Newspapers / The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.) / May 5, 1953, edition 1 / Page 1
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THE ENTERPRISE IS READ HI OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK THE ENTERPRISE TIIF. ENTERPRISE IS READ B* OVER 3.000 MARTIN COUNTS I AMJLIES TWICE EACH WEEI VOLUME LVI—NUMBER 36 Williamaton, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, May 5, 19.13 ESTABLISHED 1899 -tEIoomy Ouifo-ak F or w '"'MM Virginia Type Nuts Farm Bureau In County Pledges *~<Pr©§F32B Supper! —*— Additional Director Named At Special Meeting Thursday Night -* With a gloomy outlook facing them, Martin County farmers, meeting in the courthouse last Thursday night, literally rolled up their sleeves, pledged financial support and agreed to get out and work to save the peanut program and get behind a program design ed to relieve and possibly solve some of the problems confronting the North Carolina-Virgiina goob er. The Farm Bureau group agreed to advance $175 to help get the work started without further de lay, and named an additional di rector for the newly organized North Carolina Peanut Growers Association. Farmer C. L. Dan iel was named to join Farmer Sidney Mallory as a member of the association’s board of direc tors from this county. It was pointed out that Martin County with nearly 18,000 peanut acres, was entitled to two directors, that those counties with limited acre ages should have their representa tive allotted on an acreage ratio basis. Field Representative William Little of the State Farm Bureau addressed the meeting at length, explaining the organization of the association, and listing its tenta tive program of action. Pattern ed after the Tobacco Associates, Inc., the new peanut organization, drawing its support from a per acre assessment, the amount to be determined, would center its at tention on production, quality, quantity, grading and marketing, research and general promotion while at the same time maintain ing a legislative “watch dog" in Washington. Mr. Little said that a spei ial law was passed by the North Car olina State Legislature last week, empowering the growers to carry out a program, including a refer endum to be held as soon as piac ticable. Plans for the referen dum and the exact amount of the assessment, possibly a penny a bag. will be determined and an nounced shortly. Two problems are now facing the peanut grower, and one of them is a major one, according to unofficial information.reaching here. The big problem is the price differential existing be tween the Virginia type and the types grown farther south and in the Southwest. Storage facilities constitute a problem in, some counties, but not necessarily in Martin County, it was pointed out. The Farm Bureau, it was re called, was responsible for the present peanut program, but lead ers are now convinced that the organization now needs help if the program is to be maintained. The Southeast and other sec tions are producing peanuts cheaper than farmers can produce them in this sect:on where a price (Continued on Page Eight) SERIOUS r ■\ v. j A serious problem was pre sented to the local town com missioners in regular session yesterday afternoon when anxious parents pointed out that the promiscuous firing of rifles was endangering the lives of children and others in several parts of the town. Favoring drastic action if necessary, the board first di rected an appeal to parents to check the practice imme diately. Police are being no tified to conduct thorough in vestigations with the avowed intention of having enforced the law, ruling out the shoot ing of firearms inside the town limits. It was reported that a train conductor’s cap had been shot off his head and that bullets had whizzed by the heads of several persons in recent weeks. PRESIDENT Recently elected, Mr. W. Marvin Baker, local oil dis tributor, last night assumed his duties as president of the the WiHiamston Boosters, Inc. He succeeds R. Edwin Peele who continues in the i service of the organization as vice president and direc County Board In Regular Meeting Monday Morning —»— Receive Request fur $1000 Appropriation For Negro Library -1> Meeting in regular session Mon day, the Muytin County Commis sioners entered comparatively few accomplished acts in the record, but they got a preliminary glimpse at the first departmental budget and went on to hear two or three petitions and delegations in addition to handling routine j duties. No action was tafeen on 1 the budget proposal submitted by the welfare department. It will be considered at a future meet ing, it was learned. A delegation, headed by W. C. Chance, appeared before the board and asked a $1,000 appro priation to help finance a county Ijbrary for colored citizens, the I unit to be located in Wilhamston. | The request will be consider, d b> : the commissioners when they | start work on the 1953-54 fiscal year budget sometime next ' month. The delegation submitted a proposed budget of its own, showing expected additional rev enue from the town of Wilhams ton in the sum of $1,000 and a third $1,000 from other sources. The library body, composed of W. C. Chance, chairman, W. C. Slade, Maude W. Morris, Sam Faulk, Cleopatra Tyner, Edna