TRANSYLVANIA
IS . . .
The Land of Waterfalls,
Mecca for Summer
Camps, Entrance to
Pisgah National Forest
and Home of Brevard
Music Festival.
The Transylvania Times
A State And National Prize-Winning A. B. C. Newspaper
TRANSYLVANIA
IS . . .
An Industrial, Tourist
Educational, Agricul
tural and Music Cen
ter. Population 15,321
Vol. 611 No. 9
★ SECTION ONE *
BREVARD, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 1951
★ 20 PAGES TODAY ★
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
CORN GROWERS TO BE HONORED
★ ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★** ★★★
Citizens Here Mourn Passing Of Harry Straus
TRIBUTES PAID
TO BELOVED MAN;
STORES TO CLOSE
Death Of Ecusta President
Shocks Community; Ser
vice Is Held
LAST RITES TODAY
Conscious of their deep and
lasting obligation to the late Harry
H. Straus, citizens of Transylvania
county yesterday joined in mourn
ing the death of this beloved man
and pioneer industrialist, whose
establishment of the Ecusta Paper
corporation here in 1939 ushered
in a new era in this entire section
of the state.
Directors of the Brevard cham
ber of commerce, which includes
leading business and professional
men of the town and county, adopt
ed a resolution paying tribute to
Mr. Straus. They requested that
all businesses of every kind in the
tov/n and county to close from 3
to 3:30 o’clock Thursday. The text
ox the resolution lollows:
Whereas, we have learned with
deep sorrow of the death of Harry
H. Straus, president of Ecusta Pa
per corporation and great benefac
tor of Transylvania county; and
Whereas, by his establishment of
Ecusta Paper corporation in Tran
sylvania county, he created thou
sands of new and well-paying jobs,
and ehan^d the economic life of
this community and brought to it
a prosperity never known before;
and
Whereas, ever since his coming
to this community he has been
deeply interested in every phase of
the civic, educational and religious
life of its people and has devoted
much of his time and given gener
ously of his wealth to its advance
ment; and
Whereas, in his life he has ex
emplified the best as a business
man, industrial scientist, civic
leader and patriotic American;
—Turn to Page Five
JAYCEES WILL
PLANT DOGWOODS
Easter Sunrise Service This
Year On Campus At
Brevard College
The Brevard Jaycees will launch
their fourth annual dogwood tree
planting project Thursday after
noon, President Russ Poole an
nounces. The club will furnish
dogwood saplings to residents at a
cost of $1.00 per tree and to the
churches and institutions free of
charge.
Several members have volun
teered to assist Project Chairman
Wade Johnson with the planting of
the saplings on Thursday and Sat
urday afternoons. Residents de
siring to obtain saplings for plant
ing are asked to contact any Jay
cee. The club will replace any
tree at no extra cost if it fails to
live, President Poole states.
At the Tuesday night dinner meet
ing plans were discussed for the
Easter sunrise service, which will
be held this year on the Brevard
college campus. An outstanding
minister has been engaged to con
duct this service, Mr. Poole said.
—Turn To Page Four
T
>4
CALENDAR OF
EVENTS
Thursday, Mar. 1.—Service for
Harry H. Straus at Ecusta cafete
ria, 3 p. m. All businesses in Tran
sylvania county close from 3 to
3:30 p. m. WMS of First Baptist
church to meet at 3:30 o’clock.
Lions club mets in Bryant House,
7 p. m. Rotary club meeting at
Coffee shop, 7 p. m.
Friday, Mar. 2—Kiwanis meet
ing at Bryant house, 7 p. m. Square
dance at Legion building, 8:30.
Saturday, Mar. 3—4-H clubs ex
hibit at Transylvania Trust com
pany. SPEBSQS concert at Bre
—Tarn to Page Four j
Citizens Pay Tribute To Late Benefactor
Citizens of Transylvania and this entire section of the Caro
linas will join Ecusta employees in paying tribute to the late Harry
H. Straus at a memorial service Thursday afternoon at 3 o’clock in
the plant cafeteria. A beloved citizen and benefactor of this com
munity, Mr. Straus died of a heart attack Tuesday morning at his
home in Biltmore Forest.
