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VOLUME XLII?NUMBER 33 Willjamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday. April 25, 1939. ESTABLISHED 1899
Secretary Of State
School Commission
To Speak Thursday
Forty-Two Seniors To Get
Diplomas From Local
School
-??
The class day exercises on Wed
nesday night and the graduation ex
erciaes scheduled for Thursday night
will mark the close of the school
term for the eight hundred students
enrolled In the local schools. Last
Sunday morning, Rev Z. T. Piep
howw delivered the commencement
sermon to the forty-two graduates
and a congregation of seven hundred
people.
Tomorrow evening at eight o'clock
the graduating class wi/T present a
playentitled the^-Time w.gnn
written by Mrs. S. R. Edwards^ The'
play brings into use a modern ma
chine which reveals the past history
of the senior class. Miss Rebecca
Harrison and a group of first grade
children, Miss Nancy Glover, junior
home room teacher, and Mrs. C. B.'
Hassell contribute parts of the pro
gram. Seniors playing leading parts
include Dorris Moore, class presi
dent; Sallie Grey Gurkin, valedic
torian; Reld White, salutalorian and
Susie Whitley, poet and prophet.
Thursday night at eight o'clock
the formal graduation exercises
will be held with Mr. Lloyd Griffin,
secretary of the State school com
mission making the principal ad
dress. R. L. Coburn, chairman of the
local school committee, will intro
duce Mr. Griffin, and Elbert S. Peel
will present the diplomas to the for
ty-two members of the graduating
class Fifty-seven members of the
seventh grade will receive their
grammar grade certificates. Mem
bers of the graduating class are as
follows:
William Ballard, Herbert Mason
Clark, Jr., W. E. Dunn, Jr., Pete
Egan, James Robert Everett, Jr. Jo
seph J. Edmondson, James Julian
Jackson. Samuel Alfred Mobley,
Gordon Manning. Elbert S. Peel, Jr.,
Rudolphe Peel, Doris Andrews, Min
nie Rogers Chesson, Ellen Coburn,
Dorothy Coltraine, Dixie Elizabeth
Daniel, Delsie Faye Godard, Doleta
Belle Gardner, Elsie l.arkin Gnrgan
us, Eva Earnestine Gurganus, Nettie i
Mae Gurganus, Sallie Grey Gurkin,
Slachel Aldine Keel, Helen Marguei -
ite Lindsley, Lowreader Modlin,
Dorothy Britton Manning, Julia
Louise Melson, Monteria Hardison,
Dorris Marie Moore, Mary E. Rani
ey, Elizabeth Irene Perry, Mary Vir
ginia Revels, Dorothy Caroline
Stalls, Eleanor Taylor, Martha R
Ward, Susie Pearl Ward. Virgil
Ward, Reid White, Susie Whitley,
Nancy Whitehurst, Margaret Jones
and Marjorie Fleming.
Members of the seventh grade
to receive certificates follow:
Betsy Anderson, Hewett Andrews,
Nina Bennett, John Bland, Jasper
Bfbwder, Bernice Bullock, Russell
Bullock, Dora Cherry, Daryl Clay
ton, Marie Crisp, George Cunning
ham, Evelyn Daniel, Donald Dixon,
Evelyn Edmondson, Delsie Gardner,
Elsie Mae Gardner, William Gard
ner, Conrad Getsinger, Helen God
ard, John Goff, Reginald Griffin,
Elizabeth Gurganus, Hazel Gurgan
us, Fred Hardison, Harold Hargett,
Virginia Hines, Carl Leroy Ivey, Ed
na Ruth Ivey, Courtney Jenkins,
Anne Lindsley, Daisy Manning,
Richard Margolis, Lenora Melson,
Nancy Mercer, Delia Jane Mobley,
Russell Mobley, Berkley Nicholson,
Noah Nicholson, Warren Nicholson,
(Continued on page six)
Build Foundation
For A Band Here
Professor Enloe is laying the
foundation for a strong band here
next season, the director announcing
this week that considerable interest
is being shown in its reorganization
and that a sizeable unit is assured
for next season.
At the present time, the band in
cludes the following musicians:
Trombones: Thad Harrison, E. G.
