Welcome Johnson C. Smith Alumni, Friends^ THE CHARLOTTE POST = ---“Tlw Voice Of Tlw Mack Community" 'Jt Volume 8, Number 21 ~ __— 11 -_ ■ --THh CHARLOTTE POST - Thursday, October 28,1982 - -— ---Price: 25 C ents SONTELLA STRICKLAND l _4 bright angel little Sontella Strickland Is “Beauty of The Week” By Terrsa Simmons Post Maiaging Editor With Haloween creeping up this wekend it’s nice to know thatwe have a bright angel to shoo away all those gtosts and goblins once the light has come to a close. Sontcih Strickland, six year qfd daughter of Carolyn and Bobby Strick land, is Just what the treat ers ordired for the event. Ms. Strickland is a first vader at Chantilly Ele vhentaiy School. “So far I like sctool. It’s fine,” re ported our beauty. During kindergarten she received all "Tfery goods" on her report card, the highest grad* possible According to her mother, "Shds a eery good stu deBr, she loves to read and askp lotetf questions. She's curfeus about everything ” Miac Strickland has one big sister, LeTonia, ll years old, whom she enjoys playing and conversing with. also enjoys reading j about other little and little hoys and j. “I take dancing i at Miss Donna's of Danctng," she sh ared proudly Jazz, tap an d ballet are among her sp^ecialties She especially ejnjoys dancing to the tunes ok the creative group >' As far as television is •poncwned Miss Strickland \vlews "Diff’rent Strokes" se of the star of the »m, Arnold “I think s’S very funny,” she looks forward to ^Jg herself, this in Ole Junior Choir at 1UCTL£'W« Examine what ia said, Mf him who speaks. her church. Second Cal vary Baptist Church, where Rev. Dr. Lemar Foster is pastor. But most of all Miss Strickland is awaiting pa tiently for the day when she can be of assistance to other people, especially children. “My ambition is to become a teacher. I like helping children and I like to learn too.” Miss • Strickland has learned much from her mother who happens to be the person she admires. “She does everything for me.” she explained She also has much love for her family including her grand parents. Arthur and Cla rice Strickland and Bur ben and Eva Burris. now lo Apply tor Heating Bill Assistance? The Low-Income Energy Assistance Program is headquartered in Charlotte at the Charlotte-Mecklen burg Youth Council, 501 E. Morehead Street. You may apply at the council from 8 a.m. until 8:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday; Friday from 9 a m. until 5 p.m.; and on Saturday from 9:30 a.m, until 12:30 p.m. Other sites to apply for the Low-Income Energy Assistance are as follows: Amay James Neighbor hood Center-8 a.m. until 4 pm.; Belmont Regional Center-8 a.m. until 4 p.m.; and Gethsemane AME Zion Church-8 a m until 4 p.m. The following sites will only take applications from October 25 until November 5: Davidson Community Center-8a m until5p m , Pineville Town Hall-8 a.m. until 5 p.m.; Matthews Help Center-8 a m. until 5 pm; Cornelius Town Hall -8 am until 5 p.m.; Huntersville Town Hall-8 a.m. until 5 p.m.; Metro lina Native American Association-8 a.m. until 4 p.m.; and the Mint Hill Town Ha!l-8 a.m. until 5 p.m. To help with heating bills, the Division of Social .Services will make a one time payment in February to all households who apply and are found eligible for the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program If you want to apply for a pay ment, contact the Charlotte Special Edition: Turn To Section B Mecklenburg Youth Coun cil between October 18 and December 10th. This is not a first-come, first-serve program If you apply any time between October 18 and December 10 and meet the eligibility requirements, you will re ceive a payment. If you are shut-in, elderly or handi capped, you may send someone else to apply for you or you can call the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Youth Council and request that an application be taken in your home For more information call 334-3035 or 333-5241 Low Voter Turnout Predicted For Tuesday One Of Five Blacks Are Without Jobs Recently released fi gures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal that one of every five Blacks are without jobs and seek ing employment as figures for all Americans rose above the 10 percent mark for the first time in de cades The Department of Labor reported that the un employment rate for Blacks was 20.2 percent in September, while 48 5 per cent of Black teenagers were jobless National fi gures also disclosed that 10.1 percent of the United States labor force was un employed (seasonally ad justed statitics), the first time unemployment has scaled the 10 percent mark since the Great Depression years. The bad news came amid a furor on Wall Street that resulted in the busiest trading day in history as the Dow Jones average took a second consecutive giant surge of over 21 points. Wall Street analysts attributed the activity to the possibility of falling interest ratts. The prime rate now stands at 13 per cent at most commercial banks, but further drops were anticipated due to mounting pressure on the Federal Reserve Bank Now the .question re mains: Will consumers follow the enthusiasm of Wall Street, or rather, are they able to? For Blacks, the situation has sunken deeper into a depressed crisis Unem ployment for Blacks was already a disastrous 18.5 percent in August. Now at 20 2 percent, 19 8 percent of Black males over 20 are out of work and looking for jobs while 15 7 percent of Black women are unemployed MISS ETHEL GUEST ZJnstruclutff Miss Stroud's youth In Assisting Miss Stroud Ms. Ethel Guest Is Heaven-Sent more man zu years ago. Anita Stroud, who has loved and taught genera tions of children in the Fairview Homes area, was given a trailer in which to hold her activities But she knew more space would mean more children She prayed for help At about that same time, Ethel Guest, a Charlotte art teacher, decided she wanted to work with the women she had only met through media accounts On the day of the trailer's dedication. Miss Guest asked Miss Stroud if she could help “Did the good I.ord send you’’”, Miss Stroud asked. It seems Miss Guest was indeed Heaven-sent. For she has been there to assume more and more re sponsibility as Miss Stroud's health failed. Now that Miss Stroud is a resident of Wesley Nursing Center, Miss Guest contin ues to open the trailer for Tuesday and Thursday ses sions on reading, arts and crafts. Bible study and other activities i\oi oniy ao mese ses sions provide practical learning, it develops the children emotionally as well, she stated. "Working with them helps them to develop a better self-image, which they sorely need," she said. “It also motivates them to do well and to have a sense of belonging.” Miss Guest, who recently retired after 31 years of teaching art, is a profes sional artist having held numerous one-person shows and exhibited na tionally and international ly She has also been hon ored for her community service. Most recently, she received the 1982 Governor James B Hunt Volunteer Award for Individual Hu man Service in Meeklen burg County She also re ceived the 1982 human ser vice award in the "Nine Who Care" awards pre sentation. sponsored by the Voluntary Care Center and WSOC-TV. But her greatest reward is the continuation of the camp ana storvhour pro grams she worked closely with Miss Stroud to de velop And. like Miss Stroud, she knows that she can't do it alone To help raise money for the children's activities. Miss Guest has compiled a book of poetry and draw ings by summer camp participants "Golden Fruit From Little Black Seed” is on sale in most local bookstores All mone> from the sale of the book wall go to The Anita Stroud Foundation In addition to raising money, Miss Guest is hoping the book would make the public more aware of our existance, what we re trying to do and what our goals are ” She is also hoping to at tract more volunteers people willing to commil time to do one aspect of the program such as to teach reading This mission, which has survived four decades, will not die now, she stresses "The need is just too great " Dt'ltlCMTHt* To Celebrate Election Night An Election Night cele bration will be held at the State Democratic Party headquarters. Goodwin House, 220 Hillsborough St Returns will be posted at headquarters Democra tic candidates for both Wake County and Congres sional offices will be awaiting returns at the headquarters Don’t Forget To Turn Your Clock Back Stfirvlm Night Halloween is Sunday, sc you'll be tricked enougf without playing one or yourself Eastern Standard Time officially rolls around before the crack of dawn on Sunday. Be sure to turn your clocks back one hour Jby 2 a m. October 31 and enjoy the extra hour of sleep Jim Polk Say's: - ** dose Kace 1s Getting Closer” By Karen Parker Post Staff Writer James (Jim) Polk, candi date for N.C. State Senate, described the upcoming Mecklenburg County elec tion as a "close race that's getting closer." Being a newcomer to the craft of state politics makes one anxious when the election is just five days away. However