Page TWO
IlLOT—Southern Pines, North Carolina
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1962
‘‘Hadn’t You Better Learn To Walk First, Son?”
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. ^
Jail Death Averted—-Now What?
Last Friday’s early morning occurrence
at the Aberdeen jail—the averted suicide
of a 16-year-old boy incarcerated there—
had a happier ending than numerous oth
er such events of recent years in North
Carolina lockups where natural or self-
inflicted deaths have taken place under
circumstances that have sometimes indi
cated neglect on the part of authorities.
It was good luck, last Friday morning,
that another prisoner—a “trusty” whose
cell was not locked and who could there
fore quickly summon help—was awake
enough in the middle of the night to hear
a commotion in the boy’s cell and get an
officer who, also luckily, happened to be
in the adjoining police station at that
moment, rahter than out on patrol. The
boy, hanged with his own belt, was cut
down in so short a time that he survived
with only a displaced neck vertebra as
injury. By luck or whatever, a life was
saved, with great credit to all concerned
in the process.
Our phrase, “happier ending,” in con
nection with this case, may sound ironic,
once even the bare outline of the un
fortunate boy’s life is known: a broken
home, delinquency and commitment to
a state training school at age 11, escapes
and attempted escapes culminating in re
jection by the school, existence for a time
with a grandmother whose death last
winter put him on his own, finally his
coming to see relatives at Aberdeen
where a breaking, entering and stealing
incident landed him in jail.
Who can say, after 16 years of a life like
that, that he would not decide death
would be preferable? To stand imagina
tively in that boy’s shoes offers a glimpse
of horror—and we quickly step out of
them again.
When he is physically able to stand
trial, this boy will face both an Aberdeen
court and a court in Fayetteville where
another breaking and entering charge
awaits him. With his past record as an
incorrigible and with no friends or close
relatives to stand behind him, it appears
almost inevitable that he will be sent to
prison. Perhaps the most that a humani
tarian observer can hope for is that a
sentencing judge will stipulate that he be
given a mental examination and treat
ment “if needed”—though how can there
be any doubt that a 16-year-old who tries
to kill himself needs treatment?
It may be that the die is cast and that
this youth is already firmly established
at a member of that recognized small
minority of law-breakers who are un
reachable, unredeemable by any known
method. Yet his attempted suicide would
indicate that a spark of conscience still
burns within him. The unreachable ones
glory in their war with society and for
ever plot new crimes. To want to die
shows a sensitivity they do not possess.
Surely, the administration of justice de
mands that some disposition other than
incarceration with adult criminals be
made in this boy’s case.
(Editor’s note: Since this editorial
was written early this week, it was
learned that the boy, though under
guard at a hospital, had escaped
through a bathroom window there.
Whether he had been re-apprehended
was not known as this page went to
press Wednesday morning.)
Discipline: Parents Accountable
A sensible and straightforward state
ment on school discipline, as adopted by
the board of education, was taken home
Tuesday by all students in the Southern
Pines schools.
The statement makes it clear that while
the school faculty and administration
have a definite responsibility in the mat
ter of pupil behavior and intend to do
everything possible in this area of student
development, parents have the primary
responsibility in regard to child behavior
and “it is expected that pupils will come
to school prepared to be polite and
courteous and to obey rules and regula
tions.”
The list of policies and procedures notes
that “impudence, arrogance, disorderli-
ness and disrespect will not be tolerated.”
Provisions for suspending or, in more
serious cases, expelling a pupil from
school are clearly indicated.
There is a fine, old-fashioned ring about
the board of education’s policy statement
and the old-fashioned reader of it is bold
enough to hope that the day may be re
turning when an obstreperous pupil’s
visit to a principal’s or superintendent’s
office is, as in days gone by, made with
quaking knees and when the dread of
being expelled from school is like antici
pating the end of the world.
There are real teeth in the board of
education’s policy. A suspended pupil.
for instance (one who continues to break
rules and regulations after school punish
ment and consultation with parents), will
not be re-admitted “until he and
his parents agree in writing that he will
abide by all school regulations.” An ex
pelled pupil is out for the remainder of
the school year and, by inference, perhaps
for good and all: “His case may be re
considered by the school authorities from
year to year.” This is the kind of talk that
makes Isoth parents and students quit
fussing and complaining and face a dire
alternative. It’s a dignified way of telling
them, in a pupil-school crisis, “Put up or
shut up.” Incidentally it’s music to the
ears of those of us who are thankful we
grew up in an era of stringent school dis
cipline—just as we feel sure many stud
ents now in school here will be thankful
in the future.
