AWARD WINNER
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WATAUGA DEMOCRAT
BOONE WEATHER
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An Independent Weekly Newspaper
July 30 72 62
July 31 78 62
Aug. 1 76 62
Aug. 2 75 63
Aug. 3 77 60
Aug. 4 75 59
Aug. 5 82 59
.31
24 PAGES—2 SECTIONS
• ■WfSZJrs:**' - "■•mgr*mufUto** - ■*+•• ' '**■ « III l—IIW
NEAR COMLETION—Watauga’s new courthouse on West King Street is in the final phase of
construction and expected to be occupied sometime in October. Claude Danner, Tax Super
visor and clerk to the Board of County Commissioners, says the architect and contractor re
ported the progress to the Board Monday but set no definite date when a move could be made
from the temporary courthouse in Junaluska Heights. In the court room, the paneling nearly
is completed; the jury box, witness stand and judge’s bench are in place; and the divider between
the bar and the spectators is finished. Hallways and offices on both floors are reported finished,
but the tile floor in the court room is not yet laid. Upstairs wash rooms are tiled and most of
the work done downstairs where also, the ceilings are being lathed for plaster. A lot of electrical
work remains to be done, according to Danner. This scene is from the back of the building
looking toward main street. Temporary closure of the roof has been done and permanent sealing
is to be accomplished this week. (Staff photo)
Civic Leaders Ponder
Country Club Feasability
BY RACHEL RIVERS
Monday night’s community
meeting to investigate the pro
spect of starting a local country
club produced a number of ques
tions in constructive discussion.
Would the Blowing Rock Ski
Lodge, which is being advert
ised for foreclosure, be a good
bet?
Could a farm be purchased
reasonably enough so that funds
would be left over for club
house construction and other
recreational facilities?
Could a local country club run
on internal revenue or would
adjoining enterprise such as a
golf course, ski run or housing
development be advisable?
Should a club house be built
for a start and other facilities
latter added?
Can a new country club be
operated in connection with the
Boone Golf Club?
The meeting was conducted at
Watauga High School by Grady
Moretz Jr., who with Kenneth
Wilcox, serve as co-chairman.
A discussion meeting first was
held two weeks ago. I^st week,
a larger meeting was called
for anyone interested. And this
week’s exploratory session
comprised 28 persons.
Asked to bring newcomers up
to date, R. D. Hodges said “If
there is enough interest, there
is a possibility of starting a
country club now. If not, we’ll
have to wait until later. That’s
how simple it is.”
Early talks had indicated a
membership of 250 at $1,000
each would assure the success
of the project. “We all know
that land comes at a premium
around here,” Hodges stated,
and the idea is whether one can
operate on its own income.
Kenneth Wilcox told the group
he knows of a 10-acre spot cen
trally located on a farm the own
ers would restrict. And there is
the Blowing Rock Ski Lodge,
“which would require a min
imum of $164,000.” He said he
did not know whether others
were interested in bidding on the
resort facility.
For background litformation,
Moretz described the resort as
42 and a half acres with slopes
graded for good skiing, a large
parking area, a lodge originally
constructed for $69,000, snow
equipment, one t-bar, three rope
tows, some restaurant equip
ment and dining facilities.
Moretz said some of the ski
equipment needs replacing, but
the rest is in good shape. He
said the overall value is set
at around $300,000.
Wilcox added that he has
talked with several people fam
iliar with the ski operation‘‘and
they say we can make money
on it.“He said management pro
blems could be eliminated by
leasing the ski operation to
another group. Other points
brought up in favor of the lodge
was that property around it is
a restricted residential devel
opment owned by one company
and nearby Payne’s Branch
Road is to be paved to the gap
late this fall or early in spring.
Moretz said the Payne’s
Branch route from Boone to
the lodge’s parking lot is only
two and a half miles.
ALTERNATIVES
Phil Templeton, a member
of the alternate sites committee,
said “Land close in is hard to
come by and very expensive
when you do find it.”
He suggested seeking a pro
perty where the owner would
(continued on page three)
Board Sets Orientation Day
School Bells To Ring For
4,000W atauga Students
New Program
Details Are
Given Out
The Watauga County Board
of Education has set its orien
tation dates for the opening
erf the 1968-69 school term.
Teachers will report for duty
Monday, Aug. 19, in the audi
torium of Watauga High School.
After the county-wide meeting,
which is scheduled for 9 a.m.,
all professional personnel will
report to their respective
schools for assignment to
grades or classes and addition
al orientation by the principals.
Tuesday, Aug. 20, has been
designated teacher-principal
orientation day and school bus
drivers will report to the county
school bus garage to be issued
buses in preparation for student
transportation Wednesday, Aug.
