EEIXY
Volume 33, No. 20
Hertford, PerquimansCounty, N.C., Thursday, May 19, 1977
15CENTS
PERQU
MANs
W
TO RETIRE - Hertford
Police Department Chief
Ben L. Gibbs will be retiring
from that position on July 1.
He has spent a total of 18
years in law enforcement, 17
of which he served as Police
Chief. (Newbern photo)
y
Inspector To Be Hired Jointly
kM'M
The Perquimans County
Board of Commissioners
met in regular session Mon
day night. Prior to the
regular meeting, the public
hearing on suggested uses
for revenue sharing funds
was held. No suggestions
were presented to the
Board.
In action taken, the Com
missioners approved the
hiring of an electrical,
plumbing and building in
spector to be used and hired
jointly by the county and the
town. Mayor Bill Cox was
present representing the
Town Council and Jud Little
representing the Planning
Commission. The motion
passed with further details
to be worked out at a later
date. The Commissioners
also approved bringing
public roads sub-divisions
up to state regulations and
requirements at the re
quest of the Planning
Commission.
Sid Eley, spokesman for
the recently appointed
Recreation Committee, was
present to submit a pro
posed recreation budget for
the county for the next fiscal
year. Top priority in that
budget was funds to hire a
full-time recreation director
for the County to coordinate
the recreation program and
to apply for federal funds.
Mrs. Grace Dizon with the
Economic Improvement
Council was present to
discuss the PACE program.
She asked the Board for sug
gestions on placing college
students in the program in
areas of summer employ
ment. She pointed out that
participants in the program
had to be non-profit or
private businesses.
Perquimans County Fire
Marshal Charles Skinner Jr.
submitted an activity report
to the Board. He also re
quested the Board to con
sider the purchase of a
folding 1600-gallon water
tank which would be used as
supplemental equipment for
fire fighting. Discussion was
also heard on the suggestion
to encourage county fire
departments to take ad
vantage of the services of
fered by the county dispatch
system.
Floyd Mathews Sr. was
present at the Monday night
meeting to present a pro
gress report on the county
soil survey. He told the
Board that approximately
30,000 acres of land has been
completed and that a report
will be given at a later date,
on the findings of the River
Project.
The Board approved a mo
tion to amend the dispatch
system budget in the
amount of $1,130 with these
funds coming from the area
of surplus interest earned on
investments. This money
will be used to pay for ser
vices in clearing the land for
the dispatch system's radio
tower. Payment for these
services was approved.
Schools Arts Week Is Proclaimed
$ t i , ... m
Hertford Police Chief
Announces Retirement
Ben L. Gibbs, Chief of the Hertford
Police Department will retire from that
position effective July 1. Gibbs joined
the department as a captain in 1960 and
soon became Police Chief. Upon retire
ment, he will have served 17 years. Prior
to joining the police department, Gibbs
was employed with the county as Deputy
Sheriff for one year making his total in
volvement in law enforcement span 18
years.
Gibbs is a native of Dare County but
has lived in Hertford for 'the last 40
years. Before beginning his career as a
law enforcement officer, he was
manager for 22 years of the State
- Theatre, now non-existent. .
. Concerning his retirement, Gibbs said,
"I'm going to miss it. I loved it; if I
hadn't, I wouldn't have stayed in it this
long. I think it gets in your blood."
Although he has mixed emotions, Gibbs
-admitted that he is looking forward to
doing more fishing, something he also
loves.
The Police Chief said there was no one
particular highlight of his career, but ad
ded that he has enjoyed working with the
local citizens. He said, "Everybody has
worked with me fine. I've always had a
good relationship with the people. I love
it here and I'll stay here."
Over a 17-year period, changes are in
evitable. Gibbs pointed out that the force
consisted of two men when he started
with the Hertford Police Department.
That has since expanded to include five
police officers. Equipment has also been
updated, added to and expanded greatly.
Gibbs pointed out that the Albemarle
Law and Order Association was ex
tremely helpful in obtaining modern
equipment over the years for local
departments in the Albemarle area.
Hertford Mayor Bill Cox made the
.following statement concerning Gibbs'
retirement, "I know that Chief. Gibbs
will be missed as he retires from the
Hertford Police Department. I wish to
thank him for the 17 years of dedicated
service to the department and the Town
of Hertford. It's been a pleasure to work
with him. Although we'll miss him as a
police officer, I want to wish him a long
and satisfying retirement for he
deserves all of this. I also offer him my
congratulations on a job well done."
No announcement has been made for
Chief Gibbs' replacement. Mayor Cox
explained that the Town Council will be
considering the matter.
May 23 through 28 has been declared as Perquimans
County Schools Arts Week in the county. A variety of ac
tivities has been announced for the special week.
