Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / Dec. 1, 1983, edition 1 / Page 4
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PERSPECTIVE: Guest editorial i j The effects of alcohol , By GOVERNOR JIM HUNT A million families in North Carolina are directly affected by drug and alcohol abuse. Even if the loaa was theirs alone, that statistic would be tragic, but when lives are destroyed and crimes are com mitted, we all pay the cost. That cost last year in North Carolina was over 91.5 billion. We have taken some important steps to combat the problem. In 1979, the legislature passed the toughest law in the country against drug smuggling. In 1981, we passed a drug paraphernalia law that put the "head shops" out of business. We passed a bill allowing judges to order first offenders into drug education programs. And this year, we passed the Safe Roads Act. North Carolina showed the entire nation that we were serious about getting drunks off the roads." That law is saving lives. But as good as these initiatives are, we are going to have to reach deeper if we are going to get a handle on the entire problem. We have to reach young people who need help and we ahve to reach their families. That is ; why, during 1984, this administration ? will be launching a war on drugs in ; North Carolina's schools. I ! Our goals will be to push the .pushers out of the schoolyards, to '.help parents, teachers and students ; learn to fight back. We are going to have to start in the early grades, because that is where the drug pushers are starting. I ! I am working right now with our .State Alcohol and Drug Services .agency on a plan that will bring together civic, religious and com m unity leader*, parents, teacher* and students for a coordinated assault on drugs in the schools. Our plan is to see that every school, every community, has an active group of citizens working to prevent and treat drug and alcohol problems. We will be working with the media, asking them to take a very hard look at any programming or advertising that tends to glamorise alcohol and drugs. At least two television stations in this state have taken the initiative to produce public service ads about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. To focus public attention to this issue, and to encourage people to act, I have proclaimed November and Decmeber as "Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Months" in North Carolina. This is not a battle that we can win with tax money alone. We have to rely on our own hard work and to organize in our communities, schools and neighborhoods. If anyone needs convincing that we have to reach young people, consider this: An estimated 66,000 North Carolina teenagers are heavy drinkers and 500,000 have used marijuana. They are learning to drink, use drugs and drive a car at the same time. That is a deadly combination. We cannot stand idly by and let this enemy destroy our children. We will soon be making further information available to you about our war on drugs in the schools. We will be letting you know how you can sign up and join the fight. For the sake of our children, I hope you will do just that. Perquimans was 'no man's land' during Civil W ar The year 1863 was the worst in the history of Perquimans County, which then lay in no man's land between the Union and Confederate lines. Pequimans was exposed to danger from both sides, subjected to sudden visitations of opposing armies, plagued by thieves of every stripe, and used by smugglers sneaking contraband in and out of Norfolk and Richmond by the back doors. The year began with trouble, for in January the three main bridges over Perquimans River were destroyed and a Union raiding party robbed citizens near Belvidere. In mid year Perquimans suffered the capture at Gettysburg of eight of its men from one infantry company alone. The autumn brought battle at Briatoe Station on October 14, which cost the "Perquimans Beauregards" the lives of Capt. Thmas D. Jones, torp. William T. Sumner, and privates Mordecai Bundy, Joshua Knights, Elias Lane and Thomas Rtddick. During the year many slaves went over the Union lines, prompting one local church to decide in November that "all the colored members of this church who have left their owners Letters The PERQUIMANS WEEKLY welcomes the opinion of its readers. We print letters to the editor on subjects of heal, state, national and international in terest. Letters should be limited to 300 350 words and should include the name, address and telephone and gone to the enemy be excluded the fellowship of this church." The end of the year brought the worst. In December came Wild. Wild was Edward Augustus Wilke, born in Massachusetts in 1825. Graduated from Harvard in 1844, he studied medicine in Philadelphia and Paris, later gaining military ex perience in the Turkish Army during the Crimean War. An early enlistee in the Union Army, Wild suffered wounds at Seven Pines and South Mountain in 1862 which left him with a crippled right hand and no left arm. He remained in service, however, and in April, 1863, he was chosen to raise four regiments of black soldiers in North Carolina, becoming Brigadier General commanding the "African Brigade" on the 24th of that month. Wild was a difficult character, described by biographer Edward Longacre as "an eccentric and a malcontent" noted for "rabid idealism, tinder-dry temper, and thirst for conflict." All these personality traits surface furing the nineteen days of December, 1863, during which Wild raided eastern North Carolina. To strike at Confederate guerrillas, disrupt contraband traffic, and liberate slavei, Wild led a 1700-man expedition from Norfolk and Port smouth on December S. Most of his men were from the First and Fifth U. S. Colored Troops. Occupying Elisabeth City for a week, WUd "sent out expeditions in all directions," some with military objectives, others engaged in punitive measures. One target was a band of guerrillas "from the neighborhood of Hertford, variously reported from 300 to 450. with one filed piece.. .gathered to an Intrenched camp, about 3V4 miles out of Hertford.. However, the destruction of bridges earlier that year prohibited his reaching the camp. By the time ef his return to Norfolk on Christmas