fATAUGA DEMOCRAT
Established in into
EVERY THURSDAY BY RIVERS PRINTING COMPANY,
R C. RIVERS, JR., EDITOR AND MANAGER
JEAN RIVERS, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
L, An Independent Weekly Newspaper
? I. ? i i .riir ? r fa ijw; ?
Published for 43 Yeert by Robert (_' Rivers,
SUBSCRIPTION RATES (EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 1, lfcB)
IN NORTH CAROLINA
<*W Te?r $S 09
Six Months $1.80
Four Months ? $1.S0
OUTSIDE NOETH CAROLINA
One Ye?i $4.00
Six Month* $2.50
Four Months $2.00
All suMcnpuons Payable in Advance
NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS ? In requesting change of address, it is important to
mention OLD, as well as the NEW address.
Entered at the postoffice at Boone, N. C., ts second class matter, under the act of
Congress of March 8, 187#.
MEMBER NATIONAL EDITORIAL ASSOCIATION
NORTH CAROLINA PRESS ASSOCIATION
BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 1963
M I
Teacher Shortage Abides
The 1963 crop of new teachers
Will reach a record total of 158,357,
Uut there still will be a serious
teacher shortage next autumn, the
National Education Association said
in Washington recently.
In its annual survey, the associ
ation said that about 40,000 of the
new teachers will enter the armed
forces, get married, or enter some
other occupations rather than taking
teaching jobs in schools. The re
maining 118,000 represent only
about 50 per cent of the 235,000
new teachers expected to be needed
next September.
This year's graduate total of
158,357 is an increase of 11.3 per
cent over the 142,343 teachers grad
uated in 1962.
On the brighter side the associa
tion reported an encouraging in
crease in the number of teachers in
the important fields of foreign lang
uages, science, mathematics and the
English language.
This data is of particular interest
in Boone, where Appalachian Col
lege with its school of education,
is devoted to the training of teachers,
and where right now the summer
school enrollment is establishing
records.
With the improving pay scale of
teachers in the South as well as
across the country, It is felt that
more and more youngsters will see
the economic advantages offered,
along with the satisfaction which
should result from entering a pro
fession which renders such a vital
service to the system.
In turn, continuing shortages of
teachers will further enhance the
growth of Appalachian.
Circus Slashes Costs
Those who look with a sort of
ntellow nostalgia on the day when
the circus came, with its stink of
sizzling hamburgers, and of animals
and of massed human beings on a
hot summer afternoon, will be .in
terested in knowing that due to a
cost-cutting program, the big top
has been prevented from fading
completely into the mists of happy
memories.
There art yet 35 fndoor and out
door circuses in the country and the
greatest of these, Ringling Brothers
and Barnum and Bailey, folded it*
tents in Pittsburgh in 1956 $1,650,
000 in debt. It opened again, but as
a glorified Sullivan show in the met
ropolitan areas ? cities which could
provide huge indoor arenas. Oper
ating costs were cut by more than
half and the show kept managing.
Using similar cost-cutting tech
niques, other circuses still operate
under canvas, according to the Wall
Street Journal. The largest of these
is the Clyde Beatty-Cole Brothers
Circus, which has abandoned the
rails for motor trucks and uses ma
chinery rather than men to set up
the tents and the seating.
Maybe the latter will come to
Boone sometime. But then there
would be the problem of a site for
the sprawling tents. The Muster
Field, the Mattie Greene property,
the R. M. Greene meadow, the old
baseball diamond and a couple of
sites which had been us?d on Blow
ing Rock road, are no longer avail
able. Land fit for the circus is too
valuable to remain unused .until the
big show comes.
Pedestrian Poses Problem
Pity the podr pedestrian. He's
fluttered at, cussed at, knocked
down, side swiped.
He risks his neck, causes wrecks,
cusses back, squeaks by and dies
? sometimes.
