Published Every Tuesday & Thursday
Times
Serving All Of Franklin County
Tel. Gy6-3283 Ten Cents Louisburg, N. C.. Tuesday. December 31, 1968 , . (Eight Pages Today) ^ 99th Year ? Number 91
The Fra?Mn Times
Published Evory Tuesday & Thursday
S*'.mg All Of Franklin County
Louisburg N C Tuesday August 6. 1%H
(Eight Paget Today)
99lh YeorNumber 49
Court Orders Total Integration This Fall
Transfer Suggested
HEW Rejects
U. S. Eastern District Judge Algernon Butler issued his long-awaited decision ir
the Franklin County school case today and ordered total desegregation in all
county schools this fall. The order, following closely the plan presented to Um
court on July IS by the U. 8. Department of Justice, says the "Franklin "
*"w?| unit shall be *' unitary atte--* each to ^
Top Ten Local
News Stories Of 1968
1. COURT ORDERED SCHOOL INTEGRATION-Following several years of court
hearings. Franklin Schools were ordered to totally integrate in the fall. Appeals for
stays and rehearings failed.
2. SCHOOL OPENING-Threatened with a boycott, viewed by FBI agents and
aided by a IT. S.* Congressman and Senator, schools ( including two private) opened.
The public schools opened in nine days without incident.
3. LOCAL ELECTIONS -Highlighted by a hotly contested State Senate race and a
run-off county commissioner contest, elections set new voter turnout records.
4. GENERAL ELECTIONS-North Carolina went Republican in the presidential
race. Franklin County went American Independent, but voted for Democrat Bob
Scott for Governor.
5. tffew REGISTRATION -Over 11,000 county voters made the trip to the
registrars desk and later almost that many went to the voting bpoths as more
interest was shown in 1968 elections than ever before.
6. COURTHOUSE RENOVATIONS-The public spent some time searching for
mislocated county offices, scattered all over town. Judges, juries and the accused
got chilly in the temporary courtroom in the Armory but at year's end, all were
housed in a much improved facility.
7. VANDALISM-In the aftermath of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. fires were believed purposefully set and windows broken in Louisburg and
Franklinton as police mustered for any eventuality.
8. HIGHWAY DEATHS-Nine persons, two more than in 1967, met death on
Franklin highways in 1968. ,
9. STORMS-Two unusually severe storms, one with snow and sleet in January and
one in July which brought damages estimated at $300,000 hit the area during the
year.
10. LAND CONTROVERSY -The Alphonse-Gaston act between the Board of
County Commissioners and the Board of Education springs eternal. In 1968, it was
a dispute over a piece of land on county hill. The Commissioners won.