North Carolina Newspapers

3 sw w.w rwrnt t i ' n ..nVUTfOvii t Volume 74, Number 41, Marshall, N. C. 15 CENTS PER COPY November 6, 1975 C(Q)M ScbDqcidcidII TTcbskbDikbips Adb EPdDTjnfflidl (EmUity GM IFallsnffncBattncDim By ED SPEARS CiUsen Staff Writer A former principal and five teachers were found guilty Tuesday of last week in Madison County District Court of falsifying pupil enrollment and attendance records. Each was fined $50 and :osts, and faces possible revocation of teaching cer tificate. Three other teachers among the nine tried in a consolidated :ase - Martha Kirkpatrick, Lois C. Moore and Lucille R. Chandler were found not guilty by Judge Robert H. Lacey of Newland. 5 ..j i rn 1C 7FZZx$3ZU a.'lrv MARSHALL DAY CARE youngsters are pictured ibove as they toured the town last Friday enjoying 'trick or treat." They were accompanied by Day Jare personnel. November Vote Set For 'Nickels For Know-How' RALEIGH - An unusual urogram with an unusual tame - "Nickels for Know How" - will be up for renewal a a statewide referendum Vov. 25. Under the program, feed ind fertiliser users contribute :ive cents per ton of these ttaterials sold to support igricnlt ural research, eaching and extension education at North Carolina itate University. About $170,000 is collected innually through the plan, jrhich has been In operation lince 1952. The funds have ieea used for projects related .o essentially every farm .-ommodlty produced in the date. Hi addition to many ro)eeta concerned with amU living and consumer--elated activities. N8CS officials said 'Nickels" proceeds art used o meet hew problems and ither emergency needs more Illicitly than would be possible rim State appropriated funds. Tht self-help atjsram most be tack tic yeara through jtstrwide referendum, and a vatehfcvoU by two-thirds af bee -tasting ballots is "eeuired for continaaUoa of Wptan. f i Mflng places and voting tears -ore being announced eeattj ht each county. No j0emw registration ia . leetfred, and votes may be , .!st at vie moat convenient i eat&n. Voters will be asked ' Ji sig aa cloctioa roster to jrVoid duplicaU ballots, " " ) A3 persons who use feed or , ''eraser, including lawa and tardea fertilizer!, , and . oerr.beri of their famOies art 1! ' to vote. - : . "NlckeU for Know- ' .Ttw" r 'ereidun was held in lev; r, ixi. Ia that and "fdig votes held over , t 24 rears, over t$ '. of those casting . -ve voted in favor of --a. " art ejected at t' 'T level ad are ;i C-e price of f'i - f 1 t Tf' 1. i t Charges against Mrs. Jewel Church, facing similar charges, were carried over for trial at a later date, according to Asst. Dist. Atty. James T. Rusher. Mrs. Church recently obtained a temporary in junction against the Madison County'; Board of Education barring it from discharging her from her principalship. Convicted, with 10 days in which to decide whether to appeal to a higher court, were Larry S. Plemmons, Mattie Ray Ramsey, Vera B. Sumerel, Elizabeth Staude, Isabell B. Maynard and Frances Lee Ramsey. At the n un iiim the money without charge and turns it over to the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation. The Foundation's board of directors, with one representative from each county, determines how the funds are spent. Upon recommendations from Wire StMtion UBidls $92,953 At Mars Mill Low bids totaling $92,953 were counted at the bid opening in Mars Hill Friday on the planned new fire station for Mara Hill, Mayor William P Powell reported. Pancake There will be a pancake supper and gospel singing featuring Interpreters, Silver Tones, Parris Trio and the Alexander Youth Choir at the French Broad school on Saturday, Nov. a. The supper Communities To Be Judged Next Week Tht annual judging ta select (be erganisod conananities In Westera North Carolina that have sbowa the greatest 1 everafl hnprtvament during ItTS will start ea Tuesday, November 11 and nan through Friday, the 14th. This win bring to a dose the 16th rear of tht Westera North Carolina Community Development . Program. At stake ta the Judging will be top honors ia the community improvement contest and over $3,C4 fa area awards. County prrnw-'-'y a . . rers, I1 -'4, w3 be n in thr ? to the ' 'J .1 i ( in V '" i -i in c -jfiS ' k-T of ' y rr t : -i " A C . ri'- s request of the four attorneys employed by the defendants, time for paying the fine was extended to Jan. 15, 1976. The nine were charged with padding enrollment figures in .the 1974-75 academic year at the Hot Springs and Spring Creek elementary schools by a total of 72 pupils some described by state witnesses as being fictional names, others allegedly being names of former students who had moved from the school district. James E. Rice, pupil ac counting supervisor for the