BOONE
ltK POPULATION U71
WATAUGA DEMOCRAT
An Independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1888
IMS POPULAT1AM 1U41
WATAUGA COUNTY
of paramount Importance Blue Rli
**~rkway traveraos county, and loud
inf Rock, one of mm
mm raaorta of ~ '
VOL. LXV.? NO. 17.
FIVE CENTS PEE COPY
Throngs Expected To Meet Here
For College Homecoming Program
Hundreds of former students of
Appalachian State Teachers Col
lege, and Its parent institutions
are expected to converge on the
campus next Saturday, to parti
cipate in the 53rd annual home
coming festitvties, and alumni as
sociation officials believe thd? at
tendance this year will be the
largest in history.
The complete schedule iff
homecoming activities is as fol
lows: .
A luncheon meeting will be
KING
STREET
BY
ROB RIVERS
THE FINALS
The local campaign moves in
to its final stages, and the talk
along the street is -centering more
and more on the election, the
commissioner race dividing hon
ors heavily with the race for the
Presidency . . . Many who are
not familiar with the individuals
and issues in the county race,
know Adlai and Ike by radio and
television oontacts and are
whooping up their candidates
with considerable zeal . . . But
tons and banners and placards
are being shown . . . Most folks
will wear a button, at least until
they get out of sight of the pur
veyor, but we have noticed that
lew business nouses win display
a placard . . . Some say 'twill
hurt business ? they want to be
neutral . . . But since few if any
of us along the street are neutr
al, what's the matter with pasting
up a portriat of Stevenson or
Eisenhower? . . . Shouldn't dam
age the local economy, specially
at a time when the emphasis is
on voting the country over . . .
And if, perchancc, someone would
question your being for someone
. . . what of it?
'NEATH THE SURFACE
There is always an under
current of political gossip, of
unspeakably ridiculous reasons
why one should support one
candidate or the other . . .
Back a few years ago, voters
were promised the penalty of
grass in the streets, later they
were told the Pope would run
the country if they weren't
good . . . More recently, in cer
tain sections of the Blue Ridge,
an effort was made to terrorise
the folks with the whispered
gossip that Roosevelt would
gather together all the Bibles
and burn them like the stubble,
if he got the fourth term . . .
With all the rancor of the
present campaign, we don't
seem to find responsible people
using the kind of vicious pro
paganda which has featured
some of the campaigns of the
past . . . Incidentally, one of.
our trusted spies gives us a
movie report . . . Bays the
cheers and boos for Ike and
Adlai are running about even
Stephen, 'mongst the news reel
enthusiasts.
SHARP AS A NEEDLE
Those of us who were bred and
reared in the hill country have
a lot of ways of expressing ad
miration for folks-for the preach
er, the President, the candidate,
or the man on the street . . .
People of superior intelligence
are often referred to as "brainy,"
and the simile comes in with
"Bright as a dollar," "smart as a
steel trap," and "keen as a raz
or." . . . Then those who turn a
clever phrase are sometimes said
to have a lot of book learning, are
"smart" . . . But the other day
one of our friends, in referring
to another fellow, sized his intel
lect up in one word ? "knowledge
able." . . . We use most of these
terms, grew up with them, but a
fellow branched off the other day
and stopped us cold . . . We ask
ed him how the county was go
ing, what he though of the chanc
es of the outs to become the ins
again . . . "About like 'Dickens'
ducks.' " he allowed and voiced
surprise that we didn't know
the score from that remark . . .
We've tried hard but for the life
of us we don't catch the connect
ion . . . Unless he meant, "Just
wobbling along."
MANY VISITORS EXPECTED
Saturday >* Homecoming day
Jown at the College. and the
alumni of tha bnmadiaia as wall
af far past, will ba gathering
k great one another and to
flsit with the townspeople
whom they knew while they
(Continued on page four)
Local Printery
To Start On
Expansion Plan
The Rivers Printing Company,
publishers of the Watauga Demo
crat, announces an expansion
program, which is soon to take
place, and which will include the
installation of a considerable
amount of the most modern
machinery, to increase the range
of production of the local estab
lishment.
At the same time, additional
personnel is to be provided in
the months immediately ahead,
Rob Rivers, owner, states.
The expansion in the com
mercial printing department of
the local printery, follows a
modernization of the facilities of
the Watailga Democrat which
has been going forward for two
years or more. It is the purpose of
the ownership to keep pace with
the most improved newspaper
and printing production practices.
held at noon in the college cafe
teria, and H. C. Jones of Oak
Ridge , Military Institute, presi
dent of the Appalachian Alumni
Association, has asked all alumni
who plan to attend the luncheon
to make reservations by mail to
the Association at P. O. Box
2232, Winston-Salem. The reun
ion of old grads ? those who at
tended Watauga Academy, Ap
palachian Training School, and
Appalachian State Normal
School ? is scheduled for 10:30 a.
m. with J. Paul Winkler, 1929
graduate and former association
president, in charge.
The Homecoming football game
between the Mountaineers and
East Carolina College will be
played on college field at 2 p. m.
Saturday. The game matches two
of the North State Conference's
arch-rivals.
bther Homecoming activities
includc: Friday ? Homecoming
play by the Playcrafters at 8:30
p. m. Saturday ? registration
from 9:30 a. m.; "Old Grads" re
union at 12 noon: Homecoming
parade and floats through campus
and town at 12:30 to 1:30; Foot
ball games at 2; reception for
alumni at 4; and Homecoming
dance at 8 In addition, open
house will be observed during
the day in college residence hous
es.
G.O.P. Candidate Says
Carolina Is Behind
Herbert F. Seawell, Republican
candidate for governor of North
Carolina, told a Boone audience
Saturday that "North Carolina
is not a first class state."
Speaking to an overflow crowd
in the Watauga County court
house, he maintained that "after
!>? year z of solid Democratic rule
in this state we are 43rd in edu
cation and 44th in per capita in
come compared with other states.
In health, with the finest climate
in the world, we have more boys
turned down for the Army by
reason of health than any other
state in the union."
The Carthage atorney said he
has traversed the state "from the
sea to the mountains" in 84 coun
ties in an effort to make North
Carolina "a two-party state and
Health Leader
Works In County
Mrs. Ruth T. Jobe, health ed
ucation supervisor for western
North Carolina from the State
Board of Health, worked in the
Health Department in Boone two
days last week. A district-wide
survey is being made of the serv
ices and facilities of the Health
Department in order to have a
better understanding of its needs
and available services if these
needs are met.
Miss Doris Tillery, consultant
secretary of the State Board of
Health, spent three days of last
week in the local Health Depart
ment working, with the secretaries
of the three counties of the dis
trict with regards to records, re
ports and filing procedures rec
ommended by the state.
Mr. J. S. Ameen and Mr. Frank
R. BlaisdelL, engineers from the
State Board of Health, were in
Watauga County during last week
in the interest of the water sup
plies of Boone, Appalachian State
Teachers College and some of the
county schools.
Mrs. Mary Wagner
Rites Are Held
Mary Elizabeth Wagner died
at her Deep Gap, Route 1, home
on Friday, October 24. She was
88 years of age.
Funeral services were hold-Sun
day, October 28, at the Laurel
Springs Baptist Church, conduct
ed by the Rev. Levi Greene, as
sisted by the Rev. Victor Trivette.
Survivors include a son. Car!
Wagner, and four da^hters: Mrs.
Ellen Parsons, Deep Gap; Mrs.
Eunice Bowles, Kingsville, Md.;
Mrs. Pearl Wall, Aberdeen, Md.;
and Mrs. Hollie Adams of Todd.
Also surviving arc <Jhe brother
and on* sister.
Registration indicates vote of
M,6?9,890 on Nov. 4.
get rid of one-party prejudice"
that it might "take its proper
place in the nation."
He said he had found interest
at a record high in making North
Carolina a two-party state, ad
ding "In my opinion, Eisenhower
will carry North Carolina."
He charged that the Democratic
party "put the bite on state em
ployees for campaign funds, and
shortly thereafter raised their
pay to fit the situation." That,
he said, is corruption.
Hitting out at the Democratic
slogan of "We've never had it so
good," the gubernatorial aspirant
told his enthusiastic GOP audi
ence that "every dollar we got
has blood on it" and that "the
Democrats can't take credit for
this alleged prosperity without
taking the blame for the wars
which produced it. Between a
Hoover cart and present day al
leged prosperity are over one
million coffins and the best blood
in America."
After declaring that he loves
the South and is steeped in its
traditions, he said: "The South,
compared to the rest of the na
tion, is first in ignorance, first in
crime, last in health, last in per
capita income, and solid Demo
cratic."
Walter P. Johnson, GOP can
didate for Congress from the
Ninth District, made a short talk
preceding Mr. Seawell's. He also
told the crowd that a two-party
system for the state is essential.
White t]anc Drive
Short Of Goal,
Boone Lions Told
After enjoying a delicious meal
of ham and all the trimminga.
President Harmon called for the
"Muddy's" report, which is al
ways the relaxing period. Then
he asked for an introduction of
guests and several were present.
Lion Melton, chairman of the
committee for the blind, stated
that the White Cane drive for
)271 was a little short, and that
each member was given an op
portunity to raise his subscrip
tion and to secure family mem
berships. Lion Huff turned in 25
non-club memberships. Then
Lion Melton introduced Joe Ring,
who is a case worker for the
bill A in Watauga County. Joe
told what he was doing for the
Ulnd .ind reviewed briefly the
history of the organization for
the state. He is encouraging bet
ter relations by having get ac
quainted meetings, picnics, and
assisting the unfortunate ones by
securing medical aid through the
doctors. They have in the or
ganization a rehabilitation coun
cil which meets once a month.
Lion Blanton from the high
school announced a campaign to
raise funds through the subscrip
tion to a birthday calendar.
Lion Gragg welcomed into the
club two new members, Zeb
Kirk, and State Highway Patrol
man Robert C. Buckner, and will
present them with their creden
tials next meeting.
Lion Wey appointed a commit
tee of seven lions to assist the
boy scout troop in an advisory
capacity, and whatever other as
sistance could be rendered in the
absence of ths cout master. The
Lions Club is sponsoring the
troop. The committee appointed
consisted of Lions Wey, Shaffer,
Tugman, Hodges, Jr., Gragg, Rog
ers, and Melton.
Lion Reynolds, chairman of the
program committees, called on
Lion Shaffer to take charge of the
program tor the Evening, ahd
since this was "Hobby Night," a
program of photographic hobbies
was given. Lion Shdffer showed
colored slides taken in and
around Boone of landscapes and
towers made by Lion Parker. He
also showed slides made on his
visit to the Orient, which con
sisted of scenes of buildings and
people of China, then back to
Miami Beach, and ending up
with pictures made on. his honey
moon. He talked on the purpose
and value of visual aids in the
schools. He has two photographic
clubs in the high school now.
Next, Dr. Yodcr, who was an in
vited guest and member of the
Appalachian College Faculty,
showed slides that he had made
of scenes around the college cam
pus, Boone and Blowing Rock.
These were very interesting and
all in color. Lion Workman was
?next with colored movies that he
had made in and around Boone,
and in Watauga County last fall
when the coloring was best.
Almost every legume commonly
grown for hay in the United
States grows well over the greater
part of North Carolina.
7,000 Wataugans To Cast
General Election Ballots
Christmas Seal Sale
Started Last Week
Plans for the annual Christmas
Seal Sale drive in Watauga
County got' underway last week
with the appointment of Miss
Helen Underdown of Boone as
Seal Sale Chairman for Watauga
County. The drive will open of
ficially on November 17, but
much of the initial work will be I
done prior to the actual start of
the drive.
Mrs. Carl Francis, Executive
Secretary of the Ashe-Alleghany
Watauga District Association, an
nounced this week that contests
will be conducted this year in
connection with the Seal Sale
with prizes being awarded in
each contest. Mrs. Corky Owsley
will have charge of the contest
for this county. As in the past
several years, the Seal sale will
be sponsored by the Business and
Professional Woman's Club.
A mailing list has been compil
ed which includes 2,800 names
of people in the county and seals
will be mailed to these people.
