T'ownj
opicsl
ST”::::-:::::"----*
Frank C. Bickerstaff, sr., was
painfully hurt in a fall at the
plant Of the North ^Carolina Pulp
Company Tuesday afternoon. He
fell about 9 feet from a tank
when a water line he was work
ing on suddenly spouted a stream
of water that knocked him to the
concrete floor. Given first aid at
'f. the plant, he was removed later
to the Washington County hospi
tal, where x-rays showed he had
a broken left knee cap. He was
also bruised and cut about the
head, hands and on his other
knee. He was reported to be get
ting along very well at the hos
pital yesterday.
Dr. and Mrs. E. W. Furgurson
and Dr. and Mrs. Claudius Mc
Gowan, of Plymouth, will be
among the many doctors and their
ladies who will attend the meet
ing of the Stale Medical Society
at Pinehurst a few days next
week. At the Pinehurst meeting,
Dr. Furgurson will give a paper
entitled, “The Use of Rectal Pen
tothal Anesthesia in Obstetrics—
730 Cases.” Dr. and Mrs. Furgur
son plan to leave Sunday and re
turn to Plymouth Thursday of
next week. Dr. and Mrs. Mc
Gowan will sandwich a few days
at Charlotte in connection with
the medical meeting and return
to Pinehurst so the doc can take
in the Southern Seniors golfing
event at Pienhurst later next
week.
Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Terry have
been notified that their son, Sea
man J. T. Terry, jr., is expected
to arrive in Norfolk, on Sunday,
May 2. He is a member of the
crew of the USS Wisconsin, one of
the two remaining battleships in
active service, w'hich has been in
far eastern waters since early
last fall. Lt. Com. W. E. Wads
worth, USN, invited Mr. and Mrs.
Terry to the Norfolk Naval Base
Sunday to witness the homecom
ing of the Wisconsin, and they
plan to do so.
Friends of J. Shepherd Brink
ley, owner of the Plymouth, Daly
and Drive-In Theatres here, will
be delighted to learn that he is
improving steadily from his re
cent serious illness. Shop was
confined to his bed for a long
time, but he is now able to get
up for several hours each day.
Sunday and Monday, he made his
first trips uptown in several
_ months, and greeted a number of
w his friends.
Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Byrd arriv
ed in Plymouth last Friday after
living in Indian Rock Beach, Fla.,
for the past two years. Mr. Byrd,
who was in business here as a
merchant for a number of years,
is planning to make his home
here again, he said this week,
provided he could “find some
thing to do.”
Tomorrow night will be a “big
night” in the lives of Plymouth
High School juniors and seniors.
The annual junior-senior banquet
is being held in the school cafe
teria at 7 o'clock, followed by the
junior-senior prom in the high
school gym starting at 9 o’clock.
The juniors have been busy for
several weeks making plans for
the two big events, and all the
See~TOPICS~Page •
-<
<? Plan Ari Exhibit
For'Schools Here
-♦
Washington County white
schools will hold their annual art (
exhibit this year from Wednes
day, May 12, through Friday, May
14, it was announced this week
by Mrs. Georgia Frost Barnes,
who is in charge of arrangements.
The exhibit will be held in the
Plymouth High School gymnas
ium, and the public is cordially
invited to view the displays. 1
All schools in the county have ,
been urged to participate, and ]
Mrs. Barnes says it will be ap- ,
preciated if its exhibits can be
placed in the gym on Friday, May
7, after school. Special projects
may be OTought in Tuesday '
morning. Teachers are asked to
assist in rearranging the exhibits ■
Tuesday afternoon, May 11. ‘
Exhibits will be shown in two ]
divisions. The first division in- (
Eludes drawings and paintings of (
all kinds, as well as cutwork and
similar exhibits. The second di- ,
vision will be crafts and includes <
modeling in clays, scupture, carv- (
ings, paper mache, basketry, wea- j
ving, needlework of all kinds,
taxidermy and similar projects.
