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Page TWO THE PILOT—Southern Pines, North Carolina THURSDAY, MAY 7, 1964 Southern Pines ILOT NOW WHAT—?” North Carolina “In taking over The Pilot no changes are contemp^ted. We wm ^ to k^P paper. We will try to make a little money for all concerne . L occasion to use our influence for the public good we will try to do it. And we wiu treat everybody alike.” — James Boyd, May 23, 1941. School Capital Outlay Troubles Again _-i—1 n.f nien and superintendents, some months ago, and they view the high propos^ Southern Pines budget as submitted in violation of that understanding. In addition to this aspect of the mattCT, there is the very important point brought up in a letter on this page: should the Southern Pines school board, in good conscience, commit all its bond funds, plus the large additional sum asked, to proiects that ignore the possibility of consolidation with the Aber(^en and West End Districts (possibly Pmehurst 3.1so)? What about the survey that Southern ^ Phi PS school officials say will be made school in the 1964-65 year They say that possible, by an outside educa- their program of consolidated school wn- ager^, to determine whether or struction will be hamstrung unless hey local school system would benefit have every dollar of the extra needed consolidation? capital outlay funds--and that they also Y Southern Pines capi- desperately need other capital outlay outlay budget an indication that the money in the coming fiscal year, for other - - ■ ’ ' ■'—jn+ontinn Now that all three school systems of the county have submitted to the county commissioners their proposed budgets for the next fiscal year, starting in July, it is apparent that again there will not be enough money to go around for pro posed capital outlay expenditures—new construction and renovation projects. Members of the county board of edu cation, planning to go ahead with con struction of the second of three consoli dated high schools, say it will t^e $377,150 in county funds, over and be yond the $847,850 available from last fall’s bond issue, to build that second school in the 1964-65 year They say that projects around the county, for the total of $618,650 that the county board is ask ing. Pinehurst has put in a modest request for $38,263 for a renovation project. Southern Pines, on the other hand, has asked for $175,300 to undertake projects that would also use all this school dis trict’s $554,700 in bond issue funds, mak ing a total of $730,000 in proposed con struction, renovation and land acquisi tion during the next fiscal year. The total of all these requests, not including bond issue fimds, is more than the county will have available and. the commissioners again will have to Solomon while school officials in all the districts remain uncertain, probably until a final budget is approved in June or July, on just what they can count on. There is no answer to this impasse— the kind of thing that generates bitter- ness and recriminations among the school units—except frank and open advance planning by all the units together and the reaching of substantial agreement before the requests for money are made to the commissioners. County school system officials say that such an agreement, in general terms, was reached in a conference of board chair- local board of education has no intention of considering consolidation, no patter what the results of a survey might bej Otherwise, it’s being asked, why would n’t they hold their requests down, as they had been asked to do by the county system so that the big county program could get started, wait and see what re sults of the survey and local public opinion might urge them to do and then make their plans, and their budget re quests, after all the information is m? The Southern Pines request includes an item of $300,000 for a building to be located on land that the board of edu cation does not yet own nor, as we un derstand it, has any solid assurance of ever owning—at the price of $40,000 that is tentatively budgeted for it, at a higher price, or at all. This seems, at best, a peculiar procedure.. These capital outlay muddles will con tinue, to the detriment of the school pro gram in all the districts, unless boards of education can work out, in advance of each fiscal year, solid agreements on dividing the funds—and stick to those agreements. Better yet, of course, eliminating all such disrupting competition, would be the creation of one good, big school system for the entire county. Crains of Sand ■- ZscHieiHe -d'ii - * GREENSBORO O.MLi NEV/S EDITOR ANALYZES DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY RACE How Avc GovcTfioT Cotididotcs Doitiy? William D. Snider, associ ate editor of the Greensboro Daily News, who is one of the most knowledge2ible of the state's political commenta tors. recently summed up. as he saw it. the status of the three leading candidates for the Democratic gubernatori al nomination—Dr. I. Bever ly Lake. Judge Dan K. Moore and Judge L. Richardson Preyer. Mr. Snider's analyws follows; For ‘A More Beautiful North