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P?0? A4-Th? Chronicle, Thursday, July 3, 1906
Winston-Salem Chronicle
Founded 1974
ItNIST H. WTT, Publisher
NDUMSI MIMONYI ALLIN JOHNSON
Co-Founder Executive Editor
LAIN! L MTT MICHAIL WTT
Office Manager Circulation Manager
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EDITORIALS
Shaw's troubles
GOV. JAMES MARTIN was sworn in as chairman of
the slate's United Negro College Fund drive last week in
Raleigh.
Ten blocks away, a private black school, Shaw University.
struggled to stay dive.
Martin is this state's first governor to head a UNCF
drive, and he has put his ? and state workers' ? money
where his mouth is, making the drive part of the State
Government Employees' Annual Combined Campaign.
But Shaw, a UNCF member school, can't wait for the
organization's godsend, most of which comes from the national
"Lou Rawls Parade of Stars" telethon in
December. It needs help now and has started a campaign
of its own.
"The endowments of these institutions are too small,"
m*iA f TXTnT 1 1- Li i_
! am mi muu ui unvr swnuuis u nis swearing-in ceremony
as campaign chairman, "yet they continue to work to keep
class size small enough to provide individual attention to
their students. The challenge is not to do a better job, but
to excel."
To excel, however, you need to exist.
The UNCF raised more than S3 million last year for
North Carolina's six UNCF member institutions. Those
institutions include Shaw, Barber-Scotia College in Concord,
Bennett College, Johnson C. Smith University in
Charlotte, Livingstone College in Salisbury and St.
Augustine's College in Raleigh.
The national UNCF campaign is one of the top four
fund-raising programs in the country and benefits 43
historically black colleges and universities nationwide.
But privately funded schools, black and otherwise, still
must struggle to survive in an age of frighteningly high
operating costs. We have a vested interest in that battle.
"We need the kind of leadership for our young people
that our black colleges and universities are providing,"
says Rep. Dan Blue, chairman of the North Carolina
Legislative Black Caucus. "Without them, many of our
young people would not have had the opportunity for an
education in the past, and this is still true. They have proven
themselves hevnnH a ?haHAw nf a HnnK* a?<4
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are needed."
So is your help.
The School Bus Controversy
Much has been written and said about the school bus accident
that injured 35 Forsyth County students on the last
day of school.
Herewith is our two cents:
The teen-age bus driver has weathered more criticism
than he deserves. The school system's ambiguous stance
on bus conduct has not.
Certainly the driver's judgment could have been better.
Maybe he shouldn't have continued the bus route after the
students had been so disruptive that he had to stop before
the accident to restore order.
But, while some have been quick to advocate all-adult
bus drivers, chronologically older drivers won't guarantee
more psychologically mature drivers. The driver who
allegedly encouraged his riders to attack two of their
fellow students in an earlier incident this year was 26 years
old.
What's more, rowdy students can distract a school bus
driver regardless of his age.
The city-county school board and Superintendent Zane
E. Eargle should mandate that disruptive conduct won't
be tolerated on school buses.
They also should standardize and make crystal-clear the
consequences for misbehavior on school buses. And they
should involve parents somehow in ensuring that conduct
does not become a problem in the fixture. Perhaps mothers
and fathers could be recruited as volunteer monitors, as
one school board member has suggested.
Whatever form it takes, parents should be involved in
the solution.
Sen. John East
Sen. John East died at his home last weekend, an apparent
suicide.
East was as conservative as they come, and he and our
newspaper seldom, if ever, saw eye to eye.
East favored formal prayer in the schools. We oppose
it. He opposed busing for integration. We favor it.
He and Sen. Jesse Helms voted almost identically. We,
of course, despise most of what Helms stands for.
But East was a man who spoke his mind and who had
worked hard, both politically and professionally, despite
the crippling effects of polio and other health problems. .
His death was tragic and unfortunate.
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Mrs. Gregoi
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To The Editor:
Today I stand bewildered and
crushed after witnessing an
honest and hard-working mother
being victimized and wronged by
.a large corporation that
flourishes and prospers because it
advertises itself as a Christian,
life-saving and charitable
organization. That organization,
with hat in hands, prowls the
county of Forsyth for sizeable
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donations irom the poor and
powerful, so that it can exceed an
annual budget of $6 million.
