North Carolina Newspapers

AMERICA First, Last sad Always The Syly a THE SYLVA HERALD ? Dedicated To Profrmhrf flwrki To Jackson County VOL. XVIII NO. 25 AND RURALITE ? CONSOLIDATED JULY, 1943 SYLVA, N. C., WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1943 $1.50 A Year In Jackson and Swain Countied ? 5c Copy Raises War Quota A. Parris Home Brief Rest From ar Fronts of Europe By Hilda Way Gwyn John A. Parris, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Parris, of SyWa, is home from London for a fort night's visit, with his parents. In fact it may be many years before John A. Parris, who has made a name for himself as a foreign cor respondent with the United Press, i ever spends much time again in his home town. The high news spot centers, of the world now come under his coverage. In time, it, has been only a^few years since his reporting days in Jackson county, but judging by his progress, in the riewsworld it would seem longer. We doubt if Mr. Parris himself realized when he climbed the court house hill to cover a Jackson Coun ty murder trial in his early teens, tjhat s^.ome day his work would bring him in contact with European roy - alty and that instead of recording rural life he would be handling intriguing facts of international significance. Mr. Parris is today recognized as an authority on underground Eu . rope and has been on foreign as signments for nearly three years, covering Eujapean politics arid combat area^n Northern Africa. He has kept a steady flow of vital news from areas that have been difficult to reach. He was the accredited war cor respondent to the 12th U. S. Air Force in Africa. He landed with the invasion forces and accompan ied General Do4little. He spent around six weeks covering the ac tivities in the NOtth African war theatre. He was called back to situations developing in the Allied countries in Europe. ,He knows the inside story of the French peo ple which has puzzled Ajberfcans at many times. He also got the story of Darlan Twhen others failed. His newspaper career began when he was around 12 years of age, at which time he started writ ing the sports news of his local high school for the Jackson County Journal. When he was 14 he be came a correspondent for the Ashe ville Citizen and the United Press. During this time he wrote the story of the Rev. Albert Teester, the parson who let a rattlesnake bite him to prove his faith in God to his congregation. The story did more than prove the preacher's faith, however, for it revealed the reporting talents of young Parris. x The story was carried all over this country and throughout the world by the United Press. Yet perhaps John Parris did know where he was heading for, even at an early age. At least one might judge so, from a contribu tion his mother made during our interview with him last Friday at the home of his parents in Sylva. "My living room was always cluttered up when John was grow ing up. It was covered with his papers and writings scattered over the floor. I would get after him and he would always say, 'But mother, this is the way I am go ing to make my living some day'," said Mrs. Parris, as she smiled with pride. In December, 1934, Mr. Parris was called to the Raleigh Bureau of the United Press a.nd remained ? there until 1937. Here he covered news of the State Capitol. In April of that year he was transferred to the New York office as one of the three feature writers of the United Press. It was his job to WTite stories that came into the office. He handled a number of important assignments while - connected with (Continued on page four) In Today's Paper Is An Inter esting Sketch on 4he Life of Judge Felix E. Alley Written By R. C. Lawrence , -t ? this article deals with Jackson's famous son, and you'll enjoy reading it in to day's issue of The Herald. Returns Home JOHN A. PARRIS,' JR., of the London office of United Press, andv an authority .on European under ground governments, is home for a brief visit before returning to his work on European fronts. Women Observe Canning Of Meat ? ~~ ' t Demonstration Is Held By Home Agent In Jackson County. Margaret Martin, hprne demon stration' iHBL JMBOTtS ?thAtittO>t W&fol ber and weeks in November have been taken up wfth demonstrations of meat can ning in Jackson county Home Dem- ! onstration club meetings. She says that she had some dif ficulties in getting the meat to be used in