@THE CAROLINA INDIAN VOIC
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VOLUME U NUMBER tS 25? PER COPY ' THURSDAY. JUN)
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EDITOR'S NOTE
This it the third in a series
of articles about school mer
ger possibilities in Robeson
County. Will five go into
one? History shouts "No!"
We hope history vuill be
proven wrong. The series of
articles was written by Bruce
Barton, editor of this news
paper.
Until 1975 the whites in
Robeson County basically
controlled educational mat
ters in Robeson County.
Until 1975, Robeson County
was hampered, unduly, by a
political device labeled
"double voting" by ita dis
tractors.
"Double voting" was the
practice in Robesoq County
whereby the residents of
Robeson County's then five
city school units (Maxton
merged into the county
system in 1979) voted for
the make up of their own
respective boards of educa
tion as well as for the
makeup of the Robeson
County Board of Education.
City residents had a "double
vote." Conversely, until the
United States Court of
Appeals for the Fourth Cir
cuit, sitting in Richmond,
Virginia ruled the political
device unconstitutional, res
idents within the confines of
the Robeson County system
(rrx>*tfy fri?figT>l| ?r?'W net
vote on the makeup of the
city school boards. The
"double vote" effectively
rendered the Indians and
Blacks impotent politically
in Robeson County: whites
controlled all six school
systems politically and ad
ministratively.
In 1975 (and the figures
have not changed appreci
ably in 1985) the county
system's pupil enrollment
was approximately 60 per
cent Indian, 20 percent Black
and 20 percent white. In
spite of the 80 percent
minority enrollment, the
make up of the county school
board was invariably white
because of the "double
vote" of city residents.
Hie court of appeals ruled
April 23, 1975, in a unani
mous vote, that "double
voting'' was unconstitutional
because it essentially diluted
the vote of the county
residents within the county
school system.
Because of the ban on
"double voting" and in spite
of a politically- inspired
district system of "lection,
the county school board is
made up in 1985 of 7
Indians, 2 Blacks and 2
whites.... a more proportio
nate representation of the
electorate at large. The
school superintendent, Pur
nell Swett, is an Indian; as is
Dr. Dalton P. Brooks, the
chairman. The Indian? now
have a vetted interett in the
R'-heyZ? <fchco{ >S|?
tem. (emphasis added by
authorl,
The Carolina Indian Voice
Newspaper noted, as part of
a 1975 editorial: "Hie Robe
son County Board of Educa
tion has never had an Indian
chairman of the board of
education and/ or an Indiar
superintendent of the county
school system. Until the
N.C. General Assembly
passed a law in 1973 declar
ing that four members of the
county board of education
would be elected by county
residents...Indians or Blacks
could not be elected to the
board of education. To our
knowledge, until the general
assembly ruled on the mat
ter...only two Indians (and
no Blacks) had been elected
to the school board in the
history of the county."
Judge Algernon Butler, in
the Eastern District Federal
Court in Fayetteville, where
the "double vote" suit was
originally filed, had declared
in a ruling that "...a com
pelling state interest justifi
ed participation .pf city board
residents in the election of
certain board members...
That ruling, as noted earlier,
was overturned when the
court of appeals ruled em
piratically that "WE
DISAGREE." And further
said: "We reverse the dis
trict court and remand the
case for the entry of declar
Judgment ,an<J the
fashioning of other appro
priate relief."
MORE NEXT WEEK ..
Upward, Bound" Program AtPSU
Begin* Rs 14th Summer
BY GENE WARREN
Pembroke-One of North
Carolina'a finest "Upward
Bound" programs was re
newed Sunday with many
new faces when some 75
students arrived on the
Pembroke State University
campus for six weeks of
living and studying in a
college environment.
TTiis will be the 14th
straight summer that PSU
has been funded for this
program by the U.S. Depart
ment of Education's Title IV
program.
