North Carolina Newspapers

VOL. LXI, NO. 46. WATAUGA DEMOCRAT An Independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1 888 BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1949. FIVE CENTS A COPY KING STREET BY ROB RIVERS . MARK GOFORTH, who re signed his job as chairman of the hoard of commissioners of Cald well county, to accept Governor Scott's appointment as district highway commissioner, came to Boone Friday, spoke to the Ro tary Club, mixed with his friends in the community and county, made new acquaintances, and expressed his purpose of "'giving everything I nave to the important job I have been tend ered." . . . Mr. Goforth, of course, is intensely interested in the pending election on the two hundred million dollar bond is sue and expects to be around town again before long to ad dress a mass meeting of the people of the county on the elec tion issue . . . The new commis sioner. is well liked by the people here ... he says he's go ing to work with the folks, and bring the road building and maintenance program right down among the peole . . . I won't need to be spending much time on the primary system," be says, "that isn't necessary . . . most of my attention will be taken with the problems of the rural roads . . . the farmers must be enabled to have all-year travel on good solid roads." It is to be predicted that Mr. Goforth's administra tion will be a fruitful one . . . productive of the greatest service for the greatest possible number of our people . . . and we're glad he was named. ? ? ? SOME TALK U now being heard on thi road bond propo sal. and the mod of the folks appear to be for the proposal ... A pretty thorough-going camps km. it appears, will be -waged in behalf of the bond Issue, particularly in the rural sections of the county . . . Town folks would likewise do well to go down the lino on this lame, since the prosperity of ST community U linked In separably with the welfare of the farmer . . . The farmer and Appalachian College havb built community . . ? Tourist trade is. as yet. more or less since Boone is not equipped as a big-scale resort . . . Besides being right for the farmer to have an expanded Mad building program, it is food business for the town folks to help him get it ? ? ? We ?*??" lend our support to the Scott program ? ? ? Mrs. CHAS. PHILLIPS who lives over in Beaver Dam township, makes a special trip to Boone to renew her subscrip tion to the Watauga Democrat .... Had no other business in town, and her high regard for the county paper is duly appreciated by the publisher . . . Reports Saturday that a near-freeze and perhaps killing frost due to ar rive Sunday night, prevented gardeners from setting tender plants late Saturday . . . The predicted drop of the mercury failed to come . . . Rev. and Mrs. Moss carrying on a heavy sche dule of visiting the sick, mean time chatting a bit with those who are physically well . . . Red-worm anglers along the streams Sunday afternoon . . . The Guernsey calf at Wilsons Feed Store, being grown without milk as a feed advertisement . . . Rufus Colvard showing us over his big automobile sales and ser vice plant, equipped with all the new gadgets . . . New-comers to community express a liking for the town . . . and the people . . . Shirt-sleeved shopper, walks nonchalantly in cooling shower, the thin fabric sticking tight to his shoulders ... the profusion of white and red flowers Sunday, as sons and daughters paid silent tribute to their mothers ... the living and the dead . . . the guy you ao your darnedst to like . . . Lid finally decide it just isnt worth the effort . . . threatening cloud passes by for annual May dav fete down at the college. ? ? ? this whisker-ghowihg business, which is so distaste ful to moat of the participants. lh*tr wbH tad cmMrtn ? ? . to alter all. helping out with the promotion of the centennial as visitors to the community Inquire as to the why* and wherefores of the mustaches, side burns, full 1- chin whiskers, etc . . ? Mrs. Len Cooke hands us ^a clipping from the Sentinel column "Strolling, written by Bert Vincent, which says . . . *? ***** drove into Boone. K. C- and for a bit thoughthehad run a House of David colony. The flBtag station man who filled hi* gas tankwo?? * ton# black beard . . . The Chap that waited on him in a had a long beard . reltows walking along the T?