The Clinton chronicle. (Clinton, S.C.) 1901-current, September 24, 1970, Image 10
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2-B—THE CHRONICLE, Clinton, S. C., Sept. 24, 1970
12'LOST’ COUNTIES
Laurens County is one of the 12 so-
called 12 “lost counties.” The 12 are
“lost” in the sense that they do not
qualify for federal funds which are
available to most other South Carolina
counties.
Because of its geographical loca
tion, Laurens County is among those
counties which fall between the fed
eral Appalachia District and the fed
eral Coastal Plains District.
Greenville County, one of the
most prosperous counties in the two
Carolinas, is in the Appalachia Dis
trict and therefore qualfies for many
federal assistance programs. Richland
County wouldn’t be considered a
“coastal” county—the ocean is over
100 miles away—but is is included in
the federal Coastal Plains District.
In between Richland and Greenville
Counties is the federal “no-man’s
land” and Laurens County is in the
buffer zone.
Exactly what this can mean was
brought dramatically into focus last
week in an interview with the mayor
of Whitmire.
WHITMIRE, which is in Newber
ry County (one of the “lost 12”),
dumps untreated waste into local
streams. Officials of Whitmire real
ize something should be done about
it and they’re willing to take action
but the town can’t financially afford
to undertake the necessary projects.
The town would have to have fi
nancial assistance but federal funds
for construction of a sewage treatment
system are not available because Whit
mire is not included in a federal re
gional development program. Funds
for such projects are available to mu
nicipalities in most other South Caro
lina counties but Whitmire is on the
wrong side of the lines which were
drawn in Washington.
Whitmire Mayor Robert L. Raker
said $800,000 is needed to finance the
construction of a treatment facility.
He said, “Greenville, which comes
under tfye Appalachia District, could
get about 80 per cent matching funds
from the federal government” for the
project, while Whitmire qualifies only
for a 33 to 50 per cent federal grant.
BEING in one of the “Lost 12”.
we are losing educational assistance as
well as money for municipalities.
Union County, also among the
“lost 12” has received $400,000 in fed
eral assistance toward construction of
a vocational high school. Its adjoining
county, Cherokee, is in the Appalachia
area. Cherokee also built a vocational
high school, basically the same as Un
ion’s. Cherokee County got $800,000
in federal assistance toward construc
tion of its school. The need in Chero
kee undoubtedly was no greater than
the need in Union County but Chero
kee is on the bright” side of the line
and Union is on the "wrong” side.
There are so many federal pro
grams, districts and distinctions that
it’s difficult to keep them straight.
Laurens County is a member of the
Upper Savannah Development Dis
trict but that does not qualify the
county or its municipalities for special
assistance. The Upper Savannah De
velopment District is primarily a
clearing house for federal projects.
The staff of the district assists its
member counties and municipalities in
planning and applying for assistance.
Appalachia and the Coastal Plains Re
gion actually are “poverty” area des
ignations, qualifying those areas for
special federal programs.
WE OFTEN bemoan the way the
federal government spends taxpayers’
money and the encroachment of the
federal government into local affairs.
However, those battles have been
fought, the results are in and the in
equities of the present situation are
painfully obvious.
State Sen. Robert Lake, who repre
sents a senatorial district including
Laurens, Union and Newberry coun
ties (all among the “lost 12”) propos
es that the 12 “lost counties” in South
Carolina be included with counties in a
similar dn unistam e in North Carolina
and Georgia so they can qualify for
programs now available to many other
southern counties. Sen. Lake’s pro
posal deserves local support. We would
like to see our municipal officials give
the proposal their support. It also de
serves the support and encouragement
of local citizens
WHITTEN VILLAGE
Last week marked a milestone in
the history of Whitten Village. It
was the 50th anniversary of South
Carolina’s oldest and largest institu
tion for the mentally retarded.
Among those enjoying the anni
versary luncheon was Dr. B. 0. Whit
ten, 84. the first superintendent of
of Whitten Village. Dr. Whitten guid
ed the institution’s progress for 15
years—from the day the institution
opened on Sept. 14, 1920, until he re
tired in August. 1965. Dr. Whitten
then turned the reins over to Dr. Roy
B. Suber who has capably guided
Whitten Village through a period of
growth and expansion involving mil
lions of dollars.
Clintonians often may not fully
comprehend how much Whitten Vil
lage means to this area. They could
have gotten an idea of its impact on
the area if they could have seen Whit
ten Village’s 1,100 employees at the
anniversary luncheon. These are 1,100
local people gainfully employed in jobs
ranging up to highly trained medical
specialists
There are 2,758 people in the resi-
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eview
ATLAS
Drug Addicts In S. C. Pay
High Price To Keep Going
dent population of Whitten Village.
After training at Whitten Village,
some of these pepole move into Clin
ton community life and perform self
sustaining work.
