The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-01-02
most travelled highways

The State has invested over four
hundred thirty-million dollars in
construction, improvement, and
maintenance of our highway sys-
tenn and city streets in the four
years. This is more than ever de-
voted to this purpose in any SIM
liar period.
One hundred seventy-five mil
lion dollars of the two hundred
million dollar secondary road
bond money, voted by you, has
paid for more than twelve thou
sand miles of paved farm-to-city
roads. Fourteen thousand addl-
tional miles of roads have been
stabilized for all-Weather use. The
balance of the secondary road
money remains for. Improvement
of additional farm-to-city roads;
and already more than seventeen
and one-half million dollars of
the secondary road bonds have
been paid off.
Inc team you put to work TOUR
years ago also concerned itself
with the public schols and the
mental and physical health of the
almost one million youngsters
who attend them. The building
program we embarked upon in
the early days of the admins
tration will provide, when COM
pleted soon, eight thousand new
classrooms, one hundred seventy
five gymnasiums, and three hun
dred fifty new lunchrooms.
No longer are poorly heated
schoolhouses the rule; and spot
lessly clean cafeterias provide
our children with warm, we'll
balanced and nutritious MONDAY
meals.
Through operation of our an
nual appropriation of five hun
dred fifty thousand dollars to
provide statewide school
health program, thousands of
chronic defects of children have
been found, diagnosed, and cor
irected before permanent injury
twas done.
We have not been neglectful in
providing improved care for the
mentally i'll, the physically hand
icapped, and our aged men and
women. Nor have we neglected
the needs of those who live be-
hind prison bars.
In the overall health and med
ical care field, we have made un.
precedented progress S seventy.
seven new and improved hospi,
tails, with 4,406 beds, in seventy.
three of our one hundred coun-
ties.
All these things have been ac-
complished with only one tax
rate increase-the one-cent-a-
gallon gasoline tax levied by you,
the people, to finance the two
hundred million dollar farm-to-
city road project.
And, in this connection, let me
remind you, there has been no
new tax levied in North Carolina
by any General Assembly, since
1888.
Faith of the investing public
in North Cardinals governmental
stability has been won and prov
ed. The public has bought more
than half a billion dollars in
stocks and bonds. of companies
expanding their electric, tele-
phone and gas services in North
Carolina.
Industrial development has
1eached all-time heights-North
Carolina sites have been select
ed for four hundred one new in
dustrial plants with a total in
vestment of two hundred sixty
four million dollars to give en-
ployment to forty-one thousand
additional workers with annual
payrollS of one hundred million
dollars.
The Go-Forward Progra m
which you authorized by elect
ing me as your Governor, en-
bracing, as does, roads, schools,
health, ports, electricity, tele-
phones, agricultural and indus
trial progress, and financial sta
bility, cannot be measured by a
dollar and cents yardstick.
1t was conceived and built up
on a foundation of human needs
It's mortar was the longing o
human hearts for the bette
things of life for themselves an,
their children.
Impetus has ben given to the
religious life of the State. Seven
ty-eight per cent of all church
membership in North Carolina is
in rural churches. Today these
churches are alive with a new
vigor and inspiration and are
building a rich reservoir of train
ed Christian leadership for rural
and city areas alike. Paved roads
telephones, and electric lights
have revitalized them and made
them the center of community
life in rural North Carolina from