The Roanoke Beacon
* * * * * * » and Washington County News *******
VOLUME LV—NUMBER 5 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, February 3, 1944
EVERYBODY
EVERT PAYDAY
SAVINS fR
WAR BONDS
LBLISHED 1339
Show Your Colors! - Back the Attack by Buying War Bonds
Town
opics
Miss Mary Cotten Davenport,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edison
Davenport, of Mackeys, enlisted in
the Marines last November and was
called to report for duty on January
25th. She is the first Washington
County girl to enlist in the Marine
Corps, and is now stationed at Camp
Lejeune, near Jacksonville. Her bro
ther, Bill Davenport, is a first-class
radio technician in the Navy.
Ensign James Harold Ward, of the
U. S. Naval Reserve, visited his
mother, Mrs. S. A. Ward, and sister.
Miss Becky Ward, here from Sunday
until Wednesday of this week. In
the Naval transport service, Ensign
Ward took part in the Mediterran
ean action during the Sicilian and
Italian invasions last year and has
crossed the Atlantic several times.
A representative of the Collec
tor of Internal Revenut will be
at the local post office on Thurs
day, Friday and Saturday, Feb
ruary 17, 18 and 19, to asist peo
ple of this section in filing their
Federal income tax returns, it
was announced this week. He
will be at the post office from
8:30 a.m. until 5:15 p.m. each
day.
A total of $743.47 was collected from
the 15 chewing gum vending ma
chines operated in local business
places by the Lions Club. This rep
resents sales since December 24th.
Profits from the sale of the gum goes
to the fund raised by the Lions to as
sist needy children being fitted w'ith
eyeglasses.
The maximum retail celling price
for ungraded country eggs for the
current week is 48 cents per dozen,
it was announced yesterday by the
Washington County War Price and
Rationing Board. The maximum
wholesale price is 41.2 cents per doz
en.
Several bunches of keys have
been found and turned over to
the police station here during the
past year or so, Chief P. W.
Brown said this week. The own
ers may obtain them by seeing
the chief and describing the
keys.
Recently promoted to the grade of
sergeant in an infantry company at
Camp San Luis Obispo, California,
Allen J. Spear, formerly of Creswell,
was also awarded the Army's Good
Conduct Medal for “exemplary be
havior, efficiency, and fidelity while
serving in the Army of the United
States.”
H. M. Kieckhefer, secretary and
treasurer of the Kieckhefer Contain
er Co., of Delair, N. J„ was a busi
ness visitor at the plant of the North
Carolina Pulp Company here this
week.
Boys Admit Theft
Of Gum Machines
-»v—
Three young white boys, ranging
in age from 12 to 14 years, rounded
up by police this week, confessed to
breaking into a pool room and serv
ice station here about two weeks
ago and stealing two chewing gum
vending machines. Their cases were
disposed of in juvenile court here
yesterday by W. B. Cox, assistant
clerk of superior court; the findings
and judgment not being made pub
lic.
The boys got a total of about $12
from the two machines, but it is
understood that about $8 or $9 was
recovered by police. One of the ma
chines was taken from Owens pool
room, while the other came from the
Standard Service Station.
-<j>
Fire Department Called
Out Twice in Past Week
The Plymouth volunteer fire De
partment was called out twice last
week to extinguish grass fires in the
locality of the A. C. L. Station on
Water Street. The first alarm was
turned in Saturday morning and the
firemen put out a fire in the marsh
near the shore. Tire firemen were
also called out Sunday evening about
7 p.m. and extinguished a grass
fire along the river shore. The dam
age done in both cases was negligible.
Draft Boari C:t: Call lor While Men To
Report lor Pre-Induction Examination
The local draft board has re
ceived a call for a number of
white men to report to Fort
Bragg for pre-induction physical
examination later this month.
Previously a call had been receiv
ed for a substantial number of
colored men to report for the
same purpose earlier in February.
These two groups will be the
first called under the new plan,
which became effective February
1st. Men called will go to Fort
Bragg, for their physical exami
nations and those accepted put
in one of three classifications:
Army general service; Navy gen
eral service; or Army limited
service. The Navy general serv
ice classification Includes those
accepted for service In the Ma
rines or Coast Guard.
