Watch This Figure Growl
THIS WESK
2,220
Net, Paid-in -Advance
Subscribers
2,223
LAST WEEK
?IJ)e JHacontan
PROGRESSIVE
LIBERAL
INDEPENDENT
VOL. LPII? NO. 10
FRANKLIN. N. C., THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 1947
$2.00 PER YEAR
VOTERS TO PICK
TOWN'S MAYOR
AND 6 ALDERMEN
Biennial Election Is
Called By Board
For May 6
Franklin voters will go to the
polls Tuesday, May 6, to elect a
mayor and six aldermen for
two-year terms.
The biennial municipal elec
tion was called by the board ol
aidermen at its monthly meet
ing Monday night.
The board, at Monday's ses
sion, also passed an ordinance
making it unlawful to bury an
animal within the corporate
limits, unless with the permis
sion ' and under the supervision
of the town- health officer.
In calling the town election,
the board appointed Alejc Moore
as registrar, and C. A Setser
and George Dalrymple as
judges.
The registration books will
open Saturday, April 12, and
will close Saturday, April 26.
Saturday, May 3, was set as
challenge day.
To be eligible, candidates for
the offices of mayor and alder
men are required to file notices
of their intention to run with
the town clerk by Monday,
April 7.
T. W. Angel, Jr., is the pres
ent mayor. Members of the
present board of aldermen are
John M. Archer, Jr., J. S. Con
ley, Fred Cabe, Frank B. Dun
can, Cecil Pendergrass, and L.
B. (Shine) Phillips.
Municipal election in Frank
lin are non-partisan.
The law provides that the
election shall be held every odd
year on tV first Tuesday after
the first Monday in May.
Workstock
Clinics Will Be Held
Next Wednesday
The services of Dr. A J.
Headrick have been obtained to
conduct additional workstock
clinics on Wednesday, March 12,
it was announced this week by
the county agent's office.
Dr. Headrick will be at Jim
Gray's 'farm at Riverside at 10
a. m.; at T. T. Henderson's
farm on Cullasaja at 1 p. m.;
and at John Taylor's farm on
Ellijay at 3 p. m. Horses and
mules will be examined free. If j
found necessary, they will be
treated for round worms and i
botts. Any dental work, such as
, floating sharp teeth or cutting
off long teeth, will be done. A
small charge will be made for
necessary treatments. Farmers
who have this work done each
year say that it pays big divi
dends to have their workstock
in good physical condition be
fore summer season of hard
work, S. W. Mendenhall, county
agent, said.
Archer
Heads Newly Formed
Baseball League
John M. Archer, of Franklin,
was unanimously elected presi
dent of the Smoky Mountain
Baseball league for the coming
season at an organization last
Monday night at the J.unaluska
terrace in Andrews. Representa
tives from Murphy, Hayesville,
Sylva, and Franklin were pres
ent.
Sam Jones, of Andrews, was
elected secretary-treasurer.
In planning for the coming
basketball season, It was an
nounced that the season will
open April 20, with games sche
duled Wednesday and Sunday of
each week throughout the sea
son.
Phil McCollum, Franklin rep
resentative at the league meet
ing. said invitations to Join had
been extended to other towns in
this vicinity and that It is
planned to have an eight-team
league.
Mr. McCollum also announc
ed that there will be a meeting
Tuesday night, April 11, at 7:30
p. m. at the courthouse here
* for the purpose of organizing
the local team. He urged all
Interested players and fans to
i attend.
Miss Lassie Kelly returned to
Franklin the latter part of last
week, after an absence of near
ly three months. While away,
Miss Kelly visited Texas, Mexico,
and Florida.
RETIRES? W. C. Penn, official
of the Nantahala Power and
Light company since its organi
zation in 1929, retired February
28. On his retirement, employes
of the company presented him
with a watch.
PENN ourrs AS
POWER OFFICIAL
W. C. Penn, who has served
as secretary-treasurer, and di
rector of the Nantahala Power
and Light company since its
organization in 1929, retired
from active service February 28.
Explaining that his retire
ment is occasioned by a health
condition which he hopes will
improve with reduced activity,
Mr. Penn said he will retain
only perfunctory duties with
the company.
His successor has not been
selected.
Mr. Penn has been identified
with power firms operating in
Western North Carolina for the
past 35 years, having been with
the Tallahassee Power company
(now the Carolina Aluminum
company) prior to joining the
Nantahala.
He is perhaps best known in
Western North Carolina as pur
chasing agent of lands for the
Cheoah and Santeetlah reser
voirs, in Swain and Graham
counties, owned by the Carolina
Aluminum company, and the
Glenville and Nantahala, in
Jackson and Macon, reservoirs,
owned by the Nantahala com
pany. It was under his direc
tion, too, that much of the land
now covered by the reservoir of
the Fontana dam, was purchas
ed, and later sold to the gov
ernment.
On the day of his retirement,
employes of the Nantahala com
pany presented Mr. Penn with
a beautiful wrist watch, in
token of their esteem.
2 Highlands
Bills Held In
Committee
RALEIGH. ? Two bills relating
to the Town of Highlands, in
troduced in the house of Ma
con's Rep. Herbert A. McGlam
ery, have been held up in copi
mittee at the request of inter
ested citizens.
Rep. McOlamery's bill to ex
tend the corporate limits of
Highlands probably will" be con
sidered at a public hearing in
view of the request of G L.
Houk and R. S. Jones, Franklin
attorneys. They telegraphed the
Macon legislator as follows:
"Please hold up the passage
of the Highlands extension bill
until we can see you. Many
Highlands citizens interested."
The McGlamery bill to author
ize the recording of a true copy
of the original map of High
lands has been deferred tem
porarily, In view of a letter
from Gilmer A. Jones, Franklin
attorney.
"There is a lawsuit pending
on this identical question which
this bill might affect," Mr. Jones
wrote. "It should contain a pro
vision that It shall not affect
pending litigation. My opinion is
that the best thing for the leg
islature to do with a pending
lawsuit is to leave it alone and
let It be decided by a Jury. Of
course It Is apparent that the
pending lawsuit prompted some
one to ask that this bill be
passed, thereby hoping to gain
an advantage."
I Both measures are before the
houM committee on countlea,
cities and towns, headed by
Buncombe'! Rep. Oeorge A.
1 Shuford.
PAYS TRIBUTE
TO DR. ROGERS'
LIFE. SERVICE
Joint Resolution Offeree.
In General Assembly
By McGlamery
A joint resolution, expressing
appreciation of the life ana
service of the late Dr. W. A.
Hogers, was introduced in the
general assembly today (Thurs
day) by Representative Herbert
A. McGlkmery.
Dr. Rogers, beloved Macon
County physician, served three
terms in the North Carolina
house of representatives-r-first
in 1905, and last in 1943.
The resolutions reads:
"Whereas; the General As
sembly of North Carolina, Ses
sion of 1947, desires to give
some recognition of the passing
of one of its former members,
Doctor W. A. Rogers, who died
at Franklin, North Carolina,
Macon County, on April 27, 1946;
and the General Assembly de
sires to give a proper expression
of sorrow in the loss sustained
by Macon County and the
State; and v
"Whereas, Doctor W. A Rog
ers, son of Clarke Thornton
Rogers and Margaret Reid Rog
ers, was born near Franklin on
May 3, 1872; he attended the
public schools of Macon County
and was a student kt the Uni
versity of North Carolina; he
graduated from the Medical
school of the University of
Tennessee ahd returned to
Franklin in 1899 and began the
active practice of medicine
which extended over a period
of forty -seven years; he was
chairman of the Democratic
executive committee ot nis
county for thirty years; he
served as coroner, member of
the board of Aldermen of his
town, county physician and
physician for the state prison
camp; he served on the board
of Trustees of the State school
for the Blind and the Deaf; he
was president of the Bank of
Franklin for many years and
the head of the Western Caro
lina Telephone company; he
was a member of the Methodist
church, 'serving on the board of
stewards; past master of his
local Masonic order, Shriner,
Royal Arch Mason, member of
the Cullasaja council of the
Junior Order; and was a mem
ber of the Macon County and
the North Carolina Medical so
cieties; and
"Whereas, Doctor Rogers was
known by nearly every man,
,'oman and child in his <
ty, unaffected and plain in his
life and manner, and was one
of the "horse and buggy" doc
tors who visited every commun
ity in his county and answered
the call of sick people at any
hour of the day or night; he
was a member of the House of
Representatives in the Sessions
of 1905, 1927 and 1943;
"Now, Therefore, Be it re
solved by the House of Repre
sentatives, the senate concur
ring:
?? Ai 4 ml . *. 41 w.Aw>Ka.o
oecuun i- lime tuc lucuiucia
of the General Assembly of
North Carolina, Session of 1947,
unite in expressing their appre
ciation for the valuable life and
the great contributions made by
this for'mer member to his com
munity and State; that his
County and State are fortunate
because of his unselfish life
and humane services; his com
munity has been enriched by
the noble example of a sym
pathetic physician and a life
based upon kindness and love
of his fellowman:
"Resolved further, vhit these
resolutions be spread upon the
journal if the House of Repre
sentatives and the journal of
the Senate as a permanent tes
timonial of the respect of both
legislative branches of the Gen
eral Assembly and that a copy
of this resolution be sent to the
family of Doctor W. A. Rogers.
"Sec. 2. That this resolution
be in full force and effect from
and after its ratification."
Workers In the campaign to
raise $2,410 In Macon County for
the American Red Cross this
week were urged by the Rev.
C. K. Parker, fund chairman, to
push the drive and get the
money raised within the next
jweek or 10 days.
The campaign, which started
March 1, has been handicapped,
so tar, Mr. Parker said, by the
wiather.
FRIDAY SPEAKER? Col. Nat
hanaiel F. Silsbee, technical ed
itor of the aviation magazine,
Skyways, and authority on jet
propulsion, air munitions, and
international military aviation,
will speak twice at the Metho
dist church here Friday, at 12:50
to high school children and at
7:30 to adults. The fourth and
last in a series >of speakers
brought here by the Franklin
Rotary club, he 'will discuss
"Cooperation or Confusion in
Ten-Mile-A-Minute Travel?"
GOOD WILL ONLY
ROAD TO PEACE
Coers Declares Choice
Is Understanding Or
Destruction
il we lose ourselves, we may
save ourselves".
In that paraphrase of Jesus'
words, Morris H Coers, in an
address here last Friday night,
summarized his message that
international peace can be
achieved only through under
standing and good will.
"If the world is to be saved,
we must do it unselfishly", he
continued.
"We must get back to the
principles for which He lived
and gave his life, or we will all
go back to the atomic dust
from which we sprang".
And he cited the remark of
a scientist that an atomic bomb
is now in existence which, if
dropped in the Pacific Ocean,
would kill all the people in the
United States.
"It is no longer a question of
whether we like other peoples,
or their ideologies? we can't
have another war".
Mr. Coers, a former minister
and a Red Cross field director
overseas during World War 2,
was the third in a series of
speakers on international under
standing brought to Franklin by
the local Rotary club. His topic
was "UN, Vehicle of World Co
operation?"
Speaking at the Methodist
j church, he was heard by ap
proximately 150 persons. He was
i introduced by Guy L. Houk.
Taxi Driver I
Is Robbed Of
Car And Cash
! Romulus F. Carpenter, Frank
lin taxi driver, told this week
how he was robbed, on a lonely
Georgia road last Friday, of
his automobile, between $130 and
$140 in cash, his watch, his cap,
and his personal papers.
Frank and Ray Kell, arrested
by the Georgia highway patrol
Saturday morning, are being
held in jail at Toccoa, charged
with the hold-up.
Mr. Carpenter said the Kells
engaged him about 3 p. m. Fri
day to take them from
Franklin to Toccoa. At Toccoa
they asked him to drive them
to their home near Lavonla.
About IX miles from Toccoa,
he said, they held him up with
a pistol, took the cash, papers,
watch, and cap from him, and
drove away in the taxi. The
hold-up, he said, occurred about
6 p. m.
He was taken to the highway
patrol station by J. B Pressjey
of Toccoa.
The Georgia authorities re
covered the automobile ? minus
the spot light, toots, and taxi
light ? the watch, and about $30
In money. The Kells were iden-,
titled as the robbers. It was
said, by their possession of Mr.
Carpenter's personal papers.
As early as 1750, longleaf
pine lumber was exported from
North Carolina to the West In
diet and England.
Ask School Board
To Take 3 Steps
Citizens Recommend Superintendent's Office Be
Full-Time, Board Learn Houk's
Plans, Meet Regularly
i K?litor*s Note: The following account of last Saturday's Conference "f
citizens and school hoard numbers was authorised by- the Kn. A. Kufu-?
.V? oik. in, c.iairnian of the meeting.)
Members of the county board of education, at a citizens' meet- v
ing here Saturday, were asked: ? .
1. To make the office oti couty superintendent of pub
lie instruction a full-time position, and to require any
person holding the office to give it his full time and un
divided attention.
2. To learn, without further delay, from the present
superintendent whether persistent reports that he plans
to retire at the end of his current term are true, so that
board members can start looking for a new superin
tendent now, instead of having to wait till the last min
ute and thus be forced to take whoever can be em
ployed on short notice.
3. To hold regular board meetings, at stated times an?l
a stated place, at least eight times a year, and to open
their meetings to the public.
Attending Saturday's conier
ence were citizens representing
various sections of the county
and four of the five men whom
Rep. Herbert A. McGlamery has
announced he will appoint to
the new county board of edu
cation. All members, of both
the present and the new board
had been invited.
Also invited, but not present,
was County Supt. Guy L. Houk.
Urge Improvement
In a discussion of the work
being done in the schools, the
group also urged the board to
put into the county system, as
soon as possible, courses in pub
lic school ? music, public speak
ing, and vocational home ec
onomics, and to provide for
teaching supervision.
Every motion was carried
without dissent, with the ex
ception of the proposal for
teacher supervision, on which
there was one negative vote.
Not actually put to a vote,
but apparently expressing the
sentiment of the citizens pres
ent was the suggestion that
"the board of education should
tell the superintendent what to
do, rather than letting the su
perintendent tell the board".
The conference was called by
the Rev. A. Rufus Morgan, who,
after he called the meeting to !
order, was unanimously elected
chairman.
It was suggested sometime ago
to C. Gordon Moore, chairman
of the present board and nomi
nee for the new board, that he
call such a meeting as that held
Saturday, so that citizens of the
county might have an opportun
ity to discuss school problems
with board members. Mr. Moore
declined, however, and Mr. Mor
gan then acted.
Start At Home
In opening the meeting, Mr.
Morgan pointed out that school
problems are acute everywhere,
Propose Study Of Whole
State Education System
* A thorough study of the
state's entire education sys
tem by a 25-member com
mission is proposed by a bill
introduced in the general
assembly this week by Sen
ator R. S. Ferguson, only
woman member of the leg
islature.
but stressed the idea that "the
only w.ay we can help the situ
ation Is by doing something here
in our own county". He asked
for a show of hands of all pres
ent who had not, in recent
weeks, discussed local school
problems. When no hand was
I raised, he remarked that in al
most any Macon County group
I a count would show the same
I result. This, he pointed out, is
indicative of the general con
sciousness that there are prob
lems here needing attention.
That, he added, was the reason
the meeting was being held.
Mr. Morgan emphasized that
the Macon County school prob
lems should be approached as
problems, and not from the
viewpoint of personalities, and,
with one of two minor excep
, tlons, the entire discussion that
followed was strictly imperson
al. Most of those In attendance
participated.
While it was characterized by
calmness, however, there prob
1 ably have been few meetings
held In this county marked by
[such plain speaking.
Regrets Absences
Mr. Morgan expressed regret
that the county superintendent
had not accepted the Invitation
to be present, "because we can
get farther by discussing things
frankly together. And we would
much prefer to say whatever we
may have to say about the
schools in hii presence, rather
than in his absence".
He also expressed the wish
that all of the present and
prospective members of the
school board, as well as all of
the citizens who were invited,
could have been present. In
view of the weather, however, he
said, the attendance ? approxi
mately two-thirds of the some
40 invited ? showed the wide
spread interest in the school
situation. In this connection, he
said that invitations had been
sent to one or two persons in
each section of the county, and
emphasized that those invited
were chosen without reference
to or knowledge of their views
on the local school issues.
There were many others he
would have liked to have had
present, he said, but did not
invite them because he felt
that the smaller the group, the
easier it would be to keep the
discussion on an impersonal
and calm basis.
4 Board Members Present
Board members present, in
addition to Mr. Moore, were C.
F. Browning, present member
who was renominated; Walter
Gibson, nominated as a new
member; and Bob S. Sloan, also
nominated as a new member.
Citizens attending included
four ministers, Mr. Morgan, the
Rev. C. E. Parker, the Rev. W.
Jackson Huneycutt, and the
Rev. C. C. Welch; Mayor T. W.
Angel, Jr., of Franklin; Mrs. O.
F. Summer and Mrs. Weimar
Jones, presidents, respectively,
of the Highlands and Franklin
Parent - Teacher associations;
Frank B. Cook, Mr. and Mrs.
Thomas Harbison, Harley Mor
rison, T. M. Rickman, Mrs. F. E.
Mashburn, S. W. Mendenhall,
Weimar Jones, Mrs. Florence S.
Sherrill, Mrs. John Bulgin, Mrs.
W. E. Hunnicutt, Mrs. Allen
Siler, and Mrs. A. F. Corbin.
Full Or Part Time Job?
One of the first topics to
come up for discussion was the
question of whether the county
superintendent's office ? and
those discussing it stressed the
point that they were talking of
the office and not of any in
dividual ? should be a full-time
or part-time position. It was
immediately agreed that the job
is big enough to require a man's
full time, but the question was
raised as to whether the salary
is large enough to warrant a
man's giving his full time to
the work.
If it isn't, Mr. Morrison com
mented, then it's time to make
it large enough, because a full
time man is needed.
Widely varying figures were
cited as to the amount the sal
ary has been reported to be
Then someone asked the board
members what it is. When they
remained silent, citizens present
demanded to know if the public
hasn't a right to the informa
tion.
Finall, Chairman Moore said
he did not know exactly what
it is, but gave $3,600 as an ap
proximation.
With the complete frankness
that marked the whole discus
sion, some of those present ex
pressed amazement that the
chairman of the school board
should be Ignorant of the su
perintendent's salary.
Mr. Moore explained that the
salary Is paid by the state.
N<ot Committing Himself
In the course of the discus
sion, he remarked:
"I want It understood that I
?Continued on Page Seven