European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 1, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday May 1, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 9  bbb Imi Hub Babi a Lark Twain praises students for keeping his legend Olive education news by Dave \\a1.czak education writer Heidelberg. West Germany Mark Twain elementary namesake arrived at the school last week spinning tales of yesterday and today in a voice a soft As an Oak Leaf touching Down on a Hannibal mo., sidewalk. I be been alive so Long i know just about everything said the visitor. And if Don to at least i la have an opinion  the Man with the Twain like mus tache clothes and opinions was Mcayoy Laynce a professional Mark Twain Impersonator on the verge of winding up a five week 21-school swing through Ger Many Region schools. His audience in this Day consisted of fourth and fifth graders a couple of whom had dressed up As Becky Thatcher and Huckleberry finn Matching the 19th-Century apparel worn by the Fea tured speaker. Laynce explained his appearance be fore the Young audience while hawking the values of Reading. So Long As there arc curious eager minds like yours to go to the Library and Check out old Mark Twain i will always be alive now won t i twirling an unlit Cigar Between his fingers As he paced around the room Laynce proceeded to spin the Yam of the celebrated jumping Frog of Calaveras county the 1865 masterpiece that thrust Twain into the top Echelon of american authors. The Story Over the Impersonator Fum bled through the pockets of his Cream coloured knee length coat for another prop. You probably did t know that Mark Twain was a wealthy Man. But i am. Because of one card i always carry  he held the card up so that All the children sitting Cross legged in front of him could see. It s not an american express or a visa card. It s a Library card. That Library card will open More doors for me than any visa card will Ever open. It will take longer but it s  Layne who lives in incline Village ncv., decided to visit the overseas schools at the request of Barbara Cluver who directs talented and gifted programs at Gen. . Arnold High school in Wiesbaden. Cluver struck on the idea w Hill watch ing Laynce portray Twain at an opera House in Virginia City Nev. She approached me and asked if i would bring Twain abroad in the Spring time Layne said. She worked out a Sis Dav Oia Carrie Mills 17, a senior at Icahn West Germany High school Norks on a Page layout for Hawk squawk the school s monthly Ems paper in Kenneth Mcmorran s graphics arts lab. The daughter of maj. Alan and Jayne Mills Carrie is a student in fran Nelson s communications class. Work schedule that s been arduous but it s Given me a work ethic i be never had  the former disc jockey decided to work full time on his Twain Persona two years ago. But claims the idea was plan Ted in 1975, after he was stranded for Days in a snowbound Mountain Cabin near his Home. I planted a seed there because i was a Little crazy with Cabin fever. I was reciting Twain by the time they got me out of  Layne 45, started his Twain renditions in local schools and libraries with out charge but As requests for his time piled up he began working on a fee Only basis. Schools in Germany paid Laynce s200 per visit. His journey overseas provided Layne the Opportunity to visit Heidelberg the same City Twain visited in 1867 and wrote about in innocents abroad the novel that one historian claims brought Twain Fame and Fortune. Layne said he constantly reread Twain s works and claims he has Huncov red some Little known a Ralpd Materi Al written by the author that he plans to splice into upcoming performances. Still. Laynce insisted he has Miles to go before becoming an expert on Twain. I need logo to Hannibal. I need to go to Elmira. N.y., where he s buried and pay my respects. And i need to go to Hartford conn., where his old houses. When i be done All that and satisfied myself that i be read everything there needs to be read then i might be so bold As to say i m a Twain  but Laynce already has Learned to think on his feet As Twain especially before High school audiences that formed the bulk of his listeners during his overseas schools visits. A Young lady asked me or. Twain How has sex changed in the last 150 years and i had to Tell her that in my Day life was so simple that Safe sex was merely a matter of making sure that the Pitchfork was l in the Haystack when you jumped  another teen Ager asked for Twain views on abortion. I said Well 1 Don t think it s some Sis. Lynda w. Spain Mark Twain Impersonator Mcavoy Layne talks to kids at Mark Twain elementary school in Heidelberg. Thing that a political body should de cide " he said lapsing into a Missouri acc Cal. I think we should gather together a non partisan group of women and let them decide because we Don l know shoot about  Laynce who Calls himself an i marcs Sion isl Al heart said encouraging Young people to write brings ils own rewards. I had a Young lady approach me a week ago. She wait cd until everyone had left and she said or. Twain or. Twain 1 always wanted to be a writer. I be never told anyone that. And now that i have the courage to Tell you that i m not going to be afraid anymore " students sabotage test at High ranking school Torrance Calif. Jap seniors at a High achieving High school sabotaged their answers on a test that Mea sures the school s academic Quality and one said the diminished scores were a rebellion against pressure to perform. Administrators at West High school denied there was too much pressure and a spokeswoman for the state department of education suggested that dragging Down the school s score on the California assessment test May have been sparked by something else. "1 think it would be interesting to know what else is going on at that Cam pus. The last time this happened at a school a few years ago. Students were mad at the administration for putting Speed bumps in the parking lot said state department of education spokeswoman Susie Lange. The school will not be offered a Sec Ond test she said. Test results determine a school s Aca Demic placement compared with other schools in the state. The results Are published in newspapers and arc considered by the state for achievement awards and Grants. Reading scores Al West High school dropped from the 85th per Contile statewide last year to the Slot per Contile this year. Math scores fell from the 95lh per Penlile in 1987-88 to 71 is percentile this year. We thought that it was the wrong High school said William Bawdwn the school s principal. And then we got some rumours that maybe some of the seniors had sabotaged the  he said a Check of students test Book lets w hich Are not signed showed an unusual number of wrong answers in 18booklets. Bill Franchini head of the Torrance teachers association said he had talked to teachers at the school in this los an Geles suburb and said he was unaware of any extra problems or pressure that would have caused the sabotage