HERTFORD COUNTY HERALD, AHOSKIE, N. C.
PAGE 7—SECTION E
AHOSKIE KIWANIS CLUB HAS SECTIONAL MEMBERSHIP
AHOSKIE KIWANIS CLUB
By N. S. GARRETT
III Februray, i()2r,, a of Liie business and professional
men in Alioskie, realizing the great need for a civic organiza
tion, banded ihemseh cs together and liegaii 'W'orking totvards
that end, contacting persons in Ahoskie and surrounding
towns for their ideas and cooperation. As they worked, more
men were added to the list. They decided to join Kiwanis
International. They completed the organization of a Kiwanis
Clul) -with a membership of forty-six, and the Charter was
presented to the Club at a meeting held August 17, 1925, at
Chowan College.
The follotv’ing were the Club's first oflicers; Rev. R. (t.
L. Edwards, President; X. S. Garrett, Secretary; ;ind J. I..
Saivyer, Treasurer.
All members were from the Roanoke Chowan section,
AUTHOR OF THE “HISTORY OF THE
AHOSKIE KIWANIS CLUB'’
NOAH S. GARRETT, Ahiikie, N. C., ii. the ro:i c.f Ncah Garrett
and the late Mary Sawyer Garrett, of Camden, N. C. Born in Cam
den, August 17, 1896, he attended
the Elizabeth City, N. C., schools,
served in the U. S. Navy during
the World War, and after his dis-
charge was associated with Eliza-
' beth City business interests until.
1925, when he came to Ahoskie to
enter the furniture business.
He ma-,ried Miss Eula Davis,
June 16, 1917; and there is one
child,- Norvin W,'., a student at
Duke University, Durham, N. C.
He has been an indefatigable
worker and leader, both in the
field of business and in civic af
fairs, during his residence in
Ahoi.kie. One^.cf the organizers of
the Ahoskie Kiw-anis Club and
holder of all offices within the
club, he is best known in civic af
fairs for the leadership of the club,
which has won outstanding place
in Kiwanis Inlernaticnal. He
still serving as Secretary of the
Club, a post he has held for many
years. He has also given, of his
abounding energy in other fields of public endeavor, notably as Presi
dent of the Hertford County Building & Loan Association. Other
positions either held or in which he new serves include: Lieutenant-
Governor of the Sixth Diuisicn of Kiwanis International, President
c-f the Southern Retail Furniture Association, and Secretary of the
Ahoskie Mrctual Burial Association.
He is Methodist, Mason and Woodman.
twenty-five from Ahoskie, four from Aulander, two from
Colerain,-one from Gatesville, eight from Murfreesboro, two
from Powellsville, three from Winton, and one from W'^ood-
land. Follotving the organization of the Club, and the ac
complishment of worth-tvhile things lor the community, other
men became interested; and by tfie end of the year ten neti^
members tv'crc added,-bringing tlie mcmbershii) up to lifty-six,
One of its lirst objectives was a large post oflice for
Alioskie, the one at the lime being entirely too small for the
•work that was necessary to be done there.
In !();>() the Kiwanis Club voted as its main olijective for
the next four years, the giving of four scholarships to -worthy
girls at Cdiowan College, one from each of the four counties
represented in the Club—Hertford, Bertie, Northampton and
Gates—at a total cost of 5?i-boo.oo, payable $400.00 per year.
The entire membership of the Club took much interest in
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PRESIDENT OF AHOSKIE KIWANIS CLUB
IRA CASWELL AINSLEY, son of
Mr. and Mrs. H, M. Ainsley, -was
born at Stonewall, N. C., Decem
ber 1, 1907. After attending the
public schools, he was graduated
from the University of North
Carolina, A. B. degree in Educa
tion.
He taught in the Ahoskie
schools, where he also served as
athletic coach. On November 25,
1931, he married Miss Mary Ray
nor, of Powellsville. Since giving
up school work five years ago he
has served as representative of a
fertilizer company.
He is a member of the Chris-
;lan church. Elected as president
of the Kiwanis Club, he is now
serving in that capacity.
the education of these tour girls through their four years at
Ghowan College.
l.'he members raised the first S400.00, payable in the Fall
of 1926 from private subscriptions and from funds on hand
in tlie treasurer.
