Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / Sept. 21, 1978, edition 1 / Page 1
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25 e ^new6 The Hoke County News - Established 1 928 VOLUME KXX NUMBER 21 RAEFORD, HOKECOl MY. NORTH CAROM N \ I ? - journal 25 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905 S8 PER YEAR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1978 Around Town BY SAM C.MORRIS If anyone wants to talk about the weather in Hoke County for the past week, he or she must first understand what HOT means. The ninety degree weather is not some thing that you can look forward to as you get up these September mornings. It is even hot into the night and this keeps the electric bills up, running the air con ditioners. The men that are playing foot ball in this weather must be in first j^te condition. ? * * The Hoke High Bucks came through last Friday night with the second win of the season with a 23 - 0 win over Lakewood. They travel to Sanford Friday night to plav the strong Lee County team in a conference game. The next home game will be September 29th against Richmond County. Mark this date down and go out and support the Bucks. ? * ? Walter Webb, who is now retired after working 30 years for Carolina Telephone, was by the office last week and was talking to me about the upcoming Btry 'F' Reunion at Charleston. S.C. He now lives in Fayetteville and was one of the men that left here in 1940 for Charleston with the National Guard. He went to school here and is a brother of Mrs. Brown Hendrix of the Arabia Community. This is the first time I have talked to him in a number of years and with the list of the men that will be coming to the reunion, we had a rather lengthy conversation about the past and also what had tappened since getting out of the ' wvice. Walter brought an envelope of pictures that had been taken during our army days and it brought back many memories as faces appeared that had almost been forgotten. It was good to talk with Walter and 1 know that many more will be I wanting to talk with him in Charleston. See you there. Walter? ? ? ? While on the subject of the reunion that will be held at the Francis Marion Hotel in Charleston October 13 - 15, it seems as of this date that approximately 40 will be present. This is the number that have returned a letter stating they will attend the banquet on Sat urday night. October 14. Of all the letters that were first mailed out all but 10 have answered that they will be present. Of course some of these may show up when they find out that plans can be made to suit the schedule. Just think of seeing and talking to a group of people that you lived and fought with for five years, and you haven't seen for thirty or more ^ars. Do you think everything can Wsaid in three days? ^Vell, you can come and we can get started and maybe it can be continued until next year! * ? * You know that thirty - eight years ago this week, the National Guard was stationed at the Armory and left after a week for Charles ton. The year that was to be our tour of duty, turned into five or more years. Over 1 25 young men left Raeford in that group, and of course when you go down the roll, not many are still living in Raeford and many are not living anywhere any more. The pages of history continue to turn and each of us. in some small way plays a part. ? ? ? The "Charlie Rose Salute" was attended by a good number of Democrats from Hoke County. The crowd was large but missing were most of the Undidates that will be on the general election ballot from Hoke County in November. 1 believe when chairman Ken Mc Neill called for Hoke County (^didates to come forward, only w showed up. ()f course in Hoke County we idon't have Republican opposition like the Congressman that is run king in the district does, but still we ftre running as Democrats and part pSee AROUND TOWN. Page 14) Workers Quit Over Policy ********************************** by Charles Blackburn Hoke Democrats Attend Tribute For Rep. Rose "The rise of Charlie Rose to prommence in the United States House of Representatives has bord ered. literally, on the spectacular," Governor -Jim Hunt told a crowd of TK?Ut^ Rose suPP?rters last Thursday night at a barbecue inner held in the Congressman's honor at the Cumberland County Memorial Arena in Fayetteville About 100 Hoke County Demo crats were on hand for the tribute including local candidates who wili be on the ballot in November's fh"e7?u ^lection- Rose represents u \ Congressional District of Hoke. Robeson and Cumberland counties. M^f,D?mocratic Chairman Ken McNeill introduced Commission Chairman John Balfour. Clerk of Superior Court Juanita Edmund and District Court Judge Joseph E. Dupree. Other party chairmen in the district also introduced candi dates from their counties Because of a lack of Republican opposition, the election of local Democrats is virtually assured. Among those who joined Gov ernor Hunt in saluting Rose were Attorney General Rufus Edmisten. Agricultural Commissioner Jim Graham. Secretary of State Thad i kreoa , Labor Commissioner John Brooks. U.S. Senate candidate John Ingram was conspicuous by his absence. It had been thought that Ingram might appear since Presi dent Carter cancelled his trip to Asheville last Friday, due to the Mid- East conference at Camp Dav id. Ingram is challenging Republic an Jesse Helms for his Senate seat, and Hunt took the opportunity to exhort those present to elect him Rose"* n'ght C'ear,y belon8ed to Our farmers don't have a better or more effective friend in Wash ington. ' Hunt said of him. point ing out that Rose is on the House Agriculture Committee. "He has never lost touch with your problems and concerns." the governor told the crowd. Hunt said he and Rose cut their political teeth together while cam paigning in I960 for Terrv Sanford and he rated Rose as one of the top Washington n''al legisli"OTS United Fund Sets Goal Of $22,000 raising campaign, it was an nounced this week. Gene Carter, local United Fund J.?