Hyde C!nty’s C!ntry Magazine Winter 2014 - 15
“Ha"y Holidays!”
www.SwanQua#erly.net
Photo by Sarah Johnson
E&tor’s E&cts By Margie Brooks, E&tor
It’s my favorite time of the year. The weather is cooler (will it snow?), the holiday decorations are going up, and beautiful carols are playing! As we near the end of 2014, with the New Year just about to peak over the horizon, I wish everyone a very Happy Holiday Season! However you choose to celebrate the season, I hope it is with those that you love and love you in return. Please slow down for a moment, take a step back and reflect on your life. And if you are able, do something nice for someone not as fortunate as yourself. I promise you - the joy you receive in giving will be unmatched. As my Mother used to say “What goes around, comes around.”
And oh yes – do you have ideas for the Spring 2015 issue? Let us hear from you. Tell us how we are doing and what you’d like to see in your favorite online magazine. Thanks to all who have made this issue possible!
Photo: Ing%d Lemme
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Photo: Guy Livesay http://livesayphotography.zenfolio.com PUBLISHER: INGRID LEMME ~ EDITOR: MARGIE BROOKS
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Quote of the Quarter
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"Don't worry if you're making waves simply by being yourself. The moon does it all the time." ~ Scott Stabile
DEAR READER
You are what you eat! Clean foods are minimally processed and as direct from nature as possible. They're whole and free of additives, colorings, flavorings, sweeteners, and hormones. I particularly like to juice, preferably organic.
Ingrid
Village Consignment
Ms. Emily’s Village Consignment Shop
Located next to Pat’s Gas Station in Swan Quarter is open
It has been a fabulous fall for me. It was able to do a lot of traveling with my new partner and really am enjoying life. This issue would have never have been possible if it weren’t for the diligent efforts of our wonderful editor Margie Brooks Wednesdays through Saturdays and a paradise for treasure hunters! Please Click Here!!!
- and of course all the writers and photographers amongst you! The Swan Quarterly is a labor of love, a love for Hyde County and the road less travelled. Thank You! I wish ya’ll a Very Merry Christmas, Good Health and a Happy New Year! ~ Love, Ingrid
OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE BY PHIL EMMERT
Christmas! The very word Christmas evokes different emotions in each of us. The memory of the first Christmas with our first child brings joy to our hearts. The memory of the last Christmas we spent with a loved one before they passed on, brings tears to our eyes. Christmas is of course all about Jesus, but it is about family as well.
My first Christmas with my wife Bea brings to mind joy along with a little discomfort. Our first Christmas together as husband and wife was 1991. I was a 54 year old man with my own established traditions. Bea also had her established traditions. Do you smell trouble ahead? No, not really because we desired to please each other. Sometime around Thanksgiving we began to think about a Christmas tree. I kind of wanted to use my old
artificial tree. My lovely bride wanted a live-cut tree. I finally capitulated. I had to admit that my old artificial tree looked like it was made from green bottle brushes.
My plan was to purchase a live cut tree. No, that would never do. Bea said we had to cut it ourselves. And so the search began. As we drove along the roads I would hear: “Oh look, there’s a pretty one.” Or: “How about that one?” I had a hard time convincing her that you just did not cut a tree from the state right-of-way or out of someone’s front yard.
So we began to take walks through the woods behind our house. She claimed to know the owner, Dr. Wright, and convinced me he would not care if we cut a tree. But alas we could not seem to find one that was “just right.” This one was too tall and that one was too short, another was too large around. We knew there were some trees growing along the shoreline on Church Creek. So one Saturday when the wind was
blowing a gale and the water was all pushed out of the creek, we decided we would walk the shoreline in search of that “perfect tree.”
I was walking where the water would normally be, not paying a lot of attention where I put my feet. The wind was horrific and the cold was biting my exposed skin. Bea was carrying the hand saw and being very helpful to point out trees. Suddenly without warning the creek bed gave way and I was up to my armpits in a stump hole. There I was, with just my head, shoulders, and arms exposed. I struggled to get out and was not making much headway and getting a little frantic. For some reason, Bea found this extremely amusing. While I was becoming very agitated. The “Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas” spirit had departed. I probably looked like an earthworm snaking my way out of that hole and crawling on my hands, elbows and knees to solid ground. I was wet, muddy, cold, and we still had no Christmas tree.
Since we were already in the woods and Bea was having so much fun we decided to cut a tree before we went back to the house. Behold, the next tree I saw looked like it would meet our expectations. It would fit through the door of our doublewide. We cut that sucker on the spot and dragged it back to the house.
After considerable trimming, cutting and turning this way and that, there it stood in all its glory our scraggly, somewhat crooked Christmas tree. As a matter of fact, I named it our “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree. But this was indeed one of my most memorable Christmases of all time.
Editor’s Note: You’ll find more about Phil Emmert elsewhere in this issue, along with information about how to purchase his newly released first-ever-book “When War Was Heck.” Phil and Bea moved to Washington, NC a few months ago, and will celebrate Christmas together in their new home. Wonder if they will buy a ‘real’ tree this year?
OLD TIMES SHALL NOT BE FORGOTTEN ENGELHARD HIGH
SCHOOL ALUMNI ATTEND FIRST EVER REUNION… BY CLARE BAUM On September 20, 2014, over 150 alumni of Engelhard High School gathered for the first ever reunion of that school’s graduates and high school attendees. The special event was planned to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the closing of Engelhard High School which was consolidated in 1964 becoming part of what is now called Mattamuskeet High School.
Attending the luncheon were alumni from 1933 through those who were in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades of high school when the 1964 consolidation took place. Agnes Etheridge, Class of ’33, was the
oldest alumna present. Teachers, George O’Neal and R.S. Spencer, Jr. were also there. The group had come from Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee, Virginia, and from across NC to reconnect with high school friends they had not seen for many years.
1) What was the funniest thing involving a teacher that you remember from high school?
The lively group enjoyed a buffet feast provided by Martelle’s Feed House Restaurant, Engelhard, before hearing a short program featuring poems entitled “Class Reunion” along with alumni comments to three questions:
The program concluded with the presentation of door prizes that included a Martelle’s gift certificate, a gift certificate for Etheridge Oil and Gas, an Engelhard T-Shirt and cap, Hyde County canvas tote, Landmarks of Hyde County book, and a pen and ink reproduction of the Mattamuskeet Lodge by Canadian artist historian, David Towns.
2) What was the most exciting basketball game you remember? And 3) What was the most memorable school bus trip while in high school?
Conversations abounded as the program ended and the symbolic school bell was rung. Many lingered not wishing that such a pleasant remembrance of their high school years now so many years ago would come to a close.
A model of ! school made by Jesse Harold Gibbs, Class of 1961
Clare Baum, about the photos: “...one shows the committee members from Class of 1959 which sponsored the reunion in lieu of celebrating their 55th class anniversary, left to right, Judy Tomlinson, Mary Ann Gibbs, Tommy Etheridge, RS Spencer, Jr. and Walter Baum; one shows a model of the school made by Jesse Harold Gibbs, Class of 1961; one shows a crowd scene; one shows Barbara Sue Etheridge (Class of 1962) and Agnes Etheridge (Class of 1933) seated at table; Walter and MECHS math teacher, John Cox, putting up the banner...”
A Glimpse at the History of Education in Hyde County THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION HAS CERTAINLY BEEN A PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF HYDE COUNTY THROUGH THE YEARS.
The school consolidation in 1964 was just one step of many through the years in Hyde County’s educational system. The Hyde County History Book (1976) notes that due to the lack of transportation and an undeveloped school system, there were privately owned and community schools, some as early as 1735. Branson & Farrar’s NC Business Directory for 1866-1906 showed that in 1896 there were thirty-two white schools and twenty black schools in the county. R.S. Spencer’s article in the Coastland Times (October 14, 2014) noted that the first public school of record in Engelhard opened in 1884 on the site where the old Engelhard Baptist Church was later located. But in 1923, students began to attend a new brick two-story school, which also had a gym made from lumber salvaged from the Lake Landing High School. Later additions to the school included an auditorium, agriculture building, lunchroom, and home economics building. This facility, known as the Engelhard High School (with grades 1-12), served eastern Hyde County until the 1964 consolidation. (If one were to look carefully, the building that once served as the school’s auditorium is still visible next door to the present Engelhard Post Office.) As one looks at the wider county education, changes continued to happen. First, on Ocracoke Island, there had been a school to benefit families of the lifesaving service in the mid-nineteenth century which was later followed by various schools generally with one or two teachers. Until the 1930’s, only grades 1-8 were taught so students wanting to finish high school had to
continue their studies at mainland schools. The present Ocracoke School for grades 1-12 was built in the 1970’s. On the mainland during the 1930s, the graded schools – Rose Bay, Juniper Bay, Weston, Tiny Oak, Swindell Fork, and McGowan -were consolidated with Swan Quarter High School. Next, the one-teacher black schools were closed and those students attended the Swan Quarter School for blacks or the Training School in Sladesville (1949). During the early 1950s, the Fairfield School and the Sladesville School consolidated with Swan Quarter. When Mattamuskeet School was built more in the center of the county, it served grades 7-12 and it was integrated. Students in the lower grades attended Davis School (Engelhard) or O. A. Peay School (Swan Quarter). Some years later, Davis and Peay were also consolidated with all students attending classes on the Mattamuskeet School campus. The opportunities for Hyde County students are now further enhanced by Mattamuskeet being designated an early college campus collaborating with Beaufort County Community College. Students completing the required additional studies at Mattamuskeet Early College High School (MECHS) graduate with two years of post secondary education (an Associates’ degree) all at no cost to the student. The importance of education has certainly been a part of the development of Hyde County through the years. It continues to be nurtured so that this more rural and coastal area of NC will enjoy the advantages seen in more populated areas of the state.
IT CONTINUES TO BE NURTURED
SO THAT THIS MORE RURAL AND COASTAL AREA OF NC WILL ENJOY THE ADVANTAGES SEEN IN MORE POPULATED AREAS OF THE STATE.
2015
Ma!amuskeet Decoy &
Waterfowl Festival
The 2015 Mattamuskeet Decoy & Waterfowl Festival will begin with the annual Hyde County Waterfowl Association Banquet on Friday night, January 16. The doors open at 6 pm with Happy Hour, followed by dinner at 7 pm and the auction at 8 pm. On Saturday and Sunday, January 17 and 18, the festival will take place at Mattamuskeet High School, 20392 US 264, Swan Quarter. One day admission is $5 per person, or $8 for a 2-day pass. To learn more about the Festival and see a schedule of events, or if you’d like to be an exhibitor/vendor, visit www.hydewaterfowl.com or call Brad Gurganus at 252-944-5636.
LOCAL YOUTH
in Kinston, NC. Mason's winnings have included cash awards, a shotgun, and hunting apparel.
