Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1922-12-14
BIG GROWTH AT
BANNER ELK
ATTORNEY L. D. Lowe Writes Enter
tainingly of the Present Building
Program at Banner Elk-Eduea-
tional Advantages.

tional Advantages.
. Banner Elk is forging it's way by
the construction of magnificent and
costly buildings. Three stone struc-
lures hav, been. erected and others
Of the same material will follow. The
first stone building to be constructed
is the Presbyterian Church, the Sec
ond is the rock house on the corner
called the"Tea Room" and the first
one Of the three buildings Of the
Woodrow Wilson Junior College is
nearly completed. The building has
slate roof, the rooms have been MIC
ely plastered and it will be ready to
be occupied by spring. As soon as
this building is completed work will
be begun Oh the construction of the
second. 1t is understood that ths
two other college buildings will be Of
the same size as the one nearing COM
pletion, and the three will be desig-
mated as the North Carolina, Virginia
and Tennessee buildings respectively.
Such buildings as these college bull
dngs will cost from $4,000 to $780,
600 each.
The workmanship on these stone
structuresi is well done by native tai
eNt and a vast amount of cement is
used to tie the stones together, and
it would require something like trop
ical earthquake TO jar one from its
foundation.
During the fine weather consider
able headway was made on the hos
pital. This building is to be of Ten
nessee brick, with concrete basement
and concrete floors throughout aud
steel will be used where wood is us
ually employed for building material
and tre building will be absolutely
freproof, so there viii b. no more
danger Cf fire than there wol!d Da
in vault, The hospital Is to have Il
heating plant in the basement, laun-
dry, three sun parlors and all equip
ments and a,;pliances are to be mod
ern and up to date in every respect.
1t will require an expenditure Of
something like from $4,000 to $780,
600 to construct, equip this hospital
And grade and beautify the surround
ings.
From where and whom does all
this money come? This question nat
urally arises when we learn of such
undertakings, but when we are ir-
formed that one woman gave $751;
900 toward the erection of the hos
pital, that not long ago man gave
$4,000 to the school and provided
an endowment fund of $4,000 in
addition thereto, then it is to be re-
mcmbered that this school has been
receiving liberal contributions and
donations for the past number of
years.
When such institutions are once
established and become well known
they are often remembered by those
who are approaching their early dis
solution, and having large fortunes TO
dispose Of, they feel inclined to make
libaal provisions for educational, ra-
ligious, benevolent and charitable eau
Ses.
Within the past fifteen months
Banner Elk township has been con-
solidated into one public school dis
trict, a high school building has been
constructed at Banner Elk at a cost
of $1,000 and with the aid Of .
School Bus all the children of school
age in the township attend this school
during the fall winter and spring, ex-
cept those who see cause to attend
Lees-McRae Institute during the
spring, summer and fall and about
fifty children at Grandfather Orphan
lage. where a seperate school is taught
for the benefit of the orphans.
SO during great portion of each
year from eighteen to twenty teach
ers are engaged in school work in
and near Banner Elk, and if we can
have system of good roads so as
to connect ourselves with other Sec
tions this section will improve rapid
iy for years to come.
| L. d. LOWE.
Banner Elk, n. G.