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PUBUSHED EACH THURSDAY
POST OFFICE BOX 107$ , PEMBROKE, N.C. M3T2 j
VOLUME 9, NUMBER It" 2Sc MSB GOBY
? THURSDAY. MARCH It. 19C1
LAND PURCHASES
DOMINATE BOARD
OF EDUCATION
MEETING
by Conaec Brit boy
A new face was seen at the regular
meeting of the Robeson County Board of
Education on Tuesday. It was Pete Clark
who has replaced Ralph Hunt on that
Board.
To begin the meeting Supt. Purnell
Swett introduced Bill Brown of the
architectural firm which designed East
Robeson Elementary. Brown presented
an award to the superintendent and the
board. He explained that the award was
presented because East Robeson was
designed to adequately do what it was
intended to do.
The board agreed to pay all bus drivers
$3.50 an hour for the remainder of the
school year. This was done in compliance
with state board of education policy to set
an index for bus drivers' salary. It was an
attempt, according to Doug Yongue.
assistant supt.. to "buy time until an
index can be established."
The board officially authorized the
purchase of land for West Robeson High
School and the purchase of land from
Ruth McCormick for the Pembroke
Elementary School campus. They also
directed Supt. Purnell Swett to renew the
option on lanf4 to be purchased for North
Robeson High, near Rex Rennert.
The Board approved a contract for S.
Preston Douglas Associates, the auditors
for the county system. And in so doing
they increased their salary to $18.00 per
hour.
According to David Green, Chairman of
the Board, they agreed that "the picture
taking situation remain as it."
Also they agreed to allow the students
at Hilly Branch Vocational Center to add
31 feet to an existing building. The
agreement was that it might take up to
three years, according to the money
available. They will also seek proper
engineer advice for the extension. The
addition will be used as a lab for the
students there.
The members of the board heard a brief
presentation from Dr. Grayson Noley of
Pennsylvania State University. He and
two of his students are in the county
school system to evaluate the Indian
Education Project. He was introduced by
Ruth D. Woods, director of the Indian
Education Project. Dr. Noley reported
that "The business of education is being
conducted in the school system."
Chairman Green presented a plaque of
appreciation to Ralph Hunt, former
member and former chairman of the
board. The plaque read; "Presented to
Ralph Hunt in acknowledgement and
appreciation of exemplary leadership
and quality service to the Robeson
County Board of Education. 1976- 1981."
The April meeting of the board will be
held April 27. 1981 at 4:30 p.m. This sets
the meeting for the third Tuesday in
April instead of the regular second
Tuesday meeting date.
????
A Closer
Look...
at Grady
Locklear,
principal of
Piney Grove
Elementary
School
by (onnee Brayboy
The community school is not obsolete.
There are a few such schools which are
situated in rural Robeson County. One of
them is Piney Grove Elementary School.
Although located in seemingly an
isolated area. Piney Grove is the center
of a lot of activity.
Principal of the school is Grady Locklear
who believes that a school should
definitely be s part of the community. He
is very proud of the involvement of the
community and Piney Grove School. He
is quite pleased with the Piney Orove
PTA and proudly diaplays contributions
from that organisation. He points out
the reorsatiouai part which was the
result of a commit ally effort. He fondly
thiMbi thiiM ln(ffMslffH Ikla ttfflpg tftflilrh
was da enroled by patrons of the school
Other contributions are the curtain* In
?he mlsterta and gym. There la a prefect
M^ayeumendy to paeo the driveway
I
i ? *wmm
Cleveland Jacob*, local craftsman, was
on hand at the 6th annaaJ Indian Unity
Conference held at the Quality Inn,
Charlotte March 5-7. Jacobs demon
strated the fine art of basket weaving. [A
Connee Bray boy photo)
GRADY LOCKLEAI
These "little things" mean ? great deal
to the principal of the K-8 school which
has 408 students. Expressing a special
concern that the school be a part of
community, Locilaar recalled his earlier
life.
"I am a product of ? discontinued
community school," he said. "I
attended school at Union Chapel School.
At that time It was a high school. They
dlicpirtiinifd Oi# High ichouj ind w#
were subsequently buaaed to Pembroke
High." After one year there Loch leer
became a drop out. "I know how II la lo
led Mfce you don't belong During the '
early traaeMoa lo ftMBbrahe High, we
' ?
