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Questions Expenditures Of
Economic Opportunity Corp.
Spring Creek Writer Praises
Numerous Agencies
In County
By W. T. "Kit" MOORE,
the unwarranted attacks
upon our county by the anti-poverty
group, I have been boiling over
to try and get at the truth. I
have solicited the very stole help
of many friends, both in and out
of the agencies of our county. If
you will read the following you
will know who has been responsi
ble for some of the good work and
you might agree with me that we
need to know the truth about our
anti-poverty program, formerly
headed by W. B. "Bill" Zink, and
currently headed by Bill Powell
of Mars Hill..
Section 1 Farmers Home Ad
ministration Madison County people are serv
ed by a Farmers Home Admini
stration Office. F.H.A. is a USDA
sponsored lending organization.
The local office is staffed by Mr.
Eldridge Hill, Supervisor; Mr.
Vernon Rankin, Assistant County
Supervisor; and Mrs. James Al
len, Secretary. The F.H.A. was
originally established to provide
long-term, low interest rate, super
vised credit to farm families. The
FjH.A. office in Madison County
provides loans to farmers to pur
chase farms, to enlarge existing
operations to build homes, to
establish soil and water conser
vation, recreation loans, forestry
loans, production loans, and in
dividual small business loans.
Presently the F.H.A. is conduct
ing a water and sewer study in
Madison County.
Most of the loans made in Mad
ison County by F. H. A. have been
made to farm families who would
have been low income ipeople.
Many of these people today are
among the more successful farm
ers of Madison County. The FHA
supervisors have assisted the
farmers on management problems,
production problems and counsel
ed with them on the wise use of
credit.
Section II Agricultural Sta
bilization and Conservation Serv
ices The Agricultural Stabilization
and Conservation Service was an
other USDA agency established
during the depression years for
the purpose of assisting fanners
in obtaining a fair price for cer
tain crops by providing support
price and allotment controls on
these crops. One of the examples
in Madison County has been the
burley tobacco allotment program
and the support price on this to
bacco. Another function of tlie
ASCS is the assistance of farmers
with conservation practices such
as tree planting, winter cover
PASSENGER CARS 1963 CHEVROLET 4-door Hardtop; V-
8 engine ; automatic transmission ; pow
1969 NOVA Sport Coupe; 6-cylinder; er Peering; power brakes; Radio and
straight drive; low mileage; Like New Heater.
; 967 CHEVROLET Caprice ; 4-dr. Hard- "
v tvp; 327-V8 engine; Automatic Trans- TRUCKS
mission; P. Steering; P. Brakes; P.
Windows; Air Conditioned; extra nice; 1967 CHEVROLET Vr-ton; slip side
locally owned. bed; 6 cylinder; heater and defroster;
1967 CHEVY II Nova Sport Coupe; V-8 one owner'
engine; straight drive; Radio, Heater. I965 FORD 1-ton; V-8 engine; 4-speed
1967 FORD Fairlane 500 Coupe; V-8 en- transmission; stake bed; heater and de-
gine; automatic; transmission; Radio, f roster.
Heater. One Owner 1967 CHEVROLET -ton; 8 cylinder;
1965 CHEVROLET Bel Air 4-door; 6- Fleet Side Bed
' cvl. : PowergHde Transmission ; Radio
Heater J 1 966 JEEP ; 4-wheel Drive ; Extra Clean
!d n::c:nabb Offer .IT.1I
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crop establishment, pasture and!
meadow establishment, and other
conservation practices. The nature
of assistance on these practices
favors the small or low income
farmer. These farmers can receive
up to 80 percent of the cost of
conservation practices plus their
small payment increase; whereas,
larger farmers for the same as
sistance must pay approximately
50 percent of the cost of the same
practices over and above the a
mount they would do without the
assistance.
In 1969, the ASCS Office assist
ed 143 low income Madison Coun
ty farmers in the production of
home gardens. This assistance a
mounted to $3,404. One thousand
seven hundred and fifty farmers
received assistance through the
AC!' Dractices. Most of the fundsl
used on the ACI' program are
spent directly by farmers with a
minimum amount oi governmenu
funds being used for supervision
and record keeping.
