I The Pilot Covers I
Brunswick County
VOLUME 40
No. 24
THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
_10-Popes Today SOUTHPORT, N. C. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1968 5* A COPY
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Most of the Newi
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All The Time
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
Would You Believe A Real, Live Boa Consiricior?
Boa Constrictor
Office Visitor
So this kid walks into the
newspaper office with this boa
constrictor wrapped around his
neck.
“Hey, what you got there”, we
asked, like we couldn’t see.
“My pet snake,” he says, like
we ought to be able to, plainly.
We still would have thought it
was some kind of
post-Halloween joke but the
snake moved its head in a
menacing looking arch that
passed close to the boy’s face.
His forked tongue was flicking
out.
“Aren’t you scared of him”?
we blurted out, seeing all the
time that he obviously was not.
“Nope,” he said, “he’s tame
and he won’t hurt me. He’s
wrapped around me, but he
doesn’t squeeze tight. He won’t
bite”.
We decided to take his word
for it—so long as he stood on his
side of the desk. Then we got
around to the matter of
introductions.
The boy was Bill Wilson and
the young man with him was his
brother, Douglas. They are the
sons of Mr. and Mrs. George W.
Wilson who recently moved back
to North Carolina after living for
several years in California. Mrs.
Wilson is the former Barbara
Johnson of Southport.
The snake is named Bo and is a
young Columbian Boa
Constrictor. His measurements
are 6-ft. in length and he is
9-inches in circumference. His
basic color is tan, with dark
brown saddles. His disposition is
gentle but his looks are
dangerous.
Bo was a Christmas present for
the Wilson boys last year, and
V
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Brief Bite Of
NEWS
turkey shoot
The Southport Jaycees will
hold a turkey shoot Saturday at
the Taylor Field, starting at 10
a,m.
BENEFIT BALL
The Junior Woman’s Club of
Southport is sponsoring their
Annual Christmas Ball this year
to benefit the Dosher Memorial
Hospital. The formal or
semi-formal dance will be held in
the Community Building on
December 6, from 9 until 1
o’clock. The Continentals will
provide music for dancing and
enjoyment. Tickets may be
purchased from any club
member.
t
the idea came from a visit with
an uncle, whose pet boa
constrictor captured their fancy.
First they had a gopher snake,
but he died. The replacement
was this boa constrictor all their
own. They bought him at a pet
shop, which does quite a good
business in snakes.
George Wilson says the family
pet is about half grown, that he
probable will reach a length of
12-feet and be about 25-inches
in circumference. With proper
care and attention he should live
to be about 25-years-old. They
figure he now is six or seven
years old.
Feeding is no great problem,
except for the fact that he is on
a very special diet. He lives on
live rats, and sometimes these
are hard to come by. George
says there were a dozen places
near their home in California
where they could buy white rats.
“Now it looks like we are going
to have to raise our own rats to
feed him”, he said.
This feeding is something else
again. To begin with, boas don’t
eat but once or twice a month.
When they do, they want their
meal served raw, and alive. They
do not go into action the
moment their prey comes into
reach. They wait around for the
mood to strike them, then they
strike their victim. This serves
the purpose of stunning the rat,
and immediately the snake
embraces it in a powerful coil
Aldermen Postpone
Action On Pier
After hearing protests from
several citizens regarding plans
to build a municipal pier at the
end of Davis St., members of the
Board of Aldermen Thursday
night agreed to postpone action
on this project pending an
investigation of an available site
at the end of Atlantic Avenue.
None of the opposition was
aimed at the pier project as such,
but there was disagreement with
the plan to erect the proposed
structure at the end of a 33-foot
street. Spokesman for the group
was Grover Gore, who lives at the
comer of Davis St. and Bay St.
Others who oppose the
construction of a pier at this site
were Mrs. Claudia Wells and Mrs.
Laura Roughton.
It was Mrs. Wells who said that
she had relinquished her lease
rights in a 33-foot strip of land
at the end of Atlantic Avenue,
which is a 99-ft. thoroughfare.
