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 Newt paper . . . Eightieth Year of Continuous Publication
1967
Dec. 19
Dec. 20
Dec. 21
Dec. 22
Dec. 23
Dec. 24
Dec. 25
BOONE WEATHER
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VOL. LXXX
NO. 26
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1967
10 CENTS PER COPY
18 PAGES—2 SECTIONS
■0 ,
It Was Year Of Progress In Watauga
Some Front Page Headlines Of The Democrat In 1967
' ifj .
Jan, 5—Million dollar fire
destroys ASTC administration
building; classroom buildiig at
ASTC costs $310,000; Baker
McGuire is shot to death; James
Eden is appointed superintend
ent of the Blue Ridge Parkway;
Florida fair invites covered wa
gon from Watauga; Jaycces seek
Young Man of the Year; hospital
gets final inspections; County
ministers name officers.
Jan. 12—Carson McNeil be
comes Veterans* Service Of
ficer; Steven W. Carroll of Trip
lett receives $1,500 scholar
ship from soldiers; New York’s
Beaux Arts Trio to appear;
Paid Smith receives Jaycees
award; Tweetsie wins court case
with “Tootsie*’; ASTC lists los
ses from fire; Audra Marlyna
Trivette is the first baby of the
year; burley sales reach 3,645
520 pounds for season.
Jan. 19—Watauga wagon
sparks Florida parade; Gov.
Reagan is invited to Horn in the
West; 4,390 phon< s in use in
Boone; Watauga YDC names
officers; Televised talent con
test to aid March of Dimes;
the Democrat gets new type
setting equipment; Ward Haar
b«uer Is named director of the
Horn; hospital suffers water
cut-off.
Jan. 26—$22,000 face-Liftlre
given Boone Rost Office; old
city bail will be sold; Demo
crat wins five state awards;
B. W. Nash is co-ordinator of
First National Bank; Jaycees
get Horn concessions; Snow
flakes to Sunshine Safari visits
Boone; snowy holidays shorten
vacation from school.
Feb. 4—Appalachian seeks
university status; Southern Bell
may by County's biggest tax
payer; Eileen Fulton, TV and
stage star, lived in Boone; Mrs.
Jean Rivers named to state
library group; ASTC to hold
All-State Band Clinic; LBJ asks
$353,000 to finish Grandfather
Parkway link; Chester Culler’s
trailer home is overturned by
high winds.
Feb. S>—-Livestock Market is
organized; Robert Bingham put
in top 10 by State YDC; Watau
ga leads in United Fund ef
fort; Richard Randall chosen
for World Scout Jamboree;
Rhododendron Queen goes to
Florida travel show; Chamber
hears Rescue Squad program;
Phleat Fender of Jefferson dies
in car wreck; young educator
to be selected in Watauga.
Feb. 16—Farm income in
1966 is $3,711,843; Mothers
March accounts for 40 per
cent of March of Dimes money;
Miss Lucy Brock dies in Mis
sissippi; ASTC gets Federal
scholarships; hospital gets
$60,000 from Duke Foundation;
All-American grid star Robert
Matheson is honored at dinner;
Matney Community House being
constructed; Watauga High
pioneers play for keeps against
iiiiiiimiiimiHiiiMmnitmmiii
Valdese Tigers; ASTC to get
$2.6 million for construction.
Feb. 2^—Watauga Hospital
slates open house; Chamber of
Commerce hears Rescue Squad
program; Bloodmobile coming
March 3; Sheriff says school
bus law to be enforced; Mrs.
Faye Cornell is hurt in car
accident; GOP solons to speak
at local Lincoln Day Dinner;
$10,408,368 is recommended for
college buildings; hospital
climaxes 10 years civic effort.
March 2—Over 5,000 gather
at new hospital Sunday; "Super
llllillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllltllllllfllltlllllllllllllllllltlllllltl
lor” ratings woo by WHS in
state contests; Lincoln's mem
ory honored by GOP; schools
again closod due to snow; beau
tification expert to speak at
Tuesday meet; Red Cross asks
blood donors to east shortage;
two burglaries investigated;
suspect jailed; house razed in
series of fires; Citizens like
preview of medical center;
firemen to be honored; Evans
named Young Educator of Year
at Jaycee ceremony; N. C.
