THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BX OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTT FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ Hi OVER 3.009 MARTIN COUNT1 FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK VOLUME LI—NUMBER 18 Williainston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, March 2, 1948 ES I \BLISHED 1«99 Work Delayed By * Rain on Ambrose House Near Here More Than Twenty Work ers Volunteer Services; To Wire House * p $ * p ! « t Still hopeful the present shack won’t fall down during the next day or two, twenty or more vol unter workers, headed by James Stevenson, are ready to start building a new three-room house just as soon as the weather clears for Ammie Ambrose, aged grand mother, and the eight members of her family. "We planned to get the family indoors before the sun went down today, but the weather is delaying the work,” Conti ac tor Stevenson said. Material was placed on the lot yesterday, the G and H. Builders Supply Company furnishing a large portion of it at and below cost, and the Williamston Supply Company donating and deliver ing the sills and some other tim bers salvaged out of the old Sta ton cotton gin building. Mr. Whit ley also donated some of the win dows and other material. The lumber was supplemented when Mr. Lucian J. Hardison delivered three sizable logs to a mill the latter part of last week. Work ing against time, the building supply firm is exchanging lumber for the logs so that the contsruc tion work will not be delayed. The Ayers Electric Company this week volunteered to wire the house for lights without charge, and the old well, its water even with the top of the ground and without a curbing for protection, will be replaced by a pump being donated by Deputies Joe H. Roe buck and Roy Peel. Since the last report, contribu tors, white and colored, churches and organizations and others in distant states, some as far away as Illinois, boosted the cash fund by $219 to a total of $569.62. Ad ditional contributions of cash are not necessary, it was pointed out today since the money in hand is believed ample to place the des titute family under a roof and make possible a few furnishings. It was first planned to build a structure 24 by 14 feet for the family, but the liberal response to the appeal first issued two weeks ago today is making it pos sible to add a short L" to the original plans, plus a porch. Since the snow early last ' month, the sagging foundation of the old house has sagged even ! more, and one who enters there ' does so at the risk of falling timbers and a brick flue. Few appeals have received a greater response than the one is sued two weeks ago after the old woman had stolen from her all her earthly savings and the lit tle group braved the big snow, after a fashion. Since the last report, the fol lowing contributions to the Am brose fund have been received: Herbert Taylor, $5; Peel and ! Manning, $5; Dr. John D. Biggs, $5; E. D. Peel, $2! Edward S. Peel, $2; W. L. Moore, $1; Love and Charity Lodge, No. 48, submitted by S. C. Nichols, $10; Order of Eastern Star, Ethel Winborne, W. M., and Etta Coburn, treasurer, $10; Walter Harper, $1; Ward’s Florist, $4; Russell Griffin, $2; W. T. Alexander, $5; F. VanNort wick, Robersonville, $5; Fidelity (Continued on page eight) Former Teacher Dies In Parmele > Rboda Chance Highsmith, re spected citizen and a former teacher in the schools of this and Pitt Counties for a number of years, died at her home in Par mele last Wednesday evening, death coming suddenly and unex pectedly. Retiring from the teaching pro fession she was engaged in farm ing and was making plans for the She was a faithful member ol the Primitive Baptist Church in Par mele, attending her last service the previous Sunday. "tmmm ed by her pastor, Elder Bennie Exum in the Jenkins Chapel Sun day afternoon at 2.30 o’clock. County Board Holds Long Meeting Here INCREASED VALUES Complete reports are not yet available, but reliable indications point to some right healthy gains in the county’s property listings this year. Two townships, Poplar Point and Bear Grass, have been completed, and accord ing to Tax Supervisor M. Luther Peel, both of them showed sizable gains. Poplar Point had an increase of about $19,000. a fairly good amount for the little district, and Bear Grass boosted its current listings by about $70,000 over those of a year ago. It is understood that new automobiles helped support the