THE YANCEY JOURNAL
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Folk Guitarist, Singer George Britton
July 4th Concert Features
Guitarist George Britton
A jubilant occasion awaits
folk music lovers at George
Britton's special concert July 4
at 4 p. m. on the town square,
Burnsville. Known nationwide
as a guitarist, singer and com
poser, Britton appears for the
fourth year as a feature of the
concert series of Music in the
Mountains.
Britton, who has made many
recordings for Folkways, 20th
Century and MGM, serves as
director of the George Britton
Folk Studio. Outstanding for
his organizing ability, he is the
founder of the Philadelphia
Folk Song Society and Coffee
House, Main Point, in Phila
delphia.
A baritone, singing in four
teen languages, Britton has tra
veled throughout America,
endearing himself to people of
all ethnic groups. He conveys
a zest for life, an earthy quali
ty indispensable in a folk mu
sic singer. His repertoire of
some 1,500 songs embraces
American, ethnic and old Eng
lish themes.
The choice of a musical
career was inevitable for Brit
ton. Since his father was a
concert musician and music
critic, he was exposed to good
Wood Crafts
At Crafts Fair
On August 3 and 4 the 17th
annual Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair
on the Town Square in Burns
ville will feature Harry and
Lin Golderer, well-known wood
craftsmen of South Carolina
and the Appalachian Mountains
The Golderers have display
ed their crafts in many fairs,
including Burnsville's MtMitch
ell Crafts Fair. The Golderers
are members of the South Caro
lina Craftsmen, Foothills Arts
and Crafts Guild, Blue Ridge
Hearthside Crafts Association,
and the Smokey Mountain
Crafts Guild. Lin is a former
president of South Carolina
Crafts.
Quality craftsmanship will
be exemplified in the originals
of wood which the Golderers
will bring to the Fair.
music at an early age. Possess
ed with exceptional musical
talent, young George embarked
on a serious study of classical
music, intending to pursue an
operatic or concert career. Fatr.
determined otherwise. A chance
encounter with "Uncle Remus"
plus his instant rapport with
people everywhere led to his
decision to enter the folk music
field. Today, his name is syn
onymous with the folk song
movement.
Mr. Britton becomes elo
quent when discussing various
aspects of his career, stating
"I love teaching and ha-\e taught
some 7,000 people to play the
guitar." With equal enthusiasm,
he reveals "I love to sing and
to perform. I guess lam a true
ham". According to Mr. Brit
ton, his aim is to provide "a
really rollicking time and in
vite the audience to participate
in sing-alang numbers."
Due to his awareness of the
social scene and current prob
lems , much o r his music is
contemporary. His Fourth of
July program will include songs
by him and other composers
that allude to Watergate,pollu
tion and other timely topics,
but the emphasis will be on fun.
His wife, Charlotte, whan
he laughingly describes as "a
normal person", serves as a bal
last for this ebullient man. With
great pride, he states that his
two sons and two daughters are
all musical. Parental tender
ness is obvious in some of his
compositions, with one of his
songs entitled "To My Daugh
ter Ellen Upon Leaving For Col
lege".
Britton's association with
Music in the Mountains was
the outgrowth of his friendship
with Eve Lynne Reeve, its foun
der. H« enjoys his participa
tion in the music festival and
lavishly praises the gifted ar
tists, stressing tliat "it is a pri
vilege to be associated with
musicians of their caliber".
A heavy travel schedule en
compasses performances at
colleges, concert series and
museums, Britton explained,
citing that he is a regular on
the college campus. He be
lieves that his music draws dis
parate groups together.
Mtoatess
The Yancey Journal staff would like to express their
appreciation to the businessmen in Yancey County whose
stories and advertisements have made possible this "Pro
gress In Business" edition and whose support throughout
the year enables this publication to better serve the needs
of Yancey Countians.
These community-minded merchants, in turn, deserve
the support of the people in this area'which they serve.
Money spent at home stays at home—and that means pro
gress for business and for Yancey County.
$5 Million Blue Ridge Hospital System
Project Proceeds Despite Many Setbacks
The five million dollar ex
pansion and improvement pro
ject of the Spruce Pine and
Yancey County hospitals,being
undertaken jointly as the Blue
Ricge Hospital System, has
from its inception over four
years ago been beset by uncer
tainties, delays and disappoint
ments. According to members
of the hospital board, however,
these frustrations are simply
"par for the course" in projects
of this sort, involving numerous
federal and state agencies, and
for which the financing comes
from many sources.
From all the uncertainty
particularly with regard to the
financing of the project —assur-
ances and progress are, at last
taking shape. Now, although
many matters still remain un
resolved, the project is more
assured of realization than ever
before.
