Newspapers / Roanoke Rapids herald. / Aug. 17, 1948, edition 1 / Page 1
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V \ ^ Judge R. Hunt Parker Scores Proposed Civil Rights Bill In Charge to Grand Jury as Superior Court Convenes lianiax — Kesident Superior Court Judge R. Hunt Parker of Roanoke Rapids in his opening statements to the Halifax Coun ty Grand Jury, yesterday as the August term of Superior fcourt began here scored proposed civil rights legislation. In ringing tones, the scholarly jurist, who spoke to the jury for an hour, spent 15 minutes dis cussing the proposed civil rights legislation and gave data to show what the south is doing to overcome its racial problem. Judge Parker declared that the proponents of civil rights legislation are , attempting to abolish the south’s manner of living. His remarks were made before a well-filled courtroom as the mostly criminal docket was call ed for trial. ^ “You have heard and read much, and you will hear and lead more of proposed civil rights legislation in the months and years that lie ahead. Large numbers of people within this nation seem determined to do all within their power to destroy our segregation laws between the races, and to tear down our traditions and manner of life in the South. In their mad lust for votes to win a presidential election, they propose measures which millions of Southern Peo ple are convinced are unconsti tutional, can achieve no prac tical good, nad can only lead to trouble and tragedy between the races. They propose anti lynching Federal laws, but they are not intellectually honest enough to say that the South has practically stamped out lynchings, while their states are disgraced by frequent gang murders in open daylight on the public streets of their cities. “They are as silent as the tomb as to proposing Federal legislation to punish their open gang murders or gang lynch ings. They propose Federal anti poll tax legislation, which every real lawyer knows is unconsti tutional for the 10th Amend ment to the Federal Constitution says “the powers not delegated to the United States by the constitution nor prohibited by it to the states are reserved to the states, respectively, or to the people” and Article One Section 2 of the same document says “the electors in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numer ous branch of the state legis lature”, which was amended by the 15th Amendment providing that “the rights of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude”, Judge Parker said. “Such proposed legislation is an appeal to ignorance and pre judice against the South, for the payment of a poll tax as a pre requisite for voting is required now in only seven Southern states—is definitely on the way out by state action in three of these, and will be abolished by state action in the other four, if they are left to themselves.” “Yet they never tell you that four southern states have abol ished it—North Carolina as far back as 1920. They propose a Fair Employment Practices Act which would create a Federal Gestapo and police state charac teristic of the totalitarian na tions, and which if ever enacted into Federal law, will, in my opinion, rivet a chain of bond age around the necks of our people. These are solely appeals to factions of minority races, and Pope, the English poet, has well said, “Faction is the mad ness of many for the gain of a few,” the jurist declared. “These people revile and in sult the South—and any southern person who joins in the chorus will be aeelaimed as a great liberal and humani tarian in the North and West; but they sre not honest enoughr-or should I in charity say they are ignorant—to say what the Southern people have done in education and public welfare for the negro race which has been only 73 years out of slavery," the judge said. Halifax Efforts « “We, Mr. Foreman and Gentle men of the Grand Jury, live in the very heart of the black belt of North Carolina. There has not been a lynching in our county for more than a third of a cen tury. As Grand Jurors for the next twelve months you are giv en large inquisitorial powers over the conduct of public af fairs in our county by our pub lic officials and employees. Therefore it is relevant and material to your duties that I shall call your attention to what we are doing in education and public welfare for the 23,000 white people and 35,000 colored people living in Halifax Coun ty. Judge Parker said, “According to figures furnished me by Mr. C. S. Vinson, Auditor of Halifax County, the 1947 tax levy was as