North Carolina Newspapers

An independent Weekly WATAXJGA COUNTY, in the Year 1888 KING STREET BY ROB RiyERS MARCH, so-called through a corruption of the word Mars, the ancient god of battle and of war, which brings springtime and in come tax, and while scrambling the plans of the early gardener, plays havoc with the weather man's predictions ? lashing the elements into war-like fury ? is running true to form, i . . Sup planting the warm zephyrs, the singing birds and the blossoming plants, she had plunked down t about three inches of snow as this is written Tuesday morning, covering the freshly plowed field and garden, and, causing the housewives to replace the flow er bulbs, and put back the tidy little packages of seeds, and the bag of onion sets for. a happier day, when the weather will be fair, and the sign of the Zodiac at the right spot. We invariably have a "bad spell" of weather along about Easter, which this year, comes unusually early. ? ? '? ACCORDING TO THE MI CEIfE CREED, Easter shall be on iha first Sunday following the Paschal Full Moon, which happens upon or next after th? 21st of March The principal reason, the Almanac states, for establishing the axad time, was thai the pilgrims, in those ear ly days of the Christian era. needed moonlight in order to travel to the great yearly Eas ter festivities . . . The date of Easter, it follows, may vary all the way from March 22 to April 29. over a period of 35 days. ? ? . MANY OF US will not see j another Barter day K> early as this, we learn . . Not until after the turn of the century will it occur . . . Easter, however, will come on March 26 in the year* of 1967, 1978 and 1989 Those who fear, however, that the hallowed itory of the Cress, of the empty tomb, and of the risen i Lord, may someday be obscured behind the splendor of the Eas ter "fashion parade, and the finery and the pomp of a modem civilization; may take heart in the fact that each year in this community the churche; are go ing into a fuller observance of the Lenten period and of Holy Week . . . These observances appear to be more general, and more devout in character, while a growing spirit of unity is seen among the various denomina tions, finding its reflection in the increasing popularity of Holy Week union services . . . Then, there is the sunrise service at the Cone House at Blowing Rock, where the multitudes gather as the sun kisses the hilltops, and praise the name or the Nazarene who broke the bonds of death those many long centuries ago, and left on earth the rich flaw less gems of Christian doctrine, with the ingredients for a just and orderly society, and for the eternal existence. * ? ? ? MINISTERS of Blowing Rock and of Boon*. Chamber ? of Commnoi officials, and other public- spirited mas and woman, are due mora tlian casual prais* for their fin* work in establishing th* sun rise service. which is *xp*ci*d to gain momentum with th* passing ys?rs. and b*com* ? part ol th* whol*som* tradi tion of th* Bin* Bidfl* r*ffion. Th* affair, U can easily b* im agined. may finally gain th* natioe-wld* acclaim which has b**n *coord*d th* Moravian sorrfc* in old Sal*m. wh*?* for ag*s th* Bishop has grwt *4 th* sunria*. with th* glad words of life and of prowiser K* is ris*nr. and wh*r* th* rote** of th* multitude*, of th* man. th* wewm. and th* children ,of th* r~ng ,nd old. th* strong tod ?h* weary. aw*ll Into th* Immortal ehor ua. "H* is rfa*n todo*dl" Th* setting lor our own Eastor s*r vioo is superb, and th* ato*or ? m vane* of th* sacred day ?bould * bo moat effective in this gor geous region. wh*r* tt* handi work and th* blessings of th* L*rd ? MR AND MRS. D. M. ED MISTEN. who are spending sotne time at Winter Beach. ?'ta, have the thanks of the Democrat for a basket of fine citrus fruit fresh from the groves of the sunnv state to the south . . . The fruit vstzs&r? Bloodmobile Is Scheduled For Early Visit to Boone ' .. : m Plans Nearly Complete Easter Sunrise Services Cone Mansion To Be Scene, of Third Service. Plans are nearing completion (or the third annual Blue Ridge sunrise service which is to be held at the mansion house in the Cone Memorial Park, at Blowing Rock on Easter morning. An impressive worship service has been arranged for the occas ion by the ministers of Boone and Blowing Rock. There will be music by the bands under the direction of Roy R. Blanton, band director at Appalachian High School; anthems by the joint community choir under the direction of Mrs. Virginia Lin ? -y, of Appalachian State Teach s College; congregational sing ing of several appropriate fam iliar hymns, and a brief drama tization of the scene where the disciples arrive at the tomb on that first Easter, only to find that Christ had risen. A respon sive reading and a prayer, will complete the service. Printed programs, showing the various parts to' be taken by the congre gation, will be distributed at the service. Those in charge of preparing the program have included the congregation In the servicc as much