T'owm
opicsl
Much of the preliminary work
has been completed and state
highway crews were due to start
on surfacing a number of local
streets Wednesday morning here.
The work was contracted for
some time ago by the city coun
cil, but actual surfacing has been
Jheld up until all the streets were
graded and gravel applied.
Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Beam, Dr.
and Mrs. C. McGowan and Mr.
and Mrs. E. H. Liverman have
returned from Pinehurst, where
the menfolks took part in a
Southern Seniors golf tournament
Saturday and Sunday. Dr. Mc
Gowan also attended a meeting
of the state medical society there
last week, and Mr. Beam was at
a meeting of the North Carolina
Bankers Association Monday. Mr.
Liverman just went down to play
golf. Beam had low net score in
his age group Saturday, when
they played the No. 1 course, but
he said yesterday “The No. 2
course (which they played Sun
day) was not made for old men.”
Miller Warren, chief of the
Plymouth Fire Department, and
H. O. Lovic, member of the local
department and chief of the pulp
mill's firemen, attended the
North Carolina Fire College and
Drill School at Charlotte last
week. The school began Monday
»;;pd ran through Thursday, with
'daily demonstrations and drills
and lecture sessions each night.
It was sponsored by the State
Firemen’ Association.
Several people reported they
saw frost Tuesday morning, May
11, making the latest frost record
ed here in many years. While
there have been no reports of
frost damage, the cool dry wea
ther has been tough on many
field crops, especially tobacco,
and high winds helped break
down many of the plants as late
as Tuesday afternoon.
County School Superintendent
Roy F. Lowry and School Super
visor Mrs. Georgia Frost Barnes
and Mr. Barnes, of Plymouth, at
tended the meeting of the Albe
marle Schoolmasters at Parker
son’s Hotel, Nags Head, Monday.
Others from the county who at
tended included Principal H. I’.
Brown, of Roper; Principal and
Mrs. R. B. Cobb, W. E. Bateman,
Mrs. Viola P. Smithson, Miss Ma
Ida Alexander and Mrs. Hester
D. Mason, of Creswell.
-♦
Roper Methodist
Churches to Hear
Former Head SBI
Walter F. Anderson Will Be
Guest Speaker at Three
Services in Roper Charge
Next Sunday
-»—
The three Methodist churches
of the Roper charge will have as
guest speaker Sunday, May 16,
Walter F. Anderson, well-known
former state official and Metho
dist churchman. The worship
services at which Mr. Anderson
will speak are as follows: Pleasant
Grove, 10 a. m.; Mackeys, 11:15
M. m.; and Roper, 8 p. m.
Mr. Anderson is director of
camp activities of the North Car
olina Conference of the Methodist
church and associate secretary of
the conference board of church
extension. The conference is com
posed of seven districts in the
eastern half of the state and pro
motes the program of 798 local
congregations.
Before accepting full-time work
for the Methodist Church, Mr.
Anderson served as peace officer
in several capacities in North
Carolina. Joining the police de
partment of Winston-Salem as a
patrolman in 1925, he became
chief of the department in 1935.
He became chief of the Charlotte
police department in 1942, where
he served until he was appointed
director of the State Bureau of
Investigation in 1946. 1951 he be
came director of prisons for the
state, serving in that capacity un
til 1953, when he became a full
time employee of the Methodist
church.
\Wr. Anderson is a very force
!ul speaker and will be heard
with interest and profit. He has
been influential in organizing
several new congregations during
the last conference year.
The Roanoke Beacon
**★*★* and Washington County News
.‘" - - - - ’ ’ - -..'' ’' ~' 11 y.' ~. y..
A home newspaper dedicated
to the service of Washington
County and its 13,000 people. jj!
