VOLUME 42
THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
NO. 44 12PAGES TODAY WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 1971 SOUTHPORT, N. C. 5c A COPY PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
Senator Frink Introduces Bill
Encouraging Island Development
Legislation that encourages
the development of Bald
Head Island was introduced
in the General Assembly
today (Wednesday) by Sen. S.
Bunn Frink of Brunswick
County.
The veteran legislator cited
Black, White
Teachers Not
Balanced Here
At a recent professional
meeting at Bolivia the
teachers of Brunswick
County Schools were advised
that in order for the school
system to be law abiding and
in compliance with Federal
Guidelines, it would
necessitate the reassignment
of approximately 32 teaching
positions.
Superintendent of Schools
Ralph C. King read to the
assembled teachers the
directive received from the
Office of Civil Rights,
Department of health,
Education and Welfare which
stated the non-compliance
status of the Brunswick
County School system
relative to current staff
assignments in the various
county schools. The text of
this directive is as follows:
“ F acuity Desegregation
Faculty members have not
(Continued On Page Three)
numerous reasons why the
12,000-acre tract near
Southport should be
developed. He said the
controversial island is not
unique, as conservationists
and the governor have argued
in their fight to preserve the
island. On the contrary, he
said, the island is polluting
itself.
Development would give
the state a location where
conventions could be held.
“North Carolina does not
have a major seashore
convention facility,” said
Frink. “More than 45 percent
of the visitors to the Myrtle
Beach complex are from
North Carolina and they
spend more than $50 million
in that area each year.”
Last summer, Carolina Cape
Fear Corporation announced
that it had purchased the
island from Frank Sherrill
and the reported cost was
$5.5 million. The State
government had been aroused
and insisted that access to the
island will be denied, this to
deter any development.
“The county commissioners
of Brunswick County have
consistently over the past 40
years encouraged the
development of Bald Head
Island,” Sen. Frink stated.
“They now encourage its
development and they have
offered every assistance
available for such purposes.
The people of Brunswick
County are as nearly
unanimous in their approval
BEMC Office
Building Opens
Grand opening for the new
Brunswick Electric Mem
bership Corporation office
building at Shallotte will be
held this Sunday from 2 until
6 pm.
Only 32 years ago the rural
folks of this area got together
:and decided to build and
operate their own electric
system to supply low cost
electricity they couldn’t get
elsewhere. Today Brunswick
Electric Membership Cor
poration provides electric
light and power for 16,808
member-owners in Brun
swick, Columbus and parts of
Bladen and Robeson counties
with central station electric
service.
BEMC was organized in
1939, and has grown from a
handful of members, a few
miles of line and little
equipment to a sizeable in
vestment over the past 32
years. And, this new in
vestment in lines and
facilities will bring the total
plant value to over $10
million. In number of
members, miles of line, and
increased usage of electric
power, the growth of the
cooperative has been
phenomenal during the past
20 years.
In 1950, there were 5,874
members. Now there are
almost 17,000. There were
1,235 miles of line — now
2,406. The average KWH
usage in 1950 was 88 KWH —
now, 578 KWH per member
per month.
In order to effectively plan
for the future, additional
facilities and substations are
being planned to meet the
growing needs of BEMC
Members.
Brunswick Electric
Membership Corporation was
organized to serve the un
served, and has come a long
way in our communities,
making possible lights,
refrigeration, all-electric
farm and home living —
hundreds of other time, labor,
energy and money - saving
devices and equipment, that
didn’t even exist 32 years ago.
of the development of the
island as any group of people
could possibly be. Brunswick
County’s delegation to the
General Assembly
unanimously supports the
development of the island.”
The county is also
represented in the legislature
by Reps. Thomas Harrelson,
Republican, and R. C. Soles,
Democrat of Columbus.
Sen. Frink suggested that
the state has too many other
needs to spend at least $5.5
million to condemn and buy
the Brunswick County island.
“There are so many critical
and urgent needs which
cannot be adequately met
without raising taxes such as
education, mental health
programs, facilities for the
deaf, school teachers and
other state employees needs
which in the real public
interest have a much higher
priority which should be met
with funds that may be
available,” he said.
