The Pharr Press (Pharr, Tex.), Vol. 47, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 19, 1980 Page: 1 of 16
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Granville Smith
P. 0. Box 53
San Juan, Texas 78589
V
Y
uum* * i uyo 7.
PSJA Fifth -ISmt fh Grade basic skills
scores in
Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent
School District students who took a
state-mandated basic skills test compared
to other area district schools in their
scores.
Mr. Rudy Lopez, PSJA assistant
superintendent, said there is no more
than a two- three percent difference in
most test areas between PSJA and the
other Valley schools he has seen.
The Texas Assessment of Basic Skills
Test was given to 1,943 district fifth and
ninth grade students in March.
Results from the tests indicated that at
the ninth grade level PSJA student's
strongest points are in the skills of
adding-subtracting whole numbers. They
had a 95 percent mastery. In
multiplication-division of whole numbers
PSJA students had an 84 percent
mastery.
In reading and interpretation of charts
RESUMEN ---
La escuela PSJA dio un examen por
orden del estado en el mes de marzo
pasado para comparar los conocimientos
basicos de los estudiantes de nuestro
distrito con los estudiantes de otros
distritos resulto ser favorable, hay una
diferencia de 2 o 3 por ciento con otros
distritos de nuestra area. Este examen lo
tomaron los estudiantes de quinto y
noveno grado.
Toda la informacion obtenida de estos
examenes sera considerada para mejorar
el metodo de instruccion en nuestras
escuelas.
and graphs, PSJA students had an 84
percent mastery. In solving problems
using money, PSJA students showed an
79 percent mastery.
Ninth graders weak areas were in the
area of solving personal finance problem
where they scored a 31 percent master
and in the use of ration-proportion ad
percent where they scored 32 percen
mastery.
Other skills tested ranged between 4!
and 69 percent.
Lopez said that the term ‘mastery’ is i
comparison to a state-established norm
Thus if in a particular area scored 81
percent, Lopez said that meant that 8)
percent of the PSJA students tested
scored at or above the state-established
norm for that area.
Lopez said that there was very little
variation between fifth-grade campuses.
Three basic areas were tested- reading,
math and writing- but in each area there
were several different categories.
The information gained from the tests
will be used to continue to improve in the
strong areas and to exert a concerted
effort in the weaker areas, Lopez said. He
said he was considering a curriculum
committee next year to develop teaching
methods to service the areas pointed out
on the test.
The Ninth students tested well in most
areas of reading. In identifying main ideas
and in perceive cause-effect, PSJA Ninth
students scored 67 percent. In following
written directions the students scored 90
percent; in use-reference skills they
scored 75 percent and in sequence events
they scored 65 percent.
Lopez pointed out that the the
emphasis that PSJA places in the area of
Math and reading was evident in the test
results. PSJA Ninth students tested
showed a 50 or better overall mastery
level in 15 out of 22 skill areas tested. This
was a 68 percent mastery level for both
areas.
In the writing area, students were
asked to write a composition which was
graded on the basis of spelling,
punctuation, capitalization, correct en-
glish usage, sentence structure and
commonly used forms.
Writing scores ranged from a high of 80
percent mastery in spelling to a low of 47
percent mastery in correct english usage.
The writing sample was also graded on
hand writing legibility; wheter it was
acceptable, hard to-read, illegible or not
readable. Of the 872 Ninth students
tested only three percent were
considered not rateable, 90 percent were
considered acceptable and eight percent
hard-to-read.
Fifth grade results revealed high
mastery levels in the four basic
mathematical operations, Lopez said. In
addition and subtraction of whole numbers
PSJA fifth graders rated 95 percent.
In multiplication and division the fifth
graders rated 84 percent. The fifth-grade
students attained mastery levels of 84, 79
and 69 percent in chart interpretation,
problem solving with money and in the
four basic operations.
The fifth graders did well overall in
reading. Mastery percentages ranged
from 90 percent in following written
directions to 45 percent in the use of parts
of book and making generalizations.
Lopez said most percentages were
concentrated in the upper 60 percent
range.
In writing skills, PSJA fifth graders
scored 80 percent in spelling; 68 percent
in punctuation; 69 percent in capitalizat-
ion. 47 percent in correct english usage;
78 percent in sentence structure.
The handwriting sampling was 90
percent acceptable with eight percent
hard to read and three percent not
rateable.