Those accepted will not be in
ducted at the time of their ex
amination, but will be returned
to their home for a minimum of
21 days. The local draft board
later will receive called for a cer
tain number of men for the Army
or Navy, and those on the ac
cepted list will then be called up
and returned to the camp to be
gin active training immediately.
The number of white men
called to report for examination
the latter part of this month is
smaller than expected. It will
probably be sometime in March
before any of them actually are
called into the service. _A fairly
large colored contingent will be
examined early in this month,
and some of them may be called
into service about the last of
February.
To Colled Waste
Paper on Monday
Another waste paper collection
will take place in Plymouth next
Monday, it was announced yes
terday by Miss Helene Duvall,
secretary to the Washington
County Salvage Committee. Town
trash trucks will pick up bundles
of old1 paper, magazines and pa
perboard boxes Monday morning,
if householders will place them in
front of their homes at that
time.
The need for waste paper Is
growing more acute, acording to
letters received by the salvage of
ficials this week. Old newspapers
should be placed in one bundle,
old magazines in another, and
paperboard boxes In still another.
They should be folded and stack
ed as neatly as posible In bundles
not more than 12 Inches in
height.
Six Accepted Out
Of White Draft Call
Here Last Month
Report Not Yet Complete;
3 To Navy, 1 To Army,
2 To Marine Corps
Although a final report has not
been received yet by the local draft
board, at least 6 were accepted out
of the 17 white men who went to
Port Bragg January 24th. Three of
the six will go into the Navy, one
to the Army and two to the Marine
Corps. Possibly others were accepted
whose names have not been certi
fied to the board here.
Only one of the six accepted was
a father, Sullivan Green Lilley, of
Roper, who goes into the Navy. The
other two who were accepted by the
Navy were Harvey Reid Bowen, of
Roper, and David Marion Styons, of
Plymouth, non-fathers. Grover Lee
Sawyer, of Plymouth, was accepted
by the Army; while the Marines
claimed Garland Edward Pierce, of
Plymouth; and Thomas L. Carter, a
transfer from King William Court
house, Va.
Services Announced for
Local Methodist Church
Rev. T. R. Jenkins, Pastor
The following services are an
nounced for Sunday, February 6:
Church school, 10 a.m.; Morning
worship, 11 a.m.; Youth Fellowship,
6 p.m. ia supper meeting!; Evening
worship, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday is designated, "Back To
Church Sunday," we sincerely hope
every member of the church living
within the vicinity of the church
community will be present. We are
expecting every available pew to be
filled to capacity. The sacrament of
the Lords Supper will be administered.
Please be present.
Practice Air-Raid Drill and Blackout
To Be Staged in Section Next Tuesday
The Army has ordered a prac
tice air-raid drill and blackout
(or this section next Tuesday
night, February 8. it was an
nounced this week by Chief Air
Raid Warden P. W. Brown. All
wardens in Plymouth are asked
to be ready for the test, which
will begin at 9:30 p.m. and con
tinue for 40 minutes, with the
“all-clear” set for 10:10. The
order in which the various sig
nals will be given was not an
nounced.
The drill is being called for the
purpose of testing complete mo
bilization of civilian protection
forces within the shortest period
of time, Mr. Brown said. Similar
drills are being held at least once
every 12 weeks.
Local people are reminded of
the three types of signals: A
steady wail of the fire siren
here for aproximately 2 minutes
denotes the ‘‘Blue" signal; when
traffic may move slowly and with
dimmed lights. The “Bed" sig
nal is made by rising and falling
notes of the siren; under this all
traffic must halt, people must get
off the streets, and everything
must be blacked out. The “all
clear” is signalled by the street
lights being turned on and the
whistle at the pulp mill will be
sounded. All homes must be
blacked out under both the
“blue” and "red” periods of alert.
Mosquito Control
Program Here To
Be Recommended
-®
Four Members of Board of
Health Inspect Breeding
Places Near Town
A recommendation will be made to
the town council at its regular meet
ing next Monday night that a pro
gram be worked out to eliminate or
control mosquito-breeding places in
and around Plymouth. The rec
ommendations are the outgrowth of
an inspection trip made last Sunday
by four members of the county
board of health, district health offi
cer and santiarian.
