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 WEATHER 1967 Hi Lo Snow Free. ’66 HI June 13 79 53 June 14 81 54 June 15 80 56 June 16 81 55 June 17 82 55 June 18 76 56 June 19 80 55 .26 81 72 79 79 74 67 72 VOLUME LXXIX— NO. 51 BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 1967 10 CENTS PER COPY 20 PAGES—2 SECTIONS The Chamber Of Commerce Really “Deadly Dull"? BY RACHEL RIVERS The Chamber of Commerce is the nucleus of every com munity. Where it is not, it could be, for in thousands of towns Chamber of Commerce is sy nonymous with a community’s civic life. It is representative of the city’s leadership. To some, Chamber of Com merce might imply an un touchable group, some special interest group to which they can not, or should not, belong. Then could come a ‘‘so what?” attitude, or perhaps an Impres sion that, after all, chambers of commerce are really dull deadly dull. ZIFF, WHAAAP! In Boone, “The Chamber is supposed to know everything,” says Manager Fred McNeil. And it just about does, ser ving as “a clearing house on information on our town.” -Where can we go to hike, swim, play golf? -Can you suggest a good place to eat? —We need accommodations for four the last weekend of the month. Can you help? -When's the first snow? —How do you get to Horn in the West? -Can you give us directions to this, that and the other? More than 150 calls and visits are made to the Chamber of Commerce in an average day. Such queries usually come from travelers who stop at the East King and Hardin Street location, or who can't get out of traffic and proceed up the way to a pay phone. Not all stay in Boone maybe, but it's a good bet nearly all stay in the area awhile. McNeil and his secretarial staff keep up with things. And if there’s something they don’t know, they’ll find out-with a smile. A busy day in the Chamber of Commerce takes on the Ziff. Boof. WHAAAP! atmosphere of a Batman episode. Everybody’s working for good. In this case, the community’s good. TAKE INDUSTRY, FOR EXAMPLE Talk about a boost to Watau ga County's economy, that's industry. It was the Industry Commit tee of the Boone Chamber which subsidized, through public sub scription, the purchase of land in order to establish Interna tional Resistance Corporation here. From this committee was formed Watauga Industries, which brought Shadowline, Inc.; Watauga Citizens, who are re sponsible for locating Blue Ridge Shoe Company here; and Watauga Developers, who brought the Vermont American Corporation to town. So, says McNeil, “TheCham ber acts as a liaison between industry seeking location here, and the wishes of the people.*' WHAT ELSE? Then there’s the role of the Chamber in securing from the N. C. Highway Commission a commitment to Improve the ma jor arteries (221, 321 and 421) into Daniel Boone Cotmtry. And its seasonal retail pro motions, via the Boone Mer chants Association, which op erates within the C of C com plex. And its year around infor mational service to the pub lic. And the fact that members of the Chamber are found in dozens of local organizations, “thus acting as a catalyst to (Continued on page two) BREMCO To Provide More Power Blue Ridge Electric Member ship Corporation is planning the construction of a 100,000 volt transmission line from Beaver Creek in Ashe County into Wa tauga County and the construc tion of a transmission step down substation near U. S. High way 421 approximately three miles east of Boone. The substation would trans form the voltage to 44,000 for supplying power to six distri bution substations located in Watauga County. Approval of the preliminary plans came at the regualr meeting of the Board of Directors of Blue Ridge Elec tric Membership Corporation held in Lenoir, June 17. The new facility is scheduled for completion in early 1969 and will cost approximately $950, 000. Mr. C. E. Viverette, General Manager of Blue Ridge Elec tric Membership Corporation stated the new power facility would be needed to assure an adequate and dependable supply of electricity for Watauga Coun ty where the use of electricity has doubled in the past 5 years and has tripled during the past 11 years. He also stated that approximately 100 million kilo watt hours of electricity would be used in Watauga County in 1969* A REAL AMERICAN PRINCESS—Martha Haarbauer plays Nancy Ward, a half-British, half Cherokee princess of the Indians in “Horn In The West," outdoor drama which opens a 9-week run in Boone on June 23. Bill To Make Appalachian A University May Pass Assembly Appalachian State Teachers College will attain University status if the regional univer sities bill of Senator John Hen ley, D-C umber land, is enacted. “Things look fine now,” Hen ley said Monday. “The bill should go through the Senate and the House will pass it if it gets out of committee there/' The measure, which was re vised and expanded by a Sen ate committee last week, was scheduled for Senate debate Tuesday and is expected to win approval from that body. Household Survey To Be Conducted During the week of June 18, the Census Bureau will make a survey of households equip ped with television, according to Director Joseph R. Norwood