Page TWO
ILOT
Southern, Pines
North Carolina
“In taking over The Pilot no changes are contemplated. We will try to keep this a good
paper. We will try to make a little money for all concerned. Wherever there seems to be
an occasion to use our influence for the public good we will try to do it. And we will
treat everybody alike.”—James Boyd, May 23, 1941.
Debasing the Presidential Office
(or so he indicated in his appearance before
Just how the Sherman Adams case will
stand when these words are read we don’t
know, but early this week, the Presidential
assistant was still doing business as usual in
the White, House, reserving the assumption
that he was not making any telephone calls
on behalf of his friend Bernard Goldfine.
Hugh Haynie’s cartoon on this page today
brings out what is to us the most striking as
pect of the influence peddling charges made
against Adams: the absolute downright piti
fulness of a President of the United States
saying he can’t get along without this ifian—
or any other one man, for that matter.
What a humiliation that is for the Presir
dent—in the eyes of our own people and of
the rest of the world!
The admission is shocking, because it must
have been made before all the evidence on
Adams’ manipulations was in—if indeed the
evidence is all in yet.
The tremendous prestige of the Presiden
tial office seems to have been forgotten, in
this case, by all concerned.
Thus, Adams, in making his “inquiries”
about Goldfine, appears not to have realized
the Harris Committee) that “inquiries” or
“intercessions” by an Assistant President
carry with them a power that could be influ
ential beyond any such inquiries by anyone
else, including members of Congress.
So, too, the President, in making his “I need
him” statement, seems to have forgotten that
the President of the United States, aside from
the mechanics of White House procedures, is
supposed to be the Chief Excutive. An admis
sion to the contrary is a humiliating debase
ment of the office and throws over all future
actions of the President a shadow of doubt as
to whose decisions such actions represent.
Well, the American people asked for all
this in 1956, in the face of repeated warnings
by perceptive observers in Washington, that
a vote for Eisenhower was a vote for Sher
man Adams and his entourage.
It was bad enough to elect a President on
that basis, even if Adams was and remained
“clean as a hound’s tooth.” Now that time has
passed and the mythical teeth have begun to
decay, it is an even more pitiful situation.
And 1960 is still such a long way away!
Good Compromise On Driver Training
While this newspaper has not been particu
larly enthusiastic about driver training
courses in the schools, we are bound to
acknowledge that they are effective—or in
surance companies would not make a differ
entiation in rates in favor of automobiles
driven by young people who have completed
such courses.
The program has been established in North
Carolina; each of us has forked over an extra
dollar when buying car tags this year; and
plans have been announced as to how the
program will operate in the schools of South
ern Pines.
Our luke-warm attitude toward driver
training in the schools has not been because
we think the training is not a good thing; but
we’ve felt that the times caU for increased
and invigorated academic efforts by all
schools, and that in so far as driver training
would detract from this goal, it would not
be a good thing.
Southern Pines school officials have made
about as good a compromise as can be made
in the face of this situation. The program is
getting started in the summer, with both
classroom and road instruction—not interfer
ing with classes at all. In the regular school
term, it’s planned to give road instruction
after ^chool hours and only the necessary
classroom instruction during the regular
school day.
Participation is on a voluntary basis, as
now set up, so that no student will be forced
to use classroom hours for driver training.
Those parents who feel that driver training is
primarily a home or family responsibiiity—
an opinion with which we agree, while grant
ing that all homes do not provide proper
training—are not obliged under the present
system, therefore, to enroll their children in
the school course.
We commend school officials for the sen
sible program they have worked out for driv
er training in Southern Pines and our best
wishes for its successful operation go to all
concerned.
Attention On Tennis
'The Pilot welcomes to Southern Pines the
young people who are playing in the North
Carolina Junior Chamber of Commerce Ten
nis Tournament.
The tournament, being held here for the
first time this year, is drawing yoimg people
from' throughout the State. As with other ten
nis tournaments held here in the past, we are
pleased to see this sports activity receiving
attention in the Sandhills which is already
noted as a center for golf and equestrian
events.
Our appreciation goes to the Jaycees for
their efforts in bringing the tournament here
and in setting up an interesting program. The
Jaycees’ volunteer werk in replacing and re
pairing spectators’ benches is, in itself, a
welcome contribution to the town.
It is a pleasure to have this large group of
Tarheel young folks with us for a few days.
American, European Schools Compared
An interesting comparison of the European
and American school systems is made by the
magazine. Changing Times. Each system is
based, it is pointed out, on a different concept
of education.
