IF IT IS NEWS ABOUT
PERSON COUNTY, YOU’LL
FIND IT IN THE TIMES.
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"First, the Fields” And The Person County Way
An Estimate liy Thomas J. Shaw. Jr.
Reproduced abeve is the distinctive two-toned jacket for First, the Fields” the novel by Charles Wood, published and released
yesterday by the University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill. The artist, John Alan Maxwell, also designed the jacket for Helve
Allen’s well-remembered “Anthony Adverse. Mr. Wood, who is the- sen of Mrs. Charles T. Wood and the late Mr. Wood, will on Moi
day afternoon at 4 o'clock speak over Station WDNC, at a reception to be given in his honor in Durham.
Views
Os The |
News
» i
BANKER DECLARES WE
ARE FACING CRISIS
Macon, Ga. ( April 19.—The A
merican people must be awak
ened to the dnagers of the present
day crisis, Dr. Harold Stonier, ex-,
ecutive manager of the American
Bankers’ Association warned'
Georgia bank officials.
He said the United States w:li[
need strong leadership in the ciit
ical days soon to come.
Stovier said American
are now ready to face their great-,
cst task—that of distributing Go v'-i
ernment bonds and stamps to fi
nance the defense program be
ginning May 1.
More than 500 bankers attend-j
ed the golden anniversary dinner
last night commemorating the
founding of the Georgia Associa
tion.
o
BRITISH WARSHIPS AJND
rLANES TAKING HEAVY
TOLL ON FRONTS
|
Lonckon, April 19.—The German
drive against Egypt and the vital!
Suez Canal has been halted onti
the Axis forces have been put on!
the defensive around Toburk ar.d
Solium, British military quarters'
said. Military experts declined to;
prophesy whether the German!
drive could or would be resum-!
ed. It was said that the British
campaign against Italy in Ethio
pia has not yet been finished.
"Italian forces still were resisting
in small units with the British
pursuing and harrying them.
o
RAF CARRIES FIERY
ANSWER TO BERLIN
i
London April 19—Great Bri
tain made its heaviest air raid
on Berlin of the entire war dur
ing the night in a grim challenge
to Germany to fight out the war
in the air to the finish.
New: four-motored’Stirling long
range bombing planes which car
ry tremendous loads made the
attack. They drooped a new type
bomb of terriflfc destructive pow
er on the center of Berlin.
Jtescue squads were still dig
ging the dead and wounded l from
the homes and buildings demol
ished in Wednesday night’s Ger
rhan raid on London, the great
est air raid of all time, when the 1
British planes took off from their
home bases.
Imon^dimes
PUBLISHED EVERT SUNDAY & THURSDAY
Editor's Note:
Published yesterday was “First,
the Fields”, a novel by Charles
Wood, young Roxboro business
man. State newspapers and many
New York papers are today
carrying reviews of Mr. Wood's
book, and tomorrow aftjornocn
he will be honor guest at a re
ception to be given by Gordon
Lewis, in Durham at Hotel Wash
ington Duke.
Printed below is a statement
of what we believe the book may
mean to home folks, who in their
hearts know the story, but need
to read it to gain for themselves
a new perspective on their way
of life.
Five or six months ago, after
having finished seccrJjd manu
script reading of Charles Wood's
"First, tile Fields”, then ready
for the printers working for the
University of North Carolina
Press, we were impressed by the
universality of the theme around
which Mr. Wood had constructed
his very much alive story of life
as it has bec-n and is today ex
perienced in the tobacco country
of which Person county has for
nearly all of its one hundred and
fifty years been a part.
