THE-WEATHER_,
aily
Northeast Mississippi Partly cloudy through Saturday with chance for showers or thundershowers today, diminishing Saturday. Highs near 80; lows near 60.
Telephone 842-2611 Price 15 Cents
Tupelo, Mississippi, Friday Morning, April 18, 1975
S. Green St.. East of Hospital
Vol. 102 No. 16
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New $6.5 Million Airport Pl an Unv I
~~EVENm~ENMY stt~~a~wairwrt. Journal City Editor Whitaker, speaking at a The construction of a $4 meeting of the Luncheon million, 6,500-foot runway Civitan Club, said that that would result in the although the plan has not yet re-routing of Jackson Street received formal approval by \ ""ar Gun Club Road is the the city. he believed it jor component of a offered Lhe best approach to eliminary plan, outlined meeting future needs. Thursday by Mayor Clyde Six alternate sites located Whitaker, to upgrade the in the southern area of Lee Tupelo Municipal AirPQrt. County. were looked at ~ Also included in Lhe plan is during the course of the the construction of a 9,700 sq. studies. ft. terminal building near Lhe Under ·the plan outlined new runway. Thursday, Lhe city would The preliminary airPort construct its new facilities ' plan ls the result of three adjacent to the existing years of studies designed to airport. Whitaker estimated d ete r111 ine Tupelo' s air the new runway, terminal transportation needs during building and · related street the next 20 years. Studies construction would cost the have included examinations city about Sl.9 million. ~ of the city ' s existing Including the interest ,>n 20-year fa cilities ancl six alternate the bonds over a
peri~. LhetoW~alood would be about $3.2 million. The plan also ealls for the c losing of the existingnorth west . southeast runway. About 75 per cent of the runway construction costs and some other costs would be met with a Federal Aviations Administration (FAA) grant. The terminal and street work would be financed completely with city fund . Total cost of Lhe project would be $6.5 million. Whitaker said cost studies indicated that construction at one of the alternate sites. Whitaker said , would probably necessitate the construction of new roads to serve the facility. and the cost of these roads would have to be met with local
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fu~s . For this reason and others. he continued, it seems that development of new facilities adjacent to the existing airwrt is the most feasible plan. The new north-south runway would be located north of the existing runways and would cut across Jac kson Street near Gun CI u b Road . Under the present prowsal, Whitaker explained , the Jackson Street throughfare would be re-routed to travel around the northern tip of the airport addition. This would offer a route lo the Tupelo Country Club, in addition to serving persons west of the airPort, he said. Jackson Street is one of the m a j or east - west
iliorou~fa~inlhe~~ ~----------------------------------The new i·oad would extend about two miles north of Jackson Street before turning west to travel around the runway. Constructionoflherunway would require the purchase of an additional 284 acres of land . Whitaker said, including about 12 residences. Once the plan is formally approved, he continued. the city w O u 1 d begin immediately to attempt lo acquire the land. If no major roadblocks were met in acquiring the land and receiving the FAA funds, he commented, the runway GanCh1bRd. could be completed in about three year . Southern Airways, which Continued on Page 14
Houston High School Accreditation ·Revoked B) LETl'IE KELSO
Journal taff Writer HO USTON The Mississippi Accreditation Commission Thursday notified official of the Houston Municipal Separate School District that it has
Death By Arsenic i Confirmed r
J B) NORMA FIELDS Journal State Editor STARKVILLE Authorities in Starkville are investigating the death of the • wife of a Mississippi State University professor after doctors confirmed she died of arsenic Poisoning. Mrs. Carolyn Ruth Ingels. 37, died at Oktibbeha County Hospital here about noon Tuesday after becoming ill late Monday night with what was first thought lo be food poisoning, accordin g to Police Chief William Turner. Her husband. Dr. Franklin Ingels, and 18-year-old daughter Cherri also became ill and were transferred to University Medical enter Hospital in Jackson, where the daughter was said to be "improving" Thursday. She d been placed in the ,Atens1ve Care Unit. Dr. Ingels was released from the hospital to attend his wife's funeral here Thursday, but authorities said he was to check back with doctors to see if it were neces ary for him to return. Chief Turner said late Thursday, "The pathology report has not been completed, but preliminary investigation s hows that Mrs. Ingels. Dr. Ingels and Cherri did have arsenic poison in their systems." He said the investigation "is still in the preliminary stage." Turner said three other children. a daughter, a son a nd a foster son. did not become ill. He said the arsenic was apparently in some food aten by the Ingels. "The -y mptoms were basically ~ like food Poisoning, but as it progressed , it became ·something else,'' Turner said. The Ingels family resides at 819 Pine Circle here. f
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revoked the accreditation of Houston High School, for the 1975-76 school year. Action on the matter came at a one-day meeting of the Commission in Jackson Thursday . Commission officials , who notified Superintendent Bennet Blanton of the decision. said if and when a bond issue election held to replace the high school that was destroyed by fire passes. the school will regain its accreditation and be placed on probation. Probation is the l ow e st form of accreditation. The decision by the Commission came as no real surprise to the Board of Trustees of Education who had known the date of the Commission·s meeting for
