Special School -Hospital Bond Election Edition
se^on a-2 WATAUGA DEMOCRAT *****
VOLUME LXXVI? NO. 11 BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, IMS PRICE TEN CENTS
Le tters To The Editor
Seeks Answers
To Questions
An open letter to the taxpayers
of Watauga County:
I have carefully followed the
information released concern*
ing the proposed bond issues
for Watauga County and have
several questions which I feel
are pertinent, which no one
has answered.
First, we are told that the
necessity for a new high school
is a sudden and unanticipated
need, yet I know that the ma
jority of the present board of
education have been in charge
of our schools since 1055, or a
total of 8 years; this also in
cludes our present superintend
ent. From 1950 to 1960 Wa
tauga County declined > in pop
ulation about 1000 people.
Just where has our board of
education been for the past
eight years?
Second, we were originally
advised that the proposed con
solidated high school could not
be built for less than $1,250,
000.00, yet when it became ap
parent that the tax valuation
for Watauga County could not
support this amount it sudden
ly became possible to finance
this project for $1,130,000.00.
If the school could be built for
$1,130,000.00, why did the
board of education originally
ask for more tax money than
was necessary?
Third, for the past several
years I hear that the board of
education has insisted that they
could not operate the schools
on less than 29 to 30 cents on
the $100.00 tax value. Yet they
tell us that for the coming year
a tax levy of only 21 cents is
necessary. It seems that the
board of education has been
demanding and receiving more
tax money than was necessary.
How can the schools be ef
ficiently operated with a rev
enue cut of approximately 30%,
bearing in mind, of course
that there is apparently no plan
to discontinue or abandon any
of the present school buildings,
plus the maintenance and up
keep of the proposed new con
solidated high school?
Fourth, the information furn
ished the general public with
reference to cost has been on
average, without advising how
or what figures are the basis
for "average" and in terms of
a few cents on the $100.00 of
tax valuation. Would it not
be to the best interest of the
taxpayer to know in terms of
percentage of present tax what
the cost will be? Based on
past budget of the board of
education and the figures to
pay off the bonds as furnished
by board of education (includ
ing reduction in budget de
mands for the forthcoming year,
but which doubtless will of ne
cessity be restored and possibly
with an increase), the new con
solidated high school will mean
a net tax increase in excess
of 50% of that now paid by
the individual taxpayer.
As to the hospital bonds and
hospital isaintenance tax there
are several things which give
me considerable concern.
First, from the information
furnished it appears that the
construction, operation, and
maintenance of the proposed
hospital will be turned over to
Watauga Hospital, Inc., a self
perpetuating corporation and
completely outside any super
vision and control of the tax
payers, or their duly elected
officials. To date no figures
have been furnished with refer
ence to the cost and mainten
ance of the present hospital or
the proposed new hospital.
It seems that the county
would be liable for all defi
cits of the new hospital but
would have no control of the
expenditures of county funds.
No doubt both a new school
and hospital would be good to
have in our county and would
be assets, but a serious question
of good sound economics re
mains in my mind as to whether
under the present setup either
are practicale at this time. If
the present figure* are correct
it appears that to finance all
proposals it will require a tax
increase of between 70% and
80%.
How much new industry and
how many new citizens will we
loae at a result of an excessive
tax rate?
Very truly yours,
E. 7. Baird.
Says Election
Is Important
Dear l(r. Riven:
I think the upcoming school
bond election it of grave im
portance to all citizens of Wa
tauga County.
I have attended both Appa
lachian and Blowing Rock High
Schools and the educational fa
cilities are short. The science
laboratories of both schools are
enormously inadequate, as are
the classrooms and libraries.
The heating systems are the
obsolete type boilers. Steam
heat isn't bad, but the condi
tions of the boilers are extreme
ly dangerous. In neither school
is there a course in which a
student could exercise his me
canical abilities. Nor is there
any school in the entire coun
ty that can offer this type of
training.
The classrooms of all Wa
tauga County schools are over
crowded to the extent that the
county's largest school, Appa
lachian, had to purchase three
mobile units for use as class
rooms until a suitable solution
can be reached. These are just
a few problems that exist in
Watauga County"s educational
institutions.
The bond election is our only
chance to rid Watauga County
of these inefficiencies.
