The Roanoke Beacon
******* and Washington County News *******
SHINS IN
WAR BONOS
EVERYBODY
EVERY PAYDAY
VOLUME LIV—NUMBER 51
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, For Thursday, December 23, 1943
ESTABLISHED 1889
Town
opics
Friends in Plymouth last week re
ceived Christmas greetings from Dr.
E. W. Furgurson, written while he was
in India. At the time he mailed the
greetings early in November, Dr. Fur
gurson, a captain in the Medical
Corps of the Army Air Forces, did
not know that he would beat the
messages home. He returned to this
country early in December and re
cently left for Aan Antonio, Texas,
where he will be stationed for some
time. In his card to The Beacon,
he asks that his greetings be ex
tended to all his friends and former
patients in and around Plymouth.
Quite a number of U. S. Marine
Corps flying officers from the Eden
ton base have been in Plymouth re
cently seeking living quarters for the
time they are stationed at the Harvey
Point Air Station. However, Plym
outh is about in the same boat as
Edenton, so far as housing is con
cerned and very few of them could
be accommodated here.
The Rationing Board office in the
courthouse wil be closed to the pub-1
lie both Friday and Saturday of this
week, the public is reminded. Tire
office force will work Friday as us
ual, mailing out allotments and
catching up with the office work, but
the doors will be closed. On Satur
day, the office will observe its only
holiday of the year—Christmas day.
E. F. Swain, of Creswell, tax
supervisor, and the several town
ship list takers are holding a
meeting Tuesday night of this
week with the county board of
commissioners, when tax listing
schedules and a schedule of valu
ations for personal property are
to be worked out. Tax listing will
get underway throughout the
county early in January and con
tinue throughout the month.
It was announced last week by the
OPA that no points would be required
for the purchase of dried raisins at
tached to original stems. The an
nouncement came just in time to step
up Christrpas trade on raisins.
Although the Branch Banking &
Trust Company will be closed Satur
day and Monday in observance of the
Christmas holiday, it was announced
yesterday by H. E. Beam that it
would be open between the hours of
8 and 9 p.m. Friday night, Christ
mas Eve, for the benefit of those
who may wish to avail themselves of
last-minute banking service before
the holidays.
Lieutenant and Mrs. R. W. Irvine
are occupying an apartment In the
home of Mr. and Mrs. P. B. Bateman
on East Main Street here. Lieuten
ant Irvine is a Marine Corps flying
officer and was recently transferred
from Cherry Point to the Edenton
Air Station. He is originally from
Iowa.
-*
Impressive Service
At Episcopal Church
-«
One of the most impressive and
beautiful service of the church year
will be the midnight celebration of
the Holy Communion at Grace Epis
copal Church on Christmas Eve. The
service will begin at 11:30 p.m. on
December 24. It will be past the hour
of midnight when members of the
congregation partake of the com
munion elements. Thus, the first act
for these communicants on Christ
mas Day, 1943, will be the spiritual
act of communion with God through
the partaking of the bread and wine
of the Last Supper.
For the past several weeks the
members of Grace Church have taken
part in the Pilgrimage to Bethlehem,
with the plan for each individual to
present a Christmas gift to the
church at the midnight service
Christmas eve. This offering is to be
used for the debt retirement and
building fund of the parish.
In presenting this gift at the
Christmas Eve service, members of
the congregation are following the
example of the three wise men of
old, who at the first Christmas, pre
sented their costly treasures at the
manger side of the Christ-Child.
The public is cordially invited to
attend this Christmas Eve service and
(See~GRACE~CHURCH, Page 4)
Business Houses
Extend Greetings
As an expression of their ap
preciation for the friendship and
patronage accorded them in the
past, Plymouth merchants and
other business men pause at this
time to extend their sincere
greetings to all the people of this
section through the columns of
this paper today.
A new hope and understanding
are created at Christmas time,
and to enhance the value of
these, the business forces of this
town express, in a most sincere
way, their wishes for a Merry
Christinas and a Happy New
Tear to all.
