THE MARION PROGRESS
A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF MARION AND McDOWELL COUNTY
ESTABLISHED 1896 MARION, N. C., THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 1949
VOLUME 53—NO. 26
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
OF TWO MARION BANKS
REELECTED AT ANNUAL MEET
CHAMBERS ELECTED PRESIDENT
OF BOTH THE INSTITUTIONS
The stockholders of the First
National Bank held their annual
meeting Tuesday, January 11, 1949,
at their banking house in Marion.
W. R. Chambers, president of the
bank, presided at the stockholders
meeting, and J. N. Morris, cashier,
acted as secretary.
The result of the operations of
the bank for the year 1948, was
viewed and reported to the stock
holders. It was stated $25,000.00
had been added to the surplus, with
satisfactory earnings for the year.
At the close of business for the year
1948 the capital and surplus amount
ed to $350,000.00, undivided profits
and reserves $37,855.63, and the
total resources on this date $4,327,
933.45.
The stockholders gave the officers
and directors a vote of thanks for
the successful conduct of the bank
during the past year.
At,the stockholders meeting, the
following directors were elected:
W. R. Chambers, W. L. Morris, J. N.
Morris, William C. Smith, J. F.
Snipes, C. A. Workman, Sam M.
Yancey and A. S. Bradford.
At the close of the stockholders
meeting, the directors met and re
elected the folowing officers: W. R.
Chambers, president; W. L. Morris,
vice president; J. N. Norris, cashier,:
and W. F. Grant, assistant cashier.
Other employees of the bank are:
Ray M. Simmons and W. F. Grant,
Jr., tellers, and Inez Patton, Ruth
Byrd, Florence Finley and Beatrice
Harris, bookkeepers, and Delbert W.
Rutherford, janitor.
MARION INDUSTRIAL BANK
The annual meeting of the stock
holders of the Marion Industrial
Bank was held Tuesday, January 11,
1949, in their bank building at 12
West Court street. W. R. Chambers,
president of the bank, presided over
the stockholders meeting, and in re
porting on the year's operations,
stated that the total resources at the
end of the year were $324,226.62,
which is more than $26,000.00 above
the resources at the end of the
previous year, and that the facilities
of the bank during the year had
been expanded to include automobile
and home appliance financing, which
had greatly increased the total vol
ume of loans over any previous year.
This bank, since its organization,
has specialized in making loans for
any worthy purpose, to be repaid in
weekly or monthly installments.
The directors of the bank were
re-elected as follows: W. R. Cham
bers, J. F. Snipes, T. H. Henderson,
C. A. Workman, J. C. Rabb, Sam M.
Yancey and W. W Neal, Jr.
At the directors meeting following
the stockholders meeting, the follow
ing officers were re-elected: W. R.
Chambers, president; C. A. Work
man, vice president, and Miss Doris
Hill, cashier. Mrs. Doris Truesdale
was named bookkeeper.
REELECTED—W. R. Chambers
was reelected president of the First
National and Marion Industrial
Banks when annual meetings of the
banks were held here Tuesday.
MISS WILSON
FATALLY INJURED
IN AUTO CRASH j
Funeral services were conducted
here Tuesday afternoon at Harmony
Grove Baptist church for Miss Mary
Ann Wilson, 30, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. C. Rex Wilson and sister;
of Elbert Wilson all of Marion.
Miss Wilson, superintendent of
nurses at the Ellen Fitzgerald Hos
pital Polio Convalescent unit in
Monroe, was one of three persons
fatally injured in an automobile ac
cident near Monroe last Sunday j
morning.
The incident occurred when the [
car skidded on a curve and crashed
into a telephone pole.
Besides Miss Wilson the dead j
were :
Irene Ruth Eisemann, 28, clinical
instructor of nurses at the Polio unit;
And Wriston Lee, Jr., 35, the in
stitution's purchasing agent.
Gil Clontz, a teller of the Amer
ican Bank and Trust company of
Monroe, sui'vived the accident with
superficial bruises.
Extricate Victim*
Passing motorists extricated the
victims from the wreckage and
summoned an ambulance shortly
after car veered out of control and
crashed at 1:45 a. m., six miles from
Monroe on the Charlotte-Monroe
highway.