gains, and then there was some new building in the two districts. VEP Will Sponsor 4-H (lub Contest The Virginia Electric and Pow er Company, with other com panies, will again sponsor 4-H Club Better Methods Electric Con test this year, it was announced this week by S. P. Woolford, man ager of the company's local dis trict, embracing sixteen counties in this part of the State. Sponsored nationally by the Westinghouse Educational Foun dation and conducted in this State by the State Extension Service, the contest is designed to advance means of improving ways of doing j things on the farm and in the farm I home through the use of electric ity. County winners will receive a Medal of Honor and a two-day, all expense trip to the 4-H Club Electric Congress to be held in Raleigh in October, 1948. The] four territorial winners from the; 16 counties listed above will re ceive two $100 scholarships and two gold watches. Winners of the Territorial Awards in 1947 in the area spon sored by VEPCO were Celia Stokes, Martin County, and Albert Ellen, Halifax County — $100 Scholarships; and Hazel Garris, Pitt County and Robert Ricks, Jr., Northampton County — gold watches. Last year's Congress at Raleigh was attended by more than 70 4 11 Club boys and girls from 39 North Carolina counties as well as by many State Extension workers and representatives of the spon-j sors. The two-day Congress w'as considered as big success by all I and plans already are under way to make the 1948 Congress even^ more entertaining and beneficial. Complete information concern ing the contest for 1948 can be ob tained from your County Agricul-, tural Agent or County 4-H Club Leader. Several students in this and other counties served by the VEP in this section are planning to en ter the contest. Up For Violating The School Laws In one of the few cases charging a parent with failing to send his children to school, Alton Hardison whose three children live in the Farm Life School District, was sentenced to the roads for eigh- j teen months my Judge J. C. Smith in the county recorder’s court Monday. Hardison, also charged with non-support, pleaded guilty and had little to say in his defense. He told the court that he had infantile , paralysis when he was an infant,! that he had been unable to pro cure work for months. It was brought out during the j trial that the defendant drank j t !->.■—.p:•:V*-— h ; * V -v;-f-. around a pool room in Washing ton. Judge Smith suspended the road term on condition that Hardi-j S10 a week for the support of his j children and send his children toj school. 1 Plan Inspection Lane At Station For Motor Units Authorize Education Board To Draft Plan* For Boar Grass Building Receiving two road delegations and the board of education and handling the numerous routine duties, Martin County's five com missioners—J. H. Edwards, chair man, and W. H. Harrison, Joshua L, Coltrain, C. A. Roberson and R. A. Haislip—remained in session right on through the lunch hour and until 2:30 o'clock Monday be fore completing their work. No major decisions were called for or made, hut the board did authorize education officials to prepare plans and get coast estimates on a new high school building for Bear Grass with the promise that the proposed project will receive every consideration possible at a later meeting. Hearing nothing from her pre vious appeals for a road from the pulp mill via the Warren Neck Road to Highway G4 near Dar dens, Mrs. Kate York again went before the board in the interest of the project. She was assured that the matter would be pushed, that the board had already recom mended it to the highway com mission. A small delegation went before the board in the interest of the Harris Mill Road, connecting the Bear Grass-Greenville Road at the Rose of Sharon Church, and the delegates were advised that the project had already been rec ommended. half the cost for moving picture! projectors for the colored farm and home agents. The blind ease Worker was al lowed additional mileage expens es for her work in this county. Old tax accounts, bogged down in errors dating back as far as 19211, were cleared from the books in a number of cases after county counsel had searched the records and recommended adjustments. Most of the accounts were still on the books because the property had been listed twice. In other cases, the listings were not in keeping with comparative years. Tax relief orders were issued in the following cases: T. C. Crisp