ALS walk planned
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Bullard remembers Catfish
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College grads^ honors
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P14/C5
PERQUIMANS COUNTY LIBRARY
110 W ACADEMY ST
HERTFORD, NC 27944-1306
Perqlimans
August 13, 2003
Vol. 71, flo. 33 Hertford. North Carolina 27944
Weekly
RECJBIVED
3 ifuuj
Newbold-White
House to be partly
dismantled
Restoration
specialist to
seek causes,
extent of
structural
damage
LUANNE PENDERGRAFT
Restoration specialists
will dismantle portions of
the 1730 Newbold-White
House on Aug. 19 — 21 to
determine the causes and
extent of recently discov
ered structural damage to
the eighteenth-century
building.
The Newbold-White
House, North Carolina’s
oldest brick house and the
oldest house in the state
opened to the public, is con
sidered one of North
Carolina’s most notable
historic preservation
accomplishments.
In recent months,
restoration specialists have
discovered extensive prob
lems in the house including
masonry deterioration,
increased moisture in the
masonry walls, and termite
damage and activity in the
beams, floorboards and
other wooden elements.
Conducting the in-depth
study will be Dean A.
Ruedrich, principal of
Ruedrich Restorations. His
work wUl include removing
and examining floorboards,
waU sheathing, and exteri
or fascia boards. Ruedrich
is well known across the
state for his experience and
knowledge of historic
building restoration and
conservation. The house
will remain dismantled
until funds can be raised to
complete repairs. The
house and entire historic
site will be open during the
restoration work.
Following close inspec
tions of the Newbold-White
House in the spring of 2003
by Reid Thomas and Mitch
Wilds, restoration special
ists with the North
Carolina Department of
Cultural Resources, State
Historic Preservation
Office, it was determined
that due to the unforeseen
nature of the effects of the
restoration, the building
was continuing to lose orig
inal and irreplaceable fab
ric.
In Thomas’ report, he
praised PCRA for extraor
dinary efforts to save and
restore the NewJjold-White
House and noted that the
Association has shown
great stewardship in main
taining the property At the
suggestion of Thomas, the
Board of the Perquimans
County Restoration
Association has begun a
careful and thorough,
“museum-quality,”
approach to the conserva
tion of the historic
resource.
“The PCRA Board is
committed to preserving
the Newbold-White House
to the highest quality to
ensure its preservation for
future generations,” said
Back to school
Chris Lane, president of
the Perquimans County
Restoration Association.
“We anticipate that the cost
to restore the building will
be significant and we are
asking for financial sup
port for this crucial under
taking.”
As part of PCRA’s com
mitment to a careful study
of the situation, Jimmy
Price, a nationally known
restoration brick mason,
also examined the condi
tion of the building. Price
concluded that a probable
cause of the moisture-relat
ed problems is the cement-
based mortar that was used
during the restoration in
the 1970s. According to
Price, cement-based mor
tars can trap moisture
inside the walls subse
quently leading to numer
ous problems.
At the time of the
restoration in the 1970s and
until very recently, the
cement-based mortars were
widely used and considered
acceptable as restoration
mortars. Since that time,
restoration specialists have
determined that a tradi
tional lime-based mortar is
preferable.
In addition to structural
repairs, the PCRA Board
anticipates that the historic
house wni also require the
removal of the restoration
period mortar and the
repointing of the exterior
with traditional lime-based
mortar.
A cost estimate for the
restoration work will be
determined after the analy
sis by Ruedrich is complet
ed.
The second floor of the
Newbold-White House will
remain dismantled until
repairs can be made. This
provides a unique opportu
nity for visitors to examine
parts of the house usually
only viewable to historic
preservationists.
“We see this as a wonder
ful opportunity to display a
different dimension of this
important house,” said
Lane. “We encourage visi
tors to see the house while
it is undergoing the
restoration.”
The Newbold-White
House is operated by the
Perquimans County
Restoration Association, a
not-for-profit educational
organization. The house
was listed on the National
Register of Historic Places
in 1971 and over the next
decade PCRA embarked on
an ambitious campaign to
restore the property In 1981
the work was completed
and the house opened to the
public.
Today, the Newbold-
White House Historic Site
teUs the story of Abraham
and Judith Sanders, a
Quaker couple who raised
their six children on the
site.
