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The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
VOLUME LXVIl NO. 33 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA S5 PER YEAR THURSDAY. DECEMBER 20, 1973
Around
Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
I haven't talked to Bill Bailey but
from all indications the snow must have
been around five inches deep Monday.
The roads were not as bad as some
would have expected. The schools were
closed for the day but about everything
else operated as usual.
Tuesday morning the thermometer
dropped to around 11 degrees and what
snow remained was frozen hard.
.. I went out to my car about seven
o'clock Tuesday morning and the lock
on both doors were frozen. 1 hope they
will be thawed out by lunch time. This
is the first time I couldn't get in my car
with the key.
Mrs. Reid Childress was by the office
Monday and handed me a clipping that
stated that North Carolina was the first
state in the nation to achieve its 1974
membership quota for the N. C. Farm
Bureau Federation. The article further
stated that: "Farm Bureau members and
leaders all over the country are joining
in congratulating North Carolina FBF
and Nevada FBF for their splendid
membership achievement and
pacesetling role." Nevada was second to
achieve its quota.
As I write this column it is hard to
believe that next Tuesday will be
Christmas Day. It seems that the older
you become that the years go by faster.
I know that it is the same as when you
were younger but anyway it seems to go
faster.
I have had a few calls about the
Christmas lights not being turned on in
Raeford this year. Being a member of
llie City Council 1 voted to not put up
the lights because of the energy
shortage. All of us must remember that
the Christinas lights are only
decorations and that the true spirit of
Christmas is not in decorations but in
die Light that gives eternal life. So try to
gel the true meaning between now and
next Tuesday.
To all the . readers of Ihis column I
wish each and everyone a very Merry
Christmas. To all former employees I
hope that Christmas for you will be the
greatest you have ever had.
So to Lucy Gray. Lib, Geri, Venetia,
Carol. Margaret Ann. Laura. Elaine, just
to name a few. and to all employees
working now the best to all of you at
Christmas time.
Judge Drops
U.S. Charges
Friday in U.S. District Court in
Wilmington Senior Judge Arthur J.
Stanley Jr. dismissed interfering with
federal officers charges against the Rev.
Elias Cochlear of Antioch.
The charges were dismissed after the
government finished presenting evidence
and Slancly ruled there was insufficient
grounds to try Rogers.
Rogers, along with four other Indians
was being tried in connection with tons
of documents allegedly taken from the
Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington
D.C. and found in Robeson County.
Still on trial are Keevcr Locklear,
Dock Locklear Jr., both of Robeson
County, and William Sargeant of
Minnesota. The case was expected to go
to the jury Wednesday afternoon or
Thursday.
Racford attorney Phillip A. Dield
represented Rogers and is representing
lite Locklcars.
Kiwanis Supper
Clears $ 1,000
Members of the Raeford Kiwanis
Club served pancake suppers to 670
people December 6 and announced this
week they will present the SI,000
proceeds to R.B. Lewis for the Hoke
County Bicentennial Library Fund.
Closings Set
City, county aid state ofTlces in
Hoke County wll all observe the same
^ioliday hours. They wil close
Wfccember 24. 25 and 26, to observe
Christmas and January I, to observe
New Year's Day.
Hok. County schools closed
Wednesday it I pm. and will reopen for
See CLOSING. Page 11 *
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"Let There Be Light!"
Some Raeford Shoppers Say
By Jama Chesser
The Raeford City Council voted not
to use lights in Christmas decorations
for the city this year in accordance with
President Nixon's wishes that cities and
people cut down on outdoor decorative
lighting to conserve energy.
The public expressed several different
opinions when asked what they thought
about Raeford not having Christmas
Lights this year. Eighteen of the 34
people questioned said they thought
Raeford should have some Christmas
lights, "at least a couple of days before
Christmas", one person replied.
"I can't understand it, one woman
said shaking her head. "Why couldn't
we have lights just an hour or so the
week before Christmas. My kids are just
real blue about not getting to see the
pretty lights this year."
Two Hoke High School students
responded with "The city needs to
conserve energy just like everybody
else." When asked whether Christmas
lights would be used in their homes this
year, they said their parents had not
bought a tree yet.
Thirteen people were in favor of the
city's action to conserve energy, but
only eight of the thirteen said they
would not use lights at their homes this
year.
