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The Hoke County News- Established 1928
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
VOLUME LXIl NUMBER 33
RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY. NORTH CAROUNA
14 PER YEAR PER COPY
THURSDAY. DECEMBER 28. 1M7
Hoke Had
Disasters
FAMILY CAR—A young Hoke County family of three was wiiied cut when
this compact car collided with a tractor-trailer April 22 on L-ij.-101 south.
Killed were Mr. and Mrs. Daniel David Russell and their Iniant (Iju-.'liter,
Phyllis Diane Russell. Driver of the tractor-trailer also was killeo.
Sensational News In ’67
Newswlse, 1967 was a better
year—from the standpoint of
less tragedy — than most 12-
month periods In recent Hoke
history.
There were fewer murders
(only two charges) than in most
recent years.
The fatal accident rate was
lower than the prlvlous year
(10 to 14).
There were no major disas
ters, no significant scandals,
no political upheavals, no major
changes In the business and In
dustrial climate.
This week, we will recap
news of the first six months of
the year, week by week. In
next week’s Issue, we will take
a look at the second half of
1967, which Is not yet ended.
JANUARY 5—A Fort Bragg
soldier and one of four passen
gers in his car were killed
near Rockflsh shortly before
midnight New Year’s Eve near
Rockflsh, bringing the 1966 traf
fic death toll to 14 In Hoke
County.
Marine Private WJ. Bennett,
former Hoke High School foot-
bell and wrestling star, was
credited with saving the life of
a Moore County woman when he
entered the automobile in which
she was trapped and revived her
by mouth-to-mouth respiration,
JANUARY 12—Raeford town
commissioners were In a tizzy
after they learned It would cost
$9,000 to run water and sewer
lines to the new elementary
school on Bethel Road. Eventu
ally, the problem was solved at
a much lower cost, but the town’s
critical water and sewer prob
lem (About $1 million In
Improvements were needed)
continued to plague the town
board.
Police launched a search for
a hit-run motorist who struck
down Robert Rogers, 47, during
the night on South Main Street.
Rogers recovered from serious
Injuries, but the hit-run driver
was never found.
Lumbee River Electric Mem
bership Corporation appointed
Mrs. J.M, Andrews, widow of
Judge J.M. Andrews, president
'of the co-op at the time of his
death, to take the judge’s place
on the board of directors.
After losing four straight
basketball games, Hoke High’s
Bucks got back on the winning
trail with a 61-39 revenge vic
tory over Rockingham. They
went on to complete the regular
season and district tournament
without another defeat, but
were beaten In the first game of
the state tournament In Dur
ham.
JANUARY 19— Four young
Negro men 'ere Indicted on
charges of first decree murder
by a Hoke grand ury. The;, ‘ere
accused of slaying .Nell. Archie
McCormick, 77, at .ms nome
In the Duffi>-’s Station commun
ity. All four subsequently were
sentenced t. life Imprisonment.
They were Malcolm M'-Koy, 17;
Landon Jcfinson, 17; King David
Purcell, 21, and Rotert Lee
Holllngsv 'tfi, 23.
Bulldin. oermits In Raeford
numbered ■ • in 1966, compared
to 30 the >Hir liefoie.
Julius Jiidson Niven, 56, a re
tired Aril', master sergeant
and a nati. e of Raeiord, died
January It at liis home here.
JANUAi'\ 20 — Many mem
bers of 1-avford-Hoke Chamler
of Comn.‘'i(e were u[ Inarms
alter the ctianiler purchased a
lot on Harris Avenut and an
nounced plans to ersct a twn
office building thars. Most at
the opposition came from down
town merchants and busliwsa-
men, who claimed retail bus
iness would be diverted If the
chamber and license agency of
fices were moved off Mala
Street. Ultimately, the cham
ber moved to a new office apace
next door to City Cleaners.
