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Local Merchants Offer 'Dollar Days' Bargains Thursday-Monday WEATHER (Week of Aug. 6-13) High: 93 Low: 62 (Aug. 8) (Aug. 7. 11) Rainfall: .01 in. (Aug. 12) Soil Temp. Range: 81-85 Clinton Chronicle Vol. 70 — No. 31 Clinton, S. C., Thursday, August 14, 1969 INDEX Three Sections, 20 Pages Classified 6-A Deaths 4-A Editorials 2-B Hospital News 2-A Society 2-A, 3-A Sports 7-A $10,437.29 Increase United Fund Budget $55,000 A 1969-70 budgetof$55,500has been approved by the Greater Clinton United Fund Board of Directors. The budget represents a $10,437.29 increase over the 1968-69 budget. The biggest increase is an additional $4,500 for the Clinton YMCA. The YMCA is to receive $17,000 under the new budget, compared to $12,500 last year. The additional money was needed because of the YMCA’s expanded program and additional per- Two Fire Calls The Clinton Fire Department answered two calls during the past week. On Aug. 7, the Department an swered a call to a car fire on the downtown square. The engine of the vehicle was heavily dam aged, but the blaze was extin guished before any further dam age was done. Also on Aug. 7, the Department answered a call on Pitts Alley to extinguish a mattress fire. There was some smoke damage to the house. A Fire Department spokesman expressed concern about mo torists’ failure to stop when the fire whistle begins. He said, “When that whistle begins, all traffic should come to a complete stop and remain that way until the whistle stops. If this continues, we will have no choice but to fine some people.” sonnel, according to Robert Han son, chairman of the United Fund’s Budget and Admissions Committee. Most other agency allotments are up in varying degrees. The Laurens Red Cross Chapter is to receive $5,600, compared to$4,- 500 last year. Local relief and administration is up $1,171 to $5,022 from $3,851 last year. Other agency allotments are: Laurens County Cancer So ciety, $3,500; Blue Ridge Council, Boy Scouts of America, $8,712; Salvation Army, $750; OldNinety Six District, GirlsScouts,$1,500; Greenville County Cerebral Palsy, $150; National Cystic Fi brosis Research Foundation, $400; Also, Laurens County Chapter, Crippled Children and Adults, $1,350; Clinton Camp Fire Coun cil, $6,400; United Health and Medical Research Fund of S. C., $300; Laurens County Retarded Children, $250; S. C. Funds and Councils, $570; Also, Alston Wilkes Society, $275; Florence Crittenton Home, $161; S. C. Mental Health, $591; American Social Health Associa tion, $48; International Social Service, $25; National Assembly for Social Policy, $25; National Association of Hearing and Speech, $25; National Council on Crime and Delinquency, $60; Nat ional Recreation and Parks Asso ciation, $20; TravelBfS'Aidj^tS; USO, $300; Campaign expenses, $850; Shrinkage, $1,600. Dollar Days' Sales ^ Slated For Four Days Clinton merchants are offering ‘Dollar Days’ bargains this week. The summer clearance promo tion which also offers back-to- school bargains is sponsored by the Clinton Merchants and Busi nessmen’s Association. All participating merchants will display an American flag in front of their stores and will offer a special chocolate candy sale. Participating merchants will offer two Hershey candy bars for five cents with a limit of 10 bars per customer. Speed Crackdown The Clinton Police Department has begun a crackdown on speed ers and other traffic law vio lators. During the past week, the de partment has made cases against over 20 persons. ‘Dollar Days’ opens today, Thursday, and continues through Monday. * * * Mountville Man Struck By Car Samuel Franklin Montgomery, 48, of Route 1, Mountville, was still listed in critical condition Wednesday afternoon at Green ville General Hospital where he is being treated for injuries re ceived when he was struck by a car in Laurens last Thursday morning. Montgomery was struck by a car on Fleming Street as he left his car in front of a Laurens barber shop. The driver of the 1963 station wagon which struck Montgomery has been identifiedas Julius Bur dette Leopard, 61, of Route 3, Laurens. Space-Side' Seat Lanky Long, a native of Joanna, had a good view of the Apollo 11 moon launch. Long, who was home on vacation last week, is sports editor of the Cocoa, Fla., Evening