Dist. 50 examining ways to address
Greenwood middle school crowding

April 9, 2005

By TASHA STEIMER
Index-Journal staff writer

Classes are continuing as usual at Northside Middle School, two weeks following the Greenwood School District 50 board decision not to accept a proposed plan that would have moved about 100 students to Brewer Middle School next year.
Currently, Northside has nearly 850 students – about 200 students more than Brewer – and is a facility that has had to bring in portable classrooms over the years to accommodate the population.
Beth Pinson, interim principal at Northside, said large class sizes are not a new issue for teachers or students.
“When our teachers talk about overcrowding, we’re not talking as much about the facilities as much as student-to-teacher ratio,” she said. “Our average class size is about 27 to 28 students. We have nine portable units that have 11 spaces for classrooms.”
Despite the need for rearranging, Pinson said the teachers and students have adapted well to the challenge.
“We have teachers who do a fantastic job with our students,” she said.
“The overcrowding doesn’t really bother the teachers or the students.”
Superintendent Bill Steed said the district is already working on another plan to alleviate crowding at the school by informing parents about the open enrollment option at Brewer Middle School.
“We will be sending letters home to all middle school parents to let them know they have a choice,” he said. “We’ll wait and see what kind of responses we get and keep an eye on enrollment this summer so we can get an indication of what we can expect next year.”
Steed said the district will also take a more critical look at students out of the Northside zone who request a transfer into the school.
“I think there is a misunderstanding out there that we have a problem with out-of-zone students at Northside, but that is not the case,” he said. “We will, however, have to limit or deny those requests especially now that we are still dealing with crowding.”
Dru James, District 50 board chairwoman, said open enrollment does provide some advantages to students.
“Right now, we know Brewer will be smaller as far as class size, and because of that, it will present more options,” she said. “We have excellent faculty and students at Northside now, but it does limit what can be done until we know for sure.
“The teachers and staff readjust up until the first day (of school) so we may never know if we have to do anything until students actually show up. We’ll definitely continue to look at the situation and decide what is best for our students and our schools.”
Until then, teachers at Northside will continue to do deal with larger class sizes.
Jan Womble, a seventh grade language teacher, said having more students per class does present challenges but the staff adjusts.
“It can be hard when you know other schools in the district have 18 students per class,” she said. “In some classes, I can’t get up and walk around well. I have to position myself in the middle of the room so I can get to everyone.”
Seventh-grade teacher Karen Elliott said the same applies to her language arts classes.
“It limits what you can do because you still have to maintain a certain amount of control,” she said. “Some teachers will have to limit how many hands-on projects students can do just because there really isn’t enough room.”
Seventh-grade teacher Libby Minor said she also has about 25-26 students in her social studies classes.
“At one point last year, I had a class with 30 students and then two more came in,” she said. “We didn’t have enough desks so we put a few students at computer tables. To be honest, I wouldn’t want it any other way. We’re a family and we always figure out what to do.”

James O. Addy

SALUDA – James Oscar Addy, 89, died Friday, April 8, 2005 at Saluda Nursing Center.
Born in Saluda County, and a son of the late James W.L. and Daisy Banks Addy, he was the husband of the late Carrie Langford Addy. Mr. Addy was a retired salesman having worked for Matthews Chevrolet, Herlong Chevrolet, Edwards Building Supply and Darracott Tractor Company he was also a former employee with Ramey Funeral Home and was a farmer. He was a mason and member of Travis Lodge #241 and American Legion Post #65. Mr. Addy was a member and former deacon of Red Bank Baptist Church and longtime choir member and was a member of the Saluda Men’s Choir.
Surviving is a brother, Carl Addy of Saluda and several nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends from 7 until 9PM, Saturday evening at Ramey Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be 2PM, Sunday, April 10, 2005 at Red Bank Baptist Church with the Rev. Gary Romines officiating, Interment will follow in Mayson Memorial Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Red Bank Baptist Church, 309 E. Church St., Saluda, SC 29138 or to Saluda Nursing Center, P.O. Box 398, Saluda, SC 29138.
PAID OBITUARY

