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FEDERAL LAWSUIT CALLS FOR
ONE COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM
rajstWiMi * group of Robeson
County parents filed suit here Wednes
day in U.S. District Court in sn effort to
put sn end to what they consider to be:
the poor quality of public education
available to their children; the dupli
cative and inefficient use of tax dollars
earmarked for the schools; the perpetu
ation of racial segregation, especially
through the planned construction of two
new high schools; artifically contrived
school district boundary lines; and
"Tokenism" in the place of true
integration of school students and
faculty populations.
Named as defendants are five Robe
son County school systems, the
Robeson County Board of Commission
ers, the N.C. Superintends of Public
Instruction, the State Board of
Education, and the Secretaries of the
U.S. Department of Health and Human
Service? and the Department of Educa
tion. A atrth Robeson school ayatem,
Mart on, is slated to merge with the
county system and is, therefore,
excluded from the suit.
Concentrating on the federal statutes
that mandate equal educational oppor
tunity for all students, the suit avoids
mention of the quality of education
provided in Robeson County and deals
only with tax dollars as they are used to
support segregation. However, a spokes
mam for the parents, who are repre
sented by Raeford attorney Philip A.
Die hi, said that both quality of
education and its cost are at the heart of
the suit.
"We believe that our children are
being denied the kind of education they
deserve and for this we, the taxpayers
of Robeson County, arc paying far in
excess of what good management would
require." commented one of the
parents. "You cannot operate five
separate school systems in a county of
about 90,000 without duplicating many
of the costs."
The parents back up their claims
regarding the quality of education by
pointing to statistics compiled by
the State. In 1976-79, for example,
competency testing for Uth grade
students resulted in the following
failure rates:
Robeson County System, 23 precent
reading, 31 percent math; St. Pauls
System, 14 percent reading, 24 percent
math; Fairmont System, 19 percent
reading, 25 percent math; Lumberton
System, 10 percent reading, 16
percent math; Red Springs System, 15
percent reading, 17 percent math.
For the same year, the average
dropout rate for all systems in the
county was 9.25 percent, representing a
range from Fairmont's high of 11.5
percent to Red Springs' low of 7.8
percent
These figure* among the wont in
the State, are t be compared with the
total per studei expenditures by each
of the school ay lams, say the parents.
"Our school are reasonably well
funded. There i see only three systems
in the State thi rofeivedmore federal
money than K Robe too County
administrative i lit laat year. Yet they
continue to tur cast students who are
among the mos poorly education. We
want to know v iy."
The plaintiffi paint to at least one
possible answer local contributions to
school funds. I i the 1977-78 school
year, while ran ing fourth in federal
funds, the Robe: M County unit ranked
near the bottom of the list (132nd) in
local contributio *.
"Local intern t must be backed by
local dollars," t ley say. "Perhaps no
local dollars ind cste little or no local
interest."
| eswtinuad on page 7
An Archaeological Dig in
Sampson County
Sampson County Indiana will aaaiat
a unique archaeological survey of the
area beginning this summer.
Partially funded through a matching
gram from the Heritage, Conservation
and Recreation Service of the U.S.
Department of the Interior, the project
is part of a statewide program of
archaeological surveys administered by
the N.C. Division of Archives and
History. The one-year project is being
directed by the N.C. Commission of
Indian Affairs in the N.C. Department
of Administration.
Principal investigator Mark Hackbarth
will wait directly with members of the
Indian community in identifying areas
of the county which may contain early
historic and prehistoric Indian sites.
"The project represents a unique
opportunity to combine archaeology
with public interaction," according to
Hackbarth. "The community has been
very cooperative so far and I'm looking
forward to working more closely with
individuals within the community, es
pecially in identifying site locations."
in Anyone with information about old
Indian sites, mounds or historic sites in
Sampson County may contact Hack
barth through the Coharie lntra-tribal
Council at S644901 or the N.C.
Commission of Indian Affairs field
office at 592-6041.
