Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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r\j-uvruvri/\.ruvruvrvjv HELP CRIPPLED CHilDREN VOLUME 21; NUMBER 45 By The Way * by Jborij Sander3 TWO SIDES I should two schools be constructed, There are two sides to every there would be a supervising prin- question. This week, The Sun pre sents “another side” of the Opera House story. It is designed to ex press the feelings of those who are in favor of restoring and mod ernizing the inside of the Opera House for use as a municipal building. It goes without saying, I be lieve, that no one wants to have a structure in our midst which would be hazardous. Those who wish the Opera House restored are not making a flat demand. They are asking merely that City Council hire an architect, expert in restoration of old buildings, to determine the feasibility of re tailing the Opera House, and re storing it for use as a municipal building. Whether Council will do this will probably be decided at its next meeting Tuesday night. ANOTHER QUESTION Another question to which there are two—or perhaps more sides— is the question of elementary school building construction for the city of Newberry. The big question, of course, is “how many buildings should there be to house 1000 students in the first through sixth grades?” For some time past, I have ad vocated one building for these stu dents. I felt that way because I had hopes that some day, the New berry school system would get around to dividing students ac cording to achievement in subject matter, and that this could be bet ter done in a larger school. I also knew that one large school would certainly require a supervising principal, with no teaching duties. Because this is a question of great importance, however, and because the matter is to be dis cussed publicly next week, I felt in need of more “direct” informa tion. I have seen the views ex pressed by administrators, but what of the teachers, those who have the job of trying to make our children learn? Two weekends ago, I had a long discussion with a teacher whose opinions I value highly. She has taught in small schools; she is currently teaching in an elemen tary school with almost 700 stu dents. She is also assistant prin cipal of the school which, inciden tally, has a supervising principal. I asked the question of her. Her answer, “two schools.” The rea sons she gives are several. “With so large a school—even ours—we have to stagger recesses so that some classes are at recess almost constantly. Children on a play ground are going to make noise and it is almost impossible to teach under those circumstances, or to hold the attention of the stu dents. Cutting the number of stu dents in half would also cut the traffic in halls, another distur bing factor.” Another complaint against a large school is “you have to begin serving lunch by 11 a.m. Some of these children don’t get home until 4:30 p.m.” One of the greatest problems, she says, is with transportation—buses over crowded, making double trips, hav ing to pick up children so early and take them home so late. I had been told there was an administrative problem with the teachers when a school system was too large, so I asked about this. The reply was “yes, there is a problem, as much as I hate to ad mit it. If you have all good teach ers, you would not have this situa tion. But when you have to take what you can get—and that is what most schools in South Caro lina have to do—then you have a problem which requires more sup ervision.” I asked what she thought of a principal being required to teach. “It is one of the worst things that could happen,” is her opinion. “As ftMiataUt principal, I have to take over the principal’s duties while ehe is avrMy and still try to teach my claes. There are constant in terruptions, not to mention the many reports that must be made out—all while I am trying to con duct a class. It is not fair to the teacher or to the students to have a teaching principal.” This latter point has disturbed me greatly. I know that our teach ing principals in Newberry have done a fine job, with all they have to handle, but, as the teacher quoted above said, it is fair neith er to teacher nor student to re quire so much of one person. This one consideration, possibly, would sway me to one school rath er than two; however, at a meet ing of the Newberry Area Advis ory Board in January, Ed Beck, superintendent o f elementary schools, stated de*finitely that cipal, with no teaching duties, for each school. I believe that with two schools of 500 to 000 students, the class’es could still be divided ac cording to achievement. And, as someone eNe has said, should there ever be any growth of popu lation in Newberry, it would be much easier to add onto a school of 10 to 12 classrooms than one with 24. I present these facts for your consideration before the public meeting which will take place next Monday night at the high school. It is a question