North Carolina Newspapers

The Roanoke Beacon ******* and Washington County News ******* A home newspaper dedicated to the service of Washington County and Its 12,000 people, i VOLUME XLIX—Nl MBER 38 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Friday. September 23. 1938 ESTABLISHED 1889 Town opics F. E. Miller, director of the State Test Farms, was here this week spending some time at the Blackland Test Farm at Wenona. with J. L. Rea. Ji*.. assistant director. Mr. Miller makes occasional trips to inspect the station and to observe the work be ing done. W. T. Phelps at Roper and C. E. Ayers at Plymouth say their filling station business doubled after the Albemarle Sound bridge opened and remained so until after the "Lost Colony" drama closed at Fort Ra leigh. It has dropped off since then, but is now estimated at 40 per cent better than formerly. Tom W. Snell, storekeeper at Cool Springs, said the other day that his section, on Highway 64, west of Plymouth, got its name from springs which used to pro vide some of the best water in this section; and that people came from miles around to drink from these springs, one of which was at one time bricked in. J. T. Cooper, vocational agriculture teacher at Pembroke in Robeson County, was in town this week and told about treating 2.600 chickens in his work there this year. Poultry raising is done in a big way down there. Mr. Cooper was once the vo cational agriculture teachers in the Plymouth school. Sam Adler has been in New York this week making special fall and winter stock purchases. Mayor B. G. Campbell makes this suggestion for the inscrip tion upon large signs urged for erection along the highways en tering Plymouth: ‘‘Welcome To Plymouth; If You Lived Here, You Would Be Home." One of the best remembered Chris tian workers in this section is the Rev. Joe Gray Gurganus. prominent Christian minister who died in 1881. He was a pleasing speaker and his life wielded a lasting influence on those with whom he came in con tact, according to J. W. Norman and M. G. Darden. A stalwart, well-liked, energetic young man left Creswell 15 years ago for Norfolk, where he joined the po lice force . Now a detective, Paul Sawyer came back to his native county this week as a witness in a case involving some of his old-time neighbors. Assignment has been made to the Plymouth and Williamston Boy Scouts to build a “second class” bridge for the Jubilee Scout-O-Rartia by John J. Sig tvald. Scout executive, of Wilson, who urges the boys to “make a model to scale.” Herman Spencer, an insurance man, has returned from a trip to Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga, Tenn., where he with 51 other agents of his company attended a conven tion. Out of the 2,500 agents in this region, embiacing several states, on ly 52 were awarded the trip. Prices of 3 V\ To 3 V2 Cents Approved for 1938 Crop of Peanuts -<s Warehouses Will Be Operat ed Along Same Lines As Last Year Tlie Agricultural Adjustment Ad ministration has advised W. T. Free man, who stored peanuts here last year and who will do the same this year, that a schedule of prices for use in connection with a program to divert farmers’ surplus stocks of pea nuts to the manufacture of oil has been agreed upon. Although details have not been completed, the program will author ize regional associations of producers to pay the following prices for farm ers’ stock peanuts grown in 1938: Virginias, U. S. No. 1 grade, 3 1-2 cents pound; No. 2, 3 1-3 cents; and No. 3, 3 1-4 cents. The program to be undertaken will be similar to that for the 1937 crop, when 3 1-4 cents was paid straight through. "The total imported peanuts for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1938, were 603,822 pounds of unshelled and 4,165,438 pounds shelled peanuts, as compared with a total of 658,799 pounds of unshelled and 924,885 pounds shelled for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1937,” Mr. Freeman said, in explaining that large ship ments of peanuts purchased by man ufacturers elsewhere are brought into the United States in competition with local producers. Resume Work on Creswell School Building Monday Temporarily halted this week on account of the weather and certain financial difficulties, work on the Creswell school building is expected to be resumed by Monday, possibly even before then, according to H. H. McLean, superintendent of public in struction. The contractor has advised Mr. Mc Lean that he did not expect it to be necessary for the opening of the term to be delayed longer than the an nounced opening next Thursday, Sep tember 20. However, it