BOARDS APPROVE MERGER PLANS
Chowatt County Board of Education and Trustees of
Edenton City Schools have agreed on conditions for
merger of the two administrative units. A vote of
the people Will be requested for 1967.
Differences over certain conditions for the merger
were worked out Tuesday afternoon during a two-hour
joint session. Action by the joint boards on the entire
plan was unanimous.
The boards agreed to request a local bill in the 1967
General Assembly to allow a vote on the merger that
Edenton Cap
Squads Are 4-0
In Albemarle
The cage squad at John A.
Holmes High School has tak
en over where the grid team
left off laßt fall—as a lead
er in the 2-A Albemarle
Conference.
The Aces of Coach Jim
Kinion have posted two more
victories to give them a 4-0
conference record and a tie
for first place in early sea
son play.
Coach Sa|lly Lytch’s Ace
lets are also 4-0 in the con
ference.
The two powerful cage
teams go to Northampton
Friday night for another con
ference tUt and hope to close
out pre-holiday play unde
feated in the league.
Tuesday night Wes Ches
son, who gained statewide
recognition as a junior quar
terback for the Aces, poured
in 33 points to lead his team
over Gates, 76-61. Dwight
Flanagan, co-captain of both
the grid and cage squad, had
10 points—his best night of
the year.
The Acelets won over
Gates 44-32.
Coach Kinion said today he
is highly pleased with the
way his team has come along
in early season play. The
squad had only a week to
practice before the season
opened and for the first two
games were without the ser
vices of Bill Griffin, 6’6”
center.
Last Friday night the Aces
defeated Hertford 73-32 with
Chesson again leading the
way with 19 points. _ Don
ald Pierce hid 10.
“In the Hertford game we
played, the best basketball I
have seen since coming to
Edenton,” Coach Kinion said.
His squad has shot 96 per
cent or better in the last
two contests.
The mentor has opened up
his offense this year and
the run, run, run strategy
is paying off in victories.
Diggers Is Given
Anti-Poverty Job
John T. Biggers of Hert
ford, former superintendent
of Perquimans County
schools, has been named
head of ja pine-county Albe
marle pro
gram. IF
The $400,100 grant to sup
port an in-school Neighbor
hood Youth Corps was sign
ed Wednesday in Washington.
William Penuel, director of
the Albemarle Economic Op
portunity Council in Eliza
beth City, said Biggers’ of
fice will be located in Eden
ton. The AEOC has been
granted office space at Eden
ton Municipal Airport by the
Town Council and Airport
Authority.
Serving with Biggers will
be three other staff mem
bers inclqding a deputy di
rector, a counsellor, a secre
tary and bookkeeper.
The program is designed
to help 750 students between
the ages of 16 and 21 for a
period Os 34 weeks. It will
permit them to attend school
and also furnish jobs for
them- 4n the schools for 15
hours per week at $1.25 per
Ipur.
Court Adjourns Without Hearing Lease Case
,How does it feel to be
scheduled to go to court and
find there is no court to go
to 1 ? '
■flown Attorney W. 5. Pri
vbtt and Edenton’s Town
Council were caught in that
situation Wednesday is the
dispute over termination of
a long-ternujease with Unit
ed'States Lumber Company.
the town bn December 1
was cited to a hearing Wed
nesday in Camden County
Superior Court after the firm
obtained a temporary re
straining order which pro
hibited them from reelaiming
T However, at Tuesday
night’s council meeting P*-
votj said the term of Cam
deni court adjourned earlier
in the •, '*■
thel|:howan herald
. « O
Vol. XXXII.—No. 50.
Clip |2ararlp
WITH THE JONESES— The
end is at hand for one of
the shortest congressional
campaigns in North Carolina
annals.
At 6:30 A. M., Saturday
polls will open throughout
the 15-county First Con
gressional Districts. Twelve
hours later these polls will
dose and the voters will
have had their say.
There are five candidates
in the race to fill the un
expired term of Rep. Her
bert Bonner. However, the
race in actuality is between
two of the candidates.
State Senator Walter Jones
of Pitt County and Roger
Jackson, Jr., of Hertford
County, are the prime con
tenders. Some veteran po
litical observers believe the
vote will be adequately split
to force a second primary.
