Mt. Vernon Optic-Herald (Mount Vernon, Tex.), Vol. 83, No. 19, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 24, 1957 Page: 1 of 10
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MT. VERNON (FRANKLIN COUNTY.
THURSDAY. JANUARY 24. 1957
Named For
of
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County Judge J. R. Pruitt this
week said the raises being consid-
ered by the Commissioners’ Court
for county and precinct officials
d
DID YOU KNOW lluu yon con
buy a quart atea of Morton's
Halad Drossing for only 89r aft
I’toiy-Wiggly thin week rod?
See their other specials in this
iwne of the Optie-Herald. .
The Mt. Vernon Exes stole the
show hero last Saturday night
from Moore’s All-American Bed
Heads, even though they camo out
on the bottom of a 56 to 54 score.
It would have been a simple
matter for the local Exes to have
taJcen thy Red Heads by almost
any score they had wished but
the local Exes decided It would bo
more fun to steel the show from
the professionals who had come
here to furnish Mt. Vernon -fans
with soms horseplay on the local
court.
At one time the locals led by
10 points but from the first tip-
off when the Red Heads’ ft ft., I
in. center, Jackie Wrange, held
her hand on Dean Sinclair’s head
and kept him from going up after
the ball, it was the locals* show.
’‘-fie
Commerce Hands Tigers
Second Conference Loss
.-•* ft
Income Tax Forms
Now Available
At Postoffice
W. L. Nelson, postmaster, an-
nounced thsi week that income
tax forms are now available at
the postoffice. If yon did not re-
ceive your form from the Internal
Revenue Office, you may get them
by calling at the postoffice.
Zone Youth Rally
To Be Jan. 28 At
Macon Baptist
The Mt. Vernon Zone
Rally will hold a meeting Monday
night, January 28, 7:30 p. m., at
the Macon Baptist Church.
It is hoped that a large crowd
will attend and all who are plan-
ning to attend are urged to invito
someone as their guest.
—____l------------
New Church Is
Behur Formed Here
M. P. Nations said this week
that a Congregational Methodist
| Church was being organized in
Mt. Vernon by Rev. A. B. O’Con-
nor of Dallas.
At the present time services are
being held at the Court House
with prayer service each Friday
night and preaching at 1:46 p. m.
earh Sunday.
Assisting in the preaching are
Rev. Ned* Chipley of Farmers
Academy and Rev. Bill Hardy Of
Naples.
Everyone Is cordially Invited
to attend the services.
..........■'» "."■■* ■■■ —-----------------------
F.F.A.BoysShowProject
Profits Totaling $3,639
Projects of the SI boys who art. with highest earnings from their
members of th* Mount Vernon projects are planning to make ap-
- -5 z '•
the Tiger ”B’’ squad rolled past
the Commerce “B” team in an
easy victory, 5 4 to 21. Tinsley
was high scorer for the Tigers
’’B” team with 12 points.
The “A” game saw the locals
drop their second conference en-
counter, 4 9 to 45. High point man
for the contest was the Tiger’s
Joe Thompson with 14 points, fol-
lowed by Commerce's Jerry Hen-
drix with 13 points.
Hee TIGERS, Page 10
Future Farmer Chapter showed plication for their State Farmer
net profits totaling |S,(M.A8
during 1956. All projects of the
boys did not show profits but the
loss on Individual projects were
small and it is felt that experi-
ence and knowledge gained was
worth much to all of the boys.
Four of the boys in the group
haadi
j
ic '-y! •-----------------------------------------------------
Is Our Government Of, By and
For the People?
\ \Your answer will probably be yea!
. T But, ia this answer correct?
j'. It is correct to a certain degree, because our officals are
elected by a majority of the people who case their ballots in an
election, and our constitution can be <)lianged when a majority
oftW^people casting their ballots favor such a change.
