? BOONE ?
lMfl POPULATION 1.972
gvsasr! sk?
SUte Tuchtr. CoUe?.
hundreds ot students .
?11 parts of the nitloQ
MM district. A coed place * live
WATAUGA DEMOCRAT
An Independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1 888
WATAUGA COUNTY
1IS0 POPITLATIAK 1U41
VOL. LXV.? NO. I.
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NOBTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, JULY 3, 1#52.
FIVE CENTS PER COPY
KING
STREET
BY
ROB RIVERS
THE BIG WEEK
With "Horn in the West" just
getting into stride and with the
Fourth of July in the offing,
Boone is expecting one of the
largest crowds in history for the
remainder of the week, and
tourist courts, hotels and the like
are making reservations daily
for the people who want to come
to the hills, cool a bit, and take
a look at the Kermit Hunter
drama, which many believe to
be his best job, and which is
drawing large crowds to the
magnificent new Daniel Boone
Theatre, which within itself
would justify a nominal admis
sion charge.
THEY LIKE IT
Ruction to the premiere of
the Horn is splendid . . . Both
home folks and visitors are
gratified at the color and the
pageantry, and the drama of
the production which depicts
the colonial history of the re
gion. and glorifies the inner
urge of normal men for free
dom and independence, and
human dignity . . . We can
think of no better way to
spend a couple of hours during
the celebration of the Fourth
. . . The day and the drama
blend mighty well.
THE PARTING OF THE WAYS
Another old friend is missing
from along the street, and anoth
er bit of sadness finds its way
into the community which has
been so sorely smitten in the
days of the immediate past . . .
Ck'vo Gross, whom wc greeted
on most of our frequent trips to
the postoffice, where he added
a full share to the efficiency of
the postal plant, has gone away,
and we reflect briefly upon a
deep friendship which began
away back, and which persisted
until our ways parted . . . Cour
teous, generous and kind, Cleve
Gross was an outstanding ex
ample of our better folks, and
was one of our most patriotic
citizens . . . Fighting amongst
the poppies on Flanders fields ?
shedding his blood for his coun
try, teaching in the public schools,
and inculcating in the blossom
ing minds his ideas of good citi
zenship and square dealing;
working for the Government in
civilian employment; as a Dea
con in the church, a leader in
public thought and action, Cleve
Gross measured up to a lot more
than the most of ite . . . We en
joyed our brief but regular ses
sions over by the flagpole or at
a postoffice lobby desk, where
we exchanged views on the news
of the day, and talked of many
things . . . Even when his step
had slowed, and his work was
becoming burdensome ? when his
shadow had lengthened a i the
sun descended, he held fast to
his interest in the welfare of his
fcllowman, and did a continuing
part in fashioning a better soci
ety for tomorrow, when he'd be
away . . . We shall cherish the
memory of a happy soul who
confided in us, who cheered us
along the way, and who walked
with us in good fellowship, in
fair weather and foul, and never
lost faith in his fellows.
"PAUL SAID TO* MR. ED"
With no idea of commerciali
sing ???n ? few lints of thii
column, we call attention to th*
unique adT*rtis*m*nt running
regularly in th* Democrat, en
titled as above, and edited by
Paul Winkler, local insurance
man . . . Paul writes about
various things in his column,
promotes a local campaign,
spins ? good run or Just talks
about his ' business ? one can
never tell, and that's the reason
folks read it . . . The idea has
been noted by the Mill Owners
Mutual Fire Insurance Co. Des
Moines. Iowa, and the company
produces on* of the complete
ads in its house Organ, th* par
ticular on* stressing th* local
cancer drive . . . Incidentally
the nationally-circulated paper
perhaps did some good tor
Boon*, as such, sine* at th*
bottom of th* clipped ad la a
strong plug for "Horn in th*
Westl" . . . Anyway Paul is
pl*?sed that his copy la being
nationally noted.
Mast Gets 14 Months
In Highway Death;
Judgments Listed
James Patterson Mast, who
was tried last week in Watauga
Superior Court for involuntary
manslaughter in the death of Mrs.
Wilson Hollars, Vilas, was giv
a sentence of 14 to 18 months in
the State penetentiary, in the
court of Judge H. Hoyle Sink.
- Mrs. Hollars was injured by a
truck driven by Mast April 19,'
near her home, as she was on her
way to church, and died several
hours later. Mast pleaded guilty
to involuntary manslaughter.
