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An Independent Weekly Netctpaper . . . Seventieth Year of Continuous Publication
TWELVE PAGES—TWO
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 1»57
16,000 Pieces Mail Handled
Every Day A t Boone Postoffice
By JOE C. MINOR
Democrat Staff Writer
Sixteen thousand piece, of mail
that* what Boone's first class
Pcsto/fice expects to handle today
srs "nd every w°rkiag ***
Lyle B. Cook, acting postmaster,
says an average of nine to ten
thousand pieces of mail come into
frT*di. ,leh^Ve t0 Six thousand
ZJSS** "" "•
' lot of work for
somebody. Sixteen persons are
present y hired to handle thU
mountain of mail. ,ncIude<( ™
the postmaster and his assistant
three regular clerks, a substitute!
•nd temporary substitute clerk
three regular city carriers and a
substitute; and three rural carriers
m.il. T." r?*ive» «ve incoming
mails and dispatches mail six
offices "froin G TW° •*»*
^5.. ' 'ro™ Greensboro and Char
,ocal office
r rout*" wrve the town
se^,°!e 'nf*rt,cul«r o«ers faster'
service to Boone patrons A <zt.
^x«rving here fr°m N°r">
7 30 ' •» meets
to b£™ "nd brin*« mail
the W? hour» earlier than
would get it here.
All of this i, a f„ cry {
the way mail came into Boone
when the local of/ice was known
as Council's Store, back 134 years
a?o»and all mail was mmk
few's nd'/ °' °" fco' M«»« were
few and far between in those days
along Tr^T"8 Were made
along. The Boone station was desie
"g.^/' ■ thir<l cl„, office in
second "fas™ ™ <°
haveWe^rt° me" *nd women
nave served as postmasters since
a MoOn was tint established
"ere Jordan Council] was first
Postmaster, ,n4 continued ^ l"!
Utle after Boone was founflfll
n#me ot the s,a,ion
was changed from Councils Store
over?"8' jMtPb C Councill took
Cou Jm ' yeSr 1858' but Jordan
new CaiDe b"Ck into 0ffie« the
ot/e«r *ad stayed until 1806
Other postmasters and years of
their appointments were: Henry
Hard", la*; D,vjd ^ fig
Cntr ,889- William C
^ey; !&73: Marion F. Modphew
1882; John T. Lippard, 1883 Leln'
884t Daniel B. Douchertv 1 opc
k ' Thomas C. Black
B B"ckb«™
1923- Ab""*w DU<fley Earthing,
1923^ Abner W. Smith. 1927; Wiley
Jr T John E. Brown
Jr.. 1M3. and Lyle B. Cook. 1953
The po*toffice has grown with
the community, and all the former
postmasters carried names which
may be identified with the progress
of the town.
An increase in receipts has been
noted for many years at the post
office. Requirements were met
during the year 10S2, when John
E. Brown, Jr.. was postmaster, for
first class rating. Receipts (stamps,
postcards, etc.) were more than
$42,000. Total needed for the rat
ing was *40.000 The station was,
designated first class at the fiscal
year beginning 1953.
Money taken in, postage only, for
the years following, according to
Postmaster Cook's records, follows:
1953 — $44,900; 1994 — $49,700;
$99,700 in 1959; $96,00 in 1996.
Receipts this year are ahead of last
year's, Mr. Cook said. He expects
$60,000 or better.
The 960,000 expected receipts
for thisiyear is a slight increase
over that taken in in the year 1S28
when the station was started. That
year, according to records kept In
Washington, receipts amounted to
$4.98.
In talking of the advantages of
having a first claaa poatoffice, Mr.
Cook said. "With a first claas rat
ing we can demand and get top
service for our incoming and out
going mail." Even greater im
provements may be expected here
as the office grows, he stressed.
TV- handling of the 16.000 pieces
of mall la not the only work em
ployees of the office have to do.
For one thing, a lot of stamp*—
some days up to 9,000—have to
be passed through the windows.
Money orders and C. 0. D.'s haw
to be taken care of. A postal cm
ploye* in this office has to be
versatile because he may be "cas
ing" the mail one minute, selling
stamp* the next, weighing and re
(Continued on 9%f two)
POSTAL WORKERS —Morris
Barnett, left, ia busy placing mail
in its proper _"pigeon-hole,"
while Farthing Hayes, far center,
bags outgoing mail. Acting
Postmaster Lyle B. Cook op
erates letter cancellation ma
chine, while Mrs. Nellie C.
Linney "cases" incoming mail.
