Most of The New*
All The Time
VOL. NO. SIXTEEN
THE STATE
A Good Newspaper In
6-PAGES TODAY
Southport, N.
NO. 33
PORT PILOT
A Good Community
C., Wednesday, August 29, 1951
The Pilot Coven*
Brunswick County
$1.50 PER YEAH
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
Legal Barrier
May Stop Cape
Fear Project
Attorney General Harry Mc
Mullan Expresses Opinion
That A Bill Authorizing
Work Is Unconstitutional
Advises court
ACTION IN CASE
Proposal Said To Be Cover
ed By Law Ruling Out
Special Or Local Legis
lation On Ferries
The Southport-Carolina Beach
ferry bill ran into a legal snag
last week when Attorney General
Barry McMullan advised R.
Brooks Peterson, general counsel
for the State Highway Commis
sion, that there is good reason
to believe that the Brunswick
County Ferry Bill is in conflict
with one section of the State
Constitution.
The 1951 General Assembly ad
opted the ferry act largely through
the insistence of Brunswick coun
ty's Senator R. Bun Frink.
In brief, the act directed the
State Highway Commission to in
stall and operate a ferry across
Cape Fear River between Fort
Fisher aand Southport. It also
provided the commission should
issue $200,000 worth of bonds to
buy and launch the new service
on a toll basis. The tolls collect
ed would be used to pay operat
ing costs, and to pay off the
bonds.
Highway engineers recently
made a study of the proposed
ferry route. From their own ob
servations and from information
drawn from veteran watermen,
they came to the conclusion the
route was impractical. A sea
going vessel would be needed,
they reported, to ply the mouth
of the Cape Fear in stormy and
choppy weather. The only safe
route, they claimed, would be
farther up the river.
Peters expressed his doubts to
McMullan by formal letter.
"The Question arises in our
minds," he wrote, “as to whether
(the ferry act) is not such local,
private or special legislation as
is prohibited by Article II, Sec
tion 29, of the Constitution of
North Carolina."
The points involved, he noted,
look very similar to the points
raised in a*recent State Supreme
Court decision.
“We would like to have an op
inion from your office,” Peters
added, “as to whether you con
sider (the act) unconstitutional
Article II, Section 29 provides
in part: “The General Assembly
shall not pass any local, private
or special act or resolution . . .
authorizing the laying out, oper
ating, altering, maintaining or
discontinuing of highways, streets
»r alleys; relating to ferries or
bridges . . .”
McMullan replied, also by for
mal letter, the ferry act “is very
definitely a special act of the
General Assembly relating to a
ferry across the Cape Fear River
(Continued On Page Two)
Britf Nt» i
Flmthtt
.. i I,
SISTER DIES
A. L. Lind has received news
of the death of his sister. Mrs.
John J. Engstrand, of Bridge
port, Conn., on August 19.
OFFICE TO CLOSE
The Selective Service Office in
Southport will be closed Thurs
day and Friday of this week and
also will be closed Monday in ob
servance of Labor Day.
LEGION DANCE
The Shallotte Post of the Am
erican Legion will begin their
regular series of fall at the hut
at Shallotte, Saturday night.
These events are staged each fall
and winter and are largely at
tended.
NEW STORE
Work began Monday on a new
store building at Long Beach. It
is being constructed for Mr. and
Mrs. A. H. Cromer on a second
row lot just west of the pavil
ion, and will be of masonry con
struction.
TRASH CANS
The city has purchased new
trash containers whicli will be
placed at strategic points in the
business district. "I hope that
our citizens will cooperate with
us by making use of these facil
ities,” said Mayor H. W. Hood
today. ‘‘We are anxious to keej:
our streets looking as neat as
possible, and the people certainly
can help us by placing paper anc
trash in these containers.”
Southport Youth
Receives Degree
I
Claude Ford, Jr., Graduated From State College With
Degree In Mechanical Engineering
uiaucie jf ora, jr., wno graauat
ed this summer from N. C. State !
College in Raleigh with a degree
in Mechanical Engineering, has
accepted a position with the Chet
Adams Co., sales engineers, in
Greensboro.
The duties of his new job call
for his services as a consultant
in making bids on major building
projects, and his firm represents
several leading manufacturers, i
During his undergraduate days!
at State College Ford was active
in various student activities and
served as president of the Ban- ‘
tist Student Union. He recently
completed gr aduate work at the ,
University of North Carolina in
Chapel Hill.
Ford is a veteran of World War
II, and continued his education
following his discharge from ser
vice.
He is the son of Mrs. Grace P.
Ford of Southport.
