Lawmakers: Dorn was kind, special

Former governor to speak at ex-congressman’s funeral

August 17, 2005

By SHAVONNE POTTS
Index-Journal staff writer

It has been a few decades since former Congressman William Jennings Bryan Dorn served in office, but those who knew him have fond memories.
On Thursday, those memories will come flooding out during a funeral that will feature a eulogy by a former S.C. governor and full military honors.
Dorn, who was 89, died Saturday at his home in Greenwood with son Johnson by his side. State Sen. John Drummond, of Ninety Six, has known Dorn since he was 17.
“He was a great American,” Drummond said.
Drummond recalled many barbecues at Dorn’s home and evenings planning barbecue and hash events at the Hash House.
“We were real close. He was a special sort of fellow and he should’ve been governor,” he said.
Drummond said it was nothing for Dorn to call his house and ask him how many fish he had in the refrigerator and then invite 15-20 people for an impromptu fish fry.
“He always had a host of people come into his home, and I myself have made several speeches from that back porch,” he said.
“His mind was still sharp,” Drummond said of talking with Dorn at Workman’s Restaurant when son Johnson brought Dorn for Sunday lunches.
“He was kind, considerate and a very humble person, but he was a lion in politics,” state Sen. Tommy Moore said.
Moore also recalled many days spent at the Dorn home for barbecues. “I have very pleasant memories of going there for barbecues,” he said.
Moore said the community, as well as the state, will miss Dorn.
“The hallmark of the information I had of him was that he was the best friend of veterans everywhere,” he said.
Moore will not make remarks during the funeral, but he said he will speak privately with the family.
Dorn’s funeral services will be at 4 p.m. Thursday at the First Baptist Church in Greenwood with the Revs. Tony Hopkins and J. William Harris officiating.
Burial with full military honors will be at the Bethel United Methodist Church Cemetery near Callison.
The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. today at Blyth Funeral Home in Greenwood. Former Gov. Dick Riley will deliver the main eulogy at Dorn’s funeral along with former staff member and current Maryland Judge Jack Tracy and Dorn’s first cousin Steve C. Griffith, of Prosperity, Johnson Dorn said.
Bryan Dorn, a Democrat, represented the South Carolina’s Third Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives between 1947 and 1974. Dorn served one term in the House starting in 1947 before stepping down for an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate. He went back to the U.S. House in 1951 and served 12 more terms.
Dorn announced in 1973 he would run for governor. He was upset in the 1974 Democratic primary by Charles “Pug” Ravenel, but was given the nomination by the party after Ravenel was removed from the ticket because he did not meet residency requirements. Ravenel refused to support Dorn in the general election, and Dorn lost narrowly to James Edwards, the first Republican governor since Reconstruction.
Dorn ran for governor one more time in 1978, but lost in the primary to Riley, the eventual winner. Riley went on to become U.S. Secretary of Education.
Dorn was elected chairman of the state Democratic Party in 1980.
Current S.C. Democratic Party Chairman Joe Erwin said in a statement, “Congressman Dorn was a leader and statesman. He helped lead South Carolina into the modern age and he did it with class, honor and integrity. He cared passionately about regular, working South Carolinians and fought courageously on their behalf. Our thoughts are with his family, many of whom carry on his legacy and continue to play leadership roles in our state.”
An Army veteran of WWII, Dorn gave his name to the veterans hospital in Columbia.
“Congressman Dorn never lost his desire for service and was always a friend to our nation’s veterans,” U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said in a statement. “He served his state and nation with great character and integrity. With his passing South Carolina has lost one of her most noble statesmen.”

Shavonne Potts covers general assignments in Greenwood and the Lakelands. She can be reached at 223-1811, ext. 3306, or: spotts@indexjournal.com. The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Learning to play the correct way

