THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1992 WIN $100. TEST YOUR BLACK H 32 PAGES THIS WEEK Winston-Salem Chronicle .75 cents "The Twin City's Award-Winning Weekly' VOL. XVIII. No. 24 Republican candidate 'Public schools have failed low-income kids! Hu gtfl UIMAM llll I Chronicle Staff Writer Shaking hands and preaching politics at a weekly lunch meeting with local Republi cans, Vernon Robinson seems quite pleased with himself. A man who loves an audience, he takes advantage of the crowd of 60 that has corn^ tc hear former Charlotte mayor Sue Myrick announce her platform for U.S. Senator. Robinson happily manipulates the room, proudly handing out an article about him that appeared in a newspaper in the east em part of the state. "1 haven't announced my candidacy for the state superintendent of education," he tells this reporter. "I'm just going through the state discussing education issues." At times, it is hard to tell if Robinson, the state's 1991 Young Republican Man of the Year, is politicking for education or against Democrats, whom he refers to as "the left, losers, hypocrites," and "those who make money off the poor." Li a comer of iiie room, someone com ments that Robinson's plans for educational reform are innovative and important, "but he's so abrasive, so pushy." "That's his weakness," sighs a fellow Republican. Please see page A 1 1 Housing chair action-oriented By YVETTE N. FREEMAN Community Newt Edtor Denisc D. "D.D." Adams is not like most community leaders. She doesn't own her own business, and her job doesn't allow for her to "do lunch." As a line manager for Stroh Brewery, her workday begins at 7 a.m., and usually doesn't end until late afternoon. She's a regular work ing class citizen, just like the people she tries to help through her numer ous community activities. But somehow, after sometimes working 12-hour shifts, she still finds the energy to be one of the community's most well-known and respected leaders. She is a member of the Win ston-Salem Urban League's Board of Commissioners, as well as the boards of STEP ONE and the East Winston Community Development Corporation. Since 1990, she has been on the Board of Directors of the Winston-Salem Housing Authority, serving also as its vice chairman. Just recently, she was named chairman of the Board foi k>wif)g Ruben Burr's resignation. : "It's a Challenge because all my life I've just wanted to serve, to do something for other people," Adams said during a recent interview. She also stated that it is her "action-ari ented" attitude that makes her a pos itive force for the residents of pub lic housing. "I don't like when people meet and meet to death all the time, and there's nothing getting accom plished. I don't like that To each his Own, but I just find that non -produc tive, " she explained. "When I'm meeting, I want something to be happening. I'm action-oriented. And Please see page A2 Claudette Jarrette, elementary school generallst, serves on a com mfttee studying ways to bring African-American history Into ever) classroom in the county. Black History inches into local classrooms New teaching tools used By SHERIDAN HILL Chrontcfo Staff Writer Name two European artists who were influenced by African art. Which black physician performed the first successful heart operation? What is a freedom ride? For the most part, neither black nor white school children have had an opportunity to learn about impois umt leuumpluliments uf African - Americans, but black history is inching its way into localcclass rooms. McDonald's and RJR Tobacco provided African- American curricu lum guides for teachers and admin istrators this year, and an African American curriculum committee is now structuring a program that would allow African-American his tory to be included in every class room. Associate superintendents Palmer Friende and Dr. Fred Adams oversee the committee, staffed by Janet Atkinson, high school gener alise Nancy Sherrill, middle school generalise and Claudette Jarrette, elementary school generalise Jarrette says she has supplied three different books on African American history to elementary schools, and encourages curriculum coordinators to help teachers inte grate African-American history all year long, not just during Black History Month. In the past few weeks, a hand some, 130-page African- American teaching guide was supplied by Wfc Tbbacco to each pfirttipaM, incity* ? " coordinator and curriculum coordi nator of elementary, middle and high schools in the county. Last year an activity booklet on the lives of famous African-Americans was furnished to each second and third grade teacher through a grant from RJR Tobacco. Vivian Turner, contribution program manager for RJR, says the main focus of the tobacco compa ny's contributions is on primary and secondary education. "It fit with what we were trying to do." The guide is called "From Vic- _ tory to Freedom: the African- Amer Please see page A11 ON THE AVANT-GARDE By I ANG NIVRI