Town, County Boards Meet Monday
Next Monday, county govern
ing bodies and the Plymouth
Town Council will hold their reg
ular monthly meetings, the Wash
ington County Board of Commis
sioners and Board of Education
meeting in the morning at the
courthouse, and the town body at
the municipal building that night.
It is expected that the board
of education will begin considera
tion of the budget for the coming
fiscal year when it meets in the
office of the bounty superinten
dent of schools at 10 a. m.
Routine business is scheduled
for the county board of commis
sioners at their meeting in the
commissioners’ room at the court
house at 10:30 a. m. It is also pos
sible that consideration of some
of the budget items of various
departments of the county gov
ernment may 'be presented for
consideration at this meeting.
The Plymouth City Council al
so is scheduled to consider rou
tine matters at its meeting in the
municipal building at 8 o’clock
Monday night. Appointment of
the budget committee may be one
of the items for consideration,
since the budget will have to be
ready a little earlier this year,
City Clerk W. A. Roebuck stated.
The Roanoke Beacon
****** and Washington County News ******
A home newspaper dedicated
to the service of Washington ||j
Ijl County and its 13,000 people, ij]
VOLUME LXV—NUMBER 17
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, April 29, 1954
ESTABLISHED 1889
TOWN GETS CERTIFICATE FOR TRAFFIC SAFETY
■ ■ ■" ■ ■ -■ i
Chief of Police P. W. Brown and Mayor A. J. Riddle (right)
are shown above accepting a certificate of merit “for outstanding
accomplishment in traffic safety,” awarded to the town of Plym
outh by the N. C. State Automobile Association. The presentation
was made last Friday by Lewis B. Scruggs (left) of Charlotte,
and Jess Wilson of Edcnton, division and district sales managers
of the association, respectively.—Polaroid 1-Minute taff photo.
Voluntary Check-Up
For Cars and Trucks
TO PREACH HERE
1.. ■ - .. ■ i ■ I
The Rev. D. D. Holt, of
Greensboro, will be visiting
preacher for a series of revival
services at the local Methodist
Church starting Sunday and
continuing for one week.
Plans Being Made
For Operation oi
Vegetable Market
-♦
•Specialists From Extension
Service and State Depart
ment Confer With Local
Group Yesterday
-•
Several marketing specialists
rom the State College Extension
Service and the State Department
>f Agriculture were in Plymouth
yesterday to assist operators of
he Plymouth Auction Market in
vorking out plans for operation '
if that market here this year.
W. T. Freeman, James H. Ward
ind W. M. Darden will operate
he market here. They conferred
esterday with Dr. G. S. Abshier
ind A. A. Bonadyga, of the State
College Extension Service, and
rugh Martin, of the marketing
[ivision of the State Department
>f Agriculture.
Plans were discussed for an in
pection service and other details
onnected with actual operation \
f the local market. It is now
hought the market will open for
See MARKET, Page 5
Service Offered Free lo
Owners by Garages Here;
Sponsored by Aulo Deal
ers in State
Three Plymouth automobile
firms — Walker-Darden Motors,
Manning Motor Company and
House Chevrolet Company—have
signed up to take part in the vol
untary car inspection program,
which is being sponsored by the
Carolina Safety League and the
North Carolina Automobile Deal
ers Association.
Starting last Monday, they are
conducting safety inspections on
automobiles without cost to the
owners. There is no obligation of
any kind, and any repairs shown
to be needed by the inspection
may be made by the owners or
by any garage or mechanic they
may choose.
There is nothing compulsory
about the inspection program on
the part of the vehicle owner, but
the driver may obtain a lot of sat
isfaction in knowing that his auto
or truck is in good mechanical
condition and by having his ve
hicle inspected he has acted in
the name of increased safety on
the highways.
Such important items as brakes,
steering mechanism, lights, horn,
windshield wiper, tires, etc., will
be thoroughly checked for defects
that need attention. Owners of all
types and makes are cordially in
vited to take advantage of the in
fection service without cost or
obligation.
See~CHECK^UP^Page~5
-»
Guest Preachers
For Roper Charge
Pulpits of the three Methodist
Churches of the Roper charge
■vill be occupied Sunday, May 2,
oy guest speakers, it was an
lounced this week.
The Rev. William Eason, of Eli
labeth City, will preach at Mac
Keys at the 10 o’clock morning
iervice and at Pleasant Grove at
11:15 a. m. Speaker for the even
ng service at 8 o’clock in the
toper church will be Aubrey
Dixon. Mr. Dixon is lay speaker
or the Roper charge. He will talk
>n the subject, “The Methodist
’rogram in the Local Church.”
The public is cordially invited
;o worship with the local congre
gations and hear these speakers.
Jaycee Officers
To Be Installed
Al Meet Tonighl
Ladies' Night Banquet and
Installation To Be Held al
Country Club; Gurganus
Guest Speaker
Plans have been perfected for
the seventh annual installation ol
officers and ladies’ night banquet
of the Plymouth Junior Chamber
of Commerce, it was announced
this week by the retiring presi
dent, James Boyce.
The banquet will be held at
the Plymouth Country Club here
on Thursday night of this week,
beginning at 7:30 o’clock.
Guest speaker for the occasion
will be “Red” Gurganus, of Wil
liamston, 10th district vice presi
dent, who will also install offi
cers elected on March 5 for the
coming year. Other features of
the program include reading the
Jaycee Creed by Carl Bailey, jr.;
invocation by James Parvin; wel
come address by Hoy Manning;
introduction of the guest speaker
by Joe Peel; installation of new
members by Marvin Weaver; re
marks by the incoming president
and presentation of the past
president pin by Douglas Gurkin.
James Ward will be master of
ceremonies.
Following the banquet and pro
gram, dancing will be enjoyed by
the Jaycees and their guests.
Officers to be installed are Dr.
A. L. Whitehurst, president; Paul
Hardison, first vice president;
Bill McCombs, second vice presi
dent; Charles Walker, secretary;
Carl Bailey, jr., treasurer; Hay
wood Casteen, sergeant at arms;
Joseph Latham, James Parvin and
John Lilley, directors; James
Boyce, state director.
Retiring officers are James
Boyce, president; Douglas Gurkin
first vice president; Paul Hardi
son, second vice president; Wal
ton Swain, secretary; Bob How
ell, treasurer; B. W. Cutler, state
director; and Jerome Polk, ser
geant at arms.
-1
Town Gels Award
For Achievements
In Traffic Safely
-—4
Certificate of Merit Present
ed to Mayor in Ceremony
Last Friday; State Auto
Club Is Sponsor
-♦
The town of Plymouth was
presented a certificate of merit
last Friday for “outstanding ac
complishments in traffic safety”
by the North Carolina State
Automobile Association. The cer
tificate was only the 23rd to be
awarded in the whole state for
the past year, it was stated.
The framed parchment certifi
cate was presented to Mayor A. J.
Riddle and Police Chief P. W.
Brown by Lewis B. Scruggs, di
vision manager of the motor club,
on behalf of the company itself
and T. Chalmer Bryant, president
of the National Automobile As
sociation, with which the N. C.
State A.A. is affiliated. Jess Wil
son is the company district man
ager for Tyrrell, Washington,
Chowan and Hyde counties and
participated in the cremeony,
which took place in the munici
pal building here.
“It is a real privilege,” said Mr.
Scruggs, “to have this opportuni
ty to present the City of Plym
outh with this certificate for the
great record in traffic safety that
has been accomplished here. This
award is based on the fact that
Plymouth had no automobile fa
talities from January, 1952, to
April 1, 1954.”
“It takes real team work on the
part of city officials, police au
thorities, and the public gener
ally to accomplish such a record,”
Mr. Scruggs said.
The city officials, although
complimented by the certificate
of merit, said they were not con
tent to rest on their laurels. “We
must be conscious of the fact,”
they said, “that dangers are al
ways present. We hope to main
tain a good record for years to
come.
