A Study of Little Rock School District 1966-1968 Elections and Their Effect on Public School Policy

For many years, the school elections in Little Rock have followed a traditional pattern of meager voter turnout . School elections, prior to the 1967 election, were mentioned briefly in newspaper articles. The platforms were of the same general nature year after year. They included taxes, school expansion, better facilities, and higher teacher salaries. Candidates seldom, if ever, campaigned publicly and actively. Posters were usually placed throughout the city. A few days prior to the election, newspaper ads with the candidates\u27 pictures would appear in the Arkansas Democrat and the Arkansas Gazette. The 1967 school election was significant, because that election brought the subject of school desegregation before the public . The next election in 1968 added to the issue of desegregation a specific plan for desegregation of Little Rock Public Schools. This plan was placed on the ballot. Later in 1968, the Little Rock School District of Pulaski County Board of Directors adopted a geographic attendance zone plan to comply with a federal court order to establish a unitary nonracial school system. These issues have now become of interest and concern to the voting public in Little Rock. The purpose of this study was to analyze school board elections for the years 1966, 1967, and 1968. The purpose of the analysis was to establish a relationship between the voters\u27 reactions in the elections and (1) the issues involved, (2) local organizations and individuals stressing immediate desegregation, and (3) the probable result of any further desegregation plan brought to a vote. To survey the elections, some knowledge of the background of Little Rock\u27s school system, desegregation in the schools, and the ethnic composition of various voter wards was necessary. An explanation of the prerequisites of school board members and how they are elected, the laws which govern school board activity, and school board members duties and powers is discussed. Little Rock was one of the first school districts in the South to attempt an integrated public school system. A necessarily brief history of school desegregation in Little Rock public schools is included. The type of information essential for this study was A Report to the Board of Directors of the Little Rock School District Little Rock, Arkansas, Desegregation Report Little Rock School District, a census tract map, a ward and precinct map, a census of Little Rock, and various newspaper articles which contained the platforms of the candidates and the issues involved in each election. Copies of the first two items mentioned, the report and the plan, were obtained from the Superintendent of Little Rock Public Schools, Floyd W. Parsons. The census tract map and the ward and precinct map were obtained from the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission. A special census taken of Little Rock in 1964 was obtained from the United States Bureau of the Census. Opinions of the elections and issues were obtained by questionnaire from the candidates for positions in the three elections. The questionnaire was the basic research tool used in this study. Another major source of information was the local news media. The three school elections, 1966-1968, offer a sensitive indicator to the attitude of the people concerning the administration of their public schools. The school election of 1966, as usual created sparse interest. The next two elections, 1967 and 1968, contained potent issues. The 1967 election, with its Oregon Report as a suggested guide to school desegregation, created approximately 38 per cent more response of voters to the polls. The 1968 election, with a definite plan for desegregation, was widely publicized and discussed. There was an increase of approximately 52 per cent more votes cast than in the 1966 election. As for future plans for desegregation, most of the candidates felt that any plan submitted within five years would probably meet defeat at the hands of the voters. Until the average voter understands what a plan suggests, its logic and merits, and is assured that his rights too will be considered and protected this probably will be true

A Dynamic Galaxy: Stellar Age Patterns Across the Disk of M101

Using deep, narrowband imaging of the nearby spiral galaxy M101, we present stellar age information across the full extent of the disk of M101. Our narrowband filters measure age-sensitive absorption features such as the Balmer lines and the slope of the continuum between the Balmer break and 4000 \r{A} break. We interpret these features in the context of inside-out galaxy formation theories and dynamical models of spiral structure. We confirm the galaxy's radial age gradient, with the mean stellar age decreasing with radius. In the relatively undisturbed main disk, we find that stellar ages get progressively older with distance across a spiral arm, consistent with the large-scale shock scenario in a quasi-steady spiral wave pattern. Unexpectedly, we find the same pattern across spiral arms in the outer disk as well, beyond the corotation radius of the main spiral pattern. We suggest that M101 has a dynamic, or transient, spiral pattern with multiple pattern speeds joined together via mode coupling to form coherent spiral structure. This scenario connects together the radial age gradient inherent to inside-out galaxy formation with the across-arm age gradients predicted by dynamic spiral arm theories across the full radial extent of the galaxy.Comment: 21 pages, 12 figures, 1 table. Accepted to Ap

Positronium scattering by atoms and molecules at low energies

The recent theoretical and experimental activities in positronium (Ps) scattering by atoms and molecules are reviewed with special emphasis at low energies. We critically compare the results of different groups $-$ theoretical and experimental. The theoretical approaches considered include the $R$-matrix and close-coupling methods applied to Ps-H, Ps-He, and Ps-Li scattering, and a coupled-channel approach with a nonlocal model-potential for Ps scattering by H, He, H$_2$, Ne, Ar, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, and Ps and for pickoff quenching in Ps-He scattering. Results for scattering lengths, partial, total and differential cross sections as well as resonance and binding energies in different systems are discussed.Comment: 6 revtex pages, 3 postscript figure

Parents' verbal communication and childhood anxiety: a systematic review

Parents’ verbal communication to their child, particularly the expression of fear-relevant information (e.g., attributions of threat to the environment), is considered to play a key role in children’s fears and anxiety. This review considers the extent to which parental verbal communication is associated with child anxiety by examining research that has employed objective observational methods. Using a systematic search strategy, we identified 15 studies that addressed this question. These studies provided some evidence that particular fear-relevant features of parental verbal communication are associated with child anxiety under certain conditions. However, the scope for drawing reliable, general conclusions was limited by extensive methodological variation between studies, particularly in terms of the features of parental verbal communication examined and the context in which communication took place, how child anxiety was measured, and inconsistent consideration of factors that may moderate the verbal communication–child anxiety relationship. We discuss ways in which future research can contribute to this developing evidence base and reduce further methodological inconsistency so as to inform interventions for children with anxiety problems

