(Ten PagesToday) Louisburg, N. C. Tuesday, February 25, 1969 Ten Cents 100th Year-Number 3
Youngsville Boys & Girls Win Tourney Titles
The Franklin County Basketball
Tournament just ended here was al
most a carbon copy of the one staged
last year. Whatever changes there were
along the five-night trail, the end result
was the same: Youngsville. -
The defending State Class 1-A
Champions successfully defended their
title as Tournament Champions and
settled, for some at any rate, the
question of which team was best
Y ouogsville or Franklinton. The
Youngsville girls had already proven
the point in the girls division. Fjrom
the start of the event, it was conceded
only a matter of time before these girls
would gain another trophy.
Louisburg girls and Gold Sand boys
walked off with coveted Sportsman
ship Award. Wakelon won the exciting
three-overtime contest against Bunn to
take third place. And Vickie Rogers of
Youngsville repeated as the tourna
ment's Most Valuable Player. Morris
Catlett was chosen Most Valuable
Player in the Boys' Division.
R. B. Gordon, Superintendent of
IrLnklinton City Schools, ami Warren
\N. Smith. Superintendent of Franklin
County Schools, presented the awards.
Marvin Moss. Bunn Coach and Presi
dent of the? League. expressed appre
ciation to all agencies and individuals
who had assisted in making the tourna
ment a success.
Eric Morgan, assistant Principal at
Louisburg High School, reported that
preliminary checks indicate this year's
tournament was the most successful
financially of any previously held
Youngsville. by winning the tourna
ment. becomes Franklin's "A" Team;
Franklinton. conference co-champions
is the "B" Team and Wkkelon, by
winning third place in the tournament,
is the "C" Team. All three will play in
the District III playoffs in Rocky
Mount.
Good News
Kenneth Schubart, left, and J. Harold Talton announce new industry.
Congressman Com merits
On School Situation
Second District Congressman L. H.
Fountain issued a statement in Wash
ington last week on school desegrega
tion problems in his district and-called
on the Nixon administration for some
definite ideas on its policy.
The full text of the Congressman's
statement follows:
Most of us are still awaiting some
defihite sign of the approach to be
taken by the Nixon Administration to
the question of school desegregation.
Despite some discouraging signs. I'm
still hopeful that this administration
will practice what it preached before
taking office.
Contradictory statements have been
made by several members of the new
Administration, both since it took
office and going back as far as last
year's presidential campaign when the
President himself took a very strong
stand for Freedom of Choice. At the
moment, however, the jury is still out,
so to speak.
In connection with this subject^ it
was encouraging to learn that our new
and able North Carolina Attorney
General. Bob Morgan, has pledged to
support local school districts when
they ask for help in combatting uif '
reasonable demands from federal ef
ficials. I was also happy to see him
intervene in the Franklin County
school case.
As long ago as 1966, I suggested to
Governor Moore that the State has a
legitimate role and basic responsibility
in the defense of local school boards.
After all - except for construction of
buildings - ours is a State supported
school system locally administered.
Why shouldn't the State defend it?
In addition, few local school boards
have the resources to match the com
bination of financial and legal opposi
tion that can be - and has been -
thrown against them by the Federal
government.
"Since officials of the Office of
Education have shown little disposi
tion to voluntarily comply with legal
requirements which do not coincide
with their personal philosophies. I
think it is particularly important thkt
local school officials be able to obtain
from the State the specialized legal
advice and assistance necessary for
their dealings with the Office of Edu
cation." I wrote to Governor Moore.
"My suggestion is in no way In
tended to encourage defiance or
evasion of the law," the letter stated.
"On the contrary. It is intended to
provide an Informed an? objective
source of advice for local school of
ficial* aa to what the law requires and,
where necesaary, to provide legal and
other assistance to help prevent the
imposition of Illegal demands upon
our schools by officials of the Office
of 'Education."
As you will recall, the State or
North Carolina retained a law firm in
Waahlngton which worked closely with
school boards needing assistance and
represented them ably In the various
headtigs and other procedures at
H.E.W. Attorney General Morgan has
decided to handle this representation
directly and within his- own office
instead of through outside attorneys.
Of course, the manner in which the
State assists local boards is a matter
for state decision.
The main point, and major objec
tive, is still the same, however; to
continue to support our local school
systems and especially quality educa
tion with whatever means and re
sources are available at the State level.
I am therefore happy to see the State
of North Carolina enter the picture
more aggressively.
This, in my opinion, is necessary
and is what the people of North
Carolina have a reasonable right to
expect from their government.
We still need a more definite idea of
what path the Nixon Administration
will take in this area, but regardless of
the path it takes, we all know that he
price of freedom in education, as in
other vets, is "eternal vigilance" at all
levels of government.
Whatever the outcome may be, I
expect to continue to Tight any and
every attempt at further Federal con
trols and dictatorship over our school
system.
ARCHITECT'S DRAWING OF NEW FURNITURE PLANT
Risliel Furniture Company
_ To Locate Plant Here
Mr. Richard E. Mellish. President of the J. K. Rishel Furniture
Company of Williamsport. Pennsylvania, announced today through the
Franklin County Industrial Development Commission office that they
will build a 1 17,000 square foot plant west of Louisburg on NC'56.
This site was formerly the Franklin County Home property and
consists of SO acres of land.
Rishel will manufacture wooden office, bedroom, and dining room
furniture, and employ 1 50 people at the start of operations.
Plant officials credit the State Department of Conservation and
Development with locating a suitable labor pool. The excellent
industrial training program offered by the North Carolina Department
of Community Colleges was another inducement in their decision.
