S=ZL~ t^==55S= THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEES THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ B1 OVER 3,003 MARTIN COUNT1 FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK VOLUME L—.NUMBER 86 Williamaton, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, October 2ft, 1947 ESTABLISHED 1899 Prominent Native ^Died On Saturday In Winston - Salem Funeral Services Conduct* ed for Ben C. Crawford Here Last Sunday - — Benjamin Coffield Crawford, member of a family for genera tions prominent in the political and other affairs of this section of North Carolina, died in a Win ston-Salem hospital at 4:30 o’clock last Saturday morning of ^injuries received in a taxicab ac cident on the street there on the evening of October 17. Suffering fractures of the leg and arm and other injuries, Mr. Crawford par tially recovered from the shock and was able to talk with mem bers of his family the early part of last week. He suffered a re lapse a short time later and little hope was held for his recovery. ^ A son of the late William Thom as and Martha Cotton Biggs Craw ford. he was born in the old fam ily home here on the corner of Church and Smithwick Streets on January 9. 1876 He attended the old Williamston Academy and when a young man entered the furniture manufacturing business with Martin and Biggs here. Fol lowing the big fire that wrecked the factory just off South Elm Street, Mr. Crawford kept books for Martin and Biggs a short time and moved to Lexington to re-en ter the furniture business, con tributing many modern inovations to the industry. Mr. Crawford was married to »Miss Rosemond Pope here on De cember 25. 1901. She died several years later, and about 1917 he was married to Miss Bessie Sherrill of Greensboro. For the past ten or twelve years he had made his home in Winston-Salem where he was associated with the Sprague Furniture Manufacturing Com par,. Possessed of noble principles, i lie adhered to those principles from a child on down through the years, commanding the genuine f respect of all who knew him, irre I spective of race or creed or sta tion in ,))fe Despite' difficult in end other obstacles experienced by all in the course of time, he lived a full life, enjoying greatly his annual pilgrimages back home at Christmas time to visit mem bers of his family and renew friendships. In all his dealings with his fellowman he asked but little for himself, but of his means he shared willingly with others, cheering them along the way in times of stress and setting a worthy example lor othus to fol low at all times. Surviving are one daughter, Mrs. B. Duke Critcher of Burling ton, by his first marriage, and by his second marriage, three daugh ters. Mrs. C. R. Jordan, Mrs. Har old Hayes and Mrs. C. O. Under wood, all of Greensboro; two sons, Ben C. Crawford. Jr., a student in the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and William Thomas Crawford of Winston-Salem; a sis ti v.. ll'MMnair. ,; :. and a brother, Kaaer fa. Crawford of Williamston. The body was brought here late Saturday to lie in state at the home of his brother on North Smithwick Street until 2:30 o’clock Sunday afternoon when it was removed to the Church of the Advent for the last rites. Rev. John W. Hardy, rector, officiated and interment was in the family plot in Woodlawn Cemetery here. Mr. Crawford had been a member of the Episcopal church for a number of years, his humble walk through life and Ins daily acts ex emplifying its creed and its teach ings. ROUND-UP Nine persons, eight of them white, were arrested and de tained temporarily, at least, in the Marlin Couritv jail last week-end. li was one of the few (inse.s. in the record «hat the colored violators did nut outnumber the whites. Four of the nine persons ar | ^ rested were charged with be ing drunk and disorderly, two with drunken' driving, one each for larceny, assault and issuing a worthless check. Ages of the group ranged from 25 to 44 years. 1 To Hold County Memorial Service In Robersonville A county-wide memorial serv- j ice. sponsored by the various vet erans’ posts and organizations, will I be ..held,_ Wednesday_ mot'n ing^of j this week at 10:00 o'clock in the ! Robersonville High School audi- i torium for those Martin County ! young men who made the supreme sacrifice in World War II. To be | broadcast over two radio stations, ‘beginning at 10:10 o’clock a. m., | the program will last only thirty ‘ minutes with Mr. Sherwood L. I Roberson as master of ceremonies. I Business houses in Roberson j ville and in other centers in the I county will be closed, and a cor I dial invitation is being extended to the public and especially to relatives of the war heroes. “The service will not memorialize any one of the heroes, but all of them," Mr. Roberson explained, and it is hoped that all activities can be suspended during the ser vice period to pay fitting tribute to the county’s war heroes. Mr. Roberson will handle the introductions, and Rev, Sidney Boone will read a Scripture selec tion. foRowrd bj—tvrr hrvocatiovt by Rev. John W Hardy, World War II veteran and past com mander of the Martin County American region Post. George