VOLUME X>6+ NO. 9
SUNDAY, SEPT. 2ND
LAST PERFORMANCE
OF 16 th SEASON
Last Showing of Lost Colony in
1956 Will Take Place Labor
Day Eve.
By AYCOCK BROWN
Labor Day Eve, this year fall
ing on September 2, will mark the
16th season finale of the Lost Col
ony, America’s longest-lived out
door production. It wilj be the
820th performance of the Paul
Green drama which was shown
first in Waterside Theatre during
the summer of 1937, and during
each summer season since then ex
cept for four World War II years
when it was necessary to black out
this coastal region as a security
measure against enemy subma
rines operating offshore. *
The Lost Colony, first of the
outdoor symphonic drama types of
production, is presented at Fort
Raleigh on the actual site of the
original happenings of the story it
tells. The story is of Elizabethan
England and the New World in
which Sir Walter Raleigh attempt
ed to plant a permanent settle
ment during the 16th Century per
iod of 1584-87.
It also tells the story of Vir
ginia Dare, first child of English
parents born in America, whose
369th anniversary was celebrated
here last week on August 18, with
the Governors of North Carolina
and Bermuda, former members of
British Parliament and high U. S.
government officials present to
help pay homage to the famous
babe. x
Performances are presented
nightly, except Mondays, by high
ly trained actors, some profession
als, other advanced students of col
legiate drama on multi-level stag
ings in a vast open air theatre
overlooking historic Roanoke
Sound. There are 134 persons in
the Lost Colony Company and cast
this year.
The final performance of each
summer season is presented on the
eve of Laboi - Day. The reason for
this was something learned sever
al years ago, that holiday vacation
ists celebrating Labor Day at this
North Carolina coastal resort re
gions, do their celebrating on the
holiday’s eve. and during daylight
hours of Labor Day. By evening,
the throngs who would be potential
customers for the drama are home
bound from their,- vacations.
A MOVIE DIRECTOR FLIES
EAST TO SEE LOST COLONY
Henry King Now on List of Season's
Notable Guests to .Pageant
Aboard his private plane, Henrv
King, one of the top ranking Hol
lywood movie directors, came to
Manteo this week to see a per
formance of the Lost Colony. He
was scheduled to land at Manteo
Airport Thursday and see the dra
ma’s 817th showing of the outdoor
production which has outlived all
others and has been seen by al
most 800,000 paying customers
during its long history.
Manager Dick Jordan was ad
vised earlier this week by Paul
Green, author of The Lost Colony,
who is now in Williamsburg writ
ing a new play to be presented as
a part of the Jamestown Exposi
tion next year, that King was fly
ing in to see the show this week.
What may be in the background
of his cross-continent trip to see a
performance of The Lost Colony
is not known at this time. King is
with 20th Century Fox and he has
directed many big pictures includ
ing State Fair, Carolina, Jesse
James, Maryland, Song of Berna
dette, Black Swan and Love Is a
Many Splendored Thing.
Despite rainy weather, or the
kind that threatened rain, an aver
age of 1,000 persons have seen
each showing of the Lost Colony
during the past four performances.
This has pushed the season’s total
as of Wednesday night to 38,585
paid admissions or more than 6,-
000 ahead of last season which
during August had been effected
by rains and storm warnings.
This week Lansdale “Bounce”
Anderson of Sports Afilm, the
movie company now shooting mov
ies of Cape Hatteras National Sea
shore and the Dare coast vacation
attractions, has made several se
quences of the Lost Colony. Even
tually millions of people through
out the nation and world will see
these National Park Service mov
ies.
If there are no rainouts this
week end, The Lost Colony will
end fts 1956 season with perform
ance 820, or 55 for the current
season. The management of the
show has announced that the Lost
Colony next year (1957) will be
gin en June 29 and continue
through September 1 for a total
of 55 performances.
THE COASTLAND TIMES
PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE INTEREST OF THE WALTER RALEIGH COASTLAND OF NORTH CAROLINA
BISHOP GARBER TO HOLD
LAST LOST COLONY SERVICE
7'
r JMI
DR. PAUL NEFF GARBER, Bish
op of the North Carolina-Virginia
Methodist Conference with head
quarters in Richmond, will be
guest minister at the final Lost
Colony Sunday worship services of
the 1956 season here September 2.
