E
P4/C3***********5-DIGIT 27944
^ PERQUIMANS COUNTY LIBRARY
110 W ACADEMY ST
HERTFORD, NC 27944-1306
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Rotarians win awards
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Schools honor volunteers
Rage?
Remembering Grandmother
Rage 6
May 22, 2002
Vot, 70. No. 21 Hertford, North Carolina 27944
The
Perquimans
MAy 22 2002
EEKLY
35 cents
Bethel woman stabbed
SUSAN R. HARRIS
The school board voted
Monday night not to modify
its religion in schools poli
cy.
After months of review,
board members voted 3-2
not to adopt an amendment
to its policy which would
have allowed religious
materials to be offered to
students on school proper
ty
Board member Marjorie
Rayburn said she opposed
the policy change.
“I personally feel that
this would be opening the
door to any group that
wants to come in the door
and distribute religoius
material,” she said. “I think
it sets a precedent that does
not need to be set. Once you
let one group in, others can
come.”
Rayburn added that she
attended a school board
workshop regarding reli
gious policies. During that
session, she said, attendees
were presented with case
studies that showed that it
could be problematic to
allow the distribution of
religious materials, espe
cially to younger children.
Board chairman Walter
Leigh and member Helen
Shaw also opposed the
measure.
“Fve always had reserva
tions about introducing
religious materials in the
schools,” said Shaw, who
added that she was the
daughter of a minister.
Leigh, who is a minister,
added that differences in
the way people interpet the
bible could also be a prob
lem.
Iris Byrne made the
motion to amend the policy.
“This has been done and
is being done in other coun
ties and this statement is
legal,” Byrne said. “I feel
it’s important that our chil
dren at least have the
opportunity ... to pick up
something.”
Byrne said she did not
feel there would be a prob
lem in Perquimans County
with changing the policy
The motion was second
ed by William Byrum, a
board member and
ordained minister.
“Fm supporting it,”
Byrum said. “I have two
Gideon bibles in my house
given to my children or
grandchildren. Those
bibles did less harm than 1
did.”
Byrum also said that the
policy stated that the super
intendent and school prin
cipal “will grant” requests
to distribute religious
materials once per year.
The amendment did not
state that officials could
decide on a case-by-case
basis what group would be
allowed to offer materials to
students.
The change was pro
posed after the Gideons
asked to distribute bibles to
elementary students.
Ex-boyfriend
charged with
attempted
murder
SUSAN R. HARRIS
A Bethel woman is
recovering in Chowan
Hospital from injuries sus
tained last weekend when
her former live-in partner
allegedly beat and stabbed
her early Saturday morn
ing.
Matthew Roy DeGray 23,
of 113 Levi Creecy Road, is
charged with first degree
attempted murder and first
degree attempted burglary
in the case.
The 21-year-old white
female was severely beaten
and stabbed in her home on
Oliver Street in the Bethel
Fishing Center area,
including a deep, serious
cut in her abdomen and
another to her throat,
according to Perquimans
Sheriff Eric Tilley
Tilley said the woman
was in surgery for over 6
hours to repair damage
from the attack.
“There were stab
wounds and cut wound all
over her body,” the sheriff
said.
Tilley said DeGray and
the victim had lived togeth
er and have a child. DeGray
had reported moved out of
the home he shared with
the victim and moved into a
residence with another
female. The victim got a
protective order against
DeGray
DeGray’s present house
mate allgedly told law offi
cers who investigated the
stabbing that DeGray told
her he was going to take a
walk.
DeGray allegedly broke
into the victim’s home,
where he beat and stabbed
her. She was able to go to a
neighbor’s house for help.
Initially held in
Albemarle District Jail
without bond. Judge
Grafton Beamon set bond
at $125,000 secured during
DeGray’s bond hearing.
Weekend activities draw hundreds
SUSAN R. HARRIS
The weather was chilly
and damp Saturday, but the
welcorhe was warm as
tourists visited some of
Perquimans most impres
sive historic homes.
From the Leigh Farm in
Durants Neck to Layden’s
Store in Belvidere, former
ly the Nichols Store,
tourists visited an assort
ment of dwellings, church
es and business properties
Saturday and Sunday.
