DEVOTED 100% TO OUR COd^ UNITY-THE GROWING SWANNANOA VALLEY
Successful Head Start
Program In Operation
Ve were privileged this week
visit the Black Mountain
imary School and see the
al Head Start Program in
nation. This program, un
' Hie auspices of the Office
Economic Opportunity has
d classes in Black Mountain,
is opportunity is for chil
!n who will enter school next
for the first time. It
rves a very important need
our school system.
The classes began on June
h and will continue for six
eks until July 3ist. The
tool day is from 8:30 A.M.
pi 1:30 P.M.
pand Wins
pth Place
When the Black Mountain
Wannanoa Jaycees entered the
ational Jaycees Annual “Bat
e of the Bands” competition,
'ey had no idea Just how far
was going to lead.
Way back on April 25th
le Black Mountain - Swannanoa
jycees held the local contest,
ive bands entered and "The
°°ldng Glass” from Asheville
is named the winner.
uie Dana went on to the
rea competition held in Dur
F71- N. C. from May-9-10.
iere were thirty-two bands
n cred here. Once more the
'r^Jking Glass,” emerged the
.rst-place winners. This en
, tf|em to compete in the
ationaj Competition.
The 1069 Battle of the Bands
^Petition was held July 10,
; 12 in Raleigh, N. C. at
r Dalton Arena. Twenty-six
■a,;S (|ad entries in this e
1Bands from as far away
^aska were competing.
( Booking Glass” advanced
i finals and won fourth
,1|‘- winners were: 1st, Ten
'2nd, Illinois, 3rd, Al
'virt, 4tfi, “ihe Looking
" ■ North Carolina, 9th,
"G'on.
^ aiid Mrs. Jack Cole at
finals in Raleigh as
i"es<Hitaiives of the local Jay
As we entered the building,
we found the walls of the en
trance hall beautifully decora
ted with the art work of the
children.
The teachers for the Head
Start classes are Mrs. Nora
Neuenschwander and Mrs. Car
ol Summey regular first-grade
teachers at the school. Miss
Vernell Hudgins, a rising sen
ior at Bennett College, Greens
boro, N. C., where she is maj
oring in elementary education,
and Miss Patsy Lanning of
Cragmont Road, who has had
previous experience as an aide
in kindergarten and Head Start
work are student assistants.
Mrs. Neuenschwander and
Mrs. Summey explained the
program and the things they
are doing to carry it out.
The goal is to give each
child a readiness period in
preparation for entering first
grade. This is a real teaching
and learning process and the
teachers use the foil owing steps
to help in reaching their goal.
In the scholastic learning pro
cess the teachers have em
ployed these methods. Each
child is taught to listen to di
rections and how to work quietly.
Everyone is taught the recog
nition of numbers and how to
write them from 1-10. The dif
ference in shapes (square, tri
angle, circle and rectangle) and
how to distinguish them. They
are taught to recognize the var
ious colors by sight and name.
The ABC’s as a child expresses
the desire to know a certain
letter. How to write their own
name and recognize them.
The children are taught lots
of memory work, poems, rhy
mes, songs, and finger plays.
Most important of all is the
process of learning to get along
with others.
Art work plays a very impor
tant role in the learning pro
cess. This includes finger
painting, powder paint, straw
blowing, (little dabs of paint
are placed on the paper and the
child blows through a plastic
straw to distribute them and
make a design),pressed crayon,
sponge painting, and block
prints. String painting espec
ially fascinating - heavy string
or cord is dipped into the paint
and placed between two folds
of paper. The student then
rubs the cord across the paper
and makes a lovely design.
Girl Scouts Go Prospecting
Buncombe County Girl Scouts
have gone prospecting. Agroup
of Cadette and Senior Girl
Scouts from the Biltmore
Oakley-Kenilworth and Black
Mountain - Swannanoa sections
of Asheville and Buncombe
County reports that none of the
group can retire on the find
ings, but that a gem hunt held
July 9th was fun anyway.