several months. They had hoped to head off that decision by the passage of a bond issue election, but their attempts failed . Prior to that last two bond issue elections State Department of Education officials visited the high school and pointed out several facilities it is lacking that could lead to its being put on probation or losing its accreditation. "We had been warned this would happen and we expected we would either be put on probation or lose our accreditation," aid Malven Young , president of the Board of Trustees. " We can't say we were surprised." At present high school students attend classes in the Hou s ton Vocational
TEPA Plans Cuts In
Power Rates
The Tombigbee Electric that the economic recession Power Association Board of is easing a nd we want to do Directors voted at their our part to hasten it.'' meeting held on Thursday In analyzing the TEPA night of the past week to cut rates it was brought out that electric wwer rates they are area customers are now charging to customers by receiving electric wwer at one mill per Killowatr Hour. about 20 per cent less than This amounts to one dollar othe r Mississippians who are per 1.000 KWH . · purchasing their Power from The announcement of this Mississippi Power and Light additional rate cut was made Company . on Monday of this week by Jim Allen. General Manager TEPA officials a re joining of the Association. The with the officials of the 160 Association serves Lee and other TVA power Itawa mba Counties and distributors in constantly area in adjoining counties. 1r. Allen Pointed out that putting the pressure on TVA the Board of Directors voted to hold the line on charges. It this reduction in spite of the h as been graphica ll y tight economic bind of the demonstrated to TEPA's Association. because he said, directors that TV A's charges " We are not trying to build for electricity have nearly financial profits. but striving doubled from about three in every way to serve Lhe years ago when TEPA's power bill was people of our area." Mr. Allen was backed up approximately a quarter of a the TEP A Board Chairman. million dollars a month. Now monthly bill John Evans who said, "We the feel it out duty to serve the approximates a half million people of the TEPA area to dollar . A simple stud) of TEP A's the best of our ability. and to hold our charges lo our expense sheet !>hows why customers to the lowest TEPA along with most other Power distributors of the possible rate consistant with prudent management of our TVA area is having a hard time making ends meet. Association. " We have but one Mr. Evans added, " TEPA has along with most of its commodity to sell, and we have to pay expenses from customers experienced a very tight cash flow problem the receipts of that sale," Mr. Evans Pointed out. in recent months. but we feel
Technical Center and in mobile homes. In a recent interview, Holace Morris. chairman of the commission. said: "The purpose of accreditation is to improve the school and not to punish schools for anything they have or haven't done. But the commission feels certain things are necessary for at least a basic program of education." Because the high school has lost its accreditation, students will not be able to p a rticipa t e in any inter-school activities. such as drama festivals, platform
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speaking events , band festivals. and sPQrts events, which are regulated by the 1\1 i. Si sip pi Act i \' i lies Association. Also due to the loss of accreditation, high school students who would normally be eligible for educational benefits from soc ial security . will no longer be eligible for them. Stude nts who transfer from the high school to an accredited school will also be affected since accredited schools are required to Continued on Page 14
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- - Inside Today's Journal-Duck Tradition Dies
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The ducks, who for a half century have found a home in the lobby of the Hotel Peabody in Memphis, now are at a new home on a farm as the institution that marked the end of the Delta has been forced to close. Please turn to page 10.
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Ford At Ford Theater When President Ford went to Ford's Theater Thurday to see a play about President Truman, he was the first incumbent chief executive to go there since President Lincoln was assassinated. For story, turn to page six.
Matter Disposed Of Stennis said " the matter is disposed of as far as this committee is concerned," when his Armed Services Committee killed a compromise $515 million military aid package for South Vietnam. Please turn to page four .
Mass Murder Claimed Communist troops are alleged to have killed over 300 South Vietnamese in a mass murder at Ban Me Thuot. Similar reports of atrocities have also been reported. Please turn to page two.
.....- - - - - INDEX-----...... About People . . ... . ..... 9 Ann Landers . ........ . 32 Around Dixie . . ..... . .. 10 Around Mississippi .. . .. 5 At Wit's End ..... . ... . 31 Classilled 22,23,24,25,26,27 Comics ....... . ..... . . 42 Crossword . ..... . ..... 11 Dr. Brothers .......... 11 Editorial . .... ....... . .41
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Horoscope . . .. . . ..... . 42 Look Of America .. .... 12 Movies . . ...... . .... . .. 27 Obituaries . . ....... . .. 14 Sharing Shortcuts ... .. 42 Society .. . .. . . 30,31,32,33 Sports . .. . . . 17,18,19,20,21 Spotlight . ....... . .. . .. 28 Weather ..... . .... ..... 3
AmPORT EXPANSION PLAN -Preliminary plan; for exparnion of the Tupelo Municipal Airport include the construction of a 6,500-foot runway and a 9,700 square foot terminal building. Jackson Street would have to be re-routed to travel north of the new runway.
Corinth, Tippah Bond Votes .
