THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Volume 58, No. 4 USPS 42l-0t Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C. Thursday, January 26, 1989 30 4
Sports
fej. . I
Pirate basketball update
page 7
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ?
Feature
"Those Were The Days"
feature introduced
page 5
Community
Community happenings
page 2
Board of education hears highlights of PCHS band trip
The Perquimans County School
Board members heard highlights
from the band's Washington, D.C.
trip on Monday night. Two band
members, Band Director David
Ziemba and Principal William By
rum were on hand to give a very
positive report to the board.
Ziemba said, "I was extremely
proud of just the whole trip. The
kids acted professional in their mu
sic, and also acted like adults."
Christy Waters, drum major,
and Cornelius Mack, horn line cap
tain and soloist, thanked the board
and school personnel for their sup
port. They excitedly told board
members aoout their sightseeing,
and the feeling of hightened patri
otism they felt came as a result of
the trip.
William Byrum said, "Perqui
mans County should be proud of
\ these kids. They performed very
? well on this trip." He added, "The
' students performed exceptionally,
and they behaved even better."
Band trip
successful
An excited group of band mem
bers and chaperone pulled out of
i Hertford last Wednesday morning
fat 11:00 a.m. escorted through
town by both the Perquimans
County Sheriff's Department and
the Hertford Police Department.
Upon pulling in to Washington
Wednesday evening, the band was
greeted by the inagural fireworks.
According to Band Director David
Ziemba, one student said, "Look!
They knew Perquimans County
was coming!"
According to band members, the
trip was one they will never forget.
Horn line captain Cornelius
Mack said the highlight for him
was the parade. "The very highest
point was when George Bush
walked by us in the parade."
Bush reportedly walked through
much of the parade route, and was
walking when he passed the Per
quimans delegation.
Drum Major Christy Waters
agreed with Mack. "I think from
, now on he'll seem more personal,"
she said.
The group reported that their
day of sightseeing Thursday was
very impressive. Band parent
Linda Privott said that two couples
found the names of Perquimans
County natives killed in Viet Nam
on the Viet Nam Veterans Memo
rial and placed small American
flags there in their honor.
Waters and Band Director David
! Ziemba were pleased with the re
sponse to their musical abilities.
"We were told we were the best
band there by the head of the Army
bands," Waters said excitedly.
Ziemba, Waters said, "acted real
happy" at the statement.
The biggest thrill of the trip for
Ziemba, ne said, was playing "God
Bless America" for Ronald Rea
gan as he passed. Both Ziemba and
, Waters said they'll never forget the
r. look Reagan gave them.
Ziemba said the band played for
an hour in the morning and again
for two and one-half hours in the
afternoon.
Band students Joey Haskett said
that the hotel agreed to let the band
practice around the pool area. He
said the students looked up, and
many of the hotel windows were
open with people cheering for
them.
Two of the band students, Mary
Sellings and Kne Everett, re
ceived the honor of carrying the
banner for the Tuskagee Air Corp,
an elite group of black fliers in
World War II. The corp was the
first all-black air corp in the na
tion
Cornelius Mack was interviewed
by Michelle Harvey for a broad
cast on Friday's 6:00 news. The
band, according to Harvey, "rep
resented Hampton Roam very
well."
The students and all those who
traveled to Washington expressed
tfceir deep appreciation to all those
individuals and groups who gave
them financial and moral support.
Christy Waters' summation of
the trip speaks for most of those
who went. "I saw so many things,"
she said. "It was just a wonderful
experience for me."
It was a wonderful experience
tor all Perquimians.
Omission
In last week's edition, a story ran
on the front page detailing a wreck
[ U.S. Highway 17 south of Hert
Tbe story did not include two
y groups who also responded
? call, the Bethel FtreDepart
and the Perquimans County
The paper ' regrets
ine group was very pleased with
the reaction of the crowd they
played for during the festivities.
They were all impressed with the
friendliness shown them while in
Washington.
School Board Chairman Clifford
Winslow thanked the students for
bringing pride to Perquimans
County. He told of a stop he made
on the trip home in a small shop.
The clerk, he said, asked if he was
with the group. He answered that
he was, and told her that the band
had performed in the inaugural.
The clerk relayed to Winslow that
the youth were the best-behaved
young people ever to enter the
shop.
Schools Superintendent Dr.
Mary Jo Martin said, "They (the
band members) are a very special
group of young people." She added
that they reminded her of what was
positive about America, that they
were symbolic of the qualities
hoped for by America's founding
tattlers.
Winslow related the board's ac
tions when funding was first ap
proved for the band program. "We
stuck our necks out to put in the
budget to start a band. I think we
can nonestly say that it was some
thing well worth doing." He added,
"This is really a climax for all
those 11 years of hard work."
