"The NCAA has changed the rules, kid... From now on you'd have to
be able to pass a test as well as a football."
Urban dwellers strain farmland
by John Sledge
N.C. Farm Bureau Federation
It must be the pioneer spirit in
many of us who have the goal to
own a few acres of land that we
can call our own. In the last few
generations, citizens have become
a nation of urban dwellers.
The desire to get away from the
city but yet live close enough to en
joy the many benefits a city offers
has put severe stress on farmland.
This has strained the ag sector
severely in some areas. There are
now about as many "part time"
farmers as there arc full time
farmers, and more in many areas
of the country. To the credit of
both segments, they have proven a
powerful force when working for
the betterment of agriculture.
It's also a blessing, since the in
terrelationships between the rural
and urban components of the
economy have become increasingly
complex and vital to one another.
It takes cooperation from all
sectors to enable farmers to supply
the food needs of this country and
those of other nations.
America's advancement has
been possible only because of
agriculture's production which has
freed the majority of the popula
tion to engage in other economic
activities. Though not actually
producing food, our citizenry still
has a vested interest in it.
This is why issues such as food
safety, nutrition, land use and
agriculture policies have become as
relevant to our "city" neighbors as
they have always been to the ag
community.
A message from an Indian
v by Lucian Coleman
" The year was 1805. Sogo
(yewapha stood in his tattered old
scarltft jacket before the council of
the chiefs of the Six Nations. He
i himself was the Seneca nation.
Mr. Cram, a Christian mis
sionary, had just finished speaking
of his proposed missionary work
among the Indians. "Red Jacket"
\ looked quietly at Cram for a long
^ moment, then he addressed these
Utters
(Continued from page 2B)
and maybe bring financial ruin on
the economies of the world. If the
price goes below S28 a barrel, look
out.
As I understand this, if the price
of oil keeps dropping, then the
, price of gasoline will fall, and we'll
* all face financial ruin. Makes a
man shudder to pull into a filling
station.
I've read that it costs 25C a bar
rel to pump OPEC oil out of the
ground. It didn't cost anything to
put it there.
I have been trying my best to
work up some sympathy for an
outfit that has that sort of a mark
_ up, but I just can't seem to swing
* it.
Another thing I'd like more in
formation on is the plight of big
American banks who have loaned
billions of dollars to the
undeveloped or backward coun
tries and now can't get it back.
In fact, its argued that if the
banks foreclosed, the world money
market would collapse.
I don't know anything about
* that, but what I'd like to know is
how did those backward countries
con the banks into lending them
the money in the first place? That's
the kind of backwardness I'd like
to learn more about. It'd sure be
some handy information to have. I
know lots of farmers I could sell it
to, maybe some car makers.
Yours faithfully,
J. A.
* Telethon help
appreciated
To The Editor:
I would like to send my heartfelt
thanks to all the people of Raeford
and Hoke County for their support
in the March of Dimes telethon
which was held on TV-40 Fay
etteville this past Saturday-Sunday
, Feb. 5, 6.
? I would also like a special thanks
to go to the Raeford Junior
Woman's Club and the Raeford
Jaycees for the many hours they
spent in manning the phone center
here and to the United Carolina
i Bank for letting us in the Bank
I facilities as the phone center.
Tommy Connell
I Vice Chairman of Board
Cape Fear March of Dimes
words to Him:
"Brother, there was a time when
our forefathers owned this great
island... But an evil day came upon
us. Your forefathers crossed the
great water and landed on this
island. Their numbers were small.
They found friends and not
enemies. We gave them corn and
meat; they gave us poison in
return.
Things That Matter
"At length their numbers were
greatly increased. They wanted
more land; they wanted our coun
try.
"Brother, our seats were once
large and yours were small. You
have now become a great people,
and we have scarcely a place to
spread our blankets. You have got
our country, but are not satisfied;
you want to forcc your religion
upon us.
"Brother, you say there is but
one way to worship and serve the
Great Spirit. If there is but one
religion, why do you white people
differ so much about it? Why not
all agreed, as you can all read the
Book?"
"Brother, we are told that you
have been preaching to the white
people in this place. These people
are our neighbors. We are ac
quainted with them. We will wait a
little while and see what effect your
preaching has upon them. If we
find it does them good, makes
them honest, and less disposed to
cheat Indians, we will then con
sider again what you have said."
Since Red Jacket was not a
Christian, unacquainted with the
Book of which he spoke, his
message was not based on a
biblical text. Had he known about
it, though, he might have used the
scripture, "faith apart from works
is dead."
