auga Democrat k m THURSDAY BY RIVERS PRINTING COMPANY H. C. KIVBtt, JR., PUBLISHER J?f4 AB WilHhrt Waekly Newspaper U IM miUW for 49 yam by the late Robert C. Rivera, Sr. ? SUBSCRIPTION RATES County: Om year, $2JS0- six months, $1-80; lour month*, $100. OutsltU Watauca ?S06; ate months, $1.76; four months. |1JS. ?**& >-%?*>? TO SUBSCRIBERS? la requesting change of address. it la Important to mention the OLD, aa well aa the NEW address. ' ll 7 af?nr? - ? in i i H ?attar, under the act of Congrats \ BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY U, 1980 Brotherhood Week Mrw Beffgatfl; HMWBiam''' "jgsn Nationwide obaervance of Brother s' h??d Week, sponsored by the National Conference of Christian* and Jews, will be held February 2MB. W ' Special eventa in more than 10,000 communities throughout the United Statei will mark Brotherhood Week. Program* will extend the work of the National Conference which stimulates year-round project* in school* and col leges, churchea and synagogues, labor management and community organiza tions, and in newspapers, magazines, motion pictures, radio and television. The purposes of Brotherhood Week, according to Dr. Lewis Webster Jones, President of the National Conference, are to give people an opportunity to re ded lea te themselves as individuals to the ideals of respect for people and human rights. "We try to dramatize the practical things that people can do to promote understanding and realization of thoae ideals. Brotherhood Week is essentially a campaign against the prejudices and bigotries that disfigure and distort re ligious, business, social and political relations." |r; . ^8' '.t.; -fiC-Siti The big promotion during Brother hood Week, according to Dr. Jones, will be to urge people to do more than give the principles of brotherhood mere lip service. "By getting to know the other fellow, the one who has a different creed, race or national origin than yours, by understanding his viewpoint, his ambitions and goals, you will find old prejudices disappear. You'll find that we are all one family made strong and great by the very differences that so many times divide us as individuals and groups. You'll learn to accept or reject a person strictly on his merits as a human being and not because he hap pens to be different from you." "We hope that during Brotherhood Week people will begin to get to know and appreciate each other ? to make Brotherhood a year-round practice." Fabulous Motor Car Age The automobile was such a novelty In 1890 that the Barnum and Bailey Circus displayed one as its main oddity. Today there are more than 80 million passenger care traveling or the world's roads, according to statisticians. And about 98 million are owned by Ameri cans. That's enough cars to take every man, woman and child in the U. S. lor a Sun day drive at one time . . . with room left over for all the people of Great Britain and France. And even then, there would be 15 million empty seats. Here are some other interesting facts about automobiles: England tried to discourage the use of cart in 1865 by passing the Red Flag Law. The lew required that sonteoa*k carrying a red flag in the daJrtlAe* and a lantern at night walk ahead of any steam carriage traveling on the high way!. The first president to ride in a car was William McKinley. He was taken to a hospital in an electric ambulance after being shot by an assassin in 1901. A Cadillac was driven up the steps of the Capitol in Washington, D. C., in 1905 to prove the car'p power. The average car lasted 6.5 years in 1925. Today it lasts more than 12 years. The average 1925 car traveled 25,750 miles before it was scrapped. The aver age car today travels 110,000 miles. Private passenger cars in the U. S. travel more than 500 billion miles a year ... a distance greater than 2,700 round trips to the sun. Billions Of Good Turns This old earth of ours has turned around on Its axis 18,262 times and has completed fifty trips around the sun since February 8, 1910, the day Scouting was born in the United States. In the past fifty years, thirty-three and a half million Americans have been identified with the Boy Scouts of Ameri ca. Each member accepted the obligation to do a Good Turn to someone every day. This Good Turn, meaning doing some thing useful, or something extra ? be yond mere courtesy, has a very special place in Scouting. The Boy Scouts of America came into being through the Good Turn of an un known British Boy Scout. A large bronze buffalo statue stands at the Gilwell train ing center near London, bearing this simple but eloquent inscription: "To the Unknown Scout whose faith fulness in the performance of the 'Daily Good Turn' brought the Scout Move ment to the United States of America." William D. Boyce, Chicago publisher, was bewildered in foggy London in 1909 while seeking an address. The British lad offered his services. The boy led the American to the address and when Mr. Boyce offered a shilling tip to the lad, the boy saluted, thanked him, and said, "Sir, I am a Scout. A Scout does not accept tips for courtesies and Good Turns." Mr. Boyce, who had twenty to thirty thousand boys on his sales force, was dumbfounded. After he completed his errand, he accompanied the British Scout to the office of Lord Baden - Powell, founder of the Scout idea. Here he caught the vision of Baden-Powell. He returned to America and incorporated the Boy Scouts of America. / As they go forward with new billions of Good Turns to be performed, we salute the Boy Scouts of America. This helping other people, helping the community and the nation, is giving boys a worthwhile experience in citizenship. In Defense Of Farmers (The Tarheel Banker) Exclude us, please, from the doctrin aire attitude of so many of our urban economists wbn ore two-fisted about what they regard as farm socialism. Too often, the spokesmen against farm sub sidies manage a rather cavalier attitude when non-farm subsidies are mentioned. Repeatedly we have stated that the American farmer was the original indi vidualist. Not only that, he comes from a line of forebears who demonstrated re markable courage in making a living in spite of the elements, up-and-down mar kets, and low potential income. And >o we repeat our wager that the American farm community will be glad to take its chances In a completely free economy. That means, mind you, that everybody else will have to surrender their subsidies; everybody else will have to forego the "advantages" of govern ment paternalism That's a pretty fair proposition, as we ""I " MBWlBh, pretty interesting this posi years, for every $1,000 spent by the Federal Government for subsidies, the farmer received |70. Airlines, schools, the petroleum indus try, housing, shipping ? ail of these made the farmers look like pikers in the gov ernment hand-out department. The taxpayers pick up the tab, for example, on a Urge percentage of the cost of mailing newspapers and maga zines. The Tarheel Banker doesn't pay in postage nearly what it actually costs the post-office department to distribute our journal. On a grander scale, the tax payers in 1962 paid about $8 million of the cost of mailing Life Magazine alone. One man's gravy is no defense of an other man's subsidy. The point is that all subsidies are everybody's poison ? in the long run. The government as a Daddy Rabbit has lost much of its bounce. The prob lems of debt management, much less debt retirement, are upon us. And un less there Is an across-the-board realiza tion that freedom needs free enterprise to survive^ we can expect nothing from our problems except a worsening. One Of Our Underprivileged Just One Thing After Another By CARL GOERCH A former resident of S?lma, Alabama called me up after my radio program aeveral weeks ago and aald that at one time two gentlemen by the name of Morgan and Pettua were in the U. S. Sen ate from Selma, Alabama and that thia wai the only time such a thing ever happened in the hiatory of the country. I told him (thanki to informa tion given me tome time before by the late Willi! Brigga of Ra leigh) that he waa miataken. In IBIS Nathaniel Macon, of Warren County, wai elected to the U. S. Senate and aerved until 1823. Jamei Turner, alao of Warren County waa elected to the Senate in 1815 and aerved through 1818. Not only that but In 1814 William Miller, likewiae of Warren County, waa elected Governor of North Carolina and aerved until 1817. So, you aee, for a brief period of time. Warren County had both Senators and alao the Governor. All three men lived in Warrenton or Just ? few miles outside of town. Next time you want ?ome child ish amuaement with waich to en tertain your guesta, you might try the aciaaors game on them. First time I was educated to it waa in George McNeiU'a home down In Morehead City several suramera ago. You and your gueata are seated In a circle. A pair of aeisaora are the only props that are needed. In starting the game, you get some one to band you the scissors. When this is done, you look at them carefully and say: "I receive them open." Then you change the posi tion of the scissors and pass them to the person on your right, saying while doing so: "And I pass them closed." The others are requested to do the same thing in the same manner that you did it. As a general