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. _“Qiarlotte’s Fastest Growing Community Weekly” - 2-1306
VOL 2 NO 34 ^—____
" ' ——— ■——- CHARLOTTE.NORTH CAROLINA-28216-Thursday, February 26 1976 phipf oor
Post Office
To Cut
15,000 Jobs
The number of paid employ
ees in the Postal Service has
been reduced by nearly 15,000
positions from the same per
iod last year, the most recent
payroll reports of the Service
indicate.
The equivalent reduction in
man-years approximates a
cost reduction of $200 million,
Postmaster General Ben
jamin F. Bailar said.
Bailar announced the paid
employment reduction figure
as part of his nationwide pro
gram to reduce postal costs by
as much as possible without
cutting essentia) postal ser
vices.
"The Postal Service is in a
financial bind and cannot
foresee any hope of immediate
solution to its operating deficit
problem,” Bailar said.
"Faced with a $1.4 billion
deficit, we are compelled to do
everything within our power
to reduce postal costs to the
maximum extent feasible."
Bailar said over 50 per cent
of the positions eliminated
represent career positions,
removed from the rolls of the
Postal Service by attrition.
The remaining positions were
casual and part-time posit
ions, he said.
As of January 2, the most
recent reporting date, there
were 699,650 paid employees
on the Postal Service payroll,
compared to 714,4% on that
date a year ago.
Joblessness For
Blacks Is Higher
Than Admitted
ATI^ANTA, Feb. 26 -- At a time
when the national administra
tion has vetoed a massive
public works bill and Congress
has sustained that veto, laid
off workers in the South are
rapidly using up their unem
ployment benefits. Moreover,
present methods of counting
the unemployed and the ex
istence of widespread subem
ployment in the region puts
the South at a disadvantage in
terms of funding for present
manpower programs.
These are among the con
clusions released today In a 38
page special report by the
Southern Regional Council.
The report points out sev
eral failings of unemployment
counting methods not general
ly mentioned in growing nat
ional criticism of the way the
“unemployment rate" is de
rived. Discouraged workers,
who have given up their active
search for work because they
have concluded it is futile to
look further, have increased in
large numbers in the reces
sion, but they are not counted
among the unemployed be
cause they are def initionally
not part of the labor force.
In an introduction to the
report, George H. Esser, Jr.,
Executive Director of the
Council, is critical of national
policies “which have
failed to bring about economic
security for those who need it
most.”
MISS SHIRLEY WHITE
...Enjoys playing basketball
Miss Shirley White
Is Beauty Of Week
By Polly Manning
Post Staff Writer
A television comedy center
ed around the 50's has cap
tured the heart of our beauty
for this week. Miss Shirley
White.
The show is “Happy Days.”
It deals with the era when
hanging around the malt shop
was for the incrowd, converti
ble cars were really in, and
black leather jackets and mo
torcycles were just coming
onto the scene. Rock & Roll
was the best thing since soda
pop. Shirley is really fasci
nated by the role that Fonzi
plays.
The 14 year old Wilson Jun
ior High School student is the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
James T. White of 2732 Coro
net Way. At Wilson, she was a
member of the Volleyball
Team, which ended the season
with a 10 4 record. They were
third overall among Charlotte
Mecklenburg Schools. Pre
sently she is on the Girl’s
Basketball team where she
plays guard, forward, and
center. So far the team has
won 7 games and lost 6. The
most points Shirley has scored
. in a game is six. Because she
plays on the second team she
usually averages 2 to 4 points
per game. She enjoys playing
basketball because it’s a fun
way to stay in shape. She also
finds it fun to visit schools and
play against different teams.
Shirley's favorite'subject is
Science. “I like it because it is
interesting as well as fun lear
ning about different things
that happen around us,” she
stated.
Her favorite teacher is Mrs.
McGraw who was her volley
ball and is her basketball
•coach,
I Miss White's hobbies are
traveling and going to movies
and dances. "I enjoy doing
anything that is fun. While
traveling I often take notice of
how I look, feel and react to
different places and situat
ions,” smiled Shirley.
Our beauty’s future ambi
tion is to become a model. She
is born under the sign of Tau
rus. She describes them as
being very quite people, very
considerate and very stub
born.
Shirley and her family at
tend St. Luke Baptist Church
where Rev. Parker is the pas
tor. Shirley plays on the
church softball team
Barry White is her favorite
singer. She especially likes his
"Can’t Get Enough of Your
Love." Her favorite color is
blue and her favorite food is
hamburger and coke.
Shirley stated that she feels
really good about being cho
sen as Beauty of The Week.
Steven McCullough is the per
son most admired by Miss
White.
Jackson To
/
Open Office
Here Sunday
Many local and state politi
cal leaders will be on hand >
here Sunday for the opening of
the “Jackson For President”
Headquarters in the Century
Hotel, formerly the Down
towner Coliseum, 3024 E.