His excuses for recklessness are
"didn't see," crippled, aged, childish,
impulsive. Whatever the alibi he
suffers.
Bad weather, clogged traffic lanes,
careless drivers, haste, darkness add
to his woes.
And like it or not he's mostly to
blame. He doesn't deserve the death
Sentence for his rashness ? but he
sometimes gets it.
In 1962, the Department of Motor
Vehicles tallied 265 pedestrian
deaths in North Carolina.
There were 1859 injuries from
auto-walker collisions ranging from
bloody mangling to simple bruises.
Almost exactly half of those fat
Ally injured met death by crossing
streets between intersections ? run
ning into the street is a common
euphemism.
As with a child, playing tag with
a chum, darts into traffic . . . when
a shopper, laden with parcels, starts
across unmindful of cars . . when
a businessman, in haste, jaywalks
to an appointment.
There are many ways to die ?
careless w taking is one of them.
Congratulations On 75th Anniversary
(Lenoir Weirs-Topic) J
This the seventy-fifth birthday of
the Watauga Democrat, and they join in
Kit Carolina Tercentenary to celebrate,
eir official birthday will be this June,
the very month that Boone and Watauga
County celebrates "Daniel Boone Cram*
the Blue Ridge."
In making the announcement, Herman
W. Wilcox, Chairman of the Carolina
Tercentenary Celebration, stated that
they felt honored to have such a fine
Publication in the county, and real proud
that "we can celebrate together."
For 74 years the Watauga Democrat, a
weekly newspaiJer, has been a family
affair with the Rivers family of Boone.
The paper, started in 1888 by J. F.
Spainhour, was purchased in 1889 by the
late R. C. Rivers, Sr., who gave up car
pentry to spend 48 years as publisher
?f the Democrat. June, 1963, marks the
fcith anniversary of the local paper.
The Democrat has been operated by
6ne family probably longer than any
Other weekly newspaper in the state and
possibly in the southeast.
JTm HM Btffc fflvtrt, Jr., softs 6f m
late Mr. Rivers, "literally cut their teeth"
6 the backshop of the Democrat. Jhn
vert was associate publisher of the
taper until 1939 when he accepted a
position with the federal government in
Washington.
R. C. Rivers, Jr., has been associated
frith the Democrat state 1907 and has
been editor-publisher since 1933. With
the exception of three years, Editor Rivers
has worked tt various positions with the
(taper since th* age of six.
Over tlte yean the Democrat has
gro*n from a one-man shop to a staff Of
nine full-time employees. The circula
tion has increased from 800 in 1889 to
over 8,000 ill 1983.
A veteran of 53 years ta the news
paper business, Rivers said that journal
ism is a lot of hard wort. He believes
that serious journalism students should
start at the bottom add work their way
op in the business.
He said, "The Democrat has Beeh a
regular feature for Wttaugans regardless
of conditions. Boone is one of the
few small towns in North Carolina that
can boast Of continuous newspaper senrlca
for the past 75 years.
"In the early days of the paper, all
supplies had to be shipped from Rich
mond, Va., to Lenoir. The supplies had
to be brought to Boone by wagon and
many times during the winter months
the wagons would get snowbound at Blow
ing Rock. Often it was necessary for
one of us to ride horseback through deep
snows to Blowing Rock to get enough
newsprint and ink to put out the paper."
During Ms 33 years as editor of the
paper, Rivers has had few planned va
cations. A weekly deadline prevents hit
being away fat any length of tint Oc
casionally he takes a few days off to
visit his daughters or Just go fishing.
Hie Lenoir News-Tontc which was Just
a teenager when the Watauga Democrat
*as started has teVn closely associated
with its neighboring newspaper for sev
eral generations. We Jotn others in Con
gratulating Rtfb Rivers on thfc anniversary
and extend M wishes for eontinuad
success.
. .'w, - .4
vyp
,S
Whose Hand Will Grasp The Torch?