Several of the buildings on
the tour had been restored,
while others are in the
process of being renovated.
The tour, sponsored by
the Perquimans County
Restoration Association ’
and Preservation North
Carolina, is a biennial
event showcasing the rich
history of the county.
At then John White
House in Belvidere,
restored over the last seven
years by Lynwood Winslow,
there was even a reunion of
sorts. Jack White, who was
born in Perquimans
County and still owns land
here, bumped into his for
mer college roommate
whom he had not seen in 50
years.
The weekend of events
began on Friday evening
with Pig Out on the Green,
sponsored by the Historic
Hertford Business
Association. Diners
enjoyed pork barbecue din
ners on the courthouse
green while listening to the
sounds of Loose Change.
Several people were spotted
on the benches in front of
downtown businesses
enjoying ice cream cones
after their dinner.
On Saturday evening,
the annual Perquimans
County Restoration
Association Garden Party
was held at the historic
1812 on the Perquimans
Inn. Almost 200 attended
, -«■ AStt,
/
the gala which featured
delicious food and guests
dressed in spring finery.
The Garden Party has
become the premiere fund
raiser for PCRA. Proceeds
PHOTOS BY SUSAN HARRIS
Everyone enjoyed the
barbecue and music on
the courthouse lawn on
Friday evening.
benefit programs at the
Newbold-White House, the
oldest brick house in N.C.
White to leave Perquimans Middle School
SUSAN R. HARRIS
Perquimans Middle
School principal Anne
White will not serve in that
capacity next school year.
Non-renewal of White’s
administrative contract
was approved unanimously
by the school board
Monday night in regular
session. She will retain her
career teacher status.
White came to the school
system in • 1989 as
Vocational Director and
was reassigned to the mid
dle school in 1998.
Superintendent Kenneth
Wells declined to comment
on the non-renewal of the
contract,saying that admin
istrators can not discuss
specific personnel matters
due to confidentiality laws.
Under state law, the con
tents of the personnel files
of education personnel are
confidential.
Other personnel action
approved included:
Resignations: Davida
Bines, receptionists/cleri
cal, Central Office; Charles
Cheezum, board member;
Melinda Connell, media
assistant; Nickie Hurdle,
pre-kindergarten assistant;
and Thomasina White, bus
driver.
Retirements: Carlene
Hunter, custodial staff;
Pamela Lothian, kinder
garten teacher; Lenna
Mansfield, kindergarten
teacher; Percell McClenney
Sr., custodial staff; and
Brenda Umphlett, second
grade teacher.
Terminations: Shirley
Hickson, bus driver; and
Dyrel Nowell, bus driver.
Administrative con
tracts: Pam Price, two-year;
Jeanie Umphlett, two-year;
Edward Williams, two-year;
and Tim Aydlett, two-year.
Tenured contracts:
Stephanie Fuller, Terrie
Mallory, Richard Thach,
Leslie Alligood, Sylvia
Johnson, Helen Lane, Lynn
Partin, Leah Robertson,
Alan Babcock, Susan Cox,
Rodney Lassiter, Jeb
Stuart, Virginia Allison,
Lynette Baker, Tonya Little
Williams, Betty Murdock,
Patrick Reid, and John
Wells.
Mich'elle Harris
PHOTO BY ALICE BREWIN
Margaret Brewin (left) serves guests at the annual Perquimans County Restoration
Association Garden Party Saturday evening. Although Friday's warm sunshine gave
way to gray skies and a chill in the air, almost 200 people attended the gala.
Weston Curies
Honor grads
are named
Mich’elle Harris and
Weston Curies will lead the
PCHS class of 2002 onto
Memorial Field during
graduation exercises on
May 31.
Harris earned valedicto
ry honors, while Curies is
salutatorian. The two will
deliver the graduation
addresses at commence
ment. Graduation will be
held next Friday night at 8
p.m.
Weekend
Weather
Thursday
High: 83
Low: 56
Mostly Sunny
Friday
High: 86
Low: 63
Partly Cloudy
Saturday
High: 83
Low: 57
Scahered T'storms