Pqq© 2, Th© Corolino Indion Vole©
EDITORIAL
AND OPINION
PAGE
Put it before them briefly so they
will read it. clearly so they will
appreciate it, picturesquely so they
will remember it, and. above all
accurately so they will be guided by
its lights.
REFLECTIONS
-Joseph Pulitzer
AS I SEE IT
DrucP Dnrron
UPDATE ON THE
PEMBROKE CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE &
AGRICULTURE, INC...
Word has reached us that
the Pembroke Chamber of
Commerce & Agriculture, Inc.
is holding a board of directors
meeting tonight (Thursday) at
the Pembroke Town Hall at
7:30 p.m. According to our
source, the board of directors
will discuss possibly holding
an open meeting for the
general purpose of accepting
membership from the busi
nessmen, professional people,
etc. who might be interested in
joining the, until now, mostly
inactive organization.
1 have talked to many bus
inessmen who have expressed
an interest in joining the
Pembroke Chamber of Com
merce & Agriculture, Inc.
They tend to believe that an
active chamber of commerce
would be good for their bus
inesses. I agree. And I take the
above development as a posi
tive step in the right direction.
I personally would like very
much to join the Pembroke
Chamber of Commerce &
Agriculture. Inc. 1 believe my
membership would be good for
The Carolina Indian Voice
Newspaper and Print Shop and
the Town of Pembroke. More
next week...
MRS. GRACE EPPS
IS A REMARKABLE LADY
Some people notice nuances
...others pay them no mind;
but 1 have seldom criticized
out educators. Most of nty
criticism has been directed at
the administration and those
who presume to know what is
best for us and our children
without asking our opinion,
The superintendent of the
county school system ought to
be a qualified Indian and the
school board ought to at least
reflect the pupil enrollment
which is 60% Indian, 20%
Black and 20% White.
But a remarkable lady is
retiring from service with the
Robeson County School Unit
as a teacher and supervisor.
She has served well and I
personally admire her very
much. She is one who worked
within the system and the
system is belter for her
forebearance and understand
ing and insight. She did not
stop and question the way
things are as much as she
began from her particular focal
point and worked outward to
make the system work better.
All of us owe her a debt of
gratitude. Ishall miss her, and
the board of education will be
Instant
Replay
NC. Dial 521-4805
pemBcolCc“NWR??
Allergy sufferers:
here is good advice
People can make fun of
allerpes. Yet for nearly 10
million who suffer from
the more serious asth
matic form, it is no jokini
matter. An untreatet
youngster, for example,
may wind up with physi
cal weakness, personality ,, , ....
problems, heart damage, pohen, or a host of other al
as well as disabling lung i®rgens may stimulate
disease. Competitive y?ur body’s production of
sports are usually ruled htstammes. This is why
out for them, and “no,” 9“^" suggest antihis-
they don’t always out- reme-
grow their asthmatic con- ^ relieve congestion,
ditions rashes, sneezing and itchy
eyes.
Allergy can hit any- We’re not only your drug
tone. At any age. House store, but your friend,
dust, dog hair, ragweed Come see us soon.
hard pressed to replace her.
Her motto is ‘‘God bless the
children.”
1 hope her retirement is
peaceful and enjoyable and
fruitful. We have lost a
Warrior for Education,
WHY I AM SUPPORTING
CARNELL LOCKLEAR FOR A
SEAT ON THE COUNTY
BOARD OF EDUCATION
My daddy and mama taught
me never to be biggety and
“above people.” I like me
mo.stly because 1 am not stuck
up and do not consider myself
better than anyone else.
I am a Robeson County
Indian pure and simple. 1 have
picked cotton and cropped
tobacco and I still talk with an
Elizabethan twang. I am no
better than anyone else BUT 1
AM NO LESS! I am proud of
who 1 am and what I am.
Carnell Locklear is a man who
will speak up when the need
arises. I believe he will repre
sent the little people like
myself on the board of edu
cation. I believe he will not
simply “go along with the
program” because that is the
popular thing to do.
1 believe Carnell Locklear
deserves a chance to be on the
county board of education
because he is an Indian and is.
1 think, eminently qualified to
serve the best interests of our
children.