Wynne, J. B. Taylor;
Baritones: Eli Gurganus, Bennie
Daniels;
Bass: Jimmie Leggett;
Trumpets: Jerry Clark, Horace
Ray, Frank Weaver, Billy Mercer,
Junie Peele;
Clarinets: Frdd Hardison, Jack
Bailey, John Whitley, Richard Mar
golis, Ben Hardison;
Drums: Jim Manning, Pete Egan,
James Carrow, Bennie Weaver, Sam
my Taylor;
Saxophones: Vernon Godwin,
Marvin Roberson, Rudolph Peele;
Alto: Buddy Wier;
Drum majors: Mary Osborne,
Martha Rhodes Ward, Margaret
Patrolmen to Arrest All
Speeders After May 1st
Instructions have been received I law at the last session of the legis
nere Dy Patrolman w. b. Hunt to
proceed to arrest motorists who op
erate their cars on public highways
at a greyer rate of speed than 60
miles an hour after May 1. The new
speed limit was provided in a law
recently ratified in the legislature
and is effective at this time, although
Revenue Commissioner A. J. Max
well, under whose department the
patrol is operated, said that patrol
men were being ordered to begin
strict enforcement of the law after
the first of next month.
Prior to the passage of the new
lature, mere was no maximum speed
limit on the statute books. The old
law simply provided that motorists
must exercise due caution when
driving more than 45 miles an hour !
For the remainder of this month. I
speeders will be cautioned about the
new speed law and will be urged to J
hold their automobiles down to the
60-mile maximum, but no arrests
will be mode except for "flagrant vi
olations." it was said.
Patrolman Hunt also advises that
trucks, loaded or unloaded, should
rot be operated at a speed in excess
of 30 miles an hour.
County's Tax Listing
Is Far From Complete
I ANOTHER RECORD
v
1
A unique record almost par
aileling that established b,v Ben
Manning in the local schools, is
being chalked up by Miss Sally
Grey Gurkin as the term draws
to a close here this week.
For eleven years, Miss Gur
kin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Johnnie Gurkin, of near here,
has neither been absent nor
tardy. To climax the record,
Miss Gurkin earned the place
of class valedictorian.
Young Manning, completing
his record three years ago, was
neither absent nor tardy dur
ing his eleven years in school,
had his name appear on the
honor roll every month except
one or two and was class vale
dictorian.
Both records are deserving of
warm commendation.
Settle Quarrel Over
The Cotton Exjiorl
Subsidy Last Week
Bounty of About 2 Cents Is
Finally Agreed
Upon
President Roosevelt and S?ulh?rnl
Senators patched up their quarri
over cotton export subsidy ^ *ee*
by agreeing on a bounty of about 2
cents a pound on both raw cotton
and manufactured cotton goods sold
8^Senator Bankhead, Democrat Ala^
bama. who served as peacemaker in
the dispute that threatened to dead
?k'?nate action onfall farm leg
liiatiom announceff The cbmpromB^
Srlnent after a seeret conference
of the Senate cotton hloc
He said the subsidy would be used
...11 fire* thlS
in an endeavor to sell first this
in an enuc?*?* ? -
years cotton crop and cotton out
side the government's loan stocks.
President Roosevelt had sugges -
ed a subsidy to reduce the more-'than
11 000,0U0 bale of staple piled up
under government loans, but South
ern Senators contended this might
lower the market for this years
I Cr?The revised program is a practi
| cal operation of the cotton export
subsidy announced by the
I dent." Bankhead said.
? Our present plan will leave al
new crop cotton in free channels of
trade," Bankhead said. 1 feel <*r
tain that the domestic price for this
"Ln will be stabilized at around
? cc p*.r?'. s.? -
cause growers to market their new
crop instead of putting it up as co
lateral for government loans
about 8 cents a pound.
Being directed primarily at mov
ing the new crop into world chan
nels, the compromise plan would
leave unsolved the question of what
to do with the huge quantities of
cotton piled up under government
'"senator Byrnes, Democrat, has
suggested trading part of it to Great
Britain and other nations for tin
rubber and other products this
Tnde^hf pUn. the trade, would
be accompanied by an
to hold the stocks as war ?se??
unless the world price climbed to
figure to be agreed on before
^Administration circles heard with
interest a report published in the
London Sunday Dispatch that Great
Britain had opened negotiations for
purchase of the bulk of the W
plus. It was said at the state depart
(Continued on page six)
Only Four iVlore
Days To Complete
The Annual Task
Small Reduction in County
Values Is Generally
Predicted
Dragging since the books were
opened the early part of this month,
tax listing in the county was report
ed today to be far from complete.,
reliable reports coming from author
ative sources stating that several
hundred property owners were sub
jecting themselves to court actiun
or the double listing of their hold
ings. Under the law, the time for
listing property expires on Saturday
of this week, and no provision for
an extension has been made It has
been reported that the authorities
are not willing to extend the time
for listing, that each year an exten
sion is granted the property owners
wait that much longer before handl
ing the annual project
It is possible for the list-takers to
complete the work by late Saturday
but Ihe property owners will find
it necessary to wait in line should
the task be completed in its entire
ty. Time extensions allowed for list
ing property delays the preparation
of the tax books, and each fall quite
a few property owners cause confu
sion by advancing tax payments to
get the maximum discounts.
