The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, December 28, 1961, Image 1
Some men are incapable of
thinking for themselves; and so
they get married and thereafter
don't need to think
Assurance makes a man pros
perous, and prosperity breeds
assurance.
i
VOLUME 25; NUMBER 36.
By The Way
AN OPEN LETTER
To the Mayor, Council and Resi
dents of Myrtle Beach:
Next week your city will begin
to function under a new type of
municipal administration, the
council-manager form of govern
ment. The success or failure of
such a system will depend in large
part on the person who occupies
the all-important post of City
Manager.
About 12 years ago, Newberry
residents voted by a laige major
ity to inaugurate council-manager
government.
In a test of the system this past
summer, the citizens of this city
voted overwhelmingly (1735 to
610) to continue the system.
While many voters may not
have realized it (and some would
n’t admit it if they did) they were
actually casting a vote of confi
dence for the city manager him
self, because only one man has
held the position, and the efficien
cy with which city affairs have
been administered during the past
12 years convinced the majority
of voters that council-manager is
the best type for the city.
The man responsible for the
confidence placed in the form of
government is Ed L. BlackwelL
In a few days he will become city
manager of your city. You are to
be congratulated on the choice you
have made.
Because of a few selfish people
in Newberry who put their own
personal interests (and personal
grudges) above the interests of
their city, Ed. Blackwell resigned
his position as city manager. There
were many in Newberry wbc urg
ed not to resign; w r ho would have
willingly fought to keep him in
Newberry because these people
knew what a valuable employee the
city had. He felt because of the
activities of these individuals with
their personal grudges, the form
of government itself might be
jeopardized were he to stay on
the job; and w ? hiie I am sure that
the decision to resign was a hard
one for him to make, he sacrific
ed his position in the best interest
of the people of Newberry, fearing
that the rumormongers with their
malicious mistruths would defeat
the form of government were he
to remain.
You are getting a city manager
who will do exactly as he is in
structed by council—who will fol
low policies laid down by council
—and who will do it with great
NEWBERRY, SOUTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1961
* $2.00 PER YEAR
- By DORIS A. SANDERS
pi/
As we come again to that traditional time
of hope, the beginning of a New Year, may
we take the opportunity to extend a word ^
of “thanks” to our many friends in the
community.
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City Manager and Mrs. Ed
Blackwell will leave today
(Thursday) for Myrtle Beach,
where Mr. Blackwell becomes
city manager effective Janu
ary 1, 1962. (Sunphoto.)
efficiency. You will find, I am sure
in a short period of time that your
city services will have been great
ly extended and improved, while
the funds to run your city will
NOT be greatly extended.
You will find that Mr. Blackwell
will do the job he is employed to
do. He might make some people
unhappy—there are some people
who aren’t happy unless they’re
unhappy about something. But
I would urge the City Fathers and
the residents of Myrtle Beach that
when and if protests arise, ob
serve carefully the source and
the reason before you give more
then passing notice to any com
plaints about your city manager.
Being connected with the Sun
for most of the time Mr. Blackwell
has been city manager in Newber
ry, I have followed closely the
activities carried on by the city.
1 can say—and anyone who has
worked closely with him can say—
that Mr. Blackwell is going to be
a mighty hard man to replace.
So, again, I congratulate you on
your choice. I sincerely hope that
Newberry will be able to find a
man who is somewhere near as
capable as the man we are losing,
but it is going to be hard to do
that. I know that Myrtle Beach
will benefit not only by the ser
vices of Mr. Blackwell, but by hav
ing as residents Mr. Blackwell and
his charming wife, Bert, and the
rest of his family.
Needless to say, we add our most sincere wishes
that 1962 will be a happy, prosperous and peace
ful year — for our community, the nation and the
world.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!