Trib une. Cape Canaveral is only a few miles from his office building and the area literally sparkles with rocket and missile launches. For the Apollo 11 launch, Long finished his sports page early and went atop the four-story Evening Tribune building to watch the sho^, through binoculars. He says, “You could see the rocket with the naked eye from atop the building. It was only about twelve miles away. Our office is on a slight rise so we had a good view. We saw the rocket go up. About the time it got out of sight, the sound and heat waves hit us. Then we ran inside the building to pick it up on television.” Of course, Long was impressed with the moon launch but he says some of the most spectacular shots come at night. He says, “The press box at the ball park is the best possible place to watch the night shots, such as some they fire from submarines. Most of these are ‘unscheduled’ and you don’t know when one might go off. Many times I’ll be covering a ball * game and look up to see a rocket rise out of the ocean. It’s quite spectacular.” FOOTBALLERS DRILL—Feel that hint of fall in the air? It’s still hot and muggy but those crisp autumn nights can’t be far away as high school football players are already hard at work. Shown above is a scene at the Clinton High School practice field Tuesday afternoon. The Clinton High Red Devils open their season Sept. 5, playing host to Georgetown.— (Yarborough Photo) Charged In Vietnamese Case Maj. Middleton Is Favorably Remembered At PC And Joanna Clinton and Joanna people who know Maj. Thomas C. Middleton Jr. are quick to speak favor ably of him. Maj. Middleton, a graduate of Presbyterian College who is married to a Joanna native, is one of eight Green Berets accused of killing a Vietnamese man. Maj. Middleton’s attorney said this week that the dead man worked for both the U S. Central Intelli gence Agency and the North Viet namese. The attorney, George W. Gre gory of Cheraw, S. C., said, “You will find that this agent (the Vietnamese man)---if they're able to prove even this much— was wrongfully entrusted with such valuable information that hundreds and thousands of lives of American agents and Ameri can fighting men were saved in the most necessary manner.' The slaying occured on June 20 and the eight are accused of murder and conspiracy. Maj. Middleton is married to the former Phyllis Bodie of Jo anna. They have three children. His mother-in-law, Mrs. Frank Bodie of Joanna, said, “It’s hard for us to conceive that he is the same man they’re writing about. We know him and we know what a wonderful per son he is. Som^ of the people in this area who know him didn't even connect the news stories with our son-in-law.” The Middletons visited in Jo anna last Christmas before Maj. Middleton left for Vietnam. Mrs. Bodie said, “I have all the faith in the world in him and in his sense of doing what is right." At PC, Middleton was the out standing ROTC student in his graduation class. While at PC, he met and married Phyllis Bod ie. Mrs. Middleton attended Clin ton High School. She and the three children are living in Columbia while Maj. Middleton is in Viet nam. Ben Hay Hammett, director of Public Relations and Alumni Af fairs at Presbyterian College, remembers Middleton favorably as an outstanding student at PC. Answering a Chronicle request for a statement, Hammett said: “I recall Tommy Middleton very pleasantly as nne of the outstanding leaders of his class at PC. He was well liked and re spected on campus for his inte grity and pleasing personality-- a really clean-cut young man who operated completely above board. Although I have not seen him often since his graduation, he has been, through the years, one of the most loyal members of his class in his response to our alumni pro jects and in his support of the college program. The Army charge is completely out of char acter with the Tommy Middleton known at Presbyterian College." Middleton is a 1961 graduate of PC, receiving a RS degree in Business Administration. In the ROTC program, he was a company commander, captain of Scabanl and Blade, (honorary ROTC organization) and execu tive officer of the Pershing Rifles. He was an officer in his fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi. William S. Cannon, associate professor of math at PC, worked with