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.

Janie Lee Copper

Services for Janie Lee Jennings Copper, of 513 Marion Ave., are 3 p.m. Sunday at Zion Chapel A.M.E. Church, McCormick, conducted by the Rev. Alvin Deal, assisted by Pastor Jackie Whitted and the Revs. Frank Williams and Andrew Deal. The body will be placed in the church at 2. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers are Floyd Harrison, Fernandez Hawes, Daniel Harrison, Terrell Dunlap, Demond Brown, Sherman Quarles, Thomas Watson, Eartha Harrison and Marvin Jennings.
Flower bearers are Cassandra Hawes, Eulonda Hawes, Felicia Hughes, Shemicka Hawes, Naquetta Watson, Tesha Watts, Linda Watts, Porcha Abney, Courtney Moss and Jackie Hawes.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc.
Family is at the home.
Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc. is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@nctv.com

George Ross

George Earthy Ross, 46, of 105 McKellar Court, Apt. 5, husband of Cheryl Ann Pearson Ross, died Friday, Aug. 5, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Greenwood County, he was a son of Marie King Ross and the late George W. “Fox” Ross. He was a member of Second Damascus Baptist Church and a former employee of Greenwood Packing Plant.
Survivors include his mother of the home; his wife of the home; a son, Dovonian Ross of the home; a daughter, Calandra Pearson of Greenwood; a sister, Tamika King of Greenwood; and a grandchild.
The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@nctv.com

Stella Twitty

Stella Meredith Twitty, 82, of 226 Sample Road, widow of Joseph L. “Joe” Twitty, died Friday, Aug. 5, 2005 at Hospice House of Greenwood.
Born in Toccoa, Ga., she was a daughter of the late Francis Marion and Mamie Broome Meredith. She retired as a weaving instructor from Greenwood Mills Durst Plant and was a member of the Quarter Century Club. She was of the Baptist faith.
She was the last member of her immediate family. Survivors include nieces and nephews.
Graveside services are 2 p.m. Sunday at Greenwood Memorial Gardens, conducted by the Rev. Steve Crittendon. Visitation is 6-8 tonight at Blyth Funeral Home.
The family is at the home of a niece Judy Welborn, 158 Avondale Road, in Avondale and at their respective homes.
Blyth Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blythfuneralhome.com

Polly Wright

Polly Wilson Wright, 81, of 1519 Highway 221 E., widow of Samuel Edward Wright, died Thursday, Aug. 4, 2005 at Hospice House in Greenwood.
Born in Greenwood, she was a daughter of the late Jessie Edgar and Eva Cooper Wilson. She was a retired weaver from Greenwood Mills, Sloan Plant and a member of Jordan Memorial Baptist Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Eva M. Wright of the home.
Graveside services are 2 p.m. Sunday at Union Baptist Church Cemetery, off Highway 252 in Laurens County, conducted by the Rev. Glen Mosteller.
Visitation is at the cemetery after the service.
Memorials may be made to Hospice Care of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646.
Blyth Funeral Home is in charge.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blythfuneralhome.com

Jarman digs in his heels

New LU baseball coach begins building the Bearcats

August 6, 2005

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

Perhaps the most difficult part of any job is getting started.
Lander University baseball coach Bill Jarman would definitely agree with that statement.
Jarman, who was hired by Lander last month after a 10-year stint as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Coastal Carolina University, is adjusting to the differences that come with being the head coach instead of an assistant.
“As an assistant, you have certain things you oversee,” Jarman said. “Recruiting, summer camps, different nuances. But as the head coach, I’m now responsible for the entire program. It is certainly a challenge. But after 18 years as an assistant, I feel like I’m as ready for that challenge as I’ll ever be.”
Since being tapped by Lander on July 16, Jarman’s had to sell his home in Garden City, find housing in Greenwood, register his son Dock for kindergarten, move his belongings to his new home and, of course, start learning about the Bearcats.
It’s a process that has gone relatively smoothly for the coach.
“Each week, it seems like everything has fallen right in place,” he said. “I’m really just going through the process of getting acclimated right now. I’ll say this: The administration at Lander has been wonderful in helping us through the transition.”
While he hasn’t had a chance to meet with his team as a whole, Jarman said the lines of communication with the returning players and the incoming recruits has been open.
There will be a period of adjustment for returning players, as Jarman intends to institute a new fall training regiment.
“We’ll be sending out a letter to all returning players,” Jarman said. “Within that letter, we’ll outline what will be expected of them when they hit campus in the fall. Several of them have expressed their eagerness to get going.”
According to Jarman, the players he has spoken with have indicated they are pleased with how quickly the university filled the position. The changeover from former coach Mike McGuire to Jarman is as much of a transition for the players as it is the coach.
One necessity Jarman has yet to fill is hiring assistant coaches. The coach said he plans to fill two assistant positions by next week. He said the search for assistants has not been a “huge problem,” and there are several qualified candidates he has in mind. Jarman is highly optimistic about the future of the Bearcats program.
“I wouldn’t have taken this job if I didn’t think we could be competitive on a national level,” Jarman said. “Now, that’s not going to happen overnight. It will take plenty of hard work and dedication. But I like the players we have and I like the recruits. If they buy into the things we want to do then we can have something special.”
Jarman cited a trip to the postseason as a legitimate and attainable goal for the 2006 squad.
He said he would like nothing more than for the seniors on the team to be able to boast of leading Lander into the NCAA Division II Regional Tournament for the first time in school history.
The new skipper is planning on instituting a speed-oriented gameplan, similar to the style employed by coach Gary Gilmore at Coastal Carolina.
“Coach Gilmore taught me how important speed is to the game,” said Jarman, who beat out more than 100 candidates for the job. “Speed never goes into a slump. When you’ve got guys that can move, you can generate runs.
“With that big outfield at Legion Field, we’re gonna need some guys that can fly out there.”
Jarman said the chief attribute that could lead to sustained long-term success for the Bearcats is consistency in pitching.
According to Jarman, the Lander pitching staff was largely inconsistent last season. Though he finds hitting for average to be important, Jarman prefers to employ pitching, speed on the basepaths and on defense to build a competitive team.
Coming from an NCAA Division I school, Jarman said he hopes he can bring some Division I sensibilities to Lander.
“One of the biggest differences is going to be day-to-day preparation,” Jarman said. “When you come to a university to play a sport, you should have two priorities: academics and your sport. It takes serious dedication to be a champion on the collegiate level, regardless of division.
“It’s my goal at Lander University to coach and recruit players that display dedication. We’re on our way.”

Chris Trainor covers area sports for The Index-Journal. He can be reached at: ctrainor@indexjournal.com

Praying not out of place when bullets start to fly

August 6, 2005

There is a story going around about U. S. Marines praying at a recent ceremony marking the birthday of the Marine Corps. It’s not unusual ….. except for one thing.
The idea that Marines, as a group, were praying, reportedly brought a negative response from some members of one civil rights legal organization. One member was quoted as saying, “These (Marines) are federal employees, on federal property and on federal time. For them to pray is clearly an establishment of religion, and we must nip this in the bud immediately.”
Did Marine officials respond? You bet! Suffice it to say they strongly disagreed with the critics ….. in choice words.
The entire episode is reminiscent of a field sermon on Bataan in 1942 by Carlos P. Romulo, who went on to hold many high offices in The Philippines and served as president of the United Nations General Assembly. “There are no atheists in foxholes,” he said then.
That was about World War II. It’s something that never changes, either. Ask any veteran in Greenwood, the Lakelands area, or anywhere in South Carolina. It would be hard to find one to challenge that statement.