J
Town
opics
-.■MaaMaHVMMM •«■■*■■*■■■■*»
J B Davenport, of the U. S. Mari
time Service, spent four days here
recently with his father. J. L. Dav
enport. He will visit other relatives
before returning to New York to
“ship out" again with the merchant
marine.
Wilbur M. Darden resumed his
duties as clerk of the Washington
County Superior Court last week. W.
B. Cox. who has been attending to the
duties of the office as assistant clerk
for the past several years, has ac
cepted a position with the North
Carolina Pu’p Company.
County Auditor E. J. Spruill return
ed to Rocky Mount hospital last
Wednesday for treatment after be
ing home for a few weeks. He had
not fully recovered from an attack
of ptomaine suffered more than a
month ago and decided to return for
nirther treatment. He is said to
be getting along very well, although
still weak.
The Brandh Banking and Trust
Company was closed today in ob
servance of Halifax Day, the date
marking the anniversary of the reso
lutions adoptd by the Provisional
Congress of North Carolina at Hali
fax on April 12. 1776. instructing the
delegates from North Carolina to the
Provincial Congress to vote for a
Declaration of Independence.
Quite a number of county
farmers will begin transplanting
tobacco plants to the field next
week. The season is one of the
earliest in the history of the crop
in the county. Some blue mold
has been reported, but no serious
damage to plant beds has been
reported thus far.
County School Superintendent H.
H McLean last week broadcast an
appeal by the Junior Red Cross for
5,000 wire coat hangers from Wash
ington County, to be sent to Army
and Navy hospitals for use by wound
ed service men. He requested school
principals to make the collection and
report by Friday. April 13. Up to
today, the colored school in Plym
outh, under the supervision of Prin
cipal A. R. Lord, had collected 1,647
hangers, which it is believed will
constitute a record for the county.
The Albemarle District Committee,
Boy Scouts of America, will hold its
regular meeting Friday night at the
city clerk's office at 8 o’clock. A
program of camporees and camping
for the summer for Scouts of Wash
ington and Tyrrell Counties is to be
considered and discussed.
It was reported here yesterday that
Louis Gurganus, farmer who lives on
the Mackeys road, suffered a pain
ful cut on his left foot Monday
morning, when he was cutting bean
poles. The axe slipped and he cut a
gash on his left foot that required
four stitches by Dr. McGowan to
close.
Mrs. W. C. Moore this week stat
ed that she had been requested to
publish the correct address of the
family of Oscar Leon Driver. Jr., of
the U. S. Marine Corps, who was
killed in action on Iwo Jitna recent
ly. His wife, Mrs. O. L. Driver, jr„
and parents, Mr. and Mrs. O. L.
Driver, sr.. all live at Whistler, Ala.,
Route 1. Box 320.
The Roanoke Beacon
* * * * * * ^ and Washington County News *******
. ' i——. . ' ... . —
u
VOLUME LVI—NUMBER 15
Plymouth, Washingt >n County, North Carolina, Thursday, April 12, 1945
ESTABLISHED 188‘.
6
No Interest, No Candidates tor Town
I Election To Be Held Tuesday, May 8
So far, absolutely no interest
has been displayed in the town
election, which will be held on
May 8 this year. Although the
election is less than a month off,
there are no candidates or pros
pective candidates for the seven
places to be filled, and it now
looks as if an entire slate of city
officials will have to drafted to
run local affairs for the twro years
beginning on the first Monday in
June.
Several present members of the
city council have indicated that
they would not be candidates for
reelection; and Mayor B. G.
j Campbell said last week that he
did not desire to run again. The
mayor is rounding out 18 years
of service, nine as a mpmber of
the council and nine more as the
town's chief executive.
Several names have been pro
posed for the various offices, but
those suggested have, without ex
j ception. declared that they not
only were not interested but
would decline to serve. Time is
growing short, and some sort of
action will have to be taken in
the immediate future, or the
town will he without any elected
1 officials.
