District 50 delays action on middle school rezoning

March 25, 2005

By TASHA STEIMER
Index-Journal staff writer

The Greenwood School District 50 board approved a motion Thursday not to move forward with the proposed middle school rezoning plan but allow residents the choice to transfer their students to the new Brewer Middle School when it opens this fall.
The proposed plan would have shifted zoning lines and moved more than 100 students from Northside Middle School to Brewer for the 2005-06 school year.
Board members praised the administration for its hard work on the plan, which met all socio-economic factors and student population parameters the board mandated two years ago.
Trustee Tony Bowers said the plan met the criteria, but he needed more time to make the best decision.
“My vote is from conviction,” he said. “I’ve been struggling with it, and my vote tonight will reflect that.”
The zoning plans will stay the same for the 2005-06 school year, and parents can voluntarily send their students to Brewer which will have a capacity of 900 students when the new facility opens.
Trustee Lary Davis also commended the district for putting together the plan but suggested the board review those parameters before another rezoning proposal is introduced.
Board Member Patricia Tolbert said many people had contacted her and she took their concerns to heart, but her final decision was based on what was best for all the students.
Seventh-grader Jessica Lagroon said she was happy to be staying at Northside.
“I’m just glad it’s over,” she said. “I went to Westview last year, I’m at Northside this year, and I really didn’t want to Brewer next year. I’d didn’t want to have to go to all three schools and make friends allover again.”
Billy Morgan, who has daughters in sixth and eighth grades, said the family also happy to be staying put.
“I respect what they had to do,” he said. “I know a lot of hard work went into it, and I’m glad they took the time to hear the public. Everyone I talked to on the board was very respectful, and (Superintendent) Dr. Bill Steed was always responded to my questions. I think they’re doing a great job.”
Even though the board did not move forward with the rezoning, Steed told the board it will still have to decide how its wants to handle the overcrowding at Northside.
“We’re going to continue to make all of our schools quality schools, but I do have concerns,” he said. “Two years from now or whenever the decision is, it will probably be more difficult in two years. We knew this time there would have to be changes; that’s why we kept Brewer small.
Steed said the problem will be maintaining quality education at Northside with a population that is bigger than the current facility’s original capacity.
Board Chairwoman Dru James said the board decided two years ago when Westview opened that it would revisit the issue again when the other new middle schools were completed.
“If we had completed this when we started (two years ago), we wouldn’t be here now, but we chose to delay it until the new school open. What we’re doing is delaying that decision again.”
James said the board would have to decide in the near future if it wanted to readdress the parameters or decide next year to move forward with another plan.

Jerry Campbell

ABBEVILLE — Gerald “Jerry” Simpson Campbell, 77, of 463 Firetower Road, husband of Helen Loftis Campbell, died Thursday, March 24, 2005 at Abbeville Nursing Home.
Born in Abbeville County, he was a son of the late Knox Alexander and Elizabeth Simpson Campbell. He retired from the State Forestry Commission as a fire tower watchman. He attended Bells United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife of the home; four sons, Gerald W. Campbell of Iva, David W. Campbell of Abbeville, Lonnie E. Campbell of Due West and Roger M. Campbell of Antreville; five sisters, Francine Thompson, Bonnie Busby and Betty Carver, all of Abbeville, Annie Louise Jenning of Decatur, Ala., and Alice Lee Taylor of Greenwood; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. Saturday at Bells United Methodist Church, conducted by the Revs. Fred Buchanan and Bruce Moore. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Visitation is 12:30-1:30 Saturday in the church social hall.
Family members are at their respective homes.
Memorials may be made to Bells United Methodist Church, 2540 Flat Rock Road, Abbeville, SC 29620.
The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home is in charge.

