WATAUGA DEMOCRAT
An Independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1 888
ty
VOL. LXI, NO. 48.
BOONE, WATAUC^ COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, MAY 26, 1949.
FIVE CENTS A COPY
KING STREET
BY
ROB RIVERS
CENTENNIAL officials con
tinuing hard work, looking to
the big celebration, which pro
mises to bring more folks to town
than have ever before gathered
here . . . Bearded men have con
tributed to centennial publicity
to a great degree, but the ladles,
with their sun bonnets are at
tracting a great deal more at
tention .... Bonnets, all sorts
of bonnets, are now being worn,
from the sombre black ones,
with the wide staves in the hood
to the dainty little dressy kinds
of light fluffy materials, with
bows and ruffles, and frills,
which are really becoming to
their owners . . . and no end of
Kublicity is accruing . . . Party of
[ichiganders, spending the week
end here, took right on to the
bonnet idea, and found out all
about the celebration . . . even
talked of returning for the big
event . . . Before they left town,
one of the ladies bought hei-sell
a handsome bonnet, which she
promised to use on her return
trip, while here husband, look
ing for something he might wear,
was informed there is time
a'plenty to get a fair amount of
whiskers on his chin by July . . .
Incidentally while the lady was
buying the Woman's Club bon
net, she noticed a dress she liked,
and a nice sale was made . . ,
Word is getting around, and a
lot of folks from far away places
will join in the fun come fourth
of July week.
? ? ?
T. L. MAST, who has bean
111 for several months, was iuf
ficiently improved the other
day to come to town and min
Bk for a while with his friends
on the Street . . . Coming from
a family of four merchants. Mr.
Mast conducted a general store
for more than forty years, hav
ing retired a few years ago . . .
Another brother. W. W. Mast,
has retired; Milton died a num
ber of years ago. while A C.
is the only one of thfc four
pioneer merchants still actively
engaged in his business . . . The
careers of the Mast brothers in
rural merchandising is one of
the sagas of Watauga county's
development.
TALE OF THE TIMES . . .
Rural resident emerging from
local store, greets us as we shuf
fle ?long the pavement . . .
"Came to town to buy some
equipment," said he, "costing
about two hundred dollars . . .
have the money in my pocket1
. .' . but the merchant tells mei
business is bad ? that there's a>
depression on the horizon ... If
that's so the item will soon be
selling for one hundred, instead!
of two . . . Guess he's right, I'll!
keep the money, let him keep the
merchundise. and when the bot
tom drops out, I'll set the price!" j
. . and the man went home, and
the merchant lost a sale . . .
Economists do not envision a de
pression . . . the stage isn't set
yet for a collapse . . . but busi
ness men can do a good bit to
ward promoting one.
ONE OF THOSE! GENER
OUS SOULS WKS commenting
to us other day about the
Illness of 'a neighbor . . . "He's
la bad shape, awfully bad
shape . . . Afraid there is little
chance of his recovery," said
the anxious one, "and I can't see
why 11 isn't me . . . I'm of no
particular use to the country,
while the sick man is valu
able." "You're a good guy too,"
we consoled . . . "Nope, says
he, "I'm not worth a damn,
just as mean as a striped snake,
and I wouldn't be missed If I
could swap places with the fel
low who's headed west."
* ? ?
BUSINESS man, who's always
been opposed to any governmen
tal interference in the affairs of
private industry, says things
aren't as good as they were awhile
back, and wonders if "we can't
get something done up at Wash
ington to help the situation." . . .
Town election looms, but candi
dates appear to be rather scarce.
. . . Chamber Commerce, Farm
Bureau lend unanimous endorse
ment to the roads and schools
bond issue. . . . Voters being
urged to cast their ballots on
June 4th in election of unusual
importance. . . . Young man who
had sown a few oats over the
week end, "doctoring up" on
Monday morning, and giving
down with some rare gems of
wisdom, which we couldn't quite
get into printable shape. . . . At
tending Dr. Dougherty's break
fact, along with some hundreds
of patents of students, towns
people, and dignitaries from a
distance ... all having words
of praise for the educator, whose
accomplishments are so spectacu
lar. . . . The loneliness which per
vades the community after the
commencement crowds and the
students go away. . . .
? ? ?
