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Superintendent's Desk
bytafatiy
School Boards
h J?u have toL ?ve a lifetime
before you get the opportunity to
do some of the things you have
always wanted to do. I had to an
nounce my retirement before I
could evaluate school boards.
kJL Wi" ,|floroU8hly enjoy it
because while past and present
board members are reading this
they are preparing to curse me out
th.avc * *"dty conscience about
. thoughts they have had
about me.
U/P ^: Huff, Bobby Gibson, Bill
Jordan and Wilton
Wood served on the board of
education when I was appointed
Townscnd,
Ruth McNair, Walter Coley, Bill
Cameron and Bobby Wright make
up the present board.
The board that preceded the pre
sent board had a combined service
to our Hoke County Schools of 87
?5arHn .f,2,3,,WOOd ,5' Gibson
15, Howell 13, Jordan 21.
The present board has a combin
M?S1C!t ? years: Townsend 6,
wriSftr2 Camcron 4* Co,cy 4.
Each board has had a different
taS,:,',?''1 ,o ?"?
The board of Huff, Gibson,
Howell, Jordan and Wood believ
ed that all decisions should be
unanimous.
did arguing before
the vote to try to persuade each
other that theirs was the best for
the school system. Once a majority
was established on an issue, they
made it unanimous. I never saw
^mfkVary In thc years I worked
with them.
The present board very seldom
has a vote that is unanimous. Their
thinking is that this is healthy and
shows the public that each is doing
heir own thinking. If the public
truly accepted that philosophy, I
could agree with it, but the public
is mofe apt to accept it as a sign of
weakness and seize the opportunity
to practice the oldest lesson in
social studies and that is to divide
and conquer.
That opinion is strictly my own
and I have no basis to make that
assumption except my observance
of public reaction to decisions.
My association with each
member of the two boards can on
y be evaluated on my personal
relationship with them and how
they looked at the decisions I
made.
D.R. Huff could always explain
an issue to me in Marine Corps
language so I could understand it.
He could get my attention real
tast. He was an outstanding board
member. He was open-minded but
very determined when the decision
was made. D.R. was not only one
of my bosses, he was, and is, one
of my friends.
Bill Howell is not only very in
telligent he is a common-sense
man. Bill wanted to do what is
nght. Once he had made up his
mind that he was right and fair, a
bulldozer couldn't move him Bill
gave me some of the best advice 1
have ever received when he told me
? my and health's
sake, 1 had to learn to accept less
7' ?Pected. I am thankful that
i had a chance to work with Bill
He has been a good friend.
Bobby Gibson was easy going
and most cooperative. He is a fine
business man. I had to really be on
my toes when I presented the
budget to Bobby. He knows the
rh"!*et Process, and I appreciated
that in him.
was, the board member
h? Ifi*? H mc out of tr?u
i J , followed his advice, I
wouldn t have received so much
adverse publicity.
Wilton Wood was my tormen
or, and he did it on purpose.
Wilton would constantly probe me
on issues to see how 1 would react.
He,w?s a solid board member.
If he was convinced that an issue
^ best.f?r the school system he
stayed with it, and the superinten
dent could count on his support I
watched him fight hard against an
issue and lose. Once the vote was
cast he would support it and never
mention it again. It was a pleasure
0 work with him and I regretted
the day that I lost that privilege.
Riley Jordan was not only one
ot the most outstanding board
members I have known, he is one
of the best friends I have ever
made.
There is an old expression that
sums up a true friend. A friend is
one who will not leave you soaking
in the rain. Riley would not leave
me soaking in the rain. His word is
his bond.
When he took a stand on an
issue you could rest assured that he
had studied it and knew it well. He
is not afraid to call a spade a spade
and a ways stood behind what he
said. I would have missed a very
warm understanding human being
if I had not had the privilege of ser
ving with Riley Jordan.