Ronald (Ron) Bates

HONEA PATH - Ronald Michael (Ron) Bates, 53, of 113 Harvey Drive, husband of Faye Hall Bates, died Friday, April 8, 2005, at Anderson Area Medical Center.
Born in Anderson County, he was a son of Luther Green Bates and Ruby Thornton Bates of Honea Path. He was president of R.B. Amusements, Inc. and was a member of Chiquola Baptist Church.
Surviving are his wife of the home; his parents of Honea Path; one son and daughter-in-law, Rodney Michael and Amanda Bates of Honea Path; one daughter and son-in-law, Wendy Faye and Michael T. Abrams, Jr., of Honea Path; mother-in-law, Lois Hall of Honea Path; two sisters, Frances Davis of Abbeville and Connie McGaha and husband Robert, of Honea Path; and two grandchildren, Kenyon and Nichole Abrams of Honea Path. He was predeceased by a sister, Rachel Bates.
Funeral services will be held 2:00 P.M. Sunday at Chiquola Baptist Church with Rev. Ty Childers officiating. Burial will follow in the Garden of Memories.
The body is at Pruitt Funeral Home and will be placed in the church at 1:00 P.M. Sunday. The family will receive friends from 6-8:00 P.M. Saturday at Chiquola Baptist Church.
Memorials may be made to the Fellowship Building Fund of Chiquola Baptist Church, 405 E. Greer St., Honea Path, SC 29654, or to the Relay for Life/American Cancer Society, c/o The Commercial Bank, PO Box 127, Honea Path, SC 29654. The family is at the home.
PAID OBITUARY

Leslie Bryson

Leslie S. Bryson, 92, of 2901 Highway 25 S., widower of Bertha Kelley Bryson, died Thursday, April 7, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Sapphire, N.C., he was a son of the late Dewitt Ransom and MiMi Miller Bryson. He was a retired auto mechanic with Johnson Motors and a World War II Army veteran, serving as a 4th grade technical sergeant with Company B 609th Tank Destroyer Battalion. He was a member of First Damascus Baptist Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Ellen Martin of Greenwood; two sons, Leslie Ray Bryson of Murrells Inlet and Edward Carlton Bryson of Bradley; a sister, Mae Waldrup of Brevard, N.C.; two brothers, Fred Bryson and Ules Bryson, both of Brevard; seven grandchildren; and a great grandchild.
Services are 3 p.m. Sunday at Harley Funeral Home, conducted by the Revs. James F. Kelley and Kevin Carter. Burial is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers are grandsons Eddie Bryson, Jeremy Bryson, Jamie Bryson, Jeffrey Martin, Russell Martin and Kelly Bryson.
Honorary escorts are Hilton “Hilty” Dodgen, Hilton L. Dodgen, Randy Dodgen, Daryl Dodgen, Lewis Beaube, Tommy Harvin, Bubba Harvin, Bobby Fisher, Ronnie Fisher and Jerry Bryson.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at the funeral home.
The family is at the home of a daughter, Ellen Martin, 110 Pembroke Road.
Memorials may be made to the First Damascus Baptist Church building fund, 635 Phoenix Road, Greenwood, SC 29646.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

Theresa B. Cato

CHESTER — Theresa B. Cato, 87, of 3020 Armenia Road, sister of Margie Melton of Greenwood, died Thursday, April 7, 2005.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at Wright’s Funeral Home.
Wright’s Funeral Home is in charge.

