THE MARION PROGRESS
A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF MARION AND McDOWELL COUNTY
ESTABLISHED 1896 MARION, N. C., THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 1944 VOL. XLVII—NO. 33
Report $2,784
Contributed To
Red Cross Fund
Every Citizen Is Urged To
Give Liberally In Order To
Reach McDowell's Goal.
McDowell County's Red Cross
War Fund drive opened in earnest
last Wednesday. The county's goal
this year has been set at $10,200,
which is a considerably larger figure
than any amount raised for Red
Cross in prior drives.
A report from Gene Cross, chair
man of the War Fund drive, states
that to date $2,748 has been receiv
ed. A large portion of this amount
is the result of house-to-house can
vass headed by Mrs. G. B. Justice,
chairman of the residential district.
The above quoted figure does not in
clude contributions from industrial
organizations, which will be forth
coming on or before March 15.
Red Cross officials want to em
phasize that the present drive for
funds is not merely a regular Red
Cross roll call but that it is a drive
for Red Cross war funds. There
fore, every citizen is urged to give as
liberally as he can afford. An extra
$25.00 or $50.00 contribution from
McDowell county might mean the
difference in the life or death of
some boy on a battlefield.
The various committees working
on the war fund drive have made,
and are continuing to make, contact
with every citizen in the county, but
in covering this large territory it is
possible that some individual may be
missed.
In order that every person might
be given an opportunity to contrib
ute, Red Cross booths are being
placed in business establishments on
Main street. These booths will be
open during the hours of 10:00 a. m.
to 1:00 p. m. in the mornings and
from 3:00 p. m. to 6:00 p. m. in the
afternoons from March 10 through
March 14. As you pass by a booth,
stop and make a contribution. If
you have already made a contribu
tion, try to make another one.
Through such contributions citizens
of McDowell county are saying to
the soldiers of this nation, and of
our Allies, that we are ready to go
with you hand in hand to any battle
front.
Mrs. John Poteat, chairman of the
Woman's Division of Civilian De
fense, is supplying workers for the
Red Cross booths during the morn
ings and members of the Junior Wo
man's Club have been asked to make
up the personnel in the afternoons.
The quota for McDowell county is
not yet in sight. It is necessary for
•every person within the boundaries
of McDowell county to give as liber
ally as possible. Do not forget to
make an extra contribution to one
of the Red Cross ladies at some time
during the period when the Red
Cross Booth is in operation.
PLEASANT GARDENS
DEFEATS MARION HI
IN DOUBLE HEADER
Pleasant Gardens High School
"basket ball teams defeated Marion
HSgh School in a double-header bas
ket ball contest in the local gym on
Wednesday evening. Both games
•were close and hard fought, Pleas
ant Gardens winning by a one point
margin in each game. The boys
score was P. G. 15, Marion 14; the
girls score was P. G. 18, Marion 17.
Stauffer of Pleasant Gardens and
Walker of Marion led the attack as
high scorers for their teams in the
boys game, while Hennessee of
Pleasant Gardens and Godfrey of
Marion did likewise for the girls.
Both teams were commended for
the high degree of sportsmanship
shown throughout the games.
PVT. CLAUDE B. BOST
AWARDED PURPLE HEART
Pvt. Claude B. Bost, now serving
with the U. S. Army in Italy, has
been awarded the purple heart, ac
cording to word received by his pa
rents, Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Bost of
Nebo.
He received his basic training at
Fort McClellan and was then sent to
Camp Rucker, Alabama. From
Camp Rucker he left for oversea
,<luty.
DRY GOODS STORES TO
JOIN IN HALF HOLIDAY;
MEET TONIGHT AT 7:45
Furniture and dry goods stores of
Marion will close their places of bus
iness each Wednesday afternoon, be
ginning April 5, and continuing
j through August, it is announced by
| the Marion Merchants association.
Auto supply and grocery stores
have been closing on Wednesday af
'ternoons for some time, and now
I that the furniture and dry goods
stores have joined them in the move
ment, the merchants are unanimous
; in this movement. This is consider
ed a patriotic move to give employ
ers and employees an early start
with their victory gardens. They are
reminded that the nation's goal for
victory gardens this year is 22,000,
000.
