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Pembroke, N.C. "Building Communicative Bridges In A Tri-RaciqJi?ip1!M0nore Llbrarf Robesoi
Pembroke State Library
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VOLUME 17 NUMBER 24 THURSDAY. JUNE 15. 1989 JUfi *''89 COPY
Robeson Coftnty to pay
Tribute to Purnell Swett
"Robeson County People's
Tribute to Purnel! Swell will be
he theme of u special salute to
the retiring superintendent of
Robeson County Schools on Sun
day, June 25, from 4-6 p.m. at
Pembroke Elementary School
C afeteria.
On this day, parents of the
school children whom Swell's life
has touched and citizens of every
walk of life across the county are
invited to a reception honoring
Swell for his 12 years of being the
Robeson County Schools' top ad
ministrator.
"It will be a flow-through type
reception," says frank
Daughtrey of Pembroke's first
Union Motional Bank, who is
chairman of the event.
"We owe Purnel I Swell
something for his years of ser
vice. The reception we've plann
ed is going to be very informal.
We want the whole county to feel
welcome, and everything is free.
We will be raising the money to
pay for the event from 20 dif
ferent sponsors."
At 5 p.m. a 20-minute program
will be presented, says Archie Ox
endine of the Robeson County
Schools who is on the committee.
Co-chairing the event will be two
officials of Acme Electric Corp.
Rudy Barnes and l.aymon
Lock I ear.
"We want everyone in the
county to take part- businesses,
industry, churches, senior
citizens, etc, " said Oxendine.
Swell, in his role as superinten
dent of Robeson County Schools,
has been responsible for 14,500
students and 1600 employees.
The SXStcaC* year budget: S47
million.
He earned his diploma at Pem
broke High School and received a
b.s. in Science and History from
Pembroke State University in
1957. He earned his M.A.Ed, in
School Administration at
Western Carolina University in
1967. He has done post gradaute
work at UNC-Chapel Hill and
Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
Before being named
superintendent in 1977, Swett
served as associate superinten
dent of Robeson County Schools
from Jan- I. 1975. Prior to that
he was Acting Deputy Commis
sioner for the Office of Indian
Education for the U.S. Office of
Education in Washington, D.C.
From 1967-71 before joining
the U.S. Office of Education.
Swett was assistant supt. of
Robeson County Schools.
Swett's honors have been
many. He has served as chaimran
and vice chairman of the FSU
Board of Trustees, president of
the PSU Alumni Association,
and was selected in 1984 for the
PSU Alumni Association's
'Distinguished Alumnus
Award."
He is a member of the Board of
Trustees of the Baptist Children's
Homes of North Carolina and
the Board of Directors of
Southern National Bank, United
Way of Robeson County, and the
Robeson County-Lumberton
Chamber of Commerce. He is a
member of the Robeson County
Committee of 100 and the Region
N Private Industry Council.
He has been past chairman of
the State Division of
Superintendents for the N.C.
Association of School Ad
ministrators.
Swell's honors include a
Presidential appointment to the
National Advisory Council on
Adult Education and a Guber
natorial appointment to the N.C.
Interagency Council for Com
munity Schools. Iln 982 he won
the Leo Reano Memorial Award
from the National Educational
Association. He worn "Boss of
the .Year" awards from District
Nine of the N.C. Association
Education Office Personnel in
1981 and from the Pembroke
Jaycees in 1983.
In 1974 he was asked to deliver
the major address at sixlh-ew??
hual Conference of the National
Indian Education Association
meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.
He is a former member of the
General Board of the N.C. Bap
tist State Convention and served
as moderator of the Burnt
Swamp Baptist Association from
1978-80
While a itudent at PSU, Swett
was president of the institution's
Baptist Student Union and was
third vice president of the state's
Baptist Student Union.
As a student at Pembroke High
School, he was elected class presi
dent in both his junior and senior
years and also voted the
"Outstanding Male Student."
Karen Coronado:
Strike at the Wind's Artist of the Year
By Barbara Brave boy- LockLear
Special 7b The Carolina Indian Voice
Hi is year's "Strike at the Wind" Artist of the Year
Karen Coronado gave birth twice this year. Five-month
old son Cory was bora in January to her and husband,
Richard Mathis. In May she produced a four by six foot
oil painting which Robeson Historical Drama has
temporarily claimed.
