Newspaper Page Text
Edßorials
J»2 ‘IT’S THAT most dreaded time of year again
t‘Tornado Season!
time of year that strikes fear into the
;3>darts of the most fearless man. The time of
j>4ar when thoughts turn toward the sky every
«3fyie you hear a clap of thunder.
;Weather has always been a force with which
be reckoned. Mainly, because there’s not a
*3jung we can do about it.
ji-JLast week a statewide tornado drill was con
-Jklcted and school children, especially, went
>Jbrough the motions of action in case a tornado
*«jfas sighted nearby.
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rpup FORSYTH IfFUfC
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USPS 205-540
(Established 1908)
JIM COSEY EDITOR ISItSIMwI
ROGER HENDERSON ADVERTISING DIRECTOR V.M )Pft r
SHEILA MARTIN CLASSIFIED MG & PRODUCTION
WYNELLE COSEY OFFICE MANAGER
CATHY PUCKETT STAFF WRITER mem«ch
Published every Wednesday by The Forsyth County News Company. Second Class Postage paid at:
Post Office in Cumming, Georgia under Act of March Bth in 1897. Subscription rates in Forsyth and
adjacent counties. $9.36 per year, including State Sales Tax. Other Georgia counties and out-of
state. $1 2.48 per year, includes sales tax.
107 DAHLONEGA ST.
887 3127
Our Opinions
Don’t Overlook Census
* The day of the census is fast ap
proaching.
- Plans are being finalized to take an ac
curate count of the population and the
figures obtained will be effective for 10
years.
* This 1980 census is most important to
Forsyth County. For the past five or six
years Forsyth County has been getting the
f’short end of the stick” when it comes to
state and federal grants for public sendee
projects. You see, counties still get rated
for grants according to the 1970 census
and as we all know, Forsyth County has
grown by leaps and bounds since that
lime.
t That is why local officials are most anx
ious for the new census to be as accurate
♦
♦
Hospital Progressing
- We’re seeing progress with a construc
tion project underway at Forsyth County
hospital. Our community deserves a good
medical facility with updated modem
equipment to care for the needs of our
citizens.
• Before the year is out we will be able to
see the completition of our hospital grow
'
thanks For Letter Of Support
Biar Editor:
£ jhis concerns the letter written by Florence
jSower in the March 5 issue of The Forsyth
bounty News.
>3 would like to take this opportunity to ap
gbud her and the other special education
and aides at Forsyth County High
School.
y Most of all I want to say thank you. Thanks
(hr speaking out. Thanks for trying to arouse
gublic interest. People such as Mrs. Boling
if)ust be made to understand that special
education is just what the words imply. There
is and has to be a “specialness” attached to it
because we are dealing with special children
Tornado Time
Jim Cosey
It’s always a good idea to know in advance
what you’d do if a tornado is seen in the area.
At my house, we have a small room underneath
the stairs and we keep it cleaned out so we can
get inside in case of bad weather.
My wife is extremely afraid of rough weather
and having lived with her for such a long time,
the fear has now rubbed off on me. I used to
never be afraid but now when I see those black,
dark clouds rolling around in the sky and the
lightning begins to make loud noises, I’m the
first one to hit that little room under the stairs.
MARCH 12,1980
PAGE 2
as possible. We urge every citizen to
cooperate when the census forms are
mailed out. Take time to complete the
forms and return them to the proper
authorities.
If you discard the census form as not
important, you will only be hurting
yourself in the long run. If we can get an
accurate count of Forsyth County citizens
it will show the state and federal people
that our population is much larger than in
1970.
You will receive your census question
naires around March 28 and be asked to
return them on April 1.
Remember-Forsyth County, especial
ly, needs you to be counted. It will only
mean more money for us all in the end.
ing from a 28-bed facility to a 36-bed facili
ty, serving people in our area with addi
tional health care services.
We never look forward to sickness or a
visit to a hospital, but when the time oc
curs, it’s good to know we have a staff of
highly trained professionals in a modem
facility right here in our own community.
and young adults.
They are special in the sense that most have
to cope twice as hard as us “normal-thank-you-
God” folks. I have seen the struggling, frustra
tion and heartache of not only some of these
children and young adults but of their parents
also.
I will never question the amount of money be
ing spent on special education. I will continue
to question why “more” money is not spent.
Knowing the answer to this question is: indif
ference and political games.
How refreshing and hopeful to see a letter in
your paper concerning special education and it
CUMMING, GEORGIA
30130
I was born and raised in middle Georgia and
taught all my life that it was in the “tornado
belt”. I have many rememberances of tor
nadoes hitting the area. My wife’s house was
picked up off its blocks during a tornado and
moved several feet from the original site.
I have many friends who have had their
houses destroyed by the dreaded storms. My
grandmother’s home was completely
demolished by a tornado one night.
My first job was in Warner Robins and that
city has a long history of tornadoes. Back in the
1950’s a giant tornado practically leveled the
entire town and several people were killed.
During my stay in Warner Robins I remember
many tornado sightings and many long nights
of waiting out the storms.
