The Pilot Covers
Brunswick County
THE STATE PORT PILOT
A Good Newspaper In A Good Community
Most of the News
All The Time
VOLUME 42 No. 18
10-Pages Today
SOUTHPORT, N. C. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1970
5c A COPY
PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY
SITE FOR PROPOSED
SAWDUST TRAIL BRANCH
OF THE
WACCAMAW BANK
AND TRUST COMPANY
Site For Proposed New Bank
Iiester V. Lowe, vice-president of Waccamaw Bank
and Trust Co. helps erect a sign on property for the
construction of another full service bank at Southport.
The proposed location is at the junction of NC high
ways 211 and 87 at the Sawdust Trail.
Bank Activity
In Brunswick
One new bank has made
application to establish an office
at Southport and Waccamaw
Bank & Trust Co. has purchased
property near the outskirts of
the city and are seeking
permission to establish a full
service bank at a new location.
First National Bank of Eastern
North Carolina recently
established a branch at Shallotte.
An application has been Med
with the State Banking Com
mission by the First-Citizens
Bank and Trust Company for
approval to open a full service
banking facility in Southport.
According to Lewis R. Holding,
President of the statewide
banking system, the application
is scheduled to be heard by the
State Regulatory Body during its
regular meeting in January.
Lester Lowe, vice-president of
Waccamaw Bank and Trust Co.
announces that the Bank is
(Continued On Pip Itar)
Recount Petition Rejected;
State Board Hears Appeal
By ED HARPER
Has the will of the people been
denied by the Columbus County
Board of Elections or precinct
officials in the county?
This question was put to the
three-member Board of Elections
Thursday afternoon just before
the panel voted two to one toTdeny
a recount of votes cast in the
November 3 election for
Democrat incumbent Arthur
Williamson of Chadbourn and
Thomas Harrelson of Southport,
the Republican candidate for the
House seat held last term by the
Columbus County farmer
businessman.
Williamson leads Harrelson by
two votes, 5453 to 5451, in a battle
for the second House seat to
represent Columbus and Brun
swick counties in the North
Carolina General Assembly.
The Democrat majority of the
Board, Chairman Bennett White
and S.T. Enzor, voted against the
recount, while Republican Leroy
Stocks was in favor of tallying the
votes again. Candidate Harrelson
immediately filed notice of ap
peal to the state Board of Elec
tions.
**~TEe petition'Tor a recounTlnat
Harrelson presented to the
Columbus County Board of
Elections was supported by af
fidavits that alleged violations of
election laws in the county. There
has been no official charge that
any irregularities occurred in
Brunswick County, either by
Harrelson or Williamson, who
has remained in the background
throughout the post-election
controversy.
Friday, after a day-long
session by the Board to hear
evidence in the case, Harrelson’s
attorney presented his closing
argument.
“We are here to pass upon one
question,’7 said Thomas Horne of
Southport. “Has the will of the
people of Columbus County been
thwarted by any action of this
board, or by any action of any
precinct official?”
He suggested that the
Democratic majority of the
board took a defensive position
and presented evidence in behalf
of candidate Williamson. “It
appears from my observation of
what has occurred here today
that ‘he Board has come forward
by affidavit and counsel in an
effort to cleanse, or to remove,
any stigma that might have at
tached to it” by Harrelson’s
petition.
In doing this, Horne continued,
“The Board has inadvertently
or designedly advanced the cause
(Continued On Page Two)
The Little Lady Is A Court Officer!
By ED HARPER
Cheryl Meacham doesn’t look
anything at all like a probation
officer.
The appearance is deceiving.
The petite, 26-year old ex
schoolteacher considers her job a
challenge to help people. “1 like
people,” she said, “and in this job
I can help them.”
Cheryl taught school in her
hometown Ellerbe for two years
but found the work “too con
fining.” In July, 1969, she and her
sister Mabel moved to Whiteville
and Cheryl started work with the
North Carolina Department of
Probation.
Her duties include work in
Brunswick, Bladen and
Columbus counties, and she
supervises probation for ap
proximately 70 women. She calls
it “the best job in North
Carolina” and adds, “I love it.”
According to Cheryl, probation
gives many people a chance they
never had before. All things
considered, “It gives a person a
chance to be a good citizen.”
But the probationer has to show
a potential for correction and a
willingness to do her part, and
sometimes there is a lack of
cooperation.
“I know she’s running,” Ch _-ryl
said in a telephone conversation
recently. She was referring to a
probationer who had shown little
sign of improvement and had left
the county. The probation officer
assured the caller she was not
trying to find the woman to turn
her over to the Sheriff.
“I want to talk to her and see if
we can get her a place to stay. I
want to help her get a job and see
if we can get this thing
straightened out.”
Cheryl said she is concerned
about the welfare of her
probationers. “I am not con
cerned with just seeing that they
don’t break any laws.”
