The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, September 01, 1955, Image 1
It’s funny how a tree will
stand in one place for years—
and then suddenly jump in front
of a lady driver.
In his examination for the police
force, the candidate was asked:
“If you were alone in a scout car
and were pursued by a desperate
gang of criminals in another car
doing 60, what would you do?”
Replied the candidate promptly,
“Seventy!”
VOLUME 18—NUMBER 18.
NEWBERRY, SOUTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1955
+ $2.00 PER YEAR
By The Way
By DORIS A. SANDERS
NOT REALLY LAZY
Mrs. Herman Wright met me on
the street the other day and
chided me for “oeing lazy” a<nd
not writing a column last week.
I assured her there was a column
of sorts, but must admit that it
wasn’t as verbose as these col
umns usually are, once I get start
ed writing. Sometimes I don’t
seem to have time to write on
By The Way until just at press
deadline and it is not always easy
to think of something that late.
Bear with me, though. I do ap
preciate the many nice comments
received since the column started
back and will do the best 1 cam
with the limited amount of time
I have to work on it.
EVERYTHING QUIET
I w T as talking this w T eek, after
echool opening, with Superinten
dent of Education James Brown,
who tells me there was no diffi
culty encountered in the opening
of schools this year, referring of
course, to the possibility of Ne
groes trying to enter w r h i t e
schools. There were no cases of
this sort in Newberry county, xMr.
Brown said, and he doesn’t feel
that there will be. He believes, by
and large, that the Negroes of our
county are well satisfied with the
new' schools which have been
constructed and are now being
“ constructed for them, w'hile many
of the white children of the coun
ty go to school in old buildings
which are adecjnate, but w'ithout
the modern conveniences of the
new r structures. While I agree
with Mr. Brown about the atti
tude of our Negro citizens, I also
must agree with Spectator, who
writes elsewhere in this issue,
that the Supreme Court’s order
cannot be evaded forever, so we
might as well go ahead and do
something about it now and not
wait until we are forced to act.
NEW REQUIREMENT
Now here is something that
should be of interest to almost
everyone of car driving age. This
was called to my attention by the
Auditor, Ralph Black. It concerns
an Act passed by the General As
sembly during the 1955 session
and requires that before a license
tag will be issued, the owner of
the car must sign a statement
that 19-54 taxes have been paid on
the car; and if the car was bought
after the tax books closed last
year, a certification must be
given that the car has been re
ported to the county auditor for
assessment purposes during the
present tax period.
The Act sounds simple on first
reading, but after talking with
Ralph I have decided that it
makes no sense at all. Anyway,
you read it for yourself and per
haps you may be able to figure
It out. I just bet, though* if you
think you know what it says, then
talk to the Auditor about it, you
will be as confused as I am—and
as he is right now'. However, he
Is seeking clarification and maybe
by time you get around to talking
to him, he will know more about
it:
“That for the calendar year,
1955, the department (S. C. state
highway) shall not register and
license a vehicle, as required by
this chapter, unless the applicant
therefor shall first present to the
department a signed statement
certifying that county taxes on
the vehicle concerned for the
preceding year have been fully
paid; or in the event such vehicle
is acquired subsequent to Janu-'
ary 1, 1955, that the same has
been duly and properly returned
for 1955 county tax purposes. And
should any of the facts so certi
fied subsequently prove false, the
department shall forthwith sus
pend the driver’s license of such
applicant for six months.”
PUBLIC THANKED
John T. Norris, manager of the
South Carolina National Bank said
today he was “overwhelmed” at
the response of the public to the
Open House invitation of the
bank. More than a thousand per
sons attended the occasion last
Thursday, said Mr. Norris, who
wished to thank the public for
the interest shown and the fine
attendance. The bank building was
quite a scene of activity during
the Open House. Much interest
centered on guessing the amount
of money in a bowl. Lucky guess-
er was Strother Paysinger. Hys
guess, $224.50; actual amount was
$224.26. He was presented with a
$25 savings bond. Tying for sec
ond place in the guessing game
were Mrs. Sophie Way Long and
Preserving Law And Order
Is Job of Sheriffs Office
SHERIFF TOM FELLERS* at his office in the Court House, makes a call to one of
his deputies in a county patrol car by way of the two-way radio system which is opera%
ed jointly by the county, city, and Town of Whitmire. (Sunphoto.)
