The Roanoke Beacon + * 4. * jf + * and Washington County News ★★★★★★★ VOLUME LIV—NUMBER 2 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, January 14, 1943 warn MAKE RVEBY PAY DAY I BOND DAY I no t» Merchants To Lend Aid To War Effort -® The Plymouth Merchants Associa tion, at its regular meeting Monday night, delegated a committee to se cure information that will enable members to join with storekeepers throughout the nation in keeping patriotic campaigns and undertak ings b e fo r e the general public throughout the year 1943. Several local merchants expressed their will ingness to devote at least one show window continuously to advertising various features of the salvage cam paign, sale of War Bonds and Stamps, and such other patriotic movements as may be undertaken during the year. The government’s request to short en store hours in order to conserve fuel was discussed at some length, and all of the 14 members present were in favor of doing anything con sidered reasonabe to help. However, store hours here have already been shortened about as much as possible at this time, although the 14 present did agree to close at 9 o’clock on Saturday nights instead of 10, pro vided a majority of the membership accepted such a plan. Absent mem bers are being canvassed, and if agreeable to a majority, local stores will begin closing an hour earlier Saturday night of next week. Fur ther notice will be given in the Bea con next Thursday. Loi Tobacco Seed Improperly Kepi Farm Agent W. V. Hays said today that a good many county farmers have brought in tobacco seed for cleaning before sowing their plant beds this year. Some of the seed have been stored in tightly fastened fruit jars, he said, and it is considered doubt ful that they will germinate, as they have a decidedly moldy odor. Even if they do germinate, they may not have sufficient vi tality to withstand cold weather, frost, and especially blue mold, according to the agent. Mr. Hays advises that in the future tobac co seed should be kept in cloth bags in a dry well-ventilated room. Creswell Youth Reported Missing In Action; Second From County To Be Lost During Present War State Purchase of Elmhurst Land tor Relocating Test Farm Hot Completed Although several stories have appeared in newspapers to the effect that the State has com pleted negotiations for relocating the Blackland Experiment sta tion on the Elmhurst Farm near Roper, it was learned from thoroughly reliable sources here yesterday that the deal has not yet been closed, although con ferences are still being held to iron out technicalities which are holding up the matter. Removal of the many activities carried on at the VV'enona sta tion is being made necessary by ground fires which damaged much of the area. Some of these fires have burned for upwards of two years, and in some cases the peat soil has been destroyed to a depth of 18 inches or more. A committee was appoint d by the state agriculture board last summer, with instructions to se lect a site somewhere in this sec tion for relocating the Black land farm. After looking over a number of farms, the Elmhurst site was selected as most suitable by the commission and negitia tions begun for purchase or lease. Although the deal has not been completed, agreement has been reached except for a few tech nicalities; and if they are cleared up. it is believed the matter will go through in the near future. Grand Jury Criticizes Condition of Buildings Recommendations For Improvement Submitted to Court Number Schools and Court house Said Not Kept Properly Cleaned -V The Washington County grand jury, making its report to Judge E. Everett Thompson, of Elizabeth City, in superior court here this week was very critical of conditions found ex isting in a number of county-owned buildings, including the courthouse and numerous schools. That the group had made an exhaustive in vestigation is shown by the fact that specific recommendarions for correc tion were made. Few departments of the county government totally escaped criticism and suggested reforms, but a majority of the suggestions were directed to the county commissioners and board of education. The jury closed its report with the comment that like recommendations in the past had been ‘filed and forgotten,” and after asking if failure to comply did not constitute contempt of court, request ed that previous reports be presented to the court and non-compliance “be dealt with according to their value and importance.” In addition to reporting on con ditions found in various county-own ed buildings, the group cited a