Proposed
A copy of the proposals for use of
part of the McCain Hospital facili
ties for mental health program was
given to The News-Journal last
! week by Dennis Brewster, manager
of the Hoke County Unit of the
five-county regional Sandhills Cen
ter for Mental Health. Mental
Retardation and Substance Abuse
Services.
The proposals are contained in a
letter written by Dr. Steven Ding
felder. Sandhills Center area direc
tor, to Dr. R.J. Blackley. director
of the State Division of Mental
( Health. Mental Retardation, and
Substance Abuse Services. The
Mental Pr
division is part ot the State
Department of Human Resources.
The proposals were drawn up at
Dr. Blackley's request.
Meanwhile, a Hoke County Stu
dy Committee has been established
to see what the hospital could be
used for in the future: whether it
should continue as it has been for
the past 73 years, as a special
hospital for treatment of tuberculo
sis and other lung diseases; or
whether it should be converted to a
general hospital; or given other
roles.
After completing the study, the
committee will make recommenda
ograms For McCain
tions tt? the state HR department.
The committee was established in
response to reports that state
government sources are considering
more changes in the hospital's
operations. Last year Hoke County
people and organizations respond
ed similarly to a proposal made to
state officials that the hospital be
closed. The result was that the
hospital was continued though the
number of beds were reduced.
Brewster endorsed the proposal
for the study by the Hoke commit
tee. w hich is composed of represen
tatives of the Hoke County and
Raeford governments and the Rae
tnrd-Hoke County Chamber of
Commerce.
Dingfelder's letter to Blackley
follows.
Dear Dr. Blackley:
On March 19. 1982. our Center
Coordinators, myself, our Regional
Director ( Mr. j.K. Home), and
several of the regional office staff
visited McCain Hospital. After a
comprehensive review of the hospi
tal building, the approximate half
do/en three bedroom brick ranch
es. and apartment /dormatory
building, we began to refine our
thoughts and concerns as they
relate to the development of pro
Hospital Described
grams on this campus.
We arc excited about the poten
tial to develop meaningful pro
grams tor our catchment area, the
region, the state and the nation. I
do not think it is farfetched to
mention the nation as 1 believe this
campus could be the nucleus from
which a state-wide prevention insti
tute could be developed that would
lead the nation in the development
and initiation of meaningful pre
vention techniques and approaches
within the areas of mental health,
mental retardation and substance
abuse services.
One of the services often recog
nized as needed in the South
Central Region is that of a thera
peutic community for alcohol and
drug abusers. Sandhills Center
would be interested in developing a
therapeutic community on the
campus of McCain Hospital.
Such a facility could serve 12
clients. It would utili/e the dorm/
apartment building which presently
exists.
This building is in moderately
good condition and could be up
graded to the necessary standards
without an inordinate amount of
(See MENTAL PROGRAM. Puge IS)
25c
XJt
\^He 1&W6
9 The Hoke County News - Established 1928
VOLUME LXXIV NUMBER 2 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLIN A
- journal
25'
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
S8 PER YEAR THURSDAY, MAY 6, 1982
Around
t Town
W BY SAM C.MORRIS
The weather over the weekend
was again perfect tor outdoor
activities. The thunderstorm Sun
day afternoon held off until late in
the day. I don't know how much
rain fell, but the water hole in my
driveway was full Monday morn
ing.
We also had some hail mixed in
W with the rain Sunday. It was about
the size of popcorn, that is after it is
popped, and fell for just a few
minutes. When 1 mentioned it to
someone Monday afternoon, they
said that Mr. Will Monroe stated
last Saturday that they had hail
Friday night that did damage to the
gardens in the Puppy Creek area.
There could have been damage
to tobacco, but as of this time 1
0 haven't heard of any damage.
The forecast is for the tempera
tures to be in the 80s for the
remainder of the week. Now this is
the weather 1 like.
* * ?
Now , every so often a friend of
mine will send me a message and
about half the time he .will get his
"foot in his mouth.
A Last week, either Thursday or
Friday, 1 found a note on my desk
that was on the memo pad of Pam
Frederick, office secretary. The
note is as follows:
"Mr. Morris:
"How do you retire from a job
when you have no job?
