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JRaetroinn
70th Year ? No. 52
Franklin, N. C., Thursday, December 29, 1955
Twelve Pages
Dr. Koepp-Baker To Speak
Here On Special Education
Dr. Herbert Koepp-Baker,
head of the special education
department of Western Carolina
College, is to be guest speaker
at a county-wide teachers'
meeting Wednesday, at 3:30 p.
m. at Bast Franklin School.
He will speak on special ed
ucation techniques, a field in
which be is well-known
throughout the country.
Ibis will serve as the first of
a series of lectures to be given
hereafter by Dr. Koepp-Baker
each Wednesday evening from
6:30 to 9:30, as an off-campus
course offered by W. C. C. A
survey course, it will deal with
the different types of exception
children, the needs of each,
and the educational problems
involved in dealing with them.
Presiding at the teachers'
meeting will be Mrs. Dora G.
Carpenter, president of the
local unit of the N. C. Educa
tion Association.
Youth Stabbed;
2 Free On Bond,
Third Sought
Ernie Sanders, about 18, is re
covering in a local hospital from
stab wounds received Saturday
night in an afrray near the
Black Mountain church In the
South Skeenah section.
Free on $500 bonds each, on
charges of participating in an
affray, are Beecher Hodglns,
about 20, and Talvern Banders,
about 16, according to the sher
iff's department, which investi
gated the Incident.
Sheriff J. Harry Thomas said
a warrant is still outstanding
against Bryant Hodglns. He had
not been located Tuesday after
noon.
The officer said the details
surrounding the fight are
sketchy.
Taken to Angel Clinic for
treatment, the Injured youth is
reported to have been stabbed
In his chest, thigh, and arm.
Christmas Mail Load Sets
All-Time Record At Office
Although the Christmas mall
load hit an all-time high at
the Franklin Post Office, pub
lic cooperation helped employes
turn It over without needing
extra help.
"There was no last minute
rash like last year," Postmaster
Zefc Meadows noted Tuesday,
"The people seemed to cooper
ate more by mailing cards and
packages early."
While no extra hands were
put on during the rush month,
the postmaster said the office
logged 56 more work hours than
last December. This overtime
was spread among the regular
employes, he explained.
In setting an all-time record,
first class mail cancellations
(cards and letters) hit 147,800,
as compared with 131,200 last
year. These figures are for De
cember 1-24.
Incoming mail ? letters and
parcel post ? was considerably
heavier this season, Mr. Mea
dows reported, probably 15-20
per cent higher. It also about
doubled out-going mall at the
office.
For the 14-day period preced
ing Christmas, It Is estimated
that more than 2,500 pieces of
out-going parcel post were
handled.
Under the load, rural carriers
ran an average of two hours
behind their regular delivery
times, Mr. Meadows said.
The 19th (Monday) was the
peak day at the office, with
21,000 first class cancellations.
Rotary Club Changes
Weekly Meeting Day
The Franklin Rotary Club,
which for many years has met
on Wednesdays, last week voted
to change the day to Thursday.
Starting next week, meetings
will be held Thursdays at 6:30
p. m. (instead of 7). The club
will continue to meet at the
Slagle Memorial Building.
The decision to change the
meeting day was reached after
considerable discussion.
Otto's Winning Christmas Lighting Display
Franklin Yule
Contest Winners
Are Announced
A secret panel of judges
found picking winners in the
Franklin Garden Club's annual
Christmas lighting contest a
difficult chore, according to
Mrs. E. C. Kingsbery, chairman
in charge.
Selected last Thursday night,
the top places are:
Public Building ? Franklin
High School.
Commercial Building ? Burl
ington Industries, inc.
Outdoor Scene ? Mr. and Mrs.
Wayne Proffitt.
Home Window? Mr. and Mrs.
J. C. Jacobs.
Door Decorations ? Mr. and
Mrs. Harve L. Bryant.
Wrought iron and brass items
were given as prizes by the
club.
Honorable mentions went to
Mr. and Mrs. James Hauser and
Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Wilhide, for
outdoor scenes, to Dr. and Mrs.
G. R. McSween, for home win
dow, and Mr. and Mrs. J. Ward
Long, for door decorations.
? Pt*?? Staff Photo*
FLANKED BY LOADED parcel post carts, three employes of the Franklin Post Office <L to R) T. l>. Jamison, Woodrow
ritwin. and Mrs. Catherine Deal, are shown tackling the record-breaking flood of mail produced by Christmas 1955. Em
ployes managed to keep pace with the flow without needing extra help, but logged 55 more work hours during December
than last year.
Otto Community Winner
Of County Lighting Contest
Otto community's nativity
scene took first place and $30
in the annual Christmas light
ing contest sponsored by the
Nantahala Power and Light
Company.
Runnersup, and the prize
rtvoney they received, were Co
wee, 2nd. $25; Cullasaja. third,
$20; Higdonville, 4th, $15; and
Iotla, 5th, $10.
Otto's winning scene was a
colorful thre?- section display
done in relief. Small figures in
the center panel were sawed to
scale and hand-painted. The
display was set up on the
grounds at the Coweeta Baptist
Church.
