Expert: Nurture, story time big part
of helping kids develop reading skills

March 17, 2006

By MEGAN VARNER
Index-Journal senior staff writer

When you sit in your rocking chair each night holding your infant, reading stories of magical kingdoms, fuzzy animals and amazing adventures, you’re doing more than just reading words — you’re bonding with your child and helping his brain develop important literacy and vocabulary skills.
That was the message provided to dozens of primary child care providers Thursday during a child literacy seminar at the Greenwood Genetic Center.
The program was part of a literacy grant awarded to the United Way of Greenwood and Abbeville Counties, and Deborah Parks, Abbeville/Greenwood Early Stages (AGES) Project manager, said the project aims to increase literacy in children up to 4 years old.
The $995,000 grant was awarded to the United Way through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services this year, and Parks said the AGES Project will provide monthly training sessions for caregivers and teachers in daycare centers throughout the course of the 17-month grant. She said 18 centers are participating in the project, which has affected more than 1,000 children.
“Our goal is to train teachers and caregivers on the different literacy techniques used to increase and enhance vocabulary in young children,” Parks said. “In South Carolina, the illiteracy rate is high, and the goal is to get the children ready for school and to help them excel throughout school and life.”
Parks said the AGES project also assists parents, mentoring them on how to become better readers and teachers for their children, and about 65 families per month have been at the training sessions. She added that each family receives one book per month through the grant, with libraries of books being placed in classrooms at participating centers.
At Thursday’s seminar, Early Care and Education instructor Cathy Nickisch, with Piedmont Tech, emphasized the importance of bonding and interacting with children at a young age, when vital connections in the children’s brains are forming and creating the foundation for their intellectual and emotional futures.
“When an infant is born, all the brain cells they’ll ever need in their lives are there, but the problem is they aren’t connected ... They must be connected to function,” she said, adding that by age 3, about 50 percent of the brain’s connections — or development — have been made. “We recognize how important early care and literacy are. They are crucial because of how much work is being done.”
Nickisch said reading to an infant, even if it is the same story each night, can have a long-lasting impact on how that child develops as a person, his ability to learn and his capacity to regulate emotions. She said the window of opportunity — a period of time in which the brain needs specific kinds of stimulation in order to develop normally — for vocabulary is between birth and 3 years of age. Reading not only helps their social skills and vocabulary skills, but also cultivates imagination, Nickisch added.
Kim Pruitt, director at Emerald Day Care Learning Center, said introducing literacy to children at a young age is a part of her center’s curriculum, and a part for which elementary school teachers are grateful.
“When they start school, the teachers expect the children to know a lot of this stuff, and if a child doesn’t get it at home or in daycare, they can be behind when they get to school,” Pruitt said, adding that, even at two years of age, children are quick to pick up literacy skills.
“Children are a lot smarter than people give them credit for.”

Polly Owens Abrams

WARE SHOALS — Polly Owens Abrams, 62, of 110 Shady Lane, wife of David L. Abrams, died Wednesday, March 15, 2006 at her home.
She was a daughter of Frances Martin Owens and the late Tommie D. Owens and was of the Baptist faith. She also lived in Guntersville, Ala., Fayetteville, N.C., St. Louis, Mo., and Luling, La., returning to Ware Shoals a year ago.
Survivors include her mother of Ware Shoals; her husband of the home; a son, Keith Abrams of Orlando, Fla.; a daughter, Kim Langley of El Dorado, Ark.; two sisters, Mary Owens Rauton and Martha Owens Douglas, both of Greenwood; two granddaughters.
Services are 11 a.m. Saturday at Parker-White Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. John Abrams Jr. Burial is in Popular Springs Baptist Church Cemetery.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at the funeral home.
The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of Laurens County, P.O. Box 178, Clinton, SC 29325.
Parker-White Funeral Home is in charge.

