Ideas Differ
About Status
1 Os Proposal
By Flynn Surratt
Jim Pressley, director of in
struction for Edenton-Chowan
Schools, told the board of
education, Monday night, that
staff planning should begin for
future adjustments in curriculum
if a career center becomes
possible. At the same time a board
member, Dr. J.H. Horton,
cautioned that enthusiasm in other
counties may be waning
somewhat.
The statements came during a
report by another board member,
Mrs. Emily G. Ambum, on a
recent tour taken by officials from
Chowan, Perquimans, and Gates
counties. They studied existing
facilities in Monroe and Winston-
Salem and according to Mrs.
Ambum, received much valuable
1 information on the planning
aspects of such a project.
She also reaffirmed that other
officials are “ready to go” with
the multi-county project.
Likewise, Dr. John Dunn,
superintendent, reported that Ken
Stalls tri-county director of
vocational education, is currently
working with the Employment
Security Commission in assem
bling a job needs assessment. That
would provide a guide as to what
jobs are in demand in the area,
thereby effecting the type of
curriculum the career center
might offer.
Another joint meeting is
scheduled by the three boards in
Perquimans County on February
13 at 7:30 P.M.
One classroom at D.F. Walker
School is no longer in use because
of a sag in the boiler room ceiling
adjacent to it, reported Dr. Dunn.
Upon the advisement of Lewis J.
Cooke, consulting engineer with
the Department of Public In
struction, Division of Plant
Operation, a maintenance crew is
. ■ Continued on Page 4
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Action Approved
L. S. Blades, 111, president of
Norfolk Carolina Telephone
Company, announced that at a
special meeting held Tuesday in
Elizabeth City, the company’s
common stockholders approved
the acquisition of Norfolk Carolina
by United Telecommunications,
Inc.
The acquisition calls for an
exchange of 1.1 shares of United
common stock for each share of
Norfolk Carolina common. With
United Telecom stock closing at
$18.50 Tuesday, the purchase
would be worth about $15,873,000.
The outstanding preferred stock
of Norfolk Carolina is not being
acquired by United.
Blades said that the con
summation of the merger is ex
pected to take place in the latter
part of March or the first part of
April of this year following
; satisfaction of several conditions,
including the receipt of approval
from the Federal Communications
Commission.
Norfolk Carolina operates in
eight counties in Northeastern
North Carolina and parts of South
eastern Virginia.
United Telecom also owns
Carolina Telephone & Telegraph
Company, based in Tar boro and
United Telephone of the Carolinas
at Southern Pines.
Institution’s Assets Increase
Assets of Edenton Savings &
Loan Association increased by 10
percent during the past year with
savings increasing at about the
same pace. The association made
157 loans during the year,
amounting to 93.5-million.
James C. (Pete) Dail, president
and secretary, revealed these and
other statistics at Monday night’s
meeting of stockholders.
} Officers and directors were re
elected.
Total mortgage loans at the
financial institution are in «y«w
of lU-million out of assets at $13.2-
mini IT
munon. ;
While the firm mafadahs a
585jd55 added last psari
iwtinfari out that «au n nid nr
Toward A Cure
The acquisition of Norfolk
Carolina Telephone Company by
United Telecommunications, Inc.,
was approved Tuesday in the Isle
of Pasquotank by the company’s
common stockholders. Finan
cially, it was a whale of a deal for
them and it can prove to be of
benefit to many, many others in
Northeastern North Carolina.
The acquisition by United
Telecom could lead to an ex
pansion of the Albemarle Metro
and 4 01 l free dialing. This will be
welcomed up in Gates
Cv
A.OjV, -esent time a portion of
the Cv served by Norfolk
Carolin • another section by
Carolina This has
meant that Gates residents
had to call ? distance into
Gatesville, the county seat, while
customers of Norfolk Carolina on
the Welch exchange in Chowan
could dial direct, toll free.
The Albemarle Area
Development Association has
tried unsuccessfully for years to
get this thing changed. The N.C.
Utilities Commission recognized
the inequities, but said the cure
would be more painful than the
illness.
United Telecom now owns both
companies. They are in the same
family so maybe something can be
worked out equally for the
brothers and sisters in Gates.
Scoutmaster Needed
A piece of history is on the brink
along the Public Parade and
without swift action it will suc
cumb to apathy. What may be
lost is not merely Troop 156 of the
Boy Scouts, but youth who
otherwise might experience a
“happening” which would have a
meaningful impact on their life.
