North Carolina Newspapers

The Roanoke Beacon ****** *and Washington County News ******* VOLUME LIII—NUMBER 37 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, September 10, 1942 ESTABLISHED 1889 Town opics J. L. Horne, jr., of Rocky Mount, and Bill Sharpe, of Raleigh, were visitors here last Friday. They were joined by W. R. Hampton and con tinued on to Manteo and Ocracoke for a meeting of the Cape Hatteras Seashore National Park Commission. Following the meeting they went on an inspection trip of coastal defense preparations in the region. Messrs. Hampton and Horne are members of the State Board of Conservation and Development. Luther Warnie Gurkin, jr., enlisted in the Army Air Forces Tuesday in Raleigh and expects to enter train ing to become a pilot officer in the near future. He was the only mem ber of a class of 15 volunteers who was accepted. Chief J. C Bartel, of the U. S. Navy recruiting staff, was here several days last week seeking Naval volunteers and had good success, it was stated, signing up 10 or more to take the exami nation. Several selectees who were to go to Fort Bragg for pos sible Army service soon turned to the Navy in preference. James Carl Cox, son of J. M. Cox, who enlisted recently as motor ma chinist’s mate, second class, is now at the U. S. Naval Training Station at Great Lakes, 111. While in recruit training he will undergo an intensive course in the fundamentals of sea manship and naval procedure and will receive actual training aboard training vessels on Lake Michigan. Mrs. Helen D. Morris has accepted the position of secretary to County Agent W. V. Hays, succeeding Miss Ruth Bray, who has gone to Eden ton to take a position. Mrs. Morris held this secretarial position for about six years before leaving about a year and a half ago to make her home in Norfolk. The Washington County Ra tioning Board had three repre sentatives at a district confer ence in Greenville Tuesday. They were W. L. Whitley, chairman; A. J. Kiddle, member; and W. A. Roebuck, clerk. Rationing regu lations were discussed at length in an attempt to get more uni formity In board rulings in the various counties. The local board will meet tonight, and several changes in policy may be announced next week as a result of the meeting in Greenville. J. W. Frederick came to Plymouth about eight weeks ago from his home in Richwood, W. Va„ to work for the North Carolina Pulp Company. 1£« is an experienced pulp a jd paper mill worker and says he has been busy almost night and day since ar riving here. He likes Plymouth so well that he is planning to buy a dwelling and bring his family here to make their home. His son, Charles, arrived Tuesday and also is working at the pulp plant. Letters received from Sergeant Rus sell Callis of the 898th Engineers Corps, serving with the armed forces "somewhere abroad,” report him in good health and enjoying his work. His home is in Ahoskie, but he is well known hi Plymouth having worked as a salesman for the H. M. Mitchell Furniture Co. He is a bro ther of Mrs. Hilton Modlin. He was inducted into the army about 18 months ago and was stationed at Fort Jackson before being sent abroad. While at Fort Jackson he made 12 on the I. Q. examination, being one of the highest marks made there by any of the inducted men. Capt. Thomas A. Brinkley Dies Thursday Morning -$ Capt. Thomas B. Brinkley, retired Atlantic Coast Line Rati way con ductor, died last Thursday morning at the Red Cross Sanatorium in Wilmington after an illness of sev eral years. He was 64 years of age. He had made his home for the last three years at Kinston. He was with the Atlantic Coast Line 47 years be fore illness compelled his retirement. He is survived by his widow; three sons, Alfred Brinkley, of Kinston; William H. Brinkley, of Wilmington and E. T. Brinkley, of Birmingham, Ala.; and by two daughters, Mrs. J. E. Perry, of Las Vegas, Nev. and Mrs. Pulton Mallory, of Hollywood, Calif. For several years and until about four years ago Captain Brinkley and family made their home in Plym outh, he then having a run on the Coast Line out of here. Ill health took him away and a little later he was retired. Postmaster John W. Darden called on him about a year ago at his home in Kinston, and said he was then a sick man although able to be up and about the house. He had many friends here who thought highly of him. All Local Stores Are Requested To Observe 9 o'Clock Hour lor Opening At a meeting of members of the Plymouth Merchants Asso ciation Tuesday afternoon, the question of abiding by the 9 o'clock opening hour for stores in Plymouth was discussed. All but