Baton fight
IN GEN. ASSEMBLY
Move To Increase Equalification
Fund For Public Schools
Causes Tie-Up In Senate
ALSO VETERANS FIGHT
Raleigh, Mar. 10.—The outstand
ing fight of this session of the Gen
eral Assembly developed during last
week when Senator Seawell of Lee
led the move to increase the equali
zation fund for public schools. This
fight was largely responsible for the
tie-up in the Senate of important
legislation necessitating extra days of
the session, although the failure of
the House and Senate conferees to
present a satisfactory report on the
revenue bill amendments also delayed
the sine die adjournment.
Senator Seawell’s fight for educa
tion resulted in the Governor’s first
defeat in the Legislature. Aided by
other sympathetic Senators, the Lee
county orator opposed the action of
the Governor in seeking to have the
funds from the control of busses
placed in the general fund so as to
be able to present a balanced budget.
The Lee county Senator said educa
tion was more important than a bal
anced budget for Mr. McLean and de
clared against the policy of Mr. Mc
Lean in allowing education to suffer
in order that his balance sheet might
be evened up. The Lee county Sena
tor was victorious, and the measure
was sent to the House for concur
rence, that body having in the mean
while acceded to the Governor’s re
quest in giving the money into the
general fund. No decision on the dif
ferences had been made up to late
Monday,
Seeing possible defeat of his mea
sure in the House, when the appro
priations bill came up the Lee coun
ty Senator again led a fight for in
crease of the appropriation for edu
cation and the appropriation for the
public school equalization fund. These
measures were pending before the
Senate Friday, Saturday and Monday
with the oratory of the session being
unloosed in their defense and against
them. Whatever the outcome the Sen
ator from Lee will go down as the
champion of education in the 1925
ses.-ion.
Discussion on the educational sys
tem which took place the last part of
the week brought forward amend
ments to the revenue bill to take
away the power of the Superinten
dent of Public Instruction to set the
standard for teachers in schools and
to fix a salary standard scale. These
amendments would drastically cut the
powers of the State in education and
in the opinion of many wo'uld destroy
the date educational system. They
v * ■ e pending before the Senate Mon
day.
Another fight which occupied con
siderable time was that for Confed
erate veterans. Both the Senate and
House debated at length measures
designed to tax auto drivers $2 to $3
a head for the benefit of the remain
ing of “the fa-t-thinning line of grey”
and both bills were defeated after
some of the most moving oratory of
the session. Then the House humped
into the breach and overwhelmingly
passed a bill to fax motion picture
admissions for the benefit of the vet- j
erans and sent it to the Senate where
it was on Monday. The chances are
that it will die there.
The delay in passing the revenue
kiN came about when the Senate re
used to concur in the conference re
port which did away with its impor
^nt amendments. These amendments
Would have exempted from a tax on
judgments and actions in courts all
oourts of jurisdiction lower than Si
perior Court. This dispute was fina
!>’ settled Monday when the Hous
agreed to the Senate amendment.
The bill to retire Treasurer Lac;
11 he wished it, at 2-3 pay haejr^roug
s‘i.,,ng during the week. After be
lri£ Seated in the House, that bod
°n Saturday night reconsidered it
^ote 0<! to 33 and set as a special oi
Qtl ^or reconsideration Monday morr
’A- It was only to finally dispos
1 t, however, for it was killed and
^ -ucher put. The chief argumen
that it would set a precedent t
P DS!ens State officials.
To Conduct Class
Fev. J. M. Ormond, a member of
Duke University faculty, who will
conduct a class in “Pupil Study” in
the S. S. Training School.
TRAINING SCHOOL
BEGINS HERE SOON
Officers and Teachers In Sunday
Schools of The County Are
Urged To Enroll
COURSE CHURCH HISTORY
Your last opportunity. What are
you going to do with it? The time is
Sunday, March 15-18 inclusive. The
place is Centenary Methodist church,
Smithfield. The occasion is the Stan
dard Training School for Sunday
school officers and teachers and ^J1
Christian workers. You may be ever
so good a teacher, but this course
will help you greatly. Every class
is to be taught by a specialist in his
or her respective department. Quite
a number have already enrolled. Be
sure to join, and do so at once. This
very minute, sign ah enrollment card
and send it to Mr. T. C. Young, Smith
field. It does not make any difference
to what evangelical denomination you
belong, you are cordially invited, and
we ffcsure you that a hearty welcome
awaits y<% by both church and town.
The first lesson Sunday at three
o’clock in the afternoon. May we
look for you’ © ©
In connection with the standard
training school for Sunday school of
ficers and teachers which begins its
first session in the Methodist church
in Smithfield at three o’clock Sunday
afternoon, March 15, will be given a
course in Church History,” by Rev.
M. T. Plyler, presiding elder of the
district.
