VOLUME 40
SMITHFIELD, N. C., TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1921
NUMBER 7
DEVELOPMENT OF
MUSIC IN JOHNSTON
Mr. G. E. Thornton Thru
Sale of Instruments Does
Much to Foster Music
“Music is well said to be the speech
of angels.”—Thomas Carlyle.
“Music hath charms to sooth the
savage breast. To soften rocks, or
bend a knotted oak.”—Congreve.
“The man that hath no music in
himself, Nor is moved with concord
of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons,
stratagems, and spoils.”—Shakes
peare.
Turning over in his mind such
thoughts as these, the reporter drop
ped into the big music house of G. E.
Thornton last Saturday afternoon.
Mr. Thornton was busy with custo
mers; but we suspect he appreciates
a good newspaper, for when we said
we were connected with the Smithfield
HERALD, he immediately called Ev
erett to wait on the customers, and
devoted his whole time to us.
The large store, formerly occupied
by Tumage and Talton, was filled
from entrance to rear with musical
instruments—pianos, player-pianos,
and organs. There wasn’t much room
to sit down, so when we told Mr.
Thornton that we wanted him to tell
The HERALD something about his
efforts and success in cultivating the
musical taste of the county, he mod
estly disclaimed ever having thought
of his work in that way, but he asked
us to come into the little private of
fice and “talk it over”. Mr. Thornton
said he came to Smithfield in 1900,
“when he was a young man.” (He
looks like one still). He immediately
began trying to sell pianos and or
gans. He said he didn’t know one
thing about music, except that he
loved it. He could sing in the choir,
when the organist would teach him
the song, but he never attempted to
play any instrument, until the self
player piano was introduced. Since
then, he says he has a good time, ex
pressings his feelings in the finest
music, without knowing a single note.
Since 1900 his little store has grown
to be one of the largest music houses
in the state. At that time, Mr. Thorn
ton had the only music house in the
county, but a short while ago, another
was opened by Mr. Hall in Benson and
Mr. Thornton says this is a good
house too, though of course, if is
still young. In twenty-one years,
Smithfield has grown from a sleepy
little village to a large and bustling
town, and the music house has kept
abreast of all the improvements. It
is now one of the largest establish
ments of the kind in the state, and
Mr. Thornton told us some of the com
parisons which the traveling men
draw between his house, and those
in the larger cities; but he made us
promise not to print them, for fear
somebody might accuse him of ex
aggeration.
He has sold soemwhat over 2100
instruments, most of them in his own
county but many in other counties, and
an appreciable number in other
states. He has supplied many church
es and schools with suitable instru
ments. We got to talking about how
be had cultivated the taste of his
county by providing musical instru
ments in the homes. And we both
grew almost poetical, as we talked of
the family “gathered round the
Christmas fire,” or “on a Summer’s
balmy evening,” singing together,
some favorite song, to an accompani
ment, played upon one of his inatru
roents. A sweet picture rose before
our mental gaze, familiar to ua and
to every reader of The HERALD.
We can count on the fingers of one
hand, the persons whom we have ever
known who declared that they were
not fond of music. We have never
known a company of young people
which didn’t respond to the effect of
some simple air, they could all sing,
or maybe dance. When a family is
fond of music, and some member of it:
can be an amateur, that family will
like to stay at home in the evenings
instead of wandering over town.
Among all the branches of educa
tion, none furnishes a bond of sym
pathy stronger and none exerts a
greater influence for the mental and
moral uplift than good music. But it
is well nigh impossible to express a
love of music, without some sort of
an instrument. Therefore we told
Mr. Thornton that other folks
thought he had done a great work
DRUGGISTS HAVE A
MEETING IN SELMA
Johnston and Harnett Ass’n
Retail Druggists Hold
Important Session
Selma, Jan. 24.—A meeting of the
Johnston and Harnett Association of
Retail druggists was held here on
Friday, January 21, in the Masonic
Hall. The convention was called to
order by the president, Mr. C. P.
Harper, of the Selma Drug Company,
at three o’clock. A large number of
enterprising druggists from the two
counties were present. The president
made a brief address outlining the
condition of the drug business to-day,
and making suggestions as to the
policy to be pursued in the future.
