1976-02-11; Clare Sentinel

              GAW1EL9  KEMQRjAt,  UBEARY
MCEWAIt ST,
CL-ARE
FIFTEEN CENTS
FOURTEEN PAGES
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY $1, 1 ^76
OUR 96TH YEAR
VOL.84 NO.24
'i _-„tV.«..-.3SifiMSf
BLOCKED ROADS - Strong winds during the Weekend whipped light snow Into towering drifts causing
hazardous driving conditions and completely .blocking some roads. This huge drift, west of Farwell on <
US-10, is being piled even higher by Clare County Road Commission workers to clear the highway. An '
added hazard results at some intersections when the hugh  snow .piles make it necessary for a motorist
to stick the car's front end way out in order to see oncoming traffic. Clare and Harrison schools were ;
closed Monday due to blocked sideroads. (Clare Sentinel photo)
Farwell School Schedules Vote
On 12 Mill Renewal March 15
A special school election will be held on
March 15 in the Farwell Area School
District for the purpose of asking the
voters to approve renewal of 12.0 mills
which was voted last year for a period of
one year.
The board will ask that this be renewed
for the 76-77 year only.     '
Again the Board of Education will
establish a dollar amount' needed to
operate the school program and then
actually levy the amount of millage
needed to meet the budget.
This levy decision can be made as late
as September 1.
Hopefully, most information can be
finalized by this time.
It is very important from an operational . standpoint to know what the
iincome level for the district will be
before April 1 of each year, officials said.
If the income is not assured by this
time, it is necessary to go-through a
Probe Death
Of Boy, 5
Clare Prosecuting Attorney Richard
Allen saida probe is still underway in the
death of a 5-year-old Lake George boy
last week.
Action in the case; awaits the results of
aft autopsy on the child.
The boy died Feb, 4. He had been
transferred to St. Mary's Hospital from
Clare Osteopathic Hospital.
lay-off process with all contract employees, with all the associated legal and
morale problems connected with it.
Budget plans call for budget increase
of 5.5. percent, which will be approximately the inflation rate for .the past
•several months.
This will not allow for new programs,
but will allow the district to maintain the
present       level       of      operation.
The Board of Education will hold a
public hearing on Monday, March 8 for
the purpose of answering questions about
the 1976-77 school program and budget.
The first half of this 1975-76 Farwell
school year has. been marked by several
improvements in services to children.
The addition of relocatable classrooms
and necessary teachers has allowed for
much greater personal attention for each
student. Class sizes have been reduced
where possible.
Specialisits have been employed in
remedial reading, remedial mathematics, counseling, band and industrial
arts to help improve services in special
areas of need, ~~\
* A curriculum coordinator has begun'
work on instructional materials and
programs. Major improvements are
Undeway in the science programs for
grades Kindergarten through 8.
The availability of field trips for
classroom teachers offers a very vital
extension of the .typical school room
experience, This is especially true for
youngsters from rural communities who
may otherwise never see a planetarium
or a state capitol.
A more adequate extra curricula?
program, including fine arts, athletics,
music and intramural sports is a vital
part of a complete educational experience. Many children receive the
spark needed for further educational
development from these experiences.*
The return to a 6 hour school day h'as
allowed the district to return to full
accreditation with the University • of
Michigan, These minimum accreditation
staiijirdsare the least that any community siio'ild support. i
51 high school students are involved in
vocational-technical classes as a partt of
a cooperative secondary program. »
This program is coordinated by i the
Intermediate District and is held pnjthe
campus of Mid*-Michigan Community
College. [
Students are involved in advanced
work in electronics, secretarial skills,
welding, building trades and food i services. '
The enrollment figures have continued
to climb at a steady rate of 50 additional
students each year. This figures oulj to a
need for 2 additional classrooms ;each
year. ' i
The Citizens Committee has recommended and the Board of Education has
begun a study, of total building and
program needs for the immediate as well
as more distant future. ! -
The purchase of 7 relocatable; class
rooms is viewed as a temporary solution
to a building heeds problem wljich is
becoming increasingly triore difficult.
The return of these programs- is
directly tied to the passage of the 12,0
operating mills last spring.
Chamber Backs
rish Theme for City
-the Clare Area Chamber of Commerce
cOfttinued to give its approval to promote
an-Irish theme for the city of Clare.
The: large billboard signs north and
. eagt <>f Clare contain the new Irish
promotional theme - A Bit of Ireland in
Clarei      ■' ■
A 12 member committee met recently
to;discuss plans for a promotional event
thisyear and the ongoing theme for future
years.
Scheduled for this year is an Irish
pronjotion by Clare merchants.
A jbrornotion is also planned this year
With the winner receiving a trip for 2
perSohs to Ireland, Estimated cost of the
trip* is $1,500.
The  Chamber  Board  of   Directors
Monday apprjoved the idea and voted to
underwrite the $1,500 cost of the trip in
case tickets sales are not ample to cover
costs.
A number of ideas were discussed by
the committee. They included an Irish
theme on postal mailing, exchange of
representatives with Ireland, possible
visit of an Irish personality to Clare,
merchants promotion, place mats, window displays, adopt an Irish insigna.
Plans for this year in addition to the
trip contest include having Consumers
Power paint the poles green, attending
the Bay City Irish parade, obtaining city
cooperation, possible changing of names
of some streets to Irish names.
