The Franklin Times
Published Every Tuesday & Thursday
Serving All Of Franklin County
Tel. GY 6-3283
Ten Cents
Louisburg. N. C.. Tuesday. August 6. 1968
(Eight Pages Today I
QQt h Ypar-Numher 49
Court Orders Total integration This Fall
Transfer Suggested
HEW Rejects
Franklinton
School Plan
The U. S. Office of Education, a
division of the Department of Health,
Education and Welfare, has rejected
the Franklinton City Board of Educa
tion's plan for further desegregation of
schools.
HEW officials have suggested the
transfer of grades 7, 8 and 9 or grades
1 through 4 from the B. F. Person
Negro school to the predominantly
white Franklinton High School as a
means of gaining federal acceptance of
the Board's plan.
In a letter to the Franklinton of
ficials on July 12, made public Mon
day, Walter S. Warfield, Acting Ed
ucation Branch Chief, Office of Civil
Rights said the Franklinton plan is
"not adequate to accomplish the pur
poses of Title VI of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964".
The letter further states, "As you
know, the Supreme Court recently
held that 'if there are reasonably avail
able other ways, such for illustration
as zoning, providing speedier and more
effective conversion to a unitary, non
racial school system, freedom of
choice must be held unacceptable".
The Franklinton plan had called for
a percentage increase in the number of
Negro students assigned to the Frank
linton High School. The Warfield letter
also calls on the system to "spell out
in detail the stages it will take for
1969-70 to completely eliminate its
dual school structure."
A spokeman for the Franklinton
Board said he had no idea what the
Board might decide to do in the case.
He said about $100,000 in federal
funds are involved, should HEW cut
off the funds. He also said the money
was not the prime thing and that once
the money is turned down, the Frank
linton Board would be in court in a
manner similar to that now occupied
by the county Board of Education.
Franklinton had an earlier plan
rejected on March 28. A letter from
Lloyd R. Henderson, Education
Branch Chief at the time, stated.
"Freedom of choice is not serving to
desegregate your schools." Henderson
said he would expect a plan "that will
show in detail what steps you plan to
take to eliminate the racially dual
structure."
An attempt to move the seventh
grade from the Negro school to the
predominantly white school in the
summer of 1966 met heated rejection
by a large number of Franklinton
citizens. Public meetings at the time
became a focal point of much criticism
by out-of-town newspapers and Wash
ington officials.
Since that time, the Franklinton
system has been plagued with threats
of cutoff of funds by federal officials
and have attended hearings in Wash
ington in efforts to resolve the differ
ences.
This Is A Dive?
Woody Warren, 14-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Woodrow Warren of Louisburg puts on a display of special diving in photo
above. Young Warren participated in the diving contests held at Green Hill Country Club here Sunday. For story on winners and
other pictures see page 8. -
$mw? ^ot Social Setimtt
w
A record $190,012 was paid out in
social security cash benefits to 3,178
residents of Franklin County for Feb
ruary, according to Robert A. Flynn,
Raleigh Social Security District/ Man
ager. an increase of $38,060 over the
amount p; id out for December 1966.
"February 1968 was the first
month in which increased benefit rates
provided by the 1967 Amendments to
the Social Security Act were payable,"
Flynn noted.
Nationally, the amount of monthly
benefits exceeds $2 billion, an increase
of more than $360 million above the
December 1966 figure. More than 24
million men, women, and children, or
nearly 1 out of every 8 Americans, are
now receiving some type of monthly
benefit.
About 18.4 million of those receiv
ing benefits at the end of February
were 62 or older. An additional 2.2
million were disabled workers under
62 and thier young dependents.
About 3.4 million social security
beneficiaries were young widowed
mothers and their children, the district
manager said, noting that a total of
about $19 billion has been paid to
orphaned children and their mothers
since January 1940. when monthly
survivors benefits first became pay
able.
In the past 6 years alone, benefit
Recorder's Court
The following cases were disposed
of in Recorder's Court on Tuesday,
July 30th:
Melvin Green, n/m, larceny. Defen
dant having failed to comply with
order of court, suspended sentence
hereby revoked. Detainer to be filed.
Allan Parrish, w/m/24, trespassing.
Discharged on payment of costs. De
fendant not to go on property of Alice
Faye Harris without her prior permis
sion.
Melvin Green, n/m, assault with
deadly weapon with intent to kill
inflicting serious and permanent in
juries not resulting In death. Probable
cause found. Bound over to Superior
Court under $200.08 bond.
Clavin Ray Burnette, w/m/22, ex
ceeding safe speed. State takes nol
pros.
Willie Carter, n/m, possession non
tax paid liquor; possession for sale.
$25.00 fine and cost.
W. A. Davis, n/m/39, public drunk
eness. Not guilty by reason of chronic
alcoholism. Defendant ordered com
mitted to custody of Commissioner of
State Dept. of Correction for not less
than 30 days nor more than six
months: custody of defendant retained
for two years by virtue of 1-2-6557.
Melvin Green, n/m. assault; assault
and disorderly conduct. State takes
nol pros.
Dalton Ray Pearce. w/m/32. speed
ing. $10 00 fine and costs. ?
Lawrence G. Cifers. w/m/42. non
support. Nol pros on payment of
costs.
Cleveland (Boot) Lyon, assault with
deadly weapon, inflicting serious and
painful injuries not resulting in death.
Discharged on payment of costs.
Will Barnes Fowler, w/m/41, speed
ing. $10.90 fine and costs.
Walter Wallace Anderson, w/m/17,
speeding. $10.00 fine and costs.
Lewis Raymond O'Neal, w/m/31,
speeding. $10.00 fine and costs.
John Lee Fogg, n/m/39, trespass
ing; causing disturbance while under
influence of intoxicating beverage. 60
days in jail, assigned to work under
supervision of State Dept. of Correc
tion.
James (Man) Smith, w/m/22, as-'
sault with deadly weapon. Discharged
on payment of costs.
Percy McKinley Thome, n/m/27,
no insurance; improper registration.
$25.00 find and costs.
payments to this "younger group"
have amounted to 1'4 times as much as
the amount paid out in this category
during the preceding 21 years.
Many younger people also receive
benefits due to disability. More than
$176 million is being paid each month
to more than 2.2 million disabled
wo. ers and their dependents - a
number that is 10 percent higher than
that of' ecember 1966.
"Mo of the- changes in the 1967
social security amendments provided
more protection for younge^people."
Flynn noted. For instance, some
175,000 children are now eligible for
benefits bast 1 upon the earnings of a
mother who nas died or is entitled to
disability or retirement benefits. Pre
viously, women needed to have work
/
ed for at least one and a half of the
last three years. However, that require
ment has been removed. Payments can
now be made to the children of a
woman worker who has died, become
disabled, or retired if she has enough
work credits - earned at any time -- to
be "fully insured."
Another change made 100,000
younger persons - disabled workers
and their dependents - eligible for
benefits. The amount of social security
work credits required for the payment
of benefits to workers who become
totally diabled before they reach 31
years of age has been reduced sub
stantially - for those below 24 years
of age. to as little as a year and a half
of coverage.
Health Budget Amended,
Water Line Question Settled
The Board kof County Commis
sioners, barely fielding a quorum, held
a relatively uneventful regular session
here Monday. Only Commissioners
George Harris. Norwood Faulkner and
Brooks Young were present. Commis
sioners E. M. Sykes and Richard Cash
did not attend the session.
In the afternoon session, the Board
settled some questions which had
arisen in connection with the financing
of a water line at Franklinton. The
Commissioners explained they wanted
to borrow some S70 to ?80,000 only
at such time as the funds would be
needed. "We'd like to reduce the
S92.000 to S83.000 and save some
interest." Commissioner Faulkner ex
plained.
The financing of a water line and
tower to a new plant site at Franklin
ton had been agreed upon in July by
the Board and the Franklinton Town
Council with each paying a certain
portion of the cost. The Commis
sioners wanted to clarify just how
much interest was involved in such a
loan and when the actual loan would
be executed. Franklinton town attor
ney W. P. Pearce spoke for the Frank
linton group. He was accompanied to
the Monday meeting by Franklinton
Water Commissioner Charlie Hight and
Lewis Thompson. Jr.
The Board also amended the Health
Department budget upwards to
$58,817.00 from an original figure of
$57,547.52. The reason for the in
crease was explained as receipt of
additional state funds.
Richard Timberlake. a native of
Franklin County appeared before the
Board, accompanied by two other
state officials to discuss a project in
eleven counties designed to "improve
the area for improvement for in
dustry." County Accountant Kenneth
Braswell. secretary to the Board, said
he was under the impression that the
idea is in the planning stage and no
details were given. He stated, "The
State Planning Task Force is laying the
foundation for the plan."
The Board passed resolutions re
commending the State Highway De
partment approve the addition of
Stratford Drive in Louisburg and Sa
vage Street in Franklinton to come
under state maintenance Secondary
Road system. Industrial Development
Director Kenneth Schubart appeared
before the Board and gave a progress
report of his department's activities.
The Board passed a motion to hold
its September meeting on. Tuesday,
September 3, in lieu of the regular
meeting due to the Labor Day holiday.
All county employees are to observe
the holiday, according to the motion.
Current Off In
Louisburg Sunday
Louisburg electrical department
supervisor Harold Foster has announc
ed that electricity will be cut off in the
downtown business section. East Nash
Street and Tan Street here Sunday
from 4 a.m. until 5:30 a.m.
Foster said that electricity on East
Nash Street and Tan Street will be off
until 9:30 a.m. Service to the business
district is expected to be resumed at
5:30 a.m.
U. S. Eastern District Judge Algernon Butler issued his long-awaited decision in
the Franklin County school case today and ordered total desegregation in all
county schools this fall. The order, following closely the plan presented to the
coUYt on July 15 by the U. S. Department of Justice, says the "Franklin County
school unit shall be divided into six unitary attendance zones, each to be based on
the attendance area heretofore serving the predominantly white high school located
..therein, as follows: Louisburg. Bunn.
Youngsville. Gold Sand. Edward Best
.and Epsom".
The Board is allowed to combine
the Epsom attendance zone with a
neighboring zone under the order.
In a telephone conversation with
Board attorney E. F. Yarborough and
Supt. Warren Smith in Clinton, -N. C.
this afternoon, the order was read but
no details were available as to just how
much say the Board is to have in the
final designation of schools to be used.
It is understood that under the
court order, released around 1:30 P.M.
today, that Riverside. Gethsemane and
Perry's, all former Negro schools,
would be used as elementary schools
when the fall session begins in three
weeks. How many grades are to attend
these or the other schools has not been
made public and it is assumed that this
decision might be left to the Board
and be based on available spaces.
The order states that all "children
in a district must attend a school
within their attendance zones, except
that where pupil distribution may
result in unequal utilization of school
capacities based on pupil-classroom
ratios."
The Board of Education had asked
that a three-step plan be approved by
the court in order to gain time needed
to acquire additional facilities. The
order means that children will have to
be shuffled from one school to
another within the next three weeks.
Attendance /ones must be estab
lished along the lines of the areas now
being served white students attending
white high schools. All students, re
gardless of race, living within these
areas will attend the same school
under the order. There cannot be any
grades, located in more than one
school in the same zone. For example,
there can not be a first grade at the
Louisburg High School and a first
grade at Riverside School.
An earlier plan discussed by the
Board indicated that elementary
schools would be established at
Perry's. Riverside and Gethsemane
School sites under an order such as
this. However, Mr. Yarborough and
Mr. Smith both indicated that time
was needed to study the order and no
decisions have yet been reached by the
Board. _
It is expected that a Board meeting
will be called, perhaps tonight, to
discuss the order and tt> study means
of complying with it.
Faculties will follow the students
under the decision and a map showing
the exact geographic zones must be
presented to the court not later than
next Wednesday.
Approves ESEA Budget
The Franklin County Board of Edu
cation gave final approval of the ESEA
budget of $498,527 here Monday
night. Certain changes in the budget as
proposed by ESEA Director Earl Mar
tin had been ordered by the Board in
meetings last week.
Included in the revised appropria
tions is an experimental reading pro
gram aimed at aiding students exper
iencing difficulty in reading. Two new
positions are included in tfte budget,
one a reading supervisor and one read
ing teacher.
Unlike the two meetings of last
week when Board, members met past
midnight, Monday's hieeting was rel
atively short. Assignment of teachers
across racial lines as called for in the
Board's court-ordered plan of desegre
gation, was discussed at length ^Ign
day and it was disclosed tha
vacancies exist in the county system a\
the present time.
Student assignments were'!
in a meeting last Thursday night and
decisions on where to move 750 Negro
students per the Board's plan were
made at that time. Superintendent
Warren Smith was authorized to order
six portable classrooms in anticipation
of the need for additional classroom
spaces when schools open three ?eeks
hence.
In a somewhat controversial deci
sion last Thursday night, the Board on
a split vote passed a resolution releas
ing certain students living inside the
county, but who had attended out-of
county schools during the past year.
Board member Clint Fuller made the
motion to release some 15 such stu
dents in the Youngsville. Pilot and
Pearce's area. Lloyd West seconded the
motion. William Taylor Boone voted
"aye" on the motion giving it a passing
margin. Jones Winston voted "no" and
Chairman Horace Baker did not vote,
although he voiced opposition to the
move.
Football Drills Start Thursday
(See Sl'iry f'a/tr H)
Louisburg head football coach Tommy Twitty, kneeling, is shown talking over
Thursday's preseason start with five veterans from last year. Pictured left to right
are: Tommy Wrenn, returning guard. Charlie Hobgood. returning halfback. All
Conference and All 1-A East, Tiiomas Finch, returning end and linebacker; Neil
McDonald, returning fullback and Phillip Robertson, returning halfback. All
candidates are to report to the school Thursday night at 7 p.m.
, Staff photo by Clint Fuller