thing, it is best to have someone else, preferably sitting across the circle from you, who is wise to the stunt. The others will twist the scissors around in every way imaginable and will announce that they're re ceiving them open, passing them closed, or receiving them closed and passing them open. The scissors have nothing to do with the way they are received or the way they are passed. It's the position of your legs that counts. If your legs are separated, then it means that you are receiving the acissors open. Then, while looking at the scissors very carefully and, changing the arrangement of the blades, you cross your legs or your feet and say: "And I'm pass ing them closed." Or, if you want to, you can pass them open. It's a hard stunt to catch onto. Mr. J. M. White of the Norfolk Southern, was eating lunch in the SAW Cafeteria up in Washington, D. C. not long ago. At the table next to him were four people and, of all things, they were discussing The State Magazine. One of them apoke up and, referring to the former editor of the publication, remarked: "That'i the craziest guy in the world." Mr. White didn't know who they were, but as be got up to leave he leaned over their table and said: "I'll probably see Carl in the morning and 111 tell him what you think of him." He said their faces turned red in wonderful fashion. Several years ago we went into the Sir Walter Hotel Barber Shop and observed that Barber McCurdy was busily engaged in shaving Jack Dempsey. Inasmuch as we were leaving town in a few min utes, we walked over and said goodby to Dempsey. And then, with a somewhat puzzled look at Mr. McGrudy, we remarked: "You sure are an inconsistent sort of person. Here you are shaving Dempsey to , day, and only yesterday we heard say that he was a no-account drunkard and ought to be shot." Dempsey looked at McCurdy. McCurdy held out both his hands beseechingly. "Before God, Mr. Dempsey," he exclaimed, "I didn't say any such a thing. He'a making the whole thing up." Jack laughed and McCurdy went on with his shaving after easting a most reproachful look in my direc tion. Incidentally, we might add that Mr. Dempsey doesn't drink. SOME LOCAL HISTORICAL SKETCHES From Early Democrat Files Sixty Years Ago Fehrmary IS, MM. Mia* Julia, daughter of Mr. J. H* Hardin of Sutherland, has en tered achool here. Sorry to hear of the illneas of Ex-Sheriff Hayet, but hope he will aoon be better. Mr. F. D. Bingham of Pine Run waa up and entered a son and daughter In achool. Meaari I. S. Coffey and J. M. Morels are In Virginia thia week for Um purpose of buying some wagon and saddle horses for their own use. Little Ralph, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Greer, died of whooping cough on the fifth inst. Rev. Mr. Stanford informs us that his collections so far for the new church at Blowing Rock are $230 and that the good people continue to drop in their mitea. When in town, hand him a dollar, or more, and help push the enter prise to completion. Mrs. Nancy Mitchell. 70 years of age, who live* oa the Beech Mountain, muat be a remarkable woman. She ttres 11 miles from Cranberry and it la aald she walks there and back as often as seventy trips a year, and carries from forty to seventy peuads at a load. She deals in vegetables, chickens, ens, ate. and is said to be perfect ly upright in all her business VaUe Cnicis Items: Miss Addie C. Mast of Sugar Grove spent sev eral days here last week ... Or. Vsnce Sherrill passed through Friday on his way to see his fath er, who is wry ill ... Mr. Hayea and Mies Laaa Maat who have keen attending achool at Blowing Rock, have returned ... J. T. Tay lor af Lenoir paaaad through last week ?n hie way to Elk Park. . . . James Maat was in the valley Thirty-Nine Years Ago February 10, 1921. After ? stay of more than two weeks in Raleigh, taking after the interests of the ATS, Capt. Lovill has returned. Mr. Bynum Gross, who for sev eral years has been in the coal fields of Virginia, has returned with his family end looted on his valuable Ueat Camp property, purchased of Mr. Jesse Ragan two year* ago. A new switch board has been in stalled at Central Phone Office and several linemen, under the di rection of Mr. Tester of Vail* Crucis, are putting in first class condition the liaea through the county, with outside connections, just as rapidly as poaaible, and ere long it ia hoped the service in Wa tauga will be of the best Mr. Carter Cook has bought the barber business in Boone owned by Mr. Moreiand of Cranberry, and took charge of the shop Tuesday. His wife will join him here next week and for the prcoent they will take board at the Crtcher Hotel. "Within