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/. Edwin Buff lap
Happy Birthday, “Buff”
This issue of The Chowan Herald is
dedicated to James Edwin Bufflap on
the occasion of his 80th birthday. We
exercise the publisher’s prerogative in
by-passing the editor to wish him a hap
py birthday.
“Buff,” as he is affectionately known
by thousands, including many who have
never met him personally but are ac
quainted with him through his “Heard
and Seen” column, is no ordinary man.
He is an institution along the Public
Parade and has always contributed more
than he has received.
It was 20 years ago at the N. C. Press
Institute that wq met “Buff”. He was
unwinding from the pressures of getting
“■ the weekly miracle to bed. This writer
. was a journalism student at UNC and
sat at the feet of his elders with eyes,
ears and even mouth wide open.
In mid-1964 we began negotiations
with “Buff” and Hec Lupton for the
purchase of the newspaper they had
founded three decades earlier. Coming
from the cruel, demanding hotel-restau
rant business, it was refreshing to asso
ciate with gentlemen.
And in the more than seven years of
changes in format, policies, etc., they
have been consorts. They possessed the
vision to understand our intent was the
same as they expressed in Vol. 1, No. 1,
on August 30, 1934, that being to pub
lish an interesting and informative news
paper. •
“Buff” is the ephiphany of fairness.
The word “hate” is not in his vocabu
lary, let alone his. heart. He works hard.
He fishes with an equal amount of zeal
but the results of the fifst are easier to
f establish than the latter
He is the only editor to our knowledge
to serve 30 years in an elective position.
Editors worth their salt are usually so
controversial they can’t win the first
time, let alone repeatedly. His tenure
on Edenton Town Council is but one of
many things which testify to the high
esteem in which his fellow citizens hold
him.
We have fond memories of our asso
ciation with “Buff”. Among them is a
story we wrote shortly after coming to
meander along the Public Parade. He
was setting the story and after a few
paragraphs, turned from his machine, lit
his pipe, and said quite frankly: “ ‘Bud’,
you are going to catch the devil for
this.” The story ran as written and he
was absolutely right.
This time he will probably give us
the devil for making such a fuss over
him. But if you can’t say something
nice about a guy on his 80th birthday,
when can you?
jl It is our fervent hope that the author
of “Heard and Seen” is just getting'his
second wind.
Fire Service Lauded
Over the years, Edenton Cotton Mills
has had a steadying influence on the in
dustrial community along the Public
Parade.
Drummond’s Pictorial Atlas of North
Carolina, published in 1924, reported IS
industries here—“all successfully oper
ated entirely by local capital.” Only
two of them remain.
Edenton Cotton Mills has earned the
reputation of being a people-oriented in
dustry. In the trade, the local manu
facturer has an almost unequalled repu
tation of quality and service.
Executives of the company exhibited
further evidence of their good citizen
doctrine Monday night when firemen
from Edenton and Center Hill-Cross
Roads were feted. The banquet at the
f American Legion hut was short on speech
making; the king suit being good food
and fellowship.
Although Phillip McMuQan, presi
dent, was present, C. A. Phillips, vice
president and secretary, was spokesman
fat the also chairman
| THE CHOWAN HERALD
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Volume XXXVIII—No. 8 Edenton, (
Law Change
I On Election
Is Explained
Those who desire to register to vote
in the May 6 primary election have un-
I til 1 P. M., Friday, April 7, to do so.
I Registration and several other changes
I were made in the election law and will
I be followed for the first time in May.
I Chowan operates under the modified
I full-time registration system with peo-
I pie able to get their names on the poll
I books on Monday, Wednesday and Fri
-1 day between the hours of 9 A. M., and
1 P. M., in the office of the county ac
countant, Mrs. Pansy A. Elliott. Mrs.
Elliott’s office is on the second floor
of the County Office Building on East
King Street.
Also, people can register at the elec
tion office adjoining the tax supervisor.
