Officials Prepare To Open Festival ' It’s festival time in ye olde towne on Queen Anne's Creek. The ~*’*rea is rapidly taking on the proper atmosphere. A festival without a political flavor has something lacking. This ingredient is solid in the Edenton- Chowan Bicentennial Arts Festival opening today (Thursday). R. Jack Hawke of Washington, D. C., federal co-chairman, Coastal Plains Regional Commission, will join U. S. Sen. Robert Morgan as keynoters at the dedication of the waterside park at 4:30 P.M. Friday in front of the Municipal Building. Coastal Plains Regional Commission gave the Town of Edenton an SBO,OOO grant for park development- The town’s share of the project is $20,000. A name has been selected for the park through a contest in Edenton- RB v ■f, - all READY FOR CELEBRATION—Hugh Dial of Edenton Floral Company is shown above displaying his costume for the Bicentennial Arts Festival which begins today (Thursday) in Edenton. Dial made the costume, designing it from pictures of authentic clothing of the period. Four Days Os Fun Begin The die is cast!! Today, (Thursday) months of planning and work by many will come to fruition-and the fruit is bountiful! The Edenton-Chowan Bicentennial Arts Festival, being co-sponsored by the Cultural Arts Department of Edenton-Chowan Schools and the Chowan County Bicentennial Committee, is one of the major events planned for the community in the celebration of the 200th anniversary of this country. Beginning with an opening ceremony at the Edenton Municipal Building at 11:45 A.M. today (Thursday) and ending with boat races sponsored by the Edenton Yacht Club on Sunday, there will be four days of continuous patriotic, educational and talented outdoor activities. A main attraction during the festival will be the U. S. Armed Special Notice The Collections Department in the Municipal Building will close at 3:30 P. M. Friday due to the formal dedication ceremonies for the Waterfront Park at 4:30 o’clock, according to W. B. Gardner, town administrator. At the same time. Police Chief J. D. Parrish said certain streets would be closed at varioos times because of activities during the Edenton-Chowan Bicentennial Arts Festival. -Colonial Avenue and Court Street will be closed from 3 P. M. to 8:30 P,M., Thursday; from 5 P. M. to 8 P. M., Friday; and 8:30 A. M. to 12-oosn on Saturday. East Water Street will be closed (ram 9:30 A. M. to 10:30 A; M. Saturday. Abe, Sooth Broad from Eden Street to King Street will be closed from B:3* P. M. to 11 P. M. on fetartay for the street dance. - '• *-T' /.tv ' ii* • > . Chowan Schools and Chowan Academy. The name will be revealed by Mayor Roy L. Harrell at the conclusion of the formal program. J. Clarence Leary, Jr., chairman, Edenton-Chowan Bicentennial Committee, will be master of ceremonies. W. B. Gardner, town administrator, will introduce special guests and Hawke will deliver some comments. C. A. Phillips, chairman, Chowan County commissioners, will introduce Sen. Morgan who will give the major address. Otis Strother, band director in Edenton-Chowan Schools, has been schools coordinator for the “experience” expected to draw thousands of people to Edenton. Strother has coordinated some 30 different groups in developing a varied program. Forces Caravan tours. Vans depicting the history and contributions of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine will be at the Barker House Visitor Center- Museum area and open to the public on today and Friday afternoon beginning at 2:30 P.M. The Courthouse Green, the Courthouse, Chowan County Office Building and the municipal area will provide the setting for the majority of activities. However, there will be a Bicentennial Bake-Off in the John A. Holmes High School home economics department on Friday. The public is invited to attend these school events which will begin at 9:40 A.M. and continue hourly at 11:30 A.M. and 1 P.M. Prizes will be awarded for the best muffins on the Green on Friday at 6:30 P.M. Also, at 6:30 P.M. Friday there will be the presentation of the Junior High and Elementary finalists’ speeches and essays. Awards will be presented in these categories at this time as well as trophies for art, business, and Continued on Page i Crime Prevention Bolstered By Citizens A group of interested local citizens, headed by West W. Byrum, Jr., have formed a Chowan Crime Watch Program. Sheriff Troy Toppin lauds it as a self-help community crime prevention endeavor to reduce the threat of burglary to citizens and their neighbors. Chowan Crime Watch is simply asking each household to be alert not only of his own property but any unusual activity, suspicious person, acts or vehicles at his neighbor’s property. If and when this occurs, it is potted out, TTUI7 A W ¥¥E* TJ A T\ Volume XLII.