North Carolina Farmers Feeding Our Boys, At Home and Overseas, 1945

Elizabethtown Journal, November 19, 1945

Frank H. Jeter, editor of the State Extension News, and column writer for a number of North Carolina daily newspapers, was an informative, interesting and inspiring speaker at the rural-urban meeting of the Elizabethtown Rotary Club, which was held at White Oak on Tuesday evening, speaking along the lines of food production.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Jeter stated that his is the task of interpreting to the general public the facts of science. Things don’t just happen, he said, but every advance that is made in the agricultural world is the result of long hours of scientific research made by scientists who have given their lives to their work. Agriculture has made rapid progress through the work of scientists, which has been put into practical demonstration by live, wide-awake men who see possibilities.

For seven years, North Carolina has increased its food production, he said. If the farmer has fallen down the war would have been over long ago, for a hero cannot be a hero on an empty stomach. No industry has sacrificed itself to produce like farming. Fathers whose sons and laborers have helped on the farm, and are now in service, have turned their wives and daughters into growers of food for the nation and its allies.

Men with the ideal of liberty have made America great—people like us, here, have made the nation great and North Carolina is one of the greatest states in the nation,” he said.

He told of the boy who a few years ago came home from school, calling for “something to eat” as he entered the doorway. “There are 2,100,000 of these same boys stretched from Alaska to the Southwest Pacific, in Italy, Sicily, many other places, in the service of America, who are still holding out hands to us, at home, for food. We didn’t let them down as hungry boys coming home from school, and we won’t let them down as boys fighting for their country. America is going to produce again next year as never before. Fertilizer is going to be short, and machinery is going to be scarce, but the American farmer is going to produce in spite of handicaps for the American farmer is War Worker No. 1.”

“You men here are leaders. It is up to you to tell the others. Our spirit must be together, and like the eagle, soaring from the mists in the valley to the high eyrie in the lofty cliffs, we will all soar forth eventually to a glorious victory.”

Mr. Jeter was introduced by R.B. Harper, county agent, who had charge of the program. Hayes Hurdle, agriculture teacher, welcomed the guests and invited them to visit the modern cannery there.

Prior to the meeting, the Rotarians and their guests assembled in the lunch room where a delectable dinner was served by the women of the community. White Oak women have a reputation of being among the best cooks in the Cape Fear section, and they kept this reputation true to form in serving the delectable meal.