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.”