North Carolina Newspapers

THE ENTERPRISE IS READ VI OVER 3,00* MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK e THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ Bif OVER 3,000 MARTIN COCNT1 F AMILIES TWICE EACH WEE! VOLUME LVI—NUMBER 39 Williamtton, Martin County, North Carolina, Thursday, May 14, 195ti ESTABLISHED 1895 Plan Consolidation J ames\ ille Schools Consider $65,000 Addition to Plant Por Negro Pupils —•— Plan Shift 124 Pupils from Antiquated Dardens Plant To Janiesville —« The consolidation of Negro schools in this county, already under way, will be advanced con siderably in plans now being con sidered by the board of education for the Janesville section, it was learned following a special meet ing of the board held Tuesday af ternoon. While facing many obstacles, the plans ultimately call for the consolidation of the Dardens school with the one at Jamesville. It is estimated that approximately 125 pupils will be transferred, giv ing the Jamesville plant an enroll ment of nearly 275 pupils. Finding the Dardens plant in adequate, education board mem bers are proposing an addition to the Jamesville building with the reasonable assurance that ade quate facilities can be provided in the one project for both schools and solve the problems for the entire area. Bids for the addition were opened at the meeting Tuesday afternoon and while construction costs continue to hold to a high figure there was right much com petition, and if certain alterations can be made in the plans and other condiitons can be met, it is believed the board in a special meeting on May 25 will approve the merger and let the contract - for the building. There were seven general con tractors bidding on the base con tract. J T. Hardison and Son were low with a bid of $46,913 on the general construction wh;ch includes four class rooms, an audi torium, an activity or lunch room, heating plant and other facilities. The structure is to be connected j with the present building and will be of block and brick construe-1 tion. Three electrical contractors submitted bids, C. J. DMers of i New Bern offering the lowest in the sum of $3,685. Seven heating contractors were represented at the meeting. Henry Baker of Wil-j son submitting tfie low bid of $8, 080. By the time the architect’s fees1 are added and costs of equipment and plumbing which is to be handled by *he county forces, the cost will run between $60,000 and $65,000, it is estimated. Members of the board discuss ed the project in minute detail with the hop*' that the plans can be altered to effect a reduction (Continued on Page Five) Delinquent Town Taxes Advertised The names of 114 property own ers appear on Williamston’s cur rent delinquent tax list, repre senting unpaid taxes in the amount of $1,868.80. The number of delinquent tax accounts is four teen less than the count for 1952, and the unpaid taxes are $829.83 under the figure advertised a year ago. While economic conditions are hardly as favorable as they were a year ago, the tax record this year reflects better collec tions and a greater determination on the part of the property own ers to meet their obligations. The thirteen white property owners whose property is being offered for sale the second Mon day in June, owe taxes in the sum of $682.06. Last year there were sixteen delinquent accounts, re presenting unpaid taxes in the sum of $1,246.20. This year'101 colored property owners have not niet their tax obligations as com pared with 111 last year. This year the accounts of the 101 col ored property owners represent an unpaid balance of $1,186.74 as compared with $1,452.43 due by the 111 owners a year ago. It is fairly certain that many of the delinquent accounts will have been paid before the property is offered for sale at the courthouse door on June 8. OFFICERS r Meeting in the high school here Tuesday evening, Mar tin County teachers heard an inspiring address by Dr. Leo Jenkins, East Carolina Col lege dean, and elected officers for the new term. Professor James Sawyer, teacher in the Bear Grass school, was elected president to succeed Professor Carlyle Cox. Mrs. Ethel Roberson of Williamston is the new vice president, and Mrs. Effie Hol liday of Jamesviile succeeds Mrs. Mildred Crawford as se cretary-treasurer of the or ganization. The retiring president re viewed the activities of the year, and light refreshments were served following the meeting. H. D. Harrison, 71, Died In Hospital Early Wednesday Funeral Service Bein^ Held Thin Afternoon For Prominent Citizen -<v Henry David Harrison, Sr., well-known citizen of Bear Gl ass and a pioneer in the early manu facture of farming equipment in this section of the State, died in a local hospital Wednesday morning at 4:30 o'clock. He had been in declining health for almost a year, receiving treatment at in tervals in various hospitals during that time. His condition had been critical since l«st Thursday when he enteied the hospital here. He was born in Bear Grass Township 71 years ago on July 9, 1881, the son of the late John and Mary Ann Thomas Harrison. He spent his early life on the farm, but as a young man pioneered with the old Woolard Manufac turing Company in this county in the manufacture of harrows and other farm equipment. He was also associated with a firm in Everetts for a short time before locating in the town of Bear Grass where he opened a machine shop and garage of his own, specializ ing in farm equipment repairs and later operating an automobile sales agency and garage. Ten years ago he decided to “take life easy" and turned his business over to his son and looking after his farming interests, lie continued active, however, until last August when failing h. ulth limited his activities. Mi. liai r isoii was a mcmbei of the Modern Woodmen for a long time, serving the organization faithfully as its secretary for a number of years. He was also a member of the church at Mace donia for a number of years. He followed an humble but yet a no ble life, doing unto his fellowmen as he would have them do unto him. He was always ready to lend a helping hand, and found pleasure in helping solve the pro blems of his neighbors and other friends. His work as a machinist and builder left is impact on the progress and development not only in his home community but throughout this section. He was man ied to Miss Ida Taylor in January, 1910, and she survives with two daughters, Mrs. W. Leonard Mobley of Bear Grass Township and Mrs. Henry Bohm er of Baltimore; two sons, LeRoy Harrison, member of the Mai tin County Board of Education of Bear Grass, and Henry David Harrison, Jr., an attorney of Rae ford; a brother, A. C. Harrison, of Bear Grass, and a sister, Mrs. Ai - thr Shaw, of Williamston, and (Continued on Page Five) Everetts Soiling Its Delinquent Tax Accounts -$> The town of Everetts is offering its delinquent tax accounts for sale at the courthouse door ir Wil liamston on June 12, by order of the town board of commissioners there. The accounts, numbering only ten, represent unpaid taxes in the sum of $176.56. Twenty-Three Cases In County Court On Monday -- Fines Total $880.00 With Rouil and Jail Terms Suspended -#, Twenty-three cases were called for trial in Judge H. O. Pecle's Recorders Court Monday morn-1 ing with fines totaling $880.00 af ter some of the roaa ana jail sen tences had beerf suspended upon payment of fines and costs. Liquor, illicit and otherwise, in all its ramifications accounted for a majority of the cases with auto mobiles figuring in many of them. The proceedings: The plea of James Lewis that he was not guilty of a charge of driv >ir.g while drunk, was upheld. Raymond Harrington was tax ed with the costs on a charge of failing to report an accident. The case in which Rebecca Mills Mills was charged with failing to yield right of way was nol pross ed. A nol pros with leave judgment was entered in the case of Felton Freeman in which he stood charg ed with stealing 10 cartons of cig arettes. Henry Lee Swinson entered a plea of not guilty to charges of careless and reckless driving and speeding 75 miles per hour but was unable to support his plea. Sentenced to the roads for three months, the term was suspended for two years on payment of a $50 fine and costs and surrendering his license for one year. James Arthur Howard pleaded guilty to being drunk and disord erly and resisting arrest. His sen tence of three months on the roads was suspended for two years on condition he pay a $100 fine and costs. Thurston Spruill, Ernest Bel lamy and Clayton Lynch faced the court on charges of possessing equipment for the manufacture of illegal liquor, Two of them enter ed pleas of guilty, the other de nied the charges but all three were found guilty and sentenced to the roads for three months each with the terms being suspended on payment of $100 fine and costs each. John Henry Rogers, Jr., enter ed a plea of not guilt to a driving (Continued on Page Five) ---.<* Williamston Boy Member Of Solo Oroiift at E. C. C. James Page of Williamston is one of the soloists to appear in a recital this coming Saturday eve ning at East Carolina College, it was announced today. The pro gram is being presented as part of alumni day activities Young Page is a member of a group if student clarinetists who will appear in T. Stewart Smith’s “Suite for Four Equal Clarinets.” Donald Roebuck of Stokes will appear on the program as a pi anist. Page, a graduate of Williams ton High School and the Green I Wave Band is the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Page and is a freshman at East Carolina. Making Ready To Measure Tobacco - Peanut Acreages Twenty supervisors or “sur veyors,” many of them old hands in the business, are in a special meeting here today making pre parations for measuring the to bacco and peanut acreages in the county. The task of checking the approximately 13,000 acres of to-! bacon and the slightly move--t-har.* 15,000 acres of peanuts is to be started withirt the immediate fu ture. Farmers arc being asked to cooperate with the surveyors in every way possible. Since wheat quotas are likely in 1954, all Martin County farmers who planted any of the crop in either 1950, ’51 or '52 are asked to notify the P.-M. A. office imme diately. There’ll be little or no change in handling the tobacco and pea nut acreage check measurements this year, it v/as learned. Those farmers who plant in excess of their allotments will be penalized if the excess is not destroyed or converted, it was explained. Last year the penalty on excess tobac co was 22 cents a pound, and the penalty on.excess peanuts was six cents a pound. In those cases where the farmer is not satisfied with the measure ments made by the icgular super visors, it is possible to call for a second cheek or measurement. The landowner must notify the P.-M. A. office at the county agri culture building within one week, and accept the cost of the second survey should the first one- be found correct. --\ I I - COLLECTOR V - All the facts and figures are j not available, but a reliable report states there have been no delinquent tax accounts in the Town of Oak City in any period during the past eight years. An indirect report from Mrs. Mattie Allsbrook, town clerk, states that all accounts are paid up to date and that the town's finances are in tip top shape. It is a record sel dom equalled by a collector in this part of the country. Maryland Tobacco Farmers Gloomy —*— With tobacco prices trailing those of a year ago and with no support available, Maryland to bacco farmers are a bit gloomy, according to reports reaching I here. I Prices for just about all the in ferior grades are at a new record low, according to Mr. J. B. Taylor, local tobacconist, who inspected the markets there a few days ago with Mr. Williford Sparrow. The price average this season is below that of a year ago, it was explain ed. Some of the farmers are tak ing their tobacco back home, hop ing that control can be voted back in and save the day for them. However, the Republican Con gress, despite recommendations coming from Secretary of Agri culture Benson, is ruling oul a re turn to the support program for the Maryland tobacco growers. Archie Wynne Of Bear Grass Dies Suddenly al Home -<t> Farmer anil Builder Had Been III With Heart Ail ment But Short l ime -• Archie Wynne died at his home at Old*MiII Inn in Bear Grass Township Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock of a heart attack. Suffering with what was believed to have been some digestive dis order, he had not been very ac tive for several weeks. His condi tion took a turn for the worse last week, but apparently he was improved yesterday morning. He ate lunch and decided to go to his room upstairs and rest. He had been there only a short time when he suffered the attack and died within four or five minutes. The son of James B. Wynne and the late Della Jolly Wynne, he was born in Bear Grass Town ship 52 years ago on October 25, 1900, and lived there all his life, engaging in farming for a num ber of years but more recently he had worked in the building trades. j He was married to Hettie Harri son twenty-eight years ago. Surviving besides his widow and father are four sons, L. B. Wynne of Norfolk, Harold Wynne of Portsmouth, James A. Wynne, U. S. Army stationed at Camp (Continued on Page Five) A. To Install Officers Al Meeting Monday Night Installation of officers for the next scholastic year will be the main business before the Wil liamston Parents-Teaehers Asso ciaiion when it convenes Mon day night in the high school audi torium for the final session of-this year. Kicichvi Tfio'hias'is The retiring president and Asa T Crawford is to take over after the installation ceremonies Monday night. The P.-T. A. has enjoyed one of its best years with membership ap proaching an all-time record if not surpassing it. Everetts Boys To Address Nurses —*— Rudolph Hardy, son of Mr. and Mis. H S. Hardy of Everetts, is ' addressing 'trie annual Nurses Re treat in Charlotte this week-end. Mr. Hardy holds a degree in pharmacy from the University of I North Carolina. The Retreat stresses the impor tance of religious programs in the I student nurse's work in hospitals. Town Officials Slate Their Positions In reply to the recent criticisms published in the Suggestion Box in The Enterprise, we, as mem bers of the governing board of the Town of Williamston, would like to answer them to the best of our ability. We realize full well that there are numerous changes needed in our Town, and that, in so far as we are able, we are en deavoring to make such beneficial changes. We are of the opinion, however, that certain things can not be handled by the governing board alone, that it must take the full and Unstinted cooperation of | all the citizens who are affected. Our mosquito control program, as well as the rat control pro gram, has bcey underway for some weeks now. Weather con ditions have hindered the work to a great extent and have, in all probability, undone most of the work that has been done. Please be assured that your Town Board, with the cooperation of the Health Department, is doing everything in its power to alleviate the situa tion. On the other hand the citi zens may do their part in trying to drain off all stagnant water pools and watei that has collected in garbage receptacles and other containers left lying around. Along the same line, it would not hurt for these same citizens to cut down and clear up all overgrown lots which they might own, and clearing up such weeds and debris on the grounds surrounding the homes and business properties will certainly help to remedy the situation. It must be understood liiai .i telephone call to the Town Office, the Health Department or the- Water Plant will not bring the spraying truck or a garbage truck to your premises immedi ately. These trucks have their re gular routes to follow, and at the rate our Town is growing, it is necessary that they follow their prescribed routes in order to cov er the entire Town. As to the parking meter situa tion here in our Town, we can say that they bring in much needed revenue to our Town to help pay existing obligations or obligations that are incurred in the operation of our Town. It is our firm be lief that our parking meters are handled in a more satisfactory manner than any town in the State of North Carolina. Out of town people visiting here, people who have reeeived courtesy tick ets for overtime parking, or other violations, have all spoken most highly and commendable about the operation of our Police De partment in tarrying out their duties pertaining to the parking meter situation. It is quite true that some of the meters are out of operation at times. We do not believe that this stiuation can exist more than a very few days, because the meters are checked at least twice a week, and at any other time upon call. We feel that the policy pertaining to them as it is now carried out is an ex cellent one, and we can see no need for any changes. We feel that it is the duty of the citizens of Williamston to pay for their parking time and certainly to no tify any policeman if a meter will not work or will not register the correct time. We do not believe in the habit that some of our citi zens have of placing a coin in the slot and then not turning the meter in order to register the coin so as to gain the extra time there by before they are checked by a policeman. We further do net think that any policeman employ Vr) hy our Town would give any person a ticket for any parking violations where that person could show that the meter itself was defective. We feel that if the citizens of Williamston would divide the "ac tual amount of taxes that they pay in one year hy the number of days in the year, and realize at * tually how much pei day that they are paying for police protec tion, fire protection, water and sewage service, streets, curb, gut ter and sidewalks, garbage serv ice, and the many other advan tages that are given them, that we would have a better spirit of co operation among all of us. We believe in our Town and believe in its future, and we will certainly accept in good faith any complaints in criticisms. Any citizen having such valid com plaint will be welcome at any regular meeting or we will call a special meeting if the complaint warrants it and we feel that a meeting is necessary. It is out Town and we all want to help till its giowth and well being. Board Stands By Changes Made In School Districts Patrons In One Area Saul To Be Planning To Car ry Appeal To Raleigh Meeting in special session on Tuesday of this week the newly constituted Martin County Board of Education refused to rescind action taken by the old board a few weeks ago as that action re lated to changes in the Williams ton and Bear Grass School dis tricts. The old board closed a corridor in the Bear Grass district and opened one about one and seven tenths miles long in the Williams ton District. Heading a fifteen-man delega tion, Mr. Joe Shep Holliday went before the board that morning and appealed to the board to leave the corridor extending from Old Mill Inn to Corey’s Cross Roads open on U. S. Highway 17 With holding any criticism, the dele gation asked for continued per mission to send the children in that area to the Williamston schools. After the board took no action to rescind the order issued by the old board, it was learned that representatives of the delega tion will carry their case to higher officials, possibly to the State Board of Education in Raleigh. When the consolidation pro gram was effected years ago, the people along Highway 17 financed for two years transportation for their children to the Williamston schools, the State later taking over the task It is fairly appar ent that the new order, scheduled to go into effect next term, is go ing to meet opposition. The corridor beinu opened in the Williamston district presents a complicated problem in that pe titions favoring transferring the Price Mill Road territory from Williamston to the Bear Grass dis trict have been followed by an other, urging the county board to reconsider the action taken by the old board. Without much discussion, Cecil Powell of Robersonville, made a motion to support the action taken by the old board, closing the cor ^ ririor along Highway 17 from Old Mill Inn to Corey’s Crepes Roads, and opening the 1.7-mile corridor in the Wiliamston district to the Bear Grass school. The motion was seconded by Member LcRov (Continued on Page Five) Continues Critically III In llos/nlal llcrc -• I Suffering with a heart condi tion, Dr. John W. Williams, Mar tin County health officer, con tinues critically ill in a local hos pital where he has been a patient since Sunday. Showing slight im provement earlier in the week, his condition has remained little changed since that time, a late re port from the hospital stated. His son, Dr. John Williams, Jr., of Church Point, La., arrived by plane early this week, and an other son, S Sgt. Fred Williams of Georgia, came in yesterday to be with their father. High School At Farm Life Gets Approval Oiiicials Believe Reestablishment Plan Not Feasible Board \olcs To Cheer Any Action Taken Bv Dis trict To Regain Unit In Perfect sympathy with the law designed to retain or re-estab lish small high schools in this State, the Martin County Board of Education in special session Tuesday unanimously favored any plan the Farm Life District may advance in an effort to regain its high school. "If the district can meet the re quirements of the law enacted in behalf of small high schools by the recent State legislature, we certainly would not take any ac tion to block such a plan,” one member of the board was quoted as saying. The action was taken after the Farm Life Committee appeared before the meeting earlier in the day and announced the action tak en by a meeting of school patrons there last Friday evening when the return of the school was fav ored by a vote of about four to one The committee, headed by Chairman Oscar Roberson, offer ed no plans of procedure, and there is some doubt just what ac tion is legal under the law. The matter is to be investigat ed and every avenue opened in an effort to reopen the school. How ever, it was admitted in a general discussion of the serious problem that an easy solution is not in sight. The .minimum attendance fig ure set up in the new law for high schools is one big threat, but one that could be met temporari ly. The board members went on to discuss the damage and ex pense should the minimum be reached in a year or two years, or even three years. The cost item looms as another big obstacle in reopening the -H (Continued on Page Five) •1 ' -----N DOG ROUND-UP v-i Inspector A. R. Roberson amt his assistant, Clyde Silv- j erthorne, are making progress in rounding up stray dogs arrd checking upon the anti-rabies drive in this county, accord ing to a report released yes terday by Deputy Sheriff Dennis Roherson. In their first day this week, the inspectors killed twelve dogs and advised twenty eight owners to have their dogs vaccinated witfiin three days or face court action. The drive will be extended to every part of the county on a house-to-house basis. Club Members On Five-Day Trip to Northern Cities --A Fifty Marlin County Wo men ami One Man Trav eling in Two Husses -« Fifty Martin County women, most of them members of the various home demonstration clubs, and one farmer, Mr. Lee L). Hardison, are on a five-day tour of Washington, D. (’ . and several northern cities this week. The group is accompanied by Mrs. Elizabeth P. Harrison, home de monstration agent, Miss Ruby Lee Spencer, assistant agent and Mrs Mamie Humphrey, Tar Heel tour director of Raleigh. Traveling in two special busses, the club members and special guests left the county early Wed nesday morning for the nation's capital where they spent last night. Today, after making stops in Philadelphia, the tourists are moving in on New York where they will stop at the Piccadilly Hotel. During their two-day stay in New York, the club women and Mr. Hardison will make guided tours of upper and lower Manhat tan!, a boat cruise around Man hattan Island, visit Rockefeller Center, make a subway trip to Coney Island and attend a special show at the Radio City Music Hall. While the club women are doing a bit of .-.hopping, Mr. Har dison plans a one-man inspection of the city. The group is scheduled to re turn to the county Sunday. Names of those making the trip, including Mr. Hardison, the home agents and tour dim tor, arc Miss Louvema Rogerson and Mes damos Helen C. Andrews, Annie Ayers, J. W Hellflower, Sr., Edna E. Brown, Nina Britton, W. C. Bullock, Archie Coltrain, Howard Coltrain, I!. A Daniels, John Ed mondson, Henry Earley, Margaret Everett, 1 Insea Eagan, Dan Fagan, G. 11. Forbes, Mattie Hardison, L. L Harrell, June Harris, J. H Hopkins, Inez Jackson, J B. Janies, Annie Jones, Chesley Jones, W J. Johnson, Tempie Keel, H. W. Leggett, Sarah Lilley, Don Matthews, Sr , Laura Mclson, Monnie Mobley, Ralph Mobley, Aithui Peaks, C A. Peele, Lillian (Continued on Page Five) Tetterton Inf uni Ituried At Jaiuesville Tuesday Graveside services for Sharon Anita Tettrrton, two-day-old daughter of Philip Ray and Sarah Margaret Davis Tetterton of Ply mouth were held Tuesday morn ing in the Jamesvilli* eemetery. The Rev C N, Barnette of the Plymouth Christian Church offi ciated. Surviving in addition to her parents, are a sister, Cheryl, who lives in Jamesville with her grandparents, Mr and Mrs Joe E. Davis, and her maternal grand mother, Mrs. G. r. Woodard of Portsmouth, Va Start ('.onstriietion (hi Tun New Homes Here Construction work was started this week on two new homes, one for the Episcopal lector on Frank lin Street and one on North! Smithwick Street by Jos. Griffin. I Both homes will he of brick ve-j neer construction. Local Jaycees To Sponsor Pageant With sleeves rolled up, the local Jaycees held their first Board of Directors meeting Monday night at the home of President Exum Ward. The meeting lasted for three hours. During what President Ward railed "a most successful” meet ing, plans for the coming Jaycee year were drafted, many projects were discussed, and standing com mittees fot the year were appoint ed. After listening to an outline of the requirements fot a sponsoi ing organization as presented by guest K P. Lindslev, the Jaycees voted to investigate the formation of an Explorer Troop of Sea Scouts m Williamston and to re commend the sponsorship to the general membership of the local club at its next regular meeting, explaining that final action on such a matter must rest with the entire membetship. Realizing the> need for hasty ac tion to meet a state deadline, and be ing confronted with the fact that Williamston was the first town to ever sponsor a local con testant in the "Miss North Caro lina Beauty Pageant” and had never been without one since, the Board of Directors voted to again sponsor such a pageant. Bernard Harrison and Cecil Lilley were named overall chairmen of the pageant and all other committee chairmen were appointed. It was decided that the Pageant would consist of both the "Miss Wil liamston” and "Little Miss Wil liamston” or “Sweetie Pie" phas es as the Jaycees sponsored up un til a couple of years ago. The date for the pageant is tentatively set for Wednesday night. June 17. The age limit for the older group is 18 to 28 inclusive and for the younger group is 4 to 8 inclusive. The Jaycees also voted to pre sent a War Bond to the "most de serving" mate senior of Williams ton High School this year. After the meeting refreshments were served by the wife of the President.