There was discussion that the
use of a wide street approach
might prevent congestion such as
was being predicted for the
Davis St. site.
The engineer for the project
has been requested to provide
data based upon soundings and
test borings at the December
meeting.
It was reported that the low
bid for modification of the
sewage pumping station at the
foot of Nash St. was $13,800.
The board decided that this
project will be too expensive to
handle out of general funds and
suggested that the solution may
come as a part of a proposed
bond election to be submitted to
the voters sometime after the
first of the year.
Other projects to be voted on
will be funds for restoration of
the power distribution lines for
the City of Southport, funds for
the construction of thp pier and
the sewage pumping station.
A Southport Art Commission
was appointed by Mayor E. B.
Tomlinson. Its first function will
be to set forth plans to raise
funds for the erection of an Art
Center at the location where the
old Cranmer Home now stands.
To serve on this commission will
be Mrs. Ormond Leggett, C. D.
Pickerrell and Mrs. J. A. Francis,
to serve for 3 years; A. C.
Caviness and Mrs. E. B.
Tomlinson, Jr., to serve for 2
years.
It is contemplated that no city
funds would be involved in this
project, but that any building
will be financed by public
subscription.
City Attorney Kirby Sullivan
was directed to negotiate with
representatives of the Stone
Estate for the purchase of the
waterskirt lying between Howe
St. and Davis St. with the object
of having the city acquire this
property as the site for a
waterfront recreational area.
Board Begins
To Make Plans
The Brunswick County Board
of Education held a call session
Monday night in the Board of
Education office.
The Board accepted the
resignations of Dixie M. Bennett,
Bolivia, and Marriane Gore]
Southport.
The board voted to request the
Shallotte A.B.C. Board to
distribute directly to the Union
High School its share of net
(Continued On Page FVmr)
11
that usually crushes out all life
and flattens out the carcass to
make it easier to swallow whole.
All of this sounds slow and
deliberate? but- the'Wilsons say
that once the feasting ritual
begins, it gets over so fast you
can hardly believe you saw it
happen.
A couple of grown rats will
hold a snake’s appetite for two
weeks, and he can go much 1
longer between meals. This can
be stretched into months, or
even into a full year.
There is a misconception
about the danger of boa
constrictors. They are a
non-poisonous snake that are
members of the constrictor
reptile family. This means that
they kill their victims by
wrapping about their bodies and
applying great pressure, and
many times they will swallow a
victim before it is dead. The
larger boas can consume goats or
dogs or pigs, but they pose no
danger whatever to human
beings.
This is the sort of scientific
information that spoils a snake
story. That’s why the Wilson
boys didn’t do all of this
explaining ahead of time when
they carried their unusual pet to
school one morning this week
for a personal appearance at
science classes. Bill is in the
seventh grade and Douglas is in
the fifth grade, and both of
them held the attention of their
classmates Monday morning
while they told about how safe
boa constrictors really are.
Plan Meeting
To Consider
Fund Raising
Dr. T. C. Blalock, Assistant
Director of the N.C. State
University Extension Service,
will be visitig in Brunswick
county Thursday. The purpose
of his visit is to meet with the
Brunswick 4-H Foundation
Committee and make plans for
the county to complete its quota
in a drive for a million-dollar
Foundation for the 4-H club
members in North Carolina.
Those serving on the
Brunswick Foundation
Committee are James M. Harper,
Jr., editor of State Port Pilot;
Earl Milliken, Shallotte
Broadcasting Company; Lester
Lowe, vice-president, Waccamaw
Bank and Trust Company;
Rhone Sasser, vice-president,
Waccamaw Bank and Trust
Company; Douglas Hawes,
secretary-treasurer, Security
Savings and Loan Association;
Foster Mintz, Elmore Motor
Company; W. A. Powell,
attorney; Hugh D. Vance,
Electrification Advisor, BEMC;
and Roy Stevens, Director
Resources Development
Commission.