that will be hard to decide and the most serious consideration should be given the subject. LESS WEIGHTY Now t o less weighty subjects: It is raining as I write this, but when I drove to work this morn ing, the sun was shining brightly, and I thought how wonderful it was to again see the reds, yellows, pinks, and whites of spring flow ers and shrubs around our town. Newberry will soon be in full Springtime garb, and there are not many places which can boast a more colorful Spring than can our City of Friendly Folks. I hope you enjoy this evidence of more balmy days as much as I do. We enjoyed a flower-picking excur sion one pretty day last week, and the “arrangement” by Connie and Ruthie of Jonquils, Daffodils and Snowdrops brightened up the house considerably. Along with welcome Spring, and speaking of the girls, they were so happy to learn that the old Zach Wright home was to be purchased and us ed. They have long worried about that beautiful house sitting there going to ruin. Many Newberrians feel the same and we all appre ciate the fact that the congrega tion of the First Baptist Church has seen fit to do something about it. Higgins To Be Board Annual Banquet Speaker Richard R. Higgins, president of The Kendall Company, will be guest speaker at the first annual banquet of the Newberry County Development Board- which will be held Wednesday, March 11 at 8:15 p.m. in the Newberry College Dining Hall. Mr. Higgins became associated with the Kendall company after his graduation from Harvard in 1922. In his earliest days with the company, Mr. Higgins was Mr. Kendall’s personal assistant. Go ing to the Kendall Mills Division in Walpole in 1929, he served as divisional manager and general sqles manager there until his re turn to the central executive of fice in Boston. From 1941 to 1947, Mr .Higgins was director of Mer chandising for Kendall Co. In 1948 he was elected vice president and treasurer; in 1949, executive vice president, and in 1951, presi dent. Mr. Higgins is a director of the Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Company, a trustee of the Boston Five Cents Saving^ Bank, a dir ector of the Columbian NationaJ Life Insurance Company, a direct or of the American Cotton Manu facturers Institute and a Director of the American Management As sociation. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Choate School of Wallingford, Conn., President of the Boston YMCA and a director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches. It is requested that all persons desiring tickets notify the Board office by March 6th. NEWBERRY. SOUTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 1959 + $2.00 PER YEAR Citizens Protesting Needless Destruction Of Opera House (By DORIS A. SANDERS) Perhaps no controversial issue in many years has been so much talked about as the possible de struction of the Opera House building, to make way for a mod ern structure to house city offices and facilities. In January, council briefly dis cussed the subject of a new muni cipal building. While Council has not, as a body, made any mention of tearing down the Opera House building for the location of a new building, it has been generally un derstood that this was a plan that was under consideration. At the February meeting of Council, City manager Ed Black- well reported that funds would be available from the federal govern ment both for planning and for the construction of a modern munici pal building. At the same meet ing, a letter from Architect Ir vine B. Leslie was read, stating that the old Opera House was in poor condition, “dilapidated.” This letter, together with the re port that funds would be available for a new building, brought almost instant response from citizens op posed to the destruction of the Op era House. While it was reported in the Greenville News that a re ferendum would be held, to get the reaction of Newberrians be fore anything was done to the building, Council has made no plans for a referendum; the sub ject has not even been discussed in council meetings. Mayor Layton stated today that while eventually a referendum may be held, cer tainly no plans have been made and will not be made except in open session of council. He stated that the subject of the building will be discussed at the meeting of council next Tuesday. “We are not trying to do anything that would hurt the city of Newberry or that would go against the wishes of most of our citizens,” said Mayor Layton. “We knew that some thing had to be done and we are happy to get opinions of Newberry taxpayers as to what they think is the best course to follow.” It is understood that a resolu tion, signed by a number of civic clubs, will be presented at the next meeting of council. In the meantime, a number of citizens told how they felt about the fu ture of the Opera House. “While I am in favor of pre serving the Opera House Build ing,” says Mrs. Steve C. Griffith. “I would like to see it thoroughly inspected, by some architect