The Gilmer Mirror (Gilmer, Tex.), Vol. 120, No. 63, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 6, 1997 Page: 1 of 64
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: The Gilmer Mirror and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Upshur County Library.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
i
e"
MI
0
*
GimerABirrp
4
cM,"
One Section • 50 Cents
4 county school districts
- "f
I
make ‘recognized’ list
"8
1
s
3
l
< r i
13
,2
Yams a hit
at Folklife
1
t
See LIST, Page 2A
equate academic performance through a formula that com-
T
M r
In
I
f
1
I
See FESTIVAL, Page 12A
See BENNETT, Page 2A
See CIVIC CENTER, Page 2A
A
2
J
r Cm
1
If
$
87
I
, e
See WOMAN, Page 2A
I v,.
W.
If
briefly speaking
Ml
Civic Center receives $50,000
gift on behalf of Melvin Cross
Midweek
Edition
Center memorial was a wor-
thy way to honor their father.
“The Upshur County Civic
Center is a dream come true
for many of Upshur County’s
citizens and natives,” said Ri-
chard Stolle, president of the
Civic Improvement Founda-
tion. The $3.1 million project
Elderly woman
found unharmed
in Arkansas
"/3
•d
Four of Upshur County’s
seven school districts were
listed as “recognized” in the
1997 accountability ratings
released Friday by the Texas
Education Agency. The four
were Harmony, Ore City,
Union Hill and Union Grove.
Gilmer, Big Sandy and New
Diana districts were rated just
below them as “academically
acceptable.” None achieved the
highest rank, “exemplary,” but
neither did any fall in the
lowestof the four rankings —
“unacceptable/low perform-
ing.”
Topping the list with all
three campuses recognized was .
Harmony. Ore City had its
elementary and middle schools
recognized, while Ore City
High school was acceptable.
Union Hill had its elemen-
tary school recognized, and its
high school ranked acceptable,
as did Union Grove.
The recognized mark for Ore
City was particularly satisfy-
ing since the school district had
been rated only a few weeks
ago as one of 1,153 districts in
the state that students could
transfer out of based on inad-
Chamber of Commerce in 1987.
He served in the U.S. Navy in
World War II.
Merle Cross said she wanted
to express her “heartfelt ap-
preciation” to all those who
took part in what she believes
is a very fitting tribute to her
late husband. Their daughters,
Marilyn and Martha, joined
her in saying they felt the Civic
The school board also held a
budget workshop, Dr. Bennett
said.
The proposed budget is sub-
ject to adjustment depending
on the outcome of the Aug. 9
election on increasing the
homestead exemption.
“The board gave instructions
Skills had dropped by 10, 7
and 21 points respectively.
He said that about three
percent of the Gilmer student
body is Hispanic.
Dr. Bennett said that both
economically disadvantaged
and black male students had
increased their scores during
the past year by 9 percent and
6 5 percent respectively.
I Vol. 120 - No. 63»01997 The Gilmer Mirror
$
•Q
F33
A.
4
se
• Since 1877 - Upshur County's Oldest Business Institution
Wednesay, August 6, 1997
N
-*
GHS football tickets
Reserved seat ticket sales for Gilmer High School Buck-
eye football games this fall will begin Monday, Aug. 11, at
the GHS Athletic Office.
Advanced reserved seats will cost $25 per season ticket
for the five home games. General admission tickets are $5
each. Pre-game student tickets sold at school will be $3 each.
No student tickets will be sold at the gate.
Former season ticket holders must pick up their tickets
prior to Aug. 25, which is the date the tickets will go on sale
to the general public. Tickets will be sold daily between the
hours of 8 and 11 a.m and 1 to 3:30 p.m.
For more information call 843-3021. The first home game,
which is also Parent’s Night, is set for Friday, Sept. 5, at 7:30
p.m. against Tatum
St. Francis of Assisi church fundraiser
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church is having a garage
sale Saturday, Aug. 9, at 910 W Tyler St. (Hwy. 154 West).
Hours will be 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Antiques, a computer, exercise equipment, clothing, baked
goods, and lots more will be offered. Profits will benefit the
building fund.
Voting precincts changed
Upshur County Tax Assessor-Collector Mike Smith,
who is also the county’s top election officer, has announced
changes in voting precincts for the election Saturday on a
constitutional amendment to increase homestead exemp-
tions from $5,000 to $15,000.
Voters in Election Pct. 7 (Northeast Gilmer) will vote
at the Farm Service Agency Building at 521 Cypress St ,
Gilmer, instead of at the Pine Acres Community Center
Election Pets. 10 and 11 will both vote at the Ewell
Mirror Photo / Mary Laschinger Kirby
ACCEPTING A $50,000 contribution to the Upshur County Givic Center fund in memory of Melvin Cross
is Richard Stolle, left, president of the Civic Improvement Foundation. Mrs. Cross at center is flanked by
her daughters, Marilyn Hastings of Dallas, left, and Martha Davis of Longview. At right is Frank Breazeale,
who succeeded Cross as president of First National Bank. Breazeale played a key role In raising the
memorial fund.
d
or % A" t
dhnithu
Community Center. Pets. 17 and 18 will both vote at the
Simpsonville Volunteer
Fire Department.
These changes will be in
effect for the Saturday elec-
tion only.
Polls will be open 7 a.m.
to 7 p.m.
See
Back to School
Pages 7-10A
An elderly Gilmer woman,
who reportedly became con-
fused while driving home
Thursday, was located late
Friday in an Arkansas town
less than 100 miles south of
Missouri.
According to Gilmer police
reports, Francis Marie Tidwell,
75, was reported missing by
her husband, Edward H Tid-
well, at 7:28 p.m. Thursday.
