Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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There’s one advantage to being married — a man can't make a fool of himself without knowing it. till I>on't ever phophesy—for if you prophesy wrong, nobody will for get it, and if you prophesy right, nobody will remember it. —Josh Hillings. VOLUME 20; NUMBER 2 NEWBERRY, SOUTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 1957 $2.00 PER YEAS V By The Way By Doris A. Sanders PRESS FREEDOM Those in the newspaper business often have cause to stop and ■wonder if there is such a thing as “freedom of the press’’ anymore, with so many people and groups trying to dictate what should or should not be published, even to the extent of pressure being brought by those with whom the newspapers do business. I hi* Sun- paper has always mace an el fort to bring all the facts concerning news stories to our readers, let ting the chips fall where they may, even though they are in the form of hot coals on our already fevered brow. As a news reporter, covering such activities as meetings of city council, County Board of Educa tion, and so forth, I have tried to be fair in my reporting. Very occasionally at City Council, but more often at the C ounty Board, a request—or demand—is made that newspapers not publish certain in formation at that specific time. Most often I feel the requests are reasonable, that no “hiding from the public’’ is intended, and I try to cooperate IF I feel this is the case. Several months ago at its regu lar meeting, the County Board was considering recommendations for re-election of the various area superintendents. All were re-elect ed with the exception of R. H. Setzler, superintendent of the Po- maria area, for which area there was no recommendation. There was presented at that meeting, however, a petition signed by over 300 patrons of the area, request ing that Prof. Setzler be retain ed. The County Board referred the petition back to the Pomaria ad visory board and requested that no mention of the matter be mace in the press. Thinking that it was a purely personal matter which would straighten itself out when the advisory board learned of the strong sentiment for Mr. Setzler. I agreed to withhold the informa tion at that time. At a subsequent meeting, a delegation appeared to request intervention by the county board. The fact that the delegation was there was reported to you but again at the request of the county board and this time I think it was reasonable, I did not print the many accusations and charges made by that delegation, feeling it would only add fuel to the al ready existing fire. At the most recent meeting of the Board, a recommendation was received for a superintendent to succeed Mr. Setzler at Pomaria. The recommendation was approv ed and Mr. Setzler was elected teacher-principal at Junior High. There is a story elsewhere in this issue that will show how a majority of the Pomaria citizens feel about this situation. I under stand that because of it, three teachers have resigned from the Pomaria school. There are two reasons for my telling you all of this at this time: first, to assure parents who have children in Jun ior High that in the opinion of Ed Beck and the many other people with whom I have talked, Mr. Setzler will be a valuable asset to Junior High; second, to show you that not only are teachers in Newberry County poorly paid, but that they also have absolutely no job security. They are not employed for a five or ten year period, or even for “as long as services are satis factory.” They are hired on a year-to-year basis and never know whether they will or will not be recommended by the area advis ory board to teach another year. They are subject to the whims and personal grudges of advisory board members; and believe me, this is not the first time a thing like this has happened. I know personally of two other cases within the q>ast few years; there are perhaps many more I don’t know about. In one case, the area superintendent told the teacher that his work had been satisfac tory and that he would be re jected; a few days alter, the teacher was told that the advisory board would not recommend him. ij This ie the sort of thing that can happen to any teacher, prin- or superintendent at any It is demoralizing and dis- to teachers who are tiously trying to do their not knowing where the axe fall next, ity Board says it follows tions o f advisory CContiMied on page 5) ■gym*#* m< Taking part in the Cornerstone Service at Mayer Memorial Lutheran Church Sun day were, center. Rev. Thomas H. Weeks, president of the Newberry Conference, who delivered the message; to his right. Rev. D. M. Shull, pastor of the church, and Dr. Karl W. Kinard, president of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of S. C. At the left are Clyde Amick and B. B. Livingston, members of the building