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The Hoke County News - Established 1928
VOLUME LXVlll NUMBER 32 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
- journal
25
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
S8 PER YEAR THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1976
Around
Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
The weather for the past week
has been on the cold side. Today
(Tuesday) it is raining but from all
reports it will fair up and turn
colder. Some people are asking for
a white Christmas but I guess as
you get older you don't look
forward to a white any day.
* * *
?
Mrs. A. A. Mclnnis called last
week and said that one mistake was
in the writeup about her in last
week's paper. She said that the
.Aunt Becky referred to in the
article was not any kin to her but
was the pen name of some lady that
wrote for the Maxton paper. Mrs.
Mclnnis said that someone might
take it the wrong way if it wasn't
corrected.
Sorry Mrs,. A. A. about this, just
a misunderstanding.
? * *
A lady called this week with the
following human interest story:
Sunday morning between Sun
day School and church at the
Raeford Presbyterian Church she
went to her car to put away some
materials. She said a car stopped
driven by a young man and he
asked her if she would take a potted
plant he had and put it in the
church.
The lady said it was an amarillis,
a red blooming plant, and was
really beautiful. The young man
asked, if after the worship service,
would she give it to someone sick or
someone who was a shutin.
She asked the young man his
name, but he said that he would
like to remain anonymous, of
course this is the way most good
samaritans want to be known.
The caller said that she took the
plant after church to Bill
McFadyen and that he was all
cmiles at getting it.
9 She didn't know the young man.
but thought he might read this
column and know that the potted
plant did what he wanted it to do.
That is. bring joy to someone else.
Thanks for the telephone call
and maybe we should all put this to
use for the upcoming Christmas
season.
? * *
The Post Office Department
receives many complaints from
people who say that the mail is late
or that things are lost.
A letter arrived this week in The
News-Journal box that could have
been pitched in the dead letter file.
The letter was addressed as
follows:
M.B. Jones
Box 550
Raeford. N. Georgia 28303.
This letter was for Becky Jones of
the newspaper staff. It had gone to
Dunn but from there it came to
Raeford.
So you people that complain
about the postal service must hear
only the bad instead of the good.
They have a hard time too.
Don't forget the Raeford Kiwanis
Club Pancake Supper tonight
(Thursday) beginning at five
4 o'clock at the Gibson Cafeteria.
Besides the meal, that will benefit
local youth projects, you can enjoy
a time of fellowship with your
friends. So make plans to attend.
Also at the same time the Music
Booster Club will hold a Bazaar at
the school. This would be a fine
time to pick up some Christmas
gifts and save you from fighting the
crowds of some shopping center.
The proceeds from this bazaar will
? also go to a worthy cause.
? * *
tAn article brought into the office
concerning the stopping of religion
\ on the airwaves will be taken up in
| this column next week.
Rose's Office
IJere Dec. 15
The mobile office of Congress
man Charlie Rose will visit Raeford
4fVednesday, Dec. 15 from 10 a.m.
to 3 p.m. in the post office parking
lot.
, Administrative assistant Rip Col
klins will be available.
Balfour New Chairman
County Board Reorganizes
****??? * ****** ****** ?- ?
City Wells Blamed
For Water Deficit
The city council agreed to have
state authorities re-check the city's
six deep water wells in the Turn
pike Road area after a group of
about 20 landowners appeared
before the councilmen and com
plained their wells were running
dry.
Steve Hedgepeth, representing
the homeowners, told the board
that people in the area were having
trouble getting enough water from
their wells and blamed the presence
of the city's six wells. The city well,
538 More
Get Shot
Five hundred and thirty eight
persons here received a swine flu
vaccination during the special two
weekend clinics at the county
health center.
The number was by far the
largest immunized at one time
since the campaign began here Oct.
11, but health department workers
were still disappointed.
The total number of county
residents who have been inoculated
is under 2,000. Most of those who
received shots Saturday and Sun
day were in the under - 65 age
group.
The health department announc
ed that children age three and older
will be able to get a swine flu shot.
A limited supply of the vaccine will
be made available on a "first come,
first served" basis.
No date has yet been scheduled
for the children's immunizations.
Only healthy children will be given
the vaccine. Chronically ill young
sters should see their family
physicians for the vaccine.
which are 150 feet in depth, have
been in operation about a year.
City manager Robert Drum
wright explained that both state
officials and the city's engineering
firm conducted extensive tests be
fore the wells were put in to insure
they would have no effect on the
private, shallow wells serving
homes. Some of the private wells
are as shallow as 24 or 30 feet, he
said.
