Newspapers / Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.) / Dec. 19, 1963, edition 1 / Page 2
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rATAUGA DEMOCRAT ESTABLISHED IN 1888 plOffJSHED EVERY THURSDAY BY RIVERS PRINTING COMTANY, INC. K. C. RIVERS, JR., EDITOR AND MANAGER JEAN K I VERS, ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ai Independent Weekly Newspaper Published for 4? Years by Robert C. Rivera, Sr. SUBSCRIPTION RATES (EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 1. 1863) IN NORTH CAROLINA One Jfear $3 00 Six Month* $1.80 Four Months $1.30 OUTSIDE NORTH CAROLINA One Yew 94.00 SI* Months $2.30 Four Month* S2.00 All Subscription* Payable in Advance ^ . NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS? In requesting change of address, it is important to mention the OLD, as veil as the NEW address. En tared at the postoffie* at Boone, N. C., as second class matter, under th? act of Congress of March 3, 1878. MEMBER NATIONAL EDITORIAL ASSOCIATION NORTH CAROLINA PRESS ASSOCIATION BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1863 Christmas Jingles One of the pleasant things about Christmas is the cards which jam the mail boxes and bring messages ot good cheer to all and sundry from those who wish them well. In this corner, we are particularly grateful for every card we get, we read them studiously and mellow at the thoughts of so many good friends who think of us so kindly. The custom of mailing Christmas cards began in London in 1843, and in the United States they came soon after. Now we send about six billion greeting cards, of all sorts, annually, the bulk of which are at Christmas. In Boone, alone, Postmaster Be shears expects that the office will handle more than one-half million pieces of mail during the Christmas rush, a great portion of which will be cards. But in all the happiness which the greeting cards bring, comes a prob lem for the postal workers, and those who have not yet mailed out their cards and parcels, are of course, in danger of their being delayed in the congestion of mail. But for those who are late, there's still a week of course to get the cards going, and the Postmaster sug gests that the new Christmas stamps will help beautify the cards. The stamp portrays the giant national Christmas tree which adorns the eastern ellipse behind the White House. He also suggests that the ZIP code numbers be used, when known. So, let's help the diligent workers in our postal system to do an even better job. Since some of us are al ready late, let's at least get with the mailing right now, so that those who perform the vital postal functions may find their job at least a little easier. "Little Federal" Issue The "Little Federal" re-apportion ment plan which comes before the electorate January 14, is not arous ing very considerable comment in Watauga County, so far as we are able to hear. The proposed amendment to the State constitution would give each county a single representative in the Houae of Representatives and would base Senate membership on popula tion, increasing the number of Sen ators from 50 to 70. There would be 100 members of the House, taking away the twenty or so extras the big counties have been sending to the lower house under the present constitutional mandate. Thus the so-called big counties would stand to further loosen their tenuous hold on their Legislature. Rumor has it that the big coun ties of the Piedmont are organizing for a big fight on the proposal, while some indications come from down the mountain that the little counties will be equally active in behalf of the amendment. We would say that a small vote is in prospect in Watauga County. One Democratic partisan comment has been beard to the effect that one might as well go along with the big counties, if one expects to develop any political advantage. "We can't get any worse off," he said. "The small-county majority in Raleigh gerrymandered the ninth out of its Congressional seat, arranged the dis tricts so we've lost the State Senate seat forever, and took us to the clean ers on local issues." A view like this, is of course extreme. Others cite different reasons why we should go against the populous areas. But even at that, we'd see little hope of much of a turnout at the polls on this issue. Christmas Tree Safety Despite all the brightness and glitter and the happiness which cen ters around the Christmas tree, there are safety