WATAUGA
Wished in the Year 1 888
An Independent Weekly
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, J 951
FIVE CENTS PER
VOL. LXm-NO. 31
KING STREET
BY
ROB RIVERS
BRIEF RAINY MORNING
SESSION with Richard Colvard
down at the bridge, while we
were enroute to the Democrat
office to do our usual shift, and
Mr. Colvard was heading down
Boone Creek to examine some
muskrat sets . . . "Watch out,"
said he, " for the smoke on Feb
ruary 1 . . . for, shore as shootin'
upon its conduct depends wheth
er or not there will be fruit this
year, or 'fruit and apples' as
Noah Bentley might say." 1 . .
We gathered that if the smoke
goes straight up there'd be apples
and stuff of the sort, but if it
hovers down near the ground
and back fires a bit down the
chimney, the fruit trees will be
bare . . . We are likewise re
minded that come Friday,
another Groundhog Day will be
observed, and woe be to the
' folks, so legend says, if the
whistle pig sees his shadow and
retreats, for there'll be six more
weeks of the worst weather you
ever saw, no doubt about it . . .
Seriously, of course, the folks
don't actually believe any such
thing, but a mountain man al
ways feels Just a little more
secure If groundhog day dawns
gray, and the sun stays hidden
behind the clouds.
? ? ?
MISS OLLIE REESE of
Ztonville. one of our bast
friends, pays us an appreciated
visit Monday, and leaves a
big jar of testy apple butler
from her own pantry, as well
as a generous quanitily of ap
ple jelly, which we are enjoy
ing. and foe which Mrs. Reece
has the sincere thanks, both of
this corner, and the folks at
home.
* * ?
FRANK NEWTON, calls us
into his department store to
show us the public lounge he is
establishing on the mezzanine
floor, to give shoppers in the
community a place to rest and
read and relax during their
visits to town . . . The merchan
dise formerly displayed on the
mezzanine, has been removed .to
the fourth floor of the store,
new furniture has been install
ed, and a space about 20 by 23
feet has been provided for the
use of visitors ... a table with
magazines is in the center of the
space and one can rest and re
lax in quietude and comfort . . .
Rufus Colvard some time ago
established a lounge in his Col
vard Chevrolet building, but
Newton's we believe, is the first
department store to make a
move of this kind.
WE FELICITATE FRAM1C
on his thoughlfulnen. From
lima to tisno throughout th?
run. tlx Watauga Domocrat
has hammered on tha thama
that folks can't find many
comforts and conveniences
"for froa" whan they coma to
visit this educational and shop
piny cantar of tha Northwast
. . . Tha problam of finding a
drink of water o* a placa to sit
for a faw ipinutas. to say
nothing of our old "comfort
station'* thama has. lilila as
you may think of U. boan of
mora than passing momant to
a lot of fina folks who maka
tha cash r agisters jingla here
about ... If other business
man would maka provisions,
??an on a limited scale for the
comfort and coo rente nee of
their visitors, a east amount
of good will would be created
. . . These little things can often
contribute more to tbe well
being of the community, and
Its prosperity then the scorch
for tbe big protects, which
are all too often impoesible of
attainment on tbe face of
them.
? ? ?
-ARTHUR KRANTZ. one of
the new-comers to the Street,
who came down from Detroit to
buy the Boone Trail Cafe, nur
tures a happy outlook . . . The
other day the sky wns murky, a
heavy 'drizzle filled the oir,
which waj dccidcdly "from the
east'' . . . The weather man had
con* forth with dire predictions
of mow and freeze and sleet and
stuff . , . Things didn't look at
all good as we ambled up to
Arthur's coffee bar ... We
mai*ged a "tolerably" cheery
greeting, as Arthur sh"?k with
us. and allowed: "Fine day, ian't
it? . . . Flowers goin' to bloom
?oon, bird's singing, everything
on tlic up and up, would aeeml"
. And his smile spread, and
I Continued on page four)
CHANGING TIMES . . . After Italy'* liberation, the government out
lawed war tor*- Thi* yoar. with Italr in a rearmament program,
ihelre* of toy afcopi are crowded with toy weapon*.
Mrs. Ben W. Farthing
Meets Tragic Death
ValJe Crucis Woman
Is Drowned At
Home Sunday.
Mrs. Dixie Glenn Farthing,
wife of Ben W. Farthing of Valle
Crucis, was drowned late Sunday
when she fell into a fish pond
near her home.
She was the daughter of the
late Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Glenn
of Sugar Grove.
Survivors, in addition to her
husband, are:
Daughters, Miss Frances Far
thing of Concord, N. C.; Mrs.
Ralph Church of Vilas; and Miss
Dixie Rae Farthing of Woman's
College, University of North
Carolina, Greensboro, N. C., sons:
Raymond, V. S. Navy; Wheeler,
Knoxvitle, Tenn.; Louis, U. S.
Navy; Baxter, Sugar Grove; andj
Ben. A., State College, Raleigh;
brothers: Prof. A. G. Glenn,
Smithfielil, N. C.; Dr. R. 0.
Glenn, Mountain City, Tenn.; Dr.
E. T. Glenn, Boone; Edwin L.
(Ned) Glenn, Sugar Grove; sis
ters: Mrs. J. H. Thomas, Valle
Crucis; Mrs. R. A. Farthing,
Valle Crucis; Mrs. Clyde Tester,
Matney; Mrs. Orrus Trivette,
Beech Creek; Mrs. Doughton
Green, Vilas.
The funeral was conducted
Wednesday at Valle Crucis Meth
odist Church, the Rev. Ralph
Miller, pastor, in charge, with in
terment in Valle Crucis Metho
dist cemetery.
Pallbearers, all nephews of the
deceased, were Ray, Glenn, Bar
ton, Van, and Dick Farthing, Wil
son Hodges, H. W. Mast, Jr.,
Houston Mast, Tommie Green,
and Hubert Thomas.
Mrs. Sarah James
Is Dead at 87
Mrs. Sarah Henson James, 87
years old, who lived to see six
generations of her family, died
at the home of a son, Smith
James, at Valle Crucis Thursday,
following an extended illness.
Funeral services were held
Saturday at Piney Grove Bap
tist Church at Rominger, by
Rev. W.C. Payne, and burial was
in the nearby cemetery.
Mrs. James, who was the Wid
ow of Joseph Manuel James, is
survived by tix sons and five
daughter*: Roby, Bill James,
Elizabethton. Tcnn.; Willard
James, Lenoir; Smith James,
Vilas; Dewey, Dave James.
Vallc Crucis; Mrs. Leonard
Moody, South Dakota, Mrs. Har
rison Presnell, Bluff, N. C.; Mrs.
John Cornctt, Vilas; Mrs. Ray
mond Cornett, Trade, Tenn.;'
Mrs. Boyd Harmon. Sugar
Grove. There are 65 grand
children, 13} great grandchild
ren and 11 great-great grand
children.
Mrr. James had been a mem
ber of Antioch Baptiut Church
for 7# years.
JUNIOR ORDER MEETING
A meeting of Daniel Boone
Council, Junior Order, will be
held at the hall of the organiza
tion Monday evening at 7:30. All
mcmbeft are urged to attend.
High heels on man's shoes
yield $280,000 in illegal dia
STANLEY A. HARRIS
Harris Is Prexy
Of Civic Groups
Stanley A. Harris was re-elected
manager of the Boone Chamber
of Commerce and the Merchants
Association at a joint meeting of
the boards of directors of the two
organizations held recently.
Mr. Harris, who has been con
nected with the two organiza
tions for more than two years,
had offered his resignation, but
the directors persuaded him to
continue his work along civic
lines. It is explained that Mr.
Harris is serving the Chamber of
Commerce without sajary, and
on the basis of actual expenses.
Both groups of directors pledg
ed him their complete backing in
hit future activities.
Burning Permit
Being Required
County Forest Banger Ernest
C. Hodges wishes to call to the
attention of all persons, who
plan- to burn brush or debris
this spring, to the North Caro
lina brush burning permit law.
This law is a part of the North
Carol .im general statutes and
states that it is unlawful for any
person ' to start a. fire in any
woodlands under' t^e protection
of the Department of Conacrva
tion and Development's Tores
try Division, or within 500 feet
of such an area, between the
first day of February and tho
first day of June, without first
getting a permit to do so.
Ranger Hodges states, "This
law was passed to protect your
timber from careless brush
burners. It gives the forest ser
vice a check on who is burning
and when they are btlrning."
Banger Hodges urges everyone,
who intends to bum brush,
help prevent forest fires by get
ting his permit from any district
forest wd rd< n or from one of the
following issuing agents:
Ivan Farthing, Bethel; How,
ard Mast Store. Valle Crucis;
Vilas Service Station. Vilas;
Com ty Agents Office, Boone; W.
8. Collins. Boone; Worth Greene,
Stony Fork; Mrs. ColHns. Boone
Fork.