Clothing Collection in
County for Needy of
War-Torn Countries
INSTRUCTOR
I
—I
1st Lt. J. S. (Dick) Norman,
son of J. S. Norman, of Plym
outh, reported Tuesday to Tur
ner Field at Albany, Ga„ where
he will serve as an instructor on
B-25 "Mitchell" medium bomb
ers. Lieutenant Norman return
ed last fall from England, where
he completed 35 bombing mis
sions as a pilot of a B-17 Flying
Fortress w.th the Eighth Air
Force. He holds the Distinguish
ed Flying Cross with two battle
stars, and the Air Medal with
three oak-leaf clusters.
Local Legion Auxiliary
Will Meet Next Monday
The American Legion Auxiliary will
meet Monday night, April 16, at 8
o’clock in the Legion Hall. Mesdames
Rogers, Simpson, and Bowen are hos
tess. All members are requested to
attend.
W. H. Thompson To
Head Farm Bureau
Officers Elected and
Installed Last Week
Ernest Davenport, of Cres
well. Vice President;
Plan Program
About 30 members of the Wash
ington County Farm Bureau attend
ed the meeting held here last Fri
day night, when officers were elect
ed and installed for the current year.
The new officers are as follows: W.
H. Thompson, of Roper, president:
Ernest Davenport, of Creswell and
Cherry, vice president: and Mrs. Nor
ma B. Spruill, secretary and treas
urer.
After the new officers weer install
ed, plans were discussed for a num
^ber of activities by the organization
"during the coming fewmonths. The
first thing planned was a barbecue,
which will be held later in the spring,
to which all members and prospec
tive members will be invited.
It was also decided to hold regular
meetings of the bureau at the agri
culture building in Plymouth on the
first Friday of each month, starting
at 8 pm. Interesting and instruc
tive progress will be presented deal
ing with timely topics of interest to
county farmers. The county unit
now has 255 members, and it is
planned to increase this number and
make the organization active in pro
moting the welfare of all those in
terested in agriculture.
At the May meeting, it is hoped to
have Howard R. Garris, of Raleigh,
plant disease specialist at State Col
lege, for the main speaker. Mr. Gar
ris is an expert on peanuts, as well as
all plant diseases, and will have
a timely message for those produc
ing this crop. _
Two New Members
County Board Took
Oath Office Monday
Number Routine Business
Matters Disposed of at
Regular Meeting
-®
The Board of Washington County
Commissioners took its enlarged
membership in stride at its regular
meeting last Monday, and after a
brief "swearing-in’' ceremony got
right down to business on rountine
matters at the same old stand. Pur
suant to an act passed by the recent
legislature enlarging membership of
the board from three to five, A. R.
Latham, of Plymouth, and the Rev.
T. P. Davenport, of Lake Phelps,
took their oaths of office as members
of the board before Clerk of Court W.
M. Darden. They will serve until
the next general election, when their
successors will be elected.
All members of the board were
present Monday. Besides the two
new members, they are H. H. Allen,
chairman, of Plymouth; J. C.
Knowles ,of Roper; and Harry W.
Pritchett, of Creswell. Proceedings
were as follows;
Albert Hufton was allowed $2 each
for pigs killed by dogs running at
large.
Mrs. J. C. Knowles was appointed
registrar of vital statistics for Lees
Mill Township, succeeding Mis. Rus
sell Chesson, who has moved away.
Mrs. Prances M. Darden, home
demonstration agent, read her report
for March, which was accepted and
approved.
The schedule "B” license tax for
(BeTcOtTNTVBOARDTpage 4>
Move Is .Sponsored
By Local Groups
Civic Clubs, Unions, Schools
Scouts Make Plans for
Successful Drive
-®
Plans were worked out last week
end for county participation in the
United National Clothing Collection,
in progress throughout the .ation
throughout the month of April. In
this county, the collection is being
sponsored by the Plymouth Lions
Club, the local AFL-affiliated unions.