B. An drews, secretary, and Mattie P. Ormond and Frank D. Cherry, co ops., explained that $ 1,500 would be spent for books, $000 for lib rarian, $1595 for building, and about $300 for miscellaneous items, including insurance. Road petitions were received for improvements on one quarter mile of road running off the Bear Grass-Stokes Highway near the Rose of Sharon Church to the J. Arthur Peel home place, serving two homes and nine people; and three-quarters of a mile of road in Goose Nest Tow.nship, connect ing ,125 with the Pearl Bryant farm. In a joint meeting with the Williamston town commissioners, the county board approved a pro posed change in the site for the National Guard armory on High way 64. Engineer Spruill explain ed that the footage would be re duced on Highway 64 and increas ed on the side facing the propos ed belt line around the town. Carey Garland Bunting of Oak City was appointed constable of Goose Nest Township for a* two year term. All members of the board were present, including Chairman John H. Edwards, C. C. Martin, H. L. Roebuck, J. C. Gurkin and Hefiry S. Johnson. With little business on their calendar, the members enjoyed the day, but they are too happy over the budget work coming up. Series 01 Wrecks - i... ■-■■- M On Sireeis-noads In Past Few Days Three Persons Hurl Slight ly In Seven Motor Ve liiele Accidents Three persons were slightly in one ree.'.-.i'•■d hos iuredh>it onlv .... ■ •m>Wi Im pital treatments as a result ol sev en motor vehicle accidents on streets and highways in this coun ty during the past few days. In addition to the accidents in this county, county people were in volved in a $1,000 wreck about five miles north of Washington Highway 17 last Saturday morn ing. Miss Mary Davenport suf fered painful chest injuries but was believed not badly hurt when a Kaiser car driven by Billy Ray McKeel turned over about 10:00 o’clock Saturday. McKeel and another companion, Wayne Pate, were not injured. The group had started, to Pamlico Beach but turned back when they had car trouble. Miss Davenport was re leased from a local hospital fol lowing treatment. The first in the series of acci dents in this county was reported Friday evening at 7:00 o’clock when Mrs. Norma Lee Shelton, George Reynolds Hotel hostess, lost control and drove her 1936 Chevrolet into the side of Samuel Zrmon's store. Rufus Stark, hotel employee,-suffered minor head in juries when he was thrown into the windshield, and was removed to a local hospital for treatment. Damage to the car was estimated at $80 by Officers Tom Chesson and Arthur Perry following their investigation. A few of those attending the Williamston High School junior senior banquet and dance appar ently found it difficult to get home. Leaving the school event, Louis Mervin Bonds, after havjng been up most of the night before, returned to Williamston from-a wiener roast at Whiehard’s Beach. He had left his date and was trav eling out Washington Street to his home when he dropped off to sleep and ran into a utility pole at the corner of Pearl and Washing ton Streets. Alone at the time, Bonds suffered minor leg injuries. Investigating the accident, Offic ers Perry and Chesson estimate the damage to the 1950 Chevrolet at $400. Driving a 1947 Chevrolet truck belonging to the Martin Feed Mills, Herman Lilley lost control when the wheels locked and the machine turned bottom side up on the McCaskey Road about three miles from Williamston. Ldlej was not hurt and damage to the truck was estimated at (Continued on Page Eight) Officers Elected By Jaycees Here —•— At a heated political meeting of the local Jaycees last Friday night in the Woman’s Club officers were elected for the coming year. What was expected to be a nor mal and routine election of offic ers turned out to be a very spirit ed meeting. Proponents of candi dates for the various offices de corated the hall with campaign posters, and nominating speeches, which have been dormant for years, were put forth in the old fashion. After many talks had ceased and the noise of the elec tion had subsided, Exum L. Ward Jr. had become the first man to e^er be elected to the Presidency for the second time the first time being five years ago. E. S. "Junie” Peel Jr. became the running mate of Exum and was elected first vice president. The other officers are as follows: Second vice president, Harvey Baggett; secretary, Sidney Chris tian; state director, Reuben Wil liams; Sergeant-at-Arms, "Chief” Mangum. J. D. Baldree was un animously re-elected treasurer. Edgar J. Gurganus, Bernard Har rison, Pete Austin, George Corey, Cecil Lilley and Dick Bender con stitute the new board of direc tors. The Jaycees are to hold their Ninth Annual Ladies’ and Instal lation night tomorrow in the Wo man’s Club at 7:15. Following the dinner, and beginning at 9:: 15 p. m., then' dance will be held in the High school gym. All mem bers of the other civic clubs and their guests are cordially invited to attend. Bmster&JZlect, Officers, A t iVfetf Here Last l hursday W. Marvin Baker, local oil dis tributor and civic leader, was sleeted president of the Williams :on Boosters, Inc., at a meeting of the board of directors held in the organization’s office in the Watts Theater building last