CIRCULATION
LAST WEEK 2170
Year Ago Last Week - 2423
f|e iTfottWitt iff,
VOL. LXVII? NO. 10
Interest
Stirs
In Politics
Pjlitical interest is stirring
here. Candidates and poten
tial candidates are jockeying for
position in this spring's out
standing race ? the Democratic
primary, slated for May 31.
Republicans, too, are ^meeting
and electing convention del- 1
egates, who in turn will nomi- i
nate candidates for the fall
election. Friday will bring the |
first official sign that an elec
tion year is in the making.
That day chairmen of the state
Democratic and Republican ex
ecutive committees must recom
mend members of county elec
tion boards to the state board
of elections.
In preparation for the Demo
cratic primary locally, the
Macon County Democratic ex
ecutive committee has recom
mended Siler Slagle, Walter
Bryson, and J. L. Barnard for
appointment to the county
boards of election. Plans for
county precinct meetings are in
the making. Election boards in
the state's 100 counties will
hold their first meetings April
12. The present county board
of elections is made up of Siler
Slagle, chairman, and A. R. Hig
don, Republican member. Wal
ter Bryson, named as the sec
ond Democrat on the board,
resigned when he became a
member of the county board
of education.
Macon County's interest in the
primary centers around the
nomination , of a representative
to the general assembly, of a
county surveyor, and of a five
man county board of education.
'The state senator cannot be
picked from Macon this year,
since an act of the 1930 assem
bly calls for the rotation of
senators in the 33rd district,
and the selection this year
rests with Graham County.
Other counties in the district
are Clay, Cherokee, and Swain.
Though he must come from
Graham county, the senator
will be nominated and elected
by voters in all five counties
of the . district.
At this time only one man has
announced for the local
nominations. Macon's represen
tative to the 1950 general as
sembly, C. Tom Bryson, of Cul
lasaja, has said he win be a
candidate for reelection. Candi
dates for country offices and
the general assembly most file
by April 19.
Republican acthrKty is picking
up speed here. Thursday Of
last week, the party held a
convention at the county court
house to select delegates te the
12th congressional district
meeting scheduled for 2 p. m.
Saturday. That session also will
be held at the Maoon court
house. Delegate* chosen were
T. C. Harbison, of Highlands,
Calvin Henson, of Otto, Wendell
Keener, of Gneiss, Richard J.
Cobb, of Highlands, Howard
Ledford, of Franklin, Route 2,
Ralph McClure, of Gold Mint,
Clyde Morgan, of Nantahala,
Roy Mashburn, of Franklin,
John Wishon, of Nantahala,
Clyde Bateman, of Franklin,
Route 3, and Marshall Burnette,
of Scaly. These men also will
represent this county at the
Republican state convention in
Charlotte. George W. Reece is
chairman of the county exe
cutive committee.
Yet, the May primary offers
still more interest outside
the county races, with the nom
inee for representative from
the 12th Congressional district
to be decided.
Candidates who already have
tossed hats into the ring for
Rep. Monroe Redden's seat in
the U- S. house of representa
tives are L. Dale Thrash, of
SEE NO. 1, PAGE 7
Archer Purchases
Maitlaiids' Home
For About $20,000
John M. Archer, Jr., has pur
chased the John B. Maitland
home and adjoining property on
Hlllcrest circle, according to a
deed filed in ttje register of
deed's office last week.
The consideration involved In
the transaction was not made
public, but documentary stamps
on the deed indicated that the
sum was about $20,000.
Mr. and Mrs. Archer moved
into the Maitland home this
week.
t
ANOTHER MEET
ON ZONE PLAN
MAY BE HELD
Franklin Aldermen Also
Consider Night Fire,
Theft Patrol
The Franklin board of alder
men In regular session Monday
night:
(1 accepted a zoning ordi
nance prepared by the town
planning and zoning commis
sion and discussed plans for
holding p. second public zoning
meeting, prior to adoption.
(2) discussed starting a night
j fire and theft patrol of the
| town as an overall safety mea
sure.
(3) reviewed delinquent water
bills.