—No. 15. Candidates File For Positions Murray D. Ashley slnblte parade Bye, Bye! By the time a majority of you along the Public Parade read this we will be winging our way to San Francisco, Calif. While we will be assigned the valet duties for the only female member of the Edenton-Chowan Board of Education, the trip is being taken in anxious anticipation. There is some background about the jaunt which should be said before the brickbats begin to fly. Several years ago six area counties formed the Alliance For Progress, an educational consortium. Funding from the Rockefeller Foundation followed and it included paying the expenses of school board members and members of county boards of commissioners to the annual meeting of the Nations Schools Boards Association. Foundation staffers schedule interesting visits to schools whicl excel in various innovate educational programs, as well a set up seminars with some of th< leaders in the field of education This is a bonus to those attending and a departure from the oftei times inadequate conventior program. In a sense it is pretty much like having your cake and eating it too It is possible for spouses to tag along at the more favorable group rates. That’s where we come in. You might justify our position by saying we are on an educational trip to California. Ii you can’t do that it really won’t matter. We’re gone anyway. Attractive Color Several years ago the Norfolk & Carolina Telephone & Telegraph Company began a promotion of the Albemarle Area of some magnitude. It consists of the use of scenes from around the region, in process color, on their telephone books. The late L. £. Blades, Jr., was proud of his homeland and never missed the oppx>rtunity to spread his enthusiasm around. The new cover program meant an increased cost of production but he justified it by pointing to the intangible value in promoting the area. Among his first selections was a Jack Williams photograph of the historic Chowan County Courthouse as scene across the Green from Water Street. He told us of his selection in confidence well in advance of publication. Continued On Page 4 please call the Edenton Police Department or Chowan County Sheriff’s Department giving accurate descriptions and license numbers. Decals will soon be available for each home throughout the county to be placed in a conspicious place designating it as a Crime Watch cooperator. Certain local citizens are equipped with CB radios .to further enhance the value of this program. This affords the opportunity to contact law enforcement offices in case of highway or other emergencies. & * % t, North Carolina, Thursday, April 8, 1976. - . o -■ m I s BP : -PI £ a , Alton G. Elmore Emphasis On Rural Health Chowan County’s health service agencies salute National Rural Health Week, April 4-10, signed into the Congressional Record by President Ford on October 22, 1975. Recognizing that the central role of health services played by the hospital has become greatly augmented by a diversity of health related services available from other agencies over the past years, a group meeting was initiated’ by Chowan Hospital. On March 19, representatives from the various agencies which serve Chowan County in delivery of various health-related services met to discuss a joint participation of National Rural Health Week. Present at the meeting were Dr. Bernard Atkinson, clinical psychologist, and Dr. Adren Hughes, alcoholism counselor, both of the Albemarle Mental iH » DISCUSS HEALTH SERVICES —Representatives of health related agencies are shown above discussing participation in National Rural Health Week. The observance includes emphasis on all phases of health care, and ways of more effectively delivering these services to rural citizens. Ruling Favors Town Os Edenton The Town of Edenton acted legally when rezoning two parcels of property on Highway 32 at the interesection of U. S. 17 by-pass. This was the ruling of Judge Elbert S. Peel, Jr., of Williamston, Friday in Chowan County Superior Court. In allowing a motion for summary judgment by the defendant town the jurist held that “on the ground that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact . . . (the defendants) are entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Attorneys for the plaintiffs, N. J. George and others, asked for an Continued On Page 