Vote "no" and you are de
priving the future citizens of
our county of the most import
apt tool for his life prepara
tions, an education.
However, a "yes" vote will
mean a complete alteration of
our educational facilities.
In summation, Watauga Coun
ty is sending an S.O.S. for
its young people's future, and
it is the voters' duty to answer
this distress signal.
Vote "yes" to the bond elec
tion.
Sincerely yours,
Fred Hampton.
Qr*d? 12 ? Appalachian High.
Says 3Rs Are
Different Now
Dear Mr. Editor:
The 3R's have taken on quite
a different meaning from that
we knew in the days of the
little "Red School House."
Today it's
Race problems.
Religious questions.
Room Shortages.
Yours truly,
J. C. Church.
72 Johnson Ave.,
Uniontown, Pa.
One of the dangers of looking
ahead is that we see things that
never happen.
MR. AND MRS. W. M. WINEBARGER
Married Sixty Years
Mr. and Mrs. William Wine
barger of Route 2, Boone, who
were married September 16,
1903, will celebrate their 60th
wedding anniversary Sunday,
Sept. 15 at their home. All
friends and relatives are invlt
ed to call between 2 and 5 p.
m. Their 11 children, Mrs. Jack
Bryan, Mrs. Ward Miller,
Henry, Howard, Monroe, Walr
ter and George Winebarger of
Rt. 2, Boone; Arlie Winebarger
of Montrose, Va., Mrs. Ralph
Moretz of Clinton, Tenn., Mrs.
John Lookabill of Elk Park and
Mrs. Burl Bowles of Lexington,
87 grandchildren and 46 great
grandchildren, are expected to
attend.
Luther Story Funeral Held
Masonic funeral rites were
conducted by the Masonic
Lodge -of which Luther C.
Story was a member in Cleve
land Heights, Ohio, on Tuesday
evening Sept. 3. Mr. Story
had been a member of this
lodge for a number of years,
having filled all the chairs in
the Lodge and was Master
twice. He was likewise a mem
ber of the 32nd degree and had
held important stations in this
branch pf the work.
He had lived in Cleveland
for nearly 40 years and had
worked for the Pitney Glass
Works for 36 years.
He had attended a dinner
given by the Glass Works, Gen
eral Electric, on Thursday
evening and was in high spirits
all the evening. On arriving
home he became ill and was
rushed to the Hospital where
he was soon in a coma and
died Friday.
The funeral services were
held in the Joseph C. Shulte .
Funeral Home and were con
ducted by the Rev. Edward P.
Burtunck, pastor of the Christ
ian Church.
He was interred in the
Acacia cemetery of Bakers
Heights, East Cleveland, Ohio.
Attending the funeral from
North Carolina were hia broth
er, T. EL Story of Wilkesboro
and Mrs. Pearl Hartley, a sif
ter, of Boone. Other members
of the family circle were Perry
Story and wife, Agnes, Mrs.
Lucile Sawyer, a son, Kenneth,
and two daughters of Dewey
Story, Phillis and Judy, both
of Wycliffe, Ohio.
Vi.it At Bethel
Visitors with Mr. and Mrs.
Fred Winkler at Bethel Satur
day were Mr. and Mrs. H. A.
Walk, Mullins, W. Va.; Mrs.
Chloe Gross, Route 3, Boone;
Mr. and Mrs. T. D. Ross of
Glade Park, Fla., who are pre
sently at their cabin on Rocky
Creek, Route 8, Boone. Those
visiting in the Wmkler home
Sunday were Mr. and Mrs. Britt
Robertson, Johnson City, Tenn.;
Mrs. V. C. Shore, Martha and
Becky, Route 3, Boone; Mr. and
Mrs. Ralph Greene and grand
son Jimmy of Boone.'
Vatican newspaper calls Viet
nam fight political.
Soviet Union and Jordan to
establish ties.
New tax on heirs dropped by
House panel.
Vietnam attacks on Buddhists
afcock U. S. advisers.
Not Just Anyone
can enjoy the view of the Blue Ridge Parkway everyday. You have to be
one of those special people who own a lot on panorama Estates.
Thousands of travelers visit the Parkway each fall to see and enjoy
the beauty of Autumn leaves. But those of us owning lots on Panorama
Estates, overlooking the Parkway, enjoy the beauty of changing fall colors
every day.