Brunswick Schools
Open Fall Term
County - Wide Teachers
Meetings Held Tuesday
In Southport With Final
Program Being Outlined
EXPECT ENROLLMENT
NEAR 5,000 MARK
Failure To Complete Union
Colored School Has Crea
ted Some Difficulty,
But Classes Are Held
Brunswick county schools op
ened this morning for the fall
term, and Superintendent J. T.
Denning estimates that total en
rollment should reach 5,100.
The vacancies in the high
school faculty at Shallotte are
the only missing places in a full
strength teaching corps. These
are for social subjects and for
8th grade, and one of the va
cancies was caused by a last
minute resignation.
A meeting of principals of the
five consolidated schools Tuesday
morning was followed by a coun
ty-wide teachers’ meeting. In the
afternoon Superintendent Denning
met with the colored principals,
then with the teachers.
The only serious problem in
connection with starting school in
a normal manner is presented by
failure to complete the Union
School building for colored stu
dents near Shallotte. At the
present time it is one-half ready
for occupancy, which will make
it necessary for LaSavannah
school to continue in operation.
In use for the first time this
session will be three new rooms
at Leland school, 3 new rooms
at Bolivia, two new rooms at
Southport, 5 new rooms at Shall
otte and 3 new rooms at Wac
camaw. The Leland colored
school also is ready for use, as is
the new building at Brunswick
County Training School in South
port.
I __
Schedule Given
For Farm Meets
Series Of Meetings ScheduU
ed For Various Points In
The County For Purpose
Of Stream-Lining Farm
Activities
The schedule of meetings to
be held in Brunswick county in
the U. S. Department of Agri
culture’s family farm policy re
view has been announced by Leo
F. Medline, Chairman of the
County Agricultural Mobilization
Committee.
The review meetings, which all
farmers, farm organization rep
resentatives and others interest
ed in Brunswick county agricul
ture are invited to attend, will
be held at the following times
and places:
Bolivia School, Tuesday, Sep
tember 4.
Shallotte School, Wednesday,
September 5.
Southport Courthouse, Tuesday,
September 11.
Leland School, Friday, Septem
ber 14.
Supply, Agriculture building,
September 18.
The meetings are scheduled to
begin at 7:30 p. m.
Suggestions on farm programs
and service which should be elim
inated, changed or strengthened
or enlarged are sought from all
individual farmers and from all
(Continued On Page 2)
Mrs. Livingston
Acting-Postmaster
Mrs Marjorie Livingston, re
cently sworn in as acting post
master at Southport during the
period while Postmaster J. B.
rtuss is on active duty with the
STavy, has announced the ap
pointment of Miss Lula Marie
Swan as a clerk in the office.
Miss Swan has been deputy
register of deeds in the office
jf Register of Deeds Amos J.
Walton for several years. She
will be on her duties at the post
office on Saturday, September 1.
Mr. Walton has not announced
who will replace her in his of
fice.
Mrs. Edna Bell continues as
chief clerk, a position she has
leld with the post office for ma
ny years. Mrs. Arthur Weeks
will also, continue as a substi
tute clerk and for regular duty
luring rush periods. The office
has been rather short handed du
ring the past month.
Walton Named
FHA Committee
i oung r armer Ut Hickmans
Cross Roads Replaces D.
B. Frink As Member Of
County Committee
The Farmers Home Adminis
tration act provides for the es
tablishment of a County commit
tee in each county in which the
Farmers Home Administration
program is carried on, and Amos
J. Walton, Jr., of the Hickman’s
Crossroads section has been ap
pointed for a three-year term to
the Brunswick County FHA com
mittee by the Secretary of Ag
riculture to replace D. Bert Frink
of Shallotte whose three year
term of service expired as of
June 30. Other members serving
on this committee are Paul Brown
Leland, and G. Floyd Kirby of
the Supply section. The term of
affice of committeemen are ar
ranged so that one appointment
expires each year. It is required
that at least two members of
this committee be farmers who
live on farms and derive the prin
cipal part of their income from
farming.
The duties of this committee
are to advise with County Super
visor on matters concerning the
uperation of the County FHA
program. They have a definite
responsibility in (1) Determining
eligibility of applicants, for all
types of assistance; (2) Passing
rpon farms being considered for
purchase, enlargement, develop
ment or Farm Housing assist
ance, (3) Reviewing applications
for compromises and adjust
ments.