The urgency of the situation
must not be minimized. It is a
simple problem with a complex
solution.
is that Troop 156,
the oldest in the Tidewater
Council, has died because of the
lack of adult leadership. The
solution is securing a scoutmaster
before its charter expires on
February 28.
Troop 156 has enjoyed many
successes. There are proud Eagle
Scouts among our leaders today
who put their act together in Troop
156. Some of them are members of
Edenton Rotary Club where a
committee has been formed to try
and save the troop for future
generations.
The committee has been for
tunate to find a young man who
will serve as assistant scout
master. It is the top brass that
they have not been able to find.
Between now and the end of the
month the troop can be re
activated without loss of
longevity. If this is not successful
then a piece of history along the
Public Parade will be lost.
‘‘America Needs
Scouting... Scouting Needs
America” is the theme for the 68th
anniversary of scouting, February
5-14. Troop 156 needs a scouter,
and that’s for sure.
Edenton has one strong troop
which spun off from the older one.
There is room for two or more
troops here and the competitor
created would be healthy.
To prepare a boy for life, that’s
what scouting is all about.
Continued On Page 4
largest dividend of $669,017” an
increase of $68,356.
“Your association is people,” he
stated. “We are grateful to you,
our customers. You made it
possible. We have said it before,
but we feel it bears repeating
the opportunity to operate a
business is not a right, but a
privilege.”
J. Clarence Leary is chairman
of the board. Jim P. Partin is vice
president; R.E. Leary, vice
chairman; Lois B. White,
treasurer; and Howard A. Collins,
assistant secretary.
Directors in addition to R.E. and
J.C. Leary, Partin and Dail are:
T.C. Byrum, Jr. t J.D. Peele, G.B.
Potter, Merrill Evans, Jr., and
Wallace B. Evans.
Three-Way Races Develop
As Election Files Close
A three-way race developed for
two Chowan County elective
positions Monday just prior to the
12-noon deadline to file as a
candidate in the May 2
Democratic primary and school
board election.
Harry Spruill, Jr., a member of
Edenton Town Council for the past
four years, entered the race for
Chowan County commissioner
from First Township.
Also, Mrs. Thirza B. Shields,
Route 2, Edenton, became a
candidate for the Edenton-Chowan
Officials Seek Closer Ties
Members of the General
Assembly from the First District
were put on notice Monday that
locally elected officials are going
to demand closer ties with local
legislation.
The matter in which the “bingo
bill” was handled in the last
session caused Commissioner
Alton G. Elmore to speak about
the lack of coordination between
commissioners and members of
w inn I
%THE CHOWAN HERALDJj|
■~> • * ; "• • ' -
Volume XLIV,—No. 6. Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, February 9, 1973 Single Copies 15 Cents
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CHEAP TRANSPORTATION Snowbound students took
advantage of snow that fell on Edenton last Thursday morning by
hitching a sliding ride down South Broad Street behind a pick-up
truck. Similar antics reportedly restilted in injuries to another
student who was hurt when his car hood sled skidded into the
vehicle towing him.
Snow Fails On Second Try
While it might be difficult to
determine who is on second, it is
safe to say that the weather is
holding down the top spot of the
majority of conversations in
Chowan County and throughout
the Albemarle Area.
The weatherman predicted
snow for last Thursday. Like the
prediction for high winds the
week before, it became a reality.
Snow began falling here about 6
A.M. and before it moved on some
four to five inches had ac
cumulated. It was the most con
centration of snow in this area in
a number of years.
It tried again Monday morning.
Wind flurries were all that
resulted.
There has been plenty of sun
shine in the past week but the
temperature has remained near
the freezing mark and much of the
snow remains in certain areas.
The snow storm brought about an
unscheduled holiday for students
in Edenton-Chowan Schools, at
Free Clinic Set
A free Mood pressure clinic will
be held Saturday at the Rocky
Hock Rescue Squad Building next
to W. Earl Smith’s Store. The time
is 9:30 A.M. until 4:30 P.M.
The clinic is being sponsored by
the Ladies Auxiliary of Squad Unit
3.
Board of Education from Fourth
Township.
Her first try for an elected
position, Mrs. Shields joins Cecil
W. Fry and Mrs. Gwen VanDuyn
in a non-partisan race for the seat
being vacated by Morris Small.
Incumbent N.J. George is
seeking re-election to the county
commissioners and last week
George Jones entered the race to
oppose him. Spruill’s entry makes
it a three-man race.
J. D. Peele is running unopposed
for the Second Township seat on
the General Assembly.