Winslow said many applications
were received for the position of
band director. David Ziemba,
Winslow stated, said in his inter
view, "If Perquimans County
wants a good band, I'm the man
that you need." Winslow said that
Ziemba's confidence was infec
tious, and that he obviously had
meant what he said. ,
more school board
The board voted to give the band
$3,900 towards the expense of the
trip. By consensus at an earlier
meeting, the board had agreed to
y the difference in what the band
d collected on the Friday prior to
the trip, and the approximately
$17,000 cost of the trip.
The donations did exceed what
was collected as pf that Friday, but
the board felt that since they had
set the cut-off date, they should ad
vance the funds to the band. The
overage will be deposited into the
Band Boosters' treasury.
Personnel Vacancies
Paul Ward apprised the board of
positions still vacant. They are spe
cial education teacher, after
school care coordinator and in
terim teacher. Ward told the board
that he had contacted every N.C.
college and university placement
office, as well as private personnel
agencies, but had still been unsuc
cessful in his search for a special
education teacher.
When asked why positions in the
county are so difficult to fill, Ward
said that some qualified people will
not move to this part of the state.
I 11 i
He also said that many larger sys
tems are offering sign-up bonuses
and other benefits with which Per
quimans County cannot compete.
Dr. Martin also blamed the situa
tion on the nation-wide teacher
shortage.
Board member Cliff Towe sug
gested that the problem be dealt
with at the board's annual retreat,
so that solutions can be discussed.
Leave policy
Cliff Towe urged the board to
consider a new sick leave and an
nual leave policy whereby person
nel would be paid for unused leave.
He said he sees the action as a de
terrent to teachers taking leave
time during instructional periods.
Paul Ward informed the board
that such a policy was on the legis
lative agenda this year. Board
members decided to write their
legislators both individually and as
a board requesting that the matter
be given priority.
Traffic light
The board also opted to support
the installation of a traffic light at
the intersection of U.S. Highway 17
and Church Street Extendi. With
the closing of the causeway, buses
will be rerouted through that inter
section. Board members feel that
the corner presents possible dan
ger to the students who will ride
buses. Board member Wayne How
ell said that the board should take
every action possible in order to
ensure the safety of the children at
the intersection.
more school board
Positions filled
The board approved the appoint
ment of Jeanie Lashley as interim
first grade teacher at Perquimans
Central School.
Leaves granted
The board granted the requests
of Sharon Ward and Freda Nelson
for extended leave.
The PCHS band lined up for a group shot (right) before boarding the
buses to head for Washington, D. C. Above, if screams could be
photographed, this would be a loud picture as the band students
cheered for their good fortune at being selected to perform at the
inaugural.
Prestigious service awards presented by Jaycees
The Perquimans County Jaycees
presented several awards to local
residents at their annual Distin
guished Service Awards banquet
last Wednesday night.
A Hertford resident received the
highest honor the Jaycees give in
the community, the Distinguished
Service Award. William Elliott
"Billy" Layden was the recipient
of this year's award.
Layden was nominated for the
award due to his community in
volvement and his willingness to
help those that need assistance.
"I'll guarantee you that you'll
never ask Billy for his assistance
and not get it if it's in his power to
give it to you," said award pre
senter Susan Harris.
Layden was recently named in
the latest edition of Outstanding
Young Men of America. He is a
Perquimans County Jaycee, and is
very active in the Hertford Volun
teer Fire Department. He is a
member of Anderson United Meth
odist Church, where he has been a
member of the Administrative
Council.
Layden is employed by Elliott
Layden Radio and Electric Shop.
A new category was added to the
awards list this year, outstanding
family. The recipients of this
award were A.O. and Carole Eure
Roberts and their children, Kevin,
Michael and Kristen. The Roberts
are very active in the Berea
Church of Christ.
Both the parents and the children
involved in the Extension service
through 4-H, 4-H Advisory Council,
N.C. Extension Advisory Council,
and 4-H Livestock Show.
The family has also worked in
the Central School P.T.A., serving
in many capacities, and are pres
ently working with a group of par
ents interested in revitalizing the
Middle School P.T.A.
The parents have played an inte
gral part in the children's involve
ment in sports, ballet and other ac
tivities, through their unfailing
support.
When asked what impact they
had made on the community, the
Roberts wrote, "Above all else, we
believe our involvement in the
community through our work in
the church has made the greatest
impact and has brought about the
most improvement in our family
life. Sometimes doing just the
smallest things... can seem so large
for those you are doing these things
for. These are the types of things
that improve our lives beyond all
others.
Presenter Richard Copeland
said that the Roberts nomination
form typified the community spirit
in the county.
Sharon Tunnell captured the Out
standing Young Educator award.
Tunnell is certified in health, phys
ical education and early childhood
education. She is presently a sec
ond grade teacher at Winfall Cen
tral School, where she also serves
as grade level chairperson.
