The Richland Beacon-News from Rayville, Louisiana • 7

THE RICHLAND BEACON-NEWS. RAYVILLE, LA. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1C, 1372 PAGE 7 ately at no added expense to the taxpayer." Members of the Task Force on Optional Curriculum are Mr. Gordon Sihille. Lawtell High School.

Mrs. Winnie Brown, Lafayette, Miss Clarence Marie Collier, East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, Dr. Manuel P. Bcni. L.

S. New Orleans, Mr. Rene Calais, superintendent. St. Martin Parish School Board, Mr.

Kenneth Chandor, Tulane University, and Mr. Don Truly, Apollo School. Wedon T. Smith (Cont'd from page 1) iana. At a recent meeting of the Association of Levee Boards of the State of Louisiana, I reviewed with those present some of the outstanding statistics, project achievements and work areas where the levee boards are continuing to make our state better with significant contributions and improving the flood control system.

I told them that first of Give Fuel Bills A Vacation If you are plan Bins; a vacation, why not give fuel bins a vacation toe your home is going to bs tar ty for several days while are away, you can easily i duce your fuel usage mad sevf yourself some money. The American Gas Association suggests that before you leave you turn the thermostat down to the lowest setting. Doa1 turn the pilot light off; ill costs very little to keep It bun ing. But, do keep the hew down. to include new Innovations.

Previous studies have pointed out the short-comings of the traditional system of education, the high drop-out rate, the poor reading, increased drug usage, and lack of meaningful educational experience for the exceptional student and the non-college bound student. The Task Force stated that our state faces a possible economic retardation because of Ill-prepared youth, and a rareer-ori-cnted program should be offered. The committee studied every fleet of education and made definite observations and recommendations. Among these recommendations are compul sory kindergarten, non-graded continuous progress at the elementary level, more self-instruction, in-service training for teachers, team teaching, and a broadening of high school curriculum to provide optional and individualized learning experience for all students. Michot, in making the report public, said that this committee has spent much time and effort in presenting a definite plan a "road map" for upgrading the entire educational system in Louisiana.

"These are not day Michot added, but attainable goals; concrete objectives which can be put into practice immedi Curriculum Task Force Reports On Its Findings Baton Rouge The Task Force on Optional Curriculum, Dr. It. Mtliityre BriJges, chairman, has presented a copy of its findings to State Superintendent Louis J. Michot. This report will be analyzed, Michot said, and recommendations for new policies and procedures will be made to the State Board of Education or to the legislature.

The optional curriculum committee was concerned with all aspects outside the traditional curricula needed to bring meaning and purpose to elementary and secondary education. It involved revision of present methods and expansion 'J; he God who gave us life, gave us Liberty at the same time Thomas cf ferson r- LP ft I Was I Live I all, we now have a total of 2,084 miles of flood control levees throughout the state. These levees, after construction, cannot be abandoned they must be maintained continuously in excellent conditions to insure the integrity of flood control. Presently there are 21 levee boards across the state who provide this maintenance responsibility and functions. To make sure that the system is maintained in excellent condition, periodic Inspections are made not only by the levee board representatives, but also the State Department of Public Works and the Corps of Engineers.

Through such cooperative efforts, you can be assured a compreehnsive maintenance program is being carried out In addition to levees, these 21 levee boards maintain 1,610 miles of principal drainage channels which are vital in providing a drainage outlet for this one-third (13) of the state. These 2,100 miles of levees and 1,600 miles of channels have been developed in connection with several major federal projects throughout the state. These include the Red River below Dennison Dam, Ouachita River and attribu-taries, Mississippi River and attributaries, and hurricane protection projects. These projects and others, too numerous to name at this point, have been realized through the efforts of State Department of Public Works officials, the Association of Levee Boards of Louisiana, and our Congressional Delegation, all being strongly supported by individual levee boards and members. You must remember how extensive these broad projects are.

For instance, the Mississippi River and attributaries project includes main stem and back-water levees, the Atcha-falaya Basin Floodway and Its relative features which have extensive interceptive drainage areas, and a comprehensive revetment program for stabilization of the meandering Mississippi River. The Red River below Dennison Dam project includes main line levees, chanel stabilization consisting of pile dikes and revetment, flood gate structures, and Interceptive drainage features. The Ouachita River and Tributaries Project although not named first, Is certainly of no less importance than the others and it has principally the same features as listed in the previous projects. There are other projects which will not be specifically mentioned at this time, but they, with those which I have mentioned have a combined project cost of 1.4 billion dollars. These federal projects have had assurances and requirements complied with by the levee districts of Louisiana.

But what is it that the levee boards have contributed to these projects, and why is it that some other agency couldn't perform these same functions? First I must state that all projects have to originate on a local level. You as legislators, farmers, industrial leaders and others let it be known that a particular project has merit and should be studied. If it is a project that involves the U. S. Corps of Engineers, it must be sponsored by a local agency, and if it involves flood control and drainage, generally the levee board for a particular area is available to serve in that capacity.

The levee board requests that a study be made to determine whether or not the project is feasible and whether or not it has a favorable cost-benefit ratio. It is your levee board member who organizes the presentations at the hearings to be sure that all pertinent information with reference to the project is made available to the Corps. Then, if the project Is approved as feasible, the levee board is generally charged with the responsibility of acquiring rights of way and giving the guarantees that maintenance will be as required by the Corps. I am more familiar with the functions of the Tensas Basin Levee District than that of any other district of the state. This is natural, but to make my point I would like to discuss with you some of the pertinent things about the Tensas Board which I believe applies to virtually all of the levee boards in our state.

