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PUBLISHED EACH THURSDAY
l|jTHE CAROLINA INDIAN VOICE
"Brfifag Communicative Bridges
PEMBROKE, N.C ** A IH-Radal Setting" ROBESON COUNTY
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VOLUME 11, NUMBER 35 % 2 #?' Be PER C0PY , THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1983
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PEMBROKE
SCHOOL SYSTEM
PROPOSED
by Brace Barton
PEMBROK.E--A number of Pembroke
area county school patrons are interested
in either establishing their own school
system or realigning the present county
school system of which Pembroke is the
major component.
Pembroke, which is predominantly
Indian, is the second-largest township in
Robeson County.
The town manager, a town council
member and the Pembroke Housing
Authority director, all of whom are
Lumbee Indians, are among about 30 -
members of the Ad Hoc Committee for a
Pembroke School System.
The' group was formed about two
weeks ago in reaction to the county
school board's proposed redistricting.
which would split the Pembroke precinct
for school board voting purposes and
would require one of the precinct's three
board members to run for re-election
next year.
About 3.000 school children live in the
Pembroke precinct, about one-fifth of the
county system's approximately 14,700
students.
There are four other school systems in
the county--at Lumberton. Fairmont,
Red Springs and St. Pauls.
The group will need legislative appro
val to establish a sixth school system. A
petition is being planned to obtain at
least 4.000 names requesting enabling
legislation when the General Assembly
convenes in January.
Said a longtime political activist in the
area. "The problem is that our vote (the
Indian) has been diluted to such an
extent by the present district system of
electing board members that we have
less power in a sense than when double
voting was in place in the county.".
Robeson County is famous (or Infa'
mous) for having the most -five -- school
systems of any county in N.C.
Before the nefarious system was
dismantled in federal court in 1974 voters
residing within the city systems could
vote on the makeup of their own school
boards as well as on the composition of
the county schools (where most of the
Indians reside) board of education. They
"double voted." those voters residing
within the confines of the county system
(mostly Indian) could only vote in the
county election. The federal courts
overturned the evil scheme because it
diluted the votes of the Indian people.
Most folks contend that the present
district system again dilutes the Indian
vote.
At the recent public hearing concern
ing adding a district seat to encompass
Clyburn Pines. Bruce Barton, editor of
this newspaper, termed the plan "politi
cally motivated, racist and smacking of
condescension."
Barton concluded, "We finally got rid
of double voting ...and now this proposal
seems to deprive the voter of equal
representation too."
A FRONT PAGE EDITORIAL
Hearing on Extra 1/2 Cent
Sales Tax Sept. 6
Tuesday, September6, at 5:30 p.m. in the Commissioner's
meeting room (406) in the Robeson County Courthouse in Lumberton
It's unlikely that many people-espe
cially the ones who will be affected the
most-will show up for the public hearing
which the Robeson County board of
commissioners has called for Tuesday,
Sept. 6, on the proposed addition of
one-half cent to the local sales tax.
The North Carolina General Assembly
enacted the law to allow county com
missioners to impose the extra half-cent
sales tax without holding a public
hearing on the bill but, the public should
be present and raise questions about why
state and local officials are calling upon
the people least able to pay to provide
the revenue for public services.
So, we should be grateful to our
commissioners for giving us an op
I
portunity to be heard.
That's the way the sales tax works.
The poor must pay a greater proportion
of their income in the tax when they buy
life's necessities. It has been long
recognized as a regressive tax, and yet
the state and local governments keep
going back to it when they need
additional revenues.
Should the citizenry reward our public
servants for their political short-sighted
ness, like five school systems? Should we
bail them out again?
We should come out to speak and the
question of the philosophy which has
guided the taxing authorities should be
raised. And there should be questions of
is it fair, is it equitable.
1
Locals tour Europe
Shewa above, fell to right
Catherlae Locklear, April
Slagfetory, Sherry Maynor,
DeRad Mayaor, Atbeaa Lack
fear, Quia LecMaar, Cani
Cfanrfe, Patoy Laddaar aad
M Mayaar.
