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The Roper Future Farmers of
America placed second behind
William. R. Davie in the beef cat
tle and swine judging contest at
the recent district meeting in Tar
boro and won the right along with
the first place judging team to
represent the district at the State
FFA convention, in Raleiglh in
June. There are 78 chapters in
the district.
Interest in several cases was
high and drew an unusually large
crowded spectators to the all day
session of recorder’s court here
Tuesday of this week. Most times,
the ccftoredi spectators far outnum
ber the whites at court but such
was not the case Tuesday. There
were two or three long-drawn
out cases which consumed most
of the day and many cases had
to be continued for trial at a
later date.
The county health department
reported late Wednesday that no
instructions had been received
concerning the second shots of
Salk anti-polio vaccine to be
given first and second-grade stu
dents in schools of the county.
First shots were administered' to
584 students in the schools be
tween April 20 and April 25.
C. Clyde Hardison returned to
Durham Wednesday afternoon of
this week to be near his wife who
is hospitalized' there. Mr. Hardi
son came home Tuesday for a
short while before going back.
Mrs. Hardison is reported' -to be
getting along as well as could be
expected. It was not learned when
she may be able to return home,
however.
The Albemarle Schoolmasters
Club will meet Monday of next
week at the Plymouth High
School lunchroom, beginning at
6:30 p. m., County Superintendent
R. F. Lowry has announced. Ves
ter M. Muiholland, director of
research and statistics, State De
partment of Public Instruction,
'Raleigh, will be the principal
speaker.
Parade Here This
Afternoon Starts
Annual Festival
I
t
Parade To 3dl Park From
High School at 3:30 P. M.;
Contestants in Queen's
Contest Listed
Activities ini the first annual
May Day Festival, being sponsor
ed in Plymouth by the Band
Boosters, will begin at 3:30 p. m.
Thursday of this week with a pa
rade from the high school
through town, to the ball park.
The high school band will lead
the parade and the junior band
will also march, as will the rhy
thm band from the first three
grades.
The children in the baby con
test and those from the first
grades will be picked up at the
corner of Washington and Main
Street and will parade only
through town, then will be taken
to the ball park by their parents.
There will be plenty of food,
hot dogs, sandwiches, cakes, pies,
home-made candy and drinks for
side ait the park and all who will
are asked to help the band by
having their evening meal there.
Entertainment in the way of pony
and jeep rides has been planned
for the smaller children.
Several selections will be ren
dered by the marching band, jun
ior band and rhythm band im
mediately preceding the May Pole
dance, then the coronation cere
monies will 'begin. Mrs. Iris Ethe
ridge is directing the May Pole
dance and folk dancing for the
Queen of May.
See PARADE, Page 10
Davis Rites Held
, At Zion's Chapel
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Funeral services were held
Monday at 3 p. m. from Zion’s
Chapel Church of Christ, near
Roper, for Misis Octavie Davis,
of Roper RFD. Mias Davis died
at 7 p. m. Saturday in a Raleigh
hospital after a brief illness. She
was 78 years of age. She had been
in declining health for about six
years and had been confined to
her bed for three days.
Miss Davis was the daughter
of the late Hardie and Loretta
Poyner Davis, of this county
where she was born November
12, 1876. She was a member of
Zion’s Chapel Church.
Survivors include two brothers,
T. H. Davis and E. L. Davis, both
of Roper.
Services were conducted’ by the
pastor, the Rev. R. L. Gardiner
and assisted by the Rev. Dave
Arnold, of Washington. Inter
ment was in the church ceme
tery.
The body was left at Horner’s
Funeral Home until one hour be
fore the service when it was car
ried to the church.
The Roanoke Beacon
****** and Washington County News ******
A home newspaper dedicated
to the service of Washington
| County and its 13,000 people.
VOLUME LXVI—NUMBER 18
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, May 5, 1955
ESTABLISHED 1889
| WILL DEDICATE CHURCH STRUCTURE SUNDAY
py«s»#j* '■ r ^|. .
The new educational building and completely renovated
main part of the Plymouth Methodist Church will be dedicated
in a special service Sunday morning at 11 o’clock, with Bishop
Paul N. Garber, of Richmond, Va., in charge. Above is a view
of the church with the educational building addition as
from Adams Street.—Weaver Studio photo.