Remember only you can pre
vent forest fires!
BAND READIES
SELF FOR HDD
WINTER PLAY
^tigh School Musicians Re
hearse for Concert.
The Appalachian High School
Band has been rehearsing for
the past two weeks (or their an
nual mid-winter concert The
concert will be given in the high
school auditorium Thursday
evening, February 8th at 7:30 p.
m.
An interesting program is be
ing arranged including! two solo*
by tyrtha Council and Harry
Farthing. These two band mem
bers were two of the four stud
ents who represented Appala
chian High school at the All
State Band Clinic held recently
on the campus of Appalachian
State Teachers College. Qjjy
Hunt, Jr., another participant in
the clinic, and {lobby Cooke will
take solo parts in. two of the
especially prepared numbers fAr
the concert.
The high school band now has
a membership of 46. There are
23 additional students taking be
ginners work this year and about
20 of these students will be eli
gible for admission into the sen
ior high band next year.
There will be no admission
charge for the concert. The pub
lic is cordially invited.
DEMOS FAIL TO
SU1I TICKET
Ashe Postpones dominating
Meeting.
The Ashe county Democratic
executive committee met in West
Jefferson last Saturday for the
purpose of choosing a candidate
to run for the State Senate, but
adjourned" to February 5th, with
out having taken action in the
matter.
A new Senator to replace W.
B. Reeves of West Jefferson, who
died January 5, will be elccted
from the 28th Distrit ? Ashe, Al
leghany and Watauga? in a spec
ial election on February 17.
The Ashe Democratic commit
tee was without its chairman
Saturday, since State Represen
tative Todd Gentry was in Ra
leigh. Secretary Paul Weaver
presided at the meeting.
It is Ashe county's time to
furnish the Senator from the dis
trict.
Causey Makes
Good at Tenn. U.
The Department of Health and
Physical Education of the Uni
versity of Tennessee reports
that Mr.' Glenn Causey, a gradu
ate of Appalachian State Teach
ers College in the class of 1B50
is making a most outstanding
record as a graduate assistant in
health and physical education.
The thirty-five graduate stud
ents in health and physical edu
cation at the University of Ten
nessee have completed under
graduate work from leading col
leges and universities through
out the nation. Mr. Causey is to
be congratulated on his achieve
ment in such a group.
Whilo at Appalachian Mr.
Causey was a major in Health
and Physical Education. During
his four years at Appalachian
Mr. Causey attained numerous
honors standing high in his aca
demic work, being a varsity
athlete, a student leader and a
member of various campus or
ganizations.
HOME CLUBS TO
SLATE OFFICERS
New officers will be elected
at the first quarterly meeting of
the Watauga County Home
Demonstration club*. The meet
ing will be held in the office of
Mr?. Betty M. Edwards. Home
Demonstration agent, on Friday,
February 2, at 2:00 p. m.
Other important business to be
diacuascd include* the District
Federation meeting to be held in
Boorte In May, and federation
dues.
Cows that have been clipped
produce cleaner milk, say dairy
specialists ot Stats College.
Gala Ball, County Sing
Feature Polio Campaign
TAX LISTING
IS EXTENDED
?
Crilnmissionera Extend Listing
To 17th.
The tax-lUting period in Wa
tauga county* has been extended
to Saturday, February IT, it is
revealed by S. C. Egger?, county
Tax Supervisor, who says that
the commissioners have granted
the extra time for the conveni
ence of the taxpayers who have
thus far been unable to list.
All tax books from the various
townships arc to be returned to
the courthouse, and citizens may
list there.
A penalty of 10 per cent is
provided by State law for failure
to list property for taxation with
in the prescribed time, says Mr.
Eggers.
Lincoln Day
Dinner Is Set
I
An estimated 500 North Caro
lina Republicans will gather in
Winston-Salem Saturday (or a
Joint Young Republican annual
convention and G. O. P. Lincoln
Day Dinner.
Highlighting the event will be
addresses by Senator Owen
Brewster of Maine, former Gov
ernor and now a member of the
Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittee, and Representative B.
Carroll Reece of Tennessee,
chairman in 1946-48 of the Re
publican National Committee.
Senator Brewster's add rasa
will be broadcast at 8 p. m. on
station WSJR, and Representa
tive Recce's address at 3:30 p. m.
Great interest is expected to
center on several tight races for
posts in the State Young Repub
lican organization, particularly
for president and vice-president.
