TODAY'S ISSUE
Chinese intrigued at learning English, educator finds on trip
By Dr. Holly Robinson
Senior VP, Georgia Public Policy Foundation
Special to GwinnettForum.com

(Editor's Note; Education in China was the focus of a recent trip by several Georgia educators to China. Here Dr. Holly Robinson writes about China's educational system. -eeb)

DEC. 13, 2005 -- "Women hold up half the sky," proclaimed Mao. Even under his rule, however, women in China rarely achieved high positions as age-old traditions of a patriarchal society took precedence.

That and more are changing rapidly in the nation of 1.3 billion where, for two weeks in October, I had the remarkable opportunity to visit educational, historic and cultural sites. The trip was arranged by Global Achievers International of Newnan.

China's students and citizens are learning English, by the hour; by the day - millions of them. Intrigued by America, students are excited to talk with Americans; they peppered the group with questions in nearly perfect English.

With Dr. Jesse Bradley Jr., superintendent of the Griffin-Spalding County School System, as Georgia school partner, the group of a dozen Georgians returned home carrying memoranda of understanding with schools in Hangzhou, south of Shanghai, and Dandong in northeast China, across the Yalu River from North Korea.

A large urban school district in the metropolitan area of nearly seven million residents, the Hangzhou Education Bureau provides 15 years of education, nine of them mandatory. Since a 1986 compulsory education law mandated the nine-year requirement nationwide, significant progress has been made in its implementation. According to 2002 statistics (the most recent), the net enrollment rate of primary school-age children attained 98.6 percent, with 97 percent of primary school graduates entering junior secondary schools, including vocational schools.

In meetings with the deputy head of the Hangzhou Education Bureau, principals and the head of research, it became clear that the goals are to popularize higher education and promote lifelong learning. And with nine years of free education provided, the push is on to encourage schooling for young girls and the children of low-income migrant workers in this booming industrial city. Both groups have often been left behind.

Established in 1978, more than 46,000 students are enrolled at Hangzhou Radio and TV Community University, our first campus stop, where large banners read, "Warmly Welcome Our Georgia, USA Friends." Most students are studying for an associate degree; in China, such community universities offer free education.

The university's message of growth and expansion is reinforced by a new 12-story building for distance education nearing completion.

Stark rooms were eclipsed by the extraordinary enthusiasm of the faculty. They demonstrated equipment from around the world, including Swiss X-ray machines in their construction lab, to test the quality of building strength.

In a college English class, computers linked each desk as the professor led from her computer in front of the room. The language from a speaker was clearly English American-style, and the lesson about a disabled student in Pennsylvania who uses distance learning focused on the support services she received and why. The Chinese students gained insight into American education, culture and law, all in a language lesson. The college also has a large, well equipped E-reading room with computers that can translate between English and Chinese.

Officials told us that 85 percent of students in Hangzhou receive a bachelor's or associate degree; 76 percent in the province earn some level of college degree.

It took a while for women to make strides in China, despite Mao's enthusiastic endorsement. In 1949, when the People's Republic of China was established, 68 percent of women could not read or write. Today, 90 percent are literate. Given the global economy, Georgia's education partnerships with successful nations - even our competitors - are mutually beneficial. And they hold lessons for us in making the grade.

ELLIOTT BRACK
Libraries as essential to county as police and fire services
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com

DEC. 13, 2005 -- You may have been somewhat perplexed at a recent newspaper story showing the Gwinnett County Public Library listed as a non-profit charitable institution in the 2006-07 Gwinnett County Budget.

The library was put in the same category for funding of such institutions as the Gwinnett County Children's Shelter, the Atlanta Region Commission, the Health and Human Services Coalition and the Gwinnett Hospital System.

The library as a charity? Actually, they fund the library as a "subsidy agency."

Turns out that for budgeting purposes, our county puts many diverse groups in the same category, calling them "subsidized agencies." The Gwinnett Hospital is in a similar position, getting $500,000 in the upcoming year, funding some of the cost of indigent care. The library and hospital are also both run by separate boards, and are essentially independent organizations. Neither the library nor hospital employees are county governmental workers, but they each work for their own board.

