VOL. LXII, NO. 3.
An Independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1888
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, JULY 14, 1948.
FIVE CENTS
KING STREET
BY
ROB RIVERS
CENTENNIAL VISITORS have
gone away, the advertisements
are gradually going from the
store windows, the displays of
antiques, some of them, are giv
ing way to merchandise, andvthe
business of routine living, which
had been Knocked into utter con
fusion during the gala week, is
returning to some sort of a nor
mal status. . . . the birthday par
ty, given the county, however, is
yet the principal topic of con
versation . . . Bearded men and
bonneted women are still in evi
dence, while personally, we are
enjoying a new kind of content
ment, since our well-tended mus
tache, which tickled our nose,
dunked itself in our coffee, and
made us generally uncomforta
ble . . . went down the drain
pipe . . . Yes sir, we had a good
time, but we're glad the things
over, so's we can settle down to
the second hundred years.
? ?
MR. MILTON SHEARER,
Mrs. Shearer. their daughter.
Mrs. J. R. Blair, and Mrs. Blair
cam* over from Lenoir on the
first day of the celebration and
were appreciated callers at the
Democrat office . . . Mr. Shear
er. who was reared on what
was later known as the Perkins
farm, east of Boone, is a son of
the late Robert Shearer, and
is almost 94 pars old ... He
is a distant kinsman of Daniel
Boone, and speaks entertain
ingly and authentically of the
early days around Boone.
MR. SHEARER SAYS: "Annie
Shearer, who married a Coffey,
and lived on Mulberry, was Dan
iel Boone's niece, and my great
grandmother ... I saw her once
. . . she was the woman who
fought the deer (a large buck)
around the poplar tree, until the
dogs released her . . . When I
was a small boy my father took
me to see Darnel Boone's cabin,
which was in the place the town
of Boone now is ... it was a one
room house, built of small logs
. . . the roof was off and part of
the walls down. I also saw Ben
Howard's cabin built on the side '
of Howard's Knob. He was the
Tory who had a cave on How
ard's Knob, in which he lived a
part of the time . . . Howard's
ICnob was named for him and
Howard's Creek was named for
the Knob ... I was born one
mile east of Boone, the 4th of
September 1855, so you see that
if I live two months longer I
will be ninety-four years old." |
? ? ?
FARMERS DAY. and speci
fically the parade, was of para
mount interest to those of us
who were rearee -lose to the
mellow black soQ of Watauga.
. . . The ox team and wagon, sup
plied by Hayes Wellborn, the
old loom, the spinning wheel,
the donkeys, the dairy cattle,
and the fat. stocky Holsieins.
the hogs and the sheep, were
fascinating to a farm-minded
i. lH? ii y . . . There were the
prairie schooner type of cover
ed wagon, obsolete farm ma
chinery. guns, uniforms ....
Rufus Colvard on his mule and
the snuff-dipping women-folk,
along with modern equipment,
evidencing the progress of the
farmer In the last few years' .
We liked It a lot. and were grat
ified that E. E. Earp's fine
Herefords were recognized be
fore the fogtlighls at the pag
eant daring the evening's per
formance. . /
WE HAVE LONG CONTEND
ED that the farmers of the coun
ty are basically its economic
backbone . . . They and Appala
chian College are the joint forces
which have made the county one
of progressive tendencies, and
record development, and are the
mainstays in the progres of the
town, which they built . . . We
point with a feeling of pride to
the amazing agricultural progress
which has been so rapid since
the triple A has fostered the en
richment of our soil, which is the
basis of all material accomplish
ment . . . The farmer and his
government have worked hand in
hand in developing the possibil
ities of the farm, and in promot
ing the welfare of its people . . .
Farming is now a highly special
ized going business, and we are
proud of our farmers, and hope
for them continued progress and
happiness.
? ? ? ,
DR. DOUGHERTY'S DAY
and the luachtoB, attended by
local and State 1? along
with rn ? T of us. who are long
time neighbor i and personal
Moods oT the educational load
er, who has carved for himself
a place of the highest esteem in
tho hearts of tho people of the
State, whom he has served so
and efectiyely . . . We.
who know Dr-Doogherty beat.
ot Uh him ye<
who lire with
he was permitted to
lit* la Boon* . ? ? Hi'? Wtlw
ga's no. 1 dttoen. and ranks
sUht 14? to the top of the
list in the rosier of all Worth
to the
on page 8)
Above picture shows visitors to Watauga county
last Thursday on Education Day of the centennial
celebration. First row, left to right, Senator Frank
P. Graham, D. Hiden Ramsey, Asheville newspaper
man, Dr. B. B. Dougherty, founder of Appalachian
v State Teaches college and central figure of the day,
Federal Judge Johnson J. Hayes, and Dr. Hight C.
Moore, Baptist leader. Second row, left to right,
Dr. Clyde A. Erwin, state superintendent of public
insturction; Miss Beatrice Cobb, secretary of the
North Carolina Press association and Democratic
national committee woman; Mrs. R. Gregg
Cherry, former Governor Cherry; Stanley A. Har
ris, and Commissioner of Agriculture L. Y. Ballen
tine. ? (Photo courtesy Charlotte Observer)
Shown above is the color guard of the Mooresville High
School band as it passed in review at the spectator's
stand during Educational Day exercises of Watauga
county's centennial celebration.
? (Photo courtesy Asheville Citizens-Times)
"ECHOES OF THE BLUE RIDGE"
PAGEANT HINDERED BY RAIN
The historical pageant, "Echoes
of the Blue Ridge, about which
the centennial celebration was
developed, struck rainy weather
last v.'eek, and couldn't be staged
on Thursday or Friday nignts
Rain checks were honored at an
added performance Monday even
ing, and another was scheduled
for Tuesday evening.
The pageant was divided into
ten episodes, including the pro
logue. which featured the queen
of the centennial, Mickey Mc
Guire, her court, ladies of colonial
days, trumpeters, color guards,
Boy Scouts, States, U. S. A. girls,
Forest Spirits, flower spirits, sky
spirits and river spirits.
The Cherokee Indians, who
are presumed to have been the
first human beings to reside in
Watauga county, were featured
in the second episode, and many
of the customs and superstitions
of the Red Men werfe portrayed
in the scene, which was followed
by a Hernando deSoto tableau.
Special treatment was given
Bishop Spancenburg's visit to the
county. The Bishop, played by
S. D. Ollis, and his party, are
believed to have been the first
white men to penetrate the wilds
of what is now Watauga county.
Daniel Boone (Kent Brown)
and other early settlers of the
area were followed by a scene
from the revolutionary war per
iod, and one depicting the early
church of the county.
An episode featured the forma
tion of Watauga county, and the
names of many of thoae who liv
ed in the county at the time. The
jubilation of the local people
when they received the news that
thev had ir own local govern
ment was indicated.
The War between the States,
and the happiness of the Gay
Ninety period was followed by
the coming of the railroad to the
county, the grand finale, wherein
the 500 players formed into ?
giant "wheel of life," the "Star
Spangled Banner" ending the
program.
Saturday evening the pageant
was changed so as to include the
founding* of Appalachian college,
and Dr. B. B. Dougherty, W. R.
Lovill and Capt. E. F. Lovill were
seen drafting the legislation cre
ating the college. Dr. Dougher
ty was then portrayed collecting
trie local funds which were used
in founding the institution.
The pageant, which was pro
duced by the John B. Rogers Co.,
under the personal direction of
Mr. Rowland, was widely ac
claimed for both the character of
the acting, and its historical com
pleteness and accuracy. It was
a marvelous production and re
flects high credit upon the in
genuity of Mr. Rowland, as well
as the talent of the hundreds of
members of the cast, who worked
so faithfully toward the success
of the event.
Highway Meeting b
OA SUind Thursdays
The highway commissioner, to
gether with other highway offi
cials, will meet in Boone on the
second Thursday in each month
for the purpose of consulting with
citizens and hearing suggestions
on the highway program in the
jarea. ?
jDougherty is Honored
By Carolina's Leaders
State officials, national leaders,
|and old friends and neighbors of
Dr. B. B. Dougherty gathered
Thursday to honor the co-found
er of Appalachian College, who is
regarded as the most dauntless
champion of public education to
emerge on the State scene since
Charles B. Aycock.
It was the occasion of educa
tion day at the Watauga centen
nial celebration, and marked a
climax in the week-long celebra
tion of the 100th anniversary of
the founding of Watauga county.
A parade of speakers led by
U. S. Senator Frank P. Graham,
spoke enthusiastically of Dr.
Dougherty's work spanning half
a century in behalf ?' North Car
olina education.
In an address before some 2,
000 persons who gathered at
ASTC Athletic Field, Senator
Graham took time out to urge
passage of a bill giving Federal
aid to education.
"It would be a tragedy t* lose
the best opportunity in the his
tory of the country for the pass
age of the bill for Federal aid to
the states for the schools in this
session of the Congress, designed
especially to meet the critical
needs in the South and rural
states," Senator Graham declar
ed.
Senator Graham said enact
ment of the measure would be a
tribute to Dr. Dougherty. He
added he was prompted in mak
ing the plea "by the fact that Dr.
