1*0 wo I
opic§ 1
The Roanoke Beacon
****** and Washington County News ******
A home newspaper dedicated
j|: to the service of Washington
HI County and its 13,000 people. |l|
VOLUME LIX—NUMBER 11 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, March 11, 1948
ESTABLISHED 1889
A pencil drawing by Ivan
^ Atamanchuk, son of Mr. and Mrs.
M. H. Atamanchuk of Plymouth
was shown in a recent exhibit of
students’ work at the Ferree
School of Art in Raleigh, accord
ing to reports from school offi
cials. Mr. Atamanchuk is a first
year student at the Ferree School.
Due to a return of the heavy
rains falling on this section in
termittently for the past several
weeks, grading operations on the
athletic field in Stillacres will not
be complete until early next
week, men in charge of the work
have announced. The field is
being readied for local participa
tion in Albemarle Baseball Lea
gue games this summer.
According to Police Chief P.
W. Brown, the warning issued
bv him to motorists in Plym
outh who had still failed to se
cure city license plates re
sulted in the sale of some 20
city tags. The chief said that
several local drivers had ignor
ed the warning and that unless
the tags are secured at once
they will be liable to prosecu
P tion.
A. J. Riddle, president of the
Washington County Athletic As
sociation, has reported that so far
guide wires and other anchoring
equipment for the Stillacres Ball
Park light poles have now arrived
while other equipment, including
the poles and four transformers,
are expected to get here next
week. It will be stored in the
Municipal Building in Plymouth
until it can be installed, he added.
According to reports from J. S.
Fleming, principal of the Plym
outh High School, attendance at
the school's first Saturday class
session, held last week-end, was
as good as on the regular school
days and in some cases even bet
ter, 82 per cent of the students
having been registered present.
The Saturday school days are
being held to make up for time
Jpst during the big snows of Feb
ruary.
The largest single contribu
tion given to the Red Cross
fund-raising drive so far, ac
cording to J. S. Brinkley, coun
ty campaign chairman, is a sum
of $235 collected from among
the employees of a local lumber
.. .. Eobe.t W. Bruce, can
vasser for that section of town,
collected the money, he said.
Due to lack of sufficient num
ber of entries a Man-of-the-Year
contest which was to have been
sponsored by a women’s society
of the Plymouth Methodist Church
has been postponed indefinitely,
according to announcements from
members of the ■group. Money
realized from the project was to
have been placed on an education
building fund for the church.
The meeting of the Plymouth
Lions Club, set to be held tonight,
has been postponed until Thurs
day night of next week, accord
ing to C. W. Dinkins, president
of the club. The session to have
been held tonight was put off so
that Lions Club members could
Attend the annual Lions Club
xfasketball tournament now un
derway here.
PTA Unit at Roper to
Meet on Tuesday Night
-*
The Roper Pareat-Teacher As
sociation will meet in the school
auditorium next Tuesday at S
p. m., it has been nnounced. At
this meeting a talk will be given
by Superintendent R. F. Lowry
on "Schools Set the Pace,” and
two selections will be played bv
the school’s rhythm band. All
members are being urged to at
tend.
F. L. Brinkley Is Named
Head of Welfare Board
Frank L. Brinkley of Plymouth,
has been re-appointed to the post
of chairman of the Washington
County welfare board, according
to announcements from Mrs. Ur
sula Spruill, county welfare
agent. Mr. Brinkley’s term of
service will be three years. He
has served on the board for sev
eral terms.
fll
County Hospital Group
To Examine Books Here
The Washington County Hos
pital Board of Managers will con
vene in called session next Wed
nesday at 7:30 p. m. in the com
\ missioners’ room in the county
courthouse to examine registra
tion books for the forthcoming
$50,000 hospital bond election and
to form some organization to get
registrants to the polls on Fri
day, March 26, the day on which
the election is to be held.
Decision to call the meeting was
made by the managerial group at
a session conducted by them last
week at which time it was point
ed out to them that a majority
of voters registering for the elec
tion would be required to pass
the measure.
Although no definite sugges
tions were made as to the means
of getting registrants to cast their
ballots on the election day, the
hospital board of managers will
probably form committees to
make individual contacts and will
use other mediums of publicitv
to emphasize the necessity of hav
ing all voters registering for the
election appear at the polls and
vote on the appointed day. E. H.
