For 69 Years
An Independent Weekly Newt paper . .. Sixty-Ninth Year of
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, MARCH *8, 1W7
Health
Center -UN
To Open
The formal opening of the Wa
tauga County Health Center, locat
ed two miles west of Boone on U.
S. 421, will be held Sunday, March
31, from 3 to 8 p. m.
Cylde R Greene of Boone will
be master of ceremonies at the
dedicatory services, which will be
followed by an open house with
members of county Home Demon
stration Clubs serving as hostesses.
The invocation will be given by
the Rev. C. H. Low man, pastor of
the Boone Methodist Church, and
addresses will be heard by Dr. W.
H. Plemmons, president of Appa
lachian State Teachers College,
and Dr. C, C. Applewhite, direc
tor of the local health division of
the State Board of Health.
Completed early this year, the
new building was occupied by the
district health department the first
week in March, when it was moved
from its former inadequate quar
ters in the courthouse annex.
The modern structure is well
appointed and equipped, consists
ing of a reception room, a confer
ence room, two treatment rooms,
a laboratory, and offices for Dr.
Mary B. H. Michal, district health
officer; Nancy F. Thomas, regis
tered nurse in public health; Lew
is H. Caton, Jr., district supervis
ing sanitarian; and Mrs Ina Spen
cer, typist-clerk.
- Watauga County members of
the district board of health are
Dr. C. H. Mock, chairman; Gordon
H. Winkler. Dr. W. M. Matheson,
and Bynum B. Greene.
The board of county commis
sioners, Bynum B. Greene, Fred
Hatley, and Clint Lewis, and the
district board of health have ex
tended a cordial invitation to the
puhlic to attend the dedicatory
services and open house, with
member* of all club group* which
have bee* instrumental in secur
ing the new health center especial
ly urged to be present.
fnoto by Paul Whim Wu4le
Wreckage of plane in which Palmer Blair and Hudson S. Sisk were killed Thursday.
Mrs. Potter
Rites Are Held
Mrs. Sophia Dancy Potter, 67,
resident of Tamarack, died Satur
day. ' . .
Funeral services were held Mon
day at 2 o'clock at the Elk Knob
Baptist Church. Rev. Stanford Mil
ler of Mountain City, Tennessee
was in charge of the rites and
burial was in the Potter-Main
cemetery.
Survivors include the husband,
John L. Potter of Tamarack? five
sons and two daughters: Edward,
Rom, Denver, Charles and George
Potter of Tamarack; Mh. Nancy
Ellison and Mrs. Earlie Blackburn
of Tamarack. Thar* are 80 grand
children and 0 great grandchild
ren.
Blowing Rock C of C
Takes Stand On Taxes
The Blowing Rock Chamber of
Commerce took a definite itand oh
certain tax issues by adopting the
following resolution:
"Whereas, the economic develop
ment of the State of North Caro
lina is, of primary concern to the
government and the people of the
State of North Carolina, and
"Whereas, a study of corporate
tax burdens in the southeastern
states discloses that the tax bur
den for corporations carrying on
a multi-state operation is higher
in North Carolina than in other
southeastern state*, and
"Whereas, a supreme effort is
being made to raise the standard
of living of the people of the State
of North Carolina with increased
revenue from industrial payrolls,
thereby making industrial develop
ment a major factor toward solving
the economic problems of the State
of North Carolina, and
"Whereas, it is recognized that
industry will locate only where it
is economically favorable to do so,
and
"Whereas, the present method of
compting the tax burdens of such
corporations acts as a major de
terrent to securing new Industry,
and
"Whereas, executive personnel
of industry which is opening new
plants or expanding keenly investi
gate the personal tax situation la
each state under consideration,
and
"Whereas, these key employee*
find the North Carolina intangibles
tax unacceptable, therefore caus
ing them to exert special pressure
to locate in states other than North
Carolina, and
"Whereas, the intangible* (ax
annually not only diaaunde* count
less number* of retired families
from settling in North Carolina,
but i* now actually causing some
of those who are now residents to
mov* away, now
"Therefore, be it resolved:
"1. That the Board of Director*
of the Blowing Rock Chamber of
Commerce hereby respectfully
suggest* and urge* the adoption
by the Legislature of a 3-factor
formula for the computation of lax
burdens on corporations carrying
on multi-state operation and doing
busines* In the State of North Car
olina, an outlined is page* 100, i
and 7 of the report of the Tax
Study Commission of the State of
North Carolina.
