ill
T'ownl
opicsi
Former Representative E. O.
Arnold, of the Pea Ridge section,
was in town Tuesday. He said
that while he wasn’t ready to
make his formal announcement
right at this time, he definitely
planned to be a candidate for
representative in the Democratic
primary this year. Arnold repre
sented the county in the 1949
General Assembly, but was de
feated for reeleotion in 1951. He
announced as a candidate two
years ago, but withdrew before
the primary due to the pressure
of his private business affairs.
Marion C. Holland, state FHA
field representative, of Goldsboro,
was in town Wednesday of this
week and visited the county FHA
office which is now located in the
basement of the courthouse.
Police Chief P. W. Brown and
Foy Davenport arrested and jail
ed a Negro man Tuesday morn
ing who was wanted by William
ston police in connection with a
break-in at the Home Laundry
and 'Cleaners there recently.
George Brown was held until
Tuesday afternoon when Police
man Charlie Moore, of the Wil
liamston force, came to take him.
A gun allegedly stolen in the
break-in was recovered and turn
ed over to the Williamston officer.
| Mary and Will Spruill had their
'annual hog-killing dinner down
in the Pleasant Grove section
yesterday. As usual, there was a
' good-sized contingent on hand
from Plymouth and all of them
enjoyed the sumptuous feast and
general good time. In addition to
a number of neighbors of Mr.
and Mrs. Spruill, guests includ
ed the following: Mrs. J. W. Gray,
Billy Gray, Mr. and Mrs. Orlo
Rath, Twila and David Rath, Ro
bert Davenport. Mrs. H. N. Dav
enport, Mrs. Robert S. Leary, Dr.
C. McGowan, H. H. Allen, H. B.
Johnson. P. W. Brown, Foy Dav
enport, L. N. Womble, Bill Roe
buck, Carl Gilchrist and Cecil
Craft.
'Basket Brawl'
Nets Near $300
»
*
*
The “Basket Brawl” sponsored
■here last Thursday night by the
Plymouth Band Boosters was a
howling success.
Everybody had fun and the
band is richer by $281.99, accord
ing to a report late Wednesday
from the treasurer of the Band
Boosters, Mrs. Ray Brown.
Mrs. Brown said that with
“practically all reports in” the
total from concessions was $64.82
and from game admissions,
$217.17.
This money will be used by
the band to purchase needed
music and to apply the remainder
on the $1,000 now due on the new
uniforms, it. was explained.
Nobody seems to remember the
■actual scores of the hilarious
games but the high school girls
came from behind in a thrilling
finish to win the opener while
the collection of former stars
tripped up the Panthers in the |
nightcap.
4-H Club Council
Meets Wednesday
The Washington County 4-H
Council mot at the Agriculture
Building Wednesday night of this
week with interesting business
and recreational programs being
enjoyed by those present.
The meeting opened with the
call to order, followed by the re- .
peating of the U. S. pledge and
singing of the 4-H pledge. Pray
er, discussions of “Origin of i
Dixie Land” and “Treasures in
Life’s Enrichment,” were inter
spersed with group singing of
“Dixie.”
Roll call by clubs, reading of
the minutes of the last meeting
and the treasurer’s report preced
ed discussions of the program
schedule and of how county clubs
can observe National 4-H Week
which will be in March this year.
A discussion of the budget and
of organization of the county
council concluded the program.
Afterwards, square dancing,
singing and games were enjoyed.
| Tag Sales at
j Roper 'Slow'
Motorists living within the
limits of Roper were reminded
this week by town officials
there that 1954 town license
plates arc required to be dis
played on all vehicles after
February 1.
It is said that sales of the
tags at Roper have been quite
slow' thus far. The tags may be
obtained from Robert Sawyer
who states that lie will be at
the Town Office all day Satur
day. He may be reached on
otlier days at his place of busi
ness or about town, it was said.