Methodists Plan Rites
For Building Sunday
Banks Will Be;
Closed Tuesday j
Oh, to be a banker in May!
May, you see, is the banner
month for holidays as far as
employees of banking institu
tions in this state are concern
ed. Next Tuesday, May 10, is
Confederate “Decoration Day”;
Friday, May 20, is Mecklenburg
Declaration of Independence
Day; and Monday, May 30, is
National Memorial Day. All
will be observed by both Plant
ers National Bank & Trust
Company and Branch Banking
& Trust Company here.
The various county offices
will be closed next Tuesday
also, along with state offices.
However, the county offices
will not observe National Me
morial Day, May 30, it was said.
Home Club Week
Being Observed
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This week, from Sunday, May
1, through Saturday, May 7, is
being observed as National Home
Demonstration' Week in Wash
ington County, according to Mrs.
Frances M. Darden, county home
demonstration agenit.
County clubs are holding pro
grams on t’be local level to mark
the annual week, Mrs. Darden
said. The club women served a
delicious ham dinner to the coun
ty commissioners and special
guests Monday to start the ob
servance.
Mrs. Darden said each club is
being urged to work toward in
creasing its membership during
the present week.
Bishop Garber To Be Here
For Dedication Service at
11 A. M.; Followed by
Picnic, Open House
Sunday will be a big day far
Plymouth Methodists.
The new, modern education
building and newly renovated
church auditorium and sanctuary
of Plymouth Methodist Church
will be dedicated at the 11 o’clock
morning service .
Bishop Paul N. Garber, of Rich
mond, Va., resident bishop of the
Richmond1 area embracing the
Virginia Conference and the
North Carolina Conference, will
bring the message and officially
dedicate the building.
The Rev. Jesse H. Banning,
minister of the church, states that
“this dedication marks an unique
and oustamdimg achievement in
church building in that only the
outside shell of the building was
contracted, and prat dtally all the
completion was done by volun
teer work.”
"It is an evidence of excellent
lay leadership and1 cooperation
on the part of thie members and
people of this community,” Mr.
Lanning remarked'.
Inception of the project was
made under the ministry of th*
Rev. T. R. Jenkins; if was carried
through in the main under the
ministry of the Rev. D. L. Fonts;
and completed under the ministry
of the Rev. Mr. Lanning.
As the present pastor of the
church expressed it, completion
of the building is the "culmina
tion of some years of need1, 'hopes
and untiring effort."
Bishop Garber’s leadership of
the two conferences has been
termed “oustanding” and Mr.
Lanning declared, “We are hap
py to have him with us for this
occaisicn.”
The education building is mod
Se^METHODISTsTPage^O
FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS REELECTED TUESDAY
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Four members of the present city council were reelected by
Plymouth voters Tuesday. Top, left to rifht, are E. D. Keel and
W. C. Hall, of the first ward; bottom: Jack B. Latham and Ralph
Hunter, of the second ward.
Education Board
Approves Budget;
Names Committees
Budget Totaling $73,081 Is
Greater by $744 Than
That of Current Fiscal
Year, Report Shows
The Washington County Board
of Education adopted a county
school budget of $73,081 at its
regular monthly meeting here
Monday.
This figure is $744 greater than
the $72,337 budget which was
adopted for the current fiscal
year. It is estimated that $1-5,
910.67 of this amount will be de
rived from state, federal and
philanthropic sources, leaving
$57,170.33 to be derived from
county sources.
Later in the day the budget as
adopted by the school board was
presented by members and Coun
ty Superintendent R. F. Lowry
to the county commissioners who
tentatively approved it.
The following local school com
mittees were appointed during
the meeting Monday:
Plymouth—A. L. Owens, C. W.
Dinkins and R. J. Frymier;
Roper—H. S. Everett, J. L. Rea
and Ronald L. Davenport;
Oreswell—H. W. Pritchett, H.
P. Bames and Harold Patrick.
The board reluctantly accepted
the resignation of H. R. Stillman,
chairman of the Creswell School
Committee. Mr. Stillman has
moved from Creswell to Norfolk,
Va.
