?| Published?achThursday t?nce January 18, 197XvV
I I Mi %''* I
l1 Le Carolina Indian Vnce
broke, NC . Robeson County I
"Building communicative bridges in a tri-racial setting" ; | ::jfl
Whatever Happened to...
% Eyrtle Ray Ransom
vr?
SPECIAL TV THE CAROLINA INDIAN VOICE,
In retirement ErytJe Ray Ransom is literally enjoying
the fruiu of his labor.
Fsaeh trees fat the backyard of his Hopewell community
hone lean, weighted with Juicy, red-ripened fruit;
nectarines oa another tree store into the sun whOe apples
hang nearby. Blueberries hide themselves under
protective netting as plums peak from their resting place
around a comer. A vegetable garden on another comer of
the specious lot boasts of the season's plentiful rain fall
which has sided in bountiful yields.
Of retirement Mr. Hansom comments: "I thought I
would be able to loaf and fish. Instead, I came home and
got tied up with a little orchard, vineyard and garden.
And now, by swannie, I can't catch up."
He says he donates four to five hours a day to nurturing
the fruit trees, bushes and vines which have produced a
bountiful crop this year.
Ibodiag crops have long been a part of the Ufb of the
Lumbee Indian. He grew up in the Hopewell community.
Born one of nine children of Conley and Cottie Lowry
Ransom, he knew firsthand the in's and oufs of farmlifc.
Afterall, his father was a farmer. His mother once taught
school in the public schools of Mr. Ransom's native
County.
The 82-year-old grandfather attended Hopewell School
where he was a fifth grade student of Ms brother, Earl
" He ww particularly karri, and sometimes imu to bm.
Km won* part?f having him aa a taaehar was that he
made me call him 'Mr. Ransom'," be Isughs of the
He entered Rwnhwha High School after completing the
seventh grade at the all-Indian elementary school, b the
ninth grade, Mr. Ransom was given a Job as school bus
. thiver and a fourteen dollars-month safay. He drove the
bus lor four years; seeing his monthly salary rise to
twenty dollars during his senior year at Ihmbwb High
AehooL
Immediately after his IMS high school graduation, Mr.
Ransom enroled in Ibmbnohe State College. Durii* the
amnaser of that year he met Bsullne Setters, a Transanal
naive, and frisod of he Pate and Robe Lowry, cottage
^Aftar a'brief courtship he merited her b a Dillon, 8C
nodding chapel. He completed the second semester of
moved his bride to Detroit, Michigan in soareh hf
employment in the automobile industry.
After two years in the oold, noise fitted city he aaya he
returned to his boyhood community and iw enrolled in
rimlnibi State Cottage. Them he carried a foil academic
somas bed and attefdedtobamo crops on rented farma
Andhe'aaje though heasaJose^hkto^'^'Ueoied
Abo while tJm
R^KJ^Hnbb/ehaper>!rtL<sehoeL ^
"Dr. Welloas. then eottege praridiat. always bald
weeldy ehapei in Old Main heck then," Mr. Ransom
gimp Mtroduaad tit* whoot Alma Malar aong to tha
nil jinni"-irmi fir Rmaoma mala.
ha Laaarjr. aioaf wkk Ma ?Ma. oompoaad tha auak
mi wvota (ha tyrtea to iha aoag.
h ltM Mr. Mwai f?i<mtad h? thaaalata
A latal of aavaa yaara ma apart la Mgh aahaal taaaMag
at Prospect, Fambroke, Magnolia and fdrgrove before
Mr. Ranaoni waa aaaignod to Doop Branch Dementary
School whom ho apont 17 yean teaching language arte.
& waa at thia ate that ho waa moat involved in
introducing drama to atudonta. He aaja ho always
diroctod an annual achool piajr.
tor dram*...something more than juet hooka.
"It waa such a wonderful thing to taho atudonta in
September, go with than nine months, put thorn in a play
and aee the progieaa they made towarda gaining a deeper
ootf-oetoom and confidence.
"Today'a atudonta are given oppoitunhie* to expnss
tbemaehreo in athletics... on the baatethall court and
baaeball floida. Yet, there aie too few opportunitiaa
offered them to onceU in drama.
"After all, what's It all about U not communication?
One ean't play athletica all the daya of their Ufa, but can
Communicate an entire lifetime," be eapiaina.
"Drama aflorda communication training."
After leaving Deep Branch School, Mr. Ranaom waa
aaaignod to the Seventh Grade Center at the old
Pembroke Graded School campua tor three yean before
moving to Paanbroke Middle School where he apent the
final three yean of his teaching career.