McRorie. also a veteran and com mander of the Robersonville Le gion Post, will make a few timely remarks, and the Robersonville Glee Club will render a special selection. Rev. J. R. Everett, Roberson ville minister and chaplain of the Robersonville Post, will make a few remarks and lead the roll of the county’s Word War II dead. The memorial address will be by Rev. James M. Perry. Following the hymn, “Rock of Ages” by a ladies' quartet. Alvin Wise, a vet eran, will sound taps and Rev. Mr. Hardy will pronounce the bene diction. I j STILL MISSING | s-* Disappearing from his home in Cross Roads Township on October 14, presumably to go squirrel hunting, Andrew Ro berson, 40-year-old farmer, is still missing, the sheriff's of fice reported this week. Even though extended searches have been made over a wide area, no trace of the man has been found, leading some to believe that he is | either dead or he has gone to | unannounced points. Search ers continue to look for the man, the sheriff said. Miss Celia Slokes | Wins Scholarship Award In Contest -o To CompHi* For Stair Prizt* In 4-H (Holt Flectric — Mctl'i/tb ('onlrut Winning first place for girls in ! this county. Miss Celia Stokes of ; Hamilton forged ahead to take one I , of the first Virginia Electric and 1 Power Company territorial ! awards in the 1947 4-H Club Bet | ter Methods Electric Contest held 1 in Raleigh yesterday and this morning. The award is valued at $100 and Miss Stokes's success t fill bid for a first place in the ter ritorial contest make her eligible j i to participate in the state-wide contest, the winners of which will | be announced at an early dale, i Howard Bennett of Bear Grass I won first place for boys in this J county and he made the trip to j Raleigh where lie was reported j to have made a creditable show ; ing in the territorial contest. ! Miss Stokes, daughter of Mr. I and Mrs. Frank Stokes of Harr.il | ton, is a senior Jn the Oak ri.iv | High Schott and a member of the j 4-H club there. j Albert Ellen of Halifax County i won the first prize for boys in the j territorial contest and he is to re I ceive a $100 scholarship award. I Second prizes, gold watches, were awarded to Robert Dennis Ricks. ,Jr . of Conway, and Hazel Garris of Pitt County. I The territorial awards were j 1 presented to the winners by W. I j E. Wiod, executive vice president of the VEP Company at a barbe-1 ! cue supper and harvest friendship j j party held in the Tar Heel Club | at Raleigh last evening. i (Continued on page eight) Aged Man Faces | C Charge In Court — Julius Ebcrn. about 70 years 1 old. was returned from Princess Ann County, Virginia yesterday j ■ tn face ft • %.in j I the courts of this county. Hardly | I able to support himself, the aged j man i~ charged with deserting this 70-year-o!d wife here. He is the third man to have been called j or brought back to this county for alleged non-support. Deputy Sheriff Buck Holloman i and Officer W. E. Early returned j the man here. Young County Man Dies In Hospital Of Bullet Wound ' a Funeral Wednesday At Home In Bear Grass for W. A. Bailey -» W. A. Bailey, young county far mer, died in the hospital here last night at 11:00 o’clock of a bullet wound inflicted at his home in Bear Grass late yesterday after noon. He died without regaining consciousness. The bullet, a rather long one fired from a rifle, entered the forehead and came out the top of his head, tearing through the brain structure and possibly frac turing the skull for several inches. Few details of the shooting could be learned immediately, and no theory has been offered. The young man returned to his home near Bear Grass lale Mon da> alterr.ooiiTmS^TmVto tiu *lfv ing room with his rifle. Whether the shot was fired accidentally or intentionally could not be deter mined. First reports reaching here stated that friends had no ticed he had been moody, that possibly he was brooding over automobile accidents in which he figured and in which two or three persons lost their lives. He was driving the car in which Garland Bailey, a relative, lost is life some months ago ..t the intersection of Highway 17 and the Bear Grass highway. Mr. Bailey's mother was in an other part of the house and his wife was feeding the chickens when they heard the rifle fire. Going to the living room they found him lying on the floor with the rifle across his chest. One re port said that one shoe had been removed Horn his feet, giving rise to the possibility that he ahd fired the rifle with his toe. Investigating the death, the county coroner had not filed his report early today. The deceased was a son of Mis. Allie Peele Bailey and the late Warner A. Bailey of Bear Grass. He was born in Beai Grass Township twenty-three years ago, and lived there all his life, work ing in garages and farming. He was married to Miss Velma Bailey and she surives with a small son, Phillip Ray Bailey; four brothers, S. Clayton Bailey, William Clar ence Baiey, Robeit A. Bailey and (Continued on page eight) REOPENING While no definite date has been determined, it is believ ed the tobacco markets will reopen next week, possibly on alonday. A holiday, going into efteet today, was ordered