expert in restoration work, to be certain that the building is safe. I believe further it should be determined whether the building will meet the needs of a city hall, and the estimated cost of modernizing the building for this use.” “I think the ideal solution,” continued Mrs. Griffith, “would be for the Opera House to be re stored, provided it is structurally sound, and modernized inside to house city facilities.” Mrs. Griffith expresses the view of the majority of Newberrians who would like to see the building restored. All agree that they do not wish the building left stand ing if it constituted a hazard, A. J. Bowers states “The Opera House, built in 1881, was used sixty years ago for the Commence ment of Newberry College, the March debates, local talent plays, minstrels, and ‘road’ shows, be sides other activities. “It is an historic building, at tractive at present on the outside, and it appeals to those who re member its balmier days to pre serve it by repairing and main taining it efficiently. “Its present condition is not the fault of any one administration. The upper portion has been in dis repair since Mr. H. B. Wells built the picture show place on Main street some eighteen years ago. I am informed that it has not been used at all for the past eight to ten years. “The second floor and other parts of the building have natur ally depreciated rapidly, as those sections have been uncared for. “The Opera House is too impor tant a part of our history to be done away with lightly, and I join in the hopes that competent auth ority on the restoration and pre servation of old buildings be con sulted before action is taken. “The argument that I have heard several times—that it would be more expensive to rehabilitate the Opera House than to tear it down and build a modern office building of equal capacity—appears illogi cal.” “It was most satisfying to learn,” says Mrs. Eloise W. Wright, “from an authority like Ernest Summer, that the Opera House is of French Provincial de sign and one of the best examples to be found outside of New Or leans, Mobile and Quebec. All tht more reason that we should prize such a building for itself; but where there is a possibility of its being made to serve such a needed building as a City Hall in all that that term means, then for cultural and economic reasons, it should, if and when an expert says so, be come a wonderful asset to New berry.” Another citizen, John :. Chap pell, states, “The letter written by Mr. John E. Summer, distinguish ed architect of Atlanta, Ga. and a native Newberrian, in which Mr. Summer urged the preservation and restoration of the old Opera House, led me to hope that the City Council may see its way clear to save this historic Newberry landmark. “Those of us who have lived in Newberry a long time have a sen timental feeling for the Opera House which goes deep. We would certainly regret to have to wit ness its demise. The razing of such admirable, old buildings purely in the name of modernism is al ways regrettable and should be avoided whenever it is practicable to do so. Let us hope that in this case a way can be found.” Fred. H. Dominick, has this to say: “I would hate to see the old Opera House tom down. On the other hand, I sincerely hope some plan can be worked out to put it in proper shape and to preserve it.” According to City Manager Blackwell, funds would be avail able from the Housing and Home Financing Agency for moderniza tion of the Opera House to serve as a municipal building, provided it is found that the building is structurally sound and that it will serve the purpose for which need ed. In an article entitled “Wanton Disregard of Our Heritage” which Whitehead Named Personnel Man Newberry Mills Albert Arthur Whitehead has assumed the position of personnel manager for Newberry Mills, Inc., according to L. E. Gatlin, mana ger. Mr. Whitehead, who will have full respc sibility for operation of the personnel department, began his duties here Monday, March 2nd. Mr. Gatlin stated that enlarg ed quarters for employees of the personnel department would be furnished in the basement under the mill office. Mr. Whitehead comes to New berry Mills, Inc. from Charlotte, N. C., where he was associated with the Refrigerated Foods Di vision of General Mills, Inc. Prior to his connection with General Mills, he spent a number of years with the Employment Security Commission of North Carolina and also with the United States Civil Service Commission. Mr. Whitehead is married and is the father of one child, a daughter, three years of age. After his graduation from high school, the new personnel man ager attended the University of Pittsburgh and later did special work at Henderson Business Col lege, Henderson, N. C. Gentlemen Of The Grand Jury Members of the 1959 Newberry County Grand Jury, as drawn by the Jury Commissioners Wednes day morning are: D. M. Vaughn, H. M. Kunkle, J. W. Hipp, Jr., Wayne F. Mullinax, William H. Young and John