Since Hadtbarth will need access to
the areas which are to be surveyed,
permission from landowners will be
requested.
During the survey, the N.C. Com
mission of Indian Affairs plans to
evaluate how archaeology, as a field of
study, can contribute to the pre
servation and understanding of the
cultural heritage of Native Americans in
North Carolina. The commission hopes,
more specifically, to eipand the know
ledge of the history of the Coharie
Indians living in the county and to
contribute to an increased awareness of
the Coharie heritage.
The survey will be conducted by
Hackbarth and his wife. Dale, an
archaeologist. Hackbarth will receive a
master's degree in anthropology from
the University of Arkansas in August.
Saddletree Jaycettes hold
Installation Banquet
On Saturday, May 24, 1980, the
Saddletree Jaycettes held their Instal
lation Banquet at the Saddletree Jaycee
Gubhouse
The guest speaker for the evening was
Ms. Geraldine Bell of Saddletree who
spoke on Jaycettes and the Community.
Installing the Jaycettes was Mr.
Konald Hammonds, Area Director, for
the N.C. Jaycees in the place of Ms.
Patsy Prevatte. past President of the
n.c. jaycettes. Ma. Prevatte waa
unable to attend becauae of til nets. The
new officer* for the 1900- 1901
year are: Shirlean C. Hunt, President;
Wanda L. Hammonds. Vice
President; Barbara B. Lock tear. Se
cretary; Ruby Locfclear, Treasurer; and
Brenda Thomas, Member-at-Large who
will also be Chairman of the Board.
Ms. Thomas presented awards of
appreciation to several community
persons and organizations, presidential
awards of honor to the Jaycettes and
several other awards.
The top awards of the evening went to
Ms. Linda Hammonds for being Jay
osttesf tba Year. Ms. Shirlean C. Hunt
received the OsMssfhu Jnreette
Awmi.
The banquet ended with the Jayeee
Creed led by Mr. Jerry Hammonds.
President of the Saddletree Jayceea. A
diaco followed the reading of the creed.
L
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9
IE
Judge McKlnnon throws out malicious
prosecution claim against Pembroke
...Only data left la a trespassing ctarge
LUMBERTON Judge Henry A. Mc
Kinnon.Jr. has thrown out another
charge that had been lodged againat the
Town of Pembroke and officials,
including McDuffie Cummings, Town
Manager; Vernon Oxendine, Chief of
Police; and Harvey Bullard, a former
sergeant with the Pembroke Police
Department. Bullard has retired since
the charges were lodged by Alfred A.
Cook, now a Pembraketand owner. The
charges were filed by Osborne Lee, Jr.
and W. Earl Britt, the same Britt who is
to be sworn in as a federal district judge
Friday in Robeson County Superior
Court.
Britt has since been taken off the case
at his own request.
Cook claimed, in his lawsuit asking
some SS million originally, that he had
been falsely arrested and imprisoned.
He also asked the court to rule that the
town and officials trespassed upon his
property, assaulted him, caused crimi
nal process to be pressed against him,
and maliciously prosecuted him.
In his ruling on May 23 McKinnon
threw out the charge of malicious
prosecution, leaving only a charge of
tresspass to be debated in criminal
proceedings.
The charge of trespass is the only
charge left standing after the long and
expensive legal proceeding which is
expected to cost Pembroke and her
taxpayers thousands of dollars in legal
defense. Pembroke is defended by
Dexter Brooks, one of the town's
attorneys. The officials are defended by
Dickson McLean, a Lumberton at
torney.
The town, in a counter suit, has sued
Alfred Cook for $100,000 for causing so
called libelous charges and statements
to be printed in the Bahasenlaw. the
county's daily newspaper. Lee is the
attorney of record for the newspaper,
explaining to many how Cook's original
complaint appeared in the Bnhnnnlaa
on the same day it was filed in court.
