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VOL. LXIX ? NO. ' 53
FRANKLIN, N. C., THURSDAY, DEC. 30, 1954
TWHiVl PAGES
? Stmff Photo by J. r. Brady
Iotla's Winning Christmas Display
MAIL RUSH
HITS RECORD
HIGH HERE
Christmas Rush
Braved By Office;
No Extra Help
Employes of the Franklin
Post Office are breathing nor
mally once again after riding
out the biggest flood of Christ
mas mail in the history of the
office.
From December 8 to Christ
mas day, cancellations on out
going first class mail ? letters
and greeting cards ? came to
a record-breaking 131,200, ac
cording to Postmaster Zeb V.
Meadows.
The office sold 97,000 two
cent stamps from the first of
ST" v?"> 9, PAGE 12
Iotla Wins Rural Lighting
Contest By Power Company
Iotla community won first
place and $50 in the second
annual Christmas outdoor light
ing contest sponsored by Nan
tahala Power and Light Com
pany among communities en
gaged in rural development
work.
Second place and $30 went to
Cullasaja, while Longview plac
ed third and won $20.
Sixteen communities partici
pated this year. A secret panel
of judges based their decisions
on simplicity, originality, and
attractiveness.
Iotla's winning entry was a
scene of the three wise men
following the star to Bethle
hem. The life-size exhibit was
framed like a picture and
flanked by large candles on
each side. In awarding It the
top prize, the judges comment
ed that a "refreshing touch has
been added to an old theme,
carrying out perfectly the three
points considered In judging."
Cullasaja and Longvie^r had
nativity scenes. Cullasaja's was
the manger scene and Long
view's showed Mary talking
with an angel.
The judges noted the follow
ing about the other entries:
Carson: "A beautiful . scene
. . . evidence or community
work . . . fine location."
Cartoogechaye: "A study in
simplicity."
Patton: "An entirely new
idea in decorations well exe
cuted . . . display could have
been more effective if nearer
road."*
"Otto: "One of the most strik
ing displays entered . . . loca
tion difficult to spot from high
way, however."
Mulberry: "Evidence of com
munity spirit and assistance
. . . natural location lends to
authenticity of scene."
Hickory Knoll: "Miniature
city of Bethlehem very unus
ual."
Prentiss: "One of the most
attractive manger scenes enter
ed .. . special recognition for
'wooly' lambs."
Clark's Chapel: "Nativity
scene of unusual scope . . . evi
dence of spirit and work on
part of community."
Higdonville: "Scene shows Im
agination and simplicity."
Bethel: "Idea of decorating
church most original."
Holly Springs: "Real cloth
ing on figures of nativity scene
Yule Contest
Winners Are
Given Prizes
Winners In the Franklin
Garden Club's annual Christ
mas decorations contest have
been announced as follows:
Franklin High School, best
public display; Van Raalte, best
commercial; Mr. and Mrs. Rafe
Teague, best outdoor figures;
Mr. and Mrs. Horace Nolen,
b<# doorway; and Mr. and Mrs.
A. R. Higdon, best tree.
Flower containers were given
as prizes this year by the club.
Judgfrg was done by a secret
r"?nel.
f 4
shows imagination . . . excel
lent perspective in arranging
figures."
Cowee: "One of the most
realistic manger scenes enter
ed."
Oak Grove: "'Live' figures
and animals suggest , commun
ity cooperation and' imagina
tion."
This Dime Has
Trying Time . . .
Never let it be said that
chickens aren't thrifty.
A four-months-old bird own
ed by Mrs. Kate M. Rogers,
of Franklin, Route 5, appar
ently had a "nest-egg" tuck
, ed away for a rainy day, for,
when Mrs. Rogers recently
I dressed it out popped a dime
from its gizzard.
As she put it: . . out
rolled one thin dime, thipner
than usual."
FAULKNER
HEADS LODGE
Installation Event
Staged By Junaluskee
On December 21
G. Wayne Faulkner has tak
en over as worshipful master
for 1955 of the Junaluskee Ma
sonic Lodge, A. M. and F. M.
