'a
(3
O
Bwgraphical Sketches
of candidates in Monday’s
primary appear on page 19.
Vote Monday—
to select 10 candidates for the
municipal elections May 7.
twenty pages
SOUTHERN PINES, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 1957
TWENTY PAGES
Town Council Give^ Go Ahead
For New Municipal Building
Fire Wing Not
To Be Built
Awarded Coker Scholarship
At This Time
A decision to begin construc
tion of the new Town Hall was
made Wednesday morning by
the Town Coun(^. The decision
came after many meetings and
numerous hours of discussion in
which the Council considered lit
erally dozens of alternatives.
In making the decision, the
Council gave its approval to a
plan that would eliminate con
struction of a fire wing at this
time. That part of the building,
described as “phase two” of the
completed plan, was eliminated
in favor of a wing that includes
a council room, located at the
front of the building.
In a letter to Fire Chief Har
old Fowler, which is reprinted
on this page, the Council said it
would recommend to the new
council, which takes office in
May, that an immediate bond
election be called, not to exceed
$70,000, which would procure
funds for the completion of the
building, “hopefully at the same
^me.”
Fowler had met with the
Coimcil Tuesday afternoon and
concurred in the decision.
As it stands, the part' of the
building that wUl be construct
ed at this time, will cost approx
imately $13(1,000. Contracts for
that amount should be awarded
within the next few days, ac
cording to Town Manager Louis
Scheipers.
Mayor Voit Gilmore said the
decision was made after much
deliberation and “conscientious
thought” on the part of every
member of the Council and va
rious citizens who had been in
vited to take part in the discus
sions.
“It is, of course, a matter of
deep regret to all of us that the
entire building ^ cannot be built
with the funds presently avail
able,” he said. “We have explor
ed every avenue open to us. In
ttie final analysis, however, we
know that not enough money is
available and our combined
thought is that the building that
will be constructed will best
serve the needs of Southern
(Continued on Page 5)
TEXT OF TOWN COUNCIL'S LETTER TO
FIRE CHIEF HAROLD FOWLER:
The Town' Council acknowledges with thanks your meeting
with us on April 23 and discussing plans for construction of the
new Town Hall.
As was explained by our architect, Mr. Hayes, it is impossible
to construct the entire building with funds presently available.
Consequently, our plan is to construct as much of the total build
ing as possible, utilizing plans already drawn. The architect
feels strongly that to build economically and efficiently, the first
construction phase should comprise police quarters, jail, public
meeting room and administrative offices. Phase two would
cover fire station and firemen quarters.
As we of the Town Council etssured you at our meeting, we
strongly desire to see the entire Town Hall buUt and if possible
built all at the same time. However, since financial necessity
required that we build in two phases, we conclude that the fire
station should be made phase two. W& are glad that you concur
in this d^ision, considering particularly that the fire department
at least has reasonably adequate existing quaiders whereas all
other departments are using inadequate, temporary space.
To assure the soonest possible construction of the fire depart
ment section of the Town HaU, hopefully in time to allow simul
taneous completion, the Town Council will recommend to the
new Town Council which takes office in May that a bond elec
tion be held at the earliest possible date to provide sufficient
additional funds. We have been assured that a bond issue not in
excess of $70i000 will be sufficient to build the fire station and
complete all other details of the Town Hall
Plea^ emphasize two things to the firemen. First, this Town
Hall will be one of'the finest an3rwhere and has been designed to
serve our Town’s needs for the next twenty-five to. fifty years
with the best known modem municipal equipment and layout.
Second, the Town’s financial position is excellent, our credit rat- ’
ing is extremely sound, and the additional bond issue as pro
posed would be well within the Town’s financial capacity.
We appreciate your advice and cooperation.
Joan Howarth, senior at South
ern Pines High School, has been
awarded a $750 William Cham
bers Coker freshman scholarship
at Coker College in Harts'ville,
S. C.
The awards, which represent
the school’s top scholarships, are
apportioned annually among the
three rising classes and the in
coming first-year class. Selection
of recipients is based on scholar
ship, character and leadership
qualifications.
Miss Howarth is the daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. John M. Howarth
of 455 Coimtry Club Drive. An
honor student at Southern Pines
High Scvhool, she is serving as
business manager of The Lance,
school yearbook, vice-president of
the Beta Club and senior repre
sentative on the student council.
She has served two terms as mar
shal and manager of the girls’
basketball team, and secretary of
the dramatics club. Her father
is chairman of the local school
board.
