THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Volume 37, No. 19
USPS 428-080
Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, July 23, 1981
20 CENTS
Comity student s test scores show mixed results
As with previous years, achievement
^nt scores showed that Perquimans
County stmlwtfi are performing above
the national average hi grade school, but
fall far behind as they reach high school.
The scores indicate that students in
county grade schools performed much
better than the national average ? for
example, first grade math students were
among the top IS percent. But scores fell
considerably by the time they reached
Mbe ninth grade ? ninth graders were
"mong the bottom 40 percent on all
subjects tested.
The state requires achievement testing
every year for first, second, third, sixth
and ninth graders.
First and second graders are tested on
reading and mathematics, third graders
on. reading, math and spelling, and sixth
and ninth graders on those three subjects
Dies language.
w in addition, the county also gives tests
to-fourth, fifth, seventh, eighth and tenth
graders, though it is not required by the
state.
? School superintendent Pat Harrell said
oi;fhe results, "We're very pleased. In
first, second, third and sixth grades,
W*re above the regional and state
average. That's in both reading and
piftth.
?f "l think it speaks well of Perquimans
Xqunty."
! But Harrell added that he was "con
cealed" with the ninth grade scores.
"We're looking towards some im
provement in the ninth graders."
When last year's results came in,
showing a similar decline in ninth
graders, Harrell said the schools looked
at remediation groups in hopes of some
improvement, but this year he intends to
Jpspect the school's curriculum. "We'll
Cave to take a close look at curriculum,"
he said. "We have to take a look at what
we're teaching students."
Harrell did note that eleventh graders
did well this year on the state-required
competency tests, which he belived were
somewhat easier than the achievement
tests. "I think the remedial reading
program has helped T?-fcr the com-'
petency tests," he said.
Harrell said he couldn't pin down one
cause for the drop in ninth grade scores.
"I think it's a lot of things," he said.
"Part of it is motivation as students get
older." Harrell added that- socio
economic factors ? low incomes and
education of the student's families ?
may have an effect on motivation and
parental support. -
Not only did grade school students do
better than the state and national
average, but they did better than better
than last year's strong scores. Grade
schoolers were as much as a year ahead
in their in their knowledge on some
subjects.
Ninth graders, on the other hand,
remained at about the same poor
showing they had last year. Ninth grade
students were about a year behind in all
subjects, and in language skills the test
scores indicate that they did no better
than the county's six graders.
The following is a summary of the test
results. The scores are the average
grade level of county students tested in
the that subject. The numbers are given
in decimals ? the number following the
decimal point indicates the month of the
grade year.
For example, a 2.8 score indicates that
the student had achieved the level of a
student in the eighth month of second
grade. Since the tests were given in the
seventh month of the school year, a
student would have to achieve the
seventh month of his grade in order to be
at his grade level. For example, a sixth
grader should score a 6.7 to be at grade
level.
?First graders: County first grade
students scored an average of 2.0 in
reading, while the average for the state
was 1.8. They scored 2.4 in mathematics,
the state average being 2.3. First graders
were among the top 31 percent in the
nation in reading, and among the top 15
percent in math.
?Second graders: County second
graders averaged 3.4 in reading, .1 above
the state average, and 3.5 in math, also
one month above the state. They were in
the top 30 percent in the nation in
reading, and the top 17 percent in math.
?Third graders: County third graders
jumped a half a year in spelling. They
scored an average of 4.0 in reading, one
month above the state average; 4.0 in
math, the same as the state; 4.4 in
language, one month above state
students; 4.8 in spelling, four months
above the state avert^eTand 4.1 on the
total test, one month above the state.
They were among the top 40 percent in
the nation in reading, the top 37 percent
in math, the top 35 percent in language,
the top 31 percent in spelling, and the top
37 percent in the total test.
?Sixth graders: County sixth graders
also did well in spelling. Their scores
indicate that the average student can
spell at a 9.5 grade level ? in other
words, as well as a student with three
more years of education. This is an in
crease of one whole year over last year's
third graders. The state average is 1.5 in
spelling.
Perquimans sixth graders scored an
average of 7.3 in' reading, three months
above the state average; 7.3 in math,
equal to the state average; >.S in
language skills, or five months above
state students; and 7.C in the total test,
four months above the state average.
County sixth graders were among the
top 42 percent in the nation in reading,
the top 23 percent in spelling, the top 30
percent in language skills, the top 40
percent in math, and the top 36 percent in
the total battery of tests.