"Patrolman in Hamlet."
Now of course this is Gene Coen,
now Sgt. Coen of the State Highway
A Patrol that was stationed in Rae
ford for many years. He had sent
the message over from Richmond
County by the driver of the
National Linen Truck who works
parttime as a deputy for the
Richmond County Sheriffs Dept.
I am sure that someone told
Coen that 1 had retired because he
couldn't read well enough to get it
out of the paper. As far as having
"no job." the only time I ran into
? him while on duty in Raeford was
at some place they served coffee.
Now if this is a job i w ill have to say
what 1 did for 46 years was "no
job."
Anyway it was good to hear from
the Patrolman and know that he is
still in the neighborhood.
? * *
A Chris Watkins, who until last
Sunday, has been the Director of
Music at the Raeford Presbyterian
Church, gave a farewell speech to
the congregation after the morning
worship service. Now Chris was
more to the community than just at
the Presbyterian Church.
He^ir&Ted the community choir
in many special concerts and also
directed two productions for the
Raeford Junior Woman's Club, 1
? don't believe that any Haw could be
found in any of these productions.
He was a perfectionist and he
would almost go to the extreme to
get things perfect.
We have at Dickson Press done
many programs for Chris and you
always knew what he wanted and
they were always "top rate."
As a good friend of Chns' said to
me Monday he could get under
your skin, but you still came out
^ liking him. This is correct. 1 could
have broken his neck many times,
but I still admire the talent this
young man has and I know that
over the years his productions will
become better and better.
Good luck. Chris!
? ? ?
The Dickson Press lost a faithful
employee this week, Harold Mc
0 See AROUND TOWN. Page 18)
Appropriate For Roofs Repairs
Board Given Proposed School Budsret
The Hoke County commissioners
Monday morning were presented
with a proposed 1982-83 county
school system budget which would
include $1,161,991.
County Schools Supt. Raz Autry
told the commissioners the pro
posed budget, which also contains
$(>.563,462 in state and $1,770,372
in federal funds, has been "cut to
the bone."
He said if cuts have to be made
i he only ones possible are the total
cultural arts program and reduc
tion in the number of vocational
education teachers. A $35,000 cut
in the athletics budget, he also
said, would eliminate athletics at
Upchurch Junior High School.
Autry told the commissioners Un
people of the county will have to
decide whether to support athletics,
music and art. and vocational
education. He suggested this sup
port would require an increase in
the county property tax rate.
Autry said it would not be fair for
the school board to state that the
commissioners didn't give the
money to keep the school system at
its present level, and it wouldn't be
fair for the commissioners to say
that they gave the board of
education money and it was up to
the board to make the cuts.
The members of the school board
attended the meeting, and school
system business manager Don
Steed read to the commissioners
the specific proposed items in the
budget.
Autry said before Steed started
his report that cutting the cultural
arts program off would cut SI 5.000
in supplies and $175,000 for
teachers; and cutting the vocational
program could reduce the money
lor teachers to $75,000 from
SI 50.000.
He also said that it the commis
sioners cut out all help in the
superintendent's office they
wouldn't save but $14,000 in local
money. This would include the
$6,000 annual supplement the
superintendent has been paid the
past nine years; $6,000 for Harold
Gillis, the vocational education
director, a state-required local
appropriation, with the state pav
ing the remainder of the director's
salary; and $2,000 of the associate
superintendent's (J.D. McAl
lister's) salary, also state- required
with the state paying the re
mainder.
Autry also said during his talk he
was going to retire at the end of the
tloke Uroup With State Officials
Meeting On McCain Slated Next Week
A meeting of the Hoke County
Study Committee for McCain Hos
pital with State Department of
Human Resources secretary Dr.
Sarah Morrow, department staff
member and State Sen. Sam Noble
is to be arranged for next week to
discuss the McCain situation.
Noble, in Raeford Friday after
noon, talked with the staff mem
ber. James Woodall. by telephone
regarding the proposed meeting
after putting in the call to Woodall
to find out what the situation
regarding the hospital matter was
currently.