She is also an FHA member
and president of the young peo
ples’ group in Emmanuel Church.
JOAN HOWARTH
WUham Chambers Coker schol
arships represent the income
from an endowment fund estab
lished by Mrs. William Chambers
Coker of Cha{)el Hill as a memo
rial to her late husband, who Wcis
a well-known botanist on the
University of North Carolina fac
ulty. He was also a son of Coker
College founder Major James
Lide Coker. ,
Town Primary Set
Monday; 11 Seeking
Council Positions
New Industry Locates Here; Owner
Got First Look At Town From Plane
Band Concert At
School Will Be
Given Tomorrow
With a varied program ar
ranged, the Southern Pines High
School band will present its sec
ond annual concert at Weaver
Auditorium tomorrow (Friday)
night at 8:15. '
Numbers by Bach, Leroy An
derson, Hoagy Carmichael and
others are oh the program which
Director Lvnn Ledden says will
have something appealing to ev
eryone.
Proceeds of the concert will be
used for future purchases of uni
forms and equipment. At present
there are some 50 members in the
senior band, not including the
majorettes, and about 25 each in
the intermediate and beginner’s
bands. Both, with members from
the fifth through seventh grades,
will perform numbers as extra
features of the regular concert.
Town’s Financial
Position Sound,
Authorities Say
Just what is the financial posi
tion of Southern Pines?
That question^ has arisen often
in recent weeks, particularly by
citizens discussing the proposed
new Town Hall,
In response to an inquiry from
The Pilot, Town Manager Louis
Scheipers said this morning that
the town is in excellent financial
standing at this point and that
the outlook is “not dim at aU” as
some people would ha've it.
As of July 1, 1957, the begin
ning of the coming fiscal year, he
said the town has the follo'wing
indebtedness:
Water bond& $303JI00: gen
eral obligation bonds, $324.-
000: totaL $627J)00.
The statutory borrowing limit
for towns in North Carolina, he
pointed out, is eight per cent of
the total property valuation of
the town. That limit is the one
recommended by the Local Gov
ernment Commission, and made
into law by the General Assem
bly, and which experts think is
a safe limit.
The eight per cent limit, how
ever, applies only to the indebt
edness incurred by the issuance
of general obligation bonds; it
does not include water bonds,
which are of a revenue producing
nature. (Actually, 'Scheipers said,
a town could borrow an unlimit
ed amount for water improve
ments so long as people would
buy the bonds).
Property valuations in Southern
Pines for the 1957-58 fiscal year
are estimated at $7,570,000. Eight
per cent of that is $605,600, which
would, after subtracting the $324,-
000 representing general obliga
tion bonds, leave the to-wn at
present with a borrowing capac
ity of $281,600.
WHAT DOES THE WELFARE DO?
Improvements At
Hospital Complete;
To Hold Opening
The $481,000 expansion and im
provement project of Moore
C(^unty Hospital, in process for
two years, was completed this
week.
The public is invited to an Open
House Sunday, May 5, to view
the new changed facilities which
have increased the institution’s
bed capacity by 24, added a new
emergency wing, new children’s
ward and rooms, new laundry and
heating plant, greatly enlarged
storage facilities, all in addition
to the new front wing with quar
ters for administrative offices, pa
tient receiving desk, telephone
switchboard, file rooms and can
teen.
Representatives of the North
Carolina Medical Care Commis
sion and the U. S. Public Health
Service approved everything at
a final inspection on Tuesday, at
tended by the architects, contrac
tors an dhospital officials. Only
a few minor changes were sug
gested.
There wiU be conducted tours
through the new facUities and in
stallations on May 5. In addition
to these, many changes will be
noted by the visitors: expansion
of the X-ray department, of lab
oratories, and of storage space..
Following the Open House
Sunday, the hospit2il will start
receiving patients for the new
rooms and wards the next day,
May 6, Thomas A. Howerton,
Hospital Administrator, said yes
terday.
Additional space will be made
available for future needs within
the course of the next few weeks
when the Out-Patient Depart
ment, with its offices for a num
ber of physicians and surgeons of
the "regular staff, is completed
across the Pinehurst-Carthage
(Continued on Page 5)
Boarding Homes Improve State Of Needy Aged
By KATHARINE BOYD
There are five boarding homes
for indigent people in Moore
Countv. One is in Carthage, one
in Robbins, one near Jackson
Springs, one in West Southern
Pines and one in West End.