Eve, WUd managed tq Santa Claus is Coming "You'd better watch out, you'd better not cry, you'd better not pout, I'm telling you why; Santa Claus is coming to town." A Chat With Jane I By Jone Williams Santa Claus will make his first formal appearance in Perquimans County on Sunday during the annual Christmas Parade sponsored by the Perquimans County Jaycees and the Chamber of Commerce. Parades have become a Christmas tradition in big towns and small towns alike. Each year thousands of people spend thousands of hours putting together what they hope will be the biggest and the best parade of all time. In Perquimans County Parade Chairman Edgar Roberson has estimated that approximately 300 people participate annually in some way with the Christmas Parade. "When you add up the people that plan the parade, the people that create the floats and the people that are actually in the parade we generally will average about 300 people, with somewhere between 400 to 600 man hours spent getting everything ready for the parade," Roberson said. "So far this year we have a definite committment from three bands and approximately IS to 20 floats," Roberson added. Christmas parades provide fun and entertainment (or the entire family. Usually on parade day the streets of town are lined with young and old to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season in their com munity. For children the long awaited arrival of Santa Claus indicates that Christmas can't be far away. Usually it's the first opportunity of the year to climb up on Santa's knee and profess to their "goodness" during the past year, and it also presents a perfect chance to barter their way to fan tastic presents with promises of being good 'till Christmas arrives. Adults are attracted to the parade scene by the music and the creativity of the groups involved. Christmas parades bring out the bands, and the> bands bring out the popular tunes oL Christmas that tend to get everyone in the holiday spirit. Although children enjoy the music and the" floats they can't appreciate the> amount of time that goes into. ( preparing for a p.irade the way, adults do. Grown-ups get their enjoyment by watching the children and their ' smiles. They appreciate the time and devotion that is put into each float. < Parades give the grown-ups a chance to gat together with their friends and I neighbors. Christmas Parades mean that ' Christmas is coming. Christmas starts in Perquimans. County on Sunday afternoon at 2:30. "* M ake sure you're there. ? Looking back? 20 Year* Ago By VIRGINIA WHITE TKANSEAU MARION SWINDELL ELECTED PRESIDENT OF PERQUIMANS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: Marion Swindell, owner and opeator of Swindell Funeral Home in Hert ford, was named president of the Perquimans County Chamber of Commerce last Wednesday night. Mr. Swindell succeeds Dr. T. P. Brinn, local physhician. Dr. Allen Bonner was named vice president and C. Edison Harris, secretary and I Writer proclaims 6 We're not all dimwits' For some, there's a romance to rising early and greeting the new day. Sunrise, hot coffee and an eagerness ^ get oo with the day. rNEW VIEW By Bartow Houston, Jr. I A Wookly N?w>pop?r Column I 1 Indopondifitly distributad from f ^ tho Smohlot to ftw Soo. For tome. Whatever your pleasure, there's at least one good reason tor not rising so early. That's early morning TV. Rave you watched, really watched, the early morning local tare on some of our stettoas? Good heavens. Do they think their audience is made u? 4 dimwttsT Do they really think their audience likes mutilated grammar? Do they really think their audience has austafd interest in length; The public service aspect of such programs is commendable. But for goodness' sake, must the "per sonalities" be so cornball? Do the station managers really think the viewership is all this retarded? Must they patronize the viewers? Or, Is it natural? If you feel this assessment is a bit harsh, then you're invited to catch a little eastern Carolina early morning local programming. Honestly, you'll probably find yourself in total agreement. So it goes, as Kurt V. says. Continuing with TV, soAie of the "cuteaeas" seems to extend into the local newscasts in the evening. The news reports are alright, but the segues are a Mt much Who, for gsodnssa' sake, wants to hear the inane prattle, the personal observations of the on-camera treasurer. PERQUIMANS JOINS NATION IN MOURNING PRESIDENT'S DEATH: Perquimans County joined the nation in morning the assassination of President John F. Kennedy last Friday in Dallas, Texas. In commemoration of Kennedy, flags were at half mast, the church bells at local churches tolled out the sad and shocking news reaching here that President Kennedy had died, and ? pall of grief enveloped the county. JOHN MORRIS COAH OF YEAR: John Morris, son of Mrs. J. E. Morris and the late Mr. Morris, has been selected District 3 Coach of the Year. Morris is a 1954 graduate of Perquimans High School and a 1958 graduate of Duke University. He taught one year in the Edenton school and is presently a member of the Roxboro school, where he hat 1 been for the put (our years. He has ; coached the Roxboro team to its third ,? straight district gridiron title. CHRISTMAS LIGHTS BEING H INSTALLED: Christmas decorations are being placed along ' ; the streets of the business section of ? Hertford for the holidy season. The ! lights will be turned on just as soon as , installation is completed. CLYDE MELTON WHITE HURT IN ACCIDENT: Clyde M. White, about M, a resident of Winfall, was struct by a pickup truck driven by Joel Hollowell Jr. of Winfall, while attempting to cross the highway between Morgan's Winfall service station and Fred Winslow service station Monday afternoon. The accident was deemed unavoidable by State Patrolman B. R. Insoce, who investigated the accident White was taken to the hospital. THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY ? vj . ? Published Every Thursday By Advance Publ., Elizabeth City Jane B. Williams Managing Editor Pat Mansfield Advertising ?m , ? ^
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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Dec. 1, 1983, edition 1
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