Newspaper Page Text
THE RIGHT|
ART
By Miranda Gastiaburo
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer s
AUGUSTA
“We don’t have an art program
at our school at all, so I am really
enjoying camp with the Art Fac
tory and will probably be here all
five weeks” said Mimi Mobley, an
upcoming eighth grader from Sego
Middle School, who is attending
the Art Factory summer art pro
gram.
“Welearned Greek dance steps,
we learned about Greek art and
we had fun,” Mimi said of the
dance class taught by Tammy
Adamsofthe Augusta Ballet. This
week’s classes at the Art Factory
camp were focused on Ancient
Greek art and culture. “She
taught usthree Greek dancesand
we’ll get to perform one on Fri
day. She also taught us that the
Greeks didn’t wear shoes when
they danced—they danced bare
footed,” said Mimi.
e OO
&!7 o % -
it T, 4
g 0 Yy ]
\ : TN 3
%\ 2N P N 4 ;
R A :
gl % Co s g i
14g W e
Nt RGR T—
P ol ” SR 4
o o
3 N i ;’/ g H L
chge S -
# -
% ’ 1 3“%
&e . L
o N, 1
e, A . g
b \ el :
S o 8 S :
, 2 3 T P gl L.
.e&p g & 3
by " . 5 : 9 —
Laen, L e 1% 0 s
‘a % i i i
¢ § :
s n ' : . 1 T
i,.fl@i.,.'fi £ ) R
Wt L SOTE e .
isE e / s, s ‘
ey S - 8 4 i 3 T w ¥ 9 » 3
g R T i TR vk
, e ~\<,,§)‘,’§e e
§HF % .:5‘2.5,.-,";-,&““3;:; L X i
w,, . P e w%«g,'\ nigy
Many school children in Au
gusta face the same dilemma as
Mimi. Art is no longer a regular
part of the curriculum at many ot
the CSRA’s elementary, middle
and high schools. And this may
cause students to lack creativity,
artistic direction and even good
self esteem.
“Safe havens of Music, The
ater, Dance and Visual Arts pro
grams have proved ‘particularly
potent’in stemming violence and
drug abuse and in keeping stu
dents from dropping out of
school,” stated the April 26, 1996
With employment scarce, many welfare
recipients are content to fake job search
'By Russ Bynum
: ASSOCIATED PRESS Writer
; ATLANTA
. When Jim Wood needed workers
.toflip burgersand ringup orders at
‘the fast-food joint he’d added on to
+ his convenience store in southwest
.Georgia, he picked up the phone
:and dialed the county welfare of
fice.
! In rural Clay County, where the
: percentage of residents on welfare
‘is among the highest in Georgia,
‘Wood is something of a rarity —
‘someone who'sactually created jobs.
' The fact that he’s offered those
‘jobs to welfare recipients is a coup
for caseworkers who have taken on
'the role of matchmaker between
remployers and Georgians whose
'days on welfare are running out.
| “Atleast going through the wel
/fare program you've got some sort
{of track record that says they do
!want to work,” said Wood, owner of
!Wood'’s Food Mart in Fort Gaines,
‘near the Georgia-Alabama border.
' Approaching the midpoint of
Georgia'sfirst year of federally man
dated welfare reform, such welfare
to-work courtships have been hard
{to make in rural Georgia.
Wood figures he’s hired as many
as 15 people off the welfare rolls
over the last couple of years. He
isays state programs that require
'
; - -
- v |
¥ X :
P e s
A e
| 87 o 7
L ;
| o g LN
Cog ;
e
W T
>- x .
TR ’ : 5 : i
f 54 AR 34 i
I» 2 L T P 1 & "'fiu.
i ¥ 3 e 0 bt e e o
o P N Ry
3 3 ) 53 % oy e 7 CHRR s
% z o SIS T E ARGI ) AR IR S e
Z & 5 g Vo e ety v B *:,%i R
7 5 i ® g i «\?i“i:*‘}‘ LD SR W
g e 2 o ¢ fi ! B v %flfifi*s ARy % T
be G 7 BN X . IR % E GOO SKRSSN By e
L e v R @ W 0 R
o B D ooik ek 3 A %>§*
. e 8N ¢ 25” 3 P 9 "i“ & % 4 s WS
Tk SRRy W oy R b o - . MR e e ssaed
7 * z,h ‘f 4 B ™ 1 ; Lamabiateie ]
E T A 3fi' 1h w2V G f}"‘“"
e i o o ¥ 3 o% PP Rim e (el
7o e 4 " % 3 . i '-.' T A o T
4d BN j e a}! Ca e Y
i ] 'y i o i *j‘:,“*‘i ™ 4 s 2 CRL ;’1
ey & f y % i LR " S R s
e £ . : : S " e
e . - i o el S ‘%@
g 9 "y 95 ¥ SRS P eoy e
_)g v B P ¢ 4‘%Fu 2o i {%‘:(‘ % & ]
1 g % ; Tt i
i T Uit S .