committee. (Sunphoto by Doris A. Sanders.) Billingsley Named Commander 218 Infantry, National Guard Brothers On Overseas Duty Eugene C. Griffith (photo' at right) son of Judge and Mrs. Steve C. Griffith, was called to active Naval duty on April 19th and ordered to Port Lyautey, Mo rocco, Africa. Ensign Griffith joined the Naval Reserve unit at Columbia while attending the Uni versity of South Carolina, and was selected for officer’s train ing, which he successfully com pleted in two summer sessions of school at Newport, R. I., earning the commission of ensign which he received upon graduation from the University in January. On receiving his orders to ac tive duty, Ensign Griffith flew from McGuire Field, N. J. to Bur- tonwood, England, and from there to Chatereaux, France, where he was detained for im munization shots. This is the base where Col. Jack B. Workman, grandson of Judge and Mrs. Eu gene S. Blease, and his family are located and Ensign Griffith had the opportunity of visiting them. While there, he talked with his brother, Lt. Steve C. Griffith by long distance phone, trying to ar range a meeting. It is not known whether they will be able to meet before the lieutenant sails for home on May 10th. Ensign Grif fith flew to Port Lyautey, arriv ing on April 28th. His address is 46, NCF Navy 214 c-o FPO, New York. In the top photo, Lt. Steve Grif fith receives his first lieutenant bars from Colonel Beverly N. Skardon at Bamberg, Germany. Both are graduates of Clemson College. Lt. Griffith has been sta tioned at Bamberg for the past 18 months and has been serving in the 85th Infantry Regiment and more recently with the Courts and Boards Division. He will arrive home in May and will be separated from the army, having served two years of active duty. He plans to enter the University of South Carolina law school. LOCAL 324 MEETS Mollohon TWUA Local Union No. 324 will meet Sunday after noon, May 12 at 3:00 p. m. in the school auditorium. All members are urged to be present. Horton Joins Forest Service COLUMBIA, May 4. — Donald Wilson Horton has been employed as Forester by the S. C. State Commission of Forestry, and has been assigned to the ^lewberry District, according to State Fores ter Chas. H. Flory. A native of Whiteville, N. C., Horton received his B. S. degree in Forest Management at the School of Forestry, N. C. State College. His forestry experience includes work for a paper com pany and the N. C. State, Forest Service. He will work under the super vision of District Forester John Graham of Newberry, doing for estry work in the nine counties of Abbeville, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry and Saluda. Mr. Horton is one of the grad uate foresters employed by the S. C. State Commission of Forestry, said State Forester Flory, to pro vide forestry assistance to South Carolina landowners. This assist ance involves helping woodland owners manage and harvest their timber properly, and includes se<- lective marking and estimating of trees to be harvested, reforesta tion, forest insect and disease con trol, forest fire control, and forqgt fire protection. By order of General James C. Dozier, Adjutant General of South Carolina and upon recommenda tion of Major General Ansel B. Godfrey of Clinton, Commander of the 51st Division of S. C. Nat ional Guard, Lt. Col. John C. Bil lingsley was named Regimental Commander of the 218th Infantry. The 218th has companies located in the upper half of the state and comprises 22 units. Col. Billingsley was born in Arkansas in 1908. He finished in Forestry at the University o: Michigan in 1933 where he obtain ed a Bachelor of Science in For estry and a Masters of Forestry Degree. He took a job with the U. S. Forest Service and in 1935 was transferred to Newberry as District Ranger in charge of the Enoree Division of the Sumter National Forest. In this capacity he purchased the lands and de veloped the National Forest. Af ter resigning from the Forest Service he has practiced his pro fession as a consulting forester, managing over 150,OOO acres of timberlands for private owners. He uses his airplane to facilitate travel and observation of forest lands and is the holder of a Com mercial Pilots license. Said to be one of the oldest pilots in the State he has been flying since 1933. As a professional forester he is listed in Who’s Who in the South and Southwest. John is a member of the Newberry Shrin- ers Club, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Chamber of Commerce, So ciety of American Foresters, is Chairman of the Newberry Air port Commission and President of the Newberry Country Club. His military career began in 1926 as an R. O. T. C. cadet. In 1932 he enlisted as a private in the Michigan National Guard. Upon graduating from the R.O.T. C. at the University of Michigan he was assigned as a Second Lieu tenant. Being called into Federal