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THE PILOT^Southery Pines. North Carolina
Friday. January 9.1953
THE PILOT
Published Each Friday by
THE PILOT. INCORPORATED
Southern Pines, North Carolina
1941—JAMES BOYD, Publisher—1944
KATHARINE BOYD Editor
VALERIE NICHOLSON Asst. Editor
DAN S. RAY General Manager
C. G. COUNCIL ■ Advertising
Subscription Rates:
One Year $4.00 6 Months $2.00 3 Months $1.00
Entered at the Postoffice at Southern Pines, N. C.,
as second class mail matter
Member National Editorial Association and
N. C. Press Association
“In taking over The Pilot no changes are con
templated. We will try to keep this a good paper.
We will try to make a little money for all con
cerned. Where there seems to be an occasion to
use our influence for the public good we will try
to do it. And we will treat everybody alike.”
—James Boyd, May 23, 1941.
Ambassadors of Good Will
Welcome signs were hung out here over the
past weekend for the visit of Mr. Puang, gover
nor of a province of the Asiatic nation of Thai
land. Mr. Puang came from the land of temple
bells and white elephants, lotus flowers and rice
fields, to the land of the long leaf pine. It must
have been quite a change yet he appeared to
enjoy being here and certainly he fitted into our
life,in the frifendliest way imaginable.
The gentleman from Thailand (Siam, in the
old geography books), chose to come to South
ern Pines, on his six months trip into the west
ern world, because of his friendship with Lewis
Pate. While Mr. Puang visits here, Lewis is in
his country, teaching school in Songkhla, Mr.
Puang’s home. Lewis is there on a Fulbright
scholarship, while Mr. Puang makes his western
tour under the auspices of the U. S. State De
partment. Both are engaged in the same mis
sion: that of getting acquainted with other parts
of the world, getting to know people, carrying
friendship and understanding with them and
bringing it back when they return, each to his
own home. Lewis has learned that white ele
phants are rare in Thailand, but the people are
charming, friendly, intelligent and, above all,
freedom-loving. In fact, Thai means “free” and
this nation is the only Asiatic land that has
never suffered foreign domination of any sort.
Mr. Puang, on his side, as he told us, finds
America not in the least like the Hollywood ver
sion which, too often, is the only idea of this
country that foreigners have.
This appears to Us to be about the most prac
tical internationalism that could possibly be de
vised. We have all known about it, of course,
ever since the Fulbright plan of international
exchange of students and professors was estab
lished, but probably few of us have observed
the functioning of the plan at suclT close range
or with its exchange feature so dramatically ex
emplified.
We feel that we may congratulate ourselves
on the splendid impression made by our ambas
sador of goodwill to Thailand. Our town has
been honored to have been chosen to participate
actively in the Tate-Puang grand change act, for
it is acts such as these that will help to establish
peace in the world. That Southern Pines may
now consider itself a link in the chairi of inter
national friendship and understanding that is
being gradually forged across the world is some
thing to be proud of.
A Good Librarian
Southern Pines loses a most valuable public
servant in the retirement of Miss Amy Churchill
from the post of librarian of the town library.
Her devotion to the work and the faithfulness
with which she has fulfilled her duties has been
outstanding.
The reason for Miss Churchill’s retirement lies
in the increasing weight of the work itself.
Truth to tell, she has literally worked herself
out of a job. During the four years that she has
held the post, the circulation of books from the
library has increased steadily, with more and
more people using the library. While this would
be due in part to the rise in population of South
ern Pines and the surrounding area that draws
on the library, a good part, we feel, can be at
tributed to the ability and interest of the libra
rian. >Iiss Churchill’s report shows 5,000 more
books circulated this past year than in 1949, her
first year as librarian.
