OVER THE TOP
v# 7 for victory
4 Tsy *w>
\V# lk UNITED STATES WAR
v A BONDS-STAMPS
VOLUME 23. NO. 36.
Supt. H. Lee Thomas
Discusses Schools
at Kiwanis Meeting
Speaker Says Teacher
Shortage in Moore No
Worse Than Last Year
By Howard F. Burns
H. Lee Thomas, superintendent of
the Moore County Schools, in an ad
dress Wednesday to the Sandhill Ki
wanis Club at the Holly Inn, Pine
hurst, stated that the teacher short
age was serious but was not as bad
as the newspapers would lead you to
believe. In Moore County the situa
tion is no worse than it was a year
ago.
Mr. Thomas said that the teacher
standards are lagging somewhat be
hind previous years. In the past few
years, teachers had an average train
ing of five years. The average now is
about four.
The vacancies in the state schools
as of July Ist were 1,200. an aver
age of 12 vacancies per county. The
vacancies in the county schools, he
said, stand at one for Hemp, one for
High Falls and two for Farm Life
School, whereas a year ago, the
county system had a dozen vacan
cies. The future, he pointed out, is
not too bright, but believes the sit
uation will improve.
The speaker told the club that the
colored schools have more teachers
who are college graduates in them
today than they did a year ago, and
they have no vacancies.
He said that the war effort had
taken many teachers from the
schools because the teachers felt they
were rendering a greater contribu
tion to the nation. Some few, he ad
ded, went into war work for adven
ture or romance. Mr. Thomas pre
dicted greater difficulties after the
war because of the unemployment
situation. An effort will have to be
made to fit them into their profes
sion.
In conclusion, Mr. Thomas gave
statistical reports showing Moore
County ranked 7.8 in persons 25
years of age or over as revealed by
the U. S. census of 1940 who have
completed their public school edu
cation, with Randolph County rank
ing 7.7; Lee County, 7.5; Chatham
County, 7.4; Montgomery County,
7.3; Richmond County, 7.1, and Hoke
County, 6.0.
Moore County, ranking third in the
payment of salaries paid to the
teachers, $771.32 was exceeded by
Rockingham which pays an aver
age of $772.50, and Southern Pines
which pays an average of $806.00.
Moore County also ranks third in the
total expenditure of public funds for
school purposes, with an expenditure
of $217,371.5/, as compared with
Harnett County with an expenditure
of $354,165.96, and Randolph Coun
ty with an expenditure of $277,-
988.83.
Moore County has a population in
cluding City Units for 1940 of 30,-
(Please turn to page 5)
VASS LIONS SPONSOR
SALE OF WAR BONDS
Incomplete reports "for July on
the war bond sale sponsored by the
Vass Lion's Club were given at the
regular meeting held Thursday eve
ning at The Acorn near Cameron.
The team headed by N. V. Briggs re
ported more than S7OO and the oth
er, headed by W. E. Gladstone, had
an incomplete report of more than
S4OO. The drive will be continued.
The new president, N. Vick Keith,
who succeeds R. C. Fields, presided
over the meeting. After holding
monthly meetings during July and
August the club decided to resume its
regular schedule of meeting each
first and third Tuesday night, begin
ning with September. The group en
joyed a delicious chicken dinner.
INFORMAL DANCE
There will be an informal
dance Saturday night at the U.
S. O. Club from 8:30 to 11:30.
Music will be furnished by a
five-piece orchestra from the
17th Airborne Parachute Infan
try. Refreshments will be served.
All Junior Hostessec are asked
to attend. Servicemen and their
wives are cordially invited.
TH^^S^JPILQT
THE FIRST
Installing Officers L. L.
Woollcy and L. J. Van Fossen
inducted the first veteran of the
present war into the Sandhills
Post of the American Legion
Monday night. Charles C. Sim
mons of Pinehurst honorably
discharged from Lowry Field.
Denver, Col., for disability, thus
had the honor of being the first
of the new army to join the sur
vivors of the World War in the
local Post.
County Chairman of
Surgical Dressings
Tenders Resignation
Mrs E. V. Hughes Will
Be Succeeded by Mrs.
Hennessee of Pinehurst
Mrs. Paul Dana of Pinehurst,
chairman of Volunteer Special Ser
vices of the American Red Cross, is
this week announcing the resigna
tion of Mrs. E. V. Hughes of South
ern Pines as county chairman of sur
gical dressing work Mrs. Dana has
released the following:
"The resignation of Mrs. E. V.
