Thr WfHt t'nnrn
HIGHLIGHT
Volume 4, Number 50, Vanceboro, N.C. Thursday, December 10, 1981 16 Pages 20 Cents
Mr. Jonathan Phillips former editor of Highlights and a
graduate student pens prize paper on Barn Research.
Former
Editor
GREENVILLE—A graduate student of East Carolina
University has written a prize-winning research paper
based on the changes that have come about in a familiar
landscape scene in this tobacco-growing region; the bulk
curing barn.
In the lifetime of the student, Jonathan Phillips, the style
and structure of the tobacco land barn has changed
drastically. Today, many of the old, unpainted' wooden
barns, weathered and weed-grown, stand deserted and
forlorn in the fields, as much a relic of the past as the
chimneys of long-gone farm houses. New bulk barns are
metal and some are brightly colored such as tobacco green
and yellow.
Observation of the changes which have taken place
because of new bulk barn technology sparked Phillips’
research which formed the basis for his paper, “The Bulk
Barn in North Carolina; Technological Innovation and the
Changing Landscape.”
The report, presented at the 36th Annual meeting of the
Southeastern division of the Association of American
Geographers in Atlanta, Nov. 22-24, won first place in
regional competition among master’sdegree candidates and
a $50 prize.
Phillips, son of the Rev. and Mrs. Arthur Phillips of
Swansboro, N.C. holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism
from Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
He also worked as a newspaperman on the staff of the
Washington, N.C. Daily News, before entering ECU to
pursue a graduate degree in the department of Geography
and Planning. He attended high school in Carthage and
attended Louisburg Junior College. Leuisburg.
Principal
Retires
By BETTY DAUGHERTY
December 31, 1981 will end
his twentieth year as
Principal of this school.
Mr. Hinton attended Iowa
State Teachers College, Mars
Hill and East Carolina
University.
To show their appreciation,
the workers at New Bern-
Craven County Board of
Education gave a luncheon at
the Holiday Inn in his honor.
Also, on Wednesday night,
December 2nd, the faculty
from Bridgeton Elementary
held a retirement party at the
Ramada Inn.
When asked about his
future plans, Mr. Hinton said
he didn't really have any. But
he'd probably tinker around
the house and work in his
garden.
JAKE HINTON
In 1952, Mr. Jake Hinton
was tired of his occupation
and decided to try teaching.
He started in Vanceboro at
Farm Life High School and
said he'd try it for one year.
He stayed for ten years. While
in Vanceboro he met and
married the former Ruth
Powell of Vanceboro.
They have one son, Don, age
19, who is a freshman at East
jCarolina University.
In 1962 he went to
Bridgeton Elementary
School, Bridgeton, N.C.
The Maul Swamp Road “Jot Em Down”
Country Store
By RICHARD CANNON
Willie and Lillie Dunn are the operators of W.S. Dunn
Grocery on Maul Swamp Road. Route. 1, Vanceboro. N.C. In
1949 Mr. & Mrs. Dunn came to live with Mrs. Dunn’s Uncle
Billy Ipock, and started helping him operate W.E. Ipock’s
Grocery Store. Mrs. Dunn actively worked with Mr. Ipock
until his death in 1957.
Mr. & Mrs. Dunn acquired the store after Mr. Ipock’s
death and renamed it W.S. Dunn Grocery. They have
operated the country grocery store continiously for the past
thirty-two years. They have kept the store small: stocking
items such as nabs, drinks, oil, gas, soaps, candy, sugar,
bread, and can goods.
A recent item that Mrs. Dunn is proud of is her handmade
dolls. She keeps a good supply of THE COUNTRY DOLLS
available at all times. She makes these dolls during her
spare time while running the store.
Mr. Dunn remembered that a store was on the Maul
Swamp Road back in 1919 when he came to live in the
community. He remembers that Mr. Dossie Ipock operated
the store in the pack house across the road from the present
store and later built the present store. The Ipock Grocery
was the fourth store on the Maul Swamp Road. The first one
was located on the Sam Ellison Place now owned by Wayne
Bryan of Vanceboro, the second store was owned and
WACHOVIA
BANK
operated by Allie Barrington Gaskins sister of Mr. Perry
Dossie Ipock. Mr. Ipock bought his sister out of business and
moved the store to his pack house to make the third store, and
the present store was built about 1930 and was the fourth
store to be on the road. An interesting sidelight to the store is
that most of the material that makes up the frontof the store
came from tobacco warehouses that were torn down in
Vanceboro. He stated there were three floors in the present
store. When one floor began to show wear another floor was
placed over the worn floor.
When asked if they enjoyed their work, they replied, "We
enjoy our neighbors coming in daily and nightly and sitting
around talking about old times, the present times and the
times to come.” They plan to continue to keep the store
operating and serve the community. Mrs. Dunn said, “I
wouldn’t know what to do without the store.”
Mr. Dunn can recall many changes, but mostly the biggest
changes have been in prices of merchandise. “Why I can
remember when Mr. Dossie Ipock paid fifty cent a crate for
coca cola and sold them for five cents each, sometimes cold
and sometimes hot, same price, five cents.”
If you don’t have anything to do, why don’t you come out
and sit a spell.
The new Wachovia Bank
building is taking shape on
the corner of Main and New
Street. The new site is the
former location of the Holy
Name Catholie Church.
This new facility will give
the citizens of the Vanceboro
area modern and convenient
services. There will be plenty
of parking, and available and
easy access to and from the
bank. Two entrances are
planned; one from Main
Street and another on New
Street. Drive-In banking will
be available, and other up-to-
date services will be listed in
this newspaper at a later date.
Completion date will be
some time in April, 1982.
BANK SITE-CORNEROF MAIN AND NEW
STREETS