Mina Townsend has always
done what she thinks is right for
the school system. This lady stuck
with me through some very tough
issues. No two people have such a
contrast in philosophies. I often
kid her and tell her that we just
tolerate each other. Mina is open
hl'rl ?ncc she commits
nerself the superintendent can de
pend on her.
Ruth McNair was the first and is
the only black member of the
board of education. I only refer to
ner race to make a point. Ruth
looks at all people out of the same
fC- Cyf ^ She is one of the most
fair-minded people I have ever
known. I have never known her to
judge a person on the race issue.
This lady is open-minded and
even-tempered.
Walter Coley has as much com
passion for people as any in
dividual I have ever known. He is
open-minded and extremely fair
Walter does have a temper when
aroused. I have enjoyed my
association with him The
superintendent who replaces me
i-?.C5>a r shake fr?m Walter
Bill Cameron and I, believe it or
not are friends. I have often told
Bill that once I step down as
superintendent, he and I will
become personal friends. Our per
sonalities clash too much as
superintendent and board chair
man. Bill has the interest of the
school system at heart and as time
passes he will increase in stature as
a board member. 1 wish him well.
Bobby Wright is the only
member of our present board that
1 haven t served with for a length
of time. Bobby replaced Riley Jor
dan when he resigned but has now
been elected to his own term. Bob
by is very open-minded and will
listen to all sides of an issue before
making up his mind. Bobby
Wright will become an outstanding
board member.
Bill Moses is the only school
board attorney I have served with.
He is a Tine, dedicated individual.
He has been an excellent attorney
and a good friend to me. I will miss
him.
Even though I have tried to deal
with each board member fairly, as
1 am sure they would with me, and
the opinions I gave are strictly
mine, I would be less than honest if
1 said 1 related to all board
members alike.
1 did not.
I have had conflicts with some
of them at various times. The con
flicts have not interfered with the
operation of the schools. We
worked hard to see that that didn't
happen.
Serving as a member of the
Hoke County Board of Education
is a civic duty, but it is also a
thankless task. 1 truly hope that
the citizens of Hoke County realize
that good board members are as
essential to good schools as good
teachers are essential to learning.
Two Raeford Students
Given Wingate Honors
James Michael Bundy of Rt. 2
Raeford and James Anthony Clark
of Rt. 2 Raeford are among those
students being named to the
Dean's List at Wingate College for
the fall semester.
Students must have carried 12 or
more hours of academic work,
have had no grade below a C, and
have made at least 3.3 grade point
average (g.p.a) to qualify for the
Dean's List.
BURGLAR ALARM -
Luxury or Necessity? '
YOU DECIDE
The Next Time You Leave Home
CALL
Prevention, Inc.
Mike Steadman
at 864-5330
SALE or LEASE
"STOP CRIME BEFORE IT HAPPENS" _
?Licensed ?Bonded VISA
Opinions
Royal formality
brings chuckles
The British have a healthy
respect for their royalty, past and
present. But they are not reluctant
to enjoy a good chuckle at the ex
pense of royal and noble per
sonages whose humanity has, on
occasion, shown through the trap
pings of splendor.
For instance, there is a carefully
preserved story about the first
meeting of George IV with his
bride-to-be, Princess Caroline, at
St. James Palace in 1820.
Her well-known aversion to
bathing made it a bit difficult to ig
nore her presence under any cir
cumstances. But, at close quarters,
the aroma could be overpowering.
On this occasion, so the story
goes, George embraced his intend
ed bride, then turned to his am
bassador and said, "Harris, I am
not well. Pray get me a glass of
brandy."
The coronation banquet of
George III, in 1760, produced a
classic story. On such occasions, it
was the custom for a knight in full
armor to ride in, fling down his
gauntlet, and challenge to a fight
any man who disputed the right
and title of the new Sovereign.
As a rule, the most difficult
thing about this was getting the
horse to back politely out of the
hall after the heroics were over.
