North Carolina Newspapers

T'own opic§ A Plymouth boy, William F. Landing, was one of eighty-five students at East Carolina Col lege, Greenville, who completed college work toward a degree at the end of the fall quarter. Along with the others, Landing will re ceive his degre at commencement exercises to be held in May, 1953, according to an announcment from Registrar Orval L. Phillips. Landing, who is the son of Mr. and Mrs. L. V. Landing, will re ceive an AB degree. Plymouth Volunteer Firemen should enjoy a “sweet" Christmas this year. Fire Chief Miller War ren and 25 firemen received two pounds of honey each as a gift from Eli Winesett, local bee keeper. The firemen are very grateful and have expressed their appreciation of Mr. Winsett’s kindness. However, no one has been heard to say that it was sweet of him to give the honey. The Beacon has one lo\ral fan in three-year-old Mary Elizabeth Dinkins, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Dinkins. Of course, she can’t read, and we’d just as soon not hear any of the wisecracks you may be thinking up in that connection. Anyway, according to her daddy. Mary Elizabeth thinks the Beacon is the best paper there is because it has had so many pictures of Santa Claus dur ing the past few weeks. This issue ought to just suit here, because if Santa is missing from any one of its 16 pages then somebody has slipped up, and we here by dedi cate it to Mary Elizabeth and all others who enjoy looking at old Saint Nick. Robert B. Spencer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Otis Spencer, of Plym outh, will have a part in the pro gram preceding lighting of the National Community Christmas Tree on the White House lawn Christmas Eve'. Business manager of the American Forestry Associ ation at Washington. D. C., young Spencer will have a seat on the platform behind President Tru man when the latter makes his speech and turns lights on the tree. The program will be televis ed, beginning at 4:30 and Spencer wrote his parents to be on the lookout for him. There was no need1 for local residents to hunt for their Christ mas turkey- this year. All requir ed was a bit of folding money. There were several small trucks and trailers parked on Water Street Saturday offering some mighty'fine looking specimens of toms and hens to the buying pub lic. Winter officially began this year on Sunday afternoon, De cember 21. Jack Frost became king at exactly 4:44 p. m. Sunday and will remain until March, 1953. Christmas Photographs Lost In Holiday Rush Several local Christmas "photo graphs were due to appear in this issue of The Beacon, but due to holiday rush on bus and mail routes have been lost. The photos were made and sent to the en gravers early last week in plenty of time, but they failed to show up when The Beacon was printed Monday morning and hence will have to appear later, if at all. -♦-—'■ W. C. Jones Home From Rocky Mount Hospital -4 W. C. Jones returned home Sunday from a Rocky Mount hos pital where he had been for ex amination since Thursday morn ing of last week. Mr. Jones, a long-time employee of the Nor folk-Southern Railway Company, was taken ill at his home Thurs day morning at about 4 o’clock. He was treated by Dr. T. L. Bray and sent on to the hospital. Big Crowd Welcomes Santo Claus A large crowd, old and young alike, was on hand here Friday afternoon to greet Santa Claus and welcome him to Plymouth, and to watch the parade featur ing the bands of Plymouth High School, Plymouth Colored High School and J. J. Clemmons High School, of Roper. Many of the little folks in the crowd got a chance to say hello .to Santa and put in their order for Christmas toys and gifts. The candy which the merry old gen tleman brought with him from the North Pole was a headline at traction and no difficulty was re ported in quickly exhausting the supply, although much- eagerness was displayed by the young folks. It seems a hard matter to keep a crowd orderly when such a dis tinguished person as St. Nick is in the midst. The parade formed at the high school and marched down Wash ington Street to the intersection of Water Street, with happy throngs lining the streets along the way. Traffic was halted along the line of march and on two blocks of Water Street while the parade was in progress. The press of the crowd was so great that several of the little tots are reported to have been disappointed in their efforts to talk to Santa and get their share of the candy. The annual visit of Santa to Plymouth was again sponsored by the Plymouth Junior Chamber of Commerce. The Roanoke Beacon ****** and Washington County News ****** A home newspaper dedicated iy to the service of Washington County and its 13,000 people. VOLUME LXIII—NUMBER 25 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, For Thursday, December 25, 1952 I ESTABLISHED 1889 Christmas Programs At County Churches Two Says Left For Shopping Only two more days arc left for last-minute gift shoppers. Store owners and clerks are anticipating a grand whirl of last-minute scurrying by shop pers who have not completed their annual buying of presents. Naturally, stocks in Plymouth stores are not near so com plete as earlier in the Christ mas shopping