Most Of The News
All The Time
Volume No. 20
THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
No. 23
The Pilot Covers
Brunswick County
8-Pages Today
SOUTHPORT, N. C.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1959
5c A COPY
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
At 50th Anniversary Banquet
m
ATTEND—Presiding’ over the 50th Anniversary
Banquet for the Southport Woman’s Club here
Thursday night was Mrs. James M. Harper, Jr.,
left. Mrs. George Ross of Wilmington, district presi
dent, was on hand to install the new officers. Mrs.
C. Ed Taylor was one of the charter members of
the club and she and Mrs. E. H. Cranmer, who was
unable to attend, were made honorary Life Mem
bers, Mrs. A. E. Huntley, right, is the new club
president.— (Huntley Photo.)
Child Fatally
Injured When
Struck By Car
Three Year Old Rhonda
Lynn Moore Dies Enroute
To Hospital Following
Tuesday Accident
Three-year-old Rhonda Lynn
Moore, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Charles R. Moore of Wilmington,
was killed early Friday evening
when she was struck by an auto
mobile on U. S. Highway No. 17
near Supply.
Driver of the automobile was
Mrs. M. T. McRacken of South
port, who told Corporal O. H.
Lynch of the Highway Patrol that
she swerved to the right to avoid
hitting the child when she saw it
crossing the road. The child was
struck by the left front fender
and death was attributed to a
brain concussion.
Coroner L. B. Bennett investi
gated, and reported that death re
sulted from an unavoidable acci
dent.
The child was rushed to Dosher
Memorial Hospital in Southport,
but died enroute.
According to accounts of events
leading to the accident, the child
was crossing the highway to go
to a nearby store to purchase
bubble gum when it ran into the
side of the McRacken automobile.
—
Brief Biit Of
LNEWSJ
ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN
Mrs Robert Jones has been
named acting librarian for the
Southport Public Library.
BROOMS AND CAKES
Southport Lions Club members
still have a few fruitcakes for
sale and a good supply of brooms
are available.
ON TELEVISION
Mrs. Phillip King, acting li
brarian for the Southport Public
Library, appeared on Ben Mc
Donald’s ‘‘Main Stieet, North and
South Carolina” program Tues
day night.
HOME BURNS
The old Swain home in the
Bethel Church community burned
last Wednesday night. The Thom
a: Harrelson family were occu
pants, and have moved into the
West home on the River Road.
SATURDAY DANCE
■A pre-Christmas dance will be
helc: Saturday night from 8 to 12
o’clock in the Community Build
ing. The sponsor will be the
Southport Lions Club and music
will be by hi-fi.
LELAND turkey shoot
A turkey shoot is being held
on Tuesday and Friday each week
during the holiday season at the
range across the road from
Paul’s Drive-In at Leland. Con
testants may shoot for either a
turkey or a ham and may bring
their own gun. This event is spon
sored by the Leland Volunteer
Fire Department.
Club Celebrates
50th Anniversary
Golden Anniversary Ban
quet For Southport Wo
man’s Club Was Celebra
ted Thursday Evening
HIGHLIGHTS OF
PAST ARE REPORTED
This Was Accomplished By
U*e. Of Three Costumed
Skits, Showing Early
Activities Of Orga
nization
Highlights from the past were
presented at the 50th Anniver
sary Banquet of the Southport
Woman’s Club here Thursday eve
ning as a half-century of service
to the community was celebrated.
Scene of the meeting was the
Community Building, which was
decorated for the occasion in the
Christmas motif. The theme of
the Golden Anniversary was car
ried out in several appointments'
Following a four-course dinner]
nrepared and served by member^
of the Daughters of America, a
dramatization of some of the
highlights of the club’s achieve
ments proved to be an interesting
part of the program.
Participating in the skits were
Mrs. Huntley, Mrs. A. B. Weeks,
Mrs. Bobby Jones, Mrs. E. J.
Prevatte, Mrs. Dallas Pigott, Mrs.
Leslie Bellows, Mrs. C. A. Grah
am, Jr., Mrs. John Swan, Mrs.
Bryant Potter, Mrs. Ed Harrelson,
Mrs. L. J. Hardee; and E. E.
