THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Volume 60, No.13
Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, March 28,1991
30 Cents
Feature:
Perquimans students
celebrate the arts
in March: page 3
4
Sports:
Tigers, Lady Tigers
get off to good start;
PCHS stopped by rain:
-1
Page 8
Briefs
HQS PTA sets work day
.’. The Hertford Grammar
School PTA will sponsor a work
day on Saturday, April 13, at
9:30 a.m. Playground equipment
Will be Installed and other
grounds improvement is
planned. Call Linda Godfrey at
297-2101 or A.F. Sample for
more information.
Jpycees offer CPU course
j 'file Perquimans Jaycees are
offering a CPR course on Satur
day, March 30 from 9-3 p.m. at
the Hertford Lion's Club Build
ing. Annlce Peckham will in
struct the free course.
CPU scheduled at COA
College of the Albemarle will
offer a Community CPR class
Saturday, March 30, to provide
braining in cardiopulmonary re
suscitation of adults and in
fants.
.1, Bryan O’Leary will teach the
Course from 8-5 p.m. The regis
tration fee for the course is $25.
V A social security number is
needed to register. Senior citi
zens age 65 and over may take
classes without paying a regis
tration fee. For more information
about the class, interested per
sons should call COA's Continu
ing Education office at 335
0821, ext. 250.
Notary class planned
' College of the Albemarle is of
fering a one-night Notary Public
Training class in Elizabeth City
from 7-10 p.m Thursday, April
4. Jeanne C. White, with the
Perquimans County Register of
Deeds office, will teach the
course in room 229 of the A
Building at COA’s main campus.
The cost of the course is $25
plus $5.25 required manual. A
pocial security number is needed
to register. For more informa
tion, call COA's Continuing Edu
cation office at 335-0821, ext.
i250.
Calibration slated for
Juno
/ The William Paul Stallings
American Legion Post 126 and
the Perquimans County V.F.W.
Post 8148 have teamed up to
bring back the tradition of the
Flag Day parade to Hertford.
The theme of the Friday,
June 14 event will be “A Salute
to All Purple Heart Veterans of
All Wars.”
: ■ Charles Skinner, Legion Flag
Day chairman, is trying to locate
all Purple Heart veterans so that
they may be honored during the
.festivities. Anyone with informa
'tion about the names rind ad
dresses of these veterans should
-contact Skinner.
The two organizations hope
_ to have at least 100 American
flags carried down the parade
'jroiite in honor of the Desert
? Storm veterans.
Plans call for the parade to
\Torm in fr ont of the Legion
'building on West Academy
IBireet, march down Grubb
Street, continue on Church
' Street, and turn down Market
♦Street before ending back at the
.'Region building. A reviewing
stand will, be set up on the
'Courthouse green. All Purple
Heart veterans will be Invited to
pit at the reviewing stand as
gbests of honor.
V :
| HAPPY
% EASTER
ij _____
u
tr
The
Perquimans
Weekly
Staff
, V
Perquimans welcomes home Gulf war troops
Welcoming American troops
returning'from the war In Iraq
has become a national passion.
Patriotism, pride and a sense of
accomplishment permeate the
air as the American heroes re
turn to the cheers of crowds and
the strains of patriotic melodies.
Perquimans County sent its
share of brave men and women
to serve In the Saudi Arabian
desert, and locals are now be
ginning to welcome home loved
ones. >
One of the first to return
from the war zone is Eric Co
hoon, a security specialist in the
U.S. Air Force. Eric returned to
the states last week, landing at
Seymour-Johnson Air Force
Base on Wednesday. His family
drove to Goldsboro to greet the
man who was second off of the
plane.
“We all cried,” said Cohoon’s
mother, Nannette, Friday night
at a surprise party at Van’s
Pizza organized by the sergeant’s
high school friends Denise Lamb
and Carla Chappell.
Scud attacks were the most
harrowing aspect of the war,
according to Eric. The first night
of the attacks, he sought refuge
in a shelter, but thereafter ne
passed the frightening episodes
in his tent. He also spent about
three weeks in his chemical
suit.
Leaving his family was the
worst part of being away for the
man who left on Dec. 12.
"The worst thing was him
missing the baby,” his wife,
Marcy said, “her first tooth and
her first step.” Marcy said that
10-month-old Jordan had only a
few shy hours when her father
returned. By Eric’s second day
at home, Jordan had warmed
up to her father once again.