Mr. Cook, left, poses with ve
hicles which contribute greatly to
mail service for Boone. Center
truck is used about town, and end
vehicles are highway postoffices,
which transport mail between
Boone, Greensboro and Char
lotte.
Brilliant Musical Spearheads .
A^trr. • . -rn. • '-Ti•<
Blowing Rock Hospital Drive
BLOWING ROCK—The most
distinguished social and musical
event of Blowing Rock's summer
season, the annual concert for the
(benefit of the Blowing Rock Hos
pital, will take place at the Blow
ing Rock Country Clift on Friday,
August 9th at • p. m.
Outstanding Artists
For many years this concert,
organized and financed by Mr.
Dtavid Ovens of Charlotte has
brought to Blowing Rock out
standing stars of opera and con
cert fame. TJiis year's program
will bring back. two favorite per
formers of previous concerts—
charming Jane Hobson, Contralto,
and America's leading accompan
ist, Stuart Ross—and introduce to
Blowing Rock three brilliant new
comers just reaching the top of
their musical careers — lovely
Ewan Harbrecht, soprano; Jean
Deis, tenor; and Chester Watson,
bass-baritone. The program is
carefully balanced to delight all
music lover* and to provide a
challenge to each artist's special
talents. Larry Walker, president
of CSOTP, will act as M. C., as he
has in the past. An overflow audi
ence is expected.
Growth Requirement*
Of The Hospital
The entire proceeds of the Con
cert will go to the Blowing Rock
Hospital, as always. But this year
the concert is expected to spear
head a drive to provide funds for
critically needed expansion of the
facilities of the hospital. Newly
constructed in J932 as a modern
18 bed hospital, its planned facili
ties have been unable to keep pace
with requirement/ arising from
the phenomenal growth of Blow
ing Rock's summer population,
and with growing peakloads dur
ing the winter months of year
.round patients from Watauga and
adjacent counties. For example,
during January. February and
(Continued on page two)
Rooms Needed At
Blowing Rock
Since an overflow crowd i* ex
pected at Blowing Rock for thia
week end, due to the Horse Show
and related activities, Mrs. T. L.
CUur at the Blowing Rock Cham
ber of Commerce, ask* that thoae
i having extra bedrooms for rent
during the weok end in-that vi
cinity, communicate with her, so
that the demand for lodgings may
be met as adequately as possible.
Mitchell County Man
Dies In Cycle Crash
Howard Charles Byrd. 20, of
Bakeraville, died last Wednesday
at Watauga Hospital from injuries
received on Monday when the
motorcycle he was riding over
turned in highway 105 in the
vicinity of Shulls Mills.
He reportedly died of a fractur
ed skull. He never regained con
sciousness.
Funeral services were held Fri
day at 2 o'clock at the Bakersville
Methodist Church. Rev. L. C.
Cornwell and Rev. Carl Haire of
ficiated, and burial was in Byrd
cemetery. Red Hill.
A »on of Mr. and Mrs. Theodore
R. Byrd, deceased was reared in
Mitchell county. A graduate of
Bowman High School he had beeh
employed by the Toe Valley View
and the Mars Theatre in Bakers
ville. '
In addition to his parents, two
brothers and three sisters sur
vive.
June production in nation tops
'56 level. .
MAX FOX empties al Boone one of 590 bu*hel« of fonder beans on a
truck which hauled them to a cannery al Newport, Toon.- John Corey
I 1
...... ,, . *
Park Commission Partly
Approves Parkway Plan
Proposal Of
Park Service
Is Again Aired
WAYNESVILLE — The North
Carolina National Park. Parkway
and Forests Development Commis
sion last Thursday announced ap
proval in part of a plan proposed
by the National Park Service for
construction of concession facil
ities on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The commission, headed by Wil
liam M/ed ford of Waynesville,
urged that steps be taken to fur
ther develop tourist sleeping, eat
ing and service facilities in areas
adjacent to the 21-year-old park
way.
The parkway connects Shenan
doah National Park in Virginia
and Great Smoky Mountains Na
tional Park in western North
Carolina and Tennessee.
The National Park Service said
none of the proposed facilities
would be constructed or operat
ed with government funds.
The parkway in North Carolina
will be divided into three con
tract areas, they said.
The total estimated capital out
lay for the additional facilities in
North Carolina, including the pur
chase of presently government
owned facilities, and operating
capital sufficient to insure sound
financial operation, would be
about $2,300,000.
National Park Concessions Inc.,
a non-profit, non-stock corpora
tion, which operates cdncessions
in other national parks, presently
operates under contract all - con
cession facilities on the Blue
Ridge Parkway.