- He retired in 1984 after 82 yaan in the pubUe schools of
Rob*ton County.
During non-harvest seasons Mr. Ranaom enjoys fishing I
trips to the beeeh with his long-time Mend and neighbor, I
Bart Sheppard. And before the death of hia beloved I
Mend. Efcfhah Jones, enjoyed bfadhunting with the let* I
#,.^?1 rn m Plieit m -II _ d TX, I 1 1? gb -1, T In I
iormer Lnpecuor ox iviuunw atmm unifwiny. i
traveled aome since retiring and especially enjoyed a
1MB, sevew-day Bermuda cndae which wea a gift to Mm
and Mrs. Raneotn from an appreciative former atadent,
Kenneth of Alexandria, Vs.
From 1M7-B0 the retired edemtor wuriwd as a VBTA
>PADdtla* rmthSbnbeRaneom wea eaat is ?
the role aa an Indian Elder in the movie film "Roanoha."
"I actually filled out a character application as a Joke
and was cast," he comments. He says what was supposed
to bora baao a thane week Rhnlag aaslgnai ant turned Into
"It was a wonderful time," he adds in recounting tho
- ... a. |yi_. J? _ ? 1
movie piming experience
Come fall after the last apple falls from its tree branch;
squaaaad and the vegetable garden bos died, Mr. Raimsm
can rather Ida tiebins seer sod nuiaaT to the hath for a
moss of "spots." Afterwards he can gather his six
children ami their families in the backyard and hold a
fiehfry. Ho aright oven went to serve up a pot of his
famous boAad eo&arda. Only then can the seasoned
gardener catch up ever so briefly with the chore* afforded
Recognized among I
real
estate
developersj
Gail loddear waa buay preparing for ooopatitioo in the
Miaa Lumbaa paguant, Hot <tedtcatfcai to hard worit paid
off for tba Natira Amcieaa daya lalar whaa aba waited
Now IT jmh lalar tba petite 88-jear-oid Babaaoa
County native'a bard awk baa earned bar raeogaWoo
among raal aetata dwalopea bi tba Atlanta, Goorgta
aaa aatecfrd lada main quo of five fully daaoratad lmraay
home being f*r?? M tba area.
Bar profaaaional aeaignarant ?u la daaorata a
SS7B.000 Oewfla algM bona In The Sbaat a/ Dmmu
bono abow cunantly fai pragma naar Boowal. Ga.
Iba rad faaMt fbanda horaa baaata Andaraon windows
throughout A waa aapeoMlljr in decorating tbeeewMdewe
tbat Ma. U ilk^a taOartnr daatgaer talanta van moat
oMMe. Mm energy eaitehed tba hoaM'a Bring araaa
nwttb vivid eelOT aebmaa. euaepti^ Mb** ?u?tom
tbmjbSSr 1A frc'iTi M ganaraLd brnhmo tmua^S
baaaflt tba Drama fbatmy. a non-profit onaaiaation
dadliatad la bdHag tba draaaia aad wtohee af tartoualy
I ahBdraa.
Ma. LaaMaar'a atmar, Braada Mtmala farmaarty af
RaMgb. raaaatly jaMed luMur Murine. Urn aMara.
daagbfri af tba Mia Bmddio taddiar. Br. and JaaM
Uafiaar DaoM af Mm* hara fialil MmMaaa
aparadiai la taaMda tad aMb aMaa.
1 LUMBEE HOMECOMING B
I Proudly Presents B
? The 1991 Miss Lumbee Scholarship Awards Pageant D
I 'Salute To America" H
9 Mil* Lumbee Nakir Denue Locldear vM relinqwik her
9iM?Mi^>d?L^fcihU ft tfke Performing Art? Center on the
UPSUemmpHtJ^iaeemi 6ep<jM qt 7:30 p. m. Ticket* for
I Nakir it the laughter of Mr. and. Mrt. Denial hag
\ Bgkt young lediet will be vying for the tide. They art
IiAoum with their parents names.'
1 BECXY LY1WG0JNS ?
flmn L amd Rtbteem Qomu
9 bOMADBVNEFXEEM^^^^
I Mr. tmdMr*. Bowmanfliiw
TAMMY BREWER
Mr. mdMn .Atom Bmtmr
MYRADEESE H
Mr. cmdMn. Bowm & RofftnaDiete
SfrSTHANJSatSoLM^p9^
fij
USA JOYLOWRY
RtbammdlMtyLawry
USA HAG AN
Jwyl ffdHi g?ii
cKumoimm** ?
-J"Trtf ri i i* . M
23rd Lumbee Homecoming!