Inez Davis

GREENWOOD – Inez Powell Davis, 82, of 1008 Pineforest Drive, died Friday, April 8, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Candler County, GA, she was a daughter of the late Aldrene and Addie Taylor Powell. She was retired from Greenwood Mills, Mathews Plant and was a member of Davis Street Church of God.
She was preceded in death by a daughter, Gail Willis.
Surviving are two daughters, Linda Jones and Tammy Plyler, both of Greenwood; a son, Wesley Jones of Clinton; a sister, Ruby Lowry of Fountain Inn; ten grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
A private memorial service will be held on Sunday at Harley Funeral Home with John E. Chapman, Jr. officiating.
Memorials may be made to Bowers-Rogers Home for Abused Children, PO Box 1252, Greenwood, SC 29648.
The family is at the home.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com
PAID OBITUARY

Ethel C. Davis

CALHOUN FALLS — Ethel Calhoun Davis, 73, of 104 Lois Drive, wife of Wallace Davis, died Thursday, April 7, 2005 at her home.
Born in Abbeville, she was a daughter of the late Harold and Ellen Calhoun. She was a member of Spring Baptist Church and was affiliated with Faith Tabernacle Church in Lincolnton, Ga. She graduated from Ellison School and retired from J.P. Stevens Plant, Calhoun Falls.
Survivors include her husband of the home; two daughters, Catherine J. Simmons of Greenville and Mrs. Darryl (Cheryl) Bell of Calhoun Falls; four sons, Larry Davis of the home, Donald W. Davis of Elberton, Ga., Tony H. Davis of Fairfax, Va., and Everett Davis of Detroit; two brothers, Clarence Calhoun of Buffalo, N.Y., and James Calhoun of Anderson; three sisters, Mrs. Andre (Alverna) Whitter of Greenville, Mrs. Manfield (Inez) Barge of Detroit and Mrs. Jasper (Alice) Ingram of Philadelphia; 21 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Abbeville & White Mortuary.

Ariail Smith

TRENTON — Ariail Smith, 89, of 309 E. Wise St., husband of Rachel T. Smith, died Friday, April 8, 2005.
A native of Edgefield County, he was a son of the late James Robert Smith Sr. and Lula Bush Smith. He was a retired fire tower watchman with the South Carolina Commission of Forestry. He was a member of Trenton United Methodist Church, where he was an Administrative Board member and a Sunday School superintendent for several years.
Survivors include his wife; two sons, Walton and James Smith; three sisters, Mary Black, Eugenia Reynolds and Martha Johnson; two brothers, Henry Lee Smith and P.B. Smith; and three grandchildren.
A memorial service is 4 p.m. Sunday at Trenton United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. Paul Rogers. Entombment is at 3 in East View Cemetery Mausoleum, Edgefield.
Visitation is at the home.
Memorials may be made to McKendree United Methodist Church Building Fund, 203 Faulkner Mt. Road, Edgefield, SC 29824 or Trenton United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 178, Trenton, SC 29837.
Bland Funeral Home, Johnston, is in charge.

Charles Sweezy

HODGES — Charles Johnson Sweezy Jr., 73, of 130 Pineridge Drive, widower of Rita Mae Coker Sweezy, died Thursday, April 7, 2005 at his home.
Born in Greenwood, he was a son of the late Charles and Lillie Peeler Sweezy. He retired from Brown’s Tree Service and was of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include a son, James Sweezy of the home; three daughters, Cindy Bryan of Greenwood, Frances Crisp of Whitmire and JoAnn Blackmon of Saluda; a sister, Nana Lou Spradley of Grover, N.C.; 13 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Graveside services are 2 p.m. Monday at Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Visitation is 1-5 p.m. Sunday at the home of a granddaughter, Michelle Lollis, 106 Smith Drive, Hodges.
Memorials may be made to the Charles Sweezy account, c/o Harley Funeral Home, P.O. Box 777, Greenwood, SC 29648.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