The contract, dated Jan. 1,
1942 and extending to Dec. 31,
1961, can be terminated at any
time by the Secretary of Interior.
The commission's report Thurs
day said the contract "apparently
will be terminated in those areas
when new facilities are ready for
construction. Thereafter a new
contract covering the construction
and operation of all facilities in
that contract area will be let . .
The plan made public by Park
Service spokesmen also gave de
tails about plans for lodging, eat
ing and gasoline stations along the
parkway,
The commission held a hearing
at Asheville May 21 attended by
representatives of cities and
towns affected (by parkway trav
el.
Park Service proposals were
supported by representatives from
Sparta, Brevard and North Wil
kesboro.
They were opposed by repre
sentatives from Boone, Blowing
Rock, Asheville, Spruce Pine,
Burnsvitle, Newland and several
organizations, including the North
Carolina Motel Assn.
The report said that Park Ser
vice proposals for increasing lodg
ing facilities at Doughton Park
and at Pisgah Inn are not^now
needed.
The state commission recom
mended that material be made
available along the parkway to
advise tourists what facilities were
available in the areas adjacent to
the 477-mile long mountain drive
way.
Jimmy Mast Is
Named Coach
Jimmy Matt, former Appalach
ian State Teachers College basket
ball star. ha> been named banket
ball coach at Southwest High
School in Forsyth county, succeed
ing Ray Simpson, resigned
Matt was an outstanding high
school athlete at Cove Creek, be
ing named to the Journal-Sentinel
all-Northwest basketball squad.
He played four years of basket
ball for the Mountaineers, captain
ing the team hi* senior year. He
was voted the moat valuable play
er on the squad his last season.
Mast graduated in 1902 and
coached six months at Pilot Moun
tain High before going into serv
ice.
He has been studying for his
masters degree at Appalachian
this summer. Mast will teach
social studies. w
LIONS CLUB DISTRICT GOVERNORS —The new North Carolina Lloni State Council held ita first meet
ing of the year in Boone recently with the Boone Club acting aa host. The council is composed of gov
ernors of all the nine districts in the state and 100 percent atteiytance was noted. Membera are, left to
right, frint row: Lawrence L. Mair, givernor District 31C, Belmont; M. R. Rourk, 31 H, Shallottee; Nor
man Trueblood, state secretary and treasurer. Elizabeth City; C. Paul Carr, 31-G, Hillsboro; Michael L.
Polk, «1-E, Mt. Pleasant; second row: Robert M. Langley, 31-J, Bath; William A. Hart, 31-A, Weavervllle;
A. R. Smith, 31-B, host governor, Boone; Emmett V. Stone, 31-D, High Point; William B. Farmer, ll-K,
Laurinburg.—Photo Palmer's Studio. ,
Miss Croft Will
Present Program
« *
MISS FLORENCE CROFT
Miss Florence Croft, successful
teacher of tpeech, dramatic* and
oral reading, will present a pro
gram of reading! and dramatic in-,
terpretation in the College Audi?
torium on Monday evening, Aug
ust 9th. Miu Croft, a native of
Weat Virginia, ii currently work
ing in the remidal reading center
at the local initltution.
Miu Crpft, whose work with
high ichool speech and dramatic
groups has led to several winning
performances at state and district
festivals, is a celebrated monolog
ist in her own right. She has made
a name for herself on TV, radio,
and before district and state con
ventions. Dr. Cormea Mowery,
past president of NEA, pronounc
ed her program of monologues
"the best at our spring meeting in
years."
* The public is Invited.
Dr. Farthing
Dies Saturday"
Dr. Watt* Farthing. 45, whose
father, the late Dr. L. E. Farthing,
was a native of Boone, died in a
Wilmington hospital last Saturday,
following a long period of failing
health.
Dr. Farthing, who was reared
in Wilmington, studied medicine
at the Jefferson Medical College,
Philadelphia, taking poet-graduate
work at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester,
Minn., and had been a practicing
surgeon in Wilmington for many
years.' He had often visited with
relatives in Boone, where he was
well known.
Funeral service* were held in
Wilmington Monday ifternodn. An
unclc of the deceased, H. Grady
Farthing of Boone, attended the
rites.
Surviving are the widow, a son
tnd daughter, John and Connie
Farthing of the home, and the
mother, Mrs. L. C. Farthing.
Nashville, Ten».—Tom Hender
son, 21, and his 83-year old l>ridc
spent their honeymoon in Miami,
Florida, as the guests of Granville
Dozier. night-club operator, who
offered them a free one-week
Florida honeymoon and round
trip au luicr ticket*. .