Lillie Mae Cook

Lillie Mae Hughes Cook, 90, of 221 Virginia Ave., widow of Joseph “Joe” William Cook, died Thursday, March 24, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Greenwood, she was a daughter of the late William A. and Lela Mae Duvall Hughes. She retired as a seamstress at Oxford Shirt Co. and was a former employee of Nantex and Eastwell’s Sportswear. She attended North Greenwood Church of God.
Survivors include a sister, Jeanette Davis of Greenwood.
Services are 3:30 Saturday at Blyth Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Richard Saxon. Burial is in Edgewood Cemetery.
Active and honorary pallbearers are great-nephews, James Hughes, Wendell Hughes, Wally Echols, Chad Echols, Danny Johnson, Jay Coursey, Troy Parker, Ronnie Hughes Jr., Matthew Hughes, Chris Turner, Ricky Phillips, Keith Hughes and Ray Roton.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at the funeral home.
The family is at the home of a niece, Peggy Echols, 7002 Highway 25 S.
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

Virginia Marie Botts Fleming

ABBEVILLE — Virginia Marie Botts Fleming, 78, of 435 College Ave., wife of the late James Chester Fleming, died Thursday, March 24, 2005 at the Abbeville Nursing Home. She was born in Abbeville to the late William David and Emma Mazette Anderson Botts. Mrs. Fleming was a graduate of Abbeville High School and Lander University. She was a member of Main Street United Methodist Church, the Eastern Star, the SCASCOE and NARFE. She was a retired stenographer after 41 years with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Conservation Service.
Mrs. Fleming was predeceased by two brothers, Robert H. Botts and Harold Botts, and a sister, Frances J. Branson.
Surviving Mrs. Fleming are many nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM Saturday, March 26, 2005 at Harris Funeral Home. Funeral Services will follow in the funeral home chapel on Saturday, March 26, 2005 at 3:30 PM. Interment will be in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Online condolences may be sent to the Fleming family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com
HARRIS FUNERAL HOME, of Abbeville is assisting the Fleming family.
PAID OBITUARY

Paul N. Hudgens Sr.

Paul N. Hudgens Sr., 85, of 134 Creek Road E., widower of Dorothy Swingle Hudgens, died Wednesday, March 23, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Oakton, Va., he was a son of the late Edward D. and Nola Owensby Hudgens. He was a graduate of Mobile County High School and a 1949 graduate of Auburn University. He served in the 9th Air Force during World War II, receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross and retired as a supervisor with Monsanto. He was a member of AARP, where he served as past president of the local chapter and was a member of American Legion Post 20. A member of St. Mark United Methodist Church, he was a member and teacher of the Adult One Sunday School Class, a Church Council member and a lay speaker.
Survivors include a daughter, Barbara Caddell of Mobile, Ala.; a son, Paul Nolan Hudgens Jr. of Greenwood; a sister, Dorothy Williams of Alexandria, Va.; three brothers, Edward D. Hudgens of Oberlin, Ohio, James J. Hudgens of Pensacola, Fla., and Wesley D. Hudgens of Ruston, La.; and two grandsons.
A memorial service is 6:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Mark United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. James W. Johnston.
Visitation is 5-6:15 Saturday at the church.
The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to the building fund or Good Samaritan Fund, St. Mark United Methodist Church, 550 Bypass 72 N.W., Greenwood, SC 29649.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

William Johnson

NINETY SIX — William David Johnson, 92, formerly of 120 Summer Road, widower of Mary Nettie Summer Johnson, died Thursday, March 24, 2005 at Wesley Commons.
Visitation is 1-3 Saturday at St. Paul United Methodist Church.
The family is at the home of a son, Paul Johnson, 212 Frazier Road.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home.

Chester Murphy

NINETY SIX – Chester Murphy, 71, resident of 1016 Red Bud Lane, husband of Cynthia Gottlieb Murphy, died March 23, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Greensburg, PA, April 25, 1933, he was a son of the late William and Christina Attenberger Murphy. He was a US Air Force Veteran of the Korean War and retired as the Director of Custody for the New Jersey Department of Corrections.
A member of First Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, he was also a former member of the VFW, American Legion and was a lifetime member of the International Police Chiefs Association. Mr. Murphy also coached Pop Warner Football, Little League Baseball and the girls Softball League in Forked River, NJ.
Surviving in addition to his wife of the home are a daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer and Thomas Donlon and a son and daughter-in-law, Matthew and Anita Murphy, all of Ninety Six. A brother, Terrance “Terry” Murphy of Scottsdale, PA. Three sisters, Christine Amos of Johnstown, PA, Donna Craven of Brighton, CO and Cynthia Smith of Rock Hill, SC. Five grandsons, Justin Homme, Jason Homme, Ryan Homme, Kyle Donlon and Matthew Murphy.
Mr. Murphy was predeceased by a brother, William Murphy and a grandson, Shawn Homme.
Funeral services will be conducted 11:00 AM Saturday at the Blyth Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Fred Smith, Rev. Curtis Eidson and Rev. Bryant Sims officiating.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 7:00 to 9:00 Friday evening.
Memorials may be made to the charity of one’s choice.
For additional information please visit www.blythfuneralhome.com.
Blyth Funeral Home is assisting the Murphy family.
PAID OBITUARY

