Eugene Waters, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Lester Waters, of Plymouth
made the honor roll for the pasl
semester at the University of North
Carolina where he is a sophomore
Young Waters, an outstanding stu
dent and athlete while at Plym
outh High School, is continuing his
good scholastic work at Chapel Hill
and in a letter to his parents Dean
Cecil Johnson extended congratu
lations on Eugene’s “fine record.’
Mrs. W. T. Stillman, wife of the
genial and popular court clerl
here, underwent surgery in a Wil
. liamston hospital Monday morning
~ of this week. Mrs. Stillman is re
ported to be doing as nicely as
could be expected. She was admit
ted to the hospital Sunday.
Mrs. Lorraine Hunter, local drafl
board clerk, and possibly members
of the board will attend a regional
conference of Selective Service
personnel at Elizabeth City Tues
day afternoon of next week. The
meeting is slated for the auditor
iuf of the Agriculture Building
Matters relating to the current
manpower situation, the role of the
Selective Service System in imple
menting the Reserve Forces Acl
of 1955 and other pertinent ques
tions will be discussed, Mrs. Huntei
was informed.
Dr. B. W. Cutler, of Plymouth
calls attention to the fact tha(
March 4-10 has been designated
“Save Your Vision Week” and the
observance is being sponsored
throughout the state by the North
Carolina Optometric Society. Sharp
eyes, it is pointed out, can reduce
g highway accidents, one of the
state’s gravest problems at the
moment. It is believed that some
form of vsiual handicap is involved
in the majority of fatal accidents
It’s something to think about.
The weather station near here
was informed this week by the
U. S. Department of Commerce
Weather Bureau at Raleigh thai
the spring storm season is getting
close. Pointing out that tornadoes
are fast-moving and short-lived, co
operation in reporting storms was
urged, since prompt reports mighi
enable the bureau to warn othei
communities in the path of such <
storm. During 1955 seven torna
does were reported in the state
causing one death, four injuries
and $600,000 porperty damage.
-<8>
Young Negro Dies
Following Match
Ruled Accidental
Willie Moore Victim of Brok
en Neck Said Sufferec
When Thrown by Whiii
Man at Skinnersville
Willie Moore, Negro of Skin
nersville, died at his home at 1:31
a. m. Sunday from a broken necl
said to have been received the prc
vious Friday night in a sort of im
promptu wrestling match with :
white man at the home of Florenei
Webb, colored, also of Skinners
ville.
No probable cause was found a
a hearing in county recorder’
court before Judge W, Ronalt
Gaylord Tuesday. Following testi
mony from the witness stand b;
Artis Blount, Joe Moore, Elwooi
Norman and the Webb woman
Judge Gaylord called the widow
the mother and brother of the dea<
man to the bench and asked if the;
knew facts relating to the casi
which has not been brought oul
They replied that they did nol
that they knew of neither prove
cation, malice nor ill-will existin:
between the two men prior to th
tragic happening. If new evidenc
is forthcoming to warrant it, th
case will be reopened, Gaylon
said.
The four witnesses were all eye
witnesses to the scuffle which i
said to have taken place in tn
sitting room of Florence Webb’
home at about 11 p. m. Fridaj
Philip Patrick, about 30, of Skir
nersville and Norfolk, is said t
have thrown Moore to the flooi
Moore failed to get up and th
Webb woman said she remarke
at the time, “Willie, why don’t yo
get up? You’re just ashamed b<
cause Phil throwed you.” Two c
the Negroes present lifted Moor
to his feet but he apparently eoul
not stand, it was stated. They the
carried him to his home where h
was put to bed. They testified the
thought he had been drinkin
See~ACCIDENT, Page 10
[safety
i... BOXSCORE.
