Newspapers / The News of Orange … / Dec. 29, 1960, edition 1 / Page 12
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1960 SEC. II, PAGE 1 EDITORIALS, FEATURES ... What has 1960 meant to Orange?—Its gains and its shortcomings What has the year i960 meant to Orange County? In bricks and mortar, dollars and cents, and community attitudes there has been some progress during the past 12 months. The chambers of commerce and local boosters (including this newspaper) are now compiling — figures and summaries to show the gains made in this period. \ % They are numerous and significant indeed. Yet in perspective they leave much to be desired in total mis sion. Now at the end of the old year,'then, rather than IT simply pat ourselves on the back, it is appropriate to compare our accomplishments to our failures; our ef forts to our capabilities; and to weigh the two in re solutions for the future. (1) The new decennial census gave the County a healthy 2^ per cent growth tner its I950 population. The decade saw Orange County develop as a point of the Research Triangle. Business improved with the population growth. The future looks prosperous. At the same time the Town of Hillsboro experi enced-a loss of one from its 1950 population of 1,350. Carrboro suburbanites twice defeated_referendums to bring the town’s limits into line with the town’s , natural boundaries. Chamber formed in Carrboro (2) A chamber of commerce was formed for Carr boro. Its membership includes nearly every business and professional person in the town, and it is working seriously toward attracting industry to the town. As one of its first successes it cooperated in the organiza tion of a new national guard platoon to be headquar tered in Carrboro. Yet the Town of Carrboro still has a ivays to go to reach the previous industrial employment level prior to the closing of liurlington Mills' local unit. And Hillsboro-still hasn’t recovered from the loss of the labor strife-torn Reverie Lingerie plant three years ago. (3) The Town of Chapel Hill annexed over 300 acres of land at various times during the year to en compass over 2,400 acres in all. Carrboro is preparing to move ahead with the annexation of 75 acres of ex cellent residential neighborhoods through action by the Town Board. And Hillsboro, under the iprodding of the State Stream'Sanitation Committee, has adopted a plan to construct a sewage disposal system—a necessary utility that will contribute much to the town’s growth potenrial. f While Chapel Hill continues to grow faster than it realizes downtown traffic and parking problems multiply in geometric proportion. Amid much dis cussion little has been done yet to remedy the mount ing difficulties. In addition while the adjoining towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro struggle separately, and to a modest degree jointly, to meet the increasing need for local sendees, cooperative spirit is still more talked, about than carried nut. Planning preparations . . . (4) An Change County Zoning Committee has been appointed. The Couny has joined in the forming of and participation in the Research Triangle Plan ning Commission and die North Central Area De velopment Association. Chapel Hill has tentatively adopted a comprehensive thoroughfare plan for street development and traffic and parking control. ' The thoroughfare plan—in the making and un ' der revision since, 1953—is yet little more than an idea Wyt JletoS of ©range Count? Published Every Thursday By THE NEWS. INCORPORATED Hillsboro, N. C. Chapel Hill, N. C. Box 447 So* 749 Telephone 8-444, Chapel Hill; 4191 -Hillsboro Entered as Second Class Matter at the Post Office at Hillsboro, North Carolina, under the Act of March 3, 1879 UgtWIN J. HAMLIN .. ... . Publisher ROLAND GIDUZ .... Editor U3llsboro Office_____ N. Churton St. Chapel Hill Office ___1_ 311 E. Main St., Carrboro SUBSCRIPTION RATES -$2.50, one year, $1.75, aix mo. (inside N. C.}; $3.00, one year, outside N. C. y"1' i,. -.r , . ____■ - . * on paper. Only he barest of necessary piecemeal plans have been started or carried out. Neighborhood, in ter-city and inter-county jealousy still restricts the ef fectiveness of the zoning and planning efforts, as well as the new concepts of the area and Triangle develop ment organizations. (5) In the political realm Congressman Carl Dur ham retired after 22 useful years in Congress. Orange County Rep. John Umstead, un-official dean of the State House of Representatives, was elected without op position to a 13th term in the General Assembly. And the newly-elected County Board of (Commissioners is representative of a good mixture of Orange County's total interest.-,-*v—' • .1. _T.