Registration by appointment with the
precinct registrars is also allowed. The
registrars will be at the polling places
in the county three Saturdays prior to
the election, as in the past.
The new polling time is from 6:30
A. M., to 7:30 P. M.
This is the first year that registered
voters have been allowed to vote absen
tee in a primary. Application, in writ
ing, must be made to the elections
board no later than 6 P. M., on May 2
nor before March 20.
These regulations do not apply to
Military Absentee Voting. They may
apply at any time on forms secured
from their base or at the election board.
Deadline for receiving their ballots is
May 6.
Also being allowed for the first time
is curbside voting. This will be on elec
tion day between the hours of 9 A. M.,
and 5 P. M.
Independents and those with No
Party Affiliation may affiliate with a
party of their choice before 1 P. M.,
April 7.
Persons who will be 18 years old by
the day of the General Election, Novem
ber 7, may register and vote in the pri
mary.
Mrs. George Hoskins, chairman of the
board of elections, said changes in the
law were made by the 1971 General
Assembly.
Teenager Freed
Sixteen-year-old Donnell Perry, 211
East Freemason Street, was released
from custody on Tuesday when Judge
Winton F. Walker found no probable
cause in the murder of Willie Lee Har
ris of the same address.
Mrs. Mable Perry, mother of the boy,
testified during Chowan County District
Court that when she arrived home on
Monday afternoon Harris was waiting
for her in the street in front of their
home and struck her on the head be
cause he could not find her during the
day.
Mrs. Perry stated the man had tried
to date her but she would not date him
because he was too young for her and
he drank too much.
After Harris allegedly struck her, she
told her younger son to call Donnell
Perry, so he could take her to her fath
er’s home.
When the child tried to use the tele
phone Harris, according to testimony,
stated he was going to kill Mrs. Perry
and her children.
When the defendant came home, Har
ris made an attempt to get him and
once again remarked he was going to
kill them, she stated.
Perry ran from the room into the
Continued on Page 4
Retail Sales Good
RALEIGH Gross retail sales on
which the I per cent local option sales
tax is levied amounted to nearly sl2-
million in January in the eight Albe
marle Area counties where the tax is
collected.
In Chowan County, net collections
last month were $18,382.69. This
means that sales on which the tax is
collected amounted to $1,838,269.
Sales in this category in the other
area counties were:
Camden, $193,288; Currituck, $474.-
483; Dare, $1,004,987; Pasquotank, $5.-
466,351; Perquimans, $782,426; Tyrrell,
$341,963; and Washington, $1,682,057.
Gates and Hyde counties do not col
lect the extra penny tax.
Net collections in Chowan County for
the quarter ending December 31, 1971
were $42,314.37. After the cost of col
lection was deducted, the county re
ceived $32,184.02 with the remaining
$9,692.40 going to the Town of Edenton.
Hie sales tax collections are distribut
ed hy the N. C. Department of Revenue
and reports are issued by Commissioner
G. A. Jones, Jr.
Chowan County, North Carolina, Thursday, February 24, 1972
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Vernon James Mrs. Iris Ethridge Mrs. Frances Inglis
Second Contest Develops
A second race for elective office in
Chowan County in the May 6 Demo
cratic primary developed Monday morn
ing when Mrs. Frances Inglis of Somer
set Farm, Route 2, Edenton, filed as a
candidate for Edenton-Chowan Board
of Education.
However, the biggest surprise of the
current political season has to be the
decision of Rep. W. T. Culpepper. Jr.,
of Elizabeth City, to again change his
mind and seek a third term in the Gen
eral Assembly from the First House
District. Pasquotank County fielded a
second candidate Monday in the person
of Vernon G. James, Rciite 1, Elizabeth
City.
Benefits Planned
For Heart Fund
Heart Month is drawing to a close
and the goal of over $3,000 has not yet
been met.
For those who want to contribute
there are several ways it can be done.