Service in February 1941 with Battery C of the 107 AAA Bn. of the Guard he went with the New berry County Guardsmen to Camp Stewart, Ga, Later as Battery Commander he saw duty in Eng land, combat in North Africa, Sic ily, and Italy, earning three bat tle stars, and the Bronze Arrow head for the Sicilian invasion. Prior to the end of the war in Europe he was promoted to Bat talion Commander and the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. The Italian Ministry of War awarded him the Italian Cross of War for his serv ices in the liberation of that coun try. After thirty-eight months overseas he returned to Newber ry. When the guard was reor ganized in 1947 he was appointed Third Battalion Commander in the 218th Infantry. Later he served five years as Executive Officer. In 1934 he married Wava Shanks in Taylorsville, Miss. John Jr., the only child is now 14 years of age. The family owns timber- lands in Newberry, Laurens, ’Aik en, and Chester Counties so con siders Newberry and South Caro lina as their permanent home. The colonel is secretary-treasurer and active manager for Carolina Tree Farms, Inc., a local corporation (Continued on page 5)/ Rites Tuesday For Miss Counts Miss Ethel Counts, former Home Demonstration agent for Newberry County, died at the Columbia Hospital late Sunday af ter a short illness. Miss Counts was born at Pros perity February 12, 1886, daugh ter of the late Ernest O. and Katie Boinest Counts. She was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Prosperity, and had served as President of the Unit ed Lutheran Church Women of the Church. She was also a mem ber of the Sorosis Literary Club and the Prosperity Garden Club. Miss Counts entered Home Demonstration work in 1917, and was the agent in Newberry Coun ty from 1926 until her retirement in 1951. During these years she was an active leader in improvement of rural living conditions, in train ing of rural youth, and in civic and religious life of the com munity and county, fihe had been honored by election to var ious offices in the State Home Demonstration Agents Associa tion. For her outstanding service as a county home demonstration agent, Miss Counts had been awarded a certificate of recogni tion by the National Home Dem onstration Agents Association, the certificate having been deliv ered at a luncheon at the Black- stone Hotel in Chicago. She is survived by two broth ers, Robert H. Counts of Spen cer, N. C., and Ernest D. Counts, Portsmouth, Va., and two sisters, Mrs. John R. Schrumm, Lincoln- ton, N. C., and Miss Katherine Counts, Greensboro, N. C. Funeral services were held Tuesday at 2:30 p. m. at Grace Lutheran Church, with Rev. Ben Clark and Rev. George Meetze of ficiating. Burial was in the Pros perity Cemetery. Active pallbearers were Dick Counts, Gordon Counts, I. H. inest, Howard Counts, Alan N. osson and Walter Cornwell, embers of The United Luther an Church Women of Grace Church served as honorary pall bearers. Setzler Accepts Position As Principal Junior High Attends Meeting In Columbia Mrs. C. M. Smith, Jr., repres ented Newberry County at the spring meeting of the governing council of the South Carolina Commission on Children and youth held Wednesday, May 8, 1957 at the Columbia Hotel. She re ported on the work being done in this county with respect to the establishment of a county commission on Children and Youth. The emphasis of the meeting was on child labor and youth employment and the luncheon featured panel discussion by four high school students on the sub ject, “Teen-age Ideas.” Also speak ing during the meeting were Mrs. Ella Ketchin of the U. S. Depart ment of Labor; Miss Katherine Lewis of the S. C. Employment Security Commission and Spencer McMaster, youth welfare chair man of the S. C. Chamber of Commerce. Ralph H. Setzler, for five years superintendent of Pomaria area schools, has accepted a position as principal- teacher at Junior High School in Newberry, according to an announcement made today by R. E. Beck, superintendent of ele mentary schools in the city. “Because of the increased en rollment in the present fifth grade,” said Mr. Beck, “we have known all year that it would be necessary to add another teacher to the Junior High faculty for the next school session. I feel we were particularly fortunate in securing the services of Prof. Setzler, who, in addition to his teaching duties, will serve as principal of Junior High.” Speaking of Prof. SetzleFs qualifications, Supt. Beck stated: “I have known him for many years and have worked with him for the past ten years. As soon as I learned that he would not return to Pomaria next year, I talked to him about the possibility of com ing to Junior High. I would not have done that had I not known that he was a fine teacher and administrator. I feel that Po-*’ School Bands To. Give Concert The Newberry City School bands under the direction of