THE BIRDS WERE SING
ING, the early morning sun
light was making diamonds of
the dew drops on the grass. It
was a glorious day, and we
were wondering Just what
could be more perfect Shan
springtime, with Us delicate
(Continued on paf* 4}
NOMINATED
Miss Barbara Jonas of Boone,
who has ba?n nominated as the
Lions Club's candidate for
Queen of the Centennial. Miss
Jones had been elected "Lions'
Sweetheart" at a talent show
held here some weeks ago.
(Photo by Blair)
"Mr*.' Dorothy N orris, who is
the candidate of the business
and professional woman's club
_ for the title of Queen of the
Watauga County Centennial.
(Photo by Paul Weston)
Jurors Drawn For
June Court Term
The June term of Watauga su
perior court will convene June
13, with Judge Charles L. Cog
gin, of Salisbury, presiding, and
the jurors havq been summoned.
The term^is for the trial of civil
cases only and is expected to last
two weeks.
Following are those who will
do jury duty:
First Week
Bald Mountain: Glenn Howell
Beaver Dam: Dallas Wilson, J.
S. Snyder, Franzo Tester
Blowing Rock: Ivan Moody
Blue Ridge; Billy Cook, Stacy
Ford, Marion Coffey
Boone: R. W. McGuire, Horace
Dowling, G. D. Bamett
Brushy Fork: C. I. Billings
Cove Creek: Don J. Horton,
Lewis Johnson, Marion Thomas
Meat Camp: Arville Jackson
New River: Bart Norris, Lloyd
Moretz
Shawneehaw: Victor Farthing
Stoney Fork: Edgar B. Hardin,
Heggie Greene '
Watauga: Bun Hodges, Paul
Fox, Claude Shores.
Second Week
Beaver Dam: Dean Reese, Or
ville Hagaman
Blowing Rock: Q. B. Cannon
Boone: J. Allen Gragg, W. R.
Richardson, Clyde R. Greene
Brushy Fork: Martin Herman,
Grady Bradley
Cove Creek: John K. Perry,
John Hagaman
Elk: Clay Hodges
Laurel Creek: Aud Ward, Hard
Thomas
Meat Camp: R. A. Greene,
Glenn Coffey
New River: Emmett Oliver,
Lloyd Hayes
North Fork: Lloyd Miller
Shawneehaw: Dale Micheal
Stoney Fork: C. D. McNeil,
Tilden Miller, Ralph Moretz
Watauga: Fred Yates, Blaine
Coffey.
Mrs. Sarah A. Phillip*
Dies in Greensboro
Mrs. Sarah Anna Phillips, 88
years old, native of Watauga
county, died at her home Tn
Greensboro last Wednesday. .
Funeral services were conduct
ed at the Tabernacle Baptist
church in this county Friday at
11 o'clock, by Rev H. M. Wink
ler and Rev. Ed Blackburn and
interment was in the Stans berry
cemetery.
One daughter survives. Miss
Ethel Phillips, of Greensboro.
There is one brother, Amos
Stans berry, of Boone.
i
GOFORTH ASKS
FULL SUPPORT
FOR PROGRAMS
OF GOV. SCOTT
Highway Commissioner
Speaks to Chamber of Com
merce; Group Endorses
Bond Proposals; Represen
tative Eggers Is Heard at
Meeting.
Mark Goforth, highway com
missioner for this district, told
member, of the Chamber of Com
merce last Thursday night at the
Skyline Cafe that if the voters
of this State pass the rural road
and school bond program, it will
be "the biggest investment North
Carolina has ever made." He
spoke to the Chamber at their
regular meeting in behalf of Gov.
Kerr Scott's road and school bet
terment program.
Business of the group included
a report by Stanley A. Harris,
secretary, in which he said many
inquiries about places to live in
Boone during the, summer were
being received by his office. He
also distributed folders on the
Parkway and?aid many prospec
tive tourists have requested in
formation on this drive.
Mayor Gordon Winkler report
ed that the town board had de
cided to place courtesy tickets
on out-of-state cars which have
overparked in the downtown
areas of Boone, instead of the reg
ular parking tickets given local
citizens.
Miss Mickey McGuire was se
lected as Centennial candidate
queen, by the Chamber and John
W. Hodges, former sheriff of Wa
tauga county, was selected as
pioneer candidate.