"I will not use lights this year, but I
will miss them," one lady said. "1 think
lights help give people the spirit of
Christmas ', said another. "And Raeford
sure could use a little Christmas Spirit."
Twenty - five people said they would
use lights in their homes for decoration.
Many of those who thought Raeford
should use Christmas lights this year
were in favor of not using lights as much
as in previous years. "If we could just
use them a couple of days before, or
even just on Christmas eve," said a
shopper, "I would like it a lot better".
However, seven people thought
Raeford should use Christmas lights
freely. "I have visions of Main Street
just drying up and blowing away," said
one downtown employee. "Christmas
should be a carefree time. People
shouldn't have to worry about anything
for a little while each year," frowned
one shopper with a box of Christmas
tree lights in her hand.
Activities Set For Holidays
Piney Grove Baptist Church
The Sandhills Choral Society under
direction of J. Russell McAllister, will
sing "The Messiah" at Piney Grove
Baptist Church 5:30 pan. Sunday. The
event is open to the public.
Soloists for the presentation are
Gloria I. McLaughlin, soprano: Helen P
McLaurin, alto; William Dockery,
tenor; and Vincent B. McAllister, bass.
Accompanist it Walter L. Green, Jr.
Raeford Presbyterian Church
A service of Nine Lessons and Carols
will be presented Sunday at 6 pan. at
the Raeford Presbyterian Church.
The form of service known as the
festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is
modeled after a service held in ancient
times. It has been sung in King's College
Chapel, Cambridge, England, for about
50 years.
On Sunday choirs of children and
adults will sing the service. Readers for
the nine lessons wUI be chosen from
various groups within the church.
Organist and choir director is Josef
Prhrette.
Sunday's service wll be conducted as
near as possible to the traditional one
described by English authorities.
Dundarrach Presbyterian Church
Sunday at Dundarrach Presbyterian
Church's special 3 pai. Christmas
service, the first officers of the church
since reorganization in 1963 will be
installed.
Martin Jones will be installed as
ruling elder. Ricky Mclnnis and Kenny
Mclnnis will be ordained and installed as
deacons. Glenn Mclnnis. Wilson
McBryde and Eugene Maxwell will be
installed as trustees.
Antioch Presbyterian Church
A special Candle lighting Christmas
carol service will be held at 7 pan.
Sunday at the Antioch Presbyterian
Church.
Community
United Methodist Church
Community United Methodist
Church at Etve Points will hold annual
Christmas program "The Real Christmas
Story" 7:30pan. Christmas Eve.
The Young Inspirational* who wtl
present several Christm*
See ACTIVITIES. Page 11
Man Jailed
For Robbery
A f ayetteville man is being held in
lieu of $20,000 bund in connection
with the December 7 armed robbery of
Wideside Grocery on U. S. 401 north of
Raeford.
The suspect Waverly Clyde Williams,
III, 21, was arrested Saturday just across
the Cumberland County line by Hoke
Deputy Sheriff James Lamont.
Lamont spotted a vehicle on U. S.
401 north which matched description of
one involved in the armed robbery. He
turned on blue light and siren and the
suspect vehicle stopped at side of road
in Cumberland County. Williams was
arrested but another occupant in the
vehicle ran from the scene.
Two masked men reportedly pulled
off the robbery at the grocery store and
left with $700 in cash and other items
after handcuffing owners, Mr. and Mrs.
James Young to a metal rack.
Authorities arc still seeking another
suspect in connection with the robbert.
McCain Hospital
Gains Positions
Pair Held In
Assault Case
A Mississippi native is being held in
Hoke County jail in lieu of $20,000
bond on charges of secret assault and a
Hoke County woman is being held as a
material witness in the case.
Lester L. Lewis, 25, who recently
lived in New York City, was booked on
the assault charges Friday. Maggie
Purcell, 30, who also recently lived in
New York City, is being held on
$10,000 bond.
The pair is scheduled to appear in
district court Friday for Lewis'
preliminary hearing in connection with
a December 11 shooting of Mrs.
Purcell's husband. Melvin Purcell, 30.
Rt. 3 Box 215.
Purcell was shot in the legs with a
shotgun as he was leaving his brother
James Graham's house Rt. 3 Box 254.
He was treated and released at Cape
Fear Valley Hospital.
