The Index-Journal from Greenwood, South Carolina • Page 9

Renovated Saluda County Jail Is New Home For Modern Library reflected horizon expansion, one part of County Board of Com- by the Saluda missioners. the Bicentennial theme: "Horizon, Festival and Heritage." Dedication of the building is planned for Oct. 5 and Rep. Butler Derrick and Sen. Strom Thurmond have been invited to speak.

Derrick has already confirmed, Mrs. Crouch said. The new library building was built as a jail during the 1930's by the Works Project Administration, and was last used in March, 1973. According to architect John Allen Long, it was decided to convert the jail into a library because of the building's availability, prominent location and all-masonry construction. In his redesign, Long said he eliminated much of the ornate detail in the building's trim and created a sense of "proportion" by building a staircase and adult section off the original building.

The two-story building's interior features wall-to-wall carpeting and fluorescent lighting. The upper level is used as office space Although the exact cost of the reconstruction is not yet known, Saluda County Commissioner James Wheeler, Sr. admitted it was well over $100,000. Long explained that the building's cost was not determined beforehand because the building was not built on a contract basis. Wheeler said final costs are currently being prepared to obtain reimbursement under federal and state revenue sharing programs.

These figures, he said, will be ready in three to four weeks. According to Long, the jail could have been torn down and a new building put up in its place for the same cost. However, he added, such a building would have used inferior construction concrete blocks with brick veneer, instead of all-masonry. He added that the new library is virtually fireproof. Library hours are 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 8:30 a.m.-l p.m.

on Wednesday. By ELLIS B. SIMON Index-Journal Reporter SALUDA The old Saluda County Jail no longer holds vagrants, drunks and thieves. Today its rooms are filled with books. It's now a library.

Aware that the Saluda County Library had outgrown its Main Street storefront, the Saluda County Board of Commissioners decided last fall to renovate the old jail. On August 11, the new facility opened its doors to the public. The Saluda County library is a branch of the Newberry-Saluda Regional Library, according to Mrs. Frances H. Tolbert, librarian.

Both libraries are part of the South Carolina Library Network. Mrs. Tolbert explained that materials not available at the Saluda library could be obtained at Newberry. She added that if a desired resource was not available in Newberry, it would be located in the state system and sent to the person who requested it. Although part of the regional library, the Saluda County Library expansion was planned by the Saluda County Library Board, according to Miss Catherine Slaughter, head librarian for the regional library.

The Saluda library has storage space for 10,000 volumes and is divided into three areas; a children's library, a youth room and adult collection. There is also a collection of books about South Carolina in the adult section, as well as large-type books. Additions are still being made to the library collection. According to Miss Slaughter, the periodical collection will be beefed up and a film-strip viewer and cassette player will be purchased for the children's room. Mrs.

Tolbert said she hoped to be able to hold story hours and to stock films and records. Mrs. Jean Crouch, a library board member, said the board would like to be able to get a copy machine and "talking book" records for the blind, as well. Mrs. Crouch said she hoped the dedication of the library would be tied in with Saluda County's Bicentennial celebration, noting that the new library ii ill i ywm hiii mi wn in, 1 J1 it- Il- ir in Renovated Jail Houses Library The upper level houses the offices of the Saluda County Board of Commissioners.

(Index-Journal photo by Ellis B. Simon) Formerly a jail, the Saluda County Library opened its doors recently, replacing a crowded storefront on Main Street. The new facility has space for 10,000 volumes and features a separate children's library and youth section. The Index-Journal Grtanweod, S.C, Aug. 26, 19759 Ex-Convict, Legislator Fighting For Pardon And Parole Changes Mrs.

Frances Tolbert Is Saluda Librarian Greenwood Girl Is Chosen Miss Deaf S.C. COLUMBIA (Af) A COn- victed forger who feels "I was denied my rights" and a state legislator who feels South Carolina law is "unjust and unfair" are mounting separate attacks on the way pardons are granted. The ex-convict is suing in federal court to have the law declared unconstitutional. The lawmaker has proposed a bill to" delete part of the statute. At issue is a phrase reaffirmed by the 1974 General Assembly that says persons convicted of several, specified crimes may not vote "unless such disqualification shall have been removed by pardon." The crimes include major ones such as burglary, arson, perjury, forgery, murder and rape.

