Volume XL—No. 2. Edenton, Nbrth Thursday, January 10,1974. Single Copies 10 Cents.
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DISCUSS ROADS-Chowan County Commissioners and
representatives of the State Department of Transportation’s
Division of Highways met last week to discuss the secondary road
program here. Standing are: C. M. Evans, Earl Moore, and C. A.
Phillips. Seated are: Alton G. Elmore, N. J. George, David G
Bateman, Kenneth Roberson and E. J. Butler.
Small Road Fund Allocated
( Chowan County commissioners
] have approved the paving of
Yellow Hammer Road. Chairman
C. A. Phillips noted that it will
have taken the entire secondary
road allocation for three years to
complete this project.
This county’s allocation for this
year is $54,000.
Commissioners met last
Wednesday afternoon with
Kenneth Roberson of
Cafeteria Aid
/
The financially troubled
cafeteria program in Edenton-
Chowan Schools will be aided by a
decision of the U. S. Department of
Agriculture to retroactively
increase its payment rates to state
educational agencies to help
schools pay for lunches and
breakfasts they have served..
duringHi«r pasl six monffis?
Dr. Eddie West, superintendent,
said figures obtained from Mrs.
Worth H e, cafeteria supervisor,
indicated the system would
receive about $3,000 to cover the
period between July r and
December 31, 1973. The mcrease
was given as another step in
implementing the new child
nutrition hw passed last month.
The national average payment
to help defray food costs of each
lunch served to participating
school children was increased
from eight to 10 cents. Within their
average, states were authorized to
vary the rate of reimbursement to
individual schools up to a
maximum 16 cents a lunch.
Resolution Meets Opposition
By FLYNN SURRATT
A difficulty in definitiohs caused
a flurry of debate at the Town
Council meeting Tuesday night,
over the issue of a change to ward
voting. Mayor Roy Harrell
requested action on a resolution of
intent which would then call for a
public hearing on the question of
the desirability of such a ballot
change.
Opposition to the motion arose
as several councilmen were in
doubt as to what i they were
actually voting on.
According to Mayor Harrell, the
move would only result in a public
hearing on the matter. No change
in the voting system would result
from the motiort. U would only
enableshearing to beheld for the
jSate citizens. ,' ' ;t’, . -
Final judgement on the change
could come either at the heartfig
itself or late** at the next regular
-council meeting.
Other feelings, however, held
that approving a resolution of
intent would be improper as no
Resolution was presented,
uxincumen Jesse Harrell, Errol
Robersonville, secondary roads
councilor, D. J. Butler, division
engineer, Earl Moore, district
engineer, to discuss the program.
While there wasn’t a sufficient
amount of money to generate
much conversation about various
projects and priorities, the
commissioners were reassured
that the Edenton bypass project
was still on schedule. Roberson
said he made the motion to
approve the secondary road plan
provided the Edenton bypass
remained in top priority status.
“We have had a lot of
conversation about the local of
green tape on the map ( which
means go projects),” he said.
“The Edenton bypass has a
number one priority and it
remains there.”
Recently some projects “were
baketLdpwn” with the funds being
dumpecf into a’ cenTral fund and
redistributed statewide. Roberson
said he would work to see that
money allocated for each county
remain in that county.
Commissioner N. J. George
argued with the method of
establishing priorities. He said
this should remain with the
county commissioners. Roberson
responded that it is done at the
state level according to priority
sheets, a system established by
the General Assembly.
“But we are getting away from
the basic premise of
government,” George retorted.
Butler said according to the
existing formula Chowan County
will get about one mile per year.
of the town not just a particular
ward. Needs are administered not
on the basis of wards but on a
townwide basis, it was argued.
The main rebuttal stated that it
is not fair for people outside of a
ward to affect the outcome of the
election of a representative of
another ward. Each ward
deserves a councilman attune to
its own needs.
After debate became somewhat
heated, the council moved to study
the matter further and look into
the resolution of intent before
taking action.
Administrator W. B. Gardner
reported that the cost of two new
softball fields would total $17,596
and three tennis courts would be
$13,835. Total cost of both projects
would amount to $32,431. He
voiced the hope that revenue
sharing money will help with the
cost of the projects and that
participation by the county with
Edenton will further spread out
the expenditure.
