EHsnnsnEaHBBHHS-b-nsHE
T'own
opics
Among the many professional
football fans from this state who at
tended the game in Washington,
D. C., last Sunday between the De
troit Lions and the Washington
Redskins were L. V. Landing of
Plymouth, his son, L. V. Landing,
jr., of Greenville, W .A. Roebuck
and L. N. Womble of Plymouth.
The Redskins staged a thrilling
upset of the till-then undefeated
Lions, pulling out an 18-17 verdict.
Miss Janice Somerville, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. T. D. Somerville
iSf Plymouth, is now with the
United States Mission to the United
Nations General Assembly in New
York City. Miss Somerville has
been employed at the State De
partment in Washington, D. C., for
the past two years. In connection
with her State Department duties,
she left Washington last Friday to
join the mission in New York City.
Plymouth Attorney Carl L. Bai
ley, sr., easily the most corpulent
member of the county bar, was on
the witness stand Tuesday in super
ior court here and was being ques
tioned by Attorney Z. V. Norman
about his knowledge of a certain
person in connection with the
action being heard at the time. Mr.
Bailey gave the date of the only
conversation he could recall ever
having had with the person in
question, then modified his state
ment to say that he had been to
the home to get “country produce”
on a few occasions and might have
engaged in conversation with the
person on those occasions, though
he could not recall such. Judge
ftizzelle, turning to the witness,
sffcJ, “That was to get pork or ham,
wasn’t it, Mr. Bailey?” “It could
have been, judge,” quoth the wit
ness, “though they used to make
some mighty fine country butter
of which I’m fond, and used to sell
quite a bit.” To which the jurist
observed drily, “Anybody could tell
that you're used to good eating.”
W. W. Bowen, local Farmers
Home Admiinstration supervisor,
and Mrs. Ernestine Basnight, office
clerk, are attending a training
meeting for personnel of the Wil
liamston and Goldsboro areas be
ing held Wednesday and Thursday
of this week at Kinston. Place of
meeting is the Fairfield Communi
ty Center. Conducting the meeting
are Ralph Turner of the State FHA
office, Raleigh, and D. V. Modlin
and Marion C. Holland, supervisors,
respectively, of the Williamston
the Goldsboro areas.
County Voie Last
Week Sets Record
With Total 3,020
Represents 57 Per Cent of
•Number Registered; Few
Changes Shown by Offic
ial Canvass Thursday
A total of 3,020 Washington
County citizens voted in the gen
eral ejection Tuesday of last week, ]
almost 57 per cent of the 5,338
names on the registration books, it j
was learned at the official canvass ,
of votes last Thursday. This is the ;
largest vote ever recorded in Wash
ington County, although exact ]
figures of the percentage in prev- j
ious elections is not available.
Actually, it is not believed there ]
are 5,338 eligible voters in the ]
county, at this time, as the last 1
new registration was held in 1940, i
and it is believed the names of j
many people who have died or
moved away since that time are {
still on the books. It is possible ;
that a new registration may be j
gjrdered before another primary or '
general election is held, according s
to talk among members of the
board of elections. I
The official canvass last Thurs- i
day reveals a few variations from i
the unofficial returns published last 1
week. The board of elections did
not meet until 11 a. m. last Thurs- I
day and, due to length of the bal
lot, the official canvass was not
completed until after 1 o’clock,
making it impossible to get official
figures in last week’s paper.
In no case was the result ma- J
terially different from the figures ’
published last Thursday. In the '
presidential race, official figures J
See RECORD VOTE, Page 12 1
^Section Without Bus
Service Due to Strike
Plymouth, along with some other
communities in this area, has been
without bus service since Thursday
night of last week.
Gilmer Ayers, manager of the
bus station here, stated yesterday
that the last bus operated here at
7:55 p. m. Thursday and that there
appeared little hope of early re
sumption of schedules.
Reason for the disruption is a
strike of some 300 bus drivers. The
old contract expired September 22,
it was stated, and apparently pay
provisions stalled efforts to reach
an agreement between the manage
ment of Trailways and the drivers.
A. R. Guthrie of Washington,
who is area passenger sales repre
sentative for Trailways, was in
Plymouth Tuesday of this week and
stated that the company manage
ment refuses to negotiate with the
drivers until they go back to work.
It is understood that the striking
drivers held a meeting at Elizabeth
City Tuesday night of this week.
Friday the State Utilities Com
mission released an order author
izing other carriers to serve the
strikebound territory but no com
pany has taken advantage of the
order.
The Roanoke Beacon
****★★ and Washington County News ******
I
VOLUME LXVII—NUMBER 46 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina. Thursday, November 15, 1956
ESTABLISHED 1889
Seal Sale Letters Mailed This Week
More than 1,200 envelopes con
taining 1956 Christmas Seals were
delivered to the Plymouth Post
Office this week by the Washing
ton County Tuberculosis Associa
tion.
Home delivery of the seals
Thursday of this week will be the
signal for the nationwide opening
of the annual campaign to fight
tuberculosis.
Washington County has a high
tuberculosis case rate, already hav
ing eight new cases reported dur
ing 1956, and along with the Seals
went a plea from Mrs. Charlie
Robertson, chairman of the 1956
Seal Sale campaign in this county.
“These Christmas Seals,” Mrs.
Robertson wrote, “are being sent
to you with the hope that you will
purchase them and use them proud
ly. By doing this you are making
an investment in better health for
our country . . . When you buy
Christmas Seals you are making
possible a program of health edu
cation, casefinding by chest x-ray,
etc., rehabilitation and research.”
The children on the 1956 Christ
mas Seals illustrate the forward
march against tuberculosis, Mrs.
Robert pointed out. Colorado artist
Heidi Brandt has designed twin
Christmas Seals, a boy and a girl
dressed in green, each carrying the
red double-barred cross, trade
mark of the National Tuberculosis
Association and its affiliates.
Mrs. Robertson said it is hoped
that response will be almost 100
per cent to the Seal campaign this
year.
Farm Work Picks Up
As Fair Skies Return
I CONDUCTS REVIVAL
Bishop Ralph S. Cushman of
Raleigh will conduct a Christian
Stewardship revival at Plymouth
Methodist Church, beginnig Sun
day morning and closing the fol
lowing Wednesday night.
Bishop Cushman
To Lead Service
At Local Church
-®
Plymouth Melhodisls Will
Open Christian Steward
ship Revival Sunday ?t
11 O'Clock
A Christian Stewardship revival,
to be conducted by Bishop Ralph
S. Cushman of Raleigh, will begin
at Plymouth Methodist Church
Sunday.
The special series of meetings
will open at the morning service at
11 o’clock and meetings will be
held nightly at 7:30 o’clock through
Wednesday night following, accord-1
ing to an announcement from the
church minister, the Rev. Jesse H.
Lanning.
“Bishop Cushman,” stated Mr.
Lanning, "is known as one of the
foremost churchmen and spiritual
leaders in America. He has recent
ly retired and is now making his
home in Raleigh. Some of his
books of poems and other writings
will be aavilable at the church dur
ing the revival.”
Mr. Lanning continued, “We feel
that we are very fortunate in being
able to get Bishop Cushman here
for our church and the community.
We earnestly invite the public to
share in the services.”
Bishop and Mrs. Cushman are to
be the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Lan
ning while in Plymouth. Mrs. Lan
ning was Ernestine Cushman be
fore marriage.
-e
Creswell Turkey Shoot
Set Thanksgiving Day
—•—
The annual turkey shoot at Cres
well, sponsored by the Lake Phelps
post of the American Legion, will
be held on Thanksgiving Day, No
vember 22, it was announced this
week. The shoot will be held at
Earl’s Service Station, starting at
B a. m. The public is invited
Farmers Busy Combining
Soybeans and Threshing
Peanuts in County; Urge
Check of Moisture
Following a “drying-out” period
of several days of sunshine and
wind on crops and land, farm ac
tivities were back.in swing in this
county early this week. Combining
of soybeans and threshing of pea
nuts were much in evidence as
farmers sought to take full ad
vantage of the favorable weather to
get their money crops out of the
field.
Meantime, peanut growers were
being urged to exercise every pos
sible care in picking their peanuts
in order that the lowest possible
damage and moisture content might
result. I
Joe S. Sugg, executive secretary |
of the North Carolina Peanut
Growers Association, stated that on
a trip throughout the peanut area
last Friday that he and Peanut
Specialist A. D. Stuart of State
College found conidtions in the
fields varying from excellent in
properly stacked peanuts to very
poor in fields of poorly-stacked pea
nuts. Excessive damage was view
ed in some fields, it was said.
Moisture content of peanuts
should be below 10 per cent before
picking operations are started, it
was strongly emphasized. Sugg
suggested that a few stacks be
picked and a sample tested before
picking is continued.
Peanuts carrying a moisture con
tent above 10 per cent or damage
content above 8 per cent are not
subject to receive support price
and would thus have to be sold on
an unsupported market at a consid
erable discount.
Mr. Sugg pointed out that care
ful adjustment of the peanut pick
ers can reduce the damage by blow
ing out many of the peanut pods
carrying damaged kernels. Sugg
further indicated that the growers
should cooperate with the buyers
and market their peanuts in an or
derly manner over a reasonably
long period of time rather than
flooding hte market, overloading
the buying facilities, and thereby
causing price declines.
-®
Soybean Growers
Advised on Crop
♦
At a meeting held here last week
in cooperation with specialists
from N. C. State College, the N. C.
Department of Agriculture and the »
Federal Grain Inspecting Division
of the U. S. Department of Agri- 1
culture, several suggestions were I
advanced for realizing more money
from crops. ]
Farmers were advised to check i
the export market against the i
crushers market and to keep for- i
eign material and damage as low
as possible in soybeans. Good and
damaged beans should not be
mixed, it was brought out.
It is indicated that supplies are
beginning to tighten, said G. E.
Spain, agronomy specialist, and
since prices may rise due to in
creased demand, farmers might do
well to hold beans to take advan
tage of price rise, stabilization of
discount schedule or revised loan
program if such can be obtained.
Every effort is being made, it
was stated, to stabilize the price
of beans at a fair market price.
-. <S>
Independent Grocers To
Remain Open Wednesdays
Allen’s Grocery and B & W Super
Market announced this week that
the regular Wednesday afternoon
closings would not be in effect
from now until Christmas. These
stores will remain open all day
each Wednesday and it is expected
that the same policy will be follow
ed by most other grocery stores.
The local A&P Store announced
that it would remain open all day
Wednesday of next week because
of the Thursday closing for
Thanksgiving, but that the usual
half-holiday Wednesday schedule
will be observed as usual other
wise.
Several Divorces
Granted in Court
Here on Monday
- +
Contested Will Case Being
Heard During November
Civil Term of Washington
Superior Court
Court observers expected that
the November civil term of Wash
ington Superior Court would be
completed by late Wednesday of
this week.
Court opened here Monday morn
ing with Judge J. Paul Frizzelle
of Snow Hill presiding.
Several divorce cases were
heard Monday and an order to
amend complaint in the action of
Levi Elliott et al vs. W. G. O’Neal
et al was issued, to which plaintiff
objected and excepted. The order
stated that plaintiff was to amend
the complaint in accordance with
a motion made by defendant, to in
clude copy of alleged bond, show
ing dates referred to. Defendant
was given 30 days from the ad
journment of court in which to file
answer, demurrer or such other
pleadings as it may deem proper.
Plaintiff was further permitted
within the said time to make such
other amendment to his complaint
as he may desire.
Divorces were granted to: Lillian
Shugar from J. S. Shugar; Clyde
Spruill from Beatrice Spruill; Phyl
lis B. Gauthier from Roland Mor
ris Gauthier; Mabel Lee Armstrong
from Ralph L. Armstrong; Aaron
Lewis from Partha Lewis; Allen C.
Wells from Georgia Mae Wells;
Vernon G. Leary from Ada Breedon
St. Clair Leary; Aaron Cooper, jr.,
from Patience Cooper.
As The Beacon went to press the
court was occupied with a contest
ed will case, J. E. Turner, et al vs.
Andrew M. Arnold, et al.
-«
Peanut Yields in
County Said Good
Reports from farmers who are
picking peanats seem to indicate
that yields will be good even
though quality in many cases may
be lowered from excessive rains,
reported J. L. Outlaw, assistant
county agent, this week.
Certain farmers who have al
ready picked peanuts report yields
of 20 to 30 bags per acre, Outlaw
said. Carlton Phelps of Roper had
a yield of about 20 bags per acre.
J. L. Knowles of near Dardens who
also farms in Washington County
is reported to have got 15 bags per
acre from some of his best fields.
Quality was said to be good.
Some farmers, it was -said, feel
their peanut hay is practically a
total loss. Many peanuts were said
to be falling off on the way to the
picker, also, and this may consti
tute more of a loss than the dam
age to harvested nuts, thinks Mr.
Outlaw.
Run Into Obstacle
On County Request
For Drainage Help
Commissioners Decide Thai
Regional Request of More
Information Cannot Be
Met in Time
The amended project application
of the county for additionai federal
funds for stream clearance has
struck a serious snag, it appeared
following a special meeting of the
county commissioners here Thurs
day night,
At the meeting two letters from
General E. F, Griffin of Raleigh,
N. C., Civil Defense director, and
one from Regional Administrator
Thomas H. Goodman of Thomas
ville, Ga., were read. The letters
set out that letters from farmers
as to the number of acres of farm
land thpy were unable to plant or
grow crops to maturity on during
the 1956 season due to poor drain
age which could be attributed to
clogged streams caused by the 1955
hurricanes would have to be sub
mitted to the regional office on or
before November 23 to make the
application eligible for considera
tion. ,
Following motion by Commis
sioner rnuiip m. sprum ot ures
well, seconded by Commissioner H.
L. Davenport of Skinnersville, it
was voted unanimously to inform
General Griffin that it would be
impossible to get the additional
letters or statements in detail and
figures from farmers owning land
on the eight projects covered in
the amended project application to
reach Thomasville, Ga., on or be
fore the deadline.
A copy of the letter to General
Griffin was sent to Congressman
Herbert C. Bonner with a request
that he use his influence to get
the "red tape” cleared up, if possi
ble.
The letter to General Griffin ex
pressed appreciation of the board
"for the fine cooperation of your
office and the board feels that you
have gone out of your way to help
the commissioners.”
The additional information de
sired by 'he regional office in con
neet.on '. ' .h the amended project
application included:
1. Letters from farmers as to
number of acres they were unable
to plant or grow crops on during
1956 due to poor drainage which
could be attributed to streams
clogged by 1955 hurricane damage;
2. Letters should contain esti
mate in dollars of damages sustain
ed as result of poor drainage and
inability to use lands for growing
normal crops;
3. Land owners should also write
letters giving their estimated
damages to timber and woodlands
urowned and still inundated or
See DRAINAGE, Page 12
-•
Benefit Dance at
Creswell Friday
A homecoming day dance will
be hel din Creswell Friday night
of this week, November 16, with
proceeds to go toward purchase of
an actiivty bus for Creswell High
School. The dance will be held in
the high school gymnasium there,
following the homecoming day
basketball games between Cres
well and Jamesville High School
boys’ and girls’ teams. The public
is urged to attend.
It is reported that good progress
is being made in raising funds for
purchasing an activity bus. More
than $500 was realized for this pur
pose at the Halloween party held
recently at the school.
Water-Softening System
Gets Tentative Approval
Wcnona Is Top of List
In Percentage Voting
Wenona Precinct, although the
smallest in Washington County,
set the pace in good citizenship
at the polls on November 6th by
voting 92 per cent of its regis
tered strength. With only 64 reg
istered, 59 citizens went to the
polls in the general election,
which must be one of the best
records in the nation.
Percentage of those voting in
other Washington County pre
cints ranged from a low of 51
per cent in Skinnersville to 62
per cent in Lees Mill. Plymouth
Precinct No. 2, with the highest
registration in the county, voted
1,110 out of 1,865 for a percent
age of 62. The total number vot
ing is the highest in the coun
ty’s history.
The table below shows the
number of registered voters,
number who voted November 6,
and percentage of voters to total
registration. The table was pre
pared from reports to the coun
ty board of elections at the of
ficial canvass last Thursday.
Precinct Reg. Vot. %
Plym. No. 1.1,402 724 52
Plym. No. 2_1,865 1,110 60
Lees Mill.. 795 491 62
Skin’sville _ 386 197 51
Scup'nong _ 826 439 53
Wenona _ 64 59 92
Totals _ 5,338 3,020 57
District Club Women
Met Here Last Week
-f- 1
Annual Meeting Here Last
Thursday Attended by
140 Club Women Repre
senting 23 Clubs
♦
Thursday of last week Plymouth
was a mecca for members of wo
men’s clubs of District Fifteen as
three local clubs served as hosts
to the annual meeting.
The event was held at Plymouth
Methodist Church with 140 ladies,
representing 23 clubs, attending.
Mrs. R. P. Rogers of Greenville,
who is district president, was in
charge of the meeting. The Green
ville club won a prize for having
the most members to travel the
greatest distance. The Plymouth
Junior Woman’s Club, one of three
host clubs, won a prize for having
the ni^st attractive vearb ok.
MSfts Jor ; j meeting
were Plymouth Woman’s Club,
Mrs. W. H. Joyner, president; and
Thursday Afternoon Literary Club,
Mrs. J. S. Fleming, president. Pres
ident of the Plymouth Junior Wo
man’s Club is Mrs. Raymond Saw
yer.
Reports were heard from the
president of each club represented.
Registration was from 10 to 10:30
a. m. The program opened with
processional by Mrs. R. L. Combs,
of Plymouth, followed by call to or
der by district president. The as
sembly was led in singing the Club
Woman’s Hymn by Mrs. K. S. Trow
bridge of Plymouth. The Rev. Jesse
H. Lanning of Plymouth Methodist
Chnrch spoke the invocation and
greetings were brought by the pres
idents of the three host clubs. Mrs.
C. W. Beasley of Colerain re
sponded.
A highlight of the meeting, an
address by Mrs. Aubrey Mauney,
president of the North Carolina
Federation of Women’s Clubs, fol
lowed recognition of guests, min
utes of the last district meeting,
and appointment of committees.
Mrs. Robert L. Mitchell, soloist,
accompanied by Mrs. Combs, pre
sented special music, following
which the assembly was addressed
by Mrs. James M. Harper, jr., sec
ond vice president of the N. C.
Federation. Pledge to the flag was
led by Mrs. W. M. Darden of Plym
outh. An address by Mrs. Marjorie
Kokley, third vice president of the
state federation, and special music
SeTlWEEnNcTPageT ~
i Beacon To Be
i Out Day Early
The Roanoke Beacon will be
published on Wednesday of
next week, one day ahead of
the usual schedule. It will be
necessary for correspondents to |
mail their material so that it
will reach the office on or be
fore Monday in order to insure
publication.
Those sending in church an
nouncements and advertising
copy also are requested to have
copy in the office not later than
Monday. Due to observance of the
Thanksgiving holiday by postal
workers, The Beacon, although
printed a lw early, ’•.ill not go
out on the ,aWwgwcs until
Friday, the usual time.
The Beacon office will be
closed all day Thursday.
No Strike Notice
Served on Road,
C. B. Burns Says
In Letter, Chairman of Exe
cutive Committee of As
sociation, Takes Issue
No strike notice has been served
on the Norfolk Southern Railway,
according to a statement in a let
ter addressed to the editor of The
Roanoke Beacon and signed by C.
B. Burns of Cary Rt. 1, chairman of
the Association of General Chair
men on the Norfolk Southern Rail
way.
The letter, under date of No
vember 13, takes issue with an ar
ticle published in the November
8th issue of The Beacon concern
ing the resignation of L. H. Lem
ley, former trainmaster here with
the railroad. In a telephone conver
sation with a Beacon reporter No
vember 7 Lemley said he resigned
his position here because various
unions had served notice on the
Wilh Lemley Slatement
See NOTICE, Page 12
¥ 1
•re from Plymouth, as even a casual check will reveal,
j a pretty good time. Using a telephoto lens, Jewel
Hardison, Plymouth native and staff photographer for the Raleigh Newa and Observer'
and Times, made a crowd shot at the Carollna-Maryland football game earlier this season and clipped out this portion to send the Beacon.
Carolina was winning at the time, one of the*few times this season Jhat has been so, hence the happy faces. No attempt will ‘
mown scene
”WW MW MJ» H»r,li.nn Plymouth native and si
here to identify those in the picture—except for Principal and Mrs. Fleming near the center—hut local folks will recognise moot of the
faces anyway.
Action Taken at City Coun
cil Meeting on Monday
Night; Total Cost Is Esti
mated Around $23,903
Tentative approval was given by
the town council Monday night to
plans and estimates of the cost of
a water-softening system for in
stallation here when the new water
tank is constructed. The council
also ordered a new police car,
metal drainage pipe for one block
of Fourth Street, accepted a bid
for painting the old water tank and
considered several other matter*.
Rivers & Rivers, Greenville en
gineering firm employed by the
town to supervise construction of
the new water tank and related
projects, estimated total cost of the
water-softening system at $23,903.
This includes the equipment, an
18 by 36 concrete block building
and a heavy duty fence around the
plot on which the new tank and
water-softening plant is to be lo
cated.
While the estimated cost is some
what higher than anticipated by
members of the council, Mayor
A. J. Riddle expressed the opin
ion that the system could be in
stalled during the next fiscal year
without borrowing any money. It is
designed to soften the water here
from 214 to 72 parts per million,
according to the plans. With this
understanding, members of the
council voted unanimously to ap
prove the plans and estimates,
which will be forwarded to the
state board of health for its ap
proval. After approval by that
agency, bids will be requested by
the engineering firm. Contract*
have already been let for the new
water tank and foundations, ap
propriations for which are includ
ed in the current year’s budget.
The council voted to buy metal
pipe for installation on Fourth
Street. There was some discussion
of the difference between concrete
and coated metal pipe, cost of
which was about the same, but in
stallation of metal pipe was said to
be considerably less and that was
ordered. Approximately 384 lineal
feet of pipe will be needed at
$11.72 per foot, making cost of
material about $4,900.
After the pipe is laid on Fourth
Street, between Madison and
Adams, the ditch beside the street
is to be filled in order that it may
be surfaced sometime in the near
future.
A bid of $795 for painting the
old water tank, inside and out, was
accepted. The work is to be done
by Universal Construction Co., of
See COUNCII^Page~
Jay vees and Dads
Get Together at
Banquet Tuesday
—■ ♦
Held in High School Lunch
room; Coach, Squad Mem
bers and Cheerleaders
Praised for Their Work
Members of the 7th and 8th
grade football squad and their dads
plus a few invited friends, were
guests at a banquet Tuesday night
in the high school lunchroom here.
The sumptuous turkey dinner was
prepared by mothers of the squad
members, with the assistance of
Miss Blanche Davis of the school
cafeteria, and served by the 7th
and 8th grade cheerleaders.
Charles Inabinett, who coached
the jayvees to an exceptionally suc
cessful season, presided. The invo
cation was made by H. C. Carter
and W. Carlyle Hall, member of
the city council, was the principal
speaker. Praising inauguration of
the jayvee program here this year,
Mr. Hall told the boys that not
only their parents but the whole
town was proud of them, and he
paid tribute to Mr. Inabinett for
getting the program off to such an
excellent start this season.
Mr. Inabinett recognized each of
the boys individually and also the
cheerleaders, expressing his ap
preciation for the cooperation he
had received from the school and
the students. Jimmy Fleming, a
member of the team, presented the
coach with gifts from the cheer
leaders and squad members in ap
preciation of his efforts.
— *
Junior Class Play Set
Friday ai Roper School
— t—
The junior class play, "Grandad
Goes Wild," will be presented Fri
day night of this week at Roper
High School, it is announced. Cur
tain time will be 8 o’clock.
A door prize will be given to
some lucky winner, the announce
ment stated. A good-sized crowd la
anticipated.