THE MARION PROGRESS
A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF THfc PEOPJJS OF MARION AND McDOWELL COUNTY
ESTABLISHED 1896 MARION, N. C., THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 1949 VOLUME 53—No. 37
Construction Of Bus Station
To Be Started Next Week
Construction of a new bus sta
tion for Marion will " be started next
week.
H. G. Sain and Earl Lowery have
received a permit from the Commis
sion of Public Safety to erect a bus
station on the corner of East Court
and North Garden streets to be oc
cupied as a Queen Cfty and Carolina
Scenic Bus lines station, it was stat
ed yesterday by Sain, and construc
tion is expected to be started next
week.
Cost of the building, approximate
ly 30x87 feet, was estimated at
$25,000 to $30,000. The remainder
of the 68x87 foot lot, now occupied
by Sain-Brooks Motor company as
a used car lot, will be used for park
ing space for the buses.
City Schools
Designate April
Clean-Up Month
The Marion City Schools have
designated the month of April as
clean up month for the buildings
and grounds of their schools. This
movement is in cooperation with a
general city wide clean up program
being sponsored by the Community
Council, the local Board of Health
and the City Council.
Hugh'* Beam, superintendent of
Marion Citv Schools after holdine a
conference with Mrs. Richar^ Cook,
chairman of the Community Coun
cil, stated that the schools would co
operate in every way possible with
the city wide clean up program. He
further stated that at a recent meet
ing of the principals of the Marion
City Schools it was decided that em
phasis would be placed on a spring
ciean up program and that this pro-;
gram of the school would fit in£© i
program outlined by the Com
munity Council along with its co
operating agencies.
The principal of each school has
been asked to serve as chairman for
the particular school and grounds
that the principal represents. -The
principal has been asked to appoint
a co-worker to assist in each of the
schools.
Beginning Monday, April 4, the
schools will set aside a small por
tion of its daily schedule, at which
time the teacher will discuss with
her pupils the advantages of clean
liness and clean surroundings, and
will solicit the aid and help of the
pupils in conducting the clean up
work that will be done at the school
buildings and on the school grounds.
A lesson of good citizenship will be
emphasized in the program, and the
children will be encouraged to do
similar work in their homes, and on
the grounds surrounding their hom
es.
SINGING CONVENTION
The Our Convention will have a
singing at Mt. Hebron Methodist
church Sunday, April o, at two
o'clock.
Supreme Court
Rules Dairy
Ordinance Invalid
i
The Supreme Court this week re
versed the decision of the McDow
ell County Superior Court in the
case of Roy Curtis, Arnold McKin
ney and Von Ayers who were charg
ed with selling milk without a per
mit.
Following an appeal to the Su
preme Court, a ruling was handed
down stating that an ordinance of
the McDowell-Burke-Caldwell Heal
th Department which required
dairymen to conform to certain
specifications in order to obtain a
permit to sell milk, is invalid.
westermannIites
TO BE HELD TODAY ,
I
! Henry A. Westermann, 83, retired
businessman, died Sunday at his
winter home in Sarasota, Fla. A na
tive of Wilmington, he came to Old
Fort as a young man at the time
of his fathers retirement from the
shipping business. He engaged in
merchandising in Old Fort for 20
years.
Survivors include the widow, the
former Miss Ella Dula of Old Fort,
Will Westermann of Old Fort, and
a sister, Mrs. Luther Long of New
ton, N. C.
Services will be held at the First
Methodist Church, Marion, Thurs
day at two o'clock, and interment
will be in Oak Grove Cemetery.
McCall Funeral Home will be in
charge.
Pallbearers named are J. E. Mc
Allister of Spaitanburg, Carl S.
Gibson and Dula Hawkins of Ma
rion, E. R. Hamilton of Winston
Salem, Arthur Goodson of Asheville,
William T. Goodson of Black Moun
tain, and Henry McK. Dula of Le
noir.
Singing Convention
To Be Held Sunday
The McDowell County Singing
Convention will hold its annual
spring singing on April 3 at Marion
High School beginning at 10 a. m.,
Mrs. Lloyd Bennett, secretary
treasurer, announced this week.
Lloyd Bennett, president, will pre
side. The program will include the
Blue Ridge Quartet, from Spartan
burg, S. C., the Davis Trio from
Gastonia, and a number of other
singers.
Officers for the coming year will
be elected.
