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VOL. LXIV-NO. 36
FRANKLIN, N. C? THURSDAY, 8F.PT. g, 1949
EIGHT PAOB8
ALBERTRAMSEY,
FARM AND CIVIC
LEADER, DIES
Rites For Farm Home
Supervisor ^ielid
Saturday
Albert L. Ramsey, Macon
County supervisor for the Farm
Home Administration, promi
nent farmer, and leader in the
civic life of the county, died at
Angel hospital ear'y Thursday
of last week. He was 55 years of
age.
Always Interested in better
farming, he was a pioneer in
the growing of alfalfa in this
county, and built up on his
farm In the Iotla valley- what
was said to be one of the larg
est herds of purebred Angus
Aberdeen cattle in Western
North Carolina.
Ten years ago he joined the
staff here of the Farm Secur
ity Administration, now the
Farm Home Administration, and
during the past decade had
spent most of his time working
with farmers who needed loans
and supervision to get on their
financial feet.
He long had served on the
Macon County welfare board,
and July 1 assumed the duties
of president of the Franklin
Rotary club. He was a former
chairman of the county Democ
ratic executive committee, and
at the time of his death he was
a director of the Farmers Fed
eration and a steward of the
Franklin Methodist church. He
Joined the lotla church in early
life, and at one time had been
Sunday school superintendent
and men's Bible class teacher
there.
Mr. .Ramsey suffered a ser
ious heart ailment three years
ago, but apparently had recov
ered. He became ill about 10
days before his death, and en
tered the hospital Wednesday
morning of last week. Death was
attributed to a heart condition,
complicated by asthma.
A native of this county, he
?wae the son of W. A. and Mrs.
Rebecca West Ramsey. He held
a law degree from the Univer
sity of North Carolina, but
never practiced that profession.
He was a veteran of World War
1.
Survivors Include his widow,)
the former Miss Margaret Hlg
don; two sons, Lt. Albert L.
Ramsey, Jr., who Is situated at
San Juan, Puerto Rico, and who
came home in time for the
funeral, on a 45-day leave, and
Clayton Ramsey, who was grad
uated from Western Carolina
Teachers college, Cullowhee, re
cently; and one sister, Mrs. A.
L. McLean, of Asheville.
Funeral services were held at
3 o'clock Saturday afternoon at
the Franklin Methodist church,
with the pastor, the Rev. A. C.
Gibbs, and two former pastors,
the Rev. J. H. Brendall, jr., and
the Rev. W. Jackson Horieycutt,
officiating. Burial was in the
Iotla Methodist church ceme
tery.
Pallbearers were Siler Slagle,
John M. Archer, Jr., Henry W.
Cabe, Terrell Parrish, Bayse
Penland, and Harry Thomas.
Honorary pallbearers were
members of the Franklin Rotary
club.
Arrangements were under the
direction of Bryant funeral
home.
SO YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
A petition from over 300 citi
zens were laid before the county
commissioners Monday, asking
them to call an election for the
citizens within a certain boun
dary to vote on the question of
"Stock Law" or "No Stock Law".
A counter petition of less than
200 was also filed.
\
Notwithstanding the weather
last Wednesday the annual re
union of the Slier family was
held at Mr. Albert Sller's, and
about 120 of the connection were
present together with several
invited guest*. This reunion or
family meeting has been kept
up lor 48 leart, and the family
will have a uml-contennltl In
MM, .
New Cullasaja School Ready For Use
? Photo by Crisp Studio
Above is the new Cullasaja school, which will go Into use with the opening of the Macon
County schools this morning. The building, constructed at an estimated cost of $70,000, con
tains 10 classrooms, auditorium, principal's office, first aid room, etc. Consolidating the
schools forcerly taught at Gold Mine, Pine Grove, Salem, Higdonvllle, and Mashburn's Branch,
It will have 10 teachers, and will be the largest rural school in the county, The new structure
Is situated four and a half miles from Franklin, on the Highlands road.
Coweeta Forest, 7 Macon
Men Will Be Paid Honor
In Ceremony On Friday
1 The Coweeta Hydrologlc Lab
ortory wUl be presented a
"Superior Service Award from
the U. S. Department of Agrt
cuUure in a ceremony to be held
at the experimental forest, U
miles from Franklin, tomorrow
(Friday) afternoon.
At the same time, seven Ma
con County men who have been
associated with the research
program at Coweeta during the
past 10 years will be prese-nted
"Letters of Commendation The
Identity of the seven will not
be announced until the presen
tatlon.
The award and letters wi.l be
presented by Nathan Koenlg, of
Washington, executive assistant
to the Secretary of Agriculture.
This district's representative
In congress, Monroe M. Redden,
will serve as master of cere
monies, and speakers will in
clude Dr. parry Brown, chancel
lor of the University of Georgia,
and Herbert Stone, of Atlanta,
regional forester of the U. 8.
Forest Service, former supervis
or of the Nantahala National
Forest here.
Other notables expected to at
tend inclutft Dr. I. T. Haig, di
rector of the Southeastern Ex-,
periment Station, and represen
tatives of the TVA, the U. S.
Forest Service in Washington,
Atlanta, and Franklin, and the
Nantahala Power and Lignt
company.
Arrangements have been made
to take" care of a crowd of 500
expected at the public cere
mony, which is set' for 2 p. n>
It was emphasized that the gen
eral public is invited.
A tour of the watershed will
immediately follow the cere
mony.
Meanwhile, Coweeta drew na
tional attention Monday when
It was visited by approximate
ly a score of forestry profes
sors from universities from
Maine to California.
Dr Charles R. Hursh, chief
of the division of watershed
management and protection.
Southeastern Forest Experiment
Station, near Asheville, will ac
cept the superior service award
to be given the Macon County
station tomorrow. Dr.. Hursh,
who spends abolt one-third of
his time at Coweeta, has super
vised the unique research being
done there, for which the award
is being given.
The award will read:
"For outstanding research
achievements regarding the re
lation of climate, soil, and for
est vegetation to stream flow;
the establishment of basic prin
ciples of hydrology and water
shed management; the transla
tion of research results Into
practical techniques of water
resource management; the ei
fective dissemination of re
search findings; and for loyalty,
determination, and skill In de
veloping and operating a maj
hydrologlc laboratory .
Prior to the ceremony, an In
formal home-oomlng, itartlng
at 10 a. m., will b? held for all
(Mrionf who htvt worlwd
the area, both since it became
an experimental forest and pre
viously; it formerly was a CCC
center.
While the award is primarily
for the technical research that
has gone on at Coweeta, the
human elements of "loyalty, de
termination, and skill" are rec
ognized, and E. A. Johnson,
technician in charge, cited some
instances of the loyalty both of
employes and of people in the
region.
He recalled the case of the
employe, who, when the weath
er turned very cold during the
night, brought hise blankets to
place over same freshly poured
concrete to keep it from freez
ing. In June's flood, members
of the labor crew reported long
before they were due at work,
because they knew they were
needed to help save the roads
from washing and to assist in
collecting records on the flood.
And last Easter Sunday, when
a forest fire broke out, SO peo
ple from the area? many of
them sacrificing their Easter
dinner ? promptly reported as
volunteers to help fight the
blaze.
Members of the present staff,
?in addition to Mr. Johnson, are
Geoffrey Greene, technician;
Charles Shope, Don Cabe, and
Charles Junior Curtis, rated as
subprofessional men; and Wil
liam Carpenter, Curt Chastaln,
Marvin Howard, and Floyd
Thomas, members of the labor
crew.
The experimental forest, em
bracing 5,600 acres and repre
senting a land and equipment
value of $1,750,000, was estab
lished in 1934. It is unique in
that it is the only station in
the United States set up solely
to do basic research in hydro
logy (water resources).
(water resources).
It was established as the re
sult of a growing consciousness
of the Importance of water? for
industry, for municipal water
supplies, and with reference to
the mutual dependence of
water and vegetation.
Varied conditions ? such as
undisturbed forest, indiscrimi
nate forest cutting, and cultiva
tion?have deliberately been set
up, and the results, in terms of
stream flow, measured and
studied. The water requirements '
of vegetation under varied con
ditions also have been studied.
The visit of the forestry ex
perts to Coweeta Monday ell- j
maxed a two-week tour. They
were shown over the area by
Dr. Haig and Dr. Hursh. They ;
expressed particular Interest In
a watershed in which the ;
stream flow has been doubled,
and in another which illustrates
the damage ?done mountain ;
streams by poorly laid out and
maintained logging roads. -
The group included represen
tatives of the California school i
of forestry, Yale university, the i
University of Maine, the Uni
versity of Minnesota, the Uni
versity of Georgia, and I. W.
Renshaw, supervisor of th? Nin- i
tahak National Vtrwt.
Position Left Open
By Setser's Shift
Still Is Unfilled
?The position of highway
maintenance supervisor for
Macorf and Jackson counties,
which was made vacant by the
recent transfer of Joe Se'ser
to the position of supervisory
foreman, still had mot been
filled yesterday morning, local
highway officials said. Mr.
Setser's transfer was effec
tive August 22.
The new assignment given
Mr. Setser, who has been with
the State Highway commis
sion for 26 years, entails less
responsibility, .and the trans
fer carried wi'h it a cut in
salary. He had held the posi
tion of maintenance super
visor since 1944.
At present, Mr. Setser is on
sick leave, on doctor's oirder.
Calendar
Of The Week'.
EVENTS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8
7:30 p. m.? Franklin Lodge No.
452, Loyal Order of Moose, at
Slagle Memorial building.
8 p. jn ? Wesleyan Service
Ouild of Fran|tlin Methodist
church at home of Mrs. J. E.
Perry, Sr.
SATURDAAY
7:30 p. m.? Teen Age club at
Skyway hotel.
8 p. m.? Square dance (Amer
ican Legion benefit) at Memor
ial building.
MONDAY
10 a. m. ? Board of county
commissioners at courthouse.
7 p. m.? Franklin Lions club
at Presbyterian church annex.
7 p. m.? Franklin Troop No. j
1, Boy Scouts, at Memorial
building.
8 p. m. Co-Ed club at Memor
ial building.
WEDNESDAY
7 p. m.? Franklin Rotary club
at Memorial building.
7:30 p. m. Macon County
Memorial Post No. 7339, Veter
ans of Foreign Wars, at Agricul
tural building.
Mrs. Wilkes
Is Claimed By Death
Mrs. Linda Reeves Wilkes, 83,
wife of James F. Wilkes, whom
she married more than 50 years
ago, died at her home in the
lotla community Saturday at 6
p. m. She had been ill for eight
months.
She was born and reared in
the Iotla section and always
had made her home there.
Survivors, in addition to her
husband, are four daughters,
Mrs. Horace Morgan and Mrs.
Walter Bryant, of Franklin,
Route 3, Mrs. Mary Bryson, of
Atlanta, and Mrs. Ernest Roper,
of Covington, Oa.; a son, Orady
Wilkes, of Route 3; and 27
grandchildren, and 34 great
grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at
the home Monday morning,
with the Rev. Robert L. Poln
dexter officiating, and burial
wm in the Wilkes cemetery. |
NEW CULLASAJA
SCHOOL READY
$70,000 Building Which
Merges 5 Schools To
Go Into Use Today
The new Cuilasaja school,
bui't art an estimated cost of
110 000, Is complete except for
a few details, and will be put
In use with the opening this
morning of the Macon County
schools for the 1949-50 school
year.
The new school, situated four
?nd a half mtnes from Frank
lin on the Highlands road, con
solidates five smaller schools,
and, with 10 teachers, becomes
the largest rural school In the
county. Pupils who formerly at
tended the Higdonvllle, Pine
Grove. Salem, Gold Mine, and
Mashburn's Branch schools this
year will go to the new Culla
saja school, which will he head
ed by William G. (Bill) Craw
ford, principal.
The one-story structure, which
is 236 feet long and contains
approximately 18,000 square
feet of floor space, has 10 class
rooms, an auditorium, princi
pal's office, first aid room, and
four rest rooms. The auditorium
is 80 x 50, with a sfage 25 x 18,
eoulnned with both foot and
proscenium lights.
All the classrooms are 34 x 22
or 36 x 24, and each classroom
has four windows. Indirect
f'ourescent lighting will be
used, County Supt. Guy L. Houk
explained.
A 16-foot drive will pass In
front of the building, with a
five-foot concrete sidewalk be
tween the drive and the school.
The construction Is brick on
cinderblock, and Mr. Houk said
the only wood in it is the doors
and facings and the beams in
the roof.
A steam heating plant has
been Installed, and an 85-foot
well will supply water. The
building stands on a six and a
half-acre plot, with plans call
ing for a playground at the rear
of the structure.
Mr. Houk said he drew the
designs and plans, and he has
supervised construction, with
Nat Phillips in charge of the
general constiuctlon. The elec
trical work was dene by James
Wurst, and the plumbing and
heating was let to contract,
the contract having been given
to W. O. Hall, of Franklin.
Work on the building started
April I.
Will Launch
Drive Sept. 19
For Symphony
Plans for the fifth annual
membership campaign of the
North Carolina Symphony So
ciety were outlined at a meet
ing of 15 persons, representing
wldel\ separated sections of the
county, held Tuesday evening at
the home of Miss Laura M.
Jones.
The Little Symphony orches
tra Is brought here each year
for two concerts? a free mati
nee for school children, and an
evening performance for adults
? Jhrough the society.
This year's campaign In this
county will open September 19.
W. N. Sloan, 1949 Macon
County Symphony chairman,
emphanslzed the thought that
purchase of a membership is
primarily a payment of dues in
an organization that seeks to
bring good music to the people
of the state, rather than mere
ly buying a ticket to a con
cert. Macon County members,
of course, are chiefly interested
In bringing the orchestra to !
Franklin, he said, and he added
that a membership, incidental
ly, entitles the purchaser to a
ticket to the evening concert
here.
In the general discussion,
school principals and teachers
present cited the value of the
orchestra to the children of the
county, and Mr. Sloan comment
ed that the chief reason for the
campaign here lies In the Im
portance, educationally, of the
free children's concert.
The possibility of creating a
circulating library of records,
so that school children could
become familiar with the best
in music, was discussed.
A list of persons throughout
the county who will be asked to
work in thl* ye&r'i cajnpalgn
wm compiled. ,
Will Seek Funds
For Early Start
On Three Schools
Report Mrs. Dowdle
Backed By 7 Of 13
For School Board1
Mrs. Florence S. Sherrill
announced Tuesday that she
bid mailed her resignation as
a member of tjhe county board
of education to C. Gordon
Moore, boau-d chairman.
The law provides tor ap
pointment of Iter successor by
the county Democratic execu
tive committee. T. H. (Tom)
Johnson, county chairman,
said Tuesday afternoon that
he was "undecided whether or
not it will he necessary to call
a meeting" of the committee.
It was understood that what
he had in mind was the re
port that seven of the 13
members of the committee al
ready had signed a state nent
favoring Mrs. C. N. (Joe)
Dowdle for the school board
post.
Should Hie executive com
mittee leave the post vacant
for 3d days, the responsibility
for making the appointment
would pass to the state board
of V<tuca'i?yn.
Mrs. Sherrill will become
county home demonstration
agent September 15, and she
has been told site cannot hold
both positions.
Will Build
Sidewalk On
Wayah Street
Construction of a graveled
sidewalk from Wayah street to
Wayah street to School street,
a!ong< -the west end of the ath
letic field at the school, was
authorized by the Franklin
board of aldermen, at Its meet
ing Monday night.
The board also authorized the
painting and Installation of
seven park benches, which have
been bought with funds raised
by public subscription, to re
place the delapidated benches
that now face the Confederate
monument on Rankin square.
Action on the controversy
over the name of the old Geor
gia road, changed to Maple
street several months ago, was
deferred for the second time.
The sidewalk project was pro
posed by Woodrow Beeves,
chairman of the board's street
committee. He pointed out that
recent erection of a fence
around the athletic field will
force children from the Bonny
Crest section to come to school
via Wayah street, which is nar
row, carries much traffic, and
is without a sidewalk. In the
past, children from the Bonny
Crest area have walked across
the atheletic field. The board
also forbade parking on Wayah
street between Porter and De
pot street.
Following some discussion, the
board authorized purchase of
three blinker traffic lights, to
be placed at points chosen by
the street committee.
Frank B. Duncan, president of
the Lions club, asked the board
to consider installing sanitary
facilities on the playground on
the Slagle Memorial grounds,
which has been equipped by the
Lions club". A committee, made
up of W. C. Burrell, Verlon
Swafford, and Russell Cabe, was
appointed to work with the
Lions club on the project.
Board members attending: Mr.
Reeves, Mr. Burrell, Mr. Swaf
ford, Mr. Cabe, and Erwin Pat
ton. Mayor H. W. ' Cabe pre
sided.
PLAN RUMMAGE SALE
A rummage sale will be held
on Main street here Saturday
morning, for the benefit of the
Nequassa chapter of the East
ern Star, It has been announc
ed.
HIGDONS TO GATEHR
The annual reunion of the
Hlgdon family will be held
Sunday at the old home in the
Hlgdonville community, it was
announced this week.
PLAN SQUARE DANCE
A benefit square dance will
be held at the Otto school Sat
urday night at 8 o'clock, with
Keener'! etrlng band providing
muale, It ha* been announced.
Mrs. Guffey Is Named
To New 'Helping
Teachers' Post
The county board of educa
tion Monday:
1. Voted to submit applica
tions to the state, as soon as
required surveys have been
made, for funds to build the
East Frank'.in-Millshoal, High
lands, and Nantahala schools.
2. Appointed Mrs. Beth Guffey,
former first grade teacher in
the Franklin school, as county
helping teacher, a position
somewhat similar to that of the
county supervisors formerly em
ployed in many counties. The
board of county commissioners
will be asked to pay Mrs. Guffey
mtleage for travel to the various
schools in the county.
3. Decided to ask the com
missioners for an annual appro
priation of not less than $4,000
as a physical education-recre
ation fund for the schools in
the county.
4. Heard County Supt. G. L.
Houk outline the procedure for
obtaining funds from the state
for construction of new schcol
buildings.
A number of other matters,
including possible sites for the
East Franklin and Cartooge
chaye schools, also were dis
cussed.
Decision to seek first funds
for the East Franklin-Millshoal,
Highlands, and Nantahala
schools was on motion of Bob
Sloan, seconded by Fred Ed
wards. Mr. Sloan suggested that,
if there was delay in obtaining
state funds, proceeds of the
$400,000 county bond issue, if
available by that time, could
be used for these schools, and
urged an early start. ^
This action followed an out
line by Mr. Houk of the forms, .
covering complete information
and maps, required by the state
before approval of use of state
funds for school building pro
jects. Six different forms must
be filled out for each school
unit, he said, and projects must
be personally presented to sur
vey panels that are to be set
up by the state. The purpose,
Mr. Houk said, is to make sure
that the best overall job is done
for each county and the state
as a whole.
Meanwhile, the state board ol
education, at a meeting in Ral
eigh last week, alloted Macon
County $361,469.05 ? in conform
ity with 1949 legislative acts?
for school building purposes,
and approved 13 projects in nine
counties.
The question of funds for
athletic purposes in the various
schools was raised by Mr. Sloan,
J but it was Mr. Edwards who
j made the motion to formally re
] quest the funds from the com
j missioners. Mr. Sloan made the
point that, at present, funds
for athletic facilities and equip
ment come from donations, the
result being that a compara
tively few people pay the en
tire cost.
A delegation, made up of Mrs.
Lilly Quilliams, Mrs. Helen
Rhodes, Mrs. Lester Huscusson,
and Neil Waldroop, of upper
Cartoogechaye, appeared to ask
a change in the route of the
bus from Rainbow Springs to
the Slagle and Franklin schools.
The bus now turns off at
Southard's road and goes across
Kimsey mountain and down
Jones creek. By changing the
? Continued on Pace Eifbt
The Weather
Temperatures and precipita
tion for the past seven days,
and the low temperature yes
terday, as recorded at the
Co wee t a Experiment station.
High Low Prec.
Wednesday 82 60 .84
Thursday 82 52
Friday 75 57
Saturday 70 58 .06
Sunday ..._ 80 60 .26
Monday 74 63 .02
Tuesday 72 61 2.68
Wednesday 64 .57
FRANKLIN RAINFALL
(As recorded by Manson L.
8tlles, TVA weather observer)
For 24 tours ending at 8 a. m.
Thursday, .04 of an inch; Sat
urday, .02; Sunday, .40; Tua?
4*7, 1 iBObM; Wtdnwdty, M.