State Representative Clyde
Eggers spoke briefly on the bond
issues, telling the group that our
Governor had said that schools
and roads go together. He said
none of the money proposed in
the road bond issue will be spent
on main thoroughfares ? only sec
(Contlnued on page 5)
Many Compete In
Pioneer Contest
A number of candidates for the
title "Watauga Pioneer" and
"Queen of the Centennial" have
been placed in nomination by
the different clubs of the town
and county, and Mr. Stanley A.
Harris, centennial chairman asks
that all nominations be submitted
this week if possible.
Balloting is now going on, and
boxes have been placed in the
Boone postoffice, Boone Drug
Co., Carolina Pharmacy, and the
Northwestern Bank. Stubs on the
season tickets count 1000 votes
in each competetition, and they
should be filled in and deposited
in* one of the boxes at once. No
other form of ballot will be con
sidered.
Those nominated so far, in
clude: For pioneer, J. M. Moretz,
Lee Swift, Joe Norris, S. E.
Gragg, John W. Hodges, W. W.
Mast, B. B. Dougnerty; for
queens, Barbara Jones, Annie
Mae Carroll, Mrs. Loy McGuire,
Micky McGuire,, Katie Farthing,
Dorothy Norris, and Margaret
Dotson. ,
Watauga Would Get
$1 ,288,000 for Roads
Raleigh. ? Watauga county will
receive $369,463 for school build
ing and $1,288,000 for road build
ing if voters on June 4 authorize
the issuance of school and road
bonds, according to a letter re
ceived by county commissioners
from Qovemor W. Kerr Scott.
School and road bond bills
passed by the 1949 General As
sembly allocate those amounts to
be spent in the county, provided
that the people authorize the is
suance of the bonds when they
vote in the June 4 election.
For school biulding Watauga
county would get $250,000 as its
equal share, of a $25,000,000,000
appropriation by the General As
sembly phis $119,463 as its per
pupil share of the proceeds from
the School bonds. The per-pupil
share established by the General
Assembly is determined on the
basis of the 1947-48 average daily
membership.
The amount that would be
spent in the county for road
building, if issuance of the bonds
is favored by the voters, is set
forth exactly in the road bond
bill, and represents what the Gen
eral Assembly determined to be
"a fair and equitable distribution"
based upon the formula in use by
the State Highway and Public
Works Commission.
The county's share of proceeds
from the road bonds would be in
addition to its regular share of
highway funds.
LEGION MEETING
A special meeting of the Wa
tauga Post American Legion, will
be held at the Legion hut Thurs
day evening at 7:30. The prin
cipal item of business will be
the election of officer*. All mem
bers are expected to attend.
JAYCEES ABANDON RAZORS
?
Members of ihe Junior Chamber oi Commerce have gone into the Whisker League In a whole
hearted way as can be seen in the photograph. Standing, left to right, are Cecil Farthing, Greer
Hodges. Dr. J. G. Martin and Palmer Blair. Sealed are: Ned Norris, Olen Goodnight, Jerry Coe.
Bill Hodges. Fred M. Cragg and Joe Williams. (Photo by Palmer Blair.)
Road Bond Meetings Are Slated
Gatherings To Be Held in
Different Sections of Coun
ty Looking to Speci&l Elec
tion.
As the campaign in behalf of
the Governor Scott bond issue
gathers momentum locally, a ser
ies of township meetings have
been arranged by the co-chair
men, Frank Baird and W. R.
Winkler, at which places the is
sues before the electorate will
be discussed and the proposals
explained.
Residents of Cove Creek, Lau
rell Creek, Beavej Dam and
North Fork townships are asked
to meet at the Cove Creek High
school Wednesday, May 25, at
7:30.
Watauga and Shawneehaw
townships: Valle Crucis school,
Thursday, May 26, 7:30.
Meat Camp 1 and 2, Bald
Mountain: Green Valley school,
Friday, May 27, 7:30.
Brushy Fork, New River,
Boone: Courthouse, . Saturday,
May 28, 7:30. This is a county
wide meeting.
Blowing Rock and Blue Ridge:
Blowing Rock School, Tuesday,
May 31, 7:30.
Stony Fork, Elk: Deep Gap
school, Wednesday, June 1, 7:30.
yoters are asked to attend the
meeting most convenient to them.
It is pointed out that the cam
paign is non-political and that
the chairmen of both the Demo
cratic and Republican parties,
Messrs. I. B. Wilson and W. R.
