Per sp ectives
Strongest love exists between mother an child
BUT THE CHILDREN KNOW
The bODd&J love between the
n other and child is the strongest of
iny in the universe. Nothing com
petes with the strength that exists
between these two. Again and
again it has been proven. It's not
unusual to read of a mother who
returned to a burning house to re
trieve her baby, or a 90-pound
woman who, caught up in the ter
ror of the moment, lifts a heavy ob
ject that is crushing her child.
We've all heard or read of this
bond, but many stories never make
the printed page. These, you see,
are eAgraved upon the heart.
Hie following are stories, or ac
counts, if you will, of children who
died but later returned to change
the course of their mother's life. I
have altered the names for the pro
tection of those who volunteered
their stories. But that is all. The
rest remains a remarkable ac
count of love between a mother and
her child.
"Twelve years ago, when they
closed my baby in that box, they
may as well have nailed the lid
over me at the same time," she
said to me. "She'd never gone near
the road before. Never. And there
was absolutely no reason for her to
go then. She simply walked across
the yard, onto the highway and into
the side of a passing car.
For Jane, it was the beginning of
a long nightmare. She refused to
consider having another child, and
hardly took care of her own needs.
She never went to market or
church. She simply became a pris
oner in her home... a virtual mental
mess. Her beautiful little daughter
was dead. And so was she. . . except
they just hadn't buried her yet.
But one morning, as she sat rock
ing the doll her child had loved, she
felt a tug on the sleeve of her robe.
When she looked down, she was
staring into the eyes of her daugh
ter. There is not room enough to
tell it all here, but the child ex
plained that she had been allowed
an afternoon to spend with her
again... a few hours of life the way
is used to be, for the both of them.
She told her mother that she liked
her new home, that she had love
and happiness, and that she had re
turned to help her move on with her
own life. She wore a satin robe and
slippers, and in her brown hair
were woven delicate flowers and
ribbons. Mother and daughter
spent that afternoon together, and
when it was time to part once
again, the transition, though not
easy, was finally an accepted one.
Since then, Jane has a new life
and another child. Though she will
never stop loving her first born,
she has finally let go of the pain.
For Julie, it was easier. Her two
year old child returned on the day
after she drowned... before her own
funeral.
"I was numb with disbelief," she
admitted, "but I was not crazy
with grief or having weeping vi
sions. I held my child. I talked to
her, and I know that she has gone
home. The knowledge that she still
lived gave my husband and me the
courage to actually smile and hug
one another at her graveside. You
can't imagine the power something
like this can give you... and the
peace."
June's five year old son, dead for
nearly six months, woke his
mother one night and alerted her to
a stove fire that saved her life and
that of his older brother. His father
was working the late shift. The
house was filling with smoke. All
she knows is that her son was tug W
ging on her clothing and calling out
her name, and then disappeared
right in front of her when she?}^
reached out for him. /, vi
And these are only a few of such
cases. None of these mothers hav*->
reason to lie about such a thing. > ,.t
They have all come to terms with,';;,,;
the deaths of their children and the ?
glorious experience they've en-^,r
countered in doing so. They are?,u
only three of hundreds whose paip..;
has turned to peace through tnese^X'
return visits. They have no idea^,
how or why... just that it happened, ?|]
But somehow, in the deepest part*r ?
of their souls, where instinct and aCji.
mother's love grow, they recognize yjj
that nothing really matters... but^s
that the little children know.
Retired school personnel stilf|
active in community
By Charles T. Skinner, Jr.
LOCAL SCENE : Junius Spellman,
a Winfall native, retired this past
June as custodian of the Perqui
mans middle School (Perquimans
Union). Junius had worked for the
Board of Education for some 33
years. He began as a youngster,
while still in school, cleaning the
Perquimans Training School in
Win/all. Mr. R. L. Kingsbury was
the principal. One of Junius' jobs,
in the wintertime, was to re-kindle
the fire in the pot bellied coal
stoves in each class room. Junius
called these stoves "Ole Puffers"
indicating that the stoves smoked
from every opening. Junius had to
add coal to the stoves several times
each day, and stoke the fire prior to
leaving the school in the evenings.
Junius also had an additional job
of driving the athletic bus for the
several ball teams when he be
came of age for a driver's permit.
Mr. Walter Privott was coach of
many successful football teams as
I remember his coaching days at
the Hertford High School and
Union School.
I asked Junius to relate some of
the events he remembered during
his tenure at the Winfall school.
The tornado that struck the school
in 1955, and the school fire that was
set in 1985 were very memorable.
When asked what was one of the
best things to happen at the school,
Junius stated, "when the flood
lights were installed on the athletic
field for night games at Perqui
mans Union."
Junius, and his wife, Lillian, and
sons, Jewel, Tyronne and Donniel
have lived in Hertford for many
years. Junius keeps active in his
retirement years now in several
occupations... custodian and paint
ing jobs. Junius Spellman was a
very conscientious and dedicated
person to the school system and de
Ht4 I*
serves a well applauded "Thank'- "
You" for his many years of serv-"4^
ice.
