North Carolina Newspapers

You are now reading — LINCOLN COUNTY’S LEADING NEWSPAPER and ADVERTISING MEDIUM VOL. 48, NO. 78 f 'Homecoming At L. H. S. Friday Night; Pre-Game Festivities 6:40 P. M. It’s Homecoming time again at Lincolnton High School. Excitement. Thrills. Glamour. And. a new’ feature this year! The date: Friday night, Octo ber 28. Homecoming will be cele brated when Linrointon high’s football Wolves play Shelby on the Linrointon field. The big feature will be the pre-game festivities, beginning at 6:40 o’elock, sharp, on the athletic field. Come one! Come all! The spon sors promise there’s a treat in store for every one. All the clubs Rev. Braxton President Os District Ministers Group Methodist ministers and their, wives of the Gastonia District met I in Gastonia last week for the first meeting of the year for the purpose of laying plans for the coming conference year. A joint worship service of min isters and their wives was held as the meeting opened; the service being led by Rev. C. W. Kirby, district superintendent. Each group had separate busi ness meetings following the wor ship service. Officers elected for the minis ters group for the coming year were: Rev. J. W. Braxton, First Church, Lincolnton, president; Rev. Walter Kelly, Bardley Me morial Church. Gastonia, vice president: Rev. William A. Rock, Jr., Maylo Church, Gastonia, secretary-treasurer. COMPRISES 3 COUNTIES The Gastonia District of the Methodist Church is composed of the Methodist churches in Gas *on, Lincoln and Cleveland coun ev. Mr. Rock, secretary, gave folliwing report on the dis ct: There are 107 preaching places and 106 Sunday schools. TJiese are served by 63 ministers. The Woman's Society of Chris tian Service has 107 organizations and over 4.600 members of the district. The Methodist men’s Fellowship has 44 organizations and over 1.600 members. The number of chapters is exceeded by only one district in Methodism. 106 SUNDAY SCHOOLS In the 106 Sunday Schools there are 1.820 officers and teachers and almost 23,000 members. The aver- j age attendance each Sunday is | over 12.000. This is an increase of j 10 per cent during the past year. Over $42,000.00 was spent for | church administration, supplies, and literature. Approximately 1.950 Mrs. O.F. Howard Dies At Denver Mrs. Ida Virginia Howard, 85. died at her home in Denver, east Lincoln county, Sunday afternoon about 4;30 o'clock. She had been in declining health for some time and became seriously ill last week. Mrs. Howard was the widow of Ollie F. Howard, former Lincoln county commissioner. Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Bethel Methodist Church near Denver with the Rev. J. B. Fitzgerald, pas tor, officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The body will be taken to the church to lie in state 30 minutes 'prior to the service. Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. S. P. Howard of Cornelius, Mrs. Grace Smith of Denver, Mrs. Walter G. Canipe of Atlanta, Ga.; four sons, 13 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Warlick's Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Methodist’ Men Supper November 12 At Local Church; Jonas Speaker The monthly supper meeting of the Methodist Men organization of the First Methodist Church will be held on the evening of November 12th in the church dining room,] basement floor. Congressman C. R. Jonas, who is a member of the church, will be the principal speaker. 0 hedule For Dist. X-ray .Mobile Unit This Week •vV-> WAS >•s*., « «•» Today (Monday), Rhyne Mills, Southside. Small film 1:00-3:00. Tuesday. Oct. 25, Laboratory j Mills, Laboratory. Small film ! 1:00-3:00 p.m. The Lincoln Times -'and activities in the schools will j be presented in a colorful parade . on the ball field. WILL C ROWN QUEEN The big moment, the climax event, will be the crowning of the Homecoming Queen. Everyone, particularly the par ents of school children, is invited to come and see what Lincolnton high school has to offer a student in addition to his or her scholastic . work. i A big “turn out” is expected, i and advice is being passed along gF * ’ I i Mkii hi ggHBHH J1& REV. BRAXTON . new’ members were received into j the churches making a total mem : bership to date of 26,041. A report showed that for the first time in its history the district ; spent over one million dollars in ] • money. The exact total was sl,-1 350,297.00. Payments on building • programs amounted to over $730,- i 000 and over $170,000.00 was given ! to benevolent causes. THREE NEW CHARGES i Last year three new Methodist congregations were organized within the distriet and all three assigned ministers at this con ference. They are Aldersga.ee, Mount Holly, Shelby and Saint Mark's in Belmont. Plans for the new year include the possibility of organizing at least six new congregations. If this is not pos sible, the lots will be secured as future building sites. The Reverend C. W. Kirby has ! been returned as district superin- ! tendent for his fifth year. , Rites Today For Z. R. Leatherman Zeb Franklin Leatherman. 