Section III
tion Service
Soil Conserva-
Madison County farmers are
served by another USDA organi
zation, the Soil Conservation Serv
ice. The soil conservationist in
Madison County assists farmers
in planning and developming a
program on their farm for the
maximum land use with a minimum
of soil and water loss from the
farms. The assist in farm drain
age, tree planting, and other prac
tices. Any Madison County farm
er is eligible for assistance by the
Soil Conservation Service simply
by asking for the service.
Section IV - Agricultural Ex
tension Service
Madison County families are
served by the Agricultural Exten
sion Service. The Agrisultural Ex
tension Service is jointly sponsor
ed by the County, State, and Fed
eral Government. Its primary re
sponsibility to the people is edu
cational. The Extension Service
was originally established to serve
from the Land-Grant College,
which in North Carolina is North
Carolina State University. The
service, as an extension Iroin the
Land Grant College, was to keep
larmprS and homemakers abreast
of the new information coming
irom the Research Station and oth
er sources. As time h;is passed,
this responsibility has expanded;
to inclule other people; people
who are not farmers. The Madi
son County Extension Office has.
concentrated over the years on
trying to serve low income fami-
ies so that they may enjoy a full
er lite. Dunne; the past year the
home economics Extension agent
(inducted a series of classes with
low income families on the use of
surplus food in Hot Springs, Spill-
Ised arc
MARSHALL, N. C
corn, Paint Bock and Meadow Pork.
Some of these classes were arran
ged with the assistance of the Op
portunity Corporation but they
were totally conducted and the ed
ucational information provided by
the home economics Extension ag
ent, Mrs. Ethel Wallin. Three
special interest groups are also
assisted on this subject. Clothing'
construction classes were conduct
ed for low income families in Big
Laurel, Paint Rock, Hot Springe,
Sodom, Sandy Mush and Spillcorn
Communities.
Regular meetings were held with
eleven home demonstration dubs'
which were given educational as
sistance involving clothing con
struction and other subjects.
The 4-H club agent, Miss Madge
Guffey, and recently added to the
staff, Mr. Gary Ealey, worked with
over 300 people in Madison Coun
ty on the youth program providr
ing assistance to leaders and help
ing youth to develop in leadership
ability, to become more knowledge
able in farming and home-making
practices, to aid them in attending
and participating in 4-H camp,
forest camp, electric congress and
the national 4-H club camp.
Throughout the year Madison Coun
ty youth have been stimulated to
reach higher positions in life by
practicing the club motto "To
Make the Best Better. Club mem
bersip is not restricted to the af
fluent and in most instances does
not put major emphasis on trying
to obtain participation from the
more wealthy members of society
but is open to all.
The Extension Office in Madi
son County is assisted by the Mad
ison County Extension Advisory
Board. This organization is vol
untary nonpaid men, women, and
youth from throughout the coun
ty have provided the Extension
agents assistance in identifying
needs and problems in the county
and helping to establish goals to
solve some of these problems. One
example that has tremendous im
pact on the county is the trellised
tomato industry of the county.
The horticultural study group of
the Madison County Extension 9d
visory Board recommended that
the Extension agents work toward
expansion and promotion of the
tomato industry in 10. This
committee proposed the organiza
tion of a cooperative for the pur
pose of constructing an1 operat
ing a tomato market to serve Mad
ison County farmers. The Madi
son County Planning Hoard en-dor.-ed
the recommendation of the
Horticultural Planning Committee
ami the Extension Advisory Hoard.
The Cooperative was organized
and chartered and efforts were
made to secure a loan through lo
cal hanks, Columbia Bank of Co
operatives, the F.H.A. and the
A.H.A. Efforts through all of
these organizations by the coop
erative resulted in failure to se
cure a loan. A follow up of con
tinued efforts by the Madison
County Development Hoard result-
Trucks
Dp tlcfuccd -Hill Trade
GGGUCGLGu": ; GO., rJGG,
Win an SBA loan participated in
by the Citizens Bank of Marshall
to build what is now tiie Mafco
Packking Company, Inc., leased
packing . house. Mato Packing
Company was formed and French
Broad Electric Membership Cor
poration made a loan to this or
ganisation to purchase the most
modern tomato grading machine in
North Carolina. This loan was re
paid' from the 1969 growing sea
son, f ' t
The Extension Service working
with fanners and agricultural bus
iness "leaders in Madison County
made ft Possible for the tomato
business to be developed in Mad
ison County. Personal visits to
farmers, young and old, in all lev
els of income, field meetings, win
ter schools, disease clinics, letters,
news articles, radio programs,
tours, demonstrations, and almost
every conceivable method was1
used to teach farmers and their
families how t grow tomatoes.
