VOL. LX, NO. 51. . BOONE, WATAUGA COlftlTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 1948.
FIVE CENTS A COPY
J
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ROB RIVERS
i
, THERE ARE TIMES, whan the
folks who must get out each day
sfhd "hit the ball" come fair wea
ther or foul, get just a bit tired,
and occasionally take a look over
their shoulder to "the good old
days" . . . the days when the tem
po of life was less exacting, when
folks had little and wanted no
great riches ... when gasoline
and automibles and income tax,
and fancy gadgets hadn't come
around . . . when life was simple,
work hard, and when the need of
any great amount of money had
n't been felt. . . .and when the
whole scheme of living was far
less complex than today
Those who like to take an occas
ional peek down the long road
back, will no doubt enjoy a story
in last week's "State" by E. E.
Patton . . . Everybody ought to
read the State, but since quite
naturally everybody doesn't, we
quote the story "I want to Go
Back" in full:
? ? ?
I HAVE LIVED in the heal
and dirt and smoke of this man
made town until I am ready to
scream. I have heard the bray
ing of horns and jackass politi
cians until I want to get back
on the farm and hear the bray
of a real simon-pure jackass.
The change would be sweet mu
sic to my ears. Hare the land
is all klverad with bricks and
concrete and the hearts of ma
ny of the peopla are as hard
and flinty as the sidewalks.
? ? ?
. Yes, I want to go back to the
country where the air is soft and
pure, where the neighbors will
come in and "set up" with the
sick and l\elp dig a grave and
shovel the dirt on their depart
ed friends, dropping a genuine
tear of regret at their passing,
where they go to meetin' and
pitch the tune with a tunin' fork
and sing through their noses with
I the spirit and fervor of the faith
ful. All church services were held
at "early candlelight" if in the
evening.
I want to trim the lamp wicks
again and fill the lamps with oil,
or ile, carried from a country
store in a can with an Irish tater
stuck in the spout ... I want to
eat some food cooked on the old
step-stove ? the old iron-witch
stove ? sweet taters baked in an
oven on the "ha'th" over hickory
and red oak coals. I want to see
the small boy swing the fly brush
to keep the pesky devils offen
the table. And right here, it might
be said that a family rated ac
cording to the kind of a fly brush
it had. The very poor used a limb
cut from a mulberry tree; the
middle class had one cut out of
newspapers; the upper crust rich
had one made of a peafowl's tail;
that family rated, and rated high,
brother.
? ? ?
I want to go back where all
of the common every-day tow
els were made of salt sacks and
where there was one "stora"
towel which was put out only
when the preacher came. I want
to see the man of the house
take his table knife of chiliad
steel and whet it on his fork
tines befere he carved the sow
belly that had been cooked with
the *)!???. Did yon ever eat
asy lye hominy or "shuck"
beans? If not you have never
really lived] you have merely
existed ... I want to see the
housewife reach into the salt
gourd and get a pinch or two
of salt to season the beans and
taters. And who has not seen
the "saff soap put in a terra
pin's shell, with grandpa's ini
tials cut on the side?
? ? ?
Let's go into the big house and
set by the fire* and see the old
fashioned dog irons and the iron
shovel and tongs, made in the
country blacksmith shop. And did
ye ever see yer daddy heat the
old shovel, on a bitter, cold day,
and bold H in front of the old
Seth Thomas clock to thaw out
the frown oil so the old timepiece
rcmld go on ticking off the hours?
And do you remember the old
lawirt ea the beck doorsiU
when they had no clock? There
was no such thing as daylight sa
ving time then; they got up at
three o'clock in the morning and
went to bed at seven unless it
was apple butter makin' time;
then they stayed up till around
eight.
? ? e ?
BUT THE PARLOR was the
sacred piece; there was whare
all the sperkin' was done; there
waa the bed the preacher slept
(Contnued on page 4)
MUSCOVITES AT ELECTION
When Signora Ida Einawdi. wlfa of President Luigi of Italy, gave
her first official wgrtton as Italy's first lady recently . Ambassador
and Mrs. Michael KostUsr of the Soviet union, ware among the
guests. They are shewn, posing, while a king-size guard stands
stiffly at salute.
