People get taste of county fair

October 19, 2005

By MEGAN VARNER
Index-Journal senior staff writer

Whether it’s the smell of warm popcorn and funnel cakes or the sounds of giggles and screams coming from the rides, there’s just something about a fair that adds excitement to the air.
People young and old filed through the gates Tuesday night for food and fun during the opening day of the Greenwood County Fair.
For the younger fairgoers, it’s rides such as the merry-go-round, Ferris wheel and spinning teacups that are the main attractions.
“I just want to ride the fastest stuff,” said a grinning Jonathan Erskine, 5, who came to the fair with brother Jacob, 2, and grandparents Doug and Alexa Boatwright, of Greenwood.
Though Greenwood resident Eddie Laye has been coming to the fair for years, this was the first time he brought 4-year-old son Ed to the event. He said the experience was wonderful for the whole family.
“We can’t keep him off of the rides,” Laye said of his son.
The trip to the fair was also a first for Chappells resident Donna Pollard and 5-year-old son Dakota Cannon. “Dakota loves to ride the rides. He loves the Ferris wheel because it goes up really high – and he hears his mother scream,” Pollard said, though she added her favorite part of the fair was the food.
“I like the funnel cakes. They are like huge doughnuts without the holes. They just taste wonderful,” she said. Like Pollard, most adults at the fair admitted that the food, not the rides, was the part they looked forward to the most.
“It’s all cooked outside, and it just tastes better,” Laye said. “It’s good, greasy food.”
But for some adults, such as Cross Hill residents Shannon and Amanda Mashburn, the rides are still the reason they come to the fair.
After stepping off the Sky Master, that spins riders upside-down into the air, Shannon said the adrenaline rush was what he enjoyed.
“You get an extreme feeling when the blood is rushing to your head. I probably lost a few brain cells on that ride,” he said, laughing. “I’ve always like the scariest rides.”
The Greenwood County Fair, at U.S. 221 South and S.C. 225 Bypass in Greenwood, continues through Saturday. Gates open daily at 5 p.m. and at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for children.

Megan Varner covers general assignments in Greenwood and the Lakelands. She can be reached at 223-1811, ext. 3308, or: mvarner@indexjournal.com

Thomas C. Harris

ABBEVILLE — Thomas Clarence Harris, widower of Jannie Walker Harris, died Monday, Oct. 17, 2005 at Abbeville Nursing Home.
Born in Abbeville, he was a son of the late Will and Emma Floyd Harris. He worked in the textile industry and was a member of St. Peter A.M.E. Church.
Survivors include two sons, George Harris and Francis E. Harris, both of Abbeville; a daughter, Cora Marie Harris of Abbeville; 17 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild.
Services are 2 p.m. Friday at St. Peter A.M.E. Church, conducted by the Rev. Johnnie Waller. Burial is in Harbison Cemetery. The body will be placed in the church at 1.
Viewing is 1:30-7:30 Thursday at Richie Funeral Home.
Visitation is at 179 Taylortown Road.
Richie Funeral Home is in charge.

Walter H. Hill Jr.

ABBEVILLE — Services for Walter Henry Hill Jr., of 101 Cabell St., are 2 p.m. Thursday at Brown and Walker Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Ida Shipman. Burial is in Mount Clement C.M.E. Church Cemetery.
The family is at the home and the home of a sister Louise Rayford, 129 Rock House Circle, Abbeville.
Brown and Walker Funeral Home is in charge.

Cecile Pilgrim, 102

Cecile Pilgrim, 102, of Hampton House Apartments, widow of Harry Pilgrim, died Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2005.
Survivors include a son, Ron Pilgrim of Greenwood and five grandchildren.
Services are at a later date, with burial in Sioux City, Iowa.
Cremation Society of South Carolina.