In Chowan County it is
just about all Jones. It was
not until the waning days
of the campaign that Jack
son was able to get anything
that resembled an organiza
tion. This does not speak
bad for the candidate, for
Chowan was Jones country
in 1960 when veteran Rep.
Bonner won re-election by
about 7,000 votes.
Jones, an able legislator
as well as a seasoned cam
paigner, maintained a great
deal of that Chowan organi
zation that carried him to a
local victory over the late
congressman. These dedicat
ed workers were waiting for
his announcement and had
already lined up influential
support that .went the other
Way m i 960.
■'-Tpa;, Jddes is married to
say, Edentonian and has
adopted this Chowan County
irate as ftis second home.
There has been little time
for the usual campaign is
sues and in the short time
between Gov. Dan Moore’s
action and election day, this
is as it should be.
Therefore, the candidates
for the special election have
more or less had to run on
their past records..
Jones has a commanding
lead in this department and
we predict his past record
of accomplishments and his
close political ties in the
district will carry him to
victory Saturday.
This candidate has proven
his ability to produce results
rather than lip service. He
is a man you can put your
finger on and depend upon
to be the same today, to
morrow, next week and next
year. He believes in pro
gress but he believes strong
er in principle.
Jones was a highly respect
ed member of the 1965 Gen
eral Assembly and has many
friends who will determine
how this district comes out
of the reapportionment ses
sion on January 10, 1966.
We contend it would be in
the best interest of Chowan
County and the First Con
gressional District for Walter
Jones to be the Democratic
Party’s nominee for con
gress.
company’s attorney in Durh
am, Privott said a conference
had been requested on the
site for December 22. Town
Councilmen agreed to this
suggestion.
Lawson Lester, president
of U. S. Lumber Co., claims
he has met all the conditions
of a 90-year lease he obtain
ed to most of the base prop
erty controlled by the town.
Hie lease was signed four
years ago.
However, the town con
tends he has failed to comply
with most of the lease agree
ment, especially the portion
which deals with eniploy
ment. The firm has been
shut down since mid-Decem
ber, 1964, while the lease
calls for a substantial em
ployment . •
Mayor John A. Mitchener,
would become effective in September, 1967.
Following are the main conditions worked out by the
joint group:
1— The name of the merged board would be the Edenton-
Chowan Board of Education.
2 Upon a favorable vote of the people, the 11 members
serving on the two boards at the time would make up the
first merged group. Six would come from Edenton City
Schools while five members would come from the county
board. This group would serve until January 1, 1971.
Should any seat become vacant between the time of the
merger and January 1, 1971, it would not be filled unless
Edenton, 2 g n County, North Carolina 27932 Thursday, December 16, 1965
A HELPING HAND —Got
any unwanted shoes, cloth
ing any toys around the
house? If so, now is the
time to get them out of the
way.
The Chowan County Scot
tish Rite Club is currently
gathering items at Edenton
Fire Department to share
with needy families during
the holiday season.
Henry Quinn, who is
spearheading the drive, said
a variety of items are need
ed and any gift will be
greatly appreciated.
LOSS AT HAND The
reapportionment case is like
a child leaving home and
turning against parents. We
have never been able to
warm up to these folks. And
likewise the various “plans”
of reapportionment.
It was in Eastern North
Carolina that Tar Heelia was
born. Chowan County, for
example, was formed in 1672
and has had representation
in the General Assembly
from the start.
This will not be true after
mid-January if the big city
political powers are allowed
to conspire with our orbiting
federal courts. They would
put us in a six-county dis
trict with only two repre
sentatives. And they would
further spread out the First
Senatorial District making it
more difficult for the sena
tor to remain in contact with
Jus constituents. .
In the sparsely populated
east and west the slide rule
“plan” lumps numerous coun
ties together with only a
sprinkling of representation.
Down here it would mean a
candidate for the House
would have to run in coun
ties from the Chowan River
to the Atlantic Ocean. Such
a campaign would be out of
the financial reach of many
persons who would other
wise be able representatives.
What we are saying is this-
The big boys are putting a
price on running for office
and limiting us little or no
voice in Raleigh.
There is widespread con
cern over the apathy of
North Carolinians, as well as
Americans. Will taking our
representation help this sit
uation? If those already in
terested in obtaining a better
life for Chowan County, for
example, had to call long
distance to talk to their rep
resentatives, would they be
apt to do so?
