FOR BEST RESULTS
advertlaeri invariably uae the column* of
the Democrat. With ita full paid circulation,
intensely covering the local (hopping area,
it u the beat advertiaing medium available.
VOLUME LXX1II? NO. 40
PRICE: riVE CENTS BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY. NORTH CAROLINA THURSDAY, APRIL I, 1*1
An Independent Weekly IS e?t>$ paper . . . Seventy-Third Year
BOONE UULb' COURSE opened this week for what Joe Maples, golf i
pro at the course, believes will be the best year in its three-year ,
history. Hugh Morton took this picture last year when the sports
man's attraction was at its height of beauty.
Watauga's United Drive Nets
60% Of Quota, Figures Show
Watauga County's United Fund
Campaign, caught first in the flood
tide of the heated and colorful
"Great Debates" of the Presidential
election year, then taking a back
seat to Thanksgiving and the Yule
season, has just completed its
mopping-up procedures and has ar
rived at a figure for the campaign,
according to Campaign Chairman
Robert Bumbaugh, as he reported
an approximate 60% of the $17,
000 goal for the Fund's 1960-61
budget.
"The campaign was filled with
contradictory aspects," Mr. Bum
baugh said. "First, it was the
largest budget committment ever
assumed by Watauga United, but
it met with the smallest subscriber
committment ever pledged by Wa
taugans. There were isolated in
stances where volunteer workers
Debating Team
Goes To Oklahoma
The Appalachian State Teachers
College debating team participated
last week in the national Pi Kappa
Delta forensic tournament at Ok
lahoma State University at Still
water, Okla.
Representing Appalachian were
Hildreth Jo Crowder, Raleigh, and
Ramona Lee Craig, Lenoir.
The students were accompanied
by Professor Leo K. Pritchett, the
college's debating coach.
The Appalachian debaters joined
approximately 1000 other collegi
ans from colleges and universi
ties throughout the country in at
tacking this year's debate topic:
"Resolved: That the United State*
Should Adopt a Program of Com
pulsory Health Insurance."
did the most outstanding job ever
undertaken for the Fund, there
were other instances where volun
teer workers met their task with
an apathy heretofore unknown in
any Watauga United campaign,"
he said.
Mr. Bmnbangh had the highest
praise for such workeri as Fred
Gragg, who led the IRC employee
solicitation to an all-time high
in per capita giving, and to a
1M%. partkiMtion with the ex
ception of two departments. In
the community, he said, the fin
est job was turned in by Dr.
Lawrence Owsley, leading the
Advance Gifts Division, and Cecil
Miller, leading business employee
solicitation among downtown
firms. He also expressed his ap
preciation to John Broyhill for
his work among the Shadowllne
employee group.
"We set up what be believed to
be excellent machinery for the
drive," Mr. Bumbaugh said, "with
detailed plans for solicitation that
embraced every part of our county.
Somewhere along the line it bogged
down. We tried to do it without
a lot of hoopla and fanfare, be
lieving our citizenry were 100%
behind Watauga United. I guess we
just overlooked the fact that the
fanfare of the big election cam
paigns was going to overshadow
us, both from the standpoint of
keeping workers on the job and
capturing the attention of the con
tributor."
Dr. Lawrence Owsley, Chair
man of the Budget and Admis
sions Committee, expressed dis
appointment in the outcome of
the campaign. "Oar budget com
mittments were the very mini
DEBATERS. ? Hildreth Jo Crowder, Raleigh, and Ramona Lee Craig, I
Lenoir, repreaented Appalachian State Teacberi College In the na- '
tional Pi Kappa Delta debating tournament lait weak at Oklahoma I
State University. Professor Leo K. Pritchett, the college'* debating
coach, accompanied the tfudenU.
nrum we felt we eouW make In
the face of the nee<U th,fpr*
sented themselves," he aafd.
A revised budget U aow nun
datory, Dr. Owsley said, and will
be made Immediately, based up
on the actual funds at hand.