S-, P- and D-wave resonances in positronium-sodium and positronium-potassium scattering

Scattering of positronium (Ps) by sodium and potassium atoms has been investigated employing a three-Ps-state coupled-channel model with Ps(1s,2s,2p) states using a time-reversal-symmetric regularized electron-exchange model potential fitted to reproduce accurate theoretical results for PsNa and PsK binding energies. We find a narrow S-wave singlet resonance at 4.58 eV of width 0.002 eV in the Ps-Na system and at 4.77 eV of width 0.003 eV in the Ps-K system. Singlet P-wave resonances in both systems are found at 5.07 eV of width 0.3 eV. Singlet D-wave structures are found at 5.3 eV in both systems. We also report results for elastic and Ps-excitation cross sections for Ps scattering by Na and K.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, Accepted in Journal of Physics

Computational cytometer based on magnetically modulated coherent imaging and deep learning.

Detecting rare cells within blood has numerous applications in disease diagnostics. Existing rare cell detection techniques are typically hindered by their high cost and low throughput. Here, we present a computational cytometer based on magnetically modulated lensless speckle imaging, which introduces oscillatory motion to the magnetic-bead-conjugated rare cells of interest through a periodic magnetic force and uses lensless time-resolved holographic speckle imaging to rapidly detect the target cells in three dimensions (3D). In addition to using cell-specific antibodies to magnetically label target cells, detection specificity is further enhanced through a deep-learning-based classifier that is based on a densely connected pseudo-3D convolutional neural network (P3D CNN), which automatically detects rare cells of interest based on their spatio-temporal features under a controlled magnetic force. To demonstrate the performance of this technique, we built a high-throughput, compact and cost-effective prototype for detecting MCF7 cancer cells spiked in whole blood samples. Through serial dilution experiments, we quantified the limit of detection (LoD) as 10 cells per millilitre of whole blood, which could be further improved through multiplexing parallel imaging channels within the same instrument. This compact, cost-effective and high-throughput computational cytometer can potentially be used for rare cell detection and quantification in bodily fluids for a variety of biomedical applications

Combined effects of composting and antibiotic administration on cattle manure-borne antibiotic resistance genes

Background: Research is needed to delineate the relative and combined effects of different antibiotic administration and manure management practices in either amplifying or attenuating the potential for antibiotic resistance to spread. Here we carried out a comprehensive parallel examination of the effects of small-scale (>55⁰C ×3 days) static and turned composting of manures from dairy and beef cattle collected during standard antibiotic administration (cephapirin/pirlimycin or sulfamethazine/chlortetracycline/tylosin, respectively), versus from untreated cattle, on “resistomes” (total antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) determined via shotgun metagenomic sequencing), bacterial microbiota, and indicator ARGs enumerated via quantitative polymerase chain reaction. To gain insight into the role of the thermophilic phase, compost was also externally-heated to >55⁰C ×15 days. Results: Progression of composting with time and succession of the corresponding bacterial microbiota was the overarching driver of the resistome composition (ANOSIM; R = 0.424, p = 0.001, respectively) in all composts at small scale. Reduction in relative abundance (16S rRNA gene normalized) of total ARGs in finished compost (day 42) versus day 0 was noted across all conditions (ANOSIM; R = 0.728, p = 0.001), except when externally-heated. Sul1, intI1, beta lactam ARGs, and plasmid-associated genes increased in all finished composts as compared to the initial condition. External heating more effectively reduced certain clinically-relevant ARGs (blaOXA, blaCARB), fecal coliforms, and resistome risk scores, which take into account putative pathogen annotations. When manure was collected during antibiotic administration, taxonomic composition of the compost was distinct according to nonmetric multidimensional analysis and tet(W) decayed faster in the dairy manure with antibiotics condition and slower in the beef manure with antibiotics condition. Conclusions: This comprehensive, integrated study revealed that composting had a dominant effect on corresponding resistome composition, while little difference was noted as a function of collecting manure during antibiotic administration. Reduction in total ARGs, tet(W), and resistome risk suggested that composting reduced some potential for antibiotic resistance to spread, but the increase and persistence of other indicators of antibiotic resistance were concerning. Results indicate that composting guidelines intended for pathogen reduction do not necessarily provide a comprehensive barrier to ARGs or their mobility prior to land application and additional mitigation measures should be considered

TEF, Vol. 1 No. 1

https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/tef/1000/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, February 22, 1980

Freshmen Survey Results Explored • Songfest Boycott Considered • Career Planning Close-up • Eilts Selected As Graduation Speaker • USGA Notes • Baltz Returns to Union Coffeehouse • 1979 Music Awards • Captain Ray of Light\u27s Pseudo-Science • 1980 Spring Fraternity Pledge Classes • Stapp Enthralls Audience • 1980-81 Roster of Classes • W\u27s Basketball Downs Drexel • Ursinus To Host Grandmaster • Swimming MACs Start Tomorrow • Intramural Hoop Playoffs Open • Albright Downs Hoopsters, 103-82 • Wrestlers Post 6-9-1 Final Tally • Pitt Edges Gymnasts By Onehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1034/thumbnail.jp