• • • - • Mi
Have a safe Memorial Day weekend
THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Volume 59, No.21
USPS 428-080
Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C. Thursday, May 24,1990
30 CEN1
Briefs
8urnmerschooUliitea^^^^
changed dua to funding
Due to a change in state funding,
the 1990 remedial and enrichment
summer school will be held June 25
July 23. Students in grades 7-12 who
need to attend for course credit
should preregister in the PCHS of
fice on June 21 or June 22 from 8
a.m. until 12 noon.
Parqulmana Waakly movaa
deadlines for holiday
The Perquimans Weekly office
will be closed on Monday, May 28 in
observance of Memorial Day. The
advertising and news deadlines
have been moved to Friday, May 25
at 3 p.m. No advertising or news
will be accepted after that time.
Accident on U.S. 17 holds up
mld-mornlng traffic Tuesday
A mid-morning traffic accident
on U.S. Highway 17 south of Hert
ford caused southbound traffic to
be rerouted for approximately one
hour Tuesday morning.
According to unofficial reports, a
mid-size Ford truck and a mid-size
Ford car collided head on about one
mile north of the Perquimans-Cho
wan county line.
The Hertford Fire Department’s
First Response Team was called to
remove the accident victims from
their vehicles. Fire Chief Edgar
Roberson reported that the team
was on the scene for approximately
45 minutes.
Also responding to the accident
were the Bethel Fire Department,
the Chowan County Rescue Squad
and the Perquimans County EMS.
N.C. Highway Patrol Trooper .
Wood investigated the accident. No
other details were available at
press time.
P.C.H.S. band, chorus »*t
annual concert for Friday
Hie annual concert presented by
the band and chorus at Perquimans
High School will be held on Friday,
May 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the school’s
auditorium. Students are rehears
ing to perform a variety of arrange
ments. Everyone is invited to
attend the concert.
Hertford Police, county
sheriff make arrests
The Hertford Police Department
made the following arrests:
Louis Franklin Lane, 62, Rt. 1,
Box 917, Hertford, was arrested
and charged with second degree
trespass on May 17.
Charles Haywood Lowder, 32, Rt.
2, Box 987A, Hertford, was arrested
and charged with communicating
threats on May 18.
Warren Lee Ernest, 43, 316
Stokes Dr., Hertford, was arrested
and charged with assault on a fe
male on May 18.
The Perquimans County Sheriff’s
Department made the following ar
rests:
Michael Copeland, 31, Rt. 2, Box
86E, Hertford, was arrested and
charged with worthless checks on !
May 16 on a Pasquotank County
warrant. He was released on a $500
secured bond.
Meldoy Hammond Suis, 28, Rt. 3,
Box 389A, Hertford, was arrested i
and charged with failure to appear :
as directed by a citation on May 16 '
on a Pasquotank County warrant, j
She was released on $300 secured i
bond.
Arlene Spruill, 26, Rt. 2, Box 82, '
Edenton, was arrested and charged ]
with assault on May 17 on a Chowan
County warrant. She was released .
on a written promise to appear. j
. Michael Allen Holley, Rt. 2, Box !
‘ft Edenton, was arrested on May <
. 17 and charged with assault bn a ,
Chowan County warrant. He was
released on a written promise to
appear.
Thinking of placing a
Classified Ad; but not ]
sure how to do it? Just
call our friendly Ad
visor, Elenora. She will i
be glad to help you.
426-5728
Perquimans ,
Weekly
119 W. Grubb St. ,
8 o.m.-5 p.m.( Mon.-Fri.
■ W
School board considers reorganization pattern
Increasing enrollment and projections that the number of
students in the county’s school system will begin to grow
even faster has caused the Perquimans Board of Education
to consider a reorganization plan for housing students.
Schools superintendent Mary Jo Martin submitted a reor
ganization pattern for the Board’s review Monday night at
their regular meeting. Under the plan, kindergarteners, first
and second graders from the entire county would attend
Hertford Grammar School; third through fifth graders
would attend Perquimans Central School; and grades six
through eight would be located at Perquimans Middle
School. The high school would continue to serve grades nine
through 12.
Dr. Martin told board members that several factors con
tribute to the need for reorganization, including increasing
student population, a desire to expand the middle school con
cept, less duplication of materials and resources, and easier
instructional planning.
The N.C. Institute of Government has projected a 43 per
cent student population growth in grades seven through nine
by 1998, with an increase of 25 percent in grades kinder
garten through six. Because there is no more available space
vo convert into classrooms at the middle school, either more
classrooms must be built, or some students must be moved to
an alternate location.
By moving the fifth grade to another school, there should
be sufficient room for students in the remaining three
grades, at least until 1998, when the enrollment would again
hover near its present volume, according to Dr. Martin.
