(ZJIjp Barrett firrord
Published Ev*ry Thursday By
Racord Printing Company
P O Bo* 70 Warrenton. N. C. 27589
BIGNALL JONES, Editor
Member North Carolina Press Association
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Merry Christmas
Again it is Christmas.
The fleeting weeks and
months of 1977 have brought to
our people a measure of sorrow,
laughter and tears. And as
always at the season marked for
joy, or so it seems, to many of
our people have come the
anxiety of sickness, the sadness
of parting. But even for these
Christmas must bring some
measure of comfort as the
reaffirmation of faith in the One
whose birthday is celebrated in
the knowledge that He is the
Great Healer and the Christ who
said "In My Father's House are
many mansions, I go to prepare
a place for you."
And at this Christmas season
it is to be hoped that in the joy of
those whose burdens have been
light, amid the happiness of
home and hearth and the
greetings of kith and kin, amid
the laughter, the good fellowship
and good wishes that are so
much a part of Christmas, that
the deep significance of the day
will be remembered. For
Christmas is a day of joy, of
feasting, of laughter and
happiness, but it is also a day
that marks the birth of a Savior
and a message of "Peace On
Earth and Good Will Towards
Men."
If the promise of peace on
earth seems unfilled and good
will among men seems sadly
lacking, the goal still remains
and the prophecy will be
fulfilled. And as the world waits
for fulfillment, we can be
grateful that on one day at least,
Christmas, there is peace on
earth, and there is good
will toward men.
And at this Christmas, the
sincere wish of the staff and
employees of this newspaper is
that each of our readers may
find peace and happiness and
that each one will have a very
Merry Christmas.
Viewpoint On Carter
The Southern Pines Pilot
A number of public opinion polls are
conducted these days on what
~ 'link about Jimmy Carter's per
t-e as President.
Sic approval has been declining
since his high water mark earlier in the
year, but in the opinion of Robert
Pierpoint. the veteran White House
correspondent for CBS. "We've got to
give him a fair run "
Pierpoint's opinion is of more than
passing importance because he has
.been covering the White House and its
incumbents since 1957 and is in a
position to speak with some authority
on the present President and his
predecessors of those years.
Here is what Pierpoint says about
Jimmy Carter:
intellectually. Carter is the smart
est President I've covered He's quick,
perceptive, industrious, an incredibly
fast study. He's put a lot out on the
plate, and it may prove too much for
the American people to digest. His
goals are admirable, but his tactics are
poor.
<> ~"I attribute that to lack of
experience. But he's one President
who's not backing away from the
major problems of our time. It's a little
nearly in the game to pass judgment on
him. but he could end up being one of
our greatest two-term Presidents-or,
with bad luck, he would be washed up
after one term. We've got to give him a
fair run."
Quote
The two most ridiculous statements I
know are "liquor doesn't affect me"
and "I understand the Russians."
-Charles Bohlen.
Mostly Personal
Magazine Is Of Interest
By B1GNALL JONES
In an idle moment a few
nights ago I picked up a
copy of the December issue
of 'North Carolina Educa
tion' and read it with some
profit and considerable
interest.
Among the articles of
particular interest was Kay
Oney's article on Mrs. Ruth
Watkins, North Carolina's
latest entry in the national
Teacher-of-the-Year con
test. A black teacher in
Richmond High School in
Rockingham, Mrs. Watkins
is currently North Carolina
Teacher of the Year.
The views that Mrs.
Watkins has on teaching are
quite interesting. She says
that she does not overly
encourage students to go
into teaching. "If they are
worried about teaching job
opportunities, I always
assure them there are
always jobs for good
teachers."
Mrs. Watkins talks with
dignity, about teacher re
sponsibility.
"Today's teacher is
charged with providing the
right climate for education
so that each child will
develop to his or her
potential. There are many
outstanding teachers in the
profession. It's a real
tragedy when you take good
teachers and make admin
istrators out of them. Today,
outstanding teachers are en
couraged to get out of the
classroom and into special
fields. They are promoted
out of the classroom where
they so desperately need to
be."
