After the books are closed ...

... what do students do for fun?

January 18, 2007

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal staff writer

The life of a college student can be one of contrasting levels of activity.
On one hand, students’ schedules are consumed with classes, studying and preparing for future careers. Many are involved in athletics or civic organizations that require even more time.
On the other hand, the students also have a good deal of free time, time that could be filled with any number of leisure, entertainment or social-based activities.
In the Lakelands area, young people at Lander University and Erskine College are constantly looking for things to do and places to hang out. Whether it’s exercising at facilities on or around their respective campuses, spending time in fraternities or sororities or exploring the nightlife in local bars, students have many different ways to pass the time.
Lander’s Amanda Porter, a junior who is originally from Piedmont, said she and her friends do frequent local bars on Wednesday and Thursday nights.
“We’ll go to Jeff’s (Grill),” Porter said. “We just like to hang out and see everybody. We’ll go out there and sing karaoke and just have a good time.”
According to Jeff’s bar manager Jeremy Hallback, after 10 p.m., when Jeff’s kitchen closes, patrons must be 18 to be inside. No one under 21 is allowed to purchase or consume alcohol at any time.
Lander’s Jamie Gaskins, a junior from Murrell’s Inlet who was walking to class with Porter on Tuesday morning, said he also likes to go out to Jeff’s, as well as participate in local civic activities, such as parades and festivals.
Heading to local watering holes is a must for any Lander student looking for an alcoholic beverage, for the simple reason the school has a “dry” campus that prohibits alcohol.
While both agreed Greenwood isn’t the most eventful spot, they said they have been impressed with the number of quality restaurants in town.
“There are plenty of good places to eat,” said Porter, who, like Gaskins, lives in an off-campus apartment. “A lot of Lander students will go to lunch or dinner around town.”
Erskine’s John Michael Leppert and Jessica Skinner, both juniors at the Due West school, said they also enjoy dining out with friends, though they have a bit of a drive to do so.
“We’ll drive up to Anderson or over to Greenwood and hit one of the restaurants there,” said Skinner, a Woodruff native.
Leppert said he thinks students at Erskine are split when it comes to heading to Greenwood or Anderson when they go out.
“It’s about half and half, to be honest,” said Leppert, who is from Memphis, Tenn.
Brandon White, a Lander sophomore from Newberry, said he used to go out and party in the evenings. However, he said he has now left that life behind to pursue other extracurricular activities.
“After school, I usually go back to my room and study for a while, then watch a television program or two,” White said. “Then, in the evening, I’ll do PT (physical training) for the Army. We run on a set course right here near campus.” White, who was wearing an Army jacket as he talked, said he works out in Lander’s physical education center when the weather is bad or the situation calls for it.
In terms of physical activity as a form of recreation, Erskine’s Kendall Wurtz, of North Carolina, said he has been impressed with the school’s intramural offerings.
“In the fall we have soccer, flag football, basketball, ultimate Frisbee,” Wurtz said. “There’s plenty to do if you like that sort of thing. A lot of kids participate.”
With Due West lacking in nightspots, Wurtz said students will sometimes throw parties of their own, adding Erskine baseball players seem to put on the best soirees.
Freshmen Bearcats softball players Natalie Smith and Brittany Wallace discussed leisure activities — or lack thereof — as they took a break in the school’s Learning Center between classes.
“We really don’t have a lot of time to ourselves,” said Smith, who is from Florida. “We have classes, studying and then four hours of softball a day. It takes dedication and a lot of our time.”
Smith and Wallace, who is from Georgia, said it has been an adjustment moving to Greenwood, which is smaller than both of their hometowns.
“On the weekends we’ll drive to Greenville to shop,” Smith said. “And, if we have time, we’ll go out to Jeff’s or Easy’s at night. But for the most part it has been an adjustment. We came here because we had scholarship opportunities and to play softball. But this is a small town.”
Jennie Clendenin, a junior originally from Union, said the Emerald City is a step up for her in terms of activities.
“Oh, there’s plenty to do here,” Clendenin said. “Trust me, in Union there’s really nothing to do.”
Clendenin is in the Gamma Phi Beta sorority and said she and her sorority sisters enjoy spending time outside of class at each other’s apartments or houses, enjoying the company of friends.
Erskine freshman Jennifer Johnson, originally from Greenville, said she has been pleasantly surprised at the number of on-campus activities that have been made available.
“We have one thing called “The Barn,” Johnson said. “A school chaplain built a barn on his property, and we will go there on Sunday nights and have music and food and fellowship. It’s pretty cool.”
Lander also has a student activities division that strives to provide on-campus programs for students. Over the next month the school will host an open mic night, a series of “coffee house” gatherings and a number of speakers who will cover topics related to the activities of those in college.
The school’s University Program Council also works to provide students with entertainment opportunities. The council is getting set to release its slate of events for the spring. Recently it hosted events such as an outdoor screening of famed horror film “The Exorcist” on Halloween and a Jan. 11 performance by the band Five Times August, a group that has been featured on the MTV show “Laguna Beach.”

