n THE CHOWAN HERALD K 3
Volume XXXVin—No. 11.
fJitMic
Conger Scores Hit
“With high school-level material he’s
done exceedingly well.”
The director - choeographer about
whom this critic wrote in the Charlotte
Observer earlier in the month, Joseph H.
Conger, 111. Conger, an Edentonian, is
-director ,of the drama department at
West Charlotte High School.
“The Roar of the Greasepaint, The
Smell of the Crowd” was presented by
Joe's students March 2-4. And among
the Urchins was the director’s youngest
brother, Lyn.
“And the brightly colored patchwork
Costumes of the Urchins—a sort of con
temporary parallel to the Greek chorus
—are equalled in excellence only by the
originality of choreography in many of
their son-an-dance sequences,” the critic
wrote.
And to add still another special touch
to the performance was a program cover
in charcoal designed by Joe’s roommate,
Dennis Maulden.
The good press the production en
joyed in the state’s largest newspaper
Certainly speaks well for the young
drama director.
Toward. More Vibrant
Community
The overworking of a few commun
ity-spirited folks along the Public Pa
rade has reached the ridiculous stage.
The time is long past for new faces to
appear; for new shoulders to be put to
the wheel; for responsibility to be ac
cepted by more than a handful of faith
ful and true.
Whatever the drive, campaign or pro
motion, the sameness of leadership does
not speak well for the community. There
is a wealth of talent being kept under
the bushel. It must be uncovered in
order to spread among many what is
now expected of only a few.
There is a tremendous, even acute,
need for an epedimic of oownmmity ser-»
vice. There is a need for more citizens,
black and white, young and old, to be
come infected with a disease whose only
immunization is a feeling of self-satis
faction experienced at the successful
conclusion of a project. .
The story of Chowan County Chap
ter, American Red Cross, which has had
to experience a crisis situation before
getting the attention of the citizenry, is
a typical case.
Just about a year ago, Carlton Jack
son, chairman, announced that unless
the chapter obtained some fuqds to pay
for the processing of blood \collected
here, the Tidewater Bloodmobile would
by-pass Edenton. Chowan Hospi'J.l
would be deprived of the use of the
blood center. This prompted immediate
action with many new people joining
ranks with a successful fund-raising
drive resulting.
Now, Mr. Jackson, who has been Mr.
Red Cross here for six years, put out the
word that he could no longer shoulder
the responsibility, and his chief aide,
Murray Ashley, not physically able to
assist. However, he wanted to insure
that a healthy organization functioned
Continued on Pago 4
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7V«r Boost For Red Croee —Mrs. Dianne Dail, left, and Mrs. Sue
Rountree, representing Edenton Jaycettes, Friday presented a check
to the Chowan County Chapter, American Red Cross. Accepting the
cljeek is Carlton Jackson. At right is Thomas M. Surratt who was
n'aintC Chapter chairman, succeeding Jackson who has held the post
Edenton, Chowan County, North Carolina v . day. March 23.1972
I* County To Suffer
Funds C it Is Voted
* if. C 4
Three counties in Northeastern Noi ui
Carolina will receive more state funds
for the next fiscal year while seven
others will receive less in a move to
better equalize the local tax burden to
support the public assistance programs
and the local administration of all so
cial service programs.
Dare, Pasquotank and Washington
counties will receive substantially more
in fiscal 1972-73. Reductions in state
. funds will be experienced -by Camden,
Chowan, Currituck, Perquimans, Hyde,
Variety Os Events
Slated For 250th
A varied program of activities asso
ciated with the 250th anniversary of
the 1722 Edenton charter moved one
step closer to a final format Monday at
a meeting of the steering committee
held at Edenton Chamber of Com
merce.
While the celebration is scheduled
for June 11-18, the printing of the of
ficial program deadline is imminent, ac
cording to Alton Elmore, chairman of
the committee. “We are anxious, of
course, to effect dissemination of our
program but there are still several im
portant details to be determined,” he
said, “which depends on favorable an
swers to requests prev’ously made and
outlined by the committee.”
There was agreement reached within
the committee that there should be
available at a nominal charge, a worth
while souvenir. Majority votes were
registered for a metal coin noting the
250th anniversary on one side and on
the opposite, a replica of the Edenton
town seal.
The Chowan Herald will publish a
special edition in conjunction with the
event.
Those attending the steering com
mittee session Monday night, in addition
to the chairman were Mayor- George
Alma Byrum, Chamber President E. N.
(Pete) Manning; Mrs. Beth Jethro, Jay
cettes; Miss Edna Snell, BPW; Jimmy
Ricks, Jr., Rotary Club; Dr. R. N. Hines,
Jr., Historic Edenton, Inc.; Mrs. Allen
Hornthal, Woman’s Club; Bob Moore,
chamber manager and J. M. Robinson,
publicity.