The text of Sen. Frink’s bill
follows:
‘‘AN ACT TO
ENCO URAGE THE
DEVELOPMENT OF BALD
HEAD ISLAND AS A
MAJOR RESORT AREA
AND TO PROHIBIT STATE
CONDEMNATION OF SAID
ISLAND’
“Whereas, the eastern
coastal area of North Carolina
is sparsely inhabited and
relatively undeveloped
economically and vitally
needs economic development
and people to promote the
(Continued On Page Three)
Complete School Report
Presented County Unit
The re suits of a
comprehensive school survey
of the Brunswick County
School system conducted
recently by the North
Carolina State Department of
Public Instruction, Division
of School Planning, reveal
basic data regarding the.
community, school finance,
the school system and school
facilities. Hie following is a
summary of findings for these
areas. These findings are
conclusive statements
developed from considerable
research and evaluation of
data collected from various
local, state and federal
agencies:
THE COMMUNITY
Brunswick County has
experienced a gowth of
population during each of the
decades since 1920.
The county showed a gain
of population of 3,945 from
1960 to 1970. Hie increase
was from 20,278 in 1960 to
24,223 in 1970 which
Fight Ends
With Death
Billy Wayne Ward died of a
pistol wound in his chest and
two other persons were ad
mitted as patients with
serious injury at Dosher
Memorial Hospital early
Monday night as the result of
an altercation which oc
curred on the Sommersett
Landing Hoad late in the
afternoon.
No charges had been made
up until this (Wednesday)
morning but Coroner Lowell
Bennett has ordered an
inquest into the shooting.
Ellen Tippett was admitted
to the hospital for treatment
for severe head injuries,
reported to have been
inflicted with a bumper jack.
A man was admitted for
treatment from being shot in
(Continued On Page Three)
represented a 19.5 percent
gain. All Townships, except
Waccamaw, had increases of
population during the
1960’s. All towns except
Bolivia and Shallotte had
increases of population
Big Day At
Dixon Chapel
There will be an all-day
worship service, dinner on the
ground and an afternoon
Baptismal Service at the
Dixon’s Chapel Methodist
Church in Vamamtown,
Sunday, announced Rev.
Tracy Varam, pastor.
Rev. W.B. Gregory, former
pastor, will bring the tl
o’clock morning message.
“He is now in Garland but is
no stranger to the area,
having worked here with the
folks for a number of years,”
said Rev. Vamam.
Some of the groups invited
to sing are The Gospel
Echoes, the Young Spirituals,
The Richardson Family and
many others of the area.
We invite all members,
former members, pastors, and
everyone in the surrounding
areas to come and fellowship
with us. The baptismal service
will follow the song fest at
3:30 p.m. at Brown’s
Landing, Rev. Vamam said.
during the 1960’s. Northeast
township experienced the
largest increase from 1960 to
1970. The increase from
2,169 to 3,356 was 1,187.
There were 501 persons
commuting into the county
for employment and 1,307
commuting out of the county
for employment in 1960. The
county had a net loss of 806
out-commuters.
Adjoining counties—Bladen
and Columbus—experienced
loss of population in the
1960’s; and Pender and New
Hanover counties reported a
growth of population.
The operatives category of
occupation in 1960
represented the largest
number of employees with
985 or 18.2 percent. The
second largest category was
the laborers, excluding
foremen category with 13.4
percent. The smallest
category was the private
household workers category
with 227 or 4.2 percent.
The birth rate has decreased
from 20.3 per 1,000 people
in 1967 and 1968 to 19.5 per
1,000 people in 1969. The
death rate for the same
period has increased from 8.9
in 1965 to 10.7 in 1969.
The median number of
school years completed by
those 25 years of age and
older in 1960 was 7.5 for
Brunswick County as
(Continued On Page Two)
Reorganization
Plan Is Heard
Mayor Lester V. Lowe and
members of the new South
port Board of Aldermen held
their first regular meeting
Thursday night at which
reorganization of the board
was the first order of
business.
Open House Sunday
Open house will be held Sunday afternoon from
2 to 6 o’clock at the new headquarters office
building of the Brunswick Electric Membership
Corporation in Shallotte. This is one of the most
modern office buildings in Brunswick County,
and customers and friends are invited to visit this
new facility during open house.
In accordance with prior
action by the Board of
Aldermen, the two vacancies
filled from Ward II gave Mrs.
Dorothy R. Gilbert a four
year term and A1 Martin a
two year term as board
members, this decision being
based upon the high vote
between these two successful
candidates.
Mrs. Gilbert was re-elected
to her post as Mayor Pro
Tern. W.P. Horne was re
elected clerk to the board;
H.F. Aldridge was re-elected
treasurer; and E.J. Prevatte
was re-appointed city at
torney.
The city auditing contract
was awarded to Henry
Wilkinson with the
agreement that the total cast
for this service shall not
exceed $1,000.
The contract to furnish the
city fuel oil and gasoline
during the next fiscal year
will be advertised and let to
the low bidder.