From Early Democrat Files
Sixty Years Ago
Jane 11, 1903.
The corn is growing rapidly
now, and the stand was never
better.
Measels has put in appear
ance in the home of Prof. D. D.
Dougherty.
Mrs. Wm. Blair is on a visit
to her old home in Caldwell
this week.
From the Lenoir papers we
learn that Dr. J. L. Cottrell is
in that town.
Capt. Lovill went to Lenoir
on a business trip last Satur
day.
Miss Nannie Rivers left Tues
day for Foscoe and Banner Elk
Where she will spend a few days
visiting friends.
Messrs. J. C. and J. W. Mc
Ghee, are now in Jefferson and
will press the work on the new
brick church they have under
contract as rapidly as possible.
Prof. Wiley H. Swift, of the
Greensboro graded schools, was
married to Miss Bagby, of High
Point, on Wednesday of last
week, and passed through town
Saturday en route to his boy
hood home on Cove Creek,
where he and Bis accomplished
bride will spend the summer.
Prof. B. B. Dougherty, Finan
cial Agent for the Appalachian
Training School, has a few
words for you in this issue.
They are on a subject hi which
we are all interested and de
mand our immediate attention.
Rev. C. R. Ross, of Morehead,
who will assist Pastor Hargett
in his work on this circuit, ar
rived Tuesday.
Drs. J. M. Hedges and Thos.
Profit, two of Watauga's young
physicians, have returned from
college bringing their diplomas
with them. Dr. Profit also stop
ped over at Hot Springs long
enough to get his State licenses.
Thirty-Nine Yean Ago
Jane 12, 1W4.
Mr. Burt Godly of the plumb
ing crew at the A.T.S. returned
Monday from a short visit to
his home at Gate City, Va. Mr.
McKinley Ayers made the trip
with him by auto.
Miss Ida Wray Ferguson 6f
Los Angeles, CaL is visiting her
sister, Mrs. W. teak Pease of
the English Department of the
Appalachian Training school.
They are making their home
with Mr. and Mrs. Austin South.
James C. Rivers of the Regis
ter, Brighton, Colorado, will
leave tomorrow morning for his
home. He will be accompanied
by his father, R. C. Rivers who
will spend a few weeks in Den
ver, Brighton and other points
in the Rocky Mountain region.
Prof. Wright of the chair of
mathematics in the A. T. S. left
Sunday for Nashville, Tenn.
where he will attend the sum
mer school at Peabody Insti
tute.
Just One Thing
By carl goebch AFTER ANOTHER
Perhaps one of the greatest
telephone addicts in North Caro
lina is Lon Bolich of Winston
Salem. His letters are few and
fat between, his long distance
calls prodigious. He calls them
telefoams, and in his Winston
Salem home he has a gadget
fixed so he can turn a switch
and give you a busy signal all
day and night, if he wants to.
"That," says Lon, "is to' eatin'
pui*0S6S."
. Speaking of telephones that
reminds me of -a little girl who
answered a Raleigh phone when
I called the other night. "Nope,
Daddy's not here." "Well, let
me speak to your mama. This
is urgent. London is calling."
Iih.i .1 i ** - ? ? . - ? ? - - ? ^ _
inoTignT mat would maice ft
big piece of excitement in the
home. But did it? The little
nine-year-old laid down the re
ceiver, and I could hear " her
yelling:
"Mama! One of daddy's drunk
frfends ft on the phone!"
Sometimes the busier a man
is the more time he seems to <
have. Sticking to our telephone
discussion, when James A. Gray
was president oi the R. J. Reyn
olds Tobacco Co., nine times out
of ten he would answer his ex
change number himself ? no
filtering through secretaries.
But if you want to get some
minor fuifcllonaiy, there usual
ly is someone to intercept
Nothing makes a man madder
than to have tome brisk Secre
tary say: "Wtio's calling pleaseT"
and then after you give your
name, say: "I'm a6rry, he's
busy." The inference, of coarte,
is that he's busy because of the
identity of the caller.
