Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Aug. 23, 1984, edition 1 / Page 3
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Church split t From Page A1 350 members, said Clark. On March 15 at 2 p.m., Clark was charged with driving while impaired, according to court records. Clark was found guilty and sentenced to a suspended sixmonth jail term, fined $200 and the cost of court, sent to Alcohol Drug Traffic Education School and ordered to contribute 48 hours of community service work. Clark registered .17 on a breathalyzer test administered by police. A .10 reading on the breathalyzer constitutes being legally drunk in North Carolina. In June, Clark was again charged with driving while im ? - par eci >mil f complywith_ restrietive driving requirements (he had limited driving privileges) in Guilford County. He was scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 16 at 9 a.m., but at his request, the case was rescheduled until Sept. 12. Clark has since hired Greensboro attorney Elreeta Alexander Ralston as his counsel. Ralston, a former Guilford County District Court judge, also represented the Rev. Prince Graves, a Greensboro minister, when members nf his rhiirrh'e deacon board questioned his handling of the church's money. Although members of St. James Baptist Church's deacon board had charged that Graves embezzled the church's money, the district attorney did not formally charge Graves with embezzlement, according to a story in the Greensboro News and Record, because of the church's "insufficient financial records." Lone majorit of trustees at Elizabeth City State University, agreed with Ross, but added that sometimes. ^bpArd's' effectiveness cannot be measured , Ji terms of tbe number of black and white members. "It's not how many blacks or whites but it's how many whites who are sensitive to the needs of blacks," Burke said. "We need j people in tune with our needs and concerns." The present system of appointinoJnutws invnlvw th* HnnrH nf governors and the governor. The board of governors appoints eight of each school's 13 trustees while the governor appoints four members. The thirteenth member is the student body president, who serves in an ex-officio capacity. Ben Ruffin, Gov. Jim Hunt's special assistant for minority affairs, said the governor appoints people committed to helping the respective schools. Ruffin also said he was unaware that WSSU does not have a black majority on its board, though he said that seems to make no difference in the board's effectiveness. "My belief is if we can have a majority black, good," Ruffin said. "But if you have a board committed to the working of the school, then that's good." ITHcy m gowfrfwawofiipw pie on that board," Ruffin said of WSSU's trustees. "They raised over S3 million in a development drive. You can't do that kind of thing without good board members." And Ruffin said some consideration in appointments is given to people who have helped the schools financially. "One person like that that comes to mind at WSSU is Aurelia Eller," he said. The last governor's appoint^ ment to WSSU's board of trustees was Graham Bennett. Bennett, who is white, is the owner of Quality Oil Co. Half and Half Ideal? John P. Kennedy, the UNC system's secretary, said the board of governors tries to make sure that the make-up of the trustee boards at the predominantly black schools is equal. "We try to make the black institutions have one-half black and one-half white members," m pastor's D i If Clark is found guilty of the second offense, he could be sentenced to seven days in jail, said Assistant District Attorney Bob Brown. Because Clark's first DWI arrest will be considered a prior offense, the second makes him eligible for an active jail sentence plus whatever else the judge may render. Clark said in a telephone interview last week that he doesn't deny the two DWI charges nor does he deny that a group of church members wants his resignation. But Clark said the vote by the majority of the church's members to reinstate him means jhat he has been ~ -~. n'jW|r--, 4'The church has restored me as pastor," Clark said. "This matter is settled,and it should not be publicly displayed. Hearts will be broken, people will shed tears and people will be hurt by it. "It would be scandalous (for the matter to be public)," he said. "1 know the Lord has forgiven me and the membership has forgiven me." Clark, who has been the church's pastor for eight years, said he has heen nhle tn dn tnmc good for the church despite his shortcomings. *4When I went there they had 50 members and now we have 350/* he said. 4'Everything I did I admitted it to the church. I asked for forgiveness and they forgave me. There are some people with some hostility -- about 14 people ? but the others voted me back.'4 4,We don't want a public scandal either,44 said one of the members who wants Clark to NNNNNMMaaUMMIINNNHMIIMNHNINIIIMIUIIMIUIHUUI ;y-white boart Kennedy said. "But sometimes it tips one way or another. "Blacks are more represented ( r? .? i it . 'O . ??? i ?? , -?# in the whole system than in the population of North Carolina?** he said. "But it's good to have a fair number of blacks because they've got to speak to blacks, be understood by blacks and be entrusted by blacks." The board of governors' procedure for determining a person's eligibility to be a trustee is decided by the Committee on University Governance. That six-member committee seeks to make sure that each board contains alumni, some balance between men and women, persons from the geographical areas the school serves, a combination of professions and a variety of ages. The committee makes recommendations to the board of governors which in turn makes the final appointments. Louis T. Randolph, the only black member of the Committee on University Governance, said he was unaware that WSSU did not have a black majority and would fight to change that. 44I think something should be done about it right away," said Randolph, who has served on the board for four years and was an original member of the board of university system was restructured. 44 Winston-Salem State deserves a good board. But sometimes you don't have blacks who want to serve. But this is no excuse. There are enough who are willing to serve. 44This has really knocked me for a loop. I think it should be corrected right awav. I don't know if it makes that much difference or not, but it does show we have concern'* In the past, Randolph said, the Committee on University Governance has not been sympathetic to his concerns. ? 4 They keep worrying about it (the boards* racial compositions) being equal,** Randolph said. 44And they are not trying to get an equal number of black people on the boards at the predominantly white schools. I complain a lot about just having one or two blacks at Wl woes | voluntarily leave the church. "But if this is the only way we can get him out, then get it out." Since some church members discovered that the Chronicle was investigating Clark's drunken driving record, the newspaper has received approximately 25 calls, most of them anonymous, asking that the paper not print the story. Those callers included Dr. H.L. Moore, pastor of Mt. Carmel I Baptist Church, and a friend and supporter of Clark. "There's not a minister in Winston-Salem that has not done e wrong," Moore said. "There are other ministers with the same problem." - Tint xhufcb member Johnson said the church has already suffered and that whatever happens as a result of a newspaper article A could only benefit it. ^ "I think everybody should know," he said. "The church is already hurt so it (the article) could do nothing but help." Dorothy Cheek, one of the church's members who supports Clark, said she gave Clark a vote of confidence because she believes in forgiving. "You should forgive people for doing wrong," Cheek said. "The Lord forgives people. I figure he (Clark) needs another chance. He's only human. He made a mistake. "The only ones against him are the deacons and their wives." Cheek said the church is "supposed to be made up of Christians" and they need to learn how to forgive and forget. And, if Clark goes to jail, she said, "then we will take it from there." AM 11II1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 1 From Page A2 WIHIHIHWIIimiWMmHIIIIIIIIIIMMtimilUHIHHItttHI predominantly white schools but they don't listen to that." Yet, Randolph said he is optimistic that things will change now that a new board of governors chairman has been elected. I "NEV 1 The C Bowlers Appreci A ugust 25 <& 26 SATURDAY: 9 am to 12 midnight jOJ Bowl two ga SUNDAY: and pay for 1 pm to 12 midnight Major League Lanes 151 S. Strarford Rd. P Ph 725-5141 / ENER /~ BCONOR vmmini? a y LOWER MON.-FR J THRUWAT MALL SAT. 11 I SPECIAI I This Wei 1 Wtf WM ^ I $40 TRi I ~ for each I wmd?w I JPjj _Vinyl TlI Alffifl IllL#^ Energy effic I *1111 action f( I 0 I Financing Available jiwiiigiapig^^ Motk&i y Daugh \J FALL S A Save ^ on JEANS CI \ $5 Mi ON /;/)m ??? ,,<* mMinMaw in iwiiiLsowijsB frrr--"-TTT--MI Jin t Br lftVr^ [ ALL ?j~t~ -fir. 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Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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Aug. 23, 1984, edition 1
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