WATAUGA DEMOCRAT
?mmBsa
VOL. LXII, NO. 1.
An Independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1888
BOONE. WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1949,
FIVE CENTS
KING STREET
BY
ROB RIVERS
DECORATORS place flags and
bunting on the fronts of most all
the stores and shops on the street
as the streamers flutter over
King from one end of town to
the other, providing a colorful
backdrop for the big parade ex
pected to feature the start of the
celebration Tuesday . . . Rumor
ye>. persists in State papers that
President Truman may come to
Boone . . . Since we started the
Presidentia1"projeet, we certain
ly hope the Chietjnaglstratarts
here, but we have been able to
gather no hopeful information . .
Medicine man sits on stool at the
edge of sidewalk, and pates down
corn on toe of patient with a
pocket knife, applies bit of medi
cation, with the assurance that
the trouble's all over for a year . .
Mrs. J. L. Goodnight comes to see
us, wearing one of the bonnets
she used in the old days, and a
matching dress made years ago
from homespun cloth . . . Large
numbers of local people attend
the Grandfather Mountain sing
ing Sunday, and tell of the thou
sands gathered for the occasion.
* ? ?
CENTENNIAL EDITION of
Watauga Democrat gets by far
the widest public acclaim of any
former issue- of the local jour
nal ... In addition to the reg
ular circulation. hi*idreds of
copies have been bought by the
readers and mailed to every
part of the country, giving the
Centennial valuable publicity
in other regions . . . The de
mand for the extras is continu
ing unabated, as the supply
runs down near the vanishing
point. . . . Large number of tele- {
phone calls, letters, and perso
nal congratulations on the pro
motion are highly appreciated
by the publisher and staff.
V ? ? ?
MISS BILLIE BADGETT, sec
retary to the centennial corpora
tion. deserves recognition for her
contribution to the success of the
celebration . . . Efficient, courte
ous and obliging. Miss Badgett
has aided Mr. Harris tremendous
ly in taking care of the office
work, and answering the aueries
of the hundreds of callers at the
celebration headquarters . . . We
always try to remember wfr man
ners and thank those who do us
a favor, or extend a courtesy and
hav>? noticed the variety of re
spor^ses 10 our "Thank you." . . .
Most folks say "yes sir" . . . oth
ers trim it down to "yep" . . .
some acknowledge with "not at
?all." and others bring :n "no oc
casion" when we felt positive
there was one ... a few use the
western "you bet" and the ones
who shrug you off with "don't
mention it, making us a bit
sorry we went into the thing at
all, while the majority of those
whose kindnesses we appreciate,
say "uh-huh" . . . Rarely does
anyone give down with the more
wholesome "You're welcome!" . .
Incidentally, are reminded that
the old southern "howdy" has
been lost in the maze of "heys,"
"hellos" and "how ye doin's!"
HUFUS COLVARD buys an
emaciated mule, which he pro
poem to work Into the Centen
nial parade . . . the ancient
beast is a reasonable facsimile
of the one used on Gill Phil
lips' centennial window trans
fers . . . and Hufus is on the
lookout for *a single -barreled
shotgun, a hound dog and a
banjo, to round out the para
phernalia of the rider of the
mule . . . which In the mean
time. is taking a stroll in the
clover, with an occasional shot
of "lassy feed" so that he may
"be on the mend" br the time
the band starts playing.
? ? ?