“We need more impute when laws
are introduced which affect our
county,” he said. While he said he
blamed to some degree, never
theless, Chowan County com
missioners had nothing to say
regarding the “bingo bill.”
Others agreed that proposed
local legislation should have
comment from locally elected
officials before it is passed.
Chowan Academy and Immanuel
Christian School. There was no
school Thursday and Friday but it
didn’t keep the children at home.
There were no complaints ex
pressed about the possibility of
having to cut the Easter holiday
short as they were having a ball
Continued On Page 4
<* * "H „ ... t - ■:
EAI * LY Pembroke Circle, the site of Edenton’s
°«. was closed down for sledders almost as early as the
***»****** ****“■*'Seating
arate of travel probably unattainable under the conditions At
H< ** Robereon ' *- ™ “•«*«*
the county board while Incumbent
C.A. Phillips is challenged by Mrs.
Lueta Sellers for the Fourth
Township seat.
Dr. J.H. Horton is unopposed for
re-election to a six-year term on
the school board from First
Township. This will be the last
consecutive term he will be allow
to serve.
Sheriff Troy Toppin and Clerk of
Superior Court Lena M. Leary are
unopposed for re-election to four
year terms.
Spruill, who was unopposed in
November, 1977, for re-election to
a four-year term on the council
from Fourth Ward, is a self
employed contractor. He did not
issue a formal statement regar
ding his candidacy.
Mrs. Shields, wife of Robert
Shields, Holmes High School
athletic director, is educational
coordinator with EIC, Inc.
supervising the educational
component of the seven-county
Headstart program. Prior to 1970
the Norfolk, Va., native served as
a teacher aide with the ESEA Title
Continued On Page 4
Farming Income
Shows Decline
Gross income from agriculture
in Chowan County declined to sl6-
million in 1977, off some sl-million
«r from, the .previous year. And
farmers lost an estimated $25 per
acre on com.
R. M. (Pete) Thompson, county
extension chairman, said while
farm income declined the cost of
doing business continued to in
crease. Also, dry weather teamed
with increased production costs to
make 1977 an unprofitable year for
most farmers.
Income from peanuts was up
some SIOO,OOO. The yield was
higher 2,947 per acre in 1977 and
2,896 in 1976 —but the cost of
production and finishing was also
higher.
The figures gathered by-
Thompson listed the com income
at $1.6-million. He pointed out that
in 1976 the yield was 100 bushels to
the acre and com sold for $2.55.
The yield in 1977 was 75 bushels to
the acre and com sold for SI.BO.
“Farmers lost $25 per acre on
com,” he estimated. With 16,649
acres harvested this meant a loss
of $416,225 on this crop alone.
Income from soybeans last year
was $150,000 less than the previous
year with yield and price both
lower. Soybean income was
estimated at $2.2-million.
Sweet potatoes produced
$140,000 more income in 1977 than
the previous year but Thompson
P K
Mrs. Thirza B. Shields
' *"*' *"*' ißp
Harry Spruill, Jr.
said the higher cost of processing
cut into the grower’s margin of
profit.
.~JO9g income was down due to
price but it still accounted to $3.75-
million of the total farm income.
Feeder pigs were off sub
stantially.
Income from timber was also off
because farmers didn’t cut as
much as usual.
Thompson said the ASCS had
confirmed that land clearing since
1970 had made available as much
as 6,000 acres more for farming.
Chowan County now has 45,000
acres in cultivation.
While the figures were
estimates, Thompson said they
are the most accurate of any
available because they were
gathered through conferences
with farmers and businessmen
alike.
Officials Want
Coop Put Here
Efforts are intensifying to get
the Albemarle Home Industries
Cooperative headquartered in
Chowan County. While no location
was revealed, C.A. Phillips of
Chowan County commissioners,
said a site had been offered.
At the board meeting Monday,
commissioners were told by R.M.
(Pete) Thompson, county ex
tension chairman, that home
industries, such as crafts, have
become big business in the
Albemarle Area. He pointed out
that the crafts fair in Elizabeth
City last year took in $48,000 in
three days.
Commissioner Phillips said to
ave the cooperative headquart
ered here would be a big boost to
Chowan County. He said a com
mittee was actively working on
the project but is “not quite ready
to announce the location.”
Thompson said such a
headquarters would bring a lot of
people into the area and bolster
the economy.
The organization has been in
corporated and application is
being made to N.C. Rural Fund
For Development for a grant and
loan to get it off the ground.
The board voted to accept a
grant from the state to expand the
county-wide water system. This
prompted Commissioner Lester
Copeland to make a pitch for
Continued On Page 4