VOLUME XLVII—NUMBER 101
Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, December 22, 1944.
ESTABLISHED 1899
Already Making Plans
For April Stock Show
Club Girls Will Tak(
Part In Competitior
For The First Time
—»—
Sixteen Roys and Girls Art
Feeding Calves for the
Second Show
-*
Established only last spring an<
meeting with much success, th<
Martin Countv Fat Stock Show wil
be held in Williamston on April 2S
it was announced this week by As
sistant Farm Aeent L. L. McLendon
Already a goodly number of county
club boys and girls, too, are feedinj
calves and pigs for the show whicl
will possibly list between 75 and 10(
entries. Quite a few farmers wil
place beef cattle and hogs in th<
show, the agent added.
Sixteen club girls and boys wil
compete for the club prizes with
their fat beef calves, and three are
feeding pigs for the show. It is nol
too late for other contestants to en
ter the competition, the aeent ex
plaining that others may enter as
late as January 15 for prizes in tb«
calf show and as as late as February
1 to have their entries listed in the
pig or swine show.
Sponsored by the Martin Connt-v
Farm Bureau and the several civic
clubs in the county, the show will of
fer valuable cash prizes to the win
ners and the exhibitors will be giv
en every possible advantage when
they place their entries on sale at
the close of the show.
Up until the present time, the club
members and farmers have listed at
least thirty beef cattle for exhibition,
and the promoters state that possibly
fifty or more hoes will be placed on
exhibit during the one-day show
which will be held next April 26.
With one or two exceptions, the
club members are financing their
own exhibits, mainly with money
earned in club work.
Some pedigreed stock will be ex
hibited, but most of the entries will
be of a high-grade stock, raised
in this section of the State.
For the first time, club girls will
enter exhibits and some keep com
petition for the prizes is certain.
The youngsters are already working
hard preparing their entries, and a
successful show is in prospect.
The names of those planning to
enter exhibits are:
Misses Bernell White, RFD 3, Wil
liamston; Doris Stevenson, Hamil
ton, and Margaret Ayers of Hassell;
Georee Ayers, Jr., of Hassell; Thos.
and Furney James, RFD 3, William
ston; Jack Williams, RFD 2, William
•ton; Randolph Rogerson, RFD 2,
Williamston; Bobby Lilley, RFD 1,
Jamesville; Matt Mills. RFD 1, Oak
City; Billie Worsley, Oak City; Ed
ward and Marion Smith, RFD 1, Pal
myra; Bill Gurpanus, RFD 3. Wil
liamston; Henry Weather:.by, RFD 1.
Palmyra, and John Gurkin, Jr., RFD
I, Williamston. Two young ladies,
Miss Modoiene Hudgins of Hamilton
and Miss Ruth Bennett of RFD 1,
Palmyra, and a club boy, Jack Wil
liams, RFD 2, Williamston, will place
exhibits in the pig show for the
club prizes.
Several farmers, including Messrs.
T. L. House, S. C. and Zack Cowin,
J. T. Moore, T. B. Slade will compete
for prizes among the farmers show
ing either fat beef cattle or hogs or
both.
_»
Vesper Services At
USO 5 P.M. Sunday
O
The Williamston Ministerial Asso
ciation in cooperation with the pro
gram committee of the local USO
will suspend the evening services in
the local churches in order that the
several choirs mieht share in the
vesper service at the USO hut at 5:00
Sunday afternoon. This service has
been planned for the local service
men and those who may be in our
citv at that time.
The local USO is anxious to make
Christmas as much like home for the
service boys and girls as it can, and
is planning to entertain them for
Christmas dinner in the homes of
those who would like such guests.
Any family desiring to entertain one
or more service men or women guests
are asked to call Mrs. W. O. Griffin,
116-W between now and Saturday.
This community has too many boys
and girls in the services of their
country to permit these men to miss
the opportunity of home surround
ings on the birthday of the Prince
of Peace.