The group of men who Investigat
ed conditions last Sunday included
Dr. A. Papineau, Dr. W. H. Johnson,
B. G. Campbell and H. H. McLean,
members of the board of health; Dr.
J. J. Croley, district health officer;
and W. B. Gaylord, district sani
tarian. In recommending that a
mosquito-control program be work
ed out, these men state it is their
opinion that existing conditions can
be remedied at comparatively small
cost by proper methods of oiling and
minor ditching.
Year before last, such a program
was put into practice here, and the
townspeople were bothered very little
by mosquitoes. Last year, very lit
tle work of this nature was done,
and there was a marked increase in
mosquitoes. It is also learned that
there were 64 cases of malaria of
ficially reported in the town during
the past calendar year, and it is be
lieved there were three or four times
that many cases unreported.
Members of the investigating group
express their belief that conditions
which encourage breeding of mos
quitoes, particularly the malarial
type, can be eliminated at relatively
small cost. The recommendations
that a program be worked out are
being sponsored by the board of
health members. Dr. Croley and Mr.
Gaylord accompanied the group last
Sunday in an advisory capacity.
Territory inspected included the
i See Mosquito Control, Page 4)
-®
Cucumbers Added To
List of Essential Crops
■■<& —
It was announced this week by the
local draft board that cucumbers pro
duced for processing purposes have
been added to the list of essential
corps, with one unit allowed for each
acre of cukes grown. Heretofore,
cucumber acreage was not included
on the list of essentials and producers
were not given credit for this crop
when they applied for deferment.
Davenport Infant
Dies in Hospital
-®
Little Georgia Pay Davenport, five
month-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
W. S. iBill) Davenport, of Mackeys,
died in a Rocky Mount hospital last
Friday morning, after a week’s ill
ness with bronchial pneumonia. The
little girl was taken to the hospital
Thursday night.
Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bill
Davenport, she was born on Septem
ber 1, last year, at the home of her
parents in Mackeys. Her father, Bill
Davenport, radio technician, first
class, in the United States Navy, has
been stationed in the South Pacific
war zone since before her birth and
never saw his daughter.
Besides her parents, the little girl
is survived by a sister, Bettie Blount
Davenport, 5 years of age; and her
grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond
Collins and Mr. and Mrs. Edison
Davenport, all of Mackeys. She also
leaves several uncles and aunts.
Funeral services were held from the
home of her parents in Mackeys
Saturday at 3 p.m., by the Rev. G
C. Wood, pastor of the Roper Metho
dist charge. Interment was made In
the Davenport cemetery at Mackeys.
80 To 90 Per Gent
Property in County
Now on Tax Books
Tax Listing Ended Last
Tuesday; Total Value
Slightly Higher
Tax listing was brought to a close
throughout the county Tuesday of
this week, with the task estimated
to be from 80 to 90 |^er cent com
plete in all townships,'it was learned
this morning from Cqpmty Commis
sioner J, C. Knowles, ^JgPoper, who
is acting as tax supervisor during the
Illness of E, F, Swain, of Creswell.
Mr. Knowles estimafed that 90 per
cent of all property had been put on
the books in Scuppemong Township,
which led all others in the listing
work. Skinnersville, Lees Mill and
Plymouth Township lists were esti
mated at from 80 to 85 per cent com
plete, with Plymouth probably trail
ing slightly. Mrs. Marion Ramsey,
local list taker, estimated Wednesday
morning that about 80 per cent of
taxpayers in this township had listed.
The books are now closed, and the
listing work will be reviewed by the
county commisisoners at their regu
lar meeting Monday morning. It
has been indicated that no extension
of time will be granted delinquents,
and those who have not listed their
holdings probably will be required to
pay a small penalty for their delay.
This matter will be decided at the
board meeting Monday.
