OLUME XX NO. 28
OUTER BANKS OBSERVANCE
OF “OLD CHRISTMAS” OFFERS
A PROMOTIONALOPPORTUNITY
Wednesday Night's Party Proves Largest Held
at Rodanthe in Recent Years, and Demon
strates Interest In Unusual Annual Festival.
CONTRACT FOR
ADDITION TO
COURTHOUSE
Dare Board of Commissioners
Plans to Let Same on Jan
uary 25th
Advertisement is being made
this week that the Dare County
Board of Commissioners will open
bids on January 25th for construc
tion of a two-story addition to the
Dare County Courthouse, which
structure will house enlarged of
fices for several departments and
hold a new jail. It is estimated the
" costs will be $50,000, but from
general appearances it looks as if
$75,000 will be required, if the old
dilapidated courthouse is to be
made safe.
The $50,000 cash which the
county now has to be spent on this
projtet came from the sale of a
tract of land, which was donated
to Dare County by the late David
Lindquist of Hartsdale, New York,
who was owner of Bodie Island
Club at the time of his death, and
who was chief engineer of Otis
Elevator Company.
Mr. Lindquist was a great
booster of Dare County, and had
quietly aided other things in the
county. He died in 1945.
DRINKWATER’S OLD
YEAR PARTY THE
GREATEST EVER
A great annual event in Manteo
is the watch party given each De
cember 31 at the home of Alpheus
W. Drinkwater. This year’s was
one of the largest ever held. Hors
d’oeuvres and punch were served
throughout the evening. A large
imber of Manteo residents and
t-of-town people were present
r the affair, which was climaxed
at midnight with appropriate
songs by everyone with Dick Jor
dan at the piano and Gordon Kel
logg doing an obligato with a
large bell to ring in the New
Year. The house was decorated
in keeping with the holiday sea
son, the large Christmas tree be
ing the center of attraction and
silvered magnolia leaves adding a
note of contrast. Mr. Drinkwater
was assisted in entertaining by his
daughters, Miss Dorothy Drink
water and Mrs. John Booth and
Mr. Booth; and his grandson, Billy
Cox, and Mrs. Cox.
ANDERSON MIDGETT
SUCCEEDS C. P. GRAY
AS LODGE MASTER
Cape Hatteras Lodge No. 698,
A.F. & A.M., at a regular meeting
held December 27, 1954: Charles P.
Gray, master; turned the gavel
over to Anderson Midgett who was
installed as master for the year
1955. Other officers installed were:
Isaac C. Jennette, Senior Warden;
Asa H. Gray, Jr., junior warden;
Clarence P. Brady, treasurer; W.
Lloyd Scarborough, secretary; D.
Raymond Basnett, senior deacon;
T. Stockton Midgett, Jr., junior
deacon; Richard A. Job and Edgar
O. Hooper, stewards; Unaka B.
Jennette, tyler, and Asa H. Gray,
Sr., chaplain. Charles P. Gray who
is now the first past master of this
lodge performed the ceremony.
The Lodge at Cape Hatteras,
which was chartered last year,
meets on the second and fourth
Monday nights in each month.
A site at Buxton has been pur
chased and approved by the Grand
Lodge of North Carolina for the
“rection of a Masonic hall which is
v anticipated in the near future.
* B. LENNON CRITICALLY
INJURED IN GAS EXPLOSION
H. Bruce Lennon of Manteo was
rushed to the hospital in Elizabeth
City critically injured by, shock
and severe burns sustained when
a terrific explosion took place in
his trailer home near Manteo,
when he lighted a gas stove at
8:30 Thursday morning. His limbs
were badly burned and late ad
vices feared the worst.
The explosion happened when he
went to light a stove, just about
the time his father, R. B. Lennon,
had gotten in sight of the trailer.
The elder Lennon had gone to get
the younger to work for him
Thursday.
THE COASTLAND TIMES
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE INTEREST OF THE WALTER RALEIGH COASTLAND OF NORTH CAROLINA
The “Old Christmas” celebration
at Rodanthe Wednesday night
proved again that in this unusual
festival, the people of the area
■ have an event which can be worked
into a big business getter for the
; “Outer Banks.” There is much in
terest in this event, an interest
which no doubt stems from the old
custom of celebrating the date gen
erally throughout the North Caro
lina coast.