Estate, Parmele, for the year 1934 38. Mack Cotton for the years 1928 39. Mary E. Stallings, two acres Sweet Water Creek land. Lizzie Purvis, Williamston Township, for 1929-36. Ed and Lewis Spruill, Rober sonville Township, for 1939. B. F. Keys, Jamesville, for 1938. I. H. Wynne, Jamesville. Icelean Meeks, Williamston, for 1935, 1938 and 1939. W. S. McKeel, Williamston, for 1930. J. E. Williams, Williams Town ship, for 1935 and 1937. J S. Griffin, Robcrsonville, for 1938. Jarrett Slade, Bear Grass, for 1935. Charlie Jones Heirs, Roberson ville Township, for 1939. (Continued on page eight) County Students Have Play Parts Among the fifty-five students at East Carolina Teachers’ College, Greenville, taking part in the pro duction of a series of plays there this week are four Martin Counity young men and women. Includ ed in the casts are, Misses Margaret Wilson of Rob L’rsonvillc, and Varo H. Davenport - r t . . .: 11 . ,. i a ??• » h _ I if Jamosville. Earl Sawyer of JamesvilJe is serving as ‘echnical director. The plays are a part of the pro lion of Dr. John D. Messick as pre sident of the college on Saturday jf this week. Parking, Seating Rules Outlined For Cage Tourney Jamesville Bovs Vi in Top Seeding, Williamston's Boys Rale Seeond Jamesville boys and Bear Grass girls drew top seeding for the Martin County High School tour nament which opens in the Wil liamston gym tomorrow night at 7:00 o'clock before a crowd that will be limited by fire protection rules. Williamston boys and James ville girls drew the second seeded places, the t ays as a result of their I season's play and the girls as a! result of the toss of a coin that broke a tie between Jamesville and Bear Grass. Jamesville won the toss and elected to take the No. 2 spot rather than first. Each of these girls teams had defeated the other once this year. Fire protection rules are to be enforced for the tournament and the seats are to go to those who get there first as admission will be halted when the fireman in charge declares the safety limit has been reached. Tournament officials were quite anxious that fans should under stand the importance of parking their cars away from the gym. A parking space is provided close to the building that will hold more automobiles than could possibly be used by fans attending the con tests. Officials decided that in the event a score is tied in a girl’s game during the tournament it shall be played off in three minute extra-periods which will start with a jump bull at center. Admission charges will be 25c and 50c. A game between the girls' teams of Williamston and Robersonville will open the tournament at 7:00 p. m., Wednesday. Oak City and Farm Life girls meet at 8:00 and Oak City and Bear Glass boys will clash at 9:00. There may be a bit of variance in the starting times of games other than the openers as delays cannot be accurately de termined in advance. Thursday night’s card opens with Bear Grass girls meeting the winner of the Williamston-Rober sonville contest at 7:00. Rober sonville and Oak City boys play the seeontT game on the night's card and the winner of the Oak City-Bear Grass boys’ game will meet Williamston’s boys in the night’s last contest Friday night's activities open with a game between Jamesville and the winner of the Williams ton-Robersonville and Bear Grass games for the girls’ division. The second game of Friday evening is to be played between Jamesville boys and the winner of the Rober sonville-Farm Life game. Games on Friday night drop back to 7:30 because only two games are to be played and Jamesville is certain to be represented in both. The championship battles will begin at 7:30 Saturday nigh! be tween the two surviving girls’ outfits while the boys’ champion ship fight starts immediately after the gill champion is named. Most observers believe the Wil liamston and Jamesville boys’ out fits will move to the finals for a real battle for the championship, but dope can go wrong in these tournaments. According to the dopesters Bear Grass and Jamesville should be (Continued on page eight) -- Name James Head Of Enforcement Ben H. James, for several months Martin County game war fen, has been named to supervise law enforcement for the First Di; :rict of the Wildlife Resource s Commission, it was announced ast week-end by D Warren Lup on, chief of law enforcement for he commission. '"e.r -V--• .