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, MAY 18, 1944 VOL. XLVIII—NO. 43
Marion High School Finals Begin
Friday Evening With Gass Play;
Graduating Exercises Monday Night
Sermon Sunday By Dr. Bray;
Clyde Erwin To Deliver
Literary Address.
Commencement finals at the Ma
rion high school will get under way
next Friday evening at 8 o'clock
when the class night program will
be given. "The March of Freedom"
will be presented by the senior class.
The principal characters in the
play are Jean Sentell, a senior; Ro
toy Conley, Jr., Uncle Sam; Sue
Martin, narrater; E. M. Britt, im
personater; Edward Poole, Ameri
can laborer; Howard Toney, Ameri
can financier; Bill Ledbetter, ma
rine; Claude Jarrett, sailor; Monty
Haire, air cadet; Harry Miller, sol
dier; Vivian Morgan, Statute of
Liberty; Royce McNeil, American
Legionnaire; Helen Kanipe, "Old
Glory"; Zelma Burleson and Alta
Godfrey. Red Cross nurses.
The program will include selec
tions by a quartet composed of Zane
Walker, Homer Walker, J. B. Walk
er and Jack Walker, and a saxa
phone solo by Mike McCall, accom
panied by Daphne Goodman, pianist.
The baccalaureate sermon will be
delivered by Dr. B. F. Bray, pastor
of the First Baptist church, next
Sunday evening at 8 o'clock in the
high school auditorium.
The graduating exercises will be
held on Monday evening, May 22,
when Clyde A. Erwin, State super
intendent of public instruction, will j
/ deliver the literary address. The
speaker will be introduced by Hugh i
Beam, superintendent. Following!
the address, presentation of awards I
will be made by D. E. Poole, princi
dress will be given by Michael Mc
Call while the valedictorian speaker
will be Miss Elaine Penninger.
The program for the evening will
include a selection by a clarinet
quartet composed of Mary C. Se-1
hastian, Lawrence Atkins, Bobby
White and Wilma Fowler; a piano
solo by Miss Daphne Goodman, and
processional and recessional by Jun
iior-Sophomore members of band.
The mascots are Russell Elliott
and Betty Lee Conley.
Marshals, chosen on basis of
-scholarship, are Buddy Bost. chief;
.Addie Lee Gaddy, Kenneth Welborn,
"Frances England, Lynn Crawley,
Polly Hawkins, and Joanne Fields.
AV. F. BROWN SERVING WITH
9TH AIR FORCE IN ENGLAND
Private First . Class William F.
Brown, whose mother Mrs. Nora J.
Brown resides in Nebo, is now serv
ing with the Ninth Air Force Troop
Carrier Command in England, ac
cording to a recent announcement.
Commanded by Brigadier General
Paul L. Wiliams, the IX Troop Car
Tier Command flies the C-47 Sky
train, which without fighting arma
ment or protective armor is design
ed to move airborne infantry and
paratroops to behind - the - line
positions within enemy territory.
FREE CHILD CLINIC
TO BE HELD MAY 22
All Marion mothers who have
children entering school next year
for the first time are urged to bring
them to the Free School Clinic which
will be conducted at the Marion
Elementary School building Monday,
May 22, from 2 to 3 o'clock. The
clinic will be held in the interest of
the children's health and mothers
will be advised after examination of
the children.
REVIVAL SERVICES TO
BE HELD AT WEST MARION
Revival services at the West Mar
ion Pentecostal Holiness church will
hegin Sunday, May 21, at 11 a. m.
and continue through June 4, Rev,
F. J. Burroughs, pastor, announced
this week.
Rev. and Mrs. H. J. Marley, of
Hendersonville, will b e visiting
speakers. Special singing will be
si feature of fthe services.
The public is cordially invited
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER —
Clyde A. Erwin, State Superintend
ent of Public Instruction, will de
liver the literary address at the
Marion high school next Monday
evening.
MERCHANTS TO JOIN
IN PRAYER SERVICE
BEGINNING MAY 18
At a special meeting of the Mer
chants Association Tuesday after
noon the members of the association
went on record as favoring the May
or's proposal that beginning Thurs
day, May lf8, at 12 o'clock, when
the whistles and sirens blow all em-;
plovers and employees are to cease
work for one minute of silent pray- j
er.
