AWARD WINNER
In 1968 and 1967 the Democrat won
10 State Press Assn, awards far
General Excellence, Excellence in
Typography, Local News, Adver
tising, Columns and Photographs.
WATAUGA DEMOCRAT
An Independent Weekly Newspaper
Seventy-Ninth Year of Continuous Publication
BOONS
1SST HI Lo
April 29 62 81
April 26 97 39
April 27 96 87
April 28 94 81
April 28 67 81
April 80 66 46
May 1 73 97
VOLUME LXXIX— N O. 44
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1967
10 CENTS PER COPY
22 PAGES—2 SECTIONS
A check for $25,000 is passed to Dr. W. H. Plemmons (left), college president, by Dr. John
Bohrer, IRC official. Senator Adrian Shuford looks on.
IRC Official Brings Grant
Of $25,000 To Appalachian
h *zd,uuu grant was pre
sented to Appalachian State
Teachers College Friday night
by ERC, Inc.
The award, which represents
the largest amount ever given
to the college by a private
industry, will be used for im
provement of the curriculum
and scientific research in the
chemistry and physics depart
ments.
The grant was given at a
dinner in the campus cafeteria
where several prominent busi
ness leaders of Western North
Carolina has assembled. Mak
ing the presentation was Dr.
John J. Bohrer, vice-president
of research and development
at IRC s central office in Phil
adelphia.
State Senator Adrian Shuford,
chairman of the Senate Com
mittee on Higher Education, was
the principal speaker at the
ceremony presided over by Dr.
W. H. Plemmons, ASTC presi
dent.
Dr. Bohrer stated that the
ERC corporation depends upon
technilogical advance for grow
th, and that there is a lack of
technical personnel every
where. “IRC was prompted to
award this grant because Ap
palachian State Teachers Col
lege has made an excellent
start in its science department
to satisfy the needs of its stu
dents/* he said.
Hospital Leased
For 10 Years
The Watauga County Board
of Commissioners will sign an
agreement leasing the Watauga
County Hospital to the Board
of Trustees for a period of
ten years.
The Board of Trustees will
be raised from the present
jerry McCracken
McCracken Is
Area Engineer
For Sirrene Co.
Civil engineer Jerry Mc
Cracken, employed by J. E.
Sirrene Company of Greenville,
S. C., has been promoted to
the position, area engineer.
The J. E. Sirrene Company
is a consulting engineering
firm, which designs and super
vises construction of heavy in
dustrial facilities.
McCracken will be in charge
of the construction of a paper
plant, indluding building, equip
ment erection, electrical, heat
ing and ventilation, piping an]
instrumentation work for S. D.
Warren Company in Muskegon
Mich.
Scheduled completion is Au
gust, 1968.
McCracken is a graduate of
N. C. State University, Raleigh,
where his engineering frater
nity was Pheta Tau.
He, his wife, Ann, and daugh
ter, Julia, recently visited his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. W.
McCracken, en route to his new
assignment.
number of twelve to a total
of eighteen members, with each
section of the county having
representation on the Board.
After looking over other hos
pitals throughout the state, and
on the advice of the Duke Foun
dation, Ford Foundation, and
Hospital Care Association, it
was decided that for the bene
fit of the hospital and county
that this action should betaken.
The Commissioners have re
leased this statement:
“This action does not mean
that the county will have no
control over the hospital, it is
a simple matter of delegating
responsibility, protecting the
hospital from political influ
ence, and leaving the door open
for grants from the various
foundations that do not part
icularly like to contribute gifts
to county operated hospitals.
The Board of Trustees will
be the official governing body
of the hospital. The County
Commissioners will have the
final say on appointing mem
bers of the Board, and will
have the power to replace Board
Members if deemed necessary.
They, the Commissioners, will
also receive the audit reports
of the hospital, thus determin
ing whether or not the special
tax levy will be put into effect.
“The entire list of trustees,
old and new, will be published
as soon as all the necessary
papers and resolutions are
drawn up.”
Beautification
Plan In Cards
A program of beautification
improvement will be formulated
Tuesday, May 9.
Glenn Hodges, president of
Watauga Community Improve
ment, and Mrs. John Hollar,
secretary, are contacting pre
sidents of area organizations
to meet with the steering com
mittee at 7:30 p. m. at the Ap
palachian Elementary School.
An eight-point program, sub
mitted to the -"mmittno by
Hodges April 20, will be dis
cussed.
“IRC is both proud and hap
py to stimulate other such firms
to aid the college in such a
manner,** Dr. Bohrer added.
Sen. Shuford told IRC of
ficials there that “Gov. Moore
asked me to thank you, on
behalf of the state of North
Carolina, for the avenue of
service you have rendered
through this wonderful gift.
“The difficulty of improve
ment increases with every gen
eration,** the legislator con
tinued. “And IRC has used a
part of its resources to en
hance the potential and de
velopment of Appalachian and
its students.
“We are proud of IRC*s pros
perity in this state, and we hope
this will not be the last time
you remind us of your pres
ence,** Sei\ Shuford said.