I _
' f HORNETS’ NEST
|v-—,
A veritable bee hive for
weeks, the Enterprise office was
! rushing to close down for the
Christmas holidays when C. S.
VanLandingham, star route mail
! carrier, walked In with a huge
hornets’ nest. There were no hor
nets in it, but the boys in the
sweat shop were about ready to
swaii the bee hive for the neat,
| hornets or no hornets.
The nest, one of the largest
ever seen In this section, meas
ured about two feet long and
nearly forty Inches in circum
ference. Found in Williams
Township, it was built In a bush
and hardly more than three feet
| from the ground.
Five County White
Men Are Cailed For
Pre-induction Exam
—&—
No Official Notice Received
By Board About Changes
In Ages For Draft
-*
Five Martin County white men
have been called to report for their
pre-induction examinations at an
Army center this week, a report from
the draft board stating that the call
is one of the smallest ever received.
The number is unusally small in the
face of unofficial reports declaring
that the draft will be stepped up to
j include men up to 37 years of age.
j It was previously reported that no
calls had been received in the coun
ty for the final induction of selec
tees.
The names of the men called to
answer the current call for pre-in
duction are:
Amphus Llewellyn Knox, RFD 2,
Williamston.
Willard Josh Hux, RFD 1, Oak
City, and Portsmouth.
Luther William James, Roberson
ville.
Dennis Clayton Mobley, RFD 3,
Williamston.
William Alfred Roberson, Newport
News and Williamston.
Only one in the group is married
and only two come from the farm
The ages of the group range from 20
to 28 years.
Three of the five previously had
beer? rejected, and they are being
called from their 4-F classification
to report for their second«physical.
Instructions have iust been receiv
ed by the county draft officials, ad
vising them that effective as of De
cember 12, no man, 18 to 37 years of
age, inclusive, may quit his job, if it
is a vital one, without permission of
the draft board, that if he does quit
he is subject to a 1-A classification
immediately. The new ruling ap
plies to farmers, also ,but it is un
derstood that the war board may
continue to issue temporary releases
and consider certain appeals. The
draft officials were also instructed
to investigate deferments and place
in 1-A all men who have quit the
jobs for which they were deferred
to accept or hold. The new rulings
did not mention anything about ad
vancing the age limit for selectees.
It is understood that an order is
pending whereby all men placed in
4-F since last February will be re
called for pre-induction examina
tions.
RESIGNS
C
v.
j
L. L. McLendon, hard-work
ing and popular assistant (arm
agent in this county since May of
last year, has tendered his res
ignation to accept a position with
the Standard Fertilizer Com
pany. The resignation becomes
effective January 1, and as far
as it could he learned his suc
cessor has not been named. Mr.
McLendon, who will be in charge
of the company's 305 acre farm
and an extensive irrigation proj
ect in the Aurora section, ex
plained that he planned to keep
in touch with his club boys and
girls and follow through with
the fat stock show scheduled to
be held in April. He also stated
j that he planned to be in the
county when tobacco beds are
prepared.
Mr. McLendon explaiend that
he accepted the new Job with the
understanding that he would be
given the opportunity to return
I to the county ones in a while.
This Christmas We Look Forward To
“PEACE ON EARTH”
If every one of us conducts himself in the
spirit of Him whose birthday this holiday sym
bolizes — there will soon be an end to strife and
the spirit of brotherly love will again unite the
peace loving people of the earth. Our Christ
mas hopes join yours!
I
Enterprise
Publishing
| Company
<
Survivor of Sinking
Relates Experiences
Petty Officer 2/c Lonnie Spruill,
a member of the ill-fated carrier, U.
S. S. Princeton, and former office boy
for The Enterprise, readily admitted
he was scared and that he did quite
a bit of earnest praying when his
ship was knocked out of action by
the Japs in the Philippine buttle last
October 24.
He had been scared before when
his ship particinatcd in the cam
paigns at New Guinea, Bougainville,
the Marshalls and Gilberts and
others, but he did most of his pray
ing in that last attack that sent the
Princeton to the bottom.
