VOLUME XVIII NO. 6
SAILFISHING IS
STILL TOPS ON
COAST OF DARE
Sailfishing is gaining more
recognition through the press
than any ether sportsfishing in
Dare County at the present time,
it was stated today by a repre
sentative ol the Dare County
Tourist Bureau.
“This is a fact, even though
some excellent catches of biue
fish are being reported each day
and the fresh water fishing is
also considered very good. The
fishing from ocean piers at Nags
Head has been better this season
than in its history,” said Warren
Jennette, veteran fishing pier
operator.
Dolphin, amberjack, sch oo 1
tuna, bonita. cabio and wahoo
are being caught daily by ang
lers fishing the western edge of
the Gulf Stream off Hatteras and
Oregon Inlet, but the catches of
sailfish are keeping the new?
spotlight.
Last week end Capt Willie
Etheridge, Jr., with a party from
Newport News and Baltimore,
not only caught scores of dolphin
but two sailfish in one day. It
was the first time that two sail
fish had ever been taken by a
party aboard one boat operating
anywhere along the North Caro
lina coast..
Cgpt Ernal Foster of Hatteras
reported last week end that Mrs.
Fred Troutman landed a 7 foot
sail. One of the two landed aboard
Etheridge's boat was boated by
a Mrs. Giederman of Newport
News.
Fewer white marlin are being
caught and only one blue marlin
has been landed so far this sea
son. In the meantime more than
30 sailfish have been taken by
anglers off the Dare coast, by
far mere than have been taken
from any ether sportsfishing lo
cality north of Florida.
MUSTERING OUT PAY
PROCEDURES RECEIVED
Regulations aid procedures
governing Mustering-Out Pay
. ment authorized by the recently
enacted Veterans Readjustment
Assistance Act of 1952 have been
received in the local District Of
fice of the North Carolina Vet
erans Commission.
Most enlisted men and women
and officers below the grade of
Major or Lieutenant Commander
who were discharged or released
from active duty, under honora
ble conditions after June 26, 1950
are eligible for lump sum pay
ment. Claim must be submitted
on or before July 16, 1954, sup
ported by the original of the
Report of Separation from the
Armed Services.
In the case of any veteran dis
charged under honorable condi
tions after June 26, 1950, who
died after leaving service and be
fore receiving any portion of his
Mustering-Out Pay, payment of
this benefit may be made to sur
vivors.
All eligible persons desiring to
apply for Mustering-Out Pay are
urged to contact J. M. Vannote,
Dare County Veterans Service
Officer, Manteo, N. C., or the
District Office of the North Caro
lina Veterans Commission, 206
Kramer Building, Elizabeth City,
North Carolina, for assistance in
completing applications for this
benefit.
FARM and home week
IN RALeIgH AUG. 18-21
Let’s Go to Farm and Home
Week, August 18-21!
Many new programs have been
added this year including a cohrse
in Choral Directiifg, Sewing
Tricks, Recreation Training,- Fro
zen Foods, Buying Ironers and
Freezers, Swedish Darning, Herbs,
Insect Control, Know Your State,
and Training of Officers and Lea
ders. •
Evening programs include a ta
lent contest; talk by Wheeler Mc-
Millen. Elitor of “Farm Journal”;
address by W. Kerr Scott and
Thursday's program will be the
26th meeting of the N. C. Federa
tion of Home Demonstration Clubs.
Room fee for the week is $3.00
per person, for less than the week
SI.OO per night. Special dormitory
space has been provided for mar
ried couples. Each person should
bring bed linen, blanket, pillow,
towels and personal articles. Reg
istration will be held at William
Neal Reynolds Coliseum. Meals
will be served at the college cafe
teria.
Please contact Miss Mary Kirby,
Home Agent, Manteo, if you would
like to attend.
THE COASTLAND TIMES
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE INTEREST OF THE WALTER RALEIGH COASTLAND OF NORTH CAROLINA
OLDEST MERCHANT IN
MANTEO IS HONORED
■■a.
