FOR BEST RESULTS
advertisers invariably use the col
umns of the Democrat. With its full
paid circulation, intensely covering
Ia^I fhnnning ftfML it if
I ? ? """IT*" ? ? 7
best advertising medium avails]
LXXIV^NO. II
eekly Newspaper . . . Seventy-Fourth Year of Coi
' J BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. THURSDAY, JUNE 21,
June
I .loaf !
June
June 18
June 17
June &
CENTS 18 PAG
,
1
TAR BAB^.? Workers from the North Carolina Highway De
partment resurface a portion of Queen Street earlier this week
as Mayor Watte E. Brown (center), department foreman J. R.
McNeil (left), and department supervisor T. A. Hagaman
(right), look on. The operation cost the town $10,000, accord
ins to Mayor Brown, and will be paid for oat of the town's
budget which has been set up for such an expenditure. Three
of Boone's seven miles of city streets were paved this week,
with most of the work being done on West Howard, Appalach
ian and Queen streets, and Grand Boulevard. ? Staff photo.
JIM AGLE'S RESCUE ATTEMPT FAILS
JohnSh rakeDrownsIn Surf
ROBERT B. TOOTELL
FCA Governor
To Speak Here
For Land Bank
Robert B. Too tell, governor
of the Farm Credit Admin titra
tion, Washington, 17. C., will be ,
the main speaker at the annual
meeting of stockholders of the ,
Federal Land Bank Association
of Boone, July 7, it was an
nounced this week by S. C. Egg
ers, president of the local as
sociation. The meeting will be
in the Boone Elementary School ?
Auditorium, and will begin at
10:30 ajn. that day.
Mr. Tootell was born and
reared on a farm in Wisconsin, 1
and has had long experience in <
work. He was appointed gov- 1
ernor of the Farm Credit Ad
( Continued on page two)
John Shrake, 18 year old son
of Bert Shrake who is owner
of the Parkside Cafe near the
college campus in Boone,
drowned Sunday afternoon at
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
We miftap occurred In front
Of the Ocean Forest Hotel
where be was employed.
A companion, Jim Agle, 17,
also of Boone, tried to save
Shrake but was unsuccessful.
Jvgle was treated at Ocean View
in Myrtle Beach and
wa? pleased.
Littlejohn Blanton, county
coroner, said the two youths
ventured out too far into the
surf about 1:19 p. m. Shrake
got into trouble and Agle made
a futile effort to save him.
The Myrtle Beach Rescue
Squad brought Agle to safety.
The rescue squad made an
effort to lecate the body of
Shrake but had not found it by
noon Tuesday. They were being
aided in the search by the
United States Air Force which
was using helicopter* to scan
the area.
Both Shrake and Agle were
graduated from Appalachian
High School here laat month.
They weot to Myrtle Beach
ahactly alter graduation and
were employed 'Trttte Ocfcan
Forest Motel. " '??
Shrake was the ton of Mr.
and Mr*. Bert 1. Shrake of 224
W. Westbrook Drive, Boone.
The family came to Boone
about four years ago from
Cleveland, Ohio.
Surviving are the parents and
two younger brothers, Bill and
David Shrake of Boone.
Agle is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. R. E. Agle of 8008 Bear
Trail, Boone. The father is gen
eral manager of the Statesville
Theater Corp.
Agle was released from the
hospital Monday and returned
to Boone with his parents.
Mrs. and Mrs. Shrake and an
other son, Bill, are staying at
Ocean Forest Hotel, awaiting
the recovery of Shrake's body.
Two Watauga Homes
Are Destroyed By t ire
Two fires within the past ,
week completely destroyed the
homes of two Wataugians, ac
cording to the Boone Fire Ix
partment.
The home of Bob Hunnicutt,
Jr., of Bamboo Road was de
Wilkes Dam Gates To
Be Closed In August
Engineers will lower gates in
the Wilkesboro Flood Control
Dam about August IS to form
the lake.
Harold A. Mullins, engineer
in charge of the project for the
U. S. Corp of Engineers, said
work la the reservoir area will
be completed by that time and
the lake will be formed in time
for dedication ceremonies at
the dam' scheduled for Septem
ber 16.
Rains are expected to pro
vide the water to form the lake
without cutting off the normal
flow of the river. If the flow of
the river were cut off entirely,
Mullins aaid, the remit would
be disastrous to fish in the
stream below and would dim
inish water supplies down the
valley.
Workmen are now putting the
finishing touches to the earth
dam across the valley in pre- 1
paratioo for sMtof the down
river slope of the dam in grass,
rhe up-river side has been
.-overed with stone. . \
Work remaining to be done
includes paving a roadway
icroas the top of the 146-foot
lam and installation of power
Iriven machinery to control the
gates in the 800-foot concrete
tunnel through the base of the
lam, which will carry the riv
sr's How.
