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;• OLUME XX NO. 25 NOW PLANNING BEACH FACILITIES ON BODIE ISLE N. P. S. To Provide Dressing Rooms, Showers, First Aid Stations Plans for rathing beach facili ties in the Bodie Island Section of the Cane Hatteras National Sea shore have been prepared and are under review by officials of the Nation”! Park Service and co operating agencies. Donald F. Benson and John C. Lamb, architects from the Eastern Office of Pians and Design, Phil adelphia, were in the Manteo of fice of the National Park Service on December 10-11 with scale models <f five differen; types of possible development. Their prob lem was to decide which type would he most suitable for the lo cation and to determine which, af ter actually constructed, would be of greatest benefit to the public. Basically all proposed varia tions of the development are about the same; including dressing rooms, showers, rest rooms, infor mation center, first aid and life guard stations, sun shades, etc. In combining these units, the ar chitects experimented with vary ing styles of architecture, ranging from canventional to ultra-mod ern. Allyn Hanks, Superintendent of the National Seashore, Ronald Lee, Chief of Interpretation, Washington Office, Donald D. Shepard, Mellon Foundation, and Huntington Cairns, National Gal lery of Art, met with the archi tects on the 11th for review and evaluation of the different archi tectural styles. Superintendent Hanks accom panied Messrs. Lee, Shepard and Cairns on a two-day inspection of Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. Shepard and Cairns were instru mental in getting donated funds for land acquisition and have a deep personal interest in the de velopment of the national sea shore. > Geological Survey Robert Treadwell, Louisiana State University Geologist, was in the Cape Hatteras National Sea hore, December 4-14, making a eliminary survey of geological - atures of the area. Treadwell’s - work was the initial step of the geological phase of a comprehen sive study of the ‘‘Outer Banks” being made by the Coastal Studies Institute of Louisiana State Uni versity, under the sponsorship of the Office of Naval Research and the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior. The project embraces all phases of history and natural his tory. Botanical studies were started during November and the archeo logical work began several weeks earlier. CHRISTMAS PROGRAMS AT MANTEO METHODIST Pageant by Young People Sunday Evening. Dec. 19; Mrs. Harbour To Read Peter Marshall’s “Spirit of Christmas” Numerous activities in keeping with the Christmas season are be ing planned by various groups in the Mt. Olivet Church in Manteo, according to Mrs. Nevin Wescott, General Superintendent of the church school. On Sunday morning, December 19th, as a devotional in the Sun day school program, Mrs. Lvna Harbour will give Peter Mar shall’s sermon, “The Spirit of Christmas”. On Sunday evening of the same day, at the worship hour at 7.30 there will be carol singing, follow ed by a pageant under the direc tion of Mrs. B. J Baum, and fea turing the adult choir of the church. On Christmas Eve at 7:30, the Children’s Division, under the di rection of Miss Miriam Fercbee and Mrs. Virginia Patrick, will r. ’esent a pageant entitled “The ory and the Tree”. Mrs. Robert allance and Mrs. Belton Burrus are assisting in thb presentation of this program. Following this program, members of the Youth Fellowship, together with those from the Baptist Training Union, will go Christmas caroling at the homes of shut-ins. On Sunday, December 26, at the regular evening worship hour, the MYF group will present a candle light service entitled ‘The Feast of the Lights.” Tentative plans are in the mak ing for a Watch Night service to be held at the church at New Year’s Eve at 11:30 p.m. This service will be presented by the college students. THE COASTLAND TIMES ( PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE INTEREST OF THE WALTER RALEIGH COASTLAND OF NORTH CAROLINA DARE CO. MAN GIVES VIRGIN ISLAND LANDS •?. Xl FRANK STICK It used to be a far cry from Dare County to the island of St. John in the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. But times have changed and the fact that a Dare County man owns a large part of this island seems to have escaped local notice. But Frank Stick, who has done so much to lift the architectural tone of the upper Dare County beaches, and whose genius went into the development of Southern Shores, a beautiful cottage line, is the man. Mr. Stick has offered to donate his interests to the Federal Government for a National Park. Mr. Stick back in 1925 with two other associates, donated several See STICK, Page Five Mac Neill Uncovers Hayman Potato Story In An Old Book Kept by Hatteras Mariner John W. Rollinson’s Diary Tells of Capt. Daniel Hay man’s Voyages in the Schooner Sally Smith Be tween Edenton and the West Indies