Greenwood Toros’ soccer academy giving 5- to 7-year-olds a leg up on the game

August 17, 2005

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

Many extraordinary feats start with small beginnings.
The Greenwood Toros Soccer Club Academy, Tuesday and Thursday evenings for the next six weeks at the Phoenix Street Fields, is seeking to offer youngsters, ages 5-7, a chance to begin soccer careers.
Erskine College men’s soccer coach Ben Freakley is directing the academy. For Freakley, instructing the 21 attendees Tuesday gives him the unique opportunity to provide a service he never experienced as a child.
“When I was coming up we didn’t have anything like this,” he said.
“What we did have was just unorganized. So, it means a lot to me and all the instructors in the Toros club, to give these kids a start we didn’t have.”
Freakley said he thinks the start in soccer many kids in the U.S. get now will lead to the country having a larger presence on the international soccer stage in the future. Freakley said he has witnessed soccer become part of the national consciousness in his lifetime.
“It’s one of the most popular sports around now,” said Freakley, who founded the Mount Pleasant Soccer Club in the Charleston area. “These young people are watching their brothers and sisters move up through the age groups, and they want to do it, too.”
At ages as young as 5, it is important for Freakley to keep the attention of the youngsters in the academy.
One way he does is by engaging the players in different games and contests loosely associated with the game.
One such game, which was popular with the boys and girls Tuesday, is a capture-the-flag style affair in which players attempt to seize a jersey hanging from the back of another player’s shorts while they attempt to get away. The game provided the youngsters with a warm-up before they moved to more focused drills.
At the end of the day, Freakley challenged the children to another contest. This time, players raced to put their jerseys back in a pile as fast as they could, with the slower groups having to do push-ups as restitution for their lagging.
“We work hard to keep them on-task,” Freakley said.
“The most important thing we can get from these kids is a smile. In fact, having fun is the number one goal for this academy.”
For 6-year-old Durham Bley, there is one part of the academy that stands out as being more fun than all the rest: scrimmaging.
“Scrimmaging is the best,” Bley said. “My team is always the winner.”
Seven-year-old Ward Lawrence is also keen on scrimmaging, though he phrased it a different way.
“I like playing soccer against persons,” Lawrence said. “I mean ‘people!’”
Freakley said the eight-week academy is striking a chord with the boys and girls, and one way to prove the fact is the retention of pupils from the first week to the second. Twenty youngsters attended the academy in the first week, and 21 attended this week.
“They all came back and we added one,” Freakley said. “That proves they’re having a ball out here. That’s how an academy grows. I’ve seen it happen again and again.”
Freakley praised the Toros program for its continuing efforts to promote soccer through academies, camps, club games and tournaments.
According to Freakley, with high school coaches and players, college coaches and players, and international players all helping conduct clinics and seminars for youngsters, the Toros’ Phoenix Street fields have become a breeding ground for quality players.
“The instructors out here have passion for the game,” said Freakley gesturing towards club coaches working with their teams on adjacent fields. “You have men and women with expertise who truly want to help the players improve. These drills we design for the kids aren’t just made up for the fun of it. They’ve been proven to work by experienced instructors.”
As the academy continues over the next six weeks, Freakley has one objective over all others.
“I want to let these kids really enjoy themselves,” the Erskine coach said. “We’ll work on the skills as we go along, but for now I just enjoy hearing the laughter and seeing the smiles.”

Chris Trainor covers area sports for The Index-Journal. He can be reached at: ctrainor@indexjournal.com

Opinion

Gasoline prices could be losing cause for the GOP

August 17, 2005

Republicans are in the majority in South Carolina’s government. The governor is Republican and the House and Senate are controlled by Republicans. On a national level, the president is Republican and the U. S. House and Senate are in Republican control. The basis for the control – power – is constantly shifting.
Fame, they say, is fleeting. But, so is power, especially in the world of politics. The party in power is always vulnerable to the unpredictability of a fickle electorate. Usually, a conglomeration of issues that affect the daily lives of voters determines the longevity of political power. That is, all of the issues combine to have an over all effect on how people vote.

THERE ARE MONUMENTAL issues these days that together are overwhelming influences on voter attitudes. The war on terror is, of course, a primary concern. Illegal immigration is another issue that has become one of the biggest problems facing the nation, and it’s growing everyday. Social Security? Everybody in South Carolina is, or should be, aware of the implications of what the stability of that program means.
There are, of course, a number of other issues that affect the politics of power. There is one issue, though, that could do alone what all the others combined might not. That’s the price of gasoline. The constantly rising cost of that absolute necessity is such an emotional factor that Americans from coast to coast are getting riled. They expect government to do something ….. to relieve the economic pressure that rising gasoline prices bring.

IT ALL GETS DOWN TO President Bush, of course. Whether he can do anything to help is not the point. Motorists expect him to do something. If he can’t, or doesn’t, that one issue is likely to doom the chances for the next Republican nominee for the presidency. Politics being politics, it would more than likely help usher Republicans out of all the offices they now hold, in Washington and Columbia. At least it’s likely to affect their hold on the majority in both places. There’s always a trickle down effect.
It wouldn’t be the first time that one issue determined elections. This time, though, it’s up close and personal. When you hear people cussing at the pumps, you know that anger will carry over into the voting booth.
If there’s anything that can be done, the president and his allies better do it fast. They may never have another chance.