the next thirty days," says Jim Todd, the plumber, "I hope to have the water main laid from the cistern to Main Street and down the same as far as the Baptist Church; in the direction of the schol as far as Cottrell's Store." The county and Mr. J. M. Morett are financing the water ? system and certainly it is the best move yet made for our good little town. The material for the cistern i? all delivered, the piping all paid aad covered from the water on the mountain thereto and from the cistern site to the courthouse, where moet of the plumbing has been done. The cistern will be erected just as sooa as 'he weath er will permit, and the idea ia to be ready to supply the town with water when the cistern to filled. Fifteen Years Ago February S, IMS. Charles Norton, 34 yean old, ion of the late Professor A. M. Norton of Appalachian College and Mrs. Norton, died at Grace Hoapital, Banner Elk, Tuesday evening after an illness which be gan several years ago . . . The body of L R. (Bus) Cro well, manager of Belk's Depart ment Store here, and one of the leaders in the business, civic and religious activities of the com munity, was found in the basement section of the big retail store at 2 o'clock this morning, a bullet wound in the chest and s 32 cali bre revolver lying sear the body . . . Cornor J. V. Caudill investi gated the death and impanelled a jury which decided that death was csused by a gun shot wound in the chest, inflicted by deceased or from accidental causes. There is no indication of foul play." Mrs. Susan A. Spainhour, pro minent Morganton citiaen, sister of Mrs. E. S. Coffey of Boone, and many years ago a resident of this city, died Saturday at a Morgan ton Hospital from an etxended illness . . . With no indication of any early alleviation of the cigarette short age, the office Of price admini stration has decided to give amok ers a break. Effective Monday, lower price ceilings on smoking pipes have been ordered. The or der waa made possible by reduc tioas in prices paid by pipe manu facturers and importers of Span ish briarwood. Mr. Frank M. Payne, local in surance man, haa been named to the chairmanship of the cavity salvage comaoittee, it is announced by Dr. D. J. Whitenor, head of the civilian defenae committee for the county. KING STREET By ROB RIVERS ?t ST |End Of Landmark . . Old Shoemakers Contrary to the understanding of many of our friends, the old building vacated last week by the City Shoe Shop is not the original Democrat building, and while it can lay claim to being something of a landmark hereabouts, it is not rooted in antiquity to the degree that it should be preserved, as some have suggested. The Watauga Democrat had its shaky beginnings in a build ing on the site of the present structure, a two-story four-room brick dwelling house owned by Joe Councill, pioneer watch maker, whose widow later sold the building to R. C. Rivers, the first. ... In 1921 or 1922, Mr. Rivers had a big auction sale for that day and sold out the newspaper office with about three acres of land adjoining for around six thousand dollars, an unheard of price for the time. . . . The Advent Christian Church had bought the house and lot and it was necessary that the Democrat office be moved, so our daddy built the brick annex on to the frame structure which had actually been erected in 1913 for the Boone postoffice, and the print ing office was hastily moved to the other side of middle branch. . . In 1937 we erected the present Democrat building and the business again changed sides of the creek. . . . Since, the old building has been used as a woodworking shop, a furniture store, and for a great many years as the shoe shop of Will Jones and Herbert. . . . The building has seen its best days and will shortly be taken away in the march of modern business establishments. . . . Meantime, the Messrs Jones Have reestablished their business in the Linney store building across the Street. Of course a volume could be written about things that have happened during the years the county newspaper was pub lished in the drafty old structure, where in summer time, in his later years, Bob Rivers held forth a good deal of his time under the spreading maple tree and discussed community events, politics, and what not with all and sundry who came by on their unhurried errands. Looking at Boone's two fine shoe shops, however, we are reminded of the days when it was fairly difficult to get one's soles mended and when new shoes even at two dollars a pair were hard for most folks to come by. . . Mr. Smith Watts of Blowing Rock was a fine shoemaker and a lot of people had their work done there and as a