I
I’own
opies
uasi-K-'-aa:-!
Ed. Craft and C. S. Heynen rep
resented Washington County at
the meeting of the Pamlico Soil
Conservation District held Mon
day night ait the Mayflower Res
taurant here. The Goodyear
Awards program was discussed at
the meeting. The Goodyear Tire
and Rubber Company will award
an albexpense trip to Arizona
to the outstanding farmer of the
winning district, it was said. Oth
er counties represented at the
meeting were Beaufort, Hyde and
Tyrrell.
Workmen were busy yesterday
burying steel poles for erection
of a permanent fence arund the
Sinclair storage plant and office
building on West Water Street.
The temporary wooden fence was
torn down to make way for the
permanent one. Work on renovat
ing the old freight building which
will provide office and storage
space at the plant is progressing
well, it was said.
Miss Roberta Lytle, psychiatric
social work consultant with the
Alcoholic Rehabilitation program,
was in Plymouth Friday of last
week to speak to a local group on
the program in this state. The
meeting was held in the offices
of the Washington County De
partment of Public Welfare. Per
sona from Hyde, Tyrrell and
Washington County attended. The
meeting was the first of its kind
to be held1 in this section, accord
ing to Mrs. Ursula Spruill, county
welfare superintendent.
Francis Everett and Mitchell
Armstrong, members of the Roper
4-H Club, had steers at the Fat
Stock Show and Sale at Elizabeth
City Wednesday of this week. The
£ two boys went to Elizabeth City
Tuesday and spent the night to be
on hand for the show. County
Agent W. H. Pruden left here ear
ly Wednesday to attend, also.
Johnston Rites
Set for Friday
•tf
Funeral services will be held
Friday at 3 p. m. at Grace Episco
pal Church here tor Alfred Stuart
Johnston, 58, of Plymouth. Mr.
Johnston, a native of Hertford
County, died Wednesday at 11:15
a. m. at a Richmond', Vat, hos
pital, following a three months'
illness.
Mr. Johnston was the son of
the late Ca.pt. Stuart L. and Mar
garet Garrett Johnston, of Wash
ington County. He was born April
12, 1897, and had1 been a resident
of Washington County since the
age of two. He served in World
War II in the U. S. Army. He was
a member of Grace Episcopal
Church.
He leaves one sister, Mrs. Mary
Cotton Davenport, of Chapel Hill.
Services will be conducted by
the Rev. E. M. Spruill, Episcopal
rector, and interment will be in
Garrett Cemetery near Plymouth.
The family requests that no
flowers be sent, but donations to
Grace Episcopal Church' for a
suittable memorial will be ac
cepted.
-*
Schoolmasters in
Meeting Here on
Monday at School
Vesler M. Mulholland Talks
On Mission to Korea, Also
Shows Slides; J. T. Big
gers New President
♦—
Vaster M. Mulholland, director
of research and statistics, State
Department of Public Instruction,
Raleigh, spoke on his mission to
Korea and showed slides to illus
trate his talk at the meeting of
the Albemarle Schoolmasters
Club held' at Plymouth High
School lunchroom Monday night
of this week.
Mr. Mulholland was introduced
by R. F. Lowry, superintendent
of county schools.
The invocation was sopekn by
N. W. Shelton, superintendent of
Hyde County schools, and the
welcome was extended by Princi
pal J. S. Fleming, of Plymouth
High School. Special guests recog
nized were L. E. Hassell, of Roper,
chairman of the Washington
County Education Board, and
Mrs. K. S. Trowbridge, of Plym
outh, and J. Whitford Swain, of
Roper, members of the board.
Entertainment was furnished
by the high school band and or
chestra end baton twirlers, di
rected by Ed Taylor
A delicious Smdithfieid ham
dinner was enjoyed.
The ‘busineas session was in
charge of S. D. O’Neal, president
of the club. New officers were
elected as follows:
J. T. Biggers, Perquimans Coun
ty school superintendent, presi
dent; Gerald D. James, Edien’on
High School principal, vice-presi
dent; Mrs. M. L. Basndght, of the
Edentom school faculty, secretary;
and1 Phillip E. Meekins, Camden
See SCHOOLMASTERS, Page 5
The Roanoke Beacon
****** and Washington County News ******
A heme newspaper dedicated
to the service of Washington
County and its 13,000 people. ;ij
VOLUME LXVI—NUMBER 19
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, May 12, 1955
ESTABLISHED 1889
WINNERS IN MAY DAY FESTIVAL BABY CONTEST j
John Speight Lilley, jr„ (left), son of Mr. and Mr--. John
Lilley, and Barbara Gail Gurganus, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.
H. Gurganus, were winners of the May Day Festival Baby Con
test here last Thursday afternoon. They were selected from a
field of 52 contestants by out-of-town judges.—Polaroid 1-Minute
staff photo.
Raise $600 for Band
At May Day Festival
8
Liquor Passes j
The Acid Test j
Differences of opinion were
expressed over the quality of a
gallon of bootleg whiskey which
was placed as evidence on a
table in tifte courtroom here
during the regular weekly ses
sion of recorder’s court Tues
day morning.
Some said it was excellent
stuff while at least one lawyer
averred it didn’t even smell like
whiskey to him. A small
amount of the booze was pour
ed out and a match struck and
thrown into the puddle. The
blue flame which resulted testi
fied to the high proof of the
moonshine.
Boyd, Keyes Get
Senior Honors
Grade Mavis Boyd has been
named valedictorian of the Plym
outh High School senior class.
She has made outstanding grades
in high school and has also been
acitve in extra-curricula activi
ties. These activities include
holding office in both the Future
Homemakers of America and the
National Honor Society. Mavis
has been a class officer and was
chosen as chief commencement
marshal during her junior year.
She has also served1 on the year
book and “Panther" staff during
both junior and senior years.
Harriet Linnie Keyes has been
named saluitatorian. Harriet, too,
has been active in both school
work and extra-curricula affairs.
She has been an active member
of the Monogram Club, was an
asset to the girls’ basketball team
and has been in the FFA and held
several offices in it during her
high school career. She has held
several class offices, has been in
the National Honor Society two
years, has been on the Student
Council', “Panther” staff, and was
editor-in-chief of the senior year
book. Harriet also was a com
mencement marshal in her Junior
year and won the “Betty Croc
ker Homemaker of Tomorrow”
contest at the school.
Project Sponsored by Plym
outh Band Boosters De
clared Success; To Be
Made Annual Affair
The first annual May Day Fes
tival!, sponsored here last Thurs
day by the Plymouth Band Boost
ers, attracted! a large crowd and
was termed a success, with more
than $600 being realized from the
project.
A great deal of interest was
shown, in the baby contest with
52 babies entered. Winners were
John Speight Lilley, jr„ son of
Mr. and Mrs. John Lilley, and
Barbara Gail Gurgamus, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Gurganus.
Silver loving cups were present
ed) to the winners.
Judges were Mrs. Jack Daven
port and Mrs. Sam Woodley, both
of Columbia.
Entries in the baby contest
were listed ais Judy Liverman,
Joe Chiesson, Cherry Waters.
Doug Guirkin, Candtace Cutler,
Melbourne Smith, George Hardi
son, Pete Owens, Lou Owens, Ka
thy Hedgepeth, Barbara Gail
Gurganus, Betih Rodgens, Kitty
Rodgers, Deborah Ambrose, Mar
cia Sawyer, Becky Hopkins,
Evans Rustad, Debby Jo Cohoon,
Florence Spruill, Sue Perkins,
See^FESTIVALT'pafie”5
Seriously Hurt In
Sunday Accident
-4-.
Mrs. Vemiice Allen., of Norfolk,
Va., was seriously injured in an
automobile accident Sunday on
the Long Ridge Road. She was
admitted to Washington County
Hospital here Sunday night and
transferred Monday to a Norfolk
hospital where her condition is
reportedl critical.