To Hold Last Rites For Harry
H. Straus Thursday Afternoon,
Service Slated At Ecusta Plant
Body Will Lie In State At
Home During Morning;
Died On Tuesday
Final rites for Harry H. Straus,
67, beloved citizen of Transylvania
county, and an industrial pioneer
of world-wide renown, will be held
on Thursday afternoon at 3 o’clock
at his home in Biltmore Forest. At
the same hour a similar service
will be held in the cafeteria at the
Ecusta Paper corporation to which
the general public is invited.
Mr. Straus died Tuesday morn
ing at his home of a heart attack.
He had been in impaired health
lor some time, but continued up to
the time of his death to direct op
erations of the Ecusta plant, the
world’s largest manufacturer of
cigarette paper, which he estab
lished.
Private services will be conduct
ed at the home by Rev. Isaac Nor
thup and Dr. Sydney Unger. Ray
mond F. Bennett, manufacturing
superintendent, cellophane divi
sion, will be in charge of the serv
—Turn to Page Five
BARBER SHOP
SINGERS HERE
THIS SATURDAY
Performance Is Being Spon
sored By Local Kiwanis;
Tickets On Sale
The Society for the Preservation
and Encouragement of Barbershop
Quartet Singing in America, from
Asheville, will bring to Brevard a
program of harmony in song Sat
urday night, March 3, in the Bre
vaid high school auditorium, be
ginning at 8:15 o’clock.
Sponsored by the Brevard Ki
wanis club, proceeds will be used
to improve the Boy Scout camp at
Dunn’s Rock. According to J. 0.
Wells, chairman of arrangements,
tickets will be sold for $1.00 and
50 cents.
Composed of Asheville profes
—Turn to Page Four
AN EDITORIAL
Tribute To Harry H. Straus
By report, our people knew the late Harry H. Straus
to be a man of large affairs: an industrialist, engineer
and builder of international renown. By actual contact
with him over the years, they knew him to be a man of
ready understanding and quick sympathy who was very
keenly interested in their affairs and concerns. In deal
ing with his fellowmen, his first and guiding impulse
seemed to be to help. Of him it can be truthfully said
that he walked with the princes of capital and industry
but he did not lose the common touch. Life to him was
an adventure in service to others—and what a joyous
and rewarding adventure he found it to be! In him was
no vanity, no pose, no guile—just a passion to share the
—Turn to Page Five
BLOODMOBILE TO
RETURN MONDAY;
GOAL IS 125 PINTS
Chairman Stresses Urgent
Need In Korea; No Ap
pointment Needed
The American Red Cross Blood
mobile will return to Brevard on
Monday afternoon, March 5 from
12:30 to 6 o’clock at the American
Legion Memorial building. The
quota is 125 pints.
In urging citizens generally to
pledge a pint of blood, Dick Car
ter, who is chairman of the blood
program in the county, says that
today there is a greater need than
ever before for donors. “Our blood
is needed at home and on the Ko
rean battlefront,” Mr. Carter de
clares.
Recruiting chairmen, Rev. John
D. Smith and Mrs. E. B. Garrett,
are this week getting pledge
cards signed, and it is hoped that
the record of 129 pints made at
the Ecusta plant on January 15th
can be exceeded.
It is not necessary to make an
appointment for next Monday af
ternoon, but time will be saved by
doing so, the recruiting chairmen
point out.
In commenting on the extreme
importance of the blood program
at home, Miss Emma Lou Heaton,
superintendent of the local hospit
al, says that the blood center serv
ing this area furnishes needed
blood for patients here in the
Transylvania Community hospital
every week.
