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Page 4A Wednesday, December 28,1994, Houston Times-Journal Viewpoints Houston Times- Joupuol P. O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll Street • Perry, Ga. 31069 Phone: (912) 987-1823 The Houston Times-Journal (USPS 000471) is published semi-weekly for SIB.OO per year by Houston Publications, Inc., 807 Carroll Street, Perry, Ga. 31069. Second Class Postage paid at Perry, Ga., POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Houston Times-Journal, P. O. Drawer M, Perry, Ga. 31069. ISSN: 1075-1874 Bob Tribble, President Brigette Loudermilk, Editor and General Manager Sherri Wengler, Advertising Manager News: Larry Hitchcock, Pauline Lew's. Sports: Phil Clark. Composition: Lynn Wright. Classified Advertising: Melanie Bullington. Circulation: Eric Zellers. Bookkeeping: Judy Morrow. Photography. Eric Zellars. Our Policies • Signed Letters to the editor welcomed. Please limit to 300 words and include address and phone number. • Liability for an error will not exceed the cost of space occupied by the error. • We cannot be responsible for return of pictures or material unless stamped return addressed envelope is included. Our Goal The Houston Times-Journal is published proudly for the citizens of Houston and adjoining counties by Houston Publications Inc., Perry, Ga. Our goal is to produce quality, profitable, community-oriented newspapers that you, our readers, are proud of. We will reach that goal through hard work, teamwork, loyalty, and a strong dedication towards printing ths truth. Member Georgia Press Association-National Newspaper Association "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redree of grievances.” Your right to road thl» nawapapar IS protactad by tha Flrat Amandmont o* tha Unit ad Stataa Constitution Social, school church news deadlines in an effort to better serve our readers and meet printing deadlines, The Houston Times-Journal is asking readers to please observe deadlines for submitting your engagement and wedding announcements, as well as news abouty our clubs, schools and churches. In order to meet our deadlines, all social, club, school and church news will have to be in our office by 5:30 p.m. Friday, for publication in the following Wednesday's newspaper. If you are unable to come by during the day. there is a mail slot on the front door in which to drop your items, appreciate your co-operation. Education gridlock or education renewal? By FRANKLIN SHUMAKE Special to the HTJ In January. 1999, when Governor Zell Miller returns to Young Harris College or Emory University to teach the next generation of history majors to become the political lead ers of Georgia, he will leave behind an education legacy unparalleled in the history of Georgia education The face and substance of Georgia education will have changed. When the "warp and woof of the design in the master weaver's mind' have been completed, public educa tion in Georgia will be a birth to death seamless educational opportu nity which provides education for basic skills, basic content, decision making, career preparation, retrain ing, and personal education oppor tunities In January, 1995. when Linda Schrenko. state school superinten dent. takes office, she will bring a set of feelings, facts, intentions and goais for public education in Geor gia From her experience as a local school educator, she will be deter mined to shift die emphasis from state mandates to local options. She will be determined that the teachers in the classrooms have adequate ma terials, supplies, copy paper, text books, equipment and time to teach their children. When the legislature convenes in January, 1995, legislative leaders will bring to the General Assembly a set of priorities for improving public education at all levels. They have campaigned, listened to die public, studied the elections, re viewed the facts at hand, and they sincerely want to see Georgia education improve and see Georgia become higher in* die rankings of die states. Parents, educators and citizens have been watching the politics of Governor Miller, Superintendent Schrenko, individual legislators, and local school board candidates as they posture and promise. They are anticipating that the leadership of the state will address school im provement system by system, school by school, classroom by classroom, student by student. Will Georgia have education grid lock or education renewal? Will the priorities, programs and personnel-* be so diverse among the decision makers that nothing can happen, or will there be enough common threads to weave a pattern of progress, improvement, and signifi cant accomplishment? The official 40 days and 40 nights of die 1995 Session of die Georgia General Assembly will probably set the pace for die following four years. School Improvement Issues The public has sent a clear mes- Guest Column sage about school improvement: keep it simple, basic, local and fad tree. Student achievement is the bottom line. The parents and the public want results Programs, pro cesses, procedures and activities will be weighed by what