’’ Txiat is where the question arises, ‘‘a majority of the peo-
ple casting their ballots.”
ir.'in Texas, before a person can vote; he or she must possess
a poll tax receipt. These receipts can only be bought previous
to Feb. 1 each year and those who fail to obtain this receipt
cannot vote, and therefore, have no voice in any election held
during that year.
• During presidential election years about two-thirds of the
people are eligible to vote. In off-election years the percentage
is much lower, and therefore, people are elected and laws passed
which are not necessarily, “Of, By and For the People.’’
Tt Det’s take a look at this off-election year.
There will be at least three elections, City, School and Spe-
cial Senatorial Election.
There will be aidermen elected in the city election who will
administer the affairs of the City of Mt. Vernon which will in-
clude the spending of tax money that you have paid. Whether
the right kind of men are elected depends on you PAYING YOUR
POLL TAX.
What about the Senatorial election? The man elected will
actually be a member of the board of directors of the biggest
business in the world. If this big business is run properly and
wisely depends on whether or not YOU PAY YOUR POLL TAX.
Pay your (poll tax today and have a voice in all these af-
fairs in which you are a stockholder.
THE DEADLINE IS JANUARY 81.
areas In ty ranging from a mor* trace to
Franklin County Monday night | as high Ba 1.1 in.
Heaviest rainfall reported waa
■( ■ *'aw B>M sow»■>■*!■ ■ ----------
County Salary Raises
To Get Final Action
ClUb
-X
County-Wide
Organization Plan
Of Farmers
Ten Franklin County farmers
met in the District Court room at
the court house Tuesday night
and laid planq for a permanent
county-wide farmers’ organiza-
tion.
Carl Davis was named perma-
nent chairman; Bill Meek, vice-
chairman, and Otis Slaughter, sec-
retary.
Two committees were appoint-
ed, one on resolutions and an-
other to work out a permanent
list of committees for the organi-
zation.
The farming situation in the
area was discussed in general
with discussion centering around
the drought. The government pro-
gram Was discussed In regard to
its effect in this area with disaat-
igfaotion voiced by all present.
Those present expressed a de-
sire to have active participation
in the organization by all farmera
in the county and urged that ev-
ery farmer plan to attend the
next meeting of the group which
will be held in the new agricul-
ture building at the High School
aft 7:10 on Feb. 5.
DID YOU KNOW that you can
buy an 8-Rx pail of Mrs. Tuck-
er's Shortening for only 00.OS
at Hill’s Food Market this week
end? Bee their other special,
in ttUa fames of the < wwU-Herv
Hee OITICH, Page 4
■
31
i 99
tes
ON iHE BKUAUWAY
and
Sec-
tor.
OStt i
lets
A;
MT. VERNONITES didn’t get
very excited over the second in-
any, ration of President Eisen-
hower this week, which is 'easy
to understand since he didn’t even
visit Franklin County on his re-
cent drought tour.
BEVERLY THOMAS, 4-year-old
daughter of MR. and MRS. PETE
THOMAS, has been attending kin-
dergarten. She meets MRS.
CHARLIE BROWN each evening
for 0 friendly chat on the day’s
activities. Abbie Floy asked Bev-
erly h^W she was getting along
in school? Beverly, t>elng a little
disturbed, answered promptly,
“We have to write our name each
day in school and I told the
teacher today that ‘This is, just
too much’.”
Veterans of Foreign
Wars Celebrate 58
Years of Service
Veterans of Foreign Wars of
the United States celebrate (g
years of service this week.
Of approximately 22,000.000
veterans in th* United States to-
day, 1ms than 5,000,000 belong to
any veteran organisation. Com-
mander 8. 8. Norrie of Veterans
of Foreign Wars Post No. SOO2.
of Mt. Vernon, said tble ia because
many ex-Mrvicemen have never
understood that V.F.W. and other
veteran groups paved the way for
the securing of all veteran rights
through legislation.
’’Every veteran owes it to him-
self and to his dependents to be-
long to the veteran groups to
which he is eligible,” Commander
Norris commented. The period
January 20 through 2ft, is being
observed as National V.F.W. week.