Isaacs Named President
Junior Commerce Body
AFL LEADER
Richard Gray, president of th?
building and construction trad**
union. A. F. L. who predict* that
?xp< ration of miafoKi shop
contracts in August will bring de
lay in tha housing program unlaas
tha Taft-Hartley law's union shop
?taction procedure is halted.
Kelly New Head
Of Legion Post
Richard E. Kelly, was named
commander of the Watauga Post,
American Legion, at the meeting
held last Friday evening. Other
officers named were:
Custer Wallace, first vice-com
mander: Lee Reynolds, second
vice-commander; R D. Hodges,
Jr., third vice-commander; Fred
M. Gragg, adjutant; Cleve Gross,
finance officer; Lionel Ward, ser
vice officer; Wade E. Brown,
guardianship; Jack Ward. Ser
geant-at-arms; Wilson Norris,
Chaplain; Edwin Dougherty, his
torian; John H. Hollar, athletic of
ficer.
Retiring officers include Wade
E. Brown Commander, and Joe
Huffman, adjutant.
Legion Team In
Aonlher Victory
Coach John Hollar's boys won
their fourth straight game of the
season at Black Mountain last
Thursday by a score of 10-2. Big
Carlock Greene fireballed his
way to his fourth straight win
and came through at bat with
three booming triples.
This Thursday Boone takes on
Newland at the College Field at
3 o'clock. The public* is invited to
come out and support the team.
Sgt. Hollifield
Rites Next Friday
The body of Sgt J B Holli
field, who was killed at Sal pan
July 9, 1M4, will be returned to
the home at Blowing Rock Friday
and funeral servicts will be con
ducted at the Baptist church
there Friday at 2 o'clock. 0
Rev. Mr. Harris will be in
charge of the rites. Full military
honors will be conferred by the
Blowing Rock Pott of the Ameri
can Legion. Interment will be in
the Legion plot in the Blowing
Rock cemetery."
Latin-American nations smile
on Franco regime in Spain.
New Organization is Formed
Under Sponsorship of
Twin City Group.
The young business and pro
fessional men of Watauga county
formed the Boone Junior Cham
ber of Commerce,, Tuesday night,
June 8, under the sponsorship of
the Winston-Salem Junior Cham
ber of Commerce and personal
director of Mr. Len Leonard,
president of that organization.
Tuesday niffht the Boone Jay
cees adopted their constitution
and by-laws to the constitution
and elected officers to serve for
the coming year. They voted to
hold "Membership Enrollment
Night" Tuesday night, June 22 at
which time all qualified men de
siring to become charter mem
bers will be given the op
portunity to do so. This meeting
will climax ? tremendous mem
bership drive being conducted by
all persons attending the last
meeting.
Officers elected for tha coming
year are as follows: President,
Lloyd Isaacs; vice-president.
Perry Greene; secretary, Fred
Grbgg; treasurer. Olan Good
night; state director, Bill Damer
on; board of directors, two year
term, Joe Williams, Dr. John
Martin. R. D. Hodges, Jr.; one
year term, Palmer Blair, James
Storie and Jerry Coe.
Noted Boys' Choir
lo Appear at Rock
The Boys' Choir of Charlotte
will present a consert at the First
Baptist Church in Blowing Rock
on Sunday night,' June 20, at 8
o'clock. This choir is composed
of sixty boys and is sponsored by
the Rotary Club of Charlotte. The
stop at Blowing Rock will end
their tour this season. The gr&ip
will come to Blowing Rock
from Brevard, where they have
been entejed in the Transly
vania Music Camp. The choir
has traveled extensively in the
Eastern states.
Mr. Larry Walker, music
director of WBT, Charlotte, will
preside over the program and
render several selections.
The public is cordially invited
to attend this concert.
ATOM CANNON
The world's most powerful
atomic cannon of its type will be
built at Los Angeles, N. M. It
will be an electrostatic accelera
tor capable of firing nuclear pro
jectiles at energies up to 12,000,
000 ? and in special cases, 30,000,
000 ? electron volts. The new tool
will be at least three times more
powerful than any other "atom
smasher" of its kind in existence,
will cost $2,000,000 and take two
jyears to build.