One of the highlights of the 6th Annual
Indian Unity Conference is the Poor
Wow. Shown above are some of tho
many dancers In attendance. Tks
? -ew" ? A
? onference km held March 5-7 at the
Quality Inn, Charlotte. I Conner Bray boy
l>boto)
Ron Andrade is shown presenting a
workshop on federal recognition during
the 6th Annual Indian Unity Conference
held March 5-7 at the Quality Inn,
Charlotte. Andrade is executive director
of the National Cong mo of American
Indiana (NCAI| and also served as
banquet speaker Friday evening. |A
Connee Bray boy Photo |
NEW VOTE ON
WATER, SEWER BONDS APRIL 27
Public hearing on Water,
Sewer Referendum
PEMBROKE-? >me forty Pembroke cit
izens. many of them from the newly
annexed West End. attended the public
hearing held Monday night in Pem
broke's Town Hall on whether or not a
new vote will be taken on a proposed
water, sewer referendum. A number of
citizens, including former Councilman.
Bob Brewington. Henry Smith and Harry
Oxendine. spoke against the measure
which was defeated in a vote January 2t>
in a close election. But a number of
citizens spoke in favor of the measure,
including former Councilman Lee Neville
and Garth Locklear, Chief Narcotics
Officer with the Robeson County She
riff's Department.
Brewington questioned "what direction
the town is going ..." disputing the
town's cost estimates for a new well.
Brewington claimed a new well could be
put down for $32,500. Brewington quer
ried, "Who is going to pay for this bond
referendum? I don't want you to come to
me asking me to go into debt for niv
grandchildren...."
Smith questioned the need for another I
referendum "after the people have i
already spoken." The measure was i
defeated on January 26 by sorpe 20 1
votes. The two part referendum was for
jewer and water. The water vote was 170
for and 144 against; the sewer vote was <
166 for and 142 against. I
I
But Pembroke ofT.ials hope that the I
measure will pass when put to another
vote. They claim that the measure was
not fully explained the last time I
I
Pembroke stands to lose SI million m I
matching funds if the bonds ate not i
approved in the near fatura. Town
officials contend that the present sewer
system is not meeting Envtronmenial i
Protection Agency standards. I
l
The bonds would be for KM,000 for t
new sewer lines and expansion) another
$175,000 would be for s new water well
and plant. 1
PaMewing the public bearing Mm town |
sat April 27 ler another veto on the I
measure The spestei bend tefaasndum ?
will be Held between btJO am. and 7 K) I
p.m.
The seemed pee eatne Mle# fa the
#
Pembroke Resquc Squad increasing their
appropriation from the town by an
additional SI.000; bringing the amount
to 53.0(H) this fiscal year.
The action was taken at the behest of
the volunteer and civic minded organ
ization which makes 40% of its calls
within the city limits of Pembroke
according to figures shared with the
council.
The town also approved a lease of
$425.00 per month to Pates Supply
Company for the use of the Pembroke
District Court facility.
Lawsuits
filed in
Maxton
1 death of 4 4
A number of lawsuits were filed
February 26 in Robeson County Superior
Court in regard to the watery death of 4
children last year near Maxton.
The lawsuits totaling $500,000 were
brought against Ann Thomas, mother of
an injured child and one of the dead
children, and against Tolbert Clark,
father of three of the dead children.
The children drowned when the car they
were riding in hit a utility pole, ran off a
bridge six-tenths of a mile north of
Maxton. and plunged into the icy
Lumber River Feb. 8. 1980.
Mrs. Thomas had borrowed Clark's car
to take the five children to a grocery store
lor ice cream and was returning to the
?ark home at the time of the 7:20 p.m.
iccident.
The lawsuits claim Mrs. Thomas was
Bllgent and operated the car "care*
ly and needlessly" st a high rate of
ipoed while under the influence of
Rescue workers recovered the bodies of
r?i?ya Lovede Clark. 4. Tasks Laohole
Dark 7. and Angeiia Kay Thomas, II
mm after the accident The akeletal
?main* uf the fourth child. Toda Ml
ihoNe Clark. *. worn not recovered from
he river until last August 14.
A fifth child. Isbeths Ann Thomas. I),
? ??
PEOPLE
AND PLACES
A AfD THINGS
Library
Trustees
Abandon
Lumberton
Fire
Station
by Brace Barton
Lumberton-1 he Robeson County Board
of Trustees have abandoned plans to
refurbish the Lumberton Fire Station
which was given to the agency by the city
of Lumberton a few years ago. The
trustees blamed the economy, noting
that it would cost too much to remodel
aRd operate.
The trustees voted last week to give the
building back to the City of Lumberton...
if the city will take it back. Mayor
Furman Briggs and others still wish to
see the building refurbished and used by
the library. i
City officials, including Mayor Biggs,
have grumbled recently that the build
ing. now in a sad state of ilf repair, is
becoming "an eye sore."
The trustees voted recently on a 6-2
count to return the building to the city.
Voting against that plan of action were
board members Bruce Barton and Mrs.
