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, AUGUST 10, 1944 VOL. XLIX—NO. 3 Opening Date Marion Schools Set For Sep. 14 "Tentative Date Set By Board But May Be Deferred'Pend ing Polio Situation. In a meeting of the Marion City j School Board held in the office of the superintendent last Tuesday evening the opening date of schools -was tentatively set for September 14. In setting this date the school board made it clear that the date set was merely tentative and that if the epidemic of poliomyetitis had not come under complete control by September 14 that the opening of school would be further deferred. In other words, the city schools will not open until the local Board of I HJealth, the State Board of Health and the State Board of Education; agree that there is no further dan ger from the epidemic of polio The ^action of the City School Board means that school will not open be fore September 14 and that it will not open then unless the polio situa ation is entirely satisfactory. The age of beginning pupils was also discussed by the board. It was pointed out by superintendent Hugh KBeam that the law of this State pro vided that a child must have reached its 6th birthday on or before the first day of October. The school board passed a resolution that there should be strict adherence to this statute. Among the other items of busi ness that were transacted by the school board Mrs. Mae Boss Alley was elected to the position of gram mar grade teacher in tTie city j schools and Mrs. Bernice Crisp was elected to the colored faculty of the j Hudgins High School. JAMES BYRD AWARDED SILVER PILOT'S WINGS Flight Officer James S. Byrd, son i of Mir. and Mrs. B. B. Byrd, receiv- j ed his silver pilot's wings and a com- j mission in the United States Army ] at graduating exercises at Brooks! Field Texas on August 4. Flight j Officer Byrd will be remembered i here by his many friends as a re-' cent graduate of Marion High School where he was an outstanding pupil and star athlete for several years. During his last year, in high school he was a member of the Ma rion High School famous football squad which won the Western Con ference championship for the year 1942, Flight Officer Byrd excelled at end during that season and caught a number of passes in the end zone which spelled defeat for the enemy. M'DOWELL COUNTY MEN DRAWN FOR JURY DUTY Jurors for the September term of j MicDowell County superior court j were drawn at the regular meeting j of the board of county commission-: ers Monday. The jurors drawn for : the two weeks term are as follows: j First week: J. B. Walker, Arthur; Gardin, Worth Frady, J. E. Lackey, j J. S. Setzer, W. H. Hennessee, R. J G. Lambert, T. H. Smoot, Dan \ Toney, Ben H. Seals, J. R. Reynolds,! B. B. Emory, Glenn Davis, Dexter i E. Marlowe, Stacey L. Noblett, Gas-1 ton Toney, J. F. Copeland, Ben H. Carver, John Biddix, V. L. Knupp, I Vei'non T. Eckerd, M. B. Patton, T. 1 Carl Simmons, C. Y. Banning, Carl Edwards, J. A. Yelton, Howard Lawing, Clayton Randolph, J. E. Lawing, Will M. Hollifield, A. Y. Lytle, Wesley Lewis, S. R. Hawkins, Jack Baxter, C. R. Hester, H. E. Green, L. C. Elkin, Fred Cline, E. V. Wright. Second week: Bruce Cowan, J. M. Atkins, Jesse Brown, W. S. Sisk, j Chas. P. Lytle, Harvey L. Morgan, j Fred G. Brown, W. C. Macon, Bax ter Lewis, Harvey C. Hollifield, Joe i Giles, B. C. Wilson, C. M. Jolly, E. ! S. McCurry, Duard Hefner, A. H. Mitchem, Joe Denny, W. J. Ballew, A. J. Wilkerson, James Padg^iam, R.1 W. Silver, W. F. McCurry, William \ J. Wilkinson, J. A. Freeman, Joe j Mosteller, J. H. Bowman, Julius F.i Parker, Jesse Williams, James H.; .Hensley, S. G. Buckner. MARION MERCHANTS WILL MEET TONIGHT The first meeting of the fiscal year of the Marion Merchants Association will be held Thurs day evening, August 10, at 8 o'clock in the fireman's room in the city hall. A pleasant surprise is being planned for the members and each is expected to be present. After the meeting refreshments will be served. Thirty-seven new members have been added to the associa tion this month, it is announc ed, and a large attendance is expected. JUNIOR CLUB RAISES $600 IN POLIO DRIVE Due to the fact that poliomyelitis is prevalent in McDowell county and in surrounding counties, partic ularly in the Piedmont section of this state, the Junior Woman's Club of Marion instituted a campaign for funds to be used in the erection and i construction of a permanent hospit- j al building to be used as a polio i clinic located at Hickory, North; Carolina. This hospital is to care j for patients afflicted with polio from this county and surrounding terri tory. According to an announcement made public by Mrs. Arthur H. Ditt, president of the local Junior Wo man's Club, this club was responsi ble for raising $600.00 to be con tributed to this cause last week. On Wednesday of last week through Saturday, the young women of this organization displayed a "March of Ddmes" board on Main street for the | purpose of receiving contributions j for this work. Mrs. Ditt stated that j the public was very generous in its: contributions to this worthy cause, j and that the members of the Junior i Woman's Club wishes to express their appreciation for the splendid j spirit that prompted the giving of j ;he amount of money set out above. | The president of the Junior Wo-, man's Club stated that she also j wished to express the appreciation' of her organization to Drexel Fur-1 niture Company for taking the time and effort of making the "March of, Dimes" board which was used in this work. Public acknowledgment is j made to Jack Reynolds who made1 the posters that were used in the display on the "March of Dimes" j board. Mrs. Ditt also said that her club appreciated the time given by its own members and other public; spirited women in conducting this work during the past week. QUOTA OF GASOLINE REPORTED LIMITED The local War Price and Ration-< ing Board wishes to announce to the public that its quota of hard shipped gasoline is limited, and that it can not issue gasoline from this small reserve except in cases where ac-' tual hardship will be experienced unless extra gasoline is allotted. The local office of the War Price and Rationing board states that reg ulations do not permit rationing au thorities to issue gasoline for the purpose of carrying a patient to a doctor, or visiting a doctor, if the patient is physically able to ride a bus or train or to use other means of transportation. Local doctors are requested to ad vise their patients of this situation whenever the need arises and to furnish their patients with a state ment certifying that the patient needs further medical treatment and that the patient is not able to ride by bus or train, or that travel by public conveyance is not avail able. WESTMORELAND BUYS COLUMN APARTMENTS The "Column Apartments," for merly known as the W. T. Morgan residence, on South Main street, have been purchased by S. J. West moreland from the Morgan estate, ' Mr. Westmoreland stated yesterday. The property will be converted ( into a funeral home by the first of i next year, Mr. Westmoreland stat ~ J DR. D. E. CAMAK WILL PREACH SUNDAY I Dr. D. E. Camak, pastor of the First Methodist Church, has return-, ed from the Pastor's conference at j Lake Junaluska and will be in his pulpit Sunday morning. McDowell Goes Far Over Top In Bond Sales Final Report Shows Bond Quota Exceeded By $94, 263 In Fifth Loan Drive. The total sale of war bonds in McDowell county during the Fifth War Loan drive was $650,910.00, exceeding the quota of $446,000. 00 by $204,691.00, it was announc ed this week by J. F. Snipes and J. N. Morris, war loan chairmen for this county, on the basis of official tabulation by the Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond. The county's E bond sales amounted to $276,263.00, . or 152 per cent, exceeding McDowell's quota of $182,000 by $94,263.00. Region 10, comprising the 15 Western North Carolina counties, sold 180 per cent of its $8,288,000 quota, of $14,961,675 worth of bonds, it is announced. The region also went over the top with its E bond sales, rolling up a total of $4,012,373 compared with a quota of $3,504,000. McCORMICK REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION Pvt. John W. McCormick, 23, has been missing in action in Italy since July 13, according to word received from the War Department by his pa rents, Mr. and Mrs. John W. Mc Cormick, of Old Fort. Pvt. McCormick enlisted in No vember, 1942 and received his train ing at Camp White, Oregon. He had served overseas since May, 1944. He attended Cross Mill school and was employed by the McDowell Fur niture Company, now known as the Otis L. Broyhill Furniture Company. The McCormicks also have two other sons in service. They are Pvt. Donald McCormick of Camp Davis, and Pvt. Clifford McCormick of Wheeling, Ga. W. K. KEETER IS NA1VJED BUSINESS MGR. OF N. C. S. D. W. K. Keeter, of Morganton, was named business manager of the North Carolina School for the Deaf at a meeting of the directors held in Morganton last week. Mr. Keet er will succeed Mrs. A. S. Baron who will enter Red Cross service. Mr. Keeter is a brother of Eugene Keet er, of Marion, and a former resident of Marion. SINGING CONVENTION FOR AUGUST CANCELLED The annual Burke - McDowell County Singing convention shedul ed to be held in Marion on Sunday, August 27, has been cancelled be cause of the continued spread of the infantile paralysis in this area, it is announced by J. C. Burnett. Back the attack. Buy War Bonds and Stamps. Reduction Made I In County Tax Rate Next Year McDowell's Tax Rate Next Year To Be $1.20 On $100 Valuation Of Property. The Board of County Commis sioners in session Monday set the county rate for this year at $1.20 as compared with a rate of $1.25 for the past year. In addition to l-educing the tax rate five cents on the $100 valua tion this year the commissioners during the year just ended were able to meet all obligations of the county and at the same time reduce the bonded indebtedness. Economy in the management of the county's business during the year made it possible to meet all obligations, pay the bonds due and