Carolina’ Richardson Preyer’s endorsement of legislation to restrict billboard advertis ing along Interstate highways may mit be the most momentous statement of his campaign for the Democratic guberna torial nomination, but we welcome it and we are sure many other Tar Heels agree. While the endorsement was given in a letter addressed to the garden clubs of North Carolina, its appeal extends tar beyond that group of lively and interest ed ladies who have done much lor com munity beautification over the state. “We will keep North Carolina tourist industry growing, and our state more prosperous, if we show tourists that we mean what we say when we invite them to the most beautiful state in America, Preyer said. Those are not idle words — as we in this Sandhills resort area can testify. The legislation that the candidate ap proves is the same as that defeated ^ both the 1961 and 1963 sessions of the General Assembly through efforts of a billboard lobby that, Preyer points out, can be expected again “to fight us every inch of the way.” In turning down the legislation. North Carolina lost not only the benefits that beautification would have brought but also the federal “incentive bonus” — a large sum available, under legislation passed by Congress, to states that agree to control roadside advertising along the federal. Interstate road system. While that is lost and gone for the approximate half of the Interstate system that has already been built in North Carolina, approval of legislation to re strict billboards, in 1965, might still not be too late to gamer a proportion of these financial benefits. We have never been able to under stand the influence wielded by the bill board lobby. Surely, no very large pro portion of North Carolinians is deeply concerned in preserving roadside adver tising on Interstate highways. A far larg er number, we’d think, if they had any opinions at all, would welcome unclutter ed vistas and be grateful for temporary relief from the incessant commercial bombardment of eye and ear that is the lot of modem Americans. Yet somehow, a majority of the members of the North Carolina Senate and House have been persuaded that they are acting on behalf of the people by rejecting billboard con trol legislation. Preyer’s endorsement of this legislation is one aspect of a major emphasis of his campaign—his pledge to make conser vation and protection of natural resources a central concern of his administration, if nominated and elected. After traveling to every county in the state, the candidate said in a remarkable speech last week, “I am more convinced than ever before that North Carolina s ultimate destiny, as a great State in our great union of States, is bound up in the land and the relationship of the peo ple to it. . . ” Pollution of air, soil and water, the threat of dwindling forest areas and wildlife—^these are some of the problems he proposes to face and attempt to deal with, all part of his “land and people” theme. Billboard control proposals fit natural ly into this conservation-natural beauty emphasis—an approach to North Car olina’s future that puts Preyer head and shoulders above the other gubernatoriaal candidates in those qualities that disting uish a statesman from a politician — imagination and vision. “I think the people want a more beau tiful North Carolina, now and for time to come,” Preyer said last week. Of course they do—and the General Assembly will eventually wake up to that aspiration. And nothing would more effectively hasten the awakening than having Judge Preyer in the Governor’s Mansion at Raleigh. Before, Not After The North Carolina Department of Agriculture has withdrawn approval of use of the insecticides endrin and dield- rin on tobacco. This is commendable if these sub stances are potentially harmful to tobac co users—but if they are harmful, why was their use ever permitted? Whatever harm they have done cannot be undone now. Endrin and dieldrin are the two sub stances found “in significant qualtities” in dead and dying fish in the lower Mississippi drainage basin and its estua rine waters in the Gulf of Mexico. A source of the contamination was foimd to have been an insecticide plant at Memphis where there appeared to be irresponsible handling of plant wastes. The incident recalls the ridicule heap ed on the late Rachel Carson by the chemical industry for her outspokenness in warning the world of such carelessness with fantastically lethal poisons. When will we wake up and take pre cautions, in this relatively unknown field of chemical poisons, before, not ofter, damage has been done? The professional politician likes to assume he can predict the whims of the people, and so he continuously holds his finger to the wind sampling every chang ing nuance. The North Carolina guberna torial race—the Democratic pri mary phase—is now exactly 30 days from a final (or preliminary) decision; and it is time to listen for a moment to what the crystal- ball gazers are saying—even if they are dead wrong. To trace the currents of the campaign to this point—as one must do superficially at least to find a pattern—^let us go back to the Preyer kick-off in the Greensboro Coliseum last Janu ary. It was there that the former judge attracted 7,500 people to a monster rally which cheered his supporters and alarmed his ad versaries. 