Population Watauga County 22,MO '■**'■*■ 10 Year Gain 29.27% Boone 8,SCO 10 Yw Gain 122.19% WO Preliminary Census Report 83rd YEAR—NO. 23 WATAUGA DEMOCRAT An Independent Newspaper Serving The Northwest Carolina Mountain Area ■ _ BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, N. C. THURSDAY DECEMBER 10. 1970 in CENTS Boone Weather >970 HI La Hrae. Snow '99 S«e. 1 59 It Dae. 2 a « Dae. J <5 2t Dae. 4 51 It Dae. 5 57 24 Dae. « 41 22 Dae. 7 13 12 32 PAGES—2 SECTIONS K*6K«*M X ttuasaucc Mrs. Dessa Mae Edmisten, supervisor of Watauga Instruction, received a surprise gift of silver at the Friday morning meeting. She guided the schools’ work in meeting the standards of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. (Staff photo) 2,700 Hanoi Letters Written In Watauga Mm. Walter Hawkinson, a Boone resident who was in strumental in the “Write Hanoi” campaign operated in the Two Carolina: by WBTV, said last week that volunteers had received some 2,700 letters here in Watauga County. She pointed out that many others perhaps were mailed directly to the television station. And Mrs. Hawkinson added appreciation to other volunteers and all letter writers for their sincere concern for the American Prisoners of War being held captive by the North Viet namese. The public was asked to request the names of POW’s, humane treatment for them and negotiations for their release. WBTV early in the campaign announced it would see to it that the letters reached the Debate Team Earns Highest 2-State Honor Watauga High School a af firmative and negative debate teams both took first place Saturday when they competed with several teams from Tennessee and North Carolina. Among those teams was Tennessee's Unicoi, considered to be one of that state's top debate teams. The meet was at Bowman High School in Bakersvllle, a school "very active in debate work,” says Mrs. Mary Frances Elvey, sponsor of forensics at Watauga High School. The WHS affirmative team comprises David Williams and Tim Westmoreland. Robert Furr and Ben Thalhelmer are (Continued on page two) North Vietnamese. It was warned that the letters might not be read individually, but would be counted. It was pointed out that the North Vietnamese mark off men who are captured by the enemy and do not want them back. The letter writing campaign, additionally, was to show them that Americans do care for their men in captivity. The television station Monday night announced that the huge volume of letters was taken by some staff members to Paris where it was to be presented to the Hanoi Delegation to the peace talks. But the delegation avoided a meeting and last word was that the Charlotteans might get an appointment Wednesday (Dec. 9). One of the station’s staff members had reported to WBTV that if Hanoi representatives would not accept the letters, they would be dumped at the base of the Eiffel Tower. The campaign, which was a grassroots product of the American Red Cross and oi anguished POW wives and families, received wide sup port in the State’s news media. Boy Is Struck By Auto An ll-year-old boy waa struck by an automobile about 5:40 Monday afternoon on N. C. 194 near the maintenance shop of the State Highway Depart ment. The youngster, identified by Patrolman Charles Arrowood as Gary Lee Moretz of Route 4, Boone, was admitted to Watauga County Hospital and later was released. The Trooper said the driver of the car was James Jackson Davis, who was traveling south on 194 when he dodged a group of boys in the right lane and hit the Moretz boy, who was in the southbound lane. 12 Million Visit Blue Ridge Parkway This Year During November, 7m.il 1 people toared tbe Blue Ridge Parkway n agataet 7M.1M fer the Hue period la 1Mb a gala of 1.1% flgarea juat releaied by Roanoke Parkway Headquarter* reveal. Per tbe ealeader year im to date, 12.Ki.Mi riatter* have beea tallied far aa lac reate of U%*ver tbe 11,4714*5 reported hr tbe tome period la ltM. Vlaltor total! by dietrieta lor tbe 1M* aad 1*7* follow, tbe flrti figure la each cate being fer 1*7*: James River. Va.. mile e to MS. 1*1,442; U.1M. lucky Knob. Va- mile 1*S to217.1*44*1; 170,04.,, “ , ' muff*. N. C„ mile 217 to MS, MJ21; 84,714. giber Mr mile las to 2M, 2S2.SS7; M*,Mt.- JA ,.. "V. e.,v.rwu^