CHERRIES reddening and
blackening under sunny skies, as
pie-time looms .... Charleston
lans thanking us for some wood-1
en nickels and 'specting to be
back here next week . . . Mer
chant, conversing with sidewalk
gathering during business lull on
hot afternoon . . . 'need to do some
work inside," said he "but havent
the heart to go in ? might wake
up my clerks" . . . Georgia stu-l
dents vigorously deny being Tal
madgeites as they depart with a
bundle of Democrats . . . non
chalant driver cuddles the girl
with right arm, throws away cig
with left and spits on the pave
ment before resuming his hold
on the wheel . . . highway depart-!
ment puts squeeze on contractor
as desperate effort is made to
open the Blowing Rock road be
fore the Fourth . . . Weather per
mitting, looks as if this can be
done . . . Judge Coggins, holding
civil term of court, hurriedly
signs some judgments and- ad
journs court, when he learns that
the Governor has named his suc
? cessor on the bench . . Court df
ficials ahd others who became ac
quainted .with the Salisbury jur
ist, liked' him a lot, and regret
that he is being replaced . . .
Merchants alarmed at the increas
ing number of causes to which
they are required to contribute,
and believe that the advertising
committee of the Merchants As
sociation could do a great deal
to screen the solicitations down to
to the most worthy.
Blowing Rock Highway
May Open On Saturday
THE STYLES OF YESTERYEAR
Sunbonneti and long skirt*, and the frill ? and furbelows of another
day are shown. as local women revert to ancient fashiozl notes to
celebrate the centennial. Left lo right: Miss Rancv Adams. Mrs.
W. R. Winkler. Mrs. W. C. Greer, Mrs. D. L. Wilcox and Mrs. J. L.
H~c?. (Photo Palmer's Studio)
SUCCUMBS
?
ARCHIE G. QUALLS I
Archie Quails, 41,
Has Faial Attack
Archie G." Quails, age 41, died
at his home in Winson-Salem
Friday, June 24. of a heart at
tack after having i>een seriously
ill with diabetes for the past
few months.
He was born August 17, 1907,
at Crossville, Tenn. When he
was 13 the family moved to
Boone. He received his educa ?
tion at Boone and Wake Forest
college. He passed the bar in
1931 and began his law practice
in Boone. Moving to Cnarlotte
in 1939, he was with the U. S.
Casualty company for several
years.
During the war he was an at
torney for the Office of Price Ad
ministration for the western half
of North Carolina, with offices in
Charlotte. He handled many lit
igations in the Federal courts.
Mr. Quails practiced law in the
state from 1931 until he was ap
pointed by the war department as
a, senior attorney for the war
criminal trials at Manila. After
his return from Manila he mov
ed to Winston-Salem where he
accepted a position as the North
Carolina attorney for a New
York firm.
On February 1, 1930, he was
married to Miss Sheila De Vault,
who survives. Other survivors
include ones son, Robert Archie
Quails: three daughters, Barbara
Lee, Cora Elizabeth, and Sheila
Anne Quails, all of the home; the
parents. Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Quails
and one brother, E. S. Quails of
Boone.
. He was a member of the First
Baptist church at Boone, where
funeral services were held Sun
day, at 2:30 p. m. The servic
was conducted by the pastor. Dr.
W. G. Bond. Interment was in
the Boone cemetery.
$50.00 Be Giv#n To
Oldest Person at Show
Parties planning the air show
here Sunday, July 10, have an
nounced a prize of $90.00 for the
oldest Watauga resident attend
ing. It is planned to carry him
on an aeroplane trip over any
part of the county desired after
which he will describe the ex
perience to the audience over the
public address system now being
set up to announce the show.
This feature of the show is ex
pected to create much interest
and a large number of the coun
ty's older citizens are expected
[to be on hand and to compete
[for the honor.
Engineer Says Every Effort
Being Made to Get
Surface On Road.
The Blowing Rock road, which
has been again closed to travel
while surfacing operations pro
ceed, is to be opened Saturday
morning, July 2, if there is no
unforeseen hitch in the schedule,
Mr. Z. V. Stewart, district high
way engineer of Lenoir, told the
Democrat Saturday.
Mr. Stewart say s that every
thing possible is being done to
open the stretch of road, that
highway officials are pushing the
contractors every way possible,
that telephone lines have been
kept hot trying to rush materials
to the job, and that now, weather
permitting, it is expected traffic
will be turned on the highway
Saturday. Asphalt shipments,
which had been delayed, are to
arrive Tuesday, and the surface
can be laid down, Mr. Stewart
says on Thursday, Friday and
Saturday.
