Published each Thursday since January 16,1973
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I Pembroke, NC Robeson County I
"Building communicative bridges inHt tri-racial setting
VOLUME 19 NUMBER 9. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1991 25 CENTS PER COPY
Whatever Happened to ...
Abner Nash Locklear
By Barbara Brave boy- LocUear
SPECIAL TO THE CAROLINA INDIAN VOICE
-Dare Abner Nash LocUear to stop anything he's
doing in midstream and he'll show you how to put his
? formal education on hold; change careers; even stop a
train. He's done them all.
Mr. LocUear was bom the son of Cathen LocUear and
Lettie B. Jones LocUear of the Prospect community in
Robeson County. He, along with his five brothers and
three sisters, attended Prospect School
"I always loved school and got there so early each
school day that they thought I was the janitor," he
chucUes. "I'd cry to go to school."
Among his early grade teachers were Clement Bullard,
Lacy Maynor and Rose LocUear Carter.
Mr. LocUear says he was a young teen-ager when his
father died and he was determined to complete school
after his death. "I went to Pembroke to live with my
cousin, Marvin Carter and his wife, Rose and stayed with
them five years so as to attend Cherokee Indian Normal
High School" he remembers.
In 1937 he graduated from that school and enrolled in
the Indian Normal School Into his second year of study at
the all-Indian school he was told by Lucille Oxen dine
Lowry that there were two scholarships available for a
male and female Indian student to study agriculture at
Ohio State University. Mr. LocUear applied and was
selected to receive the scholarship for the male Indian
student
And in 1939 he gathered his belongings and moved to
Columbus, Ohio where he began study in farm
management His credits earned at the Indian Normal
School were non-transferrable. At the new campus were
no dormitories, and the young Lumbee Indian student
boarded in homes until dormitories were built He
befriended the school*? dean and was among the first to
get a room asslffiVKnt
Midstream his college study Mr. LocUear was called to,
military duty. The Army draftee reported to service in
1942 and was assigned to the Phillipines in the Southwest
Pacific; also to New Guinea. Worid War II raged on.
It was to be three years and seven months before he
could return to college study at Ohio State.
' Economical times were hard and he rarely traveled to
his beloved Robeson County during his final two years in
college. "Money was scarce. And even though a bus ride
was eight dollars, those dollars were hard to come by," he
rememoers.
But the grandfather says there was one time during
that period he got to come home, and it became one
occasion he'D never forget
He'd saved his money and bought a " straight through"
train ticket to Pembroke, NC on the Baltimore-Ohio liae.
He had changeover in Petersburg, VA and that's where
the trouble began.
'Td originally bought my ticket for travel on the '89'
train which makes numerous stops along ita route.
"When I boarded the train in Virginia, unbeknownst to
me, the conductor put me on a train which had limited
scheduled stops which included Rocky Mount, Fayette
ville, NC and Florence, SC."
He says as the train pulled away from its station the
conductor began collecting tickets bom passengers. With
confidence, Mr. Locklear presented his, only to be
advised he was on the wrong train and that the train
would not stop in Pembroke.
Mr. Locklear insisted on knowing the name of the
person in charge of the train's scheduled stops. He
demanded to argue his case and got the opportunity when
the train stopped in Rocky Mount, NC. Without an
appointment, be marched into the director's office and
plead his case. The director said be would not make an
exception for the misplaced passenger.
"I told the man I wasn't just an ordinary
passenger...that I was the mayor of Pembroke, North
Carolina and that I could get a train stopped in my town."
The director argued, "There are only three situations
which will cause my train to make an unscheduled stop.
They are: A sudden death of a passenger; an emergency
of particular nature; or if the President of the United
States is on board and wants to stop to make a speech."
"I told him that the train would stop in Pembroke
because one of the three situationi was about to happen,"
says Mr. Locklear.
"It's to your advantage to stop this train, air. I'm the
mayor of Pembroke and am in a position to stop the train
and pat passengers on buses or airplanes in order to get
them to their destination," Mr. Locklear warned.
He aays he re boarded the train and eras paged by the
conductor shortly thereafter. "He told orders had
been cut to let me off in Pembroke."
As the southbound train slowed outside Pembroke a
conductor summoned Mr. Locklear to the rear car. There
he readied himself to get off. "Boys, when I got off that
train, merchants and other people started coming toward
the depot.