Miss Eisemann was declared dead
on arrival at Charlotte's Memorial
hospital. Miss Wilson died less than
an hour later in the Charlotte hos
pital's emergency room, and Lee
succumbed to his injuries shortly
(Continued on last page)
Dedication Of Methodist Parsonage
Slated For Wednesday, January 19
Bishop Costen J. Harrell, recently
appointed resident bishop of the
Charlotte area of the Methodist
church, will dedicate the new Meth
odist parsonage at a special service
of worship to be held in Marion's
First Methodist church on Wednes
day evening, January 19, at eight
o'clock.
Immediately preceding the dedica
tory service the Methodist Men's Fel
lowship club will observe "Ladies'
Night" with a supper meting at 6:30
in the Community building. Supper
will be provided for two hundred
fifty members and friends of First
church. An interesting program has
been arranged under the direction
of R. G. Honeycutt, president of the
Fellowship club.
The service of dedication will be
held in the church sanctuary at eight
o'clock at which time Bishop Harrell
will preach. Representatives of the
church will present the parsonage for
dedication to Bishop Harrell, who in
turn will conduct the ritual of ac
ceptance and dedication.
Arnold Pyatt, chairman of the
ticket sale committee, urges that all
who would like to get tickets for the
supper do so this week. Tickets
are available from the following
men: Arnold Pyatt, Arthur Evans,
Ernest Ross, David Gray, Norman
Steppe, Jr., L. D. Atkins, John
Snoddy, Colon Wright, Robert Wil
son, Wayne Suttle, Joe Tate, Pete
Bolch, R. G. Honeycutt, Lum Burgin,
and Pat Davis. Tickets may also be
secured from Miss Ruth Taylor at
the church office.
Superior Court
To Be Convened
Monday, Jan. 17
The January term- of McDowell
County Superior Court for the trial
of criminal cases will convene Mon
day with Judge Felix Alley presid
ing.
The docket includes seven cases
charged with assault with deadly
weapon, five breaking and entering
and larceny, two breaking and enter
ing, two perjury, one crime against
nature, one grand larceny, one
charge of disposing of mortgaged
property and a number of minor
cases.
Assault With Deadly Weapon
Grover Norman will face charges
of assaulting Willard Upton with a
deadly weapon to wit a knife. Other
charges were listed as follows: Theo
Silvers, assaulting Howard Kelly
with a deadly weapon to wit a knife,
inflicting serious injury. Luther Sil
vers, assaulting Howard Kelly with
a deadly weapon to wit a knife and
inflicting serious bodily injury.
Howard Kelly, assaulting Theo
Silvers with a deadly weapon to wit
a knife. John Russell Hayes will be
required to answer a charge pre
ferred against him for being in an
accident resulting in death. Henry J.
Boone, assaulting an officer, Chitf
of Police D. W. Smith on October 2,
and resisting arrest. William Lee
Allison, assault with deadly weapon
with intent to kill.
Hearings scheduled for charges of
breaking and entering and larceny
are: Charles Corpening, William
Twitty, Willie Lou Black and James
Edward McDowell.
Vernon Carson and S. H. Clontz,
Jr. will face breaking and entering
charges.
Howard Kelly and Bertha Silvers
will be tried for perjury, Sam Avery
for crime against nature, Frank
Harbison for grand larceny and Will!
Black for disposing of mortgaged
property.
Marion High School
Football Schedule
The Marion High School football
schedule .for the 1949 season in
cludes 12 games.
In announcing the schedule Coach
Art Ditt said it was the hardest
schedule ever arranged for a Mar
ion team. Two new opponents will
appear on the schedule, Shelby and
Waynesville.
The Rippers will open the season
September 9 when they play the
strong Columbia, Olympia, S. C.
team here in Marion. Arrangements
are under way for a game on Sep
tember 2. The Marion "B" team will
play Bessemer City on November 18
while the "A" team goes to Waynes
ville.
Sept. 2—Open
Sept. 9-—Olympia at Marion.
Sept. 16—Hickory at Hickory.
Sept. 23—Shelby at Marion.
Sept. 30—Morganton at Morgan
ton.
Oct. 7—Brevard at Marion.
Oct. 14—Charlotte Tech at Char
lotte.
Oct. 21—Hendersonville at Mar
ion.
Oct. 28—Rutherfordton at Ruth
erfordton.
