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Second class mall privileges authorised at Franklin, N. C.
Published every Thursday by The Franklin Press
Telephone 24 I
WXQIAR JONES . . .
BOB 8. SLOAN . . . .
J. P. BRADY ....
ROLFE NEILL
UBS. ALLEN SILEB . . .
ICRS. STANLEY E. PENLAND
CARL P. CA BE ....
FRANK A. 8TARRETTE .
O. B. CRAWFORD . . .
CHARLES E. WHITTINOTON
DAVID H. 8UTTON . . .
Editor
. . Advertising Manager
. . News Editor-Photographer
. t Reporter
Society Editor-Office Manager
. . Proofreader
. . . Operator-Machinist
Compositor
...... Stereotypes
Commercial Printer
SUBSCRIPTION RATE8
Outbids Macon County
One Year $3.00
fllx Month* 1.71
Three Months .... 1-00
Two Tears W
Three Tears .... 7.30
INSXDK MACON COUNTY
One Tear $2 JO
Six Month* I T#
Three Months .... 1.00
Two Tetri 4J5
Three Tear* 0 00
DECEMBER 27, 1956
Basic Question
i / ?
We in the mountains like a man to say what he
thinks. So we make our best mountain manners to
Federal Judge William H. Atwell, of Dallas, Texas.
The Supreme Court's segregation decision is not
based on law, judge Atwell says flatly; "but rath
er on what the Court regards as . . . authoritative,
modern psychological knowledge".
Judge Atwell may be wrong. But that is not the
point. The point is that surely, among the hundreds
of federal judges in this county, there are others
who hold the same view. Yet, in the two and a half
years since the segregation decision not one has
dared express it.
And there is a second point, even more important
than the character of our federal judges. Judge At
well may be wrong; but he could be right. And if
he is, then we are faced with a much more funda
mental question than that of segregation. We are
face to face with the question of whether we in this
country shall continue to be governed by law or
whether we are to be governed by a judicial oli
garchy.
Fitting
We, in this community, can never hope to get
ahead through sheer size and quantity ; natural
conditions and circumstances make that almost
impossible. If we are to excel, we must do so
through such qualities as originality and simplic
ity.
We are blessed that the situation forces this
choice upon us. First of all, because those are
among the qualities of all true greatness, whether
of an individual or a people ; thus we must empha
size qualities that tend toward greatness. Second ?
and less important ? such qualities pay far hand
somer dividends, in dollars as well as inner satis
faction, than size and quantity ever can. And we are
blessed again that we, as a .people, are richly en
dowed with originality and .simplicity.
It was fitting, therefore, that the judges of the
Rural Community Development Christmas lighting
contest should have put major emphasis on these
two things in selecting the first-place winner.
The Higdonville Community is to be congratu
lated not only on winning the first prize, but even
more on putting emphasis where it belongs.
If Winter Comes . , .
Somebody (the weatherman, maybe) said it was
supposed to be the first day of winter last Friday,
but apparently, nobody told winter. The day was as
beautiful as any of spring's daughters.
Picknickers at Arrowood Glade, a summer suit on
one fellow we saw, cardinals and woodpeckers in
evidence, a greater number than usual of cars go
ing the wrong way on one-way streets ? what bet
ter signs of spring than these?
Besides, whatever the weather, now that winter
is officially here, we can take heart. For "if Vvinter
comes, can spring be far behind?"
Add Definitions
Here are some definitions given by the Bulletin
Free Press, a Colorado newspaper:
A recession is a period when you tighten your belt. In a
depression yon have no belt to tighten. When you have
a* pants to hold up it's a panic.
And when you haven't even underwear, we sup
pose, it is naked inflation.
Insane Idea
The U. S. Constitution provides that if the Presi
dent is unable to perform his duties, the Vice Pres
ident shall do so. But it fails to say how Presiden
tial disability shall be determined, or by whom.
The Congressional Quarterly reports that a
House committee is drafting legislation to settle
the question ; it would authorize the Vice President
to decide when the President is incapacitated.
That's right, the Vice President ! The man who
rarely is either a physician or a psychiatrist, the
man who often is completely out of sympathy with
the President's program, and the man who has
most to gain, in power and prestige, by having the
President declared unable to perform his duties ?
the man, in fact, who probably sought the Presi
dency in the first place, but had to settle for the
second honor.
Isn't that a little like letting a husband or wife
determine when his or her spouse is crazy enough
to be put out of the way ? in an insane asylum?