as possible, so that no one person will command the center of attention for very long per iods of time. A speaker for the committee said, "We have tried to plan a service of reverent wor ship that will climax the spirit ual experience that everyone has hail during Holy Week." The Con* mansion house pro vides a perfect sitting for a ser vice of this type. Located on the slopes of Flat Top, Mauntain, the house faces east, overlooking an unexcelled view of mountain splendor. Just below the lawn there are hundreds of apple trees in an orchard that reaches to the shores of Bass Lake. In the dis tance, stretching far to the east are range upon range of lofty mountains. The early morning mists will still be in the valleys when the service begins, but will slowly dissipate as the sun rises. Forest Service personnel will cooperate again this year by allowing the use of Cone Memo rial Park, and will also furnish a number of Park rangers to as sist with trafic and parking problems. .This is a most impor tant contribution to the success of this service. Radio Station WATA of Boone is slated to broadcast the entire servicc over a state-wide hook-up of the Mutual Broadcasting Com pany. RECREATION UNIT IS PLANNED BY LEGION MEMBERS Boone may coon have the be ginning of a recreational unit if the plana discussed at the joint meeting of the American Legion and the Legion Auxiliary last Friday evening are carried out For several yean civic leaders and others interested in the pro motion of recreation facilities for Boone have hoped ?ome ar rangementa might be made whereby the eight arccs of land belonging to the Legion might be made into a recreational urea. Re cently the Legion has been de veloping the property by having the land cleared of timber and improvements made upon the building. Additional plans call for a ve neer of concrete blacks on tiyc ex terior of the building and the construction of an apartment for I caretaker. A committee, com posed of Vice-Commander of the Post Stacy Eggers. President of the Post Auxiliary Mrs. F. t. Wartnan, and Mr. Homer Brown r.-crc appointed to investigate the pbwibitticu <M securing the aid and cooperation of the city in this proposed development. The committee was also instructed to contact the State Recreation Commission for any available a$ sUtance from the state. (Continued on page tlx) MRS. MARGARET STYERS Mrs. Styers With Health Office Mrs. Margaret Styers has join-' ed the staff of the local health department, filling a vacancy made when Mrs. Frances Gra ham moved to Bel Air, Mary land, to join her husband, who is working in the Glenn L. Mar tin plant. Mrs. Styers came to this coun ty ' from Winston-Salem, N. C., but was formerly a student at Appalachian State Teachers Col lege. Mr. Styers is yet a student at the college. Mr. and Mrs Styers are making their home on How ard Street. Local Concert To Be Broadcast On National Hookup New York, March 13. ? Offi cial* of the Mutual Broadcasting System's program department announced today that the Appa lachian State Teachers College CNbir of Boone, North Carolina, will present a summer concert of music to a nation-wide radio au dience on Sunday, May 27th. from 12 noon until 12:30. The Appalachian Choir will mark its second appearance over the world's largest network as it presented "The Messiah"- to the nation during the past Christ mas season. The summer program will ori ginate through the facilities of Mutual's affiliate in Boone, radio Station WATA. Mrs. Virginia Linney will be directing the choir. Mutual stations across the country are being sent promo tional material in connection with the choir's presentation. Miss Eva Greer Rites Monday Miss feva Neal Greer, 33 years old, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Horace Greer of Boone. Route 1, was found dead in bed at her home Saturday morning. 1 Funeral services were held Monday at 2:00 p. m. at Middle Fork Baptist church, ahd burial was in Mountlawn Memorial Park. Rev. AC Moody, Rev. J. T. Shackford and Rev. Robert Shore conducted the services. Surviving are the parent* and one sister, Mi* Council Henson of Vilas. .' ?> k Jl'.' 1 Vina Lee Greene Dies Of Pneumonia Vina Lea Greene, 18 months aid daughter of Mr. and Mrs. low Greene of Stony Fork, (tied of pneumonia at her home Tues day. Funeral services were held Wednesday at 3:00 p. m.. at Mount View Baptist chup&. and burial was in the church ' ccnw tery. Surviving are the parents, star sisters. Ruby, Delia Mae, Annie Ruth. Ethel. Dolly, Dorothy and Pearl, and om brother, Odell, an of the I mm* Some 200 Donors Are Ready to Give Blood. by MARGARET E. AGLE "If that blood hadn't heen th?