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GRIFFIN Daily Since 1872 State intends to eliminate ‘social promotions’ ATLANTA (UPI) - The state Board of Education has approved a plan Mitch Gabriel, a mime artist, was one of several performers in Griffin this week to entertain school students. (More pictures on page 12) Auditor explains irregularities By The Griffin Dally News Hundreds of thousands of dollars in checks made out to cover expenses of the Commercial Bank & Trust Co. went for anything but that, testimony in interpleader proceedings revealed yesterday. Bank losses on the checks, including interest, will total more than <400,000, according to G. J. Bruner, an indepen dent bank examiner. His firm, Burke-Bruner Co. and Associates was employed by the bank after federal examiners discovered more than $1.5-million in missing funds during a routine audit in June, 1974. Then bank president, C. T. Parker committed suicide shortly after being approached about the irregularities. Numerous claims have been placed against Parker’s estate and the hearings are being conducted so that recommendations can be made to a federal court setting the order of each claim. Yesterday Mr. Bruner went over every irregular check concerning bank Mb# BbaW ' /j| I*s ?**.» ;, W I Mb 1 Mg; * V. ’Wlstlft;'' ■ 4. ‘JHr ■ ■ w i jIHI w -1 ; - Mwim**' JKffl Ja 'll 7 JMp'Jr.* , *W' ■ 1 BM- ■ &sk’»'Ja&k ■ Coach Cavan R "" dy p,,Bnd Griffin, Ga., 30223, Friday Afternoon, December 12.1975 intended to eliminate “social promotions” — the controversial practice of promoting slow learners to the next grade. In a policy statement, the board Thursday ordered the state education department staff to develop statewide objectives for each grade and tests to measure student achievement. The statement, written by Associate Schools Superintendent Titus Singletary at the direction of board member Sam Griffin of Bainbridge, was adopted in a 5-4 vote. The resolution says a “cut-off score” will be established as a “statewide minimum level of achievement” for each student before he can advance to the next grade. Griffin argued the “cut-off score” is necessary to measure how much students have learned. “The purpose was to define the goal and always measure against it,” expenses. Os 14,000 examined, about 120 were found to be irregular. The first apparently were written in 1966, he said. They ranged from a few dollars up to thousands and were charged to such items as advertising and publicity, travel and entertainment, postage, bank equipment, upkeep of bank premises, insurance and premium bonds and the like, Mr. Bruner said. His testimony listing payment by Parker to various people or firms does not show any wrongdoing on their part. It was brought out that even though the bank furnished its president an automobile and paid all expenses of its upkeep, repairs and use, thousands of dollars in expense checks were signed by Parker for travel and entertain ment. Earlier testimony by Mrs. Belvey Perry brought out that Parker very seldom took a vacation or traveled, except to banking meetings about twice a year. The bank also paid other normal Griffin said. “We’re finally arriving at a job description for education, and teachers will know what we’re expecting as the minimum level of achievement.” Board members Ernest Whaley of DeKalb County, Asbury Stembridge of Macon and Carolyn Huseman of Athens said the “cut-off score” should not be the only determining factor in a child’s promotion. “I’m opposed to having only one test as the sole criterion for retaining or promoting a child,” said Mrs. Huseman. The measure requires the education department to develop a fourth-grade reading test by next spring, with a minimum “cut-off score” each fourth grader will have to attain to carry on normally to the fifth grade. Those scoring below the cut-off point would be assigned to a “probationary” fifth grade status. expenses of Parker’s, including dues to social and civic clubs, Mr. Bruner stated. One expense check made out to the American Business Club for S3OO dues bought a cashier’s check which was deposited directly to an account of Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Parker’s, Bruner reported. A $2,000 check to the Griffin-Spalding Chamber of Commerce went toward a land purchase, he said. According to the auditor, money Parker diverted from bank expenses checks were traced to numerous people. They included cashier’s checks to John H. Goddard for the purchase of 10 shares of Commercial Bank & Trust Co. stock; to Gerald Bilbro for architect fees concerning alterations at the Bank of Hampton and the telephone building at Hill and Oak streets, owned by Parker and Mrs. Leila Bell; the pur chase of a lot from Eugene Maddox on Kennedy drive; 55.58 acres of land from John H. Maddox in the name of Carolyn Coach Cavan to retire Reprinted from The Thomaston Times The dean of prep football coaches in Georgia is stepping down after 38 years. Coach Jim Cavan announced his retirement on Thursday morning in the office of Supt. Harold Maguire with Principal Kenneth J. Moore and members of the same media in at tendance. “I talked with Mr. Maguire about retirement a couple of months ago,” Coach Cavan said. “A man has to make up his mind when to get out and I have decided to retire June 1, 1976,” the Rebels head man for the past 22 years said. Coach Cavan said “Certainly I hate to leave. Lee is a great part of my life and I wish nothing but the very best for the school, the students and the people of this community. Everyone has been just great to me and my family since we moved here from Griffin in 1953." “I wish Lee all the success in the world,” Coach Cavan said. Coach Max Dowis of Griffin High, one of Coach Cavan’s very close friends, said this morning that he hated to see the dean of Georgia coaches retire. “He will be missed on the sidelines. Coach Cavan is one of the great coaches in Georgia. He did a tremendous job of building a football program at R. E. Lee. It’s almost a tradition for him to be on the sidelines when Griffin plays Lee. He’s one of the most dedicated coaches I’ve ever known, a real professional at his job,” Coach Dowis said. Vol. 103 No. 294 The board also asked the education department to develop a test for second-grade mathematics skills for future use, followed by a reading test for third graders. The board acknowledged “the uniqueness of individuals,” and