TRANSYLVANIA—
An Industrial, Tourist,
Educational, Agricultural
and Music Center. Popula
tion, 1960 Census, 16,102.
Brevard Community 8,500.
Vol. 71 — No. SO
THE TRANSYLVANIA TIMES
A State And National Prize - Winning A.B.C. Newspaper
TRANSYLVANIA—
The Land of Waterfall*.
Mecca for Sommer Camp*.
Entrance to Pisgah No
tional Forest and Home at
Brevard Music Festival.
SECOND CLASS MAIL PRIVILEGES
AUTHORIZED AT BREVARD. N. C.
BREVARD, N. C., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15,1960 * 20 PAGES TODAY * PRICE 7c PUBLISHED WEEKLY
Fire
Fighters
Called
It was 3 a.m., Tuesday morn
ing when the wintry blast was
passing over this region on the
«iay from Texas to the Atlantic
coast.
At about the same hour the
flue in Melvin Leopard’s house
became over-heated and flames
broke out in the one-story frame
house.
The alert Brevard volunteer
fire department was roused from
downy beds and 24 brave spirits
responded to the alarm. While
one half the volunteers sped to
Melvin’s blazing house, the other
half stood by in the town fire
hall, in case some other flue
became too hot elsewhere.
“The boys sure got here In a
hurry”, said Melvin, who is a
guard at the prison camp at Cal
vert. “They did a wonderful,
job.” All the furniture was sav
i|1, but there was considerable
damage to one or two rooms in
the house.
The family is living with Mr.
Leppard’s parents, who live in a
Neighboring home, temporarily
wb'e repairs are being made.
he house is two miles from
Brevard on the Rosman high
way.
AFTERNOON FIRE
The local fire fighters were
called back to this same neigh
borhood late Tuesday afternoon,
when fire was discovered in the
basement of the Allen Smith
residence.
Fire Chief Dan Merrill said
that the damage was slight in
the Smith fire. The cause, he
said was apparently from a
short circuit in the electric wir
ing.
Mrs. Wilson To
Head Brevard
Realtor Board
_i_■■
ijSrs. Sue Wflson, owner of
Wilson’s Real Estate agency
here, was elected president of
the Brevard Board of Realtors
at the regular December meet
ing at Gaither’s.
She succeeds Gil Coan.
Other officers elected at the
same time were: Frank King,
vice president; and, iMrs. Annie
K. Massey, secretary and treasur
er.
Lions To Hold
Christmas
l^arty Thursday
JBrevard Lions will entertain
tWeir ladies at a special Christ
mas night meeting on Thursday
of this week.
They will meet at the Colonial
Inn, beginning promptly at 7:00
o’clock.
President W. M. Melton urges
all members to attend.
CALENDAR OF
COMING EVENTS
Thursday, December 15 —
Trade Festival drawing at 10:00
a.m. in front of Plummer’s. Ki
wanis club meets at Gaither’s at
6:45 p.m. Lions meet at Colonial
Inn at 7:00 p.m. Masons meet
at Temple at 7:30 p.m. Humane
Society meets with Mrs. Ralph
Palmer at 8:00 p.m. League of
Women Voters meets at 10:30
a.m. at Gaither’s.
Friday, December 16 — Bre
vard High school band and glee
club Chrstmas program, 2:00
p.m. Brevard Vs. West Hender
min Brevard High school gym.
vard Elementary school P
TA meets at 8:00 p.m. Ace of
Clubs meets at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 17 —
Elks dinner dance, 7:00 to 12:00
p.m.
Monday, December 19 — Ro
tary club meets at Gaither’s at
7:00 p.m. Brevard Little Theatre
try-outs at court house at 7:30
pm.
Tuesday, December 20 — Ace
of Clubs meets at 8:00 p.m. Unit
ed Fund directors meet at Gaith
er’s at 8:00 pm.
Wednesday, December 21 —
Toastmasters meet at Gaither’s
at 6:30 p.m. WOW meets in
Woodman Hall at 8:00 pm.
NEW SITE OF TELEPHONE
COMPANY — Charles Pickelsimer,
Jr., general manager of the Citizens
Telephone company, is pictured at
the left conferring with Robert L.
Daniels, architect, center, and Carl
Hart, company secretary, on the site
of the new home of the telephone com
pany. This modem building, on which
construction will be started in the
spring, is located on East Main street,
adjacent to the Masonic temple. Ac
tually, the extensive expansion pro
gram of the local telephone company
is now underway.