BY KELLY DAVIS
Mason, son of Brett and Ashley Mason of Swan Quarter, and Mary Anne Converse of Raleigh, discovered his talent when he was playing in the yard and making noises that his father described as swan calls. Then, the 12 year old began listening more carefully to the tundra swans that flew over his home in the fall and winter, honed his talent, and entered his first competition. The thrill
TAKES HONORS THREE YEARS IN A ROW…
When Allen Mason takes center stage at waterfowl calling contests, the audience becomes quiet, ready to hear the winning calls. Mason, a 14 year old champion from Swan Quarter, has a talent fit for his location. For three consecutive years, he has won first place in the Junior World Swan Calling Championship. Mason won his first gold in 2012 when the competition was held in Washington, NC during the North Carolina Decoy Carving Championships. The following year, Mason competed on his home turf at the Mattamuskeet Decoy and Waterfowl Festival, and again won first. In August, he took home his third win when the competition was held
of that first win inspired Mason to practice more and his list of winnings proves his effort has been worthwhile. According to Mason, "If you want to get good, you need to practice." Mason plans to continue to develop his calling skills, aware that as he ages, he might extend his repertoire to birds that call with lower pitches. For now he is intent to perfect the hoots and whistles of the tundra swan, sounds that seem to emanate naturally from a boy who has grown up in Swan Quarter where the sounds of swans and other wild birds often fill the air.
Editor’s Note: Kelly Davis is a wildlife biologist who lives near Lake Mattamuskeet with her husband Blythe and two children. She often volunteers with many Eastern North Carolina events such as the annual Wings Over Water Festival and the newly revived Swan Days Celebration – sharing her love of living in an area rich with wildlife, wild lands, and good people. Photo: Mazie Smith
C O L L E G E O F T H E A L B E M A R L E Ȉ ͲͰͻ 4 ǧ ͲͰͱ͵ S E A S O N
SHOWTIMES December 11 December 12 December 13 December 14
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Join in the fun when the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future take Ebenezer Scrooge on a journey that will change his life forever! The beautiful songs and music make this a holiday classic and tradition not to be missed! By Charles Dickens Adapted for the stage by Gloria Emmerich
ADVANCED PRICES $21.50 Adult
$19.50 Senior/Military $18.50 Groups of 10 or more SPECIAL RATES FOR K-12 GROUPS. CALL FOR DETAILS.
$16.50 Student
TICKET PRICES INCLUDE TAX.
ALL TICKETS ARE $2 MORE AT THE DOOR
PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE, BY PHONE, OR AT THE BOX OFFICE
Albemarle.edu/pac | 1.800.335.9050 | 252.335.9050 | 1208 N. Road Street, Elizabeth City, NC 27909
A DECOY FROM AGES PAST BY COLEMAN DAVIS Back in the 1800s and early 1900s, waterfowl hunters flocked to Pamlico Sound for some of the best hunting on the East Coast. Often the gunners would lie inside a sink box which was a coffin-shaped blind that floated just at the water's surface. Regular decoys were anchored around the sink box and special ones were placed on wooden wings that extended from the sides of the box. These sink
box decoys were made of iron and many of the ones used in Hyde County were cast at a foundry in Elizabeth City. The cast iron decoys would keep the sink box from floating too high and they would help decoy wild birds because they were made to look like geese.
Photo above: Vintage Photo Postcard Showing a Maryland Hunter in a Sink Box from www.thestillroomblog.com
My family has one of these old cast iron decoys - it weighs about 100 pounds and although the paint is old, its white cheek patch hints that it was used to decoy Canada geese. Many sink box decoys were painted to look like brant, a goose that along with the Canada goose spends its winter on the North Carolina coast. Hunting from a sink box was so effective that old-time sink boxes were outlawed in North Carolina in 1935. Now, the cast iron decoys are considered collectibles.
Editor’s Note: Coleman Davis has been a long-time contributor to The Swan Quarterly and Scuppernong Gazette. He is 14 and lives with his family near Swan Quarter. He likes to hunt, fiddle, read, and build metal weapons. He is a ninth-grader at Christ School in Arden, NC.
Photo Coleman Davis
GO BACK! GO BACK! BY JEAN HEART
There is nothing like hearing stories about the people and places in Hyde County. Stick around long enough and
you will find out a lot goes on down the side roads leading off of Highway 264. Since the Swan Quarterly Magazine reaches folks around the country - and aboard - it is advisable for the reader to stop along the way and pick up something to eat at Outa-Da-
Box. located just 3 miles west of the town of Engelhard. There you will enjoy ‘Southern Cooking’ at its best--and a welcome so sincere that you will want to stay longer just to chat. This is a take-out restaurant with large servings-run by a family who adopted me when I first moved here. If it wasn't for this family I would
never have made it here and my business would not have gotten off the ground. The credit for the recipes of the food served goes back years and originates with Thannie Gibbs (Bethannie Gibbs-Gibbs)--the owner’s (Hilda Beckwith) mother.
Thannie, now in her 80's, is a lady who grew up on Gull Rock Road in an area otherwise known as Slocum (although Slocum is actually on another adjoining road). It is located between Lake Mattamuskeet (the largest fresh water lake in North Carolina) and the Pamlico Sound. [Turn off US 264 onto Great Ditch Road which winds its way along the Lake Landing Canal to Gull Rock Road.] Thannie and her 12 children grew up on this road, rarely leaving the area since it was fully serviced by its own country stores. A trip into Engelhard, 6 miles away, with no horse and buggy was a major event and didn't happen often since the trip was made by foot. She and her children worked in the fields surrounding Gull Rock. One day when Thannie was just a thin-hipped young girl she was working in a field pulling corn with a group of other ladies. All of a sudden she heard shouts "GO BACK! GO BACK!" She looked around and saw the women running in all directions and all were shouting "Go Back! Go Back! Honey Chil’, GO BACK!!!
One wide-hipped lady ran past Thannie so quickly that she knocked Thannie to the ground saying: "Sorry, honey chil’. I've got some speed up now and can't stop!" So, Thannie scraped herself off the ground and started running. After a group of ladies had made it to the pathway by the woods Thannie asked: "What is it?" One of the ladies answered: “I passed wind and said it was a
bear!" Out of all of the stories Thannie could have told me, this is the one she chose. Funny how the older we get the more we look back instead of forward. I will be forever grateful to Thannie and her husband PJ, and all of her children who have made my 10year stay in Hyde County so welcomed. It has been a
pleasure to have been included in their family. Thank you, Thannie, for all of the Thanksgivings, Christmases, New Year Eve's and times in between. I have enjoyed you and your family immensely. I will miss your company more than words could ever convey.
