The Roanoke Beacon
******* and Washington County News *******
VOLUME LI—NUMBER 37
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, September 12, 1940
Advertisers will find Beacon
and News Columns a latchkey to
1.500 Washington County homes.
ESTABLISHED 1889
Town
opics
Prank Freeman, of Greenville, em
ployed on construction work at the
North Carolina Pulp Company here
at intervals in the last three years,
was married to Miss Sarah Dortch,
of Sweetwater, Ala., in Norfolk last
Sunday. Mr. Freeman was well
liked here. The couple will prob
ably make their home in Greenville.
Harry S. Irons, of Wilmington, Del.,
who has not been in Washington
County for 29 years, was here this
week visiting an uncle. Mayor C. N
Davenport, sr.. of Creswell. For 22
years Mr. Irons has been foreman of
the service department of the Dela
ware Power and Light Company.
Chief of Police P. W. Brown
said today that all citizens should
refrain from putting trash on the
streets on Saturdays, as the town
trucks will not be around to make
a collection that day. The offi
cer pointed out that when trash
was placed on the streets it made
the town look untidy to visitors,
of which there is an increasing
number especially on Sundays.
Such trash should be placed in
back yards to wait until Monday,
he said.
Representative W. M. Darden is
planning to attend the state conven
tion of Young Democratic Clubs of
North Carolina in Raleigh Friday and
Saturday of this week. Others may
decide later to accompany Mr. Dar
den to the meeting.
The 13 ‘/2-pound baby boy born to
Mr. and Mrs. Broughton Overton in
the Pleasant Grove community on
Tuesday, September 3. is believed to
be the largest new-born baby on rec
ord in Washington County. Dr. W.
H. Harrell, of Creswell. was the at
tending physician. Mother and son
are reported doing nicely.
George W. Harrison is now lo
cal agent for the Raleigh News
and Observer, succeeding “Tick”
James. The change became ef
fective Monday. He is also local
agent for the Charlotte Observer.
Reports reached here today that
Earl Westerling, formerly employed
at a local industrial plant and well
known in the county, died Tuesday
night in a Norfolk hospital, where he
had been taken after only a few
hours' illness. Only meagre reports
were available here.
County farmers have until Oc
tober 31 to carry out their soil
building practices under the AAA
farm program, according to W. V.
Hays, who said that participat
ing farmers must complete their
soil-building practices by that
time in order to receive credit
i.y. this year's program.
Mrs. E. G. James, employed at the
Owens Brothers office here, recently
made a methodical trip to the New
York World’s Pair-. She made a list
of the exhibits and shows that she
visited. She made the trip by boat
and said she was seasick for most of
the voyage.
William P. Root, celebration con
sultant of the producing company
that wil stage the featured events of
the Sesqui-Centennial Celebration
here in October, said while here that
Plymouth was strategically located,
had a fine topic for celebration ma
terial, and that with the cooperation
of all citizens the event should be a
great success.
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Commercial Course
Planned at' School
Efforts are being made today to
have included in the courses offered
at the Plymouth High School instruc
tion in bookkeeping, shorthand, and1
typewriting, according to Principal R,
B. Trotman, who said that Mrs.
Charles A. Hough, a state certified
commercial teacher, who lives near
Dardens, would conduct the classes.
Six typewriters must be secured for
use by the students, and the rental
fee for the machines will be $120 for
tight months, with this fee applied
to the purchase price if the school
decides to buy the typewriters, Mr.
Trotman said.
If an organization will assume ob
ligation for the machines, the stu
dents will pay only $3 per month for
tuition, it was expalincd, and if the
enrollment reaches the point where
an additional teacher is earned, then
the state will pay the teacher, and
there will be no charge to the stu
dents for tuition.
The course is open to town people,
as well as high school students. Those
who wish to enroll are asked to see
Mr. Trotman by Friday of this week.
Red Cross Drive in County Closed With
Less Than $200 of $600 Quota Realized
A total of $194,65 has been re
ported by Chairman James W.
