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, MAY 19, 1949 VOLUME 53—No. 44
GLENWOOD COMMENCEMENT
TO BE HELD MAY 22-24
Glenwood High School Com
mencement cxercises will begin with
the Baccalaureate sermon on Sun
day, May 22, and final exercises
will be held at 8 p. m., Tuesday, May
24.
The baccalaureate sermon will
be delivered by Rev. George H.
Needham, of Kona, former pastor
of Glenwood Methodist church, in
a service beginning at 3 p. m., Sun
day.
Graduating exercises will begin at
8 p. m., May 24. Student speakers
will be Willette Holland, Laura Ann
Greene, Ann Simmons, Bonnie Jean
Eplee, Jimmy Wise, Helen Thomp
son, Ruby Holland,.
Honor graduates this year are:
Ruby Holland, valedictorian, with
an average of 94.9, and Willette
Holland, 91.3. Helen Thompson re
ceived honorable mention.
Graduates this year are: Dorothy
Burbon, Bonnie Jean Eplee, Edith
(Continued on last page)
Pleasant Gardens
k
Graduation
Events This Week
Commencement exercises began
Sunday at Pleasant Gardens School
with a baccalaureate sermon by Rev.
Carson Brittain. Musical selections
were presented by the Junior and
Senior Glee Clubs.
Tuesday night the Primary Rhy
thm band was featured in a program
under the direction of Shelby Jean
Eckenrod.
A music recital will be given at 8
p. m., Thursday and final exercises
will be held at 8 p. m., Friday.
DIH NAMED
FOR ALL-STAR GAME
- OF NEXT AUGUST
Coach Art Ditt has been named
one of the coaches for an all-star
game to be sponsored by the Greens
boro Daily News and the North Car
olina Coaches association on August
12. The game will be held in Greens
boro following the basketball and
baseball clinics. Other coaches are
George Heckman of Graham and
Bob Jamieson of Greensboro.
The clinic will feature coaches
Ed Hickory of St. Louis and Henry
Frank and Jack Boltt of Tulane
and Michigan Universities respect
ively.
Ditt's record for bowl and all
star coaching began when he was
picked one of the North Carolina
(Continued or last page)
Mrs. Blanton s
Funeral Rites
To Be Today
Mrs. Minnie Blanton widow of
the late Mr. William Pinkney Blan
ton died Wednesday morning at her
home on West Fort street, Marion
after an illness of several months.
Funeral services will be conducted
from the First Methodist church at
3 p. m. Thursday by Rev. James Me
larty, pastor; Rev. John Hoyle, Dis
trict superintendent, and Dr. Carl
McMurray, pastor of the First Pres
byterian church.
Mrs. Blanton is survived by three
daughters, Miss Annie Laurie Blan
ton, Mrs. R. J. Noyes and Mrs.
Ralph Alexander of Marion; one
json, Mr. William Blanton of Char
lotte; one brother, W. W. Neal of
Marion; one granddaughter, six
Evans, Laura Ann Greene, Ruby
Holland, Willette Holland, Jean
ette Lawing, Anna Belle Ledford,
Minnie Lewis, Sarah Jane Marlow.
Fay Marlowe, Florence Ledford
Poteat, Annie Ray, Ruby Shell,
(Continued on last page)
COMMENCEMENT
AT NORTH COVE
SCHOOL THIS WEEK
Commencement exercises opened
at North Cove School last Sunday
with a baccalaureate sermon by Dr.
Carl W. McMurray, pastor of the
First Presbyterian church.
Final exercises will be held at
eight o'clock, Friday evening.
MEMORIAL DAY
AT MACEDONIA
NEXT SUNDAY
The annual Memorial Day service
will be held at The Macadonia Bap
tist Church Sunday, May 22. The
service will begin at ten o'clock and
continue throughout the day, a pic
nic lunch being served at 12 o'clock.
The evening service will be devoted
to singers from McDowell county,
and surrounding counties. Every
one with musical ability is invited
to take part in this service.
REA Announces $460,000
Burke-McDowell Plans
Walker Rites
Held Tuesday
Fuller Spurgeon Walker, 73,
resident of Marion and Hildebran,
died at the home of a son, Lonnie
Walker, Hildebran, Sunday morn
ing after a brief illness.
Funeral services were conducted
in Dysartsville Baptist church
Tuesday at 2 p. m. by the pastor,
the Rev. Mr. Pruett, assisted by Dr.
B. F Bray of Marion. Burial was in
the church cemetery.
He is survived by the widow,
Mrs. Julia Rogan Walker; one son
and two daughters, Lonnie R. Wal
ker and Mrs. G. S. Jones of Hilde
bran and Mrs. Charles A McMahan
of Marion; six grandchildren; four
brothers and one sister, I. Walker,
and Troy Walker of Spindale, Roy
and J. B. Walker of Marion and
Mrs. William E. Cooper of Forest
City.
