Population
City Limits.7,206
Til* population It from the D. S. Government census
report for 1950. The Census Bureau estimates the nation's
population gain since 1950 at 1.7 percent per year, which
means Kings Mountain's 1954 population should approxi
mate 7606. The trading area population in 1945. based
on ration board registrations at the Kings Mountain
office, was 15.000.
10 Pages
10 Today
!
Kings Mountain, N. C., Thursday, March 24, 1955
Sixty-Fifth Year
VOL. 65 NO. 12
Established 1889
PRICE FIVE CENTS
SAND WINS SUPERIOR RATING — The Kings Mountain school
band, directed by Joe C. Hedden, was awarded a grade of Superior
(I) at the district band contest held at Salisbury's Boyden High
school last Saturday.The 55-piece group, which played in Group
IV, earned the jight to enter the state contest at Greensboro in
April. (Photo by Hubert Carlisle, Shelby.)
Local News
Bulletins
NEW DEACONS
New deacons elected toy Boy
ce Memorial ARP church Sun
day were Don Crawford, Ben
Goforth, Jr., and Dr. John C.
McGill. They are to be ordain
ed and installed at morning
services Sunday.
OPTIMIST CLUB
Regular meeting of the Op
timist clulb will be held Thurs
day evening, (tonight), at 7
p. m. at the Woman’s club, it
was announced iby Neal 'Gris
som, president.
PRESBYTERIAN
First meeting of the Carol
choir of First Presbyterian
church will be held Monday at
3 p. m. in the church Fellow
ship^ hall. Children in the Pri
mary department and first,
second, and third grade stu
dents make up the choir.
OFFICE CLOSED
Offices of Dr. L. T. Ander
son, chiropractor, will toe clos
ed Thursday, Friday, and Sat
urday, it was announced Tues
day. Dr. Anderson’s office will
• toe opened on Monday, he said.
no fatal’accidents
As of Wednesday afternoon,
the City of Kings Mountain
had gone 1,199 days without a
fatal accident, Kings Moun
tain Police department repor
ted.
AT CONVENTION
Mrs. Helen Jenkins and Mrs.
Ila Morrow are representing
Helen’s Beauty Shop at an In
ternational Beauty convention
in session at Statler Hotel,
New York, March 20-28.
COMMUNICATION
An emergent communication
of Fair-view Lodge No. 339, A.
F. & A. M., for work in the
third degree is scheduled for
Monday night at 7:30 p. m. at
Masonic Hall, Joe H. McDan
iel, Jr., secretary, announced.
FAIRVIEW LODGE
Members of Fairview Lodge
No. 339, A. F. & A. M., will at
tend the evening services at
Grace Methodist church Sun
day night. Members are asked
to meet in front of the church
at 7:15 ip. *m., at was announc
ed.
METER RECEIPTS
A total of $179.75 was collec
ted from the city’s parking me
ters during the week ending
Wedne“day at noon, it was re
ported by the city clerk’s of
fice.
FULKERSON BETTER
W. J. Fulkerson, ill last week
with a slight heart con
dition, has improved suffici
ently to resume part-time du
ties at Neisler Mills, Inc.
First Presbyterian
Revival Continuing
Evangelistic services are con
tinuing this week through Friday
at First Presbyterian church.
Dr. Z. V. Roberson, pastor of
Raleigh Court Presbyterian chur
ch, Roanoke, Va., and John Liv
ingilon, ministerial student at
Union Seminary, are conducting
the week’s series.
Morning services at 10 a. m.
and evening services at 7:30 p. m.
are being conducted by Dr. Rober
son. Mr. Livingston is directing
a week of youth activities, pro
grams being held each evening
after the worship services.
Wile <H Victim.
Dae For Release,
Is Grover Citizen
The husband of Mrs. Sybil By
ers Quinn, of Grover, was among
the 66 persons killed Tuesday
when a navy transport crashed
into a mountain peak near Hon
olulu, Hawaii.
AN James B. Quinn, 22, son
of Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Quinn, of
Blacksburg, S. C., en route home
for release from active duty, was
reported among the passengers
in a telegram from the navy de
partment to Quinn’s parents
Tuesday night.