Counselling is a necessary part
of Cheryl’s work. “I tell the
probationers to be truthful with
'Photo by Elgie Clemmons)
CHERYL MEACHAM .. . Has best job in N. C.
me, because if they don’t tell me
what they have done, there is
always someone else who
volunteers the information.” She
commented that many people
like to see other people in trouble,
and calls that report real or
imagined probation violations
are frequent.
“A lot of women resent being
on probation,” Cheryl said, “and
most of them deny they did what
they were found guilty of.” But
one woman liked probation so
much she wanted to stay under
supervision.
“She said it was the best her
life had been,” Cheryl com
mented about this unusual case.
Apparently, the woman had
found that she could manage her
own life better with some
supervision, and that many of the
people who had bothered her
before, left her alone while she
was supervised by the probation
officer.
Cheryl usually travels
throughout the three-county area
by herself, and frequently she
rr ist visit neighborhoods that
could be termed “unsafe”. She
visits her probationers in
dividually and asks if they have
problems and if she can help with
anything.
The probationers do not know
when Cheryl will stop by.
Recently, she visited a
probationer’s home in the upper
part of Bladen County and
learned that the probationer was
working in a nearby field. Cheryl
left a message and said she would
(Continued On Page Two)
For New Schools
$3.5 Million Contracts
Signed By School Board
Members of the Brunswick
County Board of Education in
special session Thursday night
signed contracts for the
construction of three
consolidated high school for
Brunswick County. They
represent a total expenditure of
$3,531,091.
The Western area school will
be located near Shallotte on
Highway 130; the Northern area
school will be located near
Leland; and the Southern area
school will be located at Boiling
Springs Lakes.
Grading of sites began
Monday.
Jack Croft, school architect,
briefed the board on pre
construction contractor’s con
ference conducted that af
ternoon. He reported that con
tractors are to submit monthly
operational budgets by the first of
each month during construction
of buildings.
The board was informed that
School Bonds were sold at an
interest rate of 6.4046 percent and
that funds from these bonds will
be available around December 1.
To expedite construction on the
Southern Area School the Board
authorized funds to be spent for a
limited access read to school site.
This road is to be used until State
Highway Department has
completed a secondary road to
site. L.R. Armstrong and Son are
to provide the limited access
road.
The following list of substitute
teachers was approved: BCHS—
Mrs, • Janice G. Ganland;
Leland—Hobson Bennett,
Daphne F. Sue," Wendell H.
Eslick, Bertram F. Bradshaw,
Begin White
Cane Campaign
The 1970-71 White Cane drive
for aid to the blind began at the
November meeting of the South
port Lions at the Community
building. Keynot of the kickoff
was an address by Lion George
H. Kress, district director of the
Eye Bank of Wilmington,
who spoke about the almost
universal success enjoyed in
corneal transplants
The White Cane Drive is an
annual project of North Carolina
Lions Club to provide financial
support to several agencies
which are doing work in the
prevention of blindness as well as
help the thousands of blind
persons in North Carolina.
Funds from the statewide drive
are channeled through the North
Carolina Association for the
Blind to the North Carolina Eye
Bank for eye research, braile
transcribing, eye clinics,
scholarships for children of
needy blind parents, Camp
Dogwood, a recreetional center on
Lake Norman for the blind, as
well as many other worthwhile
projects dealing with blindness.
Lion Kress called attention to
the growing popluarity of eye
(Continued On Page Two)
Gloria E. Blanks, Waccamaw—
Mrs. Jackie B. Smith, Mrs. Kathy
W. Formyduval.
The board accepted the
following list of substitute
teacher aides: Leland—Mrs.
Narine Russ, Miss Gloria E.
Blanks; Lincoln—Geraldine
McKoy, Juanita Robinson, Vina
Benton, Helen McCain, Mary
Sloan, Shallotte—Mrs. Catherine
(Kitty) Benton; Southport—Mrs.
Frances Burns, Mrs. Sandra
Cochran, Mrs. Edna Crouch,
Mrs. Shirley Evans, Mrs. Jean
Kenny, Mrs. Saundra Mc
Crackin, Mrs. Dianne Me
Crackin, Mrs. Barbara Perkins.
A teaching was prepared for
Jacquline Smith for the 1970-71
school year at Southport
Elementary School.
Application has been made for
the 1971 Summer Headstart
Program.
Bill K. Hughes and Chester
Moody were assigned as students
to Waccamaw High School.
The board approved certificate
status of Mrs. Edna Gause as
Library Supervisor in ac
cordance with G.S. 115-49.
Superintendent Ralph King
was authorized to make ap
plication for surplus government
land located near old Bethel
Church road off Highway 87 near
Southport. Provided application
is approved by proper govern
ment officials land will be used in
Board of Education long-range
building plans.
Board members heard Mr.
Wolff, Trades and Industry In
structor from Leland High
School, express opinions for
mulated by County Trades and
Industry and Agriculture per
sonnel concerning their
(Continued On Paf* Ibv)
Sign School Construction Contracts
Contracts totalling $3,531,091. for the construction of the three consolidated high
schools for Brunswick County were finalized and signed at the Thursday Night
meeting of the Board of Education, Pictured above are members of the board and
Superintendent of Schools Ralph C. King, as contracts were signed. Left to right
they are board attorney Mason H. Anderson, Dr. John T. Madison, Mrs. May W.