Morganton—The Rural Electrifi
cation Administration announced
last week a $464),0*0® loan to the
Burke-McDowell Electric Member
ship Corporation of Morganton, ac
cording to a dispatch from Associ
ated Press.
At the time this loan was approv
ed by the State REA, Manager Lee
Hatley of the B'urke-McDowell cor-,
poration said the money Would J>e
used to build 200 miles of addition
al lines, reaching approximately 900
more consumers.
The major part of the Work is to
be carried out in Burke County, but
service will also be improved and
extended1 in Avery, Caldwell, Mc
Dowell and Rutherford, according
to President W. R. Mullis.
With this loan, virtually every
famliy in the area served that wishes
electric service can obtain it, Hat
ley said.
First judges of the Superior Couft
in North Carolina were John Wil
liams, Samuel Ashe and! Samuel
Spencer.
NEW PITCHER
FOR MARAUDERS
J. C. Rabb, business man
ager for the Marauders,
stated after the game Tues
day night that an additional
pitcher had been signed.
According to Mr. Rabb,
Lefty Williams, previously
enrolled at Lenoir-Rhyne
College and a class man of
more than three years ex
perience, will begin work
with the Marauders tonight.
McDowell County
Board Of Health
To Be Established
At a special meeting of the Board
of County Commissioners held last
Tuesday evening, the Board unani
mously ordered that McDowell coun
ty withdraw from the District Board
(Continued on last page)
Elliott Named Director
For Better Schools, Roads
— ■
NEBO HIGH
COMMENCEMENT
FRIDAY NIGHT
Rev. M. 0. Owens, pastor First
Baptist church, delivered the Bacca
laureate sermon at Nebo High
School last Sunday and Senior Class
Night was observed Wednesday.
The Graduation Exercises will be
held Friday, May 20 at 8 p. m. The
Literary Address will be made by
E. C. Carnes, Marion attorney, in
the school auditorium.
There will be 11 graduates: Bet
ty Craig. Donald Wells, Hunter
Ballew, I.awrence Berryhill, Jack
Dobson, Donald Farr, Estene Jar
rett, Jean Stacey, Leo Watson,
Freida Fender and Wayne Mundy.
W. P. Elliott has been appointed
a director by the Executive .Com
mittee of Better Schools and Roads,
Inc., according to announcement
this week by Governor Kei-r Scott.
Elliott is serving as County Chair
man of McDowell county to organize
for the Election on June 4 and has
selected J. Harvey Greenlee of Tur
key Cove, his co-chairman.
The following have been named
committeemen in their respective
sections:
Madison Hensley, Noi'th Cove;
Dock Good, Sevier; John Burnette,
Hankins; Marion Padgett, Cross
Mill; John Buckner, Clinchfield;
Bill Biggerstaff, Dysartsville; John
Simpson, Higgins, Dallas Rowe, Ne
bo; Howard Harris, Marion; Grady
Walker, Glen wood; Joe Laughridge,
Chapel Hill, and Frank Pyatt, West
Marion.
Annual Horse Show
Held Last Week
Two trophies were awarded at the
Third Annual Horse Show sponsor
ed by the Francis Marion club here
last Friday and Saturday, in addi
tion to $2,500 in cash prizes.
Winners of the trophies were:
Delightful Lady, owned by Bar
bara Ford, and riden by Barbara
Ford, first place in the Amateur
Five Gaited class.
Naughty But Nice, owned by W.
Lee Gettys, riden by Evelyn Gettys,
winner of the Amateur Three Gaited
class.
Kalarama Ink Spot, owned by
Mrs. Eugene Cross, Jr., and riden
by Mrs. Eugene Cross, Jr., winner of
Amateur Fine Harness.
Time Record, owned by W. J.
French, riden by W. J. French win
ner Amateur Walking Horses.
Miss Larkin, owned by Mary Jo
Cloniger, riden by Mary Jo Cloni
ger, winner Three Gaited Pony
Championship Stake.
Frances Long, first place Equita
tionship, and first place Junior
Equitation.
Virginia McBee, first place Sen
ior Equitation'.
Little Deacon, owned and riden
by Elizabeth Cross, winner Five
Gaited Ponies.
St. Patrick, owned and riden by
Elizabeth Cross, Winner Pleasure
Ponies.