» i g o s e SR
. ey ; B e e oy ;
i h ¢ ] P v 00l AR o L ‘>&*vs~s R g
: iy ¥ g pe 10l Y *'és»"’w‘ pst il
) R e ; e ’ e e,- S G ”‘ ;
e A Lg BT s el e
mg?&w e B ey ; ot ks W i s;gga’?‘” G e
5 %{"’ G i EAR W B i NN SBT |
edition of the New York Times.
Augusta’s own inner-city art pro
gram, the Art Factory, strives to
teach inner-city youth the value of
art and education while keeping
them out of trouble during the
summer months when schoolisn’t
in session.
According to Betty Jones, ex
ecutive director of the Art Fac
tory, “Many parents and guard
iansinthe community wonder how
to keep their children safe once
the school year ends. The Art Fac
tory classes provide a springboard
for change as the child reenters
To avoid having their benefits reduced,
welfare recipients are having to apply for
as many as 40 jobs a month. For many, it’s
the first time they’ve had to meet and
mingle with employers inyears. @
welfare recipients to attend train
ing sessions and look for jobs have
helped distinguish the deadbeats
from the laborers.
“I think all this reform and mak
ing them get off their cans so to
speak is a good thing,” Wood said.
“I just don’t think there should be
any more free rides.”
Georgia's four-year lifetime limit
on cash welfare benefits began Jan.
1, forcing most adult recipients to
start looking for jobs. In April,
283,965 Georgians were dependent
on welfare— 75,046 of them adults.
By the end of the year, 25 percent
of Georgia’s adult recipients must
be working or enrolled in a related
activity such as job training.
To avoid having their benefits
reduced, welfare recipients are hav
ing to apply for as many as 40 jobs
a month. For many, it’s the first
timethey’ve had to meet and mingle
wit}x employers in years.
“It was very discouraging,” said
Nancy Webb of Valdosta, a former
welfare recipient who was turned
away by several employers before
Local & State
Above, students in the Art Factory’s drama class perform
practice acting exercises to help them get in touch with their
bodies. At left, Christy Haas, a five-year-old student in the
crafts class decorates her Greek plate. Photos by Miranda Gastiaburo
school in the fall.”
The Art Factory is an emerging
school of the arts whose mission is
to provide life skills development
through artistic educational expe
riences to all children regardless
of race, gender, ability or financial
means.
“The Art Factory was founded
in 1994 by a group of concerned
citizens who realized that there
was a pocket of kids out there who
didn’t have the opportunity or
didn’t take advantage of the after
school or weekend opportunities
that were already in existence —
and we wanted to focus on these
kids,” said Jones. :
“We encourage students to grow
through creative expression in
their own direction. Our teachers
are instructed to look for potential
in studentsand direct those skills,”
she said.
Thisyear’s Art Factory summer
programisdirected by Sallie West,
an art teacher at Goshen Elemen
tary School. “I am there to super
vise and lead the groups,” she said.
“This year we are teachingdrama,
art, and dance.”
The camp theme “Art Through
the Ages” isdividedinto five weekly
sessions with a different era to
learn about each week. The first
week, Art Factory studentslearned
about Greek art, drama and dance.
In Drama class, Dewayne
she found a job working for her
congressman, Rep. Sanford Bishop.
“They would look down on you be
cause you were in the welfare pro
gram. [ felt like they looked down
on me, at least.”
Ms. Webb, who's divorced with
four children, depended on welfare
for about a year after losing her
factory job because of a back injury
in 1995,
In February, she became a volun
teer aide handling scheduling, fil
ingand phone calls at Bishop’s two
person office in Valdosta. She was
hired full-time in April.
