North Carolina Newspapers

;//tM Tke Kings Monntain Herald KttabllslMd 18M A weekly newspaper devoted to th< promotion of the general welfare and published for the enlightenment, entertainment and benefit of the cltleens of Kings Mountain and Its vicinity, published every Thursday by the Herald Publishing House. Entered as seoond class matter at the postofflre at Kings Mountain, N. C, under Act o t Congress of March 3, 1873 EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT M art In Harmoa Editor-Publisher Charles T. Carpenter, Jr Sporta, Circulation, News Mrs. Thomas Meacham Bookkeeping, News MECHANICAL DEPABTMKMT Eugene Matthews Horace Walker Dwvld Weathers Ivan Weaver" Charles Miller Paul Jackson (?Member of Armed Porces) TELEPHOIfE NUMBERS ? 167 or 383 SUBSCRIPTION RATES PAYABLE IN ADVANCE % ONE YEAR? $250 SIX MOUTHS ? $1.40 THREE MONTHS? 75c BY MAIL ANYWHERE TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE Hear the word, of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabit ants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of Ood in the land. Ho sea \:1. New Drama Season "The Sword of Gideoii" opens tonight, as the Kings Mountain Little Theatre, Inc., a small non-profit group of interest ed citizens, launches for the fourth time a historical outdoor pageant commemo rating the Battle of Kings Mountain. At the first season, it is conceivable that the group was guided greatly by en thusiasm and less on knowledge of the great task involved in presenting a 90 cast show. Ordinarily, such spirit would have beeh heavily tempered by the first experience, perhaps to the point of mak ing the drama presentation a one-season event. But not for the Kings Mountain Little Theatre. Banking their experience, the mem bers have moved ahead on their plan toward making a summer outdoor pa geant at the Military Park amphitheatre a permanent annual summer attraction, developing the long-dormant inherent connection between Kings Mountain, the Hty, and Kings Mountain, the historic shrine where Ferguson met his end, dooming the British to eventual defeat at Guilford Courthouse arid Yorktown and assuring for the struggling colonies a chance to live, breathe and grow in freedom. The contribution to the cultural and civic development of the area being made by the hard working, unselfish members of the Little Theatre and by their aides from surrounding communi ties, deserves not only the applause and appreciation of all citizens, but their monetary support too, in the form of ticket purchases for the 1954 showing. The 1954 season will feature an edited script, a largely new cast, improved stag ing and lighting, and new costumes. It will be well worth the price of admission. Our best wishes to the sponsors for a fine run, capacity crowds, and good weather. Each year since enactment of the Po well Bill finds checks for street work coming to the cities and reminds that the Bill, which provided the gas tax re bate to municipalities, was a fair and workable division of the monies. Prior to the time, cities were faced with a huge street- maintenance bill, yet obtained no funds (other than for state highways through their borders) from the great consumption of gasoline. Kings Moun tains share is. not great, in comparison with many other cities, but $28,652, the amount received via the Powell Bill last year, figures to approximately 30 cents on the city tax rate. Assuming the city earmarked the same amount of funds for streets expenditure, the city tax rate, without the Powell Bill funds, would be $2 rather than the prevailing $1.70. Otir congratulations to the city board of school trustees in employing a base ball specialist tor coaching duties. It has been many years since the conference championship team of 1935, coached by W. J. Fulkerson, and the subsequent championship team of 1041 in the Ervin Smart era, and it's time for Kings Moun tain high school to return to the higher echelons of performance in the national pastime. Of course, a few victories will make the turnstiles click and quickly re pay the added investment in coaching. When is a debt not a debt? The answer . customarily is when a federal govern ment official is doing the talking. Latest in this fallacy filled group is Secretary of the Treasury Humphrey who wants Congress to declare tax anticipation notes not a debt. This is comparable to a man getting an advance against his pay, due next week, or end-of- month. He may not owe it, but the payroll clerk makes short work 01 deducting the ad vance when the next checR Is drawn. It is strange indeed to hear such a fallaci ous suggestion from one of the biggest business men in the "Business Man's Cabinet". It is inconceivable that Mr, Humphrey handled the financing prob lems of the huge Hanna Company, which he formerly headed, in that manner. The bankers would have thrown him out, and quite justifiably. Two