TWO SECTIONS
NEWS- PICTURES
LOCAL
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105 NO. 42 Business-News Dept. - Dial 725-2046 or 2047
1844 The Newspaper Charles Town, Ranson And West Virginia Grew Up With 1969
CHARLES TOWN, (Jefferson County), W. VA. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1969
SIXTEEN PAGES
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At 1:30 Thursday afternoon. October 9, two fire trucks, one from each of Charles Town's two fire
and[ a host of volunteer firemen rolled up to ~the rear of the Charles Town Postoffiee and
intents and purposes to those who didn't k now differently they were to extinguish a fire in
Postoffice. The above picture shows the trucks just after they had arrived near the loading and
in the rear, with firemen in full fire-fighting regalia. Also shown are members of
staff who had evacuated the building. But there was no fire to extinguish and within
the Postofflce's regular routine operations were resumed. The occasion was the annual
drill required to be carried out at each Postoffice by the Postoffice Department. By the time
trucks arrived the staff of the Postoffice and st'owed away the marl. stamps and money in the
fireproof vaults at 'the Postoffice and they had manned the fire extinguishers, ready for action
there actually been a real fire spotted in the Postofflee. (Photo by Tim Sinn.)
Re-Assignments Of Two
Episcopal Clergymen
The advancement of a local
Episcopal Mission and the
changes in employment of two
Episcopal clergymen in the
County were announced last week
by the Rt. Rev. Wilburn C. Camp-
bell, Bishop of the Episcopal Di-
Jennings Randolph (D) Harpers Ferry, who is arranging ocese of West Virginia.
Virginia, will once again a surprise welcome for the dip- The petition of St. Andrew's-On
members of Washing- lomats. -The-Mount, Mannings, to become
s diplomatic families with National Park Rangers will ex- an Organized Mission was granted
s Ferry Saturday, Oct. 18. plain the early history of:the by the Executive Board of the
tor Randolph will greet the area, and its importance during Diocese at its September meet-
traveling by bus on a trip the Civil War to the~ group of ing. St. Andrew's, originally es-
ed by the Hospitality and guests ~ro~ Austrglia, Brazil, tabtished as a mission of Zion
m~i~a. ~;ervice ~ f?r .diplo-, ~~t B~itain, India~ ~u~h, I~$X ~~.X3~
residents and tli~ faro. tri~~~-m~l ~y; A m~l~J~, ,~ ~ ~he mountain
The group will arrive in visit ~.'~ the ffohn Brown Wax areas for ~m~y y~rs, then lap*
rs Ferry at noon and will Mus~mm is scheduled, sod oan orga~ised" status during
guestg of honor at a pub- Saturday's outing is one in a the H~Ars.
cheon on the park grounds, series of trips scheduled by THIS Summer services for, the grow-
came into being through a to acquaint the Diplomatic Corps ing resort developmeflts in the
Act he authored, with historical aspects of the area cesumed in about 1960.
at the affair will United States, and particularly
G. Wheeler, Mayor of the environs of the local area.
>
National Park Service has
the offer of the Jeffer-
Board of Education
exchange of land owned
Park Service for the build
Znd site of the Shipley Ele-
School in Harpers Ferry.
Superintendent T. A.
told the Board Tuesday
that he had received a
from the Park Service stat-
the proposed exchange
will not be possible.
Some time now the School
has been negotiating with
Service to obtain a de-
site for a new elementary
serve the Harpers Ferry
Millville, Halltown and
areas. The board had
to give the National Park
the building and land of
Elementary School,
in an area in Harpers
Which is surrounded on all
land owned by'the Nat-
service, for a tract of
Ocated in Bolivar near the
the Old Castle was
of the reasons given, by
Park Service, was be-
of "consideral local opposit-
a school on this
Board expressed concern
statement since no dis-
during the past months
indicated local opposition.
the Parent-Teacher As-
had endorsed the pro-
of Education would
ate the people of the area
them their-feeling about
whether it be for
Town Band
To Meet
aonthly meeting
Band Boost-
Wednesday OGt.
the Band
T.o Sr,
Bank Of Charles Town
Named Recipient 1968
"Award Of Honor"
The Bank of Charles Town has
)een advised by Mrs. Leo Wid.
myer that they are the recil~ients
of the 1968 "Award of Honor."
Mrs. Widmyer sta~ed, "The A-
ward of Honor is presented to
show appreciation to business
and industrial establishments
which have taken interest in
making ~heir buildings, grounds,
and surroundings as a~tractive as
possible."
