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VOLUME 15, NO. 4
p- ■
School Problems
Stressed Before
N. C. Legislature
———
Bills Ask For Raise In Teach
ers’ Pay; Attendance Bill
Is Also Introduced
By Staff Correspondent
Raleigh, (Special)—Holding a
five-hdur hearing on proposed
expenditures in the state’s public
school program in the next bien
nium, the joint appropriations
committee was told yesterday
that North Carolina’s highly-gear
ed educational program has
reached its greatest crisis be
cause of a general shortage of
school teachers and low salaries.
At the same time a school-con
scious legislature, swamped with
telegrams, resolutions and ad
monitions to increase teacher
pay, received two more bills af
fecting the public school structure
of North Carolina.
One measure, in line with a
similar one already before the
house, was introduced by Senator
Matheny of Rutherford to raise
the compulsory attendance law
from 14 to 16. The measure has
the blessing of Governor Cherry
t and interested organizations
throughout the state. It would
tend to equalize the school and
labor laws of the state, since
the general statutes prohibit the
hiring of children under 16 in
most kinds of industry. Excep
tions are noted under an emer
gency war powers act.
More than 100 educators and
representatives of organizations
affiliated with the school pro
gram appeared before the joint
appropriations committee as it
considered a recommended bud
get of more than $85,000,000 for
the school program in 1945-47
'(Continued i#n Page Four)
George May Now
Active In Italy
. ■ • wH
West Jefferson Man Is
ber Os Famous “Polar Bear”
Regiment, There
With The Fifth Army, Italy—
George L. May, son of Mrs
® Ethel B. May, of West JeLarson,
is a member of the 339th “Polar
Bear” Regiment, which recently
shattered the vitals of the vaunt
ed Gothic Line, taking Italian
peaks as high as 3400 feet east of
Highway 65 and Futa Pass.
The 339th Infantry Regiment
is in the 85th “Custer” Division,
part of Lieutenant General Lu
cian K. Truscott, Jr.’s, Fifth Ar
my.
The 339th landed in Italy last
March 15, after a training period
in North Africa, and was the
first unit of the 85th Division in
the line when it was committed
to action the following day.
Under command of Colonel
Brookner W. Brady, Los Angeles,
California, the “Polar Bears”
•have repeatedly captured strong
cores of enemy resistance, rocky
peaks above the cloud
Wievel and strongpoints nestled be-
I curtains of intense fire,
minefields, barbed wire and
/ earthworks.
4, When the Fifth Army offen
sive opened up last May 11, the
339th raced ahead in the Tyrrhen
ian Sea coast, shattering its ob
jective in the Gustav Line. Hav
ing passed through Scauri, For
mia, Itri and Fondi in rapid suc
cession, the 339th, supplied by
mule and human pack trains,
passed 12 miles undetected over
rugged mountain terrain and sur
prised the strongly fortified hill
side town of Sonnino The Son
nino garrison was completely cut
off and Highway 7 thus sealed
off south of the Pontine Marshes.
Powers Speaks
To Rotary Club
Rev. E. W. Powers, pastor of
▼the West Jefferson Baptist
church, was the guest speaker at
the Rotary club last week.
He told the members that the
. troubles of man and the peace of
the world could not be brought
about by compulsory military
training for youth, but could be
by Christian education. The
speaker was introduced by Dean
McMillan.
A new member, James T. Mc-
Laurin, was brought into the
I club. He*fills the classification
j|left vacant when Staten Mclver,
soil cutrvntionist, moved away. I
She Milauß stet
$1.50 a Year in Ashe County WEST JEFFERSON, N. C„ THURSDAY, JAN. 25, 1945 $2.50 a Year Out of County
Russians Marching
Toward Berlin; Gains
Made By Americans
Poultry School
To Be Held Here
Next Tuesday
Public Is Cordially Invited;
Leaders To Take Part On
Program
Ashe poultry growers, as well
as those from adjoining counties,
will have an opportunity to at
tend a one-day poultry short
course at the courthouse on
Tuesday, January 30, when a
number of specialists from State
College will take part on the
program.
All men, women, boys and girls
interested in poultry production
are cordially invited to attend the
course, which will open at 10:00
a. m. and will close at 3:30, with
a recess for lunch.
Those attending the short
course from Raleigh will be Pro
fessor Roy S. Dearstyne, head of
the poultry department; Dr. C. H.
Bostian, poultry geneticist; T. T.
Brown, extension poultry special
ist; and Clifton F. Parrish, in
charge of poultry extension.
“We are very fortunate in hav
(Continued on Page 8)
Badgers’ Ass’n
Has Good Report
Annual Report Os Local
Burial Association Reveals
Growth
IggHHI- annual report of Badgers’
||M Burial t Association print
|MMkwhere in this paper, to-
that the association
had a good year.
Guy T. Badger, secretary and
treasurer, pointed out that the
report shows j 1 ‘g gain in cash
on hand over that of last year,
.as well as the amount invested
iin war bonds.
He announced that there would
Ibe a meeting in the office of the
! association on Monday, February
5 for the purpose of electing of
ficers and the transaction of any
other necessary business.
The association, which was es
tablished in 1935, in connection
with the funeral home, has shown
continuous growth, officials point
out.
Hart Would Ban
Beer And Wine
Raleigh—A bill to prohibit the
sale of beer or wine in Ashe
county was introduced this week
by Representative M. Donnelly
Hart, a Republican of Husk.
The measure would make it
“unlawful for any person, firm
or corporation to sell, or possess
for sale, any wine or beer in
Ashe county.” It would become
effective upon ratification.
Following Ashe County Men Now Fighting For Liberty And Democracy
Ml
Pfc. Fred Osborne, son of
Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Osborne, of
Crumpler, who is a member of
the U. S. Fleet Marine Corps,
is stationed on Saipan Island*
in the Pacific. He has been in
service for over a year.
Yanks In Pacific Keep Up
Drive Toward Manila;
Base Is Taken
The Russian first Ukraine army
reached the Oder river in Ger
man Silesia in overwhelming
strength on a 37%-mile front yes
terday and confidently prepared
to leap that vaunted defense bar
rier into the heart of the reich as
other Red armies came within 22
miles of closing the war’s great
est trap on all of East Prussia.
Between those two theaters of
victorious action, still another
Red army slogged westward over
the Polish plains at a somewhat
slower pace on the most direct
road toward Berlin, now reported
but 137 miles away, in the vicini
ty of Poznan.
The American first and third
armies and the ninth airforce de
livered a knockout blow to the
last German defenders of the Ar
dennes Wednesday when the
doughboys closed to within four
(Continued on Page 8)
Ashe Men In Tank
Destroyer Group
Aided Army March Through
Normandy; Now Nearing
The Reich
Sixth Army Group, France
Few tank destroyer battalions
can match the record of the 813th
Tank Destroyer Battalion, which
aided the American breakthrough
from Normandy to the Seine
River and is now pounding the
last approaches to the Reich. Two
Ashe county men, Pvt. Ralph E.
Therman, of Jefferson; and Wil
liam Richardson, of Silas Creek,
are members of this.
Since its arrival in France on
D-plus-21, this veteran unit has
eliminated from the German ros
ters: 600 soldiers, 26 general pur
pose vehicles, 25 Mark IV tanks,
11 Mark V tanks, two Mark VI
tanks, 10 self-propelled guns,
eight pillboxes, five anti-tank
guns, and three machine guns.
In a single operation one 813th
T. D. company knocked out 13
Mark IV and two Mark V tanks,
two half-tracks, two large trucks,
and one mortar, probably silenc
ed one self-propelled gun and
killed 80 Germans. “This was
all in a day’s work,” explained
Capt. Peter P. Hale, 74 South 18th
St., Pittsburgh, Penna., command
er of the company that made the
coup.
“A German battle group hit
our town at 11:30 one morning,”
Capt. Hale said. “Our M-10 tank
destroyers were in good posi
tions, so all they had to do was
(Continued on Page 8)
SERVICE ANNOUNCED
Rev. S. S. Graybeal will preach
at the Obids Baptist church on
Saturday night, January 27. The
public is cordially invited to at
tend.
> r 1180 l
Lt. James H. Absher, who
has been in service for 23
months, is'now a member of a
troop carrier squadron, in
France. He is the son of Mr.
and Mrs. Barnett Absher, for
merly of this county.
Pulpwood Committee’s Campaign Boosts Production
wMfy ■ HO
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Visible results of the Victory Pulpwood Committee’s efforts to induce farmers and
woddlot owners to increase their production of pulpwood in the International Falls,
Minn., area, are pointed out by Paul Bunyan (Len Costlcy) to Forest Queen Patricia Sulli
van, second from left, and members of her party during the community’s recent pulpwood
festival, climax of the committee’s special promotion campaign.
Ashe Bldg. And
Loan Ass’n Has
Another Good Yr.
Officers And Directors Are
Re-elected At Meeting Os
Stockholders, Monday
During 1944, the Ashe Building
and Loan Association enjoyed
another successful year of opera
tion, Glenn B. Graybeal, secretary
and treasurer, announced at the
annual meeting of stockholders,
held on Monday night.
The association’s financial
statement presented to the stock
holders and published elsewhere
in this paper, reveals that the
institution now has resources
amounting to $50,146.20 as com
pared to $38,955.50 at the close of
business, 1943. Undivided prof
its climbed from $3,296.58 to $4,-
482.20 during the year.
The Association now has in
vested in war bonds and is mak
ing plans for postwar work.
J. L. Segraves, president, was
in charge of the meeting on Mon
day evening when all of the di
rectors and officers were re
(Continued on Page 8)
Rationing Guide
MEATS, FATS
Red Stamps Q 5 through X 5
good indefinitely. No new
stamps until January 28.
PROCESSED FOODS
Blue Stamps X 5 through Z 5,
A2 through G 2 good indefinite
ly. No new blue stamps will
be validated until February 1.
SUGAR
Sugar Stamp 34 good for
five pounds indefinitely. No
new stamp until February 1.
FUEL OIL
East and Far Went 1, 2 and
3 period coupons good indefin
itely all over the country.
SHOES
East and Far West 1, 2 and
in Book Three, good indefinite
ly.
Pvt Warren G. Hartsog, son
of Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Hartsog,
who has been in service for 19
months, is stationed some
where in the South Seas and
is a member of an anti-air
craft battalion.
Sunday Will Be Polio Fund
Day In Churches Os County;
More Contributions Needed
Special Crusade
Now Underway;
Meetings Held
Ashe Methodists, Along With
Others, Join In “Crusade
For Christ” Program
The nation-wide “Crusade for
Christ” program now being car
ried on by the Methodist church
es, was officially launched in
Ashe county, last Thursday, at a
county-wide inspirational meet
ing held at the West Jefferson
Methodist church.
A number of out-of-town min
isters, including Rev. A. G.
Lackey, Rev. W. L. Hutchins and
Rev. Charles P. Bowles, were on
the program and gave informa
tive talks on the movement. Rev.
J. S. Hiatt concluded the pro
gram by presenting the goal and
expressing his belief in Christian
Methodism “to go over the top”
in this all-important movement.
The goal for funds to be raised
in the county is $1,500.
At the close of the meeting a
buffet luncheon was served by
the women of the church to the
large crowd present.
The program is being discussed
in the various churches of the
county and good response is be
ing shown to the movement, re
ports show.
Freeze On Lard
Lifted Monday
Washington The three-day
“freeze” of lard, shortening and
salad and cooking oils was lifted
Monday, the OPA reminded the
public.
These commodities are now ra
tioned at two red points a pound.
ISk Bni
Cpl. Tine H. Gentry, son of
Mr. Norman Gentry and the
late Mrs. Gentry, of West Jef
ferson, is with an engineering
regiment in France. He has
been overseas for eighteen
months.
Churches, Sunday Schools
Are Asked To Make A
, Special Collection
Sunday, January 28 has been
set aside as “Infantile Paralysis
Fund Day” in the churches of
Ashe county and all Sunday
Schools and churches are asked
to take special collections for the
fund.
These are to be turned over to
T. E. Parker, chairman of the
drive for the county, which has a
quota of $3,549.00.
Mr. Parker announced yester
day that only around SBOO.OO hadj
been raised on the quota so far!
and that a number of generous I
contributions would be necessary 1
in order to reach the assigned
quota for the county.
Schools are asked to help in the
drive and have been sent ma
terials. Those who have not re
ceived supplies can* secure them
from chairman Parker.
A benefit ball game, was staged
for the fund last Saturday which
created much interest and re
sulted in around S6O. Tentative
plans are being worked out for
(Continued on Page 8)
Boone Market
Close Next Wed.
i
It was anounced this week that
the Mountain Burley Tobacco
Warehouse at Boone would close
for the season next Wednesday,
January 31.
“I want to invite all farmers
who have any tobacco left to
bring theirs in before we close,”
Roscoe Coleman, proprietor said.
The Boone market has had a
very successful season and is
nearing the 5,000,000 poundage
mark with an average of over
$47.00 per hundred, officials point
out.
• ' s • < ' ''' -
✓
Pfc. Wilber Wayne Reeves
has been overseas* somewhere
in New Guinea, for the past
16 months. He is the son of
Mr. and Mrs. Will Reeves, of
Laurel Springs, and has made
a good record in his work.
OVER THE TOP
FOR VICTORY
1 Fw/ <?ith
Tfe, W!TE9 STATES * M
BONDS-STAMPS
■■■ I IHII.H
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY
More Buildings
Approved For
New Test Farm
Work On Improvements To
Be Pushed As Soon As
Weather Will Permit
Dean Colvard, supervisor of
State Test Farms in Western N.
C., announced this week that
plans had been approved for ad
ditional buildings on the farm at
Laurel Springs, including a to
bacco barn and a new home.
Other improvement work now
under construction includes an
apple grading building combined
with offices, grade-A dairy barn
and other out-buildings and much
additional fencing.
Work has been slowed down on
account of the severe winter
weather but is expected to go
forward " rapidly in the early
spring.
• In speaking of the livestock,
■ Mr. Colvard announced that a
I flock of Ayshire sheep would be
brought to the farm early in the
spring.
County Men Pass
High Naval Test
Are Now At Great Lakes;
Recruiting Officer Com
ing Tuesday
Carson Meade Keys, of Na
than’s Creek and John Dancy
Maines, of Scottville, two in
ductees who reported for service
in the armed forces this month
from Ashe county, have been
sworn into Navel Reserve with
the initial rating of Seaman first
class, as a result of their passing
the Radio Technician tests, ac
cording to Chief Specialist J. E.
Huffman, Navy Recruter. He will
next be in Ashe County on Tues
day, January 30 at the West Jef
ferson Post Office.
j t Both men took the test prior to
i induction, according to the re
j criter, and given letters of di
| rected assignment to the Navy.
They are now at Great Lakes
Navel Training station taking
boot camp, and on completing
this indoctrination will begin a
ten months’ period of intensive
training in electronics. Half way
in this training these men will be
promoted to petty officers third
class, and on completing the
course will be promoted to second
I class petty officers. The cost of
this course is estimated at nine
thousand dollars per man.
Qualifying tests are given by
the recruiter to any seventeen
year old youth and to selective
i service inductees who have pass
ed pre-induction examinations.
While the test is difficult, the re
cruiter said many high school
graduates with a fair knowledge
' of mathematics and physics could
pass the examination. Two other
' Ashe county citizens, James Mil
ler, former principal of Nathan’s
1 Creek school, and Walter Thom
!as Graybeal, former member
of the Elkin High School faculty,
’ are now well along in this same
1 training.
Ashe Stock Clinics
Are Well Attended
Reports made public this week
reveal that during the twenty
six work stock clinics conducted
in Ashe county this month by Dr.
J. W. Willis, veterinarian, in co
operation with the county agents,
a total of 300 horses and mules
were examined for 174 different
farmers.
Out of the 300 head examined,
288 were treated for bots, worm
treatment administered for 223,
and 29 horses had teeth floated.
This was the first series of work
stock clinics conducted in the
county. A stop was scheduled for
every four or five miles through
out the county, with few excep
tions, in order that any farmer
could have the opportunity to
take his work stock to a clinic
without traveling more than two
or three miles at the most.
“Examinations at the clinics re
vealed evidence that most of the
work stock were infested with
bots and worms which is suffi
cient proof that horses and mules
should be treated for internal
parasites now to save feed and
put them in better condition for
spring and summer work. A
number of horses have been lost
in the county each year from
bots,’* county agent Roy Crouse
(Continued On Page Four)