Barbee, Chairman Wilbur E. Rabon, Joe N. Gainey, Homer Holden, and Super
intendent King.
Garden Clubs Will
Help With Clean-IJp
Representatives from
Southport Garden Club and
Woodbine Garden Club met
Thursday night with the Board
of Aldermen to discuss a
program for a general clean-up
of the waterfront.
Spokesmen were Mrs. Herbert
Franck and Mrs. Jack Vermillion,
who submitted the following
proposition to the city fathers.
“We are here as represen
tatives of the Woodbine Garden
Club and the Southport Garden
Club. As such we are making this
plea on behalf of more than 50
civic-minded, Souhtport-loving
and conservation-conscious
women.
First, we would like to com
mend the Mayor, City Manager,
Time And Tide
The year 1935 was one of the post-depression years, and one measure
to strengthen the hog market was controlled production. A headline in
our November 13 edition for that year told that excess hogs might
legitimately be donated to the county home. Fire had destroyed the
home of former sheriff I.D. Harrelson in the Funstow community.
A sports fishing picture was on the front page. It showed Charles
Greer beside a 45-lb. black drum he had caught in the Cape Fear river
about 100-yards from the pilot dock. The late C.L. Stevens was heading
the Red Cross roll call, and the date had been extended beyond the
Thanksgiving deadline. There had been changes in personnel at the
local CCC camp, with Zach Williams being transferred as educational
advisor to camp near Fort Bragg.
Five years later an election had just been held, and figures revealed
that less than 4,000 ballots had been cast for county officials. A Red
Cross roll call was in progress, this time with community chairman
sharing the responsibility. Work had begun on an addition to the
Southport High School building.
The Rev. Russell Harrison had been returned as pastor of Trinity
Methodist Church; a group of Washing on, D.C., men were having a
late fall go at sports fishing; and questionnaires had been mailed to 75
registrants by the local Selective Service Board.
Back in 1945, Southport citizens had been polled regarding the
outstanding need for Southport and they had come up with the answer:
A modern Hotel. (The poll had been conducted by the late W.B.
(Continued On Pag* Tarn)
Board of Aldermen, and all the
city employees, on their past and
present efforts to keep Southport
a place of unique charm and
natural beauty. You have shown
yourselves to be proud of the
past, aware of the needs of the
present and concerned for the
future.
Second, we wish to call to your
collective attention the joint
concern of our Garden Club
members toward cleaning up,
beautifying and maintaining
Southport’s greatest natural
resource—the waterfont. From
the junction of Moore Street and
River roi'd, all the way down to
and around the old Yacht Basin,
the waterfront is a
conglomeration of junk, litter,
overgrowth and general neglect.
“Third, we recognize that some
of the property in need of at
tention is privately owned and
permission would have to be
(Continued On Page f\rar>
Food Stamps
For Brunswick
Food stamps distributed to 496
Brunswick County families in
October totalled $42,734, ac
cording to Mrs. Gerald Dowdy,
director of the USDA Food and
Nutrition Service field office in
Wilmington.
For the $42,000 worth of food
stamps, the Brunswick recipients
paid only $13,079, and received a
bonus of $29,655.
Mis. Dowdy said the food
stamps are issuedtofamilies with
limited incomes who are certified
by their local Department of
Social Services. The cost of the
coupons to each family is based
upon the family’staceme and the
number of persons in the family,
Mrs. Dowdy stated.
Board Hears
Waste Proposal
I Solid waste disposal for
Brunswick County should be put
in operation as soon as possible,
according to a representative of
the state Board of Health.
District sanitarian Fred Wood
spoke to the Brunswick County
board of commissioners at its
regular session on Monday. He
presented a survey and
recommendations made by his
department for the management
of the solid waste disposal plan.
The commissioners had
requested that the Board of
Health make the survey of the '
waste disposal. Wood explained
the proposed plan in detail and
urged that it be placed in
operation as soon as possible.
Similar projects are underway
in other North Carolina counties.
A landfill system in Columbus
County for the disposal of solid
waste will cost an estimated
$170,000 and the commissioners
there have applied to an area
funding agency for the needed
money.
In other business Monday, the
Brunswick commissioners
reappointed Jackie Stevenson as
a member of the Sencland
Community Action board of
directors. The appointment is
effective December 1 and con
tinues through November, 1973.
Stevenson has served as one of
27 members of the community
action agency that serves
Columbus, Bladen and Brun
swick counties. Brunswick is
allotted nine of the board
positions, although the board is
not complete at this time.
W.D. Ward was appointed as a
member of the Resource
Development Commission to fill
the unexpired term of W.B.
Mintz, who has resigned from the
post.
The board instructed the clerit to
write a letter to R.W. McGowan,
assistant chief engineer of the
North Carolina Highway Com
mission, concerning the proposed
(Continued On Page Two)