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 23, 1944 VOL. XLVIII—NO. 35
McDowell Goes
Over the Top In
Red Cross Drive
Donations Already Reported
Amount To $11,000, Ex
ceeding Quota By $800.
In the same splendid way in which
McDowell county usually responds
to all home front activities, she has
gone over the top in the Red Cross
"War Fund drive. Eugene Cross,
chairman of the drive now being
conducted, announced yesterday
that we had exceeded our quota by
almost a thousand dollars. To date
$11,000.62 has been received by the
Red Cross. The quota set for Mc
Dowell county was $10,200.00.
In discussing the drive Mr. Cross
said that the people of this section,
as individuals, business firms and
manufacturing units, had responded
in a most excellent way. The spirit
of backing up our men in action was
manifested at all times, and the con
tributions in practically all cases
were liberal, as the donors realized
the importance of the work which
they were assisting.
In concluding his remarks, Mr.
Cross said that there were several
contributions yet to be listed. The
sum of 811,000.62 is the amount of
money in hand as a result of the
drive.
The entire official staff of the local
chapter of the American Red Cross
extends deep appreciation to all who
made the War Fund drive a success.
N. F. STEPPE SPEAKER
AT KIWANIS MEETING
Kiwanian N. F. Steppe, was the
principal speaker at the regular
Tuesday evening meeting of the Ki- i
wanis Club. The subject of Prof, j
Steppe's speech was Vocational
Guidance and its proper application
to the individual. He pointed out
that in order to make a success in
any vocation it was necessary for
one to have special training in some
particular field especially in the line
of work for which he was best
equipped either naturally or by
special training. He also revealed
that many failures could be prevent
ed if through vocational training a
man could find out the type of work
for which he was best fitted.
A short business session of the di
rectors followed the meeting.
Dr. B. H. Harrison, Kiwanian
from Kinstree, S. C., has transferr
ed his membership to the Marion Ki
wanis Club. He was officially intro
duced to the club by Barron Cald
well.
HONOR STUDENTS IN
THE ARMED FORCES
A program was presented at the
Monday morning assembly period at
Pleasant Gardens School to honor
former members of the student body
who have joined the armed forces in
the service of their country. A pa
triotic play "The Spirit of '44" was
presented by members of the eighth
grade. The remainder of the pro
gram consisted of other patriotic
numbers by members of the Service
Club.
The school's service flag now has
240 stars representing former stu
dents who are now in all parts of
the world.
EASTER SEAL SALE TO
BE SPONSORED HERE
■The McDowell County Society for
Crippled Children has announced
that the annual sale of Easter seals
to finance the program for crippled
children will be sponsored here this
year. Coin containers are being
placed in public places and seals are
available at Workman's Store and
the Welfare office in the court
v house.
SINGING CONVENTION
A singing convention will be held
Saturday night, March 25, at 8
o'clock at the Yancey Street Bap
tist Church, located in Stump Town
near the Clinchfield Baptist church.
All quartets, choirs, individual
singers and the public are invited to
attend. Those who wish to present
musical selections are asked to see
D. W. Messer.
PLEASANT GARDENS
TO BE REPRESENTED
IN STATE PLAY CONTEST
The play "A Job Well Done,"
written by Mrs. W. A. Young of
Pleasant Gardens, will be presented
at Chapel Hill this week in the state
wide dramatics contest for original
plays sponsored by the University of
North Carolina.
Students of Pleasant Gardens
school who will take part in the play
left this morning with Mrs. Young
for Chapel Hill. They are Sybil
Melton, Sue Moffit, Laura Crawford,
Roby G. Conley, Pete Gibbs and
Clifford Johnson. They are accom
panied by Bill Burnett and Robert
Burnett who will serve as property
managers.
LIFE OF SGT. EDWARDS
SAVED BY MESS GEAR
Sgt. Joseph M. (Buddy) Edwards,|
Marine Corps infantryman and for- j
mer resident of Marion, narrowly
escaped death recently when his life
was saved by his mess gear, accord-1
|ing to a report released from Cape j
i Gloucester, New Britain.