Miss Lorr aine Paris will present a band concert at the Newberry High School auditorium on Friday night, May 17th at 8:00 p. m. Taking part will be the Senior High School band. Intermediate high school band, and the Junior High school band. The public is urged to buy tick ets and attend the concert. Proceeds will be us^d . for the purchase of equipment for the band groups. maria’s loss is Newberry’s gain. I by a majority of the patrons of 1 „ .4. A Prof. Setzler is a native of the St. Phillips community of this county. He was graduated from Newberry College, taught for six years at Stoney Hill school and has been connected with Pomaria school since that time, serving as area superintendent since 1951. The patrons of the Pomaria area, by a large majority, ex pressed their esteem for Mr. Setz ler when over 300 signed a peti tion (see ‘By the Way’) presented to the County Board of Education requesting that he be retained at Pomaria. A group of those citi zens have asked that the follow ing statement be published. The names of those who signed the statement are on file at The Sun office and will gladly be shown on request. “Recently, The Sun carried the news that Mr. R. H. Setzler had been elected as principal of the Junior High School at Newberry, and that the Advisory Board of Pomaria had not recommended to the County Board of Education that he be re-elected as area superintendent at Pomaria. “In justice to Mr. Setzler and to the patrons of the Pomaria Area the following statement has been prepared by a group of fair-mind ed citizens. This has been done without Mr. Setzler’s knowledge, in the hope that it might help to avoid such injustices in the fu ture. “When the Advisory Board for the Pomaria Area met in the spring they voted 3 to 2 not to recommend to the County Board of Education that Mr. Setzler be re-elected. The Pomaria Advisory Board, at that time consisted of the school to be unjust and un true. When the action of t^ie Ad visory Board became known, just a few days before the date of the County Board meeting, the pa trons felt it would be a great in justice to Mr. Setzler and to the school to make a change, * espec ially when the Pomaria High School will probably be discon tinued after one mor^ year. There fore, some area citizens, being mindful of the fact that local ad visory boards only have the powei; to make recommendations as to the election of school superintend ents and teachers, and that the County Board of Education alone has the power to elect them, addressed a petition to the County Board. The petition pointed out that Mr. Setzler had served satis factorily as superintendent at Po maria for many years, and that the High School at Pomaria will probably operate for only one more school year, and requested that Mr. Setzler be re-elected as superintendent for this area. “In spite of the short time that the petition was in circulation, more than 300 persons signed it before it was sent to the County Board. Many persons have ex pressed regret that they did not have an opportunity to sign the petition. However, it expressed the wishes of an overwhelming majority of the patrons of th® school. * “The County 'Board reviewed th® petition and referred it to the Pomaria Advisory Board for their consideration. The Advisory Board received the petition but disre garded the wishes of the people and did hot rescind its former ac- Olin Lominick, Chm., Tomm/I . t * on - We understand that it is Crooks. D. L. Ruff, Eric Long, and ‘ h * Last Rites For Mrs. Gardiner Funeral services for Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Bishop Dominick Gard iner, 75, wife of Frederick Gard iner, who died Monday afternoon at her home on Caldwell Street were conducted at 3 p. m. Wed nesday at McSwain Funeral Home, by the Rev. John W. Davenport and the Rev. Neil E. Truesdell. Burial was in Rosemont Cemetery. Mrs. Gardiner was born and reared in Newberry County, the daughter of Osborne and Nannie Jones Bishop. She spent most of her life in Newberry. She* was twice married, first to Fred Hebron Dominick, who died a number of years ago. Surviving are her second hus band, Frederick Ga|*diner; two sons, F. H. Dominick of Douglas- ville, Ga., and Emory Ansel Dom inick of Newberry; one daughter, Mrs. Viola McCoy of Greenwood; a brother E. J. Bishop of Green ville; 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Taking part m the state convention of the auxiliary to the South Carolina Medical Association at Myrtle Beach last week were, left to right, Mrs. B. J. Workman, Wood ruff, incoming president; Mrs. Robert Flanders of Man chester, N. H., president oif the Woman’s Auxiliary to the American Medical Association and speaker at the Ityich- eon; Mrs. E. Gordon Able of Newberry, retiring president of the S. C. Auxiliary, and Mrs. O. W. Robinson, Paris, Texas, president of the Southern Medical Auxiliary. Board of Education, in deciding questions concerning only one area, to follow the recommenda- D. L. Wedaman, Jr. The reasons given to Mr. Setzler by the Ad visory Board for not recommend- ,. . , , , ing his re-election are coiMudere4. f .! 