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71st Year ? No. 1
Franklin, N. C., Thursday, January 5, 1956
Fourteen Page?
? Frw Su?!T Pfaota
THERE WONT be any sneakers romping over this floor for
some time. Piled in FVankJin High's new gymnasium, it will not
be installed until the heating work has been completed by a
sob-contractor. Games scheduled (or the gymnasium are now
being chanced.
Franklin High's
Basketball Games
Being Changed
With construction of Franklin
High's new gymnasium far from
complete basketball games slated
to be played in the building are
now being rescheduled.
Ooach Howard Barnwell said
Tuesday that most of the games
will be reshuffled. A revised sche
dule should be ready by next week,
he added.
When planning the cage sche
dule last fall, officials hoped the
$157,000 gymnasium would be com
pleted by the first of the year
and. accordingly all games were
Franklin will play Tuesday
evening in Sylva.
(Wednesday) in an off-campus
and the varsity games will t'ol
f allow.
set here. However, plumbing anil
heating work has slowed construc
tion. The general contractor, Ma
con Construction Company, has
previously said it does not want
to Install the finished flooring in
the building until the heat has
been on for several days. This
will reduce buckling of the floor.
SEE NO. 2. PAGE 10
4 Get Band
Clinic Seats
Pour members of the Macon
County Band have been selected
to participate in the annual area
high school band clinic January
27-28 at Western Carolina Col
lege, according to the director,
T. A. Orr.
Tony On- will play in the clinic
band, while Dwain Horsley, Paul
ette Ward, and Katrina Elmore
have chairs in the workshop band.
Routine Matters
Talked By Board
Routine matters were discussed
by the Franklin Board of Alder
men at a brief session Tuesday
night. No actions were taken of
ficially.
At a call meeting qn December
30, the board outlined several sug
gestions to improve police func
tions. including a schedule for di
recting traffic morning and after
noon at the Franklin and East
Franklin schools.
STUDY COURSE SLATED
A study course entitled "In
dian American" will begin Sun
day evening at 7:30 at the First
Methodist Church, it has been
announced. '
Special Education Program
Here Attracts 160 Pupils
LECTURES HERE
A weU-knowu authority In the
(told of special education. Dr.
Herbert Koepp-Baker, rave his
first lectors here yesterday
(Wednesday in an off-campas
coarse offered by Western Car
olina. College.
He addressed a county-wide
teachers' meeting at East Frank
lin School.
On each Wednesday for the
next quarter. Dr. Koepp-Baker
will teach his course here from
6:30 to 9:39 p. m.
Parents interested in this field
are invited to take the course
and may obtain additional in
formation at the school super
intendent's office.
As a new service offered this
year by the school system, the
special education program has at
tracted 160 children.
Under the supervision of ML>s
Esther Seay, the service at pres
ent offers assistance only to th06e
pupils with speech problems.
An expanded program to em
brace slow learners and those
with hearing problems is antici
pated next year according to
Supt. Holland McSwaln, if:
(1) the state school board will
provide for an additional teacher,
and
(2> a qualified teacher can be
found.
This week, in briefly reviewing
8EF, NO. 1, PAGE 10
Local Men
Listed In
New Group
Five Macon County men are
listed among incorporators of
the new Better Business De
velopment Corporation of North
Carolina, an organization being
pushed by ' Gov. Luther H.
Hodges to develop small Indus
try In the state.
They are John M. Archer, Jr.,
H. L. Bryant, Mayor W. C. Bur
rell, Prank B. Duncan, and C.
Banks Finger.
With an authorized capitali
zation of one million dollars,
the corporation will supply
"venture capital" for business
and Industry in the state. This
authorized figure Is expected to
be raised by the 1st of Janu
ary, following a drive by the
North Carolina Junior Chamber
of Commerce, which Is assisting
Gov. Hodges in the project.
During the preliminary plan
ning, Mr. Finger served as
western representative of the
N. C. J. C. C. committee work
ing with the governor's group.
The Jaycees will begin their
drive for stock subscribers on
January 15 on a state-wide bas
is, according to Mr. Finger.
Whitmire Buys Moore's
Interest In Company
E. J. Whitmire has purchased
Fred A. Moore's interest in Macon
Construction Company and is now
sole owner.
Organized in the late 40's, the
company started sis a rock crush
ing outfit and later expanded op
erations to include highway con
struction and buildings.
Burley Growers
Okay New Quotas
In Referendum
Macon burley growers cast
their lots with the majority
in Western North Carolina -last
Thursday in voting to continue
price supports.
There was no opposition to
the proposal here. The 104 bur
ley growers casting ballots all
voted in favor.
In approving the quotas,
growers also accepted a 15 per
cent cut in acreage allotment
for the year. However, crops
will be available for govern
ment price supports at 90 per
cent of parity.
Bad weather probably cut the
Macon vote slightly, according
to officials overseeing the re
ferendum. County-wide, a total
of 192 burley growers were eligi
ble to vote.
