ALL IN FUN- Hoke high student Joanna Best was nut really shedding a tear here, although her outlandish costume might have caused a sob if it wasn't all in fun and part of the new member initiation for National Honor Society members. oke ig Mights by B?tty Ellis In their fifth game of the season, the Varsity Bucks lost their third game in a very disappointing loss to the Rockingham Raiders of Richmond County. Every one of the approximately two hundred and fifty people who went to Rockingham last Friday, again saw some fine playing from the Varsity Bucks. Both teams were able to hold each other scoreless for three quarters. But. in the fourth quarter with about eight minutes left in the ballgamc. the Rockingham Raiders broke through the Bucks' hold and what looked like was to be a scoreless ballgame. and made the first touchdown of the game. In less than four minutes, the Raiders had made another touchdown and taken the gaine.widi a score of 14-0. The Hoke High Band represented Hoke High very well at their first away performance this year. Besides showing great musical talent and ability, the band, along with the pep club, and cheerleaders, also showed how well they could yell and cheer by leading in die cheering for the Bucks. The Junior Varsity Bucks gave the JV Raiders a hard fought game before conceding to them widi a score of 54-34. last Thursday. The Varsity Bucks are 2-3 so far this 9eason. They will be playing Lumberton in an away game litis Friday. October 10. while die Junior Varsitv Bucks will be at home on Thrusday, October 17 also playing agaginst Lumberton. The FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) held a meeting in the adivsor, Mr. Billy Colston's classroom, on Monday night. Henry Hosteller, captain, for the 1975-1976 school year, was in charge of the meeting, at which time dub plans, electing officers, and future meetings were discussed. The next FCA meeting will be on Friday during lunch for members and prospective new members. Each present member is asked to bring at least two new students who wish to join. The purpose of the FCA is to promote Christian fellowship at scnool. ana in all school activities, athletic and academic. The National Honor Society had the annual initiations of new members last Thursday, October 2. All the new members, from the Pink Panther to Cher, were a little anxious and nervous while the old members seemed to have a sinister look all day long for what they knew would happen during the lunch period. The senior members did a very thorough job, ( they must have wanted to make sure of the "dedication" of the new members.) They provided all kinds of fun things to do. From an egg-rolling race (with your nose), to getting clobbered with the save raw eggs, along with grits and shaving cream, there was never a single dull moment. A candlelight service will be held for parents and faculty, within the next few weeks for the official induction of the new National Honor Society members. Be a Buck Booster . . .SUPPORT THK BUCKS! INITIATION RITES- Hoke high student Wally'Jordan was the larget of laughter along with other newly tapped members of the National Honor Society last week when initiation rites were gleefully held at the school campus F ocus On Schools EDITOR'S NOTE - This article was submitted by Superintendent of Schools G. Raz Autry and details the opportunities in the education for exceptional children in local dassrooms. By Raz Autry There are many different programs in our schools but I doubt if there is any one program that is mote emotion ? filled or perhaps more controversial than our Exceptional Children Programs. These programs were labeled for years as classes for the mentally retarded until someone became smart enough to get the public to look at these programs as special learning opportunities for children that range in ability from trainable mentally retarded to the gifted. In Hoke County we have two (2) TMR teachers, one (1) Gifted teacher, one (1) Hearing, two (2) Speech, ten (10) EMR, and a coordinator. At present time we have 450 children in our Exceptional Children Program. This represents approximately 10% of the school population. To place these children in the various programs is not a matter of someone's opinion. The law is very thorough and explicit, and we follow it down to the last detail. If there is a shortage of teachers in any area, it is in the Exceptional Children's area. In Hoke County 12 out of 16 are fully certified and the other 4 will complete the certification in a year or less. This is in keeping with state policy. As I move from school to school, I am grateful for the knowledge, understanding, and tremendous interest that the teachers of exceptional children have in their children. It is hard for regular classroom teachers to fully understand exceptional children because the demand on their time in teaching the majority of the students is great. I fully appreciate their devotion to the majority of their students, but 1 must be equally concerned about the few who need special attention. That is the purpose of teachers of Exceptional