WATAUGA COUNTY
CENTENNIAL
1849 - 1943
IN YEARS OF PROGRESS
An independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1888
VOL. LXI, NO. 43.
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 1949.
FIVE CENTS
KING STREET
BY
ROB RIVERS
FREEZING TEMPERATURES
usher in the Easter season, and
fears for the safety of the apple
crop, allayed when we were as
sured "there's little danger, when
the moon is old." . . . Cherry
bloasoais not so pretty thfai
spring as usual . . . too cold per
haps . . . and not nearly so many
of the big old trees as in the days
gone by when the street was dot
ted with them . . . Some stood
where sidewalks now are, and
every back lot had one or more
. . . The mammoth cherry tree at
the old Rivers place one of the
last to go . . . Bunny Rabbit shows
with gorgeous baskets of colorful
?ggs just iirad vance ot the East
er parade . . . outboard motors
show up in display windows to
fill the needs of those who will
journey to the Watauga Dam for
their power-canoeing, fishing,
etc. . . Gardeners busy planting
vegetable gardens, and pitying
the neighbors who failed to get
the seeds in the soil on Good Fri
day, the most fruitful time, they
say . . . Neighbor Vilas Moretz,
B. W. S tailings, and Greer
Hodges nominated as being in a
<. ead heat for the whisker grow
ing championship in the imme
diate vicinity . . . Patrolman
Parker says automobile accidents
appear to be increasing following
the repeal of the State inspec
tion law.
? ? ?
PROUD PAPA chiding
daughter for failure to drink all
the glass of milk provided il
the hutch counter . . . "Don't
you know," quoth ha. "thai
moat all tha vitamins are con
tained in tha last little bit . . .
whan you start drinking, the
vitamins are possssssd with the
idea of ? lf-|weaai iiilup and
they drive to the bottom . . .
Tea really don't gat many un
ite* you take Mmt last draught."
. . Another palitm wants to
knew Just bow one may ob
know Just how one may ob
serve the iwmwlatias and get
the last of the soap . . . Finally
suggests that there must be a
change in the design of the
bowL so that the very last
drags will be contained in a
niche into which the soup spoon
fits snugly . . . Grant Hodges
sends us a packet of peanuts
boiled in salt, evidently . . .
the nuts didn't stand the trip
from Ocala. Fla. too well, and
white we appreciate the court
esy . . as one goober nihhler
to another, the ground peas
)ust weren't meant to be boil
Mckinley ayers round* out;
twenty-five years of service with
the local power and light com-1
pany, and the folks should ap
preciate Mr. Ayers' fidelity to his
job ... He has established a re
cord of uninterrupted electric
service in the community, which
would be hard to duplicate . . .
Through raging winter storms he
has kept the lines up and out
ages are practically unknown . . .
His efforts have played an im
portant part in the growth and
well-being of the community . . .
Couple of folks chip in for the
upkeep of the local cemetery, and
we hope others will . . . The
cemetery, located near the cen
ter of population, should be well
kept, as a matter of civic pride,
to say nothing of the respect
which should be paid the memory
of thoee who have gone away . . .
We hope the people will provide
adequately for this urgent need
* * * I
PROSPEROUS BUSINESS
coffidn that
ency is." says he." to tmild up
friendship* only among those
who have the coin . . . Tls
wrong, folks are all the
S2Z. ? ri, wuh
their work.
? ? ?
"COMFORT STATION sug
gestion you made some time ago,"
said our visitor, caused quite a
giggle about town, but it just
wasn't a bit funny to me . . . You
see, there is little satisfaction in
the discomfort of a visitor to the
community, which owes its visi
tor certain conveniences . . . I've
been in business here for a long
time, aided most every sort of
movement, but for the life of me
1 can't see much we have to of
fer our patrons, rather than good
places of business ... To get a
glass of water, one feels obligat
ed to trade a bit at a restaurant
or drug store ... he doesn't feel
like continually asking for a
(lass or- water, when the folks
ere busy ... in certain arees
service stations are absent, and
there's the rest room problem
. . . There's no place for one to
alt and rest a while . . . There's
no park, little amusement, and
our principal stock in trade is a
pleasant summer climate, which
we had no part in providing."
COME TO THINK OF TT.
we perhaps have net been
quit* as graciously inclined to
ward oar visitors as we might
be . . ^Business booses could
(Continued on page 4)
LIONS' CLUB SWEETHEART CONTESTANTS
Pictured are those who competed for the till*. "Lions Club Sweetheart" at lhs recnnt talent thow
held here. They are. Front row. left to right. Ellen Culler. Rich Mountain school: Bet ty Brendall.
