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VOL. I1VIU ? NO. 52
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FEANKUN, N. G, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23, 1953
FOURTEEN P,
SCHOLARSHIP
GROUP PICKS
BEN EDWARDS
Selection It Made
From Five Students
At Franklin High
Ben Edwards, 17-year-old son
of Mr. and Mrs. John Edwards,
of Franklin, is this county's
nominee for a $5,000 Morehead
scholarship at the University of
North Carolina.
Young Edwards, an outstand
ing Eagle Scout and holder of
a hiking record for the Appa
lachian Trial, was selected for
the honor Friday from among
five applicants by the Macon
scholarship committee compos
ed of W. W. (Bill) Sloan, Mrs.
Frank H. Potts, and Victor Per
ry.
The other four students rec
ommended were Holland Mc
Swain, Jr., Bill Zlckgraf, Bill
Dinnes, and Raymond Ledford.
The five were selected by a
committee at Franklin High
School headed by Principal
Ralph L. Smith.
Mr. Sloan said yesterday the
names of the four have been
submitted to the university for
consideration for other scholar
snips.
As county winner, young Ed
wards will go before a district
committee for an Interview
soon after the first of the year.
Should he emerge district win
ner, he will then advance to
the state competition where
scholarship recipients will be
picked.
The five young men in the
V county feature were Individually
Interviewed by the committee
and were judged on the basis of
scholastic standing, moral char
acter, *ad leadership.
Young Edwards, who last year
received the "God and Country"
church award, is junior assist
ant scoutmaster of Franklin
Troop 1. As an Eagle Scout he
has earned the Bronze, Gold,
and Sliver palms.
His love of the outdoors re
cently paid dividends when he
broke a record by hiking a 72
mile stretch of the Appalachain
Trail in 24 hours and 28 min
utes.
Dr. Hill Opens
Optometry Office
Dr. J. L. Hill, a native of Bat
Cave, today (Wednesday) open
ed an office In the Nantahala
Building for the practice of op
ttfrietry.
He attended Appalachian
State Teachers College and was
graduated from the Northern
Illinois College of Optometry In
February, 1951. The doctor then
entered the army and was sta
tioned at the Madlgan Army
Hospital in Tacoma, Wash., un
til being discharged in Septem
ber of this year.
Dr. Hill and his wife are liv
ing in the Bryant Apartments
on Harrison Avenue.
OTTO SQUARE DANCE
A square dance will be spon
sored at Otto School Saturday
night at 7:30 o'clock by the
P.T.A., it has been announced.
Local Firemen Are Smiling,
And For A Good Reason, Too
Check those smiles on the faces of Franklin's volunteer fire
men!
There's a reason: The new $10,000 Amerlcan-LaFrance fire
truck arrived yesterday (Tuesday).
But then again, their smiles are somewhat delayed because
It's just about time to celebrate the 1st anniversary of the new
fire truck? give about three months. The badly needed addition
to the one-truck department was ordered by the board of alder
men last March ? but the American LaFrance FOamlte Corpora
tion was unable to give fast delivery as promised because of top
priority civilian defense contracts, according to Fire Chief A. C.
Tyslnger.
So, since early in the summer, firemen have been keeping their
fingers crossed. With the present truck, which is badly In need
of repair, a big fire could have been disastrous.
But the new truck has come to the rescue.
Chief Tyslnger said yesterday the old truck will be given a
long overdue overhaul and will then be put back Into action.
Citizens also greeted the arrival of the new truck, which can1
pump 500 gallons of water a minute, with sighs of relief, con
fident that the town will be protected when the department
answers a call outside the city limits.
In fact, everybody's smiling!
O-Friday (b-r-r-r-r) Is Competitor
With Monday For First Winter Day
If Friday was a sampling of
what Old Man Winter has up
his sleeve a lot of Macon folk
are rooting for an early Spring.
Although Winter didn't offi
cially bow in until Monday,
Friday made a good stab at try
ing to change the arrival date:
the mercury thumped to a shiv
ering 0 and the high for the
day was a chilly? but welcome
?34 degrees, according to Man
son Stiles, T.V.A. weather ob
server.
Local garages were busy Into ,
the day helping start ailing
automobiles, a few frozen radi
ators were reported, and large
numbers of overcoats (and we
suspect an equal number of
"long handles", too) were pulled
out the mothballs by chilly cit
izens.
Saturday didn't show too
much In the way of warmth
with a low of 5 degrees and a
high of 50. ;
But, after a low of 14 Sun- <
day, the weather started acting
pre -winter again and Winter {
made Its debut Monday with a
balmy low of 38. - ? ,
Survey Group
Visits Here
A ctfhimlttee of four from the
state division of school plan
ning put Macon County's school
needs down in black and white,
following a complete survey of
the school system here last
Thursday and Friday.