?Ninth graders: Ninth graders in
Perquimans County scored an average of
8.3 in reading, compared to a state
average of 9.8; 1.5 in math, while the
state average was 9.9; 8.6 in language
skills, almost two years behind the state
average of 10.4; and 8.3 in the total test,
also nearly two years behind the state
student average of 10.0
They were among the bottom 36 per
cent in the nation in reading, the bottom
44 percent in spelling, the bottom 41
percent in language, the bottom 36
percent in math, and the bottom 36
percent in the total test.
If socio-economic conditions do play a
role in test scores for high school
students, then there might be some
change in future years. The socio
economic data that accompanied the test
report shows that the parents of the
county's grade schoolers have con
siderably more education, on the
average, than the parents of county ninth
graders.
Among ninth grader's parents, 42.7
percent didn't attend high school, 36.6
percent finished high school, and 9.9
percent had some college education.
But among the parents of sixth
graders, 20.7 didn't attend high school,
46.3 percent finished high school, and 23.1
percent had some college. The per
centages for the parents of other grade
schoolers are similar.
In the tests given by the county for
fourth, fifth, seventh, eighth and tenth
graders, the scores show much the same
profile of county students as the state
required tests show. Grade schoolers
generally test above their levels, but
( Continued on page 2)
Blessed relief
After three inches of accumulated rain, guaged on the Walter Byrum Farm in the Beach Springs Community, these hogs found relief from Saturday's humid, hot
weather.
?County Board of Commissioners press for water project money
Construction of test wells on the Old
County Home property is expected to
begin next week following approval
Monday night by the Perquimans County
Board of Commissioners of applications
tfeat will free funds for the construction of
Ae Phase II plans for submission to the
Department of Human Resources,
Division of Health Services.
"With submission of signed papaers to
the Federal Home Administration in
Raleigh," Chairman Joseph W. Nowell
said, "the way is clear to begin on Phase
i! with grant money. As soon as the
papers are in Raleigh, Midgette (Well
and Pump Co. of Ahoskie) will start the
work. We will know the money is
coming." Test wells were approved at
the last meeting of the board.
"The first work will take place at the
County Home property, where we are
palnning to put in three test wells to
verify if there is good water," Nowell
said. "Winfall has good water. That's
only a mile and a half distant, so we
should have good water also." Over 400
residents were reported to be signed up
for the new water system, "which will
help financially and in a whole lot of
ways." The new line missed Blueberry
Farm, which failed to sign up, and a few
places beyond Don Juan on Grubb Street
Extended.
Wayne Ford and Bob Pittman, con
suiting engineers with Rivers and
Associates, Inc., in Greenville, appeared
before the board with the final
documents fo rapproval and resolutions
for subimision to the Department of
Human Resources for freeing of grant
money for initiating Phase II con
struction. A right of way agreement with
the Department of Transportation also
was presented.
Floyd, who has worked closely with the
county as technical advisor, spread out a
map showing where the new phase will
serve. Areas marked in red, indicating
service by the new phase, covered th
emap. "From marks on the map, It looks
like we will cover the county for
everyone who wants water," the
chairman remarked later.
Floyd said he was seeking the chair
man's signature and "Mrs. (Jeanne)
White's (the Register of Deeds and Clerk
of the Board) seal and stamp" for final
processing of the map with FmHA. He
reported contact had been made and
rules and regulations met. He also
reported compliance with EDA for a
permit to allow discharge.
Asked how assurance was obtained
concerning the flooding area by Com
missioner Marshall Caddy, Floyd Floyd
said the assistance of the National
Geodetic Adminstration had been ob
tained, also that local maps had been
used.
Finalizing the board's action for
gaining grant money for beginning fo the
new water project was the signing of the
test well contract with Migette Well and
Pump Company for $9,200.
The board also took action, following
extensive discussion, initiating a three
month trial period for water users to
read and report their own water usage.
The self-reporting procedure follows a
similar self-report billing used by the
Albemarle Regional Membership Cor
poration. Residents will be asked to
assist relatives and neighbors who are
elderly or disabled.
The self-reporting of water usage will
save "a thousand gallons of gas," ac
cording to County Finance Officer D.F.
Reed. Spot checks will be made two or
three times annually to insure com
pliance. AEMC checks once yearly.
Another saving wil be incurred by spot
checking when water department em
ployees are in the vicinity of users for
other reasons.
Current computer cards with new
information stamped on will save cost of
producing new cards. The self-reporting
system replaces the three-month trial
perild for estimated billings.
