Newspapers / The Pilot (Southern Pines, … / Aug. 6, 1948, edition 1 / Page 1
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Berkeley School, Disgrace Voters Sign Here To County, To Be Replaced To Get Dixiecrat And Nol A Minute Too Soon; Ramshackle Building Condenmed 12 Years Ago; 319 Children In Firelrap By Valerie Nicholson Steps toward fulfilment of a 12-year - old obligation of the county were taken by the board of education meeting at Carthage Monday, when contracts were let for the building of a new Negro school for the Aberdeen district, replacing the old Berkeley School building condemned in 1936. Work is due to begin on the building Monday, August 16, and it is to be ready for use by Sep tember, 1949. Here’s hoping that the old building holds up that long. If disaster occurs at the old firetrap before that time, not only the commissioners but many others should be held responsible: everyone who has pressured the commissioners too much with other demands, and to keep taxes at a minimum. Dan Farrell, chairman of the board of education, says that each year' the request for a new school for Berkeley has been placed before the commissioners. Each year it has been postponed, until now. Plans have been made to finance it now with proceeds of the $375,000 bond issue to be voted on by the county August 24; but whether the vote is af firmative or not, all concerned have agreed that the Berkeley school is to be built this year. However, defeat of the bond is sue would delay indefinitely the county’s school building program as a whole. We have other fire- traps, other obsolete buildings filled with hazards to health and safety of our children, white and colored. At the Berkeley school, built some years ago with a shed-type addition built later onto the back, 319 children were taught last year in a two-story frame struc ture which once was painted White. In the whole building of eight classrooms, auditorium and office there are only two lights—naked bulbs depending on long cords from high ceilings lost in gloom. The heating system consists of old-fashioned coal stoves, placed generally in the middle of a room with a long rusty stovepipe snak ing up and across for what looks like miles. Upstairs, the floors sagged so dangerously under the weight of these stoves that they had to be propped by timbers from beneatlk The floots still sag, are full of cracks, worn and splintery. A dark auditorium upstairs. from which three dismal class rooms open, is no longer used as such as it has no heat at all. However, a class is held there. A stove was formerly used but its pipe had to run through a flue between inside walls, which was considered too hazardous. Open to Weather The heat problem is not help ed any by the fact that a great many of the windowlights, i^ some cases a whole half window, are out, and were, all last winter; the frames of the high old win dows and doors do not fit, and around some an inch of space is visible. Children had to come to this school last year bundled up from head to toe in coats and sweaters, which they kept on all day long. Some rooms are worse than others, and the children must dress accordingly. One elemen tary classroom is reported impos sible to heat at all; by any means. Old-fashioned desks, many of the double, type long since out moded, are used, and black boards are old, faint and scarred, attached without frames to the walls. In one room in the shed annex, according to Principal H. L. Bryant, the ceiling waves in a high wind. “The children told me so but I didn’t believe it,” he said, “until one day I was teach ing in there and looked up and sure enough—it waved.” Hotten Timbers The front entrance is a double door garage or stable arrange ment. Outside the clapboards may be pulled from their loose, rusty nails at the lightest touch. Pull out an end of one, and you can pick out the rotten timber beneath with your fingernail. You may also pull out with ease the bricks of the underpin ning, which rest directly on the none-too-even ground. A number of the bricks have fallen out and what holds the old building up is impossible to say. One Faucet One lone outdoor faucet is the school’s entire plurhbing system, for drinking-water and the wash ing of small hands and faces. At some distance stand two ancient- I looking “Chic Sales,” one for I boys, the other for girls. I 'The school has three fire-es capes, one of wood and two metal, and Principal Bryant says jthe children can clear the place in 45 seconds—and a good thiiig loo. Are there any more like this in Moore county? If so, it should be told. Party On Ballot But Alli^ain; Lists Are Rejected Thursday's report on the "Dixiecrat" bid for official recognition in North Caro lina: It was rejected by the state board of elections on the grounds that procedural regulations had not ^een complied with. Co-Chairmen Philip S. Finn, Jr., and David Clark, announcing a total of 18,661 names, said they would file • suit. They said there had been no time to check them against registration lists, but they felt sure they had .the required 10,000 qualified vot ers. ' More than 300 names were se cured on