While the committee's find
ings were not disclosed, County
School Supt. Holland McSwain
said the men commended the
citizens of the county highly
for their demonstrated Interest
In the welfare of the children
in the county's recent million
dollar school building program
and for their overwhelming
support in the October school
bond election.
A detailed report from the j
committee probably will be re- |
ceived here at an early date,
the superintendent said.
The committee, composed of j
W. L. Lathan, who is in charge |
SEE NO. 3, PAGE 12
POST OFFICE
HOLDING OWN
Despite Rush, No
Holdover Mail Yet,
Postmaster Says
Employes of the Franklin
Post office, wading through
what appears to be a record
breaking Christmas mall, are
managing to hold their own
without extra help.
It's probably the first time In
the history of the office that
no mall has been held over
from one day to another, Post
master Zeb Meadows said yes
terday. All Incoming and out
going malls are being handled
the same day, he said. No extra
help was put on this year, but
all employes are working over
time to even out the heavy flow
of mall and packages, he added.
Monday was the peak day of
the rush, Mr. Meadows said,
and stamp sales are moving
well ahead of last year. Tues
day of last week was the big
gest day for stamps, with sales
totaling better than $450.
For the week ending Monday,
tetter cancellations hit the 85,
900 mark, the postmaster said.
No record Is kept on parcel
post, but he described the flood
if packages as much heavier
than last years.
He also announced the office
Tould be closed Christmas anc*
New Year's Day and said limit
ed service will be offered the
lay following each of the holi
Jays. Probably only two em
ployes will be on duty to handle
jutgoing mail, he said.
Schools Close Doors
For Yule Vacation
All county schools closed Fri
iay for the Christmas holidays
vith the exception of High
ands, which closes today (Wed
lesday ) .
Highlands students will get
i shorter vacation because of
i late opening in the fall. They
vill resume classes December
10, while the other schools will
lot begin until January 4.
COUNTY HAS
3RD HIGHWAY
DEATH OF '53
Anderson, S.?. Man
Dies Of Injuries
Received In Macon
A 38-year-old Anderson, S.
C., man became Macon Coun
ty's 3rd highway fatality of
1953 when he died last Wednes
day afternoon In an Anderson
hospital of Injuries received In
an accident on NC 28 two days
before (December 14).
The victim was identified as
T. D. McCallaster, one of four
passengers In a 1949 Ford,
which was demolished in a pre
dawn plunge down a 200 foot
embankment about five miles
south of Highlands.
The driver of the death car,
Arthur. O. Irby, 45, also of And
erson, is being held In the
county jail here under $2,000
bond on a charge of involun
tary manslaughter. Irby, who
was jailed for drunk driving
and no driver's license follow
ing the wreck, told Highway
Patrolman H. T. Ferguson the
accident climaxed a drinking
party by the four.
Although McCallaster died in
Anderson, officers said the fa
tuity will be charged against
the county because the wreck
occurred here.
In addition to McCallaster
and Irby, the other passengers
were Jeanette Guyton, 42 and
Brinda Lee Carlton, 14, both
of Anderson.
Midnight Mas* Set
Midnight mass will be held at
the St. Francis Catholic Chapel
Christmas Eve by Father Mew
man, of St. John's In Waynes
vllle.
It will be the first time mid
night mass has ever been held
here, according to John Wasillk,
Catholic layman. The St. Fran
cis chapel was dedicated earlier
In the year. Prior to that time,
Catholic services were held at
the Waslllk home.
In Macon County She's
Known As The 'Book Lady
To the school children of Macon County she's known as the
"Book Lady".
And she's probably the most wonderful and generous friend
they have, this woman in Pasadena, Calif., whose one visit here
many years ago prompted her to invest thousands of dollars in
the libraries (and her gifts started several) of the county schools.
She is Mrs. Angle W. Cox and over the past 15 years she has
sent the schools here thousands of books of all kinds, from pri
mary readers to professional sets.
This generous woman was first introduced to Macon some 15
years ago by Mrs. Virginia Ramsey, a Cartoogechaye teacher, who
was then teaching in' Kentucky. At the invitation of Mrs. Ram
sey, Mrs. Cox visited the county. Those were the days of the one
teacher schools, and naturally libraries in the minds of most
school children were things of the big city. But Mrs. pox de
cided to change this idea.
Since then, some school in the county has received a shipment
of books each month.
Taking her project a step farther, the "Book Lady" recently
sent more than 300 professional books and a mimeograph ma
chine for the Teacher Center at Franklin Elementary School, a
record player for Nantahala School, and a primer typewriter for
use by primary teachers.
School children keep the postman in Pasadena busy. too. After
each shipment of books the "Book Lady" receives letters of
thanks ? from children who no longer associate libraries with big
cities.
Macon To Kitty Hawk
MCM!
