North Carolina Newspapers

NEARLY 4,004 COPIES OP THE ENTERPRISE GOING INTO THE HOMES OF MARTIN COUNTY AND TO COUNTY SERVICEMEN THE ENTERPRISE NEARLY 4.064 COPIES OP THE ENTERPRISE GOING INTO THE HOMES OF MARTIN COUNTY AND TO COUNTY SERVICEMEN VOLUME M IX—NUMBER I 9 Williamxton, Martin County, Varik Carolina, Tur-sday. March .7, 1916 ESTABLISHED 1809 County Authorities Hold Brief Meeting Y esterday Morning ' Bids Asked For Construction Of Lunchroom and Shop ! At Jamesville Although they were in session only a short time, the Martin County Commissioners handled their routine duties, received reports and petitions, heard delegations and disposed of other business before quitting their regular meeting here yesterday morning to meet as a board of equal ization and review at 10 o’clock on Monday, March 18. Tentative plans for the annual vaccination of all dogs in the county were advanced when Dr. M. A. Schooley of Williamston and Dr. R. G. Hicks o^Robersonville were nam ed to supervise the annual canine round-up in cooperation with Tax Supervisor M. Luther Peel Dates for the vaccinations are to be announced shortly. After receiving the various de partmental reports, the commission ers heard a special committee from the Kiwanis Club offer a plan call ing for the construction of a “living" memorial for the heroes of World Wars I and II. The committee, in cluding John L. Goff, N. C. Green and Sam D. Bundy, was advised that the proposal will receive due consid eration, but no action could be ex • pected immediately. The commissioners, subject to ap proval by the State Board of Educa tion, is to call a special election in Williamston School District for a 20 cent tax levy for the support of an expanded course of study. The installation of coal stokers in the courthouse, county home and ag ricultural building was ordered. A contract, calling for an expenditure of $940 for turn-key job, was let to J. C. Norris. Unable to round up all the citizens drawn in February for the March i * term of superior court, Sheriff C. B. Roebuck asked that a second draw ing be made. The additional group I is to report on March 25 for jury duty along with the others who were found. Names of the last group call ed, follow, bv townships: Jamesville, Jos. H. Holliday; Robersonville, H. L. Roberson, J. V. Andrews; Poplar Point, Mack Wynne; Hamilton, D. A. Knox; Williamston, A. M. Fussell. Jurymen were also drawn for duty during the two weeks term of super ior court convening in April. A few tax relief orders were issu ed, as follows: For 1944 poll tax: Horace Duggins, Jamesville, physically disabled, and W. H. Leggett, Cross Roads, in army. James Dolberry of Goose Nest was relieved of taxes in the sum of $4.19 for 1944 and $4 04 for 1945, listed in error. Bell Lloyd of Williamston was relieved of the payment of $3.15 taxes listed in error for 1945. Poll taxes for 1945 were cancelled, as fol lows: Labon Lilley, Griffins, physi cally disabled; Lewis Sheppard, Bear Grass, dead; James R. Bullock, and E. T. Monroe, both of Williamston, army. Several requests for new and im (Continued on page six) Use Discretion In Building On Roads The State Highway and Public Works Commission is making an ef fort to anticipate the expense and trouble of clearing highway rights of way by asking prospective builders to consult highway engineers before erecting any structures adjacent to the highway system, Chairman A. H. Graham said recently. An extensive highway program, including the construction of new state and county roads, as well as the widening and improvement of exist ing r<wi«. w'U 1 ■ "tart'1'? ip the near future, he pointed out. The high way program, he feels, will be matched by corporations and other private concerns who are planning to build plants,- utilities.and ethc? buildings along the highways. The highway system’" right-of way is designed to give highway us ers sufficient sight distance to pro vide maximum safety, Graham said. This is particularly true at intersec tions of highways and at points where county roads enter the state highway system. If the right-of-way has to be clear ed, it involves expense that other wise could be used in improving the road system, for money expended to clear a right-of-way reduces the ac tual amount that can be spent for highway construction and improve ment. Chairman Graham does not think that builders would obstruct the right-of-way arbitrarily. However, confusion sometimes arises in cases where the extent of *ne right-of-way is uncertain. Thus, he said, the Commission is asking that a highway engineer or other responsible official be con sulted by builders before they begin construction of buildings adjacent to the highway-sysi&n. where uo traffic hazard is created. Prompt and courteous attention was promised in each instance where prior notice is given of the planned erection of a building or utility near the highway system. Receives 141st Transfusion Little Miss Peggy Harrison re ceived her 141st blood transfus ion in Brown's Community Hos pital here last Sunday following an attack of influenza. She was given the transfusions by C. B. Bailey, of Bear Grass, and James S. Ayers, Jr., local fireman, and was guest of the local Lions Club while in the hospital recovering from influenza and receiving the transfusions. She returned home