Mr. Stewart expresses great
concern over the local highway
bottleneck, which occurred right
at the tourist and centennial sea
son, and wants the people to know
that no effort is being spared to
open the highway.
HOUSING POSING
CIVIC PROBLEM
Adequate housing facilities for
the centennial celebration visitors
are b?ing sought by Mrs. H. N.
Adams, chairman of the special
committee, who states that every
available spare bedroom in town
will need to be utilized if the vis
itors to the town are to be cared
for.
Mrs. Adams insists that all those
having rooms which can be made
available for this purpose, call
her immediately at the Bank, or
call Mrs. G. H. Phillips at the
Carolina Hotel, so that the ac
commodations may be listed and
occupants assigned.
Youth Recreation Day
Slated for July Eighth
All children of the county are
being invited to participate in
playground activities Friday, July
8, at College field and High
School field, which will include
all children from the first through
the seventh grades.
Students from the first, sec
ond, third, fourth and fifth
grades will meet oh College field,
while those from the sixth and
seventh grades will gather at the
High School field. A group pic
ture will be taken of the first
graders and the winners in the
contests.
Co. Library Displays
Historical Documents
Various historical documents
nave been given to the Watauga
county public library by the State
department of archives and his
tory, and will be on display dur
ing next week's celebration of
the founding of the county.
The collection features early
maps, a photocopy of the legisla
tive act which established Wa
tauga county, and other docu
ments which will be of general
interest at this time.
Local Youth Makes'
Carolina Honor Roll
W, B. York, Jr., of Boone, has
recently been congratulated by
the Dean at the University of
North Carolina, for having made
the honor roll at that institution
during the spring quarter. Young
Mr. York, who ha* completed his
[first year at Carolina, is spend
jingthe summer at his home here.
WATAUGA MAN
MAKES- '10,000th
MEMBER R.E.A;
EVENT NOTED
? ? ? ? ? ?/,
Ceremonies Are Held as Ed
Yates Becomes Ten Thous
andth Rural Resident To
Get Power from Coopera
tive; Local REA Unit Larg
est in State.
An important milestone in the
history of the Blue Ridge Elec
tric Membership Corporation
came Wednesday afternoon when
Ed Yates, Watauga County farm
er whose farm lies* in the sha
dow of Beach mountain a few
miles from Banner Efk, became
the 10.000th member of the REA
co-op as electric power was turn
ed on at his farm.
Ceremonies held at the Yates
home in connection with the
event celebrated the growth of
the co-operative, established in
1938, into the largest REA unit
in North Carolina and one of the
biggest in the country, with off
ices in Sparta, West Jefferson.
Boone and Blowing Rock, and
general offices in Lenoir.
Somewhat startled by the size
of the group that gathered at his
farm for the occasion, big Ed
Yates excused himself long
enough to change overalls, then
posed for pictures showing him
and his family and various Blue
Ridge E. M. C- offcials.
Cecil E. Viverette. manager of
the co-op, was master of cere
monies. He first introduced J.
C. Goodman, retired professor
and dairy farmer who lives in
West Jefferson. As president of
the co-operative, Mr. Goodman
presented Yates with a certificate
of membership.
Gifts presented the 10,000 mem
ber by appliance dealers in
Boone and Blowing. Rock were
made next. These included a
floor lamp, electric clock, auto
matic electric iron, radio, electric
blanket and a radio.
Manager Viverette then intro
duced North Carolina REA
Chairman Gwyn B. Price as "the
man who has done more than
anyone else to extend electric ser
vice to rural areas in the state, a
former director in Blue Ridjge
E. M. C. and still a member of
the co-op." Chairman Price, as
superintendent of schools in Ashe
county at the time the co-opera
tive was organized, took an ac
tive part in the early days of
the co-op's history.)