VOLUME LXV—NUMBER 19
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, May 13, 1954
ESTABLISHED 1889
OFFICERS AND CLASS ADVISORS OF ROPER FHA AND FFA CHAPTERS
i. . ■ --—' '
Above are the presidents, vice presidents and advisors of the Roper chapters of the Future
Homemakers of America and Future Farmers of America at the first annual mother-daughter and
father-son banquet held last Friday night in the Roper High School auditorium. Left to right
they are: Miss Juanita Hassell, vice president. Miss Rebecca Gaylord, president, and Mrs. Beulah
W. Gaylord, home economics instructor and advisor ol the FIIA chapter; Mitchiner Banks, voca
tional agriculture teacher and advisor, Lloyd Jones, president, and Benny Harrison, vice presi
dent of the FFA chapter.—Polaroid 1-Minute staff photo.
Saturday Final Day
Register for Primary
Tobacco
By Cold
The recent cold dry weather
has had a bad effect on many
tobacco fields in the county, it
was learned this week. Some
farmers have had a hard time
getting their plants to live,
while others report very good
success, according to County
Agent W. H. Pruden. *
Pruden said some farmers
were reporting stands as low as
60 per cent, while others said
their stands were better than
90 per cent. Those without
good plant beds have been hav
ing a hard time getting enough
plants for replanting. Some
farmers have been going as far
away as Wilson to get plants,
the farm agent stated. Recent
weather has also been mighty
good for insect pests of all
kinds, and heavy loss is expect
ed in that respect.
Free Inspection
Given 300 Auios
More than 300 car owners have
taken advantage of the free in
spection service being offered by
three local dealers since the pro
gram was offered two weeks ago,
it was learned yesterday. Most
of the car owners made the neces
sary repairs and their cars are
now displaying the green safety
stickers showing they are in good
shape.
Walker-Darden Motor Com
pany, Manning Motor Company
and House Chevrolet Company
are the three firms offering the
free inspections, which are en
tirely voluntary on the part of
the car owner. Up to yesterday,
House Chevrolet Company was
leading with about 150 cars in
spected, Manning Motor Company
was next with about 85 and Wal
ker-Darden had checked about 75
cars.
Only five cars had been reject
ed by the dealers. Most of those
inspected are late-model cars, it
was explained, and only minor
repairs are needed to make them
eligible for the approved sticker.
From 40 to 60 per cent of the cars
inspected thus far have needed
some repairs or adjustments,
some as little as a light bulb.
The free inspection service is
being sponsored by the North
Carolina Safety League and State
automobile dealers association.
Books Close at Sundown
May 15; Few Persons
Have Regislered So Far in
County, Reports Show
Saturday of this week is the
last day for registering in order
to vote in the Democratic primary
on Saturday, May 29. Registrars
will be at the six polling places
in the county until sundown Sat
urday, May 15, for the purpose
of registering those who have not
registered previously, or for those
who have become qualified or
moved since the last election.
There is very little evidence of
interest in politics this year, and
that is reflected in the few new
names being put on the poll books
since they were opened on May
1. A few transfers have been re
corded and still fewer have
changed their party affiliation in
the past few weeks. Saturday,
May 22, will be challenge day.
Plymouth Precinct No. 2 still
leads in registration on the basis
of meager reports yesterday. Mrs.
C. A. Cratch, registrar, said eight
new voters had been registered in
the precinct. She had only one or
two transfers and one person
to change his party affiliations.
C. L. Blount, registrar for Plym
outh Precinct No. 2, said only two
new voters had been put on the
books there, but he has had nine
to transfer from other precincts.
There are no official reports
from other precincts in the coun
ty, but it is understood several
have changed their party affili
ation in Scuppernong Township
since the books opened.
W. T. Freeman, chairman of the
county board of elections, said he
had requested all registrars to let
him know how many registered
each week-end, but up to yes
terday he had not heard from any
of the registrars.
Rogerson Infant Riles
Held Here Last Friday
-«
Graveside rites were held at
the Windley cemetery here last
Friday morning at 11 o'clock for
the infant son of Rodney L. Rog
erson and Mrs. Pauline Biggs
Rogerson, of Plymouth. The child
was born dead at the Washington
County Hospital on Thursday.
