-UME XIX NO. 19
CLARION CALL TO OCRACOKE
TO BE ISLAND EMPIRE ANEW
BY UNION WITH NEIGHBORS
1
Diverse Winds of History, Economic Changes,
Ambitions of Travelers and Political 'For
tunes Have Buffeted This Famed Island In
to Wide Awakening to New Opportunities.
By MARVIN HOWARD
Ocracoke, N. C.
There is a challenge today for
Ocracoke people to unite and
once again become an Island Em
pire. For two centuries it was
such, complete within itself.
There are now new conditions
facing it, there .are golden oppor
tunities knocking every day at
the door of its people, and unless
we bestir ourselves, we are go
ing to lose rich rewards such as
are bringing great prosperity and
progress to our seashore neigh
bors to the north and to the south
of us.
Orphaned by the wide water
which divides it from the main
land, Ocracoke for many decades
has not been so fortunate even as
Hatteras Island, where although
apparently forgotten at times, its
people could if they desired reach
their county seat and ask for re
cognition, even though if took
them a day to make the trip. But
a trip to Ocracoke’s county seat
for most people most all the year,
has been entirely out of the ques
tion. And while Hatteras has
gone forward, this has come of its
having been part of a more fa
vored county and now has good
roads, Ocracoke’s situation is not
improved and in relation to
changing times is worse off than
ever, and there is no likelihood of
an improvement unless good
roads are provided like other
stretches of the outer banks. On
the other hand, Ocracokers may
now travel north with ease and
reach the county seat of Dare
three hours.
plight, while con
sidered by some as neglect on the
part of the officials of its county,
is more the result of charlce and
circumstance. It never seemed
practical to the mainland people
of Hyde County to do much for
Ocracoke Island. It was just too
far away, assuming there were
the desire and the inclination
which obviously has been lack
ing. A century ago, even a decade
ago, before the days of good
roads, Ocracokers were just as
well off as anybody. It was a
small but independent empire. Its
people were resourceful and had
plenty. Tfyey needed no help. It
was their nature to live as thrif
tily on God’s abundance as did
the Banker ponies roaming the
green meadows in the spring
time.
In fact, Ocracokers in those
days were better off than the
people of the mainland who had
their wet years or their dry
years, or their crop failures and
maybe like other farmers lost one
crop out of four, Yet on Ocracoke
Island nature lavished bounty
abundantly upon the people, in
season after season, throughout
the year. It just wasn’t natural
for Ocracokers to ask for any
thing because the waters teemed
the year round with clams, oy
sters, fish, in fact all kinds of
seafood. Throughout the winter,
multitudes of ducks and geese
came from the north to further
enrich the livelihood of the peo
ple. And again the sea often
yielded unexpected bounty from
shipwreck and flotsam useful to
the people.
Once Money Didn't Matter.
What matter about money in
those old days. Gardens flourish
ed with green vegetables and
there were fruits and anything
else needed was easily obtained
by barter. It was'easy to salt and
save plenty of fish and trade
them off with neighbors across
the water, bringing home corn
and beans and potatoes and
household goods and supplies for
mtrnen and fishermen.
ut after a time drearier days
dawned, not once but several
times through the years for
Ocracoke and the whole coast
land and each one of them be
came more dismal than the pre
ceding one. And Ocracoke was
not only less fortunately situated
but less interested in building the
hedge against disaster that so
many other communities had the
foresight to build ahd by which
they now profit.
The loss in income to the peo
ple of Ocracoke, has followed a
chain of events. In comparative
years, the Coast* Guard and
Lighthouse service which em-
See CALL, Page Eight
THE COASTLAND TIMES
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE INTEREST OF THE WALTER RALEIGH COASTLAND OF NORTH CAROLINA
AMERICAN EDUCATION
WEEK BEGINS NOV. 8
Manteo Schools Invite Public for
Special Program Nov. 11
November 8-14, 1953 has been
designated as this year’s Ameri
can Education Week by its spon
sors, the National Education As
sociation, the American Legion,
the U. S. Office of Education, and
the National Congress of Parents
and Teachers.