WINNER LIST
The complete list of winners fol
lows with the name of the horse
first, owner second, and rider third:
Five Gaited Championship Stake:
Hazel Lee Peavine, Mrs. E. B. Mor
gan, E. G. Giimore; Mighty McAr
thur, C. R. Segars, Jack Boyd; Maid
o' Cotton, Mary Jo Cloniger, Miles
Wright; Biltmore Gay Intruder, Tru
leek and Reaben, Ed Crenshaw; Solid
Genius, Dick Mauney, Dick Mauney;
Ace of Fairview, C. L. Whisenant,
Rex Watts; Frosty Morning, John
Neamond, Torrence Connell.
Amateur Five Gaited: Delightful
Lady, Barbara Ford, Barbara Ford;
Bit-O-Honey, Evelyn Gettys, Evelyn
Gettys; Hazel Lee Peavine, Mrs. E.
B. Morgan, Mrs. E. B. Morgan; Pea
vine's Breeze, Katherine Segars, Ka
therine Segars; Solid Genius, Dick
Mauney, Dick Mauney; Dictator's
Choice, Connell Stables, Frances
King.
Ladies Five Gaited: Edna Rhy
thm, Ray Morris, Mary Jo Cloniger;
Bit-O-Honey, Evelyn Gettys, Evelyn
Gettys; Delightful Lady, Barbara
Ford, Barbara Ford; Peavine's
Breeze, Katherine Segars, Kather
ine Segars.
Five Gaited Mares: Sensational
Debutante, J. W. Hamer, Jack Boyd;
Maid 0' Cotton, Mary Jo Cloniger,
Miles Wright; Edna Rhythm,- Ray'
Morris, Jack Morris.
Five Gaited Stallions' and' Geld
ings: Mighty Mc Arthur, C. R. Se
gars, Jack Boyd; Ace of Fairview,
C. L. Whisenant, Rex Watts; Fros
ty Morning, Connell Stables, Tor
rence Connell.
Junior Five Gaited: My Own
Sweetheart, Fryant Farms, Jack
Boyd; Song Bleu, L. W. Driscoll, E.
G. Gilmore; Sweet and Lovely, G.
S. Patton, Beck Moehlman; Charm
ing Genius, Billy Franks, Billy
Franks.
Three Gaited Championship Stake:
Marilyn Hill, Clarence Ross, Red
Eeagle; Irish Rex, J. H. Saylors,
Jack Boyd; Naughty But Nice, W.
Lee Gettys, Evelyn Gettys; Revet'ie
(Continued on last page)
EAGLE SCOUT
BADGE AWARDED
TO J. D. AYERS *
James Dennis Ayers, troop 4, Ma
rion, received his Eagle Scout badge
at the McDowell County Boy Scout
Court of Honor held Friday night
at the First Methodist church. He is
the son of Mr. and Mrs. D. S. Ayers
of Cross Mill.
Jack Murray, troop 4, Marion,
was recommended for the Bronze
Eagle Scout rank and Robert Wood
(Continued on last page)
Mary Allan Poteat
Injured In Accident
Mary Allan Poteat, who was in
jured in a bicycle accident last week
has returned to her home and was
reported improving yesterday.
Mary Allan, daughter of Mrs.
John A. Poteat, suffered a concus
sion when she lost control of her
bicycle and was thrown to the 'pave
ment. She was a patient in the Ma
rion General Hospital until last Sun
day when she returned to her home
on Rutherford road- The accident
occurred Monday of last week.
First Comptroller of the State of
North Carolina was John Craven.
Contracts Awarded
For Construction
Of A New Theatre
LEVI HENSLEY
FATALLY INJURED
IN AUTO ACCIDENT
Funeral services were conducted
at Bethlehem Baptist church Sun
day for Levi Hen^ley who was fa
tally injured in ,an automobile ac
cident about five o'clock, Friday af
ternoon, on Highway 221, about 20
j miles north of Marion. Rev. Gordon
i Wilson, Rev. J. L. Henson and Rev.
| J. R. Surratt officiated.
1 Patrolman J. T. Jolly, who in-1
! vestigated, said he was informed
i that Hensley was driving a truck
I owned by Chesley Cannon and that
j (Continued on last page)
ALDERMEN
SWORN IN
LAST THURSDAY
I
Members of the Board of Alder
j men and J. W. Streetman, Jr., May
I or, were sworn into office for a
J term of two years at a special meet
j ing held Thursday evening in the
| city hall. The oath of office was ad
| ministered by S. Dysart Martin,
i clerk of superior eourt,
j Appointments were made as fol
t lows:
| C. Frank Goldsmith and D, Pat
i Davis, pro tem,
j Street committee i Joseph L. Noy
I es, D. Pat Davis and M. W. Gordon.
| Building committee: Frank Gold
j smith, J. W. Streetman, Jr., and M.
i W. Gordon.
i M. W. Gordon, treasurer; B. B.
