ROBESON-HOKE-AND SCOTLAND COUNTIES (DISTRICT 87)
DO NEED A WISER REPRESENTATIVE THAN
DEMOCRAT DONALD BONNER FOR NC HOUSE DIST. 87
To The Editor:
Glory Be To Almighty God." Let all People in Robeson County give Praise
and Thanks' to our State Representative Ronnie (Ron) Sutton for his approved
Success to have 'Extension of Time' for the NC Indian Cultural Center to raise
the necessary funds to establish a well-organized NC Indian Cultural Center;
thus, allowing all people to have a valuable opportunity to learn the True
Life-Style of the Native Americans who lived here in Robeson County and
elsewhere before other People arrived from other countries. Thank you Ron.
A SHAME AND DISGRACEFUL ACT
QUESTION: Why did Democrat Donald Bonner decide to accept the "Old
ELK Building" for his People's Cultural Center?
ANSWER: Bonner "IS NOT LOYAL" to Rev. Joy J. Johnson whose idea
was to have an African-American Cultural Center.
I, Yvonne Maria Leow, witnessed the Ribbon Cutting at the Cultural Center
and read the name Donald Bonner as a Board Member.
Rev. Joy J. and Omega Johnson, who being members of the Democrat Political
Party, supported Democrat Donald Bonner during his Elections Campaign
period. They both had known that he (Bonner) "Can Never, Ever Surpass"
The Honorable Frances McArthur Cummings' Successful Legislative Achievements
during his life period on Earth, but they called themselves "Democrats."
O, "How Sad" it is when People who should be recognized.as "Christians" conceal
"TRUTH" instead of speaking the "Holy Word" (Truth).
During General Elections, such "So-Called Christians" Vote and Elect the
Name of a Political Party instead of a "Wise, Proven, Successful Candidate" to
Continue Progress. "Straight-Ticket Voting" Elects many "Unwise
Candidates" who delay People's Progressive Prosperity from being in Active
Motion.
During 1996 General Elections, Democrat Donald Bonner is an Example of
Voting "Straight-Democrat Ticket." Bonner "Should Have the Courage" to
Accept the FACT that "He has FAILED to be a Successful Man" in the NC
General Assembly for his people, and Bonner "Should Remove his Name"
from the Elections Ballot.
, Democrat Donald ponner "FAILED to GIVE" the African-Americans of
Robeson County any "Hope" of having a Beautiful African Cultural Center.
Rep. Ron Sutton made a "Giant Step" for the NC Indian Cultural Center, and
our Beloved Senator David Weinstein gained Thousands of Dollars for the NC
African-American Cultural Center.
Donald Bonner should "Hang his Head and Cry" and "Be Ashamed of
himself' for being a Member of the Robeson African-American Cultural """
Center. Bonner "Failed to Honor" his responsibility for the Cultural Center.
Democrat Donald Bonner "Should have had the Knowledge" to introduce a
House Bill in the NC General Assembly to appropriate funds for the African
American Cultural Center. . - . *
Bonner "Should Have Never Agreed to Request from the Robeson County
Commissioners" the Old Storage Building, namely "ELK Building" in
Lumberton to be used for the African-American Cultural Center. Bonner's
decision for the "ELK Building" Proves his "Ill-Thought for his People" to
Continue to Accept the "Remnants of Earthly Materials."
It is being said, "Donald Bonner is New and now Learning."
QUESTION: Why Should Taxpayers' dollars pay for Bonner's Legislative
Tuition Fees for his Legislative Lessons?
The Honorable Frances McArthur Cummings carried an Agenda as she
ascended the Stairway of the General Assembly as the Proposal for the NC
Southeastern Agricultural Center (Farmers Market) was funded over Six
Million Dollars ($6.3 M) through the "Wisdom of The Honorable Frances
McArthur Cummings."
QUESTION: Did Democrat Donald Bonner carry a Blank Book and a Pen to
the NC General Assembly to Learn? From Whom?
In the Near Future, the Farmers Market in Lumberton and the 3,000 capacity
seating of an Assembly Hall and Meeting Rooms will be completed from the
$6.3 Million Appropriation. This is Phase #1.
*
Frances M. Cummings was Very Successful to Gain Many Ratified House Bills
which were favorable for All People in the State of North Carolina.
Hopefully, Rep. Ronnie Sutton, being the Senior Member of the Robeson
Delegation, I am sure, will do his "Utmost Best" to have Phase #2-Horse
Arena completed, Sutton 'Can Expect' Bonner to give a "Yes Vote" and
"Take Credit" for Phase #2.
In 1992, the Robeson County Legislative Think-Tank was organized. TRUE
FACTS: The NC Southeastern Agricultural Center is the Creative Idea from
Cummings' "Think-Tank."
