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Entered at Post OOce, Franklin. N. C . u second clan matter
Published every Thursday by The Franklin Press
Franklin. N. O. Telephone 24
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U. N. C. Seeks A President
Because the University of North Carolina not
only belongs to all the people of the state, but also
affects the thinking and the very character of the
state, every North Carolinian has a stake in the se
lection of a new president of that institution.
What kind of man should be chosen? What cri
teria shoirid the trustees set up as they start their
search?
We suggest four.
First of all. the new president should be an edu
cator. /
The practice, of a few years ago, of choosing
men who had made reputations in other fields to
head universities did not work very well. And no
wonder! it would have made quite as good sense
to pick a college professor to command an army
as to pick a general or a politician to lead a college.
There is no great mystery about the purpose of
a university : its function is to educate. And the
man who heads it should be an educator ? one
who, himself, is educated, in the best sense of that
word ; anil one who has an understanding of the
processes of education.
Second, the trustees should select a man because
of his breadth.
There was, and is, considerable evidence that a
major reason for the choice of Gordon Gray, re
tiring U. N. C. president, was the fact he repre
sented the viewpoint of North Carolina business.
No disrespect is meant to Mr. Gray; he did a con
scientious job. Nor should the viewpoint of busi
ness ? or of any other group ? be ignored. But to
select a man, for an educational job, because he rep
resents any one viewpoint is a contradiction in
terms.
The president of the University of North Caro
lina must he a man tolerant enough to comprehend
and appreciate every viewpoint ? but broad enough
to be bound by none.
Third, the man chosen, it seems to us, should
have a deep seated understanding of North Caro
lina, with all its virtues and its faults. Surely actual
bi'th in this state should not be a requirement ; on
tb?' other hand, being a native Tar Ifeel should not,
as some persons seem to feel, be a liability.
North Carolina has its own traditions, character,
and personalitv. Its university inevitably has grown
out of those things; and to be a great university, it
must continue to be distinctively North Carolina.
To do that, it need not be provincial ; every great
individual remains true to the best in his back
ground, remains himself, and the same is true of
institutions. And unless our university remains true
to itself, it is in danger of becoming one of those
characterless, colorless aggregations of buildings,
professors, and students chiefly remarkable for big
ness ? and a winning football team.
If the University is to build honestly and well,
it must build on its own past, and on its state: and
to do that, it must be headed by a man who under
st"nds and loves North Carolina; who knows where
th" University's roots lie. and has learned the feel
of the soil in which they grow.
Finally, and of course most important of all, the
new president must be a great person in his own
rii>ht ? an educator who translates learning into
human values, a man of tolerance and broad hu
nwn sympathy, a leader possessed of vision and
faith and courage.
The worst thine about this matter of second
class citizens is that most of them arc self-made.
The man who feels it his duty to help me over
come my "prejudice" admits to a sense of superior
ity that often is prejudice at its worst.
? Letters
The Highlands Election
Editor, The Press:
I have been requested by a number of citizens and taxpayers,
of the Town of Highlands to write you as to their feelings in
regard to the proposed 33% Increase in the tax rate of High
lands Township for the support of The Highlands Community
Hospital on which tax they are asked to express their approval
or disapproval on the ballot on Tuesday, November 8th.
The Highlands Community Hospital is owned by a private
corporation which is represented by a self-perpetuating board
of trustees who in turn a|?point the board of directors who
operate the hospital. Tour governing body has po control over
the spending of the money that will be raised If this tax is ap
proved. Could it be that this would be "taxation without rep
resentation" over which cftndltlon a war was fought In this
country along about 1776?
Another thing you have probably been told is that this tax
is for a "non-profit" organization. How about our various
churches, the library, the boy and girl scouts and the school
band? They might welcome some tax support also.
It has been said that there are a number of summer vis
itors that would not come to Highlands if there was no hos
pital. It occurs to us that a good water supply and an ade
quate sewer system would attract more people and also be of
much benefit to our year round population. Our governing
body is giving a great deal of thought to the water question
but have found no means of financing the project. How about
a tax for this most important improvement?