Every veteran of Franklin
County Is urged to join the vet-
erans organisation o* bls choice
and participate in its activities.
DID YOU KNOW that you can
buy whole fresh dressed fryers
for only Me a ~ “
nPriMTaL 0 B
•W”B I’XMXI W
A - ,e- —r •
of the optic Her
son
Heavy rains brought relief from i port* in various parts of .the coun-
the drought to moot areas in ty ranging from a more trace to
School Meeting
In Mt Pleasant
The 'Northeast Texas Associa-
tion of College and Secondary
Schoola is scheduled to meet in
Mt. Pleasant at 7:00 p. m„ Wed-
nesday, January 20. This organi-
sation is made up of 24 counties
in Northeast Texas and is com-
posed ef school people In that
area. Kennard B. Copeland, su-
perintendent of Mt. Vernon, is
president of the organisation.
Judge James P. Hart of Aus-h
tin, ex-chaneellor of the Univer-
sity of Texas, wlU be the speak-
er for the occasion. All school
people of Franklin County are
cordially iavlted to attend this
meettM- j , -j. .
Firemen Answer
Two Calls In Wee
The Mt. Verson Fire D
ment answered two calls i
the past week with one houi
ing destroyed and little di
done in a fire at Jack Si
Gulf Station.
Fire of undetermined orig
etroyed a house east of Ne
Packing Company plant oct
by J. C. (Cotton) Cooper Si
morning about 2:20. Fti
reported that the house wbq
tlcally falling in by the tim<
reached the fire. ,
A short circuit evident!
firs to a gasoline pump ft
Jack Stone Gulf '
one article in
papers.
Chairman Lawrence said pres-
ent plans call for a big sign to be
Interment was in Pur-jj,laet)d on Highway 67 at leaat.one
day with workers being available
to collect contributions from pass-
ing motorists. No definite date
has been set for this project.
J. A. Banister, treasurer for the
local foundation, reports that the
local chaper needs funds badly as
last year’s fund drive brought in
only about half compared to pre-
vious years.
Total funds raised last year
were $1,030.10 with only $515.05
remaining for local chapter use.
There was $60.91 left in the local
treasury from the previous year
and National headquarters ad-
vanced $350 to the local chapter.
See WORKERS, Page 4
Services For
Pat Groom, 45,
Held Sunday
Funeral services for Pat Groom,
45,. were held Sunday, January
20, at the First Baptist Church
with Rev. John Whitt officiating
assisted by Rev. Lawrence
Bridges. Interment followed in
the City cemetery under the di-
rection of the M. L. Edwards &
Company Funeral Home.
Stricken about 11 o’clock Fri-
day night at his home, Pat suc-
cumbed to a heart attack about
an hour later.
Born William Pat Groom on
October 10, 1011, near Mt. Ver-
non, he was the son of James Will
Groom and Pauline Nutt Groom.
He was the youngest of seven
children, two brothers having pre-
ceded him In death early in life.
He was married to Vesta Sin-
clair March 1. 1080. To thia
union one son, Billy Frank, was
born.
A
WANTED—Jamert Glen
son, alias Don Eliott, age 25,
height 6 feet, weight 225 lbs.,
heavy build,- blond hair with
flat top haircut. Hutson is not
now in the service and would
be wearing civilian clothes. He
is wanted in Franklin County
for forgery and obtaining lodg-
ing under false pretenses and
in at least 25 other counties in
Texas and Arkansas on similar
charges,. Anyone knowing the
whereabouts of this man are
asked to contact Franklin
County SherifP J. E. ( Junior)
Tittle.
member. of the Baptist
Church, having professed the
faith eartjr in life, he was a de-
voted husband and father and
highly respected by all who knew
him.
Actively engaged in farming
and livestock raising for many
years, he was a director of the
Northeast Texas Livestock Asso-
ciation.
