Teachers, students excited about new Brewer Middle

August 5, 2005

By JACKIE R. BROACH
Index-Journal staff writer

There was a steady buzz of activity and excitement Thursday morning at Brewer Middle School as students filed in, greeted friends and looked for their new classrooms.
That’s typical on the first day of school, but, this year, students had something different to be excited about.
They would be attending classes in a new, state-of-the-art building.
It was a big change — and a huge improvement — over the former Brewer, built in 1951.
As students wandered around the corridors and various rooms and offices, their eyes roamed, taking in every aspect of the new campus. “It’s big,” many could be heard saying as they took it all in.
With surroundings unfamiliar to even the returning Brewer students, faculty members stayed busy throughout the day keeping children pointed in the right direction.
“We’re working with them to help them get acquainted with the new layout,” said Anthony Holland, Brewer’s new principal. “We’ve been taking a little extra time to show students around.”
Teachers took their first and second block classes on walking tours of the school, showing them the new computer labs, the library and the gymnasium, among other things.
Eighth graders Keila Castillo and Crystal Parkman said the new school definitely had their approval.
“Now we don’t have to walk outside to go to lunch,” Castillo said.
Parkman said she liked the color-coded hallways.
“It’ll make it easier to find our way around,” she said.
Chester Moton, another eighth grader, said he also liked the colored hallways because they made the school look more attractive. The color for the eighth grade hallway is green, but Moton said many of his classmates had said they would have rather been assigned to the gold hallway, which the seventh grade claims.
Art teacher Robin Leach said she had heard nothing but good things about the new school from both students and faculty.
“It’s a tremendous improvement, especially for us veterans who know what it’s like to work in an older school,” she said. “This is just a much better work environment and a better learning environment.”
The new Brewer offers state-of-the-art technology in two computer labs, a fully stocked science lab for every grade and a multi-purpose cafeteria with a stage and dressing rooms to the side, among other features the old building didn’t have.
“I can’t believe how much they’ve accomplished just since last week,” said Dennis Beauford, Brewer’s school resource officer (SRO). “Last Wednesday there were boxes and just about everything you can imagine stacked up all over the place.”
This will be the first year Brewer has had an SRO, he added.
Apparently, all the work that went into getting Brewer ready on time paid off. “I think it’s gone about as smoothly as it could have,” one teacher could be heard commenting as she passed through the hallway with another faculty member.
Holland confirmed that notion, saying the school year got off to a great start at Brewer.
“We’ve had a few students with scheduling problems,” he said, “but other than that, everything has gone very well.”
Designed by Jumper Carter Sease, of Columbia, Brewer is the second of District 50’s middle schools to be rebuilt. Westview Middle School opened its doors in 2003, and Northside Middle School is scheduled to open in 2007.

Leila D. Blue

CALHOUN FALLS — Services for Leila D. Blue, of 100 Cedar Lane, are 11 a.m. Saturday at Glovers A.M.E. Church, conducted by the Revs. Larry Merrill, Robert L. Johnson, Howard Hermon and Johnnie Waller. The body will be placed in the church at 10. Burial is in Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, Abbeville.
Visitation is 7-8 tonight at Brown and Walker Funeral Home.
The family is at the home.
Brown and Walker Funeral Home, Abbeville, is in charge.

Corine Dalton

COLUMBIA — Mrs. Etta Corine Phillips Dalton, 85, resident of Life Care Nursing Center, widow of Grady L. Dalton entered eternal life Thursday, August 4, 2005.
Mrs. Dalton was born August 20, 1919 in Honea Path. A daughter of the late Edgar Olin Phillips and Cynthia Gambrell Phillips, Mrs. Dalton moved to Greenwood in 1947 and was a charter member of the Woodfields Baptist Church. She was a Sunday school teacher and also served on various committees of the church. She had a life long interest in young people and was a faithful supporter of the church’s youth ministries. She retired from Warner-Lambert.
Surviving are daughters, Joan D. Higginbotham and husband Olin of Greenwood, and Barbara D. Richey and husband Kenneth; granddaughter Jennifer Richey Duell and husband Byron; and the “Light of her life” great-grandson, Alexander Bayne Duell, all of Columbia; brothers, Fred Phillips of Ware Shoals, Thad Phillips of Hartwell, and Olin Phillips of Honea Path.
Funeral services for Mrs. Etta Corine Phillips Dalton will be held Saturday, August 6, 2005, at 3:30 PM from the chapel of Blyth Funeral Home. Dr. Wendell R. Bannister will officiate. Interment will follow in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Friends may visit the family from 2:00 PM until the service hour Saturday at the funeral home.
Those desiring may make contributions to The Gideons International, PO Box 23223, Columbia, SC 29224 in memory of Mrs. Dalton.
To pay condolences online please do so at www.blythfuneralhome.com
BLYTH FUNERAL HOME IS SERVING THE DALTON FAMILY,
PAID OBITUARY