Breaking all past records, em
ployees of the North Carolina
Pulp Company, Plymouth, as of
March 5, 1956, had completed
the following number of man
hours of work without a lost
time accident: "
1,456,238
The Roanoke Beacon
****** and Washington County News ******
VOLUME LXVII—NUMBER 10
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, March 8, 1956
ESTABLISHED 1889
FILES:
Dr. J. M. Phelps of Creswell (right), Wash
ington County Representative in the General
Assembly, is shown as he signed a candidate’s
blank and paid his filing fee last week for reelection this year,
subject to the Democratic primary on May 26. W. T. Freeman
(left), chairman of the county board of elections, is looking on,
A contest for the office was assured this week, when W. J. Woolard,
who represented the county in the 1951 and 1953 legislatures, also
filed for the office of representative.—Staff photo.
Politics Livening Up;
Two Candidates File
1 FOR REPRESENTATIVE
W. J. Woolard, Plymouth furni
, ture man who represented Wash
ington County in the 1951 and
1953 sessions of the General As
sembly, announced this week that
he was a candidate for the office
again, subject to the Democratic
J primary May 26. Dr. J. M. Phelps
of Creswell, the incumbent, filed
’ for the office last week.
: Services Held for
: Mrs. Spruill Here
, Last rites for Mrs. Loula Spruill, ,
71, were conducted from the chapel
! of Horner’s Funeral Home here
: Monday at 2:30 p. m. by the Rev.
: D. W. Alexander, of Bethel, and the
> Rev. C. N. Barnette, of Plymouth.
1 Burial was in Windley Cemetery.
Mrs. Spruill, wife of Crawford
^ S. Spruill, died at her home near
’ here at 11:30 a. m. Saturday fol
*' lowing an illness of three weeks.
’ She had been in declining health
' for two years.
) Mrs. Spruill was a native and
lifelong resident of this county,
j born July 17, 1884, to the late Ellis
1 H. and Fannie M. Bowen Haven
1 port.
- She was married March 10, 1907,
f at Plymouth to Mr. Spruill, of this
2 place. She was a member, an active
1 worker and former Sunday School
l teacher of Union Chapel Free Will
J Baptist Church near Plymouth.
Y She leaves, other than her hus
» band, a daughter, Mrs. Hugh Allen,
of Portsmouth, Va.; a son, Harold
- Spruill, of Plymouth; two sisters,
Mrs. Maud Harrison, of Elizabeth
City, and Mrs. J. T. Mizelle, of
Newport; two brothers, L. E. and
M. H. Davenport, both of Plym
outh; two grandchildren and two
J great-grandchildren.
-«
To Hold Service Sunday
At Morraitock Church
A service will be held Sunday
afternoon at 3 o’clock in the Mor
rattock Primitive Baptist Church,
near Plymouth, with Elder S. R.
Boykins in charge. The public is
cordially invited to attend.
N. J. Woolard Enters Race
For House Seat; T. F. Dav
enport for Member Board
Of Education
W. J. Woolard and T. F. Daven
>ort paid filing fees this week and
innounced that they would seek
>ffice subject to nomination in the
Hay 26 Democratic Primary, W. T.
rreeman, chairman of the county
joard of elections, reports.
Woolard, Plymouth furniture
nan and for two terms County
lepresentative in the General As
embly, announced Tuesday his
:andidacy for the House seat held
n the last legislature by Dr. J. M.
’helps, Creswell physician.
The incumbent, Dr. Phelps, pre
viously had announced he will seek
o return as County Representative
o the General Assembly which
vill hold its biennial session early
lext year.
Woolard’s announcement this
veek came as little surprise, per
laps, and assures a race for the
county’s scat in the state legisla
ure which could easily develop
nto something more than a two
vay fight.
Davenport, elderly former Rang
:r at Pettigrew State Park, an
lounced for a seat from Scupper
long Township on the five-member
■ounty board of education. Plym
mth Township is allotted two seats
in the board, while Lees Mill, Skin
lersvillc and Scuppernong Town
ihips have one seat each. Incum
ients on the board whose terms ol
iffice expire and are therefore sub
ect to nomination in May include
Hrs. K. S. Trowbridge of Plymouth
md P. B. Belanga, of Scuppernong
Hr. Davenport is a former count}
'ommissioner. The intentions oi
Hrs. Trowbridge and Mr. Belangi
ire unannounced publicly at thi:
writing.
