An Independent Weekly Neteapaper .
Sixty-Ninth Y<
of Continuous Publication
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 1M7.
CAR TAKES TUMBLE.—Ray Gentry, of Boone, route 1, was the driver of thii car which left the highLay
near Overlook Motel last Tuesday night, and turned over before landing on its wheels about halfway
down a 700-foot embankment. Mr. Gentry is >t ill in a hospital suffering from a fractured skull. His
passenger, James Bennett. Steelman, of Deep Gap, was released from the hospital after being treated
for fractured ribs.—Photo by Palmer's- Photo Shop.
Eye Bank Program Sponsored
/
i »
By Lions; Dr. Perry Starts Plan
• MRS. R L. CLAY I
Last Rites
Held For
Mrs. Clay
Funeral services for Mrs. Annie
SUnbury Clay, 88, of 230 BUndwood
Avenue. Greensboro, were)
held at 2 p. m. Friday at the West
Market Street* Methodist Church
in that city. 4
Dr. Charles Bowles, pastor of
the church; Dr. Eugene C. Few
superintendent of the Greensboro'
district of the Methodist Church,
am' "*v Mel Harbin, pastor of
Christ Methodist Church, officiated.
Burial was in Forest Lawn
cemetery in Greenaboro.
Mrs. Clay died Wednesday afternoon
at Cone Memorial Hospital
after suffering a heart attack
at her home.
The former Miss Annie Lou
SUnbury of Boone, a daughter of
the late John S. SUnbury and
Mrs Alice Taylor SUnbury. Mrs
Clay had been • resident of
Greensboro for 14 years. She retired
from teaching fopr years
ago. She was the widow of R L
Clay, who until IMS was the chief
of the field division of the internal
revenue service in Greensboro.
Her brother was the Ute Dr. W
A SUnbury, former pastor of the
West Market Street Methodist
Church apd former District Superintendent
of his church.
Mrs. Clay was a member of the
West Market Street Methodist
Churcfi and a former superintendent
at the children's division of
the Boone Methodist Church She
had Uugtit in Boone, Oxford, WUson
and in Centrfl Elementary
School in Greensboro She had also
done demonstration work at
Appalachian Slate Teachers College.
She was the executive secreUry
of the Greensboro Garden
Club and a member «f Delta Kappa
Gamma, honorary teaching
sorotity.
Her survivors include five
daughters. MS F B Mulloy,
Chicago. Mrs Ned A Glbbs
Thomasville; Mrs Shelly Rolfe,
Richmond, V«.; Mrs. Betty Rol(e
Hot Springs and Mrs. C. L. Shup'
ing nf Greensboro; two sisters,
Mrs. W L. Scflf'^of Greensboro
and Mrs J. A Boev of Boone;
one brother, Jeff SUnbury of
•. ,
iMMmm
By V. G. ROLLINS
The Boone Lions Club is sponsoring
the program for Watauga
County of the Eye Bank for Restoring
Sight, Inc., it has been announced
by Bresident Ira S. Ayers.
Dr. R H. Harmon, Boone optometrist
and a member of the club,
has been appointed regional director
by state headquarters, and
the Lions Club Committee to disseminate
information on the program
consists of Dr. Harmon and
Lions J. H. Thomas and Con Yates.
The eye bank, a North Carolina
organization, was formed in 1961,
after passage in 1M9 of a bin introduced
la tha state legislature
by tke late Dr. H. B. Perry of
Boone, who donated his 6wn eyes
to the bank at his death in 1999.
A statewide education program
was launched last May to bring
the Eye Bank to the attention of
all North Carolinians. According
to Mrs. Harry Borthwick of Winston-Salem,
president of the state
Eye Bank, which has its headquarters
in Winston-Salem, the
education campaign has as its goal
more eye donors all over North
Carolina.
Since the organization of the
state eye bank in 1991, Mrs. Borthwich
said at the time the campaign
was launched, some 929 persons
have donated their eyes, and there
have been 129 pornensl transplants
performed in North Carolina.
"The £ye Bank has more than
justified its existence," said Dr.
Harmon. "Exact figures are not
available, but certainly there are
thousands of people young and
old, rich and poor whose regained
sight has afforded them a renewed
joy and happiness In life. What
this means to the individual and
members of his family can no
doubt be fully appreciated only by
one who has gone through the experience.
From the economic
standpoint alone, their rehabilitation
must represent no small saving
to society in general and their
own community in particular."
Any person can become a member
of the North Carolina Eye
Bank by signing a pledge to donate
his eyes at his death, or by
sending in a dollar or more for
membership.
Some of the things which gifts
to the Eye Bank provide are an
available supply of fresh or preserved
corneal tissue whenever
and wherever needed, encouragement
for learning eye graft methods,
research, and artificial eyes
to avoid disfigurement.
Eyes must be removed from the
deceased within an hour after
death and transplanted to the recipient
within 24 hours, said Dr.
Harmon.
For further information and
pledge forms. Dr. Harmon or a
member of the Lions Club committee
should be contacted.