Throughout the heavily
populated areas of this state
and among political powers—
from Gov. Dan Moore on
down—there are cries of
“What can we do?” follow
ing the federal court decis
ion.
Our own capable Rep. W.
J. P. Earnhardt, Jr., finds
the answer to this question
in the Dirksen Amendment.
The Dirksen Amendment is
a constitutional amendment
to permit one branch of the
bicameral legislature to be
elected from districts appor
tioned on factors other than
population.
Rep. Earnhardt contends if
Continued on Page Four
Jr., announced publicly the
council’s recent adjustment
of salaries for town em
ployees. He said this was
done in an effort to keep
good employees and at the
. same time will help the gen
eral economy of the area.
Fire Chief W. J. Yates
thanked the council for the
raises which were voted.
The council voted to ac
cept a low bid for gas and
oil which was submitted by
Sinclair Refining Co. Town
Administrator W. B. Gard
ner was instructed to check
the specifications to make
sure the firm had complied
with them.
While no action was taken,
it appeared the council will
abandon plans to build a
Colonial type fire station
here. The board had *et
Bond Selected For Post
James M. Bond, 106 West Church Street, lias been recommended for the posi
tion of acting postmaster in Edenton.
Bond’s name was forwarded to Senator Sam Ervin Saturday following a meet
ing of the Chowan County Democratic Executive Committee. Senator Ervin
Firms Planning
Holiday Hours
Peoples Bank & Trust
Company, the U. S. Post Of
fice and local merchants go
on a holiday schedule this
week for the convenience of
local citizens.
The main office of Peoples
Bank & Trust Company will
remain open from 2:30 P. M.
to 4:30 P. M., from Decem
ber 15 through December 24.
The consumer Credit Branch
already stays open until 4
P. M., each day.
R. Graham White, execu
tive vice president, said the
bank’s main office hours are
being extended to offer ad
ditional service to its pa
trons during the busy holi
day season.
Postmaster J. L. Chcstnutt
said the post office will be
open from 8:30 A. M., to 5
P. M., Saturday and parcel
post delivery will be on a
six-day a week schedule
from now until Christmas.
Local stores will begin
staying open until 9 P. M.,
on Monday. This will be in
effect until. Christmas, ac
cording to Britton Byrum,
chairman of the Merchants
Committee of the Chamber
of Commerce.
Downtown establishments
will be closed December 25
and December 27 for the
Christmas holiday. The bank
will observe the same holi
day.
Dividend Rale
To Be Increased
Edenton Savings & Loan
Association anticipates pay
ing 4V4 per cent dividend,
effective January 1, 1966.
At the regular monthly
meeting of the directors on
December 9, the board an
nounced the new anticipated
annual dividend that will be
compounded semi-annually.
The increase in the anti
cipated dividend is in keep
ing with the association’s
policy of paying the highest
possible dividend to its sav
ers and the increasing de
mand for home mortgage
financing in this area, ac
cording to James M. Bond,
executive vice president.
In making the announce
ment, Bond stated the asso
ciation has made loans of
well over $1,000,000 in 1965
for purchase and construc
tion of homes.
HOLIDAY IS SET
Edenton and Chowan
County schools close at the
end of classes Friday for the
Christmas holiday. The
schools will reopen on Jan
uary 3.
aside $70,000 for this build
ing and the initial bids
cams to nearly $160,000. Af
ter cutting corners the bid
was reduced to $138,000.
Councilman J. D. Elliott,
head of the fire station com
mittee, said the cost of the
structure is “way over our
heads” and he would rec
ommend that the council
forget about this particular
type building.
A low bid of $13,420.99
was awarded for the pur
chase of a piece of equip
ment for the Electric and
Water Department.
The council discussed van
dalism and drag racing at
Edenton Municipal Airport-
No action was taken al
though a special policeman is
being investigated.
the number fell below seven.
3 On January 1, 1971, a seven-member elected board
would take office. They would be voted on in the regular
election of 1970. Four members are to come from the
First Township and one each from the Second, Third and
Fourth Townships. (This representation is based on cur
rent township population.)
4 A supplemental school tax throughout Chowan Coun
ty of 15 cents per SIOO valuation may be levied to supple
ment and improve the educational level of the public
schools and to provide a higher level of education than
provided by the state. (This is already applicable to the
* Jsh !
