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IfaWatA* JRacotnan
PRICE
10 Cents
VOL. LXIX? NO. 1
FRANKLIN, N. C, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23, 1M3
EIGHT PAGES
"YOUNG MAN*
SEARCH NOW
UNDERWAY
Jaycees To Give
Winner Award At
Special Banquet
The search Is on for Macon
County's outstanding young
man of the year, who will be
honored by the Franklin Jay
cees at a special banquet here
January 18.
Achievement, leadership, serv
ice to community, personal
character, and ability will count
heavily In the selection of the
"Young Man of the Year", ac
cording to Jaycee Lewis Patton,
project chairman.
Membership In the Jaycees is
not a prerequisite to winning
the award, Mr. Patton explain
ed this week, and any man in
the county who had not reach
ed his 36th birthday by Decem
ber 31 is eligible to be nomi
nated.
The recipient of the award
will be selected from those
nominated by a secret three
man committee unconnected
with the Jaycees, he said.
A Distinguished Service Award
Key will, be presented to the
"Young Man of the Year" at
the banquet. State Jaycee Pres
ident Gene Ochsenreiter, of
Ashevllle, is tentatively slated
as guest speaker and will make
the presentation.
Persons wishing to nominate
someone for the award are ask
ed to contact Mr. Patton, who
la serving as llason between the
Jaycees and the secret commit
tee.
. Jaycee J. L. West Is in charge
1 Of arrangftmciste'Tar the ban
qpet/aTia"President Vic Perry Is
ha Doling the program.
Last year was the first time
the award was made locally.
The recipient was Dr. O. R. Mc
Sween, of Franklin.
MEANDERING
ALONG
MAIN STREET
At long last. The Press is be
ginning to figure out how to
strum the funny bones of its
readers. Last week's Christmas
issue proves it.
Soon after the paper hit the
street, Judge George B. Patton,
home for the holidays before
going down east to hold civil
court,' was duly noted in an up
town store in a stage of near
hysteria ? a copy of The Press
hanging limply In his hand.
"What's the deal, Judge?"
This brought more laughter
and a sweeping gesture of the
Judge's hand across the front
page of the paper.
"Look at this (mare chuck
ling)," the judge chortled,
pointing to the "Christmas
card" of the 10 Press Santas
?cross the bottom of the page.
"I haven't seen anything as
fanny as this in years . . . you
ought to run comics all the
time (more chuckling). What's
(?MB more) going to be next
week's installment?"
Almost In hysterics ourselves,
we answered: 'We're thinking
abowt running a back view of
the same lineup."
We quietly Inched out the
door while the Judge doubled
over.
Ami anyway, who needs com
ics when human beings can
draw that much laughter?
? * ?
In the last-minute melee to
get last week's issue out (mem
bars of the staff get their only
vacation of the year during
Christmas) a rather serious
mistake crept into the paper.
That was a little item report
ing stores would be closed
Thursday and Friday for the
holidays. Obviously, it was a
mistake because Thursday was
Christmas Eve ? the business
boom day of the season. Slight
ly more than 100 papers of a
total of 3,000 came off the press
be tor* the error was caught.
To clear this up (we're al
sn MO. 3. PAOB 5
Meeting Slated Sunday
Baptist Sunday School
What Happened In Macon County
1953 Chronology
THIS YEAR
The following chronology debunks the hacknied com
ment, "Nothing ever happens here". While the chron
ology is not a complete work, it lists some of the more
important happenings and events taking place in Ma
con County dnring 1953, as revealed by headlines in The
Franklin Press.
JANUARY : The First Baptist Church abandoned plans (or
building at the Intersection of Palmer and US 64 because of
soggy ground and started construction of its new $200,000 church
on the site of the present church . . . William (Bill) Hartman,
head backfleld coach at the University of Georgia, was guest
speaker at a Rotary-sponsored dinner honoring the Franklin
High Panthers . . . the preliminary survey of the proposed re
routing of Wayah Road got under way . . . "Uncle Ham" Pel
land, ex-slave, died at his home In the Rabbit Creek section at
the age of 102 .. . Holly Springs tied for 5th place In a field
of 70 In the W.N.C. Rura) Community Development Contest.
FEBRUARY: Ilr. G. R. McSween, Franklin chiropractor, was
picked as Macon County's "Young Man of the Year" and was
honored at a banquet by the Franklin Jaycees . . . Preliminary
survey of the Jackson County link of US 23 to tie in with the
Franklin project was started . . . A. B. Slagle, of Slagle Dairy
Farm and Nantahala Creamery, was honored by the Henderson
County Milk Producers Association as having made "an out
standing contribution to the advancement of the dairy industry
in North Carolina." . . . Arthur V. Garrett was named jailer for
the county, succeeding Calvin Roland, resigned . . . Franklin
and Nantahala were defeated in the All-Boys' Smoky Mountain
Conference Basketball Tournament in Bryson City.
MARCH: William Katenbrink, Franklin dry goods merchant,
was elected president of the local Chamber of Commerce . . . the
Franklin High lassies -won the Smoky Mountain Conference
basketball crown . . . E. G. Crawford, Otto School principal, was
named president of the Macon unit of the N. C. Education As
sociation . . . Mrs. Helen Snyder was named worthy matron and
Edd Whitaker, worthy patron, of the Nequassa Chapter, Order
of Eastern Star . . . Bryant McClure was elected president of
the Franklin Rotary Club . . . Mrs. Eloise G. Potts was elected
worthy matron of the Highlands Chapter, Order of Eastern
Star . . . The Rev. Robert E. Early was named president of the
Highlands Rotary Club . . . Highlands formed a Junior Chamber
of Commerce.
AriuL.: officials in Washington, D. C., ordered the consolida
tion of the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests, eliminating
the Nantahala headquarters in Franklin . . . Jack Ragan was
elected commander of the local V. F. W. post ... a venire of
100 Macon citizens was drawn for the first degree murder trial
of a Cherokee Cbunty woodcutter, Noah Dockery, charged with
the slaying of Cherokee Sheriff Frank C. Crawford ... a rural
contest for Macon was perfected ... a health center for the
county was approved by the board of county commissioners; Dr.
Edgar Angel offered free land for the center on Riverview
Street . . . the "whammy", a bad omen for speeders, was Intro
duced to the county by highway protelmen . . . Zeb V. Meadows
was reinstated as Franklin postmaster, following Navy service as
a reservist in the Korean area . . . the new Macon Board of Ed
ucation ? J. C. Sorrells, John M. Archer, Jr., Claude W. Cabe, and
A. A. Slier ? was sworn in , . . construction on the new $58,000
Chapel (Negro) School got under way . . . The Franklin F. F. A.
livestock and dairy Judging teams took first place over 14 other
schools in the Nantahala Federation Livestock and Dairy Judg
ing Contest . . . the nine-man Macon County Industrial Commit
tee, to assist prospective Industries In settling here, was set up.
MAT: W. C. Burrell and Wilton H. Cobb, mayors of Franklin
and Highlands, respectively, were reelected to two-year terms in
town elections . . . W. K. (Ken) Hooker was elected president of
the Franklin Lions Club . . . Construction of the new St. Francis
Catholic Chapel got under way . . . C. Banks Finger, Franklin
attorney and charter member of the Franklin Jaycees, was elect
ed vice-president of the Jaycee District 1, which embraces all
western counties . . . Louis Potts, former sports editor of the
Shelby Daily Star, was named town clerk of Highlands, succeed
ing V. W. McCall, who accepted a position with the Highlands
Branch of the Jackson County Bank . . . The Macon County
Board of Education voted to terminate the contract of Frank
lin principal R. G. Sutton, following a heated controversy over
the principal and Coach Ralph McConnell . . . The county's first
highway fatality of the year was recorded when T. L. Crisp. 27,
of Franklin, died of injuries received in a wreck on the Frank
lin-Highlands highway . . . The Rev. A. Rufus Morgan, rector
of the St. Agnes Episcopal Church, received the degree of Doctor
of Sacred Theology in New York City . . . One hundred forty
one students were graduated from Macon's three high schools,
Franklin, Highlands, and Nantahala.
JUNE: The Rev. John Buell, of Hlxson, Tenn., accepted a call
to the Highlands Baptist Church, succeeding the Rev. John C.
Corbltt, who went to the Andrews church ... In recognition for
his active work with Boy Scouts John D. Alsup was made a
"Tenderfoot Scout" at a special Rotary Club program . . . Frank
B. Duncan, Ford dealer here since 1944, sold his Interest la (he
agency to Charles A. Conley, Sr., his partner since IMS . . . Ex
cavation for the new $37,5W Methodist annex was started . . .
W. C. (Bill) Hlfdon. artificial breeding technician, placed third
in a state-wide contest among technicians.