'Medicine Show' Both the Moore and Lake camps immediately dismissed the kick-off as a “medicine show” and Madison Avenue high-jinks. But Judge Moore’s backers straightway began to organize their own convocation. The second phase of the cam paign occurred in early March when the Moore forces staged their own rally (medicine show?) in Raleigh Memorial Auditorium. The crowd numbered 3,000. An upsurge of Moore hopes followed, very similar to the Preyer up surge earlier. Moore began to hit harder in campaign speeches. The impact, at least on the surface, encouraged his supporters. All this tim.e Dr. I. Beverly Lake conducted a low-key cam paign, which surprised those who remembered his tactics in 1960. He planned no giant rallies; he avoided outright racist speeches; he decorated the state with few highway billboards and a mini mum of television and newspaper publicity. Sensitive to Timing Lake, to hear his backers tell it, does not believe in building too much early steam. He has his reasons. The Raleigh lawyer is already well known—favorably or otherwise—aU over the state. He does not have the heavy fi nancial backing of his opponents. He is acutely sensitive to timing and will only begin opening up on his adversaries vigorously as the final weeks tick away. That is the superficial, surface pattern of the campmgn. The question is whether this pattern a Preyer upsurge followed by a Moore upsurge followed by a tapering off preliminary to the final, all-out assault—really tells much about the relative strength of the candidates. Both Preyer and Moore Me newcomers to state-wide politics. Nobody can predict just how they will register with the voters. Both are exerting themselves mightily to get around the state and build their county political organizations. They recognize that precinct-by-precinct atten tion can mean a great deal in a campaign where issues are not al ways clear-cut and where person alities are often more powerful than issues anyway. Organization So the real outcome on May 30 may rest more emphatically on the depth of organization, which reflects the real enthusiasm each candidate can inspire among his backers. Each has a hard core of support. Barring developm.ent of some overwhelmingly significant campaign issue, the decisive fac tors will surely lie in personal ap peal and organization. And if one looks objectively at the quality of organization, he must conclude that Judge Preyer will lead on May 30. His organiza tion is full of youthful zip and zing. There are really two candi dates on the Preyer campaign cri- cuit—the former judge and his attractive wife Emily. They are going their separate ways, for the most part, attending coffees and receptions, opening campaign headquarters and generally win ning spectacular comments wherever they appear. The second question is the big one; Which of the other two can didates, Moore or Lake, will be runner-up? Following the events of March, Moore appeared in the lead; but now there is much talk about a Lake “silent vote” and a quiet upsurge. The Moore peo ple have even begun to accuse the Prey€r people of encouragiJiS Lake—^which is a sign that Lake may be gaining. The Preyer forces will natural ly aim for a first primary victory, but they cannot afford to boast about it or even mention it; for the mcirgin between gaining a lit tle more than 50 per cent of the votes or a little less is so small that psychologically to miss by a hair’s breadth could be harmful in the second primary. Predictions So what shall we conclude here just four weeks from primary day? We will stick our necks out and say that Judge Preyer’s out standing qualifications, his per sonality and organization give him a huge plus mark which could come near putting him over the top in the first primary. Then we would add—and all this may be radically changed 30 days from now—that Moore and Lake will run fairly close for the second spot, with Moore favored by a nose. The Last First ^ Nancy Langhome Astor has added another First to her rec- cord. When she died Saturday, she didn’t die of septicmono- anemia or emphycardiatrichano- ma or thoracial-pulmonarylobro- sis like most of us, these days., Not at all. Nancy died, simply, of Old Age. That is what the British doc tors claim and, undoubtedly, that is what Lady Astor decided. She was 85 and that was long enough. “Old Age” was as good a name lor it as any. Lady Nancy Astor was one of the first suffragettes; she was the first woman member of the Brit ish Parliament, where she stayed in the House of Commons, a thorn-in-the-male-flesh, for 25 years. She was one of the five Langhorne Beauties—and nolx^y ever dared to try to say which was First in that quintet. Bom in Danville, Va., she came close to being the First Titled Tarheel- only not close enough by 15 miles, more’s the pity. She was probably th^ first and only person ever to sass Church- hill and get away with it And now, still remarkably aloof from the usual pattern, she is the First in many a moon to die “of Old Age.” They Had Fun Among scores of famous quips from the Astor-Churchill chats: Lady Astor: “Winston, if I were your wife I’d put poison in your coffee.” Churchill: “Nancy, if I were your husband, I’d drink it.” Bad As All That? Though, like many others, Col- um.nist James Reston is in a tizzy about President Johnson’s health, he is highly exasperated at the advice recently given to the Pres ident by his physician. 