Recently a toae day tear ef
iitacetWiaei ikadai far ata
Pitotnki Jr. High atadaato,
twa patraaa af fee caauaaalty
aad Mrs. Patoy Lecklear,
tries. NMMfyi Geraaay,
Swltserlaad, Fraace aid
Eaglaad. la Geraaay the
groap appreciated the Gethlc
Cathedral ef Celegae, the
KMae Fafc aad a heat ride ea
the KMae Hear.
SiilUiilaad tear highlight
- ed a day la Lacerae where the
greep vleHed Uea MeaaaMat
aad ML Plalae la Mm Swlea
Alpe. EatheaUaeat la Fraace
harladed Parte, Main Daaie
Cathedral and the Mealla
Roage. The groap creased Che
EagUah Chanaei antvkf at
the WUte Caff* of Dover la
^ThToaal tear h%y%hted
bey, St. Paals Cathedral
place aad the Tower of
If yea ewe to have a Brat
hnd [lastaat] vlalt of Ewepe)
adi aay of the excited trave
lers. They are bahtiBag la
S ? A'- .
Indian youth
named
Congressional
Page
Sean Stephen Jones
Congressman Charlie Rose
has appointed Sean Stephen
Jones of Pembroke as Con
gressional Page for the com
ing term, September 6-June
15. 1984. Jones is the son of
Rev. and Mrs. Steve Jones
and grandson of the late John
L. Carter and Mrs. Carter,
and the late Dr. English E.
Jones and Mrs. Jones, all of
Pembroke.
Serving on the floor of the
House of Representatives as
Rose's first Page appoint
ment, Jones is an eleventh
grader at West Robeson High
School, Pembroke. During his
stay in Washington, he will
study under private tutors at
the Library of Congress.
Requirements for Congres
sional Page includes a grade
point average of 3.0 and
maintaining a 2.75 average
while serving in Washington;
must be a rising junior
between the ages of 16-18.
Jones' candidacy for this
position was sponsored by
Adolph Dial, Chairman of the
American Indian Studies De
partment at Pembroke State
University.
return ot
"Clyburn Pines
Country Club OK
Lumberton-Superior Court Judge Giles
Gark of Elizabethtown ruled Friday that
the 1982 removal of the Gyburn Pines
Country Gub area of Robeson County
from the Lumberton Cityschool District
was not unconstitutional.
Clark's ruling in Robeson County
Superior Court is the response to a law
suit by Don Floyd and Eric Prevatte,
representing a group called the Gyburn
Pines Citizens Association.
Prevatte said Friday the group will
appeal Gark's ruling to the N.C. Court of
Appeals. . -
The lawsuit contended that the N.C.
General Assembly had no constitutional
powers to alter local school district lines,
as it did during the 1982 short session.
The lawsuit also said that the Robeson
County and Lumberton City Boards of
Education acted improperly in assessing
a $35 per student tuition against Clyburn
Pines-Country Gub students who were
allowed to attend the Lumberton Gty
schools in the 1982-83 school year.
High school students from Gyburn
Pines-Countrji Club area will have
freedom of choice to attend Lumberton
High School this year, but must pay the
tuition. Younget students must attend
Robeson County Schools.
Lumberton and the county schools in a
classic compromise, allowed Barker Tea
Mile and Lakewood Estates to remain in
the Lumberton system and returned
Gyburn Pines, Country Gub area to the
county system in 1982.
AO were illegally taken from the
county and the_justice department in
1980 found Lumberton guilty of violating
the '66 Voting Rights Act
The compromise was forced by a
lawsuit brought by Lambee River Legal
Services in Pembroke on behalf of Indian
" Hi ? * fl
PEOPLE I
A ND PL A CES
AND THINGS j
West Robeson
Senior High School opens
The faculty and staff of West Robeson
Senior High reported to work on August
29, 1983. Their first full work week has
been exciting and difficult filled with
orientation for staff and faculty, many
hours in faculty meetings, and the
enormous task of getting everything in
this new facility ready to receive students
on Tuesday, September 6, 1983.
Each grade will have a special day for
orientation with Seniors on Tuesday,
Juniors on Wednesday, and Sophomores
on Thursday. Each students should
report to school on one orientation day
only, the day his or her grade is to have
orientation.
