Population
Greater Kings Mountain 21,914
City Limits 8,256
The Greater Kings Mountain figure is derived from the
special United States Bureau of the Census report of
January 1966, and includes the 14,990 population of
Number 4 Township, and the remaining 6.124 from
Number 5 Township, in Cleveland County and Crowder's
Mountain Township in Gaston County.
Kings Mountain, N. C., Thursday, May 4, 1967
Pages
Today
PRICE TEN CENTS
VOL 78 No. 18
Established 1889
Seventy-Eighth Year
ALFRED C. TUCKER
JAMES (JIM) GUYTON
For Word 3 Commissioner
T. J. (TOMMY) ELUSON
O. O. WALKER
RICHARD (DICK) SHANEY
For Ward 5 Commissioner
ALEX D. OWENS
MRS. KELLY (BERNICE) BUNCH
For School Trustee
BILL BABB
biennial City, School Elections To Be Held Tuesday
ABC, Beer-Wine Election To Be Conducted June 13
Election Bill
Became Law
Last Friday
Kings Mountain citizens will
vote June 13 to determine whe
ther Alcoholic Beverage Control
Stores will be operated here and
whether sale of beer and wine
for off-premises fconsumption will
be legalized.
Both' questions will be in the
single question, which voters
will answer “yes” or “no”.
It will be the first time an
election on “hard” liquor has
been held in Kings Mountain or
Cleveland County since the re
peal of the national prohibition
constitutional amendment.
^In 1949, Cleveland County vot
Hs outlawed the sale of beer and
wfc* by-sf- vote" of 9 to 1. I*
Kings Mountain, the .vote was
approximately 4.5 to I in favor
of outlawing beer and wine.
The election will be conducted
by the city.
Registration books will be open
for two weeks, from May 22 to
June 3, and June 19 will be chal
lenge day.
Date and terms were specified
in Senate Bill 197, introduced by
Senator Jack H. White on March
31 and ratified into law, as
amended, by the House of Rep
resentatives last Friday.
Other terms of the bill provide
for division of net annual reve
nue on the following formula:
not less than five percent nor
more than ten percent for law
enforcement; up to five percent
for education on the effects of
alcohol and for rehabilitation of
alcoholics; 25 percent of the re
mainder to Kings Mountain school
district (five percent designated
for salaries, 20 percent for other
purposes), and 75 percent of the
remainder to the City of Kings
Mountain for any authorized city
purpose.
The General Statutes would
apply on time required to elapse
before the holding of future ref
erendums on sale of alcoholic
beverages. The time required is
three years, meaning no liquor
1^kferendum could be held before
Vine 13, 1970.
However, under the bill, the
city would be required to call
such an election after the requir
ed elapsed time on receiot of pe
tition of 25 percent of the regis
tered voters voting in the most
recent election for mayor.
The legislation was promoted
bv a citizens committee for legal
control of alcoholic beverages
which circulated petitions at
tracting the signatures of more
than 1100 persons. Of the total,
669 signatures were validated as
registered Kings Mountain vot
ers.
Cpl. Kina SuHeis
Wounds In Face
Marine Corporal David M.
King, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ellis
King, was injured on April 26 in
the vicinity of Quang Tri, Re
public of Vietnam, according to
a telegram received by his par
ents Thursday.
The Kings Mountain man sus
tained a fragmentation wound to
the face from an explosive device
while engaged in action against
hostile forces.
His parents have received no
^Virther word of his condition.
According to the telegram his
address will remain the same;
Sub. Unit 2 Hdg. Co. Hdgn. Bn.
Third Marine Division, B Com
pany 1st AMTRAC 4th Platoon,
FPO San Francisco, California
86602.
^y
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NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTION — Juniors inducted into the Kings Mountain high school
chapter oi the National Honor Society are pictured above, from left to right. The induction
ceremonies were held this week. Mrs. Tolly Shuford, faculty sponsor, is at left with Kathy Hol
land. Sharon Cold. June Frederick, Stan Yatibro, Dottie Scates, Danny Dyke, Carolyn Falls, John
Parker, Donna Crawforl and Kathy Plonk. (Photo by Isaac Alexander).
Auxiliary Water Wil Enter
City Mains By Saturday
RESIGNS — Rev. Clyde R.
Goodson, pastor of East Gold
Street Wesleyan Methodist
church and dean of Kings
Mountain area ministers in
point of service, has resigned
and expects assignment to
Rock Hill Wesleyan Methodist
church.