the demonstrations, but the 'local ration board allowed her ad ditional . points, and some of the women brought chickens fron& their homes to put up. * Usually beef stew or a cut of pork was the meat canned but in some cases the chickens were used. She reports that a number of worn men who do not often attend club meetings came to watch this dem ( onstration. During the canning, she explain i ed the killing, preparation and han jdling of meat for this purpose, and jthe women attending were invited to ask questions and bring their canning problems. Glass jars were used for all the canning in the demonstrations, but as many of the women were inter- . ested in tin cans, Miss Martin j gave a discussion of this process. ! She says that many of the Jack ! son women who have never before bothered with producing their own meat have this year a young beef ! or pork to can, and for this reas- ! | on, a number of amateurs were 1 present for the demonstrations. 1 In addition to the regular club meetings at which this program i was planned, Miss Martin has been j asked by a number of other com munities to continue her demon stration for their benefit. 32,292 People i Visited Park Last Month j ! Though approximately 3^292 j persons visited the Park in Octo ber, this total was only ytKper cent as great as that for October, 1942. In spite of restrictions on travel, j some 36 per cent of the visitors came from states other than Ten nessee and North Carolina. The visitors came from 32 known dif ferent states and the District of Cdlumbia. Travel is estimated by compari son of actual travel counts made at certain periods of the- month with actual travel counts made at the corresponding periods of the preceding year. TIRE SITUATION TIGHTENS Operators of passenger cars may find it impossible to obtain used tires because commercial vehicles delivering essential goods are now eligible to receive used passenger and truck tires of sizes smaller, than 7:50-20 to replace tires no longer serviceable. I November Is Christmas Mailing Month This Year Delivery of the annual flood of Christmas gifts and cards on time, always^ a serious problem, "will be more than a problem this year it will be an impossibility ? un i less Christmas mailings are made largely in November," Postmaster General Frank C. Walker warned this week. "Transportation facilities are burdened to the limit with war materials and personnel, and the postal service has sent more than thirty-one thousand experienced employees into the army and navy," Mr. Walker said. "The only solu tion to the Christmas problem ist mail in November. Mark your par cels. 'Do Not Open Uhtil Christ mas.' That is the only way to avoid disappointment on Christmas Day not only for many civilians but also for millions of members of the armed forces who are still in this country. "It- ts also the only way to avoid the possibility, of a Christ mas emergency in the "traaspdfta tion artd postal services. xTf thfc nublic will., cooperate by piailing their Christmas parcels during No vember, we can handle a small vol ume of light, last-minute mailings, such as cards, up to December 10 but we can do that and avoid an emergency only if November is really 'Christnias Mailing Mortth'.'* Postal officials pointed out that the volume of mail now is far above any previous records, that railway cars by the hundreds _ have been diverted to war service and that the air lines have only about half as many places as they once oper ated. More than two hundred thousand extra temporary employees nor mally are employed to help wityi the holiday postal rush. This year, employees hr largsij women and high school boys and girls who are unable to work the long hours usually required and whose work will be relatively slow. To deliver the Christmas mails ?n time, therefore, it is necessary that mailings be spread out over a longer period so that available transportation equipment and pos tal personnel can be used during more weeks. It will be utterly im possible to make? the deliveries by Christmas if mailers wait until the last three weeks before the holiday, as in normal years. There is another reason for shop ping and mailing earlier than ever before. Retail stores are short handed. Purchasers can avoid shopping in crowded stores, long waits for service, and other incon veniences of late shopping if they buy now. They will also doubtless have a better choice of merchandise than will be available later. Postmaster General Walker ob I servfed that his warning is not a Yi attempt to tell the public what to do; it is only an advance notifica tion of what will happen if they mail late. He feels that the pub lic is entitled to the facts, and that when they know, them, they will decide to mail in November. Chas. Deitz Flies . 