Boone Demonstration school; Fay Critcher, Bamboo school, (second place winner); Shirley Trip
let!. Elk school; Leslie Mast. Core Creek Elementary school; Catherine Taylor, Valle Cruds school,
(third place winner); Margaret Steelman. Deep Cap school; Back row. left to right. Shirley Wil
liams. Mabel school; Mary Nell Tester. Bethel High school; Barbara Jones, Boone High school,
(first place winner); Betty Moody, Blowing Rock High school; Mary Thomas. Core Creek High
school; Thehna Phillip*. Rutherwood school; Jean Lewis. Green Valley school.
? Photo Palmer Blair.
Clean-Up Ettort Started in City
Official Pleased
With New H. P.O.
Mr. Arthur C. Boost, assistant
general superintendent of the
Railway Mail Service, Washing
ton, D. C., was in town last week,
and indicates that he is highly
leased with the one ration of ^?e
ighway postoffjce between
Boone and North Wilkesboro,
which was started in February.
Mr. Bopst states that there is
a decided improvement in mail
service in this section of the
State, and that this-' service i*
made necessary due to the fact
that the trunk rail lines cross
North Carolina in a north and
south direction, leaving the State
practically without east and west
railway mail service.
The new Service, it is pointed
out, perhaps cannot be justified
as a business venture of the de
partment, but is instituted solely
as a service to the people. Other
highway poet offices will be
established Mr. Bopst said,
strictly on the basis of need, and
,the availability of adequate high
ways.
Man Charged With
Theft Of Gas
Robert D. Edmisten, Jr., of
Statesville was arrested here Sa
turday and charged with the lar
ceny of gasoline from a school
bus, State Patrolman Parker re
ports. He was arraigned before
M. J. Williams, Justice of the
Peace, but waived preliminary
hearing, and bond for appearance
at Superior Court was set at $1,
000.
Mr. Parker states that Jack
Harrison, superintendent of the
public school garage, had issued
instructions to drivers to watch
their buses, when loss of gasoline
had reached serious proportions.
He, Fred and Walter Lusk were
watching a bus on Valley Moun
tain, when a car approached and
a man came with a five-gallon
can and began siphoning gas
rom the tank of the bus. He
escaped, was not identified, and
the arrest was made, following
the identification of the car from
the license number.
Mr. Parker states that the ac
cused man denies guilt in con
nection with the gasoline larceny.
C. of C. Seeks
Housing Data
Chamber of Commerce is mak
ing an effort to get a list of all
??oorriB and apartments that arc
available for students and tour
sts during the summer. A re
huest has been sent to a large
number of people asking them to
'ist any facilities that they may
have for students or tourists. The
object is for the chamber to be
ible to recommend rooms or
lpartments to those applying. A
lumber of applications have al
ready come in.
Everybody who has facilities
'or accommodations for either
students or tourists are asked to
list them with the Chamber of
Commerce. Those not receiving
the post cards are asked to either
write or call the Chambeajof
Commerce, telephone 234, and ad
vise them what facilities they
have.
i
The annual clean-up campaign
or the community started Mon
day and will continue through
out the remainder of the month,
and city officials are insisting
that the people co-operate in
making the town sightly for thfe
summer season.
With plans for the centennial
celebration going forward it is
believed that record numbers
will come }o Boone for the cele
bration, and of course many hun
dreds of teachers will be at Ap
palachian College for the sum
mer terms, in addition to the
tourist travel. It behooves the
community to be spick and span
for the arrival of these guests.
-'It? W Mk?d that householders
and business firms alike make
every effort to clean-up their pre
mises during the present month,
and Mayor Winkler states that
a special effort will be made to
clean off vacant lots.
With another new truck on the
iob and additional city helpers
the town is in a position to move
the rubbish promptly. It is ask
ed that the debris be placed
where trucks can reach it, and
it will be promptly disposed of,
without the necessity of calling
the city hall.
Great Britain Notes
Aid Local Red Cross
Rev. E. F. Troutman, retiring
president of the Watauga county
Red Cross chapter, has received
a certificate of appreciation from
Great Britain, acknowledging
the help of the local people dur
ing the war years. The certifi
cate, sent from the British Em
bassy in Washington is signed
by Lord Halifax, ambassador,
and says:
"His Majesty's government in
the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland
most warmly thanks the members
of the chapter of the American
Red Cross in Watauga county,
North Carolina, for the valuable
help which they hav? given tow
ards the relief of ' suffering in
the United Kingdom caused by
enemy action during the war of
1939-1945. The people of the
United Kingdom wili ever hold
their generosity in grateful mem
ory. Halifax, Ambassador."