season, but store personnel will be glad to assist with helpful suggestions and many fine gift items remain on shelves for the late-comers’ benefit. Local business houses will continue to remain open until f) o'clock each evening right on up to Christmas Eve, for the convenience of those who are not able to do their shopping in daylight hours, for one rea son or another. Care Urged During Holidays by Police And Fire Officials Favorite Season for Thieves To Operate; Many Fires Caused in Past by Faulty Wiring The Plymouth Police Depart ment and other law enforcement agencies call attention of the Christmas shopping public to the fact that this is the favorite sea Sec CARE URGED, Page 8 Special Christmas Sermons, Cantatas Included in Ser vices Announced for Lo cal Churches Special Christmas programs have been announced for some of the local churches, and al though no announcements have been received from churches in other parts of the county, with the exception of Roper, it is thought that the special services will be general throughout the county as in past seasons. Some of the services and activi ties incident to the Christmas season have already taken place. Sunday afternoon at Grace Epis copal Church here the customary Christmas program for the church school was held, beginning at 5 o’clock. There was a beautiful ly decorated tree and gifts were passed out to the children. The children’s Christmas offering was also taken. The choir of the First Christian Church, under the direction of Mrs. Marie Newland, presented a sacred cantata, “A Child Is Born,” by Noel Benson, Sunday evening at 7:30 o'clock. The melody was sung by a two part chorus com posed of Misses Jane Crofton, Mrtyle Jackson. Betty Jean Jack son, Alva Roe Hardison and Beu lah A. Cratch and Mrs. Frances Lucas. A Christmas party for pupils of the primary grades of the Sunday School was held from 2 to 4 o’clock Saturday afternoon at Plymouth Methodist Church and was well attended. The party was in charge of Mrs. C. E. Peckham, superintendent of the primary de partment of the school. Light re freshments were served by the teachers in the department. The Christmas party at the See CHURCIIEsTPage 8 Eowen Reelected To Head County PM A Committee Community Delegates Elect Committee at County Con vention at Agriculture Building Here Friday Three of the five elective mem bers of the Washington County PMA committee were reelected Friday at the annual county con ! vcntion held at the Agriculture Building here. Six delegates from various communities, duly elect ed in a county-wide vote of farm ers the previous day, made nomi nations and voted by secret bal lot. Reelected were Chairman C. W. Bowen, Plymouth; Vice Chairman W. C. Spruill, Plymouth; and Regular Member L. L. Daven port. Creswell. Newly elected were David Craddock, Plymouth, first alter nate, replacing R. C. Peacock, of Roper; and W. W. White, Roper, second alternate, replacing J. C. Snell, of Plymouth. The secretary, Miss Miriam Ausbon, and the treasurer, Mrs. Florence P. Oliver, were reap pointed by the newly elected county committee. Delegates attending the con vention were W. W. White, repre senting the Pleasant Grove com munity; R. W. Lewis, Roper com munity; W. H. Gurkin, Plymouth community; C. S. Heynen, Long Acre community; Winton Oliver, Creswell community; and Heber Alligood, Mt. Pleasant communi ty. H. S. Woodley, delegate from See PMA, Page 8 -♦ Local Boy Home From England for Christmas A/2c Hugh Modlin, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Modlin, of Plym outh, was one of 500 service men stationed in England who, as Air man Modlin stated it, “put our heads together and chartered seven planes to bring us home for Christmas.” The young man arrived home from New York Friday on a 30-day leave. He said the men tried every way they could think of from the Penta gon on down to get military ar rangemnts made to fly them home for Christmas but the planes were not available. So they contacted a commercial line and secured cut rates on the flight. It was all right with the military, he said, but some of the other large air lines squawked about the cut rates. Airman Mod lin will leave New York January 14 for the return flight to Eng and. Many Employees Of Pulp Company Gel Service Pins -♦ Five Men Wiih 25 Years Service Honored al "Old Timers' Dinner" Here Last Thursday Night -♦ Recognition for loyal service was given to several groups of North Carolina Pulp Company employees who have been with the Kieckhefer firm for 15 years or more at a series of events here Thursday of last week. About 40 employees received bronze pins for 15 years with the company; one Man, Jennings Ward, was awarded a silver pin for 20 years’ service; and the day was climaxed by the ‘'Old-Timers’ dinner” at the Country Club of Plymouth Thursday night for 28 men who have been with the company 25 years or more. Pins for 15 and 20 years' serv ice were presented in the confer ence room at the pulp plant Thursday afternoon. J. A. Auch ter, vice president of Kiechefer Container Company and manager of the North Carolina Pulp Com pany here, in making the presen tations, expressed his apprecia tion for the loyalty shown by members of the