Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Crowd on tho Horseshoe Photo by Joe Jackson An estimated 9,000 students were at the Horseshoe yesterday to hear President Ronald Reagan speak and receive an honorary degree in laws. ^? Counter-forum held ,3 ^ - -- - - - - Wednesday The lady has soul p. 10 II M ?F^| JrjrW^^^k Ik September 21 1983 ? Col rope pel en VI Vl I I llbVUVll ST* T ''"""" r -| Education must By Johnny Boggs des] Urging the need to improve educa- Am tion, President Ronald Reagan yester- do I day said the answer didn't lie with in- D creased spending. big : Reagan told an estimated 9,000 tanc people on the Horseshoe at USC that the key to improve education is with better leadership among teachers ^ and supervisors. Citing National Education Associa- fas^ irtn fiourfc that show nilblic schools t HWII?iifcuicj mill expenditures at $116.9 billion this year tj0J ? a 7 percent increase ? Reagan said tj0J jffrtP'IMl "W? don't need money...." President Ronald Reagan said improved education : improve, pite increased spending, "overal erican schools have been failing i [he job they should. I'CDITr THI? IrMirl rhnrns frnn spenders, most Americans unders I that to make our schools better don't need money as much as w i leadership from principals ani jrintendents, dedication from well led teachers, homework, testing :ient use of time and good, old lioned discipline." he government could help set a m ial agenda for excellence in educe i without recycling tax monej p.,.,' - > ' Photo by Joseph Gi lies with teachers and administrators Reaaan savs I U I Reagan said, by restoring "parents f o and local government to their rightful \ place in the educational process." n Teachers, he said, "should be paid and promoted on the basis of their [ , competence and merit. e "This may require more money, but d responsibility for that should rest with I- authorities close to the schools ! themselves ? not the federal I- government." 1 < ENCOURAGING "PARENTAL I rhnirp anrl rnmnfl itinn" hptvvppn /t schools could also help education, Reagan said. "That's exactly what we want to do I through our programs of tuition tax credits and vouchers ? parents should have the right to choose the schools they know would be best for their children," he said. He also urged Americans to bring prayer back into the public school system, bringing a round of applause. Reagan concluded the speech, say ing mere was no limit on cuucauon or |pl imagination. "It's not what's inside the earth that .4 counts, but what's inside your minds and hearts, because that's the stuff dreams are made of ? and America's future is in your dreams. Make them |P^ come true," he said. DURING THE speech, a group of : hecklers at the rear of the Horseshoe MM began yelling anti-Reagan slogans. Reagan responded by asking, "Is |||| there an echo in here?" U n r?^nnr?K Dnonon \1/1C utiuiv Hit IWU^UII J presented with an honorary doctor of ? laws degree. It was his third honorary % degree since becoming president, with ?;v|J the others coming from Notre Dame 1111 anc* Seton Hall. Reagan was in town to attend a *1"*% fund-raiser for Sen. Strom Thurmond, v, R-S.C. He was the first incumbent president to be awarded a degree by J0iM the university. n ft OIIMSk IIAI) oi?thpr#?rl parlipr in -;*% the day and a light drizzle dampened the ground, but the sun appeared shortly before the ceremonies began. Shortly after the speech, an alterca" tion broke out between protesters of the president's El Salvador policies and students leaving the Horseshoe. There were no serious injuries, and no security personnel responded. Reagan, Thurmond exchange praises during fund-raiser n.. pl.:. oy win is nciiuoi President Ronald Reagan and Sen. Strom Thurmond gave each other ringing endorsements for the 1984 reflection although neither has declared their candidacies. Thurmond said Reagan would be the next president of the United States, and Reagan said, "We can keep dreams alive in the hearts of our people. "And one sure way to begin is to re-elect in 1984 our friend, Strom Thurmond, senator of South Carolina." THE REMARKS were made during a fund-raiser for Thurmond at the Cantey Building on the State n^: 1 _ rairgruuuus. Republican organizers said the event was the biggest political fund-raiser in South Carolina, the third largest in the nation for an incumbent U.S. senator and the largest audience to attend a political fund-raiser in the nation. Supporters paid from $100 to $500 to attend the dinner, which raised about $350,000, officials said. During his speech, Reagan praised Thurmond while listing the accomplishments of his administration. "STROM SPEAKS with a voice of common sense ? and common sense is about as common in Washington D.C., as a fourth cf July blizzard in Columbia, S.C. "We put out the flames," Reagan said, "and brick by brick, we're rebuilding a foundation of strength, safety, security and prosperity for America ? and that's not bad for a new beginning. "Inflation has plummeted by four-fifths, and it's been under two-and-a-half percent during the past months ? the lowest 12-month rate in 15 years." Reagan also attacked opponents of his administration for not supporting his position on tax and spending cuts. "OUR OPPONENTS resist oui budget savings," he said. "They oppose our tax cuts. And they complain that oil intproetc h a \/p hppn Hurt ' ' t... II.v.. opww.u. ."IV.W.J ..v..*, ' " ? However, Reagan did not mention his increased defense spending or the deficits that have grown during his administration. The closest Reagan came to talking about his defense budget was when he said the nation needed a strong defense and Thurmond's leadership would be important on defense-appropriations votes and the MX-missile votes. A O ? -? <-\ -* r* ? i a/I cT 11 f~\ 1 t n in rt t n r\ 11 vj ixccigaii lui i 111 iuv. w uia vv-iuai a.^auaa a^auiai mv Soviet Union. "America doesn't put walls to keep her people in...and we don't cold-bloodedly shoot defenseless airliners out of the sky." Following the event, Reagan boarded Air Force One and left Columbia. It was Reagan's first visit to Columbia since campaigning in 1980.