North Carolina Newspapers

Population1 Greater Kings Mountain 10,320 City Limits 7,206 n* flgtwe for Greater Kings Mountain U derived from tfe* 1955 King* Mountain city directory census. The city Units figure Is Iron the United States census oI 1950. VOL 70 No. 13 Seventieth Year Established 1889 Kings Mountain, N. C., Thursday, April 2, 1959 PRICE TEN CENTS ■ MRS. POLLOCK HONORED — A group of friends are pictured with Mr. and Mrs. T. A. Pollock last Thursday, as Mrs. Pollock received the first annual Woman's Club "Teacher of the Year*' award. Left to right are Mrs. Haywood E, Lynch, Woman's Club president Miss Gussie Huffstetler, a former pupil and teaching cohort, Mr. Pollock, Mrs. Pollock, and Mrs. O. W. My ers, chairman of the Woman's Club education committee. (Photo by B. S. Peeler, Jr.) Local News Bulletins ON HONOR ROLL Miss Betty Jeanne Plonk, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wray Plonk, is almong the 222 stu dents at Woman’s College, Uni versity of North Carolina, list ed on the honor roll for the first semester. LEGION MEETING Regular meeting of Otis D. Green Post 155, American Le gion will be held at the post building Friday night at 8 o’ clock. Nominations will be made for 1959-60 officers, with the election scheduled for the May meeting, Commander Ray Cline announced. KIWANIS PROGRAM A motion picture of the 1958 Darlington 500 will be shown to members of (the Kiwanis club at their Thursday night • meeting. The Kiwanians con vene at the Woman’s Club at 6:45. BUILDING PERMIT J. W. Webster, city inspector, issued a permit Thursday to T. F. Bridges to build a one-story brick veneer house on Ldnwood Road between Cleveland Ave nue and Katherine Street. Cost of the 5-room structure was es timated at $7,000. JOINS BANK Boyce Gault, Jr., son Of Mr. and Mrs. Boyce H. Gault, has joined the staff of (the First National Bank as a, teller. Mr. Gault, a graduate of Kings Mountain high school, recent ly completed a course in jun ior accounting at Kings Busi ness College, Charlotte. ELECTED Newly elected deacons of Boyce Memorial ARP church will be Installed at the Sun . day morning service. They in clude W. S. Fulton, Jr., Dr. Ken neth McGill, John Cheshire, Jr., and George Morrow. WINS AWARD The Central high school chapter of the National Honor Society captured a third place award for its scrapbook enter ed in competition with other chapiters. Local delegates at the convention at Gardner Webb college were Mrs. Jose phine E. Weir, advisor; Jim my Plonk, Diana Neal, and Peggy Black. TO RALEIGH Mrs. John H. Gamble, Misses Mary Sides, Dianna Neal, E laine Burton, Judy Hollifield, and Joyce Plonk will go to Ra leigh Friday to attend itfie an nual state convention of the Future Homemakers of Amer ica. ROTARY MEETING James E. Kirk, of Chicago, 111., will address members of ,the Kings Mountain Rotary club at their meeting Thursday at 12:15 at La Royal Rest aurant Mr. Kirk is associated with Kimberly-Clark company. He fe a brother-in-law of Char les E. Dixon. Mrs. Pollock Wins Teacher Award Woman's €lnb Honois Veteran City Teacher Mi's. Lettie Cudd Pollack, vet eran Kings Mountain school teacher who retired in February due to ill health, was honored If or her service to Kings Mountain sdhools by being designated for the Kings Mountain Woman's Club's first annual “Teacher of the Year” award. A handsome gold plaque emlble miaffiic of the honor was present ed Mrs. Pollock in ceremonies at her home last Thursday. Mrs. Haywood E. Lynch, Wom an’s Club president, presented the plaque, Whilch bore this inscrip tion: “1959 Teacher of the Year, Presented to Mrs. Lottie Cudd Pollock, Teacher Kings Mountain City Schools, 1921-59, A true friend of children, she gave a full measure of devotion to those she served.” Attending the ceremonies were hr daughter, MTs. C. S. Plonk, Jr., two grandsons, Mrs. O. W. Myns, chairman of the Woman’s dub education committee, Schools Supt. B. N. Blames, Principals Ben Goforth, Robert Kennedy, William George and Lawson Bnow,n Miss Gussde Huffstetler, a fanner puipiQ and teaching co hort, B. S. Peeler, Jr., Mrs. Paul Beam, and Mrs. C. F. Tthomasson, neighbors, Martin Harmon, Her ald editor, and Miss Pearl Weath ers and Paul Lemmons, Shelby Daily Star. After the presentation, Supt. Barnes made a shaft talk review tog the progress in Kings Moun tain education since Mrs. Pollock began teaching here in 1921. Mrs. Pollock, daughter of Mrs. J. C. Cudd, also of Kings Moun tain, is the wife Of T. A. Pollock, retired Southern Railway clerk. Bom in