His sermon, to be delivered in
Waterside Theatre at 11 o’clock
Sunday morning will be followed
on Sunday night by the final per
formance of The Lost Colony for
the current season. The perform
ance will be the 55th presented
this year and the 820th in the long
history of the drama.
Bishop Garber is a native of
New Market, Va., where he was
born on July 27, 1899. He received
his religious and collegiate train
ing at Bridgewater College, the
University of Pennsylvania and at
Crozer Theological Seminary. He
received his doctorate at the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania. He has
been awarded honorary degrees by
Simpson Collge, Duke University,
Randolph-Macon Col le g e and
Bridgewater College.
During his career, he has been
instructor in history at the Uni-
See GARBER, Page Twelve
N. C. TOWNS SHARE
SIX MILLION SPLIT
FOR STREET WORK
Largest Amount Yet From Powell
Funds Divided Among In
corporated Towns
Raleigh.—The State Highway
Commission has announced the al
location of $6,219,336.82 in cash
aid to 400 incorporated, active,
eligible and qualified municipali
ties for improvements on non-,
highway system streets.
This is the largest amount ever
distributed since the Powell Bill
Act was passed in 1951, when a
total o£ $4,543,096.20 was divided
among 386 towns. In 1952, a total
of $4,948,842.30 was shared by
388 towns. In 1953, a total of
$5,244,203.40 was diveded among
394 Tar Heel towns. In 1954,
$5,391,717.41 was shared by 396
tojvns. Last year, a total of $5,-
711,978.98 was divided among 399
towns. This year’s allocation
brings the total six-year disburse
ment of Powell Bill Funds to
$32,059,175.11.
The complete list of allocations
to several eastern towns is as
follows: Aurora $3,207.59; Bath
$1,478.22; Belhaven $11,623.23;
Columbia $4,113.81; Creswell sl,-
900.82; Edenton $15,579.36; Eliza
beth City $42,677.47; Jamesville
$2,356.53; Kill Devil Hills $8,508.-
59; Manteo $2,786.53; Pantego
$909.18; Plymouth $16,490.24; Ro
per $3,715.05 Washington $36,-
543.84; Washington Park $2,513.-
48;' Williamston $21,342.76.
. The increasing annual total dis
bursements are due to the ever
growing volumes of gasoline being
used in motor vehicles. The fund
eomes from a per gallon of the
total or gross 6(* gasoline tax
(less refunds) during fiscal 1955-
56, when the gross State gasoline
tax totalled $74,690,855.92.
Checks will be mailed to the
participating towns in mid-Sep
tember.
Half of the total allocation, or
$3,109,668.41 is divided among all
qualified municipalities on the ba
sis of population. The per capita
rate is $2.04 this year. Last year,
it was SI.BB.
The other half of the total allo
cation is divided among all the
qualified municipalities on the ba
sis of relative mileage of non-
State system or local streets which
comply with the Act. The milage
rate this year is $496.66. Last
year, it was $472.65.
As of July 1, 1956, the 400 par
ticipating towns had 6,261.17 miles
of non-highway system streets.
Their total population, according
to the 1950 census, was 1,522,998. (
Allocations were figured to the.
penny by the Highway Commis-I
sion's Division of Statistics and
Planning under the direction of I
See FUNDS, Page Seven
ANOTHER SBOO DAY
FROM RECORDER'S
COURT IN DARE
Many Contributors to Dare Coun
ty School Fund; Biggest Sea
son's Business Ever
About SBOO was contributed to
the Dare County School Fund in
Tuesday’s session of Recorder’s
court, and continues a figure that
has been holding up for several
weeks, representing fines collected
from speeders and other offenders
during the week end. Next Tues
day may be the last big day of
the season, when Labor Day is
ended, and traffic declines. There
may be an additional S3OO coming
in from appealed cases.
Business in Recorder’s court
this year is estimated to be big
gest since the court was establish
ed 28 years ago.
