Sailboats Are Coming
Canadism Company To Build
THE CHOWAN HERALE
Volume XXXVIII—No. 9 Single Copy 10 Ci
Edenton, Chowan County, North Carolina, Thursday, March 9, 1972
public |3ararb
Guarding A Scoop
We want to be among the first to
welcome Grampian Marine Limited of
Canada to the industrial family along
the Public Parade. Albemarle Sound
and the Chowan River provide excellent
sailing waters and Grampian, will find
the local plant in an excellent location.
Locally, the Industrial Committee of
Edenton Chamber of Commerce has
done an excellent job in seeking out
prestige industry. The manufacture of
fiberglas sailboats, as well as providing
courses in sailing and a retail sales outlet
here will focus additional attention on
what the community can offer industry.
We must, however, plead guilty to
carefully guarding the announcement of
Grampian’s plans (which were about
the worse kept setret to our knowledge)
to the point that many of those who me
ander along the Public Parade read the
story Wednesday in our least favorite
morning newspaper of general circula
tion in Northeastern North Carolina or
in the daily published in a neighboring
state.
While the wire service tickers were
delivering the story throughout the coun
try, the only information this newspaper
was able to obtain concerning the an
nouncement came second, third or fourth
hand. The ciowns in the Conservation
& Development branch of the conglom
erate Department of Natural and Eco
nomic Resources haven’t bothered to in
clude the paper of record in Chowan
County in their mailings.
One is further outdone when he rea
lizes that the president of Edenton
Chamber of Commerce is superintendent
of this newspaper. C&D certainly put
him in an embarrassing position.
. Nevertheless Grampian will find ex
cellent industrial, business and commun
ity neighbors in Chowan County. And,
really, that is what it is all about.
But to the boys in C&D we want to
pass along a statement in the recently
published Overall Economic Development
Plan: “There is no limit to what a man
can accomplish as long as he does not
care who gets the credit.”
Worth Waiting For
There is a new governmental complex
in Chowan County’s future. When?
How? Both are legitimate questions to
which those who meander along the
Public Parade are entitled to :tn intelli
gent answer.
In most every undertaking approach
ed sensibly, the how has more than a
passing influence on when something will
grow to the point of fruition. Plans now
being discussed for a new governmental
complex is no exception.
How the county can come up with
approximately SBOO,OOO will determine
when more concrete steps can be taken.
Chowan County commissioners of late
have been facing problems head-on.
They have not buried their heads in the
sand, in hopes that some miracle worker
will be found on the doorstep or the
problem will go away.
This is certainly the case when the
board conscientiously strikes ou( on
such an ambitious capital improvement
project on the heels of a sl-million bond
to provide the area one of the best
facilities for medical care to be found
in Eastern North Carolina.
Because of the limitation on the coun
ty’s ability to borrow money, not to
mention pay it back; the annual gamble
with agricultural income; along with a
tax base which barely brings in, during
the best years, enough money to provide
necessary services, every avenue of pos
sible financial resources must be thor
oughly explored. This is being done.
While commissioners have little tang
ible information to report to the people,
they have made some progress towards
development of the governmental com
plex which is sorely needed.
The Byrum Committee did a thorough
job of finding and recommending pos
sible sites. The committee was headed
by West W. Byrum, Jr., and composed
of leading talent in the county. The
recommendations were based on the
members’ best judgment of the facts and
without the whimper of selfish motives
or Dersonal feelinzs.
In our to place a new
Columbia Project
Funding Awaited
COLUMBIA—The Town of Columbia
is still awaiting word on funding of an
application to obtain a federal grant
for water and sewer system improve
ments. No positive action had been
taken at noon Wednesday.
Robert A. Podesta, assistant Secre
tary of Commerce in charge of Eco
nomic Development Administration, has
told Sen. B. Everett Jordan and Rep.
Walter B. Jones that he recognized
the urgency of the Columbia applica
tion and is seeking a means to fund
ing it.
Columbia continues to face a crisis
situation, according to Julian L. Poston,
town manager. Fire hose is being used
to bypass breaks in the sewer lines
' i
Back In Service— The Bank of North Carolina’s clock, the subject
of considerable conversation, is now back in service at the corner of
Broad and Eden streets, Donald 0. Hawkins Electrical Contractor,
Inc-, of Portsmouth, Va., had the contract to overhaul the clock.
Hawkins is shown above in his shop prior to returning the clock to
Edenton. (Photo by R. L. Dunston of the Norfolk Ledger-Star).
Downtown Landmark Ticks Again
(Editor’s Note: The following article
recently appeared in the Norfolk (Va.)
Ledger-Star. The clock has now been
returned to Edenton and according to
our best sources is keeping accurate
time—on all four faces.)
PORTSMOUTH, Va. —What is un
doubtedly one of the biggest clock over
haul jobs ever assigned in the area is
being completed by Donald 0. Hawkins
Electrical Contractor, Inc.
The clock measures four feet across
and has four faces. It belongs to the
Bank of North Carolina at Edenton.
The overhaul bill will run between
$2,500 and $3,000, according to Donald
0. Hawkins, president of the firm bear
ing his name.
The exterior physical appearance of
the clock suggests another era.
Work to be done on the clock, Haw
kins said, included replacement of all
bearings, reactivation of the chiming
device and adjustments put it in work
ing order.
The hands on the exterior faces of
the "clock are activated by an electric
clock in the interior of the big clock.
The mechanism has to operate to show
the same time on all four faces. v
Hawkins said the clock has a fasci
nating chiming characteristic. On the
r!ter hour it chimes four times, on
half, eight times, on the three-quar
ter hour, 12 times, and on the hy-hour,
18 times—followed by a chiming of the
time.
Hawkins said the clock is at least 48
yean old. He found a-pencilled nota
Grampian Marine Limited, a Canadian
manufacturer of fiberglas sailboats, is
expanding into the United States with
a plant to be located in Edenton. The
announcement was made in Raleigh
Tuesday afternoon.
The firm has begun temporary op
erations in the old Public Works Build
ing on Base Road, adjacent to Edenton
Municipal Airport. Eight to 10 em
ployees are at work, making prepara
tions to build fiberglas sailboats.
W. P. (Spec) Jones, chairman of the
Industrial Committee of Edenton Cham
ber of Commerce, said J. P. Bisiker,
president of Grampian, has placed em
ployment of the Edenton plant at 50.
In addition to building boats the com
pany will teach sailing and have a re
tail sales outlet here.
Jones said site selection and plans
to construct a plant have not been
made. However, some decision will be
arrived at later in the month when
Grampian officials from Canada return
to Edenton.
“The Industrial Committee thought
from the beginning that a sailboat man
ufacturer would be a natural for Eden
ton because of the excellent sailing con
ditions in the Albemarle Sound and
Chowan River,” Jones stated.
Charles W. Bradshaw, Jr., secretary
of the Department of Natural and Eco
nomic Resources, expressed the belief
that the arrival of the company is an
other indication of an increasing trend
Continued on Page 4
tion insde reading “June 19, 1924,” but
he said he has been unable to establish
that as the date the clock was assem
bled or the date repair work may have
been done on it.
The overhaul job has required six
weeks,
fIM
JpfsL m
a mm*
Renew Friendship— State Sen. Ashley Futrell of Washington,
left, is shown here while campaigning in Chowan County Monday
renewing a friendship of long standing. Jack Harris, vice presi
dent, Bank of North Carolina, is a native of Aurora in Beaufort
County and was principal of the high school immediately prior to
going into banking.
fit ■ i»h 1 * >2 4
New Plan; New Planner The Overall Economic Development
Plan (OEDP) for the 10-county Albemarle Area was released this
week by Albemarle Regional Planning & Development Commission
(ARPDC). The 500-page document is being weighed here by Bob
Sykes, housing and urban development planner, who joined ARPDC
March 1. Watching is Wesley Cullipher, executive director.
Area Study Is Published
A self-study of factors affecting eco
nomic conditions in the 10-county Albe
marle Area has been completed and
published as the first stage of an Over
all Economic Development Plan (OEDP).
Compiled by Albemarle Regional Plan
ning & Development Commission staff
ers, the plan was distributed to board
members today (Thursday) at the first
annual meeting of ARPDC, being held
in Elizabeth City.
Wesley Cullipher, ARPDC executive
director, called the OEDP the most com
plete study of its kind ever made in
Northeastern North Carolina. He said
numerous previous studies were used as
resource material and brought together
in the OEDP.