Jonesvffle, S. C., Mrs. Pol. lock taught school in G'aiffney be fore her marriage to Mr. Pollock. It was her intention, she recalls, to retire from teaching on her marriage, but a substitute situa (Continued on Page Eight) CHAIRMAN — William Herndon heads the Kings Mountain area drive for funds for cancer. The campaign began Wednesday. Herndon To Head Cancel Appeal William Herndon, Kings Moun. tain businessman, will head the 1959 appeal for funds for the Cleveland County Cancer Society in ICings Mountain. The announcement was made by Charles Sperling, of Shelby, county chairman in the cam paign. The drive, to be held during the month of April, got underway Wednesday. Mrs. J. P. Mauney of Kings Mountain is service chairman for the Cancer Society in this ar ea. Mr. Sperling also announced as he invited area citzens to con tact the representative here at any time they desired. Mrs. Mauney is also a member of the board of directors of the county organization. HOSPITALIZED Warren Reynolds, Kings Mountain businessman, under went surgery Monday at Pres byterian hospital in Charlotte. He is being treated for a back ailment. Possible Next Governor Larkins Eschews Politics In Visit Here John Larkins, unofficially run ning for the Democratic nomina tion for governor in I960, was a Kings Mountain visitor Wednes day afternoon—(but he was talk ing the fight against cancer, ra ther than politics. Mr. Larkins, accompanied by Fields Young, was en route to Shelby, where he was to make an address in behalf of the crusade against cancer. A cancer victim himself, Mr. Lankins weans a scar an his face from a successful operation. Mr. Ytaung, the Shelby citiaen, said, "John Larkins Lad done more man any other man in the state in the cause of defeating cancer.” In the Herald office, Mr. Lark ' Ins spotted a story in another newspaper about a “magic bullet” that might be effective in curing oamcer and waxed quite ecstatic. A Trenton lawyer, Mr. Larkins describes himself as a “country boy.” He served nine terms in the North Carolina Senate, one term as president pro tempore, subsequently served as chairman of the North Carolina Dmocratic party, and is currently Democrat ic natibnai committeeman. The Closest he would come to talking politics was to say, "I won’t deny I’m a possible candi date.” Several weeks ago, Mr. Lark ins wrote friends throughout the state asking their reaction to Ms possible candidacy for governor. Jimmy Plonk To Be Exchange Student Abroad i Jimmy Plonk, high school jun. ior and son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Plonk, has been selected by the American Field Service ex change board as Kings Moun tain’s representative to a foreign country this summer. John Cheshire, member of the local AFS organization said young Plonk has not been noti fied of the country he will spend the summer but customarily the students go to European or Scan dinavian countries. The summer program begins the latter part of May and the AFS representatives return home in late August. (An honor student at Kings Mountain high school, Plonk is a member of the National Honor Society, the Key club, and is on the tennis team. He will be the first Kings Mountain student to participate in this program. Graeme Reeves, New Zealand sudent, has studied at Central high school since September. Young Reves was sponsored here by the Woman’s club and civic clubs of the community. Gymtorium Bids Choke Schoolmen The city board of education op ened bids on the proposed David son school gymtorium last week and found low bids exceeding their cost estimates by a pain ful figure. On Tuesday, the education board instructed Architect J. L. Beaim, Jr., of Cherryville, to re vise his plans to eliminate some fringe facilities and to see what downward revisions could be ob tained from the low bidders. Low (gross bid for a 70-foot gymtorium totaled $107,000, a gainst the board’s .anticipated expenditure of $70,000 to $75,000. Low bids were posted by A. A. Ramsey and Son on the general contract, by L. A. Hoke on the electrical contract, by L. R. Troutman on the plumbing con tract, and by Robert F. Ham on the heating contract. Low bids on a smaller gym torium totaled $91,000. B. N. Barnes, superintendent of schools, was in Raleigh Wednes day conferring on the Davidson project with state board of edu cation officials. Architect Beam said that bids on two jobs have been received by his firm recently and that each ran about 15 percent ahead of estimates. “Prices keep going up’’, he commented. On the general contract, the