VOLUME XXII NO. 1
M. KEITH FEARING, I
BUSINESS LEADER <
IN MANTEO PASSES '
r
Head of Many Enterprises Sue- I
cumbs to Short Illness at Age
of 61 Wednesday
Malcolm Keith Fearing, 61,
President of Fearings Inc.,
and head of many business 1
enterprises in Manteo, and a
business leader here for the
past 35 years, died Wednes- 1
day night at his home after a <
short illness. He had been in fail- i
ing health for a long time. He was :
the husband of Mrs. Grizelle M. i
Fearing, and the son of the late •
Mrs. Janie Anderson and Dr. ;
Woodson B. Fearing. He was born i
August 21, 1894.
Except for a few years in Nor
folk where he engaged in business,
Mr. Fearing had spent his lifetime
in Manteo, having returned home
some 35 years ago, and immediate
ly entered business with his broth
er, W. B. Fearing. Together, they
were the owners of numerous en
terprises in Manteo, including one
of the largest stores in the east,
a case and hotel, a real estate and
contracting business and the oper
ation of the power system serving
Roanoke Island. They were also
interested in a bank at Norlina,
and owners of the hotel in that
town. For many years they were
active in the ownership of the
bank of Manteo, and their enter
prises include a drug store, in Man
teo, which is operated by M. K.
Fearing Jr.
Mr. Fearing is survived by his
wife, by three sons, M. K. Fearing
Jr. and Woodson B. Fearing of
Manteo and Daniel B. Fearing of
Miami; a daughter, Mrs. Walter
J. Andrews of Manteo; a broth
er, W. B. Fearing, a half-brother,
Capt J. M. Woodhouse of Norfolk;
and several grandchildren. He was
a member of Corinthian Lodge No.
266 A.F. & A.M., Norfolk, and of
Mt. Olivet Methodist Church, Man
teo. •
Funeral services will be conduct
ed in the Methodist Church Friday
at 2 p.m. by Rev. L. A. Aitken,
the pastor, and Rev. H. V. Napier,
the Baptist pastor. Burial will be
in the Manteo cemetery.
In tribute to Mr. Fearing, busi
ness houses of Manteo will close
for the hour of his funeral at 2
p.m. Friday, in keeping with cus
tom on the death of a fellow mer
chant.
DARE RECORDER TRIES 22
CASES IN TUESDAY COURT
Twenty cases were heard or dis
posed of in Darej Recorders Court
Tuesday by Judge W. F. Baum.
Four defendants were fined for
their pai-t in disorderly conduct at
the Nags Head Casino, while a
fifth escaped from officers. They
were charged variously with drunk
and disorderly conduct, interfer
ing with an officer, resisting ar
rest or aiding and abetting. All
of Norfolk, and in addition to fines
paid costs. J. L. Meekins paid $25;
C. L. McDonald, $10; W. C. Lister
Jr. and T. E. Liverman sls each,
and costs. of Man
too close behind another car, $5
and costs. Willie Sptncer of Man
teo paid S2O for reckless and care
less driving, plus costs and a fine
of $5 for using a car with a de
fective muffler. Elmer Sanders,
drunk on highway, $lO and costs.
Jethro Payne Jr. for being drunk
on the highway, and for fighting
T. G. Gaskill, each were fined $lO
and costs. For using improper li
cense tags, George Norman
Elmo Gorham each paid $5 and
costs. Everett E. Liverman for ig
noring stop signs, $5 and costs;
also for this offense, Anthony
Casoli of Buxton paid the costs.
Improper lights cost Lewis E.
Bowling $5 and court costs. No
operator’s license cost Leßoy
See COURT, Page Eight
WRIGHT MEMORIAL VISITED
BY 37,362 DURING JUNE
Kill Devil Hills.—More than
twice as many people visited the
Wright Brothers National Monu
ment here at Kill Devil Hills this
year than during the same month
one year ago, according to the re
port of Superintendent Horace
Dough.
• Last year in June there were
14,126 visitors and this year in
June a total of 37,362 were re
_ corded. Thnr is an indication that
the Dare Coast is having a banner
vacation season so far for 1956.
During the first six months of
1955 a total of 41,046 persons
were counted as compared to 98,-
870 through June 30 in 1956.