High school students meet
ing certain federal guide
lines are admitted regard
less of race, color, national
origin, sex, age. handicap,
or ethnic background. They
make a 2V? year commit
ment to the program.
This means they attend
the "Upward Bound" pro
gram at PSU each summer
for three summers and also
attend two classes on the
PSU campus each Monday
from 8:30-9 p.m. during two
school years. The classes
which they attend are in
subjects where they need
help.
Tommy Swett, director of
special programs at Pem
broke State, inaugurated
this program at PSU in 1973.
"I'm in charge of special
services, health careers,
etc., but the 'Upward Bou
nd' program occupies a
special place in my heart
r ve seen so many kids
helped by It," said Swett
Swett estimates that some
500 young people have gone
through the program since it
was launched. Htey have
continued on to undergradu
ate and graduate schools and
have been very successful in
the professions. Plans are to
have a reunion of all "Up
mtd Bound" graduates to
dBaeide with P3U s Centra
qpfaddMs who have been in
the program include: Bever
ly Lessane of Lumberton, an
M graduateef UNC Chapel
Hill who is in medical school
there; Jeff Moore, a gradu
ate of the law school at
UNC-Chapel Hill; James
Dockery, a North Carolina
A&T graduate now employ
ed by the Lumberton Board
of Education; Belinda Har
ris, a PSU graduate now
directing the "Talent Sear
ch" program for LRDA;
William Ghee, an '85 gradu
ate now at UNC-Chapel Hill
and planning to attend gra
duate school or medical
school; and Terry Clark, who
is attending veterinary scho
ol in Tuskegee, Ala., said
Swett
When Swett first started
the program, a main purpose
was to help prepare the high
school students ^for college.
"We have sin<v* broadened
that concept V ? want them
to plan for gr aduate school
as well so to ^ive careers in
medicine, er^neering, etc.,
particularly careers where
minorities aje not adequate
ly reprfi ^ted," said Swett.
IV^Rtudents in PSIT s
f^mer "Upward Bound"
jrprogram have a full schedule
of activities on campus.
They have morning classes
from 8 a.m. until noon, then
take electives from 1-4 p.m.
In the evenings, they parti
cipate in athletics such as
swimming, basketball, vol
leyball, softball, and tennis.
At' the end of the six
weeks, the students who
have earned the required
points ire taken on a trip
July 28-30.
Among the classes to be
taught are: an Introduction
to Computer Science, chem
istry, advanced mathema
tics, composition, and criti
cal thinking.
?ectives include: photo
graphy, physical education,
art, drama, and music.
Guest speakers also enhance
the summer studies.
On the last day of regular
classes, the students and
parents are guests at an
awards dinner in the PSU
cafeteria.
Instructors for this sum
mer include: mathematics
Ernie Locklear, teacher at
West Robeson; communica
tion skills-Yvonne Dial, tea
cher at West Robeson; com
puter science-Cathy Lowe, a
PSU student in computer
science from Pembroke, and
Daniel McKenzie, teacher at
South Robeson; critical think
ing-Bruce Barton, student at
PSU and editor of the
Carolina Indian Voice; and
Barbara Powell, teacher at
West Robeson High.
Coordinating the "Up
ward Bound" program as
assistai.i to Swett is Larry
McCallum.
Supervising the students
will be Terry Clark of
Fairmont and Sharon Oxen
dine of Pembroke, assisted
by 12 college upperelassmen
who will live in the dormi
tories with the students.
DEMEKY (DIMERY)
FAMILY REUNION
PLANNED
Tkt Drmery \Dtmtry)
Fkm&y Reunion it bamy
pimmtd for Saturday, July 5,
1996 gt tkt Doty Branch
School Cafeteria at 4:00
P.M.
Tb all of ike do Hi
of the laU Bum and Aticc
Drmrry uAoit children uwrv
Lloyd, M W&U Bunk,
Jdvan, and Aionto. fan an
cordially invited to attend
thio family miunion.