All merchants are reminded to at
tend the regular monthly meeting at
(the city hall Thursday night at 7:45
o'clock. Grocerymen are especially
urged to attend the meeting tonight
as a special speaker will be present
to talk on present day problems af
fecting the grocery business.
MARION HIGH BAND TO
GIVE CONCERT MARCH 10
The Marion High School Band will
appear in concert Friday evening at
8 o'clock in the school auditorium.
The following program will be pre
sented:
"Ama Mater"; "March of Youth,"
by Olivadoti; "Deep in My Heart"
by Rombert; "Spirit of Youth Over
ture" by Sordillo; "On the Alamo,"
arranged by Yoder; "Sanctuary of
the Heart," Ketelbey; "S. I. B. A.
March," Hall; "Ole South," Zamec
nik; "Starlight," arranged by Al
ford; "Orphens Overture," Fall;
| "Bomber Command," Taubman;
{"The Donkey Serenade," Friml
| Stothart, and "The Star Spangled
: Banner."
,
Mike McCall will play the saxo- I
phone solo "At Dawning," by Char
les Cadman. He will be accompani
ed at the piano by Daphne Goodman.
Mike is a very talented saxophonist
and the audience is sure to like his
solo.
At the conclusion of the regular
! program marches will be played for
'those who care to remain until the
I band's repertorie is exhausted.
Group Of 193
Sent To Camp
For Examination
I
I
Number Larger. Than Previous
j Quotas; 164 Fathers In
Group, 7 Volunteers.
j A group of 193 McDowell county
jmen left here last Friday morning
| for pre-induction examinations at
Camp Croft. In the group were 164
fathers and several well known busi
ness men.
(The vounteers, all fathers, includ
ed Hudson H. Brown, chief of police
of Marion; Herman W. Martin, Wil
|liam P. Elliott, Jr., Tice W. Hicks,
! Donald D. Duncan, Clifton Roper
and Jay V. Dixon.
Others comprising the group were
as follows:
Carroll M. Davis, Charles A. Kins
ley, James W. Moore, Edward Sher
lin, Calvin E. Vess, William J. Stanl
ey, Roy D. Grant, Jonas Frank Jack
1 son, Holder. C. Duncan, James E.
i Mason, Carl W. Houston, Horace C.
Effler, Benjamin R. Daves, Joseph F.
Laughridge, Richard C . Carter,
Luther Brown, Albert C. Kelly,
Thomas Y. Angell, Donald R. Har
vey,' Jones B. Rumfelt, Homer O.
i Roland, Edgar C. Nevins, Roscoe M.
Wise, Clyde W. Rayburn, Columbus
D. Brown.
Lewis E. Reynolds, Locke C.
Tate, Horace A. Poole, Carl F.
Hensley, Clyde T. Whitesides, Edgar
A. Allen, John R. Ellis, James T.
! Curtis, Floyd W. Strikeleather, Hol
land M. Shuford, Hillard F. Watson,
Jesse L. Reel, Harold L. Walker,
! Glenn F. Searcy, Richard G. Rob
erts, Woodrow Seagle, Marion Blev
j ins, Thomas W. Throneburg, Robert
| N. Ellis, Leroy EfFlei1, Pink Lewis,
Charles A. McKinney, James T. I
Brooks, Harry R. Mason, Edgar T.
Medford. I
(Continued on last page)
McDowell Goes
Far Over Quota j
In 4th War Loah\
I
i
Report Sales Of $521,519.00,
Exceeding Quota By $141,
519; E Bonds Over Quota.
McDowell County exceeded its
quota in the Fourth War Loan in a
big way, according to the final re
port received by J. F. Snipes and J.
N. Morris, co-chairmen, from the
Federal Reserve System.
Total bond sales for the county
during the Fourth War Loan was
$521,519.00 which exceeded the
quota of $380,000.00 by $141,519
or 137%.
Of special significance was the
fact that the large E bond quota was
substantially oversold. Sales of E
bonds during the campaign totaled
$252,187.50 which topped the quota
of $194,000 by $58,187.50 or 130%.