Recalling the trying times in the
big battle, Spruill said upon his ar
rival home Tuesday, that he had two
mighty close calls. When the cap
tain issued the order to abandon
ship, “I went down the anchor
chain, and had just cleared the hull
of the slowly-moving ship when a
wave threw me against the burning
hull. It was getting hot and I thought
the screws of the carrier would get
me. About that time another fellow
showed up beside me, and with his
help I pulled clear,”' Spruill said.
Continuing he said, “I was in the '
water over three hours before I was
picked up, and during that time, Jap
planes strafed and killed a number
of our men in the water. They got
within a few yards of me, and 1 was
scared again.”
Soon after he was picked up, Lon
nie stated that the rescue ship was
notified the whole Jap fleet was
moving, and the rescue ship was
ordered to meet the enemy. “I was
mighty uneasy then until the battle
was over," he added.
Spruill came through the battle
with his dungarees. He was given
a citation for his meritorious service j
and wears several stars.
Bear Crass School Principal j
Tenders His Resignationj
D. F. Giles, principal of the Bear
Grass School since last September,:
has tendered hit. resignation effec- j
live as of December 20. Mr. Giles
did not reveal his plans. No succes- j
sor has been named, but an appoint
ment is expected between now and
the reopening of the school an Janu
ary 1.
Mrs. Giles, a teacher in the school,
will continue her work there, it was;
unofficially learned
Two Local Brothers Wounded
In Different Theaters of War
Advised a short time ago that her
son, Sgt. Roy Hubert Bland, had
been wounded in Germany, Mrs.
J. T. Bland, 306 Smithwiek Street,
received another message this week
stating that her other son, S/Sgt.
John D. Bland, had been wounded
in Italy a second time. While both
wounds were described as slight, one
report explained that Hubert was
wounded in the left eye, that the
young man was hoping he would not
lose its use.
Volunteering for service seven
years ago, Sgt. R. Hubert Bland has
moved with the war irom North Afri
ca, to Sicily, to Italy and then on
across France into Germany. He
stated in a recent letter that they
had finally gotten him, but he did
not disclose his present location. No
notification has been received di- j
rectly from the War Department
about his wound or his condition,
Mrs. Bland explained this week. The
date he was wounded was not dis- j
closed, but his letter was dated De
cember 4, nr.d he was believed to
have been wounded a few days be
fore.
The War Department message re
ceived here late Monday afternoon
stated that her son, S/Sgt. John D.,
was slightly wounded in Italy on
December 4, just 13 days before his
2t!th birthday. The staff sergeant
was reported slightly wounded in
Italy on last March 24. It was later
learned that his left hand and arm j
had been hurt, and that he was out
of action four months, most of which
time he spent in a hospital.
Pictures taken of both the young
men following much action in actual
combat show they have “aged” con
siderably, but the two non-commis
sioned officers are still fine-looking
soldiers.
GREETINGS )
Possibly at no other time in
many years has the exchange
of Christmas greetings been
packed with greater, deeper
meaning than the present day.
It is indeed encouraging to
note in a war-torn world that
there is a desire in human
hearts to release and hear ex
pressions of good will and peace
on earth. There is a marked
yearning for peace, and it is
sincerely believed that the little
messages In this paper today
will feed the very soul and lend
encouragement to all. The care
ful reading of them is suggested.
Injured Soldier Ls
Visiting In County
—»"
Suffering a broken back during an
air raid in London some time ago,
Sgt. Thurman Wilson, formerly of
New Bern, is spending a few days
here visiting his sister, Mrs. L. D.
Marslander, and with Mr. and Mrs.
C. B. Riddick in Everetts, on a 30
day leave from a government hospi
tal at Asheville.
