Population
Greater Kings Mountain 10,320
(Sty Limits 7.206
The figure for Greater Kings Mountain Is derived from
the 1955 Kings Mountain city directory census. The City
Limits figure is from the United States census of 1950.
Sixty-Eighth Year
Pages
Today
PRICE TEN CENTS
VOL 68 No. 51
Established 1889
Kings Mountain, N. C., Thursday, December 19, 1957
Negro School Gymtorium,
West Addition Are Projected
Local News
Bulletins
RECEIVES AWARD
Timothy Gladden, a student
in ttie evening division of
King’s Business college, Char
lotte, was presented with an
achievement award in the Jun
ioT Division in a program at
Hotel Charlotte on December
12. Gladden, a Junior account
ing student, enrolled at King’s
in September, 1956.
CAROLLING
First Presbyterian church
■will sponsor Christmas carol
ling for church members of all
ages Monday evening December
23, at 8:30 p. m., it was an
nounced, and the public is in
vited to participate.
TREE SALE
Robert H. Goforth, chairman
of the Jaycees Christmas tree
project, reports that several
hundred of the trees have been
sold from the 800 stock. The
balsam trees from Canada are
being sold by Jaycee members
at the Mountain-Cherokee St.
corner from 9 a. m. til 9 p, m.
ONE FIRE
C. D. Ware, City Fireman, re
ported Wednesday morning
that City Fire Department had
o*ly one call during the past
week. A grass fire was extin
guished Friday, December 13 at
106 Oriental Avenue at 4:15 p.
m.
HWANIS PROGRAM
Pi. W. P. Gerberding, pastor of
St Matthew’s Lutheran church,
win address members of the
Kings Mountain Kiwanis club
at their meeting Thursday
night The organization con
venes at the Woman’s Club at
6:45.
Kesler Advances
In Competition
Stephen Kesler, Kings Moun
tain student, is among three coun
ty nominees for Morehead Scho
larships to the University of
North Carolina.
The three were chosen from 14
nominees for the award by a
county committee which included
Mrs. Aubrey Mauney of Kings
Mountain. The committee inter
viewed the 14 boys at the Hotel
Charles in Shelby.
Kesler and the two other youths
advance now to the district re
view to be held in Charlotte. Fi
nal choices will be made after
this for the scholarships to the
University of North Carolina.
Kesler is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Thomas L. Kesler of 511
Crescent Hill Road. His father is
employed as geologist at Foote
Mineral Company. Kesler is an
active member of the Kings
Mountain Radio Club, a Junior
Red Cross Lifeguard, and a mem
ber of the Civil Defense radio net.
In school, he manages the stu
dent supply store and is on the
varsity basketball team. He also
plays the piano. He is an em
ployee of Radio Station WKMT.
James Allen Pressly, son of Dr.
and Mrs. W. L. Pressly was the
other local nominee. His applica
tion will be sent to UNC where
it will be reviewed for other
scholarships.
Stores Set
Late Hour
Stores in Kings Mountain will
be open Friday, Saturday, and
Monday night, until 9 p. m. to
accommodate Christmas shop
pers.
Announcement was made by
Mrs. Elaine Queen, Merchants
Association secretary, who al
so said that parking meters will
not be operated and citizens
may park free on Thursday,
Friday, Saturday, Monday, and
Tuesday.
Mrs. Queen added that most
merchants will observe the
three-day 9 p. m. closing sche
dule and will close on regular
schedule on Christmas Eve.
Kings Mountain retail em
ployees will take a two-day
holiday, Christmas Day and
Thursday, according to by-laws
of the Kings Mountain Mer
chants association.
Education Body
To Talk Plans
With State Panel
City district school officials
will confer with a panel of the
state department of education
concerning: 1) building of a
gymtorium for Davidson school
and 2) construction of three ad
ditional classrooms at West
school.
Action was taken by the city
board of education Monday night
after a general discussion of the
recent survey report by W. L.
Lathan, on city school building
needs.
