Almost every time the
legislature meets, one or more of
the 58 institutions making up the
community college system is
caught padding its class rolls to
% enhance its Full Time Equivalent
attendance record so as to be en
titled to more state money.
While this parctice is not
widespread, it ranges from such
abuses as the flagrant practices
recently uncovered at Cape Fear
Tech’s Pender campus down to
the simultaneous registration of
' students for two or more classes
9 meeting at the same time. And it
serves to give the other institu
tions in the system a black eye
they do not deserve.
For that reason, the State Com
munity College Board at its recent
meeting in Raleigh decided to
toughen up its policy governing
the counting of students for Full
^ Time Equivalent purposes. It
• passed a resolution clarifying the
* purpose and intent of its policy,
. which is “to provide for the
equitable distribution of state
dollars through a uniform student
enrollment policy. This purpose is
> circumvented if an institution
enrolls and reports students in
classes which are scheduled in
^ conflict. The enrollment and
W reporting of students which in
volve scheduling conflicts is not
an acceptable practice because it
would adversely affect the
equitable distribution of state
dollars and, as a result, adverse
ly affect the accountability and
credibility of the system. The
state board hereby directs all in
P stitutions to ensure that students
are not registered and reported in
classes which are in conflict.’’
The state board tries to develop
policies which allow for good
^management practices and in
>• stitutional flexibility- but when
plain intent^ apoBcyllf Sr-*'
cumvented, the board is forced to
take more restrictive measures.
| To its credit, one institution,
Mitchell Community College in
Statesville, caught one instructor
on a satellite campus padding
class rolls and immediately
reported the case to the district at
torney. On the other hand, some
other institutions, caught either
by the system’s internal auditors
I or the state auditor, have demur
Continued On Page 4
Observance Is Set For September 17
One activity planned as part of
the Chowan County Bicentennial
Celebration September 17 calls for
church bells to peal 200 times,
^ followed by 200 seconds of silence,
for participation in “Bells Across
America”.
The 4 p.m. observance is a pro
ject of the Daughters of the
American Revolution and was
just one idea discussed when the
Chowan County Bicentennial
Committee met Monday night.
DAR members Peggy Leeper
) and Marguerite Burch brought
the idea to the committee and said
other towns in the nation will be
working toward the same goal.
Other activities planned for the
September 17 observance, 200
years after the signing of the Con
stitution, include exhibits in the
old courthouse with copies of an
October 1787 newspaper and i
copy of the resolution asking th
N.C. General Assembly to ratif;
the document November 8,1787
The request from the Chowa
Grand Jury, meeting in the oli
courthouse, was the first in th
state.
Mrs. Anne Jones, librarian a
Shepard-Pruden Memoria
Library, will have exhibits an<
videos for viewing, Winston Dai
will announce two $100 winners ii
the newspaper contest carried b;
The Chowan Herald and teacher
in the county will be emphasizinj
to students citizenship, leadershi]
and patriotism this year.
Teacher Lynn Whitehurst wil
ask her drama students at Holmes
High School to use historical dat<
and create a script reenacting th<
i grand jury meeting 200 years ago
i at the same site for presentation
f Sunday, November 8.
The committee is planning an
1 afternoon of colonial entertain
* ment for that Sunday and has in
' vited Lt. Gov. Bob Jordan as guest
speaker. Jordan is chairman of
t the state Bicentennial Committee.
I Hopefully, a band and choral con
I cert will be presented Sunday
I afternoon.
1 Edenton attorneys are footing
r the bill for each county student to
’ receive a pocket-size copy of the
> Constitution and the arts council
* is looking at the possibility of
sponsoring a speech contest in the
l schools.
i Various civic clubs have ex
i pressed interest in sponsoring
i events for the celebration.
0fSf
'§~
. t*
BICENTENNIAL PLANNING—The Chowan County Bicentennial Committee met Monday night and
I !>1lr Alt talvfell# QAlItlUkAe nlnnmxl fnx J A - 'll ___la a _a a • . .
* talked about activities planned for Sept. 17 and Nov. 8. Some of the committee members working on the
9 plan* included secretary Phyllis Copeland, Lavcrna Copeland, Ann Jones, Jackie Shackelford and,chair
man Or. John Dunn.
1
CHOWAN HERALD
Published In The Most Beautiful Little City On The North Carolina Coast
Volume LLIII - No. 34
Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, August 27, 1987
Single Copies 25 Cents
Old Chowan Courthouse Is Focus Of Research Project
By JACK GROVE
Chowan’s old courthouse was a
beehive of activity last week as
historic researchers and an ar
chitect took part in a facility study
and research project.
Former Rep. Charles Evans in
troduced successful legislation in
Raleigh two years ago that pro
vided $115,000 to the county for a
facility study and renovation. The
study is to identify and catalog
problem areas at the building that
was completed in 1768. Ac
cumulated interest has provided
an additional $5,000 for the study
and first phase structural
stabilization, according to County
Manager Cliff Copeland.