1
I Others' Opinions
(Opinions expressed In this space are not necessarily those
I ef The Press. Editorials selected for reprinting here. In fact,
are cboeen with a view to preeentlng a variety of viewpoints.
They are. that Is, Just what ths caption says ? OTHER*
Opinions.)
The Easy Way Is Seldom Best
(Rocky Mount Telegram)
An amazingly cavalier and contemptuous reason Is being
advanced In behalf of the Weathers Commission's legislative
reapportionment plan by the Sanford Herald and echoed by
the Greensboro Daily News. The idea is that the Commission's
compromise program is more acceptable because It avoids a
dreadful pitfall inherent in the Weimar Jones minority plan,
a snare which the Herald describes as follows:
"We wonder If North Carolinians would obtain represen
tation by the best minds under a system of the counties
being limited to a single representative (as under the
Jones proposal). Because North Carolina Is principally
rural, the house would be characterized by a rural out
look. The influence of urbanism would be mostly in the
senate (which Jones would limit to 50 on a population
basis.) Compromise would have to be worked out on an
inter-chamber rather than an lntra-chamber basis, which
involves many disadvantages."
In refutation we can only quote the great jurist, Oliver
Wendell Holmes, who once observed that "no generalization,
including this one, is worth a damn." It seems to us that the
theory expounded by the Sanford Herald and the Greensboro
Daily News that the urban areas will produce more enlight
ened legislators is based on an untenable generalization which
history Itself effectively denies. Some of the nation's leading
statesmen, including such towering figures as Washington,
Jefferson, Madison, Jackson, Lincoln and Woodrow Wilson,
sprang from rural backgrounds and more often than not rep
resented rural areas. The same is true of North Carolina's
greatest sons.
This erroneous assumption is compounded by the view that
the enlightened, urban-elected Senate would be constantly
deadlocked with the dumb clucks In the House, elected by the
rural counties.
The Sanford Herald, having ruled out the possibility of
compromise between these supposedly impossible-divergent
legislative branches, then cities compromise as the best de
fense for the Weathers report:
"Compromise Is the key to successful legislation. It Is the
key, too, to an effective system of legislative representa
tion. While compromise weakens the Weathers report, it
strengthens it also, for it affords It a definite chance of
enactment and constitutional amendments being Involved,
ratification."
This labored rationalization of the Weathers Commission
recommendation only strengthens our belief in the Jones mi
nority position. In the first place, it is difficult for us to imag
ine any such weird coalescing of rural and urban representa
tion as that projected by our Piedmont colleagues.
It seems to us that the experience of Congress, where one
house is based solely on population and the other on geogra
phical representation, serves as the most convincing argument
for the soundness of the Jones position.
North Carolinians should think long and hard before amend
ing the constitution to provide for a hodge-podge of represen
tation based in part on population in both houses simply be
cause such a plan is believed to have the best chance of adopt
ion. The easy way is seldom the best way.
When you make your buy-word cash, it's a lot easier to get
away from worry.
Letters
Glaring Deficiencies
Dear Mr. Jones:
I am attaching a clipping from the front page of the Dec.
11 issue of The Asheville Citizen for fear that you may have
overlooked it, or failed to attach the proper importance to it.
Also enclosed are copies of letters to the Macon County
Commissioners and the Macon County Board of Education
(copies of which were given to your paper) from the commit
tee of Macon County Parent-Teacher Associations dated June
29, 19^6.
These documents are presented to you with the suggestion
that they be printed as a service to the people of Macon
County. A a a further suggestion I believe the Question No. 3
of your "Post-Election Questions" editorial of Nov. 15 is worthy
of being re -printed. It should also be Interesting to have a
report on the response. If any, you have received to your
thought-provolclng question.
In your editorial, you stated "These questions are raised as
criticism of nobody". As editor of a newspaper this statement
was probably a diplomatic necessity. As an Independent vot
ing citizens, I do not feel the need for such diplomacy. I firm
ly believe that every citizen of the county has a right to criti
cise the county commissioners, the board of education, the
superintendent of the county schools, and the board of elec
tions (as well as any other officials responsible) for the glar
ing deficiencies of Macon County.
If the present county commissioners refuse to announce a
percentage of value for which property should be listed for
tax purposes, (and take whatever additional steps are necessary
to correct alleged inequities) and provide sufficient tax qioney
for the necessary operations of the schools, they should be re
placed at the next election. After all, If anyone Is being short
changed by the present tax listing methods, it is the small tax
payers and they should certainly represent the majority at
the polls.
