award winner
In last 3 years Democrat haa won
14 State Press Assn, awards. Eight
of them are first place awards.
WATAUGA DEMOCRAT
_An independent Weekly Newspaper . , . Eightieth Year of Continuous Publication
1968 Hi Lo Snow '87
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Feb. 10 28 12
Feb. 11
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Feb. 12 27 7
Sncrw given to nearest half-inch.
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VOL. LXXX— NO. 33
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1968
10 CENTS PER COPY
20 PAGES—2 SECTIONS
Balloons sailed to the sky as the Beech Mountain dedication
program started Saturday. (Staff photo)
Miller Is Scouter Of Year
The Watauga District Com
mittee, Boy Scouts of America,
presented its Scouter of the
Year Award for 1967 to Joe
Miller Monday night.
The award was presented at
the annual Scouter Apprecia
tion Dinner at the Boone Meth
odist Church.
Leader of the oldest troop
in continuous registration in
the District, Miller has been
Scoutmaster of Troop 109 since
1962. In these five years, an
estimated 150 boys have been
in this Troop.
Miller’s other Scouting ac
tivities include acting as merit
Two Men File For
Education Board
Now serving his first term
on the Watauga County Board
of Education, Hugh B. Hagaman
of Boone has filed for the non
partisan primary coming up in
May.
The son of the late Mr. and
Mrs. Smith Hagaman, he is mar
HUGH HAGAMAN
Woman Is
Injured In
105 Wreck
A 24-year-old girl was hos
pitalized in critical condition
Friday after her 1964 Volks
wagen Karmen Ghia went out
of control on N. C. 105 near
the Watanga-Avery County line.
Patrolman George Baker id
entified the owner-operator as
Miss Vivian Carol Aldridge of
Route 1, Banner Elk. He said
she was traveling north toward
Boone when her car went out of
control and overturned in the
highway.
He estimated it rolled pver
three or four times and traveled
120 feet before coming to an up
right stoo on its wheels. Miss
Aldridge was found about 100
feet from her demolished car
and the officer said she was
transported to Cannon Memor
ial Hospital by members of the
Watauga Rescue Unit.
Her condition was still listed
as critical Monday.
Baker said high-velocity
winds may have figured in the
accident.
ried and the father of a daugh
ter, Mrs. Wayne Clawson, and
a son, Buzz. He is a graduate of
Duke University and served as
a Marine Corps Office in World
War II and the Korean War. He
is Baptist and a past president
of the Boone Rotary Club.
Hagaman commented “The
people erf Watauga County have
every right to expect, to demand,
that in their schools the best
interests of their children come
before anything else. The public
schools of Watauga County are
for the children.
“The people also have the
right to expect that their schools
be operated in a progressive,
efficient, fair and professional
manner. These are entirely just
and reasonable expectations,*’
he said.
MARSH ALSO FILES
James P. Marsh has entered
his name as a candidate for the
Watauga County Board of Edu
cation. He states that he feels
Watauga County can have an edu
cational program second to none
in the state of North Carolina
and he will do everything he
can to help develop such a pro
gram for this County.
A member of the First Bap
tist Church of Boone, Marsh
has been chairman of the Dea
cons and church treasurer for
16 years. He has beer. - mem
ber of the finance and construc
tion and remodeling com
mittees; is a Sunday school
teacher; and is a trustee of the
Annuity Board of the Southern
(Continued on page two)
JAMES MARSH
badge examiner for several of
the 120 badges in the Scouting
program; promoting camping
activities, in which his Troop
has excelled; promoting Scout
ing in the community and par
ticipating in the monthly Round
table of Scout Leaders,
He is a member of the Of
ficial Board of the Boone Meth
odist Church; has served as
chairman of the Commission on
Social Concerns; is a co-teach
er of a young adult Sunday
school class and as a member
of a special commission for
overseas relief was largely re
sponsible for raising a sub
stantial sum of money. He is on
a three-man committee to de
velop a youth center for high
school age people in the church.
Miller is a member of the
Boone Jaycees and is married
to the former Joyce Tuckwiller
of Boone. They have a son,
Joe Miller Jr., age 4, and re
side at 102 Hillcrest Circle.
An outdoorsman. Miller
mounts his own trophy exhibits
as an expert taxidermist. He
graduated from Appalachian
High School and received his
training in pharmacy at the
University of North Carolina.
He is one of the owners of the
Boone Drug Company and King
Street Pharmacy.
Mrs. Miller was recognized
f®r her support and encourage
ment of his Scouting .and church
and community leadership ac
tivities.
The award was presented by
Paul N. Campbell, secretary
of the Watauga District and
member of the Old Hickory
Executive Board. Campbell was
the recipient of the award for
1966.
Scouter of the Year Joe Miller and Mrs. Miller beam during the
presentation Monday night. Paul Campbell (back to camera) was
the 1966 recipient and made the award to Miller. (Staff photo)
Gov. Moore Asks
$76,000 Grant
Gov. Dan K. Moore has re
commended approval of $76,
300 in Federal funds to support
an economic development pro
ject in the Mountain Scenic Dis
trict of Appalachian North Caro
lina.
