AWARD WINNER
In 1966 and 1967 the Democrat won
10 State Press Assn, awards for
General Excellence, Excellence in
Typography, Local News, Advertis
ing, Columns and Photographs.
WATAUGA DEMOCRAT
An Independent Weekly Newspaper . . . Seventy-Ninth Year of Continuous Publication
BOONE WEATHKB
19*7 HI La
Mar. 7 58 26
Mar. 8 46 20
Mar. 9 59 23
Mar. 10 66 33
Mar. 11 69 49
Mar. 12 61 51
Mar. 13 69 45
Snow given to nearest hall-inch.
232
tr.
38
132
VOLUME LXXIX—NO. 37
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 1967
10 CENTS PER COPY
22 PAGES—2 SECTIONS
Area Meet
Decries
Auto Junk
BY RACHEL RIVERS
A tax for all unlicensed (junk)
cars which can be seen from
primary or secondary roads
could be a solution to a pro
blem nationwide in scope.
The suggestion was posed by
James Allen Jr. of Alleghany
County at a meeting of the New
River Valley Development As
sociation Monday night in
Boone. The three-county or
ganization, including Ashe and
Watauga, centered its attention
on measures to prevent further
obstruction of natural beauty.
Removal of junked cars being
prohibitively expensive, a yard
containing some 500 auto hulks
on an access to Sparta may
have to stay, and while it might
be shrouded by rows of pines,
ways might be found to pre
vent other junk and trash heaps
from growing at roadside.
G. R. Andrews, president,
said the Automobile Association
says some 600 million cars will
De salvaged tnis year, ne add
ed that junk-heaps, stripped of
all saleable parts, once sold for
scrap metal value, but no long
er can be given, in exchange
for getting them hauled away.
Landscape Architect Henry
C. Hammon, in an address in
January, told the Association
that four junk yards are to be
removed from Watauga, one
from Alleghany, but no satis
factory arrangements had been
made in Ashe County.
The Federal Highway Beau
tification Act, he said, makes
available limited funds for pro
grams emphasizing control of
advertising along rights-of
way, control of junk yards,
beautifying surrounding areas,
enhancing scenic beauty, con
structing rest stops and simi
lar areas away from munici
palities.
F uture plans for Watauga in
clude two rest areas and three
•cenic overlooks.
MONEY?
The junk-yard problem in the
three counties may well become
a thing of the past.
On a motion by Clyde R.
Greene, Representatives of the
counties will be asked what
can be done through the Gen
eral Assembly. Zoning might
be an effective measure, as
the tax per junked car might
be.
Mrs. Stella Anderson of Ashe
County commented on the early
success of a “250” beauti
fication contest which already
has attracted participation of
10 communities.
(continued on page two)
NEW HORIZON FOR FARM INCOME
—The recent organization of the Wa
tauga Livestock Market, Inc., should be
a milestone in the Connty’s farm-income
progress. Availablity of a year-around
market to local cattlemen will stimulate
interest in cattle production and produce
a needed income-hike. Primary breeds
in the area are Herford, short horn and
Angus. Charolais, a French breed, is
making a debut and has been crossed
With Qther breeds. At any rate, a rela
tively quiet scene is destined to become
active as cattle take back the important
role they had here in the 1950’s. (Staff
photo)
Watauga Livestock Market
Names Officers, Sets Sales
Watauga Livestock Market,
Inc., Monday night scheduled
three cattle sales for fall and
called on the electorate for a
slate of directors and officers.
County Agent L. E. Tuck
willer asked the stockholders
for a sign-up of at least 500
Joe Minor Is Given
Weather Bureau Award
A ten-year service award was
presented Last week to Joe C.
Minor, co-operative weather
observer in Boone for the U. S,
Weather Bureau. Winston L.
Hurst, field aid, made the pre
sentation.
This is the second award
made to an observer in Watauga
In recent months. Hurst pre
sented Blowing Rock observer
Ernest Hayes a lapel pin in
January. He has served that
community 10 years also.
