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Volume XLIX - No 45
Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, December 5, 1985
Single Copies 25 Cents
Farm-City Week's observance,
climaxed with the banquet Tues
day evening, November 26, again
served to focus attention of the
community at large upon the im
portant role played by agriculture
in the economy of the state and
nation.
A healthy agriculture is essen
tial to keeping the wheels of the
economy turning. In addition to
work required in its production,
food means jobs — in storage, pro
cessing, transportation, offices
and supermarkets, not to mention
eating establishments.
But because of the mechaniza
tion of agriculture, which now
enables one American farm fami
ly to feed 78 people, its political
clout has been reduced and its role
as an employer of people minimiz
ed. For that reason we all have to
be reminded every now and then
of the key position occupied by
agriculture.
Take those 78 people fed by one
U.S. farm family. Fifty-two of
them live in the United States, the
other 26 abroad. To feed one fami
ly of four requires about 2.5 tons
of food a year. This includes some
629 pounds of red meat, almost
evenly divided between beef and
pork. Chicken and turkey add
another 260 pounds, dairy pro
ducts 1,233 and seafood 51, pro
bably more in this area.
In addition, the average family
of four requires 88 dozen of eggs,
336 pounds of fresh fruit, 400
pounds of fresh vegetables and 598
pounds of flour and other cereal
products. Add to that frozen fruits
and vegetables of less than 100
pounds and you will come up with
the 2.5 tons required annually.
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Due, to its increased efficiency,
the average U.S. farm family pro
duces about 19 times the 2.5 tons
required to feed the family of four.
That is more than twice the level
of production in 1930 and on ap
proximately the same acre base.
What that means is that the
average family can buy its food
for less of its disposable income
today than it could only a few
years ago. Food expenditures to
day represent 16.6 per cent of
disposable income, as against 17
per cent in 1980 and 23 per cent in
1951, thanks to increased farmef
ficiency and to the fact that con
sumer income has risen faster
than food prices.
All this is not to say that farm
ing does not have its problems,
although Chowan County pro
ducers are probably more for
tunate than their counterparts in
the midwest. Agriculture is in
serious trouble in many parts of
the state and nations.
With the carcinoma noose being
tightly drawn around tobacco,
many North Carolina farmers ap
pear to be fighting a losing battle.
And with the financial noose being
tightened by lenders everywhere,
farmers in general are having to
struggle to stay afloat on a sea of
debt.
Responsibility for all this is
pretty widely shared. Only a few
years ago, farmers were en
couraged by bankers and lending
agencies — and even by their own
Continued On Page 1
t Workshop
Planned
»
The Museum of the Albemarlt
will hold its annual Children’s
Christmas Workshop or
December 23 from 3:00 - 5:00 P.M
Children, ages five through eight
are eligible to attend. A specially
selected Christmas craft wiH bt
made. In addition, there will kx
caroling, Christmas “Goodies”
and a visit from SANTA himself!
Registration will begin or
December 2nd, on a first-come
first served basis, with limitec
enrollment. To register youi
children, call Billie Buell ai
335-1453 or 335-2987. This is fre<
and open to the general publie.
Hospital Loses Liability Insurance
by Jack Grove
Chowan Hospital has lost its
liability insurance for Director’s
and Officer’s it was announced
Wednesday morning. As a result,
nine of the hospital’s Board of
Directors, comprising fifteen
members, have resigned in the
last week according to Marvin A.
(Johnny) Bryan, Hospital
Director.
The announcement was made to
the press in the office of County
Manager Cliff Copeland with
Bryan and County Commission
Board Chairman Alton G. Elmore
present.
A prepared statement by Bryan
stated. “At midnight, November
30,1985, Chowan Hospital’s Direc
tors’ and Officers’ liability in
surance was not renewed by
Underwriters of Lloyds.”
“Chowan Hospital is not alone
in being unable to renew or secure
additional Directors’ and Officers’
liability insurance due to under
writing difficulties, as fewer com
panies are now providing this
service.”
Bryan continued, “Other
hospitals that find themselves in
this same situation, to my
knowledge, are Montgomery
County Hospital in Troy, Onslow
County Hospital in Jacksonville,
Johnston Memorial Hospital in
Smithfield, and Hamlet Hospital
in Hamlet. All of these hospitals
have worked through and are con
tinuing to work through the North
Carolina Hospital Insurance Ser
vice to secure other coverage.”
