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VOLUME LXXIII? NO. 48
WATAUGA DEMOC
An Independent Weekly Newspaper . . . Seventy-Third Year of Continuous Publication
PRICE: FIVE CENTS
BOONE. WATAUGA COUNTY, NOKTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 1M1
? Pnoto Flowers' Photo oiiop
RESCUE GROUPS AT LAKE DURING SEARCH FOR JOHN KIRK AND SON
Lake Yields Bodies
John Kirk And Son
Funeral services were held Tues
day afternoon at 2:00 o'clock, in
the Boone Methodiat Church, for
John Kirk and his five-year-old son,
Stevie, who were drowned last week
in Watauga Lake. Burial was in
Mountlawn Memorial Gardens.
The Rev. Preaton Hughes, Jr.,
pastor, and the Rev. B. U, Low man,
Belmont, a former pastor, were in
charge of the services.'
Survivors include the widow,
Elaine Shaw Kirk, a son, Tommy,
two daughters, Sandra and Laurie
Kirk, of the home, and Mr. Kirk's
parents, Mr. and Jfrs. Zeb Kirk,
of Boone.
Pallbearers for Mr. Kirk were
members of the Appalachian foot
ball team, and for Stevie members
of the Methodist Men. College
administration members were hon
orary pallbearers.
Mr. Kirk, who was Dean of Men
at Appalachian State Teachers Col
lege, and popular assistant foot
ball coach, and his son were ob
jects of a five-day search by res
cue squads, navy divers, and other
volunteers, when they did not re
turn home from the lake after go
in there to fish Tuesday afternoon
(May 23).
When they did not return home
that night; a search was made
for them, and the boat was found
drifting on the lake.
Rescue squads from over North
Carolina, Tennessee and other
states, as well as navy men, joined
in the search, which lasted until
the body of Mr. Kirk was discover- 1
ed floating on the lake by the I
Carter County (Tenn.) Rescue
Squad Boat No. 2, about 3:30 p.
m. Sunday, near Point 7.
The search then concentrat
ed at that point and about 20 min
utes later the boy's body was dis
covered. The bodies were across
the lake from where the boat was
Jouwl-KcdnesiUr, ?Bd depth of
the water at point of their dis
covery was estimated at about 40
feet. They were approximately 50
feet from shore.
While the main searching was
done in the lake, search parties
also scoured the surrounding woods
and area, on the theory the two
might have gone ashore, and the
boat drifted away from them.
Mr. Kirk was a native of Lexing
ton. He received his BS and MA
degrees from Appalachian State
Teachers College. He was a World
War II veteran. After teaching and
coaching at Reynolds High School
in Winston-Salem, he returned to
his alma mater, where he was a
coach of the Mountaineers. He was
named dean of men last year, a
position he held at the time of his
death along with his teaching du
ties.
Mr. Kirk was a former member
of the Boone Rotary Club, a mem
ber of the American Legion, Phi
Delta Kappa, education fraternity,
the Methodist Men's Club, Pi Gam
ma Mu, social atudies fraternity,
sponsor and member of Men's A
Club at the college. He was a mem
ber of the official board of the
Boone Methodist Church, and was
active in all phases of the church.
Acts To Provide For
School Board Voting
Representative Murray uoney
has introduced a bill in ihe House
which would provide for the no
mination and election of ihe Board
of Education by a direct vote of
the people, rather than through
Legislative enactment as is now
the ease.
The bill provides that Watauga
education board shall consist of 3
members elected as follows: (U
in 1962 primary each political
party shall nominate 3 candidates
for boaid; (2) in 1S62 general
election the 3 candidates for edu
cation board receiving highest
number of votes shall be elected
to serve for 2-year terms. Election
to be held in same manner and at
same time as for bther county of
ficer!; education board members
to take office at same time as oth
er county officers. Vacancy on
board to be filled as now provided
by law. If nominee dies or othef
isc is not candidate id general
election or lea* than 3 persons are.
nominated, executive committee
of affected political party to ap
point nominee.
Members of board to be paid per
diem and allowances Iron state
scnooi tuna in accordance witn
general law. Terms of education
board members appointed by 1961
General Assembly to continue un
til successors are elected and
qualified under ibis act.
