ILOT
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VOL. 36—NO. 5
TWENTY PAGES
SOUTHERN PINES. NORTH CAROLINA. FRIDAY. DECEMBER 24. 1954
TWENTY PAGES
PRICE—TEN cents
Survey For
By-Pass Is
Completed
Map of Route To
Be Posted Soon In
Moore Courthouse
Surveys for the No. 1 highway
by-pass here have been completed
and a map showing the exact
route of the new highway will be
posted at the court house in Car
thage in a few days, Eighth Divi
sion Highway Commissioner For
rest Lockey of Aberdeen said this
week.
Required by law, posting of the
map means that any objections to
the route must be made to the
Highway Commission within 3C
days from the time the map is
put on public display.
Owners of local property ad
joining the route have all been
notified and it is understood that
some adjustments in the route
have been made after discussions
between highway officials and
property owners. The map to be
posted at Carthage, it is under
stood, represents an adjusted
route and it is unlikely that pro
tests will be made, judging from
information reaching The Pilot
Benefil Seen.
While not commenting on this
aspect of the matter. Commission
er Lockey said that highway offi-
ciads think the route is most satis
factory from an engineering point
of view. He expressed confidetice
that the change would be of great
benefit to Southern Pines and the
entire Sandhills area, because the
travelling public seeks out and
uses well engineered modern
highways in which municipal bot
tlenecks have been eliminated.
The by-pass project is, part of
a long-range improvement pro
gram fc-r No. 1 highway through
out the state.
As previously noted in The
Pilot, the by-pass route, roughly
described, leaves the present No.
1 highway, on the north, between
Manly and “Skyline” and will
cross Midland Road under an
overpass, with cloverleaf inter
section, near the former city lim
its, before annexation of Knoll-
wcod—the intersection also in
volving access to the “cutoff
road” from Midland Road to Man
ly.
Along McDeed's Creek
The by-pass runs southward
roughly along the course of Mc-
Deed’s Creek which is the stream
that divides East and West South
ern Pines. Pennsylvania Ave. will
cross the by-pass on an overpass
jivith access also given here by a
cloverlfeaf intersection. Continu
ing southward, the route follows
Saylor St., which is now only par
tially opened up in the south end
of town, passing west of Memorial
Field near the W. E. Hughes res
idence and thence southward east
of and close to Mount Hope Cem-
etary, to intersect with the pres
ent No. 1 again just north of the
Fairway and Charlton Court
motor courts. The route will re
quire removal of the old Sugg res
idence near the point of intersec-
(Continued on Page 8)
THE FIRST CHRISTMAS NIGHT, as depict
ed above in a lighted panoramic display, is
drawing many visitors each night to the town
park. The scene, showing the Wise Men jour
neying to Bethlehem by the light of the Christ
mas Star, is the work of Capt. John C. TuUett of
the USAF Air-Ground Operations School, who
painted and erected it for the Chamber of Com
merce. The lifesize figures are on five panels
set in depth, for a vivid 3-dimensional effect.
They cover an area approximately 38 feet wide
by 32 feet deep, framed by palm trees 20 feet
taU. The panorama is part of the Chamber’s
project of more beautiful Christmas lighting of
the town this year. Mrs. Jean Edson was chair
man of the project for the Chamber and also for
the “Finer Carolina” program.
(Photo by V. Nicholson)
Private, Public
Decorations Add
To Holiday Scene
More festively decorated down
town than in many a Christmas,
Southern Pines is also showing
the holiday spirit in numerous
displays on side streets and in
residential areas.
A journey around town after
dark is rewarded by many sights
of beauty and charm, showing
that many persons have taken an
interest in Christmas decorations
Without attempting to make a
complete list. The Pilot has noted
Downtown: the traditional
Christmas lighting on Broad
Street, supplemented by many
srnall trees put out by the mer
chants, also by the giant Christ
mas tree at Pennsylvania Avenue
and Broad illuminated by the
Southern Pines Garden Club.
