The News record SERVING THE PEOPLE OF MADISON COUNTY On thm Insldm ? ? ? Mike Cook Sums Up Patriot Footbll Season . Ken Edwards Has The Story On Page 6. 79th Year No. 47 PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE COUNTY SEAT AT MARSHALL, N C THURSDAY, November 20, 1980 15* Per Copy Ramsey Likely Shooin For House Speaker State Representative Liston B. Ramsey of Marshall is almost guaranteed to become the next speaker of the House when the 1981 N.C. General Assembly convenes in Raleigh on Jan. 14. The 61-year-old legislator was re-elected to his 10th term in the Nov. 4 election, and he says he has commitments from 95 out of the 96 Democratic representatives in the House toward his selection as speaker. In a recent interview with the Asheville Citizen, Ramsey said he expects to be nominated as House speaker when the Democratic caucus begins in the House on Dec. 2 in Raleigh. House members will also nominate individuals for sergeant at arms, the principal clerk and reading clerk at the caucus. Ramsey said she expects the present holders of those positions to be renominated. They are sergeant at arms, Larry Eagles of Edgecombe County, principal clerk, Grace Collins of Wake County and reading clerk, Sam Burrows of Ran dolph County. If Ramsey is indeed selected as House speaker, he will become the first from the moun tains of Western North Carolina to hold that posi tion in 80 years. As House speaker, Ramsey will have the same authority as the lieutenant governor who serves as the president of the Senate and the president pro tempore of the Senate combined. The position would allow Ramsey to make all the committee and committee chairmen appoint ments in the House. ii As a result, it is expected that some Western North Carolina legislators could become chairmen of important House committees; Reps. Gordon Greenwood of Black Mountain and Ernest Messer of Canton for example. The 1981 General Assembly will have a 4 to 1 margin of Democrats over Republicans in both the House and Senate, according to Ramsey. The Democrats will hold a 96-24 margin in the House of Representatives, and Democrats outnumber Republicans 40-10 in the 50-member Senate as a result of the Nov. 4 election. Ramsey served as chairman of the House Redistricting Committee in 1971 following the 1970 Census, and he said reapportioning the congres sional and state legislative seats will be an impor tant issue in 1981. According to Ramsey, it looks as if North Carolina will retain its 11 seats in Con gress, but there may be some changes in the state's legislative districts once the population figures of the various counties have been certified by the federal government for the state. As for changes in Western North Carolina Senate and House districts, Ramsey said early projections may require some changes in the mountain counties, especially in the 10-county 27th Senate District and the two-county 43rd House District, comprised of Buncombe and Transylvania counties. It is possible that the ltt-county 27th Senate District may have to be split in two, with one senator for each of the two new districts. Bun combe and Transylvania may possibly lose one of the 43rd House District seats because, "Buncombe hasn t grown as fast as these other counties, percentage-wise, Ramsey said. Another pressing issue facing the 1981 General Assembly is that of taxes, particularly the decreasing revenues from the state gasoline tax which is the only source of money for state highway construction. North Carolinians are us ing less gasoline, and therefore, paying less taxes on gasoline. Ramsey said he hopes the Department of Transportation can economize and continue to function properly within the bounds of the decreasing revenues. The seasoned legislator speculated that there would probably be several bills introduced in the General Assembly to raise the state s gasoline tax to offset the dwindling gas tax revenue, but he said any such bills would not be introduced by him. North Carolina is reputed to have one of the highest gasoline taxes in the nation. Photo by Susan Edwards. Rep. Liston Ramsey Judge Braswell Hangs Up Robe Photo by N Hancock Judge J. Ray Bras well Chief District Court Judge J. Ray Braswell sat on the bench at the Madison County courthouse for the last time Mon day. After 12 years as head of the 24th North Carolina Judicial District, Braswell will be trading his robe and gavel for a text book. Unlike many retiring judges who return to the practice of law as attorneys, Braswell said Monday he plans to enroll at Ap palachian State University to study Southern Appalachian history. "I'm interested in our heritage, said the Avery County native, "and if I can ever learn to write a simple, coherent sentence after dealing with legal language so long. I would like to do some research and write something about the history of our area." Braswell said he had mixed feelings about retiring from the judgeship, "but it's time for me. I will miss working the bench. Legal matters are of profound importance to people. Civil matters ? divorce, child custody, juvenile cases ? are important to people, and I'll miss being a part of that, ' he said. But, Braswell spoke of attending col lege again with a gleam in his eye. "When I started college, I had planned to enter the field of journalism, but I went into law in stead. Someday, I would like to write about what goes on in court to help the people understand the court system. I feel people are often confused about court procedure,'' he said. The retiring judge