Saturday morning and afiernoon
school children will be selling heart
balloons and tags. These balloons can
be purchased anywhere in the down
town area or at Northside Shopping
Center.
Saturday evening a benefit spaghetti
supper will be held at the Edenton Jay
cee Community Building. All tickets
for the supper have been sold.
Also on Saturday a door-to-door cam
paign will be held with Mrs. Thomas
Shepard in charge.
On March 4. the local National Guard
Unit will sponsor a pork barbecue din
ner at the armory for the heart cam
paign. Plates will be on sale from 11
A. M.. until 6P. M. You can eat there
or take the food home.
Scott Harrell is in charge of down
town business solicitation.
In charge of balloon sales are Mrs.
James C. Dail. Mrs. Frances Wilkins
and Mrs. Paul Tvviddy.
Everyone is urged to help support
the local campaign in the fight against
heart disease.
Mrs. Scott Harrell is president and
Mrs. James Darnell is funds chairman.
BPW Honors Mrs. Smithson; Speaker Pushes Politics
By Patricia M. Arnold
Mrs. Margaret Lane Smithson, li
brarian at Chowan High School and
District 15 Teacher of the Year, was
named Woman of the Year on Thursday
night at the annual BPW Bosses' Night
Banquet.
She was unanimously selected by
every member of the Business and Pro
fessional Women's Club for outstanding
achievements.
Mrs. Clara Boswell, club officer, made
the announcement and did a presenta
tion of “This Is Yo -ir Life, Margaret
Smithson”.
Mrs. Boswell told of Mrs. Smithson’s
beginning in the field of education and
hoyv she worked to be able to complete
college. Her accomplishments as a
teacher and person were vividly illus
trated by persons holding special mean
ing to her being present for the honor.
Keynoter for the occasion was Mrs.
Hargrove Bowles of Greensboro.
Mrs. Boyvles spoke about how much
being involved in politics has meant to
her and her life style.
She remarked: “I wish every woman
could be jolted out of her routine by
some sort of involvement in the po
litical world at some point in her life
for the width and depth it will give her
mind and the knowledge it will give
her of her state and its people.”
She further commented, ‘T was ap
palled to find how ignorant I was of the
needs of North Carolina; and some of
the experiences and shocks I have re
ceived have hurt, but I wouldn’t go
back to my pre-political phase for any
thing.”
Mrs. Bowles talked about the. tra
ditional interests of women as, making
Single Copy 10 Cents
John A. Mitchener, Jr., former Eden
ton mayor, filed earlier in the week and
Stanford White of Manns Harbor in
Dare County made his intentions known
over the weekend.
Rep. Culpepper first filed for re
election but later withdrew because
of his health. He spent nearly two
weeks in a Norfolk, Va.. hospital and
returned home Friday following surgery.
He filed shortly before the noon dead
line Monday.
White, chairman of the Board of
County Commissioners in Dare County,
resigned that, position a few weeks ago
to accept appointment by Gov. Rob
Scott to the unexpired term of the late
Rep. Archie Burrus. At the time of his
appointment White said he would seek
a full term.
But. like Rep, Culpepper, White has
been hampered by poor health. He
only recently returned from a Rich
mond. Va.. hospital where he was taken
following what was described as a heart
attack.
Joe Nowell of Winfall, stale highway
commissioner, made a decision last
Thursday not to seek a seat in the Gen
eral Assembly. Nowell said lie feels
he is worth more for the area at this
time as highway commissioner. He
said he reached the decision after talk
ing with Gov. Scott and Lt. Gov. Pat
Taylor.
The two winners in the four-man
Democratic primary won’t be the auto
matic winners of past years. Mrs. Iris
S. Etheridge, an occupational education
teacher at John A. Holmes High School,
filed as a Republican candidate for the
First House District on Friday aftcr-
Continued on Page 4
Leaders Honored
Three local Boy Scout leaders were
recently cited for their volunteer ser
vice to the movement. Elbert Cope
land. Murray Byrum and Leo LaVoie
received recognition during a service
awards banquet in Elizabeth City.