12-10 clifthanger
Rotary defeats Kiwanis
in benefit game
Giggles and Aahs, cat calls and cries of
‘Mighty Casey has struck out' filled the air
the night of June 11 during the
Kiwanis-Rotary Benefit Softball Game.
In a hard-fought contest the able-bodied
Rotarians defeated the Singing Kiwanians
by a scored of 12-10,
The game boiled down to each team
having a defensive lapse one inning. And
during the Kiwanis lapse in the top of the
seventh inning the Rotarians pushed six
runs across.
In the Rotary’s lapse the Kiwanis
scored four runs. Those two points ended
up as the difference in an otherwise
cleanly and evenly played game.
The Rotarians advanced to bat in the
top of seventh and final inning down 9-6.
But a basketful of Kiwanis errors
combined with several scamping running
plays, let the Rotarians score their six
runs.
In the winning effort the Rotarians
sprayed the ball to all fields. In the early
going the Rotarian batters tried to knock
the hide off the ball. After the Kiwanis
outfielders showed their vacumn defense
the Rotary batters begin to place their
hits.
Several sparkling defensive plays were
turned in by Rotary left fielder L. Cantu
and by infielders Larry Huesser and Tim
Mayer.
RESUMEN
El miercoles pasado se enfrentaron en
un partido de baseball los rotarios y
kiwanis, en un esfuerzo por colectar
fondos para la liga de baseball. Los
triunfadores fueron los rotarios que
ganaron por el marcador de 12 a 10. Fue
un partido bastante renido, el equipo que
llevaba la delantera y las de ganar era el
equipo de los kiwanis, pero una reaccion
de los rotarios ya al final del encuentro
hizo que estos hicieran seis carreras
consecutivas. El beisbolistas Charles
Nelson y su compadre Ken nada pudieron
hacer para evitar la derrota, estaban muy
optimistas. En este juego se recaudaron
mas de mil dolares y tambien se dieron
varios premios. Varios comerciantes e
individuos de nuestra ciudad fueron los
que donaron los premios. Hay planes para
construir otro parque cpn parte del dinero
recaudado. El juego fue un exito y se
espera que este sea un evento anual.
Su periodico bilingue
787-2291
I'HAINt INfrESS
47th Year No. 23 USPS 429-660 Thursday, June 19, 1980
20
Tr:
The Kiwanis countered with several
spectacular plays of their own. Third
baseman Ken Brimhall banged hard into
the fence in snagging a foul ball. Shortstop
Roy Billman handle numerous hard
grounders into outs and rover Jim Brown
made a run saving grab of a long fly.
Spp IfTWAMTO r>o®.i«r anmEi, page 8A
/ \ ,
Offbeat:
Tanning
The local owner of Pharr’s
Figure Salon was waiting
expectantly for the arrival of
the new tanning booth so she
could give it a try. She went
to the beach the weekend the
booth was being installed and,
you guessed it, she received a
bad burn. So all the next
week she looked at the new
tanning booth, but was unable
to try it out.
Moral: An early burn
makes a later tan difficult.
THIS WEEK
Cypress St. from 495 to Longoria School
COMINGS & GOINGS
Poker Run Against Dyst-
rophy will be July 4th
weekend with motorcyles
going from McAllen to S.
Padre Island.
Texas A&M Research
Center will have a sorghum
tour Tuesday June 24.
The Pharr Colts play each
Monday, Wednesday and
Friday beginning at 6 p.m. at
the McAllen High School ball
park.
The next American Legion
baseball game is tonight,
June 19 at McAllen.
The Pharr Library will
show “Hot-blooded dinosaurs”
a documentary on June 30 at
7 p.m. The library will be
closed over the weekend of
the 4th, from July 4-6.
Congratulations to Mr. and
Mrs. Fernando Salinas of the
birth of a son on Saturday,
June 7,1980. Fernando Salinas
Jr. was born at Me Allen
General Hospital at 8:31 a.m.
Attending Physician was Dr.
Chester.
Monday, June 23, the Pharr
Memorial Library will hold a
bicycle decorating contest
and bicycle safety workshop
beginning at 2:00.
Pregnancy counseling is
available at Catholic Charities
in Cameron County (399-3256)
and Hidalgo County (787-0033
extension 263)
Congratulations to Mr. and
Mrs. Horacio Garza on the
birth of a baby girl on
Saturday, June 7, 1980. She
was born at Mission Hospital.