Donna L. Sheperd

WARE SHOALS, SC – Donna Lynne Belcher Sheperd, 52 of 6 Dogwood Lane died Thursday, March 24, 2005 at her home. She was born in Charleston, SC. January 26, 1953. the daughter of Ernest Wilbur and Betty Jean Mitchell Belcher. She attended Charles-ton Schools and was married to Robert Sheperd on May 27, 1978 in Charleston, SC
Mrs. Sheperd graduated from the North Charleston High School certified as an intensive engine builder of Cummin’s diesel engines. At Tidewater Community College, she earned an Associate Degree in Applied Science in Business Management. She was registered as a National Certified Professional Coder and was office manager at Medephis of Chesapeake, Va. for several years and after moving to Ware Shoals became the same at Piedmont Center for Women of Greenwood, SC.
A Navy wife of more than 20 years, Mrs. Sheperd was also a Church Musician in many churches throughout the United States. She was a Sunday School Teacher, Director of Church Training and leader of Children’s Division. She had attended Calvary Baptist Church of Ware Shoals the past four years.
Surviving besides her husband, Robert R. Sheperd of the home and her father, Ernest W. Belcher of Summerville are sons, Ronald Littlefield Parks, California, Timothy Edward Sheperd, Ware Shoals, Step-sons, John Michael Sheperd, Cleveland, Tenn, and Richard Alan Sheperd of Greenfield, Mass.; One daughter, Joyce P. Montalvo, Ware Shoals. Two brothers, Michael Belcher and Gary Belcher both of Summerville, SC. And three grandchildren, Kati Lynne Boring, Brandon Montalvo and Jessica Lyn Sheperd.
Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, 11:30 PM at Calvary Baptist Church with the Rev. Tim Bailey officiating. Burial will follow in Ware Shoals Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at Parker-White Funeral Home Friday, 2-4 PM and 7-9 PM. Memorials may be made to American Cancer Society Research, P.O. Box 1741, Greenwood, S.C. 29648.
PAID OBITUARY

Tina Marie Robinson

ATLANTA — Tina Marie Robinson, 22, daughter of Reginald Robinson and Beatrice Williams, died suddenly Monday, March 21, 2005 in Atlanta.
The family is at the home of grandparents, Douglas and Edith Robinson, 133 Green Acres Drive, Ware Shoals, S.C., and Louise Allen, 1522 Shirley Road, Hodges, S.C.
Services will be announced by Robinson-Walker Funeral Service, Ware Shoals.