The complaint stemmed from a con
frontation between Cook and certain
town officials on May 20, 1978 when
Cook was discovered plowing up a
parcel of land found later to belong to
his now deceased wife. Chief of Police
Oxendine and Sergeant Bullard stopped
Cook from plowing up the land in
question and placed him under arrest.
The land in question had been used as
an alleyway "as long as I can
remember," according to one long time
Pembroke citizen.
Some fourteen months later Cook filed
the lawsuit in question against the Town
and officials.
The scenario now switches back to
superior court where a court date must
be set for Cook's lingering charge of
trespass.
The town's counter suit has not been
scheduled for trial as of this day either.
West End
Annexation
Proposal
aired again
PEMBROKE-Another turn away
crowd come to a public hearing at
Pembroke* Town Hall Wednesday
night to hear Mike Avery, a town
planner employed by Pembroke through
the auapicea of the Lumber River
Council of Government, explain the
town'* position on the propoaad an
nexation of the weat aide in Weal End
Area adjoining the town proper.
The aentimenta eipraaaed by thoae In
the audience ran heavily against
annotation of the propoeed area.
Mayor James A. "Peae" Jacobs
assured the largo assemblage load
mated at 75 or more concerned cittsens)
sfid |n
(utllff II lllf llMVR (NlRdlltttl fiploftft||
iht patlMltiy of MMliMi tto Wm
MATTIE LOCKLEAR REHIRED AT
COUNTY LIBRARY
Mattie Locklear has been rehired at
the Bobeaon County Public Library. She
had previously been diamiased for
refusing to work on Sundays because of
her religious beliefs. Mrs. Diana Tope
had fired her because of her refusal to
work on Sundays, even though she had
worked at the library for ten years
without a complaint until the tempest
over her stand on refusing to work on
Sundays. Mrs. Tope, the Librarian, had
insisted that she work ' 'just like ail the
rest of the employees."
The story first appeared in the pages
of The Carolina Indian Voice and was
brought to the attention of Herman
Dial, the chairman of the Robeson
County Board of Commissioners and
the other news media in the county.
Dial and others inquired into the
matter and it was resolved through
negotiations with Dial, Mrs. Tope, Tom
Long, chairman of the board of directors
of the library trustees, Dickson McLean,
who acts as ad hoc attorney for the
library although he is officially "Just a
member of the board of trustees,"
according to McLean.
Previous alternatives offered by Mrs.
Tope were rejected by Mrs. Mattie
Locklear because she considered them
punitive and unfair. For instance she
would have been expected, via one
alternative, to work each Thursday
night from noon until 9 p.m. and extra
Satrudays to make up for not working on
Sunday.
After negotiations between Dial,
Mrs. Tope, Long and McLean, Long
announced that "the problem has been
worked out...she (Mrs. Locklear) will
not be penalized for not working on
Sundays. Long said a fair compromise
had been worked out.
Mrs. Locklear said that she was
happy to be back at work. She went back
to work Tuesday.
long also indicated that Mrs. Lock
lear will return to the library with the
same 40 hour work week schedule she
was on when she was summarily fired
by Mrs. Tope.
Mrs. Tope has not been available to
The Carolina Indian Voice for comment
although she was quoted extensively in
other local media. She informed this
reporter that "you should contact my
attorney (Dickson McLean) period for
anything..." For the record, I did so.
The library, since February, has
opened on Sundays from 2-6 p.m. The
library has 23 employees with two of
them (counting Mrs. Locklear) being
Indians. There are four Blacks employ
ed; one of them is the janitor. Of the 12
member board, there is only one Black
and one Indian.
The library is a joint venture of the
City of Lumberton and Robeson County.
BAPTIST MEETINGS PLANNED
The Preachers and Deacons of
Burnt Swamp Association will meet
Monday, June 2, at the Baptist
Building, 8:00 p.m. A discussion will be
led by Rev. C.W. Maynor on Tha Rata
of A Deacon- A Scriptural ami Traditi
onal Perspective. Rev. Steve Jones will
lead a discission entitled The Bats of a
Poena la Today's Church.
