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School hoard trustees
From page one
more important for someone to be a par
ent and involved in the system. We have
presidents who have not gone to college
and were able to handle running the
country,” said school board member Mary
Oglesby. Ms. Oglesby has had “some col
!ege” and done “some substitute teach
ing.”
Trustee Y. N. Myers, who holds a mas
ters degree, disagrees.
“Our situation is not an open market.
lam a firm believer that the blind cannot
lead the blind in our educational system
— if you have no training, how can you
lead effectively?” he asks.
Parents, as well, represent both ends of
the spectrum when pondering the value
of education and classroom training for
the policy makers.
“There are a lot of issues facing our
children in the schools, and I think a
more educated mind is needed to prop
erly handle the situations that arise.
People should at least go to college before
they handle running the education of
someone else’s children. Having teach
ing experience would also help. The most
important thingis having the concern for
the students and dealing with their
needs,” said Sophia Nero, parent of three
students in Richmond County public
schools.
“Becoming a board member should be
the result of on-the-job training,” said
one Garrett Elementary School parent.
“Members should begin as teachers and
work their way up the ranks.”
Ironically, the board — often criticized
as the most racially polarized body in
modern history — stands poles apart in
training and experience as well. African-
American board members have been vili
fied in the local press as ineffective, in
competent, and lacking leadership abili
ties — yet, it is they who have the supe
rior education and experience.
Kenneth Echolsis the only white board
member a with four-year degree. Johnnie
Jackson, who is black, joins Mr. Myersin
holding an advanced graduate degree.
The scales are also unbalanced when it
comes. to_classroom instruction. Black
members collectively hold some 130 years
of teaching experience, while their white
counterparts have some 20 years experi
ence.
Dr. Shaw feels that the public should
be courted for input in their children’s
education, but it is up to the profession-
Nationsßank gift boosts
100 Black Men program
100 Black Men of America, Inc., will
use a $350,000 gift from Nationsßank
to help improve the quality of life and
educational opportunities for African
Americans and minorities throughout
the country. The contribution was pre
sented in Charleston, South Carolina
at a regional training conference of the
organization. Thomas W. Dorth, Jr.,
National President of 100 Black Men
said, “Nationsßank has been a long
time supporter of the ‘loo’s’ programs.
This philanthropic contribution will
help to support our mission to em
power a new generation of leaders.”
“This gift is consistent with the goals
of Nationsßank and its Professional Af
rican-American Market Development
Unit,” said Shedrick Barber, national
Exercise is eating disorder for some
From page one
ability to concentrate and the blisters on
her pelvic girdle.
Runners motivated by an eating disorder
would feel guilty after missing a run, while
other runners would only feel regret, Wilfley
said. “All I did was worry about when I
could exercise and how much I could eat,”
Bobilin said.
“Eatingdisorders areexpressions of what
these adolescents can’t say with their
words,” commented Sondra Kronberg,
A Closer Look
Education and classroom teaching
experience of Richmond County
School Board members
4
; JEFF ANNIS
College: 1.5 years
« Classroom: 0
: l ’ KENNETH ECHOLS
College: B.S.
Classroom: 0
CHERIE FOSTER College: 0 Classroom: 0
& { ) JOHNNIE JACKSON
¢VI . College: BA, MS.
e‘% ‘"B Classroom: 0
Y{ ANDREW
. JEFFERSON
B 8 College: A.S. BS.
Classroom: 0
alstoformulate and implement a feasible
plan.
“Having a G.E.D. or high school di
ploma alone is not enough for someone to
guide and govern the education system
efficiently — especially when people who
have spent years in college have been
coordinator, Professional African-Ameri
can Market Development for
Nationsßank. “Nationsßank partners
with organizations like 100 Black Men to
strengthen the communities we serve.
These resources will not only benefit our
communities, but will also benefit the
individual members of 100 Black Men of
America, Inc., as they go forward in their
important work,” he said.
Nationsßank, through its profes
sional African-American Market De
velopment Unit formed in 1996, is com
mitted to assisting African Americans
in wealth accumulation, management
and preservation.
