?Jtr pmnklin ^rrss
ititii
Che ?Highlands jHnnuunit
Second class mall privileges authorised at Franklin. N. L
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Established in 1886 as The Franklin Press
Member. N. C. Press Association. National Editorial Association,
Carolinas Press Photographers Association. Charter member. National
Conference of Weekly Newspaper Editors.
BOB S. SLOAN Publisher and Advertising Manager
WEIMAR JONES Editor
J P. BRADY News Editor
MRS ROBERT BR Y SON Office Manager
MRS BOB SLOAN Society Editor
CARL P CABE Operator-Machinist
FRANK A. STARRETTE Compositor
CHARLES E WHITTINGTON Pressman
o E CRAWFORD \ Stereotyper
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10C
THURSDAY. AUGUST 14. 1958
Wrong Emphasis?
That's a novel viewpoint set forth by a plain
speaking mother, in the article at the bottom of
this page.
We suspect it doesn't cover the whole truth
about teen-agers and their leisure; it's our guess
that recreational facilities for youth are important
in today's world.
This mother, though, raises a question that goes
to the heart of the problem. Without actually put
ting it into words, she wants to know if we haven't
put the emphasis in the wrong place; if we haven't
tried to substitute mere .physical facilities for inner
resources ? for the eagerness, the inventiveness, the
initiative that are characteristic of all healthy
youth.
Over-rated
The Census Bureau has come up with predic
tions that the I960 census will show that North
Carolina and 13 other states have failed to grow
as fast as the nation as a whole.
The predicted result: North Carolina and the
other 13 slow-growing states will lose seats in
Congress. It will be the first time in an even 100
years this state has lost a Congress seat.
And so we are being told ? and undoubtedly will
continue to be told, day in and day out ? that our
already breathless search for new industry must
become yet more breathless; that more and more
industry is the one and only cure.
Well, tnavhe
But there are some sidelights on the situation
that make us wonder.
\ . ' '
The first is that North Carolina, in recent years,
has been emphasizing industrilization as never be
fore; iust before the Census Bureau made its pre
dictions, in fact, the N. C- Department of Conser
vation and Development hr.d announced this state
is getting new industries at a faster rate than ever
before. But for all our pains, we are losing in the
population race!
The second thing that makes us wonder is: Why,
if industrialization is the road to population
growth, is it that New York and Pennsylvania are
the heaviest losers; each of them is expected to
lose three seats in Congress. Yet New York and
Pennsylvania are among the most highly industrial
ized states in the Union, and long have been.
At least a part of the explanation, in the cases
of New York and Pennsylvania, undoubtedly is that
population is fleeing the over-industrialization of
those states like a plague.
Finally, how account for the fact that Califor
nia and Florida, neither primarily an industrial
state, will be the biggest gainers in seats in Con
gress?
The truth probably is that industry is only one
of the many factors in determining population
growth ; that it may, indeed, be a minor factor,
In the case of North Carolina and five other
Southern states that are in danger of losing one
Congress seat each, a much sounder explanation
probably is the mass migration of Negroes ? a phe
nomenon that has most of its roots in things wholly
unrelated to industry.
Bouquets
Often it's the little things that count; especially
in making those important first impressions;' An il
lustration was a traffic sign at West Main Street
and Harrison Avenue that sat at a drunken, angle
for weeks. It was a good day's work (though it
probably took much less than a day) when the
Highway Commission put it straight.
It's always noteworthy when any local group
"And I Say It's Spinach And I Say T'Heck W itli It!"
goes to the semi-finals in a -state-wide .contest. And
so there was nothing- little about that the accom
plishment of Franklin's Little Leaguers. It's not
enough to give a pat on the back to the boys; they
had some help. From parents, the public, and many
others. Notable 'were team manager Grady Corbin
and the unsung heroes of this year's adult work,
Dan Angel and Mrs. Carl P. Cabe.
With the sixth annual Macon County Folk Fes
tival history, it's worth noting that that institu
tion continues to grow in popularity. Because it at
once provides entertainment for visitors and home
folks alike, offers the opportunity for participation
to scores, and is thoroughly indigenous to this
area, it's a Macon County "natural". Another "nat
ural" for this county is the ruby mining that brings
thousands here annually. It has the triple advan
tage of being something different, of providing the
visitor with something to do, and of being enough
of a gamble to make it exciting. Both are largely
the brain children of J. P. Brady.
Letters
Macon Memories
Dear Mr. Jones:
Your "Strictly Personal" of July 24, a tribute to mountain
folks, made pleasant memories come to my mind. May I t?U
you about them?
Years ago, it was a Sunday morning with a light snow on
the ground, I visited the homes of several neighbors. In every
home I entered on Walnut Creek, a grown person was read
ing the Bible. \
Another incident in Gold Mine Community: It was a week
day; I was walking through the community, stopping at homes,
as a PMA committeeman. In one home I entered, the house
wife had finished her work and was sitting reading the Bible.
