T'ownJ
opies j
The Perseverance Lodge AF
and AM of Plymouth has install
ed a new neon Masonic emblem
sign over the entrance of their
meeting hall on Washington
Street. The sign will be on each
night, having been lighted for
the first time on Saturday night
after it was installed that morn
fjing
Mrs. Penelope Gaither, of
Creswell. student at East Caro
lina Teachers College in Green
ville, has been chosen member-at
large to the school’s student
council, representing Fleming
Hall, women’s dormitory.
Mrs. Audrey Dunbar of Plym
outh has been employed by the
Plymouth school system as six
th grade teacher, filling the va
cancy left by the resignation
of Mrs. H. D. Lassiter, accord
ing to an announcement by W.
F. Veasey, superintendent. Mrs.
Dunbar, formerly of Pantego,
is a graduate of Atlantic Chris
tian College in Wilson and has
had several years experience in
the Pantego Schools.
Elmo Mayo, C. W. “Snooks”
Burham, and Howard Carr will
be added to the players on the
Plymouth Town Baseball Team,
it has been announced.
Edward L. Owens, of Plymouth,
member of the Class of 1925 of
the University of North Carolina,
irittended the first class reunion
'held by the State school since
the war. Mr Owens was up in
Chapel Hill for the festivities last
week and reports that he met
many of his old acquaintances in
cluding Tom Pearsall, of Rocky
Mount, recently Speaker of the
House of Representatives.
Donna Knowles, Addie Robbins,
and Laura Keyes, members of the
Plymouth Chapter of the Order
of the Eastern Star, attended the
meeting of the Grand Chapter of
North Carolina O. E. S. which
was held at Pineland College in
Salemburg June 8 through 11.
More than 1.000 O. E. S. members
from the State attended and took
part in the meeting.
The Rev. T. F. Davenport,
caretaker of Lake Phelps State
Park, has recently been ap
pointed by Governor R. Cherry
special police officer for the
No spAl limit hti been set on
his term of office.
Mrs. Jean Chesson Couch,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. O. A.
^rhesson, of Plymouth, route one,
received a degree in chemistry at
the graduation exercises of the
University of North Carolina in
Chapel Hill last week. Mrs.
Couch was vice-president of the
university’s honorary chemistry
society. Mr. and Mrs. Chesson
attended the graduation ceremo
nies.
Harold Whitley chairman of the
Albemarle district of the Boy
Scouts of America and member
of the executive board of the East
Carolina Council, attended a
meeting of the executives at
Camp Charles, near Wilson, on
Monday. Mr. Whitley reports
that the location is being fixed
for a permanent camp for the
Scouts in the East Carolina Coun
cil and covers 137 acres, includ
ing a 10-acre lake.
Worker Sustains
Brain Concussion
-*
Leslie Griffin of Belhaven, em
ployee at the pulp mill, received
lacerations of the scalp and sus
tained a concussion of the brain
when he slipped and fell strik
ing his head on a concrete floor
at the mill last Saturday after
noon.
Griffin was given emergency
treatment in the office of Dr. T
L. Bray in Plymouth and was re
moved for further treatment to
a Washington hospital. Reports
indicate that he was still unconci
ous at the time he was admitted
to the hospital.
I Committee Busy on
Plans to Repair Gym
The Plymouth Lions Club com
mittee for the repairing of the
local high-shool gymnasium met
in the Legion Hall here last
Thursday night and after discus
sion of ways and means of se
curing financing of the organiza
tion’s repair program, voted to
have canvassers apointed among
the high-school girls who would
solicit from interested persons
one day’s work on the gymnasium
or its cash equivalent.
The committee also authorized
Harold Whitley, chairman of the
body, to begin purchase of the
materials necessary for the re
pair of the structure, which in
cludes the building of two show
er rooms, repair of the floors,
walls and roof, and improvement
of the lighting and heating sys
tems.. Mr. Whitley will make ne
gotiations for the buying of
cinder blocks, cement, ceiling,
plumbing fixtures and equipment
for eight showers shortly. Dur
ing the course of the Thursday
night conference, it was pointed
out that since labor on the build
ing would be supplied by contri
butors, more money could be al
loted to the purchasing of ma
terials.
