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Viewpoints Our Views Why this plan? It is our experience that most businesses, faced with a short age of workers, and knowing production must increase within about nine weeks, will advertise and recruit employees to fill the vacancies. With that in mind, we must won der why the Houston County Board of Education, faced with a shortage of 11 bus drivers to begin school Aug. 13, is considering throwing in the towel now and changing the start time for schools to be able to have school with the number of dri vers currently employed. The plan seems counter-produc tive to studies made public recently which indicate students do not function well during the early morning hours, and that they learn more when school starts later rather than earlier. Some districts around the coun try are studying changing the hours for students to report in an effort to make the learning experi ence fall during the optimum time of day. The starting time for school in Houston County has been tinkered with before. If changes are made, we wonder if parents might agree that a later time might be just as desirable as an earlier one, espe cially for those students who ride buses from such locations as Elko, Henderson and Klondike. Even in city communities, buses frequently pick up young students before 7 a.m. We urge the Houston County Board of Education to seriously .... >. consider finding i i more bus drb r " vers and abandoning the thought of starting any schools any earlier than the present schedule. A good send-off In delightful ceremonies the past two weekends, more than 200 stu dents from southern Houston County received diplomas and headed across the threshold into the adult world. Both ceremonies were fitting events to commemorate the achievements of the class of 1999. Those who distinguished them selves offered their thoughts to their classmates. Those who earned their diplomas received the pieces of paper which mean so much in the adult world. We appreciate the serious nature of the ceremonies at both The Westfield Schools and Perry High. The persons responsible for plan ning the programs reflected on community values and included items sure to make the services memorable. Both schools have excellent traditions established which remind participants year after year about the important choices and decisions ahead. Members of the class of 1999 at both schools have left their mark in both academic and extra-curricular activities. Many of these class mem bers have earned scholarships for their reward. Some have set records likely to stand for a long, long time. Way to go, members of the class of 1999. Good luck. Welcome to the world of work, higher education and, yes, greater responsibilities. We wish you well. Houston Homo Jouposl P.O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll St. • Perry. Ga. 31069 email homejmfflhom.net (912) 987-1823 (voice) • (912) 988-1181 (fax) Bob Tribble President JJ Johnson Editor and General Manager Ellen T. Green Advertising Director Phil Clark Sports Joan Dorsett Lifestyles Torey Jolley News and Classified Alllne Kent Sports Pauline Lewis lifestyles Rob Mead News and Circulation Charlotte Perkins News and Composition Paula Zimmerman Bookkeeping w Finding a new source for Texas I have to tell you I got a shock last week. While coming into the office last Thursday morn ing, 1 thought I was seeing things. I thought I was seeing the Blue Belle ice cream girl to be exact. Now, you have to remember I am originally from Wichita Falls, Texas. Blue Belle ice cream is the number one ice cream in Texas (at least if you are talking with Texans). 1,, often, enjoyed a scoop or two of the various flavors offered from Blue Belle while growing up and I still enjoy a scoop or two when my family and I travel to Texas to visit our families back there. However, Blue Belle isn’t (or 1 should say wasn’t) available in Georgia and I have had to “force" myself to find other tasty The Peanut GauerY Tf $ rj. tHU I 11 F Thoughts on help for Perry downtown Last Thursday, the Chamber of Commerce hosted a meeting on the future of Downtown Perry, and in the course of brainstorming, some interest ing ideas popped up. Some peo ple think that the downtown area needs smother restaurant. Some think it needs a movie theatre. Some would like to see a trendy dress shop for women. Tell you what I think. I think it ought to be possible to buy a cup of cappuccino in downtown Perry. (Hey, you can get it at Conoco!) I'd like to see an art gallery the kind that offers work by regional artists, and even though I'm not likely to buy one of those trendy dresses, I can definitely see that argument. If people are coming out of their way to buy upscale chil dren’s fashions (which they def initely are), then some of those moms and grandmoms might like to shop for themselves. Also, how about some col lectibles besides Beanie Babies? This all reminds me of a visit I made with my kids and grand kids to downtown Madison on a Saturday afternoon last fall. The town was bustling with activity, and there were plenty of young couples with children rambling around, window shopping, checking out antiques and eating in the downtown restaurants (none of Our Policies Unsigned editorials appearing In larger type on this page under the label Our Views reflect the posi tion of the Houston Home Journal. Signed columns and letters on this page (and elsewhere In this news paper) reflect the opinions of the writers and not nec essarily those of this newspaper. Signed letters to the editor are welcomed. Please limit letters to 300 words and Include addresses and a telephone number for verification purposes. Letters are not published without verification. Letters should be sent to P.O. Drawer M, Perry, Ga.. 31069 or brought to the newspaper office at 807 Carroll St.. Perry. Our liability for an error will not exceed the coot «td., JtaiM 9. 