Volume XXXVI—No. 28.
||3itblic Parade
Separation Good
Consolidation seems to be in vogue.
There are occasions when separation is
more important. This is the case in
Chowan County where commissioners
abolished the dual office of sheriff-tax
collector.
This is not to degrade the late Sheriff
Earl Goodwin or any other person who
performed these duties. While there
might have been a time when such a
marriage of duties was in the best inter
est of the citizenry, this has long
passed.
With one person having full-time to
devote to law enforcement, those who
, are itchy to violate the law are now in
more danger.
With one person having full-time to
devote to tax collecting the county can
expect collections to continue to be high.
There is even more assurance in this
with people like Troy Toppin and Mrs.
Elizabeth H. Goodwin filling these posts,
Respectively. They are both well versed
in the responsibilities of the offices.
The county is fortunate to have them
continue to be part of the governmental
structure.
Picture Policy
The Chowan Herald has numerous
requests for prints of pictures which
appear in the newspaper from time to
time. Because of the number of these
requests, it is necessary to establish
the following policy:
Individuals or organizations keeping a
scrapbook, etc., are welcome to the orig
inal print which appears in the news
paper at no cost. If additional prints
are requested they will be furnished at
$2 each. However, the original must
be picked up or request for reprint made
within one week after publication.
After a picture appears in the paper
we have no further use for the glossy
print and will be happy to share it with
an interested individual or organization.
Finding a particular print or the nega
tive to make additional prints months
after publication is more of a chore than
our staff can now undertake.
Mr. Speaker!
Sitting in the gallery of the House of
Representatives in Raleigh last Wednes
day watching members of that august
body go through the procedure of se
lecting their new speaker caused a lump
to come in our throat. Seeing a friend,
a Northeasterner, escorted down the aisle
to take the oath of this important of
fice was a thrilling experience.
It brought back memories of years
past and the first time we saw Phil God
win escorted into a room. The scene
was the Jack Tar Hotel in Durham.
The occasion was a strategy session de
signed to get sufficient delegates for
election of a mutual friend to the Young
Democrats Club presidency.
If we had heard of Gates County
prior to that we don’t remember it.
Phil Godwin was our first tangible con
tact with Northeastern North Carolina.
The manner in which he operated; the
manner in which those in that smoke
filled room in the middle of the night
listened to his counsel; the manner in
which he stressed fairness and integrity
over victory were all impressive.
During the night the small counties
were of great importance. The oppon
ent, hailing from populous Mecklen
burg, had sewed up the block votes. It
was from “Little” Gates, “Little Alex-
ConiiDutd on Page Four
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Mrs. Lena M. Leary
Mrs. Leary Gets
Post With Clerks
ASHEVILLE Mrs. Lena M. Leary
of Chowan County has been named
president-elect of the Association of
Clerks of Superior Court of North Ca
rolina. New officers were elected at
the clerks’ 51st annual conference here
July 1-4.
Mrs. Leary served last year as second
vice president.
Alton Knight of Durham County is
president; James Nance of Scotland
County, vice president; Ralph Knott of
Franklin County, treasurer; Marion Per
son of Cumberland County, assistant
secretary; with Institute of Government
in Chapel Hill serving as secretary.
Sixty-seven counties were represented
at the conference.
Mrs. Leary has been clerk of Chowan
County Superior Court since 1960 and
has worked in the office since 1949.
Godwin Assumes House Speakership
RALEIGH First District Rep. Phil
Godwin of Gates County last Wednesday
succeeded Rep. Earl W. Vaughn as
speaker of the State House of Represen
tatives. The change in command came
in the closing hours of the 1969 session
of the General Assembly.
Rep. Vaughn of Rockingham County,
was appointed to the N. C. Court of
Appeals earlier in the day by Gov. Bob
Scott.
House Democrats caucused shortly af
ter Gov. Scott announced Vaughn’s ap
pointment. Godwin was nominated by
acclamation to serve as interim speaker.
He was later elected at the House ses
sion and is assured of being the speaker
at the 1971 assembly session.
Rep. W. T. Culpepper of Elizabeth
City, who serves with Godwin in the
other First District seat, placed his fel
low representative in nomination.
Although House members face an
other election before the 1971 session,
Godwin’s nomination was practically as
sured last January in the first week of
the 1969 session when 75 out of 91
House majority members committed to
vote for him.
Vaughn’s resignation merely prompt
ed Godwin’s succession two years earlier
than expected, the first House speaker
from Northeastern North Carolina in
over 100 years and the first ever from
Gates County.
