The Pilot Covers
Brunswick County
THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
Most of the News
All The Time
Volume 24
No. 24
10-Pages Today
SOUTHPORT, N. C WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1964
5c A COPY
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
New Fire Truck Arrives
ADMIRING—Five members of the Southport Volunteer Fire Department are
shown here admiring the new fire truck which arrived here from the factory Mon
day night. Left to right they are Fire Chief Ormond Leggett, W. L. Aldridge, Har
old Aldridge, Johnson Cumbee and W. S. Huffham. (Staff Photo by Allen)
Important Decision
Tobacco Vote Tuesday
Changing Scene
DEMOLITION—The service station which has
stood on the northwest corner of Moore and Howe
streets in couth port for 20 years is being demolished
this week to make room for a new drug1 store building.
Diagonally across the street, the building formerly
occupied as Southport Marine has been torn down to
make room for a new bank building. (Staff Photo by
Allen)
Christmas Parade
§ Here Friday Nite
BrUf mu Of
lnewsj
YARD OF MONTH
Tiie Southport Garden Club an
nounces that the Yard Of The
Month honors go for December to
Airs. Lundie Jones and Mr. and
Mrs. Albert Bogie of 113 West St.
ADVERTISING BOOKLET
M. D. Davis is currently at
work in Brunswick county com
piling photograph's, advertising
and information for the publica
tion of a new tourist guide, spon
sored by the Brunswick County
Chamber of Commerce.
SPONSOR CONTEST
The Southport Garden Club will
sponsor the Christmas Lighting
contest, to ‘be judged Wednesday
December 23. Included will be
door decorations, living trees and
over all house and yard decor
ations.
Santa Claus will come to South
port Friday night, and he will be
riding in class. Nope, he won't
be driving his traditional rein
deer nor riding on his sleigh, but
he will be passenger of honor
aboard Southport’s brand new
fire truck.
This and other vehicles will
comprise the parade, which will
proceed through the business
district at 7 o’clock.
Fire Chief Ormond Leggett
says that there are no elabrate
p’ans for floats and other par
ade attractions. “We are a little
late,” he said, “but we hope the
kids will have some fun. If any
one wishes to participate in the
parade, they may contact me or
the city manager, and we will be
glad to have them.”
There will be candy and favors
for the little fellows, these to be
dispensed in front of the fire
station at the end of the parade
route.
Everyone is invited.
■* If flue-cured tobacco farmers
vote more than one-third “NO”
in the December 15 tobacco
quota referendum, there will be
no flue-cured tobacco program,
says Chairman Ed Clemmons of
the Tobacco Referendum Com
mittee in Brunswick.
The referendum, to be held
Tuesday, will give (Brunswick
county tobacco growers an oppor
tunity to endorse or reject the
price support program of the De
partment of Agriculture. If more
than one-third of farmer's voting
in the election reject quotas,
there will be no price supports
for the crop in 1965. Otherwise,
price supports will be paid for
the tobacco crop.
Tobacco experts call the refer
endum vote crucial for the fu
ture of the tobacco program. The
most important direct result of a
“NO” vote would be a drastic fall
in the average price of the golden
leaf, since there would be no sup
port prices” Chairman Clemmons
said. Many leaders high In the
industry predict a drop to 20 cents
a pound. Pew believe the average
would be above 30 cents.
“For the past several years,
flue-cured prices have averaged
from 55 cents to 63 cents with
the stabilizing effect of supports.
Farm costs of producing the to
bacco are about 30 cents a
pound,” he continued.
The cost of failure to pas's the
referendum would 'be like a huge
shock wave throughout the flue
cured counties and states, he de
clared. More than half of North
Carolina’s countie's including
Brunswick depend on tobacco for
a large share of their citizens’
income.
“Economists estimate that the
money a tobacco farmer gets for
his crop goes through at least
seven other hands after leaving
, the farmer’s,” Clemmons said.
“In 1963, flue-cured farmers in
North Carolina got a total of $650
million for their crop. Multiply
that by seven, and the value of
the crop to North Caro'ina be
comes nearly four billion dollar's
a year.
