Single-sex classes: Education’s future?

April 26, 2006

By JOANIE BAKER
Index-Journal staff writer

Students might do better academically and have fewer behavioral problems if they are separated into classes based on gender, research suggests.
At least that’s what some area schools might attempt to find out by testing that research in their classrooms.
Much like the uniform trend that quickly “collared and khakid” students into uniforms in school districts across the country, research is showing there is a benefit to subtracting the opposite-sex distraction from the classroom equation.
According to the National Association of Single-Sex Public Education (NASSPE), more than 200 public schools nationwide are experimenting with single-sex classes, citing the benefits students receive as learning differs between the sexes.
While Westview Middle School is the only school in Greenwood School District 50 to have experimented with the alternative, schools in other counties are looking to make the same change, while others, such as Gettys Middle School in Pickens County, already have.
Doug Limbaugh, principal at Gettys Middle, said that last year, eighth-graders at his school were separated by gender for math classes. This year, the seventh and eighth grades made the change.
He said one of the major differences he has noticed is that girls tend to answer and ask questions more readily than they do in a co-ed setting.
“They tend to like it. The students were overwhelmingly in favor,” Limbaugh said. “The girls particularly said it allows them to focus on the subject matter rather than impressing the boys in class.”
District 50 Superintendent Bill Steed said the program has been in place at Westview for about two years. Though some of the schools in the district have separated physical education and health classes, he said it is up to each school to choose whether to separate the students.
“I think it certainly has merit,” Steed said. “Sometimes the competition between young adolescents would warrant the reasons people look at it.”
Pat Ross, assistant superintendent of instruction for the district, said the program at Westview is done by grouping students in specific teams by gender and having them take their core classes together, while the rest of their classes are still co-ed.
Ross said the research for academic improvements can be sketchy because there are other variables to the gains, but the social assets are the most prevalent.
“I don’t know of anybody who has gone into it that has gone back or eliminated the program,” she said.
Some schools found the classes to be so successful in aiding girls with math and science and boys in literature and fine arts that the entire schools became single-sex. Dent Middle School in Columbia is one school that has received national attention for a “two academy” model. The two academies are magnet programs open to students in the district.
In South Carolina, there are 12 schools registered with NASSPE as having single-sex classes. Of those, five are in the Beaufort County School District, as others try the alternative in Anderson, Easley and Georgetown County.
Abbeville County School District Assistant Superintendent Kathy Stevenson said she does not anticipate the program being implemented in the district.
She said the single-sex program probably would be more successful in bigger districts, but because of smaller class sizes and teacher-student ratios in Abbeville, disciplinary reasons would not make the change necessary.
“We’ve seen an increase in student performance,” Stevenson said. “We wouldn’t want to make changes if things seemed to be progressing.”
But Marie Milam, coordinator of curriculum and instruction at Greenwood School District 51, said the research has created talk in Ware Shoals.
She said that, especially at the middle school level, it seems the separation would lessen distractions for students while providing them a better self-esteem environment. She said she wouldn’t be surprised to see it discussed more during the next two years.
“Personally, if my middle-schooler was in a single-gender class, I would love it,” Milam said.
Limbaugh said that if he had it to do again, he would definitely make the change. “I feel like it serves our students better,” he said, “and that’s what we’re all about. Anything appropriate that will help them do better, I’m in favor of doing it.”

Think you have good reasons
for not wearing your seat belt?

Highway patrolman refutes common excuses for not buckling up

April 26, 2006

By JOANIE BAKER
Index-Journal staff writer

Some people hide them behind their backs. Others only wear them around their waists, while still some choose not to wear them at all.
But it is against the law not to correctly wear a seat belt across the shoulders and hips, despite some people’s excuses for why they choose not to buckle up.
Lance Cpl. Steve Sluder, with the South Carolina Highway Patrol, said there shouldn’t be any excuses for not wearing a seat belt, especially after research has proven them to be effective.
“If you were going to an amusement park that had a roller coaster ride that did not have seat belts, most people wouldn’t ride it,” Sluder said. “But then they decide not to wear their seat belt in the car, and cars can be far more dangerous and unpredictable than any roller coaster.”
Sluder takes on some of the most common reasons people have cited for not wearing their seat belts. The Index-Journal played devil’s advocate for this interview.

I-J: Seat belts are uncomfortable.
Sluder: They shouldn’t be uncomfortable if you are wearing them correctly and have them adjusted properly. They may be a little uncomfortable, but it’s better than the alternative of hitting the windshield or the steering wheel.

I-J: Some people argue that they have heard of people living because they didn’t have on a seat belt and were able to be pushed to the other side of the car during a side impact.
Sluder: There are accidents that people survive when not wearing a seat belt, but you are four times as likely to be killed if you are not wearing one and are ejected from a car.