At the banquet for George 111,
the Champion had trained his
horse very carefully. The great mo
ment came. The trumpets sound
ed. The Earl Marshall and the
Lord High Constable stood ready
to usher the knight and his pranc
ing steed into the hall.
Then they entered-backwards!
The horse had spent so long lear
ning to go backwards, he had
forgotten now to go forward.
The stories don't all come from
ancient history. One of the early
stories related to the reign of
Queen Elizabeth II had to do with
the swearing in of the new
members of the Privy Council
before her Royal Highness. Il was
a formal occasion, clothed in
solemnity, in which the Minister
knelt, Bible in hand, along with his
entourage.
Somehow, these distinguished
gentlemen got themselves kneeling
on the wrong sideTSTThe room, and
they had to crawl on hands and
knees to the other side of the
chamber.
One of them, as he crawled,
knocked a book off the table. It
had to be retrieved by the Queen,
who, according to an observer,
"looked blackly furious."
Later, though, when the
Minister apologized to the Queen,
she confessed that her stern ap
pearance was but a cover up. She
had been hard put to keep from
bursting into laughter.
In 1940, during World War II,
two bombs fell on Buckingham
Palace, only yards away from
where the King was sitting.
One of the policemen outside the
gates was impressed when he saw
the enemy plane bravely piloted
straight down the Mall toward its
target.
With little attempt to conceal his
enthusiasm, he exclaimed to the
Queen, "A magnificant piece of
bombing, Ma'am, if you'll pardon
my saying so."
NOTICE
ALL HOKE COUNTY RESIDENTS
PROPERTY TAX LISTING
N.C. STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT YOU
LIST PROPERTY FOR TAX PURPOSES AS SHOWN BELOW:
WHEN TO LIST:
Beginning at 8:00 A.M. January 4, 1983 through 12:00 Noon Jan. 31, 1983
at the locations noted below.
(Extensions of time to list may be granted upon written request and for valid
reason.)
WHO MUST LIST All Residents: Military and Civilian
- Ail persons owning Real or Personal Property in Hoke County must appear before the
tax listers for their township during the period of Jan. 4, through Jan. 31. 1983 to list
their property for tax purposes.
- FAILURE TO LIST will subject taxpayer to a fine of $500.00 or imprisonment not to
exceed six months.
? All mobile home owners must list and obtain a registration decal
? All mobile home park and aircraft storage facility operators, must furnish to the tax
Supervisor the name of the owner of each aircraft or mobile home and a description of
each by Jan. 17, 1983.
? NOTE: Military personnel may be exempt from personal property tax if they submit
proof that their "Home of Record" is other than North Carolina.
WHAT TO LIST - All Real and Personal Property.
? All property owned as of Jan. 1, 1983 must be listed.
- AH real property including buildings and improvements, and machinery permanently
affixed.
- Household furniture, appliances, T.V.'s. air conditioners, fans, diamonds, and jewelry,
typewriters, boats and motors, trailer, etc.
? Farm equipment, livestock, poultry, supplies and products in storage, etc.
? Motor vehicles; all automobiles, trucks, airplanes, motorcycles, campers, etc.
Business Personal Property: merchandise, finished goods. equipment, furniture and
fixtures, goods in process, raw materials, samples, etc.
? Inventories are reported as of the latest completed fiscal year if the business year ends
on a date other than Dec. 31.
ALL OTHER TANGIBLE PROPERTY NOT SPECIFIED
WHERE TO LIST ? By Township
Raeford - Courthouse Annex ? Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. and
Saturdays ? 8:00 A.M. to 12:00 Noon. Jan. 31. 1983
Allendale, Antloch, Blue Springs, McLauchlln, Stonewall and Quewhlffle -
in the Hoke County Library, Main St.. Raeford, N.C. Monday through Friday,
8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. and Saturdays 8 00 A.M. to 12:00 Noon. Jan. 31. 1983
Larry J. Holt
For further Information call: 875-8751 T ax Supervisor
.