The site will maintain
regular tour hours during
restoration; Tuesday —
Saturday, 10 a.m. — 4:30-
p.m.; and Sunday, 2 — 5 p.m.
The site is located just off
of Hwy 17 in Historic
Hertford. Contact the site at
426-7567 or
nbwh@inteliport.com for
more information.
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Over 1,700 students headed back to school last
Wednesday, some accompanied by parents and some
getting special welcomes by school principals like
Central School administrator Billy Stallings (right).
School opens
smoothly
Faculty, students and
parents enjoyed a smooth
opening of school with the
exception of a few minor
transportation problems,
according to schools Public
Information Officer Brenda
Lassiter..
Administrators attrib
uted last Wednesday’s
smooth opening to the com
mitment of faculty and
staff and to the summer
programs offered through
the 21st Century Lea):ning
Centers.
One of the summer pro
grams. Jump Start, allowed
students moving from
school to school (grades 3, 6
and 9) to attend a two-week
program to help them
become familiar with their
teachers and new school
environment.
The local schools experi
enced an increase in stu
dent enrollment this year.
The 2002-03 school year
ended with a student
enrollment of 1,672 stu
dents, and the attendance
on the second day of this
school year was 1,727.
According to Lassiter, sev
eral children from home-
schooled environments
have enrolled.
“Faculty and staff are
committed to ensuring suc
cess for all students, as is
evident by our recent test
scores,” Lassiter said. “Our
students, teachers, admin
istrators, school board and
community work hard to
produce knowledgeable
students who are prepared
to make competitive choic
es for their future.”
With the ABCs, NCLB,
and The Report Card,
Lasster said the schools are
able to provide parents
with pertinent information
on the schools, student per
formance, classroom size,
teacher qualifications and
more.
Lassiter said the commu
nity's commitment to the
schools is one of many rea
sons why the system has
been experiencing such
success. “The citizens of
Perquimans County are
concerned about the quali
ty of our schools and the
progress in increasing stu
dent achievement, and are
actively involved to
improve education for stu
dents.”
This year, Perquimans
Central School and
Hertford Grammar School
will offer extended day
activities for students. The
programs wUl operate untU
6 p.m. and are funded
through 21st Century.
Activities will include
tutoring, crafts, athletics,
dance, music and art. They
provide safe environments
for students after school
hours.
Perquimans Middle
School and Perquimans
High School will offer
extended day tutoring and
activities until 4 p.m. begin
ning in mid-August. The
programs will be funded
through S.O.S. and 21st
Century and transporta
tion will be provided.
With the new school year
came changes in the leader
ship at middle and high
schools. New administra
tors began the school year
by holding assemblies for
the student body to commu-
nicate student behavior
guidelines and expecta
tions of the students for the
year.
At the high school.
Principal Hans Lassiter led
the Class of 2004 into the
auditorium and challenged
seniors to be role models
for the underclassmen. He
promised seniors that
before leaving high school
in May 2004, they would be
equipped to enter college.
“You wUl meet with me,
your guidance counselor,
and your English teacher
in mandatory conferences
to ensure you are ready for
the next level of educa
tion,” said Lassiter.
He encouraged students
to be well-rounded by active
participation in sports and
clubs, as well as academics.
Lassiter presented the
new Student Behavior
Demerit System being
implemented this year at
the high school. Parents
should become familiar
with the guidelines and
may request a copy by call
ing 426-5778. During his
address to the student body,
Lassiter emphasized that
students are expected to
respect the instructional
environment of the build
ing, and that teachers are
prepared to ensure that
this happens.
Lassiter closed by com
mending his faculty and
staff for their enthusiasm
in preparing for the open
ing of school, promising
students that faculty and
staff were there to provide
them a free, appropriate
public education.
“We will work, sweat,
and cry for your education
but we wm not . allow the
misbehavior of a few stu
dents to destroy the oppor
tunity for others,” said
Lassiter.
For up-to-date informa
tion on the school system,
visit www.pcs.kl2.nc.us or
call Brenda Lassiter at 426-
5741, ext. 239.
Weekend
Weather
THURSDAY
High: 87
Low: 72
Isolated T'Storms
Friday
HiGH:86
Low: 71
Isolated T'Storms
Saturday
High: 85
Low:69
Isolated T'Storms