Mrs. Allen was a passenger in a
1949 Oldsmobile operated by
Howard Mallison Aige, also of
Norfolk. Mr. Ange lost control of
the vehicle while traveling north
on the Long Ridge Road about
five miles from Plymouth. The
car overturned on a curve just
north of Elwood' Wynn’s accord
ing to the report of State High
way Patrolman Carl Gilchrist, of
Plymouth, who made the inves
tigation. Time of the accident was
placed at 6:15 o’clock. Ange
escaped without injury.
Dedication Day
Draws Big Crowd
To Local Church
Bishop Garber Lauds Spirit
Behind the Construction
Of Education Building at
Plymouth Church
Large crowds attended the dedi
cation service ait Plymouth Meth
odist Church Sunday morning and
also the achievement service that
night, the minister, the Rev. Jesse
H. Lauding, reports.
Participating in the dedication
were Bishop Paul N. Garber, of
the Richmond area, the Rev.
Dwight L. Fouts, the minister un
der whose ministry most of the
building was done, and the pres
ent minister, Mr. Lamming.
The commission on education,
with Mrs. J. Robert Campbell as
chairman, presented the building
to the bishop for dedication.
The choir, with Lloyd Gilbert
as organist, had an effective part
in the service. The rendition of
the anthem, “Long Hast Thou
Stood', O Church,” by Limdemam,
was notably effective, it was said.
Bishop Garber spoke on the
subject, “The Spirit That Has
Made Methodism Great.” He not
ed' the appropriateness of such a
seivice on Mother’s Day, stating
that Susanna Wesley, the mother
of John Wesley, Methodism’s
founder, was diligent in educating
the members of her family. He
spoke of the pioneer spirit of
Methodism which now spreads
throughout this land, founding
churches, schools and colleges.
The bishop said he usually
urged congregations to follow this
spirit but found1 that something
of this spirit had built the local
church and the speaker congratu
lated those who had worked and
shared to build the education
building. He indicated that he
felt this spirit would carry on
the things the building was erect
ed1 to accomplish.
Following the dedication cere
mony, those participating shared
in a p:cnic on the church grounds.
Many visitors went through the
new plant during the open house’
period in the afternoon.
An achievement service was
held at 8 p. m. with the Rev. Mr.
Fouts bringing the message. A
large congregation shared in the
service. Many made expressions
of appreciation and gratitude.
It wais a great day for Plymouth
Methodist Church-—some said it
was one of the greatest days in
the history of the church.
-®
Walter Swain To
Head VFW Post
- *
Waiter Swain will head the
Bosie Bateman post, Veterans of
Foreign Wars, for the coming
year.
Swain was named1 commander,
replacing Melvin Boyd, -at elect
ions held at the regular meeting
of the organization- at-the veterans
building here Thursday night of
last week.
Other officers for the 1955-56
yea-r are as follows:
Clifford Frymier, senior vi-ce
commander; Bill Booth, junior
vice-commander; Phil Liverman,
quartermaster; -Chester Askew,
post advocate; Ralph Hunter,
chaplain; Dr. C. McGowan, sur
geon; Bill McCombs and Norman
White, trustees. W. J. Weaver is
holdover as trustee.
Other officers will be appoint
ed by -the incoming commander.
I LAST FRIDAY WAS A BIG NIGHT FOR LOCAL JUNIORS AND SENIORS
I. ---—-- 1 1 11 ' ."..."
The conga line above was photographed at the annual junior-senior prom of Plymouth High
School held Friday night of last week at the Country Club of Plymouth. Facilities of the entire
club were turned over to the high school students and their invited guests for the occasion, which
was attended by an estimated 200 persons. Music for the dancing was furnished by the Duke Am
bassadors from Duke University, Durham.—Polaroid 1-Minute staff photo.
Closing Programs at Local School
-» — -*- .-♦
Graduation events at Plymouth
High School will begin Friday,
May 27, when the seniors will
present their annual class night
exercises, entitled “Seniiorella.”
The annual commencement ser
mon will be delivered Sunday
night, May 29, and the graduation
exercises are slated for Tuesday
night, May 31.
The senior class night program,
beginning at 8 o’clock, will in
clude facts from the historian,
Betsy Brinkley; the statistician,
Daryl Tettertcn: the poet, Ray
mond Styons; the testator, Linda
Floyd; the prophet, Bobby Beas
ley; the lyric composer, Shelby
Peyton; and the giftorian, Pat
Williams.
The commencement sermon
will be preached by the Rev.
Robert W. Bradshaw, minister of
the First Methodist Church, of
Wilson. The high school glee club
will also take pant in the pro
gram-which is scheduled to be
gin a-t 8 o’clock.
Graduation exercises also are
scheduled to begin at 8 o'clock.
The graduation address will be
delivered by Dr. J. Glenn Black
burn, pastoT of the Wake Forest
Baptist Church and chaplain of
Wake Forest College. Following
the awards, the salutatory and
valendictory speeches, diplomas
will be given out to the 36 sen
iors.
Local High School
Senior Geis Award
Of National Group
-»
Harriet Keyes Given Certifi
cate of Merit by National
Honor Society for Out
standing Achievement
Harriet Linmie Keyes, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Keyes, of
Plymouth, was awarded) a certifi
cate of merit this week for out
standing achievement in her high
school work, being one of 331 stu
dents so honored in the United
States, its territories and island
possessions and American schools
5n five foreign countries. The
award was made at chapel exer
cises in the high school here Wed
nesday morning by Principal J.
S. Fleming, acting in behalf of
the National Honor Society of the
National Association of Secondary
School Principals.
In making the award, Mr.
Fleming stated it was an unusual
ly high honor for both the stud
ent and the school. The students
honored attained the highest rat
ings in a very difficult general
aptitude test administered by the
Notional Association of Second
ary School Principals on March
22 to 9,965 high-ranking students
selected from 359,917 seniors in
2,505 high schools in the nation
and its possessions.
In announcing the winners,
Paul E. Elicker, secretary, direc
tor of the scholarship boo'd of
► notional organization, w ,ote
Mr. Fleming that only b.igfW#
ranking students of the schools,
selected senior members of the
National Honor Society, competed
in the national contest, and all
of the contestants are considered
the highest-ranking students
throughout the country. There
were only three winners in North
Carolina, Miss Keyes, whose rank
was 10; a student in the school
at Spray, who ranked 28th; and
a student in the R. J. Reynolds
School at Winston-Salem, ranked
41st.
Four general factors were given
consideration by the scholarship
bo aid in the selection of scholar
ship and award winners from
candidates who attained the high
est actings in the general aptitude
tests: (1) the score on the test;
(2) total scholastic rating and
status; (3) school activity, leader
ship and service record; and (4)
the need for financial assistance
to go to college. The 331 finalists
attained a percentage ranked of
39,908 in the test.
-a ■ -
Announce Change
In Lamb Pool Day
♦ —
Date of the lamb pool to be
held here this month has been
changed.
County Agent W. H. Pruden
announced today that the pool
will be held Monday, May 23, in
stead of the following day, as an
nounced last week.
It has been customary to hold
two pools here each year but it
has been decided to hold only one
pool this year. It will be held at
the Atlantic Coastline Railroad
pens just off East Water Street.
Grading will be done by the
North Carolina Department of
Agriculture. Weighing and grad
ing of animals will start at 7 a.
m., it has been' announced. It is
requested that all growers have
lamibs in the shed by not later
than 10 a. m. on the day of sale.
Prices are supported this year
by the government and it will be
necessary for growers to have
bills of sale for all lambs sold in
order to collect payments from
the ASC, it has been explained.
