Newspaper Page Text
The Augusta News - May 6, 1976 -
Walking With Dignity
DR. CREIGHTON PEDEN, A CALLAWAY PROFESSOR OF
PHILOSPHY AT AUGUSTA COLLEGE, WILL BE OUR GUEST
COLUMNIST DEALING WITH “FUNCTIONAL
COMPETENCY”. THIS SUBJECT WILL BE PRESENTED IN
TWO-PARTS
FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCY
In the fall of 1975, the shocking results of a national study
wore published. What this study did was to test a cross-section of
adults to see if they had the economic and educational skills
necessary to function adequately in our country. The underlying
assumption of the study is that functional competency is a
dynamic process rather than a static condition. “A person is
functionally competent only to the extent that he or she can
meet the requirements which are extant at a given point in time.
If the requirements change and the individual does not adapt by
either acquiring more or different knowledge and skills, then that
person becomes less competent.” The surprising results were that
one out of five U.S. adults have difficulty functioning at a very
basic level of adequacy.
The study focuses on five major functional areas in society.
•These are consumer economics, occupational knowledge, health,
community resources, and legal. The study then tested each
person in terms of five skills to establish how well they could
function in the five areas. The five skills are reading, writing,
speaking-listening, computation, and problem solving. A person
was functional in the area of consumer economics if he could
read and listen to advertisements, computate and compare prices,
and determine the best store in which to shop.
Another example of functional competency is the problem
solving ability of determing which governmental or private agency
can assist you with a particular issue. Other examples would be
reading and interpreting a health insurance policy or reading and
understanding a pamphlet on an individual’s rights after arrest.
Approximately one-third of the U.S. population functions with
"GOING PLACES”
By Philip Waring
Special Black Bicentennial
Supplement On May 27
As per mentioned during the past several months, Thursday,
May 28th will feature a special Black Bicentennial Supplement to
your News-Review. This “first-of-its kind vehicle will highlight,
largely through pictures, individuals and institutions who “Helped
Build Augusta”. (There may also be a second section later during
Bicentennial.) We solicit your cooperation on tthis venture which
will show the nation our own leaders!
PICTURES NEEDED FOR HISTORIC EDITION
We will need not later than Thursday, May 20, black and white
pictures of persons listed. They should be HEAD SHOTS, NOT
LARGER THAN A DOLLAR. The same would apply for those
from printed copy, newspapers, etc. These pictures should be
forwarded immediately to The News-Review, P.O. Box 953,
Augusta, Ga., 30903 and our office phone is 722-4555. They
should be marked “Bicentennial Edition”, attention Mr.
Millender or Mr. Raines. Again, the deadline is Thursday, May
20th.
INDIVIDUALS OF PRESENT AND PAST TO BE FEATURED
First, I’d like for Miss Louise Laney to share a copy of the
photo showing Governor Carter and herself at the capitol
unveiling of her sainted aunt Next, we want Mrs. Neal to get
over a photo of W.C. Ervin, first Black elected to the Richmond
County Board of Education While I have a photo of Dr.
Stoney, our first physician, I want the Carters to send in those for
Dr. James E. Carter, Sr., our first dentist and his son, who was
our first Augusta president of the National Dental Association;
Dr. Frieson was our first physician to practice on both sides of
the river. Would his daughters please send one of him in to us
(and Maigueritte, could you get one of Rev. Dr. William White,
first pastor of Harmony Baptist Church and our post-Civil War
state representative?) Thanks, Mrs. Scott.
We need one of Dr. Paul Weston, our first surgeon, and Dr.
Allen Brown, first Augusta instructor at the Medical College
(Allen please send your photo as I’d like to share this edition with
mutual friends in Buffalo)
Then on the human rights front we need Attorney Jack Ruffin,
Dr. Charles Hamilton, Joe Jones, Dr. Maurice Cherry (Maurice,
you owe me a column on the Civil Rights thrust of Paine
students) and Charles Walker.
This edition needs those of the late Dr. W.S. Hornsby, Sr., Mr.
