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JCSU - A Rebirth Of History
By Hoyle H. Martin Sr.
Post Executive Editor
Professor Robert V. Daniels has '
written, "history is the study of a ]
unique sequence of unique indivi- (
duals, events, situations, ideas, and
institutions, occuring in the one-di
mensional and irreversible stream f ,
of time." Dr. Daniels' statement !
reached a new height of realism last
week when a unique individual -
Mrs. Inez Moore Parker - saw her
ideas about a unique institution -
Johnson C. Smith - molded into "an
organized and functional reservior
of historical materials..."
The unique event to which we
refer was the dedication on Friday
of the new .Inez Moore Parker
Archives and Research Center lo
cated in the James B. Duke Memo
rial Library on the JCSU campus.
The dedication, attended by nearly
200 students, faculty members, staf
fers, alumni and friends of the
110-year old predominantly black
university, was the highlight of a
four-day homecoming celebration.
While doing research in 1975 for
her book, "The Biddle-Johnson C.
Smith Story," Mrs. Parker gave
birth to the ideas of establishing the
center. With the encouragement of
the University's president, Dr. Wil
bert Greenfield, Mrs. Parker began
he process of collecting artifacts,
japers, school and Presbyterian
:hurch documents, books and other
naterials from older graduates and
riends of the institution.
In a statement appropriate for the
>ccasion, Mrs. Parker said in her
îumble and warm manner, "The
Durpose of the center is to put in an^
organized fashion historical data'
Lhat would keep the various genera
tions aware of the history and
sacrifices that brought the school to
where it is."
Another purpose of the Center, as
stated in a brochure, is to "preserve
something of the heritage of Blacks
in their pursuit of education and
worthy citizenship, for interested
researchers and posterity."
The POST wishes to commend
Mrs. Parker for her untiring efforts
and contribution to the history of
black Americans. It is after all, only
by looking at our past that we can
have some hope and confidence as
we look to the future.
Mrs. Parker's endeavors extend
far beyond the 75 acres of the Smith
campus into my life and yours, ^nd
into what makes black Americans
what they are today. May our Maker
bless us with more Inez 'Moore
Parkers.
Crime, Let's Meet The Challenge
The editorial cartoon on this page
tflls a tragic story, however, as
depressing as it is, its not the whole
story. That story reveals that in
creasing violent crime is making a
human jungle out of our cities,
suburbs and even the rural areas.
Hiat story reveals also that black
pëople are four times as likely as
white people to be victims of violent
crimes other than murder. In the
latter case, the FBI's Uniform Cri
me Report (1975) notes that 47Vfe
percent of all murder victims are
black. This is even more tragic when
— We rfealize that blacks comprise only
U percent of the nation's population.
Furthermore, the story of crime
tëlls us that 85 percent of all crimes
are committed by people against
people of the same race and two
thiixis of all arrests for major crimes
are among youngsters 21 years of
age and younger.
These exerpts from the story of
crime in America were drawn from
Harry Fleishman's article, "The
Challenge of Crime," however, the
re are numerous other accounts of
this internal decay that is eroding
the very fabric and foundation that
has made America what it is.
The question that arises to us is
why don't the American people do
something about these deplorable
conditions other than just report
tfceir tragic consequences? The
(fUestion takes an added meaning
\$hen surveys indicate that men and
vfcmen, the rich and the poor, and
>■
urban and rural inhabitants all
strongly favor increased penalities
and rehabilitation programs to curb
crime.
The fact is, while many people are
concerned about and fearful of cri
me, and while our prisons are
overcrowded and law enforcement
officials are underpaid, too many
law makers at both state and na
tional levels give law enforcement a
low priority, at budget time each
year. We must hastily add that all
the problems are not with law
makers, since nearly 25 percent of
the nations adults have no opinion at
all· - total apathy - to the crime
problem.
Finally then, do we care enough
about crime to want to do something
about it? We should, because each of
us and-or our loved ones may be
crime's next victim.
If you love your daughter, your
son, your wife, your neighborhood,
yourself, its time to act to end our
nation's senseless crime. Take a
positive stand and get involved in
positive action now so that we might
begin to roU back our nation's major
social problem. _
Something On Your Mind?
"Something on your mind" is the
name of a column devoted to you -
the young at heart readers of this
newspaper - as long as it relates in
some way to young people, regard
less of age.
Or any other subjecty you want to
write about let us hear from you.