Mr. Knowles believes the total
valuation will show a small increase
this year, due to Increased values of
personal property. There is no change
in real estate valuation this year, ex
cept where damage has occured by
fire or like causes or if improvements
were added during the past year,
Regular Meetings
Of Various Boards
Set Next Monday
Mumbcr To Come
Before Towin atid County
Governing Bodies
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Regular flrst-Monday meetings are
•scheduled next Monday for the
Washington County Board of Com
missioners, Board of Education, and
the City Council of Plymouth.
In addition to routine business mat
ters, the county commissioners prob
ably will discuss tax listing, which
came to an end in the county
Tuesday of this week. While a big
majority of all the property in the
county was listed during January, as
required by law, there were enough
delinquents to constitute a problem
for the county governing body. It is
not expected that any additional
time for listing will be allowed, and
the penalties provided by law doubt
less will be applied to the delinquents.
P. M. Arps will preside over the
board of education for the last time,
as he expects to qualify for his new
job as ABC board chairman shortly
afterwards, and that will disqualify
him as a member of the board. Ap
pointment of his successor is up to
the county Democratic executive
committee, but no meeting of this
body has been called as yet.
At the town council meeting Mon
day night, a recommendation will be
made by the county board of health
for launching a mosquito-control pro
ject here before the spring gets too
far advanced. In addition, several
other matters, including tax listing,
probably will receive some considera
tion.
Plymouth Girls’ Team To
l Play Farm Life Tomorrow
The Plymouth High School girls'
team will meet the Farm Life team
in a return game at the local gym
nasium Friday night of this week.
There will be no boys' game, as the
local boys’ team has been disbanded.
Groundhog Says
Winter Not Over
If there’s anything to the
groundhog legend, then this sec
tion is In for six more weeks of
winter weather, starting Wednes
day at noon. -February 2nd at
noon is the time when tradition
says the groundhog comes out of
his burrow and takes a look
around. If he sees his shadow, it
frightens him back into the
ground and there will be six
more weeks of bad weather; while
if it is cloudy and he does not
see his shadow then an early
spring is forecast.
Wednesday at noon, the sky
was clear and the sun shone
brightly—at least, here in Plym
outh. So here’s hoping there's
nothing to the whole groundhog
business. This section has had
Just about enough winter for one
year.
County at Half way Maik on
Quota for Foui th Wat Loan
However, Sales of
'E' Bonds Lagging
Up To Yesterday
Complete Organization for
Campaign Effected at
Meet Last Week
With the county completely or
ganized, prospects are considered very
bright for Washington County to sur
pass its quota of $228,000 in bonds
during the Fourth War Loan Cam
paign. Eugene F. Still, county
chairman of the drive, yesterday ex
pressed confidence that the challenge
would be met, provided volunteer
workers and bond buyers continue to
show the spirit manifested during the
past week.
Up to yesterday, bond sales at the
local bank alone amounted to ap
proximately half of the total county
goal. However, only about one-fourth
of the “E" bond quota had been sold
at that time; and a house-to-house
canvass to raise the remainder of
this quota will get underway tomor
row, The county has an “E” bond
quota of $129,500, with sales to yes
terday at the bank amounting to ap
proximately $30,000. The overall
county quota is $228,000, and sales
of all other type bonds are less than
$100,000, which leaves three- fourths
of the “E" bonds and about half of
the total goal yet to be realized.
The organization meeting held in
the argiculture building last Thurs
day night was well attended, and a
number of suggestions for conduct
ing the campaign adopted. Mr. Still!
presided and announced appointment
of the following local chairmen for
the various communities: Plymouth.
onep tsrinKiey; Koper, L. E. Hassell;
Mackeys, W. B. Davenport and R. H.
Chesson; Creswell, Mrs. Sidney
Smithson: Pleasant Grove, J. C. Tar
k*nton: Skinnovotrfn- ™r truu«.
and Wenone, Mrs. C. L. Heynen, Mrs.
j. u. other members of the
Plymouth committee are W. F. Win
slow, W. B. Daniels, W. V. Hays, and
Mrs. Frances Darden.
E. V. Wilkins was named to head
the drive among colored people in
the Roper section; while the Plym
outh colored committee is composed
of P. H. Bell, William Johnson and
A. R. Lord. Other communities had
no colored representatives present.