21.
The Board of Education has
set Wednesday as teacher-pupil
orientation day and buses will
operate. Students will be dis
missed at approximately 11:30
after registration and assign
ment to classes; collection of
fees; and receipt of supplies and
textbooks for the first full day
at school, Thursday, Aug. 22.
The cafeterias will open the
22nd for the school year.
School principals started
their full scheduleof work Mon
day, Aug. 5 and are available for
consulation by students and par
ents.
The local schools are ex
pected to enroll approximately
4,000 students on registration
day. This enrollment will in
clude approximately 2,800 ele
mentary students and 1,200 high
school students.
Plans are underway to enroll
approximately 40 additional stu
dents over the 1967-68 enroll
ment figures at the Appalachian
Elementary School. Two addi
tional mobile classroom units
(Continued on page two)
PRACTICE TIME FOR SMILING CHILDREN
Grandfather Home Day
At Blowing Rock Sunday
Sunday, Aug. 11, will mark
the 50th consecutive observance
of the Grandfather Home Day
at the Rumple Memorial Pres
byterian Church in Blowing
Rock.
The Grandfather Home for
Children, located at Banner Elk,
cares for 95 children of all
races, believing in the truth of
the little chorus, **Red and
yellow, black and white, all are
precious in His sight." The
Home provides them an atmos
phere in which they can grow
as Jesus grew "In wisdom and
stature and in favor with God
and man.’*
Grandfather Home for Chil
dren receives support from the
Presbyterian Churches of Hols
ton and Concord Presbyteries,
but a great share of its financ
ial help comes from interested
friends of all denominations and
the Grandfather Home Day at
Blowing Hock provides for this
type of sharing.
Over the years, the gifts from
the Grandfather Home Day have
made ig> one of the largest con
tributions received during the
year. Gifts this year will have
a special significance because
of the remodeling currently
being done and because of the
immediate need for transpor
tation facilities.
The services will be led by
the Rev. Richard Holshouser,
pastor of Rumple Memorial
Church, and the Rev. D. Ed
ward Renegar, Executive Di
rector of the Home.
Included in the program will
be the worship service pre
sented by a group of children
from the Home.
JtST BEFORE LAYING WASTE another illegal whiskey-still,
Sheriff’s Department Deputies Lloyd Bentley Geft) and Shuford
Edmisten flank Sheriff Ward Carroll for this picture taken by
George Flowers. Edmisten said they found the illegal operation
while on a “prowl” through woods near the Hardin Road in
Watauga County. He said there was a 55-gallon barrel of mash,
“nearly ready to run, and it looked like they were ready to fire
it up again.” The discovery and destruction of the still was “made
the last of July as the Department stepped up its search for the
illegal hillside businesses. Since taking office, they have un
covered eight stills, this being the first for 1968.
Many Area Students To Get
Degrees At ASU Graduation
A total of 477 students are
candidates for degrees which
will be conferred during
summer commencement ex
ercises at Appalachian State
University Saturday, Aug. 17.
The graduation program will
be staged at 10 a.m. in Broome
Kirk Gymnasium. The speaker
is to be Hoyt Patrick Taylor
of Wades boro, a candidate for
Lieutenant Governor of the
state.
Bloodmobile
To Be In Town
Next Friday
The use of the blood from one
human being to save the life of
another is one of the greatest
achievements the world has
known, according to Mrs. Goldie
Fletcher, executive secretary of
the American Red Cross, local
chapter.
The Bloodmobile will be at
the Boone Methodist Church
Fellowship Hall from 11 a. m.
to 4:30 p. m. Friday, Aug. 9.
And, “If you have not been a
regular blood donor, it’s worth
thought,” says Mrs. Fletcher,
* ‘And it’s worth taking action on.
For in truth, none of us knows
who is going to need it next.
“Thousands of people are
alive today—laughing children,
young mothers, accident vict
ims, the elderly persons who
have survived major surgery
because of blood and blood de
rivities which are available to
combat shock and many fatal
diseases.”
Pointing out that it takes only
a few minutes to participate,
Mrs. Fletcher says “It could
assure a normal lifespan for
you or some member of your
family.”
She urges the public to * ‘make
that visit to your Red Cross
Bloodmobile . .. and help some
one else on the road to life
again.”
Dr. W. H. Plemmons, Ap
palachian’s president, will con
fer Master of Arts degrees up
on 291 students. Nineteen are
to receive bachelor of arts de
grees, 163 will obtain bachelor
of science degrees, and four
are due to receive advanced
certificates in school admin
istration under the university’s
six-year program.