The bill has been referred to
the committee on elections and
election laws.
J. A. Coffey
Takes Own Life
Lenoir, May 34 ? James Adolphus
Coffey, 32, of Lenoir, Rt. 1, died
Monday in a hospital here from
gunshot wound*.
Coroner Claude Goble ruled the
wounds were self-inflicted and
said there would be no lnqueat.
Coffey was at the home of a sister,
Mrs. Carl Hartley, when the shoot
ing occurred.
He was born in Watauga Coun
ty to Milton and Velma Viola
Penley Coffey. Mr. Coffey waa a
sawmiller.
Surviving in addition to his par
ents and his sister, are a daughter,
(Continued on p*ga three)
JOHN KIRK
Winkler Passes Bill
For Airport Proposal
Interest Seen
In Palsy Drive
The annual United Cerebral Pal
sy Campaign conducted in May
was introduced for the iirst ;ime
in Watauga County. A fifty-three
minute march was made on Tues
day, May 23rd ending ihe drive.
A great deal of interest was
shown but it is hoped Jiat there
will be increased interest In next
year's campaign.'
The chairman, Mrs. Ed Chip
man would like to think all volun
teer workers for their personal in
terest.
Senator Winkler's bill which
would establish an airport com
mission for the purpose of the de
velopment of airport facilities :'or
Boone and Blowing Rock has been
passed by both Houses of the Leg
islature and ratified.
The bill by Senator Winkler <
which would exempt Watauga
county from the State Democratic
primary law, and provide for vhe
return to the convention method
of nominating Democratic candi
dates for office, has been passed
by the Senate and has been sent
to the House Committee on Elec
tions and Election laws.
Another bill by Senator Wink
ler which would regulate the com
missions paid the Watauga County
Tax Collector has been ratified.
Rev. Mr. Gibson, Mr.
Hargrove In Accident
Rev. John Gibson, Missionary
for the Three Forks Baptiit A?
sociation and Marihal Hargrave,
minuter of education at the Boone
Baptiit Church were aeriouily in
jured in an automobile accident
at Lexington, Ky., a* they were
retuiging from the Southern Bapt
iit Convention in St. Louis.
The crash occurred Saturday at
a four lane highway crossing and
five cars figured in the collision.
No definite information as to the
exact cause of the crash is forth
coming.
Mr. Gibson suffered a broken
left leg, fractured left arm, bro- <
ken now, ? concussion and cuts :
?bout the left eye. Hii condition
is Mid to be favorable, but he will
remain in the hoipiul for an In
definite period.
Mr. Hargravr had an operation
resulting from a dislocated right
knee, and h? is also suffering
(rom multiple cuts and brulaes.
He will probably be released from
Ihe hospital in a few days.
Rev. Boyce Biooks and Wade
E. Brown visited Messrs Gibeon
?nd Hargrave during the week end
?nd returned Monday evening.
Both the injured men are patients
?t Good Samaritan Hospital in
Lexington.
v! ? r Ub ? .' ' . ''V, ' ?>
AT BLOWING ROCK M
Million Dollar Winter
. ? ' *- ? '' ? . :?!> ? ? .
Sports Project Slated
J.C.McConnell
Dies Monday
Juliui Clifford McConnell, 63,
prominent Boone business man
died Monday at Watauga Hospital,
following a brief illness.
Funeral services will be held
this (Wednesday) afternoon at 2
o'clock at the Boone Baptist
Church, by Rev. Boyce Brooks, the
pastor, and Rev. E. F. Troutman,
pastor of Grace Lutheran Church.
Burial will be in the city ceme
tery.
Mr. McConnell had formerly
been engaged in the automobile
business in Boone, had established
the Graystone Block Co. a number
of years ago, and the Watauga
Ready Mix Co., with which he was
still actively engaged at the time
of his fatal illness.
Surviving are the widow, the
former Miss Ruth Hagaman and
two sons, James C. McConnell,
Winston-Salem and Robert Mc
Connell, Greenville, S. C. There
are two grandchildren. His moth
er, Mrs. Emma W. McConnell, of
Reese, also survives.
