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February 24, 2000
Vol. 68, No. 8 Hertford. North Carolina 27944
ERQUIMANS
EEKLY
I*-"**
Students get
prepared to
write right
SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
Perquimans County Schools
students and staff are putting
pencil to paper over and over
again in preparation for the
N.C. Writing Test to be admin
istered on March 7.
A variety of techniques is
being used throughout the sys
tem to improve writing.
Seventh grade students have
been staying after school and
coming to school on Saturdays
to improve writing skiUs.
Sandra Hooker, assisted by
all seventh grade teachers, con
ducted writing workshops
after school Feb. 7-9. The first
Saturday Writing Workshop
conducted by Hooker with the
assistance of Alan Babcock
and June Lightfoot was held on
Feb. 12. Students who attended
the Saturday Workshop were
treated to a karate workshop
and a pizza luncheon. To instill
in students the importance of
practice and effort, each stu
dents was given a copy of
Michael Jordan’s book. For the
Love Of The Game.
Valerie Jackson, Teressa
Blanchard and June Hunter
also provided individual assis
tance to students during the
workshop.
Anne White, principal at the
middle school!, talked with stu
dents about the importance of
desiring to write weU, believ
ing that they can write weU,
and rolling up their sleeves
and practicing the techniques
taught.
To get students in the mood
for writing, June Lightfoot led
them through a rendition of “I
Believe I can Write.”
Writing workshops will con
tinue Mondays through
Wednesdays after school and
Saturdays through March 4.
All the schools have made
writing a focus this year, from
practice prompts for the writ
ing test to writing across the
curriculum. Writing across the
curriculum means turning in
written assignments in aU sub
ject areas. In many cases, the
assignments are graded not
only for content in the subject
area in which they were
assigned, but also for basic
writing mechanics, punctua
tion, and spelling.
18th Century
feast raffled for
N ewb old-Whit e
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Teacher Theresa Wheeling (center) and students Brian
Chappell (left) and Michael Insley discuss techniques for
improving writing in preparation for the N.C. Writing Test
scheduled for March 7. Students in grade 4,7, and 10 will be
tested.
The state writing test will be
administered to students in
grades 4, 7 and 10. Although
these are the grades the state
tests, students in other grades
are also given similar writing
exercises to continue to
improve writing skills. Often
these writing exercises are
scored using the state guide
lines so students can see
strengths and weaknesses, and
work toward improved scores.
End-of-grade and end-of-
course tests are set for May 23
and 24.
Imagine inviting your clos
est friends to a magnificent
18th century feast inside the
historic 1730 Newbold-White
House. The candles are lit, the
table is set, the servers don cos
tumes from the 1770s, and you
and your guests sit down to an
eight-course 18th century din
ner.
The Perquimans County
Restoration Association is
offering the opportunity to win
this magnificent 18th century
holiday feast for 10 inside the
historic 1730 Newbold-White
House. The winner of the din
ner win receive:
• an eight-course 18th centu
ry dinner for 10, prepared by
an acclaimed chef,
• strolling musicians
throughout the evening,
• servers donned in tradi
tional 18th century dress, and
• the unmatachable atmos
phere of dining in the 260 year-
old house bedecked with sea
sonal greenery.
The Newbold-White House,
located on the beautiful
Perquimans River, interprets
early 18th century life in North
Carolina. Dating to 1730, the
house is the oldest brick house
in the state and is listed on the
National Register of Historic
Places. The house is authenti
cally restored and features
period furnishings, enormous
fireplaces and a winding cor
ner staircase.
Chances to win this once-in-
a-lifetime feast are $25 each or
five chances for $100. The win
ning name will be drawn on
Wednesday, March 8. Entries
must be received by Tuesday,
March 7. To enter your name to
win, send checks made out to
the Perquimans County
Restoration Association, P.O.
Box 103, Hertford, NC 27944, or
contact PCRA at 426-7567.
The Newbold-White House
is located in Hertford, North
Carolina, just off of Highway
17 between Edenton and
Elizabeth City Hours of opera
tion are 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Tuesday thru Saturday, 2-5 p.m..
on Sunday. The Newbold-White
House is operated by the
Perquimans County
Restoration Association. PCRA
promotes the crdtural heritage
of Perquimans County and
preserves the early 18th centu
ry character of the Newbold-
White House. For information,
caU 426-7567.
State observes Severe Weather Awareness Week
Spring, summer
are prime times
for bad weather;
preparation saves
lives, property
SUSAN R. HARRIS
Editor
They can touch down with
little or no warning and leave
death and destruction in their
wake.
Tornadoes are not common
in Perquimans County, but
they have touched down here
as recently as last September,
slamming into houses, uproot
ing trees and frightening those
who see them roar across the
landscape.
To remind residents to be
prepared and know the warn
ing signs of severe weather
such as tornadoes. North
Carolina Governor Jim Hunt
has declared Feb. 20-26 Severe
Weather Awareness Week. The
theme of the observance is “Be
Alert, Be Prepared & Be Safe.”
