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l r ■Xruw-lKrinrw THE PEOPLE’S PAPER Vol. 1 BUSING FACTS AND FIGURES It is indeed tragic that this community has been deceived by the Richmond County Board of Education’s propaganda concerning busing. When stripped of its excess verbiage, the propanganda is old hat in a new form - racism, which I refer to as the segregationist mentality. Busing is an integal part of the educational system which whites have used extensively and condoned outwardly for years. When one hears another speak of being against busing, he must be alert to the fact that that person means he is against busing to achieve racial balance, and that he is against desegregating schools. All of a sudden the concept of neighborhood schools have become very popular. This is but another way for those who would preserve segregation to mask their true racial attitudes. According to figures furnished the writer by the Richmond County Superintendent of Education, the School Board presently buses 15,000 children per day on 85 buses out of a total number of 36,762 students; this is slightly in excess of 40% of the-total-enrollment. Ninety per cent of all school children bused in Richmond County are white. The logical question is, “at what point does busing become massive?” This is a question that the Board has not previously answered. Butler High School had an enrollment last year of 1,567 whites and 63 blacks, and it bused 504 students. Richmond Academy had an enrollment of 1,368 whites and Mclntyre Blasts T routman Black County Commissioner Edward Mclntyre held a press conference Friday morning and blasted Commissioner Frank Troutman for what Mclntyre called a “publicity stunt.” Mclntyre, who is chairman of the Public Works Committee, commented on many of the achievements and plans of his committee. Mclntyre said that it was he who suggested the committee to come up with new requirements for the developer of subdivisions be reactivated, pointing out that 75% of all drainage problems in the county are found in new subdivisions. Mclntyre said that when he returned this week from a short vacation he was confronted with a newspaper article submitted by Commissioner Frank Troutman requesting an in depth study of the Public Works Committee. “We’ve had studies and we’re going to have some more,” Mclntyre said, almost every Friday in the year the Public Works Committee has held meetings at the Correctional Institution, to cope with the problems that exist and to plan for improvement of operations. All of the Commissioners have attended these meetings and worked with us except Commissioner Troutman. Commissioner Troutman has never been to a Public Works Committee meeting,” Mclntyre sjid. Troutman should have brought his recommendations to the Committee instead of to the newspapers. The newspaper is not the source to affect 133 blacks, and it bused 338 students. Glenn Hills High School Dad an enrollment of 937 whites and 235 blacks, and it bused 708 students. T.W. Josey had 1,244 blacks and 2 whites and it bused 52 students. Lucy Laney had 1,236 blacks, no whites and 320 students were bused . On the elementary school level, each of 27 white schools had some students bused, except three, but there were seven black schools out of 14 where no students were bused. The white schools where no busing was used were Milledge, National Hills and Warren Road. On the junior high level, A.R. Johnson had 2 whites and 797 blacks and no students were bused. Murphy had 675 whites, 42 blacks and 580 students bused. Sego had 642 whites, 18 blacks, and 323 students bused. Tutt had 519 whites, 44 blacks and 466 students bused. While these schools are not all of the schools in the system, they represent the pattern -a pattern which reflects that whites are being bused in substantial numbers, or “massively”, if you will. The Board of Education contends that it builds schools where people are located, irrespective of color, and it tries to adhere to the neighborhood school concept. With the long history of segregated education, among other things in Richmond Young, Millender Enter Council Race Among the entries this week for seats on City Council were James (J.Y.) Young who announced for the second ward seat and Mallory K. Millender who is running in the third ward. Arthur J. Young Young, 26 years old, is former director of the Neighborhood Youth Corps and has for several years been an employee for the Office of Economic Opportunity. He holds a B.S. degree from C1 afb i n University (Orangeburg, South Carolina) where he majored in change in a government. Mclntyre said that he concurs with many of the things suggested in the Troutman article and that Public Works Committee is already working in many of those areas. “What Mr. Troutman did was improper. To me it was an insult and I think it was a publicity stunt with party play. I’m disappointed. In the future I hope that we will recognize each others positions and try to work together as a Commission and not work divided. We all took an oath to do the best we could for the people of Richmond County. I am dedicated to that Cause.” 