iPrf vj NANCY ALEXANDER WRITES
A Trip To&Buffalo Cove
By NANCY ALEXANDER
"If you smell anything that
smells like a polecat, it la," de
clared Norah McGee, as we set
forth in her bookmobile the
other morning. "I ran over one
accidentally the other day, and
when the wind is right you can
still get a whiff of it."
However the air was fragr
ant as we headed for Buffalo
Cove deep in the mountains in
a triangle of Caldwell, bordered
by Watauga and Wilkes Coun
ties.
Skillfully Norah handled the
unwieldy, cumbersome vehicle.
Hills were drifting with mists
of white and pink dogwood,
"sarvice" trees and redbud.
Flowerets of white fcloodroot
and blue violets spangled the
roadsides. Pink phlox or
"thrift' cascaded along banks
and walls. In fields fanners
were busy turning and planting
the rich, warm black earth.
The first stop of the book
mobile was a Cheeks Crossroads
on the Patterson Road. The
earliest customer was five-year
old Hark Miller, who was ex
pectantly waiting and eagerly
ran to summon his elders. His
choice was animal books. Pat
rons enjoyed chatting with one
another while selecting books.
Further along, we questioned
Norah about her service with
the bookmobile.
Norah McGee, the
"Book Woman"
"You meet so many fine peo
ple in this job. If I work at it
many more years IH soon know
everybody in this end of the
state, said Norah, known simp
ly as the "Book Woman," to
many of her patrons.
"I've been doing this work
since April 10, IMS. I travel
four days a week and work in
the county library on Thurs
day. It takes me three weeks
to cover all the rounds and
longer than that in the summer
when the children are out of
school. They love the bookmo
bile. Their parents get books
for them in the winter. On my
day in the library I alphabe
tize my cards and make reports,
get the books in order accord^
ing to author. I try to take
books each time I know pat
rons wish.
Reviewing her- life she ex
plained, "I've done a little bit
of everything. I was born at
King's Creek. I taught school
for eight years ? one year at the
Carlton School in Caldwell and
seven years in Wilkes County.
"Later I worked at Broy
hill's Lenoir Furniture Factory
for two years doing zebra wood
transfers. That was during the
war when many women worked
in the factories. I enjoyed it.
"Then I went to Blue Bell
for a year or two. Mother got
sick and I stayed at home with
her for a good many months.
Afterward I went to Blackwel
der Hospital for 18 months as
dietiUon."
Patterson
The bookmobile pulled to a
(stop at Patterson, an age-old
community, now revitalized by
Blu* Crox-Blu* Shield
"EASf=jt?mra(d
?A?8?
TODAY TO APRIL 30
ONLY
Don't miss this opportun
ity to get the finest Blue
Cross and Blue Shield cov
erage without belonging to
a group!
You can now apply if you
are under 65, even if you're
self-employed, unemployed,
of working where Blue
Cross and Blue Shield are
ndt available! There's no
red tape ? no medical ques
tionnaire ? no physical ex
it ion! Wife, husband
your unmarried chil
under 19, are covered.
But you must act now!
lasy-Joining Days" end
soon. So be sure to act by
April 30!
CalL Visit or Writs
Jerry Adams
4to W. fchu St, Bsose, N. C.
264-2433 247 24S3
A HOSPITAL M
* SAVING
ASSOCIATION
the humming machinery of ,
Cellu-Products factory.
Sleepy-eyed Shirley Johnson
arrived, saying, "lly husband
works at night so I read then.
I like nurse stories. I usually
get 10 or 12 hooka at a time."
Maude Curtis, postmistress
for 21 years, came in smiling
and Joking with Norah.
"I've seen many changes ia
the mails and post office since
I took over. It was fourth class,
now it's third."
Bright-eyed little Bryan Sud
dreth, dressed in cowboy togs,
came in searching for cowboy
books. With him were his little
brother Joey and his boxer
Duke.
His slender attractive mother
told us about his latest escap
ade, "He put a cake pan on his
head ? one of those tube kinds,
that you can take the bottom
out of. I had everybody in Pat
terson trying to get it off. I
was laughing and crying at the
same time. I finally got a man
with tin snips to clip it off."
As Bryan departed, with his
arms full of books, he declared,
"Daddy's going to take me
groundhog hunting tomorrow.
We're going to slash 'em with
a gun."
Buffalo Cove
The bookmobile back-tracked
and rolled along the Happy Val
ley road past Patterson School
for Boys and onto the Buffalo
Road which is being regraded,
graveled and is to be finally
hard-surfaced..