Read the little messages, with
out which Christmas would be
little more than just another day
in the year, and know that these
firms are interested in your hap
piness at all times, and especial
ly at this glad season.
1
r
IN THE GOOD OLD-FASHIONED
CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
The people of these United States have observed 167 Christ
mases since the Declaration of Independence. And before that,
there were about 175 years of pioneering, during which, amid all
sorts of odds, the families within this land’s shores celebrated
the merry holiday.
This wartime Christmas finds us with much to be solemn
about—much to fight for, and much to pray for.
But there have been Christmases before, when things
seemed even darker for us.
So, with the true American spirit of fortitude, inner gaiety
and deeply rooted faith, we’re going to celebrate this December
25th in the good old fashioned Christmas spirit.
Holly in our windows; festively trimmed trees; remembran
ces for everyone—especially the children—Christmas carols—
and, above all, Christmas services in Church, where we’ll bow
and extend the season’s greetings to friends and neighbors^
That’s Christmas, American style. That’s the way our fight
ing men around the world like to think of it. That’s the way they
too will spend next Christmas—at home—if each of us does
everything in his power to speed Victory!
To our readers, we extend the most simple and sincere
greeting of the season—Merry Christmas to you all.
THE ROANOKE BEACON
Local Army Flyer
Parachutes to Safety
From Burning Ship
-<?'—
Lt. Ransome Martin Treat
ed for Shock, Exposure
After Experience
-$
Second Lieutenant Ransom Martin,
of Plymouth, bombardier on a four
motored heavy bomber, landed safely
in shallow water ofT Barron Island on
the Maryland coast after parachuting
from his ship, which had developed
engine trouble. One member of his
crew was drowned and anther was
missing, while six others who re
mained with the ship landed safety at
an air base near Washington, D. C.
Langley Field officers said four of
the men jumped after one engine
caught Are.
Lieutenant Martin wandered about
for several hours after landing safe
ly before finding Tech. Sgt. John R.
Sommers, 25, of Minon, 111., who had
landed unhurt on Hoopers Island.
Martin was taken to a Cambridge,
Md., hospital, where attendants said
he was treated for shock and expos
ure.. Maryland state police, the Navy
and volunteers conducted a search
for the still missing man. The name
of the drowned flyer, who landed in
the sea off Hoopers Island, was with
held pending notification of relatives.
The craft was based at Langley
Field and was understood to have
been on a routine training flight
when one of the motors burst into
flames. The six men who remained
with the plane landed safely at the
Camp Springs air base near Wash
ington.
--
Local Young Man Given
First Stripe at Air Base
Bolling Field, D. C.—William O.
Woodley, of the Army Air Forces, was
recently promoted to the grade of pri
vate first class at the Ar my Air Base,
Bolling Field, D. C.
His promotion was announced last
week by Colonel Thomas W. Hastey.
commanding officer.
Pfc. Woodley is the son of Mi-, and
Mrs. Loomis E. Woodley, of Plym
outh, Route 1
BACK ON JOB I
- -J
Judge W. Ronald Gaylord re
turned to preside over the county
recorder’s court here Tuesday af
ter volunteering and serving 16
months in the United States
Army. He received an honorable
discharge earlier this month be
cause of physical disability.