We remember that we men
tioned six months ago that our
friend’s book had in it the tune
less unity discoverable in the
works o f England’s Thomas
ITardy, in the Sophocles of an
cient Greece and in the more
recent, if suprabundant, Thomas
Wolfe; of Asheville. Bookfoim
reading of “First, the Fields”
confirms this impression, but to
those citizens of Person county,
and of that larger tobacco court
try which includes Caswell, Gran
ville, Durham and adjacent
counties in North Carolina, we
must say that Mr. Wood’s tirst
novel has a local significance
which must not be missed,
Springing as it does from a re
gion in which nostalgia for the
past fights continually with pre
sent commercialism (avarice is
n harder term) this story of
Hugh Winton’s determined strug
gle to keep for himself a rem
nant of the past as a stake on
the future parallels too closely
for comfort the battle in which
all of us who live here are en
gaged. ‘
Call it “getting ahead”, call it
“holding our own,” call it what
we will, there is no escape from
the fact that the economic and
social conflict of our times, in
that middle class of which Hugh
Winton and Nancy Clay Winlon.
his wife, are representatives, is
a fight to the finish, is a struggle
almost as harrowing as battle cf
London or the catastrophe now
being enacted ip the Balkans, ni-
I ' x ;> jjlj
■■■■' JIP '' '
* Ik 8$
CHARLES WOOD
though the more subtle wounds
cf economic and Social malajnst
men come more slowly into
view.
Read with close attention to
what is inferred but never said,
“First, the Fields.” must be con
sidered by those of us who kn .v;
the land in which we live, as a
noteworthy example of under
statement. The incipient ugliness,
the ever-present beauty of toba::
coland is here for us to see, if
we will see it. In the book, as in
life, many things, education,
young love, religion, the instinct
for possession, are taken for
granted until they are measured
against tradition and the bar -
survival accompanying it. Woven
into that survival is the not yet
forgotten chapter of the tobacco
Co-op, an attempt to bring finan
cial order out of chaos, an attempt
which was in resrospect doomed
to its fore-ordained failure.
Thinking still of the local up
plication of the lesson of “First,
the Fields,” we cannot be con
cerned with the warm humairty
of Negro Dave, Hugh’s boyhood
friend who is in later years a
true companion; we cannot tarry
long over the dtrabness from
which Helen Galloway sought
escape in Hugh’s company and
we cannot be too much impressed
with Nancy Clay’s inevitable fail
ore as a wife. More memorable
ere the minor scenes, the rabbit
gum, the flashbacks to the Sligo
country, the moving day of
Dave’s grandifather, the illness
of little Dumont, son of Hugh
and Nancy, while lost in the on
sweeping tide of the book is the
court-room prelude to the cli
max.
Not in years have we read a
novel in which men and women
so nearly assume proper propor
tions to the landt on which they
live. The land is there: it will
be there when they are dust in it,
but this philosophy is to Hugh
(Continued on Society Page)
DEBATERS RETURN
Having entered contests m
which teams from sixteen schools
participated, John McWhorter
Miss Violet Starke, Miss Jackie
Gordon and Miss Arline Newell,
members of Roxboro high school -:
debating team, accompanied I
Mrs. Larry Rynd, coach, on Fri
day returned to this city from
Chapel Hill. The young people,
according to Mrs. Rynd, did good
work and enjoyed their stav at
Chapel Hill, although they woe
not winners in the .annual - con
tests held there.
CLUB COMPETITION
On Tuesday April 22, the mem
bers of the Junior and Senior
class will write in competition
for thje annual English Loving
Cup given by the Roxboro Wo
man’s Club. The subjects will be
submitted by the English teachers.
Along The Way
With the Editor
April 7, 1941
Mr. Sam Merritt, Editor
Person County Times
Roxboro, N. C.