Middleton’s ROTC company as a tactical officer. He de- scril>ed Middleton as, “mild man nered, considerate, quiet, well- liked, efficient and thoughtful..." John Mabry of Clinton, a close friend of Maj. Middleton, said, “Frankly, I think that Maj. Mid dleton is lieing used by our gov ernment to case this situation in Vietnam a little. Maj. Middleton is one of the finest men I know. He's dedicated, conscientious and I know that he's just trying to do a job. I think it’s a sorry state of af fairs when our government has to do son)'thing like this to bring about peace’. I’d l>et my last TOMMY MIDDLETON . . . As PC Senior In 1961 dollar that he’s lieing used. I lielieve that he and the entire outfit will lx- cleared of these charges. “Maj. Middleton is a fine man. I personally consider him in capable of murder.” Middleton’s attorney said Mid dleton is lieing “sacrificed” for political reasons. He suggested that Congress investigate the case. OAK LEAF CLUSTER — An Oak Leaf Cluster for his Leerion of Merit is presented to Col. William B. Tut tle, Jr., (second from ri^ht). new professor of military science at Presbyterian College, for “exception ally meritorious conduct in the per formance of outstanding: services during the period July, 1968, to June, 1969, while serving as Senior Army Member of the Joint Staff, Office of the Deputy for Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support. Ill Marine Amphibious Force, Unit ed States Military mand in Vietnam.’’ in the picture are Academic Dean W. Assistance Corn- Shown with him Mrs. Tuttle; PC Fred Chapman, and Col. Jerry M. Sage of Fort Mc Pherson, Ga„ deputy chief of staff for ROTC, Third US Army. Col. Sage made the presentation in a special campus ceremony Monday. Col. and Mrs. Tuttle arrived in Clin ton last month for him to assume his duties as head of the Presbyterian College ROTC program. — (Yarbor ough Photo) Bike Rodeo Is Slated Aug. 23 A Bicycle Safety Rodeo will be held Saturday, Aug. 23, for Clin ton area school children. The Rodeo will be held at Clinton Elementary School, starting at 4 p.m. It is sponsor ed by the Clinton Chamber of Commerce. The Clinton YMCA staff and Clinton Jaycees will be in charge to staging the Rodeo. The Rodeo originally was sche duled for Friday, Aug. 22, but the date was moved to Saturday, Aug. 23. All bicycles will be safety in spected before riders are given proficiency tests. Owners of bikes which pass the safety in spection will be given an inspec tion sticker of approval to place on their bikes. Those who pass the riding proficiency test will be given a membership card in the Bicycle Safety League. Some of the points to be check ed in the safety inspection are: Saddle—Adjust height so leg bends only slightly with ball of foot on pedal at bottom of stroke. Tighten securely. Coaster Brake, Hand Brakes-- Must brake evenly every time. No slippage. Have it adjusted by a trained serviceman. Reflector--Must be visible for 300 feet and be state approved. Spokes---Replace broken spokes promptly. Keep them tight. Tire Valve—-Inspect for leaks and straightness. Chain-—Check for damaged links and a snug (but not-too- tight) fit. Clean frequently and lubricate with light oil. Pedals---Tighten pedal spin dles. Replace worn-out pedals. Handle grips—Replace worn grips. Make sure they fit snug ly. Bell or horn---Be sure it works properly. Handle Bars—Adjust for your comfort. Keep stem well down in 'fork. Tighten securely. Light-—Must be visibel for 500 feet. Tires---Inflate to correct pressure. Check tires frequent ly. Remove imbedded glass, cin ders, etc. Don’t ride on worn- out tires. Wheels---Tighten wheel nuts. School Opening Schedule Given For District 56 School bells will ring for School District 56 first graders on Wed nesday, Aug. 27, accordingto Su perintendent R. P. Wilder. All first graders will report to their respective schools at 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 27 for a brief orien tation program. They will not re turn to school until Tuesday, Sept. 2, for the beginning of the regular school schedule. Second, third and fourth graders report at 8:15 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 28, and fifth and sixth graders will report on Fri day, Aug. 29. At Clinton Junior High, seventh graders will report Aug. 28 at 8:30 