Brown Attends ;
Tax Institute
Attorney Wade E. Brown was
at Wake Forest Collage Thursday,
Friday and Saturday of laxt week,
where he attended a taxation institute.
" wgf i, ,'fn
The Institute was sponsored by
the North Carolina Bar Association
and the law schools at Wake
Forest, the University of North
Carolina and Data University.
EDGAR R. LOESSIN, who will
direct "Horn in the Weat" this
year. Mr. Loessin is a Texas native
and graduate of the University of
North Carolina. He will begin his
duties in Boone March IV, when
he will a/range for tryouts fqr the
current cast of the drama.
United Fund
Meeting Set
The annual meeting of all members
of the United Fund, Inc., Watauga
County, will be held April
4, it has been announced.
The place and hour for the
meeting will be announced in the
next edition of the Democrat.
The meeting is for the purpose
of electing officers, and hearing
reports of the various committees.
Before buying a carpet, put
small samples of 11 under the legs
of a chair at night. Then the next
day see if the indentation disappears
when you more the chair
away.
1 Suffers
Critical
Injuries
Two men were injured, one
critically, when the c#r in which
they were riding left the road and
went down an embankment on
U. S. Highway 421 last Tuesday
(Feb. 26) night about 8:29 o'clock.
Charlei Rayford Gentry, 29, of
of Route 1, Boone, waa carried to
Watauga Hoapital with a fractured
akull, and moved the next day to
Mountain Home Veterans Hoapital
in Johnson City, Tenn. His condition
is reported aa still serious,
and a relative stated he had not
regained consciousness Monday
evening.
James Bennett Steelman, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Steelman of
Deep Gap, suffered fractured ribs
but has been released from Watauga
Hospital, according to the
State Highway Patrol report.
The State Patrol gave this account
of the accident:
Mr. Gentry was driving a 1997
Ford west, toward Boone, near
the Overlook Motel, and failed to
make the curve there, and went
off the road on the left side. The
car overturned and landed on its
wheels some distance down the
embankment. The car appeared to
be completely demolished.
Mr. Gentry was home on a furlough
from the Johnson City hospitol
where he had been since
May of last yea^ recuperating from
another accident not far from,the
scene of the wreck Tuesday. He
was still using a crutch.
Mr. Steelman was home on leave
from the Navy.
No charges have been made by
the investigating officer, pending
outcome of the injures to the men.
Gragg Given
S & L Post ,
W. H. Gragg, secretary-treasurer
of the Watauga Savings and Loan
Association, has been appointed
to the 1087 Committee On Savings
Association and Co-operative Bank
Management of the United States
Savings and Loan League.
The appointment was announced
by Roy M. Marr, Memphis,
Tennessee, president of -the
League, which is the nationwide
trade organization of the savings
and loan business and represents
more than 4,300 savings association!
and co-operative banks.
U. S. finds 9,000 children illegally
employed.
WATAUGA'S FIRST HIGHWAY FATALITY FOR 1887— Larry Shook, rt. 1, Banner Elk, died Saturday
morning when this car (truck a utility pole. Two othen, James Donald Hodges, driver, and Oscar Finley
Hodges, route 1, Vilas, escaped injury.—Photo by Palmer's Photo Shop.
1,600 Boys And Girls Will
Perform In Music Contest
Sixteen hundred boys and girls
will perform in band*, glee club*,
choruses, and as ptand soloists, in
the annual diatrict music contest
at the college this week.
The district contest is sponsored
by the North Carolina Music
Education Association which sponsors
the State contest festival In
Greensboro each spring. Band* receiving
superior or excellent ratings
are permitted to participate
in the state event. Piano soloists
who receive superior ratings are
advanced to the state event and
glee club and chorus participant*
perform in all All-State Chora*.
Event* for thi* week begin on
Thursday morning with junior
high school piano soloists and
senior high school pianist* in the
afternoon. The piaqo solos will be
judged by Mr. Robert Darnell,
professor of piano. Women's College,
U. N. C„ Greensboro.
Friday will bring fourteen bands
to the campus to play for ratings
a* judged by a committee of three:
Mr. Robert Barnes, band director
at State College in Raleigh; Mr.
George Dickleion, orchestra director
at Woman'* College in Green*boron;
and Mr. Hatold Smith, band
S. C. RICHARDSON, who died February
29, in Alleghany County. Mr.
Richardson was a former sheriff
of that county, and father of four
Boone residents: Glenn, Odell,
Wayne and Woodrow Richardson.
director at Western Carolina College.
On Saturday, twenty glee clubs
(Continued on page eight)
I I
man, Billy rartMag (manafer); front row David Culler (manager).
Lapy Norria. Sammy Critchci. Tom Owatey. Joe Miller, Bobble
Reynold*. Coach Dancy. Not pictured; Wendell Critcher
£
D.F. Greene
Succt^mbs
On Friday
Funeral services were held Sunday
at 2:30 o'clock in the Bethel
Baptiat Church for Dudley Farthing
Greene, lifetime resident of
Watauga County, prominent
churchman and pioneer in the
field of conservation of our natural
resources. He was 77 years old.