Tradition was upset Wednesday
night when a woman, Miss Elvari
Payne, served as official drum
beater for the party held in the
community building, the former
Rodanthe school. More than 200
people paid admission to jam the
building and witness the exercise’s,
and an equal number outside
couldn’t get in. There was music
and dancing, and a play arranged
by the 7 womenfolk of Rodanthe-
Waves villages and a big oyster
roast for everybody. Old Buck, that
terrific creature who is half ox and
half horse, and propelled by John
Herbert and others, was frightfully
there.
“The “Old Christmas” festival,
more than any other thing, at
tracts attention to Rodanthe, and
greatly aids in keeping Hatteras
Island and all the Outer Banks in
the public eye. It is quaint, it is
interesting, and it is inspiring. Lots
of people come simply to see Old
Buck; others come for the fellow
ship, or for the music. Altogether,
there is no good reason why the
area shouldn’t cash in on the bus
iness the festival brings, and it is
truly a festival worth a lot of
promotion and planning, and re
hearsing weeks before its actual
date.
One could really have a better
time, if enough people took the
time and planned sufficiently
ahead to get up a really big pro
gram. There would be jobs for
committees to do what with hous
ing and feeding all the people who
would come, beside helping them
to find a little hunting or to get a
day in, doing some of the finest
fishing that is available within a
stone’s throw of the village. Vis
itors might remain over for several
days.
The Rodanthe area is getting
more and more before the public
because of this fine fishing. Its surf
casting is unexcelled and there is
an abundance of good fishing in
Pamlico Sound. It is also becom
ing known as a site for resort
homes, and several cottages have
been built there in the past year
or two. The annual fishing touna
ment is now held there.
Old Christmas this year proved
a good time for many people. The
" event was blessed with mild weath
er, and the oysters had fine flavor.
Old friends met and renewed ac
quaintance. They parted with re
grets. Throughout the nation,
. newspapers and radio stations
took notice of the observance,
i Fame continues to favor Rodanthe
; and build a foundation for a grow
. ing promotional asset.
REBEKAHS INSTALL
THEIR NEW OFFICERS
, Mrs. A. H. Wand Succeeds Mrs.
S. G. Basnight as Nqble
Grand
Manteo Rebekah Lodge No. 52
, met January 3, Mrs. Steve Bas
i night, Noble Grand, presided.
i The yearly committees gave
their reports showing that many
, gains had been made and much
, good work had been accomplished
i during 1954.
The Deputy Installing Staff
consisting of: Deputy President,
I Mrs. Susan Ballowe, Deputy'Mar
s shall, Mrs. Ella Cox; Deputy
i Warden, Mrs. Mamie Crees; Dep
. uty Secretary, Mrs. Etta Peele;
Deputy Treasurer, Mrs. Grace
White; Deputy Chaplain, Mrs.
| Mildred O’Neal; installed the offi
cers for the incoming year: Noble
i Grand, Mrs. Tracy Ward; Vice
, Grand, Mrs. Salina Midgette; Rec.
; Sec’y., Mrs. Anita Jessen; Fin.
i Sec’y., Mrs. Marion Cochran;
i Treasurer, Mrs. Katherine Ken
, nedy; Warden, Mrs. Inger Lewis;
; Conductor, Mrs. Alda Francis;
i Inside Guardian, Mrs. Hilda Fran-
■ cis; Outside Guardian, Miss
Evelyn Marie Dowdy; Chaplain,
■ Mrs. Mary Ellen Nixon; R. S. N.
; G., Mrs. Bernice Cannady; L. S.
, N. G., Mrs. Lessie Davis; R. S.
, V. G., Mrs. Susan Ballowe; L S.
