If you’ve never read Ocracokers by Alton Ballance, stop right now. Find a copy at Books to Be Red and read it. Seriously, it’s the definitive work on Ocracoke’s history, culture, and people, and should be required reading for Ocracoke residents. (Also required: Ocracoke by Carl Goerch, Ocracoke Portrait by Ann Ehringhaus, and Digging Up Uncle Evans by Philip Howard, but I digress...)
Alton was Ocracoke School’s high school English teacher and a Hyde County commissioner when he wrote Ocracokers in the late 80’s, and so he knew firsthand about the limited resources a little school in a poor county can have. So he decided to donate all proceeds from Ocracokers to a fund that would buy books for the school and school library in perpetuity. Continually in print from UNC Press, Ocracokers keeps giving back to the island and investing in its future. Thanks, Alton!
This year, the Ocracokers fund donated $1000 and paid for fifty-nine new hardcovers for the Ocracoke School and Community Library, most of them picture books, both fiction and non-fiction.
“A thousand dollars goes a long way,” said Ocracoke School’s librarian, Allison O’Neal, who had the enviable job – every book lover’s dream – of deciding how to spend a grand on books and more books.
“These are all quality children’s books,” she said. “A lot of them are award-winners or honorees.”
Two weeks ago, Allison hosted an Open House at the library so teachers and students could see the new arrivals. Allison especially wanted the teachers to attend so that they could see which books they might want to borrow for their classrooms.
Allison served cookies and juice, and let the kids sign a waiting list to check out the books when the party was over. It’s always heartwarming to see kids get excited about new books.
Alton, who is now a fellow at the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) on Ocracoke, stopped by when the 4th and 5th graders were looking over the new books. I missed Alton’s appearance but got to see the Kindergarteners, 2nd graders, and middle schoolers as they met the new books. Most of the picture books were for the younger kids, but Allison also ordered a smaller selection for the Young Adult section of the library.
The books will be part of the library's permanent collection and can be checked out by the community, as well as the schoolchildren and teachers. Books love to circulate!
“These are the kinds of books that I always had in mind for this money,” Alton said. “I hope sales [of Ocracokers] can continue so we can buy more books. I will always remember the day in 1990 when I gave the Kindergarten teacher, Merle Davis, a $2000 check after the first royalty check came in.”
So, here’s your assignment, dear readers. Go out and buy Alton’s book! You’ll learn a lot about this wonderful island and keep those royalties rolling in for Ocracoke School and Library – all at the same time. What a win-win!
