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, APRIL 28, 1949 VOLUME 53—No. 41
Beam Re-elected
Head of Marion
City Schools
Hugh F. Beam was re-elcted su
perintendent of the Marion City
Schools for a term of two years at
a meeting of the school board here
last Friday night.
Supt. Beam has served as superin
tendent of the city schools for the
past fourteen years. He was first
elected to this office in 1935, hav
ing previously served as principal
of the Marion Central school. He has
been connected with the Marion
schools for the past 21 years.
He is a graduate of Lenoir Rhyne
college and completed post graduate
courses at the University of North
Carolina and Wake Forest college.
He has served as lieutenant-govern
or and president of the Marion Ki
wanis club, president of the West
ern District of the N. C. Educa
tion association and director of the
North Carolina Education associa
tion.
The jurisdiction of the office of
-city superintendent includes the
schools of Marion Central, Clinch
field, West Marion, East Marion
and Eugene Cross.
The present board of the Marion
(Continued on last page)
PLAN PROJECTS
FOR COMMUNITY
COUNCIL WORK
At the Monday night meeting of
the Community Council of Marion
good progress was made in regard
to the selection of projects for the
work of the council. Around ten
projects were suggested for the con
sideration of the council, and three
of these proved to Tie outstanding
from the standpoint of interest of
the council members and of the
community as a wliole.
It was decided that, in addition to
the "Clean-Up" committee already
functioning, committees should be
appointed to study and plan toward
projects on these three broad sub
jects: (1) School improvement, (2)
■Recreation, and (3) Better Govern
ment. The committees named are as
follows: (1) The school committee
consists of Albert Hewitt, chairman,
Mrs. B. A. Dickson, E. P. Dameron,
C. C. Elledge, and Eugene Cross.
(2) The Recreation Committee Is
composed of M. W. Gordon, chair
man, Therman Richie, Mrs. Polly
Fox, Mrs. Colen Wright, Rev. P. L.
Smith, and Mrs. Earl Godfrey. (3)
The committee on Better Govern
ment includes Otis Broyhill, chair
continued on last page)
Duncan Hurls One-Hitter For
Marion In First Game Monday
Half of Marion turned up in Mor
ganton Monday night to see the op
ting game in the Western Caro
lina Baseabll League between Mar
ion and Morganton. Higgins Dun
can on the hill for Johnny Lanriing's
Marion Marauders, opened the seas
on with a bang, as he came within
two outs of registering a no-hit, no
run game for the Marauders. It was
a no-run game as the locals blanked
Sammy Bell's Morganton Aggies
6 to 0.
Duncan was superb from his first
pitch to his last as he whiffed elev
en opposing batsmen. For eight in
nings he and his team mates sent
the Aggies back to their benches. In
the last half of the ninth inning,
with one man away, Arthur Wrozier,
Morganton left fielder, lined Dun
can's first pitched ball for a double
to short left field, but was stranded
on second as Duncan fanned the
next man and forced the last one
to pop to second. At no time during
the game did an Aggie player ad
vance beyond second base and this
honor was few and far between.
Marion was able to gather only
seven safeties from Charles Parlier,
who went the route and delivered
a good game for Bell's coharts, de
spite the six run score chalked up
against him. Long John Beam,
rookie first baseman, paced the Ma
rauders at the plate with three hits
out of four trips. Brooks, short-stop,
came in for second honors with two
bingles to his credit.
Marion jumped into an early lead
by running a player across the plate
in the fitst inning. This ended the,
scoring until the first frame of the
sixth when the locals claimed two
additional scores, which was follow
ed by one run in each succeeding in
ning. 1
Only one error was charged a
gainst the Marauders during the
game, as both the infield and out
field gave Duncan excellent sup
port.
The line score is as follows:
Marion 100 002 111—671
Morganton __ 000 000 000—011
Batteries: Marion, Duncan to
Burnette; Morganton, Parlier to
Hericinak, 2B, Beam, Brooks (2),
(Continued on last page)
Re-Elected
Hugh F. Beam, above, re-elected
superintendent of Marion City
Schools by board at meeting Friday
night.