The board heard the varied ideas
presented   by   Ruth   Iacco   and  Don
Fernelius. The board generally agreed
with the ideas and told the committee to
proceed.
Members of the planning committee in
addition to Iacco and Fernelius are V,
Demasi, R. Kurtz, J, Bieknell, B,
Folkert, C. Mafhafhi, R, Cotter, A.J,
Doherty, C. Bowman, D. Forsberg and J.
Warren.
The board also discussed plans for the
Bi Centennial and the rodeo.
The chamber is backing a week long
program of events during which will
include the rodeo which will be held
during the Labor Day week.
There will bean Irish theme promotion
in the city held during the week of March
17, St. Patrick's Day.
at School Meet;
Athletic Director Resigns Post
iAh expected controversial meeting
turned out to be mild Clare School Board
meeting Monday night despite a large
crowed estimated at 80 persons.
• Board president Forrest Sogge welcomed the audience.,'-I'm happy to see
ail of you for whatever reason you're
liere. I'd be very happy to see this kind of
cjfowd at budget hearings when we're
spending your money," Sogge said, Only
a few normally turn out during hearings
. ^Mhe^cifeo^feufllt.''   '..'..■,.,.■•-.,'.■...
«$Iahy rhembers of the audience were
; Eilso present at the special board meeting
lake Man
Russell E. Kinney, 21, of Lake, was
arraigned in District Court in Harrison
on charge of assault with intent to
commit murder.
The charge resulted from the shooting
of Michigan State Police Trooper
Thomas Zellman while investigating a
breaking and entering in Lake Feb, 5.
Kinney was captured a short time after
thje. shooting by Clare County deputies.
Zellman was wounded in the hand by
shotgun pellets.
last week when the board overturned
action taken against 3 members of the ski
team.
It was expected the issue would be
raised again at the regular meeting
Monday night.
No one in the audience asked to be
heard following the regular agenda and
the board adjourned after little more
than an hour,.
. Athletic director James Bedford had
submitted his resignation the day after
the Special meeting, Feb. % The letter
was sent to Superintendent Richard
Snyder.
The letter, in part, asked that * the
resignation be effective at the "conclusion of my current contract" and that "it
is my intention to exercise tenure rights
as a teacher as granted in my administrative contract."
Bedford also said his reasons for
resigning" philisophical differences
which I have with the Board of Education
which are too great to overcome" and
that "unknowingly and unintentionally I
have failed to serve the board in a fashion
which was apparently expected of me,"
Snyder said, "As both superintendent
and an individual, I feel a deep sense of
loss as a result of this resignation
although I understand the reasons why
Mr. Bedford believes it is necessary."
"There is no doubt in.my mind that it
will be extremely difficult to replace Mr,
Bedford both as an Assistant High School
Principal and as" an Athletic Director
CLEAR MAILBOXES - Mail delivery to rural boxes is becoming more
difficult as deep snow prevents the mail carriers from reaching the mail boxes
easily. Rural residents are requested to Clear snow away from in front of the
boxes so the motor carriers can reach the boxes. These boxes are east of
Farwell. »Clare Sentinei photo)
with an educationally sound attitude
toward interscholastic athletics."
"In the hope that Mr. Bedford will
reconsider (which is improbable) and in
view of the fact that we are not certain of
having a teaching position for him at this
time, I am recommending that action to
accept Mr. Bedford's resignation be
tabled indefinitely."
Snyder also said he knew of only 2
possible faculty changes coming up for
next year.
The board voted to table the resignation and take no action this time.
Sogge said "I hope that you (Bedford)
. will reconsider. We need men of your
caliber in Our school system."
In other action the board tabled until
next Week a request for the school
district to participate in a program that
would provide training for those having
problems in school.
Donald Urquhart, who made the
presentation, said the program was
aimed at potential juvenile deliquents,
Urquhart said he had a signed committment from the Clare Probate Court
to underwrite $12,000" of the estimated
$25,000 cost.
Sogge questioned where the $12,000 was
coming from since the Board of Commissioners earlier had apparently indicated lack of funds to finance any part
of the program.
Since the Probate Court is financed by
the County Board he wondered about the
$12,000. Urquhart said he was assured the
$12,000 Was available from Probate Court
and would come from Child Care Funds.
Approved was Rob Johnson as assistant varsity track coach.
Approved was Roger Fultz as boy's
junior high track coach.
The board named board member
Burke Rillet to represent the school
district on review of the Clare-Gladwin
Intermediate School District budget for
1976-77.
The board approved attendance of
board member James Walter at the
National School Boards Association Convention April 10-13 in San Francisco,
Calif.
Approved attendance of board members Mrs., Suzanne Allen and John
Dunlop at National School Boards Association School Board Academy Workshop Feb. 20-22 at New Orleans, Louisiana.
Approved attendance of high school
principal Donald Spencer at North
Central Association Annual Meeting,
March 28-31 Chicago, 111.
Annual Dance
The 8th annual "Sweetheart Dance"
sponsored by the Clare Osteopathic
Auxiliary will beheld this Saturday, Feb.
14 on Valentine's Day.
The dance will be held at the Surrey
House in Harrison from 9:30 p.m. until
1:30 a.m.
A pre-dance party Will be held at the
SUrrey House from 8:30 p.m. until 9:30
p.m.
Tickets will be available at the door or
in advance from Mrs. Anne Howe, 209
Park St., Harrison or Mrs. Pat Pears, 521
Orchard St., Clare,
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