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I VOLUME IS NUMBER 21 25<t THURSDAY, MAY t6, 1998 I
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LUMBEE COU F?1_E
GRADUATES FROM BYU
Susan, Geneva & Jack Lucas
Photos & Text by Sandy Lucas Tevis
A proud Lumbee mother, from Pembroke,
N.C., recently joined her son and daughter
in-law at a significant celebration?their
college graduation at Brigham Young Univer
sity in Provo, Utah.
Jack L Lucas, 26, the youngest of seven
children, received his MBA degree. He is the
second Indian student at BYU to receive an
MBA. While in the program, he received
various awards and scholarships from the
school, the National American Indian Honor
Society and Ford.
Susan Lowry Lucas, 23, also received her
B.S. degree in Elementary Education on the
same day as her husband. Jack. Susan is the
daughter of the late Evelyn Lowry of
Pembroke, who passed away during Susan's
last semester.
'' BYU has been a terrific experience and I
have obtained a fine education. Now it's time
to return home and put my knowledge to work
where my roots are," said Jack, who has
accepted employment at Southern National
Bank in Lumberton, N.C.
It was a graduation weekend of celebration
for the Lucas couple, for they had family and
guests visiting from North Carolina, Arizona
and Colorado. From Susan's family were her
aunt Bonnie F. Lowry of Lumberton and
brother Dave and nephew Michael of
Pembroke.
Jack's family included his mother, Geneva
Lucas. Pembroke; cousin Heather Hamlett,
Graham, NC; niece Erica K. Satterfield, Ft.
Bragg, NC; brother James D. and wife Liz,
Arizona; brother Jeff and wife Debbie,
Colorado; and sister Sandy Lucas Tevis of
Arizona.
Jack and Susan said they would miss Utah
with BYU's cheering 65,000 football fans, the
snow-capped mountains, the great people,
the many "all-Indian basketball tourna
ments," but at the same time, they are
excited to start their new life and new family
(as they are parents-to-be) in Robeson
County, where both were born and grew up
as "next-door'' neighbors.
Susan was able to accompany her husband
at his commencement and the two of them
proudly marched across the stage together
and graduated as a couple. As they received
their diplomas, both gave a big wave to their
family and friends, and with diplomas in
mid-air, both shouted with achievement,
"WE DID IT!!!"
Out of the 23,000 people attending, you
could hear their fan club cheering, "Go, Sue,
Go, Jack...!!!"
Jack and Susan were two of the 4,012
students who graduated this year, the
youngest being 18 years old and the oldest
being 59.
A number of Lumbee students have
attended BYU over the past few years, six of
them from Jack's family. His sister Sandy,
now employed with IBM in Tucson, Arizona,
was the first Lumbee at BYU to receive a
Master's degree. His sister Sarah also did
graduate studies at BYU.
Jack explained, "Well, when I saw that my
sister Sandy could do it, I thought it would be
a good idea for me also to pursue a Master's
degree. It's been a long haul, but it's been
worth it"
After graduating. Jack and Susan joined
friends and family at Disneyland, visited Los
Angeles, where Jack served a two-year
church mission, and Denver, where his
brother resides.
BYU has not seen the last of the Lucas
family yet. Jack's oldest brother, Jim, 31, has
just returned to complete his degree after
taking a break from General Dynamics Inc. of
Tucson.
After graduation, Jack's mother smiled
and said, "This is terrific. Now if I could just
get my other children to move from Alaska,
Arizona, Colorado and Utah, I would smile
even bigger."
L_ R EfS/IC BOARD SETS
JULY 12 ELECTION
The Board of Directors of LREMC met on Tuesday. They
decided, in compliance with Judge Craig Ellis' order, to set a
July 12 date for the election of four board members. They are
Rev. Elias Rogers, Harold Brewer, Bradford Oi$ndine and
Herbert Clark. All four directors will face the voters again July
12. The election is a result of a law suit filed by Rev. Elias
Rogers following the October 6, 1987 annual meeting. Rogers
was seemingly defeated by Conrad Oxendine. Rogers
protested the election, alleging vote buying and other
improprities. The protest was brought before the elections and
credentials committee of LREMC. They voted to set aside the
October 6 election. Two weeks later they met again and voted
to reverse their decision. Rogers then took his grievances to
court where judge Craig Ellis agreed with him that the by-laws
of the corporation should be followed.
