VOL. 37—NO. 16 TWENTY-TWO PAGES ,5? ‘ • ~ vw V < . ^ ; STEEPLECHASE WORKOUT—M. G. “Mickey” Walsh, top- ranking trainer who owns Stoneybrook Farm where the Stoney- brook Hunt Races will be held March 17, is shown in a close-up at right clocking horses being galloped around the track by his daughters, Joan and Maureen. Another daughter, Audrey, will join her sisters in the ladies’ race at Stoneybrook, and Mrs. Walsh will enter her timber and hurdle horses in the races. (North Carolina News Bureau Photo) Stoneybrook Race Meeting Will Open U. S. Steeplechasing Season March 17 #5, 0 The nation’s hunt racing and steeplechasing seasbn will open with the ninth annual Stoney brook Hunt Race Meeting over the Stoneybrook course near Southern Pines on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. Hundreds of racing enthusiasts from all over the country are ev- pected to attend the colorful event which begins at 2 p.m. Charles W. Stitzer, Southern Pines hotelman and executive secretary of the Stoneybrook races, said today that member- Er. Langner Heads Music Assn.; Plans Made ForPrograms Dr. Fred W. Langner was elect ed president of the Sandhills Mus ic Association at a meeting held at the Library Monday evening. Other officers elected were Mrs. Henry Page, Jr., treasurer, and Mrs. Norris L. Hodgkins, Jr., sec retary. Conducted by the retiring pres ident of the past two years, Law rence McN. Johnson, who receiv ed a warm round of applause on his successful administration of the organization’s affairs , the meeting concentrated on plans for the coming year. The treasurer’s report, read by Mrs. Hodgkins in the absence of Dr. Harrell Johnson, past treasur er, showed the organization has operated close to the margin fi nancially with a budget stretched to the limit. General opinion was that the last concert, of the Wag ner Chorale, to be held March 23, will bring in the funds need ed to finish the year in the black. Plans adopted for the new year included the decision to place a limit of four on the nuinber of concerts and, if possible, to cli max ^he series with the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra. It is hoped that it will be possible to bring back some of the best of the talent already heard here, in accord with the expressed ships already subscribed for are far exceeding that of any previous year. “The advance subscriptions for memberships and the advance sale of parking spaces indicate the races will be the best attended we have ever held,” Stitzer said. He also reported that the course is in extremely good condition due to the recent rains. All the traditional color and ex citement of timber and hurdle racing will be displayed in the program of eight races which will include races on the turf and on the flat track. Feature event is the Sandhills Cup, about two and one-half miles over timber. Hurdle races, over obstacles of long-leafed pine, are the Stoneybrook Open and the Yadkin. The traditional Pink Coat Race, for members of the Moore County Hounds, will start the activities at 2 p.m. In that race the riders will be attired in formal foxhunting wear and will compete over a two and one-quarter mile course over fences. Other activities scheduled in clude a formal drag hunt by the Moore County Hounds at 10 a.m. the day of the races, a gymkhana and horse show at Lakelawn Farms the day before the races, and a subscription dinner and dance for owners, officers and members at the Pine Needes Club following the races. A tea has also been scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday. Mr. Stitzer announced today that the following stewards had (Continued on page 8) 28 Working Out For Baseball At Memorial Field wishes of many subscribers. COLLEGE PROPOSAL NOW AT STANDSTILL No definite offer has been made by Southern Pines to Pineland College - Edwards Military Institute, in connec tion with the school's express ed interest in moving to Southern Fines, Mark J., King, Jr., president of the Southern Pines Chamber of Commerce, said today. No specific information has been received from the jomtly managed educational institu tions in Sampson County, since W. J. Blanchard, pres ident, visited Southern Pines last week. "It's now a matter of wait ing for any information they might want to give us." said , Mr. King. "There is no defi nite commitment from them." Directors of the Chamber of Commerce discussed the pro posal Tuesday night at their regular meeting. Some 28 Southern Pines High School baseball hopefuls, 10 of them lettermen, are working out daily at 4 p. m. at Meimorial Field in preparation for a 13-game sche dule which begins March 21. Returning lettermen include Lynn Van Benschoten, John Van Benschoten, Tony Parker, BiUy Hamel, George Reams, Johnny Watkins, Bobby Cline, Billy Cox, Roger