The Roanoke Beacon
****** and Washington County News ******
m/nn/m
Join the
MARCH OF DIMES
January 2 16 31
VOLUME LXV—NUMBER 4 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, January 28, 1954
ESTABLISHED 1889
$1,500 Now in Hand
In County Polio Drive
ANNOUNCES
ELBERT S. PEEL
-♦
Peel Is Candidate
For 2nd District's
Post as Solicitor
-4
Appointed by Governor Last
Year, Williamston Attor
ney Is Seeking Nomina
tion in Primary
Elbert S. Peel, of Williamston,
solicitor of the Second Judicial
District, this week announced his
candidacy for that position, sub
ject to the Democratic primary
in May. He was appointed to the
Dffice by Governor W. B. Umstead
upon the resignation of former
Solicitor Geofge M. Fountain, of
rarboro, who was appointed a
special superior court judge in
November.
Mr. Peel, a veteran lawyer in
Martin County and this section,
has always been interested in po
litical affairs of his state and
county and represented the 1st
Senatorial District of North Caro
lina for two terms, in 1929 and
1931. He was Chairman of the
Senate Road Committee when
North Carolina became the first
state in the United States to take
aver the entire road system of the
state. He was also a leader in the
Fight for the state to take over
:he support of the public school
system and served on the State
School Commission for two years
luring the Broughton Adminis
ira don.
He was chairman of the Demo
cratic Executive Committee of
Martin County from 1927 until
1951. He was Attorney for Mar
tin County from 1927 until this
oast December, when he resign
ed to accept his present position.
During the years he has been
Mayor of Williamston, Solicitor
if the Martin County Recorder’s
Sourt and was an Elector twice
luring the Roosevelt Administra
tion. He has also been President
if the Second District Bar As
sociation.
Mr. Peel was graduated from
the University of North Carolina
n 1914, where he was a member
if Phi Beta Kappa, honorary
scholastic fraternity, and won the
Wiley U. Mangum medal for ora
ory.
~ IsccT"SOLICITOR, Page 7
Successful 'Moihers March'
Staged Here Last Week
End Despite Inclement
Weather
Thos F. Hopkins, director of the
15)54 March of Dimes in Washing
ton County, announced yesterday
that $1,500 was in hand toward
the goal of more than $3,500 be
ing sought for the fight against
polio.
Mr. Hopkins stated that the
“Mothers March” staged here by
about 40 volunteer workers un
der the direction of Mrs. Hop
kins Thursday, Friday and Sat
urday of last week met with
good success.
“In spite of the bad weather
during the week-end, around $500
was realized from the house-to
house canvass in Plymouth,”
Hopkins said. “The mothers got
out and went to bat. The canvass
was better than last year.”
The Queen's committee chair
man, Mrs. Dick Norman, an
nounced the list of competing
princesses who have been select
ed at Plymouth High School .as
follows:
12th grade—Jo Hobbs and Lena
Bennett; Mrs. Long’s 11th grade—
Marilyn Shugar and Betsy
Brinkley; Mrs. Lucas’ 11th grade
—.Carolyn Styons and Lynette
Modlin: Mr. Carr’s 10th grade—
Jolene Hollowell and Mary Elea
nor Sanderson; Mrs. Norman’s
10th grade—Mabel Hardison and
Betty Ann Burnham; Mr. Foster's
9th grade—Faye West and Jan
ice Johnson; Mr. Inabinett’s 9th
grade — Barbara Johnson and
Jean Pittman; Mr. Clark’s 8th
grade—Barbara Clifton and Mary
Frances Peed; Mr. Hough’s 8th
grade—.Betty Lou Davenport and
Mary Alice Kelley; Mrs. Gilbert’s
8th grade—Edna Staton and Nyal
Womble.
The winner will reign over the
annual March of Dimes ball here
on Saturday, February 6, and be
crowned at intermission. The 20
princesses will also sell advance
tickets to the ball, it was stated.
A Washington aggregation1—
Bill Graveley and his band.—has
already been secured to furnish
music for the ball which will be
held at the Veterans Club here.
Names of additional solicitors
were furnished this week by the
county chairman as follows:
House-to-house — Mrs. Grey
Watson, Mrs. M. B. Browning,
Mrs. William T. Hopkins, Mrs.
John M. Wood, 'Mrs. John F. Dav
enport, Mrs. Leslie J. Darby and
Mrs. Hugh Roberson.