petitions to get the States' Rights party on the pres idential ballot, in just a few hours of standing outside the postoffice last Friday and Satur day, said Mrs. Ruth W. Swisher, who had undertaken circulation of the petitions here. She sent off the petitions in three packages as fast as they were filled, on Saturday, Sunday .and again on Monday. The last package, Mrs. Swisher said, she is not sure would reach the “Dixie crat” state headquarters at Greensboro in time to be check ed and counted, and delivered to the state board of elections at Ra leigh by Tuesday midnight. With the state headquarters and Skeleton organization set up in haste last week, speed was es- (Continued on Page 8) iVo, No, Ladyy YouWe Wrong! Thanks to Miss Arnetta Crist, of Rexmont, Pa., for saying nice things about our town—but lady, lady, it’s in NORTH, not South Carolina! The Chamber of Commerce and Acting Postmaster A. Garland Pierce have set her right by now, and we’ll do our bit with this story. To “Postmaster, Southern Pines, S. C.,” last week came [a letter from Miss Crist: “Dear sir. Several weeks ago, while driving to Alabama, I visited your beau tiful town. Because it is the pret tiest town I’ve seen in a long while I made a mental note to sometime pay a return visit, and, accordingly, thought it was lo cated in South Carolina. Recent ly, while engaged in conversation with a friend we had quite an argument, my friend insisting it was located in North Carolina. He has golfed quite frequently at Pinehurst, which probably is in North Carolina. If I am correct that Southern Pines is in South Carolina will you kindly forward the enclosed envelope. Thank you very much!” Though Southern Pines does not fill her requirement Postmas ter Pierce sent on the enclosed letter to her friend, bearing its North Carolina postmark. Mi#s Crist’s letter has been turned over to Tom Wicker, Chamber of Commerce secretary, who is send ing her an assortment of litera ture guaranteed to set her right. We hope she keeps her word to come back and visit us sometime. We’d like to give her ■ a real southern welcome—down here in NORTH Carolina! Low Bids Listed ^ For New Berkeley ScHool Building Low bids for the Berkeley school, for which contracts were awarded Monday, in the Aber deen district, totaled $90,186.72. General contract was awarded to O. W. Godwin, of Dunn, $77, 790; heating, the William Wig gins company, Wilson, $9,589. electrical. Piedmont Electric company. High Point, $2,807.92. Plans call lor a one-story brick building on the same site as the present building, with 15 class rooms, science laboratory, li brary, home economics room, cloakrooms and office. Bids were considerably under the $125,000 estimated for the building. However, it was pointed out by C. E. Savage, of the office of Frank B. Simpson, di Raleigh, school architect, that plumbing (Continued on Page 8) Moore, Recently Epidemic-Ridden, Sees Full Week Pass Without Polio MAIL TIME A change in the times of evening collections of out going mail was announced this week by Acting Post master A. Garland Pierce. Effective immediately, closing time for both north bound and southbound mail will be 9 instead of 9:30 p. m.; and, for the earlier northbound, 7 instead of 7:30. Moore Workers Have First Call On Jobs At Mill Moore County workers, with homes already established, will be given preference in employ ment at the start of operations of the new Aberdeen plant cf the Colonial mills, according to W. B. Croxton, of Southern Pines, man ager. The mill is expected to go into operation in about three weeks,^ and rayon goods should be moving out by the end of Au gust, though in small amounts in comparison with the mill’s ulti mate capacity. A quantity of machinery has been, and is being, installed in the plant, but complete installa tion is expected to take at least a year. The rhachinery has been ordered to arrive at intervals for the next 12 months sp as to step up production by degrees, Mr. Croxton said. This is one of the classrooms in the Berkeley school for colored children at Aberdeen. It’s better t an some of the others. Only two windowlights are out. When panes are gone there’s little use fixing them, as cold air comes in around the windowframes. Oh,, well, some of the children probably keep jammed up right behind the stove. This picture and cut are used through courtesy of the Sandhill Book club of Aberdeen, whose members are aroused concerning the condition of their (Photo by Emerson Humphrey) Employment will follow pro duction capacity, so that, with less than 100 employed at first, .several hundred more will be taken on during the year. With more than 1,000 applica tions for jobs already on hand, a good many more than the mill’s potential employment, Mr. Crox ton said he is anxious for as many more applications as pos sible, so that selection may be made of those best fitted by training and aptitude for the jobs offered by th.e mill. There are a variety of these and it is hoped to place skilled or semiskilled work ers wherever possible. They are not desirous of em ploying any more out-of-county workers than necessary, Mr. Croxton said, qnd