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, DECEMBER 21, 1944
VOL. XLIX—NO. 22
Closing Schedule
For Christmas To
Be Observed Here
Most Places Of Business To
Be Closed Two Days;
Christmas Services.
Practically all the stores, offices
and other places of business will
take two holidays for Christmas,
next Monday and Tuesday.
The First National Bank and Ma
rion Industrial Bank will observe
both Monday and Tuesday as holi
days, Governor Broughton having
proclaimed Tuesday a banking holi- j
day as well as Monday, Christmas j
day.
The offices in the court house will
I
close at noon Saturday and remain i
closed until Wednesday morning.j
The offices in the city hall will also
be closed from noon Saturday until
Wednesday morning, Mayor Wilkin
son announces.
Thhe War Price and Rationing
board will observe both Monday and
Tuesday as holidays, it has been an
nounced.
The post office will remain open
all day Saturday but will be closed
Monday.
The city schools will close today
for the holidays and remain closed
until January 2. The county schools
will close Friday and remain closed
until Monday, January 1.
Christmas services will be held at
all the churches of the town. There
will be three services at the First
Methodist church Sunday, at 9:45,
11 and 7; a pageant will be pre
sented at the First Presbyterian
church on Christmas Eve; a Christ
mas program will be given at the
Lutheran church Sunday night at i
7:30 o'clock; a Christmas service;
will be given by the children of St. j
John's Sunday School on Thursday
evening at 8 o'clock, and at mid
night on Christmas Eve there will
be a celebration of the Christmas
Eucharist, also on Christmas day at
10 a. m.
31 REGISTRANTS SENT
TO INDUCTION CENTER
According to a release from Mc
Dowell county draft board, the fol- i
lowing registrants were sent to an
induction center Monday:
Van R. Dobbins, Fred T. Mills,
Kenneth J. Lentz, Ray J. Reel, An
drew B. Shelton, Jr., Roosevelt An
derson, Paul J. Flynn, Alvin E. Cal
lahan, Jennings B. Robertson, John
M. Hollifield, Jack Lee Laughridge,
Carl W. Lamb, William R. Proctor,!
Howard A. Toney, Bruce Wise Bart
lett, Leo R. Goodson, Cecil E. Law
ing, Donald U. Bennick, Arelin R.
Freshour, Kenneth E. Welborn,
George T. Blalock, Netam K. Eplee,
James Donald Good, Clyde W. John
son, Joseph A. Hester, Clifton A.
Mode, William B. Hoyle, John E.
Arrowood, William R. Hoyle, Calvin
S. Lonon, and Homer Lewis.
ENJOYABLE PROGRAM
PRESENTED BY BAND
Marion High School band gave its
first concert of the year at the high
school auditorium last Tuesday eve
ning, under the capable direction of
Miss Mabel Beach. An enjoyable
program was presented, consisting
of various types of music including
band marches, tone poems, and se
lections from operettas. The latter
part of the program was given en
tirely to Christmas music.
During the program Miss Beach
introduced three Student Directors,
Margaret Ledbetter, Dean Seagle,
and Lawrence Atkins, who conduct
ed the band.
TO GIVE PAGEANT AT
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
The annual Christmas program at
the First Presbyterian Church will
be held Christmas eve, December
24th, at 7:30 o'clock. There will be
a Christmas pageant entitled
"Crown Him," directed by Mrs.
John A. Finley. The program will
include the singing of carols and al
so a candle lighting service. A
special joy gift offering will be tak
en for aged ministers, their widows
and orphans.
CHRISTMAS GIFTS
SENT TO PATIENTS
AT MOORE HOSPITAL
Approximately 600 packages fill
ed with Christmas gifts were picked
up Monday by an Army truck and
sent to patients at Moore General
Hospital, Oteen, Sand Hill and Ken
ilworth. These were donated by
various organizations and individ
uals of Marion and McDowell coun
ty, as announced by Mrs. J. F.
Snipes, McDowell county delegate
of the Moore General Hospital
council.
The beautifully wrapped pack
ages were on display in the window
of J. D. Blanton's store on South
Main street. Misses Gladys Cor
pening, Pearl Ricks, and Lurline
Corpening are to be commended on
their untiring effort in the purchase
and wrapping of these boxes.
