The Clinton chronicle. (Clinton, S.C.) 1901-current, April 02, 1970, Image 10
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I
2-B—THE CHRONICLE, Clinton, S. C. f April 2, 1970
f.
EditoiioJb,
Tied Up
SCHOOL SUPPORT NEEDED
'0
When the state’s Deputy Superin
tendent of Education spoke here last
month, he said, “We have to run pret
ty fast to keep from getting farther
behind.”
Ralph A. Durham of Columbia was
ref wring to the fact that although
South Carolina is spending more and
more on education, it isn’t gaining any
ground on its neighboring states of
Georgia and North Carolina. He said
' that we now spend an average of about
' ISO less per child on education than do
our neighboring states.
This situation is even more critical
here in our home school district.
School District 66 officials are call
ing for a referendum on a 10-mill tax
increase. This increase is needed
merely to keep up. Because of cost-
of-living increases in operating costs
the district had a $50,000 deficit last
year and officials anticipate a def
icit of between $40,000 and $50,000
this year. The 10-mill increase will
just enable the district to operate
with a balanced budget. It won’t nec
essarily mean an expansion of pro
grams.
District 56 ranks at the bottom of
this area in per-pupil expenditures. Our
district spends an average of $362.97
per pupil. District 65, which covers
our neighboring Laurens area, aver-
V aged $397.46 per pupil in 1968-69 when
it had a 60-mill tax base for education.
Since then, District 56 has raised this
to 68 mills while our district has re
mained at 48 mills.
The average per pupil expenditure
for the state is $424.41, or $71.44 more
than School District 56. And our state
ranks low nationally in this respect
For some more comparisons in our
general area, check our neighboring
counties, based on the 1968-69 report:
Greenwood D i s t r i c t 50 (Greenwood
City), $402.27 per pupil ($49.30 more
than our district); Greenwood Dis
trict 61 (Ware Shoals area), $422.64
($69.67 more than our district);
Greenwood District 52 (Ninety Six
area), $612.49 ($159.52 more than our
district); Newberry, $436.33 ($82.36
more than our district); Union,
$477.22 ($124.25 more than our dis
trict).
Woodruff, $466 ($103.03 more than
our district); Greenville, $429.26
($76.20 more than our district); Spar
tanburg City, $511.99 ($159.02 more
than our district).
During recent years, our school
district has had Clinton Junior High
School and three elementary schools
added to the accreditation list of the
Southern Association of Schools and
Colleges. That indicates that we have
received full value for our educational
dollar. However, it has gotten to the
point where there just aren’t enough
dollars to cover the costs of operating
the system on its current level.
It is obvious that the school ref-
erendum deserves the full support of
the residents of School District 66.
REQUIRE IDENTIFICATION
When a U.S. Census taker calls on
you, require that they identify them
selves.
District Manager B. W. C r o u c h,
Jr. of Mountville said householders
will not have any difficulty identify
ing enumerators for the census. The
enumerators, or census takers (most
of whom are women), started making
their rounds in the area on April 1 and
are expected to complete their work
in three to five weeks.
Each census taker will wear a red,
white and blue identification card,
shown at left. This card bears the
seal of the Department of commerce
and the words "Census Enumerator,
Official Credential” are printed across
its face. It bears the census taker’s
signature and certifies that she is au-
. . thorized to perform the duties of a
. v. census enumerator and has sworn to
‘ keep confidential all census informa-
tion you provide.
Whenever a census is taken, there
- .jis trouble with imposters who say
: they are census takers but actually
.are seeking information for other pur-
‘ poses, usually in an effort to sell some-
thing. Mr. Crouch said he has already
■• received reports from people in this
C";area who have been contacted by tele-
.IJ phone claiming to be census takers.
T : .C:He said, “Our work just started this
week. Our census takers had made
^ 'no survey contacts prior to Wednes-
Jul
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„ A,,
CENSUS
IERAT0R
EXPIRES JUNE 30 1970
u s department of commerce
BUREAU Of THE CENSUS
WaJiolK-. 0 c ,0,)]
Thu IS (o certify that holdCT , of ' h '’
of census data
FORM SC-2
(VTS-**'
DtttCTOt
ft w r»ou ot C * ouM
Persons purporting to be census
takers who do not have this identifi
cation card should be reported imme
diately to local police or to the census
district office which is U.S. Census
Office No. 0812, 1600 S.C. National
Bank Bldg., 13-17 S. Main St., Green
ville, S. C. 29601.
Census takers will be further iden
tified by the portfolio containing their
supplies. The portfolio is blue and
bears the legend, “1970 Census.” In
the portfolio, the census taker carries
her supplies of report forms, maps,
pencils, and other tools necessary for
her work.