Marion Marauders
Begin Field Work
Johnny Lanning, playing manager
for the Marion Marauders, began
field workouts here on the Cross
Mill Ball Park Tuesday.
Members reporting for practice
-were:
Catehers: Art Brickner, of Cin
cinnati, limited service man who
-was with the Marion club last year',
James H. Cooksie, of Asheville,
limited service man, who has played
one year of professional .baseball.
Pitchers: Johnny Lanning, class
man, of Asheville, who has served
a 10-year hitch in the majors be
fore hanging up his rosin bag; Na
than Yeblon, limited service man
who was with the Marauders last
year; Higgins Duncan; limited ser
vice man, playing here last year
as relief pitcher; Harry McKee,
Shelby, played semi-pro ball the lat
ter portion of year before last and
was with the Newton-Conover team
last year; Samuel Redick, Fletcher,
rookie and left-handed pitcher;
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ROTARY CLUB
OBSERVES
LADIES' NIGHT
In a hilarious party that left the
guests uncomfortable from having
laughed so much, Marion Rotary
club members and their ladies en
joyed "The Laugh Fiesta" Friday
evening, an eight-feature fun-fest
that never lagged from start to fin
ish.
Prince NUR-AL-DIN, of Bagdad,
great Oriental sand diviner who
read the fortunes of various mem
bers in the shifting sands of his na
tive Arabian desert, was the "guest
of honor." The members felt that
there was a strong resemblance be
tween the turbaned Mystic and Jack
Hewitt.
Following the elevator ihterpre
(Continued on last page)
Queen City
Bus Collides
With Truck
A Queen City bus and truck,
both headed west on highway 70,
collided about 6:20 Monday morn
ing, according to a report by Pa
trolman J. T. Tolley, who investi
gated. Jolley said he was informed
that James Robert Wright, driving
a truck owned by Frank Glenn,
was making a left turn into Peer
less Motor company when the bus
struck the rear of the truck. The
impact forced the truck to crash into
the front of the building. Damage
to the building was estimated at
$700.
REV. KIVIRANNA
TO BE SPEAKER
AT ST. MATTHEW'S
*
An Estonian refugee, Rev. Ru
dolph Kiviranna, will speak at St.
Matthew's Lutheran .Church, 307
\V. Court Street, in the interest of
Displaced-Persons, on Tuesday eve
ning at 7:45. The subject of his
lecture will be "The Challenge of
Communism to Our Christian Faith
and Civilization." All of the pas
tors of McDowell county have been
asked to invite their congregations i
to this lecture. Everyone' is most
cordially invited, and a good op
portunity will be given to ask the
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DRAFT BOARD
SEEKS PHILLIPS
Anyone knowing the
whereabouts of Conway
Phillips^ whose last address
was givep as Nebo, is asked
to potify the local draft
board office in the court
house.
All registrants are re
minded to keep the local
board posted as to any chan
ge of address.
JOHNSON ELECTRIC
COMPANY OPENING
SET FOR FRIDAY
Formal opening of the Johnson
Electric Company at its new loca
tion on South Main street has heen
set for Friday, April 1, Andrew
Tainter, manager, announced this
week.
The public is invited to attend
the open house program from 9 a.
till 8 p. m. Factory representatives
will demonstrate the various types of
appliances.
Baxter D. Jyhnson, owner, estab
lished the Marion stored in 1946 as
an affiliate of the Johnson Electric
Company of Spruce Pine, a firm
now in its 19th year. Tainter, for
merly an employee of the Bell Air
craft Corporation in Marietta, Ga.,
accepted the management of the
local store nearly two years ago.
Moving to its new location last
December before details of the
building were completed, the open
ing was delayed. However, the
modern, streamline home of the
Company is now ready for the in
(Continued on page 6)
i
NEW CHURCH
EAST MARION BAPTIST CHURCH was recently remodeled and an
addition made at the re^r of the church at a cost of $34,000. The original
building was a white frame structure and has now been covered with brick.
The new addition in the rear is also brick. (Photo ,by Eekenrod).
MUNICIPAL ELECTION
CALLED FOR MARION
Mayor And Aldermei
May 3; Judges And R<
■
Red Cross
Needs $700
By Midnight
The Red Cross campaign official
ly closes today and unless $709.16
is received before midnight the goal
will not be reached, E. C. Carnes,
fund campaign chairman, said yes
terday.
