10/28/96 Contact: Michael Finney, ILGARD, 614/593-4388

ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio University's Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development (ILGARD) has created a series of maps to ease the travels of Athens County's substitute teachers.

The Athens County Educational Service Center, formerly the Athens County Board of Education, asked ILGARD to prepare the maps, which provide detailed directions to 22 public schools in five districts of the rural, 507-square-mile county.

Lisa DeChano, an ILGARD research associate, created the set of maps, including a large county map with all the public schools, a map featuring enlarged cities and villages, and a series of small maps depicting streets and roads of each village and city in the county. The maps also include school principals' names and phone numbers.

"I think it's very beneficial for somebody who has to get to work in the morning," said Michael Finney, associate director and senior project manager at ILGARD.

The maps were distributed to county substitute teachers during an orientation session.