Dougherty has had a vital part
in the equalization of opportunity
for children in the public schools
in atl counties of the State."
The Senate bill ,as modified
by a House education subcommit
tee headed by Rep. Barden of
North Carolina, has been approv
ed by that group, but not by the
full committee.
The junior North Carolina sen
ator got a laugh from the croyd
when he remarked that "college
presidents come and collcge pres
idents go, but B. B. Dougherty,
like Ola Man River, just keeps
rolling along."
"Any words of appreciation of
the scenes, the history and the
people are humnnly inadequate in
the presence of the majesty of
these mountains, the history of
these people, the value of this in
stitution and the life of this man,"
Graham said.
For an hour and - a half one
speaker after anSther stepped to
the speakers' stand to mad their
tributes. But the tributes didn't
end when the program at the ath
letic field was over. They over
flowed into a luncheon for visit
ing dignitaries and into the ev
ening session on "Public Educa
tion in North Carolina."
After the morning tributes had
ceased. Dr. Dougherty stepped to
the microphone and said quietly:
"No college was ever built by one
man. No distinction should come
to me except that I have been
here longer than any of the rest
of them.
Dr. Right C. Moore of Ridge
crest, former secretary at the
Southern Baptist Convention, do
scribed Dr. Dougherty as "a tea
cher of trustworthy teachers,
teaching himself before trying to
teach others."
D. Hiden Ramsey of Asheville,
vice chairman of the State Board
of Education, paid tribute to Dr.
Dougherty, a member of the
board, as "our Solomon."
"He has no more idolatrous
friertds than the members of the
State Board of Education," Ram
sey asserted.
Johnson J. Hayes of Wilkes
boro, Federal jud.se of the middle
district of North Carolina, declar
ed that Dr. Dougherty's "unceas
ing efforts for a State-supported
school term" represented a great
er contribution than his work at
Appalachian College.
(Continued on page 4)
P.-T. A. Dance U
Feature of Fourth
? ?? ?
The P.-T. A. dance which was
held at the high school on the
evening of the fourth, drew only
limited attendance, and it is stat
ed by officials of the organization
that the proceeds will likely net
no more than $20.
It is desired to recognize the
cooiperation of a number of stu
dents who made posters and dec
orated for the dance. They are:
Evelyn McCracken, Marie But
ler, Landie Brown, Mecky Shoe
make. Joan Aldridge, Lois Town
send, Rachel Coffey, Isabel Eg
gere, Jimmy Harrison, Guy Hunt,
Dixon Quails, Jerry Troutman.
Religious Services
End Week Gaiety
Farmers to Cast
Votes on July 23
Voting in the national refer
endum on tobacco quotas for the
1950, 1951, and 1932 crops will
take place at community polling
places Saturday, July 23, L. E.
Tuckwiler, farm agent for the
State College Extension Service,
said this week. Mr. Tuckwiler
urged all tobacco farmers to cast
their ballots.
Marketing quotas furnish grow
ers with a method of adjusting
supply to demand and help them
obtain fair prices for the tobacco
they produce.
Tne referendum is being held
in accordance with the Agricul
tural Adjustment Act of 1938,
which directs the Secretary of
Agriculture to call for a refer
endum to determine whether
growers want quotas continued.
Growers may vote for quotas for
three years beginning with the
1950 crop; may vote for quotas
for 1950 only; or may vote against
quotas.
Marketing quotas will be in
effect if approved by at least
two-thirds of the growers voting
in the referendum. A grower 5
any person who has an interest
as owner, tenant, or share crop
per in the 1949 crop of flue-cured
tobacco. No produced, however,
is entitled to more than one vote,
even though he may have been
engaged in production of flue
cured tobacco in two or more
communities, counties or states.
Under the law, price support
loans at 90 per cent of parity will
be available on the 1950 crop of
flue-cured tobacco if producers
approve quotas in this referen
dum. Regardless of. the outcome
of this referendum, price sup
port loans at 90 per cent of parity
will be available on the 1949 crop
as protection to farmers.
Peace Officers
Make Few Arrests
Only fifteen arrests were made
during the week of the centen
nial by all enforcement officers,
including city police, sheriff's of
ficers, and members of the State
highway patrol, it is reported.
| Since often as many are incar
cerated during one week-end, it
is felt that the conduct during
the Fourth and the subsequent
celebration, was most commend
able.
All the officers ask that their
thanks be extended the people
for their splendid cooperation
during the last week.
County Tax Rale 1
Remains at $1.25
The county tax rate for the
ensuing year will remain at $1.25
on the hundred dollar valuation,
says H. M. Hamilton, chairman of
the board of commissioners.
