Care for our children
Binkley provides alternatives
By TKUKSA DIXON
Staff Writer
‘Avery Incident’ terminated by
everyone-except the BSM
When I walked into the Hargraves
Recreation Center, I did not see
basketball courts or hear the scuffling
feet of energetic athletes. What I saw
were signs like, “Do you know your
colors?” and what 1 heard were little
voices and giggling which 1 knew
could only come from a lot of happy
children. I had entered The Binkley
Child Care Center and after talking to
its director I could see that the
happiness had something to do with
the center’s atmosphere and its
director.
Mr. Wekesa Madzimoyo (Phil
(]eddie), director of the Binkley Child
Care Center held me in awe as he
enthusiastically spoke of the work
being done at the center. Wekesa, a
1975 graduate of UNC, is now working
on his masters in speech com
munication and education. He was
very active in the BSM. and served as
On-Campus Coordinator and
Morrison Representative, coor
dinated National Achievement and
Project Uplife along with Dean
Wallace, and was a photographer for
Black Ink. But Wekesa’s zeal for
progress in the Black community
•Down Home” is the name of the
production assembled by Dr. Lee
(ireene. This theatrical event, based
on materials studied in his English 84
class, is tentatively scheduled for
December (i.
According to Greene, "A chemistry
major has a chance to display his
unknown singing abilities.” Although
groups such as the Opeyo Dancers,
Ebony Readers, and BSM Gospel
(’hoirwill perform, other students not
belonging to any ot these
organizations will have a chance to
display thier hidden talents.
This production will portray the
evolution of various art forms. A
historical approach to such events as
the Great Black Migration” and the
influence of northern exposure will be
seen A blending of dancing, singing,
and acting provide continuity
throughout the program.
Parallels of African dance
movement adapted by American
dance forms and a section of jazz
selections evolving from Black
/Vmerican music for example, will be
presented.
The production incorporates over 50
different people: Carol Willis and
Siim FuJvvood will give a dramatic
rendition. Spurgeon Fields is
didn’t stop at graduation. His work at
Binkley’s Child Care Center is
comparable to the strides he made
while at UNC.
The center, which receives its funds
through tuition, the United Fund, and
contributions from parents and
supportive citizens, has 33 students
and a staff of 10 including 7 teachers.
“The students are from varying
backgrounds and neighborhoods and
most are from low-income families,”
said Mr. Madzimoyo. A board of 18,
(only 5 are not parents) is
representative of one of the ap
proaches Wekesa takes at the cen
ter—parent involvement.
“My approach to child care is
three-pronged,” Wekesa stated. It is
composed of 1) development of a
curriculum, 2) staff development to
help them aciualize the program, and
3) parent involvement which Mad
zimoyo feels “is essential to any
serious child care program.”
Communication skills are em
phasized at the center and Wekesa is
“very interested in the development
of communication strategies for
children, particularly Black
children.” At the center, the basic
(Continued on page 6)
spotlighted as a Black minister
preaching the funeral of Jim Crow.
Teresa Burns will do a solo of one of
Melba Moore’s numbers. Dancing
appears to be the talents of Harold
Woodard, George Forrest, and Jeff
Bryson; several brothers of Alpha
Phi Alpha and Omega Psi Phi
fraternities lend movement in an
African dance. Featured in a “whore
dance” will be Charmaine Grey and
Bevelyn Parham. Sets were designed
by l^rry Alston.
Time is the major problem of the
production. “Because there are so
many different people involved,” said
Greene, “it’s hard to get them
together.” At the moment, different
segments meet at different times.
Although this is his first attempt at
a dramatic production. Dr. Greene is
very enthusiastic about it. “I am
thrilled about the interest and in
volvement which the students have
shown,” he said. Although no one in
the Chapel Hill community will ac
tually be performing, they have
expressed their desire to help by
providing the materials.
i feel that the people will be
surprised at the display of individual
talents displayed. The production is a
fantastic opportunity of artistic
outlets for the students,” added
Greene.
A group of Black students were retur
ning from a CGC budget hearing around
midnight April 19, 1977. They were bom
barded with water balloons and racial
obscenities, by white students.
Cries of indignation went up from Black
students, who met with Dean Harold
Wallace and others to determine if the
matter could be investigated. It was
reported in the September orientation
issue of Black Ink that the BSM wanted to
prosecute the perpetrators of the Avery
Incident.
More than seven months later, the
students involved have not been charged
or admonished, and according to an
October 17 Daily Tar Heel, they won’t be.
“There is not going to be any charge in
it. There is a lack of sufficient evidence.
And we are dealing with a time factor,”
the DTK quoted Student Attorney General
Elson Floyd as saying.
Later, Floyd said, “There are not
students (victims) who can give positive
identification. Only one student was ac
tually hit and he didn’t see anyone. I did
not have have an eyewitness.
Unless there is new evidence, like a
confession or positive identification, there
is no way the case can be reopened.”
Lt. David Williams of University Police
obtained written confessions from several
students involved in the water balloon
throwing and name calling incident.
Williams investigated the case for Student
affairs.
Because of what has been termed a
“misunderstanding between Student
Affairs and University Police,” these
confessions were inadmissable as
evidence.
Williams told Avery residents that their
conunents would be used for informational
reasons and not against them in
prosecution.
Williams, and two others from
University Police, attended a meeting with
Deans Schroeder and Harold Wallace after
the incident occurred. At that meeting, a
letter from Dean Schroeder concerning the
nature of the investigation was passed
around.
According to Floyd, “If Lt. Williams had
told them (Avery residents) their
statements would be used against them, it
would have been admissible evidence.”
Lt. Williams offered the following ex
planation as to why he told students their
confessions would not be used in
prosecution:
“The letter was not addressed to me or
to University Police; it was addressed to
someone in the housing department. Our
(University Police) understanding was
that they (Student Affairs) wanted to find
out whether or not there was any basis to
the allegations and to see if they (the
Avery Incident and five other past in
cidents) were related, or racially-
motivated, or if there was a conspiracy.”
Lt. Williams still maintains, “Student
Affairs never made it clear to me that they
wanted charges brought against students.
I gave them my report in May, and I’m
wondering why they didn’t act on it then if
they really intended to.
“The whole thing was dropped until you
all (Black Ink) and the Tar Heel brought it
up again. It’s over and we have to move
on.”
Williams added, “We have no victims in
the Avery Incident. To my knowledge,
none of the victims phoned in a complaint
that night or since.”
Based on his investigation, Williams
believes the matter was not racially-
motivated, but was merely coincidental.
Elaborating, he said “The water balloons
were thrown by white students first but
there is a lot of confusion as to who called
names first. The Avery residents weren’t
throwing at anyone in particular.”
Floyd said, “As attorney general, I
didn’t attadi the investigation on racial
lines. I don’t know if it was racially-
motivated. I didn’t get a direct confession
of ‘Yes’ and I didn’t expect to. The decision
I reached was a professional one, not a
personal one.”
Despite conviction that the Avery
situation is closed, BSM Chairperson
Byron Hortcm has reached another con
clusion. “Of course we would like the case
to be reopened. As a matter of fact, we are
in the process of having it reopened. I don’t
know what will happen if it isn’t reopened,
but one thing for sure, we don’t plan to lei
the case die,” he said.
A member of the Hampton Institute Choir sings her heart out. The
internationally famous group performed in Great Hall November 21.
Staff photo by James Parker.
Drama to show talent
By MKLODKK ALVES
Staff Writer