matter of fact Mr. Watts could fashion one a fine pair of shoes or a sleek new pair of boots right from the side of leather. ... In Boone Mr. William T. Blair sometimes mended shoes, more as favor to his neighbors, but we remember mostly Riley Horton, strong, active negro man, who'd gather up the shoes from about the town, buy himself some leather, sprigs and shoe thread at Blackburns and hie away to his home on the side of Howard's Knob where he'd hammer and sew by lamplight, getting as many pairs as possible ready for the next morning delivery. . . . Riley did a good job of work, whether one wanted the half soles nailed on, or wished them to be securely fastened with a waxed end ? wooden shoe pegs had gone out of use by then, we suppose. ... It was told once that Riley lost the paper on which he had written the names of a group of dormitory girls for whom he had fixed a sack full of shoes, and had endless trouble in, getting the shoes and their owners together. . . . Anyway, whoever finally gets down to writing! about Boone and her folks, could scarcely escape some words' about Riley whose work was so essential to the well-being of the community in his day and time. * * * * Donald J. Boyden . . Gentleman Of Old School Donald Boyden, who went away the other day, was con nected with -one of the pioneer families of the community, and we can recall him in our shortbreeches days as he went about the community. ... In his adulthood he was prominent in the hotel business in Blowing Rock and did much to develop the tourist resources of the area. . . . Recently as Preacher Trout man said, he became a man of silence. ... Ill health, changing fortunes and a changed community perhaps made him lone some along the Street where he once knew all. ... Be that as it may, wise men and philosophers often hold high com munion in their innermost silences. . . . Donald Boyden, it always appeared to us, was one of the most polite men we've ever known, in his associations with all people. . . . For one to be so generous and so courteous and so consid erate of others, he must have held an undying love for people, for his neighbors, which is linked firmly with a love for the Great Teacher. ... To say that one lives gentilely, with a genuine affection and respect for his associates, makes a pretty fair encomium for any man. Uncle Pinkney CMcKnifht ByndtoaM HIS PALAV ARM'S DEAR MISTER EDITOR: I didn't git to the lestion at the country store Saturday night ?n account of my young neighbor down the road a piece come by to tell me hii family troubles. Him and hia wife haa been fuss ing and squabbling since the day they was married 17 years ago. I recollect onet about 10 year ago when ha said ha was going to git a court enter to restrain his mother-in-law from brainwashing his wife. As I've watched this fight down through the yean ? they've got seven kids ? I see fault oa both sides. One thing I've noted about him, ever misfortune he has had in life he has took it like a man ? Warned it on his wife. On the other hand 111 have to say that she's a very ornery crittar. She la the kind that shifts her brain into neutral and just lets her tongue idle on, making a U-turn in the middle of ever conversation. And she's got a tongue as sharp u one of them ranar blades you see advertised on television She told her old man onct that she hoped to live to see the day when electric blan kets would replace husbands in this world. If you can git any saarper than that, I ain't heard it 1 tried to console him the beat I could. Mister Editor. I told him wimmen and mules is a pritty contrary proposition to handle. I give him the example of that feller that shaved his wife's head on account of her running around with other men and she put on a wig and went right back into business. I recommended to him that he be consoled to his lot, that the greatest optimists in this gen eration was those fellers you read, about in the papers swapping wives. I think he went home feel ing a little better about the situa tion. Anyhow he's made it fer 17 year, m I figger somebody Up There likes him. Speaking of wimmen, I'm go ing to quit buying the Sunday edition of these big daily news papers U they dont quit using all the space fer the wimmen's section. Back in the days when things was in their right pro portion, paper* tacked a page on to the end of the paper fer wim men. Now they use half the paper fer that aection and put it up front ahead of such important departments as the comics and politic*. It seems to me that journalism b sitting all out of shape in the big papers with this new allotment of junk they're calling the wimmen's section.