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Growing is no pain for Paine College
Increased enrollment has its problems, but they’re the kind the institution can live with.
By Rhonda Jones
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
The lobby to the president’s
office at Paine College is spa
cious, and quiet except for the
air conditioner’s soft hum. The
warmth of dark furniture and
scattered plants draws the eye
away from the stark white else
where ‘n the room — on the
walls, curtains, and rows of fil
ing cabinets. Even the lamps are
mirrored, and fluorescent lights
nearly throb overhead. The look
is decidedly clean and futuristic.
No doubt the faculty and ad
ministration- there are excited
about that future as enrollment
climbs to a 12-year high of 812.
The numbers had dipped to 580
in the 1989-90 térm:
“It’s not that the numbers are
so very high,” said Dr. Shirley
Lewis, president of the 113-year
old institution, pointing out that
there was only a 6-percent in
crease since last year. “I think it
The March
By Frederick Benjamin
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
As hundreds of thousands of
marchers descend on the
nation’s capital on Monday as
part of The Million Man
March, they don’t expect to be
welcomed with open arms, nor
should they. i
Anti-mareh sentiment is
widespread. Chief among the
march’s detractors are ele
ments in the Jewish commu
nity.
The Anti-Defamation
League (ADL), a militant Jew
ish advocacy group has been
particularly critical of the
March because it is the brain
child of Louis Farrakhan of
the Nation of Islam (NOI). Ac
cording to local representa
tives of Minister Farrakhan,
the group (ADL) has called for
the March to be stopped.
“The ADL has said that Min
ister Farrakhan is anti-
Semitic, anti-white, and anti-
American and they call for him
to be stopped,” said Brother
Minister Harold X of the Au
gusta Chapter of the Nation of
Islam. “They view the March
on Washington as a threat.
They are saying, ‘What if we
called on a million white men
Civic Center manager under the gun
From page one
Robertsbooked the sell-out show
long before Ms. Oglesby entered
the scene.
The only show Ms. Oglesby is
responsible for is the upcoming
Allman - Brothers, Mr. Bowman
said.
In addition to an unimpres
sive performance, Mr. Bowman
said Ms. Oglesby undermines
Coliseum Authority members’
power and has made unwise de
cisions, including firing five
employees, one who was with
the organization for 21 years.
“She asked us to allow her to
reorganize the staff, and I sup
ported that request,” Mr. Bow
man said. “But Ididn’t know she
would put five people in the
street.”
Another move that displeased
many Coliseum Authority mem
bers was the creation of a
$32,000-a-year business man
ager position.
“Ms. Oglesby brought in a busi
ness manager (Larry Elliot) un
der the pretense that so many
reflects more than just numbers.”
Paine has secured its reputation
as a “viable liberal arts institu
tion,” she said.
She could not keep the hint of
pride from her voice while men
tioning the college’s goal of hav
ing 1,000 students by the year
2000. “We would like to much
sooner,” she said.
Dr. Lewis credits Paine’s
growth to the team effort put
forth by “on- and off-campus per
sons,” such as “loyal” alumni who
have taken their degrees to ev
ery part of the country. She has
also done her part, she said, by
spreading the word when trav
eling out of town.
She also bragged on the stu
dents produced there, among
them author Frank Yerby,
prominent local dentist Dr.
Jimmy Walker, and most of the
CSRA’s African-American teach
ers.
“We just have a very stellar
record of achievement,” she said,
confiding her hope that “more
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to be stopqed. Y
; — Min. Harold X e g
who believed in white su
premacy to march on Washing
ton? How would we react?”
Buses coming into Washing
ton, D.C. may be detoured or
even turned away, according to
Minister Harold X.
“At a certain time of day (Mon
day morning rush hour), police
authorities in Washington, D.C.
have told us they will only per
mit a limited number of buses to
enter the city. We're told that
they will set up road blocks as
far away as Virginia. Also, we
irregularities and possible thefts
occurred in the building and
someone needed to correct the
problem,” Mr. Bgwman said.
In less than 60 days, Ms.
Oglesby reported that Mr. Elliot
found no foul play.
“He was not needed. This
gentleman sat there and played
games on the computer all day,
so we voted to abolish his posi
tion,” Mr. Bowman said. '
It was controversy surround
ing this 7-2 vote to scrap Mr.
Elliot’s job that prompted Ms.
Oglesby to hire attorney Samuel
Cruse to negotiate a buyout of
her more than $150,000 contract
that expires May 1, 1997.
Mr. Cruse has been quoted
saying “there are deliberate at
tempts by specific members of
the Authority” to get rid of his
client.
Ms. Oglesby did not return
calls to her office.
Coliseum Authority member
Joe Scott said they’re not trying
to force Ms. Oglesby to leave, but
they’d accept her resignation if
she decides to quit. However,
buying her out of her contract is
not a consideration, he said.