Opinions
Fmtfc
Superintendent's Desk
1 Bytofa try
Pleasant Memories
In the 35 years I have been in
public education I have met some
great characters. One of my all
time favorites is Ed Burt, former
mayor of Biscoe in Montgomery
County. This location was reserved
for a corner of heaven. If you
don't believe that just ask Mr.
Burt.
Ed graduated from the Universi
ty of North Carolina in the early
20s. He played baseball for UNC
in 1921. 1 came to love Ed like a
father over the years, and we con
tinue to be great friends. He has
been to Hoke County several times
to play golf with me. At the age of
77 he still holds his own.
Ed Burt is one of the most
knowledgeable men I have ever
known. He can talk about any sub
ject you want to talk about. Many
of his tales center around his
father.
He told me that his father had
one of the first automobiles in
Montgomery County. His father
taught himself to drive but didn't
do a very good job because he was
a terrible driver.
One bright sunny day his father
decided to drive to Aberdeen, tak
ing Ed along even though Ed
didn't really want to go and was
scared to get in the car.
Unfortunately, his fears were
justified. They met one car on their
way to Aberdeen and ran into it
head-on.
He also told me about the time
his father drove the car from
Biscoe to Chapel Hill without ever
taking it out of second gear. He
fussed all the way because the car
had a hum in it and threatened to
sue the man who sold it to him.
Ed is a great Democrat. He is the
one who told me the story about
his father driving him to town in a
wagon to see a Repbulican. Some
one had told the elder Mr. Burt
that there was a Republican in
town so he rushed home to get his
son because he wanted him to see a
Republican and this might be his
only chance.
He was the only man 1 have ever
known who could make profanity
sound like classical language. He
didn't cull folks out when he decid
ed to curse. If a minister was
around he either had to stop up his
ears or overlook it because Ed
didn't slow up for anyone.
Ed told me one time that he
knew the secret of winning at golf.
I questioned him about the secret
and he said "cheat".
It never entered my mind that he
would have a heart attack, but he
did. I figured he would just fade
away. As soon as 1 saw him I knew
he would be all right because he
had that mischievous glint in his
eye, and 1 knew he had another
tale to tell. After inquiries as to the
state of his health, he immediately
had to tell me about a visit from
his sister, Mrs. Bruton.
Mrs. Bruton is the mother of Dr.
David Bruton, former chairman of
the N.C. State Board of Education.
She shares his sense of humor and
wit. She walked into the intensive
care unit to see Ed who was attach
ed to all kinds of monitors. She
said "Ed, you have always said
you were going to live to be a hun
dred. I don't believe you will make
it.'*
I have spent many days with Ed7
Burt talking about how the world
should be but never would be. His
advice and steady hand got me
through many trying situations. Ed
could be a great critic and didn't
mind expressing his opinion.
If you liked it, well and good,
but if you didn't, it was just a
small part of the education you
would get by associating with him.
At times I would get so mad with
him my blood would boil. If that
concerned him, he never showed it.
But that is the way with fathers.
They feel you must take the
criticism with the praise and learn
to digest both so it would help
prepare you for what lies ahead.
CAREER EXPLORA TION -- Cadet te Girl Scouts of Hoke County are starting their Career Exploration with
Hospital A ide Training. They are being instructed by Mrs. Flora A lice Cro wder RS and Mrs. Mary Brady R.\ at
the Open Arms Rest Home. After their training, they will give a minimum of 25 hours of voluntary service at the
Rest Home. This training and service will serve a two-fold purpose: it will allow insight into hospital work as a
career for the girls and, at the same time, provide an opportunity to give service to others. Pictured here are on
the second row: Vicki Govan, Carolyn Monroe, Margaret Moore, Sonya McCaskill, Tracey Cook, and on the
first row: Jackie Grace, Pamela Stubbs, Mary Ann Jackson, Pamela Carter.
AT CERTAIN TEMPERATURES,ENERGY
BECOMES A I0TMOWE VAiilABlE.
When the temperature takes a nose
dive, as it's doing now, the use of energy
skyrockets. People need more electricity
to heat homes, businesses and factories.
But all that additional demand has a
price. Our ability to produce electricity
gets pushed to the limit. While often, your
energy costs get pushed through the roof
That's why now, during this period
of severe cold, we're asking everyone to
make an extra effort to conserve electricity
For example, we've talked a lot about
peak load, the time of day when the most
people use the most electricity.
Right now, the peak runs from 6 AM
to 1 PM,andthenagainfrom4PM to9PM.
If everyone uses less electricity
during these peaks, we'll be able to meet
your needs no matter what the winter
may have in store. Meanwhile, you'll help
keep your energy costs reasonable, even
when the weather's not.
At CP&L we appreciate all of your
efforts. Because at these temperatures,
energy is really much too
valuable to waste. wl'wli