Roper Pupils Write Biographical
Sketch of Miss A. C. Carstarphen
-«"
By Ardie Woodlev Blount
Bernard Shaw has said. He who
can does: he who can't, teaches.'1
That is not true of "Miss Gussie”
Carstarphen. She was a successful
milliner for several years and is an
excellent cook. Her super excellent
reasoning ability would have made
her a good executive and what a
splendid secretary for a professional
man She has stored her mind with
useful facts and unlike most people,
she can usually recall them at will.
To me "Miss Gussie' is the epitome of
a "good neighbor." She is always will
ing to share her time, her talents, and
her material wealth is at the disposal
of a friend, or an enemy, if he really
needs them.
During the days that X was a tea
cher in the County. I met "Miss
Gussie" at county institutes. Usually
she was the star pupil, especially in
history and mathematics. Her un
failing sense of humor and willing
ness to enlighten others endeared her
to everyone.
To me Roper has always meant
"Cousin Ida ana Miss GussieThat
old home is the asylum for my men
tal depressions.
Her life has been a blessing to the
entire community. I often think of
her as one.
"Who through long days of labor.
And nights devoid of ease
Still hears in her heart
The music of wonderful melodies."
I napter i—Ancestry
By Eva Chesson and Elsie Knowles
Miss Augusta C. Carstarphen. or
"Miss Gussie" as she is called by all
who know her, was born in Columbia,
Tyrell County, North Carolina, on
October 4. 1859. She had three sis
ters and four brothers. She is proud
of her pure Scotch ancestory. How
her eyes flashed and her lips smiled
when she told about her Scotch for
bears. Her mother's people hailed
from Edinburgh. Scotland. Her fa
ther was William Daniel Carstarphen
and her mother. Louisa Duguid. In
Scotland, the name was Corstarphone
but was later changed when her
great-grandfather. Robert Carstar
phen, surgeon to Prince Charles in
Halifax. Scotland, escaped to America
during a Scottish upheaval.
Her mother's name, formerly spell
ed Duiguid. was also changed in
America. Noted among her relatives
was her grandfather. James Carstar
phen. who was a lieutenant in the
Revolutionary War. 'Miss Gussie"
also had two uncles—one of them
gave his life to the cause—who fought I
in the War between the States.
Chapter II—louth
B.v Virginia Spruill and Edith Lewis
When "Miss Gussie" reached the
first of the teen years, she left Co
lumbia—"The garden spot of the
world.” as she says it was called—
to stay with a maternal uncle in New
Bern. There she attended New Bern
Academy, the oldest academy in
North Carolina.
Miss Gussie" did not graduate from
college. In fact, she did not attend
college formally, she supplemented
her education from time to time by
attending four or five summer schools
at Raleigh—where she saw her first
automobile—and two sessions at
Chapel Hill. Later on she attended
special courses held in Eastern Caro
lina. She took and passed with hon
or the state examination. She knew
Dr. Mdver Dr. Alderman, whom she
admired greatly: and Dr. J. Y. Joy
ner. whom she entertained in her
home on several different occasions.
Youthful sports which she enjoyed
were croquet, cat-ball, and "tight
rope walking"—which really was
BK1.()\ i n TKACHEK |
J
For over half a century. Miss A.
C. Carstarphen. known to three
generations of Roper students as
"Miss Gussie." has been a school
teacher. The accompanying bio
graphical sketch, with the excep
tion of the preface, was written
by students of the Roper school
and constitutes a remarkable
testimonial to the esteem in
which their beloved teacher is
held.
walking on a rail across a ditch filled
with water. Later on in life, she en
joyed tennis. Her favorite hobbies
then were reading, solving mathe
matics, and studying history, especial
ly Indian and ancient history.
Always has "Miss Gussie" been an
active and earnest church worker.
After finishing her studies at New
Bern Academy "Miss Gussie" went to
live in Plymouth, where her family
had moved. There she joined the
Methodist Church, to please her mo
ther. at the age of eighteen, but later
she joined the Episcopal Church, the
church of her choice. She has taught.
Sunday school for the past 50 years.
At present, she is superintendent,
secretary and treasurer of the St.
Luke Episcopal Sunday School in Ro
per. For the past five years she has
been treasurer of the church as well.
That, she confesses, is a trying office,
for collecting the pastor's salary is no
easy task.