If you are not taking one of the
other courses, be sure to takcP this
one. It will be a splendid opportuni
ty for you to learn some things you
do not know about the M. E. church.
Don’t miss it.
INTEREST CENTERS
IN PINK ROSE TRIAL
During the first week of Superior
Criminal Court which convened here
on March 2, several cases of minor
importance were disposed of and at
the end of the week the court was up
with the docket.
The second week opened with cas
es of minor importance, a number of
cases being tried each day, until Wed
nesday, when the case of State vs
Raymond Stephenson charged with
reckless driving of an automobile in
the town of Smithfield on the night of
December 15, when Millie Sanders,
colored, was hurt, her injuries re
sulting in partial insanity, went to
trial. This case was appealed from
the Recorder’s Court, and after a
hearing consuming the entire morn
ing, Stephenson was acquitted.
On Wednesday afternoon, the trial
of State vs Pink Rose, a^vhite man
of Wayne County, and Leslie Sim
mons, a colored man also of Wayne,
was commenced. These men went to
trial charged with a secret assault
on the night of December 17 in which
guns were used on Allen Howell, of
Bentenville TownshipQlohnston Coun
ty. No other trial coring before the
Court at this term has attracted so
much interest. © Several witnesses,
from both Wayne and Johnston
counties are connected with the case,
(Continued i/£ page 5)
LET CONTRACT FOR
MEADOW BUILDING
Will Cost All Told Something
Over $68,000; Expert It To
Be Ready For Use By
October 10.
ELECT CO. SI FT. IN APRIL
On Tuesday, March 10, the Board
of County Commissioners, incluuding
the following members: J. W. Jones,
Ch., A. B. Hocutt, W. T. Lee, L. E.
I Barbour, A. H. Morgan, constituting
a full Board, met with the Board of
: Education, including the following
| members: W. G. Wilson, Ch., Geo. F.
Woodard and P. B. Johnson, constitut
ing a full Board, for the purpose of
opening bids for the construction of
the building in Meadow School Dis
trict according to the agreement
reached by the two Boards at their
i meeting on January 5th, 1925.
It appearing to the Boards that the
bid of Reinecke Construction Com
pany, Fayetteville, N. C., of $61,250
was the low bid for the general con
tract, and further that said Reinecke
Construction Company agreed to
complete the building not later than
October 10, 1925, said general contract
was ordered awarded to the said Rei
necke Construction Company at $61,
250.00.
It appearing to the Boards that the
bid of J. L. Powers of Bennettsville,
S. C., of $4,783.00 wtps the low bid
for the heating system, the same was
ordered awarded to J. L. Powers.
It further appearing to the Boards
that the bid of E. L. Davis & Com
pany of Beaufort of $2,190.00 for the
plumbing in said building was the low
bid, same waa ordered awarded to
him at that figure.
The Board of County Commission
ers agreed to becoiwfe responsible for
$54,000.00 of the cost of the said
Meadow School; said money to be se
cured by the Board of Commissioners
from the Third Special Building Fund
provided by the State, or in any other
manner considered most advantage
ous by the Board of County Commis
, sioners.
It appeared to the Boards that the
operation gf the school trucks to
state had cost the county $14,662.99,
and further that there was only $13,
000 of this provided in the school
budget for operation of trucks; there
fore, the Boards ordered that all
trucks be discontinued unless the dis
tricts which the trucks served, eitherr
by transporting the children into
| said districts or from said districts
agree and authorize the Board of Ed
ucation to charge against the special
tax of said district, or districts, such
amount as shall be necessary for the
operation of the trucks for the re
mainder of the school term, or any
part of the remaining of said'‘school
term, in said district or districts.
The Boards further ordered that
copies of this order be given to all
the school committeemen by the Sec
retaries of the respective Boards.
The Board of Education then met
alone and transacted the following
business:
Ordered that the superintendent
proceed to get at once a site for the
erection of the Meadow School Build
ing.
Ordered that notice of election of
Superintendent for the ensuing two
years, same to be held on the first
Monday in April or as soon thereaft
er as convenient, be given in accord
ance with Section 43 of the School
Law.
DOCK HILL UNDER
A $20,000 BOND
Dock If ill, who gave himself
up to the officers after the kill
ing of Sam Barbour and the
wounding of Hyman Dodd in
Clayton township Sunday night,
was given a hearing here Tues
day afternoon before Judge
Bond, He was released under a
$20,000 bond for his appearannee
at the August term of eriminal
court.
One thing you can sa.y of the fliv
ver: It rattles before it strikes.—Ar
kansas Gazette.
