North Carolina Newspapers

Population Greater Kings Mountain 10,320 City Limits 7.206 Thm figure for Greater Kings Mountain U derived from the 136$ Kings Mountain city directory census. Tbe City Limits figure is from the United States census of 13S0. OF ages Today VOL. 68 No. 20 Established 1889 Kings Mountain, N. C., Thursday, May 16, 1957 Sixty-Eighth Year PRICE FIVE CENTS STIL, CORNWELL STROUPE CALL RUN OFFS * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Alexander, Bennett, Ben Bridges Elected Second - Runners Formally Call For May 28th Run-Off Ballot TO CHAPEL HILL — Miss Son dra Gilbert will go to Chapel Hill next month to enroll in a special course ottering training as a dental assistant. She was one o>t 20 accepted tor the course among 500 applicants. Sondia Gilbert Is Selected Miss Sondra Gilbert, high school senior and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Tom L. Gilbert, was no. tified Saturday that she has been accepted for a University of North Carolina pilot course leading to qualifications as a dental assis. tant. Miss Gilbert was one of 20 selected to take the nine-week course of a total of some 500 graduating seniors and recent graduates applying. Of the 500, a total of 100 were interviewed after aptitude tests, according to Dr. D. F. Hord, Kings Mountain dentist. Dr. Hord said the pilot course has been made possible by a cha ritable grant and has been set up at three United States schools, University of North Carolina, University of Iowa and University of Alabama. r Dr. Hord said some of the 20 successful applicants will be selected for an additional nine, months course. Local News Bulletins attend convention Dr. and Mrs. L. P. Baker, Dr. iR. N. Baker and Dr. D. F. Hord attended the annual conven tion of the North Carolina Den tal! society in Pinehurst last weekend. JAYCEE MEETING T. W. Dana, manager of per sonnel and public relations for the Hickory General Electric plant, will address members otf the Junior Chamber Of Com merce at the Tuesday night (meeting. The clulb meets at the Woman’s clulb at 7 o’clock. TO FLORIDA i_ Tom Alston, High Point En terprise reporter, has tendered his resignation to join a West Palm Beach, Fla., newspaper in the same capacity. Mr. Alston is married to the former Vivian Prince, of Kings Mountain. SCHOOL BOARD (Regular meeting ctf Kings Mountain district board of school trustees will be held Monday night at 7:30 pan., ac cording to announcement made by B. N. Barnes, .superintendent. JOINS STAFF Miss Annie Ruth Essary has joined the staff of Central (Beauty Shop here, according to announcement by the manage ment. KIWANIS MEETING A group at Asheville Kiwani ans twill conduct the program at Thursday night’s meeting of the Kings Mountain Kiwanis chib, which convenes at 6:45 at the Woman's Club. Citizens Oust Collins, Ellison And Ledioid 'An outwardly quiet city elec tion turned loud Tuesday as Kings (Mountain citizens went to the polls in record number of 1998, deieated three incumlbent city commissioners, split on a choice for mayor and two other city commissioners sufficiently to indicate a run-off electiop on May 28. The citizens also elected two school trustees to six - year terms. Incumlbents Fred W. Plonk and' Or. P. G. Padgett were unopposed. In Tuesday’s voting, Ross iF. Alexander, jeweler, defeated In cumlbent Sam D. Collins, auto supply Owner, for Ward 1 com missioner. 'Luther T. Bennett, (Burlington Industries employee and insur ance man, ousted Incumlbent T. J. (Tommy) Ellison, East Kings (Mountain grocer and Ward 3 commissioner. (Ben H. Bridges, savings and loan association manager, un seated Paul W. Lediford, Massa chusetts Mohair Plush Company employee for Ward 4 commission er. Mr. Bridges garnered more votes than any of the 17 candi dates for contested offices, won a OATH-TAKING Tuesday city commission Winners Ross F. Alexander, Lu ther T. Bennett and Ben H. Bridges will take their oaths of office in ceremonies at City Hall courtroom at 10 o’clock Thursday morning. Since the law specifies that incumbents will retain office until their successors are elected and qualified, Mayor Glee A. Brid ges and Commissioner W. G. 'Grantham, who face run-off elections May 28, will contine in their respective positions, as will Commissioner X. H. Patter son, who did not seek re-elec tion in Ward 2. dlear majority over both Mr. ‘Led ford, who placed second, and Charles W. Ford, who placed third. Run-offs are indicated for may or, for Ward 2 and Ward 5 com missioner. (Mayor Glee A. Bridges, seeking third consecutive term, failed to Obtain a majority by 165 votes. Former Mayor Garland E. Still, in what was tabbed !by some ob servers as a surprise, placed sec ond, with J. Lee Roberts running third. iFor Ward 2 commissioner, J. Boyce Gault held a long'lead over A. DeWifte Cornwell, but failed to attain a majority over Mr. lOornwell, Tillman Pearson and J. C. Clary. Mr. Pearson placed third. Mr. Gault needed an addi, tional 97 votes which were col lected by his other three oppo nents. For Ward 5 commissioner, In cumbent W. G. Grantham, for the second consecutive election used a handsome home ward vote to (Continued on Page Eight) ROSS F, ALEXANDER elected WARD 1 COMMISSIONER LUTHER T. BENNETT elected WARD 3 COMMISSIONER BEN H. BRIDGES elected WARD 4 COMMISSIONER AT KING'S iPaul 'Fite, son at (Mr. and Mrs. 