The architects selected for the
project are John D. Lattimer Asso
ciates of Durham. The building con
struction is expected to commence in
early March and be ready for occu
pancy in August of this year.
Officials of Rishel credit S. Ken
neth Schubart, Director, and J. Harold
TaJton, Chairman, of the Franklin
Gaimty Industrial Development Com
Farm Bureau Prexy Issues
Statement On Tobacco Tax
Franklin County Farm Bureau Pres
ident John H. Ihrie, HI has issued a
strong statement relative to Governor
Bob Scott's proposal that the General
Assembly levy a tax on tobacco -Tlie
full text of the Ihrie statement fol
lows:
"Lieutenant Governor Pat Tayfor is
'to be commended for his recent state
ment and expression of concern on the
exodus from North Carolina farms.
Certainly all. of us will applaude his
desire to see hospitals and medical
facilities in all localities of the state.
However, as fine as these things are.
they will be of no value to the man
,who does not have the price of admit
tance. It Is ironical that the Lt. Gov
ernor would express such concern even
while a representative proposes legisla
tion which will put more rural people
off the farms and on welfare rolls
I believe the tobacco tax will do
just that. While only 2% of the tobac
co is sold in North Carolina, we cannot
deny that the state of South Carolina
already has drawn up a bill to increase
tax on tobacco products as soon as
North Carolina puts a tax in effect on
tobacco. Other states will certainly
follow rsuit and increase their tax.
Hence, by no stretch of the imagina
tion, can we say the North Carolina
Tobacco tax will affect only 2% of the
total production.
It has been stated that the tobacco
farmers should be more concerned
about whether they will have a pro
gram in the future. I would like to
assure everyone that they are con
cerned about the future of the pro
gram but this does not in any way
minimize their concern over the tax
problem.
It has further been Hated that there
Is a floor under tohacco prices so he
formers will not suffer. I would like to
assure those who think this that the
tobacco farmers are not willing to live
under any such floor - in fact, it is
impossible to do so.
More recently, one business profes
sor is stating the tax will actually
improve the economy. He doesn't say
juit how this miracle will come about
but we are supposed to accept this
statement as fact. If indeed this is true,
then we have only to increase all tax
until the economy is as healthy as we
want It. ^
Certainly some new tax may be In '
order, but It seems the State of North
Carolina could tax some product hot
so vital to the economy of the state. It
Is hard to imagine any myth about
tobacco being King of North Caro
lina's Agricultural economy. Forty-six
percent of the Agricultural income In
the whole state comes from tobacco.
Anything that hurts that segment of
our economy will certainly burden jilr
the rest.
We are grateful that Governor
Scott'* county Campaign Committee
has seen fit to express their concern to
him. The Franklin Times is to be
commended for its efforts to present
the facts on the tax issue. Represents
lives James Speed and John Church
are waging a good fight against the
tobacco tax and Senator Griffin is
speaking against the tax whenever pos
sible. We would like to thank all these
people and many others who have
written letters, sent telegrams, and
made phone calls opposing the tax.
Let me assure all of you that the
battle is by no means lost and all of us
will continue the fight which we be
lieve to be so vital to the family size
farm and to Franklin County."
mission and Charles Davis, Attorney
for The Development Corporation of
Fnnklin County as having a significant
role in the planning.
Credit must also go to the Franklin
County Board of County Commission
ers for the part they played in this
acquisition.
Rishel has been a sizable manufac
turer of office furniture for many
years and has operated plants in Penn
sylvania continuously since 1857.
The new project will have no ad
verse affect on the existing plant in
Williamsport, Rishel officials said.
They mention that an expansion pro
gram is under way at Williamsport but
that a shortage of available labor has
been a limiting factor. At) additional
product line was introduced at the
Williamsport Plant in January of tRis
year. t
Talton expressed the Commission's
appreciation to "the County Commis
sioners for agreeing to supplying the
utilities to the new plant site and to
the Louisburg Town Council for its
offers of help if needed". He also
commended attorneys Charles Davis of
the Development Corporation of
Franklin County and W. H. Taylor.
County attorney for their assistance in
landing the new plant.
"This industry and the new Dur
ham Hosiery plant locating at Frank
linton with 300 to 500 new jobs will
take up the slack of the declining
agricultural income in the area", Tal
ton said. He had high praise for Schu
bart. "Ken has only been working in
industrial development since last July.
He has really taken over the job like a
pro. He worked on the Durham
Hosiery project. He went to Bunn and
took charge of the water project and
almost single handedly brought about
the very favorable vote when other
such elections were being defeated.
And then he got on to this project. He
has really done a tremendous job of
selling Franklin County".
Pointing to the future, Talton said,
"This is his first major industry an
nouncement. However, we are current
ly working on another real fine pros
pect. . \
"Half of the worthwhile industries
coming south are requiring natural gas.
This would be a great boost to indus
trial development in the area. If we
had natural gas and an improved air
port, we'd really be on the road",
Talton added.
The new Rishel plant will represent
a $2 million investment here in Frank
lin County.
Woman's Club Makes Donations
Mrt. Joe Myers, center. President of the Louisburg Woman's Club, Is shown here Monday presenting a check for $600 to
Franklin Memorial Hospital to aid in the purchase of a Cardiac Therapy Group and a check for $100 to the Loutsburg Rescue
Service. Hospital administrator M. M. Person, Jr., second from right accepts? for the hospital and Davis Minnich. second from left.
Chief of the Rescue Service accepts for his organization. Mrs. Minnich. a member of the Woman's Club, left, and Df. Doyle
Medders, who spearheads the Cardiac project for the Medical Society, look on. See Story Page 2. ,
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