HF1 the CHAK a ITTE P( 1ST [55=1
The Voice Of The Black Community99 Lblaci^onsumer^^
Volume 6, No. 32 ^__
^POST - Thursday, March 19, 1981
^Price: 30 Cents
Labor Council Endorses
J '
District Representation
As children play in front of their homes at
Sunndge on Milton Road, controversy
brews over the continued construction of
similar “scattered site housing” pro
jects in other parts of the city.
WPCQ-TV Looks At
Scattered Site Housing
Forty-five years ago in
Atlanta 604 families moved
into this nation’s first low
income housing project,
sponsored by the P.W.A.
This project and tnany
others like it, stands feebly
today as nothing more than
the ghost of good inten
tions.
In an effort to reverse
this infamous pattern, the
City of Charlotte has taken
an unorthodox approach
which has become a rather
controversial t6plc Tn the
community: to scatter
these projects in middle
and high-income neighbor
hoods. This, and other as
pects of low-income hous
ing, including its evolution
since 1935, will be explored
in a WPCQ-TV (Channel
36) Impact Special, entitled
“Anywhere But Here,”
which can be seen on Tues
day, March 31 at 10 p.m.
The original purpose of
low-income housing was to
provide temporary shelter
for the needy. As Q36
Action News anchorman,
Charles Fishburne, il
lustrates, on location in
Atlanta and Charlotte, the
temporary shelters were
transformed into long-term
residences. Sheer quantity
demandr. overshadowed
With Academic Potentials
Special Programs Help
Disadvantaged Students
Hundreds of disadvan
taged students are neither
flunking out nor dropping
out as a result of two
programs at North Caro
lina State University.
The programs - Upward
Bound and Special Services
-are financed by the fe
deral government to serve
high school and university
students.
The students typically
come to NCSU from low
income families. They
have academic potential.
But their high school edu
cation may be deficient.
The U.S. Department of
Education is allocating
more than $200,000 a year
to the programs at NCSU.
High School Helper
Wayne M. Burgin, the
NCSU director of Upward
Bound, describes the pro
gram for high school stu
dents as one that helps dis
advantaged students with
academic potential pre
pare themselves for col
lege.
twice a month during
—the academic year we
bring selected 11th and 12th
grade students to NCSU for
classroom work, special tu
toring and an introduction
to college life,” he said.
Burgin said a $5 per
diem, plus meals and an
opportunity to enjoy Wolf
pack sports events, plays
and concerts add to the
students’ incentive.
Following the academic
year, Upward Bound stu
dents come to the campus
natuMMg
If a care is too small to
prompt a prayer, It’s too
small to be a burden.
sion.
“The students live in the
dorms, use all campus fa
cilities, manager them
selves as resident students
and concentrate on courses
that will prepare them for
the demands of college,"
Burgin said.
During summer sessions
Burgin and his assistants
tutor students, referee bas
ketball games and counsel
the students.
Burgin said students ac
cepted by Upward Bound
must first meet the income
and aptitude requirements.
Then, after the applicant is
tested and his transcript is
reviewed, interviews are
conducted.
“We’ve taken in students
with high grades and
others with averages that
are considerably Tower,”
Burgin noted. “Potential
and attitude are the real
keys to acceptance."
the government’s concern
for quality design and con
struction, and we may now
be paying a high price for
the quality sacrificed and
the living standards ig
nored.
Efforts being made in
Charlotte to initiate a suc
cessful solution to this pro
blem stem from the Ame
rica McKnight lawsuit of
1970. The suit charge that
Charlotte and federal hous
ing authorities' policies
were perpetuating segre
gated housing patterns. In
an out-of-court settlement,
the city agreed to avoid
placing public housing in
those areas designated
“impacted”: areas which
contained high levels of
substandard housing,
blacks or low-income resi
dents.
Thus began the approach
which is known today as
“scattered site housing.”
And thus began the selec
tion of areas such as pres
tigious Old Providence in
Charlotte for future high
quality low-density public
housing. The issue has
caused people on both sides
to exclaim: “Anywhere
But Here!”
IMPACT is a Q36 Tele
vision special project in
which a subject of signifi
cant concern to the com
munity is addressed. The
effort is one of total sta
tion involvement in which a
series of Q36 Action News
daily special reports
preceed the broadcast of a
one-hour, prime time pro
gram. Promotional and
Public Service Announce
ments are also part of the
station’s effort, and serve
to make the viewers aware
of the subject of concern,
and the IMPACT program
will address that subject.
Housing
Fund Cuts
Draw Ire
Rejecting President Rea
gan’s proposed cutbacks in
housing funds, the Chair
man of the NAACP Nation
al Board of Directors, Mrs.
Margaret Bush Wilson, cri
ticized the Administration
for failing to support an
alternative program aimed
at providing decent hous
ing in black communities.
Mrs. Wilson, who ad
dressed the National Hous
ing Summit this week in
Hilton Head Island, S.C.,
acknowledged that federal
housing policies in recent
years have attempted to
address the needs of lower
income families and minor
ity groups. “But even that
small percentage of the
black population that can
afford tetter housing is
facing a situation that
grows more serious every
day - the rising costs of
housing, energy shortages
and high interest rates.”
