Reader Interest
Established 1885
The Oldest North Car
olina Newspaper West
of Buncombe County!
Each copy of The Press
is read by an, average
of more than 5 persons.
PROGRESSIVE
LH) JURAL
INDEPENDENT
VOL. L1V, NO. 51
FRANKLIN, N. C, THURSDAY, DEC. 21, 1939
$1.50 PER YEAR
nub
FEDERATION TO
PAY DIVIDEND
Preferred And Common
Stock Holders To
Receive 3
ASHEV1LLK, Dec. 20. More
than 4,(X)0 stockholders of the
Farmers Federation will share in
a three per cent semi-annual divi
dend to be paid January 1. This
dividend, payable on both com
) man and preferred shares, is the
.1 twelfth consecutive semi - annual
payment made by the cooperative.
It was declared at a meeting of
the board of directors at the cen
. iral office in Asheville on I cecni-
bcr 15.
' Conun:,ii stock dividends are
normally paid in cash at the near
est federation warehouse,- while
checks are mailed to owners of
preferred shares and also a com
mon stockholders living at a dis
tance. Under a recent amendment to
the federation's by-laws, dividends
on partial paid shares -will be paid
in stock credits until a full share
is attained.
Dividends on both common and
preferred .stock of the cooperative
are " limited to six per cent an
nually. Additional earnings can be
distributed only as a patronage
dividend, in proportion to the cash
business, done by each customer.
Last spring a patronage dividend
of three per cent, payable in stock
"credits, was declared .on -1938 busi
ness. Plans for the establishment of
a new federation unit in Swain
county 'are well under way, and
steps already have been taken look
ing forward toward expansion of
the organization into Yancey
county. More than 300 farmers
and business men in Swain county
have subscribed to stock, and a
modern warehouse building is now
under construction. This warehouse,
number 10, is expected to open for
business early in the new year. .
Stock subscriptions are now be
ing tiken for the Yancey county
unit. and. J. H. Hampton, of Mur
phy, who is in charge of the or
ganization campaign, reports an
enthusiastic reception.
Lions Club Prepares
For Christmas
Franklin Lions Club held their
bi-weekly meeting at Cagle's Cafe
Monday, December 18, and the
main topic was the Christmas tree
fund for needy children. The fund
raising committees have been very
successful with Woody Reeves,
Lester Arnold, and Hill Moore re
porting on the Square Dance held
Saturday aitd the box supper a
few days before in cooperation
with the ? other clubs. . Even Leo,
the wooden lion, used to collect
dimes from tardy members, was
.called to account and disgorged
140 dimes for the Christmas tree.
President Tom Angel appointed a
committee to work in close har
mony with the other Service Clubs
in Franklin to make sure that no
needy child is overlooked.
A Christmas, carol, by Charles
Dickens, was read aloud to the
Club by James Avercll. This
Christmas ghost story is' one of
the newly acquired books in the
Franklin library.
Plans were discussed to hold an
other dance between Christmas and
New Year's to raise money to paint
the inside of the Study Hall at the
Franklin school.
Christmas Celebration At
Pleasant Hill Church
Members of the Pleasant Hill
Baptist church will give a Christ
mas program' &iA a community
. Christmas tree, at the church on
Saturday evening, December 23,
beginning at 8 o'chx'k.
Two plays. "The True M caning
of Christmas" and "The Star of
Bethlehem", will be the principal
features of the program. Christmas
carols will be sung at intervals
during the evening. The public is
invited to attend.
. F. A. Silcox, Head Of
Forest Service, Dies
News was received by the Nanta
Jiala Forest Service headquarters
in Franklin yesterday of the death
of F. A. Siloox, ,5o, chief of the
forest service, at his home near
Alexandria, Va. He was a native
of Charleston, S. C.
During his five years as chief
of the forest service in Washing
ton Mr. Silcox did much to ex
pand the scope and usefulness of
that division of the department of
agriculture. lie stood for the, build
ing up of the usefulness of the
forest9 in the preservation of game
.and soil ai well as timber,
P.-T. A. Meeting
Last Monday
The Parent-Teachers' Associa
tion met at the high school build
ing .Monday afternoon at 3:30
o'clock. Devotional exercises were
led by Key. I. L. Roberts. "Silent
Night", a. duct, was sung by Mrs.
Frank Bloxham and Mr. J. C.
Hawkins. A very interesting talk
on the Origin of Christmas was
given by Rev. Frank. Bloxham.
He said that the custom of the
burning of the yule log can' be
traced back to the era imrncdiate
diately following the last ice .age,
many thousand years ago, when, in
mid-winter people tried to warm
the sun for fear it might disappear
and the world suffer another de
luge of ice. The coming of Christ,
the Light of the world, is e;pijy
associated with the return of We
sun with its light .and warmth.
As a result of a discussion at
the November meeting, the presi
dent, 'Mrs. John Wasilik, Jr., ap
pointed a committee to work out
a program of social : activities' for
the high school. These are Mrs.
T. J. O'Neil chairman ; . Mrs. Alex
Stewart, W. H. Finley, Mrs.. Reba
Tessicr, Mrs. Joe Setser, Dorothy
Jones, Betty Slagle and Hobby
McClure. Tea and cake were serv
ed from a' table covered with a
Mexican lace cloth and decorated
with candles ami a centerpiece of
Christmas greens.
New Theater
Is Nearing Completion
1 Expect Announcement
Of Opening Soon
. The new buildingthat is to house
the Macon Theatre is nearing com
pletion, and the management ex
pects to announce the day of open
ing in next Week's Press.
Clyde Gailey, manager, says that
the contractors are working two
shifts and the concrete' floor is
down. The seats will be placed
this week, and other last touches
on the building and furnishings
will be made during the next few
days'. The new theater is consid
erably larger than the present one,
and a balcony to accomodate col
ored people! Full details of the
building and plans for opening
will be announced next Week.
Christmas Cheer
To Prison Camp
The pastors of the Franklin
churches have received letters
from the Rev. Mr. Watts, .state
prison chaplain of Raleigh, thank
ing them for their voluntary serv
ices to the local prison camp dur
ing the year.
In these letters, Mr. Watts ex
pressed the hope that citizens seek
to do something to cheer the lot
of prisoners at Christmas.
Last year each of the churches
had a share in the remembrance
to the prisoners at the camp near
Franklin, and also individual con
tributors who wished to share in
this gift.
Hither fruit, nuts, candies or
cigarettes,' or donations in cash
may be delivered to the home of
any one of the pastors, or left at
the office of The Franklin Press.
The gifts will be delivered to the
damp on Christmas Day.
Christmas services will be held
at the prison camp toy the Rev.
Frank Bloxham.
Miss Patton
Wins Prize
The Asheville - Citizen Times
Christmas color contest which end
ed ' last week has announced the
prize winners. Miss Helen Pattern,
of Franklin, . who teaches art at
Western. Carolina Teachers college
Qillowhce, received the fourth prize
of $5.00' among the 14 prizes
awarded.
Schools In Macon To
Start Holidays Friday
The schools in the three Macon
county districts will close Friday
for the Christmas holidays, accord
ing to an announcement by- the
county superintendent, Guy L.
Houk. The schools are scheduled
to resume work on Monday morn
ing, January 8.
M. Blumenthal Gets
Message From Poland
M. Blumenthal has' recently- had
a telegram from members of his
family in Poland, saying that they
are alive and safe in the now Rus
sian part of; Poland. '
They were not allowed, under the
strict censorship, to say anything
more. The Russian government
does not permit the sending of
letters.
Christmas Services in Franklin Churches ,
BAPTIST '
The pastor, Rev. C. F. Rogers, announces . his theme for Sunday
morning, at 11 o'clock. "The Meaning of Christmas to the Christian".
The 7:30 Worship Service will be given over to the choir and a
group of young people of the church who will render a Christinas
Cantata entitled "A Christmas Dream"..
This Cantata gives the events associated with the birth of Christ,
including, the 'pilgrimage to Bethlehem, the Shepherds on the hillside,
the angel chorus, and later . the coming of the Wise men. The main
characters arc av follows :
The Dreamer, Mrs. J. W. Horsley; Mary, Miss Louise Blaine;
Joseph, Alex Moore, Jr.; the Innkeeper, Medford Messer; the Chief
Shepherd, Paul Carpenter; soloist, Mis.s Ruth Bryson; Mrs. Dr. H.
T. Horsley, pianist; Mrs. C. F. Rogers, violinist.
CATHOLIC
Mass will be celebrated on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning
at 8 a. m. in the Legion Hall, by
EPISCOPAL
Members of other churches and of the community at large are
given a cordial invitation to attend the . carol service to be held in
St. Agnes' church, ' Franklin, on Sunday afternoon at 5 o'clock. The
usual candlelight festival service will be held at 11 :30 p. m. on Sun
day night and all are cordially invited to attend this service. To be
in church, singing the familiar carols and participating in worship is
the best way of ushering in the birthday of our Lord. We hope you
will be there.
METHODIST
The theme for the sermon at the Methodist church next . Sunday
morning will be, "The Central Message Christmas -Gives."
White Christmas will be observed in the evening with .services at
7:30. A play, "No Gift In Return," will be given at this hour. The
young people will sing Christmas carols. "The offering is to be ap
plied to the payment of Benevolences. All offerings are to be ' pre
sented in white envelr-pcs so as to carry out the scheme of White
Christmas. The public is cordially invited to attend these services.
Rev. I. L. Roberts requests that all those attending the "White
Christmas" service to bring fruit or other Christmas good things for
the men in the prison camp. These will be delivered Christmas morn
ing. '
' PRESBYTERIAN
There will be a Christmas sermon at the Presbyterian church Sun
day morning, with special Christmas . music.
The Candlelight service will be at 4 p. in., at which time the "joy
gift" offering is to be taken. Miss Frances Long, who is studying, at
the Conservatory of Music at Cincinnati, will be the soloist.
As The World Turns
A Brief Survey of Current Events In State, Nation
and Abroad. -
R. L. ARIAIL ELECTED
CHAIRMAN OF BANK CROUP
R. L. Ariail, cashier of the Jack
son County Bank ' at Sylva, of
which the Highlands Bank in Ma
con county is a branch, has been
elected chairman of group ten of
the North Carolina Bankers As
sociation meeting in Asheville last
week.
WPA PROJECTS
FOR MACON COUNTY
WPA projects recently approved
in Raleigh include $20,940 for mu
seum in Highlands and $71,188 for
street improvements in Franklin.
HEYWOOD BROUN
DIES IN NEW YORK
Hcywood Broun, famous news
paper columnist and author, died
of pneumonia in a New York hos
pital this: week, at the age of 51.
MARCUS ERWIN DIES
OF HEART ATTACK -
Marcus Erwin, for six years U.
S. Attorney for the western dis
trict of the state, was found dead
in his hotel room Tuesday, from a
heari attack.
,'
ERSKINE SMITH ANNOUNCES
FOR LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR
Erskine Smith of. Albemarle,
president-pro-tem of the state sen
ate, has announced that he will
seek the Democratic nomination
for lieutenant-governor.
.
HULL SKEPTICAL
OF JAPAN'S PROMISES
Secretary of State Hull this week
expressed skepticism of the sin
cerity' of Japan's assurances that
the Yangste river i be opened for
fortign vessels, in that nations
the Rev. A. F. Rohrbacher.
continued efforts to secure renew
al of trade treaties with the U. S.
It was pointed out that the Japa
nese only state intentions, which
have been previously violated.
. ...
"GONE WITH THE WIND"
PREMIERE RECEIVES
NATIONAL ACCLAIM
Thousands attended the premiere
c-f "Gone With the Wind", movie
dramatization of Margaret Mitch
ell's book, in Atlanta last week.
The great and prominent, includ
ing the .stars and producors from
Hollywood and celebrities from
Washington and New York at
tended the two days festivities in
the city where the scene of the
Confederate War novel was laid.
...
GARNER ANNOUNCES
FOR PRESIDENCY
Vice-President John Nance
Garner last Saturday announced at
his home in Uvalde, Texas, his
candidancy for the nomination on
the Democratic ticket of president.
CAPTAIN OF GRAF SPEE
COMMITS SUICIDE
After the blowing up of their
powerful battleship, the Admiral
Graf Spee, in Montevideo hanbor,
where she look refuge after a
battle with three British cruisers,
the captain and crew left the ship
and were interned at Buenos
Aires, last Sunday afternoon. On
Wednesday Captain Hans Lang
droff committed suicide by .shoot
ing himself with a revolver in his
hotel. He explained in a note that
he had obeyed . orders and had
seen that the seamen on his ves
sel were safe, and that he prefer
red to share the "destiny" of his
ship.
(Continued on Pago Eight)
Community House
Plans Go Forward I
The Macon county comnlislsioii
crs have signed all necessary' pap
ers for the proposed community
house and public library building.
These with plans and 'architectural
drawings prepared by J. G. Owens,
have been forwarded to the Ral
eigh office of the Works Progress
Administration, it has been an
nounced by A. K. Weaver, district
WPA director in A-dievillc.
Miss Lassie Kelly, chairman of
the Franklin public library, went
to Asheville last Monday, where
she received assurance from Con
gressman Zebulon Weaver that he
would give his personal attention
to this project and push it through
at once.
The lot is located on 'the south
.side of Palmer street, near the in
tersection :vf l S. Highways M
and 23, and is a piece of property
already owned by the county, and
assigned for the use of the com
munity building. The plans include
landscaping and tennis courts. The
construction of the building is
planned to be native stone. The in
terior is planned t; contain a
large auditorium with stage, dress
ing rooms and kitchen on the first
floor. On the .ground floor which
is formed by the sloping char
acter of the tot, a commodious li
brary is planned with reading
rooms, book alcoves, librarian's
offices and rest rooms. Furnace i
and storage rooms are also placed
on the lower floor of the building.
GIRL SCOUTS
TO GIVE PLAY
Large Cast Will Take
Part Saturday
Night
On Saturday night, December 23,
at. the courthouse in Franklin, at
8 o'clock, will be given the play,
"While Mrs. Santa Was Away."
Due. to the cooperation of Franklin
people, preparations have been
about completed.
The play, a musical Comedy, will
be put in final shape by Miss
France Long. During the past sev
eral weeks Franklin's 44 Girl
Scouts and Brownies have been re
hearsing. Practises have been held
during the past week at the court
house on the stage Which was
erected Monday through the cour
tesy of Wade' Arvey, Wade Cun
ingham, John . Cunningham J. D,
Sutton and ,Mack Bingham., Stage
and curtains were furnished by
courtesy of the town firemen and
the Presbyterian church; the court
house through the kindness of the
county commissioners. Lighting ef
fects are to be arranged and plan
ned by Ben McGlamery.
-The nativity scene at t lie end
of the play is being staged under
the direction of Mrs. Chas. N.
Dowdlc assisted by Mrs. Gordon
Moore and Mrs. Tom McCollum.
All accompaniments will be play
ed by Mrs. Henry Cabc.
Special Christmas music prior to
the play will be furnished by Mrs.
Harry Higgins, cornet; Douglas
Nichrls, cornet; John Ansel, flute;
Clyde Gailey, cornel and Mrs. J.
D. Porter, violin.
The cast of the play follows:
Santa, Lane Porter; Mrs. Santa,
Sarah Conley; Merry Christmas,
Helen Jo Conley; The Christmas
Fairy, Osteen Roberts ; Jack, the
clown, Lucille Calloway; Jaunita,
Dot Sloan; Bobby, the Policeman,
Mary Frances Page; Madame
Pompadour, Inez Crawford; Asmo
deus, Mary Angel; Grouch, Emo
gene Landrum ; Grumble, Mary
Addington; The Poet, Jessie Bar
nard; Bunny, Sara Frances Cun
ningham; Mistletoe, Carolyn Long.
Ornaments: Virginia Lee Porter,
Ann Flanagan, Wilma Roberts,
Carolyn Leach. Holly wreaths:
Frances Furr, Ruth Angel, Bar
bara Conley, Ann Lyle. Indians:
Dorothy Conley, Rebecca Smart,
Joanne Palmer. Kandy Kids: Sally
Lou Moore, Ida Mae Dowdle,
Elizabeth Wasilik, Betty Jane Wal
droop. Lollipops : Louise Pendcr
grass, Maxine Dean, Barbara
Stockton, Betty Horsley.
The nativity scene will have as
cast, the Brownies: Kathcrine
Furr, Mary Alice Archer, Mary
Bradley, Mildred Dalton, Nancy
Calloway, Ann Cabe, and others.
Postoff ice Open
Saturday Till 4 P. M.
T. W. Porter, postmaster of the
Franklin office, announces that on
Saturday, December 23, the office
windows will remain open until
4 o'clock in order for the people
to receive their mail and package
CHRiSTMASTREE
NEXT SATURDAY
Children From All Over
County Are Expected
To Be Present
All children who expect to re
ceive gifts On the .county-wide
Christmas tree are urged to send
in their nanny. Those who know
of children, phase give their names
t the committee and help them
to ;.ci there..
With the cooperation if civic
clubs and ' citizens preparations
are going forward fur the largest
tree yet.
During the 'past week, contribu
tions were-generously donated, bos
suppers, c:ik- walks, dames and
varii-'.is other ways of raising mo
ney wi re" given, to help with the
funds .of the tree. More names of
both old and .voting have been
sent in this year than ever before.
Last' year's tree made happy over
4(H! children. This 'year a larger
number is expected.
A large lighted tree has been
placed on the square in front of
the courthouse. A smaller tree is
being placed in the ciairthouse
from which the gifts will be dis
tributed Saturday afternoon, at 2
o'clock.
Lester Arnold, whose office is in
the courthouse is chairman of the
committee.
J. B. Stiles
Dies In West
Mrs. Wade Cunningham receiv
ed a message from Redding, Calif.,
telling of the death of her brother
in a hospital there on Thursday
afternoon.
J. Brack Stiles, 49, a former Ma
con county man, and son of the
late Judson and Ella Bates Stiles,
was born in the Riverside section
of Macon county.
In 1909 Mr. Stiles went to Wash
ington where he lived 12 years,
prior to his moving to California
where he was employed in the
logging camps until he received
serious injuries to his back when
he was; struck by a wire cable
which- left him a cripple. During
the 18 years that he was an in
valid, he ran a business by the
use of a wheel chair
In early manhood Mr. Stiles join
ed the Coweta Baptist church.
Surviving are three children,
Grant Judson Stiles, of the United
States navy, Norene and Mitchel,
of Redding, Calif., five sisters,
Mrs. J. J. Gray. Mrs. Wade Cun
ningham, and Mrs. John Roger,
of Franklin; Mrs. T. E, Law.nn
and Mrs. Witham Penland, both
of Arlington, Wash., and five
brothers, Henry Stiles, of Sedro!
Wooleyi Wash.. , Orvillc Stiles, of
Redding, Calif., George and Tom
Stiles, of Rabun Gap, Ga., and
Claude Stiles, of Brevard.
Smoky Mt. Federation
Of FFA Meet In Sylva
Wednesday. December 13, Wayne .
Bradley, Sam Gibson, Lyle Shcp
ard and Mr. Whitmire, with Roy
Fonts and Berlin Welch, officers
of the federation, attended the
Smoky Mountain Federation meet
ing at Sylva. :
Glenville high agriculture chap
ter was taken into the Federation
chapter, making a total of 12
chapters, all from Western North
Carolina.
Talks were made by -members;
Roy Fonts on improving FFA ac
tivities, Jack Dotson of Bethel, on
the Federation . constitution., and a
visitor from Sylva on improved
vocational agriculture.
The tournament in March and
the picnic were planned. Bethel
Hill chapter's string band with
Robert Justice's Hawaiian guitar
will play.
Cantata To Be Given At
Iotla Baptist Church
The B. T. U. of the Iotla Bap
tist church will present a Christ
mas cantata, "The Lost Carol,"
Sunday evening at 7:30 o'clock.
The .service will open with the
choir and congregation singing
"O Come, All Ye Faithful," fol
lowed by prayer by the pastor,
the Rev. R. F..Maybcrry.
The story of the cantata has
been women around the composi
tion of "Silent Night, Holy Night",
by Franz Gruber. ' . .
The main characters arc: Franz
Gruber. Earl Ward ; Frau Gruber,
Mrs. William Fonts; Karl Mullcr,
the choir master, Paul Swafford;
Gruber's son, William R. Fouts.
The chorus of the cantata will
be supplemented with many of the
, familiar carols,