Mrs. Francis said she hoped
every person contacted this year
would respond generously. In
view of the fact that the only
way of combatting tuberculosis in
the county is through money
raised by the sale of Christmas
Seals, every person should co
operate. This is also the only way
in' which the county's quota (or
the continuance of th? three
county association c?n be met.
The goal for Watauga County
this year is $1200.00,
The seals and supplies for
conducting the drive have al
ready arrived and been distri
buted to the workers in each of
the three counties in the associa
tion. No personal contahct work
is planned this year, but bonds
and seals will be mailed directly
to businesses and individuals.
Dale R. Coffey
Dies Saturday
Dale Reese Coffey, 4-months
old son of Mr. and Mrs. B. J.
Coffey of Blowing Rock Route 1,
died unexpectedly at the home
of his parents on Saturday, Oct
ober 25.
Graveside services were held
Sunday at 10 a. m. at the White
Springs Baptist Church at Boone
Fork.
Surviving are the parents, one
sister and five brothers, all of
the home.
Former Boone Cafe Man
Dies In Auto Accident.
Jesse G. Greer of Lenoir, for
mer owner of the Boone Trail
Cafe of this city, died almost in
stantly about five o'clock Sunday
afternoon at Gowahsville, S. C?
10 miles south of Tryon, when
the automobile he was driving
was struck by another vehicle,
at a crossroads.
Seriously injured in the mishap
were his wife, who sustained
fractures of both arms; and Mrs.
W. M. (Bill) Frazicr, sister of
Mrs. Greer, who sustained the
fracture of several ribs, broken
collar bone, and other injuries.
Mr. Greer, well-known Cald
well County lumber dealer, was
driving J. A. Marshall's Dodge
sedan at the time of the accident.
Funeral services were conduct
ed at two o'clock Tuesday after
noon at Greer Funeral Home
Chapel with the Rev. HaTlan L.
Creech, pastor of the First Meth
odist Church of Lenoir, officiat
ing. Burial was in the Greer
family plot at the Chapel of
Rest, Episcopal, in Yadkin Val
ey.
Mr. Greer was born in Yadkin
Valley, June 29, 1884, the son of
(he late Edmund Hickurson Greer
and Anne Steele Greer. He at
tended public schools in The
Valley, and Lenoir Academy.
He was married to Miss Minnie
Dysart, the daughter of the late
Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Dysart of
Lenoir.
The Greers moved to Lenoir
from The Valley four years ago
after their farm home was des
troyed by fire. He had been en
gaged in the lumber business
most of his life. He had been a
member of the Yadkin Baptist
Church since early manhood.
Surviving in addition to his
wife arc a daughter, Mrs. Mar
jorie Brown of Lenoir; three sons,
Jesse Greer, Jr., of Reidsville;
Edmund Greer of Morganton; and
John Greer of Charlotte; and
four grandchildren.
, Also surviving are si* sisters,
Mr?. Frank Pritchard, Mrs. Fan
nie Greer, Mrs. Eugene Jones
and Miss Judy Greer, all of Hap
py Valley; Mrs. Frank Powell of
Lenoir, and Mrs. L. P. Baker of
Atlanta, Ga., and a large number
of nieces, nephews and cousins.
Nurses' Home Is Immediate
Goal Watauga Hospital Group
The building committee of the
Watauga Hospital, Inc., is start
ing its finance campaign this
week, with the hope of raising
$25,000 for the new Nurses Home,
which with the $63,000 from the
North Carolina Medical Care
Commission would assure a mod
ern nurses residence and com
plete the equipment at Watauga
Hospital. /
While solicitations of the ad
vance gift campaign are not yet
started, five or ten individual
firms have indicated contribut
ing $1,000 to this worthy cause.
Stanley A. Harris, director of the
campaign, insists that eight to
ten must be secured in $1,000
subscriptions before the active
campaign starts and the advancc
gift committee will get busy this
week.
The active campaign will start
on November 10 and it is hoped
to be completed In one week.
Everybody in Watauga County
is going to be urged to make some
contribution to the nurses home
and to complete the equipment
of their hospital.
Chairman of the committee
i
cits the following reasons why
we must have a nurses home:
1. Since it's reorganization, Wa
tauga Hospital has steadily in
creased its services. The number
of employees have also increased
accordingly. The payroll of Feb
ruary 1, 1849 shows that there
were 17 on the payroll; now then
are 47 people employed.