was honored at a lun cheon in Marshall by friends and fellow court workers where he was presented with a proclamation citing his outstanding ser vice in the 24th Judicial District. The district includes Watauga, Mitchell, Avery and Madison counties. Judge Braswell has served under four North Carolina Supreme Court judges since his duties began in 1968. Hot Springs Trio Receive Injuries In One-Car Accident Three Hot Springs residents were injured Thursday at ap proximately 12:20 p.m. when the automobile in which they were riding overturned on a curve on Icy Hill Road south of Marshall Tony King, 24, Billy Stout and Brenda Ricker all receiv ed moderate injuries when the 1974 Dodge Colt, driven by King, ran off the right shoulder of the road on a left hand curve and swerved back onto the pavement overturn ing and came to rest on its side. Highway Patrolman W.C. Swanson said King, the driver of the vehicle, was charged with driving too fast for road conditions and driving a motor vehicle without an operators license. - Both the Marshall and Mars Hill ambulance services were called to the scene to transport the accident victims to Memorial Mission Hospital in Asheville. Marshall emergen cy medical technicians tended to the injured trio at the scene A spokesman for Memorial Mission Hospital said both King and Stout were treated Photo By N Hancort Dodge Colt Wound Up On Its Side In Accident and released from the emergency room Thursday Ms. Ricker remained in the hospital Thursday night where she was listed in satisfactory condition. The accident occurred at the intersection of Ivy Hill Road and the drive leading to the Madison Gun Club. The vehi cle was traveling east at ap proximately 45 miles per hour, according to Patrolman Swan son. The Marshall Fire Depart ment was initially dispatched to the scene because persons living near the scene called stating a fuel oil delivery truck was involved in an acci dent. A Gregory Oil Company truck was near the scene of the accident at the time the car turned over, but according to Swanson, it was not evident that the truck was involved. State, Local School Authorities Reply To Hollo ways' Request By NICHOLAS HANCOCK I The office of the State Superintendent of Public In struction and the superinten dent of Madison County acbools, R.L. Edwards, repbed late last week to the re quest of a Madison County couple to educate tbeir nine year-old daughter at home through a home study course developed by the Seventh-day AdveoUst Church. Superintendent Edwards, ?Iter ) '* t ILj f a ?> f ** I r ? ' ft! ? and Mrs Ronald Holktway of Marshall that they were in I violation of North Carolina General Statutes by not enroll ing their daughter in a school in Madison County The HoUoways were con tacted by Sidney Harris, prin cipal of Walnut Elementary School, who passed along Mr Edwards notice. Harrison said as principal of the school at which the Hoitoway child would ordinarily attend, he to send the <-;? .1 . board of education was authorized and directed by law to see that their child at tend a school. Contacted at his office, Har rison said the only recourse at present is for the Hoi Iowa ys to try to get their home and the correspondence course registered as a non-public school and to get state ap proval of the educational pro gram being used by the Accomplishing either of these actions looks doubtful for the Holloways in light of opinion handed down by the N.C. At-| torney General's office regar ding parents teaching their children at home, according to school authorities in Raleigh. According to the Attorney General's ruling, "... it is and remains the opinion of this of fice that a parent does not meet the requirements of the ConpulMry Attendance Law by providing his child with in struction in the home.'' Contacted at his office in Raleigh. William Peek con firmed that the local board of education is obligate! by law to get any child between the [school. Regarding thel Holloway case. Peek said the local board could accept or re ject ercdit of a cor responctawe course only in conjunction with regular school attendance. Peek also mentioned that the HolJoways could endeavor to register the Home St*dy Institute course used by the HoUoways as a non public school under the Office of Non-Public Educa tion in North Carolina public school by sending notice of intent to open a school to his office. However, the school must meet safety and sanitation requirements set up by the state, and the students must be ad ministered standardised achievement test at least ance each year. However, Critter pointed out the Attorney General's ruling excluded parents teaching their children at home It s just not possible for parrnts to teach their own children at home under the law, oow. Criner aaid. But, he added that Attorney General opinions are subject to change through a court of law. Mr. and Mrs Hoiloway said Friday they maintain that it is their right ot exercise their religious freedom and convic tions to use the Home Study Institute education program to give their daughter a "Biblically centered' Chris tian education. As of press Ume Tuesday. Mr and Mrs Hoiloway had scheduled a meeting with school superintendent Ed wards and Mr. H.E. Davis, a _? lllll North Carolina district of the church conference. The Hoiloways said they plan te pursue the nutter of obtaining state and local approval of Ufe Home Study Institute course further. The Hoiloways enrolled in Uie third-grade level of the Home Study In stitute course The cc f?ram by the! Churcti for