Two polling places were main
tained. one in Franklin at the
Agricultural building, the other
at Nantahala at Warren Owen
by's Store. The county Agri
cultural Stablization and Con
servation committee? Carl Mor
gan, Bill Higdon, and Walter
Taylor ? had charge in Franklin,
while the township A. 8. C.
committee, composed of Turner
May, E. B. May, and G. W.
Owenby, handled arrangements
at Nantahala.
Of a total W. N. C. vote of
10,168, only 450 opposed the
issue.
? Pr*?? sun rtK to
Officials Help With Burley Balloting Here
BUSINESS
WAS GOOD
LAST YEAR
Bank Deposits And
Savings Top Prior
Year, Cashier Says
Agricultural Macon County
found a good business year In
1955, despite the decline In farm
prices.
Spending was vigorous, and in
some cases, as during Christmas,
record-breaking. Bank despc its
topped the '54 figure and sav
ings accounts Jumped more than
$90,000.
Here's the financial picture, in
brief:
Local businessmen report "good"
Increases In sales during '56 rang
ing from a small percentage to
more than 50 per cent for one.
The average, figured by a cross
section survey, is about 10 per
cent.
Deposits at the Bank of Frank
lin at the year's end were more
than $53,000 over the prior ? from
$2,110,189 to $2,164,539.72.
Cashier H. W. Cabe described
the turn over in deposits during
'55 as "much heavier" than In '54.
During the peak in the summer,
deposits at one time went over $2,
300,000, he said.
Savings at the bank jumped
from $362,643 in '84 to $453,000:
an increase of better than $90,
000.
As a further index to "nest
egging" by Maconlans the coun
ty topped its savings bonds quota
of $233,200 by eight per cent In
October. Figures for bond sales
for the remaining two months of
the year have not been made
available.
BOARD WILL
SET MEETS
To Discuss Needs
Of Schools Before
Allocating Money
Supt. Holland McSwaln an
ticipates a call meeting of the
board of education next week
to start planning how to split
Macon's $152,027.87 allocation
for school expansion.
The board did not hold its
regular meeting Monday be
cause of the holiday.
Supt. McSwain said the board
first will set up a schedule of
meetings in school districts to
discuss the needs in each.
No decision as to how to dis
pose of the allocation will be
made until the meetings have
been held, he emphasized.
The superintendent previous
ly has listed lunchrooms at Co
wee and Otto and vocational
shops at Highlands and Nanta
hala as projects under consider
ation.
Men Sidestep
'55 Greetings
For Induction
By using enlistment chan
nels, most of Macon County's
young: men going into uni
form during 1955 sidestepped
greetings from the local selec
tive service board.
For the entire year, only
15 men were actually inducted
into the army by the board,
according to Mrs. Gilmer A.
Jones, secretary.
On the other hand, 192 men
enlisted in the various
branches of service.
Hunting Days
Are Dwindling
Paging all hunters!
Better get in your hunting
licks this month, because, in
case you've forgotten, most
game in this section of the
state will be wrapped In legal
safety on February 1.
The 31st is the deadline for
hunting rabbit, quail, turkey,
and non-native pheasant.
Ruffed grouse (native pheas
ant) may be hunted through
February 15.
SING AT LOl'ISA
Louisa Chapel, throe miles west
of Franklin on US 64. will be the
scene of the second Sunday sing,
according to Tom Henson, secre
tary of the southern sing division.
The sing will open at 1:45 p. m
? Pr*M SUIT thoto
NORTH CAROLINA'S new '56 license plates went on sale here Tuesday morning at the Car
olina Motor Club office in the Western Auto Associate Store. Mrs. Kate Jacobs (left) is shown
waiting on two customers; one holding a new tag. Sales at the office topped 300 and were hlfher
than usoafl for an opening day, it is reported.
DIMES DRIVE
UNDERWAY
'55 Building Boom In Town
Probably Tops In History
Macon Quota $Z,K00;
Carpenter And Morris |
Are Co-Chairmen Here j
Macon's annual "March af
Dimes" polio campaign is being J
kicked off this week under the
co-chairmanship of Dean Carpen
ter and Hewin Morris, both of
Franklin.
The quota is $2,800.
Because of the remarkable
strides made during '55 in fight
ing the crippling dsease, the co
chairman termed it "doubly im
portant" that the county top its
goal this year. 4
They plan to push the cam
paign through the schools, com
munity organizations, and with
special collectors in stores county
? -wide.
A "Mothers' March on Polio" is
row beir.T planned for this
month by the Franklin Junior
Woman's Club. The club presi
dent Miss Lillian Jones, promised
more information on this next
week.
. .
BALDWIN ON LEAVE I
Pfc. Charles D. Baldwin sta- a
tioned at Camp Le Jeune, is spend- 1
ing a 12-day leave here with his v
parents. Mr. and Mrs. Don Bald- c
win. I
Seven-Pounder
Named Watts
Is First Baby
A seven-pound boy named
Bobby Leon Watts is Macon's
first bab.v of 1955.