(Times Staff Photo)
Expansion Program Of Citizens
Telephone Company Is Started
Brevard and Transylvania
county will have a new telephone
system by late 1961, it was an
nounced yesterday by Charles
W. Pickelsimer, vice president
of the Citizens Telephone com
pany.
A new office and plant will be
erected on East main street next
to the Masonic temple, and a
new switchboard is being fab
ricated by the Stromberg-Carl
son Company for installation
in the new building. The build
ing and switchboard will cost
approximately a quarter of a
million dollars.
The new equipment will pro
vide for 2,000 lines and will
anticipate the telephone needs
of this area for the next 10
years, Mr. Pickelsimer esti
mates.
Construction In Spring
Plans for the building are be
ing drafted by Robert L. Dan
iels, the architect, and will be
completed about March 1st.
Construction will begin short
ly after that date so that in
stallation of the switching ma
chinery can begin by mid-sum
mer. It will require three or
four months to install and test
the switchboard and its con
nections.
The cost of the switchboard
is $165,000.
While the building is being
constructed extensive work will
be done on the company’s lines
through the county.
The new building, switchboard
and additional lines will repre
sent an investment of about
two million dollars, Mr. Pick
elsimer said.
The building will be on slop
ing terrain, with one story front
and a two-story section in the
rear. It will be of masonry con
struction and will be complete
ly air conditioned.
The improvement program
—Turn to Page Six
Lions Sponsoring
Questions On Eye Bank
Program Are Answered
By STAFF WRITER
More ey are needed for the
North Carolina Eye bank, and
the Bfevard Lions club has be
gun work on its program to help
the state project.
Robert L. Daniels, chairman
of the Lions eye bank com
mittee, has received answers to
numerous questions which have
been asked by persons interest
ed in making pledges of eye tis
sue.
The eye bank is a state-wide,
non-profit organization whose
purpose is to obtain, preserve
and transport eyes and make
them available to eye surgeons
who wiU perform what medical
science has called “the miracul
ous corneal transplant opera
tion.”
The first question asked is:
How are eyes obtained?
They are obtained by pledges
made in writing, granting per
mission for the removal of eye
tissues after death of the donor.
How soon must eyes be re
moved?
Within one to four hours.
The transplant must be made
within 24 to 48 hours.
The age of the donor does not
affect the use of the tissue if
the eye is clear and healthy.
Eyes are not bought or sold
by the eye bank. There is no
charge for the bank’s services.
Over 6,000 Pledges
A review of the progress
made in eye transplants, prepar
ed by the state organization, ex
plains that:
The first corneal transplant
was performed about 25 years
Tax Listers For 1961 Are
Named, Listing Begins, 3rd
Appointment of tax listers for
1961 has been completed by
Lewis Osborne, tax supervisor.
With two exceptions, the listers
will be the same as those for
last .January.
They are:
Brevard — Miss Avarie Glaze
ner
Boyd—Mrs. Virginia Pittillo
Cathey’s Creek—Nath S. Gal
loway
Dunn’s Rock — Mrs. Betty
Compton
Eastatoe — Mrs. Lawrence
Whitmire
Gloucester — Allen McCall
Hogback — Herbert Fisher
Little River — Mrs. Merrimon
Shuford
Rosman (inside) — Stickler
Lusk
The listing will begin on Jan
uary 3rd and will continue
through February 3rd. From
February 4th onward there will
be a penalty for late listing.
Listing in the townships will
begin January 3rd and continue
through January 10th. After the
tenth the books will be in the of
fice of Mr. Osborne in the court
house. Early listing is urged to
avoid the risk of the penalty due
to delay or oversight.
The classifications on which
tax liability must be filed are:
1. Real estate and tangible
personal property owned on
January 1, 1001.
2. Poll tax on all males be
tween 21 and 50 on January 1.
3. Dogs more than 6 months
old on January 1.
4. Farm reports.
ago, and the first operation in
North Carolina was done in 1945
in Durham. The eye bank is lo
cated in Winston-Salem and a
“round the clock” telephone and
postal service is maintained
there. Air lines, Red Cross motor
corps, and the state highway pa
trol provide the speediest possi
ble services in getting the cor
neal tissue to beneficiaries.
Since 1951, when the North
Carolina eye bank was establish
ed, some 6,200 persons have
made eye pledges on the legal
forms provided for the purpose,
and in the same time, a report
shows, 328 eyes have passed
through the channels of the
bank for transplants or research.
In Brevard information about
pledging will be furnished by
the Lions committee, composed
of Mr. Daniels, Jack Hudson, and
Robert T. Gash.
Yule Shopping Season In Full Swing,
Trade Festival Dra wing On Thursday
Directors Of
Commerce Body
Hear Reports
Directors of the Brevard
chamber of commerce are mak
ing a final drive for new and
renewal members.
