MARION PROGRESS
A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE OF MARION AND McDO^ELL COUNTY
established 1896
MARION, N. C., THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1929
VOL. XXXIV—NO. 2
SWPE RESIGNS
HEAD OF SCHOOLS
Accepts Position With South
ern Desk Company — A. V.
Nolan Elected as Successor.
Mr. N. F, Steppe, superintendent
of the McDowell county schools for
the past twelve years, tendered his
resignation at a meeting of the board
of education on last Monday. To
succeed Mr. Steppe and fill the un
expired term, Mr. A. V. Nolan of
the Old Fort school, was elected.
News of Mr. Steppe’s resignation
was received with much regret by
the school folks throughout the
county. Members of the board of
education in speaking of the matter
said that the board was unanimous
in its praise of Mr. Steppe and the
work that has been accomplished in
the schools during his superintend
ency. Resolutions were passed com
mending his work as county super
intendent and regretting his resig
nation. When asked for a statement
by the representative of The Prog
ress, Mr. Steppe stated it was with
great reluctance that he gave up the
work, but was compelled to for bus
iness reasons. Consideration for the
interest of his family was the decid
ing motive. The work for the coming
year, howev'er, he stated, is practi
cally organized and everything is in
excellent shape. Principals and
teachers are being secured and the
arrangements for the operation of
the schools have practically all been
made. The school budget controlling
the operating expenses has been ap
proved and there is only a few min
or details of the administration to be
perfected for the coming year. Mr.
Steppe will remain in charge until
September first, thereby completing
the organization in the work of the
schools for the coming year.
Mr. Steppe has been connected
with the schools of McDowell coun
ty for more than twenty years. His
first work was at Dysartsville where
he served as principal for a period
of several years. The Dysartsville
school had considerable growth
during this period and ranked as one
of the leading schools of the county
at that time. He moved from Dy
sartsville to Old Fort and served as
superintendent of schools of that
place for five years. Considerable
progress was made during this peri
od. The Old Fort school grew from a
small elementary school, taking its
place in the ranks as an accredited
high school. A new building, modern
in every respect, and well equipped,
was erected at Old Fort during this
time. Mr. Steppe was elected coun
ty superintendent in 1919 and since
this time has been head of the school
system in the county. McDowell
county at this time, while ranking
well with other counties in educa
tional matters, had little to com
pare with what she has today. A
strong school spirit, however, made
it possible for the schools of the
county to move forward. New and
modern buildings in all respects
have been built throughout the
county; high schools and standard
elementary schools have been estab
lished until now the county boasts
of five excellent high schools where
about six hundred pupils attend.
There are four standard elementary
schools that have the highest rating
by the State department of educa
tion. More than half of the children
of the county attend these elemen
tary schools. The schools term has
increased until at this time at least
three-fourths of the children in the
county attend schools having a term
of eight months or more.
A few years ago consolidation was
started. Much opposition had to be
confronted in this movement, but as
consolidated schools were set up and
the people realized the advantages
this opposition began to give away.
Sentiment has worked wonders for
consolidation in the rural sections
and it is no longer necessary for
school officials to push the idea of
consolidation. The task that now
confronts them is meeting the de
mands of the people for modem and
efficient schools for all the children.
They realize that the best advanta
ges cannot be given in the small one-
room school and the progress now to
complete consolidation will tend to
bring equal opportunities to all of
them.
The schools are on a very satis-
the auditors completed their report
of the school fund last year, every
item of school expenditures was
found to be in sound financial condi
tion, there being no deficit in the ac
counts of any fund. Sound financial
management has made it possible
for the schools to operate on a low
tax rate.
Mr. Steppe speaks in the highest
praise of the fine spirit for schools
on the part of the people throughout
the county. He said that it had been
a source of great pleasure to have
had such a wonderful opportunity
to work with the people and have a
part in the development of one of
the best school systems in the state.
The people have been responsive to
every move for better schools and
Mr. Steppe expressed his apprecia
tion to the people who at all times
given him their co-operation and
help. He said he was leaving the
work with a great debt of gratitude
to the people and as a friend of the
chidren throughout the county. Mr.