No. 145, following installation'*
ceremonies Tuesday night of
last week.
Installed with the new master
were John L. Crawford, senior
warden; William G. Crawford,
junior warden; C. Gordon
Moore, treasurer; J. Ward
Long, secretary; Frank H. Cal
loway, Sr., deacon; H. H. Gnuse,
Jr., Junior deacon; G. M. Slagle,
senior steward; C. Jack Ragan,
Junior steward; James H. Mc
Call, Tyler; and the Rev. W. N.
Cook, chaplain.
'55 Tax Listers
Picked By Board
The Macon Board of County
Commissioners has selected tax
listers for 1955 In the county's
11 townships.
By townships, they are:
Franklin, Frank I. Murray, Sr.;
Millshoal, Harold Cabe; Ellijay,
Mrs. Leslie Young; Sugarfork,
Mrs. Raymond Wood; Hlgh
i lands, Mrs. Neville Bryson;
Flats, .Mrs. Awa Smith; Smith
bridge, C. S. Sams; Cartooge
chaye. Bob Southard; Nanta
hala, Newell Baldwin; Burning
town, Bob Parrish; and Cowee,
Frank Gibson.
Elsewhere in this issue bf The
Press is a schedule of dates
and locations for listing taxes.
TVATCHNIGHT' SLATED
All Methodist Youth Fellow
ship organizations will meet to
morrow (Friday) night at 9:30
at the Franklin Methodist
Church for a "Watchnlght Serv
ice", it has been announced.
What Happened In Macon County
1954 Chronology
THIS YEAR
Are you guilty of remarking, "Nothing ever happens .here?"
If you are ? and most of us have said it at one time or
another ? then the following chronology has been pre
pared just for you. Although it is far from a complete
work, it lists some of the more outstanding happenings in
Macon County during 1954, as reflected by headlines in The
Franklin Press. And, it of course debunks the remark, "Noth
ing ever happens here."
JANUARY: Oak Grove's strik- ,
ing "live" nativity scene won
the county-wide Christmas
lighting contest . . . the Frank
lin Board of Aldermen began
probing the idea of constructing
a new municipal building . . .
the Macon Board of Education
requested $80,000 from' the
county to satisfy pressing j
equipment needs in the county's !
11 schools . . . the Rev. and
Mrs. R. H. Hull, American Sun
day School .rural workers in
this area for 15 years, announc- j
ed plans for leaving for Mis
souri, where Mr. Hull had been !
offered an A. S. S. superinten- \
dent's post . . . the Rev. J.
Bryan Hatchett was named
president of the Macon County
Ministerial Association . . . For
rest (Speck) Towns, former
Olympic high hurdles champion
and University of Georgia coach,
was guest speaker at the Ro
tary-sponsored football banquet
honoring the Franklin High
Panthers .? . . Russell Paxton
was named chief of police in
Highlands, succeeding Bert
Wllkie, resigned . . . the Rev.
W. L. Sorrells resigned as pas
tor of the Iotla Baptist Church
to accept the pastorate of the
jFlemmlngs Chapel, near Lenoir.
FEBRUARY : A 38-year-old
miner, Donald Holland, of Cul
lasaja, was killed In a mine
cave-In at the Mill Knob Mine.
The mine owner, A. W. Reid,
buried under the avalanche,
was saved by Robert Williams,
28, who clawed the dirt from
around his face so he could
breathe . . . Higdonville became
the 22nd home demonstration
club to be organized in Macon
. . . Holland McSwain, Jr., and
Miss Ruth Edwards were nam
ed valedictorian and salutatar
ian, respectively, of the 1954
graduating class of Franklin
High . . . Lee Barnard, of
Franklin, was nominated chair
man of the county elections
board, succeeding Slier Slagle,
resigned ... an extensive re
pair project on US 64 from
Gneiss to Bridal Veil Falls was
started by the State Highway
Department . . . Edwin T. Wil
liams, Franklin High teacher,
was elected president of the
county unit of the N. C. Edu
cation Association . . . the small
Cullasaja and Ellijay post of
fices bowed to government ec
onomy and rural routes and
were closed . . . law enforce
ment officers smashed a theft
ring accused of looting 60
homes in North and South Car
olina, Including 13 In the High
lands area The ring operated
out of Transylvania County . . .
students of all schools in the
county, with the exception of
Highlands, took over the gov
ernments of the county and
Franklin for a day in a proj
ect sponsored by the Franklin
Jaycees . . . W. W. Reeves,
hardware merchant, was elected
president of the Franklin
Chamber of Commerce . . .
