THE JOURN AL - PATRIOT
» serving 100,000 people in JL
iNorthweatern Carolina.
Section One
16 PAGES
The Journal-Patriot Has Blazed the Trail of Progress In the "State of Wilkes" For Over 43 Years
Vol. 44, No. 18 Published Mondays and Thursdays NORTH WHKESBORO, N. C., Thursday, June 16, 1949 Make North Wilkesboro Your Shnnninn
Hugh West Freed
nugn west, former drug store
clerk here, was acquitted in
Wilkes court Tuesday afternoon
on charges of abortion and man
slaughter in connection with the
death of Miss Pearl Jenkins, of
Winston-Salem, on highway 421
seven miles east of this city July
31, 1947.
West, whose case had been
postponed from term to term
since August, 1947, was acquit
ted on 'both counts, abortion and
maaslaughter.
The case began Monday morn
ing before Judge J. Will Pless,
Jr., presiding over the current
term.
Principal fitnesses presented
by Solicitor Avalon E. Hall was
Grover P. Fields, of Winston
Salem. He stated that he brought
Miss Jenkins from Winston-Sal
em late in the evening of July
SI, 1947, and that when they
arrived here that he telephoned
West at the request of Miss
Jenkins. As result of the call, he
testified, West met them at the
drug store where he was employ
. ed/but that the store had closed
%*8r the night.
West, accompanied by the
girl, entered the store by the
back door and Fields waited out
Bide Tor some time, after which
he went into the store to find out{
what was going on and the girl
was seated on a table. Near her,
dress above her knees. Near her,
he said, was a piece of rubber
tubing, which -he said resembled
a part of a syringe. West, he
said, ushered him out and told
him to wait. Later West and
Miss Jenkins emerged from the
store and Miss Jenkins got back
into the car and with Fields
started back toward Winston
Salem. About seven miles out on
highway 421 Miss Jenkins told
him she was feeling faint and
needed air. She got out of the
car and collapsed at the side of
the road. Fields said he went for
help and after some difficulty
located some people and went
back to the scene to find the girl
dead.
Dr. W. C. Thomas, former pro
fessor of pathology at Bowman
Gray school of medicine at Win
ston-Salem and now a professor
at Temple University in Phila
delphia, and who conducted the
autopsy, testified that Miss
Jenkins' death was caused by
air embolism, which he attribut
ed to attempted abortion.
West did not testify in the
case, but the defense contended
that there was no evidence that
West committed any act of abor
tion and did not cause her death
10V. SCOTT THANKS OPTIMIST
CLUB FOR SUPPORTING BOND ISSUES
Rev. Dean Minton Spoke To
Club At Meeting Tues
day Noon
Governor W. Kerr Scott ex
pressed his thanks to the Opti
mist club of this city for its
support in the victorious cam
paign to carry the road and
school bond issues in the special
election of June 4th. The letter
received by E. R. Eller, club
president, which was read at
the luncheon Tuesday noon, is
as follows:
"Raleigh, June 7th, 1949.
Mr, E. R. Eller, President
Optimist Club of No. Wilkesboro,
North Wilkesboro, N. C.
Dear Mr. Eller:
Thank you very much for your
message. I am happy to have
had your support in winning the
election for better schools and
roads.
I firmly believe there is noth
ing that the forward-looking
people of North Carolina can't
J^eomplish when they set them
selves wholeheartedly to the
task.
Sincerely,
W. KERR SCOTT."
The Tuesday luncheon opened
with the club members and
guests singing three stanzas of
"Aiji^Tica," followed by repeat
Umt the Optimist Creed in uni
\ son, and invocation being spok
en by Rev. C. Jay Winslow.
Miss Nellie Gabriel appeared
before the club as a representa
, tive of the Junior Woman's Club
on behalf of the cancer fund
campaign now in progress in the
county. Miss Gabriel made a
very impressive talk on the
needs for money to carry on
cancer work in Wilkes.
A new member—J. B. Brook
shire, Jr manager of the local
Crest Store, was welcomed into
the club. Optimists had as guests
the following: Robert Transou
with W. R. Harmon; W. M. Day
and Miss Gabriel with President
E. R. Eller.
Rev. Dean Mlntop, local Bap
tist minister, delivered an inter
esting address on an unusual
subject, "Doors." The doors, to
■which Rev. Mr. Minton referred
during his address, were: "Bus
iness Door," "School Door,"
"Prison Door," and "Door to
Church." He said that these
doors are very essential to com
munity welfare, happiness, and
progress, and he explained in
detail how much each one means
to humanity.
