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The ONLY Newspaper in This Wide World Devoted Exclusively to Promoting The Highlands Area
Published in the Highest Elevated and Most Hospitable Town in Eastern America.
AIR CONDITIONED BY NATURE VOLUME 10 THURSDAY. MARCH 14 1968
The Weather
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HIGH LOW
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NUMBER 41
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TEN CENTS PER COPY
Heart Attack Fatal To
J. Weimer Jones
Mr. J. Weimar Jones
J. Weimar Jones, 72, of
Franklin, died unexpectedly
around 10:30 p.m. Saturday,
March 9, as a result of a heart
attack.
A veteran newspaperman,
Mr. Jones was known best in
the Highlands area during the
years he was owner and editor
of THE FRANKLIN PRESS,
which he bought in 1949 and
later sold to Mr. Bob Sloan.
A native of Franklin, Mr.
Jones had pursued a newspap
erman’s career since the end
of World War I in which he
served »s a Medical Corps man.
He worked on the Greensboro
Daily Record from 1920 throu
gh 1922 and was editor of the
Tri-County News at Andrews
until 1925. From 1925 to 1926
he worked with the Associated
Press, and in 1927, after a
year of free lanpe writing, he
worked briefly on the Char
lotte Observer.
He joined the staff of the
Asheville Times in 1928 and
was with the Times and the
Asheville Citizen until the lat
ter part of 1945, with the ex
ception of a period in 1934
when he served as state direc
tor for the Office of War In
formation with headquarters in
Raleigh.
He began his work on the As
heville Times as state editor
and also served in the capacity
of reporter and telegraph edi
tor before being named city
editor, a position held for ten
years.
School Boards
To Meet
The annual meeting of the
District Eighteen School Board
Association will be held at the
Murphy Elementary School,
Murphy on March 14 with reg
istration beginning at 4:15 p.m.
The theme for this year’s ga
thering of school board mem
bers, district committeemen
and school administrators is
“Education Today for Tomor
row’s Task”. School units
included in the district are
Clay, Cherokee, Graham, Jack
son, Macon, and Swain Coun
ties, an d Andrews and Mur
phy City Units,
Dr. Lester Ball of the Sc
hool of Education, University
of North Carolina will be the
principal speaker for the even
ing session. Dr. Ball’s add
ress will follow a dinner to
be held in the school cafeteria
at 6:15 p.m.
These area conferences of
the North Carolina State Sc
hool Boards Association an
nually attract over 4,000 sch
ool board members, commit
teemen, educators, and other
interested persons. An attend
ance of about 200 is anticipated
for the District Eighteen meet
ing. Mr. Lloyd Millsaps is
currently serving as President
of the District and Superinten
dent Kenneth S. Barker of the
Graham County Schools is Dis
trict Secretary.
The State Association was
organized in 1937 and through
its history has been dedicated
to seeking improvements in
North Carolina Public Educat
ion. From its offices inChapel
Hill the Association works with
school board members and
school committeemen at the
local level. Dr. Guy B. Phil
lips, the principal organizer
of the Association, served as
its Consultant until his death.
In 1940 Mr. Jones joined the
news staff on the Asheville
Citizen where tie remained un
til he purchased the Franklin
Press and Highlands Maconian
in 1945.
A partial interest in the paper
was sold to Bob Sloan in 1949,
and in 1957 Mr. Jones sold his
remaining interest to Mr.Sloan
but continued as editor for some
time.
In 1953 Mr. Jones served as
president of the North Carolina
Press Association, and in Sep
tember of that year was named
la the. faculty of the University
of North Carolina.
He was author of abook, “My
Affair With A Weekly” which
dealt with the experiences of a
newspaper editor in a small
town.
Mr. Jones is survived by his
widow, Mrs. Nell Thompson
Jones; a daughter, Mrs. Eliza
beth Sewel! of Winston-Salem;
a son, William Jones of Flor
ida; a sister, Miss LauraJones
of Franklin; two brothers, Ric
hard S. Jones, Sr. of Franklin
and Dr. Paul Jones of Wake
field, R.I.; and two grandchil
dren.
