DEMOCRAT ESTABLISHED IN IBM EVERY THURSDAY RY RIVERS * RUTTING CO Mr ANY, INC H. C. RIVERS, JR., EDITOR AND MANAGER JEAN RIVERS, ASSOCIATE EDITOR An Independent Weekly Newspaper published for 48 Yean by Robert C. RWm, jr. SUBSCRIPTION RATE8 (EFFECTIVE FERRUARY I, IMS) IN NORTH CAROLINA OUTSIDE NORTH CAROLINA ?S.M $1.80 <1.80 Om Yen Six Month Four Months All Suhacriptiow Payable In Advance NOTICE TO SUBSCRIRERS ? In requesting change 6t address, It ia Impartaat to mention tile OLD, m well u the NEW address. Entered at the poitoffice at Boone, N. C., as aecond alaai matter, under the aet at Congress of March 3, 1879. I uru "The basis should be to| !? hesitate a receive thesi MEMBER NATIONAL EDITORIAL ASSOCIATION NORTH CAROLINA PRESS ASSOCIATION our government being the opinion of the people, the very tint objective keep that right, and were it left to me to decide whether we should bare without newspapers, or newspapers without government, I should not iment to choose the latter. But I should mean that every man should paper* aad be capable of reading them." ? Xiiomaa Jefferson. BOONE NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1963 Can Co-operate In Ford Grant Seldom does the giving of a large sum of money reach as far into the life of the people as will the grant of The Ford Foundation to The Council of the Southern Mountains, announced on November 7. By the express terms of the grant, Watauga County can co-operate in the enter prise and reap great gain over the next few years. The Ford Foundation is furnish ing a quarter of a million dollars in the expectation that this sum, used under the direction of The Council of the Southern Mountains, will pro vide the people of each county with a better understanding of their hope as well as their difficulties; that it will result in new approaches to education to prepare for work and citizenship in a shifting world; that pilot projects in eductaion and com munity planning will become the standard for related accomplishment all through the Appalachian South. This program is not merely a plan to "help the h.elpless" but a straight forward attempt to develop people's abilities to act on their own behalf. It is based op the fact that most people in the mountains are unem ployed chiefly because they are un skilled for the work that is needed today, increasing their poverty and further limiting their usefulness. The plan made possible by the Ford grant suggests no quick or easy remedy but offers a strong hope for people who tend to think their plight is hopeless. State by state, county by county, every resident of the up lands will have the chance to gain by this daring and thorough depar ture from previous methods. The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors will meet in Be rea on November 26, the Committee on Education will meet in Atlanta on December 5, and Watauga County will be invited to take part in this next step toward its own develop ment by its own initiative and under its own leadership. Wood Brings Billion Dollars It was interesting Jo learn, from information gathered by the South ern Pulpwood Conservation Associ ation, that payrolls of the pulp and paper mills in the South and pur chases of pulpwood by these mills totaled more than a billion dollars last year. The significance of this is greater than it might seem at first glance. For example, any big industry will disburse a sizable payroll in its area of operation. However, few indus tries buy so much of their raw ma terial from local independent busi ness men who, in turn, buy this wood from so many individual land owners. That, however, is just what the region's pulp and paper industry does. It did that in 1962 to the tune of $511.7 million which was distrib uted over 12 states through pur chases of pulpwood from 90 per cent of the counties in the South! In addition, the job of converting the raw material into pulp and paper gave the industry's 91,000 workers a total payroll of |549.3 million. This adds up to the billion dollars plus that literally came out of the woods directly into the South's economy. Right now, according to SPCA, wise forest management, reforesta tion, and protection from fire, in sects and disease ? foresighted ac tivities on the part of landowners, industry, and state and federal agen cies ? are resulting ifi a favorable balance of growth over man's use and natural losses in the South's woodlands. It behooves everybody to help keep it that way. Shoppers Will Find Plenty Christmas shoppers m search of the unusual will find plenty of va riety and high quality this year, with prices about the same as last year, according to Changing Times. But, the current issue of the mag azine reports, luxury items ? color TV, high-priced fashions, expensive appliances (large and