Valuable Property
At Auction June 22
--""•tee Mash farms, located In
1'jP) county near West Jefferson,
I >be sold at auction Wednes
l^uf June 22, by Williams and
Clark Land Auction company, of
which P. E. Dancy and M. C.
Iifbdle are local selling agents.
The first sale, on the1 Oblds
and Glendale road, will be at
ten a. m., and the second, on
highway 16 six miles east of
Jefferson, will be at 2:30. Cash
prise of ISO will be given and
there will be plenty of enter
tainment.' ~
Married 50 Years
Mr. and Mrs. P. A. Jennings
celebrated their golden wed
ding anniversary May 14 at
their "Monte Verde Orchard"
home in the. Brushy Moun
tains. Before their marriage
(1899) Mrs. Jennings was
Miss Susie Joines, of Pores
Knob. They have three chil
dren: Mrs. Janet Johnson, of
North Wilkesboro Route a,
James A. Jennings, of Ports
mouth, YTa., and John E. Jen
nings, of Oakwoods. They have
two grandchildren: Mrs. Edith
Johnson Dancy and Billy Ray
Jennings; also one great
grandchild, William Charles
Dancy.
Girl Scout Camp
Staff Appointed
Girl Scout summer camp for
the Wilkes district will be held
at Mountain View school Jul}
11 to 15
Those to attend camp are
asked to mail their health cer
tificates to Mrs. Robert Gibbs by
July 1, along with signed per
mission from parents.
Mrs. Robert Gibbs is camp di
rector and Mrs. John Ford, of
Arden, is assistant director. The
quota for the camp is 75 girls,
and there remain a few vacan
cies. If any other girls not regis
tered wish to attend the camp
they should contact Mrs. Walter
Newton, registrar.
•Program for the camp will
include sports, games, arts and
crafts, hiking and nature study,
outdoor cooking, music, dramat
ics and many other enjoyable
features.
Volunteer councilors will in
clude: Mrs. Cecil Adamson and
Mrs. B. E. Vaught, arts and
crafts; Mrs. Claude Dough ton,
music; Mrs. Pendry, dietition;
Mrs. John T. Wayland, folk
games; Mrs. Robert Gibbs, first
aid; Mrs. Phil Forester, Mrs.
Charles Ziliak and Mrs. W. A.
Vannoy, dramatics; Isabella
Gibbs, Norma Gabriel, Joan By
ers, Ann Ruth Warren, Billie J.
Zimmerman, camp aides.
Girls who are to attend camp
and have no way of reaching
camp are asked to call Mrs.
Gibbs and transportation will be
provided.
Training class for the camp
staff will be held Tuesday, 2:30,
■at Mountain View school.
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Valedictorian
Miss Mildred (Mickey) Pru
itt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
8. C. Prultt, of Wllkesboro
route one, mas valedictorian
of the senior class of North
Wilkesboro high school, class
of 1949. In September Mickey
will enter Gaston Memorial
hospital, Gastonia, for nurse
training.
Vacation Bible
School At First
Baptist Church
The annual Vacation Bible I
School of the First Baptist
church of North Wilkesboro will
be held e h morning Monday
through Friday, June 20, to July
1 at 9:00 for a three hour per
iod of worship, songs, stories,
flag salutes, Bible study, memory
work, notebook work, handwork,
and recreation. A splendid facul
ty has planned a varied program
of activities for each day for
children from four through six
teen years of age.
Working with the Beginners
will be Miss Minnie Haire, Super
intendent, Mrs. U. W. Foster,
Mrs. Everett Dyall, Mrs. Wada
Wallace, Betty Jean Wells; with
the Primaries Mrs. James Harv
el, Superintendent, Mrs. A. C
Chamberlain, Catherine Walkef
Christine Godbey, Mrs. A. M.
Church, Mrs. Charlie Gilreath,
Betty Campbell, Pansy Foster,
Betty Jean McNeil, Betty Lou
Foster, and Pat Hutchinson. In
the Junior Department are Mrs.
Isaac Duncan, Superintendent,
Mrs. John Wayland, Dorothy
Campbell, Mrs. C. A. Shaw, Mrs.
G. G. Foster, Helen Eller, Mrs.
J. W. McClaskey, Dr. John Way
land, and Patsy Hawkins, and in
the Intermediate Department
are Mrs. W. K. Sturdivant, Sup
erintendent, Dean Minton, Mrs.
