WATAUGA DEMOCRAT BOO^T^^TnoJ? CAROLINA, THURSDAY, MAY 10, 1*51. _ Crossnore Doctor Named American Mother of Year New York, May J-Mn Mary T. Martin Sloop of Crossnore N. C., a 77 -year-old docto known as the "Grand Lady of the Blue Ridge" for her work with mountain children, was named yesterday the "American Mother of 1951." Only last Friday, Dr. Sloop was selected as North Carolina's "Mother of the year." Dr. Sloop was picked by the American Mothers Committee of the Golden Rule Foundation, an organization devoted to the wel fare of mothers and children. She is the wife of a country doctor, Dr. Eustace H. Sloop, and since 1911 has been practicing medicine with her husband. I Feats of Crosanore She also founded Crossnore School for underprivileged chil dren and has been credited with bringing good roads, modern farming methods, religious toler ance, a hospital and dental clinic, and vocational instruction to Av ery county, N. C. She has two children, both doctors, Dr. Emma Sloop Fink, herself a mother of three chil dren, practices at Crossnore School, and Dr. William Martin Sloop runs a dental clinic for charity eases in the county. The American Mothers Com mittee for North Carolina, which nominated Dr. Sloop for the na tional honor, wrote to the na tional committee: "She is considered by thou sands of friends as the first citi zen of North Carolina. Single handed, she has driven out moon RADIATOR SERVICE General Automobile Repairing, Welding, Expertly Done by Competent Workmen Dale K. F. Motor Co. 20t Howard Sir??i DR. SLOOP shiners, and shamed the earlier mountaineers into sending their children to school." . The North Carolina committee said more than 5,000 letters were written in her behalf, including letters from Governors, Senators and other leaders outside North Carolina. Dr. Sloop was one of 52 moth ers nominated by committees in every state, the District of Co lumbia, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. When informed of her selec tion, Dr. Sloop said, "I appreciate it more than I can say. I feel tremendously humble. Words fail me." But she managed to add, "My work was made possible by the Soil Conservation 'Note* ? ? ? By H. J. WILLIAMS With the serious timet caused by the present war, and the constant danger of a world wide conflict, it is very important (or farmers to keep an eye on fu ture production, as well as the production of needed commodi ties for the present emergency. Prices for farm crops will prob ably continue high. Yet with the costs of production at a peak it becomes more and more im portant for farmers in the Wa tauga Soil Conaervation District to produce qffeciently and with a minimum of labor. The farmer that fails to conserve his soil and produce abundantly will $nd it even harder to maintain the standard of living that he is now accustomed. In the first world war the urge to get rich quick caused many farmers to abuse their lands by continuous cropping. This mis use of land brought about ero sion damage that is unsurpassed in the history of our nation. In the midwest the grasslands were plowed up and worked year after year in wheat, causing the great dust storms of the early thirties. Due to its abuse during a period of peak prices, much of that land will never be of value for crops again. Less spectacular but more damaging than the dust storm* are the effects of water erosion. The erosion picture is much brighter than it was ten to twenty years ago. Farmers are learning to use their land for highest production without the tremenduous soil losses that formally occurred. This trend will continue if they do not sacrifice their land for produc tion of more clean tilled crops during the present emergency. Both North Carolina and the nation as a whole are expected to produce more meats, milk, and eggs this year than last. wonderMl help I had, and the type of children ? mountain chil dren ? that I had to deal with. "As for my own children, they're more like their father than their mother." SEATTLE. WASH. ? Transport "General Leroy Eltinge" docks at Seattle, bringing horn* 1545 veterans of the Korean war. First to return home under the army's new rotation plan (May 5). the veterans were scheduled ior 30-day furloughs. Green Valley Grange The Green Valley Grange held its regular monthly meeting April IB. Before the meeting a program was given by the school children of Winebarger and Green Valley schools. Refresh ments were served to everyone present. After this program the Grange assembled to hold its regular meeting. The meeting was called to order by the worthy master. As it was getting rather late the ritual was omitted. Two new members were initiated and given the obligation. The members discussed the community service contest and decided to enter the contest sponsored by Sears Roebuck