one expressed themselves fa vorable to the plan, if all the merchants would adhere to it. The only member in opposition to it was only partially so, explain ing that he was always late and that opening at 9 o’clock would mean that he would open at 9:20 or thereabouts; while if an 8:30 opening hour was fixed he would surely be open by 9. It was decided to abide by the 9 o’clock opening hour and to try to persuade all Plymouth mer chants, whether members of the association or not, to observe that hour. Belief was expressed that no merchant wished to take an unfair advantage over others, but that it was hard for some to break away from an established custom. It was explained that opening at 9 o'clock war time was equivalent to opening at 8 o’clock “sun time,” which is still the time being used by many farmers. President E. E. Harrell presid ed and Secretary H. H. Allen was at his post. Surprise Blackout to Be Called Any Time One Drafted Han Fails To Report William Grover Bell, of Roper, one of the white selectees noti fied by the draft board to go from Washington County with other selectees last Tuesday to Fort Bragg to be examined as to fitness for army service, did not report with the others from the county. Notice of delinquency was sent to him, and he is allowed sev eral days in which to report if he was detained by some cause be yond his control. His absence has been reported to the state di rector of selective service, and his case will probably be turned over to the F. B. I„ it was stated. Annual Meeting of Local Merchants at Club Monday Night Both Members and Non Members of Association Urged To Attend -® The annual meeting of the Plym outh Merchants Association will be held next Monday evening, when the members will assemble around a ban quet table and enjoy good food while they discuss the progress of Plym outh and how they can contribute best toward it. All local merchants, whether or not they are members of the association, are invited to attend. Non-members, in fact, are urged to attend, they being equally inter ested in Plymouth progress. H. H. Allen, J. W. Norman and H. A. Williford are members of a committee that will report sugges tions for a campaign to stimulate trading in Plymouth. Trading has not stopped, by any means, because some articles in which trading once was very active have been taken off the market due to the materials used in their manufacture being needed for machines of war. Trading con tinues in many essentials this coun try produces and always needed in the homes and Plymouth merchants carry them in stock. Buyers must be attracted to Plymouth to supple ment the buyers living in town. The committee claims no monopoly on suggestions and will welcome them from others. This is not the only subject to be discussed, but the only one on the program. An enjoyable evening, a happy get-together time is antici pated. The banquet will be served at the Country Club at 7 o’clock. -$ Jack Harrison Reports Safe Landing in Hawaii -e- * Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Harrison have received word that their son, Johnnie Ward (Jack) Harrison, has landed safely at Pearl Harbor, T. H. He enlisted for foreign construction work with the Naval Reserve and this is the first word received from him since he sailed from California. He left here full of enthusiasm for the op portunity to serve in a line in which he was sure he could do effective work, said his mother. 12 of 23 Men Who Went To Fort Bragg Tuesday Accepted; May Take Others Twelve of the 23 white men who left Washington County Tuesday for Port Bragg successfully passed the required tests and were inducted into the army. Six others were held over until today for further examination and five were rejected. The 12 accepted men were immed iately inducted into the Army of the United States, placed in the Enlisted Men’s Reserve, and given 14 days furlough before reporting at Port Bragg for duty, They returned to their homes in the county last night with W. Ronald Gaylord, of Plym outh named acting corporal in charge of the party. Tire 12 men accepted are: William Ronald Gaylord, Carl R. Fisher, Wal ter L. Skittletharpe, Thomas G. Gardner, William H. Davenport, The odore R. Haire, Church W. Styons, James S. Marriner, James M. Hardi son, Hoyt T. LeFever, Alfred S. John ston and William E. Craddock. They are to return to Fort Bragg Wednesday, September 23 Will Teach Defense Officials and Public To Respond Quickly -® Readinesss Advised, as Ad vance Notice Will Not Be Given in Future -<5> Should the blackout siren, without previous notice, sound its raucous, strident