Newspapers / The Chowan Herald (Edenton, … / Oct. 24, 1985, edition 1 / Page 1
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ft * Volume XLIX - No. 40 Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, October 24, 1985 SZm Single Copies 25 Cents A Proud Distinction Chowan County — and, indeed, all of northeastern North Carolina — should take pride in the honor i just won by John A. Holmes High in being chosen as one of the 281 secondary schools singled out by the U.S. Department of Education for special recognition. > What this means, in effect, is that John A. Holmes is maintain + ing a level of academic excellence to match its long tradition of achievement in the field of athletics. In short, it is providing this community with the best of two worlds, a distinction rarely achieved in the state as a whole. ^ When Principal Rob Boyce returned from Washington last .. week with a banner, presented to him during exercises on the south lawn of the White House, marking “Excellence In Education 1984-85” alongside the Great Seal of the United States, he brought back evidence which the school can fly high for all to see as a lasting reminder of an educational job well done. And, of course, Cecil Fry, chair man of the school board, and Dr. John Dunn, county superinten dent, other members of the board and of the John A. Holmes staff share the honor if not the spotlight. But, as Principal Boyce pointed out, the bottom line in winning na tional recognition is the students attending John A. Holmes. For whatever reason, they appear to have the proper motivation. They not only know the importance Of setting goals for the long haul, but they, understand the painful necessity of performing the little, day-to-day tasks leading to those goals. Those who measure up to those standards qualify for the RoyaHTlush award, which is the school’s way of eftWWagihg befe. tor goal-oriented performance. We suspect the parents of the community also played a role in this achievement. In many com munities parent participation is limited to cursory participation in the promotion of academic af fairs, but a rabid support of sports programs, especially basketball and football. Practically all their attention is focused on achieve ment on the sports field, where heroes are made every week and the sports editors are badgered for not pointing it out. Meanwhile, in the classroom academic achievers go unnoticed and large ly unsung. Well, Edenton-Chowan seems to have struck a better balance than that, matching its athletic achievements with high academic performance. We don’t know how they are doing it, but we hope the formula is preserved and shared with other districts across the state. On Mildred s Birthday There comes a time in everybody’s life when he begins to think about a cemetery lot — not just any lot in any cemetery, but a particular plot in a place you want to be buried. For the two of us at our house, that time arrived during the first week of October. We had been talking about it, off and on, for years; but then, as long as we liv ed outside the city, they would not sell us a lot. Since a recent annex . ation had brought us inside, we felt we were qualified. So, on October 3 we called city hall to find out where to go to pur chase a cemetery lot. "You go to the office in Oakwood Cemetery,” they told us. “Do you know where that is?” We did. So we climbed in the car and drove over to the cemetery of fice. It was dosed, but there were some men working in a nearby shed where maintenance equip ment is housed. “Can we help you?” oneof them asked. "We were looking for the cemetery supervisor,” we replied. “He's out of town and won’t be back fill Wednesday.” Continued On I’agc 4 ’ Spruill Receives Award Edenton Police Department Patrolman Fred Spruill received the Chowan County Officer of the Year award at the 15th annual Ap preciation Banquet for Law En forcement Officers at the American Legion Building on Thursday, October 17. He became the 14th recipient of the award designed to honor outstanding law enforcement of ficers. But along with Spruill, another exceptional officer was honored and remembered Thurs day night - the late Sheriff Troy Toppin, who is credited with being the major force behind the ban quet sponsored by American Legion Post No. 40. “I’ve never experienced anything like this before,” Spruill told the crowd of close to 350 peo ple gathered for the event. “This is the biggest day of my life; all I can say is thank you.” During an interview after the banquet, Spruill said that before Thursday night “I had no idea I had been selected. My wife knew it for the last month, but she never let on that I had it.” Described as having the knack of being at the right place at the wrong (or right) time Spruill, 33, also has a reputation for the ap prehension of shoplifters. He says he enjoys the public service end of his work, but is “especially in terested in investigative work.” A native of Rocky Hock, Spruill began his law enforcement career in 1974 with the Plymouth Police Department. Three years later, he joined the Edenton Police Department. He is a graduate of