REP. LAURA S. TALLY
ADDRESSES PEMBROKE
BPW CLUB
Representative Laura S.
Tally (D-Cumberland Co-) was
the guest speaker for the April
meeting of the Pembroke
Business and Professional
Womens Club.
The topic for the evening
was Current and Pending
Legislation and Other Issues
Affecting Women.
Rep. Tally spoke at length
on juvenile offenders. She
pointed out that there are two
divisions of offenders. The
first is the child who commits a
felony. There are 7 juvenile
detention centers throughout
the state. At these the child is
held in secure custody. These
are fairly small. Here testing,
counseling and tutoring for the
child is ongoing.
The second division juvenile
" offenders are those who have
not committed a crime. They
are offenders guilty of running
away from home, truancy, etc.
These children need foster
homes and counseling. The
parents are also counseled.
The court counselors need to
follow up closely with the
juveniles. When they return
home, the child could encoun
ter the same problems.
Rep. Tally recommended a
Big Sister program for the
BPW members.
Rep. Tally doesn't feel too
hopeful about ERA. She poin
ted out that some who suppor
ted it are now running for
other offices and not as
interested as they had been
earlier.
Rep. Tally closed her talk by
opening the floor for ques
tions.
Following the speaker the
club went into the regular
business session.
The installation and awards
banquet will be held on
Monday. May 1, at the Town
and Country Restaurant in
Pembroke. Mrs. Edith Strick
land. chairwoman of the nomi
nating committee presented
the committee's recommenda
tions for officers for the
1978-79 years. They are: Mrs.
Clara Neville, president; Mrs.
Deborah Sampson. 1st vice
president; Mrs. Mollye Briley,
2nd vice president; Mrs. Su
san Maynor, secretary; and
Mrs. Betty Roberts, treasurer.
All were accepted by the
members.
Up from Dust
& Darkness
Dy Lew Barton
3rd Century Artist
MORE ON LAW AND ORDER
My father (Harker Randolph Barton) sired and reared three
families He fed and clothed them all by pulling the lever of a taw,
sharpening saws, farming and doiog whatever else he could to earn
an honest buck. In-between-times, he improved his sixth grade
education by studying at night by the light of an open fireplace He
also found the time to take care of the correspondence of hundreds
of illiterate fellow Indians He never stole or took byTorce or craft,
a dime in his life. And guess what was one of the proudest
achievements of his entire life?
"Sonny." he often told me. "I've never seen the inside of a
jailhouse in my life."
He never bragged about the countless people he'd gotton out of
jail or helped out of jail (bond-wise) - only that he'd never been in
himself.
I agree with my son Bruce that it isn't easy to stay out of jail in
Robeson County, especially if you're Black, a poor white or a
Croatan (as he and I are - and proud of it!) Neither of us have been
as fortunate as pappa-poor pappa who was often trudged home on
foot with a tow-sack full of groceries to feed his healthy, hungry
broods.
"Our people need lawyers. Sonny." he often told me when he'd
worn himself out with letter writing for the neighbors. How proud
he'd be if he could know that today we have seven or eight of them!
The first time I went to jail, was because I came home from the
Navy on leave during World War II. overslept, missed my bus. and
got back to my ship (the U.S.S. Core) several hours late. "The Old
Man." as we called the ship's captain, gave me no hearing. He just
gave me five days of solitary confinement on bread and water. He
put me off my ship to serve my time at Guantanamo Bay. Cuba. But
I prayed so hard and So long in that Marine brig about what I
considered to be a grave injustice that the good Lord either got
? :: _ *
sorry for me or tired of hearing me-and pcrlonncu .< miracle on my
behalf
?
The third day of confinement, the Old Man received orders to
shove off in search of more German submarines The ship couldn't
tail without me There was no one else who could man my station
And to the Old Man canceled the rest of my confinement He _
never mentioned those other two days of my sentence again
Yes. I've had injustice-from both sides. Just last year, I was
attacked by a berserk young man with a chair. I was taken from a
private hgrnc against my will-literally kidnapped- by the rescue
squad and taken to Robeson Memorial Hospital with my bleeding
head and befaddled brain against my will.
At the hospital, I repeated what I'd told them all along 1 don't
want treatment. Is there any law that says I have to submit to
treatment I don't want?"
1! L .
"No, but t niess you re out of here in twenty minutes. I'm calling
the law and having you arrested," replied the head nurse.
Meapwhile. the ambulance that had brought me tgainst my will,
had pulled out and left me. As lam a legally blind person, (having
legally certified, up-to-date documentation to that effect), naturally
I couldn't see well enough to leave.
That nurse kept here word. She had me thrown in jail, this "angel
of mercy."
Why?
Personally, I think it was because I am a Croatan and dared to try
to reason with a white nurse. To her. I wasn't a wounded man, half
out of his head because of a head injury and two broken neck bones
that later showed up in an x-ray picture (taken in Dillon. S.C.). I
was just a Croatan who dared to' 'talk back." (in my own behalf, a
privilege guaranteed me by the Constitution of the United States.)