Mary Elizabeth Stockman

GREENWOOD — Mary Elizabeth Hilton Stockman, widow of Abner Pierce Stockman, Sr. died Monday, October 17, 2005 at Hospice House.
Born in Abbeville, SC on June 28, 1915, she was a daughter of the late Walter Rueben and Minnie Fuller Hilton. Mary Elizabeth was a member of Main Street United Methodist Church since her marriage in 1935. She served on the altar guild for many years and was a faithful member of the United Methodist Women. She was a founding member of the Keowee Study Club and also a founding member of the Greenwood Woman’s Club.
Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, A. Pierce Stockman, Jr. and Betty Stockman of Greenwood; a daughter and son-in-law, Elizabeth (Betsy) Stockman Cureton and Robert Holmes Cureton of Greenwood; a sister, Helen Hilton Marshall of Greenwood; five grandchildren, A. P. “Chip” Stockman, III and his wife, Lorraine, Lori Stockman Davis and her husband, Stephen L., Jennifer Stockman Tonnell and her husband, Brian W., Dr. William Felder Darby, Jr. and his wife, Angela, Andrew Stockman Darby and his wife, Ashley; twelve great grandchildren, Miranda Elizabeth Stockman, Amelia Florence Stockman, Jacob Pierce Stockman, Hunter Mason Davis, Ellen Marie Davis, Joshua Burrow Davis, Andrew Rauland Tonnell, Jonathan Stockman Tonnell, Megan Elizabeth Darby, Rachel Caroline Darby, Jo Beth Darby and Andrew Stockman Darby, Jr.
The Reverend James D. Dennis, Jr. and the Rev. Lewis Sherard will conduct a memorial service at Main Street United Methodist Church at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday. The family will receive friends in the fellowship hall immediately following the service. A private family burial will be held in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Honorary escort will be members of the Keowee Study Club and the members of Main Street United Methodist Church UMW, along with Carl Seigler, Anne Wright, Linda Willing, John Willing, Margaret Tinsley, Gee Poe, Louise Arnold, Mrs. Cass Booker, Mrs. Margaret Birch, Mrs. Argyle Carson, Mrs. Winnie Gray, Mrs. Becky Melton, Mrs. Becky Nicholson, Mrs. Betty Turner, Mrs. Mary Turner, William Coursey, Barbara White, Gerald Rauton and Elizabeth Byrd. The family requests that flowers be omitted and memorials may be made to Main Street United Methodist Church, 211 N. Main Street, Greenwood, SC 29646, Wesley Commons, 1110 Marshall Road, Greenwood, SC 29649, or to HospiceCare of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Ave, Greenwood, SC 29646 or to the charity of one’s choice.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com
PAID OBITUARY

Ruby White

ABBEVILLE — Ruby Hall White, 82, of Abbeville Nursing Home, formerly of 103 Brooks St., widow of Shirley B. White, died Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2005 at Abbeville County Memorial Hospital.
Born in Abbeville County, she was a daughter of the late Grady and Rosella Poole Hall. She was a retired cloth room employee with Abbeville Mills and a member of Southside Baptist Church.
Survivors include a son, Mike White of Greenwood; a daughter, Jean Smith of Anderson; two sisters, Blanche Campbell of Lowndesville and Becky “Beck” Hall of Abbeville; four grandchildren.
Graveside services are 2 p.m. today at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, conducted by the Rev. Earl Hartley.
Visitation is 12:30-1:30 today at Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home.
The family is at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Hall, 106 Manning Road in Avondale, Greenwood.
Memorials may be made to Southside Baptist Church, 505 W. Greenwood St., Abbeville, SC 29620.
The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home is in charge.

Bearcats tie Lakers

Ibbetson’s goal keeps LU tied for second in PBC

October 19, 2005

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

At least it’s better than a loss.
For the second straight game the Lander University men’s soccer team finished a game in a 1-1 tie after double overtime. Last week it happened against USC Upstate, and it occurred again Tuesday in a Peach Belt Conference game against Clayton State at Lander.
The Bearcats (8-2-3 overall, 2-0-2 PBC) co-uld have seized sole possession of first place in the PBC with a win. Instead, the Lakers (8-3-4, 3-0-1) remain in the lead with the Bearcats tied for second with USC Upstate.
The match was evenly played and highly defensive, with both teams getting their goals midway through the first half. Lander was first to light up the scoreboard.
The Bearcats pushed the ball into Clayton State territory and looked to set up near the net. Luke Ibbettson, who is leading the conference in scoring, found himself in possession of the ball directly in front of the net.
He leaned to his right and angled a shot into the back of the net, sending a good size contingent of Lander fans into a frenzy along the left sideline and putting the Bearcats up 1-0 with 26:16 remaining in the first half.
It took Clayton State 48 seconds to respond.
The Lakers quickly took possession of the ball and maneuvered it deep into Lander territory, utilizing, as they did throughout the game, massive forwards Tonny Madegwa and Kevin Crooks to physically insinuate themselves upon the Lander defense. Lander keeper Garrett Daum collided with Lakers’ Alex Dowling, resulting in a penalty kick for Dowling.
Daum prepared for the kick, leaning and trying to keep Dowling guessing as to which way he would dive for the save. As Dowling approached the ball, Daum guessed to the right, and that’s where Dowling attempted his kick.
However, the ball sailed over the diving Daum, ripping into the top of the net to tie the game at 1-1 with 25:29 remaining in the half.
“Another tough penalty kick,” lamented Daum, who relinquished only a penalty kick goal in the USC Upstate as well. “That’s just the way it happens sometimes.”
As the second half began, it was apparent that the Lakers were approaching the contest with a renewed vigor. They attacked Lander offensively as the Bearcats began to lay back in order to protect its goal defensively.
Lander had one particularly tantalizing opportunity in the second half. The Bearcats ran out on a breakaway with 27:10 remaining in regulation and enjoyed a numbers advantage at quarter pitch. However, Lander forward Chiddy Mgbor launched a wild, high velocity kick that sailed well out of bounds.
Lander suffered a close call with 17:27 left in regulation, as Crooks seemed to score a goal that would have put Clayton State up 2-1. However, the referees ruled that Daum had been interfered with on the play and the tie was preserved, sending the game into overtime.
Daum came up huge in the two overtimes for the Bearcats, making several key saves, including a diving stop on a whistling strike from Madegwa.
“This was a fun game,” said Daum, who had seven saves in the game.. “I hate that it ended with a tie, but we’ll get another chance against (UNC) Pembroke on Saturday.”