57, prominent citizen of the • North Brook community in Lincoln co unty, died at his home late Sat- ' urday afternoon. 1 Funeral services will be held i today at 3P.MA: Mount Vernon ' Church w’ith the Rev. Mr. Can- 1 trus, Rev. Mi', Davis, Rev Mr. Kale officiating. Burial will be : in the church cemetery. Surviving are 'the wife, Mrs. i Anne Miller Leatherman; three : daughters, Mrs. Consula Cuchurol, 1 Mrs. Pauline Norman. Mrs Het- 1 tie Lee Parker; one son Judson Leatherman, and 13 grandchild ren. Warlick’s Funeral Home has charge of arrangements. McDaniel Rites Today, 2:30 P. M. William E. McDaniel. ,70, of Salisbury, Route 3. died at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in Rowan Hospital, Salisbury. A retired railroad car inspector, he had been in declining health for several years. Mr. McDaniel was a former resi dent of Lincoln County. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Dora Betty Hill McDaniel: three daugh ters, Mrs. George Kimbreall, Mrs. H. F. Carriker, Mrs. Ed Forester: 7 grandchildren. One son preceed ■ ed him in death. ! Funeral services will be held to day at 2:30 p.m. at the Southside Baptist Church with the Rev. Robert Hess and Rev. Donald Hickman officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. At the time of his death Mr. McDaniel was a member of Tabernacle Bap- j tist Church. Salisbury. Warlick’s Funeral Home is in! charge of arrangements. Revival In Progress At Elm Grove Church Revival services are now in progress at the Elm Grove Bap tist church with services each 'evening at 7:30 o’clock. Rev. D. ; Has ings, evangelist, of Lenoir, is j doing the preaching. Special sing ing at each service. The public is I invited. Published Every Monday and Thursday Devoted to the Progress of Lincolnton and Lincoln County. l that perhaps a folding chair i should be brought along to assure yourself of a seat. STUDENT COUNCIL PROGRAM Also, the L.H.S. Student Coun i cil is putting Cut the best pro gram, ever, which will include in , dividual pictures in the programs [ of the school’s 20 sponsors and i nominees for Queen. Who will be Homecoming Queen? Come. See. Then, enjoy and cheer the Lincolnton team on to victory. Remember the time: 6:40 p.m., sharp. "Lady Cotton" Well Received By Audience There was fine audience re action to the Little Theater’s first play “Lady Cotton’’, which was presented on Thursday and Friday nights in the high school auditorium. Although the crowds for the two performances weren't as large as had been hoped, the sponsor was pleased with the splendid manner in which the players acted their parts and the warm reception from the ap preciative audience. Many com pliments were received on the costumes, the music and songs. 'Calls have been received from gu: of town to give “Lady Cot ton” in nearby towns. Halloween Fun Holds Fire Danger Hallowe’en, traditionally a day of fun for the children, is fecog nized by fire authorities as a day of danger unless safety precautions aretaken. If not. flammable cos tumes and candles in jack o’lant erns give fire top killer of chil dren in home accidents an add- I ed chance to claim young victims. Flameproofing all costumes made of loosely woven fabric is , one of the most necessary safety measures, the National Board of Fire Underwriters emphasizes. Dip the costume in a solution of 9 oz. of borax and 4 oz. of boric acid to a gallon of water. Wring by hand; hang to dry. Ironing does not affect the flame-resistance, but the treatment must be repeated after each laundering. A word of caution. Don't ex pect too much from the term "flame-proof.” If you hold a match to flame-proofed fabric, it wil burn. But it will not con tinue to burn when you take the mateh away. Jack o’lanterns will be safe if, instead of candles, flashlights are used to light them. Use the type of flashlight which remains light ed when the top is unscrewed. Re move the top and stand he light on its base inside the pumpkin. A cardboard collar fitted into the pulp will help keep the light up right. A final safety tip. If you are giving a Hallowe’en party —or any party be sure all paper dec ora'ions aie flameproof, and do not decorate with lighted candles. Keep your children safe John R. Killian Passes Sunday John Raymond Killian, 74, of 318 W. Sycamore street. Lincoln ton. died In a Charlotte hospital Sunday afternoon following a long period of declining health. Mr. Killian for many years prior to his retirement was associated in theatre work in Lincolnton. In his earlier days he also operated a store in the Reepsville section of the county. Funeral rites will be conducted Tuesday at 4 p.m. in Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Lincolnton. with the Rev. Henry A. McCullough. Jr., pastor, officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Surviving are his wife, the form ler Lula Warlick: two daughters, Misses Frances and Mary B. Kil lian; one brother. D. C. Killian of Lincolnton. Route 2; one sister, ! Mrs. R. H. Rhodes. | The body will remain at the 1 Whrlick Funeral Home until time j for the service. I Mr. Killian was a son of Amzi Killian and Barbara Coon Killian ' of the Daniels community in Lin coln County. “The day is gone, if It ever ex isted, when the fact that an in dividual holds a deed to a piece of land gives him the moral right to destroy it through stupid, shortsighted farming ’practices.” Chester C. Davis LINCOLNTON, N. C., MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1955 FAST PLANE . . . Shown leaving ground in steep climb, new U. S. airforce Hercules transport takes off or lands in less than 800 feet. Rev. Jas. T. Womack, Jr. Accepts Call To Lincolnton First Presbyterian Church Rev. James T. Womack, Jr., of. Staunton. Virginia, has accepted the call to become pastor of the Lincolnton Presbyterian church and will assume his duties here December 1. He succeeds Rev. James L. Mays, who resigned to accept a position on the faculty of the Union Theo logical Seminary and who i.s now studying in Manchester, England, in preparation for his work. Since Mr. Mays' resignation the church has been ablr supplied by Dr. Malcolm McAfee, of Davidson. Rev. Mr. Womack was born in Norfolk, Va„ July 28, 1927. He is a graduate of Hampden-Sidney College and holds a Master’s De gree from the Union Theological Seminary in Riehmond. He is now serving as pastor of Bethel "Open House" Attracts Irloo1 r lOO To Telephone Exchange Here i Some 1.100 persons from Lincol j r.ton and nearby areas flocked to | Lincolnton’s million-dollar tele | phone exchange Wednesday and j Thursday evenings for an elabo | rate “open house” sponsored by Southern Bell. It was one of the largest out- 1 pourings for an event of its kind j in the ci y’s history. The entire local exchange staff j was on hand to greet visitors at j the door and to conduct them on Lincolnton High School Honor Roll Is Released The Honor Roll for the first six weeks period at the Lincolnton High School was released today by Principal F. D. Kiser, as follows: TWELFTH GRADE: Calvin Ramsey, Joyce Carnes, Rebecca Cloninger, Alice Eurey. Claudean Gilbert. Barbara Goodson, Dana Norwood, Barbara Schrum. Mar tha Jane Senter. Glenda Arndt, Faye Jean Carpenter, Frances Covil. Lucy Houser, Marion Miller, LaVon Payseur, Glenda Reel, Peg- Two Hildebran Boys Injured In Auto Wreck In Lincoln County Warlick Funeral Home ambu lance answered an automobile wreck call to the Hog Hill section of north Lincoln county Saturday. Two youths, identified as George Lowman and William Fred Potts of the Hildebran section of Lin coln county, were brought to the Crowell Hospital. Their injuries were reported as not serious. De tails of tho wreck involving the two boys were not learned by The Times. Committeemen Winners From North Brook The following Committeemen were elected in North Brook Township in last Tuesday's ASC Community Committeemen elec tion: Ed Sain, Chairman and dele gate: Stowe Leonhardt, Vice chairman and alternate dele gate; Blanch Tallent, regular member; Jack Baxter, first al ternate; Guy Brown, second al ternate. The names of the elected North Brook Commifeemen were inad vertently left out of last Thurs day's article in The Times on the election results. The elected delegates from each of the f five townships in the coun ty—Lineolnon, Catawba Springs. Ironton, Howards Creek, North Brook will assemble in county convention Thursday. 