Page 2—MIRROR-HERALD—Tuesday, December 6, 19T7
GDI1DRII\L
OPIhlOM
State is 286 years old
Don’t hang virtues
in a dark cioset
'Riere seems to be a problem in the toy department this year. '
What the problem stems from we do not know. The Kings Mountain Fire
Department members don’t have any answer to the problem either. All we know
Is the response to the annual Toys For Tots project is falling flat on Its face.
In years past the firefighters have had almost more toys to repair and
distribute than they could handle. And that doesn’t include the new toys donated
by merchants and businessmen. This year the firefighters have collected less
than one pick-up truck full for the project.
Toys For Tots la a project designed to put something under the trees of the
youngsters in less fortunate financial situations. The toys are collected by the
firemen, repaired at the station and placed In a clearing house, which is operated
by members of the Kings Mountain Ministerial Association. Families are given
dates to come to the toy house through their Individual churches. This Is to make
sure the needy get the toys.
Oome CHI, KM. You’ve been known for your generosity and compassion In the
past. Don’t hang those virtues In the closet this year.
You can still drink
the water despite claim
Last Thursday The Mirror-Herald published a story about the N. C. Depart
ment of Natural and Economic Resources Environmental Management Com
mission hanging a $600 civil penalty on the City of Kings Mountain.
The penalty was the result of an investigation by the NER-EMC which
determined that the city had not lived up to the terms of a permit secured for the.
construction and operation of a wastewater treatment facility and that the city
was dumping raw untreated wastewater Into Buffalo Creek.
The story made Mayor John Moss hit the celling and little wonder. The NER-
EMC release didn’t bother to explain that the Initial wastewater treatment
facility plans were far too expensive for the amount of wastewater to be treated.
Nor did the report explain that It is not untreated sewage being dumped Into
Buffalo Creek, but the water used to wuh the Alters and Aush the settlement’
basins at the water plant. This dumpage occurs about once every 90-hours and
adds about one percent of the total volume of water Rowing through Buffalo
Creek.
Hie original plans were devised to comply with environmental protection
policies. Since 1976 It has been discovered that the requirements were far In
excess of what Is actually needed. It was an overkill, much the same as the
current OSHA requirements for safety In manufacturing plants.
A story In today’s Issue explains that a wastewater facility can be constructed
and operated for about half of what the original concept would have cost. We go
Into this detail to let Kings Mountians know that the delay has actually saved the
tax money e3q>endltures. Also to calm your fears that raw sewage Is being
dumped Into the source of the city’s drinking water.
The birth of North Carolina as a separate
geographic or political unit Is said to have
taken place on November 28,1691. This week
our state Is 288 years old!
Until that time, the huge area had simply
been known as Carolina. On that date,
however. Governor Philip Ludwell was
Instructed . . . "to have the Counties of
Albemarle, Colleton, Berkley and Craven
elect five delegates each to meet at a
designated place and separate Carolina Into
two political divisions with speclAc limits.’’
Thus Ludwell was the first Governor of . . .
"that part of the Province ^at lies North and
East of the Cspe Fear.”
There remains some question as to who
was the first real governor of North
Carolina, however, since the separation did
not become official until December 7, 1710,
with each half being formally Identified as
North and South Carolina. At that time, the
Governor of the colony was the controversial
Thomas Cary.
-oOo-
On Nov. 27, 1766, an act was ratified by
Parliament . . . "to make a government
building within the Town of New Bern for a
residence of the Governor.” This led to the
construction of "Tryon’s Palace" by
Governor William Tryon.
One year earlier, the residents of New
Bern had petitioned the King to establish
the colony’s capltol there, and the Colonial
Assembly had appropriated funds for the
construction of a Governor's residence.
Before Its completion, however, many of
these same citizens would be complaining
bitterly that the project was draining off the
colony’s wealth.
Tryon completed his "Palace” In 1770. It
contained a hall where the Aseembly would
meet, the Council Chsunber, public offices
and the Governor’s ofAclal residence. Tryon
himself did not remain In North Carolina
long to enjoy living there, however, nor did
his successors In ofAce. Tryon was tran-
€D
^ SMITH
sforred to New Yoric shortly after the
building’s completion, to be Governor there.
His successor, James Hassell, remained In
office only one month, and Joalah Martin,
the next Royal Governor, spent an uneasy
four years in office as resistance to the
Crown began to boll in the colony.
-oOo-
Alfred M. Scales, Governor of the state
from 1886-88, was bom In Rockingham
County on Nov. 28, 1827. His term In office
was not regarded as outstsindlng. Historians
regard his mlUtary service (as a twice-
wounded brigadier general of N. C. troops
during the (Jlvll War as his major
achievement.
-oOo-
General Nathaniel Greene reached
CSiarloUeTown on December 2, 1780, and
took command of the Southern Continental
Army. He reUeved Gen. Horatio Gates, who
WM In disgrace following the American rout
at the Battle of Camden the previous sum
mer.
Art that time, the southern American
Army was starving, scattered and totally
dispirited. General Washington described
their situation as "desperate", and
questioned If the American cause could
survive.
Under Nathaniel Greene’s extremely able
leadership, however, the courae of the war
was reversed. ’Diough he would wdn no
major battles, many historians today believe
that the American Revolution was won In the
South during the twelve months that
followed Greene’s assumption of command
there.
|f Jis^'b
Poet’s
Corner
ODE TO A STAR
(c) 1977
ISs fans called him, "Elvis the King”
An honor so fitting when you heard him sing
He put his heart and soul In It and did It his way
With stars In his eyes that beamed through dismay.