Thus McDowell county gained an
enviable position among the coun
ties in the nation, by substantially
exceeding the total quota and the E
bond quota, on which many counties
failed.
Messrs. Snipes and Morris have
received a letter of congratulations
from J. Gerald Cowan, regional
chairman, in which he stated he
wished to express his appreciation to
the people of McDowell county for
the fine record made during the
campaign. "This outstanding job,"
he stated, "was only accomplished
through intelligent planning and
persistant effort, and it should be a
great source of satisfaction to you
and your co-workers that the drive
in your county was so successful."
Co-chairmen Snipes and Morris
joined with the chairman in thank
ing the people of the county for the
outstanding record made possible by
their purchases and also expressed
grateful appreciation to the news
papers and to various firms con
tributing to the advertising cam
paign and to all who assisted in the
sale of bonds in Marion and through
out the county. y
BARTLETT IS AWARDED
MEDAL FOR HEROISM
IN SICILIAN CAMPAIGN
S|Sgt. Millard M. Bartlett, Route
3, Marion, has been awarded the
Soldier's Medal for heroism display
ed during the Sicilian canmaign.
Fire broke out in several cars of a
train loaded with gasoline and am
munition. Although off duty, Ser
geant Bartlett voluntarily joined a
crew of men and aided in uncoupling
16 cars of explosives from the burn
ing train.
The medal was presented person
ally by Brigadier General Carl R.
Gray, Jr., Director General of the
Military Railway Service, Transpor
tation Corps, in his office somewhere
in Italy.
Sergeant Bartlett is a son of Mr.
and Mrs. Arthur Bartlett of Han
kins. In civilian life Sergeant Bart
lett was a telegraph operator for the
Clinchfield Railroad. He is now
serving in the same capacity with an
operating battalion, of the MRS.
WOODY PROMOTED
James N. Woody of Route 4, Ma
rion, and the 373rd Field Artillery
100th Infantry Division, has been
promoted from private first class to
technician fifth grade, division head
quarters has announced.
Annual Meeting
Of Federation
Held Saturday
W. S. Burgin Reelected Direc
tor; Progress Made Told By
McClure And Roberts.
Farmers Federation stockholders
in the McDowell county area met at
the Federation warehouse last Sat
urday morning. It was the annual
meeting- at which committee mem
bers and directors are chosen.
W. S. Burgin was re-elected as a
director for McDowell county to
serve for a period of two years.
Tom Gowan, McDowell county di
rector, was named in 1943 for a
period of two years.
Committee members, all of whom
were re-elected, are as follows: W.
S. Haynes, J. A. Moody, Gurney
Franklin, W. J. Porter, W. Edgar
Morgan, J. M. Parker, C. E. Jarrett,
W. F. McCrary, Tom Gowan, J. H.
Greenlee, Mrs. J. H. Greenlee.
James G. K. McClure, president
of the Farmers Federation, presided
at the meeting. He told of the pro
gress of the Marion warehouse
through the years and in talking
about the large amount of business
done by the cooperative in 1943, he
explained that the more members
that patronize and support their co
operative the larger their savings
will be. He announced that a five;
percent patronage refund will be j
paid on 1943 purchases.
Max Roberts, Educational Direct-j
or, told off some of the projects i
now being developed by the Federa-!
tion. «These include the livestock |
and dairy herd improvement pro- j
grams and the poultry and egg pro
grams.
GRANGE APPOINTS
THREE COMMITTEES
Three committees were appointed
at the regular meeting of the Pleas
ant Gardens Grange Tuesday eve-'
ning, it was announced yesterday. I
Mrs. J. R. Jimeson was appointed j
chairman of the "Ritualism and Re-1
ligion" committee. Those serving
with her are J. R. Jimeson and M. j
B. Patton.
The following Youth Committee
was appointed: R. G. Roberts, j
chairman; Bill Burnett and Mrs. W.'
A. Young.
Those appointed on the Member-j
ship Committee are: Mrs. J. H. L. j
Miller, chairman; W. A. young and;
Miss Ruth Rabb.
