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
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May 26 74 00
May 27 78 60
May 28 80 54
May 29 78 57
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24 PAGES—* SECTIONS
VOLUME LXXIX—NO. 48
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, JUNE 1,1967
10 CENTS PER COPY
An estimated 500 faculty, staff members and friends of ASTC
Sunday attended ceremonies in which the institution dedicated
the new campus student center to W. H. Plemmons, president
of the college. Only half the audience is visible here, the others
being seated on the east side of the building. Inset: By cutting
the ribbon at the south entrance to the W. H. Plemmons College
Center, Mrs. Plemmons officially begins the dedication. Left
is Dr. Plemmons. E. L. Rankin (right) delivered the address.
Dr. Plemmons Is Honored
ASTC Student Center Dedicated
Appaiacman, under tne lead
ership of President W. H. Plem
mons, will have a prominent
role in North Carolina’s long
range educational plans.
So said E. L. Rankin Jr.,
director of the N. C. depart
ment of administration, Sunday
afternoon at dedication cere
monies of ASTC’s new college
center in honor of Dr. Plem
mons.
“It is fitting that today we
dedicate this College Center
in honor of William Howard
Plemmons, college president,
administrator, Christian gen
tleman and a leader whose sta
ture matches the mountains in
which he was born and now
lives,” Rankin said.
“Dr. Plemmons has worked
with a genial, infectious fury
which has swept Appalachian
State Teachers College for
ward in an era of progress un
precedented in the history of
this fine school.”
“Leadership is always a rare
commodity. Leadership in high
er education can be very dif
ficult to find.
“As a professional educator,
Dr. Plemmons does not cut
corners or compromise his in
(Continued on page three)
WILLIAM L. HIGH
Wm. High, Jr., Is
Awarded $30,000
Study Fellowship
William L. High Jr., son of
Mr. and Mrs. W. L. High Sr.
of 235 Oak St., Boone, has been
awarded a place in the Medical
Scientist Training Program at
Duke University School of
Medicine.
The program provides a fel
lowship of over $30,000 for six
Tears of study leading to M. D.
and Ph. D. degrees. High is
one of six selected from almost
200 applicants to receive the
award> one of the largest of its
kind in the country.
The combined M. D.-Ph. D.
Training Program gives stu
dents an opportunity to obtain
a graduate education in one of
(Continued on page three)
Ribbon-cutting at the dedication of the Gate House at Daniel Boone Native Garden is done by Mrs.
John D. Robinson, Raleigh, chairman of the Governor’s Committee on Beautification. From left
are Mrs. Olin B. Sykes, Monroe; Mrs. J. B. A. Daughtridge, Rocky Mount; Mrs. Robinson;
Mrs. Barron Mills, Laurinburg; Mrs. W. C. Landowlind, Clemmons; and Mrs. Roscoe McMillan,
Red Springs. (Flowers photo)
History Native Gardens
Told At Gatehouse Event
BY RACHEL RIVERS
Officers and trustees of the
Garden Club of North Carolina,
Inc., came to Boone May 24
to dedicate the Gate House,
crowning achievement at the
Daniel Boone Native Garden.
More than 100 attended the
dedicatory luncheon at Holiday
inn to hear Mrs. Constance
Stallings of Boone, chairman
of the trustees, recite the his
tory of the widely-acclaimed
Garden.
‘UGLY LOT’
She said that back in the
early 1950’s, she and Mrs.
James B. Winkler were standing
in the lower parking lot looking
at an ugly, vacant lot, which
was part of a 36-acre plot the
Winklers leased, and later sold
to the Town of Boone.
Most of the property was the
site of the Daniel Boone Theatre,
where “Horn in the West” is
staged summerly.
Mrs. Stallings described the
plot, now the Native Garden,
as “Land washing away, ly
ing in waste.” Several years
later, at a gardening school in
Hickory, the two talked with
a landscapist wl» encouraged
them to do something with the
state’s native plants.
Discussing a site for a native
garden, Mrs. Stallings said she
originally suggested the foot
hills, near Lenoir or Hickory,
but discussion evolved around
a tourist area, and preferably
a college town.
Members of the state organi
zation, conferring with Mrs.
Stallings and Mrs. Winkler,de
cided on Boone. At their na
tional convention in St. Louis,
1959, a speaker pointed out
that “North Carolina has the
largest variety of shrubs and
trees of any in the Union,”
the chairman told the luncheon.
Within a year, state garden
(Continued on page three)
“Pomp And Circumstance ”
577 Finish At ASTC;
WHS Graduates 260
Hon. David Britt
To Address Class
At Appalachian
A total of 577 students are
candidates for degrees which
will be conferred in commence
ment exercises to be held Sat
urday morning at Appalachian
State Teachers College.
Of the candidates, 450 are
to be awarded Bachelor of
Science degrees. Bachelor of
Arts degrees will be received
by 22, while 105 students are
due to obtain Master of Arts
degrees.
