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. VOLUME LII—NUMBER 46 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, November 13, 1941 ESTABLISHED 1889 Town opics The Rev. J. M. Johnston, pastor of Ludford Memorial Baptist church here, is in Asheville this week at tending the annual convention of the Baptist denomination He intends to return to occupy his pulpit Sunday morning. Alumnae of the Women's College of the University of North Carolina who wish to attend the 50th anniversary meeting for 10 counties at Edenton next Tuesday night. November 18, are asked to make reservations here with Mrs. J. R. Campbell. The price will be $1 per plate. Inspector M. J. McCloud, of Greenville, here this week to ex amine applicants for drivers’ li censes for the highway safety di vision, said that because of the demand for steel by the national defense program the state had been unable to get material for license plates for 1943. W T. Arrants suffered a broken right arm this week, when a piece of steel fell on it at the pulp plant! here. Tire arm was broken between his elbow and wrist, and he had it in a sling this morning. The three Methodist ministers in this county, the Revs. M. R. Gardner, of Roper; O. L. Hardwick, of Plym outh; and C. N. Pitts, of Creswell. are all attending the North Carolina con ference at Durham this week. Ap pointments for the coming year will be read tomorrow morning. It is understood today that the county commissioners have about completed arrangements to se cure the money for the purchase, of seats for schools in the coun ty and to repair the roof of the local high school. It is hoped the roof here can be repaired very shortly. Zeno Lyon has succeeded G. K. Harris as rural carrier on route one out of Plymouth. Mr. Harris was re tired sometime ago. Mrs. Addie Rob bins is continuing as substitute car rier for this route. Miss Becky Ward, daughter of Mrs. S. A. Ward, sr., made the honor roll during the first quarter in the com mercial course at St. Marys Junior College in Raleigh. Dr. G. B. Johnston, a represen tative of the State Board of Health, is in the Plymouth school this week examining children for possible dental ailments which they may have and recommend ing methods of treatment. Nick i-orter, .cbi.'f clerk in the office of County Agent W. V. Hays, said to day that farmers should make a list of repairs needed for farm imple ments and place orders for them at once, as defense priorities are likely to hold up all shipments after the first of the year. A. E. Davenport and L. S. Thomp son, returned from a trip to New York last week by way of Trenton, N. J„ and they visited the palatial home of Col. Charles A. Lindbergh near there. It was at this home that the lire Department Will Again Be Sponsor For Christmas Cheer Movement in County Decision was reached this week by members of the Plymouth Volnteer Fire Department to re pair and paint old toys for dis tribution among the needy child ren of Washington County at Christmas, according to Miller Warren, fire chief. As their contribution toward lightening heavy hearts and pre venting the disappointment of children on Christmaas Day, the firemen last year “renewed” scores of discarded toys con tributed by generous people here and brought cheer to the hearts of many who would otherwise have been passed up by Santa Claus. The firemen request those who have old or discarded toys which can be made servicable by re pairing or repainting, to bring them to the fire department headquarters or to notify any of the firement immediately, so that they may be called for and work begun as soon as possible. The repairing and repainting will be done by members of the de partment during their spare time between now and Christmas. Fire Chief Miller Warren said that he hoped local people would respond immediately to the ap peal for old toys, so as ta give the firemen as much time as pos sible for the renovating task. Last year during the Christmas season the firemen did a noble job in gladdening the hearts of many poor boys and girls by re pairing and repainting about 200 toys that were vajued at over S300 for the boys and girls at Christmas time. Meetings for Farmers To Begin Next Week Try To Get Game Here Next Week Efforts to schedule a football game here Thanksgiving Day, Thursday of next week, Novem ber 20, are still underway, with three teams having been invited to play the Plymouth High School Panthers here, but so far none of them has accepted, ac cording to Principal R. B. Trot man. It was hoped that Dunn, Eliza beth City or Edenton could be secured for the Turkey Day game here, but so far no definite ar rangements have been made, and Principal Trotman is writing several other schools in an effort to get a game here. Shortage Materials Is Cause of Delay in Securing REA Loan Work on Line in County Is Held up Peking Ap proval of Loan - ■— Shortage of materials for construc tion of power lines is believed to be the cause of delay in approval of the application for a loan to the Wood stock Electric Membership Coopera tive by the Rural Electrification Au thority in Washington, D. C., accord ing to W. B. Rodman, of Washington, attorney for the cooperative, who said proposed power lines for the co (Continued on Page Four) Annual