Newspapers in Education

Program gives students in area a ‘living textbook’

September 14, 2005

By JACKIE R. BROACH
Index-Journal staff writer

Most people don’t realize what a conglomeration of information is contained in the black and white of a newspaper’s pages, but that’s not the case in area schools.
The Index-Journal and local teachers are working together to make sure students understand the many uses and learning opportunities offered in newspapers.
After about four years in the works, The Index-Journal officially has launched its Newspapers in Education (NIE) program, which provides free Index-Journal subscriptions to schools to be used as learning materials.
The program is funded by the News Link Foundation, a non-profit group founded to support educational journalism endeavors in conjunction with The Index-Journal.
The Foundation receives funds from corporate sponsors, including PARADE magazine, as well as from individual donations.
Many of those donations are “vacation donations,” money given when Index-Journal subscribers go on vacation, putting their subscriptions on hold until they return and donating the subscription cost for that period to NIE or other programs supported by the foundation.
“I don’t think we ever receive less than $100 a month in vacation donations,” said Mundy Price, NIE coordinator at The Index-Journal. “When you think about the small cost of a newspaper for such a short period, that’s a lot of people donating.”
This school year is the first that NIE subscriptions have been offered. Subscriptions are limited, but Price said the ultimate goal for NIE is to be able to put a newspaper in the hands of every student in the area and have them take it home to promote learning and literacy in their homes.
Currently, 18 public and private schools from the elementary through the college level are receiving a total of about 1,600 newspapers to be used in the classroom. In addition, newspapers are being provided to the Greenwood Literacy Council for use in an ESL (English as a second language) course for adults.
NIE uses newspapers as “living textbooks.” That term is used, Price said, because the contents are updated daily, printing history as it happens.
“You can find important events in a newspaper that probably wouldn’t make it into a history book for at least three or four years,” Price said.
In The Index-Journal’s coverage area alone, NIE is being used in every subject in every grade level, say teachers.
At Brewer Middle School, The Index-Journal is being used to teach ESL, language arts, resource classes, science, health, social studies and art.
“A newspaper covers just about every content level you could possibly need,” said Literacy Coach Pam Fagan, who coordinated getting NIE subscriptions for about 10 teachers at Brewer. “You have discoveries and studies for science, current events for social studies, and we have an art teacher who uses it to teach about graphic design and photography.”
Fagan said Brewer has a waiting list of teachers wanting to participate in NIE. She estimates that the program is already affecting about 200-300 students.
“They seem to be more receptive to learning when it’s not coming out of a textbook,” Fagan said of Brewer’s students. “I think it’s more current and more interesting to them when it comes from another source.”
Nancy Poston said she has seen similar results at Hodges Elementary. She uses the program with a fourth-grade class and said students seem to better comprehend topics when they can compare them to events unfolding around them, such as those reported in their local newspaper.
“I think it sticks with them better that way, because it’s not just dry,” Poston said. “Seeing that connection brings it to life for them.”
The first lesson Poston gave children was in how to use a newspaper. She said some of the students had never even held a newspaper. Now that they are familiar with what a newspaper is and how to navigate through a newspaper, they use it to learn new vocabulary words (last week they learned “entrepreneur”), to debate on topics such as rising gas prices, and to study the way the world around them works.
“They really seem to be getting into it,” Poston said. “Last week I found them stretched out with their feet up, reading their newspapers like they’ve probably seen their mammas and daddies do at home.
“It’s an especially good teaching tool,” she added, “because you can make assignments to individual children based on their individual levels.”
In addition to receiving a free subscription, teachers participating in NIE also receive supplemental materials to help them create lesson plans involving newspapers.
NIE is an international collaboration among schools, newspapers and sponsors to encourage literacy and learning through reading the newspaper. To make a donation to the News Link Foundation, call The Index-Journal, 223-1411.