The view is prettier than a picture.
Give us a ring, or even better, bring up the family any day between
2 and 5 p. m. We will be glad to show you the beauties of Panorama Estates.
L. E. Dimmette
Dimmetle Realty Corp.
Telephone 2644501
or CY 5-7155
Turn left at Aho
Four Miles Northeast
Of Blowing Rock
On the Parkway
160 Pros, Amateur Golfers Tee
Off Wednesday In Annual Classic
A field of 160 professional
and amateur golfers from North
Carolina, South Carolina, and
Virginia will tee off Wednes
day, Sept. 11, for the first 18
hole round of the 5th annual
Mrs. Eliza Ward
Dies Friday
Mrs. Eliza Jane Ward, age
84, of Route 1, Vilas, died
Sept. 6 at Cannon Memorial
Hospital in Banner Elk.
She was born in Watauga
county to Fayte and Cinda
Presnell Dyer and has been a
life long resident.
Funeral services were con
ducted at Zion Hill Baptist
Church Sept. 8 at 2 p. m. by
the Rev. EM Crump and Rev.
Lawrence Hagaman. Burial was
in the church cemetery.
Survivors Include the hus
band, Roby Ward of Vilas;
three daughters, Mrs. Rose
Church of Vilas, Mrs. Karloff
Jackson and Mrs. Ralph Mor
gan of Johnson City, Tenn.;
three sons, Fred Ward of
Boone, Clyde Ward of Lenoir,
Roy Ward of Vilas; one broth
er, John Henry Dyer of Boone;
seventeen grandchildren and 8
great grandchildren.
Cuts in Latin funds alarm
U. S. aides.
Governor Rockefeller widens
trip: doubts Goldwater leads.
Blue Ridge Pro- Am Golf
Tournament at the Boone Golf
Course.
The second and final round
will be played on the par 71
course on Thursday, with pair
ings to be determined accord
ing to first round scores. Lead
ing teams will tee off last.
The field will be made up of
40 teams, each consisting of a
professional and three ama
teurs. Play will be best ball for
the foursome, with amateurs al
lowed one-half their C G A
handicap. Medal play prizes for
both professionals and ama
teurs will be awarded.
For the benefit of local mem
bers,- the invited pros will bring
two of their team's amateurs
with them, and the local club
will furnish the fourth player.
The Boone Ladies Golf As
sociation will be in charge of
the tournament this year, and
will also sponsor a hole in one
contest on the eight hole (a
IBS-yard affair) in conjunction
with the event.
The par 5 10th hole, 581
yards from tee to cup and af
fectionately know to local golf
ers as "the monster," is expect
ed to provide Pro-Am contest
ants with more headaches than
any other. Three excellent golf
shots are required to reach the
green.
A number of well-known
players are entered in this
year'a tournament. These in
clude last year's winning team
of professional Hampton Auld
of Wilmington and amateurs
Luther Cromartie and Gus
Fountain of Wilmington and
Ernest Hayes of Blowing Rock.
Some other well-known golf
ers entered are: A1 Smith of
Danville, Va., former Carolina!
Open champion and PGA tour
ing pro; Aubrey Apple, presi
dent of the Carolinas Profes
sional G o 1 f e r's Association;
Thorne Wood, a southpaw pro;
Furman Hayes, Carolina cross
handed style of holding the
club.
Also entered are profession
als Chuck Alexander of Rocky
Mount and Tom Case of Greens
boro.
Joe Maples, Boone's club pro
fessional, will also head a team
of four players for the event.
Our Telephone
Number Hat Been
Changed to
264-8888
Reins-Sturdivant
Funeral Home
Make Every Payday
Your Sayings Day!
To Save Successfully, Save Regularly! Every Payday, Keep
Part of Your Money for Yourself . . . Deposit It in a Savings
Account at Watauga Savings & Loan Association . . . and
Watch It Growl
Officers and Directors
H. Grady Farthing, President
K. C. Riven, Jr., Vice-President
James Marsh, Secretary-Treasurer
Walter Greene
H. P. HeUhouer
Guy Hunt
Howard Hut
W. M. Math mob
Wayne Richardson
Watauga Savings & Loan
OPPOSITE POST OFFICE OCiatiOtl
BOONE, N. C