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\ MERRY CHRISTMAS! MERRY CHRISTMAS! VOLUME 18—NO. 34 24 PAGES NEWBERRY, SOUTH CAROLINA, (HURSDAY, DECEMER 22, 1955 + $2.00 PER YEAR '?*] i By The Way By DORIS A. SANDERS PATCHED TROUSERS My little girl recites a poem which is in the form of a letter to Santa Claus, and one of the lines is as follows: “I’m sure I can’t be happy this bright gay Christmas morn, if anyone’s best trousers, are badly patched ^ ° r torn.” There are peo.pl e in New berry who are trying to see that this condition doesn’t exist. Among those people are the folks up &t the Department of Public Welfare, who make every effort see that the unfortunate chil- j in the county are properly _ied. If you have clothes that you or your youngsters have out grown, won’t you take them by the department of PW today or to morrow, so they may be distribut ed before Christmas? YES, THERE IS Because I feel that the V ir- ginia Letter,” as I call it, is as much a part of the Christmas tra dition as is the Christmas tree, Pm giving over the remainder of this column for that this Christ mas Week. I hope you will enjoy re-reading it as much as I do each year; and May I wish for each of you the happiest Christ mas and best New Year ever. In every American community there are some children who are skeptical of the existence of San ta Claus. It was many years ago that Virginia O’Hanlon, pig-tailed little New York girl, wrote a now-famous letter to the New York Sun asking if her little friends were telling the truth when they denied Santa’s exist ence. What The Sun wrote in reply has since become almost as fami liar to Americans as this little girl’s simple faith in Santa. The editor affirmed far more, as he said: “He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.” These classic lines never grow old or outmoded, just as Christ mas itself grows more vibrantly alive and meaningful with the passing years. Here is what Virginia wrote: "Dear Editor: "I am eight years old. "Some of my little friends 9fy there is no Santa Claus. "Papa says if you see it in The Sun, it’s so. Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus? •"Virginia O’Hanlon, 115 West 69th St., New York." The editor replied in this man ner: "Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been af fected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not be lieve except what they see. They think that nothing can be which la not comprehensive by their little minds. All minds, Vir ginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in the in tellect, ai compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as cer tainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as If there were no Vir ginias. There would be no child like faith then, no poetry, no romanoe to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and eight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. “Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe In fairies! You might get your Papa to hire men to watch all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even If they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neith- ' or children or men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of bourse not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or Imagine all the wonders. Co-op Electric Rates Reduced The Newberry Electric Coop erative, Inc., has reduced rates to its customers. In a notice to con sumers, the Cooperative’s direct ors made the following statement: “Your Board desires to inform you that due to the greatly in creased consumption of electric energy by the consumers, and other contributing factors, the financial condition of the Cooper ative Is now snoh that a rate re duction to its Farm and Home and -Rural residential consumers is possible The new rate will be come effective with the January 1956 billing" Calvary Baptist Church Dedicated The Dedication Services of the new Calvary Baptist Church, Col lege street extension, Newberry, was held on Sunday. December 18. The all-day celebration began at tan o’clock in the morning. The pastor, Rev. Dan Norris was in dharge of the services. There were a number of guest s^peakers. Rev. D. W. Satterfield, pastor of the Hunt Memorial Baptist Church of the city was guest speaker at ten o’clock. The dedication service was held at 11 o’clock with Rev. James M-cGill, retired minister of Columbia, bringing the dedicatory message. During the afternoon service at three o’clock. Rev. Har old B. Sightler, pastor of Taber nacle Baptist Church of Green ville, was speaker. Other guest speakers participated during the day. Contract Signed To Enlarge Mill The Sunpaper Staff wishes for each of its readers a Christmas as happy as is anticipated by these youngsters as they hang up their stockings for Santa to