*?. ,said a budget meeting was held last week and the goal approved. He said Earl and Marilyn Fowler ?'ll be the fund raising co - chairmen this year. Tom Howell is )ice president, and Louise Wright is secretary - treasurer. The campaign is scheduled to thmn ?Cnber '^"dwill continue through December 1. The various committeemen will be chosen soon and further announcements made Carter said. Earl Fowler said Tuesday he is confident that this year's goal will be met. He said a United Fund thermometer will be erected in town so local residents can see how the campaign is progressing. Social Services Jobs Available . Due to a number of recent IIIUp'h .co"cernin8 employment W !i c 9ounty Department of Social Services. Director Ben N i block this week advised interest ed persons that the first step in applying tor any job at the de (See SOCIAL SKfURITV. Pagc 14) ?m ? I ROSE SALUTE - Hoke Democratic Party Chairman Ken McNeill (left) and Hoke Commission Chairman John Balfour (right) chat with 7th District Congressman Charles G. Rose III at a dinner held in his honor in Fayetteville last week. About 100 Hoke Democrats were on hand for the saline. Grant Will Fund Med Clinic Here A new Medical Services Clinic is scheduled to open here next month thanks to a grant of S81.872 from the U.S. Department of Health. Education and Welfare. Wyatt G. Upchurch. president of the Hoke County Medical Better ment Association. Inc. (HCMBA). announced Monday that the grant has been awarded. HCMBA's Medical Services Clinic will be located at 116 Campus Avenue, in the same building occupied by Dr. R.M. Jordan and R. Ramik Zota. Although the clinic will be in the same building with the physicians, it will have a separate office of its own. said Jim Fout. association manager. Medical services will be provided by physician extenders, and the facility will be open during hours when private doctors' offices in Kaeford are closed. Patient fees will be about the same as fees charged by private physicians in this area. Upchurch said. 1'his new facility, together with the three doctor's offices in town, and with their full support, will provide 24-hour primary health care for local residents, he said. The exact date of the opening and the hours of operation will be announced within the week. Contrary to another report. Fout said there are no plans, and never have been any. to house the clinic within a new medical arts building slated for construction in Raeford by another health care group. Candidates Speak Before Hoke PTA Three local school board candi dates spoke informally Monday night at the Hoke County PTA's first meeting of the new school year. Stephen Benkosky. D R. Huff. Jr.. William L. Poole and five other candidates will be on the ballot in November for three seats on the Hoke County Board of Education. Benkosky said he is concerned that the quality of education is decreasing. Working with employ ers. the local head of the Employ ment Security Commission said he hears them say that a high school diploma has become worthless in the world of work. "Educators and citizens must work to improve the Hoke County schools so a diploma here will signify an educated, reliable adult," he said. This county must be more selec tive of the government programs it uses, he said. Many of them have so many restrictions that quality edu cation is sacrificed for economic improvement. Huff spoke of his 23 years experience on the school board and the improvements which have been made in that time. He pointed with pride to the facilities available in Hoke County and said he desires their upkeep. "Problems have and will arise, but the board members have always worked to achieve the best for each child." he said. Huff asked that parents become more involved in the local schools and that citizens communicate more with board members about their concerns. Poole said he felt a seat on the school hoard would be an interest ing and challenging position. Hav ing four of his six children in the Moke schools, he said he has seen changes and problems come and go. He said he wants to work toward improving the education of Hoke County children. "The problem of the schools is nationwide." Poole said. "But we need to evaluate our schools and strive for improvement. Methods change and evaluation is needed. The tests given in the county are a measurement to assess ourselves and also to see how Hoke children compare to the nation. This is a competitive world, and our chil dren need an honest evaluation." A question and answer session followed each informal talk, and the meeting then shifted its atten tion to the achievement and com petency tests given in local schools. The general consensus was that more information on the tests is needed. Bv a vote, it was agreed that the October lb meeting be entirely devoted to informing the PTA as to: I ) the reasons for the testing. 2) what subjects were covered. when the tests are taken. 