The seaman was an only son.
He had been attached to the USS
Princeton, which was recently en
gaged in the Matsu Island evacu
ation of Chinese troops.
On Saturday, his wife had re
ceived a cable from her husband
saying he had arrived in Hawaii
and would be home soon.
The Associated Press reported
the crash to be the worse in Ha
waii’s history. The four-engine
navy transport carried to their
deaths £ woman, the nine-man
navy crew, 17 air force passen
gers, 22 army men, .12 marines
and four sailors. It was an RD6
transport and was enroute to Cal
ifornia from Tokyo and had turn
ed back toward Hickam Field on
the last leg of its transpacific
flight.
Eight miles off course and in
a heavy rainstorm the big plane
plowed into Pali Kea Peak, about
15 miles northwest of Honolulu
at the southern end of Waianae
Range. It was 2:03 a. m.
The pilot turned on his landing
lights just before the crash, wit
nesses said. He apparently saw
the mountain looming up in front
and tried to bank away. It was
too late.
The tragedy was the fourth
worst disaster in aviation history,
and the second worst in the Paci
fic.
The youth was a nephew of
Dr. T. A. Campbell, of Blacks
burg. He was a graduate of
Blacksburg high school and was
attending Erskine College when
he enlisted in the navy on April
17, 1951. He was a member of
Blacksburg ARP church. He was
married to the former Miss By
ers on March 15, 1953.
TO PREACH HERE — Rev. W. L.
Hcnrkey, a former Rings Moun
tain pastor, will conduct revival
services beginning Sunday at
El Bethel Methodist church. The
services will continue through
April 2.
Harkey To Lead
Revival Sendees
i
Rev. W. L. Harkey, a former
pastor, of Grace Methodist church
here, will conduct pre-Easter ser
vices beginning Sunday at El-Bet
hel Methodist church, it was an
nounced by the pastor, Rev. Boy
ce Huffstetler.
Mr. Harkey is now pastor of
Avondale Methodist 'Church, at
Avondale.
Services will be held at 7:30
each evening, beginning Sunday
and continuing through April 2.
Special music by the church
choir will also feature the ser
vices, under the direction ox Bob
by Anthony, choir leader. Wayne
L. Ware, Jr., is the church orga
nist.
BUILDING PERMITS
Building Inspector J. W.
Webster issued two permits
during the week. A permit for
construction of a one-story
building on Juniper street to
A. V. Yarbrough was issued
Saturday. A permit to build a
garage on Tracy street was is
sued to William Arthur Mor
gan on Monday.
Phone Communications Situation
unchanged As Strikers Stay Cut
The strike union employees of
Southern Bell Telephone & Tele
graph company continued into
its tenth day Wednesday, with
little change here from the first
days of the walkout.
Mrs. Jack Arnette, a supervis
or who has ibeen on switchboard
duty since the strike began, said
service is being provided as well
as possible, with five supervis
ory personnel and three non
striking switchboard operators
doing the work customarily
handled by 25 regular duty oper
ators.
Generally speaking, all calls
were getting through, though
Mrs. Arnette said service would
probably be a little slower throu
gh Friday, due to a three-day
aircraft warning test in the area,
which began Wednesday morn
ing. “The air warning calls are
first priority,” Mrs. Arnette said.
Individual instances of tele
phone tie-ups were reported by
several citizens. A ten-minute
wait for the operator added to
the consternation of a harried
toother who found her youngster
had swallowed some chlorox. A
woman trying to reach her mo
ther, who had been reported in
volved in an auto wreck, found
the longer-than-usuii-1 long dis
tance service disturbing.
Striking Kings Mountain ex
change maintenance men and
operators, still picketing with
yellow signs, reported no infor
mation had been passed to the
rank-and-file union member
ship,. One remarked thdt, “The
union isn’t giving out much in
formation."
Meantime, negotiations on a
new labor contract between the
Communication Union of Amer
ica (CIO) and Southern Bell
Telephone & Telegraph compa
ny are reported continuing in
Atlanta, Ga. The company con
tends the big bar to settlement
is refusal of the union to incor
Continued On Page Ten
Band Awarded
Top Rating
At Contest
The Kings Mountain school
band, advancing to Group IV
competition, was awarded a
grade of Superior (I) at the dis
trict music contests held at Salis
bury last Saturday.
