VOL. XXI No 4
For Reference
Not to be taken
from this library
? ' r.
' vJorth Carolina Room
:orsyth County Public Library
660 West Fifth Street
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INNER-STRENGTH
A&T SIGNAL CALLER GETS INSPIRATION FROM HIS PARENTS
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The Choicje for African-American News and Information
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1994
City makes improvements near site of fatality
By RICHARD L. WILLIAMS c
C hromc I cHxeculive Editor - . ? .
' - - - ? ?
-Although upgrades are under way to the section of
Carver School Road where a 9-year-old boy was fatally
struck by a car last month, the boy's father remains upset.
For Kenneth William Wright Sr., the improvements
are too late. ? t
f "I think they are doing it too late," he said. "The first
day ot school I knew it Was a bad stop. We told them
that.",
Wright's complaint fell on deaf ears, apparently
because he called the wrong schooL Four days later his
son, Kenneth William Wright Jr., was killed about 100
yards from his home while crossing Carver School Road
en route to his bus stop.
Wright is also angiy that charges have not been filed
against Mary Clark loney, the driver of the 1984
Chevrolet Blazer that struck his son, and that Toney, 54,
has not called the family.
"The lady hasn't talked Jto us since the accident," he
said. "The lady could have called and said something.
like 'I'm sorry' and bung up. Ain't nobody going to do
nothing to her." .
He has received a sympathy card from her. f
While coping with the death of his son.Wright has
had to single-handedly caie after his other three children
see DAD page 6
Kenneth Wright Sr. says improvements too late.
Is Approved
By VERONICA CLEMONS
Chronicle Staff Writer v j ?
' ??? I
?Despite the cries of opposing residents
and some school board members who
equated a school -run 4-year-old program for
educationally at-risk children with welfare
and day care, the Winston-Salem/Forsyth
County schooK board voted to implement
Early Start. I
School board members voted 6-3 last
Thursday to begin, a pilot program Jan. 1.,
ending at the close of the school year in June.
Board members. Jane Ooins and Dale
Folwell argued that it is the parents' responsi
bility ? not the school system s ? to prepare
children for kindergarten. Gloria Whisenhunt
joined them in opposition, saying she could
not vote for the program because of the space
problems the school system has now. .
Opposers and supporters aired their
views to the school board before the vote was.
made.
Joan Fleming of Lewisville said because
so much money is already spent in children's
welfare, school board members should ques
tion whether the program is an approved use
of the money.
"I say give these people a voucher and
send them to a day care near their home," she
said. .
Supporters, which included teachers and
administrators, said the program will give
^educationally at-risk youngsters a chance to
enter school on the same level as their peers.
"It's worth every dime you can spend, "
said Coleen Oliver, a teacher of 4-year-olds at
. Latham Elementary.
. The Rev. Carlton Eversley, pastor of
Dellabrook Presbyterian Church, said the
opposition to the program comes from a
"middle-class, nairow-mittded, white re Ac
see IN SPITE page 6
ft ? - -
v Everett Dumas enjoys playing with building blocks.
Mrs. Branson leads her grandson Brandon and other kids in a prayer.
Easton 4- Year-Olds
Find Learning Fun
By VERONICA CLEMONS
Chronicle Staff Writer
When the children in Beverly Strickland's class go
outside, they can choose to ptay in a variety or North
Carolina cities. . \
Four- year-old Jasper spends a loi of his time in
Raleigh. There, he tries to master the art of passing his
small body across the monkey bars, taking one arm'
swinging to the next bar- until he maneuvers his way
across. He says he's going to keep practicing until he
can do it.
He has good role models in Tiffany and George.
They glide across with ease, and often climb all the
way on top of the bars to show their gymnastic talents.
j_Other popular cities are Wilmington, where a
child's imagination can take him to Wrightsville Reach
with the water and sand. The Biltmore House stores all
of the toys for the outdoors. Student* can also go to
see EASTON page 6
Teens Draw
Life Terms
? ' -I v
By RICHARD L. WILLIAMS ' ? |. ^ "
Chronicle Executive Edittfrr' \ . ..