Ramsey contract was lower by $5,595 than the highest general bid, Vice-Chairman A. W. Kin caid noted. Accident Injures McLarty's Eye Jimmy McLarty, 13-year-old son of Rev. and Mrs. J. B. Mc Larty, is convalescing in Char lotte’s Eye-Ear-Nose-And-Throat hospital following an accident Tuesday in which he was shot in the eye with an air rifle pellet. A family spokesman said Wed -1 nesday afternoon his condition is unchanged, and the condition being of such a delicate nature, the doctors will not commit themselves. They are hopeful young Jimmy’s eye can be saved, however. Surgery will be per formed only as a last resort, and a waiting period of a week must be undergone before damage to the eye will be known. The accident occurred Tuesday about 5 p. m. at the home of J, A. Tramble when young McLarty and several friends were playing together. One of the boys had an air rifle, which released a shat while it was being cocked. GRASS FIRES City Fireman Farr reported three fires during the past week, all grass fires. Last Wed nesday a grass fire was doused on Crescent Circle, while two, one on N. Watterson Street at Devidsen school and another on Linwood Road, were extin guished Tuesday afternoon. No damage to property was re ported. , j ,, MRS. LAURA M. HOUSER RICHARD S. LENNON Hospital Board Apointees Mamed Mrs. Laura -Maijuey Houser, wife of George H. Houser, and Richard S. Lennon, cashier of First National Bank, will become members of the board of direct ors of Kings Mountain Hospital, Inc., July 1. Mrs. Houser and Mr. Lennon will succeed W. L. Plonk and George B1 Thomasson. Hospital board members are appointed to five-year terms. Both Mr. Plonk and Mr. Thomas son served on the county hospi tal board of trustees prior to the change whereby both Shelby and Kings Mountain hospitals were leased for operation by non-profit corporations. Both are riiginal ap pointees to the corporatin board. Bith have been members of the five-man hospital executive com. tniittee. Mr. Thomasson is cur rently secretary of the board. Other members of the board of trustees are George K. Maun ey, Kings Mountain, president, Jack Herndon and Holmes Harry, vice-chairman, both of Grover, A. A. Barrett, of Waco, and Char les Neisler, George H. Mauney, Lamar Herndon, Luther T. Ben nett, all of Kings Mountain. Mrs. Houser is a former presi dent of Kings Mountain Wo man’s Club. She will be the first woman to serve on the board of Kings Mountain Hospital, Inc. She is a member of St. Matthew’s Lutheran church. Mr. Lennon is a former direct or of Kings Mountain Country Club, and a Kiwanian, and a member of First Presbyterian church. News Political Proves Sparse Political news was sparse this week, as candidate lidt failed to grow. It brought the question from candidate and citizen alike: “Is the political candidate list about set?” Many answered the question “yes”, though the deadline for filing is near the end of April— 15 days prior to the May 12 vot ing. More prospective candidates were hard to find. Possibles of a | few weeks ago are either already in the field or continue to bow out George W. Mauney, promin ently mentioned as a Ward 5 commissioner possible, said Wed nesday he won’t enter the race. Campaign literature has begun to appear, but, for the most part, activity of the candidates has been limited to personal contacts with voters. SCHOOL BOARD A special meeting of the city board of education will be held at the office v* oupt. h. Hai nes Monday night at 7:30. The meting was previously sche duled for consideration of tea cher elections for 1959-60. Dr. Ramseur Now Against Fluoridation By MARTIN HARMON There is less unanimity of o pinion among medical doctors in Kings Mountain today on the question of fluoridating the city's water supply than there was two j years ago. * Two years -ago the hospital! medical staff voted in favor of fluoridation. All votes were cast “for", with Dr. J. E. Anthony, who ' opposes fluoridation, abstaining. I The city’s dentists, however, I are still solidly in favor of fluor idating the public water supply. I The Herald got these reactions from medical men in a telephone poll Wednesday: Dr. W. L. Ramseur said “I may j have voted for it two years ago, i but in the light of further study, | I am inclined to be against it.” j Dr. Kenneth McGill, current j president of the Hospital (medical j staff, said he has “no statements personally”, adding that he did | not anticipate the question would again appear on a staff ■ meeting agenda. Dr. John C. McGill said, “no comment”. Dr. George