group. He pointed out that most of the 15-year em ployees were originally employed by the company when the Plym outh plant was constructed in If 7, and this is the first year mi nbers of that group became eligible for the bronze y'os Those fr #8a longer service were t ploy ed at other Kiechefer plants be fore coming to Plymouth. At the “Old-Timers” party Thursday night, five employees who had just completed 25 years’ service with the company were honored guests, and each receiv ed a Hamilton gold' watch in ad See OLD TIMERS, Pages5 Tax Supervisor, Lisiers To Meet A special meeting o£ the Wash ington County Board of Commis sioners, the county tax supervisor and tax listers of the several townships, is being held Monday night of this week, beginning at 7:30 o’clock. The meeting is be ing held at the courthouse here. Purpose of the meeting is to administer the oath of office to the supervisor and list takers and to establish uniform prices for listing livestock and other items of property in the annual listing which is held during the month of January. Hubert L. Davenport, of Skin nersville, is county tax supervisor and listers, by townships, are: Paul B. Belanga, Scuppernong Township; R. W. Lewis, Lees Mill Township; Clarence L. Blount, Plymouth Township; and W. W. White, Skinnersville Township. Officer Hurl in Freak Accident In a hearing before Magis trate C. M. Beasley, Williams was bound over to recorder’s court under §1,000 bond. He will be tried Tuesday on a charge of possession of non-taxpaid whiskey for the purpose of sale. Foy Davenport, Plymouth police officerj received a gash over an eye in a freak accident at the home of James Williams, colored, in the Sugar Hill sec tion Friday night between 7:30 and 8 o’clock. The gash requir ed three stitches to close. Davenport and a fellow offi cer, Paul Basnight, went to Wil liams’ home armed with a search warrant. When Williams answered the door, Basnight began to read the warrant. Meantime, Williams seized a pitcher alleged to have con tained spiritous liquor. Bas night grabbed Williams, pin ioning his arms. As Williams continued to struggle in an ef fort to dash the contents of the pitcher out the door, Davenport bent over to get the pitcher. He was hit in the face as Wil liams swung the pitcher up, trying to get rid of it. Local Holiday Schedules Will Be Longer This Year Local Business Houses Send Annual Greetings The business firms and mer chants of Plymouth are again extending holiday greetings to their patrons in the county through the columns of The Roanoke Beacon as an expres sion of their sincere apprecia tion for th business given them during the year now drawing to a close, and as a token of friendship. To embrace the Yuletide spirit of comradeship and good will to all; these business firms of Plymouth extend their wishes to everyone everywhere for “A Merry Christmas and a Happy, Prosperous New Year.” The greeting pages and ad vertisements in the Beacon have become a Washington County institution at Christmas every year. Read the little mes sages, which help the season to be lot more than just merely firm and individual represent ed is glad that there are still prospects for “Peace on earth” to be realized. Stocking Fund Drive Most Successful Ever Chairman Lauds Good Re sponse; More Families To Receive Gifts Than in Any Pasl Season, Said -—i The most successful Empty Stocking Fund in the history of the project in this county is be ing broight *n a fi .~,h witft-dis ti pu.^n *£« paetegts to needy families Monday ana Tues day of this week. * That was the report from Leroy Ange, of Plymouth. Saturday. Ar rangements have been made for about 15 or 20 boys from Plym outh Colored School and the j. J. Clemmons School, of Roper, to distribute the packages to some 250 or more families throughout the county. Trucks are being fur nished by various Plymouth mer chants. The $1,500 estimated needed to successfully put over the project this year has been raised, Mr. Aige said, and receipts of food, clothing and toys have been un usually good. “We are getting some very nice toys through the generosity of Plymouth merchants and others,” Mr. Ange said. “The clothing is extra good, for which we are very thankful.” Mr. Ange and P. B. Bateman, who was also quite active in fur thering the fund drive, declared that the response this year was far and away the best ever. A few volunteer workers were busy as bees at the Agriculture Building audtorium here Satur day sorting items for packaging. Additional supplies of fruits, oth er foods and miscellaneous items were being trucked in and stored in the auditorium. Mr. Ange said arrangements had been completed for many more workers to be on the job early Monday and that he hoped the huge task of sorting and packing would be completed dur ng the day. Many more families are being cared for through the project this year than in any previous year, it was said. Also, gift boxes are larger, meaning that each needy family will be more bountifully taken care of this Christmas sea son. The Empty Stocking Fund was sponsored by the Plymouth Ro tary Club, with the active sup port of the county department of Public Welfare, several other or ganizations and individuals. -.