Solomon Walker, Sr., S.M. Jenkins, W.S. Hornsby, Jr. and M.M.
Scott, new Pilgrim chairman.
On the government front we want photos of Ed Mclntyre,
Letters To The Editor
Praises Choir
Dear Editor: Thank you for
your unbiased, dignified, and
intelligent coverage of the
news.
Since the Augusta
News-Review is so widely read
I believe the citizens of our
city in general should be aware
THE AUGUSTA NEWS-REVIEW
Mallory K. MillenderEditor-Publisher $
Frank Bowman Advertising Manager
Audrey Frazier Editor-At-Large £
Michael Carr Photographer
Stan RainesCirculation Manager
Mailing Address: Box 953, Augusta, Ga. Phone 722-4555
Second Class Postage Paid Augusta, Ga. 30903 S:
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Payable in Advance
One year in Richmond Countys7.oo tax incl.
6 Monthss3.so tax incl. g
One year out of County SB.OO tax incl.
ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT
Classified & Display Advertising Deadline
12 Noon on Tuesday
News Deadline Monday 5:30 (printed free)
AMALQAMATKD f
PUBLiSNKM, INC. IvlkM WU *
— |
Page 4
Guest Columnist
of the fact that a very rare
treat was missed by many on
last Sunday.
Somehow, I think, our
cultural life is lagging in many
ways. There was an
opportunity to witness a most
beautiful program on last
By AL IRBY
difficulty in the area of consumer economics and basic
computations, whereas a larger percentage of the population can
function in terms of reading a bus schedule.
Os special interest to us are the regional and ethnic findings of
the study. Os the four regions, the South had the worst showing.
Whereas the others sections’ difficulty average was 15%, the
South indicated that 25% of our citizens function with difficulty.
Not only is our region in poor shape, but 44% of the Black
citizens in the U.S. function with difficulty, another 39%
function adequately, and only 17% function with proficiency.
Although the poorer whites in the South have a high percentage
who function with difficulty, it is not true for the general white
population. In the U.S. only 16% of the whites function with
difficulty, 34% function adequately, and 50% function with
proficiency. It is important to establish equality under the law,
but that is not enough. The structure may be moving to provide
more equal opportunities, but such opportunities mean little if
you do not possess the skills in order to function adequately.
We are all suppose to be citizens in this great democracy, but
those without functional skills feel deep down in their heart of
hearts that there is no place for them and that they do not
“count.” They have no real voice of their own, no organizations
that are really their own to represent them, no way in which they
may put their hand and their heart to the shaping of their own
destinies.
It is morally just that all citizens, taking into account our
individual differences, be equipped with functional skills in our
complex society. It is equally true that the future of America
depends on how we deal with this problem, for having such a
large percentage of society divorced from the general social life
erodes and tends to destroy the foundations of democracy. What
are we going to do about functional competency in Augusta?
(CONTINUED NEXT WEEK)
Richard Dent, B.L. Dent, Mrs. Justine Washington, PhD., Mrs.
Carrie Mays, Dr. I.E. Washington and Rev. N.T. Young. (All of
these individuals have “firsts” behind their names for some type
of achievement in the public sector.)
Back again to Miss Louise Laney - Do you know how we can
get a photo (or photo clipping) or the Honorable Judson Lyons,
Esq., registrar of the treasury? And help would be appreciated
(many young people today never knew of his existence)...
Thanks, Louise.
Then there are four business persons - L.B. Wallace, real estate;
Mrs. Louvina Meers Pearson, beauty service; and Alvin
Southwood, barber shop - who have operated continously for
over 40 years
BLACKS OUTSTANDING IN ATHLETICS
Augusta Blacks have been outstanding in athletics. We need
one of Dr. John Tutt, Coach Dupree. Emerson Boozer and
Horatio LaMarr, who was an All-American at Morehouse and has
more than 40 years as a player and coach under his belt...(“Bay
Brother”, I’m.asking if you’d kindly get these pictures over to the
News-Review office. Thanks alot.)