"2. That the Board of Director!
of the Blowing Rock Chamber of
(Continued on pace two.)
Doctors Day
To Be Observed
The Watauga County Medical
Auxiliary will observe Doctor's
Day Saturday and Sunday of this
week, when the local churches will
be decorated in honor of the phy
sicians. Drug (tores will also be
decorated in their.honor.
March 30th has been set aside
for Doctors' Day observance by the
State Medical Society.
Mrs. L. H. Owsley is president
of the Fedical Auxiliary, while
Mrs. R. H. Hardin is chairman of
Paul Coffey, Civic Leader,
Suffers Fatal Heart Attack
/ .. ,
Paul A. Coffey, 94, Boone mer
chant, civic and church leader,
died suddenly early Monday morn
ing of what was believed to have
been a heart attack. Mr. Coffey
suffered the seizure soon after he
opened his hardware store.
Mr. Coffey, a native of the
Shulls Mills section, was active in
the life of the community and
county. He had been chairman of
V PAUL A. COFFEY
the Board of County Commiasion
en. County Accountant and Tax
Supervisor.
Educated at Appalachian State
Teacher* College, Mr. Coffey at
tended a business school in Roa
noke, Va., and was in the real
eitate business for a while in that
city. He waa subsequently employ
ed in the offices of the Whiting
Lumber Co. at Shulls Mills, waa
aasiatant cashier of the Watauga
County Bank and later of the
Northwestern Bank, in Boone and
Burnsville. He was in the life
insurance business here for tome
years, and was one of the co
founders of the Parkway Co., local
hardware store in 1037. At the
time of his death he wu sole own
er of the business.
Mr. Coffey was a member of
the Board of Stewards of. the Boone
Methodist Church for 30 years, a
member of the Snow Masonic
Lodge and of Oasis Shrine Temple
! in Charlotte. He was a former
' vice-president of the Boone Lions
Club, a member of the Chamber of
Commerce, Merchants Association,
and a director of Watauga Hos
pital. He was a director of the Wa
tauga County Library Board and
of the local Red Cross chapter.
Surviving are the widow, the
former Miss Margaret Linney; two
sons, Armfield Coffey, student at
the University of North Carolina,
and Prank Coffey, stationed in
Newfoundland with the Air Force.
His mother, Mrs. Virginia Stames,
survives, with two half brothers,
Ray and Glenn Starnes, two half
sisters, Mrs. Beatrice Fox and Mrs.
Lillian Reid of Taylorsville. An
uncle, Mr. O. J. Coffey, of Boone,
survives.
Funeral service will be held to
day (Wednesday) at 2:00 p. m. at
the Boone Methodist Church, with
the pastor, the Rev. E. H. Lowman,
the Rev. L. H. Hollingsworth, pas
tor of the First Baptist Church,
and the Rev. E. F. Troutman,
pastor of Grace Lutheran Church,
conducting the rites.
The body will lie in state at
the church from 1*00 to 3:00 p.
m„ preceding the funeral.
—Burial will be in Mount Lawn Me
memorjal Park with Masonic Rites
conducted by Snow Lodge 368.
Conference On School Libraries
Planned At Appalachian College
{ *
By EARLBKN 0. PUTCHETT
A conference on school libraries
is to be held at Appalachian State
Teachers College April «4. It will
be iponaored Jointly by the depart
ment of Public Instruction of
North CartAlna.
For the past three yean, the De
partment of Public Instruction has
held a conference on school lib
raries for city and county school
library supervisors. As a result of
the interest expressed by federal
supervisors, the conference this
year has been expanded to include
all insknicUoMl supervisors, and
other educational leaders in the
state. y
Miss Nora E. Buest. specialist
for school and children's libraries
of the United States office of Edu
cation, will serve at the consultant
for the conference. Miss Beuat is
one of the foremost leaders in the
development of school libraries In
the United States and abroad. Oth
er library consultants will include
the library science faculties of
North Carolina colleces and uni
vcfiitics, tbc tMitf U>
brary Advisers.
On Thursday night, April 4, Dr.