LEPER COLONY
The island of Tinian, in the
Marshall Islands, has been select
ed by the Navy as the site of a
proposed leper colony for Pacific
Island natives. Tinian, which is
110 miles north of the Guam
Naval base, is inhabited at pre
sent by 275 persons and is the
site of a commercial farming
projcct. The island's area is about
40 square miles.
Eighty-six calves were entered
in the 1948 Piedmont Fat Stock
Show and sale, held in Greens
boro. ,
ALL STAR GAME
MAIN EVENT OF
ISPORTSSEASQN
Diamond Event on July 3 To!
Be Local Attraction of Hol
iday Period; Players to Be
Picked From Ten Teams in
Watauga County.
John Hollar, Watauga County
Baseball League President an
nounces plans for a county
league all-star game to be play
ed at the college field in Boone,
July 3rd. The game which will
pit the East against the West
will give the fans a chance to
see the cream of the crop in
action all at once. The East
teams of the county will consist
of Bamboo, Blowing Rock, Oak
Grove, Rich Mtn., and Elk.
While the West will have Boone
Mabel, Ward's, Foscoe, and Cove
Creek to pick from.
Each squad will have sixteen
men on it's roster and so divided
that each team will be assured of
at least two men on it. The two
top teams in each division will
have the priviledge of furnish
ing five men each and the three
low teams will be allowed two
places each.
After the games on Saturday,
June 26th. The league standings)
will be used to determine the
places of the teams for the pick
ings. The team leading in the
East and West respectively on
this date will automatically
furnish the managers for the all
star game.
Paul Hagaman
Funeral Tuesday
Funeral services were conduct
ed from the Boone Baptist Church
Tuesday afternoon at 3 o'clock,
for staff Sergeant Paul D. Haga
man, 25, son of Mrs. El^ie Haga
man and the late Mr. Hagaman
of Boone, who died of wounds re
ceived in a plane crash in India
February 13, 1945.
Sgt. Hagaman had been in the
army for two years at the time of
the fatal accident, and was radio
operator on a cargo plane.
Rev. J. C. Canipe, Dr. W. G.
Bond and Rev. E. F. Troutman,
were in charge of the services,
and members of the American le
gion took part in the graveside
rites in the city cemetery. *
Sergeant Hagaman is survived
by his mother; one sister, Mrs.
W. F. Miller, Jr., and one brother,
Mr. Ted Hagaman of Boone.
BRIEF NEWS
Holland warned of prospects
of early rubber surplus.
Argentine declines to fix wheat
price for Marshall Plan buying.
Communists are said to fear to
attack Muken, Manchuria.
World surplus of grains is in
dicated for 1948-49 crops.
CIO reports 400,000 members
gained by drive in the South.
Outpost in Alaska is strength
ened by the Army.
Defense work to "take up the
slack" in metal plants.
Mail order and chain stores
made best showing in 1947.
New Italian Government sur
vives two Communist attacks.
Pre-military training ordered
for Yugoslav boys and girls.
Russia halves Finland's re
maining reparations bill.
"Liberation" army of 500,000
displaced persons proposed.
Australia gives $800,000 wool
to Poland; military use barred.
Salesmen oppose any rise in
railroad fare rates.
Miss Sugjp tops Miss Donald
1 up for British golf crown.
Washington reporters, polled,
pick Vandenberg for President.
Brannan is sworn in as Secre
tary of Agriculture.
Reserve Review says U. 8. in
dustry absorbed war industries.
Clay hails rise in German
trade; lays it to dollar exports.
Soviet dismantling 19 plants in
zone, affecting 70,000 workers.
Marshall Field sees threat of
"epidemic" of fear.
NEW HOUSING
The Commerce Department re
ports that the building boom con
tinues with a total of 257,000
new housing units of permanent
type started in the January
May period, topping the number
in past year's first four months
by 92,000. New starts in April
were 90,000, up 20,000 from
March.
HONORED IN RESEARCH
President Truman presents the mtdil for merit, with bronao Oak
Leaf clu?l*r. to Dr. Vannarar Bush, chairman of th* rmarch and
dtrtlocmtn] board, and Dr. Jamas B. Conani. right, of th* geoec
al advisory committee, U. S. atomic energy commission. Tho dec
orations war* awarded to tho scientists for their outstanding work
in the field of atomic research.
Boone Schools to Open
Summer Terms Tuesday
MAKES DENIAL
Rap. Vlto Mtrcintonlo J ALP. N.