It was the pleasure of the mem
bers to have with them, F. O. Bow
man, attorney for the State Board of
Pharmacy. Mr. Bowman made an
interesting and instructive talk which
was enjoyed by the druggists. Many
subjects were discussed which are of
vital interest not only to the druggists
but to the public as well. The as
sociation went on record as being op
posed to dispensing anything which
might be used as an intoxicating
beverage. It was the sense of the
meeeting that the people should be
given the benefit of declining prices
and that the cost of drugs and mer
chandise would become less in pro
portion to the price charged by the
manufacturer and jobber.
Election of officers took place, C.
P. Harper, being re-elected as presi
dent, and P. A. Lee, of Dunn, being
re-elected secretary. The Associa
tion adjourned to meet again in April,
the date to be determined later.
Makes His Own Coffin
The Philadelphia Record publishes
a dispatch from Allentown, Pa., which
says that a casket that Walter E. A.
Ziegler, of that city made for his
funeral more than 25 years ago will
now be utilized he having died at
a hospital, following a long illness.
He was 71 years of age and an expert
coffinmaker.
For many years he was employed
by an undertaker and, before retir
ing more than a quarter of a cen
tury ago, he made a solid walnut cas-,
ket in which he expressed a wish to
be buried when his death should occur.
It has been stored all these years in
his former employer’s establishment.
for the county, though he migt not
have been convinced of it. He laugh
ingly admitted that there might be
some grounds for their opinion, and
he mentioned one instance to support
it. Some years ago he received a
letter from a gentleman in a neigh
boring county, asking if he could not'
do- something to awaken a musical j
consciousness in his section. The
writer said that they had a good
school, but he had never been able to
employ a music teacher, as no one
seemed to care for music, and the
young people were growing up with
out an opportunity to develop that
phase of their intellectual life. So
Mr. Thornton went. He sold two
pianos to the school, and also sold
to two of the committeemen, and
came home. The next year he got
another letter, asking for more pianos
and in response, he took a carload
and sold them all in four days. The
school had emoloved a good teacher
of music, and the people had discov
ered that life held a brand new plea
sure, which they had net known be
1 fore.
Mr. Thornton sells the Hobart M.
Cable, and the Marshall Wendell pia
nos. Both manjufac turdrs furnish
the self-player piano also, and he sells
the famous Ecrtey organs. He also
sells records for the self-players, of
all the standard music, so that anyone
can sit down, and without any teehinal
skill reproduce the moot famous music
of the world, just as it falls from the
lingers of the most renowned pianists.
The new quarters of this interest
ing establishment, have all the neces
sary modern improvements, among
others, an equipment of Areola heat,
which was very grateful to the cold
and weary, wandering reporter on a
raw January day. The HERALD
hopes that the good work of this
house in the past, may be overshadow
ed by the great success which awaits
it in the futofe.
GOV. HARDING AT
WINSTON SALEM
Delivers Address to Busi
ness Men—Says Times
Are Now Improving
Winston-Salem, Jan. 21.—Gov. W.
P. G. Harding, of the Federal Reserve
Board in his address at a luncheon in
his honor at the Zinzindorf Hotel at
noon today by the Chamber of Com
merce and a brief talk at a dinner giv
en this evening by Col. F. H. Fries
at the Twin-City club, made a fine
impression. Colonel Fries, president
of the Wachovia Bank and Trust com
pany, declared that the message of
business men of this community was
both instructive and convincing.
Governor Harding spoke optimistic
ally as to the future, declaring that
the devlopments of the past thirty
days must convince those who have
possessed doubts heretofore that all
danger of a great financial or money
panic has been passed and that busi
ness generally is safely over the
most critical and trving»stage of re
adjustment period.
“Heretofore,” he said, “following
periods of artificial expansion the re
actions that have come have usually
been sharp and sudden, accompanied
by money panics. Nothing of the
sort has occurred in the present re
adjustment period. While many pre
dictions were made that an old-fash
ioned panic was inevitable, I never
once doubted the ability of the Feder
al Reserve System to prevent any
such condition.
