THE MARION PROGRESS
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A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF MARION AND McDOWELL COUNTY
ESTABLISHED 1896 MARION, N. C., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1949 VOLUME 53—No. 32
W. F. GRANT, SR.
(Photo by Eckenrod)
TWO PRISONERS
MADE ESCAPE
FROM COUNTY JAIL
Perry Melton, of Old Fort, and
Lawrence Edwards, of Burnsville,
who escaped from the McDowell
county jail last week are still at
large, according to a statement by
Sheriff C. M. Pool yesterday.
Pool said Robert White, jailer, an
swered a phone call about 7:30 a. m.
Friday and was informed that two
men had employed a cab to take
them to Spruce Pine that morning.
The driver said remarks overheard
led him to believe the men had es
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HUNT TRAVELOGUE
GIVEN BY HOLLER
AT KIWANIS MEET
Cato Holler g^ve a travelogue of
his recent hunting trip to Canada
and Kodiak Island at the meeting of
the Miarion Kiwanis club Tuesday
evening,
S. R. Perkins, vice president, pre
sided and presented the speaker to
The group. He explained in detail
the experiences he had during his
trip to Canada last fall, and illus
trated his discussion with a number
of snap shots he had made during
the trip. Holler was successful in
killing a 1,500 pound Kodiak bear,
which is of the largest species now
in existence. Kiwanian Holler stat
ed that he had left the head and
hide of the animal he killed with a
taxidermist in the State of Wash
ington where it will be made into a
trophy to be added to the prize col
lection of Holler.
After the conclusion of the dis
cussion, the speaker was besieged
with many questions, which he an
swered readily. The enthusiasm with
which this program was evidenced
by the fact that a number of Ki
wanians remained after the ad
journment of the meeting for fur
ther discussion.
Personnel
Changes Made
At Local Bank
W. F. GRANT NAMED CASHIER
OF FIRST NATIONAL BANK
SUCCEEDING J. N. MORRIS
It has been announced that J.
Neal Morris has tendered his resig
nation as Cashier of the First Na
tional Bank of Marion,* effective
March 1, 1949, which has been ac
cepted by the Board of Directors
of the Bank. After March 15, he
will be associated in business with
R. J. Morris of Marion. Upon his
resignation, W. F. Grant, assistant
cashier, was advanced to the posi
tion of Cashier and the manage
ment of the Bank created the new
office of Executive Vice-President.
Milton L. Campbell, president of
the First National Bank at Belle
Glade, Florida, has been elected
Executive Vice-Presidentt to fill
this new position in the First Na
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METHODISTS
TO OBSERVE
LAYMEN'S DAY
Laymen's Day will be observed
by the First Methodist church of
Marion next Sunday along with
other M«thodist churches through
out America.
The program has been planned by
Joseph L. Noyes, lay leader. John
M. Snoddy and David Gray will
also have part on the program and
Pat Davis will make the principal
address.
OWENS SPEAKER
AT SPRUCE PINE
Rev. M. O. Owens, Jr., pastor of
the first Baptist Church, was speak
er on Monday and Tuesday even
ings for a School of Missions being
held this week at the First Baptist
Church of Spruce Pine. Rev. D. C.
Weason, formerly pastor at Old
Fort, is the present pastor at Spruce
Pine. Owens spoke Monday evening
on, "The Centrality of Missions."
His subject Tuesday evening was
"You and Missions."
Vestry Officers
St. John's Elected
E. P. Dameron was elected senior
warden; W. W. Neal, Jr., junior
warden; Oliver Cross, treasurer,
and Wayne Jarrett, secretary of
the vestry of St. John's Episcopal
church at a meeting of the vestry
at the rectory last Thursday night.
Davis Seeks Pay H ike
For County Officials
*
Pleasant Gardens
Basketball Teams
In Tournaments
The Pleasant Gardens girls bas
ketball team has won 16 games and
lost four. The boys have won 10'
and lost seven.
Defeating. Startown, Happy Val
ley and only losing by two points to
the North Brook champions, the
girls advanced to the quarter finals
in the Gold Medal tournament held
at Valdese last week.
Miss Inez Morgan was voted one
of the all tournament guards for
her second consecutive year.
Miss Joyce Moody was one of the
maids of honor to the queen of the
tournament.
The boys tournament started
Saturday at Valdese. Pleasant Gar
dens boys will play Drexel Tuesday
at 5:55 p. m.
Raleigh, Feb. 21—Rep. Roy Davis
of McDowell County tonight intro
duced a bill to give salary increases
to a number of McDowell County
officials and employes.
Under the measure, the clerk of
Superior Court who now gets about
$3,400 a year, would receive $4,000
for all his services, including his
duties at juvenile judge. The regis
ter of deed, who is now paid $2,400
a year, would get $3,000 a year.
The bill would increase the pay
of McDowell County commissioners
and members of the board of edu
cation from $5 to $10 a day, with a
mileage allowance of five cents a
mile. The pay of the chairman of
the board of commissioners would
remain at $50 a month plus a five
cent mileage allowance.
The bill would authorize the com
missioners to p«.y the assistant clerk
of Superior Court and the assistant
register of deeds not less than $100
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Children Practice For Symphony Concert
'
Children in a North Carolina school practice a song ih preparation for a
concert by the Little Symphony of the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra.
The Little Symphony will appear in Marion on March 4 at the Marion High
School at eight o'clock.
S. J. Westmoreland Reelected
Chairman Of Polio Committee
Civitan Club
Organized Here;
Officers Elected
I
Albert M. Neal was elected pre
sident of Marion's new Civitan club
at a meeting held in the Methodist
Hut last week. Other officers elect
ed were: J. W. Streetman, Jr., and
Everette C. Carnes, vice presidents;
Frank Sentelle, secretary; W. F.
Grant, Jr., treasurer, and the Rev.
James B. McLarty, chaplain.
Application for a charter is being
made and plans are underway for
a charter night dinner April 8.
D. W. Lambert, of Asheville, dis
tinct lieutenant-governor, and G.
W. Shepherd, a member of the
Asheville club and field secretary
of Cavitation International, met
I with the Marion men for their or
ganization meeting.
The board of directors is com
posed of: W. I. Haithcock, J. War
ren Franklin, Dr. William Hagna,
McLarty, George K. Knisley, and
Rev. C. C. Cross.
Meetings will be held at the noon
hour on the first and third Thurs
days.
HOYLE SCHEDULED
TO SPEAK SUNDAY
IN OLD FORT
Rev. John Hoyle, Jr., superin
tendent of the Marion District, will
speak at churches on the Old Fort
Circuit next Sunday, February 27,
as follows: Bethel, 10 a. m., Bethle
hem 11 a. m., Piney Grove, 2 p. m.,
Carson's Chapel, 3:15 p. m. and Eb
enezer 7:30 p. m.
He will speak in the interest of
the new Advance For Christ Move
ment in the Methodist Church.
First Aid Classes
Started This Week
The first in a series of First Aid
classes for employees of the U. S.
Forestry Service was held Tuesday
evening in the jury room of the
court house, Mrs. Ann Hawkins,
Red Cross executive secretary, an
nounced this week.
The class was organized by re
quest of the Forestry Service and
will be continued for three weeks.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday
nights were tentatively set as class
nights, beginning at 7 p. m. and con
tinuing until 9.
Those enrolled are: Paul White,
James Fisher, Thermal D. Ross, Ray
Huffman, William B. Finley, Carl
Moody, Henry Frisbie, Clifford
Gainard, Gustaf P. Hultman, David
L. Rector and Ralph H. Robinson.
Officers of the McDowell County
Chapter of the Infantile Paralysis
Foundation were reelected at a
meeting held Tuesday afternoon as
follows:
S. J. Westmoreland, chairman;
H. P. Beam, vice chairman; Mrs. D.
N. Lonon, secretary, and M. W.
Gordon, treasurer.
Announcement was made that a
total of $8,320 had been raised to
ward the $10,000 goal and that the
drive will continue until the quota
has been reached.
COMMUNITY
CONCERT DRIVE
TO BE LAUNCHED
The Marion Community Concert
association will begin Its second an
nual membership drive next week
under the leadership of Mrs. S. W.
Blanton and Mrs. Donald Mcintosh,
chairman and co-chairman, Paul J.
Story, president, announced yester-j
day.
Other officers are: Mi-s. Carl
McMurray, first vice president;
Mrs. Donald Mcintosh, second vice
president; Albert Hewitt, third vice
president; Wayne Jarrett, seere
tary-treasurer; Rev. M. O. Owens,
Jr., publicity chairman; Bernard
Hirsch, concert presentation chair
man. In addition to the officers the
Board of Directors is composed of:
Mrs. R. L. Corbett, Rev. J. B. McLar
ty, Miss Louise Poteat, Mrs. Walter
Patton, Miss Ruth Greenlee, Rev.
A. P. Mack, Mrs. Harry McCall, S.
R. Cross, J. L. Gourley, Mrs. Annie
Miller Pless and Mrs. Jason B. Dey
ton of Spruce Pine.
The Association has presented
two attractions thus far this seas
on: Joseph Battista, pianist, and
the Bary Ensemble. One other con
cert is scheduled for this season,
and will be presented on March 7.
The artist will be John Tyers, emi
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Community Concert
Workers To Meet
The officers and directors of the
Marion Community Concert Asso
ciation will hold a very important
meeting Monday evening, February
28, at 8:00 in the Community Build
ing. Rev. M. O. Owens, publicity
chairman, has announced. The
meeting will be held in conjunction
with the organization meeting of
the teams and workers for the an
nual membership drive which be
gins Monday. Mrs. Walker Blanton
and Mrs. Donald Mcintosh, Co
Chairman of the drive, are calling
a meeting of all their workers, 90 in
all, at the same time.
ATTEND CONFERENCE
The McDowell County AAA com
mittee and Miss Louise Patton, se
cretary, will attend a Production
and Marketing Administration con
ference in Winston-Salem on March
2 and 3.