Connty Proposals Reaction in the Kings Mountain area to the statement by Rep. B. T. Falls, Jr., that he will introduce legislation to change the method of nominating coun ty commissioners frOm district-wide basis has beer adverse. Kings Mountain area people, remem bering the seasons of political drought, when the area was not represented in Shelby, have enjoyed the district set up which was arranged in 1951. While Mr. Falls does not propose to eliminate the districts, he does propose to make the system much more subject to political maneuvering by the county-seat com munity, which, Indeed, has a large bulge on the vote total. In the recent primary, six Shelby precincts cast 4,143 votes for sheriff, while the remainder of the coun ty cast 5,528 votes. Shelby folk might counter with t|te contention that their population bulge means they should not be restricted to voting for one commissioner. However, it does not follow they should name all five. The Falls proposal has over-shadowed the suggestion of the Shelby Daily Star that the county commissioners consider the advisability of adopting the county manager form of governm'ent. The Star made especial point to note that its sug gestion was not one of criticism of the operations of the county, but thought it possible full-time managing at the top of the administrative operations would result in both more progressive government and in operating economies. In view of the sometimes bitter ex perience with city manager government in Kings Mountain, it is reasonable to assume that the county manager propo sal will not elicit a great amount of sup port here. Logically, the county manag er or city manager arrangement should operate wonderfully, but it has not been Kings Mountain's, experience. The rea son, of course, is that politics is not a logical science. Methods effective one year are disastrous the next, and vice versa. And government is intertwined with politics. From the standpoint of the historical difficulties here, where de partment heads usually found it difficult ? either Justifiably or otherwise ? to. work with the successive managers and customarily took their troubles directly to the elected commissioners, the county result would likely bo worse, in view of the fact that the great number of county department chiefs are elected to specific terms of office and therefore much more independent of the board of commission' ers than city top men. Perhaps out of the two proposals an effective compromise could be arrived at to the pleasure of all segments of the county. ? ' Granting the Star's contention that th<? county needs a full-time head man (the chairman of the county board of commissioners who now is paid $350 per annum for his services cannot be expect ed to spend a full year at the court house), an arrangement whereby the county would nominate and elect a paid chairman and vice-chairman, both coun ty-wide, and retain the present district set-up with one-district voting on the five commissioners should serve to satis fy the several dissident groups and kill all the birds with one stone. It would increase the county board to seven members, would .provide the "manager" who would have the direct responsibility of doing a good job or face the penalty of voter censure at the next election, and it would mean every voter got a whack at a near- majority of the board. Yet such a system would retain the district set-up carved along the lines of the federal and state House of Repre sentatives. The system's executive re sponsibility would be similar to both the Shelby and Kings Mountain municipal systems. Of course, the chairmanship should pay a sufficient stipend to attract an able manager. A cordial welcome to new pastors who have accepted calls for duty here, Rev. T. A. Lineberger, who will serve Mace donia Baptist church,, and Rev. H. B. Alexander, who will serve the Oak Grove Baptist church. 10 v TEARS AGO Items of news about Kings Mountain area people and events THIS WEEK taken from the 1944 files of the Kings Mountain Herald. J. H. Patterson of Lynchburg, Va., has assumed duties here as assistant manager of the Gaston la district for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Social and Personal Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Loftln art spending their vacation this week In Newport News, Virginia. Mrs. Bryan Hord, Miss Mary Beth Hord. and Mrs. Joe Hord ex pect to leave, Sunday for a stay at Ocean Drive Beach. MARTIN'S MEDICINE 9y Martin Harmon Ingredient*: bite of news, wisdom, Humor, and comment. Dir actions: Take weekly, if . possible, but avoid overdosage. White the aatual idea, plan* ning and work began sometime before, I suppose it could be said that Lake Montonla, Inc., the popi^Jar summer play ground shared by Kings Moun taineers and Gastonians, for mally passed Its twenty-eighth anniversary on June 30. This piece of history bfecame avaUable because of the willing ness of Mrs. J. C. Williams to part with the July 8, 1926, copy of the Kings Mountain Herald, which, on the earlier day of 1926 had been labeled for her father. J. F. Allison. The iabfel is still stuck to the yellowing newsprint. The paper actually came to the medicinal hand via Mrs. O. P. Lewis, who had re membered the appeal of this department to local folk for copies of thfe Herald prior to November 1913 and during the period 1925-34. m-m The issue of July 8, 1926, features the June 30 lot-draw ing for Lake Montonla sites and lists each partaker in the lot tery with his lot number. It would be interesting to. know how many of the lots originally drawn are still held by those drawing, who, then-Editor G. G. Page notes in his "Fool Col umn", waited with bated breathe as "little Louisa Car penter" extracted the seated drug envelopes from a tobacco can. Some were happy and others less happy, Mr. Page noted, and there was some swapping done tfefore the as semblage broke up. Majority of the original owners of Lake Montonla lots appear to have oeen Kings Mountain folk, which would lead to the guess ' that the appeal of Lake Mon tonla to Gastonians resulted from the opening of U. S. High way 74 to Gastonia in 1936. Names of lot-drawers un familiar to this department are F Armstrong, J. L. Adams, J. L. Blair, C. M. Boyd, S. R, Clinton. W. E. Gibson, V. G. ^r- C. Highsmith (whom Mr Page noted was a "pulle kin' or dentist), A. S. Karesh, Mrs. Emma Merrick, B. F. Nor ris, Jr., C. B. Partin, Mrs. Pea cock, James Sloan, D. L. Struthcrs, C. L. Spencer, C. S. Thomson, and Arch Wakefield. Mrs. Ltewis said she understood that Mrs. Peacock became in terested in the development while vacationing from Florida at the Mountain View Hotel and added she thought the lot (No. 71) is still held by a daughter of the latt? visitor. ? _ m-m Mr. Page wrote that his lot, jvo. 41, had some nice neigh bors Paul Neisler and his brother , the-late Hugh Neisler, E. W Griffin. Dr. Highsmith and another pullekin" Dr L P. Baker, while just over the hill was Dr j. E. Anthony. The latle J. O. Plonk, who had pro vklotl the tract for the lake de velopment drew 19 iots, the only person drawing more than one. It was noted however, one j stockholder only got one vote I in Montonia business, no mat tier how many lots he held, mm Sharing lead billing jn. the July 8, 1926, Herald, was the second primary of that year, in which A. M. Hamrick had de feated George Washburn for clerk of court and Spurgeon Spurling, of Lenoir, had defeat ed Sam Ervln. Jr., of Morgan ton, for district solicitor. Mr. Spurling was solicitor until his death, 20-plus years later, , if I'm not mistaken, and, of course, the loser didn't let a de? feat get him down. He was sub sequently Judge Ervin and is now Senator Ervin, North Carolina's Junior U. S. senator, m-m A. graph on the front page was headlined "Autos Still Climbing Hill of Death", which would be apropos 28 years lat ter, and' another travel note, clipped from the Cherryville Eagle, noted that some das tardly fellows had strewn at le*st dOO nails and tacks on the Cherryville-Shelby Road. Also, the lone Herald auto advertise ment of that isstfe featured new low prices (at $1006 FOB De troit plus government tax) on the Hudson Coach, being vend ed by I. Ben Goforth. Standard equipment Included front and rear bumpers, automatic wir.d ?Weld cleaner, rear view mir ror. transmission Jock, radiator shutters, moto- meter, combina tlon stop and tall light. Indeed, the auto has come a long way, but I must check with Mr. Go forth on the definition of a moto-meter. A good portion of the Herald's second page of that week gave excerpts from Black's History of the First Baptist church. It was noted that thte church >vas organized in 1890 by Rev. M. P. Matheny, who died in Tlexarkana, Texas, 1918. The copy also gave credit to St Matthew's Lutheran church as the oldest in Kings Mountain and still in 18S6 the ' ky T?ii K ?x Viewpoints of Other Editors SECRET FROM WHOM Early laat February ? more than five months ago ? the Unit ed States expelled two Russian official* from this country. They were charged with "espionage and Improper activities". A third was texpelled May 29. But these actions of the State Department v, ere kept secret un til last week. The explanation giv en for the secrecy was that, by keeping the matter secret, it was hoped we could prevent the So viets from retaliating. That is to say, the State Department hoped the Soviet government wouldn't learn we'd expfeiied their officials unless the Russians read it in American newspapers f The news dispatch failed to say whether the State Department of fered thte explanation with a straight face. Be that as it may, any intelli gent person can see that this sec recy about government activities makes just about as much sense as secrecy about the people's bus iness usually does. Any Intelligent person Is pretty Ukeiy to reach the conclusion that the real rea son for the Department's secrecy was to Weep the people of this country in ignorance of what it was doing. It finally made the an nouncement only when the So viets expelled some of our offi cials from Russia, and there had to be an explanation for that. This nation is being led into an international situation without its peopife knowing by what steps It is being led, or where those steps may take us. The people are being kept in ignorance, though it is they who must pay, in dollars and in lives; for any mistakes that are made in Wash ington. Thte tendency to tell the people nothing that can be kept from them may be more pronounced in" the Eisenhower administratipn, but it did not by any means origi nate with it. It is a tendency that is wrong, which ever party is in power. And it is a tendency that will be changed only if the peo ple demand that it be changed.? Franklin Press. ? PREPARED FOR LIVING The fine work being done with the young people of the county by the farm and home agents through the 4-H clubs was demon strated recently when at least two of the local civic clubs were pri vileged to enjoy programs given by a group of 4-H members. Last week, some of these same young folks, in addition to several others, made a very creditable showing at the district contest held near Newton, In presenting these programs, the young people revealed poise, ability, and a wholesomfeness that certainly renewed the faith of an older generation in the future of the country. The 4-H club work trains young people for living, and it gives them something which they do not get anywhere else. We should like to commend Miss Betty Watson and her assis tant, Mrs. Peggy Hill, the home agents, and Vernon Huneycutt and his assistant, Ray Kiser, the ! farm agents, for the fine, work which they are doing with the young pteopto in the 4-H clubs of the county. ? Btemtfg Nets* 4 JVssi. WHAT'S A PENNY ? The alleged story out of Waco, Neb., is about an alleged filling station operator who dropped a penny here and there around his ? I.,. ? ? -i "? only church boasting a pipe or-. fltlk .? aj;- ; , I i . ..V :/'? MMH Lake Montonia has come a long way since 1936, St Matt hew's Lutheran has built a handsome dtw church, and autos don't succumb to tackltla as they once did. I enjoyed very muck the look backward Into city history and I am depositing the edltfon with others In the file for thoae of missing year*. ?: . . . ' ,j- '-V r*e ' , v.- -.Vv THE GOCfD NEW DAYS The "good old days" are sup pose to have been around 1910. The prices of commodities at that time are loitever being cited in nostalgic comparisons of the cost o< living. However, there has been a real gain for the working man that belles the "good old days." That gain is job opportunity. There are more and better jobs. Thfe Census Bureau, in an an alysis of how jobs have changed in the last lour decadeq, passes along this information. White collar workers. have in creased from 21 to 37 percent. Farm workers have dropped from 31 to 12 percent Foremen and skilled workers have gone up from 12 to 14 per cent. Semi-skilled workers have gone up from 15 to 28 percent. Common laborers have drop ped from 14 to 6 percent. Servants have dropped from 7 to only 3 percent- ? Dothan ( AiaJ Eagle. "I LIKE IT" A general feeling about tobacco is expressed in these famous lines by Graham Lee Hemming )er: "Tobacco is a dirty weed: I like it. It satisfies no normal need: I like It. It makes you thin, it makes you lean, It takes the hair right off your bean, t It's the worst darn stuff I've ever seen: I like it." ? Chapel HiU Weekly. ? ? ? ? ????' plaqe to siee the results. Older folks bent over and picked them up. Youngsters didn't bother ? i sometimes they even kicked the coins in disgust. It's easier to believe the Reac tion than the story. But assuming both are true, the explanation Is simple. Yougsters ? and we as sume that Includes those from seven tb 13 ? have been reared in a different rtmosphere. A pen ny-saved-ls-a-penny-earaed is no longer written on blackboards. It Isn't trilked at home. The talk is: "Might as-well spend it, or the government will get it." And what's a penny? Very little ? except those same youngsters will have to pay for the profligacy of the period when they were young. Some day they will go to work and look back In the lusty past and realizte why the old folks bent over. ? Dallas Newn wnd*r 1?. Pays ?xpontei up to 19000.. Two yor *o?*r aolky $10, MMd wo) $S. / Lutta iwNMft ? \ HARRIS FUNERAL HOME Phone 118T Kings Mountain, N. C. ? Ambulance Service ? Shift Y our our capablo hands and Nit fit*. We're famous for ox eollent ? i?lu? at moderate rate*. W?t wash, fluff dry or beautifully ironed * . Otwv like It.., your family wash is done to perfection with indi vidualized care