Thursday evening. He succeeds R. Edwin Pccle'wno* over the duties of vice president and director. Leman Barnhill was re-elected treasurer for the fifth consecutive year. The new president entered upon his new duties last evening. Directors include Leman Barn hill and Urbin Rogers for inde finite terms as representatives of Ihe tobacco warehouses; W. M. Baker, John Henry Edwards, Wheeler M. Manning and R. Ed win Peelc until 1955; Ben D. Courtney, Wm. H. Everett and A. J. Manning until 1955, and George W. Corey, David R. Davis and James E. Griffin until 1956. Alford Svveatt. after faithfully serving the organization as man aging director for the past four years, tendered his resignation, ... the board expressing its appre ciation for the services he had rendered as director and as a citi zen of the town Mr. Swcatt is planning to head the Rocky Mount Merchants Association be ginning on or about June 1. A committee, composed of Marvin Baker, Ben Courtney, David Dav is, John Henry Edwards and Wm. H. Everett, was named to fill the director’s position. Boosters Hear Talk By State Treasurer •/ Business Leaders Challenged By Brandon Hodges —<*>— Annual Meeting of 1-oral HoosIitm Well Attended hunt Evening -• Brandon Hodges, North Caro lina's wide awjike treasurer, flung out a challenge to the business leaders of this community at the annual meeting of the Williams ton Boosters held in the Woman’s Club last evening when he declar ed they were responsible for the future of the town and commun ity. Tlic event, attracting a large majority of the membership and quite a few special guests, mark ed the passing of the organiza tion's executive director, A1 Sweatt, and the surrender of the presidency of R. Edwin Peele to W. Marvin Baker. In a few brief remarks, Mr. Sweatt expressed his appreciation for the support accorded him during his four year stay here, explaining that while there had been difficult problems, he had enjoyed his stay in Wil liamston. Mr. Peele, presiding over the meeting, turned the gav el over to the new president, and he with Mr. Sweatt pleaded to the membership for continued sup port of the organization, declaring that the foundation had been laid for a progressive march. In his meaningful talk to the group, Treasurer Hodges briefly reviewed the material progress of North Carolina .declaring that hi' was proud of its record, but that more was to be accomplished. "In 1939 there were 3,223 manu facturing plants in the State em ploying 270,000 persons and pro ducing goods valued at a billion and 400 million dollars,” Mr. Hodges said. In 1951, according to the speaker there were 8,272 manufacturing units, employing 425,000 persons and producing goods valued at six billion and 172 million dollars. While infla tion boosted the size of the figure, most of the gain could be traced to an expanded industry. Mr. Hodges went on to explain that the farm income in 1939 was only $220 million, that in 1951 it was nearly a billion dollars. The, per capita income jumped from a figure less than $300 in 1939 to $1,052 in 1951, “but our State ranks 44th in the list of forty right states,” he said, adding that the average weekly payroll is now , $47.67, placing this State 47th in rank. Yet the recent legislature • (Continued on Page Seven) r LIGHT VOTE A light vote was in the making about noon today in the several municipal elec tions in this county. As far as it could be learned, the elec torate in each town is abiding by the primary or convention nominees. Shortly before noon today fewer than thirty voters had visited, the polls here in the town hall, and most of them were called in by the poll holders. i r ROUND-UP Nine persons were round ed up and jailed here during; the past week-end, the list of inmates including one colored woman who, officers said, was “drunk again.” Three of the nine were charged with public drunk enness, two each with disord erly conduct and drunken driving, and assaults. One of the nine was white, and the ages of the group ranged from 25 to 60 years. Mrs. Cora H. Ward Died At Her Heme Friday Afternoon -A Fmirral Hrld In Griffins Township Sunday; Bur ial In Washington —-9 Mrs. Cora Hodges Ward, native of Beaufort County and a resi dent of this county for the past thirty-foui years, died at her home in Smithwick's Creek com munity of Griffins Township last Friday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock Slu h:-id been in declining health for almost five years, and her con dition had been serious following an operation the early part of January, 1950. She had received hospital treatment at intervals during recent months, and her condition had been critical fol lowing treatment about six weeks ago. Mrs. Ward was born in the Old Ford community of Beaufort County 57 years ago on March 15, 1896, the daughter of the late John and Matilda Hodges. In early womanhood she was mar ried to Willie Ricks. Her second marriage was to John Alfred Ward of this county on January 5, 1919, and since that time she had made her home in this coun ty, living a few years in Bear Grass Township and later locating in Griffins. In early youth she joined the church at Old Ford, transferring membership to the Macedonia church when she mov ed to this county. She was a de voted wife