The purpose of the
Foundation is to provide funds
for scholarships for 4-H
members who havemade
outstanding accomplishments in
4-H activities and who are also
good students and need
scholarship assistance. The
Foundation also provides
camping facilities for 4-H
members all over the state. The
4-H Foundation is already well
on its way toward reaching the
million dollar goal as over
$800,000 have been raised.
Brunswick 4-H members are *
receiving benefits from the
program and the County 4-H
Foundation Committee would
like to see the Brunswick quota
of $3500 raised as soon as
possible.
Christinas House
Plans Are Made
i “Home for Christinas” will be
the theme for the Christmas
Rouse sponsored by the
Southport Garden club and
Southport Women’s Club
December 14-15 at the
Community Building.
\Mrs. L. H. Hardee, general
chairman, has named the various
categories and the person in
charge of each category.
Everyone is invited to enter
arrangements and decorative
ideas.
A list of categories includes:
Doors, Mrs. D. C. Pigott; Trees
and Gift Wrappings, Mrs. J. D.
Loughlin; Fireplace and Mantle
Arrangements, Mrs. D. C.
Herring and Mrs. M. M. McHose;
Windows, Mrs. A. E. Huntley;
Living Room, Mrs. R. B.
Thompson; Dining Room, Mrs.
J. A. Gilbert; Coffee and Other
Table Arrangements, Mrs. E. C.
Harrelson; Kitchen, Mrs. C. E.
Bellamy; Wreathes, Mrs. G. R.
Garrett; Wall Hangings and Free
Hangings, Mrs. L. T. Vermillion;
Religious, Mrs. F. L. Willing;
Christmas Crafts, Mrs. J. K.
Porterfield; and Festive Tables,
Mrs. James M. Harper, Jr.
'1
Time And Tide
It was November 16, 1938, and a huge picture appeared on the
first page of the week’s Pilot. Two local ladies were shown with a
fine catch of drum taken from the beach at Bald Head. They were
Mrs. Susie Munn and Mrs. Franto Mollycheck. The artists which had
been visiting Southport during the summer and early fall were
talking of placing all of the local scenes on exhibit in Wilmington;
our editorial writer had listed “man’s seven mistakes”; and Leslie S.
Thompson had joined the staff of the Whiteville News Reporter.
In the column “Fourth Estate” the editor had mentioned a fellow
journalist, Victor Meekins, of Manteo. It seems that he had started
the Roanoke Island newsletter while still Sheriff of Dare County.
The prize winners in the county canning contest had been
announced; Thanksgiving services were to be conducted at the
Southport Presbyterian Church; and a sure sign of winter had
come—rock fish.
It was November 24, 1943, and it was announced that week that
farmers’ income tax was due on December 15. A marauding bear had
been ambushed and killed by a group of Exum farmers and dogs; the
rails of the late Southport railroad were being taken up and
scrapped; and Leroy Mintz was the acting principal of Waccamaw
High School.
, A War Bond sale at Bolivia High School featuring a local musical
group and a free-for-all cake walk had netted almost $3000 for the
war effort. Our editorial writer had delivered the traditional
(Continued On Page Four)
i
Garden Club Officials Visit Southport
Mrs. Baron Mills, left, president of the Garden Clubs of North Carolina, Inc. was
a visitor in Southport Monday where she and other officials discussed the Brunswick
°^nD^at^re„Trail projec* witi) Mrs- James M- Harper, Jr., project chairman, and
wnth Bill Faulk, site superintendent. The above photo was taken at the Indian Trail
Tree in Southport, and in addition to Mrs. Mills includes Mrs. Gardner Greer of
Wilmington; Mrs. Harper; Mrs. Roscoe D. McMillan, past president of the state org
anization; and Mrs. Ernest Parker, past treasurer of this organization
Boxing A Pine Tree
Using an old boxing axe, 82 year old W. L. Hobbs
of Delco boxes a large pine tree at Brunswick Town State
Historic Site which will be part of an exhibit on the
terpentine industry. Two kilns, one burned and one un
burned, will also be constructed. Authentic tools of the
trade will be featured in the exhibit and their use illus
trated and described. Prior to the American Revolution
Brunswick exported more navel stores, tar, pitch and
terpentine, to England than any other port. Much sawed
lumber also was exported.