follows: Amount of property listed by white people $18,764,263.00 Amount of property listed by colored people $3,798,116.00 Amount of property listed by corporations $17,706,116.00 The cash collections for the year endihg June 30, 1948 on the 1947 tax levy were as follows. Cash payments by white peo ple $122,773.00—4679% Cash payments by colored people $24,533.30—.0935% Cash payments by corpora tions $115,096.06—.4386% Cites Schools “The following information was furnished me by Mr. W Henry Overman, Superintendent of the Halifax County Schools for the Halifax County Admin istrative Unit for the 1947-48 school term—this is exclusive of the public schools of Roanoke Rapids and Weldon which are not in the County Administra tive Unit. In this unit 2343 white children were enrolled and 8049 colored children; and they were taught by 73 white teach ers and principals and 191 col ored. From State funds the white teachers were paid $124. 875.80 and the colored teachers $359,920.87—this does not cover the $16,258.45 paid by the coun ty, State and Federal govern ment to five (5) white voca tional teachers and $18,654.10 paid to six (6) colored vocation al teachers, nor does it include $3,333.00 paid by county funds to a supervisor for colored peo ple. “The following information was furnished by Mr. J. B. Hall, Superintendent of Public Wel fare: From July 1, 1947 through June 30, 1948 $60,494.76 v/as given to 293 whites and $57, 667.50 to 331 negroes. “The following information was given me by Mr. I. E. Ready, Superintendent of the Roanoke Rapids Public Schools. The 1947 taxes levied for schools in the Roanoke Rapids Special School District: Corporations $82,445.71 Whites $38,669.51 Negroes $ 524.70 Of these taxes the percentage collected August 10, 1948 was as follows: Corporations 100% Whites .917% Negroes .483% “In this special school district for the year 1947-1948 2,011 white children were enrolled and 659 negro children. 54 white teachers were paid from state funds $113,704.60 and 13 while teachers were paid from local funds $51,531.18; 17 colored teachers were paid from state funds $34,281.10 and none from local funds. In 1948-49 provision has been made for local supple ments to the negro teachers! In addition three (3) white voca tional teachers were paid $9, 970.28 froip county, state and Federal funds; and one negro vo cational teacher received $3, 024.00 from county, state and Federal funds. In addition there were current expenses other than for instructional salaries of $17,453.13 paid by state .funds for the whites and of $51,807.25 paid from local funds for the whites, and $5,817.71 paid by state funds for negroes; and $17,202.42 paid by local funds for negroes. The capital outlay for whites was $31,946.49 and for negroes $3,986.03. “According to these figures $64,311.26 was spent in the Roa noke Rapids Special School Dis trict for public education for negroes for the year 1947-48—of this amount some $17,202.42 mas (Continued On Page 8) Roanok e jRamblings Girl Scout Office Closed The Roanoke Rapids Girl Scout office will be closed Tues day through Friday to allow the persoonel manning the office a few days vacation. Back On the Job The Rambler wondered into The Faison-Ogletree office Fri day and was quite pleased to see Mr. Macrae Faison sitting at his desk. Mr. Mac’s desk has been va cant for sometime during his re cent illness. He says he’s feeling fine and he looked very well. Mr Mac says he appreciates the many kindnesses his friends showe d him during his illness and he hopes they’ll drop by to see him. Aboard the USS Pasadena Edward L. Clemmons, seaman ♦VSN. son* of Mrs. G: ooe r Mooney of Route Two, Roanoke Rapids, is serving aboard the light cruiser, USS Pasadena. Clemmons entered the Navy September 17, 1945 and received his recruit training at the Naval Training Center, San Diego, California. Before tntering the Navy, Clemmons attended Scotland Neck High School. Renewed Interest There is evidence of a renew ed interest in the possibility of building a hotel in Roanoke Rapids. Jack Vincent and sev eral others in the city have been discussing the hotel situatio n here for the past several days. Vincent says, “Roanoke Ranids needs a hotel badly.” An Unsigned Letter About the Jays There has been much talk a bout the Jays and their baseball playing. As the end of the sea son nears the time for the cri tics to sharpen their knives and get ready for a scalping of some one is at hand. Reaching the editor’s desk the other day was an unsigned letter from a Jay fan. He or she