Annie McEachern. Abstaining was Mrs.
Shirley Osterneck who said plaintively,
"I didn't come prepared to decide
whether to give this building away or
not..."
Renovation plans for the building
triggered protests from the community in
September after board members reques
ted $80,000 in local money for the
refurbishing project. i
Part of the angry commmunity reaction
was prompted because the library
trustees had decided earlier in the year
to fire seven employees because of '
financial problems. '
The trustees originally sought $40,000 '
from both the Lumberton City Council
and the Robeson County Board of
Commissioners to use for the renovation. 1
i
That money would have been matched '
by another $80,000 from the state to
repair the old building which is adjacent
to the library in Lumberton. 1
The refurbished fire station would have
been used for an eipanded childrens'
library.
The county commissioners voted again
st paying for their share of the
renovations when the controversy erup
ted in September.
Just last week, state grants of S28.I00
were awarded to the county library
system The city council has now pledged
to provide $14,000 toward the project.
The county conuniaakMers. however,
have yet to make a commitment on the
project.
Board members said Tuesday they hope
to keep the state grants even though
plans to renovate the fire station have
been abandoned.
Tom Long, chairman of the library
trustees, said after the ? sett eg that the
library system plans to "reapply tor that
money end nee that on toe esisttag
building, perhaps to tsssnetinsl our
present garage so we see huhd litiss
el epaes or a storage eeee."
The deeieioa to eetam toe flee etton
la the shy la subject to appeewl hp hath
the shy and saunty. County Ms a spar
Paul Or sham, a member at toe beards*
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GOOD TO BE AN INDIAN
- PBOUD AND FUSE TO BE SHOWN
The Indian information Program re-,
quests the honor at your presence at a
first showing of Goad To Be Aa Iadtoa
Preud and Free (a glimpse into the past
and present history at the Robeson
County Indians; and A Forgotten Tribe
Legacy of Nantucket Indians (the origins
of Nantucket Indians. The showing will
be Friday. March 13. 1961 at M513
Pennsylvania Ave.. SE, Washington,
D.Q. at 6:30 p.m.
GOSPEL SING PLANNED
A gospel sing will be held at Prospect
United Methodist ?hurch. Route 3,
Mexton on March 15th at 7 p.m. The
public is invited to attend and partici
pate. Harold Jacobs is music director and
Robert Mangum is pastor.
REVIVAL PLANNED AT CHEROKEE
The Cherokee Methodist Church of the
Wakulla community will hold a revival
beginning March 22-27. Sunday night
services will begin at 7 p.m. Week nights
services will begin at 7:30 p.m. The
pastor. Rev. Julian Ransom who will be
assisted by Rev. Steve Jones, pastor of
Harpers Ferry Baptist Church will
conduct the services. There will be
special singing each night. Everyone is
invited to attend.
ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING FOR
ADULT MENS SOFTBALL LEAGUE
PLANNED MARCH 16
The organizational meeting for the
adult mens softball league in Pembroke
will be held Monday < March 16,1981 at 7
p.m. The meeting will be held at the
Pembroke Courthouse, Main Street.
Pembroke. For further information con
tact Rudy Paul, Robeson County Rec
reation and Park Committion. 738-9061
or 738-9595.
LOCAL CONTRACTORS TO MEET
There will be a meeting to discuss the
organization of a Contractors Builders
Association Monday night. March 16. at
7:30 p.m. at the Town and County
Restaurant in Pembroke.
Listen Milligan of Rockingham, board
member of the N.C. Builders Association
will be present for informaiton and
comment.
All contractors and sub contractors are
irged to attend.
Benefit^planned
The Community Supporters Organize
tion is sponsoring an Entertainment
Benefit for Ms. Miriam Oxeitdine. a
Robeson County native and musician.
Some featured guests will be. Ms. Hope
St. Pierre-Sheppard as Mistress of
Ceremonies. Miss Lumbee- Bridgette
Bray boy. area high school queens, also
Carnell Locklear. Willie Lowry and
Miriam Ozendine with a selection of her
originals, plus more.
It will be held Thursday evening. April
23. 1981 at 7 p.m. in the Pembroke
Senior High School Cafsteria. Admiss
ion is $3.00 per sdult and $1.00 per
student, high school students and under.
All proceeds will help to promoto Ids.
writer. Come and enjoy the musk. .
Tickets oan he purchased, at the dear, or
5 contacting Ma. Dehra Mayor at
1-28)8. or Ms. Iisttit Mayer at
1214271. or any of the OmnmM*
luppsrt.ri Ci?hill lilin Dr. DaDee
Btwfca at 181-8214 tat. 288, Me. Rthe
urMs Hepelt PI I l?l?J
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