cries to disturb the peace and quiet of a Plymouth evening, what will be the citizens do? Inter rupted, perhaps, while coaching the children in their school lessons for next day, or in the progress of a card game, will they look at one an other and ask the why for the sud den commotion? If they do, they will have forgotten the lessons they should have learned during the re cent blackout tests. It will be a call to immediate action in extinguishing all lights. If out driving, they must immediaely turn the car to the curb and cut off the lights. If out walk ing, they must get to their homes or some other refuge as quickly as possible; they must get off the street. Surprises are ahead. Thus far all North Carolina blackouts have been staged with advance notice, which was necessary in training both the Civilian Defense Corps and the pub lic. But everyone knows that an enemy does not notify anyone of their intention to begin bombing, and to be really prepared the public must be taught to have an effective black out without advance warning. So the next step in the civilian pro tection program will be surprise blackouts. Not even the state office will know when and where they will be held. The blackout signal will be flashed from First Fighter Command headquarters at Mitchell Field, and if it is meant for the Raleigh dis trict, it will reach the air-raid warn ing officer in Raleigh in this form: "Raleigh blackout and white.” The “white” will mean there is no danger imminent—that it is either a test or that the blackout is being ordered for strategic reasons. But whether or not there is im mediate danger it is the duty of all citizens to obey. The air-raid war dens will move quickly to their re spective stations and carry out prev ious instructions. Ah- raid auxiliary patrolmen and firemen will get to their posts without delay. The com munity must and will be prepared for anything that may happen and many citizens may not know until after the “All Clear” has been sounded that no actual danger threatened them, that the blackout was merely in the line of prepared ness. Creswell High Yet Five Teachers Short Creswell.—The Creswell high school began the second week of its fall se mester with five vacancies in the teaching staff. The school opened a week ago with an enrollment of 500 students. Members of the high school facul ty are: A. T. Brooks, principal; Mrs. Josephine Holmes, English; Miss Janie Mclnnis, mathematics; Miss Eulah Hudson, history and English; D. J. Johnson, science; Miss Beulah White, home economics; A. H. Tuek er, vocational agriculture. Teachers of the elementary and primary grades are: Miss Faison Charlton, music; Mrs. Mary Arm strong, Miss Alga R. Vance, Mrs. Beulah Leeson, Mrs. Flossie Norman, Mrs. Pearl Van Nopper, Mrs. Mil dred Hooks and Miss Christine Law rence. At present Mrs. A. T. Brooks, Mrs. Magnolia Hoskins and Miss Elizabeth Peel are substituting in the 7th, 8th and 3rd grades respectively. --s Junior Woman’s Club Meets Monday Night Members of the Junior Woman’s Club are to meet next Monday night in the American Legion Hall here. It will be the first of the club's fall meetings and a large attendance is expected Labor Day Program Sponsored by Local Union Last Monday --$ Speaking and Barbecue Are Outstanding Features Of Occasion -® Labor unions in Plymouth cele brated Labor Day last Monday in gay and happy manner. It begah with a parade through the streets of the town in the morning, continued with speeches and a barbecue dinner at Albemarle Beach during the after noon, and closed with a dance at the beach pavilion that evening. Scattered shower during the early morning threatened the celebration, but the clouds cleared away before 10 o’clock and the sun shone on the paraders, led by the high school band. The band made a splendid appear ance and played well, notwithstand ing the absence of several veteran members who graduated last spring. Fewer union men than expected were in the line of march, but it was explained that many of them had been working part or all of the night before and were too tired to turn out early. The pulp company was rep resented by a truck to draw atten tion to the danger of forest fires and losses caused by them. Immediately after the parade the trek to the beach began. J. H. New kirk, president of Local No. 236, In ternational Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers, asked all going with cars to permit no vacant seats, but to take with them those not provided with trans poration. Consequently, all cars carried passengers to capacity. The orators for the day, Joe Boyd, of High Point, international