hazards in these gaily be spangled trees which are not to be encountered at any other time. The AMA lists a few simple pre cautions which it says can help in sure a safe Christmas for your house hold: ? Check over your old strings of Christ mas tree lights and discard those that are worn or brittle. If there are very small children around your house, dis card burnt-out bulbs with caution, so that baby can't get at them. ? Keep the glass ornaments and filmy glass "angel hair" out of baby's reach. The ornaments crumble readily into sharp slivers. ? Make absolutely certain that no toys coated with lead-based paint are included in Santa's pack. Lead poisoning is a dan ger should the child chew on the toy. Host manufacturers now avoid dangerous paints. ? Select toys with a minimum of sharp, rough edges, toys that won't burn quickly if flicked through a candle flame, toys that are large enough so that baby can't (wallow them. - Electrical toys, such as trains, also should be selected with safety In mind. Is the wiring intact and strong, or is it loose and flimsey? ? Air rifles, sling shots, archery sets and other missile throwing toys are ob viously dangerous if carelessly used. Set up target ranges and make certain the youngster is taught to use the toy properly and safely. WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL A 'Horn' Full Of Treasure By ail the laws of economics, "Horn in the West" should surely have called it quits several years ago. The outdoor drama's net loss has run into the thous ands for the third consecutive season. And it has been in arrears on its rent, bonds and interest payments for several years more than that. But, then, by all the laws of self-pres ervation, old Dan'l Boone should never have tangled with a b'ar aad those early . settler* should never have headed their wagons into the nigged hills. Wataujfans are not, and never have been, the kind of people to let a little adversity stand in their path. So, as we might have expected, Boone has served notice that it fully intends to open the "Hora" again next season. Ap parently the town would as soon see Tater Hill leveled as let this treasure >o. For "Hon) In the West" Is indeed a treasure ? despite the red ink that per sists on its books. It was the one central force that turned Boone from an isolated mountain town into a prosperous tourist attraction. And It is still the bread and butter of the town's motels, restaurants and gas itatitri Few will deny, in fact, that the drama kindled the community spirit and enter prise which have brought several new industries to Boone. If all the "Horn's" benefits to Boone could be totaled, they would amount to many times more than the drama's losses over the past 11 years. All the same, an outdoor drama can't run on appreciation. It takes cash to turn on the lights, pay the actors, buy cos tumes and scenery and promote the at traction ? more money obviously than the drama has been able to take in at the box office and in profits from its con cessions. TTie sponsors of the "Horn" My there is enough in a reserve fund to get the drama open in >64. And the Geaeral As sembly last session chipped in' $27,900 to pay for much -needed repairs to the theater. Still, these old debts remain. And there is always the chance that a run of bad weather could throw next season into another sizable deficit The people of Watauga thus have their work cut out, and we admire their wlll ingness to carry on But we wish that sonadMMV the "Horn" could ran be placed on firmer financial footing ? perhaps through some organized plan of subsidy. An asset aa valuable as this should net be left too lpqf on too thip s shoestring. In Which Case. Who'd Be In Charge? ' TttE PRESIDENT IS \ tXICAF*CrTATED AMD 1 CAUT JSE DISTURBED/ From Early Democrat Files Sixty Years Ago December 17, 19M Christmas approacheth. A vee baby boy at the home of Mr. G. R. Long. The school here will close on next Tuesday (or a vacation of two weeks. That little amount you are due us would be highly appreci ated just now. Let your mission during the holidays be to make some little unfortunate happy. Didn't Teddy smash the "Mon roe Doctrine" in that Panama Business though? Painters Blair and Foster are doing some whitewashing, etc., on the interior of the jail. The public school at Bethel will close on next Tuesday. Aside from the regular program, music will be furnished for the occasion by the expert trio Ben Osborn, son