Metro Salutes
Hunter Wells
(Editor's Note ? The follow
ing appeared in the Jan. 1
laaue of the Metro Times, a
weekly Goldsboro publica
tion.
By WUllam Holloman
"We have to run just as
hard and fast as we can just
to even keep up with the
growth Goldsboro will see in
the next 25 years."
This is the way Hunter
Wells. Goldsboro Recreation
Director, looks at his denart
ment's role in the future in
city government and he says
it is going to take the very
best available in leadership
and dedication to accomplish
it all.
It is perhaps only a stroke
of good fate that Hunter
Wells sits today as director of
the recreation department.
As a young Marine fight
ing during the Korean War,
Wells was one of four men
wounded in an anti-tank ex
plosion. He recuperated from
severe facial wounds in a
Naval hospital in Japan, but
it was nearlv two months
after the war mishap before
he regained his vision.
Shrapnel from that explo
sion struck him in both eyes.
Wells said regaining his
vision was because of the
work of good doctors, but
even today he'calls himself a
deeply religious man.
"It is the backbone of
everyday life." he says and
contends that we live in a
society that does not put
enough emphasis on Chris
tian religion.
Wells is a quiet man who
says he likes to get the job
done.
"I expect my people to do
their job without me having
to tell them everyday what to
do and I expect them to tell
me what the recreational
needs of this city are." he
says.
He says he has never had
any second thoughts about
his profession because he
likes to see people enjoy
themselves and have a good
time. "I like to see children
play."
He pauses when he makes
that comment and says that
highly-organized programs
for children are "over-regi
mented."
"We rush them into so
many things, one right be
hind the other, that they
don't even have time to think
for themselves. We are stif
ling their imagination and
their creative ability," he
says.
He says he only hopes that
young people of today have
the opportunity to advance
civilization as other genera
tions have done.
"When 1 leave this de
partment, 1 would like to
know that my major accomp
lishment is that we have pro
vided for every neighborhood
a balanced program of con
structive leisure activities
and facilities," he contends.
Born in Teachey in neigh
boring Duplin Countv in
1930, Wells grew up in the
Great Depression years as
one of five children.
His parents were both
schoolteachers in Duplin
County.
Wells graduated from B.F.
Grady High School in Duplin
County in 1948. He played
baseball and basketball as a
high schooler.
Two years after graduation
from high school and as a
student at Catawba College
in Salisbury, he was drafted
into the U.S. Marine Corps.
It was during the height of
the Korean War.
As a weapons specialist
with the Marines, Wells
earned two Battle Stars, the
Purple Heart, a United Na
tions Medal, and a Japanese
Occupation Medal.
After being released from
the Marines in 1952, he re
turned to Catawba College
and earned a degree in phy
sical education and social
studies.
He earned his masters
degree in secondary educa
tion from East Carolina Uni
versity in 1955 and took his
first job as a park director in
Kinston. He stayed there for
five years before moving to
Clinton in I960 as director of
that city's recreation depart
ment.
He is married to the for
mer Alice Rogers of Pink
Hill, a girl he met as a high
school student.
.The Wells, member of the
First Presbyterian Church in
Goldsboro. have three chil
dren.
Twenty-one-year-old Bax
ter is a junior at Atlantic
Christian College in Wilson.
Twenty-four-year-old Lisa is
a second grade teacher at
School Street School. His
eldest. Mitzi, 25, is an assis
tant clothing designer in
Mount Olive.
Both of Wells' daughters
are graduates of East Caro
lina University.
Wells is past president of
Goldsboro Rotarians and his
past president of the N.C.
Recreation and Parks So
ciety. He was recipient of the
Fellow Award, that organi
-zation's highest award given
members.
He is also a charter mem
ber of the N.C. Recreator's
Foundation, served on the
national Recreation Associa
tion's Congress. ,and also
served, in addition to the
presidcnce. as treasurer and
vice-president of the state
organization.
He has served as Sunday
school teacher, a deacon and
an elder in his church.
Wells' hobbies include
fishing, gardening and
tennis.