The merchants also went on rec- j
ord as favoring closing their stores
two hours for a united prayer ser- j
viwuQBL the "day., the invasion is an-j
nounced.
At the regular meeting of the as- j
sociation last Thursday night OPA!
rules and regulations were discussed i
and price ceilings given attention. '
Plans were also made to set up a i
committee whose task will be to j
place returning war veterans to
work at jobs for which they are best
fitted. I
LT. HARTLEY AWARDED
DISTINGUISHED CROSS
FOR EXTRA ACHIEVEMENT
\
First Lieutenant Louis E. Hart
ley, 28, of Nebo, bombardier on an
-Eighth AAF Flying Fortress, has
been awarded the Distinguished
Flying Cross for "extraordinary
achievement" while participating in
more than a score of heavy bombing
assaults on vital Nazi targets in
Germany and the Occupied Coun
tries of Europe. He already held
the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf
Clusters. »
Lt. Hartley is a veteran of some
of the most important bombing at
tacks carried out in recent months
by Eighth Air Force Fortresses
against military and industrial, tar
gets on the Continent. Outstanding
among his many combat missions
were attacks on shipping and naval
facilities at Kiel, and targets in
the key war-making centers of Pos
en„ Emden, Bferlin and Rostock.
The AAF bombardier graduated
in 1939 from the Appalachian State
Teachers College at Boone, N. C.,
and is the son of Mr. and Mrs.
Charlie R. Hartley of Vilas, N. C.
Before entering service April 1,
1942, at Asheville, he was an assist
ant instructor in English. He won
his wings and commission at the
Midland, Tex., bombardiering school
The lieutenant's wife, Mrs. Mar
7 l
garet W. Hartley, is now residing at
15 New street, Marion. i
SCOUTS TO HOLD COURT |
OF HONOR HERE FRIDAY
The Boy Scouts of McDowell
county will hold a court of honor at
the First Methodist church Friday
evening at 7:30 o'clock. Following
the court of honor R. M. Schiele,
Scout executive, will show a moving
picture of Scout life at Camp Pied
mont. Relatives and friends of
Scouts and Scouters are invited to
attend.
Buy U. S. War Bonds.
LARGE GROUP FROM
Mcdowell accepted
FOR ARMED FORCES
One hundred and forty selective
service registrants were sent by the
local draft board to Camp Croft, S.
C. May 9 for preinduction physical
examinations and the following were
accepted for service:
For Army: Charles Whisenant,
Cat-roll R. Hall, Gentry M. Miller,
Frank R. Bost, Spurgeon Parker,
Roby J. Sutton, Raymond D. Work
man, Robert H. E. Ballew, Delmar
T. Hollifield, Franklin W. Randolph,
Garther F. Rhom, Claude A. Mur
phy, Andrew W. Rvmer, Paul Bry
ant, Willis M. Early, William L.
Snypes, Harlin Moody, Louis Evans,
Everette G. Johnson, Walter H. Pad
gett, John R. Morrow, Jonas C. Mc
Craw, Earl A. Glenn, Elva J. Per
kins, Selden C. Roberts, Jr., Hubert
G. Henslev, Roy L. Lamb, Clarence
M. Sheffield, Paul J. Reel, Conrad
Baker, Ray V. Greene, Ross Lewis,
Charles E. Young, Joseph Williams,
Horace W. Gouge, Thomas F. Holli
field, Roten J. Fowler, Hilliard
Ward, Horace R. Rector, Clyde W.
Vickers, Walter E. Ollis, Martin H.
Mull, William L. Effler, John C. Gil
key, Daniel A. Lamb, Paul C. Pitt
man, Carl E. Roland, Hershel S.
Robertson, Ted R. Souther, Bis R.
Lewis, Paul G. Ray, Ransom H.