J. E. Spicer, Mrs. Jay Brook
shire, Mary Lindsay Stafford
Barbara Johnston, and Mr. C. A.
Shaw. Miss Peggy Nichols will
serve as Principal of the school,
assisted by Drr Wayland and Mr.
Shaw. Mrs. R. T. McNeil, Mrs.
F. D. Forester, Jr., Mrs. Maurice
Walsh, Mrs. James R. Kenerly
and Mrs. Frank Stafford will
serve on the refreshment com
mittee.
Out of the 2,792 churches in
North Carolina 1,376 Bible
schools were held last year, 24
mission schools, 18 negro, and
36 others, making a total of 1,
453 Vacation Bible schools a
mong North Carolina Baptists.
This is a large improvement over
previous years. A total of 15,357
schools were held in the South
ern Baptist Convention.
Wm. G. Blackburn
Claimed By Death
Funeral service for William
Grant Blackburn, 76, who died
Tuesday at his home in Lewis
Fork township, was held today,
11 a. m., at Lewis Fork Baptist
church. Rev. Levi Greene and
Rev. A. W. E<ller conducted the
service. ...
Surviving Mr. Blackburn are
his wife, Mrs. Mary Blackburn,
three sons and three daughters:
Roscoe Blackburn, Boomer; A.
C. and Dave Blackburn, Purlear;
Mrs. Lois Blackburn, Newton;
Mrs. Lorie Benfield, Lenoir:
Mrs. Louisa Knight, Purlear.
Ham Supper 18th
There will be a fried country
ham supper at the Mulberry
Community House Saturday
night June 18th from 6:00 to
8:00 p. m. Price per plate will
be $1.00 for adults and £0
cents for children under 12
years. Proceeds of the supper
will go to the building fund of
Baptist Home Church. The pub
lic is cordially invited.
Support the V. Mi C. A
Fruit Growers
Get Reports Or
Size Apple Crop
By CARL B VanDEMAN
(Assistant County Agent)
The Brushy Mountain Fruil
Growers held a very good meet
ing on June 8th with Boyd Camp
bell presiding. The main speak
er of the evening was Fred Bur
rows, Assistant Secretary of the
International Apple Association
with main headquarters at Ro
Chester, N. Y.
Mr. Burrows had spent the
previous . three weeks visiting
fruit growers and their orchards
in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West
Virginia, Virginia and North Car
olina. He reported that Pennsyl
vania has a good apple crop and
some large orchards in West Vir
ginia have good crops. The Vir
ginia apple crop is about like last
year, only medium but Delicious
and Winesap are mostly full with
Yorks, Pippins, Golden Delicious,
and Grimes light. The Staymans
are good in some orchards and
light in others. Most of the ap
ples are on the inside of these
trees and are looking better as
the crop grows.
Most Brushy Mountain grow
ers report light apple crops with
Limbertwig showing the best
percentage of a crop.
Big Warehouse
Burned Tuesday
A warehouse building erected
three years ago on Sunset Drive
in the Fairplains community just
north of this city was totally de
stroyed 'by fire Tuesday after
noon.
The fire occured about 2:30
p. m. and when the fire depart
ment arrived had made such
headway that nothing could be
done to stop the fire.
The building, 70 by 90 feet,
was the property of C. D. Smith
ey and Charles Sink, and was
erected tm. use by the , North
western Construction company!
A considerable quantity of build
ing materials in the building was
also destroyed.
The loss was partially covered
by insurance.
Origin of the fire was not de
termined.
Stockholders Hotel
Wilkes Will Meet
Annual meeting of the stock
holders of the North Wilkesboro
Hotel company will be held at
Hotel Wilkes Tuesday, June 21,
4:30 p. m.
This meeting will be for the
purpose of hearing reports ol
officers, electing a board of di
rectors and transacting any oth
er business before the meeting
E. G. Finley, secretary, said in
his notice to stockholders.
Goes To Wadesboro
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Miss Beth Jones, of North
Wilkesboro, has been appoint
ed as Director of Christfan
Education in the First Baptist
Church of Wades boro. Miss
Jonas is a graduate in Relig
ious Education from Wake
Forest College, and for the
past year has taught at Mul
berry schools in Wilkes coun
ty. She Is a daughter of Dr.
and Mrs. W. F. Jones, of
North Wilkesboro. Miss Jones
will begin her work at Wades
boro July 1.