American Legion Auxiliary, Boy
Scouts, schools, and several other
womens organizations. Jack Hor
ner, the local Lions Club representa
tive, was elected chairman of the
county drive at a meeting last week
end.
It is announced that donations of
used clothing will be received at the
Union Hall, on the second floor of the
old hotel building, at the various
county schools, and a collection will
be made by Boy Scouts. Complete
plans for a canvass have not been
announced as yet.
The purpose of the collection is to
secure good used clothing for free
distribution to needy and destitute
men, women and children in war dev
astated countries. Henry J. Kaiser is
national chairman of the collection.
Samples of the type of clothing
needed are being displayed in the
(See CLOTHING, Page 4)
No Mosquito Control
Program This Year
Town Short of Funds: May
Seek Subscriptions for
Partial Relief
-» . —
Charles Leonard, sanitary officer
for the district health department,
made a very interesting talk about
control of mosquitoes at the weekly
meeting of the Lions Club last Thurs
day night. Mr. Leonard, who is well
qualified on the subject, discussed the
habits of various types of mosquitoes,
and methods of control which have
been found effective in communities
where conditions are : imilar to those
prevailing here.
At the conclusion of his talk, it
was learned that no arrangements
have been made for any mosquito
control measures here this year. The
town, which has been taking the lead
in this work for the past several years,
has no funds available at this time
for hiring the necessary help or buy
ing the oil necessary for spraying.
Members of the club showed con
siderable interest in the matter, and
it was proposed that a fund be raised
by public subscription to carry on
some phases of the work, which it is
believed will at least make conditions
more endurable here during the
spring and early summer months.
The matter is slated for further con
sideration when more club members
are present.
-j
To Begin Nation-Wide
Brake Testing Sunday
-®
Beginning Sunday, April 15. and
continuing through May 31. a nation
wide brake testing program gets un
derway. M. B. Stewart, local mem
ber of the state Highway Patrol, has
been ordered to start checking the
brakes on all cars and trucks, and
owners whose cars are found below
standard will be given citation to have
adjustments or repairs made.
Local sheriffs and police officers
throughout the state have been re
quested to cooperate in the program.
Each officer is furnished a block,
which placed under the brake pedal
shows whether or not adjustment or
repairs is needed. Car owners are
warned to have their brakes in good
order by Sunday, as they are subject
to be stopped and checked at any
time.
/
GETS PROMOTION |
Ensign Barbara Norman,
daughter of Mr. and .Mrs. Z. V.
Norman, of Plymouth has been
promoted to lieutenant !j.g. I in
the l.\ S. Navy. She entered
Smith College. Northampton,
.Mass., for training on October 21,
1043, and received her commis
sion as ensign December 14, 1943.
She was assigned to the Naval
Air Station at Ycro Beach. Fla.,
Where she has remained as a
communications officer.
Mrs.’j. H. Browning
Died Suddenly Near
Here Last Saturday
Victim of Heart Attack:
Funeral Service Held
Sunday Afternoon
Mrs. Dean Browning. 62. wife of
J. H. Browning, prominent farmer of
the Long Ridge section near Plym
outh, died suddenly from a heart at
tack at her home about 1:15 last
Saturday afternoon. Mrs. Brown
ing had been to Plymouth Saturday
morning: she spoke of not feeling well
while on the way back, and died
shortly after reaching her home.
Daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs.
Battle Gurganus Mrs. Browning was
born in Washing on County on Janu
ary 27. 1883, and lived in the same
general community all of her life.
She was an ardent church worker and
one of the most active members of
the Christian Hope church in her
section. Slip taught a Sunday school
class and had a leading part in the
promotion of all phases of church
work.