GHS dominates hurt EHS

January 18, 2007

By RENALDO STOVER
Index-Journal sports writer

The Greenwood Eagles wrestling team took an early lead Wednesday night and never looked back as they defeated the Emerald Vikings, 49-28, at Greenwood High School.
The match barely resembled the first meeting of the season, a tight battle, which the Vikings (6-11) lost by nine. This time around, the Eagles (12-4) jumped out to an early 30-6 lead, forcing Vikings coach Andy Wright’s squad, which has had its share of injuries this season, to battle from behind throughout the match.
“They’ve got a bunch of injuries. Anytime you have injuries in our sport, it’s going to be tough,” Eagles coach Greg Brewer said. “They’re a good team and they’ve got some good individuals.
“They wrestled really well tonight, but it’s tough to overcome those injuries.”
Wes Abrams helped the Eagles get off to a strong start when he pinned Vikings wrestler Gerald Kirk with 57.4 seconds remaining in the first period of the 285-pound class match-up.
The Vikings’ William Wingo tied the match at 6-6 following his pin in 103 against Cody Pippin.
Following Eagle wrestler Andy Greer’s pin against Luke Wingo, the Vikings forfeited the next two matches and then watched as James Long picked up another pin at 130 to take a commanding lead.
“The main thing we got right now is we got injuries in the lineup and we got kids that are first-year wrestlers filling slots,” Wright said. “So you’re working with what you got, and I think we did fairly well for what we were working with.”
Although it didn’t show up in the final score, the Vikings showed a few signs of what they can accomplish when at full strength.
Vikings wrestlers Justin Williams and Adam Newton, who picked up pins in the 140-pound class and the 189-pound class respectively, had arguably the best performances of the night for the Vikings.
“Justin’s been wrestling real well all year. He got hurt right before Christmas, and he was out a couple weeks,” Wright said. “He’s back now and he’s been wrestling great since he’s been back.”
Williams picked up a pin in 17 seconds, while Newton wore down Nick Mountz for a second-round pin after the Eagles wrestler gutted out the final 1:30 of the first round, one shoulder blade away from a pin.
“I tried to stick with him, but he’s a good wrestler. I’ll give him that,” Mountz said. “I think we can win region though, and we’ve got a lot more wrestlers out here than we did two years ago.”

Opinion

Can humiliation in public work to prevent crime?

January 18, 2007

Publicity sometimes is blamed for a lot of negative things. There are times, though, when it should be credited for doing something positive. That’s why a full page of names listed in a recent edition of The State newspaper in Columbia stood out like a sore you know what.
After the paper “hit the streets,” no doubt there were a lot of people looking over their shoulders and peeking around corners to see if the long arm of the law was about to go into action.
That list of names likely had that effect. The listed individuals all had outstanding warrants on file with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and other law enforcement agencies. The list contained more than 1,100 names.

CHANCES ARE THE VERY FACT the names on the warrants were made public will lead to the service of some of those warrants and the administration of justice. All won’t be served, probably. Still, the names are out there for all to see and a certain amount of justice is bound to prevail.
Considering crime in South Carolina, maybe it’d help if more of this kind of “positive” publicity were used in more situations. Public exposure, which leads to public embarrassment in many cases, can help prevent crime.
If truth be known, there are likely some who wouldn’t object if some convicted criminals were locked into stocks on the Uptown Square, like they did in olden days.
That may not be a bad idea. Public humiliation can sometimes work wonders.