The Rev. C. N. Barnette, pastor
of the First Christian Church,
conducted the service and inter
ment followed in Windley ceme
tery. Besides his parents, the in
fant is survived by his grandmo
ther, Mrs. Lucy Biggs ,of Plym
outh; and paternal grandparents,
Mr. and Mrs. Henry S. Rogerson,
of Edenton.
I Town Well Represented at Festival
_. —•— —•—
Plymouth will be well repre
sented at the Albemarle Potato
Festival in Elizabeth City Friday
and Saturday of this week. Miss
Jane Crofton, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. G. L. Crofton. of Plym
outh. will represent Washington
County in the queen's contest, and
the Plymouth High School Band
will take part in the mammoth
parade set for Saturday.
Miss Crofton was one of three
finalists out of 39 entrants in the
recent Miss WTAR-TV queen's
contest at Norfolk, Va. She was
crowned “Miss Washington Coun
ty” at the veterans’ ball here last
Saturday night, with Miss Betty
Ann Burnham, also of Plymouth,
who won the potato festival
queen’s contest last year, doing
the honors.
The high school band, under
the direction of Edward Taylor,
has made wonderful progress
since the start of the school year,
and is well able to hold its own
in the parade, which will feature
34 marching bands. Quite a num
ber of local people are e'xpected
to go over for the festivities Sat
urday, including the parade in
the morning and crowning of the
festival queen at the coronation
ball Saturday night.
The line-up of dignitaries to
attend the festival include Gov
ernor William B. Umstead, Lieu
tenant Governor Luther B.
Hodges, Ex-Governor W. Kerr
Scott, Senator Alton Lennon, Ca
nadian Minister of Agricutlure
James Garfield Gardiner, and
many others.
County Precincts
Pick Committees;
Delegates Named
Lillie Interest Shown at
Precinct Sessions Last
Saturday; Few Democrats
In Attendance
Democratic precinct committees
were set up in at least five of the
six county precincts last Satur
day morning, according to reports
reaching here. It could not be
learned if a meeting was held in
Wenona, but sessions were held
at the other five polling places in
accordance with the call issued
last week by Carl L. Bailey,
chairman of the county Demo
cratic executive committee.
Where meetings were held, five
members were elected to each of
the precinct committees, includ
ing two women, one of whom is to
be vice chairman. However, not
all of the precincts have sent in
their reports yet, and the names
of some of the committee mem
bers are not known her*.
Interest, was reported at the
lowest ebb in recent years at the
precinct meetings. So far as could
be learned, Plymouth Precinct
No. 1 had the largest gathering,
with about 7 or 8 Democrats in
attendance. There were only 4 at
the No. 2 precinct here; and some
where around these numbers at
other precincts from whom re
ports were heard.
Delegates were supposed to be
from each precinct to attend the
county convention on Saturday of
this week. Due to the small at
tendance, however, most of the
precincts simply designated all
Democrats who wished to attend
as delegates to vote the full
strength of the precinct.
Democrats of Plymouth Pre
cinct No. 1 met at the courthouse
and elected the following to the
precinct committee: J. R. Camp
bell, chairman; Mrs. James H.
Ward, vice chairman; Mrs. Ros
| See PRECINCTS, Page 12
Mrs. Pritchard
Rites Thursday
-♦
Mrs. Ida Pritchard, widow of
the late W. T. Pritchard, of Plym
outh, died at her home here Wed
nesday of last week at 3:45 p. m.,
following a lengthy illness. Mrs.
Pritchard, who was 78 years of
age, had been in declining health
for about four years and had
been confined to her bed for the
past six months.
Daughter of the late Robert
Lilley and Mrs. Mary Woodard
Lilley, of Martin County, Mrs.
Pritchard was born near Hamil
ton on January 6, 1876. She spent
most of her life in Martin Coun
ty, moving here about four years
ago to be near her children.
