Newspapers / The News-Record (Marshall, N.C.) / Sept. 1, 1988, edition 1 / Page 4
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Winning Not The Only Thing Winning. Now that is a word that has a nice ring to the ear. Success on a field of competition or in anything we do is the ideal, the goal for which we struggle. Man has been struggling to win - against the elements, against other mammals, against his fellow men - since the dawn of time. It has always been so. But it is not the only thing, despite what some have done to the words of the late coach Vincent Thomas Lombardi, who is often quoted incorrectly as saying, "Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing." Mr. Lombardi said no such thing. Those were not the words, or the philosophy, of the late Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins coach. What mattered most to Mr. Lom bardi was preparing his players to perform their best on the field. Concentrate, do your part for the team and put forth your best effort - winning will follow. Mr. Lombardi 's players would have followed that man into the fires of hell, had he asked them. And they would have burn ed brighter than any other soul there, we're certain. He was the kind of coach who inspired men of ordinary talents to per form extraordinary feats beyond their abilities. His teams won six championships, including the first two Super Bowls. John R. Wooden, another coach who rose to the level of greatness in another sport, basketball, also had that ability to get the most out of his players. His University of California at Los Angeles teams won an unheard of - and probably never to be repeated - nine national championship, seven of which were won consecutively. To put that magnificent record in perspective, consider that Dean Smith has won only one national championship at the University of North Carolina, although he is regarded among many as the best basketball strategist in the land. Jim Valvano has won the NCAA crown but once. Bobby Knight of Indiana has won the most NCAA championships of active coaches -- three. Mr. Wooden, the Wizard of Westwood, put teams on the floor year after year that devastated the opposition. Not one of the NCAA finals his teams played in was close. And former players say Mr. Wooden never mentioned the word "winning." These musings, of course, offer little solace to the players whose team lost on the field of competiton last Friday night. Winning % gp$e might not be everything, but losing one leaves a sour teste. Losing is awful. But if one has worked hard and put forth his best effort, he has nothing of which to be ashamed. The teams of Mr. Lorn bar di and Mr. Wooden won with grace. And, on the rare occasions when they lost, they did so with dignity. They were class acts. A former newspaperman, Budyard Kipling, perhaps said it best with the words that appear above the entrance to Wimbledon's center court: "If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two imposters the same." To the Madison High Patriots and the North Bum combe Black Hawks, we say good luck, work hard and remember Kipling's words. And, for the record, in a 1962 interview Mr. Lombardi said, , "Winning isn't everything, but wanting to is." Europeans Going Overboard Some distressing news for sportsmen has arrived on our desk, via the North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation, and it has nothing at all to do with hunting black bear in the Smokey Mountains. This missive concerns fishing and it casts a new light on the idea of sport fishing, where the angler releases his catch unharmed into the river or lake. Sportsmen who belong to such groups as B.A.S.S. and Trout Unlimited, organizations dedicated to the conservation and preservation of their quarry, believe in returning most of what they catch, in the name of conservation and sportsmanship. Such sportsmen, and we've known quite a few, think of their bass and their trout with special affection. Now, we hear from W.B. Jenkins of the N.C. Farm Bureau Federation who says such sportsmen just might be all wet. A West German judge recently ruled that fish feel pain when hooked and pulled from the water, and he fined a club for holding a fishing contest. Say what? Not since Jonah - the human fly - got swallowed Child Care A Problem To the editor: I would greatly appreciate it if you would help me call attention to a serious problem the parents of Madison County are confronted with - the problem of child care-after school care. I, alone, cannot bring about changes needed for the children in Madison County, but with public awareness and support, we can make our county a better place in which to live and raise our children. Madison County has but four day care centers, each governed by the county. This allows a family to enroll a child into the center using a sliding scale based on gross income. While I support the use of the sliding scale, as this enables low income families to better afford child care while seeking gainful employment, the families who do not fall within the scale's guidelines feel forced to subsidise the difference. I teei tnat any business should charge according to goods and ser vices it has to offer. I do not feel that Madison County day care facilities have done this. Effective July 1, 1968, the private paying parents had an increase of $5.25 per week, per child for full-time children in the center, bringing the weekly charge from $38 to $43.25. The after school program had an increase of $5.50 per week per child enrolled, bringing the weekly charge from $16.25 to $21.75. 