First Steps extension signed

Governors past, present meet at school

By Jim Davenport

The Associated Press

COLUMBIA - Gov. Mark Sanford took a too-small seat Wednesday at a pint-sized table usually reserved, according to preschoolers' name tags, for Kemari and Riches.

And with former Gov. Jim Hodges, an old political rival, crouched beside him, Sanford signed a bill that extends the life of the First Steps early childhood education program through 2013.

The three- to five-year-olds at the Arthurtown Child Development Center near Columbia weren't even born when Hodges, a Democrat, pushed the Republican-controlled House to create the program. They cheered as Sanford ceremonially signed a bill that formally became law last week.

In front of an audience more keen on aluminum foil sculpting and coloring than the red and blue hues of Democrats and Republicans, Hodges and Sanford offered a lesson in politics and sharing.

Sanford introduced Hodges as the guy who was "country when country wasn't cool," on the early childhood education front.

"We do disagree on issues from time to time, the governor and I," Hodges said. "Democrats and Republicans and independents - we don't always agree on things. It's just the way it always will be."

But there's broad agreement about the "importance of early education initiatives and getting kids ready" for this century's jobs, Hodges said.

"Differences of opinion are normal. That's what makes our world go around," Sanford said. But "we really do agree on the importance of early childhood education."

Sanford gave Hodges the pen he used to sign the bill.

Hodges, seeing the pen coming his way, reached into his pocket and gave Sanford a pen left over from his days in the office Sanford won from him.

"I have a whole box full of them," Hodges said. But he told Sanford, "yours are a lot nicer than mine."

After overcoming initial opposition, Hodges faced threats to cut funding. It now gets $20 million in state money and more from private donors.

"It really needs to have about 10 times that much," Hodges said after the bill signing.

It picked up more of that Wednesday with a $500,000 gift from Wachovia Corp.

The program may be getting more money and responsibility beginning in July.

The House Ways and Means Committee is discussing plans to put $4 million more into the program as the General Assembly addresses a December court ruling that said the state is not doing enough to help children in poor and rural school districts early in their lives.

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