The group will hold another meeting
early next month to determine the re
lease date of the anniversary program,
and to tie-down last minute entertain
ment goals.
Bank Proposes Branch At Northside
Bank of North Carolina, N. A., 216
South Broad Street, has made appli
cation with the Comptroller of Currency
in Washington, D. C., to establish a
full-service branch in Northside Shop
ping Center. The proposed branch
would be the 50th in the bank’s state
wide operation and would be located at
the corner of North Broad Street and
Paradise Road.
Jack Harris, vice president and jn
charge of the bank’s Edenton operation,
was unable to give a target date for
opening of the branch, once it is ap
proved.
Tyrrell and Gates counties. In Chowan
the difference will be $2,394.
The State Board of Social Services,
at its meeting on March 8, adopted a
new formula for distribution of the $4.6-
million appropriated by the 1971 Gen
eral Assembly for this purpose for fis
cal 1972-73.
The old formula was based on four
factors: The average public assistance
money payments per capita, the num
ber of public assistance recipients per
100 population, the sales and use tax
per capita, and the adjusted individual
income per capita.
The new formula, which will apply
basically to both public assistance and
administration funds, is based on a
ratio between the county’s cost for the
program and the appraised value of
property at 100 per cent of valuation
Clifton M. Craig, commissioner of
Social Services, believes the new for
mula is much simpler than the old and
that it will be a more equitable system.
He stated that it brings a closer rela
tionship between the counties’ costs
and their ability to pay and will better
equalize the growing local tax burden
in support of these programs.
Estimated total statewide expendi
tures for the current 1971-72 fiscal
year for public assistance payments are
$131.8-million, and this is estimated
to increase to $146.1-million for 1972-73.
Total county estimated expenditures
for administration of all social services
programs for 1971-72 are $25.4-million
and it is estimated this will decrease to
S2B million for 1972-73.
Commissioner Craig stated that the.se
increases in costs are being caused by
a continuing increase in both the num
ber of public assistance recipients and
the average monthly payments which
they are receiving. The caseload in the
aid to the families with dependent chil
dren program has been increasing dras
tically since the latter part of 1969.
Fiscal year 1967-68 had 106,727 persons
receiving assistance in this category
with an average monthly payment of
$25.45 per person*- In January of this
year, there were 167,049 with an aver
age monthly payment of $32.37 per
person.
The State Board of Social Services,
aware of the increasing financial bur
den on the counties with their limited
tax revenue, has for the past four ses
sions of the General Assembly request
ed additional state funds for aid to
county administration of social services
programs. Each session has denied
these increases.
Continued on Page 4
Harris said the proposed branch
would have some 2,000 square feet of
floor space, entrances front and rear
and a drive-in window. He said the
bank plans to put an official with prop
er loan authority to serve the patrons in
that area.
“This is part of our effort to further
serve this industrial and rapidly ex
panding business area, as well as peo
ple in the upper portion of Chowan
County,” Jie said. Harris also indicated
this application for establishment of a
branch is further proof of Bank of
North Carolina’s faith in the growth
and development of this area of the
state.
When Bank of North Carolina (then
First National Bank of Eastern North
Carolina) opened its Edenton branch in
July, 1966, it was the 21st branch in
the rapidly growing system. At that
time the late Mitchell Allen, president,
pointed out a growth from establish
ment in October, 1952, with $150,000 in
capital to resources near $44-million.
Since that time the bank has more
than double its number of branches
and assets have increased* more than
five times, to $250.5-million on Decem
ber 31, 1971.
Surratt Takes Post; New Life Given Red Cross Chapter
Reorganization of Chowan County
Chapter, American Red Cross, has be
gun with Thomas M. Surratt, admini
strator of Chowan Hospital, being nam
ed chapter chairman.
At a luncheon meeting Friday at
Edenton Restaurant, Carlton Jackson,
who has served as chairman for six
years, proposed establishment of a
board of directors and a broad-based
organization which will insure not only
continuation of existing services but
expansion into additional areas.
Representatves of civic clubs and
public agencies in the area agreed and
chose Surratt to structure such an or
ganization.
Jackson said kb the past too many
poop* have taken volunteers for grant-
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Airport Management To Change On April 1, Ram Aviation,
Inc., of Newport News, Va., will assume management of Edenton
Municipal Airport. Dr. Richard Hardin, right, chairman, Edenton
Airport Commission, discusses the local facility with Buck Evans of
Elizabeth City, left, and Charles Fields of South Mills. Fields will
manage the airport which is expected to have expanded services
soon.
Ram Leases Local Airport
Fuller utilization of facilities at Eden
ton Municipal Airport is the aim of
Ram Aviation, Inc., of Newport News,
Va.. who will on April 1 assume man
agement of the old military base.
