PROGRESS SENTINEL
I
? VOL. XXXXVI1 NO. 45 USPS 162-860 KENANSVILLE, NC 28349 NOVEMBER 10, 1983 16 PAGES THIS WEEK 10 CENTS PLUS TAX
Duplin Tour Focuses
On Importance
Of Conservation
Benjamin J. Fountain's
family is the Duplin County
conservation family of the
year.
The current emphasis on
land presevation in farming
communities across the
nation was reflected in the
annual Duplin County soil
conservation tour which at
tracted more than 100
4P people. The tour was fol
lowed by a conservation
awards program which
named the Benjamin J.
Fountain family the conser
vation farm family of the
year.
The attitude toward farm
land in the United States has
changed drastically in the
last half century.
"Slash and burn!" "Wear
A it out and move on!" "Cut
? and run!"
Fifty years ago much of the
nation's farm land showed
the effects of such handling.
Millions of acres of fields
were deeply eroded and
slashed with gullies. Stream
channels filled with sediment
from eroded fields and trash
from logging operations
blocked normal drainage.
Abandoned farms with
O their rotting buildings at
tested to ruination of the
fields. For more than two
centuries U.S. farmers
tended to plant the same
crops year after year in the
same fields with little con
cern for what happened to
the land. When the land
"wore out" they moved on.
There was always more
cheap land to the west.
Many farms in hilly coun
try have fences that have
been built on top of buried
fences on lowland fields. The
earlier fences were buried
under the run-off soil from
eroding hillside fields. Some
exceptions to the general at
titude always could be
found. One notable exception
was in southeastern Pennsyl
vania, where some of the
nation's most productive
farms still exist, after more
than two centuries of pro
duction.
In eastern Duplin County,
more than 100 people were
on hand as the Fountain
family of the Cedar Fork
community in southeastern
Duplin County was named
conservation farm family of
the year.
A member of last year's
winning family, Furnie Lee
Boyette of central Duplin,
accompanied the tour. Boy
ette, operator of a 184-acre
grain, tobacco and swine
farm, recently was named as
one of 10 finalists in the
national conservation farmer
awards program under the
auspices of the National En
dowment for Soil and Water
Conservation and the Du
Pont Corp.
Fountain's 110 acres of
crop land "had a couple of
eroded spots and needed
repair."
"1 called the Soil Con
servation Service and they
sent a man down to look at
it," he explained when asked
what prompted him to de
velop a conservation plan for
his farm.
Fountain's rolling land
surface erodes easily and the
low-lying area makes drain
age a problem in wet
weather. His problem is
typical of the region.
The conservation plan,
now .virtually completed,
called for creation of grassed
waterways to carry excess
water from the land without
gullying fields, creation of
grassed field borders to filter
sediment and chemicals from
water running off fields into
drainage lines and streams,
tilling fields "on the coun
tour" (around the slope in
stead of up and down) and
use of cover crops and crop
residue to hold soil in place.
Under the Agricultural
Conservation Program, much
of the cost of conservation
measures, particularly in
critical and watershed pro
ject areas, is paid by the
federal government. For the
Fountain farm, Kenneth Fu
ireal, county soil and water
conservation district conser
vationist, said the total cost
will be $13,957.41, of which
the federal share will be
$9,690.17 or 69 percent.
The annual conservation
tour was sponsored by the
Duplin County Soil Conser
vation District and the
United Carolina Bank.
A stop on the Duplin County soil conservation tour
Consolidation Advice Upsets J K Panel
The .lames Kenan High
Schiwil advisory committee
objects to a state recom
mendation to combine James
Kenan and North Duplin
high schools in a new build
ing.
Members of the committee
voiced their objections
during a county board of
education meeting in
Kenansville last week.
The board was to hold a
public meeting last week at
B.F. Grady School to discuss
another state recommenda
tion. the building of a school
for kindergarten through
sixth grade on the Grady site
in northeastern Duplin
County.
In early September,
Duplin school officials re
ceived from the Division of
School Planning of the state c
Department of Education an tl
outline of a $10 million plan n
to replace school facilities d
and expand school services a
in the county . E
The plan recommended, i*~, S
addition to the Grady projeo h
building between Warsaw
and Kenansville a high C
school for 650 students in p
gardes 10-12. The school ti
would serve the North Duplin
and James Kenan t<
attendance areas. n
North Duplin is the b
smallest of the county's four r
high schools, with 285 stu- h
dents in grades 9-12 in the p
past school year. b
James Kenan, which has a
only grades 10-12, had an i
enrollment of 515 last year. It
is the only high school in the J
ounty that docs not include
ie ninth grade. Of the 181
inth graders in its atten
ance area last year, 106
ttended Warsaw Junior
ligh and 75 attended E.E.
mith Junior High in
ienansville.
Committee chairman W.E.
raft of Kenansville said the
ilan has aroused great in
erest.
"There's been quite a
;>-do about it. We're not as
rtuch against it at this time
mt the board of education is
lot in a position to join the
ligh schools or discuss it
iroperly. . .It would mean
milding a new high school
ind we don't have money for
t." Craft said.
