THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Volume 62, No. 16
Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, May 27, 1993
35 Cents
Sports:
Middle School Tigers
clinch Coastal Conference
championship: Pages
School:
Farm Day brings
barnyard animals
to school: Page 8 j,
Fly like the wind
Central School students ran as fast as they could last Friday
during field day competition. Each class was decked out in
field day T-shirts sporting class colors. Posters made by the
classes with slogans like “Ralph’s Rockets’’ and “Parker’s
Purple Power”^ decorated chairs by each classroom’s desig
nated cheering section. (Photo by Susan Harris)
Exercisers
should
exercise
caution
Sheriff Joe Lothian said last
week walkers and joggers should
exercise caution along with their
muscles.
“With milder weather comes
a dramatic Increase in outdoor
activities.” Lothian said. “A major
portion of this notable Increase
in outdoor activity is persons
walking and jogging. Exercising
Is certainly goodfor your health,
but it can also be hazardous to
your health if it causes you to
become a crime victim.”
Lothian offered some tips
which can help those who enjoy
the outdoors from becoming a
walking crime statistic:
•Avoid walking or jogging
alone at night Tne common
sense adage mat there is “safety
in numbers” applies even on the
streets of this small community
at night
•Avoid running or walking on
dimly lit streets and stay out of
alleys. Don't use remote or little
traveled shortcuts.
•Stay in the part of the tide
walk dose to the street and away
from shrubbery, trees and door
ways. Sometimes, it is even safer
to walk in the street - always fee
ing oncoming traffic - rather
, than on the sidewalk.
•Always wear reflective doth-,
tog at night
•It is advisable for women to
cany whistles or other noice
makers to sound loudly if ac
costed.
“Lastly, we always advise
anyone out walking. Jogging or
bicycling to carry proper identifi
cation with them. Lothian
added. “This should indude your
current address, phone number
and person to notify in case of an
emergency anytime you are away
- from your home.”
The sheriffs warning comes
on the heels of assaults and at
least ope purse snatching in the
county, both inside and outside ,
the municipal limits of Hertford.
Celebration site
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Cove Grove will welcome guests on June 5
to An Old Neck Celebration, an evening of
traditional southern fare and entertainment,
Guests will dine on roast pork and enjoy
music and dancing under the huge, old
shade trees that grace the lawn. The event
Is sponsored by the Old Neck Historic Dis
trict Committee of the Perquimans County
Restoration Association to raise funds for
research necessary to apply for National
Register of Historic Places inclusion. The
committee plans to submit an application
covering at least six historic buildings. Two
are Individually on the register. The house
will not be open for tours during the gala.
For ticket information, call the Newbold
White historic site. (File photos by Susan
Harris)
A Memorial Day Program will
be held at the Perquimans
County Library on Thursday,
.May 27 at 7:30 p.m. The pro
gram will combine music ana lit
erary readings commemorating
the sacrifices that Americans
have made in war throughout
the history of the United States.
The music will be a combina
tion of folk and period popular'
leces and performed fay Barney
the visiting artist at the
of The Albemarle, and
v-i • - . ,51 - _>
mwgm i $? -
Shelley Pearn. Perquimans
County librarian. Local veterans
will read from selected passages.
The program is expected to last
about an hour.
“War has either Indirectly or
directly touched the lives of most
every American,” said librarian
Shelley Feam. “little Is done to
recognize the horrors, the sacri
fices, and the terrible toll that
war takes on both the service
person and the families. It Is
hoped that this program will pro
- ' r ‘ »; ' ' ' V
vide a reflective outlet and a re
membrance of thos whose
contributions we have so long
taken for granted.”
The public Is Invited and en
couraged to attend. However, be
cause of the seriousness of the
topic and the graphic descrip
tiveness of some of the readings,
it Is not recommended for small
children. ;
Smith returns
to classroom
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
Sharon M. “Sherry" Smith
cleared what she considers the
first hurdle in her battle to re
main on the faculty of Perqui
mans High School Monday, when
she returned to her classroom for
the first time in 10 weeks.
The 39-year-old special edu
cation teacher was suspended
with pay by schools superinten
dent Randall L. Henion on March
15 pending an investigation into
misconduct allegations. Smith
denies the allegations. She had
not stepped foot in her classroom
again until Monday.