Raeford Jaycattes — the
women’s counterpart to Jay-
cees — esUbllshed a $300
scholarship to be awarded each
year to a “deserving’’ senior
girl at Hoke High SchooL
The News-Journal, winner of
many state and national awards
for excellence In news, editor
ials, photography, advertising,
and typography, was declared
first place winner In photo-
See HOKE HAD, Page Three
'aVisi
V
N
Tax listers — These Hoke County people were part of a
crew sworn In last week for taxllstlng jobs. They are, left
to right, Harry Thornberg, Ell .Shankle, Cliff Conoly, Julian
Love and Mrs. Mary Matherly. Other listers (not shown)
art- Mrs. Alma Lovette and Mrs. Wllla McLauchlln. Their
stations are listed elsewhere In the News-Journal In an
advertisement. Taxpayers will be required to list their
|)roperty between January 2 and February 1.
Town Seeks Bond Issue Approval
Raeford officials will go to
Raleigh next week to seek ap
proval of a $650,000 after-sewer
bond issue to provide improve
ments to existing facilities, said
to be badly overloaded.
The bond issue must be plan
ned—or at least its various
aspects have to be approved--
by the League of Municipalities.
Local officials will confer with
W.E. Easterly, executive secre
tary of tlie league.
The State Stream Sanitation
Commission already has given
its go-ahead to the bond refer
endum. its approval was nec
essary because the proposed
bond Issue would push the town's
bonded indebtedness beyond the
recommended limit.
It is necessary to get the
b.nd referendum underway to
qualify for a 30 per cent fed
eral grant for the project, which
will bring major expansion of the
sewage treatment plant and a
new outfall line from Burling
ton Industries to the treatment
plant.
The entire project will cost
just less than {1 million. The
federal government would chip
in some $300,000, provided the
referendum can be In certain
stages of planning before April
1, deadline for federtl par
ticipation during the fiscal year.
Richard E. Moore, consulting
engineer who has been work
ing with the town to solve Its
sewer problems, met with mem-
See BOND ISSUE, Page Four
iO
i
y
\ I
NEW BOSS AND ASSISTANTS — Donald D. Aberiiethy, new
Hoke superintendent of schools, took over his new job at
the Board of Education office December 19. “We will really
get down to business now that Chrlstma.s is over,” he said
this week. His helpers are, left to right. Miss Margaret
McKei'ie, Mi's. Dot Bounds, Mrs. Gertrude Daniels and
Mrs. Pat Polston.
Negro Citizens Plan
Register Voters
An organization to educate
and register voters among the
Negro population of Hoke Coun
ty has been formed here, with
the Rev. Thomas F. Walker of
Raeford as chairman and Jimmy
hsarrlsey as director.
“Our best estimates indicate
that only about half the Negroes
eligible to register are on the
books, and only about half of
those who are registered take
the opportunity to vote,” the
Rev. Mr. Walker said.
On January 4, John Edwards
Jr., director of N.C. Voter Ed
ucation and Registration Pro
ject (VERP), will be guest
speaker at a meeting of the
Hoke VERP group. The gather
ing will be held at East Freedom
Masonic Lodge.
”VERF was officially or
ganized In the county earlier
this month,” Walker said. “It
Is designed to assist citizens
In registration and voting pro
cedures. Previous registration
efforts here were without of
ficial organization.”
Because of the large number
of eligible Negroes who will
register and vote, a “more
coherent organization” Is es
sential, Walker said.
“This Is not a political unit,”
he said. “Ourwork lies in teach
ing registration and voting pro
cedures and In assisting people
In getting to the proper places
to perform these functions.”
Walker said Edwards, a Dur
ham native. Is “an active com
munity worker.” He has served
as director of Winston-Salem’s
Boys Club and was employed in
that city’s anti - poverty
program, “Experiment In Self-
Relltnce, “He also was con
nected with Durham’s anti
poverty program, “Operation
Breakthrough,”
“He also Is a past secretary-
at-large of the NAACP voter
registration campaign through
out the Southeast,” Walker said.
The Rev. Mr. Walker is pas
tor of Plney Grove Missionary
Baptist Church here, where he
began his pastorate in July,
1966. He moved his family
to Raeford in September, 1967,
after completing eight years
of active duty In the Army,
being last stationed at Fort
Bragg.
Other offlceri of Hoke VERP
were listed is Robert L. Doby,
vice chairman; Bobble L.
Bratcher, secretary; Grace Mc
Allister, assistant secretary;
W.T. McAllister, treasurer, and
Gilbert A. Robinson, publicity
chairman.