is possible that the opening may be delayed a week, although definite information to this effect was not available today. The exterior of the building will be completed, but some inside work will still remain to be done when the school opens. This will be done with as little interference to the classes as possible. Cessation of the work on the building was caused by a technicality which held up the funds the county has borrowed from the state to com plete construction. However, when Auditor Greathouse completed his audit of the books and records on Wednesday, the way was opened for the money to be turned over to coun ty officials. Mr. McLean and Auditor E .J. Spruill were to go to Raleigh Thursday, when they were to receive the funds necessary to complete con struction of the building. Roper Teacher Oldest In State in Point of Service Miss Augusta C. Carstarphen, 79, Has Started on Sixtieth Season as Instructor of Washington County Children; Has Taught Over 3,000 During Her Career The passage of time has not im paired the health, vigor, or mental faculties of Miss Augusta C. Carstar phen, of Roper, and just a few days ago she began her sixtieth year as a teacher in the Washington County school system. Miss Carstarphen is recognized as the oldest teacher in point of service in the state school system, according to Lloyd Griffin, secretary of the State School Com mission. The fifth of next month she will celebrate her 79th anniversary, and by the time most people reach the eighties they are through with active public life, but not so with "Miss Gussie," who has taught over 3.000 children in her career. "Bright” children and "dull" chil dren have come under her tutelage, but her active mind has been able in every instance to cope with the sit uation. and the discipline in her classes is a model for which younger teachers aim. She has been to summer school— and to summer school some more— until, about 20 years ago. they issued her a life certificate and told her that what she knew about teaching chil dren was sufficient for her to hold a job in North Carolina, so she hasn't been since. Being of the "old school,” her methods are those of the old-type "school inarms." She is a stickler for children "minding"; they know they must be quiet on her classes, and they are. For over half a century she has been teaching the sixth grade. Back in the old days she taught the fifth, sixth, and seventh. Both in the old and new systems she has managed to hold on to the sixth, and that is her grade today in a modern con \ “MISS GUSSIE” | v —' Miss Augusta C. Carstarphen, of Roper, who recently begun her sixtieth term as a school teacher in Washington County. soldiated school, housed in a hand some brick building and attended by about 500 boys and girls. Asked why she hadn't retired from the profession of teaching, she re plied that “there is no retirement fund for teachers, and I need the money for living expenses, and I guess I will teach as long as I can do the job satisfactorily.” Her education was secured at the iContinue on page four) Appoint Committees For Quota Complaints OPEN TO PUBLIC | _j Signs erected on the highway between the new bridge over Al bemarle Sound and Cresweil now ..direct tourists to St. David's Episcopal Church, which was constructed in the eighteenth century. Open to the public during the months of September and Oc tober, the church will be shown to visitors by ladies who will serve as hostesses each Sunday after noon between the hours of 12 and 6 p. m. Library Lends Fewer Books During School —♦— With the opening of schools here, the number of books checked out to borrowers from the public library has dropped from 200 to 150 per week, according to Mrs. Lula Jackson, the librarian. The library now has 1,725 books of fiction and non-fiction on the shelves, and she urges all who will to use them. , "in the fall the children start to school, and they read library books less; but when its gets colder, the adults will increase their reading while they are forced to remain in doors,’’ says Mrs. Jackson. -® Temporary Case Worker At Public Welfare Office -<$>———— Miss Kathleen Caulfield, originally from Maine but who came here from Williams ton, is here now working as a temporary case worker in the office of Miss Ursula Bateman, superintend ent of public welfare. It is not known how much longer she will re main. During the few days that she has been here, Miss Caulfield and others in the office have certified about 110 for work with the WPA. About 80 of them are now working, some on the Newlands road, and others on various minor