The only newspaper for and about Perquimans County and its people PCMS celebrates homecoming Page? Library sets activities Page 10 PAL announces art show Pages L OIL 7^i;-;165 ilOZOO perouimans county liC) W ACADEMY ST HERTFORD NC Z7944 01 it^COOl library October 12, 2000 Vol. 68, No. 41 Hertford, North Carolina 27944 Weekly 73 Republicans hold party candidates' forum, fundraiser From Staff Reports The first annual “Beans’n Jeans” sponsored by the Perquimans County Republican Party drew candi dates for local, state and feder- ^ offices to Hertford. Congressman Walter B. Jones was lead speaker for the occasion, and cited individual ff-eedoms as the theme of his he-election campaign. He told . the 80 people at the American ■ Legion building that if George W Bush is elected Preisdent •and the Republicans retain ijontrol of both the US. House ; mid Senate, he anticipates that ; legislation authorizing the return of voluntary prayer to the classroom will pass and be signed into law. Jones also spoke of the need to enhance military readiness, , which he said has declined in recent years, and to protect Social Security and Medicare. He promised to support a tax cut for all taxpayers to enable them to exercise their individ ual freedom to manage their own resources. He also noted his opposition to efforts to punish the Boy Scouts of . American by revok ing their charter. N.C. House 86th district can didate Cheryl Byrd of Dare County was also at the politi cal forum. She said one of her top priorities is education. Byrd said that the Department of Public Instruction in Raleigh has too much control over local school districts, especially in such areas as cur riculum. Michael Barrick, who is running for Superintendent of Public Instruction, echoed Byrd’s statement. While he has an agenda, Ron Toppin, candidate for the N.C. Senate 1st district seat, said he wants to hear from res idents in the district about issues that are important to them. Also speaking during the event were N.C. Court of Appeals candidate Paul Stam, and Vernon Hammons and Wallace Nelson, candidates for county commissioner. The fundraiser and forum was a success, according to Republican organizers. The party plans to make the event an annual one to be held the fourth Saturday in September. PHOTO BY SUSAN HARRIS Tourists at the Williams Farm Partnership enjoyed a hayride to the nearby peanut and cotton fields. Three generations of the Williams family were around during the farm tour, including Harriette Williams Woodard, who came up with the farm tour idea, then organized the event. Hollis Williams (below) explained the impact of cotton on our daily lives. Farm tour harvests bacon for ag classes PCHS Homecoming royalty Shellie Hurdle and Darion James were crowned Homecoming Queen and King during halftime festivities Friday night. Also crowned were Prince and Princess, Justin Roberson and Candace Bonner; Miss and Mr. Class of 2003, Ashley Sessoms and Titus Stepney; and Miss and Mr. Class of 2004, Tamesha James and Austin Bunch. A bonfire, themed days, powder ipuff football game and pep rally led up to the homecoming ‘game. A dance followed the big Perquimans win. JEREMY DESPOSITO The Daily Advance and SUSAN R. HARRIS Editor You can tell Harriette Woodard grew up on a farm. She had the seed of an idea, planted it, nurtured it and har vested the rewards of her labor Saturday with a successful Perquimans County Farm Tour. Although there ' was a chance of rain according to some forecasters, Saturday dawned sunny and bright, and stayed that way. By 5 p.m., Perquimans County Farm Tour volunteer LuAnne Pendergraft said the event had raised close to $2,000 for the high school agriculture pro gram. Information on Sunday’s turnout was not available. “The farm families have been just tremendous by help ing out,” Pendergraft said. “It’s a busy time of year for them.” Indeed, up and down the tour, farmers had climbed down from their combines to be available to explain agricul ture to guests. Steve Perry was one of those farmers. Perry, who lives and farms at Riverside Plantation, said he received his first guests just after 9 a.m. He’d greeted about 80 guests by 12:30. “We really had much more of a response than I expected,” said Perry, who’s been a farmer for the last 35 years. “Everyone seems very interested in what we’ve got going on. If it’s an annual event. I’m sure it will get even better.” Besides displaying tradi tional hand tools, antique farm equipment, and a hand-made tobacco basket. Perry invited visitors in for a look at his smokehouse. Inside the wood en structure, salted meats hung by strands of wire from the rafters. “It really beats store-bought meat,” Perry said. Since