AWARD WINNER In 1966 and 1967 the Democrat won 10 State Press Assn, awards for General Excellence. Excellence In Typography, Local News, Adver tising, Columns and Photographs. WATAUGA DEMOCRAT An Independent Weekly Newspaper . . . Seventy-Ninth Year of Continuous Publication BOONE 1967 HI Lo April 11 68 42 April 12 72 42 April 13 80 53 April 14 73 62 April 15 67 35 April 16 65 43 April 17 65 51 tr. *99 HI La 55 26 58 35 63 47 55 M 53 36 54 36 62 n VOLUME LXXIX— NO. 41 BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1967 10 CENTS PER COPY 24 PAGES- 3 SECTIONS Wilkes Man Dies In Crash A North Wilkesboro man was killed instantly in a three vehicle crash Friday morning seven miles east of Boone on U. S. 221-421. Patrolman George Baker identified the deceased as Billy Gray, 26, of Route 3, North Wilkesboro. Packages of peanuts and candy were thrown on the high way and the Gray truck, a 1964 Ford owned by Servomation Vending Company, North Wilk esboro, was crushed beyond market value. Baker said the three-vehicle collision happened at 7j45 a.m. when a truck operated by Ed ward Critcher of Boone stopped at the intersection of 221 and old Highway 60 to make a left turn. ine omcer saia Jonn worm Graham, 39, of 730 E. Howard St., Boone, also was traveling east and applied the brakes on his 1967 Chevrolet two-ton truck to stop behind Critcher. Instead, the truck skidded on slick pave ment into the left lane where it collided with the van-type truck driven by Gray. Patrolman Baker said after the Gray vehicle struck the left sid* of Graham's truck, it spun around, heading east, and was hit head-on by a 1963 Chevro let which had been following it. The passenger car, owned by Roger Hiatt Jackson of El kin, was driven by Betty Hiatt Jackson, 27, of Route 1, Mt. Airy. Baker said Graham and Mrs. Jackson escaped injury. Damage to the Graham truck was placed at $100, while esti mate on the Jackson car was $150. The Vending Company truck caught fire and volunteers of the Deep Gap Fire Department ex tinguished the blaze. Boone firemen and officers were alerted by a caller who said the crash was west Of Boone, rather than east. Funeral services for Mr. Gray were at 3 p. m. Sunday at Baptist Home Church. Burial with military rites was in Mountlawn Memorial Park. Mr. Gray was a salesman for Roy Spainhour Vending Ma chine Company, North Wilkes boro. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Joyce Eller Gray; a daugh ter, Dawn, of the home; and his mother, Mrs. Ivory Wil liams of North Wilkesboro. At a supper for the evaluation team of the Southern Association of Secondary Schools, and guests of Watauga High School, these leaders talked in the lobby—Q-r) W. Guy Angell, Superintendent of Watauga County Schools; Nile F. Hunt, Raleigh, of the State Department of Public Instruction; Dr. W. H. Plemmons, president of ASTC; Dr. H. E. Thompson, Wilkesboro, chairman of the evaluation committee; Jimmy Deal, president of the student body and master of ceremonies that evening; and Mrs. Margaret Gragg, guidance counselor at WHS and chairman of the steering committee. (Staff photo) Watauga High Evaluated As Students Participate Watauga High School was eva luated last week by a visiting committee for membership in the Southern Association of Sec ondary Schools and for accre ditation by the State Department of Public Instruction. The com mittee, headed by Dr. H. E, Thompson, president of Wilkes Community College, spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Boone making the evaluation. Student participation was an unusual feature of the self study made at Watauga High Money Taken From Hardee’s A robbery was discovered by employees of Hardee’s on Har din Street Sunday when they reported to work, according to Chief of Police Hubert Thomas. No merchandise was disturb ed, but cash was taken from where it had been placed at closing time Saturday. The report also reveals a glass in a back door was broken by the thief or thieves and the lock (Mi another door was tam pered with. Investigation is con tinuing. School during the current year. As a part of the two-year study for the Southern Association and state evaluation, three students were selected to serve on each of the thirty committees of fac ulty members. Student and faculty members of each committee made a tho rough evaluation of curriculum offerings of the school. In addi tion to a course of study pre pared by the teacher in each area of work, the committee listed strengths and weaknesses of each department or area of school activity. On Tuesday evening the vi sitors were greeted and intro duced by student members of the committees. Approximately ninety students, seventy-five members of the faculty and members of visiting teams at tended the dinner meeting in the school cafeteria. At the meeting also were officials of the county school system, the towns of Boone and Blowing Rock, and of Appalachian State Teachers College. Following the dinner meet ing, the Watauga High School Choral Ensemble of twenty voices presented a program of music in the high school audi Board Of Education Assumes Its Duties The regular meeting of the Watauga County Board of Edu cation was held Monday, April 3, at 8 a. m. to organize the Board, elect a superintendent of schools and carry out routine business erf the Board. In accordance with the action of the North Carolina General Assembly March 29 and 30, House Bill 287 provided for the appointment of the following