Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 63

Cbc CUmoihimct JACKSON DAILY NEWS 3 Sunday, January 30, 1972 SECTION AFFAIRS OF STATE Nudge Napping Schools When Heads food and eat it in their rooms, ''V ONE OF GOV. WALLER'S gov srnmental streamlining plans will be likely to hit an impassable roadblock in the legislature, it was learned this week. The chief executive has asked solons to combine the duties of such commissions as the Stat Building Commission, the Budget Commission, and other key agencies into a giant Department of Administration. But far too many lawmakers ar already members of those commissions, and it appears unlikely they will voluntarily relinquish their prestigious positons. Waller told newsmen he thinks there are enough legislators interested in his plan to achieve passage of streamlining legislation, but he apparently has forgotten that senior lawmakers have a big say in the activities of both chambers.

As one veteran lawmaker said to another following Waller's legislative address this week, "Say, do you think old Senator is going to vote himself off the Budget Commission?" TREATY SITE MARKER Located In Pontotoc, It Begins White Man's History 'Qpz Burned At The Stake By BILLY SKELTON Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer Too many schools, Sen. Frank Church, D-Idaho said recently, are "sleeping giants" that close their doors at 4 p.m., failing to meet the needs of the communities they serve. Such part-time use of the schools is wasteful, he added, especially since the schools are in almost all municipalities the largest single investment of public funds in physical facilities. Church has prepared legislation on the issue. Dr.

Brandon B. Sparkman, superintendent of the Jackson Public Schools, asked to comment on Church's criticism, said "I agree with him 100 per cent." Stating that he was speaking for himself and not for the school board, Dr. Sparkman said that with proper cooperation between school boards and various city departments involved, a municipality of 10,000 people could save about $1.5 million by constructing school plants with library and auditorium facilities which also could be used after school hours by the general pubic. The savings would be multiplied proportionately, he thinks, for larger municipalities. MONUMENTS TO STUPIDITY is one term Dr.

Sparkman has heard applied to magnificent school plants, particularly some constructed many years ago, buildings designed to be impressive rather than useful. Dr. Sparkman said he has always believed school plants should be built as economically and at the same time to be as functional as possible. At Tuscumbia where he was an administrator before coming to Jackson, he had some success and some notable lack of it in efforts to promote community use of public school buildings. Dr.

Sparkman said it is expensively impratical to construct an auditorium in a school building that may be used once a week or once a month, and he's not even sure cafeterias are needed. He sees no reason why children can't gt their By CHARLES M. HILLS Jr. Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer Sometimes a head too many rolls when a new governor takes office. Such was the case during the first week of Gov.

Bill Waller's administration. When the first pay day for the new chief executive and his office staff rolled around, Waller learned to his dismay he had fired the payroll clerk in the governor's office. Since none of his new staff knew how to make out the payroll, a few days' delay came before salary checks were available. Speaking of heads rolling, two of the most shocked citizens in the state this week must have been the Waller Colonel and Coloneless who were among the 22 employes of the Manpower Division who lost their jobs in a mass firing by the incoming administraton. Waller was asked in a press conference this week if he planned to fire more of his colonel's staff, but he apparently did not read the news reports of that happening.

The governor did not know what the questioning reporter wanted answered. CAMPAIGNING for retiring Congressman Charles Griffin's seat will begin in earnest next week, and at least three men are definitely, unequivocably, in the running. Three state legislators Sen. Ellis Bodron of Vicksburg, Rep. Joe Moss of Raymond and Rep.

J. Walter Brown of Natchez have let it be known they will make the race in the 3rd congressional district. Bodron and Moss are both old hands in the legislative process, having served many years in their respective houses, and Brown is entering his second term of office following service as an aide to former Cong. John Bell Williams. Numerous other political hopefuls are reportedly eyeing the upcoming race, but only the three lawmakers mentioned have made definite committments to their supporters.