The central theme for this
year’s observance is addressed to
the individual citizen: GOOD
SCHOOLS ARE YOUR RESPON
SIBILITY. The daily topics re
late to various aspects of the
modern school program and to
some of the schools’ most urgent
needs: “Moral and Spiritual
Foundations,” “Learning the
Fundamentals,” “Building the
National Strength,” “Preparing
for Loyal Citizenship,” “The
School Board in Action,” “Your
Child’s Teachers,” and “Parent
and Teacher Teamwork.”
During American Education
Week more than 12 million peo
ple are expected to accept the
schools’ special invitation to visit
classrooms and observe school
work. In addition, the spotlight
of public attention will be fo
cused on the work of the schools
through the press, radio, tele
vision, special programs, and
many other channels of com
munication.
“American Education Week is
inventory time,” says the spon
soring committee. “It is an occa
sion to review the purposes and
accomplishments of the schools.
It is a time to consider school
problems, needs, and plans. It is
a time for self-examination. Good
schools do not just happen. In
each community and state the
schools are what we make them.
They must have our interest and
support during American Ed
ucation Week, and' during every
week of the year.”
In Manteo the public is invited
to visit the school on Wednesday,
November 11, when a special
program on Armistice Day will
be presented by Grade 10 at nine
A.M. Afterward, visitors are in
vited to visit the classrooms.
CHURCH SERVICES
IN COMMUNITY BUILDING
The Church of Christ group in
Manteo has been given tne privi
lage of using the community
building for services, November,
8, 1953, and waiting further word
as to whether they will be privi
laged to use it regularly or not.
Services are to be held at 2, P.M.
The public is cordially invited to
attend all services. Burl Brinn is
minister of the local church.
ELECTRONIC MINIATURES
MANTEO S NEWEST FIRM
Electronic Miniatures Lab.,
which recently opened its doors
in Manteo, is owned jointly by
Elmer V. Midgett, Jr., and E. E.
McGowan, Jr., who with Mrs.
McGowan recently moved to
Manteo. The business is located
next to Mr. Midgett’s plumbing
business in the Gordon building.
Main business of the firm is
manufacture small electronic de
vices, such as pocket radios,
which are sold nationally. The
company also deals in television
and other like appliances.
Mr. McGowan has had several
years experience in this line.
VISIT WESTERN STATES
Lloyd Midgett and His daugh
ter, Mrs. Murray Bridges, both
of Manteo, Mrs. H. O. Bridges of
Wanchese and Mrs. Etta Peele
of Manteo, returned early Wed
nesday morning from a week’s
trip to Western states. Their first
stop was in East Chicago, where
they were joined by Murray
Bridges, who is in engineer’s
school at the Great Lakes Naval'
Training Center. Mr. Bridges
went with them to Kewaunee,
Wisconsin, where they visited Mr.
and Mrs. Bobby Daniels. Mr. (
Daniels joined the party and acr--
companied them to Gill’s Rock, ,
Wisconsin, on Lake Michigan. !
METHODISTS MAKE
MANY CHANGES
IN PASTORATES
Some Ministers Returned for
Bth Year; New Faces
Appear in Circle
Some brand new ministers
enter the field for the first time
this year, and some of the old
ministers have been returned for
the eighth year, among the
Methodist Pastorates in the Eliz
abeth City District. In Wanchese,
Rev. C. W. Guthrie has returned
Tor his Bth year, and at Avon,
Rev. P. M. Porter is back for his
Bth year.
, Wilford Wise of Manteo, a new
entry in the ministry will go to
the Bath charge. Swan Quarter
gets a new pastor, Rev. A. J.
Stone. Stumpy Point a new
pastor, Rev. Aaron Tyson. Rev.
Stephenson goes to Ocracoke.
Rev. L. P. Jackson is returned
to Belhaven; Rev. H. R. Ashmore
to Manteo; Rev. Earl Meekins to
Columbia; W. B. Gregory to Kitty
Hawk.
Replacing Mr. Gregory at Hat-
Mattamuskeet circuit in Hyde
gets Rev. H. S. Garris,
teras is Rev. Dan E. Meadows.