J
The Roanoke Beacon
****** and Washington County News ******
VOLUME LVIII—NUMBER 25 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, June 19, 1947
BUY YOUR
NOW
ESTABLISHED 1889
Reopen Street After
Repairs Completed
The block of Washington Street
in Plymouth, between Main and
Water Streets has been reopen
ed following the repairing of a
broken sewer line occurring last
week in front of the Plymouth
Theatre.
A section of pavement approxi
mately 10 feet wide by 14 feet
long was ripped from the street
so that the repair operations
could be effected. The break had
occurred at the base of a man
hole at that spot, town officials
finding it necessary to have the
manhole removed completely.
The broken line was re-con
nected on Monday of this week
and the hole in the pavement
filled by Tuesday evening. The
scar has been covered with crush
ed rock and will be allowed to
settle for about two weeks be
fore the paving is replaced.
Meanwhile, the street has been
re-opened to through traffic.
Board of Education
Budget Completed
Summer Is Due
Here Saturday
The summer solstice will
visit Washington County on
Saturday, June 21, and for the
unhappy soul who does not like
hot weather it will be a sad
day for that is when summer
officially arrives in this hemi
sphere, according to the calen
dar.
According to the thermo
meter, however, summer has
been in the county for quite a
while and apparently plans to
stay. For the past few days, the
mercury has soared, last week
end being one brief oasis of rain
in the current heat wave. Sat
urday, incidentally, is also the
longest day in the year, the
sun rising at 4:21 a. m. and set
ting at 7:39 p. m.
Funeral Is Held
For C. M. Clifton
■-♦
Last Kites, -were conducted
ffom the Scuppornong Christian
(Church new Roper on Saturday
It'S p. hi IW'Chrl M. Clifton, 59,
of RopCr, route one, who died
suddenly of a heart-attack while
at the home of his sister, Mrs.
Lola E. Ayers, in Roper on Fri
day at 1 a. m. The Rev. G. C.
Bland officiated at the funeral
services. Interment was made in
the Piney Grove Cemetery.
Mr. Clifton, who was unmar
ried, was a captain in the mer
chant marine. He had served in
tlie army during World War I ar.d
in the maritime service during
World War II. He was a native
of Washington County. Mr. Clif
ton was preceded in death by his
brother, H. E. Clifton, who died
in a Richmond, Va., veterans’
hospital on Thursday, June 5, and
was buried in Piney Grove Ceme
tery on Sunday, June 8.
Surviving is their sister, Mrs.
Ayers. Pallbearers at C. M. Clif
ton’s funeral were Fay Spruill,
Lewis Davenport, H. L. Daven
port. Ralph Collins, Gordon Ches
son, and C. S. Hufton.
-4
Junior Club Has
Membership Cup
-4
The Plymouth Junior Woman’s
Club has been given an eight
inch silver loving cup by the
senior branch of that organiza
tion which specified that the cup
be given to the member of the
junior group securing the most
new members for the group in its
annual organization campaign.
The Junior Woman’s Club will
conduct its yearly membership
drive during the Fall. Plans for
the campaign are now being made
by present members of the junior
group. Winners of the cup will
be allowed to retain it for one
year.
Schoolmen Request Sup
erintendent to Buy Ex
tra Land for County
School-Bus Garage
Members of the Washington
County board of education, meet
ing in special session in the court
house here on Thursday, approv
ed the county school budget for
the 1947-48 fiscal year and will
submit it to the county commis
sioners for approval shortly.
Included in the new budget is
an extra $4,000 for the construc
tion of the planned county school
bus garage. A copy of the budget
is to be given the county auditor
so that he may determine if there
is sufficient funds in current
county revenues to care for the
additional amount or if it must
be borrowed by the county.
It was further reported to the
school group that the present lot
on which the county garage is to
be located is too small to ac
comodate both the garage and
adequate parking space for the
buses. Members of the board re
quested Superintendent W. F.
Veasev to contact the owners of
the adjacent property, the Owens
brothers, and make arrangements
to purchase a 25-foot wide strip
the length of the county lot.
The bus shop, according to
blue-prints, is 55 feet wide bv
40 feet deep. The present land
space is 39 feet wide.
The board also discussed the
new negro high school to be built
at Creswell. It was revealed that
architects plans, involving certain
minor changes, was not then com
plete together with specifications
but would be within the next few
days, at which time the plans
would be submitted to board
members for approval. Following
this action, contract bids for the
work will be solicited.