when the expert companies went off the market as a re sult of a ban placed on addi tional leaf purchases by Great Britain. ' Agriculture officials yester day approved a plan whereby the Commodity Credit Cor poration may finance Great Britain’s tobacco purchases and relieve the market slump. Elder E. G. Stone Died At His Home Saturday Mornin Funeral Sunday Afternoon F'or Projiiineul Primitive naptisit Munster ■ »' ■ ■■ CfC? Elder Edward C. Stone, promi nent Primitive Baptist minister and well-known eitizen of Grif fins Township, died at his home there at 3:15 o'clock last Saturday morning, the victim of a heart at tack and complications. He suf fered a heart attack three weeks ago and his condition had been | critical since that time. However, i he w as unusually bright and talk led with relatives and friends dur ing the early part of last week. Devoted to his religious work and ready to answer a service call, Elder Stone faltered slightly while conducting a funeral service the sixth of this month, the min ister placing the call of duty ahead of his own physical well being. Born in Coventry, England. 71 years ago on October 21. 1876, he spent his early life on the farm in his native land. About fifty years ago he migrated with two brothers to this country, locating first in Florida where he operat ed orange groves. After a few years in Florida, he settled in Edgecombe County where he farmed and operated a cotton gin. He was married to Miss Annie Elizabeth Redmond of Tarboro and a few years after her death he was married to Mrs. Sallie Corey Griffin of this county in 1921, making his home near here since that time. Elder Stone was active in the Primitive Baptist Church for nearly forty years, holding sever al pastoitites and occupying pul pits in churches throughout east ern North Carolina and in Vir ginia in addition to special mis sions to churches in other states. While he missed his relatives and boyhood friends back in his I native land, he found happiness in his adopted land and seemed to get a great deal out of life, walk ing humbly before his fellowman . -— Surviving are Mrs. Stone; two children by his first marriage, a daughter, Mrs. Arthur Lott of Ra ileigh, and a son, Philip Stone of Alabama; four step-children, Mrs. Johnnie Gurkin, Miss Effie Grif fin and John A. Griffin, all of Wil liamston, and Mis. Hugh B. Ward of Beaufort County; two brothers, Waller Stone who made his home in this country for several years, and Fred Stone, both of Coventry; and two sisters, Misses Amy and (Continued on page eight) Throngs Attend Church Meeting ■ -♦. The Primitive Baptist Associa tion, setting a new precedent, at tracted visiting ministers from five stales and an estimated 1,500 friends n a wide territory at Smithwicks Creek last week-end. Playing the part of gracious hosts, members of the church and friends and mem bers of other congregations par ticipated in the two-fellowship which was climaxed by a picnic dinner so willingly shared, so de liciously and abundantly prepar ed. It was indeed a happy occas ion in the religious life of the com munity, the friendship and good fellowship extending to all irre spective of belief or denomina tion. Established in 1803, the church held what is believed to be its first program at night last Satur day, the service attracting a com fortably filled house. There were visitors from many sections of the country, including eight visiting eldsr, representing seven associa tions. Among the visiting minis ters from outside the local organi zation, were Elders T. R. Craw ford of Cairo, Cm., J. Harvey Dail ey of Sperryvillc, Va , C E Ben son of Clark's Summm, Pa., fa. L. Hornsby of Tallahassee, Ala., J. A. Fagg of Winston-Salem, C W. Miller of Arlington, Va., C. J. Huffman of Asheville, J. M. Young of Fender, Ga., M. M. Den ning of Cary, N. C. ‘ Elder P. E. Oetsinger arid Asa J. Hardison, both of the host church, are serving the association as moderator and eleik, respectively. Funeral At Home Herr Monday For Nicholas Griffin -1 Retired Farmer Had Been An Invalid For About Niwelcfijj. Years Nicholas Roberson Griffin died at his home here on South Biggs Street last Saturday afternoon at 1:00 o'clock following years of feeble health. A victim of arth ritis. he had been an invalid for nineteen years, spending much time in bed at intervals during that time. He had been confined to his bed for more than three months during his last illness, and his condition had been critical for I a week before the end. A son of the late John Bryant and Annie Elizabeth Roberson Griffin, he was born in' Griffins Township 58 years ago on March 9. 