Was Principal
At Aberdeen
For 13 Years
Robert E. Lee, Aberdeen school
principal for the past nine years,
has been named Superintendent
of Moore County Schools succeed
ing H. Lee Thomas, who has re
signed effective July 1.
Mr. Lee was named to the po
sition by the Board of Education
last Friday night. He was chosen
from 23 applicants by the county
board following several screening
sessions, including personal inter
views after the field was reduced
to a small number.
Most of the applicants were
from other counties and a large
portion of them were already
sup>erintendents of city systems
or county systems which, in sev
eral instances, were larger than
Moore.
The final vote was taken at
McCain Sanatorium where one
member of the board, Roland Up
church of Highfalls, is a patient.
Lee, it is reported, will -take a
salary cut to accept the superin
tendency but with prospects of
advancement. His salary will be
based on number of years in the
job, the number of students in
the system, and the type certif
icate he holds. Mr. Thomas cur
rently makes in excess of $8,000
but it is understood Mr. Lee will
make less than that.
Lee is a graduate of Elon Col
lege and holds a Master’s Degree
from the University. of North
Carolina.
He went to Aberdeen in ,1946
as a coach and under his tutelage
Aberdeen teams won several
county championships and the
girls’ basketbaR team was state
champion lor several years.
He was named elementary
principal in 1948, continuing as
high school coach, and in 1950 he
was elected principal of the
school. '
Three years later the school
won accreditation and member
ship in the Southern Association
of Secondary Schools and Col
leges.
Since 1950 the school has seen
much progress and expansion of
the physical plant, starting with
completion of the new elemen
tary building and gymnasium al
ready under construction when
Lee became principal. In 1952 the
agricultural building was added,
and in 1956 the elementary build
ing grew with the addition of a
four-classroom unit, and enlarge
ment and improvement of the
cafeteria.
A new auditorium was added
to the school plant in 1957, and
in 1958 the athletic field was re
built and enlarged for 11-man
football. A lighting system was
also modernized.
Under Lee the school has in
augurated a guidance program
which school officials throughout
the county claim has produced
spectaci^lar results and opened
the way to much progress. New
courses have been added at the
school from time to time, includ
ing art, music, Latin, French and
world geography.
Lee, the son of a Methodist
minister, was born in Franklin,
Va., and lived in a number of
places before graduating from
high school in Maxton. From
there he went to Elon and the
(Continued on page 8)
MIDGET BASEBALL LEAGUE got off to a good start Monday
afternoon when Mayor Robert Ewing tossed out the first ball to
the outstretched hands of some 30 youngsters, members of two
of the four teams in the league. The other two teams played a
later game. (Pilot photo)
Senior Play At
High School To
Be Held Tomorrow
Members of the senior class at
Southern Pines High School will
present their annual play tomor
row (Friday) night in Weaver
Auditorium.
The time, previously announc
ed as 8 p. m., will be 8:15.
The play is entitled “Professor,
How Could You!” and is a com
edy in three acts. It concerns a
professor, about to become a
dean of a college, who faces the
problem of choosing a wife, the
meddling “help” provided by his
associates, and the rather hilari
ous results of his final selection.
Members of the cast are:
Gordon Mitchell, Betty Fou-
shee, Steve Smith, Toby Hicks,
Barbara Bodine, John Marcum,
Betty Jo LoudermiUc, Arden
Fobes, Emmaday Collins and
Glen Marcum.
The play is under the direc
tion of Miss Hazel Askew, facul
ty advisor.
FRIEND INJURED
Vass Youth Killed In Auto Accident
Tuesday Night; Funeral Held Today
A 16-year-old Vass boy, Charles
Vernon Scarboro, was killed and
his companion, Lewis Ring, 15,
of Lakeview, was injured about ture.
9:45 Tuesday night when the car
Scarboro was operating went out
of control on a road near Vass,
mained in shock at St. Joseph’s
Hospital here, with injuries be
lieved not to be of a serious na-
hit a tree and was demolished.
Young Scarboro was a part-
time employee of the A&P Super
market here. He had assisted in
the produce market for the past
five weeks.
State Highway Patrolman Rob
ert R. Samuels, who investigated
the accident, said that Scarboro
was apparently killed instantly
in the accident, which occurred
on the old Vass-Lakeview Road.
He said that the entire front
end of the 1952 Plymouth tele
scoped against the tree, driving
the left front wheel back under
the dashboard.
The only eye-witness. Ring, re
Night officer John K. Sharpe
of Vass was the first person to
reach the scene of the accident,
a rural paved road about one
mile south of Vass.
Scarboro was an 11th grade
student at Vass-Lakeview High
School.
Funeral services were held to
day (Thursday) at the House of
the Lord Church near Vass by the
Rev. Marvin Bercham of Cam
eron. Burial foUowed in the
church cemetery.
Surviving are his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Clyde Vernon Scarboro;
two sisters, Mrs. Jackie Holder
of Vass, and Myrtle, of the home;
one brother, Jimmy, also of the
home; and his maternal grand
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Scarboro of Vass.