2 .At first, the registered nurses
staff conaistcd of local women
who were willing to work tem
porarily until the hospital got
started. They, of course, had their
own homes and there waa no im
mediate need for a nurses home.
Since that time, however, it has
been necessary for the hospital
to bring in people from other
towns in order to keep a balanced
staff. These people, quite natural
ly, had to be accommodated.
3. The hospital now rents apart
ment* in town and with other
maintenance expense the coat is
approximately (300.00 per month
just for accommodations. With a
nurses home, thia amount might
be applied to the operating of the
home.
4. In as much aa the various de
partmcnts must operate, or be in i
readiness to operate. 24 hours a j
day, it is necessary to know at all j
times, where the personnel con- ;
cemed are. With a nurses home, ;
this matter could be accomplished ?
and, the services could be greatly j
improved.
'9. Due to the location o( the
hospital, it 1* necessary for the
apartment to be at least two
blocks away. Thii is rather in- -
convenient in case of an immedi
ate emergency and also at night
when the weather is rough. Then
too, some of our people are rather
afraid to walk alone this far in
the middle of the night.
8. Non-professional employees
could afford to work for a lower
salary until they learned their
work if we had provisions for
their full maintenance.
7. The State and federal Gov
ernment, through the North Car
olina Medical Care Commission,
have appropriated $63,000.00 for
this nurse* residence and if we
do not take the initiative aA<f tie
up these funds, they will go to
some other place. With the pry
sent situation, it is uncertain if
another appropriation could be
secured within ten years. The
most conservative business man
would put up $21,000.00 it he
could get $84,000.00 in return.
8. Watauga Hospital is truly the
medical center of Watauga Coun
ty. No other institution can begin
to match it In the variety of ser
vices offered. To secure the nurs
es home would enable us to main
tain this standing by being assur
ed at all times of a place to house
our professional and non-profes
?ional people.
9, We can never have a nurses
training program until we have a
nurses home. With the college so
close by, we are ideally situated
to develope a nurses training
program.
There are many more reasons,
but these arc the main ones.
The building committee is com
posed of Stanley A. Harris, chair
man. W. R. Winkler, Clyde K.
Greene, Guy Hunt, Robert Agle.
D. L. Wilcox, Mrs. Grady Moretz.
Mrs. Gordon Winkler, and G. K.
Moose.
Xmas Parcels
For Men Overseas
Should Be Mailed
Chri.stmas parcels for members
of the Armed Forces overseas to
be mailed *by November ISth to
insure delivery by Christmas.
Size and weight limits are the
same as domestic surface parcel
post are applicable with some
execptions which a limit of 50
lbs. per parcel. They should be
of metal, wood or strong double
faced corrugated cardboard tied
with strong cord, two lengthwise
and two crosswise. The contents
should be tightly packed with
ample cushioning material.
Air parcel posts hould be mail
ed by November 25 to insure
delivery. Air parcel post other
than official is limited in size of
30 inchcs length and 2 pounds in
weight.
Democrat To
Tell Vote Tale
In Next Edition
The Democrat will endeavor
to get out its edition right on
time next Wednesday. However
should the issue be late, it will
be due to the fact that the elec
tion returns cannot be compiled
Tuesday evening.
If it is necessary to run a little
late in order to gather local elec
tion returns, it will be done. The
publisher invariably experiences
difficulty in securing the returns
from some of the outlying pre
cincts.
Football Game
To Honor Dads
The football game Friday, Nov
| ember 7, between Appalachian
High School and Croronore will
be in honor of all dads, and es
pecially those of the football
team.
The dads of the football play
ers will meet at 7 p. m. for coffcc
and doughnuts. They will sit
together at the game and will be
introduced at halftime.
AH other dads are cordially in
vited to* see Appalachian High
play the last game of 1052 season.
Final Effort
For Farm Bureau
C. A. Clay, President Farm
Bureau, Watauga County has an
nounced the last drive for Farm
Bureau membership will meet at
the Skyline Restaurant on Nov
ember 7 at 7:30 p. m. He urges
every member who is on the
membership committee to be pre
sent with their report. It is very
important to have these reports
in by November 7.
