T3 AILE ^ BRANCH ^POST^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
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THE CAROLINA INDIAN VOICE
post office boy it75 PUBLISHED b|cH THURSDAY Pembroke, n.c. mjti
i ^ " i ?t r > >i ^y* mi 11 ? 11 i 11111 i i i > i > i ii i 11 i i i i i 11 ttiumittttitTtmn iy
VOLUME 10 NUMBER S 25c ffl COPY _ nur>*y, Febnmry 11, 1862
-A Front Page Editorial
REPS. PARNELL & GAY PROPOSE ONE-SIDED LEGISLATION
TO BAIL OUTLUMBERTON SCHOOLS ON
ANNEXATION ISSUE WHILE SEN. NOBLE COUNSELS REASON
AND COMPROMISE
In the February 7, 1982 edition of the
Robesonian, in a prepared statement,
Rep. David Parnell was quoted as saying
that he wanted to make his position
'' absolutely clear'' oh the Lumberton city
school annexation issue. According to
the article. Rep. Parnell was prepared to
"assist the appropriate school officials
and will, if they request, introduce or
sponsor and support legislation to
maintain the quality and integrity of the
Lumberton school system."
Incredibly, at no point in the article did
Rep. Parnell express any concern
whatsoever with the quality or integrity
of the Robeson County school system nor
did he concern himself with the wishes or
desires of the Robeson County Board of
Education whose district would, of
necessity, be directly affected by Par
nell's proposed
legislation to bail out the Lumberton city
schools. Need we remind our local
legislative delegation and the Lumberton
school officials that it was just this sort of
one-sided legislation that has embroiled
the Lumberton city school system in the
present controversy?
Are they so arrogant or naive to
believe that Indian people generally and
the county school officials in particular
will meekly submit to such discrimina
tory legislation?
It appears that Rep. Parnell has
forgotten, or believes that Indian people
have forgotten, his prior efforts in 1979
to dismember the county school district,
over the objections of the county board of
education, by attempting to annex the
Parkton school attendance area to the St.
Pauls city school system. Although at
that time he was unmindful of the
objections of the county school board and
concerned only with the efforts of the
whites of the Parkton area to desert the
county school system. Rep. Parnell
"blew up" when Rep. Horace Locklear
proposedto afford the predominately
Indian areas of the Red Springs school
district around Oxendine, Rennert and
Shannon the opportunity to vote to enter
the county school system. Parnell coldly
stated, according to observers, that he
would not agree to such a proposal
without the concent of the Red Springs
I
school board.
Thus, incredibly, Rep. Parnell would
have denied Indian communities the
right to decide which school system they
would be a part of while offering to grant
the same right to a white community; he
would have followed the wishes of the
predominately white Red Springs board
of education while ignoring the wishes of
the predominately Indian county board of
education. Fortunately for Indian people,
Rep. Parnell's nefarious Parkton school
annexation bill was soundly defeated by
the State House after a heated debate.
Immediately after the vote, according to
observers, Parnell stormed off the floor
slamming the doors behind him.
When one considers Rep. ParneD's
actions in 1979 concerning the then
proposed Parkton school annexation, it is
easy to understand his stance concerning
the Lumberton school annexation issue
in 1982. Rep. Parnell seemingly
proposes to accomodate the desire of the '
prodominately white annexed areas to
remain a part of the Lumberton school
district by doing whatever the prodomm- .
ttely white Lumberton school board
'deems necessary without so much as
even consulting the predominately In
dian school board before proceeding to
cut off even more pf its territory. Surely
Indian people Wul not allow such a
double standard to be applied to them.
Surely Rep. Parnell, the Lumberton
board of education and their allies realize
that such an effort will be met with
^ferocious resistance by the Indian
community and Lumbee River Legal 4
Services. j!
And , of course, Rep. Bill Gay is a ft
former principal of Lumberton High i
School. His stance, though we find it |
abominable, is at least understandable.
Interesting enough, Rep. Horace
Locklear has not been polled on the
matter. That is understandable, too.
Locklear, who has stated his intention
not to run for another term, is a staunch s
supporter of one educational system in p
Robeson Co. Lumberton folks are not j
interested in what he has to say about j
educational matters. E
, - ? Continued Page 10
Albert C. Hast Is shew bit recetvbg a
plaque of appreciation fawn PuneH
Swett, Superintendent si the Robeson
mmty Schools, for his dedicated service 4
? edocmtlon. [Elmer Hsnt photo]
H. Ronald Revels, Jr.
Bids for Seat on
County Board of Education
H. Ronald Revets, Jr.
'
.'v*< ' * . ' ?'* W* n ? ? "
PEMBROKE SENIOR HIGH
BOOSTER CLUB TO MEET
The Pembroke Senior High School
Booster Gub will meet Monday evening.
Feb 15. 7 p.m. st the high school
cafeteria It will be an organisational
meeting. Oelton Ray Locklear, the
president, encourages everyone to
y " . ? '
H. Ronald Revels, Jr. has announced
his intentions to seek a seat on the
Robeson County Board Education, Dis
trict D (Magnolia High School District).
