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Christmas is a time of year
when folks who can generally
head for home. There are those
who would like to do just that but
can’t, however. One of these is
Seaman J .T. Terry, jr., of the
U. S. Navy. Young Terry is the
son of Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Terry,
of Plymouth. Mr. Terry stated
Sunday that Tom would spend
Christmas in faraway Hongkong,
China. His ship, the U. S. S. Wis
consin, is presently at the naval
base at Kokohama, Japan, it is
understood.
Plymouth stores have re
mained open nightly during the
Christmas shopping period as
has been the local custom in
past seasons. However, the re
cent bitt"r cold nights found
very few people “uptown” af(er
the supper hour, merchants
say. The stores will continue
the longer hours daily through
Thursday of this week, as an
added convenience to last-min
ute holiday shoppers.
Among persons who will
doubtless bo glad when the holi
day season is over could be lifted
the post office personnel. The
rush is always terrific at Christ
mastime and this year was no ex
ception, according to Postmaster
J. C. Swain.
Sales of motor vehicles license
plates at the local office of the
Carolina Motor Club on Wash
ington Street continue rather
slow, according to the latest re
port from Manager James H.
Ward. Deadline for displaying the
new state tags is January 31.
Draw Names of 75
For Jury Duly al
Term Next Month
Foriy-Five Drawn by Coun
ty Commissioners for Ser
vice at First Week of
Court, 30 at Second
Names of jurors to serve during
. the two-week term of Washing
ton County Superior Court sche
duled to open here Monday, Jan
uary 4, were recently drawn by
the Board of county commission
ers.
In all, 75 names were drawn, 45
to serve during the first week of
court and 30 during the second.
For the first week, there are 24
from Plymouth Township, nine
from Seuppernong, eight from
Lees Mill and four from Skin
nersville.
For the second week there are
15 from Plymouth Township,
seven from Seuppernong, six
from Lees Mill and two from
Skinnersville Township.
The list:
First week — Plymouth Town
ship: Clarence C. Brown, L. M.
Mooney, J. P. Oliver, Shelton M.
Bowser, R. M. Daniels, F. C. Bic
kerstaff, C. H. Robertson, Aubrey
Garrett, Monroe Sawyer, Clar
ence W. Waters, W. J. Gurganus
Mrs. Thelma S. Waters, King
Robbins, sr., E. W. Modlin, Leon
ard B. Ayers, James G. Bland,
M. T. Sitterson, Ira J. Frymier,
George W. Waters, Harold Phelps,
C. O. Kelly, Murray H. Askew,
L. W. Gurkin, jr„ George T. Bar
den.
Lees Mill Township: H. S. Eve
rett, M. C. Furlough, J. D. Miller,
Carlton H. Phelps, H. C. Harrison,
W. W. Mizclle, Raymond Earl
Phelps, G. G. Gaylord.
Seuppernong Township: Lea
mon Ambrose, D. A. Furlough,
Lyle Woodley, J. I. Ainsley, Hil
lie A. Davenport, Jessie W.
Spruill, L. H. Ambrose, Junior
W. Phelps, L. A. Phelps.
Skinnersville Township: Mary
V. Pharr, C. W. Furlough, L. H.
Leary, Fay Spruill.
Second week—Plymouth Town
ship: Harry McNair, Walter G.
Davis, Clarence E. Bowerr, Wood
row W. Dixon, John H. Jethro,
J. S. Brinkley, Edwin F. Bagans,
S. H. Liverman, Mrs. Neva B.
Harrison, Luther R. Bowen, F. R.
Harris, Sterling Sitterson, L. M.
Askew, H. F. Waters, Dan R. Sat
terthwaite.
Skinnersville Township: J. A.
Goodman, L. M. Davenport.
Lees Mill Township: W. A.
Koonce, S. L. Davenport, Mrs. L.
R. Davenport, S. W. Spruill, W. R.
Chesson, W. J. Skiles.
Seuppernong Township: L. W.
Bateman, W. B. White, John C.
Phelps, Elbert Spruill, Alton
M. Spear, Dan Spear, Ernest W.
Furlough.
The Roanoke Beacon
****** and Washington County News ******
A home newspaper dedicated
to the service of Washington
County and its 13,000 people.
