BOONE
Home of Appalachian State Uni
versity, in Boone, Blowing Rock
and Ldnville Scenic Triangle.
WATAUGA DEMOCRAT
An Independent Weekly Newspaper . . . Eighty-First Year of Continuous Publication
WATAUGA COUNTY
In the Heart of the Northwest
ern North Carolina winter and
summer tourist resort area.
VOL. LXXXI—NO. 8
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 1968
10 CENTS PER COPY
24 PAGES—2 SECTIONS
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Health Warnings Have Little Effect
Watauga Countians Spend $482,000 For Smokes
How much cigarette smoking are residents of
Watauga County doing these days?
To what extent, if any, have they been swayed by
the health warnings issued during the last few years
by the Public Health Service and others?
According to the latest figures, most of them are
smoking as much as they ever did. The average rate
of consumption in the local area, for those 18 years
of age and older, is 187 packs a year.
By way of comparison, the average rate in the rest
of the United States is 215 packs and, in the South Atlantic
States, 220.
Despite the many reports to the effect that there
is a direct relationship between cigarette smoking and
lung cancer, cigarette sales are on the rise.
Nationally, according to a Department of Agri
culture report, more than 550 billion cigarettes were
smoked in the past year, or about 11 billion more than
in 1966.
On a per capita basis, this was equivalent to
4,295 for every person over the age of 18. It was
second only to 1963, when the average was 4,345 per
person.
In Watauga County, an estimated 2,042,000 packs
of cigarettes were smoked in 1967, on the basis of
regional statistics released by the Tobacco Tax Council.
The question of smoking has been brought to the
fore at this time by a new warning that goes far beyond
anything said previously.
The Public Health service now claims that there
is a direct cause-and-effect link between cigarette smok
ing and heart disease. It declares that there is strong
evidence that heavy smoking contributes to or ac
celerates the development of coronary heart disease,
the leading cause of death in the United States.
It warns that people in the 25 to 35 age group
who smoke more than two packs a day face a shortening
of life of about eight years. Even the light smoker can
expect an appreciable diminution of his normal life
span, it states.
As to the cost of this pleasant pastime, it adds
up to a sizeable amount on an annual basis.
Residents of Watauga County spent $482,000 during
the past year for cigarettes, or about $44 per smoker, it is
estimated.
The Appalachian South rental units and shopping center program part of what is to be. (Staff photo)
is going full speed ahead, its present construction only a small
Appalachian South, Inc.
LocalCommunityOf Apartments
To Cost More Than $2V2 Million
BY RACHEL RIVERS
When the last detail of con
struction is taken care of, Ap
palachian South, Inc., will rep
resent an investment of more
than $2 1/2 million.
It will be a community ol
10 apartment buildings, 12towr
houses, and a shopping centei
complex that owner Larry
Maher hopes to complete some
time in 1971.
Maher says the property—
which borders Faculty Street
near the southmost tip of Appa
lachian State University’s ath
letic field, and on which he
built the first apartment build
ing—was offered to him three
Democrat Again Featured
In National Publication
The Watauga Democrat was again featured in the
April 10 edition of the Publishers Auxiliary, national
newspaper trade publication, the most widely-read peri
odical of its kind in the country.
The feature, which carried a reproduction of a recent
front page of the local newspaper, carried some comments
by Editor Hob Rivers on the conversion of the Democrat
to web offset production, it being the first non-daily in
the entire northwestern region of the State to adopt
the modern process. At the same time the Auxiliary
called attention to the fact that the Democrat has won
14 State Press Association awards in 3 years, eight of
them being firsts, with two firsts and one third in the
coveted General Excellence category, and three straight
firsts in typography.
Editor Rivers points out that the Auxiliary carried
two articles on the Democrat in 1966, one a full-blown
feature on the typographical excellence of the local
journal with three page 1 reproductions. The other one
featured Rivers as the Editor of the Weekand gave his re
flections on a lifetime of newspapering.
The Publishers Auxiliary is the bible of the non
daily newspaper industry, is the organ of the National
Newspaper Association and covers the full list of the
more than 9,000 non-dailies, with a total circulation in
the Industry of 13,000.
years ago by realtor John Broy
hill.
The apartment-house project
started, Maher says, without
the intention that it become
just one part of a multi-faceted I
program. Begun in October,
1966, the first unit opened the
following May and 4‘We had
so many calls” that Maher
began comparing supply and
demand.
A two and one-half acre tract
across the street from the build
ing attracted his interest, but
David Watson
Slightly Hurt
In Accident
Seven-year-old David
Thomas Watson received minor
injuries when he was the victim
of an accident Friday morning
about 10 o’clock.
Police Chief Red Lyons of
the Boone Police Department
reported that the Watson boy,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Allle Watson
of Deep Gap, was struck by a
1966 Chevrolet driven by Mrs.
Ethel Norris of 119 Oak Street.
The accident occured at the
intersection of King and Hardin
Streets.
Lyons said that the youngster
ran into the street and into the
side of the Norris automobile
as she was making a turn.
The boy was taken by ambu
lance to the Watauga County
Hospital emergency room for
treatment, but was not admitted.
Chief Lyons said no charges
were made.
rrank P. Winkler (brother of
(im Winkler of Boone) also
)wned 10-acres right behind
\ppalachian South. Maher re
calls Winkler preferred not to
livide his holdings for indi
ridual sales, so “The top prop
erty was bought to get fill for
the bottom land across the
street.” That was in January.
“After some study into the
matter, I decided to have a lay
out made to see what could be
done with the upper portion.”
In doing a feasibility survey,
Maher was in touch with the
Boone Chamber of Commerce,
telephone and power companies
and collected the university’s
projections. Later, he was in
touch with Raleigh agencies for
additional statistics.