Contract was awarded to Tom
Brown Jr., of Charlotte for
erection of four concrete boat
ramps at the edge of what will
to the permanent lake. There
ilso will be four beach areas,
rhes* developments will ex
end from near the dam to a
lis la nee of three miles up
itream.
The spillway designed to
arry flood water around the
lorth end of the dam into Fisit
3am Creek below the dam has
(Continued on page three)
clared a total loss in a fire
which gutted his house last
Thursday. Local firemen state
that lack of water hampered
their fight against the blaze.
No otficial estimate of dam
age had been made early this
week.
A Sunday afternoon blaze in
Hot Hollar leveled the home
of Earl Miller. No official esti
mate of damage was available
prior to this pubicatioh.
Again, firemen stated that
insufficient water supply was
a main factor which delayed
their efforts to control the
blaze.
A spokesman explained by
stating that nether of Boone's
two fire trucks holds more than
230 gallons of water. The trucks
can pump 900 gallous of water
per minute. In reality, then, on
ly about thirty seconds of "wat
er power" is available, although
the spokesman pointed out that
the water was not pumped at
full power and therefore lasted
"somewhat longer."
To help offset this factor, the
persons who have fires "to
baikl small dams in a nearby
creek or river while the fire
trucks are driving to the scene.
The water then can be pumped
by the truck to the place of
fire. Much valuable time is lost
in the constructing of such a
dam, by firemen after they
have arrived," the spokesman
MRS. EARLEEN PRITCHETT
Mrs. Pritchett
Heads UN Week
Mr*. Earleen G. Pritchett, ad
ministrative assistant to the
President of Appalachian State
Teachers College* was named
Tuesday to the State Chairman
ship of United Nations Week,
according to word reaching the
Democrat fron: Governor San
ford's office.
United Nations Week will be
observed October 21-27. Mr*.
Pritchett will have the duty of
coordinating the UN observ
ance in communities across the
State, and will ask the various
mayors to name local chairmen.
The goal of tne observance
is to promote a better under
standing of the aims, purpose*
and accomplishments of United
Nation*.
Duru ui naiauga cuumy uu
August 6, 1900, Mrs. Pritchett
was educated at Lees-McRae
College, Draughon's Business
College in Knoxville and Appa
lachian State Teachers College.
For nineteen years she was
secretary to the president at
Lees-McRae College. From 1947
to September, 1949, she served
as secretary to the Dean. She
was Director of Publications and
Associate Director of Placement
at ASTC in Boone. Since Sep
tember, 1955, she has been sec
retary to Dr. W. H. Plemmons,
President of Appalachian State
Teachers College. In 1901, (he
became Administrative Assist
ant. a i ' ;1
si Mrs. Pritchett is a charter
member of the Boone Business
and Professional Woman's Club
and has served two ywrs as the
club's president. For one term
she was chairman of the Edu
cation and Vocation Committee
of District 2 of the North Caro
lina Federation of Business and
Profeetional Women's Club*.
. She is one of the organisers
(Continued oa page two)
sr ;
FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER NOMINATION
. i
? v '
ote Tabulation Sho
fm
?.?it i
? ?" ','..:SV
eynolds, Not Edmisten,Was
mJ 7 '
J
A - t- W"/: <? '
hi
n
In May 26 Primary
Request For
2nd Primary
Is Refused
Acting under the direction
of the State Board of Elections,
the county board has re-tabu
lated the votes cast in the May
26 Watauga County primary.'
The new count shows Lee Reyn
olds ? rather than Jack Edmis
ten ? is among the top three
Democratic aspirants for the
post of county commissioner.
(As Was agreed among the
candidates prior to the May 26
primary, the top three winner*
would bo candidates for the post
in the November election. W.
C. Lentz and Gene Reese were
the top two men in the race,
followed by Reynolds and Ed
misten.)
Also the county board has
announced that the request
made by Emmitt, Oliver for a
second primary to be held ha*
been denied. Oliver was an un
successful candidate for sheriff
in the recent election. It was
he who first demanded a re
count of the votes in four of
the county's sixteen precincts.
According; to the county
board, a re-count of the four
precincts was made during the
past week. In reaching the lat
est election results the local
bard followed the state board'*
luggestions to
1. Recount all votes cast in
the May 26 balloting, in the
precincts questioned
2. Discard all Democratic
votes cast in the Cove Creek
precinct
3. Disregard the Republican
votes cast in the Boone Town
ship.
Pertaining to the 'first, the
board stated that in re-checking
the li? ures in the four precincts
the board found fifty-eight
more Democrat ballots in the
Brushy Fork precinct than
names on the poll books; about
fifty more ballots in the Boone
Township than names on the
poll books; about thirty more
ballots in the New River dis
trict than names on the poll
books; and no discrepencies in
the Watauga precinct.
The re-count in these four
districts did not change the
outcome in the race for sheriff
of Watauga County, the spokes
man said.