Chapter III—Public Lite
By Jane W'indley and Joe Cox
In 1876 at the age of seventeen
"Miss Gussie" began her career. Hers
has been approximately sixty years
of service to the State of North Caro
lina. Publicly and privately she has
instructed and tutored four genera
tions of children in Washington
County. Her influence on these lives
is immeasurable. With pride she re
members most of them, telling how
she has been able to give good refer
ences for almost everyone of her
students. Often has it been related
that she upon observing mischievous
lads at their studies, reminded her
pupils that their fathers had similar
tendencies.
Outstanding among her pupils is
the Rev. Joseph Latham, born and
reared in Plymouth, now a Methodist
preacher in the Virginia Conference.
She taught potential lawyers, doctors,
insurance agents, county sheriffs, and
housewives. Carl Bailey, lawyer, his
brother Dr. Clarence Bailey, optomer
ist specialist, were her pupils. John
McAllister and George Reid grew up
LIST YOUR
Property Now!
Time Has Been Extended a Fetv Days
According To Following Schedule:
Plymouth.May 6,8,9,10,11
S. D. DAVIS AT COURTHOUSE
Roper.May 6 and 8
A. R. PHELPS, ROPER
Skinnersville.May 6 and 8
WALTER W. WHITE
Crowell.May 6
P. B. BELANGA
ABSOLUTELY
No Further Extension
Unless your ta>“s are listed before
the hooks are closed- yon will be sub
jected to a heavy penalty.
FARMERS MUST TURN IN THEIR
FARM CENSUS
E. F. SWAIN
SUPERVISOR OF TAX LISTING
County of Washington
to be county sheriffs. Mr. Peter
Swain and Mr Luther Ambrose are
Disciple preachers. Mr. Jack McAl
lister. Mrs. Teddy Blount, Mrs. Jim
Leary, Mrs John Chesson's daugh
ters. Mr. John and Henry Williams
-all prepared lessons for "Miss Gus
sie."
Miss Gussie taught in a private
home for one year at Saints Delight
and fifteen years at the Walker
Woods Schoolhouse.
When Mr Richard Peacock, trustee
of the school, told 'Miss Gusie" that
her services as teacher were desired,
he was more concerned about her
skill as a fighter than he was inter
ested in her qualifications for a
teacher. He had a logical argument:
"If you don't fight, you can't teach.''
"Miss Gussie" was undaunted. Site
remembered the advice of a summer
school instructer. He advocated using
three whips. The teacher was to give
a whip to each of the fighters, and
she was to keep the third. If the fight
ers stopped whipping each other, she
was to begin. That broke up fight
ing. and she had little difficulty with
discipline.
Her descriptions of the schoolroom
of her early teaching years is enough
to arouse deep appreciation for our
present system, which is improving
steadily. Her school day began at 8
o'clock and ended at 5, sometimes af
ter 5. There were two hours for lunch.
Public school had to be in the sum
mer time with two weeks out for the
pupils to strip fodder. "Miss Gussie"
had 70 pupils in one room. The room
had no windows, only wooden blinds
which had to be shut when it rained.
There were no blackboards, no chalk.
Moss and saliva were used to erase
the figures and "notes" on slates.
There were two rows of benches the
length of the room on each side of a
middle aisle. All the pupils had to
sit or stand simultaneously or the
benches wouldupset. "Miss Gussie"
reoprts that she had little trouble,
though: for she gave specific instruc
tions about sitting and standing.
There were often no books except
those provided by the teacher.
The nearest well was about half a
mile from the school house. "Miss
Gussie’Telates how the boys found a
snake curled up under the water
bucket one day when they started for
some water. The boys often nailed
strips across the wide cracks in the
floor.
Despite all these hardships, the
students learned, perhaps more
thoroughly than they do today. The
motto then was, to quote “Miss Gus
sie:" "You get this lesson, or you get
this rod." Among the books used then
were Davies's Arithmetic, Kellogg's
and the traditional Blueback Speller.
The words had to be spelled and pro-'
nounced in syllables and about 50 or
60 were assigned daily. The Spencer
ian Writing Book with a maxim or
proverb written at the top of the page
was the writing book used.
"Miss Gussies" hobby is teaching.
She enjoys it. Secondary hobbies
are cooking and helping others.
Chapter IV—Roper As Miss Gussie
Knew and Saw It
By Ruth Hassell, Hermon Myers,
Earl Spruill and Julian Davenport
Who is qualified to relate the story
of Roper better than “Miss Gussie”?
She has boarded or lived in Roper
for the past 50 years. At the present
time she is living in the second old
est house in Roper.