Some of our Indian leaders,
in high places, have pooh
pawed his chances simply
because he is a Republican, I
liavc heard rumors that many
people in the county are telling
the voters that they cannot
vote for Carnell Locklear be
cause he is a Republican. That
is not true. You can vote for
Carnell Locklear...if you want
to, I am supporting Carnell
Locklear because he is the
under dog and has been, I
think, needlessly maligned
because of his party affili
ation. Carnell Locklear is an
Indian; afterall, HE IS A
LOCKLEAR!
And 1 like the under dog. I
want people to have the right
to vote for who they want to. If
Indian people do not want to
vote for Carnell Locklear...
well, that is their business and
I would not dare question that
right. What I question is the
mis statement of fact that they
cannot vote for him if they
want to. 1 support his right to
run for election and 1 am going
to vote for him because I think
he is a good man who will
represent the best interests of
all the children.
Beware of
tracks at
Rennert
To whom it may concern:
I am a parent of children
attending Rex-Rennert School.
1 am also a bus driver for the
school, 1 also live iVi miles
from the Railroad Crossing
where so many lives have been
taken. I cross that track 6
times a day, carrying approxi
mately 73 students, including
2 of my own. I have a lot of
responsibility, I care what
happens to all those children
as much as I do my own. I have
had to cross that track some
mornings when it was so foggy
you could hardly see. When
it’s raining really hard, it is
extremely dangerous. There
are branches from trees block
ing my view from both direct
ions. We are suppose to stop
10 feet away from the track but
at 10 feet there’s no way in the
world I could see either Way.I
have to be on the track almost
before I can see. There is a
dire need for some kind of
signal there to let you know
when a train is coming. 1 know
there are caution lights at one
crossing, but they are only
there to let you know there is a
railroad there. Most people
know that, but if there were
lights telling you when the
train was coming, it would be a
much safer place.
Most of the tracks up here are
double tracks. When a train is
on one track you can’t see on
the other one until the train is
long gone. One day you or
your loved ones might come by
there and get hit with the
train, Maybe you don’t care
but Tm sure the family of
the Hall’s care very much. I
know the trains have to run but
please can’t something be
done about these tracks? Peo
ple’s lives are more important
than the money it would take
to put them up. If I had the
money I would put them up
myself and I'm sure there are
more parents who agree with
me. Please take my letter into
consideration.
Thank you.
Mrs. Nadine Hunt
Rt.3,Bo*73-C
Shannon, N.C.28386
Yard
Sale
SATURDAY
OCTOBER 16,
9 'til 5 pm
at Home of
Mayor & Mrs.
Reggie Strickland
(Located on Jones
Street behind
Bo’s Foodland
PUNCH LINE
541-4848
PaiSHING - BUFFING
SATIN FINISHING
SCOTCH BRIGHT 8
TAMPICO BRUSHING
BEAR TEXING
X>B WORK • SMAU KOAiaiON RUNS
Co
LET US BID YOUR WORK
AL OEMERY - OWNER - OPERATOR
Dear Friends:
This afternoon I dropped
in on the first session of the
literacy workshop being held
on the PSU campus. The
workshop for college stu
dents and others interested in
becoming volunteer tutors.
Second and third sessions are
set for the next two Tuesday
afternoons from 1 to 4 p.m.
Room 204, Library Building.
If you would like to learn
about the Laubach method,
you are invited to be there this
coming Tuesday, Oct. 19.
Those attending for the first
time will be filled in on how to
teach the first lessons in Book
L
For details you may call m?
at 521-4691, Vernon Hazel
Locklear at 521-4323 or the
Center at 738-5204.
MOTHER-IN-LAW
My mother-in-law, Mrs.
Lizzie Oxendine, is home from
the hospital. She appreciates
the interest shown in her
during her illness.
BENEFIT CELEBRATION
All of us at the Church
and Community Center are
busy as can be inviting people
to the Center’s Benefit Cele
bration this Saturday night at
the Jaycee Fairground- where
the county fair was recently
held.
The “Benefit” starts at 7
p.m. Besides a meal (which
includes barbeque and chicken)
there will be a speaker and
three singing groups.
Each ticket is made up in the
form of a receipt for a $5.00
donation to the Center. Even
the VISTA and CETA pro
grams depend on having a
certain amount raised by local
people here in Robeson Coun
ty
Tickets can he bought from
staff members or at Pembroke
Drug Center. If you cannot
attend the banquet, any dona
tion you might wish to make
would be appreciated.
We arc very grateful to
friends of the Center who are
donating their time as well as
for those donating their money
to help us carry out the many
different programs under the
direction of the Center.
PRAYER FOR GUIDANCE
1 make so many mistakes.
Here is a prayer for guidance I
am trying to remember to pray
before making each decision:
Dear Father,
If this is wrong, help me to
know it.
If this is right, help me to do it.
Amen
Perhaps many of us will be
seeing each other Saturday
night at the Jaycee Fairground
for the “Benefit Celebration.”
With my sincere best wishes
to each of you,
ALTA OXENDINE
the white political establishment which has
controlled Robeson since Reconstruction.
Traditionally, the seat of power for this
establishment has been Lumberton; every
white county-wide elected public official, save
David Parnell of Parkton, resides within the
Lumberton area.The white Lumberton political
establishment has been able to dominate county
politics through skillful use of several factors:
the large white vote in Lumberton; disunity
among the other white towns; fear, on the parts
of whites in general, of Indian and Black
political power; mutual distmst between
Indians and Blacks; and the
king-af-fhe-maunfain syndrame, i.e. a
natural reluctance on the part of most people —
Indian, Black or white ~ to challenge the
established political order. In its heyday, the
white Lumberton political establishment made
of Robeson, a closed society: If one was not
white and. inside the system, then he was
definitely out, period. People were bought and
sold just as fully as were slaves on the auction
block over a hundred years ago.
Today, however, several forces are battering
the walls of this old order; a revolution is
sweeping the land. One major factor of which
has been the emergence of the Pembrake area
as a force to be reckoned with in Robeson
politics. Since the forced retirement of most of
the old Indian Pembroke political figures, an
aroused younger Indian political cadre has
made the Pembroke area a hot-bed of political
activity; a catalyst for revolution and reform.
Such activismi spawned the Sove Old Main
Mavement, the Tosk Farce ta Dreok
Dauble-Vating, and, more recently, the Effart in Robeson is very simple: An Indian or Black
fa Reappartian the Caunty Commissianer
Districts. The rallying cry of the group has been
INDIAN POWER. The vast majority of the
people in the Pembroke area now realize that
there is a fundamental difference between
themselves and the people of Lumberton:
Pembroke is Indian, liberal, and tolerant; while
Lumberton is white, conservative, and racist.
One need only compare voting trends between
the two areas for proof of this simple truth. For
illustrative purposes, we need only consider the
two white middle-class precincts of Lumberton,
number ane ond eight; together with the
Black Lumberton precinct, number six. In the
recent presidential primary, white Lumberton
supported George Wallace, while Indian
Pembroke and Black Lumberton supported
Jimmy Carter., On the same day white
Lumberton voted against the statewide bond
issue for higher education, even though
Lumberton receives more benefit from the
Thursday, Octaber 14, 1976
Don’t Vote Party-
Vote for the Candidate
An Editorial Viewpoint: Pembroke vs Lumberton
Robeson today is embroiled in a stmggle of young liberal challenger, George Breece
traumatic, earth shattering proportions; the carried Indian Pembroke and Black Lumberton.
outcome of which will decide nothing less than Similarly, consumer advocate Lillian Woo
the destiny of every man, woman, and child carried Indian Pembroke and Black Lumberton
within our county. On the one hand, we have only to lose in white Lumberton to incumbent
Henry Bridges in the state auditor’s race. In the
labor commissioner’s race, liberal John Brooks
soundly defeated Jessie Ray Scott in Indian
Pembroke and Black Lumberton, while losing
to her in white Lumberton. Further, liberal
Craig Phillips ran away from his more
conservative opponent Ben Currin in Indian
Pembroke and Black Lumberton, but lost
narrowly in white Lumberton.
The above summary of voting trends clearly
reveals that there is a basic difference between
the middle-class Indian of Pembroke and his
white counterpart in Lumberton. In spite of
comparable education, there are basic
differences in the philosophy espoused by each
group. The Indian is more liberal and much
more tolerant of other racial groups. The white
is extremely conservative and a white
supremacist at heart. It is a simple fact of life
that the Indian can only find political allies in
the Black community. Indians and Blacks are
far more attuned in their thinking than are other
whites, who seem to be far different from the
other two racial groups. The recent judical race
clearly demonstrates the point: Oxendine
carried Indian Pembroke by 9 to 1 and Black
Lumberton by 5 to 1, while losing in white
Lumberton by over 4 to 1.
