Page 4A-THE KINGS MOUNTAIN HERALD-Thursday, November 9, 1989
OUR VIEW
Pictorial Editorial
Your Right To Say It
Gary
Stewart
Give To Empty
Stocking Fund
Last February Dot Hayes of Kings Mountain came
by to see me about the possibility of the Herald begin-
* ning an Empty Stocking Fund to help buy toys, clothes
. and other items for needy children at Christmas.
It sounded like a good idea at the time and we
~ agreed to talk again closer to Christmas.
To be honest, I had forgotten all about it until one
i day recently when Mrs. Hayes came back and men-
tioned it again.
Through Mrs. Hayes' efforts, a special committee
: chaired by Margaret Dilling was named to coordinate
i the project and arrangements were made with Rev.
. Harwood Smith, president of the Kings Mountain
5 Ministerial Association, for the Empty Stocking Fund
i to be a special Christmas project of that organization.
Now, it's time to go to work.
itl
As you may have read in last week's Herald, the
: . fund has been established at Home Federal Savings
©: and Loan. You make take your contribution there or
¢ mail it to The Empty Stocking Fund, P.O. Box 1491,
| ¢ Kings Mountain, 28086.
¢ Christmas may seem like a long time away, but it's
¢ not. By the time you know it, it will be Thanksgiving
© and thoughts will begin turning to Christmas.
Everyone has needs. Christmas is a time when all of
i us need extra money. By the time you buy for your
+ own kids, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, in-
* laws, etc., you're broke.
© But, if we spend wisely and do without some of the
: things we really don't need anyway we can find some
i extra money to help some of those less fortunate than
© ourselves.
- RT RT EAT NP Enea
II SEIEIREED
Hallie Blanton, who is a social worker for Kings
: Mountain District Schools and who is a member of the
: special Empty Stocking Fund committee, and 1 went to
i interview a family last week for a story which is on the
front page of today's Herald. Of course, the names of
. the people are not in print because we wouldn't want to
' embarrass them, but the page one story is real.
| There are many people out there like "Mattie" who
+ need help. Thank God for people like Hallie Blanton
“who work with these people. Everyone is not cut out
for this type of work.
. Hallie told of one well-known Kings Mountain fam-
“ily who work with her each year to help a needy fami-
‘ly in the area. They purchase clothes, food, toys, what-
ever, to see that a family's needs are met. One year,
: they wanted to go with Hallie to deliver the Christmas
gifts but after seeing the conditions the needy family
‘lived in, said they would continue to provide
Christmas for a family each year but they didn't want
“to go with her anymore.
¥
i
f
8
i
{
I felt much the same way after going out on last
‘week's interview. I could not do Hallie's job. If you're
‘an emotional type person, which I am, the pain goes
deep.
| But, those of us who can't go into that type of situa-
‘tion can help those people through organizations such
‘as the Empty Stocking Fund. We can cut back on some
of the extras that we don't really need and give that
:money to the fund. I know I must waste $30 or more a
week on junk food and kris: waste it on
3 cigarettes, alcohol or games of chance. We could cut
| ‘out, or at least cut back, on such things and give that
‘money to the fund.
Many people mail hundreds of Christmas cards each
‘Christmas. We could hand deliver the cards and give
the money which would have been spent on stamps to
the fund. Ditto for wrapping paper. The Kings
Mountain Herald makes good wrapping paper!
* Ask your church and/or Sunday School class to take
up a special offering. You tithe 10 percent of your
| wages to the church each Sunday, consider tithing 10
percent of your Christmas bonus to the Empty
| Stocking Fund.
Kids, get involved by selling drink bottles or hav-
| ing a yard sale, car wash or some other fund-raising
project.
. Whatever you do to help will be greatly appreciat-
ed. It will make Christmas brighter for some people
| who really need it and I guarantee your Christmas will
be better too.
ede ok
. Alot of people have been asking me how I came out
against Bob Hayes in picking football winners this
ear.
I beat him by three. I had a 114-37 record and he
was 111-40.
i I appreciate Bob picking against me all year (I didn't
ally think I'd beat him) and I also appreciate all the
guest pickers we had each week. I poked a lot of fun at
them but all of them except Jonas Bridges know that I
really didn't mean it. Seriously, I appreciate Jonas too.
He's the best sport in town.
I hope we can do it again next year.
ek ok
I'm thinking very seriously of calling for the State
Elections Board to investigate Tuesday's School Board
election. I was told by a reliable source that I received
a write-in vote in the East Kings Mountain precinct.
But it was not counted.