••■4 r-4-j :he position made vacant by the county man's promotion. The fust district, represented by Joe Winslow, is comprised of Cur ^uimans, Chowan, Gates, Hert ford, Bertie, Martin, Washington, ryrrell, Dare and Hyde Counties, j Well-Known Man Died In County Late Last Night — Funeral Service Wednesday Afternoon for James . Washington (.lillio James Washington Griffin, well-known Martin County citi zen and retired fanner, died at his home in Cross Roads Township Monday night at 11:00 o'clock fol lowing a long period of declining health. He had been confined to his bed for months and his condi tion had been serious for some time. The son of the late Henry W. and Eliza Coltrain G' iffin he was born in Griffins Township 88 years ago on July 12, 1889. and spent most of his life there farm ing ami living at peace with his fellowman. About seventeen years ago he purchased a farm in Cross Roads Township and located there, continuing to farm and tak ing an interest in the affairs of his adopted community. His early life influenced by the trials and tribulations of the Civil War period and the following recon struction years, Mr. Griffin learn ed to appreciate the simple and finer things in life. He valued the friendship of his fellowman and his word was his bond. While his life was humble and unpretenti ous, it was marked by fine ideals and righteousness. He was married in 1888 to Miss Clara Jane Griffin who died in May, 1943. Mr. Griffin was a member of the church at Cross Roads and his pastor. Rev. 1). W. Davis, assisted by Rev. F. A. Lilley and Rev. W. B. Harrington will conduct the funeral services Wednesday after noon at 2:00 o'clock. Arrange ments had not been completed early today, but the lust rites will be conducted either at the home or in Christian Chapel. Inter ment will bo in the Coltrain Cem etery at ttie old Big Mill in Wil liams Township. Surviving are three daughter':, Mrs. ( unihe V* iliiains oi James ville and Mrs. Sadie James and Mrs. Myrtle Lilley, both of near Williamston; and one son, J. Ma rion Griffin, of the home. Liquor Business On The Increase Holding to a fairly low point lor several years, the illicit liquor business is on the increase in this county now, according to ABC Of ficer J. H. Roebuck. It is a fairly certain sign that circulating money is dwindling in quantity when marginal farmers turn to the illicit liquor business and trade to supplement their leg itimate income, the officer pointed out. Raiding in Bear Grass Town ship along the Cross Roads Town ship boundary last Thursday Of ficer Roebuck and Deputy Roy1 Peel found a virtually abandoned plant. They wreeked four fer menters, a cooler and other equip ment but eould not find the ket tle. Extending their search for the kettle over a several-hundred yard radius, the officers never did find what they were looking for j but they located a large plant, fully equipped. Approximately 500 gallons of beer, stored in two fifty-gallon capacity fermenters and a large box, were poured out. The officers captured the 100-gal lon capacity copper kettle and an oil burner along with other manu facturing equipment. In addition to the increase in the manufacturing business, sev eral persons have bet n t an ied in to the courts recently for retail ing non-tax paid liquor. KOI MM P j s. Seven persons were round ei! up and detained tempor arily in the county jail last week-end for alleged viola - — • W-Il »I..*» ■ ■ ■ One was booked for lar- j eetiy, one for disorderly con duct, and one for speeding, i and two each for assaults and j All of the seven were color- | ed and their ages ranged from £0 to 51 years of age. Propose High School Unit For Bear Grass Saturday School Schedule (Joes In Effect This Week -><*. No Kaslor Monthly Holiday Will Bo Allowed This Yoar Holding their first meeting of! the new year, members of the Martin County Board of Educa tion Monday proposed the con struction of a new high school unit for the Bear Grass District, adopted a Saturday teaching schedule for all the schools in the county and sold the old colored school building and site in Poplar Point Township. With an upward trend in the at tendance figures and a marked need for a lunch room in Bear | Grass, the board of education,) headed by Chairman J, D. Wool aid, Sr., went before the county commissioners and discussed the proposed project which is classed as an emergency project. No ac tum was taken by the commis sioners other than the issuance of instruction's to the board, calling for detailed plans and cost esti mates. The plans and cost esti mates are to