State Board of Education, testified that Plemmons, asked in April about discrepancies in the size of the sixth grade at Spring Creek as compared to the fifth grade the year before, admitted that there had been record alterations. Rice said that Plemmons, in a second visit four days later, handed him a written statement spelling out the specific instances of made-up students, 24 in all and in cluding 19 Plemmons had recorded himself. Rice said Plemmons gave him the office files of the fictional students. Also Introduced as evidence were the 38 records of non attending students at Hot Springs Elementary. SBI Agent Robert Thomas, testifying that be interviewed all defendants between June NCSU's Dean of the School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, with the prior approval of the NCSU Chancellor and the President of the University System, the board of directors either approves or disap proves requests for "Nickels" funds. The figures, he said, are close to the amount an ticipated and probably will be accepted by town officials in the next two weeks. There was competitive bidding on all Sapper will start at 5:30. Proceeds go for the pur chase of new ambulance for French Broad Volunteer Fire Dept. The events are sponsored by the Ladies' Auxiliary. families), and Greater Ivy in Division "C" (over 15$ families). . Sleepy Valley wifl be Judged on Tuesday, November 11th at :tt sin.. Greater Ivy oa : November 12th at U a .ea.' 1 Winners of the pioneering self-help community int- l ' prove! unit program, which i has bee widely recognised, 1 will be announced at the an nual awards luncheon of the Westera North Csrolins Devel opment Associat ion ea Sat jri?r, December I at 12 none at the AsherDe Ovic C'''t. A total of 97 cora r '- in 1$ courties par t ' - i t ; year. A t--rr tr f,f r r f -jr " v c' f 'v t t i rot c in V j-rtfc . 14 and June 19 in a follow up of the Rice investigation said that Mrs. Kirkpatrick told him that her records were correct. This was the basis for her attorney's argument that she be found not guilty. The attorney for the other cleared defen dants, Mrs. Chandler and Mrs. Moore, argued that the state did not identify the specific individuals whose records they allegedly falsified. The FBI agent said several other defendants admitted padding, and said they had been instructed by their principal,!'' Mrs. Church, to make sure their class enrollment did not fall from the previous year during a faculty meeting in August of 1974. Ix)ls Moore, a teacher with 31 years experience, was quoted by Thomas as telling him this was the first time she ever had padded records. Mrs. Moore was said to have been told to do so by Mrs. Church, and later when four of her early enroll ees were tran sferred to a special education class, she kept them on her second grade rolls as well; also added two other names selected from files of children who had moved away. Mrs. Moore was said to have told Thomas she was advised that her teaching position would be lost If attendance totals declined. Quizzed by the judge as to what benefits it was to the teachers to pad the rolls, attorney Lamar Gudger ob served that there was no direct benefit other than that the action might avert the loss of a teaching position at their school. Plemmons was said to have commented to Rice that he decided on the padding because he' didn't want the quality of schooling to drop. Rice explained that teacher allocations are based on "average daily membership in the best consecutive six months of the first seven months of the prior year" either the first through sixth months or second through phases of the project, with nine companies seeking the general contract. Low bids were submitted as follows: general, Duyck Construction Co of Weaverville, $77,600; plum bing, Rogers Heating It Plumbing of Asheville, $4,300; heating, Dotson Plumbing & Heating Co. of Asheville, $6,653; and electrical, Hyatt Electric Co. of Asheville, $4,400. J. Bertram King of Asheville is architect for the project, to be built on a Main Street lot donated by Mart Hill College. The project was supported 195 to 7 In a bond referendum held ia September. Jackie Ramsey Ilome Destroyed By Fire The one-story brick home ef Mr. and Mrs. Jackie Ramsey and family ea Walnut Creek at the mouth ef Hedt Creek was completer destroyed by fire early Tuesday morning of last ef the two-year-old residence and contents was estimated between $IS,90e- $38,000. . . a The bUtse aa discovered about 1 a no. by Mrs. R E. Wild, a sister-in-law of Vt. Ramsey who lives almost a mie from the hnme. re wsi swsV" i fcy a i'itw in tse sV y r i t y te f 7t-n ' ' - ' , ! f--vn and two t" Kj ?' on V arere seventh. Judge Lacey, in pondering his findings after the day long