--- _LL~ ■ - ■ •. "The ygGo general elections also brought forth a re-vitalized Republican party in the county. This gave the voters a greater choice at the ballot box*, and made Tocai~goven»ncm more representative tzHfhe citizens. A record total of over 12,500 persons — 80 per cent of the total number eligible—went to the polls. As the year ended bickering between the County Board of Elections and the County Commissioners continued. The elections board’s maih effort was cen tered on preventing students from iroting in Orange County rather than in helping all eligible citizens to register and vote. Look to school needs . (6) The County’s school leadership took a long look to the future. A citizens study committee found that 150 classrooms would be needed to house an expected school population of 10,000 by 1970. As a start the com mittee urged a $1.5 million school bond issue referen dum to catch up with the current need. The school boards and commissioners concurred and the election will be held this winter. CImpel Hill's school .system is approae king bank ruptcy in its current expenses program, according to the superintendent of schools. The clearest solution, he says, is an increase in the supplementary school tax for the district, Heart of the problem: Somehow it costs a great deal more to educate Chapel Hill Sys tem pupils than it does Orange County system pupils. (7) A thorough curriculum study was undertaken for the Chapel Hill Junior High School System. Or ange County school leaders Initiated a similar study for a proposed new northern Orange High School. The is idea is: Find out what class program is needed and con struct a building to meet such a need. During the year .Chapel Hill’s popular grade school foreign languages program had to be cut back. The libraries and instructional progranj. weremain-.— tained with private assistance. Bugaboo behind ... (8) Chapel Hill put the long-standing bugaboo of de-segregation J>ebind it -With the first voluntary ad mission of Negroes' tp public schools in North Caro lina. Three colored first graders entered the F.stes Hills School. There was no violence, nor any irate protesting (Editorials continued on Page 2) Let's get down to earth! iMfOg&MT EARTH pRO&rt** not GO OP —Walt Partymilier, York Gazette * Daily Newsman iHere's Will determine Kornegay's career record Next. Tuesday a 38-year-old Greensboro attorney win be among the 435 newly-elected Congressmen who will take the oath of office for the 87th Con gress. Horace Kornegay will be a new face cm Capitol Hail as represen tative of the Sixth District. He succeeds Chapel Hill's Carl Dur ham who has retired after 22 fruitful years tai office. When he went to Washington on a fluke of political fate ian 1938,. Carl Durham at the age of 4« was no Inexperienced youngster in the science of government. The Orange County druggist had already served ably on the local board of aktermwv and the school board. And . he had for many - years been active in local, state, and congressional politics. But from a promising start he grew quietly and steadily to the roie of statesman before his retirement. Notepad what Compare his career (a the promise of the future for his successor. Horace Kornegay, while new to national govern ment. leaves behind him a re cord of two terms as District Solicitor. Since his days as a law student at Wake Forest College he has shown a continued and effective healthy interest in poiliics. In bidding him godspeed era his new career as our represen tative- in the federal government, The News has but two observa tions: (1) Horace Kornegay was elected as a member of -the na tional Democratic party. Through out the past campaign he worked energetically not only in his own behalf, but for the election or his fellow nominees on the slate and national tickets. The stereotype of the Southern Democratic Congressman has all too-often been that of a Julep sipping Claghorn who teamed up with the Republicans on signifi cant votes. This image, unfor tunately, bears some truth: The GOP is still looking to the South as its principal hope in the next Congress for a coalition to block much of the Democratic admin istration’s program. Curl Durham was not a flam boyant regionalist in Washing ton. Neither wan he in the lib eral wing of his party. Yet in the summary of his long, per severing career he was. at the least, a good Democrat. Many a 'time when it would have been easier and more popular for him to Join fellow southern Congressmen In bolting their party on crucial issues of prog ressive legislation he remained quietly loyal. From this record Carl Durham's successor may take a cue. Being - a loyal Democrat as a freshman Congressman may oft-times be difficult. Bui m large part it will chart the course of a rising, progressive young legislator, or of just another southern Congress man. Secondly, it should be dear that Congressmen are no special animals. There are mental giantf and less-then-average intellects in the highest halls of our' govern ment. Neither sort is a good or bad Congressman for this quality of itself. Horace Kornegay has laid no claim to n lengthy background (See NOTEPAD, next page} : • ■ :\ \
The News of Orange County (Hillsborough, N.C.)
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Dec. 29, 1960, edition 1
12
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