Obituaries

Marie Banes

Marie Gardner Banes, 87, of 218 Ware Street, widow of Furman Banes, died Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Forsyth County, NC, she was a daughter of the late Samuel T. and Annie Skates Gardner. She was retired from Parke-Davis and was a member of West Side Baptist Church, where she was a member of the Evelyn Ford Sunday School Class and Best of the West.
She was preceded in death by her son, Edgar “Eddie” Banes.
Surviving are two sisters, Betty Painter of Plano, TX, and Margaret “Virginia” Kennedy of Columbia, and a brother, Samuel Gardner, Jr. of Burlington, NC.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at West Side Baptist Church, with the Rev. Hal Lane officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers will be Ferrell “Smiley” Bryant, Terry Gilchrist, Randy Miles, Elliott Temples, Donald Crocker and Larry Bailey.
Honorary escort will be members of the Adult 1 Sunday School Department of West Side Baptist Church.
The family will receive friends at Harley Funeral Home on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. The body will be placed in the church at 10 a.m. on Friday.
Memorials may be made to West Side Baptist Church, PO Box 216, Greenwood, SC 29648.
The family is at the home of Leroy and Nada Banes, 507 Watford Ave.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com.

Marguerite M. Bannister

ABBEVILLE — Marguerite M. Bannister, 81, of 150 Wilton Road, Abbeville, wife of the late James T. Bannister, Sr., died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2007 at Abbeville Area Medical Center.
Mrs. Bannister was born in Calhoun Falls, SC, to the late Henry N. and Clora Beauford Manning. She was a member of the Abbeville Pentecostal Holiness Church and retired from Abbeville Shirt Plant.
In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her son, James T. Bannister, Jr.
Surviving Mrs. Bannister are two daughters, Judy Bailey of Abbeville and Peggy Elaine Harmon of Swainsboro, GA, a son, David Bannister of Abbeville, a brother, the Rev. Virgil Manning of Abbeville, seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, 2007 at the Abbeville Pentecostal Holiness Church. Funeral services will follow at 3 p.m. in the church. Burial will follow in Long Cane Cemetery. The family is at her home, 150 Wilton Road, Abbeville.
Memorial contributions may be sent in memory of Mrs. Bannister to the Abbeville Pentecostal Holiness Church, 109 Barnett St., Abbeville, SC 29620.
Online condolences may be sent to the Bannister family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com.
Harris Funeral Home of Abbeville is assisting the Bannister family.

Bettye Mosley Cash

MANHATTAN, N.Y. — Bettye Mosley Cash, 68, of 100 Manhattan Ave., passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007 at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.
Born in Greenwood County, she was the daughter of the late David and Lillian Perrin Mosley. She was an administrator with IBM.
She is survived by a son, Khary Ethridge of the home.
Graveside services will be held 1 p.m. Saturday at Old Field Bethel Church, with Rev. Jackie Whitted officiating.
Burial will be in the Old Field Bethel Church cemetery.
Visitation will be at the funeral home chapel on Friday evening from 7 to 8 p.m.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home is assisting the Cash family.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at pertompfh1@earthlink.net.

Jenell Jones Chiles

McCORMICK — Jenell Jones Chiles, 81, of 5293 Upper Mill Road, the wife of Jobe Chiles, died on Jan. 15, 2007 in Magnolia Manor, Greenwood, SC.
She was born in Edgefield County, SC, daughter of the late Andrew and Martha Jones. She was a member of the Liberty Spring Baptist Church, where she served as an Usher and a member of the Liberty Spring Burial Aide Society.
She is survived by her husband of the home; daughter, Corrie Mae Chiles of McCormick, SC; four sisters, Minnie Reynolds, North Augusta, SC, Panksie Bland and Elizabeth Rhynes, both of Washington, DC, and Orabell Clark, Edgefield, SC; 11 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at the Liberty Spring Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Henry R.
Merriweather and the Rev. James Reynolds. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The body will be placed in the church at noon. Pallbearers and flower bearers are family and friends. Public viewing will begin at 1:30 Friday. Butler & Sons Funeral Home of Saluda is in charge.

Smilie Christie Sr.

COLUMBIA — Smilie Christie Sr. died Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007. Born in Greenwood County, he was a son of the late Noah and Douschkia Butler Christie Sr.
Survivors are his wife, Dorothy of Charleston; two sons, Smilie Jr. of Columbia, SC, and Thomas Christie of Lincoln, NE; five daughters, Rosa Bell Lorick of Saluda, SC, Douschkia Coleman of Lincoln, NE, Jessie Lee Holmes of Jacksonville, NC, Sophia Etheredge of Saluda, SC, and Gloria Ann Christie of Philadelphia, PA; one brother, Sam Christie of Saluda, SC.
Service will be Saturday, Jan. 20, 2007 at 2 p.m., Pleasant Rock Baptist Church, Ninety Six, SC, Rev. Robert A. Taylor, pastor. Logan Funeral in charge of arrangements.