Dough explained that a more ac
curate count is possible this year
because all visitors are now count
ed automatically, i.e., by an elec
tronic devices which counts the au
tomobiles entering the area. An
avrage of 3.5 persons are aboard
each car.
THE COASTLAND TIMES
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE INTEREST OF THE WALTER RALEIGH COASTLAND OF NORTH CAROLINA
THE LOST COLONY
OPENS SEASON IN
WATERSIDE THEATRE
New Actors in Several Roles, In
cluding Eleanor Dare and Old
Tom; Director Clifton Brit
ton Puts on Excellent
Production
By CATHERINE D. MEEKINS
Opening its sixteenth season in
Waterside Theatre on Roanoke Is
land, Paul Green’s symphonic
drama “The Lost Colony” got
underway Saturday evening, June
30. With Jan Saxon playing the
role of Eleanor Dare for the first
time, the part was given the best
and most sincere interpretation
since Barbara Griffith left the
show several years ago. Miss
Saxon gave an excellent opening
night performance, and bids fair
to continue to excel in the role
during the remainder of the sea
son. Phil Bruns, also new in the
show, gave the tragj-comic role of
Old Tom Harris a good start. He
played the comedy scenes much to
the liking of the audience and he
received a tremendous applause at
his first exit. The serious scenes
were also well played, and promise
to become better as the show
moves along. Martin Gerrish, in
his second season with-the drama,
was well received in his part as
John Borden, which he played in
a strong nwnner and in even bet
ter character than last year.
Mary Wood Long, long a favor
ite with Lost Colony audiences,
played a dynamic Queen Elizabeth.
Mrs. Long was one of the cast
members chosen to represent the
Lost Colony last spring in the Ora
tory Finals of the New York
Journal-American in the Metropol
itan Opera House in New York,
and it is understood that her per
formance at that time was out
standing.
Oliver Link, another second sea-
See PAGEANT, Page Five
ARMY FACILITY TO
TAKE NAGS HEAD
COAST GUARD STA.
Long Established Unit Abandoned
at Nags Head, Following Sur
* vey Made in January
After several suggestions since
World War II it might do so,
Coast Guard has abandoned Nags
Head Coast Guard Station, sent
its crew to enlarge that at Kill
Devil Hills, and has turned the
Nags Head property over to the
Army for its Radar Coverage pro
gram.
The commandant of the United
States Coast Guard, Vice Admiral
A. C. Richmond, USCG, has order
ed the disestablishment of the
Coast Guard Lifeboat Station at
Nags Head.
This action has resulted from the
findings of the Coast Guard Board
of Survey, headed by Rear Ad
miral H. C. Perkins, USCG. The
survey was conducted last Janu
ary.
The board was ordered to con
vene for the purpose of surveying
Coast Guard facilities and recom
mending for disestablishment those
which do not contribute signifi
cantly to Coast Guard functions,
or for change in status such as
reduction, consolidation, or reloca
tion were appropriate.
The board held a public hearing
in the courthouse at Manteo, on
January 11, 1956, and also con
ducted an on-site survey of the
Nags Head station to determine
whether or not that station was
comparatively inactive as far as
Coast Guard statutory responsi
bilities were concerned.
As a result of the Nags Head
Station being disestablished, the
Life Boat station at Kill Devil
Hills will be increased by six (6)
men. Two additional men will be
assigned to Oregon Inlet Lifeboat
Station.
In addition, a new lookout
tower will be constructed on the
roof of the Kill Devil Hills station
where a continuous lookout will be
maintained.
Kill Devil Hills station will re
ceive an increase in its boat and
vehicle allowance. Two additional
vehicles will be sent, as well as
an additional motor surfboat.
The Coast Guard will vacate the
Lifeboat Station prior to July 15,
1956.
The commander, Fifth Coast
Guard District, Rear Admiral H.
C. Moore, USCG, has issued a
revocable permit to Colonel H. G.
Smigelow, U. S. Army, command
er of the 3rd Antiaircraft Artillery
Group, to occupy the station.
The 3rd Antiaircraft Artillery
group plans to erect a radar site
at/this facility which will increase
the radar coverage of the Norfolk
antiaircraft artillery defense area.
