Newspapers / The Franklin Press and … / March 17, 1955, edition 1 / Page 2
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C kt fflmnklin IfirtM unit Cite J&nrxmmn Entered at Post Office. Franklin, N. C.. m second class matter Published every Thursday by The Franklin Press Franklin. N. O. Telephone 24 WKZMAB JONES .... BOB 8. SLOAN J. P. BRADY MBS. EDWARD CRAWFORD . CARL P. C ABE PRANK A. 8TARRETTE . . DAVID H. SUTTON . . . , CHARLES B. WfU'lTlNOTON . Editor Business Manager News Edltcr . . . Office Manager Mechanical Superintendent . Shop Superintendent Stereotype* risMmsn SUBSCRIPTION BATES .... i tamtam Macon Oouwtt On* Tor *3 00 ?U Moctta 1.75 Itm Month* 1.00 oni?r . .*ajo 81* Month* Three Month! >-M MARCH 17, 1955 Cause For Pride i Here's a statistic the people of Macon County can be proud of. Figures compiled by County Supt. Holland Mc Swain show this county has spent more than $900, 000 in the past eight years for new school facilities. The total does not include the half million provided by the state ; $900,000 has been spent out of county funds. That figures out $54 for every man, woman, and child in the county. Highlands' Hospital Whether a 40-cent Highlands township tax levy is the best method of supporting the Highlands Community Hospital is of course a matter for the people of the township to decide. There probably is no exaggeration, though, in the remark of the institution's board of trustees that the hospital is "an absolute necessity" for the community, and The Press offers congratulations on the community's evident determination to keep it in operation. But no matter how necessary the hospital may be. Representative G. L. Houk is 100 per cent right in refusing to levy a tax by legislative order ? in insisting that a tax be levied only after it has been approved by the voters of the township. Happy Birthday! The American Legion, organized March 15-17, 1919, this week is celebrating its 36th birthday. I Most national organizations do their best work on the local, rather than the national, level, and we think the Legion is no exception. We take this birthday occasion, therefore, to salute Macon Post No. 108, also organized in 1919. It has been a powerful force for good in this community, and The Press wishes it many more years of usefulness. Traffic And Courtesy Most traffic regulations are simply the ordinary code of courtesy, of consideration for the other fel low, translated into rules of the road for this motor age. We drive, for example, on the right side of the highway, instead of in the middle, so the other fel low, coming from the opposite direction, can get by. How much courtesy influences our actions is illustrated by the way, when two vehicles meet on a one-way section of a road, both drivers usually are quite willing to back up to let the other fellow pass. Another illustration: In dozens of cities, traf fic accidents have been greatly reduced by "cour tesy campaigns". Furthermore, without this ordi nary sense of courtesy that guides most of us, all the officers in the world could not enforce traffic laws. It follows, it seems to us, that the best way to get the traffic laws observed is for traffic officers them selves to display courtesy. (That is particularly true here in Macon County, because probably at no spot on earth is there more innate courtesy than right here.) Kven when an arrest is necessary ? and for minor infractions, a courteous warning often is more effective ? there is no need for discourtesy. For after all, most traffic law violators are not criminals, but citizens ? the people who own this government. That is a fact traffic officers seem to remember, generally ; but it is one they should never permit themselves to forget, even for an in stant. / ? Letters THE RED CROSS Editor, The Press: This is the month when each citizen of Macon County is asked to make a contribution to the Red Cross. To the often asked question, "Why give to the Red Cross?", we would like to take this opportunity to give some of the answers. If a man in service has to be reached In an emergency by his home folk, or if those at home have to be reached, the Red Cross is the only agency for such contact recognized by the Defense Department. These contacts are made without charge either to the boy or to the family. The money for these calls comes from what you and others give in the an nual campaign. Also the Red Cross has been able to find the addresses of many servicemen when their parents have lost contact. In the event that a serviceman, for some good reason, has spent all of his money and is sent overseas, leaving his wife and children at a camp town without sufficient funds to re turn home, the Red Cross will aid them with a ^oan or give a grant of money If the circumstances warrant It. Recently a family came to our local chapter to say that a mother had suffered a stroke and her life expectancy was only hours. The son was at Fort Sheridan, near Chicago, pos sibly without money. Our chapter wired for him and asked the chapter there to advance him $100 for the trip home. Within a few hours, the son was on his way. Often when a home burns, the Red Cross is the clearing house for assistance to the unfortunate family. It is the policy of the Red Cross to give to needy victims of a burn-out. Many families have been able to enjoy the skills of a train ed person In time of sickness as a result of the Red Cross home nursing classes. likewise the Red Cross has presented courses In first aid and water safety throughout our nation. Though these may appear small, yet when a human life Is at stake, they can be exceedingly large contributions. Countless lives have been saved also as a result of the Red Cross blood bank and its ready supply of blood. The National Red Cross in the past has aided disaster vic tims all over the nation. Contributions received in Macon county last year aided the victims of Hurricane Hazel. For tunately we have not suffered a disaster in our county, but if we should, the Red Cross stands ready with trained per sonnel to come to our aid. Internationally, the Red Cross has served us by keeping