Over 100 Years Ago By BEN DIXON MacNEILL It began in the year that I learned to read and to become aware of words and of # the stiil dismaying circumstance that words that sound alike may not be spelled alike and may have dif ferent meanings. That was sixty years ago and it comes, in some strange fashion, full circle this week: next Sunday, the 19th day of December, is the 95th anniver sary of the inward passage through Hatteras Inlet of the Schooner Sally Smith, Daniel Hayman, master. This may be no way to begin settin'g down an event of major consequence to a good many mil lions of people, some of whom get their living out of the earth in Currituck County. It will no doubt distress the historians, resident and carpet-bagger, and mightily confuse the professors of plant breeding in State College. It dis tresses and confuses me, too, and I can but add my regret to theirs that I ever learned to read —and to write after a fashion. And to reassure myself and al lay somewhat the confusion of such as may have come with me this far, it has, or may come to have, something to do with pota toes. Sweet potatoes. Next Sunday is an important anniversary in Southern history, but I keep drift ing back to a day in the autumn of 1895, the year in which I learned to read. It was too early in the season for a pumpkin pie, and besides, that had to wait until my birth day, which was and is in Novem ber. So, pending that day, I had wheedled my mother and Annie McLe.id into making a sweet po tato pie. But there were condi tions. of course: first I liud to learn how to spell potato and dur - ing this process, while Annie peeled potatoes, I became aware of yet another word. These were the first of a new sort of potato. It was called the Hayman potato. Why my mind latched on to that name I do not know, except that, the night before, my mother had read in that chapter of the Bible about a very wicked man named Haman who had got hims-df hang ed in the Book of Esther. . . . As long as she lived my mother read the evening’s chapter in the Bible . . . . The werd stuck and from my innocence and ignorance on the kitchen floor I wanted to know if the potato was named for the man who was, and very properly, hanged. No. The potato was spelled Hay man and the hanged man was Haman. No, she couldn’t tell me who Mr. Hayman was and I won dered a lot It turned out to be a very elegant pie The pota toes, these new Hayman potatoes, were red and juicy and for a time I was disposed to place them even RURITAN DINNER A BIG SUCCESS THURSDAY NIGHT District Meeting at Shrine Club Hears Congress man Talk The Albemarle District Ruritan meeting last Thursday elected of ficers and concluded with a suc cessful dinner for 150 at the Dare County Shrine Club rooms near Manteo. Congressman Herbert Bonner was the principal speaker on the program which concluded with remarks by Melvin R. Daniels of the Wanchese Club. Retiring District Governor James W. Davis of Wanchese pre sided, and was highly compli mented for his services during the year and for his work which made the meeting so highly praised. The Shrine Club staff served a splen did turkey dinner. Bob Spivey of the Durants Neck Club was elected at the afternoon business session for District Gov ernor for 1955. For the second time the Parksville Township Club of Perquimans County won the service award, and the attendance award went to Hobbsville. The Kell sisters of New Hope were featured singers, accompanied by Miss Peggie Harrell. Prominent Ruritans in attend ance at the club included Raleigh Carver, S. L. Lowry, Curtis Old, W. R. Gregory, and W. H. Brake, the National President A standing vote of thanks was given to Mr. Davis for his good work for the organization. He is now president of the Wanchese Club. above pumpkin pie, which was and is, a sort of rite to be observed on recurring birthdays. . . Tins most recent one was made authentic when George Harrison Meekins appeared with a pumpkin pie ex pertly baked by his wife Thereafter the Hayman potato stayed with me and continues to do so. There appeared, possibly about the same time, another sort of potato that was named the Bahama potato but its meat was white and dry. It was said to do well in the up country but for us in the sandy loam of the east the Hayman potato was the potato. I do not know whether it is con tinued past the devices of the plant breeder or not, but to me a sweet potato was sur-named Hay man. Long afterward Capt. Jefferson Davis Hayman materialized into my awareness. He was then past 70 and was caretaker at Fort Ra leigh in the time that I abode thereabouts and from the moment I first encountered him, the name clicked. Hayman. Potato. . . And then he told me about his father who introduced the Hayman pota to into this country. When, and where from? Well Captain Jeff was never quite sure. It happened before he was boro, when his father was engaged in the West Indian trade. But he was sure