“The decline in prices was neces
sarily disastrous to those producers
who had gone heavily in debt, with
the expectations that the prices
which existed a year ago would be
sustained or even advanced, and in
many individual cases great losses
will be suffered, but so far as the
community as a whole is concerned
there is no question of solvency.
“In working out the situation, it is
necessary that those who have ex
tended credits should exercise patience
and moderation and forbearance. In
cases where debtors show themselves
to be worthy of confidence and are
willing to meet reasonable require
ments.
“I have observed no disposition on
the part of the banks to force col
lections by foreclosures or other dras
tic means except as a last resort.
There are signs everywhere of a re
vival of business in the spring," de
clared Governor Harding.
Farmers Take Notice
At the Banner Warehouse tobac
co is soiling much better than it did
before the holidays. Especially the
better grades. We advise you to cut.
your tobacco crop the coming season
and be sure to get good tobacco seed
and make it good and we feel sure
you will get a good price for it. We
have the following seed: Hickory
Pryer, Warao, Gold Leaf, Tillie,
White Stem, Orinoea and Crutch. If
you want any drop us a card stating
the kind you want dhd the number
of yards you want to sow. Bring
us your tobacco and we will get you
a good sale.—Skinner & Patterson.
Program of Central Union Meeting
The following program will be ren
dered at the Baptist Center church
on Saturday and Sunday, January 29,
and 30th, 1921.
SATURDAY
10:30 to 10:46—Devotional service.
10:46 to 11:16—Christian Loyalty,
Rev. J. W. Smith.
11:16 to 12—Loyalty to the church,
Rev. M. P. Davis.
12 to 1:15—Dinner.
1:16 to 1:30—Devotional service.
1:30 to 2:0—Religious Indifference,
S. J. Kirby.
2:00—Enlistement for Service, S.
H. Averitt, followed by short volun
tary talks.
SUNDAY
10:00 to 10:16—Devotional service.
10:16 to 11:00—Sunday School
work, Prof. W. H. Hipps.
11:00—Doctrinal sermon, Rev. M.
P. Davis
12:00 to 1:16—Dinner.
1:16 to 1:30—Devotional service.
1:30 to 2:00—B. Y. P. U. Work,
Perry Morgan.
2:00—Moral and Spiritual Revival
Needed, F. H. Brooks, followed by
short voluntary talks.
APPROPRIATION OF
$185,000 FOR N. C.
Money in Rivers and Har
bors Bill Continues Work
Now Underway
Washington, Jan. 21.—Advance re
port concerning the rivers and har
bors appropriation bill soon to come
from the house committee indicates
that North Carolina will get a very
small slice of federal appropriations
for its streams and harbors during
the next fiscal year. The new bill will
carry only about $185,000 for North
Carolina projects, although there are
unexpended balances which will still
remain available.
The report of the army engineers
recently submitted asked for more
than a million dollars for North Caro
lina projects. The economy regime,
however, will hit the state, like all
others, and practically the only sums
allotted will be for maintenance work
on existing projects.
Specific appropriations which it is
understood will go in the bill are:
East branch of Cape Fear $3,006;
Black river, $2,000; waterway con
necting Core sound and Beaufort har
bor, $2,500; Contentnea creek, $1,800;
Trent river, $1,750; Swift Creek $1,
000; Pamlico and Tar rivers, $8,500;
Neuse river, $15,500; Manteo bay, $4,
500.
All of this is to continue work un
der way. For the inland waterway
from Norfolk to Beaufort there will
be an appropriation of $50,000 for
maintenance. There is an unexpended
balance from past appropriations of
about $550,000 so ths project will not
suffer.
The engineers recommended $695,
C00 for dredging the Cape Fear river
at and below Wilmington, suggesting
that $600,000 of the amount be used
in the construction of a dredge to be
assigned to that river. Instead the
house committee has decided to au
thorize the contsruction of four sea
going dredges to be used on the At
lantic coast and it was decided not
to authorize a special dredge for the
Cape Fear river.
One of these dredges may be as
signed from time to time to that river
and the committee has decided to
allow an item of $96,000 for mainten
ance work on the Cape Fear. This is
the biggest appropriation for North
Carolina.—Theodore Tiller in Greens
boro News.