Dr. Plemmons described the
grant, which is the largest
awarded to an institution of
higher education by IRC, as a
“shot in the arm.**
“I am certain it will be a
wise investment of funds,*’ Dr.
Plemmons told Dr. Bohrer as
he accepted the check.
Dr. Walter C. Connolly,
chairman of the ASTC Physics
Department, said “We are ex
cited about the prospects which
will be provided by this gift.
With the advent of this grant,
basic research can be expanded.
“Four years ago, the physics
major program was begun
here,** Dr. Connolly noted. “We
now have 35 students majoring
in physics, and three will enter
graduate school in the fall. The
department will now be able
attract even more students.*’
Dr. W. G. Sink, chairman
of the Chemistry Department,
told the IRC officials “We sin
cerely hope we will prove
worthy of your trust. This grant
will help open the door for the
purchases of much needed
(Continued on page three)
Official Salary Change Noted
Courthouse Will Be Moved If
Commissioners’ Bill Passes
Annaheim New
Chief Engineer
At Boone IRC
IRC, Inc. has announced that
Walter Annaheim is now Chief
Engineer at its Boone (North
Carolina) Division; he was
formerly a Plant Manager for
Kearfott Company.
In announcing the appoint
ment, Carl Smith, Division Gen
eral Manager, noted, “This di
vision is undergoing a major
expansion to accommodate the
equipment required to meet the
increasing demand for its pres
ent products and for new ones
being introduced. Mr. Anna
heim*s extensive experience
will be a major asset in co
ordinating our increasing en
gineering efforts."
The new Chief Engineer was
graduated from Newark Col
lege of Engineering with a B.
S. in Mechanical Engineering.
He is an active member of the
American Society for Quality
Control and the Society for the
Advancement of Management.
WALTER ANNAHEIM
Pharmacy Is
Broken Into;
Burglar Flees
King Street Pharmacy was
broken into Saturday night or
Sunday morning, according to
Boone Police Chief Hubert Tho
mas.
The would-be robber was ap
parently frightened away before
he could take anything.
Thomas said a side window
lock had been prized open. A
small safe also had been opened
and money and checks removed
and placed on the counter.
When the break-in was dis
covered Sunday morning by
James Furman, pharmacist, the
money had been left on the coun
ter.
Police are still investigating.
Chosen “Girl of the Year" by her honor sorority, Mrs. Wade Wilmoth (center) pauses with
Chapter president Mrs. Siirley Barlowe (left) and her sister, Mrs. Christine Beane, who also
is a member of the sorority. The trophy was presented at the Wilmoth home Friday. (Minor photo)
Named
Girl Of Year” By Sorority
i here was never a morf
surprised “Girl of the Year”
than Mrs. Wade Wilmoth of
Boone.
Last Monday evening, her
sorority sisters (Xi Alpha Xi
of Exemplar Chapter, Beta Sig
ma Phi) called her from the
Founders Day Banquet at
Lenoir's Cedar Rock Country
Club to break the news of the
honor they had bestowed upon
her.
It was at the Jan 10 meeting,
as she was giving the program,
that Mrs. Wilmoth was taken
ill. Though she realized some
thing was wrong, she completed
the program and returned home.
Her doctor sent her to
Winston-Salem to be hospitaliz
ed and from there she was car
ried to Pittsburgh, Pa., for
open heart surgery on Val
entine's Day. She has been re
cuperating since.
COVETED AWARD
Friday night Mrs. Christine
Beane, who had accepted the
award for her sister, came to
Boone with Mrs. Shirley Bar
lowe, Chapter president, and
STRIKES BRIDGE ABUTMENT—Severe Injuries were sustained by a Boone youth whose oar
struck a bridge abutment on U. S. 221-321 shortly after midnight Monday. Patrolman W. D.
Teem said Thomas Russell Pease, 19, of 105 Cherrybrook Dr. was traveling north In a 1967
Buick when the car traveled off the road and struck the bridge near Middle Fork Baptist Church
between Boone and Blowing Rock. Teem said young Pease was pinned in the demolished car
nearly an hour before Watauga Rescue Squad volunteers and others were able to remove him
safely. The boy was hospitalized with fractures at the skull, coUar bone, leg and arm and
internal injuries, the officer said. The report stated the driver apparently went to sleep at the
wheel and no charges were anticipated. Boone policeman assisted with traffic direction durine
the emergency maneuver. OFlowers photo)
I
Mrs. Gay Allred and Mrs.
Eloise Walsh to present the
Girl of the Year trophy.
Mrs. Wilmoth was a mem
ber of Alpha Xi before she
and her husband moved to Boone
six years ago, and she has re
ligiously attended the twice
monthly Lenoir meetings.
Mrs. Barlowe said Mrs. Wil
moth has held every office in
the Chapter and served on every
committee.
The award given her is the
highest recognition obtainable
and hence, the most coveted.
The Chapter president said
Friday:“Each year she (Mrs.
Wilmoth) became more in
volved with the Chapter and her
sorority sisters and seems nev
er to be able to do enough
for it. We are looking forward
to having her with us at our
meeting when they resume next
September.
“Her faithfulness and efforts
in continuing her trips to Le
noir for the meetings shows
her love for her sorority sis
ters/*
The Wilmoths moved to Boone
in 1960 so she could attend
Appalachian State Teachers
College. Mrs. Wilmoth grad
uated, magna cum laude, in
1964.
For awhile, she was out of
school for the birth of a son,
Greg, and a brief illness. Mr.
Wilmoth, an ASTC graduate, is
a sales manager. They also
have a daughter, April.
Watauga Leads
Gass In March
Dimes Support
In collections for the March
of Dimes, Watauga County this
year showed the biggest per
centage increase for counties
in its class.
John Spelman, State repre
sentative of the National Foun
dation, told volunteers atan ap
preciation dinner Thursday
night that there would be enough
money for the Foundation's re
search, educational and help
projects, if every person gave
just 10 cents.
Based on the last County
census (approximately 17,500),
Watauga gave nearly double this
quota. The final accounting for
1967 was set at $3,388.16.
As George C. Thomas, County
chairman, presided, Spelman
spoke briefly and presented
certificates of appreciation to
Mrs. Harvey Ayers, Mrs. Paul
Branch, Mrs. Joe Rhyne, Mrs.
Jimmie Cline, Mrs. William
Hayes, Mrs. Robert Poe, Mrs.
Robert Danner, Miss Beverly
(Continued on page three)
Ballot Said
Building To Be
On Present Site
Watauga's Board of Com
missioners could alter the pro
visions of the courthouse bond
issue if legislation introduced
Monday night gets the nod cf
the General Assembly.
The bill, introduced by Rep.
Earl Tate of Caldwell, would
permit the commissioners, to
acquire a site different
from the one occupied by the
present courthouse.
Watauga voters approved last
fall the issuance of $450,000 in
bonds for a new courthouse and
furnishings on the site of the
existing courthouse.
Tate's bill would nullify pro
visions of the bond order adopt
ed by the commissioners last
October, which specified that
the new courthouse would be
built on the site of the existing
one.
This bill stipulates that the
new site be located not more
than one-half mile from the
present location and County
Commissioner Glenn Hodges
said bond money would not be
used in acquiring the second
location. As to selection of
“suitable land" called for In
the legislation, he said public
hearings would be in order.
ntruBULSN AvnniKi)
Watauga County officials
went outside their legislative
district and persuaded Tate,
who represents Alexander,Cald
well and Burke counties, to in
troduce the bill. Watauga Coun
ty’s representative is Mack
Isaac, an Avery County Repub
lican.
Tate also offered a bill pro
viding that in case of a va
cancy on the Watauga Board
of Commissioners, the Re
publicans would fill Republican
vacancies, and the Democrats
fill Democratic ones.
Commissioner Hodges told
the Democrat Tuesday that state
law now provides that such
vacancies be filled by appoint
ment by the Clerk of Court.
SALARIES
Isaac introduced a bill that
would set the salaries are! fees
of various officials and em
ployes in Watauga County.
(Continued on page three)
Democrats To
Nominate Gty
Ticket May 27
A convention of Democratic
voters for the town of Boone
will be held Saturday May 27,
at the courthouse at 8 p. m.
for the purpose of naming a
slate of candidates for town
offices.
The convention is called by
Democratic Chairman James
Dugger.
Temporary Courthouse To
Be Legalized By Assembly
The following bill, Introduced
in the House of Representatives
by Representative Earl Tate of
Caldwell county, is aimed at
legalizing temporary quarters
for a courthouse, while the new
one is being constructed, pre
sumably as the ballot stated,“on
the site of the existing county
courthouse”:
TEXT OF BILL
WHEREAS, the Board of
County Commissioners of Wa
tauga County proposes to con
struct a new courthouse and
jail; and
WHEREAS, it will be neces
sary to demolish the existil^
courthouse In order to build
the new courthouse; and
WHEREAS, this will neces
sitate securing temporary
quarters for courthouse pur
poses; NOW, THEREFORE, The
General Assembly of North Ca
rolina do enact:
Section 1. The Board of Coun
ty Commissioners of Watauga
County is hereby authorized
to secure by lease or other
wise and provide necessary
temporary space for courthouse
purposes and jail purposes
pending the demolition of the
present courthouse and the con
struction of a new courthouse
and jail. Such quarters so pro
vided may be designated by said
Board of Commissioners as the
Watauga County Courthouse aid
the Watauga County Jail, re
spectively, and the said board
shall, cause a bulletin board to
be placed in a lobby or room
in such temporary courthouse
quarters and to designate the
same as the Watauga County
Courthouse bulletin board.
-Vilerever any statute or court
>rder permits or requires that
iny legal notice, document, map
>r other paper or process post
id at the courthouse door or
>n the courthouse bulletin
ward, it shall be deemed a full
iomptiance with the law to poet
he same on the ttnponry
iourthouse bulletin board twre
nabove provided for. When,
iver any sale is required to be
le Id at the courthouse or cotart