Newspapers / The Carolina Times (Durham, … / April 28, 1979, edition 1 / Page 13
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13-THE CAROLINA TIMES SAT APRIL 27. 1373 - - - i iwiiniMmf mnri" - -------------- - .v v ::: TL.ijt- . 4 -: t .--- . . . ,... . AWivmvArvrro ------ IMM' 1 1 rrrMTiTiiTBii 1 1 -- miMim MM-ymnniiinnnfiilflflVl' '.Vi.'iV.V.V.rr.vnYrfrr - ' . .. MID YOU'LL FKID THOSE SAVINGS REALLY ADD UP VIIEI1 i X YOU SHOP AT dktdani&nt&nta ADVERTISER j Top Black Agriculture Ageless Racism Official Rooting Out in The Department mkmmmmmmmmmmmmmmimmmmiiimmm I I WASHINGTON Dr. Joan S. Wallace, assistant secretary of Agriculture for administration, has taken a man-size job in at tempting to root out ageless racism in that agency. But she has taken it on with sleeves rolled up like any sweaty farmer, and, in the harness with her suprisingly, is Secretary bf Agriculture Bob Bergland, a Minnesota small grain grower. Together, they hope to rid agriculture of racism not only in Department employment rolls, but also out on the land where discrimination and outright grand larceny have reduced the number of black farm families from nearly a million fifty years ago to less than 50,000 today. As recently' as 1940, black farmers owned more than ten million acres of good cotton and tobacco land. Now they own less than four million, and it is reported to be slipping out of their hands at the rate of 6,000 acres a week, most of.it in courthouse sales after owners die, and relatives in distant cities fail to keep up the taxes or to lay full claim to the land by having the wjll probated. But the slide really started with the New Deal's acreage allotments and price-supports "designed" to be ad ministered at the county level by the farmers themselves. Only black farmers never shared in the administration. As a result, many of their farms have no assinged acreage allotments for growing cotton or tobacco and other cash crops. With the black farmers dwindling and their land disappearing, Dr. Wallace, the highest rank ed black ever in the Department of Agriculture, and Secretary Bergland may be trying to close the barn door after the horse has been stolen. But they are trying. The Agricultural Stablization and Conservation Service, which administers acreage allotments and price sup ports, has been told by Secretary Bergland, at Dr. Wallace's urging, that it .must assure equal oppor tunity access for all farmers. And the Farmers Home Administration, which is supposed to make loans to low-income farmers to heb them acauire land, buy equipment, and build decent homes, is being held accountable for assuring blacks a fair shake. As a result, Hispanic Assistant Secretary Alex Mercurc and black Assis tant Administrator of Farmers Home, Kenneth Latcholia, have instituted new Dolicies to aid more black farmers both in ac quiring land and in shar ing in the SSO-million fund for business and industrial development loans. Also Florida A.& M University has been awarded a contract to train USDA employees to work more effectively with rural blacks, and it and all the othei sixteen predominatly black land grant colleges will receive directly the $16 million set aside for their research ac tivities rather than through the white land grant colleges. In her own bailiwick, Dr. Wallace is working to assure equal employment opportunity through her Office of Personnel, in cluding a fair share of jobs for blacks at the three computer centers operated by the Office of Finance and Management. Her Equal Opportunity Office, headed by James Frazier, now has the equal employment opportunity responsibility for the Department's 100,000 job slots in its far-flung operations. WASHINGTON -Average annual pay of workers covered by state and federal unemploy ment insurance programs is highest in Alaska and the District Columbia, ac cording to new data published by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data, for 1977, was compiled from the records of unemployment in surance programs. The data covers States as well as Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas. Average annual pay was computed by dividing total payrolls of employers by average monthly employment. The figures approximate the average annual earnings paid to employees in various geographical areas. Average annual pay was highest in Alaska ($21,847) and the District of Columbia ($15,132). These figures were 91.2 per cent and 32.5 per cent, respectively, above the na tional average of $11,425. South