tfarrehtonllem.Library X
117 S.lfain. St.
Warranton, N.C.
?lyc barren Eecari
Volume 89 25c Per Copy Warrenton, County Of Warren, North Carolina Wednesday, February 12, 1986 Number 7
Warren County
Is Affected By
Recall Of Buses
By KAY HORNER
News Editor
A nationwide recall of 56,000 In
ternational Harvester school
buses to correct a potentially
defective steering mechanism is
expected to involve 27 buses in
Warren County, according to
Assistant Superintendent of
Schools James Jordan.
The recall is for buses
manufactured by Harvester be
tween 1979 and 1985.
As of Tuesday morning, 24
recall notices had been received
locally.
Jordan said the recall notices
were mailed separately and he
expected to receive notices on the
other three buses within a few
days.
Harvester has reported that
"fatigue cracks" have been found
in the steering arms of three of its
buses. The cracks can cause the
steering arm to snap, causing the
driver to lose control. However,
the company said no accidents
had been reported because of
such a defect.
Jordan said the steering arm is
a mechanism which enables the
two front wheels to turn as the
steering wheel is turned.
the repairs will be done local
ly at the school bus garage in
Warren Plains, Jordan said.
Parts are being shipped from the
State Board of Education's Divi
sion of Transportation.
"We have had no problems
whatsoever with any of the
buses," Jordan said. "We hope to
acquire the parts very soon and
to begin making the repairs."
International Harvester, which
will become Navistar Interna
tional Corp. on Feb. 21, will reim
burse the local school systems
throughout the state for labor in
making the repairs.
Plans Are Made
For Selection
Of DSA Winner
Warren County Jaycee William
Cox has announced plans for the
chapter's annual sponsorship of
the Distinguished Service Award,
which recognizes one outstanding
young man in the community.
Cox, chairman of the project,
said the award is presented to
someone of Jaycee-age, lft-35,
who exhibits meritorious service
to his family, community and na
tion. It is the highest award the
Warren County Jaycees present
annually, Cox said.
The Distinguished Service
Award banquet is scheduled for
Thursday, April 17, at the War
renton Lions Den. Cox noted that
the awards ceremony recognizes
and honors the winner's
achievements and provides a
stage for the honoree to challenge
and inspire young men.
Individuals, organizations,
associations and institutions are
encouraged to submit the names
of young men who have rendered
outstanding service in any field.
Nomination forms may be ob
tained from any Warren County
Jaycee. Cox said winners will be
selected by a group of dis
tinguished citizens.
Collections Reported
Warren County's collections for
the one and one-half percent sales
tax amounted to $43,588.77 during
December 1985, according to a
report by the N.C. Department of
Revenue.
The local figure was slightly
more than one-thousandth of the
total collections in the state's 100
counties. The statewide total was
$43,478,824.66, the report showed.
Collections in other counties in
the area for the last month of 1965
were: Franklin, $91,873.44; Gran
ville, $136,606.64; Halifax,
$339,366.77; and Vance,
$251,186.50.
Warren County Agricultural Extension Service Advisory Council
President Brad Carroll presides over the annual meeting, "People's
Plan '87: A Plan to Help Warren County Grow," held Thursday even
ing at Hie Rafters Steak and Seafood House. Citizens who make up
the council and others who serve on extension program committees
heard reports of accomplishments for 1985 from Mrs. Richard
Holtzmann, home economics program vice chairman; Russell King,
agriculture program and county extension chairman; Oscar (Butch)
Meek, community and rural development program chairman; and
Sharon Jefferson, 4-H representative.