Held to be guilty on a total of
seven counts charging illegal
handling of beer, George R. Fear
ing Jr. of Kitty* Hawk appealed
from total fines of S3OO plus
court costs. He was arraigned on
three separate warrants of four
charges each, for alleged offenses
taking place in July and August
at his place of business at Kitty
Hawk beach, in which he was
charged with selling beer without
license, having in his possession
malt liquors, selling beer between
the hours of 11:45 p.m. and 7:30
a.m. and allowing beer to be con
sumed on his premises between
these hours.
The charge of selling beer be
tween 11:45 p.m. and 7:30 a.m.
was dismissed. The actions were
brought as the result of evidence
obtained by State officers operat
ing out of Raleigh. The case will
next come before Superior Court
in late October as a result of the
appeal.
The following paid sls each and
costs for speeding at 50 mph in a
35-mile zone: Roy B. Byrum,
Norfolk; Raymond E. Bryant Jr.,
Richmond; Rodney Weir Markley
Jr., Corbin Lee Cherry, Hertford;
Roy D. Gleaning, Bolivar, Pa.;
Elaine May Aitkin, Colver, Pa.;
Phillip P. Causey, Greensboro;
Otis Ray Griswell, Elizabeth City;
Stephen T. Farish of Ayden;
Claire Natalie Mocasean of Curri
tuck; and Garth Leslie Rucker of
Tarboro.
For speeding at 55 mphs in a
35-mile zone the following paid
S2O and costs each: Robert Clem
mons, Berkley, Va.; Robert B.
Smith Jr., Edenton; Ralph O.
Sidberry, who paid an extra $25
for having no operator’s license;
Albin M. Wrokblewski of Norfolk;
•Ellis Thos. Wrenn of Burlington;
Curtis R. Nixon Jr., who also paid
an additional SSO for reckless
driving.
See COURT, Page Six
THE IMPORTANT AMENDMENT TO
BE VOTED UPON SEPTEMBER Bth
We think it is important for the
people of North Carolina to inform
themselves fully on the Amend
ments concerning our public
schools, to be voted on Saturday,
September Bth. We think it is im
portant for everyone to go vote
and express his opinion on a mat
teras of grave concern to our peo
ple.
Many people believe that the
Supreme Court’s decision on mix
ing whites and negroes in the
schools will mean the end of public
schools in many parts of the south.
The Pearsall Amendment plan is
believed to offer relief from this
grave problem. We urge our peo
ple to read the following:
Here, in the words of the Pear
sall committee, is the best way to
“preserve public schools and help
preserve the public peace.”
Governor Luther H. Hodges
gives his full suppdrt to this plan.
The General Assembly approved it
overwhelmingly; the Senate by 49
to 0 and the House of Representa
by 116 to 2.
The State Board of Education
overwhelmingly endorsed this plan.
So did other school groups, includ
ing the Executive Committee of
the North Carolina Education
Association, representing nearly
30,000 white teachers.
A majority vote by You, the
people, on September 8 will: (1)
Permit the granting of education
expense grants at State and local
levels to any child for whom no
public school is available, or who
is assigned against his parent’s
wishes to a mixed public school;
and (2) Permit by a later vote of
the people the closing of a school
or schools in a community where
conditions become intolerable.
Questions and Answers
1. What is the purpose of this
Amendment?
A. It is an effort to preserve
North Carolina’s Public School
system.
2. Why should we amend our
MANTEO, N. C., FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 1956
GREEN WRITING A DRAMA FOR JAMESTOWN CELEBRATION
WjggMl
Paul Green, the noted Pulitzer prize-winner who wrote “The
Common Glory,” is the author of “The Founders,” a new outdoor
historical drama which will be presented next year by the Jamestown
Corporation, an educational, non-profit organization, as a special fea
ture of the 1957 Jamestown Festival. “The Founders,” an entirely new
symphonic drama, deals with the 1607 settlement at Jamestown in
Virginia. Mr. Green wrote “The Lost Colony,” first of the outdoor
plays which has been running since 1937 on Roanoke Island.
