ELKIN
The Best Little Town
In North Carolina
* The Elkin Tribune »
ELKIN
Gateway To Roaring Gap
and the Blue Ridge
VOL. NO. XXXIII No. 39
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
ELKIN, N. C., THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 1945
$2.00 PER YEAR
16 PAGES—TWO SECTIONS
Optimism Here
Is Reflected By
^Business Men
i
4
No Wholesale
Layoff Of Labor
Is Experienced
Elkin, the site of no mushroom
war industries during the boom
days of the war and thus but
slightly affected by the termina
• tion of war contracts at the end
of hostilities which resulted in
^^wholesale layoffs of labor in many
towns and ctiies, faces the post
war era with a confidence reflect
ed in the optimism of its leading
manufacturers.
G
m
W.->
k
A survey made by The Tribune
uring the past week has disclosed
that although there have been
cut backs on war orders in two
local industries, these moves were
anticipated and prepared for and
m a result labor has not been af
fected. Other local industries, in
the face of peace-caused unem
ployment reported from industry
in other towns throughout the na
tion which have seen war con
tracts terminated and hundreds
and thousands of employees sud
denly set adrift, state that their
biggest obstacle here is lack of
sufficient manpower.
A. L. Butler, president of the
Chatham Manufacturing Com
pany, which for the past four or
five years has been largely de
voted to turning out blankets and
other materials for the armed
forces, said Friday that the com
pany has received cutbacks on its
government orders, but that this
was expected and plans for the
s future had been prepared for
\ many months prior to the victory
over Japan. He said that the
company has ample orders on
hand for civilian blankets and
automobile upholstery, and that
,the futures anticipated with con
fidence. ' i
Van Dillon, Sr., c f the Elkin
Furniture Company, also express
ed the belief that business during
the postwar era wopld be good.
“Our greatest trouble at the mom
ent,” he told The Tribune, “is in
securing sufficient labor and ma
terial with which to produce
furniture. Expanding business
conditions within the next month
or so should enable the company
to employ 75 or more additional
men,” he said.
Leaders here in the lumber in
dustry were also optimistic over
the outlook for the future, and
anticipated increased labor needs.
Harry Hensel, of Hensel Lumber
Company, which has been prac
tically one hundred per cent on
war orders for the past two years,
said that a majority of contracts
were cancelled following the end
of the war, but that sufficient
orders for parts for prefabricated
houses, to be shipped to Great
Britain, would run the firm into
October. When these contracts
are completed, the company is
planning to n^mufacture hogs
head material, and will probably
also enter the retail business, he
said. Mr. Hensel stated that at
the present moment the prospect
for lumber production depends on
labor in the woods, but when this
labor is available, the lumber bus
iness should prosper.
Ira C. Yates, of the Elkin Lum
ber & Manufacturing Company,
(Continued on page eight, 1st sec.)
SHOULD PLACE
^ LIME ORDERS
County Agent Says All Lime
Needs Should Be Filed
Prior To Sept. 29
DOBSON AAA OFFICE
Surry farmers are urged to
place their lime orders with the
county AAA office in Dobson at
once by Neill M. Smith, County
Agent, or at least before Septem
ber 29. The state AAA office has
asked the County Committee to
close down order taking for lime
on this date.
This announcement was viewed
favorably by local farmers since
several orders could not be deliv-*
ered last year as they were placed
too late.
Smith stated that Surry farm
ers would welcome the new ruling
as some time is needed by the
farmer to spread the lime after it
is delivered to the farm. The AAA
regulations require that the lime
must be spread during the calen
dar year before the farmer has
earned his AAA practice payment.
Meeting Called To
Discuss Building
Golf Course Here
A meeting of interested citi
zens has been called for next
Saturday afternoon at 5:30, at
the lake of Dr. S. M. Beale,
tvest of the city, on the North
Wilkesboro highway.
The purpose of the meeting
is to discuss the advisability of
converting some of the proper
ty owned by Dr. Beale into a
municipal golf course, and the
site will be inspected at this
time.
All interested citizens are
urged to attend. A country
ham dinner will be served to
those present.
