6vMOHTHlcAßOU|^^gg|
'ABUSHED 1936 r ■ -I
• EDITOR & PUBLISHER |
- ASSOCIATE EDTTOR
OFFICE MANAGER I
OUCTION . 1
BUSHED EVERY THURSDAY BY I
NCEY PUBLISHING COMPANY |
IGE PAID AT BURNSVILLE,N,C. j
,1970 NUMBER FORTY-THREE
BSCRIPTICN RATES $3.00/YEAR I
T OF COUNTY $5.00/YEAR
Letters To The Editor
Dear Editor:
The scheduled meeting of
the Yancey County Board of
Education for Friday, October
16A when only the Chairman
and one Board member were
present shows the public how
interested and concerned our
appointed Board officials are
about our schools. When they
cannot attend the repeatedly
postponed meetings, then it
is time we had someone who
is interested in our schools to
replace them,
The following questions are
in desperate need of being an
swered. What do our appoin -
ted officials put first Our
schools or their politics? When
will they hold open public
meetings instead of closed be
hind the door tactics? At what
time will die Board start bas
ing their decisions upon facts
and sound judgement inst ea d
of their own peisonal desires?
When are our schools going to
be improved? Are we as tax -
payers and concerned parent;
not entitled tq an- 1
t K qaestTonsimmediately?
Sincerely,
Mis. Kenneth Laughrun
In Homecoming
Melissia Thomas, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Robert C.Tho
mas, Micaville, N. C., was
elected a member of theFbme
coming Court at Warren Wilson
College, Swarmanoa, North
Carolina. Miss Thomas is a
graduate of East Yancey High
School in of $7
More space
••• less cost.
* ■
Barco steel buildings save
you up to 22% on total
construction costs,
compared to other quality,
custom-engineered steel
buildings.
For fast facts, write or call:
Barco Steel Corporation
Box 270
Mooresville, N.C. 28115
Phone: 704/664-1219
fjjwT •
Dear Editor:
When an appointed Board of
Education consistently fails to
vote either for or against edu
cation issues, we publicly ask
them why? We have heard no
open opposition against the pro
posed "intermediate plan" for
the schools.
Obviously, conditions must
be pretty bad when the parents
want to take such action as to
strike and join in picket lines.
But most of us would be wiling
to take risks if we think it will
improve the schools.
By looking at our school^we
can see that education has not
been top priority. Is it any
wonder the citizens believe
they must act? When all else
fails, somebody has to stand
up end fight for quality educa
tion and better schools.
James Lee Ovens
Burnsville, Rt. 6.
LETTER HAND DELIVERY ONLY
OCTOBER 19, 1970
TO: DR. A. CRAIG PHILLIPS
| SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
RALEIGH, N.C.
I HOW CAN WE COOPERATE WITH A SCHOOLBOARD THAT
WILL NEVER MEET? OCTOBER 2 MEETING OF YANCEY
I SCHOOL BOARD POSTPONED UNTIL OCTOBER 9. OCTO
BER 7 NOTICE PUBLISHED THAT MEETING TO BE CLOSED.
I ON OCTOBER 9 NOTWITHSTANDING CLOSED NOTICE MERE
t THAN 50 CONCERNED CITIZENS MET IN VICINITY. 30
| MINUTES BEFORE SCHEDULED TIME OF MEETING THE
| SAME WAS POSTPONED AGAIN. CHAIRMAN UNDER PUB -
I LIC PRESSURE CALLED A MEETING FOR OCTOBER 16. ON
I THIS DATE 110 CONCERNED CITIZENS APPEARED AN D
I MEETING FAILED FOR LACK OF A QUORUM THOUGHT BY
I MANY TO BE CONVENIENTLY ARRANGED. OUR SITUA -
I TION IN THIS COUNTY WITH RESPECT TO THE BURNS
VILLE SCHOOL SITUATION IS ABSOLUTELY DESPE RATE.
