WHAT NEXT???
This past week has been a time of contradictions. It was
reported Indian males in Robeson County schools are four
times more likely to drop out of school than white male
students. Additionally, Indian females are five times
more likely to drop out of school than white female
students.
But what would one expect in Robeson County. This
comes as no shock. It has been widely known that
minority students, Indian and Black, have had difficulty
remaining in school in Robeson County. While William
Johnson, superintendent of Robeson County schools,
does not seem to have a clue as to why this happens, we
suggest one merely has to look back and examine the
attitudes and political maneuvering of conservative
whites over the years.
When the political power of the white establishment
was at an all time high, Robeson County maintained five
separate and unequal school systems. The whites insured
their system was well funded and maintained but they
also conspired to insure other systems would be inferior
by the use of double voting. This, in our view, was a
determined effort by white conservatives to keep
minorities in their place. If minorities were denied an
adequate education, then white supremacy would be safe.
However, many underestimated the will of the people.
Many failed to realise that with education comes
responsibility and even insight And even the children of
white conservatives, who intuitively knew something
was wrong, began looking around and asking why. The
result was change, thanks mainly to the leadership of
concerned Indians. Both Indian and Black leaders fought
double voting and later rallied some whites to eliminate
the system which perpetuated five separate and unequal
school systems. But only the system was destroyed;
attitudes and prejudices remain. The old guard still
remains and so do the myths.
Our current problem, in terms of drop outs, also can be
traced to the employment practices in this county.
Qualified Indians and Blacks are often overlooked when
jobs are available in the county. Those in position to make
decisions often will even go in search of white outsiders
who are brought in to save us from ourselves.
Qualifications apparently mean very little in Robeson
County. It is widely recognised that it is more uAo you
know than what you know or can do. Daily, jobs are
awarded to individuals who are not deserving. Their
virtue is that they are white and well-connected to the
political, social, and economic power base in the county.
This is gradually being turned around, but it's an
extremely slow process. Meanwhile, young people
witness this. They become cynical about the whole
process. They are not easily fooled because daily they
witness the contradictions in our society. Daily they are
reminded that hard work and good grades are often
ignored if your skin is not white.
We must also remember that children in classrooms
across our county are labeled on a daily basis by uncaring
individuals who have merely fallen into the system to
guarantee their own personal financial security. While
Robeson County does have many good teachers and
administrators, those unfit to tesch and lead exist too and
little is done to rid the county of such individuals. And
when some of our children come up against such
individuals, it becomes far easier to drop out than face the
abuse, neglect, and disdain of such a civil war mentality.
We believe any teacher or administrator who calls a child
"dumb" should be fired immediately. Such verbal
assaults, by supposedly "professionals," should not go
unpunished!
And though politics, employment practices, job
discrimination, lack of employment opportunities, and the
educational process interact to reinforce the mistaken
idea that education is not important, parents are also a
large part of the problem. Not only in failing to properly
raise, nourish, and motivate their children, some have
chosen to abandon values. Consequently a child often
grows up without knowing right from wrong. Some
parents have turned their backs on the system, often
refusing to participate in the "democratic process" by
making the excuse that "it won't matter anyway." And
from their experience in Robeson County, this is a very
understandable attitude, but the children suffer as a
result Yes, the drop out rate is serious in Robeson
County. It continues to grow. It's a complex result of
many interwoven factors. But without the care and
concent of parents, the system continues to drag along,
ignoring those who do not fit the expected pattern or mold
and condemning those who have problems to the outer
fringes of society. But in our view, without concerned
parents, the educational, social, political, and economic
systems in Robeson County can only get worse and
continue down the same old path. Change only comes
thorugh commitment. Change only comes from those
willing to stand up and speak out Change only comes
when we care and become an integral part of the process,
determined to seek a better tomorrow, if not for
SEE "WHAT NEXT" ON PACE 3
couktv
BEOK OVER 15 YEARS
CHIROPRACTIC
I SPECIALIZING IN CENTER I
AUTO ACCIDENT INJURIES
MOST INSURANCE ACCEPTED ^
. "APPOINTMENT PLEASE"
OMMSSmaajinMui Ofll
7 ? / mmmm
f lOFFICE ^ ^mj
739-5751 ?xMuxiijm
Notice Of Public Hearing
Notice if hereby given that the Robeson County Board of Commis
sioners shall hold a public hearing on September 16,1991 at 6:00
p.m., at 701 North Elm Street, Lumberton, North Carolina. The
purpose of this public hearing is to consider adoption of an ordinance
to regulate the following:
AUTOMOBILE GRAVEYARDS;
JUNKYARDS; AND REPAIR SHOPS.
A copy of the proposed ordinance is on file with the Clerk of the
Robeson County Board of Commissioners for review by interested
parties.
All interested parties are invited to appear and make known their
opinion on this matter.
LINDA A. HEDGPETH, CLERK
ROBESON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROGRESSIVE
r SAVINGS A LOAN. LTD.
^uUWctU^g
* This $100.00 Minimum Balance Checking Account Allows
You To Write Checks WITHOUT A SERVICE CHARGE As
Long As The Balance Does Not Fas Below $100.00.
If The Manoe Does Fat below $100.00, A $6.00 Monthly
Charge And 306 Per Check Is Necessary. This Aooount Does
I Not Pay Interest.
OVO?mraDIRAUYINtU?MOTO$100lOOOM ,
progressive
MVMa* * LOAN. LTD.
I SLgr?