Each of the county's schools will be making a presenta
tion on the courthouse green during the week. One school
will perform each day at 12:30 p.m. Mcnday's performance
will be a vocal presentation by Hertford Grammar School
classes under the direction of Miss Caroline Wright. On
Tuesday, Perquimans Union School will be represented
with a modern dance group and a choral group. The Per
quimans High School Glee Club will perform on Wednesday.
Thursday's performance will be by the New Generations
under the direction of Danny Meads, music teacher. The
week's performances will end Friday with members of the
high school Drama Club and drama classes making a
presentation.
Throughout the week, art exhibitions by county students
will be on display in the downtown section of Hertford in
merchants' store windows.
As the week-long observance comes to a close on Satur
day, a special art show will be open, free of charge, at the
J.C. Blanchard Building and members of the Perquimans
High School literary magazine staff will have copies of the
magazine on sale.
Included in the week-long displays will be art work and
performances representing all the fine arts taught in Per
quimans County Schools and will also represent students in
grades kindergarten through twelve.
John Lavezzo, Perquimans High School art teacher and
coordinator of the special week, is hopeful that the Arts
Week will become an annual event and urges citizens to par
ticipate in the observance.
Office Closings
All Perquimans County offices except the Perquimans
County School Superintendent will be closed on Monday,
May. 30 in observance of Memorial Day.
All libraries in the Pettigrew Region (Shepard-Pruden
Memorial Library in Edenton, Perquimans County Library
in Hertford, Tyrrell County Public Library in Columbia,
and Washington County Library in Plymouth) will be closed
on Wednesday, May 25, for the quarterly staff meeting to be
held at the Somerset Place in Pettigrew State Park.
Officers Elected; Historic Site Discussed
The Perquimans County
Restoration Association
held its annual meeting May
11 at the Albemarle EMC
Building. Officers elected
for the ensuing two years
were William Nixon, presi
dent; Benjamin C. Hobbs,
vice president; Jean B. Har
rison, secretary; George W.
Jackson, treasurer and Ray
mond Winslow Jr., ar
chivist. Twenty-two persons
were also elected to serve
with the officers as the
Board of Directors. Outgo
ing President Jean P.
Winslow reported on the
Association's recent ap
pearance before the State
' Historical Commission to
support the request for a
- legislative appropriation for
continuing restoration of the
Newbold-White House. She
further reported that work
long delayed by state and
federal procedures in ap
proving restoration plans
and specifications would
soon be resumed. She also
indicated that the contracts
were being made with civic
groups to acquaint the
public with the reasons for
the slowdown in actual work
on the Newbold-White
House, North Carolina's
oldest dwelling. Although
the Association has always
met .is fund-raising goals
and performed all approved
tasks, President Winslow
stated that factors outside
its control had prevented it
from completing its plans.
Consultation, planning, and
other behind-the-scenes ac
tivities have been ongoing
but physical restoration of
the seventeenth century
structure and on the nine
teenth century Newby
house, which will house a
caretaker to watch over the
property, is expected to
; begin again in the near
future.
Mrs, Georgianna Krauss,
R.N., Public Health Nurse
for Pasquotank-Perqui-mans-Camden-Chowan
.
District Health Department
' was awarded Public Health
Nurse of the Year 1976-77 by
the Eastern Lung Associa
tion . for her outstanding
work with the tuberculosis
program.
Mrs. Krauss is originally
from New Jersey, but has
resided in Camden since
AGENT HONORED - Cjrafton Matthews Jr. of Hertford
has been awarded "Runnerup Agent of the Month" honors
for April 1S77 for Kome Security Life Insurance in the
EI!:iMh City District. This award goes to agents for
CwL'.i.lrg sales and service.
1948. She is the mother of six
children and one grand
child. She received her
L.P.N, degree in 1962 in,
Elizabeth City and worked
with the Albemarle Hospital
on and off for the next ten
years. In 1972 she received
her R.N. degree from Ports
mouth General Hospital.
Following graduation , in
1972, she joined the local
District Health Department
staff. In 1973 she began
working with the tuber
culosis program. She works
closely with private doctors
and other agencies in the
area to see that her patients
are adequately cared for. .
Mrs., Krauss is presently
acting supervisor in Per
quimans County Health
Department. In her spare
time she is working toward
her B.S. degree in nursing
with the Continuing Educa
tion Program of East.
Carolina University.
Also recently honored was
Eddie' Pierce, Sanitation
Supervisor for the
District
, Health Department who was
named Northeastern Dis
trict Sanitarian of the Year,
Pierce was born in
Elizabeth City, son of
William Edward and
Marion Barco Pierce. He
: , (Set Btaia, page U)
f "fell hf -m
SPECIAL OBSERVANCE - Hertford
Mayor Bill Cox presents a proclamation
declaring May 23 through 28 as Per
quimans County Schools Arts week to
John Lavezzo, Perquimans High School
art teacher and coordinator of the
special week's activities. (Newbern
photo)
Roads Committee Meets
Members of the newly-,
formed Albemarle Area
Development Association
(AADA) Roads Committee
met May 10 at Angler's Cove
Restaurant in Perquimans
County.