On June 27 at Pinecnest Country Club in Lumberton the
commissioned painting will go to the highest bidder at
SATW's fourth annual Art Auction Dinner. Hie 7:30 p.m.
event is the organization's largest annual fundraising
project
"Until the day the committee came and took the
painting, it was like a baby. I'd had it in gestation many
days," Coronado says. "I really wasn't ready to give it
up, because I had set myself up for so much content that I
found it difficult to call it quits."
Hie artist says for three months she labored on the
work in between breast-feeding her infant son and
sharing precious, private moments with a two-year old
daughter and five-year-old son. She and her husband also
have a 13-year-old daughter.
"I literally snatched time when I could." she smiles. "I
never got burned out on executing the painting even
though I had a few all-nighters."
Hie Raft Swamp community resident says she received
babysitting support from her parents and husband while
working in a studio in her parents' home outside
Pembroke. *
After being selected Artist of the Year, Coronado
submitted a dozen preliminary drawings to a selection
committee. Once she received the "go ahead" signal, she
began in earnest to meet a late spring deadline. i
"I was consumed by the deadline. As an artist I don't
always have a clear sense of how long it takes to do
something," she comments. "Even after the committee
came and picked up the painting I heard them joking
'don't tell her where it is being stored because she will
want to go paint some more on it.'"
Coronado says she feels the work is complete, but her
artist nature makes her want to make a few more strokes
with the brush.
Because of the nature of her contract as the
?eswMwfesioncd artist with SATW. the 3R year-old says, she
is unable to reveal the contents of the painting. However,
being a professed environmentalist, she admits she drew
inspiration for some content from the Lumber " Lumbee"
River which runs behind her parents' home
"I'd go out to th? river and look in that dark water...at
the different trees and their knees and at the moss to get a
feel for something realistic," she recalls. While the
Lumbee/ Mexican artist says much realism is reflected in
the work, there are other things.
"If nothing else, this painting will reflect detail and
aoior. But most importantly, its theme will reflect a spirit
-one of racial unity among a tri-racial group of people
after the close of the Civil War."
Once the busy artist/mother completed the
commissioned work, she immediately began
completion of other art pieces for a New York show at Hie
American Indian Community House Gallery.
"I didn't expect all this so suddenly. Here, little has
happened to my art career during the past two years. F ve
been somewhat of a full time wife and mother, and now all
of a sudden I get two shows all at once," she comments.
Coronado was chosen as an emerging American Indian
artist in the N.Y. show scheduled to open this week. She
will exhibit six works of art.
As this year's official SATW artist she has exclusive
rights to exhibit works which will be offered for sale to the
public at the art dinner. She will exhibit 12 pieces.
Hie petite artist says being an artist has been easy for
her. From an early age she challenged herself to art But
there was a time during early age. the desire to endlessly
paint got her into trouble.
"I was drawing during class in elementary school one
day when I was assigned to do something else. I ended up
in the principal's office and received a reprimand," she
laughs. She received her formal education and art
training from Pembroke State and East Carolina
Universities.
Snatching time to paint during the past few months
should pay off for Coronado. For on June 27, her labor is
expected to reap funds to support a 14 year old outdoor
drama while handing her much earned applause.
KARENCORONADO, "Strike at the Wind" Artist of the I
Pembroke
Kiwanis
Report
Miss Linda Locklear, Regional
Vice President of the A.L Williams
Company, Insurance and Financial
Services, was the speaker at the
Tuesday night meeting held at the
Town and Country Restaurant. She
was presented by program chairman
Garth Locklear.
Being in the insurance marketing
business has been a truly rewarding
experience for Miss locklear. The
company started in 1967 by Art
Williams of Columbus. Georgia who
saw the concept of Term Insurance
where insurance of $5,000 for
example, could earn up to $100,000
instead of a much lesser amount. Art
Williams realized some one else
controlled his life so he planned the
Art Williams Marketing Company in
1977. to truly serve middle America.
It has now grown to be the biggest
insurance company in America with
over 600,000 employees and 5,000
offices. Serving the consumer has
made then Ml in the country and in
Robeson County. As most families
are coverage poor, the A. I* Wlliams
company has improved coverage
from $15,000 coverage- up to a
$95,000 coverage. Some insurance
pays only when you die, but A.L
Williams policies gives the consumer
a lift for much more financial
security. Miss Locklear's enthusiasm
i was unsurpassed as she has raised
her family of three, has gone through
' alt Kinds of factory work and now has
I financial security by working for the
A.L Williams Co. It's services now
include home morgages, group
insurance, disability income, pension
funds, real estate and many more
services.
President-elect Ronnie Sutton re
ported the meeting for future officers
held Saturday at the Rordeau Shop
ping Center in Fayetleville was very
instructional with many plans for the
future.