The top award entitles the band
directed by Joe Hedden, to par
ticipate in the state-wide music
contests to be held at Woman’s
College, University of North Car
olina, Greensboro, April 20-23.
Other Kings Mountain area mu
sicians also participated in the
annual district contests. The high
school mixed chorus, which sang
Friday, was awarded a rating of
Excellent (II). The chorus is di
rected by Miss Margaret Cole.
Peggy Joyce Reynolds, senior
high school piano soloist, receiv
ed a rating of Excellent (II-plus).
Junior high school piano awards
included Jimmy Plonk, excellent
(II); Ruth McCurdy, good (III);
and Nancy Castle, good (III).
The piano contestants who play
ed Saturday, are students of Mrs.
Martin Harmon. ,
The piano contests were con
ducted at Catawba College, with
bands performing at Salisbury’s
Boyden High school. Although
officially known as “contests”,
the musicians do not compete a
gainst each other but are graded
by judges.
Director Hedden pointed out
that Kings Mountain was award
ed a unanimous decision, with all
three band judges grading the
unit as superior, and that the
band played in the highest group
(IV) represented at the district
festival.
The 55-piece Kings Mountain
band played three numbers.—
“Folk Song Suite”, “Ballet Parisi
enne” and “New Colonial March”.
Members making the trip were:
Flutes — Elizabeth Crawford
and Janice Gladden.
Clarinets — Jean Arthur, Flem
Mauney, Mason Hughes, Scotty
Wise, Rose Malcolm, Judy Early,
Continued On Page Ten
Board Discusses
Land Purchases
Discussion Of expansion of Cen
tral and East Elementary schools’
playground areas highlighted the
regular monthly meeting Monday
night of the Kings Mountain
board of school trustees.
The board has been seeking
for over a year to purchase ad
ditional land for East school from
Consolidated Textiles, Inc. The
plot lies west of Church street
directly behind the school build
ing.
Supt. B. N. Barnes told the
board that he hasn’t received an
answer to numerous letters to the
firm’s New York office since the
firm promised to send a repre
sentative here after receipt of a
letter offering $500 per acre au
thorized by the board on April
19, 1954.
At the February meeting, Mr.
Barnes reported completion of a
new survey of the lhnd showing
5.136 acres which the board wants
to buy.
The board discussed an offer
by Mrs. Henry Jones to sell some
acreage facing Parker street and
is to meet in special session soon
to consider the matter. The board
has talked of acquiring addition
al land for Central school several
times in the past but received no
offers from adjacent property ow
ners*
The board voted authorization
for summer school band on the
same basis as last year after
hearing a request from J. C.
Hedden, band director.
T. W. Cothran, Shelby archi
tect, met with the group and pre
sented preliminary plans for the
Continued On Page Ten
Webster Seeking School Post,
Fleete McCurdy Withdraws
Methodist Choii
To Sing Cantata
Sunday Evening
The Senior Choir of Central
Methodist church, under the di
rection of Miss Bonnie McIntosh,
will present “Requiem,” toy
Johannes Brahms, on Sunday
evening at 7:30.
The cantata is being presented
as a special service in the chur
ch’s observance of Lenten rites.
Soloists will be Sue Dixon,
who will sing “Ye Now Are Sor
rowful”, Earl Marlowe, who will
sing “Here on Earth We Have No
Continuing Place,” and B. S.
Peeler, Jr., who will sing “Lord,
Make Me to Know.”
The German “Requiem” was
written toy Brahms for a religi
ous commemorative observance
honoring German soldiers who
died in the Austro-German War.
Miss McIntosh noted: “Buoy
ant hope and assurance of God’s
infinite mercy is the keynote,
and throughout this composi
tion Brahms uses a warmth of
imaginative and quick emotion
al characteristic. His style is very
modern, original, and sponta
neous.
The choir will use the English
text in its Sunday evening per
formance.