Craft said parents in the
fames Kenan area want the
?
chool built up. It needs
nore classrooms and a li
irary immediately, he
tdded. "We thought the
ilan was to add the ninth
trade to James Kenan," he
aid.
Committee member Marie
liddick of Warsaw said, "All
can see is a new building,
to new programs, and if
hat's the case no need for a
tew high school."
Associate Supt. Gary San
lerson said questions about
trograms will be answered at
he board's Nov. 15 meeting.
Je said a member of each
ichool advisory committee
vill be invited to discuss
dans at the meeting. He said
tome of the state planning
livision people should be
tresent.
Committee member Jim
my Fulford said if the ninth
grade were added, the James
Kenan enrollment would in
crease to within 75 of that of
East Duplin High School and
30 of that at Wallace-Rose
Hill High School.
"That would change the
whole outlook of James
Kenan." he emphasized.
"At present, if you want the
ninth grade to practice foot
ball or anything else you
have to involve three prin
cipals ? Warsaw, E.E.
Smith and James Kenan."
he said.
George Amnions, a com
mittee member, said, "We
feel James Kenan's been left
behind the other high schools
because of anticipation of
joining the two schools."
? Backers Told 1-40
Will Take More Time
Southeastern North Caro
lina's top politicians were
told Wednesday night that
completion of Interstate 40 to
Wilmington may still be a
^ decade away.
At a meeting at the
Country Squire in
Kenansville that attracted 70
supporters of the project and
leaders of the N.C. Depart
ment of Transportation, U.S.
Rep. Charles G. Rose 111,
announced that his office was
told the Wilmington to Ben
son freeway will be finished
in 10 years.
A Secretary of Transports
tion W.R. Robertson Jr. con
firmed in an interview that
the DOT plans to recom
mend adoption of a 10-year
plan for completion of 1-40 at
the Nov. 18 meeting of the
N.C. Board of Transporta
tion .
"We hope to be able to
complete the mad within that
time: that is our goal,"
a Roberson said.
^ Roberson said the six-year
timetable sought by 1-40
promoters from South
eastern North Carolina is
"too short unless we get a lot
more money than antici
pated."
He called a payment sche
dule of $12.5 million annually
over 10 years for the road
"reasonable and attain
able." although he would not
confirm that is the annual
funding amount that will be
proposed.
State Highway Commis
sioner Billy Rose said past
predictions of $20 million per
year in funding for the $125
million project are now con
sidered "high."
Eugene Merritt Sr., execu
tive director of the lobbying
effort called N.C. 1-40 Inc..
which sponsored the Wed
nesday meeting, discounted
the dim prediction for com
pletion of the capital-to-coast
highway, however.
"I do not believe it's going
Hi take that long (10 years)
because there's too much
pressure for this highway,"
Merritt said.
Merritt maintained the
road will be funded within
four to five years "or less."
There was pressure at the
candlelight dinner meeting
at the Country Squire res
taurant to push for a fast
finish on 1-40.
Congressman Rose, who
gave a rousing keynote
speech, called for the politi
cal leaders to "get hot, stay
hot and make this dream a
reaiitv. He said he would
like to see the 10-year 1-40
schedule discussed by the
DOT "cut in half."
Lt. Gov. Jimmy Green,
who said he plans to an
nounce his gubernatorial
candidacy si Kin, promised his
support for the highway
project Wednesday night.
"Until we can have an
interstate from the port to
the mountains, we're never
going to realize the potential
of our ports," Green said. He
would not comment on spe
cific funding proposals, how
ever, saying, "Frankly, I'm
not that familiar with it. .
Local government officials
from along the proposed 1-40
route talked over sizzling
steaks with industry repre
sentatives who share their
interest in finishing 1-40 to
the port of Wilmington.
Legislators from across the
southeatern region attended,
including State Sen. Harold
Hardison, Rep. Harry E.
Payne Jr.. D-New Hanover,
Rep. Murray Pool, D-Samp
son, and Rep. Ed Bowen,
D-Sampson.
Payne, who led the Cape
Fear delegation's fight for
funding 1-40 in the 1983
General Assembly, said he
still believes the $20 million
funding for 1-40 "is not
unreasonable."
"1 would consider half of
that. . . somewhat less than
(reasonable." Payne said.
Water Tank Contract Let In Faison
The Faison Board of Com
missioners accepted the
$10,960 bid by Utility Ser
vices of Madison at the
November meeting last week
to renovate the old town
water tank.
According to Faison Com
missioner Bill Igoe, five bids
were received on the project
ranging from a low of $5,900
to a high of $25,000. How
ever, Igoe said, only two bids
represented the job speci
fications, W.J. Barlow Tank
Serviceat $11,740 and Utility
Services. Ihe motion to
award the renovation con
tract to Utility Services was
made by Igoe and unani
mously approved bv the
Board.
The renovation is expected
to take two weeks, lgoe
informed the board, and the
tank will be painted the same
color as the new water tank.