We need Asst. Supt Dave Mack, the late Miss Rosa Louise
Ross, Prof. M.B. Braxton, Dr. Lucius Pitts, Dr. Canute
Richardson, the late Dr. Willie Graham, Mrs. Majorie Carter, Dr.
Julius Scott, Dr. Charles Butler, Prof. Lloyd Reese and Jimmy
Dunn, our first Black director of elementary education.
Black Augustans have long given leadership in social service and
tthis is why we want: Verlyn Bell, first Bethlehem Center
director; Mrs. Donahue, Dept of Public Welfare; the late Mrs.
Mary Nelson Jones, and Mrs. A.W. Gardiner, who has given
forty-five years and is truly is the “Dean of Augusta Black Social
Workers”.
In the field of literature and entertainment we’d like photos of
Frank Yerby, Rev. Silax X. Floyd, Arthur Lee Simpkins, and
James Brown, “God Father of Soul”, and owner of three Black
radio stationsln religion (for this particular section) we want
Dr. C.H. Tobias, Dr. C.T. Walker, Rev. John W. Gilbert and
Bishop Williams of the CME Church In still another
projection, many of the beautiful Augusta churches would be
featured along with their dynamic ministers... We also request
photos from Mrs. A.S. Powell, who has offered a Black
history-museum building and James E. Carter, 111, head of the
Black Heritage Commission.
Sunday at Paine College. Miss
Eileen Terry and the
outstanding group that
appeared with her were not
sufficiently appreciated by
Augusta. There were far too
many empty seats. I wonder
why. It was a beautiful Sunday
evening. The hour was, to my
way of thinking, a good one.
The program was not too long -
to put it mildly, the program
was superb.
I believe Miss Terry, Mr.
Harry Jacobs, The Augusta
Symphony - Chamber Orc
hestra - the soloist - the
organist, the guest pianist and
the fine group of young
students who sang deserved a
far better reception than was
given them. Yet, in spite of the
small crowd that came out, I
feel that those who
participated in making this
evening so enjoyable were
rewarded in a personal
satisfication. A job well done is
in itself a great source of
consolation. It has been said
that music soothes the savage
beast. The type that we heard
last Sunday could do much for
a troubled world.
Congratulations to Miss
Terry and, most of all, to the
fine young people whose voices
thrilled all who were present
Someone said “he who sings
prays twice”. There were many
beautiful prayers lifted upward
■ V
F W ll
kF K
Mk I
/I 4 -**' '
that day.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Pauletta Sullivan
2313 Shadowood Drive
Augusta, Georgia
Questions
Recent
Death
Dear Editor:
A Black life is a very
precious thing not to be
takened for granted. Recently,
however, several incidents in
the Augusta area have
suggested otherwise. Check out
the incidents involving
Brothers Adams and
Demmons, who were both
victims of disregard for Black
life. Although all the facts
surrounding the case have not
been revealed, it is obvious that
the cases are both being
handled with ‘kid gloves’ and
will not receive very serious
inquiry and investigation.
It is a fact that our
oppressors disregard Black life
as witnessed by these bizarre
and untimely incidents. They
continue to murder and harm
Black people in the jobs and
jails across this country. We
should begin to ask ourselves,
how long will this type of
treatment continue?
Blacks’ Destiny In Own Hands....
BLACK AMERICA
ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES
3U. -’At
♦ fOLM
TO WORK OUT MANY OF THFIR OWN
PROBLEMS, IWTEAP OFIIEAVIHGIT TOTHB
,
■ wla • iwl
-
Playin’ » I
The Changes L JUS I
By Stan Raines ■
ESTHER PHILLIPS: Presents The Blues
Esther Phillips was bom
Esther Mae Jones in Galveston,
Tx. in 1935. As a child she was
noticed by many of her
parents’ friends as being one
who had a fine voice and was
destined to become a very
good singer when she grew up.
Wherever you saw Esther
you would either find her
humming or singing some tune
be it gospel or blues or
whatever. After being inspired
by many of her friends, she
really became interested in
singing ... at first she just loved
to sing but didn’t have any idea
of doing it as a professional.
She was a member of the
church choir and at age 13 she
won an amatuer show in
Louisiana.
Johnny Otis, who had a
band that seemed to be just
made for the blues, heard
Esther and at once knew that
she was just the one he was
looking for. And before any
second thoughts could be made
on anyone’s part, he signed her
up.
Esther toured with Johnny
Otis from 1949 until 1952.
During this time she matured
as an artist and it might be said
It becomes crucial that we
begin to. take these incidents
seriously as indicators of the
times ahead and begin to
defend and protect Black life
as a course of survival.
Randy Gunter
P.O. 2232
Augusta, GA 30904
Perform a
death*
defying act.
StopsmokiM-
Georgia Heart Association
that she made this band and
this band made her because
they really worked well
together.
All the time that Esther
spent with the Otis band she
was searching ... searching for
herself and finally she made a
hit. This hit was a single called
“Double Crossing Blues”. It
was the most outstanding blues
hit of the entire year of 1949.
After this she made several
more big recordings but none
so big as “Double Crossing
Blues.”
Esther was billed as “Little
Esther” and this name stuck.
Many of you are probafty
familiar with Esther Phillips
and you wonder why they
called her “Little Esther”.
Your thoughts are why use the
term “little” when she is not a
small person. Well let me point
out that first of all, size had
nothing to do with the name, it
was age. Esther, at the time
that she made her hit was only
14 years old and this is why
she was billed as “Little
Esther.” In fact, at that time,
she was quite /rail also but as
I’ve said, size had absolutely
nothing to do with the name.
Tan TjpicsAsa®
W7“ REfPMSIBLe.
I PAT&S 1 '
AU3M& ova? yj
* : II
J
: . A ****?* J
Os
(ft I \ \ *
As Esther grew older she
gained weight and a little
height and she quickly changed
to her own name - Esther
Phillips. Esther is blessed to
have a very unusual sounding
voice.
We can say that she sounds
womewhat like Dinah
Washington and this is true but
her phrasing is completely
different from the style that
Dinah Washington had. She
started out imitating Dinah of
course because Dinah was
Queen of the Blues at that time
and this was Esther’s idol.
Also, I might point out that
she has an awful lot of gospel
in her voice too.
Coming back to the Johnny
Otis and the band. The band
had many problems both
internal and external and these
problems finally caused them
to break up.
After the breakup "of the
Johnny Otis band Esther went
out on her own and fate had it
that no matter what she did
she couldn’t get things together
no matter how hard she tried.
So at that time and in those
days she faded out of music as
a known artist. Only those who
knew her in earlier life
remembered her and wondered
what happened to her.
Esther also had problems
too numerous to mention, and
as others, she fell into the traps
of fast living and became very
ill. In fact, being ill kept her
out of music for several years
but she was determined to
make a come-back. She spent
many days in Houston during
her illness just thinking to
herself of how badly she
-wanted to return to her first
love, music. She was also
determined that if she made it
back she was going to live a
different life.
She knew that what she had
heard the older folks say was
right. “Don’t grow up too fast”
... Yes indeed she had really
grown up fast. And this was
the foundation to her problem
... dope addiction at an early
age. But no more ... Esther
Phillips was coming back with
her head held high and she is
going to make it...
Going back a bit, I almost
forgot to tell you that it was
the Beatles that really got her
started on the trail back. Os
course when she returned from
her bout with sickness she
made a hit out of the Country
and Western song, “Release
Me”. She made
with a very small firahin 1963
and this was her biggest hit
which was followed by her top
selling version of “And I Love
Him”. But I don’t think that
she was ready for a return
then.
As 1 said before 1 credit the
Beatles with pushing her to
sing like she wanted to sing and
could sing. This happened
when she appeared with the
Beatles on BBC-TV in
November of 1965, from here
she appeared on NJF in 66.
Today she is hitting the charts
again with those top notch
tunes and this time she is going
to strike it rich ... just be
listening to her ... Really,
Esther Phillips doesn’t sing the
blues, she presents the biues
and presents them as no one
else today can.