presentation of evidence, noted that the 72 bogus at tendance records had only 109 absences to a total of 10,008 potential school days. Only three witnesses were offered by the state: Rice, Thomas and Madison School Supt. Robert Edwards, who "Home In Madison County" Now Available JOHNSON CITY, Tenn., -The Research Council of East Tennessee State University has published another book about Southern Appalachia. The Council has released to area book stores in Upper East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Lena Penland Purkey's new book, "Home in Madison County." The small paperback of 144 pages is autobiographical and at the same time an accurate and realistic description of life in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains shortly after the turn of the century. Paul Fink, Jonesboro, Tennessee, historian, says of this work, "It's a delightful book, an intriguing story of a phase of life in the North Carounx iuUa in atiine now long ago." Readers, whose roots are In the Southern Appalachians, will find much in common with the events, folkways, ano customs recounted in this book. They will be tempted to say, "She didn't tell a Jiing that I couldn't have said about my own experiences. She just told it better.' Readers, whom the Southern Appalachian people refer to as "outsiders," will find an interesting and en tertaining picture of a life entirely foreign to them. They will also be able to read bet ween the lines and find a careful analysis of the political, ecoiomci and social problems of the era and the area. For example, without labeling it as such, Mrs. Purkey gives at least one reason why East Tennesscans and Western North Carolinians have lacked political muscle. She explains that these two sections of the country were divided in their loyalties during the Civil War. In the same community, "some fought for the Union and some fought for the Hot Springs Store Being Remodeled The Carolina Super Market at Hot Springs, which was damaged by fire recently, is being remodeled and will soon be open for business. Most of the damage from the flame was fa the Inside of the start, It was reported. withia II minutes but the roof had already collapsed and the ' baOdrng was an inferno. ' AB contents were destioyed. Fortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey and two children i wore not at borne at the time of the fire, but were at a 1 relative's borne due to illness. H :i Youth R evi val At Maw Hill I i A Youh revival, k J by the .Mars II.il Collefe Youth : I Team, r !l be rH at the iCl!vrr Bspt;St O'Tch m ; Mr 1 '1 on Novo - 7.4 a-) r h f was questioned in detail about records procedures. The defense attorneys, Gudger, Eldridge and Larry Leake and Robert Willson, all of Asheville, offered no wit nesses. The defendants still are teaching this year, although Plemmons has stepped down from his principalship. I if h LENA PURKEY Confederacy." These divisions, now over new issues, still exist and a united voice for any cause is still hard to find. Mrs. Purkey also explains why with high birthrate and many schools and colleges in the area that the population and the educational level seem to stand still. She ex plains that employment op portunities have been "con spicuo'jsly scarce" and that the college and university graduates hav: m grated .o the larger and mtie alfluent metropolitan sections of the country. In her early childhood, Ltna Penland Purkey lived in two states but the two locations were only 20 miles apart, separated by the Tennessee -North Carolina line. She was born in "Slabtown" in Cocke County, Tenn., and at the age of two and a half moved to a settlement on Lost Creek in Madison County, N.C. Most of the book deals with her recollections in the N.C. home. Mrs. Purkey's reflections of her youth recall such ex periences as the first day in a one-room school, singing school, revivals, school pic nics, a trip to the tooth dentist, making of sorghum molasces and apple butter and many more. In recounmting these experiences she seems to savor, with all of her senses, each and every one. Since 1963, Mrs. Purkey and her husband ha e lived In Morristown. For a copy of "Home in Madison County," contact your local bookstore or East Tennessee State University's Research Council. The price In only $2.95. Sunday Night Singing The regular 2nd Sunday night tinging will be held this Sunday at the Alexander Baptist Church beginning at 7 p.m. -'" All angers and Isteners are invited. -- Dennis Parris will be in charge. . . ' SpedsJ attention Is called to November T. Come hear "The Pilgrim" uil gr-pvp. Oremfcht retreat e".erv - Is. 