;jV. G., Mrs. Mildred O’Neal; Rt.
i color bearer, Mrs .Francis Payne;
See REBEKAHS, Page Five
A WOMAN BEATS THE DRUM AT OLD CHRISTMAS PARTY
1I 11 Im# f I ■
,'". BE ■> wMgr .w Saiz'
Ha' w,. jWI HF
[ilj ,M\ ■ ■ • *
I * Valla AIVuIb Mk
I k r . ■
MISS ELVARI PAYNE of Wanchese, the first woman to be official
drum beater at the Old Christmas celebration at Rodanthe, a duty that
has been discharged by members of her family for nearly 200 j?ears.
Brad Payne, her brother who died last year, for 50 years beat this old
drum, which was made from a gum log 100 years ago. Previous to his
term, his father Ben, and grandfather William served as drum beaters.
—Aycock Brown Photo
A Great Christmas For A Small Boy
In Manteo Nearly Sixty Years Ago
Col. John D. Langston of Goldsboro Tells of Christmas in 1896
When He Lived in the Methodist Parsonage
An old sailor was sitting on a
wharf, on the New York water
front, looking out across the water
through a beautiful old telescope
covered with silver filigrees. A
fashionably dressed elderly wo
man strolling upon the wharf
spied him and exclaimed “My
dear man where did you get that
perfectly gorgeous .telescope.”
“Why sure mum” replied the old
sailor” Lord Nelson gave that to
me”. ‘‘Why, my dear man you
must be mistaken, Lord Nelson
has been dead more than 150
years”. “Lor, how time do fly!”
said the sailor.
Yes, time flies. It seems such a
short time since I spent my last
Christmas in the old Methodist
parsonage in Manteo, Dec. 25,
1896. How Papa and Mama ever
managed to play Santa Claus to
the parsonage family in those
days of scarcity is a mystery to
me today. There were Ophelia,
Sophronia, Bud (Will), Jennie,
Rosa and Johnnie—that’s me;
each of us hoping that some mir
acle would take place and we
would get our heart’s desire. In
anticipation every one hung up a
stocking.
I wish I could recollect what
Santa Claus brought each member
of the preacher’s family. But I
was so concerned about what he
brought me that all other events
passed out of my mind.
We woke up early in those days
on Christmas morning. I think
Jennie woke up first. She always
had more curiosity than the other
children. The rest of us were not
much behind, as she reached the
parlor where our stockings hung
and gave a joyous shriek. Then
Papa and Mama came in and Pa
pa made us all be quiet while he
prayed. It'seemed like the prayer
was longer than usual and I had a
lot of trouble keeping my eyes
shut, with all those stockings
hanging full and small packages
lying all around the foot of the
Christmas tree near the front
windows. Finally Papa said
“Amen”, and I made a dive for my
stocking. Never since that day has
there been such a wonderful
Christmas for me. Some friend of
Papa’s had given him an old
double barrelled shot gun and
there it was leaning up against
the mantel with my name on it.
Then wonder of wonders, down in
my stocking below the two
oranges, two apples, nuts and rai
sins, were a pound of shot, a quar
ter pound of powder and a box of
caps.
I think I took off across the
Etheridge field back of the par
sonage before eating breakfast,
with my little dog Bruno to see if
I could find a rabbit. I remember
I was so excited that when I
loaded the old muzzle loader I evi-
MANTEO, N. C„ FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 1955
dently put in too much powder
and shot, because when I could not
find a rabbit I shot at a robin, and
the gun nearly kicked me side
ways. I missed the robin.
How wonderful’ it is to get back
to Roanoke Island this 1954
Christmas and let my memory roil
back the years and bring to light
even some small events of those
other days that are really import
ant to those who can say with
Brdwning:
“Grow old along with me
The best is yet to be.
The last of life for which the first
was made”
John D. Langston
CHURCH SERVICE
AT WANCHESE
FOR MASONS
Members of Wanchese Lodge,
pursuant to a general trend in Ma
sonic lodges in North Carolina, will
go to church at least one day in
the year. A special section of
Bethany Methodist Church at
Wanchese will be set aside Sunday
evening, Jan. 9, at 7:30 p.m„ and
Rev. C. W. Guthrie, the pastor,
will preach a special sermon. The
members of Wanchese lodge invite
Masons of all other lodges to wor
ship with them.
