The NEW BERN
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
IN THE HEART 6F
EASTERN NORTH
CAROLINA
5^ Per Copy
VOLUME
NEW BERN, N. C., FRIDAY, JULY 25, 1958
He never saw the birds and
flowers,
The sunset’s glow, and dawning
hours
That ushered into place another
day; .
No memory of an April sky.
Of childish looks as kids romped
b'y,
No happy scenes at all along the
way.
Yet, he still chuckled all the while.
Greeted each footstep with a
smile—
Broad enough to brighten all man
kind;
There’s so much loveliness to
see,
And though for him it couldn’t be,
I learned courage from some
body blind.
Old-timers here fcan vouch for
the courage and good humor that
characterized Blind Johnson. It
was unmistakably depicted qn as
radiant a countenance as this l^n
ever saw.
Unlike some of the sightless,
this ever-smiling New Bernian was
never hesitant when making his
jaunty way along a busy downtown
street. His long strides were al
most a prance, and the manner in
which he cocked his snow-thatched
head to one side in pleasant anti
cipation fitted right in with his
walk.
Blind Johnson had nothing but
good will for his fellow mj|n, and
his own goodness led him to ex
pect inevitable good from others.
Apprehension and fear of impend
ing evil found no place to root iiT'
his world of constant darkness, and
that in itself was a remarkable
trait.
His faith in mam emanated, we
believe, from his unfaltering faith
in God. Rather than feel bitter
toward his Creator for the afflic
tion placed upon him, Johnson
sang the Lord’s praises to the skies.
He knew every hymn in the book
b'y heart, and no worshiper in
New Bern’s First Baptist church
made a joyful noise more lustily
or more sincerely.
Religion, though he saw it with
sightless eyes, was a cause for hap
piness, and not a doleful, long-fac-
ed ordeal to be endured in hopes
of a reward in the hereafter. John\
son, as the Bible taught him, serv
ed the Lord with gladness
He was much too busy b^ing
kind and friendly, artd compassion
ate in his dealings with others, to
speculate on his chances for a pair
of wings, a harp, and maybe even
a pair of good eyes in the life be
yond.
It seemed to us that this man
was good for goodness sake. That’s
why, even as a small boy, we
sensed that here indeed was some
one who^exemplified in word and
deed a gentle Man of Galilee Who
taught His followers that the meek
,would inherit the earth.
Johnson’s inspirational influence
extended beyond the boundaries of
New Bern in the sunset years of
his existence on earth. He was ap
pointed door keeper for the State
Legislature, and North Carolina’s
lawmakers quickly accorded him
the same respect and' affections
that his home town had showered
upon him in full measure.
Those of us who are blessed
with all our faculties are prone to
complain about our real or fancied
misfortunes. Could it be that God
in His .infinite wisdom gives us
the Blind Johnsons to bring us face
to face with the great truth that
self pity is a pointless gesture of
ingfatitucle for the gifts He gave
us, including the privilege of see
ing the world around us?
This much we know. So long as
the memory of Blind Johnson re
mains, old time New Bernians can
say with certainty that here in
deed was a man who brightened
the pathway of others, as he walk
ed unafraid in a world without
IT'S TOUGH ALL OVER—Hubert Tolson III and
hi» boxer, William Blount, are none too happy as
they discuss the world situation and our troubled
national scene. As Blounty says, it shouldn't oughta
happen to a dog. Hubert, who considers the giant
boxer an authority on just about everything, dis
plays his apprehension as he listens attentively.
It shouldn't oughta happen to little bpys either,
he reminded his pet.
Interviewed by the editor of The Mirror, Blounty,
complained about this business of sending up ani
mals in rockets, just to satisfy human curiosity."
"The cow jumped over the moon a long time ago,"
he whined, "so what's the big idea of making a^dog
or a mouse do it ail over again?"
He blames part of atl this mixed up mess on
Elvis Presley. "That gosh awful song—Nothing But
A Hound Dog—was an insult to all of us canines,"
says Blounty. Then, he growled, the Republicans
boasted of being "clean as a hound's tooth" and
shamed the grinders of every dog in the land with
that Sherman Adams scandal.
"I may wear the same coat all the time," the
boxer blurted out, "but nobody gave it to me, and
it certainly ain't vicuna. I'd appreciate it if they
just left us dogs out of it."
Hubert, a grea.t respecter of dogs in general
and William Blount in particular, seconded the
motion and it was unanimously carried. As a part
ing thought, Blounty suggested sending New Bern's
dog catcher to Washington or abroad. "He can fill
his cage at either place," the pensive pooch re
minded us, "and if he does a good job he'll pass
up the dogs and concentrate on all those human
screwballs running around loose."
Proper Planning for Pageant
AAusf for Anniversary Affair
■ New Bern should have no trou-
-ble attracting spectators, if it
comes up with a half-way decent
pageant in 1960 to celebrate its
250th anniversary.
As of now. North Carolina’s three
big outdoor dramas are doing'quite
nicely. Heading the list, of course,
is ‘"rhe Lost Colony,’’ at Manteo,
down here on the coast, while up
in the mountains- the' main attrac
tions are “Unto These Hills’ and
“Horn in the West.”
Also playing nightly, except
Mlonday, thix)ugh August is the
Oberammergau Passion Play at
Hendersonville while the Flat
Rock Playhouse at Flat Rock and
Tanglewood Theater near Winston-
Craven Farmer
On TV Station
One of our Craven county tillers
of the soil, David Brown, of route
1, Cove City, was recognized as
“Farmer of the Day” on Green
ville’s WNCT this morning.