Business solicitation committee:
Robert Howell, G. R. Leggett,
jr., Charles Steeley and Miss No
reen Bush.
Police Chief Urges Town
Motorists To Get Plates
-»
Plymouth Police Chief P. W.
Brown this week again called to
the attention of Plymouth motor
ists the necessity for getting new
town license plates for motor ve
hicles. These new 1954 tags must
bo displayed on all vehicles of
motorists iving within the city
limits after February 1. Those
failing to do so will be prosecuted.
Chief Brown said that sales of
the tags to date amounted to
aobut 500. About 750 are usually
sold here.
National Week of
Foreign War Vets
Is Being Marked
W. J. Weaver, Commander
Of Bosie Bateman Post
Here, Outlines Projects,
Purposes of Organization
This week—January 24-30—the
Veterans of Foreign Wars
throughout the nation are observ
ing VFW Week, according to an
announcement by W, J. Weaver,
commander of Bosia Bateman
Post No. 4023, here.
In making the announcement,
Mr. Weaver listed some of the
projects of the VFW. “The VFW
National Home for Widows and
Orphans and various efforts at
community service are our pride
and joy projects,” the commander
stated. Other projects of equal
importance, he said, are the in
cessant fight against communism,
the legislative program for veter
ans and the youth program.
In the fight against commun
ism, Mr. Weaver suggested that
the people of the United States
can deter further encroachment
of thir liberties by communism by
revitalizing their own belief in
Americanism. This the VFW
stives to do, he declared.
“Our organization has not be
come a ‘tool’ of any groups which
would try to-control our mandates
or influence us on issues where it
is pertinent that we take a stand
for or against some law or prob
lem,” the commander stated. “For
that reason we can fight for the
causes of the disabled and needy
veterans, the active duty service
personnel, a strong military force
and other matters that we were
organized to support”
Mr. Weaver stated that “this
group is currently seeking a sub
stantial increase in membership
from eligible veterans in order to
give the organization greater
strength on all levels.”
-♦
Three Members of
Band Are Chosen
Three members of the Plym
outh High School band have been
selected to attend the annual
Eastern Band Clinic which will
be held at East Carolina College,
Greenville, Friday and Saturday
of next week.
The announcement was made
by Band Director Edward Tay
lor who said that Linda Lips
comb, Laura Jo Quinn and
George Painter had been so hon
ored. The girls play the clarinet
while Painter's instrument is the
saxophone.
A 90 or 100-piece orchestra will
be made up at the clinic from
representatives of 30 high school
bands, Taylor explained, and the
three local band members were
selected from a list of band mem
bers on the basis of what instru
ments were needed to round out
the orchestra.
The orchestra should be color
ful, to say the least, since uni
forms of the various bands will
be worn.
The clinic will consist of classes,
private instruction and a con
cert Saturday night to which the
public is invited. Waldemar
Bhosys, double reed specialist and
demonstrator, of New York City,
has been secured for the cilinie,
SOME OF THE PLAYERS IN BENEFIT BASKETBALL GAME LAST FRIDAY
____1
:
Pictured above are former basketball player made up the all-star team which played
Plymouth High School girls in the first game o : double-header at the gym here last Friday
night. The game realized $281.99 for the high s bool band fund. Left to right in the front row
are Maxine Baynor, Margaret Owens, Lula Gar eft, Fdith Womhle and Beulah Bickerstaff. Back
row: Annie Laura Tetterton, Shirley Gurganus, Jeannette McCombs, Margaret Tetterton and Vivian
Clark. After trailing much of the game the hig 1 school girls managed to pull out with a 2-point
win.—Polaroid 1-Minute staff photo.
1
1
I
e
y
Only Three More Days for Listing
With Monday of next week the
last scheduled day for tax listing
in this county, the job is still
lagging badly, according to re
ports received here.
County Tax Supervisor Hubert
L. Davenport, of Skinnersvile, re
ported late Tuesday that the job
of listing property for taxes was
far behind in the county. He esti
mated that other than Plymouth
Township, the job was about 50
per cent completed.
