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, VOL. LXI, NO. 30.
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 1949.
it, V V' ? ? #
IMPORTANT!
your papar wlM ba HiMii
??r ^ nwMrw?<t^^Tha
o (MHm ?trt
on * cash In advance baaia.
FIVE CENTS A GQPY
KING STREET
BY
ROB RIVERS
?* . . i
SPRING-TIME temperature*
prevailed in the mountain region
last week, while Californians
?were shivering in sub-freezing
c?ld. Howling windstorm rides
in on heels of balmy wave, with
sharp temperature drop . . ,
Bags of onion sets appear in
window of grocery store, bring
ing the first sign of spring . . .
Some plowing noted on Watauga
farms during the last few days,
as folks get ready for another
T^Mnocrat^ oltu!e ' confessing a
^"just
to emphasize . . . don't think I
could live my life at all without
letting off steam just a bit."
? ? ?
"WANT TO GET THIS."
Mid publicity aganl "to every
class ad people In the town."
. . . Had been thinking all along
that on* of the principal rea
son* so many folks like this
community is the absence of
class lines, and different social
strata . . . Folks of every kind
aad calling are to be found in
every public gathering . . .
clubs are far leas restricted in
membership than in other
places . . . and everybody seems
to go right along, in pretty
close harmony, with few look
ing down their noses at those
of smaller wealth . . . It's about
the moat democratic communi
ty there is!
? ? ?
MEWS that the first steps have
been taken toward the construc
tion of the Watauga River road,
gladly received, and it is likely
that Carolina's share of the en
tire project can be constructed
before too long . . . Other infor
mation that the Blowing Rock
road is being traveled brings
cheer to those of us whose busi
ness is transacted to the south
. . . State highway forces put
down gravel to make the fresh
grade passable, and will keep the
stretch open until spring, when
the contractors return for com
pletion of the new link . . . Little
David Coleman, grandson of the
popular tobacconist, strums toy
banjo, and sings hill-billy tunes,
with all the mournful intonations
which are part and parcel of the
tragic ballads . . . Miss Jennie
Coffey sits by window and reads
the home town paper . . . T. Mil
ton Greer giving down with a
bit of gossip . . . some "off the
record" stuff . . . and Watt Gragg
giving us a pretty good cussin'
cause he says the county figures
in his race for Commissioner of
Agriculture were omitted from
the county paper . . . We were
probably entitled to that one and
the figures are: Gragg 3696, Bal
lentine 3883, Stubbs, progressive
3.
? ? ?
WATT Mr* be was particu
larly disturbed since he U be
yond doubt the "runningest"
man in tha county . . . can't
ba tun Just bow many times
his uma has mppaarad on tha
ticket. but says that ha run for
Mayor of Boon# six times. baan
elected thraa. and that other
wise ha has baan beaten all tha
way from 24 votes to somathisg
over thraa hundrad thousand
. . . don't know for sura . . . His
closest squeak was whan he
was nosed out for Sheriif in
1M by L. M. Farthing with a
majority of Just two dozen, and
the moat comfortable maj
ority an opponent had was
when he ran against Cousin
Charlie Johnson for State Trea
surer . . . His name has appear
ed only twice on the State bal
lot. and he has offered for Con
gress once . . . Questioned as to
his future political activity, Mr.
Gragg Indicated that he would
likely be running again soma
of these days. "I kind of enjoy
the thing." be laid as we made
due apology for omitting his
local tally from the news col
umns last time.
? ? ?
(JETTING a little business in
stupe bo'i we can run up to
Washington this evening to sea
the folks give Harry his own
latch-key, and to visit a bit for a
change . . . Friend of ours, in
Government service, said some
thing a while back about the
"Christmas-Easter" parties
which were being planned . . .
Hated to spill our ignorance, but
kept wondering about the thing
. . . Saw him since the first of
the year, and asked him what
they were. "They were arrang
ed," said he. during the period
when Governor Dewey was
president, and were designed to
celebrate turning the Democrat!
out ... all the heads of depart
(Continuad on pace 4>
POLIO HOSPITAL IN BARRACKS
m
North Carolina'! record polio epidemic last summer so overtaxed
hospital facilities there that it was necessary to convert army build
ings in Greensboro and Monroe into polio treatment centers. March
of Dimes funds were used in equipping and staffing the centers.
Shown above are two polio patients being admitted to the center
at Camp Sutton near Monroe. N. C.
Hospital Fund Passes
$13,000 Mark Here
RESIGNING?
* !
?
4 '
Walter Bedell Smith. U. S. ara
oisi&dor to Russia. is greeted up
on arrival In Washington by
Bruce Durbrow. ion of one of
hit colleague* in the U. S. em
bassy at Moscow. Report was
that Smith planned to resign his
Moscow post.