The fifth grade is still self-contained. This is not the case in
grades six through eight, where students change classes for
each subject. Putting the fifth graders back in an elementary
atmosphere would better serve their needs, according to re
search available to the school administration.
With two schools presently housing kindergarten through
fourth grades, there is duplication of materials and equip
ment, such as computer programs and media resources.
Reorganizing the schools to house three grade levels each
would help to alleviate this overlap, and allow the school’s
instructional material and equipment funds to be more effec
tively spent, Martin said.
The change in the schools organization would also facili
tate easier instructional planning, with all teachers on each
grade level working in the same school. Staff development
workshops would also be easier to plan.
Dr. Martin asked the Board to seriously consider the plan
for its economic and educational values.
“I do recommend that we seriously consider the change,”
said Board chairman Clifford Winslow. “I personally think it
makes a lot of sense. ”
Winslow reminded board members that the first step in the
school reorganization took place when all the county’s sev
enth and eighth graders were assigned to the middle school.
Next, all fifth and sixth graders were consolidated. Winslow
said it is time the board move to complete the program
started several years ago.
Board members said that they anticipate a little resistance
to the idea initially, but expect that when parents and other
citizens concerned about education consider the change eco
nomically and educationally, they will see that the change
would be in the best interests of the students and the taxpay
ers.
Photos courtesy of Vance Hoover
Hot stuff
The P.C.H.S. Marching Pi
rates got a taste of 97 degree
heat when they performed at
Disney World last week-end.
The band put on a good
show, but several suc
cumbed to the oppressive
temperatures. Upon their ar
rival back in Hertford Mon
day morning, they were tired,
but said they had a great
time.
Perquimans senior awarded full scholarship
Louis John West, a graduating
senior from Perquimans County
High School, is the recipient of a
1990 DeVry Inc. full-tuition schol
arship to DeVry Institute of Tecl^
lology in Atlanta, one of the
system’s 11 postsecondary cam
puses.
West is the son of Judd and Sha
•on Pipes of Hertford.
The announcement was made by
jleorge Fisher, acting president of
DeVry-Atlanta. The scholarship,
valued at up to $21,115 covers tu
tionpayments for the Computer In
ormation Systems program,
students earn a Bachelor of Sci
:nce Degree upon successful com
sletion of all coursework.
Finalists for the DeVry schol
irship competition were selected
rom a group of more than 650.
scholarships are granted on the ba
;is of college board scores (SAT,
VCT, or WPCT), high school aca
demic records, and an essay writ
ten by the students. West’s topic
was, “What Skills Will Be Critical
for tiie 1990s Business Manager?”
A committee of local high school
principals, counselors and DeVry
Atlanta administrators evaluates
the student’s essay and high school
records and makes final selections.
“DeVry is interested in identify
ing highly motivated young people
with a strong aptitude and interest
in technology-based business
fields. Our annual scholarship pro
gram is a significant contribution
to that end,” states Dennis J. Kel
ler, chairman of DeVry Inc.
In addition to the nine schol
arships awarded at Atlanta, other
DeVry Institutes in the U. S. are
presenting a total of 37 full-tuition
and 74 half-tuition scholarships to
graduating high school seniors. Va
lue of the 120 scholarships to be
awarded in 1990 is approximately
$1.55 million.
West
Full scholarship
Motorists urged to use caution over holiday
CHARLOTTE — Fifteen persons could lose their
ives, and approximately 1,000 could suffer disabling
njuries in traffic accidents on North Carolina streets
ind highways over the Memorial Day holiday week
end, the N.C. State Motor Club has projected.
Hie state will count its toll over a 78-hour period
rom 6 p.m. on Friday, May 25 through midnight Mon
lay, May 28. Last year the holiday presented 1,208 ac
:idents, killing 21 persons and injuring 924, while 973
vere injured and 13 were killed in 1988.
Congress has officially designated May 21-28, which
ncludes the long Memorial Day week-end, as “Buckle
Jp America!” Week. These special days, purposely
scheduled to include the Memorial Day week-end,
vhen much traffic is on the road, are set aside to make
he public aware of the benefits of seat belts and child
safety seats.
“Whether you’re riding five miles of 500 miles, any
ime you’re in a car - buckle your seat belt,” Dr. John
3. Frazier, III, president of the statewide motor club
irged. w
“Traffic accidents claimed 1,467 lives last year in
North Carolina according to N.C. Department of
Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles’ records,”
Frazier stated. “Wearing seat belts is the most effec
tive step a driver and passenger can take to save
themselves from serious, even fatal injry,” he added.
„ “We are hopeful that the current downward trend in
traffic fatalities in North Carolina will continue over
the Memorial Day week-end, however, the recent Eas
ter holiday week-end death toll of 16, with delayed
death totals yet to be included, was a disappoint
ment,” Frazier said.