Plymouth Township List Taker
Clarence L. Blount Reported that
a few more than 1,200 persons
had listed with him
Mr. Blount and W. A. Roebuck,
Town of Plymouth lister working
in conjunction with Mr. Blount
at the courthouse here, foresaw
no great last-minute rush as in
some past years.
“The job is progressing satis
factorily here," Mr. Blount stat
ed, “and listing is fairly steady.
During the time left we should be
able to get them in all right.”
Those failing to list within the
prescribed time will be subject to
ten per cent penalty for late list
ing—the penalty imposed by law.
Absolutely no extension of time
will be granted, it was said.
Plans Mapped for
'Lost Colony' at
Luncheon Meeting
Executive Board Members
Of Roanoke Island Histor
ical Association Meet at
Plymouth Last Week
-♦
Plans for the 14th season of
The Lost Colony pageant at Roa
noke Island were mapped by
members of the executive board
of the Roanoke Island Historical
Association at -a luncheon meet
ing held in the banquet room of
the Mayflower Restaurant here
last Thursday. Barbecued chicken
was enjoyed by the group.
General Manager Dick Jordan
gave a report on his -activities to
date in behalf of the coming sea
son which included souvenir pro
gram and folder printing, .advance
ticket sales to Roanoke Island
Historical association members
and promotional work in general
that is now taking place on a
fulltime basis at the drama head
quarters in Manteo on Roanoke
Island.
The Lost Colony beginning on
June 25, present 62 performances
this year and close on September
5. Performances will be present
ed nightly except Mondays.
Ben Snell Buried
In County Sunday
'* ' fuMt
Ben M. Snell, 76, of Roper, died
at his home last Friday at 10:30
a. m., following an illness of five
weeks. Mr. Snell had been in de
clining health for about a year.
Mr. Snell was the son of the
late Henry Mack Snell and Emma
Langley Snell of this county and
the widower of the late Inez
Snell. He was born in Washing
ton County Oct her 7, 1877, and
was a lifelong resident of the
county and a retired farmer. He
was a member of Zion’s Chapel
Church of Christ, near Roper.
Surviving are one daughter,
Mrs .Harold J. Fries, of Bedford,
Pa.; a son, A. Ben Snell, of Roper;
two sisters, Mrs. Pattie Lucas, of
Plymouth ,and Mrs. Tom Swain,
of Weldon; two brothers, Lewis
Snell, of Belhaven, and Clyde
Snell, of Roper; and three grand
children.
Funeral services wore conduct
ed Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock
from Zion’s Chapel Church by
the pastor, the Rev. R. L. Gardi
ner, assisted by the Rev. L. M.
Ambrose, of Creswcll. Burial was
in the church cemetery.
Scout Committee
In Luncheon Meet
The executive committee of
Plymouth Boy Scout Troop No.
284 held a luncheon meeting Wed
lesday at the Plymouth Restaur
int, attended by six members of
he committee, Community Com
nitteeman Phil Liverman and
District Scout Executivo Jerry
\shwiM, of Williamston.
Discussions on program plan
ling for 1954, ways to strengthen
he Committee-Parent program,
■ommittee members' responsibili
y, regular duties and meetings
ind liason with civic clubs were
teld.
Others attending were Scout
naster Carl Bailey, jr., Assistant
Scoutmaster B. W. Cutler, Ralph
Hunter, James H. Ward, Charles
futchins and Robert Howell.
Sales of State License
Plates Nearing 2,000 Here
-*—
At the end of business Tues
lay sales of state motor •'chicle
icensc plates were nearing the
i.000 mark at the local office of
he Carolina Motor Club, accord
ng to figures released through]
Manager James H. Ward. The
otal stood at 1,924.
Sales were broken down into
ategories as follows: automobile,!
,388; motorcycles, 3: private
rucks, 329; farm trucks, 60; Z
railers, 122: C trailers, 22.
The deadline beyond which aid
dates cannot be legally display
d is February 1.
