Chorale performance set
Rage3
School briefs
Rage 9
Spring sports update
Rages 7,8
May 1, 2002
Vol. 70, No. 14 Hertford, North Carolina 27944
Perq
101
Weekly
Cheezum retiring from school board
S. BRADY CALHOUN
The Daily Advance
He's been a friend,
resource and, at times, con
science to the Perquimans
County Board of
Education.
But after next Tuesday,
Charles Cheezum will be
just another private citi
zen.
Even though his seat on
the school board comes up
for election in November,
Cheezum is stepping down
early so he can spend more
time with his family. He
also plans to spend some
time in Colorado helping
take care of his ailing
mother-in-law.
Just prior to his final
school board meeting in
late April, colleagues and
school officials held a
reception for Cheezum at
the administration build
ing.
Schools Superintendent
Ken Wells said Cheezum
had always been an inquisi
tive, caring board member
who also had a great sense
of humor.
“Not everyone saw that
side of him,” Wells said.
Cheezum also kept
abreast of the latest trends
in education. Wells said.
The departing school board
member often dropped arti
cles about trends, speakers
and new ideas by Wells
office, the superintendent
said.
“He is very well-read
about what is going on in
public schools,” Wells said.
When he was elected to
the Board of Education in
1998, Cheezum had held
jobs as a postman, judge
and substitute teacher.
Nothing compared to his
time as a public servant,
however.
“It's been a real pleasure
to get to know the people in
the school system.”
Cheezum said. “They are
very dedicated and the peo
ple in Perquimans County
are very lucky.”
Board Chairman Walter
Leigh says Cheezum will be
missed.
“Charles has brought
dignity, grace, strength and
great wisdom to this
board,” Leigh said. “He's
respected and loved by this
board.”
To board member Iris
Byrne, Cheezum was both
HP
School Board Chairman Walter Leigh thanks retiring
board member Charles Cheezum for his years of serv
ice at Superintendent Kenneth Wells looks on.
Cheezum's term did not expire until July.
mentor and friend.
“He explained to me
what it meant to be on the
school board,” Byrne said.
“I'm feeling like I lost my
right hand, like half of me
is gone.”
Under state law, the
school board can operate
for two months before it
has to fill Cheezum's posi
tion, Leigh said. He expects
the board will continue
with only five members
until then.
New hoard members
should have been elected in
May and seated July 1; how
ever the districting lawsuit
that has postponed the
state’s May primary indefi
nitely will cause the local
school board to have to
appoint a replacement for
Cheezum.
Old Tliners’ Day
activities planned
Sticky situation
Spring is the season of
diamonds in Perquimans
County — ball diamonds,
that is.
Some of the best of
Perquimans High School’s
former baseball and soft-
ball players will challenge
the 2002 Pirate teams in the
annual Old Timers’ Day
games on May 11.
Old Timers events origi
nated over 20 years ago
with the 1963 PCHS state
championship baseball
team — which featured Jim
“Catfish” Hunter on the
mound — coming home on
Mother’s Day weekend to
face the high school team.
Many of the 1963-era play
ers came out early on
Saturday morning to cook
the Old Timers’ barbecued
chicken dinners before
pulling on their cleats for
the big game.
Old Timers’ has grown
over the years to include
varsity and junior varsity
games, as weU as softball.
a' homerun derby added
three years ago has also
become a highlight of Old
Timers’ events.
Perquimans has added
two softball state champi
onship trophies to its
awards showcase recently
— a slow pitch in 1997 and a
fast pitch in 2000. Now, state
championship women also
come home to play.
The day’s schedule will
be: Noon: Lady Pirates vs.
Old Timers. 2 p.m.:
Homerun Derby to benefit
the Jim “Catfish” Hunter
ALS Foundation. 2:30-5
p.m.: Barbecued chicken
plates ($5) 4 p.m.: JVs vs.
Old Timers 6 p.m.: Varsity
vs. Old Timers
AU-day tickets are $5.
Former PCHS Lady
Pirates interested in play
ing should contact Kristie
Roberson Walker at 426-
9249.
Tommy Dale and Todd
Hunter are coordinating
former baseball players.
Those wishing to play
should have graduated in
1992 or earlier and must
have played baseball for a
Perquimans High School
team. Dale can be reached
at 297-2255 and Hunter at
482-4080.
Edgar Roberson is chair
ing the chicken supper.
Tickets can be purchased
from Roberson or softball
and baseball players at both
the middle and high
schools.
