‘Keeping it real’ in McCormick

Comedy show makes character part of school’s curriculum

January 18, 2006

By JACKIE R. BROACH
Index-Journal staff writer

A McCormick Elementary School student crosses her fingers Tuesday while she waits for the outcome of a contest. During Scott Humston’s Pro Kids Show, Humston called a contest between teachers. The winning teacher received a balloon elephant for her class.

McCORMICK — Mixed with some magic tricks and a good dose of humor, McCormick Elementary School students learned a valuable lesson in character Tuesday.
Students got a break from math, reading and science lessons to enjoy Scott Humston’s Pro Kids Show, a nationally acclaimed program to teach students about courtesy, respect, self-worth, cooperation, responsibility and being themselves. Those lessons were taught through a combination of music, comedy, magic and story telling, so that students not only learned from the program, but also had a good time.
Students in kindergarten through fifth grade laughed until they were red in the face as Humston imitated a superhero, attempted to dance and ran through a comedy routine filled with slapstick and one-liners.
They crossed their fingers and pleaded with their teachers when he began a contest to give a balloon elephant to the first teacher who could come up with the magic words — “please” and “thank you.”
And, most importantly, they screamed out the answers when he asked them to repeat lessons they had learned during the program, lessons such as working together and “keeping it real.”
“Being real is being who you are all the time,” Humston told the students. He used a skit featuring a super hero, Super-U, to show kids the consequences of pretending to be something they aren’t and told kids to be themselves and make good choices every day if they want to be “super.”
Humston told students that they all have the potential to be something special. “Even people who are big and important started out small but important,” he said.
Humston performed his show in more than 100 elementary schools in 2005, talking about the importance of good character and sharing his own personal success story. He overcame a speech-related birth defect to become a full-time speaker and performer. He said he has devoted his life to teaching through entertainment.
Humston has performed at schools, churches and corporations across the nation and has given shows for the White House on three occasions. He is accompanied on his travels by wife Debi and daughters Hannah and Abby.
Tuesday was Humston’s first visit to McCormick Elementary, and his performance and his message were everything the school’s faculty had hoped for, said Jennifer Jennings, school guidance counselor.
For information about The Pro Kids Show, visit www.schoolshow.com on the Internet.

Vikes rout Rebels

January 18, 2006

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports writer

After a while, the game became the sideshow.
Midway through the third quarter of Emerald’s 60-29 blowout victory over Mid-Carolina Tuesday night, the fans began focusing on a more evenly fought matchup — the two programs’ cheerleaders.
The two cheerleading squads went back-and-forth to the delight of the animated Vikings-gymnasium crowd, especially the Emerald student section.
There was no reason to focus completely on the game.
Not after the Vikings (12-5 overall, 2-1 Region III-AA) outscored the Rebels (1-12, 0-3) 13-2 in the second quarter.
It was an eight-minute stretch where Mid-Carolina failed to convert a field goal.
Making things worse for the Rebels was the fact that they made only five field goals during the 16-minute second half, while nine Vikings combined for 34 points in the final two quarters.
Adding to the craziness of the game, 6-foot-10 sophomore backup center Jeremy Eidson banked home a 3-pointer from the left wing with 15 seconds remaining for the game’s final score.
“We wanted to make sure we got everybody a good bit of playing time because we’ve had a lot of close games in a row and some have only had a few minutes of playing time,” Emerald coach Robin Scott said.
“We wanted to make sure we got everybody back in game speed.
“They were only getting one shot in the second quarter. We kept them off the boards and they didn’t do much shooting inside the lane against our man-to-man.”
The senior starting guard duo of Peferio Strong and Matt Herring added 10 points apiece to lead Emerald, while senior forward Will Taylor came off the bench to provide nine points and nine rebounds.
Senior starters Demarco Anderson and Dan Wideman each pitched in seven points for the Vikings, who travel Friday to Saluda.
It was Emerald’s first game in Vikings gymnasium in 41 days when they won a close one against Abbeville back on Dec. 6. “You’ve got to love it when they (Emerald students) fill up the stage and get hollering,” Scott said. “It makes a difference for our team, especially in the second half when we’re coming their way.”
The Vikings were slow coming out the gate. Mid-Carolina’s Robert Lake knocked down a 15-foot baseline jumper with 55 seconds left in the first to tie the game at 11. However, the Rebels would go more than nine minutes without sinking their next field goal.
Herring responded with a driving layup, going one on four for the go-ahead bucket to make it 13-11 after the first quarter. It kickstarted a 10-0 run and the Vikings never looked back.
Wideman’s layin off a behind-the-back pass from Strong gave Emerald a 28-13 lead. The team went up 40-20 in the third when 6-4 center Tavares Gilliam drilled a 3-pointer from the right corner.

