THE ENTERPRISE IS READ B1 OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT! FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK VOLUME LIII—NUMBER 5 THE ENTERPRISE Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, January 17, 1950 THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BT OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT! FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK ESTABLISHED 1899 Promise Shipment * Of Fixtures For Department Soon High School Functioning Very Smoothly Despite Serious Handicaps Despite handicaps created by a shortage of equipment in the home economics department, over crowded conditions, and inade * quate recreational facilities and housing, Williamston’s High School is operating very smooth ly, a member of the local com mittee declared following a long delayed inspection of the plant last Friday. A new building program now in the making will relieve some of the conditions now existing, and a summer schedule of repairs will wipe out some of the indi vidual sore spots, but it is almost j certain that the physical develop- j ment of the school youths will ; continue to be centered around a dilapidated barn, known as a gymnasium. Making an impromptu visit to the school, representatives of the committee were welcomed by the £ school people, and showed over 1 the premises. The boiler room! harbored no fire hazard, and like the other properties was • well kept, that is, Within jdiUtoiial reach. Home-made curtains fle^v from the windows in several rqoms. but the shades were bat tered. No broken windows were detected that day. The toilets were unusually clean, and con sidering what they have to work with, the school folks were doing a good job, the committee repre sentative declared. Coach Maynard and his boys, using paint and odd pieces of lumber, have the old gym in a high state of preservation, but it is readily admitted that to elim inate the barny appearance, some once wnl have to start from _ I scratch. The lunchroom, housed in a workshop located some distance from the school, was operating smoothly at lunchtime. A solid and fairly appetizing meal, con > sisting of a slice of bacon, maca roni and cheese, vegetables and bread, was being served for twen ty cents. Milk was available to those who wanted it at six cents a glass. ^ The science department pos it sibly holds the highest rating of any in the school when it comes to equipment and general inter est; in fact, there was a better spirit prevailing in all quarters j over in the new high school unit, : except in the home economics di-! vision where the children are lit erally being robbed in certain rourses. Equipment ordered for the kitchen almost a year ago, | # has not been delivered, and ac tivities there Were described as disheartening. It was later learn ed that delivery was promised Iasi September. The date was then changed to December, then to January. A long distance call was made to the manufacturer in Illi (Continued on page six) * Jos. S. Griffin Named President Jos. S. * Griffin, well-known Bear Grass farmer, was elected i president by unanimous vote of the Martin County Branch of the North Carolina Mutual Fire In surance Association at a meeting . of the officers and stockholders held in the courthouse last Satur 0 day afternoon. He fills the posi tion made vacant by the death of Mr. Sylvester Peel who faithfully served the organization as presi dent for a number of years. Mr. Griffin, serving as vice president of the organization for some time, was succeeded in that position by M. Luther Peel. George C. Grif fin continues as secretary-treas urer. t The association is starting the ^ new year with a cash balance of $36,000, and the meeting ordered an assessment of one-quarter of one percent for the current year. It was reported at the meeting that the losses in the association last year amounted to $2,000, and that approximately two million dollars of insurance is now in force. » Opposing Proposed County School Plan CALL FOR CARDS j Pointing out that produc tion and marketing records cannot be verified acurately without them, the Triple A office in this county is again urging farmers who have not already done so, to deliver or send their tobacco and peanut marketing cards to the office without further delay. Ware house and purchasers’ records are available to the office, but they cannot be verified without the individual mar keting cards, it was explain ed, and it is to the advantage of the growers to have his production verified. Those farmers who have lost or misplaced their mar keting cards can verify their production and marketing on a special form now available in the agent's office. Series Of Road Wrecks Reported In This County —*— No One Seriously Hurl ami Properly Damage Held To Low Figure -• No one was badly hurt and pro perty damage was held to a com paratively low figure in a series of motor vehicle wrecks reported on the highways in this county during the past few days, mem bers of the State Highway Patrol said yesterday. Driving east on Highway 64, be tween Robersonville and Parmele, abue 1:30 o'clock last Thursday morning, Inspector Smith lost control of his 1946 Chevrolet and the machine turned over about three times before striking a tree and coming to a halt. The driver, traveling alone, sufferen an arm injury, and damage to his car was estimated at $300 by Patrolman B W. Parker who made the inves tigation. In Robersonville last Friday evening about 7. 