Following its January 17, 1997
merger with Boatmen’s Bancshares,
Inc. of St. Louis, Mo., Nationßank has
nutritional director of Eating Disorder As
sociates, a clinic with three sites on New
York’s Long Island. At its foundation is a
lack of self-worth, she said: “They strive to
be thin as a way of feeling good about
themselves.”
Treatment can involve improving self
image, recognizing the trouble signs of the
disorder, and learning proper eating and
exercise techniques. The earlier the prob
lem is detected, the more likely it is that
treatment will be successful, Kronbergsaid.
For Bobilin, treatment came after a be
loved aunt and uncle were shocked at her
appearance. Following about a month in
Y.N. MEYERS
= College: M.S., B.S.
@ Classroom: 34 years
MARY OGLESBY
College: A couple of years.
Classroom: Some subsuitute teaching.
BARBARA PADGETT
College: 0; Classroom: 0
= UREY
Y ' KINGSLEY RILEY
B j College: B.S.
: # Classroom: 30 years
Py
e\
VI Wa?\
; ; 3
. ADNA STEIN
College: 3 Years, U.S.
Army Engineering
teacher certification.
i Classroom: 18 years
Interviews conducted by Tawana .
Lee. Photos by Jimmy Carter :
trained on methods and pedagogy of edu
cation in addition to decision-making
processes. The decisions should not be
made by uneducated people when people
equipped with the proper tools are avail
able. The experts out there are the teach
ers in the classrooms,” she said.
primary retail and commercial bank
ing operations in 16 states and the
District of Columbia. On a pro-forma
combined basis, Nationsßank had to
tal assets of approximately $227 billion
at year’s end.
100 Black Men of America, Inc.,
through the development and support
of 69 chapters in 27 states, works to
improve the quality of life for African-
Americans and other citizens and to
enhance educational opportunities for
youth. The organization has mentored
more than 60,000 young men and
women in its 34-year history. Recently,
the 100 Black Men pledged to mentor
an additional 120,000 youth by the year
2000 to the President’s Summit on
America’s Future.
an inpatient facility in Florida, she began
outpatient therapy, which continues. But
it can be hard to get through the denial in
people with eating disorders, which is one
reason why Bobilin tells her experiencesin
such publications as the magazine Seven
teen.
“I would like to say I am recovering,
which is fine,” Bobilin said. “I exercise,
which is fine, but I want to make sure my
gxl:tivationisnottolonweightbuttohave
She is now three or four pounds below
her ideal weight, Bobilin said.
Closer To Home
FACT OF THE MATTER IS By Coach Michael Thomas
NCAA tournament is
best show in sports
sthereany other sportingevent equal
to or better than the NCAA Men’s
Basketball Tournament for pro
longed excitement? The Superbowl
may be huge, but its only for one day.
The World Series is a seven-game series,
but it is often boring. The notion of
taking the (supposedly) 64 best teams,
ranking them and placing them in a tour
nament format is unmatched and cer
tainly unsurpassed in terms of accuracy
in determining a champion. Take note
NCAA football. Sure there are also polls
for college basketball, but they don’t de
termine the champion.
What happened to Kansas, you asked?
Nothing! It just proved two things: polls
don’t always depict the best team. There
is enough basketball talent in the nation
that on a given day, almost any division
men’s basketball team can beat another.
Who should be Coach of the Year? Dean
Smith and Rick Pitino. Neither should
be in the final four based on several
factors. North Carolina isn’t very tal
ented. They are not very quick and they
struggled at the beginn’ng of the season.
Kentucky has the wool pulled over
everyone’s eyes. They are not nearly as
talented and deep as they need to be for
their style of play. With Derrick Ander
son (their leading scorer) sidelined and
with a relatively young and inexperi
enced inside game, no way should they
have made it this far. So the credit really
belongs toboth coaches for devising strat
egies to maximize their team’s efforts.