Chowan High School and a veteran of the U.S. Army. Spruill and his wife, Mary, have two sons, Fred Jr., 8, and Stephen, 4. Before the presentation of the Officer of the Year Award, high honor was given to Chowan Coun ty’s former sheriff, Troy Toppin, who died in office on October 8. Toppin was the recipient of the an nual award in 1976. Keynote speaker NC Attorney General Lacy Thornburg said, “This year the banquet has become a tribute to the man behind it - Sheriff Troy Toppin.” The attorney general added that the late sheriff was ‘‘a friend to his constituents, especially the young people. The people of Chowan County loved and respected Sheriff Troy Toppin ; he’ll always be remembered as a good man.” Superior Court Judge Herbert Small said, “We all know we are here tonight because of his (Top pin’s) initiative.” He described the late sheriff as a man devoted to his wife, mother and family. Erelene, Toppin’s widow, was presented with a plaque and the sheriff’s badge. Other awards were presented to Deputy Pam Byrum and Patrolwoman Brenda Toppin for being “the glue that keeps the law enforcement fami ly together” and Robert Hendrix, who received the Chowan Edenton Optimist Club’s Law En forcement Officer That Con tributes the Most to the Youth of Chowan County award. Town Makes Compromise As a compromise to a NC Department of Transportation re quest that would require the Town of Edepton to pay 75 percent of right-of-way acquisition costs for W^pqswl Albemarle Street and Paradise Road interchanges, the town has offered to relocate several utility poles and a fire hydrant. Members of the council unanimously rejected the DOT re quest during a regular meeting on Tuesday, October 8. They com plained that they had not been in formed during planning stages for the interchanges that the town would be required to pay aqytbing. u the town were to go along with the dot's wqmr’K -mm be paying $60,755 in right-of-way ac quisition costs. Moving the poles and fire hydrant will cost the town approximately $10,415. During a special meeting on Monday, council unanimously agreed to have Town Ad ministrator Sam Noble send a let Continued On Page 4 Walker Halloween Carnival The D.F. Walker PTA is again sponsoring a Halloween Carnival to be held at D.F. Walker Elemen tary School. This year’s carnival will take place on Sat. Nov. 2 from 5:00-9:00 P.M., and will include favorite games and activities of past years as well as several new games of interest to the older students at Walker. A costume parade and judging will be held at 6:30 with prizes be ing awarded. A new feature of this year’s car nival is the raffle of three great prizes with drawings to begin at Mil'll III m llll I y < - ^ M 8:00 P.M. The first place drawing is for a microwave oven, compliments of Sears; the 2nd place drawing for a 10-speed bicycle, compliments of Eagles; and the 3rd place draw ing for a Cabbage Patch Kid, com pliments of TG&Y. Raffle tickets may be purchased at the carnival or in advance from Pat Waff 482-8184 or Connie Roberson 482-3450. A fun-filled night is planned for the entire family so make plans now to attend. Continued On Page 4 SaxSk St mi X K •> v .. § * Ji HALLOWEnra tvuwiv/iL-james scou rorenana aeuf ana Anna Elizabeth Jordan are helping to promote a Halloween Carnival1 leid at D.F, Walkpr Rlonunlini Cnknnl nn Gain OFFICER OF THE YEAR—Patrolman Fred Spruill, a seven-year veteran of the Edenton Police Depart ment, received this year’s Officer of the Year award at the Fifteenth Annual Appreciation Banquet for Law Enforcement Officers at the American Legion Building. The event is sponsored by Edward G. Bond Post 40. Council Sponsors Music Performance On Tuesday, November 5 at 8 p.m., the Chowan Arts Council will sponsor a performance of Roadside Theater’s musical, South Of The Mountain, at John A. Holmes High School Auditorium, Edenton. Roadside Theater, from Whitesburg, Kentucky and Nor ton, Virginia is one of the handful of rural theater companies in ex istence in the United States. A nationally acclaimed com pany, Roadside has performed in over a thousand small com munities throughout America. The company has also toured many of the South’s big cities and has performed at Lincoln Center, The National Storytelling Festival, off-Broadway in New York, and in Europe and Canada. Since its beginning in 1974, 'R&adside’s purpose has been to develop a kind of theater that makes sense in the southern mountains of Appalachia, where the company was created. Its style is drawn from the music, church and storytelling traditions of the southern Appalachians, and its original scripts are strongly in fluenced by the oral history and tales of the region. Roadside’s performers have all grown up in the region, and their special rela tionship with their material helps create a relaxed story-telling, theatrical form which is unem COA Offers Workshop If you sought but never found yourself during the 60s, and you’re still seeking the real you, the Edenton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce and College of The Albemarle might be able to lend a hand. On Tuesday, Oct. 29, they will