The Wilmington morning star., 1946-07-20
LETTER BOX
AMERICANIsM PREFERRpn

AhiS II oie story OF a communi>,
where there flourishes TO-DAY sory
Of the early Americanism w rSine
made the United States the vra.4
est nation in the world. 1t is
ton where the people WHO. tho w.
keeping up with the progress
the world as a whole. have n.;o VI
tanned to a large degree their or;u
inal high ideals, their method,
operation, and their standards
living in peace and halmonv wiz
their fellow men. It is a ssc.io.
from which one may view the nss.
ing parade of world progress
called, and absorb only such NJ.
tons OF that progress as NAV y.
desired. Strangest of al, It is ~.
ton where the labor leaders ara
reality, the leading workers Of +b "a
community instead Of existing
leeches upon the labors Of Other,
as seems to be the common ~
cepted standard of laborism todsv
The community Of Joyney. North
Carolina, is not even a 'wbj,tla
stop" for the simple reason that ~.
nearest railroad station is over IL
miles away. The rural postoffica NJ
the section is operated bv tbs
Joynes family, descendant a.
some of the original settlers NJ
America. Similarly, the VenabIes
the Cockerhams, the Holbrooks. tbs
Siddens, and others of the area ars
direct descendants of the EARL
American settlers who came 10 n,
continent in search of freedom NJ
speech, freedom of worship. and
the true democracy so desirable IN
the heart of the enlightened huma,
being. They have maintained hi,
democracy, here, through a system
Of honesty and straight dealins
which shuns the devious wiles and
ways Of the new dealing" polit.
clan OIL To-Day.
The section has a strong Repub,.
can vote but it is served in tba
national Congress by doughty Old
Bob Doughton, one of the conse.va.
tive pillars of the House in Wash.
ington, and chairman of one Of tbs
most powerful financial commit
tees.
The Roaring River Bspts
church is the center of r~eligiop,
and social activity. This church
was founded before the signing Of
the Declaration of Independents.
1t is presided over by Conrad Sid.
dens who delivers his sermons in
the traditional sing-song manner Of
the mountain communities. Conrad
does an extensive contracting busi.
ness in the nearby cities Of North
Wilkesboro and Elkin, also. H Is
from a family Of eleven brotfsy
and sisters. and he and his wife
have brought 10 children into ne
world. Two of his boys served in
the war and were decorated for
bravery in action.
There is a distinct division be.
tween the good people and those
who are not so good, and good cor.
duct is the criterion of the stand.
ing of both the men and women
of the community.
The present accepted labor stand.
ard of the 40-hour week is usually
worked out over two and a half
times every seven days by the pea.
pie of Joynes. The chief labor prob
lem is the finding of enough hours
to do all the work of developing
the fertile farms, looking after the
stock. and operating the old water
mill situated on the banks Of The
Roaring river, just a few miles be.
low the Roaring Gap of the Bile
Ridge mountains. Should one men.
Der of the colatnunity find his
chores a little *oo heavy for his
own hands, his netghbors will pitch
in as a group and finish the task
in rapid order.
The soundness Of thought and the
industry of the people both in and
near this section have carried
many of them to great success
financial and otherwise. Tom Broy-
hill, furniture manufacturer Of
Lenoir, got his start saving timber
In Wilkes county as a boy. He re.
Gently gave his church a check for
one hundred thousand dollars. On.
ly. Tom did not write the check
You see, he cannot write but he il,
not ashamed of his failing
Tae present : day schools Of lie
section are as modern as any 10
be found in the nation.
Allston D. Calhoun Jt
Greenwood. sc
July Is, 1916.