She is survived by one daugh
ter, Miss Beulah Pritchard, of
Plymouth; two sons, Bob and
Jack Pritchard, of Plymouth. She
also leaves two sisters, Mrs. Fan
nie Haislip, of Roper; and Mrs.
Ebbie Edmondson, of William
ston; and ^ight grandchildren.
The funeral was held from
Horner’s Funeral Home here last
Thursday afternoon at 1:30, by
the Rev. W. B. Harrington, of
Williamston, assisted by the Rev.
P. B. Nickens, pastor of .Ludford
Memorial Baptist Church in
Plymouth. Interment was made
in the cemetery at Hamilton.
j Two Local Banks
Offer Scholarship
For Short Course!
-♦
Will Be Given io County
Youth Who Intends to
Make Farming Career;
May 22 Deadline
-♦
Some Washington County
young man will get a free scho
larship to a short couse in mod
ern farming, offered by the two
Plymouth banking institutions, it
was learned last week from
County Agent W. H. Pruden. The
short course will be held at State
College in Raleigh from June 21
to July 2, and applications for
the free scholarship should be
made not later than May 22.
The Branch Banking & Trust
Company and the Planters Nat
ional Bank & Trust Company, of
Plymouth, will send one county
youth who intends to remain on
the farm to the short course,
which is sponsored by the North
Carolina Bankers Association
with the extension service coope
rating. The youth selected will
be the one who, in the estimation
of the bankers and county agent,
would benefit most from the type
of information offered.
Young farmers who plan to
make farming their career and
who are unable to attend a full
college course are urged by the
bankers to attend the short
course. It is believed that through
the type of instruction offered
young men can mare adequately
qualify themselves to make a pro
fit on the farm. Both Plymouth
banks are inteseted in improving
agricultural income in this sec
tion, which is the reason they are
offering the free scholarship.
Those interested in applying
for the scholarship should apply
to H. E. Beam, of the Branch
Bank; Marvin Weaver, .of the
Planters Bank; or to W. H. Pru
den, county agent. Applications
will be processed on a firsticome
first served basis, plus other con
siderations. Applications must be
received by the above committee
by May 22nd for processing. For
more dr' ;1* i informati. n,
any of the three committtmen.
Program for the two-week
course includes: Livestock, 2
days; crops and fertilizer, 2 days;
farm mechanization, 2 days; for
estry, Vz day; poultry, Vz day;
fruits and vegetables, % day;
farm management, 1 day; farm
marketing, 1 day; plus a discus
sion of your school of agriculture
and its functions, tours to near
by experiment stations, planned
recreation after class hours, col
lege dormitory life and associa
tion for two weeks with young
farmers from all parts of North
Carolina.
Dr. Ryland White
Dies in Atlanta
Dr. James Ryland White, Plym
outh native and prominent phy
sician of Atlanta, Ga., died at his
home there Tuesday night after
an illness of 16 months.
Son of Mrs. W. R. White and
the late Mr. White, of Plymouth,
Dr. White was born here on Sep
tember 19, 1902. After graduating
from Plymouth High School in
1920, he attended Wake Forest
College, where he graduated in
1924. He then attended Emory
University and received his M. D.
degree there in 1924.
He located in Atlanta, where
he practiced medicine for the past
28 years, serving on the staff of
several hosiptals there.
Complete details as the final
rites were not known here yes
terday, but the funeral is being
i held in Atlanta Thursday morn
[ ing, with interment to follow in
Westview Cemetery there.
Surviving him are his wife,
the former Miss Wilma Butler;
one daughter, Mrs. John Watson,
of the home; one grandson, Wil
liam Ryland Watson; his mother,
Mrs. W. R. White, of Plymouth;
and one sister, Mrs. W. H. Peele,
also of Plymouth.
-»-.
Plymouth, Columbia Rotary
Clubs Meet Here Tuesday
Plymouth and Columbia Rotary
Clubs will hold a joint meeting
here next Tuesday night. May is!
at 7 o’clock, it was announced this
week. The dinner meeting will be
held in the Parish House of Grace
Episcopal Church.