Dear Mr. Editor:
Appropo your “Along The Way. It is noted with
much regret that one Mr. Maurice “Puny” Allen is
possessed with fear and trembling, in so far as he finds
it necessary to purchase a pig, and I understand keep a
garden. As far as the garden is concerned, Mr. Editor,
we are delighted and wish that many more of our folks
would keep gardens in our City. But in regard to the
PIG. “May Someone Help Us.” These animals have been
detested by well bred cities all down the generations
and have given much concern to this City Manager and
the Department of Public Health of Person County,
Could we respectfully be of assistance to Mr. Allen ? As
we understand he has a lot on a new highway out near
Chub Lake, and we believe arrangements could be made
whereby he could pick up a good deal of slops from our
City Sanitary and Garbage Department upon proper
application to the Chief of the Sanitary Department,
which would feed the little pig into a big one some day.
This, my dear Mr. Editor, you know would do much
in this campaign our youngsters are putting on to
“Clean Up, Paint Up, and (Pick the Pigs up to spite
the flies”) in our City. Pigs and more pigs have given
this City Manager one chronic and severe headache
all through the year, and if you could be in my office
and hear the complaints that we hear regarding pigs at
the Post Office, North Main Street, Lamar, etc., etc.,
etc., etc., I am sure you would endorse a PIG CLEAN
UP CAMPAIGN:
Please do your best to assist this matter, and any
suggestions you give us will be greatly appreciated, I •
am sure by the Commissioners and the writer.
Sincerely and cordially yours,
For Bior & Better Pigs - Reared
in the County,
Percy Bloxam
City Manager
George W. Kane Appointed As
| State Highway Commissioner
TOWN MEETING TO
BE HELD SOON
AT COURT HOUSE
Nominations For City Of
fices Will Be Made Mon
day Night. Citizens Re
quested To Attend.
Scheduled for Monday night at
i the Person County Court house
’i; Roxboro’s biennial town meet
ing at which nominati: ns for
• Mayor anti for members of lire
: City Board of Commissioners veil!
; be made, with election of these
| officials to follow i n Tuesday,
May 6. approximately three weeks
lnter.
Present officials are S. G. Win
stead, mayor, with Gordon C.
Hunter, Preston Satterfield, Sr.,
C. Lester Brooks, George J. Cush
\va and George W Kano, as o m
missioners.
Mayor Wih'ste'a<> appointed to
his office last November by the
board is new filling out the un
expired term of the late Mayor
S. F. Nicks, Jr., who died in of
fice, November 10. W, Reade
Jones, only other man whose
name has bi i n mentioned in eon•
i.Pvtii n with nominati ns for
mayor, last week said that no is
"Yet si ( king the nomination.
Roxboro operates under tin
City Manager plan and presmt
City Manager is Percy Bloxam,
; who came here from Raleigh in
March 1940.
The Monday meeting will be
held at 8:00 P. M.
Presiding officer at the open
(Continued on Sports page)
SUNDAY. APRIL 20, 1941 NUMBER TWENTY FOUR
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Bill Murphy, shown above,
chairman of the Clean-Up cam
paign conducted here by tin
Commercial Law class of Rox
boro high school during the week
before Easter, yesterday announ
ced decision of the judges.
Winner of prize for best front
lawn is Mrs. J. A. Long, Sr.; for
the best back lawn, Mrs. Pres
ton Satterfield. Sr.; for the best
vacant lot. the Jackson lot near
the Tar Heel Chevrolet company;
for the best flower garden in
cluding planning, Mrs. Auorey
Long: for the best window uis
plfey and store front, Pee ales
Department store and for the
best store interior and the best
outside trash bin. Long, Brad
sher and Company.
Judges were Mrs. R. L. Wil
burn, F. O. Carver. Jr., and E.
B. Craven. Jr. Speaking for the
judges Mrs. Wilburn said that
the campaign was regarded a;
very successful, although the
judging committee could have
wished a larger number of con
testants to have registered. Mr.
Murphy also expressed his ap
preciation for cooperation re
ceived from citizens, officials,
and the student body.
APPLICANTS FOR
GADDY’S PLACE
FILE NAMES
Numbers Seek Position As
Supervising District Prin
cipal. Gaddy Remains Firm.
