Watauga democrat
An Independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1888.
VOL. LVII, NO. 23 BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6. 1945
Two Sections I
16 PAQES
$1.50 A YEAR ? 5c A COPY
NED GLENN HEADS
AAA ORGANIZATION
FOR COMING YEAR
Farmers Ballot Last Friday on
A g r i c u 1 1 ural Organization;
List of Other Members of
County Committee and Town
ship Leaders Given
Ned Glenn of Sugar Grove, was
elected chairman of the Watauga
county agricultural conservation as
sociation, when the farmers who are
participating in AAA benefits, gath
ered at the various polling places
' to elect a new organiation to ad
minister the affairs of the agency.
H. Neal Blair of Boone, was
named vice-chairman; Stewart J. I
Barnes, Boone, regular member;
Henry Taylor, VaUe Crucis, first al
ternate, and H. E. Greene, Deep
Gap, second alternate. Thomas L.
Wilson of Zionviile, was named sec
retary and Forrest Smith of Vilas,
treasurer.
Community Committees
Below are given the names of the
men composing the various commu- i
nity committees, who were also |
elected Friday, the first named in
each instance being the chairman,
the second, the vice-chairman, third
and fourth, first and second alter
nates, respectively:
Bald Mountain: Lessie Norm,
Glenn Howell, J. R. Holman, W. S.
Miller, W. F. Norris.
Beaver Dam No. 1: Sanford Creed,
Joe Wilson, -George Robinson, Clyde
Robinson, Ray Stout.
Beaver Dam No. 2: D. F. Greene
Conley Norris, T. C. Vines, Wade
Greene, Clyde Perry.
Blowing HocK: o.iuford Edmisten,
L. M. Frye, Horace Cook, S. C.
Greene.
Blue Ridge: F. L. Hampton, M. O.
Coffey, Paul Critcher, C. C. Bowles.
G. C. Critcher.
Boone Na 1: Joe McNeil, C. A.
Clay, Tom Lawrence, Martin Her
man, W. R. Anderson.
Boone No. 2: Stewart J. Barnes,
Rom L. Maltba, Frank Austin, C. C.
Farthing, Murray Greene.
Boone No. 3: Walter Edmisten, Al
fonso El rod, Greene Smith, Frank
Bolick, Lloyd Moretz.
Cove Creek No. 1: J. M. Burkett,
D. E. Church, E. G. Greer, M. L. i
Warren, Jr., John Hagaman.
Cove Creek No. 2: John K. Perry, I
Allen Adams, Jack Harmon, Herman
Greene. Willard Ellcr.
Elk: Noah C. Wheeler, H. C.
Hodges, Albert Greer, Olin Miller,
Allie Church. I
Laurel Creek No. 1: Howard Ed-|
misten, Dwight Cable. R. H. Ward,)
Tom Glenn, Tom Ward.
Laurel Creek No. 2: Miles A.
Ward, Vance C. Harmon, B. D. Can
non, Clay, Presnell, Stacy Moody.
Meat Camp No. 1: M. H. Norris,
R. H. Clawson, D. C. Coffey, Hubert
Norris, Paul Moretz.
Meat Camp No. 2: O. G. Winebar
ger, Ernest Moretz, Henry Beach,
C. H. Proffit, Frank Proffit.
North Fork: W. C. South, Robert
Thomas, Jim Wilson, Sam S. South. I
Willie Laing.
Shawneehaw: J. L. Triplett, Mar-'
shall Farthing, Ira Townsend, W. 13
Eggers, W. C. Smith.
Stony Fork: H. E. Greene, Edgar
Hardin, Clyde Moretz, Thos. Fair
child, M. D. Brown.
Watauga No. 1: Bun A. Hodges,
Henry Taylor, Earl Earp, Frank Tay
lor, Frank Baird.
Watauga No. 2: L. L. Moody, N.
F. Church, Stanford Coffey, Joe
Fox.
MERCHANTS SET
HOLIDAY HOURS
Members of Merchants Association !