The residents of The Village at
tract others to our community. There
are thousands of visitors who have
come to know Clinton because of Whit
ten Village. Many fine people have
moved to Clinton so they can be near
relatives who live at Whitten Village.
But Whitten Village is more than
a dollars-and-cents contributor to the
well-being of the Clinton area. Talk
to people who work there. Talk to
people who do volunteer services at
Whitten Village. They show they have
received a special inner satisfaction
from being associated with the resi
dents of Whitten Village. They are
associated with happiness and warmth
and determined spirits and it’s contagi
ous. True, there are problems but,
considering the over-all atmosphere,
they are minor.
Happy anniversary. Whitten Vil
lage, and thank you from the people
of Clinton and the entire state of
South Carolina.
Many hard drug addicts in
South Carolina pay fifty to sev
enty-five dollars a day for the
heroin or morphine to keep
themselves going, says the
State Boardof Health. The cough
syrup, stimulant and depressant
addicts steal the drugs, forge
prescriptions, or buy them from
“pushers.*
This third and last article on
drug addiction in S.C. answers
questions about the sickest and
most pitiful of all, the hard
narcotics -users. For copies of
all three articles write:Health
Information. State Board of
Health, Columbia, S.C. 29201.
1. Just what is a hard nar
cotics addict?
A man or woman who cannot
function without daily doses of
the products uf opium such as
heroin, morphine, or codeine.
Addicts nearly always gefttese
drugs illegally.
2. How many hard core ad
dicts are there in South Caro
lina?
The Narcotics Division ofthe
State Board of Health estimates
that there are no more than
100. Thirty-eight arrests were
made for the possession or sale
of hard narcotics last year.
Therefore, the situation is far
less dangerous than some news
media would have you believe.
3. Where do these addicts get
their heroin, etc,?
Usually from other addicts
who are selling it to support
their own addiction. They buy
illegal drugs smuggled from out
of the State. Often the“pushers M
dilute pure heroin with milk,
sugar and quinine until it is
only one per cent in solution.
This is the product they sell; it
is so weak that it will sustain an
addict for only a few hours.
4. How does the number of
hard addicts in S.C. compare
with that of other states?
The 100 in South Carolina
give our State one of the low
est ratios of hard narcotic ad
dicts of any state.
5. What is a cough syrup
addict?
A person who drinks large
amounts of codein-based cough
syrup to get the narcotic effects
it can give. Since State law al
lows no drug store to sell him
more than one 4 oz. bottle, he
must steal or use false pres
criptions to get all he needs.
Another type of addict is the
one who buys paregoric , one
ounce at each drug store, until
he has three or four ounces.
He chills the syrup in a refrig-
no SOVEREIGN » STATE of AFFAIRS
•••*•••••
erator until the camphor floats
to the top, skims it off, then
boils the remainder down to a
thick gummy mass— pure
opium. This, mixed with water,
injected into his arm will last
him for several hours. Then
he must prepare more.
6. Are there many of these
cough syrup and paregoric ad
dicts in S.C.?
The Narcotics Division esti
mates that there .ire atvmt
150.
7. What are stimulants and
depressants? Are they danger
ous drues?
Stimulants are mainly chemi
cal agents known as ampheta
mines which speed up the ner
vous system. Addicts call them
“Bennies*, “Speckled Birds,*
etc. Depressants are basically
the sedative drugs, mainly bar-
pftur^fes^.They depress the
central nervous sustem, and in
large doses bring intoxication,
deep sleep, and sometimes,
death. Both can be very habit
forming and lead to nervous
breakdowns, malnutrition, and
more dangerous drug addiction.
8. How many addicts of these
drugs are there in the State?
Dr. Thomas I). Wyatt, chief
drug inspector for the State
Board of Health, saysthatthere
are hundreds of people who take
them secretly. Sixty-three were
arrested for selling or having
them in possession last year.
9. Where do people buy them
illegally?
One truck stop operator was
caught last year with over 80,-
000 capsules at his place of
business. A waitress in a *honky
tonk" cafe w-as arrested for sel
ling them out of a glass vial
in her brassiere. These drugs
are sold in many such places
and are usually stolen first.
10. What happens to drug ad
dicts when they are arrested?
They are tried in General
Sessions Court. Some receive
suspended sentences; others
are sentenced to prison. Many
hard narcotic addicts are re
leased on the condition that
they will seek treatment.
1. What happens to those who
get treatment?
They are usually sent to the
U.s. Public Health Service Hos
pital in Lexington, Kentucky,
where they are gradually taken
off the drugs and given other
therapy. A total stay of about
four and a half months.
12. Is Methadone the best drug
to help these addicts *get
clean?*
Methadone is being used by
many doctors and clinics today.
But the director of the Federal
Burwau of Narcotics and Dan
gerous Drugs says:"Exper
ience with Methadone is quite
recent. It has yet to be de
termined when patients in si '•
programs can be withdrawn
and returned to society as cured
individuals. Thus far , this has
not been accomplished in any
statistically significant num
bers.*
13. Is there a hospital in South
Carolina where these people can
be treated?