It .is planned that the initial
Army personnel will move into the
facility on July 16, 1956.
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THE SEA GIVES AND IT TAKES, but it is the one perennial friend of the Walter Raleigh Coastland.
We may be run over by obnoxious multitudes, we may suffer from heat and cold, from high winds or
burning suns, but our one faithful business partner forever guards our front door, and sheds its bless
ings impartially the year round. We may worry because facilities become obsolete or amusements become
outlawed, or highways move away from one’s door, but this we know and can bank on, and can allow
it to influence our investments, and assist us with our plans for the future. Next year, the year after,
and 100 years from now, old Atlantic Ocean is going to be our business partner, demanding no dividends,
asking no rake-off, but always the greater partner in bringing about the pay-off. There are cool breezes
along this ocean for you folks back in the burning inland towns. There are cool, and healing waters in its
depths. It has songs to soothe you by day, and to help you sleep at night. Our one dependable ally.
You’ll always find it here; come and get it.
OCRACOKE ISLAND
FILLED UP WITH
VISITORS JULY 4
Pony Penning at Berkley Manor
Ranch; Big Day Ends With '
Old Time Square
Dance
Ocracoke, July 4.—lt is reported
that Ocracoke saw the biggest
crowd yet for their July 4 celebra
tion, with visitors crowding in
from all directions, and many ask
ing for rooms in homes because
all vacancies were filled. The
ferry ran all day on July 3 and
many of the people coming in by
car and not knowing the terrain
found themselves having to be
towed out of the sandy beach and
helped on their way. Many planes
brought visitors from Raleigh and
places nearby and all joined with
the visitors, a number of Hatteras
folk and the residents in enjoying
the day’s program.
At the pony penning held at the
Berkley Manor Ranch in the morn
ing, only three or four colts were
sold as the residents were loath
to part with their stock. Sam
Jones, owner of the Berkley Manor
Ranch, held a square dance at 3
p.m. and gave many prizes to the
best dancers, besides serving re
freshments to all comers.
The evening closed with the big
square dance, leaving everyone
with the. memory of a great day.
OCRACOKE PONY PENNING
ATTRACTED MANY VISITORS
Ocracoke’s annual banker pony
penning attracted a record number
of vacationists to the island this
week.
The penning which may be the
last roundup for the picturesque
animals which had long ranged the
dunelands of Ocracoke was held
at Berkley Manor Ranchero, the
magnificent island estate of Sam
Jones, Norfolk capitalist.
Following the pony penning
which was filmed for television
and attracted many news photog
raphers to the island, there was
a matinee and evening square
dance in the ranch house of the
Ranchero. Some observers said it
was all like the Ocracoke of olden
days.
ARRIVE FROM HONOLULU
Miss Mary Jolliff and her
brother, Wilton Jolliff, Jr., arrived
Monday to visit their aunt, Mrs.
Marvin Rogers, until their mother,
Mrs. John Lee, arrives next week
end. Mr. and Mrs. Lee, their son,
Johnny, and Mary and Wilton, ar
rived in San Francisco by steamer
from Honolulu, where they had
made their home for several years,
while Mr. Lee was stationed there
with the U. S. Coast Guard. Mary
and Wilton flew from San Fran
cisco to Norfolk. Mr. and Mrs.
Lee and Johnny are coming by
automobile, stopping enroute to
visit Mrs. Lee's nephew, Capt.
: Aubrey Rogers, USAF, in Denver,
Colorado.
MANTEO, N. C., FRIDAY, JULY 6, 1956
HERE IT IS FOLKS, COME AND GET IT
OLD DARE COUNTY JAIL
PROVED STRUCTURALLY
STRONG, TOUGH BUILDING
After a week of rugged effort,
beaten by a heavy steel hammer
wielded by a big dragline, the old
Dare County Jail, 50 years old,
has been leveled to the ground.
They didn’t bother to take out the
windows, some thirty pieces of
sash, some of it as good as new,
which might have been given away
to some poor fellow. Sash, glass
and all were smashed to pieces and
along with the bricks are being
hauled away and dumped into the
marsh.