Also listed are adultery, bigamy and wife-beating. The list was last reviewed in 1974 when the legislature removed miscegenation as one of the automatically disqualifying crimes. forgery. Accordingly, he was notified he could no longer vote. Allen served 18 to 21 months in prison.

After his release in June 1972 he came under supervision of the state Probation Parole and Pardon Board and will remain under its eye until 1977. His class action suit, which asks a three-judge federal panel be convened, contends "On its face and as applied (the law) is discriminatory, arbitrary, capricious and unrelated to any appropriate state interest in the regulation of registering and voting and deprives plaintiff (Allen) and his class of due process, equal protection, the right to vote and the unabridged participation in the elective process. The suit was filed Aug. 14 in U.S. District Court in Aiken.

State and local officials have until early next month to replay. Rep. Wheeler M. Tillman, D-Charleston, filed a bill in December to delete that phrase Rocky 's Visit Not Solicited COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, not a popular man with Southern conservatives, ventures into South Carolina on Wednesday in an attempt to convince some of his strongest critics he is worthy of their support in 1976.

"It's a right gutsy move for him to come down here where he's not the most popular man in the world," says Republican Gov. James Edwards, who has been critical of Rockefeller. Edwards, like others in South Carolina and throughout the South, consider Rockefeller far too liberal. Rockefeller's visit was not solicited by any South Carolina Republicans, according to state GOP Executive Director Gay Suber. Rockefeller was to address a national conference of lieutenant governors in Mobile, Tuesday night and then board a flight Wednesday morning for Columbia.

GREENVILLE Miss Glenda Faye McCary was crowned Miss Deaf South Carolina at the second bi-annual pageant which climaxed the four-day convention of the S.C. Association for the Deaf (SCAD), Aug. 16. Miss McCary, who represented the Western Piedmont Chapter of the association, will compete in the national contest in Houston, next summer. She was also the winner of the scholastic aptitude award.

The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. Hubert McCary of Greenwood, she is a 1972" graduate of the S.C. School for the Deaf, where she was selected to appear in "Who's Who Among American Student Leaders, 1971-72." She received a diploma in general office from Piedmont TEC and is employed as a general office secretary at Greenwood Packing plant.

Miss McCary, 21, was chosen from a field of nine candidates, each representing a local chapter of SCAD from across the state. Girls were judged in evening gown, sportswear and talent. For her talent, Miss McCary did a baton twirling routine. But Mrs. McCary said most of the girls did songs or skits in the sign language they learned at the S.C.

School for the Deaf. Interpreters were present to aid the few contestants who could not speak. Mrs. McCary said most contestants could lip-read. Other awards were given to Miss Congeniality, evening gown, social ability and maturity, culture and talent performance.

All contestants were students at the school for the deaf, the only such school in South Carolina. Miss McCary attended Greenwood public schools through Southside Junior High and the school for the deaf for four Gary Alien, an Aiken used car -from the law. The proposal dealer, convicted in 1970 of remained in a. House committw GLENDA FAYE McCARY years. She has studied baton for many years.

The pageant is held every two years as part of the SCAD convention. 4. Savannah River Future To Be Seminar Subject i Ml I throughout the 1975 General Assembly, but Tillman is hopeful it will get attention early in 1976. "I personally think the present law is unjust, unfair, and undermines the rehabilitation efforts that South Carolina is trying to make with its penal reform system," he said. Tillman says he would not want persons in jail voting, but he added after they've served their sentence, "They're entitled to have a say in how their tax money is spent.

"The law is unconstitutional on its face. I hope the suit succeeds," Tillman continued. A similar bill before the legislature three years ago almost cleared the House, Tillman recalled. Grady A. Wallace, director of the Probation, Parole and Pardon Board, said information from the 1973-74 fiscal year the latest available indicate 121 of 127 pardon petitions were granted.

