Perquimans results in annual testing program :
\
rs up ; ninth graders down
By KATHY M. NEWBERN
Perquimans County School
Superintendent Pat Harrell joined
other superintendents in the
Albemarle area Thursday afternoon
it a press conference held to release
results of local students' per
formances in the statewide annual
testing program which was ad
l ministered in the spring of 1978.
? AH school systems in the state
were given a suggested release form
to provide uniformity in releasing
the student test results to the public.
Released scores were for individual
grades in each system. No release
was made of individual student
scores or results from individual
schools.
Across the state, students in
Sades 1, 2, 3, 1, and 9 were tested.
te test results for students in Per
quimans County showed first
graders doing extremely well and
ninth graders falling below average
when compared to scores of students
across the state and nation.
Second and third graders in Per
quimans County fell more along the
average line with sixth graders per
forming below the state and national
levels.
The released information provides
two ways to compare Perquimans
students with students in North
Carolina and in the nation. Figures
are given in grade equivalents and
in percentile ranks. The figures in
these two areas for first and second
graders are given in estimates, but
school spokespeople have labeled
them as "valid estimates."
Thoughout the press conference,
educators stressed the danger of
placing too much emphasis on and
misinterpretation of grade
equivalent comparisons. Educators
agreed that percentile rank scores
are more effective for comparisons.
When grade equivalents are
presented, the average Aould be the
grade number plus .7 meaning the
seventh month of the year which is
when testing occurred. Therefore, a
first grader in the nation is given a
1.7 figure as average while a ninth
grader is given a 9.7 figure as
average.
In percentile rank, 50 is con
sidered average.
Reading and mathematics tests
were administered to first and
second graders. Students in grades
three and six were tested in these
two areas plus language, spelling,
and given a total score. Ninth grade
students were tested in reading,
mathematics, language, and given a
total score for comparison.
A story from the Associated Press
Thursday brought out several trends
when looking at test scores of
students across the state:
?Family income has a direct rela
tion to scores, whereas, children
from families earning $15,000 a year
or more scoring generally higher.
?Girls did much better than boys, i
especially in the higher grades.
?Students in mountain and upper
Piedmont schools tended to do best
on the tests, while the lowest
average scores came from north
eastern counties and the sandhills
counties of the southeast.
*Black children generally did not
do as well as white children, and the
performance gap grew wider in the
higher grades.
?North Carolina school children
scored roughly the same on the tests
as children in other states, but first
and second graders did significantly
better. (This also held true for Per
quimans County students).
The report from AP also pointed
out that ninth grade students in the
state scored seven months behind
the national average in reading and
math, and four months behind in
language.
Comparatively, Perquimans
County ninth graders scored more
than one year behind both the state
and national average in all areas
tested.
In Perquimans County, ninth
grade students were one year and
eight months behind the national
average in both reading and
mathematics. Perquimans students'
scores showed them one year and
one month behind the state in both
reading and math.
In language, Perquimans ninth
graders scored two years and three
months behind the national average
and one year and nine months
behind the state average.
On the total test, Perquimans
ninth graders scored one year and
nine months behind national
averages and one year and two
months behind the state average.
Perquimans County second and
third graders were at the state and
national levels overall with only a
few months difference either way in
ill areas.
Perquimans County sixth graders
did well in spelling but fell behind
state and national averages in all
other areas. Local sixth graders
scored one year and eight months
better than the national average and
one year and four months better
than the state average in spelling.
In other areas, Perquimans sixth
graders were five months behind the
national figure and nine months
behind the state average in reading.
They were one year behind the na
tional average in mathematics and
eight months behind the state
average in that area.
And, on the total test, Perquimans
sixth grade averages saw them per
forming nine months behind the na
tional average and six months
behind the state average.
An overall look at test scores for
Perquimans County in all grades
tested, plus some interpretation by
school officials, appears elsewhere
in this edition.
I
SAFE TAKEN FROM LOCAL
. BUSINESS ? This picture shows
where the safe at Cannon's Cleaners
in Hertford stood prior to breaking
and entering early Monday morning
when five suspects ?Uedgedta drug
the sale out of the business. The safe
k was later found in a wooded section
county. (Photo courtesy of Officer
Robert K.Morris)
I
Five arrested after break-in
By KATHYM. NEWBERN
Five suspects have been arrested
apd charged with safecracking and
breaking and entering following an
iadtant occurring sometime after
miafaifht on Monday at Cannon's
-*? - J_ TT? I, ?? .1
twiners in nertioru.
Following the arrests, one suspect
wli additionally charged with
assault on a police officer and Hert
ford Police Chief Marshall Merritt
was charged with assault and
Cttef Merritt explained that the
brf*k-in was discovered at opening
hittrfc Monday when the owner of the
business located adjacent to Can
non'! prepared to open tor the day.
He aucovered the hack door open
and called the police. Investigating
the call, Officer J.R. Logan
Sred the missing safe.