Nov. 4—Lenoir at Lenoir.
Nov. 11—Canton at Marion.
No-\f. 18—Bessemer City at Besse
mer City ("B" team). j
Nov 18—Waynesville at Waynes
ville ("A" team).
Nov. 23—Forest City at Marion.
Nebo PTA To Meet
On January 20
The Nebo Parent-Teacher associa
tion will meet January 20 in the
school auditorium, it is announced
this week.
Mrs. James Brooks will be in
charge of the program. N. F. Steppe
will speak on school finances and
John Crouch, pastor of Nebo Baptist
church will conduct the devotional.
All parents are urged to be pres
ent.
COURT OF HONOR
The McIVowell County Boy Scout
Court of Honor will be held at 7:30
p. m., Friday, January 14, at the
First Methodist church.
LODGE OFFICER
PAUL J. STORY was installed as
Worshipful Master of the Mystic Tie
Lodge A. F. & A. M. No. 237 last
Friday evening.
Mystic Tie Lodge
Installs Officers
The Mystic Tie Lodge A. F. and
A. M. No. 237 installed officers for
the coming year Fi-iday evening with
Clarence Wise retiring worshipful
master, in charge of the ceremony.
Paul J. Story succeeds him as
worshipful master. Others were in
stalled as follows: Alec Smith, senior
warden; Carl Poteat, junior warden;
B. H. Laughridge, treasurer; Pat
Davis, secretary; Dysart Martin,
senior deacon; Philip Laughridge,
junior deacon; Carl Whiteside, sen
ior steward; J. W. Lancaster, .Jr.,
junior steward; Rev. T. L. Kluttz,
chaplain; Gilbert Holifteld, tyler.
ATHLETIC GROUP
ELECTS OFFICERS
The McDowell County Athletic
association held its first meeting of
the year at Nebo school Monday.
After a delicious banquet served by
the house economics class, officers
were elected as follows:
W, P. Whitesides, principal of
Glenwood school, president; T. W.
Story, of Nebo, vice president; Mrs.
Patty, of Old Fort, seci-etary-treas
urer.
A committee was appointed by the
president to select officials and tro
phies for the county basketball
tournament.
The next regular meeting will be
held in March when plans for a
county-wide field day will be dis
cussed. :
BASEBALL SEASON
PLANS UNDERWAY
J. C. Rabb, business manager of
the Marion Baseball club is making
preparations for the 1949 season. He
is making preliminary plans, con
tacting a number of prospective ball
players, conferring with playing
manager John Y. Lanning and mak
ing plans for selling the concession
rights to the ball park.
This issue of The Progress contains
an advertisement publically inviting
interested persons to place bids for
the concession.
Baseball Season
|
Plans Discussed
|
John Lanning, of Asheville, play
ing manager of the Marion Baseball
club for the 1949 season, met with
baseball officials here yesterday to;
make plans for the coming season. j
J. C. Rabb, business manager of*
the club, J. F. Snipes and Otis L. ■
Broyhill talked with Lanning in re
gard to checking the equipment j
and needs and made plans to visit;
Florida schools within the near fu-1
ture with reference to observing
prospective players.
Pleasant Gardens
PTA To Meet Tonight
The Pleasant Gardens Parent
Teacher asociation will meet at 7:30
p. m., Thursday, January 13 in the
school auditorium, Miss Geneva
Link, publicity chairman, has an
nounced.
The Glee club will also present
several numbers. Mrs. Caroline Ful
lerton will give a reading.
County Criminal Court
Will Be Discontinued
Here As Of January 31
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ADOPT
RESOLUTIONS TO ABOLISH COURT
County criminal court in McDowell will be discontinued
as of January 31.
Plans to discontinue the court were completed at a special
session of the County Commissioners held last Thursday. The
court will be held as usual on Tuesdays for the next two weeks
and abolished as of January 31.
POLIO CAMPAIGN
CHAIRMEN NAMED
S. J. Westmoreland and M. W.
Gordon were named co-chairmen
of the 1949 Polio Campaign of
McDowell county with Mri. Rosa
mond Braly a* vice chairman.
The campiagn it cheduled to
begin January 14 and continue
throughout the month. A quota of
$10,000 haa been set for this
county.