Clyde Goodson
Resigns Charge
Rev. Clyde R. Goodson, dean
of the staff of Kings Mountain
ministers, has resigned as pastor
of East Gold Street Wesleyan
Methodist church to accept a call
to Rock Hill, S. C. Wesleyan
Methodist church.
Mr. and Mrs. Goodson and
their family will move to Rock
Hill about August L
Rev. Mr. Goodson came to the
.local church nine years ago. He
1 {Continued on Page Sight)
. if. «s*tawtatalSSl4»s e ■
The city expects to begin pump
ing water from Milk Dairy
branch and Canterbury to its
Deal street filtration plant Sat
urday morning.
The city public works depart
ment has already completed in
stallation of more than five
miles of eight-inch pipe, which
the city is using on loan from
the U. S. Army.
On Wednesday, work began on
construction of small dams on
the two creeks and on installing
pumps. City Commissioner O. O.
Walker was superintending the
construction of the dams.
Measurements of the city’s en
giner, W. K. Dickson, indicate
the city will pump 760,000 gal
lons of water daily from Milk
Dairy Branch, and another $360,
000 gallons from Canterbury
Creek.
“This represents more than
half the daily supply of raw
water the city is filtering,” May
or John Henry Moss commented.
“We are very fortunate to be able
to tap these two auxiliary sources
in such a short time and it would
not have been possible without
the cooperation of civilian de
fense officials, the army, and the
continuous and diligent hard
work of Supt. Grady Yelton and
his public works department.”
The Mayor said the auxiliary
streams would be employed “un
til our York and Davidson re
sevoirs are filled.”
The pipelines are on ground
top and are joined with clamps.
The Milk Dairy line and Canter
bury line make a junction at
Canterbury Road and East King
street.
With putting into service of
the new two-million gallon stor
age tank, the city has storage
capacity of about 2,600,000 gal
[Continued on Page Eight)
RESIGNS — Robert M. Kenne
dy. principal of East Elemen
tary school, has resigned to be
come Director of Student Aid
at Erskine college in Due West.
S. C.
Kennedy Accepts
Erskine Position
Robert M. Kennedy, principal
of East Elementary school the
past 10 years, submitted his res
ignation this week to the Kings
Mountain board of education to
accept the position of Diic"tor of
Student Aid at Erskine College in
Due West, South Ca, .1 na.
The Kennedy family expects to
move to Due West about July 1.
In Kings M mntain the Konne
dys have been active in Boyce
Memorial ARP church wliere^Mr.
Kennedy is an Elder and Clerk
(Continued on Page Eight)
Board Re-elects
R. G. Franklin,
134 Teachers
Re-election of Central Principal
R. G. Franklin, Director of In
struction Alice C. Averitt, 47 high
school and 87 elementary school
faculty members, public school
music teacher Myrle H. McClure
and elementary librarian Alice
M. Lennon featured a long meet
ing of the city board of educa
tion last Wednesday.
Eight of the school districts
ten principals have been elected
but one, in the person of East
Principal Robert Kennedy, has re
signed. The ninth, James C. Ay
ers, Park Grace principal, was
not a candidate for election. The
tenth, Kings Mountain high prin
cipal Glenn Brookshire, has not
indicated formally he wishes
election, as state law requires.
In addition, the board elected
Donald L. Parker director of the
summer Title 1 program.
The teacher supplement for
this year was upped by $115, a
proviso in the current budget,
and the board voted to establish
guaranteed supplement of $25C
for the next school year.
Mrs. Margaret D. Eskridge
was hired to replace Mrs. Lizzie
Lee Dedmon, Grover teacher, who
resigned.
The board approved the firm
of Hamrick & Reading as school
auditors.
Elementary teachers re-elected
are: Martha B. Christenbury,
Billy C. Lemons, Jessie R.
Greene, Cynthia P. Wright, Mar
guerite T. Plonk, Sarah H. Simp
son, Marguerite K. Powell, Nancy
B. McBrayer, Letha B. Morris,
Harriet R. Van Dyke, Sophronia
P. Campbell, Jacqueline A. Mc
Farland, Lina T- Owens, Doris H.
Parker, Anita W. Phoenix, Mar
tha C. Yarbro, Annie F. Bryant,
Sara A. Cooksey, Richard E.