J- 1 Till' 'l A map from the French archives shows the battle probably did not take place at this site, however, but probably a few miles to the east, nearer Belden and Tupelo. Another marker was up near Tupelo for many years indicating it was the site of the Battle of Ackia, also in 1836, in which the French leader Bienville was defeated. A few years ago, it was determined that the marker was not at the correct site, and it was removed and has not yet been reset at a new location. However, the defeat of th French left the Chickasaws free to roam and they held title and possession to the lands until the Pontotoc Creek Treaty was signed on October 20, 1832. In Pontotoc today there is a marker which recalls this event and states: "Southeast about seven miles is the site of the council house where on October 20, 1832 the treaty was signed provided for cession of over six million areas to U.S.

and removal of Chickasaws to the North Mississippi's history for the white man begins almost coincident with that event. 4- 41 Add-On Dreams although health authorities oppose it. Much greater use can be made of school recreational facilities, such as tennis courts, playgrounds and tracks, the superintendent said. "I'm not saying school systems should take the financial responsibility for recreational programs, but I am saying that facilities should be used as many hours as needed," he stated. THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL CONCEPT was undertaken in Flint, Mich, through a foundation grant, and Sparkman said the school facilities there were put to use 24 hours a day 12 months in the year, providing services to people in all working shifts.

The facilities even included recreational programs for the elderly. The city, not the Softool district, finances the various non-school programs in the buildings. On the issue of year-a round schools, Dr. Sparkman agrees with State Supt. of Education Garvin H.

Johnston that Mississippi schools should try it on an experimental basis. However, much of the "waste" applies to after hours use or non-use of costly buildings. Dr. Sparkman estimated that the Jackson schools are used by non-school groups about 103 nights a year. A small fee is charged for janitorial and utility services.

In addition, adult education classes in the evenings are attended by thousands of students. The superintendent thinks this limited after hours use of local school buildings could be multiplied many times, especially if the fee were removed. In cities with a joint program this cost could be transferred to some other municipal source. "It's time educators and city officials plan programs that would be mutually beneficial," he said. Dr.

Sparkman emphasized that he is not trying to tell school boards what to do but that such a course "appears to me to be a feasible approach to spending the taxpayers' money." As far back as 1932, the Brookings Institution in the landmark study of possible Mississippi governmental reorganization said: "Mississippi's assessment procedure is a pyramided mass of administrative devices piled on top of each other. Mississippi has followed the example of other states in providing administrative machinery and failing to get ad-rninistraton." Little, or nothing at all, has changed since 1932. Or, for that matter, since 1908 when Gov. E. F.

Noel commented: "Our state tax is collected upon the varying standards of assessment adopted by 78 counties and the Railroad Commissioners, each wholly independent of the other. "Instances exist where land of the same kind and value on one side of the county line, through higher assessment, pays four times as much state tax as other land just across that line." MEC SPECIALISTS, in studying the situation over Mississippi, found these disparities among thousands of others One county in South Mississippi assessed its cultivatable land at an average of $11 an acre. Adjoining counties assess the same type land at $6, $7 and $8 an acre. There is little or no difference in the sale values of these lands. In a Central Mississippi county numerous homes have been built in recent years ranging in value from $40,000 to $50,000.

Yet only two homes in the county are carried on the assessment roll at a value greater than $5,000. At least 15 other counties have not a single homestead assessed at a higher value than $5,000 which happens to be the limit of assessment which qualifies for homestead exemption. ALL THIS NOTWITHSTANDING, it is probable nothing unless it is talk of serious consideration of the "county unit road system" Is as unlikely to arise solidly and confront the 1972 Mississippi Legislature as a down-to-earth reassessment of the state's asessment practices. By CARL McINTIRE Sunday Editor The Chickasaw Indians held on to a vast part of what is now North Mississippi for long years, and the white man was virtually kept out of those lands by the Redmen except for a few traders who set up trading posts. The French, in those years, tried valiantly to take over the lands from the Indians, finally retreating after two big defeats that discouraged the French so much that they left the Mississippi territories forever.

One of the major battles took place on Sunday, May 20, 1736 but the place is in dispute. There is a marker about eight miles from Pontotoc that reads: "Pierre D'Artaguitte, French commander, was defeated in battle with Chickasaw Indians Sunday, May 20, 1736. A week later D'Artaguitte, Francois-Marie, Bissot De Vincinnes, Father Antoine Senat, Jesuit missionary in all 20 Frenchmen captured were burned at the stake by their captors. Father Senat, scorning the offer to escape martyrdom, remained with his cpmrads and intoning the Miserere, led them into the destroying flames." By DOROTHY ALFORD When Mississippi was still an English Province, in 1772, the English Protestants tried very hard to have schools; and both the Congregationalists and the Baptists started schools near Natchez while the Methodists were establishing a school in Vicksburg. After Mississippi became a territory, the very first act of incorporation passed by the Mississippi Territorial Legislature was that which established Jefferson College at Washington near Natchez.