They thought the President or some big official was
getting off because the train had never before stopped la
Pembroke," he laughs. He says his friends still laugh
about the incident.
A year later in 1947 Mr. LoaMaar graduated from Ohio
?tele University. He returned with degree In hand and
took a ueo-year teaching position apiaaawd by the
Kinntu Horn# Ailiuiniiiiviiun wftMMNHtf h# tmyht |on|
(amen new method# in amp growing
During this time he married Dwethy Lee hint, a
ilyaacote Umbo# he'd eeuried ley leur years. ThhtMag
he would like te bourne a public school teacher. Mr.
1 , > * ?
Locklear returned to Ohio State and earned his teacher
certification.
In 1960 he took his first teaching assignment at
Pembroke High School. After two years of teaching
agriculture be took a break from the classroom.
"I thought I didn't like teaching." He gathered
together his wife and their only child at the time and
moved to Baltimore, MD where he worked with a steel
corporation. He says when his wife got homesick a
decision was made to return home after the six months
stay.
Another teaching assignment was to Prospect School
where he taught from 1962 until 1965.
Then in midstream of a teaching career he left the
classroom and signed on as an assistant supervisor with
Farmers Home Administration in the Lumberton office.
He gave three years service to the job before returning to
the location where his teaching career began. There at the
old Pembroke High School campus he stayed until his
retirement in 1981.
Throughout his teaching years Mr. Lockiear continued
a second career of fanning.
"I love the land and often thought of leaving the
classroom to farm. I was raised on a farm and worked
harder than hard as a young man," he comments.
The 71-year-old Prospect community resident suffered
a stroke in 1986 and no longer tends the farm he still owns
in the lYospect community.
Of retirement he says, "I didn't know the days were so
long as they are until I retired from teaching school. "
The father of two sons and two daughters says his
activities are slowed by his declining health, but that his
love for fishing goes pretty much unhindered.
"I want to fish all the time. I can remember way back
yonder when there were just a few people in this
community who fished.
"Back then people thought if you fished regularly you
were considered a lazy person. The teal truth is, it takes a
smart person to fish.
"It used to be when I was teaching school, Fd get up at
four o'clock in the morning and catch a mess at fish; then
dress and go to my teaching assignment"
And every consecutive year since 1949 Mr. Lockiear has
visited the mountains of North Carolina -often times going
twice a year.
"I always wonder why 1 never got me a place up there
around Cherokee," be frets. "I love to go there in the toll
and eee the coloring of the leaves."
And though he no longer takes trips to California and
Florida he does yearn to take a cruise ship to the Virgin
Islands. And If he doesn't throw himself another birthday
party this summer like he did in observance of his 66th he
will do just that
It was six years ago and he wanted the community to
know he'd turn 66 years old. He sent word out that the
community was invited to his home for a celebration.
In preparation for the party he cooked two hoga; 100
chickens and prepared all kinds of vegetables. He even
ordered ten gallons of homemade ice-cream he churned.
AU this for his adult guesta. For children he prepared
MjiMinC'UAM things.
"I vaai??g>aunaapaapto and wanted aa many aa could
mm to my party to ba tbaiw," ba iimiiIi. Aa aaak
ayAni teflteitMfl tilAV teMa amAteJ M^tk * Kate iter iklah
wiTwwtete S ^teRwvf WH^rW
raadi "numb Oad r? I%T
h lha adddla af Ida teat yard aat a blue alaad*
teA ,aMnn LmmI /W |Ju ka,?l laKtelaaii "Main Ak <mI
l^te ^?w ? JiBip BB
a Nab " b alaa aaidi "Oald far Iba Old."
"V a*a dlda't bava Ida (bat day,"
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Magnolia High School
Observes Final Homecoming
Several bulletin boards displaying photographs of
alumni and past school events commanded much interest
to the group in attendance.
Among those alumni present at the reception was
Louise Chavis Loddear, a 1968 graduate.
"There were 28 graduates in my class," she
remembered. She added that the class was so small she
knew everyone in it She fondly remembered special
teachers as the late Johnny Blanks and the late Tom
Blanks.