'L. IN. IFite, is a member of the most recent freshmen class entering King’s (Business Col lege in Charlotte. Mr. IFite, iwho graduated from Kings Moun tain IHigh School in I19S2, is taking the Junior Accounting I course. Money Short Red Cross May Lose Secretary Or Blood Affiliation Rings Mountain - Number 4 Township’s Red Cross operation will be debilitated severely un less an additional $1300 — bal ance on the 1957 fund quota — is raised, Red Cross area officials told (he local chapter’s board of directors last week,. Alternatives are: ‘Elimination otf Kings Mountain from the Red Cross Iblood pro gram, or 2) Discharge otf Mrs. J. N. Gam ble, the iRed Cross part-time paid executive secretary. The Kings Mountain area has contributed approximately $4,500 in the 1957 Red Cross fund drive, against a quota otf approxima’e ly $5,800. J. Ollie Harris, a member of the Red Cross board of directors, an nounced the results of the ses sion with area officials and com mented: “I don’t see haw we can afford to give up the blood pro gram, and elimination of Mrs. Gamble’s position will mean that (he Red Cross will be able to ren der only a comparatively small degree of service, a development which would be unsatisfactory to everyone.” Mrs. Garrtble is paid $125 per month. She maintains morning office hours at the Red Cross of fice in City Halil, is on call 24 hours per day, seven days per week, Mr. Harris said. Or. P. G. Padgett, chief of the medical staff of Kings Mountain hospital, called the Herald Wed nesday to add his voice to the need for continuation of present Red Cross services. "Use of .blood in treating many illnesses and diseases is impera tive to the speedy recovery of the patient,” Dr. Padgett stated. He also called attention to the many detailed services the Red Cross secretary performs. "People who have not been in contact with this branch of the Red Cross operation may not be atware of the great aid the local Red Cross chapter renders many, many peo ple. I know. Number 4 Toiwnship woa’t toe happy without this ser vice.” 'Effort will be made to obtain the needed $1300, Mr. Harris said. Fluoridation Is Approved By 2-1 Margin Kings Mountain citizens voted resoundingly Tuesday to fluori. date the city’s water supply. The result was 1193 to 576,- a better than two to one majority. The new administration is ex. pected to implement the decision of the voters by appropriating for fluoridation in the budget for the fiscal year starting July 1. City Water Works Superinten. dent George Moss Wednesday gave as his “off the cuff” esti mate that cost of a fluoridating apparatus would be about $1800, with cost of the sodium silicate fluoride to be put in the city wa. ter at about $1.25 to $1.50 per day. Cities which fluoridate their water supply are fluoridating at one part per million gallons of water. Proponents of fluoridation say that fluoridation will prevent ca. vities in the teeth of children, say good “baby” teeth are im perative to good adult teeth. Opponents of fluoridation say it has harmful effects on older citi zens. The fluoridation proposal first arose in 1952, was revived in Jan. uary by directors of the Kings Mountain Kiwanis Club. Other or. ganizations endorsing the propo sal were the Kings Mountain medical and dental contingents, the Junior Woman’s Club, Jay cees and other groups. City Rescinds Handbill Law The city board of commission ers, in session Wednesday morn ing, rescinded a “.spite” ordinance passed by the short - lived Still Administration II in May 1953. The ordinance made illegal in the city the distribution of print ed political propaganda to pedes trians and motorists. The commission, with all mem bers present except Sam Collins, voted unanimously on the mo tion, after suggestion for repeal was made by Mayor Glee A. Bridges. Mayor Bridges labeled the or dinance a “spite” action, explain ed he was not mayor at the time the ordinance was passed, and also added, 'There is very seri ous question that this laiw is leg al, since it contravenes the right of free speech guaranteed by the .United States Constitution,. IFormer Mayor Still had the or dinance rammed down his throat by an anti - group of commis sioners elected in 1953. The ac tion was taken at this board’s first meeting. At the time, Mr. Still, who had run second to Mr. Bridges in the 