Parker, E. J. Prevatte and the
Rev. Lawrence Bridges.
The concern of the women of
Southport that the dead be han
dled with more dignity led to the
purchase of the first hearse ever
used here. It was a custom-made
conveyance, made by the late K.
Tobiasen. The club had custody
of the hearse for at least two
years, for there was a later record
of providing funds for repaint
ing.
The women of the town were
the first to be concerned with the
dark, unlighted streets; and the
first street light ever erected in
Southport was the one they pur
chased and had turned on.
A lending library was one of
Continued On Page 3
Waccamaw Bank
Pays Dividend
President C. L. Tate An
nounces Payment Of 45
Cents Per Share For 4th
Quarter Of Year
(-'• L. Tate, President of the
Waccamaw Bank and Trust Com
pany, announced today that the
E^ard of Directors had authorized
the payment of the 4th quarterly
dividend of 45c per share payable
or. December 16 to all stoekhold
eis of record as of December 10,
3959.
During the year 1959 the Wac
camaw Bank has paid four quar
terly dividend payments of 45c
per share each, making a total
annual dividend of $1.80 per
Continued On Page 4
*-.—
Garden Club To
Sponsor Contest
The Southport Garden Club
will sponsor an outdoor
Christmas decoration contest
this year. The judges will be
accompanied by Mrs. H. T.
St. George and the judging
will take place Christmas
Eve.
There will be 1st and 2nd
prize for door, 1st and 2nd
prize for overall decoration,
1st and 2nd prize for living
Christmas tree, and a prize
for the most unusual decora
tion.
Good Progress
. In Census Work
Farmers Who Have Not YiU
Been Contacted Are Urg
ed To Hand In Or Mail
Their Questionnaires
Brunswick and New Hanover
farm citizens are becoming in
creasingly interested in the reg
ular 5-year Farm Census.
To date, over 2200 A-l ques
tionnaires have been filed. This
is over 93 percent of the number
of A-l’s that are reported to
have been filled during the 1954
census. That milestone may be
reached by the dozen enumerators
eerly this week, based on the
splendid performance of last
week.
It is still not too late for farm
operators to drop their filled ques
tionnaire in the mailbox, address
ed either to his local enumerator
or Stuart D. Patrick, 617 Castle
Hayne ltd., Wilmington. No post
age is required.
Census takers, or enumerators
handling these questionnaires,
which are checked by the super
visor, then forwarded to Parsons,
Kansas, are:
For Brunswick County—Eugene
Baines, Mrs. H. W. Benton, Mrs.
Charlie O. Holden, Horry Jenrett,
Mrs. E. J. King, Mrs. Earl 'Long,
John H. Mills, Jr., Mrs. Aldreth
Phelps, Mrs. Bryan Potter, Mrs.
Harold Willetts.
When the final count is made
for counties, states, and for the
nation, every dollar of farm in
come, every head of livestock,
every acre of harvested land that
is unreported will take away from
the glowing picture of farm im
provement in Brunswick County.
This is the biggest and most in
tensely instructive farmer-gov
ernment cooperative enterprise
ever done.
The individual figures are con
ficential. By getting totals of
various crops in different areas,
the economy of each area and of
the nation as a whole is strength
ened by application of the know
ledge obtained.
For example, most families
spend about one-fourth of their
income to buy food. Because of
Continued On Page 2
Couple Wanted
For Thefts In
County Taken
Man And Wife From Farm
ville Arrested In Mem
phis, Tenn., And Charged
With Series Of Thefts
A newspaper account of the
theft of several typewriters and
electric saws from Union High
School helped to load to the cap
ture of a man and his wife in
Memphis, Tennessee, last week.
They are Joseph James Ellis
and wife, Joyce Faye Ellis, of
Faimville, who are charged with
the Brunswick county thefts.
However, their return to this
State may be some time away, as
they also are wanted for a series
of thefts in and around Memphis,
and even over in the State of
Arkansas.
The first break in the case
catne when Herbert Bryant, who
operates a service station on
Highway No. 17, called Deputy
Drew Long and reported that a
white woman had pawned an elec
tric saw to him for some gaso
line and some milk for her child.