Independence Blvd.
Purpose of the meeting,
which opens at 7 o'clock, is to
formerly open the headquart
ers and announce the steering
committee for Mecklenburg
County.
Mayor John Belk, who is the
district chairman, will offic
iate at the meeting.
Jim Ramsey, former
speaker for the North Carolina
House, and State Chairman
for the "Jackson For Presi
dent Committee", will be in
attendance. As will state
senator Herman Moore, who
has agreed to take a leader
ship position in the Mecklen
burg County "Jackson For
President" Operations.
Casual dress will be .the
appropiate wear.
Veterans Service
To Open Office
In Pineville
The Mecklenburg County
Veterans Service Office has
opened a satellite office in
Pineville. The Office is open
from l until 4 p.m. every
Thursday in the Office of the
Chief of Police in the Pineville
Town Hall.
The Pineville office is the
second of three branch
Veterans Service Offices
planned for Mecklenburg
County.
Black Democratic Meeting
Here Maybe Very Historic
Pipe Plant
To Provide
More Jobs
A new pipe fabrication plant
in the Arrowwood area south
west of Charlotte may
improve area job prospects.
Ribbon-cutting ceremonies
were held recently to open a
new division of Dravo Corpor
ation. The company now has a
plant in Pineville.
It is a Pittsburgh, Pennsyl
vania based company operat
ing on a national scope. Com
pany officials describe the
company as a diversified eng
ineering, construction and
manufacturing company with
over 15,000 employees.
The new Charlotte plant is
designed to fabricate pipe for
use in power plants and
chemcial and pertochemical
facilities.
raoncatea pipe for these
industries can be as large as
60 inches in diameter, and the
walls of the pipe may be as
thick as six inches. A section
of pipe can also weigh as r -uch
as 60,000 pounds. For critical
service, most welds must be
perfect and are checked by
radiography or other non
destructive tests. Pipe for a
coal-fired power plant must
withstand pressure up to 4,500
pounds per square inch and
1050 degrees Fahrenheit,
according to a statement by
Dravo officials.
Top level activity for the
new plant is anticipated by
1977. The plant site is designed
for future expansion as de
mand requires. Current em
ployment of 125 people is also
expected to gradually
increase during that time.
One spokesman suggested
the employment figure may
each the 300 mark.
/U fid wlJ
cy
ui^3^ f
Effective March j
BIG SISTER Daisy Stroud, right, chats with
Little Sister Johanna Surratt, during get
acquainted meeting. The Big Sister Interna
tional endeavor is an annual project of the
Charlotte Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma
Theta Sorority's 5-Point Project Committee
Photo by Peeler.
Delta Sigma lheta Sorority
To Assist “Big Sisters”
By James Peeler
Post Feature Writer
The Charlotte Alumni Chap
ter of Delta Sigma Theta Sor
ority has chosen Big Sisters
Internation as its main public
service project for the year of
1975-76.
This project is spearheaded
by the sorority’s 5-Point Pro
ject Committe composed of
sorors Daisy Stroud, Chair
man; Sarah Richardson, Pat
ricia Dowdy, Frances Maske,
Sarah Bellamy, Doris John
son, Joan Holmes, Juianita
Craighead. Daisy Roberson.
Letee Stinson, and Lillian
McRae.
The officers of the Charlotte
Alumni Chapter are: Hellena
Tidwell, President; Rogerline
Lee, Vice-President; Shirley
Goodman, Secretary; Lucielle
Batts, Treasurer; and Sarah
Stroud, Parlimentarian.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority,
[
I
inc a puDiic service sorority,
is a society established to
promote high cultural, intell
ectual, and moral standards
among its members for its
own benefit and for the benefit
of society in which it exists.
The sorority considers service
a major aspect of morality
and Deltas activities and
finances are devoted largely
to such services as can be
rendered for the benefit of the
individual, the community,
the race and the nation.
Delta’s program is carefully
formulated to enable its
membership to make the best
possible contribution in se
lected vital areas of human
need.
Charlotte Alumni Deltas
have chosen as its annual
benefit project THE DEBU
TANTE COTILLION. The
year several beautiful Debs
will be presented at the Park
Center on April 9 at 9 p m
the big Sisters Program is
a voluntary program that
provides social work techni
ques to assist an emotionally
mature woman volunteer in
developing a supportive
friendship with one girl.
Through contacts, visits, and
activities. The Big Sister helps
the Little Sister develop per
sonal identity, self-love, and
inner security It is a one-to
one individualized and volun
tary relationship; One Big
Sister to One Little Sister.
Emphasis is on preventive
work with children who are
found to be presenting begin
ning problems of disturbance
rather than rehabilitative with
delinquents or emotionally ill
youths.
Big Sisters deals with young
lives, the process of becoming
an actual Big Sister is highly
selective The process re
quires interviews, recom
See Delta page 8
Dr. C. D. Rippy Resigns From
Charlotte Civil Service Board
By Sidney Moore, Jr.