He is survived by his widow,
Mrs. Pat Groom; one son, Billy
Frank Groom, and daughter-in-
law. Mrs. Billy Frank Groom, Mt.
Vernon; etep-mother. Mrs. Nettie
Groom, Mt. Vernon; two brothers,
Hee GROOM, Page 10
MR. and MRS- OPTICS had the
pleasure of bearing the new At-
torney General WILL WILSON,
and the new Governor PRICE
DANIEL address the mid-winter
meeting of the Texas Pres* As-
eociation ia Austin last Saturday
and if Governor Daniel is half as
Ex-Tigers Steal Show
From Red Heads Team
The Tigers* ex-eager, Don Mere-
dith, was the main attraction
the evening as he was contin
ousiy hiding the ball freSi IU,
See KX-TIGEHK, Page 20
---
March of Dimes
Program Given
At Rotary Meeting
Charles Teague presented i
March of Dimes program at th
meeting of the Mt. Vernon Ro
tary Club last Friday. Mrs. Hal
en Pearson spoke <o the club urg
Ing that svaryone, regardless e
age, take the polio vaccine. A
polio film was shown by Bob Eng-
lish, northeast Texas director of
the March of DlmM. Mrs. Pear-
son is Texas’ reprttantative to the |
National Foundation for InfantUo ‘'
Paralysis.
Alien Bannister presented a fi-
nancial report oa the local cha>- i;
ter for IftSft.
| Lefty Neyland was a s
fRotarian from Winnsboro.
bers abaont wore Landon Ramsay, •
James T. Bass aad L. D. Lowry,
Friday night, Jan. 18, the Mt.
Vernon Tigers journeyed to Com-
merce for their second district
basketball game. In the opener
would receive final action kt the
meeting of the court on Friday,
Jan. 28. He pointed out the per-
centage differences in the raiaga
for various officials were deiegn-
ed in an attempt to equalise the
salaries of the various officials.
County Attorney Woodrow Ed-
wards said none of the raises
come up to the maximum allowed
under the la^r, which allows the
Commissioners* Court to raise sal-
aries up to 25 percent above pres- '
ent salaries, in counties of less
than 20,000 population.
The law also provides thst ths
oommissloners oannot raise their
own salaries unless they raise at
least one other county official's
salary on the same basis. This
portion of the law has been com-
plied with aa the proposed raises
of 20 percent include the Distrtet
Clerk and the Justice of the
Peace.
A look. at county treasurer’s
records disclosed that each of the
County Commissioners receive,
besides their $2,000 annual sal-
ary. an In-codnty expense check of
180 per month and aa out-of-
county expense check of 125.00
per month. Recorda Indicate that
the maximum has been drawn by
each commissioner during the
past 12-month period.
Those expense allowances,
which are set by the Commission-
ers’ Court, can be uaed for car
and 4>ther< exneasn at the^odlvld-
ual commissioner and amount to
$900 per year for each commla-
aioner. This added to their |2,-
000 per year annual salary, brings
the total amount psjd them by
Hee HA LA RY, Page 10
■
Former Mt. Vernon
Man Dies In
Shreveport
Funeral services were held in
Shreveport, January 15, for Flake
Loveless, a retired postal em-
ployee.
Flake Lovele&s will be remem-
bered by many people here as the
son of the late Rev. and Mrs. C.
A. Loveless. The Rev. Loveless
was pastor of the First Baptist
Church in 1920 and several ear-
lier years. Flake and his late
brother, Wynton, were popular
high school boys at the time, and
their two sisters were small grade
school girls.
Mr. Loveless had been in bad
health for several years, but prior
to that time was very active In
the Queensborough Baptist Church
and the Rev. Stanley Jordan, his
pastor, officiated, at-the funeral.
Interment was at the Forest Park
cemetery.
Survivors are his widow, Mrs.