Norman, of the Washington
County ehapter of the American
Red Cross, as contributions to the
relief of European war refugees,
with a total of $6.78 received last
week and $1.50 which has not
been heretofore acknowledged.
Mr. Norman said that the drive
closed last week, Washington
County raising less than $200 of
the $300 initial quota. The quota
was later raised to $600 as the
need continued to increase.
Mr. Norman said that he wish
tu express his appreciation to the
people of the county who made
contributions to aid the starving,
suffering and homeless refugees
who were caught in the mael
strom following the invasion of
Belgium, the lowland nations, as
well as other countries in Eu
rope.
The recent list of contributors
came from Creswell, and ac
knowledgment is made as follows:
$2, W. H. Bolling; $1 each, Mrs.
Mary Armstrong, Mrs, Milton
Starr, O. D. Hatfield, T. W. Tar
kenton; and miscellaneous do
nations less than $1. Rom Nor
man, Mrs. C. N. Davenport, and
J. B. Davenport,
| PRINCIPALS OF THE THREE WHITE HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY j
Above are principals of the three large white schools of Washington County, all of which, with the open
ing of the Plymouth City Schools today, are now in session. They are lleft to right): IT B. Tiotmun. who
began his fourth year in the Plymouth schools today; A. T. Brooks, in his fourth year at Creswell: and D. E.
Poole, in his sixth year at Roper. The Creswell and Roper schools opened two weeks ago toda> _
Record Enrollment at
Opening of Plymouth
Schools This Morning
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Number Entering Is
41 Greater Than at
Opening Last Year
456 Entered in Elementary
Grades and 182 in High
School at Opening
A record-breaking enrollment of
608 boys and girls was reported in the
white schools of Plymouth today,
when the institutions opened for the
1940-41 term with appropriate exer
cises. Congested conditions found
many of the students standing in the
aisles at the opening exercises in the
high school auditorium.
The Rev. Paul B. Nickens, pastor
of the Baptist church, conducted the
devotional, and H. H. McLean, sup
erintend, nt of public instruction for
Washington County, made an ad
dress. Principal R. B. Trotman an
nounced the schedule of classes and
made other announcements.
Walter H. Paramore, a member of
the county school board, made a brief
talk on “Sacrificing for the School,”
calling attention to the fact that the
teachers, students, and patrons would
be called upon for one sacrifice after
another if the school was to have a
successful year.
“There will, of necessity, be occa
sions for the sacrifice of ideas, money,
personal interests and selfishness of
the individual teacher, student, and
parent for the benefit of the school
collectively, as the taxpayers have
sacrificed to make available the op
portunity which now confronts the
youth of this school,” he said.
In the enrollment today, there was
a total of 456 in the elementary
grades and 182 in the high school,
for a grand total of 608, which is 41
more than were enrolled last year on
opening day. The enrollment last
year was 400 in the elementary and
167 in high school, making a total of
567.
Principal Trotman said he was ex
pecting a gradual increase in the en
rollment figures and that by the end
of the fall semester there would be
close to 700 children enrolled in the
two institutions, the Hampton school
and the high school.
No report could be obtained from
the colored school, but it is expected
that it also had a record opening day
enrollment.
Attorneys in Land Suit
Confer Here This Week
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W. B. Rodman, sr., of Washington,
E. L. Owens, W. M. Darden and Z,
V. Norman, counsel for the 21 de
fendants in the suit for ownership of
the Annie L. Owens’ estate property
conferred Tuesday and Wednesday on
their position in the case. It was ru
mored that H. S. Ward would also be
called into the case.
Creswell Census
Figures Op 100
The population of the Town of
Creswell increased exactly 100
in the last 10 years, according to
Mayor C. N. Davenport, sr„ who
was in Plymouth this week.
In 1920 the census showed a
total of 356 persons, while the
fifteenth decennial census, recent
ly completed, shows that there
are 456 persons living within the
corporate limits now, including
302 white and 154 colored.
Mr. Davenport said people in
Creswell were well pleased with
the increase, which amounted to
nearly 30 per cent, but hoped to
see a much larger increase during
the next 10-year period.