In 1980, the last of my seven
years I faithfully gave to the
United Way of Forsyth County
Inc.'s Board of Directors, I was
appointed to serve as acting
chairman of the social services
allocation subcommittee, which
involved six agencies in the social
services category: Battered
Women, Family Planning, Legal
Aid; Red Cross, Volunteers and
the Urban League.
The designated chairman had
refused to serve when she
discovered the work involved.
Our purpose was to hold heairings
with the six angencies to see if
their new budget proposals for
the next year could be justified.
This subcommittee only made
recommendations to the Allocations
General Committee.
Marjorie Gregory, a former
member of the Model City Commission
and a recent member of
the United Way Board of Forsyth
Newark blac
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NEW YORK - Jesse Jackson
has his faults and Jesse Jackson
will never be president of the
United States and he misleads
and dissipates the political
energies of Black America with
his perennial campaigns, but
Jesse Jackson was historically
and politically correct when he
backed a qualified black candidate
for Congress against an
unqualified white candidate in
Newark, N.J.
Columnist Carl Rowan said
Jackson had created a racial
"drag1* on the Democratic Party
that would sink it in the 1986 and
1988 elections. Jackson's injection
of race is alienating whites,
the writer continued, the implication
being that, if Jesse Jackson
wore not around, whites would
elect (and in some cases re-elect)
blacks in greater numbers. In my
opinion, the Newark race
demonstrates that white alienation
is not the primary political
problem of blacks.
The New York Times,
liberalism's bible, said in an
editorial that Jackson "... in
sisted on a deplorable choice by
race: Mr. Payne's blackness over
Mr. Rodino's whiteness. The
voters, most of them black, had a
keener sense of their interest, inchiding
civil rights, and had no
qualms about choosing Mr.
Rodino."
The blacks in Newark, indeed,
as the Times reported, turned
their backs on Jackson, blackness
and a superbly qualified black city
councilman named Donald
Payne. They returned to office
for his 20th term a white man
named Peter Rodino who ran on
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CHRONICLE MAILBA<
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County, was the United Way
staff member to work with me
with these six agencies, and contributed
much to my committee
by providing much-needed information
to my committee and
agency staff members.
As acting chairman, it was I
who set the criterion for the hearings.
It was I who set the pace
and controlled the committee. In
my opinion, and in most cases, a
staff member is usually subservient
to a bonafide board
member.
n 1 ?i * ?
wui ncorings ran iour nours or
longer. Mrs. Gregory was always
on time. She was always
prepared. The long day was never
a factor; she was personable and
cheerful. All of the participating
executives and staff members
leaned very heavily on her
answers and advice. She was
always in charge of her subject
matter; that was very easily
recognized. Mrs. Gregory was
left to fend for herself. No
assistance ever came from the offices
of the administration.
I do remember seeing the executive
director sit in on our hearing
during one session for a very
few minutes. There was no other
visible support from the administration.
The general chairman
of the Allocation Committee,
Mr. Jackson Steele, was
k voters re-el
TOWV BROWN
.Syndicated Columnist
his "civil rights" record.
Rodino has done nothing to
? ?
ucvciup an economic oasc in an
almost all-black congressional
district; instead of meat and
potatoes, he feeds his blacks
"civil rights." The New Jersey
Greater News reported that
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Rodino's district "can boast of
one of the highest functional illiteracy
rates in America, one of
the highest rates of unemployment
in America, one of the
highest rates of homeless citizens
in any major area in America and
one of die highest crime rates in
America."
While blacks rejected
Jackson's clear statement of fact
that "there has never been one.
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1 or grovel
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usually present, making very
valuable contributions.
It was my great pleasure to
work with Mrs. Gregory for
several days. I found her to be
most interesting and very
knowledgeable about the United
Way. Her language, speech and
diction left nothing to be desired,
but it played a major role in her
dismissal, say the rumors.
Other charges oited in her firing:
She was too strict with her
staff. She clamored for excellence
of the highest order; she was
serious, never playing for attention
or the grandstand. Unfortunately,
in some offices these
things are vices.
