T'OWOJ
opicsj
The weather was in the thoughts
and on the lips of most people this
week as nightly temperatures dip
ped to the low 30’s. Strong winds
Saturday and hurricane-like wea
ther Wednesday had many guess
ing. The waters of the Roanoke
were both high and rough here
yesterday. One newcomer from the
Southwest was reported to com
plain that the spring and summer
here were “too d-n short.”
Mrs. W. V. Gaylord, Mrs. Annie
Davenport, H. S. Everett, Mitchi
ner Banks and 21 Roper Future
Homemakers of America girls had
quite a trip last week-end. Travel
ing on the Roper High School ac
tivity bus the group left Roper
early Friday morning and went to
Mebane wher they toured a mat
tress factory, went to Burlington
and toured a textile mill, journey
ed on to Winston-Salem and saw
Bowman Gray Hospital _and toured
then ont to Raleigh where they ]
spent the night at the Youth Cen
ter at the State Fairgrounds. They
attended the state FHA convention
in Raleigh Saturday and returned
home by way of Wilson where the
group stopped to visit a former
Roper resident, Charles Davenport.
Officials of the following local
organizations have reported letters
mailed to the county commissioners
commending the action on the
school bond issue: Rotary Club,
Lions Club, Junior Chamber of
Commerce and Parent-Teacher As
sociation.
Federal and state income tax
payers have an extra day in
% which to file their returns this
year, due to the 15th falling on
Sunday. According to the tax
collectors, there will be no penal
ty if returns are postmarked not
later than midnight April 16th,
which is next Monday.
Thursday of this week is Halifax
Day and is being observed as a
state holiday by both Plymouth
banks and the various state offices.
Airman 2/c Gerald Bowen, son
of Mrs. Stewart Phelps, of Plym
outh, had a long trip ahead of him
when he left here Tuesday after
spending a couple of weeks with
his mother. He was returning to
Travis Air Force Base near San
Francisco, Calif., where he is stat
ioned. Driving his car alone, he ex
pected to reach the base by Sun
day.
According to special orders pub
lished recently at Riverside Mili
tary Academy, of Gainesville, Ga.,
Cadet Neal Carter, son of Mr. and
Mrs. T. C. Carter of Plymouth, has
advanced to the grade of corporal
in the Riverside Corps of Cadets.
Cadet Carter’s promotion is based
on superior military, academic and
~~™See TOPICS, Page 5
# 32 Certificates for
Fire School Here
The second annual Fireman's
Training School here became his
tory last Friday night with certifi
cates going to six first-year class
members and 26 second-year men.
Fire Departments at Roper, Co
lumbia, Edenton, Farm Life,
Washington and Plymouth were
represented in the total enrollment
of 46.
Instructors for the school were
Captain Otis Dowdy, Drill and Per
sonnel director, Charlotte Fire De
partment, and Sherman Pickard,
Raleigh, deputy fire marshal.
Certificates were issued as fol
lows:
First-Year Cla,ss—Herman Hook
■ er, Plymouth; W. A. Dixon, Roper;
P A. H. Willis, jr., Washington; Dal
las Griffin, Roland Griffin and W.
H. Peelc, all of Farm Life;
Second-Year Class—H. O. Lovic,
M. E. Turner, G. R. Leggett, jr.,
I. M. Warren, Bill Harden, John
Lilly, William T. Hopkins, C. E.
Bowen, L. D. Jones, Thomas San
derson, Nick Angc, E. D. Keel, J.
D. Willoughby, Harry Barnhill,
Harry Gurkin and Rankin Am
brose, all of Plymouth; Sidney W.
Spruill, J. S. Leary, T. W. Norman,
M. B. Wallace, N. Worth Chesson
and Alva R. Ilookgr, all of Roper;
Robert A. Johnson, Abner Harrell,
both of Columbia; A1 Owens and
T. A. Goodman, both of Edenton.
Meeting Here Friday
For Peanut Farmers
An important meeting for pea
nut growers of the county will be
held Friday of this week at the
Agriculture Building, County Agent
W. If. Pruden announces. Time of
the meeting is 8 p. m.