co-sponsor Your personal pro file”, a free presentation in which participants will identify their personalities and workstyles, and learn how they combine to act and interact in job environments. The workshop will begin at 7 p.m. at the town of Edenton Municipal Building. The presentation will be con ducted by Nancy A. Smathers, staff development training specialist for the N.C. Department of Community Colleges. “All of us have developed distinct ways of thinking, feeling, and acting,” says Smathers. “The central core of our patterns tends to remain s‘table because it reflects our individual identities. However, demands of the work environment often require dif ferent responses that evolve into a work behavioral style.” She explained that the workshop will help participants understand themselves and others in the job environment. “You are the cen tral focus as you heighten understanding of your style and identify the environment most Continued On Page 4 cumbered by props, costumes or scenery. South Of The Mountain, the presentation coming to Edenton on November 5, tells the story of two generations of a mountain family. Their story is traced from life on a small farm through the personal, dramatic changes that shape the lives of the younger generation as industralization moves into the mountains. Guitar, banjo, and fiddle accompany the dozen original songs which are woven into the story. Tickets are $5.00 for adults, $3.50 for children 12 and under, and will be on sale at Hollowell & Blount and Mitchener’s drugstores and at the door. Coach Shields Dies: Age 64 Robert Francis Shields, Sr. Robert Francis Shields, Sr., a teacher and track coach at John A. Holmes High School, died Mon day, October 21. He was 64. Before intergration. Shields was head football coach at D.F. Walker High School. He began teaching at John A. Holmes in August 1970. “Robert Shields will be remembered for his warmth, his caring and his belief in the impor tance of education. He constantly reminded students that success requires hard work and dedica tion and that by requiring a good education, they could overcome what seemed to be insurmoun table odds." said Holmes prin cipal Hob Boyce. A native of Pasquotank County, Shields was a graduate of St. Augustine College in Raleigh. He was a member of the North Carolina Teachers’ Association and the John A. Holmes Booster Club. He was an Air Force veteran of World War II and a member of St. James A.M.E. Zion Church in Elizabeth City. Survivors include his wife, Thir za B. Shields; two daughters, Audrey McThatter, Laurinburg, and Yolanda F. Shields, Chapel Hill; a son, Robert F. Shields Jr., San Diego, Calif.; three sisters, Caesar S. Barrington, Charity S. Banks and Audrey (). Shields, all of Elizabeth City; a brother, Charles H. Shields, Elizabeth Ci ty and two grandchildren. Funeral services will be held to day (Thursday) at 3 p.m. in Kadesh A.M.E. Zion Church, Rev. Ben E. Cox Sr. officiating. Burial will follow in Beaver Hill Cemetery. Classes at Holmes High will dismiss at 2 p.m. today and a memorial tribute for Shields will be held at the high school at 2:30 on Friday. Food Pantry Opening Nov. 1st The Edenton /Chowan Food Pantry will be opening November 1. This community effort is being sponsored by a number of area churches under the direction of Martha Guttu. The pantry is located on U S. 32, one mile north of the intersection of highways 32 and 17 in Edenton. The hours wfll be Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from nine a.m. until twelve o'clock noon. Volunteers will be on the premises to assist those in need. The phone number is 482-2504. The primary purpose of the food pantry is to feed the hungry who have exhausted all other resources. A further service will be to direct them to other agencies which could be of benefit to them. While response from some of the local churches has been grati fying, it is hoped that others will join in this community effort. Volunteers are needed in order to make the program a success. To date the food received has been donated solely by the local church congregations and is gratefully appreciated. If the local food markets will be as generous, it will be possible to follow Jesus Christ’s command ment to “Feed My sheep.” X-Raying Of Treats Offered Trick or treaters are invited to Chowan Hospital on Halloween from 5-8 p.m. Treats will be x rayed free of charge to determine if any foreign metal objects are present. Nothing suspicious has been found during the first two years of the hospital’s Halloween safety program. Johnny Bryan, Hospital Direc tor, stated recently, “A couple of bags were emptied and checked thoroughly last year when a suspicious object showed up on the x-ray. We were glad it turned out to be a penny and thankful for the alertness of the x-ray techni cian who spotted the suspicious object. We invite children to again participate in our Halloween safe ty program by allowing us to help protect you."
The Chowan Herald (Edenton, N.C.)
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Oct. 24, 1985, edition 1
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