Stream Closed
For Spawning
The South ^ork of New River
'rom Castle Ford to the junction
with Middle Fork will be closed
from May 1 to June 30, having
been designated by the Wildlife
Resources Commission as a
spawning area.
| The stream will be posted and
no fishing of any kind will be
permitted during the closed sea
ion.
Drivers Asked To
Renew Licenses
All persons, whose surnames
begin with either of the letters
|H. I. J. or K. are asked to come to
the courthouse in Boone on
Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.
m. to 4 p. m. and renew their
drivers' license, as they only
have until June 30, 1949 to com
ply with the law in this connec
tion.
Anyone caught driving after
that date, without the new license
will be fined not less than $29
and the costs, says W. K S tank
berry, driver's license examiner.
Mrs. Miller Is
Head Red Cross
The annual meeting of the Wa
tauga County Chapter of the
American Red Cross was held
March 31, in the Skyline Cafe,
and officers for the coming year
were elected:
Chairman ? Mrs. Mae Miller
Vice-chairman ? Rev Mr. Sam
Mots
Treasurer ? Miss Berenice
Gragg
Secretary ? Mrs. F. E. Warman
Hoard -membcw ? Mr, Gnerina
Winkler, Rev. Mr. J. K. Paricer,
Jr., Dr. W. M. Matheson, Mr.
Clyde Greene. Rev. Mr. E. F.
Troutman.
The balance in the treasury was
reported to be $2,270.63, A mo
tion was passed that the chapter
adopt a progTam of Nurses Aides
for the Watauga hospital. Appre
ciation was expressed to Mr C.
H. Kirkman and Rev. Parker for
their work as fund chairmen for
the drive just closed.
A motion was passed that the
thanks of the chapter be express
ed to Rev. E. F. Troutman for
his gratuitous services for the
past ten years. The splendid
record which the chapter made
during the war years was due in
no small part to his efforts in
promoting the work. When Mr.
Troutman became chapter chair
man the quota assigned the chap
ter for carrying on the work for
a year was $300.00. Under hia
leadership the services of the Red
Cross increased until in 1945
more than $8,000 was given to
carry on its work. Mr. Troutman
will continue to serve the Red
Cro6s as a board member.
Unconscious Man
Found On 421
A man. who Tuesday gave hia
name as G. D. Triplett of Mor
? an ton, was found on highway
21 in the vicinity of Mable, in
an unconscious condition Mon
day evening, apparently either
the victim of a hit and run driver
or suffering form the effect* of a
fall. He was brought to the Wa
tauga Hospital, where it was
said he was suffering from a
brain concussion apd abrasions
of the face and hands. His condi
tion, when admitted, was consid
ered critical, but yesterday he
was considerably improved, ac
cording to Dr. Lawrence Owsley,
hospital medical* director.
Triplett, who is 49 years old, is
unable to recall what happened,
or how he was injured.
Fire Damages Old
' Tweets ie" Station
? ? ?
Linville. ? The general store of
Tabor G. Greene here caught fire
about 4 p. m. Saturday.
The flames were extinguished
by a bucket brigade using water
from the I -inville River, which
flows behind the building. Loss
to building contents was estimat
ed at $2,500.
The building was formerly the
'ocal station on ' "Tweets ie" Rail
road, the Lhrrille section of
which was discontinued some
years ago.
The United States is expected
to have about 7 per cent 1 more
nitrogen, 5 per cent more phos
phate and about 10 per cent more
potash available for fertllixers
this year than it had last.
3TY COUNCIL
PLEDGES HELP
TO COMMITTEE
DH JULY FETE
Resolutions Are Passed En
dorsing Centennial Celebra
tion, and Citing the Rapid
Growth of the County; Pull
Support Given.
A resolution, supporting Wa
tauga County's Centennial, was
massed Friday night by the Boone
Board of Aldermen and mayor,
Gordon Winkler. Similar resolu
tions,^-, Stanley A. Harris, sec
retary of the local Chamber of
Commerce, said, are before 16
:ivic organizations in the county.