July 21. 1992, Cummings' V ision of a Robeson County Think-Tank was
proposed to a Group of Five prospective Co-Chairs who accepted the
Leadership Role and Agreed to support the Philosophy and the Efforts. The
Proposed Plan-of-Action was approved and was immediately "Set Into Active
Motion."
REMEMBER: A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with the First Step.
A "Giant Step" from the Robeson County Legislative Think-Tank's Agenda
will add People's Progressive Prosperity to Robeson County.
Frances McArthur Cummings' Vision will soon become "A Reality." Phase #1
is already under construction. Senator Weinstein gained One Million (SIM)
dollars for Phase #2. I expect Rep. Ronnie Sutton to complete Phase #2.
Ron was a Co-Chair with the Cummings' Think-Tank for Robeson County.
Think-Tank Chairwoman: Frances M. Cummings
Co-Chairs: Billie Britt
Ronnie Sutton
T. L. Gerald
Wilton Wilkerson
Charles R. Conley /
Let Truth Reign Supreme in Our Hearts.
*
Peace Be Unto You. AMEN.
j /
Yvonne Maria Leow
TheWav I See It
by Dr. Dean Chavers, President
Native American Scholarship Fund
Albuquerque, NjVI
Impro ving Indian Schools
The "Improving America's
Schools" conference in Dallas, XX a
few days ago was one of the best conferences
1 have attended in years. It
could do a great deal for Indian Education
in the next 30 years.
The conference was sponsored by
the U.S. Department of Education
(ED). I must admit ! was dubious before
1 went toward of the conference. I thought
it would be pretty good, even '
excellent. Instead it was outstanding.
For one thing, the conference plannersclearly
know that education in the
U.S. ischanging. Injustafewyears the
" minorities" as we are known will be
the" majority: in this country. In some
parts of the U.S., we are already the
majority. The balance of power is shifting,
fairly quickly, from male anglos to
Women and to minority members.
Second, the ED is acknowledging
that schools have slipped in quality.
Without casting any stones, the leadership
is asserting that every child has a
right to an excellent education.
This type of assertion not found
much in the history of U.S. education.
Education was supposed to be good
from the very beginning, in the 1700's.
But not everyone was supposed to have
access to it. The rich, the powerful, the
while, and the males were clearly defined
as having the right to an excellent
education. The rest of us were supposed
to wait, or put up with what we
could get.
The population at the conference
clearly reflected the new realities. Out
of 1,300 people there , almost 200
were Indian teachers, Indian school
board members, Indian special project
directors, Indian superintendents, Indian
principals, and non-Indian teachers
at Indian schools.
There were hundreds of Chicanos,
a few Vietnamese and Philipinos, and
fairly large numbers ofChinese Americans,
Korean Americans, Japanese
Americans, and others there.
Third, there are people in the schools
doing amazing things. We heard documented
cases of schools at the bottom
going to the top in a few years of
concentrated effort. This is happening
in reading, in math, in science, with test
scofes, and in language. It is happening
in all types of ethnic communities. But
it is not happening enough, especially
'ill Indian Country.
Fourth, communities and school
boards are starting the old schools accountable
for educating their children.
When the grassroots finally wakes ups
and realizes its power, the minority
children in the nation will start to get
the education they deserve. Unfortunately,
I heard many people at the
conference say that parents still have a
hands-ofTattitude with the schools. \ye
need more parents in the educational
process, at all levels, and in all areas.
Fifth, the teaching corps is definitely
spotty. Minority students nave
less than a 50% chance of getting a
science or math teacher with both state
license and a degree in the subject he oi
she is teaching. One-fourth of new
teachers hired are not fully qualified
for their jobs.
Sixth, teachers ate underpaid
plumbers putting in a new bqtfiroom a
a school make 50% more than,teachers
Seventh, schools are overloadec
with non-teaching staff. In Belgium
80% of school staff are teachers, 10?A
are supervisors, and 10% are othei
administrators. In the U.S., 43% o
school staff arc teachers, 24% are su
pervisors, and 33% are other adminis
trators. This is crazy Fire all thosi
bureaucrats and re-program their sala- ,
ries for teachers. (
Eighth, we need more teachers who ,
are minority. Already 32.7% of public
school students are minority, but only ,
13.%% of teachers are minority. Over ,
42% of U .S. Schools have no minority
teachers at all. Over 92% of all urban
school districts have an immediate demand
for minority teachers. Bilingualism
is alive and well, but neglected in
practice.
Ninth, there is a tremendous need
for new teachers. Some 30% of today's
public school teachers have more than
20 years of experience. In the next ten
years, almost all of these will retire,
creating the biggest crush of new teachers
in the history of the nation.