Mann, Ernest Fox, Thomas W. Go
forth, Jr., Jake Y. Biggerstaff, Don
ald J. Barlowe, Jimmy G. Vess, Ce
cil F. Moody, George T. Mathis, Fred
L. Hoppes, Therman J. Staton, Ho
mer A. Conner, Gavlon H. Isaacs,
Paul W. Simpson, Herman R. Rob-!
inson, Cecil E. Mask, Howard G. j
Woody, Paul L. Davis, William S. j
Davis, Clyde A. Laughridge and i
Arria W. Bartlett.
Those accepted for service in the !
Navy were:
James C. Rabb, Eugene D. Hitch-!
cock, Glenn G. Early, James W. j
Moore, Woodrow W. Byrd, Robertj
N. Jenkins, Ervin Washington Mar-1
tin, Roy P. Rabb, James H. Holli- j
field and Kenneth W. Rabb. !
MEMORIAL SERVICE AT
MONTFORDS COVE SUNDAY I
The annual memorial service will ■
be held at Montfords Cove Baptist'
church next Sunday, beginning at j
10:45. Judge J. Will Pless of Ma-,
rion will be the principal speaker.
Devotional exercises will be con- i
ducted at 11 o'clock by the pastor,]
Rev. Wade Ruff, followed by the i
welcome address by G. H. Hemphill.!
From 11:30 to 12:00 short talks will
be made by visitors, followed by the
memorial address by Judge Pless at
12 o'clock. Lunch will be served at
1 o'clock. All are expected to bring j
well filled baskets.
The afternoon will be devoted to-'
a song service.
I
Relatives and friends are request-;
ed to spread their flowers on the ■
graves as they gather g,t the church.
PLEASANT GARDENS
GRANGE MEETING
. . i
The ' Pleasant Gardens Grange!
elected Henry Stauffer, Jr. to fill the j
ifnexpired term of steward at the j
regular meeting Tuesday night. He
succeeds Kenneth Young, who re
cently entered service.
During the business session a mo
tion was passed to change the time j
of meetings to 8:30 o'clock, instead
of 8:00.
The program subject for the eve-1
ning was "Safety in the Home and j
on the Highway." i
This was followed by a recrea
tional period.
Plans Are Made
For Preinvasion
Prayer Services
Church Services Announced;
Daily One Minute Period Of
Prayer Starts Today.
At a call meeting of the McDowell
Ministerial association Monday night
a resolution was adopted calling up
on all the pastors and church au
thorities of the county to be prepar
ed to open their houses of worship
for prayer immediately upon the
sounding of invasion signals. The
signals will come from the city si
rene, mill and locomotive whistles,
church and school bells, etc.
The association was advised of
the willingness of the merchants of
the city of Marion to close their
stores for two hours when the signals
are given, that their employees may
have time to go to church for the
prayer service. This action on the
part of the business men is appreci
ated by the Ministerial Association
and the public, and it is the hope of
the ministers that every person who
possibly can do so will attend some
service. There will be no preaching,
only such solemn prayer service as
each minister may decide to con
duct.
After the hour's special service,
the church doors are to remain open
for the rest of the day that people
may come and go as they wish. In
some cases there will be soft, wor
shipful music for certain periods.
Should the invasion signal come
after eight o'clock in the evening,
the churches will open at six the fol
lowing morning that people may
pause there for prayer on their way
to work. In this case, the churches
will remain open all day.
In cooperation with Mayor Wil
kinson's proclamation, the ministers
and merchants have approved the
plan for a one-minute period of
prayer daily at noon, beginning to
day.
These one minute noontide ser
vices will continue until the invas
ion is announced, when all are ex
pected to attend the church invasion
services.
J. F. SNIPES SCORES
HOLE-IN-ONE ON GOLF
COURSE AT HOT SPRINGS
J. F. Snipes of Marion, who is
spenditig a few weeks at Hot Springs
National Park, Ark., joined the ex
clusive "Hole-in-one Club'' at the
Hot Springs Golf and Country Club
at Hot Springs last Sunday when he
scored an ace on the fifteenth hole
of the No. 1 course. Snipes used a
No. 6 iron.
He negotiated the course in 83
strokes and was playing with Fred
Davenport of Greenville, S. C., who
turned in an 89.