Dale W. Gramley, president of
Saleea College of Win«tnn-aSJ«m,
will speak on'the subject, "These
Days of our'Life." Following Dr.
Gramley's address, there will be a
tea In the library of the elemen
tary demonatration school for all
eonferencc personnel.
On Friday, April 8, the confer
ence will have a breakfast meet
ing. The speakers will be the fam
ous authors and illustrators of
children's books. Thelma and
Corydon Bell of Sapphire, North
Carolina.
Dr. Herbert W Wey, associate
dean of the graduate school at Ap
ptilachian. will give the keynote
address at 10:00 •. m.. following
which the conference will break
into small group diacussioas, cen
tering around the theme "How
Can We Use Our School Libraries
Most Effectively?" Friday's pro
gram also will include demonstra
tion clinics in many areas of li
brary service, including planning
■ad equipping libraries, organize
tion record* and routines, selec
tion of material* and their use in
curriculum construction, nonbook
materials, publicity, student as
sistants, and activities for reading
guidance, curriculum library, cam
pus school libraries in action.
The speaker at the dinner meet
ing on Friday will be Richard
Chase, a nationally-known folk
lorist and author.
Saturday. April 6, new bookA for
children and young people will be
reviewed at the breakfast meeting.
The final general session, to fol
low, will include a panel discus
sion by leaders of the Friday
morning discussion groups, and #
conference summary.
Members of the Appalachian
State Teachers College staff in li
brary itciencet have helped in the
planning of the conference. They
include Mrs Ua 'T. J ostler, the
head of the department, Mias
Eunice Query, and Mrs. Eloiae
Camp Melton.
Hog slaughter in North Carolina
lut jrfif to4niii*d ff/HWjKKV
Capt. Taylor Is
Air Force Counsel
Captain James Taylor, Jr., Unit
ed State* Air Force, haa been ad
mitted to the practice of law in
the United States Court of Military
Appeals and the United States Su
preme Court in Washington. D. C.
Captain Taylor It presently chief
of legal assistance in Strategic Air
Command Headquarters at Oma
ha, Nebraska. Prior to Joining the
Air Force, Captain Taylor prac
ticed law in Boone.
Dr. Wey Given
SAC Recognition
Dr. Herbert W. Wey of Appa
lachian State Teachers College,
haa received word that he has
been appointed a member of a
committee on evaluation for the
Southern Association of Collegea
and Secondary Schools. The com
mittee will study the standards of
the Aasociation and the means of
evaluation of junior high schools
and senior high schools for mem
bership in the association.
Dr. Wey, who is head of the de
partment of education and atsoci'
ate dean of graduate studies al
Appalachian, la also the secretary
of the Commission on Research
and Service of the aasociation.
He will spend the week of May
15 to 22 ic Atlanta, working with
the other members of the evalu
ation committee.
Mrs. Whitener
Dies On Monday
Rogers (Spud) Whitener was a
visitor in Boone Thursday and
Friday, having been called from
Lakeland, Fla. due to the death of
hia mother, Mrs. D. H. Whitener,
which occurred in Rutherfordton
last Monday, following a long ill
ness.
funeral services were held at
the Spencer Baptist Church In
Spindale Wednesday afternoon,
and burial was in Mountain View
•Church cemetery.
There are four sons and thre
daughters: jtogers Whitener, Lak<
land, Fla.; Alton Whitener, Rut'
erfordton; Lee Whitener, 8p;
dale; Glenn Whitener, Baltirr
Md.; Mrs. W. L Bland. Mias
Whitener, Rutherfordton; Y W
L. Hollingsworth. Charlotte '
Mr. fagers Whitener. •
of Eagtl-fc at Florida m
College, was accompi f
from Lakeland by W
Jones
The Army and A
Guard has settle
over tralniog poll' f
a six month dels
the new r a q u 1 J
months' active <i
Palmer Blair Si
In Crash Of Plan
I
J. Luther Snyder
Succumbs On Monday
runerai service* lor J. L,uiner
Snyder, 83, Coca-Cota pioneer of
Blowing Rock and Charlotte, who
died lfonday were held Wednes
day at tl a. m. at Myers (Park
Methodist Church, Charlotte.