The report stated that a Jap snip- j
er, already credited with killing j
eight Marines, selected Edwards as
j his ninth victim. The bullet, fired
from the rear and above Edwards,
j penetrated the Marine's pack, toilet
(kit and steel mirror, but was stopped
I by his mess gear, nearest to Ed
| wards' back.
j Sgt. Edwards is the son of Mrs.
jE. R. Wells, of Gaffney, S. C. and a
! grandson of Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Ba
ber of Marion. He made his home
| here for several years.
R. E. Rrice Guest
Speaker At Baptist
Church Next Sunday
I
R. E. Price, editor of the Ruther
ford County News, will speak on
"Temperance" at the First Baptist
Church here next Sunday morning!
at 11 o'clock. Mr. Price is modera-J
tor of the Green River Baptist As-j
sociation, a member of the Baptist |
Executive board and represented I
Rutherford County in the 1943 ses
sion of the legislature. He is an in-;
teresting speaker and his message
will be of interest to the people of j
this community. Mr. Price is well
known in this county.
HOME CLUB MEETINGS
ANNOUNCED FOR WEEK
j The schedule for McDowell coun
ity home demonstration club meet
j ings for the coming week has been
| announced by Miss Jean Steele,
j county home agent, as follows:
■ Thursday, March 23, at Glenwood
j school building, at 2 o'clock,
i Thursday evening, community
building at Pleasant Gardens at
7:30.
j Friday, Jackson Creek club, with
Mrs. Noah Vess, at 2 o'clock.
Monday, Sugar Hill, with Mrs.
Laura Bright, at 2 o'clock.
Tuesday, Chapel Hill, at club
house at 2 o'clock. This will be an
all-day meeting with the morning
I hours devoted to quilting.
Wednesday, North Cove, school
house, at 2:30.
The subject for this month is
"Dishes prepared with little meat or
meat substitutes."
ALL GRANGE MEMBERS
ON RED CROSS ROLL
Members of the Pleasant Gardens
Grange have enrolled 100% in mem
bership in the Red Cross, according
to announcement made at the regu
lar meeting Tuesday evening,
j Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Burgin were
welcomed into the membership of
the Grange and Mrs. W. K. Gill was
reinstated.
A most interesting and instructive
program on "Gardening" was pre
sented and afterwards Mrs. T. M.
Burnett lead the group in a recrea
tion period.
MAY SECURE DRIVERS
LICENSE ON TUESDAYS
Announcement is made that A. C.
Kensley, of the highway safety di
| vision, will be at the sheriff's office
jin Marion every Tuesday from 9 a.
m. till 4:30 p. m. to issue drivers
{license.
Farm Clubs To \
Step Up 1944 |
Food Suppliesi
McDowell County Home Dem- j
onstration And 4-H Clubs
Stress Production.
Members of the McDowell county
home demonstration clubs and 4-H
girls are preparing for another big
year with emphasis being placed on
food production and conservation, it i
is announced by Miss Jean Steele,
county home agent.
During the month of February
garden leaders gave demonstrations
to 10 clubs without the agents' help.
The women showed how to prepare
the soil, and how to plant seed box
es. The setting out and thinning of
strawberry plants, and the pruning \
of grape vines was also demonstrat- j
ed by the group.
During the past month 11 neigh-1
borhood leaders' schools were held j
in the county, and during the winter j
some of the clubs have held all-day
meetings to do work in home fur
nishing, sewing and other things.
These meetings were held in addi
tion to the regular lesson.
The county agent gave 135 can
ning demonstrations during the past
year, and many demonstrations in
food conservation were given by vis
iting home economics trained wo
men.
In addition to the regular work of
the clubs, members of both clubs
and 4-H girls made a present to
Moore General hospital of puzzles,
ash trays, walking sticks, afghans,
and rustic lawn furniture. The
North Cove 4-H girls are subscribing
to the Readers Digest in Braille for
blind soldiers, and Mr. and Mrs. W.
C. Burgin gave the hospital a radio.
Clubs have donated $10 to the in
fantile paralysis fund and the war
work chairman of the clubs sold a
total of $23.75 in Christmas seals. j
FOUR GRINDSTAFFF BROS.
SERVE IN ARMED FORCES
j
Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Grindstaff of
Old Fort have four sons in the ser
vice.
Alvin grindstaff, seaman first class;
entered the navy Oct. 11, 1942, and
is now somewhere at sea. Cpl. Paul
Grindstaff entered the army Jan. 26,
1943, and is with the medical coi-ps. j
Cpl. Homer Grindstaff entered the
army May 23, 1943, and is now sta
tioned at Camp Blanding, Fla. Sea
man Second Class George F. Grind
staff entered the navy Dec. 26, 1943,
and is now stationed at Newport, R.
