THE MARION PROGRESS
t
A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF MARION AND McDOWELL COUNTY
ESTABLISHED 1896 . MARION, N. C., THURSDAY, MAY 20, 1948 VOL. 52—No 44
Murder Case Bound Over
To June Term Superior Court
John Morgan, facing a charge of
"murder in County Court here Tues
day, waived pi*eliminary hearing and
was bound over to the June term of
McDowell County Superior Court.
The charge was made in connec
tion with the death of Bruce Jack
Piercy, 28, who died Thursday when
lie was shot in the abdoman with a
12-guage shotgun, according to a
statement by Sheriff C. M. Pool.
Pool said he was informed that Mor
gan and Piercy had been on a fishing
trip in Av.ery county and had bor
rowed a truck, owned by Daney
Morgan, father of John Morgan, to
make the trip. He said Daney Mor
gan became worried when the boys
did not return at the time he ex
pected them and borrowed another
truck to go look for them.
Alter locating the boys he drove
the borrowed truck home and the
boys followed in the truck owned by
Daney Morgan. As they arrived at
the Morgan home, near Ashford,
they engaged in an altercation. Pool
said he was told Piercy chased John
'Morsran with a knife and Morgan's
mother and sister were injured in
trying to aid him. Morgan then be
came angry, he said, and went into
his house, returned with the shot
gun and shot Piercy. Sheriff Pool
said Morgan did not deny the charge.
Other cases in County Court Tues
day included William Gibbs, charged
with driving drunk and no operator's
license, sentenced to four months on
the roads, sentence suspended on
payment of $100 fine and costs and
on condition that defendant not op
erate a motor vehicle on the high
ways of North Carolina for a period
of one year.
George Gibbs, Jr., aiding and a
betting driving drunk, auto to be
operated by unlicensed operator,
sentenced. to four months on the
jroaxls, suspended on payment of fine
of $100 and costs and on the further
condition that defendant not oper
ate a motor vehicle on the highways |
for a period of one year.
Frank W. Pyatt, driving drunk,
defendant plead guilty, sentenced
to four months on the roads, sus
pended on payment of $100 fine and
costs and defendant not operate a
motor vehicle on the highways of
(Continued on last page)
Commencement Program Completed
For Pleasant Gardens School
Preliminary plans for the gradua
tion exercises of Pleasant Gardens
Tiigh school have been completed, R.
L. Wiggins, principal, has announc
ed.
Rev. Charles A. Phillips, pastor of
the Haven Evangelical Lutheran
church, Salisbury, N. C., will deliver
the bacalaureate sermon on Sunday
morning, May 23, at 11 o'clock at
the high school auditorium.
The commencement exercises will
be conducted on Friday evening,
May 28, at the high school auditor
ium. Students of the senior class
will have charge of the commence
ment program which will consist of
a series of talks on the topic "Youth
'in America Today.
William Conley, class president,
will have charge of the program in
cluding seven addresses with Pansy
Biddix, valedictorian, and Evelyn
Cooper, salutatorian, as the featured
speakers.
Music for the exercise will be
-furnished by the senior class under
the direction of Mrs. James T. Mill
er, choral director of the school.
Senior class activities are schedul
ed to start on Friday evening, May
21, with the annual senior play,
"Aunt Minnie Comes To Town,"
presented under the direction of
Ulrs. James T. Miller.
The Rhythm Band, directed by
Miss Elsie House, and the Junior
Glee club, directed by Miss Zelma
Atwell, will present a program on
Tuesday evening, May 25, at eight
o'clock.
Mrs. R. K. Davis will present her
piano students in a recital on Thurs
day evening, May 27, at eight
o'clock.
The public is cordially invited to
attend these programs.
Shout Freedom
Publicized Here
Advance publicity for the "Shout
Freedom," historical drama to be
presented in Charlotte, was given by
members of the cast at the court
house here Tuesday.
The play, written by Legette
Blythe and set to music by Lamarr
Stringfield, will be presented in
Charlotte eafch night from May 20
through June 3.
Hicks Services
To Be Held Sunday
Funeral services far Pvt. Edward
C. Hicks, whose body arrived Mon
day, will be conducted at two o'clock,
Sunday afternoon at the East Mar
ion Free Will Baptist church. Rev.
Lois Clayton will be assisted by Rev.
Floyd in conducting the service and
interment will be in Oak Grove cem
etery. The American Legion will
have charge of rites at the grave.