Eddie Banes

Edgar Tilden “Eddie” Banes, 52, of 218 Ware St., died Wednesday, March 15, 2006.
Born in Greenwood, he was a son of Marie Gardner Banes and the late Furman Banes. He was a sales clerk with Belk and a member of West Side Baptist Church.
Survivors include his mother of the home.
Services are 3 p.m. Saturday at Harley Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Hal Lane. Burial is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers are Robert Husted, Elliott Temples, Randy Miles, Doug Brock, Vernon Lathren and Henry Bishop.
Honorary escorts are friends with whom Eddie traveled on guided tour trips.
Visitation is 2-3 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
The family is at the home of his uncle and aunt, Leroy and Nada Banes, 507 Watford Ave.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society in honor of Leroy Banes and Terry Gilchrist, PO Box 1741, Greenwood, SC 29648.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

James Cunningham

McCORMICK — Services for James Cunningham are 1 p.m. Saturday at Mount Moriah Baptist Church, Plum Branch, conducted by the Rev. Melvin Gordon, assisted by the Revs. James W. Price, Eddie Freeman and Otis Cunningham. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers are nephews and family friends.
Flower bearers are nieces and ushers.
The family is at the home of a sister, Clara Blair, 607 Carolina St.
Walker Funeral Home is in charge.

Gladys Gambrell

DONALDS — Gladys Inez Prince Gambrell, 92, of 938 Winona Church Road, widow of Clyde Benjamin Gambrell, died Thursday, March 16, 2006 at Hospice Care of the Piedmont.
Born in Abbeville County, she was a daughter of the late Grover and Janie Hill Prince. She was retired from Oxford Shirt Plant and was a member of Winona Baptist Church. She was twice married, first to the late Ansel McGaha.
Survivors include a son, Jack McGaha of Jacksonville, Fla.; a sister, Betty Jane Nelson of Ware Shoals; a granddaughter; two great-granddaughters; and five great-great-grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. Saturday at Winona Baptist Church, conducted by the Revs. Stanley Fuller and Billy Slatten. Burial is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens. The body will be placed in the church at 1.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at Pruitt Funeral Home, Honea Path.
The family is at the home of a niece, Jan Pulley, 108 Everleen Court, Greenwood.
Pruitt Funeral Home is in charge.

Iris Hanna

CROSS HILL, SC — Iris Simpson Hanna, 80, of 660 N. Main St., widow of H. Kenneth Hanna died March 15, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center. She was born in Laurens County, a daughter of the late Wilford A. and Katie Hughes Simpson. She was a member of Liberty Springs Presbyterian Church.
Surviving are: one son, Paul Kenneth Hanna, Cross Hill, one daughter, Dr. Katie Hanna, Cross Hill, three brothers, W. Alex Simpson, Cross Hill, John Walker Simpson, and Roy Clark Simpson, both of Ware Shoals, SC.
Besides her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Sarah Simpson Simmons and Nancy Simpson Roach and brothers, Lee Alfonso Simpson and Benjamin Frank Simpson.
Funeral Services will be conducted Saturday at 2 PM at Liberty Springs Presbyterian Church with Rev. Bob Slimp, Rev. John Fastineau, Rev. Lamar Babb and Rev. John Parks officiating. Burial will follow in the Church Cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be Perry Simpson, Eldridge Simpson, Lamar Simpson, Keith Simpson, Bobby Lee Simpson, Johnny Simpson, Jr., Clark Roach and Hugh Simmons.
Memorials may be made to Liberty Springs Presbyterian Church Cemetery fund.
The body is at Parker-White Funeral Home in Ware Shoals and will be placed in the church at 1 PM Saturday.
The family is at the home and will receive friends Friday, 6-8 PM at Parker-White Funeral Home.
PAID OBITUARY

Thomas Hutto

Thomas Lauder Hutto, 81, of 105 Mayapple Lane, husband of Ann Mayson Hutto, died Thursday, March 16, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

Minnie Bell Lee

Services for Minnie Bell Lee are at noon Saturday at Macedonia Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Dr. Willie S. Harrison. The body will be placed in the church at 11. Burial is in The Evening Star.
Pallbearers are church deacons and trustees.
Flower bearers are church deaconesses and family friends.
Honorary escorts are Order of the Eastern Star No. 282 and College Heights Community Club members.
The family is at the home, 206 Louvenia Ave.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at pertompfh1@earthlink.net