MEADOW ORGANIZES
A COMMUNITY CLUE
W. V. Blackman Is Made Chair
man With Representative
Men and Women of Com
munity on Committees
MEETS ONCE \ MONTH
What promises to be one of the
most active community clubs in
Johnston County, or the state, was
organized in Meadow township re
cently. Those interested in the or
ganization of a community club gath
ered at the school house and were
entertained by a well-arranged pro
gram given by the Meadow high
school and faculty, after which the
organization proceeded. Mr. W. V.
Blackman was made temporary
chairman and Mrs. Mosely, princi
pal of the school, secretary. Quali
fications necessary for membership
in a community club were first dis
cussed. The following requisites
were presented and approved: loyal
support to our flag® resident of Mea
doy.’ township; must believe in com
munity development, and be a friend
to educational advancement. A name
for the club was then deci^d on and
afsr some few names were submit
ted, “Meadow Community Club” wa^
unanimously chosen.
At this jifeifit it was decided to per
i permanent Organization and
the following officers wrere elected:
W. Y. Blackman, chairman; Miss Lil
lian Mashburn, secretary, Miss Mash
■ bur: to be assisted by®Mi®fc Verta
Lav, hon. It was decided that the
chairman and secretary, together1
wit’ll others whom they might f$ii)
ti©their assistance, make the appoint
ments of th£> various committees to
carry on the club work. This com
mittee met on Thursday night, and
made the following appointments:^,
’Committee on agQcultare: G. R.
Johnso#, T. J. Mashburn, f. L. Hud
son, R. P. Parker, Elijah Wheeler, J.
H. Smith and Ellington Tart.
Committee on home economics:
Mrs. J. L. Lee, Mis^ Bertha Johnson,
Mrs. Vida Hood, Mrs. Royall Hudson,
Mrs. Geo. W. Lee, Mrs. J. H. Smith,
and Miss Bertha Parker.
Committe on health and sanitatpip:
Dr. M. L. Barefoot, Carlyle Eldriclge,
Y. L. Blackman, J. Mancy JohnsorK
Fernie Wood, J. L. Lee, Qlnd (J>. C.
Smith.
Committee on welfare: Mrs. Letha
Hinton, Mrs. W. V. Blackman, Mrs.
Hobart Lee, Mrs. Ezra Peacock, and
Mrs. H. C. Lee.
Committee on entertainment,: Miss
Katie Hudson, Mrs. R. E. Mosely, Mr.
Elmon Smith, Miss Ellis, Miss Mamie
Johnson, Miss Vgda Lawhon, Miss
Myrtle Wood, Mrs. Hobart Lee and
Miss Myrtle Blackman.
There is some discussion among
the builders of the club as to appoint
ing committees on education, roads
and order, to work together with the
various committees in the school, for
roads, and with the civil officers in
the towmship. The various commit
tees are requested to meet at Mea
dow school house on Saturday eve
ning, March 21, to organize, begin
their wrork and be ready to report at
the regular meeting which is to be
held the last Thursday night in each
month.
COATS HDW. ROBBED
LAST FRIDAY NIGHT
- ©
What still remains a most myster
ious robbery took place here last Fri
day night, when the safe of the Coates
Hdw. Co. was entered and relieved
of about S1200 in money and other
valuables. The proprietors left the
store about their usual time on Fri
day night, and upon returning to open
up Saturday morning, found every
thing as usual, the doors locked and
barred, until they went to open the
safe for the day's busings. They
found they could not opelf^the safe.
The combination refused to work until
an expert was sent for who opened
it. Drawer^, had been torn out and a
sqjjsw drive? apparently taken from
the stock of hardware, was found left
in the safe.
Field Secretary
user
L. L. Gobbell, S. S. Field Secre
tary N. C. Conference, who will
conduct one of the courses in the
S. S. Training Sscool here next
week.
PARENT TEACHER
ASSN. HOLDS MEET
Mrs. j$. H. Kasttv Is Elected0
resident For Coming Year;
0 Other Officer-, Chosen
© _
,DISCUSS ORGANIZED PLAY
©
The Parent - Teacher Association
heW its&egular meeting Tuesday aft
qfjioon in the high school auditorium
there being between forty and fifty
members present. The children of
pthe Primary department gave a very
delightful program, consisting of
songs, plays and readings, before the
b^iness session of the association.
Featuring the business session was
a discussion of organized play, Supt.
Franks aw>l Dr. L. D. Wharton mak
ing tall®. Mr. Franks had written
to fifty of the@leading superinten
dents in North Carolina in regard to
separating the boys and girls on the
playground and gave a sumary of the
information received from the forty
eight schools that responded. This in
formation disclosed the fact that the
majority did not separate the chil
dren. Dr. Wharton expressed his
views upon play ground supervision,
stating that he thought that teach
ers should be on the playground to
look after the boys and girls during
playtime whether organized play is
conducted or not.@ 0
After these talks, the report of the
nofcrinating committee was given and
the election of officers for next year
took place as follows: Mrs. P. H.