Replacing Dr. F. S. Love as
District Supt. is C. F. Heath.
MANTEO ROTARIANS HAVE
LADIES NIGHT MONDAY
The Manteo Rotary Club en
tertained at Ladies’ Night Mon
day evening in the Community
Building. John H. Long presided,
and a special program was put
on by a group of high school stu
dents, by arrangement of pro
gram chairman Aycock Brown.
Misses Pat Baum, Carol Ann
Allen and Linda Gaskill, Bobby
Ballance and Jack Burrus gave
a floor show of musical numbers
with Ballance as emcee. Lois
Peterson did a tap dance in cos
tume. Dick Jordan was accomp
anist for the evening.
TURKEY DINNER IN
MANTEO NOVEMBER 19
A Thanksgiving turkey dinner
will be served in Manteo on
Thursday evening, November 19.
in the educational building of
Mount Olivet Methodist Church.
The affair will be sponsored by
the Woman’s Society for Chris
tian Service, and dinners will be
served from 5:30 on. The public
is invited to attend. A reasonable
charge will be made.
TO RESUME EDITORIAL
WORK IN ELIZ. CITY
■ill i^BHan
MgsffijjSjgllk gem
After having served 37 months
in the Army, Wm. F. (Bill) Has
kett, son of Editor and Mrs. Geo.
W. Haskett, was separated from
the service at midnight, Satur
day. Oct. 31.
Haskett, who held the rank of
first lieutenant at the time of
leaving the service, with' his
wife, Barbara, and their young
son, Jeffry, who have been living
at Fort Bragg, returned to Eliza
beth City where they will make
their home. They this week are
moving into their home in Will
iams Circle.
Bill, the junior partner of the
Independant-Star, will take up
his duties as associate editor of
the paper as soon as the family
are settled in their new home.
He is a graduate of the School of
Journalism of the University of
North Carolina. Upon graduation
he came home and began publish
ing the Albemarle Star, a week
ly, in April of 1950. He went into
service in September, 1950. His
paper continued as a weekly un
til Jah. T, 1951, when his father
went back into the publishing
business. The name of the paper
was changed to the Independant-
Star ahd it has been published
as a daily since that time.
MANTEO, N. C., FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1953
BELHAVEN MAN PREST.
SOUTHERN ALBEMARLE
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DR. WILLIAM T. RALPH of
Belhhven was unanimously elect
ed president of the Southern
Albemarle Association Wednes
day following a luncheon at the
Manteo Airport, succeeding Law
rence L. Swain of Manteo. Vice
Presidents for the six counties of
the association, all unanimously
elected are as follows: Beaufort,
Mrs. Scott Topping of Belhaven;
Dare: Melvin R. Daniels of Wan
chese; Hyde, N. W. Shelton of
Swan Quarter; Martin, Alexan
der Corey of Jamesville; Tyrrell,
Julian H. Swain of Columbia, and
Washington, Harry W. Pritchett
of Creswell. Mrs. Wilton Smith
of Bath was elected Secretary,
and M. A. Matthews of Columbia
Treasurer.
Belhaven was announced as
the place of the annual meeting
of the six-county association next
year. *
During the welcome meeting
in the forenoon, Melvin Daniels
welcomed the visitors, and res
ponses were made by P. D. Mid
gett 111 of Engelhard, and by T.
R. Spruill as President for Wash
ington County.
MASS CHEST X-RAY
FOR DARE-CURRITUCK
A Mass Chest X-ray Survey,
sponsored by the Currituck-Dare
District Health Department in
cooperation with the N. C. State
Board of Healtfi/ts being made
in Currituck and Pare counties,
beginning October 30. For Dare
County the schedule is as follows:
Kitty Hawk Post Office, Novem
ber 12; Kill Devil Hills Post
Office, November 13; Manteo
Health Office, November 14;
Hatteras Hotel, November 17;
Buxton Post Office, November
18; Avon School Building, Nov
ember 19; Wanchese-Ralph Till
ett *s Store, November 20: Manns
Harbor Methodist Church, Nov
ember 21.