Winkler, are lending their full
support to the effort to provide
adequate rural roads, and rebuild
the physical properties of the
schools.
PIANO RECITAL
The piano students of Mrs. R.
L. Tait will appear in a recital
Wednesday evening, May 25, at
8 o'clock, in the college auditori
um. The public is invited.
EDUCATOR MAKES PLEA FOR
SUPPORT BOND PROPOSALS
Local People Attend
Hearing at Asheville
A number of Watauga county
people went to Asheville Satur
day to attend the hearing before
the House public lands committee
on matters pertaining to the com
pletion of the Parkway, and tq
further expansion of park facili
ties in North Carolina.
The Congressmen expressed
themselves as being highly pleas
ed with the area visited, and it
is felt that perhaps a good deal
may have been accomplished by
their visit to the Carolina moun
tains. ?
Those going from Boone were
James H. Councill, Frank Payne,
W. G. Hartzog, R. E. Agle, E. F.
Coe, Joe Williams, Wade Brown,
H. Grady Farthing, R. D. Hodges,
Sr., Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Wink
ler Mr. and Mrs. Grady Moretz,
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Winkler.
Those from Blowing Rock in
cluded Grover Robbins. G. Sud
dreth .Kent Brown, Bobby Hard
in. Charlie Robbins and Mr.
Thompson.
Three Watauga Boys
Attend Wake Forest
Three students from Watauga
County currently are enrolled at
Wake Forest College, which thU
year has had a record-breaking
enrollment of 2111.
Two of the students are from
Boone. They are George Greene,
Jr., a sophomore, and J4ck Idol,
a freshman. Greene is a mem
ber of Sigma Pi social fraternity.
Elster Greene, a senior, is
from Stony Fork.
CHOICE OF BUSINESS WOMEN
t . Am**
Dr. B. B. Dougherty, nwkbal of Appalachian State Taachars Col
lege. ?M choun candidate for lh* Ploaaar till* in th* Centennial
calibration by tfa* BusImm and Prntewlonal Wont's dub.
Dr. Clyde A. Erwin, state sup
erintendent of public instruction,
made an effective appeal for the
support of the proposal to vote
two hundred and twenty-five
million dollars for rural roads
and school buildings, in an ad
dress to a representative group
of Watauga county people gath
ered in tne courthouse last Fri
day afternoon.
"The development of our ed
ucational system in North Caro
lina since the turn of the century
is a saga of progress, which is
perhaps unequalled in any State
in the Union," said Dr. Erwin,
"and we are now spending more
money on a single building than
the State paid for all educational
purposes fifty -years ago, yet we
are a lonif way from the equality
of educational opportunity advo
cated by Charles Brantley Ay
cock."
Pleading for the right of all
the children of the State to have
the same high quality school
structures enjoyed by those liv
ing in the populous centers. Dr.
Erwin urged full support of the
school bond proposal so that ade
quate housing could be had for
the schools. "First the depres
sion. then the war, stopped
school building in the State,"
said the speaker, "until the prop
erties have deteriorated to such
an extent that only a big scale
effort by the State can supply
the need for taking care of the
expanded school population."
Turning to the road bond situ
ation Dr. Erwin lauded Governor
Morrison for. his wisdom in in
aguratiag the road and school
building program of 1921, which
(Continued on page 5)
i
Farm Bureau For
Road Bond Plan
At a meeting of the directors
of the Watauga Farm Bureau held
Saturday, the board unanimously
approved the rural road and
school bond program which is to
be voted on June 4.
G. D. Bamett, president of the
organization, says the Bureau will
actively promote the Scott pro
gram, and calls attention to the
fact that the campaign is strictly
non-political, and that the issu
ance of the bonds will not result
in the assessment of any property
tax. He urges full pairtlcipation
of the voters in the election.
Ferd Wilson Dies
At Trade, Home
Ferd Wilson, 39 years old, died i
last Wednesday at the home at i
Trade, Tenn., following a long !
period of illness.
Funeral services were conduc
ted from the home Friday even- I
ing, with Rev. W. A. Kerr of ,
Ores ton officiating.
Surviving are four brothers i
and two sisters: Rolf, Rom, Bryon
and Archie, Mrs. Paul Greene i
of Zionville, and Mrs. Ray Bum
gardner of Trade, Tenn.