Mrs. Wilson is a senior
partner in the law firm of
Wilson, Smith and McCul
lin in St. Louis, Mo., and is
the Treasurer of the
NAACP National Housing
Corporation.
Mrs. Wilson also de
clares that a majority of
blacks continue to live in
“the worst neighborhoods
in the nation. From the
propped-up shanties in the
rural areas of the South to
the crime-ridden tene
ments in large cities, two
out of every three blacks
live in segregated com
munities throughout this
country which are plagued
by overcrowding, exploit
ation, substandard housing
and inferior neighbor
hoods.”
The NAACP National
Housing Corporation spon
sored the National Housing
Summit that convened on
March 9 and was attended
by some of the foremost
housing specalists in the
country. The conference,
which continues through
out the week, is the first
attempt ever to assess the
“current crisis” in black
housing needs.
, VERSATILE RITA CAMPBELL
...Female truck driver
Rita Campbell Is
Beauty Of Week
By Teresa Burns
Post Staff Writer
Rita Campbell is a rare
beauty who has darted into
a field few women even
dare to peek.
"I'm a truck driver at
Exposaic Industries,” our
beauty beamed. “I drive a
concrete mixer around the
plant. Exposaic erects
buildings.
Ms. Campbell is the only
female truck driver at the
industry and admits that
her work is fun and excit
ing.
"The woman of today
should get out and achieve
better things in life - even if
it means getting a man’s
job,” she contended. “It’s
about time that we prove
that we are getting ahead.
At first, Ms. Campbell
said the Exposaic person
nel department didn't be
lieve sfie could handle the
job of driving a truck. "But
I proved to them that I
could and now I’ve been
driving for almost two
years. One has to have a
strong mind and, of course,
expect some hassle from
the men on the job.”
Our beauty is an Aqua
rian and a North Mecklen
burg '74 graduate. She
would like to stay in the line
of work she now occupies.
“I would like to drive cross
country and eventually go
back to school also. I’d like
to get another skill," she
stated.
Arts and crafts including
ceramics, oil paintings and
macrame are a few of the
hobbies of Ms. Campbell.
She also enjoys playing her
violin. “I listen to music
quite alot and I enjoy
classical and a bit of soul."
Her philosophy?- "To
achieve as much as you can
within the time you have."
And the change she wishes
- “To help all the poor
people to get ahead in life
and to make this world a
better place to live in."
Ms. Campbell is the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Samuel Coleman. She has
two brothers, Samuel and
Reginald Coleman. .
“Reginald is my favorite
person. He’s usually there
when I need him.”
Detra Michelle Campbell
is Ms. Campbell's little
girl. They attend Morning
Star Baptist Church
As far as entertainment
is concerned out beauty
enjoys the talents of Diana
Ross. “I think she has
achieved a lot in the music
field,” Ms. Campbell ob
served.
Ms. Ross, however, isn’t
the only person to achieve a
specific goal. Our beauty is
also an achiever - one who
dared to meet the chal
lenge of becoming a truck
driver and one who turned
the challenge into a con
quered delight
Arthur E. Spears
Humanitarian, Executive, Friend
By Dr. J. F. Summersette
Special To The Post
The long and creative life
of Arthur Eugene Spears
Sr., extended from 1885 to
1981. He lived more than
two decades beyond the
three score and ten years
promised in the 90th
Psalms. Even so, the qua
lity of his life far exceeded
its quantity. He was a man
of faith and courage, nobel
of mind and heart, of fine
intelligence and committed
to highest standards of con
duct and business.
mere was radiant
warmth about Mr. Spears'
personality. It touched all
persons dealing with him
directly and reached fur-,
ther down to the people In
the communities where he
lived and worked. He had
an overwhelmingly infec
tious humanity, geniality
and charisma, and was one
of those rare persons to the
business manner born. He
Arthur E. Spear*
...Died last week
loved the North Carolina
Mutual Life Insurance
Company and the Mechan
ics and Farmers Bank with
conviction and intensity
and consequently he found
Joy in his work with these
organizations • in a real
sense it's our reward. Per
haps his crowning gifts
were his ability to elevate
those lacking his eminence
and his compelling /desire
to see that Black people
were made aware of the
. value of life insurance and
economic security.
, Whenever and wherever
there was injustice in Char
lotte or in the state, Mr.
Spears’ voice was always
heard and with quiet firm
ness he was second to none
in addressing these issues
and proposing rational so
lutions His devotion and
love for his family and his
pride In them and human
kind, placed him among
the distinguished humani
tarians of his day and
generation.
Those who saw Mr.
Spears in his declining
days were awed by his
courage and cheerfulness
and his determination to
manage the inevitable with
the same independence,
dignity and resolve with
which he managed his life.
His mind, like a curiosity
shop, stored up odd items,
or facts, history and folk
lore His diversity aston
ished some friends and col
leagues who would stand
rapt in wonder, listening to
his enormous fund of accu
mulated knowledge.
