VOL. LXIV? NO. " . ? rc /M. An Indepeiftlent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1888 BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 7, 1#52. FIVE KING STREET BY ROB RIVERS ? * m GROUND HOG DAY dawned murky, and while we thought Old Sol's radiant face was obscured all day, some of the folks, say J>e peeked from behind a cloud alohg about midday, giving the ground hog a chance to aee his shadow, and an excuse for high-tailing it into his den, to live out the six ?peeks of frigid westher, which the groundhog ore vow, will come, if sun shines on the hog on the second day of February . . . There's not as much talk of the ground hog in relation to the weather, or in relation to any thing else, as there was a few years ago, but we mountain men, with all our pretentions toward latter day culture, peek at the sky more or less anxiously on the day they say the pig uses for his prognostications . . . But, one of ?our chuihs allows: "Can't under stand it . . . Why God ? would have made the rich black earth, and warmed it with the breath of the sun . ? why He made all the beasts and the fowls, and the fiahes in the seas, and made mu himself, and set the universe In motion . . . and feien turned over six weeks %f the weather to a pesky groundhog ... It don't add up!" ? BUT DOWN AT BERT ELLIS' Store, wa bear, the question was in tha mix. and a ?hopper dacriad the whittla pig thaorr. "There's nothing to it," ha vMred. Bart was said to have averred, "Rob Rivers be lieves in ground hog day . . . Dapand* on an Almanac with tha pictura of tha ground hog on and nnli^| his. plans br tha oCcoma of ?groundhog day." . . . Tha doubtfu^ona is said to hava facad about, 4 changad his raasooing and * "jinad" us on tha spot . . . And thara's a pal . . . anothar ona to ba ramambarad at Christ mas timal ?* ? ? HERE AND THERE; Julius Hubbard, veteran North Wilkes boro editor, calls at the Demo crat office, and offers his con gratulations to tit local journal on its continuing program of ex pansion and improvement . . . The high praise of the neighbor below the ridge is appreciated . . . Mrs. Will Hayes, fast surv<^ ing member of the family of the late W. W. D. Edmisten, tranActs business at the Democrat officc, and visits pleasantly . . . She left us ^two dollar bill, and we won der ?why they're considered un lucky, and why those who handle them invariably tear off a cor ner to stymie the jinx . . . Itinerant preacher, exhorting mightily to a considerable ^owd, which turned its collective back on the sermonizer when a couple of Tom cats set to fighting back toward* the rear of the lot . . . Week-end downpour damageAhe Globe toad, so that Lenoir traf fic, wh|0i normally comes that way, had to retrace to Lenoir, and come to Boone via North Wilkesboro . . . Ernest Hicks, called here on account of the illness of his mother, reports on the "Watauga . settlement" of Ohio . . . Ban^ tellers invariably, tyirn the bills all the same way . .? The photd of Jefferson, or Lincoln, or whoever it is, has to be topsid^. . . Best information we were able to get ofi this painstaking practice, through our favoife wicket, was "They just lpok nicer thata way!" Lawns take on sreenish look as warm rains si A deeper into the sod, and home gardeners take a look at their plots and finger the lithographed pages of the seed catalogs . . . Dr. B. B. Dougherty, who taught us ^ . good many things a long time ago, visits with us, and talks of the friends of yore, and of the future of the land, and of the bright prospects for the continued rapid growth of Appalachian College, which had its inception in the. minds of the Dougherty Brothers more than fifty years ago. PURLOINED PHILOSOPHY To err i a human, but if the ctucr wean out ahead of the pfltril you are overdoing the thing. You don't have to stay awake nights to be a success . . . Just stay awake days! ? Southern Cot ton Oil Co., Bulletin. In 1950, more than three fourths of all farms in North Carolina were without tractors QUEl^J LEAVES ? Western North Carolina Burley Tobacco Queen Doris Perry of Watauga County got a warm send-off as she prepared to boAd the plane at Asheville that took her to a Daytona Beach, Fla., vacation. Left to right Myron C. Peterson of the sponso^ng Asheville Merchants