Members of the 20-voiee
are Ann Byers, Sue Dixon, Win
fred Fulton, Jean Hicks, Dorothy
•Goforth, and Mary Alice McDan
iel as Sopranos. The altos are
Martha Carpenter, Jo Ann Clon
iger, Merle McClure, Mrs. Y. F.
ThronSburg, and Mildred Mc
Daniel. Jacob Dixon, Buddy
Mayes, Rev. Phil Shore, and Ar
thur Walker are tenors, and Wil
liam Allen, Meek Carpenter, O
ren Fulton, Earl Marlowe, and
Burlie Peeler, Jr., are soloists.
North School
Plans Viewed
Preliminary plans as presented
by T. W. Cothran, Shellby archi
tect, and approved Iby the Kings
Mountain city district hoard of
school trustees call for construc
tion of 14 classrooms at the new
elementary school location north
of Bridges street, (between North
Piedmont avenue and Ramseur
street.
The building is to be construc
ted with two major wings, pri
mary and elementary, connected
by a long covered walkway with
a multiple - purpose room and
offices in the center.
The building is to face Ram
seur street (to the west), with
a cafeteria and kitchen wing on
the back side. The primary wing,
which is to house eight class
rooms, is to be on the south side
facing a proposed extension of
Bridges street.The proposed ex
tension of Bridges street would
connect with North Piedmont
avenue.
The six - room elementary
wing is to be on the north side,
at which point a possible future
addition is planned. At that time
two of the rooms to be construc
ted now would become a library.
The proposed library rooms will
be partitioned at present to pro
vide two classrooms.
The primary wing, with an
outdoor classroom on each the
east and west side, will be com
pleted, with no additions to
wards the Bridges street exten
sion contemplated.
A 10-foot walk is to be con
st! acted from the school to N.
Piedmont avenue at Fairview
street.
Some 31,000 square feet is
planned in the new building,
which will house a large number
of students now attending Cen
tral and East Elementary
schools. The multipurpose room
is to be used as an auditorium
seating around 450 persons. A
stage will be included and the
board plans to construct the
room to a size suitable for an
elementary basketball court.
Other rooms in the center por
tion are to be a teacher lounge
and work room, a general office
and a principal’s office. Toilets
are included in both the primary
and elementary wings.
The preliminary plans were
forwarded to Raleigh Tuesday
and await approval of state
school board committees before
bids will be asked. Supt. B. N„
Barnes said that he and Archi
tect Cothran are to meet with
State officials in Raleigh on
Monday.
Red Cross Donations
Reach $3,00G-Mark
Contributions to the Kings
Mountain Township Red Cross
fund campaign passed the
half-way point this week,
Chairman Henry Neisler said
Wednesday.
He said contributions have
reached the $3,000 figure, com
pared to the minimum goal of
$5,220.
Meantime, he said reports
from the various soliciting
groups indicated “a good re
sponse” to the appeal. He also
urged that soliciting groups
complete their work as quick
ly as possible and invited per
sons wiho have not yet contri
buted to forward contributions
to B. S. Neill, treasurer, at First
National Bank.
City District
Pre-School
Clinics Set
Pre-school clinics, for next
year’s first-graders, will be held
next week.
The clinics will be conducted
by the staff of the Cleveland
County health department, head
ed by Dr. Z. P. Mitchell, accord
ing to announcement by Miss
Alice Averitt, city schools teach
ing consultant.
Central school clinic will be
held Tuesday morning in the
basement of First Baptist church,
from 9:30 a. m. until noon. Pa
rents are instructed to enter the
basement door near the Scout
Hut on Mountain street.
West and East Elementary
school clinics will be conducted
in the respective school auditori
ums. East school clinic will be
held Thursday, March 31, from
9:30 a. m. until noon, while West
school clinic will be held the same
day but will begin at 1:30 p. m.
Each child entering school for
the first time will be given a
general health checkup, as well
as inoculations for diptheria,
smallpox, tetanus, and whooping
cough if parents so desire. Chil
dren who have previously receiv
ed these inoculations, may also
receive booster shots. The inocu
lations are required before a child
can enter school.