members to the Board for a term <rf two years: Mack D. wmmammimm Brown, H. W. Mast Jr. and Hugh Hagaman. Members of the Board, being duly notified of their appointment, appeared be fore the Clerk of Court to take the oath of office. The Board, meeting in exe cutive session in the Board of Education office, elected Mack D. Brown chairman. He re places Dr. Charles Da van t who has served as chairman of the Board for 12 years. W. Guy Angel 1 was re-elected superin rnmzmMammmmm tendent of schools for a two year term ending June 30,1969. All regular and special meet ings of the Board will be sche duled on the first Monday even ing of each month at 7:30 p. m. in the Board of Education office. All meetings are open to the public for the discussion of school problems and for the consideration of ways and means to improve the overall school program. niswif The Board of Education Board members are 0* W. Guy Angell ia at right. and schools superintendent at their first meetii* since appointment, ■r) Hugh Hagaman, Mack Brown and H. W. Mast Jr. Superintendent (Flowers photo) torium0 Linda Dixon and James Miller reviewed for the visi tors the philosophy and object ives of Watauga High School and the history of the new high school. James Deal, president of the student body, was pre siding officer for the Tuesday evening meetings. Members of the two visit ing teams spent the day Wed nesday observing teachers and students at work. A mimeographed report of their evaluation will be sent to the school in May. (continued on page three) Pre-School Clinics Set Plans have been completed for the organization of pre school clinics to be held during the months of April and May according to an announcement by Mrs. Dessa M. Edmisten, Supervisor of Instruction. The clinics will be operated in the schools similar to cli nics in previous years. Par ents are requested to bring children into the school by 9 a. m. at which time necessary forms will be distributed for registration. Each parentis re minded to bring in the birth certificate and immunization records on the date of the clinic. Watauga County School cli nics are operated jointly by the regular school staff and repre sentatives of the District Health Department: April 19, Green Valley Elementary; April 20, Blowing Rock Elementary; April 26, Valle Crucis Elemen tary; April 27, Cove Creek Ele mentary; April 28, Parkway Elementary; May 4, Bethel Ele mentary; May 5, Mabel Ele mentary and Appalachian Ele mentary. After Diligent Planning Recreation Director Is Hired By Parks Group Good, Small Recreation Program Slated BY RACHEL RIVERS After long months of diligen planning, the Boone Parks an< Recreation Commission hai found and hired its director who is prudently beginning to formulate a long-needed pro gram of activities for this mountain area. The way Jim Hastings sees it, it’s better to start off witl a good,small program you cai expand from year to year— than a large one you can’ handle. And with an alread: burdensome tax structure ii Boone and Watauga, that’s likely to be good news all around So on April 1, the ASTC grad uate student added to his edu cational responsibilities by ac cepting the directorship. “Jiir will initiate our program foi us,” said Commission vice chairman Paul Smith, “and his first assignment is to let people know that we have a director and see civic clubs and others interested in such a program.’ Hastings hopes to establisl supervised recreation ir churches. He also will see school officials about co operating in helping with plans and ask for suggestions on hov the Commission can assist ii broadening existing programs Concentration now is 01 spring and summer activities but the program is year arount in scope. And the services o the new director will be avail able to civic and industria groups. NO NEWCOMER Needed right away—an office and enough space for a crafts program. As soon as possible, Hastings would like to start a crafts program two days a week, and offer at least two night activities a week:One for adults of different age groups and one for teenagers. Saturday mornings and after noons would be open for special events from kite-flying contests and hiking to group field days. He urges anyone with infor mation about office space to contact him. Jim Hastings is no newcomer to recreational programming. Last spring, while he was doing his student teaching at Wilson Junior High near Charlotte’s city limits, citizens of West Mecklenburg and Wilson de cided they wanted a program for their children. The Charlotte Parks and Rec reation group worked solely within the city limits. Hastings was hired as director for the (continued on page three) Mrs. Gragg Named Head English Teachers Assn. Mrs. Margaret Gragg was installed as president of the North Carolina English Teach ers Association at their spring meeting in Asheville, April 7. Before her election as presi dent of the group of 1,130 Eng lish teachers, she had served as recording secretary are! as first vice-president. Principal speaker at the Asheville meeting was Dr. Norton L. Beech, Dean of the School of Education at the Uni versity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, His topic was “A Reassessment of Educational Values in North Carolina.” Miss Kate Peterson, chair man of the English Department at Watauga High School,atterxi ed the meeting with Mrs. Gragg. Mrs. Gragg, formerly chair man of the department at Ap palachian High School, is now Guidance Director