Hamrick, Sarah W- Jones, Fron
neau W. Little, Jaquitha R. Reid,
Carolyn Strickland, Gary D. Up
ton, Barbara L. Wilburn, Edna
B. Hendricks, Mary A. O’Connor,
John L. Blalock, Bernice B
Brown, Robert B. Bailey, Wil
liam H. Hager, James R- Part
low, Marilyn H. Cabaniss, Mil
dred G. Moss, Jeanette C. Sur
ratte, Willie J. Marable, Sara P.
Adams, Ina V. Couser, Beulah
M. Miller, Wanda N. Hunt, Juan
ita Herron, Addie G. Grier, Lola
J. Wellmon, Della M. Jaggcrs,
Dephne L. Stoll, Helen B. Baker,
Maxine B. Grayson, Ann B.
Seism, Winnie M. Still, Jacqueline
W. Blanton, Rosalie Carlisle,
Rebecca L. Kendrick, Victoria L
Logan, Brenda M. Thornburg,
Lowell Lee Ellis, Suzanne L.
Keeter, Dorothy McCraw, Gloria
N. Chapman, Elizabeth B. Allen,
Frances A. Bramlett, Sara W.
Wilkins, Joyce M. Bowman, Eli
zabeth McGill, Jane E- Houser,
L. Janet Falls, Margaret G. Mc
Carter, Gussie R. Huffstetler,
Mary W. Plyler, Annie B- Rob
erts, Ruth Z. Biggers, Reola C.
Hovis, Ruth U- Plonk, Margaret
M. Spratt, Ruth P- Beam, Eliza
beth W. Mauney, Martha P. Brid
ges, Thelma D- Kennedy, Eoline
Werts, Prue H- Poston, Bess H.
Phifer, Elizabeth M. Gamble,
Christine R. Ramseur, Garnell A.
Dye, Virginia P. Wiggins, Dorcas
C- White, Edith F. ©ridges and
j Billie J. Haynie.
High school faculty members
re-elected are: Isaac G. Alexan
der, William A- Alexander, Ade
laide M. Allison, Helen B. Aus
ley, Margaret H- Baird, Betty W.
Bates, Billy G- Bates, Marshall
L. Campbell, William Z. Cash
(Continued on Page Eight)
Rites Conducted
For L L. Benson
RITES HELD — Funeral rites
for Leo L. Benson, 78. were
held Wednesday afternoon
from First Baptist church. He
was retired agent for Southern
Railway.
Alice White's
Rites Conducted
Funeral rites for Alice Jean
nette White, 21-month-old daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Keith White
of Grover, were held Sunday at
3 p.m. from Grover’s First Bap
tist church, interment following
in Antioch cemetery.
The child died at 9:30 p.m. Fri
day in Kings Mountain hospital
after a one-day illness.
Other survivors include the
paternal grandmother, Mrs. Rob
ert White, of Grover the mater
nal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs.
Raymond D. Knight of Nashville,
Tenn.; and the paternal great
grandfather, E. D. Randall, of
Grover.
LODGE MEETING
Regular communication of
Fairview Lodge 339 AF&AM
will be held Monday night at
7:30 at Masonic Hall, Secretary
T. D. Tindall has announced.
Retired Railman
Died Monday
Aftei Long Illness
Funeral rites lor Leo Lesesne
Benson, 78, were held Wednesday
at 4 p.m. from First Baptist
church of which he was a mem
ber.
Mr. Benson succumbed Monday
at 3:20 p.m. in the Kings Moun
tain hospital after illness of sev
eral years.
A retired agent for the South
ern Railway, Mr. Benson was a
native of Bladen County, son of
the late Mr. and Mrs. George
Washington and Martha Perry
Benson.
A member of the Kings Moun
tain Zoning Board, he was a
member of the Kiwanis club, a
Mason, and a member of Kings
Mountain Chapter 123, Order of
the Eastern Star.
He had served as Southern
Railway agent in Kings Moun
tain, Kannapolis and Taylors, S.
C.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs.
Alice Herndon Benson; a son, La
| mont Benson of Atlanta, Ga.; a
daughter, Mrs. Martha Ellen
Snuiggs of Charlotte; a brother,
J. M. Benson of Atlanta, Ga. and
a sister, Mrs. Nena B. Cross of
Charlotte; five grandchildren and
seven great-grandchildren.
Rev. M. O. Owens, Rev. L. C.
i Pinnix and Rev. Gordon Weekley
I officiated ■ at the final rites and
! interment was made in Mountain
Rest cemetery.
i In lieu of flowers, the family
suggests that memorials may be
[made to the First Baptist church
building fund.