Editor’s Note:
Be sure to read Jean Heart’s story of how she found Hyde County elsewhere in this issue. Jean has had an amazing life’s journey that has taken her from her birthplace in the United Kingdom to many other interesting places, and now back to her roots. Her occupations have been just as varied – from a cover girl and the London Playboy Club to
Braniff Airlines, a commercial real estate agent, and a published author. But what intrigues me the most was how she got her last name: “I became a US Citizen in 1983 while living in Dallas. I had been in the US for 10 years and was divorced and still using my husband's surname. The US officials asked me if I would like to
change my name and I said yes. I took part of my company name (LION HEART) as my new name and haven't looked back.” She is sure to be missed in eastern NC, but she holds a US passport as well as a British passport, so it wouldn’t surprise me to have her come back one day.
SWAN QUARTER VFD UPDATE
The Swan Quarter VFD was established in 1971 by a group of citizens who were concerned with providing an organized fire safety presence for the community. Since that time,
their area of operation has expanded, as has the level of services they provide. Today they operate with twenty-five unpaid volunteers who provide not only fire incident response, but also first responder service for medical emergencies. They also work with the Hyde County Schools to provide fire safety awareness to the youth of the community. They are a recognized nonprofit entity by the Internal Revenue Service and donations to the Swan Quarter Volunteer Fire Department are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by Law.
WORK CONTINUES on the outdoor shelter/BBQ pit that is slowing becoming a reality thanks to the donation of funds, materials, time, labor, and expertize by many generous citizens and businesses. When completed, it will be used by the SQVFD to cook the meat used in many of their monthly fundraisers. Harry Glyn Jarvis’ initial donation of $5000 got the project started and others have stepped up to help as it moves to completion.
THANKS TO
THE CONTINUING SUPPORT of the community at their monthly fundraiser lunch/dinners and a matching funds grant from the North Carolina Department of Insurance, the SQVFD was recently able to acquire a new Brush/Rescue truck. The new vehicle was specially ordered and purchased from Lee Motor Company in Wilson, NC. Quality Truck Bodies and Repair of Elm City, NC built the body of
the truck to specifications provided by the SQVFD. Fire Chief Jeffrey Stotesberry pointed out that as well as their loyal Swan Quarter attendees, folks from other Hyde County communities and even from neighboring counties come to the dinners on a regular basis, making such an acquisition possible.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP?
Each year the SQVFD conducts a letter-writing campaign that reaches out to every home that is served by their department. Watch your mail box for the upcoming event and give from your heart! Each contribution, big or small, helps keep this vital service in the community. Hopefully, you will never need their assistance. If you do, your friends and neighbors the unpaid volunteers of the Swan Quarter VFD – will be there to help!
KEEP LOOKING FORWARD A LOOK BACK AT MY TIME IN NORTH CAROLINA… BY JEAN HEART My eyes were burning and I could hardly see after my drive from Dallas, Texas to Stumpy Point, NC in the fall of 2000. I had wiped my tired eyes with a moistened toilette and the chemicals dried out my eyes! A lot has changed since then. Born in London, England - a city girl – in North Carolina I was to learn – EVERYTHING! No longer near restaurants and unable to receive food deliveries, the first lesson was to make shopping trips count. And later learn how to cook. And then – learn how to fix things. Stumpy Point is a oneroad in and same-road out community, right in the middle of the Alligator National Wildlife Refuge: black bear country. It took almost a year before I saw my first black bear. It was a 650 pound thing I
thought at first was a very large dog! It was raining and the bear was running fast as it crossed in front of my headlights. The body was so large that I didn't see its head at first - only its black shiny coat (which I later learned meant it was very healthy). After that, I would see saw their shadows as they crossed my neighbor’s front yard every night. They paraded one after another - down the road to forage through trash cans. Just how many times could I have passed them on that dark road and not have seen them. I do not know. But, I was learning: dusk to dawn is for animals!
At one time I was President of a large commercial real estate company with a lot of disposable income. After I moved to Stumpy Point, things went to hell-in-a-hand-basket as I continued spending as if money was still coming in. So, how do you pull yourself out of that? Just as I was losing my car and my new home, I got back into real estate. It became apparent it was time to learn how to be on a budget! After acquiring my NC real estate license. I moved from Stumpy Point to Kitty Hawk and stayed with a friend. With no car,
my clients picked me up so I could show them properties. I was both lucky and blessed to catch the Outer Banks market before it ballooned out of control. I made enough to buy a house in Engelhard and then I learned how to fix things and remodel. It took 10 years for me to upgrade everything at 699 Great Ditch Road and get it just the way I like it. But, not before the real estate market crashed. I went from being 85% over all other local brokers in 2007 - selling 20 properties to selling absolutely nothing - and joined all the other broke brokers. At first, I did what I had to do to keep food on the table. I headed shrimp, but I wasn't fast enough at that job so that didn't last very long. Then I started selling off all of my power tools and precious jewelry - anything and everything to make ends meet , but they never met. So, I struggled. If it were not for Crystal Edgar who adopted my precious dog Chloe and friends like Hilda Gibbs Beckwith, Merita Spencer, Pam Sawyer, Linda Basnight, and Sue Gurganus and business owners such as Jessie and Dot
Gibbs, Tommy Etheridge, Greg Gibbs, and Coastal Printing on the beach and the tabs these businesses allowed me to run, I would never have made it here. Now, it is truly a blessing to be 65 and on Social Security. It is not only the steady income that has made life easier, but the age itself. It has taken me a long time to grow up and become responsible. Before now, I must have been pretending. Now, having a church family at St George’s Episcopal and friends like Renee and Kurt, life is both enjoyable and rewarding. But, I am a person who always wants more of everything. And, to acquire that I’ve made the decision to move back to England. There, I can be close to my remaining family: an older brother, two nieces and their families. I have been in America since 1972. I have an exhusband who today is my friend. I have lived in NYC, Paradise Valley, parts of California, Coral Gables, Dallas and eastern North Carolina. I saw much of the world before I came to America and saw more while I was a flight attendant with Braniff Airlines. I have been
fortunate to have studied Occupational Therapy at Texas Woman's University. And, most of all, I have enjoyed my real estate career here. My clients have become friends and my license will remain active long after I am gone to accommodate them. By the time you read this article I will be back in London and sharing a house with three males and one female. So, next is to learn how to share. My goal is twofold. First, to create a social life. Second, to travel around England and Europe as a pet/ house sitter. Once I have traveling out of my system, I will get back into real estate again. And, who knows where that will take me?
