Weather Forecast
Chance of light Rain THURSDAY
night
SATURDAY and SUNDAY
Considerably Clondy
VOLUME 67 NUMBER? IS
DEDICATED TO PROMOTING CHEROKEE COUNTY
Don't Turn Your
Woodlands Into
ft astelantts?Be Care
ful With Brush Fires
MURPHY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1957
SIXTEEN PAGES THIS WEEK
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
ONE LIGHT ....
FUSE BOX . . . .
DOIV'TV TUMBLE . . . .
1
DRIP, DRIP ....
CRACKING WALL
AT OLD HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING
PTA Works To Correct "Deolorable Conditions"
A look at the accompanying pho
tos shows reasons enough why
Murphy Parent-Teacher Associat
ion has started a move to correct
what has been described as "de
plorable conditions" at the old
high school building here.
To raise funds to finance the
needed improvements, the local
PTA has scheduled a Harvest Sale
for Saturday at 7 p. m. Nov 16, In
the rock building at the fair
grounds
It is hoped that many items will
be contributed for the sale and a
big turnout that night will make
the event a success
Ten of the 11 rooms in the old
high school building are being
used by more than 300 elementary
students.
These shortcomings of the build
ing were pointed up at a PTA
meeting here last month: Inade
quate lighting, inadequate stor
age space, dangerous banisters on
stairways, a leaking roof, large
cracks in the exterior walls.
A delegation from the PTA this
week made an appeal before Coun
ty Board of Commissioners for fin
ancial aid in making the improve
ments. Commissioners took the
matter under advisement and a
greed to discuss it further with
County Board of Education.
Most attention currently is fo
cused on the lighting of the class
rooms.
In each of the upstairs rooms in
the building there is one light to
the room. These are old fashion
drop cords hanging in the center
of the room.
In the photo at the left, Fifth
Grader Bobby Martin climbs atop
a desk to pull the chain to light
the 200-watt bulb that furnishes
light for approximately 35 stu
dents. This picture was made in
Mrs- L- W. Hendrix' room.
Five other upstairs rooms have
identical lig iting with one unit for
approximate, y 35 students. Down
stairs classroom have from two to
four lights to the room. These also
are drop cord units suspended
from the high ceiling.
The second photo from the left
shows the main fuse box of that
building- Plastering was recently
knocked out to make repairs to
the wiring. This is located in the
main entrance hall at the school.
Supt. Holland McSwain earlier
stated that wiring in the school is
safe but inadequate to install addi
tional facilities
In the third photo from left, ;
five pupils are shown at the up- '
stairs bainster rail. (Note the re
cently added temporary brace nail- ]
ed there to correct a hazardous ]
condition).
Several rooms in the building t
have leaks and the photo fourth i
from left shows one of the major I
leaks. This particular one is over i
the stairway on the north side of <
the building. Large chunks of plas
tering have fallen from the ceiling 1
here. The roof has been patched i
numerous times but leaks continue 1
to appear. I
Large cracks can be seen in the
plastering in practically every
room.
The last photo shows a large
crack in the brick wall over the
south entrance- The crack penetra
tes the entire wall and can be
seen from the inside as well as the
Hitside
PTA and school officials said
X)th boys' and girls' rest rooms
ire in need of additional facilities
rhe low water pressure at the
milding was also pointed up.
JUST
TOLERABLE
By GENE PARKER
Walking Postman Hugh Penland
was "just tolerable" Halloween
night- Seems
Hugh had walk
ed "a b o u t 18
miles" that day
delivering the
mail and then he
gets chosen to
help the Cub
Scouts in a door
to-d o o r cam
paign to collect funds for the
needy.
? ? * *
Sign in Cherokee Cafe: "All fish
ermen are liars except you and
me ? ? ? and sometimes I have
my doubts about you."
? ? ? *
School Supt. Holland McSwain is
still trying to figure out how he
"became a sideshow attraction"
at the Woman's Club Halloween
Carnival Thursday night. Mr. Mc
Swain was standing very quietly,
minding his own business ~vhen
Master of Ceremony Hobart Mc
Keever barks over the PA system:
"See the House of Horror, visit the
Mystery House, see and talk with
Supt- Holland McSwain."