Tracy Triplett, of Triplett, who
was charged with manslaughter,
driving drunk, and driving after
license had been( revoked, was al
lowed to continue his case until
the September term of court by
Judge Sink. Triplett's case in
volved the death of Janice Good
night, S year old daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. J. C. Goodnight, who was
killed by an automobile said to
have been driven by him on May
31. on Highway 421.
Judge Sink had 115 cases be
fore him in the special criminal
term of court, according to rec
ords in the Clerk of Court Fred
(Continued on page four)
Earl D. Cook Is Named
New Sheriff of County
Earl D. Cook, chairman of the
Republican Executive committee,
and former tax collector of Wa
tauga county, was sworn in as
Sheriff last Friday, to fill the
unexpired term of the late A. J.
Edmisten, who defeated Mr.
Cook in the election of 1050.
Mr. Edmisten and Representa
tive Wade E. Brown were the
only Democrats to win office in
that year, and the political status
of the sheriff's office changes
due to the election of a Republi
can board of commissioners,
which has the appointive power.
Sheriff Cook has been chair
man of his party for many years,
was tax collector for a long time,
was rural mail cartier, and for
mer automobile dealer. More re
cently he has been engaged in
the conduct of his modern tour
ist court near Boone.
Spelling Champ Will
Be Greeted By C. OfC.
Greene Predicts
Easy Taft Victory
CLYDE R. GREENE
Clyde R. Greene, chaii*man of
the board of county commission
ers and delegate at large to* the
Republican National convention,
leaves at noon Saturday for
Chicago, where next week he
will take part in the nomination
of his party's presidential candi
date.
Mr. Greene, a member of the
original Taft committee in North
Carolina, flatly predicts the
nomination of Senator Taft about
the second ballot. He believes
the campaign of General Eisen
hower has failed to attract any
considerable number of delegates
since the Oeneral's return from
Europe. Id fact he believes Taft
has gained considerably more
during the period than has the
General.
Those accompanying Mr.
Greene to Chicago are J. E. Hol
shouser of Boone; Fred Von
Cannon of Banner Elk, tenth
district alternate delegate; U. S.
Grant Bauguess of West Jeffer
son and Mr. A. Z. Goforth of
Statesvillc, Republican county
chairman of Iredell county.
Red Cross To
Meet Monday
The Watauga County Chapter
of the American Red Cross will
hold itf annual meeting at 8:00
p. m. July 7 in the county court
house. All persorii who contri
buted as much as one dollar dur
ing the 1952 Fund Drive are con
sidered member* and arc entitled
to jittrnd.
An antibiotic, streptnnipcin
sulfate, has been found effective
in controlling a bacterial disease
of bean seedlings. Thi? finding
opens up a new approach to the
control of plant diseases caused
by bacteria, fungi, and viruaes.
North Carolina's national spell
ing champion, 13-year-old Doris
Ann Hall of Hudson, will be given
a royal welcome by the people
of Boone and Watauga County on
July 8.
Doris Ann will attend that
night's performance of the new
outdoor flrama "Horn in the
West" as guest of the Southern
Appalachian Historical Associa
tion, sponsors of the drama. Be
fore going to the Daniel Boone
Theatre to see the play she will
be honor .guest at a dinner meet
ing of the Boone Chamber of
Commerce.
Invitations to Boone were is
sued to Doris Ann by Dr. D. J.
Whitener, executive vice presi
dent of the historical association,
and Herman W. Wilcox, president
of the Chamber of Commerce.
"Like the other residents of
North Carolina," wrote Dr.
Whitener, " the officers and mem
bers of the Southern Appalachian
Historical Association arc proud
of your national spelling cham
pionship and congratulate you on
uflnning this honor for North
Carolina. We would like to show
our (appreciation by inviting you
to be present July 8 as honor
guest for a performance of "Horn
in the West."
Doris Ann will find friends and
relatives among those greeting
her in Boone. Although this will
be her first trip to this area since
she won her spelling crown in
Washington May 22. she has often
visited in the home of her great
aunt, Mrs. Nora Moretz, of Boone,
Route 2. Her mother, the former
Miss Frances Coffey, is a native
of Watauga County and has a
wide family connection among
well known residents of the coun
ty.