The banquet was for the Albemarle
District of the Tidewater Council.
Copeland received the Commission
er’s Award; Byrum, Seouter's Key; and
LaVoie was named Outstanding Cubber.
and beautifying of a happy home, the
raising of children, the selection and
preparation of food and the cleansing of
your environment. She commented that
usually all women want out of life is a
safe and peaceful place to live, a happy
relationship with our fellow man. se
curity in which to enjoy our healthy
years, aid when we need strength and
education that will fit ourselves and
our children for the most satisfying role
in life.
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Woman of the Year —Mrs. Margaret Lane Smithson, second from
left, was named Woman of the Year at the annual BPW Bosses’
Night Banquet held last Thursday evening. Congratulating Mrs.
Smithson are, from left, Miss Edna Snell, president of the club,
Mrs. Clara Boswell, club officer, and Mrs. Hargrove Bowles, the
guest speaker.
Local Farm
Income Dip
Not Severe
Chowan County farmers received
$287,681 less for their crops in 1971
than they did the previous year, accord
ing to estimates compiled by Pete
Thompson, extension chairman.
Hard work, coupled with mechani
zation kept the loss from being even
greater following Hurricane Ginger,
Thompson said. Also, it was an expen
sive year to farm with much more of
the $9,494,670 received from crops go
ing for seed and chemicals than in other
years.
“Everyone thought the loss would
be much greater,” the chairman said.
“For certain farmers it was a tragic loss
due to soil conditions.”
Price, over which the producer has
no control, was blamed for high losses
in hog production. The cost of corn
to the swine producer in general cut .all
the profit out of raising hogs, he noted.
Sales were off $500,000 from $2,110.-
000 to $1,610,000.
Although the unit price received for
peanuts was higher than in 1070, the
crop brought in an climated $2,125,000
or $400,000 less than the previous
year. Sonic 300 acres were not harvest
ed due to the weather conditions and
the yield per acre fell from 3.064 in
1970 to 2.512 in 1971.
Soybean producers also felt the pinch
caused bv soil conditions. Sales were
$1,155,000 as compared with $1,299,200
in 1970. Thompson said the wet weath
er caused a lot of damage to soybeans
that knocked the price down consider
ably.
Thompson pointed out that about the
only bright spot was a big increase in
cash received from sweet corn. Sales
were $600,000 in 1970 and rose last year
to $875,000.
Thompson spid the estimate of cash
farm income was compiled from data
received from 50 farmers throughout
the county and ASCS records. He said
that he is confident the estimate ac
curately reflects the farm income pic
ture in the county duiing 1971.
Families Aided
ATLANTA. Ga. - There were 9.502
low-income Albemarle Area people on
the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s
family food assistance program in De
cember as compared to 9.621 the previ
ous month.
This represents nearly 10 per cent of
the population in the 10-county area.
In Chowan Count* food stamps aided
716 people. There were 661 receiving
food stamps in November.
Chowan is one of 52 Tar Ilccl coun
ties participating in the food stamp pro
gram. In the state, more than $4.4-
million in food coupons were issued.
Os this amount, close to $3-million was
in free or bonus stamps.
The number of people in the area
receiving USDA family food assistance
in December are:
Camden. 169; Chowan, 716: Curri
tuck. 384: Dare. 306: Gates. 899; Ilvde,
1.467: Pasquotank. 1.699: Perquimans,
880; Tyrrell. 775; and Washington.
2.207.
She asked her listeners if their de
sires are being fulfilled or needs being
met.
Mrs. Bowles urged her listeners to
register and vote.
She stated in closing, i do believe
that any intelligent woman has a duty to
her family, her state, and the nation
to sec that the values she be'ieves in.
whether traditional or otherwise, are
intelligently enacted towards a better
tomorrow.