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07
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Parson Jones Says
Highways Also
Going
Dear Mr. Publisher:
A United States Senator said
the other day that our schools
are in shambles. If they’re look
ing for things that have gone to
pot I’d like to throw in the high
ways. I can remember when driv
ing was fun and a family ride
was a pleasure. After my little
trip last Sunday I’m convinced
them days are gone forever and
ever.
I took the little family for what
I thought would be a joy ride.
The first thing I ran into was
traffic. It took me 30 minutes to
go from one stop light to another.
Course my littlest boy wanted to
go to the rest room while we
were jammed into three lanes of
traffic - bumper to bumper. I
headed for the highway, knowing
things would be faster when I
got there. That took a little time
cause I got balled up on the clo
ver-leaf and had to drive 10 miles
in the wrong direction. This time
my littlest boy wanted a drink
of water.
When I finally got headed in
the right direction, I found my
self in an impossible situation.
The highway sign said there was
a 45 miles an hour speed mini
mum. Only thing was I couldn’t
get over five miles an hour in
that bumper to bumper traffic.
Two hours later I got to the exit
where I was supposed to turn off.
The sign read “No exit without
the exact change, so I had to
keep going. We finally wound up
at a place where we didn’t want
to go and faced the dreary job
of driving all the way back. I
swore if I ever get home I’d
never leave again. Who knows,
we may get so many cars that
we’U all have to stay home.
TfWff
R
eyiew
BY LENNART PEARSON
Presbyterian College
Head Librarian
Census. U.SA
Census, U.S.A., Fact Finding for the Ameri-
•' cnn People, 1790-1970. By Ann Herbert Scott. 228
‘ pages. Seabury. 1968.
The national census is now underway. Forms
are being filled out and thousands of specially
trained census-taken have scattered out across
•the land to gather information about the American
Counting
the author of this timely
people,
otit is one of the oldest activities of
and the information gathered has tra-
used by heads of state for raising
devising tax programs, and for long-range
I/ears ago, while the Babylonians
records, the food-conscioua
(instead of noses),
statistical rec-
and the Bibli-
_ , nrews perriodi-
potential soldiery,
the Romans who
American
First Article
The methods used for organizing and analyz
ing data compiled by the Bureau of the Census
have progressed from simple hand-tallies to highly
sophisticated computer processing. The author’s
explanation of some of these techniques in simple
language helps to take the mystery out of what
happens to our forms cnce they are filled out. (It
is interesting that punched cards, so prominent a
feature of present data-proceeaing systems, were
developed and first used in connection with the
1890 census. They were the invention of a young
engineer named Herman Hollerith whose patents
were really the first assets of the IBM Corpora
tion.)
Census data, both from the decennial popula
tion census and from all kinds of additional busi
ness and agricultural censuses taken at more fre
quent intervals provides the basis for intelligent
economic and social planning. Mrs. Scott gives
many examples of ways in which census informa
tion is used, indicating how important it is to have
reliable information. In Lincoln’s words, which she
quotes, “If we could first know where we are, and
whither we are tending, we could better judge
what to do, and how to do it”
Who decides the questions to be asked, and
who has access to the census information? Both
matters are dealt with by the author, and the guar
antees of conddentiality provided by the Bureau
should be adequate to encourage a high degree of
cooperation with the census-taker.
Mr. Publisher, I wonder if this
is one of the wages of sin the
Bible talks about? It looks like
every thing we do turns into a
curse. I sometimes wonder if
society is too big for its brit
ches. Come see me - if you can.
Better still, drop me a card. At
least the mailman walks.
Parson Jones.
from _
ffh« Biblt
He will guide you into all
the truth.—(John 16:13).
When tempted to speak hast
ily, or thoughtlessly, just stop
to think and listen before act
ing. If we want to say the right
words in a perfect way, follow
God’s guidance. Then we may
be assured that we do not
cause anyone—ourselves or
others—to feel unhappy. Say
and think that our actions are
guided by the Mind of the
Christ within us.
Minding Your Business
Substance
Vs. Form
BY JOHN J. SUTHERLAND
Certified Public Accountant
The IRS reserves the right to
determine exactly what you did
rather than agree with what you
say you did. They do this by ap
plying the overriding principle of
Substance vs. Form.
Americans do not like taxes
even though they do voluntarily
assess themselves, but they sel
dom resort to cheating. They
prefer rather to outthing or out
smart the revenue agents. It Is a
rare individual indeed who will
cheat cm his tax return. It is also
a rare individual who does not
try to think up every possible
deduction or tax loophole avail
able to him.