Blanche S. McGee

DALZELL — Blanche S. McGee, 82, widow of Ralph V. McGee, died Thursday, March 16, 2006 at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.
Born in Greenville, she was a daughter of the late Charles H. and Eunice Elizabeth Corn Sexton. She was a member of Long Branch Baptist Church.
Survivors include two sons, Larry McGee of Sumter and Danny McGee of Dalzell; two daughters, Connie Scott and Sue MacKessy of Dalzell; five sisters, Lou Kay of Greenville, Annie Mae Shirley, Lois Allen, Ruby Bailey and Maggie Cheek, all of Greenwood; eight grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren.
Services are 11 a.m. Saturday at Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home, conducted by the Revs. Carroll Waddell and Walt Phillips. Burial is 4 p.m. in Greenwood Memorial Gardens, Hodges.
Pallbearers are grandchildren.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at the funeral home.
The family is at the home, 3260 Sarah Glen Drive.
Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and Crematory, Sumter, is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.sumterfunerals.com

James ‘Jim’ Parkman

James “Jim” Parkman, 88, of 2915 Old Edgefield Road, widower of Gablue Gibson Parkman, died Monday, March 13, 2006 at Saluda Nursing Center.
Born in Edgefield County, he was a son of the late Hamp and Rose Bell Johnson Parkman. He was a member, deacon and sexton of Willow Spring Baptist Church, Edgefield, and a member of Masonic Lodge No. 419. He was a retired employee of Southern Brick Yard.
Survivors include three daughters, Annie Lue Parkman of Providence, R.I., Rosa Mae Parkman of Saluda and Ashley Patterson, Fayetteville, N.C.; seven grandchildren; three reared in the home, Pricilla Parkman and James Parkman, both of Greenwood and Reggie Parkman of Newberry; four great-grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. Sunday at Willow Spring Baptist Church, Edgefield, conducted by the Rev. R.C. Oglesby, assisted by the Revs. Anthony Gordon and Ronnie Parkman.
The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers and flower bearers are church family and friends.
The family is at the home.
Butler & Sons Funeral Home, Saluda, is in charge.

Sheila Lane Postell

WASHINGTON, DC — Sheila Lane Postell, 45, of 833 Twentieth Street, N.E. Washington, DC, died Thursday, March 9, 2006 at Howard University Hospital, Washington, DC.
Born in Abbeville, SC, March 14, 1960 to Beatrice P. Rollinson and the late William F. London. She was reared by the late Zeffie Lee “Ma” London. She was a 1978 graduate of Abbeville High School and later received her cosmetology license from the State of NY.
She was a member of the Piney Grove Pentecostal Holiness Church in Abbeville, SC where she was a member of the Pentecostal Gospel Singers and various church activities.
She was employed as a Security Officer at Deco Security and Safeguard Incorporated.
Survivors include her daughter, Latoya Avalon Bolden and her mother, Beatrice P. Rollinson both of Washington, DC; two sisters, Felecia London of District Heights, MD and Breta London-Francis of Temple Hills, MD; five brothers, Bobby (Eliska) Postell, Cleveland (Anita) Rollinson of Clinton, MD, Rodney Leroy London of Abbeville, SC, Portreon and Freddie Rollinson of Washington, DC; three aunts, Vivian (J.C.) Boggs and Bertha London of Abbeville, SC, Gertrude Postell of Calhoun Falls, SC; two uncles, Leroy (Mary) London and Sammie (Frances) London of Abbeville, SC.
Funeral services will be conducted 2:00 p.m. Saturday at the Piney Grove Pentecostal Holiness Church with Rev. Jerome Nance officiating. The body will be placed in church at 1 p.m.
Interment will be in Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, Abbeville, SC.
The family is at the home of 120 Adams Drive, Abbeville, SC.
Abbeville & White Mortuary, Inc. is in charge of arrangements.
PAID OBITUARY