The hours are 10 o’clock A.M.
to 4 o’clock P.M. It is urged that
everyone 15 years of age and
older take advantage of this op
portunity to be X-rayed. Chest
X-rays are not only necessary in
finding early T. B. of the lungs,
but other serious conditions may
be discovered early, and too,
chest X-rays are necessary in ob
taining health certificates, mar
riage licenses, etc. EVERY
BODY’S GETTING ONE, so get
yours too.
W. W. JOHNSTON, M. D.
Health Officer
NOV. 8 FINAL DATE FOR
PORT SECURITY CARD TEAM
A final reminder was issued by
the U. S. Coast Guard today that
the port security identification
processing team will make its
last appearance in North Caro
lina this Sunday, November 8,
at the Nags Head Lifeboat Sta
tion between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Coast Guard officials said that
waterfront workers and fisher
men will have to apply for the
cards in Norfolk if they miss the
processing team at Nags Head.
The card processing team is
equipped to complete all pre
liminary phases of card procure
ment for applicants, including
the taking of identification photo
graphs and (fingerprinting. This
means that in one stop applicants
can take care of all they are re
quired to do to get a card.
The Coast Guard emphasized
that all applicants at Nags Head
should bring with them some
means of proving citizenship such
as a birth certificate, baptismal
certification, bible record, mer
chant marine documents, natur
alization papers, passport, and in
surance policy at least 10 years
old or a military discharge cer
tificate.
In addition, social security
humbers must be available for
the Coast Guard processing team.
TO GIVE PARTY
FOR L. W. MIDGETT
AT SHRINE CLUB
Popular Keeper of Chicami
comico Station to Retire
December 2nd
Rodanthe. Just where the
event will be staged will have to
be determined after there is some
sort of co-ordination among his
multitudes of friends but it is
already certain that when he de
parts from the service of the
U. S. Coast Guard on his birthday
December 2nd BMC (L) Levene
W. Midgett will have a farewell
party that will be something not
only for the veteran, and the last,
of the surfman to remember long
after the last unused oar has
rotted.
Such friends as Comptroller
General Lindsay Warren suggest
that the thing ought to be staged
somewhere north of Oregon In
let so that Chief’s friends from
afar can get at him for the festal
day and, on the other hand, Ad
miral Russell E. Wood, District
commander of the Coast Guard,
inclines to the notion that the
thing ought to be staged right in
the ancient Chicamicomico Sta
tion of which he is the third and
last officer in charge.
Admiral Wood has heartily
agreed to come down to the Sta
tion on the day of the Chief's re
tirement and sign him out of the
service right there in the station
which he has commanded since
shortly after the death of the
late great Capt. John Allen Mid
gett early in 1938. He would like
to see all of the Chief’s retired J
friends and associates of the ser
vic come back to the station that
day for a remembrance of things
past.
On the other hand, scores of
friends, like Lindsay Warren,
who live at great distances from
Chicamicomico and who, prob
ably, have heard distressing talk
of the crowding of the ferries,
suggest that the thing ought to be
■had in some place like the Shrine
Club on the beach ,so they could
get down there in suitable num
bers and with some chance of
getting home again after it is
over.
Congressman Herbert C. Bon
ner takes a neutral ground and
says that ever they have it
he will attend and has even put
forward the suggestion that two
celebrations in one day, one
down here and a second one
north of the Inlet might be a fea
sible solution of the matter. Any
how, it is apparent that there is
going to be a farewell party, and
maybe several of them. Chief
Warrant Officer Cyrus Gray,
group commander of stations on
Hatteras Island aims to be pre
sent, helpfully, at any or all of
them.
For the past several weeks
there have been widely current
reports that many of the Lifeboat
Stations along the North Caro
lina coast were scheduled for
closing but that question has
been deferred at the instance of
Congressman Bonner until after
January. Even when it was plan
ned to close them down as of last
Monday, or at the beginning of
November, Admiral Wood sent
down word that there would be
a station here as long as Levene
Midgett was here to command it,
which had deferred closing any
how until after December 2nd.
