THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Volume 40, No. 10 ? USPS 428-000 Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, March 0, 1904 25 CENTS
Early Bloomers
The latter days of
February and the early
days of March heralded
the arrival of spring-like
weather with daffodils
blooming throughout the
county. This lovely spring
bouquet was found on the
lawn of Mr. and Mrs.
Fenton Britt on
Pennsylvania Ave. in
Hertford last weekend.
(Photo by Edward
Leicester)
Survey validates need for school facilities
| ( Editor's Note : The following is the
first in a nine-part series of articles
that have been compiled by the
Perquimans County School
Administration staff. These articles
are being provided in an effort to
educate the general public of the
needs facing the county today. )
On March 30, 1983, Superintendent
James P. Harrell requested that the
Division of School Planning update
^ the school facilities survey conducted
in 1973. In response to this request,
Dr. Lacy Presnell, director of the
division, assigned a committee to
this study. The result was a report
that includes the committee's
recommendations based on data
collected and the visit to Perquimans
County.
The Perquimans County High
School main building was
} constructed in 1924. This is a two
story building of ordinary
construction (interior wood walls and
structural system ).
The Division of School Planning
has classified this building in
Category IV. On the scale of 0 to 5, 0
is the most adequate and 5 denotes
immediate evacuation. Category IV
means that replacement or approved
renovation begin in the near future.
Many classrooms in this building
are inadequate in size. This two-story
building has unprotected wood stairs
with storage underneath; the finishes
in this building, including wood
paneling, a re non-code.
The second floor consists of a
hallway with two dead end corridors.
Because of the number of small
teaching spaces, the optimal
capacity of this building has been
reduced.
The major deficiencies of the high
school include special spaces for
special programs. For example, five
remedial classes are housed in the
1924 building. The high school
presently houses a Trainable
Mentally Handicapped program for
students ages 13-21.
These students are housed in a
regular classroom which does not
have facilities, space and special
equipment to serve these students.
The art room is located on the
second floor of the 1924 building. This
program adds to the fire hazsrd of
this building due to the volatile and
combustible materials used, the
ceramic kiln, the limited work space
and the use of three adjacent rooms
for this program.
The overcrowded band room is
located behind the stage; the stage
and auditorium areas used for
instruction are not appropriate for
individual and group activities. A
portion of the stage area is also used
to store textbooks.
A confined classroom space and
the difficulty of moving equipment
has greatly limited the efforts of the
chorus program.
Makeshift improvements for the
science program and lab facilities do
not meet the ever increasing need to
update and expand on this very
important area of instruction.
Additional space for the proper
storage of lab equipment and
materials is needed. What was once
classroom space now serves as an
annex eating area for the school
cafeteria.
C.O.A. receives recognition
W , " .
' College of The Albemarle is one of
eight community colleges in the 58
; institution community college
system to receive special recognition
; as a Small Business Center this week
by Robert W. Scott, state president of
the Department of Community
Colleges.
~ As a result of the action by the
& Department of Community Colleges,
? the coOege will receive up to $50,000
to expand its existing Business and
Industry Services Office into a
practical, grass roots, dlreet
delivary center for small business
"people in the Albemarle Area.
> The COA BIS office was initiated
last year in November. Lucy S.
Gordon, office coordinator, said her
program already 'has begun to
provide courses, workshop* and
W other continuing education
opportunities that are geared toward
tbe needs of small wholesale, service
and manvfaetftring businesses
through an affittatfcm with the Small
Business Administration.
>JTbe state resources will give us
Gordon said.
She laid that in addition to
supplementing the COA library's
collection with business materials,
journals, audio and video tapes,
computer equipment will be
purchased with software packages
designed specifically (or hands-on
use by businesses.
The coordinator said she plans to
work closely with the chambers of
commerce in the college's seven
county service area. "Local chamber
offices best know the needs of the
business community." she said, "and
can give us invaluable assistance in
doing a more effective Job."
She said that this year,
particularly, the center will place
special emphasis on helping area
badness people to find solutions to
problems that might arise with the
expected influx of tourists during the
400th Anniversary Celebration.
Dr. J. Parker Che?on Jr., COA
President, . said that the
announcement from Scott Is an
action in keeping with the goal of the
College to promote a positive and
productive roaMoaaMp within the
business communities in the
Albemarle ana.
"We Intend to develop our Small
Business Center into an exemplary
site for other schools who may want
to implement one," Chesson said.
The eight schools designated as
centers this week are the forerunners
of a strong business assistance
network that will be developed
throughout the 58 institutions within
the next six years.
During a February conference in
Raleigh, Governor Hunt, announced
his intention to expand the program
throught the system within that time
span.
The meeting, attended by MO small
business representatives from across
the state, was sponsored by the
governor's office and the Commerce
Department in conjunction with the
North Carolina Small Business
Advocacy Council.
Hunt assured those present that the
?tat* will support the plan
financially.
The other institutions that were
recognised as centers include
Guilford Technical Community
College, Roanoke-Chowan Technical
College, Gaston College, Carteret
Technical Colleg?, Central Piedmont
Community College, Davidson
County Community College and
LMMtr Community College.
*
The tv -story building with all its
inadequacies falls far below the
standard of a 1980's learning center.