Martin Man Is Killed
In Wreck Yesterday
-+
James Thomas Horton Dies
En Route To Local Hos
pital Wednesday Morn
ing; Alabama Native
James Thomas Horton, 52-year
old Jamesville man, died en route
to the Washington County Hos
pital Wednesday morning from
'head and chest injuries received
when the 1952 Ford he was driv
ing went out of control and struck
a large tree on U. S. 64 between
Jamesville and Dardens.
The accident happened at
around 9:30 o’clock and was in
vestigated by State Highway Pa
trolman J. E. Morton, of Roper.
Damage to the car was estimated
at $600.
Mr. Horton was a native of Al
abama but resided at Jamesville
for the past two years, being en
gaged in the logging business. He
came to Jamesville from Beau
fort.
He was traveling east on the
highway at the time of the ac
cident and ;t is not known what
caused the machine to go out of
control. It was stated by the in
vestigating officer that there
were no signs of skid marks or
other sign of brakes having be
ing applied before -the impact.
Mr. Horton is survived by his
widow; his parents, Henry Horton
and Ida Simmons Horton, of Bar
bur Count;.- Alabama; and three
fcodMt of Cleo,
Alabama, Cecil Horton, of Dot
han, Alabama, and Delma Hor
ton, of Georgia.
The remains will -be left -at
Horner’s Funeral Home here un
til Friday and shipped to Clayton,
Alabama, for Sunday services.
Brief Snow Flurries Hit
County Last Friday Nigh!
Springlike weather was back
this week after a brief taste of
wintry blasts that brought snow
and sleet to the county last Fri
day night. Previously, rain had
fallen most of that day.
Records at the weather station
at Tide Water Test Farm, near
here, show that the precipitation
Friday was .65 of an inch, bring
ing the total for the month of
January so far to 5.12 inches.
The wet weather has greatly
hampered preparation of tobacco
beds in the county, but work was
commenced again Wednesday on
the beds, in some places.
-4
Repilblicaij Precinci Meets
Here Attended Fairly Wei!
A total of 18 persons attended
the Republican precinct meetings
of Plymouth No. 1 and No. 2, held
here Tuesday night of this week,
it is reported. No reports were
available from other precinct
meetings held simultaneously
over the county.
The county convention for the
Republican party in Washington
County is set for February 11 at
7:30 p. m. at the county court
house here. Party officials will be
elected by the delegates of the
various county precincts.
BUREAU SPEAKER
I
Dr. C. Brice Ratchford, in
charge of farm marketing ex
tension at N. C. State College,
Raleigh, will make the princi
pal address at the meeting of
the Washington County Farm
Bureau to be held at the Agri
culture Building here Monday
night at 7:30 o’clock. The meet
ing will be the first of the year
for the bureau and an import
ant one and all members are
urged to attend.
Routing .Meetings
In Prospect Here
Regular monthly board1 meet
ings here next Monday will be
of a routine nature, apparently.
First Monday sessions will be
held by the county •commission
ers, the county board of educa
tion and the Plymouth Town
Council but as far as could be
learned yesterday, no special
matters are up for consideration.
The commissioners will meet
Monday morning in the commis
sioners' room at the courthouse
with a strictly routine session,in
prospect, according to Board
Clerk J. Robert Campbell.
The board of education is slat
ed to hold its meeting in the of
fices of the county superintend
ent of schools at the courthouse,
beginning at 10 a. m.
The Town Council will hold its
meeting Monday night at eight
at the Municipal Building on East
Water Street. A quiet session is
expected.
-*
Basketball Games at Roper
For Tonight Are Cancelled
—•*
The scheduled basketball
double-header at Roper Thurs
day night between Roper and
Aurora High School boys’ and
girls teams has been cancelled, it
was learned from Roper Coach
Ted Martus late yesterday. No de
finite reason for the cancellation
was given but it is thought that
the outcome of the Plymouth
Aurora boys game in Plymouth
Tuesday night made the Roper
coach cancel the games.
County Farm Bureau
Meets Here Monday
Several important matters of
business will be on the agenda for
the first meeting of 1954 of the
Washington County Farm Bureau,
President J, A. Morris, of Cres
well, reports.
The meeting is scheduled for
Monday night of next week and
will be held in the auditorium of
the Agriculture Building here,
beginning at 7:30 o’clock, it was
said.