The possibility that 10,000,000
young Americans will see service
in the armed forces in the fore
seeable future has been stressed
by Frank Pace, Jr., Secrtary of
the Army. Such a figure, he said,
would mean that 30,000,000 per
sons in the United States tfbuld
be directly or indirectly affected.
Campaign
In County
Been Quiet
Democratic and Republican
candidates and precinct workers
are making final plans for the
election which will be held next
Tuesday, when something more
than seven thousand Wataugans
are expected to go to the polls
and register their choice for
President of the United States,
for State offices, for Congress,
and for county positions.
Registration books closed last
Saturday, and while the Demo
crat hasn't been able to get a
complete tabulation of the new
voters, the current registrants do
not amount to any great number.
Saturday is to be observed as
challenge day.
Quit* Campaign
rne local campaign nasn i ma
tured too much enthusiasm, but
candidates and township leaders
are beginning to show more
activity as the last week of cam
paiging gets under way. The
Democrats have had only one
rally, a YDC gathering, which
occurred before the campaign
really got under way, when Re
presentative Doughton and Hugh
Alexander, candidate for Con
gress, spoke. The Republican
campaign has been featured by
several speeches here. Hobart
Morton of Albcrmarlc; Herbert
Scawell, G. O. P. candidate for
Governor and Walter Johnson,
ninth district candidate for Con
gress, have spoken.
Both parties are maintaining
headquarters offices. The Demo
crats are holding forth on South
Water Street at the original
Lovill law office building, while
the Republicans have offices ov
er the Parkway Co.
Absentee ballots arc being is
sued from the offices of the Wa
tauga county board of elections
in the W. R. Lovill office next
door to the Watauga Sales and
Service, Buick agency.
Interest is fairly high here in
the Presidential election, while
on the State ticket the contest
between Hugh Alexander and
Walter Johnson, for the Congres
sional seat being vacated by vet
eran Representative R. L. Dough
ton, is regarded as of outstand
ing importance.
The county ticket is as follows:
For State Senate: Edwin Dun
can, Democrat; Carl Jones, Re
publican. I
For Representative: Clyde Per
ry, Democrat; William L. Wink
ler, Republican.
For Register of Deeds: Miss
Helen Underdown, Democrat, al
so nominated by Republicans.
For Surveyor: W. R. Vines,
Democrat; Joe J Miller, Repub
lican.
For County Commissioners:
Clyde Moretz, Grady Greer, Bert
Mast, Democrats; Paul A. Coffey,
Clarence Watson, Leonard Wil
son, Republicans.
The nation's forty-one largest
cities collected $2,125,000,000 in
taxes from their people in the
1951 fiscal year, or an avorage
of $61 per head, according to the
Census Bureau. This was about
two-thirds of the total re, venue
of these cities.
Bethel Farmer Grows
132.6 Bushels Of Corn
Harold Farthing, of the Bethel
community, has the highest esti
mated corn yield according to
figures released by R. G. Shipley,
chairman of the 19S2 com grow
ing commotteo. Mr. farthing's
estimated y>4ri was 132.6 bu.?n
one acre of land. He grew the U.
S. 13 hybrid.
Second place in the estimate*!
yield goes to Roy K. Hartley,
Blowing Rock on 127.0 (A. pro
duced with W. Va. 1163 hybrid
on upland soil. Third place goep
to Ray Clark, FFA boy of Shulls
Mills, with an estimated yield of
110.6 bu. produced on bottomland
with the W. Va. 1163 hybrid.
Frank Bolick, Boone, and Ros
coc Cooko of Bamboo had esti
mated ytelds of 112.3 and 112.2
with the W. Va. 1163 hybrid. Mr.
Bolick'i corn is on bottom land,
and Mr. Cooke's on bench land.
Johnny Lentz, Blowing Rock
came in for sixth place with an
cxtimatc of 100 bu. with W. .Va.
1163 hybrid on upland soil.
The estimates were obtained
by harvesting !2Vi feet of corn
at ten predetermined locations in
the field. The moisture wm det
ermined by Dr. Paul H. Harvey,
In charge Plant Breeding Re
search a* Stat* College.