* Need a License Now? If So, Belter Hurry -♦ If Cupid has any unfinished business to get off before the holi days, then he had! better hurry. The place to which young couples with marriage in mind go to get the necessary license will be clos ed ater Tuesday of this week and will not reopen until Monday, December 29. So, if you want to obtain a license before Christmas you’d < better hurry down to the register of deeds office in the courthouse here right away, advises J. Rob ert Campbell, register of deeds who issues the permits. fcagMH'x a INFLATION . . . Santa super vises while one of his helpers inflates a doll. The benevolent old Rent looks on with interest. Perhaps he is thinking inflation is not eonfined to economies. Seal Sale Drive in County Now Past Half - Way Mark -♦ Total Receipts Now Over $500, Against County Quota of $850, Mrs. A. L. Jackson Reports The annual Christmas Seal Sale in Washington County is now well over the half-way mark, Mrs. A. L. Jackson, of Plymouth, chairman of the salet announced Saturday. Mrs. Jackson said response in the last few days had been good and the amunt in hand is now over $500, against the quota set for the county of $850. Response from county citizens to the seal letters sent out in No vember lagged at first, but has shown a marked improvement in recent days. Reminder cards were recently mailed to those who had not previously responded to the seal letters. The seal sale is being conduct ed in the county this year by the Washington County Tuberculosis Committee, under sponsorship of the Plymouth Woman’s Club. Funds from the 1952 campaign will be used for the association’s See SEAL SALE, Page 5 Most Business Houses Clos ing for Two Days; Schools Will Noi Reopen Until Monday, January 5 -»— Varied Christmas holiday sche dules will prevail among Plym outh’s industrial and business establishments this year, with the closings ranging all the way from one to 12 days, the latter length holiday period being enjoyed by faculties and student bodies of the various county schools. Practically all stores and busi ness establishments in town, other than restaurants, drug stores and service stations, will be closed from Wednesday night until Sat urday morning at the usual open ing hour, giving employees and owners a two-day rest spell. This action was voted at the last meet ing of the Plymouth Merchants Association. Local establishments which will observe Christmas Day only and reopen for business Friday, December 26, include the post of fice and drug stores, although the latter will observe the usual Sun day hours on Christmas Day. Most of the restaurants are ex pected to be open for at least half of Christmas Day. Service stations, too, will be open during the morning hours that day, it is thought. The bank will reopen for business Friday. I he North Carolina Pulp Com pany has announced that its plant will shut down Wednesday morn ing at 8 o’clock and rer-mp ope rations the following Tuesday morning at 8 o’clock. The office will be closed Tuesday at 5 p. m. to reopen the following Monday. The Atlas Plywood Corpora tion will cease operations Wed nesday afternoon and resume the following Monday morning. The True Temper Corporation will close down for the holidays Wednesday afternoon at 4 o’clock and will reopen Monday, Decem ber 29, at 7 a. m. Offices in the courthouse and at the Agriculture Building will close Tuesday and reopen the fol lowing Monday, county offices observing the same holiday as state and federal employees. The Roanoke Beacon office will be closed after Monday, Decem ber 22, to reopen Tuesday morn ing, December 30, at the usual hour. It is expected that all local garages will observe about the same period. Several garages have made announcement of clos ing Christmas Eve and reopening the following oMnday. -♦— Tobacco Meeting Here December 29 -* A meeting for tobacco farmers of Washington County will be held Monday night, December 29, at the Agriculture Building here' County Agent W. H. Pruden has announced. Harold Nau. extension tobacco specialist of N. C. State College, Raleigh, will be on hand to dis cuss all phases of tobacco, includ ing plant bed, varieties, nema tode control, fertilization, curing, sucker control and all other phases of the important cash crop, Pruden said. The meeting is scheduled to be gin at 7:30 p. m. and all tobacco growers of the county and other interested persons are cordially invited to be present ,the county agent said. Beacon Office Closed Until December 30th The Roanoke Beacon office will be closed after Monday, December 22, through Monday, December 29, reopening for business Tuesday morning, De cember 30. This is one of the few holiday occasions observed by the newspaper and staff members will vacation and ob serve the Christmas holidays at the same time. This issue of the Beacon was ■1 printed and mailed ahead of the regular schedule in order to make the week of closing possible. The following issue of the paper may possibly be a bit late but every effort will be made to get it printed and In the post office sometime Thurs day of that week. The Beacon staff wishes to every reader and advertiser a Merry Christmas and a happy, prosperous New Year.