Ik.' ■•'■•■
LINDSAY D. TARKINGTON of
Manteo, came to Dare County from
Washington County more than 50
years ago, and save for a few
years in the grocery business in
Belhaven has been a resident of
and a leading figure in Manteo
ever since. Wednesday night of
this week many friends gathered
at his home to honor him on his
78th birthday. He is head of the
grocery that bears his name, bank
director, Baptist deacon, former
Sunday School Superintendent,
former Mayor, and holder of many
public offices and places of _jiis
tinction. Always a highly popular
man, he holds his age well, looks
healthier and more active even
than a few years ago. He is Man
teo’s oldest merchant.
WAVES 4-H’ER ENTERS
STATE DRESS REVUE
Five Dare Girls and Boys Attend
4-H Week in Raleigh
Jacqueline Farrow, Waves, en
tering 4-H State Dress Revue
from Dare County, was in top
sixteen. Jackie was Dare County’s
Dress Revue winner and competed
against 95 contestants in the State
contest. She wore a pink and
white striped chambray under
dress, which could be worn sepa
rately, or with an over-skirt and
bolero of white waffle pique with
a rose cumberbund. She also made
matching accessories to wear with
her costume, a white broad-brim
med hat trimmed in the pink and
white chambray with covered but
tons. Her bag was a neat pouch
type with scollops on the sides and
pink buttons.
This is the second time a girl
has entered the State 4-H Dress
Revue from Dare County. Jackie
entered the contest last year also.
Others attending the State 4-H
Week in Raleigh, July 21-26, were
Shelia Gibson and Sonja Oden,
Hatteras; Jazania Herbert, Rodan
the, and Lance Midgett, Waves.
R. S. Smith, Farm Agent, attend
ed the week with the 4-H’ers and
Mary Kirby, Home Agent, attend
ed the State Dress Revue.
TRAFFIC CASES CONSUME
DARE RECORDERS TIME
Traffic cases consumed mott of
the weekly Recorders ourt in
Dare County. Charles E. Baker,
a sailor, was taxed with the costs
as the result of driving too close
to another car and bumping into
same on Nags Head beach.
Luther Midgett of Wanchese
was assessed $8."0 and costs for
parking on the shoulder of the
road without lights.
Harold B. Lennon, tried oil
three counts, driving while
drunk, driving after his opera
tor’s license had been revoked,
and driving a car without oroper
tags, was fined $250 and cosis.
Ephraim Daniels, Jr., was fined
$25 and costs and given a 90-day
suspended sentence for creating
an affray on the premises of
Lloyd Meekins.
Wm. Ryland Bonney of Pungo,
Va„ for failing to yield the right
of way and making a left hand
turn in the face of incoming traf
fic ws fined sls and costs.
Lillie Patter and Maria Bak
er, sisters, were charged with as
saulting NaomT McClees and cre
ating an affray on Lloyd Meek
ins’ premises. The case was not
tried, because Nfaria had not
been apprehended. ,
REV. A E. BROWN WILL
PREACH IN MANTEO SUNDAY
Rev. A. E. Brown, fortner pas
l tor of Mount Olivet Methodist
Church in Manteo, but now a pas
tor in Goldsboro, will be guest
minister at the Manteo Metho
dist Church on Sunday morning,
August 10. Mr. and Mrs. Brown
and their children are frequent
visitors in Manteo, where they
have a qumiper home.
•
STATE BOARD PERMITS
BUILDING OF A BRIDGE
Toll Road Company Allowed to
Amend Charter to Include Cro
atan Sound Bridge
Would-be toll road builders Tues
day became would-be toll bridge
builders.
The Carolina - Virginia Coastal
Highway Corporation was allowed
to amend its charter to provide for
a toll bridge across Croatan Sound,
connecting Manns Harbor with
Roanoke Island, by the North Car
olina Municipal Board of Control.
Under the Original charter, is
sued in 1949, the corporation was
authorized to construct a toll high
way along the coast from the Nags
Head area to Norfolk. That char
ter made no provision for the
bridge.
Tuesday, at a meeting in Ra
leigh, the board of control added
the bridge proviso. corpora
tion spokesmen did not say when
they expect to start construction
of the highway or the bridge.
The North Carolina Municipal
Board of Control is made up of
Secretary of State Thad Eure, At
torney General Harry McMullan
and Stanley Winbourne, chairman
of the State Utilities Commission.
It has the power to set up corpora
tions and to incorporate towns.
Representatives of the Alligator-
Croatan Bridge Association are
now circulating a petition, asking
the state now to proceed to build
a bridge over Alligator River,
since there is a possibility the
company will build the Croatan
Sound Bridge.