Volume of Mail in
Post Office Here at
High Point for Year
Stamp Sales Are Still Be
hind Record Set Last
Year, However
-®
The Plymouth post office is in the
midst of the heaviest mailing season
of the year this week. However, it
was stated that the peak is being dis
tribut d over a longer period than in
any former year. Mails, both in
coming and outgoing, have been very
heavy for more than a week now, and
they are expected to continue so right
up until Christmas Day. However, it
is not expected there will be the us
ual tremendous volume during the
'See POST OFFICE. Page 4)
Christmas Seal Sale
In County Drawing
Near Its Goal of $300
Over $250 Worth Sold So
Far; Quota $125 Higher
Than Last Year
According to Mrs. D. W. Hunt,
chairman of the Red Cross Christ
mas Seal Drive in the County, more
than $250 worth of the seals have
been sold. This is not all the sales to
date, because all reports have not
been made. The quota for Washing
! ton County is $300, that amount hav
! ing been sent to the Woman's Club
• which is sponsoring the drive. Fol
' lowing are the amounts sold by the
schools which have reported so far:
Hampton Academy $20.00
Plymouth High School 47.00
Roper School _ 13.75
Creswell School _ 20.00
Creswell Colored School 5.00
There have been many contribu
tions by individuals of $1 or more,
! and also donations by firms and busi
i ness houses. The quota of $300 sur
passes that of last year by $125. but
for a county of this size that is on
ly little over 2*/2 cents per capita.
If anyone would like to make a
contribution who has not already
done so, get in touch with Mrs. Hunt.
; Also everyone who has not made a
[ report is urged to get it in as soon
, as possible.
-®
Lawyers Here Get Ready
For January Court Term
-®
The Washington County Bar Asso
ciation had a brief meeting last week
i to arrange a calendar for the civil
term of superior court to be held here
in January. The term will begin
January 10 and continue for two
weeks, with the first part of the ses
sion to be devoted to the trial of
criminal cases.
It was stated at the courthouse yes
erday that there were comparatively
few criminal cases to be tried. The
docket has not yet.been arranged.
The lawyers recently agreed on a mo
tion calendar for civil cases, and the
complete schedule will be announced
within a week.
Poor of Counly Will
Receive Certificates
Good for Necessities
Empty Stocking Fund Plan
Of Distribution Changed
By Ration Program
Empty Stocking Fund coupons
valued at 50 cents each have been is
sued to needy families of Washington
County in order that each familv
may purchase its own Christmas sup
plies. according to a statement made
here today by the chairman of the
fund, the Rev. William B. Daniels.
Jr.
The number of coupons issued to
each family is based on the number
in the family and the degree of need.
The Branch Banking and Trust Com
pany of Plymouth will honor these
coupons at face value when present
ed by any merchant of Washington
County.
The coupons may be used by recip
ients to purchase food, clothing, fuel,
and drug supplies. A reasonable
amount of candy, fruit, and small
toys may also be bought with these
coupons. Coupons may not be used
for the purchase of any alcoholic
beverage.
Merchants of Washington County
were notifed of this plan by a let
ter from the chairman of the Empty
Stocking Fund last week, and were
requested to cooperate with the com
mittee in this matter.
The coupons have no cash value.
That is. no change in cash should be
given by the merchant to the user,
but the entire face value of each cou
pon should be used.
Difficulties imposed by the ration
ing system and the general shortage
of foodstuffs made the original plan
of distributing a basket to each fam
ily impracticable. By issuing the cou
pons. it is thought that each family
may be able to purchase on the basis
of its own needs.
Contributions to the Washington
County Empty Stocking Fund reach
<See COUNTY POOR, Page 4)
Mrs. W. E. Blount
Died Late Sunday
At Home in Roper
-$
Funeral Service To Be Held
Wednesday Afternoon at
Methodist Church
-«
Funeral services will be held in the
Roper Methodist church Wednesday
afternoon of this week, at 2:30. for
Mrs. Mertie L. Blount, widow of the
late W. E. Blount, who died at her
home there Sunday night at 8:30
o’clock. The Rev. G. C. Wood, pas
tor of the church, will conduct the
last rites, and interment will be made
in the Wentz cemetery near Roper.
Mrs. Blount, 63 years of age, had
been ill for about four weeks prior
to her death Sunday night. The
daughter of the late Andrew Bateman
and Mrs. Priscilla Brickhouse Bate
man, she was born in Tyrrell County
on October 9, 1880. She moved to
the Skinnersville section of this coun
ty with her parents while quite young
and has lived in Washington County
since that time. On December 28.
1894. she was married to the late
W. E. Blount in Tyrrell County. He
preceded her to the grave by a lit
tle more than three years. For the
past 16 years she has made her home
in Roper.
