The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1958-12-12
RELIEF FOR SCHOOLS COMES
WITH APPROVAL OF NEW ABC
BOARD In OFFICE THURSDAY
Urgent Need for Funds Finds Available Help to
Tide Schools Over Until Taxes Come in to Pay
off $4,000 in Bills Overdue; Schools Fund
Short From Overspending for Other Purposes;
New ABC Board Sworn in Thursday


Dare County had an avenue to
turn to this week when it found
itself in desperate need for more
than $4,000 to pay off urgent
bills for the operations of the
schools, some of the bills being six
months old. The next day help
came from an advance from the
county's ABC profits which en-
abled the burden to be lifted until
taxes started coming in.
ABC Superintendent Robert H.
Midget, with the approval of the
new ABC officials considered it r
worthy to render substantial aid to
the schools, in keeping with the
promise made to tie people when
the ABC stores were established
in 1887. At that time the claim
was made that the income from
the ABC system would go for the
support of the schools and the
needy. The system has developed
until it has given the county a
sizeable sum each year, but the
funds have not always been spent
in the direction intended, after
getting in the hands of the Coun-
ty Board. Ten thousand dollars
in a single instance has been di-
verified in case of unnecessary
spending. Today one half the pro-
fits, regardless of what they may
grow to be, is given carte-blanche
to the Dare County Tourist Blu
reau.
On Monday of this week, as the
result of the action of the Board
of Commissioners in spreading out
representation on the three-man
ABC Board, one man is now allot-
ted to Mays Head Township, one
to Hatteras Island and one to At
lantic Township. Terms of all the
Board members had expired any
way, so the Dare Board named the
following members: Leigh D. Has
sell of Manteo, Chairman, for a
term of three years. Joseph Curtis
Gray of Kitty Hawk for a term of
two years, and William (Scotty)
Gibson of Hatteras for a term of
one year. The new Board met
Thursday of this week and organ
lied.
1t is fortunate for the county
schools, that the Board had a sur
plus of operating capital following
the slack season at the end of the
tourist business. The stores carry
stock valued at close to $4,000
and has operating capital of about
! $4,000. 1t was from these un-
divided profits, the property of
all the people of Dare County, that
an advance was made to help the
schools.
The new County Board this
week. said henceforth it is their
desire, since the Control Board is a
public agency, to hold their meet
ings when convenient in a public
space where the citizens might
know what is going on. For Fl
years they have been held in the
back room of store, and no no.
tice is given the public.
The Alcoholic Beverage Control
Board was established in 1887 as
the result of the efforts of those
who believed legal control of the
sale of liquor was better than
bootlegging with all its attendant
evils, which during prohibition
days enabled gangsters and other
criminals to attain enormous pow
err. 1t is the duty of the ABC
Board to encourage temperance, to
bring bootleggers to justice, and
to encourage decency among
drinkers. Fortunate for Dare
County has been the tourist trade
which brings two thirds of the
business of these stores to Dare
County, so that like in most other
things, Dare County's income is
largely from sources outside the
county, making a lighter burden
on the citizens.
In the bootlegging eradication
program in Dare County, the re-
firing ABC Board has kept two
men employed to catch bootleg
gers: M. C. Mitchell of Manteop
and Clarence Hassell of Manns
Harbor who have the sole respon-
sibility throughout the year to
carry out the Boards policy and
instructions.
| When the Board was first or
ganized, it consisted of M. Il.
Daniels and Guy Lennon Of Man
/ teo and j. E. Culpepper, brother
in-law of Mr.. Daniels at Mays
Head. Mr.. Lennon and Mr.. Gull
pepper remained on the Board un-
til their deaths. When terms Of all
members ran out recently, there
was on the Board c. s. Culpepper
( Of Mays Head, nephew of Mr..
Daniels, and Ralph Davis of Man
teo. The decision Of the County
Commissioners to decentralize the
ABC board made q change in per-
sonnet necessary. they. and some