The deadline for printing the
ballots for 1961 has been set on
Dec. 17th, and President Charles
F. Himes makes a plea for all
persons who have not paid their
dues to do so before that time.
To date the commerce body
lias a membership of 195, as
compared with 196 at this time
last year.
Mr. Himes says there are at
least 29 prospective members to
be secured, and urged the di
rectors to call on them this week.
Many reports were heard at
the monthly meeting of the di
rectors Tuesday night in the li
brary.
Highlighting these was the
one of Raymond F. Bennett,
chairman of the board of trus
tees of the Transylvania com
munity hospital.
He summarized his report by
saying that the local hospital
has had the best year in its his
tory.
He lauded the staff, the doc
tors and especially the adminis
—Turn to Page Six
Soil District
Election Held
December 5th to the 10th was
soil conservation district elect
ion week in Transylvania.
The voters in the county have
chosen Glad W. Whitmire for
a three year term to begin Jan
uary 1, 1961.
The response from the eligible
voters in the county was quite
gratifying to the supervisors,
and they wish to express appre
ciation to all who participated.
Soil Conservation district su
pervisors occupy a position of
public office and public trust.
As a member of the local board,
Mr. Whitmire will assist in pro
gram planning, policy making
and the carrying out of a soil and
water conservation program for
Transylvania county and Tran
sylvania Soil Conservation dis
trict.
Members of the county and
district boards will meet regular
ly with agricultural agency rep
resentatives and others inter
—Turn to Page Twelve
Brevard Firemen Urge Citizens To
Use Extra Caution This Christmas
The holiday season is a
time of extreme fire hazard
and Charles L. Himes, public
relations officer of the alert
Brevard volunteer fire de
partment has a word of cau
tion to all.
Most homes will be putting
extra loads on electric cir
cuits, Mr. Himes observed,
and urged that tree lighting,
cooking, appliances and other
electric uses be managed wise
ly and with concern for the
maximum capacity for which
the installation is rated.
“A little time spent in fire
prevention is a sensible safe
IIMM£)
The Weather
The Weatherman “opened up”
on Transylvania and the rest of
the nation during the past week.
According to Bobby Hoyle, who
is in charge of the local weath
er station, “We had everything”.
Last week it was sunny and
mild; Sunday it rained, snowed
and sleeted, and the mercury
began to drop. Tuesday the low
was a windy, bone chilling 12,
and Wednesday morning it was
eight. Winter has arrived!
High Low
Wednesday
Thursday
I riday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
61
54
46
25
46
50
SO
28
28
19
13
29
29
12
Pre.
0
0
0
0
1.46
0
0
guard in our most joyous
season of the year,” Mr.
Himes said, and continued:
“All members of the vol
unteer fire department join
me in wishing all our neigh
bors in Brevard and Transyl
vania county a Merry and
Fire Safe Christmas.”
Rotarians To
Entertain
Rotary Annes
Brevard Rotarians will have
a combined Christmas party and
ladies’ night next Monday eve
ning.
The event, which will be held
in Gaither’s Rhododendron
room, will begin at 7:00 o’clock,
and President Jim Davis cor
dially invites the Rotary Annes
to attend with their husbands.
Kiwanis Club
Meets Thursday
The deserving and worthy
committee of the Brevard Ki
wanis club will have charge of
the progrant on Thursday night
According to Frank Bridges,
the president, the meeting will
be held in Gaither’s Rhododen
dron room, beginning at 8:46
o’clock.
AN UNUSUAL AND INTERESTING EVENT took
place at the Brevard Methodist church last Sun
day when Miss Frances Fung Kwok was received
into the membership of the church. A native of
Hong Kong, she is a sophomore student at Brevard
College and is majoring in sociology. In the photo
above, she is shown with the pastor, Rev. Courtney
Ross. (Times Staff Photo)
Various Events Slated
Plans Being Formulated
For Centennial Observance
k.
Mrs. Guilkey To
Continue As
Tax Collector
Mrs. Margaret Guilkey will
continue to fill the office of
county tax collector, pending
final appointment of a suc
cessor to the late Charles M.
Douglas.
This development comes
with a ruling by the office of
the state attorney general.
The ruling, made on re
quest of the board of coun
ty commissioners, was re
ceived yesterday from Glenn
L. Hooper, Jr., assistant at
torney general.