undertakings. Pass on Applications For Review of Cotton Ami Leaf Allotments Corrections Will Be Ma<le If Errors Found in Orig inal Quotas -« Committees made of farmers to hear applications for review of cot ton and flue-cured tobacco market ing quotas in the various North Ca rolina Counties were appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture last Friday, it was announced by E. Y, Floyd, AAA executive officer. Each committee is composed of a chairman, vice chair man, one other member, and an al ternate. Although each committee will serve a county, the members of that committee were chosen from neigh boring counties as a rule, in order to eliminate charges of unfair discrimi nation . The review committee for Wash ington County is composed of C. W. Snell, Route 2, Columbia, chairman; W. A. Mayo, Route 1, Creswell, vice chairman; J. C. Williams, Swan Quarter, member; and Leland Dud ley, Lake Landing, alternate. Establishment of. review commit tees is authorized under the market ing quota provision of the Agricul tural Adjustment Act of 1938. It will be their duty to pass on applications for review of cotton and flue-cured tobacco-marketing quotas, when pro perly presented, and to make cor rection in accordance with the terms of the act should an error be found in the quota originally established for a farm. Committees for other counties in this section are; Tyrrell: L. E. Hassell, Roper, chair man; W. D. Phelps, Creswell, vice chairman; J. C. Williams, Swan Quarter, member; and Leland Dud ley, Lake Landing, alternate. Hyde; L. E. Hassell, Roper, chair man; C. W. Snell, Columbia, vice chairman: W. A. Mayo, route 1, Cres well, member; and W. D. Phelps, Creswell, alternate. County Tax Notices Are Being Prepared —«— Employees of the county are work ing day and night in an effort to get the 1938 tax notices out and into the hands of taxpayers by the time that the taxes are due and payable, on October 3, it was learned today from Auditor E. J. Spruill. Already they are working on the Plymouth Township list, and from there will go to Lees Mills, Skinners ville and Scuppernong. The crew is working in shifts. Delay in preparing the tax notices and receipts was caused by slow work on the part of the State in certifying corporation listings and approving the rate set by the county commis sioners. Final approval of the rate was only received Monday. Hearing for 3 People Friday oil Charge of Attempt To Murder Mrs. Pauline Swain, Walter' Skittletharpe, Mrs. Ains worth Defendants -® A special session of recorders court will be held Friday morning for a preliminary hearing in the case in volving Mrs. Blanche Ainsworth, Walter Skittletharpe, and Mrs. Paul ine Swain on charges of conspiracy and attempt to murder Mrs. Swain's husband, Abijah Swain. The warrant, issued by Solicitor W. M. Darden, set the hearing for last ruesday, but Zeb Vance Norman, at orney for Mrs. Ainsworth, secured a postponement until rriday. Mrs. Swain, now serving a seven month sentence at the county nome following her conviction of fornica tion and adultery with Skittletharpe, made a statement on Saturday, Sep tember 10, admitting her part in an alleged piot to muraer her husband, implicating Mrs. Ainsworth and Skit tletharpe, who she claimed were in stigators of the murder plot. Mrs. Swain's statement was made under oath before Magistrate John W. Darden; C. L. Bailey .attorney for Abijah Swain, her husband; A. R. Dupree, sr., attorney for Mrs. Swain; Abijah Swain, her husband: and a stenographer, who transcribed the statement, later read and signed by Mrs. Swain. Upon the information contained in the sworn statement, and with evi dence he had secured. Solicitor Dar den issued the warrant. The indictment reads as follows: Blanche Ainsworth and Walter Skit tletharpe did feloniously and with malice aforethought did conspire with each other and with Mrs. Pauline Swain to kill and murder Abijah Swain: that Blanche Ainsworth, in execution and performance of the act that she conspired to do, did unlaw fully and willfully and felonious as sault Abijah Swain with intent to kill him, doing him serious bodily in jury by administering to him a pois onous substance, designed and in tended to kill him.” ,5 Errors in ‘Quiz Contest Booklet Shep Brinkley, manager of the lo cal theatres, said today that movie fans who have entered the $250,000 movie quiz, sponsored by Motion Pic tures' Greatest Year, need not be concerned about the errors that a check-up has revealed in the contest booklet. These errors involve the an swers on the following pictures, ■'Gateway,” "The Texans," * "The Crowd