Page 2-MIRROR-HERALD-Tuesday. May 2. 1978
One of three famous sayings:
‘Hello. I’m from HUD and I’m here to help you’
€DITORII^L
opinion
Rescue boards should
meet, resolve differences
We like County Commlasloner L. E. (Josh) Hlnnant’s suggestion that the
boards of directors of Kings Mountain Rescue Squad and Kings Mountain
Emergency Services get together to iron out differences.
If this Is not done there is going to be a cloud placed over the local emergency
services. An even darker cloud than currently exists.
We feel this cloud exists through a great deal of mlsimderstandlng on the part
of the public. We heard It said people want things back the way they used to be In
a public meeting last week. This Is not possible. Operating a rescue unit and
ambulance transport service Is no longer as simple as a group of people getting
together to help their nel^bors in times of crisis. It stopped being that simple
when legislation was passed governing the (deration of such units.
The fact that the board of directors of Kings Moimtaln Rescue Squad approved
a plan to charge transport fees last July 1 and the county accepted this plan,
does not make the directors, nor members of KMRS nor the county com
missioners villains within the community. Some people seem to feel this Is the
case. These people are wrong.
On the other side of the coin, some people feel the individuals who have
chartered and plan to operate Kings Mountain Emergency Services as an all
volunteer, no-charge unit are villains. Agsdn, this is not true.
The State of North Carolina did not say to Cleveland County "Will You operate
ambulance service?" The State said “You Will operate ambulance service." So
the county has the responsibility to provide fulltime ambulance service. Three of
the five county units, although receiving financial aid from the county for ex
penses, continue to operate without charges and without ~paid personnel. Two of
the units have paid personnel and charge transport fees. The county ninn
ixovldes financial aid to these units.
However, the county would like nothing better than to have all volunteer units
operating In the county. There are three ways to provide ambidance service; by
raising county resident’s taxes to pay for It; by allowing the existing rescue units
to charge a transport fee; or by an all-volunteer program.
Shelby and Kings Mountain Rescue units did not have the volunteer manpower
to operate the service day and night, so they elected to charge fees for tnm-
sportlng patients to help defray the expenses of salaries and operating expenses
rather than see the county taxes Increased. Grover, Bolling Springs and Upper
Cleveland’s units elected to operate as In the past, with volunteers leaving their
Jobs to answer emergency calls.
It Is no secret that the paid personnel, transport fee system in Kings Mountain
is not working all that well. Through a nine month period that ended Mar. 81 the
county has advanced Kings Moimtaln Rescue Squad about |e2,<X)0 for salaries
and expenses. In return about $30,000 has been collected from transport billing.
Throu^ Mar. 81 the collection was about $2S,311. Of that amount $7,889.76 came
from Medicare, $4,017.88 from Medicaid and the remainder from other Insurance
and from individuals. That still leaves the county about $86,000 In the hole.
With deficit financing such as this It Is little wonder the county wants to see
something worked out In Kings Mountsdn. Tliat Is a good reason, but a unit of
community reason Is much stronger and that’s why we like Commissioner
Hlnnant’s Idea.
Between the two units here there are about 17 qualified EMTs and a possible
volunteer membership of 36. A Joining of forces would give Kings Mountain the
strongest rescue and ambulance service In the county.
Ledford Austin, who halls from lenolr
holds a masters degree In business ad
ministration from Duke University and Is
currently serving as regional acting director
at the Department of Housing and Urban
Development out of Greensboro, said this;
"There are three famous sayings. First
cne la, of course I’ll respect you In the
morning; the second la, the check Is In the
mall; and the third one Is, Hello. I’m from
HUD and I’m here to help you...’’
Austin spent the day here last TTnirsday,
first as guest speaker at the Kings Mountain
Rotary Club (where he prefaced his remarks
with the above anecdote), and secondly on a
grand tour of the city to see the results
generated throu^ HUD funding programs.
Austin also left the Rotarlans laughing
when he explained how the relationship
between HUD and a community is supposed
to woik, he said:
"A young lady went to see a dentist. He
explained to her exactly what he was going
to do to fill the three cavities she luul In her
Jaw-teeth. As the dentist took down the drill
and turned it on, the lady grabbed him In a
vulnerable area. He asked the lady if she
realised where she had her hand and the lady
replied, yes, but we’re not going to hurt each
other, are we . . . .’’