Horse Show Crowds
May Set A Record
John Harmon
Funeral Held
John Calvin Harmon, 89, re
tired farmer and carpenter qt the
Beech Cagfe neighborhood, died
at hii home Saturday, fallowing a
long period of declining health.
He had lived in the Beech Creek
section (or 46 year*.
Funeral services were held
Monday July 20 at 3 o'clock at the
Beech Valley Bapttat Church.
Burial ^as in the Beech Valley
cemetery. Rev. Ed Farthing and
Rev. Roe Payne conducted the
services.
Survivors include three sons:
Roosevelt Harmon, Boone; Mc
Kinley Harmon, Seattle, Waah.;
Raymond D. Harmon, Wickliffc,
Ohio; Six daughters: Mrs. Grady
N»rris, Mrs. Cloyd Parlier, Mrs.
James Norris, Elk Park; Mrs. Car
roll Keller, Science Hill. Ky.; Mrs.
Glenn Austin, Akron, Ohio and
Mrs. Narvie Moore, Sugar Grove.
Receive Gift
On TV Show
Mr. and Mrs. O. B. Crowder of
Boydton, Va., recently received
felicitations and an Anniversary
gift on the NBC television pro
gram, "It Could Be You."
Mrs. Crowder ia formerly'Miss
Josephine Miller of Boone.
The Blowing Rock Horie Show,
the bight pot of the resort season
at the mountain top resort, will
get under way Ftiday afternoon,
the concluding performances be
ing Sunday.
Indications are that there will
be more than ISO entries this
jMgr, to establish a record.
Especial activity 1s reported in
the three and five-gaited classes
and in the Tennessee walking
horse division
In the children's horsemanship
classes interest Is running high,
also, it is said, with 24 having
already been entered in one class.
Entries have been made from
Maryland to Florida, horse show
officials said.
One of the oldest horse shows
in the South, the Blowing Rock
event uses its proceeds for chari
table and other community pur
poses — Boy Scouts, Volunteer
Fire Department, Community
Club, Community Playground and
general town improvements.
Ai the Horse Show ground*
there are 100 boxes, 1,000 new
grandstand seats, ample parking
facilities, and 190 stalls for horses.
Entertainment has been plann
ed for exhibitors and spectators.
A buffet supper and dance will be
given for the exhibitors Friday
night, and the traditional horse*
show breakfast will be served at
Mayview Manor Saturday noon.
Saturday night the Grand Horse
Show Ball will be held at May
view Manor.
Artists To Appear At
Grandfather Home Day
Banner Elk. — David Ovens,
Charlotte philanthropiat and bus
iness executive, will once again
pre tent the need of Grandfather
Home during the thirty-ninth
Grandfather Home Day held at
the Rumple Memorial Presby
terian Church, Blowing Rock, at
11 a. m„ Auguat 11. Dr. Walter
Keyi. paator of the church, will
preaide.
Grandfather Home Day has
been celebrated through the yean
in 4 number of ways, but always
In the Rumple Memorial Church.
Eighteen year* ago, .Ovens began
preaenting the need of thia child
care institution to a wide North
Carolina audience by arranging a
benefit concert aa i portion of
the program for the traditional
Grandfather Home Day. His gift
covers the coats to all receipts go
to the home.
Grandfather Home Day was the
brain child of Dr. Charles G. Var
dell and continued through the
years under the leadership of Dr.
James 1. Vance. In the early lMffs,
the Rev. Edgar Tufts, founder of
the three institutions at Bsitner
Elk. which IncJudc CrafuUaUwr
Home for Children, led the pro
gram with the help of children
from the home." More recently.
Oven* has brought outstanding
artists to Blowing Rock for a wor
ship hour benefit concert, and pre
sents representative children to
the congregation.
Grandfather Home campus la
nestled in the Elk Valley, beneath
the shadow of Beech Mountain
and Grandfather Mountain. Here
in the very heart of the Appa
lachian tableland, the Rev. Mr.
Tufts Ui 1B14 founded the home to
take care of any child in need.
Today the home can take only 03
children, the majority of whom
come from Holston Presbytery In
Appalachia Synod and Concord
Presbytery in the Synod if North
Carolina. Both Synods are in the
Presbyterian Church, U. S.
The new building*, now under
construction, will house an all
weather recreational center and
nther facilities to broaden the vo
cational, educational, and spiritual';
experiences for the children at
Grandfather Home. m
The dariy farm, beef cattle I
on P«U
.. •••<