num ber of justices of the peace for fail ure to file monthly reports as requir ed by law. One of the justices so cited, W. H. Peele, of Plymouth, filed his report later in the day Monday and turned over to the clerk fines collected up to that date. Although criticism was leveled at several agencies, the jury took oc casion to commend the work being done by certain others, including the keeper of the county home, county garade, school lunch rooms under the supervision of the state health de partment,%nd the people at large for the little crime reported in the conn ty. The grand jury was composed of the following: J. C. Swain, foreman: J. P. Porter, J. W. Presswood, W. C. Sexton, Archie W. Tetterton, Roy C. Chesson, A. B. Davenport. T. H. Da vis, E. L. Davis, William C, Spruill, E. J. Spruill, L. E. Woodley, Gray Alexander, A. J. Davenport, C. L. Everett, Louis E. Furlough. Roy T Hopkins, C. L. Hufton. The complete text of the report, which was signed by J. C. Swain, foreman, is as follows: We the Gand Jury submit the fol lowing report: Item I—The Grand Jury passed on all bills of indictment presented to us by the solicitor. From the small number of bills it appears to us there is very little crime in the county. The citizenship should be commend ed. Item II—Plymouth High School and Hampton Academy: These buildings are in a bad state of re pair. All wash-rooms do not have sufficient urinals, stools or wash basins for the number of children enrolled. In our opinion the whole set-up should be dismantled and sufficient wash-room facilities in stalled to take care of the growing needs. Every class room snould be painted and new curtains installed Members of the school faculty co operating with parents and pupils are enlieavoring to solicit funds to have this work done We are of the opinion the board of education should take care of this item. On the east end of the building exit, bricks are loose over the arch causing a very dangerous hazard from falling bricks. Item III — Plymooth Colored School : There are a number of leaks in the roof but is now under going repairs. Several windowlights which are out should be replaced. The toilet facilities are maintained in poor manner inadequate for the (See GRAND JURY, Page 2> Air-Raid Picture At Roper Tonight A meeting nil be held at Roper High School tonight (Thursday) to arouse interest in reactivating the aircraft warning post there, according to P. W. Brown, chief air-raid warden for this county. Lieutenant R. E. Manchee, of the Army Air Corps, will be there and show a movie dealing with this phase of Civilian Defense work. The public is invited and Roper people are urged to attend. Chief Brown said that gaso line could be used to attend the meeting, as it is classed as part of the war effort and attendance is not necessarily “pleasure,' al though a movie will be shown. Red Cross Nursing Classes To Begin in County Next Week -- Two Classes in Plymouth: One Each in Creswell And Roper -® Four classes in home nursing, to be conducted by Miss Christine Corn well, of the American Red Cross, will be launched in Washigton County next week, with a fifth class to be organized and started as soon as it is determined in which sestion there is most demand for it, accordin to Mrs. Robert B. Trotman, county chirman of Red Cross home nursing. Arrangements are complete for be ginning two classes in Plymouth and one each in Roper and Creswell. Those who wish to enroll in the four classes are requested to give their names to their respective local committees immediately. The en rollment must be complete when the first classes are held as it will be im possible to enroll after that time Each class meets twice a week for a two-hour session. The schedule and committee members are as follows: In Plymouth, one class will be held Mondays and Wednesdays, from 8 to 10 p. m. in the Legion Hail, The other class will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 9:30 to 11:30 a. m., at the county home. The commit- | tee Is composed of Mrs. Robert B. Trotman, chairman: Mrs. T. L. Bray, Mrs. S. V. Lewis, and Miss Marie Farley. The sub-committee is com posed of Mrs. W. A. Davidson and Mrs. W. H. Smith, for the town: and Mrs. George Curry, for the Village. At Roper, the class will be held each Monday and Friday, from 2 to 4 p. m.. in the community building. Mrs. J. F. Leary is chairman of the committee, which also incldes Mrs. C. L Walker and Mrs. A R Hooker. In Creswell, the class will meet ev ery Tuesday and Thursday from 2 to J 4 p. m., in the school building. Mrs. W B Gaither is chairman of the