Morrlsey la vice chairman
of Hoke Community Action Pro
gram. He also will serve as
education chairman for the
VERP organization.
Draft Calls
Six In Hoke
Hoke County draft board has
received a call for six men to
be sent to Raleigh for Induction
January 3, according to Mrs.
Mary L. Oonnellan, clerk.
Thirty-seven Hoke men will
be sent for armed forces physi
cal examination January 30, she
saUL
Winter Storm courthouse
Visit Set
By Lennon
Is On Its Way
Local state highway patrolmen warned motorists planning
to be on the highways during the New Year’s weekend to check
weather conditions at their destinations and alonr their routes.
The eastern seaboard braced Itself Thursday morning tor the
season’s first severe winter storm. Haln was preceded by
light snow here before daybreak today, but the rain that fell
during the morning was expected to chaiue to snow, sleet, or
freezing rain before nightfall.
The Christmas and New Year’s holidays traditionally are the
worst seasons of the year for traific accidents. Weather con
ditions usually are worse, and holiday drinking and merri
ment add to the hazards.
A light snowfall had accumulated early this morning in the
Piedmont and mountain sections of North Carolina, with the snow
moving eastward from the mountains.
The U.S, Weather Bureau station In Ralcith warned that snow
was expected to cover most of the interior of the state, with
as much as four Inches In some sections. Alon^ the coast, the
precipitation was expected to continue as rain.
Actually, the first snow of the season fell here sometime
last Thursday night. It was hardly more than a heavy frost
and quickly dissipated after sunnse.
Oddly, that snowfall began in the coastal region and moved
Inland, changing to rain In the interior.
The current storm developed In the aftermath of a cold
front which passed through North Carolina Tuesday. It became
stationary over Florida and “a lot of precipitation began
See STORM, Page Four
Main Street Yule Tree
Yields Gifts For Needy
« Rep. Alton A. Lennon, who
represents the state's Seventh
Congressional District, will be
at Hoke County Courthouse on
Wednesday. January 3. from 9
a. m. to 5 p. m.
"In the few days since Con
gress adjourned, I have been
able to travel briefly In tfie
district and to spend sometime
in our district offlee,” Lennon
said. “The length of this year’s
session, unfortunstely, limited
the amount of time I have to
visit counues In die district.”
Lennon said he wlU be happy
to talk with anyone io Hoiw
County who has a problem re
lating to the federal govern
ment.
"Even if they have no prob
lem, I will appreciate people
dropping by to say 'hello' while
I am In Raeford,*' he said.
tu'
t- >
FOR CHARITV--Jlm Tout, nu. i
merce. and his ci n’:i'it’»> n-.i!
twice to be sure tba; iher* i
of the underpri. lUd-. J j.' 'ni'
take care of. fcir.elo;es i.
catts.
« t:u' Charr'tr oi Com-
.1 i.. 1 1.1 hecki-.j It
file lerti'i' .’.i- ; r as maii>
•ar’s I'l'i-'I. utii’i.s 'ould
touiid iL-rt ii . tr»d^ certifi-
.Nfore than 125 persons of
Raeford and Hoke County helped
to put a light In the hearts
of 60 children by buying a bulb
for the Chamber of Commerce
Christmas tree, according to
a report from Wyan Upchurch,
chamber president.
Those wishing to help some
underprivileged child were In
vited to "pay 6 for a bulb
to be lit" on the Main Street
tree. .Ma.ny donors paid for
several ou.bs. The money ec-
tually went to purchase trade
certificates.
'The results were encourag
ing," Jim Fout, chamber man
ager said, "and another such
project Will ■3e carried cut next
year."
A secret committee screened
families where children were
ii. •'eed. They were listed on
a pr.ority basis a.nd trade cer
tificates were delivered Thurs
day and Friday. The certlft-
caces are to be used In die
purchase of shoes, clochtflg and
tovs for children, only.
"We thought it best to rite
them a ceruAcate radier man
a gift since sizes would pre
sent a problem”, Fout mtiL
.Viy store in Raeford dial U
a member of the Chamber
includes the majority) wUl ae-
cepe the certiAcate.