1889. and spent his early life on the farm there. When a young man he was married to Miss Ber tie Idell Manning and located in Williams Township some time later. In 1935 he moved to Wash ington where he lived until he lo cated in Williamston in 1944. Surviving are his widow, five daughters, Mrs. Idell Riddick and Mrs. Jimmy Jones of Williamston, Mrs. Paul Ange and Mrs. W. H. i Marshall of Norfolk and Mrs. Paul |L Baker of Washington; a son, ■ Henry Griffin of Washington; one | brother, H. Dennis Griffin of Wil jliamston; and five sisters, Mrs. I Ben Bateman of Goldsboro, Miss 1 Mary E. Griffin and Mrs. Emmett Hines of Williamston, Mrs. Levin Ange of Jamesville, and Mrs. Wheeler Ange of Plymouth. During his long years of intense suffering Mr. Griffin never com plained. but bore his affliction with great patience, remaining thoughtful of others and cheerful until he lapsed into unconscious ness just a few days before the end. (Continued on page eight) I — Negro Painfully Hoyt Smith, young colored man, was painfully but not seriously hurt when Joe Hoover, also color ed, fired a load of small gun shot into his face and neck iate last Sunday night in the Dardens sec tion of Jamesville Township. Sev eral shot pierced the skin fftid one or two struck near the man’s left eye, but the man's vision was not 1 impaired "My head feels mighty tight," Smith said when lie reported to a local doctor’s office yesterday morning for treatment. While the man did not say definitely what caused the "tight” feeling, it is possible that he was laboring un der a “hangover.” Smith, swearing out a warrant for Hoover, said that the shooting climaxed a fight the two had at Peter Rogers’s store earlier that levelling. Following the fight which Smith claims he w’on, Smith went home ^nd was walking by Hoov er’s home when Hoover allegedly fired upon him from a distance of about fifty yards. “They have got it in for me,” Smith said as he told an inco herent story of the attack to Sheriff C. B. Roebuck yesterday morning. __ Seeking A Parole For Milton James Milton James, colored man who was sentenced to the loads for violating the liquor laws, is in line for parole, unofficial reports say ing that the parole movement is being sanctioned by prison offic ials and friends as well as by James himself. A helpiess invalid, Janies has proved a problem to the authori ties since he was sentenced to the roads last June. He was passed like a hot potato from one camp to another until he landed in the prison hospital at Raleigh where it seems the best of medical care and good treatment just did not agree with him. If there are no objections, it is quitely likely that James will be back in bis home in the Free Union section of J Jamesville Township shortly. Little Activity Reported On Peanut Market Locally Although a few farmers started threshing the current peanut crop in this county last week, there has been little or no activity reported .on the.roa.vkcts. A' Mr as it could be learned late Monday only one I market transaction has been : handled in * Iris county. Thow j port stated that an independent I buyer in the Hamilton section had purchased 108 bags for $10.65 per hundred pounds, that the peanuts | were moved by truck early Mon day morning to a Plymouth plant. Company buyers, representing plants in this state and Virginia, reported no activities on the mar ket here other than crop inspec tions. "We are finding in those cases where we have examined*1 the crop that the peanuts are too ‘heavy’." a representative of one company said, explaining that the peanuts were just too wet for safe handling. "Our instructions are to hold off the market until pea nuts are in a marketable condi tion," the local representative sa.id .While . .that crops are dry and ready for threshing, inspections have prov ed that the peanuts were picked while in a wet or, at least, damp condition. It has been pointed out that while favorable weather will clear up the condition and the peanuts will be all right, it has also been pointed out that unfav orable weather will cause the peanuts to spoil, and spoiled pea nuts will affect the market. Quite a few pickers were plac ed in operation this week but sev eral operators withdrew, declar ing that the peanuts were not in ! proper condition for threshing. ! “It’ll take a cool, piercing w ind to [condition the crop for threshing,” a buyer said. Tobacco Sales Pass Eleven Million Mark Sales Suspended Pending Outcome I Of Export Plans — +■ — | Most Farmers Soil (muled Tulmn'o Before Holiday Wont lulo Fffeel Despite the order suspending sales for an indefinite period on account of the foreign market sit uation. sales continued unusually heavy right on up until the last d*y before the holiday went into effect today. And before the close order went into effect the market here had passed the eleven mil lion-pound mark with the possi bility that another million would be sold lure after the’ holiday is I ended. Even Ihougit the Imperial and Export Companies went off the market, prices continued to hold up fairly well last Thursday and Friday, reports on the marketing activities yesterday stating that prices were possibly stronger than they were the latter part of last week. However, price averages tumbled from around $47 per hun dred to the low forties with only the Stabilization Corporation pre venting a price collapse. At the close of sales yesterday, the market had sold 10,963,622 pounds for an average right at $42 per hundred. A general report for the eastern belt follows: Prices by grades during the ninth week of sales on the Eastern North Carolina flue-cured tobacco markets were steady to lower than the previous week in the rna J. 