Steppe has accepted a positin with
the Suthern De^ Comftany of Hick
ory. This is the leading manufactory
of school and church furniture in
the south. The concern has been in
business for more than twenty years
and is well and favorably known
throughout the southern states. Mr,
Steppe will have headquarters in
Raleigh and will have charge of the
distribution and sales in Eastern
North and South Carolina. When
asked whether he expected to move
his family, he stated that for the
present the family would probably
continue to stay here. Mrs. Steppe
has been very ill following serious
surgical operation and it is necessary
for her to regain her health before
any plans can be made to move.
Eventually the family may go to
Raleigh as it is the center of educa
tional advantages where his children
may attend college and live at
home.
Professor Nolan, the newly elec
ted superintendent, is a graduate of
Wake Forest College and a school
man of several years successful ex
perience. He has been superintend
ent of the school at Old Fort for the
past two years. During his adminis
tration, much progress has been
made by the school at that place. He
has taken great interest in commu
nity and civic affairs in the town of
Old Fort and the people are unani
mous in their praise of him as s
public leader and school man. He
has already made a strong impres
sion on the people with whom he has
come in contact and especially is
this true in the school profession.
Mr. Nolan expects to spend
great deal of his time in the super
intendents office becoming acquain
ted with the duties and responsibili
ties before taking charge. It is not
known who will succeed Mr. Nolan
as principal of the Old Fort school.
S.S.CONVEKnON
TO MEET AT NEBO
McDowell County Association
To Hold Annual Convention
At Nebo, Friday, August 9.
Officers of the McDowell County
Sunday School Association announce
that the annual County Sunday
School Convention will be held on
Friday, August 9, at the Baptist
Church, Nebo, N. C.
Assisting in the convention will
be Miss Flora Davis, Raleigh, gener
al superintendent of the North Caro
lina Sunday School Association; and
Miss Daisy Magee, Raleigh, Chil
dren’s Division superintendent of
the North Carolina Sunday School
Association.
Also helping on the program will
be several of the best known Sunday
School workers of the county. The
conventiqp is interdenominational,
and workers from all the Sunday
Schools in the county are invited to
participate in the work.
In charge of the arrangements for
the convention are Mr. A. V. Nolan
and Miss Maggie Taylor, president
and secretary of the County Sunday
School Association. These officers
are requesting the co-operation of
all pastors, superintendents and oth
er Sunday School leaders in the ef
fort to make the convention a suc
cess.
The officers have announced that
again this year a pennant will be
presented to the Sunday School hav
ing in the convention the largest av
erage attendance of representatives,
sixteen years of age and over, ac
cording to the number of miles trav
eled. It is expected that there will
be much friendly competition for
the pennant among the Sunday
Schools of the county.
JOHN P LUCAS
MAKES ADDRESS
MARION DISTRICT MEET IS
HELD IN RUTHERFORD
NEW MARION THEATRE
OPENS NEXT MONDAY
Rutherfordton, July 11.—Several
hundred delegates from the counties
jof McDowell, Burke, Rutherford,
jPolk and Yancey were in session at
Speaks on Industries Especial- Pleasant Grove Methodist church,
ly Adapted to The Develop-'
^ ^ day and Wednesday for the annual
ment of This Section. meeting of the Marion district con
ference of the Methodist Church.
In the absence of the presiding
John P. Lucas, vice-president of; the Rev. E. O. Cole, the Rev.
the Duke Power Company and the' p ^ Tucker, pastor of the First
Southern Utilities Company, spoke | Church of Morganton,
to a gathering of business men and ^^s elected chairman, with the Rev.
W. Arthur Barber of Spindale, sec
retary.
At the business session Tuesday
morning the Rev. C. A. Wood, su
perintendent of the Methodist or
phanage at Winston-Salem, spoke on
the work of his institution and the
Rev. W. A. Jenkins, president of
Davenport College, Lenoir, reported
that his college was in excellent
condition and that it had been self-
supporting the past year.
The conference passed a resolu-
tiontion of regret on account of the
absence of Presiding Elder Cole and
appreciated his splendid work dur
ing the past four years and pointed
out his numerous accomplishments,
especially in helping to erect six or
more magnificent church buildings
in the conference, and gave him a
month’s leave of absence.