Elections, Polio Outbreak
News Stories Of 1961
| City Attorney R. Aubrey Harley
administered the oath of office
Tuesday night to the seven men
who will govern the city during
the coming two years. They are
Ernest H. Layton, Mayor; and
Councilman Frank Armfield Jr.,
Ward 1; George W. Heller, Ward
2; Clarence A. Shealy, Jr. # Ward
3; Jimmie B. Davenport, Ward 4;
Cecil E. Merchant, Ward 5; and E.
F. McCutcheon, Ward 6. The term
of office for these men will begin
after midnight December 31 >
During the short meeting, . at
which time the oaths were ac
istered. Mayor Layton, Attorney
Harley and several members of
council spoke highly of the serv
ices which have been rendered dur
ing the past 12 years by City
Manager Ed Blackwell, and ex
pressed regret at his departure.
Mr. Blackwell expressed his appre
ciation for the cooperation given
by council members during his
time in Newberry, and offered his
services in the future* if needed.
Mayor Layton stated that he
was looking forward to the “best
two yean
He mentioned for the 1
the new members of
any complaints received
be channeled through the
manager who will see that
are handled according to policy.
In the Sunphoto above are,
ed, from left, Councilmen Si
Armfield Mayor Layton, Coi
man Merchant; standing, the
coming members of council:
W. H'.Jer, E. F. McCutcheon
Jimmie B. Davenport.
Elections and an epidemic of. when, on the night before the im-
poliomyelitis topped the news pic- munization, a young Newberry
ture in Newberry during 1961. (man, Bobby Yochem, was strick-
Several cases of polio were re- en with a severe case of paralytic
ported during the early summer
months, one of which was fatal.
As the weeks went on the out-
break grew more serious, finally
reaching the epidemic proportion
of 21 cases, and culminating in a
mass immunization program with
Sabin oral vaecioe. Between 22
and 23 thousand doses of the vac
cine were given in a two-day per
iod, to all school children in the
county and to as many adults as
were lucky enough to get a dose | represented a majority of
polio. He died the day following
the immunization program at the
Respiratory Center in Augusta,
Ga. Only one case of polio has
been reported since the oral vac
cine was administered.
Early in the year, several em
ployees of Newberry Mills, Inc.,
petitioned the National Labor Re
lations Board to hold an election
at Newberry Mills, Inc. to deter
mine whether Labor Union 120
before the supply of vaccine was
exhausted. Newberrians were
spurred on to get the vaccine
Newberry Mills, Inc. this week
ave clear title to property on
hich two churches in the West
nd community are located. In
*47 the property was deeded to
rest End Baptist Church and to
[ayer Memorial Lutheran Church
ith a reversion clause; it would
; the property of the churches
aly so long as the land was used
«• the sole purpose of divine wor
ship, otherwise the property would
be returned to the Newberry Mills.
Tuesday afternoon, L. E. Gatlin
Jr., general manager of Newberry
Mills, Inc., presented to Dr. Clar
ence K. Derrick, representing the
cci.gregation of Mayer Memorial
Lutheran Church, the new title,
the purpose of which was to re
move any and all conditions and
restrictions. The property now be
longs to the church, “lock .stock
and barrel.” The same is true of
West End Baptist Church, w r hich
received its new deed from Mr.
Gatlin on Wednesday afternoon.
Gathered for the occasion Tues
day at Mayer Memorial were, from
left, front row, Dr. Derrick, Clyde
Amick and Mr. Gatlin; back row.
Howard Cook, A1 Whitehead, Ger
ald Taylor and Bryan Livingston.
(Sunphoto.)
employees of the plant. After a
number of delays a hearing was
held, and following more delays,
the date for the election was fin
ally set for June 22. The union
won the election. 311 employees
voting to retain the union. 267
voting against. The union’s con
tract with the plant terminated
in August, at the time employees
were on vacation. While negotia
tions have been carried on since
that time, there is still no union
contract at the plant. The com
pany has recently announced it
will immediately begin a moderni
zation and modification program
at its plant.