Watauga County is represent
ed by 59 degree candidates.
The Hon. David M. Britt,
Speaker of the House of Rep
resentatives, North Carolina
Legislature, will be the prin
cipal speaker for the program
to begin at 10:30 a. m. in Wil
liam J. Conrad Stadium.
It will be Appalachian’s first
outdoor commencement. In the
event of rain, exercises will be
held in Broome-Kirk Gym
nasium.
After the Processional, Pomp
and Circumstance, to be pre
sented by the College Orches
tra, the Rev. Richard J. Crow
der, pastor of Boone Methodist
Church, will give the invoca
tion.
The College Choir will sing
“The Last Words of David**
and the choir and orchestra
will sing “Halleluiah Amen’*
from Handel's “Judas Mac
cabaeus**.
House Speaker Britt’s ad
dress to the graduates will be
followed by the presentation
of candidates for bachelors de
grees by Dr. Paul Sanders,
dean of academic affairs.
Dr. Cratis Williams, dean of
the Graduate School, will pre
(Continued on page three)
Bill Would Add
Two To Boone
City Council
Representative Isaac has in
troduced a bill in the Legis
lature to amend Chapter 107 of
the Private Laws of 1907 and
Chapter 187 on the Private Laws
of 1931 relating to the town of
Boone.
The measure would add to the
corporate limits of the town
“by adding to metes and bounds
description of territory referred
to as having been annexed un
der general law, effective June
15, 1965.*’
The bill would also provide
that the Board of Alderman may
adopt resolutions increasing
their number from three to
five, effective at regular elec
tion following such action with
notice of increase to be included
with notice of election at which
increase is effective.
The measure would provide
that Mayor’s salary would be
determined by Aldermen, not to
exceed $2,400 per year (now
$300 to $1,000) and retains the
provision that not more than
$100 extra be paid to alderman
serving as clerk.
Special senior awards were given last week to these W. H. S.
students: (front row, from left) Barney Hodgson, Rotary Boy
of the Year; Donese Keller, Highland Book Club Reading Award;
Linda Dixon, Danforth Foundation Award; (back row) Stacy
Eggers III, Alumni Award; Jimmy Deal, Danforth Foundation and
Laurel Boone Club Reading Awards; and Danny Austin, Arion
Band Award. (Staff photo)
Two Get Highest
Awards At WHS
CITIZENSHIP AWARDS
Martha Stacy and Barney
Hodgson received the highest
honors given at Watauga High
School on Awards Day when
they were named best citizens
of the school year. Their names
will be engraved on the Citi
zenship Plaque.
A faculty committee making
the selection used the following
criteria: character, leadership,
initiative, civic responsibility,
and service to the school.
DANFORTH FOUNDATION
AWARDS
Second highest honors went
to Linda Dixon and Jimmy Deal,
winners of the Danforth Foun
dation Award. The I DARE YOU
committee in St. Louis, Mis
souri, will send to the two
seniors nominated for this
award a copy of their book, I
DARE YOU. Selections are bas
ed upon outstanding qualities of
leadership and four-square per
sonal development—Physical,
mental, social, and character.
ALUMNI AWARD
The Alumni Award, presented
by the Boone High School class
of 1935, went this year to Stacy
Eggers. At the awards assemb
ly, Mrs. Alfred Adams, mem
ber of the class of *35, made
the presentation. In addition to
a $25 savings bond, this student
will have his name engraved on
the Alumni Plaque.
ARION AWARD
The Arion Award, presented
annually by the Boone Lions
Club to the outstanding senior
member of the high school band,
went this year to Danny Austin.
Lions Club president E. B.
Fox, Jr. made the presentation
on Thursday evening at the
(Continued on page three)
WHS Program
Gets Underway
At 8 Tonight
Two hundred, sixty young men
and women will receive diplomas
tonight, May 31, during gradu
ation exercises in Watauga High
School Gymnasium.
The W. H. S. Band will open
the ceremony at 8 p. m. with
the traditional “Pomp and Cir
cumstance**.
Graduation speakers Gary
Meeks (“To Fight the Unbeat
able Foe**), Helen Connolly (“To
Live with Your Heart Striving
Upward*’) and Jennie Lou Rob
inson (“And The World Will
Be Better for This*’) will cen
ter on the theme, The Impos
sible Dream.
The song for which the theme
is named will be sung by the
high school's Choral Ensemble.
HIGHLIGHTS
W. Guy Angell, Superintendent
of County Schools, will recog
nize Dr. Charles Davant, who
is retiring as chairman of the
County Board of Education, and
present him a plaque.
Presentation of the Morehead
Scholarship to James Marvin
Deal Jr. will be by Dr. Gene
Reese.
After presentation of diplo
mas by the principal, Dr. N. A.
Miller, Superintendent Angell
will return to the podium to
recognize the seniors. This will
be followed by official declara
tion of graduation, to be made
by Mack D. Brown, Chairman
of the Board of Education.
At the outset, senior Linda
Dixon will lead the devotional
and pledge to the flag.