The European systems are for the intellec
tual elite where tough testing programs tend
to favor children from' upper social and econ
omic classes. The American educational sys
tem, on the other hand, is geared to educating
every child.
The only fair comparison between the two
systems, say the editors, is with our bright
students who may attend our best colleges or
make honor societies. In that case, they say,
U. S. students compare very well.
At the age of 16, less than 20 per cent of
European youths are in school, while in the
U. S. some 70 per cent are studying. At the
age of 18 to 20, about 25 per cent of our boys
and girls are in school. In Europe, fewer than
10 per cent are receiving academic training.
As early as the age of 10 or 11, the Euro
pean youth takes a tough national exam. If
he does well he is permitted to attend an
academic high school where he prepares for
the university. If he doesn’t he takes a gen
eral coiu-se, perhaps a vocational course, and
then drops out of school at about 15.
Youngsters who do get into the academic
high schools and stay the full time receive the
rough equivalent of an American high school
academic course plus two years of college. But
the going is rocky, and a great many drop out
—in England, some 80 per ceqt.
At the age of 17 or 18, European students
who have survived take another stiff nation
al exam. Anyone who fails cannot go to the
university and is also shut off from the best
government and executive jobs.
European schools do work the children
hard, the editors say. A French 10-year-old,
for instance, puts in about 45 hours a week on
school and homework. Youngsters are drilled
endlessly on basic subjects.
European students get stronger doses of
traditional subjects. Ours get a better ground-
Man And Superman
THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 1958
CAUTION!
M) NOT TOUCH
ACCOUNTABLE
ONLYTOTHE
president
CVSeCVLS
MEMORIES FROM A TIME LONG GONE
Water Grist Mills Disappearing
ing in the social sciences—economics, politi
cal science, sociology, psychology. Relations
between teacher and student are easier in
America. European schools are more formal
and discipline in lower grades is tougher.
We train our children more conscientious
ly than Europeans do in nonacademic things
—how to understand and get along with peo
ple, how to take an active part in the political
and economic world in which they live. Our
students can develop special talents through
extracurricular activities such as student gov
ernment, dramatics, publications.
Vote On June 28
We urge all qualified voters to go to the
polls June 28 to vote in the secopd primary.
The number of persons voting should be as
large or larger in the second primary as in the
first.
Whether or not your chosen candidate for
either sheriff or District 5 commissioner is
among the four second primary candidates,
these four are the ones you have to choose from
now. And it is up to each voter to cast his
ballot as he sees fit after looking over the can
didates and their records and finding out all
he can about them.
Unless there is a revolutionary change in
party affiliation in county politics in Novem
ber, the Democrats nominated on June 28 for
sheriff and District 5 commissioner will be
elected in November and take office on the
first Monday in December.
It has been healthy for Moore County, pol
itically and democratically, to have had a
large number of candidates in the Democratic
primary. But the benefit of this large field
to choose from and of the large number who
turned out to vote in the first primary will be
lost unless equal or greater interest is shown
in the upcoming voting that will actually de
cide who goes into the two important offices
at stake.
By H. V. R. in
The Smilhfield Herald
I
The old water-powered grist
mill, once so numerous in this
county, has almost faded from
the landscape. Fifty years ago my
father, W. N. Rose Jr., owned
and operated such a mill. Within
a radius of five miles from his-
mill were at least five others—
all active at their work of turn
ing out their daily grind of corn
meal and hominy. Now only one
of these mills is standing and
capable of grinding com; that is
the old Dick Blackman pond near
Bentonville, presently owned by,
Dee Shaw. I do not think it is in
use for grinding; although kept
in good condition for the busi
ness. All the others have succumb
ed to slow decay and have gone
down stream in some fatal flood.
My father’s old mill fell a vic
tim of the carelessness of night
fishermen during World War 1.
They built a fire and left embers
glowing and smoldering. The
wind grew strong and swept live
coals under the century old
house, and it came down in
flames never again to rise and
grind. The fervent heat, caused
both the upper and nether stones
to fly into millions of small peb
bles.
Many Friends
I used to grind at this old haill,
and while it did not give me a
college degree, it did impart into
me much knowledge of things
and people which I have found
as some of life’s best assets. For
one thing, being a public miller
acquaints one with a wide circle
of friends. A miller learns a great
deal about hqw his neighbors
live. It was in those days a great
deal to know the ts^pe of corn
each farmer grew and how per
sistently each would stick to his
variety. John Weaver had chalky
white corn, the grains of which
were long and soft. Our old mill
would make pure flour from his
corn. Old Mr. John B. Hood’s
corn was round of grain, and as
hard as flint. We had to set the
stones close, feed them slowly
and grind and grind to get the
yield of fine meal he always
wanted. Uncle Bright Cole had
yellow com. In those days the
yellow variety was very rare. His
meal when cooked looked like
highly seasoned muffins and was
indeed very palatable.
