North Carolina Newspapers

s.'iiiiiiimiiiiiiiimic: A home newspaper dedicated = to the service of Washington = County and its 12,000 people. § lillilllllllli? The Roanoke Beacon * ¥ * * * * * and Washington County News ******* | Advertisers will find Beacor = §j and News columns a latch-key to S = 1,100 Washington County homes. § ^iniiiimiiiiimiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiifiiT VOLUME XLIII—NUMBER 49 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Friday, December 2, 1932 ESTABLISHED 1889 MEET HERE TO DISCUSS SALE PEANUT CROP Meeting Also Held At Mur freesboro Tuesday; May Picket Roads Waht may be done for the orderly marketing of the lowly goober in an efifort to boost prices is not known now, but it is sure that some drastic steps will be taken at the meeting of the peanut interests that was to have been in the courthouse here Thursday night at 7:30 o'clock, December 1. Peanut interests, from the lowly grower to the highly touted cleaner and sheller are expected to be here, as representatives gather from all sec tions of the country to discuss meth ods of pushing up a price that is down to about a cent a pound or less, which is a record low price. Tom J. Swain was appointed by the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce to act as chairman of the meeting and open it with Zeb Vance Norman mak ing the speech of welcome to the peo ple who are expected to attend. Then the meeting will be turned over to N. G. Bartlett, secretary of the East ern Carolina Chamber of Commerce, who will present the purposes of the gathering. The following report of the meeting held at Murfreesboro Tuesday shows the temper of peanut growers in this territory, and it would not be surpris ing if similar action were taken at the meeting held here Thursday: Representing eight counties in North Carolina and four in Virginia, the 400 growers attending the meeting at Mur freesboro unanimously approved the so-called "Scotland Neck plan” and voted to begin picketing the highways leading to the markets, possibly Sat urday, in order to carry it out. Charles L. Shields, of Scotland Neck who sponsored the plan, was author ized to proceed with its organization. It provides for the appointment of a board of governors in each county of the peanut district, which will be charged with creating an “informa tion board” in each township. Under this proposal, the organiza tion would seek to prevent the sale of any peanuts, except by written con sent of the board of governors. Each county board would designate he or der in which he peanuts of its territory would be taken to market. Picketing Regulations Under picketing regulations ap proved, any person hauling peanuts without the authority of the organiza tion, orj?e/ftf>ns selling at a price low er ths^oarfiat approved by the organi zation, would be warned to desist. The meeting adopted a resolution which called upon the federal govern (Continued on the back page) SEEK TO FORM COUNTY UNIT Meeting in Interest of Instl tute of Government To Be Held December 5 Efforts to organize a Washington County unit of the Institute of Gov ernment are being made by Edward E. Owens, local attorney, at the request of Judge Junius G. Adams, M. V. Barnhill, and W. A. Davin, and Prof. Albert L. Coates, of Chapel Hill. The membership of this organiza tion is open to public officers and pri vate citizens of Washington County. This includes legislative, judicial, Federal, state, county, and town offic ials, no matter what their position, and also includes lawyers, bankers, merchants, professional women an|d men and others in all walks of life. The Washington County board of | advisors consists of the principal city, j county, state, and Federal officials; an accrediate representative of private groups; an appropriate number of in-j fluential citizens holding no public of fice. The institute is non-partisan and non-political. A chairman and an ex-J ecutive committee must be appointed. ^ There are eight aims and objectives i in the orgnization which include com- | parative studies of the structure of government; setting forth the results of these studies in guide books; con ducting schools for newly elected gov ernmental officers; publishing a jour nal; preparing civics and supplemen tary material for students. Also an effort will be made to build a central governmental laboratory of model offices for demonstration pur poses; preparing study programs and bulletins; training of a staff of men to furnish expert services that hereto fore has not been available within North Carolina. If there are enough interested to see Mr. Owens about the matter in time, then there will be a public meet ing for organization purposes on De cember 5. At 7:45 the meetings will