Drumwright, as well as some
councilmen, suggested the increase
in new homes and more wells in the
area may be the cause of any water
shortages.
Several years ago, when the city
began drilling the Turnpike Road
wells, 28 persons signed a petition
voicing concern that the deep water
wells would affect water supply in
the community. Drumwright said
this was the first such complaint
made to the city.
Drumwright said that officials
with the Division of Health in the
Department of Natural and Eco
nomic Resources would be request
ed to conduct tests as soon as
possible. Moore-Gardner Associ
ates, the city's engineers, would
also be asked to investigate.
Lovette Resigns
In other business Monday night,
the council accepted the resigna
tion of councilman David Lovette,
effective Dec. 6.
In a letter, Lovette cited business
obligations as interfering with the
time needed to devote to city affairs
and said he was resigning regretful
ly
Lovette was elected to the council
in 1975.
Drumwright said the council is
expected to discuss naming a
(See COUNCIL, Page 4)
OA TH OF OFFICE -- Clerk of Court Juanita Edmund \on left] administers
the oath of office to the newest members of the board of education Monday
night. Ruth McNair [center] and Mina Townsend. The two are the first
women ever elected to the school board here.
Townsend, McNair
Join School Board
Newcomers Mina Townsend and
Ruth McNair were sworn in as
members of the Hoke County
Board of Education during its
meeting Monday night.
Mrs. Townsend, 39, and Mrs.
McNair, 55. became the first
women to serve on the board. Mrs.
McNair is also the first black
elected to the body.
According to minutes of the
meeting, the new board elected
Robert (Bobby) Gibson chairman
on a 3-2 secret vote. Gibson's name
was placed in nomination by Mrs.
Townsend. Riley M. Jordan was
also nominated for chairman by
Mrs. McNair.
Jordan was nominated as vice
chairman of the board by Mrs.
Townsend and elected by acclama
tion.
In other business, the board
accepted the resignation of Wen
dell K. Branch, assistant principal
at Scurlock Elementary School.
Branch was among several county
men arrested last summer in
connection with a tobacco theft in
Robeson County.
The board approved Robert
Gatlin as consulting engineer to the
schools at an annual fee of SI, 200.
Teachers will be authorized to
leave school at 3 p.m. during the
last week before the Christmas
vacation in another decision made
by the board.
Mary Alice Morris, a West Hoke
teacher, was named to head the
special migrant education program
in remedial math this year. Char
lotte Kelly was appointed as clerk -
recruiter for the proeram.
The board also approved new
personnel, directed tne superin
tendent to write a sick leave policy,
agreed to turn over Armory Park
for recreation use and reviewed the
yearly audit report before adjourn
ing.
SWEARING IN - Newly elected county commissioners Neil W. McPhatter (on
right) and Danny DeVane take the oath of office Monday morning before the
Clerk of Court. McPhatter and De Vane are beginning four year terms.
Scabies Noted
Among Schoolchildren
Scabies, widely known as "the
itch", has been detected among
Hoke school children but only
relatively few cases have occurred.
School Supt. G. Raz Autry said
Friday that 50 cases of scabies have
been confirmed involving pupils at
six of the county's seven schools
since the first of November. Only
McLauchlin Elementary School
had no reported cases.
Scabies is a contagious skin
disease caused by a parasitic mite
that burrows under the skin to
deposit eggs, causing intense
itching.
State health officials announced
earlier this year that an increase in
the disease was noted in North
Carolina.
Autry said that school nurse
Eleanor Harward has made checks
at all of the schools and every
student who is found to have
scabies has been taken home with
Hoke Gains
Preliminary population figures
announced this week by Census
Bureau officials show Hoke County
has increased its population since
the last census in 1970 and the city
of Raeford has experienced a slight
decline.
The county population as of Nov.
2. the date of the special federal
census here, was 18,406, a gain of
1,970 over the 1970 census, county
manager T.B. Lester announced
Monday.
The population for the city on
T eacher
Charged
In Killing
A Hoke High teacher is free on
$20,000 bond after she was charged
in Cumberland County with the
fatal shooting of her husband early
Sunday.
Mrs. Carrie Lowery Hampton,
29, was arrested and charged with
first degree murder by Cumberland
County sheriffs deputies following
the death of her husband. Herbert
J. Hampton, 29.
Th& shooting occurred in the
couple's home at 2231 Delta Drive
about 5:30 a.m.. deputies said.
Hampton had been shot through
the heart by a bullet from a small
caliber pistol and was pronounced
dead on arrival at Cape Fear Valley
Hospital, according to deputies.