Robert O’dell Smith

DONALDS — Robert O’dell Smith, 70, of 55 Avondale Drive, husband of Mildred Walker Smith, died Wednesday, March 15, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Abbeville County, he was a son of the late Broadus and Geneva Gilbert Smith and was retired from Monsanto and Lander College. He was a member and trustee of Dunn Creek Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife of the home; a son, Rodney Smith of Ware Shoals; two daughters, Rebecca Dixon of Greer and Threasa Smith of Columbia; two brothers, Bubba Gene Smith and Joe Smith, both of Donalds; two sisters, Mary Hart of Columbia and Bessie Gilchrist of Greenwood; a stepmother, Ollie Smith of Newberry; six grandchildren; three great-grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. Saturday at Dunn Creek Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. James F. Davis III. Burial in the church cemetery. The body will be placed in the church at 1. Viewing begins noon today at Robinson-Walker Funeral Service, Ware Shoals.
No wake is planned.
The family is at the home.
Robinson-Walker Funeral Service is in charge.

Joann Louden Stanley

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Joann Louden Stanley, wife of Oscar Stanley, died Tuesday, March 14, 2006 at Yale Hospital in Connecticut.
Born in Greenwood, S.C., she was a daughter of the late James and Geneva Dean Louden and stepdaughter of Carey Louden. She was a former member of Mount Tabor Baptist Church, Greenwood.
Survivors include her husband of the home; a daughter, Regina D. Williams of New Haven; a son, Darius Stanley of New Haven; a sister, Cora L. Lindsay of Greenwood; seven grandchildren. Services are in New Haven at a later date.
Announcement courtesy of Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home, Greenwood.

Clyde Stumbo

Clyde Richard Stumbo, 79, of 450 Clem Road, widower of Margaret Matters Stumbo, died Tuesday, March 14, 2006 at his home.
Born in Boone, Iowa, he was a son of the late Clyde Wesley and Mary Shull Stumbo. He was a World War II Navy veteran and was a former city councilman in Gilbert, Iowa. He was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church.
Survivors include two sons, Clifford William Stumbo of Greenwood and Douglas Harold Stumbo of Columbia; a daughter, Laura S. Matthews of Denison, Iowa; 20 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren.
A memorial service is 3 p.m. Sunday at Immanuel Lutheran Church, conducted by the Rev. Dr. John L. Setzler.
Visitation is at the home.
The family is at the home of Cliff and Deborah Stumbo, 411 Clem Road.
Memorials may be made to The Gideons International, P.O. Box 1709, Greenwood, S.C. 29648 or Immanuel Lutheran Church, 501 E. Creswell Ave., Greenwood, S.C. 29646.
Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.blythfuneralhome.com

Rosemary Trakas

GREENVILLE — Rosemary Motsinger Trakas, 83, of 25 Hillandale Circle, widow of Charles M. Trakas, died Thursday, March 16, 2006 at St. Francis Hospital in Greenville.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Greenwood.

Vera S. Wilson

Services for Vera Simpkins Wilson, of 127 Wheatfield Drive, have been changed to 3 p.m. Saturday at Mars Hill Baptist Church, Hodges.
Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc. is in charge.