Jones, Laws, Transon
Reunion On Sunday
The 29th Jones, Laws, Trail
sou family reunion was held Sun
day, June 12th, at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Steelman
at Oakwoods.
Over 100 relatives and friends
were present for the ©ccassion.
After a few" remarks by the
chairman, Sam Laws, of States
ville, a short business session
was held and the following offi
cers were elected: Charles E.
Jones, Jr., of Lenoir, was elect
ed chairman and Nora Laws,
secretary. Rev. W. N. Brook
shire, pastor of the WllfeesSortf
Baptist church spoke the invo
cation and everyone enjoyed the
picnic dinner which w&s spread
on a long table on the lawn.
Relatives attending from a
distance were from Lenoir,
Statesville, Lincolnton, Gastonia,
Winston - Salem, Greensboro,
Boonville and Bristol, Va.
Bible School At
Wilkesboro Church
Vacation Bible school will be
held Monday through Friday
8:30 to 11:30 a. m„ at Wilkes
boTo Baptist church.
Bible school teachers, and all
children. ages four to 16, are
asked to be present at Prepara
tion Day Friday, June 17, nine
until 11 o'clock, at the church,
when the Bible school classes
will be organized.
MORAVIAN FALLS CORNERSTONE
LAYING TO BE SUNDAY, 4 P. M.
Cornerstone of the new Mora
vian Falls Baptist church novs
under construction will be lai<
at a special service to be helc
Sunday afternoon, June 19, fou:
P. m.
Construction of the nei
church building has been undei
way for three weeks and mud
progress has been made on the
structure.
Rev. Dean Minton, pastor, will
be in pharge of the cornerstone
laying service and sermon will be
by John T. Wayland, pastor ol
the First Baptist church in North
Wilkesboro. Rev. J. Earl Pear
son, Brushy Mountain Baptist
associational missionary, will al
so take part in the service.
Building committee for the
new church is composed of the
following: Lawrence Critcher,
chairman and treasurer, W. C.
Hendren, secretary, P. G. Smith
ey, building foreman, R. A.
Greer, Irving Eller, Cyrus Brown
and J. E. Nichols.
Mrs. J. G. Bentley is chairman
of the finance committee and the
other members are Mrs! W. C.
Hendren, Miss Lola Belle Par
due, Miss Mazle Pardue, Mtss
Sadie Smlthey, Miss Oorinne Da
vis, Miss Anne Hayes, Mrs. Mary
Brewer Bumgarner.
The public is cordially invited
to the cornerstone laying service.
John W. Nichols, Jr., and
Mary Ruth Nichols, students of
Oxford orphanage, are spending
several days here with their mo
ther, Mrs. Alverta Nichols, and
other relatives.
Sought By Colleges
UUUMMMMMIMMMUtHHU
Gene McNeill, a graduate of
North Wilke«»boro high school
this year, and an outstanding
high school basketball player,
has been contacted by a num
ber o f college basketball
coaches seeking his services
as a basketball player. He has
scholarship offers from Wof
ford and Presbyterian colleges,
a number of smaller schools .
and has been •given try-out at'
the University of North Caro
olina. Although only 5-9 in
height, Gene has exceptional
speed, was one of the team's
highest scorers and was very
effective in defensive play. He
t» the hb of Mr. and Mrs. M.
B. McNeill, of this city. ,
MONDAY, JUNE 20, DATE SET
FOR HEARING ON PROPOSAL TO
ISSUE $600,000 SCHOOL BONDS
Citizens Will Be Given Opportunity To Protest Bond
Proposal At Hearing Before Commissioners,
10:30 A. M.
Monday, June 20, is the date
set by the Wilkes county com
missioners to hear any protests
of- the county's authorization of
a school bond issue in the a
mount of $600,000, subject to
approval of the voters of the
county in a special election.
An order was passed recently
by the county board of commis
sioners authorizing the proposed'
county bond issue for school
buildings, in which date was set
for a hearing of protests by any
interested citizens. The hearing
is scheduled for 10:30 a. m. in
the commissioners room in the
Wilkes county courthouse.
The authorization order as
passed by the county board of
commissioners and published re
cently set out that the bonds, if
issued, would be for the purpose
of erecting school buildings and
additions for the Wilkes county
school system and for a building
for the North Wilkesboro special
charter school unit. The order
I stipulated that $63,900 would
be allocated to the North Wilkes
I boro district and remainder of
the bond issue to the several
school districts in the county
where buildings and additions
are needed.