Rose Hodges

Rose Marie Torcaso Hodges, 92, of 1903 McCormick Highway, wife of Charles Fred Hodges, died Thursday, Aug. 4, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Danbury, Conn., she was a daughter of the late Vincenzo and Mary Mancuso Torcaso.
Survivors include her husband of the home and three grandchildren.
Graveside services are 2 p.m. Saturday at Greenwood Memorial Gardens, conducted by Rev. Terry Carter.
Visitation is graveside after the services.
The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to the National Kidney Foundation of SC, 5000 Thurmond Mall Suite 106, Columbia, SC 29201.
Blyth Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blythfuneralhome.com

Bonnie Hollingsworth

HODGES — Frances “Bonnie” Yvonne Hollingsworth, 51, of 131 Pine Ridge Dr., passed away Thursday, Aug. 4 at home.
Born in Union, Bonnie was a daughter of Mary Inman Hollingsworth Wynn and the late Broadus Hollingsworth.
Surviving are her mother and stepfather, Mary and Talmadge Wynn of Greenwood; two sisters, Phyllis Lyerly of Hodges, and Edna Cantrell of Greenwood; sister-in-law, Kathy Hollingsworth of Cross Hill; three nieces and two nephews, Angi, Kami, Madison, Brent and Matthew; and a grandson, Dartanion Luke. Predeceased were her father; brother, Broadus Edward Hollingsworth; and nephew, Joshua Edward Hollingsworth.
A memorial service will be held at 3 PM, Sunday, Aug. 7 at Hodges Church of God. The family is at the home in Hodges.
Cremation Society of South Carolina
PAID OBITUARY

Fannie Moody

GREENWOOD — Fannie Belle Fuller Moody, 85, wife of John Martin Moody, died Wednesday, August 3, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Laurens, she was a daughter of the late Augustus B. and Beulah Faulkner Fuller. She was a volunteer at Self Regional Medical Center for many years and was a member of New Market Baptist Church.
Surviving is her husband of the home; two sons, John G. Moody and his wife, Sandra of Ninety Six and Thomas E. Moody of Edgefield; a sister, Ruth Witt of Greenwood and a grandson and his wife, John Patrick and Connie Moody of Ninety Six.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Greenwood Memorial Gardens with the Rev. Stanley Sprouse officiating.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.
PAID OBITUARY

Annie Blair Rucker

Services for Annie Blair Rucker, of 403 Milwee Ave., are 11 a.m. Saturday at Tabernacle Baptist Church, with the Rev. Dr. William L. Moore presiding and the Rev. Dr. E.L. Cain officiating.
Assisting are the Revs. Dr. Willie S. Harrison, Dr. Ulysses Parks and Michael Butler. The body will be placed in the church at 10. Burial is in Evening Star Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Masons of Harmony Lodge No. 37.
Flower bearers are Eastern Stars of Harmony Chapter No. 282.
Visitation is 7-8 tonight at Parks Funeral Home.
Parks Funeral Home is in charge.