W. Plonk, not a staff member two years ago, commented, “I was impressed by what Dr. Anthony had to say. I’m no authority on the question.” He added that he had been favor able to fluoridation in the past, principally because of the en dorsement of dentists. Dr. P. G. Padgett commented in simlar vein to Dr. Plonk. Dr. Padgett said: ‘Tim not too much inclined either way. I thought Dr. Anthony’s article excellent. I was impressed by his point that we’d be treating people who don’t need it. I have largely been taking ithe dentists’ word. Natur ally, I would like to see done what is best and I am not the final authority.” Dr. Paul Nolan, who made the motion to support the fltiorida tion effort two years ago at the medical staff commented, “I haven’t seen any particular rea son to change my mind.” Dr. Paul E. Hendricks declared himself as “lukewarm, just as I was two years ago.” He said, “I voted for it at the staff meeting, but I’m not campaigning for it. I am mildly for it." Kings Mountain’s four dentists are arrayed solidly in favor of fluoridation. Dr. O. P. Lewis commented, “I’m in favor of it on the grounds that every national and state au thority has approved it.” He said an Army dentist from Texas told him during World War II that some part of Texas have natural flgoride in the water up to 15 parts per million gallons and that their dentist told him there appeared no unusual incidence of arthritis or other diseases and ailments. Dr. Robert Baker said, “I'm still for it,” adding that his father, Dr. L. P. Baker, concurs. Dr. D. F. Hord has been a lead er in the local effort to get the city water supply fluoridated. Raines Clinic Here Saturday Dr. J. P. Mauney, veterinarian, will conduct a rabies clinic Sat urday, and schedule for the mor ning follows: Beatty’s Grocery Store — 9 a. r.i. to 9:15 a. m. Claude Harmon Service >— 9:15 a. m. to 9:30 a. m. G. A. Lail’s Store, Bethlehem community, 9:30 to 10 a. m. Cash Gulf Station, Shelby road, 10 to 10:30 a. m. Amoco Service Station near Bethware School, 10:30 to 10:45 a. m. Blalock Park Inn, Shelby road, 10:45 to 11 a. m. City Hall, Kings Mountain 11 a. m. to 11:30 a. m. SPEAKER — Philip F. Howerton, of Charlotte, moderator of the General Assembly of the Presby terian Church, will speak at morning services Sunday at First Presbyterian church. Mr. Howerton ToSpeakSunday Philip F. Howerton, moderator of ithe 98th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church U. S., will deliver the sermon at the morning worship service Sunday at First Presbyterian church. The announcement was made by Dr. Paul Ausley, pastor. Mr. Howerton, son of James Robert Howerton, former pastor of Charlotte’s First Presbyterian church and professor of philoso phy at Washington and Lee Uni versity, Ls general agent in Char lotte for the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company. Educated at Washington and Lee University, where he gradu ated in the class of ‘25, Mr. How erton is a life member of the Million Dollar Round Table of the National Association of Life Underwriters. He is an elder in the First Presbyterian church, Charlotte; a member of the Board of Annuities and Relief, Presbyterian Church U. S.; mem ber of the Board of Directors of the Mountain Retreat Associ ation; and member of the Assem bly’s Ad Interim committee for revision of the Book of Church Order. Craftspun Firm Still Craltspnn “No, iwe’re not sold yet,” Carl H. Swan, president of Craftspun Yams, Inc., said Wednesday aft ernoon. Mr. Swan said auditors for Massachusetts Mohair Plush Company are checking the books of Craftspun in a further look see to determine whether Mohair wishes to purchase the company. Mr. Swan also said there are either firms interested in pur dhiasing Craftspun. Craftspun is now running a three-shift operation in its yarn spinning plant here and at its novelty-making plants here and in Gastonia, Mr. Swan noted. He said business is the best,it has been in two years and that new orders continue to be receiv ed. Oraftspun Yarns, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Scran, ton Company, Scranton, Pa., which has three court-appointed directors and a new president. The changes followed federal Charges of fraud against former Scranton president E. L. Guterma. SQUARE DANCE The Grover Lions club is having two square dances, one is to be Saturday, April 4, and the other will be Saturday, Ap ril 11. Both dances will start at 7:30 p. m. and will be held in the Grover school gymnasium. Kings Mountain Red Cross Needs