small), hi-fi sets, cameras and jewelry ? are high on the list of items merchants expect to sell in quantity. For the toy shopper there will be an increase in power toys ? every thing from miniature home appli ances to tiny cars. A new line of educational toys is designed to teach youngsters basic optics, linear mea surements and simple counting. Among the new dolls is one that is multilingual and comes complete with a record library so that "Chatty" can talk and talk. On the do-it-yourself shelf there are new sets enabling children to mold their own toys. And as always there is a gift for that difficult person who has every thing: a home entertainment console that includes a stero set, four track tape recorder, color TV receives, TV camera and a TV tape recorder that can take programs off the air for replay later on. It's nine feet long and costs |30,000. NORFOLK (VA.) LEDGER-STAR Different Dog In a world that's becoming more and more conformist by the day, it's pleasut to run across a cue like that of Doc-B. Doc-B is a German shepherd who was being trained by Richmond's police de partment (or the K-B Cofps. But he had ? strange personality twist. Doc-B was just as likely to bark happily when he was supposed to growl. When he was supposed to bare hit teeth and charge a man in training, nobody knew whether he'd end up wagging his tail and licking hands all around. He just wouldn't do. He wasn't nearly mean enough. So the police fold Doc-B at auction and he brought $190 offered by a man named Jessee Vaughan. But if this little story proves that there's a place in the world even for non conforming German shepherds, it als? proves that there are still people around who place a high value on understanding and affection and gentleness. Indeed, if there were only enough at that kind of people in the world today, there probably woul be satisfactory. Mr. and Mrs. NHey O. Cooke of Blowing Rode left today lor their home in Miami, Fla., where they will spend the winter. Miss Jimmie Aim Brawn of Hickory spent the week end with her grandmother, lbs. Bessie Underbill, and Mr and Mrs. Clint Brown of Trade. Tena. Mr. and Mrs. B. E. Wflaon and daughter of Mountain City, Tern., visited with Mrs Wilson's par ents, Mr. and Mrs. Jta Carter, Sunday. Mrs. W. C. Miller and son. Bob bie, have returned to their home bene after visiting retatfosa and friends in 1M?. Wi?hil?ton, and Oregon. They also visited many interesting parts of California Bu?ane Wilson of Kingspart, Tena., spent the week end with hie parents, Mr. and Mrs. W/K. KING STREET BY ROB RIVERS Veterans Day . . Little Flag Waving ' Veterans' Day, successor to Armistice Day, which had its beginning at the ccwatton of hostilities in the First World War, doesn't rate enough interest in Boone, or maybe anywhere. . . . Not, perhaps, that we're less mindful of the deep significance of the occasion, or are less appreciative of the valorous sacrifices of the men who manned the guns in the great wars. . . . But it is that the patriotic speeches are not nude anymore here abouts, the "braaa bands" don't blare out the stirring numbers as in days gone by, and moat folks keep on working. MONDAY, SOKE FLAGS were cut. ... to wr emd of town they were scattering. ? ? ? We eooldnt lay our hands m ?art, bat Wade Brown and Lianey Walker had the Star* and Stripe* to the breen, rem iniscent of the day* when the lad* were coming hack from France a long time age, and there was merriment and cele brating at the glad reunion*, and great tide* of happiness welled Hp In those who were glad became It looked like there'd be no more mas* con flicts. . , . We remember on one occasion when there was an Armistice Day celebration In Lenoir, and the town of Boone went en masse. . . . We worked in the morning and in the afternoon took a waft down town, where we fond Dr. Moose, alone In his drag store, which was then on the north side of the Street. . . . He had no customers, so we chatted for an hour or so, and observed the glad day with refreshing potions, and not a soul entered the door daring the afternoon. BUT BACK TO OLD. GLORY, . . . The postoffices, big and little, are required to have the flag waving, and perhaps always will. . . . That is, unless some day, some court may decide, that after all, some of those who buy stamps don't believe in the flag and the government for which it stands, and ' hands down a momentous ruling that she'll have to be furled on all institutions supported by the general public. . . . We'd agree that's a dour notion, but not so far-fetched, we'd sadly add. ? * * Serpent Suns Sunday, during the warm, sunny temperature, we noted a reptile, the size of a skinny little finger, and about a foot and a half long, which had come forth from wherever snakes spend their time when winter comes, and