Y.) daniad that he waa following
tha "communist llna" in oppos
ing tha ang-cosnmunist bill. Mar
cantonio, taatifying on tha Mundt
Nixon maasure before tha aanata
judiciary committaa. said that U.
S. communists "dafinitaly ara not
undar tha inlluanca of Moscow."
Ha is shown above.
Enrollment At
College Is 1,045
One thousand and forty-five stu
dents had registered for the first
summer term at Appalachian
State Teachers College up until
noon yesterday, information from
the office of Registrar H. R. Eg
gers indicated .and it was stated
that registrations were virtually
complete.
One hundred and ninety stud
ents were said to have enrolled
in the newly-established graduate
school.
Alll the space in the dormitories
had been reserved well in ad
vance of the opening of the term,
and a number of students are be
ing housed in the town. In spite
of the housing shortage, it is said,
relatively few students cancelled
their reservations.
Home Agents to
Hold School
Home Demonstration Agents
from nine Western North Caro
lina counties will meet in Boone
on Wednesday, June 16th, for an
agents training school. Mrs.
Pauline Hotchkiss, Western Dis
trict Agent, Mias Nita Orr, ex
tension home economist in food
conservation, and Mr. Fred Sloan,
extension program planning
specialist, all from State College
station, Raleigh, will be in
charge of the one day meeting.
I Agents are expected from the
following counties for this meet
ing: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery,
Burke, McDowell, Madia on,
Mitchell, Yancey and Watauga.
WORLD GRAIN
The first estimate of the ex
portable world supplies of bread,
grains, wheat and rye, indicate
for the first time since the war,
a world surplus of grains above
restricted needs. The estimate
made by Dr. Julius Hirach and
Mrs. Erith Hirsch, economists.
Indicates that the volume of
these grains available for export
may amount to or be in excess
of 920,000,000 bushels, with an
effective demand under preeent
policies of 875,000,000 to 900,000,
000.
Both Elementary and High
Schools Are to Conduct
Summer Terms
The summer term of the local
high school will open on June 22
at 9 o'clock. This term will run
through August 13, a period of
eight weeks.
The faculty for this summer
term is as follows: Ben Simpson,
principal; Mrs. H. C. Tripp,
mathematics; Miss Faye"McCarty,
science; Miss Evelyn Montgo?
mery, modern language; John
Lovegrove, history; Mrs. John
Lovegrove, English; Mrs. Walter
Hawkinson, commerce; and Mis|
Margaret Mclntyre, Librarin.
Any persons interested in tak<
ing extra high school work may
enroll in this term.
Boone Demonstration School
also opens for the summer term
Tues. June 22 at 9:00. Grades 1
through 7 will be open to those
who wish to attend. The fee in
the elementary school will be $1
'for the term. Two school buses
will operate for those who live
out of town. One bus will go to
Popular Grove, Hodges Gap, Pri
son Camp, Sands, Perkinsville,
New River bridge, Dam, and
Winklers Creek. Those planning
to attend are requested to enroll
Tuesday.
Claud Farthing
Dies In Concord
Chas. Claude Farthing, 33, ton
of Mr. and Mrs. Charles C. Far
thing, of Boone, died at his home
in Concord last Sunday.
Funeral services were conduct
ed at the Methodist Church in
Boone Tuesday afternoon by Rev.
Mr. Davis of Mount Olive and
Rev. S. B. Moss, local pastor, and
interment was in the community
cemetery, Reins-Sturdivant being
in charge of the details.
Friends from Concord, Raleigh,
Greensboro and Baltimore were
amon gthose attending the rites.
Mr. Farthing was a graduate
of Appalachian State Teachers
College, and was a star performer
on the wrestling team during his
college career. At the time of his
death he was athletic coach at the
Odell High School, Concord.
The widow, the former Miss
Mary Alice Hopkins, survives.
There are two children, James
Lilly and Charles Claud III. The
parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Far
thing, survive, with 1 brother and
two sisters: Byron Farthing, Ruth
and Thelma Farthing of Boone.
Mrs. Bumgarner
Succumbs Sunday
Fuita-al rites for Mrs. Phoba
Jane Bumgarner, who died June
13, were held at Mt. Lebanon
Church, Vilas, on June 14, at 2:30.
