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The Hoke County News - Established 1928
VOLUME XXX NUMBER 40 RAF.FORD, HOKE COUNTY. NORTH CAROLINA
- journal
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
S8 PER YEAR THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1,1979
Around
Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
The weather has finally settled
down and the real winter is with us.
It has been cold for a week now and
the forecast is for the same for the
remainder of the week.
With the television and radio the
weather doesn't surprise us as
much as it did before these gadgets
were invented. You go home at
night and listen for what tomor
row's weather will be and then you
can listen at the morning meal to
see if the forecast was correct as
what changes are in store for the
day.
The other day a group of us were
talking about snow and the big
snows that we remembered. The
snow of 1927 was the deepest I can
recall being in Hoke County. It was
over two feet deep and it stopped
about everything in the community
for a few days. We didn't have any
weather reports to tell us to prepare
for a two-foot snow.
Of course people didn't depend
upon the super market for their
food. The smokehouse was near
and the cows and chickens provid
ed milk and eggs for each family.
Almost everyone had chickens in
their backyards.
This was before the days ot
central heat and the fuel oil truck.
In fact there were few trucks
around at that time. I remember
that the first movement in the
Laurinburg highway was the wagon
from Lester's Dairy delivering milk
late in the afternoon.
We had cut walkways through
the snow to the smokehouse and
the woodpile. Then to the chicken
house and later on to the hog pens.
it snowed for about two days and
things were at a standstill.
About every big snow that has
occurred in my lifetime came
unexpected. I would go to bed at
night and wake up the next
morpiry^ U> find a J$w inches of
snow on Iris trouna.
So all you folks that listen to the
weather reports, just wait until they
forecast no snow and maybe you
can wake up and find your snow the
next morning. I did say YOUR
snow, not mine.
* ? ?
This is the first month in a long
time that 1 haven't hit a golf ball. It
seems that every weekend is too
rough to play. The last time 1 was
on the course was December 31.
? * *
Congratulations to Dr. Marcus
R. Smith on being named "Man ol
the Year" for 1978. Having been
associated with Dr. Smith in
church work for many years, it
couldn't have happened to a more
deserving person.
* ? *
Elsewhere in the paper is an
article concerning employment in
Hoke County. It was just a few
months ago that Summerfield
closed and the unemployment rate
in Hoke County was one of the
highest in the state. According to
the latest figures, this has dropped
and has been dropping for the past
few months. Let's hope that the
rate will continue in this path.
* * *
The games of the Hoke High
Bucks' basketball team is just like
the games of the ACC when it
comes to thrillers. They lost a close
one to Lee County last week and ot
course you remember the seven
overtime periods game in the
tournament in Raleigh. This type
of game is not good for people with
heart trouble. So maybe the coach
es should let them continue to shoot
rather than slow the game down
and wait for the last shot.
Now if this was true. 1 would be
coaching, rather than sitting here
trying to fill a column.
? * *
Robert Gatlin was by the office
the other day and we were talking
about the Raeford Kiwanis Club
and that this year marked the 55th
year since its charter night in 1924.
In recalling the charter members,
from a program that Gatlin had.
we found that the third generation
was in the club in two different
families.
J.C. Thomas. Crawford Thomas
and Crawford Thomas. Jr. make
up one and D.S. Poole, W.L. Poole
and W.L. Poole. Jr. compose the
other.
(See AROUND TOWN, page IS)
From January To December 1978
Jobless Rate Dropped To 7.2 Percent
+ A?i A 1 * ? * * * * A k A A A ..... -
Raeford Jaycees Present Awards
The Raeford Jaycees last week
honored two organizations and two
men and a woman judged as
outstanding in their field in Hoke
County.
The awards were announced and
presented the night of January 24 at
the Jaycees' Distinguished Services
Awards banquet at the Little
Whale restaurant.
Tom Pilkington, a state wildlife
enforcement officer, was honored
as the Outstanding Young Law
Enforcement Officer.
Bobby Strother of Raeford
received the award of Outstanding
Young Farmer.
Teresa Mills was presented the
award of Outstanding Young
Educator.
The award of Jaycee of the
Quarter went to Ricky Sandy.
The Hoke County Rescue Squad
and The News-Journal were
honored for their services. Johnny
Nichols received the Distinguished
Service Award on behalf of the
rescue squad, and reporter Bill
Lindau, for the newspaper. The
Americal Press Certificate of
Appreciation was awarded The
News-Journal for its service in
communications.
The Distinguished Service
Award was given to the Hoke
County Rescue Squad as a whole,
because the members of the squad
felt it would be more appropriate
than giving it to a member of the
squad, and the Jaycees agreed with
them. The members of the squad
expressed their preference as a
group after being asked by a
Jaycees representative to select a
member of the squad to be given
the DSA honor.
Jaycees President Ken Koonce
presented the award to Sandy.
Mike Melton made the presen
tation to Nichols, David Allen gave
theplaque to Lindau.
The law - enforcement officer
plaque was presented by Jaycees
Secretary Tommy Connell.
Mrs. Mills received her award
from her husband, Jaycee Wayne
Mills.
Larry Calloway made the pres
entation to Strother.