A special drive is being waged
throughout the county schools to
boost “E" bond sales, under the lead
ership of H. H. McLean, county sup
erintendent, and the various princi
pals. Literature about this phase of
the campaign x was mailed out last
week.
A house-to-house method of can
vassing was decided upon, and it is
proposed that every person who lives
in Washington County be given an
opportunity to buy a bond during
this drive. Buyers of the small-deno
mination bonds are particularly
sought, as it is hoped to give every
one a chance to help in the undertak
ing.
Canvassers will have application
blanks and will collect ,he money
for the bonds, which will be mailed to
the buyer by the regular issuing agen
cies in the county. All those
who buy bonds will be given a
Fourth War Loan “Shield,” which
they are requested to display on the
windows or doors of their homes. Tire
shield may be obtained from the
band here or at any of the post of
fices upon purchase of a bond, and
in addition will be distributed by the
canvassers.
A large ''thermometer,” painted by
W, F. Winslow, is being erected in
front of the community hall in
Plymouth on which the progress of
"E“ bond sales will be charted each
day.
Price Violations
Found Negligible
Tlie price panel of the Washing-'
ton County War Price and Ration
ing Board this week tabulated the
results of the latest ceiling price
check made in grocery' stores of the
county and found them to be very
good, indeed. The check was made
last week by price panel assistants
of the board in all sections of the
county.
The retail price of 1.001 items in
57 stores were checked. Of this
number, but 25 were found to be
overpriced, and they by from 1 to
2 cents. On the other hand. 114
items were found to be selling be
low the maximum ceiling price.
This is by far the best showing
ever made by county' merchants in a
price check, according to Carl L.
Bailey, chairman of the panei. He
extended his congratulations to the
merchants and stated that they were
showing a very real desire to cooper
ate with the OPA in maintaining
present price levels
Real Patriotism
Kepi On Display
A couple of local men who vis
ited the humble home of a col
ored farmer in the county dur
ing the past week found evidence
of a real patriotic spirit. They
went to the home to have some
papers signed, and were invited
into the living room, where they
noticed a large framed photo
graph of the colored man's bro
ther. who is in an Army unit
overseas. In one corner of the
picture frame was the “Pledge
of Allegiance” to the American
flag. In another corner were
several United States War Bonds.
Such a display might well ap
pear in many homes of Wash
ington County pepole, although it
marks the first time the local
men had seen War Bonds dis
played in a picture frame. It
leaves no doubt about that par
ticular man “barking the attack”
to the best of his ability.
Bond Rally To Be
Held in Creswell
Wednesday Nighi
Variety Program Will Be
Presented; Mrs. Sidney
Smithson Chairman
A special War Bond Rally will be
held in the high school auditorium at
Creswell Wednesday night of next
week at 8 o’clock, it was announced
today by Mrs. Sidney Smithson,
chairman of the Fourth War Loan
Campaign in this community. Al
though plans for the event have not
that a variety of entertainment would
be presented, and every person in the
section is urged to attend.
Tlie program will consist of musi
cal numbers, vocal and instrumental,
and a good speaker will be on hand,
it was indicated. Mrs. Smithson asks
everyone to attend, whether or not
they have bought bonds. The pro
gram will be given for the benefit of
those who have already bought, as
well as for those who, it is hoped, will
buy bonds during the drive.
Mrs. Smithson said that a house
to-house canvass would be made in
that community, but that the names
of all those assisting were not avail
able at this time. Among those who
do not live right in Creswell who have
indicated they will help in their res
pective communities are the follow
ing: W. D. Moore and Rev. T. F.
Davenport. Lake Farms: Clyde Wood
ley, Mrs. Elwood Davenport, Mrs.
Jennings Davenport. Mrs. Bessie
White, and Mrs. Ab Spruill.
No Report Yet on
Paralysis Drive
The mfanilte paralysis drive in the
county is scheduled to end by next
Sunday. February 6. and Mrs. W. H.
Johnson, chairman, requests all or
ganizations to turn in the money they
have collected by that date. Tire
only report of collections received so
far is from the Plymouth schools,
where $38 was received.
