THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Volume 53, No. 4 USPS 42S-0M Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, January 23, im 25 CENTS
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School demolition nears completion
By SUSAN HARRIS
The Perquimans County High
School construction-renovation
project is progressing smoothly,
according to Doug King, General
Superintendent with general con
tractor Comanco.Inc. The
Kins ton-based firm opened its
on-site office September 9, 1965.
Work on the wings of the 1924
building is 90 percent complete.
Schools
retain
accreditation
NEW ORLEANS, LOUS
IANA? The Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools, through
its Commission on Elementary
Schools, has awarded continuing
accreditation to Perquimans
County Schools by action taken
during the Association's 90th An
nual Meeting here December 1-4,
1985.
Through accreditation, fac
ulty, students, and parents will
benefit by knowing that condi
tions for teaching in accredited
schools meet certain standards
and that efforts are continuously
made for school improvement.
Citizens are assured of accoun
tability and of value for their tax
dollars through the process of
setting standards and the regular
reevaluation of SACS member in
stitutions. Communities with ac
credited schools can be confident
that their institutions compare
favorably with others, not only
within the region, but throughout
the nation. Accredited schools
are ? "plus" for those who are
interested in relocating their
families and businesses.
Founded in 1895, the Southern
Association of Colleges and
Schools is one of six regional ac
crediting bodies in the United
States. More than 11,000 member
public and private universities,
colleges, junior colleges, occupa
tional institutions, secondary
schools, middle schools, and el
ementary schools enroll approxi
mately five million students.
Demolition of the wings, one of
the major expenses in the pro
ject, took about six weeks once
the asbestos problems were
solved. The bricks from the origi
nal structure were cleaned and
used -to re-enclose the ends of the
building.
Other work scheduled for the
1924 building includes refurbish
ing seats to go back in the audito
rium, painting the walls, and, fi
nally, sanding the floors.
The upstairs area will be used
for storage as state codes require
elevators in two-story school
buildings.
Some renovation of the audito
rium is also scheduled. These im
provements include putting the
refurbished seats back in, paint
ing the walls, sanding the floors,
installing new walls in the stage
area, installing complete air con
ditioning control, and a sound
booth for sound and lighting.
Work on the auditorium was
temporarily halted in September
when asbestos insulation was dis
covered under the stage area of
that building. The removal of the
material added around $30,000 to
the approximately $2 million pro
ject.
The pad for the new cafeteria
is finished and construction of
that facility is set to begin within
the next three weeks. King ex
pects to complete the lunchroom
by September or October. The
present cafeteria will then house
the art department.
A total of thirteen new class
rooms, as well as a bandroom
and art center, will be added to
the high school. Four of these
rooms will be housed in a Science
building adjacent to the gym.
The remainder will be con
structed on the south side of the
building.
King said he anticipates com
pletion of the new and renovated
areas by September or October,
barring inclement weather and
other unforseen barriers.
Demolition work at Perqui
mans County High School is
nearing completion as con
tractors prepare to begin ren
ovation work inside the high
school auditorium. (Photos
by George Wilmore.)
Blanchard Building determined sound for renovation
ny J AINU If. WILLIAMS
Perquimans County officials
received an affirmative response
Monday night to an inquiry as to
the structural soundness of the
county-owned Blanchard Build
ing.
Shurley Vann of Vann & An
drews Architects presented a
preliminary report to the coun
ty's board of commissioners on
Monday night, stating that the
building was structurally sound
for possible use as a court and
office facility by the county.
Vann, a Murfreesboro resi
dent, reported his findings after
a lengthy test of the building, and
also presented drawings of po
tential utilization of the 4,700
square foot ground floor of the
building.
Vann established that the neo
classical structure was erected
CORN YIELD WINNERS
WeMon Byrum (above carter) wu honored last Thursday night as the second place Cora
Yield Winner in Perquimans County. Byrum harvested an average of 186.73 bushels per
acre during IMS. The meetfcsgwa* sponsored by the Perquimans County Agricultural Ex
tension Service and the Perquimans Ruritan Club. Presenting the trophy was Willis Proctor
( right), District Governor of Ruritan National and Stan Winsiow (left), chairman of the
local extension service. Not pictured were first place winners Glen and Wayne Pendleton
and third place winner, Larry Larabee. (Photo by Edgar Roberson)
"" * *
in the early 1900's. He stated that
the design of the building was
typical for that era, and that the
facility, if renovated, would be
one of the most attractive fea
tures of the downtown section of
Hertford.
Plans submitted by Vann in
cluded renovating the first floor
of the building to house an 80-seat
courtroom, judge's chamber,
jury room, a small area for the
Clerk of Court, a dispatch office,
sheriff's office, deputy sheriff's
office, magistrate's office, public
restrooms, and a conference
room.
Included in the estimated price
of $164,000 is the total renovation
of the building's exterior.
Vann told the board that the
front of the building has been al
tered extensively, and proposed
that the metal canopy and the
metal that covers the original fa
cade be removed to restore the
original look of the structure.
Also included in the price is the
cost of two heating and cooling
systems, a new electrical serv
ice, and new plumbing for the
restroom areas.
Vann stated that he established
thu price on the base cost of $35
per square foot. Also proposed is
the new construction of a two
level ten foot by 40-foot back sec
tion which wUl house a stair
tower, lobby area, and an eleva
tor tower at a cost of 132,000, or
$40 per square foot.
The cost projection does not in
clude the elevator, which will not
be needed until such time as ren
ovations of the second story are
required for additional office
spftcfc occupancy.
The architectural study of the
building came about following
the request of the District Attor
ney's office for the commission
ers to look into the possibility of
adding additional courtroom fa
cilities in the future, due to over
crowded court dockets.
The District Attorney's office
has met with the commissioners
on at least two occasions and dis
cussed at length the problems
presented with criminal court
scheduling when the county holds
Superior Court.
The additional courtroom
would insure the right of a
speedy trial to criminal court
cases that are currently having
to be rescheduled when Superior
Court is in session.
The commissioners have as
certained that funding for por
tions of the Blanchard Building
renovation project can be ob
tained through Court Facilities
Funds.
No action was taken by the
Board on Monday night in regard
to the matter, but the commis
sioners told Vann that they would
inform him of their plans once
they determined financial feasi
bility of the project.
Library launches new
memorial gift program
Wallace McLendon, Director
of the Pettigrew Regional Li
brary, announced the launching
of a new memorial and gift pro
gram to fund needed physical im
provements in the public librar
ies of Chowan, Perquimans,
Tyrrell, and Washington Coun
ties.
Evelopes will be placed on the
circulation desk specifically for
the purpose of honoring or me
morializing individuals, fami
lies, or events through the pur
chase of exhibit cases, shelving,
furniture, computers, art works,
etc. This memorial and gift pro
gram will not replace the popular
memorial book program which
provides a means for placing a
specific book in the library col
lection in the name of and indi
vidual.
The focus of the memorial and
gill program is to provide those
physical i^ems that will make the
library a more comfortable and
attractive place. We've had a
club in the region raise funds for
a circulation desk and a family
gave a study carrel in memory of
a family member, McLendon
stated. Those gifts carry an en
graved plaque with the name of
the giver and the person memori
alized.
Although the local counties and
state support the library, its the
local citizenery who can make
the library more than the basic
building and basic collection.
Some libraries have received es
tates to better fund the local li
brary. Such support transforms
libraries into community show
places. Well endowed public li
braries attract businesses, indus
try, and families looking for a
good place to work and raise chil
dren. All gifts to the library are .
also deductible for On purposes, I
McLendq^ said *