This is the second time in a little over
a month that Purcell has been shot. On
November 17 Purcell was shot in the
left arm, both legs and back as he left
his Elizabeth Road home to go to work.
Both shootings occurred at night.
Snow Stops
School Day
Snow Monday morning closed Hoke
County Schools and caused many
workers to be late reporting on jobs.
Five inches of the white stuff had
accumulated by noon. This amount is
equal to about .9 inches of rain.
All schools remained closed all day
Monday, reopened on regular schedule
Tuesday and held classes until 1 p.m.
Wednesday. Originally Tuesday had
been scheduled as the last day of classes
before Christmas vacation, but D. D.
Abernethy. Hoke school
superintendent, ordered class sessions
Wednesday to preclude need for
makeup day later in the academic year.
According to law, if classes are in
session through lunch hour it is counted
as a full school day.
There was some rain or snow four
days of the past week. December 13
rainfall measured one inch; Saturday, .7
inches; Sunday, 1.5 inches and
Monday's snow. Tuesday temperatures
plummeted to a bone-chilling 18 degrees
at 6 a.m.
This 4.1 inches of precipitation for
one week compares with several rather
dry months. November had .25 inches,
October, .35 and September, 2.
Need Items Early
News items and advertising for the
next edition of the News-Journal should
reach the N-J office as soon as possible.
Early submission of items is
requested because of holiday schedules.
The N-J will close Monday and Tuesday
in observance of Christmas and will
print the next edition December 27.
About 28 new positions will open on
McCain Hospital's staff after the first of
the year. Included w3l be positions for a
full-time pharmacist, general
administrator and personnel manager,
social worker, x-ray technician and
medical data analyst, plus nursing and
technical positions, reports J. S.
Lennon, N. C. Specialty Hospitals
administrator in Chapel Hill.
The decision to create the new
positions is based on studies of nursing,
dietary and housekeeping staffs at
McCain, Western N. C. Hospital at Black
Mountain, Eastern Hospital at Wilson
and Gravely Hospital at Chapel Hill.
Studies revealed a need to increase
the staffs at McCain and Western on the
basis of number of patients served and
job class classification, said Lennon.
Under a master plan for staffing all
four hospitals wDI have a social worker
with a masters degree. This position will
pay S9.000 to $11,916 a year.
In addition to the social worker,
McCain will need a professional general
administrator and personnel manager.
This employee will be in charge of
recruiting, job classification, in-service
education and orientation of new
personnel. The salary will range from
S11,000 to $ 14,000 annually.
McCain will add a full-time
pharmacist at 513,000 to $16,000 a
year. Raeford pharmacist Walter Coley
has been serving at McCain part time.
Lennon pointed out filling the new
position will bring McCain's drug room
under full control of a registered
pharmacist to comply with state Taw.
One x-ray technician will be added at
McCain bringing the total to four. A
medical data analyst will be added to
review professional work of doctors.
This position will also help the hospital
to "better utilize medical resources,"
reports Lennon.
Also to be added to the McCain staff
are an inhalation therapy technician,
four graduate nurses, four practical
nurses, two surgical technicians and 11
nursing assistants (nurses aides).
McCain's housekeeping staff will be
reduced by four people.
In the reorganization some positions
are being eliminated at Eastern Hospital
and funds from Eastern's budget will be
transferred to McCain's budget.
Lennon said he expects most job
descriptions to be established by
January 7 and recmiting to begin
immediately.
P.D. Returns
Missing Car
An automobile worth S4.000 stolen
from Hoke Auto Company, 217 N.
Main St., Saturday night or Sunday
morning was recovered by the Raeford
Police Department late Monday
morning.
Thieves entered the building by
breaking a garage door with a brick,
police say.
The vehicle, in good condition, was
found about a mile and a half southeast
of Raeford in a wooded area near
Highland Biblical Gardens. A passing
motorist saw the car and reported the
location to police, says Police Chief
Leonard Wiggins.
WINTER WONDKRLAND-White blanket of mow controlled with dark bark on logt in wwmgl yard on Hartnony Heightt
Hand Monday morning. Fhte Inchet of mow fell in Retford doing tchooit for Ike tiny. Snowfall wm followed by cold weather
with ttmpermturei plummeting to 18 degrett at 6 a.m. Tuetday. (NJ Photo)