committee and Mrs. Betty Davenport and Mrs. Mary Armstrong are the other two members. The fifth class will be held at a point to be designated later, as soon \ as it is determined where it is most! needed. The Red Cross home nursing course teaches the practical facts and pro cedure essential in safeguarding, the health of the individual and the j family and in giving home nursing 1 care under the guidance of a phy sician in ordinary illness in the home. It does not prepare anyone j to care for the sick for hire. A cer- j tiflcate will be given to those who complete the course. Bosie Bateman, Son Mr. and Mrs. H. R. Bateman, on Juneau -® Cruiser Sunk Near Guadal canal During Night Bat tle in Mid-November -s Bosie Aydlett Bateman, the 23 year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. H R. Bateman, of Creswell, this week became the second Washington County service man to be reported "missing in action" since the United States entered the w-ar December 7. 1941. His parents received a brief message from the Navy Department simply stating that he was missing, but giving no details. However, the young seaman was last reported on the light cruiser "Juenau,” which the Navy Department this wek announc ed was lost in the big naval battle with the Japanese in the vicinity of Guadalcanal in mid-November, and it is suposed that he was lost at that time. Tlie yotmg man, widely known as Bosie Bateman, was a star athlete at Creswell High School, where he grad uated in 1941 He was an outstand ing student, winning one award for scholarship and two others for his ability as a basketball and baseball player in his senior year. He enlist ed in the Navy on May 13, 194’ most immediately after gi~v.uoi.ing from school, and received his train ing in Norfolk. He was last home on June 17th of last year, and his par ents continued to hear from him un til sometime in October Universally popular, the news that he was miss ing cast a pall of sadness over the community when it was received this week. Young Bateman was 22 years old last June. He was born and raised in Creswell, where his father was fire man at the school for many years. He was a member of the Episcopal church there. Besides his parents, he is survived by two sisters. Retha T an° end Mart- Uve^r ' two brothers. Monroe and''rienrv Ba'e man. all of whom live in Creswell ex cept the last-named brother, who has been in the Army at Port Bragg since last June. The young man's father, H. R Bateman, is now employed at the plant of the North Carolina Pulp Company here, and in an interview yesterday stated he had little hope that his son had been picked up but not reported by one of the accom panying vessels, although reminded that such cases have several times occurred in other naval actions dur ing this war. He said that., young Bateman was a spendid swimmer and could remain afloat for consider able lengths of time. The “Juneau” w'as a 6,000-ton cruiser of the '‘Atlanta” class and’ • i^ee~MISSING~YOUTHr?age~6>~' -S: George L. Marriner Passes Suddenly al His Home in Roper Victim of Sudden Heart At tack Monday Morning; Funeral Wednesday -® George Lee Marriner, well known citizen of the Roper community, died suddenly at his home there Monday morning about 6 o'clock. He had not been ill and his death came as a shock to relatives and friends throughout the county, where he was widely known and well liked. He suffered a sudden heart attack and died before a physician could reach him. Born March 22, 1891, the son of the late G. H. and Rosie Peacock, of Roper, he was nearly 52 years of age. He lived practically all of his life in the Roper section of Wash ington County except for about three years when he lived in Belhaven. He returned to the county about two years ago from Belhaven and has since been employed at the plant of the North Carolina Pulp Company at Plymouth. He was an active mem ber of the Free Will Baptist church at Roper. About 25 years ago he was married to Miss Emma Chesson. of Roper, who survives him. Besides hLs widow. Mrs. Emma Chesson Marriner, of Roper, Mr. Marriner leaves one daughter, Mrs. Leigh Lahab, of Belhaven; a son, Robert C. Marriner, of Baltimore, Md.: one sister, Mrs. W. H. Cooper, of Great Bridge, Va.; and two bro thers. J. J. Marriner,of Williamston Funeral services were held Wednes day afternoon at 2 o'clock at the late home by the Rev. A. J. Mackie. of Belhaven. assisted by the Rev. G. C. Wood, of Roper. Interment fol lowed in the Belhaven cemetery. Pall-bearers were J. J. Hassell. Henry Tarkington, Barton Sawin, R C. Peacock, Lewis Mizelle.and H, L.