She united with the Rehoboth
Methodist church in the Skinners
ville section in her youth and re
mained a faithful member until her
death.
Mrs. Blount is survived by two
daughters, Miss Donnie Blount, of
Roper, and Mrs. Mark S. Polack. of
New York City. She also leaves
three grandchildren.
-£
6 Whites Accepted Out
Of December Draft Call
Six out of the 15 \vl ite men who
left Washington County on December
3rd were accepted for service in the
Army and Navy, it was learned at the
office of the selective service board
here this week. All of them were fa
thers Three of them went to the
Navy and three to the Army
Those accepted are as follows: Carl
B. Roberson, Fo.v Garland Daven
port and Elbert Lee Woodley, by the
Army; Adrian Earl Barnes. John
Latham Spruill and Robert William
Carter, by the Navy.
Mrs. Clara Johnston New
Correspondent for Roper
Miss Donnie Blount, who has serv
ed as correspondent for The Beacon
in the Roper section for the past 8
or 10 years, is giving up this work
there this week and will be succeed
ed by Mrs. Clara Johnston. Miss
Blount, following the death of her
mother last Sunday night, is plan
ning to go to New York to live with
her sister, Mrs. Mark S. Polack.
Mrs. Johnston will accept new and
renewal subscriptions to The Beacon
from people in the Roper commun
ity, as well as handle the news from
there
Workers o£ Section to
Get From 1 to 5 Days
Holiday for Christmas
j LEAVES FOR POST ]
I-—---»
Second Lieutenant Luther
Warnie Gurkin, jr.. left last week
for his new post at Dodge City,
Kan. He graduated from an
Army Air Forces flying school
and received his commisison
early this month.
County Still Ahead
Of Aggregate War
Bond Goals for Year
$695,351.50 Worth of Bonds
Sold To Date in 1943;
Quotas, $619,302.75
Although Washington County has
already fallen down on its War Bond
quotas three times this year, and is
running behind on sales for the cur
lent month, for the year as a whole
ales are running ahead of the com
posite quotas by some $64,000. it was
earned Monday from ^H. E. Beam,
county chairman of the War Fi
nance Committee.
With a quota for December of
325.650. sales at the local post of
fice and bank Tuesday aggregated
$12,106.25. However, it is expected
that sales will step up sharply dur
ing the remainder of the week, when
a good manv people will buy bonds to
be given as Christmas presents. It is
known also that Creswell will report
,-ery good sales this month, since up
wards of $5,000 worth of bonds were
sold there on December 7th at a “Re
member Pearl Harbor” rally.
Mr. Beam said Tuesday morning
that at least $695,351.50 worth of
bonds had been sold in the county
so far this year: while the aggregate
quotas assigned to the county for the
year, including this month, amount
ed to $619,302.75. In other words,
the county will overscribe its bond
quotas for the year by some 10 per
cent.
The record this year is not nearly
as impressive as that made in 1942.
although sales are nearly double.
Last year the county overscribed its
total quotas by about 30 per cent.
Since the war began in December
1941. roughly $1,000,000 worth of War
Bonds have been sold in Washington
County. Sales during the year from
December 7. 1941. to December 7,
1942. amounted to $330,350: while
sales during the next year are well
over $600,000
The county fell down on its quotas
this year in July, by $3,597.50: in Oc
tober. by $19,580: and in November
by $7,897.50 However, sales in the
other months were sufficient to over
come the deficit for the year as a
whole The county had a quota of
$134,900 in the second War Loan
Drive during April, and bought
$158,241.75 worth. In the third War
Loan drive, during October and No
vember. the county came up $19,580
short of its $281,600 quota
-IK
Winter Begins at
12:30 Wednesday
According to the calendar, winter
begins at 12:30 p.m.. Wednesday. De
cember 22: but so far as this neck of
the woods is concerned that was no
light fall mist that fell last week,
and most folks in this section have
had enough of winter already—before
It even officially got started.