Praised Wives
Some of our customers wanted
a fine grind while others wanted
a kind of round course grind.
One jester came along one day
and said please grind his in round
meal of cylinder shape. It was
amusing to hear those old tillers
of the field laud their wives—
what fine cooks they were and
what good bread they could cook
from' the meal from that old mill.
Fine meal went into hoecakes
and the coarse meal was ideal for
the com pone. How tasty and de
licious was this bread, they said,
when eaten with cold buttermilk
and summer vegetables.
A millpond on a farm has
many fascinating features. There
are many little requirements of
a water mill, and to call over a
list of all the gadgets at this late
date, one would need a glossary
for an understanding of the use
and purpose of each. Who would
know the meaning of such terms
as toll-dish, mill-peck, hopper,
shoe, meal paddle. ink-and-
gmdgen (this word is not in
Webster’s), trunk, gate, flood
gates, pier-head, chinking the
gate, shrouding, sheeting, blade,
bed, shaft, etc.?
Never Locked
Our mill house was never lock
ed and if ever a grain of corn
was stolen from it I do not re
member it. But the use of the
mill and the water in the pond
were sometimes stolen. There
were some men not far away
who were engaged in the man
ufacture of blockade liquor. That
was before men knew how to
make liquor by sugaring up red-
dog. In those days they would
make malt out of sprouted com
and dry it in the sun. When
thoroughly dry they would go to
the old mill by night and grind
the malt into fine flour. From
this they could brew a beer that
would turn out a pure com whis
key that would rival Scotland’s
best. At least those who drank it
gave it high praise and continue
to do so until this day. The next
measure of com ground after the
malt made mean bread. ’The sour
•malt could min a lot of sweet
meal.
Another Problem
Another problem was the fel
low who wanted meal early in
the fall from his new crop of
HAD A WAY WITH WORDS
corn. The new crop had to be
bone dry, else the meal would
fall from the rocks in rolls re
sembling shoestrings. 'This would
choke the rocks and considerable
work was required to reset the
runner and upper stone after
such a grind.
Those old mills also ground out
hominy. This was a course grind
of com not much finer than bid-
die feed. But when cooked long
and slowly and topped off by
ham gravy, you had a dish fit for
the king.
The pond in summer attracted
boys from miles away. There
the would gather on Sunday
afternoons in great gangs and
while the afternoon away in
swimming and diving. In cold
weather ice on the pond was an
other public attraction. Flocks of
wild ducks would visit the pond
but one had to be a very skilled
hunter if ever he got a shot at
them. I used to shoot them by
approaching the pond from be
low the dam. I would ease the
gun just above the crest of the
dam and when duckey got with
in range the old gun would blaze
forth. In season there were a lot
of fish—cats, mullets, perch.
Uitle Profit
There was little profit in the
operation of a public grist mill.
The law then—and now so far as
I amt informed—allowed the mil
ler to take one-eighth of the
grist for toll. From one bushel he
would take one-half of a peck.
That was making com very slow-
. ly but we always had corn if the
rains were frequent enough to
keep the old waterwheel turning.
*The Southern Demagogue*
(From the Virginia Quarterly
Review)
What characteristics have
made this term—Southern dema
gogue—a national institution?
First and foremost: A way
with words. The South is a re
gion where reading has been con
sidered at best only a second
hand imitation of “reality,"
where for generations a gentle
man’s word given over a dram of
whiskey was considered perhaps
more binding than his name writ
ten in ink on a legal document.
Purple Passages
When oratory was in particular
ly luxuriant vogue during the
last century, many a Southern
politician downed opponents
with purple passages that paint
ed their respective states as
much more than mortal earth
and only a little less than heav-
en.
More particularly and always,
they stood ready to defend wom
anhood,, which seemed always to
be in grave danger of being vio
lated. What the late Grover C.
Hall said of the professional
Southerner might also be said
of these demagogues: “Ever
ready to protect the honor of any
woman against all men, except
himself.”
It was this matter of attention
getting, smacking more of the
carnival than tKe newsreel, which
Ben Tillman undoubtedly had in
mind when he was asked by a
friendly planter why he raised so
much hell in the course of his
campaigns, and he replied: “If
I didn’t the damn fools wouldn’t
vote for me.”