I.
SERMON TOPICS GIVEN
FOR LUTHERAN CHURCH
"God's Rule Amid the Fortunes of
War" will be the sermon topic at St.
Matthew's Lutheran Church next
Sunday morning at 11 o'clock. Sun
day School and Bible Class will be
conducted at 10 a. m. Pins will be
given for attendance during the past
year.
A Lenten meditation will be held
at 7:30 p. m. The pastor will speak
on the subject: A Word of Request
for Water." A small 9x6 reproduc
tion of FTofmann's familiar painting
"Christ in Gethsemane" will be giv
en to all who attend.
The Walther League will meet
Friday night in the hut for a social
gathering.
GIBSON PROMOTED
Ensign Carl W. Gibson, son of
Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Gibson, has been
promoted to Lieutenant (j. g.) Fly
ing instructor at Pensacola, Fla.
McDowell Men
Are Assigned
Draft Status
Over One Hundred Registrants
Placed In Class 1-A By
Local Service Board.
A number of McDowell County
men have been placed in class 1-A
for military service, according to a
re-classification list announced by
the local draft board. The list plac
ed in 1-A follows:
Nelson Willis, Jr., Porter 0. Mace,
Robert E. Buff, Carl Tilley, Forest
L. Bost, Edwin C. Cranford, Earl J.
Smith, Robert J. Gibson, Gus West,
James A. Cuthbertson, Roy E. Alli
son, Venson C. Walker, Charles A.
McCormick, James R. Odear, How
ard N. Wise, Andrew R. Finley, Nor
man A. Rickett, Albert L. Finley,
David E. Warren, James H. Young,
Jr., Clifford E. Haynes, Wilburn
Stevens, Orville C. Allen.
Howard B. Williams, Charles A.
Beard, Nesbitt A. Asbury, Paul G.
Ray, Woodrow W. Harris, Raymond
R. Pyatt, Ransom Simmons, James
A. Killough, Howard H. Lavender,
William R. Gregg, James W. Gibbs,
Marvin W. Owenby, Isaac N. Logan,
James A. Kirby, Theodore F. Turn
er, George L. Smith, Ray A. Rhom,
Arnold L. Ward, Ransom Robertson,
Lawson Buchanan, Calvin W. Stev
ens, Clarence P. Dixon, Ezra Hamil
ton and Ernest L. Tate.
Kenneth E. Rhinehardt, Clarence
S. Burgin, William L. Stockton,
Robert Bvrd, Jr., Bis Lewis, Harry
Swofford, Theron F. McCauley, Wil
liam R. Thomas, Lawrence R. Park
er, John W. Loftis, Dennie L. Mor
gan, Clarence A. Queen, Marvin A.
Hollifield, Will A. Evans, Anderson
U. Myers, Romine L. Brown, Arnold
J. McCall. Everette G- Johnson,
Walter H. Padgett, George W.
Smith, Leo F. Poteat, Scott W. Har
rison, Thad W. Stewart, Walter L.
Bledsoe, John R. Morrow, Lloyd
Hollifield, Vernon F. Ellis, Richard
Hensley, Walter W. Gibson, Elmer
L. Gibson, Roy M. Camp, Eiby H.
Morris, Clarence D. Freeman.
Richard A. Shaw, Adie A. Wise
man, Jr., Jackson G. Houck, Richard
P. Noblitt, Harley Willis, Jr., Ralph
D. Patton, Harold M. Cordell, Chai*
lie H. Thomas, Terence M. Poteat,
George P. Mace, Macon 0. Lewis,
Pryor E. Williams, Theo. J. Holli
field, Everett L. Plemmons, Ralph A.
Rutherford, Jack Elliotte, John E.
Baker, Jeff A. Ollis, Gordon M.
Thornton, William E. Hyatt, Law
rence L. Rumfelt, James C. Rabb,
Robert W. Hervey, Dallas C. Dun
can, Glenn D. Pyatt, James E.
Jones, Frank J. King, Willard John
son, Curtis K. Poteat and Vernon T.
Eckerd.