At the county commissioners
meeting Monday, Hubert L. Daven
port of Skinnersville said he prob
ibly would be a candidate for re
election, although he has not form
illy filed. A. R. Latham of Plym
iuth, the other commissionei
whose term expires this year, indi
lated he had not decided whethei
lo run or not although he was in
:lined not to do so.
The only other announcement t(
fate for a county office came fron
See CANDIDATES, Page 10
Town Ordinance
Cited by Brown
It is against a town ordinance
to leave motor vehicles parked
on any paved street within the
Plymouth town limits after mid
night, Police Chief P. W. Brown
warned this week.
The strict enforcement of the
ordinance is necessary, Chief
Brown emphasized, in order for
street cleaning and other duties
to function properly. The co
operation of all citizens and
motorists is urgently sought in
this regard, the police chief said.
Hassell Resigns
Post on County
Education Board
—*—
County School Governing
Body Reluctantly Accepts
Resignation; Successor Is
To Be Named This Monti
—•*
In a letter to the Washingtor
County Board of Education, datec
March 5, L. E. Hassell, sr., o:
Roper, tendered his resignation
effective at the April 1956 boarc
meeting.
Mr. Hassell, who has server
many years as chairman of the
board, gave ill health as the reasor
for his action. He stated in part
“I wish to express my deep ap
preciation to each member of the
board and to Mr. Lowry for th(
loyal cooperation that hr# beer
given me in this capacity. My bes
wishes go with you all for the sue
cess of your future program foi
the schools of Washington County.’
Other members of the board an
J. W. Norman and Mrs. K. S
Trowbridge of Plymouth, P. B
Belanga, of Creswell, and J. Whit
ford Swain, of Roper. It is though
that Mr. Norman may succeed t<
the chairmanship of the body.
The county board of education
at its meeting here Monday, re
luctantly accepted the resignatioi
of Mr. Hassell as member am
chairman and expressed the unan:
mous opinion that he had servei
the schools of the county loyall;
and efficiently during his tenur
of office. Mr. Hassell has been
member of the board for 19 year;
all but three years of which h
served as its chairman| During hi
tenure of office the final phase c
the consolidation program was con
pleted during which 10 sma
schools were consolidated. At pre
ent there are only six schools i
the county.
! Carl L. Bailey, sr., chairman (
the Washington County Democrat;
. Executive Committee, said yeste
1 day that his committee will mei
“sometime between now and th
end of the month” to name a su
cessor to the post.
Bloodmobile Here Next Wednesday
Dr. R. Vernon Jeter, chairman
of the local blood program, today
called attention of the public to a
shortage of Type 0 and Type B
blood, said to be nearing the acute
stage.
The good doctor intimated that
those types as well as other blood
would be welcome indeed when the
Red Cross bloodmobile unit from
Tidewater Regional Blood Center
at Norfolk makes its regular quar
terly appearance here Wednesday
of next week.
The set-up will be made, as usual,
at the Veterans Building and donor
hours are announced as 10:30 a. m.
to 4:30 p. m. Joint sponsors again
—the local VFW and American
Legion posts and auxiliaries.
Refreshments, including sand
wiches, donuts, coffee and soft
drinks, will be supplied and served
by the Plymouth Junior Woman’s
Lenglhy Session
Is Held Monday
By County Board
' Soil Conservationist Direct
ed To Seek Disaster Fund
; For Six Drainage Proj
u ects; Other Matters
I Washington County’s Commis
' sioners had an all-day session here
- Tuesday, with a number of import
1 ant matters for consideration, and
» it was nearly 6 o’clock in the after
B noon before the session finally ad
3 journed. Besides drawing jury lists
f for two terms of court and receiv
*■ ing regular reports, the board voted
■1 to apply for an addition to the
county hospital and postponed act
n ion on the board of education’s re
quest for an election of the issu
* ance of $500,000 in school bonds.
® Chairman Frank L. Brinkley pre
‘ sided over the session, with all
* j members of the board in attend
® ance, as follows: A. K. Latham of
See COUNTY BOARD, Page 10
Club, Mrs. Borden Kornegay, presi
dent. Again the Senior Woman’s
Club will supply the necessary
clerical help.
On December 21 of last year the
bloodmobile support here reached
its lowest ebb since inauguration of
the blood bank program in the
county back in December of 1950.
Only 49 pints of blood were secured
on the most recent visit of the unit
to Plymouth. Prigr to that time
the total of 61 pints secured July
20, 1951, at Creswell was the low
figure.
The announced quota for next
Wednesday is 110 pints, Dr. Jeter
stated. Noting that much of the
blood deposited in the local bank
is used by colored citizens, the
program chairman urges that
colored people of Plymouth and
Washington County join in strong
ly supporting the effort to keep
the program going here. Also, per
sons who have not previously given
blood are called upon to respond,
thus helping to insure success in
meeting the miinmum quota and
possibly making it easier on those
who have given blood time after
time.
Free transportation will be
available to anyone desiring to give
blood and who does not have trans
portation to the scene of opera
tions, it was emphasized. If you
would like to have someone pick
you up just telephone the Veterans
Building and someone on duty will
attend to the matter promptly, Dr.
Jeter stated.
Stating that the blood program
is a "lifeline artery” vital to Wash
ington County Hospital’s success
ful operation, Dr. Jeter urged that
the citizenry, white and colored,
“make a date to save a life.”
Addition I'o Hospital
Here Is Being Sought
County Board Approves
Making Application To
Medical Care Group; Up
To 12 More Beds Asked
Enlargement of the Washington
County Hospital here was approv
ed by the board of county commis
sioners at its regular meeting here
Monday. Chairman Frank L. Brink
ley was authorized to complete the
application in the name of the
county governing board and have it
forwarded to the State Medical
Commission as soon as possible.
Enlargement of the hospital was
limited to a maximum of 12 beds
by the commissioners’ action. How
ever, Mr. Brinkley had stated to
the board that conversations with
state commission officials had con
vinced him that they would be
more likely to approve an addition
of 8 to 10 beds than any larger
amount.
The county’s share of the cost
of constructing the addition is
limited to 23.6 per cent of the
total, with the state to put up 26.4'
per cent and the federal govern
~'see ~HO S PITAL~P age 10
-<$>
Mrs. Baynor Is
Buried Tuesday
-♦
Funeral services were held
Tuesday at 2:30 p. m. from Roper
Baptist Church for Mrs. Edna Bay
nor Pierce, 33, of Roper. The Rev.
Mr. Evans officiated and interment
was in Craddock Cemetery near
Roper. The remains were left at
Horner’s Funeral Home until one
hour prior to the service and then
carried to the church.
Mrs. Pierce died at 10 a. m. Sun
day in a Norfolk, Va., hospital.
She had been ill for six months
and in failing health for three
years. She was a native of Wash
ington County and spent her entire
lifetime hero. Mrs, Pierce was born
April 12, 1922, to Mrs. Mittie Skit
tletharpc and the late Dennis Bay
nor, of Roper.
Her marriage to Charlie Pierce,
of Jamesvillc, took place at Roper
August 31, 1951. Mr. Pierce sur
vives, along with Mrs. Pierce’s mo
ther, two daughters, Gloria Gale
and Donna Kay Pierce, both of the
home; two sons, James Dennie and
Larry Edward Pierce, of the home;
a sister, Mrs. Geraldine Brickhouse
of Portsmouth, Va.; one half-bro
ther, Billy Skittletharpe, of Roper;
and stepfather, Eddie Skittle
tharpe, of near Roper.
District Meeting
At Local Church
-•
The Christian Men’s Fellowship
of First Christian Church, Plym
outh, will entertain the Albemarle
district meeting at the church here
Thursday of this week, beginning
at 8 p. m., it is announced.
About 75 or more delegates are
expected from churches in the dis
trict which includes Martin, Beau
fort, Hyde, Tyrrell and Washing
ton Counties.
Principal addresses will be made
by Jack Sutton, a field representa
tive of the Disciples of Christ in
the state, and Frank Wilbcral, state
representative of the Christian
Men’s Fellowship. The speakers
will be presented by W. Benton
Liverman, president of the group
here.
Refreshments will be served at
the conclusion of the program,
with W. J. Weaver, of the Plym
outh Fellowship group, in charge.
Board Does Not Act
On Bond Proposition
Matter Left Open After Dis
cussion Monday; Vote Be
fore General Election in
November Not Likely
Washington County Commission
ers took no action at their regular
meeting Monday on the request of
the county board of education for
an election on the issuance of
$500,000 worth of school bonds.
The request was discussed at some
length, and a new schedule of bond
retirements prepared by County
Auditor E. J. Spruill was consid
ered, but the matter was left open
at the conclusion of the meeting,
with no definite time to set for re
opening the discus >ion.
The board of education, in a for
mal resolution adopted at its Feb
ruary meeting, asked the commis
sioners to order a special election
to pass on the issuance of $500,
000 in bonds, Cinds frdm which
would be used 'o construct addit
jii.^al biitdi'gs in the county. A
sj cial 'weting was held FebruaSrv
20th, attended by the commission
ers and acting chairman of the edu
cation board, and the matter was
considered at some length without
any decision being reached.
Main objection on the part of the
commissioners centers around the
necessity for increasing the coun
ty tax rate if the bonds are issued
within the next three years. The
county auditor submitted figures
showing that the bonds could be
issued over a three-year period
starting in 1959 without the neces
sity for increasing the tax levy
for debt service.
At the meeting Monday, none oi
the commissioners expressed active
opposition to the proposal to issue
bonds, except that they do not
want to do it right now. They alsc
expressed a desire to know more
about the program being consider
ed by the board of education. II
was pointed out that the county
budget for this year does not pro
vide any funds for a special elect
ion, and several of the commission
ers said that if the bond issue was
submitted at the general election
in November it would save about
$1,000 in election costs.
It was on the latter note that the
meeting closed Monday, with the
prospect that the matter will nol
be reopened for consideration be
Se eBOND~ISS UP?ag(PTo
RESIGNS POST
I,. E. Hassell, sr., of Roper,
chain.'.ail' the Washington
jSomiigBoc tl of Education since
LJanusify. 1944, tendered his resig
nation this week, to become ef
fective on April 2. Appointed to
the board in 1943, Mr. Hassell
says he Is giving up the post on
account of his health.
Union Mass Meet
Is Set Wednesday
All members of Plymouth laboi
unions are urged to attend a mas:
meeting at the Labor Hall Wed
nesday of next week, March 14, ai
7:30 p. m., when Millard Barbe<
of Durham, president of the Nortl
Carolina Federation of Labor, wil
be the principal speaker. Reprc
sentatives of the sevedal interna
tional unions which have local:
here will also be present
One of the objects of the meet
ing is to reorganize a Central Laboi
Union here, according to a spokes
man. Such a group was organizec
and functioned here for about five
years but it has been dormant foi
the past three years.
It was emphasized that all unior
members are invited and urged t<
be present, including members o:
] the locals at Atlas Plywood Cor
poration and True-Temper Corpo
ration, as well as those at the Nortl
Carolina Pulp Company.
i IBM gill!
mm
I\ COUNTY:
One of the two mobile chest x-ray units operating in the county
is pictured above shortly before it opened on Water Street
next to the post office here last Saturday morning. This unit
will remain in Plymouth through Saturday of next week, March 17, offering free chest x-rays to all
persons 15 years of age and older from 11 a. m. to 5 p. m. Tuesday through Saturdays. Another unit
will be in Creswell through Saturday of this week, after which it will move to Roper, across the
street from the post office, where it will be from Tuesday through Saturday of next week, from 11
a. m. to 5 p. m. daily. Both units are closed on Mondays.—Staff photo.
Mayor Says Town
Tax Rate May Be
Lowered To $1.75
Would Be 25 Cenis Under
Present Rale; Also Says
New Waler Tank May Be
Built This Fall
-♦
Big news at the March meeting
of the Plymouth Town Council
Monday night was the statement
by Mayor A. J. Riddle that it might
be possible to reduce the town tax
rate to $1.75 for the next fiscal
year. The statement was received
with enthusiasm by the councilmen,
who have been looking forward To
the time the present rate of $2
could be lowered.
Prior to that the mayor had stat
ed he believed the town could con
struct a new water tank sometime
this fall without the necessity of
borrowing any money. There was
some discussion about this, and the
councilmen thought it advisable to
secure the services of an engineer
to choose the best location for the
tank. Mayor Riddle believes it
should be located at or near the
site of the new town well, adja
cent to the Tettcrton Dafry Bar on
Washington Street Extended.
During the discussion, it was
brought out that the town needs
a tank of 250,000-gallon capacity,
as compared with the present 75,
OOO-gallon tank, which is not in
very good condition. Several of the
councilmen thought a water soft
ener should be installed at the
same time as the tank. It was esti
mated that the tank would cost in
the neighborhood of $48,000, and a
water softener possibly an addition
al $6,000. At the present time the
town is using about 180,000 gal
lons of water daily, it was stated.
Several other matters were con
sidered by the councilmen Mon
day night. They agreed to cooper
ate with a delegation from the
Plymouth Garden Club in getting
local business houses to build in
cinerators for burning litter. Mrs.
M. L. Nobles and Mrs. Howard
Walker represented the club at the
meeting, and their suggestions
were backed up by County Sani
tarian D. D. Allen, who said it
would be mce economical to have
the litter burned by the merchants
concerned than to have it hauled
away by town trash trucks as at
present. It is proposed to have a
relatively small incinerator install
ed back of the stores in each block,
where cartons, paper and other
like litter can be burned, leaving
only tin cans and other items of
, garbage to be hauled away to the
city dump.
Plans for the incinerators are be
, ing prepared, and the garden club
See~TAx"RATE, Page" 5
To Resume Work
Masonic Temple
-»
Barring unfavorable weather,
construction is slated to be re
sumed today on the Masonic Tem
1 pic here, it was announced by W.
A. Roebuck, chairman of the build
I ing committee.
Roebuck explained that footings
1 were laid about two years ago on
the lot on the corner of East Third
i Street and Andrew Jackson Ave
i nue which is owned by Persever
' ance Lodge No. 59, A. F. and A. M.
• here.
Cement blocks, lumber, doors
and windows were delivered to the
lot earier this week, Roebuck said,
and work will commence Thurs
day (today) on erecting the walls,
according to plans announced Wed
nesday.
The work will be under the di
rection of a member of the local
lodge, L. E. Sullivan, of Plymouth.
Labor is to be hired to erect the
walls and roof but all interior fin
ishing will be done through use of
volunteer labor of lodge members,
it was explained.
Others on the building commit
tee were listed as follows:
W. C. Cheison, master; Hilton
Dunbar, Alton Pinkham and Hugh
Brown.
Roebuck said no date for com
pletion of the project is now in
view.
-$
Survey Panel To
Work Here Today
-♦
A survey committee, appointed
by the Division of School Planning
of the State Board of Education, is
scheduled to visit this county to
day (Thursday), accoridng to R.
F. Lowry, superintendent of county
schools.
Mr. Lowry stated at the regulai
monthly session of the county
board of education here Monday
that the special survey team would
be in the county Thursday to make
a close study of the school situa
tion as relates to Immediate and
future needs.