Drive for Red Cross Now Underway Began Tuesday and Will Be Continued Until Thanksgiving Dinner Meeting Next Week Is Being Considered; No Reports Yet Workers Are continuing their can vass in the county for the annual roll call membership drive of the Washington County chapter of the American Red Cross, although John W. Darden, chairman of the county chapter, had no reports today on the progress made so far. Mr. Darden said that he was plan ning a dinner meeting of the Red Cros workers, to be held in the com munity hall probably next Wednes day night, at which time it is hoped complete reports can be made by the canvassers, who are making an effort to secure 1,000 members in the coun ty during the campaign. The drive is to continue through Thanksgivng Day, and the canvassers urge all who can to make some contribution to the worthy cause. Workers are asking each individual to take an annual membership at $1 or more. Smaller amounts are ac cepted, but they do not entitle the donor to the membership certificate. Half of the money raised will remain in the county to help needy persons when deemed advisable by the chap ter officials. The other half goes to the national organization. Mrs. Frances M. Darden is head of the campaign in the county, and Shirley Young is helping at the plant of the North Carolina Pulp Com pany. H. H. McLean is directing the campaign in the schools. The Creswell chapter has set a goal of 200 members, twice that of last years. Mrs. Clyde Smithson is roll call chairman there. Officers of the unit are: Mrs. W. B. Gaither, chair man; Mrs. Clyde Smithson, vice pres ident; Mrs. J. B. Davenport, secre tary; A. H. Tucker, treasurer; Mrs E. S. Woodley, production chairman; and Mrs A C. Swain, sewing chair man. Sheriff Gets First Dog in 20 Years' Service as Officer -- Seized Animal for Owner Under Claim-and-Deliv ery Proceedings After 20 years as a law enforcement officer of Washington County, Sher iff J. K. Reid said that last week he locked up his first dog; and after many years of service in keeping the public buildings in condition, Jim Hamilton said that he became cus todian of his first dog at the same time. It all came about when W. N. Sit terson secured claim-and-delivery papers from a local magistrate to re cover a dog which he alleged was being wrongfully held by certain par ties, who, Sitterson said, had been Continued on Page Four) Producers Asked To Sign Up With Defense Program -* — 1942 Allotments for Basic Crops Expected To Be Same as This Year .—S’ Meetings will be held in the three Agricultural Administration districts in Washington County, beginning next Tuesday or Wednesday. Novem ber 18 or 19, to give the 883 eligible farmers in this county an opportunity to sign the farm defense program of the 1942 farm production plan, ac cording to Nick Porter, chief clerk in the office of County Agent W. V. Hays. Soybeans for harvest and peanuts for oil, along with farm gardens, are crops for which an increased produc tion is sought, according to Mr. Por ter, and farmers will also be asked to increase the number of milk cows, hogs, eggs and beef cattle for mar keting. It was stated that at the meetings crop allotments for those cooperating in the 1942 agricultural conservation program would be announced; and the farmers wil be informed as to how many acres of tobacco, cotton, wheat, peanuts for edible purposes, Irish potatoes and corn they may plant without penalty. Reports here are to the effect that the 1942 allot ments for these crops will remain sibstantially the same as they were this year. Farmers will be asked to estimate the number of acres of corn they will plant, and give information on small grains, how much land will be devot ed to hay and pasture, the number of acres of peanuts to be planted for hogs, and the amount of land to be used for production of fresh and processed vegetables for sale, exclud ing potatoes. Planters of the basic crops, includ ing tobacco, cotton, wheat, peanuts for tiible purposes, irish potatoes and corn will furnish the information to AAA authorities for the purpose of determining eligibility for loans and parity payments, if any, and for the marketing quota provisions of the act. Union Service at Creswell On Thanksgiving Morning -« A union Thanksgiving service will be held at the Creswell Methodist church next Thursday, November 20, at 9:30 a. m. The Revs. B. W. Gai ther, R. N. Fitts and G. A. Martin will participate. Gifts of fruits, vegetables and oth er foods are requested for distribu tion to the less fortunate. The public is invited to attend. -« Working on Lunchroom For Colored School Here I --- Undaunted by the lack of a loom for serving of lunches, patrons and students of the Plymouth colored school have set their hands, spades and wheelbarrows to work and are digging space enough under the build ing there to make a lunchroom avail able. The building is bricked high from the ground at the front. WPA Allots $10,176 for Improvements To Colored School Building in Roper Congressman Herbert C. Bon ner said this week he had been advised by President Franklin D. Roosevelt that the Work Pro jects Administration had approv ed a project for improvements to the colored school building at Roper with a WPA allotment of $10,276. The contemplated