C. E.'Hutchins Trial
Occupies Recorder's
Court for Two Days
Appeals From Verdict of
Guilty on Charge of
Non-Support
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A jury in recorder’s court Wednes
day afternoon, following two hours
of deliberation, found C. Edley Hut
chins, 25, white, guilty of abandon
ment and non-support of his wife,
Mrs. Frances Chesson Hutchins, con
cluding a triul that had been under
way part of Tuesday and most of
Wednesday.
Recorder John W. Darden suspend
ed judgment for two years on con
dition that Mr. Hutchins contribute
$25 monthly for two years to the
support of his wife. The payments
are to be guaranteed by a justified
bond of $500. Appeal was noted by
the defendant to superior court, and
an appearance bond of $500 was re
quired of the defendant.
Evidence in the case tended to show
that Mr. Hutchins left his home here
on Monday, September 2, returning
the following day with a truck, on
which he loaded all of the household
furnishings in their Washington
Street apartment while Mrs. Hutchins
was visiting a neighbor.
A warrant was issued here for Mr.
Hutchins and sent to Asheville to be
served on him at Black Mountain,
his former home. The returned doc
ument showed that it had been served
on the sixth of this month.
Weeping as she testified on the
stand of his having left her several
times before, Mrs. Hutchins said she
was afraid to go with her husband in
her present physical condition. She
sent word to her father, W. B. Clies
son, at Pleasant Grove, asking him
to come to Plymouth for her, which
he did.
Among the witnesses heard in the
matter were Mrs. Hutchins, Mr. Hut
chins, Ed Ricks, J. R. Campbell, Fred
Innes, J. K. Reid, H. J. Riddick, C. E.
Ayers, R. G Hardison, W. C. Hutchins
of Black Mountain, father of the de
fendant, and Mrs. Bentley.
W. Ronld Gaylord appeared for the
state as prosecuting attorney, and W.
L. Whitley assisted as private counsel
for the prosecuting witness, while
Carl L. Bailey appeared for the de
fendant. The jury was composed of
Frank E. Bratten, Walter R. Swain,
C. O. Kelly, Louis M. Davenport, S.
D. Davis and W. J. Harrison.
It was reported that notice of a
suit for alimony was served on Mr.
Hutchins during the trial, but Clerk
of Superior Court C. V. W. Ausbon
said yesterday that no complaint had
been filed for hearing in superior
court on such an action. The vet
eran clerk also said that no alimony
suit had ever been filed in the court
here in his recollection.
Mrs. M. F. Jackson
Funeral at Dardens
Tuesday Afternoon
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Died Monday Morning at
Home Here of Daughter,
Mrs. E. S. Mizell
Funeral services were held at the
residence near Dardens Tuesday aft
ernoon for Martha Frances Jackson.
80, who died Monday morning at 7
o'clock, following a heart attack aft
or having been confined to her bed
for two weeks at the home here of
her daughter. Mrs. E. S. Mizell.
Rev. Gilbert Davis, of Bell Arthur,
conducted the last rites, assisted by
the Rev. F. A. Lilley. of Washington.
Interment was made in the cemetery
at the Dardens Christian church, of
which Mrs. Jackson had long been
a faithful member.
A large crowd attended the final
rites for the beloved woman, who was
well known and highly respected in
both Washington and Martin Coun
ties. A large floral offering was con
tributed.
She was the widow of James
Franklin Jackson, who was fatally
injured by a hit-and-run driver sev
eral years ago near Dardens. Mrs.
Jackson was a native of Martin
County, but moved here to live with
her daughter, Mrs. E. S. Mizell, sev
eral weeks ago.
Surviving are three children: J. S.
Jackson, of Washington; Mrs. D. H.
Wolfe, of Washington: and Mrs. E.
S. Mizell. of Plymouth.
Student Minister Is
Secured by' Vestry
Of Episcopal Church
Franklin Kizer Will Hold
Services Here on Three
Sundays a Month
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The vestry of Grace Episcopal
Church here has secured the services
of Franklin Kizer, of Washington,
N. C.. for three Sundays a month
during the fall, winter and spring of
1940-41 to succeed William B. Dan
iels, ministerial student, who has
been here during the summer.