As you can guess, the inevitable occurred. An officer named
McViccars appeared. I tried to say something in my own defense,
even in my addled, befuddled condition. No profanity, no swear
words. Just something like. "I haven't done anything to go to
jail..." And then I collapsed at his feet, unconscious. He may
honestly have thought me more drunk than injured. I have to leave
that determination between him and his God and his conscience.
I was aroused, still in a stupor, several hours later. My wife and a
mutual friend had come for me. I dimly remember someone
wanting me to sign certain necessary papers for my release. But
even in a stupor, I like to know what I am signing before I sign it. I
must say that the Indian magistrate and several white officers
exercised patience with me, even though they probably didn't
know I'd been struck over the head with a chair.
It was only later that I learned I'd been booked for public
drunkeness, resisting arrest and obstructing the work of police
officers.
I employed an Indian lawyer?Ertle Knox Chavis. When my case
came up, a white judge listened carefully as Counsellor Chavis
interrogated the officer as to exactly what had happened. I believe
McViccars answered truthfully. When he'd finished, the white
judge threw the whole thing 9(11 because his charges failed to
correspond with his honest testimony. I honor that officer, who
after all is human and was probably new in police work, for telling
the truth under oath. I think we all learned something from my
bitter, painful experience. I'd been victimized, as I see it. by-both
sides but hold no grudge nor ill-will. Of such is the quality of
human-not necessarily Robeson-justice.
Such justice has never been perfect-nor will it ever be. Only
God's justice is perfect ? and He tempers it with mercy. Yet we
can?and should?do everything possible to improve it. Man's
justice has never been too accurate to need improvement.
More than ten years ago, I listened for at least half-an-hour while
someone worked at my dear, trying to get it open. I could tell by the
fumbling at t|ie door that the person trying to force entrance must be
drunk. Becat^e of this, and also because I was living close to my
God. I fired no shots. I just waited"and prayed for self-control
Getting the""door open at last, a young man who was obviously
intoxicated, attempted to crawl into bed between me and my wife. I
simply led him to the door and persuaded him to go home and sleep
it off
But next morning, I told his wife what had happened. 1 reminded
her of the seriousness of her husband's crime and said, "Tell him to
come talk with me."
He came, bedraggled and sorry. He appologized profusely. I
forgave him, asked him to kneel' with me and prayed for us both
and our families.
When he left my home, there were tears of gratitude in his eyes
He'd promised never to repeat such an act-and he never has.
When I heard from him shortly afterwards, he'd given up drinking
altogether. So far as I know, he has never taken another drink from
that day to this.
Unfortunately, however, not all such stories have so happy an
ending. I fired a warning shot at the last person who tried to break
my door down-through the door. He fired back through the
windows, endangering my life and the lives of my guests.
His offense against me was but one of a number of offenses
throughout the community-mostly breakings and enterings and
larceny. Now "the poor fellow" is in prison. Offenses that could
have brought him and his brother 150 years, brought up to 4 for one
and not less than 6 for the other.
There is a difference between drunken crimes and a series of
crimes deliberately planned and executed. There is a difference
between the person who more or less accidentally gets into trouble
and one who has evidently made crime a career.
Be it ever so humble, a man's dwelling is his home, and his
belongings are his own. And in this country, a man's home is his
castle. It is, as it rightly ought to be, a serious crime to violate that
principal by breaking and entering.
To recapiculate
I recently saw charges against two defendants which could have
netted them something like 150 years, reduced to up to four years
for one and four to ten years for the other. If that isn't mercy - and
Robvson mercy at that, then I don't know the meaning of the term.
Both were poor. Both were Indians. Both were uneducated. But
- fci - # a #ai > -
they did have a friend who was neither poor nor uneducated nor
undispastionaie - at least, where they weae concerned.
Meanwhile, the many stolen items were never recovered, and the
legal process demanded no restitution. The lost time and anguish
and trauma on the part of the victims, were not even taken into
account.
Of such as Mi is our system of human justice. As I said before,
there is room for improvement.
Let's face it - taw enforcement is caught between the Devil and
the deep blue sea. Officers ate damned if they do and damned if
they don't.
I was riding with a lady minister in a big city several years ago.
She made a wrong turn. A very court?ous policeman blew the whistle
on her and gave her a ticket.
She was furious. "Now I know why people call policemen pigs."
she lashed out. "Real criminals are out there raping and killing and
robbing but you have to pick on a poor woman driver!
To stop her tirade, unpleasantness and Possible real trouble I
offered to pay the mere SIS for her making a wrong turn myseit.
That's one lady preacher I never went out with again. Although she
was certainly beautiful and I was certainly unmarried. I don't think
we could have gotton along.
m
No offense, Rev.! But he didn't pick on you because you were "a
poor, helpless woman." He gave you a ticket because you broke
the law-a law passed in order to save lives.
Admittedly, there are "rotton apples" in the apple barrel of law
enforcement. Admittedly, there are errors, and conceivably
innocent people who do time-or even lose their lives- for crimes
they did not commit.
But, oh, boy! Where would each of us be today without the
enforcement of human laws by sometimes erring human being?^
VOTE MORRIS L. BR1TT
Robeson County
Board of Education
?B.S. Degree in Business Administration from PSU
?Self-employed accountant
?Education oriented
?Capable, qualified, and ambitious to serve all schools in
the Robeson County District on an equal and just basis.
YOUR VOTE AND SUPPORT WILL DE APPRECIATED.
Paid Political Ad
new, ^ouionmnq
Gospel Sing
Union Eremenrory School
Hwy 71O-Derween
Pembroke ond Rowland
Soturdoy, 7:J0p.m., April 22, 1976
?Bible for oldest person attending
?Gift for youngest Christian
?Gift for largest family attending
?Songs by D&L Gospel Singers & others
?No udmiasion charge
?Sponsored by Southeastern Gospel Music
Association, Inc., a new, non-profit
organization Rev. Grover Oxendine,
President.
?Hot dogs, sandwiches, drinks available
?Come and enjoy soul-moving gospel
singing. Witness. Praise Qod.
Cross Country T
* ? I
Amusement
Center to
Officially Open
The official opening of Crou
Country Amusement Center
will be held Saturday, April 22
beginning at .7 a.m. and
lasting until 6 p.m. The
activities include fishing, 3
legged race, sack race, bob
bing contes and much more.
Lunch will be served on the
grounds. The four oldest peo
ple will receive gifts, the
oldest a brand new Kennedy
Rocker. The youngest wedded
mother will also receive a
gifts. Many other gifts and
trophies will also be given.
Cross Country Country Club
is located 9 miles West of
Lumberton, off Highway 211
on Shannon Road. It was
formerly Ted Tyner's Circle T.
Lakes. Everyone is invited to
attend and participate in the
activities. .. ?
PSU Gets
Education
Graduate
Program
SwcMTOTtoTIIOM
CHAPEL HILL ? A graduate program
in education for Pembroke State Univer
sity (PSU) was unanimously approved
Friday by the Board of Governors of the
University of North Carolina here.
The board, at its regular meeting, ap
proved a program which will begin this
fall, allowing PSU to award master's de
grees in elementary education and ed
ucational administration and supervi
sion.
I"
Elementary education master'i de
pees may be awarded with a focus on
grades K-J or on grades 44. Administra
tive master's degrees win focus on either
administration or supervision.
PSU has been involved in two cooper
ative graduate programs with other uni
versities, Appalachian State University
and the University of North Carolina, at
Charlotte, but until Friday's action,
could not award master's degrees on its
own.
. Chancellor English E. Jones called the
board action "a dream come true."
The graduate programs, be said, will
provide "a great opportunity for the pub
lic school teachers within our universi
ty's primary IVcounty radius in South
eastern North Carolina to earn their
master's degrees. It is a great step for
ward for this entire area of our state."
The cooperative program with ASU
was initiated in 1974. In 1978,12$ students
received their degrees, after doing the,
final phase of their work on the ASU
campus.
Currently,? students are participating
in the program with UNC-C and need 12
more semester hours before being eligi
ble for their degrees.
I
You Do Have A Choice
*?
Vote 1
WILLIAM i
C. GAY I
For House of Representatives of
the North Carolina General Assembly
Paid Political Ad
Elect
JERRY LOWRY
To The
ROBESON COUNTY
BOARD OF EDUCATION
"Quality Education for
All The Children"
WHO IS JERRY LOWRY?
NAME: Jerry Lowry, son of Rev and Mrs. Harvey Lowry.
ADDRESS: Route I. Rowland. North Carolina. Reaidence-321-9044. Business-844-SI32.
WIFE: Doreen L. Lowry. daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Lowry.
CHILDREN: Elena and Ana Lowry
^ *?
EXPERIENCE: Teacher and Assistant Principal in Elementary Schools.
n-" ?
EDUCATION: Pembroke Sute University Oradueie in 1970; attended University of Las Llamas.
San Under. Spain I
COMMUNITY KRVKIi President of PTA at Union Elementary 1977-71; Past President of PSU
Alumni Association 1977-71, Member of Union Civic Club; Advisory member of IBA for Union
Elementary i
CHURCHi Sunday School Teacher-Pleasant Orove Untied Methodist Church; Past Lay Loader and
Lay Speaker; Chairman of Administration Board; Youth Counselor and Coordinator, Member of the
Hoard of Laity with United Methodist Church; Past Choir Director
OCCUPATION! Self employed-Owner and Operator of Lowry'i Chaineew and I and D Orueery.
Mas ton North Caroline
?Your Vou sad Support Is Apprscistsd
Paid Political Ad ,