ERNEST DYSART
TAKEN BY DEATH;
RITES WEDNESDAY
Funeral services for Ernest Gib
son Dysart, 54, who died Monday in
Fayetteville, where he was employ
ed were conducted at Siloam Pres
byterian church Wednesday after
noon at 2:30 o'clock. Burial was in
Oak Grove cemetery.
Masons were in charge of the
gTaveside rites and a group of Mas
ons were pallbearers.
Dysart was a native of McDowell
county, the son of the late Mi. and
Mrs. Sam Dysart.
He was engaged in construction
work and was employed as superin
tendent of a new plant being built
in Fayetteville.
Dea,th was attributed to a heart
attack.
Surviving are the widow, Mrs.
(Continued on last page)
Marion Is Given High
Rating In Music Contest
The Marion high school band,
showing even better form than for
merly, emerged from the Greens
boro music festival last Friday with
top honors. The band was awarded
a "Superior" rating, the highest
honor to be given.
In addition to the band, two solo
ists and an ensemble received honors
in their classes. Bobby Ricks, French
horn, was awarded an "Excellent"
rating and Harry McCall made a
"Good" rating with his oboe. The
brass sextet composed of Larry Gib
son and Connolly Miller (cornets),
Dean Seagle (trombone),' Bobby
Ricks (French horn), Mickey Walk
er (baritone), and Ralph Fender
(bass horn) received the top honor,
or "Superior" rating.
Marion should be proud of the ex
cellent showing of its band and its
director, Bernard Hirsch, whose un
tiring efforts brought his band to
the top in both Asheville and
Greensboro festivals. The band ex
presses its grateful appreciation to
the Rotary and Kiwanis clubs whose
generous gifts of money for trans
portation made the trip possible.
Frozen Food Packing
Demonstration April 29
Mrs. Lula P. Austin, home service
advisor for the Duke Power com
pany, will give a frozen food pack
ing demonstration at the Commu
nity building Friday evening, April
29, at 7:30. The demonstration is
sponsored by the Marion Gai'den
Club and the public is cordially in
vited to attend.
Revival Continues
Through Friday At
The Baptist Church
The revival meeting at the First
Baptist church, M. 0. Owens, Jr.,
pastor, is reaching its peak, with Dr.
H. H. S'embridge from Forest City
as the preacher. The meeting con
tinues through Friday evening of
this week. Throughout this week,
services have been held in the morn
ing at 7:45 and in the evening at
7:30. Fine crowds have been in at
tendance.
Wind Upsets Boat, Marion
Fisherman Drowns In Lake
Dr. Maier To Spe&k
At Lutheran Church
Here Tuesday Night
DR. WALTER MA1ER
Dr. Walter A. Maier, speaker over
the International Lutheran Hour,
the world's most widespread broad
cast, will appear in person at a Lu
theran Hour Rally in Asheville's
city auditorium on Sunday, May 1,
at 3:30; and in Marion on Tuesday,
May 3, at 7:30 at St. Matthev's Lu
theran church.
The audience for Dr. Mair's gos
pel message is estimated at between
10,000,000 and 20,000,000 every
week.
The Lutheran Hour has been
sponsored from the beginning by the
Lutheran Laymen's League. On
Tuesday, when Dr. Maier speaks at
St. Matthew's church, he a^d Mrs.
Maier will be guests of the local
laymen's league, of which Francis
Nichols is president. The cost of the
Lutheran Hour js about one and a
half million dollars a year. A large
part of this sum is contributed by
Christians of all denominations.
(Continued or last page)
David H. Poteat, 28, a G. I. farm
trainee, was drowned Sunday after
noon about 12:30 in Lake James
when his fishing boat capsized due
to gusty winds.
Sheriff C. M. Pool said Poteat was
fishing with Dallas Owens, Poteat's
brothex--in-Iaw, and Raymond Smith
near Conley's Mill, about a milk
from the C. C. & O. railway bridge
when the accident occurred.
Sheriff Pool said Owens and
Smith were rescued by Oren Dilling
ger, who brought a motorboat to the
scene when he heard cries for help.
