Your
Hometown Newspaper
If You Live In
★ Black Mountain ★Montreat
★ Ridgecrest ★ Swannanoa
k Thursday, April 8. 1976. Volume 31. Number 27
SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID AT BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. 2871 1
15 CENTS
Park Service, Handicraft Guild
Folk Art Center
Agreement Signed
The National Park Service
and the Southern Highland
Handicraft Guild signed a
cooperative agreement
Monday for the construction
and operation of a Folk Art
Center on the Blue Ridge
Parkway near Asheville.
U.S. Rep. Roy A. Taylor
said the facility, long in the
talking stage, will be con
structed and operated with
donated funds to be raised by
the Guild, which is
headquartered in Asheville.
The agreement permits the
Guild to use 16 acres adjacent
to the Blue Ridge Parkway at
Oteen until June 1996. It was
signed at the Park way office
in Asheville.
Construction of the Folk Art
Center is to begin by July 1977
and be completed by July 1979.
According to the agreement,
title to the completed building
is to be turned over to the
United States.
Once the center opens, the
Guild will "produce, present
and arrange for exhibits,
demonstrations, productions
and activities to interpret the
culture of the Southern
Highlands.” The public will
not be charged admission
except when the Guild has
approval from the Park
Service.
Details on how operations
* will be’ carried,out'srae in
complete, but Tayior said the
agreement specifies that the
facility will have an
auditorium seating from 200 to
300, an information center, a
.niubcuiti, asSss shsj} -arid
library, a rhododendron
garden, craft and exhibit work
areas and an administrative
work area.
The congressman said
buildings will be designed to
reflect “environmental
harmony and sensitivity” and
will be built of native
materials. There will be
■j flexibility for growth and open
space will be optimized.
Parkway Supt. Joe Brown
said consummation of the
agreement became possible
when Pisgah Inn, Inc., which
holds concession rights on the
affected portion of the Park
way, waived interest in the
Folk Art Center. “This was a
gracious gesture on the part of
Pisgah Inn, and certainly
expedited our agreement with
the Southern Highland
Handicraft Guild,” Brown
said.
The site on which the Folk
Art Center will be located is at
milepost 382 on the Blue Ridge
Parkway, which is ad
ministered by the National
; Park Service. This is about
five miles east of Asheville,
where access also will be
provided from U.S. 70 by
Riceville Road.
The Guild will be respon
sible for building main
tenance, while NPS will
maintain the grounds with
the exception of the
rhododendron garden. That
will be done by the
Southeastern Chapter,
American Rhododendron
Society.
The National Park Service
will have final approval of all
Art League Plans Second
Different Art Forms Show
The Swannanoa Valley Art
1-eague will begin its second
year exhibit of art forms other
than paintings this month.
The purpose of the exhibit is
to encourage members and
friends who are not members
who, though not painters, are
artists in other fields to show
their work, and to stimulate
> public interest in the general
field of art.
The art exhibit begins with a
tea on Sunday afternoon in the
Black Mountain Public
Library Education Hoorn,
April 25, from 3 to 5 o’clock.
Those desiring to exhibit are
asked to bring entries to the
Library on Friday April 23
from 10 to 12 a.m. and 2 to 5
p.m. The entry fee is $2. All
work must be original - no kits '
or molds, please.
Entries must be pic ked up
on Monday May 3 from 10 to 12
a.m.
The following art medias
will be used in the exhibit.
Sculpture - stone; metal,
jewelry, etc.; clay, pottery
etc.; plastic, resin casting
etc.; sand-casting.
Photography
Marquetry
Basket - weaving, etc.
Lapidary Work.
* Mosiac - Tessarae, China
Painting, Glass - Stained,
Painting on Glass, Seeds and
Nails.
Creative Use Of - Yarn -
Crewel, Needlepoint, etc.;
string, wire, leather - belts,
purses, etc.; paper - quilling,
etc.
programs at the Folk Art
Center.
The Blue Ridge Parkway
connects Great Smoky
Mountains and Shenandoah
National Parks and winds its
way some 470 miles through
the mountains and valleys of
North Carolina and Virginias.
Visitation on the scenic
motor raod has increased
almost annually, and in 1975 a
record of more than 14-million
visitations was set. Almost
half of the visitation takes
place near the site of the Folk
Art Center.