While modern public school education
is open to numerous valid criticisms,
there has been a tendency to blame the
schools for pupil shortcomings that are
more justly laid at the feet of parents.
We are pleased to see the board of educa
tion serving notice that parents and stud
ents will be held accountable and that,
in the words of the statement, “it is not
fair to the majority of pupils to allow a
few pupils to interfere with the instruc
tional program and the efficient operation
of the school.”
Rescue Historical Records
North Carolina is rich in manuscripts
which tell a wonderful story of the way
of life of our ancestors and give us an
eye-catching picture of the country in
which they lived and died. These irre
placeable documents in Raleigh are in
real danger of decomposition—due pri
marily to the lack of a proper place to
store them. It is not too late to adequately
house these manuscripts—but we must
act quickly. Another few years and
thousands of priceless records may be
gone forever. The Tar Heel State has the
dubious distinction of being the only State
between New Jersey and Mississippi, ex
cepting Florida, which does not have or
is not getting a history building.
But there is an even more important
reason why we should attempt to preserve
Imagination And Efficiency
A short note from a reader, appearing
among the letters on this page, is typical
of the favorable reaction received to The
Pilot’s recent editorial, “Crime Against
'The Roadsides,” in which we deplored
the practice of spraying vegetation under
public utility wires with poison that kills
all living things it touches. In calls and
conversations, numerous readers have in
dicated that they don’t like this practice.
In the editorial, we wondered if it
would not be more economical to trim
only the tall-growing trees and bushes
rather than to spray and kill everything
that grows under the lines. Wildflowers,
ferns and low shrubs, we noted, offer no
conceiveable threat to the wires or the
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The Public Speaking
our valuable records. Throughout record
ed history, peoples have been judged in
some. measure by the degree of pride
which they have shown in their heritage
—and in their efforts to preserve that
heritage. This may appear to be of no
importance to many of us now. It will,
however, affect the moral and cultural
condition of our State for many genera
tions to come.
Through its large and active Historical
Association, Moore County has demon
strated its interest in the past of this
area, awakening a sense of local history
in many residents of the county. We feel
sure that Historical Association members
and others will support moves to see that
the state’s archives are propertly housed
before it is too late.
well-being of the right of way.
A reader carries the point further by
noting a recommendation from the Moore
County Wildlife Club that utility com
panies use some imagination and, instead
of killing everything along their rights
of way, take a positive approach and
plant there such vigorous, low-growing
vegetation as lespedeza that would crowd
out and control other growth while also
supplying valuable food and cover and
for wildlife.
As so often, the imaginative approach
turns out also to be, it would seem, the
practical one, permitting both utility com
panies and nature lovers to achieve their
purposes.
Reader Praises Edilorial
On Medical Care For Aged
To the Editor:
Your recent editorial on medi
cal care for tho aged struck a fine
note of courage and understand
ing. The accompanying cartoon
drovo home its message most ef
fectively. You have added one
more to the articles and editori
als which have given your paper
a fine reputation way beyond its
normal area.
At this time when so much of
the press has come into the con
trol of combines and large inter
ests, and tends so often to reflect
the views of the owners and their
class interests, it is a great satis
faction to read an independent
paper which dares express its
views in its own editorial page,
and has views to express. Due to
my living so near New York I am
able to have the great metropoli
tan dailies on my breakfast table,
but I look forward to the Pilot
each week for its fresh and con
structive information, and I have
not been disappointed in any is-
SU0 yet.
FREDERICK OSBORN
Editorial On Roadside
Spraying Is Approved
To the Editor:
To your editorial, '‘Crime
Against The Roadsides,” in the
August 16 edition, I say, “Amen.”
MRS. ALVIN MARKLE
Ardmore, Pa.
Tree With Varied Leaves
Reported From Vermont
To the Editor:
I noted with interest the item
in “Grains” of August 9, quoted
from the Raeford News-Journal,
concerning the oak tree with two
kinds of leaves on it.
“You” and Mrs. Wood, could
very well have 20-20 vision, for
up here in my father’s yard is a
black oak with the conventional
leaves with points, but on the
lower branches are some leaves of
a decidedly different round
shape. No grafting either. We
have wondered about this phe
nomenon for a couple of years
but can’t find the answer. My
own vision is 20-15, too.