Poteat's body was recovered Mon
day shortly before noon. Coroner S.
J. Westmoreland termed the death
accidental.
Funeral services were held Tues
day at 3 p. m. in Chapel Hill Baptist
chm*ch with Rev. Mr. Huff officiat
ing and Rev. R. M. Williams assist
ing. Burial was in Hoover cemetery.
Surviving are the widow, Mrs.
Dorothy Effler Poteat, and an infant
son, Dennis David; the parents, Mr.
and Mrs. G. Posey Poteat; eight sis
ters and nine brothers, Betty and
Minnie Poteat, Thomas, J. Cephus,
J. Morphew, J. LaFayette, Charlie,
I and G. P. Poteat, Jr., Mrs. Dallas
Owens, Mrs. John Duncan, Mrs. Ja
mes Condrey, and Mrs. E. C. Huff
man, all of Marion and vicinity, Miss
Dorothy Poteat of Cleveland, Tenn.,
Albert Poteat of Washington, D. C.,
Mrs. Arrie Hewitt of Bridgewr.cer,
and Frank Poteat of Spindale.
Baby Sitters
For P T A
A movie is planned for the en
tainment of kiddies during the PTA
meeting to be held in the Marion
high school -auditorium on Tuesday
evening, May 3, at 8 o'clock. This
project of the attendance commit
tee is planned in the interest of
bigger crowds at PTA meetings, and
it is hoped that parents will avail
themselves of this solution to the
baby-sitting problem.
Legislature Adjourns
After Enacting More
Than 1,300 New Laws
WBRM Goes On The
Air Monday, May 9
Radio Station WBRM will begin
regular broadcasting on Monday,
May 9 at 6:00 A. M. All the equip
ment is now here and installation
will be completed this week, accord
ing to John Randolph, chief engin
eer. Erection of the 210 foot tower
has been completed, and the trans
mitting equipment is now being
tuped up for equipment tests which
will be conducted Monday morning,
May 2, at 1:00 a. m. The transmit
ter building and tower is located on
the Roy Curtis Dairy farm on old
No. 10 highway to Asheville.
The new studio equipment was in
stalled this week in the studios and
offices in the Lonon building and
will be ready for the equipment
tests next Monday.
WBRM will operate on a fre
quency of 1250 kilocycles.
Mrs. R. H. Holler
Claimed By Death
Mrs. Junie Isabell Holler, 71, wife
of Robert H. Holler of Conover,
Route 2, died in a hospital at New
ton Monday night after an illness
of two weeks. Funeral services were
held at St. Timothy Lutheran church
near Hickory Wednesday afternoon
at 2 o'clock.
Surviving are the husband, two
sons, C. O. Holler of Marion and
Robert Holler of Erwin, Tenn., three
3isters and one grandchild.
11 Candidates
Seeking Posts
On Town Board
TOWN ELECTION no head
The biennial town election to
choose a mayor and five aldermen
for two-year terms will be held at
the court house in Marion next Mon
day.
There are eleven candidates for
the five seats on the hoard of alder
men. Mayor J. W. Streetman, Jr.,
who is seeking re-election for a
third term, however, has no oppo
sition.
The contest for aldermen lies be
tween the three incumbents and
eight other candidates. Those in the
race are: D, Pat Davis, C. Frank
Goldsmith and Edward H. Rowe, in
cumbents; Clinton H. Norris, Otis L.
Broyhill, M. W. Gordon, Joseph L.
(Continued on last page)
Marion PTA Meeting
Tuesday Night, May 3
The monthly meeting of Marion
Central PTA <m May 3 will be the
last meeting of the school year. The
program will feature a report of the
year's work by the out-going presi
dent, Mrs. Sam Yancey and the in
stallation of the newly-elected pf
ficers of the organization for the
coming year. These officers are:
Mrs. S. W. Blanton, president, Mrs.
Eugene Cross, Jr., vice president,
Mrs. John Setzer, secretary, and
Mrs. Wayne Suttle, treasurer.
The meeting will take place at 8
o'clock in the high school audi
torium.