JULY: Consolidation of the Nantahala National Forest with
SEE NO. 1, PAGE 4
High School Display Gets Attention
?Staff Photo by I. P. Brad
A Christmas exhibit commanding a lot of attention during the holidays was the one prepared
by the students of Franklin High School. And the efforts that went into the exhibit were reward
ed when the judges of the Franklin Garden Club's decorations contest gave it 1st place in the
public institutions division.
Oak Groves Live Nativity
Scene Wins County Contest
Oak Grove s striking nativity
scene, realistically enacted with
live characters, was picked as
the best display entered in the
county-wide Christmas decora
tions contest sponsored during
the holidays by the Nantahala
Power and Light Company.
Runnersup were Carson and
Clark's Chapel.
As top winners in the con
test, which drew entries from 10
communities in the rural de
velopment contest, the three
split $100; Oak Grove receiving
$56, Carson, $30, and Clark's
Chapel, $20.
Oak Grove's winning entry
was a dimly lit manger scene
of the birth of Christ, brought
vividly to life by real animals
and a man and woman dressed
as Joseph and Mary. The prize
winning Carson entry also was
a nativity scene of life-size fig
ures carrying out the theme of
"The First Noel". Clark's Chap
el's display was an open Bible
rimmed with greenery with a
star in the background.
The judges commended Oak
Grove for carrying their nativ
ity scene a step farther by
using live people and animals
and especially for keeping the
exhibit open during the nights
in the face of low temperatures
and bad weather.
| Thousands are estimated to
have toured the 10 communities
to view the exhibits after they
were erected December 19. Sev
eral of the competing commun
ities organized motorcades to
visit other communities. Most of
the communities disassembled
their displays Thursday.
The judges devoted special
comment to the other seven in
the contest:
Mulberry: "Outstanding effort
and obvious community-wide
interest in preparing display."
Smithbridge: "Simplicity at
its best in carrying out the
theme 'Keep Christ in Christ
mas'."
Patton: "A unique display
completely capturing an artis
tic mood."
Cartoogechaye: "A difficult
scene artfully prepared."
Prentiss: "'Santa's Workshop'
as the old gentleman himself
might have prepared it."
Holly Springs: "Excellent pro
portion to entire display and
superior lighting."
Cowee: "Wise use of record
ings of Christmas music to di
rect attention to distant display.
Use of live cow added emphasis
to scene."
Judging was based on three
points ? simplicity, originality,
and attractiveness.
Not A Scratched
Fender Reported
Macon County motorists
made it through the Christ
mas holidays without so much
as a scratched fender ? an ac
complishment that brought a
deep sigh of relief and thanks
from Highway Patrolman I.
T. Ferguson.
"That's the kind of cooper
ation I would like to receive
daring the new year", the of
ficer commented.
The county had three fatal
ities during 1993. I
Some 300 Attend
Christmas Program
Given By Jaycees
An estimated 300 persons at
tended the Jaycee-sponsored
Christmas program Wednesday
night of last week at the Frank
lin Methodist Church. Admis
sion was a gift for the needy.
Jaycees distributed the gifts
Christmas Bye. A special 33- '
yoice choir from local churches
appeared on the program.
Brings In $301 | ,
The Christmas Cheer dime
board operated by the lions
Club in downtown Franklin i
brought in more tran $300, ac
cording to club officers. '
WINNERS OF
EVENT LISTED
Here's Top Entries
In Garden Club's
Christmas Contest
Winners of the Franklin
Garden Club's 5th annual
Christmas decorations contest
were announced yesterday by
Mrs. A. A. Brooks, registration
chairman.
First place in the door and
window decorations feature
went to Mr. and Mrs. Sam alb
son for their colorful arrange
ment of Santa Claus entering a
decorated window of their home.
Second place was awarded to
Mrs. Margaret Dowdle and 3rd
to Mr. and Mrs. Horace Nolen.
The Joint scenes of Miss
Gladys Sellers and Mr. and Mrs.
Dan Bryson placed 1st in the
outdoor decorations division
with Mrs. W. A. Rogers winning
2nd and Mr. and Mrs. Hall Cal
lahan, 3rd.
Judges for the contest, who
were not disclosed, awarded
honorable mentions to Mr. and
Mrs. S. W. Mendenhall and Mr.
and Mrs. Prelo Dryman for door
and window decorations, and to
Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Wilhide and
Mr. and Mrs. Frank B. Duncan
In the outdoor feature.