This college, initiated on May 13, 1802, and later known as Jefferson Military Acadomy, was the first in the entire Southwest. In November of 1818, the Methodists founded Elizabeth Female Academy not far from Jefferson, and this school had the distinction of being the first in the nation authorized by legislative charter for women! The first public schools in the state were opened In 1821, and the first school for the blind was established In In all the United States the first school for the deaf was founded in Mississippi in 1854! Gov. A. G. Brown had been successful in 1846 in having an act passed to have a general system of schools in the state; -by 1870 a uniform system of public education was adopted.

Small schools had sprung up in Copiah County very early. In 1855 the county could even boast of Copiah Collegiate Institute at Hargraves, a school for young ladies (none under with board costing $8.00 per month. Early As The was Science Springs Eliza Luke land. the Road pupils eight. tells each George sister every the Door.

home dark. In and to Road. for the school Its Play. Some for PLEASANT HILL SCHOOL'S SINGING PROGRAM All Participants Identified In List At End of Article LcCs Talk Mississippi The Louisville Nashville Railroad bridge spanning the Bay of St. Louis is the world's longest prestressed concrete railroad bridge.

Completed in 1967, the bridge is 10,170 feet long and was built at a cost of $4.9 million. Source: Jackson Daily News. Released by the Mississippi Economic Council. Mississippi's farmers have invested some $5 billion in plant, equipment and operating capital. The real estate of Mississippi farmers is valued at $3 billion; machinery and equipment at $1 billion; livestock and poultry at $3 billion and production capital at $6 billion.

This investment will likely exceed $7 billion by 1975. -Source: Mississippi Power Light Company. Released by the Mississippi Economic Council. 'Si, the individuals taking part in the event on the front porch of the Pleasant Hill school in 1909 including many who became prominent and some who are deceased is as follows: Front row (seated on ground), left to right: 1. Reynolds boy, 2.

Mack Watson, 3. Cyrus Crews, 4. Millard Mack-ey, 5. Bryan Crews, 6. Hayden Alford, 7.

Howard Slay, 8. Ira Crews, 9. Jimmy Gardner. Second Row: 1. Carlton Slay, 2.

Earl Alford, 3. Gladys Thur- man (baby), 4. Marie Brashear, 5. Annie Mae Slay, 6. Merle Crews, 7.

Floy Mackey, 8. Gardner girl, 9. Neva Mackey, 10. Cecil Thurman, 11. Walter Lewis, 12.

Johnny Jones (Jack Velsor, dancer), 13. Luther Lamar Third Row: 1. Bill Parker (the -singing school teacher), 2. eor-ge Crews, 3. Johnnie Gardner, 4.

F. L. Thurman, 5. Mrs. F.

L. Thurman, 6 Mary Thomas, 7. Reynolds girl, Allie Mae Thurman, 9 Pearl Davis, 10. Linton Crews, 11. Mrs.

Linton Crews, 12. Phil Mackey, 13. Mrs. Mackey Fourth Row: 1. Oscar Lamar, 2.

Agnes Weems, 3. Lela Weems, 4. Frank Lewis, 5. Elizabeth Walker, 6. Lena Walker, 7.

Hiram Jones, 8. Elizabeth Jones, 9. Mrs. Hiram Jones, 10, Mrs. John Lewis, 11.

John Lewis, 12. Mary Lewis, 13. Hugh Thurman, 14. Myrtice Jones, 15. assistant singing teacher, 16.

Monroe Gardner Fifth Row; 1. Johnny Gordon, 2. Modena Lamar, 3. Carl Smith, 4. Maggie Gardner, 9.

Gardner girl, 10. Jesse Bell, 11. Mrytle Lamar, 12. Louis Farmer, 13., Lena Mae Davis Schools In State Bring Grins Their 'Differences' Are Noted By CHARLES B. GORDON Daily News Staff Writer Gov.

Bill Waller, in presenting his first program message to the Legislature last week, listed a sort of "top 10" plans and hopes, schemes and dreams then added No. 11 and a No. 12 which would seem to be pretty important stuff, to. For instance, No. 11 was no less formidable a topic than "Education." No.

