gj WATAUGA DEMOCRAT
Published Every Thursday by
? RIVERS PRINTING COMPANY
BOONE, NORTH CAKOUNA
R. C. RIVERS, JR. Q- Publisher
An Independent Weekly Newspaper
Established la 1686 and published for 49 yean by
the Ute Robert C. Riven. Sr.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
In W?Uu(?
Oounty
One V#?r ...? <2.00
Six Months: 1.90
Four Months *1.00
OuUide Watauga
County
| On* Year $2.90
I Six Months 1.75
] Four Months 1.25
NOTICE TO SyBSCRIBERS
In request inf change of addreia, it 1> important to
neatlon the OLD, ai well at the NEW address.
Entered at the poatoffice at Boone. N. C., a* second
claaa mail nutter, under the act of Concreai of
March ?, 1879.
tb? bull ot our government being the opinion ot the
people. the very ?r?t objective rhould be Id keep that
r*<ht. and were It left to me to decide whether we should
hive a government without newspapers, or newspapers
without governetent, I should not hesitate a moment to
choose the latter. But I should mean that every man
she*rtd receive these papers and be capable of reading
them "- Thomas Jefferson
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1054
Economists See Little
Change In Farm Outlook
Economists are quoted as expecting little
change in 1955 as compared to 1054, as far as
total income to farmers is concerned, and the
following report on the farm situation should
be of local interest:
"There seems to be an amply supply of
the feed grains, as well as tobacco, meat and
pork. The outlook for beef cattle is nearly
the same as in '55. However, there may be
a little wider spread in price between the
good grades and the lower grades of animal.
The sheep outlook is fairly bright. Wool is
expected to be a little higher in 1055, since
there is a higher support price, and lambs
will be near the 1954 level.
"For the first half of 1055 egg prices will
remain low and the number of chicks that
are started will determine egg prices the lat
ter half of '55. Broiler production will con
tinue at a high level and prices be near or
close to the break-even point for the more ef
ficient producers. Vegetable crops, especially
fresh vegetables, are expected to be near the
1954 level. However, occasional conditions
will determine the price of these commodities.
"They are expecting the price of potatoes
to be about the same or a little lower in 1955,
due to a large acreage that is a*tie(pated to
be planted in '55.
"In planning your farm business for 1055
you need to consider ways and means of keep
ing production per acre high by the use of
recommended seeds, fertilizer, and insecti
cides and at the same time keep labor expen
ses down. The things which farmers will buy
will be very near the same level on such
things as seed, fertilizer and chemicals."
Safer Walking Urged
By State Commissioner
m
Assistant Motor Vehicles Commissioner
Joe W. Garrett says maybe some day we'll
stop thinking of pedestrians' mishaps as acci
dents, and maybe put them on the record for
what they actually are ? "self-inflicted
wounds."
"There is a tendency," Garret^ said, "to
disouss motor manners as though they apply
only to drivers. ' Well, in my book there are
plenty of discourteous pedestrians, and a good
many of the walkers injured and killed in
traffic accidents every year are victims of
their own thoughtlessness, discourtesy and
stubborness!"
"Walking against the traffic signal, cross
ing diagonally at intersections, darting from
behind parked cars and crossing streets be
tween interesctions were listed by the ve
hicles official as the violation of etiquette?
and law ? most common among pedestrians.
"The one with the most to lose in a traf
fic accident caused by a pedestrian's bad man
ners," Garrett said, "is the pedestrian himself.
But this never seems to deter them. The driv
er suffers from pedestrian discourtesies in
terms of frayed nerves and exhausted pa
tience ? factors that increase the likelihood
of his being involved in an accident."
Garrett also pointed out occasional ins
tances when pedestrian discourtesies are the
direct cause of accidents in which the pedes
trian is not involved ? as in the case of a
driver swerving to avoid a pedestrian and
striking another vehicle.
"Laws regarding pedestrians are rela
tivly few," Garrett said, "and for that reason,
doubly important, "fhe most important thing
for the pedestrian to do is observe traffic sig
nals. Ifs not smart to jay-walk, to cross
against red lights, or to cross a street in the
middle of the block between intersections,
except at plainly marked crosswalks.
"Keeping these laws in mind can mean
keeping yourself and others alive," he said.
"Let's observe them."
Our Early Files
Si*ty-Year? Ago S|| |
November tt, UH
We arc sorry to learn that the Ashe Pioneer
has suspended.
Filmore Ragan, who has been working on the
farm of B. J. Councill, has cribbed 400 bushels of
corn. ?
The directors of the Boone and Blowing Rock
Turnpike Co. has received the road from the con
tractor, Capt. Coffey, and the toll gute is now up at
Ransom Coffey's.
Next Monday all the Democratic county offi
cers go out of office and the new Republicans elec
ted take hold.
Rev. Cherry i* attending conference at States
ville this week.
December It. 18M.
The weather continues fine. Pleasant days and
frosty nights.
Solicitor Spainhour has Just completed a well
graded road and plank sidewalk from Main Street
to his residence.
There are stacks of nice holiday goods at the
drug store of L. Reeves.
Prof. Yarboro, a teacher of large experience,
will open school in Boone in January.
There is some talk of a school of high grade in
Boone soon. Ilow sadly a school is needed!
Thirty-Nine Yeart Ago
December 21, 1815. <
Mr. Fred Farthing is at home from the Uni
versity for Christmas.
Many heavy-weight porkers in this immediate
vicinity have given up the ghost during the pa?t
week.
The Whiting Lumber Co. have received rights
of way for the building of their road to Shulls Mills,
the papers have been turned over to Register of
Deeds W. R. Gragg to be recorded.
There will be a community Christmas tree at
the courthouse Friday afternoon at 3 o'clock.
Several ladies of the town met at the home of
Mrs. R. M. Greene Tuesday afternoon for the pur
pose of making arrangements for serving the in
mates of the county home.
Fifteen Yeart 'Ago
December 21, 1939.
Funeral services were held Monday morning
from Boone Baptist Church for Wesley Hardin
Brown, 53, superintendent of Watauga Prison Camp,
who died Saturday morning Rev. G. A. Hamby,
pastor of Oak Grove Church, was assisted in the
rites by Rev. F. C. Watts and Rev. J. C. Canipe.
Mr. C. G. Beck and Mrs. Beck arrived last week
from Savannah, Ga., to spend a few days looking
after the rebuilding of their Blowing Rock home,
which was seriously damaged by the recent forest
fire in the resort town.
Mountain Burley Tobacco market had Monday
evening sold more than a million pounds of leaf for
an average price of around |18 per hundred.
Shorts For Millet
Carlsbad (N. M ) Current-Argus
We have seen too much of the successful ma
chinations of the style experts to deny that they
will ever persuade the American male to wear
shorts to work. They may do it.
They managed to get the men to wear pink
pastel shirts, didn't they? And look at the pink
trousers In .the window of your favorite men's
clothing store!
To be frank, we shudder in anticipation of the
day Carlsbad streets will be treated to the sight of
men dresaed in hairy legs and knobby knees? and
shorts, of course ? coming to work. There is no
esthetic value in the bare male shank that we have
been able to observe. Now the female limb, a trim
calf encased in its prison of seamless nylon, Is some
thing else again. Even the bare female leg is an
artistic asset to the passing street scene.
We hope the stylists don't get carried away in
their enthusiasm to re-dress the male. They might
even decide to remove the shoulder padding from
men> suits. Wouldn't it be a tragic day if men's
clothes were designed to reflect the true male
figure, sagging shoulders, pot belly and all?
Well, they seem to be successful in flattening
out the female bosom. They will probably put the
man in a work a day shorts, too, oh, unhappy day!
When will the experts stop this infernal tink
ering!
Wind On The Mountaint
Ashevillo Citizen-Times
The wind it only moving atmosphere, or air
on a binge. When the mountain wind blowi in
December across the pre -cooled coils of snowy peaks
and .around the frozen custard cups of valleys, it
moves with tingling authority.