Submitted by
Robert ? Dknary
Strike At The Wind's New Director
. Instills New Spirit Li The
Popular Outdoor Drama
...drama opens July 5and
runt through September 6
Clint Vaught
Red Banks-Clint Vaught, the director of
"Strike at the Wind!." the popular outdoor
drama showcasing Henry Berry Lowrie, and
his tri racial circle of friends and foes, is hard
at work instilling new life in the outdoor epic. ?
Rehearsals are underway at 'he lakeside
Amphitheatre on the ground^ of Riverside
Country Club, located in slori< d tied ilanks. a
traditional Indian community approximately 3
miles west of Pembroke.
Vaught applauds the cast for their
attentiveness, and their en'kusiasm. Vaught
has been impressed by I ,* onimitment of
the cast, and is ??itflusia- about the
upcoipmg season. Vaught has n. tilled a new
spirit in the cast. <* -4 promises a < "viii U?.
actiohpacked drama. Vaught, ever the
optimist, believes the show will have the
audiences coming back for a second helping
before the season ends.
Vaught hopes to tighten up the show, and
wants to showcase the powerful love story of
Henry Berry Lowrie and his beloved Rhoda
who was known as "the prettiest girl in
Scuffletown." Vaught also wants to streng
then the story line so that the audience will be
able to understand it more fully.
The new director is struck by the potential
of the show, both from a financial and
'dramatic point of view. He envisions the
development of the proposed tourism center
for the site, and believes arts and crafts, and
historic showcases like simulated Indian
I
villages will help draw crowds in the years to I
"Ome.
Vaught is a native Iouisvillian IKY), and
has directed at theatres and outdoor
productions in Colorado ("Die Great Western
Playhouse), Ohio (Sugarloaf Mountain Am
phitheatre). Alabama (Celebrity Dinner Play
house), Virginia (Barn Dinner Playhouse),
i and Kentucky (Belknap Playhouse, Durret
Players). Selected directing assignments
include "ROUGHING 1T\ "GENERA
hon". -little maky sunshine",
IMAGINARY DMVAIiD", "THE HOME
COMING" and "THE SECRET LIFE OF
WALTER MITTY".
A certified member of The Society of
American Fight Directors (1983), he has
served as Fightmaster/Fight director for
"BLACKBEARD: KNIGHT OF THE BLACK
HAG". "THE LEGEND OF TOM DOO
IEY", "THE NAT!IRE OF VIOLENCE",
"OKLAHOMA,' "COMING ATTRAC
HONS", "WEST SIDE STORY", and
portrayed the beloved patriarch Tevye in
FIDDLER ON TOE ROOF." A professional
actor since 1971, his title and/or lead roles
include Cynibeline for Shake speart in Central
Park, Blackboard, Tom Dooley, Tsali in
"UNTO THESE HEllis" and Mark Twain in
"ROUGHING rr"
Currently represented by FACES LTD.
MODEL AND TALENT agency, he has been
a frequent face and voice on broadcast
commercials (latest TV for Stoner cable.
Radio for Byerly Nissan, both current), and is
an jfurtjwtor for TV ACTOR'S WORKSHOP
studio classes (4 years) and LOUISVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN SEMINARY'S Speech Clear
ance (3 years).
Vaught holds degrees in Theatre Arts and
Speech from Transylvania University (B.A.)
and the University of Louisville (M.A.). He
and his wife Phyllis have three children, and
they have a home near Churchill Downs, in
Louisville's South End neighborhood. Clint
enjoys fishing, sports and playwrighting.
Vaught invites everyone to come see
"Strike at the Wind!" this season. The
season opens July 5, and continues each
Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights until
September 6. The drama begins at 8:30 p.m.
nightly, and promises to be an integral and
exciting part of 1986 The Year of the Native
American in North Carolina
VOLUNTEER AWARD APPLICATIONS
NOW AVAILABLE
Hie Robeson County Rural Development
Panel in cooperation with the Governor's
Volunteer Awards Program is once again
seeking worthy community volunteers for
individual and group appreciation awards.