The Raleigh meeting was attend
ed by L. L. Swain and M. L. Dan
iels, Jr. The toll road company
consists of Ray Adams of Wash
ington, D. C., Guy Lennon of Man
teo and Wayland Sermons of
Washington. The objective is to
develop ocean front lands at Co
rolla in Currituck County which
offers a development as good or
better than any other on our
coast.
MIXON NAMES NEWSMEN
ON ADVISORY BOARD
MURFREESBORO.—Dr. F. Ori
on Mixon, president of Chowan
College, announced appointment of
14 newspaper and magazine puo
lishers of North Carolina and Vir
ginia to the Advisory Board of
the school’s new Graphic Arts De
partment.
“We want to turn out the pro
duct here at Chowan,” Dr. Mixon
said in releasing the list of ap
pointees, “and we will be looking
to the Advisory Board to show us
the way.”
Represented on the board are
men from weeklies, small dailies
and large dailies of the two states.
They are:
Robert E. Williams, associate
editor of the News and Observer
of Raleigh;
Joseph A. Lesley of the NorfolK,
Va., Ledger Dispatch;
C. W. Bazemore of the Biblical
Recorder;
See COLLEGE, Page Eight
DR. KELSEY REGEN
TO PREACH AT FORT
T Th
■■■MV -■MMi
DR. KELSEY REGEN, pastor of
the First Presbyterian Church in
Durham, will conduct the Sunday
morning services at Fort Raleigh
on August 10. The musical wor
ship will begin' at 11 o’clock. The
music will be by the Lost Colony
choir, under the direction of Ralph
Burrier, with Franz Engle as or
ganist. Thomas Are will be so
loist.
Dr. Regen, a prominent educat
or and civic leader, received his
divinity degrees from Davidson
College and Presbyterian Theolog
ical Seminary, Louisville, Ky„ and
did graduate work at Union Teo
ological Seminary in New York.
He has held pastorates in Coving
ton, Ky., and Middletown, N. Y.,
and has been guest preacher at
various colleges and universities
in Kentucky, New York and North
Carolina;
MANTEO, N. C., FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 1952
Two Sea Sagas Tied Together
By A Scuppernong Grapevine
An Entertaining Yarn of The Outcome of the Senior
Latham’s Love For The Sea and Solly Topping’s
Appetite for Grapes As Told By a Master Sto°ry
Teller.
By BEN DIXON MacNEILL
When so many people and years
and places and things get involv
ed in such a tale as this, which
is concerned with great ships and
America’s gained and lost and re
gained mastery of the seas, it is
pretty difficult to know just where
and with whom to begin. The tale
begins with the Clipper ship? and
comes eventually down the years
to a proud - day when America is
again and triumphantly master of
the oceans.
One solution of the problem,
and as good as any, is to let it
begin atop the scuppernong vine
on the Latham farm a little ways
out of Belhaven forty years ago.
If it had not been for the grape
vine the chances are that Mr. La
tham would not have been invited
to ride on the shake-down cruise
of the United States some weeks
back and there would have been
no story— and no picture of Mr.
Latham as, for one unforgettable
nterlude, master of the great
ship’s bridge.
In brief, no grapevine—no story.
There is nothing mysterious—
Mr. Latham did not dream—he is
not much of a man for dreams—
forty years ago that because he
was indulgent with a neighbor
boy’s appalling appetite for scup
pernong grapes that he would be
invited to ride as guest upon a
great ship that no man, in that
day, had yet dreamed about. But
the boy remembered and Mr. La
tham went cruising on a trip that
will go down in the history books.
Six weeks after the boy got to
be 17 years old—it happened in
March and there were no grapes
on the vine to detain him—the
boy enlisted in the United States
Navy and presently discovered
himself in the thick of war. He sur
vived that and continued a sea
faring man. He is now Capt. S. J.
Topping, Jr., Marine Superinten
dent of United States Lines.
That will account for how it
came about that the first man in
North Carolina to win the Master
Farmer Award from State Col
lege came eventually to find him
self seated in the commodore’s
chair on the bridge of the world’s
greatest ship in the year that he
became 80 years of age. And will
account, too, for the fact that Mr.