The Scriptural scene cf Wise
Men guided toward Bethlehem
by a Star, painted for the Cham
ber of Commerce -by Capt. John
C. Tullett of the Air-Ground
School and erected on the town
park.
West Southern Pines’ first com
munity tree, a living tree with
many lights on The Point at the
end of West Pennsylvania Ave-
(Continued on Page 8)
BIDS OPENED
•
Bids were to be opened Wed
nesday afternoon by the Southern
Pines school district trustees on
the “Phase B” portion of South
ern Pines High School and also
on an elementary school unit at
West Southern Pines, to contain
four classrooms as the first unit
of a larger new elementary school
building there. In connectic-ii with
this structure, bids were asked on
a heating plant that will serve the
entire completed new elementary
school.
The completed Phase A High
School building, which is now in
use, was the first portion of a
structure expected to cost in all
about $250,000. Heating plant for
the entire building has already
been installed in the Phase A
part, the total cost of which was
$126,644.
The Phase B structure is plan
ned to run 191 feet parallel to
May St., adjoining the Phase A
unit on the north. Both buildings
have a modified Colonial design
and are of/brick construction,
' Leslie N. Boney of Wilmington is
the architect.
Masonic Groups
Elect Officers,
Set Supper Meet
The four Masonic bodies of the
area which have their headquar
ters at the Southern Pines Mason
ic Terrjple are in the midst of their
annual round of elections and in
stallation of officers for 1955-56.
Installed Monday night were of
ficers of Southern Pines Lodge
No. 484, AF & AM, who were
elected December 6. These were:
Alden G. Bower, master; James I.
Lawson, Jr., senior warden; C,
Robert McCormac, junior warden;
Ralph L. Chandler, treasurer; L.
L. Woolley, secretary'; L. D. Jones,
senior deacon; Edwin L. Finch,
Vass Route 2, junior deacon; John
A. McRae, Vass, and Edgar B. Mc
Donald, stewards.
A large supper meeting is be
ing planned by all four bodies for
Monday evening, January 10,
when other officers will he intall-
ed as follows (all of Southern
Pines unless otherwise noted):
Southern Pines Chapter No. 61,
(Continued on Page 8)
Hospital Fund
Application Is
Well Received
'No Adverse Aclion'
By Commission, But
Checking Necessary
In its meeting at Raleigh Friday
the N. C. Medical Care Commis
sion “took no adverse action” on
Moore County Hospital’s applica
tion for state-federal hospital im
provement funds that would pro
vide about two-thirds the cost of a
$309,000 proposed construction
and alteration program at the hos
pital.
The words quoted were those of
a Commission member with i
whom he had talked on the tele
phone, said Thomas R. Howerton,
hospital administrator. He was
expecting a letter with more de
tails that had not arrived Wednes
day morning.
Also mentioned in the tele
phone conversation,'said the ad
ministrator, was the fact that a
few technicalities in the Moore
County Hospital proposal have to
be taken up with the U. S. Public
Health Service in Washington, D.
C., where final approval of the al
location would be made.
Howerton said he was encourag
ed by the report and is optimistic
on final approval.
The application was made after
a gift of $50,000 by Mr. and Mrs.
H. Arnold Jackson of Pinehurst
which, it is hoped, will be match
ed with $50,000 in funds solocited
in a general drive that is already
beginning, thus providing approx
imately a third of the needed to
tal amount.
Community Preparing
For Two-Day Holiday
Dawson Confers
With Governor
A. C. Dawson, local school sup
erintendent, with A. B. Gibson of
Laurinburg and Charles McCrary
of Asheboro, had a 40-minute con
ference with Gov. Luther H.
Hodges at Raleigh Tuesday. They
discussed the United Forces for
Education legislative program to
be put before the 1955 General
Assembly, Supt. Dawson said.