Association; Mrs. J. W. Hoyle, who is accompanying the queen; Miss Perry, Crady Byrd, chairman of the Tobacco Promotion Committee of the Association; Mrs. Crystal Sorrells, Association secretary; L. Roy Philips of the Association, and D. H. Jack son #f Delta Afclines. #The expense-paid Florida vacation for both the queen and her com panion was one of the prizes the Zionville girl won when she was selected for the crown last fall from a field of candidates from throughout the western area. (Asheville Citizen Times photo.) ? State Orchestra Clinic To Be* Held In Boone Drama Group Raises Goal Of Over $50,000 The Southern Appalachian His torical Association Monday even ing fissed Jhe $50,000 goal mark, in its efforts to raise funds for the production of Kermit Hunt er's "Horn in the West,"* but Stanley A. 0arris, chairnran of the finance committee, says more money is urgently needed, and he wants everyone who can to pur chase bonds in the Association and thus contrHute to the pro duction of the outdoor drama. Meantime the following new names have been addltl to the list of those who have pledged one thousand dpllars each: Dr. I* G. Greer, Kerm/t Hunter, Chapel Hill; Mr. Hdfch Williams, Coca Cola Bottling Co., Hickory; Frank Smith, Erwin Smith, henoir. Edward Hagaman Is Found *Dead ^dwa rd Boone Hagaman, 59, prominent citizen of Laurel Creek township, was found dead in bed at the ancestrtf Hagaman home near Windy Gap, Satur day. He was last seen in the neighborhood Wednesday. Due to the fact that his Thursday newspapers remained on the porch, it i#assumed that he died spmetime Wednesday or Wednes day night. His death is attribut ed to a heart aRack. 0 Funeral services were held Sunday at 2 o'clock at the Tim bered ?dge Baptist 'Church by Rev. W. C. Payne, Pastor, and Rev. Herring Crisp and burial was inr Zion Hill cemetery. Deceased was a son of the late ?D. W. Hagaman and Mrs. Haga man and was reared in the home in which he died. Hi was a Naval veteran of the first world war. He had been a member of the Timbered Ridge Church for 41 years, had served as treasur er, Sunday School Superintend ent and teacher. Two brothers and two sisters, survive: Henry Hagaman, Valle Crucis; J. E. Farthing, Reese; Mrs. M. E. Keller, Waynesboro. Ky.; Mrs. Susie Trivett, Reese. ? Gyde Greene To Aid In Taft Race David S. Ingalls, National Cam paign Manager for Senator Rob ert A. Taft, announced this week the appointment of Clyde Greene, Boone, along with six other Re publicans, to constitute a Taft Committee in North Carolina. Others named were Frank C. Patton, ' Morgan ton. chairman; John L. Morchcad. Charlotte; John A. Wilkinson, Washington; W. C. Meekins. Asheville; Buford Henderson. Winston-Salem; and Clifford Frailer, Greenaboro. 0 The contmittce announced its plans to begin Immediately inter grating the Taft sentiment in North Carolina and transforming it into convention vote*. 1 Waddell Jo Speak At C Of C. Meet WILLIAM S. WADDELL William #. Waddell, publisher of the Elizabeth ton Star, Eliza ibethton, Tenn., will be the guest speaker at the Chtunber of Com merce meeting Tuesday, Febru ary 12, at 12 o'clock. All mem bers and friends are urged by Manager Stanley A. Harris to at tend. Mr.# Mark Goforth, highway commissioner also plans to at tend, and a report will be made on the Watauga River dam. ? The board will present a list of projects to be worked on in 1952, and plans for a more aggressive Chamber of Commerce will be presented. In announcing the meeting Mr. Harris says: "Mr. Waddell is one of East Tennessee's outstanding leaders, whose influcnc"is felt over the entire state. He is also definitely our friend and_has been more coojmrative ^tlrBoone than any othCT man outside the State. He knows the tourist business well, and everybody interesfel in Boone and its development should try to bear him." Lions Club, Rotary To Play Basketball The Lions Club and the Rotary Club will play a basketball game at the Appalachian High School gymnasium Thursday at 7:30 p. m. All proceeds will be given to the March of Dimes fund, and the admission will be fifty cents per person. Nationally Known Figures To Attend Clinic Which Will Be Attended By Members Of Every Orchestra In State. ? *On Friday and Saturday, Feb ruary 15th and 16th, the North Carolina All-State