"SI THE CHARLI fTTE PI fST Fir]
" _ Charlotte s Fastest Growing Community eekly "
~~ ~ CHARI ntTF,NORTH CAROLINA ?8?I6-t»vthW inu--m iq?^
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THE GRADUATES - Don Bryant, president
of the Charlotte Chamber Of Commerce, is
shown with four of the five happy graduates of
the “Because Of Who You Are” Sales Train
ing Course, sponsored by the Minority Pur
Photo by James Peeler
chasing Council. They are left to right. James
O. Appling, Donald R. White, John A. Barnes
and Clarence W. WaHf Reginald Walls, an
other member of the class, is not pictured.
Snorton Tells Graduates
“This Country’s Enterprise
Is Only Relatively Free”
"Some say that in this coun
try free enterprise is only
relatively free." North Caro
lina National Bank official
Matt Snorton told the five
graduates of the Metrolina
Regional Minority Purchasing
Council Monday night.
The guest speaker at the
graduation dinner at the Ex
celsior Club charged the
young black businessmen with
“Business, like individuals,
are free only to the extent that
their activities blend with the
common good. As some of you
are sharply aware, there is
indeed a tendency toward
over-regulation, and this be
comes especially hazardous in
times of social reform such as
the present.”
The graduates were pre
sented certificates for suc
cessfully completing the 13
week salesmanship training
program for minority busi
nessmen that was sponsored
by the Metrolina Regional
Minority Purchasing Council
of Charlotte.
They were Clarence Wall,
owner-manager of Wall's
Welding and Fabrication;
James O. Appling, president
of Appling Commerical Build
ing and Maintenance Corpor
ation; John A. Barnes, owner
manager of John Barnes In
surance Agency, Reginal
Clark of Tricia Painters, Inc.
and Donald R. White.
The graduates met for 13/
weeks for three nights a wa^k
in the Xerox Corporation
offices on St Albans Street.
According to Chuck Lent, exe
cutive vice president of the
Business Resource Center
which sponsors the Council,
the course was designed to
teach students how to be more
professional in selling their
products and services to ma
jor corporate buyers.”
It is the first such program
to be held in the Charlotte area
and only the second to be held
in the United States for Black
businessmen.
In addition to Snorton, Clar
ence W. Wall, Howard Stick
ell, William Eubank, J. B.
Cook-; James A. Barnes and
Chuck Lent appear on the
informal program that follow
ed cocktails and a delicious
steak dinner.
Snorton was most impres
sive as he challenged the
graduates to “Each reach one
and teach one.”
y *'I strongly believe,’’ he
stated afterwards, “That if
each Black person would
reach out to help another
Black and teach him the skills
he knows that we would short
ly have a better community in
which to live."
The graduate of Michigan
State University and former
football player with the Den
ver Broncos of the National
Football League concluded,
"To me, all of this adds up to a
social revolution. And if we
intend to survive, then we
have to accept the fact that
social responsibility is an idea
whose time has come.”
Companies that contributed
to the success of the program
were Allstate Insurance Com
pany, Armour Foods Com
pany, Catalytic, Inc., Celan
ese Fibers Corp., Duff-Norton
Company, E.I. Dupont DeNe
mours & Company, Exxon
Company, U.S.A., I.B.M. Cor
poration, J.A. Jones Construc
tion Company, Metrotape,
Inc., North Carolina National
Bank Sears, Roebuck & Com
pany and Xerox Corporation.
Mb. Jacqueline McNeil
Returns To Teaching
The recent Communist take
over in Viet-Nam and l>aos cut
short the year-long stay of
Charlotte Fulbright scholar
Ms Jacqueline McNeil who
was teaching French and Eng
lish in the I^aotian Koyal capi
tal city of Luang Prabang.
Ms. McNeil is quite a scho
lar. having graduated from
West Charlotte in 1904, Knox
ville College In 1908, and Ohio
State with a Masters Degree
in Education and Foreign
Languages iu J973
When she received her grant
in September of 1974 she pick
ed Laos as her teaching des
tination because “of the
French School System that the
Laotian system is patterned
after.”
She said she taught English
in a French setting. ‘T really
enjoyed it," she said with a
smile.
Teaching in Luang Pra
bang, until the Communist
takeover in May when she
evacuated, she taught in the
French High School of 800
Laotian students.
She was the only Black in
the City. “How did it feel?”
"1 didn't react to the situa
tion as many black would
have. I was prepared. At Ohio
State I was one of few blacks
at the school and in most
classes I was the only Black,"
she answered.
“In Laos, the people are
very friendly. They reacted to
my Blackness with curiosity^
In the States, the reaction
would have been one of host
ility,” she said comparing
I^ios to America
I had panned to be in I-a os
until June, " she said. .
She added that the school
system over there is not as
modern as the American and
that teachers are not as thor
ougly trained as they are in
the States. Now she is prepar
ing for a teaching assignment
in Columbus, Ohio.