He said the board has at this time about 18,000 person under its supervision. Wallace said, "Technically, anybody (is eligible for a pardon) after he has been sentenced." But he said normal procedure is for persons who have been on parole for five years to be considered for a pardon automatically. If parole is for a horter time, "We will hear the case at any time," Wallace said. "In most cases these people who have been under parole supervision and the time has expired will generally wait a year before asking a review." Persons on probation are considered for pardons when their supervision period ends, "generally, it's a request situation on their part," Wallace added. Asked for some reasons for refusing to grant pardons, Wallace said, "It depends entirely on their record while on probation.

The statute says there needs to be a tendency toward reform, to live a decent lawabiding life. The board tends to grant it unless there are any violations other than minor traffic violations." Mrs. McQuown SeeksRe-Election To School Board Incumbent Mrs. Peggy McQuown became the first candidate to file as books opened Monday for the District 50 trustee election. The terms of Mrs.

McQuown, Dr. Travis Stephenson and chairman, J.E. McDonald will expire Dec. 31. Mrs.

McQuown is seeking election to her second term on the school board. District SO trustees serve four-year terms. Candidates may file with Mrs. Toni Ross at the County Department of Education offices in the courthouse. Books will close Sept.

26. The election is set for Oct 14 Symposium papers will cover the Savannah River Valley in historical and several topics concerning the entire river basin: water quality planning and management, sediment, the future environment in the basin, recreation, electrical power generation and management, and the role of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Representatives from universities, the U.S. Geological Survey and other state and faederal agencies will present papers and answer questions at the meeting.

CLEMSON "The Future of the Savannah River" will be the subject of a symposium Oct. 14-15 at Hickory Knob State Park near McCormick, Clemson University has announced. Because of limited accommodations, interested persons are urged to register now, said symposium coordinator B. L. Dillman of the department of agricultural economics and rural sociology at Clemson.

Requests for registration information should be addressed to Dillman. TV Station Alleges SLED Use Of Federal Funds Investigated GREENVILLLE. S.C. (AP) An investigation has tion reported, confirmed that "allegations from cer been planned to probe allegations that the State Law tain individuals involving SLED's handling of federal a ji il a 4 Kyi money have oeen orougni me governor attention. Robert G.

Liming, the governor's press secretary, said the allegations were then passed along to federal officials. He did not disclose the names of the persons involved or their specific charges. HilUUrCcniCIU Uivisiuil lida iiiisuacu icucicu luuua, WFBC-TV of Greenville said Monday. The station added that a high level official in the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration confirmed that the investigation will be held. The source said, "We plan to investigate all SLED are involved.

We are mvoivea. we Droerams in wnicn LtiAA runas Liming aaaea, vine lniormauun is in we uauua ui want to see if allegations made by certain individuals LEAA officials but we have promised full coopera-have any substantive basis." tion in whatever course of action they decide to But the source noted, "Just becSSSe there is an in take." Although the investigation is definitely being planned, it is not certain which agency will actually be in charge. The station reported that the LEAA, a branch of the U.S. Justice Department, may undertake the investigation. "But there are various combinations of vestigation does not mean there is any wrongdoing." The source added that many agencies have been investigated and everything has been found to be in order.

"But we have to check out any responsible charges," the source said. The station also reDorted that SLED Chief J. P. 'Pete" Strom denied knowledge of any investigation, federal and state possibilities," the LEAA official "It's not unusal for federal auditors to come in and said. The source added that LEAA representatives plan to meet with "appropriate state officials late this week or earlv next week" to discuss details of From Out Of The Past.

There gone forever. days of the ten-cent Coke and the nickel pack of 'crackers. However, there are still a few red boxes around designed to accept a thin dime. This model, built in the early 1950s, stands in the Saluda Agricultural Building. It was replaced when soft drinks went up to 15 cents each.

Since that time the price rose to 20 cents and later to 25 cents. This box still works although it has been empty for several years. (Index-Journal photo by Danny McNeill) check the books," the chief said. "They do it all the time." Strom added that all state and federal funds handled by SLED "are completely accounted for but I welcome any audit." A spokesman for Gov. James B.

Edwards, the sta- the investigation. Liming said the governor is unaware of such a meeting. "But if we are asked, I'm sure we will cooperate all we can," he added..