. 3Hi?
PROGRESS SENTINEL
VOL. XXXXV11 NO. 23 USPS 162-860 KENANSVlLLlj. NC 28349 JUNE 7,1984 14 PAGES THIS WEEK 10 CENTS PLUS TAX
Sat Completed For Alternate Production At The Liberty Cart
The two-story boarding house set for WAR BRIDES, the 1984 alternate
production in the William R. Kenan Amphitheatre of Kenansville, was
completed last week. WAR BRIDES will appear weekly with the historic
outdoor drama THE LIBERTY CART. The alternate show will play five
consecutive Wednesday nights beginnign July 25 with THE LIBERTY CART
showing Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights beginning July 13. The set for
Mm. ? ?
WAR BRIDES is the first ever to be constructed for a play in the
Amphitheatre. Other dramas have used only the open stage of the outdoor
theatre. And, the set is designed to be rosonstructed and then dismantled
after each performance of WAR BRldhS to allow for the following
productions of THE LIBERTY CART. Pictured above is the WAR BRIDES set
which will be furnished to resemble the World War I period.
'Duplin Schools Expect To Graduate
550 Seniors Friday Night
Dr. Alice Scott, assistant supers
intendent of Duplin County Schools,
announced that approximately 550
high school seniors will receive Iheir
_ dipfhinas or eertirk^te . r
9 Duplin County.
Of the graduating seniors, 176 are
from East Duplin. 168 from Wallace
Rose Hill, 140 from James Kenan,
and 67 from North Duplin. State
wise, approximately 70,000 public
school students are expected to
graduate this month, leaving behind
only a few seniors who were unable
to pass as many r.s five attempts at
the N.C. Competency Test.
\t the opposite end of the aca
? demic spectrum, approximately
3,900 will receive special recognition
in the new N.C. Scholars Program.
Qualifying graduates will be the
first to receive gold foil Scholars
Program seals for their diplomas to
"h/nignate completion of the pro
gram's requirements for a balanced,
challenging high school program.
The program was approved by the
State Board of Education in March of
1983.
Concerning competency testing in
the state, approximately 71,000 first
took the test in the fall of 1982. An
estimated 183 of these who are not
officially classified as handicapped
failed to pass reading and 241 failed
to pass mathematics. These esti
mates are furnished by the compe
tency testing scoring contractor.
Those seniors who failed one or
both parts of the tests will have one
more chance to pass before gradu
ation, according to Robert C. Evans,
director of the statewide tqstin^
programs.
In order to graduate a senior must
complete the minimum requirements
and both parts of the competency
tests. A senior who has met mini
mum requirements but has failed the
competency tests will receive a
certificate instead of a diploma.
The NC competency tests in
reading and mathematics were first
administered to the Gass of 1984 as
11th graders in the fall of 1982. At
that time, 70,958 were tested for
reading with 92.8 percent passing.
Some 70,883 students were tested in
math with 90 percent passing.
Students who failed one or both of
^he tests during their initial ad
ministration were retested with an
aivalcrtt editfbfr in the spring'of
1983, fall of 1983 and spring of 1984.
A total of 2,022 seniors took the
reading test in March of 1984 and 51
percent passed, leaving 974 who
have not passed. Of them. 1,197
were officially classified as handi
capped. The passing rate in reading
for the 825 students with no defined
handicaps was 77.8 percent. A total
of 2,517 seniors'took the math tests
in March, 1984. and 55.4 percent
passed, leaving 1,147 who have not.
Of those being retested, 1,387 were
classified as handicapped. The
passing rate of the 1,130 seniors with
no handiranQ wac 7R 7 nproort
Father Charged In Accident
Rose Hill Boy Dies In Auto Wreck
A Duplin County boy and a
Wilmington man died in separate
? wrecks Wednesday night and Thurs
day when the cars in which they were
traveling crashed into guard rails,
the N.C. Highway Patrol reported.
Thomas Dee Brown, 4, of Route 2,
Rose Hill, was thrown from his
father's car and killed when the car
struck a bridge guardrail and broke
apart, the Highway Patrol reported.
The wreck occurred around 9:25
p.m. Wednesday cn Secondary Road
1148, 2.7 miles south of Rose Hill.
The father of the child and driver of
the car, Thomas Thurman Brown,
was charged with driving while
impa.ed, careless and reckless
driving and felony death by vehicle.
Highway Patrol Sgt. D.O. Dixon
said the car Brown was driving was
traveling east on the rural road at
high speed when it lost control on a
curve and slammed into a guardrail,
breaking the car into three pieces as
it s?.iuued to a stop on the opposite
end of the bridge.
Dixon said a witness told investi
gators the car passed her about
three-fourths of a mile from the
bridge. The witness' car was slightly
damaged when she ran into part of
the wreckage on the bridge, Dixon
said.