01 i s 0 ® 7 fthat area. When Mr. J. Alvin JCin- ard, the member of the County Board from the Pomaria Area was approached about the matter, he indicted that he could not “go long” with the Advisory Board in ignoring the wishes of the people as expressed in the petition. How ever, Mr. Setzler has not been re-elected as superintendent of the Pomaria Area‘ in fact, another ha® been elected to succeed him in that position. “We feel that a great injus tice has been done by the Advis ory Board and the Newberry County Board of Education, and that these two bodies have ignor ed the wishes of the great ma jority of the patrons of our school, and taxpaying citizens, including those who had no opportunity to sign the petition,” CALENDAR SOCIETY MEETS MONDAY The Calendar Society of Central Methodist Church will meet Mon day afternoon at four o’clock at the parsonage with Mrs. M. E. Derrick as hostess. Mrs. E. Gordon Able, Newberry, President of the Woman’s Auxil iary to The South Carolina Medi cal Association opened the con vention at Myrtle Beach May 1st, held concurrently with that of the Medical Association. Serving as pages were Misses Christy Liv ingston and Emily Martin, New berry and Miss Ann Bell, Lancas ter, Mrs. Abie’s niece. Mrs. O. W. Robinson, Paris, Texas, President of the Southern Medical Auxiliary, brought greet ings and an invitation to the con vention November 11 through 14 at Miami Beach. Reports of the work of the Auxiliary began with that of Mrs. E. H. Thomason, Olanta, American Medical Education Foundation chairman, reporting a total of $2,324.61 collected by the various counties, Richland be ing the largest with $1,286.61. Mrs. John T. Cuttino, Charleston Chairman of the Jane Todd Craw ford Loan Fund and Nurses Re cruitment reported 7 loans out standing to assist student nurses and 5 counties who give nurses scholarships. Reports of other officers indicated the growth and progression of the auxiliary this year with Mrs. Abie’s leadership, with four new counties organized, Berkeley, Lancaster, Barnwell and Laurens, 85 new members swell ing the rolls to 878. After the meeting a buffet luncheon was served at the Dunes Club, honoring the past state presidents. At 2:30 a bridge party was held at the Pine Lakes Inn with the Newberry Auxiliary hostess. Mrs. B. J. Workman of Wood ruff was handed the gavel by Mrs. Able. Newly elected officers are: Mrs. George Orvin, Charleston, president-elect, Mrs. John Martin, Anderson, 1st vice president; Mrs. George W. Smith, Columbia, 2nd vice president; Mrs. C. F. Higgins, Easley, 3rd vice president; Mrs. Fritz N. Johnson, Mullins, 4th vice president. Mrs. Abie’s report was another one of progress of the auxiliary. She said her private aim had been to bring in all the doctors wives to the auxiliary, to benefit in its service and friendship, not all had been reached, however great prog ress could be reported. Mrs. Al fred Burnside presented the past president’s pin in the place of Dr. Able, who was unable to at tend the convention. A rising vote of appreciation was given to Mrs. Able, for her loyalty and! de votion to the auxiliary and untir ing efforts in its behalf, v A luncheon was served at the Ocean Forest Hotel. The Newber ry Auxiliary was recognized as hostess for the convention, with Mrs. J. A. Sasser, Conway, and Mrs. Von Long, Newberry,* co- chairmen of the convention. BIRTHDAY , GREETINGS May 11: H. T. Wike, Carol Ann Baxter, Eleanor Amick, Mack Amick, Jean Covington, Wallace Moore, Johnnie Jones, N. B. Warren Jr., Mrs. Rath Culclasure, Mrs. Ruth S. Dick- ert, Irvin Attaway, Julia Rebec ca McSwain, Alice Price. May 12: Lottie Boland, Mitzie Ann Stoudemire, Janet Seim, George D. Hentz, Miss Theresa Lightsey, Thomas O. Stewart, Clarence Duncan Sr. May 13: Mrs. Leila B. Wil liams, D. J. Williams, Mrs* Lois W. Huckaby, Mrs. Press- ley N. Boozer, Eleanor Kirke- gard, Kibler Williamson, Der ry 11 Satterwhite, Walter H. Da vis, Rhoda R. Boozer. May 14: Mrs. Floy Hancock, Alfreda Hipp, E. C. Rinehart, Clifford Smith, Connie’ King, Harry Hughes, Phyllis Boozer, Carol Ann Waters, Patricia Shealy, Kirk Beckwith, grand son of Mr. and Mrs. T. E. Da vis, Deedle Wilson. May 15: Mrs. Frank Lominack Jr., John Wilson, Toby WilKs, Doris St. John, Charles Senn, Sarah Scarborough, Elmer W, Mayer. May 16: Miss Pearl Amick, Mrs. J. W. Warner, Martha Dipner, J. Fred Epting, Jr., Mrs. H. L. Boulware. May 17: flalph Lee Wilbanks, Jr., Bonnie Boland, Linda Alien Martin, Jerry Alewine, Gertrud® B. Force, Mrs. Forrefet Boozer, Jewel Connelly, R. tL “Bobby” Hanna Jr.,, Eleanor Amfefc, Mr®. Hack Wallace, Bobby Ana- field, Karen Atkison, AMon E. Bedenbaugh Jr. Jk4