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The Alleghany News
* A NEWSPAPER DEDICATED TO COVERING THE NEWS AND PROMOTING PROGRESS IN ALLEGHANY COUNTY
VOLUME 2, NO. II
$1.00 a Year in Alleghany Co unty
SPARTA, N. C., FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL 25, 1941 $1.50 a Year Out of County
sarr.'ii;,v, .=
SPARTA NEEDS NOW . . .
an industrial plant, a mo
dem hotel, a federal post
office building and. a civic
club. Let’s go after them!
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
People
YOU KNOW
In Alleghany
By Staff Writer
GLENN DUNCAN
For many years one of the larg
est dealers in cattle and livestock
in northwestern North Carolina
and southwestern Virginia, Glenn
Duncan is also one of the best
known and best liked residents
living in Alleghany county.
. Although he specializes in the
buying and selling of cattle, he
also raises some on his expan
sive farm three miles east of
Sparta. The great majority of his
cattle is bought and sold in sur
rounding towns and shipped to
Pennsylvania to be sold on a na
tional market.
In addition to the cattle busi
ness, Mr. Duncan also deals in
sheep and lambs and raises tur
keys to be marketed every
Thanksgiving and Christmas. The
farm on which he lives consists
of 200 acres, and it adjoins an
other farm equally as large.
Family Of Seven
Born near his present farm on
September 10, 1891, Mr* Duncan
first attended school at Chestnut
Gjqve and Sparta, ♦"in HKSffrr
went to school for a while at
Boone, after which he returned
to the farm and has been a farm
er and livestock dealer ever since.
Married in 1913 to the former
Miss Rose Pardue, who lived near
the farm on which he was reared,
Mr. Duncan is the father of four
daughters and five sons. They
are: the daughters, Anna Rose,
Gretchen, Glenna and Donna; the
sons, Kemp, Champ and Dale.
Among the most valuable citi
zens of the county, Mr. Duncan
is a keen observer of events na
tional and local. Daily he follows
the course of the European war
and is always ready to discuss
the subject with an acquaintance.
Mr. Duncan is very modest
about his success in life, which
he attributes to hard work, and
the only way to find out xhat a
really brilliant and capable in
(Continued on Page Eight)
Young Speller
Loses In Bee
Entered in the Journal and Sen
tinel spelling bee in Winston-Sa
lem last Saturday, Marie An
drews, 13-year-old member of the
eighth grade at Piney Creek, who
was Alleghany county’s represen
tative, succeeded in keeping her
place in the match until near the
end.
Miss Andrews was eliminated
when she misspelled the word
“conscientious.” She is the daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Lester An
drews, of Piney Creek.
NEXT FRIDAY WILL
BE “CLEAN-UP DAY”
Mayor Floyd Crouse this
-week issued a proclamation,
designating next Friday, May
2, as “clean up day” in Spar
ta, and asking all eitiiens to
'co-operate to the fullest ex
tent
Mayor Crouse pointed out
that a large crowd Is expected
to attend the formal dedication
of the beautiful new communi
ty building here on Saturday,
May 3, and the town should be
made as clean as possible for
Special attention will be giv
en to cleaning all streets and
eVery resident and operators of
business establishments are
asked to “do their part” in
cleaning up their premises.
Sheriff Gets Some Good Exercise!
IWMI III >*<**•■ .. 1 '' ~-——— -
. r , /
Yes, it’s Sheriff Claude Doughton, of Wilkes county and
formerly of Laurel Springs, getting some real exercise on his
father’s farm which is now being operated by Horton Dough
ton. “Sure, I enjoy driving this tractor, but believe me it’s
work, though,” he told the staff photographer who snapped
this picture a few days ago.
Commencement Program Here
Gets Underway This Morning
Board Member Is
Being Selected
Farmers Are This Week Cast
ing Votes for Soil Dis
trict Official.
Fanners of the county are this
week casting their votes for one
of three men who have been nom
inated as a second member of the
soil conservation board of super
visors in Alleghany.
Alton Thompson, of Sparta,
was last week appointed as a
member of the board. The second
member is being chosen this week
from the following nominees: D.
M. Edwards, M. E. Reeves and
Jesse Mack Osborne.
Ballot boxes have begn placed
in the county •agent’r offitj here,
the Laurel Springs post office,
and the stores of Rush Thomp
son, J. H. Douglas, Steve Spurlin,
Mrs. Charjie Shepherd and at
Whitehead. \.
Within a short time, the boards
of supervisors and county farm
agents in Alleghany and Ashe
will meet with W. D. Lee, exten
sion soil conservationist, and work
out complete plans for the dis
trict.
Dentist At Work
At Little Pine
Dr. E. T. Koonce, state board of
health dentist, who began giving
dental examinations in county
schools three weeks ago, is now
at work in the Little Pine school,
where he has been sinice Wednes
day, it was announced yesterday.