930 Gwinnett St. Augusfa Ga Phone 722-4555 John Ruffin County, can anyone believe that the Board will build black schools closer to blacks than it would build white schools to whites? Can anyone fathom the Board making schools more convenient, from the standpoint of distance, to blacks than to wliites? In addition to 15,000 students being bused daily, how do you think the football teams travel? Cheerleaders? Bands, and other activities? Have you ever heard a white (or black) complain about the distance to play a football game? Hasn’t the bus been the mode of travel for school activities as well as transporting children to school? Wasn’t busing the mode of transportation used to preserve the segregated system? We live in a highly mobile society. The accepted convenience of travel has made us mobile. Discounts are offered for students and the elderly in some forms of travel, and the federal government in SEE BUSING Page 4 Psychology. Young is a native Augustan. His platform and slogan will be Save the Merchant, Save the Youth, Save the City. Mallory K. Millinder Millender, 29 years old, is a Paine College instructor as well as editor-publisher of the News-Review. He says that he will stress the importance of more jobs and better pay for public workers and call for more jobs for minority groups in city government. He pointed out that according to the Urban League Report minorities hold only 15-20 of all city jobs (mostly in the area of maintenance) while they constitute a majority of the city population. He also cited drugs, crime, housing, drainage, garbage collection and trains as major problems in Augusta. Millender said he will work to return power to the people in all areas of City government . “My actions will be dictated by the needs of the people,” he said. Millender, who is married to the former Jacqueline Stripling of Jacksonville (Fla.), holds a B.A. from Paine College, M.S. from Kansas State Teachers College, and has done further study at Hamilton College (Clinton, N.Y.) and at the University of Toulouse 7 A r I | I I K (Photos By Roscoe Williams) J.B. salutes P.C. James Brown presents SSOO check to Paine College .Alumni treasurer Y.N. Myers as Paine President Lucius Pitts looks on, then expresses gratitude (2) with a “soul” shake. Mr. Brown was later presented a plaque (3) by News-Review editor Mallory Millender on behalf of Big Brothers of America who selected Brown as its spokesman for the year 1971. (Bottom) Brown is “deputized” by Sheriff Bill Anderson. The Faith of Charity Singers will appear at Harmony Baptist on Sunday night, September 5 th, 1971 at 8:30 p.m. Come out and bring a friend and witness the great program sponsored by Club No. One. (Toulouse, France). He has taught at T.W. Josey High School for three years, Paine Lycee Saint Cricq (France) for one year and at Paine College for four years. NAACP Fund Drive The NAACP is launching a fund raising drive for the purpose of securing a building for meetings and office space. Checks and money orders should be made payable to the NAACP only. Donations should uc sent to P. O. Box 28 Sand Hill Branch, Central Avenue and Troupe Street Augusta, Georgia. 30903. Memberships may also be secured through the above address. How I Rediscovered The Existence Os God By Grady Abrams It was around three thirty in the afternoon. This day had started out to be one of the happiest days of my life. It was Christmas Eve. First, I was happy because it was a day before Christmas; and it was a day after my nephew, Ricky, had been released from jail. My family and I had gotten a promise from Ricky that he would, along with help of us and God, kick the habit. Ricky was a drug addict. I guess we must have felt as Isaac when he welcomed his son, Jacob, back home. It was a joyous occasion for us because Ricky had promised to return home so that we might help him on his road to recovery. This was to be our Christmas present. I had just sat down with some friends when someone came and told me that Ricky was arguing with someone who had a shotgun. I ran to the door. Ricky was standing there with his shirt off. I asked, “what’s wrong, Ricky?” He didn’t say anything. I called him as he began to walk up the street, but seemingly he didn’t hear me. We were just ten feet apa r ’ I ran around the corner of Tenth and Gwinnett Streets to follow him home and find out what was wrong. Some fellow was about ten feet ahead of Ricky carrying a shotgun. Before I could reach him, this fellow turned around and fired one shot. Ricky fell to the ground and I fell along with Richmond Academy Site Os Mass Meeting A mass meeting held last Sunday at Richmond Academy attempted to organize parents into a coalition aimed at fighting what it termed “massive busing”. A volley of questions from parents and others in the audierice -estimated at around 500- were fielded by a group-four-from the Richmond County Board of Education headed by its President John Fleming. Some of the questions raised were: Why not do away with all busing? Which got a response indicating that the state of Georgia requires that buses be available for busing high school students who live as long as 114 miles from a school and Elementary students who live at least 1% miles. A question from the audience was raised as to attendance or non-attendance on the part of students if they are required to be bused. A member of the Board responded that the Board will abide by the Court’s decision but added that “the decision is up to parents as to what they will do.” John Fleming responding to a question as to why schools are being opened when in essence there is a possibility that some students will have to be transfered responded that children better off in school rather than being out on the streets and further that students are required to be in school 180 days. It was further disclosed that funds are based on attendance. Mike Padgett raised the question as to whether or not the Board of Education would close the schools temporarily until the issue of busing is settled if many of the parents and others united. John Fleming responded by, saying that he “can’t speak for the Board ” August Sept. 2, 1971 #24 Grady Abrams him. I cried out, “Help! God, help! Somebody, please help!” I held Ricky’s head up and called, “Ricky, Ricky, please answer me!” Ricky looked at me and cried out, “God, oh-o-o.” His eyes were twice their normal size. Blood was all over me; and at that moment I doubted the exigence of God. I could never understand why God wanted us to suffer so unnecessarily. Why did God wait until Ricky had come home to accept our help? Why had God let Ricky die right in front of our house where my kids and mother would have to suffer the experience of seeing i tragic death of their loved one? If he had to die, why couldn’t it have been at some other time or place? I must have stood there long after the ambulance had come and taken Ricky’s body to the hospital. I tried to find the answers to these questions right then. I felt God owed me at least an explanation. After all, we had gotten a promise from Ricky that he would discontinue using drugs. Although we never had much money, we’ve always had A tape was played at the meeting, claimed to be by permission of James Brown, dealing with busing currently being aired over radio station WRDW was prefaced by the statement that Blacks are Pilgrim Opens $70,000 Office In Greenville, S.C. BMB ~~ PILGRIM DEDICATION CEREMONY Last Sunday the Pilgrim Health Insurance Company opened a $70,000 office in Greenville, South Carolina. The ultra modern office conforms to the architecture of the Greenville area. More than 500 people toured the facility that now will provide service for progressive living in or around Greenville. Among the dignitaries present were City Councilmen, a U.S. Congressman, bandleader Moses Dillard and Miss Black South Carolina. Pilgrim president W.S. I a home. Papa owned a woodyard and mama did days work. Ricky’s mother and father had been divorced for j several years, but he lived with I us. His mother moved to New ' York to find better employment. She left Ricky with my mother to be reared in the south so that he would have the opportunity to continue his education with his already-made friends. It was on Ricky’s visits to New York that he met old friends who had been turned on to new things. Drugs. This was a problem we had never thought of before. It had not been a problem here in Augusta. The kids I had come in contact with during my teaching days were slipping and drinking beer and wine. Maybe some were sniffing glue. But the problem of drugs had not gained prominence in this community. So we never confronted Ricky with conferences on drug abuse. Many parents have an opportunity to save their kids from this monstrous killer because we know that drugs is the number one problem in the community, today. My family and I did not kjiow that drugs could destroy our loved one at that time because we were unfamiliar with them. Ricky began to act strange. He would show no interest in school. We began to miss money and articles from the house, but we couldn’t imagine SEE ABRAMS Page 4 concerned about busing. It was also pointed out that it had been the organizers wish that Blacks would have some out. No Blacks were recognized except for three in more or less official capacity. Hornsby, Jr. and little W.S. Hornsby, IV., along with many other home office officials were on hand for ribbon cutting ceremonies. According to the Company President the “Pilgrim is constantly planning for new offices and providing additional policies that are the best for our people.” He further stated that “we try harder because we’re biack.” Currently Pilgrim has on the drawing boards two more district offices, one of which will begin construction next month. i \