Besides her husband. Mrs. Brown
ing is survived by three sons, H. L.
and I. R. Browning, of Plymouth
Route 1: Joe Gray Browning, of the
U. S. Navy, stationed at San Ber
nardino, Calif.: three daughters, Mrs.
A. J. Ange. of Plymouth Route 1;
Mrs. Rosalie Sawyer, of Roanoke
Rapids; and Mrs. Samuel Bateman,
of Norfolk. Va. She also leaves three
sisters. Mrs. R. G. Hardison, of Plym.
outh; Mrs. W. A. Mizelle, of Plym
outh Route 1: Mrs. B P. Read, of Bal
timore. Md.; and three brothers, Onie
Gurganus, of Durham: Joe Gray
Gurganus, of Laurinburg; and Paul
Gurganus, of Glendale. Md.
Funeral services were held from
(lie late home Sunday afternoon at
4 o'clock, conducted by he Rev. J.
R. Lee, her pastor, assisted by the
Rev. E. B. Quick, pastor of the First
Christian church of Plymouth. In
terment was made in the Jackson
cemetery near tire home.
Regular Meeting of
Board of Education
Members Begin New Terms
And Reappoint Local
School Committees
Members of the Washington Coun
ty Board of Education had a busy
:iay Monday. All three members of
the old board entered upon new
terms, they requested the county
commissioners to call the special bond
election at the earliest date possible,
md local school committees were ap
pointed for all three districts in the |
county. No action was taken on the 1
election of the county school superin
tendent for the two-year term begin- |
ing July 1. 1945.
Members of the board were reap
pointed by the recent legislature, and
the first business a; the meeting Mon
day was to bi s irn in and begin
their new term- f office. The oath
was administered by Clerk of Super
ior Court W M Dai den.
Only one change was made in the
local committe . Glenn Furbee, of
Wenona. being named to succeed
James L. Rea. .it on the Plymouth j
committee. Inc i mplete commit
tee appointmen: for the coming two'
years are as follows-:
Plymouth: A Lloyd Owens, R. J.
Frymier, of Plymouth: and Glenn
Furbee, of Wenona
Roper: W. B. Davenport, of Mack
eys; A. R. Phelps and F C. Tarking
lon. of Roper:
Creswell: H. R. Stillman. Harry P.
Barnes, of Creswell: Hubert L. Dav
enport, Roper Rout* 1.
Education Board Asks Bond
Election as Soon as Possible
1
National Agency Authorizes Program
For Converting 20 Dwelling Units Here
Jack H. Brown, of Greensboro,
state director of the National
Housing Administration, an
nounced Tuesday that due to a
critical lack of housing in the
Plymouth area, and as a result
of a survey recently made, the
National Housing Agency has
approved a conversion program
consisting of 20 units for the
Plymouth area.
According to Mr. Brown, the
program contemplates the con
version of existing structures,
whether they be presently used
for residential purposes or not.
into one or more living units. In
other words, if a person owns a
Pvl. E. L. Woodley
Killed in France on
Last November P
Previously Reported “Miss
ing in Action”; Served
With Third Army
Mrs. Sybil Woodley, of Creswell. Iasi
week-end received a telegram frorr
ttie War Department stating that hei
husband. Pvt Elbert Lee Woodley
who was previously reported missing
in action on November 14. 1944. was
killed in action on that date in
France. He was serving with Gen
eral George Patton's Third Army, and
presumably was somewhere in the
Metz area on that date. His par
ents. Mr. and Mrs. Clyde H. Woodley,
live in Creswell.
Private Woodley was 24 years old
He entered the Army on December 3
1943. After receiving his basic train
ing at oFrt Jackson, S. C.. he was as
signed to a unit at Indiantown Gap
Pa. Later he went to West Virginia
where he received special training ir
mountain warfare, receiving a spe
cial certificate and being returned tc
Indiantown Gap as an instructor in
mountain climbing.
i See E. Ii. WOODLEY, Page 4>
A. N. Wentz Final
Rites Near Roper
Died Thursday Morning of
Last Week After Long
Illness
A. N. Wentz. 69 prominent resident
of the Mill Pond road section near
Roper, died Thursday morning of last
week at 11 o'clock after a long per
iod of declining health. He had been
ill for the past three years, but was
onfined to his bed only about four
weeks before the end came.
