Asheville Citizen-Times from Asheville, North Carolina • Page 32

32 THE ASHEVILLE CITIZEN, May 23, 1974 Allen High To Close As Private Black Girls9 School semester. But it was only recently that the final word came from the National Division and Women's Division of the Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, which funded the school, following a board meeting in Atlantic City that ended May 3. According to Miss Walther, the board decided to close the present program but to keep the office open during the next four months to study proposals and make recom had failed to meet in these counties. During the past nine years, the purpose of the school has shifted to meeting a multitude of societal problems for young black girls, such as disruptions in family life and depersonalization of education in large urban schools which have resulted in failure for many teen-agers. "Many people think Integration has worked and Allen High School is not needed anymore," Miss Walther said.

"Integration has solved a major education situation in Western North public schools had begun to meet the needs of black grade school children, and since no boys dormitory had ever been constructed, boys were no longer enrolled. Allen became an all-girls high school with about two-thirds of the boarding students coming from small communities in Western North Carolina. But by the fall of 1965 all of the 17 counties in Western North Carolina had desegregated their high schools and no longer was it necessary for Allen to fill a need that public education School to provide a place in the community where black youths and adults could learn to read and write. Within a month, more than 100 students had enrolled. By 1940 Allen High School, named after a financial backer in the mid-1890s, had become one of the two black high schools in the 17 counties of Western North Carolina to become accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

During the following years, Allen turned toward college preparatory work, the grade school was dropped because to provide the opportunity for social adjustments for young black girls who live in small farm communities in the mountains where there are few other black families. "We have one girl here who was the only black student in her high school. Such isolation can cause major identity problems," Miss Walther said. The school staff and faculty, numbering about 19 full-time and part-time, have known since December that in all likelihood the school would close its doors with the closing of the spring Allen High School, a private black girls' school at 331 College St. in Asheville, will close its doors for the last time June 3.

Tlie school which graduated its first class in 1899 is closing because it has been caught in a financial squeeze, according to Principal Miss Ruth Walther who has been at the school since 1948. Some people also feci that the school is no longer needed. The school was opened Oct. 30, 1887 by Miss Alsie B. Dole in a livery stable on the present site of Allen High Carolina, but at the same time we see these schools and home problems that have nothing to do with integration.

These problems at home and then failures at school present problems that the public schools just can't meet. "But," she continued, "the problem is that most of the kids who need this type of school don't come from wealthy families. We just couldn't charge the tuition we needed to keep the school running." Another area where the need for a school such as Allen High School still exists, according to Miss Walther, is mendations to the board on future use of the building. "It is possible that something will be developed which will include services to children or youth," she said. "But I'm sure the school will not reopen as it is now." In deciding the future pos-sib ill ties for the school facilities, she said the persons who examine the proposals will examine them in light of the goals and objectives of the board and the priorities of the National Divisions.

And of course, funding appeal will play a big part in the recommendations to the board. Miss Walther also made it clear that the closing affects only the high school and not the Children's Grammar School, a parent-cooperative housed on the grounds. In the meantime, 10 girls will graduate this year, most of them to go on to college, bringing the total graduates of the Allen High School to 1,177 since that first class graduated in 1899. The remaining 20 girls at the school, who have traveled to Asheville to attend school from up and down the East Coast, as far north as Connecticut and south to Florida, and from the Virgin Islands and Liberia, are busy looking for a new Alma Mater. 0 Riddle Seeks Chairmanship Of Buncombe Dem Party yaw- khmiii tmr Hi Asheville atorney Rober E.

people in the party about the chairmanship. "I know I have some backing, Riddle said Wednesday he is a candidate for chairman of the Buncombe County Democratic party at the county convention at 2 p.m. June 29 in the and that's certainly encouraging," he said. Riddle said he would be courthouse. willing to devote his time and energy to the job to unify the A former president of the party and work toward a Buncombe County Young Democratic Club, Riddle has successful year in the Nov.

5 been active in politics for a elections. number of years and once "I am willing to make the served as vice president of the sae YDC. sacrifices to try to do a good job in the tradition of Piercy Carter, Nona McDonnold and The par? reoreanizaion ROBERT RIDDLE the late Ed Loft in," Riddle said. begins with precinct elections June 18 at 8 pjn. at each precinct polling place.

Delegates picked in the precinct will elect the county Democratic Executive Committee. An afternoon STAR SHOWS F. Piercy Carter, incumbent chairman of the executive committee, has said he is not a candidate for another term. Carter said the county con vention will be held in the fifth floor court room of the Bun combe County Courthouse. Riddle, 38, is a native of Madison County, and has prac Seeing Things First Hand ticed law here since 1960.

He is a graduate of Wake Forest Law School, and senior partner in the Asheville firm of Riddle and Shackelford, P.A. of the Biltmore Estate, took the gals around the estate in a 1913 Stevens-Duryea, which was the property of George W. Vanderbilt. Marie Earley of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce directed the day's outing. North Carolina Welcome Cekiter hostesses, on tour of the state to familiarize themselves on a personal basis with Tar Heel attractions from the Great Smokies to Hatteras, visited the Asheville area Wednesday.

Don Burleson, general manager "I would like to serve the party in any capacity, and this certainly would be a very MUNSTERS-4pm BONANZA challenging capacity. This is an Important year for the Democratic party, particularly in Buncombe County," Riddle Area Fighting To Get Even Water Pressure wrnn.TV said. a and delivered," The new eight-inch main, I low-pressure problem is being Riddle said he has been GREENVILLE. SOUTH CAROLINA I 11 I Edens said. designed to eliminate the given the highest priority.

contacted by a number of In the meantime, many in the Gorman Bridge Road area ars living with a trickle of water to nothing during peak demand periods. The shortage of water bos been going on for years. Mil mm o) J- "People just shouldn't have' to live this way," John Meadows said. "Dogs and cats live this way, but people shouldn't have to." Meadows, a resident of Gorman Bridge Road, was talking about the area's problem with water its lack of it. Residents say that city water is piped to the area in a two-inch line which is not big enough.

They said they've been approaching City Council for the last five years, particularly in the last year, but Council keeps putting off action. Relief for the situation was nromised Tuesday when Wil according to residents, but before it was only on Saturday. Now it's seven days a week and for the last three Saturdays some homes have not had water for ud to 20 to 12 hours. tor Hi Kl issrc The unpredictability of water supply is what Is most maddening to people. "You start out with plenty of liam T.

Edens. director of the water to brush your teeth and water and sewage department, you end up with a mouth full said the city would replace toothpaste," Mrs. Alma Penley old two-inch line witn anoui said. 2.000 feet of eight-inch mam Some families have changed from Dryman Mountain Road to their living hours to coincide the northeast with the availability of water, "This will be done just as which is usually at a.m. or soon as the pipe can be midnight.

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