Dr. A. D. Stuart, peanut specia
list with the Extension Service,
will discuss new developments in
all phases of production. Dr. R. P.
Moore, with the Experiment Sta
tion, will discuss seed stocks and
stands, and Joe Sugg, executive
secretary, N. C. Peanut Growers
Association, will describe action on
the legislative front.
Pruden stated that more has
been learned about peanut produc
tion in the last five years than in
the previous 50. “These new prac
tices can increase your peanut in
come tremendously,” he declared,
“if you put the practices into ef
fect.”
Peanuts offer one of the best
means of increasing farm income,
Mr. Pruden opined. He produced
figures to show that an increase
in per acre average yield from the
1215-pound average of 1954 in the
county to 1500 pounds would mean
$84,000, to the county economy
with peanuts averaging 12 cents a
pound.
The Roanoke Beacon
and Washington County News ******
JJ^rHSinSSnHnnhinxnSiHSnHntHHHuHHnnHHSSnSHi^jj
A home newspaper dedicate*! ;|j
to the service of Washington
County and its 13,Mt people.
VOLUME LXVII—NUMBER 15 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, April 12, 1956
ESTABLISHED 1*89
cancer
APRIL DRIVE:
This photo shows four of the local leaders in the April
drive for funds with which to fight cancer. Reading
from left to right are shown discussing campaign plans
Mrs. Borden Kornegay, the publicity chairman; Mrs. Harry E. Browning, commander of the Washing
ton County chapter, American Cancer Society; Dr. A. I’apineau, consulting physician for the chapter;
and Mrs. Ed Craft, county campaign chairman. Not shown are Miss Elizabeth Wood, chairman of the
executive committee; Aubrey Liverman, treasurer; Mrs. Oliver Lucas, co-treasurer; and Ed Craft, Edu
cational chairman.—Staff photo.
Officials for Primary
Appointed by Board
No Blue Mold
Seen in Beds
Treating of tobacco plant beds
against blue mold and anthrac
nose is general over the county
and the disease has not been
noted here, County Agent W. H.
Pruden reported yesterday.
Blue mold has been reported
as close as Craven County, how
ever, the county agent warned.
Weather conditions for the past
several days have been ideal for
development and spread of blue
mold, so preventative treatment
is indicated. Two treatments a
week are recommended, and a
third if rains wash off previous
treatments. See the county agent
for details.
Pulp Mill Workers
Safely Dinners To
Start on April 27th
Series of Three To Be Held
One Week Apart in Order
That All Employees May
Attend
A series of three safety dinners
has been scheduled for employees
of the North Carolina Pulp Com
pany, it was announced this week
by the plant management. They are
being given by the company in ap
preciation for the safety record
made by employees in the period
August 1, 1955, to March 23, 1956,
during which time 1,608,029 man
hours were worked without a lost
time accident.
All the dinners will be held at
the company barbecue pit back of
the mill and will start at 6 p. m.,
on the Fridays designated for var
ious departments and shift work
ers. It is hoped that every employ
ee in the plant will attend one of
the dinners.
First of the dinners is scheduled
Friday, April 27, for the following:
Shifts of O. Rodgers, B. M. Lilley
and M. Davenport; shifts of W. If.
McCombs, W. W. Hardison and E.
Ricks; day workers in the labora
tory, meter shop, finishing, electri
cal shop, utility mechanics, chlor
ine, store room, general mainten
ance and garage departments.
"socTsAFETY, Page 10
Members Take Oath of Of
fice and Perfect Organiza
tion at Meeting Here Sat
urday Morning
Members of Washington County’s
new board of elections met and
were sworn in Saturday by Clerk
of Court W. T. Stillman. W. T.
Freeman was reelected chairman
and J. R. Carr as secretary. M. W.
Spruill is the other member. All
three men are veteran members of
the board.
Registration books for the regis
tration of those who have qualified
since the last election by resid^pce
or by reaching the legifr-vuiing
age of 21 will be opened Saturday,
April 28, and will close at sunset
May 12.
