Most of the folks who get their
names and accomplishments in
Who’s Who are college graduates,
but Herbert W. Barbour’s closest
approach to an institute of higher
learning was a correspondence
school.
To tell the truth, New Bern’s
nationally recognized boat builder
got very little formal education,
even on the grammar grade level.
Born at Swansboro, he came along
when three months of instruction
was all anyone could count on dur
ing a school year.
Barbour was grateful for the
smattering of knowledge he picked
up during his limited training in
the classroom of a public school.
However, he was smart enough to
realize that what he had was only
a start, and a very poor start af
that.
Many a scoffer considers it
clever to sneer at a mail order
course, and it cannot be denied
that some of these offers are
swindles and nothing more. Yet,
the careful shopper is able to find
a legitimate correspondence school,
if he’ll do a bit of investigating
and Herb Barbour did just that.
Thi'ough the medium of Uncle
Sam’s postoffice he learned mathe
matics. Blessed with a natural
knack for fashioning boats large
or smaU, he used his knowledge of
figures to turn out work that show
ed the mark of a perfectionist.
Born on the water, he knew what
a vessel ought to have to make it
seaworthy and practical. In his
early days he ran a freight boat
regularly from Swansboro to New
Bern, and as long as he lived there
was a hearty saltiness about him
that is characteristic of men who
go down to the sea in ships.
His was in truth a Horatio Alger
story, and from an humble begin
ning Barbour Boat Worics became
an important industry in a town
where industry is all but non exist
ent.
In keeping with the firm’s pros
perity, he ceased to live in rented
houses, and the car he drove in the
latter years of his life was a far
cry from the beat-up touring car
that .once was his mode of trans
portation.
But the man himself never
changed. He remained a faithful
worshiper at the Tabernacle Bap
tist church, and no one was sur
prised when he bought an organ
for the edifice. Always he had
given according to his means.
Barbour accepted the Bible at
face value—lock, stock and barrel.
His pastor, the Rev. J. L. Hodges,
was his beloved friend, and this
venerable Baptist parson preached
the gospel in that booming voice
of his the way Herb liked, it
preached.
The Swansboro native was there
the night Hodges died in his pul
pit. In fact, Barbour was always on
hand when the church doors open
ed. The Rev. K. Alvin Pitt, who
succeeded Hodges as the Taber
nacle Baptist pastor, became a
close friend too, but neither Pitt
nor anyone else could ever have
replaced the former pastor in Herb
Barbour’s heart.
Barbour loved beauty, and his
creative urge found full expression
in the boats he built. Turning out
a sloppy craft would have been
revolting to this big, good natured
man—a thing of sacrilege.
That’s one reason he was so fond
of Albert “Crabby” Crabtree, the
little machinist. Crabtree, a wizard
with motors, was never satisffed to
settle for the next best thing, nor
was Barbour. They didn’t realize
it, but both were true artists in
their fields.
Actually, Herb Barbour liked
everybody. He loved to talk with
anyone who would listen, and his
laughter was as robust as a laugh
can be. It made you feel good in
side to be around a man like that.
If angels talk and laugh in Heav-
The NEW BERN
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
IN THE HEART OP
EASTERN NORTH
CAROLINA
5^ Per Copy
VOLUME I
NEW BERN, N. C., FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1958
NUMBER 25,
A PROUD PAIR—Mary Dunn of ro(ite 1, New Bern, eyes
her ribbons happily, as Johnnie Green, local banker, .pre
sents the awards she won in the Seventh Annual Coastal
Carolina Junior Dairy Show here. Take a look at the smug
expression her prize Holstein calf is wearing, and you’ll
know how. it feels to be a grand champion in your class.
^Incidentally, Mary walked' off with fitting and showmanship
honors too for Holsteins. It was a big day for this little girl,
and she made the most of it.—Photo by John R. Baxter.
-HERE IN NEW BERN-
Beware of Hot-Rod Oldsters
New Bern’s teen-agers, just like
other hod rodders the country
over, have long been blamed_^for
most of the accidents and virtually
all of the recklessness on our
streets and highways.
Aside from the wholesale-con
demnation heaped upon them by
oldsters, they or their parents are
called upon to pay dearly for lia
bility insurance.
