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BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY MARCH 12, 1970
10 CENTS
28 PAGES—2 SECTIONS
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Solar Eclipse As Seen In Boone
Shooting from East King Street in Boone Saturday afternoon, photographer Jerry
Sudderth made five exposures of the Solar Eclipse between 1:10 and 1;35, Of in
terest to other photographers: Sudderth used a isfikon 35mm camera with a 135mm
f/2.8 lens and a 2x tele-converter which made the focal length 270mm. The ex
posures were made at 1/1,000 of a second at f/22, shooting through a strip of ex
posed photographic film and a polar screen. Development was six minutes in
D-76, with normal printing on F-2 paper.
MISS NANCY GREENE
Watauga High
Senior Named
On Task Force
A Watauga High School junior
has been selected as a member
of the Task Force, division erf
the Department of Public In
struction.
Miss Nancy Greene, daughter
erf Mr. and Mrs. Perry Greene
of Boone, was in Winston-Salem
Saturday and Sunday for meet
(Continued on page two)
Two File For
School Board
Three more incumbants filed
this week for county offices
along with the filing of J. E.
Holshouser for the State House
of Representatives.
Hugh Hagaman and James E.
Marsh filed for re-election to
the Watauga County Board
of Education and O. H. Foster
filed for re-election as clerk
of Superior Court.
Holshouser, who is chairman
of the State Republican Party,
had announced three weeks ago
his intention of filing for another
term.
Hagaman and Marsh are com
pleting their first two-year
terms on the school board since
it was made an elective, non
partisan post.
Grover Robbins, Founder Of
Area Tourist Complex, Dies
Grover Cleveland Robbins,
Jr., of Blowing Rock, who par
layed a narrow guage locomo
tive, some cars and an uncom
mon genius into a resort devel
opment complex which extends
from the Beech Mountain to the
Virgin Islands, died last Wed
nesday afternoon at his winter
home in Miami, Fla.
Robbins had been hospitalized
last fall with what he believed
was a minor ailment, Exami
nation revealed a terminal ma
lignancy.
A memorial service was held
Saturday at 2 o’clock at St. Mary
of the Hills Episcopal Church,
Blowing Rock.
A native of Blowing Rock,
Robbins was founder, president
and lately chairman of the board
erf Carolina Caribbean Corpo
ration, which developed resort
properties at Beech Mountain,
Linville and St. Croix in the Vir
GROVER ROBBINS
gin Islands and which has plan
ned two enormous residential
developments in Mecklenburg
County.
Mr. Robbins started his fabu
lous development career with
Tweetsie Railroad near Blowing
Rock, which gained national and
international publicity. Hound
Ears Golf and Ski resort, nearby
followed before the far-flung
Caribbean Corporation was es
tablished. He was one of the first
to envision a successful winter
sports program in this section.
His establishments were not
selfishly engineered. He thought
that the greater the area de
velopment the greater would be
the prosperity of the several re
sorts.
Robbins had been regarded by
some as a man with a Midas
touch and one who would some
day lose his shirt. Of course, the
record shows that Carolina
Caribbean alone made almost
two million dollars net in the
past two years.
Mr. Robbins'father was May
or and early promoter and de
veloper in Blowing Rock. The
elder Robbins was one of the
State's leading Republicans and
was on the ticket for State
Treasurer at the time of his
death in 1956^ His mother, the
former Lena Miller was also
reared in Blowing Rock and con
tinues to maintain her home
there.
Grover was allied to the
Democratic party and was active
in behalf of Hubert Humphrey’s
election bid in 1968, paying for
advertisements instatenewspa
pers in behalf of the Democratic
candidate. He believed the
Democrats had brought pros
perity. In supporting Humphrey
he said “It’s because the oppo
sition would turn back history
100 years. It can’t be done.”
He had no yen for public of
fice, but had been appointed to
the Board of Conservation and
(Continued on page two)
Citizens Plan To
Improve Own Road
A group of citizens and home
owners in the Townsend Gap
area on upper Clark's Creek
met Sunday afternoon, March
8, at Holy Communion Lutheran
Church and decided to form a
nonprofit corporation for the
purpose of making improve
ments in the Clark’s Creek
Road (SR 1133 in Watauga
County),
The Rev. Larry D. Campbell,
pastor of the church, presided
at the organizational m^eti^igat
which 40 interested families
were represented.
Only Beech Slopes Open Tuesday
Beech Mountain was the only local ski resort open Tuesday
morning as reported by the Chamber of Commerce ski report
ing service.
All other slopes were closed, either temporarily or for the sea
son.