Hurts Fatal
To Bud Mast
Bud James Mast, 43, Route 1,
Vilas, died Monday from injuries
received in an automobile accident
ten days ago.
Funeral services were conduct
ed Wednesday at 3:00 p. m. In the
Willowdale Baptist Church. Min
isters were the Rev. E. 0. Gore
and the Rev. Alfred Pitts. Burial
was in Mast cemetery.
Surviving are the widow, Mrs.
Lillie Mast, Vilas; two daughters,
Miss Connie Mast, of the home,
Mrs. Wayne Maltha, Boone; one
son, Douglas Mast of the home;
one stepson, Dennis Lawson, Vilas;
two brothers, Gilbert Mast, Boone,
Louis Mast, Sugar Grove; three
sisters, Mrs. Myrtle Fletcher,
Sugar Grove, Mrs. Opal Dennis,
Banner Elk, Route 1, and Mrs.
Annie Brinkley, Milton, N. C.
There are two grandchildren.
Miss Miller Is
Dairy Princess
Miss Nancy Miller, age 18, from
Cove Creek High School was
crowned June Dairy Princess of
1901. She was crowned by Miss
Cora Lee Holder the 1900 June
Dairy Princess.
t Nancy is the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Finlay P. Bingham of
Sugar Grove. She plans to enter
business college in the fall of
1961.
Nancy will enter the area con
test in Elkin on June 9. Judging
in Elkin will begin at 2:30 and
continue through a banquet for
the contestant at 6:30 p. m.
The first runner up was Miss
Jeanette Storie, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Carl Storie of Route 4,
Boone. The second runner up was
Miss Betty Martfea Triplett, daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. George Trip
lett of Route 1, Blowing Rock. .
E. N. Hollar
Dies In Fla.
Everett Newton Hollars, 54, for
mer resident o( Blowing Rock,
died Hay 29 at New Symrna
Beach, Fla.
Funeral services were conduct
ed May 28 in the Boone's Fork
Baptist Church by the Rev. Robert
Shores and the Rev. Carson i ig
gers. Burial was in the church
cemetery.
He is survived by the widow,
Mrs. Almeda L. Hollars; two sons,
Kenneth Hollars, Greensboro,
Grady Hollars, Blowing Rock; two
daughters, Mrs. Allen Henson,
Boone, Mrs. Dan McKay, Charlotte;
one sister, Mrs. Alice Garland,
Shulls Mills; one brother, L^rney
Hollars, Blowing Rock. There art
lis grandchildren.
Photo Flowera' Photo Shop
CAR that figured in Watauga county's second traffic fatality . . . officer
points to spot where Mrs. Robert Hughes' body was found.
Mrs. Hughes Fat all v
Hurt By Passing Car
Mrs. Annabel Hughe*, 22, died
instantly Tuesday morning at 6:45
o'clock when she was struck by a
car in front of her home on N. C.
Highway 105. She was the wife
of Robert D. (Buster) Hughes,
member of the Watauga Democrat
staff.
According to State Highway Pa
trolman W. D. Teem, who invest
igated the accident, Mrs. Hughes
was hit by a car driven by John
Lee Atwell, route 3, Boone Mrs.
Hughes was crossing the highway
to get into a car driven by Re
becca Emma Earp, route 1, Vilas,
on her way to work at Shadowline,
Inc.
Mr. Atwell was traveling west
and his left fender bit Mrs. Hughes,
whose body was carried 122 feet,
according to the patrolman's re
port. She died of a fractured neck.
A coroner's inquest will be held
Monday morning at 10 o'clock,
Patrolman Teem said.
Survivors, besides her husband
include her parents, Mr, and MM.
Stanley Dancy, of Zionvllle, and
two brothers and two sisters.
Funeral service will be held at
Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Sfl
verstone, at 2 p. m., Thursday. In
terment will be in Mountlawn Me
morial Gardens at Boone.
JOE DAVIS, President, Carolina* Section P. 0. A.