be considered by the commissioners later. While the | tentative plans call for the con- j struetion of a six-room unit and a| lunch room, they are subject to be i altered, it was learned. Beginning this week, all schools, [ white and colored, will go on a, Saturday schedule to make up • time lost on account of unfavor-! able weather and bad road eondi-) turns. All white schools except Bear Grass will observe the following; schedule: School on the first three Saturdays in March, on the first,' second and fourth Saturday m April and the first Saturday in; May, closing the term on May lilt. The Bear Grass white school will, m addition to the regular five-day week, of course, teach in the first three Saturday in March, four in April and four in May, closing on May ill. Bear Grass, in addition to the time lost on ae count of the weather and roads, was forced to close when the boil er cracked. The colored schools will remain open on the first three Saturdays in this month, four Saturdays in Api d and the second and third Saturday in May, closing on May 28. There'll be no holiday for the schools on Easter Monday. A four and one-half hour sched ule will be in effect on Saturdays, the schools closing the day be tween 1 and 1.30 on those days. The board, while opposing in print lple the Saturday schedule, deemed the six-day week advis able when it was pointed out that tlu> regular schedule would delay the closing until about the middle of June. The abandoned school house and site m Poplar Point was sold at public auction to J. S. Williams for $1810. No bids were received for the old Jamcsville colored school site. -o Crowds Attending Pmudiing Mission Beginning a five-day preaching i mission in the Church of the Ad- [ vent here last Sunday evening, Bishop Thomas C. Durst, retired, was heard by a large congrega tion, most of the other churches cancelling their evening services to join the mission worship. Most of the Kiwanis club members at tended the service in a body. Bishop Durst, always receiving a warm welcome to Williutnslon by members of all denominations, pointed out that our troubles to- j ,1 J _ ,„licn , bow down at the feet of Christ, ) and added that Christ's work had | been blotl.ed by self. The minister will hold mission '■ UI.IWIIW o’clock through Thursday, and on i Friday a dedication service has | been scheduled. * [ l M)KR W U | v_ The drive to raise S'!.all in the Martin County chapter for the American Red Cross got under way this morning, hut no reports on the drive could he had immediately. Drive Chairman Claude Baxter Clark said that district chairmen were working as follows: Jamesville, Mrs. Ca mille Fleming Rawls: Wil liams, Mrs. R. ,1. Hardison; Griffins, Mrs. .1 Fas.hi 1 illey; Bear Grass, Mrs. Fete Men denhall and Mrs. Roy Harri son. The chairman will direct the work here. Our people are urged to support the drive and help put it over the top. remem bering that this chapter has not failed in the past and that it cannot afford to fail now. Threatens Offieer With Pistol I loro His life threatened, Officer Chas. 1! Moore, accompanied by other members of the local police force, went down on Hast Main Street early Sunday evening to question I,canton Bennett 51 year-old colored man. Placing Bennett under arrest, the officers started to take him to headquarters for further que dinn ing. Just as they reached the po lice car, Bennett whippt d out a pistol and pi eased the lee n of the weapon against Officer Moore’s side. The offa-er went in to action. Grabbing the barrel of the revolver he turn' .1 it toward Bennett and none of the six bul lets in tile revolver wa fired. Bennett had the weapon hid up his sleeve, the oitirers missing'it m ,i hurried search. Several wrenches and other, articl . tvere found on Bennett’s person. Bennett was booked ls. t week for allegedly trying to hold up J. 1). Slade, young, colored man. He was bound over to the county court by Justice Hassell at a heai mg Thursday evening. Mold Success)(iI Rmvntion School A distt irt recreational s'-C '"I or homo agents and 4 I! Club h-adei.. was concluded in the legion hut here hist Thursday evening, Mr Garnette (’rocker, a i taut home agent, stating that the school was very successful, that nearly 100 persons attended. The school, running tor three nights, was conducted by Miss Virginia Gregory ol' the Stat Re creation Commission, and ,le ,■ James of the Slate Extern ion Kcr vice, and trained the agents and club leaders in promoting and di recting recreation program . Bertie, Beaufort, Chowan. Edge combe and Washington Counties were represented along with Mar tin at the school. The Macedonia Club in this county entertained the faculty and students at an informal re caption tile last night of the school. Marlin Will Not Seek Re-eleelion The first move taken on the local political front came lust week-end whi n C. B. Martin. Rob ersonville school principal, an nounced he would not be a eandi , date to succeed himself as a mem ber of the North Carolina House; of Representatives front Mat tin County. Announcing that he would be a ‘tsadidatn .Vets...WrC., _,V.., (-\pr<. ail! Ill', appt i cl., it >! I t"l' Tile support and confidence expressed in the past. ;,nd adde d, "I fee! I c;m bettor serve my fellowman in' continue to work for better scltools, better roads and better health for our people.” Charge Man With \ssaulting Local Officer W ith Gun Ollier Cu!>e*. \ire«l In Court (>f Jii -lice of IVaee Here I ,a>! Week Probable cause appearing in the ease in which he was charged with being drunk and disorderly, re sisting arrest and an assault with a deadly weapon on a local police officer, George Owens was bound over to the higher courts by Jus tice John I,. Hassell at a prelimin ary hearing held in the mayor's office last Thursday evening. While Justs . Ha: sell was wait ing for witnesses in one ca. e, Jus tire K T. Johnson sandwiched in a worthless cheek case in which Mayo Matthev s was defendant. Matthews, maintaining that some thing had been paid on the checks given to a Windsor firm, was ad judged guilty . He was sentenced to the roads for thirty days, the sentence to he suspended upon the payment of the checks and costs. "1 take a repealer,” tin- defendant said. 1 Bond was arranged in the sum of $100. Owens pleaded not guilty, but did not take the stand in his own behalf. Testifying before the court, Officer Raymond Rawls said he was making his regular beat about 1:00 o’clock last Wed nesday morning and while near the Williamston Supply Company on Elm Street he heard a rifle fire. Ih' moved in the direction of the shooting and just as h turned into Hear Street he saw Owens run ning with a rifle. "I called to him to halt hut h continued to run, turning when about fifty yards away and firing his rifle in my di rection,’’ the officer said. 1 lo.-.i him tempi rurily in some weeds, but later picked up his tied and ,. nested him in bed at hi home." the officer added, de claring that the man was crazy drunk. "You can’t ue any thing but shoot me,” Owens was quoted as viyoi ail (n I Midgetfe had tried to tlirew the officer off the trail. G dene Smith, witness for the stai s, i,| that Owens was drunk, that he and another boy had had some words, and h o tie (Owens) had a rifle undei his arm when he wa at Sim Smith's home. Doris Langley and Ella Mae Cooper, other w itnesses for the state, were not questioned at the preliminary hearing. Bond was required in the sum of $J00. Probable cause war also found in the ease chargin ; Lea man Ben nett, colored, with attempting to hold up ,1. D. Slade down the riv er lull last Wednesday night. Slade said that he wa- driving up the tract when a man waved him down with a flashlight. Thinking it wa : someone who wanted a lift up town, Slade said he stopped, that Benett came to the side of the car, shined a light in his face and said, "I thought you were some one else." Slade said, “This is Slade," explaining to the court that he started to drive away when Bennett allegedly threaten ed his life. Slade said he started his ear and drove away, leaving the man behind. Bond was re quired in the sum of $20t) by Jus tice Hassell. -[). Jauees Planning Busy Week Here The week’s calendar for the Junior Chamber of Commerce members begins tonight with a meeting of the Board of Directors at Wheeler Manning's office, at 7:J0. This is a very important meeting, and all directors are re* quested to be present. Wednesday evening, a delega tion of Jayeees is scheduled to journey over to Plymouth for the second organizational meeting then The local chapter is at* tempting to organize a unit in the Washington count) scut. All Jay* ,r'gT.it'.J..1 1L ■ c n,1 r 1 r. ,i.o,•o’, f n» Ti'.V’sb,' atitf’ those planning to aU.vS| tetul are requi ted to notify See ,I , 1 ; ! 1 I , ,VJ , JT siou Chairman James Bullock. £01 ■mm ■. vu**^*m* legulm dinner meeting of the elul will be field at seven o'clock, place to be announced latyrv 4 k i&Mtbi