An Independent Weekly Newspaper . . . Sixty-Ninth Year of Continuous Publication BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY M, 1957 Parkway Hearing Is Sought ■ • The Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce, through iU president. Rathmel E. Wilson, has dispatch- ! ed a letter to William Medford, chairman of the North Carolina Park Commission, thanking him ind other members of his group for their consideration at the hear ing held last week in the Parkway concessions issue. At the same time the letter asks For a public hearing in this regard >t the convenience of the commis sion. The letter follows: "We would like to express oSr appreciation to you and the other members of the North Carolina Parks, Parkways and Forest De velopment Commission for thr ex cellent manner in which you con ducted the hearing in the Haywood County Court House, Waynesville, N. C., on Monday, February 18, 1097. As was plainly evident at this hearing, the property owners ind investors in this vicinity, as well as in the other parts of North Carolina and Virginia, are vitally concerned with the proposal to build additional public facilities, services and overnight accommo dations on the Blue Ridge Park way. "Inasmuch as quite a bit of pro posed new private construction hinges on the final decision in this matter, we respectfully i re quest that a public hearing be held in connection with this propsal at the convenience of your commis ■ion. "Very truly yours, "BLOWING ROCK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. "Rathmel E. Wilson, President." Newton Barqes Succumbs Monday Newton L. Barnes, 80, well known native Wataugan and re tired farmer, died Monday at W» tauga Hospital after an illness of two weeks. Funeral services were held at 2:30 Tuesday at the Perkinsville Baptist Church by Rev. Hex West ind Rev. Hugh Kincaid, and bur ial was in the Sands cemetery. Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Mary Barnes; one son, Judd Barn ?s of Boone; three daughter, Mrs. Richard Whittington and Mrs. Arthur Hartley of North Wilkes boro, Mrs. Steve Brown of Boone, Route 2; one sister, Mrs. Ben Sreene of Boone, Route 2. Farmers Plan Limestone Use Many ihrmers are ordering lime stone early this year, since exper ience has proven that lime ordered early is delivered more nearly on time. Since the weather is a prob lem before seeding time. It it ad visable to have lime delivered to the farm as soon'as delivery trucks ire able to get to the fields. 529 tons have been ordered early al ready and approximately 200 tons ire being ordered daily. Farmers who intend to use lime this spring tfnd have not signed up thould call at the A£C office and get their approval and purchase orders early. India formally inaugurated the first nuclear reactor in free Asia. New Rotary Officers Elected The newly elected officers and board of directors of the Boone Rotary Club are, seated, left to right, Glen W. Wilcox, treasurer; Nicholas Erneston, president; Jack Lawrence, vice president; 1. W. Carpenter, secretary; standing: Harold Rice, board member; Alfred Adams, sergeant-at-arms; Peter W. Everett, past president; James Marsh, board member; Bill Bingham, board member. They will assume office on July 1.—(Photo by Palmer's Studio.) Watauga 4-H Club Groups To Observe National Week Mrs. Francis, 101, Dies At Zionville Watauga county's oldest citizen, Mrs Callie Wilson Francis, who had celebrated her 101st birthday, died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ira Reese in Zionvillc last Thurs day. Mrs. franefs had to re ftiarkabfe physicaf vigor Hntfl she became ill two years ago. She was a daughter of the late William Wilson and Mrs. Martha Main Wilson and was born and reared in Watauga county. Her husband, Thoma« Francis, has been dead several years. Funeral services were held Sat urday at the Mabel Baptist church. Rev. R. C. Eggers and Rev. E. O. Core conducted the rites and burial was in the Reese cemetery. , There are no survivors in the immediate family, but there are a number of nieces and nephews. High School Bands Get Honors At Davidson The Appalachian Senior and Junior High School* were well re presented in the State Solo and Ensemble contest held In David son Saturday, February 23. * Out of the nine entries, there were three superior ratings, five excellent ratings, and one good rating. The breakdown was as fol lows: ' Solo contest—John Ralph Buch anan, superior; Jerry McCracken, excellent; Mary Lawrence, excel lent; Nancy Hollingsworth, excel lent;, Barbara Matheson. good. Ensemble contest — Woodwind Quintet of Nancy Hollingsworth. Patsy Hoilipgaworth, Betty Swaim, John Ralph Buchanan and Billy Williams, excellent Clarinet Quar tet of Mary (jwrence, Pat Dow ling, Margaret Hagaman and Lin da Y/ey, superior; Clarinet Quar tet of Rachel Rivers, Linda Mast, Traffic Toll Raleigh — The Motor Vehicles Department's summary of traffic deaths through 10 a. m. February 25; Killed this year 193 • Killed to date last year: 136. If aafety is worth a life," drive and walk carefully! Sheriff Richardson Is Taken By Death S. C. Richardson, 83, former sheriff of Alleghany county, and Father of Glenn, Odell, Wayne and Wood row Richardaon of Boone, lied Monday at the Alleghany Memorial Hoapltal, Sparta. He had wen ia failing health for a long time and had been a hospital latient for