Speaking informally, Chairman
Price expressed pleasure in be
ing able to leave the heat of Ra
leigh long enough to enjoy the
"air-conditioned" climate at Mr.
Yates' farm, which is situated at
an altitude of about 4,000 feet.
The REA Chairman praised
Yates for the wide diversity of
farming at his place, which has
in addition to such crops as cab
bage, potatoes and burley tobac
co, an abundance of dairy and
beef cattle, hogs, sheep, and poul
try. He said there is a need for
more such diversity in the state,
since about 55 per cent of North
Carolina's farm income is deriv
ed from tobacco.
Welcoming the Watauga farm
er and family into the largest of
the 34 REA co-ops in the state,
he pointed out that as a mem
ber he owns as much stock as
anyone else and that he was in
vesting in a possession that could
be passed on down to his chil
dren.
"I am not being profane," he
said, "when I say that the com
ing of this electricity into your
home is second only to the light
from heaven above." He termed
(Continued on page 3)
Dr. & Mrs. Turlington
Return from Shanghai
Dr. and Mrs. Henry Turlington
and children, who recently re
turned from China, where Dr.
Turlington was Professor of An
cient Greek and New Testament
at the University of Shanghai,
have visited for a few days at the
home of Mr. and Mrs. H. H. No
bles at Sugar Grove.
Mrs. Turlington is the former
'Miss Helen Nobles of Newport'
News, Va., and who graduated at
the Cove Creek high school some
years ago Dr. Turlington has
been recalled to the Baptist The
ological Seminary at Louisville,
Ky., where they both taught be
fore being sent to China. They
hope to return whenever the sit
uation clears itself op, but nei
ther of them feel very optimistic
that this will come about in the
very near future.
Limited Orders For
Crimson Clover Issued
Limited orders for crimson
clover and pasture grass seeds
are now being issued by the
County Committee of the Wa
tauga County Agricultural Con
servation Association. These or
ders are being approved for only
those farms on which no assist
ance has been given in 1949, and
only to the extent funds are
available. For further informa
tion call at the County AAA at
Colorful Parade, Gay Pageantry
|To Mark Start Ot Celebration
PIONEER AND QUEEN CHOSEN
mmmammmammmmmts
Mum * / ..
R?t. S. E. Gregg, who won the Pioneer till* in the Centennial
Toting which close Tuesday, and Mickey McGulre, who was des
ignated Queen of the Centennial.
Rev.Gragg Is Pioneer;
Mickey MeGuire Queen
SECRETARY
Voting Closes Tuesday; The|
Standings of Other
Nominees Given.
Mi?s Billie Badgett. efficient sec
retary to the Centennial com
mittee. Mis* Badgett was also
nominated by the Watauga Amer
ican Legion Post as the candidate
for centennial queen.
Mail Service Is
Improved Here
On July 1 the mail service from!
Boone will be improved by the
establishment of a late dispatch
at 6:20 p. m. in lieu of the 3:20
p. m. dispatch giving the pa-l
trons an advantage of three
hours to mail and advance the
mail to points of destination by
24 hours. Connections are made
in Salisbury to Train No. 37 for
Southbound mail at 1:57 a. m., ar
riving in Charlotte at 2:45 a. m.;
Atlanta at 8^25 a. m., New Or
leans at 8:25 p. m. Northbound
mail will leave Salisbury on
Washington and Charlotte Train
No. 40 at 1:40 a. m., arriving in
Greensboro at 2:38 a. m., Lynch
burg 5:13 a. m.; Washington, D.
C. at 8:55 a. m. and New York
by 2 p. m.
Mail for Asheville and vicinity
will arrive there at 4:00 a. m.;
Raleigh and vicinity at 8:40 a. m.
