C.:. •
SLP'
1j7j to
Wiijston-Salein Cljr^oiiicle
i/ol. V; No. ^>3
20*
"The NEWSpaper Winston's Been Waiting For"
18 Pages This Week Saturday, February 3,1979
St. Benedict's School to Close
by Shaiyn Bratcher
Staff Writer
After 29 years of service
to the black community, St.
Benedict’s Catholic School
will close its doors at the
end of the school year.
Father F. J. O’Rourke,
pastor of St. Benedict the
Moor Catholic Church and
Sister Edmond Marie, prin
cipal of the school, ex
plained that the church
would still be serving the
community, but that the
emphasis would be on a
more diversified ministry.
Among the projects con
sidered are counseling ser
vices; programs for senior
citizens; adult education or
tutoring; and programs to
help alcoholics or those
with drug problems.
Father O’Rourke an
nounced the decision to
close the school last week
after consultation with the
Franciscan sisters, the Par
ish Board, and with Bishop
Michael J. Begley.
Father O’Rourke ex
plained that the school had
been operating at a deficit
of $37,000 per year, and
that declining enrollment
made it advisable to close
it. The seventh and eighth
grades were discontinued
last year, and the en
roll Iment in the last three
years had dropped from 152
to 86, with only twelve of
the students belonging to
the Catholic faith.
The day care center fcr
ages 3-5 will continue to
operate.
The scnool, which is
staffed by the Franciscan
Sisters of Alleghany, New
York, was opened in Sep
tember 1950. It offered
small classes and individual
attention to scores of black
children through the years.
St. Benedicts students
will be transferred to other
Catholic Schools or to the
schools their parents
but many of the parents are
unhappy about the an
nouncement.
‘I’m so upset I can’t talk
about it,’ said Beverly
Reed, whose son is a
second-grader at S aint
Benedict’s.
‘There ought to be
something we can do.’
Last year the school and
the parents association
launched a publicity cam
paign in an attempt to
increase enrollment, but
not enough new students
were recruited to reverse
the trend of declining en
rollment.
The future plans for the
social ministry are not yet
definite. Father O’Rourke
indicated that the needs of
the community will be care
fully studied before a decis
ion is made.
City Revives T' Program
i end of an ERA: Sister Edmond Marie,
hclpal of St. Benedict the Moor Catholic
|wl, observes a group of first graders--the
[class, since the school will close at the end
he term.
en Brown:
jakihg Stock
Carter
By John W. Templeton
Staff Writer
0GH - Ben Brown, deputy chairman of the
mtic National Committee, sees himself as
f a stockbroker for black Americans,
hacks made a tremendous investment in Jimmy
ler,” said Brown during an interview following his
Ich to the N.C. Association of Minority Public
lals last weekend.
I want to make sure they receive their share of the
|ends,'’said the architect of Carter’s successful black
|sttategyin 1976.
tough there are many who think that the 95 percent
eon Carter’s behalf has not yet been adequately
1, Brown remains staunchly behind Carter.
Jliete is some dissatisfaction,” Brown acknow-
Id, "because the administration can not possibly
[allthe expectations of our constituencies.”
I you look at the positive side, the record of the
fctadministration has been applaudable,” he said,
pehave been significant gains made as a result of
m by this administration. ’ ’
le cited the 15 blacks working as professional staff at
jihite House and blacks appointed to non-traditional
I such as under secretary of the interior and U.N.
assador.
;r, he acknowledges some bias on his part,
pghis speech. Brown told the officials, “I’m on the
Jtrteam; 1 will defend the Carter team. When it gets
lot for me to defend them, them I’m going to find
flfanew team.”
po is a fortyish George state senator and former
- organizer who joined the Carter campaign early
jbecame part of what some termed the “Atlanta
1‘Mafia.’’ As the highest ranking black in the Carter
iition team, he was said to have wielded tremendous
p in deciding which blacks got which posts in the
fiistration.
‘ tow, as a party official in the middle of a
peatial term, his role is one of bringing administra-
Policies out to the grassroots level.
1 when Brown spoke to the officials, he didn’t talk
■'grand new programs, he picked up the theme of a
pr of administration officials during the Carter
f'aflation
by Yvette Mcalloogh
Staff Writer
The Patterson Avenue YMCA’s Incentive program
was given new life this week when the finance committee
of the Board of Aldermen voted to allot $10,000 to the
program so it can be continued on a limited basis.
The finance comittee voted 3-1 with Aldermen Virginia
Newell, Eugene Groce and Ernestine Wilson approving
the additional allotment and Aldermen Robert North-
ington opposing the vote. The matter will not go before
the full board at its next meeting.
Martie Penn speaking on behalf of the YMCA’s
program police told the committee that the program tries
to instill a wholesome view of the police department to
the kids and that the program is value oriented.
‘Kids in the program are not taught to win, we try to
teach them to think of each other as brothers. All get a
trophy and no one loses.’
Alderman Newell in voicing her approval of the
program said that she sees the program as one of
prevention.
‘It disturbs me when I go into the juvenile courts that
all I see is black folks, I know that black kids are not the
only ones doing something bad, ‘Newell said. ‘If the kids
were given a chance they would do right.' I’m glad to see
a program that is helping kids to do this.
Alderman Groce said he ‘hates to see a program like
this cut off.’
‘We’d probably be losing more money than we’re
gaining,’ Groce continued.
Th incentive program began in 1970 as part of a
four-year federal grant and was designed to improve the
relationship between the police and the community. The
city took over the funding of the program in 1975. The
program offers a variety of activities with the main
emphasis on value orientation.