“Without support prices, the
money that tobacco farmers put
in circulating would be slashed
in'half. A wide-spread depression
would result in North Carolina’'s
flue-cured counties.” he said.
Since March 12, 1938, North
Carolina farmers have voted 11
times in flue-cured tobacco ref
erendas. In 10 of these 11 votes,
farmers have approved quotas on
flue-cured tobacco. Only on De
cember 10, 1938, did farmer's fail
to approve quotas. This unfavor
able vote was for the 1939 crop
when only 57 percent of farmers
favored quotas.
The 1939 crop of flue-cured to
bacco was grown without acreage
allotments and marketing quotas.
Farmers 'boosted their flue-cured
acreage by 360,800 acre’s in 1939.
The average price of 14.9 cents a
pound for the crop returned
growers an average of $137 an
acre. The average price for the
1938 crop was 22.7 cents a pound.
For 1940, quotas and allotments
were approved and used, the
price averaged 16.4 cents a pound
in spite of the large carryover
Continued On Page Four
Duke Foundation
Funds Give Aid
On Local Level
Forty years ago, on Deo. 11,
1924, Jame's Buchanan Duke cre
ated The Duke Endowment as an
instrument of philanthropy for
the people of his native North
Carolina and its sister state of
South Carolina.
In the intervening years, it has
become one of the nation’s major
fouiftlations, with assets at the
end of 1963 totaling $534 million
and gifts to its beneficiaries in
the two states amounting to $185
million.
It was contributed $125,497,590
to higher education, $29,778,050 to
assist hospitals in financing char
ity services, $15,195,607 to help
provide more adequate hospital
facilities and services, and
$7,447,848 to aid in support and
care of orphans and half orphans
in- the . Carolines.
M addition, it has contributed
in North Carolina $3,545,204 to
build and $2,539,524 to maintain
and operate rural (Methodist
chruches and $1,434,982 to make
more secure and comfortable the
lives of aged preachers and of
widows and dependent orphaned
children of preachers who had
served in the North Carolina or
Western North Carolina confer
ence’s off the Methodist church.
Over the years, the hospital in
Brunswick county and rural
Methodist churches have receiv
ed allocations totaling $126,275.
Appropriations totaling $25,125
have been made to assist in build
ing rural iMfethodist churches
and the counity shares, of course,
in the nearly $4 million given for
operating and maintaining
churches and for preachers,
widows, and dependent children.
Figures compiled toy The En
dowment dhow, also, that gifts to
higher education have to e e n
$106,673,274 to Duke University;
$7,106,867 to Davidson College;
$7,163,742 to Furman University,
and $4,653,707 to Johnson C. Smith
University.
Of the funds distributed, North
Carolina has received nearly $161
million and South Carolina near
ly $04% million.
Payments toward hospital care
have gone to Dr. J. Arthur Dosh
er Memorial on the basis of $1 a
day for each day of free-bed
care. This sum has amounted to
$67,500. In addition The Endow
ment trustee's have allocated a
total of $33,650 to the institution
to be used in expanding and in
creasing its facilities. The total
amount of the hospital alloca
tions is $101,150.
Annual PCA Meet
Scheduled Friday
The 31st annual stockholders’
meeting of the Wilmington Pro
duction Credit Association will
he held Friday at 1:30 p. m. at
its Wilmington office, according
to H. B. Rivehbark, general
manager of the association.
The Wilmington Association
serves farmers in Brunswick, Pen
der and New Hanover Counties.
The directors of the organiza
tion are J. B. Ward, Jr., Long
wood; Edwin S. Clemmon's, Sup
ply; Chas. R. Rogers, Rocky
Point; A. B. Herring, Watha; and
Albert D. Oox, Jr., Castle Hayne.
“These associations are found
ed upon the cooperative principle
that those who use their services
should have a part In their
(Continued On Page 4)
Commissioners Sworn In
NEW—Members of the board of county commissioners are shown here being
sworn in Monday morning by Judge W. A. Johnson of Lillington, right. Left to
right they are George T. Rourk, Thomas S. Bowmer, Clemit Holden, Parley
FormyDuval and D. B. Frink.
.*
Education Board
Makes Tentative
Building Plans
The Brunswick County Board of
Education has taken the initial
steps toward drawing up a build
ing program for school construc
tion and expects to adopt a defi
nite proposal within the next four
to six weeks, according to Board
Chairman J. B. Ward, Jr.
Chairman Ward disclosed that
the board has jiist completed an
intense study of the building
needs in each school district. A
summary has been submitted to
the 'Division of School Planning
for a reveiw of the estimated of
the of a construction pro
gram to meet these "needs. " '
The Division of School Plan
ning has not been asked to ap
prove any construction at this
■time, Ward emphasized. “We are
merely asking that they tell us if
our cost estimates are in line.”
Superintendent of Schools A. W.
Taylor pointed out that the $506,
000 available from the recent
statewide bond issue would not
be sufficient to build the addi
tional classrooms presently need
ed.
“We are faced,” he said, “with
the decision of either planning a
building program that will allow
our schools to carry on a good in
structional program or of just
tryir.g to take care of emer
gency needs.’’
“Even if the entire $506,000, is
spent merely on building ad
ditional classrooms at present
school sites, a number of sub
standard room's would have to re
main in use.”
Consolidation of several schools
has been discussed by the board,
but Superintendent Taylor indicat
ed that it is doubtful that con
solidation be accomplished unless
additional funds are found.
“With the need for new or ad
ditional facilities so presing in al
most every school-district it does
not appear feasible to spend all
the state bond money in one area
unle'ss other funds are made
availbale,” he said.
As soon as cost estimates are
confirmed in Raleigh, the Board
Continued On Page Four
TIME and TIDE
It was December 9, 1959, and Louis Faber, who was serv
ing a term in the County Jail in Southport, sawed the bars off
hi3 cell door and escaped, only to be recaptured in South Caro
lina two days later. Odell Williamson was elected the first mayor
of Ocean Isle Beach, Brunswick’s newest town.
Sheriff E. V. Leonard said that 21 stills were captured and
destroyed, along with 783 gallons of liquor and 13,380 gallons
of mash, in 1958 in Brunswick county. Coach Nelson Best’s Le
land Tigers had won nine straight games. A group of 26 Shal
lotte citizens chartered a bus to go see the Washington Red
skins play Sunday.
It was December 8, 1954, and the newly elected county
officers, including Sheriff Elbert H. Gray, Judge Earl Bellamy,
Clerk of Court Jack Brow-n, and Commissioners R. L. Rabon,
Leo Medlin and Herbert Swain, were sworn in Monday.
The first telephone from Sunny Point to Southport was
installed by Southern Bell Tuesday. Freezing rain, mixed with
sleet and snow, hit Brunswick county Monday. Bobby Jones
was discharged from the Army and returned to Southport to
work with his father.
It was December 7, 1949, and The Pilot came out with a
special four page section celebrating the 10th anniversity of
Continued On Page Four
Rourk Is Chairman
As Board Organizes
Congressman To
Visit County
Ccmgre's-sman Alton A. Lennon
has set aside the week of Decem
ber 14-18 for appointments and
problems peculiar to Brunswick
county. Since November 2, he has
been making the rounds of his
district.
On Monday and Tuesday of
next week he will be in the dis
trict office in Wilmington; on
Wednesday he*'will be "Traveling '■
throughout Brunswick county; on
Thursday he will be in the Bruns
wick county courthouse at South
port from 9 a. m. to 5 p. m.; and
on Friday he will be in the dis
trict office in Wilmington.
Polling Places
For Soil Vote
The election of one supervisor
for the Brunswick Soil and Wa
ter Conservation District will be
held Friday. Polling places will
be open from 8 a. m. until 5 p. m.
and all qualified voters residing
in the county will be eligible to
cast ballots in the election.
