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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 27, 1984)
Page 4AThe Battalion/Friday, July27, Prof finds foster parenting for past 12 years rewarding By RENEE HARRELL Reporter Taking care of a child who is sepa rated from his parents, who may be afraid, lonely, confused. Giving love to a troubled child. Knowing all along that it’s not permanent. Shar ing your life. That’s a lot to ask of someone. For the past 12 years, Dr. Robert Powell, a Texas A&M plant physiol- ogy professor, has been a foster par ent. During those 12 years, he has kept 12 children ranging in age from 4 months to 16 years. For about four months, Powell has been keeping two brothers, one 4 years old, the other 20 months. “Just every day working with the children is rewarding,” Powell says. “Four is the most I’ve ever kept at one time. A couple have gone on to other kinds of homes. I’ve had a cou ple of them adopted. I’ve had a cou ple go back to their homes.” A foster home worker from the Texas Department of Human Re sources says the goal of foster paren ting is to return the child home if possible. “We’ve had children stay from overnight to up to months,” says fos ter home worker Gail Bradbury. “They stay in the homes until a per manent plan is found. We also have case workers who work with the child’s real parents or they go to small group nomes. Adoption work ers work with the child if he becomes free for adoption.” Bradbury says foster parents are needed in the area. “We cover a larger area than just Bryan,” Bradbury says. “The Bren- ham area and Milam County are also included. Our greatest need recently has been for preschool children and teenagers.” A 15-person task force has been formed to help recruit foster fami lies in the Bryan area. “Some are from the media serv ices, some we have worked with be fore, some are elected officials and some are foster parents,” Bradbury says. “They were asked for ideas in terms of recruitment. Some will help distribute flyers, some will do a newsletter, some will speak to groups about our programs. We nave three main functions — foster parenting, adoption and volunteer services.” Bradbury says the DHR offers classes for anyone interested in fos ter parenting. No one is obligated to become a foster parent just by at tending the classes. “The classes just tell them what s mst they need to do,” Bradbury says. ays “The classes meet once a week for three weeks. The parents learn the ioil roles and responsibilities of a foster parent.” Powell says he thinks people should become foster parents if they are right for thejob. “I’d say become one,” Powell says. “I don’t think all people would be good foster parents. You have to like children and understand them. They have to remember, it’s not per manent. It’s a means of helping them.” Powell says it’s difficult when the child leaves. “I’ve never gone more than about six months without a foster child,” he says. Powell, who is a single foster par ent, says he does what everyone else is doing these days when he has to be away from home. “I take them to a day-care center,” Powell says, “just like most all the kids are being raised today.” Persons interested in more infor mation on foster parenting or adop tion can call (409) 823-0921. Slouch By Jim Earle “On each test you will be given a 10 point ‘Academic Build ing Bonus’ as long as construction is in progress. ” Pol ice Scientist confirms shark attack (continued from page 1) United Press International Wiatt said the Department can’t justify sending officers to some of the more advanced classes because they are “too esoteric and expensive ana don’t apply to this type of law enforcement.” Some officers manage to find the time and money to attend the courses on their own. This means sacrificing time from their jobs and coming up with the $550 fee. Da- lager said that eight of the 28 stu dents attending the basic certifica tion class are paying for it themselves. But the instruction offered by the division is not geared only to police officers. The Executive/Dignitary Protection and Anti-Terrorist Tac tics course has been attended by law enforcement officials, corporate em ployees and even one bank presi dent. Dalager explained that the 60- hour course, which runs for four days and costs $350 to attend, tea ches security techniques against ter rorist action, as well as protection for high-profile people, such as political officials. “Suppose,” he said, “It’s a big cor poration with a fleet of aircraft that flies all over the world. It requires protection for its executives against kidnapping here and protection against terrorism there. “This is our most popular course.” Dalager said the Electronic Eaves dropping Countermeasures class, offered only by the division, is the most “exotic” course offered. The $600, 50-hour course was imple mented last year and teaches both basic and advanced countermeasure techniques. Bank officials and Southwestern Bell employees are among those who have attended the class. Dalager said there usually are about 10 to 12 students per class. Dalager said he teaches about 40 hours of violence reduction