“And because whole blood is
available immediately here
through this program lives have
been saved and we are able to
take care of emergencies,” Miss
Heaton declared.
She points out that blood is
—Turn to Page Five
LAST RITES HELD
FOR W. A. WILSON
Had Been In Public Service
For More Than Nine
teen Years
Final rites for W. A. “Bill” Wil
son were held on Wednesday aft
ernoon at the Brevard Methodist
church with a host of friends and
relatives attending.
Mr. Wilson, who had been in
public service here for the coun
ty, state and federal governments
for some 19 years, died at the
Transylvania Community hospital
Tuesday morning after a serious
illness of six weeks.
The pastor, Rev. J. Julian
Holmes, assisted by Rev. David
Cooper, pastor of the Lutheran
church here, officiated at the ser
vice, and burial followed in the
Gillespie cemetery.
A member of the Ware Shoals,
S. C., Masonic lodge for 28 years,
local Masons were in charge of
graveside sites.
Prior to his recent illness, Mr.
Wilson was serving as superinten
—Turn to Page Four
*•—■—>«— --—— —a.
North Carolina 1
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY I
ROUND-UP
, —.—.-— -—4
The senate and the house ad
journed Tuesday as a tribute
to the late Harry H. Straus.
Rep. Ralph H. Fisher seconded
the motion for the lower house
to recess and cited the benefits
the establishment of Ecusta had
brought to this county. In the
senate Mr. Straus was eulogized
as ‘‘one of Western North Caro
lina’s most distinguished and be
loved citizens.”
Nearly a dozen spokesmen for
parks in this state appealed to the
joint appropriations committee to
reject a proposal by a subcommit
tee to recapture $794,940 in un
spent permanent improvement ap
—Turn to Page Five
Principal Figures At Commerce Banquet
Photographed against a background of George Washington’s por
trait on his birthday are the principal figures at the annual chamber
of commerce banquet held in the Brevard college cafeteria last
Thursday night. PRESIDENT GEORGE B. EHLHARDT, of Brevard
College, left, introduced the speaker of the evening and thanked the
community for the fine cooperation being accorded him. DR. E. O.
ROLAND, center, president of the chamber of commerce, reported
on activities of the group, and EDWIN L. JONES, right, who is chair
man of the college board of trustees, was the principal speaker of
the evening. For further details, see news story on front page, sec
ond section. (Times Staff Photo.)
___
Throng Expected At Opening
Of New Crest Store Here On
Friday, Building Is Remodeled
Succumbs Tuesday
W. A. WILSON, 50, well
known local citizen, died here
Tuesday morning and final rites
were held on Wednesday after
noon at the Brevard Methodist
church. Graveside rites were
conducted by the members of
the Dunn’s Rock Masonic lodge.
Prior to his death, Mr. Wilson
had been in public service for
the county, state and federal
governments for the past 19
years.
I Gifts Will Be Given To Wo
men And Children; Of
ficial Is Quoted
A throng is expected for the
gala opening tomorrow (Friday)
morning at 10 o’clock of Crest’s
new 5, 10 and 25 cent store in the
location formerly occupied by the
A&P store on South Broadway
next to Gaither’s restaurant. Act
ing Mayor W. M. Melton will cut
a ribbon across the doorway at
the instant of opening and the
event will be aired over station
WPNF for a 15-minute period. J.
L. Madalie, president of the Crest
stores; P. L. Stewart, secretary
treasurer; and D. S. Sullivan and
J. B. Brookshire, superintend
ents, will be here for the opening.
The old A&P location was thor
oughly remodeled to create one of
the most attractive and effectively
arranged variety stores in this part
of the state. The work was done
by*D. Glenn Stroup, Gastonia con
tractor.
The management of the new
store has provided a number of
special bargains for the opening, a
description of which will be found
in this issue. Also, each woman
and child who enters the store on
Friday will be given a gift.