Next January, if he were left
in service and the station here
were continued, Chief Midgett
would be rounding out his 16th
year as officer in charge. Pro
ceeding him, Captain John Allen
Midgett had the Station from
Capt. Bannister L. Midgett in
1915 and commanded it. for 23
years. Captain Bannister helped
See MIDGETT, Page Eight
MANTEO SCOUTS USHER
AT OYSTER BOWL GAME
A group of Boy Scouts from
Manteo went Saturday to Norfolk
with their leaders, Edwin Mid
gett and T. H. Noe, to serve as
ushers at the Oyster Bowl game,
played by Duke and the Univer
sity of Virginia. They were Davis
Ballance, Billy Tugwell, Roy
Gray, James Stillman, Paul Mid
gett, Tommie O’Neal, Tommy
Biggs, Caleb Myers Brickhouse,
Allen Dough and Byron Sawyer.
Scouts from all troops in the
Tidewater Council ushered.
Among others attending were
Mr. and Mrs. M. L. Daniels, Jr.,
R. Bruce Etheridge, Mr. and Mrs.
McCoy Tillett, Mr. ard Mrs. Wal
lace McCown, Miss Mollie Fear
ing, W. W. Tarkington, C. R.
Evans, Mrs. Edwin Midgett and
daughter, Patsy, Mr. and Mrs.
Rudolph Peele, all of Manteo and
Mr. and Mrs. E. V. Melson of
1 Kill Devil Hills.
GOOD NEWS AND HARMONY
MARKS SOUTH ALBEMARLE
19TH RALLY WEDNESDAY
Some 200 People in Manteo from Six Counties
Hear Senator Alton Lennon Say Fine
Things, and Commissioner Winslow Pre
dict Great Advances Soon.
Looking backward over 18
years of achievment since it was
organized in Columbia in 1935
with a handful in attendance the
Southern Albemarle Association
celebrated a birthday and looked
ahead, notably in the vision of
youthful Senator Alton Lennon
and Highway Commissioner Em
met Winslow to what things are
likely to be like when the organi
zation comes to its 36th anniver
sary along in the fall of the year
1971.
Where a handful attended in a
corner of the court room in Co
lumbia in 1935 a throng gathered
to virtually fill the Pioneer
theatre in Manteo Wednesday
morning when President Law
rence Swain called the meeting
to order and Melvin Daniels,
miraculously recovering since he
heard there was to be a bridge
over Croatan, arose to proclaim
Dare county’s welcome and
again, a little later, to present
Senator Lennon. Between times
there was Mr. Winslow.
And this present meeting had
qualities that will lend it re
membrance for things other
than looking backward to 1935
and forward to 1971. None who
crowded the theatre will likely
soon forget that this was the
first county appearance of the
youthful Senator Lennon. He had
no red carnation in his button
hole and he wears almost a crew
cut for his hair—and he was very
young, very robust—and he talk
ed sound sense very pleasantly
Senator Lennon will be some
thing to remember.
So also will Emmett Winslow
be something to remember. He
stated categorically, on the per
sonal assurance of Governor
William B. Umstead, that people
in great and increasing numbers >
would be driving across Croatan
Sound over a completed bridge
before the end of the Umstead
administration, which still has j
three years and two months to
go. Work, Mr. Winslow assured
the gathering, will be underway
on the bridge by next summer
and it should be complete by
mid-summer of 1956.
Nor was that all. He declared
that negotiations are afoot for
the acquisition of a second ferry
to be used as stand-by at Oregon
Inlet and to be used when traffic
requires it. He declared that it
was his belief, now, that traffic
over Oregon Inlet would be
doubled by next summer and he
divulged, for the first time, ac
tual traffic figures for the Croa
tan and Oregon Inlet, for the
month of August. The figures:
Croatan Ferry—4s,ooo passen
gers.
Alligator River Ferry—2o,ooo
passengers.
Oregon Inlet Ferry—3o,ooo
passengers.
And her 6 the Southern Albe
marle Association saw a new ob
jective—bridges enough to take
care of all the traffic, over
sounds, rivers and inlets. Mr.
Winslow said they would come,
because they will have to come.
This was also the first public
session of speech-making that Mr.