The 1974 run-off in the sheriff’s race
compared with the 1976 judical race clearly
shows that a non-white candidate — Indian or
Black - must have a heavy Pembroke vote if he
is to be successful in a county-wide race.
Further, the heavy Pembroke vote is there; one
need only ask. The formula to political success
Between now and the com
ing election, you will be urged
repeatedly to “vote a straight
ticket.” And let’s face it- it is a
temptation to make one x at
the bottom of the ballot and be
done with it.
But don’t do it!
There are good Democrats.
There are good Republicans.
And we need those good
candidates, no matter which
ballot they will be listed on.
But once you x one ballot, you
have xed away your right to
vote for a single person on the
other ballot, no matter how
desperately we need that
person.
Carnell Locklear, candidate
for the Robeson County Board
of Education, will be listed on
the Republican ballot. His
name will be alone. But you
will be required to mark an
“x” beside his name in order
to vote for him.
Robeson County, the State
of North Carolina and the
nation at large all need BOTH
Parties represented in order to
have the best possible repre-
•sentation. If one party or the
other is in absolute control,
how are we going to receive
any constructive ideas from
the other party? It’s a little like
trying to walk with one boot off
and one boot on. You are
totally without any checks and
balances, and the party in
power can do whatever it
pleases, however right or
wrong, without anyone having
the power to say, “nay.”
That isn’t the kind of
situation that makes for heal
thy disposal of the public’s
business.
We need Carnell Locklear
on the Robeson County Board
of Education. 1 feel certain that
a majority of the voters know
this, and want to support him.
But the simple truth is, if you
vote a straight Democratic
ticket, you can’t vote for
Camel! Locklear, too.
Before the genera! election
four years ago. Gov. Jim
Holshouser kicked off his
campaign right here in Robe-
.son County with some soul-
searching words for Blacks
and Indiansof thecounty. The
county’s Democrats, he char
ged, were taking the Black
vote and the Indian vote here
for granted. “When the time
comes that either party can
take you for granted,” he said
truthfully, "neither party will
do anything for you. Why
should they? They don’t have
to do anything to get your
vote. But I can promise you
one thing, if you will vote for
the Republican Party just this
once, you will find both parties
at your door, asking yon what
they can do for you.”
The people of North Caro
lina took Jim Holshouser at his
word and gave him to the state
as the first Republican Gover
nor of North Carolina in 80
years!
I have yet to hear one North
Carolina voter, white, Black or
Indian, say that Jim Holshou
ser led them wrong. I wish I
could say as much of the
President of the United States,
elected the same year.
I'm saying, vote for the
candidate. Don't vote blindly
for any man’s entire party with
two little slashes of your pen.
The time has come when we
must pick and choose careful
ly. No man who fails to meet
with ourtfull and well- consi
dered approval should be
elected automatically, just be
cause it’s a little more conven
ient to vote for him.
Carnell Locklear will serve
as well. His metal has been
tested and proved over and
over again. He is not the kind
to break ranks and run simply
because the going gets tough.
He has demonstrated his deep
interest in the education of our
children since 1970 to my own
personal knowledge. He is a
tireless work and and endless
crusader for what he believes
to be right. To lose him on the
Robeson County Board of
Education just because it
will take a little more care in
voting would be an incalcuable
loss.
I am proud to call Camel!
Locklear my friend.
NIEA Convention held
in New Mexico
candidate need only make a frank appeal to the
heavy Pembroke vote. Pembroke is
homogeneous. Pembroke is Indian. Pembroke
is populous. The time has come for the
Pembroke area to assert itself. No other area in
the county can challenge Lumberton in the
sheer margin of votes for a candidate. The
hopes of Indians throughout the county must of
necessity rest on the voter tum-out in
Pembroke. If the Indian people are to succeed,
the Pembroke precinct must, at the very
minimum, cancel out the votes of white
Lumberton’s two largest precincts, numbers
one and eight.
The 1978 elections will be for all the marbles;
let us begin to prepare now. The 1976 general
elections will be the lost warm-up that we will
have before the 1978 sheriff’s race. We have
at our disposal a very clear cut race: Cornell
presence of Pembroke State University than any Locklear versus Shirley Dritt. Shirley Britt has
other town,, including Pembroke. Naturally,
Indian Pembroke and Black Lumberton voted
forthe' bond issue.