The nine directors who have
resigned because of this lack of
coverage are Board Chairman
Gillam Wood; Vice-Chairman,
Earl Smith; Peggy Vaughn,
Treasurer; Dr. Leibert DeVine;
Arch Edwards; W.P. Jones;
William O. Ticknor; William W.
(Wellie) White, Jr. of Perquimans
County; and John Dowd.
At press time, the remaining
directors are Daisy Bembry;
Emily Byrum; Alton G. Elmore;
Mrs. Lucy Rhodes from Colum
bia; Thomas I. Sharpe; and H.
Ivey Ward.
While Elmore is covered by
county directors’ and officers’
liability, he explained Dowd’s
resignation by pointing out that
the town’s insurance wouldn’t
cover the hospital post.
The officials present emphasiz
.... u—t • i
ed that this insurance wouldn’t af
fect the hospital’s operations.
Bryan explained that this in
surance loss covers only the ad
ministrative staff. The hospital’s
malpractice insurance is still in
effect. Besides board members,
the administrative staff includes
that hospital’s director and assis
tant director; the director of
nurses; and the comptroller.
" The D and 0 insurance covers
such possibilities as lawsuits by
employees concerning employ
ment practicees; budgetary deci
sions by the board such as equip
ment procurement and “almost
any decision that the board could
make” according to Elmore. He
charged that loss of this type of in
surance is due to large jury
awards through lawsuits across
the country. “It’s crazy,” he said.
“How are you going to get
somebody to serve on the board,
for nothing, if they’re not
covered,” Elmore wanted to
know.
The hospital was notified by the
NC Hospital Insurance Service on
November 1 that the policy would
not be renewed and the hospital
Continued On Page 4
Edenton’s annual Christmas parade which was held last Sunday.
Annual Christmas Parade Floats Judged
Heavily overcast skies and a
light mist did not deter throngs of
people from viewing Edenton’s
annual Christmas parade Sunday,
sponsored by the Chamber of
Commerce. Many waited in their
cars along the parade route while
others sought shelter in downtown
drug stores.
Thirty-eight units took part in
the parade which was broadcast
by radio station WBXB with Pat
Flanagan announcing. Judging
the floats at their stand in front of
the courthouse were John Smith of
Edenton Floral; Mona Wolf,
secretary to attorney John
Morehead; and Frank Cox of Peo
ple’s Bank.
This year’s first place winner
was the entry of the Macedonia
Baptist Church. Second place
went to the Chowan County Shrine
Club and third was captured by
the Edenton BPW. Santa Claus
was given a lift courtesy of the
Edenton Fire Department.
Christmas caroles rang out in
front of the courthouse prior to the
parade, presented by WBXB and
Jackson’s Radio.
Music (to the ears of mer
Historic Homes Open Doors
Historic Edenton will host its
annual Christmas Open House
Sunday, December 8, from 2:00 -
5:00 p.m Visitors can enjoy the
beauty and elegance of an
eighteenth-century Christmas at
the c. 1725 Cupola House and the
c. 1773 James Iredell House.
Both homes will feature
eighteenth-century style
Christmas decorations made of
fruit and natural materials such
as boxwood, juniper, pine, rose
hips, and china berries. The
James Iredell House will also
feature foods typical of the col
onial period.
The Cupola House, built circa
1725, is an outstanding example of
Jacobean architecture. The rare
Jacobean characteristics are the
large chimneys, decorative
finials, and second story
overhang. Inside, the house is
paneled with elaborate Georgian
woodwork. The Cupola House is a
Natioanl Historic Landmark.
The Iredell House, listed in the
National Register of Historic
Places, was both the home of
James Iredell and the birthplace
of James Iredell, Jr., governor of
North Carolina (1827-28). Iredell
came to America in 1768, at the
age of seventeen, and studied law
under his future brother-in-law.
Samuel Johnston. He became At
torney General of North Carolina
at age 28 and at age 39 was ap
Continued On Page 4
COA Courses
Scheduled
College of the Albemarle Conti
nuing Education will offer the
following courses beginning
Thursday, Dec. 5th at Holmes
High School from 7-10 p.m.
Heating/Air Conditioning
Notary Public (will only meet 1
night)
Real Estate Brokerage
Real Estate Law
Sewing
For more information, call
482-8426 on Tuesday or Thursday
night 7-10 p.m.
chants) also rang out from cash
registers both before and after the
parade as it heralded another
Christmas shopping season.