yesterday. Photo by W. E. Saun ders and printed through cour tesy of News and Observer. Peanut Council Will Get Bureau’s Support INCOME TAX HELP Beginning next Monday, March 11, Deputy Collector E. Ro'-'s Froneberger of the North Carolina Department of Revenue will be in his office in the Mar tin County courthouse to assist state income taxpayers in pre paring their income returns, it was announced this week. The collector will be in his office each day through Friday of next week. The colleetor will also list in tangible personal properties, such as money on hand, accounts receivable, notes, bonds, stock and other intangible properties held last December 31. Red Cross Drive Is Off To Good Start Preliminary reports reaching here late yesterday indicated that the 1946 Red Cross fund drive was off to a splendid start in most, if not all, the districts in this chapter. Several individual canvassers had completed their solicitations by noon, and most of them declared that all individual quotas were cheerfully met. One other solicitor was quoted as saying that only one lone indi vidual quota was not met. Drive Chairman V. J. Spivey stat ed that he hud hearq^ no definite reports except from one district, but that individual canvassers were quoted as saying that they were re ceiving a willing response and that possibly the drive would be complet ed in well over half the districts be fore the week-end, Bear Grass stat ing that the drive there would be completed possibly today. The one and first complete report came from Biggs School where the $40 quota was oversubscribed by about S4. Chairman Spivey is anxious to complete the drive for the $3,600 in the chapter in as short a time as pos sible, and the cooperation of the pub lic with the canvassers is again ask ed. Escaped Convict Arrested Sunday .■■■■■- ■ Roosevelt Fagan, Martin County colored man who has specialized in thievery and larceny over a period rjf years was arrested bv Mecklen burg ounty officers near the South Carolina border last Sunday night, Sheriff C. B. Roebuck was advised yesterday. Appearing in the courts of this county for the theft of an automobile and receiving stolen goods, Fagan was serving a term on the roads when he escaped a short time ago. He snifted his activities to the south western part of the State, success fully forged checks and was reported to have been riding in a stolen car when he was arrested. Fagan had previously escaped from a highway prison camp. NO PLANS j While there has been some talk about it no definite plans have been advanced for estab lishing an alternate route for V. S. Highway No. 17 through here, according to information coming from a semi-official source this ed either on Hatton-W.-Wi Streets or through fields sc.uth of Williams Street. No surveys have been made of either route, it was learned. ? -♦ Tentative Plans Are Made For Barbecue To Be Held April 26 —<*>— President And Representa tives Report On Recent Bureau Meetings in State -® Meeting in the county courthouse last Friday evening, Martin County Farm 3ureau members and directors discussed several vital issues, heard reports from representatives attend ing the state convention in Winston Salem and those attending a session of the state directors in Raleigh a short time ago and made tentative plans for the annual barbecue and speaking on Friday, April 26. Messrs. T. B. Brandon, Johnny Gurkin, H. U. Peel and Linwood Knowles were named to complete ar rangements for the barbecue and in vite a speaker to address the annual meeting next month. The meeting unanimously agreed to contribute $125 to the County fat stock show for prizes, the treasurer reporting $1,058.01 in hand with all outstanding bills paid. After representatives of the coun ty organization had reported on the state meeting in Winston-Salem, the meeting discussed the peanut situa tion and heartily endorsed the work of the National Peanut Council, the group agreeing to make a direct ap peal to all Martin County farmers, urging them to support Ihe program next fall. It was pointed out that peanut production has been greatly increased during recent years, that something will have to be done to enlarge outlets if the markets are to lie maintained at a fair level for the farmer. The National Peanut Coun cil is carrying on an effective pro gram, late reports declaring that re search work is creating new outlets and that a national advertising pro gram is expanding consumer outlets. But, according to the records, peanut growers in this county are not sup poi ting the council to any great ex tent. The cleaners, candy manufac turers and others are financing the work of the council, and since it means possibly more to the farmer than anyone else, the Farm Bureau agreed to work for the program on a larger scale this year. The meeting proposes to place the plan before [ every peanut growei in the cuiiriVy | between now and next harvest sea son. It was explained that the farm er is asked to contribute about a cent .'and oner-half for each bag of peanuts marketed as his part in supporting the program. Other reports from the state con vention centered around various re solutions, the culture of corn and other timely farm topics, including discussions by farm, labor and indus trial leaders. County Bureau President Chas. L. .Daniel placed before the