VOL. LXIV ? NO. 51 FRANKLIN, N. C., THURSDAY, DEC. 22, 1949 TWELVE FAGES
9Hj? ^ijWattbjei Macouiait
Price 6 Cents
Calendar
Of The Week'*
EVENTS
; i
FRIDAY
2 p. m. ? Joint meeting of
board of county commissioners
and county school board at
courthouse.
7:30 p. m. ? Franklin Lodge
No. 452, Loyal Order of Moose,
at Id Arrr lean Legl-n hail.
8 p. m. ? Dance (Teen Age club
bene It) at Slagle Memorial
building.
SATURDAY
Z p. m.? Square danc* (Amer
ican Legion benefit) at Memor
ial building
MONDAY
7 p. m. ? Frank in Ttot* Nr> 1,
Boy Scouts, at Memorial build
ing.
WEDNESDAY
7 p. m. ? Franklin Rotary club
at Memorial building.
7: 30 p. m. ? Memorial Post
No. 7379, Veterans of Foreign
Wars, at Agricultural building.
FRIDAY
7:30 p. m. ? Franklin Lodge No.
452, Loyal Order of Moose, at
old American Legion hall.
Do You
Remember . . . ?
(Looking backward through
(he file* of The Press)
SO YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
The Highlands corporation
election resulted for the eleventh
year of Dr. Henry T. O'Farrell
for mayor. For clerk, Green w.
Mathney. For commissioners,
Jerry Plerson, J. Jay Smith,
David Norton, Henry Stewart,
Jr.
Miss Minnie Gray returned
from Weavervllle, N. C., Monday
to enjoy the holidays with home
folks.
A new smoke-house and
wood-house combined has been
built within the past week at
the Methodist parsonage.
T. L. Shackleford, 17 years of
age, died near Hominy yester
day from, it be believed, the
effects of excessive cigarette
smoking, a habit he has been
frequently warned against by
his friends? Quoted from The
Asheville Citizen.
25 TEARS AGO
Last Monday night at the
Junaluska Inn Alvah Pearce, R.
L. Porter and H. W. Cabe en
tertained the stewards of the
Methodist church at one of the
famous dinners served at this
hostelry.
Mr. T. W. Angel, Jr., who has
been with the Westinghouse
company at Pittsburgh for the
past year, at the request of
Robert & Company has been
transferred to the Westinghouse
headquarters in Atlanta to as
sist in designing the electrical
equipment to be used in connec
tion with the municipal power
dam here.
!? YEARS AGO
The new building that Is to
house the Macon Theatre is
nearlng completion, and Manag
er Clyde Galley expects to an
nounce the opening date soon.
Piano pupils of Mrs. Henry
W. Cabe gave a recital at her
home on Rlverview street Wed
nesday evening. Those taking
part in the program were
Dorothy Conley, Mary Alice
Archer, June Bradley, Lucille
Calloway, Majorie Blumenthal,
Louise Pendergrass, Catherine
Lone, Mrs. Thompson, Jessie
Mae Barnard, Ostlne Roberts,
Maxlne Dean, Otela Bryson, Mrs.
Gladys Guy, Betty Horsley,
Freda Mae Arnold, Ruth Bry
ton, Ann Cabe, Byrda Nell
?ovthards, Marie Dean, Helen
rranks, Margaret Moore, Caro
lyn Long, Ann Flanagan, Caro
lyn Leach, Fred Houk, France*
WW, Buena Cabe, and Bftrbtrft
Addresses Rotary
LAIZ FRANCA LESSA
A Brazilian, Mr. Lessa this
year is attending Lenoir-Rhyne
? : ege, .it Hickory, as a Rotary
scholar, cr.d last night told the
Franklin Rotary club of his
experiences as a student in the
United States. His ye, ax's study
it I -ncir-Rhyne was made pos
sible by (ihe 280th district of
Rotary International, of which
the Franklin, club is a member.
The son of a Baptist minister
in Rio de Janeiro, young Lessna
plans, when he has completed
Vs .education, t> teach English
in Brazil. He hopes also- to serve
as an ambassador of good will
between ths two nations. He
spoke to the Highlands Rotary
club TuMdagr night.
B. GRIBBLE WINS
HISTORY PRIZE
Miss Jones Named Head
Of Society At Its
Annual Meeting
Presentation of a cash pri7e
of $20 to Miss Barbara Grlbble
and election of officers marked
Monday night's annual meeting
of the Macon County Historical
society.
Miss Grlbble was declared
winner In the contest announc
ed last August for the best his
torical article written by a pu
pil In the Macon County schools.
The daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Jack Grlbble, of Franklin, Route
2, she wrote on the subject:
"The Great Adventure ? The
Settlement of the Northern
Part of Macon County, North
Carolina." Miss Gribble Is an
eleventh grade student in the
Franklin High school.
Miss Laura M. Jones was ele
i vated from the vice-presidency
to the presidency of the society,
and Ed McNlsh was chosen vice
president. E. W. Long and Miss
Cecile Gibson were reelected as
treasurer and secretary, respec
Continued On Page Eigtat?
WILL PRESENT PLAY
The young people of the Iotla
Baptist church will present a
play, "The Search for the Christ
Child", at the church Satur
day night at 8 o'clock.
MACON SCHOOLS
TO GET $1,218
OUT OFCOURT
Three 1949 Terms To Net
Schocl Fund Total
Of $5,806
Macon County's school fund
was enriched in the amount of
$1,218 by the December term of
superior court, while the three
cou- ts held in 1949 collected $5,
806.40 for the schools.
The December court collected
*800 in fines, $250 in cash bonds
forfeited, and $168 other money
which go into the school fund.
The other funds are $120
solicitor's fees and $48 jury tax.
The solicitor's fees formerly
went to the solieitor, but today
North Carolina's solicitors are
on salary. The fees remain as a
part of the court costs, and the
proceeds are turned over to the
schools.
In the same way, the jury tax
formerly was used to pay jurors,
but now the jurors are paid
from the county's general fund,
and this part of the court costs
also goes to the school fund.
Collections at the other two
terms of superior court were:
April :
Pines, $325; forfeitures, 5900;
solicitor's fees, $92; jury tax,
?36. Total, $1,'353.
August:
Fines, $1,841.40; forfeitures,
$1,150; solicitor's fees, $168; jury
tax, $76. Total $3,235.40.
Old Waldroop
Home On Cartoogeckaye
Destroyed By Fire
The old Lee Waldroop home,
situated eight miles from Frank
lin on the Cartoogechaye road,
burned to the ground about
9:15 o'clock Monday morning.
The house was occupied by
the Rev. C. B. Yeargan, who
had gone for the mail when
the fire occurred. It was be
'ieved to have caught from a
fire in a heater in the living
room.
Most of the contents was
saved, except for a refrigerator,
a typewriter, some tools. Mr.
Yeargan lost all of his clothing,
however, except what he was
wearing at the time.
The fire was discovered by
Mrs. Will Waldroop, and within
a short time 30 or 40 persons
assembled, but it was too late
to save the house. They con
centrated their efforts on get
tine out the furniture, etc.
The one-story six-room frame
structure, built by Mr. and Mrs.
Waldroop in 1884, Vas owned
by their son. Will Waldroop. A
small amount of insurance was
carried on the house, it was
said.
PLAN PROGRAM AT SCHOOL
Children of the Otto school
will present a Christmas pro
gram today (Thursday) at 1
p. m. at the school. The public
is Invited.
Macon Folk Give 254 Bushels
Of Corn For Overseas Relief
Macon County persons con
tributed 254.3 bushels of corn
for overseas relief in the CROP
(Christian Rural Overseas Pro
gram) campaign which ended
Saturday, the Rev. Hoyt Evans,
coupty chairman, reported this
week.
The corn was sent from here
to Sylva to be placed in a
freight car, along with Jackson
county's contribution. Thence it
will go by rail to Norfolk, where
it will be loaded on a ship to be
taken overseas.
Mr. Evans reported 8,207
pounds of corn Itself donated by
farmers. This equals 146.6 bush
els. In addition, there were cash
contribution! amounting to
which to the equivalent
of 107.7 bushels.
The campaign was conducted
through the churches of the
county, with Mr. Evans serving
as chairman and E. A. Johnson
as secretary-treasurer. Cont-1
butlons of corn were brought
to Welch's Grocery and Peed
warehouse on Palmer street,
and the grain was taken by
truck to Sylva.
The goal of the drive was 600
bushels, or half a carload. This
would have been an average of
10 bushels for each church In
the county.
In announcing the result, Mr.
Evani expressed appreciation to
all those who worked In the
campaign and to all contribu
tors.
Community Choir Presents 'Messiah'
Shown above is the Community choir whit h presented a Christmas cantata at the Frank
lin Methodist church Sunday evening. S. F. Beck, the director, is shown in the right fore
ground, back to audience. Mrs. Henry W. Cat e, organist, also with back to audience, is at the
organ.
The singers *re, left to right: Front row, Miss Libby Murray, Mrs. Neal Johnston, Miss Mary
Ann Klilian, Miss' Julia Hunnicutt, Miss Martha Ann Stockton, Miss Betty Lou Constance, and
Miss Carolyn Morthstein. Miss Joanne Wilhide was standing just back of( Mr. Beck, and is not
shown.
Second row, Miss Frances Barr, Miss Edith Plemmons, Mrs. Hoyt Evans, Mrs. H. T. Slcan,
Mrs. Hyldah Shepherd, Mrs. B. S. Philbrick, Mrs. H. O. Champion, Mrs. Ida Grant, and Miss
Harriet Murray.
Third row, Miss Patty Lou Phillips, Miss Caroline Crawford, Miss Esther Wallace, Mrs. Clar
ence Henry, Mrs. Roy F. Cunningham, Mrs. Gilmer Crawford, and Mrs. Betty Alexander.
Fourth row, H. S. Childers, the Rev. Hoyt Evans, S. W. Mendenhall, J. C. Hawkins, Richard
Sloan, and Phil McCollum. Mrs. E. C. Harmon was not present when the picture was made
? Photo by Crisp Studio
Or.ce Again!
(Editorial)
Sunday night's cantata, presented at the Methodist chuch
here by a community choir, underlined once more a need that
long has been apparent:
We need in Franklin an adequate auditorium tc serve the
Macon County community.
Sunday evening an estimated 150 persons stood in the side
aisles and at the rear of the church auditorium, in order to
hear the program of Christmas music. And many persons ?
nobody knows just how many ? left in disappointment, be
cause not even standing room was available.
The situation would not be deplorable if we had no talent in
this community; or if we lacked the community spirit that
prompts persons to spend long hours of hard work in prepar
ing such a program as that given Sunday; or if we had no
public interest in musical and other worth-while programs.
But we hive all these things.
The need of an auditorium has been shown at similar
Christmas programs for the past three years; it is shown each
year when the N. C. Little Symphony orchestra plays in Frank
lin; it is shown each year at high school commencement time.
And it would be shown at scores of other desirable prog .ams,
if the very lack of an auditarium did not discourage us frcm
even attempting these other programs.
We need a first class auditorium here.
Yule Lighting
Contest Judging Will
Start Friday
Judging of outside Christmas
lighting decorations of Frank
lin homes will get under way
tomorrow (Friday) evening, it
was announced this week by
officials of the Franklin Garden
club, which is sponsoring the
contest. The winners will be an
nounced next week.
More homes are decorated
with outside lighting this sea
son than ever before, club of
ficials believe.
All decorated homes In Frank
lin and immediate vicinity will
be judged, it was explained.
T ten Age Club Tc Give
Benefit Dance Friday
The Teen Age will give a
Christmas dance at the Slagle
Memorial building tomorrow
(Friday) evening. The affair, a
benefit, will start at 8 p. m. Ar
rangements have been made for
a string band to provide music.
The event Is open to all young
people.
Next Week's Issue
Of Press To Reach
Readers Saturday
Following custom. The
Franklin Press employes will
take a one-week vention
during the Christmas holiday
period.
To make this week's holi
day possible, it is necessary
for the management to make
a slight change in the publi
cation schedule.
Next week's issue, to be
dated December 31, will be
placed in the post office in
Franklin Friday night, De
cember 30, for delivery
through the county on Sat
urday.
The normal schedule, under
which most readers get their
papers on Thursday, will be
resumed with the first issue
in January.
While the staff will be on
holiday, office of the news
paper will be open as usual,
except for Monday, Decem
ber 26.
The annual Christmas play at
the Clark's Chapel Methodist
church will be presented to
night (Thursday) at 7: SO o'clock.
31-VOICE CHOIR
GIVES 'MESSIAH'
Cantata Draws Crowd
That Overflows
Church
A community choir, made up
of 31 voices from the choirs of
the lour Franklin churches, pre
sented the Christmas portion of
Handel's oratorio, "The Mes
siah", Sunday evening to an
t audience that overflowed the
j Methodist church here.
The attendance was estimat
ed at 500, approximately IdO oi
whom stood ? at the re.af of the
| church and in the side aisles ?
throughout the cantata. Manj
others, it v^as said, were unable
to get into the auditorium, and
either listened from the vesti
bule or went away, disappointed
While the majority of those
present were Franklin persons,
there were representatives from
nearly every community in the
county, as well as groups from
Clayton and Sylva. The entire
audience gave rapt attention to
the 45-minute program which
started promptly at 8 o'clock
and was presented without even
a slight interruption.
The cantata was under the
direction of S. F. < Sammy t
Beck, and Mrs. Henrv W. Cnbc
Continued On Page Eight?
3 jsineis j Houses
Here Will Close
On Two Mondays
Virtually all business estab
lishments in Franklin, High
lands. and throughout Macon
County will be closed two days j
during the Christmas holiday
period.
Since both Christmas and
New Year's fall on 8unday,
stores and other business hsre
will take a holiday on Monday,
December 26, and again on
Monday, January 2.
Post office* and most other
public offices also will close for i
the two holidays,
OFFICIAL SAYS
MACON SSCtiOOL
BUNDS ARE GOOD
Advisory Opinion Given
By Attorney General
On Technicality
Macon County's $400,000 school
bond Issue is valid, in the opin
ion of the North Carolina at
torney general.
R. S. Jones, county attorn* y,
read a letter to that ef ect from
Attorney General Ha. ry MeJiu -
lan at a joint meeting of th?
board of county commissioners
and the county school board
Monday. New York bond at
torneys earlier this month hsH
declined to approve the bonds,
on a legal technicality, and Mr.
Jones had written the attorney
general for an opinion.
In commenting on the letter,
Mr. Jones emphasized tha' the
opinion is a purely advisory
one, that it does not have legal
effect like a ruling of the su
preme court. He added that it
might or might not change the
attitude of the New Yo:k at
torneys.
Prior to receipt of Mr. Mc
Mullan's letter, it had been as
sumed tthat a new bond e'ec
tion would be required, and it
was agreed, after thP letter v
read, that that still may be
true. But before calling a new
election, it was decided to make
every effort to get the old bond
approved, and the boards voted
to send Mr. Jones to New York
for a conference with the at
torneys, with a view to obtain-?
ing a flat "yes" or "no" on the
issue. He already had called the
attorneys on the telephone, and
they expressed interest in the
attorney general's letter, but de
c'ined to commit themselves
until they had seen it.
County Supt. G. L. Houk sug
gested he would be glad to ac
company the county attorney, if
it was thought desirable, Mr.
Jones replied he hoped Mr. Houk
would go, and the boards de-?
cided to send Mr. Houk also.
The two men left Tuesday, and
the boards recessed their meet
ing until Friday afternoon at
2 o'clock, when they are ex
pected to act, in the light of
what is learned in New York.
In the discusssion of the situ
ation, most of those present ex
pressed the view that, in the
event of a new election, a S' .m
larger than the $400,000 origi
nally voted? probably approxi
mately $500,000 ? should fee
sought; that approximate y that
amount would be recruired to
give the county a complete
building program: and that that
amount would be more likely to
get the voters' approval than
the smaller sum, with its small
er possibilities.
It was pointed out that bond
attorneys h^ve a function sim
ilar to title attorneys; If they
decline to pass a bond issue,
nobody will buy the bonds. Just
as nobody would buy property
? Continued on Put Six
WILL GIVE PROGRAM
The intermediate Girls' auxili
ary of the First Baptist church
will hold its Lottie Moon Christ
mas program at the church at
7:30 o'clock this (Thursday)
evening.
The Weather
Temperature* and precipitation f?r ffce
past seven days, ami the low temperature
yesterday, as recorded at tfae Coweet? Ea
periment station.
High Low Pet.
Wednesday 46 42 .09
Thursday 44 32 .11
Friday 48 15
Saturday 45 14
Sunday 53 41 1.48
Monday 53 31 .03
Tuesday 53 29
Wednesday 30
FRANKLIN RAINFALL
(Ai recorded by Man ton Stile* <?r TV A)
Thureday, .09 of an inch;
Friday, none; Saturday, none;
Sunday, J4; Monday, .16; Tw
day, none; Wednesday, none,