Liverman is chairman of the
board of managers.
$440 Reported in
Red Cross Drive
Review Board
Meets Monfev
Residents of Washington
County are being reminded
that the county commissioners
and the county tax supervisor
will meet in the commissioners’
room in the county courthouse
in Plymouth next Monday,
March 15, as a board of equiliza
j tion and review,
j Persons desiring to make com
j plaints about their county
taxes are urged to see the re
view board on that day as it
! will be difficult to secure cor
| rections, if they are deemed
! justifiable by the board, after
that time.
I Marrow Chosen to
Be Vet Commander
In VFW Elections
Six Other Officers, Three
Trustees Also Named;
Show Profit Report Is
Presented
Osborne A. Marrow was chosen
commander of the Bosie Bate
man Post No. 4023 of the Vet
erans of Foreign Wars of Plym
outh in elections held by the or
ganization last Thursday night.
Other officers elected at that
time were E. E. Harrell, vice
commander; Randolph Minton,
junior vice-commander; William
Booth, quartermaster: William
Rustad, advocate; Dr. E. W. Fur
gurson, surgeon; J. C. Gussler,
chaplain; and Robert Bruce, Ray
mond E. Phelps, and Carl Rob
erson, trustees. Installation of the
new officers will be held on
Thursday, April 1.
The committee in charge of the
recently conducted VFW home
talent show reported to the
group that a net profit of $155
was taken in at the show, the
money being placed in the VFW
building fund for the purpose of
erecting a veterans’ club house in
Plymouth. Another committee
was appointed to investigate the
possibility of holding another
home talent show, perhaps in
Creswell. The members of the
committee are Asa Johnson, Ray
Kimbrought, Britt Hardin, and
W. J. Hedgebeth.
A committee in charge of a box
ing tournament to be put on by
the local VFW post this month
reported that a card had been
drawn up for the bouts and would
be ready for discussion at the
group’s next meeting.
Farm Safety Talk
Presented Bureau
Principal speakers at a regular
meeting of the Washington Coun
ty Farm Bureau, held last Fri
day night at the Agriculture
Building in Plymouth, were P. B.
Bateman and J. C. Swain, both of
Plymouth, who addressed the as
sembly on safety measures as re
garding farm machinery and its
proper operation. Their talks
were illustrated by a motion pic
ture film on the same subject.
In addition to the two address
es, a report was made to the
group by County President W. T.
Freeman on progress made to
date by the Tobacco Stabilization
Corporation. A program com
mittee for the next meting, con- j
sisting of Roy Chesson of Roper,
J. L. Knowles of Plymouth, and
Robert Armstrong, also of Roper,
was appointed.
The meeting was attended by
some 50 Farm Bureau members,
the largest attendance recorded in
quite some time.
Collections Are Announc
ed by Few Plymouth
Areas; Campaign Is
Ended Wednesday
-♦
By Wednesday of this week, a
total of $440 had been turned in
to the Plymouth headquarters of
the Washington County Red Cross
Chapter’s annual fund raising
campaign, leaving some $1,210 yet
to be collected before the county’s
$1,650 quota is realized, J. S.
Brinkley, county chairman of the
j drive, has reported.
He added that it is believed
that most of this has already been
collected and merely awaits re
porting to the community and
county chairmen. The county
leader expressed the further hope
that the reports will be made as
soon as possible in order to termi
nate the campaign which was
scheduled to have ended yester
day, March 10. after beginning on
Monday of last week, March 1.
The majority of the money col
lected in the county campaign
so far, he said, has been reported
from the Plymouth area, although
some sections of Plymouth are
still to be heard from. Other
sections of the county which have
still not reported include Cres
well, Wenona, Skinnersville, Rop
er, and the campaign being car
ried on among the colored resi
dents of the section.
Chairman Brinkley also point
ed out that the quota for the col
ored people in the county has
been reduced from the original
$500 to $325.