at Watai«a High. In Asheville for the 83rd annual convention of the North Carolina Education Association held April 6-8, were 12 mem bers of the Watauga unit. Class MRS. MARGARET GRAGG room Teachers Association: Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ship ley, Len G. Evans, Mrs. Mur riel Glenn, Mrs. Susie Buchanan, Mrs. Helen Stroupe, Mrs. Elizabeth Randall, Mrs. Nancy A. Chamblin, Mrs. Mary High, Mrs. Christian Bangle, Mrs. Gragg and Miss Peter son. A CONTRACT IS SEALED—Paul Smith, vice-chairman of the Boone Parks & Recreation Commission, looks on as Jim Hastings, 311 1/2 E. King St., signs on for a year as director for the Commission. (Staff photo) Blowing Rock To Elect Mayor, Board Blowing Rock voters will gc 1 to the polls, Tuesday, May I j to elect a Mayor and a boarc r of Aldermen. In a pre-election convention held last Thursday evening a the Blowing Rock Municipal Au ditorium, Mayor R. B. Hardir was renominated to fill theposl * of Mayor. Also nominated foi the position was Hayden Pitts. Nominated for city council men were John Goodwin, Clyde Dula, Bill Shaheen, Ralph An drews, Marshall Travis and Andrew Nimmo. Those nominated for each position will be placed on the official ballot for the municipal election, although, anyone de siring to file for either position may do so at the Town Hall before April 10 at 4 p. m. In 1965, Mayor Hardin was placed on the ticket unopposed. He has served the town as mayor for the past 14 years. He lives with his wife, the former Miss Polly Hayes, in Echo Park. In addition to his duties as mayor, Mr. Hardin owns and operates Hardin Hardware. The local Western Union Office is also located in his hardware store. He and his wife also own and operate the Village Shop on Main Street. Hayden Pitts, theothi ’•nomi nee for Mayor, operat s Pitts Oil Company on Main Street. He and his wife, Betty are the parents of seven children and reside on Ransom Street. William (Bill) Shaheen was nominated for his second term as councilman. A native of Rob binsville, N. C., Bill owns and operates the Village Pha- macy. He lives with his wife Susie, 8th Graders In Anti-Litter Drive Mrs. A. E. Hamby's eighth grade class spent 45 minutes cleaning up around Boone and the grounds of Appalachian Ele mentary School Friday. According to anti-litter cam paign heads Jane Gilstrap and Ellen Marsh, the drive is in full swing and several stores have volunteered to give prizes to the persons who write the best essays and draw the best posters. Anti-litter essays are being written by pupils in grades five through seven. Grades one through four will submit pos ters. The campaign will end this week and the winners of the anti-litterbug King and Queen crowns will be announced. ROBERT HARDIN on Wallingford Street where they also operate an apartment house. Ralph Andrews is making his fourth bid for councilman. He is a former member of the board, having served the 1947 and 1949 terms when the late Grover Robbins, Sr., was mayor. He HAYDEN PITTS is a self-employed carpenter and lives on Clark Street with his wife, The Andrews’ two children are Claude of States ville and Jack of Grand Rapids, Mich. John Goodwin, nominee for councilman, is currently serv (continued on page three) 200 Will Face Trial At Watauga Superior Court Watauga Superior Court will convene Monday April 17, for the trial of criminal cases, and Judge James C. Farthing of Lenoir will preside. About 200 cases are dock eted, according to Court Clerk Orville Foster, most of which involve traffic violations atai other misdemeanors. Following are the names of those who have been summoned for jury duty: Wade Clawson, Gary Norris, Joseph Lawrence Warren, New ton Holman, David Norris, Ce cil Rhodes, Henry Rogers, Don A. Ravfield, Kenneth Moretz, Spencer Cable, Ben W. Tester, Zeb Kirk, Mont Teague, Char lie Moody, Henry Taylor, Con rad Dancy, Clyde Love, Joe Maples, Hugh Cook, W. Ralph Winkler Jr., Mrs. Jack Hen son, R. D. Moretz, Johnny Ralph Hayes, Sam Horton, Jr., U. L. Moore, Woodrow Roberts, Bobby Jones Barnes, Thomas Russell Snyder, Don H. Perry, Bennie Jackson Baird, Mrs. Helen Greene, Fred Eston Car roll, Alien Ellis Craig, Clii* man Townsend, Woodrow Cecil Richardson, Stewart Brown, Kenneth C. Dotson, J. B. Ro binson, Blane D. Hagers, Ral ph Arnett, G. Carter Ragan, Arlie B. Hodges, Mrs. Minnie Coffey, Scott Swift, Cecil Mil ler, Paul G. Brown, Dawson Walter Fletcher, Gwyn Hayes, Dow Hodges, J, C. Houser, Clyde William Hollars, Kent Robinson. Science Grant Will Aid ASTC The National Science Found ation has awarded a grant of $6,200 to Appalachian State Teachers College for the pur chase of an X-Ray Diffract ometer to be used in scienti fic research. Total cost of the diffracto meter, which is used in the study of the fundamental structure at matter, will be in excess of $21,000. Dr. W. G. Sink, chairman of the ASTC Chemistry De partment, stated that the. NSF grant, plus other gifts, will enable the college to buy a much-needed piece of equip ment. Dr. W. H. Plemmons, Appa lachian president, said “We are sure the results which will be obtained from the use of the diffractometer will exceed in worth many times the of the total of all the gnats and gifts made to purchase it.”

Page Text

This is the computer-generated OCR text representation of this newspaper page. It may be empty, if no text could be automatically recognized. This data is also available in Plain Text and XML formats.

Return to page view