of the Census Regional Office In Charlotte. The survey will be taken in this area and in 448 other areas throughout the U. S. Sponsored by the Federal Communications Commission and the Advertising Research Foundation, the TV survey will provide National estimates on the number of households equip ped with color, black and white, and ultra high frequency sets. The special questions on tele vision will supplement the Bu reau's monthly survey of em ployment and unemployment to provide monthly measures of the employment situation for the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. The iden tity of the households partici pating in the survey will be kept confidential by law and facts obtained will be used only to obtain statistical totals. Originally drawn to give uni versity status to East Carolina College and permit other schools to join ECC in a re gional university system, the Henley bill now elevates ECC, Western Carolina and Appala chian State to university rank. Sen. Robert Morgan, D-Har nett, chairman of East Caro Red Cross Chapter Names New Officers The Watauga chapter, Ameri can Red Cross, has retained S. M. Ayers as chairman for 1967-68. First vice-chairman is Clyde R. Greene; second vice-chair man, Ralph Beshears; secre tary, Mrs. Katheryn Tully; and treasurer, Armfield Coffey. On the Board of Directors for a one-year term are S. C. Eggers Sr„ Ralph Tugman, H. R. Eggers, Conrad Yates, Hank Greer and Marshall Hargrave. Two-year directors are Ken neth Wilcox, the Rev. C. O. Vance, Mrs. Gaynell Jones, the Rev. Ronda Horton, Mrs. Ann Brown and Mack Brown. For three years, Hal Johnson, Bert Mast, Cecil Miller, Bill Thal heimer, Mrs. Zeb Shook and the Rev. Richard Holshouser were chosen. Chairman and co-chairmen or workers are listed by com mittee. Personnel—John Rob inson; blood program— Jerry Adams, Marshall Hargrave, (Continued on page two) lina’s board of trustees, led a successful drive last week to ex pand the role of the schools in stead of granting a mere name change. Under the present proposal, the institutions would be permit ted to do research at the mas ter’s degree level and could de velop their research programs with the aim of enlarging statu tory roles. Presumably, the “enlarging clause” would permit the schools to prepare and develop doctoral programs without granting Ph.D. degrees. Henley’s major concern nov is House committee action 01 the bill. “The tally we’ve run showi the majority over there On th< House) favor it,” he said. “I could go to either the Calenda: or Higher Education Commit tees, and we’re working 01 both. 1 think it will pass.* Movies Of Wagon Train Of ’66 Will Be Shown In Wilke Last year’s Daniel Boone wa gon Train made the movies. “Appalachian Trails”,filmed by professional cameraman Le roy Crooks, will be shown at 9 p. m. Saturday and Sunday at the North Wilkesboro YMCA Gymtorium. Wagon Train Chief Scout, Ivey Moore, urges Wataugans to journey on down for the showing of the color film travelogue and see the feature selections at of Train highlights, 1966. Darby community, the half way mark in the procession that gets underway Tuesday, June 27, is closely covered in the film. Crooks, who traveled the whole route with his family In ’66, will meet the people at the Wilkesboro showings. Other scenes in the presen tation include the big Wilkes boro parade and scenes of wa gons and horsemen during the five-day trip. The Boone parade climaxes the Train prior to in clusion of night shots of Horn in the West. Tweetsie's in the film, and the Highland Games at Grandfather Mountain, camping scenes and so on in the Southern highlands. The film was viewed this win ter by 50,000 people in 10 east ern states and three Canadian provinces. WAGON TRAIN SCHEDULE Residents and visitors plan ning to catch the Train at th camps can be in North Wilkes boro Monday, June 26. Th morning of the 27th, Dewit Barnett heads ’em up to Fer guson for camp; the Darby cam] will be the evening of Wednes day, the 28th; wagons pull inti Triplett Thursday, the 29th; am move into Boone, Friday, Jun< 30. The Boone camp will be oi Blowing Rock Road, same U> cation as last year. Music, square-dancing an food will be available at eac camp. The parade will be Saturda morning, July 1, in Boone. Drama Season Starts Horn To Blow First Time Next Friday Singing On The Mountain To Be Held On Sunday One of the nation’s oldest, most popular religious singing conventions will get underway for the 43rd year Sunday. The “Singing on the Moun tain*’ again is expected to at tract thousands to the gospel festival on MacRae Meadows at: the base of Grandfather Mountain. Pastured Horse Gunshot Victim A horse belonging to Mrs. Susie Henson of Vilas and Tim Wilson of Boone was shot some time the weekend of June 10 while it was pastured at Sil verstone. Hunters were reported in the area during that period0 The animal, struck by a .22-cal iber bullet, is reportedly im proving. Wilson had planned to show the horse in nine classes at the Cove Creek Horse Show. Ira Ayers In jured In Fa\\ From Truck Mr. I. S. Ayers, prominent retired electrical contractor, was seriously injured Monday afternoon