Applications and additional information may
be obtained from Eddie Mack LockJear at
738-7101 or Ramona Sessoms at 738-8111.
Hie eleven awards to be given are divided
into two separate categories: individual and
group awards. Each volunteer award and a
brief description of that award follows.
INDIVIDUAL A WARD CA TEGORIES
1. Individual Human Service Volunteer is a
diverse category in which an individual's
volunteer services are usually part of an
organized effort Although the services may
be part of a group, the individual will be
honored rather than the group.
2. Individual Community Volunteer Leader
is also a diverse category in which the
individual, as a volunteer, sees a need in the
* Community and organizes a volunteer effort
to meet that need. This category is also
appropriate for an individual who has a long
history of providing leadership in a variety of
comounity efforts.
3. Admmit trator/Coordinator of Volun
teer! is usually a volunteer who recruits,
trains and works with other volunteers in the
ongoing volunteer maintenance and overall
coordination of a volunteer program either in
the public or private sectors. t
4. Youth Volunteer is an individual who is
under 21 years of age, may or may not be a
student and who volunteers as part of an
organized youth program or independently,
B. Senior Citizen Volunteer is an individual
over 60 years of age who volunteers in the
community either within an orgapized
program or "on their own."
6 nirohled Perton Volunteer is a person
who is disabled and volunteers in the
community either within an organized
program or "on their own."
7. School Volunteer is an individual who
contributes volunteer services in the public
schools "on their own," or as part of an
organized program sdch as Adopts A-School."
8. One-On-One Volunteer is an older youth
and/or adult who has worked with a program
designed to provide adult role models for
children or youth. Such programs pair caring
adults with children and youth who can
benefit from an ongoing relationship provid
ing friendship, sharing of time, and open
communication outside of the youth's family.
GROUP AWARD CATEGORIES
1. Community Volunteer Organization is a
group that consists of volunteers or that
involves volunteers in an organized manner
to plan and/or carry out their community
service goals and activities.
2. Church/Religious Volunteer Group is a
religion-based group that involves members/
volunteers in projects contributing to the
betterment of the community.
3. Buz me it/Indue try Volunteer Involve
ment is for a business or industry that carries
out community projects or promotes policies
and procedures to encourage volunteers from
the workplace. Companies that make staff
expertise, equipment, in-kind and/or finan
cial contributions to the community , and/or
private organizations in the community
i should be considered in this category also.
Winners of the Individual Community
Volunteer Leader, School Volunteer, and
Community Volunteer Organization awards
will be guests at the Governor's Mansion in
September. All eleven award winners will be
pieeented with their awards during FarmOity
Week in November.
I ^EyCA^UNA D?)lAN VOICH ^
?*FK *^r^ ?> j I ?M?.' v-., ,.^-''
PEOPLE
AND PLACEsl
AND THt
L
ROBESON COUNTY
BLACK CAUCUS
SPONSORS DEBATE
Hie public is invited to a
public debate on the Pro's
and Con's of the Merger of
Robeson County Public
School Systems. The debate
will be held Saturday, June
21, 1986 at 10 a.m. at the
O.P. Owens Auditorium
(near the Cancer Institute)
on Old Maxton Road in
Lumberton, N.C.
Legislators, educators,
board members, parents,
students and citizens are
urged to attend and partici
pate. The debate will be
sponsored by the Robeson
County Black Caucus.
BROOKS APPOINTED TO
NATIONAL WHITE HOUSE
CONFERENCE ON
SMALL BUSINESS
Mr. Paul Brooks, owner of
H & B Tree Company,
received notification in May
of his appointment to the
National White House Con
ference on Small Business
from Mr. Peter J. Wallison,
assistant to the President.