-4
Rent Violations
Are Settled Here
-+
Four of the approximate 25
cases of violations of rent con
trol regulations discovered by the
program's enforcement division
in the survey conducted last
March have been settled while
others are still pending, officials
from the Plymouth office of Rent
Control have stated.
Settlements of the four cases
in which violations were reported
are as follows: Plymouth: Mrs. E.
S. Blount, $35 refund to be di
vided between four tentants, and
$35 to be paid the United States
Treasury; Miller Warren, refund
$90 to tenant and pay $45 to the
U. S. Treasury; W. E. Weede, re
fund $55 to tenant and pay $27.50
to the U. S. Treasury;
Roper: W. Barton Swain, re
fund $125 to tenant and pay $125
to the U. S. Treasury. Cases pend
ing will be settled at a later date.
County Church to
Hold Homecoming
-1
The Scuppernong Church of
Christ will conduct its annual
Homecoming observance next
Sunday, June 22, with an all
day celebration beginning at 10
a. m., according to announce
ments from the church pastor, the
Rev. G. C. Bland.
The program for the day will
be as follows:
Sunday school, 10 a. m.; wor
ship service, with sermon on “The
Cost of Being A Christian,” 11a.
m.; barbecue dinner - on-the
ground, 12:15 p. m.; reassembly
for program by the young people
of Albemarle, Philippi, and Scup
pernong Churches respectively, 2
p. m.; adjournment, 3:15 p. m.;
Christian Endeavor meeting, 7 p.
m.; worship service, with sermon
on “Four Things God Does for A
Sinner,” 8 p. m.
Vocation Teacher
For Local School
Stopped by Senate
-♦
Officer Says Slash in Hill
Barton Bill KillsChance
for Hiring Agriculture
Teachers
-1
Due to drastic cuts made in the
Hill-Barton Bill, now before Con
gress, funds for the payment of
salaries of vocational instructors
in North Carolina will prohibit
the employment of such teachers
in those schools whose vocational
departments have been inactive,
adding that Plymouth’s chances
of securing such a teacher, as had
been planned, are now practically
nil.
Mr. Veasey stated further that
unless some such department in
another school in the State is
closed out in favor of Washing
ton County, and it seems unlikely,
the long projected diversified oc
cupations vocational instructor
for the Plymouth school will also
remain unemployed.
The superintendent and the
county board of education had
recently requested co-operation of
Plymouth merchants in giving
practical experience to students
in this course who would re
ceive theoretical instruction from
the vocations teacher.
The reduction, he pointed out,
also stymies vocational status for
the home economics department
of the local institution. The Hill
Barton Act would have provided
one-third of the pay for a voca
tional teacher, the state one-third,
and the county one-third. As
things now stand, the entire sal
ary would have to be paid from
the insufficient county funds. The
federal measure, originally call
ing for 29 million dollars was cut
to 17 millions.
-4
Meet Difficulty
In Installing of
Stillacres Pipes
Progress in Laying of
Sewers in East End of
Plymouth Delayed by
Quicksand, Water
-4
Through Tuesday ot this week.
1,080 feet of sewer pipe had been
laid by crewmen in the Still
acres portion of town, the last
lap in the present town facilities
improvement program ordered by
the Plymouth town council, of
ficials in charge of the project
have stated.
Progress in the Stillacres sec
tion has been slow, they said, due
to the excessive amount of quick
sand encountered by the workmen
and the nearness of water to the
surface of the ground. They re
marked that 1,673 feet more of
pipe remain to be installed be
fore the current phase of the im
provement program is complete.
Laying of the Stilacres pipe sec
tions began on Tuesday of last
week, crewmen starting work at
a point 700 feet from the Roanoke
River and working inland toward
the southern termination of the
line at Highway 64. The 700 feet
of the line empting into the river
will be laid when the 10-inch
terra cotta pipe necessary for the
job arrives in Plymouth. The pipe
has been ordered and, according
to reports from warehousemen,
was scheduled to be shipped on
Wednesday of this week.
Seven manholes are also sche
duled to be built along the Still
acres line.
