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70th Year ? No. 7
Twelve Pages
CULLASAJA
GETS TOP
FOOD RATE
School Lunchroom
Rated 96; Collin*
Says Best Given
The highest sanitation rating
of any food handling establish
ment in the county is now
hanging on the wall In the
Cullasaja School lunchroom.
A rating of 96 was awarded
the small lunchroom Friday by
Sanitarian H. T. Collins.
Mr. Collins said he considers
this a remarkable achievement
in the light of the lunchroom's
short existence. It was the last
to be built in the school system
and is now only In its second
year of operation.
The sanitarian said the Cul
lasaja rating is the highest he
has given any food handling
establishment In the six years
he has been hexe. Since it was
opened in the fall of 1952, It
has consistently bettered Its
standing, he added.
Three other school lunchrooms
have been given "A" ratings,
the sanitarian said. They are
Union, Cartoogechaye, and Iotla.
Free Newspaper
Project Stopped
The program giving a free
year's subscription of The
Franklin Press to ail service
men from this county has been
discontinued.
Begun with the outbreak of
the fighting in Korea, the "let
ter from home" project was
jointly sponsored by the Ameri
can Legion, the Veterans of
Foreign Wars, and The Press.
However, in view of the end of
emergency in Korea, the vet
erans' organizations have decid
ed to stop the program.
During the period it operated,
303 Macon fighting men receiv
ed weekly copies of the paper.
A breakdown shows that 55
got the paper in 1951;- 93 in
1952; 92 in 1953; 54 in 1954;
and nine in 1955.
Prioir to the program, the
American Legion presented bill
folds to departing draftees. The
newspaper subscriptions were
then substituted and all men
entering service got the paper
free for a year.
?Franklin Press Photo
A SMILING A. B. SLAGLE (left) is shown receiving a 50
year veteran's emblem for service in Jimaluskee Lodge, No. 145,
AF and AM, from the Rev. Robert L. Pugh, most worshipful
grand master of the order. The presentation was made Saturday
night.
Junaluskee Lodge Members
Are Honored At Banquet
The oldest member of Juna
luskee Lodgee, No. 145, AP and
AM ? dairyman A. B. Slagle ?
and 15 of his lodge brothers
were honored Saturday night
for service to their organiza
tion.
Mr. Slagle, who has just been
elected president of the N. C.
Guernsey Breeders Association,
Inc., received a 50-year veter
an's emblem from the Rev.
Robert L. Pugh, most worship
ful grand master of the order.
Certificates for 25 years' serv
ice went to George A. Cloer,
W. Gaston Curtis, Mark L.
Dowdle, Walter D. Gibson,
James L. Hauser, Alfred R. Hig
don, Lawrence B. Liner, Ervin
W. Long, James D. McCoy, Wil
liam T. Moore, Frank I. Mur
ray, James B. Pendergrass,
Fred M. Slagle, George T. Stal
cup, and Manson L. Stiles.
These also were presented by
the head of the order.
Held in the Franklin High
School cafeteria, the annual
Masonic banquet featured Mr.
Pugh as guest speaker. Intro
duced by Holland McSwain, the
toastmaster, the Baptist minis
ter spiced his talk with humor
ous stories as he skillfully wove
?Staff Pkrto by J. P. Brady
C. Jack Ragan
KNOW YOUR COUNTY
Coroner Also Can Be Sheriff
(Note: This is one of a
series of articles 011 the duties
of county officials that will
appear in The Press from
time to time.)
Conducting investigations and
holding inquests into unusual
deaths of individuals are the
chief duties of the county cor
oner, but under the law this
elected official can become
sheriff.
Should no one be qualified to
act as sheriff of a county (fol
lowing, for example, the death
or resignation of the officer) a
coroner may act as sheriff and
he is under the same rules and
regulations and subject to the
same forfeitures, fines, and pen
alties as sheriffs are by law
for neglect or disobedience of
the same duties until a suc
cessor is appointed by the board
of county commissioners.
However, this right has never
been exercised In Macon. The
coroner here finds himself serv
ing as an investigator of deaths
of unusual nature and as
"judge" of coroner juries.
C. Jack Ragan, Franklin mor
tician, is starting off his first
four-year term in this county
post. Elected in the general
election in November, he was
sworn into office at the De
cember term of Superior Court.
A native of Boone, Mr. Ragan
has lived here six years. He is
a graduate of Gupton-Jones
College of Mortuary Science and
is a licensed mortician.