President Roosevelt and El
senhower relaxed while reading
detective stories. Many folks
browse through the encyclo
pedia or the almanac for light
reading. However, the favorite
literature of the late Governor
Gregg Cherry was the diction
ary.
When he wanted to relax he
turned to his unabridged and
read the definitions. "Always
think maybe I'll cofhe across
some good strong word to call
somebody," he'd always say.
Incidentally, the governor
bought all of the latest diction
aries as they were published
Just as someone else would buy
the latest fiction.
Up until 1940 all the reference
books on North Carolina listed
Clingman's Dome in the Smo
kies as the second highest peak
in North Carolina. A resurvey
in that year showed that a little
known mountain in the Black
Brothers range in Yancey Coun
ty was second and Clingman's
Dome was third.
Just for reference and to
settle disputes in the future,
here's the latest official stand
ings: Mt. Mitchell, 8,684; South
Peak of Black Brothers, 6,645;
Clingman's Dome, 8,642; ML
Guyot, 6,821; Clingman's Peak
(in the Black Brothers range,
and not to be confused with
the Dome in the Smokies), 6,
611; Balsam Cone, 8.(111, Cat
tail Peak. 8,009; Gibbs. 6,800;
Buckley, 6.902; North Prtk Of
Black Brothers, 8,558.
It Is interesting to not* that
out of the ten highest place* in
North Carolina, four of them
A i|t Yancey County.
Dr. M. G. Anders and family
have arHved at their summer
home in Boone, having spent
the winter in Gastonia. The
Doctor however left on his re
turn this a. m. on account of
some very sick patients he has
in charge. The splendid family
is always hailed with delight.
Nobles E. S. Coffey, E. N.
Hahn, W. H. Gragg, W. R.
Gragg, Z. T. Greene, A. E. South
and I . G. Greer will leave this
afternoon for Hickory where
they will attend the Shrine
ceremonial to be held In that
city tomorrow. Watauga's sup
ply of "fresh meat" for this
August occasion is Postmaster
W. D. Farthing and J. S. Wink
ler. We extend personal sym
pathy to the boys as they cross
the fircy sands, and know from
past experiences that they need
It.
The Democrat Is indeed glad
announce that Capt. E. F.
Lovill who hits been in Balti
more for some time having un
dergone an operation in the
Johns Hopkins Hospital, has re
turned and is very much im
proved. He is still weak of
course, but his general condi
tion is good. J
Fifteen Years Ago
June 10, 1948.
Dr. and Mrs. Roy M. Brown
of Chapel Hill arrived late last
week to spend the summer at
their cabin on Route 1, Boone.
Mrs. W. 0. Hoover of Towson,
Maryland, IS the guest of her
sister, Mrs. W. M. Cook and
Mr. Cook this week.
Miss Ruth Farthing, instruc
tor in the Concord High School,
is spending the summer at her
home in Boone.
Mrs. Carrie Adams and
daughter Hazel have returned
to their home here after spend
ing the winter in Danville and
Coshocton, Ohio.
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Lewis and
daughter Alice of North Wil
kesboro, and Miss Louise Lewis,
Cove Creek, spent the week-end
at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Rob Rivers.
Mr. Olen Clell Cook of Blow
ing Rock was awarded a Bache
lor of Science degree at Wake
Forest Colleges' recent 114th
annual commencement exercis
es.
Mrs. Mildred W. Eggers of
Winston-Salem and Mr. and
Mrs. Claude Watson of Deep
Gap, were in Indianapolis over
Memorial Day, attending the
auto races there.
Mrs. Esther S. Boone and
Miss Rebekah Boone were in
Durham Monday, where they
were present for the graduation
exercises at Duke University.
Mrs. Boone's son, John A.
Boone, received a Bachelor of
Arts degree at the finals.