Woman’s Club Supports
Suggestion of Memorial
The Plymouth Woman’s Club,
meeting at Albemarle Beach last
Friday night, voted to support the
suggestion of the two veterns’ or
ganizations in Plymouth in hav
ing the projected community
building, sponsored by the town's
civic groups, constructed as a
memorial to all the Washington
County men who were killed in
World Wars I and II.
The club’s next meeting will
be held on July 1 at the home of
Mrs. H. H. Allen.
“Miss Jo "Returns Home
After Extended Absence
Creswell. Mrs. Josephine Holm
es, teacher in the Creswell High
School for the past 20 years, has
arrived home after being hospi
talized in Silver Springs, Md., and
Washington, D. C., for several
months.
“Miss Jo” sustained a badly
broken ankle while visiting in
Silver Springs last September
which necessitated her confine
ment in hospitals for quite some
time. During the past few weeks,
she has been with her sister, Mrs.
Virgil Parch at her home in Lima,
Ohio.
Mr. and Mrs. Porch and child
ren, Judy and Bill, accompanied
“Miss Jo” on her return trip to
Creswell and will remain here
several days.
Fair Progress Is Reported
On School Building Here
After some delay caused by
difficulties in securing adequate
labor, progress on the construc
tion of the new class-rooms and
renovation of older parts of the
Plymouth High School building
going more satisfactorily, despite
the lack of certain materials
which are still hard to obtain,
Schools Superintendent W. F.
Veasey, has stated.
Three crews are now at work
on plastering, electrical wiring, i
and roofing protions of the con-j
struction, with work on the roof
expected to be complete by the
end of this week, the school of
ficials said.
Work in the basement where
partitions are being torn out to
make room for the new lunch
room and rest rooms is also mak
ing headway, he remarked, add
ing that steel beams will be in
stalled shortly.
Now that labor on the con
struction project is more plenti
ful, Mr. Veasey stated, contrac
tors are rushing ahead to have
the building completed and ready
for use by this Fall. Installation
}f the heating plant is being held
jp. he pointed out. since pipe fit
tings are among the scarce items
jn the market at present. Basic
materials for the unit are at
land, however.
Triple-A lo Hold
July Referendum
For Assessments
Farmers to Vote on To
bacco Associates Subsi
dy of 10 Cents Per Acre
of Tobacco Grown
Pollholders for the referendum
concerning a 10-cent assessment
on all tobacco raised in the State
will probably be chosen from
among community Triple-A com
mitteemen, while the county AAA
office will be responsible for the
conducting of the balloting which
will be held on July 12, and the
reporting of its returns. Miss Mir
iam Ausbon. secretary for. the
Washington County AAA. has an
nounced.
Miss Ausbon stated further that
since the referendum is being au
thorized by action of the State
legislature instead of the federal
government, election officials
will not receive reimbursements
for services rendered.
Miss Ausbon, in urging all
county tobacco operators to vote
in the July 12 balloting, stated
that this is an opportunity for
farmers to express themselves
with reference to the Tobacco As
sociates organization for which
tim- referendum is being conduct
other aspects of the referendum in
Washington County have not been
decided as yet, she said, but will
be worked out shortly.
MteUk 0* polling places,
hours of election and
Invention Patent
Granted Gaylord
-♦
Roland C. Gaylord of Plymouth
has invented and received a Unit
ed States patent on a combination
toolholder and steady arms, an
important tool to be used in the
operation of an engine lathe. The
invention is designed to make the
use of a lathe much more simple
and accurate,
Mr. Gaylord is a native of Roper
and has resided in Washington
County all his life. He has made
a career of machine work and has
achieved much success in that
field.
Mr. Gaylord’s patent gives him
a 17-year monopoly on the mak
ing using and selling of his in
vention, but, so far as can be de
termined here, he has not yet
made negotiations toward financ
ing its manufacture.
To Erect Traffic
Signals Shortly
-*
Two stop-lights, ordered by the
Plymouth town council several
weeks ago. arrived on Tuesday
and will be installed in the near
future, it has been announced.
According to the decision made
by councilmen at the June meet
ing, the traffic signals will be
put up at the intersection of Main
and Washington Streets and in
front of the Plymouth High
School.
Residents of the town have ex
aressed almost unanimous ap
proval of the measure, although
some pointed out that a possibly
greater need for a traffic Signal
would be at the “T” intersection
af Washington and Water Streets.