Children. I marvel, and I am thankful, when I see a child's eyes light up because he has learned a simple thing like tying his shoes or washing a tray that has been handed to him in a lunch line. I am forever thankful when, through the efforts of our coordinator, school nurse and attendance counselor, that a parent can be convinced to send a blind child to a school for the blind so that he can become a useful citizen. It is our job, also to find and locate children that we cannot serve and see if we can get them to areas where they can be served. Our speech clinician works with youngsters on improving their speech. Our hearing teacher works with students who have difficulty in hearing clearly the sounds that make life more meaningful. Our LD (Learning Disabilities) teachers work with youngsters who do not learn in a conventional manner. Yet these young people are sharp and eager. Our gifted teachers give youngsters a variety of enrichment programs they cannot get in a regular classroom because time will not permit. The rest of our teachers of exceptional children work with the children at the level they find them and try to move them to their greatest intellectual capacity. 1 guess the one thing that disturbs me the most with the public is not only the pre-judging they do on their children, but the lack of knowledge they display in what we can do for their children. 1 must admit we have some teachers who say "I can't stand those dumb kids". So you see from our own ranks, at times we display the greatest ignorance and at the other end of the scale we have some who say "I don't believe in gifted classes because it makes them feel superior". It is our job, those ot us in the teaching profession, not only to teach academics, but humility, and an appreciation for all people regardless of their ability. I invite our citizens to not only look at our Exceptional Children Program, but all programs in our schools. It is essential for all of us to work together if our schools are to improve, because an enlightened citizen will demand good schools from those with whom he entrusts his children. Church Homecoming Homecoming will be October 12 at The Evangelical Methodist Church, Corner of Green and Sixth Avenue, Rev. W. H. Ginn announced. Speaker for the Homecoming serivce will be Rev. Alton Lancaster of Goldsboro, formerly of Raeford. He is a retired pastor with the United Methodist Churches. Everyone is invited to come and bring a lunch. TEEN CENTER- A group of Raeford area teenagers has fixed up this building behind Oumpler's Handy Marl on Main Si. for use as a Christian teen center. Memorial Fund Given Hoke county citizens contributed S834.75 to the Melton-Edens Memorial Fund established after a July 25 plane crash which took the lives of two Raeford families. The fund, begun in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Odell Melton and Mr. and Mrs. HiUman P. Edens and their daughter Cynthia Kay. was turned over to the Mcintosh County (Ga.) Rescue Squad last weekend. The families of the victims expressed their appreciation for the donations. Over 100 contributors and business firms helped out. Mrs. J. K. (Mabel) Riley, a sister of Odell Melton, presented the chcck to rescue squad commander Tom Poppell, Mcintosh county sheriff. Rescue squad members were credited for donating their spare time and their own money to continue the search in coastal waters for the plane wreckage. The bodies of the Melton couple and HiUman Edens and the child have never been found. Group Needs Scrap Items Salvage materials are needed for senior citizens' workshops. Miss Josephine Hall, senior citizens coordinator announced. Pieces of material, scraps left from dressmaking, feed sacks, oilcloth, plastic scrap, ribbon, fringe, bias, tape, elastic, wool ends from knitting and crocheting, cigar boxes, gallon ice cream containers, scrap lumber in all szes and shapes, and cotton are some of the items that can be used. Donations from mills and commercial plants would be gratefully accepted, and pick-up will be arranged. Miss Hall said. Two can ride cheaper than one. Retirees Set Oct. 15 Talk On Insurance Alvin J. Stevenson, vice-president for Area III and IV of American Association of Retired Persons and National Retired Teachers Association insurance programs, will be the guest speaker for the Oct. 15 meeting of Hoke county retired school personnel. The meeting begins at 10 A.M. in the Pig 'N Chicken restaurant. Stevenson has been with the AARP and NRTA insurance program since 1964, working out of the Washington office for the first three and one half years. Prior to joining the Association, he worked with an insurance firm in New York and Chicago. He will explain the various insurance programs. Local AARP members and anyone interested in insurance programs for retired persons are invited to attend. Further information may be obtained by calling Mrs. Glen Wood, 875-2026. SENIOR CITIZENS /b % ,> The News-Journal NOW OFFERS YOU 50% DISCOUNT ON NEW OR RENEWED SUBSCRIPTIONS ... If you're 65 or over $5? REGULAR PRICE Special Price! $2*? The News-Journal