PAGES—SECTION E HERTFORD COUNTY HERALD, AHOSKIE, N. C. 1939 Historical edition 1 Ahoskie Of 1989; Fifty Years Hence By BUCK KELLY I FEFL liighly complimented tliat Pai'ker Bros., publishers *• of the Roanoke-Chotvan Dailv Herald, should call an old octogenarian out of retirement to “do” another piece for one of ilieir pajiers. Riu T suppose it is railicr iitting that somewliere in the special issue of the Herald commemorating- the Hundredth Anniversary of (lie city of Ahoskie there should appear an article by the only surviving memlier of the staff' that fifty years ago got out a special edition of the Hertford County (treckly) Herald to com memorate the Fifiietli Anniver sary of the totvn of Ahoskie. It is ^viih a great deal of pleas ure that I rul) my hands to chase out a little of the stiffness of four score years and sit at ray type- ivriter and think back to the days v'.'hen Ahoskie teas Jiardly a seventli of its ])rescnt size. - In faratv’ay days the entire .own imiluded little more than .lie present Inisines district of the ity. \Vhcre the city’s thirteen toliacco trarehouses now group tlicmseh'es around South Main street tliere tvere tlien only three warehouses, a church, a few resi- Where tvhole.sale rotv now ^NN HOME One of Mtir- .fi-ee.sboro’s Colo nial residences, reminders of its early days. ""i Queen Anne Apartments, 8(?1 Seagrave Avenue Ahoskie, N. C. dences and many vacant lot stretclies i,y blocks there -were only a half dozen buildings. Between the heart of the jiresent Imsiness section and the warehouse section, witliiit a narrotv radius of the ACL tracks, tvas the present business section of the tovvii. Where Central High School notv rears its modernistic five-story lieauty stood tile totvn’s only scliool in a building that tvoUld house only half ihe student body of the smallest of the present'three ele mentary schools. The Brotvn Meltorial Junior High School notv stands on a site ihat fifty years ago tvas a half mile beyond the (o-wn limit.s. Wdicre your children now attend public schools ten montlrs per year for twelve years, the child of a half century ago attended only eleven years of eight months each, or fwo and one-lialf years le.ss of total scliooling. In that far-gone day and age the heroic pioneers of modern education were manfully striving for a nvelfth grade for their eight months schools. "Where now an Ahoskie high school graduate has to ask no quarter in competition ^vith students from any state of the Union, in that day and age numerous high school gi'aduates wlio attended college found himself so far outstripped in fundamental preparation that he was often foi'ced to drop be hind and repeat his college classes or drop out of school be cause of the inability to keep up with the graduates of better equipped school systems. One of the principal reasons why the schools of Ahoskie and Hertford county -were restricted to eight-months school years for so long was the nature of the agriculture of the county. During the years 1 was connected with the Hertford County Herald, the principal crops of the county were to bacco, peanuts, and cotton, and it was almost a necessity that (Continued on Page 2, Section F) AHOSKIE KIWANIS CLUB (Continued from Page 4) Club, and their sons. Dr. J. B. Rufhnn, Jr., and Woodrdtv Tavloe are notv active and loval members of the Club, com- y'ihoshio 70»90, According To Kelly Here are some well known buildings of the Ahoskie skyline 50 years hence, as veteran news paperman “Buck” Kelly views it in prospect. Read hLs story over to your left. ing ill under the same classifications a's their fathers before them’. Former members of the Club, tvho have gone out and taken outstanding positions for themselves in the tvorld are: Thad A. Eure, Secretary of State, Stanley Winbornc, Com missioner of Public Utilities, W. H. S. Burgwyn, Superior Court Judge, E. R. Tyler, Solicitor for this District, and A. P. Godivin. Judge County Court, Cfatesville. The Ahoskie Kitvanis Club has furnished tivo Lieutenant Govei'uors for the Sixth Division in the Carolinas District of Khvanis International—X. S. Garrett and S. 'W'. Enloe, Jr., respectively. The Club is noted for its inter-club meetings, having at tended Kiivanis meetings in more than thirty-tivo towns. Tile Club attended the International Convention in Wa.sh- ingtoii, D. C., in iQ.sfi, one hundred percent. The Ahoskie Kiwanis Club lias been responsible for bringing good felloivship to the Imsiness and professional men of the Roanoke - Chowan section, and it is celebrating its Fourteenth Anniversary this year. Is He Prophetic? W. J. (“Buck”) KELLY, the author of the fantastic article. He was a member of the Herald force until he wrote this story, when he transferred to Windsor to become editor of the Bertie Ledger-Ad- In The World TO LIVE • Not located in the heart of one of the richest agricultural sections in the United States — COLERAIN IS THE HEART, barring none. Blessed not only with fine soils but with unexcelled climate, Colerain offers home-seekers unequalled opportunities for a healthful, happy, profitable living. COLERAIN HAS EVERYTHING—New fine hard-surfaced highways, cheap water transportation via the Chowan, beach and bathing facilities beyond compare, abundant supply of electric power, sport or commercial fishing oppor tunities, excellent home sites, and a people who are hospitable, easy and pleasant to live with. The best way to learn and know about it is to COME TO COLERAIN.. We congratulate our neighbor—Ahoskie—on attaining its 50th birthday, and invite all of you to visit our town often and do business, mingle with, and (if you can) sell to us. This Is Your Summer Headquarters, Roanoke ■ Chowaners OOLEHAIN AND THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC-SPIRITED FIRMS AND INDIVIDUALS: Bank of Coleraine Wade’s Pharmacy Prescription Druggists M. H. White Garage General Repairing and Welding Farmers Supply Co. L. A. and L. D. Perry, A. T. Belch Colerain Beach “Bear” Perry — “Pig” Parker, Managers H. A. Hughes BARBER SHOP

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