I-J: I’m afraid my seat belt will trap me in my car if it catches on fire in a wreck.
Sluder: If you are in a collision, that seat belt restrains you from being knocked unconscious. So, it improves your chances of escaping.

I-J: I wear my seat belts on long trips, but I don’t if I’m just driving around town.
Sluder: The majority of fatalities in South Carolina happen close to people’s homes. You should always wear your seat belt because you never know what another driver might do. You never know when you will be in a collision.

I-J: I know it’s the law, but I’m tired of the government encroaching on my rights. It should be a personal decision. It’s my life.
Sluder: It should be a personal decision — a common sense decision. Just put it on. The government shouldn’t have to tell you to. It’s been proven time and time again that seat belts save lives.

I-J: Seat belts make me look “uncool.”
Sluder: It’s a whole lot cooler wearing a seat belt than being seen with some of the physical injuries that result from accidents where the individual is not wearing their seat belt. I’ve seen teeth knocked out, tongues bitten in two and people who have been paralyzed.

I-J: I’m so short that seat belts hurt my neck.
Sluder: You can check with a local dealer about making the proper adjustments because seat belts should not be worn around the neck. You may have to sit on a pillow, but seat belts are made to go across the strongest part of the body. When you put it behind your back, you’re putting a lot of force across your waist.

I-J: Won’t my air bag keep me from hitting the windshield if I decide not to wear a seat belt?
Sluder: Air bags are made to work in conjunction with seat belts. Seat belts are designed to keep you in place so that you impact the bag properly. You could possibly get hurt worse if you hit it at the wrong angle. Head and neck injuries can be caused by the force of the air bag going in the opposite direction. The seat belt slows you down.

I-J: I don’t like seat belts, and, if I get caught not wearing one, I get caught. It’s not that big of a fine.
Sluder: The fine is not what we’re trying to get people to worry about. We want people to wear them because it saves their lives. Last year, out of the 1,090 people killed on the roadways, 80 percent were not wearing their seat belt.

I-J: Aren’t most wrecks side impacts? How will a seat belt help me if a car or truck hits me on the side?
Sluder: The seat belt will help you keep in position and will also help you from hitting other occupants in the car.

Eagles advance behind close win

April 26, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

Greenwood High School’s Wataru Yoshimura returns a shot in his No. 5 singles match during Tuesday’s first round Class AAAA playoff match against Mauldin at Gatewood Racquet Club.

The Greenwood High School boys tennis team advanced Tuesday to the second round of the Class AAAA state playoffs.
But it wasn’t easy.
The Eagles downed Mauldin, 4-3, in Tuesday’s first-round match at the Gatewood Racquet Club.
The Eagles, the No. 2 seed out of Region I-AAAA, will meet the winner of the Northwestern-White Knoll Thursday in the second round. A Greenwood matchup with Northwester would be on the road, while the White Knoll match would be in Greenwood.
Tuesday’s match was an evenly played affair, with many of the matches bearing critical consequences of the overall results.
“I’m proud of the way our kids played,” Greenwood coach Jim Still said. “This was a playoff match, and you could tell the guys responded well to the playoff atmosphere.”
Two of the most important matches occurred at Nos. 4 and 5 singles.
Greenwood’s No. 4 singles player Matt Moore fought off a sinus infection to best Mauldin’s Tyler Estes, 6-3, 7-5. Moore had missed a day-and-a-half of school leading up to the match. He used steady ground strokes and a solid first serve to outlast Estes.
“I felt a little sluggish out there,” Moore said. “But I fought through it. (Estes) played well, which made it tough.”
Still praised Moore for sticking it out through illness.
“Matt really helped us out today by coming out and playing like he did,” Still said. “We definitely needed him.”
In No. 5 singles, Eagles’ freshman Wataru Yoshimura downed D.J. Harris, 7-5, 6-4. At the time of the match, Greenwood was ahead in the overall match by a 3-2 margin. Team members and fans of each squad gathered at courtside to witness what was essentially the pivotal match.
Yoshimura showed tremendous resilience, going down 4-0 in the first set and 3-0 in the second only to charge back in to win both. Yoshimura’s win put the Eagles up 4-2, sealing the win.
The Eagles got another solid showing from Jordan Poznick. The Eagles’ No. 2 singles player defeated Mauldin’s Cole Waylett 6-1, 6-3. Poznick spent the match smoking inverted forehands and charging the net after most serves.
“The competition level went up today for the playoffs,” Poznick said. “The main thing for me today was my focus. I was focused all the way over here in the car, and when I got here I stayed on my feet and stayed ready.
“I really believe that helped me.”