The Hoke study committee of six
people was established after word
was received that the state planned
Hoke Job
Hoke County's unemployment
rate in March was 10.3 per cent,
compared with 11.4 February,
figures from the State Employment
Security Commission show .
Hoke's unemployed in March
totaled 800 people of a work force
of 7.740.
The March 1981 unemployment
rate for Hoke was lO.b per cent,
with 790 people out of jobs in a
to make changes in the hospital,
the only state institution still caring
exclusWelvfor tuberculosis patterns
and other afflicted with pulmonary
diseases.
Noble after talking with Woodall
quoted Woodall as saying that so
tar this fiscal year McCain Hospital
was $600,000 "in the hole" and
that S400.000 in state money had
been transferred from another
account to carry the hospital
through the remainder of the
current fiscal vear. which ends June
30.
Noble said Woodall told him that
the trouble was too many patients
were ineligible for federal Medicare
assistance and too many were
unable to pay.
Woodall also told him. he said,
that the Sandhills (mental health)
tenter director had some ideas for
using part of the hospital for
mental health programs but the
slate hasn't the money to finance
i hem. Noble pointed out that "new
money is going to be hard to come
In ."
Woodall said. Noble reported,
thai Dr. Morrow has appointed a
group hl'adcd by Ben Aiken, to
"come up with alternatives" at
McCain.
However, he said, the "Willie
M." program, which is included in
less Rate Was 10.3%
work force totaling 7.440 at the
time.
Statewide. Hoke's rate in March
was a drop from the previous
month experienced by 43 other
counties, the ESC reported last
week. The rate remained the same
in four counties.
The statew ide rate for March was
9.7 percent, up half a percent from
the February figure.
Nationally, the March rate was
4.5. down one-tenth of a percent
age point Irom the February rate.
I he highest county rate register
ed in March 1482 was Swain's, with
25.4 per cent. It was one of f>5
counties whose rates were in double
figures that month.
I he state's lowest in March was
in Orange County, where it had
been the stale's lowest the four
successive previous months.
the proposals of the Center's area
director. Dr. Steven Dingfelder, "is
coing .to come" to the state. The
"Willie M." program refers to the
legal obligation the state has to
provide adequate services to all
children, regardless of needs, and
these include services to the
mentally and other handicapped.
Details of Dingfelder's proposals
arc published elsewhere in this
week's edition of The News
Journal.
Noble, a resident of Robeson
County, represents the 12th Dis
trict. composed ol Robeson and
Hoke counties, in the State Senate
ot the General Assembly.
In March
Orange's rate was 3.8 per cent, the
same as it was in February. Orange
was the state's only county with a
rate less than -4 per cent.
Mitchell County showed the
largest increase between February
and March --- six per cent, to 19. b.
The Fayetteville metropolitan stat
istical area's rate for March was the
same as it had been for February.
8.b per cent.
80 -- Not 15 -- McCain Beds Said Occupied
A newspaper article about
McCain Hospital's future pub
lished Monday contained two
errors. Earl Fowler, coordinator of
the Raeford - Hoke County Com
mittee to evaluate the potential
future of the hospital, said Tues
day.
He quoted a member of the
hospital administration as saying
80 of the hospital's 1 15 beds are
occupied. The news story says only
15 of the 115 beds are occupied,
quoting hospital administrator
John Watson. The source indi
cated. however, that Watson was
misquoted on the figure.
The news report also quotes
Watson as saying that while efforts
i?> cut costs for operations of
McCain are logical, it has resulted
in a "moral" problem for staff
members. Fowler commented that
it may have resulted in a morale
oroblem but not a "moral" pro
blem. indicating the word "moral"
was a typing or typographical error.
At McCain Hospital
Group To Recommend TB Care
The Raet'ord - Hoke Committee
10 evaluate the potential future of
McCain Hospital will recommend
that the hospital remain open as a
treatment center for tuberculosis
patients, with a minimum of 100
beds.
The committee also supports the
use of the remaining portions of the
facility bv the Sandhills Center for
Mental Health. Mental Retarda
tion. and Substance Abuse.