J. R. Davis, made the motion
to confer with the state group.
Dr. P. G. Padgett seconded and
the decision was unanimous. Both
Mr. Davis and Dr. Padgett had
stated strongly that they felt the|
Negro students need an improved
plant.
Mr. Lathan, in his recent re
port, had suggested building of
a gymtorium for Davidson school
and addition of three rooms at
West school, provided additional
adjacent land can be acquired. He
had also recommended addition
of six rooms to the North school
plant and consideration of con
solidation of the Park Grace
school district in the county sys
tem into the city district.
To A. W. Kincaid’s question on
whether any recent effort had
been made to effect a Park Grace
city district consolidation, Supt.
B. N. Barnes said, “No.” He ex
plained that the Park Grace dis
trict extends to the South Caro
lina state line In the direction of
York, and is bounded by the Grov
er district line to the south. Near
by Compact Negro school, he
noted, rovers an even wider area.
Mr. Barnes said previously he
was "looking for more rooms by
1958”. expressing doubt that the
rooms could be built and ready
for use by 1958.
Chairman Fred W. Plonk had
asked, "Will three more rooms
at West school get us by for five
years?”
Mr. Barnes guessed, “Surely
for two years, maybe longer.’’ He
noted 'that present school popula
tion figures, if maintained for the
remainder o fthe school year,
would result in a two teacher in
crease of faculty for the term
next September.
In other actions the board:
1) Formally approved admis
sion of these out-of-district pupils:
Linda Houston, Ginger Adele
Lynn, Wilson Ledford, Jr., Phyllis
Ann Putnam, Peter Lee Putnam,
and Janet Louise Putnam.
2) Accepted the resignation of
Mrs. Mary W. Mitcham, North
school faculty member, effective
January 23, and authorized Supt,
Barnes to seek a replacement.
3) Approved request of the
East school principal to purchase
a new refrigerator for the cafe
teria from cafeteria funds, and
voted to pay the East cafeteria
$100 for the present refrigerator.
In turn the East refrigerator will
be given to the Davidson cafe
teria. Mr. Barnes said the David
son cafeteria is defective and
Davidson has insufficient cafe
teria funds to purchase a new re
frigerator.
4) Authorized a trade with
George White of a small tract
near North school to straighten
khe school property boundry line.
SEMI-FINALISTS—Sherry Kelley
and Stephen Keeler, Central high
school seniors, are' among three
students from the county who
were high scorers in et recent
merit scholarship test being held
nationawide. Some 227 North Car
olinians will compete with over
7.000 top scorers lor scholarships.
Two Students
Are Honored
Two seniors at Kings Moun
tain high school are among semi
finalists in National Merit Scho
larship competition, according to
Central Principal E. L. Brown.
The local students, Sherry Kell
ey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G.
C. Kelley, and Stephen Kesler,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas L.
Kesler, are listed among the 7,
500 High scorers on the scholar
ship qualifying test, a nation
wide college aptitude examina
tion given in 14,000 high schools
on October 22. They were among
three top scorers in the county
and were among the 227 students
from North Carolina.
The semifinalists outscored
300.000 fellow seniors, and thus
moved a step closer to the $4
million in merit scholarships to
be awarded in the 1958 program.
Miss Kelley’s tentative future
college plans involve a major in
Math at State College. Kesler ten
tatively plans to attend the Uni
versity of North! Carolina and
major in Geology.
Merit Scholarships are spon
sored by over 60 business and
industrial firms, as well as by
professional societies, foundations
and even individuals. The Sears
(Continued On Page Eight)
Bethware Progressive Club Holds
Ladies' Night. Installs Officers
Installation of new officers and
an address by Dr. Joseph Godwin,
professor at Gardner-Webb Col
lege, highlighted Ladies’ Night of
Bethware Progressive Club last
Monday.
Installed as officers for the
forthcoming year by Rev. Jake
Thornburg were Frank Hamrick,
president; Thurman Warlick, vice
president; Jim Yarboro, second
vice-president; Stokes Wright,
secretary; Menzell Phifer, treas
urer; and Buford Ware, assistant
treasurer.