“We have long needed a
centrally located facility with
programs to encourage and
faster public appreciation,
participation and un
derstanding of the folk
heritage of the Southern
Highlands," said Brown.
“As a result of the
agreement with the Southern
Highland Handicraft Guild,
we believe the Folk Art Center
will fill this need admirably,”
he said.
Geyser
Ceremony
Planned
A dedication program to
mark the restoration of An
drews Geyser will be held at
the 86-year-old landmark on
May 16, Old Fort officials have
announced.
A day-long celebration is
planned as one of the major
Bicentennial everfb in Mc
„Dy?welL County. 'Platform
activities will begin about 1
p.m. and feature an address
by U.S. Rep. Roy A. Taylor.
Other invited officials in
clude Harold H. Hall of
..-Washington, D.C., executive
vice president of Southern
Railway; W. L. Hofmann,
superintendent of the
Asheville Division; Steve
Little, a Wake Forest law
student who will give a history
of the geyser; and Chairman
Paul Richardson of the Mc
Dowell County Com
missioners.
Invitations also have gone to
Gov. Jim Holshouser and to
officials of the State Bicen
tennial Commission. Several
thousand persons in all are
expected to attend.
Invitations also have gone to
Gov. Jim Holshouser and to
officials of the State Bicen
tennial Commission. Several
thousand persons in all are
expected to attend.
According to Col. W. R.
Sweamgan, a member of the
program planning committee,
Southern Railway is con
sidering a request that it
operate a special train from
Asheville to Old Fort for the
occasion. Southern ran a
number of excursion trains
over the route last summer.
The man-made geyser was
restored to its water-spouting
life last Oct. 10th at its site on
Mill Creek Road several miles
north of Old Fort.
Thc«guyser was built in 1890
on what was then the grounds
of Round Knob Hotel, fed wKh
water by gravity flow from a
lake two miles up the
mountain.
It was discontinued in 1903
when tne hotel uuincd,
restored in 1910-11 and
dedicated to Col. A.B. An
drews for his work in con
structing the old Western
North Carolina Railroad. It
was a favorite sight for
passengers on trains going up
to Asheville.
As passenger service
dweindled on the railroad,
however, Southern Railway
which owned the geyser let it
fall into disrepair. Old Fort
Mayor Jack Lytle and mayor
pro tern Jack Piercy, a
Southern engineer, ap
proached the railway about
deeding the geyser site' and
piepline to the Town, and this
was done last year.
The restoration itself was
the result of widespread
fundraising about the county
and the volunteer efforts of
many individuals and groups.
Their success will be
celebrated May 16.
CP&L May Bills
To Be Down!
Carolina Power & Light Co.
had some good news for its
retail customers in North
Carolina last week.
Their electrical bills will be
$2.08 less per thousand
kilowatt hours in May than
they will in April if the
Utilities Commission
authorizes a reduction under
the fuel adjustment clause.
The fuel adjustment reflects
monthly variations in the
company’s actual cost of fuel.
The primary reason for the
reduction is the company’s
increased percentage of
generation from nuclear fuel,
which is cheaper than coal.
TULIPS in the formal gardens at the Hillniore House are beginning to bloom
and will peak in May. There are 24,000 bulbs in the formal gardens and 75.000
to 80,000 other spring bulbs planted throughput the estate. Shrubs, trees and
other spring flowers are also beginning their spring color parade ' f
Allisons
Express
Sincere
Thanks
Ray and Carol Allison ex
tend their sineerest thanks to
all the wonderful people who
have been so generous in their
aid to them. Even before the
article in last week’s Black
Mountain News people had
come to their assistance with
clothes, household needs and
money, many of these from
people they didn't know, as
well as from old and true
friends.
“We have tried to thank
each one individually,” Carol
said, "But we were afraid we
might miss someone so we
want to say “Thank You”
publically. You'll never know
how wonderfully blessed we
feel to have such great,
wonderful friends.”
Yes, the Valley, as always,
rallies to care for its own.
BMCBS
Davis
New
President
Ramsom Davis was elected
President of the Black
Mountain Committee for
Better Sports, Tuesday
evening March 30, at a special
called meeting. He replaces
James L. Owens who resigned
his post due to a heavy work
schedule which prohibited his
attending many of the
meetings. He will continue
serving on the Board of
Directors and will assist in
any way possible.