Dougherty At
Duke Meeting
Durham ? Dr. B. B. Dougherty,
President of Appalachian State
Teachers College, is participating
in Duke University's centennial
conference on teacher ,
June 24, 25, and 26.
These, along with some 250
other educational leaders over
North Carolina and surrounding
slates are dealing with problems
of public school and university
relationships. Featured speakers
and panel group leaders include
nationally known educators who
spearhead discussions on such
vital issues as how to prevent too :
narrow specialization in the cdti- J
cation of teachers.
The conference t? part of
Duke's teacher education centrn- i
nial. One hundred years ago
Duke's forerunner. Normal Col
lege, was made the first Southern ,
institution empowered to grant i
degrees m teacher education, by i
act of thr North Carolina legisla- i
turc. I
Rites Arc Held
?
Friday For Geve
Lawson Gross, 60
Cleve Lawson Gross, 80, em
ployee of the Boone postoffice
(or the past 14 xears, died at the
veteran*' hospital, .Mountain]
Home, Tenn., last Wednesday,
following a long period of declin
ing health. He had been seriously
ill, however, but a short while.
Funeral services were conduct
ed at Oak Grove Baptist Church
Friday at 2 o'clock. Rev. C. O.
Vance, Rev. Grady Hamby, Rev.
Victor Watts and Rev. Edwin F.
Troutman took part in the rites,
and burial was in the Hine cem
etery. Members of the American
Legion posts in Boone, Blowing
Rock and Deep Gap participated
in bestowing full military honors.
Members of Battery E. Field Ar
tillery Unit, to which Mr. Gross
was attached during the first
world war, were pall bearers.
The widow, Mrs. Ethel Gross,
survives, with one son. Corporal
Gerald Dale Gross. There are two
sisters, Mrs. Minnie Lewis and
Mrs. Hettie Hodges of Boone.
Mr. Gross was born in Wilkes
county November 25, 1891, the
son of Isaac tind Bethania Gross.
He professed faith in Christ and
united with South Fork Baptist
Church at an early age. Later
he moved his membership to Oak
Grove Church, whare he was a
member of the Board of Deacons,
and taught a .class in Sunday
School for many years.
He enlisted in the army in
July 1917, in Battery E 113th
.Field Artillery, 30th division, a
volunteer unit organized at Le
noir. He served for two years,
several months of which, were
spent in active comK?t on the
Western front. Serious wounds
were received while in service
from which he never fully recov
ered. He taught school for a
number of years after the war
and had been employed at the
postoffice (or the past 14 years.
He was a chartcr member of Wa
tauga Post American Legion, and
had held most of the post offices.
He was finance office at the time
of his death. He was an active
member of Snow Lodge No. 383,
A. F. & A. M? and had been
chairman of the Democratic Ex
ecutive Committee of Watauga
County.
Doughton Day
Program Slated
Concord ? "Bob Doughton Day"
corcmonies will be held at Webb
Field in Concord July 12 honor
ing retiring U. S. Rep. Robert L.
Doughton.
Dr. G. L. Land, Jr., president
of the Concord Young Democrat
Club, and Clifford Brown, presi
dent of the Kannapolis YDC, an
nounced plans for th? event
this week.
The Cabarrus County YDC
chapter is sponsoring the event
which will honor the veteran Tar
Heel Congressman for his 42
years of continuous service in
Congress. Rep. Harold D. Cooley
of the Fourth Congressional Dis
trict, will be the principal speak
er.
Others who have announced
plans to be present include Gov
ernor-Candidate William B. Urn
stead, U. S. Reps. Woodrow
Jones of the Eleventh District.
C. B. Deane of the Eighth, Her
bert C. Bonner of the First, and
Carl T. Durham of ? the Sixth
District, William Staton of San
ford, president of the statewide
YDC, will also attend.
Offices Gosed
For July Fourth
The offices in Watauga County
Courthouse will be closed both
Friday and Saturday, July 4 and
5, for the purposes of commemo
rating Independence Day, accord
ing to Fred Gragg, Clerk of Court.
No business will be transacted
in any of the county offices on
these two days.
Need Rooms
For Visitors
More ulecping accomodations
ire nagged (or "Horn in the c
Wont" visitor*, according to Mr*.
Miriam Rabb, publicity director.
Anyone having overnight room*
availatUo if urged to call 182 or i
229. giving name, addrcaa, and
number of accomodation* avail
able. :
'Horn in West' Receives
Plaudits of Press, Public
?
NANCY WARD, the beautiful Cherokee wh > befriends the pioneers in their struggles
against the King^ soldiers during the Revolution, puts her trust in the white doctor as her
son lies dying and the Indian medicine man tries scaring away the evil influence of epi
demic. The scene is from "Horn in the West," Kermit Hunter's new drama, which opened
in Boone last Friday and which has been playing to large crowds each evening. Samuel
M. Greene portrays Geoffry Stuart, the young English doctor, and Louise Lamont plays the
part of Nancy Ward. The medicine man's dance is by Harry Cobble, choreographer for the
production. ? Asheville Citizen photo.
Wataugans Give Nod
To Alexander, Bobbitt
Watauga cauntians went to the
pollt Saturday in increased num
bers and reiterated their prefer
ence for Hugh Q. Alexander for
the Democratic nomination for
Congress, at the same time hand
somely endorsing the candidacy of
Judge William H. Bobbitt, of
Charlotte, for the State Supreme
Court bench .
Alexander polled 1751 votes as
against 183 for Graham Carlton
of Salisbury, while Bobbitt gar
nered 1624 long-term votes as
against 162 for Parker.
The Board of Elections met
Tuesday and certified the official
election returns. The vote by
townships in the congressional
race follows:
Townships
Bald Mountain
Beaver Dam
Blowing Rock
Blue Ridge
Boone
Brushy Fork ........
Cove Creek
Elk
Laurel Creek
Meat Camp
Meat Camp No. 2
New River
North Fork
Shawneehaw
Stony Fork
Watauga
Al*x. Crlton
13 8
263 27
29 50
5 1
316 19
103 11
397 9
6 0
169 13
96 4
9 0
216 11
11 0
28 6
54 7
34 17
Total ....
Majority
1751
1568
183
Blowing Rock Is Set
July 4th Celebration
By MRS. LUCILE LETT
Blowing Rock, N. C? July 1. ?
The 6th annual Fourth of July
cclcbration will get under way
on Friday morning at 10:00
o'clock with a ball game on the
ichool ball diamond. Blowing
Rock All-slars will play the
Gamewell team.
At 2:00 o'clock in the afternoon
the annual Gymkhana and Pet
Show will take place at the Horse
Show grounds. All local and visit
ing children ire invited to take
part. Mr. Lloyd M. Tate of Tate's
Stables is in charge of the after
noon events.
The annual Community Sing
will take place at 8 o'clock that
evening in the Municipal Park
on Main Street witli the singing
of patriotic and religious songs
and readings, alto spirituals by
the colored folks here at this
time.
This portion of the days activi
ties is under the direction of Dr.
H. E. Spcnce, Mrs. Margaret
Rcincking .and Or. Coker.
Featured on the program will
be Mavor Jake Jones who will
give the addresi of welcome;
Rev. Thomas C. Seitz, Vicar of
St. Mary's of the Hills Episcopal
church here who will ask the
invocation; Dr. Spencc, Mrs.
Rcincking, and Dr. Morris Lazar
on.
Group singing and special
number* will be featured. Pian
ists will be Mrs. Ernest Banner
and Mrs. John G. Bard^n.
Following the Community Sing
there will be a street dance in
the block between the Bank and
Berryman's Grocery Store with
Mr. Lloyd Tate as master of cere
monies. Square; dancing will fol
Continued on page 1, 2nd section
Alexander Is
Primary Winner
Hugh Q. Alexander, Kanna
polis attorney won the ninth dis
trict Democratic congressional
nomination Saturday, defeating
Graham Carlton of Salisbury by
a wide margin.
Returns from all but ten of the
182 precincts in the district gave
Alexander 22,079 to 12,484 for
Carlton.
Alexander had led Carlton and
Mark Goforth in the first pri
mary, but was short of a clear
majority over both.
Farm Loan Office
Moved To Boone
The Wilkcsboro National Farm
Loan Association moved its of
fices to this city Tuesday, and at
the time the move wa* accom
plished the name of the Associa
tion was changed to the Boone
National Farm Loan Association.
Mr. S. C. Eggers of Boone, the
president of the Association
states that Mr. T. E. Haigler,
Land Bank manager for the State
will be in charge of the office
until a manager is named. Miss
Arlene Thomas of Watauga
county is assistant secretary.