Items of progress include
recent approval by the State
Medical Care Commission. As
surance has been received of a
$584,000 gTant under the Hill-
Burton hospital aid program.
The Kate B. Reynolds Health
Care Trust has approved a grant
of $125,000. The Duke Endow
ment, which from the start has
shown great interest in this two
county project, has given assur
ance that a sizeable grant will
be forthcoming, the amount,
as yet, not decided.
Among other uncertainties
still overhanging the project is
the possibility that additional
Hill-Burton money may be ob
tained. Congress is now expec
ted to extend the hospital aid
program for another year, over
riding, if necessary a possible
Yancey County Youths Hurt
In One-Car Accident Here
Two Yancey County youths
were injured in a one- car ac
cident which occurred at 2t30
p. m. Thursday approximately
four miles north of Burnsville,
on N.C.197.
Listed in critical condition
on arrival at Spruce Pine Com
tnur'ey Hospital was Ronald
Honeycutt of Green Mountain,
a passenger in the 1972 Ford
Mustang driven by Jimmy Joe
Deyton of Burnsville. Accor
THURSDAY, JULY 5,1973
presidential veto. Notwithstan
ding this favorable development,
uncertainty still ey ists since
the Administration may impound
'the appropriation iriteati of dis
tributing it.
For a time, the gloomy ex
pectation was that no Hill- Bur
ton funds could be expected,
since termination of the program
was scheduled for June 30 of this
year, and funds for the Blue
Ridge System were not avail -
able before that date. Happily,
however, unused funds from
other North Carolina projects
were available and these in the
amount of $584,000 were re
allocated to the Blue Ridge
System.
A grant of funds from the Ap
palacliian Regional Commission
is in somewhat the same state
of uncertainty as funding under
numerous other Federal Aid pro
grams. Hopefully a grant of at
least $250,000 from this source
appears possible.
In view of the several uncer
tainties still unresolved, a final
budgeting of the costs of the
hospital project is still not pos
sible. Adding all foe grants,
together with money from
local contributions, still falls
short of the total cost by a size
able amount. In this connec -
tion, the drastic decline in the
price of Brad Ragan stock,Wiich
greatly reduces the value of the
12,000 share gift, was a heavy
blow to the financing program.
The board of directors, at a
recent meeting authorized the
borrowing of the needed amount
under a federal program that
provides partial subsidy of the
interest payments. A feasibility
study is current’y being made
by one of foe large accounting
ding to the hospital, both
youths were later listed in fair
condition.
According to Trooper A.T.
MoiTison of the highway patrol,
the vehicle ran off the right
side of the highway, traveling
a distance of 309 feet before
crossing to the left side of the
highway and striking an em
bankment, The vehicle then
overturned and skidded another
101 feet. Damage to the ve
hicle was estimated at $2500.
THE
FUTURE
IS TODAY
firms to determine that the pro
ject is financially sound, and
that the loan can bo repaid.
The approval of the project by
the Medical Care Commission
as well as by HUD, w hich will
Facelift Os Town Square
Gains Momentum, Support
A project for giving the
Burnsville town square a much
needed "facelift" is now,after
eighteen months of discussion
and planning, making good
headway. < •
The Westco T elephone Com
pany is now in process of plac
ing its unsightly telephone ca
bles underground,which former
ly crossed the center of the
square. A committee formed
by the Yancey County Cham
ber of Commerce, with repre
sentatives of foe several
community organizations, is
actively at work on the project.
Cost estimates for foe vari
ous parts of foe joo have been
obtained by Donald West all,
chairman of the Chamber
committee, and practical
means of obtaining the finan -
cing are under consideration.
Mayor James Anglin of Burns
ville has stated at a Chamber
of Commerce board meeting
that the Town Board is favor -
ably disposed to spending some
of foe funds received under the
revenue sharing program on the
facelift project.
Suprport for the project
comes from numerous direc -
tians. Generally recognized
is foe fact that with much of
the town's business shifting to
the bypass, it is highly impor
tant for foe town's future to
keep the old downtown section
of Burnsville attractive. Other
wise deterioration of the old
main street may set in.
Recognition of foe need for
improving the appearance of
the square started about two
yean ago. Late in 1971 The
Yancey Record devoted a spe
cial issue to the desirability of
giving downtown Burnsville a
facelift. Shortly thereafter
the Yancey Chamber of Com
merce, through contact with
John Marius, Economist for the
TVA took under consideration
a poMible "damonitfatlem pro- —
provide the interest subsidy, is
dependent on a favorable find
ing by this study. The hospital
board is confident that the
soundness of die planned finan
cing will be established.
ject" for improving the town
square. Marius obtained the
services of a TVA landscape
architect who drew up the plans
for foe improvement.
