Newspapers / North Carolina Federation of … / March 1, 1964, edition 1 / Page 2
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Page 2 THE FEDERATION JOURNAL Spring—1964 THE FEDERATION JOURNAL “Lifting As We Climb” Issued by The N. C. Federation of Negro Woman’s Club Editor: Mrs. Fannie T. Newsome, Rich Square Editorial GUEST EDITORIAL By Mrs. E. M. Spellman If denied the privilege of regis tering and voting, a “true Ameri can citizen” would seek the causes of the denial, pursue leads to rem edy them and make use of the newly gained right at every avail able opportunity. We have that coveted privilege, how well do we use it? Recently a non-reading adult was sought who would be willing to be a pupil in an integrated Literacy workshop. Prayerfully a middle aged lady was approached. She gladly accepted and her reason was, “I want to learn to read, first of aU so that I can register and vote.” With the coming election I urge your making use of your golden opportunity to find from every source information about each can didate for office in your jurisdic tion, be sure you are registered then vote according to your con viction. Be not content at being counted on the registration books yourself. Seek individuals who have never made use of the ballot and help them qualify. Make telephone calls and visits, stop and chat with neg ligent voters and urge them to re new their interest and vote. It is my belief that our greatest influence in gaining our rights wiU come through making ourselves felt at election time. By all means vote!!! DROPOUTS from NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOLS Quite a few discussion periods, panels, and lectures have been making the rounds in North Car olina, and the nation (U.S.A.) on the Problem of Dropouts. Our news media has been over bur dened in this area. But until some thing more realistic is planned and executed, until follow up pro grams are set in motion to retard, eradicate, and dispell this mon strosity to our society, and check this mammoth drain on our re sources and already lowered econ omy; we must continue our search, and call upon all citizens of our forward looking and progressive hungry state to take this problem more seriously. We are compelled at this point to concentrate on dis solutions, misconceptions and ha- rassments which cause an ill-ad- justed, retarded or insecure boy or girl to drop out of our schools. Before we can accomplish any major goal, or arrive at a workable solution to this perplexing problem, we should check again and again on its cause and effect. A special study and a re-evaluation of the ob served and recognized causes should be given prime considera tion. With a “will-to-do”, and a “burning desire” to get on with the task, let us consider just a few causes (as listed from vari ous writings). 1. Falling behind or failing in as signed grade or class. 2. Student confused or ill-in formed of required assign ments. 3. Student not challenged to the utmost of his potentials. 4. School fails to meet students’ observed needs. 5. Lack of finance to comply with students “status quo”. 6. Lack of parental interest or two-way communication at home. 7. Improper clothing or unde sirable styles and fittings. 8. Student needed at home be cause no one else has time, or can get off to care for smaller children or go on de- liquent errands. 9. Disgusted because of con fusion and anti-social condi tions in the home. 10. Parents separated and not providing much needed secu rity. 11. Following the crowd, or ac cepting “lip service” prom ises. Dropout Rates and Alarming Results Let us next consider the recog nized devastating dropout rates in our elementary schools, our high schools and colleges, as recorded in several releases, including a re cent issue of Scouting Magazine: Dropout Rate (1st Grade to College Graduates) 1st Grade 100 students enter schools Gth Grade 90 students—10 dropped Sr. High School 50 students — 50 dropped 1st Year College 25 students—75 dropped College Graduates 10 students—90 dropped Considering the alarming drop out rate above, only one conclusion can be drawn. It is evident there is a vast deterioration destruction in the training and preparation of our human resources. We will next consider what hap pens or what can be expected on the Labor Market for that rising population of dropouts. Those who dropped before finishing the Gth Grade can work as common la borers, on the most distasteful, menial and lowest paying jobs. (And what will happen to their fam ilies or dependents?) Their simple tools will consist of brooms, mops, shovels, and picks. Their maximum pay will scarcely exceed $200 per month, and at least 25 percent of them will be relegated to the un employed and relief roles. This group will undoubtedly provide 90 percent of the delinquents and crime breeders. The 50 students who dropped out before finishing high school will find that their plight is only slightly above those who stopped at the sixth grade level. Their tools will consist of the simple noncomplicated imple ments and their employment will decrease rapidly, thus causing them to swell the ranks of our un employed. The very lucky few might expect to earn approximate ly $300 per month. The 50 high school graduates will perhaps fill the semi-skilled and craftsmen’s jobs. Their employ ment role will be that of mechanics, machinists, plumbers, bricklayers, radio and television servicemen, typist and bookkeepers, foremen and salesmen. They can expect to earn from $450 per month to $5,500 per year. They will also play some leadership roles in their com munity, fill some governmental po sitions, and help to raise the econ omy of our state and nation. They should develop and grow into re spected and useful citizens of their community. Those who start in college but fail or fall out before graduation, will swell the ranks of craftsmen, skilled manipulators, and house wives who are serving and assum ing civic responsibilities They will in turn be sending to our schools children who are ready and eager for a formal education. Some in their group will establish their own business enterprises. They can ex pect to earn up to $6,900 or $7,000 per year. Finally, the ten (10) college grad uates will explore, do research and further study. They wiU supply and replace our profe s s i o n a 1 groups; our lawyers, doctors, lead ing ministers, public administra tors, teachers, executives, and en gineers. Their salaries are appar ently unlimited. They will hold and control leadership positions in our state, nation and the world. They will comprise our Defense and Dip lomatic personnel pos i t i o n s in which the demand is always great er than the supply. As citizens of our great state and nation, we should bend every effort toward encouraging our youngsters to aspire to their greatest potential and highest ambitions. William H. Lanier Sedalia, North Carolina Guest Editor Religious Emphasis MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE “The last verse was written through blinding tears.” EVERY REAL HYMN has its story, if only we could discover that story. The very fact that great hymns have been wrought out of actual human experience gives to them the great power which they undoubtedly exert upon the hearts of men. A great old hymn, now more than a cen tury old, “MY FAITH LOOKS UP TO THEE,” was written by a young man only twenty-two years of age. Even though New York City in 1830 was not an appalling metro polis, it was large enough to give a young man just out of college, reasons for feeling lonely and dis couraged. Ray Palmer was born in 1803 into the home of Judge Thomas Palmer of Rhode Island. This family, residing in Little Comp ton, was well-known in New Eng land history. Many of us did not know, as we read and “lived” in the romantic story of John and Priscilla Alden, that this young composer was one of their de scendants through their daughter, Elizabeth. Young Palmer, after three years of preparation at Phillips Acade my, Andover, entered Yale Col lege, from which he graduated in 1830. He immediately went to New York City to teach, and it was during his first year in the “great city,” that he wrote this hymn that has made him best known to posterity. With no thought of composing a hymn, he had been translating two verses from a German poem. They told of a suppliant at the cross. The words of the poem stayed in his mind, and as he sat that evening in the quiet of his room — feeling the deep con scious need of his own soul — he transferred to paper that vision of faith that was filling his own heart. As he wrote the words down on a loose sheet of paper, he had no thought of anyone else reading them — the words being written only for the satisfaction of his own hungry soul. Later, since they had become such a part of him, he copied them into a small morocco-covered notebook which he carried with him at aU times. He told a friend later that all the words were written with very tender emotion, and the last stan za through blinding tears. For two years, this pocket note book was a source of blessing to (Continued on Page 6)
North Carolina Federation of Negro Women’s Clubs Journal
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March 1, 1964, edition 1
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