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75 cent.' ^ ^ W I N STOIN - S A LE M GREENSBORO HlCH POINT Vol. XXVII No. 37
%?r* Chroni r ::r 5
^ from this library
^ The Choice for African-American News
Photo by Paul Collins j
Graduate Sandra Green (right) gets hugs from her mother, Carol Elder (left), and
grandmother, Mable Ladson (center).
t ICC grads overcome
odds to receive degrees
BY PAUL COLLINS
THE CHRONICLE
"I can hardly get around but I had to
come see my granddaughter." said Mable
Ladson Friday night moments before she
and other family members entered Wait
Chapel to see Sandra Green receive her
associate's degree as a registered nurse. It
was Forsyth Technical Community Col
lege's spring graduation.
"I'm just happy to be here tonight...just
as happy as I can be." Ladson said.
Green's mother, Carol Elder, said. "I
think God for this day. She (Green) said
she wasn't, but I knew she was going to do
it. It's been rough raising three boys...work
ing hard, trying to go to school. I told her
just hold on...she was going to make it.
We're proud of her....She's a very hard
worker...and willing to help anybody.''
Geraldine Ladson, aunt of Green, said.
"I'm a proud aunt."
Some ot the other family members on
hand to see Green graduate were: Leonard
Green, Carol Elder, Pam Elder. Earl Lad
son, Renee Ladson, Shameka. Geraldine
Ladson, Shawn Elder. Meoshia Elder.
Christina Elder. Tuwanna Ladson.
Green said, "My future plans are to
continue working at Baptist Hospital and
to further my education in medical law. 1
went through a lot to get here today. That's
working with a family, going to school,
everything, but I made it. I have three boys,
and working full time. I'm a nursing assis
tant now at Baptist."
She plans to pursue a B.S.N, degree in
medical law and hopes to eventually get a
managerial position at the hospital.
Another graduate, Cassandra Wright,
said, "My (associate's) degree is in early
childhood... My plan is to try to get in the
school system as a teacher. I plan on going
to UNC-G to get my B.A. degree."
Asked to comment on any challenges
she faced in earning her degree, Wright
said, "1 work for Head Start. I have a fam
ily of four that 1 have to help take care of,
and also lost some pay trying to go to
school and work also. But it...was really
worth it."
She said she was very excited about
graduating. She was expecting about 15
friends and relatives to attend graduation.
"My husband is here. My mother is here
from Fort Lauderdale. Florida. My son is
here from the Navy. My two younger sons
are also here, and a host of friends and rei
ser FTCC tm A2
Masons trom around
the world meet in city
Photo by Cortney Hill
Grand Masters Marvin Chambers and
Deary "Mickey" Vaughn both worked
together during this annual event in Win
ston-Salem.
BY CORTNEY L. HILL
THE CHRONICLE
With more than 100 years of Mason
ry in the United States, Masons and the
Order of the Eastern Stars from all over
the nation held their 53rd Conference of
Grand Chapters at the Adam's Mark
Hotel May 8-12.
Every year, this annual event is held at
a different city and this year's host city
was Winston-Salem. With various meet
ings, luncheons and events being held in
the hotel, the organization still had time
to reflect an its mission, which is to
increase awareness of many issues that
face African Americans today.
Grand Masters Marvin Chambers of
North Carolina and Deary "Mickey"
Vaughn of Oklahoma were present at the
conference. Vaughn served as president
of the Conference of Grand Masters and
expounded on the purpose of the event.
"These conferences are held to mainly
make plans and formulate ideas to fur
ther our organization. Our prime purpose
is to better all people and focus on edu
cation for the young people."
Chambers explained that the Masons
is not a religious organization but is
based on religious principles. "What
makes our organization so unique is that
we are a worldwide organization." said
Chambers. "We have members in Western
Europe. Africa. Japan and any other
place you can think of. We are the only
Masonic organization to accept all races
and cultures."