COLLEGE NAY
GET ANOTHER
MILLION AND
HALF OF STATE
Supplementary Appropriation
In Addition to Two Million
Unspent Funds from Last
Legislature; Appropriation
Bill Introduced in Assembly
.A supplementary appropria
tion of $1,376,400 to bolster
the funds earmarked for build
ing at Appalachian college in
1947, was recommended to the
Legislature Thursday by the Ad
visory Budget commission, as a
bill was introduced in both
branches of the assembly design
ed to inaugurate the greatest
building program in the history
of state institutions.
The bill calls for the appropria
tion of $71,800,234 in addition to
the $50,932,256 program authori
zed by the assembly of 1947.
'Most of the work authorized then
has not been started and the
funds are available.
Two years ago Appalachian got
a two million dollar appropria
tion, which was to be spent for
new building at such time as
agreed by the council of State.
The program then authorized la
just beiitg started, with work
going forward on the power
plant expansion program.
The new appropriation for Ap
palachian supplements the ori
ginal one as follows:
$60,000 apartment house for
teachers: $30,000 ten homes for
teachers; $127,800 boys' dormi
tory; $80,900 girls' dormitory;
$100,000 remodeling and enlarg
ing demonstration school; $70,
000 enlarging library; $125,400
(Continued on page four.)
Township Chairmen Are Ask
ed To Push Efforts Until
Every Township Has
.Reached Its Assigned Quota;
Township Figures Are
Given.
The campaign for funds to
equip the Watauga Hospital in
line with the improvement plan
of the board of trustees, is going
[forward with increasing success,
and Clyde R. Greene, chairman,
asks that solicitors work diligent
ly until each township has reach
ed its prescribed quota.
Latest reports indicate that
$13,172.55 of the $20.000 00 quota
has already been subscribed, and
it is hoped that the goal will be
reached in the next few days, so
that the hospital may be in op
eration soon as a standard type
institution.
Below are the contributions, by
townships, at the present time:
Boone $10,559.50
Blue Ridge 410.00
Brushy Fork 189.00
Cove Creek 937.55
Elk 210.00
Laurel Creek 100.00
Meat Camp 241.50
New River 100.00
Stony Fork 10.00
Watauga 415.00
$13,172.55
Hundreds of Pennies
Aid March of Dimes]
Bob Agle, chairman of the in
fantile paralysis campaign re
ceived an unusual contribution
last Saturday in the form of 882
pennies, brought in by A. C.
(Chuck) Williams of Shulls?Mills,
and saved by his son and grand
children specifically as a gift to
the March of Dimes.
A glass coin bank and a cigar
box held the^ currency, which
was given in the names of Perry
Williams. 19 months old; Gary
Lee Parons 4, and Ancil Parsons,
1 month old, the latter being
grandchildren of Mr. Williams.
Teachers To Hold
Meeting Friday
A film showing the findings of
the North Carolina Education
Commission will be the main
feature of the program when the
Watauga county Unit of N. C. E.
A. meets in the Appalachian
High school on Friday, January
21 at two o'clock, according to
Mrs. Raleigh Cottrell, program
chairman. Dr. John G. Barden,
of the college faculty, will ex
plain the film.
School will close at noon
throughout the county in order
for the teachers to attend. Also
invited to this meeting are the
parents and citizens interested in
the condition of the public
schools.
The main part of the business
will consist of the nomination and
election of officers for the cotn
>ng rw. ?
POLIO EFFORT
GAINS FORCE AS
AGLE APPEALS
TO THE PEOPLE
Citizens Are Asked To Re
double Their Efforts To
Make Campaign Record
Success; Early Responses
Have Been Generous; Need
Is Pressing.
The 1949 March of Dimes,
which -is entering its second
week, is gaining increasing mom
entum, Mr. Bob Agle, Chairman
of the National Foundation for
infantile Paralysis' appeal in
Watauga county, announced to
day, urging all citizens to re
double their efforts in the final
week to make the drive a record
success.
" So far." Mr. Agle said. Wa
tauga county residents have re
sponded generously to the 1949
March of Dimes. Judging by re
ports from our various commit
tee chairmen, every segment of
the public here seems keenly
aware of the urgent need to
make our current appeal a re
cord success."
Mr. Agle pointed out, however,
that if the goal were to be reach
ed, the efforts of every Watauga
county resident must be redoubl
ed. During the final week of the
drive, he said. March of Dimes
activities will be intensified be
cause of the pressing need to
prepare for the coming polio sea
son.
"At the same time," Mr. Agle
disclosed, "funds given to the
March of Dimes Will be used not
only to help those whom polio
may strike but we still have to
meet the continuing cost of care
and treatment of boys and girls
stricken in prior epidemic years,
and insure that there is no in
terruption in research for a cure
or preventive of the disease."
"None of us," Mr. Agle con
cluded, > "can afford to take
chances with a possible polio epi
demic this coming summer. But
all of us can afford a dime or a
dollar toward assurance that we
will be ready should infantile
paralysis hit our county this
year."
J. Conn Succeeded
At Local Dime Store
Mr. J. Conn, manager of thel
Crest Stores in this city, is being!
transferred to North Wilkeaboro
where he will be in the promo
tion department of the organiza
tion, and is to be succeeded Feb
ruary 1 by a Mr. Starnes of
Hickory.
Mr. Conn, his wife and small
son Johnny have resided in this
community for the past three
years. Mr. Conn is very fond of
|the city and her peoplet and ex
presses regret that he is being
transferred.
Brewer Liked
For U. S. Post
Washington ? Kidd Brewer, ad
ministrative assistant to two for
mer senators from North Caro
lina, is being strongly recom
mended for appointment as Uni
ted States marshal for the middle
district of that state.
Several influential men in Tar
Heel politics are reported back
ing Brewer as successor to Major
Edney Ridge of Greensboro, who
died Thursday.
Senators Clyde R. Hoey and J.
M Broughton, who will recom
mend a nominee for appoint
ment by President Truman, will
meet early this week to discu&s
the names of several candidates
suggested to them lor the post,
which carries a salary of about
$6,000 a year.
Senator Hoey has had an op
portunity to observe Brewer's
work on Capitol Hill for the last
three years, first as aide to the
late Senator Josiah W. Bailey
and more recently as assistant to
former Senator William B. Um-j
stead.
Brewer came to Washington
after wartime service as a lieu
tenant-commander in the Navy,
stationed in the South Pacific. Al
football star at Duke university
in the 'thirties, he coached the
Appalachian college teams before
the war. #
Brewer is a native of Wins ton -
Salem but his home now is at
Boone, both located in the mid
dle district which covers 29
counties in the heart of the state.
Domestic airlines say 1MB waa
tight security rules for workers.
FATE OF GOLD-MAD GATE-CRASHER
Aa wall as they could. gendarmes and mounted police attempted
to keep order In Shanghai recently as thousand* of Chinese Jam
med the Bund In an attempt to ohtaln gold and sUrer from the
banks In anticipation of the arrival of Communist armies from the
north. Here, a mounted cop is hauling away a woman who tried
to crash a line waiting to get Into the bank for some of the precious
metal.
Senator Perry Would
Ban Local Beer Sales
MONARCHIST
Lulu Maria Narvaaxy Mtrnii.
convictad of high Iraaton in Ma
drid. was laniancad to a year in
jail for har monarchists activities
on bahalf of tha pratandar to tha
Spanish throne. Don Juan.
National Polio
Fund Exhausted
Bob Agle, chairman of the
March of Dimes campaign has
been advised that the funds of
the national foundation have
been exhausted and that local
chapters cannot hope for further
assistance from that source un
til receipts from the current camJ
paign are made available.
Mr. Agle is asked to hasten the
campaign In every way possible
so that the national foundation's
share of the funds may be remit
ted promptly and is also asked to
make a final report as quickly as
possible following the end of the
campaign. The need is desperate,
and local people are urged to aid
promptly so that expenses of
those hospitalized with polio may
be promptly met, and a safe
guard built against the possible
recurrence of the disease in epi
demic form next summer.
Box Supper To Aid
Local Hospital Fund
There will be a box supper at
the Junior Order Hall Monday
??vening, February 7, at 8 p. m.
The public is cordially invited to
participate. The proceeds will go
to the Watauga Hospital fund.
P.-T. A. Meeting Is
Scheduled Monday
The Parent-Teachers Associa
tion will meet Monday night,
January 24, at 7: JO p. m. at t*>e
Appalachian High School.
The subject for the program
will be "Improving Our Schools
Through Local State Legisla
tures." The three principal speak
ers will be Dr. Lee Reynolds, Dr.
Dougherty, and Superintendent
Howard Walker.
After the program a film will
be shown, entitled a "Summary
of the Report of the Education
Commission."
I CHILDREN IN 3 TEARS
Bruuels, Belgium ? Mrs. Albert
Boele, of Adtghmn, Belgium, re
cently gave birth to her fourth
jet of twin*. All eight are thriv
ing. The Boele's were marrWd in
May, ' -
Bill Introduced To Dry Wa
tauga County; Solon Be
lieves People's Will Should
Be Heeded Without Expense
Of Proposed Election.
Beer and wine would lose it*
legal status in Watauga county,
without the necessity of an elec
tion, if Senate bill no. 29, intro
iuced by Senator H. B. Perry of
Boone is enacted into law.
