The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-01-09
UMSTEAD URGES HIGHER
PAY FOR TEACHERS AND
REFERENDUM ON LIQUOR
New Governor Recommends Ten Per Cent In
crease for All State Employees, Another
Bond Issue for School Buildings, Inspection
Law for Autos; More State Aid for More
head and Wilmington Ports.

Raleigh, Jan. 8.-William B. UNI
stead of Durham, the new Gov
eInor of North Carolina, presented
a broad and comprehensive pro-
gram for the consideration of the
General Assembly and the people
Of North Carolina in his inaugural
address here today.
Speaking at formal ceremonies
in Memorial Auditorium, Umstead
told the legislators that "this is
an hour of great responsibilities
for you and for me. | have COM
plete confidence in your patriotic
devotion to North Carolina. Ahead
of us there are new and unpre-
dictable problems. Let US not be
afraid. Let US meet with a cour-
age that is characteristic of our
people the uncertainties Of a
swiftly moving future"
The new chief executive made a
number of important recommended
tions, with major emphasis going
to public education, roads, highway
safety, agriculture, conservation
and development, treatment and
care for mentally i'll, labor, prison
and paroles changes, liquor ref
erendum, and taxes.
He recommended 10 per cent
salary increase for public school
teachers and other state employees,
retroactive to July /, 1852, and
asked that as much increase in the
salaries of teachers be made dur
ing the next biennium as can be
provided within revenues.
The present school construction
program is not meeting the needs
of rapidly increasing school pop
ulation, the Governor asserted, and
he asked the General Assembly to
submit bond issue to the people
for funds "to provide the neces-
sary aid to counties for the con-
struction of school facilities for
all our children"
He also called for further re-
duction of the teacher load, the
safest school bus transportation
possible, improved vocational train
ing programs, and a new study
of requirements for elementary
teachers. These requirements have
been said to be so rigorous that
they deter young people from seek
ing to become elementary teach
ers, where a serious shortage of
trained personnel now exists.
Umstead spotlighted the need for
better treatment and care of men
tai patients in state institutions,
describing the need so urgent that
it can be met adequately only by
the proceeds of a state bond is
sue.
1--WE call the institution at Kin
ston the Caswell Training School, -
he said. ut is and has been de-
tention home for feebleminded
children, who grow into feeble
minded men and women, and there
they stay through the years. There
has never been a place which has
even been called a training school
for feebleminded children of the
Negro race. There is not sufficient
room in our institutions for the
adults who need attention"
He declared that 1--WE have work
ed at it in a piece-meal fashion
long enough. We must make every
effort to cure both children and
adults, where such is within the
capacity of medical science, and
sufficient medical personnel must
be provided. These people have no
spokesman except those whose
hearts have been touched by the
condition of those affected by this
program"
Here are highlights of other
major views and recommendations
presented by Governor Umstead:
Roads-A task never finished,
the state must continually main
tain improve and build roads. New
study should be made of present
road revenues to determine what,
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