improve ments include the addition of 6 rooms and a library to the frame structure. Principal J. J. Clem mons said today this was good news to him, because it would af ford the rapidly growing colored school more class rooms to relieve prevailing congested conditions. The cost figured several months ago by Frank Benton, Wilson ar chitect, was $17,000. The in creased cost of materials has run this amount to $20,318, it is est imated by WPA officials. The WPA agreed to take care of 50.3 per cent of the cost of $10,276. It is not known here today by school officials when actual work would begin on the improve ments to the school building at Roper, because WPA labor is scarce in the county and defense activity has been drawing on cer tain material needed in construc tion. It also has been learned that the county commissioners have not yet made their part, of the project money available. How ever, a plan may be worked out whereby immediate work can be started on the building so that it may be ready in time for the 1942-43 term. V. E. & P. Company Doing Its Full Share In National Defense Delivered Twice as Much Current for Defense as to All Its Customers -9 Although no curtailment of power use has been ordered for the north eastern section of North Carolina, served by the Virginia Electric and Power Company, Ray H. Goodmon, manager of the Williamston district of the V. E. P., said this week that his firm was delivering twice as much electric energy for national defense purposes as it was supplying to its regular customers. During the four months of July, August, September and October, the V. E. & P. Co. de livered 80,000,000 kilowatt hours of electrical energy and power to the drought-stricken area, while in the same period the Carolina Division of the V. E. & P. Co. delivered to its customers in the 18 northeastern counties their normal requirements of aproximately 40,000,000 kilowatt hours of energy. Unprecedented drought conditions have curtailed the production of elec tricity in other parts of this state to such an extent that a serious shortage of power is being experienced in na tional defense industries; and, for this reason, restrictions have been placed on use of electricity for many pur poses considered less essential to the welfare of the nation. The Virginia Electricity & Power Company is not only producing sufficient energy to take care of the normal requirements of its patrons, but is also delivering twice that amount to other concerns in the state serving defense indus tries. Much of the surplus power be ing delivered by the V. E. P. is un derstood to be going to the big alum inum plants at Badin. Mr. Goodmon said this statement was being made to patrons of the V. E. & P. Company in this section in order that they might know that his company is at all times attempt ing to meet local power demands, as well as attempting to do their full share for national defense. Because of the vast sources of power available through the V. E. & P. Co., it will not be necessary for stores and residences in this section to forego their usual Christmas dec orative lighting, although it has been decided that no Christmas street lighting will be undertaken here. If it becomes necessary to change or modify the present policy of the company, Mr. Goodmon said immedi ate notice would be given all patrons. Until then, they are advised to con tinue the normal use of electricity for all purposes. T. W. Earle Named To Head Boy Seoul Activities in County -9 Succeeds J. R. Manning; John N. Carr Appointed Scoutmaster Here --S> T. W. Earle, manager of the wood and land department of the North Carolina Pulp Company, was unani mously elected chairman of the Washington County district of the Boy Scouts of America at a meeting held at the Pines last Friday night. Mr. Earle will succeed J. R. Manning, who resigned sometime ago due to the pressure of other business. John N. Carr was named Scout master of the Plymouth troop, with Earl Bowen and Phil Liverman as as sistants. Present at the meeting were J. C. Gaskins, of Wilson, district scout ex ecutive, and Dr. Maynard O. Fletch er, of Washington, president of the East Carolina Council, as well as a number of prominent local people who are joining in the movement to help revive interest in scouting in this county. Messrs. Fletcher and Gaskins will meet with the local Lions Club to night, when scouting in the district will be discussed more fully. The Lions Club will be asked to sponsor scouting in the future, but without incurring any financial obligations. It is also announced that a meet ing wil be held Friday night at 7:30 p. m„ in the community hall, with men interested in helping the scout program and all boys who wish to be come scouts or to renew their scout ing work urged to be present. Merchanls Group in Meeiing Plans Take Care Holiday Trade Stores Here To Be Open Evenings Starting With December 19th The Plymouth Merchants Associ ation voted at its monthly meeting Monday night to give $10 to the Ro per school for uniforms for the bas ketball team and to give $40 to the Christmas Joy Fund. It was stated at the meeting that Mrs. Hermine Ramsey was willing to become secretary of a credit bureau for the organization, and a commit tee. headed by E. E. Harrell, was