Roanoke Rapids daily herald. (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1948-1949, 1948-10-19

IIldIi VI Vic 1i1SSt11A6, WoS AoiiASA
chairman Of the delegation at
meeting of the delegates from
following the mass gathering.
Mrs. R. B. Robinson was named
Secretary.
Representatives from Enfield,
and Weldon civic clubs and the
Rev. E. H. Measamer of Little
ton, were present at the meet
ing and pledged their support to
the efforts Of the residents Of
the community. No Roanoke Ra-
pids civic club or other organi-
cation had a representation at
the meeting.
Thorn, who with the help Of
Crawley organized the mass
meeting, explained the purpose
of the meeting at the outset.
He said that the members OF the
veterans farm training classes
were "disgusted' and unhappy
with the road situation in so far
as getting to the school was con-
cerned.
He pointed out that the roads
of the area were made almost
impossible by IAN hours rain"
and that the people of the area
found it very difficult to get
around through the mud.
The chairman called on W.
Henry Overman, superintendent
Of the Halifax County schools,
who prefaced his remarks in re-
CARDS to the operation Of tho
school buses in the county by
saying that he was not there
to criticize any highway official,
but that the roads over which
the school buses in Halifax
County travel are lin 4 deplor-
able condition"
The county school superintend-
ent said, II doubt seriously that
the rural roads in Halifax
County would compare at all
with those in Virginia"
He gave statistics which show
ed that the cost Of operation Of
school buses in this county was
unnecessarily high because OF
the conditions of the rural roads.
Overman said that last year
the county operated a total Of 40
buses which travelled 1893 miles
daily at an overall cost of 65,906
to the county.
Saving to Schools
He said, "a conservative ssti-
mate is that, If the county had
all-weather roads throughout for
the school buses to operate on,
a savings of between $4,000 and
$4,000 annually could be tealiz-
ed"
Overman pointed out that the
consolidation Of several one and
two room schools in the county
had made for more efficient op.
Grafton and better educational
facilities. However, he added,
that efficient and economical
operation of the schools in the
rural areas depends upon trans-
portation and good roads.
E. L. Bounds, representing the
Weldon Rotary club, told the
group how he and other inter-
ested Weldon people ha4 sue
ceeded in getting the road from
Weldon to- Aurelian Springs ap-
proved for surfacing during
194S. He said, "In order to get
any action on the roads you
have to get down and beg and
plead and sometimes cuss tho
highway officials" <
Bounds called on Mead Mitch
ell, County Commissioner, who
explained the procedure through
which the group could start its
action. He said that the COM
missioners could only recom-
mend and request that action BE-.
taken on the roads. The recon-
mendation and request would be
sent to the district highway CONF
missioner, Merrill Evans, at All.
oskie.
George E. Crawley, principal
Of the Aurelian Springs School.
said that nine school buses serv-
ed the school.
Disrupts School NJ,
He propounded this question:
What am supposed to do
when a school bus breaks down
in rainy, cold weather and your
children are sitting out there In
the cold?" 'Time and again Z
have gone myself or sent my ear
to see about the buses when
they don't arrive on time"
The school principal said thsra
is no telephone between Aurs-
liam Springs and HOLSTER and
that lis 60 and zee about
them"
He declared, Buses arrive &
the school on rainy days any-
where from 9 a. m. to II Z. M
Principal Crawley said ~
nine buses operate "482 milep
daily Of which only 10 miles y
hard surfaced road. "
tits time we found out w1,o
the person is that can halp u
~.L -..k 81 Rs---.A e.az.-s ~. MI