Pinecrest students get lesson
in real-world voting for officers

September 28, 2005

By JACKIE R. BROACH
Index-Journal senior staff writer

Pinecrest Elementary School students got a good civics lesson Tuesday — and they had fun doing it.
Excitement abounded at the school as students prepared to cast their ballots for student body elections, but it wasn’t just the race itself that had them talking a mile a minute.
Students in grades 3-5 were being allowed to cast their ballots on the county’s electronic voting machines, used in government elections. Most said it was a treat.
“They all seem to be having a great time with this,” Principal Pearly Milton said.
She said she thought that being able to vote on the machines made the children feel grown up and, she hopes, would make them more likely to vote as adults.
Third-grader Ryan Parham said he wasn’t sure if he would vote when he got old enough, but he enjoyed voting on the machine at school.
“It’s high-tech,” he exclaimed as he walked away from the machine. He also said that using the machine had been easier than he had expected.
Amara Moss, also a third-grader, said she had cast her ballot in a matter of “a few seconds.”
“It seems to have been very easy for all of them,” said Connie Moody, director of voter registration and elections with the Greenwood Election Commission. She offered brief tutorials to students as they came up to vote.
“Hopefully, this will be an inspiration to some of our voters who are intimidated by the equipment,” Moody said.
She said she was surprised that almost all the students seemed to know exactly whom they wanted to vote for when they got to the machine.
Students running for office spent this past week campaigning by making posters. Some handed out stickers and pencils as they asked for votes from their classmates, Milton said.
While students in grades 3-5 voted with the machines, students in grades K-2 used picture ballots, circling their choices to avoid confusion.

Staying spotless in region

Ninety Six volleyball tops Emerald to end 1st round of III-AA play 5-0

September 28, 2005

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports writer

The Ninety Six High School volleyball team once again shrugged off its youthful exterior to complete the sweep of Region III-AA opponents in the first round of region play.
The Lady Wildcats knocked off Emerald in three games Tuesday night at Emerald to go a perfect 5-0 in region play, 11-1 overall.
The defending Region III-AA champions, which have only three seniors on the roster, won by game scores of 25-15, 25-8, 25-21.
“If you would have seen this group in August, you would have said that this was going to be the year someone would knock us off the top, but these girls have grown and come together nicely,” Ninety Six coach Beth Miller said. “We’re an extremely young team, but I’m really pleased with what they’ve done. They come to practice and work hard. They want to be a really good volleyball team.”
But the Lady Wildcats know the 5-0 start won’t win them a second straight Region III-AA title.
“I think the most important thing is for us not to get complacent,” senior setter Morgan Layne said. “We’ve beat every team in the region, but we still have to come out and do it again.”
Complacent wasn’t the way the Ninety Six opened the match with the Lady Vikings (6-5, 2-3), but sluggish would be a better description.
And Emerald took advantage.
After trailing 3-1, the Lady Vikings rallied to take a 4-3 lead behind the serving of Kayla Kwist. Emerald eventually grabbed its largest lead of the match at 8-5 on an ace from Brittne Patterson. But a net interference gave the Lady Wildcats a point and the serve.
And Ninety Six’s Samantha Storey took over from there. Storey started serving with her team trailing 8-6. When she was done, the Lady Wildcats led 18-8, picking up two of her three aces during the rally.
Emerald rallied to draw to within five, at 18-13, but dropped the first game 25-15.
The Lady Wildcats wouldn’t let the score get away from them in the second game. With Emerald’s Brittany Connor serving to open the match, Ninety Six’s Kristen Smith blasted one of her game-high eight kills for the first point.
Layne took the serve from there and gave her team control, giving Ninety Six an 11-0 lead to start Game 2.
“It was real important for us to come out like that,” Layne said. “The 11 points, or even five or six points, the girls get excited about the lead. When we were up 11-1, I kept telling them to keep it under five. I wanted it under five points.”
Layne didn’t get her wish, but the Lady Vikings didn’t get much more, as Ninety Six took the game 25-8.
Game 3 started in similar fashion, with Layne rattling off eight straight service points.
“We have been spending a little more time lately on serving,” Miller said. “That’s one thing I’ve really been pleased with.”
The lead stretched to 17-7 before Miller began shuffling in reserves. Emerald took advantage, drawing closer with Shenna Clark at serve. When Ninety Six was called for a life, it brought the score to 18-15.
Emerald pulled to within three again, at 24-21, but an Emerald net serve gave the Lady Wildcats the straight-sets victory.
“They (Emerald) got some heat put on them in this one and they were shaken by it,” Lady Vikings coach Sondra Clendinin said. “They have to be more mentally ready for a game like this. That’s what beat us, our mental game.”

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Opinion

Too many exploit disaster while victims vulnerable

September 28, 2005

Demagogue: “A person, especially an orator or political leader, who gains power and popularity by arousing the emotions, passions and prejudices of the people ….. to treat or manipulate (a political issue) in the manner of a demagogue; obscure or distort with emotionalism, prejudice, etc.”
That’s how the dictionary describes a demagogue. Most South Carolinians don’t need a dictionary, though, to recognize demagoguery when they hear it ….. and they’ve heard a lot in recent days. Demagogues, without question, are not limited to one race, gender, religion, political persuasion, age or ethnicity. They come in all colors, shapes and sizes.