In Williamston Township List
laker H. M. Burras said today that
not more than 50 per cent of the
"big" property owners had listed
their holdings, that possibly 75 per
cent or more of the "little fellows"
had given their earthly belongings
He added that it would be a big
rush, but he could handle the work
between now and Saturday if the
property owners reported His of
fice is maintained in the Roanoke
Dixie warehouse each day from nine
to five o'clock.
In the county, not more than 70
per cent of the property owners
have listed their holdings, but in
one or two districts the work will
I be virtually completed a day or two
before the final date.
Reports .from the list-takers are
not very encouraging. Some of them
report that values will about hold
their own, others say that decreases
are to be expected, but none has
said an increase is likely. The local
list-taker pointed out that William
ston might show a gam, but that
the decreased number of new auto
mobiles and smaller stocks of pro
j visions, on farms would run into a
sizeable total. The loss in those
brackets may be offset by increases
in new properties which will ap
proximate $100,000 possibly.
Last year the Williamston books
showed an increase of more than
100 new cars as compared with less
than 25 to date. Merchandise stocks
are about the same with a few a lit
tle higher in value than last season.
Sheriff Uninjured In
Wreck Early Yesterday
Turning sharply to avoid a wreck
with another car, Sheriff C. B. Roe
buck crashed his car into a small
bridge abutement below Jamcsville
yesterday morning. The officer es
caped injury, but damage to his car
approximated $100.
Representative Social
Security Board Here
Old-age insurance provisions of
the Social Security Act will be ax
plained by a representative of the
Security Board every other Friday
beginning on Friday of next week
between the hours of 11:30 and 1
p. ro. . "T,
Court Nearing End
Oi Two Weeks Term
J" ? V ' ' ? ' - ? ; ? '
Here This Afternoon
Number of Cases Cleared
From Docket by Com
promise or Trial
A two-weeks' term of Martin
County Superior court convening
here on Monday of last week is
nearing a close this afternoon, re-1
ports from the bar of justice stating
that a number of cases had been set
tled by agreement, compromise oi
by trial. Judge Henry A. Grady, the
silver-haired jurist of New Bern, is
presiding.
Few cases of any great importance
have been placed before the court
for action during the term, and
small crowds have witnessed the
proceedings Today th<? mm! start.,
ed the trial of the case of F. S. liar
re 11 against P. L. Salsbury, charging!
usury. Adjournment is expected
shortly after the completion of the
case, reports stated.
| Monday, the court spent much of
the day trying the case of the Nor
folk Savings and Loan Corporation'
against the C. and W. Motor Com
pany, of Robersonville, the court
granting the defense its motion for
non-suit. Joe Mathias traded cars'
with the motor company and ex
plained that the title was held as
collateral by the plaintiff, that the
note had been paid and the title
could be gotten. The plaintiff, it was
alleged, held the title as supplemen
tary collateral to another note, but
when the paintiff's witness, Mr.
Decker, admitted that the note had
been paid, Judge Grady granted the
motion of non-suit
Addresing the judge, Attorney J.
C. Smith said, "The disposition of
the witness to tell the truth appar
ently is his weakness." Decker ap
parently angered by the remarks,
invited Attorney Smith outside. The
attorney accepted the challenge, but
one or the other saw to it that there
would be no meeting outside.
Based on two years of separation
a divorce was granted A. L. Thomp
son in his case against Berta E.
Thompson.
In the case of W. A. Bailey against
Stephen Scott, the differences were
settled by agreemnt. It is under
stood that the defendant agreed to
pay $100 to the plaintiff as a result
of an automobile wreck near Bear
Grass last November.
Court Declares The
AAA Constitutional
Washington, D. C Provisions ol
thfc 1938 agricultural adjustment act
limiting the amount of major farm
products to be placed on the market,
were held constitutional by the su
preme court.
Justice Roberts delivered the deci
sion-that sustained?the provisions
against an attack by a group of
Georgia and Florida flue-cured 10
bacco growers. Justices Butler and
! McReynolds dissented.
Under the legislation the secre
tary of agriculture is empowered
to fix national marketing quotas for
major agricultural products and to
j make an allotment to each grower.
The quotas would be established
in order to get rid of any excessive
surplus of cotton, wheat, corn, to
bacco or rice.
This legislation was passed after
the original AAA had been invali
dated by the high tribunal in 1936
in a 6 to 3 decision.