Wildcats get resurrected

Greenwood’s semipro football team has first game Saturday

September 14, 2005

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

The Greenwood Wildcats semipro football team will have a 2005 season after all.
Even though they were locked out of practice Tuesday.
Wildcats owner John Morrow has turned over the operational aspects of the Wildcats, who play in the North and South Carolina Football League, to Spartanburg’s Dylan Bell.
Bell has accumulated a roster of fifteen players, and the team has been practicing together since Sept. 7.
However, the team found it difficult to practice at the old Brewer Middle School field on Tuesday because there was a lock and chain on the gate.
Bell sent team members to find a key, but the search proved fruitless.
The team will play its first game Saturday when the Wildcats take on the Asheville Bears at 4:30 p.m. at Brewer. Admission will be $6.
“A lot of the other teams in the league are coming to the end of their schedule,” Bell said.
“But a lot of them want to keep playing. So we’ll have a barn-storming type of thing where we’ll meet up with eight different teams over the next couple months.”
Bell, who has coached other semipro teams, became interested in the Wildcats after a seeing the team practice.
“John Morrow came to me about four weeks ago and said he had been experiencing problems getting the Wildcats going,” said Bell, who is also the coach of Spartanburg’s Carolina Rams, a team that plays in the semipro United South Carolina Christian Football League. “After he told me a bunch of times, I decided to give it a look.”
“When I saw the 15 guys he had out here, I saw potential. So I took him up on his offer to become the head coach and general manager.”
Bell said his philosophy, as far as game planning goes, is simple: Run, run, run. Bell said the Wildcats would run the ball 85 percent of the time, using that strategy to set up the play action pass.
Bell also divulged he has a large array of trick plays in his coffers, which he plans to unleash at the most opportune times. Wildcats fullback Kreo Agnew acknowledged Bell’s bevy of tomfoolery. “Oh yeah, he’s got a lot of trick plays,” Agnew said. “Lots of misdirections and that kind of stuff. We’ll be fun to watch.”
Bell said he intends to make sure his team is a good example to the community. As such, he has a rule that states all members of the team must have a job. Bell said he wants his players to understand they need to take care of their home life before they worry about football. Bell said all members of the team are currently employed or are about to begin work.
Bell said one thing that made the job attractive to him was the opportunity to provide the Greenwood community with an affordable form of entertainment.
“We’re not going to be some boring running team,” said Bell, who played semi-pro football for the Charlotte Storm of the Carolina Football League from 1992-96. “We’re going to be a team that excites this town. Some people may not be able to afford to go see the Panthers or South Carolina or Clemson, but they can come out in their own community and see some good football.”
For the players, some of which were present for the Wildcats’ well documented failed attempts to get the season started in late July and early August, the opportunity to finally get started is more than welcome.
“Jonathan Harrison, who was out here with Morrow, told me about the new coach,” Greenwood defensive end Corey Coleman said. “I thought it was a good idea. I’m going to Piedmont Tech right now. I’ve still got dreams of playing in college. So playing here with these guys is a place to start.”
Desmond Martin, of Abbeville, said he has been pleased with Bell’s coaching.
“I like his attitude,” Martin said. “He is aggressive and he loves the game. I’m glad he picked the team up.”
Unfortunately, the team was still locked out of the field at the end of Tuesday’s scheduled practice, a fact that didn’t sit well with Martin.
“It really makes me angry,” Martin said. “We show up to exercise and there’s some lock on the gate. It’s just strange, man. I hope we’ll be able to get ready for Saturday.”

Opinion

There has been ample time to solve FEMA problems

September 14, 2005

South Carolinians remember Hugo. So do many North Carolinians and others along the eastern seaboard. They have a good reason to remember, too. Hugo – Hurricane Hugo – left destruction and suffering in its wake as it hit the Lowcountry with tremendous force. It then took a slant inward, ripping through Columbia, and headed on up into Charlotte to do more damage along the way.
The damage to South Carolina is not unlike that seen after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. Beyond that, the two areas have one other big thing in common: FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency).
There have been many complaints about the work of this federal agency since Katrina roared ashore and left three states reeling.

OF PARTICULAR CONCERN was the speed – or lack of speed – in the FEMA responses to the needs of victims. Already the head of FEMA has been relieved of his on-scene duties and has resigned.
There have been calls for everything from restructuring FEMA to doing away with it altogether. At the very least, critics says, the agency should be reformed ….. whatever that might be.
As might be expected, President Bush has been taken to task for any shortcomings of FEMA. After all, it’s “on his watch” and, therefore, he should be blamed, say the critics.
What does any of this have to do with Hurricane Hugo that hit in 1989? The relevancy is historical.
Following Hugo, FEMA, which hadn’t been heard from much before then, was targeted by complaints similar to those now heard in New Orleans and elsewhere. They have included charges that FEMA was too slow in responding and simply incompetent and/or inefficient. Sound familiar?

ONE OF THE PRIMARY critics of FEMA back then, and one who said that FEMA needed to be improved, was then-Senator Ernest Hollings, D-South Carolina. Hollings had much on which to base his criticism then.
If critics can be believed, and there’s no reason they shouldn’t, nothing much has changed with FEMA …... except for one very important thing. There has been more than ample time to make sure that what happened after Hugo would not happen again. Apparently, though, it has. With both Bushes having been in the White House during that time, and Bill Clinton there two full terms, neither Democrats nor Republicans in the White House and Congress have much room to talk.

Editorial expression in this feature represents our own views.
Opinions are limited to this page.

Obituaries

John Allen

DONALDS, SC — John Albert Allen, Sr., 58, husband of Jeanette Haynes Allen of 1104 Old Shoals Jct. Road, died Tuesday, Sept 13, 2005. He was born in Boston Mass., a son of the late John A.D. and Marjorie Miller Allen. Mr. Allen had been disabled since 1973 and he and his wife were Host Campers at Greenwood State Park. He was a member of Turkey Creek Baptist Church.
Surviving besides his wife of the home are: one son, John Allen, Jr., Columbia, two daughters, April Allen Evans and her husband Danny, Donalds and Amy Jean Allen of the home. Also one brother and one sister and four grand-children, Jessica Evans, Daniel Evans, Jacob Evans and John Allen III. He was pre-deceased by a brother.
A Memorial Service will be conducted at a later date.
The family is at the home and will receive friends at Parker-White Funeral Home, Wednesday, 7-9 PM.
PAID OBITUARY

James Brooks Jr.