The Wayside Garden Club of
the Shenandoah-Potomac District
made an ou~tanding presentation
of the Bank of Charles Town in
a booklet setting forth ,the build-
~ng progress of the bank. The
booklet contained pictures of the
various buildings occupied by the
bank from 1907 through the pres-
ent new building along with a
detailed description of the new
building and its landscaping. The
concluding paragraph of the
Club's presen.~tion is as follows:
"The Wayside Garden Club feels
that the Bank of Charles Town is
very deserving of an Award of
Honor because of their landscap-
ing and plann.ing. While the Bank
of Charles Town is still a 'Com-
muni,ty Cornerstone,' it is also a
Keystone of Progress."
James W. Strider, President of
the Bank of Charles Town ex-
pressed ,his sincere gratitude to
the members of the Wayside
Garden Club for selecting this
bank and his congratul~ions ~o
them for their excellent presen-
,ration which brougl~t about the
award of their club.
Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Deck and
family, of Winchester, Va were
recent visitors at the home of the
former's brother-in.law and sister,
Mr: .a:nd Mrs. Philip .sinai!wood
There is presently a Vestry Com.
mittee, headed ,by Col. Willis
Nowell, Senior Warden and
Treasurer, and Mrs. Charles M.
Johnson, Sr Junior Warden.
The Rev. David C. Wayland has
accepted a call to become Vicar
of St. Philip's, Charles Town. and
Vicar of St. Andrew's-On-The
Mount, Mannings, effective No.
vember I. He will devote full
time to ,these two missions and
to serving the Diocese in the area
of clinics and workshops for more
effective ministry ~o Che drug
and narcotics problem. Previously
Mr. Wayland was V2car of St.
John's, Rippon; St. Andrew's,
Mannings and Zion Church, Char-
les Town.
The Rev. William B. Brook, of-
fective November 1, will be the
Vicar of St. John's Church, Rip.
pon, in addition to his present
charges, the Church of the Holy
Spirit, Summit Point, and Grace
Church, Middleway. Previously
Mr. Brook was Vicar of St. Phil-
ip's in addition to the Midd~eway
and Summit Point Churches.
Bishop Campbell announced
that ,these changes were apDr~ ed
by the Executive Board, upon the
recommendation of the Ddl~,
merR of Mission and Strale~. '
In Office Hours
General Telephone Company ol
the Southwest has announced a
change in office hours for the
business off!co in Charles Town,
West Virginm
M. A. Brooks, District Manager
said that the Telephone Company
would like to remind all its
customers of the change in office
hours which will be effective Nov
ember 3, 1969. All business off-
ice transactions are scheduled to
be carried out between the hours
of 9:00 A. M. and 5:00 P. M
Brooks said.
Payment of bills can be accom-
plished at other times by use of
the convenient payment depositor-
ies located near each business
office.
HARPERS FERRY BAND
BOOSTERS SUPPER
Members of the Harpers Ferry
Band Boosters Association will
hold a spaghetti supper in the
Harpers Ferry High cafeteria
Saturday evening, Oct. 18, from
5 p. m. until 7, it was announced
this week. Admission will be 1.50
fo~ adul~ amd 75e for children
under 12 Proceeds ~rom the dln.
~ . .o .o
Howard Luther Sechrist, 73, of
Charles Town, member of the
Jefferson County Court and for
years one of Charles Town and
Jefferson County's most promin-
ent and active civic and commu-
nity leaders, died Wednesday
night in Charles Town General
Hospital, where he had been a
patient since Friday, October 10.
He was rushed to the hospital
Friday morning after being
stricken at his home.
The deceased was born at Clay
Hill' Farm, RFD Charles Town,
June 2, 1896, a son of the late
Charles E. and Lydia Ellen Taylor
Sechrist. For some 38 years he
was employed by the United
States Postal Service, about 33
of them as a postal clerk. He was
retired from the Postoffice de-
partment about 14 years ago. But
since then he has been most act-
ive in various governmental
agencies of Charles Town and
refferson County and also was
most active in numerous commu-
nity and civic improvements pro-
jects and programs. He served
for a number of years as a mem-
ber of the Charles Town Council
and in 1968 was elected as a mem-
ber of the Jefferson County Court
from the Charles Town district.
A veteran of World War I, he
was for many years most active
in Jackson Perks Post No. 71, of
the American Legion in Charles
Town and was one of the foun~lers
and most ardent supporters of
the Legion baseball team which
operated in Charles Town for
many years after World War II.
For some 60 years he had been
a member of the Charles Town
Asbury United Methodist Church,
a former member of the executive
beard of~*~the church and also a
membefi of the usher board of
the church. He also had ~or yu~s,
been a member of the BlUe Lodge
of the Masonic order, and at the
time of his death directing for
the Jefferson County Court, work
on a sanitary landfill for jeffer-
son County.