Pallbearers were Chall Os
borne, Meredith Duncan. Dean
Barlow, Jack Wallace, R. L. Wal
lace, Jr., John Michael and Ar
gus Wilson.
Flower girls were Hazel Tho
mas, Geneva Wallace, Betty Jo
Wilson, Anna Bell Ragan, Mar
garet Wallace, Janice Wallace
and Virginia Thomas.
ERWIN SPEAKS
AS 143 GIVEH
DIPLOMAS AT
COLLEGE HEBE
State Superintendent AsU
For Support of Public Edu
cation by Those Given De
grees; Importance of Reli
gion Cited by State Official.
Dr. Clyde Erwin, state superin
tendent of public instruction, de
livered the address to the 143
graduates of Appalachian State
Teachers college on Friday, at
the commencement exercises.
Challenging the graduates to
maintain a high degree of inter
est in the public education pro
gram and its problems, he called
upon them to dedicate all their
wisdom and wealth and vision to
the charting of education for the
children of this and all future
generations.
Dr. Erwin decried the use of
education for propaganda pur
poses. "We must be on guard
against these forces," he said,
"and we must see to it that in
those areas that have to do with
human relationships there must
be an understanding of and ac
ceptance of the democratic prin
ciples upon which this country is
founded. Strange ideological
pressures upon the school systems
and upon the use of the land will
come from many sources and in
many insidious ways. While we
undertake to maintain freedom in
the world, we must make the
ideologies of freedom safe and
secure in the hearts and minds of
our school children. They must
learn not only of their rights and
privileges, but they must learn
of their duties and their respon
sibilities. They must understand
that this country has grown
strong and great through the de
velopment of private enterprise
and through the preservation of
individual initiative.' '
Dr. Erwin emphasized religion
as a basic foundation for educa
tion, running like a golden thread
through our history and through
our system of education. He said
that a new conception of Jesus'
Great Commission, "Go ye into
all the world and d reach the gos
(Continued on page 5)
Oxen, Vehicles
Sought For Parade
The centennial corporation is
making plans for a spectacular
parade to supply the nigh spot
in the July celebration, and is
urgently in need of a yoke or
two of oxen with wagons, to add
a pioneer touch to the spectacle.
Old vehicles, particularly a
covered wagon, surry, and bug
gies are being sought for partici
pation in the parade, and one of
the earliest type of automobiles
to be found is also desired.
Anyone who can aid in the
development of the parade along
these lines, is asked to get in
touch with Stanley A. Harris, at
the Chamber of Commerce Of
fice.
William W. Gragg
Succumbs Saturday
William Webster Gragg, pro
minent Boone farmer, died at his
home on Poplar Grove Road
Saturday. Mr. Gragg had been
in impaired health for several
weeks.
Funeral services were conduct
ed Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock
at the Boone Baptist Church by
Rev. R. C. Eggers, and interment
was in the family cemetery near
the home.
Surviving are the widow,
three sons and four daughters:
Howard Gragg, Jack Gragg,
Boone; Russell Gragg, Tucson,
Ariz.; Mrs. A. H. Hodges, Mrs. L.
G. Flick, Mrs. Harold Henson,
Boone; Mrs. W. S. Cox, Washing
ton, D. C. There are three broth
ers: G. W. and T. R. Gragg,
Boone; Boone Gragg, Moore's
Hill, Ind.
Memorial Service for '
Lt. William Shomaker
Memorial services for William
Ernest Shomaker will be held
at the Baptist church at Balm,
N. C.# on June 5, at 2:30 o'clock
in the afternoon.
Lieutenant Shomaker is the
son of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Sho
maker of Balm. He was killed
in action on July 12, IMS, in
Vinh, French Indo-China.
He was graduated from Cran
berry High school and from Lees
McRae College at Banner Elk,
N. C., in 1940. After two years
of intensive training in aeronau
tics at Langley field, Va., and
other fields in California, he re
ceived his commission as second
lieutenant, and later was promot
ed to first lieutenant.
He received the Distinguished
Flying Cross for extraordinary
acniewement while participating
in aerial flying in the North Af
rican theater of operations. Nine
Oak Leaf Clusters for 50 success
ful missions over enemy targets,
and two Oak Leaf Clusters tor
(Continued oo page four J