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The NEW BERN
,. '«HED WEEKLY
4> 'EART OF
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Not until the other day had we
ever actually seen a copy of The
Athenian — a literary magazine
published by New Bern High
school students shortly after the
turn of'the century.
iMrs. Lonie Duffy, one of our
Mirror readers, gave us the Janu
ary 1915 issue, and its contents
proved quite interesting. Among
the budding authors were George
Scales, Catherine Lefferts, Ken
neth Rea, Nellie Simpson, Cathe
rine Boyd, Thelma Dudley, Charlie
Hollister, Corinne Blalock, Hazel
Taylor and Tom Moore.
The Athenian came out every
three'months. Its editor in 1915
wias Esther Marks, and Bessie Bell
was the assistant editor. Other
ntemibers of the editorial staff not
mentioned in the above paragraph
were Max Baxter, Nathan Gooding
and Emma Louise Kehoe. Marshall
Speight was business manager and
William Boyd was assistant busi
ness manager.
In the issue at hand we learned
that the Mary L. Hendren Liter-
aiy Society was beginning to flou
rish. The subject of a debate on
November 27 was “Resolved: That
a lawyer is justified in defending
a client whom he knows to be
guilty.” On the affirmative were
Lula Rowe and Leonia Wiggs,
while on the negative were Blanch
Biano(^ aH4 Hancock.
On'December 4, the Uterary
Society “carried ont’’ a program
&at including JAue^ limy’s reciting
Of
- mental duet by Ad)$eriuia^1Ioiies
and Emma Louise Kehoe^ and a
monologue by Thelma Dudley.
The program of December 11
was “greatly enjoyed.” It consisted
of a debate, and the query was
“Resolved: That a lie is sometimes
justifiable.” The affirmative was
supported by Catherine Lefferts
and Rose Oarraway. Ably handling
■the negative were Emma Katie
Mcllwean and Aubrey Parker.
The program for Decembef 18
consisted of a comedy entitled.
“The Ruggles or a Lesson in Man
ners.” It was taken from “The
Bird’s Christmas Carol” by Kate
Douglas Wiggins. The program, it
was said, was “thoroughly enjoyed
by those present.”
“Last but not least,” the Liter
ary Society proclaimed, “Miss
Cahoe told us of a prize of two dol
lars, which was offered for the
best society song, written by a
member of the Society. We must
all get busy and try to win the
prize, not only for its value (two
bucks was a lot in those days) but
for the honor of having written
our society song.”
If by ^ance some of today’s
New Bern High school students
don’t fully appreciate their million
dollar lay-out, this item in The
Athenian about the newly complet
ed Moses Griffin building on the
Academy green should shame them
a little.
“At last the new building has
been completed,” the magazine an
nounced. “This means more to the
school than is realized on first
thought. Before the completion of
this building four grades had their
classrooms and recited all their les
sons in the basement.
“Naturally it was damp there,
and there was not so much fresh,
pure air as Was needed for a
crowd of growing children. The
other grades were crowded also,
sometimes there were two small
grades’ in one room.
“Now these are troubles of the
past and we have all the room we
need — the High School has a
whole flobr to itself. Now that wff
have enough room in which to
work, we should study even more
earnestly and enthusiastically than
before.”
A lot of imagination went into
Continued on Pogo 4)
Is A Southerner For Keeps
Why would a busy doctor seek
political. office — what did he
stand to gain by it? These wei-e
questions that New Bern citizens
asked their neighbors and them
selves when Dale T. Millns ran for
alderman from the Fifth Ward
'four years ago.
It didn’t make much sense to
some of the voters. And yet, im
pressed by the door to door cam-
ipaign. he waged as a novice with
'two strikes against him, they put
the soft-spoken newcomer from
Toledo, Ohio, in‘City Hall.
Surprisingly, to some folks, he
served rather ably. This fact not
withstanding, the same questions
that arose when he sought the of
fice of alderman were tossed
around again when he announced
for mayor several months ago.
Answers that he might have
given during the ensuing campaign
could have been construed as so
much double talk — aimed at
luring adiditional ballots from the
hands of the gullible. All politi
cians aren’t noble, but they usually
manage to talk nobly when expedi
ency calls for it.