three montha. Funeral service* were conduct Mi Wednesday afternoon at 2 /clock at the Antiocb Primitive Uaptiat Church. Elders c' B Kilhy, I. 0. CaudUl and Walter Evana conducted the rites and burial tat in the church cemetery. Mr. Richardaon wu iheriff of Alleghany county from 1#10 ■ to 1011 had encaged In farming ac tivities, and wai in the merchan tile busfnew for a long time prior to his retirement several yeari ■go. He ia survived by his widow, Mrs. Nelia Reynold* Richardson; three daughters: Mrs. Corn Irwin. Mrs. Maude Andrews, of Sparta; Mrs. Ruby Cboate, Wilkcsboro. ■ix sons: Glenn, Odell, Wayne and Woodrow Richardson, BooM; Archie Richardaon, Independence, Va.; Albert Richardaon. Sparta There la a brother laom Richard son, Sparta. One sister, Mrs Mollfe Maw of Sparta, also survives. Jane Hodges, and Mary Wey, Sup erior; Woodwind Trio of Barbara Matheson, Alice Cain and Bob Cook, excellent. Accompanists for the various solos and ensembles were Gloria Hampton, Jiida Creed, and Alice Cain. Future plans for the band in clude the district contest held here in Boone on March 8th; the State Contest held in Greensboro on April 9th; an assembly program for the college; and a tour of the county schools sometime this spring. Watauga County 4-H Club mem bers, along with the state and na tion, will obaerve National 4-H Club Week, March 2-9. The theme for the week is "Im proving Family and Community Living," said Assistant County Agent W. C. Richardson, whose work is primarily with the 4-H clubs of the county, Club members will participate in the following activities during the observance: 1. 4-H Welcome signs will be erected at county highway entr ances. 2. Assembly programs will be given in Schools by 4-H members. 3. 4-H members will present radio programs during the week. 4. The 4-H county council will arrange a window display in one of the store windows in town. The aims of National 4-H Club Week, said Mr. Richardson, are: To give members an opportun ity to evaluate past achievements, make friends for future activities on their farms, in their homes and communities. To inform the public, including parents, of the value of 4-H train ing. . - To recognize the important part played by local leaders and to en list more public-spirited, youth minded citizefu into volunteering for this service. Cooperation of parents, teach ers, and business firms will be greatly appreciated, said Miss June Street, Assistant Home Agent. J" • • '■ -kJy ' 1 ' «.* High- School Matmen . C. State Championship 7 Trophies Brought From Burlington The Appalachian High School wrestlers, undefeated in dual meets in the five years of their existence, grappled thir .way to the State championship at Burling ton Saturday night with 05 points. Appalachian High, with one of the smallest enrollments of any competing school, not only took team honors by a big margin but claimed six of the 12 first place awards. ' The team standings were: Ap palachian High 95, Greensboro 32, Asheboro 58, High Point 55. Gold* boro 48, N. C. S. D.' 28, Burling ton 25, Southwest 18, Greenville 12, Cramerton 8, Myers Park 5, Salisbury 1. The six boys who were in the finals and came out champions were: 95 lbs.—Larry Norrfs pinned Jerry Patterson of Greensboro. 112 lbs.—Sammy Critcher de cisioned Moose Motley of High Point 5-0. 120 lbs.—Tommy Owsley decis ioned Jimmy Harrell of Greens boro 5-0. 127 lbs.—Joe Miller decisioned Jimmy Howard of Goldsboro 3-0. 133 lbs.—Bobby Reynolds de cisioned Lomar Farmer of Golds boro 7-3. / 138 lbs.—Wendell Critcher de cisioned Larry Hill of High Point, 5-0. James Greene at 154 lbs., plac ed 3rd as did Kent Coleman at 165 lbs. At 145 Dick Brown plac ed fourth. A chart of the tournament pair ing is posted on the bulletin board on the first floor of the high school. All seven of the trophies —team cup and six first place awards—are also on exhibit. Brief Histoid Of Teams In five short years, since wrest ling wu first introduced at Ap palachian High School, the teams have risen to the top rung in the ladder to capture the State Cham pionship. More amazing, is the fact that the teams at AHS have not been defeated in a single dual meet over this entire period, a rcord which is unequalled by any other wrestling team of any school in the state. In 1953 Steve Gabriel, then a student at Appalachian State Teachers College, was urged by a group of enthusiastic high school students to organized a wrestling team at the high school. He not (Continued on page eight) WATAUGA COUNTY HEALTH CENTER Health Department To Go To New Office Next Week Capt. Horton Grdgg Heads Air Command Captain Horton Gragg, U. S. Air Force, son of Mr. and Mr*. W. H. Gragg of Boone, haa been nam ed the commanding officer of the Field Maintenance Squadron at the huge England Air Force Base, Alexandria, La. Capt. Gragg'* squadron is the largest on the expanding base, and his ability was recognized by his having been choaen k member of a board of officers set up to re organize the entire maintenance function* of the command. He hat recently had 28 airplanes and 180 more men added to Jkia squadron. In all be )■ in charge of 411 en listed men, 10 officer* and 40 civilian*—a total of 461 people. The squadron is reaponiible for transient alert functiona, main tenance of tranaient aircraft and the maintenance of all baae sup port aircraft. • Capt. Gragg