'jt, ot .instances. The-.Unit** States and North Carolina Depart ments of Agriculture report that the losses were not as severe nor as numerous as in the previous week. The declines ranged from 50c to $3.00 per hundred with most between $1.00 and $2.00. The first of the week there was a gen e al strengthening of pi ices but with the announcement Thursday of the withdrawal of all export purchasers, prices tumbled. All export grades fell $3.00 to $8.001 with this decline continuing through Friday. Domestic grades also plunged and as a result, by the end of the week prices for in dividual grades neared season lows. Despite this a few grades showed a higher trend. Action taken by the Flue-cured (Continued on page eight) SUPPORTER | v*___ Convinced of Us value and appreciative of the work it lias done for agriculture, Farmer Billy Cratt a few days ago put five members of his family in the Martin County Farm Bureau. A few more supporters like Mr. Cratt would easily carry the county over the top in its current drive for approxi mately 2,300 members. | ABOUT COMPLETE v--/ Wiltiamston's street im provement program, launch ed last Friday, is nearing com pletion today. Parts of School Drive, Halifax and Park Streets were surfaced with two inches of sand-as phalt, and resurfacing was done on Hassell, Grace, Elm, Kay, Warren and Washington Streets and Marshall Avenue. The drive to the grammar school is also being surfaced. In addition to the public project, the contractor plans to handle one or two private jobs if the supply of asphalt is sufficient. Bodies Of World War II Dead Are Expected Shortly • Body of Lloyd M. Hassell Reached New York l.asl Sunday -... Speaking on the subject, "Teaching Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” Dr. J. L. Oppelt, di rector of Student Teachers and Field Extension at E. C. T. C., ad dressed tire members of the local PT-A at their monthly meeting held last night at 8 o’clock in the grammar school auditorium. In his address Dr. Oppelt first reviewed the teaching profession in colonial days stating that the physically handicapped men were preferred as teachers and that women were only temporary "fill ins” for the youngest children. Dr. Oppelt cited that the social life of early teachers was quite restrict ed and that there was no typical pattern for a teacher. In introducing the second phase of his talk, Dr. Oppelt pointed out that there is still not a clearly defined pattern for a teacher. As a contrast from early days there are few men teachers and the re quirements for teachers are much higher than formerly. The speak er mentioned that the teacher’s social life today is not as restrict ed today but he continued by say ing that “teachers are expected to lead exemplary lives." Dr. Op pelt continued by pointing out that the present day curriculum is detached from life in general. He also mentioned that North Caro lina ranks 39th on the list in the matter of salaries. As for the teacher of tomorrow, • Dr. Oppelt presented the view that future instructors will be those who arc above the average in scholarship; also, that the teacher will pledge himself to serve tor several yeais. The teach er of tomorrow will serve an ap prenticeship period and will work with children outside the school. “He who would be a successful teacher of tomorrow, must be a man of many parts,” the speaker said He must possess a wealth of •iafvsrmation and uicm,y pv*- *** sonulity traits. He must under stand and love children. “Knowledge alone will not in sure a successful teacher.” To morrow's teacher will stimulate creative work and independent thinking. He will be an expert in evaluating his own teaching dally and will encourage pupils to be critical of their work. Future teachers will develop attitudes and lay stress on cultural refine ment. In conclusion l)r. Oppelt point ed out that North Carolina rank ed 48th as to size of class enroll ment and that less than 2 1-2 per cent of the state income is spent on public education. Mrs. Irving Margolis reporting for the membership committee announced the following awards for the most memberships: Gram mar School, Mis.-, Baker, first prize of $2.00; Miss Jenkins second TJnwwiTSKr*ii:ir,r*3trnooi " Mrs. Gorham’s 11th grade won the | first prize and Mrs. Manning’s 10th grade took second place. The committee chairman pointed out that thus far only 228 had joined the PTA. President Mobley chal lenged the adults to do their part in helping to reach the goal of 500 members. Chairman Hack Gaylord of the lunchroom committee reported on the operation and efficiency of the grammar school lunchroom. Mr. Gaylord stated that tin.- lunch room was now operating at a deficit and as a result of this milk was no longer served in the lunchroom. A committee eompos (Continued on page eight) r CALL MEETING Important and urgent busi ness is sel.eduied foe consul mUiaa at a call meeting of the local li ujuiiu » t.ijiu to oc held in the tlub room Wed nesday evening of this week at 8:15 o’clock, it was an nounced yesterday by the dub president. Tbe meeting was ealled by tbc president following a meeting of the executive com mittee held in the home of Mrs. llenry Griffin on Grace Street last Friday evening.