97th Year? Number 82 Ten Cents Louisburg. N. C.. Thursday. December 1, 1966
(12 Pages Today)
Santa Arrives Here Friday
Santa CJaus arrives In
Loulsburg Friday afternoon
as the climax to the annual
Christmas Parade sponsored
by the Loulsburg Business
Association. The Jolly old gent
will arrive In Frankllntonnext
Thursday night In a parade be
ginning at 7 p.m.
The Loulsburg parade will
start at 4 p.m. and travel
south on Main Street.
Christmas street decor
at Ions are up in both Louis
bur g and Franklinton In pre
paration to the visit by Santa
and the hundreds of youngsters
who are expected to line the
streets for his arrival.
The Loutsburg parade will
assemble on Allen Lane near
Loulsburg HlghSchool and will
disband at the corner of Ken
more Ave. and Perry Street.
Mrs. Juanlta Pleasants, Exe
cutive Secretary of the Louis
burg r Business Association,
announced 34 entries In the
Loulsburg parade, Including
ten commercial floats 'and
three bands.
Sants Claus will visit the
stores Friday afternoon fol
lowing the parade and will be
In town each Saturday there
after and durlrtg Christmas
week, according to Mrs. Plea
sants .
Enforcement Proceedings Launched
Against Franklinton School System
Frankllnton School officials
have been Informed by U. S.
Commissioner of Education,
Harold Howe, II that their case
Is being referred to the Office
of the General Counsel of the
department requesting admin
istrative enforcement pro
ceedings be brought against
the system for falling to com
ply with school desegregation
guidelines.
The letter, dated November
25, states that further efforts
Whitaker
Named To
Board
Joe R. Whltaker hat been ap
pointed to fill the unexpired
term of Vance C, Estes on
the Prankllnton City Board of
Education. The action came at
the meeting of the Board last
week.
Whltaker Is purchasing agent
for Aerothon, Inc. of Raleigh
and live* at 210 Winston St. in
Prankllnton. He Is married to
the former Mattllle Hicks of
Prankllnton. They have three
children, Dudley, age Klnthe
11th grade at Prankllnton High
School, Janice, age 12 In the
7th grade and Ben, age 2.
Whltaker attended the Uni
versity of Kentucky and Is a
member of the Prankllnton
Metbodlst Church.
He replaces Estes who re
cently resigned his position on
the nine member Board. A
spokesman for the Board ssld
all names presented to the
Board as candidates to fill the
vacancy were considered with
the Board naming Whltaker to
fill the post.
Fire Being
Investigated
Franklin County authorities
are lfiTMtlfatlnc a fire which
destroyed a house lit the Dtt
lnc Section at Franklin County
around 4 a.m. Tuesday. -
The house was owned by
Julius Wrenn, and was occu
pied by Us son, Joe Wrenn.
Officers said the house fire
was one of several which hare
occurred In the community
recently, and cause has not
been determined In any of
them.
to secure voluntary com
pliance would not be produc
tive". The letter also relates
that the agency has contacted
the Frankllnton officials by
letter, telephone and In person
In their efforts to gain volun
tary compliance.
The newest action Is being
brought against three school
systems In North Carolina and
the State Department of Public
Instruction has been made a
party to the actions.
In the Frankllnton case, Ele
mentary and Secondary Educ
ation Act (ESEA) funds totaling
slightly over $80,000 have
been the point of contention In
recent efforts by the federal
officials to gain more substan
tial desegregation.
Superintendent Fred C. Ro
gers reported that funds from
this source hive been drawn
monthly and that none have
been deferred Anendwas be
lieved achieved In the contra
versy several weeks ago when
a ruling was made that these
particular funds had already
been approved before the Of
fice of Education moved to
have them deferred. It Is un
certain how much of these
funds, If any, would be loit If
the system falls to defend (his
latest move by the govern
ment.
Howe's letter clearly points
out that all other agencies of
government are being notified
of the Frankllnton situation,
Implying that other funds are
also In danger of being cut off
Supt. Rogers declined to
comment on what, If anything,
the School Board Intends to do
about this latest development.