Senator Perry's bill Is designed
to prohibit the sale, manufacture,
possession, and transportation of
beer and wine in Watauga coun
ty, and would be affective July
I, 1949, following the expiration
af licenses now in effect. , ,
Senator Perry tells the Demo
:rat that he shares the belief
that Watauga county is not only
in favor of prohibitory laws, but
3verwhelmingly so. He says the
:ounty will go dry by a top
heavy Majority in the election
which has been set for March 1,
and he is making every effort to
have his bill enacted so that the
people of Watauga county may
have their will in the matter, and
at the, same time be spared the
expense of holding the election.
Information is that the vote
will cost the taxpayers of the
county, something near two
thousand dollars, and the enact
ment of the Perry measure would
represent a substantial saving at
this time.
Burley Sales To
End Here Friday
Sales on the floors of the
Mountain Burley Warehouses
here topped the five million
pound mark, and indications are
that from 200,000 to 250,000
pounds will be sold at the auc
tions today. Actual season figures
last night were 5,023,648 pounds.
Information is that the season
will close with the sales next Fri
day, and all those who still have
leaf on hand, are being urged to
bring it in by that time.
Prizes Are Given
To Corn Growers
At the meeting of the Watauga
Farm Bureau held Friday, awards
were given the following farm
ers for their record yields of
corn in Watauga county this year.
Lynn Norris, of Beaver Dam,
claimed first prize with a yield of
120 3-4 bushels per acre; Ernest
Hillard came second with a yield
of 113.1 per acre; and Ralph J.
Norris of Meat Camp stood third
with 110 bushels per acre.
All these farmers used hybird
seed US-13 in the competition.
Park Group Guests
Of Asheville C of C
Mr. W. Ralph Winkler was in
Asheville last night, where ha,
and other members M the N, C.
Park commission were guests oi
the Asheville Chamber of Com
merce.
Mr. Winkler plans to go to
Washington tonight for the in
auguration of President Truman
I Domestic airlines 1948 wai
one of safest flying yean.
FARM BUREAU
MAKES PLAITS
TO TAKE PAST
IN STATE MEET
Clyde R. Green* To Be Local
Delegate to Asheville Gath
ering of State Federation;
Committees Named aad
Resolutions Are Drafted.
At a meeting of the directors
of the Watauga County Farm Bu
reau held Friday evening, a vot
ing delegate was elected, com
modity committees wfere named,
and resolutions drawn to be pre
sented to the State Farm Bureau
convention which Is to be held
in Asheville February 13 to 10.
Clyde R. Greene was namad
the voting delegate and the fol
lowing commodity committees
were set up; the first named In
each instance being the chair
man:
Tobacco: C. A. Clay, G. D. Bar
nett, I. D. Shull.
Fruits, vegetables, potatoes:
Vance Keller, Ralph Norris, Fred
Krider.
Livestock and dairying: Lewis
Norris. Howard Edmisten, Ernest
Hillard.
Field crops: Lynn Norrts,
Glenn Howell, Stewart Simmons.
RmoIuHohs
The following resolutions were
adopted for action by the county
organization and consideration of
the resolutions committee of the
State convention:
1. Continuation of the price
support program of farm products
with the basic commodities of to
bacco, cotton, corn, wheat, rice
and peanuts supported at 90% ?
of parity.
2. Endorse Governor Scott's
program, rural road improvement,
rural electrification expansion,
and aid to education.
3. Endorse Governor Scotfs
rural telephone program and urge
the State Farm Bureau to sup
port the Governor as aggressively
as possible in this endeavor- fur
thermore, if satisfactory expansion
of rural telephone facilities can
not be obtained through existing
companies to urge the REA to in
stall phones in homes they serv
ice.
4. To urge the continuation and
.expansion of the soil conservation
[program.
5. To secure a department of
vocational agriculture for Bethel
High School as soon as possible
and to urge the North Carolina
Farm Bureau to rush a statewide
program for the establishment of
vocational agriculture depart
ments in all rural high schools as
rapidly as possible.
6. To support a national pro
gram of Federal aid to educa
tion on a grant-in-aid basis to the
different states in order that ed
ucational opportunities for rural
children may be more nearly eq
ualized with the best town and
city schools in the country.
7. To urge the State Farm Bu
reau to develop a complete cov
erage automobile insurance pro
gram for Farm Bureau members
only.
The annual convention will
start in Asheville Monday morn
ing. February 14. Some of the
nation's outstanding leaders in
agriculture, labor and industry
will appear on the program and
resolutions affecting the welfare
of all citizens in the State will be
adopted. The board of directors
of the Watauga Farm Bureau ur
ges all members in the county
who can. to attend the conven
tion.
The following have made plans
to attend: G. D. Barnett, Clyde
R. Greene, C. A. Clay, Vance Kel
ler, Ralph Norris, Howard JEd
misten, Lewis Norris, Ernest Hil
lard, Fred Krider, Lynn Norris.
Primarily because of its tobac
co industry, North Carolina is one
of the leading states in the pay
ment of taxes to the Federal gov
ernment.
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