DEMOCRAT
?
Independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1 888.
VOL. LVIII, NO. 3 BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, JULY 19, 1945
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$li50 A YEAR ? 5c A
WATCH
on
TRUMAN WIELDS
GAVEL AS BIG
'3' OPEN MEET
Preliminary Exchange of Views
by Heads of Allied Nations as
Potsdam Conference Opens;
"War Against Japs Likely a
Principal Topic
POTSDAM, July 17? The Big
Three held the first full-dress ses
sion of their great victory confer
ence at 5 p. m. today, and President
Truman was invited to preside dur
ing the conference.
A joint communique issued by
Truman, Premier Stalin and Prime
Minister Churchill also said that
during the meeting which lasted
1% hours "a preliminary exchange of
-views took place on the matters re
quiring decision by the heads of the
three governments."
The war against Japan unques
tionably ranks high on the agenda
of the three governmental chieftains,
their foreign secretaries, and mili
tary advisors.
Following is the text of the com
munique:
"The Berlin conference of the
governments of the United King
dom, the United States of America,
and the Soviet Union met this after
noon at 5 o'clock.
"By invitation of his two col
leagues, the President of the United
States of America will preside at the
meetings of the conference.
"The preliminary exchange of
views took place on the matters re
quiring decision by the heads of the
three governments.
"It was decided that the three
foreign secretaries should hold reg
ular meetings with a view to pre
paring the work of the conference."
PIANO CONCERT
HELD AT COLLEGE
Edwin Gerschefski, Noted Pianist.
Appears in Concert of Un
usual Interest
A program of unusual interest was
heard on last Thursday evening |
when Edwin Gerschefski, pianist,
'was presented in the college audi
torium. His numbers ranged from
16th century to contemporary mu
sic. The Antiche Danze ed Arie ar
ranged by Respighi. showed at the
beginning of the program the caliber
Of Mr. Gerschefski's playing. Wide
range of tone coloring, mastery of
technique, and true understanding
Of the music characterized the type
- of playing that has won acclaim for
Mr. Gerschefski. The high point of
the program was reached in the
plajrtng of the prelude, Chorale, and
Fuge by Franck. Especial mention
should be made of the clarity of the
voices in the Feuge.
The six Chopin Etudes that open
ed the last half of the program gave
full scope to Mr. Gerschefski's bril
liant technique. The Revolutionary
Etude with its taxing runs and
arpeggi was dazzling in its clarity
and satisfying in emotional content.
The succeeding Etudes in F minor,
A flat major, G flat major, E flat
minor, were played with full atten
tion to their musical, as well as
technical demands. The group was
concluded with the thunderous C
minor Etude in a performance
which brought an ovation from the
audience.
Contemporary American music
was represented by the Preludes of
George Gershwin. Mr. Gerschefski
was a sympathetic interpreter of the
languid melodies, the thoroughly
American rhythm, and the brilliant
contrasts in these numbers.
The printed program closed with
a sparkling and masteful reading of
the Second Hungarian Rhapsody of
Xiazt. In response to insistent ap
plause, a Latin -Aamerican compo
sition by Luiz Cosme and Mr. Ger
schefski's own Guadalcanal Fantasy
were added to the already generous
program. '?
John David Farthing
Dies From Short Illness
John David Jarthing, age four
and one-half months, a son of Mr.
and Mrs. John H. Farthing, of Boone,
died last Wednesday, after an ill
Jne?s of only a few hours. Pneumonia
-was believed to have been the cause
of the child's death. 1
Funeral services were conducted
Thursday afternoon from the Meth
odist Church by the paator, Dr. E.
K. McLarty, and interment was in
the city cemetery.
The only immediate survivors are
the bereaved parents.
Heads Trustees
V. D. GUIRE
Virgil D. Guire, of Lenoir, has
been named president of the board
of trustees of Appalachian State
College for the coming year, it has
been announced.
G. P. Hagaman, of Spruce Pine,
has been named vice-president and
members of the executive commit
tee are Wade E. Brown of Boone,
H. A. Cranor of Wilkesboro, Eitf
gene Transou of Sparta, and G. P
Hagaman of Spruce Pine.
Dr. B. B. Dougherty was re-elect
ed president of the college, and Dr.
J. D. Rankin will continue as dean.
Other members of the faculty and
other college workers were re-elect
ed.
Mrs. Mae D. Smith
Dies at Vilas Home
Funeral services for Mrs. Mae
Holsclaw Smith of Vilas, who died
in the Grace Hospital, Banner Elk,
Saturday at 9:30 p. m., after an ill
ness of several months, were con
ducted Monday afternoon at 2:00
o'clock from the Willowdale Baptist
Church. Rev. Grady Hamby and
Rev. Roby Painter conducted the
rites and burial was in the family
cemetery at Vilas. Reins-Sturdivant
was in charge of arrangements.
Born on Cove Creek on Sept. 18,
1888, Mrs. Smith was the daughter
of Finley Holsclaw' and Mattie Mc
Bride Holsclaw. She was married
to Jack Smith on April 29, 1908.
Surviving are five daughters, Mrs.
Ira Fox, Mrs. Ward Billings, Misses
Forrest and Shirley Jean Smith, of
Vilas, and Mrs. Homer Shoemaker,
of Balm. One sister, Mrs. Essie
Hayes, of Knoxville, Tenn.; two
grandsons, Jack Billings and Phil
lip Shoemaker, and one niece, Mrs.
Mabel Floyd, of Middlesboro, Ky.
Pallbearers were Theil Greene,
John Dugger, Earl Shoemaker, Fred
Blair, Hugh Burleson and W. H.
Shoemaker.
Mrs. Pauline Henson was in charge
of the floral offering, assisted by
Mrs. Blanche Reese, Mrs. Ruth Dug
ger, Mrs. Annie Blair, Mrs. Addie
Brinkley, Mrs. Francis Glenn, Mrs.
Lucy Olsen, Mrs. G. A. Hamby, Mrs.
Hugh Burleson, Mrs. Lucy Law
rence, Misses Helen Underdown,
Wilma Baird, Gertrude Henson,
Joyce Henson, Rose Edna Billings,
Cleo Walker and Leola Walker.
55 Farmers Sell 410
Lambs in Pool Friday
Fifty-five farmers sold 410 lambs
and 17 sheep through the WataUga
lamb pool on Friday, July 13. Farm
ers from four other counties sold
lambs in the pool. These counties
were Avery, Alleghany, Wilkes and
Yadkin.
The lambs were weighed and
loaded on cars at North Wilkesboro.
Swift and Company purchased the
lambs. The prices and number of
lambs by grade were as follows:
166 blues at $15.85
55 blue bucks at 14.85
95 reds at 14.85
53 red bucks at 13.85
20 medium at 13.85
14 medium bucks at 12.25
6 common at 11.25
1 cull at 8.75
1 wether at 7,00
9 fat ewes at ..._: 7.00
6 common .ewes kt 3.00
1 old buck at 6.00
Paul Nathaniel Minton
Succumbs on Friday
Paul Nathaniel Minton, age 5
years, son of Mr. and Mrs. James
Minton, died at the home in Boone
last Friday.
Funeral services were conducted
from Mountain View Church in
Stony Fork township by Rev. Mr.
Triplett, and interment was there.
Surviving are the parents and three
sUtere, Wilma, Bettie and an infant.
BRITAIN JOINS
U. jS. FLEET IN
FIGHT ON JAPAN
Fifteen Hundred Carrier Planes
From Two Fleets Unite in
Raid on Jap Homeland; Many
Jap Planes destroyed in Dar
ing Raids
Guam, July 18 ? The British bat
tleship King George V and her es
corting ships joined the U. S. Pacific
fleet's 45, 000-ton dreadnaught, Iowa,
and other powerful warships in a
great bombardment force to shell
copper and war industry plants at
Hitachi, only 80 miles from Tokyo,
early this morning.
It was the first time British men
o' war had fired shells into the Jap
homeland.
