North Carolina Newspapers

. Otitis? PROGRESS SENTINEL VOL. XXXXV11 NO. 44 USPS 162-860 KENANSVILLE. NC 28349 NOVEMBER 1. 1984 20 PAGES THIS WEEK 10 CENTS PLUS TAX ?Duplin Arts Council Operating In Its Tenth Year Grants ? jusf another way to waste taxes? The Duplin County Arts Council built a permanent founda tion after operating three years on ^ grant dollars. The DCAC is in its tenth year and today operates on a budget of more than $30,000, excluding the direc tor's salary. The largest single source of income for the Arts Council budget is private donations. "There were critical times when funds could have not been renewed," said W.G. Warren of Pink hall, recalling the Arts Coun a cil's early dependence on grant ? funds. Warren served on the de veloping organization's interim board and later as a board member of the chartered DCAC. "There were no promises if you did real well you'd be around the next year," he said. During the early years, the Arts Council organized an annual Arts-in-the-Schools program which gained state and national recognition. An achievement award _ from the National Association of W' Counties was awarded the Duplin Arts Council for the program in 1977. According to minutes of the Council, the program was performed in all 17 public schools in the county and reached 10,000 individuals. The Arts-in-the-School program provided workshops by a potter, painter, pianist, vocalist and photographer. The Duolin Arts Council was the first group in the state to be organized in cooperation with a ? technical institute. A grant between James Sprunt and the North Carolina Arts Council provided funds to begin the organization and an office was established at the technical institute in 1975. Regina Whaley, a Duplin native, who had just completed a term as visiting artist at JS1 became the first director of the Duplin County Arts Council, Warren ex plained. "Considering where it has evolved ? the quality of programs, the volunteers and the use of the availabel resources ? has made the Duplin County Arts Council one of the most respected in the state today," Warren said. "Everyone brought a little different perspective to the first meeting of the interim board. Schools were the binding tie. We _ saw the Arts Council as a way to make Duplin County a better and more enjoyable place to live. But, the single, most unifying thing was what we could do to improve the quality of life for our children in the schools. And, Regina inspired members to work," Warren said. "You know, she was an organizational whizz!" Warren explained. Today the Duplin County Arts Council is directed by Merle Creech of Warsaw from an office located in the courthouse building of Kenansville. The salary of the Arts Cv">.icil director was assumed by the county in July of 1978 and office space provided when the courthouse annex was re-opened after renova tions in 1979. "The Arts Council has a two-focus approach today," Merle Creech said. "Our programming is focused on the school and the community. We focus first on our schools because the children are a large base of the population. "The Arts Council wants to be related as a supporter to established organizations, not as a sponsoring presentor," Merle said. And, each year the Council sup ports Duplin's public schools through programming art activities. According to Merle, most of the Arts Council budget is spent on school programming. "1 am real proud of the Art's Council's programming, especially in the schools," former member of the Arts Council Board Ervin Graham of Wallace said. Graham was elected to the board in 1977. "The big thrill in working with the Arts Council is knowing that its programs arc reaching children," Graham said. "Each child has different abilities and through the Arts Council programming, some of those talents may be brought out!" Through the Arts Council, Graham and personnel from his business worked two summers with Duplin school students at The Liberty Cart outdoor drama in Kenansville. Graham and his staff organized student ushers and ran the con cession stand at the amphitheatre two seasons. Graham Drug Company of Wallace was recognized as one of five businesses in the state to receive the first Governor's Business Awards in the Arts and Humanities for outstanding county leadership in 1978. Graham was presented the Business Award for their efforts through the DCAC to help launch the new outdoor drama of Duplin. "Regina asked me to attend a meeting of the Arts Council board," Graham said. "And, I went. I got a full-time job that night ? just the quickest you've ever seen ? I became a member of the board and chxirman 'We fsau some good people fco on* the board that night, along with me," Graham said. "And, that year we originated the idea of member ships and raised more than $12,000 in the first fund drive. Looking back, I know it was just aa example of getting the right group of people together and working for a common goal. "And, I know we had an active and enthusiastic board, but Regina was the real sparkplug that kept us charged," Graham said. Tobacco Growers Annual Mooting 0 The annual meeting of the Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina, Inc. will be held Friday, Nov. 9 at the Scott Building on the N.C. State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. The meeting will start with registration at 9 a.m. The Governor-elect will welcome the group at 9:45. Other speakers include Dr. G.E. Legates, dean of agriculture at NCSU, and Dr. Daniel Stevens, foreign agriculture service ^ oftheUSDA. * The business session will start at 10:40 