The girls traveled from Ashe
ville to Franklin July 8th, stop
ping on the Blue Ridge Park
way for lunch. July 9th, the
young prospectors and rock
hounds visited the Franklin Ruby
Mines, hoping to make a strike
(or ruby find) that would equal
others in past years that have
become almost legendary in
Western North Carolina.
TTiough the ruby hunt made none
of the girls independently
wealthy, they reported that the
effort was exciting, as was a
full slate of activities that in
cluded swimming, camping, and
cooking out.
Campers were: Kathy Mose
man, Patricia Maynard, Kathy
Moore, Janice Pressley, Pam
Brown, Kim Swann, Pam Nor
ton, Rina Robertson, Ann Cu
thertson, Lynn Bennett, Jan
Ledford, Debbie Huskins, Kar
en Fox, Sherrill Willet, Virgin
ia Brittian, Sharon Raines. A
dults were: Mrs. W. M. Styles,
Mrs. Paul Moore, Miss Andrina
Botterweg, Mrs. Bud Norton,
and Mrs. Mary Taylor.
They are woiking with real
pottery clay. Each aM(L<t^s
designed and made a^Matoy
container. These are pati^d
and shellached. The children
will take these and all their
art work home.
Woodworking is also available.
The children have a work table
with hammers, nails, saws and
clamps to hold their wood.
The painting, pottery making,
and woodwork help to develop
co-ordination, but most im
portant a feeling of achieve
ment. The feeling that they have
contributed something worth
while to the world and are mak
ing a place for themselves.
The children have one free
play period each day with their
toys. Although they do not
realize it, this, too, is a time
of learning. The youngsters
are learning to share, take
turns, to take care of the toys,
to leave alone things that be
long to others; to put things
away properly, when finished.
In short, to live together.
A snack is served at mid
morning. This consists of
Juice, a cookie or cracker and
fruit.
At 11:30 A.M. a hot lunch
is served. This is followed
by a rest on a mat. (Each child
has its own mat). The lunchf
as is the whole program, is
free.
The children are given a
complete physical and dental
examination. Any defects found
are, if possible, corrected at
no cost to the child.
This year they will also be
given a physciological screen
ing todetermine their readiness
for school.
Many volunteers from the
community have given of their
time to the project. They have
assisted in telling of stories,
have helped with field trips, and
in any capacity needed. The
teachers wish to express their
gratitude to them.
There are thirty-three chil
dren enrolled in this group.
(Continued On Page 2 )
Black Mountain Horse Show Scheduled
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Com
mittees for the Black Mountain
Charity Horse Show have done
everything they possibly can to
make the Horse Show a success,
bur onte other ingredient is
needed 1 “Y O U Without
you as a spectator it will all
be in vain. Please come and
support their worthwhile endea
vors. The Show is always one of
the best.
Everything is in readiness
at Monte Vista Farm for the
thirteenth presentation of the
Black Mountain Charity Horse
Show, which begins Thurs
day, July 24th at 9:00 A.M.,
and continues through the Sat
urday evening performance at
7:30 P.M., July 26th.
Competition is expected to be
very keen in this all Hunter and
Jumper Show, and entries have
been received from North and
South Carolina, Georgia,
Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee
and Virginia.
Net Profits
Increase
Edwin Duncan, President of
The Northwestern Bank has an
nounced that the results of the
first six months of the year 1969
are satisfactory. Net profits
of The Northwestern Bank in
creased from $1.25 per share to
$1.40 per share of 12%. Total
net profits were $1,759,331, an
increase of $178,556 over the
corresponding period of 1968.
Mr. Duncan stated, “We believe
the major expenses of our cred
it card operation have been ab
rbed during thi »accounting
oeriod. These expenses am
mounted to more than 10? per
share.”
Throughout the year there
has been extreme competition
from many sources for de
posits, especially savings de
posits. Nevertheless, deposits
for the past twelve months in
creased $62,467,000 or 18%.
During the same period, loans
increased $47,359,000 or about
18%.
The one bank holding company
which was approved in March
will begin operations on August
1, 1969.