Dakota ($8,854) and Mississippi ($9,075) were the states with the lowest average pay figures. Average annual pay among states is af fected by differences in the industrial mix of their respective economies as well as differences in basic pay levels of workers. The distribution of average annual pay among states, indicates there are nineteen States with averages close to that for the nation, five states with averages slightly above the national average, and twenty states with averages slightly below. A concentration of high average pay in the large urban centers of the Nor theast, Middle Atlantic, and North Central States accounts for the uneven distribution of average pay among the States. Among the 264 selected Dr. Wallace is a tough row to hoe, but in her seventeen months on the job, she has made a good beginning. This is not suprising, considering the training and experience she brings,to trje position. A native ot cnicago. Dr. Wallace received her Ph.D in social psychology from Northwestern, her bachelor's at Bradley Polytech, and her master's at Columbia. She has taught at the University of Illinois, University of Chicago, and Howard, has held the posts of vice president of Morgan State University and director of the school of social work at Western Michigan University before becom ing assistant secretary of Agriculture. 5 1 M liliMi 'vN - Sr. ; iff' t ( 7 f 1 11 irniriiiTiinnt' -.!" t-r A MniMr D A PIGU IC I MnFD ATT A CM hv Accictont Cwrftirv Inan Wallace, highest ranking black in the Department. She is shown at left receiving a citation from Wilbert Williams of Toastmasters International. At right, she joins Secretary of Agriculture Bob Bergland in cutting the ribbon to dedicate USDA's $6-million computer recently installed at the Department's National Finance Center in New Orleans. Center is administered by Dr. Wallace. Left to right: Charles R. Kessler, Honeywell program manager; Charles A. Bucy, deputy assistant secretary; Dr. Wallace; Secretary Bergland; Dennis C. Boyd, center director; John F. Carson, Office of Finance and Management; Kevin F. Quinn, chief, Computer Services Divi sion; and Tom my e Cooper, Data Service Division. Average Annual Pay Hig est in Alaska, D.C. Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas fSMSA's). Anchorage, Alaska. ($20,939) and Flint, Michigan ($15,860) had the highest average annual pay and were 83.3 per cent and 38.3 per cent, respectively, above the na tional average. Average nav amone SMSA's also is affected by differences in the industrial mix of their labor markets as well as differences in basic pay levels of workers. The distribution of average annual pay among the selected SMSA's, us- inc the same earnings in tervals as presented in the chart, indicates the nine SMSAs are substantially above the national awrace. and 24 are substantially below. Aro You 60 or Older? If so, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) can use your time and talent. We need the following: drivers to carry elderly persons grocery shopping once every two weeks, persons to assist with a Cub Scout day camp, someone to assist with clerical work in a vital Durham agency and retired teachers to assist with adult basic education classes. TransDortation can be arranged or mileage paid for any of the above. If anv of these interest vou. please call Mary ''Ingram or Helen Pressiey at 596-9311, Durham Technical Institute. When i$ a sarriwich more than just a sandwich? wnorv m aso a salad! Simply tos$ ham strips, "fi tnuce wi nui i ui ya '' KRAFT French Drcc:!rrj. PfcCQ hi nn French brctd rcllhrn. trtrt if with KPAFT Natural CcibV for a salad-sandwich that's mcro than delicious. n. KRAFT Natural Colby has a mild, mellow flavor. ia$tes great on crackers, or with fruit, Or by itself, Nutritious, too. U OS CE3 0-9 KRAFT .IjiHa Dlanti won't orow -erv well unleu they have about tlx hours of sunlight a day. i -si- - y:: :::: :x -y::-X. -yyKsisf:-.--- yW&Z-Jysi '''I ill! " cctTi::::3 'onroA j to a i:ot SAi:avicii frepdre a mouth-watering mixture of ground beef.beam, chopped onion and green pepper and spoon it on combread.Then, add KRAFT Natural Colby for a special taste treat. KRAFT Natural Colby Cheese has enough flexibility to fit into almost any meal. Deliciously. That s why we call it the tveryaay neee. fArisrjeOrTHAricoostto.
The Carolina Times (Durham, N.C.)
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April 28, 1979, edition 1
13
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