SVA Nurse Scholarships Awarded
M
■■
MM
V
■
■
j li
iw
ROBERT E. LEE
SVA NURSES SCHOLARSHIPS were awarded Saturday to
these two girls, seniors at West End. At left is Cassie Myrick
Gibson and at right, Carolyn Thomas. They were selected from
a field of five candidates for the scholarships, valued at almost
$1,000 each. They will enter High Point Memorial Hospital’s
School of Nursing in the fall term. (Pilot photo)
Two members of the West End
High School senior class, Cassie
Gibson and Carolyn Williams,
were named winners Saturday of
the Sandhills Veterans Associa
tion nursing scholarships for this
year. '
They will enter High Point
Memorial Hospital’s school of
nursing in the fall for the regular
three year term. Under the terms
of the scholarship awards, they
will return to Moore County af
ter graduation for a minimum of
one year of practice.
There are already three SVA
sponsored trainees at the High
Point Hospital, and 10 have grad
uated over the years and return
ed to this county to practice.
Meeting in the Nurses Home
the scholarship committee
screened five candidates for the
two scholarships, valued at al
most $1,000 each. In addition to
the winners, others who were
considered were Leona Callicutt,
a senior at Elise High School in
Robbins, and Sherrie Upole and
Sarah Joyce, both of West End.
Miss Callicutt was named alter
nate.
The selection committee was
composed of General R. B. Hill
of Southern Pines, who was, un
til his retirement several years
ago, one of the Army’s highest
ranking physicians; Dr. William
Hollister, of the Pinehurst Sur
gical Clinic; Joseph Sandlin, con
troller of Amerotron Corporation;
Mrs. James Boyd, editor of The
Pilot; Miss Juanita Pickard, Di
rector of Nursing at Moore Mem
orial Hospital; and Robert Ewing
and Ralph Chandler, members of
the sponsoring SVA.
Miss Gibson, who is valedic
torian of her class, is the 17-year-
old daughter of B. C. Myrick of
West End and the foster daugh-
(Continued on page 8)
Large Crowd At
Opening Game Of
New Midget League
The Yanks tied the Cards and
the Dodgers defeated the Braves
Monday afternoon in opening
games of the Midget Baseball
League.
The games, played at Tom
O’Neil’s field on Midland Road,
attracted an unusually large
number of spectators.
Sixty boys between the ages
of eight and twelve played in the
two games, both tight right up
to the wire.
After Mayor Robert Ewing
threw out the first ball to signi
fy the opening of the league
schedule, the Yanks and the
Cards took the field. The game
was a thriller and wound up in a
5-5 tie. Batteries were Pete
Buchan, Pete Pottle and Johnny
Rowe, pitching for the Yanks,
and Windy Winters and Joe Kim
ball catching. For the Cards Den
nis Morgan and A1 Michael were
the pitchers and Sammy Fergu
son was behind the plate.
The game, limited to a One-
hour playing time, will be play
ed at a later date to break the
tie.
In the second game liie Dodg-
■ers took an early lead but had to
fight off a rally by the Braves
to win 9-6.
For the Dodgers Mac Fowler
and Jimmy Pate were on the
mound with Davis Baker behind
the plate. For the Braves Joe
Davis and Ksnry Deberry pitch
ed and Webb was the catcher.
Southern Pines will be “inva
ded” by aggressor troops next
week and all normal functions
of government, communications
and business will, theoretically,
be stopped.
“Theoretically,” however, is the
key word. According to a team
of Army officers who came here
Tuesday night Jo explain this
community’s role in the joint
Army-Air Force maneuver Which
begins tomorrow. Southern Pines
will be used simply as a training
aid and, unless you’re on the
lookout, chances are you won’t
even know a maneuver is in
progress.
Enemy troops will “capture”
SONIC BOOMS
Residents of this area will
experience some loud noise
and bright lights next week
during Exercise Dark Cloudj
Pine Cone II.
The Air Force, in support
of 82nd Airborne Division
troops, will make use of a
"sonic boom" to indicate air
attack on troops. In addition,
aerial photographs will be
made at night with the help
of flares dropped fromi es
pecially equipped aircraft.
The sonic boom is about
five times louder than thun
der. Fort Bragg officials said
the noise would be "aimed"
at the military reservation .
but some might escape to this
area.
The flares, one official said
here this week, will prob
ably light up the entire
county. The flares will be
much the same eis a photog
raphers flash, except the
period of time and it will be
rather high in the sky.
the town and impose “occupation
regulations” of the aggressor
army. During the course of the
exercise the town will be occu
pied by aggressor troops wearing
red and green uniforms and they
will remove the newly elected
government from office and ex
ploit the town to near depletion
of all its-resources.
Among other things, there will
be a flag-raising ceremony (by
the aggressors) at the Town Hall
next Thursday morning, the ra
dio station and newspaper offices
will be seized and communica
tion facilities will be taken over.