Washington County, named for
George Washington, was formed in
1799. At one time Roper was the
county seat. Thomas Blount, who was
the first settler, owned a sawmill and
a grist mill. He died and his widow
married a Mr. Lee. Prom his name
is derived Lees Mill Township.
The Roper Lumber Company, which
developed Roper, first came to Plym
outh: but the owners could not ob
tain the right of way, so they came to
Roper, where two or three men gave
the right of way. They began build
ing the company before 1890 and
the town grew to 1,200 population
about 1910.
There was a legend about “Miss
Gussie s” home. It was then an old
store that was used as barracks for
workmen. The owner's husband died,
and she married a man who was so
cruel that her children left home. Be
fore she died, she made a will that
was never found. The story goes
that "Miss Narcissa'' came back to
look for it.
One night 15 or 20 people were sit
ting in front of the house. A woman
went into the house and came out
screaming that she had met “Miss
Narcissa" at the door. One of the men
did not believe her and went to dis
cover the truth. He returned, caying
he had seen the ghost, too. “Miss
Gussie," no believer in the super
natural, went in to see for herself.
She came back laughing and exploded
their ghost story by declaring that
what they saw was their own shadow
from the fire that was burning in
front of the house.
From 1890-1922 Roper was a boom
town. Roper flourished for thirty or
forty years until the depression came
after the World War and the owners
of the mill died and their successors
sold out.
Until a few years ago people were
moving away and houses were ruin
ing. Then it began to build up again.
In 1922 because of bad management
the Roper bank failed, and Roper
became a rural community.
In the winter of 1895-1896 Roper
was shut in from communication with
the outside world by severe weather.
Transportation was impossible. The
Albemarle Sound was frozen to such
an extent that men could walk across
it to Edenton.
An interesting personality described
by "Miss Gussie" was Edward Bun
combe, for whom Buncombe County
is named. Mr. Buncombe lived where
Mr. Edgar Spruill lives now. Over his
gate there was an arch with these
words: "Welcome All To Buncombe
Hall.” Mr. Buncombe was a very
COMPLETE FIRST YEAR IN NEW BUILDING
The Plymouth Motor Company this week is observing the first an
niversary of its occupancy of the new building pictured above. J. R.
Manning and J. B. Willoughby, partners in this progressive firm, can
always be counted upon to do their full part in supporting all under
taking for the betterment of the community.
wealthy man. When the Revolution
ary War broke out. he equipped 1.000
men and took them to fight in Phila
delphia. His four daughters married
New Yorkers. He died and is buried in
Philadelphia.
Miss Gussie's story of Roper would
not be complete if Mackeys were
omitted. Mackeys gets its name from
a Mr. Mackey, who owned and oper
ated the ferry boat from this side of
the Albemarle Sound to Eenton.
One day a slave owner went to
Edenton. taking three slaves with
him. When the ferry was about half
way across the Sound, the slaves
killed their master and threw him
overboard. They were caught, taken
to Roper, and hung on a tree growing
on what is now the present school
campus.
Later the Norfolk and Southern
Railroad built a bridge, and in 1907
ran the first train across the Sound.
In the following years the descendants
of Mr. Mackey lived at Mackeys, and
his great grandson. Mr. Durward
Chesson turned the bridge for the
ferry until he became too old to work.
On August 25. 1939 the Albemarle
Sound Bridge was opened formally,
making the ferry from Mackeys to
Edenton no longer necessary.
Today "Miss Gussie" is an ener
getic personally, whose interest in
teaching and people is keen and un
derstanding. Unless one had been
told, he could not guess that Miss
Augusta Carstarphen will be eighty
years old October 4. 1939.
She has two pets—Polly, a parrot,
and Lassie, a mixed water spaniel
and coach dog. She got the parrot
in February, 1907, when he was about
six months old. In the 32 years that
she has had her. she has been, "a
perfect nusiance sometimes, and a
lot of company at others.” “Miss
Gussie’ does not like the way Polly
tries to monopolize conversation when
company is present. One of the high
lights of Polly's career was when she
appeared this year in a play given by
the fifth grade. She was very gar
rulous at the time.
Her dog, Lassie, was given to Miss
Gussie’s sister by a lady in Washing
ton City. Lassie s a nusance about
barking; and “Miss Gussie’’ fears
that she is non-ereligious. for she is
especially vociferous in her barking
when the bishop or preacher comes
in the yard.
"Miss Gussie," whose room the
eleventh grade is privileged to have
since the high school has moved up
stairs and the grammar grades down,
entertained the eleventh grade ex
ceedingly well when she came to
lecture to us about Roper and her
experiences. Perhaps she felt at home
where she had taught for 15 years.