An Invitation
The State Dept, of Archives and History
the State Highway Commission
and
The Brunswick County Historical Society
request the pleasure of your company
at the
Unveiling of a Highway Historical Marker
for
John LaPierre
at Brunswick Town State Historic Site
Sunday afternoon, November twenty-fourth
Nineteen hundred and sixty-eight
at two-thirty o’clock
Social Hour
World War I
Vets In Meet
Veterans of World War I met
Saturday afternoon at the
Agricultural Extension Building
at Supply and elected a slate of
officers to serve Barracks 1744
during the next year.
These officers include: James
E. Pinner, Commander, of
Southport; Henry R. Hewett,
Senior Vice-Commander, of
Winnabow; Henry D. Williams,
Junior Vice-Commander, of
Shallotte; Hal Martin, Chaplin of
Shallotte; Emily E. Wesley,
(Continued On Page 5\>ur)
Book Fair Is
Set At Union
/
Union High School in
Shailotte will sponsor a student
book fair and science learning
festival November 18-22.
These events are part of the
national celebration of
Childrens’ Book Week. Begun in
1919, this week has become a
traditional time to highlight for
children the pleasure and
knowledge to be found in
reading good books.
The book fair and festival will
be open during the hours
(Continued On Page Pour) J
Mrs. Rourk To
Serve County
In Fund Drive
Mrs. M. H. Rourk of Shallotte
has been appointed director for
the Brunswick County 1969
March of Dimes Campaign, it
was announced this week by
Clarence W. Walker, volunteer
State Chairman.
“It’s time we stop telling
ourselves that birth defects
strike only at ‘other people’ and
‘other people’s children,’ ” Mrs.
Rourk said. “A birth defect can
hit any family, rich or poor, any
race, any nationality.
“Birth defects are this nation’s
second greatest destroyer of life,
claiming approximately half a
million unborn babies each year
and killing 60,000 of our
children and adults,” she
declared. “More than 250,000
American babies are born each
year with a defect, and an
estimated 15 million persons of
all ages have one or more defect
that affects their daily lives.”
The director said that the
March of Dimes, which won the
fight against polio, attacks birth
defects by financing research
and supporting more than 100
birth defects centers at major
medical institutions throughout
the United States.
Mrs. Rourk has worked closely
with the Brunswick County
March of Dimes for many years.
“A fine example of what can
be done is seen at our Birth
Defects Treatment Center in
Chapel Hill and our Birth
Defects Evaluation Center at the
Western Carolina Center in
Morganton. The point is that we
need more such centers not only
in our State, but in many others.
“In our State alone,” she said,
(Continued On Page Pour)
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Tide Table
Following to the tide table
for South port during the
week. These hours are ap
proximately correct and
were furnished The State
Port Pilot through the
courtesy of the Oape Fear
Pilot’s Association.
HK>H LOW
Thursday, November 21,
8:21 AM 2:04 AM;
8:39 PM 2:58 PM;
Friday, November 22,
9:15 AM 2:58 AM;
9:33 PfM 3:52 FM[
Saturday, November 23,
10:15 AM 3:52 AM:
10:33 PM 4:46 PM!
Sunday, November 24,
11:15 AM 4:46 AM:
11:33 PM 5:40 PMC
Monday, November 25,
12:09 AM 5:46 AM
6:34 PM ,
Tuesday, November 26, a
0:39 AM 6:52 AM j
1:09 PM 7:34 PM]
Wednesday, November 27,
1:39 AM 7:52 AM
2:09 PM 8:34 PM
A