Sheriff Tom Fellers and his
four deputies maintain constant
vigilance to keep the county as
free of crime as it is possible for
five men to do. The twx> county
patrol ears and the sheriff’s car
average about 150.000 miles a year
—patroling the county, investigat
ing the crimes that occur, and
answering calls of every descrip
tion.
The sheriff and his deputies are
on 24 hour duty. They make a
check on every rural home and
community at least twice a week.
The radio network consists of a
peace officers are equipped with
2-way radio. “In this modern age”
said Sheriff Fellers, “it would be
impossible to render efficient ser
vice without the radio system.”
The three cars operated by the
main unit in the Newberry City
Police department, units in the
Sheriff’s office and in the police
chief’s office in Whitmire. and
radios in two city cars, three coun
ty cars and one police car in
Whitmire.
At night and at all times when
the sheriff’s office is closed, calls
are switched to the City Police
department. The police desk clerk
gets in touch with the county pa
trol cars by radio. In the event
none of the county cars can be
reached, the police notify the
sheriff or his deputies of any calls
at their homes.
“We don’t keep any record of
the calls we answer unless they
result in a person being jailed,”
said the sheriff, “but we answer
calls of every kind—domestic
troubles, family disturbances, law
violations, propeny disputes.
When we run into a crime, we
prosecute. If someone’ else makes
the complaint, they sign the war
rant if they wish to press the
charges. If 'they don’t, and it is a
crime we can’t ignore, such as
assault and battery with intent to
kill, or burglary, we sign the war
rant of arrest. After a person is
-committed to jail, the warrant is
turned over .to the magistrate who
hears the case if it comes within
his jurisdiction; otherwise the
pierson remains in jail or is re
leased on bond until the next ses
sion of criminal court.”
One big undertaking of the
sheriff’s force is the locating and
destruction of whiskey stills.Since
the first of January, the sheriff
estimates that 40 stills containing
some 9000 gallons of mash have
been destroyed. Few of the oper
ators are caught. Deputy L. L.
Handerson explains that the rea
son the bootleggers are hard to
catch is that several persons in
the same community operate
stills at the same location and can
Bill Boozer, both of whom guess
ed $225.00.
The, lovely congratulatory flow
ers sent to the bank were, during
the weekend placed on the graves
of all former officials and em
ployees of the bank, deceased in
recent years.
keep one another advised when
they see the county officers in
the territory of the still. The dep
uty says this also explains the
reason so many barrels are found
at one still; usually eight to 12,
whereas in. the past most stills
consisted of only two or three
(barrels. “W$ still don’t have them
all,” said the sheriff. “We know
more are operating and we hope
to locate them eventually.”
The sheriff’s office handles
the “most unfortunate” of cases,
as Mr. Fellers terms it; those
who are mentally ill. Papers are
prepared by the Probate Judge
for committing a person, to the
State hospital, and those to be
committed are most often carried
to Columbia by the Sheriff and
his force.
In both civil and criminal court
the sheriff is responsible for no
tifying jurors to attend; and sub-
penaing witnesses. During court,
he has charge of jurors and jury
panels, appoints bailiffs and ar
ranges for the needs of juries,
such as food and housing in the
event juries are “locked up” or
kept segregated from the public,
during the trial of a case,
office must also search for
sons who fail to appear in court
and for whom a bench warrant is
issued by the presiding judge; and
must see that all defendants who
are housed in the county jail are
at court on time. In this connec-
tin, Mr. Fellers explained, every
effort is made to dispose of the
jail cases first during a term of
(Continued on page 5)
Holiday Closing
The postoffice will be closed
on Monday, September 5th in
observance of the legal holiday,
Labor day. Mail will be distri
buted in the post office boxes,
but there will be no city or
rural deliveries. The stamp and
Registry windows will not be
open.