Later that morning, I entered another neat home; the house
keeper was reading the Bible.
Two incidents in the Ellijay community: As I passed a
home, a teen-age boy showed the box he was carefully mak
ing to keep the Bible in; when I entered another home, light
ed by a kerosene lamp, a daughter was reading the Bible to
her aged father and mother.
About two years ago I had the privilege of visiting the
eighth grade of Cullasaja School. I asked: What did they
wish to do after finishing school? Not one answered, "make
money"; no, they almost all wanted to live a life of service
to mankind. Believe me, I felt America was safe with young
people with such high ideals!
These have been such pleasant memories; I wanted to
share them.
Yours for a truly Christian America,
MRS. FAY MASHBURN
Modern Conveniences
(Hartford, Conn., Courant)
Thanks to the many wonderful modern conveniences In the
home, American women are freed from household drudgery
and can take jobs to try to earn enough money to pay for the
many wonderful modern conveniences In the home.
Cottage Cheese
(Henry Belk in Golds boro News-Argus)
One thing Walter Lahr and George Kline cried, over during
Dairy Month was the fact that Tar Heels eat less cottage
cheese than the average American. The latter has quite an ap
petite for cottage cheese, consuming about four pounds a year
while your Tar Heel eats about half that amount.
I have been afraid the General Manager would come across
that statistic and try to Improve North Carolina's standing by
malting me eat more of the flat-tasting stuff. I shall not do
so without a great struggle.
It was sooii after my doctor had put me on a low fat diet
that we started to San Francisco by train. And every which
way I turned cottage cheese was staring at me. On the diner,
the General Manager delightedly discovered a fruit salad plate
with cottage cheese. At a homey little place In Chicago be
tween trains the low fat, high protein feature was cottage
cheese and fruit salad. And I tell you the truth, when we were
out walking in San Francisco she unerringly led me to a lunch
room that was featuring a hamburger-cottage cheese-tomato
plate.
By now, however, she has slipped up on me by "doctoring"
the cottage cheese. Last week she served it spiced with some
of Ruby Phillips' homemade relish. When she has worked her
magic on it, cottage cheese with crackers or graham wafers
can be tolerated.
Missing The Point
(Cleveland (County) Times)
Reporters for certain large metropolitan papers, and wire
service reporters, have consistently omitted much mention of
the controversial church-state question which applies to fed
eral educational aid bills in Congress.
The omission has been so steady and the issue so hushed
up by certain press personnel that it would appear unlikely
to be all coincidence. The fact is that there is a group In the
Education-Labor Committee of the House (and a similar group
in the Senate i which argues that federal money must be
given to private schools ? if they are to agree to go along
with federal aid to public schools.
Because this is aid to little children, and pertains to educa
tion, which everyone supports, we are generally lax in Apply
ing the clear-cut limitations of the Constitution on the ques
tion of complete separation of church and state. And on this
vital point this laxity is causing serious trouble, and misunder
standings, and is certain to cause even more.
We are opposed to federal financial aid to all private schools
? not just some. Yet we have often praised the private col
leges of this country, which play such a vital and valuable
role in our educational life.
In Congress certain Congressmen and Senators are forever
fighting educational legislation, unless and until It is broad
ened to Include aid for private schoolk The news reports
should say as much. The issue should be brought out In the
open and not fought in the privacy of legislative cloakrooms
and with the cooperation of certain members of the press
corps.
NOVEL APPROACH
Mother Tells Off Teen-Agers Who Cry There's Nothing To Do'
i
Ft. Myers ISewn-Pr .ss
It has became < an accepted
doctrine that the community must
take the responsibility of provid
ing places to go and things to do
for teen-agers, lest they otherwise
turn Into Juvenile delinquents, and
many communities, Including this
one have provided planned recre
ation programs and facilities for
this purpose.
But there Is another side of
the coin. A mother In Seattle.
Wash., recently wrote a letter to
the Seattle Post-Intelligencer a
bout It, and her Ideas, while full
of common sense, were so novel
In this day and age that they are
attracting wide attention. Here Is
the letter she wrote to the paper:
"Always we hear the plaintive
cry of the teen-agers. 'What can
we do, where can we go?' T can
make some suggestions: Oo home.
"Hang the storm windows, paint
the woodwork, rake the leaves,
mow the lawn, sweep the walk,
wash the car, learn to cook, scrub
some floors, repair the sink, build
a boat, get a Job. Help the min
ister. the Red Cross, the Salvation
Army. Visit the sick, assist the
poor, study your lessons. And
when you are through and not too
tired, read a book.
"Your parents do not owe you
entertainment. Your village does
not owe you recreational facilities.