(Staff Photo by Howard Jones)
Norlina Man Draws
Active Prison Time
A Norlina man was sentenced Fred Baskett, guilty, breaking
to 12 years in prison yesterday in entering and larceny, sentenced
Warren County Superior Court to three years in prison, suspend
after pleading guilty to second ed with five years of probation on
degree rape of a 74-year-old condition that the defendant re
woman last June.-- main gainfully employed, not
Thomas Earl Shearin was violate the laws of North
sentenced by Judge Hamilton Carolina, pay court costs, pay
Hobgood. 1, $240 restitution to Calvin Davis,
Shearin also pled guilty to rob- and reimburse the state $240 for
bery of the woman and was his court-appointed attorney,
sentenced to three years in James Lewis Fields, guilty,
prison, to run concurrently with misdemeanor larceny, sentenced
the rape sentence. to 12 months in prison, suspend
Judge Hobgood also disposed of ed for three years with probation
the folio wing cases: (Continued on page 10)
Mrs. Jefferson Wins Honor
By GEORGE W. KOONCE Other 4-H contributions include
Extension Agent, 4-H serving on the finance committee
Mrs. Mary K. Jefferson, 4-H for a fundraising basketball
project leader of the Best Better game which grossed over $1,500
4-H Gub of Warrenton for eight last March, participating with
years, was the recipient of the her husband, James, and
James T. Fleming Enterprises, daughter, Sharon, in a number of
Inc. Outstanding 4-H Leader 4-H Sunday observances during
Award for 1985. The award com- the month of October, and serv
mittee tapped Mrs. Jefferson for ing as the medical adviser at all
her outstanding leadership in 4-H functions,
many areas.
The recipient received training James T. Fleming, county
and worked with six- to eight- commissioner and local
year-old Partners in Learning in businessman, presented the
the Best Better 4-H Gub. She and award personally. He expressed
her daughter have shared with pleasure in making the presenta
others throughout the county tion to such a deserving', unselfish
their expertise in putting together and dedicated volunteer 4-H
a winning 4-H demonstration. leader.
Comity Commissioner James T. Fleming is shown above presen
ting Mrs. Mary K. Jefferson, 4-H project leader of the Best Better
4-H Club, with the James T. Fleming Enterprises, Inc. Outstanding
441 Under Award ?s*JNt? IflliM Willi li Mil ? I 1 in I
WCHS Trimester System
Abolished By Educators
By MARY C. HARRIS
Staff Writer
The Warren County Board of
Education took action Monday
night to abolish the trimester
system of scheduling at Warren
County High School, effective at
the end of this school year, and
then requested Superintendent
Mike Williams to begin prepara
tion of his recommendation for an
alternative system.
For some time the trimester
scheduling has been a subject of
discussion among board mem
bers, and Williams urged them to
either sanction the continued use
of trimester scheduling on a long
term basis or do away with the
system altogether.
"We must get behind the pro
gram and make it the best possi
ble or get out of it," he said. "We
seem to be working with the
perception that the trimester is
still on trial, and it cannot
become the best it can be under
those circumstances.
"I believe we can have a good
high school with a more conven
tional system of scheduling; I
believe we can have a better high
school with the trimester,"
Williams, who recommended the
system five years ago, said.
Board members nevertheless
voted the system down on the mo
tion of Yarbrough Williams,
seconded by Richard Roddy.
Chairman Henry Pitchford cast
the only dissenting vote, noting
that he would prefer to postpone
action until a reliable evaluation
of the trimester could be made.
At the Board's request,
Williams had looked into the
possibility of evaluation and he
reported Monday night that all of
the evaluators contacted had in
dicated a reputable evaluation
would require six months to a
year for completion.
Contacted by telephone on
Tuesday, Williams said the board
had done what he asked them to
do upon the decision to imple
ment the program five years ago.
"I asked them to give the
trimester system at least four
years and they have done that.
And I don't feel that the underpin
ning of the school has fallen. We
can have a good school with more
conventional scheduling."
In another matter Monday
night, Superintendent Williams
informed the board of the school
system's selection as one of nine
systems in the state to pilot the
use of outside teacher evaluators
in 1986-87. Details of the project
would be given at a March 7
meeting, he said, but information
to this point indicated that War
ren, along with Vance and
Jackson counties, would have all
teachers, counselors and media
specialists evaluated by special
ly trained personnel from outside
the school system. Other systems
selected for similar evaluation in
clude Kinston City and Lenoir
and Stanley counties for evalua
tion of principals and assistant
principals and McDowell, Gran
ville and Robeson counties for
evaluation of all personnel.
The superintendent told the
board he deemed it "to our ad
vantage to enter the process."
Evaluation processes, he said,
appear to be moving toward out
side involvement and he pointed
out that though there is risk in be
ing first, there is also an advan
tage to being part of the process
early.
The board approved the
employment of Mrs. Donna D.
Robertson as bookkeeper at the
Central Office, effective Feb. 10.