Senior sponsors are Mrs,
Mary McConnell, Miss Eliza
beth Elliott, William Ross, Mrs.
Julia Vetrie, Mrs. Janet Auten,
Joel Tester, Darryl 1 Ward, Fred
Poplin and Mr6. Nancy Penick.
BACCALAUREATE
The Baccalaureate Service
was held in the Gymnasium Sun
day night.
The High School Band per
formed the processional, the
Grand March from “Aida”.
Invocation was by the Rev.
George B. Hyler, pastor of
Blowing Rock Baptist Church.
After Myra Davis* solo ren
dition of “I’ll Walk With God**,
(Continued on page three)
Mayor Gets Party Nod;
Greene Named By G.O.P.
Mayor Wade E. Brown won
re-nomination from the Demo
crats at their convention held
at the courthouse Saturday night.
The Mayor who has served
three terms receives 82 votes as
against 71 cast for Robert L.
Randall, member of the Board
of Aldermen and Appalachian
College faculty member.
Four were placed in nomi
nation for the Board of Aider
men. Dr. Hadley Wilson and
Howard Cottrell, both incum
bents won, along with J. C.
Goodnight.
Paul Smith was nominated
and received 99 votes.
Dr. Wilson led with 147, J.
C. Goodnight garnered 112 and
Howard Cottrell received 111.
Dr. F. Ray Derrick spoke
on the possibility of employing
a Town Manager due to the
rapid growth of the community.
There was no response to his
remarks.
Mayor Brown commended the
people for their cooperation
during his tenure and predicted
increased progress in the town.
Dr. Randall praised the work
of the Mayor and the council
and asked continued support
^ Local Food Purchases $4,957,000
Most Wataugans Have More Money To Spend
How are residents at Wa
tauga County spending their mo
ney these days?
How much at their shopping
dollar goes for food, cars,
clothes, furniture and other
purchases in local retail
stores?
According to figures for'the
past year, which have just be
come available through a new
consumer market study, most
of them had more money at
their command and they ap
peared to have no reluctance
about spending it.
The findings are based upon
a nationwide survey made by
the Standard Rate and Data
Service to determine how fami
lies in each section erf the
country spend their retail dol
lar, and for what.
In Watauga County, it is
shown, stores selling food and
automotive equipment captured
a large share erf the market.
Together, they attracted 44 per
cent of all retail business in
the local area.
In other parts of the United
States, only 42 per cent was
so-spent and, In the South At
lantic States, 43 per cent.
Food purchases alone, in ba
keries, grocery stores, super
markets, butcher shops and the
like added up to $4,957,000,
an increase over the prior
year’s $4,542,000,
These purchases, which
amounted to 20 per cent of
all retail business locally, cov
ered only food bought for home
consumption. Not included is
money spent in lunchrooms,
restaurants and other dining
and drinking emporia.
Just how much die take-home
food cost, on a per-family bas
is, was arrived at by dividing
the total expenditure by the
number of fSLmilies. It came
to $1,085 per family.
The report shows that auto
mobile dealers and those sel
ling motorcycles, boats and re
lated equipment accounted for
$5,594,000, as against the pre
vious year’s $5,350,000.
Market strength was also in
evidence in most other retail
lines.
Variety shops and department
stores carrying general mer
chandise grossed $1,296,000,
compared with the former to
tal of $1,185,000.
Apparel shops, Including
those selling shoes, hats, un
der-wear and outer garments,
had receipts of $1,588,000.
Their previous total was $1,
428.000.
Sales of furniture and other
home furnishings came to $1,
987.000, as against the prior
year’s $1,678,000.
Consumer buying throughot*
the nation rose 8.3 percent
in the year, the SRDS figures
show. Some of It was attribu
table to inflation.
for them in their work.
James A. Dugger opened the
convention and D. Grady Mor
etz, Jr. Chairman at the Town
Executive Committee presided.
Mrs. Rob Rivers was Secre
tary, while John Howell aid
Dr. Lee Reynolds assisted with
the vote tally.
Members of the municipal
Democratic committee, all In
cumbents, were elected, con
sisting of Mrs. B. W. Stallings,
Mrs. Rob Rivers, Dr. J. C.
Yoder, Dr. Ray Derrick, D.
Grady Moretz, Sr.
Boone Republicans Monday
night unanimously selected
Clyde R, Greene to run for
Mayor in the June 20 city elec
tion.
An estimated 70, who turn
ed out for the Courthouse moot
ing, named Fred Gragg, Phil
Vance and Dr. James B. Gra
ham to run for the Board at
Aldermen.
Others considered for the
Board were 1, S. Ayers, Gwyn
Hayes and Paul Branch.
Greene said Tuesday a meet
ing was to be held that night
to outline the campaign.
The last time the Republi
cans posed a slate in the Ma
yoral race was 193d, accor
ding to Herman W. Wilcox.
Information on votes cast la
the bidding for Aldermen was
not available.