^fie <*Y[&w6 - journal The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905 VOLUME LXXIV NUMBER 5 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA $8 PER YEAR THURSDAY, MAY 27, 1982 Including 22 In Adult Classes 313 To Graduate From High School June 4 Around Town BY SAM C.MORRIS The weather for the past week has been hot and humid and the forecast is for the same for the remainder of this week. We have had over three inches of rain in the past week and still the ground is taking the water. That is to say that it is not getting too wet. When you ride through the coun ty, very few places have water standing in the fields. The weatherman is back in town and told me Monday morning that he had been using his tractor in his garden so it is not "too wet to plow." ^ Every year Clayton Buoyer has a 9 rabbit supper and it seems that new faces show up that haven't eaten rabbit. This would mean that they were born after the depression years of the late 1920s and early 1930s. Game was a meat that was used during those years. Rabbit, deer, .squirrels and a lot of folks liked opossum. The chief cook for this occasion is John Thomas Haire and everyone ? that has had the pleasure of sitting on the benches at Buoyer's Pond will give him the highest praise for his rabbit and rice and gravy. This is one event that I look forward to every year, and last Saturday night it was super, as in the years past. So if you see anyone hopping around, that usually doesn't move too fast, then you will know that they were at the "feast" last weekend. ^ * * * Another event Saturday night that was a big success was the Reunion of the Class of 1932 of Raeford High School. (The writeup of this occasion is elsewhere in the paper). Gertrude Ellis McKeithan told me Sunday morning at church that everyone seemed to have a wonder - A ful time and that she just couldn't get over the affair. She said that it was the first time in 50 years that she had seen some of the folks. Dan Mclnnis. local barber or hair stylist, said that he went with his wife, who was a member of the class, and that they had a big time. He was asking me who certain people were that he had met at the reunion and how they related to Raetord. ? Yes, this is what reunions are all about and if your class has not had one, then do so at once. It is well worth the time to put on a class reunion. * ? * It seems everv week or so. either in the new spapers or on the radio or TV, a poll is conducted on this _ subject or that subject. There is no 9 doubt that most people read the results of these polls and make up their minds to be for or against something because of the results of the pole. Of course to conduct these polls, someone or some group is paying a large sum of money to the pollsters, and the end results are to sway the public on their subject. Now what I would like to know is why two different polls will give two ^ different opinions on the same subject. This should mean that the polls give the results according to where the money is coming from or does the person or organization that is paying for the polls, bring these out to the public, if they show the wrong opinion. This is something you should think about before always going along with a poll. ? The books are still open and will be open to register for the June 29th primary until June I. So if you haven't registered, be sure to do so today. ? ? * The Member-Guest Golf tourna ment will be played this weekend at # (Sec AROUND TOWN, page I 7) Hoke NCAE Members Hold Spring Banquet Teachers, principals, and invited guests attended the annual Spring Banquet of the North Carolina Association of Educators of Hoke County on May 18 at the Gibson Cafeteria. Darlene Clark, acting president, presided over the meeting. During the meeting, members were en couraged to write letters to their congressmen in support of the passing of the ERA and for increased educational funding, in stead of cutbacks as suggested in the federal budget. Bob Van Dine, National Educa tion Association Uni-Serv director for District 10, the guest speaker, informed the teachers of the pros and cons of the new state evalua tion forms to be used for all teachers next year. Special gifts were given to Mrs. Florence Cohen and Carolyn Ronalter. Mrs. Cohen, county di rector of instruction. will be leaving the system in June. Carolyn Ronalter is the "Teacher of the Year for Hoke County (1981-82)." Gifts were also awarded to the present officers and building rep resentations for their dedication to and hard work for the professional organization this vear. Part of the audience at the Hoke NCAE banquet. Newly elected officers for the 1982-83 school year were installed. The new offices are Darlene Clark, president, Jessye Josey. vice presi dent - president-elect; Jackie Gladney, secretary; and Marie Brown, treasurer. 