Notice of the official opin
ion was sent to John R. Hud
son, Jr., county attorney,
Mr. Hooper’s opinion states:
“General Statute 128-7 pro
vides ‘All officers shall con
tinue in their respective of
fices until their Isuccessors
are elected or appointed,
and duly qualified.’ In view
of this provision, it is my
opinion that Mrs. Guilkey may
continue to serve until her
successor is duly determined
and qualified.’ ”
His letter, in its entirety,
is carried on page 2 in this
week’s issue of The Times.
- . ->
Further plans for Transyjvan
ia county’s centennial in 1961
were made at a meeting of the
Historical C o m m i s s ion last
Thursday evening.
It was announced that the
first event in a series, which will
extend over several months, will
be an All-Church day Sunday,
January 8th. Pastors and Sun
day school superintendents have
been requested to observe the
history of their own institutions
on that occasion, as well as tak
ing notice of the county’s anni
versary.
The commission authorized
having markers made for the
churches in the county, which
have been in existence 100 years
or more. Formal ceremonies will
be held when the markers are
erected.
Contract for Pageant
The contract with the John B.
Rogers company, of Ohio, which
will produce the pageant next
summer, was approved. The ar
rangements are for costumes for
500 persons, lighting fixtures for
the outdoor production, and a
large outdoor stage which will
probably be set up on the high
school football field.
The pageant will present the
history of the county, with em
phasis on the principal events
beginning with the establish
ment of the county by the gen
eral assembly February 16,1861.
The membership enrollment
—Tara To Pago Six
Program Highlights
Ole Santa Reading Letters
On WPNF, Oratorio On Air
With Christmas just around
the corner, WPNF urges all boys
and girls in Transylvania to
write letters to Santa Claus and
to put them in special mail boxes
at Western Auto, Varner’s Drug
store and Bower’s.
Daily he is picking these let
ters up and reading them over
the local radio station at 4:16
o'clock.
These programs are heard
Monday through Saturday of
each week from now until
Christmas, Bobby Hoyle, station
manager, states.
Mr. Hoyle also announces that
tlie Brevard Civic chorus and the
Asheville Symphony orchestra
will be featured Sunday after
noon over WFNF, as they pre
sent Bach’s Christmas Oratorio.
The program, to be broadcast
from 3:30 until S p.m., was re
corded earlier for presentation
at this time.
OTHER PROGRAMS
The schedule for the Farm
and Home hour is as follows:
Thursday, Brevard Home Ec.
dept., Mrs. Glenn Burrell; Fri
day, N. C. Forestry, Clark Gris
som; Monday, county agent;
Tuesday Rosman VoAg dept., B.
E. Keisler; Wednesday, home
agent.
Appearing on the Civic Hour
are the following: Friday, Bre
vard Garden club; Monday, Book
Schoob To Close
Friday, Santa
Returns To Town
With only nine more shop
ping days remaining before
Christmas, Brevard merchants,
who have large stocks of mer
chandise, are anticipating
brisk business daring the per
iod.
The Fall Trade Festival of
the merchants committee of
the Brevard chamber of com
merce, will climax the 1900
event with its final drawing
on Thursday morning of thin
week by awarding pram
money totaling $375.
The awarding of the money
will begin at 10:00 o’clock in
front of Plummer's. Person*
do not have to he present to
win, but bonus money is gives
if the recipients are present
at the drawing.
, Acting as a stimulus to
Christmas business ibis week
and next wSD he the bonuses
paid to employees in moot
of the businesses and by some
of the industries.
Many of Brevard's stares
are remaining open in the
evenings for the convenience -
of Christmas shoppers.
Christmas Holidays.
Schools in Brevard and
Transylvania county wBl close
on Friday for the Christmas
holiday period, They will re
open on Monday, January 2nd.
Santa Clans returns to Bre
vard each Thursday, Friday
and Saturday afternoons, and
he win be in Ms specially con
structed house In front of thn j
library from &Dt until S:M (
p.m,, to greet all #f Ids little \
friends.
Next week The Transylvania.
Times win publish its annual
Christmas edition, and ft wtD‘
contain greetings from the ad
vertisers, as well as a wide
variety of special Christmas
messages and features.
BLT To Hold
Try-Outs
The Little Theatre’s next pro
duction will be “Double Door* M
by Elizabeth McPadden.
Try-outs for the cast will be **■
held the evening of December -
19 at 7:30 in the county cowl
house.
Twelve persons are needed
for this play mid the theater
management has issued an imi
tation to any one interested tm
the theater to report at the try
out meeting.
The play is to be presented
in February. It will he direct
ed by Bobroy Farquhar.
An announcement from the
Little Theatre says "this is n
suspense story from the rise od
the curtain with an attempt at
murder in a plot to thwart n .
love affair". ,
Junior Police
Cnllertinfir