-oOo-
Oiarles Wilson gave a "rah-rah" speech
concerning the annual Rotary Scholarship
Clolf ’Tourney last TTiursday and put In ap
peal for more volunteers to help and more
door prizes to be donated.
He said the way the scheduling la going "It
looks like everyone wants to play golf on
^nday. I’d like to ask anyone planning not
to play to hold off on their rain dances until
Sunday night, please.”
TTien he turned to Rev. Robert Boggan
(Central United Methodist Church’s pastor)
and asked, "Is It possible for you to arrange
a special prayer meeting for the golfers on
Saturday night?”
Not to be outdone. Rev. Boggan answered,
“If you will guarantee me the golfers will
show up. I hold a service every Sunday night,
but I see very few of you there."
Tbuche, Reverend.
TDM
MclMTVRe
Poet’s
Comer
-oOo-
Isn’t It sunazlng how the best laid plans oft-
times go astray?
Take the bash held last Wednesday at the
Kings Mountain Motor Inn honoring
secretaries from the area. The luncheon wws
held to observe National Secretaries Week.
Although I was not present, two
representatives from The Mirror-Herald
were. They were among the 160-odd local
folk making the scene.
Later I heard numerous bosses make
comment "The mayor (John Moss) made a
qieech the likes of which no one has ever
heard before. Truly Inspired. The dinner was
delicious.... and our secretaries are mad as
heU."
It seems the many gal Fridays were
miffed over some “awsLrds’’ handed out by
an Individual to the secretaries all working
lor the same firm. In this case, the city.
Tbe gripe stems from the fact there was no
announcement made to the fact that the
"awards" were strictly one person’s Idea
and had nothing to do with any type of
democratic voting process In which all of the
secretaries present had been considered.
The word is all of those secretaries left out
were reaUy steamed. Well, if it’s any con
solation to you, ladles; the secretaries who
received "awards" were Just as surprised by
It as you.
And as further balm to soothe ruffled
feelings, the individual giving those
"awards” did It as a personal gesture to
some friends and the furtherest thing from
his mind was to upset anyone else by his
gesture.
Monday was Save
The Children Day
We are happy to note that Governor Hunt
has declared Slay 1 Save the Children Day
78. In doing so he returns that sometimes
overly strident occasion to Its rightful
owners ... the children.
Remembered history tells us that In all
societies May 1 has been a day for rejoicing
with our children. Children still dance
around the tradltlonsU maypole In parts of
Ehirope and Scandanavia. They fly paper
kites shaped like fish In Japan.
Isrsiell boys and girls, wearing crowns of
flowers, plant trees and celebrate with
dancing, songs and games. In our own
country children leave flower-filled May
baskets on the doorsteps of their neighbors
and American Indlsui youngsters perform
special litutd dances welcoming the season.
Save the Children asks us to enlsu'ge upon
these celebrations of childhood. The in
ternational child assistance agency has
organized a Letters For Peace Program,
asking interested youngsters to write world
leaders urging them to make new efforts to
achieve peace. The agency has stimulated
community betterment projects - tree
plantings and clean-up projects on American
Indian reservations and a community
gardening project In an Inner-city vacant lot.
In our time May Day has been too long
given over to military parades and displays
of weapons. It Is fitting that Save the
Children has returned May Day to the
children. We hope that Save the Children
Day ’78 will herald a new day for all children
everywhere.
Hostilities ended In Tar Heel
State during the month
of May
^•1
€D
SMITH
North Carolina has suffered from a major
Invasion of enemy forces during two wars —
the American Revolution and the Civil War.
Both of these periods of hostUlty ended for
the state during the month of May.
On May «, 186S, near WaynesvUle,
Brigadier General John G. Martin surren
dered all of the Confederate forces In
western North Carolina, thus ending the
OvU War In this sUU. Only one other
Confederate force would surrender at a later
date, on May 86, further south.
Also during this same first week In May, in
1783, the British Army under Lord Cbm-
wallls abandoned Wilmington and began
marching out of the state toward Virginia.
OomwaUls had retreated across the state to
Wilmington after the Battle of Guilford
Courthouse In March, seeking the more
dependable source of supply that the British
Navy could offer. His destination -
ultimately - would be Yoiictown, where he
suffered his flnsd defeat.