EMPLOYES MAKION
MILL GO ON STRIKE
DR. HARRY B. DITMORE
LOCATES IN MARION
The Progress is glad to advise the
people of Marion and McDowell
county that the new theatre which
has been building for some time
will be open to the public on Mon
day, July 22nd. The theatre, which
will be known as The Marion, has
been constructed by the Marion
Amusement Company, Inc., of which
the officers are Leon A. Neal, presi
dent; W. Lester Morris, vice-presi
dent, and E. J. House, secretary-
treasurer and manager. Associated
with these gentlemen are some of
the leading citizens of the communi
ty, and in constructing this new
building it has been their purpose to
give Marion and McDowell county a
building of which the community
can feel proud. No pains or money
have been spared to make this build
ing absolutely safe in every way,
and for beauty and comfort it can
well be claimed to surpass any other
theatre building now built in the
western part of the state. We are
advised by the management that the
equipment throughout is the best
and most modern that could be pur-
cliased, and Marion is now assured
of the best in entertainment for
years to come.
The Progress joins with the citi
zens of Marion and McDowell coun
ty in thanking the promoters of the
new theatre for this welcome addi
tion to our community life.
A complete description of the new
building will be given in our next
week’s paper.
Marion’s new theatre, The Marion,
will open on Monday, July 22nd,
with a splendid program. The public
Dr. Harry B. Ditmore of Marshall
has located in Marion where he
will make his future home. Dr. Dit
more is a surgeon of wide experi
ence. He graduated at the Universi
ty of Pennsylvaifia in 1925, and fol
lowing graduation spent two years
as resident physician and surgeon
at Presbyterian Hospital in Philadel
phia, Pa. In September, 1927, he lo
cated at Marshall, N. C., where he
established a small general hospital
which he successfully conducted for
a period of twenty months. During
this time his practice largely consis
ted of surgery, Xray and clinical
laboratory work.
Since coming to Marion Dr. Dit
more has been appointed examining
surgeon for the U. S. Bureau of
Pensions, Department of the Interi
or. Dr. Ditmore expects to continue
his work at the Marion General Hos
pital, hoping to become connected
with that institution in the capacity
of visiting surgeon. He has opened
an office in the Hawkins building on
West Henderson street.
Dr. and Mrs. Ditmore occupy an
apartment at the Morgan residence
on South Main street.
Dr. Ditmore is a brother of Mrs.
George Sandlin of Old Fort and has
a large acquaintance throughout
Western North Carolina.
CALLS M’DOWELL JAIL
BEST KEPT IN
STATE
factory financial
Sheriff O. F. Adkins is in receipt
of a letter from L. G. Whitley, chief
sanitary inspector of the State Board
of Health, Raleigh, which states:
“I have before me a report of in
spection made of your jail by our in
spector, Mr. John E. Floyd. The re
port in part says that the jail is the
best kept and is in better sanitary
condition of any jail that our in
spector has inspected this year.”
Sheriff Adkins is very proud of
this noteworthy comment by this
state official, and expresses himself
as glad to be able to co-operate with
state officials in meeting any demand
or requirement made upon him as a
county official.
DAUGHTER BORN
Born, to Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Guy,
of Newland,"at the Marion Hospital,
on July 15th, a daughter.
interested citizens of Marion at the
court house Tuesday evening at 8
o’clock. Mr. Lucas came to Marion
at the request of the Chamber of
Commerce. The subject of his ad
dress was “Industries,” and he spoke
with special reference to industries
adapted to this section. Mr. Lucas
said: “We are in the midst of a
movement which constitutes the
greatest industrial shift in the his
tory of our country—^the shift of in
dustries and large manufacturing
concerns from the eastern and
northeastern states to the South, and
particularly to the Piedmont section
of North Carolina; that in some cas
es industrial enterprises have bodily
picked up their plants and moved
from the East to locations in South
east.”