** lone beards . , . I"?1. questions', up ***? L*k*; lsamed these fellows are try l^took like the lMters who founded Boone. The town aad Watauga county are celebrat ing the centenial July S-i. . . That's a few months off. and if their beards" k^ <m growing they ought to look pretty weu (Continued on page *) LEWIS MAPS 1949 CONTRACT POLICY * M,' t ?? I John L. L*vii mMts with Unit ad Mina Workars' policy committaa li UMW httdquuian in Waahlagtoa. D. C. to hagin drafting his union's 1849 coal contract daman di aa bituminous operators map cOunlar-ttratagr. La ft to sight: John Omni. UMW lacratary traasurar; Lawli, UMW praaidant. and Thomas Kennady. Tica pratldanL Burglars Blow Sale At Watson's Garage Road Bonds Topic Commerce Group The school and road bond is sue, which is to be voted on by the people Saturday June 4th, will be the principal item for discussioon at the May meeting of the Chamber of Commerce to be held Tuesday evening May 19 at the Skyline cafe at 7 o'clock. Representative S. C. Eggers. a member of the Legislature which developed the road and school program, is slated to discuss the pros and cons of the issue, while Mayor Gordon Winkler will dis cuss the parks and the Parkway situation. The general road situation in Watauga county will be discussed, possibly by the new Highway commissioner, Mark Goforth of Lenoir. A number of other matters of civic importance will be brought up, says Stanley A. Harris, Chamber of Commerce secre tary, and any member of the or ganization is asked to bring any matter before the meeting which he thinks should be considered. Dr. Yoder Given Scott Appointment Dr. Julian Yoder, professor of geography at Appalachian State Teachers college, nas been asked by Governor W. Kerr Scott to serve as a member of the North Carolina Resource-Use Education Commission. In a letter received by Dr. Yoder this week Governor Scott said: "I am herewith appointing you a member of the North Carolina Resource-Use Education Commis sion. It will be the function of this group to assist all efforts di rected toward developing an un derstanding by all of the people of the importance of conservation and wise use of our resources ? human, natural and social. "I believe that this Commis sion will make a significant con tribution to the future prosperity of our State, and I hope you will find it passible to serve as a member." Dr. Yoder has served for the past year as a chairman of the Resource-Use Education commit tee at Appalachian. Retired Merchant Has Fatal Stroke Mr. Albert Hodgson, 68 years old, retired merchant, cattleman and farmer of Boone RFD 2, died at Hagaman clinic Friday a* a result of a stroke which was suf fered seven days earlier. Mr. Hodgson for many years operated a merchantile business in his home neighborhood, and since his retirement several years ago has been engaged in agricul tural pursuits. Funeral services were held at the Meat Camp Baptist church Sunday at 11. Rev. Joe Hodg son of Bristol, Rev. R. C. Eggers and Rev. Wm. Cook conducted the rites and burial was in the church cemetery. The widow survives, with one son and two daughters: Bernard Hodgson, Boone; Mrs. J. C. Wilk inson, Prospect Hill, N. C: Mrs. Harvey Trivett, North Wilkes boro. There are two brothers and one sister: Thomas Hodgson, Pendleton, Oregon; W. P. Hodg son, Fig; and Mrs. D. A. Gray beal, Fig. f Highway Officials To Meet on Tuesday The regular monthly -meeting of the highway commissioners and engineers will be held at the courthouse in Wilkesboro Tuesday, June 17th. The meet ings had formerly been held in the city hall in Mt Airy. e Thirty-Five Dollars Taken in Raid on Watson's Garage; Robbery Investigated. Burglars blew open a safe at the Claude Watson garage about ten miles east of Boone on 421 early Sunda ymorning and made off with about thirty-five dollars in cash, and two finger rings. The sheriff's office reported that the safe-blowers used Wat son's own tools to drill into the safe to make way for the explos ives. Watson's family lives only about 200 yards from the garage, and heard an explosion about 3 a. m., which they took to be thunder. The theft was discov ered about 8 o'clock. A Federal Bureau of Investi gation agent from Hickory came to the