ha* been in the air force for *ixte4n year*. Texas Dramatist Chosen For Direction Of Horn TRI-STATE CATTLE LEADERS —At * joint meet, ing'held recently in Boom, the Tri-SUte Hereford Breeden Association and the Tri-SUte Purebred Livestock Association, with memberships in North Carolina, Virginia and Tenneaaee. elected officers for the coming rear and laid plant for the spring and fall cattle salea to be held la Bristol. The Hereford breeders reflected Love B. Rouse, qf Bristol, Vs., back row left, at president, II. Grady Farthing of Boom, back row center, was named vice-president, and Harmon Crumley of Bristol (not present) was reelected secretary-treasurer. The Purebred Livestock Association re-elected Robert S. Orr of Dry den, Ya., back row right, ss president; B. W. Stilling! of Boone, front row right, was chos en vice-president; snd Morris Fsnnon of Pennington Gap, Va, frent row left, was re-elected secretary treasurer—(PbtNa by Palmer's Studio ) ■ —' m I. --t— The Southern Appalachian His torical Association has engaged the services of Edgar R. Loesain, of Houston, Texas, as director of Horn in the West for the 1937 sea son. Mr. Loesain received his Bache lor of Arts degree at the Univer sity of North Carolina in 1901, where he held the Kay Kyaer Scholarship in dramatic art. While there, he was associated with the Carolina Playmakera, under the direction of Dr. Samuel Selden. He received his Maat«r of Fine Arts degree at (he Yale Univer sity drama school. He was assistant director of "Unto These Hills" at Cherokee in the first three seasons, 1990 through 1992, and in 19S9 was dir ector of "Florida Aflame." out door drama of the Seminole In dians presented at Safety Harbor, Florida. He has been in the Army for the past two yeari, assigned to Military Intelligence at Baltimore, where he waa also an instructor it the Hilltop School of Drama. In addition to hia background in the directing field, he has had ex perience aa an actor in profeasion al stock and television. Mr. Loeaain was discharged from the Army laat week at Balti more, and came here for a two day viait before proceeding to hia home in Houaton. He la scheduled to speak at the three-day Southeaatern Theatre Conference, to be held at Naah ville. Tenn., March 14-16, where he will also participate in a panel discussion along with Paul Green, Kermit Hunter, and Dr. Selden. He will return it Boone March 1«, at which time tryouts for Horn in the West will be arranged, with rehearaals slated to begiy on June 11 The Health Department office* are to be moved next week to the newly-conitructed Health Center, located 2 milei west of Boone at the Linville highway bypass, it is announced by Dr. Uary Michal, health officer. After the moving is completed, a formal opening for the hand some new structure will be ar ranged, health officials say. Mean time It is pointed out, several days will be required to get aet tled in the new building, the old health department will be closed all next week with the. exception of the morning of Wednesday, March fl, when the polio immuni zation clinic will be held as usual between the hours of 8 and 11 a. m. However, only emergency needs will be met next week. The rou tine Health Department schedule will continue in the new health center beginning Monday March' 11th, with the regular diagnoatic clinic being held that day between the hours of 1 and 3:30. Detailed plans for the formal opening of the health center will be announced later. Mrs. Williams Funeral Tuesday Mrs. Nelia Williams, 88 years ' old, colored resident of the com munity, died in Johnson City, Tenn. Sunday. Funeral services were held at the Mennonite Brethren Church in Boone, by Rev. Rockford Hat ten, Rev. C. W. Bailey and Rev. Ronda Horton Wednesday after noon and burial was in the city cemetery. Surviving are a son and two daughters: Ed Folk, Boone; Mrs. Mamie Ray, Johnson City, Tenn.; Mrs. Minnie Horton, Philadelphia. A widow of the late Bell Williams, Mrs. Williams tad spent her en tire life in Boone. 1 Governor Stanley Harris Presides At Annual District Rotary'Meet The annual conference of the 2Mth District of Rotary Interna tional waa held in Morganton on Thursday and Friday, February 21 and 22. The conference waa ar ranged and presided over by Dis trict Governor Stanley Harris, manager of the Boone Chamber of Commerce, who, according to Rotarians present, had one of tha best coo/ereaMs over held in Dis trict 280. The speakers and discussion groups were outstanding in the presentation of the concepts and ideals of Rotary. Dr. W. II. Plammona, president of Appalachian Slate Teachers Col lege, spoke at the luncheon on Fri day and very apty and convincing ly showed the "Role of Rotary la Professional Work." r*— — Another good speaker was Webb Follin, principal of the Webb School (or Boys in Bell Buckle, Teneaaee, «pd preaident'i repre ■entative aa Rotary International Director of Zone Four. Mr. Webb •poke at the banquet on Thursday and again Friday night when Gov ernor Hodges could not be present because of an emergency trip to Washington, D. C. Rotarian Lewis Smith of Boone presented and led a very good dis cussion on Community Service during the Thursday afternoon ses sion. Rotarian BUI Carpenter served on the Chan Gordon Me morial Scholarship Committee which brings foraifr> students to this district to study