davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Chapel Hill weekly. [volume] (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 1923-1972, 1928-04-06
ELEVATIING PLAZA
IMPROVES LOOKS
OF THE VILLAGE
Effort Will Be Made to Grow
Grass on Plots at the
Corners of Building
TOTTEN CALLED TO HELP

The aspect of the main street
of the village has been consider
ably improved by the elevation
of the post-office plaza to the
level of the sidewalk. For many
months this sunken space was
both an inconvenience and an
eyesore.
At each end of the building,
in the angle formed by the porch
with the main structure, there
is to be lawn space, separated
from the paved plaza by a curv-
ing curb. If the grass that is
to be planted here can be saved
from murder, it will be a mir
acle; for both Of the little lawns
provide short cuts to the post
Office entrance, one from the
Henderson street, the other from
the alley on the west.
The plan laid down by the
postal authorities, and carried
out by Contractor Collier Cobb,
Jr., does not call for a railing or
other barrier to protect the
grass. But the character of the
planting may be left to Postmas-
ter Herndon, and he is consult
ing with Mr.. Totten of the
University's botany department
about the feasibility of a bor-
dering hedge, perhaps a thorny
one, to discourage tramplers.
Whether or not this will be eff
fective is doubtful. If one may
judge from the fate of other
grass plots, on the campus and
in the village, nothing less than
fort manned by artillery will
serve to keep the populace off.
1t happens that Mr.. TOtten, be-
sides being botany professor,
is also the head of the reserve of
fcers' artillery unit for this ter
ritory. So he is a good man to
be the protector of the post-of-
flee lawns: he can supply the
hedges and then, if these don't
work, he can bring up the artil-
lery.
The Chapel Hill weekly. [volume] (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 1923-1972, 1928-04-06

The Little Theatre-its pres
ent status and its potentialities
as an influence in the develop
ment of the American drama
is the chief subject of discussion
at the Eastern Regional Confer
ence on Drama now in session in
Chapel Hill.
With welcome from Presi-
dent Chase the conference began
Wednesday afternoon in the
Playmakers Theatre. The open
ing session was followed in the
evening by a banquet at the Car
olina Inn. The proceedings con-
tinued through yesterday, and
last evening the Carolina Play
makers presented, for the Wis
itors three plays: Lighted Can
dies by Margaret Bland, Jobs
Kin8folks by Loretta Carol
Bailey, and A SHOTGUN Splicin'
by Mrs. Oscar Coffin. An in
formal supper was served on the
stage after the performance.
Among those who are attend
ing the conference are George
Pierce Baker, head of the drama
department at Yale; Roland
Holt, formerly of the publishing
firm of Henry Holt & Co., now
vice president of the Drama
League; Miss Katherine Emmet,
representing the Actors Equity
Association; and j. Brooks At
kinson, drama critic Of the New
York Times. Altogether there
are about a hundred delegates to
the conference; they come from
universities and colleges and lit
tie theatre groups all over the
The Chapel Hill weekly. [volume] (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 1923-1972, 1928-04-06
~Murder!" Cries Mrs. Holt

When the Roland Holts de-
cided to come here for the
Drama Conference they began
to be interested in everything
they saw in the papers about
North Carolina. 1t happened
that, in this period, the state
was headlined in connection
with a number of murders. 1t
seemed that a murder was being
committed every day.
Rock is now being blasted for
a new highway through Chapel
Hin. Yesterday morning the
Holts awoke to the twittering OF
birds. How peaceful, they
thought. Then came a thunder
ous explosion, and Mrs. Holt
cried: 'The murder"
The Chapel Hill weekly. [volume] (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 1923-1972, 1928-04-06
Golf Plans
Country Club Course Opens Monday
Tournament Scheduled for April 2S

Golf at the Country Club has
been in progress all winter, but
the season really begins next
Monday, when the greens, which
have been closed recently to al
low the grass to get a start, will
be open for play again. Six
holes will be used, and play will
start from the clubhouse at the
lower tee. The one close to the
clubhouse will be used later,
when the members become ac-
customed to the new approach
to No. /.
A handicap tournament has
been planned by the golf COM
mittee and will begin right away.
During the first two weeks,
April 8 to 81, contestants are
requested to hand in three cards
of twelve holes each (twice
arOund) to the manager of the
course. These cards should be
signed by both the player and
his partner or opponent. From
these the tournament committee
will figure out his handicap.
The tournament itself will
probably be played April %,
elimination matches being held
during the forenoon of that day
and on the afternoon before.
Attractive prizes, to be offered
by the Book Exchange, will be
announced later
The Chapel Hill weekly. [volume] (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 1923-1972, 1928-04-06
The Mating Birds