Ralph A. Miller, Ram founder, has
announced that the firm’s flight train-
Candidates Speak
Lt. Gov. Pat Taylor called for a
strengthening of local government,
three candidates for lieutenant governor
discussed their philosophy of the of
fice and district office-seekers made a
play for votes. The occasion was a
“Meet The Candidates” banquet plan
ned by the Governmental Affairs Com
mottec of Albemarle Area Development
Association.
Those who aspire to the lieutenant
governorship at Edenton Jaycee Com
munity Building were: Mrs. Margaret
Harper of Southport, Roy Sowers of
Sanford and Allen Barbee of Spring
Hope.
Phil Godwin of Gatesville, committee
chairman, conducted the program and
on hand were Sens. Monk Harrington
of Lewiston and Ashley Futrell of Wash
ington all throe of whom are seeking
the two seats allotted the First Sena
torial District.
First House District candidates pres
ent were John A. M'tchener. Jr., of
Edenton, Vernon James of Weeksville
and Stanford White of Manns Harbor.
Democrats; and Mrs. Iris Etheridge of
Edenton, Republican.
L. F. Amburn, Jr., AADA president,
Continued on Paae A .
Retail Sales Climb
Retail sales on which the 1 per cent
local option sales tax is collected
amounted to $8.3-million during Febru
ary in eight of the 10 Albemarle Area
counties in which the tax is levied.
This is based on a report issued by
G. A. Jones, Jr., commissioner of the
Department of Revenue.
Net collections by counties were:
Camden, $1,749.39; Chowan, sll,-
121.74; Currituck, $4,171.71; Dare, $9,-
035.10; Pasquotank, $36,322.39; Per
quimans, $6,318.16; Tyrrell, $2,697.19;
and Washington, $11,827.90. *
Gates and Hyde counties do not col
lect the special sales tax.
ed. “They feel it will go on without
anyone doing anything . . . they leave
it to two or three people and it is a
burden on them when it is worked in
this manner,” he noted.
He pointed out that the blood pro
gram alone is the most important of any
undertaking in the community. He
praised Edenton Jaycees for their hand
ling of the Bloodmobile phase of the
Red Cross, but noted that the local Red
Cross chapter must pay approximately
$135 per visit for canteen supplies and
processing of the blood. Chowan Hos
pital Auxiliary provides volunteers for
the canteen.
“I want the people to be aware of
the importance of the program, and it
not only includes the blood bank but
a service to military families, as well
ing, charter and other services now
provided in Elizabeth City will be ex
tended to Edenton. Buck Evans is man
ager of the Old Municipal Airport in
Elizabeth City and will be in charge of
services at Edenton Municipal Airport.
Charles Fields of South Mills, a cer
tified airplane mechanic, will manage
the Edenton facility. From 1965 to
1970, he was associated with a firm
doing contract aviation management in
Southeast Asia. He has experience at
Norfolk Naval Air Station and with
United Airlmes.
- Fields plans to move into a mobile
home near the tower building.
Ram will establish a maintenance
shop, doing 100-hour and annual in
spections. Jet fuel w'U be available
shortly after April 1.
“The lease with Ram gives us a
chance to grow,” said Dr. Richard Har
din, chairman of Edenton Airport Com
mission.
Dr. Hardin said he would like to
thank all members of the commission
for getting Ram to expand to Edenton,
especially West W. Byrum, Jr., and W.
P. (Spec) Jones. Other members of
the commission are Curtis Forehand,
T. B. H. Wood and Dr. James Slade.
Ram Aviation, Inc., was started in
December, 1963, at Patrick Henry Air-
Continued on Page 4
Newspaper Cited
“Chowanian”, the student newspaper
published at Chowan High School, has
been awarded its seventh All-American
rating by the National Scholast : c Press
Association at the University of Minne
sota for its first semester issue of the
1971-72 term.
Mrs. Marvis Hendrix is adv'ser for the
“Chowanian”, and it is edited by Susan
Jordan, editor-in-chief, and Kitty Evans,
associate editor.
The “Chowan’an” received Marks of
Distinction for superior achievement in
four of the five categories with these
comments: :
Content and Coverage: “You cover
diverse areas to show CHS to readers.”
Writing and Edit'ng: “Your writing
shows training.”
Editorial Leadership: “You select vi
tal, relevant issues and speak out loud
and clear.”
Physical Apperance: “This is amaz
ingly clean and clear few mimeos
match your handsome appearance.”
as the responsibility for first aid train
ing and a swimming program,” he stat-.
ed. The local chapter spends approx
mately S2O per month in tolls for calls
and telegrams aiding military families.
Surratt said the blood bank facilities
at Chowan Hospital are limited and the
Tidewater Red Cross facility is very im
portant. “We are not prepared to op
erate our own blood bank,” he asserted.
“Even if we could it would be much
more costly to the patient.”'
Each cwic club will be asked to ap
point a member to the new board of di
rectors and the organization will be so
structured that a new chairman will be
named each year.
Plans will begin soon for a fund
raising campaign, to begin, hopefully, in
mid-April