To be applied in the first six
months of 1968, the project costs
will involve new sewerage
treatment facilities at Bakers
ville and is eligible for a Fed
eral grant under the Appa
lachian Regional Development
Act of 1965. This Act promotes
long-range economic develop
ment of the Appalachian region
through a co-ordinated Federal
State and local program of in
vestment.
The project was initiated at
the local level and endorsed
by the Mountain Scenic Eco
nomic Development Commis
sion serving Avery, Mitchell,
Watauga and Yancey counties.
Eugene Penland of Newland
is chairman of the Commission.
Serving with him from Wa
tauga County are Glenn And
rews, John Bingham and Boone
Mayor Clyde Greene.
Mrs. Ruth Johnson is co
ordinator of the Commission
and accepts applications for
projects in her office at New
land. In addition to these, Phil
lip Thomas, Mark Hall, James
Ray, Jennings Bryant, Milton
Burleson, Jack Slagle, VV. D.
Von Canon and S. B. Lacey Jr.
serve on the Commission.
The Governor’s recommen
dation will be forwarded to the
Appalachian Regional Com
mission in Washington, D. C.,
for final apprvoal. The Gov
ernor also recommended ap
proval of a $231,000 grant for
construction of Wiseman’s View
Access Road near Linville
Falls.
The costs are part of an
overall recommendation of $5,
039,932 in Federal funds to sup
port economic development pro
jects in Mountain Scenic’s four
counties and the others in North
Carolina’s Appalachian area.
2,000 Attend Weekend Event
Governor Dedicates Ski
Resort At Beech Mtn.
Development
Assn. Hailed
By Governor
Gov. Dan K. Moore told the
Northwest North Carolina De
velopment Association that its
11 counties last year had total
farm income of $162.4 million.
He addressed Association
members and officials of Appa
lachian State University Friday
at a luncheon in his honor. He
was en route to the official
dedication of Beech Mountain
Saturday.
The Governor compared agri
cultural progress here with the
1954 total of $54.6 million and
said “I believe it has been
demonstrated in this Northwest
area what can be accomplished
when an effort is made to in
volve people in utilizing State
services.
we have one of the finest
State Departments of Agri
culture in the nation and our
agricultural research facilities
at North Carolina State Uni
versity are as fine as can be
found anywhere.”
In a candid observation on
the state’s colleges and uni
versities, the Governor said
“Appalachian is an excellent
case in point,” developing at
a rate to keep pace with the
rapid progression of the world.
“It is recognized as a sound
edpcatfonal institution that of
fers opportunity to our young
people and serves this area
and all of North Carolina with
distinction.”
Of industry, Moore said "The
record for new and expanded
industry was set in 1967 when
projects totaling $662 million
were announced. During the first
three years of this Admini
stration the total invested in new
and expanded industry was $1,
757,968,000. It is a larger total
than for any previous six year
period,” he said.
“It has been demonstrated
here in the 11 counties ot the
(continued on page two)
BUDDY MORROW, nationally famous jazz trombonist and one of
the nation’s most popular orchestra leaders, will be the featured
soloist in a concert to be presented at Appalachian State Univer
sity Friday, Feb. 23. The concert will open the 18th annual band
clinic to be heldFeb. 23-25 in I. G. Greer Hall. Morrow, who will
play with ASU*s Wine Ensemble, has been trombonist in such
famous bands as those of Paul Whiteman, Tommy Dorsey, Artie
Shaw and Jimmy Dorsey.
Watauga Hospitals Given
$3,918 Of Duke Funds
The Duke Endowment is distributing this week more than $2
million to Carolina hospital sand child care institutions it assists
This includes $2,676 for Watauga County Hospital.
The Blowing Rock Hospital will receive $1,242 and $4,359
has been designated for the Charles A.CannonJr. Memorial Hos
pital in Banner Elk.
Other area institutions to benefit from the total gifts of
$2,016,665 are Ashe County Memorial Hospital, Jefferson,
$2,390; Caldwell Memorial of Lenoir, $2,422; Wilkes General
Hospital of North Wilkesboro, $3,022; and Grandfather Home
for Children, Banner Elk, $20,475,
The gifts are divided among 191 hospitals in the amount of
$1,369,950 and among 43 child care institutions in the total of
$646,715. In North Carolina the figures are $901,508 for hos
pitals and $428,991 for child care institutions. The balance is
for South Carolina organizations.
Study Shows Healthy
Commerce In Watauga
Competing for the consumer
dollar in Watauga County at the
present time are no fewer than
175 retail establishments.
In terms of the local popu
lation, it means that there is a
store for every 106 residents,
which is more than in many sec
tions of the country.
The average in the United
States is one store for every
114 persons and in the State of
North Carolina, one for every
120.
The facts and figures were
derived principally from a nat
ional survey of retail busi
nesses conducted by the Depart
ment of Commerce.
The survey lists a total of
105 retail stores in the county
that employ one or more per
There are also a large num
Teamsters Union To Hold
Election At Shoe Company
From 9:30 to 11:30 Monday,
personnel of the Boone plant
of Blue Ridge Shoe Company
will cast their ballots for or
against having Teamsters Un
ion representation.
Red Cross Asks
For 200 Pints
The American Red Cross
Bloodmobile will visit Boone
Tuesday, Feb. 27, und will be
stationed at the Fellowship Hall
of the First Baptist Church be
tween 11 a. m. and 4:30 p. m.
All ASU students under 21
years of age are urged to pick
up ‘‘permissionrelease*'forms
from the university infirmary
in time to have them signed by
their parents prior to the do
nation of blood.
Ted Rhudy, manager of the
Boone plant, said he received
a letter Jan. 8 from the Team
sters Local number 61 in Hick
ory. At that time they announced
their intentions to hold an el
ection here, he said.
The polls will be set up in
the maintenance room and pro
duction, maintenance and plant
clerical employees will be al
lowed to vote.
Rhudy said the election re
sults will be counted by the Na
tional Labor Relations Board
shortly after the polls close.
He and other plant officials
will be present with members
of the Teamsters Union.
On Nov. 2, 1964, the Team
sters were defeated by a vote
of 176-83 at Blue Ridge Shoe
Company. The plant is a division
of the Melville Shoe Cor*
po ration.
ber of smaller stores, family
owned and operated, with no
employees. Their total is esti
mated at 70.
In general, throughout the
nation as a whole, there has
been a steady decline in the
number of small businesses, the
reports show. The butcher, the
baker and the candlestick maker
are getting scarcer and the chain
stores and self-service super
markets more numerous.
The net result is that there
are 160,000 fewer stores now
than were in existence lOyears
ago. The total has dropped from
1,897,000 to 1,737,000.
Notwithstanding the compe
tition from the big stores, how
ever, some 700,000 Mom and
Pop stores still flourish in the
United States.
Among the retail outlets in
Watauga County that have sales
help, the Commerce Depart
ment lists a total of 12 food
stores, 15 eating and drinking
places and 21 automotive deal
ers and service stations. No
such figures are available for
the family-run stores.
Irrespective of the changes
in the store population, re
tail business in the local area
has been on the increase.
During the past year, retail
sales in the county reached
an estimated $23,439,000, about
3.2 percent better than in 1966,
based on preliminary reports.
Despite the risks involved
in starting a new business,
many people take the plunge each
(Continued on page two)
Queens Join
In Official
Program
BY EDIE TUGMAN
Hailing the ski industry in
troduced to these mountains
several years ago, Gov. Dan
K. Moore, dedicated the fac
ilities at Beech Mountain Sat
urday.
Moore made the trip to Ban
ner Elk during his three-day
round of winter resorts in West
ern North Carolina.
In a short dedication speech,
the Governor remarked that the
relative inactivity of just a few
years ago in the mountains
has been transformed into a
year round tourist attraction
by the growth of the ski areas
and winter sports here.
He said of Beech Mountain,
“When the dream is finally
realized, Beech Mountain will
be a complete year ’round re
sort. We should be thankful
for the wisdom, initiative and
hard work of these men who have
made all of this possible.”
Gov. Moore was assisted in
the ribbon cutting ceremony by
Miss Watauga County, Myra
Davis; Miss High Point, Dana
Scotten; Miss Greensboro, Vic
ky VonCannon; Miss Hickory,
Becky Lail; Miss Johnson City,
Tenn., Judy Bible; and the Rho
dodendron Queen, Ann Bailey of
Concord.
When he cut the ribbon of
ficially dedicating Beech Moun
tain, thousands of Beech Moun
tain balloons were turned loose
to fill the sky with bright colors.
Adding to the spectacle were
ski demonstrations by the Na
tional Ski Patrol and the Beech
Mountain Ski Instructors Corps.
More than 2,000 skiers and
spectators were there.
Although Gov. Moore said
there wasn’t any way he could
get on skis, his four-year-old
grandson gave a ski demonstra
tion of his own.
Beech Mountain is the work
of Harry and Grover Robbins
and Dr. Thomas H. Brigham.
Dr. Brigham, a dentist with
skiing in his blood, gave up a
flourishing practice to devote
full time to the development of
Beech Mountain as a ski, golf
(continued on pagte two)
Home, Land
Destroyed
By Fires
Fires on Monday and Tuesday
reaped extensive damage, ac
cording to a report by R. D.
Hodges Jr., chief of the Boone
Volunteer Fire Department.
He said the residence of A1
Adams on Queen Street caught
fire shortly before noon Tues
day because of an oil floor
furnace. He said the hall floor
was burned out and the inters
ior of the home and its fur
nishings badly damaged.
An estimate was not avail
able atpresstime, although Hod
ges said the heat was extensive
enough to melt a television
set in the home. Firemen strung
300 feet of hose to combat the
blaze, because the one nearest
the home was frozen.
High winds Monday night fan
ned a fire into the Rocky
Heights section near the City
dump.
Hodges said Boone firemen
joined the N. C. Forest Ser
vice and Ranger Crate Teague
and his crew in trying to con
trol the wide-spread fire. He
estimated 12 to 15 acres were
burned out and said four homes
were endangered before the
roaring blaze came to a stop
at a road on the edge of the
woods.