Mr. Lucas gave as the main reason
for such a marked and tremendous
shift in industry our resources which
lend themselves to manufacturing;
agricultural products such as cotton,
tobacco and other products; timber
for furniture and woodwor^ng in
dustries, and stated that North Caro
lina has the largest standing area of
hardwood timber of any state east of
the Mississippi river, and stressed
the importance of conserving the
growth of young timber and taking
steps, for reforestation. He spoke of
our vast mineral resources, especial
ly feldspar and minerals of that
kind. He stated that the press brick
industry had doubled in North Caro
lina three times within the past few
years.
“We have an unusual labor sup
ply,” said Mr. Lucas; “efficient and
generally worth-while labor,” he
continued. “I am aware of the labor
troubles you are now having; but
that means nothing. It is only a pas
sing phase. The thing in which the
working man is gn:'eatly interested is
higher w'ages, and that is what most
strikes are about, and those things
work themselves out.”
Another advantage of this sec
tion is the unusual climate, which
contributes to the lower cost of liv
ing,” Mr. Lucas said.
One thing that we must watch
very closely in North Carolina, if we
are interested in real industrial de
velopment and progress, is our tax
rate. That is a question most often
asked by the capitalist: What is your
tax rate? City and county officials
should keep that in mind. There are
counties that are cutting their own
throats so far as industrial develop
ment is concerned or bringing in
wealth and taxable values, because
of their high tax rate,” stated Mr
Lucas. “Other important factors are
freight rates and coal rates.”
Mr. Lucas spoke with special ref
erence to McDowell county and this
section offering proper inducements
to such enterprises as are adapted to
the development of this section, and
spoke of seeing reports in the papers
about a proposed creamery, cheese
factory, or milk condenseery; that
later he saw an account of the Farm
Demonstration Agent’s services be
ing discontinued, and then Mr. Lucao
went on to say that he had since
learned that the members of the Ma
rion Chamber of Commerce and oth
er interested business men of the
town and county had taken it upon
themselves to guarantee the salary
of the Farm Agent and commended
such action highly, stating “Marion
has too great a back-country to be
without the services of such a man
as that.”
Mr. Lucas concluded his address
by giving what he called “The three
P’s” for securing new industries, to
which can be offered the most advan
tages. They are Purpose, Plan and
Perseverance; the purpose for get
ting new industries; the plan by
which they may be secured; and per
severance and consistency in efforts
to get them. Mr. Lucas predicted for
LARGE CROWD ATTENDS
SINGING CONVENTION
Between two and three thousand
people attended the singfing conven
tion which was held at the Holiness
Tabernacle at East Marion last Sun
day afternoon from 1:30 to 4:00 o’
clock. Two church choirs and three
quartets were on hand and took part
in the singing as follows: Cross Mill
Baptist Church Choir and a male
quartet from Cross Mill; the East
Marion Mixed Quartet, and the Hol
iness Church Choir and Quartet.
Several duets and solo selections
were rendered, also some very fine
old-time congregational singing. The jof
Wages and Reinstatement of
Discharged Employes Are
Controversy Subjects.
program of singing was weH re
ceived and met with much favorable
Comment.
The convention was presided over
by ■ Jesse G. Price, president of the
McDowell County Singing Conven
tion, who wishes to announce that
the next singing convention will be
held on the second Sunday in Ootc-
ber.
About six hundred employes of
the Marion Manufacturing Company
walked out on strike Thursday af
ternoon and the mill has remained
closed since that date. Everything
is quiet and there has been no disH
order about the plant nor vicinity
since the walk-out, it is reported.
Strike leaders state that the strike
was called in protest against the dis-
charge of workmen because they had
joined the union, though mill officials
deny this statement.
R. W. Baldwin, president of the
company, stated that there are two
main points at issue—wages and the
reinstatement O'f discharged employ
es. The employes have asked for the
maintenance of the present wage
scale with a reduction of working
hours from 11 to 10 hours; and they
have asked that the discharged men
be reinstated. Both these demands
have so far been refused.
The business men of the commu
nity have expressed the desire to re
main entirely neutral with reference
to the strike situation. They express
confidence in the management and
employes of the Marion Manufac
turing Company and believe that
they win be able to reach an adjust
ment of their differences without
help from outside.
Mr. Baldwin left Marion last Sat
urday to go to New York, and upon
leaving stated that the plant would
remain closed for at least a month,
and possibly for as long a period as
six months.