0 o’clock, Mrs. Nunn Everett was driving her 1949 convertible Ford east or. I Academy Street when Heber Sut ton, young Ayden white man, lost control of his 1949 Mercury and tore into the rear of the Everett car after running on the street curb. Damage to the Everett cai was estimated at $40 and that to the Mercury at $50 by Patrolman i B. W. Parker. Said to have been drinking, Sutton allegedly drove away without stopping, but Rob ersonville police and Patrolmen Parker and M. F. Powers picked him up within thirty minutes aft er the wreck. He was booked for hit-and-run and drunken driving. Driving on a dirt road about two miles out of Bear Grass last: Sunday evening shortly after 7:00 ! o’clock, Oliver Harrison, Jr., lost control of his 1937 Ford and ditch- i ed it, doing about $50 damage to the machine, according to John T. Rowe who made the investigation. Yesterday morning, two taxi cabs, a Chrysler driven by Fenner Respass, and a Buick driven by a man named Slade, crashed here (Continued on page six) —«-,*>-- I Undergoes Operation In Hoeky Mount Today Quite ill for several months, Mr. W.’ H Williams underwent a ma- j jor operation in a Rocky Mount hospital this morning. The Katzenjammer Kids, Snuffy, Wimpy, and Jiggs join the March of Dimes Schedule Hearing In Raleigh Early Part of February Predict Consolidation Of All Negro High Schools In Three Centers Open opposition to certain phases of the new school building program in Martin County was announced last week when repre sentatives of the Parmele Negro High School went before State of ficials and agencies in Raleigh, suggesting that plans for a new Negro high school in Oak City be blocked. According to reports reaching here, representatives of the Parmele school appealed to Governor Kerr Scott and appear ed before the planning unit of the State Board of Education. As far as it could be learned, no action has been taken but a public hearing is to be held before the State Board of Education in Ral eigh on February 2 at which time the proposed program plans and the opposition will b ■ reviewed. No action has been taken to dis continue the Parmele High School, hut the representatives, directly or indirectly, are predict ing that the high school unit there will be closed in time as a part of the new program now being ad vanced. A new high school unit at Oak City is included in the program now pending. It is pointed out that the Oak City unit will take a goodly number of students from Parmele with the possibility that others will go to an enlarged school in Robersonville. The con solidation program, it is argued, will be completed with the en largement of the high school in Williamsfon. With no definite plans for con solidating the Parmele High School with other units, the Board of Education, working with the State Planning Commission, act ed to relieve a serious transporta tion problem. Some of the buss es serving the Parmele school now are traveling more than sixty miles a day. The Negro popula tion in the Oak City area is re ported to be increasing, unofficial information reaching here stating that twenty pupils moved out of the white schools there during the holiday period, that the white ten ants were being replaced by col ored families. Facilities, while undoubtedly lacking in some respects, are on a par with those fn other schools (Continued on page six) Will Hold Wage And Hour Meeting -» A public meeting will be held Thursday at 7:30 p. m. at the city hall in Greenville to discuss and explain the new Federal wage and hour law effective January 25. The Greenville Merchants’ Association, sponsorers of the meeting, have extended an invita tion to the public and interested businessmen of Martin County and surrounding areas to attend the meeting. Association President Charles B Bissette will preside over the meeting and Forest H. Shuford, Commissioner of Laboi, and fed eral representatives will be on hand to explain the new amend ments to the Fair Labor Standard Act. Ninety Men Sign Up For Duty In National Guard To Examine EaM of Men In Williamslon Wednesday Evening at 7:30 — ■ o Final arrangements for activat ing the Martin County unit of the North Carolina National Guard are being rushed to completion. Commanding Officer E. S. Peel, Jr., stated this morning that it is going to be a close race to have the unit ready for inspection next Tuesday. Reviewing the progress of the unit to date, Commander Peel stated that 65 men have been ex amined, that fifty definitely pass ed. Three failed to pass the phy sical tests, and twelve are to be recheeked on one or more details. Twenty-six additional men are to report along with ‘the dozen whose status is not yet certain at the Martin County Health De partment offices, second floor of the town hall in Williamston, Wednesday evening for physical examinations. Ninety men are now in line for places in the unit, it was an nounced, and it is likely that even more recruits will come in before the dead line tomorrow evening Captain Henry V. Reid, repre senting Headquarters of 252 D AAA Group, North Carolina Na tional Guard, will be here Wed nesday and Thursday of this week to aid in the final organization of the unit. He will be accompanied by a full-time sergeant instructor who will help with final arrange ments for making the unit ready for inspection by high-ranking of ficers next Tuesday night. Quarters for the battery are be ing prepared in the old municipal water plant on Sycamore Street. Billy Biggs has passed require ments of first lieutenant and other officer candidates, includ ing Peel, Raleigh Harrington, Davis VanNortwick and Law rence G. Lindsley are awaiting order to report to Raleigh pos sibly on Friday of this week for (Continued on page six) Asking Vote On Annexation Plan —#— Unofficial reports state that a , veto will be asked on the plan to extend Williamston’s town limits to include that territory to the north and west. The action was taken before a public meeting could be held for a discussion of the proposed plans, the commissioners having an nounced that such a meeting would be held on January 23 when it was hoped the matter could be mutually discussed. At their last meeting, the commis sioners expressed the hope that the matter could be studied, that after all the facts were considered and those affected did not want to be included in the tow^ limits, it would be their privilege to vote against it. ---— Critically Hurt In Shi/t/iiny Accident Leslie M. Jackson, brother of Mrs. Fitzhugh Fussell of Wii jliamston, was critically injured iri a shipping accident at Norfolk last. Saturday. Jackson, a chief stew ard in the Merchant Marine, was directing the loading of stores when a hoist went out of control and knocked him off the ship to a concrete pier thirty feet below, fracturing his skull, jaw bone, and hip. Mr. and Mrs. Fussell were call ed and spent the week-end there. Democrats Name Carstarphen For Board Elections —>— Krcoininnui ^ orsl(‘\ Of Oak City for K<*u|>|»oint" nu'iit To the Board C. D. Carstarphen was unanim ously recommended for a place on the Martin County Board of Elections by members of the County Democratic* Executive Committee in a meeting held in the courthouse Monday evening. He is to fill the position handled efficiently and faithfull for near ly twenty-two years by Mr. Syl vester Peel who died last year. The recommendation came when A. Corey, county representative in the State Legislature and chairman of the Jamesville Town ship Precinct Committee, offered him in nomination and the move was seconded by J. D. Wynne, chairman of the committee in Bear Grass, the unanimous vote following. Hassell Worsley, Oak City man who was appointed a member of the committee to succeed Alvin Hastey, -esigned, was recom recommended by the group, leav ing the Republican organization in the county to make appoint ment recommendations for a can diate for tlie third position on the county board. The recommendations will be presented to the State Board of Elections and action is expected by that group in March. It could not be learned when the Repub licans would take action, but it is considered likely thai Mr. Wade Vick, Robeisonville man who has ably served as a member of the board for a number of years, will be named again. The committee in its meeting advised against a new registra tion for the coming elections. In accordance with a 1949 law the registration books are to be com bined this year, and the commit tee advanced the opinion that a transfer of names to the new books would be acceptable. How ever, final action on that point rests with the board of elections. A request for new ballot boxes will !>e directed to the authorities, members of the committee point ing out that several of the boxes are too small and others are in bad repair. Delegates to the Jackson Day dinner in Raleigh were named as follows: A. Corey. E. S. Peel, Clarence Griffin, S. I,. Roberson and H. G. Horton. Party finances were discussed, and the group agreed to get out and raise $460. The following disr tricts were asked to raise the ne cessary fund: Jamesville, Griffins, Bear Grass, Cross Roads, Hamilton, and Goose Nest, $25 each; Williams, Gold Point, Poplar Point and Has sell, $15 each; Williamston, $150, and Robersonville, $100. E. S. Peel, chairman of the county committee, presided. The (Continued on page mix) Will Continue Referee Hearing • — After listening to the plaintiff’s testimony the greater part of five days, Referee Clarence W. Griffin will resume hearings in the case of H. H. Cowen against Willie and Dennis Modlin tomorrow. While very little land along Reedy Swamp in Williamston Township is involved, the suit is developing into a big one. The evidence will fill several hundred pages, and the cost is almost cer tain to run into the hundreds of dollars. f^k-MARCHll/'yc & jj ^OFFTdcWdct ^SfcS UNO ft&tT l 'v i-r, /._. ^^uyjtCV °W ~ Olta mam wav. woman! me AN' nn EOCKFJL O' DIMES * GOJNA ST APT A LCl FEUDIN' WITH THAT CON WAIT UP, VE0 8COACOU# IOJiT ! - 1 SOT A Mite O' AMMUNITION fep th' nmkh ' HUM.TOOLJ Ton <*m& X PtXmAietC kMtFuF l'O UP fcOMC MOMrV FOff TM® MAACM Of CMMM - »Ot MS ^ TmiS MAP 10 A Phony ft BA I [ «NSV [ bail- r I *NEW ^ r &A/EO Wfc OL'DHHfR BAIL- IT'D COM* IN HANCN -- I'M ON MV WAV OQCP UP A SAIN WHEN IT^ BMPTV-J«6* - me AN' THE BOS WANNA OET in ON that ciorr AfiAINET POCJO - TOC f 'i UN MV WAV DIMM',' Farm Bureau Asking Higher Parity Price Vote Against The Pre-Measurement Of Tobacco Land Members of Organization In Meeting Friday, Henr Convention Report ■■ - ■ + 1 - Declaring that agriculture still is not on an equal footing with other economic groups, the Martin County Farm Bureau in a special meeting held in the courthouse last Friday evening passed a re solution, asking for 100 percent parity for farm products. The re solution, offered by George C, Griffin, Griffins Township farm er, was passed by unanimous vote. It will be forwarded to the state organisation for considera tion at the convention to be held in Raleigh the middle of next month. In another resolution, the meet ing went on record as opposing the premeasurement of tobacco land. It was pointed out that there is a concerted movement in some areas to have tobacco acre age measured before planting with the possibility that no check will be made after planting. It was reasoned that the practice would open the way for abusing the quota system and weaken the program. When asked to take a stand on the proposed Branan farm pro gram, several members of the Farm Bureau explained that they did not know too much about the plan, that they thought it wise to wait and hear Brannan, the secre tary of agriculture, discuss it at the convention in Raleigh during the week of February 12. The following were named to represent the county organization at the State meeting: Marvin Leggett, K. U. Peel, Chas. L. Daniel, S. T. Everett, Joe Winslow, T. B. Brandon, J. B. Whitfield, Reuben Everett, Jack Smith, E. V. Smith, M. T. Bennett, Henry Early, George Griffin and Mayo Hardison This county has eleven votes, and while all the delegates will not be present for every session, it was planned to have a sufficient numbei there each day to represent toe county. Reporting on the national con vention held in Chicago last month, Delegates Jesse Sumner, Garland Forbes and C I, Daniel briefly reviewed the activities, declaring that it was an impor tant event. Sumner said that the West is disturbed by the expanding live stock program in the Ssuth. The raisers in the West realize that conditions in the South are more favorable for livestock than in the West, Sumner said. It takes about forty acres to carry one cow in Some sections of the West while one acre in the South will carry two cows, the agent ex plained. Dairy expansion in the South is also causing the Western ers some concern. The assistant county agent also pointed out that the convention proposed a differ ent plan for grading hogs The farmers stated that the finish of a hog rather than weight classifica tions should he considered. South ern representatives were quoted as saying that the big problem in the South is marketing, that the! markets in most instances are in-1 adequate. Delegate Forbes said that the national organization reported 1, 409,705 members. He reviewed (Continued on page six) f N i GOOD START | The annual March of Dimes drive for the Infantile Paraly sis Fund is off to a good start in this county. Fund Drive Chairman L. B. Wynne said today. The early response to the direct mail appeals is en couraging, the chairman ex plaining that the first contri butions were averaging well over $5.50, and that the re plies are numerous. Taking the appeal to the general public, the school children are really "going to town,” but reports are yet incomplete. Martin County is being ask ed to raise between $4,000 and $5,000, and contributions will have to be numerous and lib eral if that goal is reached. The drive continues through January 31. J. A. Stalls Died At Home Saturday Near Jamesville — ♦ Well-Known Farmer () f County Horn ami Hearetl Near Kohersonville J A Stalls, well-known Martin County farmer, died at his home in Dardens at 5:40 o’clock last Saturday morning. The son of the late Robert and Mary Ann Scott Stalls, he was born in tin- Robersonvillc section sixty years ago and spent most of his life in the community, before locating in Jamesville Township about seventeen years ago. He was first married to Miss Margaret Smith of Robersonvillc who died twenty years ago. About eighteen years ago he was mar ried to Mrs. Carrie Ange of Jamesville Township. Surviving are his widow, three daughters, Mrs. Florence Harden and Mrs. Blanche Simpson of Plymouth, and Mrs. Magdalene Stalls Joyner of Birmingham; two sons, James Stalls of Jamesville and Melvin j Stalls of Plymouth; two stepsons, I James Ange of Cherryville, N and Robert Earl Ange of Norfolk; a sister, Mrs. Nancy Bland of Everetts. Mr Stalls was a member of the Cedar Grove Free Will Baptist Chu eh in Paplar Point for a long number of years. He was held in high esteem in his home and adopted communities us a neigh bor and friend, and was a pro gressive farmer. Funeral services were conduct ed in the Gospel Light Christian Church at Dardens last Sunday afternoon at 3:00 o’clock b,y the Rev. J. D. Waters, assisted by the Rev. Paul B. Niekens, Baptist minister of Plymouth. Interment was in the Dardens Methodist Church cemetery. -—- Ewapv Injury In lit >ad Accident Last Thursday Mrs. Dewey Hayman and daughter, Mrs. Raymond Parent, former local residents, escaped uninjured when their station wa gon went out of control near Pewells Point on the Elizabeth City Nags Head Highway last Thursday and turned over. Dam age to the vehicle was estimated at about $1,000. ROUNI).|II» ) live persons were round ed up and temporarily detain- 1 ed in the county jail over the j1 week-end, including two 11 young white youths. Three of the five were j* charged witli public drunk enness, and one each with 1 drunken driving and an as- 1 sault. j t The ages of the group rang- | ed from 18 to 70 years. 1 Arrests during the period 1 were the smallest in number 1 for- any- week end so far this c year. Youths Arrested For The Theft Of Rocky Mount Car Meek ami ilmiihli*. Boys Talk About Wanting To