Services were " held Monday
at 3 p.m. in the Franklin First
Methodist Church with the Rev.
Donald Haynes, pastor, and the
Rev. A. Rufus Morgan officia
ting.
Pallbearers were Bryant Mc
Clure, Allen Slier, Robert L.
Coin, Jr., Albert Ramsey, Jam
es E. Douglas and Wayne T,
Swank.
Rurial was in Woodlawn Cem
etery.
Research
Committee
To Meet
Dr. Henry J. Oosting, Duke
University, will call the Re
search Committee of the High
lands Biological Station to or
der at 9:00 a.m., Saturday,
March 16 th.
In addition to regular rout
ine business matters, applica
tions for research grants-in
aid will be processed. The
funds are made available by
the NATIONAL SCIENCE FO
UNDATION and administered
by the Station.
Members of the committee
are: Dr. H.J. Oosting, Duke
University, chairman; Drs.
L.E. Anderson and J.R. Bail
ey, Duke University; Dr. W.D.
Burbanck, E mory University;
Dr. Elon E. Byrd, University
of Georgia; Dr. J.W. Hardin,
North Carolina State Univer
sity; Dr. Elsie Quarterman,
Vanderbilt University; Dr.
Thelma Howell of the Station.
MAIN STREET
ONE DAY THE
WHOLE WORLD WILL BE
AN ASPHALT JUNGLE
Heart Total
Topping
*450
A report from Heart Fund
Drive Chairman, V.W. McCall,
Tuesday of this week revealed
that a total of $455. had been
donated at that time and addi
tional amounts were expected
to come in.
House to house canvassing
took place on Sunday, March
10, when the afternoon weather
cooperated for the activity. Al
though Sunday morning was
rainy, skies cleared shortly
after mid day and no more rain
fell until the end of the day.
In addition to Mr. McCall,
those who worked in the drive
Sunday included Mrs. Edna
Crisp, Mrs. Geraldine Crowe,
Mrs. Dolly McCall and daughter
Cheryl, Mrs. Martha Reese,
Mrs. Sarah Crunkleton, Mrs.
V.W. McCall, Mrs. Lois Keen
er, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Cleave
land, Mrs. Grace Norton and
Mrs. Helen Hopper.
Mr. Gene Head is currently
soliciting donations in the Scaly
Mountain area, and Mr. and
Mrs. Carter Talley have pled
ged all proceeds of coffee sales
on Sunday, March 17.
Mr. McCall expressed his
appreciation to al 1 who had
helped with the Drive and also
to the ones who gave donations.
‘‘We realize that this is a
difficult time of year for a gr
eat many Highlands people, and
that is why we are particulary
appreciative of their response”
he said,
scaly mt.
Scaly
CDO Meets
The Scaly Mountain Commun
ity Development Organization
held its regular meeting Tues
day night. New officers were
elected and plans for a new
year were discussed. The or
ganization plans for a good year
with many accomplishments.
The new officers are Mr.
Richard Miller, president; Mr.
Em mitt Wood, vice president;
Mrs. Holton Metcalf, secret
ary-treasurer; Mrs. Richard
Miller, reporter; Mr. Eugene
Mason, youth leader; Mrs. Jack
Cabe, beautification committee
leader; Mrs. Frank Harris,
program chairman; and Mr.
Toliver Vinson, building pro
gram chairman.
BRIDAL VEIL FALLS , A ROARING CASCADE AFTER STORM OF MONDAY NIGHT
(Staff Photo)
Racing movie
The movie on Friday and
Saturday (March 15-16) at the
Galax Theater, sponsored by
the Highlands Chamber of
Commerce, will be a treat for
car racing enthisiasts. There
will be 30 championship driv
ers performing at the big
tracks.