Other organized communities
participating included Cartooge
chaye, Bethel, Carson. Clark's
Chapel, Holly Springs. Patton,
and Upper Cartoogechaye.
Cullasaja and Cowee had na
tivity scenes, Higdonville's fea
tured angels singing, and iotla's
display was of Shepherds and
the Star of Bethlehem.
NOMINEES
ARE ASKED
'Young Man* Award
To Be Presented
Here In February
Nominations for "Macon
County's Young Man of the
Year" are arriving daily and
are being studied by a secret
selection committee, according
to C. Jack Ragan, chairman of
the Jaycee-spon sored event.
Any young man not over the
age of 38 by December 31 Is
eligible to be nominated for the
annual award, which honors
the recipient for his contribu
tions to his community.
Announcement of the '54
winner will feature a special
banquet tentatively scheduled
for February 3. He will be pre
sented a "Distinguished Service
Award" key.
Mr. Ragan emphasized that
membership in the Jaycees is
not necessary for a young man
to be nominated. Organizations
and communities submitting
nominees for the award should
also include a list of the in
dividual's accomplishments dur
ing the year.
The secret selection commit
tee is composed of non-Jaycees.
License Tags
To Go On Sale
Next Tuesday
North Carolina's '56 license
tag* go on sale In Franklin
Tuesday morning.
Deadline tor purchasing a
license ? one to a car this year
Is February 15.
Issuing his annual plea to
motorists to "buy early and
avoid that last-minute rush",
Verlon Swafford, manager of
the Carolina Motor Club office,
yesterday said, by order of the
Department of Motor Vehicles,
that no special license number
can be reserved by motorists.
* The number series for the
local office will be MC-9201
through MC-9999 and MD-1
through MD-2900.
Office hours will be 9 a. m.
to 4 p. m.
The C.M.C. office is in the
rear of the Western Auto Asso
ciate Store on Main Street.
Seal Sale $75
Away From Goal
Macon is short $75 of reach
ing its $600 goal in the annual
Christmas seal sale staged by
the Macon Tuberculosis Asso
ciation.
The sale chairman, Fred
Dowdle, reported Tuesday after
noon that $525 was on hand.
Nine hundred letters, each
containing 100 seals, were mail
ed to local c'tizens with a re
quest for $1 contributions.
Basketball In Gymnasium
This Season Is Unlikely
At present, it appears unlike
ly that basketball will be play
ed in Franklin High's $157,000
gymnasium this season.
The building is still in various
stages of construction.
E. J. Whitmire, general man
ager of Macon Construction
Company, this week said the
building probably will not be
ready for use before late Feb
ruary or March.
In the fall, school officials
optimistically scheduled games
for the gymnasium beginning
January 10 and had hoped to
hold the Smoky Mountain Con
ference playoffs here.
Games for the remainder of
the year will be rescheduled
when school reopens next week.
They probably will be held on
the same dates, but will be
played in the gymnasiums of
opponents.
Non-Conference Tilts
Meanwhile, Franklin boys
have scheduled a non-confer
ence tilt with Swain High in
Bryson City tomorrow ( Friday ?
night. A preliminary event be
tween the freshman boys' teams
of the two schools is set for 7
o'clock and the varsities will
meet later in the evening. The
girls will not play.
"Tuesday, another non-confer
ence game is set for the boys
and girls at Clyde A. Erwin
High School in Buncombe Coun
ty, where Ralph L. Smith, for
mer F. H. S. principal, is prin
cipal. The girls will start off
this meeting at 7:30.
The next conference game is
January 10 with Sylva.
1955 Chronology Offers Proof That Plenty Of Things DO Happen In Macon County
tutor's Note: Might as well discard, for rood, that
hacknied old phrase, "Nothing ever happens here". And
the reasoning Is sound. Macon County is probably, for
its size, one of the most active spots on the face of the
earth. The following chronology should prove this con
tention, at least for 1955. Naturally, all events could
not be covered in this resume' of the year's passage,
and we might have overlooked some important ones. Be
that as it may ? here 'tis!
JANl'AJtY ? Macon Representa
tive O. L. Houk reported to
Raleigh and took his seat with
the General Assembly . . . Rose
Marie Mass, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Clyde Moss, of Highlands.
Buck Creek Route. ?u Macon's
first baby of 1955. born on the
3rd . . . alter being closed for
nearly a year, the Skyway Hotel
In Franklin reopened . . . ground
work for a county fair was laid
by a group of Interested citizens
. . . Nantaliala Creamery, with a
rating of 98.93. topped the state
in sanitation, and possibly the
rest of the country ... a $50,000
check from the state treasurer
arrived here for the construction
of Franklin's new town hall . . .
a job training program for the
Burlington. Industries. Inc.. plant
here was announced . . . The
Franklin Press won first place
among weekly newspapers in the
state for its editorial page . . .
the first meeting to organize a
Centennial committee in Franklin
was held.
