NAVAJO COMMUNITY COLLEGE LIBRARY
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PUBLISHED EA 3H THURSDAY
Hy THE CAROLINA INDIAN VOICE ?
Dedicated To Thi Best In All Of Us
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VOLUME 7 NUMBER 10 PEMBROKE, NC. THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 1979 15<f PER COPY
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$16 MILLION SCHOOL BOND
SET FOR MARCH 13
by Brace Barton
The voters of Robeson County are
expected to mostly stay home March 13
when the S16 million school bond issue
is to be decided by Robesonians.
In spite of the anticipated light
turnout, the measure is expected to
carry. The Robeson County School
System (which contains more than half
the students in the county) is expected
to receive approximately $8.2 million of
the $16 million to be allocated on a per
pupil basis.
Robeson County's six school systems
are all in dire need of "buildings"
according to a well placed source within
the county school system.
Contrary to some concern, the
measure, if approved by the voters, is
not expected to immediately effect the
tax base which is now $1.15 on a $100
evaluation.
One reason is, according to school
administrators, that the monies will be
spent over the next few years "as
needed." That means that the tax bite
would be annually instead of ' 'all at one
time."
County officials concede that if the
$16 million were spent "all at one time"
that it would mean a tax increase of
"anywhere from 15 to 25 percent."
County officials note, though, that the
county tax evaluation should change in
1980 causing the tax rate "to probably
dron."
As Robeson County Commissioner
Chairman Herman Dial noted earlier
this week. "If the six units are satisfied
and are not ready to merge then 1 would
have to be in favor of the bond issue."
Most county officials and all school
officials seem to be in favor of the
measure although most of them are
reluctant to "over publicize it," as one
of them put it, fearing adverse reactions
from pro merger forces.
School officials note too that the
county will be debt free of previous
school bonds by June 30 of this year.
Previous county school bonds (none
asking for more than S3 million) were
floated in 1949. 1956, and 1963.
Additionally, county schools profited
from their portion of a 1953 $50 million
state school bond issue.
Most recently, the county schools
received some $1,327,543 (excluding
the 5 city units) from the successful
1965 state-wide school construction
bond issue. The bulk of this money was
used to build Pembroke Senior High
School.
One local Indian leader put it this
"way, "As an Indian parent I have to b e
for education and this money seems to
be ticketed for good constructive use in
the schools, mostly to alleviate over
crowding and substandard buildings.
But it does not and will not solve the
long term educational problems in
Robeson County, only a county-wide
consolidation program or complete
merger can do that. But it will help
temporarily...in our life times. And we
have to do that for our children. For that
reason I ask not to be identified. Race
and politics go together in this county.
One day we'll be able to separate them,
I hope."
Saddletree Jaycees
Plan Fund Raising for
Rennert Youngster
9
The Saddletree Jaycees are having
a fund raising plate sale for the benefit
of Albert Grey, a youngster of the
Rennert community who recently lost a
!
foot in a train accident.
The plate sale will be Friday, March
9, at the Saddletree Jaycee Clubhouse
from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m.
"Proud to Be a Lumbee"
Album Now on Sale at LRDA
by Ben Jacobs
The album Proud to be a Loin bee was
released for sale Monday at the Lumbee
Indian Education Project of Lumbee
Regional Development Association.
Numerous people who had waited
eagerly for the albums to be delivered
came to receive their orders.
The album consists of 11 contempo
rary songs written and performed by
Willie Lowery, Miriam Oxendine and
several Indian youths. It was produced
through the Lumbee Indian Education
Project of LRDA with foundation monies
and contributions from the Fayetteville
Presbytery and the Pembroke Area
Presbyterian Ministry of North Caro
lina.
According to Janie Maynor Locklear,
director of the Lumbee Indian Educa
tion Project, the songs will be great
assets to families who are proud of their
Indian heritage, to schools which teach
some aspect of the Native American
culture and to libraries.
Locklear said, "The songs are very
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entertaining and really express feelings
that are common' to most Lumbee
people. The songs range from simple
songs that young children can easily
learn to gospel songs that make you feel
the religious nature of our people."