and daughter. On Jan. 15, 1004, the contract for the erection of a six room house on the Luthern Parsonage lot will be sold to the lowest bidder. Plans and specifications furnished on application to John Hall, chairman Bldg. Committee. Jonas Winebarger, Meat Camp, was in town Monday look ing after a suitable location for himself and family. He is anx ious to get his children in school here, and we hope he may suc ceed. A small drove of turkeya pass ed through town Tuesday en route to Wilkesboro, we are told that some little distance east of town a few fine speci men, tired of their tramp, "took to the woods" and have not yet been seen by the owners. The first meeting of the Boone Library held at the Meth odist church in Boone on last Friday night was an enjoyable occasion. Officers were elected, and twenty-six members receiv ed. Each member will pay a monthly fee of 10 cts., and the prospects for a membership of one hundred are exceedingly good. The meetings will be held on the first Thursday night in each month. The January meet ing at the home of Mr. E. S. Coffey. The ladies are getting on most charmingly wtth their collec tions for the Christmas tree, and it promises to be a great success. We don't intend to say Just yet -vho the contracting parties are, but there will be one, and rumor says two marriages in the village during the holidays. Thirty-Nine Year* Ago December 18, 1924 Mr. John Hartley and son of Valle Crucis are doing carpen ter work for Mr. J. B. Taylor. Mrs. J. W. Farthing of Route Just One Thing By CARL GOERCH A few days ago in Raleigh we ran into a friend from east ern North Carolina whom we hadn't seen in several years. "What have you been doing?" we asked him. "Been taking a little vaca tion down in Chicamacomico," be replied. "And where are you going now?" "Back home to Chocowinity." From Chicamacomico to Cho cowinity is going some. Maybe we should add the names of the?e two places to Chinqua tique and Chuchatuck. "Chinquatique, Chuckatuck, Chicamacomico, and Chocowin ity" certainly makes a mouth ful. In ca?e you've forgotten it, the shortest railroad in the world is said to be the one that runs from Beaufort to More head City. One of our friends sends us a dipping from an old news paper which tells of a zealous northern preacher who, several years after the War Between The States, came South to evangelize the heathen people of Dixie. At the close of the service he announced he would baptise the children if their parents would bring them forward. There was a Urge crowd pre sent, and a sturdy womaa came up with half a dozen young'uns ranging in age from two to nine years. "Name this child," said the preacher, placing his band on the bead of the oldest. "Jeff Davis," was the reply. The audience smiled. The AFTER ANOTHER preacher nervously baptized the youngster. "Name this child," he said, proceeding to the next one. "Albert Sydney Johnson." The smiles on the faces of the audience grew broader and the face of the preacher grew redder as he went on with the ceremony. "Name this one," he said in a somewhat tremulous voice. "Alexander Breckinridge Beauregard." The next one was a little girl and the preacher heaved a sigh o f relief. "Name this child," he said In stentorian tones. "Mary Secession Stonewall Jackson Lee," came the proud response. The audience roared. The preacher dropped the child and announced there would be no fourtfcer baptisms that day. You know where London Is. Yon would have no trouble lo cating Paria. and you've known all about Rio de Janeiro Jor many years. But how about some of these other well-known places: Cairo is in Wake County. Nayles is in Henderson. Odessa if in Buncombe. Oxford is in Granville. Belfast is in Wajrae. Carthage is la Moon. Newcastle is la Wilkes. Smyrna is in Carteret. Sparta is in Alleghany. And i t you haven't had enough by now, permit us to call your attention to the fact that Jerusalem, Epfceaoa, Jeri cho, Bethlehem and Joppa are ?II iB Pa vis Cmo tf. 1, left last Thursday for Wilm ington, N. C., where she will spend the winter with her son. Dr. L. E. Farthing. Born to Mr. and Mrs. Brit Robertson of the Poplar Hill section at the home of Mrs. Robertson's father, Dr. J. M. Hodges on Friday night, a boy. The neat little apartment house of Hiss Jennie Coffey has been completed as far as the carpenter work is concern ed, and the plumbing is now be ing installed. It is now almost ready for occupancy. An extension