But, having been elected by an
impressive majority, there is little
necessity, even if he were so in
clined, to misrepresent his true
feelings. As of now, .the young
urologist strikes us as being frank
and honest, when it comes to voic
ing opinions. No one appreciates^
the man who doesn’t hedge more^
than editors and reporters.
Whether Millns has indulged in
hedging in some of his dealings
with others, we’re in no position
to say with certainty. We can ,say
that he has been strictly above
board with the press, and that
speaks well for any puWic official.
To understand why the new
mayor “got mixed up” in politics
— perhaps jeopardizing a profes
sional success that had mushroom
ed almost overnight, you’ve got to
know why he ended up in New
Bern in the first place, and why
he intends to stay.
There are two basic reasons.
Dale Millns, despite birth and
rearing in a city where hundreds
of thousands of people lived, is a
small towner at heart. Secondly,
he is a Yankee who loves the
South, and moved here by choice
rather than through necessity. Had
he preferred some other section of
the United States, he could have
prospered there as he has here.
Dale interned at Cleveland.
While he was there,, he made up
his mind to leave the slush and
snow that he Wanted: no part of.
He had a brother who was a
physician at Rock Hill, down in
South Carolina, and locating in one
of the Carolinas appealed to the
budding urologist.
When he visited New Bern,
among other towns. Dale was con
vinced that this was the place he
would like to settle down with his
wife and raise a family. He has
never regretted the decision.
“Like other people,” says Millns,
“I like living in a small town
rather than a big city, because it
gives you a sense of belonging. I
walk along the street, and meet
folks who speak to me. No one is
really happy living where they are
unknown and unappreciated.”
Because he has five youngsters
growing up in New Bern, if for no
other reason, the local urologist
wants the town to become progres-
sively better. “I would like to see
more opportunities for a decent
livelihood,” he says. “There is too
much contrast in income. Most of
our citizens are in a fairly high
income bracket or one that is
much too low. We need to narrow
the gap and reduce the steep in
cline.”
To accomplish this, the youthful
doctor recognizes, we must have in
dustry that can utilize those who
are already living here and in the
surrounding rural area. Citing the
plight ^f the tenant farmer, Millns
says he has very little chance to
geit ahead.
For him and for the man of low
income in town, the mild manner
ed physician shows genuine con
cern. Dale feels that community
betterment is everybody’s respon
sibility, and in our opinion his
strong feeling on the subject pro
vided the self prodding that push
ed him into the political arena.
He sees no reason why a doctor
should hesitate to serve in public
office, and with refreshing candor
he disagrees with the popular con
cept that physicians are the busiest
people in the world. He insists
that doctors, like other citizens,
can find time to do the things they
really want to do. And that in
cludes being mayor.
“Other people, in a great many
instances work just as hard as we
do,” he says of the medical pro
fession, “so I see no justification
for the halo that has been placed
on our heads with encouragement
on our part.”
Dale gets a kkk out of btiUding
things, and he has a workshop at
home that he tinkers in. With
the careful scrutiny that is typical
of doctors, he has gone all out to
arrive at the right diagnosis fdr
New Bern’s ills, weaknesses, needs
and prosi^cts. The prognosis is
favorable, if the patient will co
operate.
Unlike many a past mayor, and
despite the contention that a
doctor is too busy to fill the office
iproperly, Millns had a specific and
and detailed program to present
the board of aldermen on the night
he was sworn in. It is no cure at all,
but it does put down in black and
white as a matter of permanent
record the immediate aims of the
Administration.
Seldom if ever has this been
done in writing before by a new
mayor taking office. Millns got
enough seasoning during his four
years as an alderman to know that
hopes and plans don’t always
bloom into reality. In fact, he ad
mits he didn’t accomplish nearly
as much while serving as alderman
as he expected to.
Dale says he was impressed from
the very first with New Bern’s
location at the junction of the
N#use and Trent, and he feels that
the opportunity is great for con*
tinued beautification. He is especi*
ally pleased with me improved ap'
(Continued on bock pogo)