He reported having last seen
her about 5 p.m. that day.
Gilmer Police Officer Mark
Dauster said he believes the
woman had become disori-
ented.
The Upshur County Sheriff s
Office said Friday night that it
had received a teletype mes-
sage that Francis Marie Tid-
well had been located in
Marshall, Ark
Dauster said the Tidwells
had driven to Gilmer Thurs-
day to pick up their motor
home, which had been left for
repairs. She was planning to
drive their car back home while
he drive the motor home.
They left for their home on
Route 1, Gilmer, near East
Mountain, but the woman
never arrived home.
Gilmer police put out a mist-
ing persons report.
Mrs. Tidwell called her hus-
band at about midnight Thurs-
day from a gas station in
Prescott, Ark She said she was
The Upshur County Civic
Center is pleased to announce
a gift of $50,000 by relatives
and many friends of Melvin
Cross, who was President of
First National Bank, Gilmer
from 1964 until his death in
1993.
He was a civic leader and
was designated as Man of the
Year by the Upshur County
/ ‛
I I
Mirror Photos
Dead serious business is the possumology offered by “Professor”
Bill Taylor, displaying the “Everything you always wanted to know
about Possums" book as “Doctor Richard Potter narrates during
a show at the Yamboree booth during the 26th annual Texas
Folklife Festival. Below, the award-winning Yamboree booth gets
more kudos as Jo Ann Andera, left, Festival director, stops by to
present second place (food) and third place (booth) ribbons to
Penny Taylor, co-chair with her husband, Bill.
in three previous years.
“I’m extremely proud of the
school system. We’ve come a
long way in the last two to
three years,” said Ore City
Superintendent Elisabeth
Treadway. “We’re progressing.
We’ve got good people working
here.”
She said that, despite the
TEA ruling, which was based
on the school’s dropout rate
three and four years earlier,
more students transfer into the
district than transfer out.
New Diana High School was
rated acceptable, while its
middle and elementary schools
were recognized. Big Sandy’s
high school and elementary
school were acceptable, while
its junior high was recognized.
Gilmer ISD rated acceptable
across the board; elementary
and intermediate schools were
paired for their rating.
Gilmer Su pt. Larry Bennett
said he told the faculty at a
meeting Monday morning that
Gilmer should be in the recog-
nized category and he wants
them to work toward that end
The accountability system
for 1997 arrives at rankings
6..
5
a, 4
8
7*405
W
I
i
%
W' ■
p
31402/29/889 PI
3 V’ 4
6
J
4
A
4
/'
f
I
bines results of the Texas As-
sessment of Academic Skills
(TAAS); the dropout rates for
1995-96 and 1994-95 and the
1995-96 student attendance
rate. TAAS spring scores for
1997 and 1996 are used.
The TAAS tests reading,
writing and math. To be an
exemplary school at least 90
percent of students must be
passing in each subject area.
This includes all students and
each student group (African
American, Hispanic, White and
Economically Disadvantaged.)
The dropout rate must be 1
percent or less, all students
and each student group, and
the attendance rate must be at
least 94 percent in grades 1-
12.
To be recognized, a school
must have at least 75 percent
passing each subject area, all
students and each student
group; 3.5 percent or less drop-
out rate and at least 94 per-
cent of grades 1-12 in atten-
dance.
Academically Acceptable
(district)/Acceptable (campus)
must have at least 35 per cent
W
a --
j-a
. F
-1 -;
' pd /
. ‛e3 •
Festival
By SARAH GREENE
The East Texas Yamboree
booth at the 26th annual
Texas Folklife Festival in San
Antonio last week won sec-
ond place-for best food and
third place for best booth.
Yam pie had tough compe-
tition from some 150 foods
ranging from Port Aransas
coconut shrimp to free hot
bread from the Bread Loaf-
ers, from Nigerian fried plan-
tain to piping hot Chinese
egg rolls.
Festival Director Jo Ann
Andera presented the giant
i d and white ribbon rosettes
to Bill and Penny Taylor, del-
egation chairmen, along with
her congratulations -Friday
afternoon — after which the
already brisk sales of yam
pie slices picked up.
Saturday’s allotment was
exhausted well before clos-
ing time and Sunday’s pie
supply ran out before the 6
4- •Gmr schools earned the
equivalent of a C in the Texas
Education Agency’s Account-
ability Rating system, which
was issued Friday by the TEA,
Superintendent Larry Bennett
told trustees Monday.
“With ‘exemplary’ being an
A, ‘recognized’ a B, then ‘ac-
ceptable’, whichGilmer schools
got, would be a C,” Dr. Bennett
commented.
Dr. Bennett said that Gilmer
ISD’s district accountability
rating was “not good enough.
We should be a recognized dis-
trict. We have the community,
the staff, the kids—we just
don’t have it all together yet "
— He also expressecacocern The board approved accep
about the dropout rate, which tance of seven transfer stu-
was 1.1 percent overall, but dents, including three from Ore
3.7 percent among Hispanics. City ISD. Because that school
He also said that scores by was one designated by the TEA
Hispanics on the reading, math that students could transfer
and writing sections of the out of, state money will accom-
Texas Assessment of Academic pany those transfers.
Bennett: Gilmer schools rate ‘C’,
and ‘that’s not good enough’
3C,
„OPUBLI SHING INC
27 B Yandeli Sr
Paso TX 79903-3724
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Matching Search Results
View seven places within this issue that match your search.Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Overton, Mac. The Gilmer Mirror (Gilmer, Tex.), Vol. 120, No. 63, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 6, 1997, newspaper, August 6, 1997; Gilmer, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1479122/m1/1/?q=music: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Upshur County Library.