Both men keep records on
rainfall and snow at their sta
tions and note the high and low
temperatures daily. Rainfall
reports are telephoned to the
weather bureau at Huntington,
W. Va#, and temperature re
cords are mailed there.
Records of all volunteer ob
(continued on page two)
calves for a calf sale planned
tentatively for Oct. 17. About
1,000 head would be sold, he
guessed, and cattlemen were
urged to get calves sale
ready.
Steer sales are set for Sept.
15 and Oct. 20 and some 2,000
head are expected to go under
the mallet.
At the end of the Courthouse
meeting, $43,625 in stock sub
scriptions had been paid and
only $3,800 was still outstand
ing. Investors are encouraged
to purchase stock in the year
around operation while it’s still
available.
Temporary officers Mack
Brown (president) and A. T.
Adams (secretary-treasurer)
were joined on the official
slate by Charles Blackburn,
vice-president of the organi
zation.
Directors elected for three
years are Lewis Norris, H. W,
Mast Jr., Charles Blackburn
and Ernest Sims.
Two-year directors are Mack
Brown, Council Henson, Joe
Shoemake and Boyd Miller.
Serving terms of one year
each: Fred Critcher, Floyd
Ayers and V. C. Shores.
Brown said all signals are
“go” in the new venture and
that the sale barn should be
under construction on the
Rutherwood site in April or
May.
Cove Creek Riding
Club To Meet Tonight
A meeting of the Cove Creek
Riding Club will be held at
7:30 p. m. Thursday at the Cove
Creek Elementary School.
Persons desiring to become
members are invited and mem
bers who have not paid dues
will be asked to do so, to
finance club projects.
Production Horn In West
Involves Fiscal Struggle
The struggle involved in pro
ducing Boone’s outdoor drama
is revealed in a report from
Herman W. Wilcox, general
manager.
The approved budget for
operating “Horn in the West”
this summer calls for $86,
967.50, or $1,553 for each of
56 performances. In order to
break even, Wilcox explains,
all income must average this
amount.
“One can see the big gamble
in such an operation,” he says,
“and why it takes the concert
ed effort of everyone connected
with the production.”
LIABILITIES
The N. C. State Auditor’s
report for 1966 shows the ob
ligations of the Southern Appa
lachian Historical Association,
comptroller of the drama, ar»J
shows why the Association has
been unable to meet bond ob
ligations.
The report’s liabilities and
deficit section lists accounts
payable at $7,947.02, long-term
liabilities (in default) accrued
interest on bonds at $26,484
and bonds payable at $55,175.
Several years ago, even after
receiving $10,000 from the N. C.
Contingency and Emergency
Fund, the Association had to
call on citizens of Boone to
endorse notes, and in some
cases, pay to the Association
a percentage of these notes to
clear the current year’s oper
ation deficit. (State funds were
available only if the drama
showed a deficit.)
The report for 1966 shows
a final deficit of $37,040.46.
The Association has not re
quested State funds for sever
al years, Wilcox notes, for the
drama has broken even or, in
some cases, showed a net pro
fit with which to reopen the
drama the following year.
RESERVE FUNDS?
Condition of many of the
buildings on the grounds will
mean considerable repairs in
the near future. The manager
says this could wipe out all
the Association’s reserve
funds.
“These are just a few factors
explaining why the drama must
be promoted throughout the cal
endar year ... to appeal to
all traveling people possible
to include the drama in their
plans/’ he says.
Another serious problem the
Association faces is the future
cast for the drama.
The budget calls for salaries
totaling $46,000 for all cast
and production employees.