Announce Lengthened
Holiday Hours
The Boone Merchant Association !
on Tuesday announced a schedule of
longer store hours as a special serv
ice to Christmas shoppers.
Under the arrangement the stores
will remain open until 7 o'clock p.
m., beginning Saturday, December
15, through Thursday. December 20.
Beginning on Friday, December 21, i
and through Monday, December 24,
the stores will remain open until 8
o'clock in the evenings.
It is^lso announced that members
of the association will be closed
December 25 and 26, in observance I
of Christmas.
CHICKEN PIE SUPPER
SPONSORED BY P.-T. A. I
The Boone P.-T A. will sponsor a|
chicken pie supper tonight. Dee. 0, |
at the high school. Tickets have
been on sale all week and a large I
crowd is expected to attend. Supper i
will be served at 6 p. m. and at 7
p. m. Proceeds of the supper will
go toward the improvement of the
high school lunch room. The price
ot a ticket is 75 cents which in
cludes a 50- cent charge for the sup
&and 25 cents admission to the
lty-pfesented play, "The Vil- 1
Iain's Last Stand" I
Working Toward Stability
ill THESE VETERANS ? Disabled veteran*, mere youth, wko were wnoadad
are shown Ma| ffrea (hop training so that tkej max make their own war la
civilian life. Training k paid for by the Veterans' Administration through
Federal faads such as Victory Loan Bond dollar*. Every Victory Loan Bond
helps some disabled ml Veterans' Administration photo.
Christmas Shopping Gets
Oil To Good Start in City
Chamber of Commerce
Meeting Is Cancelled
H. W. Wilcox, president of the
Boone Chamber of Commerce, an
nounces this morning that due to
the bad weather, the meeting of
the organisation which was to
have been held Thursday night,
has been postponed to an undeter
mined dale.
COLEMAN NAMED
BY BURLEY GROUP
Boone Tobacconist Named Vice
president of State Burley
Organisation
Roscoe C. Coleman, operator of
the Mountain Burley Tobacco
Warehouses in Boone, has been
named to the vice-presidency of the
North Carolina Mountain Burley
Tobacco Warehouseman's Associa
tion, a recently organized group, it
was announced Monday, following
a meeting oi warehousemen held in
Asheville.
Other officers elected were Harry
W. Love of Asheville, president, and
R. S. Witherington, also of Ashe
ville, secretary-treasurer.
The association was organized in
order that the burley warehouses I
may act in unison on matters per
taining to sales and also that they
may have representation on state
and national association commit
tees and boards.
A great many problems arise
constantly in connection with the
operation of warehouses and the
organization has discussed many of
these. The associatoin and mutual
agreement of warehousemen is ex
pected to result in better operated
lloors to the advantage of both
growers and buyers, it was stated.
The burley tobacco industry in
North Carolina has been growing
fast in the past few years and
warehousemen had heretofore had
no organization among themselves, j
Organization of the association j
was completed as the market open
ed for the 1945-46 sales season on
North Carolina and other burley
markets.
COUNTY TEACHERS
MEET SATURDAY
?
Watauga Unit of Education Asso
ciation to Meet al Local
High School
The Watauga unit of the North
Carolina Education Association will
meet in the auditorium of Appa
lachian high school Saturday after
noon, December 8, according to an
announcement made today by Cratis
D. Williams, president.
The committees of the organiza
tion wiU gather at their usual meet
ing places at 2 o'clock, and the gen
eral session will be held at 2:30. G.
E. Testej-, program chairman, has ar
ranged for a representative of the
classroom teacher organization of
the state to speak on the advant
ages of strong classroom teacher
units.
WATCH the LABEL
X*f* ?heofrtto* win mm* n?
paper win be ntae
Dnxnt
Gala Holiday Season in Prospect
as Stores and Shops Place Gift
Merchandise on Display; Out
door Lighting Effects Absent
Again
I The Christmas shopping season is
j getting into full swing as people
| from the county and adjoining ter
ritories are gathering her to fill
their gift lists, and to bring the in
dex of holiday trade in this locality
to what many retailers believe will
be an all-time record.