Sandy is a state director of the
Jaycees and served as chairman for
the local organization's 1978
Haunted House for Halloween.
He is in his third year with the
Jaycees and also is active in church
work.
He is married to the former
Brenda Conoly of Raeford.
In business, he owns and op
erates a Raeford radiator shop.
The guest speaker was 1977-78
Raeford Jaycees President Burnett
Coleman. He described leadership
"winner" techniques.
He was accompanied to the
dinner meeting by his wife, Mary.
Coleman is on the staff of
Waccamaw Bank & Trust Co. at
Fair Bluff.
During his presidency, the Rae
ford Jaycees' first Miss Raeford
Pageant was held, and the organi
zation's membership rose to 65
from 23.
For service to the Jaycees while in
Raeford, Coleman was awarded a
Jaycees International Senatorship.
the Faith in God Award, and a Life
membership in the Raeford Jay
cees.
Koonce presided over the meet
in*.
The annual awards banquet was
one of the programs held by the
local Jaycees in observance of
national Jaycee Week.
Dupree Trial Thursday;
Burlington Judge Assigned
District Court Judge Joseph E.
Dupree of Raeford is scheduled to
be tried in Raeford Thursday on a
charge of driving under the in
fluence.
District Court Judge Thomas D.
Cooper of Burlington will preside
by special appointment over the
trial, which is scheduled to be
heard in Hoke County District
Court.
Chief District Judge D.S. Carter
of Fayetteville reported as saying
Monday that he planned to return
Dupree to the bench for District
Court criminal terms, regardless of
the result of Thursday's trial,
unless State Supreme Court Chief
Justice Susie Sharp told him not to.
Cooper's appointment to the
Hoke court session was made by
Miss Sharp.
Miss Sharp suspended Dupree
January 15 from his court duty till
his case was disposed of. Dupree
was charged after the car he was
driving hit the rear of a pickup on
U.S. 401 about eight miles north of
Raeford the night of January 11,
the State Highway Patrol has
reported. No one was injured, the
report said.
Cooper's regular court duties are
in a district outside the one which
Dupree serves, the Cumberland -
Hoke counties' 12th. Carter said
after Dupree was charged that he
would ask the assignment of a
judge from outside the district to
Dupree's trial.
Dupree has been serving as a
District Court judge since 1966, the
first year the new court system was
established.
He is a retired state highway
patrolman.
RESCUE SQUAD HONORED ?? The Raeford Jaycees' Distinguished
Service Award was presented to the Hoke County Rescue Squad last week.
Mike Melton |/_ | made the presentation for the Jaycees to Johnny Nichols
|tf|. who accepted it lor the Rescue Squad.
Gas Poisoning Apparent
Cause Of Two Deaths
Two people were found dead
about 5:45 p.m. Saturday, ap
parently of carbon monoxide gas
poisoning, in a car parked in woods
off Philippi Church Road about six
miles east of Raeford.
The Hoke County Sheriffs De
partment reported the victims were
Marjorie Bryant, 23, of Rt. 1.
Lumber Bridge, and James Quincy
Hardee. Jr., 18, of Rt. 2, Raeford.
Dr. Robert G. Townsend of
Raeford, a Hoke County medical
examiner, said death was caused
apparently some time Friday night
by carbon monoxide poisoning.
An autopsy performed later by
the state medical examiner's staff
in Chapel Hill "indicated death by
carbon monoxide poisoning --
nothing else." Sheriff D.M. Bar
rington said this week after receiv
ing by telephone a report of the
findings of the autopsy.
The tragedy was discovered by
Ms. Bryant's brother and James
Hendrix, a farmer he works for. the
sheriffs department reported. The
woods in which the car was parked
are near Hendrix's home.
Ms. Bryant and Hardee were
employed by Tar Heel Hatchery
and were last seen alive leaving
work together shortly after 5 p.m.
Friday, the Sheriffs Department
reported.
The bodies were taken to Dr.
Townsend's office for examination
to determine the cause of the
deaths.
Ms. Bryant is survived by her
father, Edger Bryant of Lumber
Bridge; her sisters, Mrs. Polly Ann
Jones, Mrs. Diane Jacobs and Mrs.
Catherine Jacobs, all of Raeford;
her brothers, James and Paul
Bryant of Fayetteville. and Joseph.
Reid, Amos and Ronald Bryant, all
of Raeford; and her half brothers,
Stephen. Timmy, Jeremiah. Jonah.
John and Earl Bryant, all of the
home.
The funeral service was conduct
ed at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Trinity
House of Prayer by the Revs.
Stafford Henderson, Doug Maynor
and Herbert Chavis. Burial was in
Galilee Church cemetery.
Mr. Hardee is survived by his
father. James 0- Hardee of Hope
Mills; his mother, Mrs. Sauls
Hardee of the home; his sisters.
Mrs. Nadine Holland and Mrs.
Patricia Shattock of Fayetteville,
Mrs. Geraldine Furmage of La
Duente. Calif., and Mrs. Lou
Leavitt of Downer, Calif.; and his
paternal grandmother, Mrs. Lillie
Hardee of Hope Mills.
The funeral service was schedul
ed for 2 p.m. Wednesday in
Hamilton-Porter Funeral Home in
Hope Mills, and burial in Big
Roekfish Presbyterian Church
cemetery.
Unemployment has declined
during 1978 trom a high ot 12.2
percent last January to a low of 7.2
in December, according to figures
recently released from the State
Employment Security Commission.
In 1977. the unemployment rate
climbed from 7.5 percent in No
vember to 11 percent in December.
The 1978 figure for December
represents an almost 4 percent
decrease from the previous year.
Statewide, unemployment stands
at 4.1 percent for December, the
figures said. This is an increase
over the November rate of 3.7
percent. Nationwide, the unadjust
ed rate is 5.6 percent.
Stephen W. Benkosky of the
local Employment Security Com
mission. said he would attribute
most of the decline in December's
rate to ex-Summertield employees
finding new employment.
"As their period of eligibility
(for unemployment payments) ran
out. they gave up hope ot being
called back to work and found jobs
outside of the county." he said.
Fewer people are signing up tor
unemployment now. Benkosky
said. He also said he is expecting a
continued decline in the rate,
"barring any unusual circumstanc
es"
Reviewing the 1978 figures, un
employment hit its highest mark in
January while February showed a
decline to 8.9 percent. Unemploy
ment began to increase again in
March with a rate of 11.1 percent.
For the next three months,
employment heTe increased and a
drop in the figures was noted.
April's unemployment was at 11.3
percent. May was 10 percent and
June 9.9 percent.
July recorded another increase in
the rate with an 11.2 percentage
figure and the last five months of
the year showed a steady decline
with 9.5 percent in August. 8.3
percent in September. 7.9 in
October, 7.5 in November and 7.2
in December.
The report for December esti
mates the county's labor force that
month totaled 8.180; the number
employed, 7,590; and the number
unemployed 590.
The unemployment rates in nine
counties were higher than Hoke's
and the rates of four were the same
as Hoke's for December.
Montgomery County had the
state's lowest rate in December --
1.8 per cent of a labor force totaling
10.290 people.
The highest was 13.4 per cent, in
Tyrrell County. The total labor
force was l.b40. and the unem
ployed totaled 220.
The other counties with double -
digit unemployment for the month
were Swain, 11 .H per cent ot a labor
force of 4.160; and its neighbor.
Graham. 11.2 per cent of 3,300.
Hoke County Man Of The Year
Dr. Smith Given Kiwanis Award
Dr. Marcus Raynor Smith, a
retired Raeford dentist, received
the Raeford Kiwanis Club's 1978
Kiwanis Hoke County Citizenship
Man of the Year Award Saturday
night.
Dr. Smith was announced as the
club's choice for the award and was
presented with the cup symbolic of
the honor by Harold Gillis during
the club's annual Ladies' Night
dinner, held in the Southern Pines
Elks Lodge. The program also
commemorated the club's 55th
anniversary.
The club was presented its
charter February 22, 1924, at a
Charter Night dinner meeting, only
nine years, a month and a day after
Kiwanis International itself was
founded. It is Hoke Countv's oldest
civic organization and has 45
members.
During the program also Wilton
Wood was presented by Gene
Carter the award for having given
the club the program judged as the
best at the weekly dinner meetings
of the past year. The program was
an address by Roy Parker Jr..
editor of The Fayetteville Times.
The Kiwanians and their wives
and other guests were informed
that club President Frank Crump
ler would run for the district's
lieutenant - governor - elect, who
will be chosen April 19 at a
Governor's Visit meeting in
Raleigh. This was reported by
District Four Lt. Gov. Bob
Womble of Buie's Creek.
Robert Gatlin told the audience
that "at an appropriate time-' he
would present Mrs. Jeanette
Jordan, an award for her husband,
the late Dr. Julius F. Jordan, for 26
years of attendance at the club's
meetings.
Dr. Jordan died the morning of
January 22.
Gatlin praised Dr. Jordan and
said he would be missed.
Other attendance awards were
presented by Avery Connell.
Soon after Gillis presented the
Citizenship Award to Dr. Smith.
Kiwanis District Gov. Ray Hunter
of Sanford presented Dr. Smith
with a Light Up Your Life pin.
The Citizenship Award is given
annually to a person who in the
club's judgment has made a
significant contribution to the
community over a span of years.
Dr. Smith was the 30th person to
receive the honor, which was
established in 1949. Gillis said.
Before announcing Dr. Smith by
name as the person to whom he
would present the award, Gillis
described Dr. Smith's services to
the community, his church and his
profession.
Gillis's description included
these details.
Dr. Smith, a native of Edenton.
came to Raeford in 1937 after
doing public health work in schools
throughout the state. When he
retired in 1967 from his dentistry
practice, because of the condition
of his health, he donated his dental
(See DR. SMITH, page 15)
MAN OF THE YEAR ?? Dr. Murcus Raynor Smith \L | receives the Raeford
Ki wan is Clnh's 197H Kiwtmis Citizenship Mutt of the Year Award trophy
Saturday night from Harold Gillis. The presentation mis made during the
clnh's annual Ladies Sight dinner program.