The building, which could not be
replaced for $25,000 is said by
local builders to have been the
strongest one in Dare County. It
would have been good for another
50 years. The outlay of a few
thousand dollars would have made
it an up to date jail.
The old steel cage which con
stituted the cell-block on the sec
ond floor has been saved, such of
it as is needed may be sent to
Buxton to create a hand-me-down
jail to satisfy those citizens who
crave a lock-up for the people
down there.
PROMISED TAX CUT FOR
DARE DOESN'T MATERIALIZE
The substantial cut in taxes that
some people had been expecting
as the result of promises made
last year by the Dare County Com
missioners doesn’t appear in sight
upon examination of the tentative
budget advertised week. It ap
pears now that the citizens will
have a tax in the coming year
of $1 instead of the old rate of
.90, despite the wiping off of the
$40,000 set up last year to buy
school sites, and which we were
told was the cause of the $1.15 rate
during the past year.
Instead of getting the benefit of
the .22 cent reduction due us, we
will get a 15 cent reduction, and
this despite a considerable increase
in property values this year.
In the course of events, there
will be another valuation next i
year. In preparation for this the l
Board has increased the appropria
tion for tax supervisor to $10,350
for the year. It is planned to spend
$238,973.80 to run the county this
year as compared with the $211,-
369.97 proposed last year, but
which was later increased.
LARGEST WHITE MARLIN
TAfKEN THIS YEAR, SUN.
Nags Head.—Largest white mar
lin reported from the Gulf Stream
off Oregon Inlet this season was
a 61 pounder caught last Sunday
by W. R. Griffin, Norfolk. His big
white marlin measured seven and
half feet from tip to tip.
The catch brought the total for
this species off Oregon Inlet this
year to four. A fifth one has been
taken off Hatteras where a blue
marlin and sailfish have also been
taken.
IDEAS ADVANCED
FOR STRUCTURES AT
OLD FORT RALEIGH
Robert Humber Would Have Tu
dor Village and 16th Cen
tury Arts and Crafts
Some new ideas for structures
commemorating the First English
settlements on Roanoke Island
were advanced Saturday night at
chairman of the Roanoke Island
the opening of the show, by Rob
ert Lee Humber of Greenville, the
Historical Association. Speaking at
the Waterside Theatre, Mr. Hum
ber declared “The Lost Colony •is
the unfinished symphony of Amer
ican history.” His address follows:
You are assembled here tonight
on consecrated ground—the spirit
ual birthplace of the greatest na
tion on this earth. He reminded his
audience “that Lane’s colony was
22 years before Jamestown and 35
before the Pilgrim Fathers landed
at Plymouth in Massachusetts,
these are soverign facts of his
tory too little publicized but vital
to a true understanding of the ori
gin of our country. North Caro
lina’s modesty has been too often
the passport to the assumption of
priority by others.”
“Nowhere on North Ameri
can continent can one behold a
drama of such historical signifi
cance—or stand on a spot whose
light has cast such prophetic
beams across so many fateful cen
turies of history.
“This ground is sacred to the
memory of a race of pioneers, who
possessed in plentitude human
frailties mingled with enough 6f
human virtue to command the
gratitude of endless generations.
“They bartered a bit with des
tiny and exchanged vital statistics
for immortality. They finally join
ed the human race and left to
posterity the enigma of discover
ing their identity.
“The Lost Colony is the unfin
ished symphony of American his
tory.
“This episode warrants the crea
tion of a memorial worthy of their
heroic exploits and ' cherished
dreams.
“These men and women were the
contemporaries of Shakespeare,
Spencer, Marlow, and Bacon, —the
foster children of Sir Walter Ra
leigh—the companion of Drake,
Grenville, Gilbert Frobisher and
Cavendish—unsurpassed knight er
rant* of the sea—a race of Tudor
giants that climbed out of the
noonday meridian of man’s poten
tialities for accomplishments.
“North Carolina is the only state
of the Union with a Tudor history.
Jamestown, Plymouth and all other
colonies were either Stuart or
Georgian. Roanoke is the only
colony that Elizabeth ever planted
or could claim as her own. It was
America's first.