Under the law, the coroner
receives $5 for each inquest,
and, if engaged in an extended
investigation, gets $5 for each
additional day.
As a rule, the coroner inves
tigates only about a half dozen
cases a year.
Some major duties of the
county coroner under the gen
eral statutes of the state:
SEE NO. 3, PAGE 12
Centennial
Song Hit
Beard growing for the
Franklin Centennial picked up
a theme song this week.
To the tune of the hit song,
"Let .Me Go, Lover", a sales
man for a local motor com
pany ? the fuzz already
glistening on his chin ? was
musically advising:
"Let it grow, let it grow,
let it grow, brother!"
Centennial
Meet Slated
More detailed planning for
Franklin's Centennial in mid
June is on tap tomorrow (Fri
day) night when Interested
citizens meet at the Presbyter
ian annex at 7:30.
Anyone interested in helping
with the celebration Is invited
to attend.
Preliminary reports will be
made by committees and a
number of appointments will be
made.
In announcing the meeting,
Centennial officials emphasized
that Franklin males may start
growing beards, sideburns, or
mustaches at once.
It also was pointed out that
anybody "from here to Ttm
bucktu" is Invited to take part
in the Centennial, particularly
citizens of the county. However,
those actually taking part in
scheduled contests and events
must purchase a Centennial
badge. The badges will go on
sale for $1 beginning April 1.
Dimes Drive
Is Extended
With only slightly more than
half the $3,000 quota on hand,
the .March of Dimes drive has
been extended.
The drive, scheduled to shut
down Saturday, will be pressed
until next Thursday, February
24, in an effort to top the
quota, according to Andrew
Jones, chairman.
As of Tuesday, the chairman
announced he had $1,644 on
hand with a number of organi
zations still not reporting col
lections. This amount includes
$122 raised by the Franklin Jay
cees Saturday and Sunday in
downtown Franklin through
the operation of a stop-and-go
automobile solicitation, and $200
raised by the Highlands Lions
Club. s
Henry R. Crawford
Dies In Oregon
Relatives here have received
word of the death of Henry R.
Crawford at Salem, Oregon. No
details were available.
A native of this county, Mr.
Crawford went, West as a young
man. He last visited his brother,
the late Lee Crawford, and other
relatives here about 25 years ago.
Funeral services, it was under
stood, were held last Friday at
Salem, where he had made his
home.
DR. BARKER
TALKS NEW
PROGRAM
Teachers Discuss
Handicapped Courses
With State Official
A special educational program
for handicapped children was
outlined for Macon teachers
here Tuesday afternoon by Dr.
Felix S. Barker, director of the
Division of Special Education
in Raleigh.
His discussion of the program,
some points of which probably
will be adopted by the Macon
system, featured a meeting of
the local unit of the N. C. Ed
ucation Association at East Frank
lin School. Edwin T. Williams,
president, presided and the de
votional was given by the Rev.
M. W. Chapman, pastor of the
First Baptist Church.
Dr. Barker's talk stressed the
types of services being offered
handicapped children in other
sections and the specialized
training of teachers. He ex
plained that the special in
structional services are for chil
dren handicapped either physi
cally or mentally to the extent
that they require services dif
ferent from, or in addition to,
those offered through regular
classroom work.
Following the meeting, a
smaller group of teachers met
to discuss the program in more
detail with Dr. Barker with the
idea of starting a limited pro
gram here.
Also present at the meeting
was Dr. Carl Killian, head of
the department of psychology
at Western Carolina College,
who offered his services in
screening children far the spe
cial courses. ^
NIGHT SCHOOL
UNDER WAY
Nearly 100 'Pupils'
Sign Up For Courses;
Sessions Are Slated
Night school classes are in
full swing at Franklin High
School with nearly 100 "pupils"
signed up. '
Two opening classes still are
to be held and a third will be
scheduled if enough interest is
shown, according to "principal"
Dick Stott, one of the leaders
in the adult education pro
gram. Tonight (Thursday i, the
first session of the Business
Machines course is set for 7
o'clock. Tomorrow night the
first Woodworking class will be
held at the same hour.
Mr. Stott said an English
course will be started if inter
ested persons will notify the
high school. He said the class
should have at least eight per
sons to be successful.
The opening class in Photog
raphy last Thursday night en
rolled 10, 33 are taking Typing,
22- Shorthand, 12 Mechanical
Drawing, and four Mathematics
each Tuesday night.
Peace Prayer
Service Set
Next Friday
The people of this community
are invited to gather at St.
