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, APRIL 7, 1949 VOLUME 53^-No. 38
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
APPROVE SCHOOL ADDITIONS
BIGHT CLASSROOMS TO BE ADDED
IN COUNTY SYSTEM; FOUR IN CITY
The County Commissioners in ses
sion Monday approved the addition
*of four classrooms for the Nebo
school, for the Glenwood school,
in the county system, and four for
the West Marion school in the city
system. The motion was passed fol
lowing an appeal by the Marion 'City
and McDowell County boards.
The Commissioners also ordered
a change of hours for county offices
in the court house. The offices will
observe hours from 9 a. m. until 5
p. m. with no lunch hour closings.
The following road petitions were
approved:
Widen the i-oad from Harmony
Grove to Pineola road in the Dy
sartsville township and place cul
verts in two places to keep water
from standing,on the road and grav
el all the way.
Grade and gravel the road from
Little Rock Creek road to the J. P.
Walker road.
Widen, grade, ditch and gravel
the road from big Oak tree on the
(Continued on last page)
COUNTY SCHOOL
BOARD REELECTS
DR. JOHNSON
Dr. J. B. Johnson of Old Fort was
reelected chairman of the McDowell
County School Board for a two year
term at the regular meeting of the
Board held in the office of N. F.
Steppe, county superintendent, last
Monday. Johnson has been a mem
ber of the board 14 years, in
cluding a 12 year period as chair
man.
N. F. Steppe was reelected coun
ty superintendent for a two year
term.
Other members of the board are:
W. L. Morris, former chairman who
has been a member for the past 20
years. J. E. English, North Cove,
new member succeeding J. C. Go
forth who served on the board for
(Continued on last page)
Community Council Committees
Making Survey Of Local Needs
CHARLES SMITH
ROTARY PRESIDENT
FOR NEW YEAR
Charles H. Smith was elevated
from vice president to president of
the Rotary club succeeding Pat Da
vis at the weekly meeting held in
the community building last Friday.
Other officers for the coming
year are: Ernest Ross, vice presi
dent; Leland Hairr, secreary; Da
vid Gray, treasurer, and Will Erwin,
sergeant-at-arms.
The Board of directors will be
composed of these officers and Pat
Davis, past president, Jack Hewitt
and Marshall Dark.
Jack Wingo was the honor stu
dent guest of the month.
COURT OF HONOR
The Boy Scout Court of Honor
will be held at 1:30 o'clock, Friday,
April 8, at the First Methodist
church, it is announced this we^k.
Preparatory to the next Commu
nity Council meeting on April 25
two committees of a temporary na
ture recently appointed, are work
ing on surveys. A "Projects Survey
Committee" is composed of Albert
Hewitt, Rotarian chairman, R. C.
Spratt, delegate from the Mer
chants* Association, and Rev. P. L.
Smith, Kiwanian. This committee is
questioning Community Council
delegates and other interested citi
zens of Marion in an effort to de
termine the specific work the Com
munity Council may undertake in
order to be of the greatest service
to the community. A report of this
survey will be given at the April
meeting of the Community Council.
Another committee composed oi
Amos Seagle, Merchants' Associa
tion delegate, chairman; Mrs. B. A,
Dickson, representative from the
School Board, and E. P. Dameron,
delegate from the Francis Marion
club is making a survey to deter
mine the wishes of Community
Council delegates regarding new
members to be invited as delegates
(Continued on last page) '
BENNETT NAM
OF SINGING C(
Wildlife Club
To Meet Monday
The April meeting of the McDow
ell County Wildlife club will be held
at 7:30, Monday, April 11, in the
court house, according to announce
ment Monday.
Fishing rules and regulations, gill
nets, baskets and other fish traps
will be discussed.
The following committees will be
appointed: non-game fish, game
fish, big game fish, squirrell and
grouse, rabbit, bird, fox, raccoon
and, -opossum.
A special invitation is extended to
•sports women to attend.
CITY SCHOOLS
TO CLOSE FRIDAY
Marion City Schools will be clos
ed Friday, April 8, so faculty mem
bers may attend a State Meeting of
the North Carolina Education Asso
ciation in Asheville, H. F. Beam' su
perintendent said this week. The
City Schools will also observe Mon
day as a holiday, he* said.
ED PRESIDENT
INVENTION
Attendance at tke Spring Meet
ing of the McDowell County Sing
ing Convention held here Sundaj
was estimated at more than 2,000.
Lloyd Bennett was reelected pre
sident for his second consecutive
year and Mrs. Bennett was reelect
ed secretary-treasurer. Thermal
Ross was elected vice president.
The program featured six quar
tets from the two Carolinas,
Register Of Deed
Bill Introduced
By Rep. Davis
Raleigh—Roy W; Davis has intro
duced a bill in the Ifouse to give
McDowell commissioners descretion
ary authority to raise the salary of
the register of deeds.
• The bill would amend House Bill
137, -which was enacted earlier in
the session. That measure required
the commissioners to boost the sal
ary of the register of deeds from
$2,400 to $3,000 a year.
The bill would permit the commis
sioners to fix the salary at an amount
not less than $2,500 nor more than
$3,000 a year. It was referred to the
committee on salaries and fees.
Seeks Re-election
J. W. STREETMAN, JR. announces
this week that he will be a candi
date for reelection as Mayor of
Marion.
McDowell County
Church Campaign
j Launched Sunday
The churches of McDowell coun
ty, cooperating in the Church At
tendance Campaign, began the cam
paign on this last Sunday with av
erage attendance. Practically air the
churches in the county are partici
pating, with the exception of St.
John's Episcopal Church, Rev. A. P.
Mack, rector. Reports from the
churches are very incomplete, but a
casual survey and conservative esti
mate would indicate that Sunday
School attendants last Sunday ap
proximated 5,000. Total church
membership in the county is approx
imately 10,000. There are 65 white
churches in the county.
Given below are the churches
{Continued on last page)
Marion Manufacturing Co.
Office Building Remodeled
I
Rev. Kiviranna
Guest Speaker
At Kiwanis Club
! Reverend Rudolf Kiviranna, a Lu
! thern minister and native of Eston
j ia, one of the Baltic states, was the
guest speaker at the Marion Kiwan
is Club Tuesday evening.
Roy Davis, president of the club,
presided and Kiwanian Hugh Beam
was in charge of the program- Ver
non Eckerd introduced the speaker
to the club.
The guest speaker recently left
his home country because of Commu
nism which over ran his homeland.
Reverend Kiviranna was able to give
definite and accurate information of
Communistic practices btehind the
iiron curtain. He related to the club
| some of the experiences which he
| had had and the things that he had
j seen. He outlined how leaders of
j Communism systematically under
| mined the "government of his home
| land, and told how Christianity was
■ suppressed. He urged vigorous op
j position to all phases of Commu
] nism with all of its ideologies.
; Judge Paul Story was welcomed
| into the club after an absence of
i three months. Reverend It. I. Corbett
:also received a hearty welcome back
• into the club. Reverend Corbett had
I been vacationing in Florida for sev
i eral months but,has made up all of
! his attendance while away,
i President Davis called for a brief
session with his Board of Directors
immediately following the adjourn
ment of the meeting.
TWO SERVICES
AT BAPTIST CHURCH
SUNDAY MORNING
i
i First Baptist Church began a pro
igram of the morning , worship ser
vices last Sunday morning, one at
9:45 and the other at the usual
time—11:00. Sunday evening in
the Training Union an additional
Story Hour was organized to take
care of children up to four years
old.
Total attendance at the morning
services increased 25 per cent over
the average attendance for a single
service heretofore. Total attendance
was 310 for the two services. The
Lord's Supper was observed at both
services. Sunday School attendance
was 364, the largest single attend
(Continued on last page)
RED CROSS DRIVE
$500 SHORT OF GOAL
The Red Cross campaign is still
$500 short of the $4,389 goal, E,
C. Carnes, fund campaign chair
man, said yesterday.
The drive was scheduled to close
March 31, but contributions are
stilT being accepted.
The Marion Manufacturing com
pany store has had its face lifted.
The street in front of the store
has been widened to give a better ap
pearance and promote safety.
Entering the front door, a visitor
walks into a spacious reception
room. Walls are tinted a soft, gray
blue shade. Inlaid linoleum, fluores
cent lights, chrome and leather furn
iture combine to give an effect of
streamlined efficiency.
A new teletype permits direct
communication with New York City.
The eight offices are similar in de
sign, but vary in size and color
scheme. Each is equipped with steel
furniture and heated electrically.
The building formerly contained
five offices, a post office and a gen
eral merchandise store for mill em
ployees.
MARION P. T. A.
ELECTS OFFICERS
TUESDAY NIGHT
I-' < . L
■
Officers for the coming year were
elected at the PTA meeting held in
the High School auditorium Tues
day night, April 5. Mrs. S. W. Blan
ton will be the new president, Mrs.
Gene Cross, Jr. vice president, Mrs.
John Setzer secretary and Mrs.
Wayne Syttle, treasurer.
Immediately after the call-to-or
der by Mrs. Sam Yancey, president
and the devotional period conduct
ed by Rev. Chester Smelser, the pro
gram was turned over to Mrs. Homer
Beaman, program chairman. She
presented Miss Lillian Jonas and the
Glee Club who gave two sacred selec
tions, both contest numbers in the re
cent Music Contests. Following the
Glee Club, Band numbers were pre
sented, introduced by Bernard Hirsch,
Band Director. Music Contest num
bers were presented by the follow
ing: Brass Ensemble composed of
sjx boys, a piano solo by Mary Belle
Grayson, an Oboe solo by Harry
(Continued on page 4) *
Quarterly Totals
In Postal Receipts
Show An Increase
Postal receipts for the quarter
ending March 31 increased $2,514.42
over the corresponding quarter last
year, according to figures released
this week by Postmaster John Fin
ley.
He attributed the rise in part to
an increase in postal rates and
fees, but expressed the opinion that
more third class and fourth class re
reipts had also had an effect. He
said more parcels and advertising
material had been mailed.
Receipts for the Ihree months
period this year were $13,116.70,
compared with $10,602.28 last year.
Postal savings certificates issued
in March totaled $58,497. Paid cer
tificates were listed at $52,523, mak
ing increase of $5,962. Bond sales
in March totaled $4,500.
CANDIDATES FILING
FOR TOWN OFFICES
MAYOR AND FIVE CANDIDATES
TO BE ELECTED MAY 3
NEBO MERCHANT
REPORTS STORE
WAS ROBBED
Dallas Rowe, blind merchant of
the Nebo community, reported three
pair of khaki pants, three pair of
overalls, three packages of tobacco
and ten packages of chewing gum
missing from his store last Thursday
morning, Sheriff C. M. Pool caid.
Upon investigation by the Sheriff,
and his deputies a broken window
pane in the store was discovered and
^he window had also been raised.
Rowe said he missed burlap sacks
from his store and advanced the
theory that the person or persons■
who entered did so by breaking the
window, but that the bags of loot
(Continued on last page)
COBB ACCEPTS
NEW POSITION
Jack D! Cobb has accepted a po
sition as sanitary inspector of Ire
dell county and will accept his new
duties in Statesville on April 15,
Dr. C. N. Sisk, of the County Health
Department, announced this week.
Cobb came to Marion from Boone a
bout a year ago.
Dr. Sisk said a. successor has not
been named.
Fowling Center
To Open Saturday
The new Lake City Bowling Cen
ter will open at 10 a. m. Saturday
in the building on West Henderson
street formerly occupied by the
Dixie Home Stores. The Center will
he owned and operated by Clinton
H. Norris and J. 0. Flack.
NO EASTER HOLIDAY
FOR COUNTY SCHOOLS
Schools in the McDowell County
system will continue their regular
schedule during Easter week-end, it
is announced by N. F. Steppe, coun
ty superintendent.
Five candidates have filed for of
fices in the municipal election to b»
held Tuesday, May 3, Mayor J. W.
Streetman, Jr. said yesterday. «
Streetman, who has served two
consecutive terms as Mayor of Ma
rion, spoke of his own candidacy and.
that of four candidates for the>
Board of Aldermen. They are: Pat
Davis, Edward Rowe, Frank Gold
smith and Clinton N. Norris..
Registration books will be opened
Saturday, April 9, and close Satur
day, April 23. A Mayor and five'
members of the Board of Aldermen
will be chosen.
Streetman is a native of Marion
and is associated with his father in /
the operation of Streetman Drugr
company. He has been active in pol
itics here for several years. His fa
ther has served as alderman ancL
was mayor for two terms.
Pat Davis, Edward Rowe and
Frank Goldsmith, all members of the*
present Board, have served one two
year term each.
Rowe, an ex-service man, is asso
ciated with his brother in the gro
cery business here.
Davis, also a veteran, holds a po
sition at Laughridge Furniture com
pany.
Goldsmith hold a position at Cross
Cotton Mills company. 11
Norris is associated in business,
with his father, W. H. Norris.
The names of other possible candi
dates have been mentioned in politi
cal circles, but to date no other can
didates have announced.
a. s. tTcTband- '
TO GIVE CONCERT
HERE WEDNESDAY
The Appalachian State Teachers*
College band will be presented in
concert at 10:15 o'clock, Wednes
day morning, April 13, in the Ma
rion Higrh School auditorium, Ber
nard Hirsch announced yesterday.
The concert is. open to the public
and no admission will be chained.
The band compliment of 46 is un
der the direction of Roy R. Blanton^
Jr., and is on a seven day tour, play
ing nine concerts in North Carolina,
and Tennessee.
HIGHWAY MAIL SERVICE
STARTED LAST FRIDAY
/
Easter Seal Sale
Being Sponsored
By Junior Women
The Marion Junior Woman's
club is sponsoring the Easter Seal
Sale this year to raise $770 for
crippled children, Mrs. Morgan
Baldwin, publicity chairman, an
nounced this week.
Mrs. Joseph Pyatt, Jr. is chair
man of the 1949 campaign. Others
taking part are Mrs. Sam Yancey,
treasurer, and a committee com
posed of Mrs. Sara Margaret Gil
es Mrs. Art Ditt and Mrs. Charles
H. Smith.
Coin containers and posters
have been placed in local business
establishments and 1,000 letters
containing 20,000 spals are being
mailed to individuals, business
firms and points throughout the
county. Easter Sunday is the date
set for the campaign to officially
close, but an especial effort is be
ing made to reach the goal as early
as possible and everyone is asked
to cooperate by mailing donations
promptly.
The farm parity ratio for mid
February was down to 105, the low
est since July, 1942.
The new highway mail van postal
service was started last Friday to
operate from Charlotte via Rock
Hill along the route formerly serv
ed by Southern mail service.
' The $20,000 red, white and blue
bus was greeted by a crowd at the
Marion Post Office when it arrived
on its first visit. Visitors were per
mitted to walk through and observe
the equipment which is arranged
like the interior of a railway mail
car.
Although the personnel ordinar
ily consists of a driver and a maiL
clerk, other officials accompanied,
them on the initial visit. They were:
J. C. Catlino, of Charlotte, superin
tendent of the railway mail service p
E. H. Stevens, Atlanta, superin
tendent of district two; W. C. Cur
rell, Washington, D. C., superin
tendent highway post office s^fvice;
George L. Harris, Asheville, post of
fice inspector; M. C. Morris, Char
lotte, driver; M. C, Tipton, clerk;
C. L. Price, Atlanta, director postal
claims.
BOOKS GIVEN
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Bartlette
presented the Pleasant Gardens
High School library with 26 vol
umes consisting of classics, fiction,
and non-fiction.