Editorial expression in this feature represents our own views.
Opinions are limited to this page.

Obituaries

Alice Elaine Brown

HODGES — Alice Elaine Brown, 45, of 508 Andrews Chapel Road, wife of James Brown, died Monday, Aug. 15, 2005 at her home.
Born in Greenville, she was a daughter of Daisy Carolyn Sanders and the late Rufus Sanders. She was a member of Good Hope Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband of the home; a daughter, Nashonda La’Tasha White of Hodges; her mother of Hodges; two brothers, Melvin White of Hodges and Eduardo Sanders of Greenwood; four sisters, Dianne Bussey and Mary White, both of Hodges, Arleen Brown of Ware Shoals and Deborah Jean Sanders of Greenwood; three grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. Thursday at Good Hope Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Stanley Haltiwanger and Evangelist Florence Shephard. The body will be placed in the church at 1. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers are Richmond Hill, Marty Keller, Charles Lewis, Jacob Mays, Johnnie Mattison and Larry Williams.
Flower bearers are Catina Hicks, Michelle Keller, Darlene Keller, Anjenet Leverett, Sabrina Leverett, Alice Patton and Erica Tindal.
Viewing begins at 12 today at Robinson-Walker Funeral Service, Ware Shoals.
The family is at the home.
Robinson-Walker Funeral Service is in charge.

Ryan Cain

STANFORD, Conn. — Ryan Martin Cain, 23, of 180 Broad St., died Monday, Aug. 15, 2005, in Rome, Ga., from injuries sustained in a golfing accident.
The family is at the home of his grandparents, Lamar and Lauranette Cain, Highway 25, Ware Shoals, S.C.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Greenwood, S.C.

Flossie Cunningham

LAURENS — Flossie B. Cunningham, 77, of 105 Russell St., widow of Noble Cunningham, died Sunday, Aug. 14, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center, Greenwood.
Born in Laurens County, she was a daughter of the late Arthur Hill Sr. and Eva Campbell Hill. She was a member of Laurel Hill Baptist Church, where she was a Jubilee Choir, Sunday School and Missionary Society member and chairperson of the Kitchen Committee.
Survivors include two brothers, Robert Hill and Arthur Hill, both of Waterloo and a sister, Dorothy Walker of Laurens.
Services are 1 p.m. Thursday at Laurel Hill Baptist Church, Waterloo, conducted by the Rev. Herbert E. Glenn, assisted by Evangelists Linda Cunningham and Ruth Foggie and Revs. Ray A. Pilgrim and John Booker. The body will be placed in the church at 12. Burial is in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers are Willie Howard Grant, Stanley Anderson, Jimmy Wrice, Wayne Wrice, Sylvester Stephens and Geoffery Stephens.
Flower bearers are Tracy Miller, Lorene Cunningham, Tarsha Lowe, Charlene Wrice, Anna Wrice and Clementine Jones.
The family is at the home.
Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home, Greenwood, is in charge.

Pansy Hawkins

HODGES — Pansy Garner Hawkins, 89, of 4322 Highway 246 North, widow of Miller Hawkins, died Monday, August 15, 2005 at her home.
Born in Pickens County, she was a daughter of the late Thomas Jefferson and Matilda Beasley Garner. She was retired from the Greenwood Methodist Home and was a member of Abney Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by a son, Bruce Edith Hawkins.
Surviving is a daughter, Sylvia Gail Peurifoy and husband Earl F. Peurifoy of Cleveland, NC; four grand-daughters, Freida M. McWhorter of Ware Shoals, Terry Baty of Chuckey, TN, Cassie Bradberry of Ware Shoals and Lori Byrd of Greenwood; two grandsons, James C. Moton of Green-wood and Mark Moton of Ninety Six and ten great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Oakbrook Memorial Park Chapel Mau-soleum with the Rev. Ted Williams and the Rev. Mike Hatfield officiating. Burial will be inOakbrook Memorial Park.
The family will receive friends at the cemetery on Thursday from 10-11 a.m.
The family is at the home of her granddaughter, Lori Byrd, 108 Clark Avenue, Greenwood.
Memorials may be made to the Pansy G. Hawkins Fund, c/o Harley Funeral Home, PO Box 777, Greenwood, SC 29648.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.harleyfuneralhome.com
PAID OBITUARY