Singing Convention
The First Sunday singing conven
tion at Bethel Methodist church,
four miles south of Old Fort, will
be held next Sunday at 2 o'clock.
All singers are invited to attend.
Raleigh, April 23.—The 194^
General Assembly completed it»
work Jate today after 94 days of de
liberations. It was the fourth-long
est session in state history.
The legislature, whose aelibera
tions were marked by frequent dis
agreements among themselves and
with Governor Scott, wrote more*
than 1,300 new laws on the books.
Most of these were local meas
ures applying only to a single coun
ty or city, but many of them were
statewide and will affect every per
son in the state.
Although the General Assembly
did not do as much for school teach
ers as the House and Governor'
Scctt wanted, it authorized the
spending of more money than anjr
legislature in history. <
The lawmakers made direct ap
propriations totaling more than,
$500,000,000, and they authorized
elections on issuing some $250,000,—
000 in bonds for building rural,
roads and to help counties in build
ing schools.
To meet these appropriations the
legislature authorized spending of
more than $120,000,000 in surplus^
funds and all the revenues the State*
expects to collect in the next bien
nium. Legislature leaders said that
even so, the budget was out of bal
ance by more than $5,000,000.
Although Governor Scott said th»
spending program should be met by"
increased taxes, no new taxes were*
levied except for the contingent
boost in the gasoline levy.
As a matter of fact the bienniat
revenue measure called for a re~
duction in taxes of about $1,000,000
a year. Legislation to remove the^
sales tax from meals served in res
taurants, which would have cost?
the State about $3,000,000 a year"
was defeated.
The biennial appropriations bilL
which was passed on the last day of"
the session, calls for spending a re
cord $427,000,000 to operate State*
agencies, institutions and public^
schools during the next biennium.
This would provide a 20 per cent
pay increase for State workers ancL
about 28 per cent for school teach
ers.
One of the bitterest legislative
battles was waged over Governor
(Continued on page 6)
Highlights Year s Work Marion
P.-T.A. In Window Display
A record year of achievement in
PTA work by the Marion Central
School Organization is represented
visibly in a window display current
ly to be seen in Gordon's Furniture
Store. This exhibit of the outstand
ing projects and accomplishments
of the PTA this year points out the
fact that $1033.00 has been raised
and is being spent for the benefit
of the school, not counting money
raised by Room Representatives,
which, altogether, would total a
round $300.00.
Work is still going forward, so
any report at this time is incomplete,
but the window display points up
the following as highlights of the
year's v rk up to the present time:
A cake was given as door prize at
each PTA meeting. A "Suggestion
Box" was provided. Room represen
tatives Organization formed.
Achieved a paid-up membership of
300. Primary typewriter given by
room representatives of Primary
grades. A mix-master was purchas
ed for the Home Economics depart
ment. School amplifyer repaired at
a cost of $20.00. Slip-covers in
teachers' room were cleaned. A cen
tral clock was placed in Elementary
building.
Hallowe'en Carnival brought
$642.87 into PTA treasury. $30.00
was given each elementary teacher*
for room needs. Fathers were in
cluded in Room Representatives Or
ganization. Two radio programs
given over WBBO. Attendance afc
PTA meetings increased. Movies en
tertained kiddies during PTA meet
ings. PTA worked for school legis
lation. Parents helped with parties
at Hallowe'en, Christmas, Valen
tine, and Easter. A piano was given
the Music department. High School
parties in the Gym provided by
room representatives.
$83.50 raised with a card tourna
ment. PTA scrapbook kept. Fought
"The Smell". (Elementary SchooL
wash rooms.) Equipped a First-AidL
room. Worked on draperies and pro
vided black-out curtains for audi
t o r i u m. Organized Community
council. "Womanless Fashion Re
view" cleared $189.00. Decorated
for Classroom Teacher's Banquet.
CONGREGATIONAL MEET
SET FOR NEXT SUNDAY
There will be a congregational
meeting at the close of the morning
service at the First Presbyterian
church next Sunday to consider the
possibility of employing a religions
educational worker for the summer.