Local News
Dr. Shirley Lewis:
“The fact that the numbers
are up, and we have a
wonderful student body, is
an inspiration to me.”
and more people will identify
(Paine) as a school of choice.”
“I'mjust tickled.” She wants to
see “how much higher” the school
can get.
“The fact that the numbers
are up, and we have a wonderful
learned recently that the Na
tional Guard will be put on alert,”
the minister said.
Dr. Benjamin Chavis, civil
rights activist and former head
of the NAACP, is a March direc
tor and he plans to lead a cara
van of buses leaving from At
lanta headed for Washington.
Local residents who plan to at
tend the March on buses leav
ing from Augusta plan to join
that caravan, according to Min.
Harold X.
Locally, the March is being
Initially one of Ms. Oglesby’s
biggest supporters, Mr. Bowman
said he now has “no feelings for
Ms. Oglesby one way or the
other” after she “embarrassed
the Authority” by accusing mem
bers of wrongfully reserving tick
ets for select members of the
community.
He agreed that the Coliseum
Authority should not pay Ms.
Oglesby to leave.
“She can take the same bus
trip out that she came in on,”
Mr. Bowman said.
According to Mr. Bowman,
reserving tickets is common
practice, and there should be no
question of ethics because re
cipients pay for their tickets.
In addition to hiring an un
necessary business manager, fir
ing long-time employees, accus
ing Coliseum Authority mem
bers of unethical activities and
failing to produce promised con
tacts, Ms. Oglesby disrespects
the Coliseum Authority’s posi
tion as policy makers, according
to some members.
One of the earliest instances of
this was the redrawing of an
organizational chart on which
student body, is an inspiration
for me. That’s all I need ...” She
chuckled. “That, and a few dol
lars.”
But one can’t help wondering
how this growth will affect Paine
College’s most obvious asset —
its beauty.
A cool late-Friday afternoon
peppered the “inner quad” with
students, laughing, talking, un
winding after a tough week of
classes while meandering to their
cars or dormitories. Dr. Lewis
greeted two bare-chested joggers
as they pounded along the side
walk, and a girl’s voice called out
for someone named Keisha.
The president pointed out the
“Old Candler Library,” which is
about to begin its next life as a
reception center. The new
Collins-Callaway Library is a
handsome structure on the 15th
Street/Central Avenue corner of
campus. Like Dr. Lewis’ lobby, it
is a quiet place, with cool-green
shelf ends and silvery carpet. It
is warmed, however, by the in
Organizers fear
cool reception in
Washington, D.C.
supported by members of the
NAACP, some local clergymen
and other citizens. March or
ganizers stress that the March
has broad-based support and
is not “a Muslim thing.”
Despite opposition from
some segments of the leader
ship of the national black Bap
tist Church, the March has
the support of established civil
rights figures including the
Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rosa
Parks, Joseph Lowery of the
Southern Christian Leader
ship Conference and the Na
tional Congressional Black
Caucus. Eleventh District
Congresswoman Cynthia
McKinney also supports the
March.
Those who cannot march are
encouraged to take the day off
from work or school and focus
on the spiritual aspects of the
day — based on the Day of
Atonement — by praying and
fasting.
Technically, the event is not
a march. The “marchers” will
not gather at the same site as
the 1963 March on Washing
ton, but will set up within sight
of the White House. There, for
10 hours a series of speakers
will address the men on the
problems that beset the black
community.
she placed herself at the top —
above the Coliseum Authority.
“What we do is not aimed at
Wendy Oglesby,” Mr. Scott said.
“She wasn'’t hired to be a policy
maker, but she has a problem
with accepting authority from
certain people.
“We're fair with everyone who
works there aslong asthey know
who they work for. As far as
she’s concerned, certain people
don’t count regardless of their
position.”
According to Mr. Bowman,
Coliseum Authority member
Bonnie Ruben, with the help of
The Augusta Chronicle and lo
cal radio talk show host Austin
Rhodes, has forced the issue into
one of race.
Ms. Ruben has publicly at
tacked Ms. Roberts’ competence
and suggested she holds her
$45,000-a-year position only be
cause, as a black, she has close
ties to Mr. Bowman and other
key blacks in the community.
After Mr. Rhodes’ encourage
ment of his audience to keep the
controversy stirring, Mr. Bow
man said he’s received several
harassing phone calls.
AUGUSTA FOCUS
viting smell of old books.
At the left of the paved walk to
the student center sits the dried
stump of a long-ago tree, a re
minder of the school’s long his
tory. Across the way, a grove
offers shade. It is one of many
such spots on campus. I asked
Dr. Lewis if she foresaw them
becoming parking lots.
“Well, we hope not,” she said.
“We like our trees and greenery.