SERMON TOPICS GIVEN
FOR FIRST METHODIST
The sermon topics at the First
Methodist church for next Sunday
have been announced fay the pastor,
Dr. D. E. Camak, as follows: At II
a. m., "Helping Jesus"; 7:30 p. m.,
"The Rock of Refuge."
The Methodist Youth Fellowship
meeting will be held Sunday evening
at 6:30.
SERVICES AT ST. JOHN'S
Billy Bolton, ministerial student
of Lenoir Rhyne College, will con
duct the services at St. John's Epis
copal Church next Sunday morning
at 11 o'clock.
There will be a celebration of the
Holy Communion Thursday morn
ing at 10:30 conducted by Rev. Al
bert P. Mack, of Rutherfordton.
Brief Wartime Rationing Guide
PROCESSED FOODS—Green K.
L and M (Book 4) expire March 20.
Blue A-8 through E-8 (Book 4) be
come valid Feb. 27 at 10 points each,
for use with tokens; expire May 20.
MEATS AND FATS—Brown Y
and Z (Book 3) expire March 20.
Red A8, B8, C8 (Book 4) now valid
at 10 points each, for use with to
kens; expire May 20. Red D8, E8,
F8 become valid March 12; expire
May 20.
SUGAR—Sugar stamp No. 30
good for five pounds indefinitely.
CANNING SUGAR—Sugar stamp
No. 40 good for five pounds of can
ning sugar until February 28, 1945.
SHOES—No. 18 (Book 1) expires
April 1. Plane stamp No. 1
(Book 3) now valid.
FUEL OIL—Period 4 and 5 cou
pons (10 gals) expire September 30.
GASOLINE — A-9 coupons- now
valid. Expire May 8.
M'DOWELL BOY SCOUTS
ADVANCED AT HONOR
COURT FRIDAY NIGHT
The March Boy Scout court of
honor for McDowell county was held
at the First Methodist church here
last Friday night.
The meeting was opened by sing
ing America, followed by the invo
cation by Dr. D. E. Camak, and re
peating the Scout oath led by R. M.
Schiele, Scout executive.
Advancements in rank were made
as follows:
Tenderfoot: Joe Jenkins, Earl
Bright and James Duncan, troop 4,
Marion; Richard Collins, troop 6,
Marion; Lawrence Berryhill, Albert
Brooks, Phillip Davis, Clarence
Seagle and Dean Taylor, troop 3,
Marion; Billie Durham, troop 1,
Ashford.
Second class rank: Max Cordell,
Charles Inscor and Billie Walker,
troop 3, Marion.
First class rank: Carl Rayburn,
troop 4, Marion.
Tenderfoot Air Scout candidates:
Hunter Ballew and Jack Corpening,
troop 1, Nebo.
Merit badges were awarded as
follows:
Animal Industry: Jimmy Ray,
troop 6, Marion.
Cooking and Firemanship; Rod
ger Patterson, troop 4, Marion.
Forestry: John Beaman, troop 6,
Marion.
First Aid: Eugene Toney, troop
1, Nebo.
Home Repair: Arthur Price,
| Jack Sherrill and Winfred Sherrill,
jtroop 2, Marion; Vance Wilson,
; troop 1, Nebo; Claud Townsend, j
I troop 1, Ashford; Jack Murray,!
j troop 4, Marion; Pat England, troop;
| 6, Marion. j
j Pathfinding and Personal Health: j
I Henry S. Brown, troop 1, Ashford. j
j Public Health: Franklin Pace, |
j Ralph Gouge and Jackie Lonon, j
: troop 3, Marion.
j Star Rank: Roy Davis, Jr., troop |
i 6, Marion; Jack Corpening, troop 1,1
. Nebo.
; Bronze Eagle Ualm: John Bea
! man, troop 6, Marion.
A
I j
Postage Rates To Be
Increased Effective
Sunday, March 26
- i
j
j # !
First class mail for local delivery,
will cost three cents postage begin
ning March 26, Postmaster Barron
[ Caldwell stated yesterday. Post and
j postal cards are unaffected.
The cent increase is one of sev
ieral affecting postage rates, and fees
for money orders, registered, in
sured and C. O. D. mail, the post-;
i master pointed out.
' Air mail. stamps, which formerly
jcost six cents, have jumped to eight,
, for mailing from one postoffice to !
