THE WEST CRAVEN
201H1GHHGHT
20
Volume 2 NO. 24
vanceboro, N.C. - Thursday. June 21,1979
^age
s
Price: 20
Blair recalls rapport
[Editor’s Note: Mr. E. P. Blair,
former coach, teacher, and prin-
) cipal at Farm Life High School
for over thirty-three years, re
turned to Vanceboro with his
wife for a visit with some of his
many friends living here. He
graciously granted time for this
interview.]
By Rick Cannon
As I talked with Mr.
Blair, I began to get a feel
for the way his students
must have felt toward him
and the way they still feel.
“Ed” Blair cared about the
students and faculty he
worked with. He explained
to me that when he began
his career as a principal at
Farm Life School, he
promised himself that his
door would always be open
to any student or teacher
who had a problem to talk
about. “This was a promise
I kept all through my
career. I believe it is the
main reason why I always
enjoyed such fine rapport
with my students and
faculty," Blair commented.
When he began work at
the Vanceboro school in the
fall of 1932, Blair served as
a coach in both boys and
girls sports. Later he
added dramatics and a
debating team. “For three
or four years in a row, we
had a fine debating team,”
Blair explained, “We went
to the elimination rounds
in Chapel Hill each year
and one year finished third
in the state.” He indicated
that Warren Aldridge now
a doctor practicing in the
area, was one of the best
debaters he coached.
During Blair’s tenure as
basketball coach, his teams
often went to the state
playoffs as well as many
area tournaments. More
often than not. Farm Life
emerged victorious.
The longer Blair stayed
at Farm Life School, the
more his responsibilities
grew. As principal, he not
only dealt with administra
tive matters, but took
seriously the job of
guidance counselor. “In my
early years as principal, it
was my responsibility to
serve as guidance counse
Fort Barnwell Bulletin
By Mrs. B. H. Mitchell
1 Editors Note: Mrs. B. II.
Mitchell has recently taken over
as the writer of the Fort
liarnwell liiilletin. Mrs. Mitchell
is a fourth gracie teacher at
Farm Life Elementary School in
Vancehoro where she has
worked for over twenty-four
years. .She was one of the first
teachers to he transferred from
the Vancehoro t'onsoliji'ited
School to the Vancehfcro
Elementary School in the late
sixtie.s. Mrs. Mitchell graduated
from Elizabeth City State
('dlege with a B.S. degree in
Elementary Etiucation. She
earned her Masters of
Education at .\. t'. Central
University in Durham, N. ('.
.\ resident of the Ft. Barnwell
area for most of her life. Mrs.
.Mitchell is married and has
three children.
.Anyone who would like to
have news of the Ft. Barnwell
area in the Highlights should
call Mrs. Mitchell at ."i2:t-.‘i!)t>S or
the Highlights office at 241-
tlTSIt.l
Mrs. B. H. Mitchell
The Girl Scout move
ment began in the Fort
Barnwell community in
March of 1976 under the
leadership of Mrs. Ever-
See GIRL SCOUTS, page 5
lor,” Blair stated. It was in
this area that Blair found
himself “called on the
carpet” by the school
superintendent who
chastised Blair for taking
up so much time with
talking to students and
teachers. Blair explained
to the superintendent that
that was an issue that the
two differed on. He finally
won his superior over by
explaining that for him to
be effective he must have
contact with the students
and teachers. According to
Blair, the good rapport he
enjoyed with both teachers
and students was a very
important part of his
success as a principal.
Blair went on to say that
he feels that contact and
good rapport between
students and teachers and
the principal is sorely
missing in some schools
today. He feels that the
principal needs more
contact with the students.
He added that principals
should take a more active
roll in the guidance of
students. “If the guidance
counselor can help the
student set goals and help
the student see and begin to
correct deficiencies in
areas of their work, and
keep a close tab on their
progress, then the counsel
or is doing a good job,”
Blair explained, “Howev
er, guidance counselors
should not go far into the
behavioral patterns of the
student without a close
relationship with the
principal.” Mr. Blair
added that in the latter
part of his tenure as
principal, he was fortunate
to have Mrs. Colvin Joyner
as the school’s guidance
counselor. He explained
that there was always close
communication between
him and Mrs. Joyner.
“Neither of us left the other
‘out on a limb,’ ” Blair com
mented.
Born in Greensboro, N.
C. in 1910, Blair attended
Guilford College and
Haverford College. He
BLAIRS VISIT— Rev. Claude Wilson welcomes Mr.
and Mrs. E.P. Blair to the morning services at the
Vanceboro Methodist Church, (photo by R.L. Cannon,
Jr.)
earned his Masters Degree
at East Carolina Universi
ty. When asked if he felt
that now after more than
ten years if he could handle
the job of high school
principal, Blair replied,
“Well, parents now are a lot
more permissive so it
might be a little more
difficult, but I could still
handle it.” He went on to
explain that a person can
handle a job like that by
getting underneath and in
side a student or teacher.
“Only then can you discov
er the real problem and ef
fectively find a solution.
He added that when you
try to keep on the external
and do not manifest any
genuine interest in the
student or teacher, you get
nowhere and students and
teachers are pretty much
left to seek their own way.
KINDERGARTEN GRADUATES- The 1979
Graduating Class from the Vanceboro Private
Kindergarten. The students received their diplomas
during commencement exercises on May 30.
Vanceboro Private Kindergarten graduates sixteen
The Vanceboro Private
Kindergarten under the
direction of Mrs. Nancy
Caprara held its Eleventh
inual Commencement
cercises Wednesday
night. May 30 at the
Vanceboro Christian
Church. The children, all
four and five year olds,
presented a musical
program for the parents
family and friends in
attendance. Their theme
was Memorial Day.
Deborah Dunn accompan
ied the children on the
piano.
Perfect Attendance
Awards went to Tracy
Russell, Mark Panichelli,
Donna Hart, Robert
Nobles, Jr., and Amy
Wiggins. Tracy Russell
received the Most Outstand
ing Student Award for the
girls. Tracy is the daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Grover
Russell, Jr. of Ft.
Barnwell. Paul Lancaster
received the Most Outstand
ing Student Award for
boys. Paul is the son of Mr.
and Mrs. William Lancaster
of Vanceboro. The Most
Improved Student Award
went to Joel Dunn, the son
of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Dunn
of LaGrange. Jenny
Tallman received the Most
Outstanding Four-Year-
Old Award. Jenny is the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Joe Tallman of Ayden, N.
C.
The Vanceboro Private
Kindergarten is a locally
owned and operated
private kindergarten for
children four and five
years old. This year
students attended from as
far away as LaGrange, N.
C. For eleven years, the
kindergarten has been
operated by Mrs. Nancy
Caprara of Vanceboro. It
meets in the Rectory of the
Holy Name Catholic
Church on Main Street in
Vanceboro from 9-12
Monday through Friday.
Students receive a broad
preparatory background
which includes Number
Reading and Reading
Association for Pre-
Schoolers. No meals are
served but children do
enjoy a snack time during
their stay.