+++++++++++++++ . _
SCHOOL TEACHERS: There are4/
many retired school teachers liv-'-*'
ing in Perquimans County that
have contributed so much to the ed-"^ .
ucation of all our citizens. (Just UrH
recognize a few that I talked with '*
some weeks ago.) Mrs. Rosa GibbS' 1
taught school for 56 years both iiP !?
Perquimans and Gates Counties^" J
Mrs. Gibbs said she started her'";
teaching career at the Willo*!*"8
Branch Rural School in PerquiJ,n*
mans, and later at the T. F. Cooper- ?
School in Sunbury. Mrs. Hester'4';
Reid taught at the D. F. Walker"1'
School in Edenton for 26 years.
While attending Elizabeth City"" 4
State University, Mrs. Reid met"',
and later married Dr. George N.?^?
Reid. 3?
o<tj
After retiring from the school,
stystem, Mrs. Reid was manage^;.;
of the Perquimans Nutrition Pro?.,
gram Site for seven years. Both ot.^
these ladies are still active iq;,^
church and community activities?-,*
We appreciate both of what yoU<M
have done for our schools, and*;
what you are doing in the commit
nity now.
+++++++++++++++
YESTERYEAR: In looking over
some old fire record, I found that>3
the Hertford Fire Department re* {
sponded to the Hertford High
School on King Street on March 3)^
1943 to extinguish a roof firejf
(around a hot flue), and again to
the same building and same chim;
ney on March 6, 1945. There were,,;
two calls to the same type fire at JJi
the school that same day. Records w'
show that nine firemen responded..';
each time.
"t~ + ~t- + + 4--+- + + + + + + + +
QUESTION : What was the name of
the Principal of the Hertford Higljr..r
School in the late 1930's and early Hi
1940's?
?
Piney Woods contributed to character of Belvidere
Lousi N. Hollowell incorporated
B?lvidere Ginning Company in
1S(|3 and bought a mill site from
Rafus White which was probably
the same ground formerly occu
pied by the Belvidere Steam Mill.
In 1915 Hollowell bought land upon
which he apparently built the
htuse now serving as the parson
age for Piney Woods Friends
Ctyurch. Nearby he and C. B. Ha
thaway of Gates County operated a
store as Hathaway & Hollowell.
Jn 1918 the Belvidere Ginning
Company mill lot was sold to Fer
nando C. White (1874-1949) who
would operate a saw mill on it for a
number of years. As one of Belvi
dtre's leading residents during the
period between the two World
Wbrs, F. C. White witnessed the
village's decline as steamboat traf
fic, country stores, small indus
tries, and community schools fell
before railroads, paved highways,
big business, depresssion, and cen
tralization.
In recent years Belvidere has en
tered upon another period of devel
opment with the erection of new
homes and the establishment of
new businesses. It retains a conti
nuity with its past. There is still a
store at the fork, the public still
meets on the Academy lot, the
Whites still own land, Belvidere
mansion still stands, and the
Quaker church still worships.
It was the church at Piney Woods
which formed the character of Bel
videre as a community and which
prompted village residents to exert
a strong influence for social and
economic progress upon the sur
rounding area.
A local congregation of Friends
(Quakers) was established in the
Belvidere area in 1724, becoming
known as Piney Woods Meeting.
Friends erected a meeting house in
1743 about a mile west of the Per
quimans River bridge (Newby's
Bridge); the site is still occupied
by Piney Woods Meeting House.
In 1794 the Monthly Meeting of
Friends in Perquimans (estab
lished circa 1672) transferred itself
to Piney Woods and took the name
Piney Woods Monthly Meeting.
This monthly meeting is the oldest
religious congregation in North
Carolina and, indeed, the state's
oldest non-governmental institu
tion. It is the only survivor of the
early Quaker meetings which fig
ured so largely in the history of the
proprietary era.
The increased jurisdiction and
authority of the church near Belvi
dere enhanced its influence over
the community and encouraged
village development. The Quaker
church at Piney Woods has re
mained virtually synonymous with
Belvidere ar.i it has been the most
significant factor in making the vil
lage distinctive.
Infallible diet plan does
het help shed pounds
JWelp, I just don't understand it.
Chat wonderful diet I told you
lUKtt last Sunday isn't working. I
haven't cheated. I've followed it
to the letter. But I haven't lost a
Sxiurtd, and in fact, have probably
jaraed a little.
r That's the bad thing about a
.diet. You work yourself to death
Jioping to "work your butt off"
tend you get nowhere. I'm about
jedjip. Do you know how aggre
vating it is to eat only leftovers
from your children's plates for
^upper, to eat chocolate only
when your energy level is low?
? I got that diet out of a
it newsletter. They've got
s, nutritionists, nurses,
therapists and pharmacists on
?staff. I NEVER thought they'd
2stewlite'tarttbg. I gotta' call my
orer there and warn
I them that they could get sued for
-I have to decide what
I other kind Of diet I can try.