incum bents have expressed simi lar feelings. Polk, a native Charlot tean has been a community go-getter for several years which provides him with expertise in a wide variety of political concerns One of those affairs that has made Polk’s campaign strong and effective is his business background Listing a few of his cre dentials, Polk is the im mediate past president of Charlotte Business League, board member of Greater James “Jim” Polk .. State Senate candidate Charlotte Chamber of Com merce, vice president of Mecklenburg County De mocratic County Men's Club, treasurer of Black Political Caucus of Char lotte, member of Charlotte Uptown Development Cor poration, and Greater Charlotte Foundation and chairman of Grier Heights Development Corp Twice the recipient of the U S Small Business Ad ministration Award. Polk stated. "85 percent of all jobs created within the past five years have been in small business According to the presi dent of Management Man power Services, North Carolina can experience more economical expan sion through small busi ness "Presently the state legislature is faced with a tight budget and dwindling resources," Polk stated He believes the economy, unemployment and educa tion are issues that will bring voters to the polls As a state senator, Polk would have no direct influence on one of today's major issues. Social Security It is federally controlled; however, Polk is concerned about the 55,000 people on welfare in Mecklenburg Countv This is one area where his viable plans to create more jobs and more producers in North Carol ina is judicious During the 1982 primary election, reports implied blacks were depending on single-shot voting to put black candidates on the ballot and will do the same for Tuesday's election But Polk does not view single-shotting as a sure win to the State Senate He stated. "In Mecklenburg County there are 112 voting places Only 87 of those are in black precincts " The point made by Polk is to illustrate that 100 percent of black votes to ward black candidates is not enough to win a seat in the State Senate. “I am depending on blacks and whites to elect me as a N.C. State Sen ator,” Polk admitted f Culp Says Only 40% Will Vote Bv Karen Parker Post Staff Writer “I Should've Voted." This is what a political commercial predicts regis tered voters will say after failing to vote Tuesday if a candidate other than their choice wins Only 40 per cent of registered voters are expected to come out to polls next week, according to Bill Culp. Supervisor of Elections This represents four percent less voters than in 1978 The number is also considerably lighter than in 1980 Culp explained the an scnce of national rac<“- is one reasor this year's voters seem lackadaisical Mecklenburg County elec • ions are also devoid ot issues like ERA which stir interest and bring voters practically running to the polls The hottest issues on this year’s ballet are the Mint Museum Bond and the County District question. A "yes" vote for the Mint Museum favors the City of Charlotte to spend not more than $3.5 million on the Mint Museum of Art. An affirmative vote on the County-District question w ill allow county voters to elect three members and each qualified voter to also elect four members from his or her respective dis trict This will increase the number of commissioners from five to seven w hile the overall turnout of voters is expected to be dismal, the easting of votes in black communities will probably be outstanding. There are some strong black candidates in the black precincts this year," .Culp guaranteed. He is speaking of James K Polk. State Senate; Phillip Berry, State House of Representatives, James Richardson also for the Cl of r. t Jo...-/, II .1.. A Walton for County Com missioner First, the newcomers Polk is believed to have a stupendous business back ground. Berry reportedly is striking in education and Richardson is strong in the area of social services. Kach of these political new comers have strong re cords of service not only in the black communities but throughout Charlotte Other democratic candi dates for the state senate include Cecil Jenkins, Craig lowing and Benja min Tison. A Concord lawyer, Jenkins is seeking his third senate term low ing. the president pro-tem of the .Senate claims he is seeking his fourth and last term; while Tison has de cided to run for the senate after 10 years in the House Republican candidates for the ; Senate include Thomas Ghent and Ken neth Harris. Joining Richardson and See Bin, Page IS >