“Tiny Lund: HARDCHARGER’’
is in color, and its action
takes place in Augusta, River
side, Daytona and Hickory.
There will be one show
each night beginning at 7:15.
Torrential Rainstorm
Ends In Snow Flurries
March threw practically
everything in the book into
a storm that moved into the
Highlands area Monday night.
Accompanied by one attack
after another of thunder and
lightning , the angry elements
turned loose a deluge of 5.27
inches of rain before giving
way to clearing skies Tues
day afternoon.
Meanwhile, erratic winds
Tuesday forenoon snapped
small brandies from trees
and in some cases broke or
uprooted trees, though no
substantial damage was re
ported.
A calmness that followed
clearing skies Tuesday was
sl.ort-lived, and by early
Wednesday morning, temper
atures had dropped, strong
winds had risen and switched
northwestward and were driv
ing snowflakes from cloudy
skies.
Another temperamental turn
for the better was taken by
the weather after nine-thirty
a. m., however, and once
more a bright sun shone in a
cloudless blue sky, though
winds continued at an uncom
fortable level.
HD Club
To Meet
The monthly meeting of the
Highlands Home Demonstration
Club will be held Monday,
March 18, at the home of Mrs.
Eckel Rowland on the Dillard
Road.
The meeting begins at 7:30
p. m. and a special program
is planned.
The Home Demonstration
Club announced the addition of
two new members in the per
sons of Mrs/Henry Wall aid
Mrs. James Brown.
The Club welcomes those
who are interested in becoming
members.
Deer Released In Blue Valley
The North CarolinaWlldlife
Resources Commissions re -
leased three bucks and one
bred doe in the Blue Valley
Restoration Area during Febr
uary. This is a continuing part
of the program to restock Blue
Valley with deer. Since Blue
Valley was closed to big game
hunting , sign of deer has gr
eatly increased along with gr
ouse and squirrel.
Skiing Is Big Travel Attraction
Skiing, still in its infancy
but rapidlybecomingamajor
Tar Heel travel attraction,
has grown to become a $1/2
million-a-week business in
North Carolina, according to
estimates of the State’s sev
en ski areas.
Based on a twelve-week
season from mid-December
to mid-March, expenditures
by skiiers in North Carolina
is expected to exceed $6
million during the 1967-68
season.
The estimates include all
spending for lodging, eating,
rental of skiing equipment
and use of the ski areas. It
is the spending of more than
15,000 skiiers who come to
North Carolina each week.
Watauga and Avery count
ies, in which four of the ski
areas are located, accounted
for the greatest portion of
spending by skiiers. An es
timated 12,000 skiiers use
the slopes at Blowing Rock,
Hound Ears, Seven Devils
and Beech Mountain, largest
of the ski areas, each week.
A spokesman said the skiiers
spend “at least” $300,000
each weekend, with weekday
spending pushing the week
ly total to near a half mill
ion dollars.
Sapphire Valley Inn and
Golf Club, Sapphire, report
ed an estimated 1,300 skiiers
weekly. This represents
an increase of about 125
per cent over the number
who used the slopes, the
nation’s southernmost, in
1966-67. Skiiers spent an
estimated $25,000 a week
in the Sapphire-Highlands
Cashier area.
Pritchard Smith Safety Director
The recent appointment of
Pritchard C. Smith, Jr. of
Waynesvllle, as director of
safety and security at Western
Carolina University was ann
ounced Tuesday by James E.
Kirkpatrick, WCU business
manager.
He will be remembered by
many Highlanders, having
served this area as Highway
Patrolman for some years in
-the past.
Smith, one of the state’s
best known law officers, re
cently retired from the North
Carolina Highway Patrol after
a career of more than 28
years. He held the rank of
lieutenant at the time of his
retirement.
