You have to see the spinny-winnies
Ken Leinart’s In the Light
Just a few quick ramblings about things that were on my mind last night.
• Clinton City School System is exploring adding a seventh and eighth grade and you’d think the sky was falling.
Why the animosity?
Threats have been made, people who know people who know people who “fix things” have been contacted, fly paper and spray paint has been purchased and hoarded.
I tend to believe Director of Clinton City Schools Kelly Johnson when she says that the exploration of adding a middle school to the city system came about at the request of individuals — that this “exploration” is not a City School System and/or Clinton government directive.
I believe her when she says it has nothing to do with any other school system.
I fully grasp and understand that emotions are running high, but isn’t this whole concept of educating children based on doing what’s best for students?
I don’t know if adding a middle school to the Clinton School System is what’s best for students.
I don’t have a clue.
But I trust those who do have a clue — those exploring the concept of adding a middle school to the city system — to do what’s best for students.
• If you haven’t been to a 6U Clinton Baseball Inc. game, you really should try it.
Or, if you only see one baseball game this summer, see a 6U game, too.
It will warm your soul.
These games are also called “coach-pitch” games.
Any person who coaches at this level deserves as much praise (and sympathy) as they can get.
But you can tell they are having fun.
There is not enough space for me to write about the 30 minutes I spent at Jaycee Park Monday just watching (an inning between the Cubs and the Smokies) this (miracle?) play out.
I liked the right fielder who was dancing. Between batters he held his glove in the air and did spinny-winnies and at one point looked like he was trying to do the moonwalk.
Then he’d stop and watch the batter.
Seriously, this is good stuff.
And it’s baseball.
• Thursday night I, being a newspaper-type person here at The Courier News, will present the Outstanding Male and Female student plaque at the Clinton High School Awards Night.
Yes.
Me.
I’ve been informed that the presentation will come towards the end of the evening, which is good.
Hopefully a majority of the folks will have left and there will only be about four people in attendance.
I don’t do very well standing in front of large groups of people.
Actually, I don’t do very well standing in front of more than three people at a time.
And I’m not so hot then, either.
I get too nervous.
I don’t get sick though.
So, forgive me in advance if my voice breaks and I sound like I’m going through a very late puberty, or if I stutter, or if I suddenly just zone out and stare off into space.
I promise I will not make a speech, if that helps.
I might tell a joke.
I’m good at jokes.
At least, I think I am.
Others may disagree.
Actually, most everybody disagrees with me on this.
It’s because most people don’t know a really good joke when they hear one.
That’s my theory anyway.
What I’m not good at is standing in front of people and saying more than, “Uhhhhh.”
In fact, “Uhhhhh,” is like my trademark opening and closing remark at any event I have to speak at.
I think there have been three.
Thursday will make it four.
And I won’t get sick.
I hope.
• I’m guessing here, but I’d say that 99 out of 100 weeks somewhere on this page there is a piece titled “Letters Policy.”
I bring this up because “The Courier News” gets a lot of letters that do not follow this letter policy — specifically one clause.
Letters must include a phone number so we may verify who sent it.
Simple, right?
Then why don’t more letter writers send phone numbers?
Now, we don’t call and verify if the letter writer submits a lot of letters. We know these people. We know if they sent the letter.
We also, at our discretion, may not run a letter.
Usually it’s because we can’t verify a claim in the letter, or (in most cases) it is a political endorsement and it comes too late — like right before an election.
But if you really don’t want a letter published, don’t include a phone number.
So here, just in case, here is our “Letters Policy.”
Letters are always welcome. The deadline is 5 p.m. Monday. Letters are always subject to editing for space. Letters MUST be signed and a phone number provided (for verification purposes only — phone numbers will not be published).
Letters may be sent by e-mail to editor@hometownclinton.com; faxed to 457-1586; dropped off at 233 N. Hicks St.; or mailed to The Courier News, P.O. Box 270, Clinton, TN 37717.