THE SECOND FLOOR OF OUR SCHOOL IS NOW CLOSED FOR
| SAFETY AND FIRE VIOLATIONS AND THE KIDS UP THERE
1 HAVE BEEN MOVED TO EVEN WORSE AND MORE DANGER
OUS QUARTERS THAT I HAVE ASKED To BE INS PECTED
| AND CLOSED BY THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL. OUR LOCAL
SCHOOL BOARD IS ABSOLUTELY BEYOND CARING WHAT
IS GOING ON IN CUR SCHOOL. APPROVAL OF STATE AP -
j PROVED INTERIM PLAN FOR YANCEY COUNTY SC H OOLS
WOULD SOLVE MOST OF PROBLEMS BY NEXT SEPTEMBER
BUT THEY REFUSE TO ACT. HAVE REQUESTED A JOINT
CONFERENCE WITH YOU AND GOVERNOR AND PARENTS
FROM BURNSVILLE SCHOOL IN RALEIGH ANY DAY OR
I NIGHT BETWEEN now AND NOVEMBER 6 WHEN BOARD IS
I SUPPOSED TO MEET AGAIN TO LAY OUTCURGRIEVAN -
I CES AND REQUEST THAT YOUR OFFICE UNDER EMERGEN-
I CY POWERS TAKE OVER AT ONCE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF
I OPERATING YANCEY COUNTY SCHOOLS.
I WILLIAM N.HESS
I j , PRESIDENT, BURNSVILLE P.T.A.
A -- v ■ •- *>*"*+**£■
No Quorum,
No Vote!
(Cont'd horn page 1)
children displaced from the
second floor of the school by
orders from Raleigh. The new
quarters of these children were
variously described as ranging
from dangerous to barbarous.
The suggestion was made
from the floor that the pur
chase of mobile classroom units
to house the children should be
explored. Clevenger stated
that Ais would be done, and
Aat Ae possibility of finan -
cing Ae purchase would b e
taken up wiA Ae county
commissioners.
Hess, at this point, stated
Aat he would request Ae State
Fire Marshall's office to in
spect Ae old agricultural buil
ding to see wheAer its safety
met State standards.
Chairmen Clevenger an -
e . • * *, • . • '
nounced Aat Ae next meet
ing of Ae Board would be on
Friday, November 6, at 8:00
p. m. at Ae CourAouse. He
also stated Aat PTA President
Hess would be informed prior
to any oAer Board meeting at
which Ae question of adopting
Ae so-called "Interme d i a t e
Plan" would be considered. Hus
is Ae plan, now approved by
Ae Raleigh school
which calls for Ae addition of
rooms to Ae Cane River High
School, and consolidation of
Ae two high schools at Aat
location.
GIVE
..[UNITED..,
v v v ; *?% ■ •?«* I
Telegrams Sent
NIGHT LETTER HAND DELIVER ONLY
OCTOBER 19, 1970
TO: GOVERNOR ROBERT SCOTT
STATE CAPITOL
RALEIGH, N.C.
DANGEROUS SECOND FLOOR OF BURNSVILLE ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL NOW CLOSED BUT CHILDREN MOVED TO EVEN
WORSE AND MORE DANGEROUS QUARTERS. FIRE IN -
SPECTION OF THE SAME REQUESTED THIS DATE FROM
STATE INSURANCE OFFICE. PARENTS OF MORE TH AN
400 STUDENTS IN THIS SCHOOL URGENTLY REQUEST A
JOINT CONFERENCE WITH YOU AND DR. PHILLIPS IN RA
LEIGH CONCERNING OUR DESPERATE SCHOOL SITUATION
IN COUNTY. LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD REFUSES TO ACT
ON STATE APPROVED INTERIM PLAN. OCTOBER 2 MEET-.
ING OFBQARD POSTPONED UNTIL OCTOBER 9. ON OC
TOBER 7 MEETING WAS DESIGNATED CLOSED. 52 IRATE
CITIZENS APPEARED ON OCTOBER 9 AND AT LAST MIN -
UTE MEETING WAS POSTPONED. CHAIRMAN DESIGNA -
TED OCTOBER 16 AS NEXT MEETING DATE. ON OCTOBER
16 MORE THAN 110 CITIZENS APPEARED AND THIS MEET
ING CONVENIENTLY NOT HELD FOR LACK OF QUORUM.