Red Cross Campaign
To Open March 1
MARION HIGH
BAND CONCERT
SET FOR TONIGHT
High School band musicians—fif
ty five strong—-will present their
second concert of the year, Thurs
day, February 24 in the high school
auditorium. TJie concert will start
at eight o'clock.
The program includes a number
of very fine works for band plus
an interesting piano solo the "Sword
Dance" played my Mary Belle
Grayson with accompaniment by
the band. Also, a saxophone quar
tet will be presented. Players in the
quartet are: Bobby Long, Ikey Mc
Lain, Gray Proctor and David Fin
ley.
The complete list of selections
for the concert follows: Sherwood
March—Milligan; "Orlando Palan
drino"—Joseph Hayden; Minuet In
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FOUNDER'S DAY
PROGRAM GIVEN
AT GLENWOOD PTA
The Grammar Grades of Glen
wood School presented a Founder's |
Day program at the February meet
ing of the Parent-Teacher associa
tion last Thursday.
Matt McBrayer presented a film
on the Education Commission.
The. fourth grade won the attend
ance contest in the elementary
grades and the eleventh grade in
the high school.
Oratorical Contest
To Be Held Friday
The elimination contest for Mc
Dowell county schools in the Ame
rican Legion's Oratorical contest
will be held Friday, February 26, at
Nebo High School beginning at 7:30
o'clock, C. M. Steppe, chairman of
the fifth division, announced yes
terday.
A gold medal will be awarded the
winner of the County Contest who
will represent McDowell county in
the 31st District Contest to be held
next week.
Building Permits
The Town of Marion issued two
building permits Monday.
Clinton Norris was authorized to
construct a frame composition dwell
ing on State street and Baldwin
avenue at an estimated cost of
$4,000.
Robert Mills was issued a permit
for erecting a frame composition
dwelling on Spring street at an es
timated cost of $4,500.
Committee
Chairmen
Are Named
McDowell County's Annual Red
Cross Fund Raising campaign wilt
officially open here March 1, E. C.
Carnes, fund chairman, announced
yesterday.
Preliminary plans have been un
derway for the past two weeks and
the drive is already moving toward
the $4,389 goal.
The following committee chair
men will head the drive:
John Gilkey, publicity; Oliver
Cross, industry; Ernest Ross, busi
ness; Everette Carnes, advance
gifts; Mrs. W. W. Neal, Jr. and Ml-s.
Morgan Baldwin, residences; Zeb
Lane, Old Fort; N. F. Steppe and
Hugh Beam, schools.
Assistants for the various com
mittees are being chosen ajid wilL
be announced next week.
New Kural Plan
Carnes explained that because
rural dwellings are so widely scat
tered they have never been ade
quately covered before, and a new
plan is being tried this year. A let
ter, outlining Red Cross needs and
aims is being sent to each rural box
holder and a contribution is request
ed to be sent to the local office of
the Red Cross. "This system will of
fer each rural dweller an opportuni
ty to help, and it is hoped that the
response will be excellent," he
said.
Speedy Drive Planned
While the entire month of March
is set aside as Red Cross Fund Cam
paign Month, chairmen have ex
pressed the hope that the campaign
will be carried through to comple
tion long before the month is up.
Some phases of the campaign will be
carried on throughout the entire
month, but plans are now being
made to complete the actual solic
iting the first week. The first round
of door to door soliciting in resi
dences and businesses will be com
pleted within the first few days and
follow up trips finished as soon af
ter that as possible. It is hoped that
through the generous response of
the people the goal will be in sight
at the end of the week.
Blood Program
One new phase of Red Cross ser
vice is the Blood Program. Eventu
ally this service will furnish free
whole blood for transfusion and
many blood derivatives for other
purposes, to all people in the United
States. Residents of McDowell coun
ty will be among the first people
covered by this program. The Ashe
ville Area Unit will inaugurate the
program in this area shortly after
March 21.
Contracts Mailed By Marauders
To Reserve Squad And Rookies
Annual Meeting
of Farmers Federation
To Be Held at Old Fort
The annual stockholders' meeting
of the Farmers Federation for Mc
Dowell stockholders who trade at
the Old Fort warehouse will be held
in the warehouse Tuesday, March 1,
at 8 p. m., it has been announced
by James G. K. McClure, president
of the organization.
Reports of the Federation's busi
ness during the past year will be
made and committeemen will be
elected for the coming year. One di
rector will be nominated for elec
tion at the annual meeting of the
organization in Buncombe county
on March 26.
Contracts have been mailed to
eleven members of the 1948 Marion
Marauder Basketball squad. In ad
dition to these members of the re
serve list, contracts have been mail
ed to four rookies according to an
announcement released by Business
Manager J. C. Rabb.
Contracts were mailed to Lefty
Griffin, Charles Ferguson, Art
Briskner, Jack Triplett, Ray Yow,
Mark Ferguson, Harry Holt, John
Gold, Tom Cumby, Higgins J. Dun
can, Nat Yablon, John B. Beam, W.
T. Wooten, Sam Redick, and Paul
Moore.
To date, contracts signed by play
ers and returned to officials of the
Marion Baseball Club include: Hig
gins J. Duncan, Nat Yablon, John
R. Beam, W. T. Wooten, Sam Red
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