Rev. C. C. Herbert, pastor, was
assisted in the rite* by Rev. Loy !
Witherspoon and Dr. R. L. Own- j
bey. Burial was in Elmwood ceme
tery.
The Charlotte business and civic
leader died Monday in a Charlotte
hospital from a lengthy illness.
He was a member and life Steward '
of Myers Park Methodist Church.
He was founder of the tint Coca
Cola bottling plant in the Caro
lina*. He owned a chain of ten
plant* in the State.
In late year* he gave most of
hi* time to civic, religious and
philanthiepic works. , '
Mr. anyaer maintained an ea
| Utc it Blowing Rock where he
spent the summers. One of Jie
j showpUces on the mountaintop .he
' estate consists of 196 acres.
{ Surviving are four sons and
| daughters: Mrs. W. B. Garrison,
Gastonia; George C. Snyder, Char
| lotte; lira. Norman Bisanar of
| Concord; Jama* Snyder, Charlotte.
: POLIO SHOTS
Only ten per cent of the nation's
under-40 population had received
the Salk Vaccine shots as of March
1st, according to the National
Foundation for Infantile Paralysis.
The foundation said that 53 per
cent of the 109,000,000 Americans
under 40 had not received any
vaccine and 37 per cent ha<^ re
ceived one or two shots.
Parkway Hearing Is
Requested By Board
Asheville — Chairman William
Medford of tbc North Carolina Na
tional Park, Parkway and ForeiU
Development Commlliion an
nounced Sunday he will seek a
full public bearing by the Commis
lion on the controversial queation
of concessions on the Blue Ridge
Parkway.
Medford said "I am going to re
commend te the commissioners
that a public hearing be held."
His recommendation will be
made at the April IS meeting of
the Commission. Time and place
for the hearing, if called by the
Commiasion, will be set at the
April IS meeting, Kedford said.
No opposition within the Com
mission to holding a public hear
ing haa been indicated.
Medford aaid "We have receiv
ed several requests (or a public
hearing." One ot those came from
the Northwest North Carolina
Development Aaaociatloa at a Feb
ruary meeting of the Commission.
Another haa since coma from the
Blowing Rock Chamber of Com
merce.
Expanded Parkway Concessions
are propoaed under the National
Park Service's 10-year "Hission
06' program and are opposed by
various private tourist interests.
CotfS ICUNNERY of Charlotte, leading dancer ot the New '
Dai " "l> •••»" in pear In Boone on April
ipr M- • ■*.
RW
Lenoir Man
Also Killed
In Accident
Palmer 8. Blair, 34, prominent
Boone photographer and- member
of a pioneer Watauga county fam
ily, was killed laat Thursday after
noon in the crash of a private air
plane near West Jefferson, ia ihe
vicinity of the Ore Knob copper
mining operation.
Also killed in the crssh of 'tke
Piper Cub was the pilot, Hudson
C. Sisk, 37, of Lenoir.
Mr. Blair was on a photographic
mission over the Ashe county
mountains, it was said, gathering
some pictures for possible com
mercial use.
Both men died instantly of mul
tiple injuries, it was said by by
standers who took the bodies from
the wreckage. However, the plane
PALMER BLAIR
did not burn when it struck the
•loping field near the mine, only
thirty feet from ■ crowded park
ins lot.
Superintendent See* Crash
A witness to the crash, Mine
superintendent A. A. Dundas, was
quoted as saying he watched the
craft plunge to earth as he stood
on the lawn of his home near the
mine. He said the low-flying plane •
had been in the area about ten
minutes and that "it made a tight
turn, about 200 feet high, and then
it fell off. I heard the engine quit
1 stood there, amazed ... It was
horrible."
The nose and right wing struck
the ground first, bystanders said,
and the machine was a complete
wreck.
Ashe County Sheriff Carl Fran
cis made a preliminary investiga
tion but did not fix the cause of
the crash. CAA investigators prob
ed into the wreckage for possible
clues. Indications wera, however,
that engine failure caused the
crash.
Beoae Native
Mr. Blair was a native of Boone,
a son of Mr. snd Mrs. H. Neat
Blair. He was educated at Appa
lachian State Teachers College,
and opened a photographic studio
after bia graduation 11 years ago.
He had engaged in press as well
as general commercial photo
"Ut«