Mr. Kizer will teach a Sunday
school class, conduct morning prayer
and act as adviser to the Young Peo
ples Service League. The churchman
will be here Sunday for his first serv
ice. He is a ministerial student, tak
ing his academic work at East Caro
lina Teachers’ College in Greenville.
The Rev. Sidney E. Matthews, of
Washington, rector of the parish, will
continue his affiliation with the work
here and will be present for the morn
ing service on the second Sunday of
each month and for the evening serv
ice on the third Sunday in each
month.
A farewell party was given 10 Mr
Daniels on Friday night, when a
large number of the church members
met at the community hall and pre
sented him with a wrist watch and
$51 in cash. Games were played,
singing enjoyed and refreshments
served.
In a report to the group present
Friday night, Mr. Daniels said there
were 96 communicants of the church
living in or near Plymouth; 57 are
regular contributors; there are 65 un
confirmed children and aults; 170
persons are served by the church; av
erage attendance is 51 and at Sun
day school 31: enrollment in church
organizations: senior woman’s aux
iliary, 24; junior woman’s auxiliary,
15; mens club, 34: Young People’s
Service League, 24.
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County Man Escapes
From Prison Camp
'i-. —
Sheriff J. K. Reid was on the look
out today for Rudolph Vail, of Wash
ington County, who escaped from a
Duplin County prison farm with three
other prisoners this week. Details of
the escape are not available.
Vail was sent to prison to serve five
consecutive terms totaling three to
six years for storebreaking and lar
ceny in Duplin County in 1939.
Abandon Plans ior
Cooperative Peanut
Warehouse Locally
Decision Is Reached After
Meeting With Marketing
Specialist Friday
Farmers meeting here Friday aft
ernoon with C. W. Sheffield, of Ra
leigh. senior marketing specialist of
the State Department of Agriculture,
and John W. Darden, secretary of
the Washington County Chamber of
Commerce, decided that the time was
not ripe to endeavor to convert the
plant of the Bain and Clark Peanut
Company here into a cooperative
warehouse and factory.
Pending legislation was given as
one of the reasons for the delay in
action on this matter, as peanuts ire
not considered one of the basic crops
of the country by the Agricultural
Adjustment Administration at the
present time and there is no assur
ance that the present level of prices
maintained now by the North Caro
lina Peanut Stabilization Cooperative
will continue after the 1940 crop is
taken care of.
It was said by some to be possible
that next year peanuts would be de
clared a basic crop, in which event
the government may give the farm
ers an opportunity to vote on con
trol measures, such as marketing
quotas, which are now in effect with
tobacco and cotton.
L. E. Hassell, a director of the N.
C. Peanut Stabilization Cooperative,
said that when he was in Washing
ton. D. C., recently, officials of the
Department of Agriculture made no
bones in telling the grower represen
tatives that the crop must be cur
tailed for 1941 or there would be co
operative to maintain the price level
in effect for the past two or three
years.
Mr. Hassell and County Agent W.
V. Hays agreed that there had been
about a 15 per cent increase in the
acreage planted to the 1940 crop in
Washington County and in North
Carolina and Virginia. One thing
which has held the market up is that
the Georgia peanut growers do not
produce choice peanuts, as in North
Carolina, and most of their crop is
of such low quality that it is largely
used for peanut meal and peanut oil.
Mr. Sheffield could give but one
instance where a local organization of
farmers was maintaining a peanut
warehouse and factory, and that was
in Virginia. It was not known what
degree of success was attending the
enterprise.
Mr. Sheffield said that in order for
a cooperative undertaking such as
that proposed here to be successful,
it would have to purchase at least 51
per cent of the crop from its mem
bers, and the peanuts bought would
have to reach the consuming public
direct and not go through the hands
of other cleaners, as the larger manu
facturers would probably soon de
press the price and cause disaster,
One of the most interesting and
encouraging notes at the meeting was
the statement made by W. H. Clark
that a prospective purchaser of the
local plant was here recently and
that the machinery and building it
self was in excellent repair.