? * * *
Street scene Friday morning:
Merchants up and down the busi
ness area washing soap from plate
glass windows. (Halloweens will
be Halloweens)).
? ? ? ?
Harry Burgess at Western Auto
comes up with some tall tales
these days. His latest involves a
cow his family once owned. He
claimed the cow was the world
champion milk-giver and tried to
back up his boast with this story.
Their cow fell in a large hole one
day and there was no way to get
her out Harry says they just de
cided to milk her and let her
swim out.
? ?- ? ?
Rev- R. T. Houts recalls a story
he once heard about a clergyman
who was spending an afternoon at
a bouse in an English village. After
tea, the clergyman was sitting in
the garden with his hostess. Out
rushed her little boy, holding a rat
above his head- "Don't be afraid,
Mother," he cried. "It's dead- We
beat him and bashed him and
thumped him until . . ." and then
catching sight of the clergyman he
said in . a lowered voice, "until God
called him home."
? ? ? ?
Pretty as angles but dressed like
devils, the three small sons of Mr
and Mrs. J. K. Godfrey woo first
place in the costume contest at the
Halloween Carnival. Allen, 4, Mike,
S, and Tony, IVi, came to the party
as "three red devils " Their outfits
won bright red suits, loaf red
tails, red masks with black horns.
Ministers Denounce Raffles,
Lotteries To Raise Funds
Brasstown Mem
Winners
At State Fair
H. B. Estes and F. O. Scroggs
of Brasstown represented the Tri- :
State Rockhounds this year al the
North Carolina State Fair, in Ral- !
eigh.
They won first place for the most
educational booth, the cutting and '
polishing of Semi-precious stores
and a display of mineral speci- (
mens.
Attendance Rises
In Schools
After Colds, Flu >
!
Attendance in Cherokee County ,
schools was reported greatly im- j
proved this week.
Andrews and Marble schools ;
were closed last week and Murphy :
schools were hard hit due to an ;
outbreak of flu and colds- ,
Murphy High Principal Walter (
Puett Tuesday said absences are j
on the decline- A total of 169 high ,
school students were out Tuesday. t
At Murphy Elementary School,
Principal John Jordan reported ;
284 pupils absent Monday and a
bout 275 Tuesday. He said the sit- ;
uation did not appear too bad.
Supt. J. E. Rufty of the Andrews
unit reported attendance there
'greatly improved". He estimated
the high school attendance at ap
proximately 85 per cent daily this
week with less than 20 per cent out
in the elementary schools.
In some instances in Murphy
the great number of absentees is
not due to the illness of all those
absent. Officials said several bus
drivers have been stricken and un
able to make their regular runs
Arrangements are being made to
train substitute drivers.
Murphy Children
Will Remember
This Halloween
The past Halloween will not be
soon forgotten by the children of
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Palmer of
Lowell Street
Woodrow, ll, and Patricia, 8.
didn't appreciate the "trick" poll
ed at their house. Someone killed
their small Pekinese dog by stab
bing it with a knife.
The little dog had been kept in
the house until about 11 Thursday
night when it was turned out into
the back yard- Mrs. Palmer Mid
she heard their dog and other dogs
barking around 2 Friday morning.
11m dog was found dead the next
Cherokee County's Ministerial
Association this week denounced
raffles and lotteries being used
"to finance worthy community ac
tivities".
Branding such as gambling, the
Association said it is clearly an il
legal act on the basis of the pres
ent state laws pertaining to gamb
ling.
"Those organizations that sup
port it put themselves in the posi
tion of supporting an illegal act,"
the Association pointed out in a let
ter to this newspaper
The letter follows:
rhe Editor of The Cherokee Scout
Murphy, North Carolina
Dear Sir:
The Ministerial Association of
Cherokee County wishes to express
its concern regarding the wide
spread tendency to finance worthy
community activities by means of
raffles or lotteries- While some
might question whether such an
activity is a form of gambling, we
feci that it is. Gambling can be de
fined as any activity which we en
gage in without contributing our
own labor or skill in the hope of
profiting at another's expense. It is
commonly said by many who buy
a lottery ticket that it is not gamb
ling, since they are contributing to
a worthy cause. However, the peo
ple who win generally accept the
prize even though it was purchased
by the contributions of others. In
most community efforts of this
kind the general public is much
more interested in who has won
the prize than they are in how
much is raised for a worthy cause.