It is generally believed by a
gullible public that grim statistics
justify this low regard for youth
ful drivers. New Bernians share
the belief, and the youngsters
themselves have heard it harped
on so much that tliey develop an
inferiority compleX''or get a chip
on their shoulder.
If you ask us, it’s high time
somebody stepped right up to front
and center and revealed that teen
age drivers in the overwhelming
majority are a safer bet behind
the steering wheel than their eld
ers.
Don’t take our word for it. Check
with Chief of Police Pearsall or
Captain Preston Robinson, who
heads the traffic section of our
police department. Talk with the
State Highway Patrol, Craven coun
ty officers, or judges and lawyers.
You’ll be told In no uncertain
terms that the greatest menace on
our roads today isn’t the spoiled
brat in a souped-up vehiele, danger
ous though he is, but the older mo
torist who envisions himself as be
ing capable to take care of any
eventuality at any speed.
Having assured himself that he
is an expert of long experience, he
takes needless chances daily. Fate
being kind, hfe is apt to live to a
You'll Read What You Please
At New Bern's Public Library
New Bern’s Public Library may
not always agree with your taste
ij} books, but quite properly it
tries to satisfy the interests of its
adult readers, whatever they hap
pen to be.
Such, of course, is the true func
tion of any library. Just as music
lovers differ in their opinion of
which songs are worth listening
to. New Bernians. have decided
opinions about their reading mat
ter.
A best seller isn’t always a lit
erary masterpiece. It might be re-
en, and we believe they do, his
eternal happiness will know no
bounds.
garded as trash, even by those who
avidly peruse it. Yet, if the demand
is sufficient, based upon requests
the novel in question stands an ex
cellent chance of landing on the
book shelves of the local library.
In the juvenile section of our
library here, a different policy is
in effect. Whenever books are pur
chased for children and adoles
cents, they must measure up to
rigid requirements. No one of in
telligence, parents or otherwise,
will find fault with this proced
ure.
Admittedly, much of the ques
tionable reading matter now being
published gets into the hands of
(Continued on back page)
ripe old age, still belittling teen
age drivers whenever the opportun
ity presents itself.
However, a day of reckoning
comes for some of these adults.
The less fortunate are killed or
crippled, and in some instances
bring death and maiming to others.
Added to this list are the many
who are involved in accidents that
STILL SPREADING IT — Having
his picture made is serious busi
ness for New Bern's Mr. Sun
shine—John S. Holland. H^'d
much rather be about his cheer
ful practice of bringing hope and
joy to others. Remembering
birthdays is just one of the
many nice gestures you can ex
pect from this Indomitable man
who has laughed off his own
ilirtess for decades. By making
light of misfortune, he has
inspired fellow New Bernians to
do likewise.—Photo by John R.
Baxter,
result only in property damage.
And, rounding out the list are the
frequent adult drunks, and citizens
cold sober, who are arrested for
breaking the law.
Visit the courts when traffic of
fenses are being tried here, and
you’ll be surprised at the small
number of teen-agers hauled up be
fore the bar of justice. After that,
if you’re an adult, you’ll be asham
ed perhaps of all the things you’ve
said about hot rodders.
There are, of course, exception,
and sometimes the antics of these
youthful motorists are little short
of sensational. Less publicized but
far more prevalent are the antics
of adults.
Go for a Sunday afternoon ride
on any of our neighboring high
ways, and you’ll encounter grown
ups who pass on curves, duck in
an^ out of traffic, and behave in
general in a manner that borders
on the idiotic.
As often as not, these reckless
adults will have their -wives and
children riding with them. In flirt
ing with eternity, they show no
hesitation in placing their entire
family in jeopardy.
Blaming youthful drivers for
more than their share of the death
and destruction is typical of the
,way adults exaggerate youthful be
havior in general.
Next time you feel the urge to
spout about juvenile delinquency,
and certainly no one condones it,
consider these facts. Less than
five percent of all yoiuig people,
regardless of race, creed or color
or background are of the problem
type, and less than three percent
land in court.
Compared with these figures,
adults, riding or walking, don’t
have much to crow over.