The local man and Gibson, Lau
rinburg school superintendent, are
co-chairmen of the legislative
committee of the North Carolina
Education Association. McCrary
is state chairman of the United
Forces for Education, an organiza
tion composed of a number of
state-wide civic, farm and wom
en’s groups.
ELKS PARTY j
As The Pilot went to press
Wednesday, afternoon, the South
ern Pines Elks lodge was holding
its 9th annual Christmas party
for children, with all youngsters |
in this area invited, at the Coun
try Club. A tree, Santa Claus and
gifts for all are features of the
entertainment.
CHRISTMAS BEAUTY
Once again, as every yea^
at this time, the Library Gal
lery celebrates the coming of
Christmas with a special ex
hibit.
On the walls of the little'
room, decorated with the
lovely greenery of the Sand
hills, are hung reproductions’
of great works ctf art telling
the Chrisbnoas message.
There are Della Robbia
plaques, statuettes of the
Virgin, one of these in wood,
elaborately carved and paint,'
ed, the work of Mexican
craftsmen. The creche, with
its representation of the Holy
Family, the kings and the
shepherds and overhead and
all around, the little brightly
dressed angels, came fromi
Czechoslovakia.
A special treasure among
treasures of this Christmas
celebration at the Gallery is
an old Italian painting lent by
Miss Polly Dix of East Mass
achusetts Avenue. Charming-
ingly framed in dull gilt, the
canvas has the shadowed
beauty of the old masters.
The Christmas exhibit, not
really an exhibit, is an ex
pression of the meaning of
this anniversary and its sig
nificance to man down
through the ages. It will re
main in place through the
holidays, a quiet place, in the
midst of the town yet apart
from the busy streets, a place
where peace lingers, and
beauty glows, as the Christ
mas Rose bloomed in Bethle
hem, "when halfspent was
the night."
ALUMNI GAME
The Christmas vacation
basketball games between
Southern Pines school and
alumni players—which have
been run off for the past 25
years or more—will take
place at the school gymnasi
um* Thursday night of next
week, December 30. There
will be both boys' and girls'
contests.
Supt, A. C. Dawson is again
-expected to coach the alumni
players, while W. A. Leonard,
regular basketball mentor,
will direct his boys' and girls'
teams.
Game time will be 7:30 p.m.
Further details will appear in
next week's Pilot.
80 Baskets For
Needy Prepared,
Setting Reeord
Setting a record of local Christ
mas giving to the needy, 80 bush
el baskets of food and gifts were
packed and ready at the post
home of John Boyd Post, Veterans
of Foreign Wars, for delivery to
families of this area Thursday eve
ning.
While the baskets contained
largely food items, there were
many with toys for families with
children, said Fred Hall, chairman
of the Christmas basket program
for the sponsoring VFW.
Delivery will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, a day earlier than the
baskets have been distributed in
previous years. Warrant Officer
Lennox Forsyth of the local Na
tional Guard unit is supplying
two trucks, with drivers, to help
in the distribution.
Also.assisting are members of a
newly formed Negro VFW post in
West Southern Pines who met
with the John Boyd post commit
tee Tuesday night and offered full
cooperation. Their assistance in
locating families to get baskets in
West Southern Pines will be in
valuable, Hall said.
Best response ever received was
given with food gifts collected in
barrels placed in grocery stores,
the chairman stated.
Over 300 cans of food and other
items were received from the
“White Christmas” program at
Southern Pines Schools last Fri
day. Gifts brought to school by
elementary and high school stu
dents were turned over to the
VFW for distribution in the bas
kets.
Also contributing to and assist
ing with the program, said Hall,
were the BPO Does and the Jun
ior Woman’s Club.
Hall expressed his appreciation,
on behalf of the post, for all con
tributions and assistance of what
ever nature. He added that cash
contributions, to help defray the
cost of the expanded program this
year, are still welcome.
HOLIDAY SCENE—A large magnolia light
ed by the Southern Pines Garden Club at the
corner of Broad St. and Pennsylvania Ave.,
dominates the colorful Christmas decorations in
downtown Southern Pines. Lights strung by the
Chamber of Commerce; with the town cooper
ating in payment of the electric bill, as well as
the small curbside trees that were placed in
flagpole holders along Broad St., can be seen at
the left. (Photo by Humphrey)
N. L. Hodgkins Is
Reported Improved
The condition of Norris L.
Hodgkins, president of the Citi
zens Bank and Trust Company,
was reported much improved
Wednesday, by his son, Norris L.
Hodgkins, Jr.
Mr. Hodgkins has been a pa
tient at Moore County Hospital
since Friday morning when he
was taken from his home to the
hospital by ambulance after suf
fering a heart attack, according to
information from his son.
PRIVATE FUNERAL
Private graveside funeral serv
ices for Heman Gifford, 75, for
mer Pinehurst winter resident
who died Sunday at Millbrook, N.
Y., were conducted Wednesday
afternoon, it was learned by The
Pilot after an obituary appearing
on page 20 had been written.
Funeral plans were not known
here when the obituary was writ
ten.
Post Office
Holiday Mail
Reaches Peak
Christmas in Southern Pines
and this area will find most per
sons enjoying a two-day holiday
Saturday and Sunday.
Businesses and offices in South
ern Pines will close Saturday
but most will reopen Monday.
’The Citizens Bank and Trust
Co. will be closed Saturday and
also Monday. The bank will be
open from 7:30 to 8:30 Friday
night, Christmas Eve, to receive
deposits from merchants.
The post office, which has han
dled a record volume of Christ
mas mail, will operate on normal
schedule Thursday and Friday
Windows will be closed on Christ
mas Day and mail will not be dis
tributed to boxes. There will be
no city delivery except that
Christmas packages, perishables
and special delivery mail will be
delivered to homes by truck un
til 5 p. m. Outgoing mail will be
dispatched as usual. The post of
fice will be open as usual on Mon
day.
The Southern Pines Library
will be closed Christmas Day and
also on Monday. It will be Open
to 5 p. m. Friday.
The town office will close at
noon Friday, said City Manager
Tom E. Cunningham, and all
town employees except police and
necessary maintenance personnel
will have Friday afternoon off.
The town office will be open as
usual on Monday.
Church Services
Christrrias Eve church services
will be held at the First Bapti^
Church at 8 p. m. and at Emman
uel Episcopal Church, at 11:30
p. m. and mass will be sung at
St. Anthony’s Catholic Church at
midnight.
Christmas Day services in
clude Holy Communion at Em
manuel Episcopal Church at 8 a.
m. and 11 a. m., the latter service
preceded by a special ante-Com-
munion service in which the
junior choir will take part. At St.
Anthony’s Catholic church mass
will be held at 8, 9, 10 and 11 a.
m.
The courthouse in Carthage
will close at noon, Friday, and
will remain closed until Tuesday
morning. There will be no session
of recorders court Monday; the
next session of the court is sched
uled for Friday, December 31.
Record Volume
Postmaster Garland Pierce said
that more than 20,000 pieces of
mail and 1,000 packages were dis
patched at the post office on Mon
day of this week alone. Decem
ber cancellations aire running 16,-
000 ahead of this time last year.
A truck is working until 10 or
11 p. m. nightly delivering
Christmas packages. As the activ
ity at pest office windows slack
ed off this week, clerks were
pressed into service as city deliv
ery carriers, to help distribute
the tremendous volume of incorii-
ing mail.
No extra help was authorized
for the post office this year.
CAROLERS
Young people and youth
groups from all the churches
in Southern Pines will meef
at the Baptist Church at 7 p.
m. Thursday night, December
23, and go out in groups to
sing carols.
All who are interested in
having these young people
sing to them are asked to
place a candle in a window as
a sign and they will be glad
to stop at those homes where
candles are displayed.
After the caroling, they
will reassemble at the Church,
of Wide Fellowship, where
they will be served hoi choco
late.