After joggling along for
about 10 miles, beside the swift
flowing Buffalo Creek, we took
the Scuffletown Road to the
back end of nowhere. At a small
unpainted home of Joe Coffey
we stopped. No television aer
ial protruded from it. In a sun
ny field the family was cutting
old corn stocks loading them
on a sled pulled by a mule. The
men were working without
shirts, their backs gleaming
brown in the sun. The women
went running to the house to
bring their books.
Out they came carrying en
ormous boxes of books, 30 or
40 in each.
Slender, nut brown Hazel
Coffey (Mrs. Carl) came bounc
ing in, her eyes lively, her pony
tail bobbing. "I have to get
books for everybody. I try to
get what they like bat they've
all read so many it's hard to
And new ones for them.
"I have to pick them out for
my children. I have three. Two
of them and I were all in the
Greensboro Hospital with polio
at the same time in 1992. Only
Linda is still having trouble.
She's to have an operation soon
on her leg.
Mrs. Joe Coffey, Hazel's
mother-in-law, also wearing
jeans, came in to make her sel
ections from among Grace Liv
ingston Hill, Temple Bailey,
and Norman Vincent Peale
books.
The 1. C. Todds
We stopped for a picnic
lunch on a grassy greensward
by Joe's Fork, in front of J. C.
Todd's store.
Mr. Todd, a kindly person,
came out to greet us and invit
ed us into his neat white home
to meet his wife. Youthful,
pretty Mrs. Todd, is a vivacious
lovely grandmother. She seat
ed us at her table, poured cof
fee and served us some delight
ful tidbits from her kitchen.
We departed the house with
some of her delicious cottage
cheese and a jar of Mr. Todd's
golden sourwood honey.
Mrs. Todd led the way along
the country road to the Buffalo
Cove Baptist Church. Though
established more than a hund
red years ago, it has a new
building, the pride and jay of
its 125 members. The wide, wel
coming doors were donated by
the late R. C. Robbing, a native
of the area. On the wall hangs
the original hand-quilled deed,
dated July 18, 1891, which
says," . . . Edward Day, David
Campbell, and Nelson Roberts
hath for and in consideration
of the sum of one dollar to
them in hand bargain, sell and
conveyed and confirmed unto
the said James M. Cottrell and
Larkin Pipes a center tract of
land containing one acre for
the especial use of Buffalo
Cove Church."
Community Building
On the way to the Buffalo
Community, building; -Norah dis
cussed the varioas families -UfA
aspects of the community. wSP
all the patrons she exchanges
news of the day, learns of the
new babies, weddings and other
important events in their fami
liet.
At the entrance of the com
munity building were stacked
large boxes of books awaiting
exchange. Inside preparations
were underway for the morrow.
Breakfast, beginning at 4:49 a.
m.. was to be served to trout
fishermen, as it is the first dav
of the season each year, and
meals were to be continued un
til nine p. m.
Beryl Bryant (Mrs. Jim) and
her son, Jimmy, explained re
cent changes of the past year
in Buffalo, which almost sur
pass the total of the past hund
red years.
"Progress had passed the
backwoods community by." said
Mrs. Bryant. "Mr. Max Culp and
Miss Ainslee Alexander, coun
ty agents, came up her and
told us about the development
program and helped us get or
ganized. That's when things
started changing, when we all
started working together. We
began cleaning up the area and
working with our young people.
We kept trying to get tele
phones and a good road up
here, but we couldn't get any
where at first.
"Our oldest daughter, Shar
on," said Mrs. Bryant," Is hop
ing to go to Bob Johes College
next fall. She has a partial
scholarship, but she's got to
have more money, if she goes.
We can't help her at all with
our large family of seven chil
dren."
"When the road is finish
ed it's going to be just like
Blowing Rock up here," he
predicted.
After a final stop near the
home of Mrs. Bernard Hawk
Ins, who with her husband is
active in the development pro
gram, we left the area, descend
ing from the hills iifto the val
ley of home.
UNUSUAL FINE
Fairfield, 111. ? Unable to pay
his fine, a convicted bootlegger
has to pick up 1,000 beer cans
along highways leading to this
town.
Harry Zeigler imposed
when Charles Gregory
he was unable to pay
the $500 bootlegging charge. He
will pick up the empty cans at
the rate of 90 cents each until
the fine is worked out.
I II
Jhii fine
SlMhim
Appalachian Hi News
The Appalachian High School
Teen- Canteen will ooen Friday
nloht Aoril 19, for local hi?h
school students The Canteen.
oi-e*niied by the hi?h school
student council, will meet e?ch
Fndsy night from 7:30 to 10:30.
Meetines will be held in the
Student Center. a lsroe room
on the second floor of the agri
culture building.
Th* Canteen will onerate as a
school club, with Jack Oroce,
"sslstsnt princinal, serving as
director, and Barents of mem
bers as snonsors of the grouo.