The local board of district su
pervisors has assigned an election
official at each polling place. The
responsibility of the official is to
maintain a regestration book and
require all voters to sign the reg
ister. At the close of the polling
places, the ballot boxes, along
with the register book will be
brought to the Soil Conservation
Service office in Shallotte and the
ballots counted at 7 p. m. Friday,
the day of the election. At this
time the ballot boxes will be
checked against the register for
each polling place. The public is
invited when the ballots are
counted.
The candidates to appear on the
ballot include:
Guy A. Hughes, of Ash, a dis
trict cooperator and general
farmer in the Friendship Church
Community, and James D. Bel
(Continued On Page 4)
Farm Bureau Is
Supporting Vote
The president of the Brunswick
County Farm Bureau said this
week that the December 15 to
bacco quota referendum is “a de
cision between prosperity and
poverty.”
The farm leader, Ira L. Chad
wick of Supply, thus cited what
he termed “the urgent need for
complete grower support’1 of the
flue-cured tobacco program.
'A flue-cured tobacco referen
dum, by law, is conducted every
three years throughout the five
states producing the crop. Grow
ers must approve the program by
a two-thirds majority in order to
maintain marketing quotas and
price supports on tobacco.
Any person sharing in income
from the production of flue-cured
tobacco is eligible to vote in the
quota referendum, Chadwick
said, including landlords, tenants ,
and sharecroppers. i
(Continued On Page 4)
The selection of a new chair
man and other officer's highlight
ed a meeting of the Brunswick
Board of County Commission
ers Monday in which the reins
of county government shifted to
an almost new administration.
George Rourk, a 41-year-old Ice
land man serving in his first
elected county office, was elected
chairman by a vote of 3-2 before
the board got down to work.
The first full session of the new
board was delayed in opening due
to the length of time before the
swearing-in ceremonies could
take place. .
. Tho new commissioners, Rourk,
Thomas S. Bowmer of Saiithville,
Climit Holden of Lockwoods
Folly, D. Bert Frink of Shallotte,
and Parley FormyDuval of Ash
were given the oath of office by
Superior Court Judge W. A. John
son of LilMngton just before 11
a. m. Monday.
The board then immediately
opened its .first session in the tax
office with Bowmer assuming
the position of temporary chair
man before the vote. Holden
nominated Rourk and Frink, the
only old commissioner to survive
the spring Democratic primar
ies, nominated Bowmer. Formy
Duval voted for Rourk after a
moment’s hesitation and the Le
land man became the new chair
man !by a vote of 3 to 2.
The board made several job
appointments and discussed
beach erosion, holiday vacations,
accounting procedures and a
new meeting place before‘ending
their initial session after 5 p. m.
E. J. Prevatte, a Southport
lawyer, was named county at
torney replacing S. Bunn Frink.
A. H. Gainey, Jr., another South
port lawyer, was reappointed so
licitor of Recorder’s court.
Durwood T. Clark, who serves
as Register of Deeds, was ap
pointed clerk of the board of com
missioners, a position he has
held for several years. Clerk of
Court Jack Brown was named
custodian of the court house.
The board unanimously voted to
have semi-annual financial state
ments by the auditor published
in county newspapers. Mrs. Res
sie Whatley was asked to have
the first statement ready for pub
lication by the January meeting.
. Bowmer, who introduced the
motion fod periodically publishing
financial statements, said it
should be condensed and sim
plified.
The board designated Decem
ber 23, 24 and 25 as the Christ
mas holiday period for all county
employees.
The board discussed a seeping
sewer at the County Home and
Bowmer was named by Chairman
Rourk to investigate the matter.
Mrs. Whatley said the drain line
to the home’s septic tank had
been broken and the Sewage was
seeping out of the ground. Bow
mer was told to take action to
correct the problem.
The board took no action on a
request for an endorsement of
three pieces of proposed legisla
tion on beach erosion which the
North Carolina Seashore Commis
sions wants to submit to the 1965
general Assembly.
Bowmer suggested that the
ward find a better meeting place
where they would not be disturb
:d. He said the back part of the
rax office could be partitioned of
(Continued On Rage 4)
Name Committee
To Administer
Economic Plan
A group of 45 'County loaders
have been appointed to member
ship on the executive committee
of the War on Poverty fight in
Brunswick county.
