Looks /litre record number Await word Schools face fall enrollment problems y - St Johns Is headed for another record basically the same, but because of'higher exact locations of these grades hasn't been junior high now has eight sections with a class school enrollment next year, and while this is high school enrollment, high school facilities determined, but efforts will be made to elim­ size of about 36 students. A combination Eng­ problem enough in itself, the distribution of will not be available for Junior high physical inate any possible combination of grades (both lish-physical education instructor would work the enrollment along the grade ladder is caus- education. This f orpes the junior high students fifth and sixth grades under one teacher). out nlcd If a physical education program can on disaster ,ing a serious headache for the school admin­ back to Central where the problem is what to 2) There are only two alternatives to the be continued for the junior high, '. istration. do with them there. " . first-grade problem in the schools—either an At the high school there will likely be There are three major problem areas so School officials are busy battlng^around additional classroom or anincreaseintheslze about 1,078 students next year, an increase of far, all involving city, schools. possible solutions and trying to make them fit pf classes. Presently they are averaging nearly 60 over last fall's 1,020, There will be .1) There will be a pile-up of students at into a logical position. The school board may around 31, .. , , an increase of 24 in the freshman .class, 36 the fifth and sixth grade levels at Swegies and clear up some of the problem next Wednesday in the sophomore class, and 17 in the junior Perrin-Palmer schools, created'mostly by the night when they tackle the enrollment figures, ,- 3) PUBLIC SCHOOL and St. Joseph school class. School officials anticipate a decrease of requests fact there is no fifth or sixth grade at Bast in detail. officials are considering a plan of possibly about 10 in the senior class nextyear. Ward School* Here are some of the considerations being sharing a physical education program, which 2) Counting St. Joseph School first grad­ given by the board and school administrators. , if it works out would enable the junior high BUT THE OVERALL PROBLEM created The Clinton County Disaster Whitney said the rural housing ers next year, there will be about 212 first 1) The project enrollment at Swegies to have physical education. Without it, there is that of one more classroom. Some areas of 'Committee has recommended disaster loans would be for in-- graders in city schools. This will require School includes 32 fifth graders and 43 sixth would not be much of, an alternative but to the curriculum will call for additional part- that the county be declared a dis­ dlvlduals only, and not commer­ seven sections, and right now there are only gradersj at Perrin-Palmer there would be 68 Increase class size. time teachers, probably equaling an additional aster area under Public Law 85- cial establishments. They are six classrooms available. fifth graders and 56 sixth graders. Another consideration is being given to the teacher to the payroll. , 58 and be eligible for certain' available In any type of disaster This, school officials say, will require adding of two English sections, which will help In the rural schools of the dlstrict/of- federal funds to assist in the for individuals in communities. clean-up and rebuilding after the 3) JUNIOR HIGH ENROLLMENT will be two fifth grades and two sixth grades. The lower the class -size for that subject. The (See ENROLLMENT, Page 2-A) |of less than 5,500 population who April 2 tornadoes. cannot get loans through normal Both the Agricultural Stabili­ local channels. zation and Conservation Service The FHA office is awaiting and the Farmers Home' admin­ work on their requestor addi­ istration- offices are awaiting tional disaster funds approval, word on the request from fed­ that would make the loans avail- *. eral headquarters. able for replacing livestock and, A "disaster area" title for equipment. Whitney said Monday Clinton County would mean both he had no idea Just how soon agencies would make available his week-old request would be* low-interest loans to persons acted on. who were unable to obtain loans locally. MEANWHILE THE ASCS 1st requesting that Clinton County be', ROLAND WHITNEY, manager declared a disaster area so that;: of the FHA office at Ithaca, which an allocation of ACP funds can; has jurisdiction in Clinton Coun­ !be made available to assist' ty, said 3 per cent loans already • farmers in cleaning debris from-; are available'for farmers and cropland and repairing or re- * Fowler residents alike for re­ building fences destroyed by theC pair or replacement of buildings ^tornado. 