open in each cooperating county; at 8 an hour’s broadcast of the plans of the Institute of Government over the State; at 9 the formal installation of officers. Drive for Relief Funds To Be Held Here Next Week The annual drive for funds to car ry on' the winter relief and charity work in Washington County will be launched next week. It is un derstood that much depends on the result of this drive as to what the state will do in supplementary aid —in other words, only the coun ties that are making every effort to care for their own suffering people can expect to share very largely in the state funds. Miss Mary Ward, state super visor, was in the city on an in spection tour last week and ex pressed satisfaction with the prog ress being made here in the use of the state money already re ceived. There are now considerably over ICO men employed daily through out the county, and the school lunches number 2,400 a month. Lunches are now being served three days every week at Cres well, Roper, and Plymouth schools also at the colored high school in Roper. The Creswell lunch is in charge of Miss Bachman; Roper in charge of Mrs. Bell; Mrs. W. A. Blount manages the colored school; and Mrs. Brewer serves the children here in Plymouth. The drive for funds will again be sponsored by the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, with T. J. Swain, C. L. Groves, and H. A. Williford appointed as a commit tee to supervise the drive. COUNTY BOARD COMBINES TWO ATTORNEY JOBS Abolish Office of Solicitor Recorder’s Court; Duties Given County Attorney -ri> Abolition of the office of prosecut ing attorney in recorder’s court, which lias been heretofore known as a pub lic office filled by appointment, marked the adjourned meeting of the Wash ington County commissioners here in the courthouse November 21. But in the place of the prosecuting ; attorney has been substituted the coun ‘ ty attorney, who will give legal ad vice to the commissioners with the added duties that he will fulfill the duties of county attorney and also represent the state in criminal actions in recorder’s court. Carl L. Bailey was employed as county attorney for the period between December 1, 1932, and December, 1934, at a salary of $800 a year, which rep resents the appointment for the term of office of the county commissioners, who on Monday will start another two-year term in office. The salary of the prosecuting at torney for the last year was $67.50 a month, or 'a total of $810 annually, with Mr. Bailey getting another $200 for legal advice and assistance ren dered the commissioners as county attorney of $200 making a total sal ary of $1010. This salary was paid Mr. Bailey last year in addition to the $10 attorney's fee that will he paid him for bringing foreclosure suits in cases on unpaid taxes that are expected to he adver tised soon. George VV. Hardison, chairman of the board of Washigton County com missioners pointed out that by con solidating the two offices into coun ty attorney that the salary of $800 paid Mr. Bailey would be a saving of $210 to the taxpayers in uniting the coun ty attorney and prosecuting attorney. Others see in this move a politi cal effort to keep Mr. Bailey on the county pay-roll. As Mr. Bailey was elected a member of the State Sen ate in the November election would be incumbent upon him to resign from the public office of prosecuting at torney or fail to qualify for the sen ate. The Senate seat will pay Mr. Bailey upwards of $600 for two or three months' work next year. Then he will be given $800 by Washington Coun ty as county attorney, and with the foreclosure suits at $10 each this will make a revenue of upwards of $1,600 a year. It was also moved and passed in the meeting of the commissioners that the office of judge of the recorder’s court be reduced from $67.50 to $50 monthly. This takes effect in this month as soon as John W. Darden, newly elected presiding officer takes the seat on the court bench. It was also ordered that the salary of George W. Hardison, chairman of the Board of Washington County commissioners, and also county ac countant, would be paid his same sal ary of $150 monthly “as long as his services are satisfactory” as county accountant. Firestone Radio Program On Air Monday, Dec. 5th Blending their efforts in a better radio program, Lawrence Tibbett and Richard Crooks, leading baritone and tenor of the Metropolitan Opera, will bring new music to the home in the "Voice of Firestone” series beginning at 8:30 on the evening of December S, it was announced today by L, V. Landing, manager of the Sinclair Scrv ice Station, new dealer in Firestone products in Plymouth. The Firestone orchestra, under the direction of William Merrigan Daily will again he a part of the program. Alois