Lyric Gives To Hie Starving
In response to an appeal through
the local Red Cross of H. A. Page,
who has charge of the Relief work
in North Carolina, for the starving
children in Europe, the Lyric theatre
will give their entire proceeds Wed
nesday, January 26, for that purpose.
Good pictures will be put on at the
usual prices, there being a matinee
at 3:30 o’clock. Everybody is invited
to attend the pictures and help a
worthy cause.
House Burned in Cleveland
Thursday about two o’clock in the
afternoon, the dwelling and smoke
house of Mr. C. C. Williams, of
Cleveland township were totally de
stroyed by fire. No one was at home
at the time, and Mr. E. S. Edmundson
who happened to be passing the road,
discovered the fire first. Other assist
ance soon came, and an effort was
made to extinguish the flames, but the
fire had gained too great headway.
About half the furniture, however,
was saved and also the meat from
the smoke house. About 300 pounds
of lard were lost.
Mr. Williams' insurance had just
run out and he had failed to renew.
About twelve years ago, Mr. Williams
had a similar misfortune losing his
dwelling just after the expiration of
his insurance policy. The fire was
thought to have originated from a de
fective ehimney flue.
Miss Martin Entertains
On last Friday evening, Miss Retta
Martin delightfully entertained the
D. G. S. Club and a few friends at
the home of Mrs. W. N. Holt. Three
tables of rook was indulged in and
toward the close of the evening, de
licious fruit salad and punch was
served Those present besides the
club members were: Misses Sarah
Kennedy, Lillian Sefton, Margaret
Moore and Vara Sanders.
ANNUAL REPORT
OF CHILD WELFARE
First Report Gives 750 Vio
lations in 17 Months—
Commends Commission
Seven hundred and fifty violations
of the North Carolina Child Labor law I
were discovered in the 3,935 inspec
tions conducted under the direction of
the Child Welfare Commission for the
seventeen months’ operation of the
commission ending November 30, 1920
according to the first report of the
commission submitted by Mr. E. F.
Carter, executive secretary.
The report of the activities of the
executive officer of the commission
for the seventeen months, of which the
enforcement of the child labor law
wras the outstanding feature, was the
revelation to the members of the
commission, who knew in a general
way that the department was func
tioning, but who were not prepared
for the volume of labor involved.
In a statement from the commission
most emphatic and appreciative en
dorsement is given to the work of
the executive officer in carrying out
the child labor law and the policy of
the commission.
“This report places before the Gen
eral Assembly facts upon which it
may base any further action on the
subject of child labor, and the policy
which the State may adopt for any
enlarged or more useful program re
lative thereto.”
The commission is composed of Mr.
R. F. Beasley, Commissioner of Public
Welfare; Dr. E. C. Brooks, Superin
tendent of Public Instruction; Dr. W.
S. Rankin, secretary of the State
Board of Health.
The child labor violations, discov
ered by the inspections, were in the
main corrected without prosecution
in accordance with the policy of the
commission, though in some cases, be
cause of persistent violations, prose
cution was resorted to.
The mercantile establishments lead
the list in violations, then follow bar
ber shops, boot black stands, places
of amusement, lumber yards, mes
senger and delivery service.—News
and Observer.
NEW HOPE ITEMS
Messrs J. H. Wiggs and W. M. Gas
kin visited at the home of Mr. R. E.
Lee and Mrs Annie B. Sanders Sun
day.
Messrs Ferle and Rena Lee visited
in Pine Level last week-end.
Rev. Mr. Biggs preached an able
sermon at Antioch fourth Sunday.
We have three good churches in our
community and yet on Sunday we
have very poor Sunday School attend
ance. We would be pleased to have
every man, woman and child take
part in one of these Sunday Schools.
Come, make it your Sunday School.
On Friday night, January 28, the
Community Literary society will give
the following mock trial.
“The Grea, Chewing gum case.”
Plaintiff—Fred Lee.
Defendants—Snead Sanders, and
Henry Lee.
Witness for state—-Blake Denning.
Witness for defendants— Holland
and Bryan.
Lawyer for state—Jerry George.
Lawyer for defendants— Albert
Graham and Preston Coats.
Jurors.—Johnson, Rena Lee, Bessie
Sanders, Luby Royall, Willie Grady,
Clarence Upchurch.