of the Linville Hirer Railroad either from Shulls Hills or Winkler siding, near Boone to Blowing Rock, is we have heard, almost a cer tainty now, but we have not learned when construction work will begin. Hany large fat iuicy turkeys are now leaving Watauga for various markets to be used as the crowning dish on wide spread Christmas menus throughout the country. One choice lot went forward yester day, shipped by Mrs. W. H. Gragg and consigned to a firm in Plainfield, N. J. Mesdames H. B. Blackburn and Walter Winkler have re turned from a visit of weeks to relatives in Missouri. They re port a most enjoyable stay and the trip, both coming and going was full of interest for them. Born to Mr. and Mrs. A. Dan cey en last Sunday a girl. Mr. and Mrs. Smith Wood ring are the fond parents of a boy. Fifteen Years Ago December 16, 1M8 Mr. and Mrs. Hayworth John son and daughter, Janice, of Wilmington, N. C., returned home Monday after a few days visit with Mrs. Johnson's par ents, Mr. and Mrs. N. C. Miller, on Junaluska Rd. Mrs. John son is recovering nicely after an operation in a Wilmington hospital a few weeks ago. Mr. Larken Hodges of John son City., Tenn., spent last week visiting his sister, Mrs. George Teague of Vilas. Mr. and Mrs. Jack Luttrell left Sunday for Johnson City, Tenn., where they will spend the winter. Mrs. J. G. Davis of Cleveland, Ohio, visited the first of the week with his mother, Mrs. Fan nie Davis and Mr. and Mrs. Owen Uttlt of Zionville. Mr. and Mrs. W. F. McLeod of Wake Foraat will arrive her* Friday to spend the holidays with Mrs. R. H. Hardin and other relatives. Mr. P. L. Wellborn of Stoay Fork, visited in towa last Wed nesday and left the Democrat a nice bag of Stayman Wine up*. The fine fruit is appreci ated. Mr*. DeWltt Barnett entered Charlotte Memorial Hospital last Friday for a series of tioas. Mrs. Barnett ? ably return bom* the latter part of the week. Mr. and M1"*- Doa J. Horton left h?r? Saturday for Connelly Springs, N. C., Spartanburg and Edgefield, S. C, for short visit* before going on to I<M?n4, fl#-. where they will spefd the yintar, Iking street 0y ROB RIVEHS Is There A Santa Qaui? . . No Doubt About It If some little girl bad written us, as Virginia O'Han lon did the New York Sun 05 years ago, asking us "is there a Santa Clans," we would tell her; Df|r Grmgia ' T? 4Uir* righi, m ?a authority Ml 8*"t? Clam, aad if yea see it la the Daau crat it's ?a. . . There k a Saata feat hear the hetfs a( his reindeer the reef, u< the crack af kit leag whip, ar hear hi> joyful shouts aver the howaetepe, is no sign he's not areaad. . . . The tar* and the candle* tad the frwhs a ad the gaiety and the brightness W lev la hii wake. Don't be disturbed, Georgia, when the skeptical one* turn thumbs down on Santa, be cause he doesn't walk right in when you are wide awake. ? ? * Many Thing* . . Unseen You can't see the tv picture in the stillness of the Decem ber air, but it is there, and mysteriously makes its way through the strongest wall to show up on your screen . . You can't say there's no mu sic in the air because you can't hear it without the beenfit of a radio receiver. , . You cant see the joy in mom's heart as she stuffs the turkey, or the mellowness of the friendships, or the simple faith of a little child, but all these priceless treasures are there. * * * Things . . One Feels As a matter of fact you cant see Christmas itself. . , . Yea feel It, it is the spirit ef Santa Claus. . . What would It be like, Georgia, if there were bo giving, no sharing ef one an other's burdens, ne jay when the bells peal forth and the carolers sing their songs ef the advent . . or If there were no consciousness ef having done good deeds. . . . And we would be mighty sad with out stockings by the fireplace, or without the notion ef a ce lestial hitch of reindeer. * * * Our Belief . . Holds Firm Yes, Georgia, there's bound to be a Santa Claus. . . We've loved him and defended him against his defamers and against the unbelievers ? the stingy parents, doubting teach ers, and unthinking youngsters through the long years. . . . We have gone to the bat for the antlered team, and the stor ied "ho, ho, ho" of the shaky bellied, rotund elf from the polar regions, and for his toy shop which makes glad the hearts of youngsters all around the world. . . . We've contend ed for the sleigh on the shin gles, and the concern for the welfare of the little children, and for the