Merritt explained that the
department "developed a
"Ad checked a vehicle. He
recounts But officers then "found
certain Evidence there that in
wooded area ia the Beech
section of Perquimans
n (he busted safe were only
: had been determined that
an from the included
and Kenny Felton, 18, of King St.,
Hertford.
All five were taken before
Magistrate Broughton Dail and
Clerk of Court Jarvis Ward. Elliott
was released on a $5,000 secured
bond; Ford and Jones were released
each on a $1,000 secured bond; and
Felton and Stepney were both re
leased on a written promise to
appear.
Involved in the arrests and in
vestigation were Chief Merritt, Of
ficer Logan, and Officer Robert K.
Morris. Maximum sentence for
safecracking is 30 years and for
breaking ana entering, 10 years.
The charge levied against Elliott
of assaulting a police officer
resulted after an incident at the
police station when the five were
brought in.
Chief Merritt explained that
relatives of the suspects arrived at
the police station and at least one at
tempted to interfere with an officer
performing his duty.
Chief Merritt said that Elliott was
handcuffed and alledgedly kicked
him and then attempted to kick
another officer. At that point, ac
cording to Chief Merritt, the by
standing relative attempted to in
terfere. In an effort to bring the
suspect under control, Chief Merritt
said he pushed Elliott back toward a
chair. As a result of the incident,
Elliott was chargcd with assault on a
police officer. A criminal summons
was then issued by Elliott against
Chief Merritt charging him with
assault and battery. Officer Morris
served the summons on his chief.
The two assault charges will be
heard in the Aug. 16 session of
District Court. All five suspects will
also make a first appearance at that
court session.
President Carter
visits Wilson
By KATHY M. NEWBERN ,
Residents of Small Town, America
may have often wondered what the
reaction might be if the President of
the United States paid them a viait.
Well, residents of Wilson, N.C.
found out first hand when President
Jimmy Carter spent abort four
hours in their town on Saturday.
The visit, originally announced as
an endorsement of Democrat John
Ingram's bid for the U.S. Senate
seat, turned out to be two-fold as the
president attempted to increase his
M ? ?>il ? | .. 1?| 1La I wli ? w <> h
popularity in tne looacco-proaucing
area following recent federal aut?
smoking efforts.
police and highway patrolmen out in
hill force.
While President Carter had
several events on his agenda for the
Wilson visit, only one, a speech from
the Wilson County Library, was open
to the public.
Despite that a large group of
citizens lined the fence outside the
Wilson-Rocky Mount Airport to see
the president arrive around 1:15
p.m. On the runway, be was greeted
by a throng of reporters, photog
raphers, radio and television people.
The p-\ side.it went over to the
fence for some hand-shaking before
swept in limousine to his
was received warmly by
Hmr '00 the
V*
School calendar
is released
Superintendent Pat Harrell
reminds teachers that they are to
report for work at 8:30 a.m. on
Wednesday, Aug. 16 at Perquimans
High School. Following a brief
meeting, teachers will then report to
their assigned schools.
The Perquimans County Board of
Education has released the follow
ing 1978-79 school calendar.
Aug. 16. . . . Teachers report for work
Aug. 16-24Teacher employment days
Aug. 25 Pupil orientation day
Aug. 28 Beginning of the 180-day
school term
Sept. 4 Labor Day Holiday
Sept. 25 . . . End of first school month
Oct. 9 Teacher employment day
Oct. 10 End of first six weeks
Oct. 24 . . End of second school month
Nov. 3 ? Teacher employment day
(NCAE district convention)
Nov. 22 . . . End of third school month
and second six weeks
Nov. 23-24 . . . Thanksgiving Holidays
Nov. 27 . . . Teacher employment day
Dec. 20. Christinas Holidays begin at
close of school
Dec. 21-Jan. 1. . . Christmas and New
Year's Holidays
Jan. 2 School begins after Christmas
Vacation
Jan. 4 . . . End of fourth school month
Jan. 18 . . . End of third six weeks and
first semester
Jan. 19-22Teacher employment days
Feb. 5 End of fifth school month
March 5 . . Teacher employment day
March 6 . . End of sixth school month
and fourth six weeks
April 3 . End of seventh school month
April 13-17 Easter Holidays
April 20 End of fifth six weeks
April 23. . . Teacher employment day
May 7 . . . End of eighth school month
June 4 End of ninth school month and
sixth six weeks
i
June 5 Teacher employment day
June 6 Teacher employment one
half day; annual vacation
one-half day
June 7-15 Annual vacation days
VISITING THE TAB HEEL STATE
? President Jimmy Carter displays
his characteristic smile as he is
greeted by spectators aid members
of the press at the Rocky Mowit
i
Wilson Municipal Airport. Shown
with the president, (L to r.) are:
Senator Robert Morgan, Governor
Jim Hunt, and Senatorial candidate
t ?
John Ingram. Part of the ream for
the president's visit was in support
of Ingram's campaign, (Staff photo
by Kathjr M. Newbern)
. * .