HOWARD L. SECHRIST
Surviving are his widow, Mrs.
Frances Bradley Sechrist, at the
home on North Lawrence street,
Charles Town; a sister, Mrs.
Charles W. Fulk of Route 1,
Charles Town; and several nieces
and nephews.
Services will be held Saturday
afternoon at 2 p. m. from the
Charles Town Asbury United
Methodist Church by the Rev-
erend J. Lee Williams, pastor,
assisted by the Reverend Russell
J. Urquhart, pastor of the Charles
Town Baptist Church. Burial will
be in Edge Hill Cemetery.
The remains are at the Melvin
T. Strider Colonial Funeral Home
in Ranson where friends will be
received Friday evening 7-9 and
then be taken to the church Sat-
urday at noon for services.
Active bearers will be J. Robert
Cain, Herbert McDaniel, Hen~
[Sny ~er, C~orge Crim, Charl~
I and E. Sam:
]HeCkle, the later four members
{of the Jefferson County Court.
V Honorary bearers will be mere-
{ bets of the Charles Town Council
{and the official board of the
{ Methodist Church.
Another first will be establish- membership fee and would truly
ed by Pepple's Bank of Charles provide him with dollar power,
Town, when it initiates Bank as well as, a better way in which
Americard, a credit card with
local, national and international
acceptability.
According to People's Bank
officials, BankAmericard will be
made available to merchants and
residents throughout Jefferson
County. BankAmericard is the
first local credit plan to provide
merchants and consumers with
.both national and international
credit privileges. They added that
many larger, metropolitan banks
are considering the use of bank
credit cards as one major ele-
ment of the banking industry's
m~vement towards the "check-
less" or "cashless society, and
that banks of all sizes are beginn
hag to formulate plans consistent
with ,this trend.
Banks that have adopted bank-
o~ented credit plans found; them
to be practical and profitable to
~onsumers and merchants ~alike.
For the Participating merchaht,
the l~ankAmericard virtually e]i-
ninates all of his credit accounts,
credit risks and collection pro-
blems, because through this plan,
the bank assumes these respon-
sibilities.
Through BankAmericard, the
individual customer is extended
a line of credit and is able to
utilize fiis credit card at all part-
icipating merchants, local, across
the country, and abroad. The cus-
tomer then receives only one
monthly statement from the bank,
and he may pay the entire amount
or defray his account through
small monthly statements. Since
BankAmericard is honored by
such a large number of diverse
establishments, it is possible for
the customer to eliminate a num-
ber of his credit cards and charge
accounts that are acceptable by
only one location or particular
business. This gives the customer
greater control over his personal
family finances.
People's Bank officials pointed
out that the decision to enter the
BankAmericard program was
made after a great deal of re-
search and investigation"
"We felt that we must provide
our area merchants and residents
with a bank-oriented credit plan
that had the advantage of local,
national and international recept-
ion:
to handle routine family book-
keeping. We are certain that Bank
Americard is just such a plan.
There is certainly nothing else
like it here in Jefferson County.
In addition to retail purchases,
BankAmericard is also good for
instant loans referred to as "cash
advances." The cardholder can
present his BankAmericard to any
teller at People's Bank and re-
ceive an instant loan, without
red tape, without an interview,
and with no lengthy forms to fill
out.
According to People's Bank,
there are. a number of additional
enhancements to the BankAmeri-
card program which will be ann-
ounced at later dates.
New Emergency Number
Listed In Diredory
Announcement was made this
week by the Jefferson County
Volunteer Firemen's Association
that because of the lncreese in
the number of calls, another
emergency number for the pub-
lie's use In calling the Jefferson
County Communication Center
has been added to the listings
in the new directory of the
General Telephone Company.
The new listing number which
the public should call is 725.
8484.
J. Kenneth Wrllingham, Civil
Defense Director for the County
said while the old number of
72~2121 is still going to be used,
it has not been listed in the new
telephone diret~ry.
Leetown PTA To Meet
Tuesday At School
The Leetown P. T. A. will meet
Tuesday night, October 21 at 7:30
P. M. at the School. Refreshments
will be served and there will be
a baby sitter available.
EXECUTOR SALE
Antiques and Modern furniture
SATURDAY OCT. 18 10:00 A. M.
The Estate of late Clyde Smith
1~ Whittier Ave Winchester,
Six Ruling Elders were elected
by the congregation of the Char-
les Town Presbyterian Church at
a meeting last Sunday.
Three of those elected have
never served before as Elders of
the Charles Town Church. Mx.