9 a. m.. in the county courthouse for- the purpose of electing a county com mittee. I Presbyterian church in Staunton. | Mrs. Womack before her mar riage was Miss Sarah Walker, daughter of the late Dr. J. M. Walker, who was for 28 years pas tor of the Steele Creek Presby terian church in Mecklenburg county. Charlotte. She is a grad uate of Agnes Scott College and of the Assembly Training School in Richmond. Mr. and Mrs. Womack have two children, Jimmy, two and one-half years, and Sarah, one year old. Two weeks ago Mi. and Mrs. Womack spent a day in Lincolnton where they met a number of the members of the Presbyterian con gregation and were given a look at the Manse on East Congress street where they are to make their home. ■ j tours of the building. Patrons >, were taken on a 12-stop trip • Tthrough the plant, viewing general 1 operation of the exchange, seeing ■ how the dial telephone system works, and noting the manner in which long-distance calls are ■ handled. j A number of photographs were •made by Sou hern Bell, and The | Times hopes to reproduce some of them in Thursday's edition. : gy Ann Speagle. Pat Wise. Peggy I i Davis. Millie Finger. Phyllis Jus ■ tice, Barbara Jo Lineberger, Becky Link. Elaine McCrary, Alene Reep, i Ma tha Robinson, Elliott White i sicies. 1 ELEVENTH GRADE: Jerry I Schronce. Dollie Aderholt. Lindai ' Buff, Ruth Coffey, Rebekah Kis- j ■ er. Betty La wing. Ruby Newton. 1 5 Dorothy Palmer, Rebecca Punch, • Midgie Roberts. Sue Withers. | ' Deannie Armstrong. Francis Ben field, Melba Blackburn,, Phyllis j Carpenter, Don Curtis, Deiiah Ford. Carol Harding, David Keev er. Reginald L. Lanier. Pat Law ing, Lucille McAlister, Rita Ram sey. Rebecca Rhodes, Phyllis Saine, j Rachael Shuford. Kay Smith. Ma-1 vin Smith. Carrol Goodson, Hewitt Harrill, Tommy Martin. Bobby! - Mitchum. Leary Robinson, Pat j ’ Brutko. Nora Lee Cagle. Christine j i Crowell. Marcia Mauney. Cora Lee . Rudisill. Martha Smith, Mary | ■ Emma Thompson. Carol Weather > ford. Peggy Bcshears. Vivian Car ■ penter. Pat Hovis. Peggy Kistler, : Georgia Lynch. Dixie Rudisill. Jo > Anne Saunders, Naomi Sigmon, ■ Nancy Shidal. Janice Whiteside. ; Lou Alice Whiteside. Jay Braxton, s Jerry Long, Jim Saine, Claude Smith. TENTH GRADE: Sandra j Lockee, Marie McAllister. Mary j | Lou Mosteller. Carolyn Sain. Lin ida Brown. Frances Bynum, Kay | [ Heafner, Jane Hines, Betty Nor- j j wood. Elaine Yoder. Judy Beal,! Patsy Ann Bivens. Betty Blanton.! ! Patricia Buchanan. Celia Caldwell, i | Martha Chandler. Lynda Corn- j I I well. Nancy Crowell, Gall Houser. ; i Nelda Lawing, Rebecca McCrary. Ronald Ballard. Dannie Barger. ' C. R. Duncan. Philip Graham, Gale Burris, Barbara Carpenter. Ma-1 linda Huss, Bud Warlick. Peggy j Costner, Shirley Polhill. Martha ! Ross, Leslie Saine. Shelvia Wood, j NINTH GRADE: Bill Boyd, Ruth Armstrong. Kay Beattie. Dottie! Kiser. Linda Lineberger, Shirley} J Saine. Patricia Chapman, Mozell Farmer. Dick Keever, David Lohr, Donald Peeler. Katherine Byers. , Becky Collins. Mary Jane Crowell, Wanda Hoyle. Julia Miller. Beth Modlin. Penny Mundy. Linda Porter. Susan Ramseur, Dorothy Rhodes. Mina Ross. Charlotte Shu ford. Yvonne Goodson. Libby Hoke, Sarah Seehorn, Jeanne Shrum. Don Whisonant, Don Heafner, Sara Jane Duncan. EIGHTH GRADE: Alfred Mul len, Johnny Hyder. Week End Car 'Wrecks Injure Six Persons Local Jaycees Hosts To Second District Meeting Lincolnton’s Jayceees were hosts Thursday night to the Sec ond District quarterly mee ing of the North Carolina Junior Cham ber of Commerce. The dinner meeting was held at 7:30 p. m. in the Lincolnton high school cafeteria. Bud W'arlick, president of the Lincolnton Junior Chamber of Commerce, opened the meeting with words of welcome and then turned the evening’s program over to Hugh Vtlells, Second Dis trict vice president of the Jaycees. Jayoee representatives were present from the following towns of the district: Forest City, Gastonia, Hickory, Kings Mountain, I.enoir. Morganton, M!t. Holly. Shelby and Lincoln ton. Don Weaver, Lincolnton boy, and a member of the Charlotte Boys Choir, provided entertain ment by singing several selections. The president of each Jaycee organization present gave a re port on his organization’s activi ties during he last three mon hs. The Lincolnton Jaycees had a good report to make on their ac tivities and progress made Annnouncement was made of seven new members being accepted into the club. Prizes were given out during the meeting, consisting of anti freeze, motor oils and other gif s, donated by the local Jaycees and Lincolnton business men. An evening of fellowship and good will was enjoyed by the Jay cees and many new friends were made. Yelton Talks To Local Teachers On Retirement Plan Nathan Yelton, executive secre tary of the Teachers’ and State Employees' Retirement System, was the guest speaker at