The leaders, appointed by the
old 'board of commissioners which
went out of office Monday, were
named November 30 at a reor_
ganizational meeting of the War
on Poverty group. Their names
were released last week.
Robert Stanley, editor of the
Brunswick Beacon in Shallotte,
has been named director and *
-chairman of the War on Poverty
fight in the county.
The members of the executive
committee, all appointed on a
non-partisan basis, include:
Stanley, director and chair
man; Thomas S. Bowmer, a new
member of the board of commis
sioners; Mrs. Ruth Harrington of
the Health Department; Superin
tendent A. W. Taylor, education;
Lewis Hardee, seafood industry;
Mrs. Emma (B. Tatum of the Wel
fare department; Mrs. G. T. Reid,
a member of the orginal steering
committee; County Agent A. S.
Knowles; Philip Thomas, Shal
lotte merchant and original direc
tor and chairman of the war; F.
H. Swain, dairy industry; Parks
C. Fields, HHA; Rev. Robert
Childs, chairman of Hie Minis
terial Association; the new pre
sident of the Chamber of Com
merce.
Rev. Willie Frink of Longwood;
William A. Powell, chairman of
the Resources and Development
Commission; Ernest E. Parker,
member of the State Department
of Conservation and Develop
ment: Ira Chadwick, president
of the Brunswick Farm Bureau;
Mrs. Joe Best, president of the
Home Demonstration Clu'bs in the
county; James T. Barnes, super
intendent of the Brunswick Na
vigation Company; Raymond
Carter, oyster industry.
J. J. Hawes, extension service;
Rev. Dave Flowers, Ministerial —
Association* J, W. Robinson, res- \j
taurants; Pre'silene Bell of Win
nabow; Billie Hamilton, home
economics agent; John Baker of
Bolivia; Aubrey Johnston, bank
ing; Cliff Wilson, Conservation
Continued On Page Four
Leland Citizen
Takes Own Life
A Leland man, in failing health,
committed suicide Sunday toy
shooting himself in the head at his
home, according to Brunswick
County Coroner Lowell Bennett ot
Shaliotte.
Coroner Bennett said Etoen Hor
ton King, 73, was dead on arrival
at James Walker Memorial Hos
pital in Wilmington Sunday after
shooting hiim'self in She head.
The death of King, who had
been in bad health for some time,
was ruled a sucide toy Coroner
Bennett. ‘
Funeral services for King were
conducted Tuesday at 11 a. m.
at the Coble-Oleander Funeral
Chapel by the Rev. James Pol
lard. Burial followed in Belleview
Cemetery.
He is survived by his wife,
Mrs. Tearcy Carter Rowan King;
three step-sons, Haywood Rowan
of Wilmington, Linwood and Sam
uel, both of Jacksonville, Fla.;
two brothers, I. J. of Charleston,
S. C., Fred of Wilmington; one
sister, Mrs. Minnie Williams of
Wilmington.
Tide Table
Following Is the tide
table for Soathport during
the week. These hours are
approximately correct and
were furnished The State
Port Pilot through the
courtesy of the Cape Fear
Pilot’s Association.
HIGH LOW
Thursday, December 10
11:46 A. M. 5:38 A. M.
6:32 P. M.
Friday, Deember 11
0:05 A. M. 6:29 A. M.
12:35 P. M. 7:22 P. M.
Saturday, December 12
1:02 A. M. 7:30 A. M.
1:29 P. M. 8:16 P. M.
Sunday, December 13
2:02 A. M. 8:36 A. M.
2:28 P. M. 9:13 p. m.
Monday, December 14
3:03 A. M. 9:41 A. M.
3:27 P. M. 10:08 P. M.
Tuesday, December 15 '•
4:03 A. M. 10:44 A. M.
4:26 P. M. 11:03 P. M. /
Wednesday, December 16 /
5:02 A. M. * 11:42 A. M. I
5:32 P. M. 11:55 P. M. /