Latham became acquainted with a
new word. The word is atavism.
It has been in the dictionary a
long time but Mr. Latham had
not any need for such a word.
A Father’s Example Repeated
And that takes the tale back
for another, and necessary, begin
ning. Back to his father who was
born not far from Belhaven in 1821
and, when he was a good sized
youngster, did what so many be
fore and after him, have done. He
went away to sea and for long
years he sailed the oceans in the
great clipper ships that had won
maritime supremacy for America.
Mr. Latham was a long time rea
lizing it, but he was bom with
sea-water in h.is veins and this
newly found kinship with the sea
is a sort of atavism.
Whatever it is Mr. Latham likes
it and-he is proud of it. Not that
he feels that he has wasted the
years between his first awareness
of the sea, which his father began
to teach him before he can re
member. He maybe does have, hid
den away, some sort of regret that
he did not claim his heritage ear
lier, but he has been satisfyingly
: busy with other matters in the in
terim and this trip on the great
granddaughter of his father’s
■ Clippers has been one of the
crowning things of his life.
His father was 51 years old
when Mr. Latham was born 80
. years ago. The father was a man
I of eager and inquiring enthusiasm.
Fie was an able seaman, with a
zest for life. Otherwise he could
not have survived a seizure of yel
low fever in New Orleans, or the
storms his Clipper met when roun
ding Cape Horn enroute to Ore
gon Territory long before there
was any notion of gold in the val
ley of the Moon in California.
But men weary of the sea and
Sailor Latham came home. He
bought a farm on Pungo river
five miles from the site of the
unborn town of Belhaven. At sea
he had carried with him books of
many sorts and when he came a
shore he had a fine theoretical ac
quaintance with the science of
medicine and also the science of
land-surveying. First he schooled
himself and then he went to es
tablish schools ashore until he was
licensed not only to survey land—
he was a licensed navigator al
ready—but to practice medicine.
He farmed and he surveyed land
and he administered physic and de
livered babies.
Sons were born, two of them to
his third wife and the first of
them he named Frederick Phineas
for no one in particular. Before
the boy was five years old he
had taught him to swim in the
canal that traversed the farm and
by the time he was six the boy
had mastered the rudiments of
managing a boat with sail on it.
The elder Latham knew something
about farming, too, but not more
than enough to piece out the not
too adequate medical and engi
neering income. He loved the sea.
He loved water and wind and sun
and these things he instilled into
the not very husky boy.
And then, before the boy was
17 years old, the seaman died. He
bequeathed to the boy the farm
and his love of the sea. Making
a living on a farm, in 1889 was
a pretty grim business for a boy
of 17. He was a grimly serious
sort of boy, conscious of his re
sponsibility to his widowed mother
and his brother and sister. He
farmed, somewhat grimly, for near
a quarter of a century before he
took time off to do some object
ive thinking about the business.
He came up with an answer that ’
has revolutionized farming in I
Tidewater, North Carolina, but
that is not a part of this tale. It
is getting confused enough as it
is.
>At about the time he stopped
to do some objective thinking, pos
sibly while sitting on the front
porch of the house his father had
built, and in which he still lives,
Mr. Latham became aware of the
See LATHAM, Page Eight
BEAUTY CONTEST WINNER
TO BE AT LOST COLONY
Barbara Ann Harris of Salis
bury, recently crowned “Miss
North Carolina of 1952” at the
Jaycee-sponsored Pageant of Beau
ty and Talent in Winston-Salem
will be a guest performer in Paul
Green’s symphonic drama The
Lost Colony on next Tuesday
night, August 12. It will mark the
second appearance of a famous
beauty as a guest star this season
in the first symphonic drama to
initiate “Celebrity Nights.” Col
leen Kay Hutchins, Miss America
of 1951, was guest star in the play
on July 29.
Miss North Carolina is sched
uled to arrive on the Dare Coast
Sunday with her companion, Doris
Huffines of Lenoir. They will stop
at The Carolinian Hotel and on
Monday evening she is expected to
be one of the judges in the Lost
Colony’s annual Masquerade Ball,
which is held each year by Lost
Colony Company members and
will be presented this year at the
Dare County Shrine Club on Nags
Head.