SINCE HURRICANES KATRINA and Rita devastated so much of America’s Deep South, we’ve been subjected to one demagogue after another. They have unashamedly exploited terrible disasters to spread their particular brand of divisiveness. In some cases, they’ve stooped to downright unmitigated fabrications to sow seeds of distrust. Their outrageous ranting and raving have been ridiculous and, in some cases, racist to the core.
They have fostered foolish and rabblerousing ideas among people who have been traumatized by the hurricanes. In their state of despair, those people can be vulnerable to self-promoting shysters who have pushed manufactured conspiracy theories designed to assassinate the character of individuals and indeed whole groups of people.

THOSE WILLING TO UNDERMINE the peace and order in general, on top of the widespread destruction caused by Katrina and Rita, should be seen as what they are: charlatans who seek gain at the expense of all else, especially suffering people who have lost everything.
Such exploitation is inexcusable at any time. In the wake of tragedy, though, they are worse.
They are not only divisive and do much to undermine the public order, they ought to be seen by most people as criminal acts that disturb the peace. They only add to the havoc of hurricanes that became a one-two punch at normalcy and well-being.
Right-thinking people will see these outrageous attempts to curry influence for what they are. It’s disturbing, though, to think of how many people get taken in by and believe those who take advantage of such terrible situations. The damage done to civil society is enormous.

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

Obituaries

Ralph Brewer

Ralph Leon Brewer, 75, of 3513 Callison Highway, formerly of Hampton, husband of Billie Davis Brewer, died Monday, Sept. 26, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Oconee County, he was a son of Vannie Irene Medlin Brewer and the late Wallace Duffie Brewer. He retired from Dupont, Savannah River Site, after 36 years and served in the S.C.
National Guard in Barnwell. He was a member and deacon of First Damascus Baptist Church of Greenwood, where he was a Clifford Barrett Sunday School Class member.
Survivors include his wife of the home; his mother of Seneca; three daughters, Teresa Hitt of Bradley, Marcia Balchin of Kirksey and Karen Hicks of Greenwood; a son, Gary Brewer of Blacksburg, Va.; two sisters, Wylene Thrasher of Seneca and Guynell Haley of Westminster; five brothers, James Brewer and Ansel Brewer, both of Greenwood, Charles Brewer of Six Mile, William Adger Brewer of Ocala, Fla., and Donald Brewer of Anderson; ten grandchildren; and a great-grandson.
Services are 3 p.m. Thursday at First Damascus Baptist Church, conducted by the Revs. Kevin Carter and Billy Reynolds. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers are Robert Hitt, Barry Hitt, Kevin Whatley, Arthur “Butch” Ebert, David Hitt and Jimmy Koon.
Honorary pallbearers are grandsons, Uwe Fund of Hampton and the men of the church. Visitation is 1-3 Thursday at the church.
Family members are at the homes of daughters Teresa Hitt, 312 County Line Road, Bradley and Marcia Balchin, 2410 Scotts Ferry Road, Ninety Six.
Memorials may be made to First Damascus Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, 635 Phoenix Road, Greenwood, SC 29646.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

Janet Jordan Hall

CALHOUN FALLS — Janet Jordan Hall, 81, widow of Marion Hall, died Monday, Sept. 26, 2005 at McCormick Health Care Center.
She was a member of Calhoun Falls Baptist Church and was the Calhoun Falls city clerk for 20 years.
Survivors include four children, Kathryn Manning and Marion T. Hall, both of Abbeville, Helen Anes of Michigan and Jeannette Campbell of Waterloo; a sister, Grace Tucker of Michigan; seven grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Services are 3 p.m. Thursday at Calhoun Falls Funeral Home, conducted by the Revs. Johnnie Waller and James Rodgers. Burial is in Latimer Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Eastern Star.
Calhoun Falls Funeral Home is in charge.

Paul Lyndon Hasting

Paul Lyndon Hasting, 49, died Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2005 at HospiceCare of the Piedmont.
Graveside services will be announced by Cremation Society of South Carolina, Greenville.

Bryon Veach

DUE WEST — Bryon Mitchell Veach, 20, of 4295 Highway 184, son of Tom and Lynn Veach, died Monday, Sept. 26, 2005.
Services will be announced by The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home, Abbeville.

Mary H. Whitaker

LAKE JUNALUSKA, NC — Mary Herlong Whitaker, age 83, of 254 Oxford Road, died on Sunday, September 25, 2005 at her residence.
She was born in Johnston, SC and was the daughter of the late Henry Hancock and Nettie Rankin Herlong. In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her first husband, Reverend Dr. John Madison Younginer, who died in 1972; and seven brothers, Homer, Thomas, William, Ben, Henry, Robert, and D.C. Herlong.
She is survived by her husband of 24 years, Reverend Dr. George W. Whitaker; her children, Judy Younginer Liner and her husband, Robert, of Columbia, SC, Jan C. Younginer, of Greenville, SC, Jane Younginer Prewett and her husband, Ernest, of Greenwood, SC, Joe R. Younginer and his wife, Carolyn, of Florence, SC, and Reverend Dr. John M. Younginer and his wife, Lal, of North Augusta, SC; one brother, Frank Herlong, of Johnston, SC; and 12 grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September, 2005 at First United Methodist Church of Waynesville with Reverend Dr. W. Lyn Sorrells officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the services at the church. The interment service will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday at Greenwood Memorial Gardens in Greenwood, SC with Reverend Dr. John M. Younginer officiating.
Memorials may be made to Inspiration Point at Lake Junaluska, c/o Lake Junaluska Developmental Office, P.O. Box 67, Lake Junaluska, NC 28745 or a charity of one’s choice.
Wells Funeral Homes & Cremation Services of Waynesville is in charge of arrangements. For those who desire, an on-line memorial register is available at “Obituaries” at “www.wellsfuneralhome.com”
PAID OBITUARY