THE CAROLINA INDIAN VOli '1!
? i I
"Building Communicative Bridges
' PEMBROKE. N-C ? ? ,nA Tn-racia, Seam* " ROBESON CQUf
. Unveiling of Original Gene Locklear i
Painting Set For Augusts \
..Proceed* go to Strike at the Wind
Gene Ladder fronts one
of Me recent paintings he
has done since retiring from
professional baseball and
devoting his life fully to art
Now residing in San Die
go, California, Gene Lock
On August 5, 1986 there
will be a dinner and art
eriiibit of a number of
original paintings by Gene
Locklear, Lumbee Indian
native of Robeson County
and a former major league
baseball player. The event
will be held at the Ramada
Inn in Lumberton, beginning
at 7:30 p.m.
Hie occasion will be the
unveiling of an original
painting by Locklear, depic
ting Henry Berry Lowrie and
the fabled Lumbee River.
Proceeds will go to benefit
'Strike at the Wind!' Guest
speaker will be Hector
McLean, chairman of South
ern National Bank, former
senator, and great advocate
of 'Strike at the Wind!'
Gene Locklear will also
have a number of original
paintings on exhibit, and will
be on hand as Representa
tive Danny DeVane auctions
off the first print of a limited
J*9TyM*U unveil a special
patrmng focusing on Lumbee
'hero Henry Berry bourne
and the fabled Lumbee River
at a special unveiling next
Tuesday night. The unfil
ing will be the special
100 to a lucky buyer.
Tickets are $25 per person
and more ticket information
can be obtained by calling
'Strike at the Wind!' at 521
3112 or 521-2489. Board
members of Robeson Histo
ric Drama, Inc., the spon
soring agency of the popular
outdoor drama, are also
selling tickets. The function
is the special brainchild of
Harvey Godwin, manager
of Hill's Food Stores in
Pembroke, and well known
for his portrayal of Henry
Berry Lowrie in the outdoor
drama in its eleventh sea
son.
Gene Locklear, whose ten
years as a professional base
ball player brought him to
the attention of millions of
American sportsfans, is now
achieving recognition in his
new career as an artist and
interpreter of the American
scene.
Locklear began painting
feature of a dinner and art
exhibit which will be held at
the Ramada fnn in Lumber
ton on August 5, 1986. The
occasion begins at 7:30 p. m.
Tickets are $25.00 per per
as a child in Pembroke, NC,
at the age of seven. He
continued studying and per
fecting his skills as-an artist
throughout his baseball ca
reer with the New York
Yankees, Cincinnati Reds
and the San Diego Padres.
Since his retirement from
baseball in 1978, Locklear
has devoted full time to his
art.
In recent years, his paint
ings of Carolina farm
life, sports and Indian lore
have achieved national ac
claim. "The Tobacco Farm,'
a painting depicting life in
his native home of North
Carolina was chosen to be
hung in the White House in
Washington, DC. His life
and works of art was the
subject of the nationally
televised ABC Wide World
of Sports program hosted by
Joe Garagiola prior to a
recent Worid Series. A collec
tion of 24 paintings by Lock
ton. with proceed* quimp to
'Strike at the Wind.' the
popular outdoor dramq s/Mfr"*
casing the talents of Henry
Berry Lovrrie and the lum
bee Indians.
lear have been purchased by
Pete Rose and now hang as a
permanent collection in Cin
cinnati, Ohio. On January
31. 1976, Governor Hols
houser and the citizens of
North Carolina declared
Gene Locklear Day to honor
his dual achievements in
sports and art
Gene Locklear brings to
the canvas his own instinc
tive sensitivity inspired by
his American Indian heri
tage as well as his experi
ence as a renown sports
figure. He sums up his
future in art with this
statement, "It is my goal to
become the painter that one
day can be admired, appre
ciated, and criticized with
pleasure."
Now making his home in
San Diego, California, Gene
invites all of his fans and
friends to this special occa
sion.
THE ELEVENTH SEASON OF
"STRIKE AT THE WIND"
IF*? Horv?y Godwin
_os Henry Berry Lowrie
David Bryant
asLeodor
Doi? Ann McKinn?y
os Rhodo Strong Lowrie
Hormo Low*fy
os Wommo Cumbo t
Hie Eleventh Season of
"Strike at the Wind" is
being presented each Thurs
day through Saturday night
at 8:30 p.m. at the Lakeside
Amphitheatre, three miles
west of Pembroke. The
drama will continue through
September 6, 1986.
Harvey Godwin returns
in the lead role as Henry
Berry Lowrie. Performing
opposite him aa Rhoda
Strong Lowrie is Dale Ann
McKinney, her first year in
this leading position.
