Newspapers / The Pilot (Southern Pines, … / April 27, 1951, edition 1 / Page 6
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Page Six THE PILOT—Southern Pines, North Carolina Friday. April 27, Telephone 2-6161 Powell Funeral Home D. A. Blue. Jr. Southern Pines 24 hour Ambulance Serylce There’s a Book for Eaeh Member of the Family In Library Service Covering the Conntryside Hayes’Book Shop Southern Pines, N. C. BOOKS OFFICE SUPPLIES STATIONERY RECORDS RADIOS GIFTS TOYS J. B. SHORT Floor Sanding and Refinishing « Floor Covering All Work Guaranteed. Estimates Free P.O. Box 382 ' Ph. 5184 Southern Pines, N. C. County Bookmobile Renders Fine Service To People of Moore NAOMI’S • DRESSES • SPORTSWEAR • ACCESSORIES Unusual Things—Reasonably Priced Open daily 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.i^. Pinehiust, N. C., 0pp. Holly Inn PILOT ADVERTISING PAYS By Nancy Boyd The green truck with the white lettering “Moore County Bookmo bile Service” pulled in at the dirt road and blew its horn. Before it had stopped, a door had slammed and two little boys were running down the steps of the white house. Two women and a big yellow dog followed more slowly. How have you been, Mrs. Wicker? Did you like your books?” asked Mrs. Dorothy H. Avery, county librarian, as she climbed out of the truck. The elder of the two women smiled at her, and looked at the pile of books that her daughter- in-law carried. “Oh, they were all good—good books,” she said. While the grown-ups talked, the two boy's were dancing around the back of the truck. Mrs. Avery paused. She looked at them as if she couldn’t imagine what they were waiting for.. “Paul Ray, Larry,” she said, “How about a cake?” Their eyes glistened under then- blonde hair. They watched her solemnly as she opened the back door. There in front of the crowd ed shelves was a box of cakes and cookies. She handed the boys two cupcakes with fluffy white frost ing. The old dog wagged his tail and raised his nose towards Larry’s cake. The little boy look ed at him relentlessly and brush ed a crumb from his overalls. The dog walked away.. To receive a cake one must be youthful and literate. On both counts he was disqualified. Books For All Tastes While the cakes were being eat en, Mrs. Avery opened up the side doors. Mrs. Wicker, her daughter-in-law, and an older grandson, Junior, looked through the rows of westerns, mysteries, biographies, and novels. While they made five or six selections, they exchanged news with Mrs. Avery. It had been three weeks since the bookmobile’s last visit. They talked of the weather, of books, and of a relative that had moved down the road. The little boys looked through the maga zines and picture books in the low side compartment. Finally, when everybody had a book, they all stood on the porch and 'watched as Mrs. Avery got contracting Residential—Commercial—Industrial No Job Too Small — None Too Large Free Estimates on Any Electrical Job For Immediate . ^ SERVICE AND REPAIR ' On All Makes of Appliances ’ Phone Southern Pines 2-7744 Leo H. Lupton - Pinedene, Inc. SOUTHERN PINES, N. C. 4 YEARS OLD 86 PROOF CmCmE GEO. A. DICKEL DISTTLUNG COMPANY, LOUISVILLE, KY. MRS. DOROTHY AVERY, Moore County librarian, goes out into the country on daily trips carrying books for every member of the many families she visits. Here Mrs. J. M. Wicker of Carthage Rt. 3, her daughter-in-law, Mrs. S. J. Wicker, and the three boys, little Larry, Paul Ray, and J^unior, having turned in their old books, are picking out a new supply. (Photo by Mack Oliver) into the truck. “Come back soon,”" they called. “Come back.” They waved as the truck pulled out of the drive. The dog looked at them in grudging satisfaction and wag ged his tail. Even if he could not share in their pleasure, he was glad to see the happy faces of his owners. Next time he might even get a piece of cookie. Such a gay, festive atmosphere is typical of the bookmobile’s work. In the six and a half years that Mrs. Avery has been touring the county, accompanied by her faithful volunteer assistant, Miss Margaret Bishop, she has made many friends. It is rare that she comes back from these trips empty handed. In the surnmCT the bookmobile returns loaded with everything from watermelons to raspberries. But the most gratifying “pres ent” of all is the continual appre ciation shown by her friends. For the majority of the families, this is the first time that they have been able to read more than an occasional book or magazine. As one lady said; “T don’t know what the people of this section did before they had the bookmobile service. I never thought that I would have a chance to read as much as I wanted.. We have a fa,mily and don’t have much time to go to the pictures. This is my favorite recreation.” Such enthusiastic praise might have come from any of Mrs. Avery’s patrons—the people who wait on front porches, who stand in front of country stores, and who gather on crossroads to wel come the green truck. Children Delight In Tall Tales To children whose world has been bounded by their father’s acres of tobacco and a rare visit to the paved streets of Carthage or Aberdeen, the county service has opened up new horizons—a world of pirate gold, of steaming jungle and wild animals, of fan tasy, princesses and glass moun tains. The mothers whose days are filled with a succession of house hold chores have a few hours in the evening in which to rest and read and think. They pick up a book like Betty McDonald’s Ths Egg and I to see how someone else has solved problems similar to theirs, (ir they read of sailing the Caribbean, of two-barrelled justice in the Far West, or of the magnificent setting and the tar nished morality of the French Court. They have made the dis covery that, contrary to the