European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 18, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Rota s Pride saturday june 18, 1977 the stars and stripes Page 9 by Mike Spear staff writer Rota Spain is like a three year old filly that s developed into a first class performer. Rota Community College is going into its fourth year with a record that May be unequalled. And that s not because it is one of the few institutions of its kind although it is. It has grown steadily and in All directions since it was established Here in the Spring of 1974 and when it goes to the Post it delivers. You can bet on it. And when you speak of growth that s in enrolment and the vast array of course offered. For example the College has offered courses in everything from your feel and getting to know them no joke i to Basic Crochet and elementary russian. There Are no real barriers to what can be taught. Basically All that is necessary is the desire by someone to teach a course in something that interests him or her. The for students to attend. But understand this if it is not already obvious this is not a College in the Ordi retirement Center gets no tax dollars no College in the Ordinary sense base s Community College keeps on growing May sense. It is a nonprofit noncredit organization that was established Here More than three years ago to provide Low Cost courses for sailors and their families. The idea for the school was conceived by Bob Russell a former Rota youth activities director. He and his wife. Barbara got it going. Then when he left Steve Roney and his wife. Connie filled in the vacated positions of executive director and coordinator respectively. There Are no exams and no limit to the courses that can be offered Steve says who is a Petty officer second class. A course lasts four weeks involving 12 hours of classroom instruct inn and there May be As Many As two dozen different subject offered for a Scisson. A recent one offered such things As horseback Riding. Basic Bridge Basic woodworking Oriental cooking flamenco guitar and modelling and self Confidence. The courses Are offered in nine sessions a year and Are mostly held at the High school. They Cost $10, $6 of which goes to the instructor and the rest to the College to meet expenses. The College is self sustain ing and Steve says any excessive funds that come up Are funnelled Back into the Community. Class sizes of at least eight pupils Are preferred but some instructors have taught Only three students because they wanted to teach it and weren t concerned about the Money. The College also offers continuing Edu cation units in connection with some courses. These arc self help courses that Are being recognized More and More by colleges and Industry and taken into account when a person enters College or the Job Market. Steve says. When Steve and Connie first started with the College the average enrolment each session was 80 to 90 a month. This year it s been almost 200 on the average. Connie As coordinator is the Only Sala ried person connected with the program. She is the registrar Secretary bookkeeper and accountant. She works about six hours daily monday through Friday and during registration week she May work As much As nine hours. This summer the College will run four two week Day Camps for children starting monday. The Cost of 115 per child includes everything from horseback Riding to fish ing swimming and movies. It s the kind of program that would Cost the military $15.000 to 20,000 to put on with All the paperwork and personnel it would require Steve says. The Colleg uses High school students As Counselor and pays them Well. In fact the $15 fee is strictly for paying the Counselor. The facilities used Are made available free. Last year was the first time we ran the summer Day Camp program Steve  in All modesty i think i can say that it was the Best summer program we Nehad Here on the  the College has a Board of six members who represent a Cross Section of the Community. Us operation and Impact on the base Here could Well be a Model for other military facilities. And it keeps growing and growing. It s  says Connie. But she s not Wor ried about its size. It s a very enjoyable Job and it s very rewarding too she said. Old soldiers living comfortably near capital by John Hart Washington Bureau chief Washington Sis three Miles North of the nation s capital is a total living Complex for 2.297 soldiers and airmen. It s the . Soldiers and air men s Home on 300 acres of rolling Hills. The Home gives veterans a place to spend their retired years comfortably without support from America s taxpayers says Charles Walker administrator. Until last november the 125-year-old Home was totally free for the residents. Now because of inflation the users Are charged 12 n per cent of their military  Walker said. Why do veterans come to the Home some come Here because we offer a total living Complex Walker said adding that for others it May be their Only  by total living Walker Means the Home offers private quarters family style meals medical care free laundry service and various forms of entertainment and recreation for a nominal user s  Money for the Home s operation and Upkeep comes from several sources. One source is interest drawn on a permanent Trust fund held by the . Treasury. The fund was created when the Home was established by a congressional act in 1851. Interest paid on the permanent fund in fiscal year 1976 amounted to some $6.2 Mil lion dollars. Another income source is the monthly 50-cent contribution from each Active duty enlisted member and warrant officer in the regular army and air Force. The individual contribution had been 25 rents per month until an increase went into effect on feb. 1. In fiscal year 1976.  contributions netted the Home $3.5 million. The user s fee implemented nov. I 1976. Netted the Home $350.575 in the first three months. Another source of income for the Home is courts martial forfeitures that amounted to slightly More than $3 million in the fiscal year with most of the Money going to pay its nearly 2,000 employees. With inflation the Way it  Walker said there is an Ever rising deficiency Between income and expenses causing a drop in the permanent  according to Walker if this trend Conti Nues by the year 1987 the operating expenses will be about $32.4 million and the income about $10.8 million leaving the Home broke. He said legislation is before Congress that would give Relief to the Home. The legislation requests that forfeitures resulting from nonjudicial punishment in driving through Rural German villages a Motorist often finds traffic slowed by horse drawn or even cattle drawn rustic Eye opener vehicles. But this spectacle of a Camel and two Llamas in the Village of Otter Burg surely warrants a double take. Investigation brought out that the animals belonged to a circus appearing in the town. Is photo by Harrington the army and air Force be turned Over to the Home. That would give the Home an estimated $10 million additional income according to Walker. Although the Home has asked Congress for help in obtaining More operating Money it also has taken Steps to bring its expenses in line with its income Walker said. He said that the work Force at the Home has been trimmed about 63 per cent since 1973. There Are about 2,000 full and part time employees at the Home now. In addition to personnel reductions the Home is cutting costs on maintenance and equipment and plans to construct new facilities have been cancelled. Walker said. While Walker and the Home s Board of commissioners work to keep the Home sol vent life goes on for its residents. Average age of the residents is 63. With a Range up to 100 years according to Walker. The retirees Pace of life is leisurely with the Home serving As a Sanctuary from the clamor and confusion of the outside world. The retirees can simply enjoy their environment or they May work outside the Home or for the Home itself according to Walker. He said Many of the residents hold jobs throughout Washington and at the Home. Walker said four presidents have used the Home As their summer residences Buchanan Lincoln. Hayes and Arthur. Lin Coln wrote the last draft of the emancipation proclamation in the parlor of Anderson cottage one of the Home s facilities in july 1862, Walker said. Strolling through the tree lined grounds of the Home visitors can Sec retirees sit Ting quietly on benches in apparent medi tation. The serenity of the Well kept grounds is Only disturbed by squirrels scampering for nuts Birds chirping and occasional Hearty laughter of the retirees. For some of our residents this is just a place to live for others it s their Only Home Walker said. He said persons eligible for admission to the Home Are retired or discharged enlisted or warrant officer personnel men or women of the regular army and air Force who have served 20 or More years. They must have a service connected disability rendering them unable to earn a livelihood or have a no service connected disability rendering them unable to earn a livelihood and have served during War. Additional information about the Home May be obtained by writing to the . Sol Diers and airmen s Home Washington,d.c., 20317