JAMGOL bond
Aces Dominate
All-East Squad
Three members of the
1965 football team at John
A. Holmes High School were
voted first team berths in
the annual News & Observer
All-East Class 2-A squad.
Junior Quarteroack Wes
Chesson and seniors Bill Grif
fin and co-captain Charles
Swanner were picked for the
first team. All first team
selections, with the exception
of Chesson, are seniors.
Co-captain Dwight Flana
gan and Mike Overton were
chosen for the second team.
The Edenton Aces landed
four more players on the tal
ented honorable mention list.
They are: Ikey Davis, Bill
Wallace, Bill Mitchencr and
Bob Bass.
A total of 55 coaches, both
prep and college, sports
writers and sportscasters
across Eastern Carolina did
the choosing in what was
said to be the toughest and
most difficult endeavor in
the history of the All-East
program.
Archie Miller of Perquim
ans won a berth on the first
team as did H. C. Francis of
Ahoskie, two other Albemarle
Conference players.
STATED COMMUNICATION
Unanimity Lodge No. 7
will hold a stated communi
cation Thursday at 8 P. M.
to confer First Degree upon
two candidates. All master
Masons are cordially invited
and urged to attend.
CHANGES AT POST OFFICE—Oscar Duncan, left, as
sistant postmaster here for 15 years, will retire December
31. Named to succeed him in this position is W. P. Good
win, right. Goodwin has been with the local post office
lor 37 yean.
Single Copy 10 Cents
had requested the committee
to recommend someone for
the acting postmaster's post.
Tom Shepard, executive
committee chairman, pre
sided at the meeting which
was attended by 15 mem
bers. He read letters from
eight local citizens who were
seeking the position being
vacated by Postmaster J. L.
Chestnutt on December 30.
Bond gained a majority of
the votes on the first ballot
and the committee's recom
mendation was made unani
mous by a motion from the
floor.
Bond is executive vice
president of Edenton Savings
and Loan Association. He is
also town treasurer, a post
he has held for nine years
and is treasurer of Chowan
Hospital and Edenton City
schools as well as serving on
both boards of trustees.
A native of Edenton, Bond
was educated in local
schools and is a veteran of
World War 11. He was a
teller and bookkeeper with
Peoples Bank & Trust Com
pany from February, 1946,
Continued on Page Two
Duncan Retires;
Goodwin Named
W. P. Goodwin, 214 East
Eden Street, will become as
sistant postmaster here on
January 1, 1966.
Goodwin will succeed Os
car Duncan, who will retire
on December 31.
The change in the career
post at the local Post Office
was announced this week by
Postmaster J. L. Chestnutt.
Duncan has been a postal
employe for 29 years and
has been assistant postmas
ter for the past 15 years.
The new assistant post
master has been with the
local post office for 27
years. For the past 10
years he has been money
order clerk.
A native of Chowan Coun
ty, Goodwin is married to
the former Annie Mason
Cobb and they have two
children. Bill Goodwin is in
the U. S. Navy stationed
aboard the USS Midway and
Jean Goodwin is a student
at the University of North
Carolina at Greensboro.
Goodwin is a Mason and
secretary of the local lodge.
The Goodwins are Bap
tists.
First and Fourth Townships but has never been levied.)'
s—No present employee of the two school systems will be
discharged or have a cut in salary as a result of the
merger.
Although no action was taken, it is generally understood
that the Chowan County Board of Education will in the
near future petition the State Board of Education to allow
them to employ City Supt. Hiram J. Mayo to fill the un
expired term of Supt. C. C. Walters.
It is understood that the city board is agreeable to al
lowing Supt. Mayo to take on the added duties and that
he has indicated his willingness to assume the county post
if details can be ironed out in Raleigh.
Following the joint meeting Tuesday, Supts. Mayo and
Walters expressed their approval of the plan for merger
of the two units.
“I ai pleased with the action taken today and look
forward to a favorable vote of the people to bring this
merger about,” Supt. Mayo said.
Supt. Walters said he is in agreement with the board
and feels such a merger would be in the best interest of
the school children of the area.
Dr. Edward Bond, city board chairman, and O. C, Long,
Jr., county board chairman, headed the joint meeting.
■
JjH
C. C. WALTERS
Walters Resigns Here;
Going To Perquimans
Chowan County School
Supt. C. C. Walters has re
signed to accept a similar po
sition in Perquimans County.