In closing it is well to remember that a tax once on the
books is much more liable to be increased from year to year
than it is to be reduced or eliminated.
Whether in favor of or opposed to this increase in your
taxes be sure to get to the polls and cast your ballot. This is
your duty as a citizen.
THOMAS H. TYSON.
Highlands, N. C.
After reading the epitaphs in a cemetery, you wonder where
they bury the sinners.
Others' Opinions
Deny The Allegation
(Engelwood, Calif., Press)
"The man who makes it a habit of his life to go to bed at
nine o'clock, usually gets .rich and is always reliable . . .
Rogues do their work at night. Honest men work by day."
When John Jacob Aster penned the above words of wisdom
STRICTLY
PERSONAL
By WEIMAR JONES
"We must do all we can to
make certain that our young
people get the finest training
possible", remarks The Ashe
ville Citizen. "We must be pre
pared to compete (with the
Communist countries) on the
basis of quality ' alone. Are we
prepared for this? Not in
science and mathematics."
Weli, what about in the field
of self-expression?
That's important, too; for
after all, how far can we get
with people who may know
their mathematics and science,
but are helpless when they want
to convey even the simplest
idea, either orally or in writ
ten form?
STOP IV.
Can we compete, that Is, in
English?
Well, here's one answer; be
low is an English composition
theme said to have been turn
ed in by a freshman at N. C.
State College ? a high school
graduate, mind you:
"HOW TO MELK A COW
"You need several thing to
melk a cow. First a damp cloth
to wipe her urter off with. A
bucket to put the melk in. After
wipping her urter off you can
start to melk. Catch a hold of
one of her melk outlets an
squeeze prety hard. Don't pench
the outlets! Melk each one dry
before you quite. Then put the
melk in a cooler."
r he did a dlaHnet dleeenloe to nmrapapermen. Alkbo^b fen dm
right In respect to wealth, that label of roffM to DM sad
we resent tt.
i
Gentlemen, But Not Nature
(Windsor, Colo., Beacon)
Gentlemen may prefer blonds, but nature doesn't. Science,
in (act, classifies blondness as a "mutation", or genetic disease,
like hairlessness, albinism, and so on.
Ancient history tells of Invasion after Invasion of Africa by
white-skinned Europeans, but they all disappeared in the
course of time because blondes cannot survive for many gen
erations in the tropics.
%
Joe DIMagglo and the rest of us ordinary guys may think
Marilyn Monroe is pretty, and all that, but to the geneticist
she's Just another freak.
Who's Head Man?
(Iowa Falls, Iowa, Citizen)
Who's the "head man?"
People always want to know who the head man i s in any
organization or institution. And in most cases it is pretty
simple to determine.
Who's the head man in the United States? Why, the Presi
dent of course.
Who's the head man in this or any other state? Why, the
governor of course.
Who's the head man of your city? The mayor.
Who's the head man of the school system? The superinten
dent.
Who's the head man at your church? The preacher.
But pray tell, who's the head man at the county courthouse?
You might say that it is the chairman of the Board of
Supervisors. Possibly. But actually the chairman of the Board
of Supervisors has little if any control over the other elected
officials in the courthouse. They all received their mandate and
orders directly from the people? just the same as the Chair
man of the Board of Supervisors did.
Actually there Is no head man in county government ? and
that is one of its weaknesses.
Better Schools
(A. C. L. News)
There is currently a campaign on throughout the nation for
better schools. Certainly that is a worthy aim. But we should
ask, "Better schools for what?" and "What makes a better
school?'" t
We are reminded of the man who said he wanted work.
When it was pointed out that he could push a big rock up
and down a hill, he said it wasn't the work he wanted but
the money. Then it developed that it wasn't really the money
but the food and clothing and shelter that money would buy.
In the long run, what the man really wanted was the peace
of his own conscience and the feeling of personal security ac
complished by seeing the needs of his family and himself ful
filled according to his own standards of what was right and
just.