This improved service will give
overnight service to most all
points in North Carolina (except
local), Virginia, Maryland, South
Carolina, and Georgia
This is the latest dispatch to
the main lines of the railroads
this office has enjoyed.
Important Notice to
Democrat Advertiser*
The publisher of the Democrat
suggests that 'those wanting ad
vertising in the Democrat next
week, will need to have ropy in
the hands of the printer by' the
end of the current week, since
the closing of the stores on Mon
day will preclude the usual soli
citations at that time.
While of course, the Democrat
will feature the centennial right
on until the curtain drops on the
big event, there will be no other
special edition. However, it is
necessary for everything possible
to be done on the next issue this
week. Cooperation of advertis
ers and contributori alike will be
appreciated.
? _____ ? ?
Board of Education
To Meet on Tuesday
The Watauea county board of
education will hold Its regular
monthly meeting on Tuesday,
July 5, due to tne fa ct that the
regular meeting time falls on July
1 4th, a national holiday.
Rev. S. E. Gragg, Shulls Mills
minister, won first place in the
centennial pioneer contest, and
Miss Mickey McGuire of Boone,
was chosen Queen of the event,
it was revealed Tuesday after
noon, following the close of the
balloting.
Rev. Mr. Gragg, one of the
county's oldest ministers, farmer
and banker, received 169,250
voies to win the coveted pioneer
title, as the candidate of the
Boone Rotary Club. The votes
received by the other candidates
are as follows:
John W. Hodges 82,500; J. M.
Moretz 13,250; B. B. Dougherty
47,000; W. W. Mast 13,250; Jake
C. Norris 17,250; D. C. Mast 23,
250; Newton Greene 11,500; W.
R. Lovill 4,000; Norva Rominger
1,000; Charlie Mast 7,500; Joe
Norris 3.000; N. T. Minton 250;
Charlie Dougherty 1,000; Harri
son Coffey 1,000; J. W. Green
1,000.
Miss McGuire, an employee of
the Boone Drug Company, and
one of the town's most popular
young ladies, led the field in the
Tueen contest with 96,500 votes.
The tally of the other candidates
was: Barbara Jones 58,500; Re
oecca Shoemake 29J500; Annie
Mae Carroll 39,0#0; Katie Sue
Farthing 20,250; Dorothy Norris
55,750; Rachel Ann Vance 6,000;
Billy Badget 45,250; Shirley Max
Swift 28,250- Ruby Moody 20,
750; Velma Brumly 40,500;. Joan
Aldridge 4,000; Mary Helen
Teague 1,000; Janet Farthing 1,
000; Virginia Moody 6,250; Vir
ginia Jones 2,250
The queqn will be crowned and
the pioneer citizen appropriately
honored at the Centennial cele
bration, and the Queen's ball will
be held Friday evening, following
the pageant.
Voting had originally been set
to close the 30th, but was ad
vanced last week by W. H. Gragg,
pioneer committee chairman, in
order that the results could be
published prior to the celebration.
Air Show Will Be At
Blair Field July 10
Announcement has been made
of an air show to be held at the
newly constructed Blair airport
in Boone on Sunday afternoon,
July 10.
Parties managing the event
state that they have been ex
ceedingly fortunate in securing
the famous Meyers Air Circus
featuring some of the best aero
batic pilots in the country to
gether with their specially con
structed planes. " .
Mr. H. C. Sisk, Jr., manager
of the Morganton-Lenoir airport,
and one of the parties promoting
the air show, advises a petition
has been entered with the Civil
Aeronautics Administration re
questing waiver of government
regulations prohibiting low-level
aerobatics. Since the Blair air
port is unique in being isolated
from any concentration of build
ings, it is more or lest certain
the waiver will be granted in
which event those attending will
be privileged to witness an ex
traordinary exhibition of aero
batics involving loops, slow rolls,
snap rolls and upside-down fly
ing at heights only a few feet
above the ground and directly
over the runway.