I ? W. N. Sloan, chairman of the
j zoning commission, and com
; mission members H. H. Picm
mons and Wayne Faulkner sub
mitted the zoning ordinance
! and accompanying zoning map
I to the board for approval.
| The board commended the
commission for its conscientious
work on the ordinance, and
planned to call a special meet
ing of the town board sometime
this week to review the pro
posal. At this session aldermen
probably will set a date for a
public hearing on the zoning
proposal. One hearing already
'has been held (January 15), and
| citizen reaction at that time
? was one of approval.
| Discussion of a night patrol
, centeVed around buying a
watchman's clock for the night
'policeman. "Key stations", under
the plan, would be set up in
different sections of the town,
with the police officer "punch
ing" the clock at each station
as he makes his patrol. Alder
men commented that local busi
nessmen would prokably be will
ing to pay a small charge for
the added protection against
fire and theft.
Unpaid water bills were read
by Town Clerk C. O. Ramsey
and the beard suggested that
the clerk contact delinquent
customers and if the bills were
not paid, discontinue service.
Mi. Ramsey also reported
that about half of 1951 town
taxet have been paid. It was
SEE NO. 2, PAGE 7
$2,843
Contributed In County For
Polio Fund
Contributions in the annuul
March of Dimes drive, which
ended this week-end, totaled
$2,843.47, according to the drive
chairman, County School Supt
Holland McSwain.
Nine of the 11 townships |
either reached, or topped, set
qnotas. The total was several
hundred dollars short of the
$3,500 county quota, fart Mr.
McSwain said he was more than
pleased with the response.
Hi: expressed appreciation to
those assisting With the .cam
paign in the different iiwn
shlps, and to "thoee who gen
erou4y jointd the fight" ag&inst
j polio. ,
Symphony Is
Coming Here
Next Friday
Coming here -for tts seventh
successive season, the North
Carolina Little Symphony or
chestra will present two con
certs in Franklin Friday of next
week.
The matinee sX 1:30 is for
interested children from the
county's schools, and the eve
ning concert for adults is set
for 8 o'clock at the Franklin
Methodist church.
Since this year's children's
concert is limited to those who
are interested enough to con
tribute 25 cents each, it has
been anticipated that a smaller
than-osual auditorium would
serve, but indications yesterday
were that the only place in
town that will hold them is the
Friendship tabernacle, used the
past several years. Approximate
ly 1,008 have signified their in
tention of attending.
Contrary to past practice, no
membership drive was made
this season. Instead, a group of
business houses and individual*
underwrote the orchestra's visit
here, and decided to leave it to
the public whether 1 they want
these annual concerts. If a
large enough number buy ad
mission memberships at $2 for
the evening performance to
make the event "pay out", that
will be proof, it was xaid, that
SEE NO. 3, PAGE 7
Miss Hannah Is On Dean's
List At Woman's College
Miss Lucille Hannah, daugh
ter of Mr and Mrs. Fred Han
nah, of Franklin, Route 1, was
ran the dean's list at "W oman's
(college for the first semrsterof
this schodl year, it has bein
Jeurned here. To mafee tfce
dftin's list, ? studenl must have
an academic average of B cr
beater, and no grade lowei thai
a SC. Miss Hannah is a s->enioj
at Woman's college.
Moody Claims He Sought
To Collect Damage Blast
Bill Through Insurance
Wade C. Moody, the Mount
Airy man who billed W. H.
Cochran, Franklin's acting po
lice chief, for damage done
Moody's apartment building by
the mysterious explosion that
Wiled W. H. Cochran, Jr., is
quoted this week in The Elkins
Tribune as saying he had in
mind collecting through liabil
ity insurance.
Shown the story in the Elkin
newspaper, Mr. Cochran said
yesterday that the Mount Airy
man had not mentioned any
thing about insurance, either to
him or to his wife. The letter
Mr. Moody wrote Mr. Cochran
simply asked him to pay $167.21
for damage to the Mount Airy
apartment building in front of
which the younger Mr. Coch
ran's truck was parked when
the truck was destroyed and '
Bill Cochran killed in the New i
Year's Eve booby trap explosion. :
Mr. Cochran does not know if !
his son carried liability insur- :
ance on the truck. i
The Tribune, published near i
Mount Airy, said Mr. Moody atf
mitted writing tthe coBectiooi
Setter, saying:
"The bill was sriomitted upon
the suggestion ol the widow
because insurance was ma?Se to
tbf mother and liability and
property damage on the truck
was handled by the lather.