A pair of cardinals are build
ing a nest in the winter honey
suckle bush outside. my living
room window. 1t is only about
a foot from the panes, and the
birds are so timid that we do
not raise the sash for fear of
frightening them away. Wrens
have built a nest against the
shutter of the George Coffin
Taylor's dining room window,
and hence that window, too, is
out of commission. And other
wrens have made their nest in
the mop on Miss Mary Thorn
toms back porch beside the
kitchen door.
The Chapel Hill weekly. [volume] (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 1923-1972, 1928-04-06
Visitor Gets Mushrooms
Man from Chicago Comes Here and
Asks for TOttep Product

A man walked into the IN"
store the other day and said to
John McCauley:
"Out in Chicago, where I'm
living this year, / read in the
Chapel Hill newspaper about the
mushrooms Mr. Totten was
raising. Have. you got any
now?"
Sorry, there are none on
hand now" the merchant told
him, "but we'll try to get some
for you if you can come back
later"
The man consulted his watch
and promised to return at three
O'Clock. He said he wanted two
pounds. Mr.. McCauley COM
municated with H. X. Totten,
the botanist and local mush-
room magnate, who hastened
out to the tunnel garden beside
the Pittsboro road and procured
the mushrooms in time for de-
livery at the appointed hour.
1t turned out that the strang-
er was J. C. p. Harrington, for
merly a student in the Univer-
sity. He was usually known
here as Pass Harrington.
The Chapel Hill weekly. [volume] (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 1923-1972, 1928-04-06
Battle Is Coming

George Gordon Battle of New
York is coming to Raleigh next
Thursday to speak on behalf of
All Smith as a candidate for the
Presidency. At the present
writing it is not known whether
or not his schedule will permit
him to get to Chapel Hill. | hope
it will. 1t would be difficult if
not impossible to find a man so
we'll qualified to uphold the
Smith cause, and certainly no
body could find here a warmer
welcome than would be extended
to this loyal alumnus of the
University.
4 i
Gordon Battles career as a
student was unusual. AS a boy
he was taught by a relative, Miss
Molly Goodloe, and, because of
his own aptitude and her skill
as an instructor, he was pre-
pared to enter the freshman
class when he was only thirteen
years old. The rules of the in
stitution forbade admission at
such a tender age; but the fac
ulty decided to let him in be-
cause he could live with his aunt,
Mrs. Kemp 2. Battle, and be
properly looked after by her. So
he matriculated in the fall of
1881. Old-Amers remember him
going about the village and cam
pus in short trousers. He re-
mained in the University only a
year. Later he attended the Uni
versity of Virginia, and after re-
ceiving there the degree of A. M.
he went to New York where he
won success as a lawyer. From
the beginning he took an active
part in politics, and about twen-
ty years ago was the Democratic
candidate for district attorney.
He has been prominent in move
ments for social betterment. He
was an ardent support of Wood
Continued on page siI)
The Chapel Hill weekly. [volume] (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 1923-1972, 1928-04-06
Chapel Hill Chaf

The automobile manufactur-
ers have paid no attention to my
suggestion that two-door sedans
have the left door'in front ana
the right door behind, but | am
pleased to. see that they have
needed my demand for more
color. | began yapping about
the sombreness of cars two or
three years ago; Immediately
bright hues began to appear,
and now one sees gay-colored
automobiles everywhere.
= +
A village. editor gets himself
into hot water, sometimes, by
confusing news and advertise
ments. Clyde Eubanks, able
to stand the sight of my old
pipe no longer, said that if I'd
let him. destroy it he'd give me
a new one. | accepted the Of
fer, and the incident was duly
chronicled. Then Alvis Patter-
son met me in the bank and
said: Here | am, advertising a
pipe sale, fine pipes at half price,
and Clyde Eubanks gets a free
ad on the front page" Well, this
evens it up. In this column |
eXtolled Jack Andrews tennis
socks, and | am frequently pro-
claiming Mr.. Smiths movie
plays. I'll be having the North
Carolina Press Association down
on me like a ton o brick if |
don't quit this free advertising.
AS DR.. Hall of Wheeling, West
Virginia, neared Raleigh, on his
way to the drama conference
here, he asked the conductor on
the train for advice about a ho-
tel. Was there one in Chapel
Hill? "Oh, no." replied the con-
ductor. You had better stop at
Raleigh, and you can get a room
Continued on page Sir)
The Chapel Hill weekly. [volume] (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 1923-1972, 1928-04-06
The Regional Drama Conference Is in Session