scene of the robbery and made fingerprints. Lions Elect New Officers New officers for the year 1949 50 were elected by the Boone Lions Clhb Tuesday, May 3, at their regular suppej- meeting in Daniel Boone Hotel dining room. Installation of these officers will be made June 7, which will also be Ladies' Night. Those elected were Howard Cottrell, president: Lee Stout, first vice president. Bill Dam eron, second vice president; S. M. Ayers, third vice president; Fred Gragg, secretary and Treas urer; E. F. Coe and J. C. Cline, tail twisters; Paul A. Coffey, Lion tamer. Two new directors, to succeed Wade E. Brown and G. K. Moose, I whose terms expire in June, were] Dr. R. H. Harmon and Guy Hunt.] The two other directors of the club are Gordon Winkler and Russell Hodges, Sr. The next meeting. May 17, will be Autobiography night. Dr. Gambill Favors N. C. Sterilization Act Dr. Clarence J. Gambill, of Boston, Mass., was in town last week, en route home from New Orleans, where he attended a meeting of the American associ ation on mental deficiency, and had oraise for the sterilization law now effective in North Carolina. He gays the statute is one of the best in the nation, and only needs more general enforcement to car ry out the benefits to society, for which it was designed. Dr. Gambill states that in Car olina 1,483 operations have been performed under the law, and that to protect these same people from parenthood by keeping them in institutions would have added $6,200,000 to North Carolina's budget, for 20,700 years of in stitutional life. In advocating the sterilization of mental defectives, Dr. Gam bill calls attention to the fact that there is no ill effect from such operations, that the patients live absolutely normal lives, the only difference whatever in their status being that they do not havel children. Lightning Damage* Local Power Plant During the severe electrical storm Tuesday noon, a bolt of lightning burned out 25 coils in one of the big generators at the New River Light & Power Com pany's steam plant here, and ser vice was interrupted for more than an hour, while the change over to another geenrator and engine was affected. 1*ALLS 1000 FEET TO DEATH Seattle, Wash. ? Davir Huycle, of Los Angeles, third pilot aboard a C-27, carrying ten pas sengers, fell 4,000 feet to his death in Alaska, when he was "sucked out" while trying to check a draft around a door. ERWIN SPEAKS AT FINALS OF COLLEGE HERE: 143 GRADUATE State Superintendent of In struction To Deliver Ad dress to Those Receiving Degrees from Appalachian; 18 Watauga Students Expect To Graduate. Among the 143 young people to be graduated from Appalach ian State Teachers college on the morning of May 20 there will be eighteen from Watauga county to receive the degree of bachelor of science. Dr. B. B. Dougherty will present the diplomas ana Dr. Clyde A. Erwin, state superinten dent of public instruction, will deliver the address to the grad uating class. The commencement program will include the processional, the traditional hymn, "Holy, Holy, Holy," which is always used at Appalachian commencements; the ininvocation by the Rev. Sam Moss, pastor of the Boone Metho dist church; an anthem, "Listen to the Lambs," by the Appala chian a cappella choir under the direction of Virginia Wary Lin ney; the graduation address by Dr. Erwin; the "Hallelujah Chorus" sung by the choir; the conferring of degrees and award ing of diplomas by President Dougherty; the benediction by Rev. J. K. Parker, pastor of the James I. Vance Memorial church of Boone; and the recessional. Nicholas Emeston will direct the college orchestra in the com mencement music. Those to be graduated from Watauga county are as follows: Mrs. Pauline Ashley; Margaret Winecoff Barnes; Josephine Bing ham, Betty Jean Farthing, J. Ray Fox, William C. Garvey, Johnny Hollar, Madge Jones Johnson, Eugene Lyons, Edith Maine, Sam Moir, Jr., William Sease, John Britt Steelman, Ray Teems, Rachel Ann Vance, Wil liam Wilson, and Cleda B. Johns ton, all of Boone; and Clara Mae Shepherd of Sugar Grove. Marshals for the occasion will be Carl Lane of Charlotte, chief; Flay Sellars, Kings Mountain; Sara Matthews, Lenoir; Coleman Hanson, Lancaster, S. C.; Max ine Hawks, Greensboro; Emory Stephens, Mooresville; Martha Voss, Winston-Salem; Glenn