UtiUon County Library 7Q
Marahau. i.e. 2873 J
71th Year, No. 3
News record
SERVING THE PEOPLE OF MADISON COUNTY
On thm Insld ?
Heart Association
Plans Spring Drive
...See Page 4
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE COUNTY SEAT AT MARSHALL, N C
THURSDAY, January 18, 1979
1 5* P?r Copy
Marshall - Walnut Center Dedicated
UNVEILING of the beautiful plaque in the
Marshall-Walnut Medical Center was held
Monday afternoon following dedication
ceremony of the center held in the Little
Theatre at Madison High School. The plaque
lists names of major donors who contributed
toward the construction of the center bet
ween Marshall and Walnut. Former North
Carolina Gov. Bob Scott, now federal co
chairman of the Appalachian Regional
Commission, Washington, D.C., is shown
(left) after he unveiled the plaque. iJoo&irig
on are Tom Wallin, chairman of the Hot
Springs Health Program (center) and Jerry
Plemmons, chairman of the Fund Drive
which made the facility possible.
Mars Hill To Receive
$2 Million In Bequest
Mars Hill College will
receive approximately $2
million in a bequest from the
estate of Mrs. Burette Myers
of Statesville, who died Dec.
12, according to an an
nouncement by Dr. Fred B.
Bentley, president of the
college. It will be the largest
bequest in the 123-year history
of the Baptist college.
A preliminary estimate
values the total estate at 2.5
million. Included are Myers
Oil Co., an Amoco dealership
in Statesville; other business
interests; as well as fupeity
and securities.
Under the terms of Mrs.
Myers' will, the ofl company is
to be sold, and the college's
share of the entire estate is to
be put in a trust, which will be
administered by the Nor
thwestern Bank of Statesville.
Income from the trust, which
is conservatively estimated at
$140,000 per year, will be paid
to the college.
"This money," explains Dr.
Bentley, "will go into the
unrestricted endowment of the
college."
Mrs. Myers, an alumna of
Mars Hill, suffered an ap
parent heart attack on Dec. 12
and was dead on arrival at
Iredell Memorial Hospital.
She was 79.
Her bequest to the college
grew out of a long and close
friendship between Mrs.
Howell Takes Oath
For Eight -Year Term
Superior Court Judge
Ronald W. Howell of Marshall
wa? officially sworn into his
eight-year term on the bench
Thursday. Howell had won a
close race in the Democratic
primary last May for
renomlnatlon to his court seat.
Superior Court Judge Lacy
Thornburg of Haywood
County presided In giving
Howell his new oath at office
In ceremonies held In Bun
combe County Superior Court.
Howell was first elected as
the resident Judge of the Mth
Judicial District, which
cavers Yancey, Mitcfaeil,
Madiwm. Watauga Md Avery
Myers and her late husband
and Dr. Hoyt Blackwell,
president emeritus of Mars
Hill. Dr. Blackwell and Myers '
were friends and classmates
at the college during the
school years of 1919-1922.
Myers founded the oil
company soon after com
pleting his studies at Mars
Hill. He married Elizabeth
Austin, also of Statesville and
also a former student at the
college. They labored together
and became successful
business and community
leaders in Statesville.
In 1945, Myers was ap
pointed to the board of
trustees at the college. By that
time Dr. Blackwell had
become president. He talked
with Mr. and Mrs. Myers and
reached a verbal un
derstanding with them that
the college would benefit from
their accumulation of wealth
and property. The Myers had
no children.
In November of 1949, Myers
was fatally injured in an
automobile accident. Mrs.
Myers was appointed to fill his
unexpired term of the board of
She became president of the
oil company and continued
actively in the management of
the huiintm She was later
appointed to full terms as a
trustee before officially
retiring from the board in
1974. A large men's residence
hall built in 1K6 was named in
honor of Mr. and Mrs. Myers
and was dedicated during the
college's centennial
college was named as her
major beneficiary. In April
1977 she re-wrote the will,
reaffirming her commitment
to Mars Hill.
ROGER WOOD
Marshall
Postmaster
Transferred
Roger Wood, who haa been
postmaster at the Marshall
post office since October, 1974,
has been transferred to the
Clayton, post office aa poet
master He begun his duties
there on Friday of last week
Clayton, which la in John
ston County, 1# IS mllea from
Raleigh
Wood has been an en
nandwaaa
outstanding tafartbal] player
By JIM STORY
Monday was a "Red Letter"
day in this area when the
Marshall-Walnut Medical
Center was officially
dedicated at double
ceremonies ? the first oc
casion was held in the Little
Theatre at Madison High
School at 2:30 p.m. and the
second occasion was held at
the Medical Center between
Marshall and Walnut.
More than 100 persons at
tended the dedication
program at the school where
former Gov. Bob Scott, who is
now federal co-chairman of
Appalachian Regional
Commission, Washington,
D.C., was the featured
speaker.
Following a unique and
impressive invocation by the
Rev. George Moore, pastor of
the Marshall Presbyterian
Church, Jerry Plemmons,
who served faithfully as
chairman of the fund drive for
the medical center, presided.
He recognized the various
volunteer leaders who were
responsible for the successful
fund-raising effort. He also
recognized the many agencies
and organizations which
played such vital roles in
helping the medical center
become a reality. Plemmons
summed up the efforts of
many persons by saying the
entire effort was the complete
dedication and response of
le.3ers and official* as well as
the public in general. "Each
individual who donated money
and effort is responsible for
this "dream come true."
