(Eh* Ifntttldnt
nttii '
^i^hlanits jHarimian
Entered at Poet Office, Franklin, N. C., u second class matter
Published every Thursday by The Franklin Press
Franklin. N. C. Telephone 24
WEIMAR JONB8 . Editor
BOB S. SLOAN Business Manager
J. P. BRAtT News Editor
MR8. ALLEN SILER Society Editor and Ofice Manager
MRS. MARION BR Y SON Proofreader
CARL P. CABE . .. Mechanical Superintendent
PRANK A. 8TARRETTE Shop Superintendent
DAVID H. SUTTON Commercial Printer
o. B. CRAWPORD St^reotyper
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Outside Macon County Inside Macon Cowntt
One Tear 9340 One Tear $23*
Six Months I 1.79 Six Months 1.75
Three Months 1.60 Three Months 140
Fact Or Psychology?
About the time last week that the announce
ment of the high school essay contest on "Macon
County ? Mv Home, My Future" was being set
in type here at The Press, this newspaper received
a letter from a subscriber.
He asked for an extension, to May or June, of
the time to renew bis subscription. "There just
isn't any work here in the winter", the letter ex
plained.
That letter didn't come from someone in Ma
con County ; it didn't come, even,, from an adjoin
ing county. It came from a town in Washington!
What made it seem significant is the fact that
the West generally, and Washington in particular,
long have appealed to Macon County youth as the
land of opportunity ? there were none at home,
they were sure. The movement from this county
West is nearly a century old ; it was so pronounc
ed in the old days that a town in Washington is
populated largely by descendants of Macon emi
gres. And while the destinations of Macon youth
have shifted from the West to Detroit and other
manufacturing centers, the outward movement has
continued to today.
And always back of the movement was the rare
ly-challenged assumption that a young person
didn't have a chance here ; that all the difficulties
were at home, all the opportunities elsewhere.
Is that truer Is it fact, or is it a psychological
attitude?
We don't pretend to know the answer. But we
do know that the old assumption has been ac
cepted so generally and so blindly that almost no
body has stopped to look at Macon County, oppor
tunity-wise. We think it's time somebody took a
good look. And we think the people who arc most
interested, and who'll sec the situation with clear
est eyes, are Macon's young people. Hence the es
say contest, sponsored jointly by The Press and
the Franklin Taycees.
We Wonder . . .
It's seemed fairly clear, for weeks now. that
General Eisenhower would run for reelection.
Careful observation of the newspapers and maga
zines has suggested a deliberate build-up was
under way to prepare the American people for the
announcement of his candidacy. The climax of
that build-up, of course, was last week's pro
nouncement In a panel of physicians that Mr. Eis
enhower is physically able to stand as much as
five to ten year- more in the White House.
We ?;lo not question the capability of the doc
tors ? they are among the best heart specialists
in the World. Nor do we doubt their honesty.
We wonder, though, at their temerity. Inten
tionally or otherwise, they have encouraged the
President to run for reelection; and while they
know the human heart, they do not know the
strains of the Presidency.
How would thev feel, we wonder, should Pres
ident Eisenho\yer, in the course of the campaign,
or under the strc?- of Presidential decisions a year
from now, suffer ;l second and fatal heart attack?
Bouquet
Congratulations to Mr. D. I). Davis for being on
top of his job. Mr. Davis, of Webster, is district
inspector for the X. C. Utilities Commission.
The primary purpose of a regulatory body like
the Utilities Commission, of course, is to protect
the interests of the public. When a public utility is
given a monopoly ? that is. protection bv the
state against competition ? that carries with it
the obligation to provide reasonably adequate
service. And it is the obligation of the Utilities
Commission, which is the servant of the people, to
see to it that such service is forthcoming. By all
rules of logic, the commission should act on it,s
own initiative.
