AWARD WINNER
In 1966 and 1967 the Democrat won
10 State Press Assn, awards for
General Excellence, Excellence in
Typography, Local News, Advertis
ing, Columns and Photographs.
WATAUGA DEMOCRAT
An Independent Weekly Newspaper . . . Seventy-Ninth Year of Continuous Publication
BOONE WKATUKK
1987 HI I.o Snow Prec. *08
Feb. 14 57 27
Feb. 15 60 41
Feb. 16 56 36 .02
Feb. 17 39 29 .25
Feb. 18 40 29 .61
Feb. 19 45 26
Feb. 20 43 30 23
Snow given to nearest helf-lnch
VOLUME LXXIX— NO. 34
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1967
10 CENTS PER COPY
24 PAGES—3 SECTIONS
Hospital Climaxes Ten Years Of Civic Effort
The need (or better hospital
facilities for Watauga County
was recognized as early as
1956, when a survey was begin
to see if the existing hospital
could be altered to meet local
needs.
Now, 10 years later, a new
hospital is being prepared for
occupancy and soon will be
ministering to the sick.
Intensive study revealed ad
ditions to the hospital facing
Blowing Rock Road would not
be feasible, thus officials called
on the N. C. Medical Care
Commission for advice.
First plans called for a 100
bed institution. Several building
sites were studied before the
Deerfield Road location was
selected. The Commission, and
the Duke Foundation —sources
of money, as well as much
needed advice — approved the
site.
Holloway-Reeves of Raleigh
were chosen architects on the
basis of recommendations and
their long experience in hospital
designing.
As to finance, in 1963, County
Commissioners James Lyons,
S. Bynum Greene and John F.
Greene authorized a bond issue
election for the voters. The
Hill-Burton Act would furnish
55 per cent of the cost, funds
to be administered by the N. C.
Medical Care Commission. The
Duke Endowment, and others,
would also furnish funds.
Voters passed the bond issue,
but because of limitations the
County Is allowed by law to
make, the 100-bed plan was cut
to 83 beds.
The new hospital, estimated
to cost approximately $1,800,
000, was to be financed thus:
$500,000 by the County; $890,
000 by Hill-Burton funds; $160,
000 by the Duke Endowment;
$50,000 by the Reynolds Foun
dation; $50,000 by Mrs, Gilbert
Reynolds Vemey; and $500 by
the Dickerson Foundation of Mt.
Holly. The rooms would be
furnished by gifts of $1,000 per
room.
Additionally, the Economic
Development Fund furnished
$50,000, to be administered by
the Medical Care Commission.
Some of the equipment is
being furnished by donation,
while other equipment from the
old hospital will be used. This
will be replaced by new equip
ment as funds become available.
The hospital will operate
under a board of trustees desig
nated by the County Commis
sioners.
At the time, Trustees are
Wade E. Brown, chairman; A.
T. Adams, Robert M. Bum
baugh, Jack D. Cobb, John H.
Council!, Stacy c. cggers jr„
George C. Greene Jr., B. D.
Hodges Jr., A. E. McCreary,
Mrs. James B. Winkler; and
a member of the Board of
Commissioners, Glenn Hodges.
James C. Lyons was a Trus
tee, but was replaced by Hodges
after the general election last
fall. Jerry Coe resigned from
the Board and his post has not
been filled.
Architect’s drawing of a new library to be constructed on the ASTC campus.
$4.5 Million Cut
$10,408,368 Recommended
For New College Buildings
The N. C. Advisory Budget
Commission last week recom
mended that more than $4.5
million be sliced from the “B”
and “C” budget requests of
Appalachian State Teachers
College for the next two aca
demic years.
The college had sought a
total of $14,942,882 for capital
improvements and new-ex
panded programs during 1967
68 and 1968-69. The commission
recommended $10,408,368 and
rejected requests for $4,534,
514.
Capital improvement re
quests recommended were:
Four new residence hails,
$4,080368 (self liquidating);
addition to Rankin Science
Building, $2,640,000 (which in
cludes $880,000 in federal
funds); housing for faculty and
married students, $2,000,000
(self - liquidating); electrical
system expansion, $300,000;
campus development, $300,000;
Bid Opening
Scheduled For
New Library
Bids will be opened March
2 for a new $2 million library
which is to be constructed on
the campus of Appalachian State
Teachers College.
The three-story structure,
which will contain 85,000 square
feet, is to be erected on the
site where the old Administra
tion Building stood before it
was razed by fire Dec. 29.
The 1965 General Assembly
appropriated $1,800,000 for
construction of the library. The
Advisory Budget Commission
last week recommended that
$150,000 be added to the ap
propriation to provide for the
installation of air conditioning
equipment in the structure.
In May of last year, the
Office of Education authorized
a $600,000 grant for the library
project under Title I of the
Higher Education Facilities
Act.
