WATAUGA DEMOCRAT ifflTQt
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VOLUME L^ll-NO. ? ;?.CE; HYR CENTS BOONE. WATAUGA COUNTY. NORTH CAROLINA. THURSDAY. APRIL *7. ml HOHTEEN PAC?-TH?EE MCBMI.
CLEAN-UP. ? Scouts Russell Robinson, Clarence WUion, Howard
Williams, and Lee Howser get a head-start in the current clean up
paint up-fix up campaign. The Boone Methodist Church Scout troop
collected paper from homes and businesses in Boone recently, help
lng to clean up storeplaces and removing a serious fire hazard.
Scoutmaster J. B. Robinson says a good truck load was collected, and
it will be carried to Charlotte and sold. ? Staff photo.
Mayor's Committee Acts
To Clean Up Community
Paul Weston Will Play Organ
At Annual Beauty Pageant
The entertainment at thi-?
spring's Miss Watauga County
Beauty Pageant will again be head
lined by Paul Weston, the musi
cal photographer. Mr. Weston has
captivated pageant audiences with
his talent at the Hammond organ
PAUL WESTON
for the last several years.
The upcoming beauty pageant
will be held at the Appalachian
Elementary School on Saturday,
May 13, at 8-00 p. m. Bob Barnes,
announcer foi radio station WATA,
will serve as master of ceremonies.
Mr. Weston, who is owner of the
Paul Weston Studio in Boone, has
had a wide variety of experience
in the field of musical entertain
ment. He began his 'career in show
business in Boston while he was
still a teen-ager. It was not many
years before he had an impressive
background of experience. He
played with both the Abe Lyman
and Paul Whiteman orchestras, and
for two and a half years he pro
vided music regularly over WSB
in Atlanta, Ga.
-Prior to World W?r II, Mr. Wes
ton and hi* wife opened * photo
graphic studio in Boone. However,
during the war he returned to
show business, playing the console
organ at hotels of the Sheraton
chain throughout the country. Af
ter the war he returned to his
photographic business in Boone
where he has been since.
This will be the first public ap
pearance for Mr. Weston since his
recent serious illness.
Tickets for the pageant are avail
able from Jaycee members, or can
be purchased at the Varsity Shop
on East King Street.
Monroe Herman
Funeral Held
Monroe Herman, 09, of Valle
Crucis, died Sunday morning at
the Veterans Hospital at Oteen
after an illness of one week. He
had been in failing health for a
year.
Mr. Herman was born in Wata
uga County to Abel and Nancy
Townsend Herman. He was a re
tired farmer and a veteran of the
first world war. He was a member
of Holy Cross Episcopal Church.
Surviving are the widow, Mrs.
Artie Mitchell Herman; a daugh
ter, Mrs. Reba Chapman of Char
lotte; a son, James W. Herman of
Jefferson; aeven grandchildren;
two brother* and three slaters:
Thomas and Leroy Herman of
Valle Crucis; Misses Minnie and
Diane Herman and Mrs. Robert
Yatea, all of Valle Crucis.
Funeral service* were held Mon
day at 3 o'clock at Holy Cross
Episcopal Church by Rev. Rhett
Winters. Burial was in the church
cemetery.
It's clean up time In Boone,
with special committees and a
Mayor's proclamation to lend
authority to the effort, according
to Mrs. Lee Reynolds, Chairman
of the Beautification Committee
of the Chamber of Commerce, and
Mrs. B. W. Stalling!, Chairman of
the Town Beautification
tee appointed by the town govern
ment.
Efforts of the two committee
are coordinated toward a common
goal to make Boone the most at
tractive community in the area.
Homemakers and property own
ers are urged to join in a giant
clean up effort that will make the
town spotless, and to plant flow
ers and shrubs that will lend
charm and beauty.
Mayor Howard Cottrell, in pro
claming May 1 through May 10
official Clean Up Period, called
attention to a Town Ordinance
which reads as follows:
Sec. 1 ? Owners and occupants of
premises required to keep the same
free from dangerous animal and
vegetable matter. Every person
owning or occupying any premises
in the town shall keep such prem
ises free from noxious weeds, trash
and all other forms of offensive
animal or vegetable matter or ref
use which may be dangerous or
prejudicial to public health or
which may constitute a public
nuisance. No owner or occupant
of any premises shall bury therein
any animal or vegetable matter
which upon decaying, may become
dangerous or prejudicial to the
public health or may constitute
a nuisance.
Sec. 2? Persons violating Section
to be notified to comply there
with; Exception. If any person
shall violate the proviaions of the
proceeding section, it shall be the
duty of the Sanitary Inspector or
the Chief of Police or his assistants
to give notice to the owner or to
any person in possession of said
lot, directing that within twelve
hours or sooner from the time of
such notice all weeds, trash, and
(continued on page four)
Queen Crowning, "Oklahoma"
Will Highlight Spring Festival
Presentation of the popular
Broadway muaical, "Oklahoma"
and crowning of Martha Chandler
aa Hay Queen highlight the Spring
: Kratival May 5-6 on the campui
of Apalachian State Teachera Col
lege.
John EM, ASTC dean of men
and chairman of the Spring Fest
ival comimttee, announce* that
over 300 student* will participate
in the colorful featWal, beginning
Friday night, May S, with the pre*
entaUon of the Rodger* and Han
merstein "Oklahoma."
On Saturday, at 10:10 a. m.,
movies will b? ihown to proapec
tive Appalachian atudcnts in the
?cience building lecture room.
A mixer (or high acbool atudenta
and future Appalachian atudenta
under the direction of Ronnie
Brooki, recreation director, bogina
at 1:30 p. m. in the men'* old gym.
Charlea Ialey will direct an in
formal band concert at 2:30 p. m.
in the Health and Phyiical Edu
cation Building.
Spring Festival Queen Martha
Chandler and her court will be
preaented at 3 p. m. under the
direction of Mrs. Daisy Eggers of
the English department.
Tea will be served at 4:30 p. m.
in Eaat Hall for the Spring Festi
val court and their frienda.
A second performance of "Okla
homa" will be presented at 7 p. m.
by the Playcraftera and the orches
tra and choir. Nicholas Erneston
will direct the music, Miss Elixa
( Continued on peg* four)
DR. CHARLES DAVANT
Dr. Davant Takes
Air Medicine Work
At Marine Base
Dr. Charles Davant has return
ed to Blowing Rock after complet
ing two weeks training duty in
aviation medicine at the Marine
Corps Air Station, Beaufort, S. C.
During the course of his duty,
he underwent the training proce
dures required of jet pilots in
cluding actual ascents in the pres
sure chamber 38,000 feet and
ejection seat training.
Dr. Davant, who is a licensed
civilian pilot and flies light air
craft himself, also received train
ing in a Link jet trainer. When he
personally flew a Cougar jet fight
er, a FqF8T, at altitudes of 40,000
feet at speeds in excess of the
speed of sound, he joined the
MACH busters club whose mem
bership is limited to those who
have cracked the sound barrier.
Dr. Davant currently holds the
rank of Commander in the United
States Naval Reserve with 18
years of government service on
active and reserve duty. He is ?
member of the Flying Physicians
Association, Aircraft Owners and
Pilots Association and la a FFA
medical examiner.
Young Demos To
Gather Friday .
The Young Democratic Club of
Watauga County will meet Friday
evening at 7:30 at the Appalachian
Room of the Boone Trail Restaur
ant.
Young Democrat* from all pre
cincts are being urged by Presi
dent George Thomas to attend.
Those wishing to Join will have
an opportunity to do so.
Pie and coffee will be served
Dutch to those whp desire it
An important resolution will be
offered at this meeting, so mem
bers are asked to encourage as
many as posible to attend.