Fund president, Ralph J1"8?"!"'
expressed disappointment in the
outcome of the campaign, but de^
cured that he did not btlkve this
year's response to be an accurate
reflection of community
ance of United Fund. I m still
convinced that most of our crttens
believe that wrapping up
odd agencies that merit our sup
port, and making a one time solici
tation for them in a P?c^g ?
the only practical approach. The
campaign did not fail bee."" of
unwillingness to respond, rather,
it failed because of our failure to
present sufficient opportumty to
respond. It will be our solemn duty
this fall to present such opportun^
ity and to present it at the prope
time, and with sufficient promo
tion/publicity and information to
keep our people fully informed,
he said. I
P. T. McNeill
Rites Are Held
West Jefferson, M,rch1?0 ~7H"!?
dreds of friends filled the church
to overflowing "d many more
stood in the yard at the Beaver
Creek Primitive Baptist Church
Sunday afternoon to pay ^ tri
bute to Peter Thurman McNeill,
64, one of Ashe county's most pop
ular men, who died suddenly last,
Thursday morning at
Memorial hopsiUl. |
Conducting the service was Eid
er Edd Davis and Elder De**y
Roten and burial followed in the
McNeill family cemetery, bring , ?
to an end a long career of public
service.
He served in the Senate in 1927
and again in 1033. He *?? ? me?
her of the Legislature in 1929 . He
served as Senate clerk In 1931
He was a Deputy Collector of the
Internal Revenue Service from
1933 until 1937. From 1937 until
1164, when he resigned to become
clerk of court, he served as State
probation officer.
He was a life-long Democrat and
JUn of Mrs. Alice McMillan
and Gather McNeill who was
among the first Democratic sher
iffs to be elected in Ashe county.
When the news of his death
reached Raleigh, the Legia1^""
adjourned out of respect to him
and ordered a resolution written
into the journal. ?
He I* survived by hi* wife, Mrs.
Martha Fletcher McNeill, three
daughters, Mrs. Carl Scott. Wash
lngton, D. C.; Mrs. Charles Gar
wood, Wittesboro; Mrs
Scott, Randolph, Nebraska; i an
five sons, Robert and Marshall, of
Jefferson WdlUm ^
Franklin, of hU .
Jr., of Flemlngbur*. K*-, ????*
ter, Mr*. Mae McNeil of Housto .
Tuas.
KIDD BREWER
Brewer To Speak
At Chamber Meet
Kidd Brewer, former Appalach
ian College football mentor, and
a prominent Raleigh political
leader and insurance man, will
apeak to the Chamber of Com
merce at its membership meeting
at noon, Tuesday April 11.
The luncheon will be held at the
Boone Trail Restaurant.
Mr. Brewer is the owner of How
ard's Knob, a Rich Mountain peak
overlooking Boone, which he hopes
to promote into a national attrac
tion.
In the world of sports Mr.
Brewer reached the peak of his
career at Appalachian in 1937 with
an undefeated and untied grid re
cord. Ripley's "Believe It Or. Not"
recorded that Brewer held a re
cord by being Captain of nine
teams during his career.
During the last world war he
served as Naval Lieutenant an
aide to Admiral Paul Hendron in
the South Pacific. Later he served
as administrative asaistant to
Senator Joaiah Bailey and to Gov
ernor William Umstead.
Mr. Brewer writes a Raleigh
column for thirty papers and is in
the bakery and Insurance business.
He is a member of the Board of
Trustees of Appalachian State
Teachers College.
Says Opposition
To Taxes Mounts
Senator Gordon H. Winkler
states thst there is increaaed op
position to Governor Sanford's
sales tax proposal as it regfcrds
food and farm supplies. The Sena
tor's mail from Watauga was, at
laat report, almost 100 per cent
for the tax proposal. Now, he aays
many are speaking out against the
plan.
Senator Winkler i? glad to hear
from the people. The situation
situation hasn't Jelled yet, he says,
and there are .a lot of problems,
and that be will do his best for the
people of the county and the die
trlct.
Senator Winkler Is not a mem
ber of the Joint Finance Commit
tee which la presently considering
the different tax proposals which
have been offered.
MIm Elaine Greer and Mrs. Ben
Miller of Baltimore, Maryland
were holiday visitors with Mr. and
Mrx. T..M. Greer and other rela
tivea here.