In addition to the article
about Mrs. Watkins, I also
enjoyed a number of poems
included in the magazine,
particularly the one on the
cover of the magazine,
"Angel For The Night," by
Edna Semple, Oakdale
School, Cumberland County.
Illustrated by a picture of a
little girl in angel costume,
lying in a chair, the poem
reads:
Angel For A Night
You sang the tidings with
great joy
Upon a bended knee,
And when it was your turn to
fly.
You hovered gracefully.
But now the hour is growing
late;
Your eyes with sleep are lit,
And when your little head
nods down
The halo droops a bit.
So climb into your mortal
bed
And let us dim the light
And you can dream of how
you were
An angel for a night!
I also enjoyed "Resigna
tion Not Tendered," by
Mary Matthew Taylor of
Henderson, and to a lesser
degree "Missuz Chaney,
from your best student," by
Trimella Chaden, Hardin
Park Elementary School,
Boone.
Resignation
Not Tendered
I came to cry farewell, to
cast my lot
In fields where fewer
exigencies bloom -
But I'll be back tomorrow,
on the spot
For you, my dear despair,
my star-eyed doom.
Yes, time enough, the morn
ing mankind wakes
To hear no children's voices,
when he knows
No child is left on earth -
When that day breaks.
And not till then, let Teacher
turn her nose
From the tall demands the
smallest learner makes,
From the wondrous, weary
grindstone Teacher chose.
Missuz Chaney,
From Your Best Student
Dear English teacher, it
don't seem right
To let this day pass by
Without a card from I to you
And here's the reason why.
You teached me how
important
It is to talk real good,
And sometimes if my
grammer
Don't sound the way it
should
It ain't because you didn't
do
The job you'se hired for.
With what you got to work
with
No one could ask for more.
You teached me how to
conjugate
The simple verb "to be"
And heres the proof I learn't
it right:
I is, her are, so's she.
It ain't no use pretending
That you ain't really proud
For giving me the kind of
speech
That stands out in a crowd.
Aw look, I see's you's crying
Them must be happy tears
To think you's taught me all
I know
In only fifteen years!
Letters To Santa
Dear Santa Claus,
The kindergarten class at
Warren Academy has stud
ied hard, learned the*
alphabet, numerals and
some French. They have\
been good and have en-,
closed their list for you: '
April Beddingfield-Baby
Come Back, Superstar Bar
bie and a Mickey Mouse
pencir sharpener.
Greg Burton-Bat mach
ine, Stretch Monster, record
player and a workshop.
Dee-Ann Earp - Baby
Heart Beat, Baby Come
Back and record player.
Kerry Harris-Baby This
and That, "Wizard of Oz"
and "Rudolph" records.
Ward Hozier- Bat mach
ine, Big Pete truck and
surorises.
Brad Jones-Set of micro
nots, Bat machine, elec
tricity set and a headlight
for his bike.
Deborah Levin-doll, doll
clothes, doll furniture and a
Christmas dress.
Ann Manning - Silly Putty
and a baton.
Dana Mustian-Baby that
turns flips. Silly Putty and
Light Brite.
Sarah Paynter- Bean bag
chair.
J ay Quails - Superstition.
Bat machine. Bat Man cape,
learning book and Stretch
Monster.
Johnny Riggan - Bat
machine drums. Stretch
Monster and record player.
Kristie Robertson - Slime,
Baby that flips, Silly Putty,
Baby Heart Beat.
Jamie West-truck that
loads. Stretch Monster,
wagon, tools, Bugs Bunny
kite.
Earl Williams-Fonzie,
Big Wheel, Evel Knievel van
and a Steve Alston game.
Dear Santa Claus,
I want Big Foot, Milky the
Marvelous Milking Cow,
crayons. Fuzzy pumper
barber shop.
REGINALD CREWS
Rt. 2, Box 121
Warrenton, N. C.
Dear Santa Claus,
My name is Matthew and I
am six years old. I have a
little brother, Mark, who is
two years old. We are
writing our letter together.
I want a Stretch Arm
strong, a lite brite, a rifle, a
six million dollar man, a
calculator and some hunting
boots for Christmas.