About Ready To Try
New Paper Machine
Expansion Program Be
gun at Pulp Mill Two
Years Ago Is Nearing
Completion
The new paper machine, which
has been under construction a1
the plant of the North Carolim
Pulp Company here, is now near
ing completion and. according tr
officials, will be ready for tesi
runs within the next few days
This machine is one of the larg
est and most modern of its kinc
in existence today and will stef
up production considerably aftei
it is put into operation.
It was stated however, that i1
would be some time before maxi
mum production wmuld be reach
ed in connection with the expan
sion program underway at th<
mill, as there are several othei
units and additional equipmen'
to be installed. Work has beer
underway on the program foi
more than twro years, and a num
ber of new' buildings have beer
constructed.
Numerous engineers and rep
resentatives of the differenl
manufacturers who are supply
ing the additional equipment ai
the plant are here for the trial
runs, which are expected to gel
underway very shortly. They will
check the performances of their
particular units as they go intc
operation. A number of Kieck
hefer Container Company offici
als also are here for the start
up.
Personnel for operation of the
new paper machine has been se
lected from those presently em
ployed on Machines Nos. 1 and
2. At the time the expansion pro
gram started two years ago. of
ficials stated that an increase of
approximately 20 per cent in the
operating force at the plant would
be required w'hen all of the ad
ditions were completed. However,
this has been a gradual process,
a few men being added each time
a new unit is completed, and it
will be some time yet before all
the projects are completed.
-♦
Farm, Horae Office
To Change Hours
J. C. Eubanks, Martin County
supervisor for the Farmers Home
Administration, will be in the
Washington County administra
tion offices in the basement of
the county courthouse each Fri
day, after Friday of next week,
June 27, to handle the office’s
business.
Mr. Eubanks will be in the of
fice from 9 a. m. until 4 p. m.
and replaces Willis Bowen, form
er county supervisor, who has
been transferred to Caswell Coun
ty with headquarters in Yances
ville where he will take up his
duties on July 1.
The Washington County office
will be open on Fridays only, un
til further notice, it was stated.
Mr. Eubanks will serve the Tyr
rell County area also and will
be in the Columbia office from 9
a. m. until 12 noon on Mondays.
Miss Mary E. Rogerson of Wil
liamston will succeed Miss Char
lotte McNair, who has resigned,
as secretary in the Plymouth of
fice. She will maintain the same
schedule as Supervisor Eubanks.
-+
Creswell Library
Open This Week
-♦
The Creswell Public Library,
under the sponsorship of the
Creswell Woman’s Club, will be
opened each Friday from 3 p. m.
until 5 p. m., beginning this week,
and will continue throughout the
summer months, it has been an
nounced.
The Creswell library will be
located in the high school library
room and will be supervised by
Mrs. A. H. Tucker, who has been
named librarian.
I Close Control j
! Office Tuesdays j
Mrs. Sabrie Reid, chief clerk i
at the local rent control office,
states that the Plymouth rent
office will be closed one day
each week, probably Tuesdays,
until further notice, since her
services will be required in
Elizabeth City at that time.
The Washington County rent
control office will be open, she
emphasized all other week days,
Saturdays and Sundays except
ed, from 9 a. m. until 4 p. m.
at which time rent control busi
ness for the Washington Coun
ty area will be handled.
Spraying Program
Near Completion
Between Wednesday of last
week and Tuesday of this week,
180 houses in Plymouth were giv
en DDT spraying treatments by
crewmen working with the Wash
ington-Tyrrell District Health De
partment's 1947 mosquito control
program, department officials
have announced. This makes a
total of approximately 939 homes
in Plymouth which have been
given the treatment, they pointed
out.
During the past 7-day period,
it was added, six homes were
found to be locked and three
home-owners refused the service.
Remaining streets in Plymouth to
be covered are Third, Fourth,
Fifth, and Jefferson. Department
officials expect the entire pro
gram to be complete by the end
of next week. A total of around
2,995 houses in Washington Coun
ty have been sprayed.
Mill Worker Is
Injured Tuesday
-♦
Leslie Smith, of Plymouth, em
ployee at the local pulp mill, suf
fered fractures of the metatarsals
in both feet when he fell from
a ladder to a concrete floor ap
proximately 20 feet below him
while on duty at the mill Tues
day afternoon.