Mr. Greene died unexpectedly at
his home Friday, following a long
period of Indisposition.
Reverend Hoyt Roberson, pastor
of Bethel Baptiat Church and Rev.
L>. H. Hollingsworth, pastor of the
Boone Baptist Church, spoke the
last rites. Pallbearers were deacons
of Bethel Baptist Church jnd
flower girls were members of the
Sunday School* classes of the
church. Music was by Mrs. Harold
Hughes, organist, Cllne Farthing
and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Farthing.
Burial was in the church cemetery.
Reins-Sturdivant Funeral
Home was in charge of the details.
Born October 11. 1B79, Mr.
Greene was a son of the late J.
Warren Greene and Mrs. Sallie
Farthing Greene of Beaver Dam
townahip. He was married on May
7, 1900 to Miss Hattie Greer of
the Bethel neighborhood. •
Active Churchman
Mr. Greene joined the Bethel
Baptist Church in early manhood,
and was active in religious activities.
He was ordained a Deacon in
his church January 23, 1926 nnd
named chairman of the Board of
Deacons. He held this post- without
interruption until his death.
Believed In Conaervatien
Mr. Greene was an ardent conservationist.
He was one of the
original thirteen unit test demonstration
farmers in Watauga County
under the Tennessee Valley
Authority and for years was chairman
of the TV A County Committee.
Since its formation in 1980,
Mr. Greene has been chairman of
the Supervisors of the Watauga
Soil Conservation District. Because
of his active interest in restoring
the depleted forests in the
county, and his activity In replanting
cutovor timber acreage, be
(Continued on page eight)
Matney
Man Dies
In Crash
Wataugt County recorded IU
first highway fatality of the year
early Saturday morning when
Homer Larry Shook, 21, of Route
1, Banner Elu, died from a broken
neck after'the car In which he waa
riding left the highway and struck
a utility pole.
Funeral servieei were conducted
Monday, March 4, at the White
Rock Baptist Church by the Rev.
Dayton Jones and the Rev. Arvllle
Wallace, and burial followed ia
the White Rock cemetery.
He ia survived by his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Hoyle Shook of Banner
Elk; four brothers, Zeb Shook of
Boone, Ronda Shook of College
Park. Md., Bradley Shook of
Paraesville, Ohio, and Earl Shook
of Banner Elk; five sisters, Mrs.
Mildred Smith of Banner Elk, Mrs.
Pauline Ragan of Atlanta, Ga., Mrs.
Audrey Rominger of Rominger,
and the Miaaes Linda and Joyce
Shook of the home.
Also surviving are the maternal
grandparenta, Mr. and Mrs. Greene
Michael of Banner Elk.
The accident happened about
9:10 o'clock on Highway 421, four
and one-tenth miles eait of Boone.
According to the report of the
accident, Mr. Shook waa In the
beck seat of a IMS Chevrolet driven
by Jamep Donald Hodges, It,
of route 1,/ Vilas, coming from
Baltimore, Md. In the front aeat
with Mr. Hodges was Oscar Finley
Hodges of route 1, Vilas.
The men had left Baltimore
about 6 p. m. the day before, and
Mr. Shook was asleep on the back
seat. Oscar Finley Hodges waa
asleep in the front. The driver
is reported to have fallen asleep,
and the car left the highway on
the left side, striking the pole.
Neither of the Hodges men were
injured.
The State Patrolman investigating
the accident, stated that a
charge of driving on the wrong side
of the road has been placed against
the driver.
Mrs. Van Dyke
Funeral Held
Mri Eva Emma Van Dyke, 68, of
Blowing Rock, Route 1. passed
away at her home on Wednesday,
February 20.
Funeral aervicei were held at 2
p. m. Thursday, February 21, at
the Mount Vernon Baptist Church,
with the Rev. Barney Oliver and
the Rev. Will Cook officiating at
the rites. Burial was in Mount
Vernon Cemetery.
Surviving are her husband, Joe
D. .Van Dyke; a son, C. C. Van
Dyke of Blowing Rock; a fosterdaughter,
Mrs. George Racier of
Kingsport, Tenn.; a brother, C. C.
Bowles of Hudson; two sisters,
Mrs. Vada Hampton of Blowing
Rock, Route 1, and Mrs. Dora Ed- ■
misten of Boone; and one grandson.
Western Ewes
Are Now Scarce
The Livestock Marketing Division
of N. C. Department «»f Agriculture
has informed the cminty
agent that the supply of western
breeding ewes is short and prim«
are likely to go up.
The County Agent's office
like to know of «ny farn
interested in these ewes i
s date as poaalble so
may be purchased as i
sible. ij&aiS
Small graina conserve i
a well developed
reduces the impact i
soil, says W. H.
associate profeaadr
st North Carolina
Also, he adds, • 1
root system
in«i