Newspapers / The Franklin Press and … / June 11, 1959, edition 1 / Page 2
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and ?Ij? Higljlanite JHaranian WEIMAR JONES Editorial Page Editor THURSDAY. JUNE 11, 1959 LET'S DO IT RIGHT The Courthouse Two encouraging bits of recent news are Macon County's increase, during the past year, in taxable wealth and the announcement of plans for a public meeting to discuss the possibility of either build ing a new courthouse or remodeling the present one. 1S> The gain of $206,000 in the value of taxable property is not spectacular ; it represents an in crease of only about 1 per cent. But it is a healthy sign. Interestingly, tax evaluation and the courthouse problem are closely tied together. For a new court house can hardjy be built without a bond issue, and state law limits the amount of bonds a county ijiay issue; the bonds may not exceed a certain propor tion of the taxable wealth. Our present tax evalua tion probably would not .permit a bond issue big enough to build a modern courthouse. But if we should re-evalue our property for tax purposes, on a scientific basis, and list it at what it is worth, or even at SO or 90 per cent of what it is worth, our taxable wealth probably would be nearer $36,000,000 than the present $1X,(KX),()00. That way, it would be legally possible to issue bonds to build a courthouse and for other needed improvements. The chances are we can't, legally, issue enough bonds to build a new courthouse until there is a thoroughgoing re evaluation. If that proves true, here's hoping anv remodeling will be really that, not mere makeshift repairs ; a remodeling careful ly planned to fit future, as well as present-day, needs. If it turns out we can't build a new court house now, let's lix the present one so it'll be both usable AND presentable. ? We'd Abolish It! YVe see by the papers there's a movement to add some laymen to the State Textbook Commission, now made tip entirely of professional educators. That's probably a step in the right direction, hut it doesn't ? far enough. We'd abolish the commission. We'd abolish it, that is, as the agency with the final say about what textbooks are to be used in the schools of the .state. As a purely advisory body, to recommend, and nothing' more, some good texts, it might serve a useful purpose. That suggestion is based not on the tact that, from time to time, the commission has made some terribly poor choices of texts ? and it has: it is based on the conviction that the whole theory ol setting tip a single bureacratic agencv to make the final choices, of the books to be used ill- Xorth Carolina's schools is wrong in principle as well as in practice. We talk about "academic Ifee dom" ? and then rob everv .public school teacher in the state of that freedom. The people to choose the texts: they're going to use should be the teachers who're going to use them; for the text that would appeal to one teacher would be drv as dtiM to an other. At the least, the choice should be Kit to the county unit, or, better still, to the school. It is true, of course, as some readers are already thinking, that we can save inonev by adopting a single sixth grade English text", for example, and buying it wholesale: Hut it saviifg money is the main consideration, then it'd make sense to do away with texts entirely, An even cheaper way to run the schools would be not to have any ! Culverts And People "You and I are the government", we are told; "we control government through our votes. So it's quite all right to concentrate power in Raleigh and Washington." , f _ ? We have here in Franklin right how a good illus tration of how wrong that is: That culvert job at the foot of East Town Hill. That relatively small job has been under way for a month or more; so far as the layman can see. virtually no progress has been made. Meanwhile, traffic moves over what must be one of the worst detours in North Carolina, and no provision what*? ever is made for a walkway for pedestrians. If that job were being done by the fown or coun ty, local officials would have heard plenty from the citizens. Hut it is being done l>,\ the state, and "the slate" is off yonder somewhere, in Sylva, or Asheville, of Raleigh. The average citizen doesn't know where or to whom to protest ; so he suffers in silence ? and mad. And it is being freely predicted he will continue to suffer all summer, with the far-off "state" ap parently indifferent to his plight. '/ Charles O. Ramsey Charles O. Ramsey really was two distinct per sons. In his office, he was Town Clerk Ramsey, oper ating almost like a machine ? and a remarkably ef ficient machine, at