Brown grows corn, soybeans, to
bacco and Tamworth hogs on a
farm consisting of 100 acres of
crop land and a little better than
100 acres of woodland.
He has seiwed as a member of
the board of directors of the N.
C. Tamworth Swine Growers As
sociation- for several years, and
as a director of the Craven county
Livestock Development Association.
light. That, to him, was the mean
ing of a life well spent—for the
good of mortals and the glory of
God.
Salem will have a full August run,
too.
Durhani Star Playhouse ai Dur
ham and Silo Circle Playhouse at
Black Mountain run until August
16. Buimsville had its first one-day
Art and Craftsman’s Festival on
August 16, and Hendersonville will
hold its 12th annual North Caro
lina Apple Festival from August
27 to September 1.
Asheville has its Mountain Dance
and Folk Festival, a 31-year-old af
fair, August 7-9, and Brevard’s
Gala Music Festival is scheduled
for August 8-10, 15-17, and 22-24.
All of these events are well-plan
ned, carefully rehearsed and ex
pertly staged. If New Bernians
tackle their 250th anniversary with
the same thoroughness, there
should be few empty seats.
However, unless we show a lit
tle get up and go, we’ll be forced
to settle for a hastily contrived
stinker. Few New Bernians, and
even fewer outsiders, will ankle to
the ticket window just to see
history pooriy presented.
Months ago The Mirror lamented
the fact that time was fast running
out on the town’s golden oppor
tunity for a nationally recognized
celebration.
Yet, the slumbering continues,
apparently on the assumption that
we’ll wake up one fine morning
with a wonderful, ready-made pag
eant and a flock of people begging
to see it.
It just ain’t gonna happen that
way. Not just one committee needs
to be appointed, and start function
ing immediately, but literally hun
dreds of committees.
This is a job that requires tre
mendous coordination, and thous
ands of hours of work by every
body in town. No one, professional
or otherwise, can do justice to the
venture in the space of a few short
months.
A pageant is a must, but it’s only
one of many possibilities. Certain
ly we should utilize our rivers for
one or several aquatic spectaculars,
and exploit any and all of our oth
er assets to the fullest.
By providing all-day entertain
ment of one kind or another, to
supplement nightly performances
(Continued,on back page)
NUMBER 17
Draft Board
Issues Heavy
Call for Men
Fifty-five boys bom during 1936
are being called up for their physi
cals on August 21 by Craved coun
ty’s draft board, Local No. 25, lo
cated at 618 Craven street.
All single men, and married
men without children, who are ia
the 1-A classification are subject
to the call. It’s the largest for
Craven since May 1955.
In the event you’re in this age
group, and haven’t notified the
board of your marriage, the birth
of children, or the expectancy of
a child, it is imperative that you
visit the office here with ^establish
ed proof of these circumstances.
Bring along you marriage and
birth certificates, so copies can be
made for the board’s official rec
ords. In the case of an expected
birth, a letter from the attending
physician affirming this fact is
necessary.
There will be another call for
physicals in September applying
to young men born during 1937, so
if you’re in this group it is advisa
ble to govern your future plans
accordingly.
Under no circumstances should
any youth subject to actual or pos
sible call leave Craven county with
out first notifying the Craven coun
ty draft board. Failure to keep the
board informed constantly of your
whereabouts will not be condoned.
If you have had a court convic
tion that the board is not already
aware of, or at present you are
awaiting trial for an alleged of
fense, furnish such information to
the board without delay.
Whatever your circumstances, be
ready for any eventuality that
might result from the internation
al picture now existing.
Craven Delegates
At Camp Millstone
Craven county is going to be
well represented at Camp Mill
stone, when 4-H club members
gather for their anual encampment
August 4-9.
Camp Millstone is near Ellerbe
and Rockingham. At least 35 young
sters will make the trip from here
by chartered bus.
Incidentally, Craven’s 4-H work
is widely recognized as outstand
ing, and much of the progressive
ness in agriculture hereabouts can
be credited to the interest display
ed by rural teenagers in farm im
provement.
Some people make the best of
everything—and others take it.
Extra Postage Pennies Add
Up to Big Annual Fortune
Those extra pennies you’ll be
paying for stamps at New Bern’s
post office from August 1 on will
add up to a real fortune in the
course of a year.
Postal receipts for the office
during 1957 amounted to better
than $171,000.00. Based on that
figure, it is entirely possible that
an additional $50,(100.00 or more
will come out of local purses and
pockets within the next 12 months.
Approximately half of this
amount will remain in the city to
defray the long sought 10 per cent
pay raise that has been granted
the nation’s postal employees.
Local workers have been get
ting their increases in salaries
since the measure was approved in
May. And, since the increase was
retroactive to January, they are
now getting back pay. averaging
$200 per employee, or approximate
ly $10,000.00 for the 50 local work
ers affected.
Postal officials anticipate no re
duction in the number of letters,
cards and packages mailed here.
Folks who write relatives, friends
and strangers habitually will no
doubt continue the practice.
Some of us who are woefully
negligent about writing wouldn’t
write oftener, even if we could get
our correspondence delivered for
free. In short, those pennies that
are going to add up to a huge col
lective figure will be extracted
in such small amounts for the most
part that customers will shrug it
off with a minimum of squawk
ing.