will fill their lists from residents of Moore communities as far as possible. Mr. Croxton has recently pur chased the Sweet Gum cottage in Knollwood, where he and his family have been living since construction of the mill was started last September. They have also bought a lot on High land road, in Weymouth, from Dan Boyd and James Boyd, Jr., and Mr. Croxton said they may build a home at some future date. Mr. Croxton, a native of Ker shaw, S. C., and a Clemson col lege graduate in textile engin eering, was first employed by Carter Fabrics of Slater, S. C. He came to the Colonial mills from the Dan River mills of School- field, Va., largest in the world, where he was superintendent of the No. 1 and No. 2 plants. He is married to the former Ruth Rudisill of LincoilntPn, a rhember of the Rudisill family prominent in textile mill ;oWner-j (Continued on Page C) Two Belated Reports Bring Total To 55 For the first time in two and a half months. The Pilot goes to press with a report from the county health office of a whole week free of new polio in Moore. Two cases were belatedly re ported, however, according to Dr. J. W. Willcox, county health officer, bringing the county’s to tal for the year to 55. One of these was Donald Ken nedy, two-year-old Negro child, the son of Viola Kennedy of Eagle Springs RFD. Donald was taken sick about three weeks ago. His case was called to the attention of a, physician only last week and he was taken Thurs day,. July 29, to the Good Samar-, itan hospital at Charlotte. It was also found that Nicky Slack, 20 months old, son of Mr. and Mrs. Newman Slack of Rob bins, had contracted polio in June. The case was a light one and by the time it reached at tention of the authorities Nicky was said to be well on the way to recovery, with no hospital treatment required. He is, how ever, being kept under observa tion at his home. Though Moore county, rated an epidemic area for three months, seems now to have left the epidermic stage behind, polio incidence is still heavy in the state and Dr. Willcox said the quarantine will -remain in effect here, probably through August. He said he hoped ■ conditions would justify its lifting in time for school. Spraying Will End DDT-spraying throughout the county is expected to be con cluded within a week. Through the work of several handspray teams, and “fogging” by truck in several communities, practically all homes in the county are be lieved to have had the benefit of this great weapon against insect pests, said Paul C. Butler, chair man of the county chapter of the National Infantile Paralysis Foun dation. Householders who have been missed by accident, and who would like to have their homes and grounds sprayed are asked to notify Edgar Hancock, of Aber deen, who heads this program in the county. In and around Southern Pines they may notify A; G. Dawsoh. • - ■ 'Auction Sale A highly successful auction sale was held at Carthage last Friday evening, sponsored by the Carthage'^Jaycees, who as a le- sult sent a check for more than $1,300 to Greensborq for the building fund of the Central Car olina Polio hospital. An excellent variety of produce and merchan dise donated to the cause was auctioned. Auctioneers were the famous Goldston Brothers of Sanford, who contributed their services and truck. VFW District Convenes Here Saturday; State Officials Expected HELP WANTEDI REGISTRATION Registration for the $375.- 000 school bond issue for fhe Aberdeen district, to be vot ed on by the county electo rate August 24, will be held at the Community building this Saturday and next. This is not a new registration, but only for qualified voters not now on the books. A request that individuals or organizations here submit to him nominations for a ten ant group representative for fhe local rent advisory board, was issued this week by Rob ert S. Cromartie, area rent director, Fayetteville. The board now has a land lord representative and three public-interest representa tives. It should be a five-man board, he said, with a tenant representative in addition, one who can effectively rep resent the viewpoints, prob lems and needs of tenants. Functions of the board in clude recommendations con cerning any changes in the general rent leveL removal of rent control and coopera tion with the area office in handling individual adjust ment cases in the Southern Pines defense-rental area. Several names are wanted, to be submitted to Washhig- ton. D. C., for selection by the housing expediter of a suitable member as required by the Housing and Rent act of 1948. Motorcyclists At Lake view For Weekend Outing Things are going to be lively around here this weekend, with some 500 motorcycle riders ex pected to arrive Saturday after noon and remain through Sun day for their big annual outing, to be held this year at Lakeview. They are the members of the Motorcycle Dealers of North Car olina, a unit of the American Mo torcycle association, and they not only deal in motorcycles, they ride them, too. They will bring their own food and equipment for outdoor cook ing. Plans have been made for a big wiener roast Saturday night and chicken dinner Sunday on the grounds of the Hotel Lake- view, according to E. C. Vaughn, of Winston-Salem, who is co- chairman of the event with W. V. Scott, of Greensboro. Some will stay at the Hotel Lakeview Saturday night, while others nwill scatter off to South ern Pines, Vass, Shnford and oth- br places in the vicinity, return ing to Lakeview Sunday morning for their big stunt-riding exhibi tion. The state’s best motorcyclists and trick riders are expected to be present, and will compete for handsome prizes. 