Locklear said the LRDA Board of
Directors and Kenneth Maynor, Execu
tive Director of LRDA, were instrumen
tal in getting the foundation monies to
produce the album. She noted that
special contributions were given by the
Fayetteville Presbytery and the Pem
broke Area Presbyterian Ministry,
through the efforts of Rev. John
Robinson. I
Rev. Robinson, who was one of the i
first to review the album, said, "We're i
pleased and excited about the album, >
because it focuses on a positive identity i
that Indian children identify with. We <
are happy that the ministry can supply
funding for a project that is so creative
and positive." Rev. Robinson said the
support from the Presbyterian Church
was made possible by the vision of Mrs.
B. Law, who was the Chairperson of the
Division of Outreach for the Fayetteville
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Presbytery- He explained that she made
the arrangements for the funds to
be given just two days before she died
of a heart attack.
Willie Lowery, who is best known.for
his compositions for the outdoor drama
"Strike at the Wind," Miriam Oxendine
a multi-talented Lumbee musician,
combined their talents with those of
Maurice Lowery , Teresa .Tyler, Corry
Lowry, Mickey Oxendine, Melinda
Locklear, Gint Lowery, Teresa Locklear
and Connie Lowery in producing the
album.
The album has a full color jacket with
photos of the musicians. A detailed
song book is free with the' purchase of
in album or tape. The cost of an album
is $8.95 and a tape, $9.98, plus tax and a
shipping charge of $.50 if the album is
mailed. Additional) booklets are $1.00
:ach. /
%
Proud to be a Lumbee can be
puchased throueh the Lumbee Indian
Education Project at the LRDA Annex
Suilding in Pembroke, by writing Proud
to be a Lumbee, LRDA, P.O. Box 68,
Pembroke, NC or by calling 521-2401.
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Rod Locklear
Assigned to N.C.
Cotmission of
\ Indian Affairs
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Roderick LocUear
The North Commission of Indian
Affairs's director,' A Bruce Jones,
announced today thai Roderick Lock
lear. Regional Imptr-centatian Special
ist, with HEW's HeaRh C'ar??Financing
Administration, has been, under the
HEW Departmental Demonstration
Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA),
assigned to work with the NC Commis
sion of Indian Affairs.
Jones is pleased that Locklear has
accepted this assignment. "His exper
ience and background in various pro
grams are ideally suited to what 1 am
seeking in the filling of positions at the
Commission," said Jones.
Locklear's career over the past
decade has moved from an Urban Rural
Manpower Analyst to a private non
profit corportation to a regional imple
mentation representative in the
Health Care Financing Administration,
HEW.
Throughout his development he has
been involved in human service pro
gram delivery on the local to the state to
the federal government, with an
increasing exphasis on how to develop
cooperation and effective management
decisions at each government level.
Each of his jobs has related to
American Indians as an individual
ethnic group-or as a part of a total
multi-racial setting.
Locklear, coming from a rural Ameri
can Indian community has always been
keenly aware of cultural differences and
diversities and the need for special
efforts to involve minority people in the
outreach human services programs of
the state and local government.
Locklear brings to the Indian Com
mission additional strong leadership
and managerial skills needed to carry
out the Commission's important re
spnsibilities.
His wealthof administrative, experi
ence in both the private sector'and in
government will seVve him well.
Locklear is a graduate of Pembroke
State University with a B.A. in Social
Studies. He completed the educational
program for federal officials at mid
career at Woodrow Wilson School for
Public and International Affairs, Prin
ceton, New Jersey.
He was born in Pembroke. N.C. and is
the son of Rev. C.E. Locklear and the
late Annie Lizzie Locklear.
Locklear is married to Ruth Locklear
and is the father of two children, Glenn,
16 and Clarence. 14.
Locklear's assignment was effective
February 26, 1979.
Reverends allowed
to remain in churcnes
LUMBERTON-State Overseer H.B.