He was administered the oath of of
fice by his brother, Superior Court
Judge A. Pilston Godwin, Jr., of Ra
Edenton, Chowan <S § lty, North Carolina, July 10, 1969
Dufll County Post Abolished
13 co
The dual o g g ' of sheriff and tax
collector were | § arated Monday by
Chowan Coun., commissioners. Mrs.
Elizabeth H. Goodwin, wife of the late
Sheriff Earl Goodwin, was employed to
fill the newly created department post.
Sheriff Troy Toppin, who was ap
pointed by commissioners recently to
fill the unexpired term of Sheriff Good
win, had asked to be relieved of the tax
Board Firm
Chowan County commissioners Mon
day adopted a record $1.3-million bud
get as previously approved—making no
allowance for additional health district
funds. The tax rate was set at $1.85
per SIOO valuation.
William B. Nash, director, District
Health Department, has said repeatedly
that unless participating counties increas
ed their contribution the department
would be out of business. Chairman
W. E. Bond and Commissioner C. A.
Phillips said they did not consider this
a decision to make.
After lengthy discussion of the mat
ter, no action was taken to go above a
5 per cent increase already included in
the 1969-70 budget.
Phillips said the bulk of the 30 per
cent increase in the health district bud
get was in salaries. He pointed out
that the state set up 10-15 per cent rais
es while the county employees were get
ting only 5 per cent.
When Currituck County was told what
their share of the new budget would be
they withdrew from the program. This
leaves a four-county district of Cho
wan, Perquimans, Pasquotank and Cam
den.
Phillips told fellow board members
other counties agreed to go along with
leigh.
Other relatives attending the ceremony
and given privileged seats on the House
floor were: Mrs. Godwin and son; Mrs.
Pilston Godwin; Walter Hayes Godwin
of Gatesville; Mr. and Mrs. F. Marne
Godwin of Gatesville; Mr. and Mrs. J.
R. Freeman, Jr., and Mrs. J. R. Free
man, Sr., and Mrs. Frank Seiling of
Gates; and Mr. and Mrs. Julian Free
man of Ahoskie.
A Chowan County delegation to the
ceremony was led by Democratic Chair
man Thomas H. Shepard. Mayor
George Alma Byrum, former Mayor
John A. Mitchener, Jr., W. B. Gard
ner, W. P. (Spec) Jones and L. F. Am
burn, Jr., also attended.
Baer Mill Fire Pushes Edenton’s Per Capita Loss High
Edenton’s per capita fire loss rose
sharply during fiscal 1968-69, reaching
the highest peak in nine years. The
loss was $18.60, based on a population
of 5,000.
Fire Chief W. J. Yates said damage
to property and contents during the year
amounted to $84,320, with the bulk of
it coming from a costly fire at Richard
P. Baer Company. In Chowan County,
the per capita loss was $13.03.
In the previous fiscal year the per
capita loss was $3.49 in Edenton and
$6.48 in Chowan County, according to
the report released this week.
GODWIN ASSUMES SPEAKERSHIP Rep. Phi Godwin of Gain, on* of two repre
aontatiTM fa) the Pint House District of North Caroline, lest Wednesday became speakec
of that body, succeeding Hop. Earl M. Vaughn, who was appointed to the N. C. Court
of Appeals. In the picture at left. Rep. Vaughn, left, and Rep. Godwin pose foe the tra
ditional gavel photo. Above, the new speaker poses with five representatives from Cho
wan County who attended the afternoon ceremonies. Front row. left to right, are: John
A. Milchener, Jr* W. P. (Spec) Jonas and Rep. Godwin. Second row, Thcmiu H. Shep
ard, Mayor George Alma Byrum and W. B. Gardner. (Photo at left via UPI, courtesy
States vile Record and Landmark.
collecting duties. He said he wanted
to be a full time law enforcement officer.
The commissioners set Mrs. Goodwin’s
salary at $5,500. She will also serve as
office deputy for Sheriff Toppin.
Sheriff Toppin’s salary was set at
$7,500. The county will furnish him a
car and expenses.
Commissioners said the new arrange
ment with the sheriff should allow him
On Increase
the 5 per cent increase, some reluctant
ly. “Any more would be in conflict
with what had been done for other coun
ty employees,” he said.
It was pointed out that all remaining
counties must work together. If another
county drops out the district is sure to
Continued on Page Four
Arts Council Job
To Local Woman
Mrs. Thomas Chears, Jr., of Edenton,
has been named director of the Albe
marle Arts Council, a new position sup
ported by the N. C. Arts Council and
counties in the area.