Th°se homes are not primarily
nursing homes. However, of
course, many of the people taken
care of in the boarding homes are
senile, mentally incapable of do
ing everything for themselves;
some are crippled, some develop
illnesses while there; and most of
them, as time passes, lapse into
the last stages of their lives and*
die in the homes.
The boarding homes are not im-
der the supervision of the county
Department of Public Health in
the sense that the former coimty- :
owned and operated County Home i
was. These boarding homes are j
licensed by* the state and twice-
yearly state inspection is obliga
tory. Between times, members of
the staff of the Department of
Public Welfare are supposed to
keep in touch with how things are
going. The operators call this de
partment and negotiate all diffi
culties or problems through it.
At the old Coimty Home, the
Health Officer was the one called
in case of the illness of the
patients; he would ask for outside
medical help from private physi
cians, when this was in order.
This duty, under the present sys
tem, devolves directly on the phy
sician of the community whom
the operator simply calls in when
needed.
It should be added that, besides
these homes listed as county
boarding homes, county patients
are also cared for in several of
the other nursing homes situated
in the coimty. This is the case
(Continued on page 8)
Summing up his remarks at a
meeting of the Moore County In
dustrial Development Committee
recently, a prominent northern
industrialist said:
“There are literally hundreds
of reasons why an industry de
cides to locate in a particular
spot. It is difficult to point to
one single thing and say, ‘That
is it.’ ”
In the case of one small indus
try that located here just last
week, it is easy to pinpoint the
reason: Southern Pines, as every
one wlio lives here or has visited
here, knows, is a beautiful place.
And Lee Smithson, proprietor
of the town’s newest industry,
says that is the reason he is here
now.
Smithson heads a Missouri
firm that specializes in supply
ing fine quilted products for the
furniture trade. He left Missouri
about two weeks ago looking for
a likely location near the furni
ture producing area of North
Carolina, where the great bulk
of his business comes from.
He first went to Albemarle
and succeeded in lining up three
potential locations. Like most
people, however, he decided to
take one final look before mak
ing a firm decision.
A pilot (he was a B-29 pilot
during World War 2), he and his
business associate, Ray Huffman,
flew over the area around Albe
marle and, inevitably, came to
the Sandhills. Looking at South
ern Pines from^ above, he was
impressed with its apparent
beauty and weU-kept look; he
decided to come do'wn for a
closer look.
i About three hours later he had
a real estate man in tow mid was
looking for a building.
Five days later he was in busi
ness; the very next day he told
several, people he had met that
he had high hopes to enlarge the
small op>eration.
The new business, Story-
Smithson, Inc., has established a
reputation with most of the
country’s top furniture manufac
turers for the quality of its prod
ucts. Actually, Smithson says, he
is hi an extremely specialized
part of the furniture business:
(Continued on page 5)
Carthage Youth Is
Killed In Wreck;
First Here In ’57
Lacy H. Stutts, 23, of Carthage,
died Sunday afternoon in St. Jos
eph’s Hospital here from injuries
sustained early Sunday morning
in an automobile accident near
Manly.
He was the first traffic fatality
on rural roads in Moore County
this year. Two others have died
from traffic injuries but both ac
cidents happened within the lim
its of a town.
According to State Highway
Patrolman E. G. Shomaker, Stutts
was riding viiith WiUie 'Theodore
Hinesly, al^ 23, of Route 3, Car
thage, in Hinesly’s car. Apparent
ly the driver lost control on a
curve and left the road.
Shomaker said that from where
the car left the road to the spot it
finally came to rest was just short
of 600 feet. It uprooted two pine
trees and broke a telephone pole
in two, he said.
'The accident occurred just
north of Bristow’s Motor Court
on US Highway 1. Shomaker at
tributed it to high speed.
Both Stutts and Hinesly were
thrown from the car and were
discovered by ambulance attend
ants about 30 feet from the car.
Stutts died Sunday afternoon.
Hineriy is still in St. Joseph’s
where his condition is reported as
serious.
Stutts is survived by his par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. G. L. Stutts of
Carthage; three sisters, Mrs. W.
(Continued on page 5)
Polls Open At
6:30; Vote Of
1500 Forecast
Voters in Southern Pines will
go the polls Monday to nominate
10 candidates for Town Council
in the municipal elections May
With 11 candidates in the pri
mary, only one will be elimina
ted. Voters will indicate their
preference for ten on the voting
machines. The polls will be open
from 6:30 a. m. to 6:30 p. m.