Betty Ward

GREENWOOD – Betty Lou Ward, 79, of 1715 E. Durst Avenue, wife of Everett L. Ward, passed away Thursday, April 7, 2005.
Betty was born May 30, 1925 in Clarksburg, WV and was the daughter of the late Homer and Essie Hess Hays of Spelter, WV.
In 1951 she married Everett L. Ward and they lived in Weston, WV until 1977. In Weston, she was president of the Hospital Auxiliary and was employed by the Clarksburg Exponent Telegram Newspaper.
In 1977 the Ward’s moved to Greenwood. In Greenwood, she was in charge of the Mother’s Morning Out for eight years, was active in the Self Regional Medical Center Auxiliary and was an active member of the Central Church of Christ.
Surviving is her husband of the home; two sons, Steven L. Ward of Laurens County and Rick L. Ward of Simpsonville and a granddaughter, Jessica Layne Ward.
Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends at Harley Funeral home on Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m.
The family is at the home.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com
PAID OBITUARY

Larry Eugene White

DEWY ROSE, Ga. — Larry Eugene White, 57, of 2601 Bowman Highway, husband of Mary Major White, died Wednesday, April 6, 2005.
Born in Greenwood, S.C., he was a son of Hassie Rogers White and the late John White. He was a member of South Greenwood Assembly Church of God, a retired sandblaster from Keystone Memorials and a carpenter.
Survivors include his wife of the home; five daughters, Betty Jean Burton and Melissa Owens, both of Elberton, Eugena Freeman of Greenwood, Wendy Ouzts of Williamston, S.C., and Lonna Craven of Waterloo, S.C.; two sons, Eugene Fleeman of Greenwood and Joshua Fleeman of Dewy Rose; his mother of Greenwood; a sister, Elizabeth White Sumerel of Greenwood; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
A memorial service is 3 p.m. Sunday at the home, and 3 p.m. Monday at the home of Elizabeth White Sumerel, 3901 Harless St., Greenwood, conducted by the Rev. Carroll Harrison.
Memorials may be made to South Greenwood Assembly Church of God, 280 Galilee Road, Greenwood, SC 29646.
Berry Funeral Home, Elberton, is in charge.

CORRECTION

For the obituary of Willie ‘Tump’ Middleton in Wednesday’s paper, incorrect information was submitted to The Index-Journal.
Abbeville & White Mortuary, Abbeville, is in charge.

Graham looks at reality of Social Security status

April 9, 2005

South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham is lambasted regularly these days by a television commercial that criticizes his ideas on how to solve the Social Security problem.
Graham, for anyone paying attention, has suggested that Social Security as we know it cannot survive without more taxes, fewer benefits or a combination of both.
Whether that will turn into a huge political mistake by Graham may or may not happen, but two things seem certain. The truth hurts and he’s right.
Social Security trustees recently reported that the trust fund will be empty by 2041, a year earlier than previously thought. By 2017, checks due retirees and others will exceed income, also a year earlier than expected.

ACCORDING TO REPORTS, the trust fund is empty, except for IOUs. In 2017, Social Security will need tax dollars to redeem those IOUs, with interest. Spending (benefits) will have to go down or taxes will have to go up … or both. By 2041, there will be no more IOUs to redeem, and the Social Security fund will only be able to pay 74 cents of every dollar promised from what it takes in.
There are other considerations, maybe, but basically, it’s a simple matter that everyone can understand. The Social Security system owes more than it will be able to pay. Dealing with government, why is that not a surprise?
Usually, the best way to prevent a crisis is to confront it early. How to do that, obviously, is what all the rigmarole is about.

WHETHER GRAHAM’S IDEAS are the answer, or whether President Bush’s individual retirement accounts will prove the best approach, Social Security survival problems are not something to put off. They must be dealt with as soon a possible.
There are some people who argue there is not really a problem. That kind of head-in-the-sand attitude will only make matters worse. If the problem is to be solved, it has to be sooner than later. Consider all suggestions that have any semblance of reasonableness. Argue. Take political chances. But do what must be done. At this point in history, too many Americans depend on Social Security to let petty politics prevent progress.
Graham has shown his mettle. He deserves praise, not criticism.