“I really think, if they want to
work bad enough, there are jobs to
be found,” Ms. Webb said. “It may
not be the type job they want right
then. But, as I tell my children, you
have to start somewhere.”
Georgia welfare officials are try
ing to give recipients a boost with
the Work First program, in which
recipients get advice on how to
present themselves to employers as
well as hands-on volunteer experi
ence to help them acquire basic
Moore, a drama major from Au
gusta State University, is the
teacher. He began class Monday
by teaching the kids in the 8-11
age group some basics of drama
and acting and letting them do
some practice acting exercises.
“Youhave tobe completely aware
of your body when you’re an ac
tor,” he said. Then he helped
them to learn to always follow
the director by playing a game of
“Director Says,” aslightly altered
version of the classic “Simon
Says.”
Ashley Oliver, an upcoming
fifth grader at Jamestown El
ementary, said she would attend
all five weeks of the Art Factory
camp. “Wedon’t have an art pro
gram at school, and I like to learn
about art,” she said.
And Latricia Hillary, who is
attending the camp for only 6ne
week, said “We haveart at school,
but it’s my favorite subject.”
Moore is in his last quarter at
ASUandalsoleadsayouth drama
group at his church. “This is my
first camp experience with all
ages,” he said. “They’re doing
pretty good. I'm teaching a dif
ferent dramatic principle each
day. Today we learned about
movement and how to use our
bodies on stage. Tomorrow we’ll
See ART, page 16A
skills. i
Perhaps most importantly, the|
program requires welfare recipients {
to meet responsibilities in order to!
receive their checks. That’s what '
sold Wood on recruiting them.
“Thebiggest thingisgettingthem
here on time and having their atti
tude where they want to work,”
Wood said. f
But caseworkers, employers and
former recipientsacknowledgethat,
while some recipients are ready to
commit to a full-time job, others
merely flirt with applying.
Diane Saylorsaid she gets at least
five applications a day from welfare
recipients at the variety store she
manages in Sylvester, 20 miles east
of Albany. Some apply knowing she |
doesn’t have any jobs to coffer. |
“I've had several of them tell me |
theydon’t want to work but tbey’rel
just trying to go along so they can
continuegettingtheir benefits,” Ms.
Saylor said. “People are real up|
front down here.” |
But caseworkers say recipients do |
benefit by havingamonthlyjob-search |
quota, just by making a habit of meet
“ They apply and most of the time
they know the person probably |
doesn’t have a job,” said Becky,
Smith, awelfare caseworker in Clay
County. “But they still touch base
with the employer.”
. (The following informationis based
: y onarealawenforcement reports and
1P ; L’Y press releases.)
Irate man damages
police car
On June 22, deputies were dis
patched to the 1800 block of Belmont
Avenue to apprehend a man who
was trespassing and had broken out
awindow. Upon arrival, the subject
was hiding under a bed screaming
racial and obscene comments at the
law enforcers. After a struggle to
handcuffthe offender, he was finally
arrested and put in the back of the
patrol car. He then kicked out the
driver’s side rear window. The sub
ject was transported to the Rich
mond County Jail.
Gas thief uses
restroom and leaves
On June 21, an unknown white
male pumped $23.49 worth of
Jailbreak
|
\From page one
EWe just don’t have the manpower
|we need.”
| At the time of the jailbreak the
|lights in the recreation room were
‘turned off. Webster stated that
there was “no excuse for the lights
'not to be on.” He assured that he
rwas going to engage in a stern
" lecture with his guards, and guar
'anteed that “if you come around
| here [thejail] now, Ibet you all the
lights will be on.”
| Aninvestigation of the jailbreak
' disclosed that the lock on the door
| leading from the cell area to the
' recreation room had been jammed
| and broken off. “Inmates jam these
locks with paper or anything else
| they can find,” said Webster add
' ingthat in the past two weeks over
| 36 locks have gone under repair.
| Webster also said, “We haven’t
| had a jailbreak in almost 12 years
{ and in that period of time the wear
; and tear of the locks has taken its
| toll.” Webster added that they
| never figured that inmates would
! gain entrance to the recreation
room, and said, “That was a big
mistake.”
| Webster also commented on the
mistake of having bars in the rec
reation room in the first place.
“Those bars shouldn’t have been
in the rec room to begin with.
There shouldn’t have been any
thing for them to tie the rope onto.
