0 I I I I . t THE WAYNESVILLE MOUNTAINEER ?,rd sect,?n ?? "? ? " " 1 ' I*., All Motorists Are Urged To Use Extreme Caution As Students 'Stir' CHILDREN WILL RIDE IN SAFETY after school bus equipment is thoroughly checked in preparation for the opening of the term August 28. SIGNS OF THE TIMES as law enforcement of ficers make sure that traffic signs are in Rood condition to remind motorists that slow speed is essential in school zones. Officials Plead For Extreme Care In All Driving Local police and school author ities, as well as public officials in similar positions all over the nation arc planning to make this coming school year the safest on record for the youngsters. That this will be a most diffi cult year in the history of traffic safety precautions for school children is apparent on the sur face of things. New car registrations ? more higher powered cars than ever before?continue to climb. More older cars than ever are on the road. The number of children going back to school takes another surge this year. Yet the number of policemen available for regu lation of the traffic which men aces the youngsters is. in most in stances. proportionately less. Many cities are making extra efforts to amplify safeguards for school children through organiza tion of Adult Crossing Guards, and more and more children are being recruited into the valiant and time-tried service of the .school Safety Patrols. The Corps of Crossing Guards, recruited from among women, many of them mothers of school children, supplement both the work of the patrols and the police during peak school traffic hours Officials are alerting motorists to the opening of school well in advance of the official date he cause they know that, in addition to human alertness, mechanical preparations also must be made to insure the youngsters more ?safety. "Be ready for what's ahead by doing something more than just thinking about it," say the offi cials. "Make sure now that your car is in good mechanical condi tion; that it will respond instant ly to all controls the moment any emergency arises." Specifically they urge that (Continued on page 6* School Bus Operation Is Planned For Utmost Safety School busses hardly need back up lights, it seems. For one thing, they are forbidden to back even sne foot on school grounds and for another, they very seldom operate after dark. There is no rule that forbids their operation at night, says county superintendent of schools Lawrence Lcatherwood. but there is a very strict prohibition against backing at all when on school property. The no-backing order is part of the safety program for the countie's 59 school busses. 'Last year the state had five fatal accidents caused by a bus's back ing over a child.) Drivers are also instructed to display their STOP flag 100 feet before actually making the stop. This gives the driver behind a chance to pass, if the school bus is traveling slawly enough, or to slow dowaand prepare to. stop if he does not pass. School busses are also supposed to travel 300 feet apart, to permit following drivers to pass one at a time. These and other rules of the school road are learned by the drivers in a training course, the last of which was held this spring. The drivers who want to handle a school bus must satisfy rigid requirements before they are con sidered for the position Each driver is responsible for the condition of his bus. lie must keep it clean and see that nec essary repairs are made. Every month tha State Highway Patrol inspects each bus to make sure that it is roadworthy. Maintenance of the equipment also includes paint jobs as often as feasible and. of course, every day gas and oil jobs. Four men are needed for this work, includ ing one who. spends his entire time gassing up the buses. Tanks are refilled every other day. Most of the buses serve the Waynesville school district, but fast-growing Bethel uses more than a dozen; Fines Creek, six and Clyde and Crabtree-lron Duff, five each. ? I f ACK - TO - SCHOOL AND A Knows fashion 1 frontwards and backwards! Ki Smart, young gingham Bw s in dark transeason plaid ? with jumbo jet buttons on bodice, a new blouse in back. Crease-resistant. e ro 10. 19.95 h ?? i i ? * .? i / OTHER NELLY DONS $ 10-95 - $ 1 2*95 " s 14-95 . %$"* - - - - - - -1 I Just In Time For I IBack To School I , I and I Christmas Lay-Away I $20?? TRADE-IN I On 60 Nationally Advertised I I Watches I I I , ; YOU CAN T COUNT ^\ THE COST XZ) J ? ILLNESS EITHER PHYSICALLY OR FINANCIALLY I MAY WE SLGOEST WHEN SICKNESS KNOCKS A-T YOLK DOOR ? SEE YOLK DOCTOR FIRST ? THEN SEE LS. YOLK COOI) HEALTH IS YOUR REST FRIENI) CRT YftlTR hnrmn nn n< hph> vnii to I - - - - - ? - - ?? ?? ? ? x < v a \a a a