In recommending Tunnell for the
award, Central School Principal
Morris Kornegay wrote, "I believe
from my conveyance to you of the
duties and responsibilities en
trusted to Sharon, it is very evident
that she is a dedicated, capable
person, capable of not only 'getting
the job done' but of getting it done
in a fashion worthy of the respect
and trust that I and others have in
her abilities."
Tunnell is married to Lee Tun
nell. The couple has three children,
Matt, Monte and Amy.
Winner of the Outstanding Young
Firefighter award was Richard
Copeland. Copeland is a member of
the Winfall Fire Department,
where he has been selected Out
standing Young Firefighter in 1978,
1981 and 1988. He was also chosen
Winfall's Firefighter of the Year in
1982 and 1986.
A member of the department
since 1975, Copeland has been in
strumental in equipment mainte
nance and recruitment. He logs ap
proximately 70 training hours per
year, according to fire department
records.
Copeland is also an active mem
ber of the Perquimans County Jay
cees, an organization in which he
has held numerous offices, includ
ing those on the state level.
Copeland's nominator said, "Ri
chard's greatest award to his com
munity is best summed up in this
phrase, 'The greatest achievement
of the human spirit is to live up to
one's opportunities and make the
most of one's resources.'"
Copeland and his wife, Diane,
live in Winfall.
Capturing the Outstanding Law
Enforcement Officer was Craig
Garriss of Hertford. Garris is a Se
nior Trooper with the N.C. State
Highway Patrol.
Garriss received his certification
in Basic Law Enforcement from
Halifax Community College. He
began his law enforcement career
in 1975 when he was s>worn in as a
Special Deputy with the Northamp
ton County Sheriff's Department,
where he was assigned to the drug
enforcement division in 1976.
He moved to the Conway Police
Department in 1978, and in 1978
was made assistant chief. His affil
iation with the N.C. Highway Pa
trol came in 1984.
Garriss is credited with pulling
two youths from a burning vehicle,
rescuing an infant drowning victim
and working diligently to erradi
cate drugs in our area.
He is a member of the Hertford
Fire Department and Chowan
County Law Enforcement Officer's
Association.
His nomination form states,
"Trooper Garriss shows through
his job and outside interests that
his philogophy is to preserve and
protect life and property both in his
professional and personal life. He
believes that to be the best that you
can be you have to serve others."
Lillian Chappell won the Out
standing Young Rescuer award.
Chappell is a dispatcher with the
Perquimans County Dispatch
Service. She is an EMT with the
Perquimans County Volunteer
Rescue Squad, and is presently
serving on the squad's board of di
rectors.
Chappell has spent many hours
serving on both the day and night
squads, as well as assisting in the
training of other members.
She was elected to the Outstand
ing Young Women of America in
1986.
Chappell's contributions to the
community also include assisting
with the Red Cross Bloodmobile
and volunteering and supporting
the Special Olympics program.
She is married to Jerry Chappell.
Joe Lee Tunnell received the
Outstanding Senior Citizen award.
Tunnell taught school for 38 years.
Many boys who graduated from
Perquimans County fondly re
member their days under Tun
nell's guidance.
Although originally from Swan
Quarter, Tunnell considers Perqui
mans County his home. He has do
nated countless hours to civic orga
nization and community concerns
with both time and financial assis
tance.
His nominator said Tunnell is
"willing to help with any situation
that calls for public assistan
ce... There have been several times
that people have been in need of
money to help them through hard
times... He has sacrificed many
times... to get out and help raise
money for these people." Tunnell
is probably best-known for his abi
lities as an auctioneer.
Tunnell has been an active mem
ber of the Hertford Lions Club and
Hertford United Methodist Church.
He and his wife, Atha have two
children, Lee and Nancy, and three
grandchildren.
N.C. State Jaycee Vice President
Tim Avery delivered the address to
the group assembled for the D.S.A.
banquet.
Avery praised all the nominees
and winners, stressing that work
ing together, people can make our
communities better places in
which to live. Avery encouraged
the group to continue community
service and volunteerism.
Billy Layden (left) was presented
with the highest award the Jay
cees give in the community, the
Distinguished Service Award.
Layden was nominated for his
willingness to help his fellow
man. At right, the winners of the
Jaycee awards are: Outstanding
Young Educator-Sharon Tun
ned; Outstanding Young Fire
fighter-Richard Copeland; Out
standing Senior Citizen-Joe
Tunneli; Outstanding Law En
forcement Officer-Craig Garriss;
Outstanding Young Rescuer-LII
lian Chapped and Outstanding
Young Family-A.O. Carole, Ke
vin, Michael and Kristen Rob
erts-Not pictured is Nancy Boyn
ton, Outstanding Youth. Her
picture and accomplishments
will be published next week.