The local newspaper this week is
crowded with advertisements con
veying to the genera] public a rath
er minute description of the many
items of merchandise which may be
ound in this city, which has become
the shopping center of the north
western mountain region, and while
a lot of items ordinarily associated
with the Yuletide have not yet re
turned from war, a survey of the re
tail district reveals that stocks are
in a far healthier condition in most
instances than a year ago, and that
Santa Claus will have no trouble in
lilling his big pack adequately.
The stores are beginning to reflect
their pre-war color and atmosphere,
as new items are being added to the
stocks from day to day, and al
though retailers are pleased that
their showings are improved, they
sound a word of caution in advising
all and sundry to do their shopping
now, and avoid any chance of disap
pointment in the closing days of the
season. With an unprecedented
amount of consumer capital, retail
ers cannot say with certainty just
how long their big stocks will stand
the strain of the pent-up demand.
At any rate, Christmas is in the
air again, the stores are filled with
laughing, happy folks, and although
the outdoor lighting effects had to
be dispensed with again this year,
signs indicate the jolliest and mer
riest Christmas experienced since
the carefree days before the war.
GETS GOOD PRICE
Mr. Ivan Farthing of Beaver Dam
] township, is highly pleased with his
[ receipts from tobacco sold on the
I opening day at the Mountain Bur
! ley Warehouses. His crop weighed
942 pounds and averaged a little bet
ter than 51 cents a pound. The
highest weed brought 57 cents and
the lowest 23 cents. The tobacco
i was grown on four-tenths of an acre.
MANY ARE ADDED
TO POSTALSTAFF
FOR XMAS PERIOD
Postmaster Brown Secures Ade
quate Help to Take Care of
Christmas Business; Co-opera
tion of Patrons is Sought in
Interest of Good Service
John E. Brown, Jr., postmaster,
states that ten extra clerks have
been procured at the local postal es
tablishment, to assist the permanent
force during the rush season from
now until Christmas, and states that
with continued co-operation of the
patrons of the office in the matter cf
early mailing, December service
will be unimpaired, despite his pre
diction of a record number of pieces
of holiday mail.
Mr. Brown selected the extra
workers with the idea of compe
tence, giving preferred attention to
all combat veterans of the recent
war.
Since more than 60,000 Christmas
cards were mailed from the local
office last year, to say nothing of
the thousands of parcel post pack
ages, Mr. Brown stresses the im
portance of early mailing this year,
in order that the huge mailings may
be taken care of without any slow
down in normal service. In an ef
fort to give patrons the very best
possible service, it is announced that
the postoffice will remain open Sat
urday night before Christmas, and
the night before Christmas to 9
o'clock, both for the delivery and
dispatch of mail.
The postmaster recommends that
Christmas cards be sent by first
class mail, so that in the case of
changed addresses, they may be
forwarded rather than winding up i
in the dead letter office. Due to 1
the large number of people in this
locality with the same surname, it
would be appreciated by the post- '
office if local street addresses are '
included. Mail addressed to patrons
on rural routes should carry the
route and box number.
EIGHT-INCH SNOW
BLANKETS CITY
L&ryeci Snowfall of Seaion Brings
Halt to Traffic Through
Mountains
Residents of Boone and environs
awoke this (Wednesday) morning to
discover that they were virtually
shut-ins, as the biggest snow of the
season blanketed the earth to ai
depth of more than eight inches and
traffic was practically non-existant.
Horwever, by mid-morning state
highway machines had sufficiently
cleared the roadways, so that the
most necessary traffic could move.
However, bus schedules to John
son City were cancelled Tuesday
night, and infarmation from the bus
terminal is that one bus has arriv
ed from Winston-Salem, but that
prospects are for delayed service
throughout the day. Postoffice offi
cials expected some of the incoming
mail schedules to arrive, but per
haps late, while Postmaster Brown
states there will be only one deliv
ery of mail in the city.
Temperatures stood in the mid
twenties during the snowfall, which
continued most of the day Tuesday,
but largely melted as it fell.