BLACK business is suffering from the effects
OF CRIME ON AN UNPRECEDENTED SCALE. IT IS STRU66UNÛ
TO MEET THE HIGH COST OF THEFT INSURANCE.
VAHDAUSM, SHOP-LIFTING, ROBBERY AND BAD CHECKS.
THE PROBLEM CENTERS AROUND NARCOl
DRUG RELATED CRIMES.
HCW6AN CHRONICLE
SM
ΓΓ
Crime In Hie Black CmiiMiky h Εμ^χκ^Βηι»
LETTERS ΤΟ ΤΗ Ε EDITOR
Public Opinion ''Bugs" Davie
Mr. Bill Johhson *
Editor, Charlotte Post
P.O. Box 97
Charlotte, N.C.
Dear Mr. Johnson:
I am an avid reader of the
Post and I look forward to
receiving it on Friday.
In your recent edition, it
"bugs" me greatly to see and
hear the public opinion that's
been thrown at Coach Eddie
McGirt, his staff and players
about their poor performance
this season. As a former play
er under Coach McGirt and
having been a member of his
staff,.! feel that I am in a
position to come to his defen
se.
When Coach was winning
championships at Smith, they
went un-NOT ICED. The stu
dent-athletes that he has deve
looed nvpr Ow vmi· haï»
gone un-NOTICED and many
more good things that have
happened to him and the
people he has been associated
with. As an assistant coach for
a number of years, the talk of
"arm chair coaches" can real
ly get under one's skin. It
takes a great deal of money to
operate an athletic program
and oral coaching will not
recruit one football player or
pay anyone's salary.
If you were to run a survey of
all the "arm chair coaches"
that are coaching after the
ball game and around the bars
in town, they probably did not
pay to get in the game or they
don't give enough to the athle
tic program to buy a mouth
piece. When a team is having
a bad season, positive action is
what is needed and not talk.
If anybody hates to lose, it's
Coach McGirt, because as he
used to say, "it takes a little
something from me each time
we (Johnson C. Smith) and
the voung men I work with
come up short.' "
I wish that some way, the fans
could coach a college football
team one day out of a season
and see firsthand some of the
problems coaches are faced
with.
The enjoyment that comes
from coaching is not one Of
money, but seeing an indivi
dual develop a student athlete
and later make a meaningful
contribution to society.
I would like to close by saying,
Coach McGirt gets my vote for
"Coach of the Year" any year
and the hell with a record.
Sincerely yours,
Bill Davis
Class of '65
Assistant Football Coach
South Carolina State College
Succession Is
ι t· · .- 3
No Panacea
Dear Editor,
"Succession is no paiiacea."
We agree with several of the
major media organizations in
the state that—He who mis
leads the concerned and work
ing people will [limself fall into
his own pit.
It is agreed, "The future of
the state will depend on the
quality of candidates who run
for office, and THE ABI
LITY OF THE VOTERS TO
CHOOSE AMONG THEM."
There has been enough ma
nipulation, intimidation, and
marginal activity in the last
ten months to suggest that
"machine politics" are here.
SUCCESSION MAY RE
MOVE OUR ABILITY TO
CHOOSE FROM AMONG
THEM. North Carolina does
not need politicians for poli
tics. Let us have politicians
for statesmanship.
We urge a vote AGAINST
Succession, a vote FOR Road
Bonds, and FOR Water-Sewer
Bonds.
Ours is a great state, a great
people, a state of action. North
Carolina is recognized na
tionally for its sound fiscal
government. North Carolina is
recognized nationally as a
progressive government. Nor
th Carolina, the true vacation
land of the Nation, should
sustain these qualities. North
Carolina, through the involve
ment of diversified peoples
with continued fresh, new i
deas, has developed and main
tained excellent programs,
nationally recognized. Let's
keep a great state!
Vote AGAINST Succession!
Barry J. Miller
Statewide
lAMiiereiicc
Dear Mr. Johnson:
We, along with several other
organizations are in the pro
cess of pulling together a
Statewide Conference on "Bla
cks and the Criminal Justice
System."
It is the intent of the organi
zers of the Conference to
provide leadership to Blacks
around the State who are
victims of the criminal justice
process, legislators who are
responsible for laws govern
ing this process, members of
the judicial bodies who are
responsible for effectuating
these laws, and certainly
black people who are expres
sing an ever growing concern
over the inadequacies of this
process. Therefore, we are
soliciting your support in writ
ing favorable editorials in
your newspaper speaking to
the need of people to become
more informed and action
oriented on what is taking
place within the criminal jus
tice system.