All too often, though, it has assumed the role
of uninterested umpire between the public and the
utilities it is paid to regulate: permitting the util
ities to make changes and curtail service merely
by' filing notice of intention ? the commission sit
ting idle until and unless the public complained.
Kven then, the public usually must organize, hire
a lawyer, and carry its fight to the Utilities Com
mission office in Raleigh ? in order to get what
the commission is paid to see that the public
does get.
Well, on the .proposal of the bus company that
service between Franklin and Asheville be serious
ly curtailed, Mr. Davis took the opposite, and
correct, approach. Learning of the proposed
change, he promptly recommended to the com
mission that the change is disallowed. And now
the commission has followed that recommenda
tion.
Changes At Cullowhee
In his six years as president of Western Carolina
College, Paul A. Reid has guided an adolescent in
stitution far along the way toward maturity. It has
had phenomenal growth ? in number of students,
physical facilities, and curriculum ; even more im
portant. under his leadership it has won wide re
spect as an educational institution of high stand
ards, and has become an increasingly strong force
in the intellectual life 6f this whole region.
News of his resignation, to become assistant di
rector of the North Carolina Board of Higher Ed
ucation, undoubtedly was received by most West
ern North Carolinians with mixed feelings ? almost
shocked regret at his departure from W. C. C., but
both personal and regional pride that his abilities
have been given new recognition, and greater op
portunities.
In selecting his successor as head of W. C. C.,
the board of trustees, had it looked the world over,
could have found no more conscientious and dedi
cated man than W. E. Bird. A native of Jackson
County, he has the added asset of having the feel
of this region ? he knows its people and their
needs and problems as few other educators could.
Moreover, his 36 years on the campus have made
him an integral part of Cullowhee, and it an intre
gal part of him.
Mr. Bird, affectionately known for so long as
"Dean Bird" that the title may stick, even in the
presidency, will not do spectacular things as presi
dent : that is not his 'way. But quietly, self-effac
ingly. he will draw on his almost unique back
ground to continue to build at Cullowhee an in
stitution that will serve as a guiding star to all the
people of this mountain country.
Others' Opinions
Federal Building For W. N. C.
(Sylva Herald ?
If bills introduced in the Senate and House by Senator
Sam Ervin and Congressman George Shuford are given an
O.K., the six westernmost North Carolina counties will have a
new federal building locatod at Bryson City. It is most likely
that the project will get the go-ahead signal and $750,000 to
$1,000,000 will be provided for the building. Bryson City is to
be congratulated on getting this political plum at this time
when little building of this kind is being done about the
country.
The new building will provide for the post office and all
offices used in connection with the western district oT the
U. S. Court, as Well as for other government agencies. It
will, however, take the annual rental income from numerous
private individuals for the facilities now being provided for
these agencies, including the post office.
Judging By Extremes
(Christian Science Monitor*
The American Civil Liberties Union has supported with its
usual single-mindedness of purpose the Supreme Court's de
cision on racial segregation in the public schools. Which gives
particular force to the comment in the ACLU's annual report
that the "often holier-than-thou-bluff" of the North "is being
called by the rapid increase of its Negro population." And it
points to segregation in practice if not in law which persists
far from the South.
To whatever extent the American people ? north, south, and
elsewhere ? are challenged to take a hard look at any holier
than-thou attitudes they may entertain, to that extent will It
be better for everyone concerned, including the Negro. For at
the moment too many Southerners are judging the attitude
of the rest of the country by the more aggressive tactics of
the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People. Too many people In the North and West are judging
the South by the Emmett Till case.
From our vantage point it looks as though the vast majority
of Northerners and Westerners simply hope the South will
solve its problem decently and in order. They have not the
slightest wish to demand that there be a Negro in every public
school. Their own are not all "Integrated Bconomie and social
factors can segregate as Implacably as law.
From our vantage point, also, we have reason to believe
that good Southerners were as sickened by the Till case as
were good Northerners. What appeared, Incredibly enough, as
defense of the killing often was motivated by a we'll-whip-our
own-chlldren response to unpreceptlve northern criticism.
