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Page 10A
Wodnosday, April 27.1 994"H0u5t0n Times-Journal
Letters, from 4A
1956. The winning school in 1957 was Perry High School, under the
direction of Mrs. J. O. Coleman. To be forever memorialized as the
second entry in the Hall of Barkley Forum Champions is a singular honor
for Perry High School.
Perry High School seems to have always had a highly competitive
speech and debate program, boasting celebrated alumni such as Senator
Sam Nunn, who is listed in the 1956 Perry Yearbook as Secretary-
Treasurer of the Speech Club. Perry shares a rich tradition of success in
speech and debate with Warner Robins High School, Northside High
School, and, most recently, Houston County High School.
The success of our debating teams has also enhanced the reputation of
our schools and the Houston County School System in general. For the
record, Houston County is the only school system in Georgia to have sent
three teams to the State Debate Championships for the last two years. In
1993, the schools were Houston County, Warner Robins, and Perry. In
1994, Houston County took first place in the State AA classification for
the second consecutive year. Northside placed Second in AAAA and Perry
placed fourth in AAA. No other school system in Georgia can make that
claim.
There should be no question that the Houston County School System
has been well served by extremely competitive interscholastic debating
programs in our high schools for decades. I have frequently been told by
our graduates that they actually learned far more in debate than in ’'gifted"
or "college prep” classes. This is consistent with comments from my
colleagues throughout the Nation. I saved an article from the Christian
Science Monitor in 1985 that drew a similar conclusion. "Again and again
students comment that forensics is one of the most worthwhile programs
in their high school experience. They see speech and debate as
contributing to their overall academic and personal growth in substantial
ways."
I have watched our graduates pursue successful careers in education,
business, law and even medicine. I would estimate that our graduates have
literally received hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship money
from colleges and universities.
As to the educational value of debate, those who have been involved
with the activity offer impressive testimonials. Dr. Ted Wolf (Principal of
North Springs High School) recently presented an address to a national
group of debate coaches at Emory University. Dr. Wolf described
interscholastic debate as the single, most effective method of teaching
critical thinking skills to high school students.
I was quite impressed last Spring as I listened to Governor Zell Miller
in the Northside High School Library, and later in my classroom.
Governor Miller described his experience with debate as the most
important element of his education in high school. The Governor gave
much of the credit for his success to training in debate. He spoke with
considerable pride of the fact that his debate coach was present at his
inauguration as Governor.
As someone who has been involved with interscholastic debate, either
as a student or coach, for over a quarter of a century, I would add my own
voice to those of Dr. Wolf and Governor Miller. I am reminded of
statements by John F. Kennedy in 1960. "The give and take of debating,
the testing of ideas, is essential to democracy. I wish we had a good deal
more debating in our educational institutions than we do now."
Bruce Rogers, NHS Debate Coach
President, Ga. Debate
Coaches Association
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We need a new high school
Dear Editor:
On Thursday, March 24th, concerned parents and citizens of Perry
gathered at Perry Middle School to address the issue of overcrowding at
Perry Middle. Tony Hinnant and some members of the Board of Education
were present We realize that all middle schools in Houston County are
very overcrowded and there needs to be relief from the trailers and port-a
potties that are now in place at all the middle schools.
To relieve the overcrowding a construction of a new middle school was
approved and will be built in the Hwy 96 and Bonaire area. This will hep
eliminate much of the conditions in Warner Robins but does very little for
the school in Perry. The children will have to continue to begin eating
lunch at 10:30 a.m. and the last at 2 pm. because the lunchroom and
kitchen area are not large enough to support the almost 900 children.
The new wing will not hep the situation for lunch, media center and
other areas tint cause problems for that amount of children.
We want our children to be together and not bussed six or 12 miles
away.
We are Perry folks with the togetherness to make things happen. We
know that we are only 22 percent of Houston County, but we are a part of
Houston County. One board member mentioned the fact that they have
their offices in perry and that the north Houston County folks were furious
that they may have to come to the Perry office.
I work in Centerville and a great many folks work in Warner Robins
and we make the drive everyday. They think we ask too much to have
them come to Perry. We are grateful for the fact that they are renovating
the old Perry annex for their new offices and the city of Perry can expand
to their old office building.
After two hours of attitudes and dismay of the board of education,
Hubert Hutcherson stood up to let us know how to get involved. First,
attend the Board of Education meetings and to voice your opinion; second,
try to get a bond referendum to build a new school. And third, back your
children into getting a better education. We need to vote into the Board of
Education, three more people from the Perry area who will fight for us.
He did mention the fact that we need a new High School in Perry the size
of Houston County School somewhere in the North side of Perry of the
Perry Parkway and then move Perry Middle to the existing Perry High
where there is a capacity of over 900 students.
This is really what we should be fighting for. Not another middle
school, but a new larger high school where we can grow. The middle
school could then be turned into another elementary school. Think about
Perry. It would solve two major problems in Perry and keep our students
together. The power of the people needs to join together and do this.
The board of education should not build two middle schools but one,
and use the other funding for a new high school in Perry, therefore
eliminating the overcrowding in Perry and give us a chance to grow.
Please join together to build another Perry High and not the effort of
another middle school. We must unite together for the benefit of all
students in Perry.
Sincerely,
Annie Bacon
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