“Let us build for them on this
spot a Tudor village recalling the
days of their great exploits and
serving as a veritable rendezvous
for their congenial and undaunted
See IDEAS, Page Five
SCHOOL BUDGET
REQUEST REDUCED
BY COUNTY BOARD
Broken Down Heating Plant at
Manteo School and Buxton
Water Supply May
Go Unrelieved.
In the trimming of the budget
for the current fiscal year this
week, the sum requested by the
Board of Education for operation
of the county schools was reduced
by about $7,800. The sum allotted
for the coming year is $40,000 as
compared with $30,538.82 last
year, not counting the $40,000 ap
propriation to buy land for school
sites at Kitty Hawk and Manteo.
Increases were granted several
other county departments along
with the schools. The Board of
Education contended their needs
were greater than last year.
Among these needs is the replace
ment of the worn out 30-year
heating jUant at the Manteo
school, and installation of a decent
water supply at the Buxton school.
The Manteo heating plant breaks
down every year, causing the
schools to shut down. It also needs
two extra S3OO sections added to
it. At Cape Hatteras, no suitable
water has yet been piped up to
the school, and it will require
drilling of wells to find it.
Despite the additional cost of
operating the schools during the
past seven years and while the to
tal county budget has increased by
$107,835.30, the amount alloted the
schools" this year is only $7,940
more than was alloted the schools
in 1949. At the same time this
year, Currituck County has appro
priated $106,000. Currituck is
spending nearly twice as much per
pupil as Dare County spends.
NEW ASSIGNMENTS
AMONG METHQDISTS
FOR MANY PASTORS
Coastland People Get Several
New Pastors; See Old Names
Sent Far Away
Coastland people will be inter
ested in the assignments of Meth
odist pastors made last week by
the annual conference in Green
ville. In Dare County, only two
pastors returned to their charges.
Rev. L. A. Aitken was returned to
Manteo for his second year. Rev. C.
Freeman Heath continues as Dis
trict Superintendent in Elizabeth
City.
Although me was assigned to
Rocky Point in the Wilmington dis
trict,, his assignment has been
changed and the Rev. A. L. G.
Stephenson has been returned to
Stumpy Point for his sixth year.
Rev. C. W. Guthrie, who is re
tired and has established himself
in a new home there is succeeded
by Rev. C. L. Warren.
At Hatteras, Rev. L. R. Sparrow
will succeed Rev. Dan Meadows,
who has been sent to Bath. Rev.
W. R. Hale returns to the Ocra
coke charge which is in the New
Bern district.
At Avon, Rev. B. E. Bingham
succeeds Rev. A. G. Tyson who has
been sent to the Tar River charge.
At Kitty Hawk, Rev. W. H. Mont
gomery succeeds Rev. W. B.
Gregory, who has been sent to
Creswell.
Rev. Earl R. Meekins has been
returned to the Perquimans
charge; Rev. P. M. Porter to the
Chowan Charge; Rev. A. H. Stone
to the Swan Quarter charge; Rev.
Wilford Wise, who formerly
preached at Bath has been return
ed to the Middleburg charge.
Rev. W. A. Wentz Jr. returns
to Belhaven; Rev. A. M. Cameron
returns to Mattamuskeet in Hyde
County. Rev. R. H. Eason goes to
Columbia; Rev. Robert Frost to
Currituck. Rev. J. D. Scott goes
to Moyock.
Os interest is the assignment of
many former pastors of our
Coastland churches and their
present assignments in other dis
tricts: In the Burlington District,
Rev. M. W. Maness is pastor of
the Webb Avenue Church in
Burlington; Rev. J. B. Hurley is
on the Burlington circuit; Rev. J.
W. Goodwin preaches at Haw
River; W. F. Meacham at Milton.
Rev. John R. Poe, a former Hat
teras preadier t and more recently
of Burlington, has been assigned
the job of District Secretary of
Temperance and will preach at
Fuquay Springs in Wake County
in the Raleigh District In this dis
trict is Rev. Wilford Wise, Rev.
W. O. Connor who formerly
preached in Hyde is now on the
Warren charge) Rev. J. C. Harmon
is also on the retired list Rev. L.
A. Tilley goes to the Centenary
church at Smithfield.
In the Rocky Mount district we
find Rev. Vance Lewis at Pinetops.