classes each month. The rest of the classes are taught by part-time instructors, some of whom are Texas A&M pro fessors. Dalager has been working for a year to develop a course to teach law enforcement officials and their fami lies to cope with stress, but said the project has so far failed because of a lack of money and the difficulty in volved in arranging a time for the course to be taught. SOUTH PADRE ISLAND — An 18-year-old woman severely bitten as she frolicked in the Gulf of Mexico surf was the victim of a “shark acci dent,” a marine biologist said Thurs day. Scientists have not yet seen the wounds suffered by a 13-year-old g irl from College Station also bitten y a large fish at South Padre Island on Tuesday, so they have not deter mined whether she, too, was the vic tim of a shark. Dr. Robert Eidwards of the Pan American University marine biology laboratory at South Padre Island said examination of Carmen Castro Gaytan’s severe foot and leg wounds showed she was bitten by a 3-foot to 5-foot fine tooth or blueback shark. Edwards, who termed the inci dent a “shark accident” rather than a shark attack, said he is convinced the shark did not intend to bite the woman, because if it had her injuries would have been much more se- The 18-year-old tourist from Mexico City is still in guarded condi tion at Brownsville’s Valley Commu nity Hospital, but a spokeswoman said she spent a restful night. The 13-year-old girl was also bit ten by a large fish Tuesday and re quired more than 60 stitches to closer her leg and foot wounds. Ed wards said the girl’s father had promised to mail him photographs of the wounds so scientists can deter mine what bit her. The shark attack, the first in 23 sharks toward the beaches. Ban lifted on number of stations owned FCC votes to end restrictions in 1990 United Press International WASHINGTON — Federal regu lators, citing a communications boom in America, voted Thursday to end a 31-year-old restriction and let broadcasters own an unlimited number of AM, FM and television stations by 1990. Since 1953, the Federal Commu nications Commission has prohib ited any one group from owning more than seven stations in each of the three categories or more than five VHF television stations. The decision, which could revolu tionize the industry, sets up a six- year transitional period during which broadcasters will be allowed to own 12 each of AM and FM stations, plus up to 12 television stations — ei ther UHF or VHF. The nation’s broadcasters, who have long said that national own ership limitations were outmoded, hailed the vote as “most timely” and Jn voting 4-1 to lift the restrictions, with an option to take “corrective action” between now and 1990, the Federal Communications Commission said it found no evidence that the change would do any economic harm or affect the diversity of programming. “a positive step.” But the action brought a quick bipartisan outcry from Congress. Members of the House and Sen ate urged hearings on whether the rule change might encourage mo nopolies in the TV industry or make it harder for minorities to own sta tions. The Telecommunications Re search and Action Committee, a con sumer group, vowed to appeal the decision, saying, “Prices for broad cast stations will skyrocket, making entry into the broadcast business more difficult.” In voting 4-1 to lift the restric tions, with an option to take “correc tive action” between now and 1990, the commission said it found no evi dence that the change would do any economic harm or affect the diver sity of programming. Bruce Fein, general counsel of the FCC, noted that broadcasters will still have to comply with antitrust laws and would be subject to scrutiny from the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department. The Justice Department, however, has told the commission it foresees no antitrust problems. Fein also said broadcasters want ing to own more than 12 stations be fore 1990 may seek a waiver from the FCC, but added that the agency was not encouraging them to do so. The so-called seven-station rule was first proposed in 1948, when the television industry was in its infancy. The rule, aimed at encouraging ownership diversity to foster a vari ety of viewpoints and prevent eco nomic concentration, was adopted five years later. But the commission said the mar ketplace has changed tremendously since that time. With 10,000 broadcasters, 5,000 cable broadasters and 12,000 news papers and magazines, there are about 30,000 “idea sources” nation wide, the commission said. Mondale and Ferraro to visit Texas next week United Press International AUSTIN — A visit to Texas next week by Democratic hopefuls Walter Mondale and Geraldine Ferraro wilj give the state its first look at the fe male vice presidential nominee, who Gov. Mark White predicted Thurs day would be “a big help to us in Texas.” Mondale and Ferraro are sched uled to visit Austin and Houston on Wednesday before heading to San Antonio on Thursday. Their visit will follow by one week a campaign trip to Austin by President Reagan and Vice President George Bush, who drew 20,000 supporters to an outdoor rally. When Ferraro, a