BEST YEAR ENVISIONED
Golf Play Started As City
Looks To Carolinas Open
Many Events
On Calendar
For Summer
The Boone Golf Course opened
Monday at noon for what Joe
Maples, golf pro, believes will be
the best year in the course's three
year history. Although the day was
not what golfers consider an ideal
day, more than 50 players were on
hand when Mr. Maples opened the
gate.
Many of these players comment
ed favorably on the condition of
the greens, and some said they
were the best they had played on
this winter. This was despite the
fact that the greens "have not
even started coming out good,"
Mr. Maples proudly pointed out.
Several big events have been
scheduled for the course, with
the three-day Carolina's open on
June 6, 7, and 8, expected to draw
the biggest field. Eighteen holes
will be played each of the three
days, and the prize money will be
$2000 plus entry fee, which is ex
pected to swell the purse to more
than $4000.
Several improvements have been
made since opening last year.
Probably the first noticeable one
and which players had been want
ing for some time was the road
leading to the course from the
Blowing Bock highwaj^ JJouling.
has been done on the road, and
river gravel has been hauled in.
The road la wet at present time,
but when the weather is more fav
orable for road work, it will be
given a final grade and small
crushed stone put on and treated
with asphalt.
The cart shed, which was de
molished by last month's winds,
has been completely rebuilt and
improved. Trees that were blown
down during these winds are be
ing removed as the grounds con
ditions permit.
The championship tee, which
was added to the 8th hole, is ready
for use, lenthening the hole from
189 yards to over 200. This makes
it the toughest par 3 on the course,
Mr. Maples said.
Another improvement being
made is the enlarging of the 10th
green. As soon as weather permits
sod will be placed on the enlarge
ment, and the Improvement will
give the golfers a bigger target
to shoot at
Other big events for the course
that are expected to draw crowds
to the area Include:
The two-day Ladies' Foothill
League tournament set tentatively
for May 22-23.
One-day Carolina Golf Associa
tion tournament on June 4.
Pro-Am tournament, which is the
warm-up event on June 5, proceed
ing the Carolina's Open the next
three days.
The Carolina's Open on June 8,
7, and 8, is expected to draw the
biggest crowds the tournament
has ever attracted. Although Mr.
Maples was hesitant to give any
close figures, he said the Open
should attract several hundred
(Continued on page eight)
CAN YOU REMEMBER THIS. ? Just a little over ? year ago, no matter which highway you took, you
were confronted with mounds of snow. This year's weather has been much milder. ? Staff photo Joe Minor.
Present Mild Weather Recalls
Huge Snowfalls Of Last Winter
Yadkin Dairy Given
Fort Bragg Contract
Yadkin Valley Dairy is now
serving the Fort Bragg Military
Installation with dairy items for
resale, it was announced today by
Ur. Guy Perry, Manager.
The first shipment, which con
sisted of 13,500 ^ -gallons plus a
liberal order of various dairy pro
ducts, was delivered April 1st.
Delivery will be made six days a
week until termination of the con
tract, which began April 1, 1961
and expires March 31, 1962.
With this new contract Yadkin
Valley Dairy Producer* will en
joy a substantial gain on the 750,
000 pound* of grade A milk re
quired a month to fill the order.
Thi* i* the first military coo
tract Yadkin Valley Dairy ha* had
and it i* noteworthy that the total
volume of tale* for the year will
be ?ub*tantially over 9600,000.
?? M ? ? , .. .
School Survey To Be Made
The schools of Watauga county
will be studied next week by a
team of educators and administra
tors, according to W. Guy. Angell,
superintendent of Watauga schools.
The curriculum and physical fa
cilities of the schools will be looked
at on April 11-12, and recommen
dations and criticisms, aimed at
improving the system, will be made
following the survey.
Headed by Dr. J. S. Pearce, di
rector of the Division of School
Planning, of the State Department
of Public Instructions, the survey
team will include other members
of the division, and superintend
ents of other school units in this
area, Mr. Angell said.