In the long run what we want when we say we want bet
ter schools is the kind of guidance for our children that will
help them to distinguish truth from falsehood, good from bad,
and the courage to find pleasure in striving toward the right,
with the hope of a better world for themselves and for all men.
Our children must be given the toughness to meet the
world they live in and be a part of it. They must be taught
that there are many values and many standards and that they
must establish their own. They must learn to do their own
thinking. They must be given a vision of a worthwhile goal
which they can press toward in the effort to make a better
world.
And they must be helped in finding the wisdom to accept
disappointment and apparent failure or to meet triumph and
success without letting either make its impression beyond its
proper merits.
In reality a school is not in its buildings nor in its texts;
it is in the people who teach.
Talk Of Abolishing Public Schools Is Stupid, Crazy, Mad
Roy Parker. Jr.. in Northampton County Neva
Stop it. Stop it. Stop it All
this completely idiotic talk
about "abolishing the public
schools in North Carolina."
Even Luther Hodges, Governor
of the state, has joined in such
stupid, crazy, mad talk. Even to
mention such a thing ? especial
ly to mention it in the stilted
prose and unctious phraseology
of "offiqial comment" ? is com
parable to talking about cut
ting one's throat, leaping off a
bridge, hanging oneself from
the basement crossbeam.
The public school system of
North Carolina is one of the
few things material at which
we can "point with pride."
Read the lists ? North Carolina
is forty-third in this, forty
fifth in that, fortieth in anoth
er. But our public school sys
tem, despite its ever present
needs, is a wealth? in plant and
personnel and service ? for
which no Tar Heel need apolo
gize.
If Luther Hodges, or mem
bers of the Advisory Committee,
or anyone else who talks, even
In "possibilities." of dolnf away
with public schools, would read
again the ttory of public educa
tion in North Carolina, they
would pray God for forgiveness
for suggesting such madness . . .
If they would review how for
50 years a small group of men
patiently battled, talked, wrote
and strove to get even a mod
icum of public education . . .
how Murphey, Caldwell, a Hare
from Hertford, a Cherry from
Bertie, year after year prevail
ed on their fellow citizens to
lift themselves from the utter
poverty of ignorance . . . how a
delicately-nurtured system went
under after the strife of civil
war, and came back, slowly,
painfully, and with great sacri
fice.
What else does this state
have but Its people ... no
wealth, no natural advantages
(except for the recreationally
mlnded), no hope. Except for its
people, North Carolina would be
a backwater of the nation. For
fifty years, we were the "Rip
Van Winkle State." That was
the time when there were no
public schools, when half the
population could not even spell
its name.
No man, or (roup of men,
has the right in 1995, because
of a problem purely transitory,
to even suggest that North
Carolina stop the public educa
tion of its people. Too many
people have suffered and work
ed and striven to give us the
chances we have now.
I, of course, don't know what
is going on in the inner circles
of state policy-making in Ral
eigh. Perhaps Governor Hodges
and the Advisory Committee
think that by even suggesting
abolishment of the school sys
tem they will rally to arms
those who oppose such a move.
Well, Brother Hodges and gen
tlemen, you have certainly done
it. But the public school system
is something too vital ? it is the
only thing vital besides our
churches ? to even use in such
a slick opinion-molding opera
tion. To do so Is treading on
the edge of a Bit. If the people
of this state nave not gotten
out of their school system the
education and Insight to can
didly meet the problems of the
day without having to be trick
ed Into It, then we are all liv
ing in a fool's paradise.
If the gentlemen are honest
ly even suggesting the "poasl
bility" of abolishing the North
Carolina public school system ?
even by slick methods which
such states as South Carolina
and Mississippi have suggested,
then they are talking the talk
of madmen and fools, and the
quicker someone of more men
tal brawn takes over the stew
ardship of North Carolina, the
better.
The things those charged
with running this state should
be talking about, worrying
about, moving to meet, are
those things reported by a spe
cial survey prepared last week.
