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PROGRESSI f "A'
LIBERAL
INDEPENDENT
VOL. LXII? NO. 16
FRANKLIN, N. C., THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 1947
$2.00 PER YEAR
PLAN COURSES
IN SWIMMING.
WATER SAFETY
Red Cross Also To Offer
Classes In Accident
Prevention Here
Arrangements to offer county
wide courses in first aid, life
saving, water safety, and acci
dent prevention were made at a
meeting called Tuesday by the
ltev. W. Jackson Huneycutt,
county chairman of the Amer
ican Red Cross.
The courses will be free, and
county-wide participation is
urged, Mr. Huneycutt said.
Features of the year-round
program will include a swim
ming Instructors' class, swim
ming classes for beginners, and
intermediate groups, and life
saving; and classes in first aid
and accident prevention.
The swimming instructors'
class will be under the direction
of Ellis D. Fysal, Red Cross rep
resentative in first aid, acci
dent prevention and water saf
ety for North Carolina. Mr.
Fysal has had wide experience
in the recreational field, hold
ing an A. B. degree in physical
education from the University
of North Carolina in 1929. He
was All-Southern guard on the
1929 U. N. C. football team, and
served as football coach at Elon
college, the University of North
Carolina, and Wake Forest.
Present plans call for an in
structors' class in swimming to
be held during the first part of
July. This course will offer three
hours' instruction daily for two
weeks.
This class will provide instruc
tors for swimming classes for
? Continued on Pace Eigh*
Mars Hill Glee
Club To Present
Program Sunday
The Mars Hill college glee
club will conduct the program
at the morning service of the
First Baptist church Sunday.
The glee club, made up of 50
voices, is conducted by Mrs.
Elizabeth Logan Souther.
On the program are both clas
sical and modern numbers, as
well as two spirituals.
There was a good deal of
amusement last Friday night
at the "Spelling Bee", notwith
standing several of the parti
cipants were pretty badly stung.
Those who went in bet ten cents
on being a good speller. Frank
Ray was an excellent model of
the " old field" schoolmaster
and he organized his forces on
the old knock down system. F.
S. Johsnton and J. S. Sloan were
captains to choose out. The two
classes numbered about eighteen
to a side. It was not long be
fore some of them began to
take "bad-spells" and had to re
tire to resi. In fact, about
three dozen, less one, had a
bad spell. The only fellow to |
have a good spell was W. R.
Johnston, who took the prize?
a bouquet of flowers. The
amount realized for the par
sonage fund was sometiung j.ei
five dollars.
25 YEARS Ago
Mr. Walter E. Furr, who Is a
student at the Atlanta Dental
College, will have an added in
ducement to hurry home this
spring. For he is now the
proud papa of a baby boy, who
made his appearance In Frank
lin on Monday April 10.
10 YEARS AGO
Organization of an active
chamber of commerce, which
has been under discussion in the
business circles of Franklin, now
seems to be a certainty. Meet
ings have been held this week
by various groups of business
and professional people of the
town and directors have been
chosen to represent them in
forming and carrying on the
^Organization. The following have
been chosen by the various
groups: Hotels, Miss Lassie
Kelly, utilities, John Archer,
professional people, not yet sel
ected, petroleum products deal
ers. John Cunningham, merch
anU, T. W. Angel, Jr., A. R.
Hlgdon, and J. E. Porry.
GIVEN ^iTATE POST? Herbert
A. McGlamery, Macon County
representative in the last gen
eral assembly, has been appoint
ed' state probation officer, and
assumed his new duties Monday.
Mr. McGlamery, who will serve
in this district, will have head
quarters in the courthouse in
Asheville. In his new work, he
will deal with defendants put
on probation by the state courts.
He plans to move his family to
Asheville about June 1.
MISS A. SLAGLE
DIES SUDDENLY
Well Known Macon Native
Succumbs At Niece's
Charlotte Home
Miss Annie Slagle, 81, widely
known Macon County resident,
died suddenly at the home of
her niece, Mrs. C. R. Zachary,
of Charlotte, Saturday night,
following a short illness. Shortly
before her death, she had ap
peared to be in her usual health
Miss Slagle, or "Miss Annie"
as she was known to the many
local residents and tourists who
had stopped for a meal or a
summer at her home, a fertile
farm located at the foot of
Wayah Bald, lived with her
brother, the late John Slagle,
most of her life. At this historic
and well known Macon County
landmark, she had offered a
haven of rest to all travelers
who passed by since the days
of wagon trips to "The Bald."
She sold the farm last year
and had been residing in Char
lotte with her niece since that
time.
Miss Slagle, the daughter of
the late Elam Slagle and Aman
da Crawford Slagle, was born
May 11, 1865. She was a member
of the Slagle Memorial church
for many years and later be
came a member of the Franklin
Presbyterian church.
Surviving are a number of
nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held at
the Franklin Presbyterian church
Tuesday afternoon at 3 o'clock,
with the Rev. A. Rufus Morgan,
rector of the St. Agnes Episco
pal church, the Rev. B. Hoyt
Evans, pastor, and the Rev. J.
A. Wallace, former pastor of the
Presbyterian church, conducting
the service. Interment followed
in the Franklin cemetery.
Pallbearers were Dick Slagle,
Javan Gray, Jim Gray, John
Slagle, George M. Slagle, and
Cliff Slagle, nephews.
The tody was brought to the
Bryant funeral home Monday,
where It remained tintil time
for the service.
Mrs. McDonald
Dies At Otto Home At
Age Of 83
Mrs. Tlshie E. McDonald died
at her home at Otto Tuesday
night at 8:30 o'clock. She was
83 years of age.
A native of Clay county, she
was the widow of W. T. Mc
Donald, who died about five
years ago. She had lived at
Otto for about 35 years, and
was a member of the Coweta
Baptist church.
Survivors inclu'de one brother,
Henry Holden, of Otto, and a
number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were set for
3 p. m. today (Thursday) at
the Asbury Methodist church,
with the Rev. Oeorge Cloer of
ficiating, and burial In the
church cemetery.
Pallbearers: Tom Oladwell,
Charlie Moffltt, John Conley,
James Powell. Greenlee Holden,
and Rufus Holden.
Funeral arrangements were
under the direction of Bryant
funeral home.
SCHOOLHEAD
TO BE NAMED
ON WEDNESDAY
About Ten Applications
On File With Board;
Committee Act*
The Macon County board of I
education will meet next Wed
nesday morning at 10 o'clock
for the purpose of electing a
county superintendent of schools
for a two-year term.
When the board takes up the
question of a superintendent, it
will have before it approximate
ly 10 applications for the posi
tion.
The exact number of applica
tions on file could not be learn
ed, since Chairman C. Gordon
Moore is in Raleigh this week.
A week ago, however, he an-;
nounced that he had received
eight, and it is known that at
least one other person has ap
plied since that time.
Wednesday's meeting will be
the second since members of
the new board ? Mr. Moore,
| Frank Browning, Ed Byrd, Wal
ter Gibson, and Bob Sloan ? were
appointed by the general as
sembly. At its first session, held
April 7, the board deferred nam- 1
ing a superintendent, in order
to comply with the law requir- ;
ing 15 days' public notice that
a superintendent is to be elect
ed.
Meanwhile, the local school 1
committeemen appointed by the
board at its first meeting have
been active.
The Franklin committee, after
discussing its duties with Supt.
Guy L. Houk Friday, held an
organization meeting at which
John E. Cabe, former member
of the school board, was named
chairman, and A. R. Higdonwas
elected secretary. After discuss
ing the committee's first duty,
the election of a principal of
the Franklin school, the com
mittee set April 30 as the date
for a meeting to choose a prin
cipal. The committee in each
district is responsible for the
election of a school principal
and teachers, subject to the ap
proval of the school board and
the county superintendent.
Also attending Friday's con
ference with Mr. Houk was
Clint May, member of the Nan
tahala district committee. Two
members of the Highlands com
mittee discussed their duties
J with Mr. Houk at a conference
I last Thursday.
: I
MissB.McGee
Dies On Her
68th Birthday
Miss Elizabeth (Betty) Caro
lyn McGee, much beloved and
widely known Macon County
resident, died at Angel hospital
Tuesday morning, her sixty
eighth birthday, as the result
of a heart attack.
Miss McGee had been con
fined to the hospital since suf
fering a broken hip on election
day last fall. In recent weeks,
her condition had been much
improved and she had expected
to leave the hospital in the
near future.
Miss Betty, as she was known
throughout the county, was born
in Macon County April 14, 1879,
the daughter of Charlie W. and
Mrs. Virginia McGee. She had
spent her entire life in this
county, and was widely known
for her unfailing cheerful na
ture.
For the greater part of her
life she was a member of the
Mt. Zlon Methodist church, but
in recent years she had trans
ferred her membership to the
Franklin Methodist church, hav- .
ing been a member of the F. S
Johnston Bible class and the
Woman's Society of Christian ,
service.
Funeral services were held
Wednesday afternoon at 3
o'clock at Mt. Zion church. The
Rev. P. E. Bingham officiated,
assisted by the Rev. W. Jackson
Huneycutt. Burial followed in
the church cemetery.
Pallbearers were W. L. Setser,
Bob Tallent, Charles Holland,
Harry Wilhide, Will Waldroop,
and Horace Nolen.
Surviving are two brothers,
Oeorge McGee of Franklin and
Ed McGee of Cleveland, Tenn.;
two nephews, Earl Harrison and
Ray McGee, and seven nieces.
Bryant funeral home was In
charge of the arrangements,
Grand Jury Recommends
County Have Full - Time
School Superintendent
The Macon County grand
jury, in its report this week,
recommended that the office of
county superintendent of schools
be made a full-time position.
The report, which emphasized
schools, also suggested that
school buses in this county
should be equipped with heaters
and with tire chains, and made
five specific recommendations
for improvements at the Frank
lin school.
Another important feature of
the report was the recommen
dation that a new courthouse
be built as soon as possible
The report, signed by Manson
L. Stiles, fireman, was filed in
Superior court Tuesday after
noon, at the conclusion of tfce
grand jury's inspection of coun
ty offices and institutions.
Pointing out that its school
inspection committee had visit
ed the Franklin school plant
and county garage, the grand
jury's report opens by saying
that "as a result of our inspec
tion, we recommend that the
following improvements and
corrections be made:
1. "Concrete steps placed at
at the rear of the elementary
building so that the student
body would have added exit for
fire drills and in the event of
a fire.
2. "Water connections for two
of the urinals in the first floor
rest room for high school boys.
3. "Surface on road leading
from state highway no. 23 up
the rear of elementary build
ing for the purpose of loading
buses.
5. "Stopping of leaks in audi
torium and patching of plast
er.
"At the county home," grand
jury report continues, "the up
stairs front porch needs repair
ing and a new floor. The whole
building needs a new roof; also
the fire escape needs repairing j
and the house needs painting.
| The inside of the house is in
! good shape, including the bed
ding.
"The prison camp is in good
condition.
"We recommend that all 1
school buses in Macon County
be equipped with heaters and j
tire chains.
"We also recommend that the
county have a full-time super
intendent.
"We also recommend a new
courthouse be built at the earl- j
iest day possible. The old
building is in bad condition,
and there is not room enough j
to keep the records in good
shape; that extra book racks
be installed in the register of
deeds office until a new court
house is btiilt. We found sev
eral books just piled up on
tables.
"We recommend that the wat
er system at the Cartoogechaye
school be examined. It is stat
ed that they do not have
enough drinking water.
"The jail was found to be
in good shape as could be ex
pected, considering its being
an old building"
Young Folk Here
Trail, Get Sign
F rom Eisenhower
Few persons knew it at
the time, but Gen. Dwight
D. Eisenhower, chief of staff
of the U. S. army, passed
through Franklin Sunday
afternoon.
Had it not been for a
group of curious young peo
ple who happened to be
downtown at the time, it
might not have been known
at all.
Seeing a procession of four
cars, with state highway
patrolmen at the front and
the rear, Lyman Gregory,
Anne Cabe, Ruth Angel,
Ann Lyle, James Stockton,
Howard Horsley, and Neil
Mooney decided to find out
what it was all about. Jump
ing into a car, they roared
toward Cowee mountain, and
soon overtook the motor
cade. They sought to drive
by in order to sec who was
in the automobiles, but pa
trolmen would not allow
them to pass, finally ex
plaining to them that it was
a military group.
So they followed. And at
Sylva, where the party stop
ped briefly, the young folk
took another street and
drew up alongside the gen
eral's car. From him, they
received a smile, a wave,
and a "thumbs-up" sign.
Assisting the highway pa
trol in escorting the pro
cession through this county
was Patrolman Pritchard
Smith, Jr.
Officers
To Be Elected At PT A
Meeting Friday
Election of officers for next
year and a student program, to
be presented under the direction
of Principal George H. Hill and
some of the teachers, will fea
ture the April meeting of the
Franklin Parent-Teacher asso
ciation.
The meeting will be held at
7:30 o'clock in the school audi
torium Friday night.
A slate of nominees will be
presented by the nominating
committee. Members of that
committee are Mrs. John M.
Archer, Jr., Mrs. Clinton John
son, and R. S. Jones.
Out-of-town attorneys here
this week for the April term of
superior court Included George
H. Ward and Walter Haynes, of
Ashevllle, John M. Queen, of
Waynesville, McKinley Edwards,
of Bryson City, J. B. Gray, of
Murphy, T. M. Jenkins, of Rob
blnsvllle, J. M. Bailey, Jr., of
Marshall, and Edwin Hyde, 01
Murphy.
COURTHOUSE IS
CALLED 'WORST
Judge Biobbitt Recalls
Many Recommendations
For New Building
The Macon County courthouse
Is considered the worst, with
one exception, in Western North
Carolina, Judge William H. Bob
bitt, of Charlotte, told the grand
jury in ms charge Monday.
The April term of superior
court, which opened Monday
morning with Judge Bobbitt
presiding, was expected to ad
journ late today (Thursday).
After concluding a heavy
criminal docket, prosecuted by
Solicitor Dan K. Moore, of
Sylva, Tuesday, the court turn
ed to the trial of civil cases
Wednesday and Thursday.
Among cases disposed of were
a number of divorce actions.
In the case in which the
town of Highlands seeks ? a
court order to require Frank B.
Cook and J. Harvey Trice to
remove the front porch of
Highlands inn, Judge Bobbitt
granted in part and denied in
part a defense motion to strike
out a part of the complaint.
The case was then continued
until the next term of court.
Following the opening of
court by Deputy Sheriff Walter
? Continued On Fate Eight
Young Men's Class
Will Hold Dinner
Meet Friday Night
The Young Men's class of the
Franklin Methodist church will
hold its annual election of of
ficers at a dinner meeting to
be held in the church basement
tomorrow (Friday l night at
7:30.
All the young men of the
church and others interested
are invited.
The dinner will be served by
members of the Wesleyan Guild,
the funds earned to go into the
guild's treasurer.
Plans Going Forward
For Boys', Girls' Week
Plans for the observance here
of National Boys' and Olrls'
Week are rapidly being whipped
into shap, and details for the
various programs the week of
April 27-May 3 will be announc
ed in The Press next week. The
observance is being sponsored
Jointly by the Franklin Rotary
and Lions clubs.
PLAN RUMMAGE SALE
A rummage sale will t>e held
on the Public square Saturday
morning, sponsored by the
Woman's Society for Christian
Service of the Franklin Metho
dist church.
MARTIN GIVEN
18 - 25 YEARS IN
FLATS ROBBERY
Officers Leave At Once
With ^iim For Raleigh;
Many Cases Handled
Carl T. Martin, 24, Tuesday
was sentenced to from 18 to 25
years in State prison lor the
assault robbery of Weaver
Cochran at the latter's store at
Flats the night of last Decem
ber 12.
Officers left with Martin for
Raleigh soon after sentence had
been passed by Judge William
Bobbitt, presiding over Macon
superior court. The defendant
has been held in jail in Bryson
City since his capture in Geor
gia, a short time after the rob
bery.
Martin, said to be part In
dian, pleaded guilty to the
charge. The bill of indictment
charged him with robbing Mr.
Cochran by force of arms and
taking about $2,000. The Flats
merchant struck in the head
was left unconscious on the
floor of his store.
Witnesses testifying in the
case included Mr. and Mrs.
Cochran, J. H. Grant, Bruce
Smith, Patrolman Pritchard
Scores Of Cases Handled
But Not One Reaches Jury
This week's criminal court
probably was the first in
many years in which not a
single case went to a jury.
During the two days scores
of cases were disposed of,
but in every instance, ex
cept the few cases nol pros
sed, the defendant plead
guilty.
Smith, Jr., T. A. Sandlitt, and
Wymer Cochran.
Big Sum Collected
In handling the criminal
docket, completed Tuesday af
ternoon, the court collected in
fines and costs a total estimat
ed by J. Clinton Brookshire,
clerk of the court, at approxi
mately $4,000.
Most of the cases were for
driving intoxicated, violations of
the prohibition law, and aban
donment.
Judge Robbit ordered sus
pended sentences of 18 months
and 90 days, given Frank Raby
at a previous court term for
robbery, placed in effect.
Banister Middleton plead guilty
to involuntary manslaughter in
the automobile accident death
of Mack Allen Adams, and
judgment was continued until
the next court.
For violation of the prohibi
tion law, William J. Berry and
Edison Hedden were fined $300
each and the costs, and were
given suspended sentences of
eight months.
Other Fines
Earl Munday was fined $100
and costs, and given a six
months' suspended sentence.
Fines of $50 and the costs
were imposed on Monroe Wat
kins, Nelson Jones, Lee Long,
Clifford Hammond, and Mary
Lee York, Charlie C. York *nd
Mrs. Charlie C. York, indicted
? Continued on Page Seven
Jones Named
President Of
Rotary Club
R. S. (Dick i Jones, Franklin
attorney, was named president
of the Franklin Rotary club at
the club's annual election of of
ficers Wednesday night. He will
succeed Harmon H. Qnuse when
the new officers are Installed in
July.
W. W. Sloan was reelected
secretary-treasurer, and Mr.
Onuse, as immediate past presi
dent, automatically becomes
vice-president and a member of
the board of directors.
Elected to serve on the board
of directors, in addition to the
three officers, are John Alsup,
H. W. Cftbe, J. C. Jacobs, and
Carl S. Slagle.
John B. Ray was chosen pres
ident on the first ballot, but
Mr. Ray, explaining that his
work with the Nantahala Power
and Light company will keep
him out of town much of the
time, Insisted that he was un
able to serve.
Mr. Alsup reported briefly on
plans for the observance of
boys' and flrta' week here April
27 to May S.