students are learning The foots will be on the instruction of individual stu dents Each school will be measured by die instructional success of each student. Group progress, group averages and group actions will take a back seat to the teaching, testing and learning of each student The tal ented. capable, regular, slow and special education student will each be addressed with equal effort and equal expectation of success at a level appropriate for each student. Ihe issues list is long: use more effectively the 180 days we have rather than adding days; use tech nology correctly and adequately train staff to improve instruction; merge categorized programs that duplicate applications and evalua tions; improve teacher education; merge high school, college and technical education courses for 11th and 12di grade students; teach all required high school courses by satellite and many elementary courses; re-address school sizes for funding; examine schools which are getting too large; review and per haps revise how school boards are selected, trained and readied. Redesign the state education agency; expand the leadership academy and perhaps select a con ference center to house the state wide leadership instruction; award diplomas at the end of the 10th grade and move on to career prepara tion; develop a pool of local school superintendent prospects for 1996 when over 100 local school super intendenLs can be employed by local boards; redesign the state student testing program; rely upon accredit ing standards for schools rather than state agency standards; provide local functions which can be privatized, contracted and/or eliminated; design school choices for parents; develop a strong program of reading, writing and computing for all students as a foundation for content learning and decision making; and revise the public school funding process to make it adequate, equitable and simpler to administer. The School Improvement I'lan System by system and school by school, a school improvement plan must be developed to guide decision mtiking and evaluation. Each school must clearly inventory the current status, develop options, set goals design a plan ol action and continu ously evaluate the progress of the Please s eeSHUMAKE, page 8A THE. PEANUT GAIIERr | UPDATED WHITE HOUSE SECURITY l /ljould you be / COULD YOU BE A7Y; j V s NEIGHBOR? J I m c I® e&HBBHm mm. m \ ■ Storey leaves position at chamber 5 Years Ago ... (Dec, 30. 19X9) China: despite measures. Orient advances. * * * City plans new panels City- Manager Hays says by-pass tops ‘9O work * * * Perry Chamber of Commerce Executive Vice-President Ann Storey is leaving chamber post Her record is recognized by friends at reception at Perry United Methodist Church on Thursday. Dec. 28, as they said "good luck" and “thank you. ” She will be leaving her post on Dec.. 31 * • * Division of Youth Services literally pleading for more good homes to sponsor troubled youths.. • * * Middle Georgia Technical Institute is offering much in its night classes.. * * * Bobby Tuggle: A New Year's resolution: Do a lot more hunting, spend time in the outdoors.. 10 Years Ago... (Dec. 27, 19X4) James V. Burgess, Jr„ executive director of the Georgia Municipal Association, arrived in Perry Thursday to honor Rep. Larry Walker for his work with the Association, * * # A check arrived at Perry City Hall Thursday from Insurance Commissioner Johnnie Caldwell for $42,613.51, taken from one percent tax on life insurance premiums. City is scheduled to receive $138,335 in insurance premium tax money before end of fiscal year. * * * Grand jury says Welfare Agency One thing will stay the same-Jesus Some things never change: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever”, Hebrews 13:8. In just a few days now the Christmas decorations will all come down = the trees, the holly, the tinsels, the wreaths, signs of Christmas greetings, etc. - and be packed up for another year. The parties and suppers and songs of the season will be forgotten for another twelve months. But, Jesus Christ the virgin bom Son of God will be die same the day after Christmas, and the day after New Year’s and each day of die coming year. He will be at the right hand of God listening for the prayer of repentant sinners, answering the prayers of Mis obedient children, lie will be interceding to God on behalf of those who love Him and worship Iliin.. As well as the never changing Remember when? News items from past issues needs upgrading. • t • Mayor Barbara Calhoun named Pilot Club Woman of die Year • • • City readies for Oldfield grant work. • • * Jake Cawthon always came hack to law enforcement • * • Caffeine in coffee, tea. soft drinks can affect health, experts say. 25 Years Ago... (Dec. 25,1969) Memorial Heights Baptist Church presented each of the prisoners at the Houston County Public Works Camp in Perry with a box of gtxxltes Boxes included cake, candy fruit, stationery and stamps. Allen Stone Is Warden and Ray Wheel us is Deputy Warden of the prison. * * * Eight persons arrested as State officers raid nine clubs in Houston. Moss Oaks Lounge, five miles south of