Miss Churchill is not a trained librarian; no
detailed courses in library administration or
reader interest Ite behind her proved worth in
this field, but she knows books. She knows
them and she loves them and wants others to
love them, too, and enjoy them and profit from
them. That she knows people as well as books
is shown by her skill in fitting the books to
the reader and in the way she keeps in touch
with the various shut-ins of our town and does
their choosing for them. Furthermore, she keeps
up with the new books as well as knowing the
old ones so well. We cannot, also, forbear men
tion of the apple-pie order in which the library
was kept, so that it has been an esthetic and
house-keeping pleasure, as well as a literary
one, to enter that attractive building.
Friendly hands, under the direction of the
county librarian, Mrs. Dorothy Avery, are fill
ing in the gap between Miss Churchill and her
successor, now being sought. They^ay rest as
sured, we believe, that, in the interim, users of
the library will cooperate in every way possible
to lighten their efforts during this awkward
time. To Miss Churchill, the departing libra
rian, we feel the town will wish to join in a
heartfelt “thank you and good luck!”
Neighbors Every Day
At Christmas time every year the Moore
County Welfare department follows the plan of
many similar agencies; it sends a list of needy
families to the civic organizations interested in
providing Christmas cheer. These, in turn, en
list the efforts and funds of the community and,
as the result of hard work and generous giving,
many families who would not otherwise be re
membered at this time, receive a basket of good
things to eat and toys or clothing for the chil
dren.
This year there were 43 names on the list re
ceived by the VFW, the agency in charge of
Christmas giving here. It is good to know that
every family was taken care of, with generous
supplies of friendly gifts and food.
Many of the families on the Welfare depart
ment list are in the “extremely needy” classifi
cation. There is little doubt that without such
giving their Christmases would have been, sad
ones, but it is a question if, included in their
gratitude for the bountiful Christmas gift, there
is not some slight wonderment. They go
through the year, put on their meagre farms or
in their shanties; tucked away on a back street,
eking out a hard existence with the help of wel
fare funds, and these funds are, as a rule, very,
very slim. Apart from an occasional visit from
a field worker or health department nurse, no
body pays attention to them so long as they
don’t make any trouble, then, all of a sudden,
they find themselves thought about and helppd,
“Love thy neighbor as thyself” comes miracu
lously to life with themselves as the suddenly
remembered neighbor. It must be a surprising,
not to say bewildering, experience.
Better, of course, to remember our neighbors
once a year than not at all and infinitely impor
tant that at Christmastime we share our bounty
with those less fortunate, but it sometimes seems
as if the Christmas spirit ought to have greater
staying powers. It is true that the taxes we be-
grudge to the government help to make the way
a little easier for these unfortunates, but what
would really help is more personal continued
interest in them and their problems. It would
help them directly and, indirectly, such show of
interest would build .up the morale of our wel
fare and health departments, making them feel
that their work was recognized as it should be,
as important to the community. Too often such
departments function seemingly in a vacuum:
so long as they don’t ask for too much money,
so long as they jog along quietly without any
fuss, nobody bothers about them.
The pleasant complacent feeling of a good jol)
well done at Christmas time should not blind Us
to the realization that Christmas comes but once
a year but these our neighbors are nearby every
day, year in and year out.
Like Topsy, Towns Grow
Down in Rockingham, they are wrestling with
the town limits problem. Rockingham is grow
ing fast, as are a good many other towns in this
state, and the town government and taxpayers
think it is time to extend the limits and take in
some of the outlying territory. However, the
state law that a majority of the property owners
to be affected must be in favor of the move be
fore it can be made has the town stymied. Those
outside don’t want to come in.
*A Rockingham citizen, Mr. Scott Thomas, has
apparently gotten irked by the situation. A
strong believer in extending the limits, he has
decided to take the bull by the horns in a big
way and has brought an injunction against the
town government forbidding it to furnish water
and fire department services to non-residents.
A good many towns, including Southern Pines,
are in the same situation as Rockingham. The
arguments pro* and con extension of town limits
seem to parallel each other in all localities. Peo
ple living in town and paying sizeable taxes feel
they are paying for services enjoyed by many
living on the outskirts. Though, in our town,
the water rates are double for non-residents and
the fire department is, we believe, recompensed
for out-of-town services whenever there is a
fire, nevertheless the burden for maintenance
and’initial costs falls, of course, upon the town
taxpayers. Even though some out-of-towners
own business property in town, a good many do
not and there is little doubt that they enjoy
services beyond the amount of their contribu
tion.