Judge—Roland Hayes.
Harding Enjoys Vacation
The house boot, Victoria, on which
President-elect Harding is taking a
vacation, attempted to go through a
drawbridge at Ormand beach, Fla.,
Sunday, at too shallow a point, and
stuck in the mud. The boat was held
up for more than an hour. During
the tie up, the passengers disem
barked, and went on an auto ride
along the Florida east coast boule
vard.
Wilson To Improve House
Washington, Jan. 22.—President
Wilson plans to spend $4,000 in re
pairing the $150,000 {house in the
fashionable Sheridan circle section
which he purchased recently as his
permanent residence after March 4.
A permit for this amount of repairs
was issued today by the District of
Columbia government.
GREAT COMMUNITY
MEET AT NEW HOPE
Good Pictures and Music;
Fine School;, Enrolled
Over lOO—90 Attend
Certainly one of the finest commun
ity meetings of any name or order
that has been held in Johnston coun
ty for many a day, was the Commun
ity Service program held last Satur
day night at New Hope school house
in Ingrams township and directed by
Miss Lucy Lawley, Director of the
Community Service for this county.
The regular program consisted of
a six. reel picture show, the first part
of which was purely educational, show
ing first rate glimpses of rural life
in Russia and scenes in some of our
western state^ where sheep-raising
is one of the leading industries. This
was followed by a play in which a
little girl was the star and an old
army officer and a fitter of children
clothes got sentimental. Following
this romance came one of Bud Fish
er’s comedies, “Mutt and Jeff in the
Trenches”.
In addition to the regular picture
show, an especially pleasing and at
tractive part of the entertainment
was the splendid music that was ren
dered by Mr. Percy Smith, violinist;
Miss Lucy Wellons, piano accompan
ist; and Mr. Walter Benson with gui
tar. Somewhere from out of the
audience Miss Lawley lifted a little
three-year-old boy .whom she intro
duced as “Bobby.” Booby, not a bit
abashed, took his stand upon the ros
trum, and in one of the sweetest of
little baby voices sang “Old Black
Joe," and “Merrily, Merrily.’
More than the entire New Hope
community were present. The house
was indeed a packed house. Every
available seat was taken and many
were compelled to stand throughout
the program. A solid hour ar£.a half
of pure, clean entertainment was en
joyed by the large audience. Every
one present showd his appreciation
of the entertainment by the closest
attention and the hearty applause
which the music and the pictures ac
quired.
The school at New Hope this year
is under the excellent management of
Miss Lillian Snypes, principal; Miss
Annie Holland, primary teacher; and
Miss Blake, intermediate teacher. The
school has enrolled over 100 pupils
and last month report showed an av.
erage daily attendance of over ninety.
A Language Test
“There isn’t much I don't know
about the English language,” boasted
the long-haired man in the club.
“I’ll tell you;” a friend picked him
up quickly. “I’ll dictate a paragraph
to you.”
With an assured air, the boaster
seized his pencil, but his jaw drop
ped as he heard. “As Hugh Hughes
was hewing a yule log from the yew
tree a man dressed in clothes of a
dark hue came up to Hugh and said:
‘If you will wait until I hew this yew
tree I will go with you anywhere in
Europe to look for your ewes.’ said
Hugh.”—The Argonaut.
Smithfield Ahead of New York
The New York dailes which come
to this office have carried several
comments in their Art Departments,
during the past fortnight, upon the
film play of "Polly With a Past” with
Ina Claire as the star. When we were
passing by the Lyric recently, we saw
the billboard with an ad, for this same
much talked of picture. We thought
our up-to-date Movie manager had
probably procured the New York at
traction for a date, maybe in the
Spring. But to make sure, we went
j in and Mr. Williamson told us to our
surprise, that we were a few weeks
too late, that he had shown the picture
at the Lyric, some time in December.
So it would seem to be proved that in
the movie art, at least, Smithfield is
ahead of New York.
Box Party at Corinth
Next Saturday night, at the Corinth
school, there will be a box party for
the benefit of the school. A good
string hand will be present and fur
nish music. Everybody invited.
C. B. Thomas, Teacher.
Watch the date on your label and
renew when your time is up.