Eighteen Atten
Story Hour Her
Creeci Is
eLion Present
’s Club
Hostesses Listed
IRA THAOOOUS RAINS
First White Child Born In
Selma Oldest Native Father
The first white child bom in
Selma was I. T. Rains of Brevard
street. The house he was born in
still stands on South Webb street.
At that time the street was known
as the Smithfield Road. Mr. Rains
went to work for the Atlantic
Coast Line Railroad June 1893.
The Story Hour sponsored by
the Selma Woman’s Club at the
library got underway Thursday
morning. There were eighteen
children present to hear Mrs.
Elizabeth T. Richardson read two
stories. Mrs. Richardson drama
tically entertained the youngsters
with the story of “Little Black
Sambo” and “Hansel and Gretel.”.
The second story was for
older boys and girls, while the
first story was especially enter
taining to the younger children.
Mrs. Willie Wright, Bookmobile
Librarian, was present and gave
each school age child a book in
which they are to keep a record
of each book read during the
summer. Each child who reads
fifteen books will be given a cer
tificate from the County Library
and will also be asked to partici
pate in the Farmers Day Parade
this fall. '
The children present were also
given attractive book marks and
were served Dixie Cups at the
close of the meeting. Hostesses
for the occassion were members of
the Woman’s Club Library Pro
ject Committee.
All' children of grammer school
age in this community are invited
to attend the Story Hour which
will meet 'every Tuesday and
Thursday morning at ten o'clock
in the library. The next meetin
in the Library. The next meeting
will not be held until Tuesday,
operator June 28th. The meetings have
Joe Creech was ei^ted presi
dent of the Selma Li#vClub Fri
day night in supper
session at the Club
building. He has seriiecf the club
as first vice-presidett,during the
past year. G. A. Ea^; is retiring
president.
Creech presided ^ Friday’s
meeting in the absen^ pf Presi
dent Earp. Other pffjftrs elected
to serve during thet^ining year
thejare Joe Matthews,.'^^irs^ vice-
president; J. B.,LanAy; second
vice-president: ,W. K -Brannan,
third vice-president;^rt Worley,
•Tr,, secretary: J. C.,_iMorgan and
C. W. Britton, direfors; L. G,
Barden, treasurer: W|feert, Ejason;
tailtwister, and ElmegRrown lion
'amer.
The official conveiitjoh-c-all wa=
issued by Secretary,-Brannan.'He
announced WrightsvHJe Beach as
the place and June 19,,'20 and 21
as the dates, with registration at
2 p. m. Sunday, June ,19, and, the
official opening _^f  tfe '■cornvention
ticket agent, telegraph
and baggage clerk. He held this t>een planned so that they will not
position two years. Later he was conflict with Bible School, there-
transferred to the mechanical de- fore meetings have been post-
partment of the railroad. Iponed until the week after the
Following a month’s training at dose of Bible School,
the company shops in Rocky^ The stories will be given on
Mount he began repairing and in- Tuesdays by local people and on
specting cars on the Selma yard. Thursdays Miss Edith Stafford, a
At that early date locomotives was about this time that the summer
used sticks of wood two feet long
for fuel.
Ira ThaddofjE'i Rains was bom in
Selma June 2^,'’l87'l. His- fSthbr
helper
Library,
from
will
Johnston
be the
road changed from wood to coal County
burning locomotives. The new en-iieader.
gines could be heard from 10 to 15 Parents are urged to cooperate
^children tp
mUes away. In rnaking the changeiand encourage;their
over the old 'funhel type stack^as cofne to each' meeting so- tfiat^the
retained.'Gas would accumulate youngsters may enjoy good
in the bell part of the stack andibooks as well as the surprises and
produce a thunderous noise. On'entertainment that is being plann-
one occasion farmers living atled for the summer Story Hour
Archer's I.odge reported hearing meetings. ,
a locomotive .in Selma. |" ^
Mr, Rains’ last job with the A.j
C. L., was car inspector. He retir-l
ed in 1940 after 47 years of serv
ice.