In a tight cast, the sergeant is able
to get around very well with the aid
of a crutch, but the cast must stay
Justice of the Peace
Hears Several Cases
-.—
During the past few days. Justice
J. L. Hassell has heard several cases
in his court here, as follows:
Walter Andrews, drunk and dis
orderly, $8.50 costs; William Price,
drunk and disorderly, $5.50 costs; Ru
fus Taylor, drunk and disorderly,
$1.50 fine and $8.50 costs; Eli Ray
nor, drunk and disorderly, $1.50 fine
and $8.50 costs; McKinley Latham,
drunk and disorderly, $1.50 and $8.50
costs; Harry Rascoe, operating mo
tor vehicle on wrong side of road,
$2.50 and $7.50 costs; James Mobley,
drunk and disorderly, $1.50 fine and
$8.50 costs; Ted Scott, assault with
a deadly weapon, bound over to the
county court under a $200 bond.
-•
Teacher* in County Are
Paid for the Fourth Month
Although the fourth month is just
about two weeks old, teachers in the
county were paid their fourth month
salaries on Tuesday of this week,
making it possible for them to get
home but leaving some doubt as to
whether they’ll have enough of their
own cash to finance the return trip
I without help after the holiday*.
Bond Sale*
Over A Milj
f GENERAL HOLIDAY
With the close of business on
Saturday of this week, a general
holiday, lasting three days, will
go into olTect here. Virtually all
business houses, offices, and, as
far as it coaid be learned, most
all others will remain closed
through Tuesday of next week.
One or two will not reopen for
business until Thursday. The lo
cal library will be closed Satur
day through next Tuesday.
Christmas Day will be a
“solid" holiday, few If any places
of businesses opening that day.
No issue of The Enterprise
will be published next Tuesday,
but the force will get back on
the job for an edition the latter
part of the week.
County’s Court In
An All-day Session
Clearing Calendar
-1»..
Man Fined $25 am! Loses His
Licenses for Sixty Days
For Passing Bus
In one of the longest sessions of
the year, Judge J. C. Smith worked
until 4 o’clock Monday afternoon
clearing twenty-two cases from the
county recorder’s court docket. The
long session did not tire him out,
however, and at the close he was
still going strong. He imposed a $25
fine and suspended Clarence Grog
an’s license to opernte a motor ve
hicle for sixty days in the case
churging the young man with pass
ing a school bus while it was stop
ped and loading children. Grogan,
claiming a connection in his brake
airline came loose, did not appear for
trial that morning after witnesses
from Farm Life school had quit their
posts to testify. An order followed
for the young man's arrest, and the
judge did not think much about the
young man’s employer sending the
employee in another direction and
informing the court that the case
would have to be continued.
Other cases on the docket:
Lee Perkins, charged with bastnr
dy and non support was required to
pay $100 for the support of his child.
Assaulting and breaking Early
Boston’s jaw for no good reason at
all, Leamon James was sentenced to
the roads for sixly days. The court
suspended the road term upon the
payment of the costs and $60 doctor’s
bill for Boston.
Charged with simple assault, Wil
lie Joe Bunch was fined $10 and tax
ed with the cost.
Wheeler C. Smith was fined $25
and required to pay the cost in the
case charging him with reckless
driving. The court recommended
that no license be issued the defend
ant for one year.
Charged with larceny of an auto,
Louis Sheppard was adjudged not
guilty.
Vance Lee Claik was fined $10
plus the costs in the case charging
him with operating a motor vehicle
without a driver’s license.
Charged with drunken driving,
(Continued on page six)
CHRISTMAS CHEER
Approximately $190 is being
distributed to the needy in the
community this week, J. C. Man
ning, chairman of the Williams
ton Christmas Cheer Fund, said
Tuesday. Offered in cash, most
of the relief is going to aged per
sons who are caring for orphan
ed grandchildren in some cases.
Some aid is also being extended
to two or three families whose
homes were recently burned.
The relief was necessarily limit
ed, and individuals can play an
important role in the lives of C.
C. Jones and members of his
family who barely escaped with
their lives from a burning build
ing on KFD 1, Williamston about
two weeks ago. They saved only
their night clothes. There are
other similar oase£, including
Walter Rogers and family who
lost their home and contents,
Including a few Christmas par
rels. There are really a few
needy cases, but, as a general
thing, the demand for relief is
now the smallest in many, many
vears In this section.