Henry Everett, who is also co
chairman for the county, is chair
man of the Roper white district;
Mrs. T. W. Tarkcnton is chairman
for the Pleasant Grove section;
John R. Stillman is the Skinners
ville district chairman; Mr. and
Mrs. Joe B. Davenport are co
chairmen for the Creswell sec
tion; Mrs. Oliver Stotesbury is
the Wenona chairman, and W.
Frith Winslow is chairman of
the Plymouth white campaign.
E. V. Wilkins and the Rev. A.
R. Winborne, both of Roper, are
co-chairmen of the county for the
drive among the colored residents.
Urban centers have ben divided
into neighborhoods and a chair
man and canvassers appointed to
cover each.
Half of the money collected will
remain in the county for use in
relieveing emergencies arising
here, while the remainder of the
funds will be sent to the Red
Cross national headquarters for
use on a nation-wide and in
ternational scale.
Knowles Will Run
For Commissioner
Jesse C. Knowles, of Roper, has
announced his candidacy for the
post of county commissioner from
District No. 2, comprised of
Lees Mill Township, subject to
the Democratic primary on May
29. Mr. Knowles, a former mem
ber of the county board, is the
first to announce for a place on
the Washington County govern
ing body.
Mr. Knowles was first elected
county commissioner in 1938 and
served four successive two-year
terms in office, retiring from the
county’s political arena in 1949
after being defeated by A. R.
Latham of Plymouth in a run
off vote. During his tenure of
office, Mr. Knowles also served
as county tax supervisor.
Members of the incumbent
board are Frank L. Brinkley,
!chairman; A. R. Latham, II. W.
I Pritchett, Hubert L. Davenport,
and Clarence E. Ayers.
I -4
Local PTA Unit Slates
Meeting Next Thursday
-♦
The Plymouth Parent-Teacher
Association will convene in the
Plymouth High School Thursday
night of next week at 8 o’clock,
officials in the local unit of the
PTA have anounccd. All mem
bers of the organization are being
urged to present.
—-4
Large Audience Attends
Concert at School Here
-♦
An audience of approximately
300 persons, most of them school
children, attended the concert
given in the Plymouth High
School by Nelson Sabin, national
ly known baritone, on Tuesday
afternoon of this week, school of
ficials have reported. The con
cert was arranged and presented
under the auspices of the Plym
outh High School’s music depart
ment.
| Supply Pastor Is
Secured by Local
Christian Church
Rev. J. D. Waters of
Bertie County to Fill
Post Until Permanent
Man is Employed
The Rev. J. D. Waters, retired
Christian minister of Bertie
County, will move his residence
to Plymouth shortly and assume
the duties of supply pastor to the
local Christian Church until a
permanent pastor can be secured,
according to reports from lay of
ficials in the church.
The Rev. W. Dennis Helsabeck,
of Arcadia, Ind., who had previ
ously been elected to the pastor
ship of the Plymouth church, has
j notified the board that he will be
j unable to accept the local charge
and will remain in Indiana.
I he Kev. Mr. waters, accompa
nied by his wife, is expected to
move into the Christian parsonage
in the early part of next week. He
is a native of Washington County,
having been born about four
miles from Plymouth at the
Waters home on the Washington
Highway. Mr. Waters, who is
now retired, has been a Christian
pastor for the past 50 years, and
has served his calling in nearly
all sections of the United States
as well as having visited several
foreign countries.
Church officials have announc
ed that with the securing of a
resident, although temporary,
pastor full-time morning and
evening services will be resumed
at the church. It was also an
nounced that a pre-Easter re
vival will begin on Palm Sunday.
March 21, and will terminate at
the Easter Morning service on
Sunday, March 28.
->
Drainage District
Commission Board
Convenes Tnagjay
To Plan Final Survey, As
sessment Roll for Scup
pernong Area; Meet in
Columbia
J Members of the Scuppernong
Drainage District board of com
missioners will meet with County
Soil Conservationist Donald B.
Jones, George N. Renfro, drain
age engineer with the Soil Con
servation Service, and Samuel
Woodley, attorney for the drain
age district, in Mr. Woodley’s of
fice in Columbia next Tuesday
at 2 p. m. to make plans for the
final phase of getting the new
drainage district into full-time
operation, it has been announced.