The Perquimans County Board of
Education has planned well for thier
students. The conversion of the King
Street School to a vocational facility
has enriched and enhanced the
vocational program.
The recent construction at the high
school is well-planned and functional.
However, not all students receive the
benefits that they should be afforded
from these changes.
In the following weeks, specific
articles on certain aspects of the high
school program or details on
buildings for the proposed high
school will be published.
it is our desire to provide the
citizens of Perquimans County with
the pertinent information about our
present high school facilities and
what will be possible with a YES vote
for the school bond on May 8.
Religious service
chosen to highlight
400th Celebration
By JEANNE C. WHITE
Perquimans Four Hundreth
Anniversary Committee
July 13, 1984 marks the beginning
of Four Hundred years of English
speaking civilization in our New
World. It also is a time for renewing
our faith and dedcation which made
us prosper as a Nation.
When Amadas and Barlowe
reached Roanoke Island four
hundred years ago, Arthur Barlowe
wrote a glowing account of the event
and we quote: "And after thankes
given to God for our safe arrival
thither, we manned our boates and
went to view the land next adjoyning,
and take possession of the same, in
the right of the Queenes most
excellent Majestie."
This tribute and trust in a Divine
Being established the precedent for
recognition of the Grace of which
followed in other English settlements
in the New World. The Mayflower
Compact of 1620 began "In the name
of God, Amen"; the Declaration of
Independence and the Constitution's
First Amdendment guaranteed
religious freedom.
This has led to the growth of many
religions in the United States of
America.
The Perquimans County Four
Hundredth Anniversary Committee
has planned as one of its major
programs each year of the
celebration, a religious service by
different denominations.
The churches will be given the
leadership role in the order that they
became active in Perquimans
County. According to Raymond A.
Winslow, Jr., historian, this order
would be as follow: 1984, Society of
Friends or Quakers; 1985, Episcopal
(Anglicans before the American
Revolution); 1986, Baptists; and
1987, Methodists.
All other denomination! are
encouraged to commemorate their
beginnings during the
commemorative period and their
services will be published. That State
Four Hundredth Committee has
suggested that "A mighty Fortress is
Our God" be sung on July 15, the first
Sunday in the commemoration.
On October 12, 13 and 14 the
Perquimans Four Hundredth
Anniversary Committee will join the
Perquimans County Restoration
Association and the Eastern
Quarterly Meeting of the Society of
Friends in programs at the Newbold
White House celebrating hisotr as the
only surviving meeting place of the
Proprietary Period and the site of the
beginning of organized religion in
North Carolina when Goerge Fox
preached there in 1672.
An invitation has been extended to
all Society of Friends members in the
United States through their
magazine, Quaker Life, to visit us for
this celebration.
D. Elton Trueblood, nationally
known Quaker minister, author and
lecturer, will conduct a religious
service on October 14 at the very
place that George Fox preached 312
years before.
He will |>e assisted by Billy M.
Britt, Superintendent of the North
Carolina Yearly Meeting of Friends.
An old-fashioned "dinner on the
grounds" will be shared.
We will need coopeartion from all
churches in the county to provide
"bed and breakfast" accomodations
for our invited guests and food for the
dinner at the Newbold-White House
on Sunday, October 14.
We solicit your assitance in rtakiiig
this an outstanding occasion by
urging everyone to join in this
renewal of our faith and fellowship as
a State and Nation.
Hunt to attend ball
Governor Hunt has accepted the
local area Democrats' invitation to
attend the Second Annual Albemarle
Democrats Ball, according to Billy
Owens, chairman of the Pasquotank
County Democrats. "Also," Owens
added, "most of the members of the
Council of State have indicated that
they too would attend."
Congressman Walter B. Jones has
not yet indicated whether he will be
able to attend, but local politicians
are confident that the Congressman
will be here if at all possible.
Congressman Jones did attend the
First Annual Ball.
The Ball has become the primary
fund raising event for the group as
well as a festive gaterhing for the
party faithful. Owens also stated that
this year's dance promises to be even
bigger if ticket sales are any
indication.
Tickets are available through e?':h
county chairperson and are priced at
$35 for couples and $20 for singles.
Anne Young, Perquimans County
ticket chairman, encourages
interested persons to attend the ball.
It is not a black tie affair, although it
is an opportunity to dress up and go
out for an evening of fun with friends.
We want Perquimans County to be
well represented. Call the people
listed for tickets by Friday noon.
Anne Young, 426-5275 (nights)
Bill Cox, 426-7805
Pete Broughton, 426-5494
The 31st Annual
Albemarle Conservation
Poster Contest, sponsored
by Albemarle Electric
Membership Corporation
in cooperation with the
Albemarle Soil
Conservation District, was
held last week at the
Albemarle BMC
Auditorium.
Winners of the contest
were: (Back row, left to
right) Susan Lavexso, 4th
grade, second place;
Denise Mojre, 5th grade,
second place; Jonathan
Morgn, 6th grade, second
plaee; (Front row, left to
right) John Johnson, 4th
grade, first place. Charity
Cartwrlght, 9th grade,
$
first place; tad
Aydlett, 6th grade, first
place.
Local winners on the
county level were: Fourth
grade, Austin Howeland
Susan Lareizo; Fifth
grade, Charity Cartwright
* James Gard; " *