12, it is possible, should and will rank much higher on the scale. This is what Waller said in his printed text: "Property Assessment Equalization. Court decisions in other states make it mandatory that we face this problem at an early date. I hope you will conduct studies in this session which will lead to the introduction of fair and equitable legislation." IT'LL TAKE a federal court to bring about real action in this line by the Mississippi Legislature, I am strongly inclined to predict. (This may be because I was a member of an able McComb city administration which, in 1960, irritated beyond standing the mess any further, engaged people who knew what they were doing and had every piece of property in McComb and the McComb separate school district evaluated by scientific methods and assessed on a sensible formula.

(This action cost money which it was far more than worth and antagonized so many of the voters of the type which kept crying "Why can't our $400 a month tax assessor do it?" that the entire city board lost at the polls the next election.) THE MEC HAS WORKED for many years on the ad valorem taxation of property, which it calls "one of the most important fiscal functions of government in Mississippi." During the MEC's recent legislative forums over the state the problem was also called and with obvious and overweening reason "the single most important weakness in Mississippi's tax structure." college, she plunged into her many duties and was agreeable surprised at the end of the year to find out how much she had learned! When she took the County Licensing Examination, she made many perfect scores on various tests and earned the right to teach for three more years. Meanwhile she had wonderful meat-biscuit and preserve biscuit lunches to enjoy. But the school that had lured the Batton children away from their first Alma Mater so many years ago was truly flourishing. Pleasant Hill had singing schools and plays! The singing master possessed a trumpet which he used for pitch; and he taught "Do, re, mi" to the children and their elders. When a play was given, the front porch was tie stage; and the audience sat in the schoolyard on benches from the classroom.

One student remembers being the leading man and sitting on the porch stage at a table where he ate baked sweet potatoes and drank milk very effectively. Nearer town, Lockwood School, close to the railroad bridge on Highway 27, saw much serious study but also much hilarity. A former student recalls the broad plank shelf at the back of the room where everyone placed his bucket of lunch and his prized bottle of buttermilk. On one extremely cold day when the Iron stove was roaring merrily, one explosion after another ripped through the room as the hot buttermilk blew the bottle stoppers Into the air! But the most delicious treat that Lockwood furnished was the concoction of principal was "Mrs. Dr.

Whitney," and the curriculum described as a "Course of and Ornamental Branches." Private schools in Crystal were, at varying times, operated by Miss Lena Lotter-hos, Mrs. Bessie Flowers, Miss Blanchard, and Prof. Kethley; other small one-room sohoolhouses dotted the Red Door School was one of oldest schools in the area. Unpainted except for the brilliant red door, the one-room building stood on the Six Mile and boasted about twenty in grades one through Mrs. Eliza Batton Evans of leaving home at daylight morning with her brother and her four-year-old Zella who wept bitterly step of the way, and of three-mile walk to Red At the end of the schoolday, the three walked and arrived at early 1885 the little party of Bat-ton children changed directions walked the same distance' the newly established Pleasant Hill School on Coor Springs To them it was very fine it had two rooms! One of earliest teachers of this was Miss Margaret Lackey.

Meanwhile, Red Door lost first name and became Fair (Did the red paint fade?) years later Miss Doris Funohess taught at Fair Play her first teaching experienc Having completed two years of sweetgum and stretch berries, a very old version of today's bubble gum, that each child learned to make and to keep for an entire winter of chewing! Not far away was Evans School where the favorite games were leap frog, marbles, and teps. All was not pleasure there, however, for one poor boy, sent out into the cold to get "lighter knots" to feed the potbellied stove, Incurred the terri-ble wrath of a farmer when he tramped on freshly planted ground. Miss Maggie Ellzy, principal at Evans, unwittingly played Cupid when she hired a pretty "city" girl, OUie Pickens, a junior from Millsaps, for a young farmer promptly fell in love with the brunette teacher and married her. One teacher was strongly objected to because she wore silk stockings; the mystery is how she was able to buy them on her salary. As late as 1917, the principal made only $G0O per year.

The curriculum of the schools has changed greatly since the early days of the one-room schools. It was quite amazing when Canning and Home Economics became a course in school, for mothers had always matter-of-factly taught these subjects at home in the kitchen! What would the students of long ago have thought of "Drivers' But could it be that these old-time studencs were better spellers and had better penmanship than the expert drivers? They think so. In the accompanying photograph, the identification of all.