The plan, consisting of some 500
pages, is handsomely bound and the
cover carries a color photographic view
of the North Carolina coast from
Apollo 9.
Cullipher sa d the commission staff
will continue to review and up-date the
data contained in the plan. He said
Floyd E. Spellman, ARPDC program
planner who was in charge of the OEDP
project, has already begun this task in
an effort to contmually have available
the most complete and latest informa
tion on the area.
Futrell Visits Area
State Sen. Ashley Futrell of Wash
ington sought votes in Chowan County
Monday, vowing to conduct a spif fed
campaign but one which will not leave
skeletons scattered throughout the First
Senatorial District.
“If I win, I want to go to Rale’gh
without walking oyer any political
bodies,” he asserted.
Sen. Futrell is in a three-man race
for the Democratic nomination with
Sen. J. J. (Monk) Harrington of Lewis
ton and Speaker of the House Phil God
win of Gatesville. The district has two
seats.
The candidate told some 25 people
who gathered in the Municipal Building
that he won in a spirited campaign two
years ago which saw him carry his
home county of Beaufort with 83 per
cent of the vote.
After pledging not to get involved : l
any other campaign, and asking for
“help, support and enthusiasm,” Sen.
Futrell fielded questions from the audi
ence.
Pension for Assemblymen: “I am op
posed to it. I would vote to repeal the
law if I have the opportunity.” (He
was not in the 1969 General Assembly
Continued on Page 4
The plan gives separate treatment to
the development of cultural, legal,
moral and behavioral environments.
Further emphasis and clarity are gain
ed by including the chapter on eco
nomic history, the process of change
and specific impacts of selected chang
es, and emerging problems which may
be a source of future changes.
Summaries, analyses and conclusions
Continued on Page 4
Hollowell Is Cited
The 35th Anniversary celebration of
Edenton Lions Club last Friday night
honored W. Herbert Hollowell for his
contribution to Lionism in his club, the
district and state, as well as his work
with the blind.
Following a moving address by C.
Ray Pruette of Franklinton, state White
Cane director, Caswell Edmundson, club
president, presented Hollowell a hand
some engraved plaque.
-—“Because of his faithfulness and
loyalty he is honored,” Edmundson said.
He later said Hollowell’s "loyalty, faith
fulness and courage” has worked for
Lionism.
Hollowell, a local pharmacist, town
councilman, and Method'st layman, was
obviously surprised by the program in
his honor. After receiving the award,
he said: “I owe more to Lionism than
I have ever contributed.” Then he
thanked his family for encouragement
and cooperation.
Pruette. a college professor, charac
terized Hollowell with such words as:
enthusiastic, sincere, dependable, gen
erous, likeable, compassionate, and a
dedicated Christian.
He said as district governor in 1966-
67, Hollow'ell served with great confi
dence. Now as vice president of the
N. C. Associat’on For the Blind, he
“serves and serves well in the area of
sight conservation”.
The speaker said while the honoree
is quiet and Unassuming he gets the
job done.
Entertainment for the celebration,
held at Chowan Golf & Country Club,
was provided by Rev. and Mrs. Robert
E. Gray. Eugene Perry, past club presi
dent. introduced guests present, which
included representatives of many clubs
throughout the district.
Active charter members recognized
were W. J. Taylor. Guy C. Hobbs. Hec
tor Lupton, R. W. Leary. Jr., and J.
Clarence Leary.
Academy Expands
Chowan Academy is now enrolling
students for the 1972-73 school term.
In announcing that March is enroll
ment month, it was pointed out that a
10th Grade will be added for the next
term.
This school year the academy added
a kindergarten and Ninth Grade.
The academy, now in its fourth year
of operation, has experienced increased
enrollment each year. “A few vacan
cies still exist in each of the grades,”
according to the announcement and
those interested 'n applying for their
clyid should contact the academy.
Mrs. Frances Hollowell is headmis
tress at the academy, whose foremost
purpose is to provide “quality education
within a Christian atmosphere,” and
where stress is also-placed on “prayer,
patriotism and discipline”.
In addition to an expanded curricu
lum, the school organized a student gov
ernment this year. Grades six, seven
and eight provided winners in the DAR
essay contest and the Chief Rockahock
H’story Club continues to win honors
on the state level.
The athletic program was expanded
this year with competition in football,
basketball, baseball and softball.