Skiing conditions at Beech were reported fair to good with a
6-12 inch base. Temperature was 42 degrees.
Closed for the season after a final weekend of warming
temperatures are Seven Devils, Appalachian Ski Mountain and
Hound Ears,
Sugar Mountain will be closed for the season unless a major
weather change occurs.
Campaign Slated To Stop Rubella
An all out campaign to "Stop
Rubella" (German Measles) is
set for Sunday, March 22, from
noon to 5 m. In Watauga Coun
ty.
Announcement comes from
Dr. William Derrick, chairman
for the Boone Jaycees Rubella
program.
This Isa joint effort erf the Wa
tauga County Health Department
with several civic organizations.
Physicians hope to immunize
every child in the county be
tween the acres erf 1 and 12. The
goal is to prevent an epidemic
of German Measles as occurred
in 1964-65, which caused thous
ands of infants to be born with
eye defects, hearing defects,
heart defects and mental retar
dation.
On the basis of past trends, the
next epidemic ctf German Meas
les could come as early as
spring of 1970. The disease
tends to occur at epidemic lev
els every six to nine years, but
why this is so is not known,
Watauga County physicians
want to protect mothers in the
early stages of pregnancy from
the effects of a new epidemic.
Parents can help by taking their
children to one of the locations
that will be set up for the admin
istration of the new vaccine.
Ron Hester, publicity chair
man for the Jaycees. stated that
German Measles is mainly a di
sease of children. Grown women
usually contract it from a child
so the best way to stop the spread
of the disease is to immmize
all boys and girls. He s?id there
would be further announcements
as to the location of the clinics,
Hester suggests that those
wishing to volunteer their ser
vices on this day of mass im
munization could c a 11 the Wa
tauga County Health Depart
ment, 267-2126,
The elementary schools in
which the vaccinations will be
given March 22 are Appalachian,
Blowing Rock, Cove Creek,
Green Valley and Parkway,
Residents of the area and
members of the churches there
have made efforts for many
years to acquire a usable year
round road from N, C, 105
to the top of the mountain, less
than one mile. Pastor Camp
bell and others presented dozens
of letters, appeals, and ignored
petitions dating back several
years which have brought no
results.
The new corporation, made up
mostly of the native rural Wa
taugans expects to solicit funds
and begin work on the road in
the spring. Many low income
and older residents have
pledged labor, time and tools.
One man said after the meet
ing, “We don't want a highway
or even pavement; we just want
to get our kids and old folks
in and out of here all year
round. If the state can’t take
care of us taxpayers; we’ll take
care of ourselves,’*
Co. Elections
Board Sworn In
J. C. Winebarger has begun
his fourth two-year term as
chairman of the Watauga County
Board of Elections.
Winebarger and two other
board members were sworn in
on Monday, March 9,
Others are Dallas Hodges of
Vilas and Stacy lagers of Boone.
Hodges replaces John Bingham.
Winebarger and Eggers are
beginning their fifth term on
the board.
Watauga Surgical
Group Incorporated
Dr. Lowell Furman and Dr.
Clayton Dean have incorporated
as Watauga Surgical Group,
P. A. (Professional Associates).
Their offices are on the State
Farm Road near Watauga County
Hospital.
New Jail Estimate $300,000
Car For Sheriff
Is County Issue
Board To Meet
With Carroll
For Discussion
Watauga County property
taxes again will be based on
an assessed ratio of 65 per
cent for 1970-71.
The county commissioners
adopted the assessment ratio
during their March meeting held
on Monday, March 2.
The ratio will apply to both
real and personal property. It
will be the basis used when
commissioners set the tax rate
for the next fiscal year.
In other action, the commis
sioners notified Sheriff Ward
Carroll that the county plans to
change its present plan of
furnishing an automobile to the
department.
The board called for a meet
ing with Caroll at 6 p. m, on
Monday, March 16, to discuss a
mileage allowance.
Carroll appeared before the
board last month to ask for a
new car. The present car, he
said, is worn beyond the point
of economical repair. Commis
sioners indicated then they were
thinking about making a change.
County Tax Collector Ralph
Hayes reported total collections
of $23*298,81 in taxes during
the month of February, This
included $1,898,66 in back taxes.
The board authorized County
Auditor James C. Lyons to
transfer $40,000 from the
county’s debt service fund to an
interest-yielding deposit at Wa
tauga Savings and Loan Asso
ciation,
J, L„ Williams, a jail archi
tect of Matthews, told the board
that a new county Jail would
cost about $7,500 per inmate.