reduce the tax rate. The new rate is based on the ap proximate valuation of $17,735, 306. Broken down the rate of $1.20 on each $100 property valuation was distributed as follows: General county fund, 15 cents; general county health fund, 3 cents; general county poor fund, 5 oents; old age assistance fund, 5 cents; aid to dependent children fund, 2 cents; special expense fund, 4 cents; county schools, current expense, 6 cents; Marion school capital outlay, l cent; school debt service, 23 cents; highway debt service, 42 cents; funding debt service, 4 cents; court house debt service, 8 cents; county school capital outlay, 2 cents. Mcdowell men inducted — AT CAMP. CROFT -TUESDAY. Seventeen McDowell County men were sent to Camp Croft for induc tion into the armed forces by the local draft board Tuesday morning. They were: Lloyd Clownie Ollis, William Francis Nichols, Albert Homer Mor gan, Dean Clay Greer, Samuel Lil I burn Stone, Jr., Charles Floyd Led better, Robert Neal Elliott, James Edwin Holland, Daniel Webster, Frank Biddix Dysart, Donald Lee Anderson, Linzie Lawrence Holli ' field, Cecil Fred Moody, Loyd Alvin ' Clark, Leonard Emmett Washburn, ! James William Condrey and Clar ; ence B. Smith. TIRE INSPECTORS ARE LISTED BY WPR BOARD | Because of a number of requests ! coming to the local office of War ; Price and Rationing board concern i ing tire inspections and the names of local tire inspectors, the follow ing announcement is made: "Official tire inspection stations i in Marion and McDowell County are !listed as follows: Young's Esso j Station, Sullivan's Gulf Station, ! Raymond Robinson, E. D. Ricks, i George S. Crawford, Wayne's Gulf 'Service, Ballew Motor. Company and I Snipes Motor Company." Motorists Are Asked To Use Care In Applying For Gasoline Carelessness of motorists in hard ling renewal applications for gaso line rations is greatly cutting down the efficiency of the service which would be rendered them otherwise and is causing much unnecessary work at the local War Price and Ra tioning board, the public was again reminded yesterday. One very important thing for mo torists to remember, it was said, is to make application at least a week before the indicated expiration of their rations. These renewal appli cations should be made by mail and should have attached tire inspection records, regardless of the fact that periodic tire inspections are no longer necessary. It is very important that the ap plication be completely filled out. Many applicants only sign their names; others completely fill out the applications except for providing signatures. The rationing board must have more than just identifica tion folders in these renewal appli cations. The gasoline panel of the ration ing board is in session two days each week but its duties are very heavy. The motorist must learn that the applications are considered in ord er; that the ruling of first come, first served, applies. Here are some of the reasons why many of the renewal applications must be returned: Failure to include application for renewal, form R-543; failure to sign application for renewal, form R 543; failure to obtain signature of riders on Form R-543; failure to provide necessai-y information on application for renewal, form R 543; failure to include tire inspec tion record, form R-570; failure to have application certified by trans portation committee or employer form R-543, or form R-535. City Bus Service To Begin Next Saturday W. M, Shelton and L. T. Hollis, of Greenville, S. C., who were recent ly granted a franchise to operate the city bus service in Marion, were here Tuesday making arrangements to begin the service on next Satur day. The firm will be known as the Marion City Lines. The company, it was understood, will operate several buses to East Marion, Clinchfield, Cross Mill and West Marion. It was stated that fare will not be over ten cents a trip and a regular schedule will be operated. Plans will be made to have regular bus stops. Initial trips will be made Friday to try out a tentative schedule. CAR POOLING MEANS SAVING IN MATERIAL, FUEL AND MANPOWER (Jar pooling is mandatory for all "B" and "C" card-holders who use their automobiles for home-to-work driving. Yet today the average automobile operated by the so-called "white collar" worker is carrying fewer than two persons per car. Among idustrial workers using cars for home-to-work driving, the average is over three, due largely to the j work of Plant Transportation Com- j mittees. A recent government survey showed that only 16 percent of all automobile operators belonged to car pools. The survey also revealed that more than half of all car opera tors are not familiar with the car pooling requirments for "B" and "C" card holders. Industrial workers, through their I Plant Transportation Committees, j are doing a much better job of cjur ' able to do such an excellent job is : ample indication that white collar ! workers could do it too. ! Inertia and lack of understanding ! of the desperate need for gasoline ' conservation are the worst enemies i of effective car