Roars,” "Girls on Probation,” and "Give Me a Sailor." The errors came about in various ways, some of them typographical, and others oc curre dbecause the pictures them selves were not completed at the time the booklets were published. When the pictures eventually reached the screen the answers to the questions could nto be made in the way the contest booklet suggested. Because of these errors the com mittee has decided that no matter what answer Is made by the contest ants to these five pictures, that an swer will be adjudged correct by the contest judges. In other words, the campaign committee makes a present of 5 answers out of the 30 required to qualify for participation In the $250,000 worth of prizes. Seoul Executive Here This Week John J. Sigwald, Scout executive and his assistant. George Thomas, met with District Chairman A. Pap ineau and committee chairmen at the Plymouth Country Club Tuesday aft ernoon, where they discussed matters pertaining to this Boy Scout district. This was followed by a meeting in the courthouse Tuesday night, when a silver loving cup was presented to Ducky Lloyd, chosen as the "Person ality Boy" of the district recently. A few minutes were devoted to in struction in merit badge work. -® Spruill Property on Water Street Sold To Mrs. Phelps Mrs .Kathleen Spruill last week sold her part of the estate left to her by her father, J. C. Spruill, on north Water Street, to Mrs. Ida Phelps, wife of J. L. Phelps of Cres well. The price was $3,500. This property includes the buildings occu pied by Alma’s Beauty Shop and the Economy Cleaners. COTTON CARDS | ' Cotton marketing cards will be ready for issuance to Washing ton County farmers by the mid dle of next week, County Agent W. V .Hays said today. Growers are requested not to call for them at the county office until individ ual notices are received notify ing them to do so. Growers may market all of the cotton produced on their farms other than in cases where the compliance records show over planting of the acreage allot ment, the county agent said. There are only three or four cases of this kind in the county. Elizabeth City Tries To Secure Livestock Market From Here —•— Pressure Being Brought To Designate That Plaee Central Point -® Pressure is being brought on the meat packers to designate Elizabeth City as the central livestock purchas ing point for cooperative shipments for the whole Albemarle area, which would probably eliminate the very beneficial business that is operated here by the Plymouth Mutual Live stock Marketing Association, it was learned this week. However! County Agent W. V. Hays is exercising every effort possible to block this movement, as the livestock shipping business was started in Plymouth over a year ago and has grown to such an extent that it in cludes shipments of hogs and sheep from practically every county in this immediate section. Civic workers in Elizabeth City for some time have tried to prevail on the packers to locate a purchasing station there and designate it as the central buying point for all the Albe marle region, but Mr. Hays and his workers have managed so far to keep it here in the face of powerful oppo sition. As a last resort, Mr. Hays urges that Plymouth continue to be ’the loading and selling point for the Southern Albemarle section and oth ers nearest this point, and that Shawboro, north of Elizabeth City, serve the territory to the north of Plymouth. How far the opposition forces will go to take this very convenient and profitable enterprise from Plymouth is not known at the present, but Mr, Hays and his workers are doing ev erything possible to keep the business in Plymouth. -® Lions and Merchants Hold Joint Meeting At Club Last Friday Committee Appointed To Ask Town for Aid in Placing Highway Signs -- A mixture of feood fellowship, help ful discussions, and a delicious chick en dinner provided the 50 Lions, mer chants and their guests a very pleas ant evening at the Plymouth Coun try Club last Thursday, Lion President W. L. Whitley pre sided over the event in the absence of E. H. Liverman. president of the merchants association, who was out of town on business. W. F. Winslow, representing the merchants, explained the advertising plan that the trade body is sponsor ing this year. Zeb Vance Norman, local attorney, Lion and civic worker, told those present of his plan for the establish ment of a chamber of commerce with the aid of the Town of Plymouth, also his plan for securing the early construction of a hotel. John W. Darden urged the Plym outh merchants to advertise and work for business down in the Pungo sec tion