Eden ton Police Department will
no longer give parking tickets
after 5 P.M. The council elected to
cut tfap itme back one half hour
tecaqae of daylight savings time
and the feet that many shoppera
stop to run in and out of stores at
tbs time of day only to find a red
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The Big \Switch
John D. Coston of Hertfi
retired December 31, 1973,
manger of the Albemarle Electri (
Membership Corporation. Hi 1
bows out after more than 23 years'-
with an organization which serves
over 5,000 consumer-members in
Chowan, Perquimans,
Pasquotank, Camden and
Currituck counties.
R was announced last week that
Edward E. Brown, Jr., a native of
Martin County would succeed Mr.
Coston. Mr. Brown, formerly with
the state EMC trade-service
association, is considered to have
great potential as an
administrator.
However, it is quite a challenge
for a young man. Filling the shoes
to John Coston will be difficult. He
had total commitment, dedication
and determination to provide the
best possible service at the lowest
cost. He was education in the
school of hard knocks, but never
complained about his plight,
regardless of how burdensome it
became.
We know of no one in the
Albemarle more deserving of a
few nights of uninterrupted sleep
and vacation. It is hard to believe
that John Coston made the big
switch by turning in his hot stick
and picking up a fishing pole. But
it couldn’t happen to a finer man.
Where Graduates Go
What happened to Edenton-
Chowan School’s 1973 high school
graduates?
Approximately 40 per cent went
on to some sort of post secondary
education, below the 56 per cent
state average, while another 48
per cent were gainfully employed,
well above the state average of 32
per cent.
There were 209 graduates along
the Public Parade last year and
whiie the percentage of them
continuing their education didn’t
measure up to the state average
their stickability ranked second
only to Tyrrell County in rural
units. Os those enrolled in the
Ninth Grade in 1969-70, 79.5 per
cent of them graduated. In
neighboring Tyrrell, 81.6 per cent
of the same class received
diplomas.
The enrichment program which
has been inaugurated in recent
years in public schools here
appears to be paying handsome
dividends. If you can keep the
youngsters in school you stand a
chance of teaching them
something. And it may be that it
isn’t a disgrace to work with their
hands instead of their heads.
Treatment Before Death
The bureau chief for the N. C.
Association of Afternoon Dailies
recently painted a dim picture of
Continued on Page 4
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Judgeship Will Change
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WALTER W. COHOON
Board Seeks County Funds
Edenton-Chowan Schools will
seek SIOO,OOO in revenue sharing
money for the construction of a
new lunchroom facility at D. F.
Walker School, it was reported at
the board of education meeting
Monday night. Although nos final
yet, the system expects the
expenditure to be approved by the
State Board of Education in the
near future.
The 5,440 square-foot lunchroom
would cost an estimated $176,000
and perhaps a bit more. Bids on
construction will be opened on
January 22.
Also, board members decided
that mid-term and final exams
will be re-emphasized in the
schools. Previously they had been
Bloodmobile
The Red Cross Bloodmobile will
be in Edenton Friday and boosters
hope to improve on the unusually
low amount collected on the last
visit. The quota is 100 points and
help is solicited from all citizens.
The Bloodmobile will be at the
Fellowship Hall of Edenton
Baptist Church from 12 noon until
6 P.M.
On the last’ visit only 44 pints
were collected and Joe Hollowell
of Edenton Jaycees says this must
be improved.
Mr.Buf flap, 56
Graveside services were held
Sunday for Lance Lathem Bufflap
of Cayce, S. C., son of J. Edwin
Bufflap of Edenton. Mr. Bufflap,
56, died suddenly Friday in
Columbia, S. C.
The services were held at 2 P.M.
at Beaver Hill Cemetery with Rev.
E. L. Earnhardt officiating.
A native of Chester, Pa., the
deceased was also the son of the
late Mrs. Edna Keesey Bufflap.
He was a linotype machinist.
In addition to his father,
surviving is his wife, Mrs. Doris
Simpson Bufflap; a daughter.
Miss Elizabeth Ann Bufflap of
Greensboro; and a sister, Miss
Dorothy Bufflap of Elizabeth City.