To combat the Americans’pro
pensity to look for tax loopholes,
the revenue service is continu
ally apply the overriding rule of
substance vs. form. For instance,
if you lease equipment to be used
in your trade or business, the
lease payment is always deduc
tible. However, merely calling
something a lease payment does
not necessarily mean that it is a
lease. You can purchase equip
ment on an installment contract
and have the contract worded
very carefully so that it may give
the appearance of a lease. How
ever, if at the end of the lease
period, you can own the piece of
equipment for little or nothing,
you have in fact made an in
stallment purchase and must take
your deductions through depre
ciation rather than lease.
Interest paid is nearly always
deductible either as a business
expense or as an itemised de
duction. However, again, simply
calling a payment interest does
not necessarily make it deducti
ble. If yon have a closely-held
corporation and the corporation
pays you, the stockholder, money,
this may in (act be considered
a dividend and not interest, sa
lary, or whatever you called it.
If someone has set up a false
transaction purporting to have
borrowed money from his rela
tive so that he can play a high
bracket deduction against low
bracket income, this very likely
will be thrown out as not being
a loan at all.
A cash basis taxpayer need not
report income unless be has re
ceived it is the taxable year. H,
however, be has money which is
Postal Strike
Against Public
due him, simply not accepting the
payment or not cashing the check
will not necessarily keep it from
being taxable. It may be consid
ered a “constructive receipt" m
which case he will be deemed to
have received the money in the
year in question.
Losses in the stock market
are deductible if the loss is prov
ed by a bona fide sale of stock
at less than its cost. However,
if you sell stock at a loss and
within 60 days buy the same stock
back, this will be interpreted as
a “wash sale." That is, by buying
it back, you have washed out your
loss. This will cause the loss not
be deductible.
The collection of income taxes
is based primarily on a system
of voluntary reporting. This sys
tem has often amazed dignitar
ies from other countries because
it not only works but works so
well. The American public de
serves high praise because it is
so willing to assess itself for its
fair and just taxes. This defi
nitely does not work in some other
countries.
As I mentioned earlier, most
Americans prefer outthinkingand
outfoxing the revenue agents to
outright cheating. This is a time-
honored American tradition and
frankly, it is admirable, but one
must be careful to follow the basic
spirit of the law as well as tech
nical application of the rules. As
you can see, it is in applying
technical rules too broadly that
one may most often get into trou
ble.
BY THURMAN SENSING
Executive Vice President
Southern States Industrial
Council
Of all the public employe
strikes called in recent years
none is more threatening and out
rageous than the strike started by
the New York local of the Na
tional Association of Letter Car
riers. Movement of the mails is
an absolutely essential activity of
any civilized society. Business
cannot operate and government
cannot function if the mails aren’t
delivered. For a group of union
ists to stop mail service is equi
valent to turning off the lights
all over America.
The wagespaidpostmenmay or
may not be inadequate. But the
setting of wage scales is the right
of Congress, which is the voice
of the American people. It is
shameful that letter carriers in a
number of cities should attempt
to blackmail Congress into pro
viding a pay boost.
Millions of people believe they
should have a wage increase. Po
licemen may feel they are under
paid. Doctors may feel that their
skill warrants higher fees. Fire-
men may cite the dangers of their
job. But the desire for more
money is no excuse for stop
ping an essential public service.
One wonders how striking letter
carriers would feel if they were
ill and sent to a hospital -- only
to discover that doctors and nur
ses were on strike.
There are certain activities in
a modern nation that can’t be
halted, no matter what. It is im
perative that medical services be
provided at all times. Production
and distribution of electricity is
necessary for health and safety.
Fire and police units must be
deployed at all times to prevent
disaster and anarchy. The deli
very of mail falls in the same
class. In a complex, inter
connected society, postal com
munications are the lifeblood of
enterprise. The banking commu
nity, insurance firms -- yes,
even the welfare agencies -- must
have the use of the mails.
In these circumstances, the
government is duty bound to take
whatever action is necessary to
return mail service to the Ameri
can people. The one beneficial
sidelight to the strike was Post
master General Winton Blount’s
announcement that private firms
could provide postal services. In
the past, the federal government
has claimed exclusive rights in
this area.
The U.S . postal service is
archaic, to be sure, using vast
amounts of hand labor when mo
dern scanning and handling mac
hines would speed up sorting and
delivery of mail. The letter car
riers’ union, however, has oppo
sed introduction of labor-saving
machinery. If private concerns
are allowed to provide competi
tion, it is possible that reform
of the government mail system
may be hastened.
The strike by letter carriers
in New York and other affected
communities points up the danger
of allowing the notion to flourish
that strikes by public workers
are permissible. Strikes against
the public, whether the federal
government or municipalities,
are intolerable. They always con
stitute blackmail of the taxpayers
who have to foot the bill for wage
increases.