Altogether, the county is budgeting for the library in 2006-07 a total of $18 million. The appropriation for 2005-06 was $16 million. The majority of the increase for the coming year is because of the addition of two new branch libraries to open in the coming year, in Grayson and Dacula.

The libraries also generate other funds, through fees and fines, and get a small allocation today from the State of Georgia. Its total overall operating budget for fiscal year 2006 is expected to be $19.3 million, which includes $958,000 from the State of Georgia, and approximately $700,000 in fines. None of the funding for libraries comes from the cities of Gwinnett.

The method of accounting for the funding of the library comes from years ago, when the Gwinnett Library was part of a regional library network. In those days it got more of its funding from the state. However, when first Dawson County, then Forsyth County, pulled out of the Lake Lanier Regional Library, Gwinnett was the only library left, so changed its name to the Gwinnett County Public Library.

Interestingly, though the library is not considered part of the county government, its board members are appointed by the county commission. But it acts as its own independent system. The current board members are: Dan English of Lawrenceville, chairman; Lloyd Breck,Snellville; Phyllis Oxendine of Duluth, Dale Todd, Peachtree Corners and Kipper Tabb, Duluth.

* * * * *

Don't know about you, but for me, providing library services is very much as essential for the public welfare as are police and fire services, voter registration and parks and recreation. As such, I view the library as an investment in lifetime learning, essentially from the cradle to the grave. All you have to do is to visit one of the Gwinnett libraries any day of the week. If you visit as I did on a recent Sunday afternoon, you will find the library packed, with virtually every computer terminal in use. Many are students, slaving away on their school assignments.

But people of all ages walk in the library for different services daily. And it is essential in their lives, perhaps more than ever before with the new ways libraries are helping people.

A charitable institution? We had never thought of the Library in that manner. To us, it is more of an essential service of our government.

ABOUT OUR SPONSORS

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UPCOMING
Duluth plans 7th annual Carols in the Park on Saturday

Christmas in Duluth will feature, for the seventh straight year, "Carols in the Park." The event is set for Saturday, December 17 in the Duluth Amphitheater. Among those to be featured in the performance will be Diana Degarmo and the Big Chicken Chorus. The event is to be at 6 p.m. For more information on this, call 770 497-5312. There is no admission charge.

Senator plans hearings on 2006-07 human development budget

State Sen. Renee Unterman (R-Buford) will hold an appropriations subcommittee meeting on human development to discuss the budget for the 2006-07 fiscal year, on December 19. The meeting will be held in Room 341, the Appropriations Room, of the State Capitol at 10 a.m.

B.J. Walker, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Human Resources, is expected to review their current budget and propose their 2006 amended budget and 2007 budget.

Commissioner Walker also will update the subcommittee on the "Kenny A." settlement, the result of a class action lawsuit filed against the state by Children's Rights Inc., a review of DHR's plans for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grants and any other issues that need to be discussed. Two hours have been set aside during the meeting for testimony from interested parties.

NOTABLE
Firefighters to get breath of fresh air equipment

Gwinnett firefighters will soon be getting new self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) equipment worth just over $1.6 million. Similar to underwater breathing gear, it allows firefighters to breathe in smoky, hot conditions.

The new equipment will replace SCBA units that had been in service since 1989 and no longer meet current standards. "Gwinnett County firefighters are among the best equipped and best trained in the state, and this purchase continues that proud tradition," said Assistant Fire Chief Robert Post.

A fire department committee evaluated products from six manufacturers before recommending the Air-Pak 50 SCBA made by Scott Manufacturing. Fisher Scientific, Inc. was the lowest responsible bidder and received the contract.

Walton EMC members get $3 million in refunds from operation

Beginning this month, most Walton Electric Membership Corporation customer-owners will be receiving their part of a $3 million refund. Over $25 million has been returned over the last 18 years.

