Speakout

Saturday, July 17, 2021

Kelly schools encompass many rural communities

When addressing Thomas W Kelly schools it should not be Benton Mo. It did not used to be addressed as so. The School is not located in Benton. As a matter fact the school is six-plus miles from the city limits. It is a consolidated school district just like New Madrid County Central and Scott Counties Central etc. It is made up of four towns which are Benton, Blodgett, Diehlstadt, Commerce along with several other small communities. The school district goes all the way to the Miner city limits. Fifty percent or more of the students that attend Kelly School’s live nowhere near Benton. The only connection that the school has with Benton is the address. Just like many people who live eight miles or more from Sikeston have a Sikeston and address. I have nothing against Benton but as a graduate of Kelly schools I didn’t live at Benton nor was I from Benton.

The dateline for Kelly Schools, as it has for decades, goes by the address, which is Benton. Just like New Madrid County Central’s dateline is New Madrid, Scott County Central’s dateline is Sikeston and Notre Dame’s dateline is Cape Girardeau. The dateline has nothing to do with the hometowns of the students that attend there.

Bingo turning dirty

I think it’s bad when people that run these bingo halls have people who are playing in the bingo hall as players to win money for them and cheat for them. Bingo is turning into a dirty game where the people who run the bingo halls want people to win half their money back by having people that play bingo win their money, plus give them a cut of the money. Thank you.