Cau sey, Greensboro; and Rita Dare McNeal, Ridley Park, Pennsyl vania. The public is invited to attend the commencement exercises in the college auditorium at 10:30 the morning of May 20. Chevrolet Co. In New Building The Colvard Chevrolet Com pany has moved into its hand some new building on North De pot Street, but the official open ing of the building is not slated until some time in next month. The new building contains 15, 000 feet of space on the street level, with a mezzanine 50x75 feet, and a 15,000 foot used car lot, with parking being provided for customers. The mezzanine floor contains the offices of the company, and a large ladies' lounge, elegantly furnished, is be ing provided, where ladies, shop ping in town, may rest or leave their parcels. Similar accommo dations for men are available on the first floor. Commodious showrooms and a complete parts department are also featured on the street floor. The building is designed expressly for automo bile sales, and is handsomely ap pointed in every respect. Adjoining the agency building, Mr. Colvard maintains a modern repair shop, with 12,000 feet of floor space, where competent me chanics render service to 11 p. m. A complete body shop offers frame alignment service, body work, a dust proof paint shop, while washing, lubrication, tire recapping and all other automo tive services are featured. An nouncement of the formal open ing of the new building will be made soon. Victors In County Loop Announced Bamboo defeated Foscoe in a well played contest by a score of 8 to 5. Mabel, with Greene set tine down seventeen men on strikes coasted to their first win at Blowing Rock, while Elk de feated Oak Grove in a well play ed game by a score of 6 to 4. Hayes was the winning pitcher in this one. Boone, Bethel, Valle Crucis and Rich Mountain were stopped by rain. This weeks schedule finds Oak Grove at Valle Crucis, Bamboo at Mabel, Elk at Foacoe, Boone at Rich Mountain and Blowing Rock at BetheL Rich Mountain will play Valle Crucis in a Sun day contest at Valle Crucis to make up their postponed game of last week. i CANDIDATES PIONEER AND R?t. S. E. Gragg oi Shulls Mills, and Miss Anal* Mm Carroll of Boon*, who bar* been nominated by the Boon* Rotary Club as candidal** for th* Watauga Piona*r and tha Qutn of th* Cen tennial. reepectirely. Rot. Mr. Gragg. who ia <8 nan old, is a minister in th* Adrent Christian Church, and ia parhaipa tha oldest active preacher in th* countr. He Is a farmer, banker. former merchant, and has r*sid*d at Shulls Mills 44 roars. Ha is In per fect physical condition. Miss Carroll is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L*star Carroll of Boone, and is a popular memBar of th* sophomore class at Appalachian College. Photo by Blair Demand Grows For Centennial Tickets! Patrons' Group Goes To Work Stanley A. Harris, Watauga county's Centennial president, an nounced this week that the Pa tron's committ* for the celebra tion to be held here July 9-10, has been selected and members of that committee are engaged in supporting plans for the cele bration. Members were selected by various organizations through out the county and includes more than a hundred persons. Co-chairmen of the committee are Clyde R. Greene and Dr. B. B. Dougherty. Others on the com-] Imittee are: 1 Coy Billing!. Robert Shipley. Will Barnea. H. C. Beach. Clyde Perry. Wade L. Greene. Ralph Spalnhour. W W. Wilson, Bert Farthing. William Farthing, A. N. Thomas. Walter South, Dr. J. D. Rankin, Dr. D. J. Whltener. Dr. G. P. Eager*, Mr* R. Smith. Mrs G. K. Moose, John W. Hodges. R. F. Greene. C. M. Watson. Miss Helen Underdown. H. W. Hamil ton, Gordon Winkler. W. R. Winkler. A. E. South. Guy Hunt. Grady Moretz. Council Cooke. R. E. Kelly. John Edgar Brown. Lee Stout. J. H. Council. G. D. Bamett, J. C. Good night. M C. Hollars. W G. Hartxog. J. E Holshouser. W D. Farthing. Chappell Wilson. John T Howell. Herbert Wey. W H Gragg. Will Todd. Dr. J B Hagaman. Dr. J. B. Haga man. Jr.. Dr H B. Perry. Dr H. B. Perry. Jr. Dr. R. A. Harmon. Dr. L. H Owsley. Dr W M Matheson. Dr. Ted Glenn. Dr. Len Hagaman. Rev. S. E. Gragg. Rev. R C Eggers. Tom Jackson.. J L Lewis. William Wine barger. Howard Gragg. W. S. Miller. , Wade Norrls. A. G. Miller. W. C. Greene. Mrs. A A. Greene. Hayes |Welborn. Edgar B. Hardin. Steward Simmons. V. C. Cox. S. C. Ford, iGeorge Keller. J. T. Hampton. Roby IT. Greer. H Grady Farthing. Walter i Carroll. Fred Critcher. Ram Austin. jCollis Greene. W D Ashley. G. C. Robblns, D. P. Coffey. Clarence Berry !man. Mrs. Joseph Cannon. Dr. Charles Dnvant. Mrs W W. Collins. W W Mast. C. M. Shore. Mont iGlovler. T. C. Beard. Rev E. A. Dil 'lard. Russell Farthing. ChArlle Trl vette. Henry Hagaman. M. L. Sheph erd. Victor Ward. Howard Walker. 