Smith will fill a new posi
tion at Western Carolina, where
rapid physical growth and a
mushrooming student body have
created the necessity for the
new Job. "We are fortunate to
obtain a person of Mr. Smith’s
experience and capability for
this position,’’ Kirkpatrick
said. “He brings to our campus
a high degree of profess ionai
ability and training.”
Smith will be responsible for
the establishment and mainte
nance of a 24-hour security
program at the university. He
will direct the work of all
campus police and night watch
men, and will be in charge of
traffic control.
The veteran lawman is a
native of Swain County and
spent his early years, and
attended school in Jackson
County. He attended business
college in Winston-Salem and
is a graduate of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation Nation
al Academy of Washington. He
joined the SHP in 1939.
He held patrol assignments
in Murphy, Franklin, Shelby,
Asheville and Waynesville. He
is a veteran of World War 11
service in the U. S. Navy.
Smith is married to the
former Ethel Hamilton of
Jackson County. They have two
daughters, Mrs. Paul Bell Jr.
of Winston-Salem and Kathy, 14.
At Cataloochee Ski Slopes,
Maggie Valley, an estimated
1,500 skiiers per week bol
stered the area’s economy
by about $35,000 during each
of the seven-day periods.
Cataloochee, operated as a
dude ranch during the summ
er, was the first North Caro
lina resort to offer skiing.
High Meadows Inn and
Ski Ladge near Roaring Gap
reported an estimated 300
skiiers per week during its
first season. The skiiers
spent from $3,000 to $5,000
weekly, according to the
resort.
Rotarians
Elect
Highlands Rotary Club held
their annual election of Officers
Tuesday. They were; V.W.
McCall, president; Fred Stew
art, vice-president; Bud Potts,
secretary; and Dick Harrison,
treasurer.
Also elected was a Board
of Directors composed of Cl
arence Mitchell, Paul Carroll,
Clyde Mehder and Wilton Cobb.
All were unanimously elected
and will take office July 1st.
Deep regret was expressed
over the death of Mr. J. Wei
mar Jones. Mr. Jones was a
long time member of the Fr
anklin Rotary Club and had
addressed thd Highlands Club
on a number of occasions. “He
will be missed in many ways
throughout Western Carolina,”
a Rotarian commented.
Further consideration'was
given to some facets of the
Rotary District Conference
especially those in which the
Highlands Club will actively
participate, which is to be held
at the Grove Park Inn, April
16, 17, and 18th.
The U.S. Forest Service
has marked two wildlife food
plots of 2 acres each in Blue
Valley and they are now being
cleared under timber contract
by Joe Wilson. After the tim
ber sale the U.S. Forest Ser
vice will have brush piled up
and plant the plot with grasses
for deer browse and edge cl
earing for grouse and other
small game animals.
This year Blue Valley will
be under new fishing regulat
ions. In addition to a fishing
license and trout stamp you
will be required to have either
a season permit at $15.25 or
a daily permit at $1.65. The
seasonal permit will be good
for fishing in any management
area in Western North Caro
lina. Stocking of the streams
in Blue Valley will be increas
ed during this season.
Observe 57th Anniversary
MR. AND MRS. FRANK NORTON (1967 Photo)
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Nor
ton of the Shortoff area of
Highlands observed their
57th wedding anniversary on
Sunday, March 10. They
were the supper guests of
their son and daughter-in
law, Paul and Grace Norton,
on the occasion.
Mr. Norton, a retired
lumberman, is a native of
Highlands. He is 79 years
of age, and is the son of
an early settler, John Nor
ton.
Mrs. Norton, 75, is the
former Miss Jessie Henson
of Cullowhee. Both have
spent the greater portion of
their married life in this
general area with the excep
tion of a number of winters
spent in Florida where they
could both enjoy their favor
ite sport of fishing. For the
past few years they have re
mained in Highlands all win
ter.
In addition to their son,
Paul, of Highlands the Nor
tons have two other sons—
Ben, of Cullowhee and Fred
Norton of Silver City, New
Mexico. The y also have
four grandchildren and five
great-grandchildren.