LU women battle Clayton St. to draw

October 19, 2005

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

The women’s soccer teams from Lander University and Clayton State must have gotten ideas from the men’s game between the schools.
The game between the Lady Bearcats (5-7-2 overall, 2-1-2 conference) and Lady Lakers (9-2-1, 4-1-1), just like the men’s game that preceded it, ended in a tie. The two teams battled into double overtime before leaving the field with a scoreless draw Tuesday night at Lander.
The game was a defensive struggle from the very beginning with the two squads treading water near midfield for most of the first half. There were very few shots put on goal in the half, and the ones that were were gobbled up by the goal-keepers.
Lander keeper Rachel Hine had three saves in the opening 45 minutes, while Clayton State netminder Judith Chime tallied two.
The pace picked up in the second half. Clayton State encountered its best chance to score with 37 minutes remaining in regulation. Lady Lakers mid-fielder Antoinette Anouga slashed in from the left side of the pitch on a corner kick and attempted a header. The ball ricocheted off Anouga and toward the corner of the net, but was saved by Hine at the last possible moment, preserving the tie.
Less than two minutes later, Lander failed to seize its best opportunity for a goal.
Lady Bearcats’ mid-fielder Ali Linneman dribbled in toward the left goalpost and hooked a left-footed worm-burner which narrowly skated past the goal as the crowd in attendance let out a gasp.
Neither team had particularly great opportunities to score in either of the two overtimes, but both keepers recorded a few more saves. Hine had seven saves, while Chime had eight.
The Lady Bearcats will play Saturday at UNC Pembroke.

Later school start shows test scores can improve

October 19, 2005

Early starting dates for schools in South Carolina have generated a controversy that’s not likely to subside any time soon. It’s not only in Greenwood County, either. It’s all over the state, from the mountains to the sea. In fact, there is a statewide effort to change starting dates from the blistering days of early August to after Labor Day.
It’s not a one-sided issue, to be sure. Many parents, and others, are in favor of early starts. They have made their case, but so have those who believe the early starts are counter-productive.

A NUMBER OF FACTORS have been cited supporting both sides of the matter. One, though, adds credence to those who support later starts. It’s testing and the relative scores of Greenwood School District 50 and those in a couple of other school districts in the state.
A comparison was made on PACT, SAT AND AP scores in District 50 with scores of students in districts in Greenville and Horry Counties. It was done by a longtime education official in Greenwood, and the results were enlightening. Both districts that started school at the end of August had scores on virtually every subject tested considerably higher than District 50, which opens schools in early August. As District trustees consider public input on starting dates, that should be included in those considerations.

IT STANDS TO REASON, then, that the insistence by early starters that they get better results just doesn’t support that argument. At the very least, the relative scores don’t provide a clear correlation between early start dates and academic performance. They do, however, indicate later starts certainly have the advantage.
Maybe it will take a comprehensive analysis to determine whether early or later starts produce the best results. With all the attention given education these days, the amount of money spent, and the low education rankings South Carolina has when compared to other states, it would be imprudent not to look at every possibility ….. particularly when there is so much disagreement on education in general.