In other action pertaining to
the alleged voting irregularities
in the county, an agent from
the State Bureau of Investiga
tion was seen in Boone Tues
day of this week. It could not
be confirmed that he was here
for (he sole purpoau of in
vestigating the county voting,
but the local board spokesman
(Continued on page two)
Broyhill Group
Maps Strategy
An enthusiastic ptanul&g
?ion was held early Tuesday
morning by the Watauga Broy
hill Congressional Campaign
Committee, to plan details and
strategy lor the Congressional
campaign. James T. Broyhill,
Republican candidate for Con
gress in the Mh District of
North Carolina, led the gener
al discussion of plans for the
campaign in Watauga County.
Broyhill committed himself
once again to conduct a vigor-,
ous campaign, not only In
tauga
the 0th
the
ceived
and support from Republicans |
and Democrats alike, who are
anxious for a change. j
Broyhill stated that the best
way to get his story to the peo- ^
EXPANSION . ? Shadowline, Inc., is in the process of malting its third expansion In five
at iU Boone plant. Shown above U a section of the construction on the west wing of the cor
poration. ? Staff photo by Gaddy. f . ?
Dr. Plemmons Tells 01 -Growth
At College In Talk^To Students
O
Dr. W. H. Plemmons, presi
dent of Appalachian State Tea
chers College, addressed the stu
dent body and faculty during
convocation services in the new
physical education building last
week.
He based his speech around
the continued progress that is
being made at ASTC and the
plans for future improvements.
Introduced by Dr. D. J. White
ner, dean of the college. Or.
Plemmons commented that al
though the recent bond issue
failed, requisitions will be made
to the legislature.
Student Council President
Paul Lentz announced that the
Student Council will continue
to function during the summer
and invited students and faculty
members to visit the office in
the men's old gym and discuss
any problems that might be
urgent.
Dr. J. E. Stone and Dr. Cratla
Williams commented briefly on
summer school enrollment. Ap
proximately 1892 students are
enrolled for this session. This
ii the largest summer attend
ance on record at ASTC.
Dr. W. G. Spencer, head of the
muiic department, ltd the group
in a song and introduced the
Tweefsie Barber Shop Quartet.
The quartet sang several num
Willis Chester Is Given)
High Post With Belk's
v Mr. John Belk, President of
Belk Stores, has announced the
appointment of Mr. W. W.
Chester as Executive Vice Presi
dent of Belk's Department Store
in Boone. Mr. Chester has served
as a a nag er'.and Secretary
Treasurer of the store prior to
this time and will continue to
serve in this capacity.
The local store has had a
history of steady growth since
it was opened in May of 1035.
With.:. th? last year the store
has been completely air-condi
tioned and a new heating plant
has been installed. The store
continues to modernise and to
offer to the public merchandise
values and outstanding customer
service.
Mr. Chester was born in Cor
nelius, N. C., and Joined Belk's
in Statesville in 1907. In 1930
he worked for a short period o I
time in the Belk store in Lenoir
and joined the local store in the
Shoe Department in 1938. He
was named manager in IMS, a
position he has held since that
time. ?
Since coming to Boone, Mr.
Chester has been very activw in
religious and civic activities and
is at present a member of the
Rotary Club, Lay Leader of the
Boone Methodist Church, a di
rector of the Chamber of com
MB. W. W. CHESTER V
merce, on the Board of Directors
of Watauga Industries, on the
Board of Directors of the South
ern Appalachian Historical As
sociation, and a member of the
local board of the Wesley an
ben reminiscent of the Gay
Twenties.
The band, under the direction
of Charles isley, played several
marches and accompanied the
group in singing "America."
Dr. Spencer invited all stu
dents interested to join the
chorus and the band. The
chorus, directed by Mrs. Virginia
Linney, meets at 2:30 p.m. in
the Fine Arts Building. The
band meets at 3:30 p.m. in the
Fine Arts Building. Neither
group meets on Friday.
Students and faculty members
having cars were reminded not
to park in the restricted areas.
'
2,250 Enroll For
Summer Session
Appalachian State Teachers
College's summer school enroll
ment has now swelled to 8,250
students, according to Dr.
Braxton Harris, assistant regis
trar at the college.
This includes 1,892 students
who registered June 7-11; stu
dents in the Charlotte area who
are taking extension' courses;
and 230 students who registered
early this week lor a two weeks
work shop.
The figure is an all time
high, according to Dr. James
Stors-, director offfi Summer
Sessions. It is an increase of
about twenty per cent over last
year's summer school enroll
ment of 1,382. College officials
had expected an increase of
about ten per cent.
Registration data show* 40
newly registered freshmen and
800 graduate students. A more
complete tabulation as to cIms
ification of students is expect- ?
ed within the week, according
to a college spokesman.
Women Voter
League Meeting