Sunday, May 7, 1967 --

• Eastern Shore counties are engaging in the fight against measles today by participating in mass vaccination clinics. In Wicomico County, vaccinations are being given at the Watson Memorial Building on West Main Street from noon to 5 p.m. Dr. Mark Stephanides, President of the Wicomico Medical Society, said measles is a crippler of millions of children and can cause deafness and mental defects.

• The newly created Peoples Court began operations last week, under the oversight of Judge Robert W. Dallas. Vaughn E. Richardson was the first local attorney to have a case in the court, representing a man appearing in a traffic case. Dallas said that while the court is intended to deal with smaller cases, the same rules as those applied to Circuit Court will be followed.

• Chris Craft Plant Manager James R. Pocklington said the company has no plans to dismantle the operation on Moss Hill Lane or divert part of its operations elsewhere. While a Baltimore newspaper reported last week that the boat manufacturer was considering moving Salisbury’s operations to South Carolina. Pocklington said the Salisbury plant would like to expand production, but a lack of skilled labor has left many vital positions unfilled -- much to the detriment of growth.

• Dedication ceremonies were held for the new Bennett Junior High School. In a dedication speech, Principal Paul Hyde noted that a student could now complete their entire educational track within a 10-block radius -- elementary school at Prince Street, junior high and senior school at the two Bennetts and post-secondary at Salisbury State College. The building’s designer, William Booth of the Booth and Somers architectural firm, said the new school was built with the needs of modern educational practices in mind.

• Employees working in the Symington-Wayne Corp. plant on College Avenue have been on the lookout for a most-feared intruder. Plant officials conceded a skunk has been seen at various times inside the plant, but employees are afraid to pursue it, as it might spray a noxious odor if frightened. Between 70 and 80 workers on a production line actually stopped work last week as the skunk walked past them.

• Salisbury Mayor Dallas G. Truitt announced that he has a brainstorm to draw attention to the Salisbury Zoo add an elephant to the animal collection. Truitt said he’ll reach out to service clubs and local businesses to see if they might pool money to purchase an elephant, which the mayor said would almost certainly generate attention and visitors. Said the mayor: “We have a fine zoo. But what is a zoo without an elephant or a lion or a tiger?”

• Arthur W. Perdue, founder of A.W. Perdue Co., was honored in a dinner on Saturday evening for his 47 years of service to the company. Perdue was presented with a large oil portrait of himself, and was given a chair by employees. His daughter-in-law, Madeline Perdue, presented the 81-year-old founder with a huge scrapbook covering his activities. Several employees took the stage to recall how Perdue began the business by hauling eggs. Franklin P. Perdue, the son who now runs the poultry production company, said “Mr. Arthur” still comes to the office each day, but hopes to retire soon.