The program was originally allotted $65,000 but was
cut to $35,000 for 1978-79 fiscal year. The program
which serves over 1650 kids, ran out of funds around the
16th of January and activities had been curtailed.
The YMCA had requested $26,400 but an allotment of
$10,000 was approved. Richard Glover, said that he can
understand the budget restraints that the Aldermen
have.
‘1 understand that the aldermen agree that this is a
good program, but they are operating with some budget
restraints,' Glover said. ‘However even with the $10,000
some programs will still have to be curtailed.
The YMCA was asked to submit abudgetto show how
the money would be spent.
floor/
OF BUI
‘Wjnstori - Salem
1870-1900
Officials Seek State Aid for
475,000 Substandard Units
By John W. Templeton
Staff Writer
RALEIGH - More than 150 black public officials have
called upon the state government to commit enough
resources to eliminate the 475,000 units of substandard
housing in North Carolina.
During its first annual conference last weekend, the
North Carolina Association of Minority Public Officials
endorsed a plan which would have the state provide
grants, loans and tax incentives to both homeowners and
landlords for a variety of housing and enact a fair
housing law.
The plan, financed either partially or wholly through
bonds, would compensate for what backers termed
declining federal support for housing.
Alderman Virginia Newell, D-East Ward, was named
chairman of a committee to draft a. plan in detail to
submit to state officials.
The stand on housing was one of ften passed by the
association at the end of a day-and-a-half meeting in
Raleigh.
The officials, which included mayors, judges, city
councilmen, county commissioners, school board mem
bers and other officials, held a two-hour question and
answer session with Gov. Jim Hunt at the Executive
Mansion, heard speeches from Ben Brown, deputy
chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and
ACTION associate director John Lewis and met in
workshops to share their common concerns.
“ We think this conference has been very significant,”
said Bob Walton, the former Mecklenburg County
commissioner who heads the organization. “It was the
first time such a group of black citizens has ever
assembled like this to meet with the governor and his
cabinet.”
Referring to the packed scene at the Executive
Mansion when more than 200 persons jammed the lobby,
Walton said, “The next time the governor hears from
us, he’s going to remember those faces.”
Walton said individual members of the association and
its leadership would begin lobbying individual legislators
and the entire General Assembly in support of the
group’s agenda, which included: a resolution calling for
jobs and for ail able-bodied persons willing to work,
passed after state Labor Commissioner John Brooks told
the group that 49 percent of the State’s black youth
between 18 and 25 years of age are unemployed.
'• support for the constitutional amendment to allow full
representation in Congress for the District of Columbia
and for the Equal Rights Amendment.
• a call for a conference on “the crisis facing blacks in
public education at the state and local levels.
• a proposal that monies for remediation of students
failing the competency test be made available to
community groups “with a proven record of success.”
• support for state-mandated affirmative action policies
in all local school systems.
• a resolution that supports legislation to allow J.J.
Sansom of Durham to retain his seat on the UNC Board
of Governors.
• a call for state leaders to commit themselves to the
enhancement of the five historically black state
universities.
• and, a proposal that the state balanced growth policy
stress support for localities with high black populations,
particularly rural areas in the eastern part of the state.
The next meeting of the association has been called for
April 7 in Raleigh at Shaw University.
campaign.
deputy chairman spoke of “hard, new realities”
! the black officials. His list of five included the
“tyof the federal government to pick up the tab for
lil services and the tax-cutting mood sweeping the
Jtty.
said the anti-tax mood “simply means
''"“g priorities for the government. People are not
“fh concerned about how much government is
“"g as they are about whether resources are
■% spent.”
h’id the officials, “We cannot let bigots take the
®d frighten people into massive cuts in social
We have to be smart enough to have an
labve.”
lj®g across the crowded ballroom at the Raleigh
rinn, Brown noted approvingly the more than 150
als. “It’s a very healthy trend we’re seeing in
country. There’s a greater desire on the
I sck elected officials to come together.
y. focognizing that in unity, they have a lot
'impact,” he added.
All for You
* The UNC Board of Governors needs
more black members...PAGE 2
* Winston-Salem could have the state’s
next black mayor...PAGE 3
* Editorials and columns...PAGE 4
* Social Whlri...PAGE 6,7
* Vibes...PAGE 8,9
* Church and Religion...PAGE 10
* Sports...PAGE 10
* Root8...PAGES 13-16
Black History Featured in Feb.
At East Winston Branch Library
by Yvette McCnllongh
Staff Writer
The East Winston branch
of the Public Library will be
the headquarters for local
observances of Afro-
American History Month
The library is sponsoring
a series of programs
throughout the month
under the theme ‘Black
Awareness: Past and
Present.’
A special program is
scheduled for eaph Tuesday
night in February.
Appearing on Feb. 6th
will be Jean Burkins assis
tant disfrict attorney. Ms.
Burkins will speak on the
history of Black lawyers
vnd the role they have
.yed in our society.
Feb. 13 the program will
be conductedbythe staff of
the Winston-Salem Chro
nicle, who will give pres
entations on the history of
the black press, the history
of blacks in North Carolina
and the history of black
Winston-Salem.
There will be panel dis
cussion on the third week
Scheduled participants
are Larry Womble, assista
nt principal at Old Town
Elementary, Tom Elijah,
director of the Winston-
Salem Urban League,
Patrick Hairston, presi
dent of the local NAACP
and Velma Hopkins, a not- '
ed civic leader.
The last program will
feature an Afro-American
festival with a variety of
activities to climax the fest
ivities of the month.
There will also be a black
history program for child
ren which will be held
Februrary 16 at 4 p.m. at
the library. The theme of
the program will be ‘Black
Like Me’ with Bobby Mor
mon of the Experiment in
Self-Reliance as the feat
ured speaker.