He says he has seen his
department grow since he
came to Goldsboro in 1965.
from a bare essentials de
partment of a $60,000 opera
ting budget to a compre
hensive one that currently
operates on a budget of
$642,000.
He says when he came to
Goldsboro there were only
three recreation parks ?
today there are 12 parks and
play areas and three recrea
tion centers.
"It took Goldsboro a long
time to get started, but there
was a major turning point in
1970 and the progress has
been .?Jtial ever sntce."
Wells says.
He says recreation is
"very important" in city
government, because it gives
citizens an opportunity to
participate during their
leisure time in constructive
activities in top quality parks
and facilities.
Wells says that the future
role of recreation is to pre
serve for the citizenry open
space and an atmosphere
that local government cares
and will provide for its
citizens a total program.
"Parks and recreation are 1
the windows and doors of our !
community and ever ( re I
sees it." he says and ca Is |
recreation "the most ei.jOy- ,
able part of city govern- I
ment."
He says participation
makes better citizens ? both
mentally and physjcally.
Wells puts a lot of the
reason for recreational
growth in Goldsboro on city
officials who, he says, have
"a positive attitude about
it."
"We are a young depart
ment. but where we are
today is an indication of sup
port from city hall," he
points out.
Few department heads
deal more closely with youth
than Wells and he says drug
abuse among young people is
rampant.
"1 don't think the i rdinary
citizen believes the facts put
before them. The adult popu
lation needs to open its eyes
and find out what is going on
right before them," he con
tends.
Asked about some of his
pet peeves, or dislikes, he
laughs and says, "Some re
porters."
Wells is a man with a
likeable sense of humor and
it comes out when he recalls.
"1 came to Goldsboro in 1965
and have been in trouble
ever since."
TOBACCO FORUM ? Pictured above, left to right, are
Nurham O. Warwick. Sampson County; Representative
Wendell Murphy. Duplin: and Frank Bordeaux, economics
specialist for the N.C. Department of Agriculture, as they
confer during the Tobacco Forum held in Raleigh last
week. The forum was part of the annual Southern Farm
Show held at the State Fair Grounds and w as sponsored by
the Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina.
Several hundred tobacco farmers attended and heard
various state and national figures give reports and
opinions of the current tobacco farm situation. Congress
man Charles Rose was the featured speaker.
V j
Ajuga Is Candidate
For Landscape Spot
If you are looking for a
hardy, versatile groundcover 1
for your landscape, ajuga c
should receive serious '
consideration.
Ajuga-commonJy called
Bugleflower?is one of the
most popular groundcovers.
Agricultural Extension
Service specialists at North
Carolina Sate University
explain that it can be used
in rock gardens and for such
purposes as under-plantings
for trees and shrubs.
It will grow in shade and
on slopes as well as on flat
areas.
Ajuga grows about five
nches high and has a dense,
:ompact form. The dark
jreen foliage is three to four
nches long and one incl?\j
vide. Some varieties tur^'
>ronze in the fall.
Few groundcovers grow
is easily and as quickly as
ajuga. It spreads by runners,
much like strawberry plants.
' For a quick cover, the
NCSU extension specialists
suggest planting ajuga eight
to ten inches apart. It should
tie easily established since
the smallest piece with root^
usually takes hold.
'
Flowers
&
Gifts
Ellen berg s Florist J
FLOWERS FOR ALL OCCASIONS
108-C W. College St. Warsaw Steed Building
293-4071
SUB
Final Closeout J
Monday <j
February 28th f
Is Our Last Day |
trace's Shoppe j
War-savt J
*500 Reward
t)
A $500 reward is being offered for any information
leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or
persons who broke into the residence of Fred Harper
of Pink Hill. Route I. on February 6. All information
will be held in vonfidei.ee. Please call the Lenoir
County Sheriff's Department.
SEAFOOD I
PLACE Of*o4 I
FRESH SEAFOOD DAILY?
ALSO DELICIOUS PIZZAS
DENO'S RESTAURANT!3
HRS: Mon. & Tues. Closed. Wed. & Thurs. 10 A.M. - 9 P.M., Fri. & Sat. 10 I
A.M. - 10 P.M., Sun. 12 Noon -10 P.M.