Pvt. Hicks was a gunner on a tank
and was killed February 2, 1945 in
the Belgian bulge.
He is survived by his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. J. Alvin Hicks, Route 2,
Marion; three brothers, J. Alvin
Hicks, Jr. and Carl Hi;ks, Route 2,
Marion, and Kenneth Hicks of Rob
binsville, N. C. -
There are forty billion square feet
of saw-log size timber under the fire
protection of the North Carolina Di
j vision of Forestry and Parks.
Urges Veterans To Set
Poppy Day Example
"Pin on a poppy the first thing on
Poppy Day!"
This was the appeal of G. Watson
Wilson, Commander of McDowell
Post ,of The American Legion, to all
war veterans in McDowell county, in
a statement issued today.
"We can never forget those com
rades of ours who lost their lives in
w a r service," the Commander's
statement said, "so let us show the
world that we remember by wearing
a poppy on Poppy Day. We veterans
should lead the way in paying tribute
to those who didn't come back, so
pin on a poppy the first thing on
Poppy Day.
"With our poppies we remember,
too, those other comrades who are
still fighting a battle against wounds
and illness in the veterans' hospitals.
They made the poppies, and the con
tributions we make for the little
flowers are for them, their families
and the families of the dead. I am
sure veterans will set an example of
generosity on Poppy Day."
Poppy Day will be observed here
and throughout the nation on May
29, the Saturday before Memorial
Day, when women of the American
Legion Auxiliary and cooperating
organizations will offer the memorial
flowers on the streets throughout the
day.
Legion To Sponsor
A "Knothole Gang"
The American Legion Post No. 5G
will sponsor a "Knoth-ole Gang" at
their Junior Baseball games this
summer it was recently announced
by W. E. Carter, athletic officer for
the post.
All boys and girls under the age
of twelve will be admitted free of
charge to all home games. Howaver,
to be admitted free of charge the
kids will be required to attend Sun
day school the Sunday before the
game and have a written note from
the teacher stating that they went
to Sunday school that Sunday. No
boy or girl will be admitted to the
Knothoij Gang unless they meet the
Sunday school and the age require
ment.
Valedictorian And Salutatorian
JOHN A. POTEAT, JR.
BETSY KEITH BOWMAN
MARION HIGH STUDENTS
ACHIEVE HIGH AVERAGES
John A. Poteat, Jr., valedictorian
of Marion High School, had one of
the highest scholastic averages made
in recent years. His average was
97.31. Miss Betsy Keith Bowman,
salutatorian, had an average of
96.88.
The valedictorian is the son of
Mrs. John A. Poteat and the late
Mr. Poteat of Marion. He partici
pated in the Triangular Debate for
the past two years and was elimin
ated by the state winners both years.
He was a letterman on the football
team his senior year, playing in the
position of guard. He is a member
of the Student Council and vice
president of the Senior Class.
He is also a member of the Nation
al Honor Society, the Victory club,
Foreign Language club, Hylander
circulation manager, member of the
Science club, the Debaters club,
marshal during his sophomore year
and chief marshal his junior year,
member of the Future Teachers club,
Monogram club and operator of the
motion picture projector.
Miss Bowman is the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. William Bov/man of
Marion. She is a member of the De
bating club and participated in the
quarter finals of State Debate at
Chapel Hill last year.
She received tenth place in this
state in an Achievement examina
tion sponsored by the Pepsi-Cola
company. She is a member of the
Marion High School band, Victory
club, Dramatics club, Girls' Athletic
club, Teen Age Ten, State Teachers
club, president of the Debaters club,
Book Week Story Teller, marshal
and member of the National Honor
Society.
DR. MARY SLOOP
KIWANIS SPEAKER
A brief history of the organization
and development of Crossnore school
was given to the Kiwanis club at the
regular meeting of the club held
Tuesday evening in the community
building by Dr. Mary Sloop, business
manager of Crossnore, Inc.
President Vernon Eckerd presided
at the meeting and the program was
in charge of Kiwanian Garfield Bea
man who presented Dr. Sloop. In
presenting the guefet speaker, Bea
man reminded the club that four
boys and girls from McDowell coun
ty were enrolled in the Crossnore
school. The boys and girl's commit
tee is interested in the children sent
from McDowell county to Crossnore.
Dr. Sloop in her own unique way
discussed the organization of the
Crossnore Schools and the purpose
for which these schools were organ
ized. She told of how the original
enrollment of one pupil had grown
to an enrollment of 245 during the
current year. She reviewed, the fi
nancial structure of her organiza
tion and the development of the old
clothes sales which contribute in a
major v. ay in the financial operation
of the schools.
Mrs. Nell Lonon, superintendent
of public welfare for McDowell
county, was a guest of the club.
An announcement was made by
Hugh Beam that a movie of the 1947
World Series baseball games would
be shown at the meeting next Tues
day.
MARION ASSURED
OF THREE CONCERTS
Marion is assured of Com
munity Concerts next winter,
according to announcement this
week.
The canvass to bring a series
of concerts to Marion was
launched Monday, May 10, and
was originally scheduled to close
last Saturday, but was extended
until Wednesday, May 19, in the
hopes of securing sufficient ad
ditional memberships to add an
other concert to the schedule.
Complete figures were not a
vailable at press time yesterday,
but it was estimated that at
least 400 memberships had been
sold and approximately $2,000
v raised for the concert series.
RIPPERS WIN
OVER SHELBY
HOME GAME
Turning in the best ball game of
the year Friday night, the Rippers
of, Marion High came from behind
to tie the score twice, then go out
in front in the 7th inning to remain
there as they took a 6-4 win over the
strong Shelby High Lions. Sparking
the Ripper win was the effective 5
hit pitching of Billy Joe Davidson,
who also struck out 19 Shelby men.
Rader led the attack on the oppos
ing pitches with three singles while
Pace, Clayton and England got hits
for extra bases.
1 he mgnngnt 01 trie evening1 was
Rader's steal home with two out and
the score tied and the perfect
squeeie play put on by England who
was on third base and Biddix who
was at the bat. These types of plays
are rarely seen—yet Marion has
completed 3 steals of home and sev
eral squeeze plays this year, much
to the astonishment of their visitors.
Shelby started the scoring in the
first inning when Furrie, first man
up, hit safety. Meggenson sacrificed
Furrie to second where J. Bridges
drove him home with the first of his
three hits. Marion tied it up in their
half of the first inning when Rader
single 1 and same all the way home
on Clayton's double down the left
foul line.
Shelby went ahead in the third
inning when Furrie walked and scor
ed on J. Bridges' double. Marion
went ahead in the fifth inning when
they collected three hits and three
runs on Biddijx's single, Pace's triple
and England's single and Rader's
second hit. Shelby came back in the
sixth to tie the count with a hit bats
man along with two Ripper errors
giving them two runs.
With the score tied at 4-4 in the
seventh inning the Rippers filled the
bases with none out. Davidson hit
into a fast double play. With two
out, score tied and bases full, J.
Bridges dropped one of Eubank's low
pitches—Rader dashed for home, but
found Eubanks waiting for him with
the ball—Rader's slide was so vicious
that he knocked the ball from Eu
banks' outstretched hand giving Mar
(Continued on last page)
McDowell County Democrats
Hold Convention Saturday
Holiness Ministers
Assigned New Charges
Two changes were made in the
Pentecostal Holiness appointments of
Marion when the Western North
Carolina conference was held in
Durham last week-end.
Rev. Woodrow Smith, pastor of
the West Marion and Cross Mill
churches, was assigned to the Lin
colnton church.
During his pastorate of four years
here the West Marion church has
built and paid for a new parsonage
a:id established a church building
fund of more than $500. In 1946
he organized a congregation at Cross
Mill and a new church building was
erected this conference year. The
combined membership of the two
churches is approximately double the
membership of the West Marion
church when Smith came to Marion.
Rev. Clarence Frazier, who gradu
ates from Holmes Bible college,
Greenville, S. C., this week, was as
signed to the West Marion church.
Rev. Ernest Church, of North
Wilkesboro, was assigned to the
Cross Mill church.
Rev. R. Nr. Williams was returned
to the East Marion church. He has
served as pastor of the East Marion
church for five years.
Rev. Smith will deliver his final
sermon at Cross Mill, Saturday
night, and at West Marion, Sunday
morning.
Rippers Win;
Schedule Changed
The Marion High School baseball
team defeated Hendersonville High
in a game there Tuesday night by a
score of 16-6, Coach Art Ditt an
nounced yesterday.
Coach Ditt also announced a
| change in schedule. Marion will play
j Canton High School Saturday night
instead of Friday night.
FIRE FRIDAY
The Marion Fire Department was
called to the East Court Motor com
pany Friday afternoon. A match
had been thrown near a pool of oil
on the floor but the blaze was ex
tinguished before firemen arrived
and there was no damage to the
building, it was stated.