John Holmes, of Edenton,
former district governor of Ro
tary, will be the principal speak
er, it was stated, and other feat
ures of the program will be a vo
cal solo by Miss Gail Harrison,
of Plymouth, and a piano solo by
Miss Elfreth Alexander, of Roper.
Shelton Ludford is president of
the Columbia Rotary Club, and
J. C. Kirkman is president of the
Plymouth club.
County Democratic Meet
To Be Held Here Saturday
I EXAMPLE OF CUB SCOUT HANDICRAFT DISPLAYED |
I-—-1 ‘
This sand-table model of an oil-drilling rig and refinery was
made by Plymouth Club Scout members of Den 4 and displayed
at a meeting in the Episcopal Parish House recently. The Rev.
E. M. Spruill is cubmaster of the Plymouth Cub Scout Pack; Mrs.
W. F. Ruffin is den mother of Den 4 with Mrs. Chester Brewer
assistant and Harvie Hill as den chief. Members of the den are:
Eddie Arrants, Conrad Cox, Stanley Brewer, Tommy Hopkins,
Freddy Ruffin, Tommy Jackson, Eddie Womble, Logan Womble
and Jimmy Pcede.—Polaroid 1-Minute staff photo.
Lamb Sale Set Here
On Tuesday, May 25
County Agent Urges Grow
ers Planning To Ship
Lambs To Notify Him of
Number at Once
The first cooperative lamb sale
of the season will- be held here
on Tuesday, May 25, County
Agent W. H. Pruden said this
week. The sale will be held at the
Atlantic Coast Line pens on East
Water Street, beginning at 7 a. m.,
and all lambs to be shipped that
dpy must be here by 'Oa, m., the
ugi...
Mr. Pruden mailed out letters
this week asking all those who
intend to offer lambs at the sale
to notify him of the number they
will have at once. This informa
tion must be on hand not later
than "May 21 in order to order the
number of cars necessary.
Lambs are expected from Ty
rrell, Chowan, Washington, Mar
tin, Bertie, Beaufort, Pamlico and
Carteret Counties, and possibly a
few others. Last year, the sale
was held on May 29, and 634
lambs were received here. The
top price was $29 per 100 at that
time. While the price outlook is
not quite as good, producers are
hoping the lambs will bring ap
proximately as much this year.
Marketing and livestock spec
ialists of the State College Exten
sion Service and Department of
Agriculture will be here to assist
in the sale, Pruden stated. They
will start weighing and grading
at 7 a. m. and all lambs must be
in the shed by 10 a. m.
The county agent advises all
farmers to sell every lamb poss
ible at the first sale this year.
A second sale was held last year,
but prices were not as good and
some lambs were lost through pa
rasites in the meantime, he said.
Require Permits
For Construction
City Clerk W. A. Roebuck
this week reminded prospective
builders that state law requires
building permits for all re
modeling and new buildings
costing §500 or more. Contract
ors and carpenters starting such
jobs are required to see that
permits have been taped before
beginning war if he stated.
Anyone planning buildings,
or improvements costing §500
or more should apply at the
office of the city clerk here for
permits. A fee of §1 is charged
for such permits, with an in
spection fee of 25 cents per
room also to be charged.
Mackeys Soldier
Now in Germany
Kaiserslautern, Germany.—Pvt.
William M. Everett, 20, son of
Mr. and Mrs. William Everett, of
Mackeys, N. C., recently joined
Seventh Army in Kaislautern,
Germany.
Combat units of Seventh Army
form a major part of the strong
cordon of American defense force
stretching across the U. S. Zone
of Germany.