Hie same procedure for the July 12 election will be used as
is used at the annual meetings of the cooperative. Those
desiring to run may be nominated by the nominating
committee of LREMC or may be nominated by filing a
petition. A person may also be nominated from the floor at the
meeting.
According to reports, LREMC will accept petitions through
June 16 for candidates.
Deaths Stl 11 Under
I nvestlgatlon
According to reports, the Robeson County authorities are
still investigating the deaths of two county residents. Earl
Chavia was found dead at his mobile home west of Lumberton.
Keith Ol?l Jones of Pembroke was struck by train Saturday
morning.
An autopsy showed that Chavis had a blood-alcohol content
of .87 when he died. State law considers a blood-alcohol
content of .10 as intoxication.
Preliminary autopsy results are not yet available on Jones.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO...
Foy & Hilda " B loss" Cummings
By Barbara Brayboy-Ijocklear
Special To The Carolina Indian Voice
For half a century love, music and children have filled the
home of Foy and Hilda "Bloss" Cummings. And they'd have
it no other way.
The Lumbee Indian couple, married 55 years, reared 17
children-12 of their own and five grandchildren. "I don't think
there's anything on earth any sweeter than a little child,"
smiles Mrs. Cummings.
Cummings met his wife v.hile they both attended St. Anna
Church located two miles from Pembroke. Attending the same
church afforded them an opportunity to worship together as
well as court a little at church social functions.
In 1933, after finishing studies at Cherokee Indian Normal
School, Mrs. Cummings married the young man who had
attended the B. Branch School in the St. Anna Community
where among his teachers were Oscar Sampson, W.L Moore
and Anderson Locklear.
After marriage, they continued to church at St. Anna while
living at the Cummings homeplace. They were engaged in
farming. Neighboring and Christian worship became a vital
part of the couple's life. They both loved music and were
members of the church choir. It seemed only natural that they
sing because he'd come from a family of nine children where
the father was a musician and church choir leader. And the
rule in the James Cummings home was, "You had to learn the
shaped notes before he'd let you sing a song with him,"
remembers 70-year old Mrs. Cummings. She says her
father-in-law taught her how to sing alto, while her husband
sang tenor.
Many a Sunday afternoon was spent with the family
gathered around the piano at the patriarch's home.
"Socializing back then was pretty much limited to gospel
singing practice on Sunday," comments Mrs Cummings.
And when the couple moved into their own new home nine
years after marriage, the music sessions continued. Missing
the old family piano left behind, Mr. Cummings busied
himself in finding one for his growing family. He found one
and placed it in the house where it remains today.
"We tried to have a Christian home, and the music became
a part of our lives," the 80-year-otd great grandfather says.
"Music is a great thing for young people to have U> entertain
themselves." Mrs. Cummings add
She admits, though, the entertainment comes with a
"noise" price tag. "Whatyou I < <>? uu iersta id. and a lot of
people don't, is that you have to bear the noise." The couple
agrees that after a while, the noise becomes music. Even they
trained themselves to sleep through late night practice
sessions by their children over the years.
As the musicians sprouted in their home, Mr. and Mrs.
Cummings grew musically right alongside them. When the
Baptist Men's Chorus formed in the 1950's. Mr. Cummings
was among the first to join the gospel singers. Mrs.
Cummings became a charter member of the Pembroke ladies'
Chorus. He retired from the chorus seven years ago, and she
sang ir^the organized chorus until the early 1980's.
"To sing gospel songs is like the gospel all over again,"
says Mrs. Cummings who has been a Christian since age 11.
Several years after the birth of their last child, Mrs.
Cummings took a job outside her home. She says she did it to
supplement the family income. The Cummings children by
then were entering college, and even though the family farm
offered plenty of food, it fell short in producing enough money
to pay for tuition.
NEWS IN BRIEF
COUNTY TO PURCHASE PROPERTY FOR NEW J AH,
The Robeson County Commissioners have agreed to
pursue the possiblity of buying a 41-acre tract of land owned
by K.M. Biggs Corpraiton as the site fora new county jail. The
price will be $287,000 and the property is located east of
Lumberton Airport. This action was taken in response to a
report from Thomas Ritter, the chief inspector of the Jail and
Detention Branch of the State Department of Human
Resources. He told the commissioners on Monday that they
could face state or federal action forcing them to build a new
facility. Ritter has said that the present jail was "an
antiquated facility, so obsolete it does not meet any kind of
standard." He uiged the commissioners to find a jail site
immediately.