He said the Board would meet
soon to consider the matter.
The School officials have 20
days In which to answer 52
charges contained In accom
panying papers and In which to
request a hearing on the mat
ter Many of the complaints
against the Frankllnton
system are net applicable, Ro
gers said. Obviously, the
charges are standard by the
Office of Education and are
broad enough In scope to cover
almost any conceivable situa
tion. It Is anticipated that the
Frankllnton Board will answer
the charges whether a hearing
la sought or not.
Among the 52 Items covered
are such things as the allega
See SCHOOL Page 8
Jaycees
Launch
Toy Drive
The Lou Is burg Jaycees will
launch their annual toy drive
Monday night, December Sand
local residents are requested
to leave toys on their porches
and to turn their porch lights
on around S P. M. The Jay
cees will pick up the toys be
ginning at that time.
Residents wishing to donate
mendable or useful toys to the
drive may also leave the toys
at Shannon Village Esso on
Blckett Blvd. or at First Fed-,
eral Savings and Loan on Main
Street, according to Jaycee
Jimmy Hill, who la Chairman
of the drive this year.
Toys will be accepted at the
two places until December 23.
The Jaycees mend broken toys
and give them to needy child -
ren at Christmas.
Possible Robbery
Averted At Franklinton
Frankllnton Police Chief Leo
Edwards reported Wednesday
that alertness- on the part of
night-time officer Tom Allen,
a possible robbery was avert
ed. Edwards said that Allen
spotted an automobile, which
has been, under suspicion hi
connection with the hold-up
of a FranUlnton hardware and
feed store recently and the
robbery ofa Youngsrllle hard
ware and furniture store last
Friday nl(ht, Tuesday night In
Frankllnton.
Officer Allen followed the
car loelnf It near the shopping
center on U. S. I. Whllethere
he noticed a car parked In
front of the laundromat in the
center and went to Investigate.
As he pulled up several youths
came out and Jumped In the car
and-drove away.- Twice later,
the car with the youths'return
ed to the laundromat mnd fled
when sighted by Allen.
Allm called Chief Edwards
around 4 A.M. to express his
concern and together with Ed
wards went to thei laundromat
to Investigate.
Chief Edwards reported one
coin box missing, although he
declined to say It had been
stolen, plus two large screw
drivers, the tips of which had
been broken.
Edwards also reported that
the case Involving the robbery
of Thompson's Feed and Hard
ware Store on November 21,
was still "hot" and lndlctated
that he has some leada. He
also stated that his Investiga
tion showed that had Mr. Lewis
Thompson, the owner and his
son-in-law, Mr. Clemont
Weston not entered the store
while the robbery was In pro
gress, officers would have
been unable tO discover the
entry on routine patrol. Ed
wards and his department,
which has not suffered a
break-In In almost two years,
are doubly concerned that any
one would pull one off near
the station. *
"This was the first break-lg
In 23 months", Edwards said.
The "IMh of December would
have been two ye^rs", he add
Local News
Briefs
A power (allure threw the
Frankllnton are* Into dark
nast1 Tuesday evening from
shortly after 5 p.m. untU
around I p.m. The blackout
?(retched to the airport near
Lou Is burg.
Deputy Sheriff Tom Powell,
on a routine mission of ser
ving papers, found a 50-gallon
wood-fired steal whiskey still
at the home of Thurston Dun
ston, Route 1, Loulsburg Ne
gro earlier thla week. The
apparatus was located up
stairs In the Dunston home.
An airplane, unidentified as
to Its alia or ownership, was
forced to land near Youngs
vllle Tuesday night during a
storm, according to reports.
The plane waa said to have
landed on a highway,
The body of Negro employe*
at Taylor Thayer Lumber Co.
her* was found by officers
Tuesday after the man was
reported mining from work.
No evidence of foul play was
discovered, according to re
port*.
FtanMinton Votes On Water Bonds Saturday
Voters of Frankllnton will
decide Saturday on a >350,000
bond issue (or Improvements
to the present water system.