1900 Page 4A Torey Jolley Home Journal StafT ice cream treats. (It was hard work, but, hey, someone had to do it.) But back to my story: I shook my head and looked again. Yep! It was the Blue Belle ice cream girl minus her cow. However, she was surrounded by men in fancy suits and the Blue Belle ice cream truck was really parked in front of the Home Journal office. I introduced Charlotte Perkins Home Journal Staff them fast food). McDonough is another city that has a lively downtown. So does Stone Mountain. Obviously those towns are pulling customers out of the Atlanta area, but Perry could probably draw a crowd from Macon or Warner Robins in the same way. Maybe some field trips are in order. ••• Now, once more, let’s head back in time, into the pages of our old Houston Home Journal volumes. Forty years ago: Four Perry Student leaders, Pierce Staples, Riley Hunt, Wilson Martin and Larry Walker, were headed to Boys State in Athens. In the mean time school patrol boys, includ ing Bill Malone, Travis Edwards, Bobby Humphries, David Kemp, Sonny Wilson, Henry Colter, Larry Bailey, Allen Brown and Joel Irby, headed for a trip to Daytona, of space occupied by the error. We cannot be responsible for the return of pictures or submitted materials unless a stamped, return address envelope is Included Our Goal The Houston Home 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 this goal through hard work, teamwork, loyalty and a strong dedication toward printing the truth. Member of Georgia Press Association and National Newspaper Association. v . m i Houston Home Jomal ice cream in Perry myself and exclaimed. “Hey, you’re supposed to be in Texas!" They laughed and explained I was not seeing things. They were in town to drop off four half gallons of vrrious ice creams for the Home Journal office in order to announce they are going to expand into Georgia. Now many of you will not understand the importance of that. However, regions have their food specialties. I love many tasty foods sweet tea and Vldalia onions to name a couple, from Georgia; however, I often long for real Tex-Mex food and Blue Belle ice cream. My family knows that when we get “home” to Wichita Falls, we will be eating Tex-Mex near ly every day and finishing the meal off with Blue Belle ice accompanied by Police Chief J.B. Hawkins. Edna Perdue received her 10- year service pen at the Georgia Power district meeting. Houston Home Journal adver tised a “Sumit” adding machine for $18.95, and Gulf brand tires were on sale for $11.95 each. Mr. and Mrs. Avon Buice moved into the Bubber Pierce home on Duncan Street. He had Just graduated from law school at Mercer. Mrs. Gardner Watson and children. Draper and Martha Lyn, and Ellyn Lassiter and Mrs. Hubert Aultman and chil dren Andy and Ann spent sev eral days at Jekyll Island. 25 years ago. Mark Mitchell of Perry gave the valedictory address at the Macon Junior College gradua tion. Foster Rhodes joined Gray Walker Tractor Co. Roobins of Cordele had a special father’s day offer plaid double knit polyester pants for sl4-$25. Rose Cook wrote in the “Book Nook" that she was reading “Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution." She also reviewed “Cashelmara" by Susan Howatch. Larry Walker (the same one who was heading to Boys State in 1959) was named to the Governor’s Commission on Crime. cream. Our family in Texas often call us to let us know they are enjoying a bowl of Blue Belle. In fact, that happened just the evening before I saw the ice cream girl here in Perry. That conversation was why I dreamed of it pralines and cream ice cream all night. I was thinking about that dream when I came to work last Thursday. Talk about surprise upon seeing the ice cream girl! And she was delivering ice cream! (Miracles do occur!) ' I am not insisting people avoid all other types of ice cream. I am just thrilled to have a “taste of home’ here in Perry. Now, if Casa Manana could expand here ... mm, their chili topped with Vidalia onions and a tall glass of Georgia sweet tea. Bob Tribble Home Journal President What about school vouchers? The State of Florida is on the cutting edge of putting into effect the first statewide school voucher plan that would give tax money to students attend ing poor public schools to use to attend a private or parochial school. Florida’s plan would provide at least $4,000 per year for tuition for many of the state’s two million public school stu dents. Those who oppose the plan say that it would cripple public education and violate the con stitutional separation of church and state. Proponents say it would give public schools and incentive to improve, and those students stuck in bad schools an opportunity to improve their education at another school of their choice. They say the vouchers will not cost taxpayers anything extra because the money will be taken from the public schools. Jeanne Allen, president of the Center of Education Reform based in Washington, says the voucher plan will be great for the kids. “You have, first and foremost, a law that puts public schools on notice that they have to ’fish or cut bait', and you have a bill that helps children that are the most in need." Two states, Maine and Vermont, have voucher pro grams to assist students in rural areas where there is no public school nearby. Milwaukee and Cleveland have citywide voucher plans. Severed other states have considered vouchers, going all the way back to the days when Lyndon Johnson was president. Under the plan. Florida would begin a testing program for students in grades three through 10 and the results would be used to grade the schools. Estimates are that as many as 169 of the state’s 3,000 pub lic schools could receive a fail ing grade under the new stan dards. The voucher program would be available to students at public schools that get a fail ing grade. In addition to the vouchers, expanded student testing and grading of the schools, the new See TRIBBLE, page SA “Congress shall make no law respecting an estab lishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof: or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or of the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Your right to read this news paper is protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The Houston Home Journal (ÜBPB 000471) Is published weekly for $21.40 per year (including sales tax) by Houston Publications Inc., 007 Carroll St.. Perry. Oa., 31000. Periodicals dam Postage paid at Pony. Oa. POSTMASTER : Send ROOmmrMLMny. Oa. fMOORBMN: 1070*1074. LL