asks that it be published. Adhering to our po licy of not publishing letters which do not bear a signature when they reach us, we cannot publish. This fan along with many others is recalling the statement of last year: “That we’ll have a winner in 1948”. At Camp Edwards Master Sergent Gordon B. Hux son of Lawrence R. Hux of 316 Jefferson Street, Roanoke Rap ids, is stationed at Camp Edwards, Mass. Sergeant Hux is attached to the 1117th ASU as sergeant ma jor. He arrived at Camp Ed wards on June 10, 1948. Ser geant Hux wears the European Theater, the American Theater and the Good Conduct RibbonsT He has been in the Army 13 years. More Than 700 Attend Krupa Dance Thursday Officials of thl Roanoke Rap ids Junior Chamber of Com merce leported today that more thna 700 persons attended the Gene Krupa nance at the arm ory last Thursday night. The profits from the dance will be added to the Jaycee’s welfare fund and will be used for community service. Everyone who attended the dance reported that the music was good and that they had a ST % fine time. THE ROANOKE RAPIDS VOLUME XXXIII ROANOKE RAPIDS, N. C., TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 1948 NUMBER 48 Rotary District Governor Urges Local Club Members To Practice More “Vocational Service” Daily Sherwood L. Roberson Recorders Court Docket Is Small; Several Fined Halifax—The Recoders Court session here last week was not as heavy as it has been in the past several months. A total of 19 cases were docket ed for hearing and several of the alleged offenders were found not guilty. Several assault cases, a lar ceny case, a drunk and disor derly charge, and some traffic cases headed the docket. Charlie Davis, Negro, was found guilty of assault and given 30 days on the roads. Hugh Glenn Ashe, Negro, was found guilty of assault upon a woman and given four months in. jail. Lee Alston, who was adjudged guilty of larceny, was sentenced to three months in jail. Joe Jordan was charged with driving while drunk and driving without an operator’s license. He was fined $250 and court costs. Those were the major actions of the court. Blind Boy Becomes Musical Prodigy Jimmy Osborne of England, blind since the age of 11 weeks, is well on the way to becoming a musical prodigy at 13. Brought to this country and given the funds for a musical education by the war-time U. S. Ninth Air Force, Jimmy com mutes between here and the Per kins Institution for the Blind in Watertown. The youngster # composed his first tune at the* age of three when he toddled into the living room of his home in Romford, England, and reached up on tip toe to the piano keyboard. From then on, without instruc tion or training, and with only the aid of a gramophone, he kept at the piano continuously. Dur ing World War II he gave bene fit concerts at hospitals and Ar my camps near London. “My head is full of lovely tunes,” the blind boy says. “When I go to bed each night I heai' music. Beautiful melodies ol iiky own. X hear choirs." V District Governor Sherw o od tional told the members of the Roberson of Rotary International told the members of the Roa noke Rapids Rotary Club at their meeting last night that one of the fundamentals of Ro tary is “vocational service.” Speaking at the club’s meeting in the Rosemary Cafe last night Roberson said, “Vocational ser vice presents one of the bes t possible solutions to today’s ma jor problems.” The*speaker urged every mem ber of the Rotary Club to prac tice vocational service in his everyday life. He said “Our primary countr bution to our fellow man and to the community in which we live is according to Rotary’s pla n service above self.” He urged the employers to have more respect for their em ployees and give the employees a greater interest in the busi ness by listening to the ideas of the employees. The Rotarian district governor said, “Rotary has as ohe of its requisites for membership that each man shall have a voca tion. Each memberof Rotary should and does render to his some service through his vo cation. That is vocational ser vice.** “Let us give our thoughts al ways to the best possible service and not to the highest profit. Vocational service should not and cannot be a sideline. It is no subject for casual thinkin g. “We dream of the ideal world. We can help to make the world fit our pattern by practicing more vocational service in our everyday life,” the speaker de dared. The speaker was introduced by President Robert C. Josey III of the Roanoke Rapids Club. Guests at the meeting includ ed: Mrs. Roberson, Mrs. W. A. China, Cy Thomas, president of the Weldon club and Bill Neal and C. S. Vinson of the Weldon Rotary, Bob Grifford of Sparta, Franklin, Va. and W. A. McClung of the Herald. Proceeds From Meal To Be Used For Fire Truck Scotland Neck—The Agricult ure 'Committee of the Scotland Neck Kinwnis Club will give a barbecue and brunswick stew din ner at the Roseneath Comminity House next Friday, Jack Batche lor, chairman of the committee announced. The money raised at the dinner will be given to help buy the farmer’s fire truck. The barbecue and brunswick stew will be served between 5:30 and 9:00 p. m. A group of farmers and inter ested citizens headed by Jack Batchelor and A. M. Fisher re cently aroused interest in a fire truck which would be designed for use in the country surround ing Scotland Neck. The truck, which will also be available for use in the town, will be used in an area including Palmyra, Hob good, Dawsons, Tillery and as far east as the river bridge. The truck has a 500 gallon tank which provides enough water to begin operation immediately upon ar riving at the scene ol a fire. Selective Service Registration Will Begin in Halifax County August 30; Taylor Releases Registration Data Chairman Georg* N. Taylor of the Halifax County Select ive Service Board, announced today, that in accordance with a proclamation issued by Gov ernor Cherry, registration of all youths between the ag9s of 18 and 26 will begin in Halifax County on August 30. Taylor said that the local board had fcofc yet establish*'i its office but that it probably would be opened at Halifax. The dales fixed for registra tion shall be as follows, Tay lor quoted the proclamation, which Governor Cherry issued in accordance with the Select ive Service Act of 1948: 1. Persons born in the year 1922 after August 30, 1922 shall be registered on Mon day, August 30. 2. Persons bom in the year 1923 shall be registered on Tuesday, August 31 or Wed nesday. September 1. 3. Persons born in the year 1924 shall be registered on Thursday, September 2, or Friday, September 3. 4. Persons bom in the year 1925 shall be registered on Saturday, September 4 or Tuesday, September 7. 5. Persons bom in the year 1926 shall be registered on Wednesday, September 8 or Thursday, September 9. 6. Persons born in the year 1927 shall be registered on Friday, September 10 or Sat urday, September 11. * 7. Persons Storu in the year 1928 shall be registered on Monday,' September 13, or Tuesday, September 14. 8. Persons bom in the year 1929 shall be registered on Wednesday, September 15 or Thursday, September 16. 9. Persons born in the year 1930 before September 19, 1930 shall be registered on Friday, September 17. or Sat urday, September 18. 10. Persons who were born on or after September 19, 1930 shall be registered on the day they become 18 or within five days thereafter. Only those youths in the 18-through-25 age group who are at present in the armed forces, or who are members of Bids To Be Opened For Proposed 20-Bed Clinic At Scotland Neck Electric Co-Op Asks Permit For New Line A permit has been requested by the Halifax Electric Mem bership Corporation of Enfield, N. C., to install an aerial power line across Roanoke River at a location about 80 ft. upstream from Eaton Ferry in Halifax County, Colonel G. T. Derby, district engineer of the U. C engineers, reported today. Colonel Derby said the appli cation for the crossing to con form with the requirements of the national electric safety code and to provide a minimum clear ance above normal water level of 33.5 feet. The district engineer said that if the proposed work is consid ered objectionable from any standpoint, protests may be sub mitted to his office before Au gust 19. Gowen Buys Chase Home For $25,200 The Chase property now be longs to Howerton Gowen. Gowen bid the entire property in at public auction last Thurs day at a price of $25,200, ac cording to officials of Rochelle Realty Company. The Rochell Company con ducted the auction and the auc tioneer was Jimmy Rochelle of Kinston. A large crowd gathered to see and hear the auction of the home of the late Mayor J. T. Chase. Scotland Neck — Bids for construction of the proposed twenty-bed clinic in Scotland Neck to serve this territory will be opened at Halifax at two o'clock today. With this act, definite steps will start on the construction of the second of the hospitals to be authorised in North Caroling under the supervision of the North Carolina Medical Care Commission. The first one is at Belhaven in Beau fort County, on which work has been half completed and which will cost $123,462. Scotland Neck's twenty-bed clinic will cost $160,000, of which the Federal Government is putting up $53,333, the State Government $60,747, and the County of Halifax $45,920. In addition the County is putting up $20,000 additional, which will provide for an operating deficit, if any, during the two years of operation, and the Town of Scotland Neck has cooperated by putting up a $5,000 hospital site on the west side of South Church Street. The twenty-bed clinic for Scotland Neck area will serve 13,000 persons, of which 4,000 are white and 9.000 colored. $303 Is Raised For Duke'Fund In Tri-Counties A total of $303 has been col lected in the Halifax-Hertford Northampton County area for the Loyalty Fund dirve, Miss Lillian A. Lee of Roanoke Rapids, area chairman announced today. The total amount contributed to the,campaign from cities and towns throughout the nation a mounted to more than $112,000 thus surpassing the $100,000 goal. a reserve component on ex* tended active duty, are exempt from registration. The Governor said informa tion and instruction relative to the registration will be issued during the period remaining before the start of the regis tration from the office of Gen eral J. Van B. Metis, state di rector of selective service. The 101 local boards will conduct the registration in their respective areas, but the Governor emphasised that the registration in a state wide obligation and he called on all agencies and citizens in North Carolina to help make the registration in the state a suc cess. The Governor estimated that approximately 295,000 North Carolinians are required to register under the new Select ive Service act. Chairman Taylor said that the Halifax Draft board was mapping its final plans to be gin registration and that an announcement of the site of the office of the board would be made in the next few days. Warren Hospital Sites Are Seen By State, Federal Representatives Warrenton—Representatives of the state and federal govern - ments were last week inspect ing various pieces of property which have been offered as sites for a 35-bed hospital in Warren County. Nine prospective sites were in spected by the representative s along with members of the site committee. They did not make a decision on the best site for the hospital. That will be an nounced later. They may re - commend one or more pieces of property and leave the final se lection of the site up to the lo cal committee. However, the site must meet the specifica tions of the state and national government. The estimated cost of the pro posed hospital has been set at $106,000 plus the cost of the site and water and sewage facilities. Several months ago residents of Warren County passed a bond is sue in the amount of $110,000 for the erection of the hos pital. The state and federal go vernments will pay their propor tionate part of the cost of con struction, but the county must pay for the site and the water and sewage facilities. The sites inspected included the M. P. Burwell property, the V. F. Ward land, Henry Horn’s property just west of the agric ultural building, Jule Harrison’s property on the Norlina Road, the M. C. Hicks property, and some parcels of land belonging to the Williams estate. The state and federal repre - sentatives here for the inspec tion included: W. H. Newell and O. D. Telluck of Richmond; Bruce Jones, T. Howardton and North Carolina Medical Care Commission. Mechanical Inspection Lane Will Be Here For Five Days Beginning Thursday; Next To Last Stand "Polio11 Cose Is Found Not To Be Polio Halifax—Dr. Robert F. Young, Halifax Health Officer, reported today that he had received word from St. Agnes Hospital In Ra leigh that the diagnosis of polio myelitis given an illness of an Enfield Negro child had been changed. Dr. Young said that officials of the hospital reported that the child has “tick paralysis” and not polio. The Halifax County health offi cer added, “That wipes our slate clean, we have no cases of polio and have had none in Halifax County.” Dr. Young said that St. Agnes officials described the case as one of the most unusual they , had ever encountered and add ' ed that “they were fooled.” The symptoms of the tick paralysis are not unlike the symptoms of polio. “The child, however, did not respond to the polio treat ment and the doctors continued their research,” Young said. They found a wood tick buri ed in the scalp of the child and after further research charged their diagnosis to tick paralysis. Howell Steed Heads Warren Legion Post Warrenton — Howell H. Steed was elected commander of Limer Post of the American Legion. Mr. Steed succeeds Frank Banzet. Mrs. Loyce M. Connell was elect ed adjutant and finance officer and she succeeds Douglas Mus tian. Others elected were: B. G. White, first vice- commander; Randolph Miles, second vice-com mander; George W. Davis, third vice-commander; Duke Miles, as sistant adjutant and finance of ficer; W. A. Grissom, chaplain; W. A. Graham, historian; H. M. Fuller, sergeant at arms, and L. W. Thompson, service officer. Elected as delegates to the state convention were: W. L. Wood, Simon Gardner, Duke Miles and George W. Davis. Al ternates are Thomas Gardner and Stephen Rodwall. The con vention is to be held in Ashe ville this year. Exchange Club Harvest Festival Begins August 30 The Roanoke Rapids Exchange Club will hold its annual har vest festival from August 30 th rough September 4, with pro ceeds from the affair going to defray the cost of the club’s work for the next year. The Jack Perry Shows, fea turing ten rides and ten shows, will be on display on the Wei don Highway. Scotland Neck Board Passes Refuse Can Law Scotland Neck—The Scotland Neck Town Board late Thursday afternoon unanimously approved an ordinance which requires eve ry householder and every busi ness establishment to use metal garbage cans with tight tops for the disposition of all garbage, and to provide as many cans as are necessary to hold all gar bage. The ordinance is effective immediately, and violation of same will mean a five dollar penalty for each offenae. v Mechanical inspection lane No. 34, operating in Halifax, Bertie and Northampton Counties, will return to Roanoke Rapids Thursday for a five day stay here. It will be next to the last scheduled appearance of the lane this year and motorists, who have not had their automobiles inspected are urged to do so. Under the regulations issued by the state department o f motor vehicles “all motor vehic les of year models up to and including the year model 1930, and motor vehicles of year mo dels 1947 and 1948 shaU be in inspected on or before Septem 1948.” The regualtions also provide: “All motor vehicles of the modles 1937 and 1946 shall be inspected on or before Septem ber 30, 1948. “All motor vehicles of the yea year models 1938, 1939, ’1943, 1944, 1945 shall be inspected on or before October 31, 1948. “All motor vehicles of the year models 1940 and 1942 shall be inspected cn or before Nov ember 30, 1948. “All motor vehicles of the year modle 1941 and 1949 shall b*,in spected on or before Decembei? 30, 1948.” The inspection land will make its final appearance in Roanoke Rapids on Octobe 12. Local Firemen Are Called To Three Blazes The Roanoke Rapids Fire De partment had a busy 24 hours yesterday and last night. Beginning about 1:20 Monday morning the firemen answered three calls. The alarm at 1:20 awakened many people in Roanoke Rapids and sent the firemen scurrying to 808 Madison street where a car belonging to Mrs. Ollie Ed wards was damaged by fire. Damage was confined to the seat covers and the interior of the automobile. Yesterday afternoon about 4:80 p.m. the firemen answered an alarm “over the river.” They were called to extinguish a blaze in a Negro home near the Sunset Service station. How ever, when the firemen, after some difficulty, found the scene of the blaze it had been ex tinguished. The third call came about 7:30 last night and the firemen once again went on a jaunt “over the river”. This time they were called to extinguish a blaze in an auto mobile belonging to Roscoe Chambliss. The fire had gained too much ahead by the time tho truck had arrived at the scene, near Camp’s store, and the auto was virtually destroyed. License Examiner To Be In Halifax Each Monday E. P. Davis, Jr., license exa miner here, announced today that he would be in Halifax on Monday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. effective immediately. Davis, who will continue to ba at the municipal building i n Roanoke Rapids four and one* half days a week, reminded all persons, whose names begin with E, F or G that they have until December 31, to secure their new licenses. He urged all persons in thoso classifications, who have not se cured their new drivers license to do so immediately and thus avoid a last minute rush. i|| The license examiner estimat ed that about 200 persons in the E, F and G category had aW ready been examined here toy new licenses. A -M
Aug. 17, 1948, edition 1
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