Mrs. Judy Ann Buckner, 13
year-old wife of Kenneth Buck
ner, of Buck Creek, near High
lands, became the mother of a
five-pound baby girl . . . Her
bert McKelvey, 16-year-old
Franklin High junior, won the
American Legion's oratorical
contest here.
MARCH: State Treasurer Ed
win M. Gill was the principal
speaker at the annual dinner
meeting of the Franklin Cham
ber of Commerce . . . the coun
ty was put under a 30-day ra
bies quarantine . . . the girls
team of Franklin High won the
eastern division Smoky Moun
tain Conference crown by be
ing undefeated in 13 conference
scraps and went on to win the
annual conference tournament
. . . the Rev. E. G. Altland, a
native of Pennsylvania, took
over his duties as pastor of the
Iotla Baptist Church . . . Mrs.
Blanche H. Parrlsh, of Otto,
and James I*. Hauser, of Frank
lin, were elected grand matron
and grand patron of the Ne
quassa Chapter, Order of East
ern Star . . . L. D. Clontz was
reelected president of the Ma
con County Highlanders . . .
Mrs. R. G. Lichtensteln was re
elected head of the Franklin
Garden Club ... an early morn
ing fire destroyed the 34-year
old high school building at
Franklin High to the tune of
$135,000 damage: Of the loss,
$105,000 was recovered in In
surance from the state . . .
Miss Ethel L. Calloway and
Thomas C. Harbison were elect
ed worthy matron and patron
of the Highlands Chapter, No.
284, Order of Eastern Star . . .
"Progressive Macon County", an
eight-page booklet prepared by
the Macon County Industrial
Committee, was published and
distributed to prospective in
dustries . . . Sandtown became
the 23rd home demonstration
club In the county . . . W. N.
Sloan was elected president of
the Franklin Rotary Club . . .
C. Jack Ragan, of Franklin, was
reelected commander of the V.
F. W. post; the Macon ?and
SEE NO. 2, PAGE 3
54 Making
Way For New
Youngster
Maconians currently are
watching: closely the limping
progress of a bedraggled old
1954 as he shuffles closer to
the crib of infant 1955.
And it appears that ol' 1954
has little of consequence to
offer before turning over the
troubles of the world to the
cocky and confident little '55
tomorrow (Friday) at mid
night.
What's in store for this
little bundle of energy is
anyone's guess ? but it should
be noted that '54 started his
reign in the same cocky and
confident manner, and just
look at him!
Most Macon merchants plan
to close Saturday for the
New Year, but will be open
for business bright and early
Monday.
As a preliminary to the
New Year and a farewell W
the departing one, the V. F.
W. Auxiliary plans a New
Year's eve party and dance
at Slagle Memorial Building
beginning at 8 o'clock. Ad
misiion will be 50 cents per
person and the proceeds are
earmarked for the commun
ity welfare fund, according to
Mrs. Elizabeth McCollum,
auxiliary president.
Representative Lets
Public Know Issues
Franklin attorney G. L. Houk yesterday (Wednesday) let Ma
con voters know where he stands on a number of local and
state issues as he began clearing his desk in preparation for
filling Seat 88 in the House of Representatives in Raleigh.
The representative and his wife plan to leave here Tuesday
for the capital city. The General Assembly is scheduled to con
vene the following morning.
In a lengthy interview, Mr. Houk aired his feelings on several
topics of ?note, ranging from the elimination of the fee system
e ?
Mr. Honk
'Comic' Book Delinquency
No Problem In This County
The current nation-wide con
troversy over certain types of
comic books ? sex, crime, and
horror ? as blueprints for juv
enile delinquency has no roots
in Macon County.