Incidentally, some Pilot readers
may recall that, if I had remained
in Southern Pines, I would have
been a member of the Class of
1928 at Southern Pines High
School.
HOLLAND DOUGLAS
3 Sycamore St.,
Brattleboro, Vt.
Still Was 300 Yards,
Not Feet, From Church
To the Editor:
We would like to say that the
small whiskey still which was re
ported seized last week near
Summer Hill Baptist Church by
Chief C. A. McCallum of Carth
age, Moore County ABC enforce
ment officer, was not found “al
most in the shadow” of our
church nor “almost under the
eves” of the church as some of
the county newspapers reported.
We further state that the still was
not found within 300 feet of the
church as was also reported by
the newspapers, and furthermore,
we do not feel that a bootlegger
is a neighbor to our church or its
cause. Our church does not ap
prove or propagate the making of
alcoholic beverages nor the illegal
or so-called ‘‘legal” sales of al
coholic beverages.
As pastor of Summer Hill Bap
tist Church and speaking in be
half of our members we do not
appreciate the press using our
church as a marker describing the
evil work of someone else.
L. M. WILLIAMSON
Pastor, Summer Hill
Baptist Church
(Editor’s note: The news story
was in error in describing the still
the officers found as 300 feet
from the church, instead of 300
yards. We are sorry for this error,
which was not Mr. McCallum’s
fault, but do not feel there was
anything in the news story to in
dicate the church knew or ap
proved of the still being there.)
N. C. One Year Old
As 'Good Egg State'
To the Editor:
Last September Governor Ter
ry Sanford officially designated
North Carolina as “The Good Egg
State.” To our knowledge North
Carolina is the only state to have
its quality egg industry recogniz
ed with such a permanent desig
nation.
It is almost overwhelming the
state and national publicity this
title has received since last Sep
tember. It undoubtedly has had
its influence on bolstering our in
state and out-of-state market for
this expanding industry, which
already means over $91,000,000 a
year to North Carolina.
Starting September 1, North
Carolina is one year old as
“The Good Egg State.” I would
like for you, if you think it fitting,
to devise som.e means of calling
this fact to the attention of North
Carolina citizens.
L. Y. BALLENTINE
Commissioner
Department of Agriculture
Raleigh
Why Not Exhaust Filter For Cars?
The evidence increases that the
place for the filter may be on the
car, not the cigarette.
In Denver, to which thousands
have moved in recent years to es
cape respiratory ailments, air pol
lution has increased to an alarm
ing extent with the growth of
population. Lung diseases, bron
chial ailments and sinus troubles
have mounted there. And the As
sociated Press reports: “To bat-
MILITARY MIGHT
IS NOT ENOUGH
The central question today is
unchanged from what it was at
the end of the war in 1945: How
can we create a situation of true
security—one that does not give
the power of instantaneous life
and death over any nation to
any man or group of men?
The more we ponder this
question, the greater the realiza
tion that military might is not
enough in a nuclear age. If there
is to be a genuine security, the
search for it must go on beyond
the anarchy of nations. This
means law. Merely the recogni
tion of this fact will not achieve
it. But if, in addition to recogni
tion, we add conviction, making
this our driving national purpose
and leading a great debate in the
world on how best to achieve it,
we might at least fix the sights
of the world’s peoples on what it
is that is required to keep human
life going.
No one knows in advance what
kind of energies and historical
thrust might be released by such
a commitment. Certainly it would
do no harm to try.
—Norman Cousins in
Saturday Review
tie this condition, Denver has re
stricted to certain hours the burn
ing of trash in home incinerators.
The ordinance also prohibits in
dustrial smoke of greater than
specified density. But nothing has
been done about exhaust fumes.”
Yet exhaust fumes may well be
the most dangerous of all the
agencies of air pollution. Further
more recent predictions have in
dicated that within a relatively
short time there will be twenty-
five million more motor vehicles
polluting the American air.
Congress recently passed a law
requiring all manufacturers of
TV sets to equip them so that
they could receive UHF signals
as well as VHF ones. There is
much present discussion of the
regulation of drugs and even cos
metics which may be possibly
dangerous to the public. Why
should not all motor vehicles be
required to be equipped with de
vices to reduce air pollution or at
least to limit the amount of air
polution they cause?