A check proved that the saw had
been stolen at Union High School.
The woman told Bryant that
she had been to Florida to visit
her sick father, and that she had
run out of money on her way
home. After he had arranged to
extend her credit, Bryant saw her
drive up the road, turn around
and head back South. He had the
presence of mind to take her li
cense number, and this he furn
ished to Deputy Long.
Sheriff E. V. Leonard contacted
the State Bureau of Investigation,
who checked out ownership of the
car, and began to watch the ac
tivities of the Ellis couple.
Continued On Page 4
Highway Folks
Hold Hearings
Here Tuesday
Division Engineer T. J. Mc
Kim And Other Highway
Officials Hear Request
For Road Improvements
FERRY PROJECT IS
ALSO DISCUSSED
Representative J. C. Bow
man And Senator S. B.
Frink Both Urge Favor
able Consideration Of
This Project
Officials of the Third Division
ot the State Highway Commission
held a public hearing Tuesday
afternoon in Southport with rep
resentative groups of citizens
from several sections of Bruns
wick county appearing to present
arguments in favor of local pro
jects.
T. J. McKim, division engineer,
was present and was in charge
of the meeting.
In remarks before the meeting,
Representative James C. Bow
man and Senator S. B. Frink
spoke out in favor of the South
port-Carolina Beach ferry service.
They urged the division officials
to expedite this work in every
possible manner.
Also speaking in support of this
project was City Manager C. D.
Pickerrell, who also thanked the
highway officials for some recent
projects carried out here in
Southport. This sentiment was
also expressed by Mayor Roy
Robinson.
McKim said that he wished to
speak fairly and frankly to the
citizens when he told them that it
will be impossible to change pres
ent plans for construction and
improvement. He expressed an in
terest in obtaining factual in
formation for use in setting up
projects for the next fiscal year,
and says he will visit through
out the county.
Appearing before the highway
group were J. W. Stanley, Horace
Brady, Jewell. McKeithan, W. P.
Gore,, J/ C. Stanaland, J. C. Wil
son, f C. Herring, J. G. Long,
H. C. Grissett, Kirby Sullivan, and
commissioners F. H. Swain, R.
F. Bellamy and Durwood Clark.
Funeral Held
For Dave Ross
Prominent Citizen Of Free
land Community Buried
Monday; Was Well
Known Throughout The
County
Dave Ross, 66, former post
master and law enforcement of
ficer of Freeland, died at Moody
Rest Home, Lumberton, early Sat •
urday moaning, after a year of
declining health.
The deceased, who once served
as chairman of the Brunswick
county board of elections, was
well known throughout the coun
ty. He was a justice of the peace
for many years and had served
in ether public duties.
For several years he reported
activities of his community for
the county newspaper.
Final rites were held, Monday
at 3 p. m. at New Britton Bap
tist. Church by the Revs. Gaston
Hester and Dayton Fowler, with
burial in New Life Church Ceme
Continued On Page 4
It was December 13, 1939, and the newest industry in the
county was commercial catfishing. The story indicated that there
was a good northern market for these creatures, but along about
the fifth paragraphy, when it was announced that the fish must
be cleaned (i.e. skinned) locally, the industry seemed to be dy
ing. Then there was a story about Spaniards having been in the
locality as early as 1523; the ruins of St. Phillips church were
being highlighted again; and the Christmas lights were up in
Southport.
Names, too, made news that week. David Adams had set the
season's high in shrimp catches during the past week with 72
bushels on Friday; Mack McGlamery was putting on a “swing
and sway” affair in his waterfront cafe that night; David Wat
son, Not Exactly advised, would be “wearing an ECTC uniform
when the basketball season opens”; and everybody in town had
played bridge at least twice during the past week.
It was December 13, 1944, and someone had apparently caught
a coyote on Long Beach. Said animal was described as being a
cross between a dog and a fox. The Southport Woman’s Club
was again sponsoring a Christmas lighting contest; D. C. An
drews was back in the states after serving 11 months in the
South Pacific; and the county schools were to have five days
off for Christmas.