U. S. MUST TAKE
LEAD IN WORLD
Senator Clyde R. Hoey Tells
Group Here Nation
Cannot Withdraw
IS OPPOSED TO DRAFT
America, which has literally
amazed the world and dumb
founded its enemies in preparing
for and fighting the second world
war, must now take the lead in
world affairs, Senator Clyde R.
Hoey, of Shelby, told listeners at
a meeting of Elkin church and
civic groups at the Gilvin Roth
Y. M. C. A. here last Thursday
evening.
Speaking under the auspices of
the Methodist Men’s Club, which
met jointly with the Kiwanis
Club, Junior Chamber of Com
merce, Lions Club and other
local groups, Mr. Hoey discussed
world affairs and some of the
problems that will arise in the
post-war period.
Congress, he said, has taken a
number of decisive and worth
while steps in the last three
months, among them being the
adoption of reciprocal trade pacts,
the' Bretton Woods Proposal, and
ratification of the United Nation’s
Charter. He said the people of
th' United States favor the na
tion taking the lead in the fight
for world peace, and expressed the
opinion that the United Nations
Charter is a wonderful document
which should make world peace a
practical possibility and not just
a dream.
In speaking of the President,
Mr. Hoey said that Mr. Truman
is “sensible, safe and sane,” a man
who knows the heart of America
and has the people’s viewpoint, a
man who is coping wisely with
post-war problems.
Three key words for the future,
he said, should be “Work, Econ
omy and Thrift,” if this nation is
to prosper and forge ahead. He
said that we must have work for
everyone, but no handouts or
WPA. Expenses must be reduced
and the nation must get back to
a balanced budget; taxes must be
reduced because business cannot
expand under the present heavy
burden, and where there is no in
centive prospects for business are
nil, he said.
Senator Hoey also expressed the
belief that private enterprise can
take care of all employment prob
lems in the nation. He expressed
his opposition to further draft of
men for the armed services and
favors discharging men now in
service,as soon as possible. He
said that service pay should be
made sufficiently attractive to
prompt enlistments and thus keep
a sufficient force for occupation
of defeated countries.
Mr. Hoey was introduced by W.
M. Allen, of Elkin. Among guests
present were Congressman John
Folger, of Mount Airy, and Ray
mond Smith, highway commis
sioner of this district, also of
Mount Airy.
Following the dinner those pre
sent were entertained by Miss
Barbara Benson, who played a
violin solo, accompanied by her
mother, Mrs. J. W. L. Benson, and
Miss Lena Sale, who sang, accom
panied by Mrs. Van Dillon, Jr.
Vern Chase, president of the
Methodist Men’s Club, presided.
The use of yellow cuprocide
has proved of great benefit in
controlling tomato diseases in the
Mountain area, says Howard • R.
Garriss, Extension plant patholo
TO BE SCENE OF JAP SURRENDER — The mighty 45,000-ton battleship Missouri, pictured above,
will end her World War II career in a blaze of glory in Tokyo Bay when she serves as the scene of the
historical unconditional surrender of Japan to the United Nations. Current plans call for the signing
of the surrender documents Sunday. Proudly bearing the name of the home state of President Harry
S. Truman, the Missouri was named by General of the Army, Douglas MacArthur, supreme allied com
mander, as the locale of the formal ending of the war in the Pacific. Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz,
commander-in-chief of the U. S. Pacific fleet and Pacific ocean areas, will sign for the United States.
General MacArthur will s^gn for the allied forces which fought in the Pacific. The Missouri, whose
keel was laid January 6, 1941, at the New York Navy Yard, was launched January 29, 1944.
Allied Forces Begin Landing
In Japan At 5:15 Wednesday
MacArthur And
Nimitz Are On
Hand For Event
General Douglas MacArthur ar
rived in Okinawa and Admiral
Chester W. Nimitz flew to Tokyo
Bay Wednesday as the zero hour
approached for mass Allied air
and sea landings in the Greater
Tokyo area.
The first sea-borne troops were
scheduled to go ashore on three
fortified islands guarding Yoko
suka Naval Base in Tokyo Bay at
5:15 e. w. t. Wednesday.