Franklin Frozen Foods, Inc.,
was judged 1st place in the j
commercial feature and Bryant
Furniture Company was given i
2nd. According to Mrs. Brooks,
the judges decided to award
only two prizes in this feature
because only a limited number
of business houses entered.
The painstaking efforts of
Franklin High students in deco
rating the front of the school
received 1st place among public
Institutions and schools.
Entries were judged Decem
ber 23, and despite ample ad
vance notice a number of dis
plays were not prepared in
time, Mrs Brooks said. Still
other homes failed to turn dis
play lights on while judging
was going on, she added.
Oak Grove's use of live characters in its Christmas aativitv
scene gave the community 1st place in the decorations contest
sponsored during the holidays by the Nantahala Power and
Light Company. At is fictm*} mi m&r acme of ?fa
mkg dmpttf. Seetad pt*cc WMK lb OWvm's Ayhf (mm r
- It /. P. in#)
picture), a nativity scene carrying out the theme erf "The First
Noel". Clark's Chapel's Bible display (right) was awarded 3rd
place. A total of 10 community* entered the contort a ad thou
sptts are MMimatW t? WMl tiie nnnWilNt* it view the
mBftokys.
MACON BRINGS
NEW YEAR IN
VERY OUIETLY
Watchnight Service
Held At Franklin
Methodist Church
Thursday at midnight, Ma
con County quietly joined the
rest of a bewildered free world
In tossing out the old year and
ushering In a cocky little 1954,
who seems to be headed for
rapid maturity.
Preceding the exit of haggard
old 1953, a New Year's watch
night service drew a large
crowd at the Franklin Metho
dist Church. The hour-long wor
ship and communion service
was sponsored by the Macon
sub-district Methodist Youth
Fellowsrip and was conducted
by the Rev. Doyle Freeman, the
Rev. 'Albert Gordon, the Rev.
Robert E. Early, the Rev. R. L.
Poindexter, and the Rev. C. E.
Murray. A business meeting of
the M.Y.F. was held earlier in
the evening.
Elsewhere in the county, the
fateful stroke of midnight
touched off a symphony of
honking horns and illegal fire
crackers. Many celebrated at
the homes of friends, but the
vast majority of citizens trotted
off to bed and treated the
night just like any other.
What 1954 has In store for
Macon County is, of course; un
known. But folks swallowed the
bad with the good during '53 ?
and life, they say, must go on!
13 From Here
On Boy Scout
Committee
Thirteen Macon County men
have been najned to posts on
the Smoky Mountain Boy .Scout
District Committee for 1954.
Three Frankllnltes have top
level posts on the committee.
They are R. E. McKelvey, dis
trict chairman; John Edwards,
vice-chairman; and H. H. Onuse,
Jr., district commissioned.
Other appointees include the
Rev. C. E. Murray, of Franklin,
chairman of advancement; B.
B. Scott, of Franklin, chairman
of camping and activities;. Sid
Carter, of Franklin, camping
and activities committeeman;
Mr. Gnuse, Mr. Scott, and Lewis
Edwards, of Highlands, finance
committeemen; Mack Whitaker,
of Franklin, health and safety
committeeman; Dir. A. Rufus
Morgan, of Franklin, chairman
of organization and extension;
Dewey Hopper, of Highlands,
and John Crawford, of Frank
lin, organization and extension
committeemen; J. P. Brady,
of Franklin, publicity commit
teeman; Tom Nelson, of Frank
lin, neighborhood commission
er; and Mr. Crawford, leader
ship and training committee
man.
The Smoky Mountain district
embraces troops in Frank U?.
Sylva, Cherokee, Cullowhee, Bry
son City, and Highlands.
Board Selects
Tax Listers For
Macon In 1954
Tax listers for 1964 la the
county's 11 townships have b eea
selected by the board of county
commissioners.
They are as follows, by towa
shlps:
Franklin ? Frank I. Murray
and J. R. Morrison; Millshoal?
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Cabe; Elli
Jay? Mrs. Leslie Young; Sugar
fork? Raymond W. Wood; High
lands?Mrs. Fred Edwards; Flats
? Earl Dryman; Smithbrldge ?
C. 8. Sams; Chrtoogechaye ?
laddie Crawford; NantahaJa ?
Frank Baldwin; Burnlngtown ?
Floyd Ramsey; Cowee ? Bob
Rlckman
A schedule of dates and loca
tions for listing taxes appears
In an advertisement la this is
sue of The Press.
Reopening
Making ap tor a late start la
September, tha ehlldrea at Mm
Highlands Sshool took s short