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Volume 83 • Issue 35
News from a neighbor!
2017 NFL PAGE 20
Thursday, August 31, 2017
FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Thursday, August 31, 2017
• Belmont • Cramerton • Lowell • McAdenville • Mount Holly • Stanley
Gaston County Schools have great opening day When the morning bell rang on Monday, August 28, approximately 32,000 students (pre-kindergarten through high school) walked through the schoolhouse doors in neighborhoods across Gaston County to start the 2017-2018 academic year. The 32,000 figure includes more than 2,300 seniors in the Class of 2018, who are already looking ahead to life beyond graduation, and approximately 2,400 kindergarteners, who are beginning their K-12 education journey. Leading up to opening day, schools conducted orientation/open house programs for students and parents, employees were involved in staff meetings and professional development, teachers spent many hours preparing classrooms, and the district kicked off the new school year with its annual Back-ToSchool Convocation. “Our schools are ready for the 20172018 academic year, and we are so pleased to welcome our students and teachers back to school,” stated Superintendent of Schools W. Jeffrey Booker. “In the year ahead, we Lowell Elementary principal Kristin Kiser and Superintendent Jeff Booker greet sisters Layla hope to see our students and teachers take and Stella Grenier as they arrive for the first day of school on Monday. advantage of the many excellent opportuniGaston Schools photo ties for quality teaching and learning in our
BCO has been helping people in need for six decades By Alan Hodge alan.bannernews@gmail.com
Most folks see Belmont as a gleaming beacon of prosperity and growth, but underneath that shine there are still folks who need help with things as basic as food. Enter the Belmont Community Organization (BCO). The BCO can trace its roots back to the early 1950’s when Mrs. Mildred Tucker Ford, along with Edith Coppedge and some other Belmont residents, became concerned over the plight of the less fortunate and started a city wide campaign to address their needs. They consulted churches, school administrators, and social agencies to identify who needed food, clothing, medicine or money. Items collected were housed wherever they could find space – basement of the Bank of
Belmont, churches, and homes. While they worked diligently year round they made a special effort during the holidays to make sure not a single family in Belmont went without a Christmas. The early efforts by Ford and others laid the foundation for the current BCO. Ford became the first executive director of the BCO and due to her diligence it flourishes today continuing to provide food, clothing, furniture, medicine, and utilities to people who need emergency help. When she was 85 the organization finally obtained its own building on E. Catawba St. large enough to house all its services. The building was named in her honor and a portrait of her adorns the wall. Ford was selected by the Belmont Historical Society as the Distinguished See BCO page 3
classrooms. We also look forward to seeing our students and employees win awards for their outstanding achievements, and we want to establish more partnerships with our parents, businesses, and the community.” Booker added, “Everyone in the Gaston County Schools family is anticipating another productive school year that gives us plenty of reasons to celebrate our schools.” This year, Gaston County Schools has more than 1,900 classroom teachers – approximately 130 of them are first-year teachers. The new teachers are participating in the district’s Teacher Induction Program for Success (TIPS), which is designed to ensure educators thrive in their new career. Back-to-school information about registration, health requirements, report cards, orientation and open house programs, parent conferences, athletics, inclement weather procedures, and more is available on the school district website, www.gaston.k12.nc.us, under Quick Links. Below is some additional information for parents and the community as students in Gaston County Schools head back to class on Monday, August 28. See OPENING DAY page 2
Senior citizens have a cool time in Catawba Heights by Alan Hodge
we would open all the doors and windows. It was cooler outside than in the house.” Ruth Clinton, 84, grew up in York, S.C. A lively crowd of senior citizens got together last “We lived on a farm and didn't even have a fan,” Clinton said. “We week at the East Gaston Adult Day Care Center in CaSee SENIORS page 4 tawba Heights for some food, fun, fellowship, dancing, and recollections of how they stayed cool back in the days before air conditioning. Among the attendees were the usual clients as well as a group from the Gastonia Adult Day Care who Photos by Alan Hodge came to visit. The “house band” played a medley of tunes that had pic 1 many of the seniors up and dancing. Folks laughed and . afterwards grabbed some hot dogs, turkey legs, and other eats from a food truck that was catered just for the occasion. Like a lot of days lately, last Wednesday was a scorcher. This got some of the party goers to recalling how they coped with summer before anyone even knew what an air conditioner was. Wilma Ruff, 78, grew up in a mill village house in Gastonia. “We would sit on the porch and read and drink Double Cola,” Wilma said. “At night I would go across the street and sit on the porch there with my friend and we would sing.” Wilma's husband Jim, 73, says he grew up in a house his dad built in 1940. “We had one fan for the whole house,” Jim said. Jo Ann and Carrol Trull of Belmont joined the crowd at last week’s “Mostly we stayed outside or in the woods. At night jamboree at East Gaston Adult Day Care Center. Photo by Alan Hodge alan.bannernews@gmail.com
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