Farmers living in Brunswick
county, who need financial assis
tance in making adjustments on
their farm, and are unable to
get it at reasonable rates and
terms from other credit agencies
should file their application with
the Farmers Home Administra
tion, which is located in the Old
REA building in Shallotte. These
applications will be reviewed by
the County Committee as rapid
ly as possible and applicants will
be advised as to whether they
are eligible for the type of as
(Continued On Page '3f)
Baptists Close
Assembly Alter
Successful Year
Larger Crowds Attended
Weekly Programs During
Abreviated Season Which
Came To Close Sunday
TRAINING UNION
CROWDS LARGEST
Accommodations Found To
Be Inadequate During At
Least Two Weeks Dur
ing Summer
Caswell Baptist Assembly has
just closed a most successful
season,, the success of which has
been a source of embarrassment
at times. For four of the eight
weeks some of the facilities have
been taxed to the limit and be
yond.
During the two Training Un
ion, weeks the Assembly accom
modations were over-crowded.
The auditorium was inadequate,
the store was too crowded, class
rooms were lacking and other
facilities were not sufficient for
the crowds. The Training Union
crowds could not be seated in ihe
auditorium and other groups Just
about filled jt.
Total attendance this year was
5062 as compared with 4708 last
year, an increase of 354, and the
season was two weeks shorter
than last year. Paid registrations
this year were 3731, which is an
increase over last year of 1371.
The average weekly attendance
this year was 630 as compared
with 471 last year, an increase of
162. Following is the attendance
by weeks: First week, 1030; sec
ond week, 402; third week, 719;
fourth week, 696; fifth week,
363; sixth week, 487; seventh
week 890, and eighth week, ^75.
The average stay of guests
this year has been more than
twice as long as last year. Del
egates came for , the conference
and a big percent of them stay
ed through to the end.
“The programs have been' ex
ceptionally good and the spirit
of the assembly has been1' Re
markably good," said Dr.; Richard
K. Redwine, director.
Eddie Spencer
Is Found Guilty
Southport Man Tried For
Drunk Driving And Reck
less Operation In Case
Growing Out Of Injury
To Three Local Boys
In Recorder’s Court Monday
Eddie Spencer, Southport white
man, was found guilty of char
ges of driving drunk and reckless
operation. He was given 90
days on the roads with the al
ternative of paying a fine of
$100 and the costs. He gave no
tice of appeal to Superior Court.
The case grew out of three white
boys being seriously injured,
three weeks ago when their bi
cycle was struck" by a car said
to have been operated by Spen
cer. This case took most of the
day.
Other cases heard during the
day were as follows:
Richard Raymond Murre 11,
(Continued On Page 2)
Southport Boats Back To Work
jni\imrinu—count port siirimp uoats are uacK at wortt ltinowing a temporary
tie-up while owners were engaged in controversy with the Board of Conservation
and Development over license rates.
Shrimp Boats Go
Back In Operation
Asking Bids On
Funston Roads
Brunswick county will share
in road work specified by the
State Highway Commission for
letting on August 28, Chairman
Henry W. Jordan announced this
week.
The project will be financed
under the bond issue program and
involves the hard surfacing of
12.9 miles from Funston to the
river road and near Town Creek
bridge, from NC 303 to. Funston,
from,US 17 at Mercer's saw mill
to Mill Creek Church, and Bolivia
to NC 303.
Low bids "inVolvId at the let
ting will be canvassed by the
commission at its next regular
meeting on September 1.
Churches Have
Good Records
Rev. W. R. Moorehead Re
ports One-Hundred Per
cent Participation In Va
cation Bible School Pro
gram
The Brunswick Baptist Associ
ation has the enviable record of
every church having held a Vaca
tion Bible School this year. The
highest grade reached was AA,
and reached by Jennie’s Branch
with total points of nine hundred
and ninety. Mill Creek church fol
lowed with over nine hundred and
(Continued On Page 2)
W. B. KEZUH
Our
ROVING
Reporter
In some sections of Brunswick
there are a great many families
named Bennett. In Southport
there are only two white families
that have that name so far as we
know. By some quirk both given
and surnames are identical. Sam
T. Bennett is Clerk of the Super
ior Court and is now building a
tourist court here. The other
Sam T. Bennett is employed as
an engineer on a tug in Wilming
ton. The two S. T. Bennetts live
just across the street from each
other. To sort of tell which one
is being referred to the Clerk of
Court is called Sam T. Bennett
and his neighbor answers to Tom
my Bennett.
With the 1951-52 session of
school starting today the paper
will miss one of its school re
porters, Miss Kathleen Clem
mons, who has been keeping folks
advised as to the happenings of
the Shallotte school for the past
three years. Miss Clemmons gra
duated this past spring and is
now preparing to enter Meredith
college. It is hoped that someone
else will take up where she left
off and send in regular reports
from the Shallotte school. This
hope applies equally to Leland,
Bolivia and Waccamaw. The sen
ior class at those schools should
meet and select their student best
qualified to make breezy reports
each week. It is understood that
Miss Elizabeth Lupton will again
represent the .Southport school.