Officials Ask Public Aid In New
War on Rabies; Dogs Quarantined
Mayor Gordon Winkler and
Chairman of the Board of Com
missioner* Clyde Greene, join in
asking (or the full cooperation
of the people In enforcing the
dfk quarantine which haii been
renewed for 90 days by the Dis
trict Health Department.
In pointing up the seriousness
of the (ituation the official! say:
'Two cases of rabies the past
wttk have caused the health de
partment to extend the dog
quarantin?for 00 days from July
1. The lay says that every dog
mutt he vaccinated ugauwt rab
ies during. tiie year and during
quarantine must not run at large.
The lut thing we want to do In
to kill any valuable dog. How
ever we have an obligation to the
pcAlc io assist In (tamping out
raws. 0
"In thi* matter we intend to
do our duty a* belt we can and
aak our citucns to comply with
the law and understand when it
it ndcewary to kill a dog. There
is no known cure for rabies, but
the disease can be controlled. It
should and can be .stamped out
by an aroused public.
"The iltuation it not yet alarm
ing but could become critical.
We Want to ask for the full co
operation of the people in com
plying with the law." ?
Premiere New
Drama Friday
By VIRGIL G. ROLLINS
Kermit Hunter's latest and
greatest outdoor drama, "Horn
ih the Wert," was thrillingly pre
miered here last Friday night at
the beautiful new Daniel Boone
Amphitheatre to the accompany
ing plaudits of press and public.
The near-capacily audience of
first-nighters from twenty states,
variously estimated at 2,200 to
2,500, sat enthralled for two and
a half hours as a superb cast
brought to pulsating life the
author's vibrant story of the fight
for freedom by the pioneers of
the Southern Appalachian high
lands during the turbulent decade
from 1770 to 1780.
In a single night the new play
took ifs place alongside such
established successes in the field
of outdoor dramas as "The Lost
Colony," "The Common Glory,"
and "Unto These Hills."
To say merely that the offer
ing was well received would be
an understatement. The enthu
siasm of the acclaim was genu
ine, and the sincerity of the re
marks unmistakable. "Best one
yet"? "wonderful performance"
? and "I could sit here all night"
? were typical of the tributes
heard on all sides during and af
ter the performance. . Critics
pronounced it "a worthy accom- *
plishment, in script and produc
tion."
The excellently chosen cast,
who had apparently received
mass inoculation against "opening
night jitters", brought sensitivity
and warmth to each role in a
nearly flawless interpretation of
the exciting, humaa story of tthc
tpen and women who carved a
civilization out of the wilderness
of the Southern Appalachians as
they sought peace and freedom
from the tyranny of the British
crown. They lived the story, and
the audience lived it with them.
A well-plotted story with fine
ly-drawn characters, "Horn in
tfic West" represents a departure
in two important respects from
Kermit Hunter's two previous ef
forts in this field. In "Unto
These Hills," which opened its
third season at Cherokee on Sat
urday, and "Forever This Land,"
presented for the first time last
(Continued on page two)
C. Of C. Meeting
W ith Farmers
The next regular meeting of
Boone Chamber of Commerce
of Commerce will be held in co
operation with the county farm
program and to which all farm
ers and home demonstration club
members in the county arc invit
ed. Mr. Raymond Rosso n, county
agent of Washington county,
Tennessee, will be guest speaker.
The time of the meeting has been
changed to an evening meal in
stead of' the usual noon meal so
that it will be more convenient
for out-of-town folks to attend,
and will be held at the Skyline
Restaurant at 6:15 on Tuesday
evening July 8th. The menu will
be fried chickcn and will be
served for about $1.00 a plate.
Doris Ann Hall, National spel
ling champion of America, will
also be guest of the Chamber of
Commerce.
Stores To Close
Independence Day
The Mcrchunts Association of
Boone has recommended to its
member stores that they observe
Independence Day by remaining
closed on Friday, July 4th, and ft
majority of the places of business
have indicated that they will be
closed on that day. Exceptions
will be drug stores, restaurants,
and ?ervi<ft stations, most of
which will be open for the con
venience of Ihcir patrons.
The Northwestern Bank In
Boone will be closed both Friday
and Saturday, July 4th and Mh,
according to. an anouncement by
Alfred T. Adams, cashier. ?
The post office will obscCTe a
holiday schedule on the Fourth,
with the windows remaining
closed. Mail will be received ard
dispatched as usual, however.