Said the survey: "By 1960,
North Carolina's public school
system will need 10,930 new
classrooms, 359 more auditori
ums, 807 more lunchrooms, 1,
004 new libraries, 578 new
science rooms, 512 new home
economics rooms. This is just
in plant. New methods must be
devised to better equip our peo
ple for living in an Atomic Age.
New looks must be taken at
the quality and effectiveness of
our public school education.
Oet to these things. And stop,
stop, stop even the parlor-room
talk about "abolishing the pub
lic school system."
News Making
As It Looks
To A Maconite
? By BOB SLOAN
"Princess Margaret, torn be
tween the dictate of her heart
and a tenet of her church,
talked alone today with the
Archbishop of Canterbury."
"Margaret Smiles Despite Warn
ing." "Princess Margaret and
Peter Townsend met again at
tea time and went partying
again tonight." "The romance
has enthralled the romantic,
annoyed the traditlonals, and
diverted the curious."
As all readers will realize, the
above >rn
quotas from
stories by na
tional news
agencies pub
lished on the
front page of
the chief daily
newspaper that
serves this
area. In the
past four is
owvb ummc UUU1 flllf W
50 Inches of
front page space have been fill
ed with this type of material.
Inside pages have carried much
more of the same type of drivel.
Because I think that news
papers have an obligation to
separate the wheat from the
trash in publishing news, I feel
that people who are interested
in journalism as a true profes
sion should wince with pain at
the travesty that is being car
ried on in the name of their
chosen profession. Most of them
do, I feel sure.
If and when Princess Marga
ret should marry, Peter Town
send or some one else, it is
news, but for the life of me I
can't see how the details of her
social life up mntil that time
warrant front page play in
American news organs.
* ? *
I do not know if the funds
are available but there is one
project I wish the town boaxd
would carry out as soon as is
possible ? if not sooner! That
is the construction of a side
walk, gravel if they can't af
ford cement, from a point about
George Reece's or Lee Barnard's
store on U. S. 64 to the inter
section of U. S. 64 and U. S.
441 at Phillips Service Station.
A large number of school chil
dren and other pedestrians have
to walk this route and there is
no place for them to walk ex
cept in the highway which is
heavily traveled. A great dan
ger exists here for both the
mdtorist and the person on
foot.
I
Do You
Remember?
(Looking backward tbroarb
the files of The Pren)
50 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
The attention of The Press
was called a few days ago to
the condition of the jury room
in the Court house opposite
Major Rankin's office. It is a
disgrace to the county. The
county commissioners should
take a peek into the room and
proceed to have it put in de
cent shape.
Next Saturday is the day set
for the Confederate Veterans
picnic here in town. To make
the occasion interesting, let all
bring a good sized basket filled
with rations and have a good
time, particularly at dinner
time.
Mr. and Mrs. W. G Bulgin
and daughter, Bessie, left Mon
day for Los Angeles, Calif., to
spend the winter with Mr. Bui
gin's son. the Rev. E. J. Bulgin.
They expect to return by next
April.
25 YEARS AGO
Miss Elizabeth Womack was
visiting her brother, Mr. John
Womack. in Asheville, this past
week-end.
Mr. C. W. Teague's two sons,
of Prentiss, have been spend
ing several days with their
brother in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Mrs. Maxine Sprinkle return
ed home from La Grange, Ga.,
where she attended the Geor
gia and Alabama annual con
ference of the Pentecostal A. B.
Holiness Church. She also vis
ited friends in Toccoa, Ga.,
while away.
10 YEARS AGO
A meeting of the Highlands
United War Relief Fund work
ers has been called for Thurs
day night by the chairman, S.
C. Russell, when plans will be
made for a final thorough can
vass of the town Friday ?High
lands item.
At the Western Carolina baby
beef show and sale at Asheville
129 4-H and F.F.A. members ex
hibited and sold 154 fat steers.
The grand champion brought
52Vic a pound.