Dividing Ridge students will be
given examinations on Monday
and Tuesday of next week; Blev
ins Crossroads, Wednesday; and
Blue Ridge (col.), May i. These
examinations will all be given at
the Little Pine school.
Pine Swamp, Glade Valley,
Whitehead, Hooker and Airbel-.
lows school students have al
ready been examined by Dr.
Koonce.
---
! Glade Valley Graduating Ex
ercises Slated to Begin
At 11 O’clock.
' OTHER FEATURES
While the annual commence
ment program for the Piney Creek
high school ended with the grad
uating exercises Wednesday night,
the principal closing features for
the Sparta and Glade Valley
schools are slated to get under
way this morning.
A declamation contest, to begin
at 10:30 this morning, is the first
event scheduled to comprise the
commencement program of the
Sparta high school. Three stu
dents will offer declamations, as
follows: Reeves Edwards. “There
Was a Man;” Brice Richardson,
“Silent Voices;” Joe Blum, “The
Citizen’s Appreciation.”
Fallowing a musical interlude,
four seniors will debate the que
ry: “Resolved, that the United
States should adopt a policy of re
quiring one year of military
training of all able-bodied young
men before they reach the age of
23.”
On the affirmative side of the
debate are Misses Wanda Choate
and Blanche Hendrix; represent
ing the negative are Misses Pika
Rizottti and Sarah Warren.
Recitations
Recitations are to be given by
the following students: Miss Lu
cille Mitchell, “Ma’s Sabbath
Morning;” Miss Patsy Roy Bur
giss, “Betty at the Baseball
Game;” Miss Emogene Choate,
“Penrod.”
Superintendent W. C. Thomp
son will then award the seventh
grade certificates, after which the
decisions of the judges will be
announced.
Graduation Address Sat
Graduating exercises will get
underway here in the morning at
10:30. Featuring an address by Dr.
D. J. Whitener, professor of his
tory and government at ASTC,
the program will also include an
invocation by Rev. L. F. Strader,
special musk, the president’s
speech by Arza Richardson, the
salutatory by Mildred Wagoner,
(Continued on Page Eight)
Germans Virtually Capture
Greece And Run British Out
With a fast smashing attack
on land and in the air, the Ger
mans have virtually completed
their conquest of Greece and
driven the British out in record
breaking time.
All forces in northern Greece
snneadeced Wednesday night
and the capital of Greece moved
from Athens to the Ue of Crete.
Batter's armistice terms call for
an unconditional surrender.
the British and Greeks were
completely outnumbered and
thousands of their soldiers as
well as of the Germans were
killed. Hie British forces are
having much difficulty getting
ort because of heavy bombing.
This downfall is a great blew
to the democratic cause and is
a great tragedy for Greece. Af
ter holding their own against
Italy, they were getting ready
to hunch an offensive for vic
tor; until Hitler entered the
pidore.
Tie valliant Greek forces con
tinue.to fight against their might
ier German foes who according to
the latest reports are nearing Ath
ens.
A graphic report of the Allied
disaster in Greece came from an
Associated Press correspondent,
Daniel Deluce, who crossed to
neutral Turkey from Athens. He
reported that Greek troops fought
German might, knowing that the
British expeditionary force was
too small to be of enduring aid
to them.
In western Greece the Greek
army which once threw Italy's
troops out of Greece into Albania
was trapped, Berlin said. Capture
of strategic Ioannina on the Greek
path of retreat from the north cut
off its escape.
The British Admiralty an
nounced that the Mediterranean
fleet early yesterday turned its
15-inch guns on Tripoli, Axis base
in western Libya whence the
drive toward Suez was launched,
(Continued on Ptge Eight)
Mrs. Noland Is
Awarded A First
Prize In Contest
Former Sparta Woman Wins
In State Composers’ Con
• test This Year.
COMPOSITION, “DAWN”
Notice was received here early
this week by Mrs. B. O. Choate
that her daughter, Mrs. Tom No
land, the former Miss Annie Ma
rie Choate, of Sparta, has be^n
awarded first place in the annual
North Carolina composers’ con
test, for her composition, “Dawn.”
Mrs. Noland is now living in
Costa Rica and has not yet been
informed of her success in the
contest. The announcement was
made by Dean Hugh Altvater,
chairman of the North Carolina
composers’ ‘department of the
state federation of music.
Unbeknown to Mrs. Noland, her
composition was entered in the
contest by Mark Hoffman, direc
tor of music at Greensboro col
lege, who paid the fifty-cent^en
trance fee.
In a letter to the prize winner
this week, Mrs. Maurice L. Hon
igman, president of the state fed
eration of music clubs, said that
“I wish to congratulate you upon
this splendid achievement and to
wish you much happiness in this
great honor which has come to
you.”