Eagles vanquish T.L. Hanna

January 18, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

Though it was wet and rainy outside, the Greenwood High School boys basketball team’s victory over T.L. Hanna was fairly cut and dry.
The Eagles downed the Yellow Jackets, 60-51, Tuesday night at Greenwood. With the win, Greenwood moves to 9-7 overall and 2-1 in Region I-AAAA play.
Though they were down 24-23 at halftime, the Eagles grabbed the 27-24 lead less than a minute into the third quarter and never relinquished it. Using steady man-to-man defense, mixed in with the occasional half court trap, Greenwood stymied the perimeter-oriented Yellow Jackets’ attack just enough to roll on to the win.
“Anytime you get a region win, it’s great,” Greenwood coach Hob Chandler said. “I thought we played well in the second half, especially defensively. We switched A.J. Lomax and put him on (T.L. Hanna point guard D.J.) Mattison, in the second, and he did great.”
Greenwood was without the services of small forward Armanti Edwards for most of the second half. Edwards sprained his right ankle at the beginning of the third quarter.
“Armanti will be day-to-day right now,” Chandler said. “But I’m expecting him to play Friday.”
Greenwood point guard Andre Day led all scorers with 21 points, while Lomax added 12. Mattison led the Yellow Jackets with 14 points.
The Eagles jumped ahead in the first quarter, in large part because of the play of Lomax.
The lanky shooting guard opened the game with a long 3-pointer from the right corner.
Midway through the first quarter, Lomax hit consecutive running jumpers, the second of which was a twisting effort just beyond the reach of T.L. Hanna center John Gray. The Eagles were up 19-11 heading into the second quarter.
The Yellow Jackets vanquished the Eagles lead before halftime.
T.L. Hanna cranked up its defensive effort in the second quarter, holding Greenwood to only four points over the 8:00 period. The Yellow Jackets effort was bolstered during the quarter by back-to-back 3-pointers by Mattison and Chris Rounder. T.L. Hanna held a 24-23 halftime lead.
The aforementioned third quarter provided Greenwood the forum to vault into the lead.
Day rained in two 3-pointers in the quarter, creating both off the dribble. Meanwhile, Xavier Dye and Sam Montgomery maintained a physical and rowdy level of play in the post, with both players ripping down offensive rebounds and canning put backs in the quarter.
“T.L Hanna challenged us tonight,” Chandler said. “I thought we were sluggish early. Luckily we snapped out of it and put up a good region win.”

Big run carries Emerald girls

January 18, 2006

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports writer

Things might have felt a little unfamiliar for the Emerald High School girls basketball team when it took the floor for Tuesday night’s matchup with Mid-Carolina in a battle of two teams previously unbeaten in Region III-AA play.
It’s been 41 days since the Lady Vikings saw live action in Vikings gymnasium, and early on, it showed.
Emerald rebounded from a sluggish first half of shooting and used a big run to open the second half to knock off the Lady Rebels, 58-50.
“This is the first game we played at home in a long time,” Emerald coach Anarie Duckett said. “It was important to play at home because we haven’t gotten to do that in a while. This is a big win for us because it gives us a step up on them. I picked Mid to be one of the toughest teams in the region.
“I don’t know what our shooting percentage was in the first half but it was not very good. And we missed a lot of easy shots underneath the basket, and we talked about that a lot at halftime.”
One would think that after the shooting woes the team would have spent much of the halftime break shooting around, but Duckett had the Lady Vikings in the locker room for virtually the entire time.
The extra coaching pep-talk worked.
After Mid-Carolina took a one-point lead with a field goal in the opening minutes, the Lady Vikings raced out to a 17-2 run, with seven different Emerald players contributed during the stretch.
Rachel Baggett dropped in her only field goal of the night to give Emerald the lead for good, at 25-24. Brittany Connor and Katie Cook followed with back-to-back field goals.
After a Lady Rebels’ free throw, Connor, Elizabeth Nicholson and Trice Riley added baskets to put the Lady Vikings up by double digits. Shenna Clark capped the run with a putback for a 40-26 lead. The team’s biggest on the night.
Nicholson and Connor, Emerald’s top two scorers, came up big, with each finishing with double-doubles. Nicholson had a team-high 16 points, 13 rebounds and a pair of blocks, while Brittany Connor added 13 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, four steals and a block.
“We know Elizabeth is going to get her points, and we’ve talked to Brittany on how important it is for her to score,” Duckett said. “We’ve got to have scoring out of her. Even if it’s only eight or nine points, we’ve got to have something out of her.
“She’s starting to step up a little bit.”
The Lady Rebels’ three-guard tandem of Keyonia Gallman, Keawanna Metts and Courtney Sims gave the Emerald guards fits all night. Gallman led Mid-Carolina 16 points, while Metts and Sims added 11 and nine points. However, Metts left the game midway through the fourth quarter after severely injuring the pinky finger of her right hand.
Her injury came during the Lady Rebels’ fourth-quarter comeback, where the team trimmed a double-digit deficit to five, 55-50, with 1:30 remaining.
But Connor scored three straight points, including a layin off a pass from Nicholson, in the final minute to secure the win.