At 9:00 p. m. e. w. t. Wednes
day, MacArthur was scheduled to
land with thousands of airborne
infantrymen at Atsugi Airfield,
20 miles south of Tokyo, and 10,
000 marines and bluejackets will
swarm ashore from ships at Yoko
suka itself.
In preparation for the post-sur
render invasion, the greatest air
and sea fleets ever gathered in the
Pacific were making last-minute
preparations at bases 1,000 miles
apart.
MacArthur and his headquar
ters staff flew from Manila to
Okinawa and watched the van
guard of the airborne troops who
will accompany him climb into
their transports on Okinawa’s air
strips.
Nearly 1,000 miles to the north
east, Nimitz — MacArthur’s part
ner in the conquest of Japan —
landed on the green waters of
Tokyo Bay of Yokosuka in a giant
Coronado seaplane escorted by
fighters.
The white-haired commander of
the Pacific Fleet immediately
boarded the battleship South Da
kota, which will serve as his flag
ship. He will represent President
Truman and the United States at
Japan’s formal surrender aboard
the battleship Missouri next Sun
day. MacArthur will sign the
document as the Supreme Allied
Commander.
Admiral William F. (Bull) Hal
sey brought the 53.000-ton Mis
souri, his flagship, into Tokyo Bay
with scores of other Allied war
ships, transports and hospital
ships today in preparation for the
landings.
MacArthur left Manila after in
viting Lieut. Gen. Jonathan M.
Wainwright, his successor on Ba
taan and Corregidor in the dark
days of 1942, to be his guest at the
surrender ceremony aboard the
Missouri. Wainwright accepted.
One Killed, Two
Injured In Auto
Wreck Tuesday
MT. AIRY, AUG. 29. — Mrs.
Casper Arlene Leftwich Jones
and Elwood Marshall, of the
United States Marine Corps,
who were injured in the traffic
accident in which Miss Senie
Bernice Sechriest of Fancy Gap
Highway, was killed early yes
terday morning, were reported
resting satisfactorily at Martin
Memorial Hospital, Mount
Airy, last night. Mrs. Jones
suffered severe bruises but ap
parently sustained no frac
tures. Marshall had a fracture
of both collarbones and was
“most uncomfortable” last
night, although he was consid
ered in no serious danger. Miss
Sechriest was driving the pick
up truck and was headed north
when her vehicle and a. cattle
truck driven by Rex Goins,
Negro, and owned by ! Kyle
Todd of Galax, Va., corded.
The pickup truck was (com
pletely demolished; the )other
trucl- was less seriously sin ash
ed up. I
WINS DFC — Lieutenant Sam
uel Atkinson, son of My. and
Mrs. J. S. Atkinson, 549 West
Main street, has been awarded
the Distinguished Flying Cross
for distinguishing himself by
heroism and extraordinary
achievement while participat
ing in aerial flight. The cita
tion accompanying the award
read as follows: “The Distin
guished Flying Cross has been
awarded to First Lieutenant
Samuel Atkinson of the Indo
china Division, A. T. C., for
meritorious achieve ment by
participation in more than 500
hours as pilot from December
19, 1944 to July 1, 1945 in op
erational flight in transport
aircraft over the dangerous and
difficult Assam-China air route,
where enemy interception and
attack was probable and ex
pected, flying at night as well
as by day, at high altitude, over
impassable mountain terrain,
through areas characterized by
extremely treacherous weather
conditions, necessitating long
periods of operation on instru
ments and oxygen, often en
countering severe icing condi
tions and mechanical difficul
ties, requiring courage and su
perior performance of his duties
to overcome.” The citation was
signed by Lieutenant General
George E. Stratomeyer, Com
manding Officer.
FIVE HURT IN
ACCIDENT HERE
Car Crashes Into Electric
Power Pole On Elk Spur
Street Sunday P. M.
GUY WIRE IS BROKEN
Five young people were carried
to Hugh Chatham hospital here
Sunday afternoon, none seriously
injured, as the result of an auto
mobile crash on Elk Spur street
about 2:30 p. m.
The accident occurred across
the street from the home of J. C.