eastern part of the United
States.
Besides President Chase and
Frederick II. Koch, director of
the Playmakers, the speakers at
the opening session Wednesday
afternoon included Mr.. Baker,
l.. G. Painter of the Mississippi
College for Women, Miss Dor
othy Woodson of the little the
atre in Lynchburg, and James
Watt Rain of Berea College in
Kentucky.
Archibald Henderson was the
POSTMASTER at the banquet.
Paul Green talked about the
writing of plays; Miss Katherine
Emmett about the relation of
the little theatre to the profess
sional opportunity of the uni
versities for the training of both
playwrights and actors; Roland
Holt about the state of the
drama as reflected by the plays
offered to the public today; and
j. Brooks Atkinson about plays
of local flavor as cOntrasted to
those commonly seen in New
York. Toward the end of the
evening Howard Mumford Jones,
arising to speak to the topic,
'Drunk with Drama" said that
Mr.. Koch had told him to be
funny. Mr.. Jones said this was
a melancholy task-that he
could not be funny. But he was.
He read an account from a New
Zealand newspaper, ammo domini
5000 or thereabouts, telling a.
(Continasd on page siz)
The Chapel Hill weekly. [volume] (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 1923-1972, 1928-04-06
SCHOOL POLICY
Is OUTLINED BY
SUPT. STEVENS
He Makes Brief Statement of
What He Thinks Guiding
Principles Should Be
To KEEP WITHIN BUDGET

(. A. Stevens, the newly elect
ed, superintendent of the Chap
el Hill school, who will take of
fee September l, was asked by
the editor of this paper, just be-
fore he returned to his graduate
studies in Columbia University,
for a statement of the policy he
intends to pursue. His response
is:
Il. The superintendent, as
the executive officer Of the
school board, is entrusted with
the responsibility Of safeguard
ing the community's children in
their right to an efficient and
un0bstructed program of in
Struction. The test of all pro-
posals of a program Of expert
mentatiOn and research in the
schools will be whether or not
the project suggested is one
which will in no manner be pre-
judicial to the best interests of
the children.
"2. The superintendent will
at all times vigorously oppose
any loose administration of the
school funds. A budget will be
carefully set up to control the
expenditure of the school funds.
Every effort will be made to Sc
cure full value in return for
every dollar spent. The admin
istration will not favor, how
ever, the expenditure of funds
in excess of the actual antici-
pated revenues.
IS. In the program of re-
trenchment, which survey of
the fiscal status of the Chapel
Hill Schools indicates is immi-
nent, every effort will be made
to preserve a high quality of
teaching efficiency"
The Chapel Hill weekly. [volume] (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 1923-1972, 1928-04-06
Mrs. PattersOn's Appendix Out

Mrs. A. H. Pattersonfwas tax
en- suddenly i'll Monday, went to
Watts Hospital, and was operat-
ed on for appendicitis Wednes-
day morning. The latest report
is that she is getting along well.
Her daughter, Mrs. Sam Fisher,
came from Asheyille Tuesday,
and her son, DIR. Howard Pat
terson, arrived yesterday from
Boston.
The Chapel Hill weekly. [volume] (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 1923-1972, 1928-04-06
Children Slammed Safe Door To,
And Now Receivership Is Clossed

ed, since the whole property is
under a mortgage which must be
satisfied.
When Mr.. Atwood's lawyer
made his objection someone sug-
gested that perhaps they could
get the note and mortgage from
Mr.. Webb. An emissary was
sent to him. He was willing
enough to produce the desired
documents, but his safe was
locked and he didn't know the
combination. His son, DR.. Louis
Webb, when he was here a few
weeks ago, opened the safe, and
it was left open. But the other
day Mr. Webb's grandchildren,
playing around, slammed the
door, and now nobody can get
in. SO the receivership is all
clogged up.
1t may be that a satisfactory
clearance can be obtained from
the guardians of the estate of
Mr.. Peckham in New York. He
died several years ago, and no.
body here knows whether his es-
tate is still intact or who his ex-
ecutor was or is.
AT the sale in December the
three lots fronting on the main
street, forming part of the Guth-
RE place, were sold to T, G. At
wood and Moody Durham, and
Mr.. Durham disposed of part Of
his purchase to the Durham Auc-
tion company The Daniel house
was sold to Arthur London and
James Griffin of PittsbOrO, and
the Coop" to Miles Andrews of
CarrbOro.
The receivers are ready to con-
vey the Peoples Bank building
to Lueco Lloyd as soon as they
have got from other property
some money with which to pay
taxes. Mr.. Lloyd's bid for the
bank building was $4,000, and
his mortgages on it amount to
$25, 900, so that he stands to lose
around $4,000.
Another sale of property is TO
be held when the sales already
confirmed by the court have been
put through and the money paid
in. Thus far the receivers have
not enough money to clear their
bill with the auctioneers for the
December sales.
The Chapel Hill weekly. [volume] (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 1923-1972, 1928-04-06