600 Miles For 30 Minutes Visit Charles Deitz, petty officer, U. S. Navy, who is serving somewhere in the Pacific war theater, recent ly flew 600 miles for a 30 minutes visit with his nephew, Lt. ( jg) Roy ' Totherow, of Asheville. Petty Officer Deitz is the brother of Mrs. Ollie Banks, of Sylva, and son of Rev. and M*s. T. F. Deitz. I He has been in the service for the pAst 17 years and his last visit home was in December, 1942, for a j 4 days leave, the first in seven ! years. ! Lt. Totherow is "serving oh the Saratoga Airplane Carrier. Mrs. McKee Back From State Board of Education Meet Mrs. E. L. McKee has returned home after spending several days in Raleigh, where she attended the regular monthly meeting of the State Board of Education. Mrs. ' McKee represents this district on the state board. Membership on the board is con- j sidered a constitutional office and Mrs. McKee is the first woman in the state to hold such an office. Jackson Hunters Bag 4 Bears In One Day - ? , ? ? ? Sptaks His Mind DURING A SESSION of the House Ways and Means Committee, be whiskered F. E. Gimlett, a gold prospector from Leadville, Colo., received permission to express his views. He said: "1 want Congress to put the WACs and WAVEs back In the kitchen with the pots, pans and babies." (International) Miss EJah Cowart Is Demonstration Teacher At WCTC Miss Elah Cowart of Summit, Georgia, has been employed by ad mifyisiratiottjiafr. Wfgtora f CaMlins Teachers College as demonstration teacher of third gr$de in the train- | ing school. .1 Miss Cowart has been engaged to fill the vacancy left by Mrs. James Whatley, teacher of the third grade for the last five years, t who resigned recently to join her husband, former coach at the col- i lege, now in service stationed at Pacotellos Idaho. Cecil Harris, of Asheville, has been added to the staff of the Co lonial Mica Corporation. Twenty -two. members of the Sylva Hunting Club and three Haywood hunters, bagged four bears on the fitst day of their two day hunt in Sherwood Forest last Friday. | The group- made another hunt Saturday, but did not make a kill. Harry Ferguson got the prize kill of the hunt, when he brought down a 400- pounder. The next, largest bruin killed was from the shot of Dr. W. P. McGuire. His bear weighed about 226 pounds. I Mack Ashe, who was on his sec ond bear hunt, bagged a 175-pound er. The Ashe family observed the1 arrival of their son from service home by serving some of the meat. The smallest kill of the hunt | ;was made by A. F. Arrington. ! At least ten bears were jump.d on the first day of the hunt, and i signs indicated bear . were plenti ful in the Sherwood ar^ea this year J Bryson City Host To Scout Court Of Honor On 1st Bryson City Troop No. 1 Boy , Scouts of America was host to the 'Daniel Boone Council last Monday 'evening at 8 o'clock in the court! house. Visiting troops were: Sylva No. 1; Franklin No. 1; Cherokee Trot>p No. 1;. and Whittier Troop No. 10. / j The court was opened with the presentation of the colors and invo cation by Rev. C. O. Newell. Officials of the court of honor were F. V. Smith, executive secre tary of Asheville; Hugh Monteith, of Sylva, George Lee, of Sylva, Tom Blossom, of Cherokee; and ^rWilHairt Andrews of Whit tier. Scouts going before the court for promotion were: Francis Buchanan and Jimmy Madison, of Sylva troop promoted to the rank fo Star Scouts. Jim Ryan, Sylva troop to the rank of 1st class scout. Jimmy ! Gray, Bryson City troop to rank of 2nd class, and Ken Hammock, Bry son City; Robert Saunooke, Chero kee and Jack Hipps, Whittier, to the rank of Tenderfood Scouts. Bryson City won the ribbon for attendance. A large number oi 1 parents and friends of the scouts ' were present. lack on County Man Rec ills Seeing Man Actually "Seared- To Death" The expression "scared to death'' is as old as these famous hills, and many people use it without realiz J inpr what it means. When Walter Ashe hears the three words, a vivid picture of an actual case always comes to his