'The doctor has advised Johnson to take up golf and Reston has an extremely low opinion of golf. Not just be cause Ike played golf ad infini tum-ad nauseam, but because Reston considers it “a plague in vented by Scotch Calvmists as a punishment for man’s soul.” But the columnist has another gripe. He claims it is impossible to find anyone in Washington that President Johnson can beat. (How’s that for a couple of back- handed kicks?) Seriously, Mr. R., have you tried Senator Howard K. Smith of Vahginiah? At least he OUGHT to be beat. The Public Speaking Cracked Record So the National Association of Manufacturers fears it may be considered “picayune” in its op position to President Johnson’s anti-poverty plan. Well, no, NAM, we’d say; not exactly “picayune.” Let’s see; in stead of the President’s plan NAM isuiggeats; economy in govern ment, save the dollar, tax cut for the big boys, crack down on labor unions, let the states handle “public assistance.” That’s not picayune, NAM: just the same old cracked record. How's Thai? A visitor to an institution for the insane was struck by the look of intelligence and understanding on the face of one of the patients. Her curiosity was so aroused that finally she asked him: “If you don’t mind—just why are you here?” Said the patient with a friendly grin; “I’m here because I’m not all there.” How Can School Board Plan Wilhout SurveT? To the Editor; Our citizens will note with in terest the recent request for addi tional funds for expansion of the Southern Pines schools. Our School Board barges ahead to spend money to provide educa tion while operating with num bers which are considered by al most all authorities to be below the minim.um number of students to provide adequate comprehen sive education. This proposal for expenditure is being made without a survey by our State Board of Education or an independent organization for the purpose of determiing wheth er consolidation could produce better education for our students* A survey of our school was made in September, 1963, but this survey was made merely for ex pansion of the facilities at the school, not for a compMative study of whether consolidation would improve our education. Certainly this survey would cause one to question whether we should consider any further addi tions at the present site. Note sev eral quotes from this survey of 1963: “The population density of the present school is exces sively high due to the cramp ed site. . . Expansion of a li brary would be somewhat hampered by the narrow building bay. . . Other parts of the building present a sim ilar problem. . . It would ap pear then that the only an swer is to construct a build ing to house this phase of the program (facilities for in struction in art and industrial arts), although it is with re luctance that the Committee recommends additional con struction on this already crowded site. . .” How can our school board plan to spend the taxpayers’ money before a valid professional survey directed at the question of possible consolidation has been made? Incidentally, and further illus trating the confused climate of this situation, an outstanding edu cator in our State, Dr. Guy Phil lips, has been misquoted by a member of the Southern Pines Board of Education as stating that our school would be better off without consolidation. I have talked personally with Dr. Phil lips and he is displeased, to say the least, that he should have been so misquoted by a member of our board. This is an important matter de serving of careful study before any irrevocable action is taken. CHARLES PHILLIPS, M.D. Watch It! Sign in a Lexington, Va. res taurant: “Watch Out for School Chil dren—Especially . If The!y’!re Driving Cars.” THE PILOT Published Every Thursday by THE PILOT, Incorporated Southern Pines, North Carolina 1941—JAMES BOYD—1944 Katharine Boyd Editor C. Benedict Associate Editor Dan S. Ray Gen. Mgr, C. G. Council Advertising Bessie C. Smith Advertising Mary Scott Newton Business Gloria Fisher Business Mary Evelyn de Nissoff Society Composing Room Dixie B. Ray, Michael Valen, Thomas Mattocks, J. E. Pate, Sr., Charles Weatherspoon, Clydf Phipps. — Subscription Rales Moore County One Year $4.09 Outside Moore County One Year - $5.00 Second-class Postage paid at Southern Pines, N. C. Member National Editorial Am% and N. C. Press Assn.
The Pilot (Southern Pines, N.C.)
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May 7, 1964, edition 1
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