Col. Davis, owner of
Seaman Cab and Brunswick
Cab and Limousine Service,
appeared before the board to
request certain adjustments
in regulations governing
taxicab franchises in South
port. Mayor Lowe suggested
that he make his reauest in
writing in order that
proposals can be studied.
W.B. McDougle,
representing the Zoning
Board, recommended that
the Fence Ordinance be the
same as had applied prior to
(Continued On Page Three)
Sailing Ship Coming To Southport
This is the sailing barque Eagle, U.S. Coast Guard training ship, which will
arrive in Southport Tuesday for a three-day visit. Aboard will be 168 cadets
from the Coast Guard Academy’s second class. A round of special events has
been planned for the entertainment of officers, cadets and o£ the crew.
Coast Guard Sailing Ship
Here On Three-Day Visit
The Coast G uard
Academy’s world famous
sailing barque Eagle will
arrive in Southport Tuesday
for a three-day visit.
The three-masted
square-rigger departed New
London May 16 on her
current cadet training cruise,
with Southport the only
planned port of call.
While in Southport, the
ship will moor at City Pier.
She will host a reception for
local officials upon arrival
and then will be open for
inspection by local citizens.
Visiting hours will be from 9
to 12 in the morning and 1 to
4 in the afternoon.
The only square-rigger
actively sailed under the
American flag, the 295-foot
vessel is manned by 168
Cadets of the Academy’s
second class, as well as a
nucleus of about 60 officers
and enlisted men. She is
under the command of
Commander Harold A.
Paulsen.
The Coast Guard
Academy’s summer Cadet
training cruises play an
important role in the overall
education at the New London
school. Their mission is to
build strong bodies and alert
minds and to induce a love
for the sea in the service’s
future career officers. The
main emphasis during the
cruises is on seamanship,
star'ina under adverse
conditions and dependability.
While some Cadets sail the
Eagle, others are visiting
European ports aboard the
icebreaker Mackinaw in the
Great Lakes.
On the Eagle, Cadets
assume the duties of ordinary
seamen and petty officers,
performing general
maintenance, going aloft in
the rigging and standing
watches. Upper classmen act
as senior petty officers and
officers, standing
officer-of-the-deck watches
and engineering officers
watches. The experience is
the practical application of
classroom education and is
the basis for the making of a
career officer for the Coast
Guard.
In addition to the current
Southport cruise, the later
trips planned will be to New
York, Boston and Norfolk,
Virginia.
Nixon Praised
By Rep. Broyhill
North Carolina
Congressman James T.
Broyhill, in a speech Friday
night at Chez Steak
Restaurant, Yaupon Beach,
stressed the ac
complishments of the Nixon
Administration in winding
down the Vietnam war,
promoting a healthier
American foreign policy, and
Time And Tide
On the front page of The Pilot for May 17,1961, there was a
picture captioned “Winter Wonderland” and it showed the
ground covered with ice and drifted high against a fence. It
had resulted from a severe hailstorm which had hit Southport
and the surrounding area the night before. Miss Brenda Gail
Tripp of Shallotte had won the Star-News Spelling Bee and a
trip to the National finals in Washington, D.C.
The Southport Woman’s Club was planning a fashion show; a
series of photos showed the grass planting process at Oak
Island Golf Club; and there was a feature story about the
construction plans for Fort Anderson, the Civil War
fortification at Brunswick Town.
On the front page of The Pilot for May 18, 1966, thr.3 was a
picture of a fish cleaning operation down at the old Southport
Yacht Basin. Never before had there been so many king
mackerel, with one charterboat bringing in a catch of 200.
Also on the front page was a picture showing Joe Walton
receiving the Jaycee of the Year award from G.W. Fisher.
Another front page photo was “A Portrait of a Local
Lobster”, a cousin of the Florida lobster caught by John
Potter near the Cape Fear Light Tower. It was an election
(Continued On Page Pour)
proposing constructive
changes in the organization of
the Federal government.
Addressing a Republican
dinner gathering, the Lenoir
legislator also commended
the Administration and the
District of Columbia Police
Department for the handling
of the thousands of demon
strators who flocked to the
nation’s capital recently for
the avowed purpose of
disrupting the operations of
the Federal government.
“Freedom of speech and
peaceful assembly are
American birthrights.
Freedom to disrupt the ac
tivities of government and to
halt the free movement of
people is not freedom — it is
chaos,” Broyhill declared. He
called the violent demon
strators "troublemakers who
should be dealt with ac
cordingly.”
Affirming support for
President Nixon’s actions in
reducing American in
volvement in Vietnam,
Broyhill stated: “On the
whole, President Nixon has
built a record of initiative in
his efforts to conclude the
war, and his achievements
should be given the credit
they deserve.”
(Continued On Page Three)