J There's the "see food" diet. You
"?flobi eat what you can see. But
Sl'mttftfak that now, so that one
X probably won't work for me ei
ither...- -" ?
* *or8et countiiyi toecal
? think I exercise enough now . My
i a mile
At least
take a Junk food i
Jimmy's or One Stop. As for my
jaws, well you all know about my
famous jaws. Trouble is, I think
I've worked them overtime and
now I've got cheeks that a weight
lighter would love to use for pecs.
My real problem must be thy
roid or malfunctioning metabo
lism. That's got to be what it is.
I'll run over to good ole Dr. Rob
ert Earl's office next week and let
him check me out. (I'll enter
through the back door of course to
avoid Nola's famous scales! )
You should all discontinue this
diet until I find out what the deal
is here. I promise I will let you
know if there was an error in the
original column so that you can
adjust your regimen.
I appreciate all the support you
have given me over the last
month. It's been an exciting, frus
trating, wonderful experience.
The people in Perquimans County
have really been nice, and I'm
grateful.
I hope you're satsified with
some of the changes we've made.
We're working hard to make THE
PERQUIMANS WEEKLY very
local news oriented. Hiank you
for stopping by and calling in
your visitors and travels for in
clusion in the PEOPLE ON THE
MOVE column. So many people
have told ua how much they are
enjeyiag this feature.
Questions Veterans
ask of VA Counselors
VSA Counselors answer Veteran's
questions
Q. My husband has been rated
100% for a service-connected disa
bility and has been receiving com
pensation for 15 years. If he dies
from other than service-connected
causes, will I be entitled to Disabil
ity Indemnity Compensation
(DIC)?
A. Yes. Teh widow of a veteran
in receipt of 100% compensation
for service-connected disabilities
for ten or more years immediately
prior to death, is entitled to receive
DIC benefits, regardless of the
cause of death, provided that they
were married two or more years or
that a child was born of the mar
riage.
Q. I am a former prisioner of
war, but have not been rated as
service-connected disabled by the
VA. Am I entitled to Va medical
care?
A. Yes. A former POW who is
not service-connected disabled is
eligible for VA hospital and nurs
ing home care without regard to
ability to pay. You are also eligible
for outpatient care on a priority ba
sis second only to service-con
nected disabled veterans. While
you are receiving treatment in an
approved outpatient program you
are eligible for needed medicine,
glasses hearing aids of prostheses.
If your POW internment lasted 181
days or more, you are also eligible
for all needed dental care.
Q. Do National Guardsmembers
of Reservists qualify for VA-guar
anteed home loans?
A. They qualify only if they have
served sufficient "federalized" or
"activated" duty. Active duty for
training in the National Guard or
Reserves is not qualifying service
for VA home loan purposes.
Q. Are Merchant Marine sea
men considered veterans for the
purpose of VA benefits.
A. The Defense Department has
declared that certain Merchant
Marine seamen who served in ac
tive, ocean-going service from
Dec. 7, 1941 to Aug. 15, IMS, are
veteran for VA benefits purposes.
The decision also affects Civil
Service crewmembers aboard U.S.
Army Transport Service and Na
val Transportation Service vessels
in ocean-going service during the
same pei iod Any VA regional of
fice can assist in making applica
tion for a discharge ceertificate.
1
}
r jS
Bonn! Sca? catC
Qecfs'
V\sVa
<?*
V* '
NEW VESTRYMAN IN
STALLED AT HOLY TRINITY:
Dr. Allan B. Bonner was recently
installed as a new Vestryman at
the Annual Congregational Meet
ing at which time the reports of Se
nior Warden, Walter H. Oakey, Jr.,
and the Junior Warden, Willis L.
Jessup, were heard.
NICE CATCH: Hillary Scaff and
John Beers, both of Hertford,
caught several bluefish and rock
taken from the surf just north of
Fuller's Motel in Buxton.
MAKE CHRISTMAS CHRISt/.
TIAN THIS YEAR: Let's makft,
Christmas Christian this yearf, ?
states Mrs. -M. B. Taylor, Homati
Extension Agent. She further
stated that we have mixed-*
materialism with the mercy of God l
in such a way that the real meaty.;
ing of the Christmas customs and',,
symbols have been lost to most o?o<
us. .in
CHRISTMAS EVE. SERVICE}
Get closer to your deepest self an&n
nearer to your God. Attend the.
Christmas Eve. Holy Communion!1
and Candle Light Service at Holy.,
Trinity Episcopal Church, Hertrw
ford on Thursday, December 24tlj;i
beginning at 11:00 p.m. Every bap*^
tized Christian is welcome to take
Communion at this service. -i,|
LICENSE PLATES GO 0.%}
SALE JAN. 2: Mrs. Jean Harrisoq^,
local license agent, announced tou
day that the 1971 license plates wiU<*
go on sale Saturday, January
1971.
?lt <
Published Each Thursday By The Daily Advance, Elizabeth City, N.C.
Second Class Postage Paid at Hertford. N.C. 27944 USPS 428-080