the meeting of the local unit of the NCEA last Wednesday evening in the high school cafeteria. S. Ray Lowder, superintendent of city schools, recognized Joe Nixon, county schools superinten dent: N. H. Carpenter, superinten dent of the Elkin City Schools: the visiting members of the coun ty unit of the NCEA. and City, County and State employees as guests. In presenting Mr. Yelton, Mr. Lowder stated that the NCEA is greatly indebted to him i Mr. Yel ton' for his untiring efforts made in their behalf, particularly in the disability benefits' amendment and the current pending bill that will co-ordinate the present retirement plan with the social security pro gram. Mr. Yelton gave much infor mation and many farts concern ing this hill that will he voted upon by all school units, all State employees, plus eighty eight town and county units on October 26. In explaining how the bill will insure the em ployees of greater retirement benefits. he stated that the teaching profession would have made available to them all the benefits that the 62,000.000 citi zens of other professions now have. This would be co-ordinated with the present retirement plan and would include disability pro visions as well as survivors' bene fits. In concluding his talk. Mr. Yel ton made a plea for each member who is qualified to vote—to east his or her ballot for or against this plan. If you are eligible to vote and do not vote, you will be counted against, as this is a vote against registration. Silage Tour To Be Conducted By Southern Dairies Southern Dairy producers of Lincoln and Cleveland County are invited to attend a tour of four farms in the two county area Tuesday. Oct. 25. All other dairy men and farmers are also invited to attend. The tour will start at 9:30 a.m. at the R. R. Yount farm on the Startown road, where different types of silage and silos will be studied. Next stop in Lincoln County will be the Ray and Walter Warlick farm a 10:30. The War lick farm is located off Highway 18 near Belwood. Stops in Cleveland County will be James F. Cornwell's farm on L.attimore and Polkville Road; and Mr. J. D. Turner’s farm near Casar off Highway 10. The discussion will be led by Walter Hunnicutt. outstanding authority on silages. Six persons were injured, none seriously, in automobile accidents that occurred in the Lincoln-Catawba areas over the week end. Four of the injured were from Lincoln i county. The investigating officers reported that there was heavy damage to the vehicles involved, and also consid j erable property damage in two of the crashes. REV. WILLIAM KEY Revival Now In Progress At Denver Church A revival mee ing is now in progress at Peoples Methodist Church at Denver in east Lincoln i | cowry. * Rev. William H. Key, evangelist; i of Connelly Springs. N. C.. is con- j ducting the services each even ing at 7 o'clock. The revival, | which began Oct. 20, will continue j through Oct. 30. Rev William Ginn, pastor of : Peoples Methodist Church, and 'he congregation extend a corqial! I invitation to .he public to attend j the services. FFA Chapter Elects Officers . ! New officers of the Lincolnton ,! High School chapter of the Fu- j : ture Farmers of America were J elected at he first meeting of she ! ! chapter on Wednesday, October 12. The officers elected are: Homer Smith, president: John Keever, vice president: Harrell Hoffman, secretary: Eddie Har rill. treasurer: Marshall White sides. reporter: Claude Smilh, sentinel: A. J. Smith, advisor. Don Goodson was elected to the represent he Future Farmers at! the Home-coming game on Oeto- [ her 28. He will escort Claudette j Keener. Some of the boys ordered offi- i i cial F. F. A. jackets, rings, chapter j officers’ pin and guards, brace- i lets, pen and pencils. Lincoln 4-H'ers Order 20,500 Pine Seedlings The following 4-H boys and : girls have placed heir order hrough the County Agent's office j , for 20,500 Shortleaf pine seed lings: Don W. Cherry, Jr.: Alvin Jones: Heath T. Reinhardt: Steve {Cherry: Marvin W. High: Kenneth R. Graham; Stewart Stoudemire: Johnny Carpenter: Ronald J. Keener; Rood: Goodson: Wayne Dellinger: John Branton; Spencer Caldwell; Harold Dean Devine: Kenneth Abernethy; Nancy Eliza beth Bea;y; Peter Woodward; 1 Robert Helton: Bobby Dean Arm strong: Walter Cook: and Ken neth Michael. These trees are furnished free : of charge to 4-H Club members through the courte-- of the Champion Paper and Fibre Com , panv. Canton, N. C. The 4-H'ers agree that the seedlings shall be used only for forest plantings, erosion control. I or windbreaks and not as orna men als or