SERVES AT PENSACOLA
' ' ’ , v< • 4
Pensacola, Fla. (FHTNC)
James A. White, aviation machin
ist’s mate second class, USN, son
of Mr. and Mrs. A. B. White of
Route 1, Box 380, Auburndale, Fla.,
and husband of the former Miss
Sadie R. Midgett of Kitty Hawk,
is serving with Helicopter Train
ing Unit 1 at Ellyson Field, Pen
sacola, Fla.
Prior to reporting to Pensacola,
he served with Advanced Training
Unit at the Sherman Field Naval
Ail- Station, Pensacola.
Before entering the service in
1943, he attended Redland High
School in Redland, Fla.
State Constitution ?
A. It is necessary to amend the
N. C. Constitution in order that
the State legislature can pass the
necessary laws to protect the peo
ple against unacceptable mixing of
the races and thereby assure pub
lic support of schools.
3. What are we voting on?
A. The people will decide wheth
er they want to authorize the
General Assembly to provide edu
cation expense grants for private
education. They also will decide
whether they want the closing of
any school to be decided by the
people on the local level. In other
words, the smallest school unit
could make the decision.
4. Why should we vote for the
amendment ?
A. To give ourselves as much
freedom of choice as is possible
under the U. S. Supreme Court
decision.
5. If the people approve this
program will my child be forced
to attend school with a member
of another race?
A. Emphatically No. .
6. Is this an effort to defy the
U. S. Supreme Court l ?
A. It is not defiance. It is an
attempt to stay within that deci
sion, even though a great majority
of our citizens disapprove the Su
preme Court’s ruling.
7. Are we sure that approval
of the amendment will preserve
our traditional system of segre
gated schools?
A. We cannot be sure of any
thing the U. S. Supreme Court
may do or say. But this is the
best plan that has been advanced
that would prevent forced mixing
of races in our schools.
8. Did the D. S. Supreme Court
say that my child had to go school
with a member of another race,?
A. No.
9. What did it say, in effect?
A. Only that we cannot deny
admission of a child to a public
See SCHOOL, Page Seven
\. • 1
Williamsburg, Va.—A proposal
to continue “The Common Glory”
next year in addition to “The
Founders,” is being considered by
the Jamestown Corporation.
Under the plan, “The Founders”
would be presented in a new am
phitheatre to be constructed with
in Matoaka Lake Park in Wil
liamsburg near the amphitheatre
presently used for “The Common
Glory.”
The Jamestown Corporation,
which is presenting “The Found
ers” as a special feature of the
1957 Jamestown Festival, pre
viously had announced plans to
cancel “The Common Glory” next
year and to present instead the
Jamestown drama. The proposed
plan now under consideration by
the non-profit, eductional organi
zation would be to present both
productions next summer.
“The Founders,” which tells the
story of the 1607 settlement at
Jamestown, would be presented in
the afternoons at the new amphi
theatre. The show would open
May 13, Jamestown Day, and run
for an indefinite season, probably
through October 19, Yorktown
Day.
“The Common Glory,” the story
of the American Revolutionary
War, would be given in the eve
nings at the Matoaka Lake amphi-
See DRAMA, Page Twelve
RULES FOR OPENING OF
MANTEO SCHOOL TUESDAY
The Manteo High School will
open at 9:00 a.m., September 4.
All students are requested to go
directly to the auditorium. Parents
and other interested citizens are
cordially invited to be present. The
principal, W. H. Bunch, announces
that the elementary faculty this
year will be:' Mrs. Etta Midgett,
grade one; Mrs. Frances A. Leg
gett, grade two; Mrs. Roy Kes
singer, grade three; Mrs. G. T.
Westcott, grade four; Mrs. Ken
neth Wal’d, grade five; Mrs. Bill
Meekins, grade six; Mrs. Floyd
Hooper and Clarence Butler, grade
seven; W. H. Fry, grade eight;
and that the high school faculty
will be: Mrs. Bettie Hutchison,
"Mrs. M. E. Inge, George Birch, P.
D. Mavrommatis, A. O. Ayers, and
Mrs Maggie Cannady.
