Newspapers / Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.) / Dec. 17, 1953, edition 1 / Page 1
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WATAUGA ItM POPULA An Independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1888 felXTY -SIXTH YEAR. ? NO. 23 BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1M3 2 IS PAGES - 3 SECTIONS KING STREET BY ROB RIVERS "DEAR SANTA CLAUSj ..." ThU time of year the Democrat features a lot of the letters the little folks send us . . . Messages for Santa Claus, and as one of Santa's faithful helpers we are glad to put the messages in the paper, and relay them to Santa, and we hope the genial man from the Polar places will be able to make the children happy again this year . . . Meantime, we enjoy being allowed to read some of these letters . . . They don't con tain the sadness they did in other days, but they reveal the faith of little children in the Good Saint Nicholas, and their unsullied capacity for good clear and clean thinking, in a world where the minds of the adults are fuzzed up with politics, atom bombs, business and often plain cussed ness. DOLLS. BIKES AND BALLS The little girls are still ask ing the man with the white whiskers for frilly dresses, can dy. dolls, watches, rings, even cosmetics, while the boys crave trumpets, cap busters, air (una. 42 rifles, bikes and skates, and dogs . . . And we liked the brief note of a little boy. whom we would imagine to be th^robust. smiling, carefree type, with a twinkle in his eye. He says! . "Deer Santa: I want a football." . . . Nothing else* DOES HE READ 'EM The second grade kids down at the Boone school favored this scribe with a letter the other day, along with a lot of letters to San ta; which are published today . . . "Does Santa read the letters you put in the Democrat?", they ask, "and could you tell Santa we have been . working hard . . . We have learned a lot about the first Christmas." ... As a guy who has defended Santa Claus through thick and thin, and who regularly spots some Soda Pop and cake for our childhood friend, we are happy that , the little children want us to print their Satita Claus letters . . And San ta Claus will reading them, and we shall add our hope that there'll be a happy Christmas for all the children who are "being good boys and girls" and "work ing so hard" ._ . . Christmas with out Santa Claus wouldn'.t work out well, and without the spirit of Santa, there would be an awful void ;n the holidays . . . We pause for a look when there's a big Santa in a window, walk an extra block to see one of those bell-ringing Santa's helpers be side a chimney pot, and have de fended the reindeers, and the sky-sleigh, and the bottomless pack, andi the chimney top en trance . . . Of late years wc have added Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to Donner, and Blitzen, and the others, and have accept e<_Hard Rock and Coco and Joe with no mental reservations . . . We hope we never grow weary' of the red-coatcd man with the white whiskers, and the sled and the reindeers, for the children would be sad, and we'd be un happy . . . THE FIRST CHRISTMAS But back io the kiddles . . . and their wholesome outlook on the Christmas scene . . . They I seem to be able to look back beyond (be teddy bears.' and the bikes, and the dolls, and the tanks and trinkets, and to see the maimer and the babe . . . Jimmy Cannon sent us a little diseertation the other day entitled, "the First Christmas.", which (hows what we mean. Jimmy writes: t "And it came to pass that in those days the Roman Emperor, .Caesar Augustus, ordered all peo <pte to the place of their birth to pay taxes. Joseph and his wife Mary had to go to Bethlehem, lfary rode the donkey and Joseph walked by her side. "When they reached Bethle hem they could find no place to sleep because there were so many people there. Finally the inn keeper found a place for them in 4 stable. "During the night friendly beasts were awakened by a bright light which made the stable light Et day. was a sign that a dear pie baby had been born to Mary pd Joseph. "Angels sang on this first Christmas night because Jesus wys bora.* ./ , V. Ife J CHAMBER FETES APPALACHIAN GRIDDERS? Head Coach E. C. Duggins (standing) of Appalachian State Teachers College, introduces members of his coaching staff and varsity football squafl, who were entertained last Tuesday by the Boone Chamber of Commerce at the annual football luncheon. Inset shows guest speaker Frank Spencer, sports editor of the Winston-Salem Journal. At lift is All State Halfback Shirley Gabriel, special guest of honor, in center is Coach Francis Hoover, and directly below Coach Duggins are Chamber of Commerce President H. W Wilcox, and Barnard Dougherty, Appalachian State business manager, who introduced Mr. Spencer. ? Staff photo by Joe Minor. Burley Sales Near 2,000,000 Pound Mark On Boone Market The Boone Tobacco Market again had full sales each tales day laat week, and through Fri day had sold 1,684,206 pounds lor a season average of $53.61 hund red. Monday's sales of 236,228 pounds for a $52.93 average brought the season's total through that date to 1,920,436 pounds. Wednesday and Friday sales are expecte4 to bring the total pear the two-and-a-half million pound mark. ("Considering the quality of the tobacco, the prices have been ex cellent," said Stanley A. Harris, sales supervisor. "A number of the better crops have averaged very close to $60, and some as much as $63." The market closes for the Christmas holidays after sales on Friday of this week, and will re open on Monday, January 4th. There is abundant room on the three big warehouse floors in Boone to take care of a million pound* of tobacco, said Mr. Har ris in urging the farmers to get their tobacco ready and bring it in during the Christmas season. "Every basket of tobacco is in sured as soon as it reaches the floor," he continued, "and it is definitely safer in the warehouses than it is in your own barn. The warehouses will be open continu ously until the opening sale after Christmas, which will be at Fanners Burley No. 1 at B a. m. Monday, January 4th." R. C. Coleman, operator of the Boone warehouses, who is him self a big farmer and a practical tobacco man, said, "In spite of all our pleading to keep the tobacco dry, there" was a considerable quantity of wet tobacco last wee It, and there is absolutely nothing 1 can do to presuade the buyers to pay anything like the maximum price for wet tobacco. Keep your tobacco dry and get it, on the floor dry, and if it is graded carefully, I can get you a satisfactory price for it." - . Local Student, Winner Of Navy Cross, Leader In State Program By EARLEEN G." PRITCHETT The young man,' who, this past week, .was elected to .head the Student Division of the North Carolina Association of Health, Physical Education and Recrea tion, has an interesting story, that may not have been known to a number of the people who elect ed him to thla state-wide office. He ia- Raymon G. (Mac) Smith, now a junior at Appalachian State Teachers College. At Appalachian, of Omr?e, and throughout the North State Ath letic Conference, Mac is known as an All-Conference football' hero and leader in good sports manship. "But the 23-year old native of Chicanauga, Georgia, has yet a better claim to glory, and recent ly the government of his country took note of this and paid tribute to this hero of the Korea war by awarding him the nation's second highest military decoration, the Navy Cross. Mac enrolled at Appalachian in 1949 as a freshman, and made football history that year by be ing named to the North State All Conference team. Bat in 19SI he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, and was sent to Korea. There, on October 6, 1992, Private First Class Smith, with Company H, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Reginfent, 1st Marine Division, stood guard over his wounded buddies and beat off successive, enemy attacks with a bayonet lashed to a broken car bine. He mended the broken com munication wires of his platoon when the enemy laid down an artillery bombardment, suffering severe wounds from his exploit, thai returned to his position on the firing line and emtying his automatic weapon into hordes of advancing hostile troops until his ammunition was Exhausted. Then Smith put (he bayonet and car bine together in makeshirt man ner and flood -in front of the command port bunker, where his buddies were waiting for a res cue unit, and as the enemy charg ed the bunker again and again. Smith f;ought thefn off. The enefiy teased hand grenades at the bunker, and Smith picked them up and threw them right buck, finally, the rescue unit ar rived, routed the enemy, and Smith, painfully wounded, as sisted in the litter work with the woqnded until he collapsed to the ground with exhaustion from his wound*. And the next several month* he spent in a hospital in I I |j ? y MAC SMITH Korea and Japan. So, his country has taken notice of the brtvery beyond the call of duty of Mac Smith, hero ex traordinary. But Mac is a modest young man. He does not talk of hi* wartime exploits. Many of his collegemates at ASTC, where he re-enrolled this fall, do not know that he holds this high hon or for valor and fortitude. But they do know that, for their money, he can have an award any day for bravery and courage and quick thinking and popular ity on the football field and on the campus. | And now he has been honored furthered by all the young people over the state, for these very qualities which go to make up a great leader of men ? bravery, quick- decision, fair play, good spi^tmanship. consideration for oMpfellowman, modesty, ability. The people at ASTC and in Boone are especially happy that Mac is president of tba ntudenti division of the North Carolina ? Association of Health, Physical! Education and Recreation. They feel that he \yill do the Associa tion honor as he serves in this of fice. He is that kind of leader. New Clinics Are Established The District Health Department announces a new clinic will be held in Boone twice a month for maternal cases and well babies. The clinics will be held on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Expectant mothers and well babies and pre-school children, who are not under private medi cal care are invited to attend the clinic. Dr. H. M. Wilaon will be the examining physician. * The Health Department^ an nounces that the immunization clinic which has been held on Fri day afternoons is being discon tinued Parents are requested to bring their children in for im munizations on Monday morn ings. 1 Most Businesses ' To Observe Two Days Christmas ; A majority of the business places in Bqone will be closed Friday, December 25, and Satur day, December 26, in observance of the Christmas holidays, accord ing to an announcement by G. R. Andrews, president of the Mer chant! Association. The Northwestern Bank will observe the same two days by re maining closed, said Alfred ^iapis, cashier. The. town office wi^l be closed Christmas Day only, and the county offipes in the court house will close for the Christmas holi days Wednesday, December 23, and will reopen Monday, the 28th. Acting Postmaster Lyle Cook an nounced that the post office Win dows will be closed Christmas. Day only, and added that the windows will remain open all day Saturday, December 19, for the convenience of patrons. Schools Of County To Close Friday For Christmas ' The couhty schools wtll close for the observance of the Christ mas holidays Friday afternoon December 18th, according to Superintendent W. H.- Walker. Mr. Walker states that the schools will reopen as follows: Boone, Green Valley and Park way Tuesday morning December 29. These schools will be in ses sion Saturday January 2. Treasure Island In California on will start Monday morning, Dec ember 28th. , : i Dink Berry, 68, Taken By Death Dink Lenoir Berry of Boone, Route No. 3, died suddenly at his home Thursday, December 10, at the age of 68. Funeral servics were conducted fey the Reverends Ed Hodges and C. O. Vance at the Oak Grove Baptist Church Saturday at 2 p. m. Burial was in the White Springs cemetery. Mr. Berry is survived by his widow, Mrs. Blanche Berry, six sons. Ray, Billy, Bobby and Stan ford, of Boone, Granville Berry of Vilas, and Loftin Berry of Char lotte; on* daughter, Iiviogene of Boone; two brothers, Hard Berry of Lenoir, Grover Berry of Hic kory; and two sister, Mrs. Addie Townsend of Lenoir, Mrs. Delia Andrews of Valdese. Rites Are Held For Mrs. Fletcher Mrs. Mary Ann Fletcher of Su gar Grove, died at her home Monday, December 14, at the age of 81. Funeral services were scheduled to be held Wednesday at 1 p. m., at th? Antioch Baptist Church, with burial in St. John's Cemetery. -The Rev. W. C. Payne was to be in charge. She ia survived by her husband. Conley D. Fletcher, two sons. James, of Sugar Grove, and Grady Johnson of Sherwood; two brothers, John Johnsoii of Roa noke, Va., Jim Johnsoo of Buf falo, Ark.; one sister. Mrs. Mar tha Fletcher of Zionville. Mrs. Harris Is Iredell Agent Mr*. Joan Baird Harris was ap pointed assistant home demostra tion agent in Iredell county Mori day to succeed Mrs. Nancy Myers. Mrs. Harris was graduated from Appalachian State Teachers Col lege in May 1953 with a very outstanding record and a BS de gree In home economics and sciene. At present her husband is a member of the armed forces, stationed in Georgia, and Mrs. Harris will reside with her par ents, Mr. and Mrs. Vaster N. Baird at th? Piedmont Experi ment Station, SIMmvIHc. The 'Baird* are from Watauga countt and have lived in S(Me? ville far the past twelve years. Although one Ameriaan in every alx lived on farms last year, the net income from