The case for the non-resident is a good one,
too. They chose to live outside town because
they wanted to own more land, a piece of woods,
perhaps, or space for a garden. In other words,
they wanted to live in the country. And a good
many are not desirous of having garbage col
lections, though not many would like to do with-'
out water or fire j^rotection. But the fact is,
that anyone who buys a place on the edge of
town must do it with the realization that the
town is going to grow and some day he’s bound
to get into this town limits wrestling-match, for
better or worse.
The case of Rockingham is arousing much
comment and it is a fair guess that Mr. Thomas’
injunction hearing will be the focus of attention
of every growing town in the state.
No. 38 — Do You Know Your Old Southern Pines?
' ■ . -.A
life insurance, fire insurance
property insurance, liability insur
ance, earthquake insurance, tor
nado insurance, unemployment
compensation, and old age insur
ance.
On the back of this ancient copperplate of
Southern Pines 40 or 50 years ago we find the
penciled notation,' “Johnson’s Pharmacy.” We
must admit this is a new one on us, nor do we
recognize the building. Either it does not exist
any more, or it is completely disguised in a re
modeled version.
Wonder if some of our “Old Timers” won’t
fiU us in on this old-time drugstore—where it
was, when it existed, who was the proprietor,
etc.
My business is so governed that
it is no easy, matter to find out
who owns it. I am inspected, ex
pected, suspected, disrespected, re
jected, dejected, examined, re
examined, informed, required,
summoned, and compelled until I
provide an inexhaustible supply
of m.oney for every known hee'd,
desire or hope of the human race.
Simply because I refuse to do
nate to scmething or other, I am
boycotted, talked about, lied
about, held up, laid down, and
robbed until I am almost ruined.
I can tell you honestly, that ex
cept for a miracle, that happened,
I could not enclose this check.
The wolf that comes to my door,
nowadays, just had pups in my
kitchen, I sold them and HERE IS
■niE MONEY.
Grains of Sand
We’re happy to have informa
tion to pass on to our readers this
week concerning our Old Picture
No. 37 in our January 2 issue,
showing the Red Cross float in an
Arm.istice Day parade of the early
1920s.
The battlefield scene cn the
truck, we learn, features Dr. J. S.
come soon and stay a long time.
iruCK, we learn, leaiures ; — - - ,
Milliken in his World War 1 uni-i Burke about their troubles find-
form, just as he had looked when'iug the way when they were here
he came back from the wars not last winter. Seems they were m-
so long before; a young veteran
named Morris, or Morrison, as thei^®!®®' ^*1
_ _ _ no VioH rn Tin c iro it
casualty; and as Red Cross nurses.
Miss Dorothy Slutz, Miss Betty
Lee and Miss Ada Crosby.
They were volunteer members
of Southern Pines’ very young
It will take time to catch up with
the many, many friends Elizabeth
has here, not to mention learn the
changes since she lived here dur-
lief and charitable institutions in
the city, including the Salvation
Army, Community Chest, Red
Cross, Purple Cross, double-cross.
Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub
Scouts, as well as a way station
for wayward girls.
ing the war!
Speaking of changes, we heard
the other day from Stan and Ruth
be early as they had to 'make it
a short evening. So the Vales
stepped up the dinner hour, then
waited another hour while their
guests were driving round and
For my own safety, I am re
quired to carry health insurance.
Dr*. NbbI ahd McLaai
VETERINAHIANS
Southern Pines. N. C.
FOR RESULTS USE THE PI
LOT’S classified COLUMN.
and new Red Cross chapter. Miss round through the pinewoods
Crosby was the sister of Mr. I looking for the familiar entrance!