Erskine outfielder has 37 career homers heading into weekend

March 24, 2005

By JIM JOYCE
Special projects editor

DUE WEST — Casey Smith played baseball and football at McEachern High School in Marietta, Ga. Today, he is listed as a 6-foot-4, 235-pounder who roams the outfield for Erskine College’s baseball team.
Even though he has the size and ability to play baseball for bigger schools, Smith said the decision to attend Erskine was not a mistake — and he is proving he is an asset to the Flying Fleet.
“I was recruited more as a pitcher, but I like the outfield,” Smith said.
However, the focus has been on power after he tied the career home run record last week.
Dode Phillips had the career high of 17 (believed to be set in the early 1920s), which was broken in 1999 by Joe Whitmer during his junior season. He added 20 his senior year for a career total of 37.
Smith tied that in 2 1/2 years when he hit his 37th homer for the Fleet March 15 during a doubleheader sweep of Paine.
That number, no doubt, will get higher as Smith has 20 games remaining this season and all of next year to add to that total.
“He hit nine home runs his freshman year, had 15 the next year, and has 13 this season,” coach Kevin Nichols said.
“That’s 37, and if he has another great year next year, that might be a record that will stand for a long, long time.”
Smith, recruited by other colleges more for football than baseball, said he was not aware of the record until he went to the Internet to check the game report.
“I saw that I had tied the record, and my parents called,” he said. “It was like, I had no idea.”
One milestone has been reached, but there are others out there for a player who just happened to be part of a discussion between two friends.
“One of my buddies I used to play with, who is a scout, told me about a kid from Georgia with a lot of potential, but had never hit a lot of home runs in high school,” Nichols said. “He was a big, strong kid. We brought him in, knowing he was very raw and needed to work on some things. He has really excelled at this level so far.”
Nichols has not regretted for one minute that particular conversation with his friend.
“I don’t think anybody can recruit a kid and put a label on him after his freshman year,” Nichols said. “Even when you recruit a kid, you don’t say he has a chance to hit 20 home runs. We knew he had the potential, but he still had to make the adjustments with our hitting philosophy that would allow him to use his power.
“He excelled through our philosophy. He has gone into it 100 percent, and he’s done everything we have ask of him. The numbers are there.”
It was definitely a change for Smith.
“He was knowledgeable about the game,” Nichols said. “It’s just that our hitting philosophy is so different than high school and even some colleges. He had to really understand what we’re talking about, and buy into our program to make it work.
“Casey came in as what we call an inside-out type hitter, where you like to look at hitting the ball the other way before looking and getting the head out, as we speak.”
It was a theory with which Smith had little or no problems.
“Right now he’s got just as much power as I’ve ever seen in a kid, and I’ve been at a lot of levels,” Nichols added.
For Smith, the switch from Marietta to Due West was a change he had to learn to deal with.
“It was a big culture shock,” Smith said. “I came out of a high school where there were more students in my graduation class than they had in the entire school here.”
Sometimes, however, he said it’s better to go somewhere smaller and be able to accomplish goals, than somewhere bigger and not get to play.
Making his choice to attend Erskine was fairly simple.
“He said I would have a shot to play,” Smith said about his conversation with Nichols concerning the operations on campus.
“He didn’t guarantee anything, but I really liked the way he ran things. He’s a great coach, and he turned me into the hitter I am.”
Even though Smith believes the Flying Fleet could be better (23-9 before Wednesday’s game at Augusta State), he said he’s happy where the team is at this time.
Individually, Smith said, “I feel I still have a ways to go. I’m playing well, and I need to keep doing what I’m doing. I can’t relax.”
Midway through the season, Smith is near the top in about every offensive category in the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference. He leads in RBIs (54) and home runs (13), is second in batting (.442 average) and slugging percentage (.900), fourth in on-base percentage (.510) and runs scored (41), third in hits (53), and tied for third in doubles (16).
“I hit more home runs my first year here than I did in all my high school games,” Smith said. “I want to be a good average hitter, but power is what I’m going for. That’s just Casey.”
A key part of hitting is a good vision, which Smith believes has been an important factor.
“For the most part, I can pick up the spin pretty well,” he said. “I watch pitchers in the bullpen, and can pick up their different angles. Lots of pitchers tip their pitches, and do something different. For the most part, I can pick it up pretty well. If I see the ball up, I tend to go with it. I try to go the way the ball is pitched.”
Not only is his presence felt on the baseball field, but also being at a small school creates a better classroom environment.
“It definitely helps,” Smith said. “The professor can focus more on you, and you don’t have a lot of distractions here. You’ve got baseball and school. That’s it. It definitely helps your focus.”
And, a new career home run record is only a matter of time.

Rash of unusual crimes should be a wake up call

March 25, 2005

Concerned people must be wondering what’s going on. In a short period of time there has been a rash of unusual crimes around the nation. Crime, however, plays no favorites, it seems, Greenwood and the rest of the Palmetto State included.
Flimflam criminals have reappeared in Greenwood in recent days. In Columbia, police have received a rash of reports from women who say they may have been drugged and sexually assaulted after being at bars. Many of the dozen women reporting the assaults since June were college students.
All of us should always be alert to the realities of crime and avoid circumstances where it may happen, whether it’s con men at work or someone with other motives.
The best advice? Practice a healthy amount of suspicion. When in doubt, call the police. It’s better to err on the side of caution, so don’t hesitate. Police won’t object. That’s their job and they are always ready to help.