North Carolina astronaut Dr. William Thornton
will serve as Honorary Chairman for the North
Carolina Museum of History this year. Pictured
with Thornton is Eve Williamson, executive direc
tor of the Museum's support group. Mrs. William
son is the former Eve Ragland of Littleton.
Astronaut Accepts
Museum Drive Post
North Carolina astro
naut Dr. William Thorn
ton has agreed to serve
as honorary chairman
for the North Carolina
Museum of History this
year, according to
Diane Davis, Warren
County chairman for the
Museum's statewide
support group, the
Museum of History
Associates. Other mem
bers of the Museum's
County Committee are
Lou Traylor, Mary Lib
pa?!or' Marie Martin,
Ruth Bugg, Richard
Hunter Sallie White,
Nellie Gardner and Jim
Davis.
Mrs. Davis noted that
Thornton was in North
Carolina recently for
ceremonies honoring
in his hometown of
Faison and at the
University of North
Carolina, where he
graduated from medical
school. While in the
state Thornton taped a
television spot an
nouncement for the
Museum, saying: "I'm
No/th Carolina
astronaut William
Thornton, and I want to
talk about space — not
outer space but more
space for our North
Carolina Museum of
History." Thornton then
urged North Carolinians
to join him in supporting
the renovation of the old
Art Museum Building
Jpr the new North
Carolina Museum of
History. "That would
give the History
Museum more than
three times the space it
has now, and they might
even find space for my
flight suit," he said.
Thornton has the dis
tinction of being the
oldest person ever to
journey into space. He
was 54 when the shuttle
Challenger was launch
ed on August 30. "But
I'm still not ready to
become a relic in the
Museum of History," he
laughed. The Museum
has more than 350,000
relics and artifacts, only
4,000 of which can be
exhibited because of
lack of space in its
present location.
Thornton, a physician,
who now resides in a
suburb near Houston,
Texas, studied
weightlessness and the
possible causes of space
sickness while on the
mission. History
Museum officials are
urging Thornton to
donate memorabilia
from his flight to the
Museum where the
items can be preserved
for the education and
enjoyment of all North
Carolinians.
Area residents who
wish to join the Museum
may call any member of
the Warren County
Committee. Member
ships begin at $15 and
are used for artifact
purchases and
educational programs in
every county of the
state.
Hunt Is Given Grant
Hattie C. Hunt of
Hollister has been
awarded a Carolina
Telephone and
Telegraph Company
scholarship at Nash
Technical College.
Arrives For Duty
Spec. 4 Charles L.
Grantham, son of
Charles L. Grantham,
Sr. of Rural Route 2,
Macon, and Ida B.
Grantham of Wendell,
has arrived for duty in
Vicenza, Italy, under
Project COHORT.
Project COHORT (co
hesion, operational
readiness and training)
is designed to increase
the cohesion, stability
and readiness of a unit
by allowing soldiers to
train together and con
tinue together
throughout their entire
initial enlistment.
Grantham, an in
direct-fire infantryman
with the 4th Battalion,
325th Infantry Regi
ment, was previously
assigned at Fort Bragg.
He is a 1982 graduate
of Warren County High
School, Warrenton.
Hiram Perkinson, III,
chairman of the
college's scholarship
committee made the
announcement, stating
that CT&T has
designated the scholar
ship for a student
enrolled in either a
technical degree or a
vocational diploma
program.
Ms. Hunt, an Honor
Roll student, is studying
in the criminal justice
curriculum. She hopes
to become a counselor
for juveniles upon com
pletion of her degree
requirements. Ms. Hunt
commutes from
Hollister each day. She
is married and has a
four-year-old child. She
teaches Sunday School
at her local church.
Carolina Telephone
and Telegraph Com
pany established its two
year scholarship
program to make
educational fundi*
available to those per
sons hardest hit by
economic recession,
especially minorities
and displaced persons
who are seeking new job
skills.