During the registration period
two weeks ago, about 175 added
their names to the eligible voting
list. Observers think that close
to 1500 people will vote.
The polling place is located in
the fire station on East New
Hampshire A'venue.
Qn page 19 of today’s Pilot bi
ographical sketches of each of the
candidates appear, together with
their pictures. Information for
the sketches was provided by
the candidates themselves and
the statements made are their
own.
Historical Assn. To
Hold Annual Meeting
Sheriff C. J. McDonald, presi
dent of the Moore County His
torical Association, has announc
ed Hhat the annual meeting of
the association will be held at
Paint HiU Farm Tuesday, May
7, at 5:30 p. m.
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Ives, res
idents of Paint Hill, have invited
members of the association to
stay to supper following the
meeting.
'The full Board of Directors
will meet immediately after sup
per to elect officers for the com
ing year.
FIRST IN NINE YEARS
High School Students Honor Irie
Leonard In Annual Just Published
'The Lance, yearbook of the
Southern Pines High School
senior class, was distribute to
students this week. It marked
the first time in the past nine
years that such a book has been
published at the school.
It was dedicated to Irie Leon
ard, principal and head coach Of
the football and baseball teams.
In chapel ceremonies earlier
this week, the yearbook staff,
headed by John Chappell, re
vealed for the first time its
choice for the dedication.
The dedication page read;
“Upon you, Irie Leonard, prin
cipal, coach and teacher, we, the
students of Southern Knes
School, bestow the Coat of Arms.
“In selecting you for this hon
or, we feel that you embody the
enduring courage and loyal spirit
of a true Knight.
“You have not only coached
our football team into four state
championship games, but you
have been a faithful friend
throughout our high school ca
reer and a stepping stone into
our future life.
“So here is to ^ inspiring
teacher, an untiring coach, and
a dedicated principal. . . the most
outstanding Knight of all. . . Irie
Leonard.”
The announcement evoked
considerable applause from the
student body, gathered in the
auditorium for the announce
ment. At the conclusion of the
program students freely swap
ped books for the age-old custom
of autographing.
'The book includes sections on
football, basketball, baseball,
(Continued on Page oi
Six Teams Entered
For Town Summer
Softball League
Six teams have entered the
summer softball league and will
begin a regular season of play in
the middle of June, it was an
nounced following an organiza
tional meeting at the library
Monday night.
The six teams and their man
agers are:
Church of Wide Fellowship,
Robert Leland; Carolina Power
and Light Company, Charles
Horton; Junior (Chamber of
Commerce, Joel Stutts; National
Guard, William Wilson; Veterans
of Foreign Wars, Frank Smith;
and Lions Club, Don Traylor, Jr.
Cien. Pearson Menoher was re
appointed co-commissioner of
the league, and will serve with
Morris Johnson, who is replacing
Carl Holt.
'The commissioners said that
several more teams would help
fill out the schedule and request
ed any organized group that
wishes to enter to make applica
tions .as soon as possible.
'The schedule is now being
worked out.
Only member of the present
Town Council not seeking office
this year is Mayor Voit Gilmore.
There have been no clear cut
issues drawn in the campaign
which some people are saying is
potably dull. The one thing that
could be an issue, perhaps, is the
decision made just yesterday by
the Town (kjundl to begin con
struction of a new Town Hall
j building. Several of the candi
dates have privately expressed
opposition to the method of fi
nancing the project
Town Charter Is
Ratified Tuesday
The new charier for SouA-
em Pines was ralifi^ by Ihe
General Assembly Tuesday
and is effective inunediale-
ly.
Rep. H. Clifton Blue had
steered the bill through the
House of Representatives. It
was adopted formally by the
Town Council late last
mfonlh.
Town officials said thig
morning that, generally
speaking, there are few
changes in it that would
have an immediate effect on
the public. One section, call
ing for the appointment of a
five member school board,
had held up the naming of a
board until after the ratifica
tion.
It is now expected that the
new board will be named
early in May, as soon as the
new Town Council takes of
fice.
IRIE LEONARD, principal and head coach of
the football and baseball teams at Southern
Pines High School, was surprised recently when
the staff of The Lance, yearbook at the school.
announced he was their choice fdr the' dedica
tion page. Leonard is shown here being pre
sented a copy of the book by John Chappell,
editor, while members of the staff look on.