Also early in the year, a peti
tion was presented to city coun
cil requesting an election to de
termine “whether the City of
Newberry shall adopt the Mayor-
Council form of Government.” The
petition was an admitted move
(by some of the signers) to force
the firing or resignation of City
Manager Ed Blackwell. It was
first decided by the mayor to call
the referendum following the city
primary in August. However, in
a surprise move, Mayor Layton
isued a proclamation calling for
the referendum on the same date
as the city primary. In July, City
Manager Blackwell resigned, stat
ing that he wished all personalit
ies removed before the isue was
voted. Newberrians, on August
22, overwhelmingly showed their
approval of Council-Manager gov
ernment, voting to retain the sy
stem by 1735 to 610 votes against.
On the same day, Mayor Layton
easily won renomination over two
opponents, Charlie Altman and
Howard Cook, Jr.
Frank Armfield, Jr. offering for
renomination as alderman from
Ward 1. also defeated two oppon
ents Dave Laird and S. W. Miller
in the first primary. In Ward 2,
George W. Heller defeated incum
bent C. A. Dufford, Sr.; Clarence
A. Shealy, Jr. was returned to of
fice from Ward 3, defeating S. D.
Paysinger; Jimmie Davenport ous
ted Clarence DeHart in Ward 4;
Cecil Merchant was returned as
alderman from Ward 5, defeating
Cecil Kinard. In Ward 6, D. W.
Jones, incumbent; E. F. CcCut-
cheon and Jim Todd were in the
first primary. In run-off prim
ary, McCutcheon defeated Jones
to take the Ward 6 seat on coun
cil.
Council named Clarence Wallace
who is city clerk and treasurer to
act as city manager following Mr.
Blackwell’s departure until ano
ther city manager is named.
D. O. Carpenter, who retired
December 31, 1960 as manager of
the Oakland Plant of the F.endall
Company, was replaced ir that
position by L. Hart Jordan.
Several new ministers have been
More Production, No War
1962 Is Forecast By Babsoi
will not underwrite the building of i ually be reorganized during
Roger W. Babson
1. I am hopeful for 1962;
it
called to churches in Newberry, should be a better year for my
among them Dr. Clarence K. Der
rick replacing Rev. D. M. Shull
at Mayer Memorial Luthei’an
Church, and Rev. Robert E. Long
replacing Rev. Cannon McCreary
at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
Members of First Baptist Church | weapons
readers than 1961. Industrial pro
duction will exceed that of 1961.
2. There will be neither a nuc
lear war nor total disarmament in
1962. Considerable progress may
be made toward a ban on atomic
were sorrowed by the announce
ment that their pastor < Rev. Ken
neth B. Wilson i had accepted a
call to become pastor of the First
Baptist Church of Mt. Airy, N. C.
on January 15.
St.* Mark’s Catholic Church was
dedicated on May 21 by Bishop
Hallinan, Bishop of Charleston;
and Mayer Memorial Lutheran
Church burned its mortgage af
ter paying off a ten-year debt in
four years.
Yeargin Construction Company
of Greenville was awarded con
tracts to construct the new Bound
ary Street and Speers Street Ele
mentary school buildings. In De
cember, students and parents were
given the happy news that the
buildings would be ready for oc
cupancy following the Christmas
holidays, with open house to be
held Sunday afternoon, December
31st.
Ralph E. Watkins, Jr. of Abbe
ville was named administrator of
Newberry County schools, replac
ing P. K. Harmon who retired af
ter many years of service to the
county schools.
(Continued on Page 2)
private shelters for individual
families.
9. Good real estate must rise in
price as the population increases.
Elementary mathematics deter
mines the price of suburban real
estate. This is notwithstanding
the claim of the “space companies”
which are said to be interested in
selling rights on the moon. There
probably are crazier speculations.
10. While the land on which
your house now stands should in
crease in value during 1962, the
building itself depreciates from the
moment when it is first occupied.
A possible exception would be cer
tain very attractive ranch houses
painted in color.