15 Holiday Traffic Deaths In N.C. Seen It is estimated that 15 persons will lose their lives from vehicle accidents in North Carolina over the 78-hour Memorial Day holiday weekend which begins at 6 p.m. Friday. May 28. and ends at midnight Monday. May 31. The N.C. State Motor Club, which has predicted holiday week end statistics for the past two decades, estimates that this year's carnage will exceed 1981 Memorial Day weekend totals by 67%. Last year, nine persons died during the 78-hour reporting period. Thus far this year, 376 traffic fatalities have been recorded, ac cording to statistics released by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Division of Motor Vehicles as of 10 a.m. Mav 19. That's 129 fewer than the 505 recorded as of the same date in 1981. N.C. State Motor Club President John G. Frazier, III. says the two leading causes of street and high way deaths in the Tar Heel state continue to be excessive speed and driving under the influence of alcohol. "If a scientist suddenly invented a simple way to reduce traffic fatalities nationwide by 25.000 a year." commented Frazier. "he would be hailed as a genius. It society could solve the problem of the drinking driver, then many people could be saved each year." Most traffic statistics show, state (See HOLIDAY, page 17) Periodic Rains F olio w Dry Spell Rain has been falling on Raeford and other sections of Hoke County off and on since the night of May 17. But before then Raeford got rain one day in the first week of the month, and that amounted to just .3 of an inch, according to the records kept by Robert Gatlin. Raeford weather observer for the National weather service. Gatlin reported the May 17 rain was spotty -- 1 .2 inches at the top of North Main Street, 1.5 inches on Prospect Avenue, 2 inches at his house on Harris Avenue (where his official rain-measuring gauge is), 2.8 inches on N.C. 211 east at the southern edge of Raeford. and 3 inches at Jim Williamson's not far south of there. At the landfill, the Memorial Day Holiday Closings Monday, May 31, will be the Memorial Day holiday this year for Hoke County federal, state, and county and Raeford city govern ment offices. The schools will be open as usual, however. The Raeford Post Office will be on its holiday schedule -- closed, no mail deliveries except specials. The traditional Memorial Day is May 30, but since this date falls on a Sunday this year, the following day is taken as the holiday. Traditional Memorial Day ser vices and other programs honoring America's dead war veterans customarily are held on May 30. rainfall amounted to absolutely nothing. All this amounted to a range of zero to 3 inches in a space of about three miles. Antioch in the south end of the county got .3 inch. It rained again the next night, but the official gauge showed only one tenth of an inch. More rain fell during the week end but the amount recorded was not available. The total for May through the 19th amounted to 2.2 inches. Highest temperature readings have been running in the 80s and 90s. i ^ mm * HOKE NCAE OFFICERS ? The officers of the Hoke County Chapter. North Carolina Association of Educators, for 1982-83 were inducted during the May 18 Spring Banquet of the chapter in MacDonald Cafeteria of Hoke County High School. L-R ? Jacqueline Gadney of Upchurch Junior High School, secretary: Marie Brown. Hoke County High School, treasurer; Jessye Josey. Hoke High, vice president and president-elect: and Darlene Clark. South Hoke School, president. Bulletin McCain Matter 'Off Till '83 Legislature Dr. Sarah Morrow, secretary of the State Department of Human Resources, will put the matter of McCain Hospital off to the 1983 Legislature, the audience attending the annual Raeford-Hoke County Chamber of Commerce dinner Tuesday night was told. This was reported by Tom Howell, retiring president of the chamber. He said State Sen. Sam Noble's office informed chamber executive director Earl Fowler that this was Morrow's decision. The report says Morrow decided to put off the matter because she didn't want "a confrontation with Hoke County people again." A report from Raleigh earlier this year was that state officials were planning to change the Mc Cain Hospital operations. Last year a recommendation to close McCain, the only state hospi tal treating respiratory diseases including tuberculosis exclusively, brought a successful Hoke County reaction against the proposal, though the hospital's number of beds was reduced to 115 from the 150 being maintained at the time. Earlier this spring, a six member Hoke Countv study committee was formed to respond to the reported new move in state government to change the hospital's operation. Howell, a member of the commit tee. told the dinner audience Tuesday night before announcing Morrow's decision that the com mittee would recommend the hos pital be kept open for TB and other respiratory diseases treatment and that at least 100 beds for patients receiving such treatment be main tained. Howell's announcement of Mor row's decision to postpone the subject till next year brought loud applause from the audience of business and professional people and their guests. Later, former U.S. Sen. Robert Morgan of Harnett County, the guest speaker, warned of the dangers in concentration of power in big business, big labor, and big government in contradiction of Thomas Jefferson's theory: the best guarantee of freedom is the broad est distribution of power possible. More on the chamber meeting, with pictures, will be published in next week's edition of The News Journal. For Field Training Work Guard Unit Rated 'Excellent' The Racford-based company of the North Carolina National Guard came out of the annual spring training Sunday with high marks, a rating of "Excellent" and a de claration that the company was ready for its job of supporting Second Battalion. 