Architect* are David Hall
Associate* of Raleigh.
air conditioning for Duncan Hall
offices, the new administration
building and new library, $231,
000, central warehouse, $104,
000; Home Economics Building
foods lab, $16,000; steam plant
elevator, $50,000;tennis courts,
$40,000; and laundry expansion,
$100,000 (only if self-liq
uidating).
Rejected capital improve
ment requests included a $1,
672,000 classroom building to
house the business and eco
One Is Hurt In
Accident On 321
Patrolman W. D. Teem in
vestigated a wreck at 11:45
Saturday morning in which Mrs,
Faye Cornell Greer was thrown
from the vehicle in which she
was a passenger and suffered
head injuries.
Teem said a 1957 Dodge op
erated by Mabel Calloway Mast
pulled out from the Greenway
Trailer Park on Blowing Rock
Road into the path of a 1966
Chevrolet pickup driven by
James Councill Greer of Route
2, Boone.
The pickup was traveling
South on U. S. 221-321 and
struck the left side of the car,
he said.
Mrs. Greer was thrown out
of the truck at impact and
later transported to Watauga
Hospital.
Mrs. Mast was charged with
failure to yield right of way,
Teem said.
nomics departments, $500,000
for the acquisition of land,
$800,000 for renovation of the
old Appalachian High School
building, $112,000 for the com
pletion of Duncan Hall and $37,
000 for additional tennis courts.
In the “B*’ budget category,
the college requested $2,076,
882 for new and expanded pro
grams over the next two years.
Only $664,368 was recommend
ed by the Commission.
A total of 36 new faculty
positions, to cost $338,466 per
year, were requested. Only five,
at a cost of $47,140 per year,
were recommended.
Academic salary increases
of $193,571 for 1967-68 and
$383,861 for 1968-69 were re
quested. Recommended were
increases of $193,571 for the
coming year and $337,205 for
the following year.
The Commission recom
mended $7,656 for a new po
sition of assistant to the presi
dent. The amount of $12,000
had been requested.
The college sought $19,709
for each of the two years to
update the existing computer
center. Only $7,500 per year
was recommended.
ASTC asked for $8,000 in
each of the two coming aca
demic years to compensate the
Town of Boone for sewage plant
operations. The Commission
recommended only $4,000 per
year.
Rejected by the Commission
were the following: $120,000
in 1967-68 and $128,000 in 1968
(continued on page three)
Bloodmobile To
Arrive March 3
The first 1967 visit of the
American Red Cross Blood
mobile in Boone has been sche
duled for Friday, March 3.
Officials of the Watauga
County Chapter of the service
organization are hopeful that
300 persons will donate blood.
Mrs. GoldieC. Fletcher, exe
cutive secretary of the chap
ter, pointed out this week that
Watauga County at the present
time is 187 pints behind their
quota for the past 12 months.
“If we could receive blood
donations from 300 persons
during the coming Bloodmobile
visit, we could erase the pre
vious quota shortages and equal
our quota for the first quar
ter of 1967,” she stated.
The Bloodmobile will be sta
tioned outside East Hall on the
campus of Appalachian State
Teachers College from 11 a. m.
to 4:30 p. m. March 3.
Red Cross officials urge that
all Watauga County residents
and ASTC students plan to do
nate a pint of blood next month.
$1,800,000 Medical Center
Watauga Hospital
Slates Open House
Citizens Are
Invited To
Tour Facility
Open house will be held at
the new Watauga County Hos
pital Sunday afternoon, and the
Board of Trustees extend an
invitation to the people of Wa
tauga County to tour the struc
ture between 2 and 5 o'clock.
Ground-breaking ceremonies
were held in April, 1965, and
construction of the $1,800,000
medical center began the fol
lowing June. Early this month,
the building was accepted from
the general contractor.
Sunday, visitors will see
some of the latest equipment
available, according to hos
pital spokesmen.
The rooms are private and
semi-private, all with bath
ing facilities, and some are
equipped with electrically-con
trolled beds. All rooms connect
to a central communications
system in the nurses' station
on each floor.
The first-floor lobby, fin
ished in marble, features
bronze plaques giving infor
mation about the hospital and
staff at the time the building
was being constructed. The 83
bed hospital was authorized by
a County bond election in Sept.
1963, when voters also approved
the consolidated high school,
now in its second year of op
eration.
The main plaque states “The
Watauga County Hospital was
erected in 1966, ‘To Heal The
Sick*/' It lists the County Com
missioners in office when con
struction began, the Board of
Trustees and other pertinent
information.
Hospital officials, doctors,
staff and Red Cross volunteers
will be on hand Sunday to greet
visitors, according to Mrs. Vir
ginia A. Groce, administrator.
Nearly all the rooms have
been furnished by individuals
or groups who gave at least
$1,000. Plaques are on order,
which will be placed on doors
of the rooms, showing who fur
nished the room and in whose
memory or honor. Mrs. Groce
said special thanks are due
those who so generously helped
with the furnishings.
She added the new facility
will be occupied early in March
if plans go as scheduled.