Text of the resolution passed
by the Board follows:
THAT WHERAS, 100 years ago
Watauga county began its offici
al existence with due form and
ceremony from the legislature of
North Carolina and during the
intervening 100 years has grown
'rom a remote and sparsely set
tled mountain wilderness to one
of the greatest agricultural and
grazing counties in the mountains
>f Eastern North America and is
now a triving and prosperous
community attracting not only
those who desire to establish a
lome and make valuable contri
sutlons to the welfare of our
?late and nation, but it attracts
housands of visitors each year
rom all sections of our country
md foreign lands. The citizens
ind the visitors find in this coun
:y a deligihtful climate afford
ng summer time comfort unex
celled anywhere;
AND WHEREAS, it seems fit
ting and proper that due recog
nition be given to impress upon
our own citizenry the long and
steady growth of the county to
the end that it might inspire them
:o greater achievements in the
years to come, as well as to in
form the world as to the achieve
ments attained by our people:
AND WHEREAS, through the
leadership of a number of our
public spirited citizens the Boone
Chamber of Commerce, the Boone
Junior Chamber of Commerce
and the Blowing Rock Chamber
of Commerce have formed the
Watauga Centennial, Incorporated
and have undertaken to provide
a fitting and proper celebration
pgmwigmamtlim -the 100- -years of
progress of Watauga County;
NOW. THEREFORE. BE IT
RESOLVED THAT, We the un
dersigned hereby heartily endorse
the Watauga Centennial celebra
tion sponsored by the above or
ganization and commend it to our
people. We pledge our full and
complete cooperation and urge
every citizen and every person
interested in Watauga County to
give said celebration their whole
hearted and unqualified support.
Superior Court
Opens Monday
The regular spring term of Wa
tauga Superior court convenes
next Monday for a one week ses
sion, and it is expected that about
100 criminal cases will be tried
during the term.
Judge J. A. Rousseau of North
Wijkesboro will preside, while
the State will be represented by
Solicitor James A. Farthing of
Lenoir.
The term is set for the trial
of criminal cases only, but it is
stated that perhaps uncontested
divorce actions will be handled,
and motions heard.
There are about twenty cases
docketed involving the driving of
an automobile while intoxicated,
a number for violation of the pro
hibition laws, and several for
larceny and breaking and enter
ing. No capital cases are includ
ed on the docket.
Local High School
Wins in Debating
Appalachian High students di
stinguished themselves in the
past week and brought addition
al glory to the high school. Miss
Joanne Aldridge and Miss Jo
anne Hardin won the District De
bating contest and are now eligi
ble to compete in the state con
test at Chapel Hill. This is the
first time that an Appalachian
High School debating team has
been able to survive the district
contests. In winning this con
test the girls won over all the
schools in "Western North Caro
lina and defeated Lee Edwards
High School in the finals.
Miss Joanne Hardin represen
ted Appalachian High at the
Spelling Contest sponsored by
B1 an ton's Business College at
Abbeville last Saturday. She
competed with 02 schools aAd
a total of 182 students from this
taction erf the state. Miss Hard
in won second place in the con
gest. Miss Laura Chapman of
Lee Edwards High won finrt
place. Miss Hazel Cornett of Ap
palachian also entered the qen
tast and made a fine showingT
From one half to three-fourths
[of the cows removed from dairy
Iherds annually are sold because
of mastitis.
IN RECITAL
MISS RACHEL AWN VANCE
Miss Vance To Sing
In Recital Here
Miss Rachel Ann Vanc?, daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. P. H. Vance,
of Boone, will appear in senior
voice recital on Friday night,
April 22, in the college auditor
ium at eight o'clock. Miss Vance
is a popular student at Appala
chian Slate Teachers college and
has won many honors during her
college career. She is a pupil of
Mrs. Virginia Wary Linney.
She has given freely of her
time and talents, not only to col
lege activities, but to the chur
ches. social and civic organiza
tions of Boone.
All who know her will want
to be present to hear her in this,
her final concert. Her program
is as lollows:
93- Year-Old Woman
Works for Red Cross
The following letter together
with a nice hand-made quilt was
sent to the Red Cross during the
recent campaign for funds.
? Sugar Grove. N. C.
Feb. 14. 1949
My dear friends of
Red Cross workers;
I made this quilt top and lin
ing for you to help some one who
you think needs it most. Naomi
Farthing and Edie Norris quilted
it for me. I can't quilt for my
heart is so weak. 1 love to do
something to help the needy poor.
If I live till May 13 1 will be
93 years old. Love to you all, ]
Your friend,
(Signed) Sarah Perry.