Auditions Announced For The Cart
The final auditions for the 1984
local cast of THE LIBERTY CART
? will be held June 10 from 2-5 p.m. at
( the William R. Kenan Jr. Amphi-,
' theatre in Kenansville.
1 ? More than 40 people make up the
local cast and openings are still
available, according to Director
David Thomas. Also, openings are
still available for young black males
to fill the roles of Peter Piestoe and
Little Jonathan.
Auditionees will be asked to read
from the script and complete audi
tion forms. Locals are needed for
technical assistance as well as roles
on stage, Thomas pointed out. All
ages, male, female, black and white
make up the local cast. Previous
experience is notiiecessary.
"Work with THE LIBERTY CART
can be a learning experience.
Thomas said. "Even though the
outdoor drama will take up a great
deal of the summer evenings, many
local cast members return. Many
who return year-after-year assume
some of the major roles." THE
LIBERTY CART, Randolph Umber
ger's outdoor drama about the
development of eastern North Caro
lina, opens its ninth season on July
13. Local cast rehearsals begin June
13. No appointment is necessary for
auditions. All local actors and tech
nical personnel receive $100 to help
defray travel expenses. Additional
information can be received at THE
LIBERTY CART, P.O. Box 470.
Kenansville, NC 28349,
SalutGtorians To
Address Exercises
m
Duplin high school salutatorians
will offer welcomes and thanks to
friends, teachers and relatives
during graduation exercises
tomorrow night. Duplin's saluta
torians are Vicky Kelley of Wallace
Rose Hill, Terri Loomis of East
Duplin, Mitchell Kernstlne of James
Kenan and Joy Melody Lanier of
North Duplin.
Vicky Kelley is the daughter of
James and Nancy Kelly of Wallace
and plans to attend Wingate College.
Vicky plans to study to become a
medical doctor.
"The concern and tryst of friend
ship helps people get through life.
Vicky Kelley said. "It is very im
portant that these people ? our
parents and our teachers and our
friends ? are thanked for their help
in getting us to the point of
graduation from high school."
Vicky will be attending Wingate
College with assistance from the
G.M. Stewart scholarship. During
high school she received the Presi
dential Academic Fitness award and
the Math Award. She is a member of
the National Honor Society, DECA,
math club and Future Businesr
Leaders of America.
Terri Loomis is the daughter of
Donald and Carol Loomis of Pink
Hill. She plans to attend North
Carolina State University in Raleigh
and later enroll in medical school and
enter the field of forensic pathology.
"The 1984 class will become the
future American society." Terri
Loomis, East Duplin salutatorian.
said. "We are the new generation
with new plans and access to r.ew
technology and the knowledge to
make tremendous advances. Our
generation will become the deciding
factors in law, government and
business in the United States." Terri
is basing her salutatorian address on
ideas from a speech given by United
States President John Kennedy.
At East Duplin, Terri is a member
of the National Honor Society,
r ?
Spanish Honor Society, Spanish
club, band, Phi Theta Pi, Future
Teachers of America, historical so
ciety and HOSA. Terri served as a
marshal, participated in the math
quiz contest sponsored by East
Carolina University and was a
member of the all-county band.
Mitchell Kernstine is the son of
Mr. and Mrs. Van Kernstine of
Warsaw. He plans to attend North
Carolina State University and major
in computer science.
"The graduates of 1984 have
shared many common events in
sports and academics that we can
always look back on and remember,"
James Kenan salutatorian Mitchell
Kernstine said. "The events of the
past are just as important as con
tinuing to learn and grow in the
future. We are composed of the
events in our past and the indivi
duals we have met and both are the /
key to our individual strength and '
our future." j
As a student at James Kenan,
Mitchell was named a Morehead
Scholarship and a Kenan Scholarship
nominee. He is listed among the
Society of Distinguished American
High School Students and was
named a Rotary Student of the
Month. Mitchell was a member of
the tennis team, manager cf the
varsity football team, and served one
year as manager for the basketball
team. He is a member of the
National Honor Society, monogram
club, pep club, drama club and
attended Governor's School.
North Duplin sclutatorian Joy
Melody Lanier was featured last
week in THE DUPLIN TIMES.
Graduation exercises for North
Duplin will be held at the high
school. James Kenan commence
ment exercises will be at the Kenan
Memorial Auditorium. East Duplin
will hold graduation ceremonies at
the high school Fine Arts building.
Wallace-Rose Hill commencement
exercises are scheduled at Legion
Stadium.
Plantation Day To Feature Juggling & Foolery
"One of the bylines of Ken Kay. juggler, is 'Juggling and Foolery' and he
really does offer a performance that amazes, tickles and tricks his audience."