Jack Irwin is vice-president,
"Mrs. Mary Ann Conner,
secretary and Mrs. Chris
Perry treasurer.
The next regular meeting
date is May 3 at 7; 30 p.m. at
City Hall.
FIGHT
CANCER
WITH A
CHECKUP
I
AND A
check
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
iff id-Day
f ; C? Giil ttz zz il 11|*
Development
Services
Mid-day Devotional Services are planned for Holy Week
by the Black Mountain - Swannanoa Ministerial
Association. Beginning at 11:30 each day, Monday
through Friday, the services are to last only 30 minutes.
Each Service is to be held at the Black Mountain United
Methodist Church, but the devotional messages will be
delivered by various pastors, as follows:
Monday - Fred Gordon
Tuesday - Edgar Ferrell
Wednesday - Richard Shelor
Thursday - Father Pius F. Keating
Friday - Neal Wyndham.
People of the entire community, regardless of religious
affiliation, are invited to each of these services.
Jobless Rate
Dips Slightly
The nation’s unemployment
rate edged down to 7.5 percent
of the work force in March,
marking the fifth straight
monthly decline and the
longest sustained drop in 14
years the government said
today.
Although the decline was
slight - down from 7 6 percent
in February - I-abor Depart
ment analysts said the steady
improvement since October
reflected continuing economic
recovery from the recession.
Blacks and women
benefited most from the
March decline in unem
ployment, which was down by
about 100,000 to a total of 7
million last month.
Total employment con
tinued climbing in March,
rising by another 375,000 to an
all-time high of 86.7 million,
the government said. Since
reaching a recession - low last
March, the number of
Americans with jobs has risen
by 2.6 million, with adult
women accounting for more
than half of the over-the-year
increase.
Unemployment declined
gradually from the recession
peak of 8.9 per cent last May
and hovered about 8.6 percent
before beginning a rapid
decline last October. But even
with the improvement the
jobless rate at 7.5 per cent
remains far above its normal
post World War II level.
OHS To Celebrate Bicentennial
Owen High School will
celebrate the Bicentennial on
Tuesday, April 13th, with a
field day that afternoon for the
students, and a program for
the entin community on
Tuesday evening. The
students will compete in old -
fashioned games and dress as
r
historical figures. The evening
program will include local
talent from Owen, and sur
prise talent from the com
munity. Everyone is welcome,
and it’s free, so bring the
entire family! The program
starts at 7:30 p.m.
1
TOWN BOARD MEETING
MONDAY NIGHT
The Town Board Meeting will,be Monday
evening April 12 at City Hall at 7:20 p.m. One
item oil the agenda will be discussion of the
Budget for 1070-77 and possibly the First
Reading.
Singer - Kearfott
Discharged Employe
Sues For Damages
A former employe of the
Kearfott division of the Singer
Co., on U.S. 70 near Black
Mountain, is asking $300,000
damages from the firm and
four men in a Buncombe
Superior Court suit,
Elmer B. Owenby alleges he
was arrested last Aug. 1 after
Kearfott personnel manager
James P. Lincoln made a
complaint to Sheriff T. H.
Morrissey concerning a
break-in which had occurred
two weeks earlier.
He names, as defendants
Lincoln and Morrissey as well
as Kearfott security guard
James Sprouse, who reported
the break-in, and Deputy
Sheriff Perry O. Williams.
When tried on Dec. 17 in
Buncombe Superior Court, he
Severed Cable
Interrupts
Phone Service
Telephone service between
Asheville and the Black
Mountain - Swannanoa areas
was disrupted for about two
hours Friday afternoon, April
2 when a major trunk line was
cut in a construction accident,
telephone company officials
s?id.
Mrs. Nelle R. Laetsch,
pub'. -relations manage Jar
Southern Bell here, said a
telephone cable was cut
around 1 45 p.m. by a
bulldozer working near U.S. 70
East across from the Road
way Inn.
She said service was fully
restored- by »»our.d 3:-4§ p m
During the outage, Mrs.
laetsch said customers
phoning to and from the Black
Mountain - Swannanoa area
received a busy signal.