VOLUME LXIV—NUMBER 52
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, December 24, 1953
ESTABLISHED 1889
1 1 ■ --a
THIS IS JUST A PART OF LARGEST CROWD IN YEARS AT PLYMOUTH |i
I
The above photo was taken on Water Str ct here during the Christmas parade and Santa
Claus party and shows a small part of the crowd estimated at 3,000 which flocked here for
Santa’s annual visit. There were hundreds of children on hand for the happy occasion and they
were rewarded with candy handed out by Santa and his helpers. Nearly 2,500 bags of Christmas
Candy were distributed in an hour as child after child filed past the platform facing Washington
Street. The Plymouth High School band and th> Washington County Union School at Roper took
part in the parade and played carols while standing at right angles to each other, the Union School
hand on Washington Street and the local band 01 Water Street. The two bands were so hemmed in
by the huge, pressing crowd that officers had to move them back before the bands could march off
at the end of ihc hour. Tlios F. Hopkins—at the mike—was master of ceremonies.—Polaroid 1-Min
ute staff photo.
Stocking Fund Boxes
Are Being Delivered
! To Possess Fire |
1 Crackers Illegal;
In reminding: local residents
that State law prohibits the
shooting of fireworks, Plym
outh Police Chief P. W. Brown
stated that the law also com
siders the possession of fire
works illegal.
Mr. Brown said that while
the use of cap pistols by little
boys probably would not be
considered as shooting fire
works, those who play around
with fire crackers, roman can
dles, sky rockets and other
similar pyrotechnics arc liable
to arrest and prosecution with
penalties provided by law be
ing imposed on those found
guilty of the offense.
Mrs. Anne Smith
Dies Near Roper
Funeral services were held
Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock at
Horner’s Funeral Home for Mrs.
Anne Swain Smith, 74, of Roper
RFD.
Mrs. Smith died at her home
Thursday at 6:30 p. m., after a
long illness. She was the daugh
ter of the late Haywood and Du
repiney Swain of this county and
was born May 7, 1897. She spent
her entire life in the county.
Her marriage to Ralph Smith,
of Clairview, Pa., took place Feb
ruary 2, 1927.
Mrs. Smith was a member of
Saints Delight Church of Christ,
near Roper.
Surviving are her husband; a
sister. Miss Alberta Swain, of
Roper ;and one brother, Josephus
Swain, also of Roper.
Services were conducted by the
Rev. Frank Butler, of Washing
ton. Interment was in Swain
Cemetery, near the home,
Creswell Businesses To
Observed December 25-26
-♦
All stores and places of busi
ness in Creswell will observe De
cember 25 and 26 as Christmas
holidays this season, it is an
nounced.
All customers and patrons are
asked to cooperate in order that
the merchants and their sales
people can enjoy the holiday sea
son with them.
Chairman Lauds Good Re
sponse; More Families To
Receive Gifts Than in
Any Past Season, Said
-4
Deliveries of Empty Stocking
Fund Christmas packages of food,
clothing and toys to 260 needy
Washington County families were
begun Saturday and it was ex
pected that the work would be
completed by Tuesday of this
week, James Boyce, chairman of
the project, reports.
The tremendous sorting and
packaging job was started Friday
night in the auditorium of the
Agriculture Building here, with
about 30 volunteer workers on
hand.
The project is sponsored in the
county each year by the Plym
outh Rotary Club in an effort to
bring holiday cheer to needy fam
ilies. Mrs. Ursula Spruill, coun
ty welfare department superin
tendent, stated that 735 persons
would be materially helped by the
project this season.
Mr. Boyce said that about a
third of the packaging work was
completed Friday, with workers
busy until midnight. They reas
sembled early Saturday morning
to complete the task. Rotarian
P. B. Bateman, who has been act
ive in the project for a number
of years, stated Saturday that
there was a time when workers
were so few that it necessitated
working late each night for a
week to get the job of readying
parcels completed. “There is more
interest, there are more workers
now,” Mr. Bateman said, "and
it makes easier work for all.”
See^FUND, Page 8™
Veterans Sponsor
Dance This Week
The local posts of the Ameri
can Legion and the Veterans of
Foreign Wars are jointly spon
soring a big after - Christmas
dance at the Veterans Building
here Saturday night of this week.
Dancing will start at 9 o’clock
and continue until 1 a. m., with
music to be furnished by Ski’s
Combo, it was said.
Dance officials reported a good
advance ticket sale at $1 per per
son. Those who purchase tickets
at the door will pay $1.50.
The club will be colorful for
the occasion and a large crowd
from the county and surrounding
areas is anticipated, spokesmen
stated.
Seal Sale Drive in
County Now Well
Ahead Last Year
Chairman Announces Over
$900 in Hand at End of
Last Week; People Are
Thanked for Response
The annual Christmas Seal Sale
in Washington County is now well
ahead of the pace of the drive
conducted last year, it was re
vealed this week.
Mrs. Lillian Shugar, of Plym
outh, county Seal Sale chairman,
stated that receipts from the cam
paign as of Saturday of last week
amounted to more than $900. Last
year at the corresponding period
of the drive, the total stood at
between $500 and $600.
The seal sale is being cnducled
in the county by the Washington
County Tuberculosis Committee
under sponsorship of the Plym
outh Woman's Club.