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Farthing
from Fort Wayne, Indiana spent
the past week with home folks.
They were accompanied home
by Miss Carrie Lee Farthing
who will visit With them for a
short while.
Ifr. and Mrs. O. H. Haynes,
Sr., and rtro grandchildren of
Mind en, La. are spending this
wtek with their daughter Mrs.
Jack Hodges and Mr. Hodges.
Mr. R. S. Bushnell and sons
RoHrell and Francis of DeLand,
Florida, will arrive Wednesday
to Join Mrs. Bushnell at their
summer home, Seventh Heaven,
Hfir Boone.
KING
V * | ?
BY ROB RIVERS
Of Shrubs . . And BIomoou
Sitting on the bench in front of the postofflcc talk
ing to a good friend, Dr. Alfred MordeCai of Wtnftton
Salem. ... A son of the late Dr. Mordecai, Dean of
the Duke University (then Trinity College) La# School,
Dr. Mordecai was retired from the Army Medical Corps
some years ago with a Colonel's ratings . . . Members
of the family formerly lived at Blowing Rock during
the summers, Dr. Mordecai went to Forsyth when
his army duties were through, but we wouldn't wonder
if his heart remains in the high hazy hills.
*
DR. MOROECAX has an in
tense interest la the flora of
this area and volunteers a
column each week In the
Blowing Socket about the wild
flowen of the area, which will
be of great interest to the res
idents of the beautiful retort
town and the folks of the en
tire region, at for that mat
ter. . . He finds It disquieting
that to many people of the
are* and so many visitors
haven't bothered to find out
more about the many Interest
ing Motaomt which thrive fat
the woodlands and fields of
this pleasant section, and at
the tame time he deplores the
fact that to many varieties of
ahrubt have been haaled away
to the extent that they are al
most non-existent on privately
owned lands.
? * *
Rhododendron . . An
Example
The beauty of the rhodo
dendron, particularly the sort
that mountain men have al
ways known as red laurel, has
resulted in the undoing of
this magniffclent evergreen,
says Dr. Mordecai. . . . They
have been dug and hauled
away to an alarming extent,
he believes, and sayt this prac
tice of buying up these plants
from all and sundry has been
going on for forty years, so
that now most of the good dis
plays are in Park areas or in
the Parkway territory.
* ? ?
In France . . They
Have Them
Dr. Mordecal tells us an in
teresting story of a visit to
France, where he became ac
quainted with a botanist
named Andre and visited his
nurseries somewhere out in
the country from Paris. . . Hi
marveled at the magnificefikfe
of the rhododendron plkflts
which were growing and bloom
ing in rank profusion, and re
marked that they were for all
the world like the ones found
in the North Carolina high
lands. ... The Frenchman re
lated that his father had been
employed by Gifford Plnchot,
late Pennsylvania politician
and forester, and also about
the turn of the century helped
map the vast gardens which
are part of the George W.
Vanderbilt estate at Asheville.
... As a matter of fact, he
' added, his paternal ancestor
had carried the first of the
red rhododendron from Ashe
ville to France in those days
and from them had c6me all
the plants the son had grown
over the years. . . As a matter
of fact, Dr. Mordecai says, the
French botanist actually had
developed a thriving business
growing these plants, and ship
ping them, "balled and burlap
ped" to the hungry markets for
them in the United States.
* * ?
Progress . . Has
Esthetic Penalty
We share Dr. Mordecal*a
concern over the dwindling of
the red laurel plants in the
area. . . . There are Vh0tj
of white and T>ink, bat those
hi the business tell us the red
b getting harder to mm by.
. . . And we can agree that
the phenomenal growth of this
community and of the whole
tourist area, brings With it a
saddening aspect, an! the
country la not beautiful like
it was before the bulldoiera
tame, aad the buflding boom
developed, and the wide roads
were pared and there are few
' of the shady flower-rimmed
dirt trails over which the fast
horses trotted a long time ago.