B. Lindsay, hold overs. New: James M. Leaman, J. T. Long, Alfred Dorroh, James H. Davis, Lewis C. Hawkins, R. C. Neel, Jr., D. Leroy Wilson, T. C. McDowell, Jerome F. Havird, George D. Way, Clyde L. Amick, Furman G. Kyzer. Chosen as alternates were John F. Scurry, Floyd H. Dennis and J. Graham Purkerson. Grand jurors will report on Mon day, March 16, when the first 1959 term of criminal court will con vene with Hon. Bruce Littlejohn of Spartanburg presiding. Serving on the petit jury for that week, and to report on Tues day, March 17, are: J. Eugene Norris, L. W. Ruff, Ben F. Ashley, Gerald B. Taylor, William H. Carter, R. E. Summer, Carroll Ellis Arnold, James E. Miskelly, William D. Kinney, Hey ward D. Shealy, W. O. Hawkins, Thomas E. Lewis; Also, James w\ Counts, Albert Keith Roberts, Jesse D. Butler, L. E. Long, Heyward L. Fulmer, J. H. Bishop, Jr., Thomas Ever- ette Summer, Melvin R. McCall, Luther D. Suber, James C. Mc Leod, James C. Langford, Walter Franklin Ruff; Also, W. E. Dominick, T. Clyde Tindall, Charles H. Clary, William H. Miller, Jr., James Smith, George G. Felker, Richard Earl Addison, J. L. Riddle, J. I. Hamm, J. A. Crosby, Jr., Ferdinand Jacob Summer and Marvin R. Graham. appeared recently in the Reader’s Digest, the following paragraphs appeared: “Now is the time for every town to take stock and determine what is most worth preserving .. . Many communities may not attempt to save their historic places until it is too late. “How can you tell what to save? Here are a few touchstones . . . to be applied to any building or site. “1. Is it of substantial histori cal or cultural importance to your community, state or nation? “2. Is it suitable—that is, is it accessible to the public and in pre sentable condition ? Generally speaking, say the experts, it is better to preserve than repair, better to repair than restore, bet ter to restore than reconstruct. “If we can save enough of the homes, churches, courthouses and other places where Americans who went before us lived and worked, we can sense their way of life, their ideals and character. We want our children to sense them, too. Unless we act now, few of these firsthand lessons from the past will remain.” Thousands of sheets of 1959 Easter Seals went into' the mails on Friday, February 27, remind ing Newberry citizens that crip- pjfcd children are “yours too.” The mailing, greatest in the campaign’s 26-year nistory, was the first step in the month-long appeal conducted by the Newberry County Chapter of the Crippled Children’s Society to raise funds for continuing and expanding services to crippled children and adults in Newberry County. It will continue through Easter Sun day, March 29. Richard L. Baker, general chair man for the drive, said that “ev ery citizen in Newberry will have an opportunity to help provide, maintain and expand the many services needed to rehabilitate the physically handicapped.” The Easter Seal campaign is being conducted simultaneously by 1700 state and local affiliates of the National Society for Crippled Children and Adults located in the 49 states, District of Columbia, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Approximately 90 percent of the funds remain in the state where raised to finance rehabili tation services for the area’s crip pled. The remainder helps sup port a national program of direct service, education and research. In the Sunphoto above, Easter Seals are mailed by the local committee, of which Mrs. P. K. Harmon is chairman. Left to right are Postmaster Harry E. Moose; committee members Hol land Sligh, Mrs. Sligh, Mrs. L. G. McCullough; and Mrs. J. E. Nich ols, chairman of the local Crippled Children’s Society. The society urges that all New berrians use the Easter Seals and return a contribution to aid in the care of the crippled. \ County Winner NEPH Contest Best Essay Is Announced Miss Mary Edna Wynn, a stu dent in the 11th grade at Newber ry High School, was county win ner in the “Employ the Physically Handicapped Essay Contest” con ducted by the local NEPH commit tee. Miss Wynn, who is the daugh ter of Prof. W. K. Wynn of the Newberry College faculty, and Mrs. Wynn received the county prize of $25 awarded by Newber ry Federal Savings and Loan As sociation and a $10 for the New berry High winner awarded by Purcells. The presentation was made by Pierce Davis, manager of the local employment office, in the absence of Jimmy Coggins, County NEPH committee chair man. Miss Wynn’s teacher, who advised in the writing of the essay, was Mrs. Margery Williamson. First place for Whitmire High School was won by Carol Donnan. She will be presented a $10 prize, given by J. P. Stevens & Co. At Mid-Carolina, Miss Sandra Fulmer was chosen first prize win ner among those submitting es says. Miss Fulmer will receive $10 awarded by Prosperity Furniture Company. The presentation to Miss Wynn was made during Chapel exercises at the high school Tuesday morn ing. Members of the NEPH com mittee present, in