Waiauga Red Cross Chapter Will Be
Saluted For War Work on Station WSJS
The Watauga county chapter, I
American Red Cross, will be saluted j
today (Thursday) at 1:15 p. m., in j
the fourth of a series of five broad
casts on the role played by North
Carolina chapters in the Red Cross
program at home and overseas. The j
broadcast will come from Station ,
WSJS at Winston-Salem.
This hour will be rendered to the
Watauga county chapter in recog
nition of its outstanding work in
production. The salute to the Wat
auga chapter will come at the end
of an interview on Red Cross work
of relief to civilians in war-shatter
ed countries. Five other chapters
also will be cited.
In referring to the broadcast. Rev.
Edwin F. Troutman pointed out the
greater opportunities for Red Cross
service to civilians overseas now
that peace has come.
"We must remember," he said,
"that Red Cross is not a war or
ganization, in spite of its many war
services. Whatever the course of
the world's history, this organization
always tries to relieve all kinds of |
distress, poverty and hunger, dis
ease and disaster.
"While the war went on. Red
Cross relief to civilian populations
overseas went out from chapters
like this one, as fast as the ships
and planes could carry it. Many ci
vilians in stricken countries of Eu
rope were given the nourishment
they needed by Red Crow. Cloth
ing was distributed where it could
be distributed. Children got toys
and education materials from the
American Red Cross.
"Now that the war is over, the
sea and airways are open once more.
Many men and women who were
prisoners in countries conquered by
the enemy are now liberated ? but
hungry and shelterless. Until they
can earn their own way, they will
need Red Cross aid as never be
fore.
"As the needs created by war
grow less, the call of its victims
sounds more urgently. The Ameri
can Red Cross will respond to that
call with workers and supplies."
Halt Million Pounds
Tobacco Sold Here;
Average is Over $46
Taken By Death
J. M. SHULL
LAST RITESHELD
FOR JAMES SHULL
Aged Valle CrucU Clllten Succumbs
at Mountain City, to Long
Illness
Funeral services were conducted
from the Methodist Church at Valle
Crucis last Thursday for James
Milton Shull, 87-year-old resident
of that neighborhood, who died at
the home of a daughter, Mrs. R. O.
Glenn, in Mountain City, Tenn., on
Nov. 26, after an illness of more
than a year.
The obsequies were in charge of
Rev. R. J. Starling and Rev. W. B.
Robbins, and interment was in the
family cemetery at Valle Crucis.
A large number of friends of the
deceased gathered from over the
county for the rites, and many flor
al pieces were placed at the bier of
Mr. Shull, who wa$ one of the coun
ty's finest citizens, and who contrib
uted a large share to the religious
and cultural life of ' his neighbor
hood and county.
The active pallbearers were: R. A.
Olsen, Howard Mast, Frank Baird,
Frank Taylor, Tom Taylor, Henry
Taylor, Charles Menzies, David
Mast and Ray Farthing. Honorary*
W. W. Mast, J. B. Horton, 't. C.
Baird, D. C. Mast, W. J. Farthing,
G. W. Rowe, John Hartley, Charles
Clay, W. B. Farthing, R. A. Farth
ing, J. C. Mast, A. A. Mast. The
flower girls were relatives and
close friends of the family.
The widow survives, together with
one son and six daughters: Ira Don
ald Shull, Valle CrucU; Mrs. D. S.
Moore, White Hall, Md.; Mrs. F. C.
Knoblauch, Charleston, S. C.; Mrs.
R. O. Glenn, Mrs. B. G. , Leake,
Mountain City, Tenn.; Mrs. Ira T.
Johnston, Jefferson, and Miss Wil
helmina Shull, Gastonia. There are
13 grandchildren and one brother,
J. T. Shull, Dighton, Kansas.
Relatives from a distance attend
ing the funeral were: Mr. and Mr*.