Mr. Hamilton states that a
complete breakdown of the bud
get for the new fiscal year, is
not yet available, but that an ad
ditional 5 cents of the new leyv
is to go to school purposes, rais
ing the amount the schools get
of the levy from 15 to 20 cents.
The county contribution to the
school fund had been cut during
recent years.
U. S. undertaker heir to Bar
onetcy; he may not take it.
1948 operating earnings for na
tional banks up by $72,000,000.
Robert Christian of Boone, dressed as Kit Carson,
is shown chatting with his burly visitor from Alamance
county, G. B. Cook, who visited here during 'the recent
centennial celebration.
? (Photo courtesy Asheville Citizen-Tiir ^s)
Thousands Fill Town During
Week of Centennial \
Celebration.
I
The Watauga county centennial
celebration officially closed Bun
day afternoon, with a community
singing held in the Baptist
church, when Dr. E. K. McLarty,
former Boone Methodist pastor,
delivered the address, and the as
semblage joined in singing the
hymns popular in bygone days.
Untold thousands of people vis
ited the city during the course of
the celebration which got under
way last Tuesday, and hotels, and
rooming houses were taxed to ca
pacity, while hundreds of resi
dents of the city took visitors into
their homes. Public
newspapermen, educational lead
ers, and thousands of those who
had formerly lived in the county,
came to deliver addresses, publi
cize the event, mix with old
friends, enjoy the pageantry, and
otherwise participate in the cel
ebration marking the culmination
of Watauga's one hundred years
of progress.
The initial parade Tuesday af
ternoon featured events in the
history of Watauga county, citiz
ens attired in early-day costumes,
covered wagons, buggies, and
even the "surry with fringe on
top" were in evidence, along with
various band units.
Older residents of Boone de
scribed the throngs of people
which crowded the town streets
as the largest ever to gather here
at one time in the history of
Boone.
A highlight of the day was the
crowning of Queen Mickey Mc
Guire at the assembly grounds
Tuesday evening.
Lt Governor H. Pat Taylor
crowned Queen Mickey in a cere
mony preceding the pageant,
"Echoes of the Blue Riage."
In the prolouge to the tableau
were members of the queen's
court, who reigned with her
through the weelc.
Barbara Jones was Miss Co
lumbia; Mrs. Dorothy Norris
played the part of the belle of
Colonial days; Billie Padgett was
Miss South; Velma Brurruy, Miss
East; Annie Mae Carroll, Miss
West, and Rebecca Shoemake,
Miss North.
Her Ladyship of Canada was
played by Shirley Mae Swift. La
dies in waiting to the queen were
Rubby Moody, Katie Sue Farth
ing, Joan Alridge and Virginia
Jones.
Approximately 500 persons par
ticipated in the pageant which
was presented nightly on the as
sembly ground at the football sta
dium of ASTC.
The pageant was directed by
Russel L. Rowland, and Paul
Weston of Todd supplied the mu
sic for the presentation.
Lt. Governor Taylor spoke pre
ceding the pageant Tuesday and
crowned the queen. He discuss
ed the growth of Watauga county
from a thinly-populated area
which embraced the present
Yancy, Ashe, and Watauga coun
ties, into the present day resort
and tourist center visited each
year by vacationists from all over
the country and the world, and
(Continued on page 4)
Air Show Postponed
To Sunday, July 17
The famous Oscar Meyers air
circus, scheduled to appear here
last Sunday has been re-schedul
ed for next Sunday, July 17.
Weather conditions prevent
ed the planes- from arriving
in time for the show, and in spite
of the disappointment to the
large crowd on hand, it was nec
essary to postpone the event un
til the following Sunday.
Mr H. C. Sisk, Jr., manager of
the Morganton-Lenoir airport,
stated the parties responsible for
directing traffic and parking
were notified the show was tem
porarily called off and their ab
sence was responsible for the in
convenience experienced by a
number of people in finding sui
table parking space and for the
small delay in traffic.
Mr. Sisk and other parties in
terested in the event were em
phatic in their statements that
adequate parking and traffic di
recting facilities will be on hand
next Sunday. It was further sta
ted that the facilities would be
such that a very minimum of de
lay would be experienced in get
ting into and out of the area.
DTonight to See
[Finish of "Echoes'
The "Echoes of the Blue
Production was again
uesday evening on a?,
the rain, but Stanley A.
centennial director at
effort will be made
nifht
Regardless, however, _
of the east are aahad tq_
at college field tonight
day) and torn In their
as this ia positively
time the performance wfl! be It
tempted.