This show is rated as Class
"B”, fully accredited and
recognized by the American
Horse Shows Association, and is
one of three such shows In the
mountain area during this
season.
Some of the South’s finest
show horses and their capable
and experienced riders will be
on hand to participate in the fif
ty-six classes. Cash prizes,
trophies and ribbons will be
presented to lucky contestants
in the various phases of Hunter
and Jumper compeition.
The point system will be
employed, which entitles
participants to accumulate
points toward competition in
Regional and National events.
An interesting attraction of
this three day event will be two
medal classes in the Equitation
Division, which entitles winners
to enter National competiton.
One of the classes in this
year’s show will be designated
as benefiting the United States
Equestrian Team. All entry fees
from this class will be given
to the Team to help defray their
expenses to the Olympics.
A special trophy will be do
nated by Mrs. Ernst Mahler,
a long-time enthusiast and ben
efactor who resides in Tryon,
N. C. All entry fees from
this class will be donated to
the United States Equestrian
Team.
Drexel Buys Morgan Mfg.
Drexel Enterprises Inc., will
take over the operation of Mor
gan Manufacturing Co. of Black
Mountain on October 4, 1969,
the companies announced Mon
day.
Morgan, which has been a
producer of dimension furni
ture parts since 1925, will con
tinue the same type of produc
tion with the Drexel organiza
tion, now a wholly-owned sub
Medical
Center
Boosters
Last January, on a freezing
cold morning, twelve men sat
down around a table in the
First Baptist Church, in Black
Mountain and drank hot coffee
while they discussed a major
problem confronting us in the
Swannanoa Valley. Without re
alizing the fact, another group
in Swannanoa had already had a
previous meeting about the
same problem. Within a short
time, both of these groups com
bined their efforts - - with one
goal in mind - - A SWANNANOA
VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER,
to be placed somewhere be
tween Black Mountain Center
and Swannanoa Center.
(Continued On Page 2 )
Beacon Appoints Stitg
en
MARVIN B. STITGEN
SWANNANOA, N. C. - - Marvin M. Stitgen has been
appointed corporate systems and methods manager of
Beacon Manufacturing Company, a subsidiary of National
Distillers and Chemical Corporation, it was announced *'«««,
today by Richard W. Fruechtenicht, Beacon vice presi
dent for administration and finance.
In his new post Mr. Stitgen, formerly controller of
Fullview Industries, of Chicago, is responsible for the
development and installation of systems and methods
necessary to the accomplishment of the short term and
long range objectives of the company. He also has overall
responsibility for the operation of the data processing and
order processing activities.
Prior to his association with Fullview Industries, Mr.
Stitgen was for five years with Allied Radio Corporation
and with Montgomery Ward for a like period. He held
major accounting and financial positions and gained broad jj
experience in methods and systems assignments. Before 1
that he spent three years in the public accounting field.
Mr. Stitgen holds a bachelor of business administration
degree from the University of Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs.
Stitgen and their five year old son, Bradley, live in Ashe
ville, N. C.
H
sidiary of U. S. Plywood -
Champion Papers Inc.
David Morgan, Jr., president
of Morgan Manufacturing, will
become a senior office of Drex
el, and in this capacity will
represent the overall opera
tion and acitivites of Drexel in
the Black Mountain - Asheville
area.
Acquisition of the Morgan
plant by Drexel will be of “great
benefit to the community and to
the employees of Morgan Manu
facturing Co.,” Morgan said.
He added that Morgan has
some 350 employees and that
"no marked changes” in the
Black Mountainplant operations
are expected in the immediate,
future.
Drexel has been in North
Carolina since 1903 when it was
capitalized with $75,000 to take
over a small business producing
boards for corn cribs. After
World War II, the company be
gan acquiring other plants.
A $6 million expansion pro
gram was announced by Drexel
last April. In July the firm
purchased the Asheville Indus
tries plant near Black Moun
tain from th? Chicago Musical
Instrument Co.
The papers for this purchase
are now in the process of being
signed and the transaction is
expected to be completed this
week.