Hampton was employed by the
N.C. Department of Correction.
Mrs. Hampton is a Spanish teacher
at Hoke High and has been
employed by the Hoke school
system for the last six years.
A spokesman in the school
superintendent's office said the
Hamptons were married last Au
gust.
Mrs. Hampton was released on
bond Sunday pending a Jan. 5
court hearing.
an explanation given to his parents.
The policy of the schools is not to re
- admit a student unless the student
has received medical treatment.
"Unfortunately, some parents
have not sought treatment for their
children and we are presently
working on this problem." Autry
said.
Autry added that all principals in
the system have been instructed to
make all parents aware of the
situation.
M.R. Mills, chief of the
environmental section of the Hoke
health department, said scabies is
highly contagious and somewhat
difficult to cure.
"The parasite must be killed by
heat, not just ordinary washing.
The clothing, bed linen, everything
has just about got to be sent to a
commercial laundry, most home
laundry won't do it." he said.
In Census
the same date was 3.139, a loss of
61 compared to the latest available
figure, city manager Robert
Drumwright reported.
The new figures released this
week are considered preliminary
and will not be official until
published by the federal govern
ment. Drumwright said Monday he
was concerened at the city's loss in
population, if the figure is accepted
as correct.
"It's not the (small) amount that
bothers me. it's the trend."
Drumwright said.
The city's federal revenue
sharing award, along with state
road funds and other forms of aid.
is figured according to size of
population, so any reduction in
population can lead to reduced
revenues.
Lester indicated he was generally
pleased with the population in
crease. but added that it would not
greatly affect any projected revenut
right now. since the county
has been using a figure of 18.000
persons, a revision made by the
state, for some time.
With one newcomer and a new
chairman, the reconstructed Hoke
County Board of Commissioners
met for its first meeting Monday
morning, and following routine
appointment procedures for county
offices, plunged into the task of
managing the housing rehabilita
tion program for low - income
neighborhoods approved earlier for
S90.000 in federal funds.
> Department store owner Danny
DeVane, 30, took the oath of office
and became the newest member of
the board alongside Neil W.
McPhatter, 52, in brief ceremonies
in the courthouse with Clerk of
Court Juanita Edmund adminis
tering the swearing - in.
McPhatter, a building contractor
appointed to the board in January
and elected to a four year term in
his own right in November became
the first elected black to be seated
as a commissioner.
DeVane replaced outgoing
member Tom McBryde, the vice -
chairman, who did not seek
another term.
Commissioner John Balfour, a
Stonewall township farmer and
businessman, was elected chairman
of the new board on a 3-0 vote after
his nomination was made by
DeVane. Incumbent chairman
Ralph G. Barnhart was nominated
for the post by Balfour but he drew
no votes. Both Balfour and
Barnhart left the meeting room for
the voice vote which was called by
temporary chairman T.B. Lester.
The new board re - appointed
Lester clerk to board, county
manager, accountant and purchas
ing agent. Charles Hostetler was re
- appointed county attorney and the
necessary bonds for the county
accountant and register of deeds
were approved before the board got
down to business.
Skip Johnson and Danny Willis
of the Department of Natural and
Economic Resources briefed com
missioners on the housing rehabili
tation project, the first part of the
$460,000 Community Development
Act grant to be implemented.
The NER agency is adminis
tering the project to serve low ?
income families under a $9,000
contract with the county. $87,000
of the funds will gt> to im
provements for sub - standard
dwellings with $3,000 taken out for
administrative costs.
Johnson told the board the first
step is to choose a "task force", a
committee of about five people who
can hold public meetings in the two
target areas and then decide which
homes are to receive the free aid.
The target areas chosen for the
program are Cameron Heights and
the Vass Road corridor, both
predominately black neighbor
hoods north of the city.
The recommended makeup of
the task force is one or more county
commissioners and at least one
resident of the target area, Johnson
said. Part of the task force's job
would be to establish criteria for
eligibility, such as age. family
income, disabilities, etc.
Johnson suggested Willie
Featherstone Jr., housing agent for
the county extension service, as an
ex - officio member of the task
force.
Johnson said it was desirable to
utilize local contractors for as much
of the work as possible on a
competitive bid basis, but countv
(Sec COUNTY. Page 9)
rnrnrn^mmm. m
SWEARING IN - Delia Maynnr takes the oath of her new office Monday
morning from Clerk of Court Juanita Edmund. Miss Maynor, 21. marked
two firsts ? she is the Jirst Indian elected to the office and she is also the
youngest.