1 feel that this is in ex cess of services provided. While the full-time children receive all-day care, two meals and snack, activities and an occasional outing, the after school children are only present at the day care for a maximum of two and a half tours and receive very lit- . tie "care." 1 I feel that the Department of Social Services is taking advantage of families in need of child care. I also feel that it should be a priority as well as a responsibility of the elected of ficials in this county to provide quali ty child care for everyone, at a reasonable cost. Mars Hill Day Care Program has the only after school program in the Mars Hill School District. This year Letters To The Editor the fees for this service went up from J66 to J87 a month, an increase of 922 a month. I am a resident of Madison County but was forced to send my son to Bun combe County school for two years because there was no after school program open to me. Now, it seems that I will be forced to do so again because of petty politics in ths coun ty. I would like to know why our schools cannot provide an after school program, as I have learned that there are grants available from the state of North Carolina to do so. Does one care how many children in Madison County have to go home along because of the neglect of our elected officials? ! feel an obligation to bring atten tion to this urgent matter. I hope you will give this your immediate atten tion as I feel it is a matter of great urgency. Sincerely, Elizabeth Silver Stidham, Madison County Recycle Trash To the editor: As the space in our landfill rapidly disappears and the cost for the pur chase and preparation of a new site being estimated somewhere between 1200,000 and $300,000 PER ACRE, one wonders what we Madison Countians will be doing with our garbage in a couple of years. While seeking a solution to this on coming crisis, perhaps we should pay closer attention to just what we are throwing away. If we concentrate more on recycling, whether it be soft drink cans, ketchup bottles or junk mail, we can forestall the saturation point of our landfill. Meanwhile, let's think about how the things we consume are packaged. We are being brainwashed by multi bUlion dollar corporatiWs into believ ing we need shatter-proof and squeezeable containers in our homes. Think about it. Has a peanut utter jar ever shattered on your kitchen floor? So far, the only recyclable plastic on the grocery shelves is soft drink bottles. But glass ones can be return ed for a deposit or recycled, and won't tie in the landfill leaking toxins into the groundwater for several thousand years. If plastic is so harmful and perma nent, why are we being deluged with it? It's cheap. Large corporations concentrate on profits; they don't care that plastic mountains are growing in our nation's landfills., That is our pro blem. So let's do our best to avoid these plastic containers. On some containers' labels there are toll-free nbumbers. Why not call them to voice concern about the lack of recyclabili ty and biodegradability of their packaging? Profits will always take precedence over our environment for big business, unless we as consumers ex ercise our power, proving we're not mere pawns. We are capable, in telligent, independent human beings. Let's take responsbility for ourselves. On Oct. 22, Madison County will have its first Recyling Day. On that day in the parking lot of Arbee Manufacturing, trucks will be waiting to haul off our trash. We'll have the opportunity to conveniently recycle aluminum cans, glass bottles and jars, cardboard, paper, newspapers - even junk mail. Work ing together we can dramatically reduce the amount of waste growing in our landfill. Rather than sitting back and grumbling when our taxes skyrocket to cover the cost of a new landfill, let's see what we can do to extend the life of the one we have. Suzanne DuVall Gilliam Marshall Honor Everett To the editor: It was with interest that I read Ruth Gregory's letter of appreciation and encouragement to those who had tried to contribute toward making Marshall a more beautiful place. Her inclusion of Everett Barnett's efforts at Ponder's Chapel is to be applaud ed. Everett is an outstanding exam ple of the difference one person's ef forts can make in a community. His devotion to Ponder's Chapel Church and grounds has been an inspiration to all who pass by. We have also been the recipients of his amusing Jokes, his expressed interest in the history of Marshal], his interest in our lives and his sympathy in our trials and losses. We now have an opportunity to honor Everett. Some of his friends are placing pew cushions on the pews in Ponder's Chapel in his honor. All those who would like to be a part of this may place their contributions in the container in Bouman Funeral Home and sign the donor sheet. Sincerely, Shirley B. Culver Marshall To the editor, My birthplace is Little Pine Creek. I grew up in the state of North Carolina, graudated from North Bun combe and I have many friends and relatives in Madison County. Please insist that your commis sioners spend enough time doing their jobs that they don't invite another bureaucracy to take over your coun ty. The manager form of government is moving our country away from "Government of the people, by the people, for the people." As long as your commissioners do the job you elected them to do, you do not need a county manager. There are people and agencies already in place and available to your commissioners for their manage ment needs. I rely very heavily on my state senators and representatives and on the Regional planning office. It is important that your elected of ficials take care of your county's business. This keeps the decision closer to home and more cost effec tive. The |7S,000 grant money is only for start up of the program. After it is established the burden and expense of maintaining that office will fall on the shoulders of the Madison County taxpayers. Sincerely, Alvin R. Henderson Presiding Commissioner, Adair County, Missouri Kirksville, Missouri The News Record Letter Policy i The News Record invite* its readers to shere their views on subjects of public interest. lio" 01'. "ha^onftetUr per ra an Individual will be published. Letter? ihould be I The d adiine for letters isnoonTui a v t ior to ] I w. IC. Pnifi?n. ]Ni Mtdr :h*m*s h n? news maw = NC .'67SJ
The News-Record (Marshall, N.C.)
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Sept. 1, 1988, edition 1
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