Published in 1949…the newspaper clipping doesn’t have a label, so I don’t know the name of the newspaper or the exact date of the publication.
More than 150 Lions and Lionesses filled Laurinburg’s Atkinson street recreation center Tuesday evening for an evening of entertainment and good food. The occasion was the annual ladies’ night of the Laurinburg Lions Club. Dr. Frank Jeter of the North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service was the principal speaker. Donald McQueen had charge of the arrangements and Club President Nelson P. Liles was master of ceremonies.
Not in a long time had any local group been treated to such an unusual display of Southern oratory as was expounded Tuesday evening. Attorney Jennings King started things off with a stirring and descriptive compliment to the virtues of Laurinburg and Scotland County womanhood. And Mrs. George McLeod was equally as eloquent in her toast to the Lions and response to Mr. King’s remarks.
When Dr. Jeter took the floor after another lengthy and moving introduction by friend K.J. Shaw, he said in effect that he felt something at a loss for words having to follow such fine performers. However, he soon proved that he was every bit equal to the occasion as he kept his listeners in rolls of laughter through a good portion of his talk. It is said that Dr. Jeter is in great demand as an after dinner speaker and the Lions and their Lionesses found out why Tuesday night.
While Dr. Jeter proved a past master at story telling and joking, he brought out his point for the evening strongly and professionally. He told something of the major accomplishments of North Carolina in the fields of industry and economics, and especially agriculture. He stated that North Carolina ranks third in the nation in the market value of its farm products. And that we are now at a turning point into a great scientific agricultural era. Dr. Jeter stated that this state has long set the agricultural pace in the South. In the years just ahead, North Carolina will be offering stronger completion to the mid-western and far western states in most every product they grow.
Dr. Jeter pointed out that we have a rich heritage in this state from the standpoint of citizenry as well as from farming. And that Scotland County was a strong part of the web that makes up our great state. He stated that scientific soil tests and experiment shave proved that anything that can possibly be grown in our great country can profitably be produced from the soil of the Old North State. He went on to say that North Carolina farmers are progressive and forward-looking, and that he wouldn’t hesitate to predict that we would in the not-so-distant future surpass or at least equal the agricultural achievements of all the great states of the Union.
During his entire speech, Dr. Jeter mentioned our controversial Governor Scott but one time. He referred to him as our “progressive Governor Scott, Good bless him,” which was taken in more ways that one by his audience.
Special Guests
Among the other special guests who enjoyed the occasion with the Lions were Dr. and Mrs. S.H. Fulton, Dr. and Mrs. J.B. Turner, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Livingston, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Gaw, Mrs. Frank Jeter, Mr. and Mrs. A.D. Stuart, District Governor, and Mrs. Jeff Wilson of Biscoe; Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Edwards of Fayetteville; Mr. and Mrs. R.B. Deaton of Ellerby and Dr. Hugh Mauldin of Spencer.
The menu for the evening, which featured roast turkey, also carried a fruit cup, cranberry sauce, dressing and giblet gravy, candied yams, buttered peas, stuffed celery, pickles, olive, hot rolls, coffee and topped off with ice cream and cake. R.D. Sanders made the invocation.
Officers of the Laurinburg club are N.P. Liles, president; Dr. J.J. Richardson, Charles Barrett and Emmitt Gill, vice presidents; Mack Guest, secretary; Roger Clemmons, treasurer; Yates Gamble, tail twister; Thurmond Willis, lion tamer. Bill Evans is immediate past president.
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