Smith said Sunday that He
nion called her Wednesday and
asked to meet with her in his of
fice at 3 p.m. that day. During
the meeting. Smith said Henion
told her she could return to the
classroom as early as Thursday.
Smith said she chose to begin
teaching again on Monday.
“I’m very happy that the first
step in the process of getting my
job back has been taken,” Smith
said.
Although Smith was allowed
to return to the classroom, the
decision made by the board of
education on May 17 not to re
new Smith’s contract has not
been overturned. If the board
takes no further action. Smith’s
last day with the school system
"I’m very happy that the first
step in the process of getting
my job back has been taken.
Sharon M. Smith
Teacher
will be June 18.
School board chairman L.
Wayne Howell said Tuesday it
would be inappropriate for him to
discuss the particulars of the
case. He did, however, comment
that the suspension, investiga
tion and Smith’s return to the
classroom were all handled In
accordance with public school
law. He said both Henion and the
board acted on the advice of Ken
Soo, a Raleigh attorney whose
firm represents 'iie school board
on matters of public school law.
Howell added that the board
members felt that they had taken
the appropriate action on behalf
of the students in the schools
based on information provided to
them by the administration and
legal representatives.
Henion said last week that he
could not comment on matters
relating to personnel.
Winborne keeps
teaching job
No nonrenewal action
taken by school board
By SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
A Perquimans Middle School
teacher who refused to resign
last week at the request of
schools superintendent Randall
L. Henion will teach in the
county next year.
Rita Winbome, a sixth grade
language arts teacher, said Sun
day that the school board has re
newed her contract.
School board chairman L.
Wayne Howell said Tuesday that
her contract was automatically
renewed because the board took
no nonrenewal action at their
May 17 meeting.
Winbome said she was glad
to have the chance to teach here
again next year.
“I’m happy to be back,” she
said, adding, “I think it was un
necessary that it (the resignation
request) happened.”
Winbome was one of three
middle school teachers called in
Monday afternoon during class
time and asked by Henion to re
sign by the end of the day.
Nancy Patrick and Leigh Ann
Long, first and second year
eighth grade teachers, respec
tively, complied with the request.
Sources said all three teach
ers had received standard or
above standard performance
evaluations, and none of the
three expected that their con
tracts would not be renewed
prior to meeting Henion in co
principal Morris Komegay’s office
last Monday.
When word of Winborne’s
resignation request began
spreading last Monday, she
said parents immediately
started contacting her to offer
support.
“I’m extremely apprecia
tive for everything that’s been
said (on my behalf) by the
parents and my students, and
the support of other teach
ers,” winbome said.
Parents contacted by The
Perquimans Weekly said they
support Mrs. Winbome.
“I’d want to hear a reason,
and it would have to be a good
reason, not to stand behind
Mrs. Winbome,” said Deborah
Byrum, the mother of one of
Mrs. Winbome’s students. “I
have visited her class. She
made learning fun. Learning
was creative. My daughter has
really enjoyed her class.”
Lou Ann Winslow, the par
ent of another of Mrs. Win
bome's students, agreed with
Byrum.
“I have been thoroughly
satisfied with her all year,”
Winslow said. "She works
them (the students) hard, but
she makes it fun.”
Several other parents con
tacted all said they had been
pleased with what their chil
dren had learned under Mrs.
Winbom and the quality of
her teaching. None made neg
ative comments.
All three teachers declined
comment on what action. If
any, they might take regard
ing the resignation requests.
Bootstrap presents comedy
The Bootstrap Acting Com
pany will offer a comedy In sync
with the season when John Pat
rick’s A Bad Year for Tomatoes
opens on June 18 at Angler's
Cove Restaurant
The dinner theater will fea
ture Jean Norvelle, Frank Ed
munds, Celeste Gray, Julie
Feeney, Norma McMullan, Terry
Owens and Billy White. Pat Phil
lips will direct the play. Mona
Sadler is the producer.
Find out what happens when
fi long-time television star retires
to Small Town U.SA to write a
book and raise tomatoes in this
summer production.
Tickets are $15 for a buffet
dinner and show. For reserva
tions, call 426-9295 or 426
7294. Show dates are June 18,
19.20.25.26 and 27 and July 9
and 4.. , ■.. ^