POINTS EXTENDED
Housewives were reminded by
Mr. Driscoll, district director of the
Office of Price Administration at
Charlotte, N. C., that Red ration
stamps R8, S8 and 98 now valid for
purchases of rationed meats, fats
and dairy products must last four
weeks instead of the customary two.
The only items now requiring red
points are beef steaks (except
fl&nk) and roasts, butter, margarine,
cheese and cheese products and ev
aporated milk.
Mayor J. F. Wilkinson Issues
Proclamation On D-Day Services
Mayor J. F. Wilkinson issued the
following Proclamation yesterday in
regard to the D-Day services that the
churches and business houses will be
gin observing today at noon.
The proclamation read as follows:
"Starting today, Thursday, May
18th, at 12 o'clock noon, a sirene
will be sounded from the city hall of
Marion, calling to the attention of
the citizens of Marion and adjoining
communities that they are requested
to pause or stop whatever they are
doing and offer a PRAYER TO GOD
for our fighting men for a period of
one minute. It is further requested
that if you should be driving your
car that you pull over, to the curb
for this period of time and offer
prayer. After the pause of one
minute a short blast of the sirene
will be hea&i, then you may resume
your activities. This will continue
until news of invasion will be heard,
at which time the sirene will be
heard regardless whether day or
night, and then you will be expected
to go to your church for Invasion
Services."
J. F. WILKINSON,
Mayor of Marion.
HOME DEMONSTRATION
CLUBS TO HAVE SPRING
FEDERATION SATURDAY
The spring Federation of the
Home Demonstration Clubs of Mc
Dowell County will be held in the
office of Miss Jean Steele, home
demonstration agent, on Saturday,
May 20, at 2 o'clock, it was announc
ed this week.
The feature of the program will
be a sound film shown by Mrs. Lula
Austin, home economics specialist of
the Duke Power Company. Mrs.
Austin will also prepare a meal,
demonstrating correct cooking meth
ods and serve members of the audi
ence. ,
Although this is the first spring I
Federation to be held in this coun- j
ty, the plan is similiar to that of
Achievement Day held each fall by
members of the county home demon
stration clubs for the purpose of re
viewing the work of clubs, increas
ing interest, and promoting a spirit
of cooperation.
Mrs. J. L. Haney will preside and
reports will be given by club secre- j
taries. All club members and all j
interested persons are cordially in- j
vited to attend.
REPORT $13,179.86
RAISED IN RED CROSS
WAR FUND DRIVE HERE
The executive committee of the |
local chapter of the American Red
Cross and workers in the recent Red
Cross War Fund Drive met Tuesday
afternoon in the court room with'
Dr. C. W. McMurrav, county chair-'
man, presiding. i
Dr. McMurrav presented Eugene
Cross, local War Fund Drive chair
man, with a citation awarded him;
by the national chapter prasing him 1
for his successful leadership and se
lection of fine workers.
Announcement was made that the!
amount received from the drive to
taled $13,179.86, exceeding the j
quota of $10,200 by $2,979.86.
The McDowell County chapter.
was also presented an honor certifi-:
cate. j
Dr. McKtuiaray introduced Mrs.
Carrie Hill, North Carolina Red
Cross field representative, who com
plimented the local chapter on the
work accomplished.
CL1NCHF1ELD RHYTHM I
BAND GIVES CONCERT
AT MOORE HOSPITAL
At the request of the American
Red Cross, the Clinehfield Rhythm
Band, under the direction of Mrs.
Bernard Hirsch, gave a concert last
Sunday afternoon for the patients;
of Moore General Hospital.
Fifty-seven members of the band
were transported in cars, but even
with the gas shortage the trip was
well worth it. It was an experience
none of the children, parents or
teachers will ever forget, and the
soldiers were delightfully apprecia
tive and attentive, some of them
even trailing down the long corrid
ors to hear another performance.
The concert was given in the rec
reation hall and auditorium, where
the up-patients had gathered, and j
others from a near-by ward were ;
brought by wheel chair or stretcher.!