Cash; Deficit On Quota Is $3,000 Kings Mountain Red Cross, chapter is in sad plight finan- j cially, and will be unless more imoney can be raised. It could mean that Kings Mountain might have to become a member of the Cleveland Coun ty chapter, headquartered at Shelby. This was the word of J. Ollie Harris, chapter chairman, who said Wednesday that only a little lut/te 'Until Itwtif lute $&,GGO fund campaign goal has been reached. “A few reports haven’s been reclved, but they won’t make much of a dertt," Mr. Haris com merited. What is being done about it? Mr. Harris says that Red Cross chapter officials are examining the contribution list to see who hasn’t gimen among those that normally do. After that, a clean up effort will be made to see if the quota can’t be reached. Kings Mountain Red Cross chapter serves Number 4 Town oi l i p. Persons who were missed on the solicitations and who wish to give should mail a check to Kings Mountain Red Cross. * Hearing Set For Wednesday ! At City Hall The city board of commission ers, at a brief special session Wednesday afternoon, called a public hearing for April 8 on the question of fluoridating the city’s water supply. The hearing will be conducted in conjunction with the regular April meeting of the board at City Hall at 8 o’clock next Wed nesday night. The hearing will be conducted in conjunction with the regular April meeting of. the board at Citly Hall at 8 o’clock next Wed nesday night. Mayor Gleee A. Bridges said he hoped both proponents and op ponents of fluoridating the city water supply would appear at the hearing. The public hearing decision followed in the wake of Dr. J. E. Anthony’s strong statement op posing fluoridation. The commission also approved four street improvement peti tions, if and when funds are available. They are: 1) Sidewalk and curb-and gutter on a portion of Cansler street. 2) Paving of Bridges Airport Street, from Watterson to Land ing street. 3) Paving of Baker street from Dilling to Hill street. 4) Paving of Fourth street from Linwood to England’s Store. Meantime, the city is proceed ing to fluoridate its water sup ply, but here is no surety that fluoridation will become fact, ridate its water supply, but there is no surety that fluoridation will become faot. Mayor Bridges said this week he is following instructions of the board of com mission | ers to “proceed” and is handling the paper work involved. However, when approval of fluoridation is received from the State Board of Health, the board of commissioners will again have to aat to implement the “proceed” fluoridation decision. Thinking of several members of the commission has changed, they indicated this week, after the succinct statement of Dr. J. E. Anthony, the veteran Kings Mountain physician, in which he opposed strongly fluoridation of the Kings Mountain water sup ply. Ben H. Bridges, mayor pro tem pore, said his telephone rang fre quently last week, as numerous citizens called concerning fluori dation. Some were anxious for the board to change its decision, he said, while others felt a sec ond look at the proposal in order. Boyce Gault, Ward 2 Commiss ioner, said Wednesday he’d had numerous comments on fluorida tion and assessed these com ments as “10 to 1 against fluori dation.” Ross Alexander, Ward 1 Com missioner, said he, too, had re ceived numerous comments, many of them in opposition to fluoridation. Mayor Bridges, too, reported numerous comments in opposi tion, as did Luther T. Benneett, Ward 3 Cmmissioner. Coleman Stroupe, Ward 5 Commissioner, remarked at Wednesday’s meet ing that most of the comments he had heard had been anti. The commission will probably consider the next step toward (Continued on Page Eight) Fred Plonk Not Pulling Stakes Fred W. Plonk, the Kings Mountain auto and oil dealer, is not — repeat NOT — retir ing and otherwise pulling stakes to leave Kings Moun tain. This impression was voiced in several spots and came to his attention Wednesday as a result of an advertisement ap pearing in last week’s Kings Mountain Herald. The advertisement, in the real estate section of the class, ified ad page, was headlined “6-Room Bargain” Along with the description of the house offered for sale, was this line: “reason for selling, retiring". House shoppers were invited to call Fred W. Plonk. In this instance, Mr. Plonk was/is serving as agent for V. F. McMahan, who is retiring and is offering his house at 701 W. Gold street for sale. "By the way,” Mr. Plonk said, "we’ve had a lot of inquiries about the house we advertis ed.”