The world does not owe you a
living. You owe the world some
thing. You owe it your time and
energy and your talents so that
no one will be at war or in pov
erty, or sick or lonely again. In
plain words, grow up. Quit being
a cry-baby, get out of your dream
world, develop a backbone, not
a wishbone, and start acting Ike
a man or a woman.
"I'm a parent. I'm tired of nurs
ing, protesting, helping, appeal
ing, begging, excusing, tolerating,
denying myself needed comfort
for your every whim and fancy.
Just because your selfish ego, In
stead of common sense, dominates
your thinking and requests."
These are strong words, bu
the fact that they come from
mother may make them a littl
more palatable. There are, c
course, a great many youn
people, perhaps a majority, t
whom they are not applicable an
who find resources of their ow
for pleasant and useful occupi
tlon. But for the few who gt
the Idea that the community owe
them a continuous good time an
that their lapse Into dellnquenc
will be Justifiable if it is not fortl
coming ? and for some adull
who go along with such a notlo
? this mother says somethln
that has needed to be said
Strictly Personal By WEIMAR JONES
We In the South often are
kidded by non-Southern friends
about never having "rejoined the
Union". Such a secessionist at
titude. I was interested to learn,
on last month's trip to the Mid
West. isn't confined to the South
In Illinois, though, it Is given
a little different twist. There,
they'd like to push Cook County
'Chicago) out of the Union.
IlUnoisians. I found, constantly
refer to "Illinois ? and Cook
County".
Whether It's mere resentment
at the big city's domination, or
distaste for Chicago's unhappy
tradition of gang wars, crooked
politics, and the type of isolation
ism represented by the Chicago
Tribune. I was unable to learn.
But they are careful to make a
riisinction between Illinois and
Cook County ? and they aren't
always joking when they do It.
At the newspaper conference I
attended, there was, of course, the
usual debate on segregation-In
tegration. What interested me this
year, though, was a note, 'among
non-Southerns, of honest Inquiry I
hadn't heard quite so distinctly
before. Two illustrations come to
mind.
The editor of an Illinois weekly,
a Republican of Quaker ancestry,
whose relatives fought in the
Union army, while he and I were
chatting one day. brought up the
race situation. What he said was
substantially this:
"It's high time we got away
from thinking of the race prob
lem as a purely Southern matter.
If and when we in the North and
West start looking honestly at our
own attitudes and practices, we'll
become a bit more charitable to
ward the South and its customs;
and some charity is badly needed.
If there Is to be any understand
ing." i
To cinch his point, he named
two towns in Illinois that won't |
permit a Negro to remain past
sunset.
The second case was an Ohio
couple who invited the only two
Southerners at the meeting to
their cabin one evening, with this
explanation :
"We know the Northern view
point; we don't know the South
ern. We'd like to get it. Won't
you come talk to us."
And when we got there, they
were sympathetic, open-minded
listeners.
Word of the discussion had got
around, however, and vitrtually
everybody attending the confer
ence was there. The. result was
the Louisiana chap and I had
little chance to say anything: be
fore we'd get even halfway
through a sentence, two or three
voices would interrupt with chal
lenging questions. The usual one
was; "Do you believe in human
brotherhood?" A close second
was: "I suppose you think the
Negro isn't a human being?"
The discussion, of course, quick
ly deteriorated into a mere de
bate, that provided nobody with
either information or understand
ing. And as I left, long past mid
night, I found myself wondering
why it is that almost nobody.
North, South, East, or West, can
discuss this subject without rais
ing their voices? why what should
be an intelligent discussion be
comes a bedlam of shouts?
? ? ?
I've often commented on the
kindliness, the courtesy, the
thoughtfulness of others, to
be found among Macon Coilnty
people.
Well, of course, I've always
known there are good people
everywhere, and that no commun
ity or group has a monopoly on
any particular virtue (though I
think some groups have certain
virtues to a greater degree than
others).
I've known there are kindliness
and consideration elsewhere, but
I had a couple of striking illustra
tions of it on my trip.
I was to fly from Knoxville to
Illinois, and if the bus that took
me to Knoxville from Asheville
wash't on time, there was a ques
tion of whether I could get out
to the airport in time to catch
my plane. And because I'd al
ready bought the plane ticket,
I had to catch that plane.
Well, it was a Sunday, and the
route was through the Smoky
Park. Traffic was bumper to
bumper, so we gradually lost time.
I told the driver my predica
ment, and he said "I'll do the
best I can." but we got farther
and farther behind schedule.
Finally, as we pulled out of Gat
linburg, an old lady who had got
on there said: "Driver, I'll bet
you didn't put my baggage on."
"I did* if you checked It", he
answered.
"O. I didn't check It; but I
put it right there where you could
see it . . . I'll just have to ask
you to go back (or It." And back
we went ... as I wriggled In my
seat, getting tenser and tenser.