Ministers in charge were Rev.
Rhonda Karp and Rev, Ben Wood.
Burial was In the Denner ceme
tery.
Phoba Jane Walls, the daughter
of James and Mary H. Walls was
born in Surry county August 14,
1M0. The greater part of her life
/as spent in Watauga county. Her
marriage was to Henry Bumgar
ner, who preceded her in death.
There were no children. She is
survivd by a brother, Richard
Walls of Vilas, and two sistwrs;
Mrs. Ida Earp, Vilas; and Mrs.
Sis Hartley, Valle Crucis. '
IRE A EXPANDS
SERVICE ASNEff
IUNES FINISHED
High Voltage Transmlssioa
Line Finished into Boone;
Bids Will Be Accepted on
500 Miles New Distribution
Lines to Serve New Homes.
Just recently the Blue Ridge
Electric Membership Corpora
tion completed its 44,000 volt
transmission Hne from Lenoir to
Boone and put into service its
new 1500 KW substation located
just north of Boone on the West
Jefferson highway. The comple
tion of this work brings adequate
electric power to all members in
Watauga county and make* It
possible to extend electric ser
vice to many more members who
are now waiting to-be connected.
This new transmission line also
provides adequate sources of
power for the town of Boone.
Should it become necessary, the
Cooperative is now in position to
furnish the town of Boone with
all its power needs.
Within the next few weeks the
Cooperative expects to call for
bids for the construction of 500
miles of new distribution line to
serve more than 1700 new con
sumers. The major portion of
this construction will be in Ashe
county although included in this
contract will be 58 miles of new
distribution line to serve more
than 300 members in Watauga
county. While this work will be
done by contract, Ahe Coopera
tive's crews located in Boone
will be busily engaged in extend
ing electric service to many more
members. In the last 12 months
the Cooperative extended elec
tric service to more than 642 new
members in Watauga county,
bringing the number of members
served in Watauga county to X
522.
Father Mrs. Hani
Dies in Chicago
I James C. Pyles, 59, father of
Mrs. Guy Hunt of Boone, died
suddenly in Chicago Wednesday
of l%$t week. A heart attack was
said to have been the cause of his
demise.
The body was returned to the
old Home at Huntington, W. Va.
where funeral services were held
last Saturday, Rev. Elijah Stev
ens, Baptist minister, being in
charge of the r^tes, and interment
was in the cemetry there.
, Mr. and Mrs. Guy Hunt of this
city, were present for the funeral.
The widow survives, with two
sons and two daughters: Robert,
Utica, N. Y.; Jack, New York, N.
Y.; Mrs. Tony Smid, New York,
and Mrs. Guy Hunt of Boone.
Baseball League
Play in the county baseball lea
gue promises to reach its height
this coming Saturday, as unde
feated Boone (Bert's) takes on un
defeated Bamboo in a crucial
game at the college field at 2 o'
clock. Both teams have come al
ong this far with unblemisheo
records and the game Saturday
will undoubtedly determine the
league leadership. According to
John Hollar, League president, <>
record breaking crowd is expect
ed to be on hand when these two
fighting teams tangle.. The game
will be played the following day
in case of rain.
In another affair, which should
have a bearing on league stand
ings, Blowing Rock goes to Wards
to tangle with the league's pit
cher who has chunked his team
to six straight wins.
Last Saturday's results:
Elk 5. Mabel *.
Ward's 5, Oak Grove 4 (play-off;
Ward's 7, Oak Grove 3.
Boone IS, Rich Mountain 1.
Bamboo 9, Blowing Rock 5.
Foecoe 6, Cove Crsek S.
This week's schedule, June 19:
Rich Mountain at Mabel; Blow
ing Rock at Ward's; Cove Crqek
at Elk; Foscoe at Oak Grove;
Bamboo at Boons (Bert's)
League standings:
W L %
Bamboo 6 0 1000
Boone (Bert's) ........ ? 0 1000
Ward's 0 0 1000
Blowing Rock _... 4 2 667
Fosooe 4 2 667
Elk 1 8 167
Mabel 1 8 167
Cove Creek 1 8 167
Oak Grove 1 8 167
Rich Mountain ~ 0 6 000
1 .* ri.. v -