The 477 summer graduates
will hike the 1968 graduating
total to a record 1,241. Some
764 receives degrees in June,
including 118 who earned the
Master’s.
Dr. Paul Sanders, Provost of
ASU, will present the candidates
for the B.A. and B.S. degrees.
Dr. Cratis Williams, Dean of
the Graduate School, will pre
sent those for the Master’s de
gree.
Candidates for degrees, listed
by counties in this area are:
ALLEGHANY — Bennie C.
Weaver (MA) of Ennice, David
Austin Smiley (MA) of Glade
Valley, Juanita D. Church (BS)
of Laurel Springs, Barbara J.
Chappell (BS) of Piney Creek
and Ralph William Parker (BS)
of Sparta.
ASHE — Meredith Lewis
Knight (BS), ChampC. Farring
ton Jr. (MA), and Garland C.
Lyalls (MA), all of Creston;
Betty Walters Carlton (BS),
Walter Warner McMillan (BS),
both of Crumpler; Hattie Jo
Deboard (MA) of Grassy Creek}
Margaret Ann Waugh (BS) of
Jefferson; Earl Dale Paisley
(MA) of Lansing; Larry Gordon
Lewis (BS), Jimmy Ray Krider
(BS), and James C. Proffit Jr.
(BS), all of Todd; Chrysler
Ashby (MA) of Warrensville;
Luther T. Baldwin (MA) and
Alice Nevada Holman (BS),both
of West Jefferson.
AVERY—Donald Wesley Ott
(MA) of Banner Elk; Sara S.
Buchanan (MA), Priscilla
Brewer Waycaster (BS), and
Franklin Everette Johnson
(MA), all of Newland.
MITCHELL—Eddie Jo Vance
Jarett (MA) erf Bakersville.
WATAUGA — Floyd William
Finch Jr. (MA) and William
Michael Wright (MA), both of
Blowing Rock; Nellie Harward
Austin (MA), Flow Elizabeth
Bingham (MA), Richard Mon
roe Cole (BS), Thomas R. C ra
ver (BS), James Albert Cot
trell (MA), Evelyn Dare Ed
misten (MA), John Rodolphus
Edwards (MA), Henry Armond
Giroux (MA), Wallace Lamar
Hill II (MA), Judy Ayers Hum
phries (MA), Barbara Kay
Greene (BS), Arthur H. Gre
gory (BS), Barbara Barnes Hen
son (BS), Wiley Ripon Johnson
CBS), John Timothy Rati iff e
(BS), Edward Lee Smith (BS),
Sharon Kaye Teague (BS), Ellis
Leon Tesh Jr. (BS), Jack L.
Timmons (BS), Everette Earl
Tyner (BS), Rosemary Eury
Wells (BS, Charles Stanley
Wilkes (BS), Victor Gene Win
burn (BS), Dorothy Perry Wine
barger (BS), Louise Kim (MA),
Everette Joe Merritte (MA),
(Continued on page two)
Jim Holshouser At
C. O. P. Convention
State Minority Leader Jim
Holshouser of Boone leftThurs
day for the National Repub
lican Convention in Miami.
The delegate said he will
support Richard Nixon for the
presidential nomination and ex
pects to return here Sunday,
Aug. 11. On the state level,
Holshouser is firmly commit
ted to Republican gubernatorial
choice, Jim Gardner, who sup
ports Ronald Reagan.
Winn-Dixie Market, FCX
Damaged In Flash Flood
Winn-Dixie closed for about
an hour and a half Friday after
noon when it was flooded after
a cloudburst in Boone. Later that
night, the store was robbed.
Harvey Trivette, manager of
the Hardin Street firm, said the
14,000 square foot building was
flooded with three inches of
water when a 36-inch culvert
behind the store overran and
water came through the back
doors. The rear of the building
is situated on East Howard
Street at the base of a steep
Mil.
Trivette said refrigerator
units, wMch were on raised
platforms, escaped damage and
the store reopened at 4:30,
Sometime between 11:30 that
night and 6:30 a. m. Saturday
morning, thieves broke the glass
out of a front door, broke open
a coke machine, stole cigarettes
and caused further damage by
vandalism.
' No estimate of loss was
issued by the supermarket.
On South Water Street, waiter
swelled back into the basement
of FCX Farm & Garden Supplies
where it was feared a milling
motor worth several hundreds
of dollars was ruined.
After blocking the Water
Street bridge, the Boone Creek
backed up into the basement
where It also flooded a bln of
corn. As to the motor, however,
FCX Manager G. W. Serogga
reported Monday that it waa not
damaged alter all.