The Merchant’s committeee of
the Chamber of Commerce has
recommended that all stores be
closed in observance of this
holiday.
Two Contracts Awarded
At Special Council Meeting
Swim Trophies
Given Saturday
Donna Rook, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Don Rook and Lewis
Hawkins, son of Mr .and Mrs.
Roland Hawkins, won the swim
ming cup trophies at the city
wide swim meet held Saturday
night at the local pool.
Donna and Lewis accumulated
the most points of the 30 partici
pants. There were three divisions,
with members of each division
participating in various events to
accumulate points. Donna aJid
Lewis were both in the junior di
vision.
Wife Is Held By
Coroner’s Jury
A coroner’s jury found Friday
night that Ford Springfield, of
near Whitmire, came to his
death “by gunshot wounds at
the hands of his wife.” Mrs. Wil
lie Mae Springfield has been re
leased on bond from the New
berry county jail where she had
been lodged since the shooting
last week.
Building Permits
August 24—Perry and Perdue
one five room brick vemeer house
on Henry Avenue $12,000.
August 25—J. C. Sandford, re
pairs to porch, 1102 Hunt street
$50.00
August 25—R. E. Summer, gen
eral repairs to Gilder and Weeks
drug store building $850.00.
August 29—Lewis M. Lipscomb,
general repairs to dwelling and
add one room on ChapYnan street
$2500.
GRADE 3-B, taught by Miss Sfcrah Boozer at Speers
Street School last school session, had, the following stu
dents: Left'to right, first row: Patricia Saville, Claire
Dominick, Barbara Willingham, Phyllis Eddy, Elizabeth
Turner, Joyce Wicker. Row 2: Phillip Marshall, David
Sease, Alice Price, Linda Belcher*
Mills. Row 3: Ronald Staub, Susan €bok, Jane Shannon.
Row 4: James Inabinet, Jerry Mills, Gene Morehead, Dan
iel Chandler, Peggy Chapman, Sharyn Swindler. Row 5:
Earle Davis, Bobby Oxner, Barbara Rinehart, Eddie Bel
cher. Row 6: Mike Craven, Dennis Carroll, Wayne Stew
art, Stanley Baker. Row 7: Miss Sarah Boozer, teacher;
Ronnie Fulmer, Claude Callaway, Bruce Oxner, Terry
Hawkins, Moultrie Roberts. Absent when the picture was
made were Donnie Williams, Stella Evans, Linda Sey^
more. (Photo by Nichols.)
Negro Author Frowns On Court Decision
By Nora Zeal Hurston, Distinguished Negro Author
In Letter to Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel
I promised God and some other responsible characters, in
eluding a bench of bishops, that I was not going to part my
lips concerning the United States Supreme Court decision
on ending segregation in the public schools of the South.
But since a lot of time has passed and no one seems to touch
on what to me appears to be the most important point in
the hassle, I break my silence just this once. Consider me as
just thinking out loud.
The whole matter revolves
around the self-respect of my peo
ple. How much satisfaction can
I get from a court order for some
body to associate with me who
does not wish me near them? The
American Indian has never beesj
spoken of as a minority and
chiefly because there is no white
in the Indian. Certainly lie fought,
and valiantly for his lands, and
rightfully so, but it is inconceiv
able of an Indian to seek forci
ble association with anyone. His
well-known pride and self-respect
would save him from that. I take
the Indian position.
Now a great clamor will arise
in certain quarters that I seek to
deny the Negro children of the
gouth their rights, and therefore I
am one of those “handkerchief-
head niggers” who bow low' before
the White man and sell out my
own people out of cowardice. How
ever, an analytical glance will
show that that is not the case.