BOOKMOBILE RENDERS VALUABLE
LIBRARY SERVICE IN WILKES
After the first year's opera
tion of the Bookmobile in
Wilkes county, it seems appro
priate to give the people whom
it ferves, some figures to indi
cate the circulation phase of it's
results.
Though used to serve some
stations within a few days of
it's arrival on June 2nd, 1948, it
was July before a fixed schedule
was worked out for County
wide Library service.
From June 1, 1948 thTU May
1949 2843 books were lent for
home use directly from the
Bookmobile.
The total number of books
lent thru book stations was 26,
362. These, are the collections
left in a Community under the
supervision of some public spir
ited citizen, to be used by the
people in that locality. Thtese
collections of bookB are chang
ed every month. r
—fivuii tli'oti&h "tfie' statistics for
the year 1948-1949 will not be
complete before July 1st, it
might be of interest to know that
the total circulation for the
eleven month period was 43,706.
This total includes books circu
lated from the Library in North
Wilkesboro and the extensions—
which is to say, stations, book
mobile and some schools. These
figures are the more impressive
when you realize that our entire
book stock numbers 5,593. This
shows a ''turn-over'' of 7.8 per
volumn.
The Bookmobile covers 610
miles per month, which is ten
trips 'per month, as the Bookmo
bile Librarian is on half-time
only.
There are -now 37 stations,
and twelve schools were served
by the Bookmobile. One other
school was given Library service
thru the co-operation ,of a volun
teer worker using her own car.
Of the stations, Oakwoods
has had the largest circulation
since it was established in April
1947. The collection is kept in
Mr. Mont Jones' store and has
circulated 1,165 books. Many
other stations more recently
started have had as good an
average, and all are doing a
great service and deserve the
public's gratitude.
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Valedictorian
Miss Joan Wheeling was val
edictorian of Ferguson high
school, class of 1949. Miss
Wheeling, who made an ex
cellent record, is the daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Wheel
ing.
Flashers Second
By Half Of Game
Rain Postponed Last Three
Games; Play Galax Here
Friday Night
Although rain washed out
the last three scheduled games
of the Flashers, North Wilkes
boro is only one-half game out
of first place in the Blue Ridge
league in one of the tighest races
in professional baseball in North
Carolina, the baseball state.
Wytheville and Mount Airy
are currently tied for top place.
Wytheville lost to Galax 11-10
in the only game played Tues
day night. Here last night the
Flashers banged away for four
runs in the first and two in the
second against Radford and
Radford scored three in the top
of the third, when a downpour
of rain washed out the game
for the night. The home team
was hitting Bakaitis all oyer the
lot. Games at Elkin and Galax
were also rained out after being
started.
Tonight North Wilkesboro
goes to Mt. Airy. Galax will
play here Friday night, the
Flashers go to Galax Saturday
night and play Mt. Airy here
Sunday afternoon, 2:30. North
Wilkesboro goes back to Mt. Airy
Monday night.
The Flashers have added some
pitching strength and have more
on the way. Ralph Cunningham,
21, of Lancaster, S. C., joined
the club this week, coming from
Hickory of the North State
league. Ralph pitched last year
for Lenoir in the western £aro
lina. He is a right hander,
height 6-1 and weight 180.
Ray Sanders, 21, of London,
Ohio, is a new catcher, and
started the game here last night.
He is 6-1, bats left and throws
right. He worked out with Ga
lax in spring training. Club own
ers and management are giving
fans every assurance that North
Wilkesboro will continue in the
thick of the fight for the pennant
this year.
o
Seven and one-half million
non-farm households in the Unit
ed States raised vegetables in
1948."
County League
Has Six Teams
Millers Creek, Fairplaine,
Boomer, Walsh's, Mora
vian, Pores Knob
Membership In the Wilkes
baseball league has increased
from four to six with entry this
week of Pores Knob and Mora
vian Falls. J. C. Williams, who Is
greeting the league for the
Wilkes Junior Chamber of Com
merce, said today.
A scheduled exhibition game
between Millers Creek and Boom
er here Tuesday night was rained
out. ...
On Saturday night Fairplains
and Walsh's lumber company
team will play an" exhibition
game in Memorial Park, eight
o'clock.
Ferguson Baseball
Club Sponsor Dance
The Ferguson ball club Is
sponsoring a dance Saturday
night, June 18, at Ferguson
school. The public Is invited to
'attend.
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