The idea of replacement should hold true for all other coun
ty officials, If they fail to meet the standards expected.
Sincerely,
FRED C. VAUGHN >
Franklin.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: The Asheville Citizens news story Mr.
Vaughn refers to carried an announcement that the Buncombe
County Board of Tax Supervision had set 40 per cent of the
current market value as the amount at which real estate In
Buncombe County Is to be listed for taxes. This action follow
ed and was based on a two-year reappraisal survey of Bun
combe County real estate, made by an out-of-county concern.
The survey was designed to set fair market value on each piece
of real estate In Buncombe County.
The Question No. 3 in The Press editorial of November 15
asked:
"Why must our voting facilities suggest the American pio
neer period? Booths made of unpalnted boards, the entrances
covered with half-curtains of ragged and frayed burlap; and,
within the booth, a cardboard shelf ? sometimes broken In
two ? on which to place the ballot for marking. Voting Is a
sacrtd privilege and a grave responsibility. It should be a
dignified process. Is Macon County so poor that It cannot
provide facilities that lend an air of dignity? so poor the
facilities cannot be at least neat?"
(Of the two letters of last July from the Parent-Teacher
Associations Special Committee, the one to the board of edu
cation informed that body that a letter was being sent to the
board of county commissioners and Included tables of budget
figures. The second letter, which was presented to the county
commissioners by Mr. Vaughn, made four recommendations.
Each of those recommendations was summarized In a front
page news story In The Press of last July 5 For the informa
tion of the public, however, we are glad to comply with Mr.
Vaughn's request that it be published In full. It appears be
low.)
County Commissioners
Macon County
Franklin, North Carolina
Gentlemen:
1 we have been Informed that the Board of Education has
Instructed the County Superintendent to include an additional
amount of approximately $18,000.00 in the School Budget for
the year 1956-1957 under the items of Operation of Plant
(Utilities, Sanitation and Janitorial Supplies, etc.) and Malnt
anance of Plant. The figure for the first item in the 1955
1956 budget was $9,950.00. Of this amount $7,900.00 was ex
pected to be required for Water, Light, and Power and $1,
700.00 for Fuel, leaving only the small amount of $350.00 for
all other operational needs. Of the $14,600.00 figure for the
second item approximately $6,000.00 was for salaries, leaving
only $8,600 to cover repair and maintenance needs of 14 build
ings.
In order to relieve the teachers and principals in our schools
of the burden of operating candy stores, and the PTA's of
raising funds for school operation and maintenance, and to
distribute the burden of supporting our schools among all tax
payers, we recommend that you provide these necessary addi
tional funds from County Tax moneys by approving these
Items of the budget as presented to you.
2 ? In studying the Audit Reports for the years 1953-1954
and 1954-1955 and the 1955-1956 Budget we note a Contribu
tion To Debt Servioe in the amount of approximately $3,000.00
(to cover repayment of loan obtained to build Chapel School)
listed in the Disbursement of Current Operating Expense. It
is also understood that similar arrangements may be made to
repay another $28,000.00 loan which was obtained to complete
the High School Gymnasium.
In order to relieve the Current Operating Expense Budgets
of these Capital Outlay Expenditures we recommend that ar
rangements be made to repay these loans from Capital Out
lay Funds and proper steps be taken to prevent future ex
penditures from Current Operating Funds to cover Capital
Outlay Expenditures,
3 ? In view of the $16,920.00 figure for Transportation (most
of which covers salaries of bus drivers) in the 1955-1956 Budg
et, we suggest the consideration of replacing the adult bus
drivers with student (or teacher?) drivers wherever possible
in order to effect needed economies. Student bus drivers have
proven themselves to be safe drivers throughout the state and
we can see no need for any concern in this respect.
4? In talking with members of the various PTA's in prepa
ration for the filing of these recommendations this committee
found a majority of those citizens expressing themselves on
the subject to be In favor of providing additional tax money
to cover the needs of our school system even If it means an
increased tax rate.