Dan Hawkins, former manager
of Cassel’s store here, will be the
manager of the new store. Regu
—Turn to Page Four
WPNF Program Highlights
Nation’s First Pro "All-Star" Cage *
Game To Be Carried Friday, WPNF
The first all-star game in the
history of professional major
league basketball will be exclusive
ly broadcast over Mutual and will
be heard on WPNF Friday night,
beginning at 9 o’clock.
Players who will participate in
this contest are the cream of the
professionals who regularly com
prise the squads for the National
Basketball association’s two-divi
sional, 10-team circuit.
“The entire listening audience
of WPNF will enjoy this broad
cast,” station officials declare.
A special series of broadcasts
will be started on WPNF from the
lines of the Mutual Broadcasting
system on Sunday evening from
9:30 to 9:45 o’clock.- Prominent
Americans will be beard on the
program to warn the country of
impending perils.
Through the remote facilities of
WPNF, the 11 o’clock service of
•—Turn to Page Four
ANNUAL BANQUET
TUESDAY NIGHT IN
LOCAL CAFETERIA
Five Farmers Having High
est Yields Will Receive
Cash Prizes
CUMMINGS TO SPEAK
The 25 Transylvania farmers, 4
II and FFA members, who made
100 bushels of corn on one acre of
land during 1950 in the county,
will be honored at the annual Corn
[club banquet next Tuesday night
| in the Brevard elementary school
cafeteria. Approximately 200
persons are expected to attend the
event.
Some 15 persons made the 100
bushel club last year, and again
this year certificates will be
awarded to each member of the
1950 club and cash prizes will be
awarded to the five persons hav
ing the highest yield. Total cash
prizes amount to $75 and the cov
eted Transylvania Trust company’s
beautiful loving cup will go to the
top producer.
Dr. R. W. Cummings, director
of research of the agricultural ex
periment station at State college
and one of the South’s leading ag
ricultural leaders, will be the prin
cipal speaker at the banquet.
Dr. Cummings will discuss the
latest research findings on corn,
pasture, etc., and theit economic
adaptation to this area, County
Agent Julian Glazener reports.
Tickets for the banquet are
available at the county agent’s of
fice or from any of the agricultur
al leaders in the county. The
price is $1.00.
All corn producers in the coun
ty and any interested persons are
invited to attend this annual ban
quet.
The 25 persons making 100 bush
els in Transylvania during 1950
are as follows:
Charlie Gibbs, Shipman Whit
—Turn to Page Five
TO OBSERVE 4-H
WEEK IN COUNTY
Special Exhibit In Bank Sat
urday Morning; Sched
ule Is Given
The observance of national 4-H
Club Week March 3rd through 10
will begin with an exhibit here at
the Transylvania Trust company
Saturday morning, according to
Anne Benson Priest, home agent,
and Wade W. Johnson, assistant
county agent.
This exhibit will be conducted
and arranged by outstanding rep
resentatives of clubs in the coun
ty. Girls participating in it will
be Patricia Parker and Anne Gar
ren, Brevard; Alice Owen, Ros
man; Betty Anne Sitton, Pisgah
Forest; and Beverly Bostic, Bre
vard junior club.
In Transylvania are 14 active
4-H clubs, which hold monthly
meetings and receive advice on all
aspects of farm life from the local
extension workers.
During the month of March
“Poultry” will be the program sub
ject, with the young people being
taught about the nutritional values
—Turn to Page Four
Oddity Revealed In
Number Of Persons
Serving In Forces
Of the 368 Transylvanians
now in the armed forces, 184
entered via the draft and enlist
ment and 184 are reported by
the various branches, Mrs. Allie
B. Harllee, clerk of the local
board, announces today.
The breakdown of the local
draft board records show that
47 have been drafted, 117 enlist
ed and 20 are reserves and ca
dets in the Air Force.
Mrs. Harllee also reports that
there are two women officers
from Transylvania in the service:
Lt Mary Jane Walker Freeman
and Ensign Charlotte L. Blythe.