J. M. Shull and Mr. and Mrs. J. W.
Shull, Dighton, Kansas, and Mr. and
Mrs. J. B. Horton, Riva, Md.
robbersTillage
HI SCHOOL OFFICE
On* Hundred and Thirty Dollars
Taken From Appalachian High
School Office
Vandals entered the office of the
Appalachian high school during
Sunday night, wrecked the locked
filing cabinets with a crowbar, and
made away with about $130 of mis
cellaneous funds, representing mon
ey collected by the children for Red
Cross activities, and nickels and
dimes paid into the lunch room
fund.
I Principal Herbert Wey states that
in his opinion the robbery was exe
| cuted by adults, since jewelry,
checks and other valuable items
were left untouched. Entrance to
the office was gained by cutting the
glass from a door, and Mr. Wey
states that the damage to office files,
school records, etc., is perhaps In ex
cess of $75.00.
Local officers investigated the
crime and made fingerprints, while
I SBI agents will continue the inves
jtigation.
Tobacco Market Perhaps Seta
Record on Opening Day, When
Quarter Million Pounds Are
Sold for Average of $4&13;
Tuesday's Price Goes Higher;
No Sale* Saturday
The first auction of the 1945-40
burley tobacco season was held on
the floors of the local warehouses
Monday, and Warehouseman R. C.
Coleman states that the initial sales
probably set a record for any first
day's business in the history of the
Boone market.
On Monday 253,624 pounds of to
bacco brought $117,000.05, for an
average of $46.13 per hundred
weight and farmers expressed gen
ral pleasure at the amount of their
-irst checks of the season.
Tuesday, when auctions were
hindered to some extent by dark
ness when snow covered the sky
lights of the houses, 235,778 pounds
were sold for $109,283.59, indicat
ing an upward trend with an aver
age of $46.35.
Early Tuesday evening some quar
ter of a million pounds of tobacco
was on the floors and in process of
being unloaded for Wednesday's
sale, but with the prospect that later
in the night receipts would be hin
dered by the snow and resultant
slippery highways. Large numbers
of those who have sold tobacco have
brought only a part of their total
poundage, and with improved
weather for grading, the caravans
of burley trucks will be lengthening
from day to day.
Sales for the week will end on Fri
day, but there will be no interrup
tion in the receipt < ' tobacco, the
weighing crews being operated on
a 24-hour basis.
SWOFFORD TALKS
TO LIONS CLUP
Belicfi and Ambitions of Veterans
Outlined by Local Buii
nois Man
Mr. Lloyd Swofford, of the Swof
ford Tire Shop, a lieutenant in a
rifle division in the invasion of Eu
rope's westwall, spoke to the Lions
Club at its dinner meeting Tuesday
evening. >f)
Mr. Swofford's topic was "Soldiers
of Yesterday, Veterans of Today."
He explained something of the hard
ships suffered by the soldiers as they
adjusted thmselves to military rou
tine. His interesting stories held
the close attention of the Lions,
with their color of heroism. The
veteran, said Mr. Swofford, want
only the kindness and consideration
shown others, and decidedly be
lieve more in democracy than he
did before the war. He is happy
when he sees civic affairs conducted
smoothly and civic organizations
carrying on their good work, Mr.
Swofford explained.
Guests of the club were: H. Q.
Everts, Traer, Iowa; John M. Thom
as, Ardmore, Pa.; David Rollins,
local high school teacher.
Ladies' night will be observed at
the next club meeting. Lion Presi
dent Busteed appointed the follow
ing committee to arrange for the
event: Howard Cottrell, chairman,
Herbert Wey and Guy Hunt.
OVERALL BOND *
SALES GAINING
???, In Sates of Bond* to ,.f.
Individuals
The returns from the Victory
Loan campaign in Watauga county,
indicate the local overall quota aha
been greatly exceeded, the sales
now standing at $225,000, as against
the goal of $138,000.
However, sales of the E bonds to
individuals is far behind in this sec
tion, and only 32 percent of the
quota in this category has been dis
posed of, says Alfred Adams, chair
man of the lbcal bond staff, ?very
effort is being made to sell more
bonds to individual investors, and
it is sGfegested that Christmas shop
pers avail themselves of the oppor
tunity of providing war bond gifts
for members of the family, in
amounts as low as f ,Q
Watauga Still Far Behind. How