Agnes Episcopal Church Friday
evening of next week (Febru
ary 25) to pray for world peace.
The program is the annual
"World Day of Prayer" observ
ance, held simultaneously all
over the world.
All Protestant churches here
are cooperating in the move
ment, and .Mayor W. C. Burrell
has proclaimed February 25
"World Day of Prayer" in
Franklin.
While the event is sponsored
by the women's organizations of
the various churches, all inter
ested persons are invited, it was
emphasized.
Details of the program will be
announced later.
ELLIOTT IS ASSIGNED
Pvt. Swann E Elliott, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Sam W. Elliott, of
Franklin, has been assigned to
"B" Battery, 516th Airborne Field
Artillery Battalion at Fort Jack
son, S. C? for basic training, the
fort public information office has
announced.
?Stmff PhMt by J. P. Brady
FRANKLIN'S LASSIES, division champs and undefeated for
three years in conference play, are the favorites to cop the
Smoky Mountain Conference Tournament crown again this year.
They are (L to R) front row, guards Jean Phillips, Anna Setser,
and Hazel Vinson; bock row, forwards Audrey Gibson, Jodie
Lenoir, and Mavis Gibson.
Franklin Lassies, Champs
Of Division, After Crown
Something
Was Burning!
Something was burning
a.bout 2 o'clock Tuesday after
noon at the home of Henry
Coleman, Negro resident of
Mashburn Road.
Franklin firemen turned the
Coleman home inside out
looking for the "something".
They finally found it ? a
piece of toast had 'jammed in
the toaster.
Supt. McSwain
Candidate For
District Post
Macon School Supt. Holland
McSwain is a candidate for
president of the western dis
trict of the North Carolina Ed
ucation Association.
He was nominated for the
post by the executive commit
tee of the local N.C.E.A., and
is receiving the support of the
entire membership in his cam
paign, according to Edwin T.
Williams, president.
An election to chose the new
district officers Is scheduled
next Wednesday, Mr. Williams
said. The district is made up
of 18 counties.
DRIVE READY
FOR OPENING
Red Cross Workers
Volunteer; Campaign
Plans Mark Meeting
Officials of the local Amer
ican Red Cross chapter Friday
night began preliminary plan
ning for the March 1 kick-off
of the 1955 fund campaign.
Macon's goal this year will be
$3,000, according to Mrs. Eliza
beth McCollum, chapter execu
tive secretary.
In addition to mail requests,
the secretary said funds will be
solicited door-to-door by volun
teers. The rural campaign again
will be pushed through the or
ganized communities.
Friday's planning session was
held at Kelly's Inn with Z.
Weaver Shope, chapter chair
man, presiding.
SEE NO. 4, PAGE 12
P. T. A. To Observe
'Founders' Day' At
Monday Night Meet
"Founders' Day" will be ob
served by the Franklin P. T. A.
at its meeting Monday evening
in the school cafeteria.
A tea, honoring the past pres
idents ? of the organization. Is
planned and as a feature of
this Mrs. W. B. McOuire, first
president, will speak on the
organization and the beginning
of the P. T. A. The program is
set for 7:30.
The Franklin Band, under
the direction of Director Theo
dore Orr, also will appear on
the program during the evening,
according to Mrs. E. W Ren
shaw, P. T. A. president.
The incomparable Franklin
lassies ? who last Thursday night
won the division cage crown
and ended their third straight
year of undefeated conference
play ? yesterday (Wednesday)
moved into the Smoky Moun
tain Conference Basketball
Tournament as the undisputed
favorites.
The Pantherettes clashed at
12:30 with Cullowhee in the
Swain High gymnasium at Bry
son City, where the girls' tour
ney is being staged. At press
time, the result of the game
was not known. The winner of
the game meets the winner of
the Murphy-Robbinsville game
tomorrow afternoon at 5 o'clock.
Franklin's boys meet Hia
wasse Dam today at 3:30 p. m.
on the Andrews High court,
the scene of the boys' tourna
ment this year. The winner of
this tilt will take on Murphy
Saturday at 5 p. m.
In the girls' tournament,
games are scheduled tomorrow
and next Thursday, with the
finals set for Saturday night,
February 26. The consolation
game will begin at 7:30, the
championship game at 9.
The boys' teams clash today,
Saturday, and Wednesday, and
the finals are planned Friday,
SEE NO. b, PAGE 12
Macon Negro
Writes Hit
"Hearts of Stone", a bouncy
tune now starting its climb
up the Hit Parade ladder, isi
closer to Franklin than just
being a juke box selection.