Those bars helped them escape,”
said Sheriff Webster. He did not
| say whether or not the bars would
| be removed in the future.
| Area residents also questioned
l why they were not notified by po
' lice at the time of the escape.
| Webster responded, “How do you
! notify someone at one o’clock in
l the morning?” He assured that
| patrol cars werein thearea “within
Prisoner awaits hail
From page one
behalf. In fact, according to the
attorney, he never knew he was
supposed to be representing Mr.
Roberson.
It is clear that in Augusta, no
one wants to represent Larry
Roberson. :
Friends and community mem
bers who know Roberson have con
vinced a lot of people that he is
getting a raw deal from the police.
The NAACP, the U.S. Justice De
partment, and at least one public
service law firm has either begun
their own investigation or have
conducted interviews to learn more
facts about his case. Some commu
nity members believe Roberson
when he tells them that heis lucky
to be alive because a police re
volver stuck in his spine misfired.
They believe him when he said he
was beaten and dragged and de
nied proper medical treatment
when in custody of municipal law
enforcement authorities.
It is easy to lend credence to Mr.
Roberson’s assertions in the light
of the poor community relations
reputation enjoyed by the county
police force. In the past six months
alone, several police officers have
AUGUSTA FOCUS JUNE 26, 1997
unleaded gas into a black Ford at
the BP station on Washington
Road. After pumping the gas, the
subject and a white female en
tered the station to use the bath
room and left without paying.
Man steals curling
iron
S. Walker of Richmond Hill Road
was seen stealing a $25 Conair Big
Curls curling iron from Revco on
840 Broad Street. A witness re
ported that Walker placed the curl
ingironin his pants and exited the
store. The Richmond County Sher
iff Department was notified, and
after a short foot chase Walker was
apprehended with the iron in his
pants. The stolen merchandise was
returned.
acouple minutes of the jailbreak.”
Webster did say, however, that he
would look into the procedures of
other law enforcement centers to
observe their techniques in alert
ing their community of a jailbreak.
“If we find a system that works,”
said Webster, “we will be glad to
adopt it.”
Sheriff Webster shared that
plans are in the works to make
sure that these same mistakes
won’t happen again. Commission
ers on the Pugfi?Safety Commit
tee, Chief Jailer Charles Toole,
Administrator Randy Oliver, and
the engineer for the jail project
are huddling to come up with a
figure to repair or replace the bro
ken locks in the jail. Commis
sioner Bill Kuhlke who was present
at the committee meeting on Mon
day said, “The architect is devel
opingspecificationsfor theselocks,
and we are hoping that they will be
ready within a few weeks.” Au
gusta County Clerk Lena Bonner
said, “After the specifications are
given by the engineer, the emer
gency bid process will begin for
the purchasing of locks for the
Fourth Street location.”
The words “Phinizy Road”
brought a smile to Sheriff
Webster’s face as he looked out
the window of his second floor
office. He said, “We shouldn’t
have these problems when the jail
on Phinizy Road opens,” referring
to the County Commissions ap
proval for 59 new positions with
the opening of the detention cen
ter. Mary Ann Gibbs, Administra
tive Assistant to Sheriff Webster
said, “Most of the new positions
will be deputy positions.” The con
struction cost for the Phinizy Road
Detention Center cost over 16 mil
lion. The jail should open around
Jan 1, 1998.
been run off the force for their
blatant disregard for the law. The
police department is not accred
ited and the police administration
appear not to be very concerned
with that status. A recent jailbreak
revealed fundamental shortcom
ings of policingin the Garden City.
“I can’t get out of here because,
I can’t get alawyer to stand before
thejudge,” Mr. Roberson said from
a jailhouse telephone. The money
for his bail is ready and waiting,
Mr. Roberson said.
Local attorneys Harry James,
Michael Spence, and David
Watkins have all been assigned to
Mr. Roberson at one time or an
other, according to the prisoner,
but something has always pre
vented that first crucial step. Mr,
Watkins explained that a mix-up
in names prevented him from aid
ing Mr. Roberson. :
A fourth attorney has been as
signed to represent Mr. Roberson,
—orßo he thinks. No one has
given him any name as of yet. -
It is likely that Independence
Day will come and go and Mr.
Roberson will still be waiting for
someone in Augusta to see to it
that the poor have a shot at jus;
tice. |
3A