"Because of the severe out
breaks last summer, which heavily
drained funds of the National
Foundation for Infantile Para
lysis, at least 50 per cent more
will be sought this year," the
chairmen said.
Presbyterian Pastor
Arrives Here
Dr. J. E. Plow arrived here the
first of January to serve an indefi
nite period as supply pastor of the
Conley Memorial and Landis Mem
orial Presbyterian churches.
Dr. Flow, who has been retired,
came to Marion from his home in
Concord to serve as pastor until a
pernmanet appointment is made. He
is residing at the home of Mr. and
Mrs. George S. McCall.
MARION PTA
TO MEET TUESDAY
The January meeting of the Mar
ion Parent-Teacher association to be
held at 8 p. m. next Tuesday will
feature a legislative program, Mrs.
P. J. Story, publicity chairman, an
nounced this week.
C. C. Elledge, principal of the
Marion high school, and H. F. Beam,
superintendent of the Marion City
Schools, will lead an open forum
discussion of recommendations of
the North Carolina Education com
mission.
Entertainment will be furnished
for the younger children while their
parents attend the meeting. A cake
will be awarded as door prize.
I The commissioners unanimously
adopted the following resolution:
"That whereas, it appears that a
number of criminal cases in the
County. Crminal Court of McDowell
County and in the Superior Court
of McDowell County has declined in
recent months; and whereas, Mc
Dowell County has five weeks of
criminal court in the Superior Court
each year, and for the past several
years the Superior Criminal Courts,
have used less than one-half of the
five* weeks allotted to this County
for criminal courts;
"And whereas, it is the opinion of
the Board of County Commissioners
of McDowell County that the condi
tions prevailing in said County are*
such as to no longer require the
continuance of the McDowell County
Criminal Court;
"Now, therefore, be it resolved
that the County Criminal Court of
McDowell County be, and the same
is hereby abolished as of January 31,
1949. It is further resolved that the
Clerk of the County Criminal Court
of McDowell County be, and he is
hereby authorized, as provided by
law, to transfer to the Superior
Court of McDowell County all cases,
which may be pending in the said
County on February 1, 1949."
The courts have been held here
since September, 1931 when the
Board of County Commissioners or
dered : "therefore, upon motion duly
made and seconded, ordered that a
county criminal court for McDowell
County be established as provided by
Chapter 89 of the Public Laws of
1931 and that the said court shall
hold regular sessions on Monday of
each week."
This move was made in accordance
with an act passed by the State
Legislature as of March 9, 1931,
authorizing Boards of County Com
missioners to establish County Courts
with criminal jurisdiction.
The following September the Com
missioners agreed to the establish
ment of criminal court for McDowell
county and the first term was held
September 11, 1931. The late Mr. E.
H. Dysart was the first judge pre
siding, Roy W. Davis was prosecuting
attorney and D. S. Gardner was ap
pointed associate judge. J. L. Laugh
ridge was appointed Clerk of the
said Criminal Court.
East Marion Baptist Church
To Launch Enlargement Campaign
The East Marion Baptist church
is beginning a program of enlarge
ment the week of January 16-22
with a Sunday School Enlargement
Campaign under the direction of
Rev. M. O. Owens, Jr., pastor of the
First Baptist church. The campaign
features a religious cenbus of the
community, the detailed tabulation
of the results, and a week of re
organization and training of work
ers.
Faculty members for the week
will be Miss May Bomar, former
Educational Director of the First
Baptist church here, and now of
Spartanburg, S. C., who will teach
the courses for Nursery and Begin
ner Workers; Mrs. Earl W. Holmes,
of Farmville, N. C., who will teach
the courses for Primary and Junior
Workers; Miss Louella Brown, Asso
ciational Missionary for the Catawba
River Association, Morganton, N. C.,
who will teach the Intermediate
workers; and Rev. Mr. Owens, who
will be director and will teach the
Young People and Adult workers.
The East Marion church has just
recently completed the addition of a
beautiful educational building to
house its Nursery, Beginner, Pri
mary, Junior and Intermediate de
partments. It is one of the most com
plete for a church of this size to be
found anywhere in North Carolina.
The sanctuary of the church was
remodeled and redecorated at the
time of the addition. The whole
plant is one of the most commodious
and best arranged anywhere in this
section.
Rev. C. C. Cross is the pastor.