Sandburg Site
Plan Released
U.S. Rep. Roy A. Taylor ,
(D-N.C.) has announced the
release of a plan prepared by
the Dept, of Interior for the
proposed Carl Sandburg Farm
National Historic Site near
Flat Rock, N.C.
Legislation was introduced
by Rep. Taylor in the 90thCon
gress last September seeking
authorization to establish a
National Historic Site to com
memorate Carl Sancfcurg. The
site would include “Connem
ara”, the late poet’s farm and
home which he occupied from
1945 until his death last summ
er at the age of 89.
(CONT. TO EDITORIAL PAGE)
The sudden heavy rainfall
swelled lakes and streams
in the Highlands area to the
tops of their banks, and in
some cases overflowed them.
Had the rain continued much
longer at its earlier intensity
there would have been severe
flooding conditions, but Feb
ruary’s meager precipitation
left the earth able to soak
up water much more readily
than if there had been a nor
mal or above-normal amount
of moisture in the ground.
Forecasts Wednesday called
for colder temperatures Wed
nesday night with a warming
trend later in the week.
Meanwhile Highlanders look
ed toward the official arrival
of Spring, scheduled next week,
with the hope that Winter would
give'over his reign gracefully
to the newcomer and retire
from the scene quietly.
Louie Neely
Dies Here
W. Louie Neely, 75, of Sc
aly Mountain, died Friday ev
ening, March 8, in Highlands
Cashiers Hospital after a long
illness.
A retired farmer and land
scape gardener, Mr. Neely
was a vetern of World War I
and a member of Blue Ridge
Masonic lodge #435 AF and
AM. He was a charter member
of the Kettle Rock Baptist
Church.
Survivors Include the widow
Mrs. Nannie Barnes Neely;
two daughters, Mrs. Marjorie
Sutton of Rabun Gap, Ga. and
Miss Patricia Neely of the
home; a brother, Preston He
: «ty, of Highlands; three sUptwewy
Mrs. J.O. Nix of Satolah, Ga.,
Mrs. Lula Watkins of Ashe
ville, and Mrs. Mollie Angel
of Burke County; three grand
children and five great-grand
children.
Services were held at 2 p.m.
Sunday at the Scaly Mountain
Church of God with the Rev.
Alford Pitts officiating.
Pallbearers were members
of Blue Ridge 1 odge #435, and
Masonic graveside rites were
conducted.
Burial was in the Baptist
Church cemetery at Scaly
Mountain.
Heart Coffee
Mr. and Mrs. Carter Talley
of Talley’s Sandwich Shop have
announced that all coffee sales
on Sunday, March 17, will be
donated to the Heart Fund.
The Talleys invite everyone
to drop by for a cup of coffee
and help save a life through
the Heart Fund.
Mrs. Childers
Succumbs
Mrs. Sarah Keener Chil
ders, 95, of Cashiers, died
in Highlands-Cashiers Hos
pital Friday morning after
a long illness.
She was a native of Swain
County, and had lived in ,
Jackson County for 73 years.'
She was formerly of Whittier
and had resided in Cashiers
for the past 25 years. She
worked in Tidmarsh Clinic
in Whittier and was a former
postmistress of Whittier.
Surviving are four sons,
John of Robbinsvllle, Wil
burn of Whittier and Ham
and Paul Childers both of
Cashiers; two daughters,
Mrs. Edith Reed of Whittier
an d Mrs. Alida Pennington
of Cashiers; 12 grandchild
ren and 11 great-grandchild
ren.
Services were held at 2:30
p. m. Sunday in Whittier
Methodist Church of which
see* was a member.
The Rev. Bill Lindsey and
the Rev. J.C. Robinson of
ficiated. Burial was in
Union HlllCemetery.Grand
sons served as pallbearers.
In lieu of flowers, the
family asked that contribu
tions be made to the High
lands-Cashiers Hospital.