Orientation for students will be as
follows:
Tues., Sept. 6, 1983--Seniors Only
8:15 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Wed., Sept. 7, 1983 - Juniors Only
8:15 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Thurs., Sept. 8, 1983 - Sophomores
Only - 8:15 a.m. - 1 p.m.
On Friday, September 9, 1983, all
students will report for a full day of
school beginning at 8:15 through 3:00.
Lunch will be served on this first day for
all students. On orientation days, buses
should arrive at school by 8:05. Teachers
will greet students and direct them to the
cafeteria for a general orientation
session. Students will then go to
homeroom stations where they will get
Student Handbooks and class schedules.
Handbooks will be reviewed with stu
dents by the teacher and then the class
led by the homeroom teacher will tour
the facility and return to homeroom.
Students will then walk through their
class schedules on an abbreviated basis
to locate their classrooms and meet
teachers. After reporting to each class
station, students will return to home
room.
During the three orientation days,
lunch will not be served, however,
snacks will be on sale at the school store
and concession stand during a morning
break. Students will board buses to go
home at 1 p.m.
Students who plan to ride a bus should
ride the bus in the morning to know
which bus to ride home. All students are
encouraged to be present and to arrive at
school on time for orientation with the
appropriate class. Attendance for these
sessions is most important for each
student and the total school.
The faculty, staff, and administration
are excited about this new school year
and look forward to working with West
Robeson Students in this huge, new, and
beautiful facility. They expect good
things to happen.
First Two Football Games
?West Robeson vs. South Robeson at
Pembroke Jr. High, Sept. 2,1983, 8 p.m.
?West Robeson vs. New Hanover at
Wilmington, N.C. Kick-off time 9 p.m.,
Sept. 9, 1983.
Fair Employment project formed
In October 1983, Robeson County will
have a new and exciting project?the
Robe ton County Fab Employment Pro
ject The project is being started by
Robeson County Clergy and Laity
Concerned in order to build and unite an
organization of citizens across race,
religious, and economic lines that will
work together in determining, pro
moting, and establishing fair employ
ment practices in the county. The four
major areas of concern are employment,
underemployment (i.e. low wages),
unemployment, and economic develop
ment patterns and practices in the
county.
During the first year of the project,
citizens' councils will be set up to
address the major employment issues in
the county. These councils will include:
(1) a Citizens' Economic Development
Council; (2) an Employees' Council; (3)
an Unemployment Council; (4) a Family
Farm Council; and (S) a Fab Employ
ment Council. Each of the councils wMl
work with citizens that are concerned
about the problems facing those who are
employed and those who are unem
ployed. The Fab Employment Council
YARD SALE
The Pembroke Church of God is
having a Yard Sale Saturday. Sept. 3 in
the Pembroke Town Pwfc, all day long.
You are cordially invited to stop by and
browse around.
PSC SPORTS CUPBUAKD TO BEGIN
next wm
As a regular feature of the Carolina
Indian Voice beginning next week wfll be
die PSU Sports Clipboard. The weekly
column is written by Gary SpMer. PSU
Sports Information Pboctar^^ ^ ^
and much more on PSU'^'inteicoRegi
ate sports. Watch for It starting next
week 1
?
will be made up of pastors and lay
persons who will receive, investigate,
and help resolve cases of alleged
mistreatment on the job. The Citizens'
Economic Development Council will
investigate and determine the present
economic situation in die county, make
proposals to public and private insti
tutions dealing with employment, and
will promote more citizen involvement in
making economic development decisions
that effect the life of their communities.
The Robeson County Fair Employ
ment Project will be directed by a Board
of Directors that will include pastors and .
lay persons of all three, major races in
the county. The Board* of Directors is
searching for two staff members for the
project at the present time.
Funding from the Robeson County
Fair Employment Project has been
received from two church grants: (1) a
S30.000 grant from the United States
Catholic Conference, Campaign for
Human Development; and (2) a SIS,000
, grant from the United Presbyterian
Church Self-Development of People
Program.
PEMBROKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
On Monday, August 29, the faculty
and staff of Pembroke Elementary School
met for their first official faculty meeting
for the new 1963-84 school year.
AD students fat grades 1-6 are to report
to the school's gym on Tuesday,
September 6, for a fell day of school
pnrotrt tcncfmr conference on Fridny