. . . But progress cant M re
strained for love of the *or
geoasly beautlfal things that
the Master Gardener spilled
along the crest of the ridge in
the dawa of creation to hi tag
sach a profusion of color, and
so much Joy to those of ttl
who've preferred to labor In
the cooling summer xepyrs and
la the swirling snows of whi
ter, with lore for both. . . .
Happily, we can havo two
values. ... The flawless
beauty of the veal ted forests
la the springtime, and the
mushrooming growth and re
sulting economic well-being of
aw people. . . . That ia as it
should always bo.
Fit . . For Burying, That Is
Roy Thompson, coiumning
in the Winaton-Saletn Journal,
says:
Something blue . . .
That's me.
Despite all the skillful ma
neuvering I've done, I'm still
hooked to go on the wagon
train across the Blue Ridge
from Ferguson to Boone be
ginning June 27.
Herman Wilcox, i former
friend of mine in Boone, has
had something to do with this,
and I would feel better if he
had to walk it, too, but he says
he's too busy.
He's a big wheel in the
Chamber of Commerce and says
he cant get fcway loftg enough
to make the trip ? much as
he'd like to.
Herman says the three-day
walk and two nights of sleep
ing on the ground will make
me fit and make ? man out
of me.
Yeah . . .
Make a dead man out of me.
Fit? Fit for burying.
Uncle
Pinkney
L HIS PALAVERM'S
DEAR MISTER EDITOR:
I lee by the papers where a
feller named Edward Harri
man that has charge of such
matter* fer the Post Office De
partment has give permission
to manufacturers to come out
with some new models fer
rural mall boxes. He recom
mends the new models open
from the back side Instead of,.,
tW ihighway ??'?
yiQunguns can fatch the mail
without gitting hit by cars. He
didn't say how the rural mail
carrier was going to stuff the
mail in from the backside, but
I reckon one of die Govern
ment agencies will sofae this
problem just as soon as they
gtt a couple million "research"
appropriation from the Con
gress fer this purpose.
Brother Harrlman says the
GuVferfcrtent ain't setting ho
price standards on the new
boxes and if a feller wants to
git hisself some "status" in the
community, he can luve one
made special, maybe gold-plat
ed and costing or tftore.
Personal, I'd prefer a IwriW
mounted on fdufr cedar posts
and opening f#oA the bottom
go's I could tun the wneW*
barrer under it and handle Ay
literature from them Ouverti
metit agencies all in ofle opera
tion. I aim to write my Con
gressman a letter along these
lines.
I been trying to figger out,
Mister Editor, how much t*x
relief I'm going to git out of
President Kennedy's plan ft r
cutting taxes. About the beat
I can figger right now Is that
it'll be like dropping a lump
of sugar in a barrel Of coffee.
I ain't going to Ifft enough fe
lief to taste it. I saw where ohe
feller said we tint had h? K*1
tax relief in this country In
300 year, sine* our anewters
give the Boston Tea Fait J. tfld
we ain't liable to git no more
tilt the Voters has a Washing
ton Tea Party.
Well, Mister Editor, I hate
to Report it but the fellers at
tjie country store Saturday
nfght come out fer this social
medicine, business, fed Doo
littl* said If you take the loug
view of the thing, they aint
no way around R. Folks has
got to have more medical care
so's they can work longer fer
tax purposes. FarthentWrt, Ed
claims the kid of today is go
ing to have to last < heap
longer than his Pa did ?fcd be
a heap stronger and able to
pay more taxes.
Personal, Mister I
voted agin the resMntfon. tm
agin social medicine or social
anything, tvet tifte the Orfv
ernmedt gits Into dt them
social deals iA have to send
$2 to Washington to git $1
back, rd evdh be agin aocial
mall boxe*, would rather buy
my own baiVel.
Yours truly,
UNCLE PINKNEY
(MarKnlght Syndicate)