In the Democratic govematorial race, Jim
Hunt received overwhelming support from
Indian Pembroke and Black Lumberton, while
. he received only a minority of the votes east in
'white Lumberton. The same pattern existed in
the lieutenant governor’s race, where Howard
Lee won in Indian Pembroke and Black
Lumberton, while losing, of course, in white
Lumberton to Jimmy Green.
The oldest rat in the Democratic bam, Thad
Eure, carried " bite I innbcricti, while his
demonstrated total indifference to the needs of
the Pembroke community. Do our children
really need four years of Ms. Britt's racial
attitudes? We have a clear alternative: Carnell
Locklear is Indian to the toenails. Does anyone
in Robeson doubt that Carnell Locklear will not
speak aut for what is right? We need Carnell
Locklear on that Board of Education. In order to
be successful, Carnell Locklear needs the
Pembroke vote. Let us send our white friends in
Lumberton a message: We accept the
challenge. The Pembroke vote is available to
any candidate — Indian, Black, or white — who
represents CHANGE. We fully intend to VOTE
INDIAN. We fully intend to VOTE FOR EVERY
LOCKLEAR ON THE BALLOT
The National Indian Educa
tion Association’s (NIEA)
Eighth Annual Convention
was held at the Albuquerque
Convention Center in Albu
querque. New Mexico on Sept.
27-30. 1976.
The program began Monday
morning. Sept. 27. with open
ing ceremonies and keynote
addresses by Senator Joseph
Montoya of New Mexico and
Dr. William Demmert, Direc
tor, Educational Services, Bu
reau of Indian Affairs,
The theme of this year’s
convention was “Education
and Knowledge Are Power.”
Native American educators,
students, tribal leaders, and
BIA and OIE representatives
convened to discuss and eval
uate the educational needs of
the American Indian.
President Ford, in a mess
age which was read during the
opening session on Monday,
congratulated the National In
dian Education Association on
its accomplishments and reaf
firmed his support for the
Congressional Findings and
Declaration of Policy embodi
ed in the Indian Self- Deter
mination and Education As
sistance Act which he signed
20 months ago. He said, "For
the First Americans, the past
has often been stained and
shameful. In the last few
years, your hard work and the
CO- operation of our federal
government have been dra
matically turning this tide.
Today, the future for Indian
children is full of newfound
freedom, opportunity and self-
fulfillment.”
Workshops which were giv
en in the four days included
such vital topics as evaluation
and selection of media materi
als. post- secondary education
(college and vocational), and
Library Assistance programs
for American Indian librari-
Other scheduled events in
cluded entertainment by Na
tional Native American Musi
cians (Bonnie Jo Hunt. Ed
Wapp, Rosalie Jones, Makull,
and XIT), a pow- wow with
fori'ni'.nioi HonHrg and sinp-
ing, and Native American
exhibits.
Th 17 member original
board of directors of the NIEA
were honored Tuesday night at
the evening banquet. They
were presented framed certifi
cates by NIEA president, Dr.
Rick St. Germaine.
They were elected to the
board in 1970 when the NIEA
was incorporated. Board mem
bers honored, either in person
or by proxy, are: Rosemary
Christenson, Marigold Linton,
Dillon Platero, Elgie Raymond
Elizabeth Whiteman. Roger
Buffalohead, Dr. William Dem
mert, Robert Powless, Joe
Sando, Eugene Sekaquapewa,
Dick West. Jr., Dr. Will
Antell, Sparlin Norwood, Dav
id Risling, Hershel Sahmaunt
and pothumously, Ned Hata-
thii and John Winchester.
The local steering commit
tee for the convention also was
honored. Dr. St. Germaine,
banquet speaker, discussed
"The Role of NIEA in Indian
Education.” Makuli and XIT
presented a concert in the
auditorium after the banquet.
At a luncheon Tuesday,
Albert Shanker, national pres
ident of the American Fede
ration of Teachers, spoke
on what role the union can play
in Indian education. He also
cited the strides made in
teacher’s salaries in the 15-
year history of the union, and
the benefits beyond salaries
that the union contributes to
education in the broader sen-
Luncheon speaker for Wed
nesday was Dr. Paul Salmon,
head of the American Assoic-
ation of School Administra
tors.
The convention concluded
on Thursday, Sept. 30. The
highlight of the closing session
was the announcement of the
new 15-member National Ad
visory council on Indian Edu
cation. This council is appoint
ed by the President of the
United States. Earl H. Oxen
dine. a Lumbee of Pembroke,
was appointed to the Council.