Ward Haarbauer, who will di
rect this summer’s drama, says
he ran into problems in the
recent try-outs. He was out
bid for the better prospects by
the State's two other dramas
and other area dramas. Wilcox
says the budget simply would
(continued on page two)
Banquet Is Sell-Out
Beautification Is Not
Sissy, Leaders Are Told
Watauga United
Fund Meeting
Next Tuesday
The Watauga County United
Fund will have its annual meet
ing at noon Tuesday at the
Gateway Restaurant. Repre
sentatives of participating a
gencies are expected to be there.
Wade Wilmoth, president,
says board members will be
elected to replace those whose
term expires in 1970. Officers
for 1967-68 will be elected and
reports given by the secretary
and treasurer.
All interested citizens are
invited to attend.
Two Laundries
In City Robbed
Two coin-operated laundries
in Boone were robbed Thursday
night, according to Chief of
Police Hubert Thomas. He sus
pected that both thefts were
committed by the same person
or persons, because the method
of taking the money was the
same.
Change was taken from the
electric coin-changers without
breaking the locks, Thomas
said. A small hole was drilled
through the vaults in each es
tablishment .apd,. an object stuck
through the hole to trip the
mechanism.
No arrests had been made
Tuesday morning, but investi
gation is continuing.
The laundries robbed were
Scenic Laundry on Hardin
Street, and Coin-Op Self-Ser
vice Laundry on the comer of
King and Hardin Streets.
Federal Income
Tax In Watauga
Over $2,500,000
How much money will resi
dents of Watauga County be con
tributing to the Federal coffers
on or before tax day, which is
April 17th this year, in the
form of personal income taxes?
The Government counts on
their offerings being well above
what they were last year, when
local tax payments came to
some $2,252,000.
That was the approximate
amount turned in last April,
as determined by a breakdown
of collections from the State
of North Carolina as a whole.
The statewide total, according
to the official figures, was near
ly $834,000,000. This included
income taxes paid through with
holding.
The size of the increase ex
pected this year is indicated
in the Federal budget, presented
to Congress in January. It pre
dicts that individual income
taxes in the current fiscal year
will reach $62.2 billion na
tionally, as compared with
actual receipts in the past fis
cal year of $55.4 billion.
(continued on page two)
The trophy in the Optimist Oratorical Zone Contest is
presented to Bob Melton, left (Dula photo)
Bob Melton Is Winner
Optimist Speech Tourney
The topic of this year's Op
timist Oratorical Zone Contest
was “Patriotic Citizenship
Needs Optimism.” A Watauga
High School sophomore. Bob
BARNEY HAMPTON
Hampton Is
Co. Coroner
The Watauga County Board
of Commissioners appointed
Barney Hampton County coro
ner, effective March 7. Hamp
ton has been employed by Reins
Sturdivant 10 years, work
ing under Richard Kelley, form
er coroner.
There were no candidates
for the County position in the
fall election, so Hampton’s ap
pointment will be until 1970,
the end of the four-year team.
The tuneraJ director gra
duated from Cincinnati College
of Embalmning in 1962. His
wife is the former Deloris
Storie and they have a son,
Gregory, age 8.
The Hamptons reside at 109
Cherry Brook Lane, Boone.
Annual Easter Seal
Campaign Is Launched
The Watauga County Society
for Crippled Children and
Adults announces this week that
its 1967 Easter Seal campaign
will be headed by the Rev.
Maurice Ritchie. Working with
him in the county-wide effort
will be Dr. James Greene.
The Boone men report they
have already launched the cam
paign. Some 5,500 letters and
seals have been mailed to Wa
tauga residents, who are en
couraged to use the self
addressed envelopes to return
their contributions as soon as
possible.
Gifts to the Easter Seal So
ciety have been used to assist
the crippled in body and mind
of all ages.
Last year, Wataugans con
tributed some $1,000 to help
those in need in the County.
Mr. Ritchie expresses hope that
they will give even more this
Melton, handled the subject ex
pertly, taking first place over
Gordon H. Hampton of Hudson
(second place), Byrnal Wade of
North Wilkesboro(third), Ron
ald Miller of West Jefferson
and James Courtney of Lenoir.