mind. _ It was early one morning, back in 1918, on hoard a transport load ed with American troops en route to France. The crossing had been uneventful, but nerves were on edge, as at that time German sub marines were reported in large numbers in that particular region. The soldiers were enjoying the warm morning sun right after their early breakfast. With no special duties to perform, the men were scattered along the deck taking life as easy as conditions would warrant. During the crossing, Mr. Ashe had made friends with a 190-pound, rugged and 'pleasant Tennessee mountaineer. . Perhaps their kin dred interests in mountain people brought them to ^ mutual under standing of each other and their interests Jh life. _ , Anyway, this Tenfiesaee^ saWier was passing the time by watching the white caps of the Atlantic try^ to climb the steel hull of the trans port. Mr. Ashe was several feet back of the man watching other ships in the convoy. , I All at once, the Tennessee sol dier turned pale. He wasn't sick. He stiffened, and one hand swung over the rail and mechanically pointed down ward. I Friends rushed to Kis side, and the man attempted to gasp out a few words, which no one could understand. As they started to lay him down, someone looked down the side of j the camouflaged hul, and there ; 'sticking about three feet above the' (surface of the Atlantic was the j I periscope of a German sum. I Right under their very feet was ;the deadly enemy, which convoys; ! to this day fear. [ The periscop? was out of sight of ! t he men on watch in the crow's nest. ' They saw the excitement, and when told of the danger below, flashed the news to other ships in the con voy. The transport began to lurch and j turn, and in a few minutes the gun 1 crew had their gun pointed straight ; at the sub's hull. A sheJJ sent it to the bottom. I Just as the firing from the ? American transport started, the sub chasers with the Convoy spot- 1 ted four other subs. There was a nest of them, lying in wait fojr^the convoy. In the next two hours many j things happened, and happened fast. When the smoke of battle had cleared, all American ships were still afloat, and three less of the Kaiser's U -Boats were left to torrnent tWe Allies no more. Two of the subs escaped from the depth charges and shells of the convoy. That afternoon about five o'clock the convoy landed in France. The husky Tennessee soldier was still unconscious, and wag takep to a hospital. On the first ship to return to America he was aboard, a broken, and nervous wreck. . Mr. Ashe missed his buddy. Months passed. Thirteen months later, Mr. Ashe was on his way home with his honorable discharge and ^Hile crossing Pacfk Square, a slim, pale, weakling of a man called him by name. They faced each other but Mr. Ashe was at a loss as to who the (Continued on page four) ? < ? In Kin's Footsteps I ' ?' WHEN BARBARA ADAMS, of Cherry ( Foint,*N. C., joined the Marines, she continued the military tradition of her family. Her father, brother and husband are in the Navy, while her paternal grandfather and her father-in-law are. or have served im the Army. Her maternal granddad, Maj. Arthur B. Owens, served in the Marines. ( International) Baptist Sunday School Group To Meet On Sunday The Tuckaseigee Baptist Sunday School Contention will meet with I the Webster Baptist Church on Sunday, November 14, starting at 2:30 o'clock. C. 0. Vance, president of the con vention Will.be in charge of the pro wi tt* Harry Vance, with special recog nition of visitors and representa tives of all Sunday Schools. The Scotts Creek male quartet will give several numbers, to be followed by the secretary's report. T. Walter Ashe, of the Lovedale Church, will discuss', "How Can Every Church in the Tuckaseigee Association help support the Thom asville Orphanage \?nd Mrtis Home." Misses Mildred Cowan and Ida McConn 11 will tfive a duet, follow ed by a talk by Miss Margaret Wil son, orP "Why should we sup port the Thomasville Orphanage and Mills Home." The closing son*? will be led by Floyd Carden of the East Sylva church. District Meeting Held By Masons The annual meeting of the 42nd Masonic district was held with the Dillsboro lodge Thursday night, November 4. At the same time the 50th anniversary of the founding of the lodge was celebrated by the Dillsboro Masons. Dr. C. Z. Candler, of Sylva, pre sided over the meeting and M. Y. Jarrett