repre sentative of the Carpenters’ Union, and John W. Darden, Plymouth post master, were at their best. Mr. Boyd spoke of the purposes and accom plishments of organized labor, and Mr. Darden referred to the progress made by labor as a factor in bring ing about better conditions, better understanding and better living. He touched also on the historical fea tures of this Eastern North Carolina coast area, where the celebrants were meeting. The barbecue, served during the early afternon, was provided by the labor unions and was enjoyed by the working men and their families and by their guests, many Plymouth bus iness folks and their families. Business in Plymouth was suspend ed for the day, all merchants join ing labor in celebration of the holi day. -$ County Library Has 81 New Books for Use of Its Patrons Among Them Current Se lections of National Book Club -® New books to the number of 81 were placed in the Washington County Public Library during August, it was announced at the meeting of the County Library Board, held last Monday morning in the library at the courthouse. All members were present: Mrs. Clarence Ayers, of Plymouth, chairman: Mrs. W. A. Blount, of Roper, treasurer of the literary board; Mrs. Robert Camp bell, of Plymouth; and Mrs. Clyde Smithson, of Creswell. Among the new books are “Cru sader in Crinoline,” by Forrest Wil son, the biography which won the 1942 Pulitzer prize; “The Days of Ophelia,” and “The Raft,” the co llection of the Book-of-the-Month Club for September. “The Seventh Cross,” by Ann Seghers, the Book-of-the-Month Club selection for October, has been ordered. -# Draw Jurors for Court in October Jurors for the October term of superior court were drawn this week by the Washington County Board of Commissioners, as follows: Plymouth: W. H. Peele, Herbert Waters, Robert Bowen, W. A. Hardi son, Hugh B. Allen, T. W. Bateman, E. P. Still, L. S. Styron, L. T. Weede, J. H. Allen, Joe W. Arps, and T. M. Bowen, Lees Mill: W. S. Spruill, W. A. En rett, Arthur Phelps, B. M. Snell, T. R. Chesson. E. L. Marriner, O. A. Chesson, L. R. Davenport, and H. R, Lewis. Skinnersville: L. H. Ambrose, C, A. Alexander, A. M. Chesson. Scuppemong: W. L. Ambrose, L. W. Bateman, W. M. Oliver, V. A. Lassiter, Joe W. Alexander, H. P. Barnes, Richard E. Davenport, Jo seph A. Phelps. A. W. Davenport, W. T. Phelps, James C. Phelps, and L. H. Davenport. —--$ Woodley's Chapel Revival Conducted Next Week -e Creswell. —The Rev. R. N. Pitts an nounces that revival services will be conducted at Woodley’s Chapel next week, beginning on Monday evening Fewer Pupils Enrolled At Schools of County First Day This Term Loss of 238 Shown In Total Enrollment Compared With 1941 -® Many Children Being Kept At Home to Assist in Crop Harvest -® Total enrollment of white children in Washington County elementary school grades at the beginning of the 1942-43 school year was 1,285, or 86 more than on the first day of the school year 1941-42, it was learned from figures in the office of County Superintendent H. H. McLean today. The total number of white children in high schools was 287, 157 less than on the first day of school a year ago. The gain in elementary students and loss in high schools is largely due to the the ruling which removed the eighth grade from the high school and placed it in the elementary school. The total number of white children enrolled in elementary and high school grades this year is 71 less than on the first day last year. Total enrollment of negro children in elementary schools this year was 1,315, being 101 less than last year; the total number of negro children enrolled in high schools was 169, a loss of 66; and the total of negro children in elementary and high schools on the first day is 167 less than on the first day last year. The total number of white and colored children in elementary schools of the county opening day was 2,600, or 15 less than last year; and the total number of white and colored children in high schools was 456, a loss of 203. The same reason here tofore mentioned applies, that the eighth grade has been taken from the high school and placed in the elementary school. The total of white and colored children opening day this year in elementary and high schools was 3, 056, or 238 less than last year. Coun ty Superintendent attributes the loss to more men being in the service and more children in rural sections being kept at home to help harvest crops. Many of these will probably enroll later. -- Brinson Cox To Become Aviation Cadet in Navy -® J. Brinson Cox, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Cox, of