Serving as temporary
chairman of the committee
and presiding was Bill Cox,
Mayor of Hertford.
The Roads Committee
was organized following a
suggestion to reactivate the
committee by AADA and the
Albemarle Regional Plann
ing and Development Com
mission (ARPDC). The
once-active roads commit
tee has been reestablished
in an effort to join forces in
northeastern North Carolina
to suggest needed road and
highway improvements for
the area.
At the recent meeting,
four counties were
represented, Perquimans,
Chowan, Currituck and
Hyde. The committee con
sists of one member from
each of the ten counties in
AADA. The committee
member was appointed by
each county's board of
commissioners.
Although no definite ac
tion was taken, the condition
of roads in the area in
general was discussed with
some suggestions made.
Cox announced that the
committee will meet again
on Tuesday, May 24. At that
time, a permanent chair
man and vice-chairman will
be elected for the group and
plans are to begin setting
priorities and a plan of ac
tion. Cox pointed out that 100
participation is expected at
this meeting.
Members of the Roads
Committee are: Joe Nowell,
Perquimans; Levin B.
Culpepper, Pasquotank;
Baxter Williams, Currituck;
Lem Cahoon, Tyrrell; Sher
wood Eason, Gates; J.B.
Berry, Hyde; M.J. Johnson,
Camden; Mark Basnight,
Dare; J. Gilliam Wood,
Chowan; and C.T. Belch,
Washington.
Health Officials Recognized Library Update- Jr
By WAYNE HENRITZE
STORY HOUR
The regular Friday morning story hour from
preschoolers will be held at the Perquimans County Library
on Academy Street beginning at 10 a.m.
NEW BOOKS
The Carter Family fa vorites Cookbook by Ceil Dyer con
tains all the family favorites plus plenty of photographs a
classy cookbook.
This Other Eden by Marilyn Harris is a historical
romance of the French Revolutionary period.
Norah by Pamela Hill is a romance set in 18th century
England.
Bargain Bride by Evelyn Lampman tells of a young girl
sold into marriage who is left a.rich widow on her wedding
day.
Return to Thebes by Allen Drury is a novel about King
Tut, the mysterious Pharaoh of Egypt, in which murky
, historical characters come alive.
Whiteout by Duncan Kyle is a suspense thriller involving
sabotage at an Army polar research station in Greenland.
. C.L.A.W. by Richard Graves is a suspense novel about a
terrorist group which attacks Presidential candidates with
an anti-tank missile and tries to frame the Russians.
Signal Zero by George Kirkham is a true story of a
criminology professor who accepts a challenge to become a
street cop. :
The Voices of Guns by Vin McLellan is a history of the
Symbionese Liberation Army.
- Catch the Wind by Landt Dennis tells the history, lore,
and potential of windmills as a clean source of power.
, How to Make Your Own Picture Frames by Ed Reinhardt
is a how-to book, f
Bombed, Bussed, Smashed, or Sober by John Langone is
an informative book about alcohol for teenagers.
.Pottery Step byStepby Henry Trevor is a well illustrated
how-to book. , '
: The Fall otEagtesby C.L. Sulzberger is an attractive and
readable history of the end of the European royal dynasties
in Germany, Austria, and Russia. - '
,.- Going Nuts in Brazil with Jack Douglas is another of the
insane family adventures in which he involves himself bet
ween talk show appearances.
b- f r ' i ' j
r i t
SUPERINTENDENT'S ART CHOICE
Perquimans County School Superin
tendent Pat Harrell is pictured above
receiving a batik of a butterfly done by
Miss Michelle Boyce. The art work will
be the local entry in the Superintendent's
Choice Art Show in Raleigh.
Local Art Entry Picked
For Raleigh Exhibit
One piece of artwork from
the Perquimans County
School system will be
displayed in Raleigh May
16-27 as part of the
Superintendent's Choice Art
Show. ' : .
Selected for the honor was
a batik of a butterfly by Miss
MicheUe Lightfoot, a third
grade student . in Mrs..
Brenda Winslow's class at
Perquimans Central Gram
mar School. Miss Lightfoot
is the 8-year-old daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas
Lightfoot of Winf all.
The Raliegh show will
consist of art selections, one
from each school district in
the state. The entries will
also be featured at the An
nual Superintendent's Con
ference to be held in June,
Selection of the local entry
was made jointly by the
Superintendent and county
art teachers.
Mailbox
Improvement
Week
May 23-28
(see page 2)