Overnight trips were approved
for two student groups at Warren
County High School. Five
members of the Student Council,
chaperoned by advisors Oney
Venable and Edward Tunstall,
will attend the Central District
Student Council Convention at
Western Alamance High School
in Elon March 8-9. Approval was
also given for 14 students in the
Deca Club and two chaperones to
attend a meeting in Winston
Salem March 13-15.
Postal Burglaries Rise
Eighteen post offices in the
Carolinas have been burglarized
to date this year and the U.S.
Postal Service is asking local
citizens to assist in crime preven
tion at post offices.
"If your post office is burglar
ized, you, too, may become a
burglar's victim as he may steal
your Sbdal Security retirement
check, dividend check, paycheck
or some other item of value ad
dressed to you," Warrenton
Postmaster Sherwood Knight
said this week.
Anyone observing any unusual
activity at Warren County post
ment officials, Knight said.
Citizens are asked to be on the
lookout for strangers loitering
near a post office; window blinds
closed that are usually open;
absence of lights that are usual
ly on; strange vehicles parked
near a post office; and unlocked
doors or broken windows.
"Dont investigate yourself,"
Knight cautioned, "but call the
Warren County Sheriff's Depart
ment or your local police depart
ment The U.S. Portal Service
will pay up to $6,000 reward for
information leading to the arrert
and conviction of port office
Duke Dean Speaker
At Planned Rally
Dennis M. Campbell, dean and
professor of theology at Duke
University Divinity School, will
deliver the sermon at the Raleigh
District Lay Rally at Wesley
Memorial United Methodist
Church in Warrenton Sunday,
Feb. 16, at 7 p.m.
During the rally, which will be
attended by United Methodists in
Wake, Vance, Franklin and War
ren counties, special music will
be brought by a mass choir with
members from Warren, Vance
and Franklin counties under the
direction of Wesley Memorial's
organist and choir director,
Howard Lee Stultz.
The Outstanding Lay Person
from the three-county area will
be named during the service, as
will five outstanding Methodist
seniors, including one from War
ren County.
The rally is one of two to be
held this year in the Raleigh
District.
A native of Illinois, Dr. Camp
bell was educated at Duke and
Yale universities. He has served
as a local pastor and chaplain
and is a noted lecturer, seminar
leader, and author.
DR. CAMPBELL
An elder in the North Carolina
Conference of the United
Methodist Church, Dr. Campbell,
is also a member of the Board of
Ordained Ministry's executive
committee.
A nursery will be provided
during the service.
TV Violence Assailed
Joseph S. Lennon, of Warren
ton, president of the Christian
Action League of North Caro
lina, was among delegates last
week from across the country at
a meeting in Washington, D. C.
of Christian Leaders for Respon
sible Television.
The group has undertaken a
program to reduce incidents of
"gratuitous sex, violence and
profanity" on the three major
television networks by at least 35
percent by fall 1986 and is also
calling for an "immediate end to
anti-Christian stereotyping found
in network programming."
A resolution adopted expresses
the hope that "men and women of
good will who are a part of
television?network officials,
program producers and
advertisers?will welcome' the
opportunity to join in the
campaign."
The resolution also asserts that
should the network officials not
voluntarily take steps to
the tide of filth that is now <
dent," the organization will "s
other means of combatting
forces of corruption that
engulfing us."
That action could include
well-organized boycott of the i
fending networks, according t?'
the group's "statement o
concern."
Lennon attended the meetini
with Coy Privette, executivi
director of CAL.
Rate Drops
The unemployment rate i
Warren County decreased durin"
December, as it did in most cour
ties and all metropolita*
statistical areas in Nort*
Carolina, a report from thi
Employment Security Commuj
sion of North Carolina hal
indicated.
Bob Campbell, public inform* 1
tion officer for the commissioi
noted, "We believe the decreas<
which is not statistically signif
cant, is due to seasonal factors.
Warren's unemployment rat
for December was 6.1 percen
down from the November rate ?
7.4 percent.
Neighboring counties follows!
suit: Franklin with 3.0 percetf
down from 5.5 in November
Granville with 4.1 percent, <
from 4.4; Halifax with 7.3, i
from 7.5; and Vance with
down from 5.9.
The unadjusted U.S.
ment rate for December1
percent and the state's i
ly unadjusted rate for I
period was 4.3 percent, i
to the report