At the meeting, the commis
sioners will make plans to have
a survey of the area conducted
which will include the acreage to
be covered, the number of miles
of ditches to be dug and where
they will be located, and assess
ment rolls for landowners in the
area will be drawn up.
The drainage district, set up by
legislative action in the 1947
State General Assembly about
one year ago, encompasses about
10.540 acres in the Creswell
Cherry-Mt. Pleasant section. Dis
trict boundaries are approximate
ly as follows: Beginning at
I Spruill’s Bridge on Scuppernong
RiVer and going northwest to
Arbuckle’s Tram, then running
southwest to the Newlands Ror
j.-nd then southeast to the north
ern shore of Lake Phelps, going
ast along the shore of the lake
to a point halfway between the
Mountain and the Thirty-Foot
Canals, then turning northeast
and running parallel to the Lake
Phelps Road and continuing in
the same direction until the origi
nal starting point is reached.
Wade L. Woodley of Rocky
Mount is chairman of the board
f district commissioners.
| Schedule Nock
| Marriage Here
The Woman’s Society of
Christian Service of the Plym
outh Methodist Church will pre
sent a Tom Thumb Wedding in
the auditorium of the local high
school next Tuesday night at
7:30 o’clock, according to an
announcement from Mrs. W. C.
Jones, who is in charge of the
program.
Principals in the presenta
tion will be Brenda Warren,
bride, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
I. Miller Warren; and Johnny
Marrow, bridegroom, son ■ of
Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Marrow.
Money realized from the event
will be placed in the church’s
education building fund.
Saturday Is Last Day To
Register for Special Bond
Election Set for March 26
Little Interest Seen in
Lower Section of Coun
ty; Balloting Set for
March 26th
-«
Although a regrettable lack of
interest seems to be evidenced in
the lower end of Washington
County in the forthcoming $50.
000 hospital bond election, special
registrations for the election in
the upper end of the county, par
ticularly in the Plymouth pre
cinct, are soaring.
According to Plymouth Pre
cinct Registrar J. T. McNair, a
total of 853 registrants have been
recorded by him so far in the
registration period which began
on February 21 and will end this
Saturday, March 13. Officials in
charge of the balloting have em
phasized that only two days re
main in the period of registra
tion and that all persons, whether
old voters or new. must register
if they wish to particpate in the
election which will be held on
Friday, March 26.
It was further emphasized that
all persons who register should
appear at their respective polling
places on the election day and
cast thei* ballots since a majority
of those registering is required
in order to pass the measure. This
means that if a person registers
and then fails to vote, he as much
as casts a ballot against the much
needed county hospital.
So far as can be determined
at present, practically the entire
population of Washington County
is in favor cf the hospital project
which would be secured through
State-federal aid, with the coun
ty putting up about 27 per cent
of the money needed to operate
thc.^hospital. Some opposition,
-he
ut
present '
the measure will be passed by the
county’s qualified voters. The
residents of the county will also
be asked to approve a 10-cent
tax levy on each $100 of assessed
property valuation in the coun
ty to maintain the institution for
the first two years of its opera
tion.
Meanwhile, all persons eligible
to vote in the election are being
urged to register. The books are
open daily, except Sunday, from
9 a. m. upntil 6 p. m. Registrars
and their locations -are as fol
lows: Plymouth, Mr. McNair,
at his home week-days and at W.
T. Freeman’s office on Saturday;
Lees Mill, Wade Hardison, at his
home week-days, at Knowles
Grocery on Saturday; Wenona,
H. J. Furbee, at his home week
days and Saturday; Skinnersville:
Mrs, W. W. White, at her home
week-days and at White's store
in Saturday; Scuppernong, J. A.
Combs, at his home week-days
and at his office on Satu daj .
—--♦
Roper Club Hears
Talk by Scientist
Roper.—Dr. B. A. Krantz, soil
scientist with the United States
Department of Agriculture, was
featured speaker at a regular
meeting of the Roper Ruritan
Club last Thursday night, ad
dressing the gathering on hy
brid corn types.