CHANGE OF VENUE SOUGHT FOR SANDY CHA VIS
Attorneys for Sandy Jordan Chavis requested a change of
venue for their client during arraignment proceedings Monday
in the Robeson County Superior Court
Chavis is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting
death of Julian Pierce.
Chavis' court appointed attorneys are Zander Britt ID and
Donald Bullard. TTiey requested a change of venue because of
the publicity surrounding the case. No trial date has been set
and the attorneys, reportedly, have until the August session of
court to file any motions.
Chavis has been held without bond since his arrest March
29. Pierce was killed March 27.
MERGER VOTE FINALLY CERTIFIED
On Monday the Robeson County Board of Elections
certified the March 8 school merger referendum that will
consolidate Robeson County's five school systems. TTiis action
is now waiting the approval of the U.S. Justice Department A
submission for pre-clearance has been filed with the U.8.
Justice Department by Hal Kinlaw, attorney for the board of
elections. No action has yet been taken. Pro-clearance is
expected by July.
The interim board which according to the referendum was
scheduled to meet April 1, has not met yet John Barker,
chairman of the interim board of education stated that he does
not plan to have the 16 member board take the oath of office
until the referendum has pre-dearance from the justice
department
Fog and Hilda "Bloss" Cummings sit together in their rural
Pembroke home.
Her love for people, and especially children, lured her into
accepting positions which offered service to helping others.
She worked with Pembroke Head Start for seven years, also
with a Day ('are Center which operated under the auspices of
Ijimbee Regional Development Association. She went back to
the classroom as a student at Robeson Technical Institute and
earned a nurse's assistant certificate. She was with the N.C.
Cancer Institute for three and a half years before she retired in
1962.
Retirement lasted two weeks. She look a position as a
dietician with 'Hie Odum Home in Pembroke. She works
a six hour workday in preparing nourishment for the bodies of
the children who live at the home which is operated by Baptist
Children's Homes. Inc. She is affectionately called
"Grandma" by the residents.
The modest grandmother dismisses praise for what she
does in feeding, counseling and loving the children. "The
children there have done more for me than I*ve done for
them," she says. "I love my work. You would never get tired
of some'hing you enjoy doing. My .source of energy comes
from the lord."
She thinks about retirement, but has made no definite plans
to retire. "Even if I retired now, I'd quickly find somebody
else to do something for."
Mr. Cummings retired in 1966. His days are spent in
handling "light" chores around home and to driving his wife
to work each day. He usually does -the grocery marketing for
his wife, because he needs something to do, too says his wife.
The family farm is rented out, hut a vegetable garden is
planted near the house as it has been every year for the past
55. The couple's children and grandchildren help tend it. The
food will be served to the 12 children, 30 grandchildren and
seven great grandchildren which are drawn home for
"Grandma's" cooking. They'll all gather, pray and eat. And
after the eating's over, they'll gather around the old family
piano. There they'll lift their voices as they sing the "shaped"
notes of gospel songs.
Each year the family grows, the noise increases and the love
deepens. That's the way is it, and that's they way it'll continue
to be. And that is the gospel according to Mr. and Mrs.
Cummings.
JTOHN D . HUNT ON THTAL.
T N ROBESON COUNTY
John David Hunt is being tried in the Robeson County
Superior Court this week. He is chaged with assault with
intent to kill and robbery.
Hunt is accused of beating Ixither Oxendine in the head
with a stick in an attempted robbery. Luther Oxendine is the
brother of Robeson County Commissioner Wyvis Oxendine.
He is the owner of County line Grocery Store on Highway 71.
John D. Hunt was named in grievances by Eddie Hatcher
and timothy Jacobs during the Feb. 1 takeover of the
Robesonian newspaper office in Lumberton. Hatcher
expressed a desire to have Hunt moved from the Robeson
County Jail because he feared for his life.
fVlEfVIO RIAL DAY
MARCH PL A N N E D
The Robeson County Justice Committee is sponsoring a
Memorial Day March May 80. 1988 at 10 a.m. The march will
begin at Hill's Food Store in Pembroke and continue on to the
Pembroke Town Park. The march will be in memory of John L
Godwin. Julian Pierce, and the Families of Unsolved Murders
in Robeson County. Guest speakers will be Ruth B. Iocklear.