Providing Mrs. Noland decides
to return from Costa Rica in the
next few weeks, she will be in
vited to attend the state conven
tion in Wilmington on May 8 and
be presented a silver cup by Dr.
Altvater. In addition, she will be
asked to play her winning com
position on the convention pro
gram.
Relihan Injured
Near Here Mon.
Funeral Home Employee Hurt
When Motorcycle Leaves
Highway No. 21.
A motorcycle accident at 11 o’
clock last Monday morning, be
tween Sparta and Twin Oaks, on
Highway 21, resulted in painful
injuries to J. C. Relihan, assistant
to Dewey Sturdivant in the Reins
Sturdivant funeral home here.
On a curve just above the home
of Ernest Hoppers the vehicle ran
out on the gravel of the highway
and the rider lost control. Reli
han was thrown into a ditch.
Rushed to the office of Dr. C.
A. Thompson, he was found to
have received dozens of skin in
juries at numerous places on his
body, and to have also received a
fractured collar bone.
The motorcycle belonged to
Clifford Sturdivant, of Indepen
dence, and was damaged almost
beyond repair. Relihan, who is
considered an experienced rider,
had borrowed the vehicle for a
ride.
Brown Appointed
Member Of Board
Gov. B. A. Doughton Is Selec
ted As Chairman of Wel
fare Group;
Wednesday morning the county
welfare board met here and se
lected Sam W. Brown, of Sparta,
as a third member of the board.
Gov. R. A. Doughton was appoin
ted chairman.
Mr. Brown, a justice of peace
in Sparta, is a former represen
tative to the legislature from Al
leghany county. Bert Edwards
succeeded Mr. Brown last falL
Gov. Doughton, who has been a
member of the boaTd for several
years, was reappointed two weeks
ago by the state board of charities
and public welfare. County com
missioners reappointed John A.
Higgins at their meeting on April
6.
The vacancy on the board is
due to the recent resignation of
Vance Blevins, of Sparta, who felt
he did not have sufficient time
to devote to the duties of the job.
Activities of the board include
the appointment of a welfare sup
erintendent, whose term of office
begins on July 1 for an indefinite
period under the merit system
now being instituted in public
welfare work.
Since the outbreak of the Euro
pean war, spinach seed has gone
up from 11 cents to 70 cents a
pound, and onion seed from 80
cents to $4.50 a pound, with no
ceiling in sight.
U. S. Sky Soldiers On ‘Parade’
Three army transport planes at Fort Benning, Georgia,
disgorge their cargoes of paratroops during an exhibition of
mass jumping. Each plane takes 12 men “upstairs” for the
jump. Dropped behind enemy lines parachute troops must
work swiftly in an attempt to disrupt communications and
harass the foe.
Superior Court To
Convene In Sparta
Oil Mon. Morning
Urge That Boxes
Be Reconditioned
Postmasters and Carriers Plan
Improvement of County
Mail Boxes.
Postmasters and rural mail car
riers in Alleghany county are now
urging the boxholders on every
rural route to have their mail
boxes in good condition and
placed on strong supports before
May 15, after which date the box
es will be inspected.
Postmaster Glenn Nichols, of
Sparta, said this week that each
person would be urged by his car
rier or postmaster to select a
round or square locust post about
six by eight inches in diameter,
peel the bark off and plant it at
the spot which will be designated
by a small stake.
Some of the carriers will buy
necessary paint and do the work;
however, each boxholder may con
tribute 10 cents to the fund if he
so desires. Names and numbers
will also be stenciled on boxes.
SIDNEY GAMBILL IS
NOW REPRENSENTING
U. S. GOVT. IN BIG SUIT
Sidney Gambill, of Washing
ton, D. C., who is a native of Ashe
and an attorney for the U. S. bu
reau of internal revenue, is in
Chicago now defending the gov
ernment in a suit brought up by
a large Chicago meat packer for
the refund of over 11 million dol
lars paid by the packer to the
government in 1933, 1934 and
1935.
The trial is expected to last for
several weeks and is the largest
case that Mr. Gambill has han
dled so far.
The able attorney is the son of
Mr. and Mrs. Estes Gambill, of
Crumpler. Before going to Wash
ington, he practiced law in Spar
ta. Attorney Robert Gambill is
his brother.
Criminal and Civil Dockets
Are Slightly Heavier
Than Usual.
ROUSSEAU IS JUDGE
Next Monday morning at 10 o’
clock the spring term of the semi
annual Alleghany county superior
court will convene in the court
house and begin work on a crim
inal docket expected to be slight
ly heavier than usual.
Judge J. P. Rousseau, of North
Wilkesboro, will preside. Erie Mc
Michael, of Winston-Salem, will
serve as solicitor. Barring difficul
ties, court is expected to be con
cluded on Thursday. «. •-&
Fifteen cases of drunk driving
are slated to receive attention on
the criminal docket. Seven cases
Of assault will be tried.