'Mrs. Molly Adama. Dave Mast. Sam Horton. I. B Wilson. J M Burlwtt. Marion Thomas, C. A. Clay, L. M. ! Hodges. S. C Eggers. Dr. R K. Bing ham. R W Watklns. Mrs R O. Hodges. Jr . Mrs. B. W 8Ulllngs. Mrs R. W Watklns. Mrs. Nell Linney. Mr*. C. G. Hodges. Mrs. Effie Hodges. Hoye Greene. Chauffeurs' Licenses Must Be Renewed Raleigh ? The Motor Vehicle Department announced today that all chauffeurs' licenses in the State must be renewed by June 30. Department officials said there were approximately 36, 500 motorists in the State who held chauffeurs' licenses, and the law states that these licenses must be renewed by midnight June 30. The 100 driver license examin ers stationed through North Carolina have already been mail ed 1949-50 chauffeur application blanks, and can begin issuing chauffeur renewals Monday, May 16. The department urges chauf feurs to get their renewals as early as possible, preferably during the remainder of May. June 30 is also the deadline for persons with surnames beginning with "H, I, J. K" to have their regular driving licenses renewed, and an unprecedented rush is expected to ensue near the end of June. It is estimated there are around 150,000 "H, L J. K" driv ers in the State, and so far only around 40,000 have obtained new licenses. W. R. Stan berry, state license examiner, is in Boone Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a. m. to 4 p. m. Last year there were about two and a half billion goats In the United Stat? the small est number in 20 years. Harris Urges Those Not Se curing Advance Tickets To Buy Now and Save. Sale of the season tickets for the centennial celebration is run ning ahead of expectations, and Stanley A. Harris, centennial president .states that those who wish to take advantage of the special $5 price should get a tic ket immediately, as more than half of those made available at this rate have been sold. Mr. Harris states that only one thousand of these advance tic kets will be offered, and is an xious that people in every sec tion of the county have an op portunity to buy, before the sup ply is exhausted. They are now on sale at the following places: Grady Wilson, Meat Camp; Blowing Rock Rotary -Club, Blow ing Rock American Legion, Boone Lions Club, Worthwhile Club, Business and Professional Wo men's Club; Chamber of Com merce; Jr. Chamber of Com merce; Quarterback Club; Kemp Wilson, Zionville; Sherwood s Store; A. C. Mast Store; S. F. Horton, Sugar Grove. Pat's Place Is Scene Oi Fire A fire of undetermined origin, roared through Pat's Place, a restaurant located in Perkins ville, at 5 o'clock Tuesday morn ing, destroyed practically all of the cafe equipment, and inflicted damage of some thousands of dol lars to the building. The build ing is owned by R. W. McGuire of Boone, and was under lease to J. H. Eller, who owned the res taurant equipment. Mr. Mc Guire estimated the loss at a minimum of $5,000. Mr. McGuire states that the loss is partially covered by in surance, and that his plans are indefinite, pending the arrival of the adjusters. "John Loves Mary" Commencement Play I "John Loves Mary", a comedy in three acts, which enjoyed high acclaim in its long run* on Broadway, will be the com mencement play at Appalachian College, and is staged undet the auspices o < the Playcrafterm, un der the direction of Cratia D. Williams, assisted by Sue Mc Grady. The play will be given Wed nesday and Thursday May IB IS at 8:30 in the college audi torium. The cast of characters will be composed of the following stud ents: Doris Fowler, Charles Rhodes, Kenneth England, Bill Ross, John Rooks, Jerrlyn Crouch, Carl Clarke, Marion Butler, Maxine Hawks, and James Blevins. Health Meetings Are Scheduled for Week Following are the county health meeting! scheduled for next week, all the meetings to be held at 7:30 p. m.: Winebarger