Despite repeated requests 'hat i
he reconsider his decision to in
sign as Supervising Principal of
Roxiboro District schools, H. C 1
Gaddy, returning from the State;
Music Festival at Greensboro in
which members of the Roxboro.
high school glee club and band;
participated, has said that his tie-!
cision to leave at the close of:
school, May 7, is final.
Although no meeting of tii ■
District School board has beer
Held since Mr. Gaddy last week,
announced his resignation, it i.sj
known that a dozen or more ap-j
plications for the position heva
been received. Selection of a new:
supervising principal will be vest
ed in the board, of which acting
temporary chairman during the
illness of J. A. Long, chairman,
has been Dr. B. A. Thaxton.
Several applications and inter
views have been received and
granted by R. B. Griffin, Person
County Superintendent of Schools,
who is expected to turn his in
formation over to the board 1 , of
which Mr. Griffin, himself, is not
a member.
In his public statement Mr.
Gaddy last week said that he de
sires to secure a position with a
school system having a year
(Continued on Sport Page)
THE TIMES IS PERSON’S
PREMIER NEWSPAPER
A LEADER AT ALL TIMES.
Roxboro Resident Accepts
Appointment From Gover
nor J. Melvin Brough
ton. Official Announcement
Made Friday.
Particularly pleasing to Person
residents was the unexpected
appointment Friday afternoon
cf George W. Kane, of this city,
as Fifth district representative on
the State Highway commission.
In naming Mr. Kane to the pos
ition formerly held by Sam Ba
son. of Yanceyville, Governor
Broughton selected a busy man,
who, between his duties as pres
ident of the construction company
which bears his name, has ner
erthless found time to be active
in civic affairs. Mr. Kane has for
a number of years been a mem
ber of the Roxboro Board of com -
missioners, has servedi as presi
dent of the Person Boy Scout
council, in which he is actively
interested, and is a past president
of the Roxboro Rotary club, o'
which he is a charter member.
As Fifth district highway com
mission er MY. Kane will serve
seven other counties, Durham,
Caswell, Alamance, Guilford,
Granville, Rockingham and Or
ange. in addition to his home
county of Person.
Announcement cf his appoint
ment came us a surprise to resi
dents here. Previous newspaper
.‘■peculation had revolved around
Mr. Bason, of Caswell, T. Clar
ence Stone, of Stoneville, and Ac.
drew Joyner, of Greensboro.
Mr, Kane, because of his tnu r
e].s in connection with his bus.-
ness, is well known in all of the
cuonties in the, district.
Chairman of the new board
is Ben T. Prince, of Henderson
villc. Members of the board arc
to serve their districts, but are
also to consider the State road
way program as a whole.
FINAL MEETING
OF PTA’S WILL
BE ON TUESDAY
Final meetings for the present
school year of Roxboro Parent
Teacher associations will be held
Tuesday afternoon ands night of
next week.
First to meet will be the Cen
tral Grammar School asscoiation,
at 3:30 at Central school, with
Mrs. Logan H. Umstead .presi
dent presiding. A musical pro
gram by the Roxboro high school
glee club, directed by Mrs. Sam
Byrd Winstead, will be presented.
At 7:30 in the evening at the
high school the high school asso
ciation will meet. Program chair
man is Mrs. B. B. Mangum ar.d
presiding officer will be the pres
ident, Mrs. R. H. Shelton. Since
these meetings are to be the final
ones of the year a full attendance
at each is requested.
Although the 1941 State Teach
er association sessions will be held
this week in Asheville, officials
of the Roxboro associations have
reported that owing to the dis
tance to be traveled) no official
delegates will represent the Rox
boro units.
o-
CLERK AT HOTEL
'
Now clerk at Hotel Roxboro
is Henry Thornton, Jr., of this
city, formerly with Hotel Oxford,
.at Oxford. Elmore Gray, pre
viously at Hotel Roxboro, baa
I gone to the Eland Hotel, Raleigh.
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