of it. His daddy had orought the sweet potato, as we knew it, from the West Indies and people just called it Hayman's potato. Os his father and his grand father Captain Jeff told me much Os how they l.ad been cast ashore about five miles above Kill Dxil Hiils in the year 1818. Daniel Hayman was just a cabin boy on his father’s ship when that hap pened. They hud nowhere else t« go and no way to go, so they just settled down and became Kitty Hawkers—as ci-1 the progenitors ot scores of other families about whom I hav: com? to know. A house was built, over toward the Sound side just north of Col ington. One day in 1938 Captain Jeff went with me over there and we located the place. But we were not able to find the graveyard where his father and his grand father were buried. Kill Devil had engulfed it and as well as Cap tain Jeff Hayman could calculate —and he was an excellent naviga tor by inheritance and experience —the graveyard is now just about directly under the Wright Mem orial, and likely to stay there now that they have anchored this wan dering hill. It moved south-east just less than a mile in Captain Jeff Hayman’s lifetime. But when did Captain Daniel Hayman bring the fabulous sweet potato to the United States Well, Captain Jeff could never say with certainty “ —but it was be- See MARINER, Page Five MANTEO, N. C., FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1954 PURITAN NATIONAL PRESIDENT, VISITOR r ' WKSGi i Among visitors at the Ruritan District Convention in Dare Coun ty last week was National Presi dent, William H. Brake of Rocky Mount, who is the second North Carolinian to serve as a National president. He is a member of the West Edgecombe Ruritan Club and has a perfect attendance rec ord for the past six years. He has served his club as president and has been Lieutenant Governor and Governor of the Rocky Mount- Durham District. During the con vention in Richmond in 1953 he was elected Vice-President. In 1952 Bill organized about all of the Clubs which were chartered in the “Old North State”. He is married and has a thir teen-year-old son, William How ard, Jr., and a six-year-old daugh ter, named Kathryn. Mrs. Brake was president of the P. T. A. for two years, is past president of the Home Demonstration Club, and is chairman of the Woman’s Auxil iary of the Episcopal Church. Mr. Brake is an alumnus of North Carolina State where he gradu -ated with honor, earning a B. S. Degree in 1931. He won the fresh man scholarship cup offered by the Alpha Zeta Agricultural Fraternity. At the present he is a member of the Board of Directors of the Rocky Mount Farmers Coopera tive Exchange, is on the State Dairy Committee of the North Carolina Farm Bureau and is President of the Twin County Ar tificial Breeders Association. He was selected as soil conservation cooperator for his work in con servation. ______ DARE SCHOOLS TO CLOSE FRIDAY FOR HOLIDAYS Manteo PTA Hears Program by - School Children; Carols Sung Schools in Dare County are scheduled to close Friday after noon, December 17, for the Christmas holidays. Classes will be resumed Monday, January 3. Christmas parties are t' be the order of the day Friday in most of the classrooms and Christmas trees and other decorations have been arranged. In Manteo a program was pre sented Thursday afternoon at two o’clock in the school auditorium by students from the third grade up, Mrs. W. S. Meekins and Mrs. H. R. Ashmore directing the per formance, and Bebe Burr .is acting as announcer. The Manteo PTA held its regular meeting at that time and a social hour followed. The program was as follows: The Christmas Story, told by Robert Wescott, with prayer by Alta Midgett; How the Word Christmas Originated, by Diana Ward; How the Date for Christ mas was sec. bv Joseph Boyce and Augustus 11. Etheridge, Jr.; The History of Carols and Caroling, by Della Basnight, Donald Ses soms, Carol Ann Ernst and Roj Wescott, Jr.; How the Tree Came to be a Christmas Custom, by Linda Mann and Clyde Hassell; Why the Chimes Rang, by Patty Long; “Jov to the World” sung by Marjorie White, Jo Ann Bal lance and Judy Etheridge. Carols were sung throughout the after noon and the entire assemblage joined in at the conclusion of the program. TURKEY SHOOT FOR CHRISTMAS DINNERS Another turkey shoot is being sponsored tomorrow, Saturday, the 18th, by the Manteo VFW nost. Now’s the chance to get Christmas dinner, and help a worthy cause at the same time. The shoot will be held at the Manteo waterfront, beginning at 1 p.m. Money raised at this event is to be spent for Christmas pro jects. GUEST SPEAKERS FOR TOURIST BUREAU MEETING Bill Taft, Head of State Tou rist Bureau, and Allyn Hanks of Park Service Bring Suggestions Dare County Tourist Bureau, now in its fourth year of opera tion, has set a pattern for simi lar organizations in North Caro lina and elsewhere, according to Bill Taft, director of the Depart ment of Conservation and Devel opment’s