was lying on top of the leaves, getting ail warmed up. . . ? Snakes like a good deal of warmth, as a rule, which perhaps accounts for the fact that they like to den in rock piles where the stones ?tore the mid-day sun, so to ?peak, and are not generally found in summer time in the deep dank, weedy shade, where most folks expect them. . . . Anyway the little crawler we ?aw had been chilled, no doubt about it, was sluggish and made little movement when we plunked down our number twelve right close to him (or maybe her). . . . We didn't molest the harmless creature and hell no doubt be around somewhere another season, when he will be bigger and longer, and scare somebody else more than he did us, when we molested his snakely dreaming ia the tun. * * * Newly Weds . . Keep Rolling The younger elements of the newly-weds sally forth in their high speed cars through the hill country, and seem to take ? lot of pride In the words painted on their cars, front, aft, and on both sides. . . . One vehicle we noted a while back was occupied by two couple*, apparently slightly young for the great adventure. . . . The car was emblazoned, "Just married . . From here to maternity " . . . Later, on the hot summer Sunday morning we saw another car whining along. . . . She carried about as many words as Crack Coun eill's blacksmith shop did when the circus bill poster had been to town. . . . We caught a line or two: "Just married . . Go ing South to get the son . . It's legal now!" . . . Best wishes to the prospective papa and mama and their unsuspecting male heir. ? # * The Yule . . Hurries Up earlier each year. . . . Already the Merchant* Aaaodation committee la making Initial plana far the gay opening, and K la tape* that the, Street may he all a-glttter hy Thanksgiv ing, which la only two weeks away. . . . Aa a matter of fact, Christmas may he fairly said to last from Thanksgiving un til December 25th, and quite often with all the glad party ing, and the happy homecom ings and the bright shops and stores, and with the endless shopping, and the growing mounds of Christmas cards, Christmas day sometimes seems a smidgin anti-climac tic. ... At any rate, we're al ways anxious, Hke a child, to see the first decorations, and the Initial tinsel, and to hear "White Christmas," "Rudolph . . *" "Silent Night" and all the rest. ... Wo hope we al ways get excited when the holiday shopping season starts, and when we aet about to trim the Christmaa tree. Uncle Pinkney HIS PALAVERIN'S DEAR MISTER EDITOR: I reckon it's natural fer a feller that's gitting old and coming down to the sunset of his days to ponder over the future with an eye on the past and not git too excited over neither one. When a man is approaching the 3-score-and-lO marker he sorter takes ever dajrn it comes. As a general role, that ain't true of his old lady. She gofs to bed ever night knowin tomorrow will be better. But the wimmen folks ain't very practical in these matters. What brung this to mind was a piece I was reading yes terday from the U. S. Depart ment of Agriculture where power vehickles has replaced 27 million horses and mules on the road and on the farm in the last 35 years. This piece went on to say this had "sav ed" 66 million acres of land that was needed in hay fer these horses and mules. You will recollect here awhile back that Senator Wil liams reported the Department of Agriculture spent $1.1 bil lion in tax money in 1962 to farmers fer taking 54 million acres out of farm production. And on account of this being hard on the lime and fertiliz er business, the Guvernment had to pay them boys 208 mil lion. We pick up 65 million hay acres and spend $1.1 billion gitting 54 million ares on it took out of farm production. Now I ain't hankering, Mis ter Editor, to go back to the old days when my Pa took us to preaching in a 2-horse surrey over roads that was knee-deep in mud. And l ain't about to swap pushing the starter qn my tractor fer hitching a stubborn mule to a singletree and plow. But I'm just mentioning these figgers to show how a old cod ger like me looks both ways. Incidental, I'd feel better about them 65 million hay acres if the feller writing that piece hadn't called 'em "sav ed" acres. But, in a manner of speaking, I reckon they was saved ? saved fer the Soil Bank. ' Talking about land, Ed Doo little said he was over in an other county the other day and saw a sign where a feller had it posted this way: No huntin No Fishin No Notfcin Ed allowed as hew that was what he'd call a very unfriend ly landowner. Well, Mister Editor, the poli tical rumblins fer ISM, both in the primaries and general elections, I* starting to rum ble. Per the nest 13 months, te hear them candidates talk, they wont be nothing too good fer "the common man." Y01"r,I_trUr1^,_ Vneie M*.