The four high schools will get
particular attention in the sur
vey. The buildings will be studied
to see if there is need (or expan
sion or improvements and the cur
riculum will be checked to see if
it is adequate or needs changing.
Mr. Angell said results of the
survey will be announced as soon
after the team is here as possible.
"They should give us recommen
dations for the planning of our
school program for the future,"
he said.
Scrap Paper Pickup Set
For Saturday, April 15
A paper drive will be conducted
by the Boone Methodist Church
Scout troop on Saturday, April 18,
accordingto Scoutmaster J. B. Rob
inson. Anyone having scrap paper
for the drive should contact any of
the Scouts of that troop so that it
may be picked up on that dale.
Historical Association Is Starting
Membership Campaign In Vicinity
Under the supervision of Dr.
D. J. Whitener, chairman of the
Southern Appalachian Historical
Membership Association, the an
nual membership drive has begun.
Letters of invitation to members
to renew their membership and
invitation to prospective members
have been mailed.
Dr. Whitener explained that
since the new "Horn in the West"
program will be printed soon, it
is important that everyone Join as
soon as possible.
There la no doubt that thia As
sociation is doing more per capital
than almost any other organization
to create aa interest among our
tourisU, and causing many more
people to come to our mountain!
to aee what ia being done on the
Horn in the West grounda.
One nationally known attraction,
the Tatum Cabin, haa been com
pleted and inquiries ,re coming in
from all over tbe United Statea.
The Squire Boone cabin haa been
completed, and H will attract thoua
anda when properly promoted.
Another famous cabin ia now be
ing erected and will be known as
something similar to "Daniel's
Trading Poet," well-stocked with
unusual antiquea and other souve
nirs. Tbe Association has had a lot
to do with the Botanical Garden*
which will, when completed, draw
thouiands of people to Boone.
All theie thing* have been done
with your memberahip duet; you
are a part of thii great movement
when you join.
There are many, many more
thing* that thi* Association could
do if everyone who ihduld, would
Join. Every person reading thi*
article who have the interest of
our community at heart ihould
Jain. A vpecial bonus is an annual
pa?* to "Horn in the W?*t." Your
membership dues should be mailed
to either Itn. B. W. Stalling* or
Or. B. H. Harmon.
. ? 1 h
By JOE C. MINOR
"This weather'* miserable!"
Someone was heard to exclaim
this last week as the rains fell;
and might have said it again Tues
day as the saow began covering
the ground.
But ? wonder if he had forgotten
last year?
Just a little over ? year ago,
Watauga and other western North
Carolina counties were seeing the
ground for the first time in more
than a month. A record snow had
almost melted and roads and high
ways were all passable, some for
the first time in weeks, though
many were in bad shape.
School children were despairing
because they would have to go to
school on Saturdays and on up into
June to make up for the 23 days
missed because of weather ? 20 of
them in March.
The Democrat had had sell-outs
two consecutive weeks because
patrons were sending the county
newspaper to friends and relatives
all over the country to show them
pictures and stories of the big
snow? despite the publisher's ef
forts to supply the demand by
printing several hundred extra
copies.
The Red Cross had Just figured
It had spent more than $15,000 for
food and fuel which was distribut
ed to isolated homes, where people
were having trouble getting out
to buy the neceasities. The help
of the National Guard, the Army
helicopters, and some 30 other
agencies and businesses had been
enlisted to help the Red Croae on
its errands of mercy.
The State Highway Department
was beginning to send hack home
more than 200 extra pieces of
heavy equipment, "borrowed" from
other areas to help in the snow
operation. Damage to the roads
in the western counties had been
placed at more than five million
dollars. Cost of snow removal
alone had been placed at more than
a half million dollars.
And now, the "miserable" weath
er this year:
There has been some bad weath
er. It has snowed and It has
rained. Fishermen had a rough
time as the season opened Satur
day in the snow, rain and cold.
Some of the roads are muddy.
But only four daya of school
have been missed to date, and one
of them has already been made up.
With no mora cloning, the students
will be out of school an May 34.
Although paper salaa have been
good, we haven't had a complete
sell-out this year.
The highway maintenance de
partment baa had to do a litUe
(continued on page eight)
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