The old tank was renovated
last in 1971. Upon com
pletion of the job. Utilities
Services will collect 40 per
cent of the total fee and the
remainder will be financed
over a nine-month period.
Representatives of Com
munity Funeral Home in
Warsaw and Rose Hiil ap
peared before the Town
Board announcing plans to
meet with the Faison Plan
ning Board. Jeff Houston of
the Warsaw Community Fu
meral Home explained plans
to open an office in the
former James Jordan home
of Faison and the need to
rezone the property for com
mercial use. Town Adminis
trator Neil Mallory advised
the town board to set a date
for a rezoning public hearing
and begin advertising as
required by law while the
Community Funeral Homes
representatives meet with
the Faison Planning Board.
The public hearing to rezone
the property of the former
James Jordan home is set for
December 7 at 7:30 p.m.
The Faison Board
approved the change of
Parker Street to William
Thornton Street. Parker
Street was the road along the
side of Astronaut William
Thornton's home in Faison.
Water sales to farmers
netted the town $654.92,
Commissioner Melvin
Rogers reported to the
Board. A total of 163,000
gallons was sold and the
Board voted to compensate
Commissioner Rogers 10
percent of the collected cash
from water sales to farmers.
Rogers reported more than
$400 had been collected from
the sale of water to farmers.
The sale of water for agri
cultural use was supervised
by Rogers.
An application for a license
to open a game room was
approved by the town board.
Application was made by A.
Ray Strickland and he in
formed the board the game
room will be operated by
Moses Strickland.
Steward Precythe was
unanimously reappointed by
town commissioners to serve
a three-year term on the
Faison ABC Board.
Notification time was cut
from 30 to 10 days on
mowing vacant lots in the
town by the Faison Com
missioners. The change re
sulted from complaints by
town citizens.
The board unanimously
approved a S50 Christmas
bonus for the Warsaw police
dispatchers. The dispatchers
are used by the Faison police
department throughout the
year with no additional com
pensation for their services.
Commissioner Rachel Clifton
explained to the Board.
A resolution supporting
1-40 was approved by the
Faison Board. Final funding
decisions for 1-40 are sche
duled to be made this month.
The probationary employ- ,
ment period of town public
works employee Dean Norris
was extended through
January 4 by the Faison
Commissioners.
Alan Asbury of Pittard and
Perry Certified Public Ac
countants met with the
Faison Town Board explain
ing the yearly audit report.
The Board was informed of a
% percent collection rate of
Faison town taxes. Asbury
explained the average col
lection rate for towns
throughout the state is 90 to
93 percent.
Suggestions made by As
bury included the future
alignment of expenses and
revenues in the water and
sewer systems. Operating
expenses exceeded revenues
in Faison's water and sewer
department and Asbury
recommended the Board
begin plans to taise rates to
cover costs.
"More Students Stayina In Schools
North Carolina's public
school dropout rate is d<>wn
for the fifth consecutive year,
state officials reported. They
credited local school systems
for the decline.
"What they're doing in
individual school sytems
must be working," said Tom
I. Davis, spokesman for the
state Department of Public
Instruction.
Some systems have
worked to identify potential
dropouts and provided coun
seling to encourage them to
remain, and have offered
vocational studies and reme
dial work.
The dropout rate among
North Carolina high school
students fell to 6.7 percent in
1982-83 from 7.3 percent in
1981-82. according to a
report prepared by the State
Board of Education Control
ler's office.
In Southeastern North
Carolina, the 1982-83 rate
ranged from 1.94 percent in
New Hanover County to 7.7
percent in Brunswick
County, the only county in
the area that exceeded the
state average. Columbus
County tied the state average
of 6.7 percent.
The Duplin County school
dropout rate has a roller
coaster effect, up one year,
down the next.
During the past school
year 6.2 percent of 156 of
2,512 high school students
dropped out of school.
During the 1981-82 school
year 111 out of 2,638 high
school students dropped out
for a rate of 4.2 percent .
' \
? Kenansville Farmer
Named Finalist In Conservation Program
A Duplin County North
Carolina man was among 10
farmers named last week as
finalists in a national awards
program to encourage soil
and water conservation.
A The North Carolina finalist
is Furnie Lee Boyette of
Ikenansville, who operates a
' *
184-acre hog, grain and
tobacco farm. His practices
include a swine waste lagoon
and a conservation cropping
system.
Three national winners
will be announced soon, pos
sibly within 60 days, said
Emmett Barker, chairman of
the National endowment tor
Soil and Water Conservation.
The endowment, a private,
non-profit group that formed
in 1982, sponsors the pro
gram.
Barker also announced
that Du Pont would donate
"in excess of $100,000" to
help underwrite the awards
program. He said the final
ists and the three national
winners would receive a
monetary award.
"The awards program has
been designed to help make
both farmers and the general
public more conscious of the
importance of saving our re
sources by spotlighting the
worn 01 outstanding tarn,
ers," Barker said. Barker
said 35 states participated in
the program this year.
A Du Pont spokesman said
soil erosion is estimated at 6
billion tons a year and there
are concerns that poor man
agement of water could lead
to shortages.
1