Funds from the 1953 campaign
will be used for the association’s
1954 tuberculosis control program,
including x-ray clinics, assisting
tubercular patients and in edu
cational programs in the various
schools.
Mrs. Shugar, as chairman, is
sued this week a statement of
appreciation for the wonderful re
sponse thus far and a kindly urg
ing that those who have not yet
responded to the seal letters do
so just as quickly as possible in
order that the campaign may be
brought to a conclusion. “I want
'o take this opportunity,” Mrs.
Shugar said, “to thank each and
every one of you who participated
in the Washington County Christ
mas Seal Sale drive. Your splen
did response to this worthy cause
was, indeed, gratifying.
“To those of you who have not
as yet responded, it will be great
ly appreciated at the earliest date
possible in order that this drive
may be brought to a successful
conclusion.
j Beacon Office Closed j
! Until December 29th I
The Roanoke Beacon office
will be closed after Monday,
December 21, through Monday,
December 28, reopening for
business Tuesday morning, De
cember 29. 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
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.
Many Employees
Of Pulp Company
Gel Service Pins
-1
Thirty - Three Men Wilh
Long Service Honored al
'Old-Timers' Dinner' Here
Monday Nighl
Recognition for loyal service
was given to a group of employ
ees who have been with North
Carolina Pulp Company contin
uously over a long period of years
at the annual “Old Timers’ Din
ner” given by the company Mon
day night of this week at Plym
outh Country Club.
Serving as toastmaster for the
casion was Manager J. A. Auch
ier and presentation of awards
was by H. M. Kieckhefer.
The honored guests—men who
have just completed 25 years’ ser
vice with the company—number
ed five:
Hencil J. Matheny, Maurice G.
Dotson, Otis P. Tyree, F. M. Bow
ers and Fred Keyes.
Those with 25 or more years’
service include P. B. Sereno. J. W.
McDaniels, W. R. McCombs,
Joseph D. Cruickshank, sr., Ros
coe Frymier, G. W. Dctamore,
Curt Jett, Artie Jackson. Henry
Peyton, Edwin H. Lloyd, J. P.
Ragland, Samuel J. Nash, Ray
Brown, Okey Steele, W. V. Hoi
brook, Ed F. Bagans, Howard Mc
Clure, Meldon Jack, Earl McCoy,
Oscar I. Shaver, Roscoe A. Dor
sey, Virgil Keener, C. G. Windon,
D. C. Cunningham, H. B. Camp
» cjxlk&U hoii.^Jom 6:30 to
7:30 pPlceMed the dinner. Menu
for the three-course dinner in
cluded fruit cocktail, escalloped
oysters, roast turkey, old fashion
ed dressing, giblet gravy, mashed
potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower,
cranberry cauce, hot rolls and
butter, apple pie and coffee.
At the completion of the meal
an entertainment hour was enjoy
ed with those present playing
bingo. The company contributed
many valuable prizes.
Each of the honored guests re
ceived a gold watch in addition to
the pin in recognition of 25 years’
service with the company.
-4
Announce Closing Date for
Reporting Soil Practices
The attention of all farmers of
the county is called to the closing
date for performing and report
ing practices under the 1953 ACP
program by county ASC office
manager Miriam Ausbon. Miss
Ausbon said the closing date is
December 31.
All producers who have a rec
ord showing that they were ap
proved for one or more practices,
either guaranted or conditional,
and have completed carrying out
the practices, must report it to
the county office before Decem
ber 31.
Practices carried out but not
reported to the county office by
that date will not qualify for
payment, it was stated.
-♦
Christmas Night Services
At St. Luke's Announced
There will a service of Evening
Prayer with sermon at St. Luke’s
Church, Roper, Friday, December
25th, Christmas night, at 7:30. The
priest in charge, The Rev. Edward
M. Spruill, will deliver a Christ
mas message and there will be
special music by the choir.
The public is cordially invited
to worship with the Roper Epis
copalians.
Local Holiday Schedules
Will Be Longer This Year
'NOW BE A GOOD BOY AND AT CHRISTMAS..
It looks like Santa’s getting young Bobby Chesson all straight
ened out for a big Christmas and Bobby’s obviously paying rapt
attention. Bobby is the nine-year-ohl son of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert
Chesson, of Mackeys.
Local Group at
Work To Secure
Auction Market
Designed To Fill Need of
Farmers in Face of De
clining Acreage Allot
I ments for Cash Crops
Plans are underway for the
establishment here of a licensed
auction market for farmers’ pro
duce.
A group of Plymouth men has
announced the first organization
al meeting for Wednesday, Jan
uary 13, at 7:30 p. m. in the court
room of the courthouse here.