State Tourist Bureau. Taft was guest speaker at the winter meeting of the board of di rectors of the Dare Bureau meet iing Wednesday in the Cypress Room of The Carolinian Hotel on Nags Head. Taft, who outlined the operational plans of the State’s Tourist Bureau to guests present, shared speaking honors with Allyn Hanks, superintendent of Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area. “Your bureau which has been operating for more than three years under the supervision of your board of directors here, has become nationally known for its area promotional and publicity activities,” said Taft. He offered suggestions and gave many ideas how the Bureau can continue to go forward. Announcement of work that is planned in the immediate future for Cape Hatteras National Sea shore Recreational Area in the Bodie Island region and work al ready accomplished in the devel opment of attractions at Cape Hatteras and elsewhere were dis cussed. The group present were shown plans of the proposed bath ing and picnic area on the ocean side at Bodie Island and the new Natural History Museum now un der construction at Bodie Island Lighthouse. Mrs. Lucille Purser, president of the Tourist Bureau, entertained the directors and visitors at lunch eon in The Carolinian’s Dogwood Room and this was the scene of the speeches by Taft and Hanks. Previously in the Cypress Room, the group heard reports on fi nances from Secretary-Treasurer W. H. McCown and a three months report from the manager and news director of the Bureau. The manger’s report indicated that between September 15 to De cember 15, 7,707 pieces of mail, including news stories, answers to inquiries, informational data to students, news photographs, monthly and weekly reports on in quiries and activities and thou sands of folders were distributed. In addition to the regular board of directors, visitors included repre sentatives of the chambers of commerce and the board of county commissioners. Each sector of the county was represented at the meeting. DARE’S BLACK LAUREL IS ACQUIRING FAME Rare Franklin Tree Believed Dis covered on Mainland of Dare Stumpy Point.—The “Black laurel” of Dare Mainland natives is now believed to be identical to one of America’s most rare flow ering trees, a species first discov ered growing wild in the swamps near Waycross, Georgia—a n d never found anywhere else in a wild state. The “first discovery” was made during the late 18th Century. Mrs. L. L. Overcash of Wan chese on Roanoke Island declares that the “black laurel” is actually the famous Franklinia (Franklin Tree’ sometimes called Gordonia which bears the scientific desig nation of alatamaha. Mrs. Overcash and her husband, formerly in the nursery business at Gates, N. C., moved to Wan chese due to Mr. Overcash’s health. There is no question in her mind that the trees she has seen growing in profusion along the highways and canal banks of the Stumpy Point area are anything except Franklin Trees. An Ency clopedic description of the rare tree follows: “Flowering in late summer and early fall is the famous Franklinia (F. alatamaha), sometimes called See LAUREL, Page Five LIONS SPONSORING DANCE SAT. NIGHT The annual pre-Christmas dance bf the Manteo Lions Club is being held Saturday night, beginning at 9 p.m., in the Manteo School gym nasium. A large turnout is exepct ed, and the Lions promise an eve ning of fun and entertainment for all. A special event will be a draw ing for a wrist watch, held some time during the evening. THUNDERSTREAK JETS TO FLY MEMORIAL FORMATION OVER WRIGHT MEMORIAL FRIDAY Admiral Kiland Scheduled Speaker at 51st Anniversary Celebration at Kill Devil Hills. Witness of First “Trial Flights” Lives Near Manteo. SPEAKER ■g w' ■wgn EMU EEs ■III REAR ADMIRAL I. N. KILAND, Commandant of the Fifth Naval District, principal speaker Dec. 17th at Kill Devil Hills. BUDGET IS BIG STATE PROBLEM, SAYS GOVERNOR Special Press Conference Held Monday by Governor Luther Hodges “One of the most important problems facing our state now is the question of revenue and appro priations,” stated Governor Lu ther H. Hodges at a special press conference Monday afternoon in Raleigh. He explained that it ap pears that for the biennium 1953-55, the state will spend ap proximately $32,000,000 more than it receives from revenues. In 1932-33, the total General Fund Collection’s were under $39,000,000. It was then that North Carolina’s sales tax was en acted. Since 1940, net revenues have exceeded current expendi tures each year until the fiscal year, 1952-53. At that time, rev enues, began to level off, while expenditures—the cost of gov ernment —continued upward. Last year was the first year since 1941 that the Revenue Act failed to produce more revenues than ex penditures. Governor Hodges made it clear that substancial additional rev enue will be needed for the bien nium of 1955-57. While some change will be recommended in the state’s tax structure, the offi cial figures will not be given un til the budget report, signed by the Advisory Budget Commission and the Governor, is released to the General Assembly in early January. Other problems were mentioned See BUDGET, Page Five EARLY SEASON ACTIVITY PLANNED FOR DARE COAST Nags Head.