Leona Patman Loveless, Shreve-
port; two sisters, Mrs. J. L. Polk,
Wauchula, Fla., and Mrs. Lucille
Thomas, Coldwater, Miss.; one
brother, Howard Loveless. Dallas.
I a governor a* his speech
be will be a hum dinger,
abers of the association were
irtalned at a reception at the
ornor’s manaloa Saturday aft-
>dn. Aftotber highlight of the
gram was a speech by William
Rafael with the Crusade for
_Jhdom of New York City.
Mr. Rafael, who has just re-
turned from Poland, told the
group, of conditions abroad and
how Radio Free Europe is break-
ing the news barrier and getting
the Afacts to people under com-
munletlc control. He told of the
that Is being made in
Per Copy
- ■1
“ VOLUME 83 — NUMBER 19
' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
orkers
1 March of Dimes Drive
Clovis Lawrence, drive chair-
man tor the March of Dimes, said
this week that workers have been
appointed for the solicitation of
local merchants.
Workers named were Charles
Teague, James T. Haas, Rev. Law-
rence Bridges, Rev. Bill Stinson,
Haun Kite, Dr. J.' C. Tom and
Clovis Lawrence.
Several other features will be
included In this year’s campaign
which have not been used here
before. One of these proved very
successful in a small northern
town and it is hoped that wide
publicity can be given this, event.
Rev. Bill Stinson will be in
charge of this project which will
be an auction to be held In the
High School Gymnasium on Fri-
day night, Feb. 15, and Saturday,
February 16,( Mt. Vernon citizens
are asked to give things to the
auction which have been discard-
ed but are still qsable. Stinson
said he will take anything and is
especially interested in old or an-
tique furniture. In other such
auctions,, livestock, cats and dogs,
have been donated. Plans here
call for a pie and cake auction
and Stinson said everything will
be sold, regardless of the price it
brings.
The auction, which is staged in
the northern town, has become an
annual affair and in the past
year’s auction, more than $11,000
was raised. Funds raised frbm
this auction are used to finance
the town’s public library.
Rev. Stinson said plans were
being made for wide publicity for
this auction with nearby papers
being asked to run articles previ-
ous to the sale. He said an effort
was being made to get at least
one of the state
........ ■ i
Rainfall Brings Relief
T o Maj or Part of County
in the HamIRon community where
Beth Norrie reported that hie
gauge ehowed 2.8 Inchee before
. Mr. and
Mr?*nd
nd 8neio,
sleon and
Ire. O*fY.
bn
!of •
LEE ROY LAWRENCE, who
has been employed for the past
four years in Dallas with a truck-
ing flAn and the Ford Motor Co.,
ig now-employed with the Texas
Fuel Corporation. Since he is lo-
cated at home, he is now taking
added interest in his farming and
ranching activities havlftg recent-
ly purchased 19 guineas and a
bantam ehicken! He told us he
“just likeg guineas — think they
are pretty," and added after hesi-
tation, “two were frying size so I
just dressed them to eat when I
got home.” Looks like his appe-
tite for guineas is greater than
his admiration for them and since
the remaining 17 are baking size,
we are a little skeptical as
what will be their destiny!
HY COST, who has been fea-
tured in Ripley’s "Believe It or
Not,” was in Mt. Vernon this
Week. HY COST is quite an un-
usual artist aa he can draw two
different characters, one with
each hand at the same time. He
painted several signs around town
and alarmed patrons at the local
post office several times when he
gave forth with his bugle call with
only hie hands as a bugle.
Former Franklin
County Man, Wirt
Gill, Dies Jan. 16
Wirt Gill died Jan. 16 at his
home in Lubbock at the age of
71. Burial was ' in a Lubbock
cemetery.
Mr. Gill was born In Franklin
County on June 27, 1885, the son
of the late T. W. and Mattle
Smith Gill. He was married in
May of 1914 to the former Miss
Beulah Davis in Mt. Vernon. He
has lived In Lubbock for the past
40 years.