Who is the best player in college? 1
don’t know who it is but I do know who it
isn’t. Neither Tim Duncan nor Keith van
FOCUS IN SQUTH CAROLINA By Lawrence Harrison
Clinton gets first-hand
look at physical disability
he President’s recent injury al
lows himto experience firsthand
the effect of a physical disabil
ity. It is that, and also how oth
ers see those with phsycial dis
abilities. Perhaps, we are not as advanced
as we would like to think. It is a definite
focus for all people. :
As one who knows about physical
therapy from childhood, and not just the
few months President Clinton will be
undergoing it, we can indeed marvel how
science, technology, and good old-fash
ioned human perseverance can overcome
human’s and nature’s mistakes. Perfec
tion in the human body is not the norm,
much more often than what we think of
as the “norm.” Historically, it hasbeen a
case of reconciling who and what human
béings are, on all levels and in all circum
stances.
If we based differences upon skin-color,
it is certainly for sure perception extends
to those differences underneath the skin
as well. What was different has both
frightened us and been of negative imag
ing, acrosstime, across culture. Acknowl
edging our perceptions and images, then
changing them, is the start we must and
have to make.
It can come from within. The idea that
one is just as good as any other (and
maybe immodestly better than some) is
not dependent upon any outside forces or
limited to any one physical criterion. A
writer’s words can be strong and fine no
matter the physical nature of the writer.
The mind knows what is limitation and
what is not.
Our media and headlines speak of the
importance of “Family.” Can you imag-
FOCUS your news in our
paper. Fax to (706) 724-6969
or write to:
1143 Laney-Walker Blvd.,
Augusta, Ga. 30901
AUGUSTA FOCUS MARCH 27.1997
Horneisthe deserving player of the year.
I’m sorry, but I've watched Duncan for a
couple of seasons trying to see why every
one thinks he is so special. That’s just it.
There isn’t anything special about him.
He is a good all around player but not a
great one. Van Horne is too slow and not
nearly tough enough to be the best player.
In addition, with there being so much
parody in college basketball, if they were
the two better players, then their teams
should still be playing.
Who should win it all?
Arizona is not experienced enough —
we all saw that by their poor clock man
agement in their game against Provi
dence.
North Carolina is neither talented
enough nor deep enough to win it ifit’sa
fast-paced game. Neither are they quick
enough towinitifthey have to come from
behind. However, Dean Smith also knows
this, so he will do everything possible not
to allow his team to get in that position.
If the games are close, the edge would go
to North Carolina because of Dean Smith.
The winner of the Kentucky-Minne
sota game should win it all. Kentucky
has many holes in its armor but with its
pressure and 3-point shooting, they can
legitimately beat any of the other three
teams.
Minnesota doesn’t really have any
weaknesses. They are very talented, ex
perienced, deep and athletic. They can
play many different styles. They are also
averyresilient team that hasbeen battle
tested by their regular season’s schedule.
So it is Minnesota’s national champion
ship trophy to lose.
ine the importance when there is no
physical perfection? We are only begin
ning to. A mother’s love requires en
hancement and magnification. We are
indeed fortunate when we have it.
There are the outside forces. We strive
for society’s acceptance. We can train.
We can make things accessible. The mis
takeisinthinking that isall thereistoit. '
Human natureis our strongest ally and it
is our greatest obstacle even here as well.
We celebrate diversity, but the familiaris
commonplace. We remove barriers from
doorways, but battle to remove them
from our minds. We are only beginning.
The future, thank goodness, will be bet
ter. Our education can be mainstreamed
for everyone. The young can accept dif
ferences better. It is simply a matter of
being allowed to do so.
We have come a long way in how we
view the physically disabled; we still have
alongway to go. Are we concerned about
whether Franklin Roosevelt should be
memorialized with or without his wheel
chair? The question should be why one of
our greatest presidents had to hide it so
while he was alive? It should tell us some
thing about ourselves.
Our technology allows for less physical
effort, less reliance upon the strongest
always being the so-called “fittest.” As
usual, however, the human component *
lags behind in its recognition. All of our ;
bodies will be frail and weak. Is it really
so important whether that will be even- :
tual or do we start out that way? The :
humanity within us has no choice but to |
seek an answer, to seek a better one than -
we have so far. :
9A