Technical problems and in
creased cost factors undoubtedly
enter into this problem. With the
naked eye as well as the naked
nose, however, it can be observed
that some vehicles seem specially
and actively engaged in making
the air dirty and dangerous. If all
exhaust fumes cannot be easily
eliminated some limits could be
placed upon the polution of the
air by cars and trucks just as
limits are placed on home trash
burners and industrial plants.
We have moved by law to as
sure men of pure water. It is time
that we began to move to assure
Americans of pure air.
—Raleigh News and Observer
John T. Patrick
Numerous oldtimers around the
Sandhills (and also newcomers
who are interested in the area’s
background) have commented on
a recent Charlotte Observer col
umn by H. E. C. (R.3d Buck) Bry
ant, the grand old man of Tar
Heel newspapering, who is still
going strong.
Mr. Bryant recalled meeting
John T. Patrick—the Seaboard
Railroad promotion agent who
laid out both Southern Pines and
Pinebluff in the 1880’s—back in
th.3 1890’s, here in Southern Pines.
The railroad agent offered to
give Bryant two choice lots in
Southern Pines (wonder which
lots they were?) but, said the Ob
server columnist, “I would not
accept them, fearing that I might
be taxed a dollar or two on them
every year. Now,” he wrote, “if
I had them I could buy an entire
pack of foxhounds for my new
home in Morganton.”
The pine-scented air of the
Sandhills, which we local resi
dents take for granted, “literally
sagged with ‘ozone,’ a cure for
any sort of lung trouble,” in the
view of John T. Patrick, Mr. Bry
ant remembers.
Patrick was “a genius and a
forward thinker,” the column
continues. ‘‘He saw the possibili
ties in sandy lands considered
worthless.”
Pinebluff, incidentally, was
laid out by Mr. Patrick on a
grander scale than Southern
Pines, with blocks 500 feet square
and streets 100 feet wide, as com
pared to 400-foot blocks and 80-
foot streets here. The plan for
each block was identical in both
the towns, but on a different
size scale.
Mr. Patrick himseK made his
home in Pinebluff where he had
a plantation and a printing press
on which he turned out reams
of brochures that drew the fore
bears of many current Sandhills
residents to this area.
“Ozone” is about all the pro
moter had to sell in the early days
of Sandhills development and
Patrick did a marvelous job. Im
agine what he could do now, with
golf, riding, cultural events and
industrial development to pro
mote! A long way from ozone!
Reds in Pinks
The last thing to be associated
with the Soviet way of life is
riding to hounds—so we were es
pecially tickled to see a story
from London on how three Rus
sian horsemen in England for the
European horste championships
have been riding with one of
England’s most exclusive hunts.
They were, of course, according
to the AP story, “wearing pink
coats and white breeches.”
As anybody in the Sandhills
knows, “pink” coats are actually
RED—and we all know what that
means.
We think the whole matter
should be investigated by the
John Birch Society.
Travel Cost
Maybe native Americans spend
too much money traveling.
The C & D Department, trying
to see if visitors could travel in
North Carolina on the $98 per
week figure set by the U. S.
Travel Service in information for
foreigners, found that two peo
ple could make a week’s morm-
tains-to-seacoast tour for $68.86
each, using busses and staying in
downtown hotels rather than out
lying motor courts.
The tour began in Cherokee
and ended in Carolina Beach and
ran for seven days and six nights.
If you want to find out how it
was done, you can get a detailed
breakdown of expenses by writ
ing the State Travel Information
Division at Raleigh. It’s an eye-
opener and makes us wonder
why traveling always costs us so
much more.
The PILOT
Published Every Thursday by
THE PILOT. Incorporated
Southern Pines, North Carolina
1941—JAMES BO'TD—1944
Katharine Boyd Editor
C. Benedict Associate Editor
Dan S. Ray Gen. Mgr.
C. G. Council Advertising
Mary Scott Newton Business
Mary Evelyn de Nissoff Society
Composing Room
Dixie B. Ray, Michael Valen,
Thomas Mattocks, J. E. Pate, Sr.,
Charles Weatherspoon and John
E. Lewis.
Subscription Rates
Moore County
One Year $4.06
Outside Moore County
One Year $5.06
Second-class Postage paid at
Southern Pines, N. G.
Member National Editorial Assn,
and N. C. Press Asia.