A similar service for the mem
bers of Manteo Lodge was held at
the Manteo church during the
month of December.
FLOUNDER FISHING FLEET
BUSY AT OREGON INLET
Twenty Boats Operating From
This Point; Losses Can Wipe
Out Profits
Some 20 or more fishing craft
are based at Oregon Inlet now,
and fishing at sea for flounders
has been pretty good. Some es
these boats are from Hatteras and
Carteret County waters, along
with the usual fleet of Dare Coun
ty boats. The catch is sold right
at the docks of Oregon Inlet, to
several local buyers including
Malcolm Daniels of Wanchese.
Willie Etheridge, Frazier Peele
and Willie Newsom of Hatteras.
Fred Basnight of Manteo had a
good day Friday and seld his catch
for about $275. On Saturday how
ever, he lost his entire net and
attached equipment when it hung
on some old wreckage on the bot
tom. The rig lost was valued at
about S3OO.
When fishiing is good, it is
costly business at times and few
fishermen ever make a fortune.
DEEPER WATER IS
IMPORTANT FOR
OREGON INLET
Dare Board This Week Names
Committee For Project
By AYCOCK BROWN
Nags Head.—About 75 ocean
trawlers, temporarily weather
bound at Oregon Inlet Fishing Cen
ter early this week had been mak
ing phenomenal catches of fish,
mostly flounders, in waters off the
Dare coast until sea conditions be
came unfavorable for operations.
Capt. Toby Tillett who has the Na
tional Seashore fishing center un
der lease stated that some of the
largest flounders he had ever seen,
had been caught by the trawl fish
ermen. Many of these boats are
from Hyde, Pamlico, and other
nearby counties.
A member of the crew of one of
the trawlers from down Core
Sound way stated that the gigan
tic flounders resembled young hal
ibut, a flatfish taken off the New
England coast that reach enormous
sizes.
Docking facilities at the govern
ment owned fishing center were
taxed to capacity by the weather
bound fleet, and this gave some
speculation to the prospects that
the National Seashore officials may
soon have plans to enlarge the
dockage area and also the little
harbor.
This week the Dare County
Board of Commissioners named
Melvin Daniels and Lawrence
Swain a committee to follow
through with government oricials
a movement to revive the Oregon
Inlet improvement project.
Reports from Ocracoke where
the former naval base docks are
now owned by the National Park
Service were also crowded to near
capacity during the stormy weath
er offshore this week. While most
of the vessels at Oregon Inlet hail
from North Carolina ports, and
especially the Core Sound region,
many of those laying at Ocracoke
came from Virginia and New Jer
sey ports, it was stated.
Trawlers likewise were laying in
at Hatteras during the week, but
not the large numbers reported at
Oregon Inlet and Ocracoke.
Fact that more commercial fish
ing vessels than have ever been
known to be operating off Oregon
Inlet has given impetus to a long
time movement to have the shoaly
waterway between the sea and
sound at that point deepened. Sev
eral years ago under the leader
ship of the late Alvah H. Ward
considerable activity towards hav
ing Oregon Inlet deepened was ini
tiated. Just at the time when it
seemed that the government was
all set to go to work on the proj
ect, it was impossible to get funds
allocated for the work. This was
probably due to the emergency that
had been brought about by the
Korean War.
Now, with national emergency
abated, and Oregon Inlet having
become a vital area in the develop
ment of Cape Hatteras National
Seashore Recreational Area, re
newed efforts are in order to get it
dredged to a deptH that would
make a safe passage for commer
cial and sportsfishing vessels op
erating in this section. Dare
County’s commissioners, the Tou
rist Bureau, and many agencies
and individuals are backing the
proposal to have Oregon Inlet
deepened, it was stated here this
week.
I
i -
FIRECRACKERS GOT
BOYS IN TROUBLE
IN MANNS HARBOR
Willard Ambrose of East Lake,
I Latham Midgett Jr. and Murray
Mann 16, both of Manns Harbor
were found guilty and fined $5 and
costs Tuesday in Dare Recorders
court for possession and use of
fireworks. Willard Ambrose was
found not guilty of reckless
driving. Willis Crees, charged with
reckless driving was found not
guilty.