December 22 also is considered the
shortest day of the year: but the ta
bl if sunrise and sunset in the old
reliable World Almanac indicates dif
ferently. According to that author
ity, there is no difference in the
length of the day from December 16
through December 28. although the
sun rises and sets a few minutes lat- 1
er at the end of that 12-day period
than it did at the beginning. Wednes
day ,the sun rises at 8:21 a.m. and:
sets at 5:47 p.m.. giving the days'
length as 9 hours and 26 minutes.
Stores and Business
Houses Here Close
Saturday - Monday
Industrial Plant Employees
Also Get Extra Time Off
For Annual Holiday
Employees of the various indus
trial plants, stores, offices and busi
less establishments in Plymouth and
Washington County will have a va
cation period of from two to five days
luring the Christmas season, a check
jp here this morning revealed. Christ
nas falling on Saturday this yea:
causes practically all workmen to get
it least two consecutive days away
from their jobs
All the stores and business hous
es in Plymouth, with the possible ex
ception of filling stations and drug
stores, will be closed both Saturday
and Monday, which, with the regular
Sunday holiday, gives them three
days. The bank and ABC stores in
the county will likewise be closed
both Saturday and Monday. County
offices in the courthouse will be
closed from Friday at noon through
Monday, it is understood
1 The war must go on.” so the lo
cal rationing board and the draft,
board offices will observe only a one
day holiday, Saturday only. Post of
fices, too, will have only one day;
and; judging from the volume of mail
during the past few days, they have
really earned it.
The Plymouth Box and Panel Com
pany plant will close down Friday
at noon and reopen Monday morn
ing, it was stated yesterday by E. F.
Still, president and general manager.
Mrs. R. J. Sydenstricker. manager of
tlie American Fork & Hoe Company
here, said that plant also would be
closed from Friday noon to Monday
morning.
The p.: nt of the North Carolina
Pulp Company will close down for
the periodic overhaul of machinery
and equipment Christmas Eve. and
production is not expected to be re
sumed before New Year's day, ac
cording to D. B. Kuhe. resident man
ager. However, it was explained that
most of thp workmen will return to
work Monday after Christmas and be
engaged in repair and maintenance
work for the remainder of the week,
although the paint will not be in
operation Only a skeleton crew will
be kept on duty Christmas Day. It
is planned to resume production on
Saturday January 1st.
Each employee of the pulp plant is
'See HOLIDAYS. Page 4)
Join! Service Here
Wednesday Night
A union Christmas service will be
held at the Ludford Memorial Bap
tist church here Wednesday night,
December 22. beginning at 7:30, and
the public is cordially invited and
urged to a'tend and take part. The
Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, Christ
ian and Presbyterian churches are
cooperatin' ;o make the special serv
ice a success. It is the only joint
program planned in Plymouth dur
ing the Christmas season.
The program will be as follows:
Prelude, organ.
Hymn, choir and congregation.
Prayer, by the Rev. T. R. Jenkins,
pastor of the Methodist church.
Special music.
Christmas in Japan," by Miss
Rachel Hassell, of the Presbyterian
church. who has done missionary
work in that country.
Sermon, by the Rev. E. B. Quick,
pastor of the local Christian church.
Hymn, choir and congregation.
Benediction, by the Rev. William
B. Daniels, jr. rector of Grace Epis
■opal Church.
Postlude. organ
Beacon Office To
Be Closed 4 Days
The office of The Roanoke
Beacon will be closed after De
cember 21, until Tuesday mom
ms. in order to Rive members of
the “force" their annual Christ
mas vacation. This is one of the
feu hollidav occasions observed
by this newspaper during the
year, hence the reason for being
closed several days. The office
will be closed Wednesday. Thurs
day. Friday and Saturday of this
week, and Monday of next.
Everybody will be back on the
job and will be ready for “busi
ness as usual'’ next Tuesday
morning: meantime every mem
ber of the crew hopes every read
er of the Beacon has the best,
happiest, and merriest Christmas
ever.