The strike by letter carriers
may wake the citizenry to the
threat posed by all public em
ploye strikes and by the prac
tice of union monopoly in all its
forms. Both Memphis, Tennessee
and Charleston, South Carolina
suffered severely from strikes by
sanitation workers in recent
years. Atlanta, Georgia also has
been subjected this spring to a
strike by municipal workers.
These strikes, so perilous to
the well-being and safety of the
affected communities, didn’t have
a national impact. But a postal
workers’ strike is something that
affects every American -- from
the serviceman in Vietnam ex
pecting a letter from home to
the businessman waiting for a
sales order.
What should emerge as the af
termath of the postal service
stoppage is a new recognition by
the public -- and by government
at all levels -- that public em
ploye strikes should be outlawed
coast to coast and in every type
of public service. Hopefully, the
public also will reC'Jgnize the
dangers of public employe union
ism and the absurdity of allow
ing a small group of selfish peo
ple to monopolize one form of
activity. If postal service em
ployes don't want to work, let
them stay idle -- but cut them
off the public payroo
off the public payroll im
mediately. And let government
be free to hire of her persons
who want a job and are willing
to deliver the mail at the salary
the government offers. There
would be plenty of takers.
The postal workers and their
unions don't own government
jobs. The jobs belong to the pub
lic. It’s time that this fact is
clearly established in our
country.
He's Coming Home
Never replace a fuse in an
electrical circuit with some
other substitute, such as a
penny, a slug or something
similar. You are eliminating
all protection if you do so.
Use the correctly rated
fuse for that particular
circuit. Do not replace a 15-
amp fuse with one of 20
amps. A 15-amp fuse pro
tects a circuit made up of
14-gauge wire, generally
carrying nothing heavier
than lights and small appli
ances. A 20-amp fuse pro
tects a circuit of 12-gauge
wire; a 30-amp fuse one of
10-gauge wire. Most older
homes have only 14-gauge
wire.
(Editor’s Note: Sp/4 Bennie F.
Snelgrove, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Frank Snelgrove of 502 Shands
St., is to return home in May
after completing his tour of duty
in Vietnam.)
South Vietnam
Dear Civilians, Friends, Draft
Dodgers, Etc:
In the very near future the im-
dersigned will once more be in
your midst, dehydrated and de
moralized, to take his place again
as a human being with the well
known forms of freedom and jus
tice for all; engage in life, liber
ty and the somewhat delayed pur
suit of happiness. In making your
Joyous preparations to welcome
him back to organized society
you might take certain steps to
make allowances for the crude
environment which has been his
lot for the past 12 months. In
other words he might be a little
Asiatic from Vietnameseitis, and
should be handled with care. Do
not be alarmed if be Is infected
with all forms of rare tropical
diseases. A little time in the
“Land of the Big PX" will cure
his malady.
Therefore, show no alarm on
carrying a weapon to the dinner
table, looks around for his steel
pot when offered a chair, or wakes
you up in the middle of the night
for guard duty. Keep cool when
he pours gravy on his dessert
at dinner or mixes peaches with
his Seagrams VO. Pretend not to
notice if be eats with his fingers
instead of silverware and pre
fers C-rations to steak. Take it
with a smile when he insists on
digging up the garden to fill sand
bags for the bunker he is build
ing in the garage. If he sleeps on
the floor be patient, it will pass.
Avoid saying anything about
powdered eggs, dehydrated pota
toes, fried rice, fresh milk or
ice cream. Do not be alarmed if
be should jump up from the din
ner table and rush to the garbage
can to wash his dish with a toilet
brush. After all, this has been
his standard. If it rains and he
happens to pull his clothes off,
grab some soap and lather up,
pay no attention.
Ignore his vocabulary. When
he is on the phone, try to under
stand roger out for goodbye, and
he may simply shout working!
Never ask why the Jones’ son
held a higher rank than he did and
by no means mention the term
extend. Pretend not to notice if at
a restaurant he calls the wait
ress “numbn one girl” and uses
his hat for an ashtray. He will
probably keep listening for
“Homeward Bound’ to sound off
every APRS. Comfort him, for his
mind is still tuned to VN. Be
especially watchful of his actions
with a woman, especially a pretty
one.
Above all, keep in mind that
beneath that tanned and rugged
exterior Is a heart of gold. Treat
him with kindness, tolerance, and
you will be able to rehabilitate
that which was once a happy-go-
lucky guy that you once knew and
loved.
Last but not least, send no mail
to the APO, get the cIvies out
of moth balls, fill the car with gas,
and get the woman and kids off
the street!!!!
BECAUSE THE KID E COM
ING HOME!!
Bennie B. Snelgrove