Born on the 1st shortly
after the old year '55 retreat
ed (2:30 a. m.), Bobby is the
son of Mr. and Mrs. Riley
Watts, of Franklin, Route 5.
Dr. E. W. Fisher attended at
the home delivery.
Later in the day (11:25 a.
m.) Dr. Fisher delivered an
other newcomer at the home
of Mr. and Mrs. Arvil Shelton,
of Franklin, Route 3. Also a.
boy, his name is David Arvil
and he weighed in at six and
a half pounds.
NEW WATER LINE
A new water line is being in
italled from Main Street down
Jatton to the Franklin Laundry
ind Dry Cleaners. Town officials
lope this will remedy a 'dingj
later" complaint frdbi the laun
Iry. which has been served by a
'aimer Street main.
LIMELIGHT OUT ?
?
Beauty Queen Prefers Home
Being a housewife is a lot
more fun than basking in the
limelight of a beauty queen.
So reports the statuesque Mrs.
Zula Kate Smith Welch, the
"Miss North Carolina of the
Rhododendron Festival of 1952."
Tall, blonde, and soft-spoken
the former beauty queen guaii
fies quite well In the housewife
department as the wife of
Harold (Hal) Welch, who met
her while stationed with the
highway patrol In her home
town of Burnsville.
During the day, Mrs. Welch
enhances the Interior beauty
of the new Burlington Indus
tries plant and in the evening
steps into the role of house
wife in their apartment on Bid
well Street.
Sponsored by the Burnsvllle
Woman's Club, Zula Kate won
out over 23 other contestants
in this state in the Rhododend
ron beauty queen contest, which
was staged atop Roan Moun
tain with dignitaries from sur
rounding states on hand. She
and "Miss Tennessee" were
crowned in a joint ceremony
and both reigned over the day's
festivities.
Prior to winning this con
test, the Burnsville beauty was
runnerup in the W. N. C. bur
ley queen contest.
"The limelight is all right,
but not as a steady diet ...
I prefer the life of a house
wife," says contented Mrs.
Welch.
? staff PhfHn i . I. IV llr.ttly
Mrs. Welch ? Housewife Beauty
What is believed to be the big
gest building boom in Franklin's
history was fired by 1955.
"Estimated cost of construction
of eight business buildngs, either
started or finished durnig the
year, hit a conservative $238,000.
while institutional building chalk
ed up an addition $723,000.
New home construction kept
pace with the trend, but figures
on this type were not available.
However, it is believed to have top
ped $175 000.
The biggest single job pushed
during the year was Franklin
High's $157,000 gymnasium to re
place one that burned. Still under
construction, it is expected to be
ready for use by spring.
(Not counted in the above fig
ure, but spent during the year,
was $164.12?.97 for 18 classroom
additions at county schools!.
Other institutional projects were
a Masonic Hall, a town hall, and
a health center.
Here's a rundown of construc
tion started during '55; some jobs
were finished others are still un
der way.
A new grocery store is being
built at the corner of Palmer
and Phillips Street by Glenn Ray.
It is one-story with a full base
ment. Mr. Ray estimates construc
tion costs at $15,000.
A shopping center was con
structed by W. H. Mashburn
at a cost of approximately $25,
000. The one-story building, sit
uated at the intersection of
US 23-441 and US 64 in East
Franklin, has three store units
?a restaurant, operated by A.
G. Cagle; a grocery store, man
aged by Pat Cagle and owned
by Baldwin's; and a jewelry
store, operated by Mr. Mash
burn. \
On the west side of the Little
Tennessee, Sam Gibson and
Hall Callahan constructed a
modern one-story restaurant
building for Mr. and Mrs. Kay
Montague at a cost of about
$12,000.
With th" assistance of the
SEE NO. 3. PAGE 10
Meeting Of Civil
Air Patrol Tonight
Capt. A C. Tysinger has call
ed a meeting of the Franklin
Civil Air Patrol squardon for to
night (Thursday* at 7:30 at the
Agricultural Building.
IIAD A HOT TIME
Broomscctee and brush firts
kept the Franklin Volunteer Fire
Department on the move thio
week. Calls included: Wednesday
December 28. 4:40 p. m.. burning
field near Jack Cruse home just
off US 23-441 (south i ; Tuesday,
12:30 p m broomsedfre blaze on
Baird Cove Road: Tuesday, 3:45
p. m . field blaze in the Blossom
town stretch on ?S 23-441 (south'.
FRANKLIN
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wed.. Do- 28 51 16
The Weather
Thursday
Friday
S iturc'a'y
Sunday
Monday
1 viesiuiy
y 60 27
CO WE ETA
42 31 .17
45 30 .04
'3 10
54 11
56 14
I
Temperature*
High Low Rate i i
Wed., Dec 28
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday