North Carolina Newspapers

MV - : , - KEY ClTJf OF THE MOUNTAIMS I VvJy (7 Vfll I1MP YI II - ...... . " " ' -- 1-KAniU.IN, . C, IHUKSUAIMiBRUARY 10, 1927 NUMBER SIX EIGHT MONTHS TERIJ DESIRABLE Few Schools Have Long Term s Eight Months School Discussed Would Benefit 179,404 pupils. Facts and figures bearing on " the proposal that the State Constitution be so amended as to provide for a minimum eight months school term the proposal on which the State Education. Commission split recently are contained in the most recent issue of ' State School Facts, just received here. One hundred seventy-nine thousand, four hundred four rural white . pupils in North Carolina would secure a longer term, under the eight months' minimum, the publication, put out by the States Department of Public In struction. shows.4 The' figure repre sents 42.1. per cent of the State's rural white school children.. In the rural negro schools, 173,110 children, or 89 per cent, are enrolled in schools having terms of less than eight months. In the city schools, on the con trary, all white" schools have terms of eight months ' or more, and 92.8 of the negro children are enrolled in schools having terms of eight months or more. , "... t: . .. The proposed minimum would give a. longer term to more than three fourths of the rural . white children in this county," School Facts shows that 2,715, or 76.5 per cent, of the rural white children in Macon are enrolled in schools having terms of less than 160 days, or eight months. The publication lists the counties by rank, according to. percentage of children attending schools of eight , -months or more. Macon county is ranked ninety-third in this particular, only seven other counties having a smaller proportion of their rural white school population enrolled in schools of eight months or more.. Counties ranking lower than Macon are " Dare, Ashe, AVatauga, Surry, Caswell, Yad lcin, and Wilkes. School Facts reviews the history of school term growth in North Carolina, and gives a large number of statis tical tables, on which its statements are based. ' It points out that during the first 17 years of the present century, in creases in school terms were largely made possible through schools dis tricts voting upon . themselves addi tional taxes. But after 1913, when the State Equalizing Fund was crea ted, the State" as a whole helped j to increase school terms in poorer counties. . In 1917, the constitution was so amended as to make the minimum term six instead of four months. Since that time, says School Facts, special tax districts have increased their terms beyond the six months minimum term in the same ? way by voting additional local school taxes "In .other words, where wealth has J tentraUzed, the people have been able W to provide for a loneer term that Wthat set forth in the Constitution ;J and where very, little taxable wealth exists, ; the people have been forced to be content with a six months school term." t From 1900-01 to 1925-26, the average term in the white city schools has increased from 170 to 177.6 days; in the white rural schools, from 76 to 139.6 days, a statistical table shows. The figures for the 25-year period show, according to the publication, that the "increase in average term for the rural schools has been a gradual but slow process ;" and that "all the city children,, both white and Coiored, have " had the - opportunity to attend school for eight months or more during the whole of the period whereas the average rural child has never had as much as seven months." "In 1922-23, there were 429,368 children-that did not have the op portunity of an eight months school I term.' Ii Yhildren "ilhan eig In im-an, there were jou.u in schools having terms less ight months. Of this number. 1356.044, or 98.7 per cent, were rural children.'; . "Thirtv-five per cent of the rural white children and 81.7 per cent of the rural colored children are pro vided with the, minimum school term of six months, No city white child and only 2.1' per cent of the city colored children are enrolled in schools having the minimum term of six months as provided by the Con stitution." The ... publication summarizes, with "indications and proposals" drawn from the figures thus : ? - "All these facts indicate that there is a very definite tendency for the people of the State to: extend the term beyond the six, monts as re quired as a minimum in the Consti tution. However this method of ex tending the term also tends to make more unequal the opportunities of the DEATH CALLS JOHN WILLIAMS Mr. John Williams, 63, a pioneer citizen of the county and prominent farmer of Holly Springs district, died at his home February 6, and was in terred at Holly Springs Baptist Church February 7, Rev. Wayne Mc Cracken, of Canton, preaching the funeral services. " Besides his widow the deceased is survived by three children, Charlie Williams, Mrs. Harvey Seay and Mrs. Dewey- Corbin, all of Macon county. He is also survived by three brothers, Bob and Jim of -Macon county and Charlie of Buncombe county. The deceased was a member of the Holly Springs Baptist jChurch for many ylears and took an active part in all affairs tending toward the betterment of the community and county. GOVERNMENT TO PRESERVE HISTORIC LONG-HORN CATTLE That the long-horned, or Spanish cattle, once so numerous in the South west, may be preserved from complete extinction, the Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, will maintain a herd on the Wichita Nat ional Forest in Oklahoma, according to an announcement made to-day by Col. W. B. Greeley, chief forester. The agricultural appropriation bill signed by President Coolidge on Jan uary 17, . carries an item for their purchase and maintenance. The department has for several years urged the necessity for a small herd of these picturesque examples of early pioneer life of the Southwest for the benefit and education of future generations interested in. pio neer history, said Colonel Greeley. . The Wichita national forest lies right in the heart of the range of the old southern herds of plains buffalo, and is a part of the region formerly known as the Indian Terri tory, where now live more than fifty thousand Indians. . Here also grazed some of the pio neer herds of the long-htorned cattle when the livestock industry in the Southwest was in its infancy. There are still a few living mem bers of this once numerous breed of cattle to be found in Texas. The herd for the Government will be selceted by expert cattlemen familiar with the characteristics of the cattle and of the southwestern ranges. They will be grazed in a pasture immediately adjoining the one occu pied by the nerd of buffalo now established on the forest. PARK BILL INTRODUCED In the general assembly at Kaleigh a bill has been introduced to authorize a bond issue of $2,000,000 for purchase of the lands to be included in the boundary , of the proposed Smoky Mountain Park in North Carolina. Tennessee is expected to provide funds to buy 75,000 acres. Thus the two states will obtain a nusleus of 150;'0Q0 acres in the Smoky mountains and turn this land over to the nation al government. The government will then improve the park area by- the construction of roads, etc. Those in charge of the bill estimate that the state will soon receive enough money from gasoline tax to repiy the bond issue. Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Omohundro, of Hendersonville arrived Monday to visit Mrs. Omohundro's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Barnard. Mr. Omo hundrom returned . Wednesday while Mrs. Omohundrom . will remain here several days. children to secure - an - education. In effect it gives to that child born in the community where taxable wealth is available a greater opportunitv than it gives to the child living in the wealthy section of the State. "Since, therefore, there is already a very definite tendency toward the securement of an eight months school term as a satisfactory minimum stan dard ; since all high schools of the State have this minimum as a pre requisitive to standardization; since nearly all city schools have a 'nine months term; and since there are yet 360,707 children living in the rural districts that do not have as much as an eight months school term r-it has been suggested that, in order to offer these children living in the less wealthy sections of the State a longer school term and to distribute the support of such a minimum term uniformly throughout the several counties., the word "six" as to "eight." "The first step in the process is for the General Assembly to1 submit the question to the peoule for them to de termine at the general election of 1928. If the people -by their votes decide favorably, then the Constitu tion as changed would, be effective for the first, time in the school year 1929-30." STATE GAME LAW i INTRODUCED opecuies viosea oeason On Birds and Game. The State Game Bill, introduced in the house by Representative Sutton, of Lenoir, meets ,the requirements of Western North Carolina, organization formed here sometime ago for the purpose of seeking game and fish protective legislation and of re-stocking the forests and streams in the mountain counties. The evecutive committee . of the Association, which has a membership of approximately 500,' has endorsed the bill, and asked western legislators to work for its enactment. The organization originally had in mind. a district measure. wWh would' mountain counties, but because the I Sutton . bill provides for members 6f , thP r.sme rnmrnksinn in mm frm I different sections of the State, in suring the west' representation, and provides that the Commission shall have the authority to vary provisions of the law in different counties or sections, in accord with local condi tions and needs, which vary in the different parts of the State, , the As sociation concluded that the Sutton measure would give the legislation be lieved desirable and necessary. The . Commission would be composed of five , members, four appointed bv the 'Governor with the advice . and,L terms, and the fitth, the Director of' consent or tne senate, lor six-year the JJepartment of Conservation ana Development. The members would serve without pay, except for per diem expenses while actually perform ing their official duties. The Commission, in turn, would ap point a State Game Warden, at a salary not to exceed $5,000, and trav eling expenses not in excess of $1500 per annum. The Commission and warden would have their offices at Raleigh. The warden would act as Secretary to the board, but would have no vote. The purposes and duties', of the commission, under provisions of the bill, would be "to protect, propagate, and preserve the game, fur-bearing animals, and protected birds of the!" wnicn " on t fnr nrnvicinno I highway Construction. MUl Ml VVS VI1IVI V, 111V 1 VI i7Vl of this act and other acts relating to the protection of game." The commission would be empower ed to acquire land, by lease, gift, orJ purchase; to establish game refuges on such land or on State forests, with the consent of the State Forest er; to "formulate, adopt, and post regulations", geverning the use . of such lands, which regulations would have the force of law ; to "change any open season within the, first and last dates of such open season provided by this act for the State or for any county or district," and to lower the bag limits; to establish "lay days" on which migratory birds might not be taken all these changes to be made only on petition of at least 3 citizens, ana auer puuucauun of notice of intention to make such changes; to entirely close a season, if it were deemed desirable; to ac quire animals or birds . to re-stock the forests ; and to borrow money in anticipation of license fees to be 'col lected. v The bill would not interfere with county game commissions, except that the State body would have juris diction, in so far as the provisions of the bill were concerned. The State Game Warden would be authorized to issue permits for the taking of birds or atiimals for scien tific - purposes ; - to - appoint,- with j the consent of the commission, deputy game wardens; and to prepare the form of license and execute warrants All, sheriffs and other officers ' would become, deputy game wardens ex-officib and would be charged with the duty of enforcing the bill s pro visions. In addition to their regular fees, they would receive a fee of $5 for obtaining evidence leading to a conviction of violation of the bill's provisions. The warden, deputy wardens, and refuge keepers would be deputy forest wardens, ex-officio. Monevs received for licenses etc.. would be required to be deposited with the State Treasurer, and kept in a separate fund, for use in cuting the provisions of the measure. I he license fees would be fixed at $1.50 for residents of the State and $25 for non-residents. In addition, the licensee would be required to pay the officer issuing the license a fee of 25 cents. Additional fees could be charged non-residents by counties. Property owners would be permit ted to hunt on their own nronprtv without license, except that they would be subject to the seasonal and other provisions of the bill and regu- iduuns wi uie commission, ine CELEBRATES OPENING OF NEW COMMERCIAL HOTEL ROAD BUILDING SHOWSPROGRESS Visitors Praise Work of Road Building Being Car ried On Committee In spects Prospective Routes. That Georgia will in the very near future be traversed by a network of good roads to more adequately accom modate the ever-increasing traffic, is now becoming- more apparent with each passing day. lhat Georgia realizes this need, and " Providing ttie means and .methods lor attaining its culmination, is a self jvident fact which is brought more "u,jr lu,u,c dUtI u n OI ner C1U" tn! now lnan CVCr DelOfe. In this connection we will aeain mention the inspection trip of the committee of five from the Appala ch ian Scenic Highway, which commit tee inspected prospective routes for this great highway from Atlanta to the. Florida line and selected route No. 3 as the official route. This com mittee -two members of. which were Gainesville men, H.. H. Estes and W. G. Mealor had as its chairman Hon. Jas. G. Stikeleather of Asheville, N. C. It is now recalled that at a eood roads meeting last fall at Franklin, C-. Mr Stikeleather declared that Georgia had received more per dollar tor the money which it has expended for highway construction than almost any other state in the union. A few days ago Mr. Stikeleather toured through the center of Georgia from the North Carolina line near Blairsville to the Florida line near Valdosta, via Gainesville, Atlanta, Macon and Cordele, and back to North Carolina, from the Florida line via Thomasville, Albany, Americus, inomaston, Atlanta and Gainesville His observations on this trip moved nim to express great surprise and pleasure over the splendid condition of the highways which he had travel ed in Georgia and over the evident progress which the state is making in gnway construction. Among others Mr. Stikeleather was accompanied by Roscoe A. Marvel, of Asnevnie, president ot the Appalachi c . an scenic Highway association, and Dr. K. E. Bennett, of Brvson Citv. N. C, both highway enthusisast, and both of whom joined with Mr. Stike leather in his commendation of what Georgia is doing in. the matter, of highway improvement. That Mr. Stikeleather and his two distinguished fellow North Carolinians were correct in their conclusions and were thoroughly justified in their statements is shown bv heures taken from the official records of the state highway board. Gainesville News EX-SERVICE MEN AND INSURANCE Recent legislation has extended the time for reinstating government in surance to July 2, 1927. Ex-service men who desire to reinstate their insurance or to convert their in surance to another form can get in formation from Mr. Alf Higdori of Franklin, or the U. S. Veterans Bureau, Charlotte, N.C. cense year would extend from April 1 to - March -31. Violations of the measure would be misdemeanors, punishable with a fine of not more than $50 or imprison- mcnt for not more than 30 days, for the first offense; second offend ers would be fined not less than $25 nor more than $200, or imprisoned not more than six months, or both. In addition, offenders would be sub ject to having their licenses revoked. The Audubon Society - would be dissolved, under provisions of the bill, and an appropriation of $10,000 would be made for initial expenses, this first moneys collected under the pro visions of the measure. The bill fixes maximum open seas ons and bag limits for squirrel, rab- exe-jbit, deer, bear, raccoon, opossum, mink, skunk, otter, muskrat, gray and red fox, quail, wild turkey, ruffled 0. , - -' n - - & necked pheasants, ducks, geese, brant, Wilson's snipe, coot, gallinules, black bellied ami golden plover, woodcok, and dove, and authorizes, the State Game Commission to shorten or close the season, and to ilower the bag limits, in its discretion. ,;. , . It provides for no open season for beaver, elk buffalo, swan, wood duck, and eider duck, and for no closed season on wiia cats. The Scott Griffin Hotel For-' mally Opened Last Tues dayDance Features Opening Ceremonies. Franklin Tuesday celebrated the for mal opening of its new $50,000 hos telry, the Scott Griffin, easily one of . the best commerical hotels west of Asheville. New, attractive, and thoroughly modern from the Trane vapor modu lating heating system to the 99-inch sheets on the beds (90 inches is the standard lenght, hotel men say) the new hotel concluded its formal open ing ceremonies Tuesday night with a dance on the fourth-floor roof garden another innovation in this section. Participating in the opening cere monies were the people of the town and numerious visitors. Sam L. Franks, W. C. Cunningham,1 and H. W. Cabe, the builders and owners of the structure, and Mrs. J. L. Farmer, the - leassee, were in charge of the program. Music for the dance was furnished by an Asheville orches tra, i . ' The new hotel building, under con struction for the past several months, has just been completed, and it was only recently that its name and management were announced. . It is named for the late Scott Grif fin, a . prominent citizen of Ruthcr fordton, and well known throughout Western North Carolina; Mr. Griffia was Mr. Franks' father-in-law. Mrs. Farmer, who has leased the hotel for a five-year period, comes to Franklin from Gainesville, Ga, where for the past four years she was connected with the Princeton Ho tel. Prior to her work in Gainesville, she was connected with hotels in Tuscaloosa, Ala. She is said to be a hotel manager of marked ability, having given special study to prob lems of the preparation and serving of meals. Mrs. Farmer brougt her cooks, trained by herwith her from Gainesville. The Scott Griffin Hotel, a four- story tire-proof brick structure, stands on the north side of Main street, in the very heart of the business sec tion of Franklin. It has 36 bedrooms, each attractively furnished, with hot and cold water in each room. The office and a spacious, well lighted lobby, made cheerful by an old-tashioned wood fire at one end, is on the first floor. The remainder of the first flo&r is devoted to two attractive store rooms and a barber shop. ' : , ' The bed-rooms are on the second and third floors. On the second floor are the dining room, which is very attractive with its many win dows and small tables; the kitchen scientifically arranged, and equipped with all-metal tables, etc; and a ladies' parlor, overlooking the street The fourth-floor roof garden is per haps one of the most attractive features of the new hotel. Lighted and heated, it can be used, winter and summer, for banquets, concerts, dances, and other large gatherings. The interior is finished with plaster. The wood work and furniture are in walnut finish. . . All equipment and furniture, the builders say, has been carefully se lected, with a view to getting the best. The owners take particular pride in the modulating heating system, and in the circulating hot water system, which makes possible the in stant hot water system. The hotel has been arranged for telephones in each bedroom. Tlv telephones probably will be installed later. - ' The" building " contains" no" inside rooms, every room having outside windows. . Franklin has long felt the need of a new and up-to-date hotel, to accomo date the growing traveling public that Comes here, and it is generally felt that the new inn fills a long and acutely felt need. The owners are prominent business men here., Mr. Franks is postmaster: of Franklin ; Mr, Cunningham, a lead ing merchant; and Mr. Cabe is the cashier of the Bank of Franklin. The owners built " the hotel them-r selves. Supervising the construction work was H. O. Curtis, of Svlva. The plumbing and heating .was in stalled by Holder Brothers, of Mur phy. This particular line of the work was under the supervision of C. H. L?Va!.una Murphy, and W. G. Hall. of Franklin. Mr. J. H. Swafford had his hand pretty badly cut with an axe, while working at the mine of the Mica Products Company at the head of Cowee Wednesday of last week. He was engaged in jacking up a buildine when his assistant in driving a wedge turned the "axe loose resulting in the injury. j .