Havrilla resumes his role as an nouncer. Canada Hawaii will be in cluded in the nation-wide hook-up. SEEK CHARTER FOR EXCHANGE NEXT SEASON Expect To Sign Up Growers of About 300 Acres of Tomatoes -'*> A report was made Monday night by A. L. Alexander of the steering committee for the tomato exchange that is being sponsored by the Ply ! miiotli Chamber of Commerce that ' Zeb Vance Norman had been chasen | as legal adviser of the organization ■ and that a charter had been applied 1 for. The application for charter was mailed to the secretary of state of North Carolina Saturday, and it is expected that the legal document will he received here in a few days duly \ registered. Then there will he a sign ' up campaign to secure about 300 acres | of tomatoes to be grown next season. Those signing the application for j the charter as incorporators were A. L. Alexander, H. C. Spruill, \V. H. Gurkin, S. D. Davis, and J. B. Still man. Added to this number will be chosen men, who will have the au thority over their crop and who will be in a position to produce tomatoes for the exchange. The secretary read two letters from N. G. Bartlett, secretary of the East ern Carolina Chamber of Commerce, m regard to the peanut meeting that is to be held in Plymouth December 1. And Mr. Alexander reported that Charles J. Shields has asked him to attend a meeting Tuesday of peanut growers to be held in Murfreesboro. The secretary was asked to issue cards to a list to be present at the meeting from this county. A letter was read from the Hill Veneer Company in High Point, in which they stated that the local ve neer plant was too large for them to consider operating. H. A. Williford was appointed by Vice President E. F. Still to be the third member of a welfare committee composed of Mr. Williford and C. L. | Groves and T. J. Swain. CRESWELLBABY CONTEST ENDS Si i Bettie Joanne Davenport and Clyde Smithson Are Winners Creswell.—The baby popularity con test, sponsored by the parent-teacher association of Creswell High School, closed Monday evening, November 21. A great deal of interest was manifest in the voting. The contest was de clared to be a success in every re spect. Bettie Joanne Davenport received the greatest number of votes in the group under 3 years of age. Bettie Swain gets honorable mention for be ing runner-up in this group. Clyde Smithson, jr., was winner in the group from 3 to 6 years of age. Louise Snell Ambrose, of Cherry, was runner-up in the same group. A total of 3,362 votes were cast dur ing the contest. A large tinted picture will be given to each of the winners by Baker's Studio, of Washington. The Parent Teacher Association is very grateful to this studio for the interest it has j taken in the contest and hopes that the people of the community will re- 1 member the generosity by cooperating ’ with this concern when possible. The association also wishes to express its thanks to all who helped to make the ; contest a success. Home of Charlie Gurkin, Near Dardens, Is Burned -« The home of Charlie Gurkin, near Dardens, was destroyed Wednesday by fire, and only a single piece of the ! household equipment was saved. The fire occurred about 10 o’clock in the morning. Efforts to save the house were unavailing. PAST MASTERS’ NIGHT AT LOCAL MASONIC LODGE -& Rev. W. C. Benson, of Elm City, Principal Speaker Tuesday Night "Let us gather around the fireside with the shades pulled down and peer into the embers of the fire while the lights are low and take counsel with ourselves reminescing of old times and speculating of the future as broth er to brother," said Rev. W C. Ben son, of Elm City, to 30 masons and their guests here Tuesday night. "There has been a collapse of mor als as well as of the economic struc ture. The church is at the lowest ebb in history. Fraternal organizations and service clubs are being accorded but little interest. And family life is degenerating by degrees. No attend ance at meetings. Little cooperation. "In all of the institutions of life, in cluding the church, home and fra ternities, there are only the few who have stood the test in the laboratory of experience. Many have seen the handwriting on the wall. Millions are now looking for Governor Roose velt to make the times better as if one person could do it. "It is preposterous. Even though the president of the United States has more power than a czar, yet none of his legislation can stem the tide. The center of civilization is in home life, which has been demoralized by inter ests that have crept in from selfish gain. “The church that has made hearts glad for centuries, through sacrifice and its teachings and has poured into individuals the drippings of spiritual life with the communion table and baptism and faith in