Face into the mountain wind on a day of heavy
chill and feel its little, unseen knife blades dig at
cheeks and stab at hands. Dare to open your mouth
and inhale a lung-full of icy atmosphere, as clear
and cold and choking as a mighty draught of chilled
water. A man coulj "drown."
But the December wind has its uses; and they
are not to be discounted
The mighty gusts send the clouds scudding
across the horizon and out of sight. Then the dis
tant yet still warm sun beats down and reprieves
the wind-driven.
In the yards and alleyways the charging wind
pursues and nips the heels of crisp, faded leaves
to send them dancing in patterns and volutions too
intricate for any corpa de ballet.
Over the housetops and throtfch the trees and
around the chimneys the mountain wind plays a
lively game of chase, whistling a< It goes. The
boughs bend. The eaves groan. The panes rattle,
and may froet.
Best of all are escape and contraat. The skip
up the walk. The quick fumbling for the frozen
doorknob. The wind tapping incessantly at back
and shoulder, imploring one more audience. Inside
at last (it is warm and snug. The chase is ended
They Say ...
WAURINE WALKER, president, National Ed
ucation Association: "The beat reward of schooling
?a a sense of directionaome goals in life ? combined
with the ability and determination to move toward
them."
ZSA ZSA GABOR, stage and screen actress:
"Every young girl should think it over very care
fully before getting married."
FAN VALDEYRON, French actor: "A psychiat
rist la a man who goes to the Follies-Bergere and
then watches the audience."
King Street
(Continued from page one)
fer to a woman'* wrap, but in
dicate* a long distance
"Right *mart" is alio used* in
this way. At other times, it de
notes a magnitude not to be
sneezed it. When a mountain man
?ays someone i* "right (mart
tetehious," that person had best
be approached in an easy manner,
for he is ready, able and willing to
engage in a free-for-all at the drop
of a cornshuck.
A considerable distance, too, is
sometimes termed "whoop and a
holler," ?or "one (two or three)
creeks (bends of houses, etc J and
a cussfight up the road."
The other side of an object is 1
the "fur side," sometimes the
"yander side" or "yan side."
MOUNTAIN SPEECH shortens
narrow into "narr." Wheelbarrow
becomes "wheelbar"; marrow be
comes "marr," etc.
"Holp" is frequently used for
"help," and "air" for "are."
"VSrmint" is a word that cov
ers anything on four legs, and
sometimes those on two.
To "think a sight" of someone
is to like that person very much
To "set a spell" means to sit for
a while.
Meadow, widow, window, shad
ow, and the like become "medder,
widder, winder, and shadder."
"MouKht" is used for might. The
past tense of the verb, fight, be
comes "fit," as in "I fit a good
fight."
When you want to know where
a person was educated, you ask:
Farm Report
(Continued from pagt; one.)
the ,firct Proven Sire Heifer tale
at Enka.
i Johnny Vinei, 4H club member
| from Bethel, won a dairy heifer
j in the calf scramble held at the
I Dixie Classics in Winston-Salem.
The Artificial Breeding program
continued to increaie in number
i of cowi bred in 1954.
The unit teat demonstration pro
i gram maintained twenty-four ac
j tive farms in 1054.
Two unit test demonstration
farmers conducted tobacco variety
demonstration tests in IBM.
Two unit test demonstration
farmers conducted tobacco fertili
zer rate tests in 1954
The unit test demonstration
farmers conducted five tours in
1954
The Lester Warren family was
voted the unit demonstration farm
home making the most improve
ments in 1954 by the group on the
tour.
The Sanford Creed farm was
I voted the unit test demonstration
farm making, the most improve
"Where'd you get your schooling?"
If a hillsman says, "I up and
I give him a good frailin'," you can
depend on it that someone had a
bad beating.
If he tells you he is "porely,"
he may be seriously ill. He never
feels any worse than "porely."
That is the bottom. If he is feeling
"middling," that's the equivalent
of "fair." If he is "tolable," he's in
the pink. It's impossible to feel
any better than that.
mcnU in 1994 by the group on the
tour.