Mrs. Chears has
been a driving force
W Ah in promoting the arts
w s ' in the 10-county
Jr area, working thru
the structure of the
Albemarle Area De
... velopment Associa
tion.
The director will
help promote a
1 broader arts pro
j gram the
* '■ pating counties and
Mrs. Chears
attempt to interest others in joining.
Mrs. Chears was one of the founders
of the Chowan Arts Council here in
1964. This was the first such council
in the area and others have been pat
terned after it.
The director was recommended by the
seven-county arts councils and endorsed
by Dr. Bruce Petteway, president of
the College of the Albemarle.
She served for three years as chair
man of the Chowan council, initiating a
number of programs. She assisted other
counties in the organizing of councils.
Mrs. Chears, whose duties began July
1, said she will first help each county
in the area to prepare a plan for the
coming year. She hopes to initiate later
a program in which all counties can par
ticipate.
The next worse year, fire-wise, was in
1960 when a blaze destroyed Spedic.
That year the per capita loss was $22.89.
Since that time it has been as low as 43
cents in 1964.
Edenton Fire Department answered
70 calls in town during the last fiscal
year, traveling 187 miles. Sixty-five
calls were answered outside of Edenton
with 571 miles traveled.
There were more “silent” alarms an
swered in Edenton than “coded” calls—
-39-31. In the county, however, the sit
uation was reversed with 41 “coded”
calls and 24 “silent” alarms.
more time to patrol throughout Chowan
County. Sheriff Toppin agreed, saying:
“The people want to see the sheriff’s
department moving about.”
Chairman W. E. Bond said a recently
completed audit of the tax collector
showed $136,375.76 in delinquent taxes
back to 1959. These were charged to
Mrs. Goodwin for collection.
The board’s action completely did
away with any county employee working
for fees. In the future, all fees col
lected will go to the county.
The board members said Chowan
County is fortunate to have a person of
Mrs. Goodwin’s experience to fill the
tax collector’s post. She had assisted
Sheriff Goodwin during his 11 years
in office and is completely familiar with
the tax collecting method.
Commissioner C. A. Phillips said the
jobs of sheriff and tax collector were
not compatible. He also called for a
study of the entire tax structure in the
county. The commissioner said work
should be done to “bring it all under
an overall supervisor.”
Chairman Bond said it might be the
time to study the county manager form
of government in the county. He said
every effort should be made to get the
county on a business-like basis.
At the same time, the board re-ap
pointed Sherlon Layton tax supervisor
for a two-year term.
Drop Experienced
In Unemployment
During the month of June the unem
ployment rate in Chowan County among
insured workers, dropped below 1 per
cent, according to Neil E. Thagard,
manager of the Edenton Employment Se
curity Office. This trend should con
tinue through the summer as local plants
are enjoying full employment and the
local building trade is enjoying a steady
rise in activity / said
“There is a definite need for workers
in construction, particularly for carpen
ters and bricklayers,” he added.
The month of June brought increased
activity to the local ESC Office as over
250 new applications for employment
were processed. Os these applications
almost 200 were from students seeking
summer jobs. One hundred twenty-four
persons were placed in jobs and of these
63 were young people.
Seventy contacts were made with loca*
employers to seek job openings for
youth, older workers, veterans and the
disadvantaged.
Thirty-eight persons were given apti
tude tests and 33 were provided employ
ment counseling.
The report showed a total of 22 flood
ed stoves, 11 in each the town and coun
ty. There were four rescue alarms an
swered in Edenton and one in the rural
areas. Twenty-eight grass fires were
reported in the county with six such
fires in town. Thirteen auto and truck
fires were reported—eight in Edenton,
and five outside.
In June ,the department answered 11
alarms in Edenton and the county, trav
eling 71 miles. There was no damage
reported.
Chief Yates said in addition to the
alarms answered, members of the de
partment checked and inspected all 140
hydrants in Edenton, maintained all ap
paratus and equipment and kept up the
housekeeping chores.
Teen-Ager Tried
A 16-year-old Washington County
Negro was placed on probation in Cho
wan County District Court Tuesday af
ter being convicted of larceny.
Jerry Lee Webb, Route 1, Roper, was
charged in two counts of larceny and
one of concealment of merchandise from
local downtown businesses.
Judge W. S. Privott sentenced Webb
to six months on the roads in one case.
However, sentence was suspended and
the defendant placed on probation for
two years upon payment of SSO fine and
costs in all three cases. Prayer for judg
ment was continued in two of the cases.
The judge ordered that the merchan
dise be returned to the owner.
Richard Clarence Pittman entered a
plea of guflty to speeding in excess of
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Single Copy 10 Cents