There is not a grown up or a child
in Roper who does not admire, res
pect. and love "Miss Gussie”. Her
fame has traveled far her influence
has gone farther in the lives of those
students who have had the privilege
of knowing her intense enthusiasm
for learning.
Transplanter
REPAIRS
WOOD'S
SEEDS
\\\ WEIGHT
Quick Sales and
Small Profit
Cucumber Seed
Plymouth Motor Co.
Completes Year in
New Building Here
-<50
Firm Has Grown From Small
Beginning To One of
Largest in Section
This week marks the first anniver
sary of the Plymouth Motor Com
pany's occupancy of the newest and
largest garage in Washington Coun
ty. and members of the firm are tak
ing the occasion to thank their cus
tomers and friends for the patronage
which has enabled them to show a
steady growth ever since they went
into business here.
Starting in business here about five
years ago in a small way, J. R. Man
ning and J. B. Willoughby have
brought the concern a long way. and
it is now recognized as the oldest au
tomobile agency in the county, carry
of parts and accessories in the east
ern part of the state, regardless of
the size town.
Mr. Willoughby looks after the re
pair department, and Mr. Manning
heads up the sales and administra
tion ends of the business. They have
the largest personnel of any dealer
ship in the county, comparing favor
ably with those in much larger towns.
The concern carries a complete line
of the Ford V-8 and Mercury cars,
in addition to dependable used cars
and maintaining an up-to-date re
pair service.
They boast of the fact that the
owners and all employees live in
Washington County, where the bulk
of their business is done. Local peo
ple have watched with interest as the
company has grown from a small bus
iness in a rented building to the point
where they now occupy their own
handsome new building, constructed
a year ago.
Condensed Statement of Condition of
Branch Banking
& Trust Company
“THE SAFE EXECUTOR”
Plymouth, N. C.
At the Close of Business March 29, 1939
RESOURCES
Cash and due from banks_$7,433.250.04
Obligations of the United States_ 7,108.970.24
Federal Land Bank bonds_ 710,842.39
Federal Home Loan Bank debuntures 175,369.38
North Carolina Bonds _ 304,589.20
Muneipal and other marketable bonds, 1,384,479.58
$17,117,500.83
Loans and diseounts_ 2,732,805.52
Accrued interest and accounts receivable_ 88,303.57
Banking houses, furniture and fixtures, and real es
tate, less depreciation reserve_ 237,335.94
TOTAL
$20,175,945.86
LIABILITIES
Capital Stock—Common _$ 400,000.00
Capital Stock—Preferred_ 324.960.00
Surplus - 400,000.00
Undivided Profits_ 708,237.06
Reserves - 286,312.40
Unearned Discount and Other Liabilities_ 94,367.55
Deposits- 17,962.068.85
TOTAL
$20,175,945.86
SOUND BANKING AND TUUST SERVICE FOR
EASTERN CAROLINA
Holding High the
TORCH of PROGRESS
On the first anniversary of
our occupancy of our hand
some new building, we pause a
moment to extend our sincere
thanks and appreciation to the
people of Plymouth and Wash
ington County, ivhose liberal
patronage has made it possible
for us to show steady progress
ever since we have been in busi
ness here.
We have demonstrated our faith in this section
by investing in this new building, creating jobs for
local people and adding to the tax income of the
town and county. As we continue to grow, we will
continue to reinvest our earnings in our business
here, as we haAs no outside interests. When you
spend a dollar with us, that dollar stays here to work !
for the good of Washington County.
In addition to all this, we appreciate your bus
iness, and the quality and dependability of our
work and products are not surpassed by any like
Kiikiimcc anvwhere.
Complete One-Stop
Expert Repair Service
WORK GUARANTEED — THE BEST MECHANICS
V_ _ >
Let's Go Places-With Ford and Mercury
TODAY, AS IT HAS FOR OVER 20 YEARS, THE WORD “FORD” MEANS THE
MOST YOU CAN POSSIBLY GET FROM YOUR AUTOMOBILE DOLLAR. WE WILL AL
SO BE GLAD TO DEMONSTRATE THE MERCURY OR A DEPENDABLE USED CAR
FROM OUR STOCK, WITHOUT OBLIGATING YOU TO BUY ANYTHING. GIVE THE
“HOME-TOWN BOYS” A CHANCE.
PLYMOUTH MOTOR COMPANY
j. r. manning “The Home-Town Boys” J* B* Willoughby