t>ut tnat leaas, among otner things, to a discussion

t>ut tnat leaas, among otner things, to a discussion of poor physical facilities and a lack of money.

The soccer field is very irregular and bumpy. Mr. Leake said when he taught at Wakefield a similar problem was solved by “power packing” the field. “It was very expensive, but it worked,” he said.

"The track is an absolute embarassment to anybody who comes into the school system,” Mr. Leake said. The only thing it is good for is running the required mile for physical fitness tests and occasional community use for keeping fit, he said. “Our track kids are at a disadvantage when they compete,” he added.

The school system looked into what would be involved to put asphalt on the track and found that because of the subsurface, that was not possible. “But there is a perfect alternative to asphalt,” Mrs. Leake said. There is a smooth surface made out of recycled tires that is increas-1 ingly being used and is easier on runners legs, she explained.

All of this would cost money, and the athletic program has almost no budget they said. The school budget pays coaches’ stipends and supplies buses and drivers for away games. There is a small amount of money for purchasing athletic equipment, but it also has to pay for health classes and drivers’ education. One year they found that half their budget had already been spent before school started on soccer nets.

Income from ticket sales, most of it from boys’ basketball games, is supposed to pay for everything else, chiefly the cost of having officials at the games. That fund occasionally is a little ahead, but more often is in the red, they said, and then a fund from renting the gym to community groups picks up the tab. Money for uniforms comes from the boosters’ club. This year, with four home basketball games canceled because of weather, was not a good one, Mr. Leake added.

Mrs. Leake will be teaching at Osborne High School. She grad- ' uated from that school. She will be teaching drivers’ education and some physical education and coach- t ing girls’ junior varsity basketball.

“We’re turning the tables a little bit,” Mr. Leake said. “I came back to my high school. I felt obligated to return something to the community, and she came and helped me. Now she’ll be able to go back to her high school, and I would like to help her.” Mr. Leake is not set in his plans for the coming year yet.

“I’m excited about doing something new and challenging,” Mrs. Leake said. “I’m going to miss the kids, but it’s a challenge, and whoever comes here will have that feeling of excitement.”