The money, If approved by the
voters will be used together
with a federal (rant of
$285,000 to build a new water
plant and to establish i new
water supply source from Ce
dar Creek, about a mile and a
half from the present storage
.lake.
Frankllnton citizens have
experienced a summer-long
rationing of water with many
uses being forbidden by town
ordinances. At times the wa
ter situation became serious
and bordered on the critical.
Officials have said the solu
tion lies In the passage of
the bond Issue Saturday and
receiving the federal grant.
Little excitement has been
noted concerning the Saturday
voting and no open opposition
has been witnessed. Most
are confident that the Issue
will pass In view o i the pre
sent water situation.
Polls will be open from 6:30
A. M. to 6:30 P. M. Satur
day and all voters art being
urged to vote In the referen
dum. Postal cards are beli?
mailed out to voters urging
approval of the bonds.
Superintendent's Letter Reveals'
Franklinton Bus Use Suspended,
Lifted Following KKK Threats
Frankllnton School officials
suspended the use of the
Frankllnton High School ac
tivity bus this month follow
ing what was described as re
ports that the Ku Klux Klan
planned to damage the bus In
order to place responsibility
for "any resulting disaster"
on the Superintendent and the
School Board.
The suspension came to light
In Frankllnton Tuesday when a
letter, signed by Superinten
dent Fred W. Rogers, wat sent
to parents of the students, ex
plaining that the suspension
has now been lifted, but that
extreme care and Inspection
will accompany any use of the
bus In the future.
The action removing the sus
pension of the use of the act
ivity bus and>s*ttlng down cer
tain procedures for future use
came at a meeting of the
Frankllnton Board of Educa
tion last week. According to
the latter, the bus will be given
thorough examinations by two
members of the School Board,
Brodle Green and William Av
ery Wilder, both experienced
mechanics, before each use.'
Other precautions being tak
en by the School Board In
clude securely locking the bus
and the bus garage at all times
when the bus In not In actual
use, following of the bus on
trips by school officials or
responsible adults, and guard
ing of the bus while parked at
athletic contests.
The letter also disclosed that
the School Board seriously
considered complete* cancela
tion of all athletic activities
and use of the bus, Including
the ever-popular basketball
season by the school's teams.
Supt. Rogers declined com-'
ment as to the source of the
reports on the Klan plans to
damage the bus and Frankllri^
ton Pol Ice Chief Leo Edwards
said Wednesday morning that
he had heard nothing of such
reports prior to receiving the
Roger's letter. Edwards said
however, that he had already
launched an Investigation Into
the matter Wednesday.
The Superintendent's letter
stated: "Action to temporarily
suspend the use of the Frank
Union High School activity bus
and activities resulted from
a suggestion by a delegation
spokesman, at the November
7, 1966 Board of Education
meeting, that the bus might be
In dangerous condition, along
with three other recent re
ports that the KKK planned de
liberate damage to the Frank -
Unton High School activity bus
In order to place responsibi
lity for any resulting disaster
upon the Superintendent and
the Frankllnton City Board of
Education. While most of us a
gree that such absolutely In
human and unscrupulous ac
tion is highly unlikely, none
theless, such warnings that In
volve potential danger to our
children could pot possibly be
Ignored by responsible school
officials or Board members In
the light of recent experiences
In our community".
Rogers reminded parents
that students are not required
to participate In extra-cufrlc
ular activities, but that those
who do are covered by certain
rules pertaining to all stu
dents. He mentioned that he
was "sure that all of you will
be greatly concerned about the
special nature of this letter".
He called on the parents to
"find ways of responding to
the tough challenges of the fu
ture ".
Board Chairman John Moore
has moved out of town and
could not be reached for com
ment and Vice Chairman Dr.
Richard Whitfield was tied up
In Ms office when an attempt to
gain his comments was made:
Response from local citizens
early Wednesday was mixed,
A number called Rogers Tues
day night and Wednesday
morning and some had called
Chief Edwards.