Ianother on the U. S. mainland, in-:
i i
j eluding Alaska.
I However, the rate of six cents for !
! each half ounce or fraction thereof,;
j established in October, 1942, will be,
I the same for air mail sent to or by J
the armed forces overseas, served j
through army and navy postoffices. j
Mailing charges on parcel post
have increased three per cent, ex
cept for books and catalogues for
which there is a separate rate sched
uler The cost of mailing a book
weighing a pound or under is now
four cents, each additional pound j
adding thre cents to the charge. Li- j
brary books may also be mailed for j
four cents for the first pound, the j
increase per po'-nd thereafter being]
| a cent.
Slight revisions upward have been I
made in the cost of money orders, ;
registered and insured mail, and on j
C. 0. D.'s. Surcharges have also
been added.
!
I !
iHOUSE DESTROYED BY
FIRE AT EAST MARION
J Fire of unknown origin complete-!
i ly destroyed the two-story frame ;
i dwelling house owned by W. C. Mc- j
! Call and occupied by Beeler Boone1
at East Marion last Friday after- j
noon. The fire was discovered about |
2 o'clock, and had already made con-1
siderable headway before the alarm I
jwas given.
NEW RESIDENCE
! Thos. E. Hall is erecting a five
jroom residence on North Garden
street.
Gowan, Davis,
Parker On New
Election Board
M'Do well County Group Nam
ed By Officials At Raleigh
Last Saturday.
T. W. Gowan, of Pleasant Gar
dens, and Roy W. Davis, Marion at
torney, Democrats, and E. W. Park
jr, of Marion, will constitute the
new McDowell County Board of
Elections. They were appointed
Saturday by the State Board of
Elections in Raleigh.
Mr. Gowan, the present chairman,
has been a member of the county
board for several years. Mr. Parker
succeeds W. H. Hawkins, Republi
can member of the board for the
past two years, and Mr. Davis suc
ceeds the late G. W. Kirkpatrick.
The board will meet in the near
future to organize.
Since the registration books will
open next month, the new election
board, which is responsible for the
conduct of elections in the county,
is expected to appoint the registrars
and judges—one registrar and two
judges, one of the latter a Republi
can, for each precinct—in the near
future.
The State Board of elections also
fixed dates and meeting places for
county board chairmen to meet with
members of the State board to dis
cuss the handling of absentee bal
lots of servicemen. One of these six
regional meetings will be held in
Asheville on April 3.
The board also offered two amend
ments to the regulations /governing
the soldier absentee ballot bill, de
signed to simplify the mailing and
handling of ballots used by service
personnel.
The amendments to the absented
regulations provide that a separate
register be set up for absentee vot
ers (servicemen only) and also pro
vides that a second record book be
kept of those members of the armed
forces whose names have been sub
mitted for registration but who are
not qualified for various reasons.
Another amendment provides that
county elections board chairmen
mail ballots to service personnel
within the continental United States
as soon as possible after an applica
tion is in hand.
The registration books open at
the polling places April 29. They
will be open for three Saturdays,
and the third Saturday after April'
29 will be challenge day.
The first primary will be held on
May 27, and the second will come on
June 24.
JACK REYNOLDS SPENDS
LEAVE AT HIS HOME HERE
Second Class Petty Officer Jack
Reynolds, who is serving in the .
army transport branch of the Mer
chant Marines, arrived last week
from the South Pacific to spend a
leave of about two weeks at his
home here.
Reynolds has been in service-'
about six months. He received his
training at St. Petersburg, Fla., but
was able to complete this training
sooner than the required length of
time because of his previous ex
perience in radio work.
Reynolds explained that the work
of the army transport men is to
transport troops to battle areas and
bring wounded men back to the
states.
NEW RECRUITS
New recruits at the U. S. Naval
Training Station, Great Lakes Illi
nois, include two Marion men. They
are Charles Grayson Nichols, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Vernon Nichols,
and Charles Hagen Childers, hus
band of Mrs. Mary Martha Childers,
Ashworth avenue.
They are now receiving instruc
tion in seamanship, military drill,
and naval procedure. Soon they will
be given a series of aptitude tests
for determining whether they will be
assigned to one of the Navy's ser
vice school, or to immedate active
duty at sea.
Each time Uncle Sam pays out a
dollar for food for the Allies, almost
17 cents goes for dehydrated foods.