I was told recently that as you get older you should "keep looking forward." I pass this message along to you all and wish you well in whatever you strive for. THANK YOU ALL for every minute and every dime you ever gave to me. Special thanks to all of you who participated in my going-away sale - you helped make my move back home possible. Thank you too, Renee, Kurt, and Don for my going-away party. I will miss not being in your loving company. Let's all stay in touch via Facebook - there the world is made much smaller and easier and inexpensive to share. Remember too - do not look back - only forward to memories yet to come.
WHEN WAR WAS HECK A STORY ABOUT GROWING UP IN THE USA DURING WORLD WAR II… BY MARGIE BROOKS
Long-time Hyde County resident Phil Emmert has been
writing a book for twelve years – and it has finally been published! “When War Was Heck,” is filled with typical boyhood adventures: swimming, baseball, basketball, and snowball fights intermingled with the wreckage of war, escapes from bullies, and monsters on the home front. Phil has drawn on his childhood memories of living in Indiana during World War II to pen a book geared towards catching the attention of the tween and teen audience. He explains that his many experiences with young people as
a father, grandfather, minister, children’s social worker, and counselor have contributed greatly to his writings. As a counselor, he took a special interest in fourth and fifth graders and observed that many of these children were not fond of history, focusing instead on current adventure books. He kept this in mind as he wrote his book with characters that are real (although names have been changed and events may be out of sequence) and seasoned it with homespun bits of humor and nostalgia and, yes, some history too! This story is told from the unique perspective of a ten-year old boy, William Henry, who spends a lot of time in his thinking tree and sometimes shares that special refuge with his friend Peanut. And lest you think this is a book for boys only, there’s curly-headed Mary Ann with an attitude, and Buck, the black and white Border Collie – all based on real characters with lots of imagination thrown in. He is currently the pastor at Rose Bay Church of Christ Hyde County. Married to the former Beatrice (Bea) O’Neal, he has four children, 11 grandchildren, three stepchildren and 4 stepgrandchildren. They recently moved from the Makelyville
community Washington, NC. Looking for that perfect Christmas gift? “When War Was Heck” is a great idea for that young person in your life who absolutely doesn’t need another video game! In fact, the publisher, Jan Fix at www.thewordverve.com said: “What a special book this has been for us! I giggled all the way through the publishing process, as did our proofreaders and beta readers, and we’re all over the age of 50! So while it will definitely appeal to the youngsters, I think the book’s reach is far greater than that. No age boundaries for this one!” You may purchase a hardcopy of the book online at http://www.thewordverve.com/ war-heck/. Or the e-Book versions are available at any of the following sites: http://www.amazon.com/When-War-Heck-PhilEmmert-ebook/dp/B00OQOWB2Q https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id932039313 http://www.inktera.com/store/title/ af5b5923-98ed-4409-bd11-1c8bbe8f2190 https://www.scribd.com/book/243856300/ When-War-Was-Heck http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-warwas-heck-phil-emmert/1120619389 http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/whenwar-was-heck https://www.scribd.com/book/243856300/ When-War-Was-Heck http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-warwas-heck-phil-emmert/1120619389 http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/whenwar-was-heck
TORI DARE MONOGRAMS SWAN QUARTER BOUTIQUE FILLS A NICHE
Good news for Swan Quarter! Tori Dare Jarvis recently opened Tori Dare Monograms inside Swan Quarter Supply at 13221 US 264. Actually, ‘monograms’ is probably a misnomer, because she can also digitize all sorts of designs which can then be embroidered onto items. Her
state-of-the-art embroidery machine has a variety of fonts for monograms and other text, and really neat motifs – in just about any hue you desire. She also uses a variety of colorful material to applique tee-shirts and other items.
Tori explains: “I enjoy monograming clothing and accessories. It makes that item personal and one of a kind. There are so many different combinations to choose from (font, color, size, and initials) that there is not going to be anyone out there with the same thing as you.”
The shop carries a good selection of purses, totes, backpacks, duffle bags, and other items that can be monogramed. Or, Tori can take almost any item you already own and put just about any embroidery design on it. “I even make custom shirts (and soon will be making custom hats) that have a crab, fish, deer, duck, or bear on it with the words “Hyde County, NC”, she says. “The crab shirts have really been a big hit!”
She also offers a line of monogram acrylic jewelry. Even though she doesn’t make the jewelry herself, having it in her
shop where her customers can actually select and purchase this popular item saves them a trip out of the county and a better in-person shopping experience than online shopping would bring.
Tori’s sister, Kasi Jarvis often helps out in the shop.
Be sure to stop by the boutique and watch Tori at work. You can also see a selection of items from Tori Dare Monograms at Linda K’s Hair Salon & Gifts in the village of Swan Quarter. Pick out something for yourself, or, for a gift for that special someone.