11. Automobile production will
be the most important statistical
indicator during 1962. This applies
to both the number of automobiles
and their sales value. We now have
no reliable figures for the latter.
12. we will gradually approach
an average of two cars for every
family. The life of automobiles
should gradually increase. The per-
3. Some thirty stocks may reach centage of automobiles annually
an average of 1000 during 1962,
although these will not necessarily
be the thirty Dow-Jones stocks.
4. Retail trade will make new
records during 1962. Increased
newspaper advertising, especially
in colors, will be a great boon to
merchandising.
5. Commodity prices will act er
ratic during 1962. Agricultural
prices will be held up by legisla
tion, but many metals will sell for
less.
6. The official cost-of-living
figure will rise slightly in 1962,
but there may be a scandal in
Washington over how this figure
is calculated or adjusted. The real
increase in the cost-of-living will
be due to increased wages demand
ed.
7. The only certain shortages
during 1962 will be in land suit
able for parking places and wat
erfront property readily accessible
to building lots; also for automo
bile “graveyards” near cities
which have been zoned.
8. The building of shelters will
look silly before the end of 1962.
Certainly the Federal Government
destroyed will decrease in 196?.
13. Automobiles and gasolines
will be_ increasingly, sources for
years ahead. Schoolhouses will
built as places to “park the kic
while the parents are at wc
New schoolhouses will be built
as not to be over one story high,
with lots of sunshine.
17. Owing to the lack of airpoi
facilities and to inadequate eqoi]
meit, there will be increasing air’ll
plane accidents during 1962.
18. With all the above change
plus increased public improveme
(Continued on Page 4)
BIRTHDAY
GREETINGS
Dec. 31: Mrs. Nat Gist,
G. V. Clamp, Mrs. L. H.
Miss Emily Boozer, Mrs.
O. Graham, Sne Stone,
Brooks, Clyde E. Minick, D. B.
Dawkins, (Leesville), J. C.
ly, Elberta Coleman.
Jan. 1: Jonn Harrison
land, Mrs. G. W. Kinard,
Young, Grace Reddick J
Rachel Werts, George B. Bri
Jan. 2: Mary Fulmer We
raising money by taxation. These Ben Pressley Stewart Jr.
means will be extended to include
an additional assessment on the
manufacturers of automobiles.
14. Taxes, as a whole, will con
tinue to increase in 1962 for every
family. Business net taxes, how
ever, will decrease in 1962,
through the granting of deprecia
tion refunds which can be done
by executive order. The manufac
turer may greatly increase his
deductions for past investments
and new machinery, plant, and
equipment. Douglas Dillon feels
that such tax reductions will in
crease the purchase of new equip
ment, develop greater efficiency,
and result in a net improvement
in the employment situation. This
is good news for 1962.
15. Speculation in real estate
and securities will be active dur
ing 1962; but good children will
gradually be recognized as they
will be married earlier and will
want to have large families.
16. Public education will grad-
Kir-
Mr*.
Hawkins,|
Mamie Smith, David Stone,
bert Wicker.
Jan. 3: Carter Abrams, E.
by Lominack, Dick Neel,
ette Walton, Sam P. Bo’
Charlie S. Cromer, Mrs.
Ringer.
Jan. 4: Howard Clark,
John Pappas, Murray
Claude Sheppard, Elaine Brown,
Paul Shealy, Mrs. Wilbur J.
Ringer, Debra Smith, Sten
Fuller.
Jan. 5: Miss Juanita Hitt,
Johnson Hagood Clary, Cli
ine Livingston, William K.
throp, Joanne Livingston, Jim
mie Bowers, Horace Lee “
Jr., Jerome Havird, Mrs.
line L. Sheely, J. J. Ennis, D.‘
Ruff.
Jan. 6: Henry Edward G
ins, R. T. Feagle, Mrs,
Ballentine, Mrs. Gladys Ri
M. O. Fulmer, Branders
Dessie K. Keeler, Evelyn D.
vis, Sally Berry.
Boozer,
p. n -
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