Peering into areas that haven’t
seen daylight in many years were
three representatives of the State
Historic Preservation Office, two
reasearchers from Colonial
Williamsburg, historic architect
Don Yelberton and paint resear
cher George Fore.
Carl Lounsbury of the
uasmgnt bays martin s
Policies Rob Northeast
By JEANETTE WHITE
Sen. Marc Basnight of Dare
County verbally blasted Gov. Jim
Martin at a Democratic luncheon
in Edenton Tuesday for taking
money from northeastern North
Carolina taxpayers and sending it
to the Piedmont area of the state.
Senator Basnight was here to
speak in behalf of Lt. Gov. Bob
Jordan for governor in the next
election.
The senator opened his
criticism of Governor Martin by
saying when he came into office,
he took credit for programs
started by former Gov. Jim Hunt.
Speaking of the new Albemarle
Sound Bridge, Senator Basnight
said, “Martin showed up to break
ground for something he had
nothing to do with."
He said if Chowan County look
ed at the proposed nine-year
highway package, it would show
no local construction, after the
Governor sent 20 percent of the
entire funding package to his
home county, Mecklenburg.
where he’s at. .Two years ago
said the Basic Education Plan
was a socialist program. This
year he said it was good,”
Basnight said. “In your mind, you
can’t think of anything he’s done. ”
Basnight said the Governor took
a sailing trip during the just-ended
legislative session and one week
before his election promised Jim
my Greene a $140,000 annual
salary for a job in the present ad
ministration. The senator said
Martin paid Greene the salary
from taxpayers’ money.
He added that the Governor pro
mised Charlie Knox $57,000 an
nually and Knox took the salary
and went on back to his private
law practice.
“And when he was caught, he
didn’t pay it back. He just said ‘I
won’t take any more’,” Basnight
said.
The Senator said Martin paid
his son’s father-in-law $60,000 for
an administration job for which he
was unqualified, but the job was
abolished after public outrage.
“And when the General
Assembly left town, he promoted
aim into a $55,000 a year job,”
Basnight said.
He added that Martin hired
seven new people in the highway
iepartment in $50-$60,000 per year
jobs, gave them pretty
secretaries, offices, cars, keys
and credit cards and told them to
\o work on his campaign.
“I don’t think he deserves to go
>ack,” Basnight said.
Speaking of what Lt. Gov. Bob
laid he stepped in to outline an
iducational program that will
irovide $50,000 for vocational pro
prams, $250,000 up-front construc
ion money and $300,000 from one
lalf cent sales tax extensions to
>enefit Chowan County in the near
uture.
Over the next 10 years, the pro
pram will funnel $7.5 million to the
:ounty and $175 million statewide
o meet critical construction
teeds.
Continued On Page 4
Williamsburg team explained
their interest was in researching
historic courthouses in prepara
tion for the restoration of one at
Williamsburg. That one, built in
1770, burned in 1913 with only the
brick walls surviving.
The researcher has investigated
other 18th century courthouses in
Virginia, North Carolina, up and
down the eastern seaboard and in
England. “I’ve been here
periodically over the past four
years,” he said. Of the local
historic structure he stated that
“this is the only one that has so
many 18th century courthouse
fittings.”
In England he looked at “well
over 100, a good number of which
could compare with this one.”
Some had “far more details”
intact.
Fittings of the Chowan court
house that particularly interested
the scholars were the central chief
magistrate’s chair, curved wall
around the judicial area, original
wainscotting and evidence
brought to light of the original con
struction of the courtroom.
A stone floor runs from the front
door to the front row of the present
day raised seating. Mortice holes
found in the original floor showed
that stairs to the judicial rostrum
were on both sides instead of the
present central steps.
Continued On Page 4
HISTORICAL DETECTIVE—A physical survey of Chowan’s 1768 courthouse allowed a research team
from Colonial Williamsburg to get a close look at the structure’s construction. A researcher is shown tak
ing measurements beneath the judge’s rostrum. A team member pointed out the uniqueness of the Eden
ton landmark as “a working building and not just a museum.”
New Film Features Town Of Edenton
A new film, “Edentori Is A
Special Place,” has been
developed and will be viewed by
visitors to the Barker House.
''^iiiinbvativeificBd-vtetial wak'
developed by David Latham of the
N.C. Dept, of Cultural Resources,
Division of Archives and History
and incorporates old photographs
from the turn of the century into
colonial and present-day Edenton.
Voices of eight Edentonians are
used throughout the film, telling of
the town’s special features and
what it means to them. Speaking
in the audio-visual are Cornelia
Privott, Sadie Hoskins, Don Fen
ner, Frances Ingles, Ralph Cole,
Tom Sharpe, Novella Wilson and
Marguerite McCall.