Opinion

Changes in modern world leave many wondering why

April 26, 2006

We have conflict among us, here and any other place you look in this country. So, what else is new? Still, the variety of causes that lead to conflict never gets much attention. Consider, then, some of the things that leave a lot of people wondering.
Take, for example, one of the problems in this time of instant communications and living by the numbers: Identity theft. We should have known, really, that when we started issuing Social Security numbers, sooner or later somebody would find a way to exploit the system illegally. Who would have thought, though, even just a few short years ago, that we’d have thieves stealing who we are!
Somebody might have predicted such a predicament, maybe, but nobody did, it seems.

IDENTITY THEFT IS NOT THE only thing that has disturbed the status quo ... not to mention our very beliefs ... beliefs that have been at the core of our beings from childhood on. There are numerous things nowadays that assault our senses, things that were once unimaginable. They mess with our heads and challenge the values and morals that we’ve been taught all our lives,
How about abortion? Did anyone ever have any idea that one day we’d be debating whether it is right or wrong?
Sex? It hasn’t been all that long ago that no one even talked about it, let alone stir serious debates over sexual preferences. Heck, when someone was pregnant, women talked about it only in hushed tones and never said the word “pregnant.” It was always “PG,’ and not necessarily in capital letters.

SOME THINGS ARE STILL hard to believe for many “Old-timers.” Mercy killing - euthanasia - for example is even condoned in some states these days. Would that be a viable consideration back when? Not likely. People believed it was a physician’s obligation to save lives, not end them. Once upon a time everyone thought the Scopes “Monkey Trial” put to rest the debate over one debate. Nevertheless, here we are in 2006 arguing over which is right, “intelligent design” or evolution.
There are so many people questioning our national and personal convictions, these days, convictions that were instilled into our very being, at home, in school and at church. Can anyone really wonder why many of us get a little perturbed over changes in values and morality? They are what we are ... what we believe. They are our roots. They grow deep into the past. When anyone seeks to pull them up, it’s natural to be perturbed ... more than a little.
Why should anyone be surprised?

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

Obituaries

Nancy S. Fish

Nancy S. Fish, 76, widow of Lee W. Fish, died Tuesday, April 18, 2006 at her home on Grace Street.
Born in Utica, N.Y., she was a daughter of the late Angie M. and Lester W. Sheldon. She retired from nursing at St. Francis Hospital, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and was a member of First Baptist Church of Greenwood and the church choir.
Survivors include four daughters; Donna P. Jaecksch of Greenwood, Cynthia W. Holliday of Ohio, Leslie A. Monahan of Connecticut and Karen N. Holliday of Florida; eight grandchildren; five great-grandchildren.
A memorial service is 4 p.m. Saturday, May 20, at First Baptist Church of Greenwood, conducted by the Rev. Tony Hopkins.
Visitation is 3:30-4 May 20 at the church.
Memorials may be made to HospiceCare of the Piedmont Inc., 408 W. Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC, 29646.

Annie Williams Jefferson

ABBEVILLE — Services for Annie Williams Jefferson, formerly of 1784 Old Hodges Road, are 1 p.m. Thursday at Salem Baptist Church, with the Rev. Anthony Boozer officiating and the Rev. Tony Blackmon presiding. The body will be placed in the church at 12. Burial is in The Evening Star Cemetery, Greenwood.
Pallbearers are David Johnson, Allen Johnson, James Davis, James Henry Boozer, Roosevelt Boozer and James Butler.
Flower bearers are nieces and friends of the family.
Visitation is this evening at the home of a niece Shirley Crawford, 1874 Old Hodges Road.
Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc., Greenwood, is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@nctv.com

Mrs. Laura Seawright

GREENWOOD — Mrs. Annie Laura McAllister Seawright, 88 formerly of 319 Smith St. Extension, Ware Shoals, widow of Robert S. (Pete) Seawright, died Monday, April 24, 2006 at Wesley Commons.
Born in Abbeville County, she was a daughter of the late Monroe and Lula Grace Timms McAlister. She was a homemaker and member of Ware Shoals First Baptist Church, the TEL Sunday School Class and Baptist Women and former member of the American Legion Auxiliary.
Surviving are two sons; Robert E. (Bob) Seawright of Greenwood and Jack A. Seawright of Gainesville, Florida, one brother; Albert M. McAllister of Greenwood, two sisters; Ruby M. Sweat and Jeanette Frances McAllister both of Ware Shoals, three grand-children; David A. Seawright, Amy S. Hartman and Erica S. Duncan, six great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by three brothers; Ralph McAllister, Leonard McAllister and Jimmy McAllister and three sisters; Edna Louise McAllister, Allie Mae McAllister and Lois McAllister Sharpe.
Funeral services will be 2 P.M. Thursday at Ware Shoals First Baptist Church with Rev. Leon Jones officiating. Burial will follow in Greenwood Memorial Gardens. Active pallbearers will be: David Seawright, Grant Duncan, Pete Luker, Tim Hartman, Ronnie McAllister, Bruce Seawright, Bennett Medlin and John Medlin. Honorary pallbearers will be the TEL Sunday School Class.
The family will receive friends 7-9 P.M. Wednesday at Parker-White Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Ware Shoals First Baptist Church, PO Box 449, Ware Shoals, SC 29692. The family is at their respective homes.
PAID OBITUARY

