SCHOOL BOARD DISCUSSES BASEBALL SCOREBOARD, DISTRICT HALL OF FAME

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Cape Girardeau Board of Education heard a request for funding of a proposed $15,000 baseball scoreboard at its meeting Tuesday.

In addition, the board heard an update on creation of a Hall of Fame for Central High School, and an update on the district's athletic marketing plan.

Terry Ashby, who was a member of the athletic task force which met during the summer of 1989 to review the district's athletic programs, asked the board to fund half of a new, $15,000 scoreboard for the high school's baseball team. The board tabled the request, asking for more information.

Currently, the baseball scoreboard is unlighted. At each half inning, someone must hang the score on the board.

The proposed scoreboard, Ashby explained would be lighted, electronic and would display the score inning by inning. He said it was similar to the scoreboards used in Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

"We are asking the school board to meet us half way on this," Ashby said. "We will come up with the $7,500 some way.

"We have one of the finest baseball programs in the state," he said. "We just want facilities which reflect the quality of the program."

The first baseball game is scheduled in five weeks. Ashby said he would like the new scoreboard to be in place for this spring season.

Board president Carolyn Kelley said the board would like Ashby to have money in hand for his half of the deal.

He said: "I would even volunteer to finance our half myself, if need be. Of course I don't want to do that, but that's how strongly I feel about it.

"I don't think we want to settle for a second-rate scoreboard for a first-rate program. Baseball has taken a back seat for too long," he said.

Athletic director Gary Lynch said he has been talking with Coca-Cola about new scoreboards for the baseball field and the basketball gymnasium.

The baseball scoreboard that would be provided free from the soft-drink distributor would be lighted and electronic, but would not have the inning-by-inning display.

Lynch said he would talk further with the company about possible alternatives.

The athletic director also discussed with the board the progress of a committee creating a Hall of Fame for the high school.

The committee has developed selection guidelines and a list of possible candidates, Lynch said. The committee has also established a voting group of local people who remember particular eras.

Lynch said the committee is ready to send the list of potential candidates to voting individuals.

The top candidates will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this spring, Lynch said.

Concerning the district's athletic marketing plan, Lynch said he has given a lot of thought to the direction such a plan should take and gave the board a report outlining his activities.

"I've thought about the actions and method which will have good affects not only for the athletic program but the whole Cape Public School District," he said.

"There are a lot of decisions to be made about the direction we want to take. We need to set our marketing goals and decide which marketing ideas we want to pursue," Lynch told the board.

The board also:

tabled an agenda item to re-employ administrators for the 1991-92 school year.

approved vocational-technical school tuition for the coming year: the tuition for high school students is $1,250.

heard a report of a committee formed to study at-risk students in the district. Carolyn Vandeven, L.J. Schultz principal, and James Watkins, Washington principal, are co-chairmen.

heard a report on enrollment which shows the district down 26 students this January as compared to last January.

approved hiring of an additional office employee to work at the central office and vocational school and help resolve delays in payments of bills.

Spring Round Up for students who will begin kindergarten next fall are April 22 at Hawthorn and May Greene, April 23 at Jefferson and Washington, April 25 at Franklin and April 26 at Alma Schrader.