Plymouth, was last week accepted as a Naval Avia tion cadet at Atlanta, Ga., and he expects to leave around November 1 to begin his training in the V-5 class at the University of North Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Cox already have two sons in the Navy, Hubert and Bryan. Both have been in the serv ice for a number of years and are petty officers. Upon the successful completion of the course he has en tered, Brinson will receive his “wings of gold” and commissioned as ensign in the Naval Air Corps. -® Interesting Map of Washington County Postmaster John W. Darden has recently come into possession of a map of Washington County evident of a big storm in 1796 and 1820. It was made with care and shows expert work. Marginal notations tell of a big stor min 1796 which threw up a blockade in the Roanoke River, and the map itself has Roper mark ed as the county seat, whereas it was moved to Plymouth in 1820, thus fix ing the approximate age of the map. -® Leave of Absence Is Given Recorder For War Duration Will Hold Court Next Two , Weeks Before Entering Service With Army ( Leave of absence from his duties on the bench of the Washington County Recorder's Court was grant ed to W. R. Gaylord Tuesday by the board of county commissioners. The leave is from such time as he enters the armed forces of the United States unto either for duration of the war or until his term of office expires. Judge Gaylord left Tuesday with other selectees for Port Bragg. He was accepted and granted a furlough of 14 days to return home and put his affairs here in order. Expecting to be back in Plymouth today, the recorder announced last week that the court would meet today, when he presided. He also expects to hold sessions of the court next Tuesday and the Tuesday following. It has not yet been determined who will preside over the court during his ab sence. Calls for Draftees Continue Heavy Calls for selectees for service in the armed forces of the land are likely to be as large during the remaining months of 1942 and throughout 1943 as during the months of August, Septem ber and October of this year, the local board was informed this week by national selective serv ice officials. Two calls were sent out in each of the three months cited, one for white men and one for col ored. During August a total of 120 were called, during Septem ber 110, and 75 will be sent to Fort Bragg during October. The local board has also been ordered to begin reclassifying all men on the lists at once, in or der that a complete Inventory of available manpower in Washing ton County may be ascertained. Harry L. Barnes' Store In Creswell Burned To Ground -9 Flames Started By Short Circuit Spread Rapidly Is Complete Loss -9 Creswell.—The grocery, dry goods and house furnishings store owned and operated by Harry L. Barnes in Cherry burned to the ground last Monday evening. The loss was com plete, building and stock, only a few of the books being saved. The stock was valued at near ten thousand dol lars; insurance, if any, was not stat ed. The origin of the fire is explained in this way: Mr. Barnes had cleaned the motor of his refrigerator with gasoline earlier in the day. When the current was turned on sparks are believed to have been caused by a short circuit, igniting gasoline that had not been entirely wiped away. In haste to avoid the blaze someone up set a pail that contained a little gas, thus adding to the flames, which spread rapidly, causing all present to make a hurried get away. The Columbia Are department an swered the call and succeeded in saving Mr. Barnes' dwelling house and the Philippi church, both near by. -$ Claude Spruill Hurl Badly in Crash Here -e Riding in a mule-drawn cart with Dut a light, Claude Spruill collided last Saturday night about 8 o’clock with an automobile that had been stopped in an effort to avoid the :rash. The cart was upset and Mr. Spruill was thrown into the street. Picked up and carried info the Plym outh Clinic, in front of which the iccident occurred, he was attended jy Dr. Papineau, who found an arm lad been broken and he had suffered other injuries. He was taken at once ;o a hospital in Washington, where re has since been undergoing treat nent. At last reports his condition was said to be serious. Following the accident, the mule •an about a block but was caught by i young boy who was riding with Mr. Spruill. The youngster was not njured, and the cart and car suf fered only minor damage. The car was driven by Mrs. Ella Brockers, who ives in the “Little Richwood" vtl age near here. -$ Four County Men Enlisted In Navy During Past Week -«> Four Washington County men who were supposed to go with selectees rom this county to Fort Bragg last Tuesday have enlisted in the Navy, rhey were Vester Valentine Estep, j lames Robert Marriner, Floyd Me- ! jonnell, and Robert Boyd Spencer. White Selectees of Washington County Leave On Tuesday -- With Three Volunteers Go To Fort Bragg For Irr duction Into Army -$ Another group of white selectees and volunteers, 23 in all, went from Washington county last Tuesday morning to Port Bragg, prepared to be inducted into the army if found to be fit for service, physically and mentally. In the group were 12 from Plymouth, 7 from Roper, 2 from Creswell, 1 from Mackeys and 1 from Wenona. All who are accepted for army duty will be inducted immediately in to the armed forces and then each will be granted a 14-day furlough, if he wishes it, to return home and make provision for his affairs here Tire group from Plymouth includ ed: William Ronald Gaylord. Ras ser Lee Edwards, Alfred Stuart Johnston, William Earl Craddock, James Seaton Marriner, Church Warren Styons. Harry Lee Arnold, Bill William Hall, Marvin Thomas Carrow, Carl Raymond Fisher, Thom as G. Gardner, selectees; and James Hardison, volunteer. From Roper went Albert Ross Hol ton, Duard Ellsburg Craddock, George Edison Biggs, Ernest Leon Hassell, Claud Leon Morris, Phillip Jackson Edwards, selectees; and Walter Lee Skittletharpe, volunteer. From Creswell: Theodore Roose velt Haire, William Henry Daven port. From Mackeys: George Grady Phil lips. From Wenona: Hoyt Thomas Le r ever. The next call for white men will be on October 9, when 35 will be sent on. Colored men to the the number of 45 will be called for duty on Sep tember 30, and 40 on October 27, the draft board announcing that the call for the latter date has been increased from 25 to 40. -<S> Town Council Has Routine Matters at Session Tuesday -$- * • Blackout Ordinance To Be Passed as Soon as It Can Be Drafted -® Pour members of the Town Coun cil, with Mayor B. G. Campbell pre siding, met Tuesday evening with routine matters chiefly to call for action. The mayor presented a re quest from P. B. Bateman, chairman of the Washington County Civilian Defense Council, for immediate pass age of an ordinance to enforce black out regulations and providing penal ties for disregard of them. Action was deferred pending drafting of the ordinance in proper form, but was promised soon. Councilman J. W. Norman sug gested, in line with preparedness, that a car of coal be ordered at once for winter use, and a complying or der was adopted. On motion by Councilman J. R. Manning, the pay of the two night patrolmen was raised from $27.50 weekly to $30. -J8 Metal Junk Mounts Into Large Figures Results of the drive iji Washing ton County to collect scrap metal in response to the call of the govern ment are reported by Richard West, who has directed the classification and shipment of the collected junk in Plymouth, as follows: Up to about the middle of August, and including the first scrap metal drive last winter, 812,000 pounds of scrap iron and steel, 46,000 pounds of miscellaneous scrap metal, 1,256 scrap batteries and 152 junked cars were turned into salvage. The second drive, launched last month, has already resulted in the collection here of 116,000 pounds of scrap iron and steel, 585 pounds of miscellaneous metal and 184 batter ies. The quest for metal junk goes on and will continue so long as the gov ernment calls,” Mr. West said. Price Ceiling Schedules Must Be Filed By County Retailers Before October 10 There are approximately 150 mer chants in Washington County who are required by law to conform with price-ceiling regulations when sell ing their goods. So far only 58 of these have filed their schedules with the local rationing board. A special price ceiling board for the county is expected to be appointed soon to check on compliance with the reg ulations. Numerous bulletins and leaflets are available to retailers to inform them on price celling and showing the cor rect method of displaying prices. They may be obtained upon appll cation to the rationing board office here. Retailers who have not in formed themselves relative to the price ceiling regulations should do so without delay. October 10 has been fixed as the deadline for merchants to file their schedules of ceiling prices with the local board. Ignorance of the law will not be considered as an excuse thereafter, and violators will be lia ble to prosecution. The deadline was set originally for July 1, but it was extended so that all retailers might have time to become familiar with the regulations.