The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-09-17
DARE TOURIST BUREAU IN.
REVIEWS YEARS WORK
AND PLANS. A PROGRAM
Mrs. Lucille Purser Elected President, Sue
ceeding Lawrence Swain, at Meeting in
Manteo Wednesday; Aycock Brown Contin-
ues as News Director.

uCS 0S 4NOW . LII SNOV1
Mrs. Lucille Purser of Mays
Head, who has been very active
in promoting and publicizing the
Dare coastal region. for several
years was elected chairman of
the board of directors of Dare
County Tourist Bureau at the
annual meeting of the organiza-
ton in Manteo Wednesday.
She succeeds Lawrence L.
Swain under whose leadership
enc Dare County Tourist
Bureau was organized three
years ago to become one Of
the outstanding agencies of its
kind in North Carolina. At the
June meeting Of the board of di-
rectors B. M. Hedrick of Kill
Devil Hills was nominated chair
man, but in view of the fact that
he plans to live at his home in
Arlington, Va, most of the win
ter and away from the area he
declined the nomination. While
Swain had requested that he be
replaced as chairman during the
June meeting he plans to con-
tinue taking an active part in
the Tourist Bureaus program Of
promotion and publicity.
At the June meeting A. H.
Gray of Waves had been nomi-
mated to the post of vice-chair-
man, succeeding NJ L. Burrus of
Hatteras. At the same time w. H.
McCown, secretary and treasurer
of the Tourist Bureau during the
past two years was reelected to
that post in the organization.
Primary discussion during the
meeting Wednesday involved a
refinancing program, and ways
and means to best accomplish
such a program. Mimeographed
reports of the Secretary Treas
urer, gave a picture of the cur
ent financial status of the or
: nization and an annual report
the manager and news direc-
or was also made available to
those present at the meeting.
The Tourist Bureaus budget of
$4,000 for 1953-54, has not yet
been raised in full and immed-
late steps are being taken to col
lect all pledges from investors
which have not yet been paid.
Due to considerable more activ-
ity than had been anticipated
during the 1854 season, it was
necessary as the fiscal years
ending on September 80 ap-
preached, that certain curtail-
ments in operation be made.
1t was indicated at the meeting
Wednesday that these curtail-
ments in operation would have
to continue until the Tourist Blu
reau is again on a sound basis fl
nancially.
The Years Work
An annual report of Tourist
Bureaus operation was present
ed members of the board by Ay-
cock Brown, manager and news
director of the organization.
His report indicated that dur
ing the past year an average OF
IL news items had each week
been mailed to newspapers,
magazines or columnists from
the Dare coast, and in addition
special stories were mailed daily
newspapers or magazines upon
request. An average of 100 news
papers in North and South Caro-
lima, Virginia, D. c., and other
States, and the Associated Press.
United Press and International
News Service received the news
releases. During the summer
months almost 300 weekly news
papers in North Carolina and
Virginia received news releases
at least twice monthly.
More than 2,400 newspictures
were mailed newspapers maya
zines or provided to writers do
ing stories on the area or other
wise used in the public relations
interests of the area. An average
of two newspaper negatives
,eekly were forwarded syndi-
ties on APPROVAL and many
yfere accepted for publication
and distribution to hundreds and
thousands of newspapers.
The Bureau also worked close
ly with a hundred or more press
representatives who covere d
events leading up to and the act
ual celebration of the Golden
Anniversary of the First Flight
at Kill Devil Hills and Kitty
Hawk last December. This was
the most publicized aviation
event in history, according to ex-
merits who knew what they were