He will assume his new du
ties January 10, 1900.
Action on Supt. Walters’
resignation was taken Friday
at a called meeting of the
Chowan County Board of
Education. O. C. Long, Jr.,
chairman, said it was ac
cepted with regret.
In Hertford, Dr. Allon
Bonner, chairman of the
Perquimans County Board of
Education, announced lh e
employment of Supt. Walters
to replace Supt. John T.
Biggers.
The Perquimans County
school post was vacated by
Supt. Biggers on December
1 after the board cancelled,
his two-year contract because
Griffin Re-hired
As Police Chief
James 11. Griffin will re
turn to Edcnton as chief of
police on January 1, 1966.
Griffin, who resigned the
position here October 10 to
accept a post with the State
Board of Paroles, was re
hired by the Town Council.
Mayor John A. Mitchener,
Jr., said a search for a re
placement for Griffin had
proven futile and he is pleas
ed that the veteran law en
forcement officer has decided
to return to his previous
type work.
During the time Griffin
has been with the state he
has been headquartered in
Roanoke Rapids.
“I look forward to return
ing to Edcnton and appreci
ate the opportunity to be of
further service to this fine
community,” Griffin said.
Capt. W. S. Clements has
headed the department since
October 10.
Bunch Reelected
In Light Vole
L. C. Bunch, Chairman of
the local board of Soil and
Water Conservation District
Supervisors, was reelected
for a three year term be
ginning January 1, 1966, in
the supervisor’s election held
December 10.
Curtis Forehand was op
posing Bunch for the scat.
Bunch, a supervisor for the
past several years will join
the other members of the lo
cal board, H. Fahey Byrum
and Joe Webb, Jr., in con
ducting the affairs of the
District.
The local election commit
tee would like to express its
appreciation for those that
assisted with the election. It
is the support of the public
that makes our soil and wa
ter conservation district pro
gram here one of the most
active and strongest in the
State.
Supervisors are sworn pub
lic officials, charged with
numerous responsibilities in
connection with the opera
tion of the District and its
profrwa.
HIRAM J. MAYO
of an audit made recently by
the stale. The superintend
ent at first refused to step
down but following lengthy
hearings, said he was vacat
ing the position because he
felt it would be m the best
interests of the school
children.
Supt. Waiters was mid
way through his third year
as head of Chowan County
schools when he resigned. He
came here in July, 1963,
from Nashville in Nash
County, where he had been
piincipal for 10 years. He
completed a two-year term
here and received another
two-year contract in July.
“We have enjoyed work
ing with Supt. Walters and
feel we have accomplished
a great deal during the time
> he has been with us,” Long
said. Long added that the
board wishes him well in
his new position.
Supt. Walters said the of
fer from Perquimans County
was a promotion for him
and presented an opportunity
that he could not turn down.
(There are some 2,300 stu
dents in Perquimans while
there are only 830 in the
Chow'an system).
“I have enjoyed working
in this county and appreci
ate the cooperation of every
one with whom I have come
in contact," Supt. Walters
said.
A native of Jamesville in
Martin County, Supt. Walt
ers is a graduate of Atlantic
Christian College in Wilson
and received his master’s de
gree from Columbia Univer
sity. He has done graduate
work at the University of
North Carolina at Chapel
Hill and East Carolina Col
lege.
He began his leaching ca
reer in Bertie County in
1937 and during the past 28
years has been connected
with education in Martin,
Gates, Bertie, Nash and Cho
wan counties.
Supt. Walters is married
to the former Kate Lowrance
of Gatesville and they have
a daughter, Jane, a fresh
man at East Carolina College.
First District
Voting Saturday
Voters throughout the First
Congressional District go to
the polls Saturday to nomi
nate a congressman to fill
the unexpired term of Rep.
Herbert Bonner who died
recently. ."
Five candidates are in the
race and because of the
number in the race a second
primary is being forecast by
some observers. - *
West W. Byrum, chairman
of the Chowan Board of Ed
ucation, said only a few
: names were added to the. lo
cal books during the three
wee k registration period.
; “Little or no interest was
■ shown in the registration,”
Byrum said.
The chairman said all is
i in readiness for the election,
i Polls in Chowan County pre
cincts will open at 6:30
i A. M„ Saturday and dose
at 6:30 P. M