Dobbins when a sedan driven by
Archie Gentry, 16, son of Sneed
Gentry, crashed into a power
pole, shattering the pole at the
base and knocking down a heavy
transformer. .
Young Gentry was said to have
lost control of the machine. Wit
nesses said he was not driving
fast.
Others in the car, all of whom
suffered lacerations and bruises,
were Lucy Boyd, 15, daughter of
Beamer Boyd; Aileen Sale, 19,
daughter of Eugene Sale, and
Betty Sparks, 15, all of the Maple
Springs community, and .jJatpes
(Continued on page eight,
SCHOOLS WILL
OPEN THURSDAY
Next Week Marks Beginning
of School Year; Cooper
ation Is Asked
SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED
In anticipation of the opening
of the Elkin Public Schools,
Thursday morning, September 6,
at 9:00 o’clock, N. H. Carpenter,
superintendent, asks the coopera
tion of the parents, teachers, and
students ’ by requesting them to
follow specific directions in order
to avoid confusion on the opening
day.
On Wednesday morning a t
10:30 o’clock the faculty will hold
its first general meeting at the
high school building.
All children who attended
school in Elkin last year will re
port to their old class rooms. All
students who were in the eighth
grade last year will report to the
high school building. The new
students who are attending high
school for the first time this year
are asked to report to the office at
9:15 and the students who are
entering school for the first time,
in the first through the seventh
grades, are asked to report to the
auditorium in the elementary
building. The high school stu
dents who wish to have their
schedules changed should do so
Monday or Tuesday at the high
school from 1:00 P. M. to 3:00 P.
M.
Students who ride the school
buses should be at their respective
bus stops a little earlier than
usual, as the driver may arrive
early until he learns his route, and
the time required to make the
trip.
In compliance to the North
Carolina state school laws, all
children entering the first grade
must be vaccinated for smallpox
and whooping cough.
The age of complusory attend
ance in North Carolina has been
raised from 14 years of age to 15
and will be raised to 16 years of
age in 1946. Superintendent Car
penter urges every parent if at all
possible, to have their children at
tend school this year, and that
they should be present on the very
first day.
“The schools belong to the pub
lic and I urge them to visit our
buildings and classes. If we work
together as pupils, parents, teach
ers, and interested citizens, we can
make ours the best school in
North Carolina,” stated Superin
tendent Carpenter.
Falls 35 Feet Into
Well, Injures Back
Alonzo Garris, of Roaring River,
has been discharged from Hugh
Chatham Memorial Hospital fol
lowing treatment for a fractured
spine and other injuries sustained
when he fell 35 feet to the bottom
of a well At the home of Grady
Carter, in the Cool Springs com
munity, Monday of last week.
Garris, who was in process of
digging the well, was said to have
fallen when a scaffold inside the
well gave way under his weight.
Byrd Family Reunion
3rd Sunday In Sept.
The annual Byrd reunion will
be held at the home of J. M. Byrd,
in Wilkes county, on the third
Sunday in September.
All relatives and close friends
are invited to come and bring a
picnic basket.
Memorial Park Drive
For Funds Will Begin
Here On September 6th
JOHN F. FORD
MEW FORESTER
Will Have Headquarters In
Office of Wilkes County
Farm Agent
TO SERVE 4 COUNTIES
John P. Ford has been appoint
ed farm forester by the Agricul
tural Extension Service of State
College. Mr. Ford will serve the
Wilkesboro area, comprised of
Alexander, Wilkes, Surry and
Yadkin counties. He replaces Mac
key B. Bryan, who resigned to ac
cept an appointment with the
Appalachian Forest Experiment
Station.
Mr. Ford is a graduate of the
New York State College of For
estry, Syracuse, N. Y. He comes
to North Carolina from Baxley,
Ga„ where he was employed for
several years by the Union Bag
& Paper Co. He and Mrs. Ford ar
rived at Wilkesboro on August 16,
and he is rapidly getting ac
quainted with the farmers and
timber operators within the area.
He will make his headquarters in
the office of County Agent R. D.
Smith, Wilkesboro, and will work
through and with the co-opera
tion of the county agents in the
four counties. Timber owners
wishing the services of Mr. Ford
should contact their county agent
and make application.
When the farm forestry pro
gram was started in the Wilkes
boro area, it was limited in scope,
largely to the marketing of farm
timber to help in meeting the war
effort. The Agricultural Exten
sion Service announces: “Now
that the war is over, the farm
forestry program is being broad
ened to include alj phases of farm
forestry work, such as forest
planting, timber thinning and
stand improvement.
The war has called heavily on
the forest resources of this area.
Our forest owners need to begin
rebuilding their forests. Mr. Ford
is here to help you in developing
these forests and planning a sys
tematic harvest to maintain a
continuous flow of forest products
to market.
GRID TRAINING
IS UNDER WAY
Large Number of Boys Turn
Out Here For Fall Foot
ball Practice
MYERS TEAM MANAGER
The Elks of Elkin high school
began their fall training Monday
morning in preparation for the
football season.
This week is being largely de
voted to physical fitness, exer
cises, etc., while tryouts of the
various candidates are being con
ducted to determine their ability
for the various positions on the
team.
As proof of the interest among
the boys in the Elkin school’s en
larged athletic program for the
coming year, 24 boys reported for
practice Monday, some of whom
have never played football. Prac
tice lasted from 9:00 a. m. until
noon, and was resumed at 4:00 p.
m.
A larger group of boys are ex
pected to go out for football
when school starts. Those report
ing this week were Bob Ratledge,
Bob Harris, Ketchel Adams, Bob
Sparks, Brady Osborne, Jack
Parks, Bob Lawrence, Fred Rat
ledge, Bobby Jones, Tommy
Janies, Sam Shugart, Dickie Og
burn, Charlie Lackey, Danny
Park, Abbie Harris, Dickie Minish,
Sam Harris, Parks Roberts, Sam
Transou, John Atwell, Hal Stuart,
Alvin Eldridge, Jim Shipman, and
Joe Myers, ma’nager, and Bill
Price, assistant manager.
Kiwanians Have
Picnic Supper
Members of the Elkin Kiwanis
Club, their wives and friends, held
an outdoor ladies’ night meeting
Wednesday evening at picnic
grounds along the scenic highway
south of Roaring Gap.
This meeting, originally sched
uled on Wednesday following the
surrender of Japan, was postpon
ed until yesterday.
TO HEAD DRIVE — Claude
Farrell, above, was named at a
meeting held here Tuesday at
the YMCA. to serve as chair
man of the drive to raise funds
for the proposed Memorial Park.
The campaign is to get under
way Thursday, September 6.
CANNING PLANT
RAZED BY FIRE
Firm Operated By J. G. Wood
At Copeland Suffers Loss
Estimated At $50,000
MACHINERY DESTROYED
The Mount Airy Canning Com
pany, owned and operated for
years by J. Grover Wood, of
Copeland, suffered a loss esii- -
mated as high as $50,000 when
the canning plant near Copeland
high school in southern Surry
was totally destroyed by fire about
10 o’clock Friday night, August
17.
The fire, which had fanned to
t.he point beyond control when it
was discovered, is thought to have
started from the boiler in the
plant. Limited fire-fighting equip
ment made it impossible to com
bat the flames.
The building itself represented
only a small part of the loss. The
bulk of the loss was in valuable
machinery and a large stock of
canned kraut and other commod
ities that was stored in the struc
ture.
Mr. Wood formerly maintained
an office and a small cannery in
Mount Airy, but for several years
has operated the entire business
at the Copeland plant, which was
located only a short distance fx’om
his home.
JAYCEES WILL
SPONSOR DANCE
To Be Held At School Gym
nasium Here Friday, Sep
Tember 14, 9:00 P. M.
PROCEEDS TO ATHLETICS
The Elkin Junior Chamber of
Commerce, in line with recently
announced plans to underwrite
funds for athletic equipment for
the Elkin schools, will sponsor a
dance at the Elkin school gymna
sium Friday, September 14, from
9:00 p. m. to 1:00 a. m.
Music for the event will be pro
vided by Richard Scott and his
all-colored orchestra, who is fea
tured at Mayview Manor and the
Bark, at Blowing Rock.
Tickets will be on sale by all
members of the Junior Chamber.
Proceeds will go to the athletic
fund of Memorial Park.
Chatham Tc Meet
Fries Here Sept, 1
The Chatham Blanketeers will
play Triangle Hosiery Mill, of
High Point, at High Point Fri
day evening at §:00 p. m. This
game will mark the second of a
series, the first having been won
by Chatham.
Saturday afternoon here the lo
cals will meet Fries, Va„ at 4:30
o’clock. Fries played here during
the first of the season, but the
game was rained out in the fourth
inning with Chatham leading 3-2.
A second game at Fries, which
went 13 innings, saw the Virgin
ians winners by a score of 10-9.
Claude Farrell
1$ Named Head
Of Park Drive
Plans for an organized cam
paign to raise funds for the pro
posed Memorial Park, to be
located in an area running rough
ly west from the rear of the Elkin
elementary school, were discussed
at a meeting held at the Qilvin
Roth YMCA Tuesday evening, at
which Claude Farrell, Elkin busi
ness man, was named to head the
drive, which is scheduled to get •
under way next Thursday, Sep
tember 6.
D. G. Smith, chairman of the
Elkin postwar planning board,
presided over the meeting, which
was attended by a number of rep
resentative Elkin citizens.
It was also announced that a
dinner meeting will be held at
6:30 p. m. today (Thursday), at
the YMCA of all committee chair
men and co-chairmen to map '
plans for the park drive. Follow
ing this meeting, a second dinner
meeting will be held at 6:30 p. m.
Tuesday, September 4, for final
instructions.
The following committees have
been named to head the park
campaign:
Planning committee — Claude
Farrell, chairman; D. G. Smith,
Harvey F. Laffoon, Garland John
son, T. C. McKnight, J. W. L.
Benson, Hubert Parker, N. H.
Carpenter, and Dr. Vernon Taylor.
Publicity committee — Hubert
Parker, chairman; Dr. Vernon
Taylor, co-chairman.
Business area solicitation com-’
mittee — Garland Johnson, chair
man; D. G. Smith, co-chairman.
Residential area solicitation
committee — Mrs. R. G. Smith,
chairman; Miss Hazel Byrd, co
chairman.
Chatham Manufacturing Co.
solicitation committee — R. W.
Harris, chairman; Fred Neaves,
co-chairman.
Elkin Furniture Co. solicitation
committee — M. R. Bailey, chair
man; Alex Biggs, co-chairman.
NURSES’ AIDE
DIES SUDDENLY
Miss Minnie F. Key Stricken
While At Work Thursday
Night of Last Week
RITES HELD SATURDAY
Funeral services lor Miss Min
nie F. Key, 43, who died at Hugh
■Chatham Memorial Hospital
Thursday night, were held Sat
urday afternoon at Mulberry
Primitive Baptist church, with
Rev. L. M. Cook, of Elkin, in
charge. Miss Key was stricken
while at work at the hospital on
Thursday morning and never re
gained consciousness.
Miss Key was a daughter of
Henderson and Eliza Nance Key
and was reared in the Little Rich
mond community. She did prac
tical nursing for several years
before joining the hospital staff
as an advanced nurses’ aide.
Survivors are one brother,
Charlie A. Key, Route 1, Elkin,
and two sisters, Mrs. Grover Sis
sel, High Point, and Mrs. Craw
ley Draughn, Rusk.
County-Wide Teacher
Meeting Friday P. M.
John W. Comer, Surry County
Superintendent of Schools, an
nounces a county-wide teachers’
meeting in Dobson, Friday after
noon at 2:30 o’clock. All teach
ers of the county are urged to be
present.
To Erect New
School Building
A t Dobson Soon
A new 17-room school build
ing, to replace the building de
stroyed by fire several years
ago, is planned by county
school officials at Dobson, and
the necessary procedure for the
erection of the school is under
way.’
The new plant will cost an
estimated $90,000 and will be
thoroughly modem ip every
way. Work on the project te
expected to begin in about five,
weeks.