Ninety low-income farmers of
Madison County received six
weeks formal training in MDTA
sponsored classes conducted in
Walnut on tomato production.
These classes were organized as
a result of efforts of Extension
agents to get the classes approved
and funded by the Labor Depart
ment, Asheville-Buncombe Tech
nical Institute and through the
Employment Secuinty Commission.
Instructors for the classes were
trained by the Extension Service;
lesson plans prepared by Exten
sion Service for these ninety low-
income farmers.
Every agency who could assist
in the development of the toma
to industry has been called upon
to assist. The FHA has granted
loans for spray equipment and op
eration money. The Soil Conser
vation Service has assisted by
planning farm ponds for irrigation
and solving drainage problems in
feho soil and other purposes. The
local banks havs extended credit
to farmers for the purchase of
equipment, trucks to haul toma
toes to market, etc. Vocational
Agricultural Teachers have assist
ed in teaching farmers, and farm
boys, in making their shops avail
able for the construction of to
mato boxes, raj trailer", etc.,
and almost every conceivable way.
They did this in addition to their
charged area of responsibility and
with a minimum of fan-fare or
publicity.
The Opportunity Corporation re
ceived a request from the County
Extension Chairman for aid in
funding an assistant agent so that
the know-how of tomato produc
tion could be accelerated and that
more low income families might re
ceive assistance. This request was
refused.
This example is in one enter
prise which has brought the gross
agricultural income from nothing
in 11157 to over one and one-half
million dollars in 1969. Much of
this income was received by farm
families who had little income
from the farm except what they
Dealer Franchise No.
could obtain from their email to
bacco allotments. The 1969 sea
son had Madison County farmers
selling tomatoes in tomato pack
ing houses in Marshall, Spring
Creek, Hot Springs and Carmen
Communities.
Mr. Wiley DuVall, Associate
Agricultural Extension Agent,
spends most of his time trying to
bring the latest information on
tobacco production to Madison
County farmers.
Livestock production and mark
eting is about as old an enterprise
as there is in agriculture in the
county. Mr. Fred Bobs, Agricul
tural Extension Agent, has prima
ry responsibility of working with
beef and dairy producers in breed
ing, feeding, feed production, and
management of beef and' dairy
herds. During the most recent
years dairy production per cow in
Madison County has more than
doubled. Seventeen years ago we
were looking for one cow in Mad
ison County that was producing
10,000 pounds of milk. The aver
age DHIA herd in Madison Coun
ty is now producing much more
than this with some of the indi
vidual cows exceeding 20 thous
and pounds of milk. Low-income
farmers with more limited resour
ces have been encouraged to in
crease their standard of livinir by
producing and marketing milk and
beef. They have been assisted in
organizing an artificial breeders
association which made available
to farmers in the caunty some of
the best dairy sires in the world.
Extension Service 'Agents in Mad
ison County try to serve all peo
ple without regard to their eco
nomic level, their color, creed, or
political affiliation. They ask for
and receive advice and assistance
in identification of problems, sug
gestions to their solutions, and
assistance in securing facilities,
aid in demonstrations, and by oth
er methods from all the people in
Ha ........ .. 1 ,
-"""i.jr whu can ana win as
siat on a voluntary basis.
One of the
more recent uro
grams in Madison County Ex
tension is one sponsored by the
Agricultural Relations Branch of
the TVA and the Cooperative Ex
tension Service. This is a Pilot
rroject. 'in a part of the county
v.. .a ivin.-t is uesignea to deter
mine how further nso mav
made of the available resources.
both human and other in develop
ing the area and its people. Ahis
is more a research project and by
its nature does not give immediate
visable results. This project is
needed by Mr. Earle Wise, Coun
ty Agricultural Agent, and to help
mm is Mrs. Linda Harrell. Tarle
and Linda have worked on such
projects as trying to stimulate
more interest in sohool consolida
tion thrown education in tha
needs and advantages of consoli.
uation by endeavoring to involve
leadership in promoting and under-
standing. They have conducted
surveys which show the need for
improved housing and have work
ed to try to find feasible ways for
people to improve upon their hous
ing. They have received assistance
in this effort from the FHA from
the Division of Community Plann
ing, and LIIIDC. They have co
operated with the Marshall Hous
ing Authority and with other peo
ple who were also interested in
changing and improving upon the
housing situation.