Then came the move to north Georgia and I
thought I was getting away from the “tornado
belt”. Guess what? The first thing I was told
was of the tornado that struck nearby
Gainesville and killed many people and has
been called the worst tornado to ever hit
Georgia.
So, here I am again, still in the “tornado
belt”.
+++
RECENT REPORTS from so-called
- t
An on-going discussion over education con
tinues nationally. Concern over declining test
scores (college boards) continues.
Are children being taught the basic skills, the
reading, writing and arithmetic that a person
needs to function minimally in today’s world?
Or are we graduating too many illiterates?
In some areas and among some students,
there have been horror stories of college bound
high school seniors being unable to write a
basic composition. College level courses in
reading and writing basic English abound.
You’ve got to wonder in the first place why a
decent college would admit such an educa
tionally deficient candidate.
Why would any decent university take on the
task of what basically is the job of an elemen
tary or high school? In many cases, colleges
have succumbed to so called “affirmative ac
tion” programs. The admission of unqualified
minority applicants, just because they are
minorities, not because they’re college
material.
But this is symptomatic of some of the
burdens placed upon the educational institu
tions. Social tinkerers overload the schools
with tasks other than their basic one, educa
tion.
These social tinkerers feel the schools should
be the instrument to solve racial differences,
cultural differences, as well as psychological,
medical and almost any other problem.
There should be lesson enough in the busing
for racial balance to see how school systems
can be destroyed and their effectiveness in
educating reduced.
Unfortunately, the present administration
and Congress in their ultimate wisdom, have
chosen to establish a Department of Education.
You have to know that when you create a bunch
of beauracrats and assign them planning func
tions, many hair-brained schemes can emerge.
Wmi&Sr' ***- tB
* r n
0 ■
Isn’t it funny?
How long an hour in church seems and how
short an hour is on the golf course, tennis court,
or party.
How people who make the most money com
plain the loudest about paying for things they
don’t really need.
How big a $5.00 bill is when you lose it and
how small it is at the grocery store and service
station.
How indespensible you are when someone
needs a favor and how useless you are when
they don’t.
How many people vote to undertake a certain
project for their club, etc., and how few people
do all the work.
How the person who thinks he or she “knows
it all,’’knows so little.
How a person can be sensitive to the needs of
a group of people and insensitive to the needs of
one person.
How problems that seem so big and out of
was not written by Jerrie Benner or Sara Ed
wards.
JERRIE BENNER,
Good Neighbors
Dear Editor:
We want to thank all of our good neighbors
and those who have helped us in raising money
for little Stacy.
We also thank you for your prayers, for we
couldn’t have made it through this difficult
time without the Lord at our side.
“weather experts” warn that this spring should
see a lot of tornado activity in Georgia. That’s
always a comforting feeling! There’s nothing
worse than listening to a weatherman scare
' you to death in advance.
This is the time of year when the cold
weather is on the way out and the warm
weather on the way in. This always creates a
turbulent atmosphere which results in bad, bad
storms that sometimes contain tornadoes.
Already, weather service officials are sen
ding out advance warnings of the approaching
tornado season. I’m sure it’s good to be
prepared, but being scared" to death can
sometimes create havoc.
The staff at this newspaper doesn’t help my
feelings either. It’s unbelieveable how much
they’re afraid of bad weather. Just let the sky
get a little dark and the entire staff begins mak
ing plans to hit a basement somewhere.
Honestly, they scare me to death! Sheila
Martin and Roger Henderson, who work in the
advertising department, are worse than two
kids when a storm is reported to be heading
their way. They practically panic. And writer
Cathy Puckett wants to head for the Chestatee
hills, saying she’s sure a tornado wouldn’t dare
strike that area.
Sawnee Sam Sex,,
By
George Robertson, Jr
Education?
This writer sees no Constitutional legitimacy
for federal involvement in education. They are
empowered to run the army, navy and post of
fice and seem to be having enough difficulty do
ing that: without embarking upon other
endeavors.
We should expect the best from our schools in
their primary task, educating the educateable.
For other social services, we should turn
elsewhere.
We must constantly be on guard against the
tendency, inherent in any institution, to over
administrate, to create more chiefs than In
dians.
Socrates’ concept of the good teacher and the
eager student under a tree is where the magic
of learning is, that’s where the electricity of the
transfer of knowledge can happen.
The modem well-equipped school with all the
subsidiary services is fine, but that dedicated
teacher and earnest student are what make the
process happen.
Administrative,services should be lean, only
those necessary for efficient and safe opera
tions.
Our dollars and our admiration should go to
the stars of the educational process-the
teachers.
You can take the Department of Education,
shut it down, sell the office furniture and equip
ment, recycle its forms and send all the moeny
saved back to local communities to hire
another teacher or give a raise to those already
there.
That’s where the priorities should be. For
syth County is fortunate that it has the high
level of local interest in education that it does.
It is through this community involvement that
we’ll get the best education for our taxes that
money can buy.
Keep interested, y’all!
Forgotten Peopte
By Julianne Boling
How!
proportion at night are not nearly so bad with
the light of day.
How when we think we are about to make
ends meet, someone moves the ends.
How many arm chair ball players know more
about coaching than the men who study it daily.
How many people have trouble praying for 60
seconds but can keep a phone tied up for hours.
How seldom some people pay compliments
and how often they want to be on the receiving
end of them.
How narrow minded the people are who
claim to broad minded.
How generous we think we are and how
selfish we really are.
How people who never attend church always
want the biggest funerals.
How near we can be to someone and how far
away he or she seems to be.
How big we can build walls when short
bridges would serve us better.
President,
F.C. Council
GACLS
A special thanks is sent to the “Ducks-A-
Cumming C.B. Club,” Moose Lodge Ladies
Auxiliary, men of the Moose Lodge and to all
the singers who gave of their precious time.
“May God Bless you all.”
ANDY AND GAIL JOHNSON
TORNADOES ARE funny creatures. There
are tales of straw being driven through thick
boards. Other stories of houses being complete
ly destroyed with Christmas presents laying in
the front yard untouched.
Local Civil Defense officials urge us all to
definitely be prepared. Know in advance what
your actions will be in case a tornado is spotted.
If bad weather is approaching, listen to the
television or radio and heed their warnings. Ap
propriate action could save your life. Don’t
take tornadoes lightly. They are highly
dangerous and destructive forces and should be
considered so. . . w
Yep, it’s tornado time again in Georgia. Let s
all make a special effort to be prepared.
+++
FORSYTH FACES-J.C. Adams having trou
ble breathing after a couple of trips up and
down the basketball court... Stan Gault wat
ching daughter get trophy... Elaine Wheeler
buttering bunches of bread... Chip Housley get
ting completely run over by ballplayers...
Kathryn Bailey having trouble with
typewriter... George Earl Martin complaining
about rising costs... Cynthia McGregor having
trouble getting telephone call returned.
Cathy Puckett
Puckett Poll
Each year the news media takes a survey to
find out what readers like and dislike about
their local community newspaper. Statistics
tallied have revealed evidence that the public
is very interested in what they read in their
hometown newspaper.
In a personal survey I conducted last year
concerning my weekly column, I mailed out
5,000 survey forms, and within three days I
received all 5,000 survey forms back. Of the
5,000, some 4,999 had negative comments about
my weekly column. The one “highly com
plimentary” comment was very much ap
preciated (thanks Mom!)
I decided to live dangerously again this year
and give the readers an opportunity to voice
their opinion about my column. Listed below is
a survey form. Please circle one, two or all the
answers in each column heading and return to
my office by mail, carrier pigeon or a Brinks
truck immediately.
+++
-Cathy Puckett’s column is different
because: >
1. she is different
2. she frequently mispells words
3. she has broken all journalism barriers by
introducing strange adjectives into the world of
print
-Cathy Puckett’s column is excellent for:
1. swatting flies
2. lining garbage cans
3. starting fires
4. wrapping dead fish
-Cathy Puckett’s column will go down in
history because:
1. it should be buried
2. she has left numerous footprints in the
sands of time (namely boot prints in the red
clay hills of Chestatee)
3. it’s as weird as she is
-Cathy Puckett’s column is written best
when:
1. she remembers to plug in her typewriter
2. she has had a decent meal in three days
3. she has some earthly idea what she intends
to write about
-I hope Cathy Puckett continues to write her
weekly column :
1. so the next generation will realize what we
had to put up with
2. so I won’t have to look at a blank space in
the newspaper
3. so maybe some day she’ll get it right
4. because it gives the news staff proof reader
a real challenge
-Cathy Puckett’s column is a real “bomber”
because:
1. it reminds me Qf Pearl Harbor
2. after reading it I get the urge to get sick
3. it reminds me of a trip I’m planning to take
to the Bermuda Triangle
-I hope Cathy Puckett quits writing her col
umn as:
1. the newspaper should give other people
with the mind of a seven year old a chance to
write a column
2. rumor has it she is running out of orange
crayons
3. it was one of my new year’s resolutions
-The only thing I like about Cathy Puckett’s
column is:
1. because it’s short
2. because I usually forget to read Page Two
3. after reading it, everything else is uphill
-I Don’t read Cathy Puckett’s column
because:
1. I detest reading things that don’t make
sense
2. life is depressing enough
3. with an ulcer, why add agony to a pain
-Cathy Puckett’s column should be con
sidered a “classic” because:
1. it makes educational reading for my dog
2. it cures toothaches
3. she is noted for blasting crooked politicians
-Cathy Puckett’s column should be:
1. banned in Hong Kong
2. printed upside down so readers can relate
to her thinking
3. located two pages behind the back page of
the paper
-I don’t like Cathy Puckett’s column
because:
1. she won’t write about anybody unless they
feed her a nine-course meal before the inter
view
2.1 don’t like to get bored on a week night
3. it makes me get a headache
4. it reminds me of a book I read once about a
blizzard
-Overall general views of Cathy Puckett’s
column:
1.1 didn’t know she wrote a weekly column
2. when did she start writing a column
3. why does she write a column
4. who is Cathy Puckett, anyway?
WM ■ S