The court also ordered the dis
charge from custody of Joseph
Strecker, of Hot Springs, Arkansas,
whom the labor department sought
to deport on the grounds that he was
an alien communist.
Justice Roberts delivered the
opinion which held that the labor
department had erred in the con
struction of the statute under which
Strecker was ordered deported.
?
Better Fishing In
Roanoke Reported
Commercial fisheries <>n the Roan
oke had their most successful day
of the season yesterday when her
rings were taken from the stream by
the hundreds of thousands The
plant at Jamesville, casting its seine
fourteen times during the day. trap
ped approximately 100,000 of the
fish and other plants along the
stream reported catches equally as
large. Through yesterday, the Flem
ing fis^ry at Jamesville had raught
well in excess of half a million The
catch is considerably below normal,
but it is far larger than the season
total last year.
Despite unfavorable days, the
Jamesville plant is almost certain to
experience its most successful sea
son in several years.
Martin County Farmers Offered
$211,000.00 to Comply With the
New Soil Conservation Program
PROMISING MUSICIANS
Gathering together a unique as
sortment of instruments last fall
the first grade rhythm band, under
the direction of Miss Rebecca -Har
rison, completes a successful year
Tin- group, appearing in concerts
before various meetings, hoists
some promising musicians. They
will feature the parade for the bal1
game here Thursday afternoon The
names of the hand members are
Leader: Martha MacKen/ie, Ruby '
Savage, June* Bowen, Helen Ches-J
sun, Rachel Chesson, Madaline Ches- J
son, Nancy Robertson, Betty Lou
Elaine Burroughs, Marjorir
Hopkins, Clarn Whitfield, Jessie
Mae Melson. Ann Woodard, Ann
Lamm, Elizabeth. Whitley, Frank
Wynne, Asa Manning, Warren Golf,
Charles Carner, Jack Gray, Billy
Spruill, Bobby Davis, Leslie Culli
pher, Cecil Savage, Hush Bondur
ant.
I RE-ELECTED
V
Re-elected last week by the
? Oak City sch<?ol committee,
Principal II. M. Ainsley will en
ter upon his seventeenth term
as head of the schools there nexi
fall. Ilis record, unusual in any
coupty, has not been equalled
in this county jn recent years.
During his stay in Oak City
he has builded one of the
strongest schools in the county
and figured prominently in the
religious and civic fields there
and in the county.
Oak City School
Closes This Week
The Oak City school will, close
successful term Friday evemok ~oT~
this week nt H o'clock when Clvde
A Erwip, State Superintendent ol
Public Education, delivers the com
mencement address to twenty-one
seniors and patrons of the school in
the auditorium there.
? Rev. Chester Alexander delivered
a noble sermon to an appreciative
audience Sunday evening; April 23,
in the school auditorium. His topic
was "Advice to Young Gentlemen
and Ladies". His outline was resist,
can't take it and overcome. The
meeting was almost thrown into con
fusion when just as the class was
ready to march in a fire was an
nounced and it was not certain whe
ther it was the school building or
not, however by sane acting and ad
vice, everything was calm. Even
though the burning building was
within a few hundred yards of the
school and the campus was all light-1
ed yet the class returned and the
program was continued and must of
the people finally heard the sermon
Firemen Called Out
Yesterday Afternoon
The local fire department was
called out yesterday afternoon at
5:15 o'clock when the garage roof
caught fire ju'st back of the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Parker on Watts
Street. Its origin unknown, the
fire was quickly brought under con
trol, and very little damage result
ed.
Local Marble Champion
Plays In Rocky Mount
After winning the marble tourna
ment played at the local grammar
achool. Joseph Davenport, from the
islands, made a creditable showing,
playing other marble champions in
Rocky Mount Saturday
Playing until the finals Joe says
"it I had worn my overalls and old
shoes, I could have done better." Joe
is In the third grade.
T
Reviews \elivities
Of Health Div ision
For the Fast Month
Extensive and Varied Pro
gram of Activity Is
Report Feature
The* monthly mute city and infan-j
ey clinic was held on March 7th and
was conducted by the health officer.