God and has blessed young married people and bur ied the dead, yet people have left it. Masonry has been proud of its ef ficiency. Men passed through its shrine by the thousands and gathered about the altar as brother to brother. Some have sacrificed and died for its principles. Yet today grand lodges must muster their choicest speaking talent to attract the craft to attend meetings and be brought hack to its temples. And yet, Aany have left ma sonry. “All institutions must be rebuilt. More interest must be reflected in the home life. The church has to be re built. Sovereignty must be down in the heart if masonry is to do coming generations much good. Therefore, unless a civilization is tied up in the church, |ome and organizations, it can not live.” These are some of the remarks made by Mr. Benson, who spoke to the ma sons and their guests in celebration of the 121st anniversary of Perseverance Lodge No. 54, which was established here in 1811. It is the custom that on past masters’ night the anniversary of the lodge is celebrated. ■Short talks were made in response to recognition by W. L. Whitley, E. L. Owens, Rev. R. H. Lucas, Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Brewer, P. W. Brown, and Walter II Paramore. Mr. and Mrs. Brewer also rendered some vocal and guitar music. Zeb Vance Norman was toastmaster. Past masters honored were T. W. Snell, Z. V. Norman, T. C. Burgess, Harry Stell, J. B. Willoughby, B. G. Campbell, ]. G. Dixon. C. T. Rob bins is the present master. Barbecue with the accessories were served to those who attended. Master Robbins has inaugurated a special attendance campaign with the result that there has been 100 per cent increase in attendance. A special pro gram is rendered each Tuesday night. - ,<» Dr. J. W. Harrell Returns To Methodist Church Here Dr. J. W. Harrell was returned to the pastorate of the Plymouth, Dar dens, and Jamesville Methodist churches for another year hy the North Carolina Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in session last week-end in Rocky Mount. Plymouth will get full time service except on second Sunday mornings. H. H. Frizelle will replace J. Bas com Hurley on the charge down the county. A change was made to take the Creswell church from the Colum bia charge and put with Roper charge and call the new charge Roper-Cres-, well. Mr. Hurley was assigned to Smithfield. 58,389 Quarts Vegetables And Fruits Are Canned -® The citizens of Washington County might he interested in knowing how club women of Washington County have fought the depression this year. A total of 58,389 quarts of fruits and' vegetables ati^ meats were reported canned through the clubs this year. In spite of the dry weather, this is more canned goods than has ever been reported canned in any one year in the county. Town Budget Calls for Tax Levy of $39,100 for 1931-32 - - (®> RECORDER HAD SEVERAL CASES HERE TUESDAY Is Last Session To Be Held By Present Court Officers -® A nol pros was taken in the case of Howard aBteman, 21, white, who was arraigned in recorder’s court here Tuesday charged with taking Bessie Chambers, 17-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles T. Chambers, from the home despite protests by the fath er. The warrant, issued by J. T. McNair justice of the peace, further states that he took the girl from her home over the protests of the father, stating that he (Bateman) was going to marry her, but they were not married and lived together improperly. The warrant for the arrest of Bate man was signed by Charlie T. Cham bers, who was assessed the costs of the court the prosecuting witness when Mr. Chambers refused to spon sor the prosecution. The girl was sup posed to have left her home on No vember 25 and she remained away sev eral days, it is thought. Luther Grimes, negro, 21, was found not guilty by a jury of abandonment and non-support of a wife and one child. DempseJ Spruill was required to re turn to the Somerset farm cotton that he had taken away after having been t'dd not be remove it by Carl Hohl. A contempt charge was not pushed after he had failed to conform with a pervious order of the court. 1 he case against R. YV. Johnston, who was charged with embezzlement, was continued until December 6. The warrant was sworn out by Edna Moore Latham before George YV. Hardiosn, justice of the peace. The warrant was issued on October 14. The warrant charges Mr. Johnston with embezzling a sum of money paid to him by Edna Moore Latham and received by Mr. Johnston under a trust indenture between Edna Moore Latham, P. YV. Brinkley, R. YV. John ston, and others. This happened in the year of 1930, 1931, and 1932, it was alleged. Witnesses for the state are H. E. Beam, A. R. Latham, E. YV. Latham, and C. F. Garrett. In the case of John Mack Pettiford, tried a week before for violation of the prohibition law, the jury was with drawn and a nol pros with leave was taken. But Pettiford was assigned to the roads for 18 months for stealing some meat from Pender’s store here in another case. RIVER FRONT HERE IMPROVED —@— Labor Being Furnished By Welfare Funds To Clean Up Property The river front, under the direction of the Plymouth Woman’s Club is un dergoing a complete change. Where once there were unsightly rubbish and offensive weeds, there now is a beau tiful little park, with evergreens, dog wood, and many other lovely decor ative plants being transplanted in an artistic manner.. The work is under the personal sup ervision of Mrs. Ben Sumner, and the labor is furnished through the state aid for the unemployed. Chief of Police P. W. Brown is also doing a fine work building two new city wharves and draining lowland and cutting down the swamp at the Atlantic Coast Line station. -$ Barbecue Given At Cool Springs Thursday Night Some time ago the home demon stration club at Cool Springs had a chicken barbecue and asked all the men and children. All had a jolly good time together. On last Thursday night the men of the community returned the compli ment by entertaining the women and children at a splendid barbecue supper. I’he crowd assembled soon after dark around a large camp fire built of logs in the yard of Herbert Bateman, (lames were enjoyed until eating time, then all did their best by this, and afterwards assembled around the camp lire and sang. It was thoroughly en joyed by every one. U. D. C. Meeting Will Be Held Here Today --<> The U. D. C. meeting will be held at the home of Mrs. J. B. Edmundson Friday, December 2, with Mesdames J. 1\ Sutto” and C. McGowan as the hostesses. r I COUNTY RATE UP A total tax levy of $1.87 on the $100 valuation of property has been decided on for the next year by the Washington County Com missioners. This is an increase of 14 cents over the levy for 1931. Here is the division of the rate by funds: General 15 cents; poor, 5 cents; health, 8 cents; debt serv ice, $1.12; school 30.8 cents; total county-wide, $1.70 8-10 ; with the state school tax added, which is 16.2 cents, making a total levy of $1.87. ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOLS BETTER THAN LAST YEAR -® Total Enrollment in White Schools 1,004; Increase Of 10 Per Cent -® Statistics for the first month in en rollment, average daily attendance, and percentage in attendance of the rural system for the first month have been compiled and released for pub lication by James W. Norman, super intendent of public instruction of Washington County. Enrollment in elementary schools is 809 this term, as against 739 for 1931 32, while there were 176 in the high schools last term and 195 this term. The average daily attendance in the elementary schools is 719.1 this term, against 649.7 last term, while the high school also shows an increase, 180 this year against 161.7 last. The perecentage in elementary at tendance this term is 88.8,- as com pared with 87.8 while in the high school there is 92.3 per cent against 91.5 last time. The total enrollment in the white schools last term was 914, while this term it is 1,004, an increase of 90, which is 10 per cent. Total average daily attendance was 812 last year, against 899, which is an increase of 87, or 15 per cent. The colored enrollment for 1931-32 was 1,413, compared with 1,514 this term, an increase of 101, or 7.2 per cent, while the average attendance was 1,162 against 1,285, an increase this term of 123, or 11 per cent. FIND MAN DEAD THURSDAY IN SKINNERSVILLE —®— Tom Spruill’s Death Said To Have Been Caused By Too Much Liquor Skinnersville.—Death was due to an ecess in the drinking of intoxicating whisky, it was believed by those mak ing an investigation into the demise of Tom Spruill, white man of the Skinnersville sections, whose lifeless body was found in front of the store of Mr. Alexander in this section Tliurs day night. A passer-by notice that the body of the man failed to move for a time, and this prompted him to observe fur ther and he noticed that Mr. Spruill was not breathing. He notified Mr. Alexander, who had retired to his home, leaving Mr. Spruill hanging a round outside of the store. Mr. Spruill is said to have been drinking excessively during all of Thanksgiving Day. Sheriff J. K. Reid and Coroner YV. '1'. Nurney were notified, and they examined the body of the man and could find no marks that would inicate foul play. Acquaintances are said to have seen Mr. Spruill, who was about 40 years old, hanging around the Log Cabin Filling Station earlier. But he had been hanging around the Alexander store for several hours before it was; discovered