Ihiplm iiMii PROGRESS SENTINEL |- +??;?. .-? ,' ".' ? ? ; ... ?; V ' '. -;? ? .. ' ? ? ? " : ?? . ; ? . . "?;.V*- ??'' % , VOL. XXXXV NO 24 USPS 162-860 KENANSVIU^NC28349 ^ 20 PAGES THIS WEEK 10CEN TS PLUS TAX GOVERNOR HUNT ADDRESSES EAST DUPLIN GRADUATES - North Carolina Governor James B. Hunt delivered the commencement address to the East Duplin graduates Friday night at the East Duplin Fine Arts Building in Beulaville. Prelude to the ceremonies was delivered by Edgar Wells, invocation by Rev. Frank Sawyer of the Beulaville Presbyterian Church, followed by the salutory address by Sharon Powell. Governor Hunt was introduced by Rev. Stephen A Smith, retired minister of the Beulaville Free Will Baptist Church. Awards were then presented by Cecil A. Miller, chairman of the East Duplin School Board. East Duplin Principal Charles R. Powell then awarded the '81 graduates their diplomas. Laura Williams gave the valedictory address and Rev. Smith then gave the benediction. Mr. and Mrs. Cecil A. Miller were hosts to a dinner in their home for Gov. Hunt Friday. Gov. Hunt came in by helicopter and landed in the rear of the Miller residence. He was greeted by Mr. and Mrs. Miller and their family. Other out-of-town guests were Senator Harold Hardison of Deep Run, Rep. Doug Clark of Kenansville, Sheriff El wood Revelle of Kenansville, Graham A. Phillips Jr., Duplin County Board of Education, Wallace; Dr. W.C. Sanderson of East Carolina University of Greenville; and William B. Cutler, vice president of United Carolina Bank, of Erwin. There were about 20 guests from the Beulaville area. After a delicious meal. Gov. Hunt talked with the group about the progress of North Carolina and particularly Duplin County. ? ? b. ?m magnolia Home Dedicated The Magnolia Group Home held its dedication ceremonies Sunday after noon with Senator Harold Hardison of Deep Run as the featured speaker. The Group home, the third of its kind in the Duplin Sampson area, currently serves five mentally retarded men from age 18-40 years. Howard Hall, supervisor and manager of the Magnolia Group Home, explains the men are responsible for their own rooms.household chores and yard work. The men also have their own garden, help/ prepare the m?als and budget their money, said Hall. The residents of the Group Home are all enrolled in the Adult Developmental Acti vity Program at the Omega Enterprises in Rose Hill by day, and then return to the Group Home. They are supervised 24 hours a day. Hall lives at the group home in his own separate apart ment. Vickie McPherson, Mental Retardation Coordinator for Sampson and Duplin County Mental Health, expresses that the concept of the Group Home lyid Adult Develop mental Activity Program is to get the residents as inde pendent as possible. According to McPherson, there are too few group homes to accommodate the long waiting list of those persons eligible to partici pate in group home living. She explained that referrals are made through county institutions, the area Mental Health Center and other institutions. The group home in Mag notia i> an MUM.UVC iiuiuc* nicely landscaped with five bedrooms, two and one-half baths, large kitchen and living room. The home is handicapped equipped; the home does currently have one resident confined to a wheelchair. Dr. E.J. Raman, area Mental Health Director, commented that there "have been objections from the community in the past." Right now, he stated, "it is more important to get the community involved and interested in this project and this program." Currently, there are three group homes in Duplin - Sampson to serve 16 adults. The Bell-Jordan Group 1 Home in Warsaw serves five mentally retarded women ' and the Sampson Group ' Home in Clinton serves six mentally retarded men. The Duplin County Asso- * ciation for the Retarded a Citizens has been instru- * mental in making the Mag- v P klii lolia Home a reality through heir efforts and the efforts of he N.C. Association for Re arded Citizens. The Group Homes are idministered by the Duplin Jroup Homes, Inc., through i contractual arrangement vith the Duplin-Sampson ^rea Mental Health and dental Retardation Services. Uk. MAGNOLIA GROUP HOME - Dedication ceremonies for the Magnolia Group Home were held June 7 with Senator Harold Hardison as featured speaker. Hardison is credited with helping secure grant funds for the group homes. Pictured above in front of the Magnolia Group Home: Howard Hall, the Home's supervisor/manager; Vickie ? McPherson, Mental Retardation coordinator of Mental Health for Duplin and Sampson Counties; and Dr. E.J. Raman, director of the Mental Health program for the Duplin-Sampsi: area. aid, noting about 40 percent )f the high school enrollment :omes from the Rose Hill Vlagnolia school. The board will interview ipplicants for the principal josition at the Rose Hill vlagnolia school Tuesday >ight. The board will have to fill mother principal's position his summer. L.J. Sutton, irincipal of Chinquapin Pri nary School, also is retiring ifter 35 years in the Duplin ichool system. Nine other members of the ichool system's staff and acuity will retire this sum ner. They are H.P. Honey utt. assistant superintend ent; Richard Kaleel, teacher and former coach of North Duplin High School; Mary Williams of Chinquapin Pri mary; Lois Surratt of Rose Hill-Magnolia; Gladys Good son of East Duplin High School, Beulaville; Margaret Sutton. Ruth Waller and Cora Miller, all of B.F. Grady; and Lauren Sharpe of Wallace-Rose Hill. In other board business. Assistant Superintendent Gary Sanderson said 16 seniors have failed one or more parts of the- state competency tests and will receive certificates instead of diplomas at graduation cere monies Friday night. The county's four high schools graduated 528 seniors. A guide for English teach ert was adopted that is designed to provide unifor mity of English instruction. It outlines three