Tom Wallin, chairman of
the Hot Springs Health
Program, reviewed the
history of the facility and
spoke of the many persons
who had helped in various
ways. Although Wallin
complimented many in
dividuals, there was one in
dividual he pointed out who
had been the initial instigator
and that person is Linda 0.
Mashburn.
"Linda Mashburn began the
Hot Springs Health Program
eight years ago in Hot Springs.
Through her efforts and
dreams, the program has now
expanded to three units with
29 employees. This could not
have happened had it not been
for Lindia's vision," Wallin
commented.
For her untiring service to
the program, she was given a
standing ovation by the large
and appreciative audience.
James Bernstein, director
of office, Rural Health Ser
vices, Raleigh, complimented
the fine work of Plemmons
and Wallin as well as others in
the Marshall and Walnut
areas and then Introduced Bob
Scott.
The former governor stated
that he was always delighted
to come to the mountains of
Western North Carolina and
recalled his last visit to
Marshall when the high school
was on the island.
He spoke of his many
acquaintances in Madison
County, pointing out Miss
Sharon Carter of the county
extension department who he
said he'd known since she was
a little girl in Wilkes County.
"My family and Sharon's
family were the closest of
friends," Scott remarked. He
also recalled hla father's visit
to Marshall and Hot Springs
while his father was governor.
He also recognized Jeanne
and Dick Hoffman of Mars
Hill and other friends.
From his talk, one would
believe he will make every
effort possible from the
federal level to aid in the
establishment of the proposed
Laurel Medical Center.
He complimented the fine
cooperation shown by local
citizens and said, "I am happy
to have been able to share with
you the pride you must feel in
the completion of the Mar
shall-Walnut Medical Cantar,
it's fine staff, directors and
personnel."
After an informal recaption
in the lobby of the school,
where punch, soft drinks and a
huge cake was cut and en
joyed the former governor and
other distinguished guests aa
well as many local citizens,
then motored to the center
between Marshall and Walnut
where the unveiling of the
plaque was held and a tour of
the medical center enjoyed.
The text of Scott's talk
follows:
Two things about my Job
Continued on Page 2A
Laurel Medical Center
Meeting Set For Saturday
Dennis Tweed, chairman,
and Carol Gunter, secretary,
of the Building Committee of
the proposed Laurel Medical
Center, announced this week
that an important meeting
concerning the center will be
held this Saturday at 2 p.m. in
the Laurel School lunchroom .
The residents of the several
communities involved are
urged to attend. "This
meeting could possibly
determine the location of the
new medical center," officials
stated, and added, "Your
opinion counts, we need your
help."
Transportation will be
provided by calling Laurel
Clinic, 656-2611 or Tootsie
Gunter at 656-2316.
The buliding committee
consists of a representative
from each community. They
are as follows: Big Laurel,
Janie Franklin; Cutshalltown,
Dennis Tweed, chairman;
Guntertown, Carol Gunter,
secretary; Laurel, Oleta
Shelton; Little Laurel, Helen
Shelton, treasurer; Sodom,
Nepal Adams and Tootaie
Gunter; Spillcorn, Raymond
Cantrell; and Upper Shelton
Laurel, Ada Jean Shelton.
DEDICATION ceremonies of the
Marshall-Walnut Medical Center
held here Monday began in the
Little Theatre at Madison High
School where former Gov. Bob
Scott, now federal co-chairman of
the Appalachian Regional
Commission, Washington, D.C.,
was the principal speaker. Shown
above at the opening ceremony
are left to right, James Bernstein,
director of office, Rural Health
Services, Raleigh; Tom Wallin,
Chairman Board of Directors, Hot
Springs Health Program; Bob
Scott; and Jerry Plemmons,
chairman of the fund drive. More
than 100 persons attended the
session at Madison High School.
EMCs To Get $10 Million Refund
The Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission has
ordered Carolina Power and
Light Co. to pay back more
than $10 million to 18 Electric <
Membership Corporations in
North Carolina for over- I
charges made during parts of i
1976 and 1877.
In addition, CP4L reached a I
separate agreement with the
cooperatives and the state's 1
municipal electric systems to <
lower its present rates to
wholesale customers. The rate
reduction must get com
mission approval, which is
expected. According to the
agreement, the reduction will
be sought probably early next
month.
The refund will be the
largest ever made by CPftL.
The commission, meeting in
Washington, D.C., tossed
aside appeals from both aides
in reaching the decision.
CP&L wanted the amount,
originally set in a ruling an
nounced last August to be
lowered, but the cooperatives
contended the refund should
be even larger.
The commission ruled that a
34.7 percent rate increase
collected over a 20-month
period from May 1, 1978 to
Dec. ?, 1977, was too Ugh. A
portion was allowed, but
French Broad EMC
Contract For Headouarters
The board of directors of
French Broad Electric
Membership Corp. in Mar
ihall awarded a contract this
a a fM ?L , ? , ?
wees 10 niciory construction
Co. in the amount of $1,437,553
for the contraction of new
coop headquarter* facilities,
subject to REA approval
Hickory Construction Ce of
rod budget for this facility .
However, after careful cou
rt deration, the coop director*
?nd management state the
mw facilities are neceaaary
!? Hll MWu?ftll operation of
he cooperative in the future,
CPAL must pay back about
one-third of what was
collected daring that period.
Among the EMCs getting
money is French Broad EMC
of Marshall.
James M. Hubbard,
executive vice president and
general manager ot ine Nonn
Carolina Electric Mem
bership Corp., which
repreeeuts the local
cooperative*. expressed
disappointment that the
organisation's appeal for a
called the ruling "a very
The refunds may
' as early as Fab.
he is