INSIDE:
Dorothy Bagwell gives a
review of the 25-year reunion
on page 4A.
Lloyd Glover writes on the
PRESS Ed-Op page, 2B, even
though he is in New York
State.
Final Soccer League stand-
ings on page 6B.
Valley View School grad-
uation news and pictures on
page 5A.
Through Community Development
money the city of Pharr has constructed
and paved several needed streets
recently. The city paved Cypress St.from
495 to Longoria School. A sidewalk was
also build from 495 to LBJ School. The
combined cost of the project was $109,000.
The street and sidewalk should make it
safer for children walking to school and
should give better access to the two
schools.
The city, after several years of securing
the right-of-way, finally realized the
completion of the branch of Juniper Street
between Builders Supply and the CP&L
construction yard.
elevated wSf^£or*p off FJr Yt.Ylose 15
LBJ, a County Health Clinic behind the
Fir Street Fire Station and a new 8-inch
water line from Hibiscus to Jackson
Street (built from Community Devel-
opment funds at a cost of about $54,000).
Juniper Street branch by Valley Builders
mmmmm
3
City approves
$2.9 million
bond schedule
The Pharr city commission approved
the preliminary timetable for the sale of
$2.9 million in general obligation bonds
Tuesday night, but decided to wait on
general revenue bonds for sewer and
water works.
The commission gave approval for the
city engineer and staff to proceed towards
the tentative delivery of funds for the $2.9
million, September 4.
However, in considering the sale of the
$400,000 of revenue bonds, the city
decided to wait for more explanation from
First Southwest Company, the city’s
financial advisor, on the advantages and
disadvantages of two manners of selling
the revenue bonds.
The city can solicit for state revenue
bonds which would carry a lower interest
rate, probably about 5.65 percent, the
commission was told. Or the city can go
with advanced refunding revenue bonds
which would carry a higher interest but
with a quicker delivery time.
See CITY COMMISSION, page 8A
• RESUMEN ■ -
La comision de la ciudad de Pharr
aprobo la presupuesto de la venta de $2.9
millones de bonos Martes en la noche;
pero la comision decidio esperar aprobar
los $400,000 de bonos para el drenaje y
obras de agua.
La fecha tenativa del entrego de los
$2.9 milliones de bonos es 4 de
Septiembre del ano presente.
Los comisionados querian mas infor-
macion acerca de los dos alternatives de
Vea CITY COMMISSION, pagina 8A
Transit-visa discussion almost causes missed bus
by Cris Riebli, Part 2
While sitting in the Reynosa bus terminal watching both hands
on the clock creep toward twelve midnight and finding it too
early in my trip to begin sending postcards from Mexico, I
chanced upon a travel scheme so innovative I wondered why out
of the three of four thousand great travellers in human history,
not one of them had come up with it before.
I can’t remember if this travel plan came all at once as if in a
flash of light or if it just didn’t ooze out slowly like mud between
tire treads. The idea popped out, though, right there in the
Reynosa Central in front of myself and maybe another two
hundred people. I repeated it several times so I wouldn't forget
its importance.
I though that rather than blaze down the Gulf Coast side of
Mexico and across the Yucatan to Belize with nothing more to
show for my time than traveller’s cramps, blurred landscapes
and dirty laundry, I would pace it more evenly. I would
intersperse the long bus rides with stopovers in two or three
places between here and the Belizean border. Aside from the
needed re^t that these stops afforded they might also serve to
fasten more of the cities, countrysides and their people into my
memory.
Marathon bus rides of thirty and forty hours usually did
nothing more than numb whatever memory was left and lull the
body into a state of semi-sleep.
I looked at the map before me and circled any large city or
point of interest that was along my intended route to the south. I
then inquired as to the actual travel time of each.
Tampico fitted the bill nicely. Eight hours away by bus over a
highway that changed numbers four different times and
zig-zagged inland then toward the coast and back inland again; it
would be my first stopover. A short bracing walk upon my
arrival, some breakfast, a stop at the bank to cash a traveller’s
cheque, another bracing walk to help digest my food and then
the next bus further south. It was all like clockwork. The entire
travel plan was so alarmingly innovative it hurt my head just to
think about it.