The registrar in each precinct
will be at the usual polling place
from 9 a. m. to sunset April 28,
May 5 and May 12 and on other
days will at his convenience regis
I ter those who apply, it was said.
I Next meeting of the board of
elections will be held at 11:45 a. m.
I Saturday of this week in the office
of the chairman. At that time the
board will review the applications
j for candidacy and officially certify
1 names of all candidates for print
ing on the ballots, except where
candidates do not have opposition,
i Those without opposition will be
officially certified as nominees of
their respective parties for the of
fices to which they aspire.
Following are precinct officials
appointed last Saturday, the last
name in each instance being the
Republican judge of election;
Plymouth Precinct No. 1—Don G.
Davis, registrar; W. C. Styons, and
Dallas Waters, judges of election;
Plymouth Precinct No. 2—Mrs.
Tom Darden, registrar; Clarence
Spruill and T. D. Somerville,
I judges of election;
Lees Mill — Mrs. T. W. Norman,
registrar; H. E. Everett and Mar
j vin Spencer, judges of election;
Skinnersville — Brownie Good
man, registrar; Delbert Patrick
! and Louis Bateman, judges ol
election;
I Scuppernong — John Combs,
' registrar; Mrs. Virginia Davenport
| and Louis Spruill, judges of elect
! ion;
! Wcnona — II. J. Furbee, regis
i trar; T. II. Rosenthal and Carl Hey
I nen, judges of election.
Legion Post Here Will
Elect Officers Friday
New officers will be elected at
the regular meeting of James E.
Jethro Post No. 164 of the Ameri
can Legion to be held at the Vet
erans Building Friday night.
The meeting is scheduled to be
gin at 8 o’clock and all members
arc urged to be present.
SAFETY
—BOXSCORE
Starting over on March 24,
after an accident occurred the
previous day, employees of the
North Carolina .Pulp Company
here, up to Monday of this week,
had worked the following num
ber of manhours without a lost
time accident:
118,615
Civil Court Term
Winds Up With 11
Actions Continued
-f
Consent Judgment Entered
In Owens-Winslow Act
ion; N. F. Paul Adjudged
Owner of Lands
The consent judgment in the
case of E. L. and A. L. Owens vs
W. 0. Winslow in Superior Court
here last week is summed up from
the court records as follows:
The lands involved were de
scribed and it was adjudged that
the defendant has no right, title
and intornct thnrpitv it wnc further
adjudged thaj the defendant is not
liable to plaintiffs on account oi
any alleged trespass upon and re
moval of timber from the lands de
scribed, and that the plaintiffs re
cover nothing thereof;
It was further adjudged that
bond given by plaintiffs to indem
nify defendant on account of dam
ages sustained by the issuance ol
an Order of Injunction herein be
discharged and the surety thereon
released of all liability on account
thereof;
It was further adjudged that the
plaintiff and the defendant respec
tively pay the costs of serving sub
poenas upon their witnesses and
the fees for attendance of said wit
nesses and that the court costs
other than the aforesaid items he
paid half by the plaintiffs and half
by the defendant.
In the case of N. F. Paul vs.
C. H. Neece, the plaintiff was ad
judged owner of the lands in ques
tion. Z. V. Norman was appointed
commissioner of the court to exe
cute a deed or transfer covering
the tracts of land to N. F. Paul,
plaintiff, and that defendant is re
. quired to amend his certificate of
title to said tracts to Z. V. Norman
; in order that the certificates may
1 be surrendered to the register of
deeds upon filing for registration
of deed from commissioner to N. F.
Paul, and that certificates are to
be cancelled by the register of
deeds and new certificates issued
to N. F. Paul covering said lands.
The register of deeds was direct
ed to issue certificate of title to
N. F. Paul free and clear of option
or contract executed by C. H.
Neesc to G. H. Manning and Had
don Harris.
Certain changes in figures were
Sec COURT, Page 10
Two Hurt in Mail
Truck Collision
Two men were injured in a mail
truck-ACL switching engine col
lision at the Monroe Street crossing
Thursday morning (today) at 7:10
o’clock. An estimated $1,000 dam
age resulted to the truck.
A. A. Cooke and E. L. Lassiter,
both mail clerks, are the iiyiured
men. Driver of the truck, F. L.
Williams, escaped unhurt. Lassiter
was badly bruised and shaken up
and was admitted to Washington
County Hospital here. Cooke was
treated and released. About eight
sutures were required to close
head cuts, it was reported.
The truck’s gas tank was leaking
and the fire alarm was sounded,
the local department responding
and standing by with equipment,
but no fire resulted.
The mail truck was headed for
the local post office at the time
of the accident. The men on the
truck work out of Rocky Mount.
Air Rifles Banned
By Town Council;
Buy Fog Machine
Action Taken at Meeting
Monday Night; Portable
Fogging Equipment To Be
Used in Swamp Areas
Members of the Plymouth Town
Council purchased a portable fog
ging machine, ordered enforcement
of an ordinance outlawing air rifles
in town and discussed a number
of other matters at their monthly
meeting Monday night. Mayor A.
J. Riddle presided with all mem
bers of the council in attendance.
Dr. R. Vernon Jeter, on behalf
of the Sea Scouts, asked for per
mission to locate a marine railway
at the foot of Monroe Street on the
river, stating that the scouts would
carry liability insurance to protect
the town against any claims that
might arise. While no formal action
was taken on the request, it was
indicated that city officials had no
objections provided adequate pre
cautions were taken and the street
was not blocked.
The representative of a Char
lotte firm demonstrated a bazooka
type portable fogging machine,
which the council later ordered
purchased. Weighing less than 20
pounds, the machine can be used
in swampy areas around the town
to lessen the annoyance of mos
quitoes and other insect pests. Cost
of the equipment was $289.50, and
the motion to buy it was carried
by unanimous vote.
After the records were searched
1 it was found that the town already
had an ordinance prohibiting air
rifles to be fired inside the city
limits. The police department was
given orders to enforce it, as the
result of complaints about damage
being done by air rifles in the
hands of children in several sec
tions of the town.
There was some discussion pboul
street repairs and various other
matters. Most of the street work ii
iu uv laivun care ui wucii uic sui
facing program gets underwaj
here within a few weeks, it was
stated.
$
licit Howell Heads Scou.
Troop Committee Here
Reregistration of Boy Seoul
Troop No. 284 here has been com
pleted, according to announcemenl
from officials of the sponsoring
organization — Plymouth Junioi
Chamber of Commerce.
Chairman is Bob Hbwell anc
Troop committeemen are Fostei
Perkins, scoutmaster; Joe Simon
assistant scoutmaster; James Kit
1 chengs, Joseph Early, Borden Kor
negay, James H. Ward, Billy
Blackburn and Charles Walker.
Mr. Walker is the only new mem
ber, he having replaced Ralph
Hunter on the committee.
16 Observers Qualify
For Wings, Roper Posl
Observers completing their train
ing for wings and certificates at
Roper Ground Observer Corps post
recently were listed by Post Super
visor Jesse E. Rawls as A. J. Ed
wards, Joseph H. Phelps, George
E. Lyle, Miss Patricia Trueblood,
Miss Harriet Bray, ltonda Lee Dav
enport, W. E. Marrow, Mrs. H. S.
Everett, Mrs. W. R. Brinkley, Mrs.
Hazel Styons, Mrs. Mattie Arm
strong, Miss Sandra Marrow, Billy
Ray Knowles, Mrs. Jackie Leary,
Bill Comer and Dclmar C. Owens.
BARBECUE:
Firemen, instructors and invited guests sat down to a barbecue
dinner in the Plymouth Fire Station last Friday night marking
the successful conclusion of the second annual Firemen's Train
ing School, sponsored by the Plymouth Volunteer Fire Department. Seated at the head table above,
left to right, arc Captain Otis Dowdy, personnel director of the Charlotte Fire Department, one of the
instructors; Miller Warren, chief of the Plymouth department and master of ceremonies at the dinner;
Sherman Pickard, deputy fire marshal of Raleigh, another instructor; Curtis Flanagan of Farmville, secre
tary of the North Carolina Firemen’s Association, principal speaker; P. W. Brown, Plymouth police
chief; and Mayor A. J. Riddle of Plymouth, who made the address of welcome.—Staff photo.
Survey Committee Report
Studied by School Board
Three Itoper Students
Receive FRA Awards
Three members of the Roper
Future Homemakers of America
chapter received the State Home
maker Award at the B’HA meeting
in Raleigh last Saturday, while Mit
chiner Banks, vocational agricul
ture teacher at Roper High School,
was the only man in the state to
receive an honorary award.
The Roper chapter recommend
ed Banks for the award on the
basis of work done in remodeling
the Roper FFA department, co
operation in FFA Rally and in sup
plying needed transportation, and
as the type of person to whom stu
dents can readily go with their
problems.
The popular Roper teacher was
unanimously voted the award.
The three girls—Jackie Skiles,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jack
Skiles; Patricia Hassell, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Jordan Hassell;
and Teresa Peele, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Marvin Peele—received
their awards for leadership in.
home economics, school and com
munity.
Mr. Banks, a graduate of N. C.
State College, joined the Roper
High School faculty in 1947 follow
ing previous teaching experience
■ at Chowan High School and a tour
I in the Armed Forces.
Several Candidates
File; Deadline Near
Another Race Assured in
Coming Democratic Pri
mary With Candidacy of
Jack Williams
With the deadline for filing
rapidly approaching, the interest
in politics began to warm up a bit
here this week, according to W. T.
Freeman, chairman of the county
board of elections.
Through Wednesday of this week
15 persons had filed notice of can
didacy. The filing deadline for
the coming Democratic Primary is
noon Saturday of this week.
Another new contest developed
late Saturday when Jack Wililams,
well-known Plymouth timber man,
filed for county commissioner from
Plymouth Township. A. R. Latham,
incumbent, filed for renomination
'•'st week
Y\;iowi’..g rt'.Uiams*.-' file were
.1. R. Campbell, register of deeds,
and W. A. Everett, constable of
Lees Mill Township, Monday; W.
Blount Rodman, solicitor of record
er’s court, and Sidney Hassell,
Washington County Board of Edu
cation, Wednesday.
Some doubt has been expressed
as regards Hassell's position since
the office is an appointive one con
trolled by the state legislature.
However, Hassell’s father, L. E.
Hassell, sn, recently resigned from
the post and young Hassell was
named by the county Democratic
executive committee to fill the va
cancy. The term has two years to
run and since a primary comes up
in the meantime Mr. Freeman said
it was in order that he should be
voted on countywide to fill the
part term remaining after the com
ing session of the State legislature.
No opposition has yet developed
for Mrs. K. S. Trowbridge and P. B.
Belanga, other members of the
five-member board of education
whose positions will be voted on
in the primary and general elec
tion.
Others who have filed and for
whom no opposition is expected in
clude W. Ronald Gaylord, judge
of county recorder’s court; W.
Blount Rodman, solicitor of rccord
Sce CANDIDATES, Page 5
j No Calls in Nay
I For Local Board
No induction and pre-induction
calls for registrants of Selective
Service Board No. 95 here will
be made during the month of
May.
Mrs. Lorraine Hunter, board
clerk, stated yesterday she had
received such information from
state Selective Service head
quarters.
People Can Make
Schools Belter,
PTA Meet Told
Dr. E. W. Furgurson Speaks
On "Meeting Our School
Needs" at Tuesday Meet
ing of School Group
“Citizens everywhere must now
accept the responsibility of mak
ing the schools as good as they
want thef to be,” Dr. E. W. Fur
gurson told his audience at the
PTA meeting here Tuesday.
Speaking on the subject, “Meet
ing Our School Needs,” Dr. Fur
gurson said too many Americans
have lost touch with their schools.
Citing the schoolroom shortages,
the speaker said North Carolina is
among the top 15 states in increas
ed enrollment. Listing many of the
problems currently being encount
ered in the school system the local
doctor declared, “No town or
county ever has a better school
than its people are willing to work
for and no school system can be
better than the community at
large.”
During the talk, the speaker
mentioned that one school in Len
ingrad will graduate more than
500 metallurgists while the entire
See PTA MEET, Page 10
► -'
Recommends Bond Issue for
Additions at Roper, Cres
well and New High School
Plant in Plymouth
Members of the Washington
County Board of Education had a
busy session Monday. A new mem
ber was sworn in, J. W. Norman of
Plymouth was elected chairman to
succeed L. E. Hassell, whose resig
nation became effective at the
meeting, and there was a lengthy
discussion about the report and
recommendations of a special sur
vey committee which recently
made a study of school needs in
the county. Full text of the com
mittee's report and recommenda
tions appear on the first page of the
second section of this issue of The
Beacon.
The board also disposed of sev
eral routine matters and approved
the county school budget for the
next fiscal year. Chairman L. E.
Hassell presided until after the
election of Mr. Norman as chair
man. Mr. Hassell resigned during
the past month on account of hi*
health and his resignation became
effective Monday. His son, Sidney
J. Hassell, was recently appointed
to fill the unexpired term by the
County Democratic executive com
mittee, and the young man took
the oath of office from Superior
Court Clerk W. T. Stillman at the
session Monday.
The school budget for next year
calls for a total outlay of $73,641,
just about the same as for the prev
ious year. Of this amount $57,
171.67 is to come from county
funds, with the remainder coming
from other sources, principally
state and federal aid for certain
teaching positions. The total bud
get includes current operating ex
penses and capital outlay, the latter
amounting to about $7±600. It f^as
adopted by unanimous vote.
No action was taken on the sur
vey committee’s report and recom
mendations except a resolution of
thanks for its work. However, most
of the recommendations in regard
to new buildings are about the
same as the board of education had
previously favored following their
own study.
The survey committee was ap
pointed by the state board of edu
cation at the request of county
school officials. Composed of three
member^, the group came to Wash
~ SetHsCHOOLsT Page 10
»-—
Davenport Riles
Held Wednesday
Last rites for Mrs. Ethel Daven
port, 67, of Roper, were held at
2:30 p. m. Wednesday from Scup
pernong Church of Christ. Offici
ating were L. M. Ambrose, of Cres
well, R. L. Gardiner and John Mar
tin. Burial was in the church ceme
tery.
Mrs. Davenport, widow of the
late Bruce Davenport, died at 6 p.
m. Sunday at Washington County
Hospital after a brief illness. She
had been in declining health for
the past two years.
Mrs. Davenport was a native and
luciuug icaiuciii ui uic tuumjr,
born April 17, 1888, daughter of
the late Frank and Annie Crad
dock Phelps. She was a member
of Zion's Chapel Church of Christ,
near Roper.
She leaves six step-daughters,
Mrs. Bernice Burdine, of Norfolk,
Va., Mrs. Mildred Phelps, of Cres
well, Mrs. Shirley Bafford, of Bal
timore, Md., Mrs. Ida Bright and
Mrs. Effie Rodgerson, both of Elm
City, and Mrs. Inez Morton, of
Roanoke, Va.; one step-son, Bruce
Davenport, of Norfolk; a sister,
M s. Lena Alexander, of Roper; a
brother, L. L. Phelps, of Roper;
and one half-sister, Mrs. Clara Mae
Harris, of Roanoke Rapids.
Bailey Will Head
Plymouth Jaycees
—■ «
Carl L. Bailey, jr., is the new
president of the Plymouth Junior
Chamber of Commerce.
Bailey, a young attorney, has
done yeoman service for the club
in drawing up new constitution and
by-laws and incorporation papers,
was elected to head the club for
the coming year at a meeting here
Friday night. Dr. A. L. Whitehurst,
chairman of the Nominating com
mittee, conducted the election.
Other officers elected were Wal
ter Furlong, first vice-president;
Jack House, second vice-president;
E. C. Pollard, secretary; Jim Lind
ler, treasurer; Dr. A. L. White
hurst, state director; John Lilly,
Billy Blackburn, Walton Swain and
Charles Walker, directors; Ralph
Basnight, sergeant-at-arms.