The operation in Southern
Pines is expected to take two
days. About 8 o’clock next Thurs
day the enemy troops will come
to town and the taking over part
will begin. Various activities are
planned for the day. A proclama
tion from the aggressor com
mander will be issued about noon
and from then until the towii is
liberated the next day the occu
pation troops will be in charge
of the town. None will be here at
night, however.
Mayor Robert Ewing agreed to
cooperate with the Army and
Air Force to provide training for
the Civic Affairs section of Head-,
quarters. Exercise Dark Cloud]
Pine Cone II, the official name of
the maneuver.
Southern Pines wiU be consid
ered to be a city in the “Bramac”
Strip, an area of trouble between
the freedom loving peoples of
North Salada and the aggressor-
controlled state of Mountainia.
The government of North Salada,
in order to defend the country
from aggression, has asked the
President of the United States to
help with troops.
After the occupation of the
town by the aggressor troops,
and their defeat the next day.
United States troops will re-enter
(Continued on Page 8)
Get Ready For D-Day^ Folks
Patch Reelected
PTA President
For Coming Near
Charles S. (Buster) Patch, Jr.,
was reelected president of the
East Southern Pines Parent-
Teacher Association, at the final
meeting of the organization for
this school year, in Weaver Audi
torium Monday night.
Other officers who were re
elected are: Mrs. Ralph Chand
ler, first vice-president; Mrs.
Robert Leland, secretary; and W.
S. Thomasson, treEisurer.
Miss Mary Jane Prillaman was
elected second vice-president,
succeeding Mrs. Howard Brough
ton. Both are faculty members.
Recognition was given to Mrs.
Don Traylor for her work as PTA
program chairman during the
past school year.
John Porter expressed the ap
preciation of the faculty for the
PTA’s assistance to the school.
Monday’s m.seting was a busi
ness session only. Pupils of the
elementary school, on the prece
ding Monday night had present
ed the entertainment program
for May, a series of dances and
musical features directed by Miss
Mary Logan, supervisor of South
ern Pines schools.
The new officers will serve for
the 1959-’60 school year.
To those who went through the
war in this section, maneuvers
are no new experience. The sight
of khaki-clad figures striding
about town brings a warmth to
the heart as the mind recollects
so many pleasant experiences and
good friendships made in the
days of the early-Forties before
the last war.
Southern Pines opened its door
and its heart to the troops then
and will do so once more.
And will, without doubt, enter
with zest into the excitement to
come—as much as it is allowed
to enter.
At the school, the other night,
when Colortsl Bethancourt was
briefing the audience on what to
expect, you could sense a good
deal of tension: even though the
audience was discouragingly
small. When he said that South
ern Pines would be captured and
the town office seized, an alien
flag run up, this newspaper’s
presses taken over, everybody
sat up. You could sort of hear
folks mutter: “Hey! Look here!
What do WE do. . . just sit there?”
Even though you knew it was
all “theoretical,” it was uncom
fortable. And that feeling of un
comfortableness was increased
when those three “Aggressors”
marched stiffly on to the stage to
let the folks look at them. Every
body did look, and nobody liked
them very much.
All this is good. After all, these
war games might as well be for
the civilians as well as the troops.
Goodness knows, we need prac
tice, too. One appalling feature
of the present situation in this
country is the extraordinary
apathy and unpreparedness of
the people.
This may be attributed to a
fatalistic attitude, all too natural
under the circumstances, but
around here we have been some
what lulled by the assurance that
we would never be attacked but
that our preparation should be
concentrated on being ready to
take in survivors from elsewhere.
This may well be likely but no
body can be sure. Certainly a bit
(Continued on Page 8)
TEAM WANTED
Anyone interested in form
ing a softball teami?
Another one is needed.
Irie Leonard, head of the
summer recreation program
here, said this morning, in
order to have a six-team
league.
Five teams are already
signed up: Lions Club, Moose
Lodge, Veterans of Foreign
Wars Post, Manly Presbyte
rian Church, and the Gallop
ing Ghosts.
Carolina Power 8c Light
Company and the Church of
Wide Fellowship dropped out
this season. Both had fielded
strong teams in the past.
Players or managers inter
ested in forming a teami are
requested to contact Leonard
at 0X5-3372.
League play begins Jiine 9.
Graduation Plans
At Local School
Are Announced
Commencement exercises at
Southern Pines High School be
gin Sunday, May 31, when Dr.
Bernard Boyd, head of the De
partment of Religion at the Uni
versity of North Carolina, de
livers the baccalaureate sermon
at the Church of Wide Fellow
ship.
The program begins at 8:15.
There are 33 candidates for
graduation at the . school this
year. Diplomas will bs present
ed at exercises June 3 in Weaver
Auditorium at 8:15. The com
mencement speaker is Dr. Arthur
D. Wenger, president of Atlantic
Christian College in Wilson.
The Awards Day program,
when scholarships and other
awards are announced, will be
held in Weaver Auditorium at
10:30 June 3.
Dr. A. C. Dawson, school super
intendent, said that the class of
33 seniors was originally sup
posed to have been 42, but nine
students moved away at the close
of the term last year or at some
time during the current year.
Next year’s senior class, he
said, numbers about 70.