fill. Our sincerest wisnes for a New 1 Year of happiness are extended to all of our friends, together with our appreciation for our friendships of the past. (Sunphoto by Doris A. Sanders.) T Christmas Happier For Many Because Of D P W (By DORIS A. SANDERS) A little five-year old girl this year will know the real meaning of Christmas—the meaning that it has for most five-year olds— for the first time in her life, thanks to the Department o f PU/blic Welfare. Little Jane is the unfortunate offspring of a broken family, with a mother and father who cared little or nothing for her, her sister or her two broth ers. The children have never known about visits from Santa Claus. They only knew the horror of being put to bed and left alone “while mama went out with her boy friend,” as little Jane put it. Mrs. Ruth Mathis, child welfare warker in the DPW, took the lit tle girl two weeks ago and found a foster home for her. When she awakes on Christmas morning she will find that Santa had been there during the night. Her little sister is also being cared for in a faster home and will have Christ mas this year; however, her two brothers are not so fortunate. Mrs. Mathis, through DPW, is trying to find a suitable place for one of the boys, a victim of a crip pling, incurable disease. The other lad will be placed in de la Howe home in McCormick as soon as there is a vacancy. Meanwhile the mother has disappeared and the father, a reportedly worthless sort who spends the salary he makes on liquor, has asked the court to take custody of the children. The relative with whom they stay is anxious to get rid of them. This is one of the many cases of this kind handled by the DPW, through its child welfare divis ion. “There are many families in Newberry county who will have no Christmas this year," said Mrs. Edna Feagle, county director of the DPW. “People find it hard there are unseen and unseeable in the world. "You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which nol; the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart Only faith, farcy, poetry, love, romance can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory be yond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is noth ing else real and abiding. "No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Vir ginia, nay, ten times ten thous and years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood." to believe that there are really poor families in the county, but there are many of them, where the breadwinner has had a long illness and is unable to dare for his family; where death has claimed the father and the mother is unable to work and take care of the children; where broken homes leave children neglected.” “There are also many older people who are alone at Christ mas, with no family, no one to care for them,” said Mrs. Feagle. “They are unable financially to take part in the Christmas season and those are the kinds of people we try to help a little.” The Christmas cheer to these latter people is in the form of Christmas baskets, prepared by the fire department of Newberry from funds derived through the Community Chest. The DPW fur nishes the names of families which need help, and the firemen deliver the packages. This year, there will be over 100 such bas kets delivered in the county. Also cooperating to help make Christmas more joyful for the needy are the DPW and civic, social and service clubs of New berry, which gather food, cloth ing and toys through members of their organizations. Some of the -clubs deliver their packaged' idHjfng to rectly to needy families; most of them, however, are delivered through the DPW. Mrs. Feagle pointed out that the families to whom the gifts are given are not just picked at random. “They are carefully sel ected,” she said. “They must be in real need. There are certain policies which govern the distri bution of these gifts. Our visitors are in these homes often; they know the families that are most in need." The assistance rendered to the needy at Christmas is just a special program for the DPW workers. Their regular job is the handling of about 1100 crises of service to the aged, blind, par tially and totally disabled, and to dependent children, also to de linquent and neglected children. They try to do preventive and re habilitation work, as far as pos sible, thus making persons self- sufficient rather than being de pendent on taxpayers for an ex istence. Another way the DPW is work the taxpayers money is through the “uniform depend ency law.” Under this law, a man who leaves his wife and children without supporting them may be tried at any place in the United States and when sentenced must make regular payments for the support of his dependents, through money sent to the Clerk of court. Before the passage of the Uni form