A final tally yesterday showed
$3,679.24 in receipts. All canvasses
are complete except a few business
and industrial firms and advanced
gifts. Officials believe they may ex
pect to receive a few hundred dol
lars more within the next few days,
but fail to see the last three or four
hundred necessary to reach the goal
of $4,389.
All workers are asked to make
final reports as soon as possible to
the Red Cross or E. C. Carnes.
An especial appeal is made to
persons, firms or plants in the coun
ty who have not been solicited to
notify officials or mail in dona
tions.
MARION PTA
TO MEET TUESDAY
The Marion Parent-Teacher asso
-.iafion will elect officers at the
next meeting1 to be held at eight
o'clock, April 5, in the school audi
torium.
The Marion High' School Band
and Glee clubs will also present
programs.
Children will be entertained with
a movie while parents are attending
the meeting.
PLEASANT GARDENS PTA MEET
The Pleasant Gardens PTA will
meet Friday night, April 1, at 7:30.
A programwill be given by the 4th
grade.
i To Be Elected
igistrars Named
The Board of Aldermen in ses
sion Tuesday evening called Ma- "
rion's municipal election to be held »
May 3. A Mayor and five members
of the Board of Aldermen will be
chosen.
Candidates who plan to enter the
race for the six offices must file
notice of intention with J. W.
Streetman, Jr., Mayor, on or be
fore 6.30 p. m., April 18. Registra
tion books will be open Saturday,
April 9 and close Saturday, April
23. Saturday, April 30, is Challenge
Day.
Albert Rader and C. R. Craij^
have been appointed judges for the
election and G. W. Giles has been:
named registrar.
The Aldermea also voted to buy"
a lot on State street between Mc
Call's Hosiery Mill and the rail
road where a garage will be erect
ed to house the trucks owned byK
the Town.
County-Wide Meeting
Demonstration Clubs
Miss Julia Mclver, clothing spec
ialist of the N. C. State Extension.
Service, was guest speaker at a
county-wide meeting of Ho-me Dem
onstration club members here*
Thursday afternoon.
Miss Mclver spoke on, "New
Ideas for Old Clothes. "She outlined,
methods for lengthening hemlines
and other ways to remodel clothes
to conform to new fashion ideas.
Following the address Miss Mc
Ivpr was asked how the local
Home Demonstration office com
pared with other offices in the
state. She replied that it is one of
the best in the state.
Thirteen of the 16 clubs ii: tho
county were represented ai, th&
meeting.
OWENS NAMED CHAIRMAN
REV. M. O. OWENS was namecL
chairman of the Red Cross Blood
program for this county this week:
by E. P. Dameron, McDowell Coun
ty chairman. Mrs. J. E. Evans was
named volunteer service chairman.
MARION HIGH BAND
WINS SUPERIOR RATING
NEW BU LD1NG
r
FORMAL OPENING of the Johnson Electric Company will be held Friday of this week at its new home on
South Main street. The modernistic black front frames olate plass windows slanted toward the doorway. Other
views of the building- are shown in photos contained in an ad in this issue. (Photo by Eckenrod).
The annual District Music Con
test-Festival was held Friday and
Saturday, March 25 and 26 at the*
Lee Edwards High School in Ashe
ville. Entries from the Marion,
schools included Girls' Glee Club.
Band, intrumental ensembles and
several instrumental soloists. Events
were judged by a panel of judges
selected by the Contest-Festival
headquarters in Greensboro. The six:
district contests within the state are
all judged by the same group of
musicians. Superior ratings earned
in the district meet entitle the en
tries to participate in the State
Competition held at the Woman's
College in Greensboro in April.
Both the High School Band and
the Girls' Glee Club were awarded
Superior Ratings. The brass sextet?
composed of Larry Gibson, Connel
ly Miller, Bobby Ricks, Mickey
Walker, Dean Seagle, and Ralph,
Fender received a Superior as welL
as Harry McCall and Bobby Ricks»
oboe and french horn soloists re
spectively.
Larry Gibson, cornet, and Mary
Belle Grayson, piano, both received
Excellent ratings as did four of the
instrumental ensembles. The en
sembles and students participating
in them are as follows: Clarinet
Trio—Jane Shiflet, Bill Suttle, Vir
ginia McBee; Clarinet Quartet—
Audrey Koon, Sewell Laughridge,
Vivian Suttlemyre and Jewell Reel;
Saxophone Quartet—Bobby Long,
Ikey McLain, Gray Proctor and Da
(Continued on last page)