Jaycees’ Sales Proceeds Bring Holiday Cheer
By Rebecca Bunch
Christmas will be especially
memorable this year for twenty
Chowan County children, thanks
to the hard work and caring of the
Edenton Jaycees.
Beginning this week, Jayeee
members will be going door to
door, selling Christmas wreaths
and garlands. The proceeds ol this
sales effort will be used to fund
their annual Children's Christmas
Party, and to buy clothes and toys
as gifts for the kids who will be
attending.
Small wreaths will be selling for
$12.00. and large ones for $15.00.
Garlands will be selling for 50
cents per loot.
Committee chairman Morris
Small noted earlier this week that
1984 sales figures were very good,
and that the Jaycees hope to do
even better this year. He also said
that a number of advance sales
have already been made, and in
quiries have been received from
several persons who purchased
wreaths and/or garlands last
year.
Small also commented that the
Jaycees are pleased to bo able to
host this Christmas party for
Chowan County children, and are
proud of the high level of support
they have been receiving in the
community.
For more information, or to ar
range purchase of a wreath or
garland, please call Morris Small
at Tarheel Bank 1482-7466) or Kel
Elmore at Broad Street Texaco
(482-817:H.
PROUDLY DISPLAYED—Pictured above are Morris Small (left) and Kel Elmnae with the beautiful
wreaths and garland that may be purchased from them or any Jsvppp member. Proceeds go to the
Christmas party for children in Chowan County. (Staff photo by Ui. >tuv)
m
PEANUT AWARD—Mayor John Dowd, representing the Chamber
of Commerce, presents the 1984 Peanut Award to a representative of
Byrum Farms.
Farm-City Banquet Held
barm folks and their town
cousins got together Tuesday
evening around the banquet table
to celebrate Farm-City Week. The
banquet at the American Legion
Host brought together officials
from the town and country
governments as well as represen
tatives from area civic groups and
urban and rural citizens.
The theme for the week was
summarized in the banquet pro
gram. "Farm people and city peo
ple cannot very well get along
alone nowadays. Each is depen
dent on the other for products and
services that are essential to
modern living."
The purpose of farm-city ac
tivities "is to promote widespread
working understanding of the in
terdependence of the two groups
and to narrow the gap that
sometimes divides the rural and
urban segments of our
population."
County Commissioner Alton
Elmore provided the welcome
followed by remarks by Edenton
Mayor John Dowd ancj,recognition
of guests by president-elect of the
Chamber of Commerce, Chuck
Smith.
Mike Williams, County Exten
sion Chairman, introduced the
guest speaker, Chowan County
Hospital Administrator M.A.
"Johnny" Bryan. Bryan
presented the history of the
hospital and a look at its future for
the county.
Farm awards were presented
for outstanding achievement in
several categories.
Chuck Smith, president of the
Chowan-Edenton Optimist Club
presented the award for Best 4— 11
Livestock Record Books to first
place winner. Crystal Stallings:
second place, Kent Howell; and
third place to Kobin
Lichtenwalner.
The Chamber of Commerce
awarded the 1984 Peanut Award to
By rum Farms. It was noted that
Byrum Farms was the high pro
ducer in North and South Carolina
as well as Virginia
The president of the Extension
Homemaker Council, Eula Jordan
presented Mrs. Margie Eure with
the Chowan County Woman in
Agriculture Award.
The Youth in Agriculture
Award went to Michael Neal Bass,
presented by Teresa Jordan.
Capping off the awards was the
presentation to C.Y. Parrish, III
of the Outstanding Young Farmer
and Rancher Award by the Eden
ton Jaycees.
Businesses
Recognized
The Albemarle Area Develop
ment Association Awards dinner
will take place at .the Elizabeth Ci
ty State University Kermit E.
White Graduate Center, on
December 12 at 7:00 P.M. Marc
Basnight will be the featured
speaker this year.
One of the highlights of the an
nual event is the recognition of an
outstanding business or industry
from each of the ten participating
counties. An award will he
presented to a Chowan County in
dustry followed by a short sound
slide presentation recognizing
their accomplishments.
. Tickets at $10.00 per person are
available at the county
Agricultural Extension Office.
482-8431 or at the Chamber of
Commerce. 482-3400.