Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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BY THE WAY By DORIS A. SANDERS WORD GOT THROUGH There are some places in this state where the word has gotten through to boards of ed ucation that people are tired of having their schools operated from Washington, D. C. In the daily press this past week were news stories that the Barnwell School District and Sumter District 17 had been pushed too far, and were re turning to a “freedom of choice” plan. 1 don't know how the Barn well district had been operat ing, but in the Sumter city schools, the department of Health, Education and Welfare had ordered that a zoning plan be set up. Among other things, the plan provided that one of the high schools should be con- verted into an all-girls school for Negroes and whites, the oth er an all-boys school. The Sumter Board decided that the zoning plan was “an attempt to achieve racial bal ance at the expense of quality education" and that the plan was illegal. Board chairman John W God- bey said. It was not accept able to the parents and not good educationally". In a letter to HEW Seeretarv •/ Robert Finch .the board said that the zoning plan had met ‘ strong public opposition. ..and has increased steadily to a point where support of the schools is in real jeopardy. We have seen increases in the outflow of stu dents to private schools, increas ed retirement of teachers at an early age. racial violence with in and outside school buildings and increased discipline pro blems. the letter said. It is also interesting to note that the Board blamed “pres sures created by HEW person nel " for causing two school principals to have serious heart attacks. One of the principals died Well, our school board didn’t reverse itself quite that far in its action Tuesday night, but perhaps the course it took will prevent a few heart attacks dur ing the next year, anyway. GLORIOUS TIME This is the most glorious time of the year —the Easter Season. It is a time when the air is filled with the gragrance of new-born flowers bursting into blossom. But. sometimes, a blossom born to hold its head up high i> broken Little children can be like broken blossoms Children who are crippled or have a serious handicap may spend their days confined to a wheel chair They may never have a chance to go to school. Crippling disease, we hope will one day disappear -stamp- ed out by medical research, such as that made possible by Easter Seals. In the meantime. Easter Seals pay for the skills of hun dreds of dedicated people who work to help crippled children and adults to stand and walk and talk. These are the profes sionals. such as therapists, so cial workers, counselors and special education teachers; the men and women who instill the precept of useful citizenship in the minds and hearts of the handicapped. The Easter Season is a time of renewal—a time of life and joy and hope to a crippled child. help mend a broken blossom. Give to Easter Seals. Vol. 32—No. 49 Newberry, S. C. 29108, Thursday, March 27, 1969 $2 a Year—10c a Copy P. K. HARMON, commander of American Legion Post 24, and Mrs. M. F. Bowler, president of the American Legion Auxiliary, share the honors in cutting the Leg- on’s 50th Anniversary cake. The occasion was celebrated by a point banquet of the Legion and Auxiliary at the Legion Hut Tuesday night. (Sunphoto.) Board abandons integration plan Workman to be Commencement speaker William D. Workman Jr., ed itor of The State will deliver the commencement address at Newberry College on June 1. He will be among four recip ients of honorary degrees at the Sunday afternoon ceremon ies, President A. G. D. Wiles has announced. Others who will receive hon orary degrees are Thomas H. Pope, Newberry attorney; Hen ry Charles Heermann of At lanta, a retired industrial exe cutive. and the Rev. Roland G. Riechmann of Jacksonville, Fla., an outstanding Lutheran pastor. Mr. Workman will receive the degree, doctor of letters (Litt.D.). A newsman since 1936, he became associate edi tor of The State in 1963 and has been editor since 1966. He has authored several books, includ ing “The Case For the South.” He began his news career as a reporter for the Charleston News and Courier and became that paper’s capital correspon dent at Columbia. Prior to WWII he managed radio station WTMA, Charleston. He also is a former news analyst with WIS and WIS-TV, Columbia. Mr. Pope, a practicing attor ney for more than 30 years, will receive the degree, doctor of laws (LL.D.). He is recogniz ed for his accomplishments as a business and civic leader, his torian and lawmaker. Former chairman of the South Caroli na Democratic party, he was a state legislator for 10 years and was speaker of the House in in 1949-50. The county board of educa tion Tuesday night backed down on its HEW-approved integra tion plan for the 1969-70 school session, but only temporarily. The decision to delay all-out integration next school year was based on the