The bombardment followed only a
few hours a 1,500 carrier plane at
tack on the Tokyo region, extending
northeast to Hitachi, by aircraft
launched from the world's most
powerful naval force, the combined
U. S. third Pacific and British Pa
cific fleets.
The great battle line, including
some of the most devastating bat
ships of both the American and
British navies, stood off the eastern
Honshu coast in a rainy, misty night,
steadily throwing their 2,700-pound
16- inch shells into Hitachi's highly
concentrated aircraft, electrical and
diesel engine plants and copper
smelters.
Correspondents watching the thril
ling show from aboard Adm. Hal
sey's warships reported the dread
naughts closed to within about six
miles of shore.
The Japanese offered no opposi
tion.
The attack was begun about mid
night Tuesday, Jap time (11 a. m.
Monday, EST) and continued two
hours.
Overhead, British and American
carrier planes flew a protective es
cort but their defensive cover prov
ed unnecessary. The Japs still de
clined to attack the world's most
powerful naval force by sea or air,
presumably hoarding their aircraft
for the invasion they know cannot
be far off.
Low, thick clouds prevented aerial
observers from immediately estimat
ing damage of the attack. Fleet Ad
miral Nimitz said in a communique
announcing the bombardment. The
admiral, in a broadcast to the United
States yesterday, termed this bomb
ing and bombardment phase the
"pre-invasion stage" of the Pacific
war.
The bombardment force of battle
ships and their accompanying crui
sers and destroyers started to run in
toward Hitachi, at the north end of
the Kanto plain, late yesterday aft
er the Tokyo area had been swept
for more than eight hours by fight
er and bomber flights from both U.
S. carrier task force 38 and carriers
of the British Pacific fleet.
Halsey, in overall command of
the combined American - British
fleet, has not yet reported any re
sults of yesterday's concerted
strikes over the Tokyo area.
Aged Triplett Citizen
Is Claimed by Death
Thos. A. Cox, aged 84 years, pio
neer citizen of Elk township, died at
the home at Triplett on July 11, aft
er a long period of indisposition
Funeral services were conducted
Sunday from the Mt. Ephriam Bap
tist church by Rev. Mr. Greene and
Rev. Mr. Triplett and interment was
in the cemetery there by Reins
Sturdivant.
Surviving are the following sons
and daughters* Cloyd Cox, Summer,
Mont.; C. J. Cox, Twin Bridges,
Mont.; W. L., Fred, Doc, Brady and
Virgil Cox, Mrs. Roxie Triplett, of
Triplett, and Rom Cox of Lenoir.
Justin Miller to Head
National Broadcasters
Justin Miller, former Boone resi
dent, and associate justice of the U.
S. Court of Appeals for the District
of Columbia, has been named presi
dent of the -National Association of
Broadcasters, its board of directors
announced in Kansas City Sunday.
Miller will take office on October
1 for a five-year term. He succeeds
J. Harold Ryan, interim president,
who served for one year after leav
ing the office of censorship, and who
returns to his position as vice-presi
dent and general manager of the
Fort Industry Co., of Toledo, Ohio.
Miller, whose home is in Los An
geles, has been an associate justice
of the court in Washington since
1937. He is 56 years old.
;? \
Big Three Meet in Berlin
The war- w?ary jittery world is awaiting eagerly the meeting of
these three men. President Harry S. Truman. Premier Winston
Churchill and Marshal Jocef Stalin, hoping that it will clear away
many of the tension*, misunderstandings and suspicions that have
arisen since Germany was ranquished.
G.I. Elating Wonder
Pfc. CbMkr J. Salvatori. pic
tured at Atlanta. Ga.. .at ha puts
his appetite to work on -his meal
at a cafeteria, doing away with
seven orders of fried chicken, ten
orders of french fried potatoes,
nine glasses of orange juice, two
quarts of milk, five egg salads, two
glasses of iced coffee, two slices of
watermelon, five slices of apple
pie ala mode and ten combination
salads. Nothing for "the stomach"
to eat thirty army pork chops at
one meal.
SECOND TERM IS ~
STARTED TODAY
\
Dormitories Full on Eve of Opening
of Second College Term;
500 Expected
The second term of summer school
at Appalachian College starts Thurs
day, and reports from the office of
Dean J. D. Rankin indicate that the
dormitories are already full, and
that an enrollment of 500 or more
is expected.
The first term ends this (Wednes
day) afternoon with an enrollment
of 599, setting a record for any war
time year at Appalachian.
Two Local Escapers
Captured in Texas
Houston, Texas, July 14 ? Captain
E. B. Williams, detective chief, re
ported the arrest in Houston yester
day of two escaped North Carolina
convicts. They were identified by
Williams as David Stephenson, 27,
and Fr?d McLamb, 21, who escaped
along with 10 others from a state
prison camp at Boone, N. C., while
serving term* for burglary.
? . .
Ration Guide
ProcMMd Food*
T2, U2, V2. W2, X2, now valid,
expire July 31; Y2, Z2, Al, Bl, CI.
now valid, expire August 31; D1
through HI, now valid, expire Sept.
30; J1 through N 1, expire Oct. 31.
Meat and Fata
K2 through P2, now valid, expire
July 31; Q2 through U2, now valid,
expire Aug. 31; V2 through Z2, now
valid, expire Sept. 30; Al through
71, now valid, expire Cfctober 31.
Sugar
Sugar stamp 38 expires Aug. 31.
Airplane stamps Nor 1, 2 and >,
in Book Three, continue valid in
definitely. fiwnHm
A 16 coupons valid through Sept
21. Each car owner must write his
license number and state on each gas
coupon as soon as it is issued to
him. Mileage rationing record must
be presented what applying for all
passenger car gasoline rations.
,1
SEEK TO LOCATE
AIRPORT IN AREA
Chamber of Commtrc* Has Air
Lines Official as Guest; Proposed
Airport Sites Inspected
M. L. Funkhouser, district mana
ger of the Eastern Air Lines, who
spoke to the Chamber of Commerce
Thursday evening, in company with
H. W. Wilcox, president of the lo
cal organization, looked over two
likely sites for the proposed Boone
Blowing Rock airport. A special
committee has been named to con
tact the U. S. Department of Com
merce and Civil Aeronautics Admin
istration, looking to their considera
tion of these sites, and it is expect
ed that the two towns will do every
thing possible to provide adequate
facilities for air travelers in the post
war period:
Mr. Funkhouser, in his address,
discussed the part aviation is play
ing in the conduct of the war, and
believes that with the return of 3,
000,000 men in the armed services,
trained in aeronautics, private fly
ing will become commonplace He
said there will be more than half a
million privately owned airplanes by
1950, and believes that each progres
sive community should make plans
to care for this kind of travel.
"One thing is certain," said Mr.
Funkhouser, "we stand at the
threshold of a new day jn the world
of transportation, and the future of
America is in Ihe air. The skyways
of today will become the highways
of tomorrow, and the dawn of that
tomorrow is already shining bright
ly on the horizon of a new post-war
world."
Town HorseShoe and
Tennis Tournaments
The college health and physical
education department is putting on
a town-wide horseshoe tournament
for pnen. This tournament opens
Wednesday evening at 7 o'clock on
the college athletic field.
Entries in the singles and doubles
are already in the intramural direc
tor's , office and pairings will be
made for tonight's picking today.
The following men have entered the
tournament: J. C. Cooke, McKinley
Ayers, Tom Beach, Herbert Wey,
Barr ard Dougherty, Clyde Hollars.
Burl Cullers, Nile Cook, Maurice
O'Sullivan, Charlie Ray, Wade
Hampton, Mike Hunt and Burl Pal
mer.
Men's and women's tennis tourna
ment will open July 25. All those
who plan to enter please phone the
college book room and have your
name entered on the entry list.
Cove Creek Cannery
Open 2 Days Weekly
The Cove Creek community can
nery is open for business Tuesday
and Friday of each week, effective
immediately, it is announced by
Ernest Hillard, manager.