-*
Warden Says Fishing
Belter in Lake Area
Fishing at Lake Phelps mater
ially improved during the past
week, according to County Game
Protector J. T. Terry. Prior to
last week-end sportsmen were
having very poor luck, but the
game warden said there were
many catches of the limit of bass
on Saturday and Sunday. Prac
tically everyone checked in that
area had good catches of bass, but
crappie or “speckled perch” are
still scarce.
6
| Parent-Teacher
I Meet at Roper
W. S. Tarlton, researcher at
Lake Phelps, will show slides
of the Lake Phelps homes and
region; and next year’s officers
will he installed at the final
Roper High School PTA meet
ing of the year in Roper High
School auditorium next Tues
day night, May 4, at 7:30.
Next year’s officers are Mrs.
John Dawson, president; Mrs.
Roger Chesson, vice president;
Mrs. Mayo Modlin, secretary,
and Mrs. Arthur Marriner,
treasurer.
The public is cordially invit
ed to attend.
Easier Seal Sale
Exceeds Last Year
Chairman Reports
-1
Mrs. Mayme W. Davenport
Says $566.84 Raise Up To
This Week; Report Is Just
About Complete
♦
The Easter seal sale this year
exceeded the amount raised last
year by more than $100, accord
ing to a report made the first of
this week by Mrs. Mayme W.
Davenport, of Creswell, chairman
of this year’s drive. Up to Mon
day a total of $566.84 had been
realized, with the report of the
Plymouth chairman still to be re
ceived, she stated. The sale last
year fell short of $500.
Funds from the Easter seal sale
are used for braces, wheel chairs,
transportation to clinics, hospi
tals and treatment centers; hos
pitalization for corrective and
preventive procedures; and spec
ial equipment for crippled chil
dren.
Mrs. Davenport expressed her
appreciation for the liberal sup
port of the movement in the coun
ty. She was especially grateful
for the cooperation of the schools
in tha Cl- and several
churchtf#. Motfc of the money rais
ed came from the schools and
the seal letters handled through
the mails.
The appeal letters brought in
$201.03. Contributions through
the white schools were as fol
lows: Plymouth $149.54, Cres
well $102.28, and Roper $27. Col
ored school contributions follow;
Plymouth $17.84; Creswell $26.63,
and union school at Roper $11.61.
Churches in the Creswell area
raised the following amounts:
Philippi $15, Mount Hermon
Methodist $10.91, and Creswell
Methodist $5.
Mrs. H. E. Harrison, chairman
for the Plymouth area, had not
reported when the above sum
mary was given, according to Mrs.
Davenport.
-♦
Revival Services
To Begin Sunday
-t
Revival services will begin at
the Plymouth Methodist Church
next Monday evening, May 3, at
8 o'clock and continue through
Sunday, May 9, with Rev. D. D.
Holt, of Greensboro, as visiting
preacher.
Mr. Holt is a member of the
North Carolina Annual Confer
ence. He served a six-year pasto
rate at Trinity Methodist Church,
Durham, before going to Greens
boro two years ago as director
of the Methodist College Founda
tion of North Carolina.
Mr. Holt is in great demand as
preacher and speaker. The local
church considers itself most fortu
nate to secure him.
The public is cordially invited
to hear him.
j Absentee Ballots
| For Service Men
Members of the military
forces of the nation may regis
ter and vote by absentee ballot
in the primary this year, W. T.
Freeman, chairman of the coun
ty board of elections, this week
reminded relatives of service
men and women.
Application to register must
be made b ythe service man
himself, on forms which may
be secured from the chairman
of the board of elections. If the
voter is already registered, ap
plication for the absentee bal
lot may be made by the voter’s
wife, husband, brother, sister,
parent or child.
Up to this week, no applica
tions had been received by Mr.
Freeman. Applicants are advis
ed to fill out the forms very
carefully in order to be sure of
getting the ballots on time.