“We have been affected by
severe weather in the past, and
it will happen again,” wrote
Perquimans County
Emergency Management
Coordinator Walter A. Meads
in a news release. “Micro burst
winds, lightning, heavy rains
and flash floods will again
damage homes, farms and
businesses. Unfortunately,
many people will be injured or
even killed because they did
not protect themselves and
their property.”
According to the North
Carolina Department of Crime
Control and Public Safety,
severe weather most often
occurs in the spring and sum
mer months when two weather
systenrs collide. Weather sys-
Daily Advance photo
A tornado spawned by Hurricane Floyd did considerable damage in the Durants Neck com
munity last September. Tornadoes are some of nature's most violent storms.
terns that are only a few
degrees different in tempera
ture, or a few millibars differ
ent in pressure, can result in
violent winds, hail, thunder
storms and even tornadoes.
Meads said every household
should have an emergency kit
prepared and every member of
the household should know
what to do in the event of
severe weather. B eing pre
pared includes knowing where
to go in the event of severe
weather. A plan should be
formed to meet in what is
determined to be the safest
place in the house to wait out
the storm and/or where to go if
you need to leave your home.
Preparing an emergency kit
and having a plan of action
greatly improve chances of
survival should a tornado or
other natural disaster strike.
Meads added. “
A basic emergency supplies
kit should contain about one
gallon of water per person for
three to seven days, enough
canned for the family, a hand
operated can opener, a battery
powered radio and extra bat
teries, a flashlight and extra
batteries, a first aid kit, neces
sary prescription drugs, and
games and reading materials
to help pass the time. The kit
shoidd be stored in a portable
container such as a plastic
crate, duffle bag, or backpack
in an interior closet, basement
or other accessible safe place.
Emergency management offi
cials stress that people shordd
not wait until a severe weather
watch or warning is issued
before assembling an emer
gency kit.
A tornado or other storm
watch means that conditions
are favorable for the develop
ment of that particular weath
er. People in the watch area
should stay tuned to a local
radio or television station or
listen to NOAA Weather Radio,
secure loose objects outdoors,
survey immediate surround
ings for the most suitable shel
ter, and be alert for changing
weather conditions. Tornadoes
can occur in conjunction with
thunderstorms that produce
severe hail. This situation
occurred in Perquimans
County less than 2 years ago.
If a tornado warning is
issued or you have an indica
tion a tornado may be
approaching, take cover imme
diately. The safest place in a
home is the lowest level of the
home, in an interior room
away from windows. This may
be a bathroom, interior closet
or under a stairway. Go to the
center of the room. Try to find
A
something sturdy you can get
under and hold onto to protect
you from flying debris and/or
a collapsed roof. People in taU
buildings should take shelter
in interior hallways, away
from windows.
People who live in mobile
homes should leave immedi
ately and seek shelter in a stur
dy building. If no shelter is
available, go outside and lie on
the ground, if possible in a
ditch or depression. Use your
arms to protect your head and
neck and wait for the storm to
pass. Be alert for flooding.
In the event that you must
leave your home, turn off the
water, gas and electricity at the
main switches.
Do not try to out-run a tor
nado. Vehicles are a very dan
gerous place to be in case of a
tornado. They can be tossed
about like toys. If you see a
funnel cloud or hear a tornado
warning issued, get out of
your vehicle and find a safe
shelter. If no shelter is avail
able, lie down in a low area
using your arms to cover the
back of your head and neck. Be
sure to stay alert for flooding.
Businesses should also have
severe weather plans in place.
Here are some tornado dan
ger signs:
• If there is a watch or
warning posted, falling hail
should be considered as a real
danger sign.
• An approaching cloud of
debris can mark the location of
a tornado, even if a funnel is
not visible.
• Before a tornado hits, the
wind may die down and the air
may become very stiU.
• Tornadoes generally
occur near the trailing edge of
a thunderstorm. It is not
uncommon to see clear, sunlit
skies behind a tornado.
In addition to full-fledged
tornadoes, downbursts and
microbursts can cause signifi
cant damage. Downbursts are
severe localized downdrafts
from a thunderstorm or show
er. This outward burst of cool
or colder air creates damaging
winds at or near the surface.
Microbursts are severe
localized wind blasting down
from a thunderstorm. They
generally cover less than 2.5
miles in diameter and are of
short duration, usually less
than 5 minutes.
Emergency officials suspect
ed either a weak tornado or
downburst/microburst was
responsible for the uprooted
trees and damage to Woodland
United Methodist Church and
the surrounding neighborhood
several years ago.
The most destructive torna
does ever to hit North Carolina
killed more than 45 people:
March 1998 in Stoneville,
November 1988 in Raleigh, and
March 1984 in the Sandhills.
To learn more about what to
do should a disaster strike, caU
Meads at 426-5646.
Weekend
Weather
Thursday
Hich: 66
Low: 50
Mostly Cloudy
Friday
High: 71
Low: 51
Mostly Cloudy
Saturday
Nigh: 70
Low: 47
Partly Cloudy