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Plymouth Native
Dies in Norfolk
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Funeral services were conducted at
a Norfolk funeral home Monday aft
ernoon for James Harvey Bateman,
51, a native of Plymouth, who had
been sick for six months. Interment
was made in a Norfolk cemetery.
Born in Plymouth, Mr. Bateman
had made his home in Norfolk for 35
years, where he was employed in the
Norfolk Navy yard as a machinist.
He was the son of George L. and Mrs.
Henrietta Bateman.
Besides his wife, Mrs. Cora Farrow
Bateman, he is survived by one adopt
ed son, William J. Bateman, of Nor
folk; two brothers, R. W. Bateman,
of Roanoke, Va., and J. R. Bateman,
of Plymouth; three sisters, Mrs. J. S.
Davenport, of Creswell: Mrs. Annie
Clement, of Crewe, Va.: and Mrs.
Cora Clement, of Lynchburg, Va.
Market Department
Is Added at Pender's
Pender’s store here is now operat
ing a modern market department in
conjunction with its regular line of
groceries, and business has been very
good since the new department was
opened last week, according to Man
ager B, Gray Willis.
The partition at the rear of the
store was moved back several feet and
modern equipment, including a float
ing air refrigeratoi, meat block and
display refrigerator, has been in
stalled, adding to the attractiveness
of the store and enlarging its capac
ity of service to patrons.
Clerk George Morgan, who has been
here for some time, is employed it
the meat department. He is an ex
perienced meat cutler, having had ex
perience with several other markets.
Manager Willis said he expected
this department of the store to in
crease in popularity with the cus
tomers, and this week they are otter
ing specials in their advertisement.
Sesqui - Cen tennial
Event Planned foi
Three Days Here
NOMINATED |
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Herbert C. Bonner, of Wash
ington last Friday received the
nomination for Representative
from the first congressional dis
trict, to succeed Lindsay Warren.
The action was taken at Eden
ton, where the district congres
sional meeting was held.
Bonner Gels District
Nomination Friday
By Unanimous Vote
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Delegation of 15 From Here
At Committee Meeting
In Edenton
Upwards of 15 persons from
Washington County accompanied W.
R. Hampton, a member of the first
congressional district Democratic ex
ecutive committee, to Edenton Friday
morning, when they approved the
casting of the vote from this county
for Herbert C. Bonner as nominee for
the unexpired term and following
two-year term as representative in
lower house of Congress. The place
will become vacant by resignation of
Lindsay C. Warren, effective October
1, to become Comptroller General of
the United States.
Among the group from here were
Mr. Hampton, C. L. Bailey, Harry
Stell, Linwood Hassell, J. W. Dar
den. W. M. Darden, Ben A. Sumner,
L. E. Hassell, J. K. Reid, and others.
Corporal T. B Brown escorted the
contingent of 15 cars from Washing
ton, Martin. Beaufort, Pitt and other
counties which went over in a caval
cade.
Mr. Hampton was named on the
committee to escort Mr. Bonner in
to the Chowan courthouse to be no
tified of his nomination after Dud
ley Bagley, of Currituck, had moved
for Mr. Bonner’s nomination, which
was seconded by W. O. Crump, of
Gates; Roy Davis, of Dare; and H.
Clay Carter, of Beaufort.
W. I. Bissett, of Pitt County, placed
the name of Ed G. Flannagan, of
Greenville, before the committee but
said himself that he didn't believe
Flannagan would accept if nominat
ed. Bonner’s nomination was made
unanimous by acclamation.
Jerome B Flora, of Elizabeth City,
was elected chairman of the commit
tee to succeed Mr. Bonner, and M. E.
Matthews, of Engelhard, was con
tinued as secretary. Following Bon
ner's acceptance speech, the commit
teemen were entertained by John
Graham and Richard Dixon, of Eden
ton, at lunch in the Joseph Hewes
Hotel.