Registration Books Open
Saturday for New Voters
J MEMBERS OF COLOR GUARD FOR LOCAL VFW POST
Members of the color guard for the Bosie Bateman Post,
No. 4023, Veterans of Foreign Wars, are shown here follwing the
recent installatio nof post officers. Left to right are Arthur Marri
ner, officer of the day; Bosie Owens, color guard; Shelton McNair
and Walton Swain, color bearers; and Mcrrit Browning, jr., color
guard.—Polaroid 1-Minute staff photo.
Little Interest Being
Displayed in Politics
Fact That There Is But One
County-Wide Contest Is
Factor; Candidates Re
ported To Be Working
-♦
So far, very little political in
terest has been shown in this
county in the Democratic primary
to be held May 29th. Candidates
for the various offices, of course,
are interested and are busy try
ing to create enthusiasm among
their supporters, but so far as
can be observed on the surface
they are meeting with only medi
ocre succe. ^ at best Th i applies
to local, dislnct ar, i st :te offices.
One reason for lack of surface
interet is the fact that there is
inly one county-wide contest fo>
a local office this year. That is
the three-way race for represent
ative. Candidates are Dr. J. M.
Phelps of Creswell, former repre
sentatives E. O. Arnold of Skin
nersville and Ben A. Sumner, of
Plymouth.
Each of the three candidates
has a substantial block of per
sonal supporters, and they are
circulating among voters in the
county to build up their strength.
However, at this time, there is
little indication as to who may be
considered out in front; and there
is a strong possibility that a sec
ond primary may be necessary to
decide the nominee.
The other local contest is limit
ed to Scuppernong Township
where three men are seeking the
post of county commissioner.
They are Harry W. Pritchett,
Creswell hardware merchant and
incumbent; Douglas W. Daven
port and Phillip M. Spruill, both
of the latter being farmers. No
reports have been received here
as to the progress made by any of
them.
On the district level, there are
three candidates for two places
as state senator from the second
district. Edward L. Owens of
Plymouth, Lemuel H. Ross of
Washington and Martin B. Kellog
of Manteo are the contenders.
The fact that Washington County
has a candidate in the person of
Owens lend some interest to this
race.
Elbert S. Peel, of Williamston,
and Hubert E. May, of Nashville,
are seeking the post of solicitor
for the second judicial district,
which is creating some interest
in the county. Mr. Peel now holds
the office, having been appointed
by Governor Umstead last No
vember when former solicitor
George M. Fountain of Tarboro
was elevated to special judge of
superior court.
Main interest in state contests
is centered on the contest be
tween W. Kerr Scott, former gov
ernor, and Alton Lennon, of Wil
mington, or United States Sena
tor. Senator Lennon now holds
the office by appointment of Gov
ernor Umstead to succeed the late
Willis Smith. There are five other
candidates for this office, but the
main contest is expected to be
between Ccott and Lennon.
-♦
Church Supper Planned
In Roper Next Tuesday
The men of St. Luke’s Episco
pal Church, Roper, will serve a
supper in the Roper Community
House, Tuesday night, May 4th,
beginning at 6 o’clock. The pub
lic is invited. Proceeds will go
for the new Episcopal camp and
conference center now being con
structed at Bogue Sound.
IN QUEEN CONTEST j
Miss Jane Carol Crofton,
(laughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. L.
Crofton, of Plymouth, will
represent Washington County
in the selection of “Miss WTAR
TV” in Norfolk, Va., Friday.
Miss Jane Crofton
Represents County
In Queens Contest
35 Contestants in Event at
Norfolk Television Stat
ion Friday; Winner Gets
New York Trip
-1
Miss Jane Crofton, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. G. L. Crofton, of
Plymouth, will represent Wash
ington County in the selection of
“Miss WTAR-TV” in Norfolk, Va.,
tomorrow. She is one of 35 con
testnats representing various
counties and towns in eastern
North Carolina and Virginia from
which the television queen is to
be selected.
Miss Crofton was selected sev
eral weeks ago to represent this
county in the Potato Festival at
Elizabeth City next month. Her
entry was sponsored by the local
veterans’ posts, which made the
selection from a numlber of coun
ty contestants.