that. In that role, he devoted all his physical energy, all his .penetrating mind, to town affairs. He was determined the Franklin municipal government should get every penny it was due in taxes ? and he had a tax collection record probably unequaled anywhere in KTorth Car olina ; determined, too, that it should get a full dollar's worth of goods or services for every dol lar's expenditure. Beyond that, there probably was no public official anywhere of whom it could be more truly said that everybody, dealing with him in his official capacity, "had to cat out of the same spoon". Thoroughly familiar with town busi ness, he came as nearly being a town manager as any man, lacking the authority of a manager and confined to an office, could have been. And his de votion to the town's interests led hiin, unhesitat ingly, to make suggestions to his employers, the mayor and aldermen ? suggestions usually good, and frequently accepted. Still recuperating from a recent illness, he had dropped by the town office when death came. And so he died where undoubtedly he would have wish ed, in the spot where he had labored faithfully and well in behalf of the community he loved. Outside his office, he was Charles O. Ramsey, hitman being. Separated from the responsibilities of his official position, he was genial,- thoughtful and considerate, and loyal to the nth degree? '-a warm personality, pleasantly spiced by a keen sense of humor. - It was that person who, though lie long had lived in town, kept his membership in, and gave his active support to, the. Iot!a Baptist Church, the site for which had been donated by his lather. It was that person who beamed happily as he. presided,, a few years ago, at the big birthday party for his mother he had arranged. It was that person who could not see a child without smiling. And it was that side of his nature that was responsible for the way he was addressed. He was rarely "Mr. Ramsey" and al most never "Charles"; instead, he was known as "Charlie" or "Uncle Cha,rlie" or "Mr. Charlie", des ignations that conveyed the feeling of affection so many felt for him. A Good Balance An analysis of the tax evaluation figures, by townships, published in last week's Press, reveals some interesting facts. Of the county's total taxable wealth, approxi mately one-fourth lies in Xantahala township. This is chiefly, accounted for bv the properties of the Xantahala i'ower and Light Company. Thirty six per cent, or a little more than a third, is in Franklin township, and Highlands township 'accounts for another 1(? per 'cent.' Fifty-two per cent of the county's wealth t h t ? s lies in those two "townships. That suggests about -half of our taxable wealth is urban. The remaining 22 per cent is in i!iv other eight townships, all rural. It's a safe ' -t, therefore, that that proportion of our wealth is chiefly agricul tural. The proportion, as a matter of fact, must be somewhat higher than that, because part of High lands township's wealth and much of Franklin township's lies outside the towns proper. At least one-fourth of our wealth, therefore, must be agri^ cultural. ?That, we'd guess, is a good balance, a balance worth maintaining. Helping Us Out (Windsor, Colo., Beacon) High schools all over the U. S. are now mailing In their requests for federal aid in teaching math and science. And while many an honorable school board director does not relish putting himself in the position of a buzzard fighting for a morsel of the huge carcass of the federal income tax levy, still he's representing the local taxpayers and as long as the vulture system is in operation in our economy, it's his job to grab as much as he can ? let the school boards in other towns suffer if they aren't as alert as we are. Our ag programs are now under federal aid. Will we eventually have to build a separate science building? And what will be next on the list ? foreign languages? English? Many, many Americans must be of the right age to have learned a big lesson the past few years: when a politician in Washington says, "Let's help the people? they need it," let's all remember what he's Really saying: "They have troubles, and we're big enough to force them to act. So we'll collect $1.80 from each taxpayer for this problem, .of which 80 cents will solve the problem and the dollar will set up a new bureau to handle collection and distribution of funds." The voters asked for a change last November but they didn't get it. They'll ask for another next year, unless our lawmakers learn to boast to their constituents, not about the special Interests they have assisted with federal aid, but rather, all the lobbyists and pressure groups they have voted AGAINST. DO YOU REMEMBER? Looking Backward Through the Files of The Press 65 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (1894) Dr. Fred Siler is trying to tame a bicycle. Wanted: Two or three large rattlesnake skins. Inquire at Press office. The oak grove around the Methodist Church has been given a decent trimming. A half dozen of our town boys spent two or three days of last week on Nantahala and caught over 600 nice trout. 