5 in County
lion Dollars
Martin Is One Out of
62 Counties To Pass
Initial Goal in State
Eipsht of Ten Townships Buy
In Excess of Their “E”
Bond Quotas
-*
Releasing a somi-final report on
the Sixth War Bond drive in this
county, Chairman Herman A. Bow
en stated that $982,090.50 had been
invested in the war securities to
date, that sales already made and not
yet reported will push the total sub
scription to a point well over one
million dollars. The chairman add
ed that prospects were bright for ad
ditional sales of possibly $250,000 or
$300,000. Some sales of negotiable
bonds will hardly be reported before
the end of the month, but during the
meantime the sale of "E" bonds con
tinues at a fairly rapid clip.
The county has been given credit
for purchases made by several cor
porations, the chairman reported, as
follows: Colonial Stores, $1,000;
Rose’s, $2,500; Norfolk Southern Bun
Corp., $5,000; Atlantic Coast Line,
$10,000; American Tobacco Co., $25,
000; and the Standard Oil Co., $3,000.
It was pointed out by J. F. White,
Jr., field supervisor with headquart
ers in Washington, that the Standard
Oil Co. had purchased war bonds in
the sum of $500,000.00 in North Car
olina dunng the Sixth Bond drive,
and allotted the purchase among the
100 counties in proportion to each
countv’s quota. The Texas Company
is making an allotment, but the size
of the allotment could not be learned
immediately.
To date, Martin County peonle
have invested $365,470.50 in “E”
bonds, the amount exceeding the
quota by $120,470 50. Eight of the
ton townships have exceeded their
initial goals with Robersonville
leading the list with $ 120,527.00 The
figures tell the story of “E” bond
purchases by townships.
Negotiable bond salt's are $161,620
in excess of the quota for the coun
tv with Williamston leading the list.
No bond purchases by the county or
State have been reported so far.
Where several of the townships fell
short of their negotiable bond quotas
they were strong with their pur*
chases of “E” bonds and vice versa.
A review of the bond sales, by
townships follows for "E” and nego
tiable bonds:
Quota Sales
$ 8,250 $ 20,962.50
3,300 7,412.50
12.500 37,537.75
10,000 22,963.50
101,000 85 625.75
8,750 23,918.50
73.500 120,527.00
3,900 2,343.75
14.300 20,26675
8,500 23,912.50
“E” Bonds
Jamesville
Williams
Griffins
Bear Grass
Williamston
Cross Roads
Roberson ville
Poplur Point
Hamilton
Goose Nest
Totals
Negotiables
Jamesville
Williams
Griffins
Bear Grass
Williamston
Cross Roads
Robersonville
Poplar Point
Hamilton
Goose Nest
$245,000
Quota
$ 13,000
9,100
22,500
15.000
196.500
13.000
136.500
9,200
26,700
13,000
Totals $455,000
Over-ali Totals $700,000
$385,470.50
Bales
$ 4,000.00
8,000.00
6,000.00
365,000.00
19.740.00
135,200.00
15,000.00
46.200.00
17.480.00
$616,620.00
$982,090.50
War Board Grants
Several Releases
-a
Meeting last Thursday, the Mar
tin County War Board granted three
temporary and two permanent re
leases and granted anplications sub
mitted by two persons.
Temporary releases from farm
work were granted W. T. Hadley,
KFD 1, Williamston;; Ernest McNair,
RFD I, Jamesville; Augustus Little,
Williamston.
Permanent releases were granted
Bryant Reason. RFD 1, Jamesville,
and L. R. Andrews, Robersonville,
the first because the farm was sold
and Decause of health in the second
case.
Releases were denied Mareellue
Simmons, Robersonville, and Percy
Wiito, RFD 3, Williamston.
Since there is much work on the
farm that shuld be done now, few
releases are to be expected.
The War Board is meeting on Fri
day of this week at 1:30 o'clock.