The Executive Board of the associati
on will meet Friday, May 30, at the
Baptist Building at 8 p.m. All ministers,
committee chairmen and church rpre
sentafives should attend.
RUNOFFS SCHEDULED
JUNE 3
LUMBElTON -latetfat la tow m run offa are tchedulod Tueaday. June 3, 1910
In 3 county aa?rtaatnuai racci and the atatewldo auditor'a race.
Coi?itaa11)nor aoata ara botng contoatad In tod Sprlnga. Pairmont and
LankMM
Prontr?nor Jaak Morgan. ? Indian, la botng chailongod by John Stolon, n
Ola mil Ian ikn ttndl ft?loon dlinkftHkani Bulk mamCM gnu a anrwl lUMMiall U aanaannau Ana
"iwii w iw kw VpHpi wwi< is^ i ?mm mi wui w n'viiiBnf m
^i_ IgnaaongnagbA I^^MAgn I ?^^|?ga igft aS|A O^AddM^naISouAAd^na
w*> irwm?n l/iiii la**'""' * * fopiifwii m inn ^v??J WMIMpi
In laia?raai lamtni^nl Tab laaaa mga att?|aon*i4 d>*aiaa i|? aM??y 1/yioo
in rm?ni winmM inn #nm ww t?ipawa vvnn| inn pptinny? v^np
for the aoat a?o Carl Bita, a for? eommioeMoor. and 0Mban Lawla
In Uwbart? tniawbiai NT. Taytor la tbaMani by O.D. Odutn
? t
Paging y la ana Mwongb?t Mm aaMMy ?HM op? at AtlB a.m. and alaan at ftJB
p.m.
1 .
PEOPLE
A ND PL A CES
AND THINGS
MISS LUMBEE PLATE SALE
There will be a barbecue and chicken
plate tale on June 6, 1960 at the
Pembroke Town Park. The plate tale,
jointly sponsored by the Lumbee Re
gional Development Association and the
Pembroke Jaycees, will be to raise
money to send the reigning Miss
Lumbee, Veronica Bryant, to the North
Carolina state beauty pageant.
Mr. Carnell Locklear of the Jaycees
will supervise the plate sale which will
be from II a.m. until 7 p.m. Tickets are
13.00 each and may be obtained from an
LRDA staff or Jaycee member. The
ticket price includes a drink with the
plate.
The public is cordially invited to join in
the support of Miss Lumbee and enjoy a
good meal.
OXENDINE SCHOOL SETS DATE FOR
ANNUAL PARENT TEACHER
CONFERENCE
Oxendine School plays host to parents
on June 3rd in its annual parent
teacher testing conference, an all-day
affair (9 a.m. - 6 p.m.) in which parents
drop in for quick reviews of their
children's progress. Teachers, equip
ped with latest results (ju*t back from
being scored), will be able to talk with
parents in short sessions, and will be
able to compare this year's progress
with last. Busy parents may sign up for
time slots by filling in slips brought
home by the students, or they may
telephone Oxendine School (643-4243)
for a place on the schedule.
Parents, anxious to give support to
their children's school work, have
gleaned useful ideas and helpful hints
in furthering work at home.
Noah Woods, Principal of Oxendine
School, said of the all-day conference,
"One of the most useful means we have
in getting teachers and parents together
to talk about a joint effort in building
the child's educational skillls. Educa
tion begins at home, actually, and
unless the parents help encourage the
child at home, the school can't really
push very hard. This parent-teacher
conference day is an excellent op
portunity for members of the com
munity to get into some valuable
educational discussions. We're proud of
what we are doing and we like to share
our ideas with the'parents."
The date again is June 3rd, the time
from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is hoped that
most interested parents will respond.