He is survived by his widow,
Beulah Gill, of Lubbock, one
step-son, Buster Johnson, of Dal-
las; three brothers, Charlie Gill
of Plainview, Gus Gill of Mt. Ver-
non, and Isaac Gill of Antonito,
Colo., and one sister, Mrs. Mary
Bers, of Brownfield.
He was preceded In death by
his parents and four brothers,
Tom, Lester, James and Cecil
Gill.
G. L Knotts, 65,
Funeral Services
At Purley Church
Funeral services for G. L.
Knotts, 6'5, who died Friday in a
Kerrville hospital, were held at
2:30 p. m. Sunday at Purley Bap-
tist Church. Rev. T. H. Hawkins
of Bonham and Rev. C. w. Bishop
of Purlpy. werq in charge of the
services. I_--------- -------
ley Cemetery under the direction
of McCrary-Waggoner-Edwards.
Mr. Knotts, who was the son
of the late John A. and Emma-
line Knotts, was born February
29, 1891, In Franklin County. He
was a member of Purley Baptist
Church.
Survivors include four broth-
ers: Arthur W. Knotts, Mt. Ver-
non; Perry and Willie Knotts,
Winnsboro, and Clifton Knotts,
Sulphur Springs, and two sisters.
Mrs. Lillie Brown, Dallas, and
Miss Nannie Knotts, Sulphur
Springs.
Nephews of Mr. Knotts served
aa pallbearers.
the train that fell Tuesday mo
ing. Bin Minco nportd L--
inches at Haganaport, Otin
Slaughter, Jr., reported 2 incbog
at Daphne, Purley reported very
little. Clovle Lawrenee reported ».
only negllble rain at Hopewell,
Norris Hoffman reported one inch
at Clearwater and Roger Davie
reported 1.5 inches at Union.
Mount Pleaaant reported one
inch. Rev. A. E. Bradbury re-
ported 1.77 inches in Mt. Vornoe
which fell Monday night end
Tuesday morning, whloh brought
the total for the month to 1.78
inches. This comparea with 1.7?
inches on the same date lent
year.
degree thia spring. All of the
boys with top earnings were eoph-
omoree.
Clifford* Davie earned top mon-
ey with two projects with net
earnings of ft449.95. Clifford hgd
four dairy cows and two brood
sows. Clifford milked in hta fa-
ther’s Grade A dairy barn weigh-
ing the milk from his sows once
each month and received payment
in his taiher’g milk cheek.
Pat Lindley had the moat di-
' ’fcirpROFl'UWp^4
with re*
night about 9:41
hie week rod? Hro tinguiehed the fir
,nd oniy aHeht '
ported to th<
.j'lTuiK*** 4
Final Rites Held
For Mrs. Angeline
Jaggers Saturday
Final rite* for Mr* Angeline
Jagger*. 71, were held Saturday
at 1:30 p. m., January 1ft, at
the Church of Christ in Mt. Ver-
non with Haun Kite officiating.
Interment, under the direction of
the M. L. Edward* 4 Co. Funeral
Home, wae in Forant Lawn ceme-
tery in Tltue County.
Mr*. Mgers, who had been la
failing health for some time, haK
previously gone for a visit ia the
home of her eon, Worth Jaggore,
at Winfield, and it was there that
aha was stricken early Friday
morning and died a short time
thereafter.
She was born September 17,
1884. in Arkansas and moved to
Texas with her family at an early
age. She was married to Bob
Jngs .-s Of 4(2’ Afield and reefdad,
there until after his death a num-
ber of yeart ago when she later
moved te -Mt. Vernon, z •
She was a devoted and faithfWt
member of the Church of Christ.
Bro JAGGERS,
imlntiMtame
*
/lb.
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Bass, James T. Mt. Vernon Optic-Herald (Mount Vernon, Tex.), Vol. 83, No. 19, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 24, 1957, newspaper, January 24, 1957; Mount Vernon, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1281340/m1/1/: accessed June 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Franklin County Library.