Regardless of whether a child
has had the necessary inocula
tions to enter the first grade next
.fall, Miss Averitt said, it is ur
gent the children be enrolled now
in order to determine the number
of children entering, first grades
at opening of the 1955-56 school
term. Number of pupils determ
ines the number of teachers need
ed for the 1955-56 school term.
Children must be six years old
by October 15 to enroll in the
1955-56 school term.
DISCHARGED
Sylvia Stacy, 14, who was
seriously injured in an auto
mobile accident on Bessemer
City highway March 5, was
discharged from Kings Moun
tain hospital Wednesday.
No New Filers
For City Offices;
Several Say "No"
The net total of candidates for
city and school district political
offices failed to increase this
week. There was one new can
didacy and one withdrawal. All
the activity concerned the two
school trusteeship offices to ibe
filled on May 10. J. W. Webster,
city employee, filed notice of
candidacy for Ward 2 school
trustee, and Fleete R. McCurdy,
who had filed last week for the
Ward 3 school position, with
drew.
It was the second withdrawal
of the current political season.
In withdrawing, Mr. McCurdy,
a Kings Mountain dry cleaner,
issued the following statement:
‘I hereby withdraw my candi
dacy for School Board Trustee
in Ward 3. Prior to filing my
candidaicy, I discussed with Mr.
Arnold W. Kincaid, present
member from Ward 3 and chair
man of the hoard, his intentions
concerning seeking re-election.
Mr. Kincaid indicated he desired
to complete his service with his
present term and suggested
that I seek the office.
“Since I filed last week, many
citizens haye suggested that Mr.
Kincaid, in view of the many
mafor problems currently, con
fronting the school administra
tion, should continue to serve on
the school hoard. These citizens
have pointed to the city schools
building program, currently un
derway, the segregation ques
tion, and other matters with
which he is most conversant, as
reasons for needing the contin
ued service of a veteran member,
such as Mr,. Kincaid is.
in view 01 mese consiuera
tions, my respect for Mr. Kincaid
and his wofk with the school
board, I am withdrawing my
candidacy.”
Mr. Webster seeks the school
board position toeing vacated toy
Mrs. Haywood E. Lynch, who is
completing this year the six
year term to which she was elec
ted in 1949. Mrs. Lynch an
nounced several weeks ago she
would not seek re-election.
Mr. Wetoster, a former employ
ee of Elmer Lumber Company,
joined the city several months
ago as gas tap salesman. He
has since toeen assigned a num
ber of duties, including inspec
tion of 'buildings and other in
stallations. He is a member of
the Kings Mountain Lions club,
First Presbyterian church, and
of the Loyal Order of Moose.
In view of the McCurdy with
drawal announcement, Mr. Kin
caid is expected to file for re
election momentarily.
There were numerous “won’t
run” statements by citizens who
had been rumored as potential
candidates. Ben H. Bridges, Jr.,
said be would not toe a candidate
for Ward 4 commissioner. C. E.
Warlick said he would not toe a
candidate for Ward 3 commis
sioner. Paul McGinnis said he
Continued On Page Ten
Kings Mountain Hospital Is Again
In Black, Audit Foi 1954 Shows
Kings Mountain hospital show
ed an operating profit of $8,852.
96 for the year ending December
31, report of George G. Scott &
Company, Charlotte certified pub
lic accountants shows.
The hospital, on the basis of
previous auditing procedure,
woujd have showed a much lar
ger profit on its 1954 operations,
Business Manager Grady Howard
noted. For the first time, the au
ditors charged off depreciation
expenses, in 1954 amounting to
$9,277.63. The profit figure, be
fore depreciation, was $18,130.59.
During 1954, the Scott report
(published in today’s Herald,
page 5, section 2) shows, the hos
pital had gross income from pa
tients of $183,513.55. From this
figure was deducted charity al
lowances, discounts, and bad ac
counts totaling $27,090.49, leaving j
net income of $156,423.06.
Operating expenses totaled!
