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Column
By Margie
Richards
The Madison County Journal
October 20, 1999
 Surviving
the 'wonder years'
The new mentoring program, sponsored by
the Madison County Chamber of Commerce's Education Committee,
is attempting to reach out to kids who need someone to take a
little extra time to "just be there."
The "wonder years" - as the late childhood, early adolescent
period is sometimes called - is an often difficult time for both
boys and girls.
In my case it's a "wonder" I got through it at all.
I wish the middle school mentoring program had been in place
when I was a middle schooler. You see, much of that time was
a nightmare for me and for my mother.
Besides dealing with all the biological and social adjustments
of that time, I also had to deal with the devastating loss of
my father, who up until that time was pretty much my whole world.
Daddy died when I was 10 years old, during the summer break between
the fourth and fifth grades. As I remember, I did pretty well
during the fifth grade. I still made good grades and enjoyed
going to school.
The worst thing was that most of my friends, of course, didn't
know what to say or how to treat me and that made the whole thing
pretty awkward.
The first time it really hit me that I might be acting differently
at school was when my fifth grade teacher wrote a note to my
mother on my report card that read; "Margie hardly ever
smiles. Is there anything I can do?"
She must have felt sorry for the little girl in her class who
had lost her dad, but for me, it was mortifying. How many others
thought I was weird? Of course, it would have been better if
she had called my mother discretely, instead of writing it on
my report card, although I know she meant well. But I still cringe
when I read it to this day.
Later, in middle school, I began to suffer from what I now know
were panic attacks that made school, which I had loved, become
a constant dread for me.
Looking back, I know all this was combined with the fear of losing
my mother, who was also in poor health. But at the time I just
knew that I was sad and afraid - what is now called "being
depressed."
Two out of three of my middle school years were a real struggle
to get through. Months were spent at home, where I kept up with
my studies and managed, I am now proud to say, to not only make
my grades, but to do so with flying colors.
My several returns to school after being at home were heralded
with whispers and giggles from some of the kids, and even worse
were the others who smiled at me sympathetically and grew quiet
when I came around.
I remember one younger boy on the bus who boldly asked what I'm
sure others were thinking; "I heard you went crazy? Were
you?"
I just smiled as if I thought it was a joke, but I jumped off
the bus as soon as it reached my house and ran inside quickly
so no one would see me cry.
What a help a mentor would have been during that time! Someone
who could have been my own "special friend" and perhaps,
with a little patience and understanding, could have earned my
trust.
Many of my teachers were both compassionate and helpful, working
with me to catch up on my studies, but an "outside person"
to just talk with or do something fun with could have also been
a great benefit.
continued on following page
Finally, I emerged from those rough days, but when I think of
how things are today, with so many social ills that kids are
suffering with and from, I realize there is much work that can
be done to help them.
The mentoring program is just one way to do this, but it is a
good start. Most of us, adult or child, need someone to listen
and to be there, as well as something to look forward to. A caring
mentor can provide all these things.
If you have a little time on your hands or can "make"
a little time for someone, please consider being a mentor. It
could make all the difference to a child.
I'm sure it could have for me.
Margie Richards is a reporter and office manager for the Madison
County Journal.
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Column
By Frank
Gillespie
The Madison County Journal
October 20, 1999
 Frankly Speaking
Georgia shouldn't
restrict third-party candidates
Georgia is number one in the nation! That
is the bad news. The good news is that you have a chance to do
something about it.
Georgia has by far the most restrictions on independent and third-party
candidates for public office. In order to win a spot on the ballot,
independent or third-party candidates must collect signatures
from five percent of all registered voters in the district. That
is twice the number needed in the next most restrictive state
(Illinois at 2.4 percent) and 10 times more restrictive than
the former Soviet nation of Ukraine!
When you consider that the average voter turnout in Georgia is
50 percent or less of registered voters, a candidate will have
to have one of every 10 actual voters signing a petition to be
on the ballot. In off year or special elections, the figure is
even worse.
Because of these restrictions, 29 of Georgia's 56 State Senators
and 107 of the State Representatives were elected to the 1999
state legislature without opposition. In every one of these cases,
the voters of Georgia were denied the opportunity to select a
representative of their choice. There simply was no choice.
Currently in Georgia there are five members of the State House
of Representatives who received fewer votes than the number of
signatures that an independent candidate would have had to collect
to challenge him. That is simply not acceptable to me.
Now, what can you and I do about this problem? Call your state
representative today and tell him or her that you support passage
of HB 672, the Voter Choice bill. This legislation is co-sponsored
by Republicans Brian Joyce and Lynn A Westmoreland, and Democrat
Tyrone Brooks. (What's this? Me agreeing with Tyrone Brooks?
That is a strange twist of politics!)
HB 672 makes several changes in the Georgia Election Code that
will benefit third-party and independent candidates. First, it
makes it easier for small parties to gain the right to nominate
candidates for all political offices in the state. Secondly,
it changes the number of signatures needed to qualify for a local
office from five percent of registered voters, to five percent
of the votes cast in the last election.
I do not think this bill goes far enough. I believe that all
elected offices should be available to anyone who wishes to run
with NO restrictions whatsoever. I support HB 672 as a good start.
It is far better than what we have now!
If you want more information on this issue, go to http://www.voterchoice.org
on the Internet. The public library can connect you if you do
not have a computer at home.
Call your state representative and state senator and tell them
you support voters' choice. We deserve the right to choose our
political leaders. It is not right to have them hold office by
keeping other candidates off the ballot!
Frank Gillispie is founder of The Madison County Journal.
Letters
The Madison County Journal
October 20, 1999
Thanks Scogin for pushing for legal fee change
Dear editor:
I wanted to publicly thank District 5 Commissioner Bruce Scogin
for his proposal to amend the county's policy regarding payment
of certain legal fees incurred by county officials. With his
proposal, county officials filing suit over job-related matters
will have their attorneys' fees paid by county taxpayers only
under two conditions: if ordered by a judge, or if approved by
a majority vote of the board of commissioners. My thanks also
to Mr. Scogin, District 4 Commissioner Melvin Drake and District
1 Commissioner Bill Taylor for voting to approve the proposal
on Sept. 27.
I am sure that I am among a large number of Madison County citizens
who have grown weary of reading about money spent on legal issues
by county leaders with taxpayers picking up the tab. With so
much time, energy and money redirected from this use, many more
positive things can be accomplished for our county.
Sincerely,
Phyllis Dickinson
Colbert
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