The film calls attention to Eden
ton’s history, architecture and
scenic beauty in an effort to pro
long the time visitors spend in the
area as tourism becomes increas
ingly important to the town’s
economy.
It highlights important events
from 1663 through the present
day, speaking often of leaders
from this area who helped shape
the nation, including Gov. Charles
Eden, Sen. Samuel Johnson, U.S.
Supreme Court Justice James
Iredell, Joseph Hewes, who sign
ed the Declaration of In
dependence and Hugh William
Rape Charged
To Local Man
An Edenton man was charged
with second degree rape Friday
afternoon after an alleged attack
on a 17-year-old Chowan Beach
female.
George Wayne Sawyer, 33,
River Road, Route 1, was releas
ed on $3,000 bond Monday morn
ing and had a first appearance in
court Tuesday.
According to Chowan Sheriff
Fred Spruill, his department
received a call at 1:25 a.m. Friday
that the attack had occurred.
The victim reported that she
was walking and accepted a ride
from Sawyer, who took her to Otis
Beach, where the attack alleged
ly occurred.
SpruiO said he took the victim to
Chowan Hospital, where she was
Ireated and released.
Sawyer is a self employed
:arpenter.
son, signer of the Constitution.
The town was a thriving seaport
in the 1730s, with 50 buildings and
around 100 ships annually trading
liPHpiShilfgleif, ter, fislT
and tobacco and bringing in cloth,
spices, tea, etc.
The town continued to thrive
through the Revolutionary War,
but by 1825 the opening of the
Dismal Swamp Canal diverted
water traffic away from Edenton.
Photographs and commentary
show the town as it was at the turn
of the century, with horses and
carts tied to hitching posts in front
of wooden buildings on what is
now Broad Street.
The documentary ends with in
formation and visual aids on the
restoration of some of the town’s
old homes and buildings.
Trawler Ban Is Supported
i nere were no surprises wnen
sports and commercial
fishermen, meeting with the Divi
sion of Marine Fisheries Tuesday
night, overwhelmingly supported
a ban on trawlers in Albemarle
Sound.
At a public hearing in Holmes
Auditorium, each fisherman
spoke of the losing battle to earn
a living as pollution and a decline
in marine life have made it harder
for the watermen to support
families.
Rep. Pete Thompson, Chowan
Manager Cliff Copeland, Chowan
Commissioner Joe Hollowell and
Richard Bunch of the chamber of
commerce all threw offical sup
port behind the fishermen and
urged DMF to place a permanent
ban on the big trawlers.
Sections of the sound have been
open to trawlers for years, but an
uproar sounded when the big
boats came into local waters for
the first time this spring after
poor catches made harvest in the
Pamlico Sound unprofitable.
i_.ix.ai legislators anu nsnermen
requested and received a tem
porary proclamation closing the
water to trawlers.
Each speaker told of damage to
natural fish hatchery habitat
caused by the trawlers, as well as
depletion of an already low fish
population.
Copeland, presenting a resolu
tion adopted by the commis
sioners, said restrictions placed
on striped bass made fishermen
dependent on other resident
species. “Trawlers do irreparable
damage and the fishing industry
cannot tolerate more damage,”
he said. He asked DMF to con
tinue the temporary ban for 1987
and next year adopt a permanent
guideline against the trawlers.
Charlton Nixon, representing
Rocky Hock Ruritan Club, said
many farmers were supplemen
ting income by fishing part-time
and wanted to know if DMF was
monitoring the sound to tabulate
destruction. He said the Ruritans
Continued On Page 4
Council Fails To Act On Request
Edenton Town Council took no
action Tuesday night on a re
quested amendment to the town’s
existing sign ordinance.
Bob Thomas, one of the
developers of the new Travel Host
Inn, requested the amendment so
his corporation could erect a 208
square foot sign at the motel on
M.C. 32 North just off U.S. 17.
The old ordinance says each
face of a double-faced sign shall
not exceed 18 square feet in area.
\ designated shopping center sign
allows 300 square feet.
The proposed amendment said
signs would be based on land area.
\ sign of 50 square feet would be
allowed on less than one-half acre,
a 100 square foot sign would be
allowed on more than one-half Nit
less than one acre and a 200
square foot sign would be allowed
when land area is greater than
one but less than two and one-half
acres.
For comparison, McDonald’s
sign is 155 square feet excluding
the “Golden Arches”, Golden Cor
ral’s sign is 105 square feet for the
top section and 40 square feet for
the bottom section and Hardee’s
sign is 144 square feet. These signs
were allowed on ordinance
variances.
After more than an hour of
discussion, town council sent the
request back to the planning
board and suggested, that Thomas
seek a variance instead of an
amendment.