Kiwanians Fete Hickory Teachers, Lenoir College Faculty, 1922

“Teachers Night Observed by Kiwanians,” from the Hickory Daily Record, October 4, 1922.

With the faculty of Lenoir College and the teachers of the Hickory public schools as guests, the Kiwanis Club put on one of its big nights at its weekly dinner and spilled Pollyanna stuff left and right. Practically every place was occupied and some of the youngest newly-weds among the Kiwanians insisted that they were single as they sat with a pretty teacher on either side. He who did not enjoy his partner was without one—that’s all.

The evening started out with spirit. It was the first meeting at which Donald T. Applegate, the new president, has presided over in his official capacity and he did the honors in style. The company sang America, Dr. John C. Perry asked the divine blessing and the rest of the dinner hour was enlivened with song. Smiles went strong before the crowd packed up their troubles.

Ray Abernethy, who have Alfred Moretz credit for working out the details, had charge of the program. He asked the members of the college faculty and the teacher to introduce themselves and as the 60 or more arose they were greeted with a glad hand. The high school orchestra, good last year and better this year, furnished music and the young musicians were given a round of applause as they presented themselves.

The hall was prettily decorated for the occasion, streamers running from chandelier to chandelier, noise-makers and balloon furnished by Everette Johnson being in evidence, and the eateries, the Central Café, serving an unusually good meal.

Miss Rosa Lee Dixon drew the attendance prize. A song by Miss Bertha Deaton called for another and then Miss Virginia Allen sang one of Rob Roy Peery’s compositions, Mrs. R.S. Brown being at the piano.

President Peery spoke briefly of the work at the college, called attention to football practice and the game with Guilford Saturday and invited Hickory people to attend. He expressed his appreciation for the greater interest shown in the college by the community generally.

Dr. Peery was followed by Superintendent Carver of the city schools who expressed his thanks for the interest shown in the schools and the teachers.

Dr. R.L. Fritz, who has seen Lenoir College grow from a high school to a first class college, told of the beginnings of the institution, its gradual rise to a place of prominence in the educational life of the community and state and asserted that its larger growth was assured. He said that a graduate of the college may register for the graduate course at the University of North Carolina or any other southern university and that students from here invariably do well at the university.

Miss Bouchelle gave a pretty toast and the company adjourned.

Is North Carolina Tax Burden of $1.76 Per Inhabitant Worthwhile? 1916

“Where the Money Goes,” from the Hickory Daily Record, Oct. 31, 1916.

The burden for taxation for state support in North Carolina in 1915 averaged $1.76 per inhabitant. The average was less in only one state and greater in 46.

The figures range from $1.64 in South Carolina to $10.36 in Nevada, the average for the country-at-large being $3.85.

So reads census bureau Bulletin, The Financial Statistics of States, given to the public two weeks or so ago. It is a mine of information about the finances of North Carolina and every other state in the union.

What is covered by this $1.76 and what went with it in detail was a follows:

1.       Highways and Public Recreations, less than 1 cent.

2.       Public health and sanitation, 5 cents.

3.       Protection of person and property, 10 cents.

4.       Conservation and development of resources, 11 cents.

5.       General government—legislative, executive, judicial, 14 cents.

6.       General expenses—interest, outlays, etc., 25 cents.

7.       Charities, hospitals and corrections, 39 cents.

8.       Public education and libraries, 71 cents.

The figures are illuminating. The common notion is that tax money goes mainly to support office holders and their families, to keep fodder in the rack of the ringsters. It is an inveterate, and in places an incurable notion—or apparently.

As a matter of fact for every dollar or state revenue that goes to oil the machinery of state government in North Carolina, nine dollars come straight back to taxpayers for the education of our soldiers, our blind and deaf, the victims of tuberculosis, the insane and feeble minded, for the protection of our properties from fire, our persons from disease, and our farmers from fraud; for the regulation of financial institutions and other corporations in the interest of public security; for the development and conservation of our natural resources, the protection and development of agriculture and the general public welfare.

For all these purposes of state the tax burden in North Carolina is $1.37 per inhabitant—the price, say, of two or three circus tickets.

North Carolinians Serving in World War II

Life magazine cover, October 28, 1940, showcased a story on life in the U.S. Navy.

According to NCpedia.org, about 2 million soldiers trained for combat at more than 100 Army, Navy, Marine and Coast Guard facilities in North Carolina during World War II. (https://www.ncpedia.org/world-war-ii-part-3-world-war-ii)

Some of the 2 million soldiers received basic training in Greensboro. The photo is from the Greensboro Historical Museum. This photo is online at www.ncmarkers.com.

And according to LearnNC.org (www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-worldwar/5889), more than 8,500 North Carolinians did not return home. The National Archives published lists of war casualties in 1946 and these are now online. The list of Army and Army Air Force dead and missing personnel are listed by county. The Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard list is not broken down by county but it includes the names of all personnel wounded in action. You can search either catalog at www.archives.gov/research/catalog

If Parents Won’t Keep Kids Inside at Night, Police Will, 1922

“Curfew Law Is Made Effective in Lenoir,” from the Hickory Daily Record, October 4, 1922.