Son of the late A. C. Wentz and
Jane Ballard Wentz, originally of On
do w County, he was born in Wash
ington County on October 1. 1875, and
• pent all of his life in the Roper sec
:ion. On April 25, 1896, he was mar
ked to Miss Lee Ainsley, also of Rop.
?r, who survives him. Mr. Wentz
was a member of the Episcopal
:hurch of Roper for many years.
Besides his widow. Mrs. Lee Ains
ley Wentz, of Roper, he is survived
by one son, Bernard Wentz, of Ra
leigh: and one brother. B. F. Wentz,
nf Norfolk, Va.
Funeral services were held from
:he late home last Saturday after
noon at 3:30 p.m.. conducted by the
Rev. William B. Daniels, Episcopal
•ector of Plymouth, and the Rev.
Sidney Matthews, of Washington, as
sisted by the Rev. G. C. Wood, Metho
list minister, of Roper. Interment
vas made in the family cemetery on
,he farm.
12 in Pre-Induction
Call for April 13th
Twelve Washington County colored
men were this week sent notices to
eport to the office of the local Selec
ive Service Board here next Wednes
day morning, when they will be sent
:o Fort Bragg to receive their pre
induction physical examinations.
Most of the number are young men
who only recently reached the age of
18. Eight of them are from Plym
outh. two are from Roper and one
each list Mackeys and Creswell as
their home addresses.
Following is the list of those sum
moned: Roy Earl Johnson, Rupert
Johnson. James Thomas Hooker,
Robert Lee Ecker. Richard Joseph
McNair, William Alexander Gee.
Junior Mark Smith and Joe B Down
ing, jr„ of Plymouth: Eugene Bell
and Earl Norman, of Roper: Albert
Hassell, of Mackeys; and Warren
Chester Bouton, of Creswell.
large house, he ean obtain pri
orities, under this program to
convert the unit and in so doing
create additional living units
which will help relieve the criti
cal housing situation in Plvm
outh.
Without the program author
ized this week, construction re
strictions would prohibit the con
version work. The program, as
now set up. will permit the cre
ation of but 20 additional units
through the medium of conver
sion. Application blanks for pri
orities may be secured from
Jack H. Brown, state director.
National Housing Agency.
Greensboro. N. C.
KILLED IN ACTION j
mm.
The War Department last
week-end informed Mrs. Sybil
W'oodley, of Creswell, that her
husband. Pvt. Elbert Lee Wood
ley, previously reported missing
was killed in action in France on
November 14. last year, while
serving with General Patton's
Third Army.
Edgar H. Bain To Meet
Beer Dealers Next Week
Edgar H. Bain, of Goldsboro, state
chairman of the brewers' committee,
will meet with retail beer dealers of
the county at the courthouse in
Plymouth Friday afternoon of next
week. April 20, at 2 p.m. He will ex
plain changes in the law regulating
the sale of beer and requests all beer
dealers in the county to meet him at
that time.
Expect Call To Be
Made at May Meet
Of County Board
Not Believed Election Can
Be Held Before Middle
Or Last of June
The county board of education last
Monday put in motion the machinery
to call for a special election to pass
on issuance of up to $250,000 worth
of bonds for erection and major re
pairs of school buildings in various
parts of the count- It was the hope
of the board of education members
that the special election could be held
by the first of June, but this appears
doubtful in the lieht of later deveiop
meot>
The recent legislature passed an
act authorizing Washington County
commissioners to call such an elec
tion at the request of tire board of
education. The education board
made such request, by resolution di
rected to the county commissioners,
at its regular April meeting last
Monday. In turn, the commissioners
I directed the county attorney. W. L.