HSS?0,
m hot* awmm
hhm
4MEMCWM
?SHI
Cong -i/? !!7iain
2^i. D(mUit ^?Mvt cAmtxU+* (IOMU<
In the last segment, we saw the importance of the huge
Honks Mounds at the Cahokia site in Illinois. And we saw
ww it fits into the larger picture of other flat-topped
Mississippian period mounds, along with the one at Town
>eek, North Carolina. But what about mounds closer to
wme, here along the Robeson Trail?
So far, there are no knoum examples of flat-topped
Mississippian mounds east of Town Creek, even though
here is evidence that Mississippian cultural influence did
extend to Robeson County. But we do know of the
oresence of Woodland period mounds in the Lumbee
River drainage.
Hie most readily apparent difference between
Woodland mounds and Mississippian mounds is their
shape: Woodland mounds are round-topped instead of
flat-topped. Hie written record of Woodland mounds in
Robeson County goes back to the time of Hamilton
McMillan, one of the persons instrumental in the
?stablishment of the Indian Normal School which became
Pembroke State University.
McMillan recorded in 1882 that he had examined five
nounds in Robeson County. His report describes them as
lotably similar to each other, in that they were all about
50 feet in circumference, and only about 2 feet higher
han the surrounding soil surface. He also relates that all
five mounds contained human skeletons, one with as
nany as fifty individuals (clearly indicating that he, or
someone there at the same time, partially or entirely
excavated these mounds).
J.A. Holmes, who was a geologist working for the
Bureau of Mines on a geological survey of eastern North
Carolina, also recorded in 1916 the presence of
presumably Woodland mounds in Robeson County. He
stated that he was told by a Mr. D. Sinclair, of Rain View,
that there were four mounds in the southern section of
Robeson. Since Hamilton McMillan was from Red
Springs, in the northern section, it might be safe to
assume that the five mounds he recorded are different
from the four reported by Sinclair.
There are also a few later references to Woodland
mounds in Robeson County, including the work of David
McLean of St Andrews, and Ruth Wetmore (then
affiliated with the Indian Museum of the Carolinas in
Laurinburg). But since the late 1970's, the mounds of this
area have finally been left alone, at least by
archaeologists anyway. Mounds and other archaeological
sites continue to be impacted by agriculture and,
potentially, by development
More than all other archaeological sites, mounds need
to be preserved. They are the final resting places for
many Native Americans of the past, and as such they
deserve to be left alone, even by farmers.
Anyone with definite information about the location of
mounds in this area should notify the Native American
Resource Center, so that appropriate steps can be taken
to avoid any further destruction of these ancient sacred
sites.
For more information, visit the Native American
Resource Center in Old Main Building, on the campus of
Pembroke State University. __
C7o cSutjicn-iljE (2aIT:
I9 1 9)521-2826
laa Lv | 1 | ? ? ? p &HFJ B B B B1P L?B J B BBVPS B i IB
Our Health Hotline Tbrns Your Telephone Into A I
Medical Information
Resource
24-HoursADay
M m
??BaSSm
1-800-432-5121
Sometimes knowing where to turn with a
medical concern can be quite a dilemma.
Perhaps you're new to the area and want to
find a family physician , or you have a health
problem that requires a specialist, but you
don't know of one...it could be that you need
information on substance abuse treatment , or
Alzheimer's..or prenatal care.
These types of situations are the reasons why
Southeastern General Hospital developed the
HEALTH HOTLINE. Now, healthcare informa
tion is as close as your telephone. "foil-Free?
24-hours a day?7 days a week. Our helpful
staff will not only supply you with immediate
information when you call?they'll also follow
up your inquiry by mailing any additional infor
mation available on the subject. So when the
need arises, you've got our number.. Southeast
ern General Hospital s HEALTH HOTLINE. ..It's
another way we go out of our way for you.
r>. _m.ru mm irnrrrrvn A mwniT
vueveUoneuuio]iJur way, mj touLxminaiv ia jj^k_*j_i_rmAOij^ruN
300 MCtet 27th Street, Lumbcrton, NC 28359, (919)671-5000 *JL/ I GENERAL HOSPITAL
H^MblliiiCwiit.Oton^'-fci'"*"1' WC.OU* ??'-????
Pfrarmagist
tto**rd
fflyl.
DM4 ?I 41MI ? ?
Athlete's foot....or not7 }
When the aida of your iaet becomes itchy, red and |
?cafe yon may Menu you have "athlete'* foot," 'J
which la a fungal infection. But In ?ome caaca, therj
Irritation could be contact dermatitis, an allergic."
With coJteUhnaaHth the reaction occur* mainlyjj
on the ball, outer sides and top of your foot, where It
cornea In contact with your ahoe. Athlete'* foot la
usually Ln the cracks bslwrrn your lori
la a health oooManiconeerniiinvou? Coma diacuaai
la anm ^ysaan ? sda
coMctmd iboil yowhtftlth ffon (d tot.
________
HyftapiBUfl|
II1I11CTTTW
i
m.*
HTtTn^l
H. Mitchell
Baker, III, P.A.
ATTORNEY AT LAW j
Fighting for victims' rights is what we do
.. .and it's all wa do.
? Wrongful Death
? Serious Auto
Accidents
N* Clierf* F?r
K?vl*wlnt Ymt Cm$m
1-800
542-2664
919-739-7518!
4908 PAMAMAHIIU
r?|llWfllW 99< I
IT? ?afcearflG)? ?odds