Darrell Austin says he received one in the City
Council race and his wasn't counted either.
I'm sure if Donald Duck had received a vote his
would've been counted!
4
Happiness iS.....winning!
Newcomers to Kings Mountain politics celebrated their victories after the results of Tuesday's city coun-
cil run-off election were posted at the Governmental Services Facilities Center. In photo at left, Scott
Neisler, who soundly defeated incumbent Harold Phillips in District Six, gets ready for a big hug and kiss
from his wife, Jan. In photo at right, Elvin Greene, who edged incumbent Humes Houston in District Two,
sings the gospel song "Feeling Mighty Fine" with one of his supporters, Jeannette Mullinax.
Letter To The Editor
Dear Editor:
Red Cross needs help!
These words have been heard many times in in the
past six months and we have come through so much
with your help. So many have helped through cash
contributions, volunteering their time and talents, in
kind gifts and free labor.
Red Cross has successfully made it through a capital
fund drive, the May tornadoes, construction, Hurricane
Hugo and the California earthquakes. We still have
volunteers from Cleveland County on disaster assign-
ments. It has been the worst of times and the best of
times but we have come through it together. You re-
sponded with money and volunteer hours to Red Cross
and disaster victims.
Now we need your help again. We have learned that
both United Way campaigns need an extra boost to
have successful campaigns. Red Cross is the top fund-
ed agency by both United Way organizations and
would be in serious financial trouble if funds had to be
cut. We depend on United Way dollars to help us pro-
vide CPR, First Aid and water safety classes, to offer
immediate assistance to fire and disaster families; to
serve as the link between those in military service and
their relatives here in Cleveland County; to provide
blood and the blood rtoducts needed by hospital pa-
tients; to take care . emergency transportation needs
in winter storms; © J the many community needs Red
Cross is involved .vith.
We know it has been tough for all of us but we need
your help so we can help others. Please make your
pledge or contribution to your local United Way. So
many families,individuals and agencies are depending
on this.
MARTHA H. SCRUGGS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
CLEVELAND COUNTY CHAPTER
+ AMERICAN RED CROSS
Co EW
Joe Nathan, former pub-
lic school teacher and ad-
ministrator, is a senior fel-
low at the University of
Minnesota’s Humphrey In-
stitute. He recently edited
“Public Schools by Choice”
(Meyer-Stone Books).
Wi
Would parental ‘“choice”
benefit all children?
Yes. More than 60 percent of the public favors
expanding choice among public schools. In East
Harlem, N.Y., Cambridge, Mass. Prince Georges
County, Md., and the entire state of Minnesota.
increasing choice among public schools helped
stimulate widespread improvements. In the best
public school choice plans, students of all abilities
do better in school, graduation rates increase.
parents are more involved, and educator morale is
higher. In each district cited above. public school
choice helped produce significant, system-wide
test score improvement. Allowing Minnesota high
school juniors and seniors to attend colleges or
universities full or part time benefitted both
youngsters who stayed in high school and those
who enrolled in college. Why? High schools state-
wide improved programs — for example. quadru-
pling the number of advanced placement courses
offered — since they no longer had a “captive
audience.”
of public schools
How would this affect integration?
Well-designed public school choice programs
helped produce more effective integration pro-
grams. While 60 percent of the general public en-
dorses public school choice. support is even
higher among racial minorities and low-income
parents, who now have the fewest options. The
best choice programs include racial balance guide-
lines, equal access to schools and extensive parent
information and counseling programs.
How would choice affect efforts to improve
other school programs?
The best choice programs complement other re-
forms. That's why after initially opposing efforts
to expand public school choice in Minnesota, 61
percent of the teachers in the Minnesota Education
Association now like the idea. Expanding choice
for parents increased opportunities for educators to
help create distinctive programs from which fami-
lies can select. We have learned that there is no one
best school for all students, or all educators.
Public School Selection—Parental Choice?
Bella Rosenberg is assis-
tant to the president of the
American Federation of
Teachers, where she han-
dles policy initiatives. Pre-
viously, she was a research
associate at the National
Institute of Education.
Would parental ‘choice’ of public schools
benefit all children?
All children, no — not until our poorer public
schools get the resources and help they need to
make parents want to choose them. Lots of choice
plans assume that if parents could switch schools,
“bad™ schools would shape up or empty out.
But that assumes **good™ schools have lots of
empty places and are willing to take in kids from
failing schools. There's little evidence of that.
Generally. choice plans enable a few kids — the
most talented or those with the most motivated
parents — to switch into a better school. That's
great for them, but it further destroys the quality of
education for the majority of kids left behind in
schools that have lost their resources and their
role-model students.