Mark would like a cowboy
hat, a rifle, a toy watch, a
tractor set, a Casey Jones
train and a Fonz.
We also would like some
candy and fruit.
Please be good to all the
other boys and girls because
we all have tried to be good
most of the time.
We love you, Santa.
MATT AND MARK
PERKINSON
Washington, N. C.
I
Dear Santa,
I am a little girl named
Brooke. I am 4'.>. My
mommy says I have been
good "most" of the year, so
I would like a doll, a record
player, a new housecoat, a
toy typewriter and anything
else you would like to bring
me
Thank you, Santa.
BROOKE TOWNSEND
Raleigh. N. C.
Letter To Editor
i
CHRISTMAS IN
NEW YORK
To The Editor:
Christmas in New York is
a curious melange of
beauty, soft lights and
Christmas music on the one
hand and on the other, the
hideous cacophony of blar
ing horns, shrieking brake?
and the raucous cries of
street hawkers; and now
and then, above the din, the
sound of a Salvation Army
group playing "Silent
Night" or "0 Little Town of
Bethlehem."
Yet, amid it all there still
rises that lovely elation of
heart to which the spirit
responds - "Christ is Born!
0 Come, Let us Adore Him"
Christmas is unique in all
the world. Nowhere in any
time has any event been
recorded which every year
brings to life and light such
romance, color, beauty, un
selfishness, kindliness and
love. The glory and wonder
and mystery of Christmas
comes again and again to
the human mind and heart
wherever His birthday is
remembered.
Legends tell us that even
the beasts in their stalls
know that it is Christmas
Eve, and in memory of that
night long ago, when the
Lord of life and glory shared
their stable, they may speak
together, in human speech,
telling of their adoration of
the child.
Then ti. 're is the Christ
mas dinner with the family
gathered, the sending and
receiving of cards, bringing
memories of friends seldom
seen but always loved. We
gather it all up and examine
it bit by bit and collectively
and in no one expression of
Christmas can we find the
meaning of the whole or an
answer to its mystery.
But there is an answer. It
is an answer which the
world has been slow to
accept because to the wise it
is folly and to the intellec
tual it may be a stumbling
block.
Dear Santa,
Here, are the cloth£$ for
you td'bring Mama: v
New Slip
Shoes
Dress
Pants
Sunday Shoes
Thank you,
* FRANK WRENN
Oxford, N. C.
r
The answer is that
Christmas is the com
memoration of that moment
in time when love, love in its
purest essence, became a
living reality in the world
the word was made flesh,
and dwelt among us.
It brings to man the
remembrance of that trans
cendent moment in history
when the son of God
became, for us, the son of
man so that "the divine
society and the mundane
society might have a
common member who in
this world was bom into the
ranks of the proletariat." In
the Bethlehem stable lay the
savior of the world, to whom
great men, then and through
the centuries, were to bring
homage, and to whose
service kingly men would
give their lives.
And this child to whom the
humble shepherds brought
their offerings, was also to
be Jesus, the son of Joseph,
the carpenter of Nazareth,
who was to walk the dusty
roads of Galilee, to be
jostled by the crowds, to sit
wearied by a well at noon, to
speak to a thirsty soul of the
water of life.
It was this child, grown to
manhood, who was to tell
such entrancing stories of
the everyday things of life —
of a hen with her chicks, of
the woman mending an old
garment with new cloth, of
the man who put new wine
into his old goatskin bottle,
of the children who played in
the market square com
plaining loudly that al
though they had sung, the
others had not danced to
their music.
It was this Jesus who com
forted the sorrowing and
stilled the fears of his
friends, who knew what
hunger was, who knew
weariness and had no place
to lay his head.
Jesus, the Lord of Life, the
son of man, who seeks us
who seek Him not, who loves
us who love Him not.
This is the wonder of
Christmas, that "Love came
down at Christmas, Love all
lovely, Love divinfe.",TWs
day of beaui$ aB(i raflc»aijd
love is wHat au or Is
meant to be and what it may
be if we receive continually
in our hearts the gift of His
love and share it without
reserve.
Merry Christmas!
W. PRYOR RODWELL, JR.
Warrenton, N. C.
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