"I will hear something any
day now," she said with a
smile. Her job in Ohio begins
on September 1.
Here Saturday
Second Festival In The Park
WiU Honor 28 Local Blacks
Black
Leaders To
Convene
More than 1,000 of the
nations leading black educa
tors, religious leaders and
government officials will be
attending the third annual na
tional convention of PUSH.
The event will be held in
Philadelphia, August 6-9. 1975.
More than 40,000 people,
from throughout the U. S.,
are expected to be in atten
dance.
Among the educators will be
presidents and deans of many
of the colleges and graduate
schools serving minority
peoples, according to Rev
Jesse Jackson, national direc
tor of PUSH.
A meeting will be held on
opening day to discuss "Fin
ancial Stability of Black Edu
cational Institutions”. Busi
ness and community leaders
will join with the educators in
the discussion. Rev. Charles
Walker, president of the
Philadelphia PUSH chapter,
said.
PUSH stands for People
United to Save Humanity. It is
an inter-faith, religious-based
civic organization with the
primary goal of improving the
economic welfare of under
employed, unemployed and
unrepresented minorities of
all races and colors.
The convention will also
feature other seminars and
work shops. Social activites
planned include a “Family
Day” August 8, in Philadel
phia, featuring non-stop cele
brity entertainment.
Combined convention re
gistrations and PUSH mem
berships are available to resi
dents of Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, Delaware, Maryland
and New York from PUSH, P
O. Box 21776, Philadelphia,
Pa. 19146.
Philadelphia regional offi
cers are Mrs. Ernma Chap
pell, Treasurer and the Rev
James Hail, Vice President
and Convention Chairman.
I'hoto by Jim Black
CHARMING FRANCES SIMMONS
* ...North Carolina Central English Major
Liovely Frances Simmons Is
Our 44 Beauty Of The Week ”
By Polly Manning
Post Staff Writer
"The person that 1 most
admire is Rep. Barbara Jor
dan," stated Miss Frances
Simmons, Post "Beauty of the
Week”.
“Miss Jordan,” she contin
ued," appears to a very intelli
gent person as well as a strong
person. 1 admire her most for
the way she speaks up for
what she thinks is right. I was
very pleased to see that the
Observer ran a full page story
on her recently."
The daughter of Mrs. Edna
Simmons of 408 Fannie Circle,
Frances had the privilege in
1973 to go on a class sponsored
trip to Spain and Africa. “The
trip was sponsored by one of
my foreign language classes.
The students had to pay .their
own expenses, which was dis
counted through Gulliver's
Travels", she explained.
"The group consisted of 50
people. We spent six days in
Spain and one day in Africa. 1
was the only blacK person
among the group, but I must
say I really enjoyed the trip.
While in Spain we had the
opportunity to witness a bull
fight which I thought was hor
rible. The weather was cool in
Africa. The part we visited
wasn't like most of the whites
expected," Miss Simmons
stated.
Frances is a 1973 graduate
of East Mecklenburg High
School. While she attended
East Mecklenburg she was a
varsity cheerleader.
She is now a rising junior at
North Carolina Central Uni
versity. Where she is major
ing in English. She is a mem
ber of the English Club and
has aspirations of becoming a
reporter and eventually hav
ing her own television show.
Miss Simmon's hobbies are
writing, horesback riding, and
reading all the latest best-sel
lers, non-fiction and mysterys.
Our Beauty is born under
the sign of Virgo. She consid
ershersell to be dependable, a
perfectionist, and sometimes
very critical
The Simmon's family at
tends Grier Heights Presbv
terian Church where Kev
Parker is the pastor and Mrs
Simmons is one of the Sundav
School teachers.
Frances feels that beauty
can be found in a person's
personality. She also feels that
it is beautiful for people to
speak up for what thdy fee! is
right.
State Schools
To Receive
8635,000 Grant
Twenty of North Carolina's
public schools will receive
$635.000 in federal funds for
the operation of the Coopera
tive Education Programs in
1976.
A total of $10.75 million has
been awarded to post secon
dary educational institutions
said Caspar W Weinberger.
HEW Secretary.
The grants, made by the
Office of Education, went to
.327 colleges and unversities in
50 states, the District of Col
umbia. Puerto Kico, and the
Virgin Islands They are pn
marily for planning, emple
menting. and expanding co
operative education pro
grams In some instances,
support is also provided for
training personnel and for
funding research.
Included are 307 grants,
totaling $10 million, to be used
lor the administration of the
program; 14, totaling $503,000.
lor training, and 6. totaling
$247,000, for research
Under the program,
colleges may ariange with
outside employers to l ire stu
dents full time at the i urrent
pay scale The work closely
relates to the student s acad
emic field of study, providing
career experience as well a:
financial support. The time
spent working -a semester, for
example-is matched by equa
time in the college classroom
All-Day
(Celebration
Begins At 10
By James Cuthbortsor
Post Staf! Writer
\n African wedding. pro
I lies of outstanding persons in
Charlotte’s Black common it \
art exhibits, historical di
mas, cits HELP units, and
performances by local ms;ru
mental and vocal music
groups will highlight Satut
day's Second Annual Festival
In The Park
At 10 a m City Councilman.