in the driveway of his home. He was in the back of a truck, which moved un expectedly, throwing him to the concrete pavement. Mr. Ayers suffered fractures of both arms in the accident. He is a patient at Watauga Hospital. Republicans Win In Boone The Republicans Tuesday night were assured control of the city government, when ballots cast by 1,180 register ed voters were tallied up at City Hall. Clyde R. Greene, GOP candidate, won the Mayoral race with 643 votes to 533 cast for incumbent Mayor Wade E. Brown. Democratic Alderman Hadley M. Wilson was retained on the Board by a vote of 616. Republicans Dr. James B. Graham and Phil H. Vance, Jr., respectively taking 625 and 600 votes, joined him. Republican Fred M. Gragg tallied 597. Howard Cottrell took 529, and J. C. Goodnight, 579, on the Democratic slate. Republicans accounted for 490 straight ballots, while Democrats cast 452, and the balance were split tickets. Official results were given one hour and 15 minutes after the polls closed at 6:30 p.m. Democrats had been unopposed in city government since 1959. Would Elect Board Of Education Here The Board of Education of W atauga County would be elect ed by popular vote under the terms of a bill introduced last week in the House of Represen tatives by Representative Mack Isaacs of Newland. The bill, which is opposed by the local Democratic leader ship, provides that present board members continue in office until first Monday in December, 1968, and at general election in 1968 and biennially thereafter at county general election five members to be elected to County Board of Edu cation. Provides procedure and time for filing for candidacy. No primary election necessary if no more than ten candidates file for membership on said board, but if more than ten file, separate ballot to be pro vided by County Board of Elec (Continued on page two) , PRESS RALLY PLANNED—Hugh Morton (center), owner of Grandfather Mountain, and J. D. Fitz, secretary of the N. C. Press Association, meet Horn manager Herman Wilcox (left) in Boone to set up a press rally for Friday and Saturday, July 8 and 9, The trio decided to issue invitations to editors within the Association, asking them, or a newspaper representative, to come here the 8th for a showing of Horn in the West and guest appearance of a descendant of ’ Daniel Boone. A picnic will be held in Linville for them the 9th, before they go to McRae Meadows for the annual Highland Games and Gathering of the Scottish Clans. Area motels are co-operating 1 in the promotional venture. After the Friday performance of the drama, a scene will be re enacted for the benefit of photographers. (Staff photo) Curtain Rise Changed To 8:30 Daylight Time The “horn of freedom** will peal through the valleys of Dan iel Boone Country for the 16th consecutive summer beginning ,. this Friday evening as Horn In The West opens its 1967 season in the Daniel Boone Theater. Performances erf the outdoor dramp are, scheduled for „ 56 nights, Mon. through Sat., to Aug. 26. Curtain time is 8:30 p. m. EDT. A record total of 35,148 per sons witnessed the drama of Daniel Boone and the battle for American freedom last sum mer. A major re-write of the script, necessitated by Day light Saving Time, is expected to attract large audiences again this season. Presented in the heart of Dan iel Boone Country, the Horn retells the story of the birth of America. For it was in the Southern Appalachians that the hatred of oppression, the love of freedom and private enter prise flowered into an Ameri can heritage. The drama unfolds on three curtainless stages in the 2,500 seat Daniel Boone Theater, highest in Eastern America. At an altitude of 3,333 ft., moun tain temperatures are such a re freshing change from the heat of the lowlands that a sweater is comfortable in mid-summer. Rightfully, Daniel Boone is the hero of Horn In The West. The theater is less than a mile from the spot where historians say Boone once lived. The cele brated frontiersman probably trod the ground where today's actor tells his story. The saga of the lusty spirit of Boone and his colonists, of their de termination to be free men, makes an entertaining, entranc ing tale. Although the Horn is an ex cellent lesson in history, its format contains something to please theater goers of every age. From fiery Cherokee war rituals to blazing recreations of the Battles of Kings Mountain and Alamance, action-packed scenes from the Horn keep au diences on the edge erf their seats. In the many gay moments from the Kermit Hunter drama, frontier folk singers strike tra ditional tunes and the stages come alive with rollicking square dances. The 16-voice a capella chorus is directed by Novie Greene of Orlando, Fla. The dance company is beaded by W. H. Williams, Jr. of Har risburg, N. C. Authentic costumes, live trees on stage, animals, stars overhead in open skies, and the mountains surrounding the theater complement the Horn's stage action. Three stage veterans who, together, have logged more then 7,500 hours of performances In the Horn, return to fill this (Continued on page tee)

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