The Ministerial Association ob
jects to the practice on the follow
ing specific grounds:
1. It is clearly an illegal act on
the basis of the present state laws
pertaining to gambling, and those
organizations which support it put
themselves in the position of sup
porting an illegal act.
2. By making our giving depen
dent upon a lottery or raffle, we
tend to destroy true benevolence
by encouraging people to feel thai
a prize must be offered before we
can give to a worthy cause.
3. By supporting any act that is
questionable on legal or moral
grounds, children and young people
are likely to feel that other, and
more objectionable forms of gamb
ling also have community approv
al
The experience of a neighboring
town would support the point men
tioned above- In this particulai
town a number of community en.
terprises were financed in this
fashion. A month before Christmas
It was noticed that a number oi
young boys in the community were
operating their own punch boards
and raffias to raise money foi
themselves- They had drawn tin
ohrfaw condwtai that the com
John Morris Gets State-Wide Honors
Galloping John Morris who has led the Murphy High Bull
dogs through eight consecutive victories this year is receiving
state-wide recognition for his fleet-footed efforts.
Sports Writer Tom Higgins of the A&heville Times last week
picked Morris as "Back of the Week". This came following the
85-0 victory the Bulldogs piled up over Franklin to nail down the
Smoky Mountain Conference Championship.
In that match, Morris, a 145-pound halfback, racked up three
TDs on Jaunts of 46, 48, and 55 yards. Morris during the Murphy
Swain game uncorked a 94-yard touchdown gallop to set what is
believed to-be a high school record tor a Murphy back.
Greensboro Daily News last week tagged the local boy for
"All-State" honors. He was listed by Sports Writer Tom Northing,
tou.
Morris, a senior, is a son of the Rev. and Mrs. J. A.Morris.
He has racked up 86 points this year for Coach Chuck McDon
nell. This figure includes 13 touchdown and eight extra points.
LINDA ENGLISH TO BE CROWNED
HOMECOMING QUEEN FRIDAY NIGHT
REV. BENNETT . . To Preach
Presbyterians
To Hear
Rev. S. L Bennett
Evangelistic and revival services
. will be held next week at Murphy
, Presbyterian church, with the Rev
I Samuel L. Bennett of Montreat as
j the visiting preacher
Services will be conducted daily
at 7:35 a. m ? a brief worship that
i will enable persons who need to
[ do so to be at work at 8 o'clock?
. and 7:30 p- m? Monday through
I Friday, November 11 to 15. The
. concluding services will be held
. Sunday, November 17 at 11 in the
morning and 7:30 that evening.
; Mr. Bennett, ts a graduate of
- Erskine College and Seminary,
' Due West, South Carolina. He serv
ed in the armed forces after World
i War II in Europe- Prior to coming
i to Montreat he held a pastorate in
! Charlotte- 4
i The visiting evangelist is an able
i preacher of the Gospel o I Christ
? according to Robert A. Potter,
i Murphy pastor, and interested in
? the salvation of souls. He served
Miss Linda English will be
crowned queen at coronation cere
monies during the half at the Mur
phy-Hayesville Homecoming game
here Friday night.
Miss English, a daughter of Mr.
and Mrs- Everett English, was
named queen by the Murphy foot
ball team last week
Miss Jane Cook, a junior and a
daughter of Mr. and Mrs- Edwin
Cook, will be the maid of honor.
Attendants will be: Miss Betty
K. Wilson, daughter of Mr- and
Mrs- Raleigh J. Wilson, senior
representative; Miss Betty Postell,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George
Postell, junior representative; Miss
Ruth Bates, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Creed Bates, sophomore rep
resentative, and Miss Wanda Dill
ingham , daughter of Mr. and Mrs
Locke Dillingham.