said it is not out to hold back those “with disabilities or limitations. “Rather, the board intends to exert every effort to assure that students achieve in basic skills in accordance with their abilities, and that children are not allowed to advance to levels of educational opportunity beyond their ability to function effectively because of limitations in basic skills,” said the policy. The board set the spring of 1977 as the target date for implementing the policy statewide, and said it will ask the 1976 General Assembly “for sufficient flexibility in the use of any remedial funds” to accomplish that goal. Parker; and the purchase of 100 shares of stock in Spalding Insurance and Realty Co., according to testimony. Other ways, brought out by the auditor, in which Parker used bank expense money included: A sl,Oll deposit to the account of Carl E. Pruett for a city commission race contribution; the purchase of an in terest in 459 acres of land from Mrs. Minnie d’Antignac; payment of a loan of Jim and Dorothy Dye’s at the Bank of Hampton; payment of premiums on Parker’s personal life insurance policies (He had two of SIOO,OOO each); the purchase of two tractors from Piedmont Equipment Co. for Parker’s own use; and checks to Smalley and Cogburn law firm for legal expenses connected with organizing and obtain ing a charter for Lamar State Bank in Barnesville. According to Mr. Bruner, the Lamar State Bank was chartered by C. T. Parker and others and the Commercial (Continued on page two) Supt. Maguire announced Thursday morning that Coach Cavan had in formed him that he planned to retire at the end of this school year. “Coach Cavan has done an outstanding job at R. E. Lee as athletic director, head football coach, head girls basketball coach and teacher since 1953,” Supt. Maguire said. On behalf of the Thomaston Board of Education, Supt. Maguire expressed appreciation to Coach Cavan for his contributions to the athletic and educational programs in Thomaston and Upson County as a member of the staff at R. E. Lee. Coach Cavan started his coaching career in Gainesville, moved to Rome and then entered the Navy during World War H. After returning home from the Navy Coach Cavan became head of the Griffin Football program for seven years before moving to Thomaston in 1953 to take over the reins of the Lee athletic program. In 23 years as head football coach the Rebels won five region crowns and in 1961 his Lee team fought their way into the state championship against mighty Valdosta at Matthews Field with over 10,000 fans viewing the spectacle. Valdosta came on strong to defeat the Rebels, 34-13, after Lee came within one point of the Wildcats, 14-13, in the third period. Coach Cavan’s 18th season at Lee in 1970 proved to be his very best as the Rebels glided through an undefeated season with ten straight wins and Lee’s first win over LaGrange, 14-7. The rebel gridders won region A YaW 7 i'-Ayr 5 LI ■ ’Jr V*- / B \ aril - ■ / E 4. B' ‘ ~ 1 B>~ ' SFfck.. /' *•' / . : -XB. ~ zwEnß&Onli ■ High Flyer ’ ‘ School isn’t all work and no fun. Darrell Wood, a fifth grade student at East Griffin Elementary, relaxes by flying high in a swing. Moynihan ‘Theater of the absorb’ UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. (UPI) — U.S. Ambassador Daniel Patrick Moynihan called the U.N. General Assembly “a theater of the absurd,” and says he is beginning to feel that “increasing contempt” for the world body is “increasingly deserved.” Moynihan, a frequent critic of the United Nations, made the remarks Thursday night in a speech opposing a report by the U.N. Decolonization Committee. The report charged the United States maintained Virgin Island bases as a threat against Caribbean and Latin American countries. It also charged the United States supplied “massive” military aid to football crowns in 1961, 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1970. His Lady Rebels won the coveted state championship in 1963 and 1968. Coach Cavan was inducted into the State of Georgia Hall of Fame in 1961 after his Rebels were runner-ups to Valdosta for the state football crown. He was named “Coach of the Year” in Georgia in 1961. Twice he coached All- Star football teams in 1948 and 1962. Fossil remains found in state SWAINSBORO, Ga. (UPI) - The fossil remains of one or mere large vertebrates believed to date back 30 to 45 million years were uncovered last week by two Jefferson County residents excavating land for a reservoir in southeast Georgia. The fossils, found by Charles E. Smith of Wadley and T.C. Harris, have been turned over to Emanuel County Junior College temporarily for study. ECJC geology professor Dr. Hulon Madeley and biologist Dr. Willie Gunn say it probably will take several weeks to complete a scientific analysis of the fossils and make a definite determination of the age of the vertebrates. The men estimated their age to be about 30 to 45 million years. Madeley said rocks surrounding the fossils indicate that a sea bottom once existed in the area now known as the Moxley community, near where the fossils were unearthed. South Africa and Rhodesia’s white minority regime through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. "These are lies...lies,” Moynihan said in an emotion-choked voice. Despite his objections, the assembly approved the report by a vote of 108-3 with 15 abstentions. Nicaragua and Israel joined the United States in opposition. “The General Assembly has become a theater of the absurd,” Moynihan said. “We pretend seriousness to an audience that realizes that it is all pretense. “I begin to feel that the world’s increasing contempt is increasingly deserved.” Weather ESTIMATED HIGH TODAY 69, low today 33, high yesterday 63, low yesterday 42, high tomorrow near 70, low tonight in low 40s. Patty’s letter gets no bids NEW YORK (UPI) — A letter written by Patricia Hearst failed to get any bids Thursday at an auction held by the Charles Hamilton Galleries. However, a letter by Lynnette Fromme, convicted of attempting to assassinate President Ford earlier this year and a member of the Manson Family, was sold for $75 and two of Charles Manson’s letters were sold for $165. “Apparently Patty Hearst is, autographically speaking, persona non grata,” said Charles Hamilton, president of the gallery sponsoring the auction. i''' ...... “There aren’t many troubles in the world more alarming than an empty stomach.”