112th Year, No. 2. THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1967 2 SECTIONS, 36 PAGES 15 Cents damaged or destroyed in the j "Conservation practices, ap-. April 21 tornado. proved for disaster areas have! rules that determine. ellbibUity.' and the amount of cost-share; assistance that may be paid," William Smith, ASCS office man- • Crackdown on shoplifters pending ager in St. Johns, pointed out. Most shoplifting doesn't Involve much Most of the merchants' problems seem police for their action against shoplifters The practice thatassists- In the way of size or price of items stol­ to be with hlg h.school students and even that are caught, but they pointed out that farmers to rebuild or repair en, but taken as a total problem it's cost­ some from the Junior high level. Much of ail merchants are not reporting this or fences Is quite restrictive. This ing St, Johns retailers a pile of dough |the thievery takes place during the noon turning oyer to the police the shoplifters 'practice is applicable only to the every year. hour when hundreds of teens mill around they do catch. "Shoplifting is a felony, and repair or rebuilding of perma­ At next Wednesday's meeting of the downtown during the school lunch break, as such It is a crime that should auto­ nent fences (excludingyardfenc-. 'es) that 1) are essential to the; Retail Division of the St. Johns Chamber "Sometimes they work in gangs," the matically be turned over to the police and of Commerce, an appointed committee the courts." establishment of permanent cov­ committee pointed out, "They will go into er on areas seriously eroded- will make some recommendations about a store, and two or three will get the There Is no way of knowing exactly what to do about the problem. or subject to serious erosion, clerk's attention diverted while the others how much In dollar value shoplifters cost |or 2} are needed to protect from "And this is a serious problem in St. work, • retailers. -Merchants can only estimate 'damage by over-grazing a per-; Johns," the committee pointed out. "Kids "Giving them a break at the time they and figure it into the overhead of the busi­ manent vegetative cover that is, . are the biggest offenders, but there are are caught doesn't always stop the prob­ ness, meaning It's a part of the price needed to prevent serious wind' adults who shoplift, too," lem, because many times that same kid which the honest customer then has to or water erosion. The committee, made up of Alan R. will be back doing it again." pay. That's why the committee would like Dean, Leo Snltgen, Ken Dickens and Bill In some cases, shoplifting can break -THE OTHER PRACTICE re-- to see all merchants, join in a concentrat­ the small businessman, A. LESTER DRAGOO Chalmers, Is almost sure to recommend quested is to assist farmers in' a strong clampdown on shoplifting offend-, ed effort of prosecuting shoplifting of- , Lone an Individual problem for shop fendersjas a possible means of prevent­ Removing debris from croplands •ers. .,...-..• • -=• • _.-.-•.- i owners,, the_pr6biem_ of*shopliftlng has iThis ipractice, would share the,. ing shoplifting by others, "«tlm Green* been growing to, such proportions that it (probate Judge) has assured us the com­ •costyt removing dpbrls"to re4 "IF WE DON' T PROSECUTE, (the' was brought up at a recent retail meeting (turn the landed lts-hormal pro­ law) won't have any effect," they said.,A plete cooperation of his court on this for .discussion. The committee of Dean, matter," the committee said, . - ductive capacity. Farmers who state law specifically pertaining to shop­ Snltgen, Dickens and Chalmers was ap­ receive payment from an insur- leaving road lifting has been in effect since 1958. THE COMMITTEE COMMENDED city pointed to make some recommendations. iance company to remove debris 'could not,earn a cost-sharepay- commission (ment through this program. Auxiliary to purchase it •As soon as we hear from our A. Lester Dragoo, manager request, we will pass 'the In­ and'engineer for the Clinton formation along," Smith said. County'Road Commission since j Smith said the disaster com­ 1956, has accepted a position of mittee met last Monday morning engineer-manager with the Os­ Heart monitor unit planned and decided to request a "dis­ ceola County Road Commission aster area" designatlonf or Clin­ starting June 1* ton. Ionia and possibly other The announcement was made counties also made the request, last weekend. Smith said, and, it Is possible;, Dragoo has a wide background all requests will be acted on at at Clinton Memorial Hospital once as soon as all requests are of highway engineering work. FOWLER'S ED McCLOW AT WORK Following graduation from Mich­ made, ' * .