The 29 patients attending constitut
ed the largest attendance at any
M and I ,clinic since the advent of1
the health department. The pre-na- i
tal and infancy work done by the'
department is a very important
phase of health work,' and we hope
to extend this service in another |
community of the county soon
The venereal disease clinics have
increased to a peak attendance, and
our prist nl facilities will not per'
nut further expansion Therefore, w
are concentrating our efforts tow
aid better service for those suffer
ing from syphilis and who are al
ready under our control. As patients
a re discharged new patients will be
admitted, however we have not
turned down any new case so far
This month we gave a total of 7(571
treatments for syphilis and took
total of 222 blood specimens for the
Wassermann test The total patients |
coming to the clinics for either
treatment, blood tests, or advice ex
ceeded 1062. Seven warrants were
issued to delinqunt V I) patients,
and uI1-opptrared before the health
officer within the 48 hour period oi
grace before a detention order was
! to be served This gesture has given
, the patients a greater respect for the
clinics, and many unknown delin-1
| quents have turned up as a result
| of it. It shall -not- be the |K>licy -oi
tnis department to issue court orders
until actual contacts by the public
health nursivi have been made, the
patient informed and given an am
ple time to cooperate.
The school examinations of color
ed children in tin- first, third and
sixth grades were finished during
this month, with a monthly total ol
1106 colored sehooT children exam
ined, and 1129 school children vac
cinated against smallpox. This con
stitutes a peak month for both school
examinatiohs and vaccinations.
A dental program was started in
the white schools on March 6th with
Drs. Evans and Underwood of the
State Board of Health conducting
the dental work. In addition to many
classroom talks, demonstrations and
distribution of literature, they have
treated a total of 342 children, and
^inspected a total of 704, or a month
ly total of 1046. Their work has been
greatly appreciated in every com
munity, and they have endeared
themselves to both the children and
(Continued on page six)
Small Majority Of
Farmers Show Some
Interest In Program
p
Indications Are That the
Program Will Almost
Be Abandoned
Martin County farmers will re
ceive approximately $211,000 in soil
onservanon payments next spring
if they comply with the new soil
conservation program this spring, i;
was learned from the office of the
county agent this week. The figui-?
represents the maximum aggregate
payment that farmers of the county
are promised if they comply with
the 19110 soil conservation program
in its entirety, but it does not in
elude approximately $35,000 that can
be expected in the form ot a cotton
price adjustment payment. Briefly
stated, if Martin County farmers
farm in Cooperation with the pro
gram. they are assured of receiving
approximately one-quarter of a
million dollars. In addition to that
cash income they can save thousands
of dollars that would ordinarily be
spent for producing "surplus" crops.
With the uncertainty of prices
staring them in the face next fall
farmers, it is the honest opinion of
recognized farm leadersj state and
national, will find it advisable to
seriously consider the soil program
benefits from every angle before
losing them in an expanded produc
tion program.
Preparing special information
sheets for every individual farm in
the county, the office of the agent
states that less than two-thirds of
the growers showed enough interest
in the program to call by and learn
the facts about the program as it re
lates to maximum benefit payments,
allotments and so on.
It is quite evident then Hint Mar
lin County farmers are planning to
ignore the soil program either par
lially or in its entirety With favor
able weather conditions existing
from now until the harvesting sea
son gets underway, it is certainly
reasonable to assume that a bumpei
production will materialize and low
prices will follow, everything else
being equal. There is the possioility
that the grower who expands his
production program will pront, but
all the facts indicate that the farm
er who participates 100 per cent in
the soil program will profit to an
even greuter extent.
The office of tlie farm agent is
n??t offering anv suggestions. it_idL_
nierely placing the facts before the
iarmers. Any glower who wishes to
increase his production, plant his en
tire larm to tobacco, or to peanuts,
or any other crop can do so, and he
can sell all he raises without tax.
Increased acreages to tobacco will
noi build up the grower's hase lor
use in the future if another program
is placed into effect.
Under the 1939 soil conservation
program, Martin County farmers
have been allotted 11,248 acres of
tobacco, 6,777 acres of cotton, 305
acres of Irish potatoes and 18,260
acres of peanuts. These allotments
represent approximately one-half
the crop land in the county. When
one considers that approximately
30,000 acres of land is planted to
torn,-he can readily see that little
ground is left for various other
crops not to mention those of a soil
huilding nature.
Those farmers who have not call
ed for their informational sheets
prepared in connection with the soil
conservation program are urged to
do so. There is no obligation to the
program this year, and the farmer
can take or leave the benefits offer
ed in connection with the pro
gram.
#
More Soil Conservation
Checks Received Locally
?0
Soil conservation payments, de
layed during the past two weeks, are
again, being made to Martin farm
ers, the office of the county agent
reporting that $5,534.71 received
last Saturday is being distributed to
farmers representing twenty appli
cations.
To date, more than $100,000 has
been paid to farmers in this county,
applications are awaiting attention
and approximately $00 additional
in Washington City.
It is estimated that the total pay
ments to farmers in this county will
approximate $160,000, not Including
cotton price adjustment payments.