There were certificate* awarded
to unit teat demonstration farm
er* who completed five years on
the program.
Watauga farmers and 4-H club
>boys secure i and planted 36.000
white pine seedlings in 1953-54.
Boone Senior 4-H Club started a
forestry project iif Watauga coun
ty this year by planting 1000
white pine seedlings This same
procedure will be followed for the
next eight or nine years.
Mr. Fred Whitfield, Extension
Forestry Specialist, discussed for
estry with 393 4-H club members,
in twelve club meetings
As a result of the forestry meet
ing held at Mr. I. D. Shull's farm,
a woodlot was secured which will
be used as a forestry demonstra
tion for the next few years. ?
Watauga county produced ap
proximately 150 acres of alfalfa
for hay in fl>54.
Mr. W W Austin produced
123.55 bushels corn per acre to be
the 1954 corn growing champion
fot Watauga county.
Three new farmers joined the
100 bushel corn club of Watauga
county by virtue of producing
more than 100 bushels of forn per
acre.
Three Watauga county corn
growers produced W. Va. 1163 hy
brid seed corn in 1954.
Forty-five 4-H club members
took com. and forty members took
tobacco as projects in 1954.
Six demonstrations were con
ducted on control of weeds in to
bacco plant beds with Methyl
Bromide.
Bethel Senior 4-H Club seeded
four 6 x 100 feet tobacco plant
beds last spring. They produced
approximately 100.000 tobacco
plants. Of theie 63,400 were sold
to farmers.
Five Watauga county farmers
cooperated with Dr. Moyle E. Har
ward. Research Agronomy Profes- 1
sor, in conducting fertilizer rate
demonstrations on potatoes.
The potat(^tour wjfs continued
in 1954. The high yield was 610
bushels per acre produced by Col
lis Austin and Sons.
Several farmers in Watauga
county set a few plants of a new
cabbage that is supposed to be
club root resistant. It is hoped
that a strain of cabbage can be
developed that is resistant to this
disease.
Houston Mast, a farmer in the
Cove Creek section, had a gross
income of over $300.00 from one
fourth acre of tomatoes.
Norman Michael, 4-H club mem
ber from Parkway, netted (129.38
from 0.4 acre of snap beans. He
was carrying this as his 4-H pro
ject.
- Examples of new poultry houses
constructed in 1954 may be seen
at the farms of Tom Ward, W. W
Wilson, and J. C. Stansbury.
Dallas Wilson of the Beaver
Dam section, increased the size of
his White Leghorn flock.
Ten 4-H club members each re
ceived one day old pullets Satur
day, March 27. One hundred
twenty of these pullets were sold
September 29 for an average of
$1 96 each
Russell Swift, 4-H club member
from Bethel, received 100 pullets
in March of 1954. These pullets
averaged 247 eggs each during the
first laying season
Thirty five 4-H club members
from Watauga county attended 4->
H club camp at Waynesville July1
HO.
There are 481 boys enrolled in
4-H club work carrying 748 pro
jects
John Whitelock. International1
Farm Youth Exchange delegate
from New Zealand, spent the
month of September with the W.
R. Vine* family at Sugar Grove.
! Seven 4-H club memberi from:
Watauga county participated in
I the 4-H District Recognition Day
I held in Asheville October 30.
I- REMEMBER -
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ECONOMICAL!
RULANF
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aillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllHIII
Set m for rteurkiHj
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With State Fan Nahal!
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Kirchner
725 E. Howard St.
Phoa* AM4-I2M
New Year's
Greetings
1955
As the old year departs and the new year dawns, we
pause to take a grateful look backward and a hopeful
look forward. We salute the passing year with deep
appreciation for old friendships strengthened and new
/
friendships made . . . deeply thankful for the steadfast
loyalty of our customers. We hail the new year with
firm faith and high confidence . . . alert and eager for its
opportunities to serve more and more people better and
better. To everyone, everywhere go our very best wishes
for a 1955 richly rewarding on health, happiness and all
the good things of life.
THE
NORTHWESTERN
BANK
PHONE AM 4-8826
BOONE, N. C.