The ticket to Tampico cost one hundred and sixty four pesos. It
was cheaper than taking a cab. I had thirty minutes to wait
before the bus would leave. I bought a chocolate bar to eat while
on the bus but I hadn’t taken more than twenty steps before its
wrapper was off and half of it eaten.
I brushed my teeth in the bathroom and remembering past
bouts with foriegn wate tried not to swallow any of it. Sleep I
was saving for the bus so only the matter of waiting fifteen more
minutes and passing through Immigration stood between me and
a first class bus ride to Tampico.
The whole length of the bus station funneled through one exit
to where the busses were parked. Above this entrance a sign
labelled “Imigracion” hung from two hooks. I passed beneath the
sign and approached an official standing behind a low lying
counter. He asked me to set my bags down and open them. He
glanced inside of each and then with a piece of chalk scribbled an
“R” across the larger one. Another offical, this one dressed in a
unifrom that seemed to carry more authority with it asked me to
step into a nearby office. I gathered up my bags and brought
them with me.
I was shown into a tiny room with hardly enough space for the
desk and two chairs that it contained. A photograph of the
president of Mexico was placed on a wall just above his desk. 1
He asked for my visa and my final destination.
“Belize,” I told him.
“Then you are only going through Mexico?” he asked.
“That’s right. I’m going through Mexico to Belize.”
“100 pesos please.”
“100 pesosO For what?”
“You are in transit and that requires a different type of visa."
I knew that I had experienced some flux through most of my
life but this notion about being in transit caught me slightly off
guard.
I tried to explain to him as best I could that my visa was
strictly a tourist one and that no one at the consulate where I had
obtained it had mentioned any transit business to me before.
He was inconvinced.
Meanwhile, the minutes ticked away as we faced each other in
his tiny office trying to arrive at some kind of solution. I
remained adamant about my tourist status while he claimed I
was using Mexico only to pass through as though it were a
vehicle that I could borrow for a few days and then return.
“I’m vacationing first here in Mexico and then afterwards in
Belize. I’m not going directly through Mexico solely to arrive at
Belize. Does that make any sense to you?”
I thought I heard the announcement for my bus being made
over the loudspeaker. It was about to leave for irretreivable
points south while I stood and argued over 100 pesos.
One hundred pesos. I still didn’t even know how much that was
in dollars although the sum itself sounded grand and
unaffordable. I only knew that somewhere I had read that there
was no charge for a visa and that I was completely in my rights, if
I could use such a word, to refuse payment.
I began reasoning with him. When that failed I asked to see
the specific law that stated why I was to pay that amount. He
took one of two books from an ancient attache’ case and began
thumbing through it from front to back and then from back to
front.
I knew that off behind me I heard my bus' motor start up and
begin idling impatiently. As he continued tos earch for the law in
question I resorted to the agruement almost universally used by
people in my predicament. I pleaded poverty.
I cited my last month’s earnings and how abysmally low they
had been. I enumerated imaginary children and exorbiant
debts but he remained as impassive to my pleadings as the chair
he was sitting on.
I was a truck driver with three weeks off for good behavior, I
told him. I wasn’t an heir’s son or a fleeing yankee with $30,000
worth of recreational equipment in tow. I was barely solvent.
I was travelling by bus, I continued, because I couldn’t afford
to travel by anything else. Do wealthy people travel by bus? Of
course not. They fly or drive or sometimes have part of another
country brought to them when they’re unable to visit.
My reasons went on and on attesting to my own poverty and
finally I got tired of hearing them myself. The whole time I was
carrying on the official barely looked up from his book, and when
he did his face wore a slightly puzzled expression as though he
had misplaced something he had never misplaced before. Finally
he asked me when my bus was leaving.
“‘Now. Right now.”
“To then."
“And the 100 pesos?"
“This time you don’t have to pay.”
I felt releived yet slightly guilty at the same time. He watched
me carefully as I lifted my bags. Two steps from the door I
stopped and dug out an idle dollar from my pocket, slid it across
the desk without looking at him. He didn’t refuse and thanked
me in a reserved tone of voicege -MEXICAN JOURNEY, page 7 A
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Nelson, Charles. The Pharr Press (Pharr, Tex.), Vol. 47, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 19, 1980, newspaper, June 19, 1980; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth861751/m1/1/: accessed July 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Pharr Memorial Library.