$148,075.59, including administra
tive costs of $15,290.41, dietary
costs of $22,019.03, house and pro
perty expenses of $14,621.42, and
profession and services of $96,
144.73. The hospital's 1954 laun
dry bill totaled $4,717.30, house
keeping required $3,823.27, and
plant operation cost $6,080.85.
i Medical and surgical expenses to
taled $19,068.83, nursing service
cost $53,033.36, pharmaceuticals
$10,609.03, X-ray work cost $5,
708.74, and laboratory expenses
totaled $7,724.77.
Income items from governmen
tal agencies, voluntary contribu
tions and non-hospital services to
taled $9,783.12 and slightly ex
ceeded the newly added operating
cost represented by the deprecia
tion charge-off.
Assets
The Scott statement showed to
tal assets at December 31 of
$433,470.51, and a surplus or net
worth at $398,933.06.
Included in the assets total are
operating fund cash-on-hand of
$12,578.05 and accounts receiva
ble of $30,371.56.
The plant fund had cash-on
hand of $14,534.35, land, build
ings, and equipment, and advan
ces to architects totaling $366,
047, for a total of $380,581.35.
Operating fund liabilities to
taled $10,725.47, including ac
counts payable, accrued salaries
and wages, and payroll taxes, lea
ving a surplus of $42,889.16.
Plant fund liabilities listed the
depreciation reserve and a re
serve for plant improvements of
$14,534.35, leaving a surplus of
$356,769.37.
CANDIDATE — J. W. Webster
filed notice of candidacy this
week for Ward 2 school trustee,
subject to the May 10 election.
Garden Council
Spring Flower
Show Wednesday
Annual spring flower show of
the Kings Mountain Council of
Garden clubs will be presented at
Kings Mountain Woman’s club
Wednesday, doors to open from
2 o’clock until 0 p. m.
Flower show committees will
hold a meeting Thursday (today)
at the home of Mrs. Sam Davis
to complete final plans for the
1955 show, Mrs. W. L. Ramseur,
publicity chairman, said Wednes
day.
Theme of the show is “Beauty
On Parade”, and competition is
open to the public.
"A new feature of this year’s
show is an educational exhibit,”
Mrs. Ramseur said, "which de
tails the different stages of flow
er arranging.”
“Another exhibit,” Mrs. Ram
seur continued, “is a bulb exhibit
which lists the steps in bulb
planting.” Local garden clubs will
exhibit flower arrangements
suitable for church decoration.
Blue, red, and yellow ribbons
will be given to all first, second,
and third place winners, while
tri color awards will be given to
the outstanding Horticulture and
arrangement exhibits. A sweep
stakes award will be awarded to
the winner of the most blue rib
bons in the show.
Admission is 50 cents for adults
and 10 cents for children.
Mrs. Sam Davis and Mrs.
George Houser are serving a co
chairmen of the show.
City Assesses
For Surfacing
The board of city commission
ers bought two dump trucks and
confirmed street-paving assess
ments totaling $7,416.18 at a spe
cial session Wednesday, March 16.
The board awarded the con
tracts for purchase of two two
ton dump tracks on low bid of $2,
532.15 each to North Carolina
Equipment Company, of Char
lotte. The trucks will be Chevro
lets with Galion dump equip
ment. N. C. Equipment Company
edged the only other bidder, Bak
er Equipment Company, of Char
lotte, which had offered the
trucks at $2,537.03 each, a differ
ence of only $4.97 per truck, or
$10.94 on the total purchase.
The street assessment confir
mation action was a carry-over
from the March 3 meeting, when
public hearing on the scroll had
been advertised. The assessment
scroll was adopted with two omis
sions from the hearing notice ad
Continued. On Page Ten
Vickers Managing
Roses Dime Store
R. E. Vickers, of Lebanon,
Tenn., is the new manager of
Roses Five & Ten Stores. He as
sumed his duties Monday, and
his family expects to move here
during the weekend.
Fred Haitcox, former manager
of the store, moved with his fami
ly last weekend to Lebanon,
where he assumes management
of the Lebanon store.
Mr. Vickers’ wife is the former
Miss Ellie Mae White, of Hurst
ville. They have two children,
Lou, age 8, and Roy Vickers, age
6. He has served as manager of
Five & Ten stores for the past
17 years.