asked to continue work on the bureau until it was completely organized. James W. Norman, president, said he had been advised there would be no Christmas street lights during the Christmas season, due to the need for conserving power. However, it was said that this would not affect individual store and residence yule tide decorations. The merchants decided to keep their stores open at nights Friday, Satur day, Monday, Tuesday and Wednes day before Christmas as a conveni ence for customers who might wish to do their Christmas shopping dur ing these hours. It was decided that if the industrial plants paid off their employees before the Christmas holi days the stores would be closed all day Thursday and Friday. December 25 and 26. for the Christmas observ ance. H. A. Williford. E. H. Liver maan and H .H. Allen were appoint ed a committee to make arrange ments for the Christmas closing. The standing advertising committee was asked to study methods of at tracting business to Plymouth and to make arrangements for such. W. F. Winslow, L. H. Lowe and Dave Kulman were named a commit tee to be in charge of arrangements for the visit of Santa Claus to the business area some time prior to Christmas. BeautificalionGroup Of South Albemarle Association Named Object Is Improvements of Appearances of Homes And Highways Beautification of highways and res idences throughout this section is the goal of the dozen committee mem bers appointed in Washington, Tyr rell, Hyde and Dare Counties by Mrs. W. S. Carawan, of Columbia, chair man of the beautification program of the Southern Albemarle Association. W. L. Whitley, of Plymouth, pres ident of the organization, who ap pointed Mi's. Carawan chairman of the beautification work, said today that Mrs. Carawan had begun an ag gressive campaign in the four coun ties to beautify highways and the premises about private homes. The personnel of the committee is as follows: Washington County: Mrs. Sidney Smithson, of Creswell: Mrs. W. V. Hays and Mrs. Frances M. Darden, of Plymouth; Tyrrell County: Mrs D. M. Sawyer, Miss Mary Blanche Strickland and Mrs. Millie Daven port; Dare County: Mrs. Maude White, Mrs. Hattie Midgett, and Miss Sadie Henley; Hyde County; Mrs. Dan Berry, Mrs. Seth Gibbs and Miss Iberia Roach. Mrs. Carawan has urged the organ ization to offer a prize for the paint ing and white-washing of buildings during the campaign: another prize for the person planting the most trees and shrubbery; and a third prize to the person repairing or removing the most dilapidated-looking buildings from the view of the highways. Those desiring information on how they can improve their buildings and premises are asked to write to Mrs. Carawan, who will furnish the infor mation or inform them where it can be secured. Program of Services at Local Episcopal Church Services will be held at Grace Episcopal church Sunday as follows: 10 a. m., Sunday school. 11 a. m., morning worship service: and eve ning service at 7:30, with the Rev, Sidney E. Matthews preaching. ThanksgivingHoliday To Be Observed Next Thursday in County Beacon To Be Day Early Next Week The Beacon will be published one day earlier next week, due to the arinual Thaaiksgiving holi day falling on the regular publi cation date. The paper will be printed and put in the post of fice Wednesday afternoon, but will not be delivered on the rur al routes or to those who get their mail by city carriers until Friday morning. All correspondents are asked to get their correspondence in one day earlier, and those having notices of any kind to appear next week are asked to remember ' the change in publication date. The Beacon Office, as well as stores and practically all places of business in Plymouth will be closed all day, Thursday, Novem ber 20. Cherry Is Speaker For Armistice Day Exercises Tuesday; Parade and Memorial Cere mony Held Prior to Ad dress by Legislator -s “America is not seeking war and war will not seek a fully prepared America." State Senator R. Gregg Cherry, of Gastonia, told members of the American Legion and others in the Plymouth Theatre here Tues day as a climax to the celebration of Armistice Day. The speaker pointed out that if American ships are not permitted to maintain the freedom of the seas the Axis powers of Europe may dominate the ocean lanes and place America as a second-rate nation among the remaining powers of the world. Senator Cherry said t’nat if Eng land falls it will remove from the ocean a great barrier that protects America and that with the English Navy in the Atlantic and the Ameri can Navy in the Pacific, the demo cracies of the new world are safe from a lustful enemy but that every ounce of national energy this country can muster should be used to guaran tee this freedom that is now enjoyed here. The senator, who was a major dur ing the World War, emphasized the fact that this needs not only soldiers, tanks, planes and the munitions with which to wage war but that it at all times must maintain a united front, 'Continued on Page Four) Stores and Business Establishments Will Be Closed All Day To Mark First—and Last— Observance of Early Thanksgiving Here Washington County will string along with President Franklin D Roosevelt in celebration of Thanks giving Day on Thursday, November 