Human resource development
can best take place through train
ing, education, and improvement
by the individuals themselves.
Mr. Wise has worked with the
school officials and with indivi
dual young men and women to en
couge them to participate in train
ing programs offered by Asheville-Buncombe
Technical Insti
tute, public school systems, the
MDTA, the Haywood County Tech.
and colleges and universities.
The Madison County Health De-
EDGEWOOD
Restaurant
1435 Merrimon Arc.
Asheriue N. C.
Breakfast Dinner
Sapper
Regular Metis
Bhert Orders
. . : Saadwfcfces
; Hoaoude Plea
Ope la. a. italic
air-contjitiovko
YOU C 3 AVE CHOICE
For several months now we have been able to offer
both types of DRY-CLEANING
1. Deluxe Professional Cleaning and
Pressing
2. ECONOMICAL But Good 45
minute Self-Service Dry Cleaning
No matter which you desire both systems contain
added
FREE MOTH-PROOFING MILDEW PROOFING
and FASHION-FINISH which REPLACES SIZING
NOTICE
Garments stored for the summer must be
paid for when taken out.
Edwards Gleaners
Phone 649-2461
MARSHALL, N. C.
ALSO SELF-SERVICE
DRY CLEANING and LAUNDRYMAT
NOW Shoe Repairing
partment is one of the very best
in the entire State and all of us
should be very proud of the fine
work done by this agency.
Our Social Welfare Program
has done an awful lot of good here
in Madison County and the per
sonnel are to be commended for
sticking it out even though they
have been constantly paid the very
lowest salaries the State regula
tions would permit. Our Social
Welfare workers have been a truly
dedicated group and have excelled1
in doing a good job reaching the
needly and unfortunate among us.
The Madison County Office of
Economic Opportunity has been in
existence here in Madison County
for approximately four years. 1
am sure the hundreds of thousands
of dollars funded from Washing
ton through this anti-poverty pro
gram has done some good. Most
!of us know about the Head Start
Program, administered under the
able leadership of Mr. J. C. Wal
lin, Jr. Many of us know about
the very worthwhile Upward
Bound Program administered by
Mars Hill College.
What most off us want to know
why Mr. W. B. "Bill" Zink,"
s
iormer Chairman of the Economic
Opportunity Corporation, and now
Bill Powell, present Chairman,
have not given an accounting of
tho vast amount of federal monies
spent? How much went for
salaries? How much actually
j reached the unprivileged? How
many people have they employed
at salaries higher than our school
teachers receive?
Will you two officials please give
an accounting of your stewardship
arid stop trying to take credit for
everything from Hv
Scouts to
Please do
I American Red Cross?
I nt permit your underlings to
.degrade our agencies and Ckiunty
m an attempt to make a n
gency better than it is.
W. T. "Hill" MOORE
J I ST LIX'KY
She: "You're sfoJbborn. You nev
er take any good advice."
He: "And you're- lucky. I don't
or you"d still be an old maid."
DIAL - A - PRAYER
649-9231
GMehurst
Insurance Agency
located :
Citizens Bank Building
LEE ROY GRIFFIN
Fire - Life - Homeowner
Farmowner - Auto
Liability - Hail
Mortgage Loans
MONTHLY PAYMENTS
. - ! 'V ' ;.. 1 ; .
MOn Stop Shopping for Any Insurance NdTv
Phon 649-2541
. ' MARSHALL, N. C -
WARTS
DISSOLVE AWAY!
Warts are caused by
viruses. Removed by
amazing Compound W!
Compound W contains two
medicines widely used by
doctors in treating virus
caused warts. A few color
less drops of Compound W,
used as directed, can dis
solve away warts in just
days. No cutting.no burning,
no pain. Remember: warts
are caused by viruses re
moved by fast-acting Com
pound W.
At Matthews
Donald Wyatt
I am now with Matthews Motor
Company in Asheville where I am
selling new Ford cars, trucks arwl
A-l used cars.
See me in person at 325 lii It
more Avenue or dial 253-2731 or
my residence, 645-3317, for your
transportation requirements.
For the past 14 years I have
been a salesman and superintend
ent for Colonial Baking Company
of Asheville and have been close
ly associated with many friends
from Madlison County. I am a na
tive of Madison County, the son
of Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Wyatt.
Advt.