After the business session a pro-!
gram on "Improvements for the
Home," was presented.
The social hour was directed by
Mrs. T. M. Burnett.
TO COLLECT WASTE
PAPER NEXT SATURDAY
Arrangements have been made
for the collection of waste paper
throughout the town next Saturday
morning, according to announce
ment made by a group of ladies in
charge of the drive. Housewives,
merchants and others are asked to
bundle securely any paper for which
they have no means of disposal and
place it in a convenient place where
it may by collected by trucks early
Saturday morning. Everybody is
urged to aid in this important war
activity. Paper is used extensively
in the war effort and today it is one
of the most critical of all ite«is.
PROCLAMATION
I hereby declare March 10, 1944, as JOIN- THE - WAC
DAY for the town of Marion and surrounding community.
I urge all women who are eligible to respond and meet
with the WAC Recruiting Officer who will be in Marion on
the above day. I have been asked by the Women's Army
Corps to make this proclamation due to the urgent need for j
women in the service. By your enlisting you will relieve
some soldier doing home duty for active service in foreign j
battlefields where they are so terribly needed.
Therefore, I urge you to answer the call of your country
just as the men have so gallantly done.
J. F. WILKINSON,
Mayor of Marion. j
RECRUITER TO BE HERE
FRIDAY FOR ENLISTING
WOMEN IN ARMY CROPS
Lt. Opal E. Brindle, assistant RC
TG officer at the Army station in
Asheville, accompanied by Sgt. Ma
rie MacFeely, visited Marion last
week making arrangements for Sgt.
MacFeely to attend a WAC booth
here, in order to facilitate enlisting
of the women of Marion in the wo
men's army corps. ,
The booth will be located at Belk
Broome Company's store and will be I
open on Friday, March 10, from 11
a. m. to 3:30 p. m.
Women are urgently needed in the
WAC particularly at this time, Lt.
Brindle stated, in view of the plans
being made for invasion and the
great need for men for jobs only i
men can do.
The Army of the United States \
has 239 kinds of jobs for women, it j
is stated. Qualified women enlisting \
in the women's Army corps at this
time may choose the job and station
of their initial assignment.
^To be eligible to join, a woman
must be between the ages of 20 and
49, inclusive; must be a citizen of
the United States, have no children
under 14, have good health, excel
lent character and two years of high
school or its equivalent.
If interested in enlisting, see the
recruiter at Belk's store Friday from
11 a. m. to 3:30 p. m.
TO PRESENT MUSICAL
COMEDY AT EAST MARION
Y. M. C. A. MARCH 18-19
Florence M. Moor, director for
"Victory Vanities," the home talent
play which is being sponsored by the ,
East Marion Y. M. C. A. boys, ar-'
rived here this week.
"Victory Vanities," the three act J
musical comedy, is made up entirely
of East Marion people. It will be
staged at the East Marion Grammar
school auditorium on Friday and
Saturday, March 17 and 18.
The "Victory Baby" contest, held
in conjunction with the play, prom
ises to be full of fun and excitement.
Containers will be placed in con- !
venient places where you may cast j
your votes for your favorite baby. j
Further announcement about the j
entertainment will be made next1
week. |
Republicans To
Meet Saturday
i
i
I
Convention Will Be Held In
i
Marion; Precinct Meetings
On Friday Afternoon.
j
I
The biennial Republican county
convention will be held in the court j
house in Marion next Saturday af
ternoon, March 11, at 2:30 o'clock,1
aicording to announcement made by j
W. H. Hawkins, acting county chair
man.
The convention will name dele- !
gates to the State, judicial and sen-1
atorial conventions, elect a county!
chairman and other officers, a coun
ty executive committee, and trans
act other business that may proper
ly come before the convention.
Chairman Hawkins announced,
that precincts throughout the county j
will hold their meetings on Friday
afternoon at 3 o'clock and elect del
egates and alternates to the county
convention.
RUTH GRADUATES AT
NAVAL TRAINING SCHOOL
The week's graduation exercises j
for aviation students at the Naval
Training School, Naval Air Training!
Center, Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois, ]
saw Bluejacket Francis Ruth of Ma-:
rion, recognized as eligible to quali- j
fy for the petty officer rate of avia-1
tion machinist's mate, third class. J
The graduate was sent to the i
specialty school on the basis of his j
recruit training test scores which in-1
dicated aeronautical ability.
PLEASANT GARDENS
PTA TO MEET THURSDAY!
The Pleasant Gardens Parent- j
Teacher Association will meet Thurs- j
day evening at 7:30 o'clock, it was i
announced yesterday.
The fifth grade will present a
playlet "Helping Uncle Sam."
Ration Values
Of Vegetables
Slashed By OP A
Canned Fruits, However, Get
Sharp Boosts; Other Chang*
es Made This Week.
The OPA has given victory gard
;ners and home canners a pat on the
3ack, saying they did a "magnificent
iob" last year and deserve "full
credit" for lower ration values which,
vent into effect Sunday and will con
;inue through April 1 for several im~
Dortant canned vegetables.
Meantime, however, the ration,
values of canned fruits get sharp
soosts.
More points will be required, too,
x>r tomato juice, and for the first
;ime since early December ration
stamps will be needed for buying
grapefruit juice. Also hiked are the
-ation values on orange juice and
blended citrus juices, grape juice,
;omato catsup and canned fresh lima
Deans.
Point reductions were ordered for
vegetables, in popular sized cans, as
follows:
Peas down from 10 to 3 points,
:omatoes from 10 t 5, corn 10 to 8,
isparagus 15 to 10, and fresh shell
3d beans 8 to point-free rating.
A zero rating is also assigned for
iried prunes, raisins, currants and
mixed dried fruits, while present
ralues continue for frozen foods,
preserves and jellies, dry beans,
baby foods and soups.
Declaring consumption of canned
fruits is about 18 per cent ahead of
schedule, OPA designated these
higher values for popular sized cans:
Peaces and pears up 13 points to
43, pineapple and fruit cocktail up
7 to 43, apples up 6 to 18, apple
sauce up 5 to 25, cherries, except
Maraschino, up 9 to 36, and figs up
9 to 30. !
Tomato catsup goes up 5 points to*
a new value of 23 points, while to
mato juice is hiked 3 points to a new
total of 6 for No. 2 cans.
Grapefruit juice, previously point
free to move out the old pack, is
assigned a one-point value to "as
sure better distribution" of the new
pack coming to market. Orange
juice and blended citrus juices, re
quisitioned by the armed forces last
year but now reappearing on store
shelves, are given a 2-point value for
No. 2 cans, up from a zero rating
Grape juice goes from 4 to 6 points
for a pint.
PLEASANT GARDENS
IS REPRESENTED AT
DRAMATIC FESTIVAL.
The play, "A Job Well Done,"
written by Mrs. Nelle Young of
Pleasant Gardens High School, and
entered in the Western Carolina,
Dramatic Festival at Lee Edwards
High School was well received by an
appreciative audience and was high-'
ly praised by critic judges.
The comedy-drama centers aroundf
a war time theme. It pictures con—
ditions in a modern home, emphasiz
ing the need to become adjusted to
new conditions imposed by demand*
for work and sacrifice made upon
families by general circumstances
of war.
Mrs. Young's offering was one of
two county high school plays ac
cepted in the state-wide dramatics
contest. The play will be presented
at Chapel Hill in April in the origi
nal play contest sponsored by the
University of North Carolina.
After the production of the play
at Chapel Hill the author plans to
expand the material into a three
act play using the same plot, setting,
and characterization.
TWO KNUPP SONS NOW
SERVE WITH THE COLORS
Mr. and Mrs. I. L. Knupp, of the
Mt. Hebron section near Old Fort,
have two sons serving with the col
ors. i
Sgt. Everette Knupp entered the
army in March, 1942, and was sent
to California for desert training. He
is now stationed at Fort Benning,
Ga.
Cpl. John W. Knupp won his
wings at gunners' school, Las Vegas,
Nev., two weeks ago and is now at
Tampa, Fla., for further training.