VOL. 37—NO. 16
TWENTY-TWO PAGES
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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.