It was reliably reported that
a Klan sticker had been post
ed on the office of Or. Whit
field sometime ago, following
a Board meeting and that a
number of automobiles passed
the Rogers' home Tuesday
night blowing their horns.
Community Jubilant M Announcement
The announcement Tuesday
that Carolina Fine Woods, Inc.
will build a 130,000 square
toot plant here has been met
with widespread expressions
of elation by the local popu
lace.
J. H. Talton, Chairman of
the Industrial Development
Commission and a prime
mover in the flrm'a decision
to locate here, said this morn
ln?. "I doubt the people of
Loulsburg and Franklin
County yet realize the mag
nitude of what has happened.
This could put Loulsburg and
Franklin County In the tore
spot of this area. This Is a
once In a lifetime thln<. It la
almost unbelievable. With the
nearness of Raleigh and the
Research Triangle, this could
be Just the beginning."
Talton added that in a con
versation Wednesday, with
what he described as "a very
Influenclal man In this area,"
the man said that within ten
years, Loulsburg would be two
to three times Its present size
due to Industrial growth. Tal
ton aald, "We're onthethres
hold of greatness."
The size of the new plant will
be over three times the size
of the Gay Products and
Sportswear plants, both re
latively new Industries In the
area. By comparlaon, Ford's
Warehouse, one of the largest
*
buildings In the area, Is around
80,000 square feet. The new
plant will be 130,000 square
feet. ?
Bids are expected to be let
for the construction on Thurs
day, December 8, with work
starting as soon thereafter as
possible. The land, costing
around $90,000 and the build
ing together are estimated to
cost around $2 million. Equip
ment In the plant Is expected
to move the total cost to
slightly over $3 million. No
announcement has been made
as to the number of employees
expected, but conservative es
timates range from 200 to 840
at the start. The majority bf
those employed will be men,
according to a rel table source.
Talton also reported that a
new corporation Is being
formed to finance the water
line and to build eight to twelve
homes for plant personnel
expected to move Into Louls
burg. He said the number of
homes will vary and depend
on the number of persons de
siring them. He also said that
the new homes will be located
on the most desl rable lots to be
found and would not be tjullt
together In a village type de
velopment. \
scattered throughout town,
according to Talton, be
cause, "We want them to be
happy In their new locations
here and to become a part of
the community. We hope to
make their moving from other
localities smoother."
W. J. Benton, Director of
Industrial Development, who
also was a leader In getting
the firm to locate here, ex
pressed his appreciation this
morning to the State Highway
Commission and highway per
sonnel for "wonderful coop
eration" in working out cer
tain problems at the plant site.
Benton also expressed his
See JUBILANT Page 8
Louisburg
Gl Dies
The Defense Department
identified nine U. S. service
men Wednesday who had been
killed In action, Including one
who was previously listed as
missing.
Tim Army listed as dead
fromicauses not due to hos
tile Action: Spec. 4 Wllbert
Williams, Jr. ,husband of Mrs.
Martha Williams, Route 4,
Louisburg, N. C.
Gay Products Addition
Pictured above I* new addition to the Gay Producta plant bar*. Uae at the 1(00 aquar*
'oot facility began Monday. The new area, designed to accomodate Oajr employeaa dur
ing break and lunch perloda la fully equipped with varloua vendera, coffee machlnea and
tablea and ( chalra. Ed Plttntan, plant manager reported the completion and expreaaed hla
' pleasure at the facility tor the convenience of the force at the plant.
Highway
Work To Be
Awarded
*
For the first time In many
years, Franklin County la In
cluded In bids on highway
work, which art expected to be
reviewed Friday by the State
Highway Commission In Ral
eigh.
Sixty projects are Included
In what has been described
as perhaps the biggest monthly
batch of projects In the agen
cy's history. Among these are
projects in Franklin and Vance
counties.
The local projects are tl.O
miles of bituminous concrete
surface on IB 1 and US 401 In
resurfacing US 401 from NC M
to Loulsburg and US 1 between
Frankllnton and Henderson.
T. A. Loving Company at
Golds bo ro was low bidder on
the projects at VS7,(M.