that he was dead. He was said to have last been seen conversing with a negro before Mr. Alexander left the store. Funeral services were held on Fri day. --- To Give Percentage of Net Sales To Charity -• Something novel in business meth ods was inaugurated in Plymouth this week when it became known that Leon Sugar had volunteered to give 2 per cent of the net sales to charity in the going-out-of-business sale that he is conducting at the present. This makes the second advertising campaign that Mr. Sugar has conduct ed iu this sale. He is using circulars and ihe newspaper. He has had good results from his advertising campaigns. RATE WILL BE 10 CENT REDUCTION FROM LAST YEAR -9 Debt Service Calls for Most of Levy; $10,000 for Retiring Bonds A budget calling for the raising of '39.100 for 1932-33 has been agreed ! upon by the Plymouth City Council with an accompanying tax rate of $1.80, which is 10 cents less than the rate for last year. An even $1,900 was appropriated for the general and administrative fund, which includes the salaries of the may or and clerk, office supplies, telephone and telegraph, insurance, vital statis 1 tics, advertising taxes, tax refunds, au diting and tax service, heat, water and lights, auto plates, building repairs, and miscellaneous. Last year the total of this fund as ; ppropriated was $2,622.50, and the a | mount expended was $1,731.68, with a -urplus of $890.82. In only one phase was there a deficit and that was in the heat, water and lights, for which SI50 was allotted, but the actual ex ‘ penditure was $240.06, leaving a deficit ! of about $90. There was a surplus of $148.50 in the street department last year, with an ! appropriation of $2,900 that was fol | lowed by an actual expenditure of $2, ,'87.60. A deficit in this department of $218.25 from the labor fund was oc casioned when $2,218.25 had been spent and only $2,000 assigned to use for the labor. This department of the streets list ed such expenses as labor with sewer maintenance and repairs, equipment maintenance and repairs, feed and stock expense, stable rent, and mis cellaneous. i here was a surplus of $314.75 in the appropriations for mis cellaneous in this fund. There was a deficit of $39.50 in sal aries above the allotment for those in the police department, with actual sal ary expense aggregating $2,739.50. But this department showed a surplus in the miscellaneous, making a total sur plus for police expenditures of $148.50. In the fire department salaries showed a deficit of $105.90, as this was increased last season when it was decided that the members of the de partment were to be allowed their poll taxes as remuneration for their serv ices in this capacity as well as the sal ary of Chief Gurkin. The total fund showed a surplus of $10.34. The total expenditure for this fund, which included salaries, building re pairs, equipment repairs, interest on hose account, gas, oil, and supplies, miscellaneous, came to only $360.44. There was also a saving of $50 in the emergency fund, which showed an ap propriation of $200. I here was a total saving in the gen eral and administrative, street, police and fire departments, and the emer gency fund of $1,412.06, with a total appropriations of $8,993.28, and with an actual expenditure of $7,581.22. 1 his year the total appropriations for these funds will be $7,150. I ncler the water department ap propriations have been made for gen eral and administrative of $350, with operating and administrative funds al lotted totaling $1,600, making a total for the water department of $1,950. In the debt service appropriations of $30,000 will be $10,000 for bond retirement and $20,000 for interest and miscellaneous, which makes a total of $39,100, including all of the funds in the budget. Little Son oi Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Barnes Dies -■» Creswell.—Death visited the home of Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Barnes, Thurs day morning, November 18, and took their little son. He was eight months old. 1 he child suffered severely for only a few days. ^-ittie Charles is survived by a mother, father, grandparents, and a number of other friends and relatives. Third Sewing Day Is Held by Cherry Club Cherry.—Last Friday the women of the C herry Home Demonstration Club held their third sewing day for relief work. These women have certainly stood by those in their community who are unfortunate during Mr. “Depres sion's" raid. They have worked and worked hard. A total of 173 garments have been made, cut, or provided by these wo men. If all the communities could handle their relief sewing as these women do, it would be well handled. They feel now that as far as clothing i concerned, they have fixed up most of the cases.