4 “Crime is on the increase,” a spokesman said. “A burglary is committed every 13 seconds in the United States.” “If there was ever a program started in Chowan County that costs less,” he continued, “with possible greater end results and which brings total community participation I imagine what it would be. The opportunity is now for all of our citizens to work hand in haqd for a common cause. Prevent crime! If we are an informed, / alert and active community** can win the war jgAHRjV O JflyA, iBL jjR RBR ■ JR Roy L. Harrell Health Center; Glen Bunch, social worker from the Chowan County Department of Social Services; Virginia Byrum, district director of the cancer society; William Culpepper, chairman of the Chowan County of the American Red Cross; Randy Horton, health educator of the district Health Department; Willis Privott, captain of the rescue squad, Henry Sawyer, director of the Elizabeth City office of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation; Thomas M. Surratt, president, and Gail Singh, vice president for administrative services, both of Chowan Hospital; and Gladys White, home economics extension agent of the Chowan County Extension Service. Other agencies not represented at the meetng, but participating in Continued on Page 4 Hunt’s Team Now In Action Jim Hunt’s campaign for Governor of North Carolina got off to a fast start in Chowan County this week with the selection of general committee leaders. The list reads like a Who’s Who in the county and area Democratic Party. E. L. Hollowell, Sheriff Troy Toppin, Mayor Pro Tern James C. (Pete) Dail and Earl Smith are co chairmen of the Hunt committee. Wallace Evans will direct the Friends of Jim Hunt campaign. • if .-MW’. HUNTING VOTES FOR HUNT—Chowan County, Albemarle Area and First Congressional District campaign leaders for Jim Hunt became more visible this week as the candidate filed for the Democratic nomination for Governor of North Carolina. Left to right are: Wallace Evans, Mrs. Annette Lucus, James C. (Pete) Dail, Sheriff Troy Toppin, E. L. Hollowell, J. Gilliam Wood and Earl Smith. Single Copy 10 Cents. Murray D. Ashley, 19 Westover Heights, was the first of three people to file as Democratic candidates Monday with the Chowan County Board of Election. He is seeking the office of Register of Deeds. Ashley is Chowan County Director of Civil Preparedness. Mrs. Jean A. Bunch, who previously announced her plans to seek the Register of Deeds’ post, also filed, according to Mrs. Byron Kehayes, elections board chiarman. Mayor Roy L. Harrell, who last week confirmed that he was considering running for one of two seats in the First House District, made it official Monday afternoon by filing with the local board. David T. Bateman, a county commissioner representing the Third Township, told a newsman Monday afternoon that at the present time he is not inclined to seek re-election. Bateman is vice chairman of the board and is completing his second four-year term. Alton G. Elmore, First Township commissioner, announced this week that he would be a candidate for re-election. Elmore, 43, is chairman of the six-county Albemarle Mental Health Board and immediate past chairman of the six-county Alliance For Progress. He is vice president of Edenton Furniture Company. He issued the following statement: “In filing for re-election to a second four-year term as Chowan County commissioner from the First Township, I look back with a degree of satisfaction to some of the county accomplishments that have taken place in this first term of working for the people of our county. “Because of Revenue Sharing Funds, we have been able to up date many of our school facilities, remodel our county office building, up-date our rescue squad headquarters and rescue equipment, install tennis courts and basketball courts with lights for the northern end of the county, purchase two new school activity buses, as well as place order for a new fire truck to be housed in Edenton and participate in a county recreation program, just to name a few things. “With these things in mind, I now look forward to completion of the county-wide water system, building of a new courthouse and Continued On Page 4 Two other Hunt chieftains also reside in Chowan. Mrs. Annette Lucus is area coordinator for the huge 21-county First Congressional District. J. Gilliam Wood is spearheading the Hunt campaign in the 10-county Northeastern North Carolina area. Hollowell, president of Chowan Veneer Company, is a past chairman of the Chowan County Democratic Executive Continued On Page 4