Irving L. Joyner
ι By Vernon E. Jordan Jr. !
TO
BE
EQUAL
Vernon Ε. Jordan Jr.
Measuring Quality Of Life
We're known as a nation that worships the
gross national product. The bigger the better, is
our hallmark. Somehow people really believe
that the GNP is a true measure of improvement
in our lives.
Well, the GNP keeps going up and up, but it is
very arguable whether the quality of our lives is
improving. In fact, the GNP includes a lot that
is positively bad.
The GNP is the sum total of the value of goods
and services produced. So it includes the dollar
value of bombs and guns along with hospitals
and schools. It's a total flop as a useful
measurement of well-being.
Experts at the Overseas Development Council
sought to provide just such a measure. „By
combining statistics for infant mortality, life
expectancy, and literacy, they came up with
something they call the PQLI - Physical Quality
of Life Index.
It is a very rough measurement since it doesn't
include housing quality, work opportunities or
other standards. But since the ODC is primarily
interested in improving life in the world's poorer
countries, it decided not to use elements that are
culture-bound.
The shocker is that the PQLI, which might be
seen as a narrow development economist's tool
or as an academic exercise, reveals major
wcaiuicsacs tu uui uwn sucieiy. me uniieu
States, with its enormous GNP, might be
expected to lead the world in such basic areas as
infant mortality, life expectancy, and literacy.
It doesn't. The United States lags behind
Sweden, the Netherlands, and several other
European countries, including some that have
lower per capita incomes. And while the nation is
a whole has a fairly high PQLI rating compared
with most countries, there is considerable
variation among the states.
As might be expected, there's also a big
difference between whites and blacks in the
Index. White Americans have an Index score of
96 (on a scale of 100) while black Americans only
score 89, well below a country like Pul&nd, which
has a & score, andfl|||t faF^above irtipo'tnen&hed
Sri Lanka, which has an 83 Index rating.
The Index score is not determined by income,
either. Washington, D.C., which has an average
income of over $7,000 actually has a lower life
expectancy rate than Sri Lanka, where the
average income is only $130 per year.
Part of this is due to high infant mortality rates
in the District, affecting both whites and blacks.
Nationally, black infant mortality rates are
double those for whites.
What the PQLI shows us when we compare
America's vast wealth with the quality of life, is
that in key areas America resembles an
underdeveloped country.
The fact that the Index is so limited -
measuring only three core items that are
absolutely basic to well-being ~ makes this result
even more troubling. As a nation we have been so
concerned with out-producing and out-buying
everyone else that we've neglected the rudimen
tary elements of a decent life.
It is simply unacceptable for residents of the
capital of the world's richest country to have
lower lite expectancy tnan the residents of one of
the world's poorest countries.
1 THE CHARLOTTE POST
"THE PEOPLES NEWSPAPER"
Established 1918
Published Every Thursday
By The Charlotte Poet Publishing Co., Inc.
; 2606-B West Blvd.-Charlotte, N.C. 28208
Telephones (704 ) 392-1306,392-1307
Circulation, 7,185
58 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS SERVICE
Bill Johnson Editor-Publisher
Hoyle H. Martin Sr Executive Editor
Bernard Reeves General Manager
Circulation Director
Albert Campbell Advertising Director
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Charlotte, N.C. under the Act of March 3,1878
Member National Newspaper Publishers '
Association
North Carolina Black Publishers Association
Deadline for all news copy and photos is 5 p.m.
Monday. All photos and copy submitted becomes
the property of the Post, and will not be returned.
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Amalgamated Publishers. Inc
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as i see ic
Jim Black's Endorsement Quite Distressing ?
By G«rald Ο. Johnson
By the time this article is
read the mayoral race will be
over even though the article is
■ be'ng written prior to the race
Personally, I have found
this entire campaign, like the
mayor candidates, to be quite
boring. For this reason I have
written nothing on the cam
paign. But now on the eve of
the election day I find several
distressing things have taken
place.
Most notable of the thines
(hat has happened during this
campaign was Jim Black's
endorsement of Jim Whitting
ton Several of Mr. Black's
key followers found this quite
distressing. It seems like Mr.