meeting last Friday night two vital problems dis cussed at a meeting of the state di rectors in Raleigh a short time ago. Mr. Daniel pointed out that the state organization had a balance of about (Continued on page six) -e Mayor Expecting To Return Home Tomorrow Undergoing treatment for high blood pressure since Monday of last week, Mayor John L. Hassell is ex pecting to return home tomorrow, late reports stating that his condition Continues to show improvement. The regular meeting of the town ^ownissAoner last, evening was post poned • ; M.ncc. No dateTortn^iieeting was i fixed, . It was pointed out ihrt the mayor had not missed a meeting of the board in fourteen years. Very little business was on the calendar and none of it was urgent. Mrs. Addie Edwards Died In High Point Early Last Sunday —®—— Funeral Services Conducted At Home There Yesterday Afternoon Mrs. Addie Edwards, a native of this county, died in a High Point hospital early last Sunday mor«ing following a long period of declining health. Her condition was consider ed critical several weeks ago, but she showed marked improvement and was getting along very well un til she suffered a relapse a short time before the end. The daughter of the late, John L. and Mary Hodges Ward, Mrs. Ed wards was born in Bear Grass Town ship, 73 years ago. In early woman hood she was married to Emmett Edwards, for a number of years Wil liamston’s chief of police. He died a number of years ago. During her residence here she was a faithful member of the Methodist church and is well remembered by many friends in this community. In 1919 most of the family moved to High Point where her sons figur ed prominently in industry and in the civic and religious life of that section. She was the last of the brothers and sisters, a sister, Mrs. Micajah Perry dying at her home on Beech Street in 1942. Funeral services were conducted yesterday afternoon at the home in High Point, and interment was in the family plot in Oakwood Cemetery there. Surviving are two daughters, Miss Louise Edwards of High Point and Mrs. Janie Edwards Knox of Wil Jiamston; and three sons, E. Jack Ed wards of Burlington, Ralph Edwards of Morganton, and W. W. Edwards of High Point. World Day Of Prayer In Church Here Friday -* Religious leaders of the town and community are again calling the public’s attention to the scheduled World Day of Prayer service in the Methodist church here Friday after noon of this week at 4 o’clock. A timely program is being prepared, and large numbers are expected to attend and take part in the service which is part of a world-wide pro gram. - " • ’ ft-- ' Two Road Accidents Reported In County —■ ■ No one was hurt and no great pro perty damage resulted in two minor road accidents in this county last week-end. Nathaniel Stokes, Robersonville colored man, ran his ten-year-old Chevrolet into a cow at the main street-highway intersection in Gold Point last Saturday at 6:30 o’clock p. m., bruising the animal and doing about $50 damage to his car. The ownership of the cow was not deter mined, CpI. Bill Hunt, of the High way Patrol, stating that Stokes suc cessfully ran around one cow and Struck the other one. Fifteen minutes later, two cars, one driven by Hurdford Smith of Oak City and the other by James Bishop of Scotland Neck, crashed at the in tersection of Highways 44 and 125 in Oak City. No one was hurt, CpI. Hunt, who investigated the accident, reported. Damage to each car was estimated at about $150. Bishop, charged with driving on the wrong side of the road, is booked for trial in the county court next Monday. Escaped Convict Is Captured in County Jerry Hardenick, 28-year-old col [I'-r d vad-V-WSS ceJWRed 1,1 a Greene County prison camp yesterday aft ernoon following his arrest by Pa trolman W. E. Saunders arid prison | camp officials. Sentenced to serve six months, the former local man es caped from the roads last Thursday and was captured in the home of a girl friend in Robersonville. One report stated that Hardenick could not get all of his six feet and four inches under the bed, that Patrol man Saunders saw the man’s feet sticking out and pulled him from the inadequate hiding place. Complaints were received by Wil liamston police officers earlier, de claring that the man had at least two wives in this county. OVER THE TOP i J Assigned a quota of $40 in the current Red Cross fund drive, the colored citizens in the little Biggs School Community went over the top with $3.85 to spare, Principal W. V. Ormond an nounced yesterday. The district was the first in the chapter to reach and exceed its quota. Commenting on the drive, Principal Ormond stated that "SiO was brought to the school fay the children, ‘hat the remainder came through solicitations and voluntary contributions. “We had a job to do and we did it,” the school children were quoted as saying. County Commissioners Will Call Special Election for Local School Poplar Point Reports Slight Increase In Property Values Poplar Point Township, the first of the ten districts in the county to complete its 1946 tax assessment work, reported a gain of slightly more than $10,000 in its real and per sonal property values for the current year. County Tax Supervisor M. Luther Peel said this week. Goose Nest is understood to have complet ed its list, but no official report on the trend in values there could be had immediately. When the list was in the making, the list-taker was quoted as saying that there were very few hogs in his district and that the price bottom for automobiles had dropped out. It is fairly apparent that a reduction in values can be reasonably expected there. A hurried review of the Poplar Point values shows that a major por tion of the increase—about $7,000— was listed by the Virginia Electric and Power Company on lines con structed in that area during the last few months of 1945. A few new buildings arid the purchase of a num ber of new tobacco oil curers ac counted for most of the remainder of the gain. Other properties just about held their old values, the tax supervisor said. The county commissioners are scheduled to sit os a board of equal ization and review on March 11) and there is some doubt if all the list-tak Ors will be able to complete their work and get their books before the authorities for a review at that time. No preliminary reports relative to a trend in values has been received from other townships, but it is gen erally believed that the total for the county will show a slight decrease from the listings handled for 1945. Called For Keeping Sons Out Of Sehool Sentenced To Roads, Defendant Tells Of Apparent Violations -- Stanley Ayers Pleads Own Caw* In Fare Poor Sehool Attendance Record -» Stanley Ayers, Cross Roads farm er, was carried into the county court Monday for allegedly keeping two of his children out of school in viola tion of the compulsory attendance law. The farmer, pleading his own case and offering numerous excuses, was sentenced to the roads tor thir ty days. The sentence was suspend ed upon the payment of the costs, and on the further condition that the defendant send his sons, Warren, 10, and Joe, 14, to school regularly. During the trial the state proved that the younger son had attended only 36 days out of 125 during the 1945-46 term, that the other son had managed to get eighteen days’ schooling so far during the current period. Very little evidence was of fered by the state in its move to con vict the defendant of what some term of flagrant violations of the compulsory attendance laws. The case, it was reliably learned, marks the opening of a meaningful drive to enforce the school attend ance laws in this county. It was reliably but unofficially learned that well over 100 children are being held out of school in this county, many of them in town where there are no farm chores to be handled. Briefs, it wns learned, are being prepared in at least 100 cases, and court ac tion is certain to follow if the flag rant violations of the school at tendance laws are not checked im mediately by parents and patrons. Ayers, admitting that he had very little schooling, pleaded guilty, but asked for an opportunity to be heard. "I was taken sick Christmas eve with influenza,” the defendant de clared in offering excuses in his lie half. “Pleurisy developed, and (hen I had the mumps, and next, the chil dren were sick. We were all bad off," he told the court. As he continued his appeal to the court Ayvsr, -h'-vroi that, he was more interested in how he was going to get his 40 acres of land planted and cultivated than he was in how he could keep his children in school. “The children are not in school today. They are plowing,” Ayers explained when it was sug gested that they could go to school during the remainder of the term. “How can I feed the children if 1 don’t farm?” he asked the court. After judgment was pronounced, Ayers, apparently not familiar with his oldest son’s age, told the court that the lad was fifteen and asked if it would be all right to keep him at home. A check of the records showed that the boy will not be 15 (Continued on page six) -«... 77*//* Friend* He Will Be Candidate For Senate -* While he has made no formal an nouncement, John Rodman, Wash ington attorney just recently return ed from the armed services, told friends here this week that he plans to run *or one of the two seats in this, the Second State Senatorial dis trict. Messrs. H. G. £1 ortm^JocaLa^giyi uey, ii''iVipt</n^Ka^^ff lormaii^announced tiieir candidacy < short time ago. No, activity on the political front in this county has been reported recently other than C. B. Martin’s announcement for a seat in the State House of Representatives. I PRESIDENT v Miss l.ouise Griffin, a senior in the local high school, was elected president of the north eastern District of North Caro lina Beta Clubs at a meeting held recently in Washington. Miss Griffin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. O. Griffin, and pos sibly twenty others plan to represent the local schools at the State convention to be held in Winston-Salem the last three days of this week. Limited Patronage At Animal Clinics —*— Although nearly three hundred horses and mules, mostly mules, were treated, the animal clinics con ducted in the county recently by veterinarians in cooperation with the farm agent’s office did not measure up to expectations. Weather condi tions were not at all favorable dur ing most of the period, limiting pa tronage, it was explained. The clinics were held at a very small cost of the farmers and much good was accomplished, Assistant County Agent C. J. Goodman com mented. During th« past ttflWWWfc..