Seoul Barbecue
Sale* Postponed
The sale of barbecued chicken
by the Perkinaville Boy Scout
Troop, which was to have been
held Saturday, has been postpon
ed until further notice, It was an
nounced Tuesday.
FFA MENTIONS THIS CITY
Boone Airport Looms As
Long Range Probability
Facilities
Would Handle
Private Ships
An airport will be built in
Boone and six other northwest
ern North Carolina towns dur
ing the next five years, if a
national program proposed
Monday by the Federal Avia
tion Agency goes through.
Besides Boone, Elkin-Jonesville,
High Point, Lexington, Mount
Airy, Mooresville and North Wil
kesboro are mentioned as among
the 19 North Carolina towns which
are proposed as new airport sites.
It is also expected that 40 existing
airports would be improved.
The new airports as proposed
by the FFA, would not provide
service for scheduled passenger
flights, but would be used by
planes owned by individuals or
industries. Even so, such a deve
lopment would greatly enhance
the tourist and business possibili
ties for the Boone and Blowing
Rock region, which is still isolat
ed to a degree as far as air travel
is concerned.
The proposal, the FFA points
out, which is called the National
Airport Plan, does not mean that
the local communities or the Fed
eral government agrees to or is
eommitteed to begin the projects
or to take part in financing them.
FAA Administrator N. E. Hala
by said: "The plan is rather a re
port to Congress and the public
on airport needs which should be
satisfied during the next five
years to keep pace with the grow
th of aviation."
The national program announc
ed by the FAA would include 469
new airports and improvements
at 2,834 existing ones. The total
cost would be about $1.1 billion.
Such costs in the past have been
borne about equally by the Feder
al government and the state or
local governments involved, it was
said.
Rankin Given
Federal Post
Winton B. Rankin, 44, a native
of Boone, has been appointed to
a new poet of assistant commis
sioner of the Food and Drug Ad
ministration in Washington.
The appointment was announced
by Commissioner George P. Lar
rick, as he announced the crea
tion of this and two other assistant
commissioner posts.
Mr. Rankin is a son of Dr. and
Mrs. J. D. Rankin of Boone. He is
a career official, and before his
new appointment was assistant to
the commiasioner for general ac
tivities. His new work gives him
responsibility including program
matters and general administra
tion. He has been with the FDA
since 1939.
Court News Next Week
The Judgments of the April term
of Watauga Superior Court, cur
rently In session, will be published
In the next issue of the Democrat..
DIRECTORS ? Watauga county directors of the Northwest North Carolina Development Association
pose with college officials who were hosts to the organization Friday at k "Watauga dinner." Left to
right they are, Dr. W. H. Plemmons, president of Appalachian, Bob Allen, director of foundations for
the college and public relations director, and James Harsh, Woodrow Richardson, and Stanley A. Harris,
NWNCA directors. ? Photo Buddy R. Owens.
Irate Husband Slays
Wife, Mother Of 10
Moose Will
BuildHere
More than eighty charter sign
ers have been secured for the new
Boone Moose Lodge, as plans go
forward for Institution ceremonies
and for the construction of a
Moose home for Lodge meetings,
dinners, parties and other social
gatherings.
Membership Director, J. C. Cline
says that the goal established is for
290 members by May 7, which has
been tentatively set as institution
date.
Forty were present at the last
meeting held Wednesday when
State Director Bill Moon showed
the Moose movie, explained the
program of the organization and
presented appreciation" awards to
all who had sponsored on* or more
new applications. Mr. Cline read
the list of 73 charter signers.
The institution ceremonies are
to start Sunday afternoon May 7
at 2 o'clock, and a committee was
appointed to find the place for
the meeting. The degree staff of
Lenoir Moose Lodge 389 will per
form the ceremonies, and officers
for the Boone Lodge will be in
stalled.