Hughes of Southern Pines as County
Surgical Dressings Chairman comes
to us as a great loss. She has car
ried out the duties in the office with
utmost efficiency, thoughtfulness,
consideration of others and com
plete unselfishness. Mrs. Hughes is
unable to continue as chairman due
to the pressure of other duties which
are demanding more and more of her
time. We are indeed sorry to lose
her competent leadership.
"The Chapter is extremely for
tunate in having Mrs. S. A. Hennes
see of Pinehurst as the new County
Chairman of Surgical Dressings.
Mrs. Hennessee, who has been ren
dering most faithful service not only
as chairman of the Pinehurst Surgi
cal Dressings Room but as vice
chairman of the T ; nehurst Branch,
has agreed to assume this very re
sponsible committee assignment.
Mrs. H. A. Page, Jr., of Aberdeen
will take charge of the packing with
Mrs. James L. Miller of Southern
Pines as her able assistant. Mrs.
Walter D. Hyatt of Pinehurst will
continue as county vice-chairman.
The same system and routine for ob
taining materials and for the collec
tion of the finished products will re
main, so there need be no confusion
due to this change of officers."
IMPROVEMENTS MADE
AT COUNTY HOSPITAL
Recent improvements at the
Moore County Hospital include the
erection of a new storage room and
the enlargement of telephone facil
ities.
The space formerly used for stor
age has been converted by partitions
into an addition to the staff dining
room, a dining room for colored
workers and a waiting room for
out-patients waiting admittance to
the emergency examination room.
The waiting room will fill an im
portant need in relieving conges
tion in the adjoining corridor. The
new storage room is much more con
veniently located with reference to
the kitchens than the old.
The telephone service is being in
creased and improved by the instal
lation of a larger private branch ex
change and two trunk lines instead
of one.
BURGLAR ENTERS STORE
The first breaking and entering
to occur in Vass in several months
took place Saturday night when a
burglar broke a pane of glass in the
rear door of the Victory Grocery,
operated by B. F. Griffin, and drew
a staple which enabled him to open
the door. Change from the cash reg
ister and cigarettes were taken.
CRIMINAL COURT
The August term of Superior Court
for the trial of criminal cases will
convene in Carthage next Monday
morning, August 16. Judge Bobbitt
of Charlotte is scheduled to pre
side.
Southern Pines, North Carolina. Friday, August 13, 1943
IN THE ARMY
-rvS
■ iM
LT. W. C. MUDGETT. JR.
Lt. W. C. Mudgett. Jr., son of Dr.
W. C. Mudgett and Mrs. Edith H.
Mudgett of Southern Pines, attend
ed the local high school one year and
was graduated from Choate School in
Wallingford. Conn., and Dartmouth
College. Following his graduation in
1941, he volunteered in July, was in
ducted at Fort Bragg and later as
signed to the Ordnance Department
at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Md.
He was promoted to the rank of sec
ond lieutenant in May, 1942 and tj
first lieutenant in December. The
first of June he was sent to head
quarters of the Ordnance Unit Train
ing Center at Flora, Miss., where be
is at present.
25 Are Examined at
Eye Cliilie for Aged
Dr. Larry Turner of Duke
Makes Examinations at
County Welfare Office
Twenty-five of the thirty persons
attending an eye clinic at the coun
ty welfare office in Carthage last
Saturday conducted by Dr. Larry
Tumor o;' Duke Hospital, under the
sponsorship of the Conuty Welfare
Department, were found eligible for
examination. Eight were found to
be blind or so nearly so that they
were placed in that classification: ten
will receive glasses, and seven were
recommended for operations at
Duke Hospital.
The clinic was primarily for re
cipients of old age assistance and
the majority of those attending were
60 years of age or older.
Dr. Turner commented that he
had never conducted a clinic for a
group of aged people as well edu
cated as this group. Only one was
illiterate.
KNOLLWOOD FIELD
Progress in the evacuation of
Knollwood Army Air Forces Techni
cal Training Command is not avail
able, officially, as the Public Rela
tions Office has been closed, but it
is known that the plan of moving is
being carried out speedily. A large
number of civilian employees have!
already transferred to Fort Worth,
Texas, and others will be going dur-!
ing this month. It is reported that
most of the officers in charge have!
gone to new assignments.
FURNACE SMOKE PIPES
NEED ATTENTION
Attention is called to the import
ance of keeping furnace smoke pipes
cleaned out as they were hard to re
place last year and will probably be
even more so the coming winter. If
it is out of the question to have j
them given a thorough cleaning, it;
will be found helpful in preventing
rust if old papers are burned occa
sionally during the damp weather:
to dry them out.
IN NEW LOCATION ,
The Rent Control Office has been 
moved from the Hart Building to|l
the City Hall, Director Carl G. j!
' Thompson has announced. The en- i
trance is in the rear.
AVIATION CADET
_JI IIHI ll.
* V
\
FREDERICK H. WEAVER
Photo by Merlin-Balban, Phila.
Frederick H. Weaver, 27, son of
Mrs. Ada K. Weaver of Southern
Pines, was recently appointed a Na
val Aviation Cadet and was trans
ferred to the Naval Air Training
Center, Pensacola, Fla., for intermed
iate flight training.
Prior to entering the Naval ser
vice. he received his A. B. degree
from the University of North Car
olina and was a member of the var
iety tennis and basketball teams
there.
Upon completion of the intensive
course at the "Annapolis of the Air"
Cadet Weaver will receive his Navy
"Wings of Gold" with the designa
tion of naval aviator, and will be
commissioned an ensign in the Na
val Reserve or a second lieutenant in
the Marine Corps Reserve.
Legion Drive Makes
Splendid Progress
Many Members Have Been
Enrolled; Post Makes
Plans for Improving Hut
A membership drive now being
carried on by Sandhills Post No.
134 of the American Legion is mak
ing splendid progress, according to
L. D. Williams, secretary, who in
forms THE PILOT that already
nearly one half of last year's mem
bership has been enrolled.
The Post is going forward with
plans for further improvements to
the American Legion Hut, so that
service men taking advantage of its
hospitality may be made as com
fortable as possible. These include
frames for the mattresses and the
purchase of additional blankets for
use this winter. The Hut is filled
to capacity each week-end, it is
said.
ATTENTION!
ARMY WIVES
The questionnaire for army
wires printed in last week's PI
LOT is being circulated and an
swers are coming in right along.
We are most grateful for the
cooperation and help the army
wives are giving; many have
offered some good suggestions.
However, we need a lot more
answers in order to get repre
sentative opinion, nad urge one
and all to take a few minutes to
fill out the questionnaires.
You will find copies at the
U. S. O. Club, the Red Cross
office and Paul Barnum's real '
estate office next to the bank on
Broad street. A representative
will be at the Post Office from
9 to 12 to hand out question- j
naires, answer questions and
receive suggestions.
So please, Mrs. Army Wife, if
you have not already done so,
help us NOW to help you by
giving us the benefit of your
opinions, good and bad. Re
member you are not asked to
sign your name, so you should
feel free to say whatever you
please.
IN WELFARE OFFICE
Miss Sarah Muse of Carthage on
Wednesday began working tempor
arily as secretary to Miss Pauline
Covington, superintendent of the
Moore County welfare department,
Miss Eliza Green, the regular sec
retary, being ill in Moore County
Hospital.
MISSIIvX*!
The Will Richardsons who NK"
side on Carthage Route 3 re
ceived a message last week stat
ing that their son. Tommy, was
missing from Camp at Orange
burg, N. Y., and requesting that
he be sent back if he were at
home.
The Richardsons are very
much concerned over the matter,
as Tommy has not been home.
He had written them about a
month ago of getting a lick on
his head, and this adds to their
uneasiness. They are making an
effort through the Red Cross to
get in touch with him. His
friends do not even give a sec
ond thought to the possibility
that Tommy would desert, as he
is such a splendid young man.
hat America Means
To Me, as Told by
•/
James Boyd, Author
Political and Social
Freedom Basis of Amer
ican's Love of Country
(The following was written for the j
Office of War Information for circu- •
lation in foreign countries).
Hundreds and thousands of troops '
| have been training during the past |
| three years near my home. Our j
1 house is often full of them: officers!
| und privates, few of them profes- '
j sionals, nearly all citizen soldiers j
i from every backgrour d and from |
i-very section of the country.
We have learned how to talk to
these men. The first thing we ask
j them is where they are from. Proud
, ly they will tell you. Then they want
i to know if you have ever been there.
If by any chance you have, they
| are excited. They say, "Did you see
; the court house when you were j
there?'
"Did you get to know the fellow
who runs the Elite Cafe?"
"Did you ever get up into the
mountains in the spring?
"Did you ever go down Main
Street on Saturday night?"
"Have you seen the wheat fields
in July?"
If you can answer "yes" they are
deeply happy. Sometimes they will
(Please turn to page 5)
GROUP CONFERENCE
AT WEST END AUG. 18
District Six of Fayetteville Pres
byterial will hold its group confer
erice at the West End Presbyterian
Church on Wednesday, Aug. 18, ac
cording to an announcement by Mrs.