35 YEARS AGO (1924) Hard fought campaigns for the Democratic nomination for sheriff and register of deeds came to a close Saturday, when C. L. Ingham won the nomination for sheriff over Robt. A. Patton, and Horace J. Hurst was nominated for register of deeds, over Steve Porter. A mass meeting, sponsored by the League of Women Voters, was held at the courthouse the evening of June 5. Mrs. E. C. Kingsbery, League chairman, presided. 15 YEARS AGO (1944) The hoard of education has announced the election of O. F. Summer as principal of the Highlands school, and W. C. New ton as assistant principal. Miss Imogene Landrum, student at Woman's College, Greensboro, has joined the office staff of The Franklin Press for the summer. ! 5 YEARS AGO (1954) T. H. (Tom i Fagg, assistant county agent here since 1939, will take over as county agent July 1, succeeding the late S. W. Mendenhall. Dedication of the new Bethel Methodist Church ? which has a history dating back to pre-Civil War days?is planned Sun day. j choice ot / 1 'bus Teen-ager Tells How She Gradually Came To Appreciate American Freedom Reprinted from .Mount Dora, Fla., To/tic (EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the prize-winning entry of Miss Carol Schey. high school senior, in a contest in the Mount Dora, Fta., high school.) How do the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights affect me as an individual? My first indication of anything governmental or patriotic was World War II. The main topic of conversation was . . . because of the war this . . . because of the war that . . . the war . . . Because I was quite small at that time, the war usually seemed vapue and unreal. The harrowing exceptions were the dreadful news broadcasts. They frightened me, and as an escape. I would clap my hands over my ears and sins loudly i off-key i to drown out the commentator. This tantrum was always short-lived because curiosi ty was, even then, my dominant trait. Such news reports prompted ire, a very little girl, to ask some very big. basic questions: "Why is there a war?" After studied adult deliberation came the answer. "To protect our tights." ??w: i*e i t , , -5? Tfc swer to this was, in term , at I could understand. "It is your right to choose what flavor of ice creafh you want, visit your grandparents when you can, or go to church on Sunday morn ing. Some little kids can't do that. " ? Why not?" The obvious adult answer was, "Because they aren't protected by a Constitution and Bill of Rights." Such a patriotic reply, however, was not enough to satisfy the analytical mind of a small child. "What's a con-sti-tu-tion?" Now reducing such a herculean article to small-fry jargon couldn't be easy, but the approximate at tempt was, "Well, it's a big piece of paper saying what's right, what's wrong, what people can or ?an't do, and what the govern ment is supposed to do. Now stop asking questions!" It is a good thing I did stop because my next question wouk' have been. Why uon't othci, countries ha v.: one, too?" How could one p. :b!y explain starva tion. the Gestapo, or the Kempetai to a happy, well-fed four-year-old? This was my; first encounter with our Constitution and the Bill ' of Rights. Our next notable collision wasn't until I entered school where, beginning with the basic Pledge of Allegiance, I was in doctrinated with "amor patriae" and nationality. Because it was the prosperous post-war period. I, like most everyone else, became complacent. In a few short years, unfortu nately. I was somewhat disillu sioned by the Korean "conflict." Again were the ominous news broadcasts. This time, as a counter poise. my mother warned that .sometime in the future I might be directly involved in war. It is the element of personal danger that removes indifference or trepi dation and promotes true patriot ism. Consequently. I listened avid ly to the news and determined to educate myself about the world around me. Abruptly I was immensely inter red in our governmental struc ture I devoured the newspapers magazines, and never missed a netts broadcast. My history and aphy textbooks became sagas of adventure Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the Declaration of In dependence and hi-pointed the Constitution, emerged as a hero. I learned how the lights I had taken for granted are permanently proclaimed in the Bill of Rights. The deplorable predicaments of countries, not "so well protected, disturbed me. About this period of my life, the country was immersed in a Presidential campaign. Everywhere I heard small debates and personal discussions, most of them heated. This was my first experience with a 'political campaign, and the ob vious rent in the government's pants disconcerted me. The party conventions, those epitomes of democracy, fascinated me. Here was a nutshell example of the freedoms of speech, assembly, and suffrage I had discovered in the Bill of Rights. On election night. I was glued to the radio, anxiously absorbing the returns. Although I was forced to bed around 12 o'clock, my first question in the morning was. "Who won?'' After the hustle-bustle was all over, the swift return to normality amazed me. Hardly any of the losers re mained aggravated. As the years have passed, and I have come in contact with personal enmities, and. occasion ally. unprincipled characters, it. is easier for me to realize the basis of national conflicts and differ ences. I can discern that there is no patent panacea. Now at a time when complete devastation is possible by atomic warfare. I know that I must face squarely whatever may come. No more can I cover my ears and shout with frustration. I thank my luck American stars that there were uncensored news services, understanding parents, and a free education under a Christian atmosphere to develop my com prehension of what's wrong, what's light, and what must, at all costs, stay right in this antithetical world. Now you ask. how has the Con stitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights affected me as an Individual! They have adam antly wrought my way of life since before I was old enough to com prehend it. Anything I have ever done Is directly deiiendent upon them. And just between you. me. and whoever may try to Inhibit me. I will do everything within my power to see that, in the future, protected by the Constitu tion of the United States and the Bill of Rights, any small child can choose his favorite flavor of ice cream! STRICTLY PERSONAL By WEIMAR JONK8 Wonder what it Is that makes most of us so all-fired ornery. I say "most of us", because I assume that people are pretty much alike; and I know one man who's ornery beyond reason ? the fellow who's typing these words. And strange to say, I'm orner lest of all with the folks I think most of. All my life, for Instance. If some member of my family sug gested I do thus-and-so ? even though I knew the suggestion was prompted solely by Interest In my welfare ? something inside always made me want to do the opposite. (Fortunately for me, I didn't always surrender to that impulse; but I nearly always wanted to!) What is it that makes me, when I'm headed for a parking place on the south side of Main Street, with my hand held out, signalling to turn left; and somebody already in the left lane cuts in ahead of me ? what is it, when that hap pens, that makes m$ so boiling mad? Why, I answer my own question, the fact the other fel low Is a parking place hog. But could it be that rm something of a hog, myself, or I wouldn't boll? What Is it that makes he hate so to be proved wrong? You'd think I'd want to be sure I'm right, and that I'd recognize the only way to be sure Is to listen to evidence that my present opinion is wrong, and if that is the case, be glad to be shown. But am I? Though the evidence proves to everybody, including me, that I'm 100 per cent wrong, I get hot and bothered, and am inclined to argue about it. What is it that gets me upset when a public speaker reads his speech? Heck! that's his way ; he'd probably be annoyed by something I did, if At were I making the speech. Besides, if I'd just listen, I'd probably learn something. But nine times out of ten, I keep wondering: "Why wasn't that fel low Interested enough In the Im pression he makes on me to have prepared that speech so he wouldn't have to read it, word for word?" What is that makes me get so outdone with people becaute they don't do things the ritot way ? ray way, that is? Goodness knows, I insisted on learning ? and still do ? by making my own mistakes. But instead of being patient while the other fellow learns the same way. I want to shout at him: "Why don't you do it right the first time?" What is it that makes me look down my nose at the man ? or, more often, the woman ? who tries to snub me? My mind tells me the way to treat people like that is to ignore them. But