In the contest Friday, all of
the 35 contestants will promenade
before the television cameras on
a program being televised at
12:30 p. m. Friday. Judges will
decide who will reign as Miss
WTAR-TV and queen of the May
Day festivities at the site of
See CONTEST, Page 5
Precinct Registrars Will Be
At Six Polling Places in
County for Three Con
secutive Saturdays
-*
Registration books will open
Saturday morning at 9 o'clock at
polling places in the ,-ix Washing
ton County precincts and will re
main open until sunset on Satur
day, May 15, it was announced
this week by W. T. Freeman,
chairman of the county board of
elections. Registrars will attend
the polling places on the three
Saturdays during the period; and
on other days before the deadline,
May 17, they may register those
who apply to them at their resi
dences or places of business.
No new registration is required
for the primary to be held on
Saturday, May 29. The only per
sons required to register are
those who have become qualified
since the last election through
age and residence requirements.
Those who have moved from one
precinct to another since the last
election must apply to their new
polling place to transfer their
registration. The county chair
man emphasized that previous
registration for municipal elect
ions does not qualify voters for
the primary, as separate books
are kept by the county and towns.
A person seeking to register
and vote in the prim: ries must
show that he is: A citizen (native
or naturalized) of the United
States; 21 years of age, or will
become 21 by the date of the
general election November 4,
1954; of sound mind; able to read
and write any section of the state
constitution in the English lan
guage to the satisfaction of the
registrar; and that he has not
been convicted of a felony, un
less his citizenship rights have
been restored. If he desires to
vote in the primary, he must
certify that he is a member in
good faith of the party in whose
primary he wishes to vote.
Residence requirements ai one
year in the state and four months
in the precinct where the appli
cant desires to vote. If a person
has moved from one county to
another within four months of the
primary he cannot vote.
Precincts, polling places, regis
trars and judges of election for
the coming primary are as fol
lows;
Plymouth Precinct No. 1: Poll
ing place, Washington County
courthouse; C. L. Blount, regis
trar; W. C. Styons and E. A. Har
rison, judges of election;
Plymouth No. 2: Polling place,
Plymouth High School building;
Mrs. C. A. Cratch, registrar; Cla
rene Spruill and T. D. Somerville,
judges of election;
Lees Mill; Polling place, com
munity building in Roper; Mrs.
T. W. Norman, registrar; H. S.
Everett and Marvin Spencer,
judges;
Skinnersville: Polling place,
Brownie Goodman's store; Brow
nie Goodman, registrar; Delbert
Patrick and Louis Bateman,
judges;
Scuppernong: Polling place,
tax collector’s office in Creswell;
H. W. Norman, registrar; Mrs.
Mabel Harris and W. T. Phelps,
judges;
Wenona: Polling place, H. J.
Furbee’s residence; H. J. Furbee,
registrar; T. H. Rosenthal and
Carl Heynen, judges.
Methodists Plan District
Conference Here May 5
The Elizabeth City District con
ference will be held at the Plym
outh Methodist Church next
Tuesday, May 4, beginning at 9:30
a. m. The district is composed of
36 pastoral charges and about 100
churches.
Official delegates include the
pastors and several representa
tives from each church. Others
attending the conference will be
a number of persons representing
the various interests of the
church on a conference-wide
basis.
Local visitors are invited.
mm****
,—1..
il„ («««<? --
There is some blue mold in
tobacco plant beds in the coun
ty, but the infestation is scat
tered, W. H. Pruden, county
agent, said yesterday. Very lit
tle real damage is expected, as
the blue mold is very light, due
almost entirely to spots missed
when the beds were dusted.
The agent said DDT should
be added when the plant beds
are given their final dusting.
This will protect the young
plants from flea beetle infes
tation after they are set out.
Practically all farmers dusted
their plant beds this year, and
it was very effective in keep
ing down the mold, accoirding
to the agent.
Mr. Pruden said transplant
ing was in full blast throughout
the county the first of this
week, and the peak of the
planting season is expected to
be reached by the end of the
week.