He attended school in the county
system, graduating from Magnolia High
School and attended Pembroke State
University. He is employed with the
North Carolina Department of Correction
as a Probation/Parole Office in Lumber
ton with ten years experience.
Revels has been actively involved in
civic affairs, having served as a charter
member and past president of the
Saddletree Jaycees, state vice-president
of the North Carolina Jaycees. East
Centeral Region; past state chairman,
Minority Affairs, North Carolina Jay
cees. He has also served as- a member
and past chairman of die Robeson
County Parks and Recreation Com
mission. Presently he serves on the
Board of Directors for Four County
Community Action, Inc., Laurinburg,
N.C. He also serves as a member of the
North Carolina Commission of Indian
Affairs, as well as charter member and
president of the'Saddletree Volunteer
Revels*taT>married to Peariean H.
Revels. Thay are the parents of ooe'soo,
H. Ronald Rdvels III (Ronnie) who is a
student at Magnolia High School.
Said he: "1 am asking for everyone's
-ate and support in District D. I would
ippredate the toppnrt unity to serve you
mm gwm^ J J
is a member of the Robeson County
leas* of Education. Your vote and
1
A Tribute to i
Albert Q. Hunt j
* ? :? ... #1
On February 6, Mr. Albert C. Hunt
was honored for his leadership and
service to public education with the
Robeson County School System.
Mr. Hunt retired from the position of
Assistant Superintendent, Director of
Federal Programs during the month of
f)ecember. He completed thirty- nine
years of affiliation with education. His
service included beginning as a principal
teacher at Piney Grove School, then
moving to Fairmont Indian, Fairgrove
School, Oxendine School, Pembroke
Graded, Pembroke Senior High School
and Central Administration. f.
A dinner-program was held at die a
Raraada Inn, Lumberton for recognition
of his retirement. During the reception, j,
Mrs.'Vera L. Malcolm entertained with ^
soft music. Mr. Purnell Swett,- q
Superintendent, Robeson County School &
System was Master of Ceremonies. Mr. g
Donald A. Bonner, Assistant Super- g
intendent gave the invocation prior to the n
buffet dinner. g
Several tributes were made to Mr. a
Hunt after the dinner. Mr. Elmer Hunt, g
Continued Page 10 h
McDuffie
Cummings
Offers
for Sheriff
McDoffle Cummfags
McDuffie Cummings, who presently
erves as Manager for the Town of
'embroke, has filed for the position of
tobeson County Sheriff in the upcoming
)emocratic Primary. Cummings holds a
I.S. Degree in Business Administration
rith an emphasis in Management. He
lso has further training in governmental
dministration from the Institute of
iovernment of the University of North
'arolina. Cummings has served as
'embroke Town Manager since 1977.
rior to his present position he served as
he AssistaftfTWeWdr of Pembroke
lousing Authority and was the owner
nd operator of Home Florist.
Cummings is a member of the
lternational City Management Associs
on and the North Carolina City and
ounty Management Association. He
erves as Chairman of the Advisory
oard of Pembroke Elementary School
nd Pembroke Middle School. Cum
lings is a former vice chairman of the
obeson County Board of Social Servi
es. He is also a member of the Board of
irectors of Quick Finance Company
eadquartered in Pembroke.
??????? Continued Page 10 -4
HE STOOD UP FOB US WHEN NO ONE
ELSE WOULD. YET WE SEEM TO
HAVE FORGOTTEN
The Best
Friend
the,
Robeson
Indians
Ever Had
BjrLnrlalM
They say a Robeson Indian never
forgets a kindness or an unHndness. an
enemy or a Mend, an insult or an injury.
Yet by our lack of a memorial to
Hamilton McMillan at PSU. we seem to
have forgotten the best Mend we ever
had. And the insult others heap upon his
memory by such neglect.
He first befriended us in 1864, at a
time when no other White person would
have even dared. Because this was the
beginning of the Henry Berry Lowty
rebellion.
In 1913, at the age of 80. he was still
going to bat for us. He researched our
history during all this period, too.
Hamilton McMillan was the father of
Pembroke State University, established
in 1887.
Hamilton McMillan was the father of
Lumbee Indian education, established in
188S. He published his well-known
pamphlet on us in 1888.
Hamilton McMillan was our first
White champion, and the greatest ef
AMI mil.
Why is there no memorial to Mm at
Pembroke State University?
Could it be for the specific reason that
he was a champion of Indian rights and
educational opportunity?
Could it?
Is it?
I contend that it is for this very reason
that not even a utility building at
Pembroke State University bears his
name today.
Is nobody ashamed of this deplorable
"oversight"?
I am.
< ?
i >
I ' v 1 I
\ \ 'fyamL Jamn4 Oiat, X 1 ||
; Speakers ? Rev/. James M Dial - morning |r
; ReV. /tonjj E. Breunngton - afWnoon
| Sunday School' 10:00 am.
| Worship Service 11'*00 a.m. X
| Lunch: | \Z- 00 noon - * |
Services; | \ z oo p m |
Guest I
^Icv Ptolwi isV Mo It CHov
and u/or?W?p us '
: