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VOL. 40
PLYMOUTH, N.C., FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1929
NO. 40
•assrTEsraraera.
B
I Women Of Washington
Highly Praised By Educator
♦Ofc---© -- ■
I Wen one, Continuing Progress
Says Native: Had Hard Fight
By H. J. Furbee
A little cork fell in the path of
a whale,
Who lashed it down with his
angry tail;
But in spite of his blows it
quickly arose,
And floated before his nose.
Said the cork, “You can splut
ter and splash and flap,
But you never can keep me
down,
For I’m made of the stuff that
is buoyant enough
to float instead of drown
The development of Wenona
was made directly possible by the
North Carolina law in 1909. About
one year after the law was enacted,
the Pungo River Drainage District
was organized, designed to not as an
outlet for Washington County Dr
ainage District Number 4 in which
Wenona is- located, the latter being
organized in 1912.
The land in this district of ten
thousand acres was owned by the
John L. Roper Lumber Company,
who had practically removed all
mercantible timber, leaving the area
worthless so far as its agricultural
value was concerned until the magic
effect of drainage had aided ’n tran
sforming it into a land of wonder
Lful fertility in which it has no peer
according to testimony of experts
who enjoy a nation-wide reputation
in this branch of agriculture.
A major portion of this honor is
due B. E. Rice, who, at that time,
was Land and Industrial agent for
the Norfolk Southern Railroad, for
the vision, perseverance and enthu
siasm which he possessed and made
' use of to the fullest extent in the
formation of this community. He
was owner of “Wenona Farm’ con
sisting of 160 acres and as such was
the first to be operated. In 1912,
which marked the beginning of his
activities on the farm here, under
the supervision of his son, Mr. G.A,
Rice, he planted two acres in corn
which yielded 174 bushels of shelled
corn to the measured acre. Had it
not been for the sudden death of
this pioneer in 1915, while on duty
for the Norfolk Southern in the
West, the advancement and growth
of this settlement would have been
greater.
In the autum of 1913, three em
migrants arrived in close succession
In the order named: E. A. Will of
Pennsylvania; W. L. Furbee of
West Virginia and A. L. Glover of
Ohio. At this time several ‘eighties’
had been purchased by people re
siding in the West who planned to
develope and operate their holdings
at some future time. In 1915 N.
Rosenthal and C.J. Mueller of New
York and J. L. Brewster of Ohio
were added to the list of pioneer. In
1916 and 17, additional settlers
made their appt,reance in C.F. Hey.
nen, F. I. Hartung and R, C. Hey
nen all from Illinois. The settlement
as a whole made a slow but steady
growth until that period of depres
sion set in—1920 which everyone
remembers distinctly and painfully.
Excepting this short period, the
community has grown slowly but
consistently by aid of improved
farming machinery and methods,
production of live stock and the
Black Land Experiment Station
whose inception dates from 1913.
In conclusion, it might be said
that Wenona has had its ups and
downs like all settlements where
conditions and problems differ and
such experiences can always be ex
pected but we feel that she has the
spirit of determination and perse
verance to overcome all mistakes
and failures and finally triumph
over all difficulties.
POET AND PEASANT
“That was some mess they had at
the church on the corner of Main
and Washington streets Sunday
wasn’t it?” asked the Peasant.
“It certainly was,” said the Poet.
“It was worse than a mess. More
dirty mud was slung during the
morning and evening services than
there were slung during the recent
national election.”
“Some of that mud was justified,’
said the Peasant. “M. G. Darden
started a bunch of propaganda a
bout Rev. Norris and he should
have been repremanded.”
“No, Mr. Darden did not,” said
the Poet, “If there is a man in
Plymouth or Washington county
who has stuck by his church thru
thick or thin, it is Mr. Darden and
then for that preacher to get up in
the pulpit and talk about him as he
did, just to hold his job, well I just
haven’t any patients with such as
that or a man of that type. He
should have been at least consider
ate of himself if not Mr. Darden
I know when, and it hasn’t been so
very long ago, Mr. Darden was
willing and glad to work at anyth
ing, was not able to buy himself de
cent clothes and wore old patched
trousers with a mismatched coat to
church, yet he never failed .to pay
his church dues, which were more
than most of those kicking him. If
a man of this type deserves perse
cution, then everybody does.”
“Didn’t this man say that the
preacher entertained and tolerated
Negroes in his home?” asked the
Peasant.
“Not that I know of,” replied the
Poet, “but I know of a young lady,
a member of the Episcopal church,
and a young man, a member of the
Christian church, not here, who sat
on their front porch and saw a
young Negro buck be entertained
by the so-called servant on the front
porch of the parsonage. This young
man was a regular attendar of this
church at that time—he hasn’t
been since.”
“I non’t know,” said the Peasant.
“I always thought Rev. Norris was
a big man and one of the best I
had ever seen.”
“If Rev. Norris is a big man,’’
said the Poet, “he will resign and
get out. Why was ®he asked to
resign, as I understand lie was, from
the last church in which he served?’’
“It seems to me,” said the Peas
ant, “that if he is considering the
advancement of the gospel that he
will resign as he was asked to do
by the official board of the church’’
“There is no question about it,”
said the Poet. “Both sides are
in the wrong. They can talk and
run off at the mouth all they want
to, but it won’t get them anywhere.
They need and will have to have
a change before any constructive
work is done. What is needed most
of all in that church is more work
and less conversation.”
“I know this much,” said the
Peasant, “If what wen on in that
church last Sunday is Christianity,
then I am a Christian and am going
straight to Heaven when I die, so is
a number of other sinners.”
By J. \V. Norman
The heroic spirit of undounted
womanhood challenges the admira
tion of everybody. Nothing short
of a Divine Discontent that has
permeated the Soul of the so-called
weaker sex could have enabled
them to accomplish so much in the
age old struggle. But they have
wrought, and wrought well. Though
absorbed largely by the duties of
motherhood and home-making, they
have forced their way slowly but
steadily until they have broken
down almost all barriers that have
impeded their progress.
The progress made, however, has
been sometimes slow and painful,
nevertheless, it has been continuous
and determined. But perhaps this
was necessary since so many phases
of human welfare have been touched
and carried along in its onward
march. It is indeed an interesting
stud} to examine into the multi
tude of activities that have engaged
the attention of women in their
work. They are religious, social,
spiritual, moral, cultural, and phy
sical. Nothing has been overlooked
that would weave into the fabric of
human life stronger and better
material.
The particular activity in this
county with which women have
been most intimately connected
and for which they have been dir
ectly responsible is the club work
as sponsered by the Home Demon
stration Agent. This club work has
reached directly or indirectly every
family in Washington county. For
several years more than 600 girls
and women have been enrolled,
through them the aims of the clubs
have been set forth, and the wisdom
of establishing them has been more
than vindicated.
It might be asked just here what
is the aim of this host, and have
they in any way reached their goal.
First, their aim is to prepare girls
and young women to make better
homes, and second, to make better
the living conditions in those homes
that are already established. This
is done by teaching the principles
of food selection from the point of
health, to teach how these foods are
prepared thus aiding in the well be
ing of the family: how to adorne
and beautify it %oth inside and out
side. In short the aim of these clubs
is to better feed, clothe, and house
the family, and to create better
health conditions and thus rear a
healthier, happier, and wiser genera
tion.
Now who does this affect the
Public School System. First, a
strong body usually develops a
strong mind. The child is able to
be regular at school, he makes his
grade constantly, avoids reputi
tion and the attendant loss. He is
happier because he feels better.
Second, there is a spirit of co-opera
tion engendered in club work
because of the team work. Third, it
intensifies the pride and ambition
for the sucess of the child, because
it gives the mother a better view
of a bigger world. Fourth, it gives
the oft-forgotten member of the
family, the one on whose shoulders
fall the responsibility of training
the future citizen, an oportunity to
express to the world, in this
citizen, her fondest ambition.
Finally: these clubs are allies of the
schools in banishing ignorance and
poverty, the greatest enemies of
human happiness.
Cemeteries are full of men who
were going to advertise some day.
One of the highest honors that State College can bestow on farm women of North Carolina is the title,
of ‘Master Farm Homemaker.” This is done in co )peration with the Farmers Wife of St. Paul, Minnesota
and the five women selected are carefully chosen by competent judges from among the hundred who are
nominated by committees in their county. The five who were selected and honored at special exercises held
during the State Farm Convention thi year are seen above. From left to right they are: Mesdarnes Lydia
Ashworth of Fairviev, J. S. Turner of Rcidsville, Ida S. Brickhouse of Maekeys, Henry M. Middleton of
Warsaw, and W. C. Pou of Elmwood. Mrs. Pou was also elected president of the State !• .'deration of Home
Demonstration Clubs for the Coming year.
State Home Demonstration Agent
and Assistant Director of Extension.
Due to Mrs. McKimmon’s efforts
the standard of living has been
raised in thousands'of farm homes
and the women of the county
household has happily entered upon
a new era.
SCUPPERNONG BABY
CLUB OF THE COUNTY
By Mrs. H. E. Clifton
The Seuppernong club was orga
nized January 14th, 1929, with ten
members. Mrs. H. W. Norman, our
acting president, wrote Miss Cov
ington and asked her to organize a
club in our community. The day
was bad and the roads were partly
covered with water, but with carts
we managed to get to the meeting.
Mrs. H. W. Norman was elected
president and Mrs. H. E. Clifton,
secretary.
Since our club was organized, we
have not had a meeting that we did
not add a new member to our list.
Our members are: Mesdamcs H.
W. Norman, H. E. Clifton, J. W.
Spruill, M. F. Davenport, E. Pritcli
ett, J. E. Nooney, B. O. Oliver, I.J.
Alii good, H. W. Pritchett, W. E.
Holton, J. J. Davenport, L. W.
Livcrman, \V. Norman, and J. T.
Norman.
BEECH GROVE
By Mrs. L. Parisher
During the year our major sub
ject has been foods, and our May
meeting was one of the largest we
have ever had. Miss Covington has
made our meetings very interesting.
Thi' officers and members are:
Mrs. J. E. Singleton, president,Mrs.
L. Parisher, secretary, Mesdames
B. C. Bray, E. M. Chesson, H. J.
Chesson, H. D. Peele, B. M. Snell,
L. V. Chesson, and T. W Davis.
MISS PAULINE SMITH
DISTRICT AGENT
Mrs. Pauline Smith, is District
Agent of the fifteenth district, and
we are mighty proud of her too!
Miss Smith stands right behind
her district working with the local
Home Agents in solving their pro
blems and in helping them to pre
pare programs of work which would
benefit the local home maker best.
She has been in great demand as a
speaker at Federation meetings and
other county wide meetings. Her
pricipal district duty, however, has.
been to organize the work of the
agents in her district to prevent
duplication of effort and to follow
the general development as planned
at the college. We are always
proud to have her come to our
county, and are just, as proud to ■
have her at the head of our district,
as to be in her district.
JACKSON
Miss Lula Watson
Our major subject for study this
year has been foods. Our booster}
Mrs. Joe Browning has attended
every leaders school held at Ply
mouth by Miss Mary E. Thomas,
nutrition specialist. The officers
and members of our club are: Mrs.
Wheeler Ange, president, Miss Lula
Watson, secretary, Mrs. Joe Brown,
ing booster, Mesdames J. W. H
Browning, Eva Ange, Levin Wat
son, 1. H. Wynn, Jocannic Burt
A. J. Ange, W. F. Ange, C. H. Da
vis, P. S. Browning, P. M. Ange,
L. C. Waters and Miss Leona
Browning.
V/v*y £. THOMtiS
Miss Thomas, Nutrition Special
ist has held a leaders school in Food
every other month in our county'
this year.
PINEY GROVE
By Mrs. Pat tic Spruill
The Piney Grove Club held it*
regular meeting with Mrs. Sadie
Stillman on Thursday afternoon at
two thirty. The demonstration
given was canning corn on tho
steam pressure. During the after
noon six quarts of corn was canned
The members were thoroughly
pleased with the new method of
canning. The officers and members
of our club are: Mesdames Sadie
Stillman, president, Pattie Spruill
secretary, C. A. Collins, booster,
Frank Tarkington, J. A. Stillmon,
Hugh Patrick, B. A. Stillmon, Ral
ph Collins and Elsie Spruill.
News For Farm And Home
Bv MISS ELEANOR PRATT COVINGTON, Home Agent
R. E. DUNNING, COUNTY AGENT
Friday afternoon September 6th
a Leaders School was held at the
court house. The subject for study
was Room Improvement. Every
piece of furniture suitable for a bed
room was discussed in detail. Color
in making an attractive room was
especially stressed. Nothing means
as much to the personality of a
house as color. Color can so en
chant us that sometimes form and
proportion is lost sight of. Or it
can so distress us that there is no
compensations possible. W ithout
color a room is lacking in beauty,
gayety, sympathy, strength, and
vitality Most people love color in
dross, but in our dress as well as
in our homes the combinations are
distressing.
Schedule for week begining Sept.
16th: Monday, Jackson; Tuesday,
Pleasant Grove; Wednesday, Swain;
Thursday, Creswell; Friday, Alba.
There will be a potatoe growers
meeting at the court house in Col
umbia, next Friday, September
'20th. There will be short talks by
six potatoe specialists. Farmers of
Washington county are invited and
urged to attend. I would like to
have a representative group from
our county present.
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