The co- writer of the song
is Eddie (Edward Wiley) Ray,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew
Kay, well-known Franklin Ne
groes.
The 27 -year-old Eddie, who
collaborated on the new hit
with a musician named Rudy
Jackson, is now witnessing the
rise of "Hearts of Stone"
along the rough hit tune trail.
This past week, "Hearts"
ranked sixth in the nation
wide survey of sheet music
sales, juke box returns, and
record sales.
"Hearts" represents a wel
come bright spot in the life
of Eddie, who has pulled him
self up the hard way. After
being graduated from a Laur
enburg high school, he ended
up in California, where he
worked his way to a college
degree. .Since getting out of
college he has been in the
record selling business.
And the way the country
has taken "Hearts" to Its
heart, proves Eddie has learn
ed the business with mon|
than a degree of satisfaction.
Also the young Negro song
writer is helping his two sis
ters, Edith, 21, and Nancy
Jane, 15, make their way in
California, according to his
father.
It's been a long time since
Eddie was here to visit his
folks ? 11 years, in fact.
"We're looking for him to
show up just any time now,"
his father reveals.
TOWN HALL
BIDS RUN
TOO HIGH
Franklin Is Short
About $12,000; Mayor
And Board Determined
Some roughed-in features ap
pear likely If Franklin is to get
its new municipal building.
At a bid opening session
Tuesday afternoon, aldermen
found that construction costs
for the proposed building are
running higher than anticipat
ed and the town is approxi
mately $12,000 short of having
enough money to do the job.
No action was taken by the
board on any bid. .
Low bids for the building
totaled $51,857. Of the $50,000
bond money voted to construct
the building, only $39,357.85 re
mains, according to Town Clerk
C. O. Ramsey. The site for the
new hall cost $10,000 (old
Blaine lot at intersection of US
23-441 and West Main) and
roughly $2,000 has been expend
ed in bond election costs and
procedure, he explained.
But, this turn of events does
nbt mean the municipal build
ing will not be constructed.
Mayor W. C. Burrell yester
day (Wednesday) said he and
the aldermen are determined
to go through with the project,
even if it means roughing-in
some features of the one-story
building. He said costs could be
cut by eliminating paving
around the building and rough
ing-in the healing plant and
some plumbing. These items
could be- completed later, when
funds' are available, the mayor
said.
"It would be a sad note for
us not to build it alter going
this far", Mr. Burrell declared,
"and I feel confident they
(aldermen) are going to work
something out."
The low bidders and their
offers are as follows:
General ? Wiley J. Clark,
$38,667; electrical ? J. P. Wurst,
$3,640; heating ? C. E. Holder,
$6,200; plumbing, C. E. Holder,
$3,350.
For the general contract, the
Clark concern was more than
$8,000 below the next highest,
W. C. Norris, who bid $47,500.
Other bidders were W. B. Dil
lard ($49,930), Hollingsworth
Construction Co. ($55,977), Ma
con Construction Co. ($49,000),
Boy Scout Fund
Drive Under Way
"$6 per Scout" is the goal of
the annual Boy Scout tund
drive, which got under way
here Monday.
Hunter Calloway, drive chair
man, said $6 per boy will bring
in the $1,100 needed to finance
the movement in the county in
1955.
Volunteer workers this week
are canvassing the entire coun
ty in an effort to raise the
quota by the end of the week.
Drive strategy was planned
Sunday afternoon at a meeting
presided over by B. L. McGlam
ery, finance chairman of the
Smoky Mountain Boy Scout Dis
trict, at the Franklin Methodist
Church.
The Weather
The week's temperatures and rainfall, as
recorded in Franklin by Manson Stiles,
L\ S. weather observer, and at the Coweeta
Hydrologic Laboratory:
FRANKLIN
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wed., Feb. 9 60 17
Thursday 58 25
Friday 52 14 .27
Saturday 22 6
Sunday 42 2
Monday 36 13 trace
Tuesday 56 17
HIGHLANDS
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wed., Feb. 9 56 23
Thursday 48 24
Friday 32 4 .58
Saturday 28 0 trace
Sunday 36 0
Monday 28 8
Tuesday 57 12
COWEETA
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wed., Feb. 9 60 19
Thursday 60 29
Friday 51 39 .62
Saturday 25 7
Sunday 38 2
Monday 33 14 ? i
Tuesday 55 19