Newspapers / The New Bern Mirror … / Jan. 23, 1959, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of The New Bern Mirror (New Bern, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Leon F. Orcutt, who passed away in Fayetteville quite a while back, will long be remembered by the New Bernians as a cheerful and ' friendly man. He wore his years, all 74 of them, as lightly and as gracefully as a river bears its burden of moon beams. To know him, casually or intimately, was as refreshing as an unexpected breeze on a hot August night. Although “Pop” was a Yankee hailing from Hyde Park, Mass., he had all the courtly mannerisms you’d expect of a true Southern gentleman. The kind you read about and hear about, but, unfor tunately, seldom see on either side of the Mason-Dixon line. In fact, if there are other delight ful old codgers like him up North, it might not be a bad idea to kid nap them and bring them down to Dixie. You can count on us to join the expedition. “Pop” resided in New Bern while his son. Sully, was director of the City Recreation Department. A re tired commercial artist, the elder Orcutt taught local juveniles how to paint murals, and to fashion other things creative. They loved him v/ith the bound less affection that occasionally crops up between the very young and the very old, and he feasted on their admiration like the jaunty king of hearts that he undeniably was. Just like a school kid, he carried an autograph book, with an inevit ably stubby pencil, and no one will ^"ever know how many times he thumbed through its pages to read the words tftat had been scribbled and signed by friends. Even as most writers, artists and musicians, he was an enthusistic admirer of God’s handiwork. While living in New Bern, he liked to get up early in the morning for a brisk stroll before breakfast. He felt as much at home in the woods, as any of Dame Nature’s children could possibly feel. Ironi cally, the love of the great outdoors brought tragedy to him shortly be fore his death. He suffered a stroke while walk ing alone in the woods near Mon roe, where Sully was Recreation Director before he moved to Fayetteville. A searching party fail ed to find him, completely helpless, until the following morning. After that, “Pop” lived on bor rowed time, but he was game to the end. Because he loved New Bern— every street, every tree, every blade of grass, his spirit still lingers here in the hearts of those who knew him as a gentle soul who never saw a stranger or made an enemy. When he died, we thought of the words of a popular song: “Every where you go, sunshine follows you; everywhere you go, skies are always blue. Children love you, they seem to know that you bring roses out of the snow; the whole world says Hello, everywhere you go.” In all frankness, it is our con sidered opinion that “Pop” would have discovered happiness any where on earth. Or rather, he would have made his own happi ness, which is the only way any of us will ever really find it. Yet, New Bern seemed to hold an appeal for him that other towns lacked. What it was, we can’t say for sure. Trying to figure out why a person’s heart strings will wrap around one particular place— far removed from the land of his birth— is as futile as explaining why a man or a maid will single out a special somebody to love who appears to be strictly run of the mill to everybody else. We doubt that “Pop” could have expressed in so many words what New Bern meant to him. In part, (Continued on Page . 2) The NEW BERN PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE HEART OF EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA 5^ Per Copy VOLUME i NEW BERN, N. C., FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 1959 NUMBER 43 AWAITING THE FAITHFUL—Temple B’Nai Sholem pre sents this attractive appearance as the day draws near for New Bern Jews to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Outside its doors, on Middle street, life is busy and often perplex ing, but here in dignity, reverence and simplicity the Bibli cal truths of old are taught, even as in the time of Moses. —Photo by Billy Benners. Our Jewish Temple Observes Fiftieth Year of Service Soon Temple B’Nai Sholem’s observ ance of its fiftieth anniversary Tuesday night will bring to the minds of old timers many a mem ory. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since 18 or 20 Jewish families then living in New Bern assured its erection in 1908. On the original building commit tee were Oscar Marks, Joseph L. Hahn, Max L. Jacobs, Hyman Co hen, Morris H. Sultan and Meyer Hahn. All are now deceased, but the Temple’s continued place in the religious life of the community proves that their faith was justi fied. Underwood and Rhodes, a New Bern firm, was awarded the build ing contract on April 17, 1908, and four months later the house of worship became a reality. Its first use came on September 1, when Emma Sultan and Sigmund Josephthal were united in mar riage, Rosh Hashono was ushered in on Friday, September 25. No rabbi had been engaged, so a lay- reader, a Mr. S. M. Brownold, of Baltimore conducted the services. Mrs. J. L. Hahn was in charge of the music. Brownold used as the topic for his first sermon the theme “Blessings in Disguise.” Rabbi Harry A. Merfeld became spiritual leader of the congrega tion the following year. His salary was $900 a year. In 1911, Rabbi Merfeld married a New Bern girl, Amy Haas. He served until 1912. The officers of the Temple during his incum bency were Oscar Marks, president; Max L. Jacobs, vice-president; Leo Walnau, secretary; Hyman Cohen, collector; Joseph L. Hahn, treasur er; and Morris H. Sultan, William Sultan, Mortie H. Marks, S. Coplon, Isaac Cohen and Meyer Hahn, mem bers of the board. Rev. Max Goldman, who lived in New Bern for nearly four decades prior to moving to Baltimore in 1943, served the religious needs of the Orthodox element of the community. One of the highlights of his career was the time when he officiated at the marriage of his son, Raymond, to Carol Yudell on December 21, 1941. During the period from 1912 to 1953, no permanent rabbi occupied the B’Nai Sholem pulpit: Student rabbis from the Hebrew Union col lege were sent to officiate during the High Holy Days. In 1953, Dr. Jerome G. Tolochko, Figures Reyeal Your Chances For Accident Here This Year You can consider yourself lucky if you weren’t involved in a traf fic accident, right here in New Bern, during 1958. In all likelihood, however, there wasn’t as much luck in your favor as it was considerate and common- sense driving engaged in by you and fellow motorists. Everyone who has a minor mis hap or a serious wreck isn’t a vio lator. Some are innocent victims, and in rare instances there are ac cidents that are unavoidable. These are few and far between, and, at least technically, non-existent. Eliminating any and all accidents is too much to hope for, but Chief J. E. Pearsall, Captain Preston H. Robinson and others in the New Bern policb department are striv ing for just that during 1959. Aiding them will be the statistics of the past year. Such statistics should be enlightening and help ful not only to them, but to all citizens riding or walking on our city streets . There were 375 accidents in the year just past, and all but 48 in volved property damage. Total esti mated damage was $101,338.52. That’s bad enough, but even worse were the three deaths, and the in juring of 54 persons. Two of the three persons killed were riding in a motor vehicle. One was a pedestrian. Of the per sons injured, some of them serious ly, 35 were motorists and 19 were pedestrians. Vehicles in the various classifica tions were 595 passenger cars, 73 trucks, 13 trucks and trailers or semi-trailers, 7 buses, 3 motor cycles, 7 bicycles. There were 268 accidents involving one or more violations. Speed and drunkenness are the great killers on our highways, but here in New Bern no less than 107 accidents last year resulted from failing to yield the right of way. Only 12 violations for drunkenness were considered a factor, and only two for speeding above the stated limit, (Continued on back page) -rabbi of Temple Israel of Kinston, was engaged as the rabbi of the Temple. Because of his duties in Kinston, services here were con ducted on Tuesday evenings. Hebrew sessions are held on Tuesday afternoons, with the rabbi instructing. The Sunday school is staffed with local rtiembers, under the supervision of Rabbi Tolochko. In 1954 a Sunday school auditorium and kitchen were added to the building, with moVable dividing walls for classroom purposes. Two years later the Temple in terior was completely remodeled and refurnished. Its attractiveness is clearly indicated in the photo graph that appears above. Like members of all faiths. New Bern Jew have had their trying moments in the half century that the Temple has been in existence here. Before that they had their problems too. For years their meet ing places were on the second floor of various stores on Broad and Mid dle streets. There are no detailed early rec ords to delve into, and give full credit to all those who rendered service to the Temple. Much of B’Nai Sholem’s history was carried to the grave in the minds and hearts of its original members. But Tuesday night, when the golden anniversary is observed, Jews and non-Jews alike will real ize and appreciate the efforts of the faithful of old, who didn’t let the fact that they were few in number discourage them from erecting a place of worship. Experience teaches us how dis honest other^people can be.
The New Bern Mirror (New Bern, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 23, 1959, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75