The News-Journal
The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
Volume LXXV Number 42 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA $10 PER YEAR 25 CENTS Thursday, February 9, 1984
Architects Suggest Replacing Schools
Hy snerry Matthews
Two Hoke County schools
should be "phased out" within the
next five years, a 21 -member com
mittee appointed to study the
facilities was told Tuesday.
According to state Division of
? School Planning Engineer Floyd
P. Barnes and Architect Rolf W.
Seifert, both J.W. Turlington and
Upchurch Junior High School
should be replaced within the next
five years.
The cost of replacing the two
schools could exceed $10 million.
In addition, renovations which
would put all the county's schools
I in top shape, could run as high as
Around Town
By Sam Morris
The weatherman called for a lit
tle snow on Monday and he was
, half right. The forecast was for a
few flakes to fall and then it would
fair up and turn cold. There was a
little more than a few flakes and if
it had been colder we would still
have snow on the ground.
Now this is the kind of snow I
like. It is really pretty coming
down, it doesn't stick, and then the
sun comes out and melts what is
left around on the cars and north
' side of buildings.
) The ladies at the newspaper of
fice were awaiting me Monday
morning with smiling faces. It
seems all of them would like to
have two-feet of snow and to have
it last a week. Maybe it was mean,
but 1 just had to go back before
they left for lunch, and ask if they
had their sunshades with them.
Anyway, we need a little snow
every winter and now that we have
| had our snow, let's see the spring
weather come early.
? ? *
. 1 have learned that the American
Legion monthly meeting will be
held this month on Monday night,
February 13 at 7:30 at Edin
borough Restaurant instead of on
Tuesday night. February 14. A
conflict at the restaurant is the
reason for this one time change,
f ? ? ?
The filing date for candidates
was at noon Monday and it
brought forth a race for all jobs on
the ballot.
Most of the names have ap
peared on the ballot before, but
there are also some new people
seeking office.
Please watch the ads placed by
all candidates and see why they are
) seeking these offices. If they don't
say in their ads then make it a
point to inquire about their
qualifications, etc. on why they
want the job. If they can't give you
a good answer, then mark them off
as a person that can serve you in
office.
Of course to be able to vote you
must be registered. So if you
haven't registered, be sure to do so
before the primary election.
? ? *
A few months ago an item was
in this column about Miss Carrie
Sturgis of Rock Hill. S.C., a
former high school teacher in this
(See AROUND, page I2A)
another S10 million, the state
engineers said.
The survey, conducted over the
past two months, shows that Turl
ington's design is "inadequate for
a modern educational program. "
and its mechanical systems are
"obsolete" and in "poor condi
tion."
The study also verifies that the
school, which houses 807 fifth and
sixth graders is "far too over
crowded."
"1 would not spend a lot of
money trying to fix this facility
up." Seifert said.
"I would only spend money for
safety and health purposes." he
added.
"Keep it maintained as good as
you can and phase it out as soon as
possible." Barnes said.
Questions were raised concern
ing converting the Turlington gym
into classrooms.
Presently, there are four
classrooms underneath the gym.
according to Hoke Superintendent
Robert Nelson.
"You probably could make four
classrooms up there without too
much problem." Barnes said.
"You could at least close off the
bottom and get those students out
of the basement area." he added.
Of the four Turlington
buildings, three received a class IV
rating as well as a "C" rating for
handicapped facilities.
The class IV rating indicates that
the school could "probably" last
another five years.
"That is just. long enough to get
a new facility approved and com
pleted." Seifert said.
The survey also shows that a
facility with a"C" handicap rating
"needs substantial modifications
in order to be used satisfactorily by
handicapped persons.
"Turlington is a problem."
Seifert said.
"It is noi the worst I have ever
seen, but it is bad." he added.
Both Seifert and Barnes recom
mended that Turlington be "main
tained for health and safety pur
poses" until the facility could be
replaced on a new site.