in touch with American boys interned as prisoners of war. Let us hope today that the Chinese are allowing the Red Cross to minister to the needs of our eleven fliers. Again and again the criticism is leveled at the Red Cross that too much money is spent on personnel. To a business man, this is no criticism; for it is a fact that the only way to get the type people you wish to employ is to offer them at least as good salaries as they would receive in other fields. When a person Is trained to do a certain job, the question Is not if someone else can be found for less, but what does it take to get the person who can do the job. Z. WEAVER SHOPE, Chairman, Macon County Chapter, American Red Cross. Franklin. Freedom ? no word was ever spoken that has held out greater hope, demanded greater sacrifice, needed more to be nurtured, blessed more the giver, damned more its destroyer, or come closer to being God's will on earth.? General Omar Others' Opinions CHANCES OF ERROR (Sunshine Magazine) The editor of a small town weekly was severely criticized be cause of an error appearing in his paper, and in the next issue he had this to say about it: "Yes, we know there were some errors in last week's paper. We will further agree that there were some errors in the issue of the week before, but before bawling us out too unmercifully about it, we want to call your attention to these facts: In an ordinary newspaper column there are 10,000 letters, and there are seven possible wrong positions for each letter, making 70,000 chances' to make errors and several million chances for transpositions. There are 48 columns in this paper, so you can readily see the chances for mistakes. Did know that in the sentence, 'To be or not to be,' by transpo. .ons alone, 2,759,022 errors can be made? Now aren't you sorry you got mad about that little mistake last week?" UPBUILDING GOES APACE (Asheville Citizen) Macon County is dedicating a new health center tomorrow on a site in Franklin donated by Dr. Edgar Angel. The center is the first of its kind built (It has been in operation since October) in the Jackson-Macon-Swain district. North Carolina ? and the mountain region in particular? cannot overbuild itself with facilities of this kind. It is increas ingly evident that the wealth of a great State is in large part the healthy well-being of its people. Hence the remarkable pro gram of the Medical Care Commission which has given North Carolina in the last nine years 192 construction projects provid ing 4,675 new hospital beds, 57 health centers, 37 nurses' resi v dences and nine State-owned hospital projects costing in all $77 million. This is money well spent. Surely it has been well spent at Franklin where private individuals, the county, the State and Bt CAREFUL yiXXH FIRE \ Keep OUR STATt A GRCEN the Federal government have worked together to give the , medical district a $30,000 up-to-date center and clinic. 1 The Citizen congratulates neighbor Macon and bustling Frank lin, which also Is planning a $51,000 new municipal building and has a $270,000 school improvement program under way. The upbuilding of Western North Carolina continues apace. NEED FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM (Durham Morning Herald) Governor Hodges' current interest in the Highway Commis sion and its present relationship to State government, and his apparent conviction that there ought to be some changes made, remind us that there are some other changes of a more fundamental nature to which the people of North Carolina ought to be giving some thought. We are not thinking here of the surface Improvements rec ommended by various commissions to study the reorganization to the State government, but of a thoroughgoing readjustment of basic state functions which could come about through a revision of the State Constitution. North Carolina Is a conspicuous example of a State govern ment which has missed the advantages of the balance of powers provided for in the Constitution of the United States. While we revere the United States Constitution, we have never seen fit to extend some of its basic and most valued provis ions to the State of North Carolina. The Governor of North Carolina is unique in that he has no veto over the acts of the legislature. This, of course, goes back to the fear in North Carolina of executive power which grew out of the abuse of such power by colonial governors. North Carolina sought to avoid that by refusing to extend to its governor the power that a chief executive of a State should have and at the same time it laid the groundwork for great legislative power Un checked by anybody or by any office, all the more dangerous when there is the disposition to use it in secret;.. Basic reforms are needed in the governmental machinery of North Carolina. There must be some check upon the legis lature; it should not have absolute power as it now has. The most obvious check is the veto power by the governor. The governor should be given that power. Also we should consider whether or not the prohibition against the governor succeed ing himself should be removed. It is of course unlikely that the General Assembly will be brought to approve and pass on to the people constitutional amendments which would bring about these reforms until there is first a concerted and wide-spread demand by the people. North Carolinians should begin thinking about the need for these reforms and the consequent need to interest legislative candidates in them. STRICTLY PERSONAL By WEIMAR JONES Why Is there such whole hearted cooperation, by nearly everybody, In preparation for Franklin's centennial celebra tion? Specifically, why is almost every man above the age of 16 so willingly cooperating with the centennial "law" that all males must exhibit whiskers ? full, chin, upper lip, or side? The obvious first answer, of course, is that the centennial has caught the imagination of people here; and that, besides, most people here are public spirited, and want to cooperate with any community undertak ing. That's all true. But the beard phase of the cooperation has another and deeper