The new board of directors in
cludes J. W. Kayfield, Garrison
Goforth, and Frank Ware.
Dr. Godwin was introduced by
Thurman Warlick, principal of
Bethware School.
In his discourse, Godwin pre
sented a review of the progress
of the world and the so-called
progress of the world.
“Something is progress,’’ he
said, "if it’s use brings good and
happiness to the owner.”
Pointing out that there is now
in the possession of the United
States bombs, the power of only
one which is equal to the power
of all the bombs exploded by all
the nations in all the world in
World War II, Godwin questioned
the progress of it all.
He showed the progress from
the olden soft lye soap made
from oaken ashes which washed
clothes that would rather break
than bend from dirt down to the
days of, as he said, “Why wash it,
and wash it, and not get it clean,
when you can wisk it once!"
In his review of progress, from
airplances to canned biscuits was
covered. In covering education,
Dr. Goodwin said, "There is a' big
difference between knowledge
and wisdom. The world today
needs more wisdom."
In concluding Godwin refresh
ed the minds of all with the
Christmas story.
“When we can hear the distant
echo, feel and see the results of
the angel’s message on the hill
side , . . see the peace on earth
and the good will between men,
then we will be making real pro
Mailing Rush
Is Indicating
New Record Here
The Christmas season mail
rush is on at Kings Mountain
postoffice.
Postmaster Charles Alexander
said Monday was the office’s first
big day and the volume of mail
indicated this year’s mailings
will set a Christrrtas-season re
cord. He reported cancellations on
Monday were 20,725 pieces of
mail, with another 20,146 pass
ing through the postal drop slots
Tuesday. He' predicted the sea
son’s peak day will be Friday or
Saturday and announced concur
rently that the postoffice will be
open all day on Saturday, with
windows open until 5 p. m.
On Tuesday, the postoffice in
stalled a temporary schedule of
two mail deliveries daily. The
two-delivery schedule will be fol
lowed throughout the “rush.”
Extra help has been summon
ed to aid the regular carriers and
rural route carriers.
Aiding the rural route carriers
are the regular substitutes, W. N.
VanDyke, J. Edwin Moore and
Walter D. Vess.
Extras aiding the city carriers
and clerks are Harold D. Pearson,
Delvin Huffstetler, Carl Cole,
George Hord, Jr., Guy Fisher and
Gene Ellis.
“Patrons are proving most co
operative,” Postmaster Alexander
commented. “We particularly ap
preciate their use of facing slips
on packages. These notations are
speeding the mail to its destina
tion.
"I must urge all citizens to get
their packages and greeting cards
mailed at once to assure delivery
by Christmas Eve,” Mr. Alexander
concluded.
Dr. Pressly's
Brother Dies
Funeral rites for Dr. James
Lowry Pressly, 61, well-known
Statesville physician and brother
of Dr. W. L. Pressly of Kings
Mountain, were heid Saturday
morning at 11 o’clocjc from the
home.
Dr. Pressly died suddenly
Thursday of a heart attack at his
home on East Barod Street Ex
tension. A graduate of States
ville schools and Erskine college
in 1916, Dr. Pressly served in
World War I and following the
war began his study of medicine
at Jefferson Medical College in
Philadelphia. He served his in
ternship at the Pennslyvania hos
pital and the Children’s hospital
in Philadelphia. He began his
practice in Statesville in 1926.
He was a member of the Ire
dell-Alexander Medical Society,
the North- Carolina Medical So
ciety, and the American Medical
Association.
Dr. Pressly is survived by his
wife, the former Mary Love Bab
bington of Gastonia; one daugh
ter, Mrs. Richard K. Mattox, of
Lubbock, Tex.; six sisters and
three additional brothers, Mrs. B.