'The contests will begin around 10 a. m. Though they are not planned as a public exhibit, Mr. Vaughn said the members will be glad for anyone interested to come and watch. After the chicken dinner, some will remain at Lakeview for swimming and fishing in Crystal lake, while others will be out on their' machines sightseeing about the area until time to go home late Sunday afternoon. Many are expected to bring their families. While the affair is designed for pleasure only, a representative of the American Motorcycle association will be present and there may also be some business discussion. Plans Made For Two-Day Session Broadcast 2:30 Saturday The annual meeting of the Eighth district. Veterans of For eign Wars, will be held here this week end, opening with a busi ness session led by District Com mander Jack Reid at the club- room on East Broad street at 2 p. m. Saturday. The meeting will be keynoted by addresses to be broadcast over WEEB at 2:30 with greet ings from Post Commander C. S. Patch, Jr., District Commander Reid and Department Comman der Harry Van Der Linden. Registration of delegates will be held throughout the afternoon, from 1 to 5 p. m., and at 5 o’clock ineetings will be held of the va rious posts represented with the district commander, quartermas ter and service officer. At 8:30 o’clock, a dinner ses sion will be held at Scottie’s, with Congressman C. B. Deane as a special guest. A floor show will be presented. Auxiliary members will con vene at the Belvedere hotel, where a special meeting will be held at 7 o’clock, immediately preceding the dinner. This meet ing and other events for the la dies attending the event will be in charge of Mrs. Alberta Varner, state auxiliary president, ■ of Greensboro. (Continued on Page 8) Pinebluff School To Be Discussed A mass meeting of the citizens of Pinebluff and surrounding communities will be held at 8 p. m, Monday at the Pinebluff Methodist church, it was an nounced by Mayor J. K. Mason following a meeting of the town’s board of commissioners last Mon- ■day. ■ The meeting will be led by Chairman Leon Wylie of the cit izens’ committee spearheading the movement for the construc tion of an elementary school at Pinebluff, to serve the south end of the Aberdeen school district. All voters and citizens of the area concerned, including those of the comnnmities of Addor and Silver Springs, are requested to attend, so that opinions express ed and any decisions made at the meeting may reflect the will of all. Mayor Mason said- Announcing that “the fight will go on,” Chairman Wylie said that there is a good deal of, new information to be presented for evaluation by those affected, and also for action if this appears to be called for, in view of the ap proaching countywide bond elec tion for school improvements in the Aberdeen district. For some months the cStizens’ committee has been appealing to the Aberdeen district board, the board of education and the coun ty commissioners for considera tion of their .desire for education al facilities closer home than those of Aberdeen. They express themselves as confident of the wholehearted support of their part of the Aber deen district, and also of many in other districts of the county. Softball Tourney August 20^25 Seen As Good Boost For Town When the opening day for the State Championship tournament of the North Carolina Amateur Softball asociation rolls around. Southern Pines is due for one of the best exhibitions of softball ever seen in the old North State, according to stories coming from the sports pages of several state papers. District elimination tourna ments are already under way to select the nine participants who will be eligible for the tourna ment here. These will not only decide the state championship but will provide funds for the winner to advance to the region al tournament which will follow in St. Petersburg, Fla. All teams to participate here are sure to be fast and skillful clubs, the best in the state, as they will have been selected through a grueling elimination set-up. Current favorites are the. Moores'ville Mobrs, last year’s champions who are called by soipe sportswriters the outstand ing softball team in the nation. Local Team May Play Interest has heightened in the affair with the renewed possibil ity of a local team in the tour nament. A place had been re served for a host team, but due to the folding of the Church Lea gue and other disasters, includ ing the polio quarantine, which (Continued on Page 8)
The Pilot (Southern Pines, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Aug. 6, 1948, edition 1
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