sharing. The most common excuses for failure to get into a car pool are these: Drivers claim that none of their neighbors goes near the place where they work. Others who only oc casionally work overtime claim that they cannot be tied down to a car pool schedule because of irregular hours. Most of these people can l work out a car-pooling arrangement I if they are willing to make the nec | essary adjustments. Today it is estimated that the na tional car-pooling average on home ! to-work driving is between 2 and : 2 V> persons per car. If this aver ! age can be raised to between 3 and i 3 V2 persons, one-third fewer cars ; would be in constant use. The re sulting savings in material, fuel and (manpower would be of tremendous , value to the war effort. SGT. MILLER TAKES PART IN AERIAL BOMBARDMENT OF JAPANESE NAVAL BASE Staff Sergeant William F. Miller, assistant engineer, of Marion, was a i member of Lieutenant Stubblefield's ! crew that participated recently in ; the first daylight aerial assault by land-based bombers against the key Japanese air and naval base of Yap, 300 miles southeast of Palau be tween the Phillipines and the Mar iana group. Smashing the enemy airfield, where Japanese aircraft are staged enroute to Guam, our big Libera tors destroyed 18 enemy aircraft on the ground and damaged ten. Fires were observed burning four hours after the attack, it is stated. Mcdowell men examined AT CAMP CROFT TUESDAY Sixteen men were sent to Camp Croft for physical examination for military service by the McDowell County Draft Board Tuesday. They were: Hiram Jacob Hunter, Ruben Hut son McKinney, Albert Leon Finley, Ransom Robertson, Billy Ray Lewis, Marion Marrit Hicks, Kenneth Wat ers, William Carley Arrowood, Ralph Roscoe Hensley, Dean Oak land Poteat, John Bunyan Walker, Jr., Earl Junior Webb, Jack Bruce Burleson, Banks Tom Mathis, Lewis Glenn Jones and Bruce Franklin. I __ Goal Exceeded In Emergency Polio Drive Here Total Contributions From Mc Dowell Sent To Foundation Amount To $1,173.65. Iri cooperation with a request from the McDowell County Infan tile Paralysis committee that $500 be raised to be sent to the Infantile Paralysis Foundation, the citizens of Marion and McDowell County have contributed a total of $1,173. 65, exceeding the goal by $673.65. The request stated, however, that at least $500 was needed, and the committee is grateful for the liberal response of the public. Members of the Junior Woman's Club took a leading part in the drive by displaying a "March of Dimes" board on Main street several days last week for the purpose of receiv ing donations and other contribu tions were made to J. N. Morris, treasurer. Mr. Morris' report at noon yesterday showed $1,173.65 as the total donations from this coun ty. Emergency plants for the treat ment of Infantile Paralysis are lo cated at Gastonia, Hickory and Charlotte. Patients from McDowell County may be treated at these hos pitals without charge and some are already receiving treatment at these centers. PORTER FORTUNE OF OLD FORT PRESENTED BRONZE STAR MEDAL 1941, has been awarded the bronze 1 star medal for "heroic and meritor i ! ious service" in action as command 1 ing officer of an escort evessel en gaged in convey duty in the Pacific. The citation given Fortune re vealed that the convoy of which his ship was a member was "attacked on three separate occasions by for mations of Japanese dive bombers and fighters." Porter was described as having "skillfully maneuvered his ship to protect the convey and as sisted in nutcing up a heavy barrage of anti-aircraft fire which resulted in preventing the enemy from carry ing out a full scale attack. Through his skillful and courageous efforts, no casualties or material damages was suffered." After winning his A. B. degree at the university in 1941 he did grad uate work toward a master's degree in history at Emory university. He entered service by enlistment in the navy in April, 1942. LAUGHRIDGE AND ALLEY GRADUATE FROM PILOT SCHOOL AT MOODY FIELD Former Aviation Cadets Morris S. Laughridgre and William R. Alley, Jr., both of Marion, were recently graduated from AAF Pilot School at Moody Field, Ga., and appointed flight officers with the rating oF Army pilot. As members of Class 44-G, they will be assigned to piloting multi engine aircraft—such as light, med ium, or heavy bombers; transport or cargo planes. POSTAL RECEIPTS SHOW SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE The receipts at the Marion post office for the month of July showed an increase of $397.56 over July, 1943, according to report filed by Postmaster Barron Caldwell. The report shows that the re ceipts for July, 1944, were $4,168. 92, as compared with $3,770.36 for the same month of the previous year. THREE CASES OF POLIO REPORTED DURING WEEK Three new cases of infantile pa ralysis have been reported in this county since the middle of last week, Miss Sadie Reid, quarantine officer, announced Tuesday. No definite number of cases re ported prior to that time can be ascertained as there has not been a quarantine officer for several weeks.