None at the present time,
but the State Legislature has
provided funds for one which
will be built in Columbia next
year.
14. Of the patients who have
gone away for the cure and then
returned to South Carolina, how
many have stayed nffnarcotics?
Only five out of every one
hundred.
15. Why such a low rate?
There are two major reasons.
As a rule narcotic addicts are
not strong willed people to be
gin with, and can easily fall in
to the habit aeain. Also they need
a great deal of help in return
ing to normal society: counsel
ing, psychiatry, therapy,etc.At
the present time there is no
place in the State that offers
this, but the new institute most
probably will.
“American” Gems
Two gems have American
names: Danburite. named
after Danbury, Conn., where
it was first found; and ben-
itoite. named after San
Benito County. Calif.
By Lennart Pearson
Head Librarian
Presbyterian College
ATLAS; BEST FROM THE WORLD’S PRESS.
A monthly magazine. $10.00 per year.
A European politician recently suggested
that a representative from his government should
be seated in the U.S. Congress so as to give his
nation an opportunity to shape its future.
It’s sometimes hard to realize that not ev
eryone looks at this shrinking world .’through
American eves, or that accounts of world affairs
which come to us through American newspapers,
wire services, and TV shows do not necessarily
reflect the views of those to whom things are
actually happening.
One way of getting a different slant on
world affairs is to read what is written in the
foreign press. The library subscribes to several
such papers, including the lyondon (Sunday)
Times, the Manchester (England) Guardian, and
the Toronto Globe and Mail. For those who know
German, there is also Die Zeit, a Hamburg week
ly which resembles our own National Observer,
and Der Spiegel, a publication similar to TIME.
French readers will enjoy Paris Match and L’Ex-
press (similar to l.ook and Life), while Hoy looks
at things from Mexico City, and Americas (avail
able in both English and Spanish), represents
the viewpoint of the Organization of American
States. Soviet Life is a glossy, colorful magazine
in English, but heavy on the propaganda.
One particularly useful magazine, however
especially for those most comfortable with Eng
lish is Atlas, whose editors have taken on the
task of cullimr what they regard as “the best
from the world’s press.” Their choices are pre
sented in a lively format that looks like a cross
between U. S. News and World Report and Sat
urday Review.
A typical issue will include comment from
magazines and newspapers in Paris, Warsaw.
Melbourne. Moscow, Tel Aviv. Peking, and Bue
nos Aires. Subjects discussed have wide variety:
current political crises, trends in education, pros
pects for business. TV programs in various coun
tries. sports, films, book reviews, religion art
mass media—together with a generous lacing of
cartoons and trivia from all over to remind us
that not all of the news is of the kind that shake*
the earth.
Atlas is named for the mythological Titan
who held up the heavens. Its own purpose is more
modest. It aims at holding up the world to its
readers, and to provide a wav for Americans to
know a little hit better what the rest of the world
is thinking, in words and ideas of their own
choosing.
Which is where we came in.
Lie-Detector Tests
For Candidates?
Dear Mr. Publisher.
There’s a lota division and
fighting in "ur country right
now. Government nffidals are
pleading with us to come to
gether and unite. I reckon that’s
the same thing as harmony.
The Good Book says, “A house
divided against itself cannot
stand* - so 1 reckon we bet
ter get straightened <>ut before
we fall.
The only trouble is how does
the government expect us to
come together and get rid of
division, when the government
is divided. The congress fights
the President, the President
fights the congress and the
Supreme court disagrees with
both. Not only that, even these
groups are fighting among
their selves. We are t>ld m fnl-
low government policies, but
it’s hard to know what its policy
is.
Mr. Publisher, 11>een think
ing about this a tide lot and I
think I’ve come up with a sim
ple solution. Every time a poli
tician talks in Washington,
make him take a lie-detector
test. W’e do this with criminals
to see whether they’re lying or
not. The answer is so simple I
can’t see how cme nobody
ever thought of it before.
This test would tie given to
all three branches of govern
ment and the results would lie
given to the people. This would
not only expose lies, but it
would tend to discourage liars
from running for office.
The inly pr Idem is we’d
have a hard tim^ getting con
gress t pass it into law, and
if they did the president would
vet" it, and if he didn’t the
supreme court would declare it
unconstitutional. So - we’re
right luck where we started.
My wife allowed as how it
might !>e a good idea to start
with the preachers. I told her
she had got nuta politics and
gone to meddling.
Anyhow, Mr. Publisher, I
throw the idea out for what it’s
worth. If you’ve got any political
influence I’d appreciate it if
you’d follow-up on the idea. In
the meantime if you’d like to
reach me, I’ll be hiding in my
basement.
Yours truly,
Parson Jones
AN-American Dream