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Clarksburg Exponent
May 7, 1960

Lyndon Johnson Day to Be Observed Here

Senate Leader Will Address Demo Banquet

Noted Texan to Come To Harrison County to Assist With Fund-Raising

Today will be Lyndon B. Johnson Day in Clarksburg as the noted "son of Texas" and Majority Leader of the United States Senate comes to Clarksburg to help the Harrison County Democratic Executive Committee raise funds for the November election.

The internationally-respected statesman will arrive here about 3:15 o'clock this afternoon, shortly after his special plane reaches Benedum Airport near Bridgeport from Pittsburgh. Senator Johnson spoke Friday night in East Liverpool, Ohio, but Pittsburgh was the closest that his plane could get to the Ohio city and his air trip here therefore will be from Pittsburgh today.

Harrison County Democratic Chairman Ben B. Stout made known Friday night that the Johnson dinner is a sell-out or a near sell-out, but that it is possible that a few unsold tickets will be turned in today and will be available from Mrs. Keister, associate Harrison County Democratic Chairman at the courthouse.

The banquet will get under way sharply at 6 p. m. at the Masonic Temple, where the Ladies of the Eastern Star will serve the meal to the approximately 400 persons present. Shortly after the dinner, Senator Johnson, his staff members, and a group of newspaper and magazine writers accompanying him will leave by plane for Washington.

The day will be a red-letter occasion in Clarksburg, for Lyndon B. Johnson rates as the third most important man in the Nation and there are those who classify him as the Nation's most important man so far as legislative matters are concerned.

"I anticipate a terrific crowd and I hope that we can take care of everyone," Chairman Stout declared in discussing the final arrangements for the banquet.

The County Chairman said that Senator Johnson wants in emphasized that he isn't here to interfere in the presidential race as it affects the West Virginia primary, but that he is here solely to help the Democratic Party and to help Harrison County Democrats with their fund-raising. He will have absolutely no part in the West Virginia presidential primary.

Arrangements for Senator Johnson's appearance here were actually started in April, 1959, by Chairman Stout, and the final date was worked out in the fall of 1959. Thus it may be seen that the appearance of the Senator here is in no way connected with the presidential primary.

Chairman Stout said that Senator Johnson's plane will reach Benedum Airport in mid-afternoon and that he will go immediately to the Stonewall Jackson Hotel for a brief public reception in the Dixie Room. A press conference will be held at 4:15 p. m.

O. B. (Bill) Lloyd of Austin, Texas, a member of Senator Johnson's staff, had arrived here Friday evening.

Senator Johnson's importance in the fields of government and politics may be shown in the fact that more than a score of newspapermen and newspapermen [sic] will accompany him here.

Among those on the Johnson plane will be Larry Winship of the Boston Globe, Bill Segrist of the U. S. News and World Report, Bob Novak of the Wall Street Journal; Sarah McClendon, who represents several Texas, Arkansas, and other Midwest papers, and often asks President Eisenhower embarrassing questions; Bob Baskin of The Dallas News, Jim Mathis of the Houston Post, Roy Calvin of Business Week, Bob Vermillon of New Week, Bob Albright of the Washington Post; Holmes Alexander, a syndicate writer in Washington and a former Clarksburger; and Ed. Jamison of the Basom-Timmons News Bureau in Washington.

In addition, Herb Little of the Charleston bureau of the Associate Press is also here, as is Staff Member Norton of the Baltimore Sun, Wayne Phillips of The New York Times, Bill Evans of The Fairmont Times, Walker Long and George H. Clark of The Huntington Advertiser, and various other press representatives are expected.

Chairman Stout emphasized that the banquet will start promptly at 6 p. m. in order that there may be no delay in Senator Johnson's return to Washington, where he must attend to pressing matters of government.

At 7 p. m. the balcony of the Masonic Temple will be opened without charge to persons not at the banquet and desiring to hear Senator Johnson. Chairman Stout emphasized, however, that no one will be admitted to the balcony prior to 7 p. m.

U. S. Senator Jennings Randolph, a native of Harrison County, will serve as toastmaster for the banquet, and John Amos of Charleston, Democratic National Committeeman for West Virginia will introduce Senator Johnson.

Among those in the audience will be U. S. Senator Hubert H. Humphrey of Minnesota, a candidate for President in the West Virginia primary and Franklin D. Roosevelt Jr., representing Senator John F. (Jack) Kennedy, also a candidate for President. Present will be many State and County candidates.

One of Lyndon Johnson's earliest memories is of being hustled out of a warm bed into a cold morning.

"Get up!" Sam Johnson would call to his sleeping son. "Get up! Every boy in town has an hour's head start on you already."

Those words of a firm father still echo in the mind of Lyndon Johnson - a man who believes in getting up early and working late.

The value and necessity of work was learned early in life. When most boys his age were hunting squirrels in the valley of the Pedernales River, Lyndon Johnson, at nine, was shining shoes in the lone barber shop boasted by his hometown of Johnson City.

He finished high school at 15. The old problem, an immediate need for money, confronted him. Starting at a wage of $1.00 a day, he went to work on a road-building gang. Then, responding to an itching foot, the lanky youth moved west. He worked his way to California by taking odd jobs as an elevator operator, a car washer, and handyman in a cafe.