Verhoeff and Kenneth Creech. Newcomers who look promising are Everett Cushman, Hill Bos well, Ike Woodell, Thomas Vann, Bobby Parker, Dickie Mblnnis, Steve Smith, Dennis Morgan, Donald Walter and John McCon nell. The team, runners-up to Car thage in the county conference last year, will play two games each week through May 3. The county tournament will start the following week with preliminary games at different fields in the county. Semi-finals and finals are scheduled to be played here at night. Coach Leonard pointed out that Wednesday games were schedul ed so that as many people work ing in Southern Pines stores as possible could see the games. Be ginning with the April 17 game with Vass-Lakeview the remain- i ing games will be played at night on the local field. Easter Seal Sale To Begin; Benefit Events Announced ■The annual Easter Seal sale of the Moore County Society for Crippled Children will start Sat urday to run through the middle of April, it was announced this week by Miss Blanche Monroe of West End, county chairman of the sale. Letters containing seals will be mailed out in various coimmuni ties of the county. Chairman and quotas will be announced. Mrs, W. P. Davis, chairman for Southern Pines, said that 1,000 letters each containing $2 worth of seals will be mailed here in a few days. Students in the bus iness department of Southern Pines High School addressed the envelopes, she said. Special fund raising events of the drive were announced by Mrs. Davis as follows: Wednesday, April 11—Chicken fry at the Country Club, sponsor ed by the Elks Lodge, Harry Pe- thick, chairman. Saturdays, March 24 and 31— Easter lily sales on street, with Miss Katherine Mackie and Sen ior Girl Spouts in charge. Good Friday, March 30—“Cup of coffee day” for crippled chil dren when resturants, drug stores and hotels will be asked to do nate coffee proceeds to the seal sale (this is a nation-wide fea ture for the drive). Bob Lewis is in charge of con tainers placed in local business establishments for coin coRecf- tions, Mrs. Davis said. NO INFORMATION No further information was available this week on negotia tions in Washington, D. C., de signed to keep the USAF Air- Ground Operations School in Southern Pines. Rep. C:. B. Deane began talks with Air Force offi cials after the Air Force announc ed recently that the school would be transferred this summer to Keesler AiFB, Miss. Officials Explain How Moore County Spends Its Money Financial Condition Sound, Credit Good, Says Board Chairman The business of collecting and spending tax money for Moore County was explained to members of the League of Women Voters in what proved to be one of the most interesting meetings the group has ever held at the Civic Club Tues day night. Gordon M. Cameron of Pine- hurst, chairman of the county Board of Commissioners, and Mrs. Estelle Wicker, county fax super visor and accountant, sketched to a small but enthusiastic audience the complete financial workings of county government. They fol lowed a budget through from the original requests of department heads to its final adoption. Mr. Cameron, long-time chair man of the five-man board, ex plained to the group just how the board is elected. He pointed out that every section of the county is represented on the board through a system whereby each of five county districts has one member. Four of the districts, he said, each include two townships, and a fifth district consists of a single town ship, Carthage. He said the county is presently operating on a budget of $1,106,- 284, based on a total valuation of slightly less than $43,000,000. “All the money we are in charge of budgeting does not come from ad valorem taxes,” he said. “We receive certain sums from the state and federal govern ments, all of which is earmarked for specific purposes. The biggest slice of the tax dollar by far is the almost 69 cents spent for school operation. “The next biggest part of the tax dollar is spent on the general fund, which is the administration of the county government, and in cludes a multitude of items. We (Continued on page 8) Hobby Exhibit To Be At Shaw House Friday, Saturday More than a dozen collections of interesting hobbies will be on dis play at the Shaw House tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday as part of a Hobby Exhibit sponsored by the Moore County Historical Associa tion. The house will be open from noon to 6 p.m. both days. According to Mrs. William Tufts of Pinehurst, general chairman, several hobbies have been added since last week, including a col lection of 90 knives, a collection of miniature gardens, an exhibit of bells, and a collection of bas kets made of Carolina jasmine. Other exhibits include collec tions of quilts, hooked rugs, bas kets, jewelry, carvings, dolls, ele