WE CAN NOT WORK WITH BOARD AS RECOMMENDED BY
YOU IN LAST LETTER TO ME WHEN THEY REFUSETOMET
OR ACT ON STATE APPROVED PLAN OR MEET THEIR STA
TUTORY RESPONSIBILITIES. WE ASK AN APPOINTMENT
TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU AND DR. PHILLIPS BEFORE NO -
VEMBER 6 WHICH IS NEXT BOARD MEETING DATE TO
OUTLINE OUR GRIEVANCES AND TO REQUEST THAT STATE
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION CONSIDER TAKDG
OVER RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR SCHOOLS.
WILLIAM N.HESS
PRESIDENT, BURNSVILLE P. T. A.
NIGHT LETTER HAND DELIVER ONLY
OCTOBER 19, 1970 >
TO: MR. T.O. MULLINS ' :
CODE CONSULTANT
N. C. STATE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE
RALEIGH, N.C.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR EFFORTS TO FORCE
THE YANCEY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION TO PUT
OUR CHILDREN IN SAFE SCHOOL ROOMS BY CLOSING THE
UPPER ROOMS OF THE BURNSVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE SECOND FLOOR OF SCHOCL
Nnur ciosed and CHILDREN MOVED TO EVEN MORE
DANGEROUS QUARTERS THAT YOU HAVE NOT HERETO
FORE INSPECTED. OIL STOVES IN ONE ENTRANCE ROOMS
AND OIL STORAGE TANK INSIDE ONE ROOM THESE
DANGER COS BEYOND DOUBT AND IN VIOLATION OF ALL
SAFETY STANDARDS. ' ALSO FIRE DETECTION SYSTEMS
STILL NOT INSTALLED IN UPPER SCHOOL WHICH SHOULD
BE CLOSED AT ONCE FOR THIS CONTINUING VIOLATION.
APPRECIATE INSPECTION AND APPROPRIATE ACTION BY
YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBIE.
WILLIAM N.HESS
PRESIDENT,BURNS VILLE P. T. A.
NIGHT LETTER HAND DELIVERY ONLY
OCTOBER 19, 1970
TO: SENATOR SAM ERVIN,JR.
SENATE OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON, D.C.
REALIZE THAT YOU ARE IN MIDST OF ELECTIONEERING
FOR ANOTHER TERM BUT DESPERATE SITUATION OF
BURNSVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WILL HOPEFULLY
INTRUDE. SECOND FLOOR OF. SCHOOL CLOSED FOR FIRE
VIOLATIONS AND KIDS MOVED TO EVEN WORSE AND
MORE DANGEROUS QUARTERS. OCTOBER 2 MEETING OF
SCHOOL BOARD POSTPONED UNTIL OCTOBER 9 AND DE -
SIGNATED AS CLOSED. ON OCTOBER 9 MORE THAN 50
IRATE CITIZENS APPEARED CNLY TO HAVE MEETING
POSTPONED AGAIN. CHAIRMAN CALLED MEETING FOR
OCTOBER 16 AND ON THAT DATE 110 IRATE CITIZENS
APPEARED ONLY TO HAVE MEETING FAIL FOR LACK OF
QUORUM THOUGHT TO BE A SET UP. DO WE HAVE TO
GROW LONG HAIR AND PARADE IN THE STREETS TO
HAVE SOMETHING DONE FOR OUR KIDS? ONE PHONE
CALL FROM YOU TO POLITICAL BIG- WIGS INCOUNTY TO
TELL THEM TO MAKE THIS BOARD ACT IN EMERGENC Y
SITUATION WOULD ACCOMPLISH WONDERS. WE HAVE
STATE APPROVED PLAN AND MONEY FROM STATE IN
HAND TO SOLVE IHIS PROBLEM. WILL YOU CALL - -
WILL YOU BRING TO BEAR PRESTIGE OF YOUR OFFICE TO
MAKE LOCAL POUTICOS ACT?
WILLIAM N.HESS
PRESIDENT, BURNSVILIE P.T.A.