However, some oppose an increased tax rate until a re
evaluation of property has been made. Further discussion of
this matter developed the feeling that the majority of Macon
County Taxpayers are honest and would list their property for
some certain percentage of its actual market value (purchase
or sale price) if the County Commissioners and/or Tax Listers
would establish and publicize some percentage figure to be
used by all property owners. Those few people who might
insist upon shirking their responsibilities as citizens by fail
ing to list property In accordance with such an established
percentage could be encouraged to do so by the Board of
Equalization.
As a matter of Information, and possibly tp point out the
need for an Increased valuation of property in Macon County,
we want to record here the fact that Macon County's assessed
valuation of taxable property per pupil in 1954 was $3,905 00
The average for the State was $6,162.00, with Macon County
ranking 58th among the 100 counties in the State in this re
spect. We do not feel that the county is as poor as these fig
ures indicate.
We recommend that serious consideration be given to the
above possible means of obtaining the money necessary for
Macon County's School System. We feel sure that in your
position you win recognize these needs and that you will See
that our schools are adequately financed by tax money.
Respectfully,
COMMITTEE OF MACON COUNTY
PARENT-TEACHERS ASSOCIATIONS
VIEWS
e
?r
BOB SLOAN
Two things at Franklin High
School, recently brought to my
attention by Irritated patrons,
could and should be corrected,
The admission charge for high
school basketball games of fifty
cents for school children and
one dollar for adults la too high
and should be cut in half. Most
schools In the surrounding area
charge 25 cents and SO or 75
cents. Consider the plight of a
man who has three or four
school children, one of whom Is
playing on the team. Naturally
the whole family wants to see
"Bud" or "Sis" play. However,
the poor old man of the house
has to dig down and produce
about $3.50 for each game. If
they only attend the home
games, the cost Is some $40 or
$50 each season, and that is too
much.
Another sore subject is the
way the annual Washington
trip for seniors has been hand
led or mishandled this year. To
begin with a large group of
young people have been let
down. A large group of boys
and girls had paid their money
to go to Washington, many of
them had worked and saved
for a year or more, to get the
money so that when they be
came seniors they could make
the trip. Now, it's just a broken
dream. As one big gawky boy
told me with a tremor in his
voice, "Last year, when the bus
left, I said : 'Next year I am go
ing to be on that bus.' Now,
there won't be any bus." This
same student pointed out that "
it was the only chance many
of them would ever have to
visit Washington.
Perhaps, Principal Harry Cor
bin had a point when he ex
plained that a majority of the
class would not be making the
trip. However, we wonder If this
wasn't because of the cost rath
er than lack of interest. Also,
we wonder if the class, as a
whole, was given the opportun
itp to engage in a project ? and
I mean a working project, not
begging ? whereby enough mon
ey could be raised to pay the
expenses of the entire group.
Do You
Remember?
(Looking backward through
the Hies of The Press)
58 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
During these cold days Cupid
has not been entirely Idle. As a
result of his work, Mr. J. M.
Hurst and Miss Elsie Cordan were
married today, so we understand.
The Rev. P. R. Rickman offici
ated. ? Cowee item.
A small blizzard came Friday
afternoon with north wind and
flying snow, which continued
through Saturday. The thermo
meter went down to 22 degrees
Sunday and was 12 degrees Mon
day.
Mr. L. M. Johnson killed a hog
a few days ago which had one
foot with three dewclaws. We
know this to be a fact, for we saw
it on Friday.
25 YEARS AGO
The Rev. Robt. B. H. Bell has
selected Franklin as the site for
development of a health and train
ing center for the Life Abundant
Movement. He will purchase the
Franklin golf course and Camp
Nikwasi frojn Miss Laura Jones
vfO?_/his headquarters.
W. A. McNeil, resident engineer
for the State Highway Depart
ment, has been transferred to
Highlands, effective January 1.
Allen Si'er, who has worked here
for the department the last seven
years, will go to Asheville. This
Is considered a promotion for Mr.
Siler.
?
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Jim Nor- ?
ton, a nine pound son at their
home on Iotla Street.
10 YEARS AGO
Miss Virginia Cansler, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Cansler, of
Franklin, Route 3, who attends
Iotla Methodist Sunday School,
has been given an award for six
years of perfect attendance.
In opening a greenhouse on
the Dillard Road, Mrs. M. M.
Hopper has begun a new venture
for this section. She also plans
to open a gift shop in the spring,
handling only hand-made articles.
? Highlands Item.
Chart es P. Myers, seaman first
class, returned to the naval air
station at Charleston, W. Va., after
a 10-day leave with his parents.
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Myers,
of Bonny Crest.