phants, old china, brass and cop per, books', butterflies, carvings, ceramics, orchids, and paintings. The log cabin adjacent to the house will also be used to house part of the exhibits. Admission is $1 for adults and 25 cents for children. Proceeds of the exhibit will be used for the benefit of the Shaw House. County’s 7th Traffic Death Of Year Leads Lon^ List Of Wrecks lOOMPHCar Snaps 8-inch Pine At Stump A rash of highway accidents, one of them resulting in Moore County’s seventh fatality of the year, have been reported since last Friday. There were 14 high way fatalities in the county last year, and two motor vehicle ac cidents deaths on private proper ty. Pvt. James A. Wright, 23, of Shelby, was fatally injured about 2:30 a. anj. Tuesday when thrown from a car as it left the Vass- Carthage road and overturned several times. Wright, who was stationed at Ft. Bragg, died about two hours after Jjeing admitted to St. Jos ephs of the Pines Hospital. Cpl. M. S. Parvin, who investi gated the accident, said the driv er, Harold Evans, 21, a Kentuck- ihn, who is stationed at Ft. Bragg, fell asleep at the wheel. After the car had finally come to a stop, Evans, unhurt, made his way to a nearby home for help. The accident took place near Farm Life school, about four miles from Carthage. Evans is being held in Moore County jail in default of $5,000 bond, pending hearings in Re corder’s Court Saturday. Cpl. Parvin also investigated what he termed “one of the worst accidents I’ve ever seen” shortly after midnight Sunday on the Hinehurst-airport road between NC 2 and the airport. William Dudley, 34, of Sanford, was seriously injured and for sev eral days was reported on the critical list at St. Joseph’s Hospi tal. According to Cpl. Parvin, the car was apparently running at a high speed, “conservatively es timated at 100 miles per hour,” when Dudley, traveling alone, lost control on a curve, lost con trol and tore off into the woods. Parvin said the car hit a large- pine tree, flew up into the air, and with its right bumper broke off an eight-inch pine and sent the stump of the tree flying 30 or'40 feet away. Before the car finally caime to a standstill, it hit two more trees and wrapped it self around them. Graydon Foushee of Sanford, who was first on the scene, said he had been with Dudley earlier in the evening at a ball game in Rockingham and at a dance at Pinehurst. He told Cpl. Parvin that he did not witness the acci dent, but came by shortly after ’ it happened. Patrolman H. A. Hight, Jr., re ported two accidents he investi gated over the weekend. The first one was investigated Saturday night at 8 p. m. It oc- currer on the Lakeview-airport (Continued on page 8) HONORED — Charles W. Picquet, veteran Sandliills theatre owner, stands beaming in characteristic affability at the door of his Carolina Theatre. In honor of his 80th birthday, which fell on Monday, the Sandhills Kiwanis Club, of which he is a charter meniber,' honored Mr. Picquet Wednesday with a surprise ap pearance and birthday prograhi at the theatre. The program in cluded a special showing of “Guys and Dolls,” a film that, like countless others in the past) 40 years, Mr. Picquet has obtained in advance of even many larger communities. He is widely known and liked among theatre owners and entertainers as well as residents of this area. (Photo by Humphrey) Kiwanis Gathering At Theatre Greets Charles W. Picquet For 80th Birthday A birthday cake with candles ablaze, speeches, cheers, tears, a box picnic . . . this was not the usual Kiwanis weekly lunch, nor the usual scene in the Carolina Theatre where all this was taking place Wednesday. The show inside was billed sim ply: “Charlie Picquet’s 80th Birth day Party.” Gathered in the theatre to honor the owner and manager were aU the Kiwanians who could get there, the wives of many of them, as well, and a goodly number of the Sandhills’ leading citizens. Civil Court Terms Slated Next Week Judge Frank Armstrong of Troy will preside over a one week term of Civil Court be ginning Monday, it has been an nounced. Five cases were docketed for the term but two of them have been settled out of court. The other three are expected to take the entire week, except Monday when Judge Armstrong will hear the pre-trial calendar. Two divorces aVe scheduled for the term, which will have a jury. COMPANY SUMMONED TO MARCH 15 HEARING New Phone System Planned For Pinebluff E. H. Mills, mayor of Pinebluff and an official of a corporation that is being formed with a view to setting up and operating a dial telephone system in Pinebluff and surrounding rural areas, said this week that plans for the new com pany’s operations will be present ed at a hearing called by the State Utilities' Commission for Thursday of next week, March 15. The