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For School Works Expected By JOE RUTHERFORD Journal Staff Writer Voters in two northeast Mississippi school districts are expected to go to the polls in coming weeks to decide the fate of bond issues totaling $1,295,000. An election for $695,000 in renovatio n and improvements in the South Tippah School District will go before voters May 13, with a $600,000 issue for renovation and expansion slated for city board action in Corinth. The Corinth issue has been
unanimously endorsed by the city's board of education. with a request for city father to set a date for a public referendum. A spokesman in the city schools' office said the board is expected to approve the referendum, but no date has been proposed for t r~ election . The South Tippah bond election will , if passed by 6U per cent of those casting ballots. provide funds for construction of a new elementary school and general renovation at Blue
Mountain : six additional classrooms and renovation at Pine Grove School ; two n e w classrooms and renovation at Ripley Elementary chool : paving and renorntion at Ripley Middle School and general renovation at Ripley High School. Sou t h Tippah c hool supennte nde nt Roy Ha rrell sa id the bond issue will provide much-needed classroom space at Pine Grove and Blue Mountain. where 18 portable ontinu don Page 14
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MOVING TOWARD THE BICENTENNIAL
Blacks Played Maior Role In Revol ti (Editor's Note: This is the sentiment toward eventual service- $1;000 per slave. second in a continuing series or gradual abolition of each of whom received of articles concerning the slavery. The idea of natural freedom if he performed American Revolution law and enlightenment had "well and faithfully ." In Bicentennial written and been around since t he effect, the Revolutionary government was buying compiled by the Daily 1750's." That sentiment. however, slaves for indentured Journal Staff.) died out by the beginning of servanthood. ironic in light the War of 1812, largely of the newly adopted By JOE RUfflERFORD of JournalStaffWriter because of th'e new cottQn Declaration Independence. The American Revolution economy of frontier regions. As in all wars, the was fought exclusively for American blacks. Owens and by whites to gain said. took full advantage of defending Tories and British independence from England . the Revolution's chance' and were quick to use continued Right'? Wrong. offer of freedom. erving American slavery for Recent scholarly research with both British and propaganda. though they extended little hospitality to has shown that black slaves American forces. and a veritable handful of Several thousand slaves. escaped blacks who sought freemen played a more than in fact served in the refuge and freedom in Lheir minor role in the American Continental Anny, some as camps and ranks. One British officer. war for independence, and substitutes for their that the Revolution was itself . draft-dodging white owners landing at Baltimore in the a major catalyst for and others who enlisted with late 1779's noted wryly, anti-slavery forces. active promises of $50 and freedom "Scarce a white person was to be seen, but Negroes even then in many northern upon discharge. Three thousand blacks. all appeared in great colonies. ''The American slaves. were called for abundance. These live in Rev_olution was certainly a service in Georgia and South huts and ho\'l:ls nPar the high point in the abolitionist Carolina in 1779 when the house of their owners, and movement," according to war in those states seemed are treated as a better kind University of Mississippi on the rim of disaster. The of cattle. being bought and historian Harry Owens. "but slaves' owners were paid sold, according to fancy or even before that we found a h a n d so m e I y for the interest. having no property
not even in their wives or children. Such is the practice or sentiment of Americans, while they are baling about the rights of 'human nature', and oppose the freest govt . and most liberty System of Polity ·upon the face of the earth." Though many slaves were accepted by the British for a kind of Political asylum, they were not above taking military advantage of the displaced blacks. Herded into crowded camps like the cattle they had been called. infectious diseases spread almost at will. When small PoX broke out among blacks under on Virginia command the general in charge wrote to Cornwallis. the British commandant, "About 700 Negro are come down the river in the Small Pox. I shall distribute them among the Rebell Plantations," an obvious strategic move to wipe out owners as well as slaves. If thou!>ands made their
move for freedom by fleeing to the British, thousands took the more patriotic route of enlistment and service in the Continental army. . Black slaves and freemen distinguished Lhemselves in combat roles in the Battle of Rhode Island. the Southern campaign and the North Atlantic states. Altogether, more than 5,000 blacks are estimated to have participated in the American cause-mostly as privates in the army, and many as sailors and privateers fighting the British Navy. Besides the freedom incentives for enlistment, the slaves were actively recruited by Army officers and recruiters who were paid, for that time, a substantial bounty for any enlisent. black or white. ·o less " a gentlt•man 's war and a poor man's fight" than the Civil War. whites were not easily persuaded in many areas to sign on with t he underequipped a nd
underpaid Continental Army. but blacks. who had nothing to lose. were fertile ground. Significantly. many of the blacks really believed in the Revolutionary cause, evidenced by the hundreds who took surnames of Liberty a nd Freedom. Some military companies from Northern states were oredominantly black . a nd some fought with whites and , Indians. One American soldier wrote to his wife in Pennsylvania. describing the Yankee troops as "the strangest mixtu re of Negroes, Indians , and whites, with old m en and mere children, which together with a nasty. lousy appearance makes a most shocking spectacle." Militarily speakin~. the blaC'k. played a n importan role, especially in the later years of the war when Amer ican ranks were Continued 0 11 Page 14
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'Black· Americans: Forgotten Children Of The Revolution .'