Smith, who is now wearing
plaster casts on both feet, was
given treatment in the offices of
Dr. T. L. Bray in Plymouth. Re
ports Wednesday stated that his
condition was satisfactory.
VFW Will Hold Session
In Courthouse Thursday
--
A special effects officer in the
United States Navy will be the
featured speaker at the meeting
of the Plymouth post of the Vet
erans of Foreign Wars in the
county courthouse Thursday at 8
p. m.. Post Commander Bill Dav
enport has announced. Plans for
the community building will also
be discussed by the VFW. Beer
and other refreshments will be
served. Commander Davenport
has requested all members to at
tend.
Home Club Officers
For County Elected
The County Council of Wash
ington County Homo Demonstra
tion Clubs meeting in the Agricul
tural Building in Plymouth last
Saturday elected council officers
for the coming four-year term
which begins in 1948 and termi
nates in 1950.
The officers, who will begin
their terms of service next year,
are as follows: president, Mrs.
Joe Snell of the Cool Springs
Club; vice-president, Mrs. D. B.
Chesson of the Cross Hoads Club;
seceretary, Mrs. Eva Beddard of
the Hoke Club; treasurer, Mrs.
Herbert Sawyer of the Swain
Club.
The council also set the date
for the joint picnic of the county
home demonstration clubs and the
county Farm Beaureau at July
23. The picinic, which was plan
ned at the council's last meeting,
will be held at Albemarle Beach,
near Plymouth.
Recreation Body
Is Appointed at
Special Session
Attorney Investigates Or
dinance for Liability to
Damage Suit; No Pay
Is Given Members
-♦
Plymouth town councilmen,
meeting in special session last
Thursday night, passed an or
dinance appointing an 11-man
recreation committee for Plym
outh with authority to supervise
all public playgrounds and recre
ation centers in the community.
W. L. Whitley, town attorney
was requested to investigate the
resolution to determine if the
town would be liable to damage
suits from persons injured in
places under the supervision of
the commission, in which case the
board decided that the ordinance
would automatically be rescinded.
Provision was made, according
to State law. for the appointment
of four members of the commis
sion from municipal institutions,
the town council, the school sys
tem, the welfare department, and
the health department. The State
law for the setting up of recrea
tion commissions provided for the
appointment of at least five other
persons from the town at large,
but the council deemed it bettfc
that an additional seven be nam
»d which was done.
Appointees to the recreation
group are as follows: Harold
Whitley, town council: W. F.
Veasey, school system: Mrs.
Ursula Spruill, welfare depart
ment: Dr. Alban Papineau. heal
th department: Z. V. Norman,
Robert Bowen. Mrs. K. S. Trow
bridge, W. H. Smith. Joe Foster,
H. H. Allen, and Mrs. W. V.
Hays.
According to the resolution as
adopted by the town board, two
of the commission will serve a
one-year term, two a two-year
term, two a three-year term, two
a four-year term and one a five
yeai- term. This, however, is ap
plicable to a 9-man commission
while details for the 11-member
group have not yet been ironed
out. No salaries are to be settled
on the members and regular re
ports on recreation activities su
pervised by commission will be
made to the town's governing
body.
-4
Crops Are Better
After Hard Rain
---
Crops in Washington County,
damaged and retarded by the dry
spell experienced in this section
of the country during the first
half of June, are now looking
better, according to reports from
county farm operators who state
ed that the several inches of rain
falling in this area last week
end “looked better than a million
dollars.”
Tobacco stands are still some
what poor, though, as compared
with other years, county farm of
ficials estimating that the crop
will “probably be two to three
weeks late this year.” On the
whole, however, farm crop con
ditions have improved immensely
since the heavy rains several days
ago.
0. eTs. Will Meet
In Robersonville
-+
Plymouth Chapter 95 of the
Order of the Eastern Star will
conduct its next regular meeting
in Robersonville this Friday at 8
p. m. in the high-school auditor
ium, according to announcements
from chapter officials.
Highlighting the occasion will
be visits from the newly instal
led Worthy Grand Matron. Mrs.
Nell H. Porter of Asheville, and
the Worthy Grand Patron, Dr. J.
H Brown of Tarboro. Plymouth.
Williamston. Robersonville and
Tarboro chapters will be co-host
esses.