Howard N. Butler, chairman.
Registration will begin at 9:30
o'clock and the meeting will be call
ed to order at 10:00 a. m. Roll call
of auxiliaries, reports from Presby
terial officers and local presidents
and an inspirational message by the
Rev. Fred W. Druckenmiller of Un
ion, N. J., camp pastor, will be heard
during the morning session.
A message from the Presbyterial
president, a "hmyn quiz" and a
"question box" will feature the af
ternoon session.
BACK TO THE OLD
Miss Flora McDonald, county dem- [
onstration agent, was remarking
how sometimes people go back to |
original methods.
Her grandparents came here from j
the Isle of Skye and in those days
the only means of preserving food !
in these parts was to dry it. It was i
simple sun-drying and could only be I
used on certain foods: mainly fruits. |
Now we are coming back to dry-1
ing again. The technique, with its
sulphuring, steaming and its dehy
jdrators. is improved but the princi
ple is the same.
Since it is easy to do, easy to
package and saves space, Miss Flora
predicts that an increasing number
of people will return to what is
probably man's earliest method of
preserving food.
ON VACATION
Mrs. Glendon Wicker, assistant in
the office of Miss Maida Jenkins, is
enjoying a vacation this week.
MAKE EVERT
PAY DAY
WAR
ty X f BOND DAY
ro* SP'SS'.KG WVf OOUAtfJ
TEN CENTS
property Valuation
* c voore County Is
Sefat 522,000,000
Total Amount of Tax
Levy is $162,106;
Tax Rate To Be 75c
In this week's issue appears a
! summary of the uniform annual bud
get estimate for Moore County,
which provides for a tax levy of 75
! cents on the SIOO valuation, which is
i an increase of 17 cents over the rate
| last year.
The total budget requirements for
the year beginning July 1. 1943 and
lending June 1, 1944 are $373,650, as
! compared to last year's requirements
of $379,890. The estimate of prop
' erty valuation is $22,000,000, which
is $1,200,000 greater than that of
two years ago, there being no es
timate of valuation last year as that
was the time for a re-valuation.
The estimated revenue available
j from sources other than tax levy is
placed at $223,602, while last year
this estimate was $271,549. A de
! crease in revenue expected from the
I county's ABC stores accounts for
this change, Everett, Zane and Muse,
I the accounting firm for Moore, re
-1 j ports.
The total amount of tax levy for
the coming year is $162,106, while
I that of last year was $124,589.
[ Three of the major functions receiv
. i ed an increase over last year: Coun
' i ty general and Courts from $69,200 to
i $74,625: Health, from $28,766 to $30,-
| 267. Welfare, from $27,965 to $28,271.
I The Poor allotment was decreased by
$550.
,' Estimate for school requirements
' | for the coming year show an in-
] crease for current expense, but a
decided decrease in capital outlay
' r and debt service.
A full analysis of the budget ap
! pears on page six.
v 4£.
John R. McLean of
Aberdeen Passes
Prominent Resident Dies
Suddenly; Burial Will
Be at Old Bethesda
John R. McLean, 48, of Aberdean
died suddenly at 8:00 o'clock Wed
nesday night, it is learned as we go
to press. Funeral service will be
held at Old Bethesda at 3:00 p. m.
Friday. Mr. McLean is survived by
his wife, the former Miss Marie
Griffin of Woodland: onr son; his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. T. D. McLean,
and several brothers and sisters.
PERSONNEL REDUCED
It has been necessary, due to re
duction in county office budgets by
the State office, to reduce the per
sonnel in the Moore County AAA of
fice, John B. McLeod, secretary, has
announced. The reduction was such
in this county that three employees
had to leave work effective Aug 1,
Mr. McLeod said.
This reduction in personnel is in
effect throughout the country, due
to recent restrictions placed on mon
ey used for administrative expenses
which was set up in the Agricultur
al Appropriations Bill.
TUESDAY BLACK-OUT
WAS SUCCESSFUL
Tuesday night's surprise blackout
in the Charlotte area, ordered by the
Army and observed by army planes
which flew over this territory to
check on results, was considered
very successful and local civilian de
fense officials are voicing their ap
preciation of the cooperation of the
business houses and residential areas
of the town. No instance of willful
violation of regulations has been
noted. In a few cases where residents
had failed to hear the siren, they
were quick to respond when inform
ed by wardens that a blackout was
on.
BIRTH AND DEATH
Friends of Pvt. and Mrs. W. A.
iLeland McKeithen sympathize with
them in the death of a little daught
er born August 9 at Moore County
Hospital.