Perry on U. S. Hwy 41 was the only one in Perry. Houston County papers, Houston Home Journal and The Daily Sun, were not notified of the raid; however The Macon Telegraph and WMAZ-TV in Bibb County were.notified. * * * Georgia Power pays City $57,482..81, representing the utility’s local properly taxes for 1968. * * * Council sets policies for liquor stores here. * * * Rev. A.C. Truluck Houston Lake Baptist Christ, there are many things that never change. The law of gravity never changes. The multiplication tables never change. The law of sowing and reaping remains. The law of death because of sin is still with us. The sun, moon, stars, and heavens in general remain. They don’t need any change. God never changes: “For 1 am the Lord, I change not”, Malachi 3:6. The Word of God never changes: “Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven”, Psalm 119:89. That which is perfect need not to change. Everything that is not perfect needs change. We don’t 4 a — Houston Times-JournuT 50 Years Ago... (Dec 2K, 1944) Agricultural Census to be taken in January 1945... • • * New Year’s Day antedates the Birth of Christ by 452 years. The celebration of New Year’s on January 1 began 452 B.C. and therefore, contrary to logical reasoning, had nothing whatsoever to do with the Birth of Christ The English New Year was changed from Dec 25 by William the Conqueror, because he was crowned on January 1. * • • Census report shows that 2,000 bales of cotton were ginned in Houston County from the crop of 1944 prior to Dec. 1, as compared with 2.628 bales for the crop of 1943.. * * * Farmers to be assisted by Internal Revenue men. They will visit Perry on Jan. 4, 5 and 6. Every farmer who has a gross income of SSOO or more is required to file an income lax return. * * • Plans for Freezer -.Locker plant making progress. * « * Packages should be wrapped securely and addressed plainly.. * * * One of the New Year resolutions that would mean increase of happiness in many a family is this: Not to speak of mistakes which make no difference. How arguing over nothings mars the home harmony. An erroneous opinion may need correction, but what possible difference does it make whether Aunt Jane came to dinner on Tuesday or Wednesday, or whether it rained Friday or Saturday? * * * have to look too far then to see that which needs changing. Probably, the new year will come and become old, with many celebrating another Christinas and the past of this new year as an old year, and themselves remaining the same; lost in sin while every day there is the saviour whose birthday they celebraied December 25 th of last year, pleading for their change. It is the hope of this writer that before another Christmas comes in the year of 1995, you will be among those who come to know the Christ of Christinas, Who He was, Who Ile is, and Who He is to be: Saviour, Lord and King. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thought: ’Getting to heaven is political. It is who you know that will get you in.’ Joyce Compton Be assured, God has much good in mind for his people "This is My covenant with them," says the Lord: "my Spirit which is upon you and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your off spring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s off spring," says the Lord, "from now and forever." Isa iah 59:12 The consultants, historians and media pundiLs arc every where busily analyzing the past year and prognosticating the year to come. As we listen to them, we soar with the optimists, crash with the pes simists and float with the unde cided-ists What can we reasonably expect for ourselves and our offspring in the year to come * How can we and they he prepared for die future? God tells us in the Scripture that He is aware of our search for an swers, "Thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise up; explains our need to be cautious when we listen to the opinions and advice of people, "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Chist," Colossians 2:8. God said, "This is my beloved Son, Listen to Him." Mark 9:7. God has much good in mind for His people, "for I know the plans that I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans fot welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope," Jeremiah 29:11. We can trust in the plans we see Him working out in our lives, whether we understand them fully or not. "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28. It doesn't matter if the newscasts and the headlines are full of the frightful, bleak and hopeless predicaments of sinful man. God has decreed that good news will al ways and forever be available to us and to our children and to our grandchildren. "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of a great joy which shall be for all the people. . .a Savior Who is Christ the Lord." The only good news that doesn't sour or change with the passing of time is God's promise to deal mer cifully with those who turn from their transgressions. God has won derfully decided that the power of His Spirit and the testimony of His Word will be with his people Please see COMPTON, page 8A