Kim Perry will be coordi
nating volunteers to cover
gates and concessions on
Old Timers’ Day. To volun
teer, contact Perry at 426-
5741.
Old Timers’ Day is an
annual event and is the
largest fund-raising event
to benefit athletic pro
grams at both the high and
middle schools. Donations
may be made to PCS
Athletic Boosters and
mailed to Brenda Lassiter,
Treasurer, P.O. Box 337,
Hertford, NC 27944.
Coalition celebrates
tenth anniversary
A German shepherd takes offense to the rabies shot
veterinarian Ruston Howell gives Saturday as Kevin
White tries to soothe the pooch. The rabies clinic was
held Saturday and jointly sponsored by the newly-
formed SPCA of Perquimans County North Carolina
and Perquimans County. SPCA officials said records
indicate it is the first clinic in the county in about 10
years. About 75 dogs and 10 cats were vaccinated dur
ing the clinic.
Prayer service set
The Perquimans County
Ministers’ Council
announces that on
Thursday, May 2, a
National Day of Prayer
Service wUl be held on the
courthouse lawn at noon.
The prayer service is open
to the public.
In the event of rain, the
service will be held at
Hertford Baptist Church.
On May 9, some
Perquimans County resi
dents will celebrate their
accomplishments over the
past 10 years.
The celebration is being
sponsored by 2020 Vision
Coalition, the county’s
umbrella 501(c)(3) organi
zation. The group was
ormed in 1992 and led by
the late Bill Cox in order to
form long range plans for
the county and to preserve
and protect the present and
future quality of life in the
covmty. Cox was the long
time mayor and first town
manager of Hertford.
Fred Yates, Chair of the
2020 Board for most of the
organization’s life,
explained the reason for
the celebration.
“We’ve come a long way,
and we want to tell people
about what we have done
that they may have already
forgotten or maybe they’re
new to the county and
would like to know a little
about our history”
For the past several
years, Leo Higgins has
served as the unpaid execu
tive director of 2020. While
working on many projects,
the biggest is the incubator
building in the county’s
commerce park on Harvey
Point Road. The building,
also known as The
Perquimans Business
Center, opened June 4,2000.
Colonial dinner held
On Saturday, April 13, an
18th century-style feast was
served inside the historic
1730 Newbold-White House.
Candlelight, traditional
toasts, and servers clothed
in period garb enhanced
the festive mood for the
evening. Complementing
the historical atmosphere
was a menu featuring a
wide variety of foods
including nutmeg carrot
soup, scallops over figs,
roasted Cornish hens, stuff
ing with country ham, hoe-
cakes with sweet potatoes,
spinach custard, apricot
bread pudding with rum
sauce and various dried
fruits and nuts.
This unique dinner was
the grand prize for a raffle
A $345,000 loan and grant
from the Technological
Development Authority
and USDA Rural
Development helped make
it a reality.
To date, seven business
es have moved into the
PBC, which supplies serv
ices and expertise to help
entrepreneurs have a suc
cessful start.
There are many more
successes that 2020 wants
to celebrate. At the organi
zational meetings, the
group identified five key
areas of concern. Task
forces were formed and
goals set. The outcome was
a strong resolve to improve
the Perquimans economy,
improve education and
human services, encourage
citizen participation in
local government, and
improve the quality of life.
The results will be
reviewed on May 9.
An informal reception
with exhibits from agen
cies and organizations
affiliated with 2020 will be
held at the PBC from 5 - 6
p.rh. on May 9. It is open to
the public without charge.
A banquet will begin at 6
p.m. at the Albemarle
Commission Building.
Tickets, at $15 each, are
available through May 1
from the 2020 office at the
PBC and the Chamber of
Commerce. Call 426-2020.
benefiting the work of the
Perquimans County
Restoration Association.
PCRA promotes the cultur
al heritage of Perquimans
County and preserves the
early 18th century through
the Newbold-White House.
The winners of this feast
for ten were Penny and Bud
Dorman of Hertford. PCRA
will raffle off the annual
dinner again this summer.
PCRA is now planning
its biennial historic homes
tour on May 18 and 19 and
garden party on May 18.
The events are part of a
weekend of local events,
including Pig Out on the
Green and antiques show.
For more information,
call 426-5123.
Weekend
Weather
Thursday
High: 90
Low: 61
Scattered Storms
Friday
High: 92
Low: 51
Scahered Storms
Saturday
High: 76
Low: 51
Partly Cloudy