While there is plenty for him
to do administrative and other
wise, Dr. Richard K. Redwine, di
rector of the Caswell Baptist As
sembly, certainly has no summer
vacation during July and August.
During those months he may
have anywhere from 600 to 1000
people to look after each week,
different crowds each time. They
must be fed, slept, entertained
and the spiritual work of the as
sembly looked after. With a dif
ferent program for a different
crowd each week, coupled y/ith a
lot of transient visitors for a day
or less, director Redwine has a
tremendous amount of work on
his hands at just the time when
other people are on vacation.
Continued On Page Four
Last-Minute Appeal To Gov
ernor Kerr Scott Fails To
Relieve The Inequalities
Against Which Protest Is
Aimed
BOATS GO BACK
TO WORK TUESDAY
New License Fee Based
Upon Gross Tonnage Pla
ces Penalty Upon South
Port Shrimping Fleet
Southport shrimp boats were
back at work Tuesday after pay
ing their state license under pro
test.
This followed a stormy week
end during which there were
threats by the enforcement divis
ion of the Fisheries Commission
to confiscate the Southport boats
unless they paid their license; a
counter movement on the part of
the boat owners to tie up their
boats rather than to pay what
they have termed an unfair tax;
and a last minute conference on
Sunday evening with Governor
W. Kerr Scott at tlie mansion
in Raleigh.
Basis of the next tax is $1.50
per gross ton, and since this
amounts to very little more than
the old fee of $5.00 per boat and
$5.00 per net for small boats, the
most of the owners along the
coast had gone ahead and paid.
The Southport shrimp boat
owners have gone in for much
larger and more substantial ves
sels in recent years in order to
be able to carry on operations
in Southport waters during late
fall and winter months. This not
only means that on the gross ton
basis they will be required to
pay a tax from five to ten times
greater than their old figure, but
it means there is grave danger
of upsetting the tickelish recip
rocal agreement which has been
in existence between North Car
(Continued On Page Two)
Large Mackerel
Provide Sport
The Fishing Parties Visiting
Southport During Recent
Days Have Had Good
Luck With These Fish
Among the visiting sport fish
ermen the Spanish mackerel are
now holding the spotlight. They
provide real sport and at the
same time they are about the
most choice food fish that can be
taken for the table. They bite in
about any sort of weather in
which a boat can go out. "
Only Captain Howard Victor of
the Cadet has taken the trouble
to report on his party catches
this week. In one or two other
cases reports have come in from
the fishing parties.
Saturday with a heavy north
east wind blowing a party of four
went out with Captain Victor and
brought in 250 fine mackerel, 28
big bluefish and 2 barracuda.
Composing this party were Pal
mer Hudson, Kings Mountain; Le
wis Garner, Lynchburg, Va., Thad
Henson and M. E. Molomson,
Shelby.
Sunday the Cadet brought in
225 mackerel and one king jnack
(Continued On Page Two)
Burgaw Meeting
Being Planned
To Organize
Southeastern North Carolina
Development Council Will
Hold Meeting Friday, Sep
tember 7
An organizational meeting of
the proposed Southeastern N. C.
Development Council, of which
Columbus and Brunswick Coun
ties are a part, has been set
for Friday, September 7, at 7:30
p. m., in Burgaw, according to
Marion Shuffler of Raleigh, who
has been assigned the task of
helping organize the group by
the N. C. Department of Conser
vation and Development.
The proposed group will be
composed of eight Southeastern
counties and representatives from
each county is expected to at
tend. However, Mr. Shuffler said
any and all citizens of each
county are cordially invited.
Among those scheduled to ap
pear in brief talks on the even
ing’s program will be Brandon
Hodges, State Treasurer, of Ral
eigh. His talk will not be po
litical, according to Mr. Shuffler,
and should be interesting to all
who attend.
Mr. Shuffler reported that he
had recently completed a visit
to each of the eight counties and
that he found each one very en
thusiastic in support of the pro
posed organization’s plans. He
expressed the hope that many
leading citizens from this county
would attend the organizational
meeting in Burgaw next Friday
evening.
County Native
Passes Sunday
Thomas Stanaland Died At
Home In New Britian,
Con., Where He Has Been
In Business For Many
Years
Thomas Stanland died at, his
home in New Britain, Conn., ear
ly Sunday morning. He had been
in failing health for a number of
years.