Charlie Vincent (Honey) Mc-
Clease charged with operating a
car without using glasses, as spe
cified in his driving permit,
plead guilty and was fined $lO
and costs.
Seward Simmons, for failing to
yield the right of way, was fined
$5 and costs of court.
MRS. EVANS SPEAKER
FOR WANCHESE PTA
Mrs. D. E. Evans, superinten
dent of Dare County Schools, was
guest speaker Monday evening,
Jan. 3, when the Wanchese PTA
held its meeting in the school
auditorium. 50 members were
present. The fourth grade won the
parent attendance prize.
THREE DAY SPRING FESTIVAL
PLANNED FOR DARE COAST TO
LAUNCH 1955 TOURIST SEASON
All County Civic Clubs Will Be Invited To Par
ticipate In County-Wide Three-Day Affair.
RISKY LST SHIPS
LOSING RIGHT TO
SAIL THE SEAS
Coast Guard Finding Old Navy
Vessels Not Seaworthy
for Commerce
Reports indicate that LST ships
which have bad so much trouble,
will be banned from the seas.
These old steel vessels, sold by the
Navy, have been widely put into
merchant service on the ocean and
coastwise routes. The letters LST
means “Landing Ship Tanks.”
Two of these vessels, about 300
feet long, were driven ashore in
a gale near Rodanthe while being
towed to a shipyard f»r recondi
tioning, shortly after the war.
They are now ideal fishing places
and big catches are currently
caught there by rod and reel fish
ermen.
A few weeks ago, one of these
ships, the Southern Districts sail
ed from Port Sulphur, La. for
Maine with a cargo of sulphur.
This ship has been given up for
lost, and with her was a young
Hyde County Man, her Chief En
gineer. He was Walter Jennette,
29-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs.
B. C. Jennette of Sladesville.
This week debris from the ship
was picked up off the Florida
Keys. At the same time an investi
gation is going on in New Orleans
concerning the lack of seaworthi
ness of the ship. Former seamen
who quit her called her a big
bucket of rust. She was described
as leaky and patched up, and com
pletely unfit for sea service.
Coast Guard headquarters in
Washington has ordered cancella
tion of sailing certificates for all
converted LST vessels. The men
have been instructed to board all
such vessels and take away the
certificates.
In 1951 another of these ships,
the Southern Isles, went to pieces
off Hatteras. The captain of this
ship had a Hyde County name. He
was Capt. George F. Sadler.
SCHOOL CENSUS
BEING TAKEN IN
DARE COUNTY
Beginning this week, a census
of Dare County boys and girls
between the ages of six years and
twenty-one years is underway. In
most communitities, this census
will be taken by members of the
local Parent Teachers Association.
In the early part of December,
Mrs. Mary L. Evans, Superinten
dentent of Dare County Schools,
appealed to the various Parent
Teachers Associations in the
county for aid in taking the cen
sus which is required by law. Mrs.
Evans stated this week that indi
cations are that all Parent
Teachers Associations in the
county, with the possible excep
tion of one, would undertake this
project for their schools. In any
school district where the Parent
Teachers Association cannot take
the census, the superintendent
advises that census takers will
have to be hired, thus causing an
expenditure of county school funds
which are greatly needed for other
school purposes, or teachers in the
district will be assigned the task
which Will necessarily affect the
teaching efficiency of the teach
ers. Mrs. Evans expressed appre
ciation to the P. T. A. organiza
tions which had already indicated
their willingness to cooperate.
IRA THOMAS STOWE DIES
IN RICHMOND HOSPITAL
Ira Thomas Stowe, 62, of Wan
chese, died Wednesday morning in
McGuire Veterans Hospital, Rich
mond, Va., following an illness of
six weeks.
A native of Hatteras, Mr. Stowe
was the son of the late Walter
Berry Stowe and Mary Ella Willis
Stowe. He is survived by his wid
ow, Mrs. Margie Tillett Stowe;
three daughters, Mrs. Edwin Mid
gette of Manteo; Mrs. Roscoe Gal
lop of Wanchese; and Mrs. Royce
Daniels of Virginia Beach, Va.;
one sister, Mrs. Fete Pitcherella
of Silver Spring, Md.; one half
sister, Mrs. Leland Tillett of Nor
folk, Va.; and two uncles, A. J.