Whitley, to prepare the proper notices
for calling the special election and
have them ready to be acted upon at
the next regular meeting of the
county board, on the first Monday
in May.
Since the calling of a special elec
tion and issuance of bonds is a very
meticulous proceeding it is expected
to require some time for the correct
procedure to be determined and acted
upon. It will be necessary to call
for a special registration for the bond
election, and this must be properly
advertised, all of which will require
time. The next meeting of the coun
ty commissioners is set for May 7.
and it is considered doubtful that the
election can be held before the middle
or later part of June, at best.
Raymond E. Phelps
Injured at Iwo Jima
Is Fifth Man From Wash
ington County Wounded
In Recent Battle
Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler Phelps, of
Mackeys. received a letter Monday
stating that their son. Pvt. Raymond
Earl Phelps. 20. of the U. S. Marine
Corps, was wounded in the stomach
during tire Iwo Jima battle last
month. The letter, dictated by young
Phelps and written by a comrade at
a Naval hospital somewhere in the
<Set- IWO JIMA, Page 4)
Rented Units Must Be
Registered by April 15
City Council Makes
Arrangements for
Election on May 8
-$
Registrars and Pollholders
Appointed Last Week:
Registration Period
-@
The Plymouth City Council made
arrangements at a meeting last
Thursday night for holding the bien
nial municipal election here on May
8. A mayor and six councilmen are
to be elected at that time to govern
town affairs for the next two years.
Registration books for the town
election will open on Saturday, April
21. and remain open for one week,
closing the following Saturday. April
28. Saturday before the election.
May 5. will be challenge day.
The city council also appointed
registrars and pollholders for the
election and designated the places of
registartion and polling.
Mrs. H M. Ramsey will be registrar
for the first ward and will have the
registration books at her insurance
office on Water Street here during
the registration period from April 21
to 28, inclusive. Whit Stubbs and A
R. Dupree were named pollholders
for the election, and the polling plac
es for this ward will be at the court
house.
L. C. Hassell is registrar for the
second ward and will have the books
at the Hassell Brothers Bakery,
which will also be the polling place.
William R. Darden and J. T. McNair
are pollholders.
Mrs. C A. Cratch was named reg
istrar for the third ward, with P. H
Darden's store on Jefferson Street
designated as the registration and
polling place. Whit Harrison and W
See CITY COl'NCIL. Page 4>
20 Per Cent Listed
Up To Yesterday
All County Included; Few
Outside of Plymouth
Have Registered
Raleigh. April 10.— 'Special to The
Beacon'.—With approximately 20
per cent of the housing units in
Plymouth and Washington County
registered as of today. George W.
Jeffrey, Plymouth Rent Control Area
director, said that Sunday. April 15,
is the deadline for rent registration.
Persons making registrations after
that date and those who fail to reg
ister are subject to penalty.
A tabulation at the rent control of
fice this morning revealed 240 hous
ing accomodations already registered. *
plus two rooming houses and hotels.
This is approximately 20 per cent of
the estimated more than 1.000 dwell
ing units in Washington County, Mr.
Jeffrey said.
Slowest to register have been per
sons renting dwelling quarters in
Washington County outside the town
of Plymouth The director reminded
that all rented units in Washington
County must lie registered. The whole
of Washington County has been de
clared a defense rental area and rent
control is in effect throughout the
county, he said.
The penalty tor failure to register
all rented or offered-for-rent dwell
ing units is $5,000 fine or one year in
Federal prison. Blank- for registra
tion of rented property including
houses, apartment, rooms and all
other living quarters may be se
cured from Mrs. Jane H. Hanes, rent
control clerk, at the office of the
Washington County Wa- Price and
Rationing Board in the courthouse.
Those who sub-rent or sub-lease liv
ing quarters are also required to reg
| ister such property, it is emphasized.