Everett, a communications man
in the 45th Anti-Aircraft Artil
lery Battalion’s Battery B, last
served at Camp Stewart, Ga. Be
fore entering the Army in April
1953, he was employed by the
State Highway Department in
Mackeys.
| CANDIDATE AND A JUNIOR CAMPAIGN MANAGER
gl||l|lll|IIIHIIIIIIII I III .. ■■■■ —
Little Miss Cecilia Marrow, 4-year-old daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Mack Marrow, of Plymouth, apparently was not too much
impressed with U. S. Senatorial Candidate W. Kerr Scott at the
time this photo was made when the former governor visited here
briefly a few weeks ago. However, she warmed up to him later,
and last week she received an ornate certificate appointing her a
“Scott Junior Campaign Manager.” That’s her daddy over on the
right.—Polaroid 1-Minute staff photo.
Will Name Delegates to Dis
trict and State Convention
Next Week; Also Choose
County Chairman
-♦
Washington County Democrats
will hold th'eir biennial conven
tion in the county courthouse
here Saturday morning at 11
o’clock, pursuant to cail issued
last week by Carl L. Bailey, chair
man of the county Democratic
executive committee. The county
Democratic organization will be
perfected at the convention, and
delegates will be selected for the
party's district and state conven
tions to be held in Raleigh on
Thursday of next week.
At the meeting Saturday, each
precinct will have one vote for
every 25 Democratic votes cast
for governor in the 1952 election.
According to that formula, coun
ty precincts will have the follow
ing number of votes in the con
vention Saturday: Plymouth No.
1. 22; Plymouth No. 2, 34; Lees
Mill, 16; Skinnersville, 4; Scup
pernong, 10; and Wenona, 1.
Under the Democratic Party
plan of organization, Washington
County will be entitled to 14 votes
in the state convention next week,
and the convention Saturday is
entitled to elect one delegate and
one alternate for each vote, or 28
in all. This is based on one vote
for every 150 Democratic votes
cast for governor in the last gen
eral election. Washington County
cast 2,166 votes for Governor
William B. Umstead in November,
1952, giving it 14 votes next week,
a scompared with only 12 votes
in the 1952 convention.
The county Democratic execu
tive committee will also be or
ganized at the convention here
Saturday morning. The chairman
of each precinct committee is au
tomatically a member of the
county executive committee. They
will elect a chairman, vice chair
man and secretary, who need not
be members of the executive
committee, but all of the officers
will be ex-officio members of the
committee after their election.
Precinct chairmen elected at
meetings last Saturday, who au
tomatically become members of
See~MEETING~Page 7 ~
-1
Planning To Open
Vegetable Market
About June First
--♦
Crops Retarded by Cold Dry
Weather Recently; Large
Number Buying Firms
Showing Interest
Plans are rapidly shaping up
for opening of the produce auc
tion market here around the first
of June, it was learned this week.
W. T. Freeman, James H. Ward
and W. M. Darden returned last
week-end after spending a week
in the north and said a large
number of buying concerns would
be represented when the market
opens.
Mr. Freeman said they got in
touch with about 150 produce
buying concerns in Norfolk, Rich
mond, Baltimore, Philadelphia
and New York while they were
away. While not all of them will
be represented here, a large per
centage indicated they would be.
In additions they have received
information that prospective buy
ers in this section will be here,
including Bethel, Edenton, New
Bern, Beaufort and Elizabeth
City.
Opening of the market now de
pends on the growing season,
which has been retarded in this
area by the recent cold, dry spell.
Mr. Freeman expects to be able
to announce the opening date by
next week.
It was stated that prospects are
favorable for several crops to be
produced in the 18 counties serv
ed by the local market. Snap
beans probably will be the first
crop to come on the market, and
Mr. Freeman said the South Car
olina crop had been cut short,
which improves local prospects.
Prospects are also said to be fav
orable for both pepper and to
matoes, due to acreage cuts in
other sections.
The auction shed and office for
the auction market have been
completed at the old Brinkley
ball park here, and considerable
warehouse space has been secur
ed, Mr. Freeman stated. Every
thing now hinges on the weather,
and the operators look for a suc
cessful season if the crops come
up to expectations. About 18,000
acres have been planted to var
ious vegetable crops in the 18
counties, according to reports.