Wrestlers to pack Greenwood Y

Second Annual Palmetto Iron-Man Wrestling Tournament is today, Saturday

March 17, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

Greenwood will be the center of the southeastern amateur wrestling world this weekend as the YMCA is hosting the Second Annual Palmetto Iron-Man Wrestling Tournament.
The event will begin at 7 tonight at the Y and continue at 8:30 a.m. Saturday.
According to tournament coordinator and Greenwood Y representative Ryan Finney, the event will be a solid showcase of wrestling.
“There will be wrestlers from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and so on,” Finney said. “We are expecting between 250 to 300 athletes competing here this weekend.”
Finney said the tournament is open to wrestlers of all ages. So far, there are grapplers from ages 4 to 35 registered to compete.
For fans of wrestling around the Lakelands area that might be accustomed to seeing the Grapplers’ youth team or some of the local high school competitors, watching adults wrestling in a tournament setting will be a different sight.
“For a long time, you didn’t see a lot of adult competitors in tournaments around here,” Finney said. “But we had around 15 guys last year, and they’ve really talked it up. We’ll likely have more this year.”
Finney said several high school coaches from around the area will participate, giving their team members an opportunity to see their mentors in action.
He said there will also be adult competitors who will also be participating in the next Olympic trials.
“Seeing the adults wrestle inspires the younger ones to achieve to a higher level,” Finney said. “It gives them something to shoot for. Plus, I think they just like to see grown folks wrestle.”
What makes the Iron-Man event special is it features three different styles of wrestling — Greco-Roman, freestyle and folkstyle. Any wrestler that wins their weightclass in all three events will be considered an Iron-Man.
“The person that wins all three styles will not just be labeled an Iron-Man,” Finney said. “They will also have some serious bragging rights.”
Greenwood and the Lakelands area will be well represented in the youth division, thanks in part to the grapplers program. The Grapplers, who, according to Finney, have 50 team members, will have 35 youngsters in the tournament.
“We’ve got kids from Abbeville, Greeenwood, Ninety Six, Ware Shoals and all over,” Finney said. “It gives the kids a solid start into wrestling. We definitely serve as a feeder program for Greenwood, Emerald and other local high schools.”
Two Grapplers’ wrestlers — 8-year-old Jennings Hollister and 10-year old Cody Pirkle — have been selected to be members of Team Palmetto, an all-star team slated to compete later in the year. Finney said the Grapplers will have a raffle at this weekend’s tournament to raise money for the Team Palmetto effort. The winner of the raffle will take home a new smoker grill.
With 250-300 athletes, plus their coaches, families and friends, the Iron-Man event stands to make a positive impact on Greenwood and the local economy.
“We’ve worked closely with local hotels, restaurants and other establishments for this event,” said Finney. “With that amount of people coming to town, many spending the night, it will certainly have be a plus for the city and our local establishments.”

Political stunts can do harm in war on terror

March 17, 2006

It has been obvious for some time that many Americans have tired of the meanspirited politics that has consumed so much time and energy in recent years. At least it’s obvious in South Carolina, and all indications are that reaction is prevalent from coast to coast. That, unfortunately, does not seem to matter to some who go to any lengths to pull political stunts, always aimed, of course, at character assassination, with no intention of addressing issues.
One of the latest to resort to such tactics is U. S. Senator Russ Feingold, D-Wisconsin. In one of the most absurd political stunts in a while, the liberal Feingold, who some say is posturing to seek the Democratic nomination for president, offered a resolution to censure President Bush for the National Security Agency’s wiretapping program.

THAT PROGRAM, OF COURSE has been the target of much criticism, even though it is aimed at terrorist suspects, not law-abiding citizens.
Senator Lindsey Graham, R- S. C., speaks for a lot of South Carolinians when he takes issue with Feingold’s resolution.
“The censure resolution,” Graham says, “smacks of a political stunt at a time when we need serious and thoughtful discussions about how to succeed in the war on terror. While I disagree with some of the legal arguments put forth by the (Bush) Administration, the law in this area is evolving and less than settled.
“A censure resolution would do tremendous damage to the President’s standing during a time of war. Based on the facts and law, it is not justified,” Graham concluded.

APPARENTLY SOME BUSH haters are too young to remember or have no knowledge of history. Their actions and words indicate they have no idea of security measures that were commonplace, and accepted, in the course of gathering domestic intelligence during World War II. Mail was checked and censured, and other methods were used to keep tabs on suspected spies.
It’s no different today. Just substitute the word terrorist for spy. Spies then worked to help others kill Americans. Terrorists today do that themselves.
It’s war now as much as it ever was. In many ways, it’s much more dangerous. If we don’t protect ourselves, by any means available to us, that would be foolhardy to the extreme.
It’s about saving lives, not losing them because of neglect.