-., 26ii animals were examined, the veterin arians treating 27j) of them. The teeth of 262 horses and mules were "floated.” --<s> Loral Firemen An nicer Tiro I Jilin In Three Days Local volunteer firemen answered two calls since last Saturday noon, but neither of the fires was of any consequence. The firemen were called to the John Respass home on West Church Street last Saturday afternoon at 12:50 o’clock when a chimney caught fire. Very little damage resulted. Yesterday afternoon at 12:45 o’clock, the firemen were called to a grass fire just off Railroad and Pearl Streets. No damage was done. ROUND-UP I After holding fairly steady for three weeks in a row, crime ac tivities abated in this community last week-end when local and county and state officers arrest ed and jailed only six persons. r The count had been even on each of three "“i Ail six ut file men arrested and jailed last week-end were booked for public drunkenness. Two of the six were white, and the ages of the group ranged from a low of 20 to 62 years. Colored Delegation Appealing For High School In Oak City Group To Meet As A Hoard Of equalization And Re view March 18 A special election to determine the wishes of qualified voters on a proposal carrying a 20-oent tax for expanding the curriculum in the loc al schools was given official approv al by the Martin County Commis sioners in their regular meeting here yesterday. A registration will be called and other details handled at a special meeting here on Monday, March 18, according to information coming from the courthouse late yes terday. Action is being delayed pending approval or rejection of the proposed plan by the State Depart ment of Education Commenting on the proposed plan for the local school district, repre sentatives of the board of education explained that the Williamston local school committee, supported by a petition carrying a large number of names, made a request some weeks ago for the addition of several new courses, including music and physical education. The proposal was approv ed by the board of education mem bers and was given recognition by the county commissioners at their meeting yesterday. Prior to the of ficial action, school authorities had carried the proposal before various civic organizations who endorsed the program and pledged their support. Once the proposal is approved by the State board, the county authori ties will older a special registration and fix dates for the special election which possibly will be held in time for the matter to be considered when the new fisca year budget is prepar ed. Meeting in regular session Mon day, the Martin Countv Board of Education received a delegation of 25 colored citizens from the Ham ilton, Oak City, Salsbury, Whichard James and Jones School Districts. A formal appeal was made, requesting the board to consider the establish ment of a high school in Oak City for the colored children m those districts. It was pointed out that there are 810 children enrolled in the elementary grades of the five schools, that the combined territory now has a poten tial high school enrollment of about 70 pupils, that no child in the dis trict will be more than eight miles from the high school, and that 80 per cent of them will be within a radius of about five or six miles. At the present time, the high school in Par mole is serving that territory, but the arrangement was said to be not very satisfactory. The bus, operat ing on a 35-mile run or a round trip of 70 miles daily, is hauling from 10 to 50 pupils. Hoad conditions and uncertain bus schedules, it was ex plained, cause the wide fluctuations (Continued on page six) Armv Educational J Plan Is Endorsed The M;irtin County School Board today gave its stamp of approval to the extensive educational program now being conducted by the U. S. Army. Under the Army program, men who enlist are given the opportunity of studying one or more of 200 skills and trades in Army training schools in this country and in overseas the aters throughout the world. “We bi lit ssU Vh-. Jv©. W&A+ ard, chairman of Martin County School Board, “that the Army is giv ing many hundreds of thousands of young men educational opportuni ties they would not be able to afford otherwise. “Far too many young men are un able to complete their high school courses, and a much smaller per centage have the advantages of col lege education. The Army plan gives them splendid training while they are in uniform. "Also, after, they leave the Army, under the GJ Bill of Rights they may have a year’s refresher course in a trade or business school, with tuition paid and monthly living al lowance. Those who enter the Army now may, upon leaving, have a year's college, business or trade school edu cation for each year they serve in the Army. “This privilege, plus the refresh er course, means presenting a young man with a total of 48 months of higher education. In other words, a full college course plus one year of post-graduate study. “The Government will pay up to $500 for each ordinary school year, and also provides a living allowance lot $65 a month tt^yjglejneji^ji a , mart * - Tins is a splendid educational | boost for the young men of America, and it will undoubtedly mean higher enrollments in Colleges and trade and business schools throughout the nation.’’