252nd Armor, in combat if necessary. This came from the official evaluators of the performance of Headquarters Company of Second Battalion. The company com mander is Capt. A.B. Dickson. Jr. A total of 185 members of the company participated in the field training. The Battalion also received high marks on the over-all evaluation. Dickson said. The Guard troops returned home Sunday following their two weeks ot training at Ft. Bragg. They moved into the field May 8. Lt. Col. George Paris of Red Springs, the battalion commander, led the Se cond through the training. The Guardmen completed their firing program for the year and participated in the Held training exercise. Hickory Blitz II. con ducted by the 30th Infantry Bri gade (Mechanized) of the North Carolina Army National Guard. Headquarters and Headquarters Company supports all functions of the battalion, being responsible for amopg others, maintenance, finan cial affairs, and supply for the battalions units. The evaluators found the com pany had performed in a very professional manner and judged ii 'proficient and professional" as an active-duty headquarters. Dickson commented. "It was a good two weeks. We got a lot of good training. The people (of the company) did a good job. It's a good company, in a good bat talion." Plate Sale The Buffalo Springs Missionary Baptist Church of Raeford will sponsor a plate sale Friday evening and Saturday at East Freedom Masonic Lodge. Donation is S3. 50. The plates are chicken, barbecue and fish. 1 A total of 313 seniors, including 22 in the adult classes, will receive their high school diplomas at Hoke County High School's traditional commencement June 4 in th?* high school stadium starting at 8 p.m. The night before, the traditional Senior Dinner will be held, starting at 6:30 in MacDonald Gymnasium. The speaker for the baccau laureate and graduation exercises will be Odell Watson, assistant director of the Division of Human Relations and Student Affairs for the State Department of Public Instruction. The adult seniors will be pre sented their diplomas by Dr. Raymond Stone, president of Sand hills Community College, which sponsored their classes; and Mrs. Eleonor S. Gentry, counselor of Hoke High seniors. The younger students will be given their diplomas by Dr. L.D. Simpson, principal of the school; H.L. Livingston and M.L. Mac Donald, assistant principals; and Mrs. Gentry. The awards and scholarships will be presented by Raz Autry, Hoke County schools superintendent. Terence Malloy, president of the senior class, will welcome the visitors, and Dr. Simpson will introduce the speaker. The Hoke High Chorus and Chorale will present special music, and the Hoke High Band will play the traditional "Pomp and Circum stance" as the graduating students are entering and at the close of the program as they are leaving. The Rev. Arthur Winstead, pastor of Raeford United Metho dist Church, will give the invoca tion and benediction for the com mencement. Watson has been serving in his present state position since 1974. He has been a teacher and an assistant principal in Salisbury schools, in Rowan County. He is a native of that county. Watson served as advisory spe cialist in human relations, director of in-service, administrative assis tant for human relations-staff de velopment. and director of trans portation for the Salisbury city schools from 1969 to 1973. He was chosen a consultant for the Gifted and Talented Section of the State Department of Public Instruction in 1973, serving in that position till he was appointed to his present office. Watson received a Bachelor of Science degree from Winston Salem State University in 1959 and a Master of Education degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 1971 . He also has done graduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and at North Carolina A and T University in Greensboro. Watson also is a member of the Council for Exceptional Children, the Association for the Gifted, and Phi Delta Kappa, all professional educators' organizations. Watson also is active in church and general community work. He holds the 1972 Distinguished Ser vice Award ? "Young Man of the Year" -- of the Salisbury Jaycees. He taught Sunday school in his Salisbury church and is chairman of the Vestry Committee on Out reach of St. Ambrose Episcopal Church of Raleigh, of which he is now a member. He also sings in the St. Ambrose Choir and is a mem ber of the church's Vestry. He and his wife live in Raleigh and have one child. The commencement marshals for the 1982 commencement are Pamela Elaine Currie, chief; and Nadine Wadsworth. Pattie Smith. Edward Coley. Carla Myers. Susan Jones, Greta Johnson. John Wright. Carl Bundy, Anthony Barefoot. Teresa Pickett. Beverly Farrow and Teresa Taylor. The senior class officers besides Malloy are Tammy Locklear. vice president: and Pam McRae; secre tary. The officers of the Hoke High Student Government Association are: Pam McNeill, president: Eva McPhatter. secretary; Venus Mc Laurin. treasurer; and Brenda Kelly and Patrice McRae. repre sentatives. The senior class homeroom teachers are Ethel Callender. Helen Dupree. Clifton Hayes, Ben John son. Jessye Josey. Theresa Marion. Jessie McNeill. Shirley Parsons. Betty Rogers and Sally Young.