The First Baptist Church of Ma
rion contributed $80.00, with which
many nice gifts were bought. The
Sarah Good Hosiery Mill employees
donated 35 lbs, of fruit cake. The
various County Home Demonstra
tion clubs, of which Miss Jean
Steele is in charge, made and do
nated 40 beautiful afghans, 5 feath
er pillows, and 13 * Christmas
wreaths. M. W. Gordon, of Marion,
donated 35 books. The 6th grade
students of Marion Grammar School
under the direction of Miss Roberts,
and the 5th and 6th grade students
of Clinchfield, made 500 nut cups
and 500 place cards.
Other organizations which helped
by sending gifts included: Marion
City Schools, McDowell County
Schools, Nebo Methodist Church,
Greenlee Chapter of the D. A. R.,
Baptist Woman's Class of East Ma
rion Sunday School, Junior Aid of
the First Methodist ChurcK, West
Marion Methodist Sunday School,
Harmony Grove Baptist Church,
Woman's Society of East Marion
Methodist Church and the Marion
Garden Club.
Cookie Day Huge S«tcce»»
Cooky Day was observed Wednes-i
3ay, December 13th, with a gener- i
ous response for men and women:
in service. Final report revealed
that 26,000 cookies were donated
by citizens of McDowell County to
men and women at Moore General
Hospital, Oteen, Kenilworth, Sand
Hills and Lake Lure.
CHRISTMAS PROGRAM
TO BE PRESENTED AT
THE LUTHERAN CHURCH
The Christmas program at St.
Mattfyew's Lutheran Church will be
given Sunday night at 7:30 o'clock.
The program will be presented in
the form of a pageant, with the chil
dren of the Sunday School telling
the story of Christmas while mem
bers of the Walther League will en
act the familiar scenes of the na
tivity. Among the songs to be sung
will be such favorites as: "O Come
all ye faithful," "It came upon a
midnight clear," "Joy to the
World," "0 Little town of Bethle
hem," "Hark the herald angels
sing," "We three kings of orient
are," and "Silent night, holy night."
The program will be presented in
five parts: The Fullness of Time;
God's Promise Fulfilled; The Visit
of the Shepherds; The Visit of the
Wisemen, and Christmas Today.
A song service will be held on
Christmas day at 11 a. m.
The Walther League will meet
Thursday night at 7 o'clock in the
hut for a Christmas party.
P. T. A. MEETING FRIDAY
NIGHT WELL ATTENDED
The December meeting of the
Marion Parent-Teachers Association
held at the high school auditorium
last Friday evening was well attend
ed, a number of fathers being pres
ent.
Folowing the business session, a
highly entertaining program was
given by the Rhythm Band and Glee
Club, directed by Miss Mary Love
Bettis.
The program included selections
by the Rhythm Band, selections by
the Glee Club, solo by Troy Ellis,
duet by Elizabeth Cross and Walker
Blanton, solo by Polly Atkins, group
singing by members of the first
grade, and Christmas carols.
The attendance prize for the
grammar grades was won by Miss
Annie Little's room, and by Mr. E.
L. Carter's room in the high school.
A Reminder of the Nativity
Shining brightly, as a reminder of the glory of the Nativity, some
1,944 years ago, this is but one of the many outdoor mangers established
during the Christmas season throughout the' country. Like the animals
that clustered around the holy manger on the first Christmas, a dog
can be seen on the left, wonderingly viewing the scene.
MRS. McCALL PASSES
AFTER LONG ILLNESS;
FUNERAL HERE MONDAY
Funeral services for Mrs. Jane E.
McCall, who died in an Asheville
hospital on December 16, after a
lengthy illness, were conducted at
the First Presbyterian church in
Marion Monday by the Rev. Carl W.
McMurray. Interment was in Oak
Grove cemetery.
Mrs. McCall, wife of the late
Samuel McCall, was a native of Mc
Dowell county but had lived in Bun- ;
combe county, near Asheville, for i
about twenty-five years. She was;
90 years of age. ' I
She was a member of one of Mc- ;
Dowell county's pioneer families,
being the eldest daughter of the
late Samuelj Brown of North Cove,
and Nancy T. Pitner of Athens, Ga.