Regarded as top contenders
for nominations for national
committeeman and committee
woman are Worth Little of Al
bermarle and Mrs. Anne K.
Hickman of Winston-Salem.
Both are to date the only an
nounced candidates for these in
fluential posts.
Mr. Little, Clerk of Stanly
County Superior Court, la. im
mediate past president of North
Carolina Young Republicans.
Mrs. Hickman seeks re-election
to the national committeewom
an post.
Announced or likely candi
dates for president of the State
organization "arc Charlie Frank
Benbow Jr. of Winston-Salem,
W. E. Stevens Jr. of Lenoir and
W. E. Cobb of Morganton, the
incumbent president.
Dog Owners Are
Warned by Chief
Chief of Police Walter John
son calls the attention of the
people to the nuisance occasion
ed in the community by the
ravages of bands of stray dogs,
and insists that those with dogs
who value their pets, keep them
confined, otherwise it would ap
pear that the canines will have
to be destroyed.
Chief Johnson says many
householders are reporting the
killings of chickens by the dogs
and other property damage is
noted. Official notice is given
that drastic action will be taken
if dogs continue to run at large
in the city.
Craven Talks To
Son in Scotland
Mr. J. R. Craven of Boone
talked by telephone to a ?on,
Rt:v. John W. Craven. In Edin
burgh, Scotland, last week,
h Mr. Craven, anxioub about the
weUarc of hit son in the influ
enza epidemic sweeping the Bnt
Uh Ixlen, got prompt connection
with London and had hit ion on
the wire in a few minute*. Rev
Mr. Craven ir. a student at Edin
burgh University, whore he ia
working toward hia Ph.D. de
gree
Wf W/llf
$TR?N67HEN
i/B?#rr
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
OFFICIAL POSTER MARKING THE 41CT BIRTHDAY
President To Open
Scout Week Tuesday
VOCALISTS TO
ATTEND CLINIC
High School Choir Members
To Participate.
Members of the Appalachian
High School Choir who will at
tend the North Carolina (West
ern Division) Choral Clinic arc
as follows:
Beth Eggers and Betsy Hugh
es, sopranos; Orlando Brown
and Neva Ann Norris. altos; Joe
Edmistcn ' and Jimmy Johnson,
tenors; Oixon Quails and Jerry
Troutman, basses.
The' group will leave Boone
Friday morning, attend several
rehearsals that gay and Satur
day, and participate in the con
cert to be given at 7:30 at Mars
Hill College. The clinic will be
under the direction of Mr. Char
les Bryan of George Peabody
College.
There will be approximately
one hundred and seventy parti
cipants from twenty schools in
this section of the state, and the
clinic promises to be a worth
while experience for those tak
ing part in it' The students ?t
tending frjm Appalachian High
arc under the direction of Elsie
H. D. Ernes ton, and have been
chosen from the eighty-three
studentq In the choral groups.
?
Boone Scout* To Be
Participant* in
Observance.
President Truman will greet
12 outstanding Boy Scouts in the
White House on February 6,
opening the 41st anniversary of
the Boy Scouts of America. Boy
Scout Week will be observed
February 8 to 12 in every part of
the nation by more than 2,790,000
boys and adult leaders.
"Strengthen Liberty" is the birth
day theme.
At "birthday parties" during
Boy Scout Week throughout the
nation each member will re
plcdge himself to the Scout Oath
Local Scouts will obterv*
Box Scout Week with various
activities, highlighted by the
Scouts taking over the Town
of Boone Saturday, February
10.' Many churches will hon
or the/ Scouts on one Sunday.
A Father-Son banquet is being
planned. Details of these activ
ities are expected to be re
leased next week for publica
tion.
or Promftc. In each community
repreiicntiitivcs of'the churches,
schools, go^rnmcnt and business
will observe the anniversary with
(Continued on page two)
MRS. WILLIAM CULLER DIES IN
CRASH OF AUTO AT LYNCHBURG
Mr*. William Emmett Culler, j
45, formerly of Boone, and
whose husband in a native of
Zionville, Watauga county, died
In Lynchburg General Hospital
January 17, a few hour* after
she had been hit by ? trick in
front of her home on Ward's j
road, in that city.
Death was caused by multiple j
fracturcs and internal injuries. 1
State Trooper T. R. Sexton
raid the driver of the pickup
truck was Winston D. lloelschcr, |
42, Route 2, Lynchburg. He wi?
taken before Lawrence Kalwetl.
Campbell county ju?ticc of the
pcacc, and bonded to appear on
a technical manslaughter charge
in Rust burg Trial Justice Court
? Sexton said the right front of
the truck struck Mr?. Culler.
There were sho,rt skid mark*
after she was hit, the trooper
1 KM
pullci W4S a iMtiv? uf,
Boone. tlu> daughter of Robcy
and Martha Dfavis^ssacs. She
win a nitmbcr of South Lynch
burg Baptist Church, where fun
eral service* were conducted.
Survivors include hor hus
band, William Emmett Culler,
one ion, A. B. Culler of Lynch
burg, five daughters, Mrs. C. C.
Wilson and Mrs. W. M. Neigh
bors, airport road; Mrs. E. P.
Greene of Newport News; Mrs.
C. E. Bales of Ward's road and
Margaret Culler of Lynchburg;
two brothers, Charles Isaacs ot
Akron, Ohio and Zar Isaac* of
Boone, and three sisters, Mrs.
Belle Johnson of Sllverston. N.
C* Mn. C. L. BriUioti of Mor
ftanton, N. C.. and Mrs. Zora
Johnson ot Lenorm, N. C.
Funeral services were held
last Saturday at 2:30 p. nf. In
South Lynchburg Baptist
Church Burial was in Port Hill
Burial Park. JU&P
March of Dime* Goes
Into Home Stretch
With Intensified
Activity.
It was announced today by
Jim Taylor, director of Watauga
March of Dimes, that $1961.00
had been raised in the current
catnpaign toward the $3000.000
goal assigned to this county. The
Boone Demonstration school was
leading as the largest single con
tributor to the cause. Already
the children of the local elemen
tary school have raised in exccaa
of $350.00.
The girls of New Dorm at the
collcge decided that instead of
the usual picture in the annual
that they would make this con
tribution to the March of Dime*.
Also, a student committee from
the college was named consist
ing of Jack Park, chairman, and
Don Cheek, Don Felton, Mack
Haynes, Jack Neal, Bill Cleary
end Whitey Propst. This group
has been making collections at
the local ball games and using
every other effort in their all
out drive to raise additional
money for the war against polio.
A number of important events
are scheduled for this week. On
Thursday night, February 1st at
the high school auditorium, Ed
Waugh and his orchestra will
play for the annual President's
Ball. Tickets are now on sale at
the Farmers Hardware, Boone
Drug Company, The College
Bookstore, County ' Headquar
ters, and of course, at the door
on the night of the dance. The
chairman of this important soc
ial event is Wayne Richardson.
Mrs. Mary Hamby will be in
charge of decorations for the af
fair. On Saturday night at 8:00
p. m. #t the courthouse there
will be a county-wide singing
with eleven quartets of this area
participating. All proceeds of
this event will go to the March
of Dimes. Not only have these
public spirited citizens agreed
to sing at no cost to the local
chapter, but they have also ob
ligated themselves to buy tickets
at the regular rate for their ad
mission. Mr. W. H. Gragg ha*
kindly consented to serve as
Master of Cermonies for this
song fest. Tickets will be on sale
at the door for SO and 25 cents.
Also, the Mile o' Dimes stand
will be established again on
streets this Saturday.
Methodists To
Take Dry Pledge
Boone Methodist Church will
join with the Methodist Church
throughout America to observe
Commitment to abstinence from
beverage alcohol day on Sunday,
February 4.
The occasion is the third an
nual observance in accordance
with the program established by
the general conference of the
Methodist Church meeting in
Boston in May. 1948. The special
day is set to fall each year of the
Quadrenium on or near the first
Sunday in Lent.
For two preceding years, sev
eral hundred thousand Metho
dists over the nation have joined
in pledging themselves to total
personal abstinence from the
use of beverage alcohol. In fur
therance of the occasion, a card
signifying personal abstinence
is provided for individual sign
ers. This year the card Is en
larged to cover other phases of
the Methodist concern on the
entire matter of the beverage
alochol question including the
sale of beverage alcohol, its ser
vice in the home and at public
occasions, and the use of pro
perty for the conduct of the traf
fic.
Commitment cards were dis
tributed to the local congrega
tion on last S-iHhiy by the Pas
tor and the announcement was
made that the observance would
; be held at the appointed time in
the local church, February 4th.
ALASKAN CONSTRUCTION
A public works construction
program in Alaska (or the /Cur
rent fiscal year will coat around
f 1,892.780, according to Secre
tory of the Interior Chapman. A
major share of the amount will
go to construct and equip a five
story, office buiWln* in Juneau.