FEBRUARY? Edwin T. Will
lams. Franklin High teacher, was
honored as "Macon County's
Young Man of the Year" by the
Franklin Jaycees . . . fire destroy
ed the casino at the Highlands
Country Club . . . W. W. Reeves
was reelected president of tho
Franklin Chamber of Commerce
. . . Fred Deal and Johnny Kins
lane". Macon farmers, attended a
two-week short course in modem
farming at N. C. State College
under the sponsorship of the N. C.
Bankers Association . . . W. N.
Cook. 76-year-old retired Baptist
pastor, was honored for his service
at a special "W. N. Cook Day"
at the First Baptist Church . . .
A. B. Slagle received a 60-year
veteran's emblem for service in
the Junaluskce Lodge. No. 145.
AF and AM, from the Rev. Robert
L. Pugh. most worshipful grand
master of the order . . . Cullasaj*
School, with a 96. got the highest
rating of any food handling estab
lishment in the county . . bid.s
for Franklin's new town hall were
opened and proved to be too high
for the money on hand, but town
officials decided to rough-in fea
tures rather than cut specifica
tions .... "Hearts of Stone."
hit' song of the nation, had a
Macon connection in its author.
Eddie Ray. son of Mr. and Mrs.
Andrew Ray. well-known Frank
llti Negroes . . . Franklin's girl
basketballers won the division ?
crown for the third straight year ]
but lost in the conference tournu
ment to a sextet from Andrews j
. . . the Rev. John J. Buell re- ]
signed as pastor of the Highlands '
Baptist Church to acci-pt the pas
torate of the First Baptist Churcn
in Jonesboro. Ga.
MARCH? A total of $850,000
was made available for construc
tion of US 23-441 from Franklin
to the Georgia state line . . Mrs. i
Catherine Henry was elected ma
tron and Prelo Dry man. worthy
SXE NO. 1, PAOE 4
CHRISTMAS
55 LEAVES
MEMORIES
Maconians Celebrate
Yule With Variety
Of Special Events
Christmas 1955 ? now com
mitted to history ? willed many
memories to Maconians.
As Is traditional here, citi
zens acknowledged the deep re
ligious significance of the holi
day with a wide range of ac
tivities In schools, churches, and
homes; from school plays to
special cantatas and religious
events.
For some the Christmas week
end sounded a tragic note, but
for the majority it was the big
gest and best yet.
Business Tops
Business-wise, the Christmas
season topped all others in total
sales, with at least one Frank
lin store reporting December re
ceipts 80 per cent over last
year. Although this startling
figure was not general among
merchants, mast reported re
ceipts up between 10 and 12
per cent for the entire month.
One Accident
Safety-wise, motorists In the
county made It through the
long week-end without a
scratch. Only one minor acci
dent, Involving one vehicle, was
reported.
To point up the state's all
out safety campaign, patrolmen
set up wrecked car displays
along the highways and at in
tersections.
Deaths In Family *
Two deaths within two days
turned the holidays into days of
sorrow for a Cabe family here.
Thomas Jasper Cabe, 83, of the
Tessenta section, died Friday at
the home of a daughter, Mrs.
Tom Hopkins, on Franklin,
Route 2. On Christmas day, his
sister, Mary Ella Cabe, 75, be
came Swain County's ninth
highway fatality when she died
in a hospital of injuries receiv
ed when struck by an automo
bile near Cherokee,
Destroys Home
Christmas 1955 was dimmed,
also, for Mr. and Mrs. Kay
Montague, operators of the
"Dixie Grill" in Franklin. Fri
day night, while they were
away on a holiday trip down
east, fire destroyed their home
on US 23-441 (east). j
Mail Load Highest
A flood of Christmas mail and
packages through the Franklin
Post Office was a record breakr
er and will give the office em
ployee something to talk about
in the coming mojiths. Despite
the highest load in history,
however, the olfice managed
to keep abreast without adding
extra help.
Spring Weather
On a cheerier note, spring
like weather prevailed over the
week-end. Late shoppers on
jjpv - paok 12
Burley Tobacco
Voting Today
A referendum today (Thurs
day) will voice burley tobacco
growers' approval or disapprov
al of quotas during 1956-57 at
a guaranteed rate of 90 per
cent parity.
With the exception of those
in the Nantahala townships,
all Macon burley growers will
cast ballots a( the Agricultural
Building in Franklin. Nantahala
growers are voting at Warren
Owenby's Store.
Polls will open at 9 a. m. and
close at 6 p. m.
The Weather
Thr wi-?k's temrwratun* and rainfall, mm
ni-ortbil in Franklin by Man-ntn
I . S. v-rather observer; in Highland* by
I udo r N. Hull and W. C. Newton, TV A
ob-^rver: and ;it Uv ( \>wf?>ta Hydrolofric
FRANKLIN
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wed., Dec 21 43 17
Thursday 54 18
Friday 60 20
Saturday 69 42
Sunday 74 40
Monday 63 32
Tuesday 59 39
COWEETA
Temperatures
Hhth Low Rain
Wed.. Dec. 21 42 18
Thursday 50 20
Friday 61 23 trace
Saturday 69 41 trace
Sunday 73 40
Monday 5? SO
Tuesday 54 40