Dr. Krantz’s talk was illustrat
ed with slides showing the de
velopment, cultivation, fertiliza
tion, and average yield per acre
of hybrid corn. In an open
forum period held after his
speech, Dr. Krantz explained
adaptation of corn hybrids, spac
ing, and use of fertilizers. The
meeting was attended by a large
number of farmers in the com
munity who were guests of the
club that night. The soil scientist
was introduced by Club Member
J. L. Rea.
During a short business session
of the group, following Dr. Kran
tz's speech, the club went on rec
ord as favoring the construction
of a gymnasium at the Roper
High School. R. B. Forbes, pre
sident of the organization, pre
sided over the meeting.
PTA Meeting Scheduled
In School at Creswell
The Creswell unit of the Par
ent-Teacher Association will con
vene in regular session tonight
at 8 o’clock at the Creswell School
building, according to announce
ments from officials in the PTA.
The principal topic to be discuss
ed by the organization will be
“Health.”
1 RENOVATED BAPTIST CHURCH HERE f
i---1
An architect’s drawing: of the proposed remodelling: and
renovation of the Ludford Memorial Baptist Church in Plymouth
which has just been completed. The congregation will resume
regular services in the sanctuary next Sunday, March 14.
Will Hold Services in
New Church Sunday
Greatest Building Pro
gram in History of Re
ligious Group Here to
Close Sunday
The complete interior and ex
terior remodelling of the Ludford
Memorial Baptist Church in
Plymouth, with but very minor
except) ,ns. has now been com
pleted and the church congre
gation will resume regular ser
vices in the church sanctuary
next Sunday, according to an
nouncements from officials in the
church. The morning service
next Sunday will be broadcast.
During the remodelling a great
number of marked changes were
made in the building. The in
terior seating arrangement has
been changed from a cater-eorner
set-up to a forward-seating ar
rangement and the floor, which
had formerly been elevated at the
rear, inclining downward toward
the pu’pit, has been leveled and
covered with oak. The walls
have been replastered and fluor
jescent lights recessed into the
ceiling have been installed. A
modern automatic ol burning
heating plant has been put in and
all windows have been rebuilt
and covered with cathedral glass.
Painting will not be done until
the plastered walls are complete
ly dry which will take about one
year.
A complete Sunday school de
partment has been located in the
basement of the building with
room to accomodate at least 75
persons.
On the exterior, the main en
trance of the structure has been
changed from its old location on
Washington Street, to face Third
Street and four columns have
been added to both the main and
the side entrances. An imposing
steeple rearing its spire some 70
feet above the ground level has
been placed over the main en
trance and houses one of the fin
est tower music systems produced
in America, the gift of church
members Mr. and Mrs. Rorton
Trump. In its present state, the
church building has been termed
one of the most modern and beau
tiful buildings for religious as
sembly in eastern Carolina.
(See CHURCH, Page Seven)
-♦
.$55,496.55 Fan*-*
In AAA Projects
Total farm earnings in Washing
ton County under the 1947 Triple
A program amounts to $56.
406.55, according to the AAA an
nual compliance report sent in to
the State office in Raleigh by of
ficials in the Washington County
Triple-A headquarters.
The 1947 report stated further
that of the approximately 800
farms in this county eligible to
participate in the AAA program
last year, 697 did so and that the
land involved amounted to a
total of 31,117 acres and involved
1,500 persons who benefited from
practices completed. The annual
report was forwarded to the Ra
leigh office on Monday to meet
the March 9 deadline.
! License Sales j
| For Year j
Total hunting: and fishing
license sales for the season of
! 1947-48 in Washington Count* >
amounted to S4.J94, an incrca^!
of 881.10 above last season’s*
record of S4.712.90. according
to J. T. Terry, district game
protector.
Majority of the licenses were
State permits, he said, although
a considerable number were in
the non-resident class. The
1947-48 season was very poor
insofar as quail and rabbits
were concerned, he said, but
hunters of deer and other game
saw plenty of action.
Grapefruit Juice
Given to Schools
-♦
Shipment notices have been re
ceived by county school officials
that 95 cases of grapefruit juice
will be allocated to the Washing
ton County school lunchrooms
under the State's lunchroom aid
program. Roy F. Lowry, county
superintendent of schools, has
reported.
The juice, alloted in this county
on an enrollment basis, will be
distributed as follows, he said:
Plymouth will receive 39 cases.
Roper will be given 22 cases,
Crcswell will have 21 cases, and
the J. J. Clemmons School will
I get 13 cases.