Kasey, president; Mrs. L. T. Royall,
viccgpresident; Mrs. G. A. McLemore,
recording secretary; Mrs. S. L. Mor
gan, corresponding secretary; Mrs. L.
G. Stevens, treasurer.
The constitution was amended at
this meeting making the committee
on Morals a permanent committee.
o
STILL CAPTURED
NEAR HOLT LAKE
Yesterday morning revenue offi
cers captured a thirty-gallon copper
whiskey still and outfit near Holt
Lake. No one was at the still and
no arrests were made.
TO SELECT BABIES IN
SMITHFIELD TOWNSHIP
Miss Ava Myatt, chairman of
the Eastern Carolina Exposition
Baby Show committee for Smith
field township, requests that the
repr sentatives for this township
will be selected on Friday after
noon, March 20. Parents wishing
to enter their children are request
ed to send the names, ages®and
birth certificates to Miss Myatt
by that time. The preliminary
contest will be held at 2:30 in the
high school auditorium an/l out of
the township, judges will choosey
♦(the prettiest girl baby and the
handsomest boy baby.. The bahies
must be between the ages of eigh
teen and thirty-six months.
SPECIAL SESSION
CO. COMMISSIONERS
Transact Routine Business Be
fore Joint Meeting With Co.
Board of Education
ACTION FOR SCHOOL FUNDS
The Board of County Commission
ers met in special session here last
Tuesday. Part of the day was spent
in a joint session with the Board of
Education but the following items of
business were transacted in a meet
ing held before the two boards came
together.
That whereas section 5,417 of the
Consolidated Statutes of North Caro
lina is as follow.'©
“5417. Powers; suits and actions.
I. The County board of education shall
institute all actions, suits or proceed
ings ag©nst officers, persons or cor
porations, or their sureties, for the
recovery, preservation and applica
tion of all moneys or property which
may be due to or should be applied
to the support and maintenance of
the schools except in the case of a
breach of his bond by the treasurer
of the county school fund, in which
case action shall be brought by the
county commissioners as is hereaft
er prodded.”
Now, therefore, be it resolved that
it is the sense of the board of Coun
ty Commissioners of Johnston Coun
ty that in view of the amount of in
debtedness incurred on account of the
school system of the county that the
said County Board of Education of
Johnston Co. should forthwith take
gfoper steps to collect the amount
due by the estate and the bond of the
late W. S. Stevens, clerk of the Su
perior Court of Johnston County, as
shown by A. M. Pullen & Co., Audi
tors, for the benefit of the school
ninds.
J. W. JONES,
Chairman Board Co. Commissioners.
M. L. STANCIL,
e Secretary.
Ordered that Monroe Atkinson, col
ored, 82 yeags old, living in Boon Hill
Township, be placed on the outside
pauper list at $4.50 per quarter to be
in effect on and after December 1,
1024, it appearing that a similar or
der was made by this board on De
cember 1, 1024, but no record was
made of the said order.
Ordered that Luners Strickland be
made Bridge Commissioner of O’
Neal’s Township .
Ordered that Mgpnfe Adams be
made Bridge Commissioner of Ban
ner Township to succeed J. A. Beas
ley, who has moved out of the State.
Ordered that H. L. Skinner be al
lowed to list 156 acres of land in Clay
ton Township at $7,067 for 1924,
which was not listed for that year
at all, same being listed in 1923 at
$8,067, and in 1922 at $7,067.
Ordered that Miss Carrie Speight
be paid 69.25 for services as court
stenographer.
Ordered that G. S. Heywood be
paid $62.55 for helping audit sheriff’s
books—W. J. Massey’s term.
Report of County Treasurer for
month of December filed with the
Board and ordered recorded.
Report of Couunty Treasurer for
month of January filed with the
Board and ordered recorded.
Ordered that 32 acres of land be
longing to Libly Lee in Ingrams
Township which is valued at $2580 by
mistake in listing at $1580.
Ordered that Johnston County
Health Department appropriation for
j February be $208.33, $158.33 to C. C.
Massey, Health officer, and the bal
ance of $50 to go into a fund known
as the County Health Fund.
Ordered that the following be cer
tified by this Board as registrars and
poll holders for the town of Clayton
in the town election to be held on the
first Monday in May, 1925: V. R.
Turley, registrar. Otho N. Gulley and
Neil Barnes, poll holders.
Ordered that R. L. Fitzgerald, J.
P. Parker, J. D. Parker and Hr. Mil
ler, attorney for A. M. Pullen Au
diting Co., work in conjunction in
preparing a system of preparing the
tax lists of Johnston County of 9.e
|i*25 taxes. ®
It is called a wave of'-prosp rity.
Waves, as you knew, affect only
'< those at the top.—Lincoln Star.