Golf Classic
StartsSunday
Boone Golf Club will be host
to the Carolina*' Open Golf
Tournament, which begins Sunday
at tbe Boone Golf Course. De
fending champion A1 Smith and
70 other professional and amateur
golfer* are expected to be in Boone
for the event.
Tbii is the biggest golfing event
held in Boone since the opening of
tbe course In 1090. Tbe tourna
ment will be a sort of celebration
for the opening of the course's
third season.
Joe Maples, boat professional,
lists the following four-day pro
gram for the golfers:
Sunday, June 4? One day Caro
lina Golf Aeaodatlon tournament.
Monday ? Fro- Am $300.00 plua
entry fee, sponsored by The North
western Bank and Watauga Sav
ingi and Loan Asaociation.
Tueaday ? IS holea itroke play
(8 00 p. m., banquet for con
testants, wives, members of press
?t Daniel Boone Inn).
Wednesday ? IS holes stroke
play.
Thursday ? 18 holes stroke play.
Joe Davis, president of the Caro
lina's section of the Professional
Golfers Association, in praising the
Boone Golf ClUb and its officials,
on the local course, said, "It Is with
? great deal of pleasure that the
CaroUna'a P. G. A. is playing the
Carolina's Open fcere at Boone
Country Club. Since this com
munity built theix course, we have
always looked forward to coming
(continued on page eight)
' h.
Land Bought,
Surveys Will
Begin Soon
A million dollar winter iports
installation for Blowing Rock be
came a certainty Monday when
Chamber of Commerce Preaident
L. H. Smith announced before a
special meeting, aquisition of ?
site and flnalixation of plana for ?
ski slope and lodge facilities there.
A special committee of the
Chamber of Commerce has been
at work on the project since Janu
ary.
A site has been selected on
Payne Branch road, approved by
the engineering firm choeen for ?
study of it, and purchased by the
Blowing Rock Ski Lodge, Inc., a
million dollar firm chartered for
that purpose.
Immediate plans call for the
ski run with lifts at two levels,
providing a 1,900 ft. run for one
lift installation, and 2,000 ft. run
for the other and a 20 room ski
lodge.
Surveyors are expected to com
plete a survey of the site during
June, and construction will begin
immediately upon completion of
the survey, and will be completed
in time for operationa to get
under way In November.
Operation of the alope, its snow
manufacturing machinery, and
lodge facilities will require a full
time staff of 40 persons, and will
be capable of serving huge crowds
of visitors each week.
Long range plans of the cor
poration include an ice-skating
rink and modern bowling lane
facilities for Blowing Rock.
Application has been made to
the Securities Exchange Commis
sion for registration of the firm's
stock at a par value of $10 per
share.
The project is viewed by its pro
motors as an attraction capable of
drawing 9000 visitors to the area
each week during its November
through February season, bring
ing a tremendous upsurge in tbe
winter time demand for traveler
facilities and services of all kinds.
Development
Committees
Are Named
Committee memberi were named
recently by the Northwest North
Carolina Development Association
to work with farmers in their area
and with committees in other coun
ties in the association to improve
income through Commodity pro
grams. Watauga men named to
committees include:
Beef cattle and sheep? Howard
Edmisten, R. G. Shipley, Henry
Taylor.
Dairying? Grade "A"?L a Wil
son, Dick Winkler, Vance Keller.
Dairying ? Manufactured milk ?
Fred Tester, W. H Vines, Hal
Cook.
Burley tobacco ? L. E. Tuckwill
er, M. L. Shepherd, Clint Eggers,
Ned Glenn.
Poultry? Sam Morets, Sanford
Creed, Homer Critcher.
Swine ? Stewart Simmona, Cecil
Swift, Fred McGuirc.
Forestry? Dr. F. Ray Derrick.
Crayte Teague, Edgar Greene.
Apple production and marketing
? D. T. Brown, Johnaon Christen
bury, Walter Ceffey.
Small fruits and vegetables ? J.
C. Goodnight, i. C. Stanbury, the
Rev. Rhett Y. Winters, Jr.
Gels MS Degree
Mr. John Edward
Mabel received a Master of
ence Degree in Aeronautical
gineering at North
College in graduation