GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL TO GET 20 COMPUTERS

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 5, 1992                   TAG: 9202050107
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER
DATELINE: DUBLIN                                LENGTH: Short
GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL TO GET 20 COMPUTERS
The Southwest Virginia Governor's School will get 20 computers for at least six months from IBM Corp. in Roanoke.
These computers and 18 the regional magnet school has would lower the ratio to about two students for each computer.
The IBM network trial program is aimed at persuading users like the school to buy the computers after six months. But, in any case, the six months of use are free.
It would cost about $15,000 a year for five years to buy the 20 computers on a lease-purchase basis.
"We do need to be realistic about it. Our pocketbooks will always be our guide," Susan Goforth, board chairman, said at Tuesday's meeting.
Douglas Phillips suggested that the school might never want to get locked into buying computers because of rapid advances in the computer industry. He recommended always leasing them so the school could upgrade as needed.
That would cost money, too.
Dr. A. Carole Pratt, representing the school's Educational Foundation organized last year to raise money for such ventures, said the organization was ready to make another start.
Plans by the foundation for a kickoff fund-raiser last October were canceled because the group thought there had not been enough publicity on what the school was all about. Pat Duncan, the director who came in last year, has changed that, she said.
"We believe that we, as a foundation, are in a much better position with the groundwork laid," Pratt said.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB