Clje Cfjarlotte ^osft/Carolinas
THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 1996
REGIONAL
PHOTO/PAUL WILLIAMS III
Republican presidential candidate Alan Keyes still hammers his point about America’s moral decline despite disappointing cam
paign resuits. Keyes, a former ambassador and coliege president, spoke in Rock Hiii iast week.
S.C. turns out for
state’s version of
Washington rally
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
COLUMBIA — About 500
people attended a rally here
Saturday as South Carolina
blacks tried to bring home the
message of the Million Man
March in October.
“It's sort of like a continua
tion of the Million Man March.
It expounds on the same
things the Million Man March
focused on," said Carl Nimally
of Columbia, who attended the
Washington, D.C., event.
The Million Man March was
led by Nation of Islam leader
Louis Farrakhan. It was a call
for black men to take responsi
bility for their lives and fami
lies and to dedicate themselves
to fighting drugs, violence and
imemployment.
The National Park Service
said 400,000 black men
attended the national march.
Independent sources have put
the figure at more than
800,000.
Nunally said black men
should join social or fraternal
organizations or become
involved with their local
church to improve relations
throughout the black commu
nity.
He also criticized Republican
candidates, who were holding
their South Carolina primary
Saturday, for not attending the
event.
“If any of their candidates
wanted to come here today and
address the crowd - I don't see
any," he said. “They're not
recruiting African-Americans
into their area."
Michael Williams of Saluda
also attended the Million Man
March. He brought a banner to
Saturday's rally that read:
“Injustice upon minorities
anywhere is a threat to justice
for everyone everywhere."
T
*
PHOTO/CALVIN FERGUSON
About 500 South Carolinians participated in a scaied-down
version of the Miiiion Man March (pictured). The South
Carolina raiiy was heid in Columbia, the state capital.
Keyes presses
on despite
poor showings
Message is to attack moral crises
By Thomie Moses
FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST
ROCK HILL - Presidential
candidate Alan Keyes may not
be among the most popular in
the Republican presidential pri
maries, but his message about
the nation's moral crisis is get
ting people's attention.
"I think it's the perfect mes
sage," said Rock Hill City
Council member Kevin Sutton.
"It's a very good economic and
social message for the country
and family unity is stressed," he
said.
The former U.S. diplomat has
not been shy about rousing
Republican audiences by draw
ing attention to what he per
ceives as the nation's moral cri
sis. Keyes, who is especially
respected by the most fervent
wing of the anit-abortion move
ment, believes that empowering
families," particularly parents, is
what everyone should be con
cerned about.
“All of our nroblems stem from
the breakdown of the family and
the decline of morals," Keyes
said during a recent visit to the
Rock Hill area.
"We have become a people who
worship a licentious and corrupt
concept of freedom," he said.
“We've been told that freedom
even includes the right to reach
into the womb and murder
unborn children, subject to no
more than the whim of a moth
er."
Previously unknown to the
nation, Keyes, a former presi
dent at historically-black
Alabama A&M University, has
drawn a great deal of attention
by protesting his recent exclu
sion from a debate held in
Columbia, S.C. by starting a
hunger strike. He was also
excluded from an Atlanta debate
where he was handcuffed fpr try
ing to participate. He was later
released without being charged
by police, but pledged to fight
the system that excluded him
from the debates.
Keyes has used his presiden
tial campaign to gain statue in
Republican circles and to get his
message out.
“It's a message we need,"
Sutton said.
Local supporter Bill Hopper
said Keyes is an eloquent speak
er and describes him as “presi
dential material." He is disap
pointed, however, that more peo
ple are not iii support of Keyes.
Fewer than 200 people showed
up for two Keyes appearances in
Rock Hill.
Carmen Coleman, a junior at
Winthrop University said Keyes
“made me think," after hearing
some of his views on issues rang
ing from affirmative action to
abortion.
Despite his recent exclusion
from the debates, many York
County Republicans believe
Keyes has an important message
and they want people to hear it.
York County Republican
Chairman Duane Hansen says
Keyes has done pretty good for
himself in terms of gaining
recognition for his candidacy
despite several poor showings in
the primaries.
Program puts students on
Fast Track to success
By Carol Meeks
FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST
SALISBURY - A program at North Rowan Middle School helps
students get a chance to recover from academic mistakes.
In 1990, North Rowan educators designed the Fast Track
Program under the leadership of former principal Harold
Thomas to help students who have had academic problems.
Thanks to the initial funding of the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
and subsequent funding by the school system, the program gives
students the chance to make up a failed grade in one calendar
year.
Statistics show that more than half the students who complet
ed the program actually fast-tracked or skipped one grade level.
According to guidance counselor Sue Peele, "Students get the
chance to skip a grade by completing the program, thus enhanc
ing their self esteem as well as helping to develop within them
selves a sense of success and accomplishment."
Fast Track is a comprehensive dropout-prevention program,
designed to motivate, educate and meet the needs of middle
school students who have been unable to succeed in a traditional
school setting. It is based on the school-within-a-school concept,
and puts a different twist to the year-round school concept.' Sixty
seventh- and eighth-grade students who have been retained one
or more years take course work in commimication skills, social
studies, math and science. They are mainstreamed for
exploratory and health/physical education, lunch and extracur
ricular activities.
The program is known for its other unique assets as well. The
staff includes four teachers, one guidance counselor, a computer
specialist and a secretary. Peele and Pattie Secreast, the team
leader, share the administrative duties under the leadership of I.
Jerome Heggins, the school’s principal. Special program compo
nents include computer-assisted instruction; frequent motiva
tional speakers; cooperative (group) and experimental
teaching/leaming activities; group, individual and family coun
seling; parent education; in-home visits made by the counselor,
and parent support groups. Some students even serve as tutors
for younger students even serve as tutors for younger students.
Fast Track is an intensive program, and the majority of the stu
dents complete it successfully. With a Governor's Award for
Excellence visible near the principal's office, the fruits of the
See FAST TRACK Page 8B