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Western Carolinian Volume 42 Number 16

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  • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19. 1976 THE WESTERN CAROLINIAN League sponsors public meet by R.C. Therrell A public meeting with candidates for state, federal and local offices will be held by the League of Women Voters at 7:30 p.m. next Tuesday. The meeting will be at the Jackson County Community Services Building on Hospital Rd. in Sylva, and will be broadcast live on WRGC radio. Candidates will present prepared responses to questions posed by the League. Bruce Briggs, Republican candidate for Congress from district 11 will describe his special areas of interest and how voters will benefit from his service in Congroxv. Four candidates for NC Senate from district 27 will be present. Democrats Cecil Hill and Joe Palmer, and Republicans Charles R. Elders and Candler P. Willis will discuss the possibilities of counties restructuring their governmental boards, just as cities do. Candidate for the NC House of Representatives Liston Ramsey from the 44th district will share the same topic. Ramsey is the Democratic incumbent and is running unopposed. . Frank Burrell is the unopposed candidate for Jackson County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor. Burrell will discuss the duties of the office and how the people of Jackson County will benefit from his serv ice in the office. Two Republican candidates for Jackson County Board of Education are Kent Coward and James R. Allman who will discuss possible alternatives to current budgeting procedures for Jackson County schools. Presently, budgeting and appropriations must be approved by the Board of County The league of Women Voters has invited all Candidates for these and other offices. As of yet replies have not been received from all candidates. The meeting will be open to the public and will be followed by informal questions and answers with the general public. 'Election Awareness Day' to be Thursday with events on UC lawn flic University Center Board at WCU, in an effort to increase student and Universitv community awareness of the November 2 general election, is sponsoring an Election Awareness Day Thursday. Candidates for all statewide offices and candidates for the 11th Congressional District seat were invited to be on campus. Bruce Briggs and Lamar Gudger. candidates for the Congressional seat, and Bill Hiatt, Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, are the only candidates planning to be here in person. However, candidates who will not be present will send representatives, according to John Lane, a director of the The program will consist of a specific time for each speaker and a general open house for displays. Lane said most candidates for statewide office could not be here because of "prior commitments." "Most of the candidates aren't spending a lot of time in the western part of the state, period." He concluded by saying "If there was a larger percentage of student voters, things would be better." The event will be held on the UC lawn from 9 to 6 Heritage award goes to Parris WCU Saturday night conferred its first Mountain Heritage Award on John Parris, the man who did come home again. The presentation, made in Whitmire Stadium as dusk shadowed the nearby peaks, climaxed a daylong, old-fashioned get- together at WCU-its annual Mountain Heritage Day. With his wife, Dorothy Luxton Parris, at his side, Parris received from Western Carolina Chancellor H.F. Robinson the award plaque, fashioned from a weathered board. A simple inscription, etched in copper by WCU art professor Ted Matus, read "Western Carolina University, Mountain Heritage Award, 1976, John Parris." It was the first award of its type ever given by the university, and Parris was selected to be the first recipient by a special university committee, chaired by Dr. James E. Dooley, vice chancellor for development and special services. In a citation also awarded to the famed newspaperman and author, the university said: "The people of the mountains owe an unpayable debt to John Parris, the Master Chronicler of their lives and their land. More than any other person, he has kept alive the wondrous ways, the vanishing arts, the disappearing days, and the lingering legends that are the heritage of the hills." Borrowing from titles of Parris' four best-selling books, the citation continued: "In 'roaming the mountains.' John Parris justly may claim that these are 'my mountains, my people." As one truly 'mountain bred.' he has found in 'these storied mountains' old times, magic moments, the seasons' glories, and ferreted out hidden lore, and through his peerless writing, preserved them for now, and for all time. "Western Carolina University, in grateful acknowledgement of his monumental work, presents its First Mountain Heritage Award to John Parris, brilliant newspaperman, distinguished author, and mountain son. In the discovery and recording of the humor and the history, the music and the mysteries of his native highlands, he has enriched the lives of the people he loves, and who love him. and has proved himself a man to match the mountains." In the midst of classroom pursuits, and the basic teaching, research, and service mission of the university. Mountain Heritage Day was like no other day in the academic year. shoeings, and other crafts demonstrations. There was even a tobacco-spitting contest in the warm mid-afternoon October sun. Winners in the dog show, by class, were: smallest dog, Dixie Turner; cutest dog, Angie Benson; ugliest dog, Marion Riffle; look-alikes, Betsy Haywood; obedience, Angela Swink; short-haired hunting dog. Shannon Slater; long-haired hunting dog, Jennie Robinson; prettiest dog, Betsy Haywood; most personable dog, Julie Jones; and best in show, Betsy Haywood. In the tobacco-spitting contest, Doug Edward won in both the accuracy and distance divisions. Winner of the women's division was Stephanie Robinson. As the evening came on, the square dancers took over, with music by Marc Pruett and his New Day Country Band of Asheville, and Doug Davis of Cullowhee doing the calling. And it was in the swirl and excitement of all those tributes to yesteryear, the flavor of which might have been lifted straight from one of his columns or books, that John Parris was honored. The criteria for the award, Dr. Robinson said, provide that it be made "for outstanding contributions to the preservation or interpretation of the history and culture of Southern Appalachia, or for outstanding contributions to research on, or interpretation of, contemporary or future problems which threaten the quality of life of the people of the region." The work of Parris, Dr. Robinson said, makes it "abundantly clear that he satisfies these criteria in every respect...for John Parris has done more than re-tell stories already familiar...he has sought out hidden stories, lost treasures, and fast-fading memories and brought them to robust and vigorous life. His is painstaking research, his is pioneering work, capped by a writing style that has illuminated our heritage as it has not been lighted before." Robinson still in Nebraska running WCU Chancellor H. F. Robinson is still one of the top men being considered for the presidency of the University of Nebraska Three-school system, according to the Daily Nebraskan Editor-in-Chief Theresa Forsman. The University of Nebraska Board of Regents met Friday in hopes of picking a man, but decided to continue probing potential candidates according to Forsman. Although the regents have been silent, the University of Nebraska at Lincoln's student newspaper has published several "reliable report" stories saying Robinson and current president of the Universitv of Maine at Oronto Howard Neville are the top two men. Forsman said that now another unidentified person is now also reportedly being considered. Robinson said that he had some friends at Nebraska and allowed his name to be considered as a favor to former president D. B. Varner. He said he has not been contacted by the regents. The Nebraska Regents must name a President or interim president by January 1, according to Forsman. because the current interim president, James Olsen, is being considered for the presidency of the University of Maine, and is planning to leave Nebraska in January. Jon Voorhees Hair Stylist Cosmetician - Esthetician Super Cuts Reasonable Prices jearth shoe 7 All Souls Crescent Biltmore Village Asheville, N.C. 28803 704-274-4151 Mon. thru Sat. 10-6 Fri. 10-8:30
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