The receivers of the Chapel
Hill Insurance and Realty COM
pany have been brought to a
halt, in their efforts to proceed
with the sale of property, be-
cause the combination of j. D.
Webb's safe has been lost and
they can't get into it to get i'm
portant documents.
AT their meeting this week the
receivers were so overcome by
the doubts and arguments of
lawyers that, at the end, they
staggered dizzily from the room
uttering maledictions upon re-
.ceiverships in general and this
one in particular.
It's a long story, running back
to the time when w. G.. Peck
ham, the New York lawyer,
came down to Chapel Hill and,
amazed by the low prices of land,
began to buy all the real estate
in sight. One acquisition was
the old Guthrie place where Mrs.
Daniels house now stands. The
prices stayed low for a long time
after Mr., Peckham' bought !;
much longer than he wanted to
wait for a turnover, and SO. he
decided to sell out.
The Guthrie place was bought
by J. d. Webb, who made part
of his payment with a note Sc
cured by mortgage. Later the
note and mortgage were bought
by Tom Lloyd and upon his
death came into the possession
of his executors.
Subsequently the Chapel Hill
Insurance and Realty company
acquired the property from Mr..
Webb. There is a document
signed by Major Graham, show
ing that the note was paid by
Mr. Webb, but the note and
mortgage themselves are not in
cluded in the papers turned over
to the receivers by the company.
This is where the hitch comes
in. At the meeting the other
night the lawyer for T. {. At
wood, purchaser of one of the
plots comprised in the cid GHth-
rie place, would not approve the
title unless the cancelled note
and mortgage could be found
None of the other plots can be
conveyed until this one is clear
The Chapel Hill weekly. [volume] (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 1923-1972, 1928-04-06
Governor Smith Invited Here

The editors of the Tar Heel,
on behalf of the student body,
have sent a telegram inviting
Governor Smith of New York
to speak here at some time dur
ing the vacation that he plans
to take in North Carolina.
The Chapel Hill weekly. [volume] (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 1923-1972, 1928-04-06
"CrucifxiOn" Again Tonight

Stainer's "The Crucifxion," "
which was sung in the Presby-
terian church Sunday afternoon
by the A Capella Choir, will be
sung this friday evening in
the Episcopal church.
The Chapel Hill weekly. [volume] (Chapel Hill, N.C.) 1923-1972, 1928-04-06
cantata at Methodist Church

The Easter Cantata, "Jesus
Lives" by Charles H. Gabriel,
will be sung at the Methodist
church at 8 o'clock Sunday eve
ming. The choir is under the
direction of T. s. McCorkle.
Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-03-04
DIVORCE Mills
in FRANCE WILL
CEASE GRINDING

PARIS, March 3 lp1--The American
divorce industry in France which has
been so hard hit by the refusal OF
the Versailles court to grant a
divorce to Bainbridge Colby has been
in the hands OF clique OF foreign
lawyers who had French attorneys
appear for them in court.
Reno in its palmiest days never
had such thriving patro.N ge from
Americans who wanted to have their
marital ties dissolved. The fees many
wealthy American women paid their
attorneys were fabulous.
Rounding up possible divorces be-
came profitable business on France
bound steamers and in the fashionable
hotels and night clubs, -Tomen as
well as men acted as representatives
of firms which specialized in hurry
up divorces. These representatives
worked on the Riviera and at the
fashionable resorts on the Basque and
channel coasts.
Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-03-04
FATHER
Continued From Page one)