Lenoir, Oct. 4—Lenoir is one of the towns that has set a determination to care for the youth of the community, and especially where the parents are lax in parental authority in allowing their children to have such hours as they please, and run on the streets until late hours in the night. Hence the curfew law has been invoked, and Mayor V.D. Guire has set his foot down flat and solid, and gives out of the world that the city ordinance, No. 72, of the town of Lenoir will be strictly enforced according to the letter and spirit of the law. Therefore, he has caused the town to be posted to that effect.

Commencing with the first night of the first day of October the curfew rang, and the edict went into effect, and it says: “Children under the ages of 16 years will not be allowed on the streets after 9 o’clock at night, unless accompanied by their parents. The courthouse bell will ring at 9 o’clock each night. Children found on the streets after that hour can be found by their parents at the city lock-up if wanted.”

That’s Lenoir’s new move to keep the kiddies at home, if their parents will not look after the matter themselves.

West Hickory Mentions, October 31, 1916

“West Hickory Items,” from the Hickory Daily Record, Oct. 31, 1916.

The Ivey Mill Company sure did some shipping during the week. They shipped 106 bales averaging 1,750 yards to the bale.

Mr. Charlie Jones, who has been second hand in the spinning room several years, resigned his work and moved to Altavista, Va., to take an overseer’s job there.

Miss Captola Beck, who is taking a course at Kings Business College in Charlotte, is spending a few days with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Beck.

Miss Minnie Abee spent several days at Drexel last week visiting relatives and friends.

Mr. Mart Abee of Altavistas, Va. Is here at present visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Abee.

Mr. G.T. Barger is attending federal court at Salisbury this week as a juror.

Mr. Will Lackey, who has been here several weeks visiting his mother, Mrs. J. Lackey, left for his home in Michigan Friday.

Mrs. Moore of Henrietta is spending several days with Mrs. R.F. Hicks.

Miss Jimmie Abernethy went to Chesterlee, S.C., one day last week.

Wife Died of Softening of the Brain and a Broken Heart, Writes Lucy Russell, 1922

From the Rockingham Post-Dispatch, Oct. 19, 1922. The Woman’s Forum Conducted by Mrs. Lucy P. Russell, Rockingham, Rt. 1

By Lucy P. Russell

Mrs. Dobbins was dead. Judging from the faint smile on her thin lips she was glad of it. She had never been a robust woman, had been in a decline for a year and now the end had come. An early marriage had brought her many children; poverty added its burden to her lot of incessant care and hard work. She had been a very fair woman with soft, pale hair and pale blue eyes, never very far from tears. Her manner had been very gentle, even apologetic, and her submissiveness pained one like the submissiveness of a circus dog scourged through its tricks. At last she was “out of it all,” lying very straight and still in her small room. The only sound broke the silence was the sobbing of her children.

Two life-long friends lingered to draw the white sheet over the whiter face and to place between the wasted fingers a white jasmine flower. Then they sought to speak a few words of sympathy to the bereaved husband.

They found him on the piazza wrapped in gloom. Mr. Dobbins was a small man with a solemn and stately mien, his eyes, his nose jutted forward like a sharp boulder from the face of a granite crag and the corners of his mouth turned down like the points of a horseshoe. A grim, unsmiling man was Mr. Dobbins, especially if all about him were joyous and gay; now he appeared sadder than the saddest. The two ladies approached him with words of consolation and appreciation of the many virtues of his dead wife; they spoke of her kindness, her true friendliness, the sweetness of her character and her never failing industry.

“Yes,” replied the bereft one, “Annie was a good woman, I suppose, but she had her faults and nobody knew them better than I did. To be sure she was never a gad-about, she never belonged to these clubs and societies, she never read those novels and magazines, she never was no hand to run around the neighborhood gossiping. She went to church and sometimes to prayer meeting, she read her Bible, she stayed at home and cooked and washed and ironed and tended to her children. To be sure she never was much of a cook; I had to cook the steak and measure out the coffee and I always thought it took her longer to get out a week’s wash than anybody I ever saw. It was amazing the wood she burnt up a-ironing, just for six children and me. She was right good to wait on our lame girl but I got a sprain in my back right now from having to do all the lifting of the child. But she’s gone now and her faults lays between her and her Maker.”

Wrath and indignation flashed from the eyes of the small woman standing before her as she responded, “And she died of softening of the brain and a broken heart.”

Taking Tobacco to Market, Storing Corn in Caswell County, 1940

These photos, taken in Caswell County in October, 1940, were taken as publicity pictures for the U.S. Farm Security Administration. They are part of the Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division, Washington, D.C.

Preparing tobacco to take to market on Caswell County farm, October, 1940

Gassing up to take the tobacco crop into Yanceyville.

Tobacco sold, this farmer has purchased sacks of flour and meal. The wood are tobacco sticks, which will be used for next year's crop.

Basically the same shot as above, but you can see the farmer and more of Yanceyville.

Shucking corn on the Hooper farm, Caswell County. According to a notation with this photo, the Hooper farm was located near Hightowers and Prospect Hill.

On the Hooper farm, Caswell County.

Getting corn in the crib on the Hooper farm.

This corn will provide winter feed on the Hooper farm.

Carrying a tub of shucked corn to the corn crib.