Amanda C. Rollinson

ABBEVILLE — Amanda C. Rollinson, 62, of 500 Haigler St., Apt. 23, widow of James Rollinson, died Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007 at Self Regional Medical Center, Greenwood.
The family is at the home.
Brown and Walker Funeral Home is in charge.

Rachel Russell

WARE SHOALS — Rachel Pitts Russell, 86, formerly of 42 Dairy Street, widow of William Delbert Russell, died Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007 at the home of her son in Mauldin.
Born in Laurens County, she was a daughter of the late George Plummer Pitts and Lenora Watkins Pitts. She was a member of Ware Shoals First Presbyterian Church and was a former Teaching Assistant in the Ware Shoals School System.
Surviving are two sons, Ross Russell of Mauldin, Stanley Russell and his wife, Linda of Charlotte, NC; one daughter, Sheri Russell Gordon and her husband, Steve of Lexington; two grandchildren, Allie Gordon and Rachel Matlock. She was predeceased by one daughter, Elaine Russell Matlock; two brothers, Fred Pitts and Horace Pitts; and three sisters, Nell Pitts Kay, Marion Pitts Scott and Ruth Pitts.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Ware Shoals First Presbyterian Church, with Rev. Wayne Wicker officiating. Burial will follow in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 1-2 p.m. Thursday at Ware Shoals First Presbyterian Church. The family respectfully request that flowers be omitted and memorials be made to Ware Shoals First Presbyterian Church, PO Box 542, Ware Shoals, SC 29692. The family is at their respective homes. Parker-White Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Frances Sloan

DUE WEST — Frances Elizabeth Crawford Sloan, 94, resident of 695 Crawford Road, widow of Ben F. Sloan, died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2007 at her home.
Born on Antreville, SC, she was a daughter of the late Jessie Arthur and Lida Hall Crawford.
Mrs. Sloan was a 1934 graduate of Anderson Memorial Hospital School of Nursing. She worked as a registered nurse for many years for Dr. C.C. Horton in Pendleton, SC, and Dr. William Hunter in Clemson, SC. She retired as the college nurse from Erskine College in Due West, SC. She was also a member of St. Paul Episcopal Church in Pendleton, SC.
Survivors are: 1 daughter, Frances Martin and her husband, Thomas Lee of Due West, SC; 1 grandson, Tom Martin; a number of nieces and nephews; a special friend and long time caregiver, Helen Richardson; and a special family friend Gene Smith.
She was preceded in death by brothers Fred, J.D., Phil and Edwin Crawford and a sister Hazel Pruit.
Funeral services will be conducted Friday, Jan. 19, 2007 at St. Paul Episcopal Church in Pendleton, SC, at 2 p.m., with burial to follow in the church cemetery. The family is at the home, 695 Crawford Road, Due West, SC.
The body is at The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home where the family will receive friends from 6 until 7 p.m. Thursday evening.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of the Upstate, 1835 Rogers Road, Anderson, SC 29621 or to St. Paul Episcopal Church Historical Fund, Pendleton, SC.
Online condolences may be made to the Sloan family by visiting www.chandlerjacksonfh.com. The Chandler-Jackson Funeral Home, Abbeville, SC, is in charge of arrangements.

Waymon Taylor

HONEA PATH — Waymon Monroe Taylor, 83, of 601 Brock Road, husband of Hazel Clara Ashley Taylor, died Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007 at An-Med Health Medical Center.
Born in Anderson County, he was a son of the late John J. and Minnie Fleming Taylor.
He was retired from Belton Industries and a member of Keowee Baptist Church.
Surviving are his wife of the home, one son, Larry Taylor and wife, Jodie of Ninety Six, and one grandson, Jared Taylor of Ninety Six.
Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Friday at Keowee Baptist Church, with Rev. Jerry Mize and Rev. Ray Brock officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 1-2 p.m. Friday at Keowee Baptist Church prior to the service. The family is at the home, 601 Brock Road. Pruitt Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.