Norma Lowery returns to
the drama this time in the
role of Momma Cum bo. And
David Bryant stars as the
leaden
For more information on
the exciting drama. Call 521
2480, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday thru Saturday or
521-8112 from 6 p.m. to 11
p.m. on performance nights.
Will Five Go Into One ?
Merger Possibilities In Robeson County
EDITOR'S NOTE
This is the ninth in a series
of articles about school
mergerpossibilities in Robe
son County. Will five go into
one? History shouts "No!"
We hope history will be
proven -wrong. The series of
articles was written by Bruce
Barton, editor of this news
paper.
The N.C. Department of
Public Instruction and rep
resentatives from the then
six school boards in Robeson
County surveyed as early as
1970 the educational needs
of the county. An example of
their findings was their
major recommendation to
"organize all public schools
and school systems in Robe
son County into one admini
strative unit under the di
rection of one superinten
dent and one board of
education."
In a news release from the
N.C. Department of Public
Instruction released March
20, 1985, it was noted that
thirty-two city school units in
North Carolina have merged
with their host counties since
1960, according to a recent
report from the State De
partment of Public Instruc
tion.
Entitled '' Special Char
tered I City) School Diatricto
in North Carolina," the
report on these city school
systems was made by State
Superintendent Craig Phill
ips. With approved school
mergers to become effective
in Cumberland County in
July 1985 and Pitt County in
July 1986, the merger total
in the last 25 years will reach
34 leaving the state with a
total of 140 school systems
including the 40 remaining
city school units. Robeson
County now contains 10% of
all city units in North
Carolina.
In explaining what prom
pted these special charters
by the General Assembly
between 1881 and 1957, Dr.
Phillips, in a news release to
area newspapers, said par
ents in urban areas in
general had higher expecta
tions for their children and
were willing to tax them
selves to provide "better
schools."
"Through the years, how
ever, citizens in rural areas
have demanded more and
more of their schools to the
point that there's little dif
ference in the expectations
of urban parents and parents
in rural areas where small
family farms previously
dominated the economy,"
he added.
Data for the report on the
state's 42 city school dis
tricts was prepared by the
Department of Public In
struction' s Division of School
Planning which is directed
by Darrell Spencer. In citing
other changes in the econo
my that have diminished the
original reasons for city
systems to be formed, Spen
cer reported that the tax
base in rural areas has
frequently grown faster than
in urban areas.
"Only 19 of the 29 special
chartered city school dis
tricts which levy a special
school tax now have a higher
tax base per pupil than their
host counties... and only
eight of these 29 have kept
pace with their county tax
base growth per pupil."
Spencer said this means the
tax base advantage for most
city sefcooU ha*, in
i
utruuncu.
City school systems also
have experienced a faster
rate of decline in student
population than county sys
tems, and eight chartered
city districts now have less
than 2,000 students which
results in high schools of less
than 600 students. Spencer
said, "Many authorities con
sider a high school with
fewer than 600 students too
small to offer a comprehen
sive high school program at
a reasonable cost."
Other student population
changes in the city systems
cited in the report included
the loss of more White
students than non-White
.students as school enroll
ments decreased. And the
school planning director said
the percentage of disad
vantaged students appears
10 be increasing in the
special districts.
Dr. Fhillps added that the
North Carolina Basic Educa
tion iYogram, developed by
the State Board of Education
and currently under consid
eration by the 1985 General
Assembly, has implications
for these special city school
districts.
Under this plan, every
child in North Carolina,
whether residing in a poor or
wealthy county, would have
access to a curriculum which
meets an established mini
mum level. School planners
have acknowledged that ad
ditional resources to provide
and maintain this basic
program in a small school or
small school system would
be difficult to justify if the
same results could be
accomplished through con
solidation.
The detailed report on the
state's current 42 special
chartered city school dis
tricts, which was prepared to
assist local boards of educa
tion, school administrators
and legislators as they con
sider the issue of consolida
tion, cited Western Rock
ingham (1957) as the last city
school system to be charter
ed by the legislature pre
ceded by St Pauls in 1953,
EUtin in 1947, Whiteville in
rt
snw to
1943.
ine iirst charters among
city school districts still in
operation went to Goldsboro
in 1881, Durham and Reids
ville in 1887, Shelby in 1891
and Mt Airy in 1895.
Greenville and Fayetteville
where consolidations with
the county systems have
been approved were char
tered in 1903. The trend
shifted in 1960 when Char
lotte and Mecklenbeig mer
ged through referendum.
Craven/New Bern in 1981
and Cabarrus/Concord in
1983 are the most recent
mergers.
In light of this, and other
state trends, Robeson Coun
ty should, without a doubt,
merge their five school sys
tems into one.
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK
WHAT'S
HAPPENING
ARDELL LjOCKLEAR WINS
BOAT RAFFLE
Ardell Locklear of Rt 1,
Maxton, NC won the boat
recently raffled off by the
Pembroke Rescue Squad.