Victim Watches
Thief Take Rings
Two diamond rings, one
worth $400 and the other $125,
were reported stolen from the
truck of Charles Lewis
Medford of Swannanoa while
Medford visited a patient at
Memorial Mission Hospital
last Thursday, Asheville
police said.
Medford said he saw, from
the fifth floor of the hospital,
someone enter his truck then
drive away in another car.
GOP
Precinct
Meetings
Republican organizational
precinct meetings for Bun
combe County will be held at 2
p.m. Saturday April 17 at
regular precinct meeting
places.
These meetings will be held
to organize and elect
delegates to the GOP County
Presidential Year Convention.
was acquitted, Owenby
alleges.
Owenby stated Lincoln
telephoned to his home on
Aug. 9 to terminate his em
ployment of more than 17
years, he alleges. He said he
earned three meritorious
service awards, and was a
group leader at the plant.
He estimates he has lost
$3.50 an hour, with overtime,
insurance, retirement,
seniority and other fringe
benefits. He has obtained only
temporary casual em
ployment since, he alleges,
and suffers humiliation and
chagrin, and damage to his
credit and reputation.
Expenses of defense in the
suit included counsel, such
evidence as photogra> -s,
transportation to find wit
nesses, and to hearings, tests,
and the trial. He asks $150,000
actual and $150,000 punitive
damages.
Traffic Accident On Increase
Drivers in North Carolina
are not being as careful as
they were last year, Edward
L. Powell, Commissioner of
Motor Vehicles claims.
Personal injuries and traffic
accidents, are increasing over
the 1975 rate. Statistics
released in the February
Highway Accident Per
spective.
There were 95 persons killed
in North Carolina accidents
during February, 1976,
compared to 94 traffic deaths
during the same month of 1975
for an increase of 1.1 percent.
Through February of this
year, 195 persons have died in
traffic accdients compared to
193 persons killed during the
same period last year for an
increase of 1 percent. Injuries
for the year have increased
17.5 percent, and traffic ac
cidents have increased 12.8
percent.
“The spring and summer
months are times of extensive
travel, and motorists must
increase their awareness of
the great need for highway
safety,'’ he concluded.
Norma Zimmer In
Concert At Montreat
In a rare public appearnce,
Miss Norma Zimmer will
■present '• concert ot popular
and sacred song Sat., April 24
in Anderson Auditorium on the
Montreat - Anderson College
campus. A star attraction on
"The I-awrence Welk Show,"
she will perform here to round
out two days of important
events for the college.
The M-AC Board of Trustees
meets Friday morning to
adopt the 1976-77 budget and
consider other business while
the Board of Visitors arrives
for its Saturday morning
meeting. On Friday night,
both boards are scheduled to
dine with faculty and ad
ministration before being
entertained by the college
theater group. The Greybeard
Players.
The public also is invited to
the theater production of "The
Bad Seed,” A classic drama,
the play appears here with
excellent reviews preceding
it, and Director C.C. Kinnison
remarks that he has an ex
ceptional.cast for the play.
Saturday night begins a
special evening for those who
have given financial support
to the college during the past
year. A reception hosted by
President and Mrs. Silas M.
Vaughn and Trustee and Mrs.
Jim Morgan, precedes and
buffet dinner. Present at the
reception will be Mrs. Ruth
Graham arm mi. aiid Mrs.
Cliff Barrows. Miss Zimmer's
concert follows.
Often referred to as “The
First l-ady of Sacred Song,”
Miss Zimmer is a recording
artist on the Word label. She
has appeared as soloist in the
Hollywood Bowl and sung as
top soprano with many
famous groups, such as The
Johnny Mann Singers, Voices
of Walter Schuman, Ken
Darby Singers and The
Norman Luboff Chorus.
Her talent and charm on
"The I^wrence Welk Show”
have combined to make her a
12-year favorite with Mr. Welk
and his audiences. “Without a
doubt, Norma is one of the
most gracious, charming
ladies on television,” he
remarked.
In addition to her busy
television and recording
schedule she does a limited
number of sacred concerts
each year. She has been
singing with the Billy Graham
Crusades for several years
and is a delight to crusade
audiences.
Her performance has been
scheduled for 8 p.m. Public
tickets are $4 for adults and $2
for students.