a lot of the tour’s focus was education. Perry, like the other farmers, became teachers for the day Perry was a natural, sharing information on corn and genetic alteration. Despite the fact that his sons and helpers were hard at work picking peanuts in fields sur rounding his home. Perry said he enjoyed taking the day off to explain something about his livelihood to visitors. “I really enjoy it,” he said. “Farming is a way of life I was raising in, and people who don’t understand it, I try to explain it the best I can and thw all seem to appreciate it.” People seemed to enjoy the educational process at all tour stops, which also included B&P Acres (quarter horses). Willow Creek Farm (simmenthal influence cattle), Williams Farm Partnership (cotton and peanuts). Perry’s Pick-Your- Own (grapes), Tri-B Farm (show pigs). Byrum Poultry Farms (chickens), Layden’s Country Store (handmade sausages, smoked meats). Ward & Nixon Cotton Gin, and Swampside Plantation where 4-Hers shared some of their projects. While some tourists were surveying the land, others were at the high school taking in the antiques and collectibles at the Hertford Heritage Antique/Craft Show and Sale sponsored by the Antique Dealers Association of Perquimans County. Show organizer Jane McMahon said that by about 1 p.m., 125 people had come through the show. She antici pated that the event would raise an additional $600 or so, which also benefitted the PCHS agriculture program. About 14 dealers participat ed in the show and sale, which McMahon said was unique in that it combined antiques and heirloom crafts. It was expand ed to keep with the overall theme of the event, she said. Saturday was capped with' the annual Jollification, the harvest celebration benefitting the Perquimans County Restoration Association. Those who attended enjoyed a pig pickin’ and live bluegrass music. All 120 of the $20 tickets to the event were sold in advance. PCHS wins first Catfish Cup at ALS softball tourney From Staff Reports Perquimans High School received the Catfish Cup dur ing the second annual men’s softball tournament to benefit the Jim “Catfish” Hunter ALS Foundation recently. As tournament organizer Joan Rountree, Hunter’s niece, spoke with people about the tournament and all that Hunter did during his lifetime to support sports across Northeastern North Carolina, the idea for the Catfish Cup emerged. Invitations were sent ip Manteo, Currituck, Camden, Pasquotank, Northeastern, Gates, Chowan and Perquimans high schools to participate in the ALS Foundation fundraising chal lenge. The school that raised the most money by tourna ment time would get to keep the Catfish Cup, which was donated by Earl Owens Carpet and Tile. Perquimans was the first recipient of the trophy. The tournament raised over $7,000, according to Rountree. She said she was very pleased with the outcome, especially since rain forced postponing most of the games for a week. “This (event) really seems to bring family and friends together,” Rountree said. “It was better than last year, and we expect it to keep on grow ing. Very special thanks go to Guy Webb and Tim White at the recreation department for all their help, as well as to our sponsors, the concessions workers and all those who donated items for sale. Our family appreciates all that was done.” Young Guns II claimed the tournament championship, while Adroit Utilities was sec ond and Hunter Boys & Company, third. Other teams competing included Ashton Lewis, Chimney Masters, Edenton Motors, Fraternal Order of Police, Don Humphries, James Tile, Albemarle Chemical, Rawlings Bros. Garage, Charles Ward, and Woodard’s Pharmacy. The second annual match up between the Hunter Boys and WVEC TV 13 News had to be cancelled with the postpone ment, but Rountree said the television crew is eager to play next year. Playing for the Hunter Boys & Company were Hunter’s sons, Todd and Paul; nephews, Marvin Hunter Jr., Gary Hunter, Edgar Roberson, Kenneth Ray Boyce, and Alex Cox; and great-nephews Travis Riddick, Justin Roberson, Wayne Hunter and Keith Boyce. Brothers Marvin and Pete coached the team. Other fundraisers included the homerun derby for males and females; a raffle organized by Hunter’s daughter, Kim Hunter-Layne; T-shirt sales and concessions. A Hunter niece, Kristie Walker, won the female homerun derby. The T- shirts were donated by North Carolina’s Northeast Partnership. Umpires Rev. Billy Presley of Gates, Robin Forehand of Camden, Gary Cook of Elizabeth City and Craig Speight of Sunbury donated their services. Continued on page 6 Weekend Weather Thursday High: 72 Low: 48 Mostly Sunny Friday High: 74 Low: 52 Mostly Sunny Saturday High: 77 Low: 55 Partly Cloudy