a.m. and eighth graders re port at 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 29. Students will meet in the school auditorium. In the high schools, ninth and 10th graders will report on Aug. 28 and 11th and 12th graders re port on Aug. 29 at 8:15 a.m. Monday. Sept. 1, is the Labor Day holiday. The regular sche dule starts on Sept. 2 and lunches will be served at the schools on Sept. 2. Supt. Wilder reported that the district enrollment is expected to be about the same as last year’s, approximately 4,300 students. Teachers will report on Mon day, Aug. 25, for in-service training. All district teachers re port to the old Hampton Ave. School which has been convert ed into administrative offices for the district. On the afternoon of Aug. 25, the in-service training program for all district element ary school teachers will be held at Clinton Elementary School and for high school teachers at Clin ton High School. The teachers’ sessions will continue through Aug. 26 and on Aug. 27 they will report to their respective schools. Mr. Wilder reported that all teaching vacanices have been filled for the 1969-70 school term. Wanted: CHS 'Victory Bell' While Clinton High School football players are going through that rugged initial phase of practice, the CHS cheerleaders are pre paring for the season and they’re optimistic. They’re looking for a “victory bell". The cheerleaders would like to have a large bell which they can mount on a rolling platform for use at athletic events and pep rallies. They will paint the boll in school colors and will ring it after CHS touchdowns and after victorious games. If you have a 1*11 which you would like to donate to the cheer leaders, contact Hoad Cheerleader Catherine Boyle at 833-4337. Annex To Be Built $500,000 Is Borrowed To Renovate Courthouse A $500,000 loan has been ap proved to finance renovation of the Laurens County Courthouse and construction of a new court house annex. Laurens County Supervisor Furman Thomason reported last week that the county received a $500,000 check from the State Budget and Control Board. Thomason said the courthouse is to 1* rest« red and “ made func tional by completely rewiring the structure and installing central heating and air conditioning." He said no structural changes will 1* made to the outside of the building. The county is purchasing pro perty with a 170-foot frontage on West Main Street in Laurens. It is adjacent to the county jail pro perty and will be the site of the new courthouse annex. The new 40 X 100 foot build ing will be a two-story brick structure with a full basement. It will house several county of fices, including some to be moved from the present courthouse. Office to be moved into the new annex are board of educa tion, county supervisor, probate judge, county service officer, magistrate, registration board, sheriff and forest ranger. In the present courthouse, sev eral offices will be located on the ground floor. They are, clerk of Court, auditor, treasurer and tax assessor. The architectural firm of Fant and Fant of Anderson has been employed to design the new an nex. Legislation was enacted by the 1969 General Assembly authoriz ing the county board of com missioners to borrow up to $500,- 000 for the county courthouse re storation and construction pro ject. In the past two years, Laurens County voters three times de feated proposals to construct a new courthouse. PC Orientation Starts Aug. 23 New students will report to Presbyterian College Aug. 23 for orientation, opening the fall term at the college. Upper classmen will report August 28. The second term of PC’s sum mer school ends Friday. Other Memoirs BY JOE H. SIMPSON When I pass by the modern Bailey Hospital it brings to my mind the first hospital or clinic that Clinton ever had for the general yuclic. It was located on the second floor of the building across the street from Young’s Pharmacy and was owned and operated by Dr. S. C. Hays. There were six or eight rooms. I recall that one of the efficient nurses was Mrs. Essie Atkins. This clinic was operated for several years until the more modem hospital was erected down beyond the oil mill. This was de stroyed by fire after which another was erected near the R. Z. Wright home. Of course, Thomwell Orphanage has had its own hospital for many years.