The concerted effort of all motorists is needed to
lower driving speeds, and to avoid driving and drink
ing. Unsafe speed is recognized as a major contribut
ing factor to the volume and severity of traffic
collisions.
Drivers are urged not to drink and drive. It is esti
mated that one of every 50 drivers on the road at any
given time is illegally intoxicated. On week-end nights
the ratio increases to one in ten, and on holiday week
ends the ratio increases even more.
County residents concerned
over subdivision regulations
By NANCY ROYDEN-CLARK
Staff Writer
Last night, a public hearing was
held at the Perquimans Cojmty
Courthouse to discuss revisions in
subdivision regulations.
An original draft of the subdivi
sion regulations was dated October
2,1978. The primary goal of the re
write is to provide better organiza
tion and clarity of the regulations
for the subdivisions.
A board of local citizens has
worked together for about 18
months to formulate the plan of
regulations.
The group believes they tried,
while working on the revisions, to
provide equal services for county
residents on the whole.
County Attorney John V. Mat
thews Jr. explained the situation
one builder in the county had been
in and correlated it as a reason for
the necessity of the new regula
tions.
The builder had put in no roads,
no pipelines and was selling the
home.
The regulations would mean
builders and buyers will be paying
more for preliminary and final plat
approval. The fees have not been
changed since 1978.
A preliminary plat approval fee
will cost from $10 to $20 or $2 per
lot. The final plat will cost from $10
to $25 or $2.50 per lot.
The requirement to install fire
hydrants will be added under the
new revisions.
Councilman Thomas Nixon did
not understand why fire hydrants
should be required under the new
revisions.
“The water system in Perqui
mans County was not designed to
fight fires,” he said.
Other members disagreed with
Nixon, saying that hydrants would
allow water to at least be obtained
from a nearby source, as opposed
to hauling it from a distant hydrant.
yil'ld'!r~Wri,'n9 cam
S Ca,,s
Weigh
The letter-writing campaign
waged by local citizens in an effort
to beef up state funding for small
school systems has gotten attention
in Raleigh.
Cheryl White, a Belvidere resi
dent and the mother of Perquimans
Central School students Chav, 8,
and Tiffany, 6, received a telephone
call from Sen. Marc Basnight, D
Dare, recently. White mailed Bas
night one of the 30 letters she wrote
to state legislators in April thank
ing them for what Perquimans re
ceived under the Basic Education
Plan and encouraging the state to
send more money to small, poor ru
ral school districts.
“I spoke with Sen. Basnight on
the phone for about 20 minutes,”
White said. “He seemed very sin
cere.”
Basnight and 1st District rep
resentatives Vernon James and
R.M. “Pete” Thompson have
pledged their support to the grass
roots efforts to obtain more state
dollars for small rural school sys
tems.
White also received replies from
state senators James D. Speed of
Louisburg and George B. Daniel of
Yanceyville. Daniel’s letter as
sured White that equal funding will
be discussed when the General As
sembly convenes in Raleigh in 1991.
White was one of about 250 par
ents, school staff members, stu
dents and other citizens interested
in education who wrote letters to
state legislators in April. Commu
nity Schools Coordinator Jeanie
Umphlett said that over 500 letters
were sent to Raleigh from Perqui
mans.
The campaign was a joint project
with Camden and Tyrrell counties,
who together with Perquimans
formed CBS - Citizens for Better
Schools. In February, the three
counties organized a Steering Com
mittee to map out strategy to ob
tain more money for their local
schools. Organizers promoted CBS
and their plan, including the letter
writing campaign, at a March rally
attended by residents of all three
counties, as well as Thompson and
James.
The counties are members of the
Small Schools Consortium, a group
of school superintendents from
small systems across the state who
have banded together to work for
equal educational opportunities for
students in North Carolina public
schools.
Historically, the state of North
Photo by Nancy Royden-Clark
Cheryl White holds two letters
she received from state legis
lators concerning funding for
small school systems.
Carolina has funded teacher sala
ries and instructional materials.
Local governments are responsible
for capital expenditures.
In larger, more affluent areas, lo
cal funds allow added teaching po
sitions, expanded course offerings
and an abundance of instructional
materials, in addition to funds for
capital outlay.
In poor, rural areas, local funds
are often so limited that needed
building maintenance must wait.
CBS and the Small Schools Con
sortium are trying to make state of
ficials sit up and take notice. The
state constitution guarantees equal
educational opportunities to every
student in North Carolina, and the
two groups believe that pupils in
small rural school systems are not
receiving equal educational oppor
tunity.
The issue has arisen in at least
three other states across the nation,
and lawsuits have been filed - and
won - against states for failure to
offer each student access to an
equal education. No lawsuits have
been filed to date in any of the coun
ties represented by CBS.
A second letter-writing campaign
will get underway in the fall, and
members of the CBS Steering Com
mittee hope that it will be even
more successful than the April
campaign.