Eddy, the photographer, who liv-j drive, now tucked away behind
ed here for many years and was-the new Dahman cottages and
back for a visit just last month. Charlie Kcquet s home. .It wasn t
For the identifications we are in- until the Burkes gave up and went
debted to Mrs. Garland Pierce, to the Stevens and telephoned,
the former Dorothy Stutz, one of to ask where in H. . . the Va es
several persons who have recog- were, that they got their bearings
■V
W. J. STRATTON CO.
SALES
SERVICE ANTENNAE INSTALLATION
TV and RADIO REPAIR
Phone Day 2-4652 Night 2-6934# 2-7571
nized themselves in the series oi
old cuts.
No. 38, of course, wasn’t nearly
so old as most of the pictures in
the series. It will take a real old-
and finally arrived for a belated
meal.
Another Christmas card greeter
who never fails to remember
timer to help us on this week’s fiends is Catherine Pierson Ditt-
picture above.
Denver, Col.
Many families have individual
ways of observing Christmas
which, through annual repetition,
becom.e traditions. . . With added
pleasure and meaning through the
years
Catherine sends sketches of a
lovely cabin in the Rockies and
always a month-by-mcnth calen
dar, each month with its strength
ening and uplifting messages of
quotations from the,great think
One New England family we good,
heard of, through their relatives does, and we r^ always espe-
Christmas Over
That Playwright Kaufmann should have been
put off the air because he -made that remark
about “one commercial without a Silent Night
in it,” or words to that effect, seems pretty silly,
to say the least. And how was the radio com
pany to know, when the complaints came in,
how many other people may have let out a cheer
for the man who had the courage to speak out,
even jokingly, against the endless use of that
beautiful carol in the tiresome and sometimes
irreverent commercializing of the Christmas
spirit?
The lack of feeling about these things is
troublesome. What sadder sight is there, for
instance, than that, seen in many a yard this
past week, of a Christmas tree thrown out on
the trash heap? Whisps of tarnished tinsel cling
to its branches, whose needles, dry and faded,
cover the ground. Its proud top, so lately
crowned with the flashing star, sags down,
bowed in lonely misery.
We ought to do better by our trees. To have
all that radiant beauty end up in the trash can
seems altogether wrong, and those looking for
hidden meanings might well see here a cynical
symbol of the end'of the Christmas spirit. A gay
bonfire on Old Christmas would be the thing,
but how is that possible in this civilized day
and age!
So the Christmas tree goes out with the trash
and, up in the big city, the man who voiced a
good-natured protest against the exploitation of
the loveliest of Christmas songs, goes off the air.
Not much we* can do to give our trees a fitting
end, but at least we hope Mr. Kaufmann and
his talent for merriment will not be lost to us
because of such a foolish misinterpretation of a
well-meant action.
here, consists of a father, mother
and three children two, four and
six years old. . . Since the birth
of the first child it has been the
custom of the parents on Christ
mas Eve to set up the traditional
tree, and at the same time, on the
mantel, the Christmas scene, with
the Manger on the right-hand end,
the three Wise Men on the left.
Beginning Christmas morning,
the three Wise Men are moved a
little each day—approximately
one-twelfth of the distance to
ward the Manger and tlje Holy
Child.
This brings them all together
on “Old Christmas,” Twelfth
Night—or, in the old form by
which it is called by this family.
Kings Day. . .‘On this day the
children receive their real Christ
mas gifts, as distinguished from
the goodies and “stocking gifts”
of December 25.
This beautiful tradition accom-
pishes several things. . . It teach
es the true Christmas story in
clear and simple fashion even the
tiniest children can understand. . .
They learn patience in waiting,
the meaning of Christmas giving
. . . Last but by no means least
it relieves the confusion of Christ
mas day.
Does anyone else have a Christ
mas custom, interesting and dif
ferent, they will let us share with
our readers? We’d be happy to do
cially grateful to Catherine and
her warm and lasting remem-,
brance.
so.
News of Southern Pines friends
continues to drift in as Christmas
card messages are re-read. One
that brought pleased anticipation
was the card fromi Elizabeth Whit-
tall. writing fromi Nassau. “This
will be the last Christmas greet
ing with palm trees on it,” she
says, and goes on to tell that her
husband, Guy, is retiring from his
position with the Shell Oil com
pany within a few months, and is
to establish the Whit-
tall hearth and home in the
United States. Though Guy is
English, he has lived here a good
deal and the'children. Penny and
Vreeland, grew up here and have
been going to school and college
in America during these last years
when their parents were running
the oil business in Bermuda and
Nassau.
Guy and-Elizabeth plan to leave
before long and make a leisurely
trip UD by csf from Florida, drop
ping in -to see friends en route.
THE COUNTRY BOOKSHOP
PINEBLUFF, N. C.
1 Block East, 2% Blocks South of Stoplight
L. V. O’CALLAGHAN
PLUMBING & HEATING SHEET METAL WORK
Telephone 5341
Eisenhower, as might have been
expected, led the list of “mcst
admired living men” conducted
last month by the American In
stitute of Public Opinion (Gallup
poll).
New names in the top 10 were
Adlai Stevenson, iri fifth place,
and Bishop Fulton J. Sheen of
the Catholic church in eighth.
Also, it may surprise some folks
to learn, fourth place was occu
pied by Harry S. Truman, down
just one notch from the position
he has held for the past three
years.
The entire list of 10 held some
surprises for us, and maybe for
you too. The question asked was,
“What man living anywhere in
ithe world do you most admire?”
The leaders: 1, Eisenhower; 2,
MacArthur; Winston Churchill;
4, Harry S. Truman; 5, Adlai
Stevenson; 6, Pope Pius; 7, Her
bert Hoover; 8, Bishop Sheen; 9,
Albert Einstein; 10, Robert A.
Taft.
In 1951 Eisenhower was also!
the leader, followed by Mac-1
Arthur, Truman and Churchill.
In 1950 MacArthur led, with
Eisenhower, Truman and Church
ill coming next.
HEARING AIDS
AUDICON
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Approved by the
American Medical Association
Hearing Aid Batteries, Cords, Service. Your own custom
made ear mold made by us. Trained consultant. Come in
with your problem. Ask for Lou Culbreth.
SOUTHERIt PINES PHARMACY
Phone 2-5321
WORLD INSURANCE COMPANY
LIFE—HEALTH—ACCIDENT—FUNERAL
HOSPITALIZATION and POLIO INSURANCE
Phone 2-7401 LLOYD T. CLARK. Special Agent
Happy birthday next week,
Martha Aden! There’ll be a candle
in the window for you next Fri
day night. Don’t forget.
Contributed—a sad complaint;
Dear Sirs:
In reply to your request to send
a check, I wish to inform you that
the present condition of my bank
account makes it almost impos
sible. My shattered financial con
dition is due to Federal laws,
State laws. County laws, brother-
in-laws, sister-in-laws, and out
laws.
Through these laws, I am com
pelled to pay a business tax, head
tax, school tax, gas tax, and ligh+
tax, water tax, income tax, food
tax, furniture tax and excise tax
I am required to get a business li
cense, car license, operator’s li
cense, not to mention a marriage
license, plus a dog license.
I am also required to contribute
to every society and organization
which the genius of man is cap
able of bringing to life. to
ADEN SCHOOL OF DANCE
Old VFW Clubroom N. E. Broad St.. Straka Bldg.
Ballet : Tap : Acrobatic
Ballroom
Phone 2-8224
Graves Mutual Insurance Agency
HENRY L. GRAVES GLADYS D. GRAVES
1^3 Professional Building
LIFE and FIRE INSURANCE
REAL ESTATE LOANS
P. O. Box 290
FHA and Direct
Southern Pir.es. N. C.
Phone 2-2201
yill^ 111 LU cn cfUlC ni xxx
Southern Pines, says Elizabeth, women’s relief, the unemployed
will be a goal. Lpt’s hope they 1 relief, and the gold-diggers’ re-
HAVE YOUR CLO'IiHES> CLEANED
D. C. jfeNSEN
Where Cleaning an^ Prices Are Better!