Rev. Joy Johnson. Christine Griffin and others. Following the
speakers there will be a gospel singing and a performance by
the Kau Ta Nok Society Drummers and Dancers. Refresh
ments will be sold. For furtlier information contact Helen
Oxendine at 521-2404.
RRO BONO AWARD
TO B E PRESENTED
IN MEMORY OR
JULIAN PIERCE
The North Carolina Bar Association Board of Governors
has resolved to give the 1988 Pro Bono Award in memory of
Julian Pierce. The award will be presented at the opening
banquet of the Annual Meeting of the North Carolina Bar
Association-on Thursday. June 28, 1988.
AaroJblos
To B**sr?n May 31
Beginning May SI, an aerobics class for men and women
will be held at the Pembroke Odum Home. Class will be held
on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8:80 p.m. for a session of Ave
weeks. A fee of 810 per persen will be charged. Rebecca
Lowiy. certified instructor, sponsored by Robeson County
Recreation and Park Commission.
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MUNSINGWEAR
ANNOUNCES
PROMOTXONS
Munsingwear, Inc. has an
nounced I he following promo
tions in the Men's Division:
Shird Oxendine from cut
ting shift supervisor to Cut
ting Manager in the Fairmont
Plant. Oxendine, who joined
Munsingwear in January 1986
is a Lumberton resident.
Stacy Hunt from shipping
and receiving supervisor/
Fairmont cutting plant to
Warehouse Manager/Red
Springs Plant. Hunt, who
resides in Fairmont, joined
Munsingwear in Waret- tux1'
Evelyn Daniels from luitler
to second shift knitting super
visor. Daniels, who joined
Munsingwear in October
1985, resides in Red Springs.
Frances Scott from Assis
lanl Plant Manager/Fairmont
Sewing to Personnel Mana
ger/Fairmont Cutting and
Sewing. Scott, who joined
Munsingwear in January
1977, resides in liimhcrtnn.
STACY HUNT
EVELYN DANIE1E
SHIRD OXh'NDINE
Call 521-2826 and
subscribe to The
Carolina Indian Voice.
Robeson County Senior'
Games To Be Meld
June 3 ? ^4- In l_umberton
The first-ever Robeson County Senior Games, which are
Olympic-type programs for men and women 55 years of age
and older, will be held FYiday and Saturday, June 3-4. at
different locations in Lumberton.
Opening and closing ceremonies will be held at lumberton
Senior High School.
The opening ceremonies will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday,
June 3. They will be preceded by a opening ceremonies pinner
at 6 p.m. with reservations required.
Closing ceremonies will be at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, June 4.
Prior to them, a closing ceremonies lunch v II be served at 12
o'clock"noon with reservations again required.
Competition will be held in golf, tennis, bowling,
swimming, track, horseshoes, and throws in softball, football
and basketball.
Gold, silver and bronse medals will be awarded to the top
three men and women winners in each age division and each
event Age categories will be: 55-59, 50-64, 66-09, 70-74,
75-79, 80-84, 85-89, and 90-94.
Interested participants are asked to register in advance by
completing the application/release form and mailing it with a
$5 check or money order to: Robeson County Senior Games,
Lumberton Recreation Department P.O. Box 758, Lumberton,
N.C. 28869. For more information, contact Phytisa Thorn
thwaits at (919)788-0441, Ext 7777.
Co-sponsors of the event are Southern National Bank and
Southeastern General Hospital of Lumberton. Other sponsors
are Pembroke State University, Lumberton Recreation,
Department Lumber River Council of Government WAGR
Radio, Robco News, Robeson County Recreation Department
and Hie Robeeonian.
The 86 registration fee qualifies the entrant for two mania at
. the event a T-shirt and an Olympic medal. Other fees depend
upon the category of competition. IW example, the green lee
is waived in golf, but a golf salt lee li 18. In bowling, the
Mowting shoes ere free, but the cost per game^elljente.
I^Senior Games have been gotten forflse in North