’Die American military commander In
eastern North Carolina was Colonel Gideon
Lamb, commander of the state’s Sixth
Contlnentlal Regiment, whose Job It was to
oppose Cornwallis on the march — if
possible. Lamb had been left totally wlthouti
orders from the state’s notoriously lax
government In Raleigh, however, snd was so
bereft of manpower and supplies that he
wrote headquarters plaintively saying
"Pray let me know When, Who and What I
am!" Thus It was. In spite of Itself, that
North Carolina backed Its way Into In
dependence.
-oOo-
Charles Manley, the last Whig Governor of
the state, died on May 1, 1871. He was also
bom during this month, on May IS, 1796. He
was the last governor of the state bom
during the Eighteenth Century.
}
NJ<!
2-
1.
In those days the Governor was elected for
a two-year term. While he could serve
successive terms, the law prevented him
fiom serving more than two terms during a
dx year period, thus effectively limiting him
to four years In office. Manley served for
only two years, however, 1849-61, being
defeated In his bid for reelectlon by David S.
Reid, the state’s first Democrat governor.
The csunpalgn of 1860 was an Interesting
snd significant one In the state’s history. A
chief Issue was the method of electing State
Senators, the law then limiting those able to
vote for this office to "freemen owning at
least 60 acres of land." Blacks, Indians and
women, of course, were not allowed to vote
St all. All white msUe citizens of the state
above 31 could vote In certain election, even
without owning property, for U. S.
Congressmen, Governor, Presidential
Electors and state and local offices other
than State Senator, (The State Senators then
elected the U. S. Senators).
Reid favored the Immediate abolition of
property ownership as a qualification, for
voting for any office. He also favored the
election of Judges by popular vote. Manley
preferred the slower, safer method of put
ting the Issue before a constitutional con
vention. Reid’s election was a pivotal one In
the state’s political philosophy.
SHAKE DEPRESSION
Let the mind travel lightly
The thoughts fly free.
Into a world of glad expectancy;
Refrain from going back
TO sad times that have been.
Open up the thinking cap
Tuck a new dream in.
Ride on pleasant thought waves
Soar above your world.
Breathe the breath of freedom
When the fruits of faith uncurl.
Refrain from going back
To sad times that have been
With the shovel of the past
To unearth an old sin.
Let the mind travel lightly
With optimism as your guest
There Is nothing like the comfort
Of Hope within the breast
Refrain from going back
Thbre Is a new day to begin.
Let the mind travel lightly
As the bow on a violin.
VIVIAN STEWART BILTCLIFFE
SPRING RAIN
(e)1978
TIm washlns takes an Intariuda
To spring Uttle drops of rain.
To turn tha earth April green
And bud flowers along the lane
Pitter-Patter Uttle raindrops
Tliere Is pleasure for you to do.
Before you spring the sunRiliM
On the dashing new. g
Flowers limbs with asalea blossom
Ereshen Ulac la the breese.
Leave droplets in the center
To pamper the desire of tha bees.
Bud the leafy rose bushes
SUiTlng the desire to grow.
Making them ready to hear
Oauslag the roaes to show.
The sunshine takes an interiude
To ^rlng little drops of rain,
Th dress mother earth la April gresn
To ordain her tor her lelga.
VIVIAN 8. BILTCLUTB
MHiflia-ssntiMTaiai
Minoirluu)
^UtLISNIOIACM
TOM M«*NTVKI
WMiRn'itOittr
OAKYSTIWART
Itfittr
OAOOILLAUtTIN
CLVDIHILL
AivtrtUilif OIrtetv
MIMtBRO^
NORTHCAKOLINA
PRItI ASSOCIATION
pubiiihtd
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by
ObnBTtl
DPbwtr fu. KlrtRt
Tht Mirror Htr«>d it
Aubliihinp Company, p
Mountain, N C . M0S4. •uiinottanR tdilorlal otficaa
ora locatop at 204 South Piodmont Avo ^hpno 7lt-
7^H. Socono Claot pootapo paid at Kinpo Mountain,
N C Slnpio copy IS canto Subocrlptlon rotot. m m
yooriy In ototo. S4 2Iiir mantht, so » yoarty oot-ol’
•tatt, SS oiR mantht; Studant rat# tor nino fhantht
SO 24