It was learned that week that the Old Plantation Christmas
would be held as usual at Orton, though few of the young folks
would be present. James and A. T. McKeithan had seen one an
other for the first time in three years—in England; Frank Niem
Oontinuad On Pag« Four
Submarine Duty
MYRON N. HELMS, fireman, USN, son of Mr. and
Mrs. J. B. Helms of Southport, is welcomed aboard the
submarine USS Requin, by his Commanding Officer, Lt.
Cdr. A. L. Maynard. Helms reported aboard the Requin,
a unit of Submarine Squadron Six at Norfolk, Va., Oct
ober 15. Before entering the Navy in October 1957, he
attended Sotfthport High school and was employed by
Shannon Gulf Service in Long Beach.
Observance Of
Christmas Begins
Policeman
HERMAN STRONG, who has
reported for duty as the new
Chief of Police for the City of
Southport. He was sworn in Tues
day by Mayor Robinson.
Exhibits Shown
Of Club Work
Wednesday Night Meeting
At Piney Grove School
Features Reports Of The
Year’s Achievements
Culminating twelve months of
hard team work and many hours
of constructive social activities,
the Association of Community
Development Clubs of the Bruns
wick County School District I
dedicated its December meeting,
held at the Piney Grove Com
munity Center Wednesday night,
to an exhibit an dreports on ac
complishments for the year.
The Association of Community
Development Clubs is the mother
organization of three organized
community groups, St. James
Rutland Chapel Community De
velopment Club, the Zion-Hill
Community Development Club,
and the Piney Grove Community
Development Club.
Organized under the supervision
of the Vocational Agriculture De
partment of the Brunswick Coun
ty Training School, each of the
four areas of community develop
ment activities, Home Improve
ment, Church Improvement, Food
Preservation, and Home Craft and
Farm Shop, is carried on under a
special chairman along with the
club president. These activities are
coordinated on the association
level by a chairman of each area.
The achievement program was
pi esided over by Richard Ran
dolph, president of the Association
of Community Development Clubs,
who brought greetings to the
members, and expressions of
gratitude to the organizer and ad
viser of the community develop
ment program. The music was
furnished by a special choir made
up of members from the various
community clubs.
Reports on the effect of the
Community Development Pro
gram on the local community
were given by the three local
community club presidents. An
derson Chapman reported for St.
Jumes-Rutland Chapel Commun
ity. Irvin Monroe reported for
Zron-Hill Community and John O.
Randolph related the impact the
program has had on the Piney
Continued On Page 2
Christmas Music Will Fea
ture Morning Worship
Service At Trinity Meth
odist Church Sunday
BAPTIST CANTATA
SUNDAY NIGHT
Special Events At Yaupon
Methodist Church; Schools
Get Out For Holidays
Tuesday
Christmas celebration reaches a
high peak of interest here Sun
day, with special programs at
three of the churches.
At Trinity Methodist Church
the presentation of Christmas
music by the choir will take
place at the morning worship
hcur, with selections being sung
from four different cantatas.
At Southport Baptist Church
the choir, under the direction of
Lew Hardee, will present “King
All Glorious” on Sunday evening
at 7:30 o’clock.
At Yaupon Beach Methodist
Church the young people will have
a Christmas program on Sunday
morning, preceding the Christmas
sermon by the Rev. L. D. Hay
man. His sermon topic will be
“Sunrise Expectancy As Witness
ed In The Long Ago”. There will
be. a program by the children’s
department on next Wednesday
evening.
Schools will get out for the
holidays on Tuesday at noon, and
c1 asses will not be resumed un
til January 4.
County offices will close at the
conclusion of business on Tuesday
and will not reopen until Decern- :
ber 28.
Continue Study
Of High Bridge
U. S. Engineers Still Have
Under Advisement Ques
tion Of Future Policy
With Intracoastal Water
way Structures
The study with respect to ver
tical bridge clearance require
ments on the Atlantic Intracoast
al Waterway which has been un
darway by the Corps of Engin
eers since early in 1958 is still
in progress. A public hearing was
conducted in Jacksonville, Flori
da, in April, 1958, as a part of
the study and by public notice
dated September, 1958, all in
terested persons were informed
that the Chief of Ensineers had
determined that no immediate
change would be made in the
present standard clearance of 80
Eeet.