Some future plans that the charitable,
non-profit organization is working on
are: increasing the awareness of the
importance of wearing a seat belt: bring
ing the closeness back within minority
See Masons mr All
....Depart to Serve
Record
class told to
learn the
game of life
BY T. KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE
"We're ready. We're ready," chanted
a throng of energized young people Sat
urday morning as they prepared to take
the most important steps of their lives.
The opening notes of "Pomp and
Circumstance" halted the students'
chant and sent them back into forma
tion. They then marched out onto the
floor of Joel Coliseum. Their black caps
and gowns made for an awesome sight
for the thousands that cheered from the
stands. The graduates' families and
friends called their names as they
moved. In response, some graduates
waved or smiled; others posed for pic
tures or tried to understand the words
that were being screamed by loved ones
many feet away.
Winston-Salem State University's
109th commencement had all the trap
pings of any other ceremony - a lack of
dry eyes; hope and promise in the eyes
of the graduates and an endless stream
of words of encouragement.
But the school's rich history and
promising future served as important <
backdrops for this commencement i
exercise. A day earlier. Harold Martin
Sr. was named the school's 12th chan
.ellor, winning the job after serving as
nterim chaneellor for more than a year,
rhe school also graduated its largest
,S?' WSSU grads on AS
Photo by Kevin Walker
Graduate Hope Wilkins looks up at family members as she walks into Joel Col
iseum for Winston-Salem State's commencement.
Money is on Martin's mind
BY T. KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE
Harold Martin first
laughed when asked if he
n I ti n c
p . ? I. o
t o
retire
from
Win
ston
Salem
State
U n i -
versity.
After a
few
sec
onds
of thought, he simply said,
"We will work toward that
end." ,
Judging from the many
ovations Martin received
Saturday as he oversaw his
second commencement
exercise as chancellor, many
people would like to see
Martin at the helm for the
next decade or sO.
After 16 months serving
as interim chancellor, Mar
tin earned the permanent
job May 11 after the board
of governors for the Uni
versity of North Carolina
system approved him for the
position after UNC system
President Molly Broad
nominated Martin.
"Sixteen months ago,
Winston-Salem State Uni
versity was a campus adrift,
an institution eager for a
strong leader to guide it
through a critical time of
change and transition," said
Broad in a statement.
"WSSU found that leader in
Harold Martin, and under
his steady hand the campus
already has experienced a
remarkable transforma
tion."
Martin's appointment
tame
after a
months
I o n g
search
for a
perma
n e n t
chancel
lor for
the uni
versity.
Because
of Mar
tins many accompnsnmenis
since coming to WSSU at
the beginning of 2000,
members of WSSU's board
of trustees wanted to rec
ommend Martin for the
permanent job without
interviewing other candi
dates.
The board decided to
pursue a regular search
process after Martin, him- ,
self, insisted upon it. A
series of community meet
ings were held earlier this
year to get public input into
the search process. Trustees
also interviewed prospective
candidates just a few weeks
ago.
Martin said he was
always confident that his
experience and reputation
would carry him far in the
search process.
"I am pleased that clo
sure to the process has
resulted in my position
(becoming) permanent," he
said after the commence
Sei Martin <>u A5
Martin
Broad
I Class of '46 relives memories
BY T. KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE
A special section in
Joel Coliseum was
roped off for a stately
looking group of
women and men at
Winston-Salem State
University's gradua
tion, an ideal spot in
the large arena that
gave the group a bird's
eye view of the goings
on.
Most in the group
sat quietly observing
the event, occasionally
whispering a few words
into a neighbor's ear.
Near the end of the cer
emony they were recog
nized by the universi
ty's chancellor. After
hearing who the group
was. the crowd and the
graduates pelted them
with applause and
whistles.
The reception is
indicative of the kind
of respect and love
that Winston-Salem
State's Class of 1946
receives from the
WSSU family, even
from the newest mem
bers of the growing
clan.
The class held its
55th reunion here last
week, coinciding with
the 109th commence
ment of its beloved
WSSU. The close-knit *
class enjoyed many
Set Class of '46 on AS
Photo by Kevin Walker
Samuel Davit and titer fittt catch up on tome of the good timet.
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