of Dillsboro, was master of ceremonies, ; A large number of delegates from the different dis trict lodges attended. R. F. Jarrett, district deputy grand master, was principal speak er. The first oration was given by Guy Houck of Franklin. Distinsfuished visitors were J. W. Alford, assistant Grand Lec tnrer and Clyde H Jarrett, of An drews, Senior Grand Warden of N. C., who represented the Grand Master who was unable to be pres ent. During the program several short talks were made by members from different lodges. Refreshments were served at th? end of the meeting by Oce chapter of The Eastern Star. Andy S. Nicholson Stationed In Middle West TecfiniSian, 5th grade, Andy S. Nicholson, son of W. J. Nicholson, w*h> is stationed at Camp Crowder, Mo., is spending a 15-day furlough here with his family. He has been in the service for the past 15 months and was induct ed at Camp Croft. From Croft he was transferred to Fort Jackson and from the latter to his present post. Prior to entering the service he was engaged in trucking. Ensign Roy Cowan is spending i furlough with his* parents, Mr. ind Mrs. Arch Cowan on Savannah. V,. . . ' j Quota Of $4,0.99 Has Been Raised, Says R. U. Sutton | Several Townships Yet To . Report On Work Done In v Past Two Weeks. | ? Jackson County has reached j pother war campaign quota, in Rising more than $4,099 for the Cnited War Fund, according to Raymond U. Sutton, county chalr tyan, yesterday. The county quota has been pass* ed, but just how much depends on several township chairmen, Mr. Sutton stated. Reports from twonship chairmen thus far indicates that the large majority have passed the quotas jiiven them. Among the reporting townships that are over the top , includes: Sylva, Barkers ^re^kr i j (> reeris Creek and Cullowhee. Many others are expected to be added to this list during the first J of the week as other reports come } in. Saturday was the last day to i take contributions, and all chair men should make their reports at once, Mr. Sutton pointed out. "We are anxious to close the campaign, and will appreciate all township chairmen getting their reports to me at once," the county chairman said. Yesterday, the treasurer had re ceived more than $3,500 of the quo ta of $4,099. The remainder of the quota had been raised. Reynolds Not To Seek Nomination j For Senate Seat Senator Robert Rice Reynolds announced in Washington Monday night that he would n&t seek re election in the 19*4 election for hi* seat as Junior Senator from North press of urgent matters in Wash ington at this time would prevent him from making a personal cam paign for the nomination next j spring. ! The 59-year-old senator included in his statement that he was not through with public life. American Legion To Hold Annual Armistice Dinner The American Legion Post will hold their annual Armistice Day i dinner meeting on Thursday even ing in the dining room of the local high school with John F. Corbin, commander presiding. ^ Ellis C. Jones, of Asheville, for merely of Jackson county, and vete ran of World War I will be the main speaker of the evening, j An invitation has been extended to all ex-service men and those now in the armed forces who are either ] on leave or furlough in Jackson ; county. I A number of matters of impor j tance to the Legion will be dis cussed at the meeting and all mem* jbers are urged to be present. Lee Miller Fills Place On WCTC Faculty Roster Filling the vacan^^of !he dem- ? on station teacher in nistory at the training school or Western Caro ?a ? n " Lee MifW of Cullowhee. Mr. Miller succeeds Dr. A. L. Bramlett who had held the position for six years, but re signed several weeks ago to take a position at Brevard College. In 1943 Mr. Miller was graduated from Western Carolina Teachers College where he majored in science and minored in mathematics Be fore entering college Mr. Miller had attended the training school through all the grades and high school and had taken his practice teaching in the science and mathe matics departments there. Seaman J. E. Jones Here On Leave Seaman Second Class James 'fcldon Jones, son of Mr. and Mrs. James B. Jones, of Hendersonville, is spending a 9-day leave here with J relatives. Seaman Jones entered the service in Sept., and was in | ducted at Spartanburg. He waa sent to Bainbridge, Md., for his boot training and will return ther* for his orders to report to a new post.. ..