and be followed by a free barbecue lunch. The afternoon program includes a discussion of the Canadian tobacco program and a panel discussion on how to grow quality tobacco. The meeting should adjourn by 2:30 p.m. Duplin County tobacco growers who -.vould like to attend and carpool, should contact J. Michael Moore, tobacco agent of the AES. Smith Students Learn From Color Wheels Artist Kitty Mitchell taught basic techniques last week during her three-day residency at E.E. Smith Junior High of Kenansville. The artist-in-residentcy was sponsored by the Duplin County Arts Council and Kitty is pictured above with students as they learn the primary and secondary colors. Kitty is just one of more then 50 artists-in-residence the Duplin Arts Council will sponsor in county schools this year. Artist In Residence At E.E. Smith School Last Week The Duplin Arts Council is spon soring more than 50 artist-in-resi dence programs in county schools this year. "Arts in the schools is the most important program the Duplin County Arts Council can sponsor," said Kitty Mitchell, artist-in-resi dence at E.E. Smith School of Kensnsville. "If students are not -?*posed to art in their schools,,they may never develop their potential talents." Kitty, a professional artist, worked three days at Smith last week. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburg and has won awards for her cartoons. "A standard approach here is to teach basic techniques because Duplin's schools have no art teachers," Kitty said. "So 1 try to cram the basics from my four years of art classes into three days of residence at schools like E.E. Smith. "And, 1 usually see more talent than the schools know exists," Kitty explained. "The students bring in pictures they have done outside what we can do in class to show me. And, the things they have done on their own are pretty amazing, especially when I know the students have had no training. "Without c at. agemeni most students do clop their artistic talents. And. it is a handicap to deny the development of those abilities." Kitty explained the use of the intuitive artistic abilities are used daily and especially in careers of clothing design, automobile design and design and building homes. Students at Smith participated in lectures and demonstrations as part of Kitty's residency. Each day Kitty held five classes. Students were introduced to the primary and secondary colors, drew from the right side of the brain, and sketched with charcoal and ink. Work completed goes into each student's portfolio and Kitty pointed out many of the art works may be displayed at the local NCNB office in Kenansville. "The students got right down to work for me," Kitty said. "In the future hoie they vill add to their p^rdolm -tnd as they Itarn more, the portfolio will ,iu>w the growth of their talents." Students participat ing in the program were recom mended by their teachers from grades seven, eight and nine at Smith. Kitty is a former resident of Ocracoke Island where she owned and operated the Southside Studio. Completing the artist-in-residence at Smith, Kitty begins a full-time position in the arts at Rockingham Jr. High School in Rockingham. Polls Open Tuesday In Local, State And National Elections In the November elections, there will be more than 2,700 new voters eligible to mark ballots in a Presi dential race for their first time within Duplin County. Prior to the primary elections in May. the Duplin Board of Elections reports 2.500 new voters registered. Since the primary. 200 new voters have signed up and the deadline to register and be an eligible partici pant in the November elections is October 8. Currently, Duplin has 19,237 voters registered and 8,873 turned out to mark primary ballots in May. The run-off election that followed on June 5th had 5,481 voters turning out. The local competition may have been more responsible for the new voter registration for the primary than other contests at the state and national level," Carolyn Murphy, supervisor of the Duplin Board of Eelections. said. "There has been the get-out-the-vote effort going all along this year, and the county had two very close political contests in iho Kenansville-Rose Hill district for county commissioner, and Board of Education representative." Accord ing to Murphy, the registration of new Duplin voters breaks down into almost equal numbers from both white and black races. November ballots will feature un opposed Duplin County commis sioner and Board of Education elections, along with highly con tested races for North Carolina Governor and U.S. Senator, and the United States Presidential office. Local candidates unopposed on the November 6th ballot include, district one incumbent Cou ,ty Commission er William Costin, district five incumbent County Commissioner D.J. Fussell Sr., district one incum bent member of the Duplin Board of Education James F. Strickland, Amos 0 (Doc) Brinson for the district five seat on the Duplin Board of Education, incumbent Register of Deeds Christine W. Williams, in cumbent 10th district State House Representative Wendell H. Murphy, and incumbent fifth district State Senator Harold W. Hardison. Absentee ballots for the Nov. 6 elections will be issued at the Duplin Board of Elections office in Kenans - ville through November 1' and the return deadline is 5 p.m. November M /I Warsaw s Annual Veterans Day Planned Nov. 10th The 63rd Warsaw Veterans Day Celebration is November 10 and features a confederate troop encampment and a friendship day. The North Carolina 23rd Battalion will present living history in an encampment