My seat companion overheard
my conversation with the driver,
and somehow the word spread,
until apparently everybody on the
bus knew my problem, and seemed
as anxious as I that I make It
in time.
Just as I had given up hope,
and was bitterly wondering If I
could get any of my $60 plane
fare refunded, the driver stopped
at Sevlerville, and quickly in
structed the manager of the bus
station there to telephone Knox
vllle and have a taxi meet the bus
at the edge of the city, thus avoid
ing the necessity of bucking the
city traffic to the bus station, and
then hack out again.
I don't evert know that driver's
name ; and you don't give a money
tip to bus drivers. But here's a
tip of the hat to the man who
drove the early morning Trail
ways bus from Asheville to Knox
ville July 13. He's a courteous
gentleman.
The fellow I did give a monej
tip to was the taxi driver. He
was one of the best drivers I ever
saw, and one of the fastest; we
made the 13 miles to the airport,
as I recall, in a little less than
12 minutes! Generally speaking.
I dont believe in tips, but that
fellow earned one.
Giving the situation its final
ironic, anticlimactic twist, when
I got to the airport, barely on
time, I learned my plane was 20
minutes late!
Later, going by rail from
Illinois over to Missouri, I was
nearing my desination; in another
half hour, I'd leave the train,
my watch showed.
just tnen, a porter asked if
I had lost a pin. I said, no. I
didn't think so.
"But isn't this yours?" and he
held out a lapel pin that is irre
placeable and that has great
sentimental value to me.
The round screw-on thing under
the lapel that held it in place
had come off. I could have lost it
in my seat, in walking through
the car, on a platform as I went
through a number of cars to the
diner, or almost anywhere else.
But the place it had dropped was
where I sat in the diner; and
the waiter was able to accurately
describe me to the porter, because
the former remembered my thlck
lensed glasses.
Again, surely a tip was in order.
But when I tendered it, I got
the surprise of my life:
"O, no; I brought you the pin
just for accommodation", said the
porter, and I had to insist before
he would accept a gratuity.
I'd like to know that black man
better. I think we'd be friends.
I suspect he, also, is a courteous
gentleman.
EDITOR 'GOES TO SCHOOL'
The Specialist Has
His Place, But . . .
We need Specialists in the
United States. They ha''e served
a highly useful purpose, and no
doubt will continue to do So.
I think, though, we have been
inclined to exaggerate their wis
dom ? a public exaggeration they
haven't exactly put the brakes
on. ,
While there are notable ex
ceptions, specialists incline to be
narrow; often they are dogmatic;
and sometimes they are down
right dishonest.
I suspect a growing number of
Americans are coming to size up
the specialist for what he is ?
an important cog in the machine,
but just a cog; not the directing
intelligence that makes the ma
chine run.
That growing realization has
tended to put the specialist on
the defensive; and that. In turn.
has tended to make him less than
honest ? for nobody is so in
clined to be dishonest as the man
who is defending his position. He
exaggerates things in his favor,
ignores things that weaken his
position.
I was reminded of these things
at thpt newspaper conference I
attended in Illinois last month.
Specialist after specialist who
talked to our group ? pleasant
' Cont . Back Page, First Section1
UNJ_E ALEX'S
SAYIN'S
Shucks! life ain't long enough
for the younguns to do all the
wrong things we lay awake at
night bein' afraid they may do.
DO YOU REMEMBER?
Looking Backward Through the Files or The Press
65 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
(1893)
A railroad meeting was held in Bryson City last Monday was
a week to consider the matter of building a railroad from that
town to Franklin. The following committee has been selected
from among our citizens to meet with a Bryson City commit
tee here tonight: J. A. Deal, W. A. Curtis, F. S. Johnston, C. C.
Daniels, J. F. Ray, A. P. Munday, J. S. Sloan, J. C. Wright, R.
L. Porter, E. H. Franks, and E. K. Cunningham.
Mrs. Zeb Baird and small daughter returned home Friday
afternoon, after a two weeks' visit to friends in Ashevllle and
Buncombe.
it
a Mrs. Laura Robertson assisted Mr. Wiley Rogers in the post
e office a part of the time Mr. Frank Smith was absent sick,
if i
g 25 YEARS AGO
o (1933)
d Thirty-two merchants and businessmen of Franklin and
n vicinity have Joined President Roosevelt's reemployment cam
palgn and signed pledges to abide by fair practice codes ap
!t proved by the National Recovery Administration (NRA).
j The Nantahala Power and Light Company, which recently
? took over Franklin's municipal hydro-electric system, has be
^ gun to replace old poles and wires.
ts 10 YEARS AGO
n Members of the Slier family held their annual reunion here
? last Thursday, with 97 preseijt.
J. H. 8tockton last week was elected for his fifth consecu
tive term as moderator of the Macon Baptist Association.
I