Thus, a 40-inmate jail for Wa
tauga County would cost about
$300,000,
The county recently completed
improvements on the jail at the
recommendation of the state jail
inspector’s office. The state has
closed down the Avery County
jail and has told county officials
that a new jail is needed in Wa
tauga,
The board decided to seek the
appraisal of another jail de
signer, Freeman White and as
sociates of Charlotte, in the
matter.
The board named Dr, George
Wesley of Boone to a three
year term on the board of Wa
tauga County Hospital,
A total of $50 was ap
propriated to help defray the
expenses of Mss Janie Shipley
next summer when she goes to
Greece as a 4-H exchange stu
dent, Request for the appropria
tion was made by Woodrow Rich
ardson of the county agent’s of
fice.
GERMAN-BORN CELLIST GISELA DEPKAT Is touring as guest
artist with the North Carolina Symphony and will perform Saint
Saens’ “Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra1* with the Sym
phony at its Sunday afternoon concert in Boone.
Symphony To
Appear In Concert
Benjamin Swalin, veteran di
rector of the North Carolina
Symphony, has announced the
programs for the Symphony’s
two concerts in Boone this week.
A special free concertfor all
of Watauga County’s public
school students Is slated for Ap
palachian State University’s
Varsity Gymnasium at 1 p, m,
Friday and will feature excerpts
from two movements of Beetho
ven’s “Fifth Symphony,’* Han
del’s “Harp Concerto in B
Flat,” “Minute II” from Han
del’s “Fireworks Music,”
“The Red Pony Suite” by Cop
land and selections from Proko
fieffs “Cinderella Suite.”
According to Rogers Whitener
of ASU’s Artists and Lecture
Series, the children have been
thoroughly familiarized with the
music the symphony is to per
form. “At two points in the pro
gram,” he explained, “the stu
dents will participate by play
ir^ small Instruments and sing
ing folk songs. The preparation
they have undergone will make
the concert one of their most
memorable educational exper
iences.”
The childrens' concert is co
sponsored by the university and
the Boone Junior Woman’s Club.
At 2 Sunday afternoon the
Symphony’s concert for the gen
eral public will feature guest
(Continued on page two)
Boone Man Is
Vice-President
Of Jaycee Area
A Boone Jaycee was selected
to serve as State Vice-President
for Area “A** of the Western
Region at the Regional Jaye ec
meeting in Asheville last week
James Hastings, currently
serving as president of the
Boone Jaycees, is now vice
president for the 10 clubs of
Area A; Avery, Boone, Wilkes,
Ashe, Lenoir, Hickory, Valdese,
Clairmont, Hildebran and New
ton-Conover.
The Western Region has four
areas, and the area vice-presi
dents arcthe clubs’ representa
tives on a state wide level.
Girl Scout Week Is Being
Celebrated In Watauga Co.
During the week of March 8
14, the Girl Scouts and Brown
ies in Watauga County are join
ing the approximately four mil
lion girls and adult Scouts
throughout the country in cele
brating the 58th anniversary of
the founding of Girl Scouts.
Special programs have been
planned by the 13 local troops
including a luncheon and a birth
day party.
During the past year the more
Foster Files
As Court Clerk
Orville H. Foster, Clerk of
Watauga Superior Court for
seven years, has filed for elec
tion to a third four-year term.
Foster, a Republican, is a
native erf Watauga County. He
served as Watauga County Tax
Collector from 1956 to 1958.
(Continued on page two)
than 225 Watauga County Girl
Scouts and Brownies have par
ticipated in a variety of activi
ties. Approximately 135 girls
attended Girl Scout Day Camp,
during which time the learning
of outdoor skills was stressed.
One troop attended a session
of t/ie State Legislature in con
nection with their study of state
and local government. Many
service projects have been ixw
dertaken by the scouts including
visits to nursing homes, favors
for hospital patients and giving a
(Continued on page two)
Blowing Rock Man Dies Of
Injuries Sustained In Crash
A 24-year-old Blowing Rock resident died Tuesday morning
as a result of injuries he sustained in an automobile accident
Sunday,
Holley Cox was being transported from Blowing Rock Hos
pital to a Hickory hospital when he died, according to UFI Cor
respondent George Flowers,
Patrolman William B, Bishop investigated the two-car wreck
which occurred about 6 p, m, March 8 on LG 221 some three and
one-tenths miles south of Blowing Rock,
Mr, Cox was alone in his car at the time of the wreck. Press
time reports indicated that Patricia K, Harris, 29, of Kannapolis
was a passenger in the other car and suffered a broker arnita the
accident.