Meantime a meeting will be
held this (Wednesday) evening
April 26 at 7:30, at which time
Deputy Supreme Governor, Char
( Continued on page 4, section C)
Is Winner Of
Spelling Bee
DAVID HARMAN
David Harman, son of Mrs. Edith
Harman of Blowing Rock and
Cedar Bluff, Va., won the county
wide spelling bee April II on the
637th word.
He waged an hour and 47 minute
contest with his seven competitors,
all girls,
Finally, the contestant from
Bethel triped up on "obsolete."
David was given the word and
spelled It correctly. He then spell
ed the next word on the list ?
"eviction" ? and was declared the
champion.
David is 13 years old, a mem
ber of Mrs. R. C. Greene's seventh
grade. His hobble* art reading,
sports, and music.
Soviet reported cool to China's
food crisis.
Development Ass'n Speaker
c ->X \ __
Says Economic Upturn Definite
The director* of Northwest
North Carolina Development Asso
ciation heard the president of the
Bank of North Wllkesboro de
clare that trends now indicate the
recession la ending. "The up
turn," he said, "la definite, but
slow." I
W. D. Halfacre was summing up
a panel and audience discussion in
the Fine Arts Auditorium of Ap
palachian State TeSchers College
following a business session and
supper of the directors of the slav
?n-county organization who were
here (or their regular monthly
meeting. Title of the discussion
was, "Economic Trends in North
west North Carolina and Sarround
ing Area*."
The directors spent Friday after
noon touring the college campus,
particularly sites where new build
ings are to be located, and made
a visit to "Horn in the Wast"
grounds. Dr. Howard S. Decker,
head of the college Industrial Art?
Department, was ia charge of the
tour. Helping him were Dr. Cratls
Williams, dean of Graduate School;
Bob Alen, Public Relation* direc
tor; and John Corey, executive
secretary of Um Alumni Associa
tion. ? i
Before the tour, an "open
house" and coffee was held in the
Fine Arts building. Mrs. Earleen
G. Prltchett, secretary to college
President W. H. Plemmons, pre
sided.
After the tour, the directors
(Continued on put 4, section C)
Stanley Ward, 47, is being
held in the Watauga county
jail without bond, for the fatal
shooting of his wife, Mrs. Vi
ola Ward, 41, mother of ten
children, which occurred in
the Rominger section of Wa
tauga county Monday morning
at 8:40 o'clock, while her mo
ther, Mrs. Mdnroe Harmon,
looked on.
Coroner Richard E. Kelley, who
with Sheriff E. M. Hodge*,
conducted an investigation of the
fatal shooting, Mid that Ward
and his estranged wife had at
tempted to reach a reconciliation
of their domestic problem* Sun
day night. They had been separat
ed for some time.
Monday morning, Mr*. Harmon
joined them in their discussions.
Ward reportedly left the room,
went to the home of hi* father
in-law and borrowed a shotgun
under the pretext of killing a
rabbit and returned.
"You have lived long enough,"
Mrs. Harmon told the Coroner that
Ward said, as he leveled the ahot
gun and fired on his wife. The
entire load took effect in her right
breast and she died instantly.
Ask* Ride To Beene
After the shooting Ward left
the Harmon home at Rominger
and went to Vilas, where he asked
Edward Edmisten, filling station
operator, to drive him to Boone.
The Wards had been married 22
years. Their ten children ranged
in age from seven years to 21
year*. Five of them live at home.
They had resided in Lenoir until
Mrs. Ward returned to Watauga
county with the children two week*
ago. The family wa* receiving pub
lic welfare *?siit?nce for the chil
dren in Caldwell, it wa* noted.
"Didn't Know It Was LmM1'
Sheriff Hodges quote* Ward as
saying he did not shoot hi* wife
deliberately? that he didn't know
the gun wa* loaded when he pulled
the trigger.
Only five of the Ward children
had been living with their mo
ther. Others are said to live at
diverse points, but their addreises
sre unknown.
The survivors are the husband;
and Kenneth Ward; six daughters,
Tommy* Sue, Carolyn, Mary Helen,