was the late Jack Rains,' a farm
er and merchant of Johnston
County. His mother, before mar
riage was Frances Dianna Perry
of Wayne County,
Mr. Rains’ first school teacher
was Ben Hatcher. He conducted a
free school in a two story build
ing that once stood in back of
Eugene Parker’s home on Webb
street. The one-room school oc- During his long railroad career
cupied the first floor, while the -\/[r. Rains found time to serve in]
Masonic Lodge used the second office. For two terms he
^ory. According to Mr. Rains,-^as a Town Commissioner in
Prmessor Hatcher had a teacher.selma. He served one term as sec
load of 150 students. Quite fre- retary for the Selma Graded
quently he would make substitute School District. A newspaper clio-
teachers out of his more advanced pijjg jated April 24, 1914 carries
pupils. The school ran from threcpne of his complete reports. A
t months each year. Unruly teacher’s salary at that time was
students were made to stand in a 545 ^ month. Supt. Fred Archer
corner with a newspaper pinned received $100 a month, while
in front and in back. They had to janjfor Joe Lewis got $25.
turn around every five minutes, t -1 4. '
*1 -4. -r, ■ Like most railroan men, Mi
Most of the time it was Mr. Rains„ • • n • i- m
J.. iRains was musically inclined He
in the dunce comer. Lij-j- ,
(studied piano 18 months underl
Later Mr. Rains attended a nav'Mrs. J. K. Howell, the Baptist:
Mhool in Selma conducted by minister’s wife. He took eight
Henry Lewis Smith. The school lessons a month. Later he leairv'il
stood in a grove near where the fo play the cornet and the violin.]
American Lea-^” building is now Then he tried a one man band, by
located on Norm Webb strept. playing the piano and the har-
at 7 p. m. Sunday. A'
Creech appointed Glgnwood
Brown. Raymond Psedih aiid C
W. Britton as offiofel .delegates
and 'Sam Brown, ^aey’Canady
and Carl Worley^ Jfir sfe;, alter
nates.
Lion Pete Brown-tiked the club
to subscribe mone.y'; to buy. a
manually-operated 'switch to turn
oh the lights at th^ hi^ school
athletic field. He cited the incon
venience of securin^-a lineman
each time to turn w; the lights.
The motion carried -that the Xaons
Club pay the required $5.0'to-buyi
the manually-operated s'S'itch
The sum of $40.50 itas then don
ated by those'presenj|,§am Brown
was asked to, biiy a& install the
switch as soon'aj-popible
Program chairmai
Jr., reported that
ment his guest to.
gram had been
He asked to have
the next meeting,
L. G. Bahden "Wai
tendance prize.
The >-’cti0fe'->wa!t^,
able meaf'by flw
edge circle on the
Church, with
Mrs. Tom Wooiard and Mrs.
Norwood Jackson in charge.
G. Ricks,
last mo-:
it his pro-:
to come'. ,
'program- ati'
Gaskill 1
Warren ,
Jernigan 1
ledjthe
Members of the Selma Woman’s
Club are being called on to serve
as hostesses at the Library for
the children who attend the Story
Hour. The club is sponsoring this
program for the summer and the
members listed are asked to make
arrangements with another mem
ber if you cannot serve on the
date designated. Any changes
should be made known to the
committee chairman, Mrs. W.- 3.
Warren by phoning 132-M, or
another member of the committee.
June 28th—Mrs. W. H. Creech
and Mrs. Alice Hood.
June 30th—Mrs. H. V
and Mrs. B. C. DuBose.
July 5th—Mrs. W. B.
and Mrs. C. E. Kornegay.
July 7th—Mrs. E. C
and Mrs. J. E. Nelms.
July 12th—Mrs. James McMil
lan and Mrs. L. O. Davis.
July 14th-—Mrs. R. C. Mozingo
and Mrs. J. C. Avery.
July 19th—Mrs. James Oliver
and Mrs. Gladys Black.
July 21st—Mrs. Robert Ray and
Mrs. J. T. Hughes and Miss
Lenora Tudor.
July 26th—Mrs. W. H. Lassiter
and-Mrs. N.'V. Smith.
July 28th—Mrs. H. B. Baum
and Mrs. E. M. Gordy.
August 2nd—Mrs. Bradley Sas
ser and Mrs. R. R. Humphries.
August 4th—-Mrs. W. L. Norton
and Mrs. G. A. Earp.
August 9th—^Miss Julia .Grant
and Mrs. S. R. Lee.
August 11th—Mrs. R. S. Suber
and Mrs. G. D. 'Vick.
August 16th—^Mrs. E. N. Booker
and Mrs. W. B. Johnson.'
August ISth—^Mrs. R. D. Oliver
and Mrs. J. V. ChambleCi
August 23rd—Mrs. J. -C. Wood'
ard and Mrs. E. G. Hobbs.
August 25th—Mrs. -Joe, -Creech
and Mrs, Zeb Th'ornp^n.
■5
LIEUT. ROY E. FOX
Methodist! George N. 'Siler, 53*,' died sud
Mrs. James 01iver,Ueniy at his home here Tuesday
South American Cat Visits Selma
Fiance of Selma Girl Is
Killed In Jet Plane Crash
the Ind^endenf^
With their weddihgidate set for] y . TrtJn fti
July, Lieut. Roy E. Fox, fianc ofl^USl I JVU (if
Miss Myrtle, Thompson of Selma,
flew to his death jn South Caro
lina'Wednesday of last wdek.. It is
estimated the- Jet "^iartfe -, piloted
^’..the 'lieutehan'tll
^ ^'Sheed' fastpiri-Jkh^
iyt i
The Lions SoC
ed its schedule:
When
iHe
H^aveling a^,Lions s„«
n'ehi Sa
S’^^^^'jThe, Indehdnd'ant,
re.cent
..Easy time
sed ebm-j This T'
team open*
mg the
at 11:15 a. m. He was agent for
the Durham Life Insurance Co.
Surviving are his wife, IVtrs
i\nne Brown Siler; his mother.
Mrs Susan Thornton Siler of thr
home; four sisters; Mrs. A. L
Woodard, Princeton, Route 1, Mrs:
.1. M. Driver, Deland, Fla., Mrs. W
G. Strickland Selma. Funeral ser
vices will be held from the home
Thursday (today) at 4 p. m. by
the Rev. H. B. Baum, pastor Ed-
®erton' Memorial Methodist
Church. Burial v/ill be in Sunse'
Memorial Park, Smithfield.
Revival To Start
Monday June 27
Miss Mollie Smltil, the superin
tendent’s sister, agisted in teach-
monica at the same time.
Folks, this is an “ossilate.” In South America, his native land, he
is called “Reinita” meaning little queen. Jimmie French, who is
recently paid a
to all
attend
. _ „ . i. 4 . lu April of 1906 Mr. Rains
mg the 11 grade school. She lateri,^,-gj^g(j of connected with the Petro-Tech Co., of California,
married L. Richardson. Battleship Maine in Havana visit to Selma and brought along the little queen. The animal is said
harbor before it was raised. He to be half way between a tiger and a cat.
was in 1885, Mr. Rains recalls the stated that at that time the ”
Selma: Webb Tisdale Co., Sam everything they cooked. garlic Qj Selma Base Ball Team Made Fifty-Two Years Ago
H. Hood, Winston & Rand and D.'
The Reverend C. Arthur Bur
ton, pastor of the Christian Dis
dole Church of Goldsbor'i, and
former State Evangelist of Vir
ginia, will conduct the revival
series of meetings at the Wilson’s
Mills Christian Church. The wor
ship services will begin June 2^
on Monday evening at 8:00, and year. Lt.
will close July 3. Mr. Burton, in
addition to his record as a splen
did preacher, is also an outstand
ing musician. A welcome
churches is extended to
these meetings.
•inejfcial pAot.,' Fox was
a'^hiiti've •Bjaclafe ;bf,''G.. f:
couple had bben engaged for aLithe Kiw.
post ..years..:He had bggn^ jP|
Selma Numerous times sincWR9*^am/liende
Funeral services were held each week for eac,
Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock in
'he Boone Methodist Church with
mterment in the Boone Cemetery.
'/liss Thompson left Selma for
Soone Thursday morning, Mrs.
Zeb Thompson and O’Qui
Thompson left Saturday morning
to attend the funeral. The party
-eturned to Selma late Saturday
night.
Five American Legion Posts
vere represented at the funeral to
issist with military honors. His
hometown school mates, all veter
qns. were pallbearers. Lt. Frank
Ball, of Savannah, Ga., accom-
nanied the body as honor guard
’'Military honors included the three
gun salute, bugle taps and a for
mation of F-84-D jet planes flew
iverhead with a missing plane in
'he formation to denote the ab
sence of a squadron member.
Lieutenant Fox was born Sep
tember 22, 1927 in Boone, he
graduated from Appalachian High
School in_1945 and immediatelv
H. Graves. Tlie last one mention
ed was the largest. Mr. Graves'
was a captain in the Union Army
and fought through
during
this section
“Their shops, homes and stores
and even themselves smelled of
gallic,” related Mr. Rains.
The retired 78-year-old railroad
man’s favorite sport is fishing. His
04 4 the War Between the catch was a six
States. He liked Selma so well chub, which he hooked in
that at the close of the war he
came here to live and raised a
large family.
In June of 1893, when 22 years
old, Mr. Rains took a watchman’s
job with the Atlantic Coast Line.
It was a night job and carried the
responsibility of watching the
freight depot, the yard and loaded
freight cars. N. E. Edgerton was
agent in Selma at that time. Mr.
Rains’ job paid $25 a month. It
was considered a good salary at
that time. Meat and lard were
selling for four cents a nound. A
nice pair of shoes could be bought
for $1.00. For $5 a man could buy
a complete suit of clothes.
At that early date Selma proper
was located on the south side of
the Southern Railway. Where
Selma Drug Co., now stands used
to be a pond with water waist
deep. One of the first business]
houses built on the north side of
the railroad was a general store
30x100 feet, operated by Mose
Winston. It was located about
where Floyd C. Price & Sons now
have their tractor business on
Railroad street.
After serving as watchman, Mr.
Rains was transferred to the
pound
Han
cock’s Creek, Craven County.
When a young man working in his
father’s store he used to make
chipped beef. A beef hind quarter,
was laid in the sun to dry and
then sliced real thin.
Mr. Rains was first married in
1896 to Amenda Godwin of Johns
ton County. In 1924 he married
Laura Barbour of Johnston Coun
ty and now living. His oldest son,
Simon Godwin Rains never thor
oughly recovered from an injury
received in the first World War.
He died in Tuson, Ariz., two years
ago. One other son, Ira D. Rains,
is the proprietor of a motion pic
ture theatre in Charleston. S. C.
Mr. Rains had one brother, the
late Charlie L. Rains. His only
sister, Mrs. Claudia Rains Joyner
now lives in Selma.
For 63 years Mr. Rains has
been a member of the Edgerton
Memorial Methodist Church in
Selma. He joined when a boy 15
years old. At ope time he was
president and treasurer' of the
Men’s Bible Class.
“I do not believe there is anoth
er to-wn in the State the size and
age of Selma that can produce the
first boy bom in the town,” de-
in^945 and
entered tl^ Navy serving one
Fox then enrolled in
Cannon Flying school, Charlotte
under the G. I. Bill of Rights and
graduated the spring of 1947. He
then .applied,for Air Force cadet
training and after passing numer-
our preliminary examinations he
was scheduled for the March
class. He entered the Air Force
February 18, 1948 and took basic
flight training at Goodfellow
Field, San Angelo, Texas, and ad
vanced flight training where he
schooled in jet fighter
planes, at Williams Field, Chand
ler, Arizona. He graduated there
February 25, 1949 receiving his
wings and commission. After
month’s leave he was stationed at
Shaw Field, S. C., in the 55th
Squadron, Fighter, of the 20th
Group.
Surviving are his fiancee, Miss
Myrtle Thompson of Selma, his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. F. Fox,
Selma office as billing clerk, dared Mr. Rains.
The above photo of a Selma base ball team
was made in 1897—^that was 52 years ago.
They are front row, from left to right: Clee
Parker, J. Sam Mitchiner, John Lee and S. jR.
Lee of Green street in Selma. Second row
from left to right: Mr. Shoemaker, who was
shoemaker in Selma, WiU Brinkley, Hugh Mi
chiner, Lee Fuller, Mr. Reynolds and Dr. R.
P. Noble. J. Sam Mitchiner, brother of Army
Mitchiner of Selma was the team’s mascot. At
the time the picture was made Mr. Lee of
Selma was about 18 years old. The team only
played from six to eight games a season. Their
chief rival was the Clayton team.
Theaw
games will be played on each
Tuesaay nigm ana eacii Friday-
night.
Attendance has been good and
the whole family can enjoy these
games. The admission price iS
very small.
Last Rites Held for
Charlie W. Creech
Charlie W. Creech, 61, of 837
Bainbridge Blvd., South Norfolk,
tla., passed away suddenly Mon
day at 4:10 p. m., while visiting
in Micro. He was a native ot
Johnston County and had been in
the jewelry business in NorfoU^
for the past 25 years.
Funeral sendees were held
from the Graham Funeral Home
in South Norfolk Wednesday at
4 p. m. Burial was in Riverside
Memorial Park.
Surviving are his wife, Mr*.
Eva Browney Creech; one son,
John J. Creech of Norfolk: two
daughters, Mrs. Robert B. Steven*
and Mrs. James T. Hare of South
Norfolk; three sisters, Mrs. M. M.
Gurkin of Selma, Mrs. Lennie
Bunn of Middlesex and Mrs. Lil
lian Lee of Norfolk; four brothers,
A. A. Creech of Selma, M. L.
Creech of Durham; and J. W.
Creech of Wilmington. Three
grandchildren and several neices
and nephews.
No Tax Increase
Seen for Johnston
The county commissioners
Monday got their first look at the
proposed school budget for the
fiscal year beginning July 1.
They were shown that the reg
ular appropriations for projects
, 1
and services heretofore financed
two brothers, Le 'Verne and Ray'by county funds would require no
increase in the school tax levy,
but that “extras” requested by
all of Boone and a sister, Mrs.
Raymond Craig of Lenoir, a niece
and nephew Romona and Johnny
Craig of Lenoir
The United Press carried the
following account of the accident:
Moncks Corner, S. C.—An F-84
jet fighter plane crashed here
Wednesday of last week, killing
its 21-year-old Air Force pilot..
The body of Lieut. Roy E. Fox
of Boone, N. C., was recovered by
fishermen shortly after the Thun
derbolt he was flying crashed
about 400 yards offshore.
Witnesses said the plane flew
low across the water just before
it crashed. Examinations indicated
the impact, rather than drowning,
killed Fox. He is survived by his
mother, Mrs. Lena S. Fox, of
Boone. >
Rescuers were dispatched from
Shaw Air 'Force base around noon
the various district committees
would necessitate an additional
levy of $1.29—ah amount that
would send the county-wide
school levy soaring to $2.23.
County Superintendent H. B.
Marrow in presenting the budget
requests to the commissioners ex
plained that the regular appro
priations recommended would
finance a 10-room addition at the
Princeton white school and up-to-
‘date heating and toilet facilities
at the Four Oaks and Short Jour
ney Negro schools.
(See A Page Four)
i i
Wednesday when the wreckage of
the overdue plane was spotted
near the south edge of Lake
Moultrie, or Pinopolis Reservoir.
Air force officials said Fox was
on a routine training flight.