Rhododendron Queen TJndw
Blair receives the title Heart
Fund Queen.
(Continued on page six)
A TOUCH OF WINTER whistled in and Saturday it looked
as if it would last. City streets and the highways were cleared
in short order, however, and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
were clear and moderate. (Staff photo)
Drivers Have
Pictures On
License Jan. 1
Driver License Examiner W.
R. Stansberry announces that
beginning Monday, Jan. 1, all
driver license applicants will
have their pictures on their li
censes.
The price of licenses will
increase 75 cents, he says.
Operator licenses will be $3.25
and chauffeur licenses will cost
$4.75.
“It is necessary that all appli
cants receiving a renewal card
bring them to the Driver Licen
se office," Stansberry states.
Office hours are 8 a. m. to 5
p. m. on Wednesdays and Thurs
days each week. The office is
in a small building next to the
Watauga County Jail and is
accessible from Queen Street,
Boone.
Kingburger Is
Robbed Of $157
Ray’s Kingburger was robbed
Tuesday night, Dec. 19. Police
Chief Red Lyons says he has
suspects In the case.
Lyons said the robbers used
a screwdriver to break the lock
to the entrance of the business
on Blowing Rock Road and got
away with 1157.50. Other than a
half dollar in change, Lyons
said the money taken was bills.
Coins on hand were left undis
turbed in the cash box.
Dr. Mary Michal Resigns
Position At Health Dept.
The director of the District
Health Department, Dr. Mary
Michal, has filed her resig
nation and moved to her home
in Waynesville.
Dr. Michal was employed
Three Injured
In Car Wreck
A Boone police officer and
two passengers were injured
in a one-car wreck last week.
Police Chief Red Lyons says
the wreck occurred about 11:30
p. m. Tuesday, Dec. 19, on
the Poplar Grove Road near
the home of Mrs. Dink Berry.
He said the car went out
of control on slippery pave
ment, hit two apple trees 10
feet apart, traveled down a
bank and stopped abruptly on
a stump.
He identifies those involved
as Officer Harrison Ray and
two passengers, Mrs. Evelyn
Watson Coffey and J. C. Tri
vette. All three were admit
ted to Watauga County Hospi
tal. Trivette was released the
next day, Lyons says, and
Harrison and Mrs. Coffey have
since been released. The of
ficer and the woman suffered
back and chest injuries, Lyons
adds.
Damage to the city police
car is listed at $600. The
police chief describes the road
conditions more explicitly as
“sweating. ” The occupants of
the car are said to be re
covering quickly.
by the local board of health
in 1950 and had administered
the health programs of Al
leghany, Ashe and Watauga.
She directed the work of
three offices (Boone, Sparta
and Jefferson) and a popu
lation of more than 45,000
according to the last cen
sus. She reported in August
that her yearly travels were
some 20,000 miles.
In August, she stated that
her salary was cut $1,962
per year to a total $8,280
at one-half time. State health
officials later denied her
charge that “It's a demotion
position wise, as well as sa
lary wise.** She added that
“If they can get a health di
rector to administer the three
counties properly at halftime,
they’re welcome to do it right
now and ask me for my resig
nation. ... I will not try
to do the work of a week in
two and a half days.”
The health director said
that the salary change oc
curred during a specially cal
led meeting attended by a
representative of the State
Board of Health. At the time,
Dr. Michal said she was on
a short vacation.
She said she had accumula
ted two months vacation. The
budget that was considered in
her absence allowed salary
increases for department
staffers, she said, adding that
she had recommended these
because of the additional work
load employees were burdened
with.
She further stated that she
DR. MARY MICHAL
had considered resigning the
first of 1967 because of an
inadequate working budget.
Burley Sales
Yield $1,824^61
The Watauga Tobacco Market
closed Dec. 20 for Christmas
having registered sales of
2,630,831 pounds for $1,824,
161.83.