PAID OBITUARY

Eugene White

ABBEVILLE — Donald Eugene White, 43, of 114 Dutchman Road, widower of Hattie Ruth Miller White, died Monday, Aug. 1, 2005.
Born in Abbeville, he was a son of Elizabeth White and the late Ollie Young. He was a 1982 Abbeville High School graduate and homemaker.
Survivors include his mother of the home; a daughter, Kendra Miller of the home; two sons, Lafayette Miller of the home and Robert Whitaker of Alabama; a sister, Linda White of the home; three brothers, Stanley D. White of the home, Thomas Sutton of Abbeville and William Morris of North Carolina.
Services are 11 a.m. Saturday at Abbeville & White Mortuary, conducted by the Brother Johnny M. Quarles. Burial is in Flat Rock A.M.E. Church Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Benny Elmore, Eugene Williams, Greg Mims, Larry Marshall, Joe Thomas, Tim Aiken and Marshall Patton.
Flower bearers are Kathy Gray Straker, Connie Watt, Veronica Jordan, Deloris Goodwin, Loretta Paul, Hattie Ruth Ford, Sheryl Terry, Terri Taylor and Stephanie Makin.
Viewing is 12-9 p.m. today at the mortuary.
No visitation.
The family is at the home.
Abbeville & White Mortuary is in charge.

Polly Wilson Wright

Polly Wilson Wright, 81, of 1519 Highway 221 E., widow of Samuel Edward Wright, died Thursday, Aug. 4, 2005 at Hospice House of Greenwood.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home.

Dixie likes new numbers

August 5, 2005

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

DUE WEST — Like a network television executive during sweeps, Dixie High School football coach Steve Dunlap is glad the numbers are up.
The Hornets had 38 players report to practice this week, their largest number in Dunlap’s tenure.
“The first week of practice has been great,” Dunlap said. “The numbers are up, which is fantastic, and the boys’ attitudes are up, too. This has been one of the better camps we’ve had in the last few years.”
Dunlap said he thinks more players came out because of the Hornets’ trip to the state playoffs last season. Dixie qualified for the playoffs with a late-season win over McCormick, snapping a 22-game losing streak.
“We got that losing streak off our back,” Dunlap said.
“That thing was an albatross. I think some kids around school saw that we could win and that encouraged them to come out.”
Dunlap said he was pleased with the off-season strength and conditioning efforts of his players, as 90 percent of the team completed all 40 of their assigned weightlifting sessions.
“They’ve gotten stronger, and I’m proud of them for that,” said Dunlap. “Now, it’s time to get the conditioning together. I’m pleased with what we’ve done, but we’ve got a ways to go yet.”
The usually oppressive heat that has become requisite during the opening week of football practice in South Carolina has melded during the last week into a mix of heat and overcast skies. Dunlap likes the change of pace.
“I think a mixture is good,” Dunlap said. “The players get into what we’re saying and teaching a lot more when it’s breezy out here. At the same time, you need the heat to get them in shape.”
To ensure his team’s safety and well being in the heat, Dunlap had Dr. Dave Sealy speak with the team on Wednesday. Sealy lectured on the importance of staying hydrated, especially during these early practices.
As the Hornets prepare for their first scrimmage, Wednesday at Southside Christian, Dunlap is anxious to see how they react to facing another team.
“They’re already tired of playing each other,” Dunlap said. “I’m looking forward to seeing them in action. I’ve been encouraged by what I’ve seen so far.”

Used buses send message we may not want to send

August 5, 2005

South Carolina needs jobs. We have a state agency and numerous county officials working full time to address that need. But, then, so are other states, and the competition has proved to be very effective.
Because of that, and the economy, recruiting new industry to provide jobs has become more difficult than it was just a few years ago. Sometimes, we are our own worst enemy.
For example, the State Department of Education recently did something that will make it even harder to convince industrial prospects to come to the state.
The department bought a number of used school buses from Kentucky to replace older buses in service in S.C.

THAT SENDS INDUSTRIAL prospects a terrible message. They have to wonder. If we’re willing to settle for used equipment, how serious are we about doing what’s necessary to educate our children to fill new jobs? And, will an educated and qualified work force be available?
We know education is rotten with politics. We also know it’s not confined to any one person or group …... or special interest. It infects every facet of education, from the Legislature, to school boards to state agencies to taxpayers. Somewhere along the way, all must realize that a “Band-Aid” approach won’t get the job done. And, we can pay now, or we’ll surely have to pay a lot more later.