The number of cases appearing
on the remainder of the docket
are as follows:
Larceny, six; breaking and en
tering, six; violating the prohibi
tion law, four; non-support, two;
and one each of disturbing pub
lic property, forgery, carrying
concealed weapon, wreckless driv
ing and abandonment. Five firms
are charged with the operation of
| slot machines.
On the civil docket, there are
15 cases to be tried, three of
which are divorce actions.
Change In CCC
Regulations Made
Changes in CCC regulations
now give applicants who have had
prior service an opportunity to
re-enroll in the corps if they have
been honorably discharged in
three rather than six months. Miss
Lillie Ervin, welfare superinten
dent, announced yesterday.
Boys may again enter camp
providing the total previous ser
vice since July 1, 1937, does not
exceed 18 months, and providing
they are otherwise eligible.
(Continued on Page Eight)
Dale For Dedication Of New
Building Moved Up To May 3
Although\ the date for the dedi
cation of the recently-completed
county office and assembly build
ing has been switched from May
1 to May 3, previously-scheduled
plans are going forward under the
direction of the entertainment
committee, it was disclosed yes
terday.
The celebration was moved up
from Thursday to Saturday be
cause Congressman JRobert L.
Doughton could not be present on
Thursday: But in a conversation
via telephone with C. A. Miles,
county WPA supervisor, on Sun
day night, the Congressman de
clared that he could and would be
here for the dedication on May 3.
Previously, in a letter to Mr.
Miles, Congressman Stoughton had
said that “while I very highly ap
preciate this invitation, I feel that
in view of my heavy duties here
at this time I could not be away
from Washingon on that date.
“Our committee is to begin
work on the largest tax bill for
national defense and other gov
ernmental purposes ever written
by any government We will
therefore doubtless be conducting
hearings at that time or certainly
be as busy as possible for any
committee to be at any time.”
Congressman Doughton said
further that “I congratulate our
board of county commissioners
and also the WPA ahthorities
upon this achievement which
means so much to the county. I
shall always be proud of having
had some part in promoting the
enterprise.”
First speaker on the program of
exercises, which will get under
way at 2 o’clock Saturday after
noon, will be R. Floyd Crouse, at
torney and mayor of the town,
who will deliver the welcome ad
drSls- ' ,
The dedication address will be
Small Farmers
May Still Get
FSA Crop Loans
Applications Should be Made
at Once to County Super
visor In Sparta.
APPLY IN PERSON
femall farmers whcse plans for
1941 are being handicapped by
lack of capital may still apply for
farm security administration
loans, according to Robert W.
Fleetwood, FSA supervisor for
Alleghany county.
Mr. Fleetwood said yesterday
that applications for loans from
government funds set up for the
fiscal year ending June 30 should
be submitted at the earliest op
portunity. He pointed out that no
loan can be made unless there is
time for the farmer and himself
to work out the seasonal farm and
home management plan which
must accompany each credit ad*
vance.
“In the spring we have to turn
away eligible farmers because
they apply too late for the neces
sary plans to be drawn up,” Mr.
Fleetwood said. “The FSA has
found that real security for the
government’s investment, as well
as all lasting benefits for the far
mer, come from business-like and
planned-out operation of a farm,
not from the cash advanced to
meet temporary needs.”
FSA extends limited credit for
the purchase of tools, seed, food,
fertilizer, livestock and other sup
plies and equipment needed for
successful operation of a family
type farm. Loans are also made to
neighborhood groups of farmers
who can purchase and use heavy
farm machinery or purchased
sires cooperatively.
Farmers in this county should
apply in person to his office in
the courthouse here.
Mattress Project
Deadline On Wed.
Applications^To fie^llei&jhred
by County A«rent Until
April 30th.
Residents of the county who
wish to be given the material to
make mattresses in the local pro
ject must turn in their applica
tions to County Agent R. E. Black
between now and next Wednes
day, for after that date no more
applications will be accepted.
Sponsored by the surplus mar
keting administration and the ag
ricultural extension service in co
operation with the county farm
agent’s office, the project here has
been in operation since early in
January. Over 400 mattresses
have been made and more than
1,000 applications received.
There appears to be no likeli
hood that the project will be con
tinued after April 30, it was sta
ted, but another one may be se
cured at a later date.
New Building Is
Rising Rapidly
Already the brick walls of the
new Western Auto and Supply
store building here have taken
shape and workmen are now busy
on the roof, a job which should
see completion within the next
few days.
Providing the weather is clear
from now on, it is expected that
the building will be ready for oc
cupancy by May 20 at the latest,
Ben Reeves announced yesterday.
J. N. McAllister, of Marion, Va.,
will operate the store here.