The Manteo school committee,
Mrs. L. D. Hassell, W. M. Meekins,
and J. O. Basnight; the school
principal, W. H. Bunch; and
the athletic coaches, A. O.
Ayers and W. H. Fry, have
acted in accordance with a
request from the Medical So
ciety of the State of North
Carolina and are requiring that all
students who participate in foot
ball and basketball must take the
poliomyelitis vaccine before they
can either practice or play. Dr.
W. W. Johnston of the Health De
partment has assured the school of
his full cooperation in carrying
out the program.
CLUB MEETING POSTPONED
ONE WEEjK AT RODANTHE
The usual monthly meeting of
the Civic Club at Rodanthe will
not be held Saturday night of this
week, but will be postponed to
September Bth, the President, W.
W. Edwards states. This delay is
due td the meeting of the Cape
Hatteras Electric Membership
Corp., which will be held at Bux
ton School at the same time.
There is much interest in the
meeting at Buxton, inasmuch as
every homeowner on Hatteras Is
land * a member of the co-op, and
it win be the first annual meet
ing in two years.
MILLION DOLLAR ADDITIONAL
ROAD INVESTMENT PLANNED
BY WEST VIRGINIA COMPANY
Additional 120 Miles To Be Constructed on 300,-
000 Acres in Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell and Wash
ington Counties For Fire Protection.
Announcement of intention to
spend an additional million dollars
to build 120 miles of roads on its
300,000 acres of land in eastern
N. C. has been made by West
Virginia Pulp and Paper Company.
The largest of its land holdings is
in Dare County, with other tracts
in Hyde, Tyrrell, and Washington
counties.
The company says this second
phase of roadbuilding is contem
plated to supplement the present
system of 60 miles of road near
ing completion, construction of
which began in 1952. This system
included 48 bridges and 240 cul
verts and is mostly in Dare Coun
ty-
The roads and canals provided
under this program are considered
essential to protection against
fires. Most of these lands consist
of peat formations, deep layers of
it, extending over vast bogs, and
which once on fire, continue to
burn for many days.
Other notes of interest in the
company’s announcement are as
follows:
Cooperative Job Well
Done in Tyrrell Fire
Cooperation between the North
Carolina Forest Service and '•''m
pany employees paid off during
early July when a fire threatened
many thousands of acres west of
the Frying Pan Road on a logging
operation in Tyrrell County.
The fire which started during
the early afternoon of July 6 was
believed to have been started by a
carelessly thrown match or cigar
ette in tinder dry juniper logging
debris. High winds and excessive
ground burning made the fire dif
ficult to extinguish.
The first to arrive at scene of
the fire were personnel of the N.
See WEST VA., Page Six
WILDFOWL HUNTERS
ARE AGAIN PLEASED
BY COMING SEASON
Sportsmen To Get Same Length
of Time For Hunting
Migratory Birds.
Wildfowl hunters are pleased
that the allottments of time for
shooting ducks and geese alloted
for this year will be the same as
last year. Announcement has been
made by wildlife authorities that
the season will open November
7th, and last to January 15. The
season last year and this, will be
the longest ones in recent years.
Sportsmen in both Dare and
Hyde Counties anticipate a good
season, due to improved feeding
conditions. Last year, in open wa
ters much of the native duck-food
had been destroyed by hurricanes,
along with some crops in Hyde
County. This year, crops are excel
lent in Hyde, and native grasses
growing on the sound bottoms are
heavier than usual.
Dates for hunting ducks, geese,
coots and brant include ten Satur
days and three holidays, during
the 60 days allotted. Hunting is
not allowed on Sunday. Bag limits
are the sqme as last year: Ducks,
four per day, and eight in pos
session after the first day. Geese,
two per day and four in posses
sion. Coots ten and ten, and brant,
six and six.