*e, I wouldn't be here." These are the words with which a young casualty of the Korean war sum med up the value of blood to the wounded. Struck by machine gun and rifle bullets, Douglas Dem ing crawled 400 yards to the nearest mad where he was pick ed up by an ambulance. At the first aid station, on the train, and in the hospital, the lad was giv en blood ... a gallon and a half of it. He got it because people had donated it through the. Red Crws. When the Red Cross Bloodmo bile comes to Boone during the first week in April there will be some 200 donors waiting to give blood; this is the minimum num ber of donors that the Red Cross has requested. It is probable that there will be many more volunteers. Every healthy adult of the county will want to take part in this blood procurement program; those who have not al ready been contacted are asked to send their names and addresses to Mrs. F. E. Warman, Boone, N. C. The blood center wijl be set up in the First Baptist Church of Boone where members of the mo bile unit will be assisted by four registered nuraes and four aides from this area. The Red Cross Canteen, under the direction of Miss Elizabeth Bridge, will serve refreshments. Mr. Alfred Adams, treasurer for the| 1951 Red Cross Fund Raising Campaign, has announc ed that donations are being re ceived at the Northwestern Bank every day, and a mid-drive re port will be given in next week's Democrat. . Church?# To Join in . Good Friday Service The churches of Boone will tain in observing a three hour vigil on Good Friday, commem orating the three hours during which, Christ hung upon the A union service, comprising all the churches of the city, will be held at the Prebyterian church from one until two o'clock. The central theme of the service will be the Seven Last Words Of Christ, with brief meditations upon each word by one of the lo cal pastors. Appropriate hymns will be sung and prayers offer ed during the service. Special music will be under the direct ion of Mrs. Nicholas Erncston. Health Clinics To Be Held For Pre School Children The health of the pre-school child is of paramount importance in every community. A spring physical examaination, by the family physician is moat desir able and urgent as a means of insuring the child's readiness physically, for school enrollment In the fall. In addition to this physical readiness the beginner should be given every opportun ity for readiness in every way. The Public Health Department and the tchoola working together with the cooperation of the Par ents can d" much to build this readiness for sdv ol in the pre school child. This is the under lying reason for holding Pre school Clinics in all the '?r?er schools this spring. Such clinics arc desirable for all children, but are not powible in every school. Parents should take their chil dren to the, Most convenient clin ic if one ir not announced f? the school which the child will attend. The object of the pre school clinic is to check on the child's physical fitness and make out the enrollment record, "nil* record becomes ? of ii>c school record kept (roru ycarto, year on each child. This record includes ? raport of diseases and immunisations against diseases the child has had. This spring check-up provides time for correcting defects found * S-2S ~">w' 'l Building & Loan Names Directors; Has lis Best Year W 'vi/P The annual maeting o( the stockholders of the Watauga Building and Loan Association was held last week, the mem ber* of the board of director* were re-electad, and a report delivered by W. H. Gragg, Sec retary, indicated that the organs ization had closed the beat year ni its history. The directors re-elected are: W. H. Gragg, A. W. Smith, Dr. W. M. Matheson, Howard Hols houser, Walter H. Greene, C. M. Critcher, H. Grady Farthing, Rob Rivers and Howard Mast. A few excerpts from the report of Mr. Gragg, indicate the sound condition of the local home-buil ding organization The assets of the Association are now $829,335.60. A handsome new office build ing, now being occupied at a to tal cost of $47,482.41, is one of the most modern to be found in this area. The loans, totaling nearly three-fourths of a million dollars arc protected by tint mortgages on improved real estate, with fire insurance protection for the full amount of the loans. A contingent reserve fund of $46,000 has been built up over the years,, which means that the Association could lose $46,000, and still pay every customer a hundred cents on the dollar, plus interest. $200,000 worth of cyclone and winds to hn insurance is carried for added safety. Each person employed, who handles funds, is bonded for $30 000. The Association is likewise bonded against robberies, errors, etc. The local Association is a mem ber of the Federal Home Loan Bank, the North Carolina Sav ings and Loan League, and the United States Savings and Loan League.. The Watauga Building and Loan has aided in the construc tion of a large part of the busi ness district of Boone, irnd has helpe^ to construct many of the residences in both the town and county. It has been one of the principal factors in the growth of the town and county. Sim plified types of loans have recen tly been adopted, which give the borrowers a wide choice of plans, and enable him to secure a loan to suit his own particular set of circumstances. Mr. Gragg, a veteran