’Drue devotion was touching he sang with a smile
Built amanslofi for hls,n^y^ a^ ^ape^Jt In style
Ifharson
tone.
HdHMlte must have r^oedfo tha^iprff ha
.MtnvlAied’lnany a 'fim^e more than t
He knew the Giver of life you could foal It In his tone
A spirit so vivacious with His spirit shown
‘Die depth of true emotions gave the secret away
In renewed glory he Is singing today.
Remembering Elvis Is the sunshine of today
Refreshing as springtime that buds a bouquet
Forever to shine brightly, Elvis In his glory
His Ufa to become a legend, a never ending story.
No wonder they csdled him, “Elvis the King”
You Just had to the moment you heard him sing
His voice is not silent but shaU forever ring
The story of Elvis, "Elvis the King.”
VIVIAN STEWART BILTCLIFFE
So long, Jim and Father Cuthbert
Two men who meant something In my life
died recently In my old hometown of
Belmont.
One entered my memories back In the late
19408 and the other after I got Into the
newspaper game.
The first was Jim Dixon. The second.
Father CTuthbert AUen.
Dixon was a dark-haired, small statured
man who spoke softly and wore a perpetual
grin. He was employed at Stowe Mercantile-
In Belmont. In Itself that Job was not too
exciting. But Mr. Dixon had a sldeUne. He
operated a film rental business out of his
Eagle Rd. home.
Back In the late 40s he came to the
Aberfoyle Playground a couple of nights
each week during the warmer months and
ran fUms free of charge for the kids and
grownups alike.
We didn’t question our good fortune then,
but I’m sure the Aberfoyle MUl compensated
Dixon for the shows. I wasn’t a resident of
the mUl community proper, but I lived only
hfUf a mUe from the playground, so at
tendance was no problem.
The textUe company constructed the
playground, complete with recreational
equipment, a concession stand, an open air
shelter and a clubhouse. In the center of the
playground were several rows of wooden
benches and an Iron pipe frame to hold the
screen. There would be tons of youngsters
and a handful of adults there before dark on
show nights exhausting some of the energy
only the very young are gifted with. When
Dixon arrived In his station wagon and
began setting up his equipment, we beat It to
TOM
MdMTYRe
the concession stand for popcorn and soft-
drinks, then flew back to the benches to wait
for the show.
Dixon’s shows usually meant a short'
comedy or cartoon, the latest chapter of a
serial and the main feature, usually a
western, mystery or comedy — the type of
fare commonly called grade B movlos.
Without a doubt It was through Jim Dixon
that many of us from the eastslde of Belmont
develc^d our love for the movies.
Of course nothing ever stays the same and
In the early i6eos when Television came to
the fore the Dixon shows were gradually
dropped. But memories of those warm
summer nights perched on a hard bench
watching the flickering black and white
Images on the Aberfoyle playground screen
are still vivid.
IQds rarely remember to say thanks, so,
hey up there, Jim! Thank you.
-oOo-
I first made the acquaintance of Father
Qithbert E. Allen about 1968.1 had Just gone
to work at The Gastonia Gazette covering
the county beat. Belmont Abbey College was
on my agenda and that’s where I met Father
cuthbert.
He was an Impressive figure of a man;
tall, white-haired (which always looked as If
It had been attacked by a high wind), a deep,
cultured voice and a vocabulary that would
have you nuuilng to the dictionary.
Our first meetings were cordial and brief
until the day my publisher chewed my rear
out because he hsid had complaints from The
Abbey that their news wasn’t being covered.
I knew that wasn’t true, so I beat It over to
Father Cuthbert’s office with blood In my
eye. He and I went rowd and round over
the Issue. From that day on we had an ex
cellent working relationship. I was in his
office a couple of times every week filling up
pages In my notebook with newsy items.
As a matter of fact I became such a
regular future at the coUege that In time
Father (Juthbert became convinced he had
first met me when I was a student at The
Abbey. I never was an Abbey student, but
after two or three attempts to set the record
straight I didn’t bother denying It anymore.
Father Chithbert was ChanceUor of the
college back then so he was very much In
volved with the education process and was In
no way a cloistered Catholic. He knew what
was happening In the outside world and
consequently had developed a great sense of
humor.
I recall one afternoon when he and I had
dormitory students hanging from the
stairwell watching In wide-eyed wonder and
listening Intently.
"Oome on up, my son,” Father Cuthbert
was saying. "We’ll have coffee and talk.”
"Not on your life. Father,” I said.
“Don’t be that way. I know you’re a
Protestant. I won’t try to convert you.”
"Forget It," I said. "I’ve heard what goes
on over here."
"Misinformation talked around by the
narrow-minded,” he said.
"I ain’t going upstairs. You people are
weird," said I.
"Weird,” my boy?”
"Yeah. Anybody who walks arotmd all day
dressed up like Zorro Is weird In my book!”
By that time we had both cracked up.
Another time I popped Into his office to
seek some news. This was right after soma
huge program that had taken place on
campus with dignitaries from all over the
country taking part.
"My God,” he said. “After ths week we’ve
Just been through. Isn’t that news enough to
last you for a month?”
"R was alright while It lasted,” 1 said,
"but what have you done for me lately?"
"Get out of here. Go talk to the Mother
Superior over at Sacred Heart. Maybe she
has some news for you," he laughed.
I was just one of thousands of people who
knew Father Cuthbert. I Imagine we all felt
sad when he died Dec. 1 at the age of 71.
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