Son of Dr. and Mrs. J. R.
Melton of Boone, Bob is coach
ed by Miss Delila Lesley and
sponsored by the Boone Opti
mist Club.
In April, he will participate
in the district contest, winner
of which will journey to Port
land, Ore., for the international
contest. Chairman of the zone
contest was Gene Barrier, as
sisted by District Lt. Gov. Jim
Poarch.
Bob received the trophy
March 7 in Lenoir.
MISS TERESA WILLIAMS
Blowing Rock
Student To Be
Assembly Page
An eighth grade student at
Blowing Rock Elementary
School has been selected to
serve as a pagette in the N.
C. House of Representatives
Monday through Thursday of
this week.
Miss Teresa Williams,
daughter of Mr.and Mrs. Wayne
Williams of Blowing Rock was
selected on the recommendation
of her teachers, Mrs. Truman
Critcher, Don Shull and her
principal, Howard Love.
Rep. Mack S. Isaac of the
29th District also recommend
ed Teresa for the March 13
17 term.
London—The British govern
ment has called for a cutback
of Communist and Western
forces along the Iron Curtain.
“You’ve Got The
Lumber, You
Need Blueprint”
“There’s no use to nickle
and dime yourself to death with
a petunia here and a canteen
there, until you have a pro
fessional plan. You’ve got the
lumber, now all you need is
the blueprint.”
W. W. Tatgenhorst ad
dressed a meeting of
civic leaders Tuesday, as
he prepared to tour the area
before making his banquet
speech Tuesday night at Holi
day Inn. At presstime, the ban
quet was reported a sell-out,
with more than 300 tickets
bought.
The Sears Foundation Rep
resentative told the luncheon
meeting that beautification must
not be a “sissy” thing, rather
involve and denote civic de
velopment, civic improvement,
good citizenship and democracy.
In a town over 1,000 popu
lation, 20 per cent is sub
standard housing or busi
nesses,” he said. From this
group comes only four per cent
of the taxes while 46 per cent
of the tax money is paid into it.
He lauded Watauga High
School, where that morning he
delivered a vigorous address to
the student body, and compli
mented Dr. N. A. Miller, prin
cipal, as one of the best known
educators in the South.
At WHS, Tatgenhorst ad
monished students to use “what
you have in your ability to ac
complish. You’re the power
structure group.” He pointed
out that the 9 to 19 group is
the largest and fastest growing
in the country—“the greatest
generation America ever pro
duced.” The speaker lamented
the fact that teenage citizens
are hardly ever included in
community improvement com
mittees.
ESTHETICS?
Esthetics, he said, are
secondary in beautification and
improvement to developing a
broader tax base and protect
ing property investments. His
tour Tuesday afternoon was to
include a survey of service
stations.
“Eighty-one per cent of the
people who stop here one time,**
he admonished, “stop at a ser
vice station, even before a mo
tel.’* He noted statistics which
show that a run-down service
station in a well-traveled area
can deplete business income
20 per cent in a given period.
He cited another survey
which showed “If you have an
attraction here, which attracts
20 persons per day, in one
year, this is equal to a
$100,000 payroll.*’
For carrying out the sug
gestions he would present that
night, the Foundation official
recommended considering in
volvement of the four strata
here —established citizens,
active businessmen, youth and
tourists.
He cautioned the group that
tourists are not just dollars
and cents: “You owe them more
than x-amount of service for
x-amount of money,*’ in ex
change for the good they can
do the community.
Gtizens, Inc.,
Meet Thursday
The annual meeting of Wa
tauga Citizens, Inc., and the
annual meeting of Watauga De
velopers, Inc., will be held
jointly at noon, Thursday,
March 16, at the Gateway Res
taurant.
Principal business will be to
receive reports and elect of
ficers, according to Stanley A.
Harris Sr., secretary for both
corporations.
Members of both boerda are
urged to be present.