Black during the primary had
stressed Jim Whittington's in
, sensitivity and conservatism
on issues concerning black
people in Charlotte. Many bla
ck people felt Mr. Black sold
them out in the name of the
Democratic Party.
I agree
Mr. Black surprised the
Charlotte Community in the
primaries by making a clean
sweep of all the black pre
cincts He did this by cam
paigning on people issues His
victory was an indication that
(he black people of Charlotte
are not party oriented, but
issue oriented. The black com
munities went against major
endorsements of Mr Whitting
ton to support Mr. Black.
With this type of confidence
shown, Mr. Black had the
responsibility to act reasonab
ly and intelligently in endors
ing a candidate The most
politically sound thing he cou
ld have done was to endorse no
one. By endorsing Whittington
he has lost the confidence the
people had placed in him
What I find disturbing about
this mayoral race is a lot of
black people responsible for
Jim Whittington's endorse
ments in the black community
admit that he is a poor choice
for mayor. They only worked
with his campaign they say
because he was the democra
tic candidate Hence, they
support the party and not the
man.
Consequently, the black
community is sold down the
tubes because people believe
in a party and not in people
This is asinine Your support
of an individual should be
based on the confidence and
the trust you have in that
individual and on the ability of
that individual to clearly de
fine issues and to develop
programs to tackle those is
sues. In other words, you vote
for people, not parties.
Most black voters are intel
ligent enough to realize this It
is the party die hards who
aren't.
School Crisis
If busing, quality education,
and large classes were not
enough to plague school sys
tems then monetary problems
should cap it With the recent
crisis facing the public school
systems in Philadelphia. Pen
nsylvania and Toledo. Ohio it
appears that a major flaw
exists in public education.
All of the problems leading
to the monetary problems fac
ing school systems have been
written in this article before,
but at different times.
Let me recap them all right
now.
First, the problem with tea
cher's unions puts on unfair
burden on the financial obliga
tion of the school system In
Philadelphia where a very
strong teacher's union exists,
the teachers ask for and get
unreasonable compensation
for their work. If they don't
get their demands they strike.
This guarantees that most of
their demands, if not all, will
be met In 1970 when I lived in
the area, the teachers stayed
on strike for more than a
month until the board guaran
teed a six percent cost of
living raise per annum, plus
increased fringe benfits The
list went on and on. Finally
they won. at least in the short
range of time. Unfortunately,
the money was not forthcom
ing and the school board ended
up taking out a loan The
union, in effect, forced the
school system to become fi
nancially bankrupt What mo
st people can not see is the 5
percent raise is a meager sum
to an individual's paycheck
But this is a tremendous a·
mount if you consider that the
payer hat to pay 5 percent of
10.000 or more paychecks.
It might mean a $500 dollar
increase per year for you, but
it will mean $5 million or more
for the school system. Conse
quently, uniform pay hikes is
an unsound approach for ma
naging a system
Secondly, public school sys
tems are funded by tax dol
lars. A high percentage of the
funds comes from local taxes
Individuals as well as busi
nesses foot the bill for local
taxes. Philadelphia is faced
with a crisis in this respect
Due to rising taxes businesses
as well as individuals are
running to the suburbs By
moving to the suburbs neither
individuals or businesses has
to pay taxes to Philadelphia
This leaves only the poorer
people, usually blacks, left in
the city. Since they own little,
they pay little or no taxes
Consequently, the city makes
little or no money Hence,
there is no money to meet the
forever increasing demands of
the teachers
Thirdly, public officials are
usually poor managers of
funds Couple this with the
forever present corruption
that exists in public affairs
and you have a catastrophic
problem.
Then there are the emotion
al aspects that increase coat
dramatically. Busing is an
example of a costly emotional
issue that financially corrodes
a school system. It is far
cheaper to run a school on a
neighborhood basis The legal
costs of insuring a proper
racial quota, the administra
tive costs of planning busing
routes, the transportation
costs of using and upkeeping
busses sll add to the skyrocke
ting costs of running a school
system
Last, but not least, is the
unwillingness of tax payers to
accept tax increases to run
school systems. With the qua
lity of the education proving to
be far from good, tax payers
are unwilling td suport school
systems that need more mo
ney to do a poor job
All of these problems have
caused the two aforemention
ed school systems to collapse
But the problems are not
unique to those two areas |t
can happen to any school
system We must be alert to
these symptoms so that we
can continuously apply pre
ventive methods because a
cure is not known