Volume 29 Number 1
Rocky Mount Senior High School
November 2,1999
Floyd disrupts life for NC residents
Staff Photo
Father and son walk together through waters left by Floyd
the day after the hurricane hit Rocky Mount and surround
ing areas. Residents began leaving their homes the morning
after to survey the damage left by flooding and high winds.
Others began the clean-up process that, for many, lasted
weeks.
Staff Story
The storm of the century. Hur
ricane Floyd, wreaked havoc on
Nash County and its citizens on
September 16. Two-thirds of
the state took emergency mea
sures as Floyd approached. The
eyes of the nation focused on
Tarboro when President Clinton
visited on September 20.
Although none of Nash-Rocky
Mount’s twenty eight schools
were destroyed, several did suf
fer damage.
The Tar River Learning Cen
ter, situated within feet of the
river, was inundated under five
feet of water. It will not reop>en
until November, but has tempo
rarily moved its operations to
Edwards Junior High and the
Teacher Resource Center.
Parker Middle School suffered
flooding to its basement level
including a computer lab, the
shop equipment room, and
boiler room. EJHS also suffered
some equipment damage.
On campus, the buildings suf
fered no significant damage
other than some roof leaks. Our
stadium, on the other hand, was
flooded. Seven feet of water
from the Tar River rose to the
level of the' second row of
bleachers. The hot water system
was destroyed and replaced, the
goalposts were uprooted, and
the playing field required
twenty two days to dry out.
Over one hundred and fifty
students and their families were
affected by the hurricane and
flood damage. Students lost
their homes, cars, and other
material things such as furni
ture, clothes, and even school
books. School officials are try
ing to aid these families. When
students returned to school,
they filled out a form indicat
ing whether or not they were af
fected by the hurricane in any
way. The administration then
selected those most needy to
receive any contributions
alloted for them.
Two high schools in North
Carolina, Triton High and East
Randolph High School sent a
tractor trailer full of supplies to
be given to those in need. East
Randolph also presented a
$4,000 check to be distributed
among the needy families. East
Randolph has also promised to
adopt families at Christmas as
well as provide flowers for
graduation in the spring of
2000. East Randolph’s princi
pal, Ed Todd, has promised that
this will not be the last that we,
as a community, hear from
them. Students provided their
services to aid the needy
throughout the six school days
missed. National Honor Society
and Key Club members worked
at various shelters in Rocky
Mount sorting canned goods
and clothing as well as unload
ing trucks full of donations.
Many churches and other build
ings ojjened as shelters offering
food, water, and ice. Senior
Bums Page commented that he
helped because he, “felt that I
needed to, since I was fortunate
enough to not be affected by the
flooding.” Page volunteered at
his church, Englewood United
Methodist. Students also helped
those whose houses were
flooded completely. Groups of
teens assisted homeowners in
tearing down walls and sheet
rock, ripping up carpet, and
moving out personal items that
were ruined.
Area businesses have also
been hit by the wrath of Floyd.
Of those businesses flooded,
small businesses were some of
the hardest hit. Businesses such
as Morgan’s Cycle and Fitness,
the Red Caboose, and the Uni
form Shop were flooded by the
waters brought by Floyd. Steve
Morgan, owner of Morgan’s,
has decided to liquidate saved
items and shut down after that.
This decision is common for
most small businesses in our
area. Not only will a loss of
merchandise affect businesses.
See FLOYD, p2
Who are the 14 new
teachers?
Who are the new coaches?
Pages
Page 7
What are the newest
releases in movies?
Page 6
What do faculty and
students think of the ID
Badges?
Page 3