Survivors include two sons, W.
Arthur McCall of Marion and Dr. S.
H. McCall, Troy, N. C., one daugh
ter, Miss Nancy McCall, Asheville,!
and a foster daughter, Miss Eliza
beth Radford of Asheville, teacher
in the Hendersonville City schools;
a grandson, Major Samuel H. Mc
Call, now serving with the U. S.
Army in Burma; two sisters, Mrs.
Alice DeVault of Southport, N. C.,
and Mrs. Harriet Lonon of Erwin,
Tenn.; two brothers, William E.
Brown of Glen Alpine and Joseph
G. Brown of North Cove.
Pallbearers were Charles McCall,
George McCall, Graydon Lonon,
Garvel English, Fred Brown and
Jack McMahan,.
CHRISTMAS SERVICES AT
ST. JOHN'S CHURCH
On Thursday night, December 21,
at eight o'clock, the children of the
Sunday School will present six
Christmas tableaux as follows: The
Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin
Mary; the visitation of the Blessed
Virgin to Elizabeth; the Nativity
(Holy Family) ; the annunciation to
the Shepherds; the adoration of the
Shepherds; the adoration of the
Magi.
At midnight on .Christmas Eve,
there will be a celebration of the
Christmas Eucharist (Midnight
.Mass), and at 10:00 a. m., on
Christmas Day there will be another
; celebration of the Christmas Euch
arist.
' A cordial invitation to all these
services is extended to the general
public.
MRS. GORMAN KILLED
IN AUTO ACCIDENT
Word has been received here of
the death of Mrs. Carson Gorman,
formerly Miss Elma Carson, in an
automobile accident in Pensacola,
Florida, on December 13. Mrs.
Gorman was a daughter of the late
John R. Carson and Mrs. John Car
son of Foley, Ala., formerly of Ma
rion. She was superintendent of
the Marion General hospital for sev
eral years, but had made her home
in St. Andrew, Fla., for some time.
Beside her mother, she is surviv
ed by three sisters and one brother.
She was also a niece of Mrs. B. B.
Price and T. W. Gowan of Marion.
Funeral services were held Sun
day in Foley, Ala.
CHRISTMAS PLAY IS
GIVEN AT PLEASANT
GARDENS PTA MEETING
The December meeting of the
Pleasant Gardens P. T. A. was held
in the school auditorium last Thurs
day evening- at 7:30 o'clock with the
president, Mrs. Melvin Burnette,
presiding. A dramatization, "Fath
er Christmas," presented by mem
bers of the fifth and sixth grades
under the direction of Misses Ge
neva Link and Zelma Atwell, reveal
ed true Christmas spirit.
Mrs. Sue Ellis, chairman, assisted
by all room representatives staged a
bazaar and auction sale of miscel
laneous articles all of which were
donated by members of the organi
zation. Mrs. W. A. Young served
as auctioneer. A beautiful quilted
"brunch jacket" made arid present
ed by Miss Lois Turbyfill and pur
chased by Miss Louise Miller,
brought the highest price.
Mrs. Jennie Hunter Gill's fifth
and sixth grade group-' won the pa
rent count with forty per cent of
the parents present. Miss Turby
fill's ninth grade was runner up with
thirty-eight per cent present.
PATTON RESIDENCE
DESTROYED BY FIRE
The residence of J. G. Patton at
Pleasant Gardens was destroyed by
fire at about 3:30 o'clock Saturday
morning, December 9. The entire
contents of the building, a seven
room one-story frame structure,
were also destroyed by the flames,
including $110 in money. The loss
is estimated at $4000.
The roof was falling in when the
fire was discovered and Mr. and
Mrs. Patton and the latter's mother,
Mrs. William Turbyfill, barely made
their escape, being unable to save
anything in the building.
24 Mcdowell county men
GO FOR EXAMINATION
I The following registrants were
sent from McDowell county to Camp
Croft, S. C., last Thursday, Decem
ber 14th, for examination: James
W. Biddix, Paul Turner, Sam F.
! O'Dear, Lester H. Williams, Robert
F. Busbin, Guy K. Biggerstaff, Wil
I lard Davis, Clifford D. Knupp, Earl
E. Vaughn, John B. McBee, Paul R.
Noblitt, Robert P. Freeman, Ben
| artz Jordan, Benjamin A. Mdrler,
I Rassie I. Swink, Everett E. Swaf
I
| ord, Orvil B. Duncan, Fred G.