Jim Simpson

ABBEVILLE — James Monroe “Jim” Simpson Jr., 77, of 27 Watts Road, husband of Betty Davis Buffington Simpson, died Monday, April 24, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center, Greenwood.
Born in McCormick, he was a son of the late James Monroe Sr. and Anna Goff Simpson. He was an Air Force veteran, a retired textile supervisor with Bloomsburg Mills and American Security and a member of Southside Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife of the home, a daughter, Regina S. Young of Lexington; three sons, Kevin W. Simpson and Richard B. Simpson, both of Abbeville, James M. Simpson III of Fredericksburg, Va.; three sisters, Thelma S. Young and Bobbie S. Proctor of Greenwood and Doris S. Smith of Abbeville; a brother, Richard A. Simpson of Abbeville; a stepson, David Buffington of Abbeville; a stepdaughter, Nancy B. Anderson; 11 grandchildren.
Services are 11 a.m. Thursday at Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Earl Hartley. Burial is in Forest Lawn Memory Gardens.
Visitation is 6-7:30 tonight at the funeral home.
The family is at the home of a son Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Simpson, 649 Old Calhoun Falls Road.
Memorials may be made to Southside Baptist Church,505 W. Greenwood St., Abbeville, SC 29620 or Hospice of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646.
The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home is in charge.

Arthur Dell Sweat

SALUDA, SC — Arthur Dell Crouch Sweat, 78, of 409 N. Jefferson St., died Monday, April 24, 2006 at her residence.
Born in Saluda County and a daughter of the late Otis Odell Crouch and the late Naomi Youngblood Crouch Long, she was the wife of the late Marvin Lewis Sweat, Sr. Mrs. Sweat was a homemaker and retired from Monsanto and later retired from Sweats Grocery. She was a member of Good Hope Baptist Church and also attended Emmanuel Church. Mrs. Sweat was a loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother and she enjoyed gospel music and flowers.
Surviving are three sons and daughters-in-law, Marvin “Buck” and Darlene Sweat, Jr., Arthur and Bobbie Sweat and Marvin O. and Vickie Sweat all of Saluda, four daughters and sons-in-law, Patricia and Leonard Smith of Ninety Six, Barbara Jean Goodman, Naomi and William Goodman and Crystal Edwards all of Saluda, four sisters, Brunell C. Wightman of Greenwood, Ann C. Smith of Thomaston, GA, Harriett L. Killian of Goose Creek and Ora C. Corley of Saluda, a brother, Robert “Bobby” Crouch of Leesville, twenty-one grandchildren and forty-six great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be 11AM, Thursday, April 27, 2006 at Ramey Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Steve Justice, Rev. Burton Campbell and Rev. Billy Gillian officiating. Interment will follow in Travis Park Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6:30 until 8:00 PM, Wednesday evening at Ramey Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to Hospice Care of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander St., Greenwood, SC 29646, Good Hope Baptist Church Building Fund, 1738 Greenwood Hwy., Saluda, SC 29138 or to Emmanuel Church, 793 Columbia Hwy. Saluda, SC 29138.
PAID OBITUARY

Katherine E. Williams

Katherine E. Williams, 41, of 3401 Callison Highway, wife of Jessie Williams, died Monday, April 24, 2006 at her home.
Born in South Carolina, she was a daughter of the late Hartwell D. Cromer and Rebecca Ann Cockrell. She was a graduate of Joanna High School and a member of Saluda First Pentecostal Holiness Church, where she taught Sunday School.
Survivors include her husband of the home; her grandmother, Mammie Elizabeth Brannon of Ninety Six; her stepfather, Tom D. Cockrell of Greenwood; a godson reared in the home, Jacob Hatley of Laurens; a goddaughter reared in the home, Brittany Simpson; three sisters, Haley Ann Griffin and Lynn K. Williams, both of Laurens and Deborah Joy Johnson of York; two brothers, Michael Cockrell and Johnny Cockrell, both of Mountville.
Services are 3 p.m. Thursday at Harley Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Larry Smith. Burial is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers are Tommy Williams, Roger Griffin, Jimmy Steadman, James Huss, Steven McDaniel, Curtis Cunningham and Keenan Williams.
Visitation is 7-9 tonight at the funeral home.
The family is at the home of her father-in-law, Melvin Williams, 511 Bolt St.
Harley Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com