CANNING AND FREEZING
DEMONSTRATIONS
Canning and freezing demonstrations
will be conducted at the O.P. Owens
Agriculture Center on Friday, June 6 at
10:30 a.m. If you have been Interested
in food conservation and wish to learn
the details and the "how-to," register
by calling 73M1U.
Those participants will receive a free
guide for canning and freezing. There is
no charge for the class, but participants
must register in advance.
SEMINARY GRADUATE
Mac Legerton, a resident of
Pembroke, N.C., is a recent graduate of
Union Theological Seminary in New
York City. He received a Master of Arts
Degree in Education and Theological
Studies in May. 1900. In June, Mac will
also complete a two-year training
program The Guild for Spiritual
Guidance, a practical course in Chris
tian spirituality and depth peychoiogy.
Mac is married to Donna Charts af
Psmhiahi, N.c. They retained to
Pembroke from New York la December
1979 and gave birth to Rhiaaaaa
Chavis-Legerton on Dec. ?, 1979. Mac
and Omne am both working part-time
withthe N.C. Hunger CaaMtiea la
Robeson County* mtt, (fchf Mtt
Clergy and Laity Gmnnti la N.C.
4
?
and military counseling at Camp
Lejeune. Thia prison and mil?lag
work is sponsored by Quaker Home in
Fayetteville, N.C.
Mac is a native of Atlanta, Ca. He
graduated from St. Andrews College la
Laurinburg, NC la 1973. He moved to
Pembroke in 1975 to do community
and campus ministry work spoaoored by
Fayetteville Presbytery, la 1977, he
enrolled in Unioa Theological Seminary
in New York to eootinue a program of
religious studies.
OONCESNKD PABENT AND
TEACHESASSOCUIION TO MBR
The Concerned Parent aad Teacher
Association of Pembroke Elementary
School will meet oa Thursday night,
June 5, 1980 at 7:30 p.m. in the
elementary school gym. This is the Anal
meeting for the 1979-80 school year. AO
intereeted members of the community
are invited to attend a very informative
and worthwhile meeting. Be a part of a
growing organization that has the
interest and welfare of the children at
heart Refreshments will be served
immediately following the meeting.
3 BOBBBON COUNTY STUDCNTS
RECEIVE DEGBEES AT
UNC-CHABLOTTE
CHABLOTTE-Three Robeaoa Coun
ty gtudents received degree! during
commencement eserciece et tbo Uni
versity of North CeteBm at Charlotte
May W
P.O. (Buck) Bodgsrs. mnrhnring vice
president for IBM, wee the oommenoo
meat speaker as more than 1,600 UNCC
students were awarded graduate end
undergraduate degrees.
Robeson students earning degrees are:
??Cornelia Cutnmings, St. 1, Boa
446A. Pembroke; B.S.N, in nursing.
-Christopher D. Noble, S2S Norwood
Ave., Lumberton; B.A. in bueineaa.
-Margaret A. Schloesser, Rt 8, 33
Trinity, Lumberton; B.A. in business.
FAMILY REUNION
The family of Jas. W. (Big Bud) and
Janie Oxendine wishes to invite all
relatives and descendants of their
family to a family reunion July 5, I960
at 1 p.m. at the home of Clifton
Oxendine.
For information please call Elizabeth
O. Maynor at 919-521-4386. All rela
tives and descendants are encouraged
to attend.
DEEP BRANCH SCHOOL'S
TRADITIONAL MAY DAY
SET FOR MAY 38
Deep Branch School's traditional May
Day wiU be held Friday. May 30 at 6
p.m. Parents and friends of the school
are encouraged to attend. Principal is
John Norman Sampson.
R1DGBCBEST CONPIUNCE
Twenty one youth from the Burnt
Swamp Association will be attending
Recreation Week at Rldgscaaat Baptist
Assembly May 31-Jans 6. Hofttfor the
group will be Mr. and Mm. Jaeaph
Loctlaar.
Recreation week la a time far tula lag
in youth leadership SMe Study.
Worship, recreation and apfritnal m
SSSESSnP
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