Local farmers take on both poor weather and markets
The rains came last week. Three in
ches for Beach Springs farmers, two
inches for New Hope, but only one inch
for Belvidere and .3 inches for Joppa.
The rain was the first "adequate rain"
this year for New Hope, according to
Robert Sutton, who also remembered the
welcome .3 inches on July 4. "It saves the
corn in the field, but it wont go back and
get some of the corn I've lost. I haven't
lost it, just failed to get it"
So far, corn is the victim of what Sutton
calls the fourth hard year for the farmer.
Dickie Wlnslow of Joppa. who reports a
00 percent loss of corn thus for, calls it
the fifth. Charles White, well-known
fanner in the Bethel community, refuses
to call any year a bad one. "It hasn't
been too bad. Generally, the farmer has
farad right good. There have been some
dry streaks, but it's generally good."
The full story Is yet to be told, but it's
i from area farmers,
having another
and risky year,
i of the weather is
t of the corn market.
As
"It went craxy this week," Sutton said.
"You've heard of going craxy? It
dropped 40 cents in one day. On Wed
nesday it was down 20 percent and took
20 cents protection. That's just as good as
40 cents."
The Agricultural Extension Service
July 13 market bulletin warned farmers
to expect "volatile prices over the next
four to six weeks as the corn market
enters a critical period."
The report went on, "Grain prices,
which have been falling for the past
month due mainly to a weak domestic
and foreign demand could decline fur
ther If a crop in excess of 7.4 billion
bushelsisforecast."
If the Midwest receives hot, dry
weather over the next two weeks, prices
could move up. Another hope weuM be
the purchase of U.S. corn by the Soviet
U&ioa.
Window, the 27-year-old Joppa far
mer, blames two days with 100 degree
temperatures for his con loss. "Heat
hurt more than dry weather up here," he
said. "It was 100 degrees on two days,
Just when con was trying to pollinate. It
just didh't pollinate."
lit, ? >? ? . . . ;.'*i . .
'? 1.. .
Although he reports a 60 percent loss,
he says it is still too early to say how
much money he'll lose. "What little corn
is left, rain will help put weight on it," he
said somewhat hopefully.
The enigma for Winslow is that "some
corn stalks are dark green with pretty
shucks. Then I pull the shuck back and
there's not a grain of corn on it. This is
even on some of the stiff land.
"One row behind the other without a
grain. A lot of corn around here is going
to be like that"
Winslow also farms 45 acres of peanuts
and 110 acres of soybeans, which he
reports in good shape, but the last two
years his peanut yield was low due to dry
weather both years, mixed with disease
last year.
But Winslow also considers the market
a problem, in addition to the weather
"Right now fanning is risky business I
just feel like the politicians have been
fooling around with our livelihood.
The grain embargo is canting the price
of corn to fall. The embargo (ia still) the
reason Russia doesn't want to buy our
grain, because of the deal the govern
ment gave them. Now they're looking
elsewhere. They don't want it from us."
For Weldon Byrum, who farms 70
acres of his 140 acres in corn in the Beach
Springs community, the market is of
little concern. Like many other area
farmers, Byrum grows corn for feed on
his 500-head hog farm. He says he will
have enough corn to meet his needs, "but
we need more rain. This rain will make it
pretty good. More will make it better."
The gauge at the Byrum farm
measured three inches of rain ac
cumulated Thursday and Friday. He
figures the corn will be hurt 20 percent
through the area, but sees the majority of
the corn crop as forming pretty good.
"There are spots not good," he noted.
"Some places are high, some places low.
The low's not hurting. The high spots are
what's hurting. It can be like that in one
field."
Jeff Copeland, county agricultural
extension agent, said there were growing
reports of corn loss over the county.
4 I
"There is a lot of variation from one
farm (b another," he said.
"Some of the farmers have had to plow
up corn and follow with milo. They've
suffered a total loss." It's not an un
common sight, he said, to see "corn not
as tall as I am and it's tasseled out."
Bryant Griffin of the Parksville
township agrees farming is a risk. He
farmed until about 10 years ago when he
"went broke." Now owner of Griffin
Brothers Bulldozing Service, he *uts
drainage ditches. A* he said,
"Anything's risky. One mistake ... one
disaster, that's it. I'm not ashamed of
going broke. Everything's a risk. It could
happen again. I hope not."
White, the Bethel farmer who remains
optimistic for the final county crop
reports for the summer, agreed
everything is a risk. Even farming.
"Risky?" he said. "My corn is pretty. A
hurricane could come through. You've
had it. I've had it. That's it Everything's
a risk."
* i
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