? Staff Photo by J. P. Brady
The several hundred miles separating lot la School and the
famed memorial to the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk on the
northern coast of the state means nothing to the three sixth
graders pictured above. They were right in on last Thmday's
celebration of the 50th anniversary of man's first flight with a
scale model of the Wright brother's history making plane. The
three boys ? (L to R) Gny Dnvaii, Ervin Barrel!, (holding model)
and Douglas Crisp? constructed the wood model from pictures
clipped from newspapers and magazines, according to Wilford
Corhin, their teacher. Mr. Qorbin's class has been making a study
of aviation progress as a class project. In the background of the
picture is an aviation display prepared by the class.
Rural Christmas Displays
Are Receiving Attention
Press Delayed
By Breakdown
Lot week's issue of The
Press (H ? Utile late com
ing off the press.
And boy-ofa-boy did the
subscribers let the staff know
about it! Under ordinary cir
ca instances, the newspaper is
printed Wedflftdkjr afternoon
and is mailed Thursday morn
ing. feat an electric motor on
the newspaper press burned
SEE NO. 4, PA0E 12
Ten colorful and attractive
Christmas displays located at
various points In the county
are receiving a lot of comment
from night-riding sightseers.
The displays were erected last
week by the 10 communities
entered In the Christmas deco
rations contest being sponsored
by the Nantahala Power and
Light Company, which is offer
ing $100 for the three top win
ners ? (50, 1st, $30, ?nd, and
$20, 3rd.
A steady stream of automo
biles has been noted moving
through the county since the
displays were erected Saturday
night.
W. W. (Bill) Sloan, director of
rual service at N.P.L., said the
communities will keep the dis
plays lighted nightly until 10
o'clock through December 20.
The displays will be judged
some time during the week by
a secret panel and winners will
be announced In next week's Is
sue of The Press.
Here are the locations of the
displays in the communities:
Carson : On US 64 at the Car
son Chapel Methodist Church.
Cartoogechaye: On US 64 at
the Patton Methodist Church.
Patton: At the Patton Metho
dist Church.
Mulberry: At the community
picnic area on US 23 (south).
Smithbrldge: Just south of
Otto on US 23 (south).
Prentiss: Near the Prentiss
Post Office.
Clark's Chapel: At the Clark's
Chapel Methodist Church.
Holly Springs: At the Holly
Springs Community Building.
Cowee: At Cowee School on
NC 28 (Bryson City highway).
Oak Grove: At the Oak Grove
Baptist Church just off NC 28
(Bryson City highway).
MACON READY
TO OBSERVE
CHRISTMAS
Celebration List#
Church Service? And
Special Programs
Friday will be a busy day In
Macon County.
Naturally everyone knows It's
Christmas.
For the children the day will
mean a visit from that fabulous
old gent In the red suit, whose
very name produces visions of
presents, fruits and nuts, and
a day of fun.
For adults It has deeper
meaning. It marks the birthday
of Christ, an anniversary that
somehow In some places has
lost its significance in the
onrush of commercialism ? but
not in this county.
As is traditional here, citizens
plan to celebrate the day as It
was meant to be celebrated ?
with special church services and
religious programs. A number of
civic organizations and Indi
viduals are making sure the
needy of the county realize
Christmas is for all, regardless
of financial and social stand
ing.
All churches In the county
have embarked on programs to
"Keep Christ in Christmas".
A county-wide carol sing was
held last (Tuesday) night on
the Town Square under the
sponsorship of the Macon Coun
ty Ministerial Association.
Tonight (Wednesday) the
Jaycees are sponsoring a spe
cial Christmas program at the
Franklin Methodist Church at
8 o'clock. Admission will be a
toy or gift for the needy. High
lights of the program will in
clude Christmas selections by
a special 33-volce choir from
the churches of the county. The
gifts will be distributed Christ
mas Eve by Jaycees.
Carol singing and the obser
vance of Holy Communion is
planned Christmas Eve at 11:30
p. m. at the St. Agnes Episco
CONCERNS CLOSING
Most Franklin merchants
hare indicated plans for clos
ing -??! vi^ay In
order to gi*e employes time
off for Christmas. The post
office will ctooe Christmas
and New Tear's Day and wOl
offer only limited service the
day following each of the hol
idays.
pal Church. At 5:30 a.m. Christ
mas Day, Dr. A. Rufus Morgan,
Episcopal rector, will conduct
Holy Communion at the St.
Cyprian church and at 11 a. m.
at the Highlands Church of the
Incarnation.
Midnight mass will be held at
the St. Francis Catholic Chapel
Christmas Eve (11:30 o'clockt
by Father Newman, of Waynes
ville.
Special Christmas programs
and plays were held In all
county schools before they
closed for the holidays Friday
afternoon
A "White Christmas" was
held at the Franklin Baptist
Church and similar programs
have been held, or are sched
uled this week, at churches
throughout the county.
Merry Christmas , Folks, From The 10 Press Santas
Mrs. A. A.
Carl P.
CO*
Jlffvll) ..^1
J- p.
Brady
Frank A.
.Starratte
Betty
Foots
Dm rid
SutUn
Charles
WMMtagtoa