Hospital officials and staff will greet
area residents at the new hospital on
Deerfield Road Sunday. Flanking the
newly-built edifice are two large parking
lots. Workers this week will complete
their preparations for the big event.
(Staff photo)
GOP Solons To Speak At
Local Lincoln Day Dinner
Watauga County Republicans
will hold a dinner meeting at
Daniel Boone Inn Saturday night
at 6:30 p. m. to commemorate
the birthday of President Lin
One Jailed, 1
In Hospital
After Fracas
Sheriff Ward Carroll Mon
day took a badly injured man
to Watauga Hospital after he
was called to look into a fight
at a Meat Camp sawmill.
The Sheriff said George E.
Moffitt of Route 1, Watauga,
Tenn., sustained a broken nose
and other injuries in what was
reported as a four-man fight.
Moffitt was employed by the
mill, owned, the Sheriff said,
by a Mitchell County concern.
Carroll said he jailed an
unidentified man and will charge
Moffitt with being drunk and
disorderly.
coin which was earlier this
month.
County Chairman Clyde R.
Greene will preside, and will
be assisted in the program
by Vice Chairman Mrs. Lura
Greene, the women’s organi
zation and the Young Repub
licans’ club.
Hon. James Johnson, State
Representative of Cabarrus
County, will be the principal
speaker. He is an outstanding
young attorney, and prior to
his recent election to the Gen
eral Assembly was judge of
Domestic Relations Court, He
was a Jaycee Young Man of
the Year for 1965.
In addition to Rep. Johnson,
State Sen. T. R. Bryan of Wil
kes County is expected. Rep.
Mack Isaacs of the local dis
trict, which includes Watauga
County, will also take part in
the program.
Hon. J. E. Holshouser Jr.,
State GOP Chairman, will in
Rescue Squad Story Heard By Chamber
Three members of the Wa
tauga Rescue Squad provided
the February program for the
Chamber of Commerce mem
bership at Gateway Restaurant.
Oscar Danner Jr. began the
program with a brief history
of the Squad, a resume of its
activities in 1966 and reported
that fund-raising events within
the Squad help maintain it.
Last year*s total expenses
were $2,677.40. The unit re
ceives some support from the
United Fund.
Danner said the unit is avail
able for calls 24 hours a day,
and hopes to have two men
on round-the-clock- duty some
time soon. The volunteer or
ganization does not compete
with ambulance services, but is
designed for emergency mis
sions.
The Rev. Gordon Noble told
the group about some of the
equipment maintained by the
Squad.
A 1961 station wagon, con
verted into an ambulance, con
tains a resuscitator, stretcher,
arm and leg splints, 20 pound
fire extinguisher, $50 first aid
kit, rubber body bag for special
handling of the Injured, blank
ets, handlights, limited weather
gear, walkie-talkies, and citi
zens band radio among other
aids.
A 1962 panel truck, dubbed
the “crash” truck, Mr. Noble
said, “can handle practically
the same situation as an am
bulance.”
This one is outfitted with a
large resuscitator, five 50-foot
lengths of 5/8 inch nylon rope,
asbestos suit, two block and
tackles, a four-ton power jack,
a stainless steel wrecking bar,
hammers, shovels, sheets, a
48-inch pipe wrench, hand
lights, an ax, 20-foot ladder,
hacksaw, oxygen, walkie
talkies, servival kits, 12-ton
jack, rain suits.
And the Squad has ordered a
1967 ambo-wagon, a customized
vehicle with the most modern,
up-to-date equipment, which
will be available to the non
profit Squad at a good discount,
Mr. Noble said the 1955panel
truck donated by Zeb Kirk was
sold three weeks ago to help
finance the new wagon.
Cost ci present equipment
is estimated between $8,000
and $10,000.
Squad member George Flo
wers spoke on the aids and
devices individuals who come
onto the scene of an accident
can employ to save someone's
life.
First, he said, be calm. This
(continued on page three)
troduce the main speaker for
the occasion, as well as speak
briefly.
Those who have not yet ob
tained tickets may have a place
reserved by calling either 264
3656 or 264-3927.
Sheriff Says
School Bus Law
To Be Enforced
"With so many violations
being reported, we;ve been aw
fully lucky that some school
children have not been killed.**
Sheriff Ward Carroll Monday
said that drivers who pass
stopped school buses from ei
ther direction will be prose
cuted by Patrolmen, members
of his department and city
police.
To help stifle the violations,
bus drivers will be asked to
take down license plate numbers
of cars passing them when chil
dren are being picked up or
unloaded and will turn in this
information to the proper au
thorities.
The Sheriff emphasizes that
the law does not make allowance
for slowly passing the school
vehicles and noted many com
plaints are being leveled at
drivers in Boone where the
buses stop for children.
The law says vehicles fol
lowing and approaching a bus
must come to a complete stop
when the bus does, end may
pass only when the bus Is In
motion and its stop sign sad
lights are not showii*.