Supjport for improvement of
the square comes from wide
recognition that foe somewhat
unkempjt appearance, disfigured
by unsightly utility wires, dy
ing trees, and unsuitable shrub
bery, is simply a glaring failure
to make use of one ofthetown's
most important assets.
Boyd Deyton Family To Represent U.S.
At International Festival in England
The Boyd Deyton family of Green Moun
tain has been invited to represent the Hu
bert Hayes Mountain Youth Jamboree at the
19th International Festival to be held at
Sidmouth, England August 1 through 14.
This will be the first year that the Uni
ted States has been represented at this Fes
tival which is attended by most other coun
tries and sponsored by the English Folk Dame
and Song Society, whose president is Prin
cess Margaret.
The Deytons are appealing to the people
of the county to help with the remaining
SI4OO in expense money needed to make
the trip. They have ajready raised SII,OOO
of the $2500 necessary to make the trip. Ac
cording to Mrs. Deyton, other United States
groups and individuals attending are being
sponsored by organizations or aided by fund
raising efforts. "We have concluded that
we cannot raise the remaining SI4OO with
out the support of the county, " she said.
Contributions are tax deductible and
checks should be made out to the Hubert
Hayes Jamboree International, Mrs. Hubert
Hayes, 30 Maney Ave., Asheville, N.C.
A note should be made that the contribu -
tion is for the Deyton Family of Yancey
County.
The Deyton family, including Mr. and
Mrs. Boyd Deyton and daughters Barbara, 13
Suzy, 5 and Jeannie, 11, will represent the
two generation typical American family at
this international festival.
Deyums, who slug and ulav tradl--
r
Burnsville Water System
Project Ntrars Completion
Tbe project for improving
the Burnsville water system
which has been under construc
tion for the past eighteen norths,
and prior to that, for four years
the subject of planning and ne
gotiating with Federal agencies
for financial assistance,is now
at last nearing completion.
The new 2,(XX),000 gallon
reservoir, which stands conspic
uously on the waterworks hill
above the town, is now full
of water, although not as yet
regularly feeding water to the
town. The reconstruction of
the two intake dams at the head
of Bolens Creek is now compile
Extensive additions to the townb
water mains are now in service.
All that remains to be done
is the final finishing touches at
the rebuilt filter plant. One
of the old reservoirs is to be
taken out of service, and much
of the complicated electronic
equipment that will automate
the plant's operation, has still
to be placed in service.
The finishing up of contract
work lias proved far slower than
originally estimated by the
contractor, the Brown Construe
tion Company of Concord. In
fact, completion of the job is
now over six months behind the
date called for in the contract.
A variety of excuses has been
offered by contractor, including
weather, failure of suppliers to
meet delivery dates, the re
ceipt of defective material on
the job, and scarcity of experi
enced labor.
The final date for comple -
tion of the job is still uncertain
Following inspection of the
system by the State Health De
partment, and final acceptance
of the completed job by the
Town, the Town Board is under
stood to be planning an open
house on the waterworks hill.
lyW r Wf Vg;;
Jlit £ f i'
Boyd Deyton Family
tional mountain instruments, will be able
to choose from some 200 fringe events that
will take place in dance, song and music.
The form of the festival that they
Because the Deytons will be represent -
ing the United States, they will perform in
red, white and blue traditional costumes.
POSTAL PATRON
Among the many improve
ments that have been made,
has been the erection of a
chain link fence surrounding the
waterworks, topped by forbid -
ding barbed wire. Heretofore,
the waterworks has been unpro
tected horn possible vandalism
by trespassers, and from time
to time minor mischief has been
perpetrated. From now on the
plant should be secure from any
acts that might endanger the
public health.
The entire cost of the water
project will approximate a half
million dollars, the funds com
ing from several different sour
ces. Two outright grants were
received, one from the Appa -
lac hi an Regional Commission
for $138,500 and the other
from the Farmers Home Admin
istration for $45,400. A loan
from the latte federal agency
has provided $230,000, and the
Town is supplying the remain
der from saving accumulated
to help pay for the project.
ARC Approves
Health Graat
U. S. Rep. Roy A. Taylor
announced last Tuesday the ap
proval of a $128,998 grant from
the Appalachian Regional Com
mission for a two-year project
of dental health care education
in seven western North Camilla
counties for fifth grade children.
The counties in the 11th
Congressional District are A\ery,
Mitchell and Yancey. Others
include Allegheny, Ashe, Wa
tauga and Wilkes.
Total cost of the project is
$155,928 with local sources pro*
viding $26,930.
10*