Back home, he returned to his road-building job. But, by then, "it became increasingly apparent to me that there was something to this idea of higher education," he once remarked.

He hitch-hiked to San Marcos where he enrolled at Southwest State Teachers College and got a job as a janitor at the school. He sold hosiery door-to-door and between times worked as secretary to the college president.

But money was short. He was forced to drop out of school for almost a year. During this period, he taught school in a small South Texas town. Here, his first pay check went to pay for athletic equipment bought for underprivileged Latin-American students.

At the age of 22 - just three and one-half years after he arrived at the college - Lyndon Johnson received his Bachelor of Science degree.

That was in 1930. He has maintained the same pace ever since.

Born August 27, 1908, in a farm house a few miles from the town that bears his family name, Johnson received his early education in the public schools at Johnson City.

He joined the faculty of a Houston High school - where he taught public speaking and debate - after graduation from college, Johnson left this work to become secretary to Congressman Richard M. Kleberg. In Washington, he found time at night to attend classes at Georgetown University Law School.

Opportunity to return to Texas arose in 1935 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Johnson state administrator of the National Youth Administration. Then, in 1937, and after being hailed as one of the outstanding NYA administrators in the nation, Johnson resigned to win over a field of nine other candidates a race for the Congressional seat made vacant by the death of James P. Buchanan of Brenham.

With the outbreak of World War II, Johnson - as a member of the Naval Reserve - became the first member of Congress to enter active duty.


Senator Humphrey to Speak Today From Courthouse Steps

Senator Hubert H. Humphrey will be given a hero's welcome today when he makes his first Clarksburg appearance since announcing his candidacy for President of the United States.

The Democratic Senator arrives by campaign bus in Clarksburg at 3:45 this afternoon, and will be met at the South edge of town - at the junction of Routes 19-50 - by a Grand Parade.

He will be accompanied into Clarksburg by his wife Muriel and two of his four children, Bobby and Douglas, all of whom visited here in Clarksburg a few feeks [sic] ago.

The Jane Lew High School band will lend an air of festivity to the parade, which will take Senator Humphrey through town to the Courthouse steps, where he will make his first address in the area. The address is scheduled for 4 p. m.

Following his address from the Courthouse steps, the Democratic Presidential candidate will make a street tour of the city, shaking hands and greeting Saturday afternoon shoppers.

Another highlight of Senator Humphrey's visit here today will be an appearance this evening at the COPE-sponsored pre-election dance at 9 p. m. at Moose Hall.

Also the Senator will join Sen. Lyndon Johnson tonight as a speaker at Clarksburg's Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner at 6 p. m. at the Masonic Temple.

Senator Humphrey - who returned to West Virginia yesterday afternoon after rushing back to Washington to cast his approval of an area redevelopment bill - has been named the United State's Senate's greatest orator, in a straw poll taken among fellow members of that body, his headquarters here said.

His appearance here in Clarksburg - the final one to Northern West Virginia before Tuesday's primary - comes fresh on the heels of a convincing primary victory in the District of Columbia last Tuesday.


Sen. Kennedy to Be Honor Guest in City on Sunday

United States Senator John F. (Jack) Kennedy of Massachusetts, a candidate for President of the United States in the West Virginia primary on Tuesday, May 10, will return to Clarksburg on Sunday.

Senator Kennedy, who has scores of personal friends here as a result of his own earlier visit here and visits here by his brothers, Bob and Ted, will be accompanied by his charming wife.

A public reception honoring Senator and Mrs. Kennedy will be held at 3:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon at the Stonewall Jackson Hotel, and Senator and Mrs. Kennedy will be introduced by Harrison County Democratic Chairman Ben B. Stout.

The decision of Senator Kennedy to return to Clarksburg on Sunday, only two days before the West Virginia primary, shows the importance he attaches to the Central West Virginia vote. An enthusiastic crowd of several hundred persons greeted him here a few weeks ago when he spoke during a 9 a. m. coffee hour, also at the Stonewall Jackson.

Senator Kennedy will give a short address during the reception here, and every person present will have the opportunity to shake hands with him and Mrs. Kennedy, and to chat with them. The presence of Mrs. Kennedy will be of special interest to the women voters of the area.

The crowd which greets Senator Kennedy here will come from several counties of Central West Virginia, and it is expected that many State candidates also will be present at that time. The reception, however, is especially in honor of Senator and Mrs. Kennedy, his headquarters here emphasized.


Mrs. Howard Guest in City

Mrs. Frances Humphrey Howard of Towson, Maryland, a sister of U. S. Senator Hubert H. Humphrey, campaigned Friday in Clarksburg in behalf of her brother's candidacy for President of the United States, and she will remain here today.

Mrs. Howard arrived here late Friday afternoon by airplane and she is a guest at the Stonewall Jackson Hotel.

Last night the [she] visited the National Carbon plant, where she conversed with many workers during a shift change.

Mrs. Howard was pleased with Clarksburg and she quickly made new friends here.

As part of her activities today, she wil[l] serve coffee on the courthouse plaza.


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