unless t watch myself, I set down on their level, and snub right back. And what is it that makes me like to see somebody who's pomp ous given a shock? I know, of course, that shocking people jta* to see them shocked is a character istic of the adolescent, and I reall: am old enough to be out of adoiw ' cence; so I carefully try to avA doing it. But I wonder sometimes if I'm so darned mature, after all, because I surely get a kick out of it when somebody else does it. Honest confession, it is said, is good for the soul. Well, mine ought to be in fine shape, after those confessions of just how ornery I can be. * * * That's a good place to stop, i But before I do, I want to mpkfc'( one thing completely clear: I was, 'I asking those questions of myself, . not of you. If your soul needs improving, '1 ask your own questions. I've got worries enough of my own, just trying to live with one ornery hu man being that I never can quite get away from. ARE WE GUILTY? Destruction By Rejection Industrial News Review The destruction of the aging person by rejection must ? and can ? be stopped through individ ual community action. That stand has been taken by Aubrey D. Gates, director of the American Medical Association's Division of Field Services. In his words: "We are permitting a new form of euthanasia ? the destruc tion of the elderly ? to stealthily fasten itself in practice in our society." And by this rejection, he CRAMMING ? THEN AND NOW We look with wonder upon the latest fad to capture the imagina tions of college men. The fad is, a sort of game, in which students attempt to earn for their colleges the champion ship of the English-speaking world by getting the most men into a single telephone booth at one time. The only limitation, not count ing the structure of the booth, is that one of the participants must be able to answer the phone, if it should ring. Whether a conversation under such circumstances would do credit to college men we can't say. Way back when we were in col lege, cramming was not an un known art. But the idea then was to cram a little something into ourselves, instead of vice versa. ? Denver Post. adds ". . . we destroy, them a:>l surely as if they, like the unwant(i irjfants of long ago, were to^sec over a cliff." 1 This is purely a ?ommunit5 matter, to be handled by com munity action. The fiist step, ii Mr. Gates' view, is to inventor; community assets in the form o its elder citizens. How many ari there? What are their problems, if any? Are their valuable lif ' experiences being utilized? Cai ' their knowledge and skills be pu to good use? Once such questions as thes j are answered, the community cai move to meet the needs. Adequat nursing homes, rehabilitation pre grams, and recreational activitie. for the elderly are examples c' the requirements. If the necessar facilities don't exist, they can b built. Then the aged can renyji in the community: they will nc have to be sent far away froi loved ones and friends; they wi not die from loneliness and isol tion. 1 Medical progress * is steadi ; lengthening the life span. Br that will be in vain if wg_rejei' the ag?d and allow p'qpciaBs h ' man values to be tragically ar needlessly destroyed. - i HE'S VERY ONE WE NEED HERE! Down at Cape Canaveral, whej | the missiles are launched, live whole group of scientists, psych ogists and doctors who spend tqv time trying to find the right m:\ ?whom they will launch towaj the moon when the time com| They have filed thousands j index cards describing top phyi cal specimens and administer! Rorshach tests to hundreds \ volunteers. Machines constan | process these findings. The list of available candidal is now down to fifty, and eve I ually this concerted hunt will nj| row down to one man, physica sound, psychologically right, smart. Truly, he wlil be a mtj sana in corpore sano. But there is something' absi | about the purpose of this tea Having found the perfect man j seems the last place tihey sho'J send him is to the moon. Rat i they ought to keep him here, help propagate the race. ought to shoot off the least qu^ tied man, because we need best man like we never nee< | him before. ? Harry Golden Carolina Israelite. no improvement! IS FORESEEN By 1975. supermarkets will huge, circular-dome food areil and shoppers will get around f cartmobiles. So predicts a s" engineer, who also says that mobiles will have radar bumpl Obviously the engineer fore.<| no improvement in women driv| ? Food Engineering,
The Franklin Press and the Highlands Maconian (Franklin, N.C.)
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June 11, 1959, edition 1
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