GHS girls down Lady Yellow Jackets

January 18, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

After Tuesday night, the Greenwood High School girls basketball team remains unblemished in Region I-AAAA play.
The Lady Eagles topped T.L. Hanna, 66-57, Tuesday night at Greenwood to move to 9-5 overall and 3-0 in region play.
“Getting this win means a lot and it feels good,” Greenwood guard Ashly Chandler said. “It was tougher to beat Hanna than we thought it would be. They played really hard. That’s how the region is. We need to be ready for the next one if we want to win.”
Chandler led all scorers with 20 points, while teammates Brantley Sacoco, Jacena Thompson and Syteria Robinson each chipping in nine points. Shay McDowell led T.L. Hanna with 16 points including four 3-pointers.
“I wasn’t thinking about scoring,” said Chandler, who had 14 in the second half.
“We just wanted to run the offense, and I was able to get open.”
The two squads played evenly throughout the first half.
Chandler and T.L. Hanna point guard Tamasha Bolden battled in the opening moments, with each player beating the other off the dribble and driving to the hoop for layups. As the first quarter came to a close, Robinson drove to the basket and missed two short jumpers, grabbing her own rebound after each. On the third attempt, the wiry freshman banked in a layup, garnering an ovation from the Greenwood bench and sending the Lady Eagles to the second quarter with a 17-14 lead.
The second quarter was also a physical, closely played affair.
Sacoco popped in two baskets, each on what have become staple shots in her arsenal: 15-foot jumpers from the right elbow. In the final 2:00 of the half, T.L. Hanna utilized a seldom used tactic. The Lady Jackets began stalling, holding the ball at halfcourt, enticing Greenwood to come out of its match-up zone. Greenwood acquiesced just before the end of the half, but T.L. Hanna was still unable to tie the game.
The Lady Eagles headed to the locker room with a 30-28 lead.
Greenwood opened up a slightly more comfortable margin in the third quarter.
The Lady Eagles began pressuring T.L. Hanna on defense, turning steals into layups. Vijya Corbett, Robinson and Chandler each nabbed steals and subsequently dropped in finger rolls in the third period. T.L. Hanna attempted to keep things close, with McDowell canning two of her four 3-pointers in the third. Still, Greenwood headed to the fourth period with a 50-43 lead.
“This game was fun,” Chandler said. “Our defense got better as the game went on, especially in the second half.”

Opinion

Liberal sex attitudes,
illegitimacy must change

January 18, 2006

Once upon a time, and this is no fairy tale, having babies out of wedlock was frowned upon by all of society. It simply was wrong to bring illegitimate babies into the world. Looking around, that may be hard to believe these days. Once, though, there was a certain stigma attached. Nowadays? It’s different, to say the least.
At high schools all over South Carolina there are mothers who have illegitimate children. What’s more, they obviously like to take them to school and “show them off.” It’s not any different on college campuses. The fathers may or may not acknowledge their responsibility. All too often, though, an athlete brags about his baby, saying nothing about the illegitimacy involved.

UNFORTUNATELY, THERE aren’t many who protest the decline in the moral considerations of parenthood among the unwed. Too many churches even shy away from addressing this moral and social problem that has become a drain on society as a whole. But, then, we also fail to recognize the detrimental effects on the financial stability of welfare systems and, in turn, taxpayers ….. and, of course, education.
It’s not a problem confined to schools, either. Entertainers also add to the overall illegitimacy situation. They, too, talk with pride about their children out of wedlock. And, while the rest of us appear to accept this phenomenon without raising a voice against it, the situation continues to grow and get worse with every baby born to teen-age unmarried and underage mothers and fathers.
And what about television and motion pictures, records and videos, and live performances? What about the shows that make casual sex seem the normal thing to do? That has to have a debilitating effect on the moral structure of the entire nation.

NEWSPAPERS, TOO, DON’T help when they publish pictures of the first babies born in the new year ….. especially when the mother is not married. That happens very often, it seems.
Too often we glorify out-of-wedlock births. It may be the problem has grown so much it cannot be turned around. Certainly that’s true if we continue to accept it as “normal.”
That doesn’t mean, of course, that such public acceptance of casual sex and illegitimacy precludes efforts to reverse the situation. Nor does it mean we cannot demand attitude adjustments in a rapidly changing way of life.
While a lot of talk is devoted to restoring the family and traditional values, it should be obvious to all that our liberal attitudes towards sex and illegitimacy must change before anything can improve.

Obituaries

Gordon Davis

NORTH AUGUSTA — Gordon Davis, 79, formerly of Donalds, died Sunday, Jan. 15, 2006 at Anne Maria Nursing Center in North Augusta.
Born in Abbeville County, he was a son of the late Theodore and Pinkie Burts Davis. He retired from Riegel Mills and formerly worked in School District Two, Anderson County. A member of the Liberty Baptist Church, Honea Path, he served on the Jubilee Choir and Usher Board and was a van driver and maintenance man for the church for many years.
Survivors include his former wife, Estelle Lomax Davis of Due West; a son, Matthew Davis, four grandsons and a great-granddaughter, all of Due West; four sisters, Helen Martin of Greenville, Annie Mae Traylor of Detroit, Emma Kenon of Philadelphia and Pearl Foster of Charleston.
Services are 1 p.m. Thursday at Liberty Baptist Church, conducted by the Revs. Kenneth L. Harrison, J.L. Robinson and Shelton, and Minister Leon Frazier. The body will be placed in the church at 12. Burial is in the church cemetery. Viewing begins 2 p.m. today at Robinson-Walker Funeral Service, Ware Shoals.
No wake is planned.
The family is at the home of his son, Matthew Davis, Depot Street Extension, Due West.
Robinson-Walker Funeral Service is in charge.

Harry Emden

ABBEVILLE — Harry George Emden, Jr., 80, resident of 209 Marshall Ave., formerly of East Aurora, N.Y., husband of Shirley Sciolino Emden, died Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood, SC.
Born in Buffalo, N.Y., he was a son of the late Harry George, Sr. and Estelle Wurtenburg Emden.
He was a United States Coast Guard veteran of World War II. He was retired from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as Captain of Security.
Survivors are: His wife Shirley Sciolino Emden of the home, 1 daughter Rebecca Emden and her husband Al Damron of Spartanburg, SC, a son Alan Sturm and his wife Kathy of Sioux Falls, S.D., a brother Eugene C. Emden and his wife Marlene of Marilla, Texas, brother-in-law Robert Sciolino and his wife Diane of Savannah, GA and 5 grandchildren.
A memorial service will be conducted Thursday, Jan. 19, 2006 at 2:00 PM from the Chapel of The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home with the Rev. Randy Taylor officiating. The family is at the home, 209 Marshall Ave.
Visitation will be Thursday afternoon from 1:00 until 2:00 PM prior to services at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to the Abbeville County Library, Abbeville, SC or to the Abbeville Opera House, Court Square Abbeville, SC 29620.
Online condolences may be sent to the Emden family by visiting www.chandlerjacksonfh.com
THE CHANDLER-JACKSON FUNERAL HOME, ABBEVILLE, SC IS IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS.
PAID OBITUARY

Ulyses “Buchum” Graham

Services for Ulyses Graham are 2 p.m. Thursday at Lockhart Baptist Church, Saluda, conducted by the Rev.Raymond Adams. The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers are Maurice Jemison, William H. Watts Jr., Willie Lee Smith, Sim Bryant, Charlie Davis and William Henley.
Flower Bearers are Connie Rapp, Wilma Watts, Mattie Hedgbeth, Donita Valentine and Nakeia Valentine.
Additional survivors are a sister, Clara Graham Jones of Frederickburg, Va., and two grandchildren.
Viewing is 1-9 p.m. today and 9-12 Thursday at Butler & Sons Funeral Home.
The family is at the home of a sister, Mrs. Jimmy Lee (Shirley) Watts, 124 Watson St., Greenwood.
Butler and Sons Funeral Home, Saluda, is in charge.

Albert Marcus Kidd, Jr.

Calhoun Falls, SC — Albert Marcus Kidd, Jr., 75, husband of Irabeth Crosby Kidd, died Monday, January 16, 2006 at their home on Mudcreek Road.
A native of Calhoun Falls, he was the son of the late Albert Marcus Kidd, Sr. and Mittie Shine Kidd. He was a member of the Pentecostal Holiness Church. He served as a Marine in the Korean War and served for the South Carolina National Guard. Mr. Kidd worked for the U.S. Postal Service for over 15 years. He was a member of the Masons and the Shriners.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by daughters, Elaine Kidd Barrett and Beth Betrice Kidd; sons, Albert Marcus Kidd, III and John Scott Kidd.
Also surviving are sisters, Faye Kidd Smith and Nancy Kidd Youngblood; brothers, Ray Kidd and Ronnie Dale Kidd. He was preceded in death by a sister, Elizabeth Kidd Compton.
A Memorial Service will be held Wednesday, January 18, 2006 at 3:00PM at the Calhoun Falls Pentecostal Holiness Church. The family will receive friends at the church from 2:00PM until service time. Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Shriners Hospital – Greenville, 950 West Faris Road, Greenville, SC 29605-4277.
Calhoun Falls Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
PAID OBITUARY

Otis Lee Lindsey

Otis Lee “Big O” Lindsey, 56, died Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Greenwood County, he was a son of Roosevelt Otis Lindsey and Annie Bell Johnson Lindsey. He was a former weaver at Greenwood Mills, an Air Force veteran and a 1968 Brewer High School graduate. A member of Macedonia Baptist Church, he was a former choir member. He was formerly married to Marie Haley Lindsey.
Survivors include his father of Florida; his mother of Greenwood; a son, Andrea Jermaine Lindsey of Greenwood; two brothers, Roosevelt W. Lindsey of Greenwood and Alfred Eugene Lindsey of Anchorage, Alaska; a sister, Lillian Thomas of Greenwood; three nieces reared in the home, Jacquacline Spencer, Stacey Lindsey and Miyoka Lindsey, all of Greenwood; four nephews reared in the home, Demecus Sayles of Greenville, Ken Lindsey of Clinton, Malik Woods and Eric Spencer, both of Greenwood; two grandchildren.
The family is at the home of a niece Stacey Lindsey, 303 Davis Ave.
Services will be announced by Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@nctv.com

Hoyt Wesley Stone

Hoyt Wesley Stone, 72, widower of Margaret Jean Blum Stone, died Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2006 at National Healthcare Center.
Born in Elberton, Ga., he was a son of the late Charlie Erwin and Lilla Dosha Wood Stone. He was a Navy veteran, serving in the Korean conflict and retired from Greenwood Mills Harris Plant. A member of Woodmen of the World and Harris United Methodist Church, he was also a member of Cooper Reed Sunday School Class.
Survivors include a son, Tony Stone of Greenwood; six sisters, Barbara McElroy, Lou Earnhardt, Juanita McAllister, Frances Owens and Mattie Horne, all of Greenwood, Besse Lois Jordan of Elberton; a brother, Sanford Stone of Athens.
Services are 3 p.m. Thursday at Blyth Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Larry Jenkins. Burial with military honors is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Honorary escorts are members of the Cooper Reed Sunday School Class.
Visitation is 1:30-3 Thursday at the funeral home.
The family is at the home of his son, Tony Stone, 217 Woodlawn Road.
Memorials may be made to Harris United Methodist Church, PO Box 8850, Greenwood, SC 29649.
Blyth Funeral Home and Cremation Services is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blythfuneralhome.com