school. May 16, L. E. Wilson, chairman; Bamboo *chool, May 17, Vance Keller, chairman; Blue Ridge Advent church. May 1?, Mrs. W. W. Col lins, chairman. BOLT HITS CIGAR Camden, Ark. ? Jack Hendricks had the unusual experience re cently of having a bolt of lightn ing knock a cigar from his mouth. He was not hurt by the bolt LOCAL PLARS BEING MADE TO CAMPAIGN! FOR ROAD PROGRAM Frank Baird Says Organiza tion Virtually Complete and That Strong Effort Will Be Made To Line tip County In Behalf of Scott Proposals Frank Balrd, Watauga mana ger for Governor Sc^tt in his successful primary campaign last year, states that the local organ ization set up for the purpose of carrying the Scott road and school bond program to the peo ple. has been virtually completed, and that a thorough-going cam paign will be made, looking to carrying the county for the pro posals in the June 4th election. Mr. Baird says that plans are under way for a county-wide mass meeting in behalf of the Scott program, at which it is ex pected highway commissioner Mark Goforth will speak. Due notice will be given when de tails have been worked out In commenting on the proposal to vote $200, (WO, 000 for rural road bonds and $25,000,000 for the benefit of the school build ings Mr. Baird recalls that in 1920, there was severe criticism of the Morrison plan to issue $30, 000,000 with which to start the State's primary road system, but that it turned out to be the wis est step the State ever took ? the bonds were paid without the folks realizing they were doing it. Mr. Baird says that the cur rent proposal, likewise, is sell financing, and that if it passes, will mark a new period In the progress of the State. Orchestra In First Concert The Appalachian State Teach ers college orchestra, under the direction of Nicholas Eraestoo, will make its initial, appearance on Sunday afternoon. May 15, at 3:00 p. m., in the college auditor ium. The orchestra has made re markable progress since it was newly organized, as a full unit, at the beginning of the spring quarter. The string section i3 composed of members who, with the exception of two, began the study of their instrument during the. current school year. Some have studied as little as two months. In view of this fact, they play exceptionally well, "We are a long wpy from be ing a finished product," says Mr. Erneston, "but I feel that these people have exhibited a great deal of talent and perseverance. They certainly are to be com mended on their fine progress." The public is cordially invited to attend this performance. In cluded on the program will be: Pomp and Circumstance by El gar; Ase's Death by Grieg; Rus sian Chorale and Overture by Is sac; Children's Prayer from Han sel and Gretal by Humperdinck; Andante Cantabile by Tschaikow sky; and Andante, Surprise Sym phony by Haydn. Prof. Williams To Go to New York U. Professor CratU D. Williams of the ASTC English faculty has been awarded a graduate assist antship in English at New York University for the 1949-50 session. The stipend will be $1,600 plus tuition. He will teach two class es in Washington Square College, the undergraduate school of New York University. Professor Williams is a gradu ate of the University of Kentucky with A. B. and M. A. degrees. He has been connected with Appa lachian State for seven veara ? as a critic teacher in English, as assistant principal and guidance director of the demonstration high school; and three years at the college as teacher of English and director of dramatics. Mr. Williams will work toward the doctor of philosophy degree in English with emphasis on the field of American literature. He will leave around the latter part of June to be in school for the next fifteen months. Enoch F. Potter, 76, Succumbs Saturday Enoch Franklin Potter, 78. res ident of the Tamarack neighbor hood, died last Saturday at the home, following a long illness. Funeral services were conduc ted at the Elk Knob Baptist church Monday at 11 o'clock, by Rev. Mr. Miller of Mountain City, and interment was in the Main cemetery. The widow, four sons and one daughter, survive: J. O. Potter, Wiu Potter, Tamarack; J. C. Pot ter and Frank Potter. Butler, Tenn. ; Mrs. Sarah South, Tama rack. One brother ana one sister survive, Jim Potter, Mrs. Polly Allen of Creston. >