High School Orchestra will hold its annual clinic and concert of the campus of Appalachian State Teachers College in the fine new Music and Art building. This building recentlj^served as the site for the Western Division of the All State Band Clinic. Approximate ly 100 of Um tinast high school onihAra musicians in the State rvil^ make up the personnel of this youth orches^a. Mr. Paul Paintejf* Director of the Music Extension Division of the. Uni versity of Illinois, and a nation ally know figAe in orchestral circles, will conduct the orches tra in rehearsal and concert. Every high school orchestra in the^State of North Carolina will be represented in the cftnic, in cluding thoS# from Winston Salem (Reynold^ High), Greens boro, High Point, Salisbury, Kan napolis, and Charlotte (Myers Park, Central, Technical, antf Harding High). This fine orchestral group has, in past years, received national recognition for the outstanding calibre of its performances. Re cent activities of the orchestra (Continued on page five) President's Ball Here On Saturday Ed Waugh'i Orchestra will provide the music for the Presi dent's ball, which is to be held at the High School gymnasium Saturday, February 9 at 8:30. The dance is being given by the Forty Nighters, local dance club, and the proceeds will go to the March of Dimes fund. The admission will be $1.00 per per son. W. C. Greer Quits Hardware Store Mr. W. C. Greer, vice-president of the Farmers Hardware & Sup ply Co., sincc the business was founded on January 101925, has sold his stock in the firm, and has retired from all business ac tivities. Mr. Greer's stock was purchas ed by Clyde Greene, * Cecil Greene, Turner Storte and R, D. Hodges, Jr. ^ Harris Thanks Fiscal Campaign Workers Stanley A. Harris, chairman of the finance committee of the Southern Historical Association has asked the Democrat to ' ex press his appreciation to every one who worked in the financial campaign and to everyone who bought bonds. Mr. Harris said, "It is a grand demonstration of what Boone can do when our people really get down to busi ness and try. We pawed the foal we set of *50,000 but there to (till a great many people who should have been interacted enough to buy bonds, who have not done no. There are three group* in particular who ahould invest in bond*. Every person in Boone who hai rooms to rent will great ly increase the possibility of renting that room, b? it a singly Jv. '? room or a motel apd they should give evidence of the intercut they have In this drama and the fu ture of Boone, by purchasing bond*. Then the filling itatioiu will certainly profit greatly by having more people come into Boone. And last, but not least, restaurant! and cafes will pro bably profit moat of all. Every one of these should purchase one or more bond*. Because the cam paign is officially over docs not mean that bonds are not now available and those who have not expressed their willingness to purchase bond*, should call the office or see Mr. James Marsh, treasurer, at the bank." Merchant fleet gained 113 ship* in 1991, federation report*. * {kd, 'I'fJSm'-: M&oM Norf olk'& W estern Asked To Build Line To Boone * Produce Growers! To Hear Experts At All-Day Meet Grower* of produce (or sale in Watauga County will have a chance to hear specialists in their respective fields of research and vegetable disease control at an all-d?y meeting the Boone Court house Friday, February IS, be ginning at 9:10 a. m., L. E. Tuck willer County Agent announced this week. In making the announcement, Mr. Tuckwiller explained that: "Watauga County farmers plant almost 2,000 acres of vegetables for sale each year and another 1,500 or more acres to Irish pota toes. It takes a lot of your money for seeds,* plants and fertiliber besides a lot of labor to produce these crops. Then insects, plant diseases, ^nd sometimes weather tries to destroy your crop. What can you do about it?" Bhat's the purpose of this meet ing ? to explain to growers what can be done to |plp them get best results from their money and labor. < "We are trying raised $290.83; The Boole Demonstration School sent in <451.78, and the final return on ,, the quartet singing showed re ceipts ot $5431#.. . h A complete report of the cam paign will appea* when results an compk#. j < * is