The strikers have staged several
parades, in w'hich several hundred
workers have taken part, carrying
banners and singing, and a number
speakers have addressed the
crowd. These parades have been car
ried on in an orderly manner and no
violence is feared b^ the authorities.
FRANK CORNELIUS HURT
IN AN AIRPLANE CRASH
Mrs. Julia C. Williams has just
received a message from Birming
ham, Ala., stating that her nephew,
Frank Chase Cornelius, was serious
ly injured in that city in an airplane
crash. He was fearfully burned
while trying to unfasten his safety-
belt and that of another passenger.
The plane was taking off and while
about 75 feet from the ground the
tanJc exploded, throwing flaming
gasoline over young Cornelius and
his friend. Cornelius unfastened the
belts and pulled off his own blazing,
gasoline-saturated clothes. His gog
gles saved his eyes but he was badly
burned about his arms, legs, to the
knees, neck, ears and shoulders, but
his hands were more seriously burn
ed from coming in contact with the
flames while trying to remove his
blazing clothing and shoes. Doctors
and nurses attending him report his
condition, while serious, not neces
sarily hopeless.
Young Cornelius -is a son of Mr.
and Mrs. J. N. Cornelius, who are
well known in Marion and this sec
tion of the state, Mr. Cornelius be
ing a native of Iredell county, and
Mrs. Cornelius was Miss Mary Chase
before her marriage. He is a grand
son of the late Mrs. Emma Chase,
and the many friends and relatives
in this section will be interested in
learning of his adventure and al
most miraculous escape from in
stant death.
condition. When is cordially invited to attend.
Be sure and attend the opening of
the new Marion Theatre on Monday
July 22nd. A treat is in store for ev-
I erybody.
5,203,139 AUTOS IN ALL
MADE LAST YEAR
Washington. — World automobile
production set a new high record in
1928.
The department of commerce an
nounced today that the total pro—
duction last year was 5,203,139,
making an increase of 1,044,173
over the 1927 figure.
Combined output of the United
States and Canada was 4,601,141,.
an increase of 1,020,761. Decreases,
were reported for England, Spain:
and Denmark.
‘More than 55 per cent of total
production was required for re—
placements, as compared with ap
proximately 50 per cent in 1927,,
37 per cent in 1926, and a similar
percentage in 1925,” the commercei
department said.
FORMER MARION, N. €.,
MAN WEDS IN NEW YORK
New York, July 15.— George N.
Streetman, 27, an accountant, son:
of John and Davis Eaves Streetmaa
of Marion, N. C., where he was bom,,
and Shirley Beiber, 24, daughter of
Bernard and Rebecca Goodman.
Beiber, of this city, where she was
bom, obtained a license to wed and.
announced they would be married,
here today.
Both gave the same local address
of 116 West 72nd street. »
NEW BOX PLANT
The secretary of the Chamber of the township and 59 deaths.
Commerce has been in touch with
parties interested .in establishing a
box plant in the best town in West
ern North Carolina. These parties
will be in Marion this week to make
a definite announcement about plac
ing the box plant here.
Marion and McDowll county an in-
. , , , J. . -11 i. ' For the openmg of the new Man-
dustrial development that w.11 stag- Management has se-
«er the imagination and that at no I ^ theatre orchestra
distant uture, j Asheville, and the music in it-
The oldest known manuscript of s®'* will be a treat for Marion citi-
the Bible is in the Vatican at Rome.
BIRTHS FAR GREATER THAN
DEATHS IN THIS TOWNSHIP
There were thirty-one births and
four deaths in Marion Township
during the month of June, according
to the report of A. E. Denton, regis
trar of vital statistics for this town
ship.
During the six months period from
January 1 to July 1 there were 151
B. & L. MEETING JULY 29
The annual meeting of the share
holders of the McDowell Building &
Loan Association will be held at the
court house in Marion on Monday,
July 29, at 8:30 o’clock. Please at
tend in person or send proxy.
J. E. NEAL, Sec’y-Treas.
Be sure and attend the opening of
the new Marion Theatre on Monday
July 22nd. A treat is in store for ev-r
i erybody.
Jt