Willis of Manteo and J. I. Stowe
of Hatteras; also two grandchil
dren. He was a veteran of World
War I and a member of the Wan
chese Assembly of God church.
Single Copy 7?
Representatives of several civic
clubs and organizations in this
area are formulating plans now
for a gigantic county-wide three
day Spring Festival on the Dare
Coast to launch the 1955 vacation
season officially and to attract
more tourists to the region. The
scheduled events will not be held
in many localities from the Kitty
Hawk-Kill Devil Hills section
southward through Nags Head
and in each of the communities of
long-famous, but only recently
easy accesible, Hatteras Island,
it was stated here this week by
members of Dare County Tour
ist Bureau’s executive committee
headed by Mrs. Lucille S. Purser.
The proposed festival would be
tinue through Sunday, May 1, and
gin on Friday, April 29 and con
nowhere else in any one coastal
region has such a varied program
of events ever been planned. To
make the first annual Spring Fes
tival successful the cooperation
of all citizens would be solicited.
Tentative plans include the follow
ing:
Friday, April 29, on Hatteras
Island with anglers competing for
prizes, three would be a Mid-
Spring Surf Fishing contest, or as
a matter of fact three contests,
with each area trying to outfish
the other sections. Representative
citizens would be asked to serve
on committees to supervise con
tests in the Rodanthe, Waves and
Salvo waters, the Avon and Bux
ton communities and the Frisco to
Hatteras Inlet surf line. These
contests would be held for only
two hours during the morning,
ending at noon for prize awards,
then to top off the Hatteras Island
event, it would be a fish fry, the
world’s largest fish fry to be held
at Cape Hatteras, because of its
central location.
Events of Saturday, April 30,
to take place north of Oregon In
let would include model plane fly
ing competition at Kill Devil Hills,
followed by a nag race across the
sands of Jockeys Ridge. (It may
be the first time that anyone has
done any horse racing on those
dunes since the days whe wreckers
are said to have tied lanterns
around the necks of nags to lure
ships ashore.) Following the nag
race, and over the same sands, it
is planned to have hot-rod, beach
buggy or jeep races. A finale to
the Saturday program, if plans
carry, would be a treasure hunt
followed by a Pirate’s Ball at
Nags Head. An event of the lat
ter would be the selection of a
See FESTIVAL, Page Five
37,000 DUCKS AND GEESE
AT PEA ISLAND REFUGE
Included in Total Are 7,000
Gikater Snows and 20 Blues
A total of 37,000 ducks and
geese of various species were win
tering in the Pea Island National
Wildlife Refuge Area at a year
end count made this week by L. B.
Turner, manager of the refuge.
, Ihcluded in the latest count
were 7,000 greater snow geese or
about half of the world’s popula
tion of this species. Twenty blue
geese, ahother rare member of the
waterfowl family along the Atla-n
tic Flyway were also counted with
the Greater Snows, Turner stated.
“There are approximately
11,000 Canada Geese and about
17,000 ducks of all kinds,’ said
Turner. So far this year no Ross’
Geese have been sighted at the
refuge.
“This does not mean there is a
general shortage of snow geese,”
Turner said. ‘‘Many which mi
grated southward are now divert
ing their feeding grounds from
Pea Island to Mattamuskeet Wild
life Refuge, upper Currituck
Sound and ih the Back Bay re
gion. The greatest concentration
at any one place though each win
ter for the past several years has
always been at pea Island.
It is a tradition among upper
Hatteras Island residents that the
snow geese usually begin their
northward flights on January 5,
the date that Old Christmas is
celebrated at Rodanthe and
Waves. As a matter of fact, al
most every year that is the ap
proximate date the rare and pro
tected geese start northward.
“There has been a shortage of
swan using the Pea Island Refuge
this year,” according to Turner
whose official midwinter count at
the refuge is scheduled for Janu
ary 11.