levels of English instruction in each grade - one for gifted stu dents. one for average stu dents and one for students needing extra help. The guide also provides a basis for teachers to deter mine if a student should be advanced in grade leve. lesse Outlaw, vocational program director of James Spi.int Technical College in Kenansville. said 162 high school seniors tested by the college to determine credits in the school's vocational courses received a total of 378 credit hours. The students will be able to complete their, vocational courses in less than the normal one or two years. Kenansville ABC Store Poys $2,200 Profits To Town The Kenansville ABC | store gave the town $2,200 in i profits Monday night, its first payment to the city in \ two years. i Donald Suttles, an Alco holic'Beverage Contfnl board ?? member, made the presenta tion. He told the board sales were down last year due to street work in front of the store for several months. Suttles said Bob Hughes, i store manager since the store i opened 15 years ago, will retire July 1. The ABC board i will appoint Ivey Bowden, a part-time employee, as manager. Hughes will work Christmas In July? It may sound strange, but a series of workshops de- | signed to help you with gift and ornament making is being planned for July 28 & 29. Further details will be announced later. I part-time after retiring, Sut tles said. Suttles also told the board the store will turn 11.80C over to Duplin County this week. The paymen} will be the stored first to thfrCmir.ty in two years. Although Duplin County is dry, cities in the county have ABC stores. Profits are di vided between the cities and the county. The county re ceives 45 percent of the profits from each store. A town with an ABC store receives 55 percent of its profits. Towns with ABC stores in the county are Wallace. Kenartsville, War saw and Faison The town Board voted to remain independent of the county building inspection J department and maintain t . owns-inspection system, col lecting its own inspection fees. The county will estab lish a building inspection department July 1. Larry Huffman, mainte nance supervisor, reported to the board the State Highway Patrol ordered the town trash truck off the road until repairs can be made to its steering mechanism. He said the truck had been stopped by State Highway Patrolman Stephen McCorquodale be cause it was wobbling along th- street. Huffman said a po tion of the steering ;;jcchaoism was repaired . irtiei his year at a cost cf $600. Mayor Douglas Judge called a special board meet ing for 7:30 p.m. June 11 to work on the town budget. He said he hopes the town can hold its tax rate to the present 65 cents per $100 assessed valuation. At the present rate, a resident pays property taxes of $325 on a house valued at $50,000. Warsaw Board Budget Proposed A proposed city of Warsaw budget of $710,550 was pre sented to the board of com missioners this week by Town Clerk Alfred Herring. The proposal for the 1981 82 fiscal year calls for no change in the tax rate of 73 cents per $100 in property. The budget calls for an increase of about $54,000 over the 1980-81 budget of $656,000. Herring said most w ? ot the increase would be used for payment of water system bonds. The city minimum utility rate of $9.50 per month would increase $3 to $5 per month, if the budget is approved as proposed. The current 73-cent tax levy brings in $201,000 a year. That amounts to 27 percent of the city budget. The city will recieve $80,000 in federal revenue sharing funds this year. Herring said $23,000 of the grant will be used for the recreation program and $8,500 for a police car and a garbage truck. Herring said department heads are asking for 10-12 percent cost-of-living pay increases for their employ ees. The board has not acted on these requests. The board will conduct a budget workshop June 15. Community Actors Still Needed For The Liberty Cart Producing Director Rich Boyd has announced that there are still openings for actors and actresses for the 1981 production of THE LIBERTY CART. Community members who participate in the 1981 production will per form a variety of roles and will act in battle scenes, dances, and other scenes which will involve the entire cast of over 60. Rehearsals for community actors will begin on June 17 under the direction of Rich Boyd, producing director, and David Thomas, produc tion co-ordinator for the 1981 production. Professional cast and crew will arrive on July 1 to join the community cast in completing preparations for THE LIBERTY CART S sixth season. . James Sprunt Technical College is offering partici pants in THE LIBERTY CART a chance to gain college credit through its Drama 102 course. The course will carry five quarter hours of credit, and may be transferable, if arrange ments are made by individ ual students with the college they plan to attend. This summer be more than a member of the audience. Be an actor or actress in the 1981 production of THE LIBERTY CART. For more information contact David Thomas at (919)-296-0721, or write THE LIBERTY CART. P.O. Box 470, Kenansville, N.C. 28349. . i The Liberty Cart Recieves Grant The North Carolina De partment of Commerce announce 1 that The Duplin Outdoor Drama Society, Inc., producing organization for THE LIBERTY CART, will receive a grant for the 1981 season which opens July 17 :u-.d runs through August 23. The funds granted amount to $2 000 and, according to Rich Boyd, producing direc tor of THE LIBERTY CART, will be used in the areas of Dublic relations and promo tion. D.M. Lauch Faircloth, secretary of the NCDC, wishes every success with the 1981 season and says he "looks forward to seeing the results." For more information about THE LIBERTY CART, or how you can help make the 1981 production a success, contact David Thomas at 296-0721, or write THE LIBERTY CART, P.O. Box 470, Kenansville, N.C. 28349. 1