congresswoman from Queens, N.Y., first was nomi nated by Mondale as his running mate, White said her selection might hurt the Democrats’ chances of car rying Texas in the November elec tion. But he said Thursday he had changed his mind. “I’ve gotten to know her better,” White said at his weekly news con ference. “Obviously, I would have hoped they would have found a Texan to fill that post, but... she’s a very qualified individual and I think she’ll do very well. White disagreed with Reagan’s contention that the Democratic Party had slighted Texas by passing over Texas contenders for tne vice presidential post. “The Republicans have a vice president from Connecticut,” White said, implying Bush had spent little time in his hometown of Houston. White also discounted Reagan’s charge that the Democratic Party had moved so far to the left “that they’ve left America.” Miners strike is costly United Press International Frida) Wc /what / |6 TUKf TOO flOVINC VOTHIH TO P0 years off one of Texas’ most popular beaches, kept wary swimmers out of the water at midweek. Shark patrols watched the beaches and shallow wa ters on Wednesday but saw no sharks, said city spokesman Joe Ru bio. The attacks took place Tuesday morning about a mile apart on the South Padre Island beach. Rubio Thursday dismissed con cern that a fishing tournament set to begin Friday might attract more bea LONDON — The NationalCt Board Thursday reported ananis loss of $1.19 billion in the si owned coal industry and I quarter of that amount on a week-old coal miner’s strike The announcement coma with a unanimous vote to coniit the strike by leaders of the Nation Union of Mine workers, strike since March 12 over board’s plans to close 20 unpro! ble mines and lay off 20,000mea In Derbyshire in central En^ 45 people were arrested when! strikers picketed a coal mine,v in Scotland, 52 men were arrs for harassing a miner who rerun to work because he said his fat was starving. Police said nearly 5,00 have been arrested so far in die month dispute. Coal Board Chairman lank Gregor, who announced the |1 billion loss f or the financial« ending in March, said the su owned industry had been “severe affected by the union’s disputes, He said the strike, which bej: three weeks before the endofth nancial year, coupled w-itha 19-w ban on overtime by miners beli the strike, had cost $270 million Financial experts estimattl walkout has cost a total of$U lion while militant Marxist if union leader Arthur Scargillputi cost at $4.65 billion. “If I were Mr. Ian MacGregor would be concerned that my ardship had been a disaster,' Scargill, who was with mineuc leaders in Sheffield in northeral gland for the vote. “Those kind of results anonli described as an unmitigated ds ter.” The grim mood of the strilt reflected in a pre-dawn incident side the house of a 49-year-i miner employed at Bilston Q near Edinburgh, Scotland’s laty pit ’ • , I he miner, Philip Inverarityj said he returned to work five*i ago because he and his family! starving, was confronted as ne for work by 40 striking minersgi ered on the sidewalk. Or SH 1 CO Cu: Toe tough of the thgy c ingou Res styles lective The “I had to call the police fori* prices because I did not know whattl| " might do,” Inverarity said. Hes his 18-year-old daughter was too'; rified to go to work. Police arrested the miners and corted Inverarity to work. Tit other miners who protested an police station were detained. In Parliament, there were an® scenes as opposition members in t j ce ( j to shout down Prime Minister Hi garet Thatcher. “I think some of the scenes timidation and violence we l« seen and the assembly of pickets® side houses, w hich is totally andi terly wrong, is recognized as w to ass by all right-thinking people, i f r j e( j said. “I give every support to who want to return to work.” Three-quarters of the counts 175 mines are idle, and all ' 30,000 of the country’s 175,000 ers have been out on strike. F B Fashk ham, cresce shabb Gal taurai fried dustr fast,g Eat price, perso bee The following incidents wffl reported to the University Department through Thursdav MISDEMEANOR THEFT; • A brown J.C. Penney tfr speed bicycle was stolen Ironitls Commons bike rack. e CRIMINAL MISCHIEF: • Someone broke a wood pa» through door at the west sis third deck concession standi: Kyle Field. Apartments Newly Remodeled Newly Redecorated Very Large 1 bedroom units Nice 2 bedroom, 2 bath units with split bedrooms. Huge walk-in closets Perfect for Roommates Laundry Facilities Pool Sun Deck Pinfeather 3200 FINFEATHER OFFICE HOUkS 9-6 Mon.-Sat. 12-3 Sim ■ Wei born £ (g I CO 2 > c a imr Shuttle Bus Club Room )n-Site Security Phoiw : S22-7321 MSC DINNER THEATRE PRESENTS TOWARDS ZERO by Agatha Christie A classic Christie murder mystery whodunit. DATE DINNER/CURTAIN TIMES STUDENT/ NON STUDENT MEAL WED. 8/1 8:00 DESSERT $3.50/4.50 THURS. 8/2 6:30/8:00 BUFFET $9.00/10.00 FRI. 8/3 6:30/8:00 ALL-YOU CAN-EAT BUFFET $11.00/12.00 SAT. 8/4 6:30/8:001 $11.00/12.00 For more information, call the MSC Box Office at 845-1234. Telecharge with Visa/MC. Special Group Rate available. Tickets must be purchased at least 24 hours in advance. < i>