HENRY B
. PITTMAN
Drexel Appoints Henry Pittman
Drexel Enterprises has an
nounced the appointment of Hen
ry B. Pittman of Black Moun
tain as Assistant to the Vice
President for Manufacturing of
Drexel Enterprises.
Mr. Pittman will have his
office in the Asheville In
dustries F.ant, which Drexel
recently acquired. The Drexel
Enterprises have also recently
purchased Morgan Mfg. Co. *
Morgan Manufacturing will
continue to manufacture furni-!
ture parts which will be used
by Asheville Industries. They
also plan to use these parts in
other Drexel plants.
Mr. Pittman will assist in
the development of new manu
facturing facilities. His main
objective at present is to get
the Asheville Industries Plant
and Morgan Manufacturing Co.
set up and running on a Drexel
type organization. Also he
will aid in the phasing out of
Pianos and organs at Asheville
Industries. The company will
hen be manufacturing furniture
n the Drexel line.
His experience in the fur
niture industry began at Drexel
nineteen years ago when he
worked at Plant Number I for
two years on a research pro
ject on machining accuracy for
the Southern Furniture Manu
facturer’s Association. He
was with Morgan Manufacturing
for fourteen years and became
Sales Manager of their firm.
He then spent one and a half
years in California where he
served as a furniture manufac
turing consultant and a sales
representative for dimension
stock. He comes to Drexel
from the Marble Imperial Fur
niture Company in Swannanoa,
N. C., where he served as Plant
Manager for one and a half
years.
Mr. Pittman has a B. S. in
Industrial Engineering with a
Furniture option from North
Carolina State University.
He, his wife, Marjorie and
their two children live at 114
Connally Street, Black Moun
tain, N. C.
(PHOTO by RICHARD GODFREY)
Shown above are the young people who helped to make the S. I. R. C. 50th Anniversary
a success.
Left to right - Bonnie Washburn, Charles Smith, Kay Hensley, John Shoulder, Jim
Grazier, and Fay Hensley.
Back Row - Adele Baldridge, Betty Jane Pritchett, Nancy Wierengo, Linda Ayers,
Mary Low Poole, Barbara Baron, Nancye Duncan, Beverly Beaird, Mary Aiken, and
Susie Wierengo.
Fiftieth Annual Conference Held
The Southern Industrial Re
lation Conference’s chief pur
pose is to help managers learn
to d» a better job, and it’s
50th annual conference was
held last week at Blue Ridge
Assembly from July 16 to 19.
The S. I. R. C. has been
coming to Blue Ridge Assembly
since 1919. It is one of the lar
gest conferences held at Blue
Ridge each year. This year
the delegates of the conference
were celebrating their 50th an
niversary with the help of the
Blue Ridge Staff. Girls wore
flappers, and boys wore vests
and straw hats.
The conference wasn’t ail
festivities, however. The first
session was opened by T. M.
Forbes. Sr.j with his tribute
to Reuben B. Robertson, former
President, who is credited with
having kept the association alive
during the depression years.
The conference was ended by a
keynote speech by Mr. Carl
Sanders, former Governor of
Georgia.
Friday was a day for com
petition in golf. There were
golfers at Black Mountain and
Beaver Lake. The Black Moun
tain winners were: l.ow uross:
Arthur Newsome, with a 69;
Low Net: (3 way tie) Hal, Me
Horrls, Mike Roberts, and
James Howard, each with a 70.
TTie Beaver Lake winners were
Low Gross: Terry Guyn with a
79; Low Net: Carter Simer
son, with a 71.
The S. L R. c. contributed
a total of $2,742.00 to the Ju
nior (Collegiate) Staff Ap
preciation Fund.
Medical Center Incorporated
This is a project for everyone
in the Swannanoa Valley area
and everyone interested will be
entitled to become a member
of this non-profit corporation
by the payment of annual dues
of one dollar or more as de
sired.
An undertaking of this kind
cannot be accomplished in a
short time but with all the
people working together and ex
pressing their interest by be
ing willing to accept responsi
bility of committee Jobs and
help, it can be a worthwhile
venture.
(Continued On Page 2 )