Charles L. Van Haelen of S~an.
nondale, who became a member
of the ,local congregation in 1968,
has served as an Elder of the
C h e s e r b r o o k Presbyterian
Church, F~lls Church, Va. Mr.
Charles P. Ritter, another new
member of the Charles Town
Church formerly served ~ an
Elder of the First Presbyterian
Church of Winchester. V&
The one new member who has
not ,previously served as an E1.
der is Mrs. Joseph A. Warren.
feltz, who is also the third
woman elected to this high office
in the local Presbyterian Church.
L~st year Mrs. A. O. Albin, now
deceased, and Mrs. N. Clark Furr
became the first ever elected as
Elders by this congregation. T~he
remaining Elders elected have
,reviously served in this capacity
and will be welcomed back to
active duty in January, 1970.
They are Donald W. Rhodes. J.
Elbert Solenberger and Charles
H. Strider, Jr all well known
citizens of Charles Town.
Sunday, October 19, the .cong-
regation will proceed to the elect.
ion of Deacons to rel~ace ,the
present class which concludes i~
three year term at ~he end of
1969.
In the Presbyterian Church all
officers, including Pastors, Ruling
Elders and Deacons, are elected
by vote of the congregation in a
form Of representative govern.
ment which dates back over 400
years.
Charles Town ffospitat
H we en Pars&
allo
i The ,Charles. Town General
Hospital will offer two $5 prizes
in the masquerader competition
of the annual Charles Town Hal-
Iowe'en parade.
The prizes will be awarded ~o
the boy and girl judged the most
original in doctor's and nurse's
costumes.
Hospital Administrator Harry
Harner said he hoped that the
awards might stimulate youthful
interest in the hospital and the
medical profession, and per&aps
encourage some of the boys and
girls to enter one of the many
fields of medicine,
The hospital plans ~ have
three units in the parade with the
current fund-raising camapaign
as the theme.
Robed Funkhouser, Jr.
~b
Heading Industrial
6ifts For New Hospital
ROBERT J, FUNKHOUSER, JR.
Chairman of the Indugtrial
Gifts Divisiou of the $1,000,000
Charles Town Hospital building
fund campaign is Robert J.
Funklmuser, Jr.
Mr. Funkhouser ,ks vice~presi-
dent and director of operations
of Amorican Kem-Co Corporat.
ion. He came to Ranson this year
from Hager~own ,Md. where he
was vice,president and general
sales manager of Victor Produqts
Corporation. ~" ~" "
A gradua,te of .The HiU School
in Pottstown, Pa and Washing-
ton & Lee University, Mr. Ftrnk-
houser taught for three years at
The Collegiate Sehools in Rich-
mond, Va. He also coached foot-
ball, track .and soccer.
Currently Mr. Funkhouser is
secretary4reasurer of the West
Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders
Association and is on the exec-
utive board of the Shenandoah
Boy Sco ttt Council. He is 'a past
officer of the Jefferson Junior
Chamber of Commerce.
Chairman Funkhouser said,
"Everyone, businesses as well as
individuals, must indicate aware-
ness of civic responsibility, by
rgsponding generously ~ to this
once-in-a-lifetime appeal. It is for
the benefit .of all that this new
facility has been planned and is
now on the verge of reality, and~
we must all suppor~ R."
Mrs. F. L. Bushong, Mrs. James man's Club .of Charles Town The
Watson, Jr. members of the Jeff- Junior Woman's Club of Charles
erson County Cancer Board Chap- Town, ,The ,Harper's Fe2ry Dis-
ter, Mrs. O. S. Bloom, president trict Woman s Club, and the Shep
and Mrs. Sterling Tenney, attend- herdsto.wn Woman s Club who
ed the state meeting held at have had much of the responsi-
Mount Chateau, Morgantown at bilityAnmembers serving as Vol-
which over. 200 delegates and unteers irt,-their areas and ,her
guests were present.~ deep .appreciation to all v01url-
The Jefferson County Unit was teers of Jefferson County wh0~
paid a high tribute when it was have become envolved.
presented a plaque for it's out
standing work in Crusade educat- Sophomores To Hold
ion and assistance in Cancer Con-
trol work. Okey L. Patterson, for- Car
Wash Saturday
mer Governor of West Virginia,
and State Crusade Chairman, pre-
sented Mrs. Bloom who has serv-
ed as county Crusade chairman
for the past 15 years, with a pla-
que at the awards dinner which
was one of the highlights of the
state meeting. The plaque read
with sincere appreciation for loy-
al support in the Cancer Control
work in West Virginia. These
awards will be placed on display
in the Bank of ~Jharles Town.
