Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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■Wit (5am eco ck Greenville County students face overcrowded classrooms Associated Press GREENVILLE — South Carolina’s laigest school district is struggling takeep up with the area’s boom ing population, prompting officials to pile students into portable classrooms. The Greenville County School District has had a building phut in place since 1993, but “we’re just not able to construct and renovate schools fast enough,” said district spokesrhan Oby Lyles. People often move to where new schools open or have a good academic reputations, Lyles said. “Build them and they will come, and keep com ing and keep coming,” he said. Since 1990, the district’s enrollment has grown by more than 17 percent. School district projec tions show 1,500 more students in the next two years, Lyles said. The 9,000 students forced to attend classes in 500 portables across Greenville County make up a group bigger than 64 of the state’s school districts. Some 800 students attend classes in the set of portables that look like Army barracks outside Mauldin High School, the county’s most over crowded school. But for*parents, students and teachers, it’s about more than numbers. Slater-Marietta Elementary Principal Lindsey D. Cole III said smaller student-teacher ratios in first grade, and full-day kindeigarten programs are among the factors requiring more classroom space. “Classrooms change. What may have been ca pacity in the ’80s, what was capacity in the ’90s and what will be capacity in the early 2000s is not ‘When you crowd too many people into any confined space, you’re asking for trouble.’ Ken Stevenson USC education professor the same,” Cole said. The district says the school has room for 43 more students, but students already attend class in two portables, Cole said. “Wfe could use three more classrooms.” Pam Kenny, a parent who works as a substi tute teacher at Mauldin Elementary, says she sees students attending gym classes in classrooms or hav ing to line up to use portable bathrooms. “When the weather’s bad, they string a vol leyball net in a portable (classroom) and the kids play sitting on their bottoms. What kind of exer cise is that?” she said. “My daughter’s going to be in sixth grade next year and she’s never been in a gym. That’s sad.” The lack of classroom space often means stu dents spend time in places not suitable to leant, said USC education professor Ken Stevenson. “When teachers are in less than optimum set tings, instruction suffers, and, as a result, so does student academic performance,” he said. “When you crowd too many people into any confined space, you’re asking for trouble.” ‘I think she saved my life’ ■ Spartanburg man in motorcycle accident benefits from the kindness of a stranger by Julie Woodcock Spartanburg Herald Journal SPARTANBURG — May 11 was the day two strangers changed Mike Hopkins’ life. One of them almost killed him, and the other helped save him. The 36-year-old was on his way back to his home in Spartanbuig, riding along U.S. 221 on his motorcycle. Then a van turned left, cut across five lanes and slammed into his 1999 Harley - Davidson Super Glide. “I remember smoking my brakes,” Hop kins said. “I was doing 35, but I couldn’t stop.” The impact threw him 50 feet into the park ing lot of Caruso’s Restaurant and Lounge. The accident would have killed him, were he not wearing a helmet. It almost did anyway. “I remember being thrown. Then I remem ber laying in the parking lot. I couldn’t breathe, I guess because all my ribs were broken,” Hop kins said. Inside the restaurant, Patty Miller heard the impact. As someone called 911, she ran out to help. Hopkins was lying in the parking lot, strug gling to breathe. Miller knew he was badly in jured when she saw his left leg. “That leg,” she said. “From the knee down, there was nothing left but bone.” Miller sat beside Hopkins and began to stroke his hair and talk to him — partly to tell him help was on the way, partly to keep him still. She also wanted to keep him conscious be cause she was concerned he might have a head in jury. “He was having so much trouble breathing; that was the only thing that was registering to him,” Miller said. “My heart went out to him,” she said. Her compassion meant more to Hopkins than she knew. “She was the only one who would touch me,” he said. “I think she saved my life. I owe her a lot.” Hopkins said he believes that by keeping him conscious, she kept him from dying. Hopkins \yas taken to Spartanbuig Regional Medical Center, where he would remain in in tensive care for two months with a broken back and respiratory failure. He was on a ventilator un til September. Even after multiple surgeries, Hopkins still has a ways to go. At the Spartanburg Hospital for Restorative Care, doctors are working to heal his wounds and teach him how to use his damaged body. His left leg had to be amputated above the knee, and he is partially paralyzed from the waist down. He does have slight movement in his right leg, so Hopkins said there is hope he eventually will walk again, if he can be fitted for an artificial leg. His right elbow was crushed, and doctors had to fuse the bones of his arm. He no longer can straighten it, and his hand is frozen in a fist. Muscle in his left arm was tom from the bone, but suigeons managed to reattach it. He’s slowly learning to reuse that hand, an agonizing process since his thumb doesn’t work. “I’m just now able to pick up tilings,” he said. It’s-i bitter tiring for a 36-year-old man to have to struggle to feed himself and comb his hair, Hop kins said. “It’s like a kid, a little baby,” he said. “It’s real frustrating. I’ve lived on my own since I was 18, and did for myself.” But the loss of the leg grates at him the most. “I miss my leg,” Hopkins said. He doesn’t know what he’s going to do when he recovers. He was a painting subcontractor, but he won’t be returning to that job. A native of Laurinbuig, N.C., Hopkins moved to Spartanbuig five years ago and finally had turned his business into a success when the accident oc curred. His new friend, Miller, pays frequent visits. She helps his mother, Ellen Hopkins, who has been taking care of her son since the accident. Hopkins said Miller’s friendship makes up for the fact that he never heard from the man who hit him. * Though Medicaid will help pay his hospital bills, Hopkins still faces an expensive recovery. He didn’t have insurance because he was self-em ployed. Hopkins plans to move in with his family in Carolina Beach when he leaves the hospital. STUDENT ORIENTATION LEADERS Develop Leadership Skills, Network with Faculty and Administration at USC, Earn Professional Job Experience, Help New Students and Parents Adjust to University Life, Travel to Regional Conference, Receive Great Financial Rewards I Information sheets and applications are available in the Student Orientation Office, 345 Russell House Application Deadline: October 26, 2000 Halloween2000 Costumes Hats Popcorn j Masks Decorations Favors Make-up Balloons Candy Wigs Candy Apples 779-2290 www.cromers.com We need your help beautifying our Carolina Community. Clean Carolina is a campus-wide clean-up event that will be fun and benefit our campus. Please involve your organizations, faculty, staff, friends, and fellow students. Questions can be directed to the Student Government Office at 777-2654. WHEN: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27 START TIME: 2:00 PM I WHERE: GREENE STREET Sponsored by the Student Government and the Facility Services Department. 11 I: