The FrMlilh Times
Published Every Tuesday & Thursday ^ ^ Serving All Of Franklin County.
Tel. GY6-3283 Ten Cents Louisburg, N. C.. Thursday. October 3. 1968 (Ten Pages Today) 99th Year-Number
Site Of Proposed Methods & Material Center
Commissioners Approve Purchase
Of Land For Education Building
The Board of County Commis
sioners gave final approval for the
purchase of land near the Board of
Education building here in a special
meeting Monday night. The land, a
point of controversy between the two
Boards some weeks ago, is being pur
chased from Bland B. Pruitt for
$12,500 and the Board of Education
will erect a federally-financed Methods
and Material Center on the location.
About all that is left of the matter
is for final approval to be given the
deed by county attorney W. H. Taylor.
Board of Education attorney E. F.
Yarborough has completed his work
on the matter for the school agency.
Six times in May and June of this
year, the Board of County Commis
sioners refused to grant a School
Board request for a deed to land
already owned by the county in front
of the present school office. Finally on
June 20, the two Boards agreed on the
purchase of land behind the present
building. The Commissioners argued
that the new building would blot the
appearance of the three-building coun
ty complex. The School Board denied
this and presented drawings by its
architect to bolster its position.
Awarding of bids is expected when
the Board of Education meets here in
regular session Monday night. Pre
liminary estimates place the expected
cost of the total project, not including
the land, at around $130,000.00. This
reflects some adjustments in federal
funds since the initial start of the
Wooten Talks
To Historical
Society Here
Walter R. Wooten, Administrator of
the N. C. Highway Historical Marker
Program was the principal speaker at
last Thursday's meeting of the Frank
lin County Historical Society. Mr.
Wooten, is a former staff historian for
the N. C. Historical Site Division and
the Director of the Alamance Battle
ground State Historic Site, talked on
the subject, "British Merchantilism
and the War of Regulation of 1765."
T. H. Pearce, President of the or
ganization, presided and announced
that an agreement had been made with
Louisburg College for the use of the
original Franklin Academy building as
a museum. He said the Society would
be allowed to use the building and that
the rear wing, which he explained is of
no historical importance would be
sealed off and used for storage by the
College Drama Department.
The possibility of a private grant to
aid in restoration of the old building
was disclosed. The grant is to be used
for heating the building and installa
tion of a sprinkler system.
A nominating committee was in
structed to bring In a list of proposed
officers to the next meeting of the
Society.
controversy, when the project was
expected to cost around $83,000. It
also reflects a rise in construction costs
due the lengthy delay caused by the
inability of the two Boards to get
together on a site.
In another action by the Board of
Education last week, thirteen relo
catable classrooms were ordered and
are expected to begin arriving here by
the middle of next week. Three units
are to be located at Edward Best
Elementary School; four at Edward
Best High School; four at Youngsville
High School; and one each at Epsom
High School and Bunn High School.
Louisburg High School has two such
units already in service as does Gold
Sand High School and Bunn.
The Board awarded this project,
expected to be financed by federal
funds and costing $97,379.10, to
James Bingham and Associates of Ral
eigh in a special meeting last Friday.
The units are to include air condi
tioning and electric heat and are 24 by
32 feet, or more in keeping with
permanent classroom sizes than are the
more widely used mobile classrooms.
In other actions, the Board worked
at revamping the new ESEA budget of
some $498,527,000, eliminated over
night school trips sponsored by the
schools, and declined to grant a re
quest of three Negro parents for an
installment plan for payment of tui
tion for students whose parents live
out of state.
Registration Books Open October 12th
Voters To Face Long Ballot
Franklin County voters, like voters
everywhere, will again face a long
ballot when the polls open Tuesday,
November 5. Actually, only the state
ballot is unduly long, but there will be
at least five separate ballots for each
voter to cope with.
On the state ticket, there are 28
Democrats and twelve Republicans,
ranging from Governor to Superior
Court Judges. On the presidential bal
lot, there are, of course, three parties
this year. The names of each party's
presidential and vice presidential can
didate appear and this includes the
new American Independent party.
This ballot as now printed contains
the name of S. Marvin Griffin as the
vice presidential candidate on the AI
ticket, although it is expected that
retired General Curtis LeMay will ac
tually be the candidate.
The congressional ballot to be used
here contains the name of Democratic
Senator Sam J. Ervin, Jr. and his GOP
opponent Robert Vance Somers and
Congressman L. H. Fountain who is
unopposed.
The least publicized of the four
out-of-county ballots is the constitu
tional amendment ballot. Voters will
decide two state constitutional ques
tions. One deals with pay for legisla
tors and the other deals with approval
of the current system of representa
tion in the General Assembly.
While there are no local races in the
general election, a county ballot will
also be given voters. There will be
spaces for write-ins on the GOP side
where there are no nominees for the
local offices. Included on the local
ballot are the three district judges, the
Register of Deeds, a State Senator,
two State Representatives and two
County Commissioners. Some ques
tion remains on a sixth ballot. There
were some races for Township Con
stable in the primary and it is assumed
that ballots will be given in these
affected townships on Nov. 5.
Registration books open Saturday,
October 12, and will remain open each
Saturday at the polling places through
October 26. November 2 is Challenge
Day.
A new registration was held prior to
the May primaries and most Franklin
voters registered then. A total of
10,484 persons registered during the
March-April registration period. The
breakdown on the registration showed
74.4 percent are white; 25.6 percent
are Negro; 93.3 percent are Demo
UNC Student
Addresses Lions
Charles Holmes, a former Louisburg
College student and presently a stu
dent at UNC, addressed the Louisburg
Lions last Tuesday evening. His subject
concerned the character of the govern
ment of the Soviet Union.
"Stalin was able to control the
Soviet Union during his reign because
of his terror methods. People often
feared for their lives and, as a result,
did not seek to change the govern
ment's policies," Holmes said, "and
the government under Stalin had such
power that it could and would take
legal action against any type of dis
agreement, even dress styles." "Since
Stalin, other Russian leaders have used
the same techniques; it is hoped,"
concluded Holmes, "that future lead
ers of Russia will see a need for change
in that they will want more power in
the hands of the citizens, thus reduc
ing some of the present fear in the
Russian people."
The Lions Club approved the idea
of a possible link-up of an interstate
highway in Franklin County. Also,
Vice-President Lion Tommy Jeffreys
urged all members to turn in immedi
*ately all contributions to the White
Cane Drive because it is now necessary
to commence with the Birthday Calen
dar Drive.
crats; 6.6 percent are Republicans and
1 percent are listed as "other", includ
ing independent and American Party
members.
W ? ? 1 " '
Franklin May Get Interstate
Connector Highway To Raleigh
The possibility thai an lnterstate-H5
and lnterstate-95 connector highway
t<^ Raleigh will be built through Frank
lin County has come to light in recent
days and an intensive drive is now
underway by a multi-county group to
see that it does.
A luncheon meeting was held here
Tuesday, called by Industrial Develop
ment Director S. Kenneth Schubart,
and attended by several local leaders
and a group from Henderson to discuss
plans to push the project. Schubart
was out of town this morning and
could not be reached for comment.
However, it was learned that his office
is contacting a number of local leaders
requesting that they express their
views by letter to Highway Adminis
trator W. F. Babcock in Raleigh.
Full details of the proposed project
have not been made public but it is
reported that the highway would begin
at 1-85 in Henderson and travel
through Franklin County to Raleigh
and join 1-95 at Dunn or near Smith
field. It was also reported that Harnett
County is forming a group to push the
project along this route.
It has not been explained whether
the proposed federal highway will fol
low U.S. 1 through Franklinton or
follow N.C. 29-U.S. 401 through
Louisburg. One informed source re
ports that it will likely be an entirely
new highway.
A state highway official expressed
the belief some weeks ago that the
highway might follow N.C. 39 through
Louisburg and cited the fact that N.C.
39 in Henderson, now being rebuilt
through town, will connect with 1-85
west of the city. N.C. 39 and U.S. 401
are slated to be reconstructed in
District Judges Promise
Law Enforcement Support
Julius Banzet, Warrenton attorney,
who is likely to be the Chief Judge of
the Ninth District when the new court
reform takes over in December, says
he believes in strict law enforcement.
Claude W. Allen, Jr. of Oxford and
Linwood Peoples of Henderson, the
other two Judges-elect, have echoed
this sentiment. The three attended a
meeting in Creedmoor recently and
voiced their support of law enforce
ment.
The three men, all Democrats and
all having won in the May primary,
have no Republican opposition in the
November elections.
Allen termed law enforcement,
"One of the largest jobs in the coun
try" and said it may become larger.
Making note of the fact that the
District Court will be fashioned after
the Superior Courts, Allen said he is
"looking forward to working with law
enforcement personnel "
Peoples stated that such personnel
"have one tough job". He referred to a
recent experience of riding with a
State Trooper and added, "I don't
have what it takes" to perform duties
which come in their line of work. He
said that as a Judge he will "turn a
man loose" if the evidence is lacking
and he added that if the evidence is
there, conviction will come.
Banzet. touching on the famous
Miranda case decision by the U. S.
Supreme Court and the influence it
has had on law enforcement, says he
believes in law and order and enforce
ment. He praised law enforcement
people, especially the State Highway
Patrol. In expressing his thoughts on
enforcement he said, "Vicious viola
tors need to be punished commen
surate with the infraction".
The three judges spoke at a dinner
hosted by veteran Creedmoor Justice
of the Peace. I. E. Harris, who had
invited law enforcement personnel
from Granville County "to come to
gether for a period of good fellow
ship". Also present was Charles M.
White, III, of Warrenton, newly ap
pointed Ninth District Solicitor.
To Address
Wallace Rally
Reid Stubbs. State Campaign Mana
ger for former Alabama Governor
George C. Wallace will be the principal
speaker at a rally for the presidential
candidate at Franklinton on October
11, according to an announcement
made today.
The supper and rally will be staged
at the Franklinton Speedway on U.S.
1 south beginning at 6 p.m. Friday
night. October 11. The meal will be
served until 8 p.m.. according to the
announcement.
Franklin County sometime next year.
This is a state project, however, and
the connector to the State Capital is a
federal plan. All civic club presidents
have been called to a meeting in
Henderson for Friday at 11:30 A.M.
and County Commissioner Chairman
T. W. Ellis, Jr.. Mayor Louis Horner
and Rep. John T. Church are expected
to explain the matter to the Vance
County group.
Rep. James Speed and Rep. Church
voiced support in the meeting here
Tuesday. The first objective of the
various groups, according to reports, is
to gain State Highway Commission
approval of the project. The Commis
sion is expected to make the decision
within forty days.
Two Charged
In Still Raid
Franklin Sheriff William T. Dement
reports that two Rocky Mount men
have been charged with operating an
illegal whiskey still in the county as a
result of a raid by his department and
ATTU agents Tuesday. The still was
found in the Seven Paths area of the
county. Dement said.
Charles O. Coolie, 35, and Willie
Johnson. 56. are being held on charges
of possessing materials, non-taxpaid
whiskey and still equipment, Dement
reported. He said the two will appear
in Recorder's Count here October 8
for a hearing.
The officers seized two 280-gallon
tank-type stills, three 400-gallon sub
marine-type stills. 1.570 gallons of
mash, thirty gallons of booze and a
truck. Mike Zetts, ATTU officer said
that water was being siphoned from a
farm pond some 500 yards from the
still.
Rites Held
For C. E. Edens
Clarence Eugene Edens, Sr., 71, of
Rt. 2, Louisburg, died Tuesday in
Duke Hospital. Funeral services were
conducted today at 2 p.m. at White
Funeral Chapel by the Rev. T. M.
Daughtry. Burial followed in the High
land Memory Gardens with masonic
rites.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Ora Lee
Hight Edens; one daughter, Mrs.
Charlie Phelps of Henderson; one son,
C. E. Edens, Jr., of Centerville, Va.;
one brother. William H. Edens of
Louisburg; three grandchildren. He
was a retired oil and gas distributor,
the operator of Edens General Mer
chandise Store, a member of the
Louisburg Masonic Lodge, No. 413,
and a member of Mt. Gilead Church.
Louisburg Police bepartnment
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Staff photo by Clint Fuller.