Parents have been invited to
dw> in for visits and to helo
with the club's activities. Each
member of the hi?h school
<"oup will purchase a member
ship r?rd from the student
council, which will entitle him
to attend meetings when the
C??t?en Is open.
Plsns to onen the Canteen
have been made by the student
council, with Donna Breitens
t?<n as chsinrian of the plan
win* committee. Members of
the council have painted and
redecorated the room used as
the Student Center. If the Can
teen operates successfully dur
ing the remainder of the school
vear, the school hopes to con
tinue its operation during the
summer months.
An Advisory Committee of
students, teachers, and parents
Joe C. Robinson
Graduates From
Air University
Maxwell AFB, Ala.? Captain
Joe C. Robinson of Reese, N.
C., graduated from the United
States Air Force's Squadron Off
icer School at the Air Univers
ity here Friday, April 12.
Captain Robinson was select
ed for the special professional
officer training in recognition
of his demonstrated potential as
a leader in the aerospace force.
The captain, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Clyde Robinson of Reese,
attended North Carolina State
College.
Captain Robinson, whose wife
is the former Patricia C. Whal
ing of 1718 Roberts Road, Phoe
i nix, Arizona, is being reassign
ed to Luke AFB, Ariz.
It Is remarkable how "un
easy" people become over pub
lic proposals that affect their
pocketbooks.
SAVE - SAVE - SAVE - SAVE - SAVE
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Spring Clean-Up Sale
WHOLESALE PRICES
Ramblers ? Fords ? Chevrolets
Pontiacs ? Plymouths ? Foreign
51 THRU 62 MODELS
MANY ONE OWNERS
Trade Today for a Better Car
% At a Lower Price
April Special On Repairs
FRONT END ALIGNMENT ALL PASS. CARS
$4.95
TIRES RALANCED ALL FOUR WHEELS
$3.00 Pins Weights
On the Car Ralancer
BRAKES RELINED ? BENDIX LINING
$11.95
Ford ? Chev. ? Ply Ramblers
Drums Turned with Brake Job at $1.50 Each
LARGER CARS $13.95
30% Off on All Mufflers and Tail Pipes
All Parts At A Discount During April
sons Garage
DEEP GAP, N. C
Your Rambler Dealer
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SAVE - SAVE - SAVE - SAVE - SAVE I
hit been named to work with
Hr. Groce, the director. Student
member* are Donna B'-eiten
stein. Edward Brown. William
High, Ronnie Smith, Sam
Adams, and Jackie Greene. Par
ent* on th? committee a'e Mrs.
Hadiev Wilson, Estel Wagner,
and Wade E. Brown Faculty
members serving with this
group are Mri. Margaret Oragg,
student council sponsor Walter
Broyhlll; and Robert Knead
Citizens Of The Month
In assembly Friday, April 12.
Rosalind Covington and Glenn
Trlplett were recognized as clti
wns of the month. Rosalind, an
outstanding sophomore student,
is an active member of the
Beta Club and is an assistant
news editor on the. High Life
staff. She lives with her mother
on the Jefferson Highway.
A member of Mr. Snead's
homeroom. Glenn is a strong
member of the football squad.
He lives with his mother. Mrs.
Lillle Trlplett, in Triplett.
TERMITES
SWARMING?
Spanish students protest st |
U.S. Consulate.
Two types of malaria now re- 1
sisting drags.
Kennedy to create Advisory
Council on Arti.
A B C. - TV pUni $100,000
quiz ihow.
WE INVITE j
YOU TO JOIN
US SOON FOR
I
LUNCHEON . .
We've been told that our taste-tempt
ing menu and perfect service are why
we see so many familiar faces when
lunchtime rolls around. Why not see
for yourself next time you shop or
meet friends.
WE'RE PREFERRED BY PEOPLE
WHO APPRECIATE GOOD FOOD
Town House
Restaurant & Steak House
Blowing Rock Road ? Boone, N. C.
Fertilize Pastures Now!
I Fertilize your Pasture Lands now.
A lush early growth Is your best
assurance of continued good graz
ing right through the summer
months.
WE SELL TESTED AND PROVEN
Armour? Roy ster
Robertson's
FERTILIZERS
We Recommend
Pellet Fertilizer for Lawns
Buy Your
Hybrid Seed Corn
Now!
Wood's ? Pioneer
DeKalb'i ? Funk's
Bulk & Packaged
GARDEN SEEDS
? Onion Sets
? Lawn & Field Grass
? Certified Seed Potatoes
? All Kinds Field Seeds
We Fill ASC Orders
Goodnight Bros. Produce
K*
E. Howard St.
Boone, N. C.