agri culture was only 7 per cent oTthe total national income. College Music School Is Nationally Accredited Scouting In Watauga Entering New Phase Scouting for boys of " Watauga | county was launched on a new and larger future iji a meeting held Wednesday, December 0, at the Gateway, Cafe. About twenty five business and professional men were present to hear an out line of the program and an ap peal for action from Rev. Joe Shackford, this year's director of scouting in Watauga county. Mr. Shackford explained that a plan was on foot to finance a field representative for Watauga, Ashe and Wilkes counties, with headquarters in North Wilkes boro. With such a man servicing the area, the scouting program could reach full stature, Mr. Shackford said, and local volun teer workers could have a feeling of organization and outside con nections and support that had been missing in the past. The present single field work er for. the Old Hickory council is now responsible for the area just mentioned, Mr. Shackford explain ed, and also for Mt. Airy-Surry, Stokes, and Elkin-Yadkin. The new plan will cut in half the area to be* serviced by each council field worker. This added help will be especially valuable now, yvith new scouting units just or ganized or in prospect in Watauga at the Parkway school, Perkins ville, Cove Creek, H e n s o n ' s Chapel, the Boone Negro school, and probably other places. The civic leaders present im mediately expressed support of the new program. More than $200 of increased financing was pledg ed, and thos4 present also agreed to contact others in the commun ity for additional contributors. Plans were also mentioned at the meeting for an appeal to the people of the county for part'eir pat ion ip the financial support of the expanded program of field service. It was also announced that the organization aQd extension qpm mittee, of which Glenn Andrews is chairman, will bring two Scout officials to Boone on December 15, 16 and 17 for a series of meet ings. These officials are Court land Baker, Old Hickory council scout executive, and John Shutt, regional deputy scout executive. They will meet with leaders In the several communities where organization of units is under way. , Mr. Baker will also be in Boone Mr. Shackford stated, on Janu ary 11-14 to conduct a course for the volunteer workers who have already agreed to serve in the Boy Scout and Cub Scout activi ties. ? Jan. IS Is Final Farm Plan Limit The final closing date (or fil ing performance report! under the 1953 Agricultural Conservation Program is January 15. 1954. There are yet several farmers who have not reported the use of the material furnished them un der this program, or the mater ials purchased and used on the upproved practices. Practices car ried out and not reported by the above da* will not qualify for payment. These reports should be filed at the Watauga County ASC off JOHN L. SHUTT, special deputj regional executive of Region Six, who will be one of the speakers at an extension and organization meeting in Boone this week. Democrat To Come , From Press Early Tuesday Morning In order that the personnel at the Democrat office may enjoy a holiday vacation, plana now are to print the newipaper next Tues day morning, instead of on Wed nesday, as is usual. Moat of the advertising will probably feature Chriatmai greet ings, and copy and art will be supplied when wanted for these special messages. All advertising copy must be in the hands of the printers by the end of the current week. ? Likewise correspondence, and routine reports of organization meetings, etc., should be supplied the newspaper by Saturday. The usual fine cooperation of the ad vertisers and contributors is re quested. Present plans call for the clos ing of the Democrat office Tues day evening for the. remainder of the week. College Vacation To Begin Friday Students and (acuity members will leave the campus of Appala chian State Teachers College on Friday at noon, (or a ten days Christmas vacation period. The dormitories will close that after noon, to reopen on the evening o( December 28. For the past week the student* have been busy in a round of at tending classes, going caroling, having parties, the Christmas dance, and other pre-Christmas activities. The holiday will end with classes resuming at 8:20 on the morning of Tuesday, December 29. Mid - term examinations are scheduled for January 11 through 16th, final examinations begin ning February 24, and the end of the winter quarter on Febru ary on February 28 at noon. Estimated fire losses in the U. S. in 1952 were $784,530,000 con pared with $731,505,000 in 1951. Christmas Decorations To Be Judged Sunday The judge* in the Home Deco rations Contest will begin their tour at g o'clock Sunday night, December 20. Have your display finisfhed and your lights on a} this time. This information and advice was given by the sponsors of the Home Decorations Contest. The Window Decorations Con test la sponsored by the Home ?nd Garden Department of the Worthwhile Woman's Club. The Door Decorations contest ts spon sored by the Junior Woman's Club and the Outside Decorations Contest by the Blue Rklge Gar den Club. A first prize, of $5, a second prize of 13 and honorable men tion will be given in each of the three (roups. Each club will have three judges to evaluate the decoration* and (elect the win ners in their respective divisions. Sponsors say interest is high in the contests and decorations are being planned in the various categories all the way from tradi tional to ultra-modern. Original ity, beauty and general appeal in home decorations will make our beautiful town even more out standing during the holiday sea Membership In NASM Comes At Chicago Meeting Appalachian State Teacher* College was elected to Associate Membership in the National As sociation of Schools of Music at its 29th annual meeting in Chica go, November 27-29, inclusive, ac cording to word just received by Professor Gordon Nash, head of Appalachian's department of music. Five other schools, in different parts of the country, were also elected at the same meeting. At tendance at the Convention was the largest in history, jvith over 2S0 representatives of colleges, universities and conservatories from all parts of the United States. The entire membership attend ed, as the guests of the Orchestr al Association, a magnificent con cert by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, playing under the ba ton of its brilliaht new conductor, Fritz Reiner. President Harrison Keller gave a most encouraging report of the position of the National Associa tion in relation to other accredit ing bodies. It was his belief that the designation of the NASM as official accrediting agency for music schools by the National Commission on Accredltition had done much to enhance the im portance of music education, and had facilitated cooperation with other accrediting agencies. The newly elected officers 01 the NASM are: President, Harri son Keller, New England Con servatory, Boston; Trtfasurtr, Prank B. Jordan, Drake Univer sity, Des Moines; Vice President, E. William Doty, University of Texas, Austin; Secretary, Burnet T u t h i 1 1, Memphis College of Music, Memphis. The department of music at Appalachian has been working toward the goal of being accredit ed by the National Association of Schools of Music for some years. Two years ago they occupied for the first time their new building, erected at a cost of approximate ly $900,000, which provided faci lities for music education equal to any in the South Their pro gram of graduate and under graduate work is attracting stud ents over a wide area of the United States, and their program of summer work in music educa tion workshops brings students from some sixteen states.' It is a great tribute to the department, to have their work given nation al recognition. Samuel Flannery Rites Wednesday Joseph Samuel Flannery of Zionville, Route No. 1, died at his home last Tuesday, December 8, at the age of 86 years. Funeral services were conducted Thurs day at the Pleasant Grove Baptist (.'/lurch by the Reverends Rex West, Victor Trivette, and E. O. Gore. Burial was in the Pleasant Grove cemetery. , He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Mary Flannery of Zionville, and one sister, Mrs. Nannie King of South wick, Idaho. Weather By DR. ARNOLD VAN PELT The week in Boone was good for dry land and low reservoir*, but had on those who travelled on uniurfaced roads. Almost two' inchcs of rain fell daring the week, and it was posaible to see the familiar winter mud in many localities. The temperatures, on the whole, remained mild for winter, although the wind made days like Thursday feel colder than they were. Max. Min. 6 p.m. Datf 55 41 54 Dec. ft 55 . 26 ? 37 Dee. 7 57 27 40 Dm. 8 51 35 48 U Dee. ? 51 21 28 Dec. 10 43 19 M 38 Dec. 11 48 41 33 Dee. IS Precipitation: Dec. 8?0.08 In.' Dec. 7 ? 0.48 in. Dec. 9- 0,13 D<c. tt-0.43 in. PfMMH m.u m.
Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.)
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Dec. 17, 1953, edition 1
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