Moody, Walter W. Gibson, William
E. Hyatt, Robert W. Hervey, Clar
ence Y. Moore, James H. Finley,
and Carl H. Clontz.
I ' |
NEBO P. T. A. MEET SET
FOR' THURSDAY NIGHT
i 4
i .. j
! The Parent - Teachers Associa
tion of Nebo will hold its regular
monthly meeting on Thursday, Dec.
21, at 7:30 p. m. in the school audi
torium.
The general theme of the meet
ing will be "The Art of Christmas
Living." Guest speakers for the oc
casion will be Dr.' and Mrs. B. F
Bray, of Marion. Christmas carols
will be sung by the high school stu
dents.
I
CHRISTMAS PROGRAMS
AT FIRST METHODIST
CHURCH NEXT SUNDAY
j The First Methodist church will
have three distinctive services next
Sunday, two of them featured by
moving pictures, it is announced by
the pastor, Dr. D. E. Camak.
I A thirty-minute talking picture
entitled, "We've A Story To Tell,"
will be run during the opening ex
ercises of the church school at 9:45
a. m., S. R. Cross, general superin
tendent, presiding. For this occas
ion all adult classes and the youth
division are invited to assemble in
the hut.
I At 11:00 a. m., the pastor will
bring a specially arranged program
message entitled "Only One Con
I querer." Carol singing by the con
i gregation, a Christmas solo by Al
bert Hewitt, Jr., and special organ
! numbers by Mrs. R. I. Corbett, will
| feature the service.
j At 7:00 p. m., a special Christmas
program of interest to children and
adults alike will be given by the
church school. There will be num
bers by the children's division, Mrs.
J. H. Beaman, superintendent, carol
singing by the congregation, and a
'thirty-minute Christmas talking pic
ture entitled "A Certain Noble
i ~ "
\ man.
i The general public is cordially in
vited to all these services.
|
KIWANIS CLUB TO
SPONSOR DIME BOARD
The weekly meeting of the Ki- j
wanis Club was held at the Commu
nity building Tuesday evening at;
6:30. Following the business ses
sion, Rev. M. O. Owens made an in
teresting talk on Christmas.
It was decided that the Kiwanis
Club will sponsor a Dime Board for
the benefit of under privileged chil
dren in front of Belk-Broome Com
pany on Friday and Saturday of this
week from 9 o'clock until 7 o'clodk.
Various club members will be at the
board for these two days.
PVT. CHARLES LYTLE
OF MARION KILLED IN
ACCIDENT IN OKLAHOMA
' Pvt. Charles C. Lytle, of Marion
and son of Mr. and Mrs. C. P. Lytle
of Old Fort, Route 1, was killed in
an accident at Gruber Field, Okla.,
on December 11.
Private Lytle entered the service
nine months ago and was attached
to a company of army engineers.
Before entering the service he was
employed by the McCall-Burgin
Hardware company.
The body arrived in Marion last
Friday and funeral services were
conducted Sunday at Bethel Metho
dist church at Cherry Springs, west
of Old Fort, by Rev. M. W. Heck
ard and the Rev. L. C. Stevens. In
terment was made in Cherry Springs
cemetery.
Survivors included the widow and
parents; four children, Jimmy, Pet
tiler, Inez, and Clinton; a sister,
Mrs. Graham W. Duncan, of Beau
ford; four brothei-s, J. D. Lytle of
| Louisville, Ky., Cpl. Jack Lytle, sta
tioned at Fort Jackson, S. C.,
Brooks Lytle of Old Fort, R. F. D.
No. 1, and Roland Lytle of Newport
News, Va., and the grandmother,
Mrs. M. P. Lytle, of Old Fort.
SEAMAN RHYMER RETURNS
TO ARMY GUARD CENTER
; James R. Rhymer, seaman first
class, USNR, of Marion, has return
! ed to the Armed Guard Center at
i New Orleans after six months at
sea as a member of the Navy gun
i crew protecting a merchant ship.