Thompson looked on sternly as Attor
ney Jay D. Hockenbury, counsel for the
"Mother Church" argued that the
disbarred pastors. Rev. Jack Hunt
(Pembroke Church of God), Rev. C.C.
Allen, Jr. (Eastside Church of God in
Fayetteville) and Rev. Stelford Smith
(Riverside Church of God in Lum
berton) should be expelled from their
respective churches as ministers.
The ministers were removed from their
churches in a letter from Thompson
earlier in the year for "sowing discord
and advocating against the govern
mental policies of the Church of God."
The state overseer was asking the
superior court to "restrain" the pastors
from the grounds of the churches they
have continued to pastor in the continu
ing dispute with the state and national
office.
Testimony was presented by Attorney
John C.B. Regan, representing the
pastors, that the churdies had voted
overwhelmingly in favor of retaining the
ministers in spite of the letter of
dismissal from Thompson.
The injunction was denied by Superior
Court Judge, Anthony W. Brannon but
the judge told the pastors that they
should not remove ''so much as a
folding chair" from the premises of the
churches until the matter is finally
resolved in a trial that has not yet been
aet. Speculation is that the state
overseer will continue his legal battle to
remove the pastors at a later session of
superior court.
The judge also ruled that the pastors
should supervise an aaseuntlng of all
monies col tested and distributed until
the matter la resolved. In the mean time
the pegtore are allowed to continue
attorney, contended that the mother
church held title to the local church
property because of church minutes that
spell out the "connective form of church
government in which local congrega
tions have no autonomy but are ruled by
a MOTHER CHURCH."
Testimony was presented in court that
showed the three churches were valued
at an estimated $225,000 and that the
"mother church" had never given any
funds to two of the churches-Pem
broke and Riverside--and had only
given $7500.00 toward a building
program at Eastside.
An overflow crowd of supporters and
church members were on hand to
observe the legal proceedings. They
were quiet and listened intently.
Regan said, "the real issue is
ownership of the property." Court
records show that local trustees are
holding, the land in trust for the
churches contrary to rumors that
contended that the "mother church"
held title to the properties.
All three ministers are Indians and
head predominate Indian congrega
tions.
They dispute Thompson's contention
that they were "sowing discord." They
contend that the state and district levels
of the national church have Ignored the
Indian pastors locally in making de
cisions affecting their churches.
For Instance, without consultation with
the local ministers of the predominate
Indian churchas. the 11 church district
was recently split into two parts with the
newlv named district pasters both being
non-Indians. The three pastors have
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FOURTH ANNUAL INDIAN UNITY
CONFERENCE SLATED
.Approximately 1.000 persons will
represent Indian tribes and organiza
tions from North Carolina and other
states at the Fourth Annual Indian
Unity Conference to be held March
29-31 at the Bordeaux Motor Inn in
Fayetteville.
' 'The purpose of the conference is to
wort on strategies for the educational
and* economic development of Indian
communities and to reinforce Indian
pride and identity by sharing cultural
experiences." said Jim R. Lowrv.
chairperson of the North Carolina
Commission of Indian Affairs which is
sponsoring the conference.
The conference will feature addresses
by LaDonna Harris, president of Ameri
cans for Indian Opportunity, and Dsvia
Lester, commissioner of the Admini
stration for Native Americans. United
States Department of Health, Education
and Welfare. Governor Jim Hunt will
speak to the group on Saturday. March
36.
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At least IS different workshops will
be held on topics covering four areas:
education, legislation, economic de
velopment and youth. An Indian art
contest will also be held.
The cost of pre-registration is S20.00
per adult and SI5.00 per youth for all
conference sessions including one ban
quet and three breaks. For those who
wait to register upon arrival at the
conference, the registration fee will be
S22.00. Advance registration is advised,
since attendance will be limited.
For registration materials and infor
mation, contact the North Carolina.
Commission of Indian Affairs, P.O.
Box 27228, Raleigh, NC 27611 or call
919-733-5998.