The beauty who won over a field
of 38 entrants at Winston-Salem
will be cast in the colorful fish
net scene of the drama, playing
the same role that in the past has
been played by Miss America, Lu
long Ogburn “Miss North Carolina
of 1951,” Georgia Carroll and
other widely known personalities.
Barbara Ann Harris is 22 years
old and a resident of Salisbury.
A graduate of WCUNC, she is
five feet two inches tall, weighs
115 pounds, has a 34 inch bust,
24 inch waist and 34 inch hips.
She wears her pale brown hair in
a long bob, and has blue eyes and
fair skin. In her talent competi
tion, she played an operetic se
lection. She will represent North
Carolina in the Miss America Pa
geant in Atlantic City next month.
NEW MANAGEMENT FOR
SILVER LAKE INN
OCRACOKE.—SiIver Lake Inn, lo
cated on the Lake Shore at Ocra
coke, was reopened recently under
new management, Cantwell and
James Howard having leased the
property from R. S. Wahab. The
Howard brothers are natives cf
Ocracoke, sons of Mrs. Tessie
Howard, who return to the Island
after several years’ residence in
California. They plan to operate
a restaurant, and will have avail
able room space for about four
teen guests. It is their hope, too,
to revive the old-time square
dances with guitar and fidd'e mus
ic for Wednesday and Saturday
nights. Silver Lake Inn was origi
nally the Odd Fellows Hall. During
World War II it served ai a club
house for the Navy Base. Since
then it has been leased and oper
. ated by various private individuals'.
district governor
TO VISIT US MONDAY
George D. Colclough
The Rotary Club of Manteo
Monday August 11 will be host to
George D. ColClough, Governor of
the 278th District of Rotary Inter
national, who is making his an
nual official visit to each of the
38 Rotary Clubs in District 278.
He will confer with president Z.
Vance Brinkley, Secretary Wally
McCown and other local officers
on Rotary administration and serv
ice activities. Mr. ColClough was a
brief visitor also, Monday night
of this week.
Mr. Colclough is Executive Sec
retary of the Burlington Chamber
of Commerce and Merchants As
sociation and is a member of the
i Rotary Club of Burlington. He is
one of the 207 District Governors
who are supervising the activities
of some 7,600 Rotary Clubs which
have a membership of 360,000
business and professional execu
tives in 83 countries and geogra
phical regions throughout the
world.
Wherever Rotary Clubs are lo
cated their activities are similar
to those of the Rotary Club of
Manteo because they are based on
the same general objectives—de
veloping better understanding and
fellowship among business and
professional men, promoting com
munity-betterment undertakings,
raising the standards of business
and professions, and fostering the
advancement of good will, under
standing and peace among all the
peoples of the World.
Each year, this world-wide serv
ice organization continues to grow
in numbers and in strength. Dur
ing the past fiscal year, for ex
ample, 219 new Rotary Clubs were
See GOVERNOR, Page Four
BRAHMS REQUIEM WELL
RECEIVED IN MANTEO
Appreciative Audience Hears Con
cert of Noble Music
Monday Night
The rendition of the Brahms
German’ Requiem Monday night
by The Lost Colony Chorus, und
er the auspices of the Roanoke
Island School of Fine Arts, was
one of the most ambitious and
best rendered musical programs
ever to be presented in Manteo.
The great choral masterpiece
was conducted by Ralph Burrier,
musical director for the Lost
Colony, and head of the con
ducting department at the West
minister Choir College. Soloists
were Helyne McLain, soprano, of
the Lost Colony choir, who in
the winter months is with the
Fred Waring television show; 1
and Paul Snyder, baritone, of the
Lost Colony choir. Accompan
ists were James M. Hart and
Frank Engle. Members of the
chorus included all members of
the regular Lost Colony choir,
supplemented by others enrolled
in the School of Fine Arts. The
audience, while it did not over
flow the school auditorium, was
a most appreciative one. Another
concert of a different nature is
scheduled for a later date in
August. • > < ' • .
Following the concert, Miss
Mollie Fearing was hostess to the
chorus at her home in Manteo.
Punch and sandwiches were
served and an informal evening
of fun was enjoyed.
LIBRARY HOURS CHANGED
Because more people nowa
days seem to come to the Dare
County Library in Manteo be
fore ten in the morning than
come between 5 and 6 in the
afternoon, it has been decided to
make the first change that has
ever been made since the library
began to run on full time 15
years ago.