Refunds are based on the amount of the customers' annual power bills and reflect their ownership in the company. Most of the refunds will appear as a credit on customers' electric bills. This saves over $30,000 in check production and mailing costs.

At the end of each year, Walton EMC assigns margins to each customer-owner's electric account. These margins are the difference between what they paid and what it actually cost Walton EMC to provide electric service. The company holds these margins as a reserve to retire debt and prepare for emergencies, among other things. When more reserves are accrued than needed for financial stability, the extra is returned.

This year's refund includes those members who received electric service from Walton EMC during 1982 and/or 2004. Older margins are retired on a continuing basis; margins up to 1982 have already been distributed.

Walton EMC is a customer-owned electric company and serves 110,000 electric accounts in ten Northeast Georgia counties between Atlanta and Athens. Its subsidiary, Walton EMC Natural Gas, serves customers statewide. Learn more at waltonemc.com.

RECOMMENDATION

• An invitation: What Web sites, books or restaurants have you enjoyed? Send us your best recent visit to a restaurant or most recent book you have read along with a short paragraph as to why you liked it, plus what book you plan to read next. --eeb
  
  

GEORGIA TIDBIT
Joel Chandler Harris enjoyed double professional life

One of the South's most treasured authors, Joel Chandler Harris (1845-1908), gained national prominence for his numerous volumes of Uncle Remus folktales. Harris's long-standing legacy as a "progressive conservative" New South journalist, folklorist, fiction writer, and children's author continues to influence our society today. Harris was born in Eatonton on December 9, 1845.

Harris

Gifted with a strong memory and a love of books, writing skills and a mischievous sense of humor, Harris was hired at age 16 as a printing compositor for Joseph Addison Turner, the owner of 1,000-acre Turnwold Plantation, nine miles east of Eatonton. He had installed an old Washington hand press in a building behind the main house and was ready to publish what was probably America's only plantation newspaper, The Countryman.

General William T. Sherman's March to the Sea left Turnwold unscathed, but on May 8, 1866, Turner reluctantly had to suspend operations. Harris found himself a published author at age 20, and he had also learned that writing was in his blood. He worked on newspapers in Macon and New Orleans, before joining the Savannah newspaper, where he was associate editor.

When yellow fever hit Savannah in August 1876, the Harris family, which now included two children, moved to Atlanta. In September Atlanta Constitution editor Evan Howell and his new associate editor Henry W. Grady hired the young journalist whose paragraphs they had already been reprinting. He was soon named associate editor.

When he was asked to fill in for absent dialect-writer Sam Small, he invented an engaging black character named Uncle Remus, who liked dropping by the Constitution offices to share humorous anecdotes and sardonic insights about life on the streets of bustling postwar Atlanta.

For the next quarter-century, Harris lived a double life professionally. He was one of two associate editors of the premier newspaper in the Southeast. He was also the creative writer, the "other fellow," as he termed himself: a prolific, committed, and ambitious re-creator of folk stories, a literary comedian, fiction writer, and author of children's books. Harris published thirty-five books in his lifetime.

Harris died on July 3, 1908, of acute nephritis and was buried in Westview Cemetery, West End, Atlanta. Harris's fully restored Victorian home and museum house in Atlanta, the Wren's Nest, located off I-20 at 1050 Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard S.W., has served as the headquarters for the Joel Chandler Harris Association since 1913. The Uncle Remus Museum on 214 Oak Street in Eatonton, comprising two authentic mid-19th-century hewn-log slave cabins, contains Harris memorabilia and a diorama of scenes from the folktales.

• To access the Georgia Encyclopedia, go to http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
  
  
  

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Simple, direct toic for ensuring longevity for us all

" He who laughs, lasts."

-- Norman Cousins, (1912 - 1990) editor and essayist, author of best-selling book, Anatomy of an Illness, via Cindy Evans, Duluth.

• Another invitation: What's your favorite saying? Share with others through GwinnettForum. Send to elliott@gwinnettforum.com.
  

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