Post Staff Writer
Charlotte Civil Service
Board members will have to
conduct board business with
out Dr. C. DuPont Rippy. be
ginning in March.
Rippy, associate professor
of sociology and director of the
undergraduate social work
program at Johnson C. Smith
University, submitted his
letter of resignation in the
February 17 meeting of the
board. He has served since
November 1972 and Is now
vice chairman.
"Please accept my resigna
tion as a member of the Char
lotte Civil Service Board,
effective February 29, 197*,’’
Rippy’s statement said. "The
increasing demands on my
time by my work at the uni
versity, and because of my
desire to be of more service to
my church on the local and
national levels, (makes) the
above decision necessary,"
He described his association
with the board as rewarding.
"The work has been very
demanding, but my life has
been enriched by the fellow
ship," Rippy said.
Although there was hesit
ancy, the board referred the
resignation statement to City
Council for its approval.
Several board members said
they wanted Rippy to recon
sider.
Board Chairman C. D.
Thomas read the statement in
the board meeting and stated
he would like to decline accep
tance of Rippy's resignation.
He said Rippy impressed him
from the first meeting he
attended and said he has been
"a wonderful asset” to the
Board.
Other board members pre
sent made similar remarks.
Dr. C. D. Rippy
...J. C. Smith professor
Rippy may have anticipated
this reaction when he was
writing his resignation.
"To have known and worked
with each member of the
board is an experience I shall
not soon forget," said the re
signation statement
In a recent interview. Rippy
said most people mis-under
stand the work of the Civil
Service Board He said the
work involved approving
promotions of city employees,
hearing complaints and re
commending administrative
procedure changes.
One of the biggest problems
the board had to deal with
while Rippy served on the
board was the matter of re
cruting and upgrading minor
ities and women, he said. He
thinks the board made pro
gress in these and other areas
"If I have contributed in
some small way toward
making our city better, I am
grateful," said the resigna
tion “Of this I am sure, I
brought to this assignment a
deep sense of responsiblity
and sincere effort
“I pray that God will blesi
you so that you can continue t<
be a blessing to others,'
Rippy's statement concluded
Civic Center
To House
April 30 Meet
By Sidney Moore. Jr.
Post Staff Writer
Whatever influence blacks
will have with the next U. S
President may be decided in
Charlotte April 30-May 2.
This influence may be gam
ed when the Caucus of Black
Democrats meets here to plan
strategy and to interview then
active Democratic Party
candidates. If this strategy
session is successful and if a
Democratic wins in Novem
ber. the Charlotte meeting
may turn out to be a very
historic occasion.
Mecklenburg County
Commisioner Rowe Motley,
chairman for minority affairs
in the N. C Democratic Party,
played a great part in per
suading caucus officials to
choose Charlotte over places
like Washington, D. C. and
Chicago He expects 1,500 to
1,800 people to attend the
three-day meeting at the
Charlotte Civic Center
according to recent press re
ports.
me announcement was
made in Washington this week
by Basil Patterson, vice
chairman of the Democratic
National Committee and con
firmed in Charlotte by Motley
"I sold them Charlotte over
the phone," Motley reportedly
said. ,-I told them black
America doesn't know about
the South They think Utopia is
somewhere else. I convinced
them to come and take a look
at it."
Frank Cowan, national
Democratic chairman for
minority affairs and Mttlcom
Daye. representing Mayor
Coleman Young of Detroit,
another caucus member, flew
to Charlotte Friday and
Motley showed them the city.
He also arranged a meeting
with officials of local Holiday
Inns, who will coordinate
arrangements with other
motels to accommodate the
delegates.
It was reported that Cowan
said all announced Democra
tic presidential candidates
will be invited to the confer
ence and quizzed on issues of
concern to blacks. He could
not give names of the candi
dates being invited, but said it
depends on who is still seeking
office after the early presiden
tial primaries are run
."National Democratic Party
officials are saying the pur
pose of this conference is to
mobilize black voters across
the nation and try to educate
those voters on the candi
dates’ positions on key issues
It is also hoped that these
candidates will put blacks in
key positions on their cam
paign staffs.
The caucus will not endorse
a candidate, however.
Issues expected to be de
signated as important by the
conference include full em
ployment, national health
care, welfare reform, national
postcard voter registration,
economic development and a
plan to save ailing cities.
Motley said he planned to
try to ’’get some merchants or
somebody to pick up part of
the cost" of renting the Civic
Center.
“We were quoted about
$1,500 for the Civic Center,”
Motley reportedly said. «
Motley may be successful in
doing this because several
1 business representatives have
; expressed delight that the
conference will be held in
Charlotte
TURTLt-WK
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Even if you're on the RIGHT
TRACK, if you JUST SIT
THEREjrou'll be RUN OVER.