He formerly preached at Wan
chese. He is also the District sec-
See METHODISTS, Page Eight
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Single Copy 7$
HIGHWAY SERVICE
AT PRICE OF TOLLS
IS GOVERNOR'S PLAN
Hodges Suggests Future Bridges in
Northeast Be Financed
by Tolls.
Gas tax went up July 1 another
cent, only owners of vehicles are
paying for all the roads in the
state. Consequently there will not
be much enthusiasm among motor
ists for the suggestion this week
that they pay additional money for
the use of any more bridges and
some roads in the east, as suggest
ed by Governor Hodges. Neither
will many people be able to see
why the people in one section must
pay an additional cost, while the
rest of the state goes fredt
In Morehead City the Governor
was quoted as saying that a “tre
mendous growth in population and
growing needs for service in the
coastal areas “have changed his
views about toll free roads in this
state.
Well, the west and Piedmont
have grown in population and de
manded more service, and have
gotten it without extra toll. In fact,
they always got their needs filled
first, while the east had to wait.
The east suffered a lot while wait
ing; all through barren years they
paid a heavy penalty. While not
complaining about this, because
everyone could not be served at
once, it doesn’t seem quite right
now to tack an additional penalty •
on the east and its visitors.
Governor Hodges thinks the Al
ligator River bridge should be
built, and the whole coast opened
up down through Ocracoke and in
to Carteret County. This would call
for expensive service across Pam
lico Sound; enlarged ferry service
across Hatteras Inlet, and a bridge
across Oregon Inlet.
The Governor has recently vis
ited Corolla and is aware of the
well organized movement to get a
road built, connecting Dare County
with that area, and Virginia
Beach.
He is also quoted as saying the
people should bind themselves to
not ask that any toll bridge that '
might be built, be made free until
after it is paid for. There will be
difficulty in finding exactly who
has the authority to bind the citi
zens -and travelers who are invited
to otir state, into any compact of
this nature. No matter what public
official takes it upon himself to
make this pledge, he will only sub
ject himself to criticism and make
himself vulnerable to any candi
date who pops up and attacks him
on the ground that he has sold his
people down the river.
ELIZABETH CITY PASTOR
LOST COLONY SPEAKER
Rev. W. W. Finlator, First Baptist Pas
tor To Be at Waterside
Theatre Sunday.
The Rev. W. W. Finlator, pas
tor of First Baptist Church, Elis
abeth City and J. Stillman Scott
and Mrs. Scott, residents of the
Pasquotank capital, will be featur
ed in the second Sunday worship
period during The Lost Colony
season at Waterside Theatre here
Sunday, July 8, it was announced
today by Rev. Thomas L. White,
host minister.
Musical aspects of the worship
period beginning at 11 o’clock will
include the famous Lost Colony
Chorus under direction of Elwood
Keister with Hedley Yost at the
organ console.
During the prelude Mr. Scott
will sing “I will Sing New Songs
of Gladness,” by Dvorak and Mrs.
Scott will sing Bath’s “Draw Near
To Me” during the musical pro
gram.
The Rev. Mr. Finlator is a gi act
uate of Wake Forest College and
for the past 10 yea: s pastor of the
Elizabeth City First Baptist
Church. lie is widely known
throughout the Albemarle area for
his activities in fields of religion
and general welfare. Sunday will
mark the 10th anniversary of his
pastorship at the First Baptist
Church in Elizabeth City.
JOHN M. WISE. NATIVE OF
STUMPY POINT DIES SUNDAY
John M. Wise, a native of Stum
py Point, one who always loved
his old home and his people, and
who delighted in visiting it when
ever he could, died Sunday in a
New Bern hospital. He had suf
fered long from arthritis and rheu
matism, and had recently lost a
leg because of it. He was 71 years
old and had been engaged in the
mercantile business. He is surviv
ed by his wife, Mrs. Lila Bell
Wise, two brothers, U. G. Wise of
Stumpy Point and Will F. Wise
of Lexington; a sister, Mrs. M. V.
Hooper of Stumpy Point; a daugh
ter, Mrs. Ronald*Hyde of Chitten
ango, N. Y„ a son, John Wise, Jr.
of Shreveport, La.