'Bring i sleeping fes? 5 f-t under adult superv'" ' -'XV' ; ' " V;: -n "e- JifH'M III I ti 1 HALLOWEEN COSTUME WINNERS selected at the Mars Hill Girl Scout Neighborhood carnival last Friday were (left to right) Lisa Anderson, Junior Scout, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. O. E. Anderson, Jr.; and Gwen Mahy, Cadette, and Charts Mahy, Brownie, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Don Mahy. Halloween Carnival At Mars Hill Successful It was Halloween and the birthday of Juliet Lowe, founder of the Girl Scouts, and the fellowship hall of the Mars Hill Baptist Church was alive with activity as the Mars Hill Neighborhood of Girl Scouts of America celebrated both occasions last Friday af ternoon with a fund-raising carnival. Girl Scouts and leaders, parents and younger brothers and sisters, all joined in an afternoon of fun, food and fellowship which proved to be a highly successful fund raising effort for the Girl Scout World Friendship Fund in honor of the late Mrs. Lowe. About fifty Girl Scouts, representing the Brownies, Juniors and Cadettes, were costumed for the carnival which began with the costume judging in the three age-group categories by Mrs. Jill Prior of Mars Hill. Lisa Anderson was judged best in the Junior category for successfully carrying out the "little old lady" theme with her costume. Sisters, Gwen and Charts Mahy, were judged best in Cadette and Brownie age groups, with their costumes representing a Dewey Cook Barn Destroyed By Fire A barn belonging to Dewey Cook, in the Guntertown community, was completely destroyed by fire last Saturday night about 7 p.m. The barn contained hay and tobacco which were also destroyed. MARSHALL For Mayor George Penland 195 Lawrence Ponder 179 For Aldermen Charles C. Crowe Incumbent 217 James R. Penland Incumbent , 217 Roy G. Wild Incumbent ' 209 Donald J.Ramsey -162 T.F.Sams ; '. : v 108 G.W. Brown V 78 Louis McDevitt Sprinkle , 58 Paul Worley ! : ; : 33 382 Voted Ia Marshall ; HOT SPRINGS For Mayor Jne R. Henderson Incur ' -,t 111 V r ;'.e In Vrte Tor F.r.r . ' ' haunted house and "the organ grinder." Carnival booths included penny pitching, apple bob bing, bean bag tossing, fishing pond and fortune telling. The Spook Room proved to be a very popular attraction. It was very ably run by Mars Hill College students Dennis Daniel and Jack Seller assisted by local Girl Scout Watchers Roger Buckner, Paul Osteen, Philip Bentley and Travis Smith. Mars Hill Neighborhood is grateful to the leaders of their Girl Scouts who week by week give of their time, efforts and talents in working with this large group of girls. Mrs. Fay Ball, Brownie Leader, is assisted by Mrs. Judy Eatmon and Miss Sue Worley. Junior leaders include Mrs. Ethelee Gibson, Mrs. Caroline Osteen and Mrs. Margaret Tilson, assisted by Mrs. Dahlia Newton and Mrs. Diane Randolph The Cadette leaders are Mrs. Lynn Steen and Mrs. Diane Renfrow who are very ably assisted by their husbands. All of these leaders look to Mrs. Doris Bentley, Vice President of the Pisgah Girl Scout Council, and other Cause of the fire is un determined, according to Marshall firemen who an swered the call. When the 10 firemen arrived at the scene, the barn was already totally burned. Voting Results For Alderman Harold Anderson Incumbent . , E. B. "One" Autry Incumbent- .-.-. , Jerry Ramsey Tony Gamble ' & Leroy Johnson i v . , Claude Moore ' ' George K. "Red" Ramsey 'mars HILL .' 5 ' ? For Mayor - ; William P. Powell Incumbent Frederick Anderson , For Alderman CarlE"r A: " .r '.. ! I ' --t C - " members of the Council staff for leadership and assistance, Mothers who assisted the leaders with the carnival included Mrs. Alice Mahy, Mrs. Edith Lunsford, Mrs. Gladys Ball, Mrs. Catherine Tweed, Mrs. JoAnne Johnson, Mrs. Pat Smith, Mrs. Joyce Thomason, Mrs. Brenda Anglin and Mrs. Doris Ben tley. Mahy other mothers also provided candy, cooxies, cupcakes, hot dogs, drinks and other items which made the carnival so successful. Troop leaders wish to ex press appreciation to every person who contributed in any way to the carnival. "Let's do it again next year" echoed through the hall as the last cleaning up was completed and the treasurer announced the results of the fun-filled fund-raising effort! Mallonee Here IV ov. 12 ASHEVILLE - Tom L. Mallonee, 11th Congressional District Assistant to Congressman Roy A. Taylor, is now making scheduled visits to the county seats and other sections of the counties. On Wednesday, November 12, he will be at the Madiaea County Courthouse, Marshall, from 9:30-10:30, at the Yancey County Courthouse Burnt sville, from 1-2 and at the Town Hall, Spruce Pine, from 3-4 p.m. Any person who has plans ar official business pertaining (a Congressional matters- ia Invited to meet with Mr. Mallonee at the above specified times. 191 127 115 34 76 100 94 r 1 i i i fn. t to 12 r -