Winslow has had a hand in
around this section since he was
appointed by Governor Umstead
to be highway commissioner last
May—and it was also the first
time that most of the counties in
the Albemarle Association are
now, by re-districting—allotted
to the First Division.
Delegates began assembling for
the meeting soon after the first
ferries docked on Roanoke Island
and the north side of the Inlet,
which was early and they were
still arriving when the meeting
got underway, delayed a little,
at the theatre. Senator Lennon
and Mr. Winslow were among the
early arrivals and if there was a
hand left unshaken or anybody
overlooked with his really amaz
ingly infectious smile, no account
has been made of it.
President Swain presided and
since Mayor Martin Kellogg was
off the Island unavoidably, he
served through the morning ses
sion in that capacity. Melvin
Daniels, he said, was about dead
and a source of worry to his
friends everywhere but that with
the announcement that a bridge
was to be built he had begun to
recover. Further announcements
See SAA MEETING, Page Eight
Single Copy 70
RAYMOND BASNETT TO
BE BANKS DEPUTY
Two Justices of the Peace Recom
mended by County Board; Law
Sought on Hatteras
Raymond Basnett of Buxton,
was this week employed by the
Dare, County Commissioners as
special Deputy Sheriff to police
Hatteras Island’s two communi
ties at a salary of $250 a month.
The board also recommended to
Governor Umstead for immediate
appointment two Magistrates:
Fred Gray of Avon and James
Turner of Buxton, in Kennekeet
and Hatteras Townships, res
spectively.
The problem of law and order
grows and grows on Hatteras Is
land, and has given the decent
element of people great concern
for a long time.
It is hoped that the plan now
being formulated for quick trial
close home will bring some re
sults.
DARE RECORDER HEARS
MANY TRAFFIC CASES
Several traffic cases appeared
before Judge Baum in Dare Re
corders Court Tuesday. D. A.
Rogers, Jr., pleaded guilty to
speeding at 75 miles per hour
and was fined $lO and costs.
Percy Leon Daniels pleaded
guilty to failing to observe a
stop sign and was taxed with
.pourtcosjs
William Cai*l Jernigan, who
failed to yield the right of way,
and in collision with the car of
Mrs. Clifford Midgett of* Kitty
Hawk, and whose car was great
ly damaged, was taxed $5 and
costs.
R. C. Francis, charged with
driving while intoxicated, testi
fied to by the patrolman, and
charged with driving with a de
fective muffler, to which latter
charge he pleaded guilty and on
this count only was found guilty
and fined $lO and costs.
DENTAL CLINIC FOR
DARE BEGINS” NOV. 9
Dr. W. W. Johnston of the
Currituck-Dare Health Depart
ment announces there will be a
series of ten weeks Dental Clinics
held in the schools of Dare and
Currituck Counties, beginning in
Dare County November 9.
This service is made possible
by the Division of Oral Hygiene
of the State Board of Health co
operating with the Local Health
Department. These clinics will
take care of as many as possible
in * the first through the eighth
grades.
There are many children in this
group who need dental care
badly and since this service is
free the health department hopes
to have the full cooperation of
i every one concerned in order
that the maximum service may
be rendered.
However, this is not compul
sory and if any parents do not
wish to have their children’s
teeth looked after in these clinics,
they are asked to notify, in
writing at once, the principal of
the school the child attends.
LAND 73 TROUT IN
LESS THAN 3-HOURS
Nags Head. Three Salisbury
anglers, L. W. Owen, Marvin
Goodnight and Henry Carter
made a record breaking catch of
spotted sea trout while casting
in the surf here at Nags Head on
Thursday. In less than three
hours the three anglers landed a
total of 73 fish and all weighed
one and a half pounds or better
with a few going to four pounds.
The anglers were using sea
hawk lures to attract the fish.
Last week the big run of sea
trout was centered in the waters
of Roanoke Sound near the Nags
Head-Roanoke Island bridges.
Thousands of speckled trout, the
weakfish of northern anglers
j were landed.
These fish, which have shown
I U P in greater numbers this year
than in many past season have
been taking a variety of artifi
cial lures ranging from sea hawks
i and other* types of minnow-like
plugs to nylon and feather jigs