"You should also consider
reducing the size of the school if
that is possible." Seifert said.
"The buildings are safe enough
to use until you can get out."
Barnes said.
Upchurch Junior High School
received the second lowest rating
by Seifert and Barnes, who also
recommended that the school
"eventually be phased out."
The survey shows that Up
church. with a student population
of 812. needs major improvements
in six of its eight buildings.
Only the gym area and the media
center facility received high marks.
"You have some problems at
this school that need to be address
ed." Seifert said.
Although both schools have
been recommended to be phased
out. neither received the lowest
rating used by Seifert and Barnes.
"We use a "V" rating for those
schools that should have already
been vacated." Barnes said.
(See SCHOOLS, page 2A)
rXT.
Intricate pattern
Monday's first snow of the season gives these trees ping which, contrasted against the dark branches,
near the Raeford Presbyterian Church a light top- forms an intricate pattern of shades.
Hoke High Preps For SAT's
By Sherry Matthews
Hoke County High School
juniors and seniors may have a
chance to improve their Scholastic
Aptitude (SAT) scores this year
with the help of a "preparation
course" set to be taught prior to
the exam. Assistant Superintend
dent Dr. Ginny Hayes told school
board members Tuesday night.
The course, designed to "train
students in test-taking skills." will
give students a chance to go over
sample questions similar to those
on the SAT.
Students will be reviewed on ver
bal and "quantitative" informa
tion as well as receiving "training
in how to take the test." Hayes
said.
"We need to do a lot of things to
get our SAT scores where we want
them. I think this course will
help." she added.
At present. 50 students have
v
shown an interest in enrolling in
the course, according to Hayes.
"I think there will be others
signing up before the course ac
tually begins." she added.
Hayes also told school board
members that she did not think the
school system would have to pick
up a tab for the SAT course.
"At this point, it does not ap
pear that this course will cost the
school system any money." Hayes
said.
There will be eight two-hour ses
sions of the SAT preparation
course. Hayes said.
An hour will be devoted to the
verbal format while the second
hour will deal with the quantitative
material, she added.
Instructors from Sandhills Com
munity College will administer the
course.
According to Hayes, each stu
dent who enrolls in the class will
have to pay a S 1 0 registration fee.
"The course will be offered
nrior to the actual May 5 testing
day." Hays said.
"I hope this course will help"
School Board Chairman W.W.
Cameron said.
"It sounds good." he added.
In othei| business, school board
members unanimously adopted
eight policies describing the
board's "position." .
"Most of these policies have
already been in effect, we just need
to get them in black and while."
Personnel Director Gloria Williams
said.
Included in the package is an an
nual leave policy, a human equity
policy, a promotion policy,
transfer policy, an employee's
grievance policy, a student's
grievance policy, a drug policy and
(See HOKE HIGH, page I2A)
Visibility marred
About an Inch of snow fell on Hokt County Monday. Here motorists
are stowed, but not stopped, on Rae ford's Main Street by the falling
white stuff. . t ,
Effort Renewed
For CD Funds
By Sherry Matthews
Members of the Hoke County
Commission decided Monday to
renew efforts to gain $750,000 in
Community Block Grant funds to
improve two residential sections.
A public hearing on the grants is
scheduled for February 20 at 7:30
p.m.. and the commissioners hope
to receive suggestions from
residents to determine how ap
plications should be filed.
Hoke's 1983 application was
denied by the state funding agency.
Department of Natural Resources
and Community Development
(NRCD). They had hoped to
receive over $540,000 to construct
a Tylertown water system.
"I want to see us go in the right
direction with the application this
year." Commissioner Wyatt Up
church said.
Hoke was one of 230 counties
that applied for grant monies last
year.
"A lot of counties go after these
funds." Lumber River Council of
Governments (COG) spokesman
Dan Stroh said.
Stroh will be assisting the com
missioner with this year's applica
tion. according to Hoke County
Manager James Martin.
"It is extremely hard to get
funded," Stroh said.
According to the COG
spokesman, any application that
the "county chooses to make"
must meet all the state re
quirements to "even have a chance
at getting funded."
"You need something that clear
ly benefits SO^o low and moderate
income families." Stroh said.
"Any project you address has
got to show a basic human need."
he added.
"The application has got to be
very competitive to have a
chance." Stroh said.
During the meeting, the commis
sioner's discussed applying for
funds that would benefit the
Shawtown area or the Oakdale Gin
Road area.
An application in the Shawtown
area would deal with housing
rehabilitation plus sewer and street
improvements.
Work in that area would benefit
approximately 43 families.
The Oakdale Gin Road applica
tion "could be made" for
weatherization of homes with in
sulation and storm windows.
"These are just suggested
areas." Martin said.
"You need to get some input
about what area is in the most
need." Stroh said.
"There may be other areas that
have not been discussed that would
make a better project package." lie
added.
"1 think we need to shoot at a
good target. ..we need our share."
Commissioner James A. Hunt
said.
"Anywhere we could get fund
ing in Hoke County. 1 would be
very proud," Hunt added.
"1 think wc should go after the
money," Commissioner Cleo Brat
cher said.
The commissioners set a second
public hearing date to discuss the
Community Block Grant applica
tion for April 2.
"We will come back in April
and review the application with
you." Stroh said.
Dispatcher snubbed
In other business, board
members dashed hopes of getting a
central communications dispatch
center for ambulance, rescue and
fire calls.
"The present dispatchers do a
good job. but they have got too
much to handle." Hoke Emergen
cy Medical Services (EMS) Direc
tor Bill Niven told the commis
sioners.
At present, all emergency dispat
ching is done through the Hoke
County Sheriff's Department with
the jailers handling most of the in
coming calls.
The EMS council decided that a
central dispatch unit would help
solve some of the dispatch prob
lems, Niven said.
"We just can't afford to hire
dispatchers right now. I am in
favor of it, but we just can't fund
it." Hunt said.
The dispatch question was raised
after Niven discussed charging
county residents who called for
emergency vehicles when the vic
tim was already deceased.
A lot of times the ambulance is
(See FUNDS, page 2A)
Raeford resident Nquyet Thi
Tran has spent most of her life
in the United States helping
other refugees . We take a look
at what she is doing on page
one of Section B in today's
News- journal.
Inside Today
Witnesses Tighten Time Frame
Of Events In Morrison Slaying
By Sherry Matthews
Although no arrests have been
made in connection with the
December slaying of Raeford
businessman Daniel .Morrison,
authorities have placed witnesses
at the crime scene "just a few
minutes" before the shooting ap
parently occurred, Raeford Police
Chief Leonard Wiggins said.
"Through our conversations
with a lot of people, we have got it
down to between three and five
minutes," the chief said.
"There is still a little blank spot
in there that we are trying to fill.
That is the time that is most impor
tant," Wiggins added.
Despite the narrow time frame
between the shooting and when
alleged customers were in Mor
rison's Grocery on Harris Avenue,
Wiggins would not verify that an
arrest would be made in the near
future.
"We are constantly working on
this thing," Wiggins said.
It is our top priority, he added.
Although the slaying took place
over a month ago. Wiggins said he
was not giving up.
Hl still believe that we will get a
break in this case." Wiggins said.
"We are working very hard to
find out who did this," he added.
The body of the 54-year-old
Morrison was found around 9:35
p.m. by a customer. He had been
shot to death.
Hoke Medical Examiner Robert
Townsend said earlier that Mor
rison died from multiple gunshot
wounds.
Although nothing has been
reported missing from the store.
SB1 agents and Wiggins have "not
ruled out" the possibility of an
armed robbery as a motive in the
slaying.
"We are not ruling out anything
at this point." SBI senior agent
Frank Johnson said.
"We are following up any leads
we get." he added