Information was given by
Stanely A. Harris Sr. of the
Tobacco Board of Trade. He
quoted the average price at
$69.34.
Sales will reopen Jan. 3. at
Warehouse No. 2 adjacent to the
bus terminal.
Penalties Are Provided
Witauga Citizens Asked
To List Property In Jan.
Detailed Farm
Crop Reports
Are Required
Tax Supervisor G. Claude
Danner advises taxpayers of
Watauga County they are re
quired to list thetr property
and polls for taxation starting
Jan. 3 as of ownership Jan. 1.
List-takers by community
and the schedule of listing
dates are advertised in this
issue of the Democrat and ev
eryone is asked to list in his
own township.
The books will remain in the
townships through Jan. 11, and
be returned to the Courthouse
on Wed. Jan. 17.
Failure to list within the pre
scribed period, Danner states,
can result in a 10 per cent
penalty, whereas a $50 fine
or 30 days imprisonment can
be levied on persons who should,
but do not, list.
All house trailers must be
listed, and automobile, truck
and trailer listings will be
checked against State registra
tions. When listing vehicles,
owners should bring make,
model and serial numbers.
FARM CENSUS
Each farm owner shall pre
pare a list of the acreage of
each crop, includir^ tenths of
acres of truck. The list should
show the total acres cultivated
by the owner, also the acres
cultivated by all tenants on
each separately recognized
farm, the acres in improved
pasture, woodland, idle and
other lands.
He shall be prepared to re
port the number of bearing
fruit trees, the number of live
stock of breeding age, number
of hogs sold or slaughtered
during the past 12 months and
the number or chickens.
Mr. Danner says this infor
mation is confidential and its
purpose is for agricultural edu
cation, economic analysis and
safe guidance of county agents
and farmers generally. It has
no relation to taxes. i
Mr. Danner asks the co- j
operation of taxpayers in com- <
pleting the vital tax-listing pro- ^
gram in the allotted time. He ‘
urges immediate action, with '
the hope no penalties will be (
exacted for failure to list.
A Smile For A Life—Bill Brawley found occasion once again to thank ASU graduate Patricia
Douthit for saving his life in Charlotte last summer when they attended a ceremony in honor
of Miss Douthit last week.
ASU Grad Saves Life, Gets
National Red Cross Award
Miss Patricia Anne Douthit,
a 1964 graduate of Appalachian
itate University, last Wednes
iay was presented the Ameri
can Red Cross’ highest award,
Jie National Certificate of
Merit, for saving the life of a
menage boy July 29.
The award ceremony was
taged at the Red Cross Center
n Charlotte where Miss Douthit
s a physical education teacher
t McClintock Junior High
chool. The Certificate of Merit,
igned by President Lyndon
ohnson, was presented by Le
oy Robinson, chairman of the
Charlotte Chapter of the Ameri
an Red Cross.
Charlotte Mayor Stanford H.
Brookshire gave Miss Douthit
a lapel pin and comments of
recognition were offered by
George P. Powell, director of
physical education in the Meck
lenburg County School System,
and E. W. Hopper Jr., president
of the Pine Lake Country Club
where the life saving act oc
curred.
Robert T. Allen, director of
Public Affairs at Appalachian,
presented a letter of commen
dation from the university.
Miss Douthit, the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Douthit of
Rockingham, received her first
aid and water safety trainir^
at Appalachian.
On the afternoon of July 29,
vVilliam M. Brawley Jr., 17
year-old Charlotte boy, was at
tempting to swim three lengths
of the 75-foot Pine Lake Country
Club pool underwater. Upon no
ticing that he was not mo virgin
the pool, Miss Douthitresponded
immediately and with the aid of
two men pulled the boy from the
pool.
She quickly began adminis
tering the arm lift method of
respiration before determining
that this method was not csus- -
ing the victim to respond. Roll
ing young Brawley on his back,
she could detect no breathing or
pulse. With quiet calm and pur
(Continued on page six)