L. Hamilton of Sharon, S. C.;
Mrs. Walter Graham, of Winns,
boro, S. C.; Mrs. Fred L. Baird,
Shelby: Rev. Henry E. Pressly
and Dr. Claude Lowry Pressly,
both of Charlotte, Mrs. J. Ed
wards Holland, Winston-Salem;
Mrs. J. W. Moses, Deland, Fla.;
and Mrs. Paul Ashburn and Dr.
David L. Pressly, both of States
ville.
Interment was made in the
Oakwood cemetery.
Bailey-McGill
Suit Remanded
The Supreme Court has found
that Judge J. C. Rudisill erred
when he sustained a demurrer
against the complaint of William
J. Bailey that a Kings Mountain
physician erroneously committed
him to the state hospital at Mor
ganton.
The Supreme Court thus re
manded to Cleveland Superior
Court the case of Bailey against
Dr. John C. McGill. It ruled that
the case should have been tried
by a jury.
The high court found no error
in the sustaining of the demurrer
on the part of two other defend
ants, Dr. Kenneth McGill of Kings
Mountain, and Dr. Thomas
Wright, of Charlotte.
Hugh Wells, attorney for Bai
ley, said he would ask that the
case be docketed for the March
term of Superior Court.
IN FORENSIC TEAM
Miss Donna Cheatham, Kings
Mountain sophomore at Lenoir
Rhyne college, was among Le
noir-Rhyne forensics who re
ceived team awards in the re
cent Appalachian Mountain Fo
rensic tournament at Boone.
Miss Cheatham and two other
students won third place honors
in the men’s division of the af
firmative. Miss Cheatham is the
daughter of Dr. and Mrs. W. P.
Gerberding.
Textile Vacation Schedules
Reflect Industry Spottiness
Mauney, Plonk Will Conduct
Expansion Finn Stock Sale
Stock Selling ,
To Get Underway
After January 1
W. K. Mauney and Fred W.
Plonk will head the stock sale
committees of Kings Mountain
Business Development, Inc.
Appointments were announced
by J. Wilson Crawford, acting
president, at a meeting of offi
cers, directors and interested cit
izens on December 11.
Other committees named were:
legal and bookkeeping, Ben H.
Bridges, acting secretary, Jack H.
White and George B. Thomasson;
publicity, Jonas Bridges and Mar
tin Harmon.
Mr. Mauney, textile executive,
will head the committee con
ducting the sale of stock in in
dustry and to industrial employ
ees. Mr. Plonk will be in charge
of the sale of stock to the com
mercial community.
Fourteen citizens attended last
week’s meeting and indicated
enthusiasm over prospects for
sale of stock and success in 'the
aim of the corporation in obtain
ing new industrial payrolls for
the Kings Mountain area.
President Crawford outlined the
purpose of the corporation and
pointed to the need of the com
munity in expanding its job op
portunities.
The 14 present indicated they
would purchase a minimum of
500 shares of stock at $10 per
share. Several said they would up
their indicated purchases if it ap
pears the community will support
it properly as is anticipated.
The group voted to offer stock
for sale on the basis it would be
non-negotiable for a period of |
five years from January 1, 1958,
except where the stock might be
involved in settlement of an es
tate.
The stock sale will be launch- j
ed shortly after January 1, the
group agreed.
Attending the meeting were
President Crawford. W. K. Maun
ey, Fred W. Plonk, James E.
Amos, J. M. Cross, Jonas Bridges,
Glee A. Bridges, George B. Thom
asson, and Charles E. Dixon.
Phenix Party
Attracts 600
The annual children’s Christ
mas party for Phenix Mill em
ployees and their families was
held Sunday at Joy Theatre.
Presentation of treats to the
children from Santa Claus and
the showing of movies featured
the even: which attracted some
600 employees and their families.
Hams and fruit cakes were a
warded via drawings conducted in
each department and the winners
included: Winding division, Man
uel Sprouse and Andy Dover;
Shop and Outside, Raleigh Brown
and Everett Medlin: Carding,
Lewis Osment and William Wil-i
son; Spinning, Clarence Griggj
and Jonas Wright.