Harvey Gantt. County Com
mtssioper Roue Motley, and ■
State Senator Fred Alexander
will officially kickoff the festi
val when they read a pro
clamation from the Mayor s
office declaring the da\ Alro
American Cultural Festival
Day."
According lo iestival te
iirdmator. Clara Lowery, the
planning committee is work
mg frantically lo insure tin,!
everything us running miiooiI
iy and that "we will shar< si
much of the v'liltural hisior. 1.1 “
this area with festunl goers m,
the 10 hour period w ill allow
The opening event will be .■
performance hy Jonm and the
People of the Kast who will
perform authentic \:i it,in
Dances Junto Oguneleye an.:
the People of the Kast. from
Savannah, (ia are a group
whieh practices the customs
ol the Yoruba People of Nig
heria
They will lx* billowed by a
performance by gospel singer
Annie R. Poole and the United
House of Prayer McCullough
Kndurers and McCullough
Tigers, vocal and instrument
al music hands
From noon to 2 p m. the
park will abound with the
music and dance to the Uni
versity Park Baptist Church
Choir, tiie Steel Drum Band,
the Young School of Dance
and the McClinlock Presby
terian Church Choir
The festival is sponsored by
the Afro-American Cultural
and Service Center Through
out the day a HELP Bar
featuring blood pressure
checks, a Mobile City Hall,
representatives from Legal
Aid. Open House, the Red
Cross, the Heart Association
and Black Volunteers will be
present to serve festival
goers
r roin i p.m. lo 4 p m.. Greg
Davis will present an oration
based on "Frederick Doug
lass' entitled "What to the
Slave Is the Fourth of July’ ,
the Bell Jubilee Quartet, the
Brandon Presbyterian Church
Choir and the Penfecoastat
Holiness Church Choir will
perform.
From 4pm until 6 p m
Lionel Norman will present a
poetry reading, and a local
rock group Wildfire, and Fire.
Inc will perform Another big
event during that time period
will be the wedding of Char
lotteans Janice Thompson and
William Adams, a young cou
ple who read in a local news
paper that an African wedding
had‘ been written into the
script as special highlight of
the festival The wedding will
be held at 4 p.m
Performances by the
Friendship Baptist Church
Choir and Jomo and the
People of the East and the
introduction of African Guests
will be presented.
The Steel Drum Band, the
Mason Lowery Trio, Purvis
See Festival on page 8
(Juirlotte Banker
Robert Walton To Head Local
••
United Negro College Fund Drive
A $100,000 goal has been set
for Charlotte s 1975 United
Negro College Fund drive now
underway.. The goal, accord
ing to UNCF Chairman Robert
L. Walton, is some $77,000
higher than the $23,000 rea
lized in the city's best previous
campaign.
Walton said he's confident of
reaching to $100,000 goal and
explained why.
"For the first time in the
history of Charlotte's United
Negro College Fund drives we
are combining UNCF efforts
with those of Johnson C. Smith
•University (Charlotte's
College fund School >," Walton
said. "Twenty five percent of
the funds raised will go to the
College fund in New York and
all the rest will go directly to
Johnson C. Smith.
"Companies and organize
tions that have given either to
UNCF or Smith or both can
now give to one drive with a
greater return to Charlotte.”
In addition to the $75,000
Smith will receive directly, it
will also receive about $18 for
every dollar U sends to the
United Negro College Fund in
New York Walton said that if
the $100,000 goal is met, John
son C. Smith will receive more
than $500,000.
Walton, a Charlotte banker
and Johnson C. Smith grad
uate. pointed out that while
Smith is a "getter” it is also a
"giver" to Metrolina’s
economy in the sense that
most of the funds the univer
sity receives return to the
community as salaries are
spent and supplies for the
school are purchased
Chairmen for the corporate
sector of the UNCF' drive are
Ken Koontz, WBTV; Isiah
Tidwell, Wachovia and John
Reidy, Exxon
Walton said contributions to
the United Negro College
Fund can be sent directly to
Mack Davidson, Vice Presi
dent for Financial Affairs at
Johnson C. Smith University,
All contributions are tax-de
ductible
The United Negro College
Fund, founded in 1944, now
Includes 41 member institu
tions with a total enrollment of
48.000 students. In addition to
Smith there are five other
UNCF schools in North Caro
lina. They are: Barber Scotia
College. Concord; Bennett
Ctflege, Greensboro. Living
stone College. Salisbury; St
Augustine's College and Shaw
University both in Raleigh
Koberl "Bob" Walton
... J.C Smith graduate
In 1974 UNCF raised mor^,
lhan $12 million nationwide.
A
wrrutfM*
Growing old is a question of
MIND over MATTKR If you
don't MIND, it doesn't
MATTKR