Here’s an opportunity to shop local and get a unique item at the same time! All forms of payment are accepted and custom orders must be paid in advance. Gift wrapping includes a box or bag, wrapping/tissue paper, bow, and name tag for $5. Can’t decide what to get? A gift certificate may be your answer!
Tori can be reached at 252-947-0710, by email at toridare94@gmail.com, or visit Tori Dare Monograms on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/ toridaremonograms
MIGRATION TO MATTAMUSKEET NWR A SYMPHONY OF NATURE IN HARMONY… BY ROBERT LETHCO The migration is in full swing. The tundra swans, Canada and snow geese, and ducks are arriving by the hundreds to their wintering grounds. Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge is being flooded to provide a safe haven for the annual visitors. There are juveniles of most of the species still tagging along with the adults. It is a fascinating experience to witness – and to hear! I have never seen or heard so many birds making noises - all at the same time. It is very impressive to see them all living together in Lake Mattamuskeet. One can also see the birds invading the nearby farmlands, feeding off the winter wheat sprouts and kernels of corn left in the fields from the summer harvest. In return, the visiting waterfowl leave a lot of fertilizer to enrich the black soil of this area. It is great to see the farmers and birds living in harmony during this migration period.
And, there is a migration of another sort taking place at the same time. I have seen so many vehicles with different license plates from other states. Folks who seem to have migrated along with the birds, coming to photograph or just observe this spectacular event. The other day around sunset, I had the joy of watching about 30 great egrets roosting in a large pine tree. The funny thing was that the branches each one landed on, looked like they were going to break from being bent so much. I could not believe they were all on only one tree. Mattamuskeet NWR offers an enjoyable time for everyone from the angler or the hunter to the birder or the nature enthusiasts. It is also a great place to just sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature without focusing on anything in
particular. It is truly an experience you will not forget. Once you’re hooked, you will make Mattamuskeet one of your frequent road trips. You never know what you will see or hear. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everybody! Editor’s note: The Swan Days celebration is being revived in Hyde County. The event was held from 1994-2002 before taking a hiatus. It takes place the first full weekend in December to correspond with Mattamuskeet NWR’s annual Open House. We regret we were not notified in time to include this in the Fall Swan Quarterly this year. For information about the 2015 festival, please call MNWR at: 252-926-4021. Born in England, Robert Lethco is a world-traveler who eventually settled in eastern North Carolina. He loves to play golf, fish, and take nature photographs.
MATTIE ART CENTER BEGINS THIRD YEAR OF OPERATION COLOR YOUR WORLD SEMINAR
MATTIE Arts Center kicked off its 3rd year by hosting its first week long “Color your World” painting seminar on Ocracoke Island. Thirteen art students from Mainland Hyde, Beaufort County, Ocracoke, and Virginia joined forces during the last week of October for a highly instructional and collaborative experience taught by fine arts colorist and long-time MATTIE instructor, Mark Hierholzer. Mark is a student of the Henry Hensche impressionist technique and has studied under Camille Przewodek and John Ebersberger.
MATTIE rented a sprawling 6 bedroom historic cottage as its hub for the event. The cottage and its location were ideal, offering its own substantial acreage of pristine maritime forest and ancient live oaks, a
sound front vista of Teach’s Hole, and spectacular sunsets over the Pamlico Sound. Students gathered here each morning for a continental breakfast followed by power point presentations progressing daily from color studies, still lifes, architecture, landscapes and waterscapes. Each morning seminar was followed by en Plein Air painting sessions on site and throughout the village. Even with the
sessions culminated with wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres over constructive critiques and lots of camaraderie amongst old and new-found friends. At week’s end, in spite of deteriorating weather conditions, most participants stayed on to enjoy the Ocracoke Halloween festivities followed by the annual Pirate Jamboree. A great time and learning experience was had by all, and, as an affirmation of the event, everyone wants to do it again next year!!
WINTER AND SPRING PAINTING WORKSHOPS WITH MARK HIERHOLZER
concentrated schedule, participants still had plenty of time in the middle of the day to enjoy the amenities Ocracoke has to offer including visiting the many shops, bistros, and restaurants. Afternoon painting
The next in the series of en Plein Air painting workshops with Mark Hierholzer will be held at the MATTIE Arts Center, 10 Oyster Creek Road, Swan Quarter, from 9:30 am until 4:30 pm on the following Saturdays: January 10, February 21, March 21, April 18, and May 16.
Mark and his wife, Kathy, live in Richmond, VA where he also teaches. With a second home in Swan Quarter, he and Kathy
plan to take up residency full time in Swan Quarter this coming August, 2015. Find out more about Mark at www.swanquarterart.com
DOWN DRAFT STUDIO IN FULL SWING
Our new teaching studio for the dusty arts has been getting a workout! In August, Jimmie Huggins got us started with his
workshops on crafting walnut jewelry. And Jessica Berry Credle has held multiple workshops teaching glass etching. Students have really taken to working with the Dremel tool, returning time and again to Jessie’s classes and advancing to work on their own special projects just in time for crafting Christmas gifts as well as gifts for other occasions. Several of the returning students are ready to be “cut loose” now to work on their own! Jessie will be returning to teach in March, so if
you haven’t had a chance yet, be sure to sign up then!
This winter, Gregory Berry will be offering our first decoy carving workshops. These will be multiple evening sessions during the week. Though the schedule has not been finalized at this time, pre-registration has already begun, so if you are interested, now is the time to let your intentions be known!
Contact us at info@hyde1854courthouse.org
FUNDRAISERS
Both of our recent fundraisers were a huge success. The winner of the drawing for the Fall Fundraiser was Jim Gurganus of Swan Quarter and he chose the $500 cash prize over the Henry Golden Boy rifle.