Active pallbearers were Paul
j Cole of Shelby, Fred Weaver,
Frank Hollifield and Bobby
| Bridges, all of Kings Mountain,
j B. G. Jones of Charlotte and Joe
' Gaskey of Concord.
1967 City-wide Clean-up Drive
Undeiway; Kickoff Meeting Held
| Clavon Kelly and Mrs. E. W.
I Griffin are heading a steering
committee of Kings Mountain
citizens who will plan and carry
out a city-wide campaign for
cleaning and beautifying the city
during the next six weeks — a
continuation of last year’s sue
! cessful campaign.
Three city commissioners W.
S. Blddix, O. O. Walker and T.
J. Ellison, appointed by Mayor
John Moss, will work with them.
Town people present Monday
night for the kick-off meeting
at City Hall, over which Mayor
j Moss presided, represented civic
; clubs, garden clubs, area com
mittees of last year’s beautifica
tion group and the Woman’s
I club, whose community improve
ment program was instrumental
in calling the group together.
The month of May has been
declared Clean-Up, Paint-Up,
Fix-Up Month by Governor Dan
Moore, in line with the national
program.
Mr. Kelly outlined plans for
the first week.
li The ordinance making it
mandatory for every household
to possess a covered garbage can
of not over 30 gallon capacity
will be printed and distributed.
The Junior Woman’s club will
promote the sale of containers.
2) The Anti-Litter program
among school children, already
of fto a head start through Mrs.
Griffin's efforts, will be inten
sified. Children are already busy
making posters and Scouts will
help with promotion.
3) Ministers will be asked to
speak on "Cleanliness Is Next To
Godliness” on a specific Sunday
in May.
A list was made of run-down
houses, littered vacant lots and
otherwise unsightly sections ,of
the city, with a view to clean-up.
It was suggested that follow
ing this May campaign a stand
ing beautification committee for
the city be appointed, to function
more or less permanently through
the yean
Two Contests
Fox City Hall,
One Fox Txustee
By MARTIN HARMON
Kings Mountain citizens will
go to the polls Tuesday to elect
a mayor, five ward commission
ers, and a school trustee, In what
has proved to be the quietest bi
ennial election since 1945.
For the first time in the his
tory of the 93-year-old city, there
is no contest for mayor. Mayor
John Henry Moss is unopposed
for re-election, as are Commis
sioners Ray W. Cline, Ward 1, W.
S. Biddix, Ward 2, and Norman
King, Ward 4.
There are three contests.
Veteran Ward 3 Commissioner
T. J. (Tommy) Ellison, complet
ing his seventh term since 1947,
is challenged for re-election by
James L. Guyton, who lost to El
lison two years ago, and by Al
fred C. Tueke\ a newcomer to
city politics. Mr. Ellison Is an
East Kings Mountain grocer, Mr.
Guyton a masonry contractor, and
Mr. Tucker is a textile superin
tendent.
In Ward 5, Commissioner O. O.
Walker, completing h i s first
term, is being challenged by
Richard E. (Dick) Shaney in
Shaney’s first venture into city
politics. Comm. Walker is a re
tired water and sewage system
contractor, while Mr. Shaney is
personnel manager of Carolina
Throwing Company and a form
er highway patrolman.
Three candidates are vying for
the school trusteeship being va
cated by H. O. (Toby) Williams.
All are seeking elective office for
the first time. They are Alex D.
Owens, farmer and landscaper,
Bill Babb, automotive mechanic
and garageman, and Mrs. Bernice
Bunch, housewife.
Should Mrs. Bunch be elected,
the board of education would
have two women members for
(Continued on Page Eight)
PRESIDENT — Gerald Thomas
son has been installed as presi
dent of the Junior Chamber of
Commerce for the coming year.
Thomasson
Heads Jaycees
Gerald Thomasson was install
ed as president of the Kings
Mountain Junior Chamber of
Commerce at the civic club’s an
nual ladies’ night banquet Tues
day night at the Woman’s club.
Mr. Thomasson, chairman of
, the club’s 1966 Miss Kings Moun
| tain beauty pageant, will succeed
j Herman Greene,
j Bob Jones of Forest City, vice
president of Jaycee District 21,
j installed the officers, and Bill
West, of Hickory, state chairman
of Speak-Up Jaycees, made the
keynote address in which he
challenged Jaycees to be en
thusiastic leaders and good fol
lowers. “Service to humanity is
the best work of life”, he said,
as he contended, "We have a lot
to live up to if we follow the
(Continued on Page Eight)