East Main Street, Beulaville - Phone 298-4333
Deno s Restaurant WHOLE FLOUNDER
Thursday Night Special, Feb. 24 *2.00
With Coupon
I
%
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I
i
I MILLER HARDWARE
Main Street, Beulaville
Sampson Paints Available!
Ph: 298-3337
!
HOLMES'JEWELERS
Front Street, Kenansville
All Occasion Plaques, Jewelry and Repair Needs
Ph: 298-1443
CAROLINA MOBILE HOMES
Ph: 298-4447
Beulaville. N.C.
WHALEY'S AUTO & WRECKER
SERVICE
Beulaville
Phone - 298-3844
JACKSON'S IGA STORES
Beulaville - tvenansville - Pink Hill
Jimmy Jackson and Employees
KENANSVILLE DRUG STORE &
FAISON PHARMACY
, Doc Brinson, Earl Hatcher, Jylie Lane
QUICK SALES
Pink Hill
Ph: 568-4450
BEULAVILLE GARMENT
COMPANY, INC.
fijcft I ) I m )
- N ? 0W( *,. ? :' ??1~ ?!'?? I? . ? 1 - **>'<>
THE LIFE OF A PETTY KING
KINGS WERE NUMEROUS >N BlBuCAL DAYS. EVERY OTY lAD ITS OWN KINS MuCW AS TODAY WE
WAVE MAYORS TO CONDJCT AND OFFICIATE T-iE BUSINESS OF TUE CITIES. HOWBEiT, TwE MODERN
MAYOR MUST CONSUL," TUE CITY COUNCIL, ALDERMEN, ETC.. TUE BtBUCAL KINGS AND TUEIR AjRA OF
ROYALTV ENABLED TUEM TO ASSUME MuCw GREATER AND DICTATORIAL POWERS. WmEREAS MODERN
MAYORS ARE CONCERNED WITH BuDSETS UNION DEMANDS, TRADE AGREEMENTS, AND COMMERCE
FOR TWE CITY IN GENERAL, TUE BiSLICAL SMAul-TIME KING WAS MORE CONCERNED WiTU WWAT CITv
UE WOULD MAKE WAR ON FOR TUE PURPOSE OF PLUNDERING, TAKING SLAVES, AND ANNEXING
TERRITORY. WIS NEXT CONCERN WAS WWA7 ENEMY MISWT ATTACK WIS CITY FOR TUE SAME REA
SONS. ALL OF WWCH FORCED TUESE ANCIENT KINGS INTO A SERIES OF ALLIANCES WlTU "TUEIR
NEISWBORING CITIES TO FORESTALL SUCW A CALAMITY BEFALLING TUEM. TUE END RESULT WAS
A MAZE OF COMPLICATED POLITICAL RELATlONSwiPS WWICW TODAY MIGHT TAKE A COMPUTER TO
UNSCRAMBLE!
I!
fl
I
WHALEY SUPER MARKET
Beulaville
Monk Whaley
NEW W. H. JONES CO., INC.
Pink Hill
Ph: 568-3171
WEST AUTO PARTS CO.
Warsaw- Kenan*- Hie - Psiulaville
EAST COAST OPTICAL CO.
Worthington Bldg., N. Main St., Kenansville
Complete Eye Glass Service
Ph: 296-1782
BEULAVILLE ANTIQUE &
FURNITURE CO.
Orzo Thigpen
Hwy 24 E., Beulaville
Ph: 298-3476
TEAN'S FABRIC SHOP
Main Street, Beulaville
Open Mon. thru Sat. p:30-5:30
Ph: 298-475.'
JONES FOOD STORE, INC.
Kenneth Jones
Beulaville
1^ SAVE "WIS FOP VOoP SUNDAY SCMQOL SCSAP90QK ' I
SPONSORS OF THIS PAGE URGE YOU TO ATTEND THE CHURCH OF YOUR CHOICE THIS SUNDAY