LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Names Of Old Timers
Are Not Available
Dear Rob,
The picture on the first page
of last week’s Watauga Demo
crat has put all the oldtimers
among Appalachian students and
former residents erf Watauga
County in a dither here. I thought
I knew everybody in Boone along
about 1910-12 and, you know,
I was only sure about two men
on the picture, your father and
Dr. J. W. Jones. I have not
found anyone else who could
recognize any of the others. Of
course, if you want to relieve
our curiosity, you might run the
names in this week’s paper. I
know the citizenship of Boone
has undergone marked changes
through the years. I do not
know many people there now.
With best wishes, I am
Sincerely yours,
IRA
(IRA T. JOHNSTON)
Jefferson, N. C.
(Note: Much as we’d like to tell
you the names, Ira, we just don’t
know them. Fact is, we’ve made
considerable effort to get the
others identified. Thank you
for your letter.)
Wataugans At Work
A member off the Boone Volunteer Fire Department since 1946,
Cecil Farthing pauses a moment before returning the truck to
the city garage six miles away. He had contributed his spare
time Saturday to water the track at the Cove Creek Ridirg Rirg
west off Boone. Fifteen years an employee of the United States
Post Office, Boone, Farthing is married to the former Carolyn
Ifayes, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. F. Hayes of Vilas. Their
children are Eric, 15; Randy, 13; and Pam, age 10. The family
lives at 111 Highland Circle and attends the First Baptist
Church where Farthing is on the Board off Deacons and serves
as a Training Union leader. Veteran of three years service in
the Navy, he is the son off the late Mr. and Mrs. Ed G. Farthirg.
Ws primary hobby is woodworking, which for years was his
father’s business in Boone. CStafT photo)
Old Country Store Is
Of Interest To Visitor
Mr. Editor:
Hidden between the hills and
around the curves of a rural
road, winding its way from 105
to 321 highways near Boone,
North Carolina stands the Old
Country Store and U. S. Post
office, Valle Crucis, conven
iently located inside.
For seventy years Howard
Mast and his father and other
members of his family have
served this community while
earning their livelihood by
operating the store and post
office.
On a recent trip to this moun
tainous section we paused to
browse awhile in this store,
going from one department to
another in orderly fashion. As
we entered the front of the
spacious building we, first,
turned to the right to view the
household display. There we
found tempting pieces of brightly
colored glassware—bowls,
plates, pitchers, bottles, etc.
in odd shapes and sizes for
serving pickles, relishes and
drinks or to use as conversa
tional pieces.
Moving forward slowly, ob
serving whatever came before
us, next we found ourselves
among the kitchenware. Such
necessities as skillets, oven
pans, kettles, coffee pots and
i
“what-have-you” intrigued us,
momentarily.
Looking beyond we saw, hang
ing from the rafters of the barn
like structure, horse collars of
golden fabricated material, sin
gletrees, and saddles (handcraf
ted from durable leather) and
feed for stock—cows, horses,
pigs and chickens.
Turning, at the rear of the
building, we climbed the sturdy,
wooden stairs to see a most
unusual sight of country cured
hams, labelled with the names
of the owners and dates of
curing. In this loft of the build
ing we also saw an assortment
of furniture, old and new. Some
ladder-back chairs, to be fin
ished according to the pur
chasers notion, were available.
Also, novelty baskets, woven of
light wooden strips and redwood
splint containers, mounted on
legs for decorative purposes
were there for the shoppers
choosing.
Retracing our steps down
stairs, we entered the grocery
department where a variety of
products were being sold. Also,
we saw the usual shelves of
drug supplies. Justacrossthese
counters in a crowded corner
were ready-to-wear clothes of
various description, overall
coats, pants, caps, shoes, etc.
As we slowly moved up to
the front of the store, we saw
an assortment of electric clocks
for kitchen or den: a replica of
Grandfather’s Clock and one
for the kitchen with vegetables
pictured on the face at the
hour marking.
Finally, choosing from a dis
play of postal cards, scenes
of various mountain attractions
and vacation spots, we carefully
made a selection of the most
interesting ones, bought stamps
from the Postoffice Department
and mailed them to friends—
a reminder that we were4‘having
a good time, wish you were
here”.
ELOISE F. WOOD
Belton, S. C.
Urges Paving Of
State Road No. 1212
Dear sir,
I live at die very end of
State Road 1212. Four years
ago, the 13 families who live
on this road drew up a
petition and presented it to the
road commissioner. Nothing
happened.
I have written our governor
two letters. He has answered
both very politely, but is firm
in saying there are other roads
with “higher priority.'’
Now we all live in what has
been termed a “poverty area”
by our president. This term is
deeply resented by the families
who live on State Road 1212.
W© all WORK for a livii«. We
don’t accept doles from the gov
ernment. W© all have Jobs to
pay for the care of our homes
and the cars we drive over this
road. But one woman told me
that her car had developed so
many rattles from sinking into
the ruts of our road that she
didn't know what she was going
to do. Most of us buy cars on
the installment plan. There is
little money left for repairs.
We complained about the state
road to the Highway Com
missioner. He DID 8 end out
some kind of contraption that
dug deep trenches on the side
of the road and took most of
the gravel from the surface,
so that now, after a rain, it's
nothing but mud and slush. And
now the road is so narrow that
we dread the thought of meeting
another car. I'm not very clever
at backing my car around curves
where I could go over a cliff and
end my lifel
The mailman and school bus
use this road. It MUST be kept
open all year. WHY can’t it be
paved? The state and govern
ment have the money to pay
for it. OUR money! We ALL
pay taxes.
I wonder what whould happen
if all the families on State Road
1212 would sue for new cars?
MRS. JOHN AVERY GUYTON
Rt. 1, Sugar Grove
N. Carolina
ON FOOD PRICES
The Department of Agricul
ture said that food prices are
expected to average 3 1/2 per
cent higher this year over last.
The gain in 1967 from a year
earlier averaged less than one
per cent.
COURSES ABOUT RELIGION
Santa Fe, N.M.—The New
Mexio State Board of Education
is considering installing cours
es “about” religion in its
schools. If adopted, the courses
would be “informational study of
religious history, activity and
other knowledge.”
PAYS PARENTS’S DEBT
Omaha, Neb.—A clothing
firm recently received a check
for $246.40 from a Texas man
who said in a letter that it was
for a 1926 bill plus interestthat
he found unpaid by his parents.
The president of the firm is
returning all but $55 of the origi
nal bill."
Look...
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Closing Sept 5
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Restaurant
Blowing Bock Road — Boone, N. C.
W4UACC
RAUY
George C. Wallace for President
Rally and Organizational Meeting
SPEAKER: Robert Reid Stubbs
s State Chairman, Wallace Campaign
Watauga High School
Saturday, August 31—7:30 P.M.