Of another teacher, John W. "Ned" Sampson, she
commented, "There is no other person like him Tve ever
associated with. I hold so much affection and admiration
for Mr. Ned." Sampson served as Loddear's basketball
coach from 1964-58. She said the school operated without
a gymnasium until 1956. Before then the basketball team
played outdoors. The team won its first district wide
championship three years later.
Among numerous former teachers attending the
reception were Mmes. Alice Blue; Dora Own dine; Mary
H. Loddear, Deborah 0. Sampson; Sarah Bell and Mary
Bell.
Special guest of honor was John W. "Ned" Sampson.
Arriving at the reception, be wove his way through an
admiring line of former students who greeted him with
applause and embraces.
"Mr. Ned was an outstanding coach, teacher and
friend," said alumni Noah Woods (1949-fall 50). "And
today we are honoring him by appointing him Grand
Marshall of activities."
Later that evening hundreds of students and
community people cheered as Sampson arrived in a
chauffeur-driven limousine, compliments of the school's
Booster Club members. Sampson had come to attend the
final homecoming basketball game at Magnolia High
School.
Other special guests honored and recognised during
day long activities were former school principal, Robert
Hunt, and James H. Hammonds who served many years
as assistant principal, and as interim principal between
the tenure of the late Mark Brooks and current principal,
Noah Woods. The late Frank Epps served as the school" s
first administrator.
Other activities throughout the day included basketball
games played by alumnae and alumnus; junior vanity
team; and giris varsity team. Former homecoming
queens were recognised during the evening activities;
followed by a cheerleaders' dance.
Sherry Clark was crowned Homecoming Queen.
The dsy ended as 900 well-wishers gave honor and
recognition to their final homecoming of Magnolia High
School.
John W. "Nsd" Sampson served as Qrand Marshall for
the fund Homecoming of Magnolia High School
By Barbara Brave boy-Loddear
SPECIAL TO THE CAROLINA INDIAN VOICE
-A Mnatttt unity was the far* on- February 8th as
the alumni of Magnolia High School gathered for a
farewell to thoir alma mater.
It was an occasion marked by embraces, gestures of
affection, reminiscences, and tears as former students
and faculty members crowded into the school's modem
media center.
"Today is a very special day in tee lives of alumni of
Magnolia High School. It's their final homecoming," said
Noah Woods, principal of the school
A steering committee of faculty members led by
athletic director and coach, Kathy Eppa began work in
planning the event months ago.
Homecoming began early in the day as alumni began
arriving on the campus located on U.S. Highway 901
South in the Saddletree community. During a 11 o'clock
reception former classmates and former faculty members
reminisced of bygone years walking the halls of the school
which was established as a high school in 1933.
k
EDITOR'S NOTE: Public School* of Robeson Comity
merged m 1989. Magnolia High School u scheduled to
become am elementary school m the full of 1991.
I - ,
Jerry BaJcer ['?) left embrace* hi* former elementary &*red music teacher, Sarah Bell [1957-84] is seen far
teacher. Maty H.LkUow a* Bmy*eUe\ *l)boka on. fiyht ^
The Pembroke Kiwkhis
Report
bv Ken Johnson
?*?
Dm monthly business mooting wu hold at the Town
and Country Reotauiant with President Mitch Loony
providing.
Boy Scout Chairman Ed TeoU presented Mr. Roland
Coulon, a roal friend of Troop 27 who haa rocontly painted
tho Boy Scout Hut H?o dub donated $260 to the troop for
scouting. Horny Smith and Hank TeoU an working on a
reacheduling program for Troop 27.
Clayton Maynor announced tho Pembroke Reocuo
Squad is holding a fund miser golf tournament this
coming Saturday at Riverside Golf Course, it will be a
Captain's choice bast ball tournament Entry tee ia ISO.
Bill Oaendiae announced the International Convention
wtl be bald In Anaheim. CAon June 24th- June 27th. The
regietration fee will be paid by the Club.
I*. Gary Willis, professor of sociology, apohs at laet
week's meeting. He was presented by Clayton Maynor.
Oarth Loaklear told of the Randolph ^'g* family
basing one daughter and throe aans la the military sendee
of dtoir country
Tmaauror Albeit Hunt tepefied IMOtM |p ike
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fang |^| K#fl JollAtMI.
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