Ministers Aid
In Celebration
The ministers of Watauga
county met Monday night at Wil
low Dale church, under the lead
ership of Dr. W. G. Bond, pastor
of Boone First Baptist church,
to discuss the part of the chur
ches of the county in Watauga's
Centennial celebration in July.
Ministers present endorsed the
Centennial and pledged their co
operation, first, to have someone
designated to represent each of
the churches on the citizens or
patrons committee, and second,
?o encourage their choirs to re
view the hymns of the churches
and to practice the hymns used
in the churches 100 years ago.
They appointed a committee
consisting of Dr. J. T. C. Wright,
Mr. Jim Burkett, Rev. W. J.
Cooke, Mr. Clyde Eggers and Dr.
J. G. Bard en, to Ije responsible
for promoting the music program
'or the Centennial and especial
ly the Sunday program.
Dr. Bond and Rev. Sam B. Moss
represented the Boone Ministerial
Association, accepting responsibi
lity for securing a speaker for
the Sunday service, July 10.
Local Students Will
Become Members FT A
Boon* students have been
invited to became members at
the Future Teachers of America
Chapter at A. S. T. C. They are
Erma Norris, Mary Moss, Ver
dola Keller, Mary and Martha
Austin. The dub u organized for
the purpose of promoting profes
sional leadership wwwg future
FURTHER HEED
AT HOSPITAL
IS CITED AT
MEET1HG HERE
Beyort of Officials Indicate
That Over Twenty Thous
and Dollars Has Been
Pledged
to Expansion Pis
gram; More Funds Am
Needed.
group of persons interested
ie expansion program at W?
i hospital "* "
-.?w
Fred Gragg, county court clerk,
has accepted chairmanship of the
financial committee of tne Wa
tauga Centennial. His associate
is Miss Ellen Coffey. Richard
Kelley has accepted chairmanship
of the ticket sales committee ana
reason tickets for the Centennial
which will be available in the
next few days. Mr. Kelley will
organize a County wide commit
tee with representatives from ev
ery section in the county to as
sist in the sale of tickets.
Dr. B. B. Dougherty and Clyde
R. Greene, co-chairmen of the Pa
tron's Committee, have selected
representatives in every town
ship who will be asked to serve
on that committee. Personnel of
the committee will be announced
as soon as replies have been re
ceived.
Meeting of the Centennial
board with chairmen of commit
tees were held in Blowing Rock,
Wagon wheel Grill, 7:00 Monday
night, April 18, when final plans
and personnel of all committees
were decided upon.
J. Walter Wright,
82, Passes Sunday
James Walter Wright, 82, out
standing business man and fin
ancier of Bristol and the Appala
chian area, died at 3 a. m. Sun
day, April 10, at his home, 124
Solar street, in Bristol. He had
been in declining health for some
time.
Mr. Wright engaged in various
lines of business during his long
career, principally manufactur
ing, btuiking and mercantile, but
he devoted most of his time to
his extensive lumber operations.
The J. Walter Wright Lumber
company, of which he was found-*
cr and owner, ranks among sou
thern leaders in the nation's hard
wood lumber industry.
Funeral services were conduc
ted at the home at 3 p. m. Mon
day. Burial followed in Glen
wood cemetery. Dr. W. F. Black
ard, pastor of State Street Meth
odist church, officiated, assisted
by Dr. J. Stewart French.
Mr. Wright is survived by his
widow, the former Miss Blanche
Pyle of Bristol; two sons, J. W.
Wright, Jr., and Charles Edward
[Wright; one daughter, Lucile
Wright Perkins, and six grand
children, Charles Edward, Jr.,
James Hannum, Dorothy Ruth,
and James Walter Wright HI,
William Walter and Thomas
Wright Perkins, all of Bristol.
Local Student Honored
Wake
Several Western Nort .
students have been honored at
Wake Forest College.
Bob SherriU of Ashervttle has
been nominated for president of
the Junior Class, Alex Kissr of
Brevard and George Greene, Jr
of Boone have been nominated as
senior candidates on the student
council and Bob Crouch of Ash?
ville has been nominated as jn
lion candidate.
Care Selva, from Atlanta, by
Handel; Vissi D'Arte, from Tosca,
by Puccini; Ava Aaria by Bach
Gounod; Elegit- by Massanet;
Calm as the Night by Bohm; The
Villanelle by Del'Avqua; My
Johann by Grieg; All in an April
Evening; Into the Night by Ed
wards; Carissimi; and As We
Fart by Ilgenfritz.