toward Washington, on High way 97, and also on the Turnpike. Carl L. Bailey advised the mer chants to work hard for business here but not to antagonize other towns. Other speakers included L. S. Thompson, J. W. Norman, J. R. Campbell, D. R. Satterthwaite, Jack Peele, Maurice Smith, W. J. Mayo, A. L. Owens, L. E. Hassell, O. H. Cox, and W. V. Hays. A committee from the two organi zations were appointed to take up the matter of signs for the highways with the town council at its next meeting. The committee is composed of J. R. Manning, L. S. Thompson and A. E. Davenport, Lions; H .A. Williford, E. E. Harrell, and W. F. Winslow, from the merchants’ association. -$ Lay Readers Begin Services October 2 —<§>— Beginning the first Sunday night in October, services will be held in Grace Episcopal church each Sun day, with a lay reader in charge of the services, according to an arrange ment being made by the rector, Rev. S. E. Matthews. At the present time, services are being held at the church only twice a month,, on the first Sunday morn nings and the third Sunday nights. Blount Rodman and S. A. Ward, jr., young local attorneys, will serve as lay readers. Sunday Program at Methodist Church —®— Rev. C. T .THRIFT, Pastor Sunday school, 9:45. J. W. Nor man, superintendent. Preaching by the pastor at 11 a. m. and 7:30 p. m. At the morning hour he will answer the question, "Why Is It Thrift Will Not Marry Divorced People?” For it is, or should be, generally known that he does not marry those who have been divorced. He will answer from the Bible. At the evening service his subject will be "How God Is Set Forth in the Bible. " The young people will meet at 6:45 p. m. County To Have Part In Defense Maneuvers ' | CRESWELL PRINCIPAL [j A. T. Brooks, of Greensboro, who is entering his second year as principal of the Creswell school. Scheduled to open next Thursday, recent developments may cause a postponement of the opening for a week. Barge Loaded Witli Gravel Sinks at Local Dock Tuesday Night - Heavy Rain and Leaking Deck Cited As Cause; 400 Tons Of Gravel Lost -« A scow, or barge, loaded with grav el and owned by the Wood Towing Corporation, of Norfolk, rested on the bottom of the Roanoke River today about 50 feet from the dock at the rear of the municipal buildings here. It went down about midnight Tues day. The water is about 20 feet deep at the point where the scow sunk, but the huge pile of gravel with which it was loaded readies to within 7 feet of the surface of the water, it was found by divers Wednesday, when they plunged almost to the deck of the sunken vessell. This is the second time this scow has been sunk, as it went down sev eral months ago in Chuckatuck, and it was on its first trip it has made since then. The scow arrived here about a week ago and waiting for the crane operator to unload it. Captain W ,‘F. Meekins, who was in charge of the tug which brought the scow here, was waiting Wednes day for storm warnings to be lifted before venturing back to the mouth of the river, where he was to pick up some empty barges and head for the home port. Rivermen on other barges here said that Wednesday night at 9:30 the scow was riding all right, but that the heavy rainfall on the leak ing decks caused the boat to list and later sink to the bottom. Damage is estimated at $1,000 for the 400 tons of gravel lost and about $700 for a derrick to be brought here to recover the scow. As a rule scows, when loaded, turn over when sinking, emptying their load and simplifying the salvage task, but the one here was so close to oth er scows that it could not turn over and went straight down. A temporary marker has been put over the spot where the scow sunk to warn other vessels away from the place until the current washes the gravel away. Courthouse Furniture Is Renovated This Week Brightly shines the furniture in the courthouse here today, as the result of the work of Mrs. Bryan Jordan and six WPA women, who have been engaged in renovating the various articles. The chairs, tables, the judge’s bench and the floors have been var nished and present a very pleasing appearance. This group has also cleaned the furniture in the two white and one colored schools in Plymouth and the white school at Roper. Creswell will have a new building. The work is begin done as a part of the project for cleaning public buildings. W. D. Starr Resigns As Agriculture Teacher Here Officials are casting about today for a successor to W. D. Starr, voca tional agriculture instructor in the Plymouth High School, who has re signed to accept a position as super visor with the Farm Security Ad