Begins October 30th;
Tentative Program
Is Being Considered
Features Include .All-Star
Band Festival, Pageant
And Other Events
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An agreement has been reached
between officials of the Sesqui-Cen
tennial Celebration Committee and
the John B Rogers Producing Com
pany, of Fostoria. Ohio, whereby the
150th anniversary of the founding of
the town of Plymouth will be held for
three days, starting on Wednesday,
October 30.
William P. Root, celebration con
sultant of the company, has been here
for two days conferring with John
W. Darden, general chairman of the
event. The company specializes in
pageants, civic celebrations and cen
tennials.
It is planned to produce a pageant,
based on local history, on each of the
three nights. It will be presented in
the ball park. About 200 persons
will be included in the nightly spec
tacle. Lights will be erected at the
ball park for stage effects, and it was
estimated by the sponsors that a to
tal of 6.000 persons would see the
production during the three nights.
It was also said that the first day
of the observance, Wednesday, will be
featured by a parade of floats and
the Eastern Carolina All-Star High
School Band in the morning, a con
cert at night, an address by a speak
er of national reputation, club home
coming, queen’s coronation, and a
spectacle depicting the progress of
Plymouth,
Thursday there would be a his
torical parade in costume, possibly a
military unit included; an old-timer’s
banquet; basket lunch at noon; foot
ball game: spectacle or pageant at
night, followed by an old-time street
dance.
Friday will be dedicated to the cel
ebration's sales day for merchants,
pet parade, barbecue at noon, con
tests. the pageant of Plymouth at
night, and the queen's ball. In con
nection with the sales day, each mer
chant would be asked to feature sev
eral special items.
Mr. Root’s company will write the
story for the pageant, train the par
ticipants. provide the director, cos
tumes. scenery, lighting and guaran
tee to make it an artistic success.
The cost for the services of the firm
will be $1,250 for the three days. The
money is to be earned by selling sou
venirs, admissions to the pageant, and
other plans for raising revenue.
Revival to Begin
At Roper Sunday
Roper.—A revival will begin in the
Roper Methodist church Sunday
night, September 15, and continue
through the following Sunday morn
ing. All evening services will begin
at 8 o’clock. The pastor. Rev. M. R.
Gardner, will do the preaching. Mis.
M. R. Gardner will lead the congre
gational singing. There will be spec
ial mu^ic. All member" of the Va
cation Bible school ure invited to
come and sing in a junior choir. All
members of the senior choir are in
vited to sing also.
Everyone is cordially invited to all
services.
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Revival Services Begin at
Corinth Church Sunday
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A series of revival services will
start at the Corinth Free Will Bap
tist church near Dardens on Sunday
evening, September 15. with the Rev.
Herman Wooten, of Garner, as the
speaker, to be assisted by Rev. Clar
ence Bowen, the pastor.
•Everyone is cordially invited to
attend each of these services each
evening at 8 o’clock in this old-time
revival,” said the pastor.
Roper Principal Says School Hay Lose
Teacher Unless Enrollment Increased
Unless about 30 mo.e children
enroll in the Roper white schools,
there is a possibility that the
school will lose the additional
teacher earned last year, accord
ing to Principal D. E. Poole, who
is anxious that the new teacher
supplied by the State School
Commission this year be retained.
The teacher was earned by in
creased enrollment and attend
ance last year, and she will be
lost by failure to maintain a sim
ilar record this year, Mr. Poole
said, in pointing out that there
was an enrollment of 336 chil
dren opening day last year,
against 337 this year,,
School officials are making ev
ery effort to get welfare officials
to visit the homes and persuade
parents to send fheir children to
school so that the enrollment and
attendance may be maintained.
Mr. Poole said one encouraging
factor in the situation is the fact
that during the first week of the
current an additional 10 students *
had been entered, bringing the
enrollment to a total of 350.
However, the enrollment must be
built up close to 400 to retain the
extra teacher.
This year the. Roper white
school has 14 teachers, against
13 last term.