In addition to the planes par
ticipating in the show itself, a
large number of visiting pilots
and their planes are expected to
fly in for the day to see the wide
ly heralded Meyers troupe per
form.
Speeches, Baseball Game, and
"Echoes of the Blue Ridge"
Will Highlight Centennial
Activities.
A huge parade Tuesday after
noon at 2:30 o'clock will launch
the official celebration of Wa
tauga County's . founding 100
years ago. Governor W. Kerr
Scott will be here and will make
the opening address at the Col
lege field. Miss Mickey Mc
Quire will be crowned Queen of
the Centennial at 7:45, and the
mammoth spectacle, "Echoes of
the Blue Ridge," will have its
first performance following the
crowning of the Queen. Tuesday
.will be known as Governor's day,
a day set aside to honor present
and past governors in this sec
tion of the country.
The parade will include cover
ed wagons, ox carts, floats, sur
ries, horses, and other reminders
to on-lookers of days gone by,
according to Centennial officials.
The pageant will depict in epi
sodes the settling, and program
Watauga county has made in 100
years. Approximately five hun
dred persons are included in the
cast.
On Wednesday, Pioneer and
Homecoming day, pioneers of the
county will be honored and form
er Wataugans welcomed home.
A baseball game between the
County All Stars and league
leaders, Bamboo, is scheduled at
3 p. m. Carroll Reece, former
head of the National Republican
Committee, will speak at the Col
lege Athletic field at 2 p. m.
Rev. S. E. Gragg, Shulls Mills.
neer *??,.V?ted as W*tauga's Pio
Thos'e returning^hom'e'
quested by Centennial headquart
mi ; Ar o^?h, 'a"Slf:
?????&*=?& -?
jfSaMjuJWeS
&Js Airz&xi*
.L.
j^-VST Xir%?V.?,
r
FddaV^ul* lield ?\e*?*tion:
will Sf . ? 8' an?ther parade
Sia*uedl this t'me a chil
I C r! r pets' Parade. Dr
vG^rr' a,natlve of the coun
i?_ w.,n speak in the* afternoon
h?S8"n? the youth of the <S?My
wil^ bc hpin" V Coronation Bali
wui be held Friday, July 8 at
ium {he college ^nas
m?de 7nr H/eservatlons being
specfatonj. anC1"g COUples an<*
DayataUndaLhJU^ 10' Farmer's
til 7 s^e County Day. will
see contests between farm
Gamexhi^it'on ?< ttair tH-oduct?
Games played by old-tlmer, of
the county, will be played Com
missioner Ballentine will speak
}-EchLSao^ngA? th?, afterocKm^
i tcnoes of the Blue Ridse" nriii
,h*
th?U"?auy' luly ,0- wil1 conclude
n* on with the churches
worehin?anHy }oinin? together in
legr?KleUncfflln8 ?n thC CQJ"
All sessions are schedulori a*
thT,^ihletiC.uFleld0'A9TC at
fof the activities are: af
ternoons 2 to 4 o'clock; nights
w1se announ^?Ck' UnleSS ot^r
Stores of City To
Close for Fourth
be" cl Wishmwts^wfn
be closed next Monday in oh
servance of Independence Dav it
rttar'etobt'h^M R1by E11U' **"
atioru Merchants Assoc i -
Ln?1^ ,post?"ice- bank, county
fed % ?If'COS are al?? to be
ciosea, it is announced.
Curb Market Opens
Friday, July First
?Hie season for the Home IVm
f ictally 1 ooen *55 Market wiu
Jniv f 2^8. hIa year on Friday,
year L ?Iace as last
J!**"" 2? ?"ft Main street, across
an^iinJL^T^11^*4 chttrch, It was
announced Tuesday
n2r ten wi" **> 10^0 to
Fn*hJ vegetable., egg,,
Crill h^lfl cyned products
Purchasing agents say down
trend to not general