Besides raising hell, the South
ern demagogues also adopted dis
tinctive manners of dress and a
vast assortment of “folksy” nick
names. After Tillman assured his
constituents that President
Cleveland was “an old bag of
beef and I am going to Washing
ton with a pitchfork and prod
hiffli in his old fat ribs,” he be
came “Pitchfork Ben.”
Names and Coattails
There were “Cotton Ed” Smith
and “Pappy-Pass-the - Biscuits”
O’Daniel, “The Man” Bilbo, “Ma
and Pa” Ferguson, Gene Tal-
madge “The Wild Man From
Sugar Creek” and “The King-
fish,” Huey Long. In sartorial
matters Talmadge was known by
his red galluses and Mississippi’s
Vardaman had his long flowing
hair and long flowing coattails.
Grains of Sand
U Worked!
Testimony to the effectiveness
of Pilot classified advertising is
being given by a local couple who
found themselves almost Oiver-run
by a large litter of kittens and
placed an ad offering them free
to anyone who would give them
a home.
Success of the ad was such that
not only the kittens but the
mother cat were established in
“a good home in the country”
where they have the happy des
tiny of keeping a bam free from
mice arid rats.
The couple did break down and
keep one kitten for themselves
—a tom this time, presumably
eliminating the necessity of
placing other kitten ads in the
future.
Novel System
Mrs. Myron M. Hill of 230 W.
May St. sent us a clipping the
other day telling how residents
of the city of Charlevoix, Mich.,
leave their porch lights on all
night to improve the lighting on
their streets. The city, where
there is apparently a municipal
ly operated power system, chose
to give householders free power
for their porch lights, rather than
install additional needed street
lights.
On a card with the clipping,
Mrs. Hill asked: “Why not our
mid-town streets?”
We suggest that Mrs. Hill take
this up with another Hill who
lives on May St.—Ward HiU, lo
cal manager for the Carolina
Power & Light Co.—pointing
out, however, that it’s a different
situation in Southern Pines:
householders pay their electric
bills to the light company, not to
the city, so any such project here
would call for plenty of compli
cated bookkeeping.
There’s this much to be said
for the Charlevoix system,
though: porch lights burning
everywhere over town would be
a boon to late-straying husbands
whose porch lights in a normal
lights-off town advertise the fact,
far into the night, that they
aren’t home yet.
On the other hand, with lights
on all up or down the street,
everybody could get a very good
view of the husband and his con
dition when he did come home!
You can’t win, can you?
Where Was That?
Latest odd item to turn up at
the Chamber of Commerce office
was a routine request for gener
al information, coming from
Pittsburgh, Pa.
But—it was addressed like
this:
Southern Pines
East of Ansonville
North Carolina
When the envelope arrived
here, it was marked, sensibly
enough, by the post office de
partment, “Missent to Ansonville,
N. C.”
“East of Ansonville,” indeed!
We can imagine, “South of Ra
leigh,” “East of Charlotte," or
even “South of Sanford” or
“North of Rockingham.” But—
“East of Ansonville”. . , !
A lesson in humility, we reck
on. That’s what we in the Mid-
South Resort will have to take it
to be.
Latest Seawellismi
Latest Chub Seawell story be
ing told around Carthage relates
how the eloquent attorney and
“ex-Republican” appeared in Su
perior Court in a nearby county
where court was being held re
cently in the Agriculture Build
ing, because of construction
work underway at the court
house.
“Your Honor,” spoke up Mr.
Seawell as court opened in the
building housing offices for the
farm agent, home agent. Conser
vation Service and so forth, “I
move that all my cases be placed
in the Soil Bank.”
The PILOT
Published Every Thursday by
THE PILOT. Incorporated
Southern Pines. North Carolina
1941—JAMES BOYD—1944
Katharine Boyd Editor
C. Benedict Associate Editor
Vance Derby News Editor
Dan S. Ray Gen. Mgr.
C. G. Council Advertising
Mary Sceit Newton Business
Bessie Cameron Smith Society
Composing Room
Lochamy McLean, Dixie B. Ray,
Michael Valen, Jasper Swearingen
'Thomas Mattocks.
Subscr^ptioa Ratest
One Tear $4. 8 mos. $2} 8 mos. |1
Entered at the Postoffice at South
ern Pines, N. C., as second class
mail matter
Member National Editorial Assn,
and N. G. Press Asa.