The March of Dimes containers
have been placed in the schools and
in stores around town, so that peo
ple may make donations of small
change to the fund. It is hoped that
the county quota of $308 will be
raised before the drive ends. No re
ports have been received as vet from
either Roper or Creswell. The con
tributions collected by the Plymouth
colored school have not been turned
in yet. but will be reported to the
county chairman in a day or two
Complete Canvass ol
Plymouth Section Is
To BeginTomorrow
i Committees Are Named for
House-To-House Drive:
Other Plans
-is
Pians were completed Tuesday
night at a meeting of the local com
mittee and workers for the Fourth.
War Loan drive in Plymouth. The
town has been divided into four areas,
with a captain over each, and the
start of a house-to-house drive will
be signalled Friday morning at 9
o'clock by ringing all the church bells
of the town. In addition to the four
areas, a ' free-lancers" group was ap
pointed to solicit sales of bonds at
any time anywhere.
The Plymouth Theatre yesterday
' announced it would award a $25 War
Bond to the individual canvasser who
| sold the most bonds during the drive.
I County Chairman E. F. Still an
i nounced that he would give a $25
j bond to the colored worker who sold
j the most bonds.
In addition to the canvass, booths
[ are to be placed on the streets here
■ each Friday and Saturday from
] which bonds will be sold, Mrs. E. F.
Still will have charge of the booths.
Booths will also be placed at the
main gate of the pulp plant on Fri
days and Saturdays. Industrial con
cerns hare have promised full co
operation. with E F. Still in charge
at the Plymouth Box & Panel Com
pany and George A. Shannon at the
plant of the North Carolina Pulp
Company. Bey Scouts will assist in
all the Friday and Saturday bond
al^s and help to keep advertising
material in the stores.
It is hoped to revive the high
school band and have it play on the
streets each Friday and Saturday
i See Plymouth Drive. Page 4'
Burning Permits
For Brush Fires
Are Now Required
Period From February 1 To
May 31 Considered For
est-Fire Season
S F. Darden, county forest war
den this week reminds farmers that
it is necessary to secure a permit be
fore burning off fields or forest land,
beginning February 1 and continuing
through May 31 The permits may
be secured from the county forest
warden, deputy wardens or forest
fire towermen.
The county warden said that depu
ties and towermen are located in
practically all sections of the county,
and it is not difficult to secure the
permits, which are required by state
law during the season when forest
fires are most likely to occur.
Mr. Darden empha.sisz.es that pre
vention of forest fires is more urgent
than ever this year on account of war
conditions. Not only is the timber
needed for production of war ma
terials. but forest fires create a very’
real hazard to Army, Navy and Ma
rine aviators now engaged in flight
training over this entire area.
From the standpoint of material
:oss and number of fires, last year
was one of the best in the history of
the forest-fire protection service:
while year before last was one of the
worst For one thing. 1S42 was a
very dry year while in 1943 con
ditions were more nearly normal, the
warden stated At the present time,
there is plenty of water in the
swamps, although Mr Darden said
that rain would be needed in the
nct-too-distant future to keep the
woods from getting too dry again.
Stamp 40 in Book 4 Now Good tor Five
Pounds of Sugar lor Canning Fruits
Sugar Stamp No. 40 in War
Ration Book 4 became valid
Tuesday of this week. February
1, for the purchase of 5 pounds
of sugar which may be used
only for home canning of fresh
fruits, it was announced at the
office of the Washington County
Rationing Board this week. The
stamp will continue to be good
for this purpose for 13 months,
or until February 28, 1945, it is
stated.
In this connection, consumers
are advised that the 5 pounds
allowed by stamp No. 40 will be
considered as part of any home
canning allotment of sugar which
may be made later tn the season.
Mrs. J. K Km!, clerk to the ra
tioning board here, said that no
registration will be held this
year. as was done in 1943, but
that applications would be re
ceived for additional amounts of
sugar tor home canning. How
ever, the 5 pounds of sugar se
cured by each stamp Vo. 40 will
be considered as sufficient for
canning 20 quarts of fruit, and
this amount will be deducted
from any allotments made later.
Each applicant wil be required to
show that he or she has canned
20 quarts of fruit or fruit juices
for each No. 40 stamp before he
is entitled to anj additional al
lotment of sugar.