Marcy came to Perquimans
County to stay with her parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Dale Howard,
while Eric was away. She and
other wives from Seymour-John
son stayed in contact while their
husbands were serving in Saudi
Arabia. She said she watched
CNN news "day and night” dur
ing the first days of the war.
Eric knew that he had a lot
of family support while in Saudi
Arabia. He said he got lots of
letters, photographs, videotapes
and care packages to keep him
in contact with his family.
But support from others has
astounded Eric. When his flight
touched down in Bangor, Maine,
Eric said the mayor of the town
boarded and told the troops they
had arranged a small reception
for them. The troops disem
barked to a hero’s welcome with
food, music and a cheering
crowd.
Again in Goldsboro Eric’s
Photo courtesy of The Daily Advance
Holiday Island residents held a parade an rally Saturday
showing their support of the troops serving in the Persian
Gulf.
plane was greeted by an over
whelming show of support.
Then came his local welcome
Friday night attended by many
of his friends, his parents, and
his siblings, Joan Harrell, Patsy
Berry and Alex Cohoon.
Eric said people wrote him
and he saw news clips about the
American show of patriotism,
but he did not realize how much
support there was until return
ing to such a homecoming.
“1 had no idea,” Eric said,
shaking his head.
Eric’s time in the Persian
Gulf was not a fluke. The 1981
Perquimans High School grad
uate volunteered for duty there.
“I volunteered to go because
I knew wnen ia ne ame to go,
Eric said. He was concerned
about being sent before finishing ,
work on the bachelor’s degree
he earned in December just be
fore being shipped out to the de
sert. Now it appears that Eric
will be able to accept his degree
in criminal Justice in May.
Seeing another culture was a
great learning experience for
Eric.
“If you haven’t ever been out
of the United States, it makes
you appreciate it when you go to
a place like Saudi Arabia,” he
said, reflecting on his time
there. “It’s very different there.”
Eric said he had very little
contact with the people in the
desert, but the men on his base
were very cordial.
Just before leaving for the
conflict, Eiic re-enlisted for an
other four-year term. He said
that if he receives a commission,
he will make the armed forces
his career.
The Cohoon family may not
have had the merriest Christmas
or the most optimistic New Year
they can remember. But one
thing is for certain. They will
never forget the happiness and
pride they felt at Eric’s home
coming. Christmas in March
wasn’t so bad after all.
Egg hunt at center fun for young, old
Scores of children bearing
bright-colored Easter baskets
littered the lawn at Brian Cen
ter/Hertford Friday afternoon
during the second annual Ju
nior-Senior Easter Egg Hunt
About 125 children from
tots to pre-teens joined in the
fun, scouring the side lawn
for cellophane-covered eggs
and visiting on the patio with
residents of the Center.
“It was a wonderful af
ternoon for the children, es
pecially the little ones, and
the ^residents.” said Brian
Center administrator Joe
France. "I think everyone in
volved had a good time.”
France said he was very
pleased with the partici
pation, and was glad that the
weather cooperated at last.
The egg hunt began last
year as a way to bring chil
dren and Brian Center resi
dents together. It is organized
by Brian Center and Perqui
mans Weekly staff members.
Don Juan Manufacturing and
Apricot, Inc. have been in
strumental in the success of
the egg hunt, providing gener
ous donations for refresh
ments. Businesses who also
co-sponsored the event this
year Included Dr. Robert Earl
Lane and staff, Maxine’s Day
Care, Albemarle Hospital, the
town of Hertford, Woodard’s
Pharmacy, White’s B-B-Q,
Dozier’s Florist, Charles H.
Ward Inc., Belvidere-Chappell
F
Hill Volunteer Fire Depart
ment, Chowan Hospital, Dowd
& Tiwiddy, Dr. Joseph R. Has
kett, The Gingerbread Inn, the
Town of Winfall, The Orchard
Shop and Melba Overton Ce
ramics.
rnoio Dy ousan nams
Susan Copeland directs her twin daughters, nieces and
nephews to the probable whereabouts of eggs hidden at
Brian Center Friday during the second annual Junior/Se
nior Easter Egg Hunt.
Students earn regional writing honors
Scores of children bearing
bright-colored Easter baskets lit
tered the lawn at Brian Cen
ter/Hertford Friday afternoon
during the second annual Ju
nior-Senior Easter Egg Hunt
About 125 children from tots
to pre-teens joined In the fun,
scouring the side lawn for cello
phane-covered eggs and visiting
on the patio with residents of
the Center. '
“It was a wonderful af
ternoon for'the . children, espe
cially the little ones, and the
residents," said Brian Center ad
ministrator Joe France. “I think
everyone Involved had a good
time."
France said he was very
pleased with the participation,
and was glad that the weather
permitted so many Center resi
dents to be outside with the
children.
Rain threatened to cancel
the egg hunt. A mid-day storm
left the grown soggy, but the
children were not slowed down
in the least. They tromped
through the puddles to get to
die eggs. - t
The egg hunt began last year
as a way to bring children and
Brian Center residents together.
It is organized by Brian Center
and Perquimans Weekly staff
members. Don Juan Manufac
turing and Apricot, Inc. have
been Instrumental in the suc
cess of the egg hunt providing
- *
generous donations tor relresn
ments. Businesses who also co
sponsored the event this year
included Dr. Robert Earl Lane
and staff, Maxine's Day Care,
Albemarle Hospital, the town of
Hartford, Woodard’s Pharmacy,
. White’s B-B-Q, Dozier’s Florist.
(Jnarles H. ward me., ueiviaere
Chappell Hill Volunteer Fire De
partment, Chowan Hospital,
Dowd & Tiwiddy, Dr. Joseph R.
Haskett, The Gingerbread Inn.
the Town of Winfall, The Or
chard Shop and Melba Overton
Ceramics.
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Photo by Susan Harris
Five middle school students took top honors In the area Fleet
Reserve Essay Contest They were (I to r) Christopher Gre
gory, Jenny Hurdle, Mark Swindell, Allison Boone and Troy
Higgins. Gregory and Swindell moved on to take first place In
their divisions on the regional level. Their writing has been
submitted for national competition. “
Tour set for Heritage Day
The Perquimans County Re
storation Association will once
again celebrate Heritage Day
with a tour of homes.
On May 4, the history of the
New Hope township will be high
lighted.
Beginning at the Leigh Plan
tation, also known as Land’s
End, the day will be filled with
visits into four homes listed on
the National Register of Historic
Places. In addition to Land’s
End, Cove Grove, the Sutton
Newby house and the Newbold
White historic site will also be
opened. The stately Cove Grove
has remained in the Skinner
family for more than 100 years.
Not in the National Register,
but deserving of the honor
according to local historians, is
Riverside. Now occupied by Mr.
and Mrs. Steve Perry, the house
is thought to have been built in
the early 18th century by Wil
liam Jones. The house was
dubbed Riverside by Francis E.
Winslow upon his purchase of
the property in 1872.
The Durant Pilgrimage will
begin at 10 a.m. with registra
tion and a briefing by Winslow.
Maps showing historic spots to
be viewed or visited during the
tour will be distributed.
Back at the Newbold-White
site, former Chief Justice of the
North Carolina Supreme Court,
Susie Sharpe, and the North
Carolina Society Colonial Dames
of the 17th Century will unveil a
highway marker honoring Ann
Marwood Durant. Durant was
the first woman allowed to ap
pear in a North Carolina court
on behalf of a petitioner in
1673.
Reservations are requested
for the Durant Pilgrimage. The
$10 fee includes visits to five
homes (viewing of three), the
New Hope Methodist Church,
lunch at the New Hope Ruritan
Club, an open house reception
at the Perquimans Center on the
Newbold- White site, and view
ing of Newbold-White. On ex
hibit in the Perquimans Center
will be artifacts from Land’s End
and Riverside. Checks should be
mailed to the Perquimans
County Restoration Association,
P.O. Box 103, Hertford, N.C.
27944. Reservations and infor
mation are available by calling
426- 7567.
Photo courtesy of Perquimans Restoration Association
Land’s End , also known as the Leigh Farm, will be the be*
ginning point in the Durant Pilgrimage scheduled for May 4
by the Perquimans Restoration Association.
Playhouse holds dinner/dance
The Perquimans Playhouse
Inc. ‘ gathered Saturday at An
gler's Cove for An Enchanted
Evening, the theater group's an
nual appreciation dinner/dance
honoring members and support
ers of the group.
The Playhouse was born
when a cast of local thespians,
backed by the Chamber of Com
merce, presented Egad! What a
Cad during the annual Indian
Summer Festival several years
ago. The popularity of the per
*
V, -
formances spurred those in?
volved to form an organization of
residents who wished to bring
theater into the county.
To date, the Playhouse has
worked in a dinner theater far
mat, and is most noted for pre
sentations of old-fashioned
“meller- drammers.” The group
wants to expand to offer mama
and comedy.
Anyone who wants informa
tion about the Playhouse can
call the Chamber of Commerce. '