Lamar University Press (Beaumont, Tex.), Vol. 58, No. 36, Ed. 1 Friday, February 26, 1982 Page: 1 of 8
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(. h Good
Morning!
Ur
LAMAR
UNIVERSITY PRESS
Serving the Lamar community for 58 years
It's Friday
February 26, 1982
Vol. 58, No. 36
Recent plan
disapproved
D „ J „ Fire fighters battle blaze that destroyed the main structure of the 214-room Red Carpet Inn on Interstate 10
Aru carpel ourns—« ■ • - -
1 Wednesday evening. The fire raged out of control from 5:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m.
Photo by DAVID HARRINGTON
Officials investigating hotel fire
By RENITA JOHNSON
UP Editor
Lamar president Dr. C. Robert
* Kemble said Thursday that he is not
in favor of Lamar University becom-
ing a part of the University of Houston
system.
This statement was made in
response to one of several proposals
made last week by Bernard Johnson
of Houston to reorganize and create
systems of higher education in the
state of Texas.
rM “I think that these are the kinds of
things that will have to be talked
about two to four years before people
will accept them,” Kemble said.
He said that these are very early
proposals that would have a long way
to go before being established.
Johnson, who is a regent of the
Texas State University system, was
unavailable for comment Thursday.
Kemble said that the Lamar Board
of Regents clearly favors in-
dependency governed universities,
‘ but will not dismiss other alter-
natives.
He said the governor appointed a
major task force to study major
issues relative to higher education in
the state of Texas, and one of the
issues was organization of higher
education in Texas.
Lighting improvements have been
made to 16 areas on campus since the
fall semester, Robert C. Burrows,
assistant director of the physical
plant, said Wednesday.
These improvements were made
after a committee of Lamar officials
toured the campus in October and
, made a list of areas that had faulty
lighting.
“In October we looked at the
lighting situation on campus and
made a list with 54 items on it,” Bur-
rows said.
Ken Sparks, director of the physical
plant, said that when the list of im-
provements in the lighting on the
Lamar campus was made and
reviewed, it was decided that $50,000
would be needed to correct all of the
* problems.
i However, at that time only $25,000
was made available.
Sparks said that the additional
money will be provided in the future.
At this time 21 items on the original
list have been completed to improve
the lighting in 16 areas of the campus.
Areas that have received lighting
improvements are the Gray Library,
A three-car accident occurred at
the comer of University Drive and
Parking Lot 7 Thursday at 2 p.m.,
sending Lamar’s athletic director to
St. Elizabeth’s hospital.
Two other men were involved in the
accident, but were not injured, C.D.
Boyd, Beaumont police officer, said.
J.B. Higgins was listed in “stable
condition” at press time, a hospital
spokesperson said.
Kemble said Johnson’s counter pro-
posals came after the task force had
put forth its final efforts.
The subcommittee of the
governor’s task force, he said, came
to the conclusion that every universi-
ty should be in a system, but that they
were not qualified, nor was it advan-
tageous to say what schools should be
included in what system.
Kemble said the real issue is that
the governor has asked the subcom-
mittee to consider naming which
schools they want in what systems.
The committee will examine
Johnson’s counter proposals at the
next meeting, he said.
Lloyd Hayes, chairman of the
Lamar Board of Regents, said that he
feels Lamar as a separate university
can do the best job for the educational
needs in this area.
“There may be some schools you
need to put under Lamar, smaller
schools that would be operated like
Lamar at Port Arthur and Orange,”
he said.
Hayes said that although he can see
some advantages politically, he has
not seen anything that outweighs the
disadvantages.
“The subject gets back to funding.
The only way anyone in this area
See PROPOSAL, page 2
the Health Center, McDonald Gym,
Dining Hall B, and the Setzer Student
Center.
Also the Women’s Gym, the
Chemistry Building, the Technical
Arts Building, University Theatre,
and Cherry Engineering Building
have received better lighting.
Other improvements made were
See IN CAMPUS VIEW,
page 2
to Brooks-Shivers Hall, Parking Lot
17 on the south side of Lavaca, the
Methodist Center, Speech and Hear-
ing Center, Morris and Combs
Dorms, and the Alpha Tau Omega
Lodge.
Burrows said some materials have
not yet been installed.
When all pending installations are
complete, Burrows said, the commit-
tee will make another tour of the cam-
pus to see where lights are still need-
ed.
Anthony Etim, a Lamar student,
was driving north on University Drive
when Higgins was turning left into
Parking Lot 7, Boyd said.
Clifford Levias, a resident of Beau-
mont but not a student at Lamar, was
leaving the parking lot in his Datsun
and was hit when Etim’s Ford broad-
sided Higgins’ Volkswagen, Boyd
said.
By JOHN TISDALE
of the UP staff
Beaumont fire officials are still in-
vestigating the cause of a late-
aftemoon fire that destroyed a major
portion of the Red Carpet Inn’s
214-room structure Wednesday.
Tommy May, Beaumont Fire
Department public information of-
ficer, said he doesn’t know when the
investigators will come up with the
cause, since “a fire of this size causes
problems in determining the cause.”
“We have accounted for all the
employees, and investigators are
checking the building” for possible
victims, May said. “Also, they are
gathering eyewitness accounts of the
fire for possible clues.”
The blaze, discovered about 5:30
p.m., was “under control” by 10:30
p.m. Wednesday night, May said.
Fire fighters watched the smoldering
ruins Thursday.
One injury was reported. Beaumont
fire fighter Mark Phillips was injured
when part of a wall collapsed and pin-
ned him in the southeast comer of the
WASHINGTON (UPI)-President
Reagan Wednesday announced an
“unprecedented” economic aid plan
for the poor countries of the Carib-
bean Basin and sternly warned
Havana and Moscow to refrain from
igniting brushfire wars in the region.
“If we do not act promptly and
decisively in defense of freedom, new
Cubas will arise from the ruins of to-
day’s conflicts,” Reagan told the
Organization of American States in
unveiling his long-awaited Caribbean
Basin Initiative.
“Let our friends and our adver-
saries understand that we will do
whatever is prudent and necessary to
ensure the peace and security of the
Caribbean area.”
Amid increased concern over the
civil war in El Salvador, Reagan
building. Phillips was listed in f|ur
condition at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital.
The structure, built in 1968, had a
common attic which caused the rapid
spread of the fire, May said.
“The fire started in the south end of
the structure’s attic and spread
quickly, although we responded in
three minutes,” May said.
A mutual aid assistance call was
put in at 5:30 p.m. to the Sabine-
Neches chief, and approximately 100
off-duty firemen appeared at the
scene to help put out the blaze.
Fire departments from Vidor, Port
Neches and Nederland were summon-
ed to answer any other fire alarms in
Beaumont. Vidor sent 17 men and a
rescue unit to help fight the blaze, as
did Port Arthur.
“We had four snorkel trucks, two
ladder trucks, 11 pumpers and four
aerial units to fight the blaze,” May
said.
Fire fighters concentrated efforts
on trying to save an unattached wing
containing 84 units at the rear of the
main structure.
backed up his unusually tough talk in
what was primarily billed as a speech
on regional economic development by
announciong he will ask Congress for
another $60 million in military aid this
year for the Caribbean and Central
America.
The miliitary assistance would in-
clude small arms, patrol boats,
helicopters and communications
equipment, but an administration
spokesman said it would “absolutely
not” involve American combat
troops.
The president’s warning against
further communist expansion in the
vital region backed up his sweeping
proposal to help prop up the
economies of the poorer nations in the
area with a massive inflow of U.S.
dollars.
The Red Carpet was not equipped
with fire stops, alarm systems, fire
detectors or a sprinkler system, May
said.
Officials reported that a bellhop
saw smoke coming from a vent in the
kitchen. ______.
Police officials halted traffic on the
south-bound service road of In-
terstate 10, closed the Laurel street
exit and re-routed vehicles down
Calder Avenue.
See related pictures, page 6
The Red Cross provided shelter and
clothing to patrons of the hotel
Wednesday night. Red Cross also pro-
vided coffee and sandwiches to
firefighters and guests of the hotel.
Red Cross officials provided shelter
for guests of the hotel and helped
others in finding places to stay.
“This economic proposal is as un-
precedented as today’s crisis in the
Caribbean,” he said.
“This commitment makes un-
mistakably clear our determination
to help our neighbors grow strong.”
The overall program is designed to
protect what the president termed “a
vital and strategic and commercial
artery for the United States.”
The main points of the program in-
clude Reagan seeking congressional
authorization for:
—One-way free trade and the
elimination of duties on all imports
from the Caribbean Basin nations ex-
cept for textiles and apparel. A
“safeguard mechanism” would be
created to protect any U.S. industry
seriously hurt by such imports.
—Tax breaks for U.S. investors who
Hotel employees were on the scene
Thursday morning helping fire of-
ficials try to locate documents and
files.
“Everyone is in a state of shock
right now,” one employee said Thurs-
day. The police department was not
allowing anyone on the premises
Thursday.
May said that “investigators are
going through the building this morn-
ing (Thursday) trying to determine
how and where the fire started.”
Hotel guests returned to the scene
Thursday morning to question the
status of their belongings, and hotel
employees were taking the names of
guests to help them locate their
belongings.
The Red Carpet Inn is owned by
Beaumont Associates, a limited part-
nership.
At press time, Augie Ward, prin-
cipal partner, was scheduled to hold a
press conference Thursday after-
noon.
plow money into the area.
—An extra $350 million appropria-
tion for 1982 to provide emergency
assistance for several countries that a
fact sheet on the spech said face “par-
ticularly critical” situations.
—Favorable treatment for textile
and apparel exports from the region
while efforts are continued to tighten
import growth from other major sup-
pliers.
“Make no mistake,” Reagan said,
“the well-being and security of our
neigbors in this region are in our own
vital interests.”
He said nearly half of the U.S. trade
flow, two-thirds of the nation’s oil im-
ports and more than half of the
strategic minerals brought into the
United States come through the
Panama Canal or the Gulf of Mexico.
Lighting improved
J.B. Higgins hospitalized
Aid plan for 6poor countries9announced
Age-old dreams lead to progress
for black Americans
By ANTHONY HARRIS
J of the UP staff_
This month has marked America’s
acknowledgement of black history.
During this time, perhaps people in
many cities, towns and countries
have learned and reviewed the
significant events, landmark civil
rights and social legislation, court
decisions and executive orders that
have affected blacks specifically and
Americans in general.
One such significant event was the
protest of various injustices to blacks
, and poor and disadvantaged
Americans in August of 1963 at the
Washington Memorial.
At this time, in his most famous
speech, the late Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. told approximately 250,000
people, “I have a dream. One day this
nation will rise up and live out the
true meaning of its creed that all men
are created equal.
“One day black and white children
will live in a nation where they will
not be judged by the color of their
skin, but by the content of their
character.”
Dreams and protests such as this
one, however, have led to progress for
blacks in aspects of American life
such as politics, race relations,
education and economics.
Before the civil rights movement
and public exposure of injustices of
the oppressed in this country,
Americans were not fully aware of
the mistreatment of the oppressed.
“This urged knowledgeable whites
to rectify the situation,” Amos Evans,
director of the Port Arthur NAACP
chapter, said. “So, blacks began to be
elected to more prominent political
positions on local, state and national
levels.”
These representatives have become
the realistic voice for black
Americans. They are aware of the
needs and problems of blacks.
Blacks and other minorities are
able to identify and relate to these
representatives easily, Evans said.
But, he said, blacks and other
minorities have accountable
representatives partly because of the
1965 Voting Rights Act.
“It has been the single most effec-
s
tive tool in protecting the right to vote
and assuring the integrity of voting in
this country,” he said.
Presently, among some of the
leaders appealing to the majority of
blacks are Leon Sullivan, a
Philadelphia minister; Benjamin J.
Hooks, executive director of the
NAACP; Jessie Jackson, director of
People United to Save Humanity
(PUSH); and Coretta Scott King,
director of the Martin Luther King
Foundation for Social Change, Evans
said.
Though race relations have improv-
ed in this country because of the
societal changes that stem from the
1960s, Evans says that the NAACP is
concerned about the dual society that
exists in some states.
The NAACP, he said, is aware of
the racial overtones that still exist in
America. “Particularly intelligent
people know that once racial over-
tones are totally eliminated, the
American public will advance in race
relations,” he said.
Black Americans continue to pur-
sue opportunities in higher education,
Dr. Bernard Watson, vice president
for academic affairs at Temple
University in Philadelphia, says in an
essay from the book, “The State of
Black America 1981.”
“They are highly represented in
basic and applied sciences, informa-
tion systems and., computer
technology, matffiPmatics,
agriculture, engineering and the
health professions,” Watson says.
“Beginning in 1967, significant in-
creases in black enrollment were
registered and continued over the
next decade until approximately 11
percent of the total enrollment is
black.
“In the South, black enrollment in
1976 was 16 percent of the total 426,000
students. Since 1970, it has grown at
double the rate of white enrollment.”
Moreover, with the exception of
historically black institutions, com-
munity colleges have increased ac-
cess to higher education for
minorities.
“Obviously these institutions are
making substantial contributions to
diversity within the entire higher
education sector,” Watson says.
What is more, blacks are returning
to a period in their history by relying
more on their own inner strengths for
educating children and youth.
For instance, the NAACP is
operating a community center
reading program in the Port Arthur
Independent School District.
This reading program, coordinated,
by Carolyn Evans, has been in opera-
tion for seven years. It is held for nine
months out of the year on Saturdays
at 10 a.m. at the NAACP local office.
“Students, ranging from 6- to
14-years-old, from throughout the
PAISD attend the program,” Evans
said. “Assisted by teachers and Alpha
Kappa Alpha sorority, students prac-
tice and improve their reading skills.
They read textbooks and newspapers,
and play educational games.”
During this month, the students
have been identifying past and pre-
sent black leaders and reading books
on black history, she said.
To paraphrase the words of John
Kennedy, the work that King began
and other leaders are now pursuing
must truly be America’s own.
Inside ^
•LU to host dance festival,
page 2
• Executives' move to halt
nuclear race applauded,
page 3
• Language problems
remedied, page 4
•Carnival time, page 5
•Cards to face Baylor, page 7
Weather _
The weather forecast for today
calls for partly cloudy skies with
scattered showers with the
highs in the mid 60s. Saturday
and Sunday will be partly
cloudy with the morning lows
in the mid 40s. The daytime
highs will be in the upper 50s to
upper 60s. There will be scat-
tered showers on Saturday.
■>
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Johnson, Renita. Lamar University Press (Beaumont, Tex.), Vol. 58, No. 36, Ed. 1 Friday, February 26, 1982, newspaper, February 26, 1982; Beaumont, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth500149/m1/1/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Lamar University.