Miss Sue H. Underhill was
unanimously re-elected supervisor
for white schools, subject to the
allocation of state funds. Mrs.
A. B. Boyd was re-elected unani
mously as supervisor of Negro
Schools, also subject to allocation
of state funds.
Regular Meeting
Of Town Council
Was Held Monday
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Office of Clerk lo Close al
1 P. M. Saturdays; Num
ber of Other Routine Mat
ters Considered
Four members of the Plymouth
city council showed up Monday
night for their last meeting before
Tuesday’s election, with only a
number of routine matters sche
duled' for consideration. Mayor A.
J. Riiddle presided, with the fol
lowing councilmen present: E. D.
Keel and W. C. Hall, of the first
ward; J. B. Latham and Ralph
Hunter of the second wand.
W. Roland Gaylord appeared
and asked the council to put a
street light and1 some caution
signs on Wilson Street at the
trailer camp located on, his prop
erty. The matter was left up to
Mayor Riddle and Chief P. W.
Brown for investigation.
Councilman Latham asked
about the mosquito fogging ma
chine and was told that it had
been made ready and its use
would be started within a few
days.
There was some discussion
about Ideal storekeepers display
ing merchandise on the sheet in
front of their stores. The police
chief was directed to notify them
to cease the practice and begin
prosecution of any who failed to
comply.
It was voted unanimously to
increase the amount of fire in
surance carried on the old city
market building from $5,000 to
$10,000, with the policies to be
carried by two local agents.
It was also voted unanimously
to dose the office of the city
clerk at 1 p. m. on Saturday in
the future. The office has been
kept open daily from 8 a. m. to
5 p. m., and it was decided that
1 p. m. would be late enough
on Saturdays.
There was also some discussion
about the sale of two steel I
beams owned by the town, with
the matter left up to the mayor.
Several other minor matters came
up for consideration, but no
action was taken.
Guy Craddock Recently
Promoted To Sergeant
Guy Craddock, son of Mrs.
Blanche Craddock of Plymouth,
and Cecil Craddock of Roanoke
Rapids, was recently promoted to
the rank of sergenat while serv
ing with the U. S. Army in
Worms, Germany. Sergeant Crad
dock went into the service in
March, 1952, and received basic
training at Fort Bliss, Texas, af
terwards serving two years in
Germany. He recently reenlisted
for three years arndi is again stat
ioned in Germany.
| MAYOR IS REELECTED [|
Although he had no formal
opposition, Mayor A. J. Riddle
polled a total of 304 votes out
of 359 cast in the municipal
election here Tuesday. He has
been mayor of Plymouth since
January, 1947.
Lamb Pool To Be
Held Here May 24,
Agent Announces
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Only Pool To Be Held in
Plymoulh This Year Set
For Tuesday, May 24, at
Railroad Pens
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Only one lamb pool will be
held in Plymouth this1 year, Coun
ty Agent W. H. Pruden announced
this week.
In past seasons two pools have
been held but in a recent meeting
of county agents, specialists and
others interested', it was decided
to hold only one pool this year.
The pool is scheduled for Tues
day, May 24, and will be held at
the Atlantic Coastline Railroad
pens just off East Water Street.
GMMking will be done by the
North Carolina Department of
Agriculture. Weighing and grad
ing' * animals will commence at
7 a'.'* m. nod. it is requested that
all growers have lambs in tihe
shied 'by 10 at m.
Cards were mailed to growers
this tveek requesting information
needed' by the agent’s office in
order to secure the correct num
ber of freight cars.
Wool will be handled the same
as lost year, Mr. Pruden stated.
The North Carolina Department
of Agriculture will handle the
wool, with assistance of county
agents. The wool will be weighed
aind graded by the department
and sold to the highest bidder on
May 13. Prices by grade will be
announced' immediately following
the sale, it was said1.
The wool will be weighed and
graded at Gravely’s Warehouse,
N. Bridge Street, in Washington
on June 6 and' 7. Farmers may
take their wool to Washington .
cn these dates, watch weighing
and grading, and get their checks
immediateloy. A deduction of on
ly one cent per pound will be (
made this year to cover neces- ,
sary expenses.
Prices are supported this year
by the government. It will be ;
necessary for growers to have
bills of sale for all lambs and
wool sold this year, in order to ]
collect payments from the ASC.
A bill of sale from the wool pool i
will furnish the needed informa
tion for growers to collect the
support price on wool.
Light Vote Here Tuesday;
Two New Men on Council
TWO NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS ELECTED TUESDAY [
Above are the two new members of the Plymouth City
Council elected from the third ward in the municipal election
Tuesday. They are J. D. Mallory (left) and J. B. Holliday.—Pola
roid 1-Minute staff photos.
County Board Acts
On Several Matters
School Budget Tentatively
Approved for Next Fiscal
Year by County Board;
County Home Auction Set
The county commissioners, in
regular monthly sees ion here
Monday, tentatively approved! a
school budget for the next fiscal
year calling for $57,170.33 as the
county’s part of a $73,081 total
budget.
The county’s part of the budget
is greater than for the current
fiscal year by $656, i't was said.
The budget was presented to the
commissioners by members of the
c-vjnty board of e' ueation and
Rby F. Low jj, sup rint. ndt" t of
county schools.
The 'budget had been adopted
by the education board earlier in
the day.
Projects Jistefd for suggested
use of capital outlay funds in the
budget and totaling $7,900 were:
Additions to site and/or con
struction of fence across front of
athletic stadium at Plymouth
White School, $2,600; addition to
site at Roper White School, $800;
folding bleachers for Plymouth
White School, $3,500; window
shades for Roper White, $350, and
for Creswell White, $150; and
cafeteria tables and! chairs at
Plymouth Colored, $500.
The commissioners made a con
tract with George Smith to re
pair the columns on the west side
of the courthouse building, to re
pair the back steps to the north
entrance, the walls in the office of
the clerk of court, the stairway
in the south part of the 'building,
and all curbing on the outside
of the building for $200.
The board set June 1 at 11 a. m.
as the date to sell the old county
home property at public autcodn.
It was explained that the county
no longer needs the property.
However, the counity will reserve
100 feet facing the highway from
the tract of land, it was said.
The commissioners agreed to
See BOARD, Page 10
Two Hen Tied
In Roper Vole
Roper really had a close
election Tuesday, when three
new councilmen were elected,
with the third and fourth man
being tied in the balloting and
the choice being made by draw
ing straws. Mayor T. Reynold
Spruill was reelected without
opposition.
There were five men in the
race for councilmen, with
three to be chosen. When the
tally was r. *r>'"feted It was
found that •*'%. McA!* ster had
28 votes, W. Mfal Swain 27,
Howard Davenport and M. B.
Wallace had 24 each and Wade
Hardison, the only incumbent,
14. Mr. Davenport and Mr. Wal
lace drew straws for the third
place on the council with Mr.
Davenport winning.
Only 40 votes were cast in the
election.
County Council
Meeting Monday
An important meeting of the
4-H Club County Council will be
held Monday night of next week
at the Agriculture Building here,
W. H. Pruden, county agent, and
Mrs. Frances M. Darden, home
agent, who are supervisors of the
county 4-H program, announce.
The county 4-PI Dress Revue
and 'the county talent contest
will be held at the meeting, it
was said. All county council of
ficers have been asked to notify
dub members of the contests and
urge them to enter.
Billy Knowles, president of the
council, will preside and Plym
outh 4-H Clubs will be in change
of the program. These officers
are asked to be in the Agriculture
Building at 7:45 p. rn.
PLYMOUTH JAYCEE OFFICERS INSTALLED AT MEETING LAST FRIDAY
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Officers of the Plymouth Junior Chamber of Commerce for the coming club year were install
ed at the annual ladies’ night dinner held last Friday night at the Plymouth Country Club. James
Boyce served as toastmaster for the occasion, which Was attended by about 75 Jayaees, “old
timers,” special guests and their ladies. Pictured above, left to right, are: Jack House, jr., treas
urer; Marvin Weaver, director; Janies Porter, sergeant at arms; Walton Swain, director; James
Parvin, secretary; Ralph Hunter, incoming president; James Boyce, state director; J. B. Smith, jr.,
vice president of the Greenville Jaycees, installing officer; Carl L. Bailey, jr., second vice presi
dent- A .L. Whitehurst, retiring president; Walt Furlong, director; Bob Howell, first vice president;
and James H. Ward, director.—Polaroid 1-Minute staff photo.