Beginning Monday, August 11,
library hours will be from 9 a.m.
Ito 5 pjrn. daily except Sunday.
Single Copy 7<
SLIPPERY ROAD
NEAR MANTEO
CAUSES DEATH
Sailor from Faraway Seattle,
Killed When Car Skids
Into Canal Satur
day Night
The slippery and dange»ous por
tion of US 158 between Manteo
and the Roanoke Sound Bridge
claimed the life of a sailor from
Seattle, , Washington Saturday
night. Vernon C. Sanders, a Coast
Guard stationed at Norfolk, was
killed when the car driven by
Modest Neal LeLievre, also of
Norfolk, skidded on the slippery
road and went into the canal at
the side. It was rainy, and as
usual, cars even at low speeds slip
badly on the road.
The Dare Commissioners have
made efforts to get the Highway
Commission to relieve the danger
ous state of the road.
Patrolman R. C. Holt, on going
to the scene found the ear under
water, completely.
ROTARY GOVERNOR IS
GUEST OF LOCAL CLUB
Fortner Associate of Henry Ford
Speaker; Many Other
Visitors
First hand anecdotes of the life
and character of Henry Ford were
told the Manteo Rotary Club Mon
day night by Woodrow McKay cf
Lexington, who for many years
was an employe of Mr. Ford, and
accompanied him on many of his
travels. Mr. McKay is now secre
tary of the Lexington Chamber of
Commerce.
He came to Manteo with Geo.
D. Colclough, District President
of Rotary, who also spoke. The
elub had a dozen other visitors,
men from many towns who are
vacationing at Nags Head.
The club discussed the efforts
that are being made to get a doc
tor to locate at Manteo, and re
viewed several prpspects. This
project has been discussed for
about a year in conjunction with
other local civic clubs.
BOY SCOUTS WORKING
ON WATERMELON PARTY
The big watermelon party plan
ned by Manteo Boy Scouts at their
bathing beach at the Manteo Air
port Monday evening, August 11
at 6:30 is going to be a big suc
cess, the scouts believe. They are
out selling tickets this week. A
one dollar ticket is good for an
adult couple. Children’s ticktts
cost 25 cents.
Wilford Wise, Scout master
says arrangements have been made
for an ample supply of melons. If
any melons are left these will be
sold at the end of the party and
visitors will get an opportunity to
take home a good melpn at a bar
gain price.
The scouts are planning a pro
gram of some sort for the occas
ion. They hope to realize a good
sum to help on their fund to build
a scout home. J ;
MRS. MARGARET MITCHELL
Funeral rites for Mrs. Margaret
Ann Mitchell, 76, of New York
City, who died at her home Satur
day, were conducted Tuesday aft
ernoon at 3 o’clock at the Shiloh
Baptist Church by the Rev. J. Al
len Wentz, assisted by Dr. J. Sam
uel Johnson. Burial was in the Old
Trap Methodist Church cemetery.
Mrs. Mitchell was a native of Cam
den County, but she had lived in
New York for 21 years. She was
the daughter of George and Liz
zie Swindell, wife of Edmond Mit
chell, and a member of the Metho
dist Church at Old Trap. Surviving
are four sons, Chester Mitchell of
Manteo, John Paul and Houston
Mitchell, both of New York and
Powell Mitchell of Trinadad: three
daughters, Mrs. Walter Hetzel, .
Mrs. Lillie Burgess and Mrs. Beu
lah Uruatia, all of New York; a
stepdaughter, Mrs. Linwood Pugh
of Norfolk; a half-brother, George
Swindell of Norfolk; two half-sis
ters, Mrs. Will Owens of Shiloh
and Mrs. Blanch Mitchell of Old
Trap.
Among those from Manteo at
tending the funeral were Mr. and
Mrs. M. C. Mitchell, Mrs. Cecil
Walker and children, Carol and •
Lloyd; Mr. and Mrs. Morris Mit
chell and daughter, Margaret;
Mrs. James Cuthrell and daughter,
Laura; and Fleetwood Mitchell,
all of Manteo; Miss Florence Mit
chell of Norfolk and Mr. and Mrs.
Edmund Mitchell of Portsmouth,
Va., who had been visiting Mr.
and Mrs. M. C. Mitchell.