Dependency law, it was nec- essiary to bring a defendant back to Newberry county, lodge him in jail until a term of court and try him in the county before he could be sentenced. The Newberry DPW has an ex cellent record in carrying out the Intent of the law, and Mrs. Fea gle gives much credit to Judge Steve C. Griffith for this success. Alter seeking information at sev eral sources as to how the law might be enforced, Mrs. Feagle went to Judge Griffith, who ex Five-year-old Jane is shown here with Mrs. Edna Feagle, director of the County De partment of Public Welfare, just before leaving to spend Christmas holidays in a foster home. This will be Janes first real Christmas. Details may be seen in.the story on this page. In the background are packages which will be delivered by the DPW to needy fam ilies at Christmas. (Sunphoto by Doris A. Sanders. plained the law, gave instructions as to how to go about enforcing it, and even made up sample cop ies of the papers necessary to send to other courts in order to enforce the law. "This has kept many mothers and dependent children off the public assistance rolls, who would otherwise have been cared for by the taxpayers,” said Mrs. Feagle. In the Division of The Blind, funds are furnished to those who cannot pay for eye examinations, hospitalization, 'surgery and glass es. During the course of an inter view with Mrs. Feagle, two such cases came up and were discussed with an opthomologist. One was an aged man who was receiving old- age assistance. He was unable to do any steady work, but ’ ‘while clearing a ditch he stuck a thorn in his eye. He was treated by the opthomologist and needed hospi talization. Since he was unable to pay for hospital care, authority was se cured from the Division Of The Blind at the State DPW to hos pitalize the man and give him treatment so he could be reliev ed. He amd his wife were both more than 75 years of age. During the same call, Mrs. Fea gle discussed with the doctor another man who has been sick for- over a year and unable to work. He was cutting stove wood for afire for his family and was struck in the eye by a piece of wood. According to the doctor, the sight in that eye was gone. Plans are in the making, how ever, to give treatment to the man to save the other eye and prevent total blindness. While he is disabled, his wife and three children will receive help from the DPW. The DPW child welfare worker handles any problems x relating solely to children, finding foster homes for unwanted children, placing children in clinics and or phanages, making arrangements to take the children back home for Christmas when desired, and handling many other problems of this nature. In this connection, Mrs. Feagle stated that foster homes were urgently needed on a temporary basis for neglected children. The “visitors” in the depart ment work on all phases of as* sistance. They investigate charity patients for hospitals, patients for free cancer treatments; Mid pa tients to be sent to the State hos pital, Whitten village for white mentally retarded children, and Pinelahd, school for negro men tally retarded children, near Col- (Continued on page S) State B & L Buys Office Building The •building at 1117 Boyce St. now occupied by the State Build ing and Loan Association, has been purchased by that firm, ac cording to an announcement by Pinckney N. Abrams, secratery- Treasurer of the Association. The building was purchased, accord ing to Mr. Abrams, to provide ad ditional space needed to accom modate the rapidly growing firm. “Our business is to make loans for the purchase of homes, and to provide a convenient and prof itable place for savings, and we are making every effort to better serve the public,” Mr. Abrams said. In pointing up the rapid growth of the company, the following figures were listed in summariz ing the activities of the firm for 1955: Net savings increased by over $370,000.00, bringing total savings to $1,850,000. Dividends to be paid to holders of savings ac counts during 1965 will total over $49,500.00. The number of savings accounts has increased over 200. Home loans have increased in both number and amount, the to tal amount now outstanding being $1,700,000. State Building fand Loan’s as sets amount to oven $2,000,000.00. '• *:>% The name of the owner of Mys tery Farm No. 14 was inadvert ently omitted from last, week’s issue, but most people seemed to know it was the farm of J. Thad McCrackin on the Greenville high way. Last week’s Mystery Farm was also well knowtn, the J. F. Haw kins farm in the Hartford com munity. Winning gueasers last week were: Free TV Service call courtesy George N. Martin Radio and TV, Mrs. B. P. Ringer; one ticket to Wells Theatre to Mrs. Griffin Langfoj-d, Mrs. Claude Lester, John B. Hannon, George Lominick, alnd Floyd Dennis. One ticket to Ritz theatre to Tommy TindaU, David Parr, W. E. Tur ner, Olin Lominack, and Mrs. Ad- ella Summer. Others who correctly identified the farm were Bobby Hannon, Betty Bowers, Ralph Mitchell, Ace Watkins, Beth Boulware, John Wesley Sligh, William Heller, Mrs. Ira Gibson, S. C. Altman, Ann Bowers, Silverstreet, Ann Bowers, Newberry; Gerald Dominick, Cor bet Gibson, W. F. Hughes, Mrs. J. O. Dunston, Ruth Cannon, Hen ry Glasgow, Mrs. A. P. Salley, Garner-Robles, and Mrs. Betty Shealy. Winners are asked to pick up their tickets at The Sun office by noon, Tuesday, December 27. The Sun office will be closed Monday, December .26. The proposed million dollar ex pansion at Newberry mills, Inc. became a reality last Friday when James E. Britt, vice-president and general manager of the company announced that contracts for the expansion had been signed t and that work was expected W begin on the new addition in February. Contract for, the ccmetniction went to G f Whitmire aW^Wbist of $185,000. Project enkflaVHv' Are McPherson and Company of Greenville. The addition, to be located on O’Neal street betwsMi^ what is known as Mill No. l iOMTMIll No. 2, will contain approximately 40,- 000 square feet of floor space in a four-storey structure. The ad dition of 366 looms will increase the plants loom count to 1616 and will increase production by some 30 per cent over the present With the addition, expected to be completed in August of next year, Mr. Britt stated that jobs would be available for over 126 persons, and expressed hope that the plant would be in full opera tion by October. Word of the signing came from William R. Beuret, assistant to Sarkis Diabekirian, president and owner of Newberry mills, Inc. Mr. Britt explained that the factors \ taken into consideration by Mr., Riabekirian and other officials of the company in deciding to locate the expansion in Newberry, were the loyalty of the workers at the West End plant and the harmony existing between local manage* ment and labor. ■v — Brother Of Local Woman Passes Norman Martin, 60, prominent * farmer and lumberman of Sum- ( ‘ merton, died enroute to Tourney hospital in Sumter Tuesday after ■****■ suffering a heart attack earlier at bis home. He Was a brother of ‘ Mrs. V. C. Martin of Kinards. Survivors include his widow, 3 daughters, five sons, one bro ther, five other sisters, eight grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews. Funeral services weire conduct- . ed Wednesday from the Summer- ton Methodist church by his pas tor Rev. W. R. Parker. Interment was in Evergreen cemetery, at Summerton. ree Earn lers Listed Four Newberry county farmers were certified as tree farmers re cently by the South Carolina Tree Farm Committee, according to Vera H. Cutler, of Hardeville, chairman of the Tree Farm Com mittee. To be certified as a tree farm er, a landowner must demonstrate ability and willingness to manage his woodland under good forestry practice for continuous produc tion. The ttee farm prograpi is sponsored by the South Carolina Forest Industries Committee with cooperation of the South Carolina State Commission of Forestry the Clemson College Extension Service. Certified! in Newberry were: T. B. Amis of Rout 2, Kinards, 2,660 acres in Newberry; Mrs. Annie Laurie Sutherland of New berry, 606 acres in Newberry; Al bert G. McCaughrin, 38 acres in Newberry; B. Hardin Keitt of Charlotte, N. C., 874 acres in New berry. sons Greetings from The Newberry Children Story Hour Canceled Children’s Story Hour at the Newherry- Saluda Regional Libr—y will not be held during the Christ mas holidays. The story hour will be resumed Monday afternoon, January 9th, at 3:30 to 4:30 with Miss Jackie Atkinson, student at Newberry College, in charge. birthday GREETINGS Dec. 23: Rev. C. A. Calcote, Mrs. Pinckney Abrams, Mrs. H. O. Chambers, Claude Buzhardt, Frank. Lominack, Jr. f James Henderson, Martha Jean Long- shore, Mrs. Clay Balfentine, Jackie Shealy. Dec. 24: Benjamin Anderson, Mrs. Mary C. Long, Ed Senn, Mrs. Ellen Abrams. Dec. 25: P. d. Johnson, Jr„ Mrs T. B. Jacobs, Mrs. Ernest Bennett, Roscoe Coppock, Fred rick Hodges Dodkin, Mrs. R. C. Hunter, Frank Senn, Thomas Shaver, Mrs. J. W. Timmerman, Miss Verna Lane. Dec. 26: Mrs. Griffin Coleman, Mill Moore, Harold L. Pitts, J. R. Bedenbaugh. ® ec * 27: J ,h. Bedenbaugh, Linda Jane Lominick, Berlin Stuck, Mrs. David Ringer, Mrs. Fred Summer, Larry McCul lough, Ronald Chapman, Berley Shealy, Mable Darby, Louise Sessions, Mrs. G. B. Sessions^ Mrs. A. J. Wilson. Dec. 28: Mrs. James Smith, Jr., Mrs. Elbert Dickert, Lisa Lominack, Fay Murray, Mrs. F- Scott .EHIott, Mrs. Oscar Mayer, Brenda Summer, Dale ' Eargfe, Gates Beckwith. Dec. 29: Mrs. Dave L* Hayes, Mrs. Frank Stewart, Mrs. J. AI- „ vin Klnard, David Langford, Margaret Watkins. - , v '•ewi ■ X*