Third Ward Elects J. D. Mal
lory and J. B. Holliday;
Other Four Councilmen
And Mayor Reelected
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Plymouth’s town politics were
settled for another two years
Tuesday, when local voters went
to the polls and. elected a mayor
and six members of the city
council. Although there were con
tests for all offices except that of
mayor, interest in the election
was at a low ebb, and the total
vote in all three wards was only
359, as compared with 749 two
years ago.
Mayor Riddle and four council -
men were reelected1, two new
members of the council being
chosen in the third ward. The in
coming council will be composed
of E. D. Keel and W. C. Hall from
the first ward.; Jack B. Latham
and Ralph Hunter from the sec
ond ward; and J. D. Mallory and
C. B. Holliday from the third
ward.
Although there was no contest
fcir mayor, five persons received
write-in' votes for the office. L.
N. Womble led in1 this respect
with three votes in the second
ward and three in the third. J. A.
Holbrook received three votes in
the thiird ward, Harvey Hobbs
two, also in the third ward, and
Mack Marrow received, two in the
first ward. Dr. T. L. Bray and
W. P. Winslow received one vote
each in the second ward. Mayor
Riddle led1 the ticket, of course, in
all three wards, getting 68 in the
first, 140 in the second and 96 in
the third, for a total of 304 out
of the 359 votes cast.
Closest race was in the third
wan'd, which had five candidates
for two places on the council. J.
D. Mallory, making his first run
for office, led with 67; followed
by J. B. Holliday with 54, Harvey
Hobbs with 47, J. D. Cruickshank
with 36, and J. W. (Mack) Brown
with 18. Mallory and Holliday
were declared elected at the of
ficial canvass held ini the city
clerk’s office last night.
In the first ward race for coun
cil, E. D. Keel, who has been a
member since 1945, led with 63
votes. W. C. Hall, first elected in
1953, was also reelected with 54
votes; and W. J. Weaver, a form
er member, trailed with 22.
Both incumbents were reelect
ed in the second ward1, J. B. La
tham being the leading council
manic candidate with 109 votes;
Ralph Hunter getting 105, and
Ronald! Tetitierton trailing with 79.
Latham is starting on hie second
term in the office while Hunter
has served one full term and part
of another, having been appointed
last year to fill an unexpired
term.
There was very little “politick
ing” done by any of the candi
dates; in fact, hardily any at aill
except in the third ward. John
Forbes Davenport, one of the in
cumbents in the third ward, was
not a candidate this year; while
J. D. Oruicksbainks, the other
member from that ward, filed but
See ELECTION, Page 10 ~
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Services Monday
For Mrs. Freeman
♦
Mrs. Fleta L. Freeman, widow
of the late Rev. Henry L. Free
man, of Plymouth, died at 11 a.
m. Sunday at the home of her
son, W. T. Freeman, near here.
She was 82.
Mrs. Freeman had been in de
clining health for about 11 years
and had been confined to her bed
far the past five months. She was
a native and lifelong resident of
this county, bom April 14, 1873,
the daughter of the late Thomas
and Alice Roberson Craft. She
wais for 67 years a member of
Zion's Chapel Church of Christ,
near Ro-per, and for some time
taug|ht a .Sunday School class
there.
She leaves two daughters, Mrs.
Mattie Sittierson, of Plymouth,
and Mrs. Mary Sofsky, of Fredo
nia, New York; a son, W. T. Free
man, of Plymouth; one foster son,
Cecil Craft, jr., of Roper; four
half-brothers, Cecil Craft, sr., of
Plymouth; T. L. Craft, of Bethel,
T. R. Craft, of Chapel Hill, and
E. W. Craft, of Princeton, W. Va.;
23 grandchildren and 30 great
grandchildren.
Last rites were conducted from
Zion’s Chapel Church Monday af
ternoon at 4:30 o’clock by the
pastor, the Rev. R L. Gardiner,
assisted by the Rev. C. N. Bar
nette, minister of First Christian
Church, Plymouth. Burial follow
ed in the church cemetery.
The remains were left at Hor
ner’s Funeral Home until an hour
prior to the service and then
carried to the church.