-*
Roper Schools io
Give Benefit Film
-«
Pictures of the Louis-Walcott
prize fight for world’s heavy
i weight championship in boxing
j will be shown at the Roper Thea
ter on Tuesday and Wednesday,
March 23 and 24, under the spon
sorship of the Roper Athletic
i Association, officers in the as
sociation have announced. Pro
ceeds realized from the showing
will be placed on a fund to pro
vide for a high school baseball
team this spring.
In adilion to the prize-fight
films, a feature picture, entitled
"The Pretender,” will be exhibit
ed also, it was added.
AllFarmers Urged
To Sign Plan for
1948 Program Now
-4
Deadline for Making Out
Farm Plans Is Next
Monday; AAA Hopes
to Get 100% Record
According to reports made on
1948 work sheets at a meeting
of the Washington County Triple
A committee, held in the Agricul
ture Building here last Friday,
approximately 85 per cent of the
farm operators in this section
have signed farm plans in the
county’s AAA program this year.
Of this amount, it was explained,
80 per cent are participating
farms.
Since next Monday, March 15,
is the deadline for signing plans
under the program this year, all
county farmers are being urged
to appear at the AAA office in
Plymouth and place their signa
tures on the forms at once. The
county committee hopes to get
a 100 per cent record by that
date.
Minimum assistance will also be
set up for county farms in 1948.
Use will be made of cropland
considering past activities carried
out on the farms.
Tobacco checking yields on the
1947 listing sheets were approv
ed, the approval being based on
personal knowledge of the opera
tor and his past records. The
county register of indebtedness
was reviewed and the peanut
marketing quota program was
discussed. No defimte informa
tion was immediately available
on whether or not marketing
quotas will be sc', up on this
year's crop of peanuts. The com
: mittee also approved pians to
have an aerial photographic map
made of Washington County
sometime this summer.
-_«
Dr. Clyde A Erwin, of Raleigh.
Slate Superintendent of Public
; Instr uction, was featured speak
jor at a meeting of the Albemarle
Schoolmasters Club held at the
Plymouth High School on Mon
day night, addressing the as
sembly'on problems to be met in
the educational system in this
section of the State today.
Pointing out that a heavy drain
of rural youth to urban centers
is being noted. Dr. Erwin said
that in order to combat this si
tuation, a better education pro
gram, involving consolidation of
schools, should be effected and
that the advantages of city life
be brought to the country so that
young people will not be forced
to migrate in order to live more
comfortably.
In speaking on the administra
tion of a school, Dr. Erwin said
that a good principal should have
knowledge of the complete school
setup at his fingertips in order
to keep the school operating
smoothly. He was introduced by
R. F. Lowry, superintendent of
Washington County schools. Fol
lowing Erwin’s address a brief
business session was held by the
club. The meeting was attended
by 48 members and guests
-4
C re swell Principal Is
Confined to Hospital
-♦
Hal L. Furr, principal of the
Creswell Schools, underwent an
appendectomy at a Columbia hos
pital last Friday with his con
dition being reported this week as
satisfactory. It was added that
Mr. Furr expects to return to
his work within a week.
-4
Local Legionnaires to
Convene Friday Night
The local post of the American
Legion will convene tomorrow
night, Friday, at 8 o’clock in the
Legion Hall in regular session.
Post Commander W. Ronald Gay
lord has announced. He added
that all legionnaires are being'
urged to attend the meeting.
Plan New Aerial Photo
Map of Area This Year
An aerial photographic map
will be made of Washington
County this year, probably in the
mid-summer, according to plans
made at a meeting of the county
AAA committee last Friday, the
map being the first of its kind
made of this section since 1940,
At present the committeemen
are arranging to secure a crew
to do the work. In ^addition to
photographic equipment and a
plane as well as pilot, men must
be employed to make individual
visits to nil farm property own
ers in order to secure accurate
information on boundary lines.
: ince individual farms will be
marked off on the map.
The reason for the re-mapping
of Washington County, it was
pointed out at the Friday meeting,,
is that so many pieces of property
have been subdivided, or incor
porated with others that the pres
ent photograph map is complete
ly out-of-date.