Continued From Page One)
he has not told the entire truth and
tonight were continuing the ques-
tioning which started this morning,
after his neighbors had identified the
bodies of the two BOYS, one OF which
was found floating in the canal on
Feb. %, and the other of which was
found two days ago. In order to
try to induce him to tell more,
Chisholm was taken today to the
morgues where the bodies Of his two
sons lay. He broke down and sobbed
as ne looked down on the eldest
son.
"You were stronger hearted than
I was" he cried as tears trickled
down his cheeks, and referring, the
police believe. to his loss OF nerve
when it came. time for him to follow
his boys into the canal.
Chisholm was employed in Calu-
met City foundry. He said he form
erly lived in Montreal. but had trouble
with his wife who now is in England.
Three years ago he said he came
to East Chicago. where he had since
lived and worked. He placed the
boys iii an orphanage near Montreal,
he said, but had brooded because
he feared they would not be reared
as they should be.
Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-03-04

1, as a youth in an office somewhat
similar to that which he holds, am
remarkably able to appreciate his fine
qualities. 1 consider that Governor
Hunt is a man eminently able to
fulfill his obligations, remarkably ex-
perienced in his office, having the
most sincere desires for the good OF
his people and being inexpressibly
determined to fulfill his mission
Guilermo l.. Robinson, advisor ex-
traordinary to Governor Topete and
Mexican consul at the port OF No
gales who is one Uf the governor S
party here. said last night that he
regarded Topete as one Of the rising
powers for the betterment OF Mexico.
Robinson said that he had derived
great satisfaction from the tour here
and had felt from the arrival that
this meeting of the executives OF the
two great and wealthy states Of two
different nations would work a great
common good Robinson predicted
that the effects OF this meeting will
be felt for years TO come in 2. broad
ened understanding between the two
peoples and in a greater realization
Of the opportunities for development
that exist internationally.
Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-03-04

Box Harris bill Don Manuel c. Teller.
Mexican ambassador to the United
States, said today that it would be
to the advantage of Mexico to keep
her laborers at home, but that the
American labor situation would uTF-
doubtedly be adversely affected.
wise legislation moreover" he said,
always takes into consideration the
natural laws that govern the migra-
tory movements of peoples. Econ
omically and socially it undoubtedly
would work to the advantage of
Mexico if our emigration is checked,
since it is always the best type
that has the initiative to undertake
emigration. But Mexico and the
United States are necessary to each
other, and artificial restriction can
be no more effective in controlling the
natural mixing between the two
countries than piece OF paper could
prevent the mixing OF two fluids in
q glass"
! He corrcborated the statements
made before congressional committees
that the Mexican labor now used
in the American beet sugar raising
districts could not be replaced II cut
Oft by restricted immigration He
suggested also that arbitrary reStric-
ton might very possibly cause re-
sentiment in Mexico.
Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-03-04

reception I have received here. The
thing that has impressed me has
been the cordiality between the Two
countries That your Boy Scout band
should play for us IN Aqua Prleta is
indeed a gratifying indication OF Une
spirit of friendship that exists here.
I am trying to further that friend
ship and as one measure toward TINS
1 have authorized the expenditure OF
$15OO0O in Hermosillo for tourist
hotel SO that when the Nogales-
Guaymas road is finished and when
Americans can have good roads to
motor over, they can also have good
hotel accommodations in our capital.
1T is my hope to keep Sonora IN
her commanding position as a pro-
grcssive state and I can only do this
by building end advocating better re-
lations, more education and more in
ternational commerce. When the
road is finished in a year, hope, l
will issue a proclamation inviting the
tourists to visit Sonora and will do
everything in my power to promote
the spirit of cooperation through
out the state which is SO marked and
so powerful here on the border
lone of my greatest joys IN my
visit to Aqua Prieta and Douglas has
been in meeting and fraternizing with
that grand old man, your governor
Douglas daily dispatch., 1928-03-04
DISCLOSURE
tcontinued from Page one)


to expunge the boys birth record
from state records as his son.
Bricker said that before answering
the petition the state would inveStl-
gate the possibility of a conspiracy
to deprive the child of an inheritance.
Also he said, the possibility that Mrs.
Boyer believed she legally adopted
the child when she paid a physician
according to her statement, $1,5Oo to,
take care of the adoption, also will
be investigated.
The child, who bears the name OF
Joseph Boyer, faces the loss of $5,-
100000 inheritance, set aside in a
trust fund by the elder Joseph Boyer
for his grandson" as a. result OF
his identity being disclosed.
Mrs. Boyer, who is living here with
the child, has declared that If her
adopted son is deported she viii go
with him. Admitting she faxed his
birth as her son, she declared that
no law will separate her from him.