Maher says university of
ficials were of particular help
in the plans and needs depart
ment, and since the university
maintains no facilities for mar
ried and graduate students, he
thinks primarily of their needs.
With 44 units now complete,
he counts some 85 per cent
at his tenants as university
faculty and students.
The next completion level
(Continued on pag^ two)
Pre-Entrance Exams
Banner Elk Program
Pre-entrance examinations
for the Banner Elk Program
of Practical Nurse Education
are scheduled for 3 o’clock
P.M. in the school of nursing
August 23. Those interested
please contact Irene Blevins
at the Charles A. Cannon Me
morial Hospital at 898-5412
or 898-2545.
“Ministry Through Evangelism ”
3 F orks Association T o
Have Annual Sessions
46 Churches
Have 8,500
Membership
*‘Ministry Through Evangel
ism” will be the theme of the
Three Forks Baptist Associa
tion’s 128th Annual Session
Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug.
27 and 28.
Representatives of the 46
Baptist churches in the Three
Forks Association, which has a
total membership of over 8,500
members, will meet Tuesday
with the Rutherwood Church and
Wednesday with the Beech Val
ley Church. The Rev. Herbert
McCoy and the Rev. Gene Sher
wood are pastors of the re
spective churches.
The opening meeting will be
gin at 9 a.m. with a hymn
and a devotional message by
the Rev. J. E. Crump, pastor
of the Brushy Fork Church.
After roll call will be brief
reports from treasurer Jerry
Adams, executive committee
reports by the Rev. George
Hyler of First Baptist Church,
Blowing Rock, finance com
mittee report by the Rev. J.
Boyce Brooks of First Church
Boone, Baptist Hospital re
port by Mrs. Harry Vance and
associational missions by Don
ald Wilson, associational mis
sionary.
Reports on state, home and
foreign missions will be giver
by the Rev. Marvin Saunders ol
Middle Fork Church and Rev4
Harold King of Pleasant Grove
and Mrs. Blanch Perry. These
will be followed by a message
on missions by W. M. Paul,
a representative from the Nortl
Carolina State Convention.
Marshall Hargrave, minister
of education at First Baptisi
Church, Boone, will bring 2
(continued on page two)
“Children May Be Slaves
ASU Graduates Are Told
Lieutenant Governor candi
date H. P. “Pat*’ Taylor Jr.,
speaking at Appalachian State
University's summer com
mencement exercises Saturday
morning, warned the477gradu
ptes that “there is an excellent
chance that your children will
be slaves."
In citing government’s past
failures in the field of educa
tion, the veteran Wadesboro
legislator stressed that “cer
tain ideals must be met or
democracy will not last be
cause it leaves too much to the
individual.
“We need to develop an in
tegrity which will cause us to
do those things which we are
not required to do by our sys
tem of government/’ said Tay
lor, former Speaker of the N.
C. House of Represntatives.
“The United States education
al system has not met its re
sponsibility in teaching young
people to become involved in the
government of this nation,” he
continued. “It has failed to
create incentive, to use imag
ination, and to provide for a
sufficient. quantity of quality
teachers.
“Long summer vacations re
suit in much wasted time for
both teachers and students,” he
pointed out.
After Taylor’s address, ASU
President Dr. W. H. Plemmons
conferred Master of Arts de
grees upon 291 studerts, Bache
lor of Arts Degrees upon 19,
Bachelor of Science degrees
upon 163 and advanced certifi
cates in school administration
to four others.
The 477 summer graduates
hiked the 1968 graduating total
at Appalachian to a record 1,
241. Degrees awarded in June
totaled 764, including 118 who
earned Master’s degrees.
Does one wedding prompt another? Widow Howard, played by Carrie Curtis, thinks so after
catching the bride’s bouquet in one of Horn in the West’s second-act scenes. But Preacher
Sims, portrayed by Charles Elledge, has other thoughts. At left is Martha Stuart, played by
Mrs. Dottie Beasley.
Horn Curtain Drops Saturday
The 17th season of Horn In
The West, described by count
less spectators as the “best
ever*' from a production stand
point, will draw to a close
Saturday night.
The dazzling outdoor drama
spectacle had drawn25,ooi paid
admissions for 44 performances
through Sunday. The nightly 1968
average stood at 581, compared
to the 497 per-show average of
last summer.
The current version of Horn
In The West, playing only 49
dates this year as compared
to 55 in 1967, has been praised
as the best in the drama’s
history by many persons who
have seen the drama several
times since its birth in 1952.
Northwestern Hank Will
Open New Office Monday
The Northwestern Bank’s
Southside Office will open for
business, Monday, Aug. 26, in
its new building at the corner
of Highway 105 and Faculty
Street.
Registration will be conducted
for a drawing the following
Saturday. Children accompanied
by adults may register for a
camping tent. Other prizes will
be a power mower, rotisserie
and grill, a $25 savings account
and 10 transistor radios.
Favors to be given away will
be garden gloves for adults
and checker sets and colorihg
books for the youngsters.
The formal opening will be
double-barreled in that the
Boone Chamber of Commerce
also will have an office in the
building. The move from its
location at the intersection of
Hardin and East King will begin
Saturday.
Southside is the third build
(continued on page two)
AF Recruiter
Transferred
Local Air Force Recruiting
Sgt. Dave Johnson has been
promoted to the rank of Master
Sergeant and transferred to
Keesler AFB, Miss.
Sgt. Johnson has been as
signed to the Hickory Recruit.
ir*j office for five years and is
well known in Watauga County.
He has established a fine
record as a recruiter, was top
recruiter of the year in 1964
and was chosen Air Force Re*
cr uiting Service outstanding
airman of the year in 1967.
This is his second promotion
during the local assignment.