Dr. C. Brice Ratchford, in
charge of farm management ex
tension, N. C. State College, Ra
eigh, will be the principal speak
er. Dr. Ratchord will speak on
he subject “Price Policies and
farm Programs in General.”
The speaker will discuss flexi
ble price supports, what benefits
accrue to Washington County
farmers from the various farm
programs, the cost of the pro
grams to the government, a defi
nition of the term “parity,” etc.
Dr. Ratchford will present this
information on an unbiased basis
and make no recommendations,
County Agent W, H. Pruden
states. “When he gets through,
farmers who attend this impor
tant meeting will have something
to go home and think about,”
Pruden promised.
The county agent emphasized,
also, that the things t(* be dis
cussed are being taken up in Con
gress now and that farmers can
get a great deal of needed infor
mation by attending the meeting
Monday night.
Demonstration in
Plantbed Seeding
Pepper, Tomatoes
Horticulture Specialist in
Charge of Demonstration
Next Thursday at A. J.
Riddle Farm
A pepper and tomato seed bed
demonstration will be held
Thursday afternoon of next week
on the A. J. Riddle farm two
miles east of Plymouth on High
way 64, County Agent W. H.
Pruden has announced.
The plant bed will be located
directly behind the home of El
vin Adams, tenant on the farm,
Pruden stated. Time of the dem
onstration is 2 o’clock.
It is expected that there will
be much interest in pepper and
tomato crops in the county this
year because of the new pro
duce auction market to be estab
lished here in May.
The county agent pointed out
that pepper and tomato beds
should be seeded by February 15.
It is important to have good
sized plants early in order to
catch the early market when the
prices are strongest, Pruden said.
He stated that prices of peppers
per bushel dropped from an early
high of $4 last season to $1.
A1 Banadyga, extension horti
culture specialist from State Col
lege, Raleigh, will be in charge
of She demonstration which will
show how to make the forms,
prepare and seed the bed, etc.
Farmers who plan to plant
acreage to the two crops this year
are asked to please note date and
time of the demonstration. They
can profit by attending, the agent
assured.
House Destroyed
In Morning Fire
Fire which started from ai»
overheated portable oil heater de
stroyed the one-story frame
dwelling house of Annie Johnson,
colored, on the Mackeys Road
Wednesday. ,
The alarm was given at 10 a. m.
and the Plymuth Fire Depart
ment responded promptly but was
unable to save the house or any
of the furnishings or personal ef
fects, Fire Chief I. Miller War
ren reported.
The house was located on the
Mackeys Road about a mile east
of Plymouth, just opposite the old
airport.
The fire chief determined the
origin of the blaze to be the oil
heater. He stated that he under
stood there was no insurance on
the property.
A washing machine on the back
porch and a glider on the front
porch were saved.
Band Leaves for
New Bern Parade
-♦
Members of the Plymouth High
School band, together with Band
Director Edward Taylor, cheer-*
leaders and chaperones, left by
chartered buses Thursday morn
ing of this week for New Bern
where the band is taking part in
the Shrine ceremonial parade.
The parade was scheduled to
begin at 12:30 and about 20 bands
are expected to take part. The
bands were slated to assemble at
Kafir Park at 11:30 a. m.
Lunch will be furnished the
group and will be served at the
New Bern Recreation Center on
George Street, it was said. Later
band members will be entertain
ed at a movie or a tour of the
huge Cherry Point Marine Base,
whichever they choose.
A dance will be held in the
evening at which music will be
furnished by Bubbles Becker and
his orchestra. The Plymouth
group is invited to remain over
for the dance. —
j Added Duly for j
[Patrol Officer I
The recent wet weather
brought new worries for Carl
Gilchrist, Plymouth's hard
working highway patrolman.
Since Carl has been stationed
here he lias certainly made his
share of arrests, many of them
motorists who exceeded the
legal speed limit, and he is not
complaining.
Within a week, however, Carl
reports that twice he has had
to pull motorists out of the
ditch after stopping them for
driving too fast. When he sig
nalled them to stop, he said, the
cars skidded into the roadside
ditch.