However, it was announced
that the study would be con
tinued in order to secure addi
tional detailed date to permit a
more thorough analysis of all of
the factors involved. A part of
the continued study was to be a
survey of actual usage of the
waterway by tall vessels for a
period of a full year.
Information is furnished that
the full year’s survey has now
been completed and that final re
sults are being tabulated. It is
expected that the committee of
officers appointed by the Chief
of Engineers to make the study
will make its report to the Chief
of Engineers by February, 1960.
The final decision of the Chief of
Engineers will be announced as
promptly as practicable after it
is made.
In the meantime, any interests
Continued On Page 4
Farmers Attend
Tobacco Meeting
In This County
Roy R. Bennett, Extension
Specialist In Tobacco,
Talked To Brunswick
Farmers About Pro Diems
GOOD ATTENDANCE
FOR THIS MEETING
Specialist Sees Need For
Closer Coordination Be
tween Interested Par
ties In Production Of
This Crop
Brunswick county tobacco far
mers attended a meeting Wednes
day night at Waccamaw high
school at which Roy Bennett, ex
tension tobacco specialist, discuss
ed some of the plans for the fu
ture production of this crop.
Bennett commented that the
marketing problems, grading,
sorting, tieing, the chemical prob
lems like use of MH-30, and vari
etal questions could be thrashed
out and agreements reached on
what is wanted and what can be
produced if all phases of the in
dustry — growers, companies,
warehouse, grading service To
bacco Stabilization, farm or gani
zations, research, extension and
USD A—that have obligations and
responsibilities in tobacco work
would get their representatives
together and recognize some basic
facts.
Farmers commented on the lack
of payment for practices like
sorting and grading. Bennett ob
served that prices of low grade
tobacco sometimes come near
prices for the best leaf. Un
graded tobacco often brings as
much or more than graded to
bacco.
Elusive
“We might as well recognize
what is known and what is not
known about quality tobacco and
lealize that it is a changing and
elusive thing. Quality is defined,
differently by companies and in
dividuals and may vary from
yeai to year,” Bennett said.
“For instance, to the question
of why do we not do a better job
of sorting and preparation for the
market, might be said, pay for
the extra work instead of penaliz
ing for it.”
Bennett and farm leaders like
Continued On Page 2
Highway Cases
Are Completed
Verdict Returned In Favor
Of J„ B. Willetts; Com
promise Reached In Two
Other Cases Against The
Highway Commission
The two weeks term of Supe
rior court for trial of civil case3
came to a close here yesterday
afternoon. Judge Raymond Mal
lard of Tabor City was the pre
siding jurist.
Among the cases disposed of
was the suit last week of J. E.
Willetts against the State High
way Commission, in which the
jury awarded a verdict of $5,500
for the plaintiff.
The cases of Elmore Willetts
against the Highway Commission
and of Dora Galloway against
the Highway Commission were
compromised.
Trial of the case of R. S. Wil
lett'1. againsta the Highway Com
mission was postponed.
On Monday a compromise
agreement was reached in the
matter of N. C. Gas Corporation
against H. 6. Peterson.
Tide Table
Following Is the tide table
for Southport during the next
week. These hours are ap
proximately correct and were
furnished The State Port Pilot
through the courtesy of the
Cape Fear Pilot’s Association.
High Tide
Low TKk I
Thursday, December 17, I
9:00 A M. 2:48 A. M. '
9:19 P. M. 2:23 P. M.
Friday, December 18,
9:34 A. M. 3:26 A. A’
9:55 P. M. 4:00 P. J
Saturday, December 19,
10:10 A. M. 4:05 A. /
10:34 P. M. 4:38 P. »
Sunday, December 20. 1
10:50 A. M. 4:47 A<
11:19 P. M. 5:19
Monday, December 'E
11:35 A. M. 5:35 ‘
0:00 P. M. 6:0f_
Tuesday, Decembe ”
0:12 A. M. 6:/
12:27 P. M. el
Wednesday, Decer »
1:12 A. M. ..
1:27 P. M. H