How would this affect integration?
Some choice plans have .helped integration;
many others have not. It depends on the type of
plan. The most difficult integration problem we
face is not so much racial as economic class.
Choice plans may benefit middle-class minorities,
but few have helped poorer children. Their parents
often don’t have the information to make choices
— and wealthier public schools, like private
schools, aren't very eager to admit these kids.
Let's face it: Until poorer schools are improved,
middle-class parents of all races aren’t going to
choose them.
How would choice affect efforts to improve
other school programs?
If choice is part of an overall improvement
strategy, it could lead to distinctive, quality pro-
grams that meet the needs of diverse students. Un-
fortunately, many choice proponents act as if
choice by itself will lead to improvement.
It won't. It would be like rearranging a few
seats on the Titanic: a few people might get a
better view, but the ship — public education —
will sink. Isl
« 1989, PM Editorial Services
Jim
Heffner
I am not a Jim Bakker supporter. I am, however a
supporter of justice, and I don't think Bakker got a fair
shake. Three weeks ago, a federal judge in Charlotte
sentenced the Reverend Bakker to 45 years in prison
ard a fine of one-half million dollars. Bakker, you will
recall, was convicted of 24 counts of fraud.
The same week, in Winston-Salem, a federal judge
sentenced a bank robber to 46 months imprisonment.
The bank robber was a woman and, if I recall accurate-
ly, she had held up 6 banks.
The excuse for the light sentence was that she was a
"community activist,” whatever that is, and that she
had given the money to the needy.
Murderers, rapists and others of that will seldom re-
ceive a sentence as stiff as that meted out to Jim
Bakker.
I am not trying to excuse his crimes. Certainly, they
were serious and deserved punishment. I'm just having
trouble understanding the wide range of sentences
handed out in the courts.
Judge Potter's conduct in the courtroom was bizarre,
at times, as well. I have heard that he went so far as to
stick his fingers in his ears a t one point. Another time
he chastised the defense attorneys for bringing in char-
acter witnesses whose testimony was similar. One of
you attorneys out there enlighten me--doesn't a defen-
dant have the right to choose his own character wit-
nesses?
If the judge was so concerned about the fleecing of
the poor, why fine Bakker $500,000? Where does he
think that money will come from? It almost certainly
will be donated by those poor souls who subscribe to
the Bakker religious dogma.
And why wasn't the man allowed to post bond while
his appeal was being processed? Isn't that a normal
procedure in all but the most heinous cases?
Once more, I am not a Jim Bakker supporter. I'm
glad he was given a prison term, although I question
the fine.
I guess I just don't know much about the law.
PSYCHICS, FORTUNE TELLERS, FLYING
SAUCERS AND SUCH
I was shocked to find out there is a convention of
psychics and fortune. tellers going on in Charlotte as.
this is being written. Even more surprising is the fact
that this it the twentieth consecutive year such a gath-
ering has occurred.
We must have the market cornered on gullible peo-
ple in these parts. I rate psychics and fortune tellers
right up there with astrologers and people who like to
hear Telly Savalas sing. If I only had a couple of
Brooklyn Bridges to sell.
In my opinion, a psychic can tell you nothing of val-
ue, and anybody who thinks his future can be seen in
an oversized deck of funny looking cards or a gob of
messy tea leaves is whistling in the dark. Nor is your
future discernible in the palm of hand. Oh! if it were
only that simple.
Just think for a minute. Where do these people get
their training? Is there a Doctor of Voodoo Degree
available somewhere?
And why is it that flying saucers are always spotted
by two old guys out fishing in the middle of the night
somewhere in a Louisiana swamp.
My oh my! P.T. Barnum was right--there's a sucker
born every day.
NOTES AND STUFF
I took a leisurely drive around Kings Mountain
Sunday afternoon, looking for a feature photo or two.
No luck there but I was struck by the colors of the
leaves. I've heard that there was no peak season in the
mountains this year, well, all those tourists ought to
come to Kings Mountain. We've got beautiful color
here. Take a stroll through some of the neighborhoods
and enjoy. Crowders Mountain and Kings Mountain
are really decorated. Highway 74 toward Gastonia is
breathtaking......I see where former Governor Jim Hunt
has decided against opposing Jesse Helms for the U.S.
Senate again. Hunt has been called a lot of things but
nobody ever accused him of being dumb......Is it just
me, or is pro football getting boring.....If you get a
chance to read just one book this year make it Pat
Conroys "Prince of Tides." The best novel I've read in
five years.
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