Our annual Christmas in Hyde Concert was held on December 5 with about 70 in attendance. Local youth pianists Bianca Nicole Torres and Anne
Blythe Davis opened the program for David Roach who comes from Rutherfordton each year to help with this event. Thanks to the local businesses who helped to sponsor the concert and to all who provided the delicious refreshments. It was a great start to the holiday season! MATTIE Arts Center, the sustaining program of the Friends of Hyde Countys Historic 1854 Courthouse, a 501 (C)(3) organization, is located in the historic courthouse in the village of Swan Quarter across the commons from the new Hyde County Government Center. Our not-for-profit sales gallery,
displaying the works of local and area artists, is open most Saturdays and any other time we are conducting classes. Classes, from fine arts to crafts, are offered year-round, days, evenings, and weekends. MATTIE Arts is sponsored in part by the NC Arts Council through the Beaufort County Arts Council. Donations to the Friends organization and MATTIE Art Center programs are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Our address is PO Box 54, Swan Quarter, NC 27885, or make your donation online, safely through PayPal at www.hyde1854courthouse.org .
For updates on schedules, call Judy McLawhorn, Director of MATTIE Art Center, at 252 943-8991 or keep up with all of our events at MATTIE by “liking” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ Mattieartscenter For early release blind-copied information, submit your email address directly to Judy through info@hyde1854courthouse.org .
Editor’s Note: Judy is a board member of Friends of Hyde County’s Historic 1854 Courthouse and the volunteer Director of the MATTIE Arts Center. Born in rural Mecklenberg County, NC, her adult life has been one adventure after another, often being the ‘first’ i n many of her endeavors (first female motorcycle officer for
City of Atlanta and first female charter boat captain on the Outer Banks, among others). She has lived in Hyde County for 35 years, currently in Middletown with her husband Mack.
THE OCRACOKE OBSERVER A COMMUNITY’S NEWSPAPER…
economy relies primarily on tourism? It helps when it is a special place that is rich in history and has a contemporary vibrant culture, especially with music and art.
BY PETER VANKEVICH
“Becoming owners of the free monthly newspaper, the Ocracoke Observer, is a dream come true for me and Peter Vankevich,” says Connie Leinbach.
Both of us had been writing articles for the Observer for several years and in February (2014), the current owner, Linda Rippe Buck who had moved off the island three years earlier but still kept contacts, decided to sell the paper. We purchased it on March 13. Our first issue was available on April 1 with the lead article Ocracoke’s Snowy Winter, a play on the highly unusual presence of two Snowy Owls on the island plus two real snowstorms.
So what’s it like to own a small newspaper on an island with a community of approximately one thousand residents and the
Ocracoke is on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, located just below Hatteras Island, accessible by three ferries, private boats and by small aircraft. Approximately 14 miles in length, 90% of it is part of the National Seashore. Its attraction for many is its unspoiled nature and beach, declared the best in the nation in 2007 by Dr. Beach (Florida International University professor Stephen Leatherman). "Fourteen miles of unspoiled beach," he told CBS News. "No development on it whatsoever."
The island is legendary as the location where Blackbeard the pirate met his demise. There are approximately 1000 year-round residents. Ocracoke School, PreK through 12, has about 170 students enrolled. Politically, Ocracoke is an unincorporated township, part of Hyde County and the registered voters are primarily Democrats.
Many islanders are descendants of centuries-old families who hold their traditions and history dear. Then there are the newcomers, many who move here after retiring from professional careers and more than one hundred Hispanics, primarily from Mexico.
Within the above context, we crafted a mission statement which is to illuminate the unique experience of Ocracoke Island by communicating important community news, history and culture. This was a reaffirmation for much of what the Observer has been doing since its beginning in 1999.
Taking over the newspaper came with immediate challenges. Citing loss of advertising and internet competition, Linda had announced the previous fall that she would cut back to only six issues for 2014. Our first executive decision was to go in the other direction, increase publishing from the previous year’s seven issues to ten, only January and February being dark.
Advertisers were enthusiastic and remained onboard. The other
challenge was to join practically all other print papers and add online components, a website and Facebook page. The Facebook page was easy and could alert Ocrcacokers when the new issue would be out, plus provide information on what was happening on the island before the next print issue. The website took several months to develop.
For a historical perspective, the newspaper started in 1999. “I had the idea of starting the paper as I got to know more about the lives and work of Aycock Brown and David Stick, the godfathers of Outer Banks history,” said Tom Yocum, its founder.
“During that time that I was doing a lot of history, science and nature pieces about the Carolina coast. I was intrigued by Ocracoke and the people who lived there. I had also recently moved to Ocracoke from Hatteras Island.”
He persuaded Dawn Church to join him in the venture on the business side. “We never had an office. We ran everything from our houses” – and that tradition
continues with the current owners.
The paper included an advocacy component and launched a successful campaign getting Ocracoke placed on the big overhead sign at Whalebone Junction in Nags Head. It also helped to get the National Park Service to restore the garbage bins that were removed in the island’s large National Seashore area. The one fight not won was about the mosquito spraying in the village. Yocum was convinced that the chemicals used were toxic to people and fish and published articles about their effects on health and the environment. This was a contentious issue with many in the community who were in favor of the spraying. Once he realized he wasn’t going to win this issue, Tom decided to leave Ocracoke and sold the paper to Linda Rippe.’
Overall, the paper has been pretty consistent in regards to content, with a mix of profiles on people, articles on nature, and history, a calendar of events, tide and ferry schedules.
We mapped out ways to improve the paper. Connie took over as editor and, not surprising with her strong background as a news reporter, the paper’s bible became the AP Stylebook. Skilled in using Page Maker and End Design software, she did the layout herself and submitted it to the graphic designer for tweaking, thus giving us more control on its appearance and the placement of articles. We both write the editorials that are similar in spirit to the paper’s early advocacy origins. We pointed out that Ocracoke has no lost-and-found location and should, that the arts teacher position eliminated this year at the school should be restored, and the voting system for electing Hyde Commissioners should be reexamined. The longtime contributors have continued, and we added a few new writers and write a lot of the articles ourselves.