ASSOC IATIONAL EVANGELISM
CONFERENCE
The Burnt Swamp Baptist Associ
ation will holds its Annual Evangelism
Conference this Sunday night thru
Tuesday evening. March 11-13. The
theme for the three night conference is
Bold Evangel lam. The services will be
held nightly at Mt. Airy Baptist Church
at 7:30 p.m.
Scheduled speakers include: Rev.
C.M. Cummings, Rev. Clifford Jones.
Rev. Bruce Swett, Rev. Tommy Ha
gans. Rev. Grady Hunt and Rev.
Thomas Rich.
Special music will be provided by
Island Grove, First Baptist in Clinton,
Thompson, Deep Branch, and Mt. Airy
Choirs. Rev. C.M. Cummings and Mr.
Woodrow Dial, Co-Evangelism Chair
men will preside and Rev. Mike
Cummings will lead congregational
singing.
LOCAL BAPTISTS TO ATTEND
OKLAHOMA CONFERENCE
The Home Mission Board of the
Southern Baptist Convention has invit
ed Indian church leaders from Baptist
churches across the nation to a National
Indian Conclave. June 17-22. at the
Falls Creek Baptist Assembly in Okla
homa.
Rev. Tony E. Brewington, Director of
Mi salons in Burnt Swamp, has informed
us that a Trailways Bus will be
chartered to carry local leaders, clergy
and laity to the conference. Approxi
"lately 24 have registered and 10 more
ate needed for the charter. Several
churches are sponsoring their pastor
and other church leaders.
Coat for the week, including trans
portation, room and food, la SIM.
PurpowMoOhe conference to to meet
pink lams, needs and reeauMaa. wor
ship togsther and study V
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LRDA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
ENDORSES SCHOOL BOND ISSUE
I
In a rate deviation from long
standing policy the LRDA Executive
Committee has publicly endorsed the
School Bond Issue to be put forth to
voters next Tuesday. This is the first
occasion for the LRDA representative
committee to publicly endorse a political
issue.
According to Rev. James H. Woods,
Chairman of the Executive Committee
and the LRDA Board "of Directors,
county wide support of the School Bond
Issue will be an "investment in Robeson
County's future educationally and eco
nomically...attracting more industry
into the county...making Robeson a
better place to live, work and play."
LRDA operates a number of educa
tional programs for Indian children and
adults throughout the county. The
School Bond Issue, to be decided next
Tuesday at the polls, will moan a
greater opportunity for all students to
quality education, better school facili
ties in both rural and urbutcommuu
Mavnor. Executive Director of LRDA.
LRDA encourages a strong show of
voter participation in this important
issue and greater support for the public
education of all students.
Indians
Considered
Recommendations aimed at improv
ing relations between the state Highway
Patrol and Lumbee Indians in Robeson
County were announced Monday by
Herbert L. Hyde, state secretary of
crime and control and public safety.
The recommendations grew out of
a meeting last week with members of the
state Indian Affairs- Commission.
Hyde recommended Monday that
eight recruitment officers be named,
one in each troop in the state, to
concentrate on recruiting minorities and
female applicants.
He directed the patrol to requisition
1.200 defensive batons, one for each
mdn ber. The batons, according to
Hyde, are the latest development in
self- defense for law enforcement
officers because they allow officers to
subdue persons resisting arrest without
harming them.
A staff member of the Department of
Crime Control and Public Safety would
be appointed to work with the Indian
Affairs Commission in reviewing the
curriculum of the Highway Patrol basic
school to make suggestions for changes
that might better prepare troopers to
work with minorities. Hyde said.
Hyde said he may change patrol
policies and procedures to allow the
secretary of crime control and public
safety to consider a hearing on any
investigation of a formal complaint,
whether a member is disciplined or not.
Robeson County Indians have com
plained of alleged mistreatment at tht
hands of Highway Patrol officers. One
of the complaints involved Terry
Lockee. who suffered a skull fracture
last year when a trooper clubbed Mr
with a flashlight.
Lockee urea arrested May 30 by
Highway Patrolman R.L Davit at e
trailer park on a rural road in the Union
Chapel community of Robeeon Coeutyj
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