(I got to put in my two cents worth
here, in the first general assembly. My
question was what AED could do to
help prepare 20,000 new Indian teachers,
the number we need in the next
decade and a half. The Assistant Secretaries
and other ED leaders said there is
$300 million in the President's new
education funding package.)
Tenth, the new teachers currently
coming out of college are not majoring
in the greatest areas of need. Special
education, bilingual education, math,
and sc ience are the leading areas which
need teachers. Very few of the new
Indian and minority teachers are earning
degrees in these fields.
Eleventh, our best pool of new
teacher for Indian schools are the
tutors and aides now working in them.
In a given Indian school, 93% of the
classroom teachers are non-Indians,
but 98% of the paraprofessionals are
Indians. Somehow we have to find
vays to get this pool of people into
:ollege foil time, eamingtlieir teaching
credentials.
1 learned at the conference that the
same thing holds true for many other
ethnic groups. Many times, however,
this paraprofessional is a woman with
a family, and making the transition to
go to college full time is very hard.
Where possible, colleges need to bring their
classrooms to Indian communities,
at nights and on weekends.
In the past ten years my organization,
the Native Scholarship Fund, has
helped 34 people earn teaching credentials
or degrees in education. Six of
them are in graduate-school, one is not,,
teaching, the workUffour are not know n
by us at the moment, and 23 are working
in education, mostly in the classroom.
That is a drop in the bucket when we
need 20,000 people. But the Navajo
Nation is on its way to producing 1.000
new teachers. Other tribes need to follow.
If education is really important to
tribes, they need to put up some money
to help fund new Indian teachers.
Fawri Lewis from Pyramid Lake
High School made nie goto the conference.
Thank you. Fawn. ED is doing .
some very important work, and needs
to be supported. Secretary Riley's
speech was informed, inspirational,
fact-filled and wonderful.
We certainly need all the help wc
can get, especially in Indian schools
We have a long way to go, but we have
to start somewhere. T.et's start by getting
a whole generation of Indian
teacher aids to go finish their degrees.
Our Indian children deserve the best
education they can get.
Forest Management Helps Wild Turkey Thrive
(NAPS)?Families gathering to
enjoy their Thanksgiving birds
may not fully appreciate the wild
turkey's contribution to this
American tradition, But our taste
for turkey, the cherished symbol
of our Pilgrim heritage, began
with this humble native.
When European settlers first
set foot on the North American
continent, the wild turkey was the
most abundant ground-dwelling
bird. Yet as our population expanded
and vast expanses of
forests were cleared to fuel the
Agricultural Revolution and literally
build America, the wild
turkey nearly disappeared from
the American landscape.
The wild turkey's comeback is
one of wildlife management's
greatest success stories. It began in
the Great Depression, when abandoned
farmland began to revert
back to forestlund, providing n hospitable
habitat for the bird.
By the end of World War II,
wild turkey recovery programs had
gained momentum. The National
Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF),
^working with government fish and
wildlife agencies and the private
sector, successfully re-introduced
new flocks of birds to ever-widening
areas across the country.
As a result, the wild turkey is
now found in every state except
( Alaska, according to the NWTF.
Wild turkey populations now total
4.5 million.
One factor contributing to the
[ resurgence of the wild turkey is
the careful management of forestj
land. Well-managed forests strike
a balance between producing timber
revenues and crenting an
9 inviting habitat for wild turkey
^ and other wildlife.
A key aspect of modern forest
management is controlling the
m brush and weeds that compete
with the growth of desirable trees
and vegetation. Unwanted brush
and weeds cnn shade out the food
plants preferred by wild turkeys
and other wildlife, making their
habitat unsuitable.
Traditionally, controlled fires
have been used to burn away
undesirnble vegetation, but they
had little impact on low-quality
hardwoods. And burning is less
feasible in many areas today
because of increasing regulatory
restrictions and liability concerns
Today some foresters use high
tech, selective herbicides to manage
forest vegetation, which in
turn helps to improve wildlife
habitat. These advanced products
are specially developed to control
brush and weeds while leaving
beneficial food plants and valu
able trees free to flourish. Such
herbicides inhibit growth enzymes
found only in plants.- -Fish, birds
and mammals don't possess these
enzymes, which explains, in part
why these herbicides have little
effect on animals.,
A free brochure, "Managing
Timherland for Wildlife." is avnil
able from American Cynnnmid
Company," manufacturer of herbicides
used in forest management
For your copy, call 1 -800-545-9525,
ext. 1155. American Cynnnmid is a
corporate sponsor of the NWTK.
supporting its educational pro
grams and conservation efTorts on
behalf of the wild turkey. For more
information about the NW'fF. call
. 1-800 THK-NWTK
I