He was a member of Asheboro
Baptist Church.
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WILTON WALKER, JR.
designated to count one-tenth on
the semester grade. With the
report of the Examination
Steering Committee, the board
determined that they will count
one-fifth of the semester average,
instead.
No more than two exams will be
administered per day and the time
allowed for taking each exam will
be left to the discretion of each
school.
Continued on Page 4
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SOCIAL SERVICES
DIRECTOR--Ronald Huffman,
an Eastern North Carolina
native and formerly of
Statesville, has assumed
duties as director of the
Chowan County Department of
Social Services. He was
previously a psychiatric social
worker at the Tri-County
Mental Health complex in
Statesville. Married and with
three children, he succeeds
Robert Hendrix.
Grampian Finishes New Boat
Grampian Marine Ltd., has
introduced a new sailboat, G 2-34,
which was developed at the
Edenton plant. T. S. Gannon,
Grampian’s technical and special
projects manager, said it wes
constructed exclusively with local
labor and is a credit to the skills
and adaptability of the men
concerned.
ELIZABETH CITY Judge
Walter W. Cohoon will end 41
years as an elected public official
on February 1 when he steps down
as Resident Superior Court Judge
of the First Judicial District. He
will become an emergency judge
at that time.
Judge Cohoon announced
Sunday that his announcement at
this time would enable anyone who
desires to file as a candidate for
the four years remaining on his
term to do so. The filing deadline
for the May Primary is February
25.
Gov. Jim Holshouser would
appoint an interim judge to serve
until January 1, 1975.
District Court Judge Wilton
Walker, Jr., of Currituck,
announced Wednesday his
intention to file notice as a
candidate for nomination as judge
of Superior Court for the First
Judicial District in the
Democratic Primary election to
be held on May 7.
Judge Walker, who is 49, said he
will file with the State Board of
Elections in Raleigh today
(Thursday), for the four-year
unexpired term from which Judge
Cohoon is resigning.
Judge Walker has served 20
years as a court official. He was a
county prosecutor in Currituck
County and later became a
prosecutor in the District Court.
He currently serves with Judge
Fentress Horner of Elizabeth City
in the First Judicial District
Court.
The jurist is married to
Margaret W. Walker. He made no
formal statement about his
candidacy other than a simple
announcement of his intention to
seek the Superior Court judgeship.
Judge Cohoon was first elected
as a county prosecuting attorney,
later as a district solicitor and
more residently as a judge.
His statement included:
"I am grateful to the people of
Pasquotank County and of the
First Judicial District for these
honors and the confidence which
they have accorded me through
these many years. I trust I may
further be able to serve them and
my state intermittently as
emergency judge.
"To the many court and county
officials, employees, and law
enforcement officers throughout
the district with whom I have been
associated and had the privilege to
work with, I am grateful for the
assistance and encouragement
that they have so often and so
generously given to me.”
He noted that some of those
playing vital roles in the project
had never worked on a sailboat
before.
The new boat meets the need for
an aft cockpit version of the
popular G-34, center cockpit craft,
one of which has been a familiar
sight at Edenton Marina and in
Edenton Bay during the past year.
In order to produce a glassfiber
mold, it was first necessary to
build a wooden form using
traditional boatbuilding methods.
This was done by three men who
up until this time had no previous
experience in wordworking.
Wayne Sawyer, Paul Sterns and
Wayne Spruill, worked under the
direct supervision of Gannon.
When the wooden form was
completed, it was prepared and
finished to a high luster, and the
glassfiber mold was made by the
plastics department, under the
control of Henry Overton,
production manager.
The interior of the boat was
completed in record time by a
team comprising Bill Baccus, Joe
Spruill, Ernie Downing, Mel
Williams and Paul Stearns, under
the control of Bill Bass, works
foreman.
“Grampian Marine is pleased at
the effort and cooperation by the
entire staff of the Edenton plant,
and in the light of the present raw
materials shortage due to the
energy crisis, it is encouraging to
find a group of employees willing
to give of their best, both in
enthusiasm and encouragement.
It is a credit to the Town of
Edenton, Chowan County and
North Carolina that such
employees still exist.” it was
noted.