) A ^5-year-old boy who pleaded guilty to two
counts of second-degree murder was sentenced this
week to two consecutive life terrapin prison.
Stephon Lavonne Crawford of 1805 E. 25th St., .
who was 14 in August 1993 when he killed Steven
Terrance Harvey and Thomas Fulton in February, will
be eligible for parole in year 2004. >
> ' Lorenzo Lamont Thomas of 205 Lake View
Blvd.. who was Crawford's co-defendant in the Har
vey killing, pleaded guilty to a charge of second
, degree murder. Thomas, 17, was sentenced to life in
prison, plus 10 years on an unrelated robbery charge.
Prosecutor Eric Saunders said he was happy with
the sentencings handed down by Forsyth Superior
Court Judge William H. Freeman*
"The killing was premeditated, planned and
thought out." he said. "Thev went out looking for
someone they thought shot their friend. They hunted
down who they thought did it and shot him down in
Jhe street." -
Thonw., who 16 at the time of the shooting, will
be eligible for parole in about 15 years, Saunders said.
The shooting of Harvey occurred after Crawford
and Thomas went seeking revenge after a friend of
theirs was shot in the kneerauthorities said. There was
no evidence that Harvey was involved in the shooting
of their friend, authorities said.
On Feb. 9, police arrested Crawford for the Har
vey killing. Two days later, they charged him in the
killing. of Thomas Fulton, which occurred a day ear
? lief. ? -*? ? ?
Two other people were involved in the Harvey
killing. One of them. Warren Mitchell, was killed
Aug. 30, 1993, in a shooting unrelated to the previous
case. Anthony King was charged with double homi
cide in that case, Saunders said, and he received 70
years in prison. The fourth person, the driver of the *
car. was never charged, he said.
. David Freedman, Crawford's attorney, said his
client got off better by pleading guilty to the two sec
ond-degree murders. He said if" Crawford had gone to
trial, he would have been convicted of two first
degree murders and would have been eligible for
parole after about 40 or 50 years.
"It was best, even though it was a good possibil
ity he knew he might get two life sentences," Freed
man said. "He had given a statement (to the police)
implicating himself and there were several witnesses
against him."
WSSU Gets Grant to Bridge
Gap among Parents, Schools
By VERONICA CLEMONS
Chronicle Staff Writer
Winston-Salem State University has won
a grant totaling $103,050 for a community
based project that will focus on training teach
ers and forming relationships with schools and
parents.
The award, granted over three years by the
Hitachi Foundation, will train teachers to
develop inclusive classrooms, enhance
parental involvement and link teachers and
community leaders so they may address rele
vant issues.
Lelia Vickers, dean of. education who
wrote the application for the grant, said it will
help to train veteran teachers on how to deal
with the changing demographics in the class
rooms.
The two participating county schools are
Hall-Woodward and Bolton elementary. Vick
ers said those are the two schools viewed as
professional development schools that train
teacher intern* and a number of them eventu
ally find employment.
Ann Shortt, principal at Bolton, said
teachers arc always open for new ideas.
"We have a viaff with a lot of experience,"
sec WSSU GETS page 6
27
uassnieos
Community News...13
Opinion 8
Entertainment 23
Obituaries
Sports.
24
17
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WSSU Studies Model of
Ability-Based Education
"By VERONICA CLEMONS
Chronicle Staff Writer
Winston-Salem State University, along
with three other colleges, is participating in a
program geared toward expanding a teaching
model that focuses on ability-based educa
tion.
The college will be participating in
Alverno College's expanded ability-based
teacher education reform program during the
next two years. * 1
"Alverno's approach is being widely
studied as more and more states move
toward mandating specific outcomes for
teacher education programs, and this contri
bution will help us meet the challenge of
improving our nation's education system,"
said Sister Joel Read, president of Alverno -
College. .
Alverno's model focuses on ability
based education. The three school participat
ing in the project will be involved in design
ing coherent curriculum and performance
assessments to both develop and document
those abilities.
see WSSU page 6
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