across from the Masonic Lodge. The confederate toop will set up Nov. 10 for an overnight stay in Warsaw. A War Museum will also be open Nov. 5-10 at Southern Bank in Warsaw. And. a memory window will be on display at the City Finance office depicting the Veterans Day theme of post World War II years. Friendship Day is November 11 at the Warsaw Baptist Church. The program, designed for Veterans Day in Warsaw by the Duplin County Arts Council, is a look at the culture, government and people of Warsaw, Poland. The friendship service begins at 4 p.m. and features a slide presentation, ethnic refreshments, some polish folk songs and stories, and a display of artwork from school children in both cities of Warsaw. Featured speaker is Friendship Force Representative Dr. Ralph Steele. Honoree this year for the 63rd celebration is H.D. Taylor of Kenansville, a World War I veteran. Marshal for the 1984 parade and celebration is Dick Jones, host of an area morning television show. The . parade begins Saturday at 11 a.m., % followed by the annual fund raising barbeque dinner held by the Warsaw Fire Department. Plates wiii be on sale at the fire department build ing. Sidewalk sales are planneed for the celebration on Saturday along with a variety of free entertainment. The Warsaw See Saws perform in the town hall parking lot beginning at 1 p.m. The James Kenan High School band, chorus and Unicorn Club follow the square dancers at 1:30 p.m. Students of Brenda Her ring's Dance Studio perform at 2:30 i p.m. and a break dance review begins at 3 p.m. The Hesitations Band concludes the scheduled after noon entertainment with their per formance from 3:30 until 4:30. Saturday evening entertainment includes a senior high school student dance at the Warsaw Recreation Department gym, the See Saws at Warsaw Elementary School and the Charlie Albertson Band at the Warsaw Armory. Admission to the dance at the armory is $12 per couple. The student dance begins at 8 p.m. The Warsaw See Saws dance from 7 until 11 p.m., and the Charlie Albertson Band plays 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. Tickets for the dance at the Armory are on sale at the Kenansville Drug Store, Warsaw Southern Bank, Warsaw Veterans Committee members and at the door. ^ .? * I State Official Welcomed The Duplin County Board of Education, in an effort to take some of their meetings to the schools, has developed a plan to hold each second monthly meeting in an area school. The first monthly meeting, which is held on the first Tuesday of each month, will still be held at the O.P. Johnson Administrative Building in Kenansville. Dr. ManilufTs topic at B.F. Grady was "The Basic Education Program of North Carolina's Public Schools." The program is designed to give a student a thorough grounding in the arts, commu nication, media and computer skills, second languages, k healthful living, mathematics, science, social studies " and vocational education. To highlight some of the changes proposed: summer school for all grades K through 12; second language taught beginning in Grade 3; testing and state standards to be met in lower grades for promotion; in-school suspension; a clear ing-up of funding responsibilities (state and local). This plan is to be presented to the state legislature in February of 1985 for funding and implementation, partially or fully. To enact the plan would take an additional 10,969 classroom teachers, 1,500 exceptional education teachers, and 3,500 instructors in support areas, according to Dr. Maniloff of the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. B.F. Grady school principal Paul Britt is pictured above, left, with Dr. Maniloff. Duplin Malpractice Suit Settled Out Of Court A malpractice suit against a Kenansville surgeon has been settled out of court for $125,000, a | lawyer for the plaintiff said. The suit against Dr. Oscar L. Redwine, involved the death of Henry Noah Blackburn. Testimony in the civil suit began Tues'day in Superior Court in Kenansville. Jimmy Blackburn, son of Henry Noah Blackburn, sued Redwine, charging that Redwine was negligent during a hernia operation performed on the elder Blackburn in March 1982 at Duplin General Hospital. I According to testimony, Henty Noah ' BJackburn's- esophagus was torn during the administration of anes thesia. Henry Noafc Blackburn survived the operation but died from compli cations caused by the tear, which went unnoticed after the surgery, according to testimony. In opening statements made by Jene Thompson, attorney for the plaintiff, and lorn Harris, attorney for the defendant, on Tuesday afternoon, the plaintiff outlined the i areas of negligence and defendant denied that he was negligent in the care and treatment of Henry Noel Blackburn during the week of March 21,1982. After over a full day of jury selection, the plaintiff, through Attorney Thompson, called as his first witness the defendant, CKcar L. Redwine. Di :,fhony J. Mure, a general surgeon, v^ho formerly " .2 In K-na-.'-i'-lr and new practices in Clinton, was the second witness for the plaintiff. Mure was cross examined by Tom Harris of New Bern, a medical malpractice defense lawyer for Redwine's insurance company on Thursday morning. The Court recessed for lunch at 12:30 on Thursday and the settle ment was announced by the Court at 2:30 Thursday afternoon. The Blackburn's attorneys, Jene Thompson and his law partner. Garrett Ludlum, and Sam Clawson of Charleston, S.C., an attorney appearing in the case with Thompson, said that they and the Blackburn family were satisfied with the judgment of $125 000.