It was Charlotte's and
North Carolina's privilege
to have had the benefit of
his wise counsel and out
standing leadership during
the region's most crucial
years. His memory shall be
always an inspiration to the
people of this city and
state
Services Held For Ail Spears
Funeral services were
held Wednesday, March 11,
for Arthur Eugene Spears
Sr. at First United Pres
byterian Church, in Char
lotte.
Spears, 96, died March 8
at the Wesley Nursing
Center.
He served on the Board
of Directors of the YMCA,
Boys Town and Boy Scouts
of America.
Spears is survived by his
wife, Mrs. Matilda Spears,
daughters, Mrs. Laura Ma
lone and Mrs. Daisy
Stroud; and one son, Ar
thur Spears Jr,; eleven
grandchildren and other
relatives and friends.
latives and friends.
Rev. Raymond Worsley
is pastor at First United
Presbyterian Church.
AFL-CIO Working To
Defeat April Referendum
ny susan r.llsworth
Post Staff Writer
“Without black city eoun
cilmen, we would not even
have the programs we have
now," warned Robert Cor
ley, president of the Char
lotte Central Labor Coun
cil.
Corivpt)5ed~of-Ttetegates
from up to 15 local AFL
CIO unions, the CLC en
dorses the District Repre
sentation system and is
working to defeat the April
referendum aimed at re-'
pealing it.
District Representation
is the fairest way to gua
rantee equal represent
ation, according to Corley.
m-iarge candidates are
not concerned with indivi
dual neighborhoods,” he
emphasized. “They try
pleasing the general popu
lation by offering some
thing for everyone.
“We would not get water,
sewer.. .neighborhood
parks without...special in
put from our represent
atives,” Corley added.
Instead, southeast Char
lotte spokes people who own
much of the money and
exert most of the influence
would be running the city,
he said.
"Chances would be slim
to none of getting a black in
office" with at-large repre
senation, Corley explained.
He noted that with the
southeast Charlotte estab
lishment having most of
the money and political in
fluence they could easily
harness much of the power.
Parks Study
Meetings Need
Citizen Input
Four additional citizen
input meetings will be held
as a part of a recreation
study in Charlotte. These
meetings will all be held in
Park Center Auditorium,
310 N. Kings Drive at 7:30
p.m. Free parking is avail
able.
i ne lour meetings will be
held on March 25, April 30,
May 28 and July 13. The
first meeting of the series
was held February 26
The purpose of the meet
ings is to receive public
comment on the recrea
tional needs for the 10
year master plan being de
veloped by Harland Bar
tholomew Associates, Inc.,
of St. Louis for the City of
Charlotte. The plan is
necessary to provide an
overall system of facilities,
services and management
for recreation in the area.
As a part of the study, the
consultant will: (1) analyze
the City Parks and Recre
ation Department; (2)
complete an inventory of
the park system and pre
pare an attendance report;
(3) conduct citizen partici
pation meetings; and (4)
survey local recreational
interests and analyze parks
and recreation needs,
From the study, the con
sultant will develop a 10
year plan with specific re
commendations for future
recreation.
All interested citizens
are urged to attend these
meetings to actively par
ticipate in planning the
future of recreation in
Charlotte.
Corley said the referen
dum was designed to con
fuse people and enable the
affluent southeast -Ghar
lotte forces to dominate
City Council.
Since a “no" vote means
"yes” for District Repre
sentation, some voters may
be cCHTUsed. A “yes" vote
is for at-large represent
ation.
To retain district spokes
people, residents must
mash the "no" lever and
vot against the April refer
endum.
Dr. Stephanie Vallentine
...Joins Dr Webber
Dr. Vallentine
To Practice
Dentistry Here
Dr. Stephanie Vallentine,
DDS, always wanted to be
in a profession that would
help people even when she
was only 12 years old.
As the years passed more
reasons for becoming a
dentist were added • she
included job security and
owning one's own business,
but her main focus re
mained- dentistry was a
profession that would aid
others.
“It is very satisfying to
me when someone comes to
me and I can teach them
about oral health," Dr
Vallentine remarked
She didn’t exactly chose
Charlotte to practice in,
Charlotte chose her. Fol
lowing her graduation from
UNC-Chapel Hill Dr. Spur
geon Webber, a Charlotte
dentist, asked Dr. Vallen
tine to join him in practice.
Their office is located at
2301 Keller Ave.
Dr. Vallentine completed
her B S. at Duke University
then moved on to dentistry
school. If one desires to
become a dentist, Dr. Val
lentine advises, "be pre
pared to work hard.”
"You also have to be
aggressive in learning. You
can't simply sit by and wait
for others to teach you, you
have to take the initiative
in learning and have pa
tience. Sometimes you
have to make people teach
you," she explained.
Dr. Vallentine is a native
of Raleigh and the daugh
ter of Rev. S. L. Vallentine
and Elizabeth Vallentine.
Her hobbies include swim
ming. photography, read
ing, and playing the flute.
She is a member of the
Alpha Kappa Alpha Soror
ity -