We formed an informal advisory group that includes James Grimaldi, reporter for the Wall Street Journal and winner of the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting; Jock Lauterer, director of the Carolina Community Media Project at UNC Chapel Hill and
author of Community Journalism: Relentlessly Local, and Paul Jones, clinical professor at UNC School of Journalism and Mass Communication. They made suggestions on content and effective use of the Internet.
These advisers reaffirmed the direction that we wanted take the newspaper. Equally important is that we sought out feedback from our readers.
staff,” Jock went on to say, “I couldn’t help but be impressed and touched by the level of dedication displayed among the contributors. The Ocracoke Observer is committed the concept of all-local all unique content — one of the foundational characteristics of a great community newspaper. I was particularly impressed with the number and variety of local writers, photographers and
noted "Benedict Anderson wrote that newspapers can create Imagined Communities, but small community papers, especially the Ocracoke Observer, reflect and support actual communities in a strong and true way. A way that lets those of us who visit only as often as certain rare birds imagine that we too are a part of that actual community."
The many positive comments we have received, the frequent need to replenish our distribution locations and strong advertising support are indications that we have headed in the right direction.
When asked for a comment about the Ocracoke Observer for this article, Jock Lauterer who met with us, said it was on his AList. “For a community newspaper to make my Top Ten, it must be intentionally dedicated to serving its community. In my experience, profitability is a result of the service imperative.”
“During a summer’s workshop visit with the Ocracoke Observer
columnists — all of whom reflect a site-specific sense of place about the unique nature of Ocracoke. You can’t get that from wire service or canned copy.”
Paul Jones who has been visiting Ocracoke for years and has read the Observer since its inception,
So what’s it really like to own a small newspaper? Be prepared to do most things yourself. Get up to speed quickly in areas with which you are not familiar. Do not be afraid of technology. Think back to your college days. On a typical day there are parallels. In the
morning, an hour or two for history, then time for accounting. In the afternoon, you have to write or /review a nature article, then work on editing a submission. You move quickly from one issue to the next, spending evenings going over your self-imposed assignments, using the Internet and reference books for fact-checking.
You need a sense of fairness and objectivity and, unlike this article, do not write yourself into the story.
With the above, to push the college days parallel, you hope you get all A’s and A-minuses. Jock has concluded from his research that every successful community newspaper pays a lot of attention to The Four C’s: Commitment. Caring. Courage. And Creativity. To stay on Jock’s A-list, we’ll need these C’s.
The Ocracoke Observer is available throughout the village of Ocracoke and the ferry terminals, or by subscription via USPS mail ($27 per year). Its website is: http:// ocracokeobserver.com/, phone number 252 928-2539, mailing
address P.O. Box 427, Ocracoke, NC 27960 and email: ocracokeobserver@gmail.com
Editor’s Note: Both of the new owners have been actively involved in nonprofit groups and continue to do so on Ocracoke.
Connie Leinbach was a daily reporter for the Reading Eagle (PA). She worked there in the 1980s and covered everything: sports, government, education, the arts, medical and the county courthouse. After leaving the Eagle, she continued reporting as a freelancer and covered various stories for the Pottstown Mercury, a monthly business journal and a farming weekly. In the 1990s, she
owned a monthly newspaper covering the arts and served as executive director of the Berks Arts Council.
Peter Vankevich had a career in the U.S. Copyright Office at the Library of Congress where he was head of the information section. He has master’s degrees in library and information science and in business management and was a freelance writer for the Hill Rag, a community newspaper on Capitol Hill. He hosts radio programs on Ocracoke’s community radio station WOVV, Ocracoke’s village voice (online at wovv.org) and is a volunteer firefighter. He also is reasonably fluent in French and Spanish.
TIDINGS ON THOMAS YOCUM FROM OCRACOKE TO THE CONGO… BY MARGIE BROOKS As Peter Vankevich mentions in his article elsewhere in this issue, Thomas Yocum was the one of the first coowners (and editor) of the Ocracoke Observer. I first met Tom while I was the volunteer Tourism Director for the Hyde County Chamber of Commerce. I think at that time he was the Executive Director for the Ocracoke Preservation Society. We became fast friends and he really helped me when I was trying to build a bridge between Mainland Hyde County and Ocracoke Island. Not a real bridge, but almost!
Many of you will remember Tom and his beautiful dog – a Newfoundland named Baloo. My, how Baloo used to
love the beach! And Tom loved Ocracoke! And I, for one, hated it when he fell head over heels in love and left the island.
Since that time Tom has truly become a world-traveler. He moved to Moscow to be with LIzz (who later became his wife)
assignment for the prestigious Guardian newspaper of London.
He’s also sharpened his communications skills by learning French and Lingala – the local language spoken in Kinshasa. He has written and published a guide to the Lingala language for English speakers. Learn more on the accompanying website: www.lobalingala.com.
It has been nice to recently reconnect with Tom and I want to thank him for befriending me so many years ago.
and they eventually moved to London. Since 2012 they have lived Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo! Tom is back to writing for several different organizations and publications. He works on
Here Tom is pictured with Charles Lukombo and his wife. Charles is the Chief of Groupement Kinkuzu, a collection of villages in western Congo along the banks of the Congo River. Tom accompanied a Battle Area Clearance team from Norwegian People’s Aid who were in the area cleaning up unexploded ordinances left over from the 1990s.
Hyde C!nty’s C!ntry Magazine Winter 2014 - 15
Photo: Ric Ca#er www.ca#ersxrd.net