Glen C. Huggins

HODGES — Glen Curtis Huggins, 40, of 612 Sally White Road, husband of Sonjia Berryhill Huggins, died Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2005 at his home.
Born in Bremenhaven, Germany, he was a son of John and Betty Broom Huggins. He had been employed by Enmark in Greenwood and was a member of Willie Kay Road Church of God.
Survivors include his parents of Brevard, N.C.; his wife of the home; three daughters, Jennifer Ford of Hodges, Stephanie Van Dyke of Donalds and Kristen Tollison of Minot, N.D.; a sister, Mrs. Danny (Sharon) Mullins of Brevard; six grandchildren.
Memorial services are 4 p.m. Friday at Willie Kay Road Church of God, conducted by the Rev. Leon Van Dyke.
The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to Glen Huggins Fund, Parker-White Funeral Home, P.O. Box 242, Ware Shoals, SC 29692.
Parker-White Funeral Home is in charge.

Gloria Kinney

Gloria J. Kinney, 55, of 516 Bolt Ave., died Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Services will be announced by Harley Funeral Home.

Bobby Lee Manick

Bobby Lee Manick, 56, formerly of Greenwood, died Saturday, Aug. 13, 2005 at V.A. Medical Center in Augusta, Ga.
The family is at the home of Nesha Manick, Wisewood Apartments, 235 Florida Ave., Building 3, Apt. 15.
Services will be announced by Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc.

Rachel Massey

Rachel Ann Lomax Massey, 57, of 115 Biltmore St., wife of Troy D. Massey, died Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center.
Born in Greenwood, she was a daughter of the late E.J. and Sarah Collins Lomax. She was of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include her husband of the home; a daughter, Donna Johnson of the home; two grandchildren of the home, Sarah Regina Johnson and Noah Shane Johnson; six sisters, Virginia Clary and Nina Turner, both of Greenwood, Jeanette Kennedy of Waterloo, Faye Horne and Joyce Horne, both of Hodges and Linda Pound of Lexington; four brothers, James Lomax of Iva, Donald Lomax, Dennis Lomax and Raymond Lomax, all of Greenwood.
Services are 2 p.m. Thursday at Harley Funeral Home, conducted by the Revs. Joe Chapman, Ron Taylor and Ronnie Chavis. Burial is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers are nephews.
Honorary escorts are her brothers-in-law.
Visitation is 7-9 tonight at the funeral home.
The family is at the home.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

Mary Helen Norris

PHENIX CITY, Ala. — Mary Helen Norris, 64, died Monday, Aug. 15, 2005 at the Medical Center in Columbus, Ga.
Born in Wausau, Fla., she was a daughter of the late Millard F. and Gussie Exum Sowell. She lived in Phenix City for the past 63 years and was a homemaker and member of the Oasis Christian Center.
Survivors include her husband, Marshall “Pete” Norris of the home; two sons, Donald Gregory Norris and Jason Norris, both of Phenix City; a sister, Lillian McDaniel of Ninety Six, S.C.; a brother, Nolan C. Sowell of Greenwood, S.C.; and a grandson.
Services are 2 p.m. Thursday at Striffler-Hamby Mortuary Phenix City Chapel, conducted by Pastor Rock Edmunds. Burial is in Lakeview Memory Gardens.
Visitation is 6-8 tonight at the mortuary.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.striffler-hamby.com
Announcement courtesy of Harley Funeral Home, Greenwood.

Lula Rogers

CALHOUN FALLS — Lula Rogers, 94, formerly of 113 Rogers St., died Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2005 at National Health Care in Greenwood.
The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Friendly Funeral Home.

Robert Allen Stone

DONALDS — Robert Allen Stone, 70, of 1025 Winona Church Road, husband of Pauline Hall Stone, died Monday, Aug. 15, 2005 at Abbeville County Memorial Hospital.
Born in Abbeville County, he was a son of the late William Albert and Elizabeth Gordon Stone. He was a member of New Hope Baptist Church and owner and operator of DBS Trash Service.
Survivors include his wife of the home; a daughter, Mrs. Ricky (Kathy) Busby of Due West; a brother, Gordon Stone of Donalds; a sister, Mrs. Furman (Louany) Taylor of Abbeville; and two grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. Thursday at New Hope Baptist Church, Due West, conducted by the Revs. Phil Rogers and Jerry Hall. Burial is in Winona Baptist Church Cemetery.
Visitation is 6:30-8:30 tonight at the church.
The family is at the home of a daughter, Kathy Busby, 5889 Highway 20, Due West.
Memorials may be made to New Hope Baptist Church, P.O. Box 325, Due West, SC 29639.
Pruitt Funeral Home, Honea Path, is in charge.