Byrd, city clerk and tax collector;
!Jack Brown, water and street su
perintendent; R. W. Proctor, attorn
i ey.
! Mayor Streetman expressed his
appreciation to the retiring Board
j for its cooperation and especially
' commended W. S. Shiflet. In part
i he said: "the Town of Marion owes
!you a vote of thanks for your un
tiring efforts, your ability, your
knowledge, your brain."
Miss Steele To Speak
At State Conference
I Miss Jean Steele, county home
i demonstration agent, has accepted
an invitation from Miss Ruth Cur
jrent, state home demonstration ag
jent, to speak at the Annual Agents
■ Conference" to' be held in Raleigh,
!June 13.
1 Miss Steele will use as her subject,
; "Through My Office I Extend Ex
; tension."
Contracts for the construction of
a new theatre were let Monday by
the Marion Amusement company
and construction will begin within,
the next two weeks, Ernie House,
treasurer and general manager, said
Tuesday.
The contracts let -tfere as follows:
Dale Construction company of Mor~
ganton, general contractor; \V. HL
Johnson, Hickory, electrical con
tractor; Kirksey and Company,
Morganton, plumbing; Estes Plum
ing and Heating company, Morgan
ton, heating contractor.
The brick building, 60x125 feet,
will be erected on the corner of
East Court and North Garden
streets, opposite Sain-Brooks Mot
or company. The auditorium will
be approximately 60x95 feet.
The building is designed "with a
stainless steel canopy and mo-sai,
stone tower.
MARION HIGH
BAND CONCERT
NEXT WEDNESDAY
Eight members will be playing
their last concert with the high,
school band on Wednesday, May
25, Of the eight musicians, Dean
Seagle leads the list with a recordj^
of having been in the band every
year since the 1941-42 school term.
John Laughridge also is a member
of long standing. Other genio\*s who
h^ve played from one to four years
with the band are: Audrey Koon,
Charlene Arrowood, Betty Jo Sen
telle, Mary Belle Grayson, Dean
Morgan and Bobby Curtis. i
The concert planned for Wednes
day has a nice balance of classical,
semi-classical and standard popu
lar compositions.
The complete program is as fol
lows:
Knightsbridge March—Eric Coat
es; Spring Madrigal—Skornicks and
Koebner; Odiental Suits—Robert;
W. Gibbs; Symphony in B Flat
(Five Movement)—Paul Fauchet;
His Honor March—Fillmore; Sum
mer evening Serenade—Isaac and
Lillys; Promenade—LeRoy Ander
son ; Clarinet Polka—Arranged by
David Bennett; Sometimes I'm Hap
py—Youmans; Star Dust—Hoagy
Carmichael. j
Concert time has been set back
to 8:15 to make it more conven
ient for Wednesday night church
goers to attend the concert too.
The fifty-five piece band includ
es the following students:
Flutes: Hilda Goodman, Janelle
Harrison, Polly Atkins.
Oboes: Harry McCall, Margaret
(Continued on last page)
Youth Dies, Man Hurt
In Train-Truck Accident
»
Pyatt Rites
Mid Tuesday
Walter Martin Pyatt, 63, died at
the residence on Nebo, Route 2,
Monday morning.
Funeral services were in Nebo,
Methodist church at 4:30 p. m.
Tuesday by the Rev. H. R. Cornel
ious. Burial was in Nebo cemetery.
He is survived by the widow,
Mrs. Annie Massey Pyatt; five sons
and one daughter, Glenn Pyatt of
Salisbury, Raymond Pyatt of Glen
wood, Robert Pyatt of Pensacola,
Fla., Herman and Everett- Pyatt of
Nebo and Mrs. W. H. Condrey of
East Marion; 11 grandchildren; one
brother and one sister, John D. Py
att, of Nebo and Mrs. Jane Gibbs,
of Washington, D. C.
Invest in U. S. Savings Bonds.
Death of a 19-year-old Bostic
youth and injury to a Marion resi
dent resulted when a Diesel freight
engine struck the truck in which
they were riding Wednesday even
ing, May 11, about two miles south,
of here.
Harry Brown was the fatality
and Roy Harrill of Marion, partner
in Harrill Brothers Candy Company
and said by officers to have been
driver of the truck, injured in the
accident, was dismissed from Mar
ion General Hospital. He suffered,
shock.
Sheriff C. M. Pool said the train,
was traveling south when the truck
attempted to cross the tracks. The '
vehicle was demolished and Brown's
body was thrown about 50 feet from
the point of impact, according t»
the sheriff. He died soon after in a.
hospital.
The accident occurred at approx
imately 6:30 p. m.
Brown, graduated last year from
Forest City High School, was th&
son of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Brown.