It is natural for this wife and mother to be disturbed with the
double problem of drugs and alcohol! in her home. She is right in
saying "I am tryitag; to go on and do my best for the five other
chiftfren in the family”.
No doubt this mother Has erijUsted the cooperation of the
other children in prayer for the brother and father. Jesus said,
“If two of you shall agree on earth ag touching any one thing which
they shall ask, it shall be granted by my father who is in heaven.
Matthew 1& 19. ]
I would recommend that this mother associate herself with
agencies such as AlAnon where she will find others with like prob
lems. Where there is an Alcoholiirs Anonymous Club, there is
usually a companion organization AJAnon. Let her ever keep in
mind the motto- which has been mine for years, “Prayer, patience,
persistence.” I prayed 29 years fo| one man before he yielded'
himself fully to his Lord. When hd did a tremendous experience
took place which affected many others. Let her also pray the 23rd
Psalm, particularly that affirmation which says, “Yea, tho I walk
H—gh the valley of the shadow off death, I will fear no evil for
Thou art with me”. When we live ih the daily conscious presence
of God we can be sure that our l|ord will bring us “through”
the
tne trying cxpcncuccs oi nic.
Then, there moat be love in
love. I recommend theJlitUe^book
periences of this man of great pn*er power, This can be
tor SOe. * | u. .
home — an atmosphere of
or Perish” by Dr. Smiley
Everyday Counselor in
to cover cosfc,
THt TRANSYLVANIA TIMES
■E TWO Thursday, May 27, 1971
DITORIAL PAGE
(Editor’s Note: Letters nail
fee brief, signed, typed er writ
ten legibly on one side of pa
per. We reserve the right te re
ject, edit, er condense. Letters
should be received by The Times
by Monday mornings.)
Dear Parents of Brevard:
What is coming off in this town? I
use to have pride in Brevard; with its beau
tiful mountains and beautiful people; but
has it changed! A useless disease has sur
rounded the entire community . . . “Para
noia”. All of a sudden when the kids come
home from school their parents start shoot
ing questions at them, “Don’t tell me that
you’ve never seen these drugs, now tell me
the truth, have you ever been in contact
with drugs?” Parents, with such demand
ing pressures, what can your child say?
The answers are not to be found in
these committees you all are forming; such
as, Transylvania Committee for the Pre
vention of Drug Abuse, and Fact Gathering
Committcov it’s in the love and trust that
we should all have of one another.
In the May 20th Times I read the drug
article. I was quite upset with the data
given. Nobody has the correct knowledge of
the number of drug users or experimenters,
and nobody will.
Ever since there was a football stadium
in Brevard there have been students and
adults staggering in and out of the stands,
and not because of drugs, not to any ex
tent; everybody’s drunk! Some with the
soc hops, everybody leaves to go to Hen
dersonville (or since this town has gotten
bold enough, the Brevard package stores)
to get smashed. Very, Very, few students
will graduate without having gone to Hen
dersonville for the sole purpose of getting
drunk during a Friday night ball game.
I really had a big laugh when I read
that kids were escaping from their homes
through basement windows to hop into an
awaiting car, complete with your friendly
neighborhood pusher, to go out and get
stoned. I just can’t believe that, no mat
ter if J. Edgar Hoover told me!
It was the most ironic article that I’ve
ever read or ever will read. I read the en
tire article, that was really kind of hard to
swallow; then I came to the line that means
that this article is over, but I kept on read
ing and I read, "When you think of pre
scriptions, think of Varner’s advertising.”
You mean to tell me that it’s bad for kids
to do drugs, but the adults can do any drug
and the reason behind it is a piece of pa
per the word prescription written on it
along with a doctor’s signature. And this
is the adult worlds reasoning and justifi
cation?
I, as a youth, am really ashamed of the
adult world of today. I hope that tomorrow’s
world of adults have a better ability to rea
son and can love and trust their sons and
daughters better than today’s world of
adults, because something has gone wrong
somewhere along the line.
Hopefully yours,
John Stcrk
PS. Parents, try to love and trust your
children, because in a few years they are
not children anymore; and then we’ve lost,
haven’t we?
Guest Column
Nick Kenny Speaking
(Bradenton, Fla., Herald)
Susan Russell of 424 Adelia Avenue,
Sarasota, a poet of no mean ability in her
own right, sends in today’s poem, “The New
Kid,” of which the author is unknown. It’ll
make you think.