1953 election, had called for a run-off election. La ter that day, he announced his withdrawal, conceding to Mr. Bridges. Mr. Still flaunted the lajw in his recent campaign by distributing three political handbills. In his successful 1951 cam paign, Mr. Still used political cir culars as his chief weapon, dis tributing them in near . daily regularity. Text of the ordinance repealed follows: “An Ordinance—That it shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to distribute hand bills within the City Limits of the City of Kings Mountain by placing same to pedestrians in the City of Kings Mountain, with the exception of the advertising off the sale of goods or ball games, anything of printed mat ter.” Merchants Name Holiday Committee Kings Mountain merchants elected Harold Coggins, Hilton Ruth, and James Tart to a com mittee to plan holiday sched ules tor the association for the year at a meeting Friday night. The merchants voted to elect a three • man committee an nually whose duties will be to set opening and closing hours and to contact directors of the association two weeks in ad vance Of regular retail holi days so that proper notifica tion to the .public can be given. WOMEN WANT SEAMSTRESS JOBS — City Hall courtroom was swamped last Friday morning as 207 area women registered their interest in ac cepting jobs as seamstresses in a proposed Kings Mountain industry. Seated at the registration table, left to right, are Franklin Ware, employ - ment service manager, Dan Weiss, Chamber oi Commerce vice-president, Mrs. Fred Hambright (with back to camera), F. R. McCurdy (face hid), and Mrs. W. F. Fleming. Standing are Mrs. Bobby Rhea, Mrs. Fred Hamrick, and Mrs. J.. D. Rhea with her baby Roxanne. (Photo by Pennington 5tudio). SPEAKER — Rev. H. Gordon Weekley. Jr., of Charlotte, former pastor of First Baptist church here, will make the address at the annual ladies' night banquet Saturday of Fairview Lodge 339 AF & AM. Masons To Honoi Ladies Saturday Annual ladies’ night banquet of Fairview Lodge 339 AF & AM will be held Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. at Masonic Hall. Rev. H. Gordon Weekley, Jr., pastor of Providence (Baptist church, Charlotte, will make the principal address. Mr. Weekley, a member of the Kings Mountain lodge, is a former ipastor of First Baptist church here. T. D. Tindall, master, will in troduce the speaker and will rec ognize other visitors. Expected to attend are Masonic widows who will be recognized and past mas ters of the lodge, in addition to other guests. Kings Mountain chapter 123, Order Of the Eastern Star, will serve the meal. Central Band To Give Concert Kings Mountain high school’s band and girl’s chorus will pre sent a spring concert Thursday (tonight! at 8:d5 in Central school auditorium. This will be the last concert in Kings Mountain for Band Direc tor Joe C. Hedden, who has serv ed in that capacity for the past 11 years. Mrs. Richard McGinnis will direct the chorus. Included among the chorus numbers will be "Blue Room,” "Great Day”, "Hiking Song" and “Adorajmus Te”. The band will play *1Blue Tail Fly”, “Pajama Game”, *1La Hora Pan America na,” “El Capita in”, ‘Blue Fan tasy”, ‘IFairest of the Fair”, “Bal. let Parisian” and ‘IClapalong Playaway” among others. !No admission will be charged and the public is invited to at ' tend. 207 Registered In Labor Survey Some 207 Kings Mountain area >vomen seek to become employ. 2es of a garment industry which may locate here, according to re. suits of a labor survey conduct ed Friday. Kings Mountain Chamber of Commerce, with the cooperation of the Kings Mountain branch of the North Carolina Employment service, registered seamstresses available for work Friday mom. ing, and 207 women reported for registration. Franklin L. Ware, Jr., man ager of the Employment Service, said Wednesday that of the 207 applicants, 55 women reported paid experience in commercial plants as sewing machine opera, tors. Another eight reported ex perience in dressmaking and al.; terations on commercial basis, 41 women said they were self-em. ployed as dressmakers for the public with work done at home, and 83 others reported they did sewing at home for their families and friends. Twenty women voiced interest I in jobs tnough they reported they bad no experience but were ‘willing to learn.” Chamber of Commerce officials bad been informed by the indus try which may come to Kings Mountain that it would require a minimum of 40 experienced seamstresses. The cutting and sewing firm has also told Cham ber of Commerce officials it wants an 18,000 square foot build, ing, completely air conditioned, and has examined possible sites here. In commenting on the survey, Mr. Ware said, “We have a large pool to select from as far as train ees are concerned.” He termed the survey of "great value” and added that it would give the offi cials a more concrete figure from which to work. Applicants for the seamstress jobs were from within a 12 mile radius of Kings Mountain. Chamber of Commerce officials Dan Weiss and F. R. McCurdy as. sisted in conducting the survey. OFFICIAL RETURNS City Election, May 14, 1957 Ward Ward Ward Ward Ward 1 2 3 4 5 Totals FOR MAYOR Glee Bridges Garland Still J. Lee Roberts 102 176 81 155 320 834 65 81 138 159 208 651 44 90 108 108 143 493 WARD 1 COMM. Ross Alexander Sam D. Collins 114 133 170 239 317 973 93 189 128 155 296 861 WARD 2 COMM. Tillman Pearson A. Dewitte Cornwell J. C. Clary Boyce Gault 29 40 131 134 43 377 58 111 88 59 186 502 11 26 29 41 58 165 108 164 67 170 341 850 WARD 3 COMM. Luther Bennett T. J. (Tommy) Ellison 109 150 169 240 335 1003 96 180 161 170 266 873 WARD 4 COMM. Ben H. Bridges Paul W. Ledford Charles W. Ford 136 204 131 196 418 1085 41 78 58 85 165 427 31 48 128 133 52 392 WARD 5 COMM. Rev. S. T. Cooke W. Gurney Grantham R. Coleman Stroupe 19 37 25 20 182 283 104 183 86 151 344 868 82 124 204 236 143 789 SCHOOL TRUSTEES P. G. Padgett Fred Plonk 165 290 239 341 665 1700 185 256 196 272 665 1574 FLOURIDATION In Favor Not in Favor 136 208 178 252 419 1193 55 118 115 136 152 576 Garland E. Still, A. Derwitte Cornwell and R. Coleman Strouipe have oal'led formally for run-off elections in their contests for city offices. •Each of the three, who ran sec ond in their Tuesday contests, put their requests In writing to City Clerk Gene Mitcham before noon Wednesday, shortly after the board of city commissioners met to canvas the returns and to de clare the official results: iMr. Still, the 1951-53 mayor, ran second to Mayor Glee A. Brid ges in Tuesday’s election. He poll ed 651 votes, more by 15 than the 606 in his first . race lead of 1931. Mayor Bridges received 834 votes, whi'lc J. Lee Roberts, who placed third, polled 493. Mr. Cornwell, a grocer and real tor, polled 502 votes to place sec ond to J. Boyce Gault in the four man race for Ward 2 commission er. Mr. Gault led at 850. The other candidates were Tillman Pearson, 377, and J. C. Clary, 165. Mr. Stroupe ran second to Ward 5 Commissioner W. Gurney Grantham, malting a bid for a third two . year term. The count was Grantham, 868, Stroupe, 789, and Rev. S. T.. Cooke, 283. State law governing Kings Mountain’s elections provides for run-off elections, if necessary, two weeks after the first election. This means that the run-off will be held on May 28. There will be no opening of the registration books and the same election officials will superintend the voting. The second - running candi dates had until Sunday to ask for the run-off. City Election SIDELIGHTS It beeajne apparent quite early Tuesday that there was much more interest in the city election than had been indicated and that there was a possibility that a new record would be set for number of persons going to the polls. The record fell, a.s 199$ citizens regis tered their choices for city office. The previous record was set in 1951, when 1887 citizens went to the polls in a city election. Many attributed the record to the fact of iRev. S. T. Cooke's can didacy. 'Rev. Cooke was the first Negro candidate ifor city office in modern political history, perhaps the first. His candidacy spurred Negro registrations. A Negro worker, Carl Rippy, said Tues day morning that 400 of his race would vote before the polls clos ed at 6:30. Rev. Cooke received 283 votes out of 1940 cast in the Ward 5 commissioner race. Not all of his votes were cast by Neg ro citizens. In Ward 4, where only two Negroes reside, Rev, Cooke received 20 votes. One of the youngest political workers Tuesday was pretty Kay Alexander, daughter of Ray Alex ander and niece of winning Ward 1 candidate Ross Alexander. Age 14, Miss Kay was passing out cards for Uncle Rass. iAs usual, many citizens were discomfited because they couldn't vote, mistakenly thinking that registration on the county elec tion books took care of city voting as well. Among those denied the opportunity to vote due to this fact were L. S. Strouipe, the drug gist, and R. S. Lennon, the bank er. Nor will they be alble to help decide the May 28 run-offs. There is no new registration period for the run-off voting. Mrs. Herman Yawn, one of the Ward 4 judges, has a suggestion for the incoming administration. “These filthy 'ballot boxes they send us should be freshly paint ed before elections, and those dir ty canvases should be sent to the laundry,” Mrs. Yawn remarked. Registrar E. O. White and Judge Brooks Tate seconded Mrs. Yawn’s motion,. At least tlwo citizens tried to make every candidate happy. One Ward 1 voter and one Ward 4 voter crossed an “x” by each candidate’s name. These tickets, of course, were disallowed by the election officials. Frank Ballard was husky voic (Continued on Page Eight)