HEAD STOCK SALE EFFORT—W. K. Mauney, left, textile official,
and Fred W. Plonk, oil and auto dealer, have been named chairmen
of key committees for the sale of stock in Kings Mountain Business
Development, Inc., a firm incorporated with the principal aim to ex
pand the Kings Mountain area’s industry. The corporation was form
ed under sponsorship of the Chamber of Commerce.
Choir To Sing
Handel Cantata
Methodist Choir
Will Present
'Messiah' Sunday
The Senior Choir of Central
Methodist church will present
Handel’s "Messiah” Sunday af
ternoon at 5 o’clock in the church
auditorium.
Soloists will be Mrs. Margaret
Cochrane, soprano; Mrs. Sue Dix
on, soprano; Miss Martha Ken
drix, contralto, of Gastonia; Al
bert Hewitte, tenor, of Marion; B.
S. Peeler, baritone; and Earl Mar
lowe, baritone.
Other members of the 31-voice
choir are:
Sopranos—Mrs. Bill Allen, Mrs.
John Cross, Mrs. Betty Dilling
ham, Shirley Falls, Winifred Ful
ton, Dorothy Goforth, Ann Me.
Cluney, Mary Alice McDaniel,
Louzelle Smith, Sherry Kelly and
Jean Hicks.
Altos — Linda Biser, Mrs. Meek
Carpenter, Norma Kay Hamrick,
Mrs. Charles McCarter, Joyce
Simpson, Mrs. Y. F. Throneburg
and Mildred McDaniel .
Tenors — Jacob Dixon and Ar
thur Walker.
Basses—Meek Carpenter, Char
les Ballance, I. Ben Goforth, Jr.,
James Throneburg and Buddy
Mayes.
The choir will sing these chor
uses: "And the Glory of the Lord”,
"And He Shall Purify”, "O, Thou
That Tellest Good Tidings”, "For
Unto Us a Child Is Born", “Glory
to God”, and "Hallelujah Chor
us”.
The choir is directed by Miss
(Continued on Page Eight)
Baptist Deacons Decline Action
On Dissidents' Compromise Bid
Deacons ofVirst Baptist church
discussed without action Tuesday
night a request by Glee A. Brid
ges, representing the church’s dis
senting minority on building a
new plant on a new site, for a
compromise settlement.
Yates Harbinstm, chairman
of the board o fdeacons, declined
comment except to give the "dis
cussed without action’’ report and
to note that the board of deacons
could not act for the church, could
merely make a recommendation
to the church for congregational
vote.
Mr. Bridges, a former deacon,
did not remain for the discus
sion.
He said he asked the deacon’s
board to recommend a compro
mise on this basis: percentage di
vision o fthe church assets on the
basis of the 235 to 163 vote where
by the congregation voted to ac
cept the new gift site on W. King
street and agreed to a condition
that a new church plant be built
on the site during the next five
years .
Mr. Bridges said he told the
board the differences between the
majority and minority group
have been “publicized all over
the state” and that church folk
to fight among themselves many
of the minority group will refuse
to join the majority. He pointed
out, he said, that it's impossible
to force church members to go a
gainst their feelings about a
matter and suggested a compro
mise would be both practical and
Christian.
YMCA OFFICIAL — William
Briggs, son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul
Briggs, was recently named phy
sical director of the new Salis
bury-Rowan YMCA.
Briggs Named
To YMCA Post
William (Bill) Briggs, Kings
Mountain senior at Pheiffer coll
ege, has been named physical di
rector of the Salisbury-Rowan
YMCA.
Mr. Briggs is the son of Mr.]
and Mrs. Paul Briggs, of Kings
Mountain. He will receive his coll
ege degree in January.
Dedication of the new Salisbury
club has been scheduled for Jan-!
uary 5, and will feature an ad-!
dress by Dr. Donald Barnhouse
and special music by Salisbury
Boys choir.
Mr. Briggs was named to the
YMCA post at a meeting recently
of the *Y’ board of directors.
The Kings Mountain man isi
married to the former Joyce Jen-1
kins, of Gas*onia.
—
Mauney Hosiery
Dinner Friday
Employees of Mauney Hosiery |
Company will be guests of thej
company at noon Friday for a
barbecue dinner.
The dinner will be held at the
American Legion building, ac.
cording to announcement by Sam
Stallings.
DIRECTORS TO MEET
A called meeting of the board
of directors of the Chamber of
Commerce will be held Friday
night at 7 o'clock at the office
of President Carl H. Swan.
Several Firms
Making Holiday
Gift Payments
Spottiness in textiles is reflect
ed in plans for industrial holidays
during the Christmas season.
The announced work cessation
schedules range from the three
day holiday of Massachusetts
Mohair Plush Company, to the
two-week shutdown of Craftspun
Yarns, Inc. Majority of textile
firms are suspending for one
week.
Concurrently, several firms are
making vacation payments to
their employees.
Craftspun is labeling the cess
ation of shutdown to permit their
employees to receive unemploy,
men* compensation for the period,
Secretary i. M. Cross said. He
also said the firm would give all
employees a day’s pay as a Christ
mas gift.
Firms planning to pay Christ
mas vacation pay include Sadie
Cotton Mills, Mauney Mills Com
pany, Kings Mountain Manufac
turing Company, and Mauney Ho
siery Company. Mauney Hosiery
Company will pay bonuses of two
per cent of wages to employees
of less than five years’ tenure,
and four per cent to those with
the firm for five years or more,
as will Bonnie Cotton Mills.
Carolina Throwing Company
will operate on regular schedule
and will pay a Christmas bonus.
Phenix Plant of Burlington In
dustries gave gift checks Decem
ber 12 to each employee who had
been with the company since Sep
tember 29.
Massachusetts Mohair Plush
Company will be closed Monday,
Tuesday, and Wednesday, resum
ing operations December 26.
Planning to close the week of
December 23 are Mauney Hosiery
Company, Kings Mountain Manu
facturing Company, Phenix Plant
of Burlington Industries, Lam
beth Rope Corporation, Park
Yam Mills Company, Sadie Cot
ton Mills, Mauney Mills Company,
and Bonnie Cotton Mills.
More Mountain
Parking Sought
The city is investigating possi
bility of increasing the number
of parking spaces on W. Moun.
tain street.
The city board, in session las':
Thursday night, instructed Chief
of Police Martin Ware to see what
he could do about eliminating
some un-needed loading zones.
From a map of the area, it was
indicated three additional park
ing spaces might be obtained.
In other actions the board:
1) Authorized auction of three
used trucks.
2) Rectified assessment err
ors, due ‘o mis-measurement, of
$3.36 to J. Baxter Payseur, and
$3.00 to G. L. Wright.
3) Took no action on a re
quest of water filter plant ope
rators for holiday pay.
4) Advertised a public hearing
for January 9 on S. Piedmon4: ave
nue and Ramseur street sidewalk
installations.
5) Instructed Grady Yelton,
public works superintendent, to
check a complaint by Clarence
E. Carpenter on a defective drain
age ditch which Mr. Carpenter
said was causing certain Ram
seur street property to "wash a
way”.
6) Retained present city sani
tary department policy of refus
ing to remove old roofing, ex
cept for a fee.
7) Authorized investigation of
feasibility of serving Kings Moun
tain Mica Company’s Moss plant
(Continued on Page Eight)
Christmas Herald
To Appear Monday
The regular December 26th
edition of the Herald will be
published Monday afternoon.
Labeled the Christmas edi
tion, the issue will include, in
addition to regular features and
last-minute gift suggestions,
special Christmas-season fea
ture material and Christmas
greetings from business firms.
Deadlines for the edition are:
advertising, 5 p. m. Saturday,
society news, 10 a. m. Monday,
and other news, 3 p. m. Mon
day.
The Herald will be on news
stand sale Monday night and
mail subscribers will receive
the edition Tuesday morning.