THE NEW KIR
A new kid came tou school today—
A kid named Wilson Lee,
And took the only empty seat—
The one across from me.
He acted sort of shy at first
But sorta friendly; too.. . .
I found myself alikin’ him
But this would never do!
I felt a smile acomin’ on
But then I pulled it back ...
I mustn’t smile at Wilson Lee
’Cause Wilson Lee is black.
And colored kids are different,
Of course we mustn’t hate;
I could be civil to him, but
I mustn’t ’sociate!
I’d heard these things a hundred times
But now I couldn’t see
How this kid was so different
From other kids like me.
His face was clean and shiny
And his manners so polite
Before the day was over
I forgot he wasn’t white.
I’ll never tell my daddy
’Cause I know he’d throw a fit,
But I finally smiled at Wilson
And it didn’t hurt a bit! !
—Author Unknown
★
DIDN’T a famous philosopher say, “Out
of the mouths of babes,” etc.?
'You Break My Heart'
The following piece is by Commission
er William O. Newman of the Kentucky de
partment of public safety, and comes to us
from the Mutual Reinsurance Bureau^ Com
missioner Newman has given blanket ap
proval to anyone who wants to use his ar
ticle for traffic safety purposes.—Ed.
Maybe you’re one of them. Are you one
of the people who calls me on the tele
phone or writes me a letter to tell me my
troopers are stopping motorists and giving
them tickets for “no reason at all”? I
wouldnt’ know—you never give your name!
You tell me you’re a good citizen and
a safe driver just using Interstate #64 for
what is was intended — speed. And that
“dumb crop” gave you a ticket.
You break my heart! I hope the next
time you’re tearing down the road at 85
mph that trooper catches you again. I hope
he gives you another ticket, and the traf
fic judge takes your license away. I hope
he catches you before you smash into a
concrete bridge abutment at 85 mph and
he has to help pry your lifeless body out oi
that crushed speed machine of yours.
I hope we can teach you a lesson with
a ticket so maybe you won’t cause a wreck
and cost somebody else or her life.
You really break my heart telling me
you don’t have time to go to court about
that ticket. I wish you could come with
me to the scene of a wreck sometime. I
which I could make you stand and watch
a- man writhe to the gravel on the shoulder
of a highway while he waits for an ambu
lance that will ght there too late to do any
thing but carry him to the morgue.
I wish I could make you help scrape
the bits of bone and flesh of a whole fam
ily off the asphalt and! into baatots.
You’d vomit — just like my troopers
db—but youto think differently the next
time you climb into that car of yours.
You raid you were driving safely when
the trooper stopped you. The road was clear
and there was no harm in edging over the
speed limit a few miles- per hour, you said.
I'm really impressed with your ability to
judge road conditions. I’m only sorry a
trooper wasn’t at that place a few months
ago when a man with a wife and four chil
dren had a blowout at over 80 mph. He
might have slowed down, and his children
would still have a father, and his wife a
husband.
Oh—am I getting you mad again? That
man might have been mad if the trooper
had stopped him. He might have written
me a letter. But — he’d still be alive”
Your letter doesn’t bother me, friend.
What bothers me is that you apparently
have not learned your lesson. You are
probably going to get back behind the
wheel of your car thinking you own the
road and nothing can happen to you. You
don't think about the other people on the
road who want to go on living.
And who gave your kid driving les
sons? You? Then he’s probably gotten a
couple of tickets, too. It’s no wonder he
weaves in and out of traffic, speeds, and
leaves strips of burned rubber at stop
lights.
I hope we can catch him, too, mister,
before we have to call you and your wife
to come identify his body at the morgue. I
don’t want to watch you crying and wish
ing you hadn’t let him have a car until he
learned to drive maturely.
And you say you want my troopers to
let you off with a warning. What you real
ly want is for us to stop doing, our jobs!
You want us to let you go until you meet
another guy just like you — bead on!
I wish you could come with me to a
wreck and see the seared body of a victim
after the fire department has finished its
job of extinguishing 15 gallons of flaming
gasoline. I wish you could go with me to
her home and help me tell her husband that
his wife isn’t coming home because some
itiot ran her off the road while trying to
pass her. I want you to help him explain
why
won’t be home.
ft you got a ticket,
* time to