We will probably be very careful
in terms of where we place our
buildings.” :
But students are noticing
changesin the student body, and
changes in the student body in
evitably lead to changes in the
campus.
Sophomore Ernestine Bowers
laments, “Last year I knew ev
erybody that was on campus.
This year I don’t know as many
...” But when asked if the on
campus dormitory where she
lives is crowded, she replied, “It
doesn’t seem that way.”
Freshman Jerry Hawkins dis-
District 9 field
getting crowded
B Commissioner
Willie Mays enters
race for consolidation
super-district.
By Rhonda Y. Maree
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
With Hurricane Opal and the
O.J. Simpson trial out of the
way, Richmond County Commis
sioner Willie Mays thought he
could win local media attention
last Friday.
But it was before only one
reporter and some political sup
porters that Mr. Mays an
nounced his candidacy for Su
per District 9 in the newly con
solidated government.
With the aid of 25-year-old film
of his deceased mother Carrie J.
Mays announcing her historical
bid for a seat on Augusta City
Council, accompanied by song
stress Whitney Houston’s One
Moment in Time, Mr. Mays de
clared the Nov. 7 election as vot
ers’ moment in time to clean up
local government.
First holding office at age 28,
Mr. Mays is the only candidate
to have held office in both the
city and county. He said knowl
edge of both governments’
strengths and weaknesses
makes him the ideal candidate
for Super District 9, which in
cludes areas in Districts 1,2,4
and 5.
Although he considered run
ning for the mayor-chairman
post, Mr. Mays said he decided
against it because it would mean
giving up his family’s business
that he now operates fulltime.
Asked who he would like to see
at the head of the new govern
ment, Mr. Mays said he would
not endorse anyone.
“lonly want a man or a woman
with a vision to take this com
munity to new heights,” he said.
Although Mr. Mays said non
politicians shouldn’t be ruled out,
he said the new government has
no room for true freshmen.
“It’s like having a new vehicle
— brand new 1996 — and put
ting an infant there to drive it,”
he said. “There’s no time in this
government for a lot of on-the
job training. We must have
people who can hit the ground
Jan. 1 running. That’s not to say
they had to serve in public office
before, but they must know
where they want to take this
new Augusta and Richmond
County.”
Get ready for a CLASSIC Week
Details on page 13
October 12, 1995
fers when it comes to men’s hous
ing. “Well, yeah, to tell you the
truth, it is getting sort of
crowded.” He said it is common
to see three guys living together,
when he was told there would
only be two to a room. And, there
aren’t enough work-study jobs
to go around, he said. But, he
said, classroom conditions are
fine.
Gloria Casper, who has at
tended Paine since 1993, agrees.
“They’re your average size,” she
said about the classes, around
20 people. She said she hasn’t
heard anything about plans to
build anything extra on campus.
“It would be nice if we did have
another building, but I don’t
know where they’d put it. It’s
nice just the way it is.”
Ms. Casper does not live on
campus.
For anyone considering at
tending the college, the yearly
cost for an on-campus is $9,099.
The cost for an off-campus stu
dent is $6,004.
Mr. Mays, like some others
seeking office, criticized con
solidation efforts. However, he
has long said he would support
the voters’decision. Being a critic
of consolidation doesn’t make one
less qualified for a seat, he said.
“Welivein a free country. The
spirit of debate —the demo
cratic process to question any
issue — should not really be
dwelled upon,” he said. “The
main focus should be what those
candidates would have to offer
and bring to the new govern
ment.”
Others enter the race
Political hopeful Brian Green
said he has a lot to offer the new
government, and he hopes to
prove it by beating Mr. Mays
and A.K. Hassan.
A native Augustan, 32-year
old Mr. Green returned home
last year after serving 10 years
in the military. Now a car sales
man, Mr. Green said his mili
tary experience compensates for
his lack of political experience in
the form of aggressiveness, good
judgment and sound leadership.
“I'm a good candidate because
my life isin order and I have the
ability to work with anybody,”
he said. “I have sound proposals
that make sense monetarily and
morally.
“The new government needs
to be formed by people who are
professionals in their day-to-day
lives and who don’t have special
interests or want to hold office
just to supplement their in
comes.”
Topping his list of priorities is
an aggressive attack on the drug
problem. He’d also like to be
instrumental in easing the ra
cial divisiveness in local govern
ment.
Mr. Hassan, who has served
as president of the Richmond
County Board of Education, held
a seat on City Council and un
successfully opposed Mayor
Charles A. DeVaney in the last
mayoral election, said he’s ex
cited by his competition.
“The more competition, the
healthier,” he said.
Mr. Hassan said he has plans
to create more jobs and reduce
taxes. He’s also concerned with
improving local government’s
track record for doing business
fairly.
“Government hasn’t been fair
in giving all segments of the
community equal access to avail
able resources,” he said. “I want
to be in a position to implement
policies that will correct this.”
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