Over 1,000 invitations have bees
mailed out to Murphy High alumni
requesting their presence for the
Homecoming event. All alumni are
invited.
Following the game, open house
will be held in the new high school
building. The Homecoming evenl
is sponsored by the Student Coun
cil of which Miss Wilson is presi
dent. Mrs. Robert S- Bault, coor
dinator of guidance, is supervis
ing the program.
At the half-time ceremonies
cheer leaders will form two 'Ms'
with a football float in the center
The queen and her court will ther
walk to the float where Miss Eng
lish will be crowned by School]
Supt. Holland McSwain.
Janet English, 3-year-old sistei
of the queen, will be the crowx
bearer.
(Editor's Note: No official an
nouncement had been mad* thii
week concerning Murphy High'i
post-season game to decide th<
Western North Carolina Champion
ship. The Bulldogs won tin Smokj
Mountain Championship two weefa
ago. Coach Chuck McConnaO als<
said no official date had bM aei
for the Marpkr Andrews game
that waa cancelled Hut weak. Thii
Memorial Services
To Be Held Here
Sunday Afternoon
Football Field
Will Have Seats
For 1958 Season
Purchase has been made on
enough cement blocks to construct
20 rows of seats at Murphy High
School Football field.
This was announced by Ben War
ner Jr., president of the Local
Quarterback Club. He said 20 rows
will seat approximately 1,000 fans.
Rows will be 100 feet long.
Seats will be ready for use at
the start of the 1958 season
The Quarterback Club will give
away a television set at the half
time at the homecoming game
here with Hayesville Friday night.
The TV is being given away in a
promotion to raise funds to fi
nance the seats
County's Part
Of Forest Fund
Totals $16,482
Cherokee County's rebate from
the U. S. Forest Service this year
totals $16,482.06
Cherokee is one of seven counties
i in the Nantahala National Forest
i District that will receive apportion
' ed share- Rebate to all of the seven
' counties totals $90,537.66.
Last year this county received
'? $14,650 48 and all in the district got
i $80,369.92
t The Forest Service returns to the
various counties 2S per cent of its
annual gross receipt*.
A breakdown by counties on this
- year's rebates follows: Clay, $11,
983,47; Graham, $22,16846; Jack
. son, $5,646.12; Macon. $29,9334 26;
Swain, $3,255.96; Transylvania, $1,
057.93.
Mrs. E Gladson
Wins First Place
In Football Contest
Mrs. Harold Gladson of Hayea
vflle Route a picked 16 correct
winners oat ol SO in last week's
- Football Contest
Sfea became The Scout's "Ex
pert at tile We*" and received
1 Memorial Day Services sponsor
ed by Barracks 905 World War I
Veterans, will be held here Sun
day- at 2:30 p. m. at the new High
School auditorium
The Rev- E- F- Baker of Rob- N
binsville will be the guest speaker.
Mr. Baker, a veteran of both
World War I and II ,is pastor of
the Robbinsville First Baptist
Church.
The services will honor all living
heroes of previous wars and mem
orialize the dead.
Veteran's units of Andrews,
Hayesville, Murphy, Robbinsville.
Blairsville, Ga., and Copperhill,
Tenn., will participate.
The Robbinsville High Scho\
Band will be featured on the
square before the services and also
at the high school.
Green A. Jones of Blairsville will
be master of ceremonies
Others who will take part on the
program are: W. D. Whitaker of
Andrews, who will lead the Pledge
to the Flag; Mrs- R- H. Foard of
Murphy will play 'America" and
"Battle Hymn of the Republic";
the invocation will be given by
James A- Oakley; the Rev- R- T.
Houts will be in charge of special
music; and Father Joseph Dean
will deliver the bendiction.
Gold Star Mothers will also be
honored.
Four To Attend
Conference On
Church Vocations
Four members of tbe Methodist
Youth Fellowship Of tbe First
Methodist Church will attend a
Conference on Christian Vocations
at the First Methodist Church in
Waynesville Saturday and Sunday.
Tbe Conference is set up to offer
young people an opportunity to con
sider tbe choice of full-time church
vocations which are open to young
People
The program will begin with a
panel