—Everything from the world’s largest fish fry to pirate or wrecking festivals, and model plane contests staged on a national scale are among early season activities planned for the Dare Coast region from Kitty Hawk to Hatteras and in the Nags Head or Roanoke Island areas. Civic leaders from Cape Hat teras to Kitty Hawk and Roanoke Island, meeting here this week with the board of directors of Dare County Tourist Bureau and officials of the Nags Head and Dare Beaches Chambers of Com merce discussed potential events that may be held in various parts of the county during late Spring and also in the autumn. The gen eral idea is to attract more Spring vacationists. Bill Taft, director, State Tourist Bureau of the Department of Con servation and Development was guest speaker at the meeting and showed a deep interest in the vari ous ideas suggested. Mrs. Lucille Purser, president of the Tourist Bureau stated as the meeting was drawing to a close that if present plans carry the famous “first channel bass of the season at Oregon Inlet,” may soon, and possibly in 1955, share the spotlight with many other un usual activities and tourist attrac tions. Single Copy 7# At speeds of approximately 500 miles per hour, 15 Air Force Thunderstreak (F-84-Fs) in V shape memorial formation will fly southward over Wright Brothers National Monument a :op Kill Devil Hill here on Friday morn ing, December 17 at 11 o’clock, returning in single fire seconds later on a northward rur over the area. This flyover of the Langley Field-based fighter-bombers will climax a wreath laying ceremony at the base of the Wright Monu ment. Following the ceremonies at the monument which will feature music by Elizabeth City’s high school band, a drill by the band’s majorettes, taps by a ROTC drum and bugle unit of East Carolina College in Greenville, the wreath laying and introduction of distin guished persons present, will be a reception and luncheon at The Carolinian with Rear Admiral I. N. Kiland, commandant of Fifth Naval District as the principal speaker. The program at monu ment will begin at 1 :30 o’clock, the luncheon at 1 o’clock. Capt. R. M. Blankenbecler an operations officer of the 405th Fighter-Bomber Wing of Langley Field said that the Thunderstreaks in their V-formation southward over monument would be travel ing at an altitude of 1,000 feet and that on their return in single file a few seconds later would be trailing at 500 feet above monu ment. “These fighter-bombers are the very latest in jet aircrafts,” he said. In contrast to the speed of the fighter-bombers, the Wright Brothers, Wilbur and Orville, wire their parents back home in Dayton, 51 years ago following their four successful flights on December 17, 1903, that their plane traveled at a forward speed of 31 miles an hour against a 27 mile wind. MANTEO MASONS ELECT OFFICERS FOR NEW YEAR The newly elected officers of Manteo Masonic Lodge who will be installed on the next meeting night, December 27 are as follows: B. B. Burrus succeeding R. O. Ballance, Worshipful Master; Charlie E. O’Neal, former secre tary, Senior Warden; Selden Mid gett, succeeding Elmer Midgett as Junior Warden. John W. Evans, Secretary and J. G. Kellogg, Treasurer. The Lodge, which was chartered seven years ago began with some 20 membeis who with drew from Wanchese Lodge. It now has a membership of 104 and meets on the second and fourth Mondays in each month. LOSES NEW HOME IN FIRE AT NAGS HEAD A newcomer to Nags Head lost her new cottage Saturday morn ing in the early hours. Mrs. Hilda Mihovitz who came from Newport News and built a new home this year was the loser. She lost all clothing and furnishings, but es caped with her two sons. Damage was done by this fire to telephone lines by the house. The Manteo Fire department de sponded as soon as they were call ed but this was too late to help. However, they were able to pre vent spreading to other property. AGED BUXTON CITIZEN IS TAKEN BY DEATH Mrs. Louisa Gray, 89, died at her home in Buxton Wednesday, following an illness of several weeks. Funeral services were con ducted Thursday afternoon in Buxton. Mrs. Gray, who was the widow of the late Matthew Gray, is sur vived by four sons, O. J. Gray and Lupton Gray of Buxton; Richard Gray of Wanchese; Ignatius Gray of Norfolk; two daughters, Mrs. Lula Austin of Manteo and Mrs. Nellie Gray of Buxton; a large number of grandchildren and great grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild, Laura Lee Skinner of Manteo.
The Coastland Times (Manteo, N.C.)
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Dec. 17, 1954, edition 1
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