First, our board is made up of men who have a desire to serve their communities. They are business people, attorneys, bankers and farmers. The seven (7) men who are entitled to perdiem on the Tensas Board drew a total of something less than $3,500.00 during the 1971 calendar year. This is an average of less than $500.00 per man. Where else could the State of Louisiana get men in each area of the state dedicated to a purpose to serve at a lesser cost? They serve simply to help their area and to contribute to protection for its land and people The Tensas Board maintains all of the levees on the Ouachita River and Black River, from the Arkansas line to the point where the Black enters the Red.

It maintains all of the major drainage structures within the district and only recently has contributed the monies necessary to secure rights of way to fill in the void which presently exists in the Monroe sea wall. With the Southeast Arkansas Board it maintains the main-line Mississippi River levees in Southeast Arkansas. The Tensas Board has been most active In securing authorization for protection of the Red River backwater areas in Catahoula Parish and at the present time the Jonesville to Larto Lake Levee project is under construction. When this has been completed, it is hoped that work will continue in order that the remainder of the back-water area can be afforded the same protection as other parts of the district In the past eight (8) years this board' has helped in securing in excess of 00 million dollars in federal funds which were expended on projects in the district The Nine-Foot Navigation Channel on the Ouachita River has resulted in construction of a lock below Jonesville in the Black River and above Columbia In the Ouachita River. These two items alone represented millions of dollars to the area along these two, streams.

But as stated, these things just don't happen by accident It requires local participation, a local sponsoring agency and lots of work by all of the people involved. The Tensas Board is presently in operation on a mill tax levy. The history of the State of Louisiana records that levee boards have been the basis and generator of growth and development of the state. Further, it is readily apparent that the continued, orderly advancement of our state is inseparably tied to the continued efficient operation as In the past, of the levee boards of Louisiana. The Association of Levee Boards of Louisiana at its recent annual meeting in New Orleans adopted a resolution with reference to the study which is being made by your committee, This resolution recommended that the levee board system be maintained.

That per diem be limited to 30 days per year. This 30 days was arrived at in the following manner: The regular monthly meetings would require 12 days; for members who served on claims, insurance or other committees, possibly one additional day would be required each month, or 12 days for the year. In addition, it Is very Important 4 Daniel Webster (1782-1852) i of" tW rfiosi -prominent statesmen American History, known also as the great "Defender of "Some hearts like evening primroses open most beautifully in the shadows of life," One in the 6 PRESSURE CREOSOTED POSTS Pure No. 1 Creosote FALL SALE 37c Up 'til February 1, 1973 Benton Creosoting Works Benton, Louisiana Phone 965-2241 SKIfF Water resistant, precision jeweled movement, shock-resistant, sweep second. Caravelle i by BULOVA Hollis Jewelers Rayville, Louisiana Only $1.69 LUCITE SPRAY PAINT Dries in minutes Use indoors or out, on metal or wood Safe for children's toys and furniture In 16 decorator colors The fun way to paint Clovers Rayville, Louisiana B1 HEIt l5ntt PAINT gaOinMNuttt Born An HONOR 7f for the boards to be represented at the Appropriations Hearing before the United States Congress and at other meetings.

It was thought that six (6) days woud be sufficient for that purpose. While the Association did not include in the resolution how much per diem should be paid, in my humble opinion, 150.00 per day certainly would not be out of line. All you have to do is to check and see what other boards are paying their directors for the type of services that are rendered by the members of the levee boards of the State of Louisiana. I am afraid that the people of our state are being lulled into a feeling of false security. While much work haa been done to protect our state from floods and hurricanes, much more must be accomplished before the job will be complete.

If you think that the only thing levee boards do is to see that the grass is mowed each year, then you are badly mis-ln-formed. Every day In every part of our state, a levee board or a levee board member or an employee of a levee board is doing something to protect and help someone in that particular area. So it all boils down to this. We have a system that la working. One that has been the envy of the entire Mississippi Valley.

Dedicated men serving on the various boards with a desire to make a meaningful contribution to their area working with dedicated state officials, our congressional delegation and the U. 3. Army Corps of Engineers In an effort to afford protection to the citizenry of our state from floods, enhance drainage, and generally to promote the welfare of the state. If this system Is abolished we will lose the local leadership required to focus attention to improvements needed in a particular area. We will lose the local knowledge required to successfully support projects and to make rights of way available for a particular project.

We will also lose the day-by-day liaison between local property owners with reference to their particular problems and the needs of their community. It will necessitate each area of the state vying for funds for flood control and drainage from a central state agency Instead of having a local board for Its own area knowledgeable and responsible to the area's needs. We will lose the local agency capable of participating in the development of recreational facilities along the streams and lakes in its district If some changes are needed to protect the public's interest In some isolated instances, then let it be done, but do not destroy the system itself. Respectfully submitted, Wedon T. Smith, President Tensas Basin Levee District and President Association of Levee Boards of Louisiana Your An American, Shall Die an American I intend to perform the duties incumbent upon me in that character to the end of my career.

I mean to do this with absolute disregard for personal consequence. What are personal consequences? What is the individual man, with all the good or evil that may betide him, in comparison to the good or evil that, may befall a great country, and in the midst of great transactions which concern that country1 fate? Let consequences be what they will, I am careless. No man can suffer too much, and no man can fall too soon, if he suffers or if he fall to the defense of the liberties and constitution of his country. DANIEL WEBSTER Run it tip Don I run il down a AMERICAVHHrA For TV SEP A. 2 Kenton Nursery MANGHAM-COLUMBIA HIGHWAY 6 Miles Wtit Of Mangham BLOOMING PLANTS BEDDING PLANTS FERNS SHRUBS -TREES EVERGREENS Richland Farmers Co-op Highway 80 W.

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