McDowell County Democrats held
their convention here Saturday. R.
W. Proctor, county chairman, called
the convention to order and presided
throughout the meeting.
Proctor spoke briefly on the his
tory of the Democratic party in Mc
Dowell county and urged that local
citizens take an active interest in
political activities.
Roy W. Davis, candidate for the
Legislature, addressed the group on
the importance of unity and cooper
ation among party members.
Brief talks were also made by a
number of other candidates and par
ty leaders.
A motion was passed providing
that all McDowell County Democrats
who could attend the state conven
tion in Raleigh Thursday, May 20,
be designated delegates.
R. W. Proctor tendered his re
signation as county chairman, but
due to the fact that a quorum of the
Executive committee was not pres
ent, the election of a chairman was
postponed until a later date.
Hammett Rites
To Be Held Sunday
The body of Pfc. Benjamin L.
Hammett, who was killed March 16,
1945, on Iwo Jirna, arrived here
Tuesday. Funeral services will be
held at the East Marion Pentecostal
Holiness church at four o'clock, Sun
day, afternoon, with Rev. R. N. Wil
liams officiating, assisted by Rev. J.
B. McLarty. Interment will be made
in Oak Grove cemetery with the
American Legion in charge of ser
vices at the grave.
He is survived by his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Benjamin D. Hammett,
Marion; five brothers, Woodrow,
William, Franklin, of Marion, Al
fred, U. S. Air Corps, Fairbanks,
Alaska, and Charles W., of Spartan
burg, S. C.
Elliott Named
Manager For Scott
W. P. Elliott nas been appointed
campaign manager in McDowell
county for W. Kerr Scott, candidate
for Governor.
NORTH COVE COMMENCEMENT
EXERCISES TO START SUNDAY
GREENLEE NAMED
VICE-PRESIDENT
OF ELECTRIC CORP.
•J. H. Greenlee was elected vice
president of the Burke - McDowell
Electric Membership corporation at
the annual meeting of the corpora
tion held at the court house in Mor
' ganton last Saturday afternoon.
, Other officers elected were: W. R.
Mullis, president; W. L. Littlejohn,
secretary, and C. L. Yount, treasur
er.
Directors elected for the coining
year were: W. R. Mullis, C. L. Yount,
J. E. Smith, W. F. Blanton, W. L.
Littlejohn, C. E. Turner, Eugene
Perry, J. H. Greenlee and Fate
Brown. After the directors were
elected during the annual meeting,
they met and elected the above
officers.
Gwyn B. Price, chairman of the
North Carolina Rural Electrification
Authority was the guest speaker. He
stressed the growing importance of
electricity on the farms and particu
larly in connection with the state's
good health program, by providing
running water, thereby giving im
proved sanitary conditions. He out
lined the program made in rural
electrification during the past ten
years. Ten years ago only 3 per cent
of farms in North Carolina had elec
tricity—today 60 per cent of them
are electrified, the speaker said.
The cooperative membership from
Burke, McDowell, Caldwell and Rut
herford counties was well represent
ed.
The North Cove High School Sen
iors will hold their Baccalaureate
Service in the auditorium of the
school, Sunday, May 23 at 7:30 p.
m. The Rev. James B. McLarty, pas
tor of First Mtethodist church, Mar
ion, will preach the Baccalaureate
Sermon.
The graduation exercises will be
held Friday, May 28 at 8:00 p. m.
The Rev. John Hoyle, superintendent
of Marion district of the Methodist
church, will deliver the Literary Ad
dress.
The Seniors will present their
Class Day program on Monday morn
ing, May 31 at 10 o'clock.
Members of the Senior Class are
as follows: Betty Jean Conley and
Joan McGhee, who are Co-Valedic
torian; Henry Brown, Salutatorian;
Barbara Williams, Faye Washburn,
Watson English, Wilma Townsend,
Claude Townsend, Burgess Bartlett
and Mary Ellen Swofford.
Curb Market Moved
To State Street
4
The Curb Market on South Maia
street was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Fess
Hensley last week and has been
moved back of the Hensley residence
on State street.
Mr. and Mrs. Hensley said they
bave no immediate plans for the use
of the building.
W. H. Norris said Monday he will
begin the construction of a brick
mercantile building on the former
site of The Curb Market within the
near future, probably this week. He
also stated that he had no definite
plans for occupancy of the building.