J.W. Oxendine. chief of the
Rescue Squad, presented
Mr. Locklear witn tne boat
The Rescue Sqilfcd thanks
those who helped Hiake this
fund raising a success.
PEMBROKE SENIOR HIGH
CLASS OF 1976 HOLES
REUNION
The Pembroke Senior
High School class of 1976
will hold their ten year
reunion Saturday, August 16
at 7 p.m. at the Pembroke
Jaycee Hut Price per
person is $15.00. The dead
line for reservations is Au
gust 6. Any reservations
made after this date will be
at the cost of $20.00 per
person.
Call Dollar Bill Oxendine
for tickets at 521-3346. Class
members are asked to call
even if they do not plan to
attend.
PRESTON LOCKLEAR
FAMILY REUNION
PLANNED
The Trggtritt LBddeaf fa
mily will hold a reunion
August 9, 1986 at Preston
Gospel Chapel from 11:30
a.m. until. Guests are asked
to please bring a covered
dish.
All descendants of Zacha
riah Locklear, father of Pres
ton, are invited to attend.
For information call 919-521
2216 or 919 521-4107.
CHURCH NIGHT
ATSATW
Church night will be
held at Strike at the Wind on
August 1, 1986. The ten
largest groups receive an
award certificate. Pie-show
gospel sing begins at 7 p.m.
Strike at the Wind, the
ouUjtgor drama begins at
8:30 p.m. Make plans to
attend this annual event at
Strike at the Wind.
LRDA HIRES JIM HARDIN
AS NEW
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
To Participate in
National Night Out
Hie Board of Directors of
Lumbee Regional Develop
ment Association, Inc. on
Monday night hired Mr.
James A. Hardin as Execu
tive Director of the agency.
In making the announce-'
ment, Paul Brooks, chair
man of the board stated,
"Mr. Hardin comes to the
Agency with an extensive
background in the area of
working with and for Indian
people. He has conducted
training workshops, evalua
ted programs, and negoti
ated contracts with funding
sources at the local, state
and federal level (including
private foundations)."
Hardin has served as
Executive Director of the
Cumberland County Associ
ation for Indian People for
the past twelve yean. When
asked if he would relocate to
the Robeson County area,
Hardin replied that it was
not a stipulation of the
position and he felt that
remaining in Fayette ville
and commuting would not
pose any problems. Ha
stated that be was only thirty I
minutes away from Pembro- ,
ha. Am! it was hia desire to I
remain in Cumberland
County. He represents that
county on the Board of
Directors of Lumbee River
Electric Membership Corpo
ration. Hardin stated that if
he moved, it would be
necessary to resign from that
position. He stated that he
felt that remaining on the
EMC Board would be ben
eficial to his position at
LRDA. & would give him an
opportunity to keep people
informed on the programs
offered by EMC. He did
state that he had no objec
tions to relocating if the
board of directors of LRDA
felt it best
Mr. Hardin is a native at
the Saddletree area. He is
the son of Lawrence and
Ad die Hardin. He has serv
ed on various boards at the
local, state and federal level.
He is a past President of the
National Urban Indian
Council and pest Pieeident
of the United Tribes of North
Carolina. He is married
tothe former Amanda Loch
leer, daughter of Melton and
Sapronie Loddeer. Ibey
[have tee ehfldrsm.
. Hardin wfil assume Ms
? |?fla m
|Mw uuuM OB OMBflBW
Pembroke-Pbliee Chief Kir
by Amnions announced to
day that the Pembroke Po
lice Department will partici
pate August 12 in the I
observation of National
Night Out, a national anti
crime vigil involving over
4500 towns and cities and
over 10 million citizens last
year.
Sponsored by the National
Town Watch Association, a
non-profit organization, the
local observance is being
organized by the Robeson
County Chapter of the Na
tional Association of Retired
Federal Employees
(NAKFE).
Local coordinators for
NARFE, Robert Klein and
Robert Stevenson e*y,
"Our local chapter has on
dsrtafcaa to promote an anti
crime program for Lumber
ton and Robsocn County.
We think ear area should
iS?PSUh^
eleven teates^ in tee ^ U.&
the Lumberton Police De
partment in giving his en
dorsement to the project
According to Chief Am
nions. "Our department en
courages the citizens hen to
take every advantage to use
their neighborhoods and to
use their police department
We work together and al
ways have to make our
neighborhoods safe placet to
enjoy."
Local coordinators saj
they intend to follow the
national pattern of obeer
vance, with 8 p.m.-9 p.m.,
August 12, being the bay
hour. Hiey remind others,
"The unique thing about J
National Nght Out ia that
whBe the theme Is the same
their own special touehaa."
Ana chuiebaa, ehric and
social organisattoos are be
^o5?2Tl5i2^sih2