in the building and loan business is de voting his full time to the af fairs of the local Association in its new street-level quarters op posite the postoffice. |Six Inch Snow Falls Locally ? Winter returned to Boone and environ! Monday evening with a heavy (all of mow, jvhich had reached a depth of six inches before nightfall on Tuesday, but the movement of traffic in the area hadn't been seriously hampered. Temperatures re mained weU above freezing, ranging in the forties most of the day Tuesday,. Movement of the mails was normal, except that the highway postoffice from Greensboro ar rived considerably behind sche- j dule. All buses were operating in and out of the city, but some of the school buses failed (to make their daily runs. Mrs. Nary Baker Dies In Virginia -m Mrs. Mury Katherine Baker, 71, former resident of Boone, died at the home in Rapid an, Va. last Friday. " Funeral services weret conduct- ! ed Sunday at 2 o'clock at Meat Camp Baptist Church, and bur ial was in the church cemetery. The rites were conducted by Rev. Ed Hodges, Rev.' Raymond Hendrix, Rev. Roby Eggcr* and Rev. A. E. Morcti. The husband, llarrixon Baker, survive* There are vix sons and four (laughters: Clarence Baker, Granite Falls; Oiell. Paul Baker | Mitchell*. Va; Letcher, Dough Clean Being ? ? ' . O Watauga To Have Mass X-Ray Survey In July I Meeting With Official of State WiU Be Held Tuesday. Watauga county citizens will have an opportunity for free chest examinations in the mass X-ray survey being planned for this county for July. A meeting of a representative group from the county will he held in the courthouse Tuesday, March 20, at 7:36 p. m. with State officials, to makfe initial plans for the survey which is to include free service to all citizens. The survey is a cooperative service from the State and local health departments and the lo cal TB Association. Equipment and professional personnel being furnished by the State Board of Health, and the local health workers assisting. Fundi from the 1950 "seal sale and X-ray ef fort will, be ufed in making this survey possible. Dr. William A. Smith, director; Mirs Lulabell Highsmith, health educator, and an engineer from the division of tuberculosis con trol. State Board of Health, Ral eigh, will be present for this meeting to help with the initial planning. In the fall of 1949, when the last mass X-ray survey was held in this county, 3,638 persons re ceived a free chest x-ray. Then, only one mobile unit was availa ble and for a short time. This year the service will be more complete and every citizen 15 years of age and older in the county and all tuberculosis con tact! under 15 should receive a free chest x-ray. To reccivo the free chest x-ray, it is pointed out, one must come to a mobile unit. One cannot re ceive this valuable service and stay at home. Dr. Wey Named to Stale Committee Dr. Herbert Wey wai appoint ed by Dr. Clyde Erwin, State Superintendent of Education, as a member of the State advisory committee on edcuatlon admin istration. The committee is composed of representatives from high school principals, superintendents, sup ervisors, colleges, universities, county and city school boards, and the Strte department of ed ucation. The committee will un dertake projects to improve the administration of the public schools of the State. Dr. Wey, who is the principal of the Appalachian High School in Boone, was named to repre sent the College group on the committee. The nine member committee met recently In Raleigh to dis cus* plant for cooperating With the Kellogg Foundation In car | rylng on research In educational administration. Several projects were proposed for, the immediate future which will be earned out under the sponsorship of the Kellogg Foundation. One of the proposals was a series of work shops on administration to be held before the opening of the schools next fall. Rabid Dogs Are Yet Being Found Rabid dogs continue to be re ported in the county, according to the District Health DefMrt which again calls attention to the (Juarstttinc order, which i( effective (or the remainder of the month, and which forbids the running of dogs lit large. The department re emphasizes the necessity of reporting stray dogs, and asks that dogs be kept confincd, preferably with chain. The last rabid dog to be repor ted was on March 11 This doit bit a person after breaking out Cttfjp* . , Pfc. Jamai Harold Banfiald. ton of Mr*. Mary Ptnnall of Blow ing Rock, who wu killed In Ko m, February IS. according to Information niching hit mothar from tha War Daparlmant. County Teachers To Gather Here Monday Evening Members of the Watabga unit of the North Carolina Education Association will meet in the Ap palachian High School auditor ium Monday March 19, at 7:30, it is anounced by Mrs. Johfl R H or ton, the program chairman. All teachers will want to be present, says Mrs. Hortoit, since it will be voting day for the State NCEA officers for the com ing year. A musical program will be presented by