Mr. Brooks has been a
business owner for many
years in Robeson County. He
also serves as Chairman of
the Board of Directors of
Lumbee Regional Develop
ment Association in Pem
broke.
FOUR MAN SUPER BALL
GOLF TOURNAMENT
A Four-Man Super Ball
Golf Tournament will be
held on Saturday, June 21 at
the Riverside Golf Course.
Tee off time is 9 a.m. Hie
price is $20 per player. Hie
event is being sponsored by
the Pembroke American Le
gion Post 205. Proceeds will
be applied to the base ball
program.
Interested persons should
contact one of the following
by 5 p.m. FYiday: Bobby
Dean Locklear, 521-2353 or
524-2502; Ronnie Chavis,
521 2368; Riveraide Golf
Course, 521-8433.
MISS LUMBEE APPEARS
INMISSN.C. PAGEANT
Hie annual Miss North
Carolina Scholarship Pag
eant will be held on
June 28, 1986 at Memorial
Auditorium in Raleigh, N.C.
Our lovely Miss Lumbee,
1986 Brenda Lowry, will be
representing the Lumbee
community at this year's
event
Hie pageant preliminaries
will begin on June 25.
Brenda will participate in the
swim suit preliminary on
June 25, talent preliminary
on June 26, and evening
gown competition on June
27. Miss Lumbee, along with
the other Miss North Caroli
na contestants, will reside on
the Peace College campus
during pageant week. Fe
lon's Florist of Raleigh is in
charge of flowers for the
pageant A coronation ball
will be held at the Raleigh
Civic Center following the
pageant
Please check your local TV
listings for the TV stations
that will eir the pige*nt-or
Saturday, June 28, 1986 at
9:00 p.m. Tune in and give
Miss Lumbee, 1986 Brenda
Lowry, your support Miss
Lumbee's business mana
ger, Mrs. Florence Ransom,
will accompany Brenda to
Raleigh for the pageant
MEMBERSHIP
RECRUITMENT NIGHT
On Thursday night
June 26, the Board of
Directors of Robeson County
Clergy and Laity Concerned
is sponsoring a membership
recruitment night at 6 p.m.
at the RC/CALC office at 116
W. 4th Street in Lumberton.
All churches and community
P/ganizations are invited to
send at least two representa
tives to the special monthly
meeting. Also, any individu
als who are interested in
finding out more about RC/
CALC are invited to attend.
Cherokee Join N.C.
Commission Of {
Indian Affairs
For the first time in its
15-year history, the N.C.
Commision of Indian Affairs
will include representatives
from the Eastern Band of
Cherokee Indians.
John Standingdeer of the
Big Cove community and
Richard Welch of the Yellow
Hill community, both near
Cherokee, wfll be sworn in at
the commission meeting
June 19. Secretary of 9tate
Thad Eure will officiate at
the swearing in, which is
scheduled for 1:15 p.m. in
the conference room of the
Heart of Raleigh Motel
building. 227 E. Edenton
St. Raleigh.
"We see this as an
important step," said N.C.
Department of Administra
tion Deputy Secretary Henry
E. McKoy. "Now all tbw
recognised tribes and organ
isations Is North Carolina
wfll ait on the tnrewlailr ii to
handle the buainees of In
Jian affaire in North Care
u_- e?
in 1971 when it wu establi
shed, but declined. On April
8 the Cherokee Tribal Coun
cil passed a resolution to
accept full participation on
the commission, saying the
move would be "advanta
geous for both."
With 66,000 Native Amer
icans, North Carolina has the
largest Indian population of
afly state east of the Missi
ssippi. The N.C. Commis
sion of Indian Attain is the
only state government agen
cy whose specific responsibi
lity is to meet the needs of
the state's Indians
The Cherokeee Join four
other tribes represented on
the commission, as well as
representatives from the
tjT tnFhye^tts^Q^X
ties. Cohorts in gampssn