ministration. Mr. Starr taught three years in Gatesville and is now on his second year in the local school. He is a graduate of State College and is re garded as one of the best vocational agriculture teachers in this section of the State. In his new job he will be located at Weldon as a supervisor in similar work to that done here by C. H Ra bon and R .E. Dunning. The new job is a promotion for Mr. Starr and car ries a substantial increase in salary. It is not known when Mr. Starr will leave, as he will remain until a suc cessor is secured for his work here in the school. At the present time there are no vocational agriculture teachers available in this State, it is understood, although there are some applications on file from teachers in Mississippi, from where it is probable a teacher will be secured. Observers Named To Warn of Approach < )l "Hostile** Aircraft Six Warning Posts in W ash* ington County Designated Bv Legion Commander -® The zooming of military aircraft will be heard over Washington Coun ty during the second week in Oc tober, when one of the world's larg est air forces will engage in war ma neuvers to test the defense of Fort Bragg against a group of 'invading” planes from the coast, as the United States Air Corps concentrates its air forces in the eastern part of North Carolina W. V. Hays, as commander of the local American Legion post, has ap pointed a group of men to serve as observers and warn the anti-aircraft forces at Fort Bragg of the progress of the invading planes from the north and east. These observers will be stationed in strategic points in this county. Observers appointed are as follows P. W. Brown, Plymouth; A R. Phelps, Roper; T. W. Tarkenton, Pleasant Grove; Mr. Harris, superintendent of the prison camp; Earl Davenport, of Creswell; and J. L. Rea, Wenona. Each of these men has an eight mile territory to cover, and any citi zen observing the passage of the airplanes, day or night during the week of the maneuvers, is urged to communicate with the observer near est him, and the observer in turn will notify the Fort Bragg defense force of the progress of the invaders. All types of craft will be used in the maneuvers, bombers, pursuit planes, blimps, and observation ships. There will be two forces, invading and defending, and in addition Fort Bragg will have a concentration of anti-aircraft guns, searchlights, lis tening equipment and the like. Two of the chief observation posts will be in quiet places, the fire tower here and the post at Lake Phelps, where the planes may be heard even before they can be seen. It is the duty of every citizen to see to it that all aircraft are reported so that the defending forces may be on the alert for them. "One of the most important things the defensive forces of the country wish to determine,” says Mr. Hays, "is whether or not private citizens may be depended upon to serve as observers in the case of actual war.” If the invading ships should be too high for detection, or scurrying thru watergirt sections unnoticed, their in terception will, of course, be impos sible. and the Army post will be reck oned as succumbing to the invaders. Three hundred and fifty warning posts have been designated in the area of operations, which runs west as far as Raleigh, south to Wilming ton. and north to the Virginia line. All telephone lines will be opened to the observers during the four hours in the day and four hours at night that the planes will move toward Fort Bragg. Colonel Jarman, from Fort Bragg, and other Army officers were here last week arranging for the observ ers, and Mr. Hays has asked the men mentioned above and all of the citi zens of the county to cooperate, as these are the first air maneuver? of such magnitude ever to be conducted in the nation. Man Says He Was Beaten and Robbed —®— Bruised, bloody and bedraggled was William Harrison, aged wanderer of Kinston, who was found by officers Friday afternoon apparently in a stupor near the union station. Lac erations on his fac eand bruises about the head were given attention by Dr. T. L. Bray, and Saturday morning the man was looking much better in clean clothes. Harrison contended that he was robbed of $200 after having been beaten; but Officers P. W. and Tom Brown carried several persons before him whom they knew to be inno cent, and he claimed they had as saulted him. identifying each one as an accomplice. Mr. Harrison is a brother of the late Rev. N. H. Harrison, Primitive Baptist minister, and it was reported that he had not been to Plymouth in 38 years. Relatives of the minister cared for the visitor while he was here.