In April, 1927, it tvas decided that more interest would be
created if the club -worked for the funds for these scholarships
nstead of jjaying for tltem out of the treasury. The result
was the employment of C. S. Berryman, of Norfolk, Virginia,
to coach and present a minstrel. It was shown three times, one
night in Ahoskie, one at the Roxobel-Kelfoi'd school, and one
night at Chowan College^ More than $1,200 was raised for
ihe fund.
During tlie Spring of 1927 the club awarded medals to
Seniors with highest honors through the four years of high
school in each town represented in the Club. The ten to^vms
tv'ere Al-toskie, Aulander, Colerain, CoiTway, Gatesville, Har-
rellsville, Murfreesboro, Powellsville, Winton and Woodland.
These medals have been awarded every year except two. A
total of seventy medals have been awarded.
The Club was verv active in cooperating tvith the Eastern
Carolina Chamber of Commeixe in putting on a peanut ex
position in 1927. There was an attractive booth in the ex
position building giving the names of the members of the
Club and the towns represented. A beautiful float was also
entered in the parade.
In 1928 the club used its influence to secure better roads
throughout the Roanoke-Chowan section, and especially for
improvement of the road from Ahoskie to Aulander. The
Club also rvorked on the idea of a hospital for this section,
which has never materialized, but is still a dream of the
future.
In April of this year the Club put on its second minstrel
to raise funds for the scholarships. After careful considera
tion, it was decided tliat a minstrel -would not pay a ritird
year, and for the next three years amateur shows were given
with local talent. «
The Club took an active part in sponsoring the N. R. A.
locally in 1933, helping to get merchants and other business
men to cooperate.
In the Fall of that year tlie Club furnished school books
for children whose parents were not able to buy them. This
work gave the members so much satisfaction they voted un
derprivileged child work as the Club’s continuing objective.
The idea of a three-day “Kiwanis Festival” was born in
1934. Work began immediately with the result that the first
“Kiwanis Festival” -was held in Alioskie, August 15, 16, and
lyih, 1934, with the entire proceeds to be used for under
privileged child ivork. Tiro years later the “Kiwanis Festi
val” iras made an annual event to be held in June. The Fes
tival consisted of a carnival run by the members of the Club,
assisted by ihe’boys and girls of this section, a floor show with
a different program each night, and ending with a dance, thus
providing entevtaiimient for all ages. The “Kiwanis Festi
val” has been worked up and improved on, until everybody,
young- and old alike, look forward to this annual event.
In the fourteen years of the Club's existence it has ac
complished much for the Roanoke-Chowan section. One year
ihe Club helped sponsor a “Better Homes Week” that
brought more than two thousand people to Ahoskie. Hert
ford County’s outstanding Boy Club member was sent to
Washington, D. C., for a week. As many as fifty-eight baskets
of flowers have been sent to sick people in hospitals, and many
baskets of foodstuff distfibiued during the Christmas holidays.
More ihan one hundred fifty underprivileged children have
been treated and operated on for club feet, hairlips, cleft
palates, j^lastic surgery, and scar tissue of face and eyes, ton
sil operations, treating children with defective eyes and vis
ion, and operating on cross-eye'd children, furnishing glasses
for all those who needed them, and having X-rays made in
clinics. These treatments and operations have been worth
thousands and thousands of dollars to these boys and girls, as
it enables them to go through life without tlie handicaps they
would otherwise have had. The Club has given large dona
tions to flood and tornado sufferers during these years.
The Club has created a better I'clationship between the
business and professional men and the farmers of the Roa-
,ioke-Chowaii section. It sets aside one meeting in each year
as “Farmers Night,” each member bringing a farmer with
him as his guest, and giving a program on Agriculture or
Dairying. The Club has sponsored tlic sale of cows for 4-H
Club boys.
During- the life ol the Ahoskie Kiwanis Club tiie member
ship has varied; some of the members moving away, and some
being claimed by death. Today the Club is active with a
membership of thirty-three. Only six of the charier members
have stuck with the Club throughout the fourteen years. TIrey
are D. P. Boyette, D. R.- Britton, R. R. Copeland, A. J. Eley,
N. S. Garrett and C. Greene. One interesting fact about the
membership is that Dr. J. B. Rufliii and W. A. Tayloe, wiio
wci'e charter members, have sometime since retired from tlie
(Continued on page 8)
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