for resale with roots attached. They also agree that af ter planting, the seedlings shall be ; given reasonable protection from fire, grazing, and other destruc tive aaen.s. In order to avoid the drying of {these seedlings in the nursery {heel-in bed, no shipment will be made until after January 1, 1956. The seedlings may be set out in the following places: Fields not suited for crops or pasture, or large openings in cuet or burned over woods. Tre recommendeed spacing for these seedlings is 6’ x 7' which requires about 1.000 seedlings per acre. Orders of from 500 to 5,000 will s ill be accepted from any 4-H ; boy or girl, but order early as the ] supply is limited. Should you de- I sire these free seedlings, please contact the local Coun y Agents I Office. ALMOST EVERYONE in LINCOLNTON and LINCOLN COUNTY reads THIS NEWSPAPER Single ' FIVE CENTS Hospitalized as the result of the wrecks were Al W. Webber and W illiam 11. Kiser Lineoln i ton: Robert I’earson, Lincoln ton. Route 3; Vernon Brother ton. Denver: George Ray Low man. William Fred Potts, of Hildebrand, Catawba county. I The others involved in the ! smashups received minor cuts and j bruises and were not hospitalized. Mr. Webber received a broken left leg. other bruises, and Pear son .suffered a broken left arm. OFFICER REPORTS ■ Reports on the accidents were i obtained by The Times from local | Highway Patrolman Bob Smart and Enoch Chester, and Patrol man Harry Williams of Catawba County. Messrs Webber and Kiser were ipjured in a crash at the intersec tion of the Startown and No. 10 highways east of Newton about 3:10 p.m. Saturday. Officer Wil liams gave this account of what ha^nened: Mr. Webber, who is connected with the internal revenue depart ment office iir Gastonia, was driv ing a '49 Pontiac with Kiser as his companion. The Webber car was traveling north and stopped at the Startown-No. 10 intersection, and i then pulled across the highway in ; front of a '52 Ford, traveling east, ’ and driven by Vernon Propst of 1 Newton. Four other passengers, i none of whom were hurt, were in j the Propst car. The collision re ! suited in the center of the high | way, with the Webber vehicle con i tinuing forward and smashing into ! the front of the Hass Sei'vice Sta tion nearby. The station, of ce (Continued on page 8) Teacher Referendum October 26 Wednesday, Oct. 26. will be an I important date for teachers and ! other employees of the State of North Carolina who will partici j pate that day in a referendum on i combining their state retirement system with the Federal Social Security Act. Election officials at the Uni versity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill pointed out the im portance of the change. “If the State employees should combine their system with the So : cial Security system now, they will ; get a special advantage of enter j ing as ‘new members,' which ! means that pensions will be cal j culated from Jan. 1. 1955, rather | than 1951 or age 22. and will mean j larger pensions.” they explained. | An unusual aspect of the elec tion that failure to vote Is a 1 negative vote was also empha sized. “More than 50 per cent of those eligible not of hose voting j must vote yes if the system is to ! be changed. Also there is no indi ! vidual option on the matter, but | the decision will affect all State | employees,” it was noted. Lincoln, Others Now May Receive Drought Loans j Lincoln County, now officially designated with 54 other North | Carolina counties as drought j areas, is now eligible for loans under the government's drought i disaster program. The announcement was made in Richmond. Va.. by Clarence P. Moore, regional director of the Small Business Administration for {the Region Four area. The loans will be made by the SB A. Under the law enacted by the past session of Congress, the SBA was given authority to make drought disaster business loans at three per cent interest to firms able to show that they have ac tually suffered economic injury at tributable to the drought. All counties in South Carolina and 55 in North Carolina arc eli gible for loans under the program. Other nearby counties eligible in clude Gaston. Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, and Mecklenburg. Or. Batts Addresses Chinchilla Association Dr. Ed Batts, Lincolnton veter inarian, addressed a dinner meet ing of the Gastonia Chinchilla As sociation on Tuesday night. He talked on “Diseases and Care of Chinchillas.” Attending the meeting from Lin colnton were Dr. and Mrs. Batts. Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Van Dresser.