more routine realities of life, the imag ination is not bound by the limi tations of time and space. What ever they want, they can find within the covers of a book. Mrs. Avery reports that, of the 3,200 books that go out a month, many are westerns and mysteries. The children read Tom Sawyer. Huckleberry Finn, and the .An drew Laing books of fairy tales. The current best sellers are wide ly circulated. Although some non fiction is read, light novels are the most popular. The books of Grace Livingston Hill are in con stant circulation with Emily Lor- ing and Kathleen Norris follow ing as favorite authors. Mrs. Hill’s novels are highly moral, and her style is more Vic torian than modern. The poor but noble suitor gets the girl; every one suffers terribly, but evil is thwarted, and in the end, virtue triumphs. Even the most priggish could not object. An old lady who had read all 65 of the Grace Liv ingston Hill novels asked for sug gestions for further reading. Mrs. Avery recommended a novel simi lar in style. The lady looked at her in shocked surprise. “Oh, “To receive a cake one must be young and literate. So thinks the old dog sadly as he watches his young master, Larry Wicker, of Carthage Rt. 3, gobble up the cupcakes that Mrs. Dorothy Avery, Moore County librarian, has brought him, along with books for the whole family. honey, I wouldn’t read a novel,”" she said. Nothing Interferes With Reading Most of the families on Mrs. Avery’s route read anything they can get their hands on. They take six or eight books at a time, and claim to have read them before the week is out. Sometimes they have favorites, of course, but usually they say, “Do I like any one in particular? Oh, they’re all good.” Nothing inteMeres with their enthusiasm. Even in the busiest days of cotton picking they manage to keep reading. And one of Mrs. Avery’s most- faithful cus tomers, married in the three weeks since she had seen him, had read his usual quota of five books and was there to receive another five. Although the majority are in- lerested in all kinds of reading, a few people know exactly what they want. Such is the case witli Philip Farmer of West End. As soon as he heard the truck round the bend he was in the yard with The Little Engine That Could under his arm. After his sister and mother had made their selections they tried to help him with his. He asked for another train book. Mrs. Avery looked and looked. All the train books were out. His sis ter picked out a book about a po liceman. It had colored pictures of gaily decorated shop windows and the policeman was fat and blue-uniformed.Philip turned the pages, but, no, there was no train. His mother showed him a book about the circus. There were ele phants, tigers, and sea lions with long whiskers and a red ball. There was a big bus. But no train. Finally, he asked if he could re new The Little Engine that Could. He i&n happily into the house with it. After he had left, his mother explained that they had owned a copy of the book themselves, but that Philip had worn out the pages. Now they were having to borrow it from the bookmobile. Mrs. Avery promised to bring more train books next time. Three Weeks' Schedule Obviously, the Moore County Library Service has • no trouble circulating its 8,650 volumes, the truck carrying about 400, grad ually changing during successive trips. Out of the funds, provided half by the County and half by the State, come $150 a month for new books, so that the Best Sell ers reach the customers almost as quickly as they decorate the win dows of Fifth Avenue stores. Mrs. Avery drives 800 miles a month. She takes three weeks to What’s he reading . . . Huck Finn? Ferdinand the Bull? Any way, this young reader is delight ed with his choice. cover the county, travelling five afternoons a week. Not only does she supply families, who do not have ready access to a library, but every six weeks she supplements nine white schools and ten of the eighteen colored school libraries. Her books are used by teachers as well as students for recreational reading. Such a schedule keeps Mrs. Avery more than busy, but for such rewarding work she is glad to give her time and energy. Her job is not “work” but a vocation. She would probably do it if she were paid not to do it. The county is indeed fortunate in having as enthusiastic and devoted a libra rian. SHAW HOUSE CLOSING The Shaw House Tea Room is closing this week after a success ful season under the management fo Mrs. W. C. Deadwyler, Tea Room Chairman. During the sum mer the two herb gardens and the grounds will be under the care of a committee composed of Mrs. Charles Coveil, Mrs. C. A. Smith and Miss Helen Butler. iDunes Membership Club . For Members Oni] PRESENTING Two Floor Shows Nightly DANTY MARSHALL & FRANKll Musical Comedy Stars Return Engagement by Popular Demand LORAINE BRIDGES Television Singing Star PATINE and ROSA Acrobatics Music for dancing 6 P. M. 'til 1 A. M. By . PETER BARTON and his Society Orchestra DINNER FROM 7 P. M. FRENCH CUISINE ON MIDLAND ROAD BETWEEN PINEHURST AND SOUTHERN PINES PHONE PINEHURST 4604 FOR RESERVATIONS ^eltnoii STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY whiskey $2.45 pint $3.95 415 quart 86 PBOOF • BELMONT DISTILLINB CO., LAWRENCEBURQ, II DRIVE CAREFULLY — SAVE A LIFl PILOT ADVERTISING PAYS HEALTH INSTITUTE Spinal Adjustments Sun Ray Le Electric Cabinet Baths Swedish Mas| Short Wave Diathermy Weight Redi Main Lobby _ Carolina Hotel - Pinehurst,! Hours: 9 a.m.-6;30 p.m.; Ladies 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday by Appointment Office Phone: The Carolina 2911
The Pilot (Southern Pines, N.C.)
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April 27, 1951, edition 1
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