ATLANTA — James Brooks Jr., 50, died Monday, Sept. 12, 2005.
Born in Greenwood, S.C., he was a son of the late James Butler Brooks and Willie Mae Dean Brooks. He graduated from Greenwood High School in 1973 and from Morris Brown College and A.U. Center in Atlanta. He was a former member of Damascus Baptist Church and attended Tabernacle Baptist Church in Greenwood. A former teacher at Oakland Elementary School, Greenwood, he was a former owner of Try Me Restaurant. He was a member of Hillside Chapel of Truth and the Handbells Choir at Friendship Baptist Church in College Park. He was employed at Ben Carson Middle School.
Survivors include a sister, Gloria Brooks Washington of Riverdale; two nieces reared in the home, Tonya Washington of College Park and Angelia Brooks of Greenwood; and a nephew reared in the home, Derek Washington of Jonesboro.
Murray Brothers Cascade Chapel is in charge.
Announcement courtesy of Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home, Greenwood.

Aileen Johnson

NINETY SIX — Aileen B. Johnson, 83, of 301 Petit Drive, widow of William Lukus Johnson, died Sunday, September 11, 2005 at Hospice House.
Born in Anderson, she was a daughter of the late William Lloyd Browning and Inez Stewart Spence. She retired from Greenwood Mills, Plant #5, was employed by Nantex for 17 years and was a patient sitter for Mrs. Katherine Sorrow. She was a member of Augusta Highway Baptist Church for 34 years, where she was a member of the Senior Ladies Sunday School Class and was a former Sunday School teacher.
She was twice married, first to the late Paul Hampton Timms and was preceded in death by two of the Timms children, Gene Paul Timms and Ellen Inez Timms and also by her half sister, Katherine Spence Reynolds.
Surviving are two Timms children, Roger Dale Timms of Hodges and Norma Anita Belliveau of Greenwood; three Johnson children, William Henry Johnson and Danny Lukus Johnson, both of Greenwood and Mrs. Randy (Helen) Calvert of Ninety Six; a half sister, Bessie Ruth Cox of Whitmire; a brother, the Rev. Lloyd Browning of Ninety Six; 15 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; and close friends, Billie Diane Moss, Norma Rice and Frances Edwards.
Services will be at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Augusta Highway Baptist Church with the Rev. Craig Hughes, the Rev. Charles Caldwell and the Rev. Chris Harrison officiating. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Gerald Martin, Johnny Rodgers, Venoy Chrisley, Teddy Jordan, Jimmy Parsons and Russell Brewer.
Honorary escort will be the members of the Ladies Auxiliary and the Senior Ladies Sunday School Class of Augusta Highway Baptist Church.
The family is at the home of her daughter, Helen Calvert, 108 Millionaire Road, Ninety Six.
Memorials may be made to Hospice House, c/o HospiceCare of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Avenue, Greenwood, SC 29646.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com
PAID OBITUARY

Ardell Sample

SALUDA, SC — Ardell Elsie Grant Sample, 95, died Wednesday, September 13, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Saluda County, and a daughter of the late William Hardy and Mamie Lucinda Mack Grant, she was the wife of the late John Sam Sample. Mrs. Sample was retired from Smith Five and Ten and was the oldest member of Shiloh United Methodist Church.
Surviving are two sons and daughters-in-law, John William and Mae Sample of Newberry and James Edward and Georgia Sample of Saluda, two grandchildren, Wesley Sample and Mrs. Wendell (Robin) Adams both of Saluda, a great-grandchild, Eve Sample, a great-great grandchild, Damien Rose, nine step-grandchildren, John Leopard, Mrs. Cathy Kirkland, Steve and Alan Bennett all of Greenwood, Russell Bennett of McCormick, Lisa H. Willard, Steven E. Hamilton, Clint Hamilton and Kenneth Ray Hamilton all of Newberry, twenty-six step-great-grandchildren, twenty-two step-great-great grandchildren and a sister, Brunell Grant Berry of Saluda.
Eight brothers and sisters preceded her in death.
Family will receive friends from 6 until 8PM, Wednesday evening at Ramey Funeral Home and at other times will be at the home of Eddie and Georgia Sample, 404 Brushy Fork Rd.
Funeral service will be 11AM, Thursday, September 15, 2005 at Shiloh United Methodist Church with the Rev. Lee Cothran and Rev. Mack Gilliam officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Saluda Nursing Center, P.O. Box 398, Saluda, SC 29138.
PAID OBITUARY

John Henry Smith

John Henry “Buddy” Smith, 79, of 422 New Market St., widower of Thelma Burton Smith, died Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center after an extended illness.
Born in Greenwood, he was a son of the late Walter and Mamie Dean Smith. He was a member of Springfield Baptist Church, Laurens Highway, and a retired electrician.
Survivors include two sons, Stanley Edward Smith of the home and Wilbur Parks of Virginia; three sisters, Emma L. Butler, Allean S. Martin and Shirley S. Settles, all of Greenwood; and a brother, Allen Smith of Columbia.
The family is at the home and at the home of a sister Allean S. Martin, 102 Richard St.
Services will be announced by Parks Funeral Home.