TRAGEDY STRIKES PONY
GROUP ON OCRACOKE
Ocracoke, August 27.—A recent
immunization of the Ocracoke Is
land ponies by the veterinary divi
sion of the State Department of
Health, seems to have been effec
tive in checking an outbreak of
encephalitis, or “blind staggers”,
among the local herd. Capt. Mar
vin Wyche Howard, scoutmaster of
the mounted Ocracoke Troop, says
that so far ten ponies have died
since the epidemic started a month
ago. Capt. Howard recalls that
about twenty-five years ago there
was a similar epidemic among the
ponies and that twenty-five died
at that time, when immunization
measures were not available. Dr.
Martin T. Hines and others of the
North Carolina Department of
Health, were called in for advice
and help about three weeks ago
and effected the immunization pro
gram, and also had brought in a
large spraying machine to rid the
Island of mosquitoes and other in
sets that might carry the disease.
Several of the ponies lost belong
ed to the members of the local
scout troop.
Single Copy 70
HATTERAS ISLAND’S
BIG DETACHMENT
OF SEABEES LEAVE
This Week End Marks Departure
of Big Task Force
By BEN DIXON MacNEILL
Buxton on Cape Hatteras, Aug.
3Q. —Leaving only a detachment to
gather together the loose ends of
a multi-million construction proj
ect that has engaged them here
for the past 15 months, Seventh
Battalion, Navy Mobile Construc
tion Force “Seabees” exacu
ated Hatteras Island today and on
Monday will depart from Norfolk
on the return voyage to the force’s
home base at Danville, Rhode Is
land.
Seventh Battalion, under the
command of Commander E. E.
Johnson, relieved elements of the
Sixth Battalion here last February
and later in the spring was aug
mented by a new detachment of
about 150 officers and men who
came in to lend a hand on the ex
panded Naval Facility project, now
about double the size of the in
stallation as originally planned.
In addition to the Facility con
struction they have also graded
and paved the National Park Serv
ice’s by-pass approach to Cape
Hatteras.
Not since the Burnside Expedi
tion deployed through Hatteras In
let in early February, 1861, with
the mission of attacking Norfolk
from the rear, has there been so
extensive a movement of military
personnel as the Islanders witness
ed this week, beginning on Wed
nesday when the first elements of
the Battalion moved out with the
first truck convoy of equipment.
Burnside had 20,000 troops—but
the Seabees just about match him
in the extent of equipment, which
ranges from the most massive
link-belt crane owned by tie
Navy, down to kitchen sinks.
Few of the men in the Battalion
wanted to go—and fewer of the
inhabitants of the island wanted
to see them go. Half of them have
found wives on the island and
more than 60 officers and men of
the battalion had moved their fam
ilies here, either in house-trailers
or into rented quarters. The pay
roll of the outfit has ranged above
SIOO,OOO per month.
Moving an outfit of battalion
size into a relatively small
community and maintaining it
here for more than a year
has been accomplished with
surprisingly little friction and
there has been at no time any
overt incident that appear to be
the common experience of rela
tions between civil and military
populations. The Seabees “went
native” the first week end they
were on the island with a lanky
Texan named Chuck Willis taking
off his shoes at the Island’s dance
hall and dancing the night
See SEABEES, Page Six
STUMPY POINT MEN WIN
PRAISE FOR TIMELY HELP
A Norfolk man has written Gov. ,
Hodges to praise citizens of Stum
py Point who rescued and cared
for a party of three after their
boat ran into trouble on Pamlico
Sound last week.
Paul L. Pierce wrote the Gov
ernor that he, his wife and the
owner of the boat were faced with
near “tragedy” when they were
rescued by two Stumpy Point fish
ermen, Dallas M. Gray and Calvin
Hooper.
The party had hoisted a distress
signal after gasoline had leaked
into the bottom of the boat, rais
ing the danger of an explosion.
“This was when we were privi
leged to meet some of the most
warm-hearted, generous and hos
pitable people we have ever met,”
wrote Pierce. He said the rescuing
fishermen took the party on their
boat and towed the distressed craft
to Stumpy Point
“The people of this small town
received us with much concern as
to our safety and well-being,”
Pierce added. “They made their
homes available to us, as well as
assisted in every way possible to
gas-free our boat and install a
temporary fuel tank in order that
we might continue our voyage.”
Hodges commented that it was
“the kind of *thing that makes you