The vessel delivered vital war cargo
to the South Pacific,
j
CPL. CLAYTON WOUNDED
Cpl. T. C. Clayton, husband of
Mrs. Vera Justice Clayton, of Ma
rion, was wounded in action in Italy
;on November 25, according to word
received here. Cpl. Clayton, mem
ber of an infantry regiment, has
been in service since May, 1943,
and overseas since October.
I ALVIN FINLEY LOSES LIFE
Alvin W. Finley, Machinist Mate
First Class, U. S. Navy, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Wood P. Finley, Marion,
was killed in line of duty on Octo
ber 29th, according to information
received by relatives yesterday from
the War Department. He had prev
iously been reported missing. His
wife and two children reside at 36
Spring Street, Marion.
The Marion Drug
Company Under
New Ownership
Harrisons To Operate The
Business Under Name Of
Harrison's Drug Store.
The Marion Drug Company, own
ed and operated by Mr. and Mrs.
Dean Tainter, on North Main street,
has been purchased by Mr. and Mrs.
B. W. Harrison who will continue
the business at the present location.
The new owners took possession
Monday and will operate the busi
ness under the firm name of Har
rison's Drug Store, it is announced.
Mr. Harrison, assisted by Mrs.
Harrison, has been manager of the
McDowell Cut Rate Drug store for
the past five years. During their
stay in Marion they have made
many friends who wish them much
success.
Mr. and Mrs. Tainter will devote
their time to their original store,
Tainter's, on the corner of Main
and Henderson streets, they an
nounce.
DREXEL EMPLOYEES
ARE GIVEN BANQUET
The Drexel Furniture Company
entertained at a banquet last Friday
evening at the community building
honoring all employees who had
been in their employment for five
years or more.
Guests were greeted at the door
by Cecil B. Dobson, toastmaster,
arid were seated by placecards show
ing their name and number of years
service.
i After singing America and invo
i cation by Rev. B. F. Bray, a delic
j ious baked ham dinner was served,
i Christmas decorations were used
| most effectively throughout the pro
i gram.
R. O .Huffman, president of the
Drexel Furniture Company, extend
ed greetings of welcome. He spoke
very enthusiastically about the past,
the present, and the future of the
Drexel Furniture Company, and of
its interest in the employees, indi
vidually and collectively. He was
followed by S. B. Hildebrand, su
perintendent of the Marion plant,
who gave a brief welcome. Re
sponses were given by Archie Estes,
A. F. Wagner and Rufus Smith.
Albert Hewitt, accompanied by Miss
Louise Poteat, rendered several vo
cal selections, and a brief history of
all past presidents of the Drexel
Furniture Company was presented
by Cecil B. Dobson.
Guest speaker of the evening \yas
Sam J. Ervin, Jr., Judge Superior
Court. Judge Ervin's subject was
"Lawyers in General" and through
out his speech he entertained the
guests by relating various jokes.
Sixty-three employees with years
of service ranging from five to
twenty-six years enjoyed the ban
quet.
PFC. WM. R. LAUGHRIDGE
IS GIVEN CITATION
!
Pfc. William R. Laughridge, son
of Mr. and Mrs. B. H. Laughridge
of Marion, is a member of the 741st
I tank battalion which was cited for
outstanding performance of duty in
(action recently.
j In the invasion of France • the
1741st tank battalion rendered out
| standing performance of duty in ac
jtion against the enemy on Collevil
ilesur-Mer beach on June 7th, 1944.
! While the Distinguished Unit Ci
tation is awarded to a unit, individ
uals of the unit are entitled to the^
Distinguished Service Cross.
|
MARION HIGH BEATS
GLENWOOD 41 TO 17
1
!
i The Marion Hi School Rippers de
feated the Glenwood boys Monday
night 41 to 17. This was the first
game for the Rippers and a large
crowd attended. Goode and Mask
sparked on the offensive for the Rip
pers, while the defensive playing of
Sullivan and Rader was outstand
ing. Goode was high scorer for the
Rippers with 16 points. Kaylor was
outstanding for the visitors. The
I girls lost to Glenwood 15 to 31,