need for more adequate facilities to house stu dents at various levels. Additional Negro students will be transferred in the city schools in the lower grades but the county schools will remain substantially as they are this school year. LEGION AUXILIARY TO HAVE MEETING The American Legion Auxil iary will meet Thursday after noon, April 3 at 4 o’clock at the home of Mrs. R. B. Baker. Hostesses will be Mrs. R P. Baker and Mrs Walter Sum mer. FDC ( HAi'i ER TO aFET TUESDAY The Drayton Rutherford Chapter UDC will meet Tues day afternoon at 4 o’clock at the home of Mrs. J. E. Wise man. Sr. Associate hostess will be Mrs. Steve Griffith. Members of the Association for a Greater Newberry met last Thursday to hear Terry Love, representing Adley Asso ciates of Atlanta, outline sev eral concept plans for develop ment of the downtown area. In the Sunphoto above, R. E. Summer, Jr., left, chairman of the AGN downtown committee, and J. K. Willingham, AGN president, admire the artist’s conception of landscaping in front of the community hall. AGN took no action at its Thursday meeting feeling the plans should be more fully stu died. The three plans offered all envision the widening of Nance and Harrington streets, and one way traffic flow on several of the stEMts in the business area. Ed Young, chairman of the board, said further integration will be delayed until a county wide school construction pro gram can be completed. “The most important need in the Newberry County School system is a county-wide school building program. Buildings are necessary before we can satis factorily implement a workable desegregation plan.” Young said. The new plan, which will close Drayton Street Elemen tary school, was adopted unan imously by the board. School officials said the school is “out moded.” All students, Negro and white, in grades 1—5 will attend either Boundary or Speers St. school and Drayton school will be clo sed. Drayton students in grades 6—8 will attend Gallman High, which will house grades 6—12. All students now at Gallman will return there next year, those presently at Newberry high will return to the high school. Grades six and seven will at tend Newberry Junior High and the eighth grade will be locat ed in the Newberry high build ing. Integration achieved last year in other county schools under a desegregation plan adopted by the previous board of education will be continued at the same level for at least one more year. Young said the new Integra- Campaign under leadership of H. B. Kirkegard Newberry county leadership in the Newberry College 1969 Second Century campaign has been announced by Howard B. Kirkegard, general chairman for the county-wide capital funds drive. Solicitation in the county will be carried on intensively from April 15 through April 29. A campaign through Lutheran congregations in the Southeas tern, Florida and South Caro lina synods is just being con cluded. James F. Coggins of radio sta tion WKDK will be special gifts chairman for Newberry county, Kirkegard said. Minis ter chairman will be Dr. Geo. S. Duffie, pastor of Central Methodist church. Dr. C. A. Dufford Jr., Newberry pedia trician, will be teams chair man. The campaign audit c om- mittee will consist of Harold Folk, secretary of Newberry Federal Savings and Loan As sociation, chairman, and Wm. D. Kibler, assistant vice presi dent of the South Carolina National Bank. Kirkegard who is proprietor of Kirk Pontiac-Cadillac Com pany, accepted the general chairmanship several months ago as early plans for the college campaign were being formed. His announcement of other top leadership followed an organizational breakfast meet ing last Thursday. Division chairman for the county campaign are yet to be named, as are captains and members of approximately 30 teams which will cover all sec tions of the county. The College is seeking a min imum of $2 million dollars in the six-state campaign. tion plan will be submitted soon to HEW officials for approval. He said the schools will be op erated under the new integra tion plan even if HEW officials reject the plan and federal funds are cut off. Young said the 1969-70 school budget will be prepared with provisions included to operate the schools without federal funds in order to keep the schools open if the new plan is rejected by HEW officials. J. P. Hawkins, co-chairman of the Citizens for Freedom of Choice committee said his group has approved the new plan. The Citizens Committee was formed last year after several parents objected to a desegregation plan adopted by the previous school board for the current school year. School officials plan to study results of a survey of the coun ty schools by the State Depart ment of Education and prepare a school building construction plan. The report is expected in April. Officials expect to submit the school construction plan to vot ers in a referendum for appro val of a bond issue to finance the new buildings. It is expect ed that the referendum could be held this fall.