Commission announced a few days ago that the Pinebluff Telephone Company has been summoned to appear at that hear ing to show that it has plans to improve service or show cause why its certificate should not be revoked. The announcement of the hearing cited records of com plaints about service going back to 1950, including poor equipment, delays in calls and inability of the caller to hear the person being called. The company is owned and op erated by Mrs. A. G. Wallace— widow of the founder who set it up as an independent company 52 years ago and was active in its operation until his death last yem —and members of her family. Plans Revealed Mr. MiUs said that plans he has worked out in cooperation with the present owners include instal lation of all new equipment, in cluding a dial exchange. He said that surveys of the area and the potential business of the new firm have been made by an independ ent engineer and have been check ed by engineers and officials of the Rural Electrification Adminis tration to which application has been made for an REA loan of a type granted to independent tele phone companies operating in ru ral areas or in towns of less than 1,500 population. The Pinebluff man was optimistic about approv al of the loan, amount of which was not named. He said he based this optimism on statements made by REA offi cials. Cooperation of the Sandhill Telephone Co. at Aberdeen and the United Telephone Company of the Carolinas at Southern Pines has beerv assured, he said. Plans call for using Southern Pines as a toll center on long distance calls. In setting up the new corpora tion, arrangements are being made to compensate the Pinebluff Telephone Company, although all existing equipment and lines would be eliminated, Mr. Mills said, and disposed of for their sal vage value. The new firm’s area of service, all of which has been surveyed by independent and REA engineers, would be considerably extended, (Continued on page 8) When J. Talbot Johnson of Ab erdeen, the appointed speech- maker and cake-presenter for the group, began: “It was 43. years ago that I first saw Charlie, in this very theatre,” he squinted over the gathering and said: “Sam Richardson there, was here, too, and Ralpb Chandler, but we three, no, four,” putting his arm about Mr. Picquet’s shoulders, “we four are the only old-timers who were here on that memorable day. Since then, how many have gath ered here!” Mr. Johnson’s remarks were made during the intermission of the moving picture, “Guys and Dolls,” which opened at noon, in a special presentation for the occa sion. Given “in the smallest thea tre in the country to produce this newest and greatest musical com edy film,” according to advance notices, the film was stopped mid way through to allow for the (Continued on Page 8) Pancake Jamboree Set Here Friday Tickets are available from all Rotarians and at the door for the Southern Pines Rotary Club’s “pancake jamboree” — unique fund-raising project that will take place Friday at' the Fellowship Hall of the Church of Wide Fel lowship. Rotarians and Rotary Anns will serve pancakes at a small charge per plate (“all you can eat”) from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and local folks are urged to plan to eat breakfast or lunch out Friday. Proceeds of the event will go to help Rotary charities and com munity service programs, includ ing the annual Halloween carnival for children, the school band, a scholarship fund, basketball ban quet and support of a Greek or phan (see photo elsewhere in to day’s Pilot). GAME DATE CHANGED Date of the annual basketball game between Southern Pines High School teachers and parents in the PTA has been changed from March 15 to March 14. The change was made after a story on page 16 of today’s Pilot had been printed. See that story for other details of the game. Delinquency To Be Discussed Monday A panel discussion of the delin quency problemi will be a fea ture of a Civic Club meeting at 3 pm. Monday when the featur ed speaker will be Clinton W. Areson of Southern Pines. Scheduled to take part in the discussion with, Mir. Areson are Mrs. Howard Butler of Sbuthern Pines and J. C. Phillips, princi pal of Westmobre School in up per Moore County. Mr. Areson’s topic is: “I Liv ed Ten Years With Juvenile De linquents.” He was formerly su perintendent of the largest New York State training school for boys and also has been chief pro bation officer for juvenile and do mestic relations courts of New York City. STORE HOURS Most Southern Pines retail establishments are remain ing open on Wednesday afternoons during March and April. The stores usually close on those days but the new hours are being observ ed for the convenience of tourists and local shoppers.

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