If there are not adequate Negro
schools in Florida, and there is
some residual, some inherent and
unchangeable quality in White
schools, impossible to duplicate
anywhere else, then I am the first
to insist that Negro children of
Florida he allowed to share this
boon. But if there are adequate
Negro schools and prepared in
structors and instructions, then
there is nothing different except
the presence of White people.
For this reason. I regard the
ruling of the United States Su
preme Court as insulting rather
than honoring my race. Since the
days of the never-to-he-sufficient-
ly-deplored Reconstruction, there
has been current the belief that
there is no greater delight to Ne
groes than physical association
with whites. This doctrine of the
white mare. Those familiar with
the habits of mules are aware
that any mule, if not restrained,
will automatically follow a white
mare. Dishonest mule traders
made money out of this know
ledge in the old days.
LEAD A WHITE MARE along a
country road and slyly open the
gate and the mules in the lot
would run out atod follow this
mare. This ruling being conceiv
ed and brought forth in a sly po-
litioal medium with eyes on ’56,
and brought forth in the same
spirit and for the same purpose,
it is clear that they have tafken
the old motion to heart and acted
upon it. It is & cunning opening
of the barnyard gate with 1 the
white mare ambling, past. We are ;
expected to hasten pell-mell after
her.
it is most astonishing that this
should be tried just whem the na
tion is exerting itself to shake off
the evils of Communist penetra
tion. It is to be recalled that
Moscow, being made aware of
this folk belief, made it the main
plank in their campaign to win
the American Negro from the
1920s on. It was the come-on
stuff. Join the party and get your
self a white wife or husband. To
supply the expected demand the
party had scraped up this and
that off the park benches and
skid rows and held them in stock
for us. The highest type of Negro
were held to be just panting to
get hold of one of these objects.
Seeing how flat that program fell,
it is astonishing that it would be
so soon revived. Politics does in
deed make strange bedfellows.
BUT THE SOUTH had better
beware in another direction. While
it is being frantic over the seg
regation ruling, it had better keep
its eyes open for more important
things. One instance of govern
ment by fiat has been rammed
down its throat. It is possible that
the end of seggregation is not
here and never meant to be here
at present, but the attention of the
South directed on what was cal
culated to keep us busy while
more ominous things were brought
to pass. The stubborn South and
the Midwest kept this nation from
being dragged farther to the left
than it was during the New Deal.
But what if it is contemplated
to do away with the two - party
system and arrive at government
by administrative decree? No
questions allowed and no infor
mation given but from the admin
istrative department? We could
get more rulings on the same sub
ject and more far-reaching any
day. It pays to weigh every say
ing and action, however trivial, as
indicating a trend.
IN THE RULING on segregation
the unsuspecting nation might
have witnessed^ a trial balloon. A
relatively safe one, since it is
sectional and on a matter not
likely to arAuse other sections of
the nation to the support of the
South. If it goes off fairly well, a
precedent^ has been established
Govennment by flat can replace
the Constitution. You don’t have
to credit me with too much intelli
gence and penetration* just; so you
watch carefully aud think.
Meanwhile, personally, I am not
delighted. I am not persuaded and
elevated by the white mare tech
nique. Negro schools in the state
(Continued on p»6« 5)
Two contracts amounting t o
$132,148.90 were awarded by city
council at a special meeting call
ed- Tuesday night by Mayor Jas.
E. Wiseman. Those receiving the
contracts were the two firms list
ed as apparent low bidders in last
week’s issue of the Sun on por
tions of the additional water sup
ply system for Newberry.
To Crosby Cbnstructlon Com
pany of Union went the contract
for construgtion of the raw water .
pumping station on the Saluda
river. This amounted to $86,900.
Ballenger Paving Company ot
Greenville was low bidder and
was awarded the contract for con
struction of water and sanitary
yewer distribution system. This
project will cost $46,248.90 , and
will extend water and sewer ser
vice within the city.
A contract for the most costly
portion of the new *water supply
system—construction of a main
from Saluda river to Newberry,
has not yet been awarded because *
of indecision on the part of coun- ^
cil as to whether to use steel,
cast iron, or lock joint cement-
steel pipe. Kahn and Jackson, of
Columbia was low bidder for ,
both steel and cast iron, price ot;
the former being $331,899.96, the
latter $390,683.70. A. Stanley Mun-
dy & Co. of Woodbridge, N. J. waa
low bidder on lock joint cement
steel pipe, $336,340.60. Another
special meeting of council will be
held Monday night of next week
to further discuss awarding of the
pipe line construction contract.
Council gave the city manager
and city attorney authority to en
ter Into agreements with the
Newberry Electric Coperative, Inc.
to furnish necessary electric pow
er at the Saluda river Pumping
station, and with Southern Bell
Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany to furnish control circuits
between the Newberry water
plant and Saluda River and
River pumping stations.
%y
■m
HA
•M
Attends Reunion
Of Service Unit
i
Mrs. J. H. Jackson, superinten
dent of nurses at the Newberry
Memorial hospital, recently re
turned from Washington, D. C.
where she spent several days on
a sight-seeing tour and attended,
on August 20, the first reunion of
the 103rd Army Gene al hospital
unit of which she was a member
during the war.
Mrs. Jackson entered the army
nurse corps as a second lieutenant
and was discharged after four
year’s service as a captain. She
saw service as a surgical nurse
and anesthetist with the 103rd in
England and in the States. While
serving in England she met Mr.
Jackson and they were later mar
ried. After receiving her discharge
at Port Benning, Ga. in 1945 she
.served in Columbia for a year,
tea^chtaig in the Nurses’ ’Training
school before coming to Memo
rial hospital here. She is presently
a member of the Student Nurses
organization and is on the Board
of Duties for Nurses in district 6.
BIRTHDAY
GREETINGS
sm
m
THESE YOUNGSTERS, who were too young to enter public school this year be
cause of the age limit deadline, are now the students of Mrs. Margaret Welborn Tyson,
who is conducting a private first grade just for such children. Reporting the first
day of school were, seated at the front table, left to right, Jo Tyson, Sammy Price and
John Eddy. Alice Youmans is in front of the door, and at the back table are Leon
Nichols, Bobby Davis, Jim Bill Smith, Rickey Gordon and Charlie Coleman. (Sunphoto.)
September 2: Betty Ann Ranger,
Geneve Graham, Mrs. E. K. Counts
R. C. Hunter. ,
Sept. 3: Mrs Sloan Chapman,
Mrs. Sam A. Cook, Mrs. H. O.
Counts, Wyman Williams, Mrs. J.
|S Taylor, Bobbie Oxner, Ruth
Rogers, Kate Cousins, Mrs. C. H.
Alewine, Roy Singley, Griffin
Langford, Alice Faye Koon.
Sept . 4: Mrs. P. B. Ringer, C.
E. Berley, Mrs. Ira Gibson.
Sept. 5: Miss Marguerite Burnt,
Mrs. L. M. Graham, Mrs. Mary i
Hawkins, Larry Edward Graham,
Mrs. George Hentz.
Sept. 6: Miss Mary Wheeler,
Bobby Lominack, Heyward Davit,
Mrs. Ralph Waldrop, Elizabeth
Cromer, Mrs. C. K. Brown, J. W.
Timmerman, L B. Bedenbaugh,
Prosperity Route 3, Larry Beden
baugh.
Sept. 7: Mrs. Stanley F. Baker,
Miss Betty Floyd, Wallace Mich-,
ael Dawkins, Charles E. Cromer,
Mrs. Howard K. Bedenbaugh.
Sept’. 8: Rev. Cam D. Wallace,
J. D. Wicker, Frank H. Ward,
Mrs. Ace Watkins, Mike Harmon.,
V