Much information was given on
Cancer Control and Cure at the
meeting. There were two morn-
ing sessions" which were spent on
educational workshops, these rot-
ating groups hearing many speak
ers from the American Cancer
Society.
James P. Carey, M. D. of Hunt:
ington, was elected President of
American Cancer Society. Dr.
Carey replaces Dr, Vernon Duck-
well of Elkins who has served as
l~e. sident for th.e- past t WO years:
The Sophomore Class of Char,
les Town High School will spon-
sor a 'car wash Saturday, October
18th, at Ashcraft's 'Gulf Station
across from Jefferson County
Motoi's. The h0ur~ are. 9:00 --
5:00. Prices will be $1.50 for the
outside and $2 for both inside
and outside.
Considerable eioudiness with
highs in the mid 60S and the
chance of a few showers today.
Partly cloudy and rather windy
tonight and Friday. Lows tonight
in the mid 40s. Cooler Friday
with highs in the upper f~s.
Winds becoming southerly 5 to 10
MPH today and northwesterly 10
to 20 MPH tonight and Friday.
The probability of rain is 30 per
The Jefferson County Board of
Education has filed a petition in
Jefferson County Circuit Court
appealing, the minimum labor
rates as established far Jefferson
County in connection with school
construction work by the Mini-
mum Wage Rate Board of the
State Department of I~bor.
J~hn C. Skinner, Jr former
Prosecuting Attorney of Jeff co-
son Coffrtty~ who ,has been repre-
semting the School Board in the
wage discussions since the new
wage rates were announced some
months ago, told the Board Tues-
day night at it's regular semi-
monthly meeting that he filed
such an appeal claiming the base
rates as established, are unreal-
istic and should be reduced.
Schools Superintendent T. A.
Lowery said ,he did not know how
soo~ the Court would act on the
appeal.
And in line with the major
building and improvemen~ pro,
gram which is already underway,
the Board instructed John Pick-
ett, architect for the building
pr6gram, to include in the plan-
ning for bids an the three con.
solidated elementary schools ani~
the new county-wide high school
price costs on both oil and ele~
tric heat so tha~ the board migh
determine which would be the
most feasible from an economic
and service standpoint.
The board also expressed su, p-
port for efforts now being made
to promote proper .condu~ and
behaviors by all persons attend-
ool sz azsored, event
and authorized the barring of
such viol~tor~ from~ att~ce at
all such~events. The board fur-
ther st[16utated it would support
prosecution of such violators
where acts wottld justify prose-
cution.
NEW POLICY" ADOPTED
A new policy on student preg-
nancy was also adopted by the
Board, which requires ~hat a
student who becomes pregnant
be withdrawn from school during
the 5th to 7th month of preg-
nancy and ,that homebound in-
structions will be provided for
those who desire it during any
)eriod of absence from school.
The cost of such instruction will
be paid for by the studen~ or her
family. The old policy .~f the
Board on pregnancy excluded a
student from attending school at
any period of pregnancy Under
the new policy the student may
return to school anytime a~ter
six weeks,after pregnancy has
.been .terminated with permission
of her doctm.
,In other board matter~ Mrs.
Judy Wese of Shepherdstown,
who win be graduated from Shep-
herd College in January, was ap-
pointed to become, librarian at
Charles Town High School at the
start of the second semester of
the current school term.
The Board also approved Che
operation of after school hours of
driver education classes to meet
the field requirements from the
standpoint of control operational
experience and observation.
A' request was gr-,mted by the
Boa.rd from the Cha, rles Town
Kiwanis Club to use the Wright
Denny School cafeteria for their
annual pahcake supper to be held
November 13. Also approved was
a request from a Shepherdstown
group for ehe use of the gymnas-
iur0 at. Shepherdstown High
School for a class in self-defense
and karate with Nathan Rhodes
of Shepherdstown to be in
charge.
The Board also approved, a re-
quest from a group interested in
the possible promotion of Midget
League football for the Charles
Town-hanson area for permiss-
ion to circulate a questionnaire
in the Wright Denny School to
determine whether there is suf-
ficient interest in such a pro.
gram. The Board stipulated, how-
ever, t,h~t the questionnaire make
it clear that the .school board,
nor the school is promoting the
l~rojeet and the questionnaire al-
so be directed to parents of the
children for their signature and
not the children.
Appointments made by the
Board were Mrs. Fan~y Costetlo
and Mrs. Emma Slusher, as ,sub-
stitu~e cooks at the Ranson Ele-
mentary school; and Mrs. Vir-
gima Newman, Mrs. Sara Monta.
gue, Mrs. Maxine Diehl, as sub-
stRu~e teaeh.ers and Mr: Francis