Thus confirms Merle Creech of the Duplin County Arts Council as the plans
for Plantation Day on Sunday, July 8 begin to crystalize. Ken has been
juggling for a decade. His unique performance combines the mime and clown
skills of a veteran performer with the technical manipulative feats that are
among the most refined in the juggling arts. The festivities planned for the
afternoon at Liberty Hall in Kenansville include Duplin craftspeople demon
strating local crafts. Liberty Cart actors performing and available to meet and
mingle with the residents of the county, Charlie Albertson's Band, open
house at Liberty Hall and the Kelly-Farrior House, lemonade and cookies,
and the Joe Pierce Family Band and old-timey music. One other additon to
the afternoon will be Gary Mitchell and Julia Howard from Ocracoke Island
with a program of songs and Chanteys of the Sea. The afternoon is Duplin.
County's way of celebrating the North Carolina 400th Anniversary of the
Roanoke Discovery Voyages.
James Sprunt Hearing Set June 13 On Contract Dispute
w
The James Sprunt Technical
College Board of Trustees will meet
on June 13th at 8 p.m. to hear an
appeal by JSTC Dean Gene Ballard
on his contract not being recom
mended for renewal for antoher
year. JSTC President Carl Price
informed Ballard on May 23 by hand
delivered letter that his contract
would not be recommended for
renewal.
? Dean Ballard has been employed
at JSTC since 1969. President Carl
Price has been employed at the
college since 1968.
Price said "The North Carolina
State Board of Community Colleges
prohibits institutions in the North
Carolina Community College system
from granting tenure to their em
ployees. The College, however, has
protected its employees' rights
through the use of an annual
employment contract. The maximum
tk length of any employment contract is
twelve (12) months. For the duration
of the contract, an employee may not
be termiiated unless he/she violates
the specific condition of that con
tract. However, upon expiration of a
contract, neither the College nor the
employee is under any obligation to
enter into a new contract.
"Each year, the needs of the
College are reviewed and analyzed to
determine the personnel needs of the
College in the coming year. Based on
this analysis, decisions regarding the
issuing of new employment contracts
for the year are made. These
decisions are based on a wide range
of factors such as financial resources
available to employ staff, changes in
the cuniculum, and changes in the
oiganizational structure of the
College. In addition, the decisions
also sometimes involve confidential
personnel information. This infor
mation, by law, may not be released
without the express written pert
mission of the employee involved.
Therefore, to protect the privacy
rights of its current and former
employees, the College cannot re
lease information related to specific
personnel decisions.
"All personnel decisions at the
College follow the guidelines
governing affirmative action and
equal opportunity employment laws.
Every effort is made in the employ
ment process to insure that the
College has the capabilities to
deliver quality education to the
students it serves."
The Ladd Report
During the 1982-83 school year,
the top management team of James
Sprunt Technical College identified
six major areas within the college
which needed to be addressed. They
are: 1) Computerization of the ad
ministrative functions of the College.
2) Staff and faculty development
including computer literacy training.
3) The development of six additional
computer related courses to be
added to the curriculum. 4) An
organizational development process
to strengthen the management of the
college and provide additional train
ing for the management team. 5) A
comprehensive counseling/retention
program to reduce the student
drop-out rate.
"Die College developed and sub
mitted to the Title III Strengthening
Institutions Program of the U.S.
Department of Education a proposal
designed to address these needs. In
October, 1983, James Sprunt Tech
nical College received a three-year,
one-half million dollar grant from
this agency to implement this
project.
One of the major thrusts of this
project was to improve the overall
management of the college through
the implementation of a systematic
organizational development process.
Jim Ladd, a management consultant
with Ladd and Associates, was
employed to assist in developing and
implementing the process.
The first step in this process was
to analyze current management
practices to determine specific areas
that needed improvement. This
analysis has been completed and
Ladd has provided the college with a
w^ten report of the findings, and
conducted a workshop to explore the
implications of this report. With his
help, the management team (com
posed of the president, four top-level
administrators, and eight mid-level
administrators) is working together
to implement the organizational
development process.
The organizational development
process, when implemented, will: 1)
Provide management training for 13
mid- and top-level administrators via
workshops, seminars, conferences
and courses. 2) Result in more
specific working plans for each major
division of the college. 3) Develop
improved policies ana procedures for
operating the college. 4) Develop a
more effective method of employee
evaluation. 5) Clarify the roles,
relationships, and responsibilities of
the management team in relation to
the organizational structure.
The successful implementation of
this process, over the three-year
period of the grant, will result in a
better trained, moi^ effective
management team, who will be
better able to cope with the chal
lenges faced by the college in the
80s. The Ladd report is only the first
step in a lengthy process. As
previously stated, its purpose was to
identify the strengths and weak
nesses of the management practices <
of the college. With these areas
identified, the management team is
working together towards streng
thening the management of James
Sprunt Technical College in order to
better serve the educational needs of
the community.
As president of the college, I am
personally committed to working
together with the management team,
the faculty and staff to achieve this
goal, said Price.
The JSTC Board of Trustees met
Monday night in closed session to
discuss the matter; however, no
comment was made following the
meeting except an appeal hearing
was set for June 13th.