and mother and a loy al friend who was held in high esteem by all who knew her. Surviving besides her husband are a daughter by her first mar riage, Mrs. I. P. Harrison, of Wil son, and three sons by her second marriage, Gilbert Ward of Grif fins Township, Lt. Clifton Ward who is stationed in the Air Force down in Texas, and Elbert Ward of Rocky Mount. Funeraf services were conduct ed at the home Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock by the Rev. W. B. Harrington, Baptist minister, as sisted by the Rev. P. E. Cayton, pastor of the Macedonia church. Burial was in the family plot in Washington. Oak City Man Enters lloa/iital For Treatment - Suffering a heart attack last week at his home in Oak City, Nat Johnson, well-known OaTc City insurance man and former mayor of the town there, entered a Tar boro hospital for treatment. Last reports stated his condition was improved, and that he was ex pected to return home shortly. ftfeiS«pary Of! Activities In The State's Assembly Financial R« sjmnsibilily tatw Passed For Opera tors Motor Vehicles -* (Note: This is the sixteenth and last of a series of weekly summaries pi t • lative staff of the Institute of Government on the work of the North Carolina General Assembly of 1953. It is confined to discus sions of matters of general in terest and major importance). In remarkably orderly fashion, a group of legislators brought the business of the 1953 General As sembly to a close at 9:00 p. m. on Thursday, April 30. Of 1825 bills and resolutions introduced, 1,340 bills and 45 resolutions were en acted into law. Though the mar gin is small the 1953 record shows more laws and fewer introduc tions than in each of the last two sessions. While the lawmakers built up a deserved reputation for hard work in a longer-than-usual ses sion and acted favorably upon a majority of Governor Umstead’s legislative proposals, they also left some major issues for the 1955 legislature. Already forecast as principal problems to be faced in 1955 are revision of the tax structure and judicial and legis lative redistricting. Appropriations anil Finance With approval of about $18 mil lion for expenditure on varied projects not included in the bi ennial appropriations bill, the General Assembly left Raleigh having appropriated a record sum (Continued on Page Eight) ---Jk Music Festival At High School Here Friday Evening !Vlis# Mary Wallarr Fov Ami I*111>i 1 k To Show Kosutls Of Year’s Work The Music Department of the Williamston High School will hold its Spring Festival on Friday, May 8th, at 8:00 p. m. The program, under the direc tion of Miss Mary Wallace Foy, will consist of things the students ha vi- ha'1 in their class work throughout the school year. Feat ured on the program will he five numbers by the High School Mix ed Chorus—To A Moon Goddess, Oh the Days of the Kerry Danc ing, Let's Dance (a paraphrase on chop-sticks), Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley, qnd Oklahoma The chorus received an excellent rating in the district contest and five of its members participated m the state festival in Greens boro. The three sixth grades, combin ed* into a chorus, will present Praise and Thanks, two American folk songs, “Listen to the Mock ing-bird, The Gum Tree Canoe, and a Czechoslovakian folk song, Ah, Lovely Meadows. Another attraction of the program will be folk dances by the first through the fifth grades, consisting of the Danish Dance of Greeting, Little Playmate Dance with Me, from "Hansel and Gretel,” the German Schattische, the Virginia Reel and | the Patty Cake Polka. Also, the first grade lhythm hand under the direction of the four first grade teachers, Miss Talton, Mrs Saun ders, Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Car starphen, will present several numbers Mayor Robert II. Cowen, as head of the Little League organization here, today issu ed a call for all boys who are interested in participating in Little League play this year to report at the Grammar School grounds in Willliams ton at 4 o’clock Thursday af ternoon. Boys who are nine years of age and who have not reach ed or will not reach 13 years of age on or before August 1 are eligible for play this sum mer. Mayor Cowen will explain the requirements at the meet ing Thursday and those with any question about their eli gibility should come out any way. IJfecuss-Bon«l Wv e., For Street Paving Alford Sweatt, managing director of the Williamston Boosters, Inc., has tendered his resignation to accept a position with flic Rocky Mount Merchants Association, lie is to enter upon his new duties the first of June. Complete Election Of Committees For Schools In County Comity liottnl llaniUc* Oth er liis|M‘ctions; To Vied TuoMlay, May 12 Local school committee appoint ments, delayed in several dis triets pending the outcome of pro posed .changes in district lines and on account of certain eonsoti datum programs, were completed by the Martin County Board of Education in a speeial session last Thursday. Even though the prob lems are not yet settled, the hoard considered it necessary to go ahead with the two-year appoint ments that the committees might handle pressing business, includ ing teacher elections. Very little time was spent by the hoard in its special meeting to office or routine problems, the members, including Messrs. How aid Gaylord t.eRov Ham-on. C U Rogers, Cecil Powell and Ern est Edmondson spending most of the day inspecting school plants. Detailed inspection.-, were made at Everetts, Robersnnville, Parmele, Salisbury. Oak City and Hamilton The inspections arc to be complet ed in the other schools within the near future, it was learned. While no report on the finding so far has been released, it was learned that the education board members are gaining a basic knowledge of'the problems, in eluding overcrowd! d conditions, defects, general needs and the size of the task in handling and maintaining the combined proper t ies. Williamstun's local committee was reappointed in its entirety, including R L. Coburn, W. I Skinner, R. 11 Goodnum, Marvin Britton and W. Clyde Griffin. Only one change was made in the Farm Life committee. Wil liam H. Peel was appointed to succeed ii. Frank Lilley who ten dered his resignation after serv ing as a member of the commit tee for about ten years. Oscar Roberson and Lestei Griffin were reappointed The Bear Grass committee in eludes all its old members, E C. and Knee/cr Harrison and Ches ley Jones. Re-elect Oak City School Principals In a meeting held last week, the newly appointed committee for the Oak City School district re elected B F. Sloan as principal of the white schools there. It will be the school man's fifth term t here. Turner K. Slade was re-elected principal of the Negro high school there, it was announced by the committee. A few changes are anticipated in the faculty personnel for the coming term, it was learned. A| second meeting is to be held shortly by the committee. -c^ Town Officials In Session Yesterday With Caua!gj|0?t<d —<§,— Varird Problems DiHcu^etl Vt Meeting Held In The Comity Courthouse After approving in a joint, ses sion with the county board, a change in the shape of the Nat ional Guard site here on the Jamesville Road to accommodate the proposed highway belt line around the town, Wiiliamston's board of commissioners yesterday afternoon held their seats in the county commissioners' room in the courthouse and discussed a varied program of preplexing problems. The lowly mosquito came in to sting the board members who were assured that a spraying pro gram had been started a short time ago, and that the activities will be doubled It was explain ed that frequent rains had wash ed away the DDT repeatedly, and that weather conditions had in vited the greatest siege of mo squitoes seen and felt here in years. Full-time sprayers are now employed, but it was pointed out that owners could help turn the pests back by cleaning up their properties. Receiving many complaints a bout loose papers on the streets, the commissioners are asking the police and fire department to ap peal to store and office managers to lend a helping hand. The dump ing of waste papers in the back lots is to be ruled out even if court action is necessary to sup port the order, it was intimated. In addition to inviting mo squitoes, recent rains have caus ed a baffling p roblem for the street department workers who have been busy with a $13,000 drainage project. It was explain ed a baffling problem for the properly maintain the thirteen miles of dirt streets, that con siderable time is spent hauling in dirt to replace that washed away. The drainage project, centered m that territory between Elm and Sycamore Streets, is nearing I completion, and curb and gutters are now being placed on Syca more Street. With about $17,000 left in the Powell Bill street fund, the commissioners plan to go ahead with curbing add guttering on Elm Street, and then start working on a backlog of petitions for curbing on various streets all over town. The fund is inade quate even for a fraction of the requests, not to mention street paving. It was at that point that a bond issue was mentioned. The need for an issue was recognized, but the bond plan was not discussed at length. It was suggested that the paving program could be ma terially expanded and more rapid ly if the property owners would advance their assessments in cash. Discussing with highway of ficials the problem of locating a sidewalk on North Haughton Street, the board was advised that the walk should be placed about 27 feet from the center of ■the road near the Pentecostal Holiness Church, meaning that hundreds of loads of dirt will bo needed to build a*fill there. v^onuriueti on rage JSeven) | INDIRECT REPORT ^ S/Sgt. Martel llard.v, son of Mrs. A. L. Hardy of KF1) 3, Williamston, is still alive in a Chinese prisoner of war camp, according ta information re ceived by his mother last week-end. A returning prisoner of war whose name could not be learned, advised Army Intel ligence that he left Sgt. Hardy in Prison ('amp No. 2 some where in China. The report was relayed to the young man's mother by army auth orities in a telegram last Fri day. It is the first information Mrs. Hardy has had from her son since she received a letter last Thanksgiving written the latter part of August.
The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.)
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May 5, 1953, edition 1
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