Principals Meetings Set
For Next Week Here, Said
Two county principals meet
ings have been announced for
next week by County School
Superintendent R. F. Lowry.
White principals will meet
Tuesday at 4 p. m. at the super
intendent’s office, it was said,
while Negro principals will meet
at the same hour the following
day at Plymouth Elementary
School.
Await Further Word
On Vaccine Program
Suspension Ordered Nation
ally To Study Vaccine; No
Reactions From Innocu
lations Reported Here
-*
Dr. Claudius McGowan* of
Plymouth, stated late yesterday
that “noit a word1” has been offic
ially received here from any
source whatever concerning the
present status of the Salk polio
vaccine program.
The program was ordered halt
ed nationally this week until a
thorough check cou'ld be made of
vaccine from five companies.
First shots of the vaccine were
administered to 584 first and sec
ond-grade students in schools of
tihe county between April 20 and
25. At that time it was generally
expected that the second shots in
the series would be given in a
period of from two to four weeks,
or as soon as more vaccine was
made available.
Reports from over the nation
indicate that at least 51 children
whp received the vaccinations
have contracted polio and two or
three deaths have been reported.
Dr. McGowan said] there has
been no reaction following the
first vaccinations here and1 that
all of the 584 youngsters innocu
lated “got along fine.”
Meanwhile, county health de
, partment officials will simply
I mark time in the program until
■ something definite is h- ard of
$ tv iaillj co^terr ;ng eon, muaticr
of the vaccination program.
Veterans Sponsor
Free Dance Here
The local American, Legion
and Veterans of Foreign Wan
posts are sponsoring a free barr
dance to be held art the veteran;
building here Saturday night
Everyone is invited. Any per
son who knows how to call fig
ures for a square dance and al
persons who would like to learr
to square dance are especially
urged to be present, it was raid.
The veterans plan to bold *
round and square d'amce ait tht
veterans building each Saturday
night, the announcement stated
lit will 'be permissible to wear
overalls or dungarees to the barn
dance Saturday might, spokesmen
for the sponsoring organization
said.
Birthday Coming
Up for Hospital
Thursday of next week will
mark the fifth anniversary of
the Washington County Hospi
tal. It was on Friday, May 19,
1950, that the hospital began
receiving patients. Opening of
the hospital here was the cul
mination of efforts which began
back in the spring of 1948 when
the county voted a special $50,
000 bond issue to augment state
and federal funds available.
No special observance is
planned for the occasion, so far
as could be learned late yes
terday.
No Damage Here
In Sunday Hail
No hail damage was reported
in this county Sunday, the 'hail
stones being quite small and’ the
fall of short duration. Nearby
; counties reported1 some damage.
In Martin County strong winds
reportedly took a small toll in
trees and. small outbuildings while
' lightning was reported1 to have
fired the woods in Griffins Town
ship and a paelihj^tv ne;ir Rober
1 son vi tie / 9 •
Hertford/ County reported se
vere damage from hail to young
tobacco .corn and cotton crops and
to gardens in the Winton, Maple
ton, Murfreesboro, Huirreillsville
! and Tunis sections. The hiailfall,
coming at about 5 p. m., was re
i ported 'heavy.
3 The light showers of rain that
i fell in this county shortly after
s G p. m. Sunday helped greatly but
it was no real “season” by any
. stretch of the imagination. Fig
. ures at Tide Water Test Farm
1 weather station showed total pre
i cipitation reached .27 of an inch.
r The rains cooled) the air some
what. The temperature Sunday
t had climbed to 92 and the mean
j temperature for ’the day was list
i ed at 82 degrees, with a low of
. 49 degrees.
: Monday’s high reading was 82
i degrees, low 56 and .mean 74.
i Tuesday, the thermometer got up
i to 85, with a mean temperature
of 79 and a low reading of 45
| MAY QUEEN IN FESTIVAL PARADE LAST WEEK
Miss Gail Skiles, Plymouth High School Queen of the May,
is pictured above just before the start of the May Day festival
parade here last Thursday afternoon. Mrs. R. M. Bruce is at the
wheel of the car, accompanied by Mrs. J. L. Horner. Miss Skiles, a
member of the freshman class, was elected queen from a field
of seven contestants. X similar photo of little Miss Jean Tetterton,
queen of the elementary, and her court was lost in the mails.—
Polaroid 1-Minute staff photo.
Peanut Increase
Will Mean 2'52.9
Acres to Growers
Increase of Seven and One
Half Per Cent Straight
Across the Board Ordered
Last Week
Peanut farmers in Washington
County will be allowed to plant
an additional 252.9 acres to the
crop as a result of the recently
authorized 716 per cent increase
in acreage allotments, according
to information from the local ASC
office.
The total county allotment
acreage before the increase was
voted was 3,367 acres. The in
crease will bring the total allot
ment to 3,619.9 acres.
The increase was made straight
across the board by executive
order handed down by the United
States Department of Agriculture.
Pindiimg the supply of Virginia
type peanuts in short supply,
farm leaders and other interested
parties appealed to Washington
some weeks ago. A ten per cent
increase in the allotment was
agreed upon for the Virginia type,
but Georgia growers -heard about
the action and moved in on Wash
ington.
Even though the Spanish type is
in abundant supply, a five per
cent increase was offered to Geor
gia growers, but that was not sat
isfactory, and finally the 716 per
cent increase -straight across the
bo-and was agreed upon.
The increase, granted on a one
year basis, is believed too late for
many sections where the crop is
grown, but Washington County
farmers can well plant the crop
right on through the month of
May and into June, if need be.
It is possible that some farm
ers will not want to add to their
crop since they have already
• planted their original allotment.
. In such case, the grower can help
; to prove the claim that additional
, acreage was needed by advising
. the office of the county A9C com
mittee that he will not use the
. additional allotment. In this way,
. the acreage will be made avail
able to other growers who will
plant the extra allotment.
, -•
i Jaycees To Sponaor Bulb
Sale Here Friday Night
The Plymouth Junior Chamber
of Commerce will sponsor a bulb
t sale Friday night of this week,
, President Ralph Hunter has an
[ nounced. Bulbs will be offered
, from house to house at the same
price charged in the stores, Hunt
, er stated. Proceeds will be used
for civic improvements, it was
added.
All Jaycees who will take part
, in the project are asked to meet
, at the office of James H. Ward
Insurance Co., on Washington
j Street at 7 p. m. Friday, the
president of the group stated.
Darden Family To
Meel June 12th In
County, Announce
♦
Fifteenth Anniversary Meet
Of Stephen Darden Des
cendants Association Set
Near Plymouth
The 15th anniversary meeting
of the Stephen Darden Descend
ants Association will be held at
the plantation home of Mr. and
Mrs. E. L. Bateman near Plym
outh Sunday, June 12, it was an
nounced this week.
The Bateman residence is the
homestead of the late David G.
Darden and is located five miles
south of Plymouth on Highway
32.
Feature addresses will be given
by Thiad Eure, North Carolina
secretary of state, and by Sam
uel B. Davis, jr., of Warwick, Va.
John W. Darden, of Plymouth,
president of the association, will
speak on “Accomplishments of
the David Darden Descendants
Association.”
Resolutions will be offered for
Eliza B. Carstarphen by Mrs. W.
J. Highsmith, and for William
J. Grimes by Mrs. Raymond Rid
dick.
The program will start at 11
a. m. and will 1 e followed by
a picnic lunch and social hour, the
announcement stated.
Officers of the association, be
sides Mr. Darden, are Alphonso
D. Hall, vice-president; M. G.
Darden, historian; Mrs. William J.
Grimes, secretary; and Mrs.
Charles E. Davis, treasurer.
The finance committee is com
posed of Mr. Hall, Mrs. Richard
Thompson and Mrs Woodrow
Dixon.