It is expected that the style of
the new firm will be decided at
that time and definite plans for
mulated for setting up the market
here, closely patterned after the
one in operation at Clinton, in
Sampson County.
The market is designed to fill
a definite need here. A spokes
man for the group has pointed
out that with the steadily declin
ing acreage allotments to cash
crops the farmers of the county
must turn to some other source
for income. It is believed that
with a local market assured, many
farmers will begin to devote acre
age to such crops as snap beans,
cucumbers, squash, tomatoes and
peppers.
Cucumbers and peppers have
been contracted for in the county
on a limited scale now for some
time with deliveries being made
to the C. C. Lang & Son pickle
plant here. Some tomatoes and
beans have also been grown in
the county in the past on a small
scale.
The auction market would
operatet on a basis of five per
cent commission and would offer
the produce for sale “farmer’s
pack,” or just as the farmer de
livered it.
The services of government in
spectors to establish grades on
produce would be available free
of charge to farmers.
Sales would be rflade on com
petitive bidding to the highest
bidder subject to acceptance by
the grower. Buyers representing
dealers in fresh produce, canner
ies possibly, large chain store
buyers and buyers for govern
ment orders would make compe
See MARKET7Page~8
Dragline Slops;
GroundTooHard
It has really been cold lately!
The Mooney brothers from
Fairfield, who have been ope
rating a dragline on the farm of
Hubert Davenport in Scuppcr
nong Township, came over for
work Thursday morning of last
week only to find that the
ground was frozen so hard that
they could not get the drag'
line in the earth.
They didn’t wait around for
it to thaw, either. With low
temperatures and a bitter cold
wind, they decided to return
home and forget the job until
after the Christmas holidays.
Tax Supervisors,
Listers To Meet
-♦
A special meeting of 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.
No Bookmobile Schedule
During Christmas Week
-«
Patrons of the Washington
County Bookmobile are again re
minded that there will be no
schedule for this week because of
the Christmas holidays. Also, the
library at the courthouse and the
colored branches will be closed
after Wednesday in observance of
the Christmas holidays and will
reopen Monday, December 28.
Next week, the bookmobile
will make the same run which
was postponed because of the
Most Business Houses Clos
ing for Two Days; Schools
Will Not Reopen Until
Monday, January 4
Varied Christmas holiday sche
dules will prevail among Plym
outh's industrial and business
establishments this year, with the
closing ranging all the way to 12
dnj's, the 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 Thursday night until Mon
day morning at the usual open
ing hour, giving employees and
owners two work days off.
Local establishments which
will observe Christmas Day only
and reopen for business Saturday
December 26. include the post
office and drug stores, although
the latter will observe the usual
Sunday 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 banks will reopen
for business Saturday.
Tne North Carolina Pulp Com
pany has announced that Its plant
will shut down Thursday morn
ing at 8 o’clock and resume ope
rations the following Thursday
morning at 8 o’clock. However,
the maintenance crew will start
back sooner, it-was said.
The Atlas Plywood Corpora
tion will cease operations Wednes
day afternoon and resume the
following Monday morning, it Is
understood.
The True Temper Corporation
will close down for the holidays
Thursday and will reopen Mon
day, December 28. A like closing
will be observed for New Year’s,
Morris S. Brobst, manager, said.
Offices at the courthouse and
at the Agriculture Building will
close Wednesday and reopen the
following Monday, county offices
observing the same holiday as
state and federal employees.
It is expected that all local
garages will observe about the
same period. Several garages
have made announcements ot
closing Christmas Eve and re
opening the following Monday.
Program Is Set
At Country Club
For Yule Season
Events Include Children's
Party Tuesday; Christ
mas 'Open House/ New
Year's Eve Dance
-«
Thos. F. Hopkins, chairman oi
the Entertainment committee ol
Plymouth Country Club, has call
ed attention of club members to
the program of activities arrang
ed by the committee and the
board of directors for the present
holiday season.
Mr. Hopkins said the directors
and committee spared no pains to
arrange a program designed to
make the holiday season at the
club a memorable occasion for all.
The annual Children’s Christ
mas Party has been set for Tues
day of this week at 3:30 p. m.
Favors and refreshments wiU be
served and club member parents
are requested to bring their chil
dren out for an enjoyable affair.
“Open House” will be held
Christmas Day from 4 to 6
o'clock in the afternoon and it is
hoped that all members will make
an effort to visit the club at that
time, it was said.
To cap the gala activities of the
Yule season will be the annual
New Year’s Eve dance. This is
an event which is looked forward
to keenly by many persons each
year and it always turns out to be
a big success. This year should
be no exception with everything
reported in readiness for a most
enjoyable occasion. Music for the
dance will be furnished by Bill
Gravely and his orchestra.