Mr. Stanland was the eldest
son of the late Sheriff and Mrs.
Stanland of Brunswick county.
While discharging his duty in at
tempting to arrest a man named
Walker near Shallotte, Sheriff
Stanland was shot and killed
about 32 years ago. Thomas, the
eldest son, took over the task
of heading the family of young
er brothers and sisters. He never
married.
Along with some of the youn
ger members of the family he
moved to New Britain about 19
years ago and was engaged in
the automobile business there un
til failing health brought about
his retirement.
Surviving are the following
brothers and sisters, Herman
Stanland of Charleston, S. C.,
Chaneey Stanland of the U. S.
Coast Guard at Oak Island; Ed
die Stanland of New Britain,
Conn., Mrs. Edwin Dosher of
Southport; Mrs. Ben O’Brien,
Old Saybrook.Con n., Mrs. Co
lon M. Davis, Miami, Fla.
Funeral services were held
Monday afternoon at 3 o’clock
from the graveside at the Chapel
'Hill cemetery near Shallotte. Rev.
H. B. Bennett officiated.
School Accident
Insurance Policy
Will Be Offered
Insurance Program Has
Been Expanded To Pr3
vide More Complete Cov
erage For Children This
Year
PROTECTION TO COST
75 CENTS FOR YEAR
Each Student Will Have Op
portunity To Make Hit
Payment At Beginning
Of New Term
It was announced today by
Superintendent J. T. Denning of
the Brunswick county school sys
tem that a school child accident ‘
insurance program similar to that ■
carried last year will be offered '
to the students of the county -
schools this coming term.
Last year’s program proved to
be an outstanding success, which -
exceeded all expectations. The r
insurance company in payment Of
claims arising from injuries sus
tained' in connection with school ‘
accidents, issued 140 checks, to- -
taling approximately $2,250, to
pay for the cost of 140 treat- I
ments rendered.
Mr. Denning explained that
while the board of education and
the schools themselves have no
legal liability in connection with
accidental injuries received by
children in the performance of
their school activities, this has
always been a matter of serious
concern to school authorities. The
accident insurance program grea
tly relieves an unfortunate situa
tion for it assures every child
who pays the small premium in
volved of adequate and complete
medical care and hospitalization.
A master policy will be issued
and held in the office of the su
perintendent. The cost of the in
surance is $1.25 per year per
child, each student will be given -
the opportunity to bring his pay
ment to school. When the pay
ment iq received the student’s
name will be placed upon a list
of insureds that is attached to
the policy. The program has the
support of he PTA, the school
board, the principals and the te
achers but the most' enthusiastic
praise comes from those who
were unfortunate enough to sus
tain injuries y during the past
school year.
Mr. Denning further stated
that the coverage of the policy
goes into force one hour before
school takes in and insures the
students against any -type of ac
cident that occurs while on the
way to school. The coverage
remains in force throughout" the
course of the regular school day
and goes out of force one hour
after being dismissed. This gives
complete coverage for injuries
sustained on the way to school,
in the school building, on the
school grounds and on the way
home from school.
Even though the general cover
age of the policy terminates one
hour after the student is dis
missed, special provisions are
made for those who participate
in the school athletic program.
Any injury sustained while prac
ticing for or playing in a school
sponsored athletic contest (high
school football excluded) is fiilly
insured. Also the athlete is
protected while traveling as a
member of an athletic team if
the vehicle in which he is riding
is under school supervision.
While none of the school child
accident insurance programs will
cover social events such as school
parties, dances and picnics, this
particular one does have special
(Continued On Page Two)
Tide Table
Following Is the tide table
for Southport during the next
week. These hours are approxi
mately correct and were furn
ished The State Port Pilot
through the courtesy of the
Cape Fear Pilot’s Association.
High Tide Low Tide
Thursday, August 80
6:19 a. m. 0:22 a. m.
6:38 p. m. 12:24 p. m.
Friday, August 31
7:00 a. m. 1:01 a. m.
7:17 p. m. 1:07 p. m.
Saturday, September 1
7:38 a. m. 1:38 a. m.
7:54 p. m. 1:47 p. m.
Sunday, September 2
8:15 a. m. 2:13 a. m.
8:28 p. m. 2:28 p. m.
.Monday, September 8
8:52 a. m. 2:48 a. m.
9:03 p. m. 3:08 p. m.
Tuesday, September 4
9:32 a. m. 3:23 a. m.
9:40 p. m. 3:51 p. m.
Wednesday, September 5
10:15 a. m. 4:01 a. m.
10:23 p. m. 4:36 p. m.