"If no settlement could be
made through the insurance,
there would be no claim against
anyone".
The story, first published in j
The Press, of the effort of the !
Mount Airy undertaker to col
lect his bill ? first from the
widow, then from Mrs. Coch- 1
ran, Sr., finally from W. H.
Cochran, Sr. ? is creating wide
interest.
It was published and drew
editorial comment in The Ashe
vllle Citizen, and Mr. Cochran
said yesterday the editor of a
Raleigh newspaper had called
him to verify the facts. The
Raleigh editor, he said, explain
ed, he had heard it over the
radio.
Will Play Here Next Week
Pictured above is the X. C. Little Symphony orchestra. which will present two concerts here Friday
of next week (March 14). The group will present a chiMren's concert at 1:3(1 ]>. in., and will play for
adults at a performance at 8 o'clock Friday even t) . the Franklin Methodist church. Admission mem
berships are on sale at the Xantahala Power and company, the three Franklin drug stores, and at
Miss Sara Gilder's store in Highlands.
Children
Move Into New School
At Union
School children moved into
the new $100,000 Union ele
mentary school Monday.
County School Supt. Holland
McSwain said only about five
of the eight classrooms are ,|
being used, but he added that
all space at the new school
will be utilized next year when j
pupils are transferred to i
Union from over - crowded
schools elsewhere in the coun
ty
In addition to the eight
classrooms, the new school
has a lunchroom and auditor
ium.
It is the seventh school to
be completed under Macon's
million dcllar 'building pro
gram.
APRIL COURT
i JURORS DR AWN
Two Women Are On List;
Judge Armstrong To
Preside At Term
| The jairy list for the April
term of superior court, wh^ch
-will convene here Af.ril 14, vas
'made pcblic Mondaj afternoon
I by Miss Kate McGfe, clerk of
[rourt.
\ Presiding at the term wlfl be
)3udge Prank M. Armstrong, of
Troy, judge of the fifteenth
judicial district.
Included in the list are the
names of two women, Mrs Joe
Sotser, ?<f Franklin, Route 1,
and MIT.. Frank ~L. Cabr, of
Franklin, Route 4. Both were
lilted as first week juror*.
The names were drawn from
a hat bj four-yefar-old James
Mj.shburn son of Mr. and Mrs.
Otis Maskburn, ol Franklin.
Others rpicked Jsir duty the
firs; week are:
1)>m Alh'y, of Otto; Frud L.
Hannah, ctt Franklin, Route 1;
!Wiley Brrwn, oJ Franklin;
Crawford Ao'ers, of Dillard. Ga.,
[Route 1; Robert Carpenter,
Otto; Clifford Deiidy, Gneiss;
Ted Henry, Franklin, Route 2;
Frank Ropei, Route 4; George
McCafc, Route 4; Frank Johns
ton, Route 1; D. L. Clark, Route j
3; J. T. McCoy, Gneiss; Troy
Hurst, Route 4; J. R. Bulgin, |
Franklin; Rei6 Womack, Frack- j
lis; Eat' Dry a an, Sc.il y ; A. C.
Patterson , Route 2; Andy Lee
Howard, Dillard, Ga. Route 1; f
J. I. Gray, Fraaiklin, Route 2; J
Lewis Gregory, Cullasaja; E. B
Duvall, Route 3; Howard Ray,
Route 3; Fi?d M. Arnold. Frank
lin; Fritz J. Henderson, Route!
2; T. H. Barnes, Buck Creek ]
Boute; W. R. Potts, Highlands;
George Keener, Otto; Harry
Potts, Franklin; Claude Hous
SKE NO. 4, PAGE 7
Plan Five-Church
Conference Series
Here March 21-22 j
Members of the Sylva, Chero- j
kee. Highlands, Andrews, and .
Murphy Episcopal churches will
hold a series of conferences at
the St. Agnes church* here
March 21 and 22 on Christian
living, it has been announced.
The church rector, the Rev.
A. Rufus Morgan, will be chair
man of the area gathering. The
sessions will be held each night
from 7:30 to 9:45 o'clock.
i
A total of $576, 625.59 of coun
ty funds has been spent on
Macon County's seven new
schools since the building pro
gram got under way in Sep
tember, 1950, according to a
financial report prepared by
County School Supt. Holland
McSwain and presented at the
county board of education meet
ing Monday.
Grounds grading costs and
other expenditures incurred
since the completion of the
buildings are not included in
N.
i the total figure, the superin- t
tendent said. is
The report shows that $51,- ]
864.81 was expended from Aug- I '
ust 31, 1950 to December 31, j
1950, before "even one brick j
was laid", Mr. MeSwain pointed 1
out. This included the purchase
of school sites, preliminary
'grading, and funds to set the
school bond machinery in mo
tion.
Of the total county figure,
$517,178.92 is school bond mon- !
SEE NO. 6, PAGE 12
List Workers
In Fund Drive
Of Red Cross
I Volunteer woriers in the an
lyiual American Red Cross fund
?drive, which goi under way here
Monday of last week, were an
nounced Tuesday by the local
Red Cross offtce.
Macon's quota has been set
at $2,826. T. T. Love, of Frank
lin, and Colfcman M. Reece, of
Highlands, are leading this
year's drive
County workers and the areas
; they will csnvass are as follows:
Mrs. A. R. Kinney, Ashear
building; Mrs. J. Ward Long,
bank builcing; Paul West, Nan
, tahala Power and Light com
Jpany; Mrs. R. R. Gaines, Angel
hospital and Golfyiew drive;
| George "Byrd, state highway
! garage; Norman Blaine, Van
Raalte; John D. Alsup, Forest
Service; Mrs. Lynette Tallent,
telephormi office; Henderson
Calloway, post office; Joe Tyler,
Burrell Motor company, Charles
Oonley. Duncan Motor company;
I Ed Wtutaker, "Loganville" and
Zickg.ai company; Miss Eliza -
I beth Meadows, elementary
J school : Mrs. D. A Stewart,
Franklin High school; Mrs. Jack
Sherrill. Mo con Construction
company; Sam Gibson and Rob
in L. West, East Main street;
Verlon SwaLord and John
Crawford, West Main street;
SEE NO. 7. PAGE 12
Dr. Roland Will
Be Cartoogechaye
, PT Meet Speaker
Dr. E. O. Roland, o(f Erevard,
will be guest speaker at a meet
ing of the Cartoogechaye Par
ent-Teacher association Tues
day night at the school.
The meeting is slated for 7:30
o'clock. The Brevard doctor will
discuss "Care of the Eyes", and
will use picture slides to illu
strate his lecture, it was said.
scon COMING
HERE MARCH 25
Governor And Supt. Erwin
Defer Visit To Macon
For One Week
| Gov. W. Kerr Scott will be
here March 25 to inspect Ma
Icon County's seven new schools
and to take part in a dedica- i
tion ceremony.
County School Supt. Holland
McSwain announced this week
that the governor's secretary
called Friday to say Gov. Scott
could come here March 25. The
I visit had been tentatively slat
ed for March 18.
Dr. Clyde A. Erwin, state su
perintendent of public instruc
tion, will accompany Governor J
Scott here on the tour.
Plans for a dedication cere- J
mony at one of the new schools
are incomplete, Mr. McSwain
said.
An invitation to visit the
schools here was extended to
the two state officials several
[weeks ago by the county school
'superintendent.
The new schools to be visited i
are those at Union, Cartooge- j
chaye, Nantahala, Iotla, Frank- !
lin, East Franklin, and High
lands.
Commissioners To Meet
As Equalization Board
The board of county commis- >
sioners will meet at the regis- ;
ter of deed's office in the court- I
house March 24. 25, and 26 as
a board of equalization and re
view to hear complaints and
'? ke adjustments of tax evalu
m ?. it has been announced.
Ju P. T. A.
To lMest Tuesday
The Cullasajp Parent-TV acher j
association w.l! nv.-et Tu'sdayl1
night at the school at 7. jO 1 '
o'clock, it has been announced. !
State Funds Available
For Road, Thrash Savs
The state has funds available
to match federal money for
building the road through Way
ah Gap into the Nantahala sec
tion, L. Dale Thrash, tenth di
vision highway commissioner,
said this week. i
He added that the road, when
built, will be a state highway,
but explained that the state Is
not responsible at this time for
maintenance of . the present >
road, since it is a Forest Serv
ice road, not yet taken over '
r
by the state. I'
Mr. Thrash's statement was i
in the form of an open letter <
to Ray N. Moses. Mr. Moses 5
addressed an open letter to the I j
tenth division commissioners
through The Asheville Citizen, \
asking if state funds are avail- i
able to match federal money, if
the road will be a federal high
way, and why the present road |
is not maintained. f F
A copy of Mr. Thrash's letter, | S
SEE NO. 5, PAGE 7 |1
low FLARES
)VER BENEFIT
ICHOOL DANCES
)tto Petition Presented
Board; 'Prejudice',
P. T. A. Says
An allegedly church-inspired
lovement to stop P.T.A.-spon
ored benefit square dances at
>tto elementary school assert
d itself Monday at a meeting
f the county board of educa
lon, and tempers threatened to
et out of hand several times
s opposing forces presented
tands.
Charges and counter-charges
fere swapped heatedly between
nembers of the p&rer.t-teacher
;roup and the anti-dance dele
tion. J. C. Sorrei 3. presiding
n the absence of _r.Ejri-.an
Job S. Sloan, .sever; : nad
o call lor order.
A petition, a!le_; Jly signed
>y some 300 r . opposed to
lancing in the chool. was
iurned over to the board for
study.
Vegro School Plans
Get Preliminary O. K.
Preliminary plans for a new
Chapel (Negro I school have
been approved by the state
board of education. County
School Supt. Holland McSwain
reported at Monday's session
of the county board of edu
cation. Construction of the
school will begin as soon as
plans are complete and funds
are available, board members
said.
Mrs. Grace Narris. of the Ot
to community, reportedly is
leading the anti-dance forces.
She prepared the petition, in
the form of a letter to otto
School Principal E. G. r ' w
ford, saying that a v., ion
prompted her to protest danc
ing in the school.
Members of the P. T. A. con
tended that the move was "re
ligious prejudice", and began
when some members of the
Newman Chapel church split
and formed the Calvary Bap
tist church in the community.
A recent vote on the dance
issue' by the parent-teacher
group showed that 44 were In
favor of continuing dances and
22 against, it was brought out.
P. T. A. members also pointed
out that more than $4,000 had
been raised at the school in
the last three and a h^lf years
from dances, in addition to
funds from the annual March
of Dimes dance. Funds have
been used to buy playground
and lunchroom equipment, it
was said. ,
'Drunken Money'
The opposition declared that
"bushel baskets" of beer cans
and whiskey bottles have been
picked up on the school grounds
and the nearby church yard
after dances at the school, and
they fervently denounced the
dances as "drunken outfits" and
said, "we don't want drunken
money".
P. T. A. members countered
that the dances are being run
properly and contended that,
"like any public place", beer
cans and bottles car. be found
SEE NO. 8. PAGE 12
WILL HOLD CAKE SALE
A benefit bake sale will be
held on the first floor of the
Nantah^la Power and Light
company, on West Main street,
tomorrow (Friday) morning
starting at 9 o'clock. Proceeds
will be used to pay expenses of
operating the Nonah Craft shop
on Cartoogechaye.
The Weather ,
Ifttijn ??.'?.irts ii-.I J i itati: f. for the
st -v? :????' ?? ?? rnT?erature
I :!.c (_ c veeta Ex? (
Low Pet.
54 34 .36 -
64 25 06
' 5 40
50 37 48
46 27 .06
55 38 .87
61 47 1.51
21
Franklin Rainfall
A? recorded by Manion Stiles for TV A)
Wednesday, .28; Thursday and
'riday, none; Saturday, 3?;
Sunday, none; Monday, .SB;
"uesday, 1.78; Wednesday, none.
* JIH
?fster<l:n . :?? r ? c
itriim-nt <::if ?> :.
Wednesday
rhursday 1
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
ruesday
Vednesday .