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VOLUME 3
NEW BERN, N. C., FRtDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1961
NUMBER 43
'K Old age is only a point of view,
^ bijt you’ve got a few years riding
on your shoulders if you can re-
, member Satanet climbing “the Elks
Temple, Leo Watson singing
y" “Yearning” and “Delaware” at
Otenburnie Park, Ras Royall ped-
d.ling two cones of sherbert for a
nickel, and “Big” Hill sunning in
front of his place on South Front
street.
You’re toting some mileage too,
if you recall that the Kehoe was
kimwn at The Athens before it be
came the Show Shop, and recollect
that Rowland Lumber company ^as
Roper’s Mill before it crumbled
and vanished from New Bern’s in-
d^trial picture. And, if you’re as
ancient as that, you’re bound to re
member when Cyclone Mack pitch
ed his revival tent where Broad
street Christian church now stands.
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Those were the days when a 30-
cenf soup bone had enough meat
on it to give you not only ample
flavoring for the soup you ladled
out at dinner, but the chief ingredi
ent for that platter of hash a large
family could feast on when it came
tipie for supper.
You’re still just a kid, or your
memory has failed ^ou, if you don’t
recall when a tent show called the
Mason Stock company played on
the Vacant lot where our Central
Fire station is located. Dorothy
Mason, a luscious blonde with
shoulder-length curls, was the hero
ine and^ there was a different play
eygfy 'ni|^.
~ Dlsetira^ baby cayfiage
"Bever went to waste. They,^ere
Utilized by enterprising young lads
pn home-made pushmobiles,' and
cast-off skate wheels were just the
thing when you wanted to make a
scooter. Today a" boy has hot rod
notions by the time he graduates
from diapers, but you oldsters used
to have fun just rolling a metal
hoop,
An airplane, in your long ago,
was a rarity, and when jubilant
-juveniles heard one overhead they
shouted for everybody to come and
look. It floated over majestically,
instead of zooming, so you could
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A c»eley^i«Jion; _ _
built boat making a t|st %i?n on the uppe# ITent is ex-
"cellent, but.the sto^ behjpd it is even more interesting. In
„ - j p—an^i Mlly Benners perched Qn top
of an ice covered buoy in sub-freezing weather. Who' said
photographers have an easy life?
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gaze to your heart’s content. Speak
ing of things majestic, how about
the sailboats, large and small, that
used to grace the choppy Neuse
and the less turbulent Trent? You
didn’t go places in a hurry, but it
was more fun getting there.
A fellow could date his steady,
or even a new girl, with just a
dime in his pocket. You strolled to
the corner drug store, and sat for
an hour sipping a soft drink apiece.
Any maiden who would order some
thing that cost more than a nickel
was regarded as a gold digger. If
you modern youngsters think we’re
spoofing, ask Grandpa or maybe
Mom and Dad.
Yesterday was when, passing a
neighbor’s house, you heard the
thumping notes of “Dardanella”
on his player piano, or “Mr. Galla
gher and Mr. Shean” or “Yes, We
Have No Bananas” on his phonoc
graph. Speaking of phonographs,
remember how it used to be sinful
to crank one of the things up in the
parlor on Sunday?
OT course, if you’ve really got a
little age. on you, the top tunes you
recall Include “Red Wing” and
“Pony Boy”—not to mention “She
Is Only A Bird In A Gilded Cage”
and “Just A Baby’s Prayer At Twi
light, For Her Daddy Over There.”
Count yourself an oldster, too,
if you femember the delightful
odor of wood smoke coming out of
everybody’s chimney on a crisp au
tumn evening, and the thrill you
experienced when a new Pearl
White serial came to town. You’re
like^se ancient if you remember
the poker-faced expression of Wil
liam S. Hart. Along side of Hart,
Ed~Sullivan would look downright
CCotitinuMi en Back Page)
Is ah Eventful Day for
Our Talented Kay McGosley
What does the future hold for
talented, 26-year-old Kay McCosley?
That, to say the least, is an intrig
uing question, as she leaves her na
tive New Bern today for a profes
sional singing career in New York
City,
Fame and fortune, in the Cinde
rella tradition of show business
may be awaiting her, pr the bitter
dregs of disappointment. Come
what may, she’ll take it in stride.
Encouraged by Lawrence and
Jane Morgan Stith, who were im
pressed during the recent Christ-
ibilities.
mas holidays with her possibi
Kay has no illusions about a quick
climb to stardom. She is. well
aware of the odds against any en
tertainer njaking good at the top of
the ladder.
“If my hopes are realized,” she
told The Mirror, “I’d like to get
into choral TV work, or choral
work in a musical.” She’ll be con
fronted with terrific competition,
but our guess is that she’ll make
the grade. And later, perhaps
there’ll be a new soloist along the
Gay White Way.
Kay is no novice. While attend
ing New Bern High school,, where
she graduated in 1952, she was an
outstanding member of Donald
Smith’s choir. She was featured in
the Yuletide Revue, a charity show
that has served as a springboard
for half a dozen youngsters who
have reached the Big Time.
She majored in voice at Meredith
college, was a member of the choir,
and in her senior year was placed
in charge of the triple trio. While
attending the Raleigh school, she
was a soloist at Edenton Street
Methodist church in_ the Capital
City. I sang in the choir at the New York
Following graduation, she was a Avenue Presbyterian church, where
fifth grade teacher at North Spring- President Lincoln worshipped and
field, Va., in Faii’fax county, just where the famed minister, Peter
outside of Washington, D. C. She > Marshall, was pastor. You’ll recall
, 1'
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OUR KAY
-Photo by Billy Benners.
that Marshall’s life storpi-, “ A Man
Called Peter,” became a best-seller
and an award-winning movie.
Kay did solo work .while singing
for the Wasljington church, and in
cluded in her valuable experience
was participation ip the presenting
of Brahm’s Requiem, Hadyn’s Sev
en Last Words, and Mendohlson’s
Elijah. The church had a secular
program, and the New Bern singer
appeared in three Gilbert and Sul
livan operettas — Ruddigore, Pa
tience and lolanthe.
She has also appeared as one of
the two performers in a one-act
opera. The Telephone, written by
Gian-Carlo Menotti, and a number
of variety shows. The wide rapge
of her performances will stand her
in good stead when she tackles the
New York challenge.
Among her experiences was a
trip tp Japan in August 1959,
where she taught until December
on Kyushu. She returned home,
and has been teaching the seventh
grade at' Havelock Elementary
school. Her pupils hate to see her
leave, but they’re pulling for her
to make good. , ’
Aside from her obvious talent,
Kay has the determination to over
come the obstacles that are going
to confront her. And, if Dame For-
tune smiles on her, she is intelli
gent enough to keep her feet on
the ground.
Like the song says, there’s no
business like show business. Suc
cess might come almost overnight
for the local girl, although such in
stances are exceedingly rare. And,
perish the thought, it may never
come.
(Continued on Pago B)
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