Education, then and now

Dear Editor,

After reading some of the Common Core standards, my first impression was it’s a set of documents written by and for educators. It’s kind of like how you have to be in a particular trade or profession to understand the lingo. But then it became apparent most of the standard was just using fancy words and phrases for making simple concepts complicated.

For instance, the following are first-grade requirements: “Add and subtract within a range of 10,” “use strategies such as counting on and making 10,” and “decomposing a number leading to

On The Way

By Olivia Fowler

Both my grandmothers lived long lives. One lived to the age of 86, the other to 92. This was before the cholesterol obsession held sway.

Olivia Fowler

Grandmama’s house in North Carolina was home to us. We had a cow named Star who was milked every day. She was a great milk producer and was the source for whole milk, cream, butter and buttermilk.

In the pantry was a shelf where earthenware crocks and the butter churn lived side by side, waiting to be used.

Leroy brought the pail of milk up to the house before breakfast. Grandmama strained it and put it into the various containers designated for milk.

The butter churn was made of glass, with about a gallon capacity. There was a metal screw-top through which the paddle and handle were connected.

My job was to churn the butter. I don’t remember how

All About Ben

By Ben Robertson

Ben Robinson

This past weekend was a bit iffy, but I am pretty sure that this year’s “winter weather” is past us now. I am more than happy if it is.

I know it won’t be but a few weeks before I am complaining about it being too hot. That’s what happens with us fat guys. Weather comes that seems suited toward us — plenty of need for extra clothing to keep us warm, and at the same time keep us from looking so miserable because we’re sweating. But for some reason we wish for warm weather — even “bikini” weather, though we realize we will be sweating and clinging to an air conditioner throughout the summer.

One good cold blast of wind makes me welcome summer that much more. And the theory that if you are cold you can just add clothing until you are warm does not find much support. I guess I’m a little spoiled by the

AdvancED report results overblown

Dear Editor,

I have read about the reaction to the AdvancED report and have attended Pickens County school board meetings.

Like with most audits, AdvancED made some recommendations and requirements for improvement. Normally, those recommendations are taken and requirements are met. I expect the same thing this time.

Does anyone believe AdvancED will not renew the accreditation of our school district? It has recommended accreditation. AdvancED’s purpose is to insure educational quality. How would

On The Way

By Olivia Fowler

Olivia Fowler

My brother, Matt, who has smoked since he was 16 years old quit smoking! He called and told me he hasn’t had a Marlboro cigarette in four weeks. This is the best news in the world to our family.

We grew up with tobacco as the big money crop. There was still cotton, soybeans and, lespedeza, but tobacco, unless something went wrong during the drying process, was where the money could be counted on.

Even back then we all had heard rumblings about lung damage. We had a science teacher, Charlie Parker, who referred to cigarettes as coffin nails, and said we’d all die early if we smoked.

Almost everybody in the family smoked, except for Grandmama and Uncle Walter. Grandmama never had

Motives are important

Dear Editor:

Motive is a very important part of judging the merits of an issue. Both sides of an issue always have a motive.

The Obama Administration, The CCSSO, The NGA, Achieve and Bill Gates all have claimed their motive is getting children college and career ready and able to work successfully to compete for jobs in the future. They have invested a great deal of our own taxpayer funds as well as their own personal wealth promoting these standards. They have invested a great deal of time in making sure these standards are touted as the best plan for America to be competitive in the global 21st century economy. Many have also earned a healthy income in the process of selling these

School board leaving debt-filled legacy

Dear Editor,

I have read that pomposity called the AdvancED report. It did make one truthful statement that warrants mentioning: “Members of the governing board reported themselves that not all of them share the vision of the district administration” (item 2, page 38).

Thankfully, Alex Saitta, Jimmy Gillespie and Ben Trotter actually have a vision of both scholastic and financial responsibility, and that is certainly contrary to the vision of the district administration. Otherwise we would have been broke before now.

The building program started at $150 million and now it is nearly $400 million, thanks to the

Olivia Fowler

On the Way

By Olivia Fowler

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, there’s a 50 percent probability that the last frost date for our area is March 31.

This means it’s highly likely that any bedding plants put out before that date will get zapped, except for pansies.

Even though we know this with our brains, our hearts tend to ignore this information. That’s why so many of us can be seen strolling optimistically through garden centers, greenhouses and nurseries, prematurely investing our hopes and dreams into a flat of bedding plants that may

Balance is necessary

Dear Editor,

Contrary to a local newspaper’s Feb. 5 editorial, fiscal responsibility cannot always continue to be relegated to the backseat.

Our schools, our children and our education system represent a massive investment in our future, so it is in everyone’s best interest to always be fiscally responsible, especially considering we spend more than $12,000 a year per student, not including building costs. Pushing fiscal responsibility to the back seat is what has gotten the education system in this country into the situation it is in — costing more per pupil than all other developed countries while in far too

Ben Robinson

All About Ben

By Ben Robinson

It’s February, and I need to exercise some to avoid the “fat guy in summer” syndrome. For the past few weeks my exercise has been kind either “shiver” or simply avoid falling down in the snow. Sounds exciting, but it burns very few calories.

Today at lunch I did the “stare at attractive girl” exercise, which did not burn off any calories, though the guy she was with looked ready to attempt the “beat up fat guy maneuver.”