Mrs. Gregory, if you should
happen to read this letter, a word
of advice: In some jobs and offices,
you are expected to grovel
and crawl before the "in crowd."
You simply did your job - and
paid for it.
H.B. Goodson
Winston-Salem
Well wishes
The writer is president of the
National Dental Association.
To The Editor:
After reading the article on the
Please see page A12
etc# poverty
black congressman" from New
Jersey (and Rodino, an Italian,
led them to believe that Jackson's
logic was racist thinking), they ignored
Rodino's historic ascension
to office.
In 1948, the political bosses in
New Jersey decided that Italians,
one of the largest voting blocs in
! Essex County, N.J., should have
j a representative in Congress. The
incumbent had an impeccable
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record of serving his constituents,
Italians included. But fairness
dictated that an Italian go to
Congress to represent the interests
of Italians.
However, when Jackson made
the same case for Macks in 1966,
he was accused of racism. Not
true. Rodino's record does not
qualify him to represent blacks'
legitimate interests and they had
PIMM SH page A12
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CHILDWATCH I
Make July 4 u I
a safe holiday ! I
By MARIAN W.-EDELMAN
Syodk>?t?d OolMfnnltt
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WASHINGTON - July 4, our
nation's birthday, should be a
time of fun and celebration. But
for Mary Jones, an 8-year-old
girl, it quickly turned into a horrible
experience. A spark from a
sparkler she was holding caught
her dress afire, causing secoqdand
third-degree burns to her leg. I
Unfortunately, Mary's was xjot'
: an isolated case. The Consumer
, Product Safety Commission
estimates that, in 1985, 10,300
people were treated in hospital
emergency rooms for iqfuijes
related to fireworks. More than
half the injuries were burps, I
many involving the head apd
face. Forty-two percent of (he
victims were under 15 years old. J
Many or these incidents,
especially those affecting
children, tend to involve
fireworks and firecrackers commonly
sold in stores, such as
Roman candles, party poppers,
sparklers and the like. Only 14
states completely ban all of these
devices.
But even if you live in a state
where fireworks are sold jin
stores, you can still take soipe
simple steps to help protect yojur
children from harm this fci- H
dependence Day. The CPSC offers
the following guidelines for
parents:
Never allow younger children
to play with fireworks. I^o
firework is a safe toy for a youjig
child, not even the sparkler,
which burns at high
temperatures. Little children c?i- I
not be relied on to understand tjhe
danger involved or to act correjpt
ly if an emergency develops. J
Only allow older children !to
use fireworks under close adult
supervision. Running Or
horseplay should be forbidden
during use, as they increase the 1
danger of an accident.
Before fireworks are used, fl
follow a few basic precautions.
First, read and follow all warning
instructions printed on the label.
Second, light the fireworks in a
clear area away from houses or
flammable materials such as
gasoline cans. Keep a bucket of
water nearby in case of emergency
or to douse fireworks that do
not go off.
While using fireworks, be bs
cautious as possible. Be sure
other people are out of range.
Never ignite fireworks in a con
f-ll _ ? -
uuncr, especially a glass or meqai
container. If a firework turns out
to be a dud, do not try to relight I
or handle it. Just soak it with
water and throw it away. Unused
fireworks should be stored in a
cool, dry place or according to
special storage directions.
. Finally, be sure you supervise
the ordering and use of mail-,
order, "make-your-own*'
: fireworks kits. Some kit contents
.can produce dangerous, explosiye I
devices.
I hope your family will follow
these steps and have a safe, happy
Fourth of July.
Marian Wright Edeiman is a
National Newspaper
Publishers Association columnist
who is president of
the Children's Defense Fund,
a national voice for youth.
ABOUT LETTERS I
The Chronicle welcomes letter*
from its readers, as well as columns.
Letters should be as conjcisf
as possible and typed or
printed legibly. They also should
include the name, address arid
telephone number of the writer;
Columns should follow the
same guidelines and will be
published if we feel they are of interest
to our general readership;
We reserve the right to edit letters
for brevity and grammar.
Submit your letters and columns
to Chronicle Mailbag, P.O.
Box 3154, Winston-Salem, N.C;,
27102. r
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