goodness and mer cy and mirth of Saint Nicholas through all the years. ? * ? He'll Be Here . . Always And there will always be a Santa Claaa, we would My, Georgia, a* long as there are liftle girls and boys and folks to be good to, aad people who need kindness and help and compassion, and ai long as there are those to administer to their needs, and who have mercy, and kindness and love one for another. * ? ? We'll Defend Him Santa Claus is seen in the giving and in the receiving. . . His spirit of love, his scatter ing of generosity over the land in a great glittering torrent is i>art and parcel of the system ' which free Christian men have devised. . . You may never see the old boy with the great white mane aad the snowy whiskers, Georgia . . or see the hoofprinls and the sled runner marks in the snow. . . But there i* a Santa Claus, aad we shall hope he will live forever. ... If or when the fires of bate and of Godless nasi cast their searing flames over this land of ours. If there is any thing which can sustain as it to the things that Santa Claus stands for. . . . We shall con tinue to defend him with might ?a* sain w long ?? we shall live. God bless him. as he goes about doing a?od and making glad the hearts of little angels mm Uncle i||; , Pinkney HIS PALAVERING ' DEAR MISTER EDITOR: Money matter* is going mighty bad along the Potomac ' these days. First off, I see by the papers where the taxpay- ' ers didn't have no luck in git ting that (14 billion item fer research cut down in the Con gress. The piece I was reading 1 claimed $2 billion of it was pure hog wash and was money throwed down the drain. Fer instant, Congressman Allen Smith of California list- I ed 11 items that was took of ficial from the records as a example of how they was wast ing tax money in this research program. I copied these items ' down, Mister Editor, so'* I could post 'em at the country t store Saturday night. I'm go ing to give you the items here , just like Congressman Smith took it down from the records. I don't know what half of the words means and I shore i couldn't spell 'em without copying 'em letter fer letter. (1) $13,000 to examine the Social Structure of Mada gascar. (2) $17,00 to revise the Class ification of Earthworms. (S) $29,000 to study the Mam- / mal Fauns of the Cherch er Highlands of Ethiopia. (4) $11,000 to study the Abe naki Dialetcs. (5) $80,000 to study the Cor relates of Persuasibility. J (6) $2,100 to study the Be- ' havior Patterns of the Barren-ground Caribou. (T) $16,000 to study the Soc ial Behavior Among Ter mites. ($) $17,900 to study the Mod ification of Alcohol Pre- ,, ference of Rates. I (?) $7,000 to make a Psycho linguistic Analysis of Consonant Clusters. (10) $69,000 to study the Be havior and Ecology of >' the Wandering Albatross. '? 2(11) $1 million to continue the Study of the Alltc- ( tional Relationship be tween a Monkey and his Mother. ' All this, the piece stated, was just fer 1964, and they I. was dozens of items in the of- v ficial list that was as bad or 1, worse than the ones named by Congressman Smith. It looks to me like. Mister Editor, we got a heap of folks in the Congress that is more worried about termite*, rats, " earthworms, and monkeys than they was about the taxpayers. I'm getting ? letter off to my Congressman today re questing he add one more . item to the list. Fd like to gtt $29,000 put in there some place fer a Study on the Rela tionship Between Research o and the Pocketbook. ii And, in case the voters |< wasn't looking, Congressman G^oss of Iowa, that was fight ing agin that $1.2 million extra appropriation fer Junkets and things, got beat. They added >$00 a year to ever Congress man's "stationary rllowance," {! Making it $2,400 a year, and adjourned fer die day to have . cocktails. Some Gems . . Of TVmgkt ,5 That tomorrow starts from today and is 00* day beyond it robes the future with hope's rainbow hues. ? Mary Baker EMy. " 1 like the dreams of the fa- 16 utre batter than the history of the past. ? Thomas Jetferaon. ,g We are made wtae? net % the recollections of oar past ? tat by the responsibilities of 0. ofr hita**.? George Bernard Shaw. Star young by oontwoiag to 51 grow. You do apt (row aid; W ***** aid by art grow- ? inS -WDlM A. Man* u
Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.)
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Dec. 19, 1963, edition 1
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