4) what the scores mean, and 5) what is done to remedy weaknesses when they are discover ed. Beth Johnson. PTA president, was asked to contact the supervis ors of instruction in Hoke County to prepare the next meeting, which will be held at 7:30 pm. at McLauchlin School, behind the public library, on October lb. Frustrated over the attitude of the Hoke County Board of Commissioners toward transfer employees, two new members of the local Department of Social Services have resigned to accept jobs in other counties. Department Director Ben Niblock this week confirmed that he has received letters of resignation from Herman Locklear and Juanita Frizzelle. He said Juanita Frizzelle joined the department in March after three years experience with Pitt County as an eligibility specialist, and Locklear signed on in June after eight years as a protective service worker with Scotland County. Both were recruited by Niblock to come to Hoke County. In a telephone interview from his Cumberland County home Monday evening Locklear said the main reason he is leaving is because, unlike other counties, Hoke's present personnel policy gives no credit for years of experience. "1 came with the understanding that the county would honor transfers." he said. "I understood 1 would get the cost of living increase promised other county employees. But I didn't. And there is still some question about vacation time." In June the county board voted to give all employees a cost of living increase except those who had joined the county after April 1 . Niblock and the five * member Board of Social Services argued that Locklear should not be considered a brand new worker since he had eight years experience in his field in another county. The raise for Locklear would have cost the county about S160. However, the commissioners felt it would be inconsistent with their policy if they gave him the increase. Members of the board pointed out that Locklear had gotten a 51,000 raise in coming here and was working closer to home now. He lives in Fayetteville. In discussion during the board's July and August meetings. County Manager James Martin said as far as he was able to determine the county has no personnel policy relating to transfer employees. With their experience in other counties, both Locklear and Frizzelle were getting 15 days annual leave before coming here, but local policy states that a new county worker will only get five days vacation the first year. In discussion along this line the board appeared hesitant to recognize prior experience in another county in considering vacation time for transfer employees. Locklear said he was not resentful toward the county over the way the situation has been handled, but said he didn't think it had been done "very professionally." "In Scotland and Cumberland counties such personnel matters are handled by the social services director and the county manager." he said. "But apparently some on the Hoke County Commission want to exert their power and authority. I don't think a change in policy in mid - stream is unfair to a new worker." He said he enjoyed his stay here. "It's a very friendly community." said Locklear. "I met a nice bunch of people." He said he had experienced no difficulties within the department itself. "All of the problems were external," he said. Niblock described the situation as "possibly unique." "You can't expect someone to happily have their vactation time reduced bv 67 percent." he said. "I can't really blame Herman and Juanita for leaving. They had a chance for other employment honoring their excellent experience in Scotland and Pitt counties." Locklear has accepted a job with Cumberland County, and Frizzelle is going to Moore. Both begin their new jobs next month. "Obviously it will be extremely difficult to recruit qualified employees such as these when there is even the possibility of their leave time being cut by two - thirds," Niblock said. "If we are to be able to compete with our neighbors, it will be necessary to give faith and credit to employees who have gained experience in other counties. Even in the private sector, when someone has special expertise you increase benefits instead of reducing them." For example, it would be inconceivable to think of college football coach Bill Dooley leaving UNC to go to Virginia for reduced benefits, Niblock said. "When you recruit quality people you are willing to give them something extra." he said. There is a built in recruitment problem in rural areas anyway, Niblock continued, because most qualified people would rather work in a metropolitan area. He said it takes four months, at least, to train a new employee, and hiring an experienced worker saves the county a minimum of $2,000. (See WORK1 RS. Page 14) Symphony Performs Here On November 4 Memberships arc now on sale for the Raeford Chapter of the N.C. Symphony Society, which will spon sor a Little Symphony concert here for the general public on Saturday. November 4. at 8 p.m. in the MacDonald Gym at Hoke High. All members will be admitted free, as will all junior and senior high students. Memberships are S5 each. Tickets will be on sale at the door for S6. The prices are set by the state society. In addition to the evening con cert. the N.C. Little Symphony will perform for local school children at 1 p.m. on Wednesday. November 1. in the MacDonald Gym. Grades 4. 5 and 6 will be bussed in for this concert. Because of inflation, Robert Gatlin. publicity chairman for the local society, said the board of directors decided Monday not to ask for the Symphony Discovery Program this spring unless the membership drive exceeds expecta tions. The Discovery Program was highly successful here last spring. An ensemble composed of sympho ny members gave numerous pro grams in the local schools, giving many children their first taste of classical music. In conjuction with the Discovery Program, music teachers here went to Raleigh for a day-long workshop to become familiar with the pro gram so they could supplement it in the classroom. The local society is responsible for paying 55 percent of the cost of symphony performances. The state picks up the rest of the bill. Mrs. Carson Davis is president of the local society. Emma Mims is vice president; Loretta Upchurch. secretary; Jim Turlington, treasur er; and Kay Thomas, subscription chairman. There is also a 20-mem ber board of directors.
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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Sept. 21, 1978, edition 1
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