It is stated that as as more fruits
and vegetables become available, the
cannery will be open more often in
order to take care of the needs of
home canners.
Boone Community
Cannery Opens Friday
The Boone community cannery,
located in the tobacco warehouse,
will begin operating Friday, July
20, Dr. Orby Southard, supervisor,
has announced.
The cannery wilt be open again
Friday, July 27, and each Tuesday
and Friday thereafter for the dura
tion of the canning season.
COUNTY GREATLY
EXCEEDS OVERALL
WAR BOND QUOTA
Sales of E Bonds Remain Slight*
ly Behind Quota at Close of
Campaign; Chairman Extends
Thanks to Soldiers and Others
For Good Work
Watauga county's overall bond
Quota in the Seventh Wsr Loan was
far oversubscribed, according to
final figures released by Clyde R.
Greene, local chairman, who indi
cates that the E bond quota fell a
little short of the goal.
. bond Purchases amounted
to $597,516jJJ5, or more than 300 per
cent of the quota of $175,000. E
bond sales are given at $104,870.75
or approximately 76 per cent of the
quota of $136,000, which was as
signed this county.
Mr. Greene particularly calls at
tention to the fact that there is a
record of $15,776.00 of E bonds hav
ing been purchased by men in the
armed forces, and acknowledges this
fine spirit of the m*n who are not
only only willing to die for their
country, but to help finance the ef
fort out of relatively small earnings,
Mr. Green is profoundly grateful to
these men, and also expresses deep
appreciation^ everyone who aided
in any way, either by buying or sell
bonds in the Seventh War Loan.
Although sales of E bonds fell short,
the organization made a magnificent
effort, and the members are due
praise for their splendid work.
Dr. D. J. Whitener, chairman of
the bond contest in the schools of
the county, is anxious for the princi
pals to submit their final reports to
him promptly.
JACOB MAY DIES
AT AGE OF 70
Former Register of Deeds and Bank
Worker Succumbs to Long
Period of Illness
Jacob May. age 70 years, former
register of deeds for Watauga coun
tyr died at his home near Trade,
Tenn., last Sunday, after a long pe
riod of impaired health.
Funeral services were conducted
from the late residence Monday aft
ernoon, and interment was in a
neighborhood cemetery.
Mr. May, who was reared in Wat
auga county, was a leader in pub
lic affairs and as the candidate of
the Republican party, was elected
register of deeds in 1898, establish
ing his home in Boone. This posi
tion he held until 1910, following
which he worked in the Watauga
County Bank for a period of time,
and later was one of the stockhold
ers in the firm of John W. Hodges
r Company, a general mercantile
establishment in Boone. For many
years he was a member of the direc
torate of the Watauga County Bank.
About the year 1913 he returned to
his home near Trade, retiring from
public life, and engaging in farming
activities.
Surviving are the widow and five
children: Armfield May, who re
sides in the state of Pennsylvania*
Ralph May of Trade, Tenn.; Mrs.
Ola Garland of Shouns, Tenn.; Mrs.
Ruth Wilson and Mrs. Nell Thomas
of Trade. ^
Demonstration Schools
To Open August 28th
Bn me high school and the ele
mentary demonstration school will
open August 29th for the school year
of 1945-46.
School officials call attention of
parents to the lair regarding immu
nization of children and the law
regarding school entry.
The law states that a child must
be six years of age on or before Oc
tober J, 1945, to be enrolled as a
student in the public schools of
North Carolina. If you have a child
who will enter school for his first
time this fall, John T. Howell, prin
cipal, will appreciate if you will
send him an accurate birth record
of the child on the opening date of
school.
Since the law provides that no
principal or teacher shall permit any
child to enter school without a certi
ficate or some other acceptable evi
dence of immunization against
whooping cough, diphtheria and
smallpox, it is suggested that you at
tend to this at once so that the chil
dren may be able to setter f on
the opening date. A child sts years
of age by October i, 1945, must en
roll during the first month.