addition to Mr. Davis, were Jake Wise, county service officer, and Ernest Layton. Baptists Buy Wright Home In a special called meeting Sun day the First Baptist Church of Newberry purchased the late Zach Wright home just a few hundred feet away from the church grounds. The old homestead has been vacated since the death of Mr. Wright several years ago. It is a two-story house and is one of the largest in the city. Since the death of Mr. Wright the property has been owned by R. Herman Wright, Mrs. W. G. Houseal and Mrs. C. H. Cannon. It consists of almost three acres The committee states that the property consists of 14 rooms, a three-room servants’ home, a concrete-floored garage and other small buildings. It is believed that the buildings wiU be remodeled and arranged to provide Girl’s Auxiliary rooms, Royal Ambassador Chapter rooms and Youth Fellowship facilities. Renovations is expected to begin at an early date. Mr. and Mrs. Grady Smart of Charleston, spent the weekend with Mrs. Smart’s mother, Mrs. Earl Taylor on DeLoach Avenue. Academic Year Institute Award R. Frasier Sanders of 922 Jes sica Ave. was notified by tele gram recently that he had been chosen to participate in the 1959- 60 Academic Year Institute for teachers of Science and Mathe matics, at the University of Geor gia. The Institute is sponsored jointly by the University and the National Science Foundation. The award provides for payment of all tuition and fees for a full year’s study at the University, and in addition provides a stipend for liv ing expenses for Mr. Sanders and his family during the year. Mr. Sanders*, who has been in the teaching profession for seven years, is currently mathematics teacher in Clinton Junior High School. He has been granted a leave of absence in order to ac cept the Institute award. The son of Mr. and Mrs. Elijah Sanders, Sr., of Dalzell, he is an honor graduate of Hillcrest High School, attended Clemson College and was graduated from Newberry College, magna cum laude, in 1950. He was awarded the Master of Education Degree at the Univer sity of South Carolina in August, 1953. He is a Chief Warrant Offi cer in the 228th Group, S. C. Na tional Guard, and serves as Me teorological officer. He is married to the former Miss Doris Armfield of Newberry. They have , two children, Connie, age 6, and Ruthie, age 4. Scholarships Nineteen high school seniors in the three-state operating area of the Carolina Division of the Cham pion Paper and Fibre Company have been nominated by their principals to compete for two four-year college scholarships be ing offered by the Champion Pap er Foundation. There were four nominees in South Carolina, three of whom are from Newberry High School. They are Ronald Evans Bowers of the Silverstreet area, Clifton Thomas Hattaway, Jr. and Jerry Ernest Oxner of Newberry. The two award winners will be selected early in May. The selec tions will be based on scores made on scholastic aptitude tests, high school records and personal bio graphies of the contestants. Sarah Wilson spent Sunday in Anderson in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Morris. BIRTHDAY GREETINGS March 8: J. P. Moon, Ace Wat^ kins, Mrs. Harry Stone, Mrs. Glenn L. Hanfm, Katherine Neel Long, L. A. Black, Andrew Shealy. March 9: A. T. Hayes, Mrs. Pearle Pugh Shealy, Claude Summer, Dr. F. A. Truett, Joe S. Boland, Wofford Cooper, Jr. March 10: Doris Dominick, Mr. Sanders has notified the University of his acceptance of the award, and will enter the Uni versity in September. He will be enrolled in the graduate school and will begin work on a Master of Arts degree with major in mathematics and science. To Attend Florida Meet C. Walter- Summer, Associate Professor of Commerce at Newber ry College will attend the 11th annual meeting of the Southeast ern Section of the American Ac counting Association on March 6-7, at the Florida State University, Tallahassee. Mr. and Mrs. Ralph C. Long and daughter, Terry of Salina, Kansas, arrived in Newberry last week for a visit with Mrs. Long’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Holland Sligh. They will leave today to re turn to their home in Kansas. Mrs. J. W. Denning, J. F. Lomi- nick, Mrs. J. W. Chappell, R. Ed Beck, E. E. Epting, Frances Blackwell, Mary Gayle Wilson. March 11: Mrs. Woodrow Rin ger, Mrs. Ryan Graham, Eliza beth Pinner Koon, Harriett Graham, Lorraine Lominick, Bennie Burn, Elizabeth Timmer man, Mrs. Hayne Shealy, Albert Jones, Mrs. Sadie McLeod. March 12: Lt. CoL Harry Buzhardt, J. M. Hove, Mrs. Cly de Tindall, Ruth Heyward Hod ges, Mrs. Ralph R Epting, Don nie Stewart, Donnie Vanderford, Mrs. J. E. Ringer, Katherine Lominick, Edwin O. Lake, Dr. Louis Brossy, Steve Reeves, Jr., Mrs. J. A. (Mattie) Epting, Mrs. E. B. Young. March 13: Marsha Lorainack, Lena Senn Webb, Mrs. J. O. Jenkins, Robert (Bob) Under wood, J. H. Wallenzine, Robbie Sue Koon. March 14: T. M. Padgett, Parker Martin, Virgil Gilliam, Mary Lee Franklin, Jimmy Weir.