20. with practically all stores and business establishments, including the Branch Banking and Trust Com pany, the ABC stores, the post office, and county and town offices, closed next Thursday. Last year, Federal offices in the county observed the third Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day. but Governor Clyde R. Hoey at that time issued a proclamation along with about a dozen other governors, setting forth that the last Thursday in November would be observed. Be ginning in 1942, the President has stated that the traditional last Thursday in November will be pro claimed by him. At the post office next Thursday, mail will be received and put in boxes but rural delivery and city delivery will not be made. Tire plant of the North Carolina Pulp Company will probably operate with a “skeleton" crew Thanksgiving Day, but the Am erican Fork and Hoe Company and the Plymouth Box and Panel Com pany plants here will probably be closed. Schools of the county will close Wednesday afternoon and allow two days for Thanksgiving, reopening Monday morning. The week earlier observance, adop ted to bring about a longer shopping period between Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays, was found not to have produced the results an ticipated. The President in May an nounced an end of the new custom adopted three years ago. Congress has passed legislation to make the last Thursday in November hereafter a legal holiday known as Thanks giving. Executives of two-thirds of the states and the District of Columbia have indicated their intention of pro claiming the President’s November 20 date as their states’ Thanksgiving Day this year. In 16 other states the Governors will stick to the tra ditional last Thursday in November. Legion Auxiliary To Meet Here Next Monday Night The American Legion Auxiliary will meet Monday night at the Legion Hall. All members are urged by of ficials to be present. Fall Federation Held At Creswell Y esterday Highway Workers To Remove Many Signs Along Roads New Ruling Forbids Signs Closer Than 50 Feet From Center of Highways ——® Employees of the State Highway and Public Works Commission in Washington County, as well as in all parts of the state, this week began removing advertising signs which were placed closer than 50 feet from the center of all state highways. An ordinance to have the signs removed was passed sometime ago by the commission due to claims that closer proximity of the signs to the high ways distracted the attention of au tomobile drivers, creating an acci dent hazard. Excepted from the ordinance reg i Continued on Page Pour) Only 10 Children Found To Have Any Symptoms of Trachoma; Examine AH Relief was expressed today by school officials after it was found that only 10 of the 48 children examined by specialists during the past few days had any symp toms of trachoma. I)r. E. W. Larkin, of Washing ton, an eye specialist, examined children in the Plymouth school Tuesday, and prescribed treat ment in several cases where chil dren were found to be suffereing from eye diseases. Dr. Larkin came to the school under the sponsorship of the Lions Club. Principal R. B. Trotman said today that thorough examina tion given the children by the specialists revealed only a few eases where symptoms of mild eases of trachoma were indicat ed, greatly relieving the anxiety of parents and school officials. It is believed a threatened epi demic of the disorder has been avoided by the prompt discovery and treatment which the threat ened children are now taking. All the pupils in the local high and elementary schools were ex amined by officials of the district health department, and those found with eye diseases were re ferred to the specialists. Miss Pauline Smith Principal Speaker; Outline of Program All County Clubs Except Two Are Represented At Meeting More than 200 women attended the fall meeting of the Washington County Federation of Home Demon stration Clubs in Creswell Wednes day afternoon, when Mrs. Pauline Smith, northeastern district agent, of Raleigh, spoke on "Woman's Place in National Defense.'’ Mrs. Mattie Swain, president of the federation, presided. Mrs. W. V. Hays is vice president: Mrs. D. B. Chesson. secretary: and Mrs. Edna Ltham, is treasurer. Greetings were extended to the vis itors by A. T. Brooks, principal of the Creswell school: and Mrs. H. W. Norman, of the Creswell club, made the address of welcome, with Mrs. J. B. Hathaway, of the Scuppemong club, responding. Mrs. G. A. Martin conducted the devotional, and Miss Ada Virginia Hopkins sang a solo. All of the clubs in the county, ex cept Wenona and Mount Tabor, were represented. Tire program was pre sented in th efonn of a harvest fes tival, with each club having an ex hibit of vegetables, flowers, clothing or some display of farm activity. The slogan of the meeting was ' Any tme is gift time on the farm.” Reports were heard from the fol lowing clubs: Chapel Hill, Hoke, Rop ier, Scuppemong, Cherry, Lake Farm, ' Piney Grove, Cool Springs, County Bridge, Pleasant Grove, Swain, Cres well. Alba. Cross Roads and Beech Grove. Mrs. Frances M. Darden, home demonstration agent, introduced Miss Smith for the principal address of the occasion, and the members of the Creswell club served tea and cookies.