And the heartfelt thanks for
this commendable, and appar
ently unusual, situation go to
a small group of men in the
county who have refused to put
the "undesirable" books on
their magazine racks for sale.
Magazine companies supply
ing the county have continued
to send the controversial com
ics, but this doesn't mean Ma
con's children are reading them.
"Sure they send them to us,"
T. W. Angel, Jr., of Angel's
Drug Store, declared, "but we
just put them under the coun
ter and return them."
Mr. Angel said this form of
censorship at his store applies
to other kinds of literature sup
plied by the companies; . .
you know, those girlie maga
zines and the like."
"I Just don't think that is the
kind of literature children
should read", he declared, "and
I've told them (magazine com
panies) time and again that I
won't use them . . . but they
keep sending them ... and I
keep putting them under the
counter."
Mr. Angel estimates he re*
jects about 125 comics and
magazines weekly.
Perry's Drug Store also cen
sors its reading material.
"I guess we have always done
it," J. E. (Jim) Perry, Jr., re
called.
He estimated that Perry's re
turns three-fourths of the mag
azines sent out, particularly
those dealing with love, crime,
and fantastic, weird, and sup
ernatural tales.
"But they keep right on send
ing them," Mr. Perry pointed
out, "we flatly told them one
time what we wanted . . . but
they just send everything."
When The Press conducted its
survey on comics, Carolina
Pharmacy in Franklin was un
able to produce a single one.
The explanation was simple:
"We told them not to leave any
I unless they were real comic
j books, like Walt Disney and
some of those," Dean Carpen
ter, owner, revealed.
"I just got tired of having to
take that trash off the coun
ter ... so they've just stopped
sending us any."
R. E. .McKelvey, owner of Hie
Theatre Gxill, takes the same
stand as the drug stores and
censors comics and magazines.
. . anything that we con
sider offensive' and not in good
taste comes d L vn and we send
them back to the company."
Ditto for the Highlands Drug
Store. Said C. E. Mitchell: "I
feel it a reflection on a busl
8EE NO. 3, t-AOE 12
in Macon to tne controversial
segregation problem and higher
state taxes.
At the outset, the represen
tative made it clear he has no
plans for "going down there
with any pet legislation" and
as for having any local legis
lation in mind he said he has
"nothing of any consequence, as
yet."
He did declare, however, that
he strongly favors permissive
rather than mandatory legis
lation on the local level in the
belief that local decisions
should be left to local govern
ing bodies.
Up To Locals
Repeating his stand for per
missive legislation, Mr. Houlc
approached the elimination of
the fee system In the county
with, "I do not propose to go
down there and tell them to
pay X dollars to the sheriff, or
other county officials." He said
this kind of decision should be
made by the board of county
commissioners and not by the
legislature. J
The abolition of the system
and putting county officials on
salary has been a top conver
sational piece for a number of
years, although it has never
been seriously considered open
I ly.
SEE NO. 4, PAGE 12
The Weather
The week's temperatures and rainfall, as
recorded in 1-ranklin by Man son Stiles,
U. S. veather observer, and at the Coweeta
Hydrologic Laboratory:
FRANKLIN
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wed., Dec. 22 ... 48 23
Thursday 61 15
Friday 56 25
Saturday 52 12
Sunday 52 13
Monday 59 40
Tuesday 61 51 .012
HIGHLANDS
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wed., Dec. 22 ... 38 22
Thursday 54 20
Friday 49 30 .
Saturday 44 18
Sunday 46 20
Monday
Tuesday 44 42 .29
COWEETA
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wed., Dec. 22 48 24
[Thursday 59 19
Friday 54 30
Saturday SO 16
Sunday 53 20 trace
Monday 56 40 .50
Tuesday 57 51 3.07
?Stiff PkMo by J. P. Brady
A GROUP OF COMIC BOOK fans get together in one of Franklin's drug itoni to eatak n
on tome of the latest reading. They are (L to R) Jim Tysinger, Ellen Calloway, Joan Thomas,
Jean Sutton, and Alex (Buddy) Cabe, Jr.