explanation, according to the owner of one luxuriant set of whiskers. "At some time in his life, every man has wanted to grow a beard", suggests Ted Reber. "He hasn't, though, because of social pressure. There is strong pressure on all of us to con form to a pattern, and in this age it is a beardless pattern. We can't have beards without being different, conspicuous. "The centennial offers us men the opportunity to indulge this long-suppressed desire to grow whiskers. Everybody Is doing it, so we can, too. The Inhibition Is off ? and the beards are on!" To all of which my only com ment Is: Life is funny; for just think of the thousands of years that men tried to sharpen first flints, and then steel ? to rid themselves of the very thing we here today are cultivating so carefully and with such pride! When I was down state the other day, I noted something I often have remarked before: Most of the people lfi Piedmont Carolina seem to have more money than they know what to do with. Most of them appear to be able to buy any and everything they want. And what Impresses me most, I be lieve, Is they don't seem to have to calculate about whether they can afford It. Money down there may not grow on trees; but It grows on something. I'd like to have a bit more of It. There are a lot of things I'd like to buy that I can't. I Imagine ? I've never been able to try It! ? it would be pleas ant just to say: "Yes, I like that. I'll take it" ? and not even ask the price till It's wrapped up. I suspect, though, I'm saved some grief by not having more money than I know what to do with. I suspect (and again, I don't know; because I've never had the chance to try it!) It carries with it a serious dang er. When people get In the habit of buying any and everything they want, they are likely to get the Idea there Is nothing they can't buy with money. And from that assumption they are likely to g6 on to the next one ? that if a thing can't be bought with money, It has no value. That, perhaps, is the reason a lot of the people who have a lot of money seem so bored with life. It may be they are missing the values that aren't for sale, have forgotten that such values even exist. ' News Making As It Looks To A Maconite ? By BOB 8L0AH FAITH ? Faith Is sometimes defined as the substance of things hoped for; the evidence 3f things not seen, it Is, also, the one thing, more than any other, that has made the civili zation of today possible; yet, it Is the trait most needed by mankind today. There are countless examples of the way faith makes our way of life today possible. In the economic world, millions of dollars worth of goods are ex changed on the written signa tures of individuals. Each day thousands of Americans pay water and light bills for which they accept the charge as being correct on the basis of what the man who read the meter reported. Few of us question the charge that a postal clerk tells us it is necessary to send a package to New York or Chi cago. In the social world we place our children In the hands of a school teacher for many hours each day and commit many other acts which are ex amples of faith In our fellow men. Yet faith Is the most needed trait for the 1 future of the world. Complete faith In our fellow man Is, perhaps, the only answer to those who hope for permanent world peace ? and don't we all. Faith In each oth er would enable newsmen and government office holders to exchange news more freely. Faith In the future, by Macon County Commissioners In the past, would have allowed Ma con County to have sorely need ed public buildings which we don't have. ' What can we do to foster the growth of this thing which is so essential to the growth of mankind? Here are three sug gestions: 1. If man is to be a reason ing being, questions will occur to him. If this is accepted, then man can not have faith for long without knowledge. So complete and accurate informa tion concerning the world about us and our fellowman is most essential for lasting faith. The best means of obtaining this is a matter for debate, but man must have knowledge of his fel lowman if he is to have faith in him. 2. Tolerance and less criticism of our fellowman will help to give us confidence in our fel lowman as well as ourselves. Some people today are so crit ical of their fellowman that I don't see how they trust them ? Continued on Back Page Do You Remember? (Looking backward through the files of The Preat) 50 TEARS AGO THIS WEEK The Board of Education elected by the Legislature for Macon County is composed of J. A. Deal, J. Parker Moore, and J. S. Sloan. F. S. Johnston and J. R. Mor rison returned from Raleigh Wednesday. George T. Bryson has bought the Bartlett house on West Main Street that was sold Mon day, March 6, at public sale. 25 YEARS AGO "w. B. McGuire, Jr., of Frank lin, was one of five Davidson College seniors to be selected for membership in Phi Beta Kappa, national scholastic fra ternity. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Woodard, of Soda Springs, Idaho, who have been on a visit to Mr. Wood ard's grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Bradley, of Etna, re turned to their home last week. The 1915 MacDowell Music Club met with Mrs. W. B. Kess ler at the home of her mother, Mrs". T. W. Angel, February 26. After the program, which was led by .Mrs. Zeb Angel, delicious refreshments were served. 10 YEARS AGO Yeoman First Class Alma Cabe Taylor has returned to her duties in New Orleans, La? after a visit with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Weaver Cabe, at their home on Franklin, Route 4. Miss Barbara Stockton, sopho more at Brenau College, and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Stockton, of Franklin, was nam ed on the dean's list, as an nounced in chapel recently. Pfc. Wayne A. Reese has re turned to duty at Dublin, Ga., after a short furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Reese. ? Highlands item.
The Franklin Press and the Highlands Maconian (Franklin, N.C.)
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March 17, 1955, edition 1
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