the Glee Club of the Watauga Consolidated School, under the direction of Miss Truesdalc, with Mrs. Aus tin South, as pianist To further the theme for the yeark "Teacher Growth and Bet ter Relationship With Others," a program is being prepared, us ing the topic of "Guidance" as a panel discussion. The discussion will begin with the pre-schoiol child and continue through the high school age. Topics and par ticipants are as follows: Leader, Mrs. Margaret Gragg. Cumulative records: Mrs. Max ie Edmisten. Group Guidance, Mrs. Marga ret Gragg. Testing: Dr. Herbert Wey. Guidance Through Reading: Robert Jenkins, Mrs. Mary Buckland. Sex Education: Mrs. Mary Ham by. Health: Dr. Mary Michael. Teacher-Parent Cooperation: Mrs. Dessa Mae Edmisten. Individual Counseling: Mrs. Grace Mast. Sugar Grove Man In Fatal Accident James M. Guy, of Sugar Grove who had been employed in To ledo, Ohio, was fatally injured in an automobile accident at .Covington, Ky., March 3. and died five days later in St. Eliz abeth's hospital in Covington. No details concerning the ac cident arc available, r. Funeral services . were con ducted last Monday ft 2 o'clock at Beach Valley Baptist Church and bur-ial was in the church cemetery. Rev. Barney Oliver and Rev. Nathan Greene con ducted the rite*. Mr. Guy, who wai a veteran of the last world war, is surviv ed by the widow, Mrs. Eva Lyle Guy, of Toledo, Ohio, and a daughter, Gail Guy of Sugar Grove. The mother, Mrs. Myrtle Parka, of Sugar Grove, also sur vive*. , . j NEW INSECTICIDE Industrial chemists, aided by Government scientists, have pro duced a new inaecticidc. called alWthrin, which has proved high ly effective against houseflics and mosquitoes, particularly against those which have built up a re sistance, to D. D. T. jjflL yfjjl ' C. of C. Committe and Clubs Make Plans For Clean-up. The annual paint-up, clean-up campaign is to be held the last two weeks in April, it was an nounced Monday, following a meeting of the civic affairs and publicity committees of the Chamber of Commerce and rep resentatives of the various clubs in the town, who are planning this year's program. One of the top features of the campaign thts year will be a pa rade on April IB, featuring the paint-up, clean-up campaign. A committee headed by Char lie Wilfong, W. G. Bond, H. W. Wilcox, BUI Murray, Mrs. G. H. Phillips, Mrs. Len Hagaman, Mrs. B. W. Stalling* and Mrs. Mae Miller, will direct the ef fort. As usual the town will have the services of their trucks and men available to haul away the debris. The committee expressed ap preciation to the town for the rat eradication program of last year. CORN GROWERS ARE FETED HERE The Watauga County Farm Bu reau entertained the 100 Bushel Corn club members Monday night at the Skyline Restaurant, and awarded prizes to the 1950 winners of the county corn grow ing contest. The awards were: 1st prize of $50 to N. C. Norris on a yield of 115 J bushels per acre; 2nd prize of $30 to R. J. Cooke on a yield of 105.5 bushels per acrc; and 3rd prize of $20 to Ralph J. Norris on a yield of 92.1 bushels per acre. Officers were elected for the 100 bushel corn club for 1951 are as follows: Billie Cooke, presi dent; Lewis Norris, vice presi dent; Ralph J. Norris, secretary treasurer. George' Farthing of the North Carolina Farm Bureau spoke to those attending the meeting on current farm problems. Scouts to Collect Clothes for Needy Friday Afternoon The Boys Scouts of Boone and Perkinsville have completed plans for the old clothing can vass for overseas relief, and .will be' ready to collect the clothing bundles from the porches of lo cal homes beginning at 1 p. m. Friday. Scout officials have ex pressed the hope that the cam paign may be completed in one afternoon, and asked for the co operation of all citizens in help ing the Scouts reach their goal. Clothing is desperately needed by the peoples who have been caught in recent war areas, ac cording to the American Coun cil of Voluntary Agencies, who arc sponsoring this camp&ign, and who will have charge of distri bution of the collections after the Boy Scouts finish their task. Mr. Jim Leek, commissioner of the Watauga district of Boy Scouts, asks that rfH clothing bo clean, and servicable for at least fix months. Shoes and sock* should be fastened together so Scouts will not havjj to do so. Tlie trpops in Boone will pick up the bundles in town, and the Perkinsville troop will canvass Perkinsville. Explorer Squadron I OP, Mr. Crayte Teague, leader, will sort and pack the clothes shipment. Clothing needed includes men's and boys' shirts, suits. Jackets. Sf: trousers, underwear, and sook>; jftH Men's 1 women's, and children** coats, sweaters, gloves, mittens. '?'%? cap* and scarfs; women's and girls' drcjf e,\ suite, jackets, ap rons, skirts, blouses, underwear,?? stockings, and socks: ^bUnktU, A robes, quilts, sheets, pillow cas n. towels, and washcloths; with good linings and with iceable soles and heels; rubbers and gaVMlUf? This clottilnjf j tion-wide, and