I he committee will make the
recommendation and give its ex
pression of support for mental
health use to Gov. James B. Hunt,
Jr.. and Dr. Sarah Morrow, secre
tar\ ot the State Department of
Human Resources.
The committee decided this at its
second meeting, which was held
Thursday,
(See TB CARh. Pa^e 18)
For Science, Math School
3 Hoke Students Semifinalists
Three Hoke Counly High School
students have been named semifi
nalists for the North Carolina
School of Science and Mathematics
at Durham.
They are Lisa A Gillespie. Rod
ney T. Powell, and Amy L.
Schuchard.
They are among the 454 students
selected for the final inter
views to decide which students will
be enrolled in the honor school next
fall. A total of 824 sophomores in
schools in 91 counties of the state
were nominated initially. The semi
finalists were chosen on the basis ot
the results of testing.
Each semifinalist will tour the
school, talk with the faculty, and be
interveiwed by a member of the
faculty, a counselor, or another
member of the staff. The Admis
sions Committee w ill meet again in
late May to select for enrollment
approximately 240 from the semifi
nalists.
rhc school will graduate its first
class, composed of 138 seniors, in
June. Currently .100 llth and 12th
graders are enrolled. The school
enrollment starling next fall will
total 400.
year after 36 years in public
education work. 15 of them in the
Hoke County school system.
The commissioners didn't act on
the total budget proposal during
the meeting but did adopt a motion
to appropriate S63.000. payable
from the 1982-83 year's budget, to
pay for repairs to the roofs of J.W.
Turlington School and Upchurch
Junior High School.
Commissioner Danny DeVane.
in making the motion, explained
that this would allow the work to be
done during the summer.
MOSQUITO CONTROL
The commissioners also adopted
a motion authorizing a survey be
made to pinpoint the mosquito
problem reported in several areas
of the county. They acted after
hearing about 12 residents from
different sections of the county
report that mosquitoes constituted
a problem for them and for
livestock: being informed by Dr.
C.S. Apperson. a North Carolina
State University Agricultural Ex
tension Service entomologist
generally about conditions favor
able to mosquito activity and of
control problems.
Lloyd Home, administrator of
the Hoke County Health Depart
ment. said costs of a program
should be weighed against the
benefits, and he said he assumed
the commissioners had a longrange
(annual) program in mind. He said
that costs would range from
S25.000 to $30,000 annually.
I he group of residents appearing
before the commissioners was
headed by Rick McMillan. The
residents spoke of gnats being a
nuisance also, and a person later
said that gnat control and mosquito
control were two different things,
because of the dilterences in living
conditions between the two species
of insects.
He also said that tunds are
available to help pay for control
programs, from the State Depart*
ment of Human Resources Vector
Control Branch, and the Depart
ment of Entomology of State
University.
ROCKF1SH COMMUNITY
BUILDING
I he commissioners inspected the
50-year-old Kockllsh Community
Building after lunch, to help them
decide whether to buy it back and
move it to another lot: or to build a
new buildinu.
After looking over the old build
ing. the commissioners voted to
accept the offer of resale for S5.000
and relocate the building.
The commissioners then decided
to meet at the Rockfish Hire Station
at 8 p.m. Tuesday to get from the
people of the community some
ideas for a new site for the building.
I he Hadley - Peoples Co. agreed
to sell the old building back to the
county lor 55,000 on condition the
county relocate it. Jerry Bundv.
however, appearing before the
(See Bl fX;hT. Page 18)
Primary Date June 29
The date for the primary elec
tions in North Carolina have been
changed to June 29. Rose Sturgeon,
executive secretary' of the Hoke
County Board of Elections, said
Monday she has been informed
officially.
Runoff primaries, it necessary
will be held July 27.
She said the deadlines tor candi
dates tiling tor the General As
sembly (House and Senate) and
Congress (U.S. House of Represen
tatives) remains noon Friday, how
ever and the deadline for register
tng to vote remains May 17.
The General Assembly had set
June 10 as the primary date when
they meet April 27 but the U.S.
Justice Department the following
Friday ordered the dale changed to
June 29. JD's approval of the
amended State House and State
Senate redisricting plans was given
on condition the primary date be
changed.