The children also rendered the fol- j
lowing request numbers for two!
wards of bed patients: "Down
South" and "Turkey in the Straw":
by the band, which also featured I
singing and dancing; "Star Dust," a1
merimba duet by Betty Joe Sentelle j
and Mary Belle Grayson; and "A j
Heart that's Free," a vocal solo by
Joyce Foster.
Recordings were made of each
performance, some being given to
Mrs. Hirsch and the children, and
some kept by the Hospital. By,
special request Mrs. Hirsch sang j
three numbers after the last per-!
formance, and two of these records
were given to her to be sent over i
seas to her husband, S. Sgt. Bernard
Hirsch.
The Red Cross Recreational work- j
er in charge of the entertainment,
was Mrs. Eunice Wilkinson Bullock,!
who a number of years ago before
her marriage taught in the Marion,
City Schools. If
JUNIOR MUSIC CLUB
WILL HAVE RECITAL
i
Members of the Crosby Adams j
Junior Music Club will be presented j
in recital at 8 o'clock Friday eve- j
ning, May 26, in the auditorium of
the Marion high school, Mrs. C. W.
McMurray announced yesterday.
The public is cordially invited.
Military Duty
Curtailed For
Essential Men
Bulk Of Men Over 26 In Es
sential Work Will Get Long
er Deferments.
Washington, May 12. — Selective
service today ordered deferments
for the bulk of men 26 and older
now classified 1-A.
Thq order removes the threat of
early induction for the majority of
the 1,650,000 1-A's who were in the
age group as of April 1.
For "necessary" men 26 through
29 who are regularly engaged in
war or essential civilian work, indus
trial deferments will be granted
"for the time being." Even if they
fail to meet the "necessary" test
and are kept in 1-A, indications
were that few in the age group
would be drafted before Dec. 1.
For men 30 through 37 who
merely are "regularly engaged in"
essential activities, deferment will
be for "an indefinite period." This
probably will carry them well into
1945.
How long the order will remain in
effect was not stated. But Maj.
Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, selective
service director, estimated at a press
conference that enough men 18
through 25, including those coming
of military age, will be available to
meet army-navy requirements until
Dec. 1—"unless something happens
that materially changes the needs of
the armed forces."
"We are forced to face the fact,"
he added, "that eventually there
wil not be enough men under 26 to
fill all calls."
The new order, the life of which
obviously will depend on the cost in
men of the Western front invasion
and other military operations which
may be imminent, was formulated
at a three-day conference here this
week with state selective service di
rctors.
Release Younger Men
It is designed to "release large
numbers of younger physically fit
men for military service and at the
same time provide deferment of
greater numbers of (older) men to
angage in activities in war produc
tion or in support of the national
health, safety, or interest."
Selective service board to achieve
this end by:
1—^Retaining present rigid regu
lations making it impossible for any
but a few physically fit men 18
through 2l>. to obtain industrial de
ferments. *'
2—Liberalizing deferment policy
for old men; dli a limited basis for
men 26 through 29; on a libera!
basis for those 30 through 37.
3—Granting local boards virtual
carte blanche to expand the war
manpower commission's list of 35
essential (deferrable) activities.
The new policy, constituting in
effect a stay of induction for 1-A's
26 and older pending review and re
classification, was prompted by these"*"
factors:
The armed forces's demand f•
"vigorous and physically fit youfigTfp
men." '=•*
(Continued on last page)
LT. GOVERNOR BLAKELY
VISITS KIWANIS CLUB
In an official visit Lieutenant Gov
ernor Bill Blakelv complimented the
Marion Kiwanis club on the progress
it had made during the first four
months especially in regard to in
creased membership, and also in at
tendance it being one of the highest
in the division.
Rev. R. I. Corbett was the princi
pal speaker at the meeting using as
his subject "Seeing Ourselves As
Others See Us." Kiwanian Corbett
also announced plans for Prayer ser
vice at all churches on the day of
invasion stating that all stores would
be closed for two hours the day the
invasion started in order that al!
employees could attend their respec
tive churches.
M. W. Gordon, Jr. announced a
meeting of the Directors at the Pres
byterian Church Thursday evening
at 7:00 o'clock.
E. F. Ormand of Kings Mountain
and John Setzer of Marion were
guests at the meeting.