Presiding, President elect Ronnie
Sutton; Song Leader Ed Teets;
hi vocation-Garth Locklear; Program
Garth Locklear; Reporter Ken John
son.
"Good Theatrical
Representation of history"
By Barbara Braveboy-LocUear
For the past three months Ken Conner, Managing
Director for "Strike at the Wind" has busied himself in
learning as much as he could about the community that is
producing the outdoor drama. The 34-year-old West
Virginia native came to the area from Winston-Salem on
March 1.
"Initially, it was my intention to learn as much as I
could about the community, and it has been an ongoing
process since I arrived," Conner says. 'Tve perceived a
certain nobility about the people T ve seen here, and I like
what I see."
The Managing Director brings to the area a broad
range in professional theater experience which he has
applied in stabilizing his operation with SATW. A 1980
graduate in theatre from Radford University in Virginia,
Conner completed the "Managing of the Arts" program
offered through the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill graduate school of business.
Conner has worked as an actor, stagehand. Production
Stage Manager. Director, Designer and Administrator he
?ays. As a performer he appeared in leading roles in such
plays as "Inherit the Wind," "Midsummer Night's
Dream," "Lysistreta," "The Philadelphia Story" in
regional productions and children's theater tours.
The energetic Managing Director has actively sought
support for this particular season, including fundraising,
audition participation and audience development
"I want to broaden the base of support throughout
Robeson County and use this story to gain as much
national attention and international attention for'Strike at
! the Wind' as a company." Conner admits. "I would like
very much to see this develop into a professional theatre
company in every sense of the word. 'Strike at the Wind'
is representative of what is, perhaps purely American,"
he continues. "The nice thing about this show is it is an
outdoor drama based upon a locally historical event at are
all dramas throughout the U.S."
According toDonner SATW recently received the 1988
Governor's Business Award in Arts and Humanities, and
is aggressively improving the quality of the production,
-developing ever improving relationships with business
community and working to contribute to the positive
image of Robeson County as a whole.
David Osendine returns to SATW in the role of Director
for the production. In addition to his numerous stage
credits Owndine, a Pembroke native residing in New
York, has performed in numerous movies.
Hie 1969 season of SATW opens on Saturday July 1 and
runs every Hiurs. FY! and Sat night until August 28th.
Hie 26 scheduled performances will be held at the Adolph
L Dial Amphitheater outside Pembroke. Conner says
there will be some pre-show events scheduled.
lb provide a fundamental source of funding for the
organisation and to provide community involvement a
membership drive has been established. For information
about benefits of memberships, the Managing Director
invites calls to the SATW offices at: 919/521-8112.
Carol Ann Conner, a dance instructor in Winston-Salem
recently joined her husband for the summer season in
Pembroke where the couple is living.
"Fbr the person who has never seen 'Strike at the
Wind' expect to see a good theatrical representation
of a fascinating historical story. There is actual history
involved; actual names and truths," Conner concludes.
KEN CONNER, MANAGING DIRECTOR SATW
4
DAVIDOXENDINE, DIRECTORSATW
Revival
planned
at Prospect
UMC
%
A revival is planned at Pro
spect United Methodist Church
June 18-21 beginning at 7:30
p.m. nightly. Guest, speakers will
be the Rev. Jerry Lowry and the
Rev. Charles McDowell. The
public is cordially invited to at
rend
Wills Little Miss
America State Title
Recently, at the Convention Center
of the Hyatt Hotel in Winston
Salem, Kelli Wallace ur>n the little
Mitt America State Title. Kelli it the
eight-year-old daughter of Eari and
Yvonne Wallace of Lnmberton. She
attendt ISney Grove School where
the uill enter fourth grade thit fall.
Alto, the attendt Mt. Otive Baptist
Church near liumberton.
A tpecial thanks go to her
tpontort, Strickland't Paint and
Wallpaper, Mr. and Mrs. Robert
Strickland, ou-nert; and Double
CAFhrmt, Mr. and Mrs Ronnie
Hammonds, oumen.
KeUi won a preliminary back m
February at Aberdeen, NC. Now,
after wmnmy tke state title she uiU
have the opportunity to compete at
the National little Miss America
Pageant to be held in NashiiUe,
Tennessee in July.
Presently. KeUi holds other titles,
including the U.S.A. Glamour Girl
State , Petite Miss Fourth of
July of Hope Mills, little Mist
Lumberton Sweetheart and little
Milt North Carolina Preliminary
Queen.