Newspapers / The New Bern Mirror … / March 6, 1959, edition 1 / Page 1
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r. f Roy Tucker still cherishes a Christmas gift received several years ago from a boyhood chum, Robert Barnum, down at Sw^ns- boro. They grew up together on upper Broad street, and Barnum wasn’t wrong in assuming that the present mailed Roy would be dou bly appreciated. It consisted of a rare collection of old-time dime novels, including Nick Carter, Secret Service, and other publications just about a half century old. No New Bern youngster at the turn of the century would have dared to read Nick Carter where his Ma and Pa could see him do it, but this didn’t quell the literary tastes of local juveniles. They sneaked the paper-bound volumes into the privacy of Chick Sale powder-rooms, or back of the woodshed for a glorious excursion into the realms of forbidden fic tion. There wasn’t anything obscene or off-color about the reading mat ter itself. The only reason that par ents vigorously disapproved was the fact that boys of the era neg lected their school books to peruse the stories from cover to cover. Since the novels came out once a week, it did require considerable reading time to keep abreast of the latest exploits of Carter, Dick Mer rill, Bob Esterbrook and Dick Slat- k. New Bern lads purchased their copies from a book shop operated by Sam Waters on Middle street for a nickel apiece. They were call ed dime novels, but at that time they were nickel novels hereabouts. There were a lot more boys than there were available nickels in that far-off day, so three local brothers —^Bruce. Lacey and Roy Edgerton, got the bright idea of opening a library. _ After reading the latest editions to their heart’s content, they rent ed them to neighborhood kids for a penny apiece. The penny entitled the borrower to keep the book a week. Fast readers ganged up among themselves to see that some of the pennies did double or triple duty. Of course, the preferred method of reading was at a leisurely gait that permitted full digestion of the won ders that lurked within the pages of these marvelous periodicals. Back in those days there were very few magazines on the market. One of them was Leslie’s Weekly. Hence, when the dime,novels first came into being in the Gay Nine ties, they had little competition, and they didn’t give up the ghost until the First World War. There isn’t much likelihood that they will ever flourish again, but yov can’t be too sure about it. Aft er all, who would have dreamed that the old-time western was to get a new lease on life through a thing called television, and push a bunch of these modern actors and actresses and singers right out of the picture? As a matter of fact, countless pa perback novels are being published and sold today. Some of the shadier ones are selling far faster than Nick Carter ever did. Unlike the original dime novel, they rely chiefly on filth to make the cash registers ring. Few if any New Bern males un der 50 are apt to remember Nick Carter, or Dick Merrill, Bob Ester- brook and Dick Slater. They were succeeded by a new crop of boy hood heroes, including Tom Swift and Tarzan. Both of these favorites were central figures in novel after novel. Tarzan, in particular, landed be- tween the covers of a book quite frequently, thanks to the prolific writing of the author who created him. Edgar Rice Borroughs, born in Chicago in 1875, made millions of dollars odt of his fascinating The NEW BERN ^"60 ■* -fc-a ‘ I VOLUME I NEW BERN, N. C., FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1959 NUMBER 49 FOR SLUMBER SWEET——Sl&sp, that knits up the ravell’d sleeve of care, the death Of each day’s life, sore- labour’s bath; balm of hurt minds, great Nature’s second course, chief nourisher in life’s feast. Thus did Shakespeare de scribe the rest that comes when day is done. Surely, this alcove bOdroom in Tryon Palace extends just such repose to the imaginative visitor.—Photo by John R. Baxter. New Bern's Nathan Brooks Is Now President of Carver A lot of water has gone under the bridge since Nathan C. Brooks, Jr., graduated from New Bern High school in 1927. Today, as witty and good-natured as ever, he is Dr. Brooks, the pres ident of Carver School of Missions and Social Work in Louisville, Ky; Elected to this high office last May at a meeting of the trustees in Houston, Texas, the pudgy and pleasant New Bernian is one of the busiest educators you’ll find any where. In recent weeks, for example, he attended a session with child care executives in Oklahoma City; went to Memphis for a conference with Southern Baptist leaders; spoke at the State Sunday School conven tion in Baltimore; visited students at Wake Forest college interested in doing graduate Work at his school; visited Bowman Gray School of Medicine; conferred with leaders at Furman university; and then headed for the Baptist Bible Institute at Graceville, Fla. Married since 1934 to the former Ruby Hayes of Lumberton, Nathan is the proud father of five children. Mary Kelly is 23, Nathan III is 22, Frank Lane is 13, George Evans, 10, and Misa Emelle, 9. George was off visiting a friend when our Mir ror photo was made, and is missing from the family group shown here. “I drive a 1951 Chevrolet coach,” Carver’s president fold us. “Some jungle character. Burroughs lived a mighty long time, but Tarzan has outlived him. Maybe Nick Carter is still alive too, and merely pulling an extended Rip Van Winkle. At least, he is alive in Roy Tucker’s library. folks go in for cars, some'for chil- church they attend, dren. I go in for children.” ..Inci- “This keeps me moving about, dentally, he gets his chief recrea- even if I do look like an elephant tion with the Brooks brood, roller- on wheels,” reasons the not-so-dig- .skating at the gymnasium of the I nified but highly-respected Dr. DR. BROOKS AND FAMILY Brooks. Still, he misses his most recent pastorate before becoming president, at Pensacloa, Fla. “I must confess that I am still very much in love with the Gulf Coast,” he says. “I like its climate and its waters, and I found myself enjoying the fishing, swimming and similar activities that were part of my boyhood.” In addition. Dr. Brooks found “the opportunity of ministering to the men at the Naval Air Station, as well as the people of the local community, a very happy experi ence.” Thirty years and more is a long span. “Time has taken its toll,” Na than admits. “I am fat and bald like many another middle-aged in dividual. However, I haven’t lost my sense of humor, and still en joy practical jokes.” Anyone who was a member ’of Troop 8 here, when Bob Coons was scoutmaster, will easily recall just how prankish Brooks was. It’s nice to know that despite the dis tinction he now holds, there’s a lit tle bit of Dennis the Menace still lurking under his well-stuffed hide. Nathan writes frequently for the Baptist Adult Union Quarterly, and occasionally for Open Windows, The Baptist Training Union Maga zine, The Sunday School Builder, Baptist Young People’s Union Quar terly, and Home Life Magazine. He has served as chairman in his denomination for the North Caro lina Radio Committee, Secretary of the Southern Baptist Radio Com mission, Trustee of the Alexandria Baptist hospital, and as a member of the General Boards for Baptists in South Carolina, Louisiana and (Continued on back page)
The New Bern Mirror (New Bern, N.C.)
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March 6, 1959, edition 1
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