All of which bears on the report that Representative Adam
Clayton Powell, Jr., Is altering the rider he has promised to
attach to school-aid legislation. At first he would have with
held funds from any state which had failed to comply with
the Supreme Court's decision. He now would aim his denials
at school districts or counties, not at whole states. It is to
them the Supreme Court directed its rulings. And we would
ask again: Why go beyond that?
Highlands Seeks Payrolls
(Asheville Citizen)
The attractive resort town of Highlands in Macon County
has taken steps to relieve an economic situation that has
caused concern to its progressive citizens.
Under the leadership of the Highlands Chamber of Com
merce, the community has -formed an Industrial Council.
Highlands is seeking to move out of a strictly "Tourist and
Tater" town category because:
1 ? There is need ot year-around payrolls to bolster the econ
omy. During the tourist season of three or four months,
Highlands does well. Then, during the other months, the sit
uation is not bright.
2 ? The community loses adult residents who go to find
jobs elsewhere.
3 ? It loses young people who finish school and go to othpr
communities because Highlands offers them inadequate means
of earning a living.
Following the examples set by other communities in the
mountains, Highlands hopes to remedy the situation through
changes to be brought by the new Industrial Council. It
hopes and plans to attract one or more industries that will
provide regular year-around payrolls.
?
Highlands should be a most suitable location for an indus
try that ties in with the resort and travel business.
Men are never so likely to settle a question rightly as when
they discuss it freely.? Macaulay.
Those people who are not governed by God will be ruled by
tyrants ?William Penn.
Poetry
Editor
EDITH DEADERICK ERSKINK
Weaverville, North Carolina
SPRING S MESSENGER
From a window lecige a friendly robin
Looked at me, his black head bobbin'.
As though h? wished to give to me
A message in sweet melody.
With his brilliant red breast throbbin'
With gay notes, this friendly robin
Seemed to say, "Wake up, old boy,
Spring is' here, a time for joy,"
Then this friendly, happy robin.
Wings a-flutter, head a-bobbin'
Sped a way with breast still throbbin'
With thrilling notes ? and all day long
Came echos of his joyous song.
A D. BREWER
Franklin.
STRICTLY 1
PERSONAL
By WEHIAR JONES
We at The Press debated a
long time before we decided to
move from the Square to our
present situation on Palmer
Street.
One of the arguments in fa
vor of the move was that the
Palmer Street site would be
quiet.
Well, it was four years ago,
but try. sometime next summer
when doors and windows are
open, to carry on a conversa
tion anywhere in the building.
You'll have to stop between
every sentence, sometimes be
tween every word, for a truck,
laboring up the hill, to get by
and out of earshot.
Add to the noise the congest
pd traffic on this Street that is
fast becoming a major one, and
it's pretty obvious that we'd
better be thinking about a
truck lane, skirting the town.
Fact is, we're already about five
years late.
Another thing Franklin, if it
continues to grow, is going to
have to have one of these days,
and that's some back alleys, so
the big trucks that now obstruct
traffic and endanger lives on
Main Street, and even on Palm
er. can unload at the back, in
stead of the front, of business
places.
And what makes action to
ward that end urgent is the
fact that every year we delay,
we multiply the cost.
? ? ?
Lake V. Shope, Macon County
register of deeds, tells this
story:
The other day a man came
to his office and asked permis
sion to use a desk to write a
letter. Seated at the desk, he
explained he needed paper and
pencil.
Hardly had Mr. Shope com
plied with those requests when
he got another; the letter writ
er needed help with his spelling.
"How do you spell 'rat'?" he
asked.
"R-a-t", replied the official.
"No, no! I dor't mean 'rat'
like mousy rat, rat like in
'rat now'."
, ? * ?
Which reminds me that one
of the commonest errors in
pronunciation here is the fail
ure to distinguish between a
short "e" and a short "i".
Listen, the next time you hear
someone here ? particular a
young someone ? refer to a
pen; chances are nine to one
you'd think he said "pin". The
only way you can tell what he
means is by the sense of what
he's saying.
For some reason, that error
rubs me the wrong way. Maybe
the reason I dislike it so much
is because it obviously is an er
ror of laziness; people just
don't take the trouble to pro
nounce carefully.
It's something I hope our
schools can, and will, correct.
The fact it's especially common
among young people is evidence
the schools, so far, haven't done
anything about it.
VIEWS (
B, ''
BOB SLOAN
The efforts of the local Par
ent-Teacher Association groups,
headed by H. H. Gnuse, to saa
that our schools are placed on
a self-supporting basis, are very
commendable. Surely, Macon
County can meet the educa
tional needs of our children
without requiring the parents
to conduct rummage sales on
the streets. Also, the work dona
by the office of the county su
perintendent in compiling fig
ures which show the amount of
funds received by the county
school system from school stores
and school and P. T. A. bene
fits was a step toward bringing
about the desired goal of mak
ing our schools supported en
tirely by county and state
funds.
However, there are two other
things, which I believe, need
to be done before the people of
the county will support a tax
increase to make the schools
system more selt supporting.
First, there should be made
public, and widely publicized, a
detailed statement as to just
how present funds are expend
ed. These facts, of course, are
available to anyone who has the
time to look them up, but what
we need is a statement so plain
and concise the average lay
man can get this information
in a few minutes' reading. We
all know that it takes a lot of
money to build and operate our
schools, but few of us know
just where It goes, or what por
tion the state pays and what
part the county is required to
support, if it is made plain to
the people of this county what
their part is, I feel that they
will meet their obligation. But,
at present, many feel that a
large portion of the budget is
going to the schools and before
they will be willing to increase
the amount, they would like to
know where and how It Is being
spent on the schools.
Second, we should improve
our county tax collection sys
tem. I want to make it clear
that I feel the trouble is the
system, not the officials. For
many years we have had large
sums of uncollected taxes left
on the books each year. The
present officials have a better
percentage of collected taxes
than many of their predeces
sors in office. Regardless of the
reason, those who pay their
taxes feel that before theirs
are raised, the county should
do a better job of collecting tfee
present tax.
Do You
Remember? *
1 Looking backward 1 hroii(rfc
the files of Tbe Pi ess)
50 YEARS AGO THIS WEB*
Mr. Charles K. Robinson, who
has been in business at Alex
ander, N. C., during several
months past, arrived Wednesday
last to spend a week or more
at home. \. ?
Attorney J. D. Mallonee, ol
Murphy, was visiting his fath
er's family here this week from
Wednesday to Monday.
Miss Lily Moore went to At
lanta Saturday to select her
spring stock of millinery goods.
25 YEARS AGO
Mr. Harley Keener, of New
York, returned to his old home
at Gneiss last Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Conlev
have returned to their home
here after a visit of several
weeks with their daughter, Mrs.
Turner Vinson, at Clayton,
Johnston County, N. C.
Mr. Alvah Pearce. of Ashe
ville, is In Franklin visiting
friends for several days.
10 YEARS AGO
T/Sgt. Bill (W. W.) Sloan ar
rived in Franklin Monday, after
43 months' service in the army.
Sgt. Sloan, who was discharged
January 27, was overseas 13
months, serving with the coun
ter intelligence corps, in New
Guinea and the Philippines.
Mrs. Elsie Tarry returned
Saturday to "Cheeonondah",
her home on Satulah Mountain,
following a month's visit in
Laurel, Miss. ? Highlands item.
A valentine dinner party was
given last Thursday evening by
members of the Franklin Meth
odist Church, honoring return
ed veterans connected with that
church. Fifty-four guests enjoy
ed the bounteous buffet dinner
served by members of the Mary
Allman Wesleyan Guild and the
Woman's Society of Christian
Service.