I
The NEW BERN
4^:med weekly
5^ Per w
VOLUME 4
NEW BERN, N. C., FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1961
/
_ E’s hard to idsualize a more de
lightful person to know than Mi's.
Lon J. Moore, Sr., of 319 George
street. She is one of the reasons
that New Bern, despite its faults
and failings, remains for us a para
dise on earth.
Life has had the usual heart
aches and disappointments for this
gracioUs 79-yearHOld woman; but
instead of making her bitter, the
hard knocks only mellowed the
beautiful pihitosphy that she lives
by. When we think of serenity in
a world so desperately in need of
it, we inevitably think of her.
Far be it from us to leave the
impression that Maude M^re is
content to fold her hands, and
while away the hours dwelling on
sweet and lovely thoughts. As an
old hand at trying in Vaini to cul
tivate a backyard garden, we’ve
been completely intimidated by
the vegetables and flowers she rais
es in glorious profusion.
pr:- ■;
ii?.'
This gal really has a green
thumb. In fact, her garden comes
pretty close to being the finest
one you’ll find for miles around.
It is typical of her that she wants
to give away the fruits of her har
vest. We say it’s typical because
her life has been lived for others
in the fullest sense. ,
Her love embraces all humanity
—and there’s enough of it to reach
out to the young and the old, the
rich and the poor of every race,
and: oreed.^ Higbly intelligent,
slie is b>ound to be a>v:are tlbat evil
ejdatSy-but sne 1». so bui>y
good, and doing gooL t^ there’s
nO time left to harp on the bad
things.
No one could ever total up the
nays of sunshine that she has scat
tered in the path of those who
have been called upon to walk in
the shadows. Actually, many of
these fellow mortals were in more
fortunate circumstances than she,
but they lacked her strength of
spirit. She gave of herself, and
felt the richer for it.
A graduate of Salem college, in
the 1903 class, she didn’t let the
problems of rearing a large fami
ly squelch her literary talent. In
termingled with necessary penny-
pinching—^involving extraordinary
cleverness to make ends meet—
were inspiring poems and excellent
prose.
Her verse is included in many
published anthologies, and she is
listed in “Who’s Who, Women of
America.” She is also listed in
“Who’s Who in Poetry Internation
al”—^published by Cranbook Tow
er Press in London. An exception
ally well-read woman, she has a
zest for books that shows no signs
of diminishing with advancing
years.
Maude undoubtedly inherited
her talent as a writer from her
(father, who established many news-
papers in North Carolina and Vir
ginia, among them the Winston-
Salem Journal and Sentinel, which
he edited. Much of her life was
spent on the plantation known as
Hatch’s—purchased from General
Durant Hatch by her grandfather,
George Wolfe Perry, in the early
1800’s.
It contained mwe’ than 3,000
acres, and was in the family for
more than a cenltury until it was
purchased by the Federal govern
ment to be included in the Na
tional Forestry. She- has been part
and parcel of the Old South and
the New South—4aking both in
stride.
One of her great joys comes
from the early morning rides—us
ually on Sunday—that she shares
with some member of the family.
She loves to motor through the
countryside, especially in Autumn,
and view the foliage in wooded
areas. While legs appreciative mor
tals speed along the highways, and
(Continued on bock page)
is the yard of the D. W,r I lowed, “fhe yucca is a member of th(^ lily, family, accotdtpg.
Bridgeton, where no less than -S I to our encyclopedia.—^Bhoto by Billy Benners,
semi-tropical yucca plants that are Rowing mere, ii an
When Pointing With Pride
Don't Overlook This Fellow
It’s a little known fact in diese
parts, but few New Bernians have
achieved success on a national
level the way Sterling Becton has.
As guarantee engineer for Sun
Shipbuilding Corporation at Chest
er, Pa., it is his responsibility to
breathe life into all the newly
built vessels for this great firm.
He came to Sun Shipbuilding
from Sun Oil, where he was a
Chief Engineer. Among other
things, he has sailed around the
world three times. Earlier, as an
employee of V. S. Steel aboard the
coal burning SS Craster Hall, he
set out from drydocks at Talero,
Peru, and was rammed by the tank-
ship Reginalight. His ship sank.
Author of numerous feature arti
cles, he shows a keen sense of
humor in describing his job. “Many
opinions are formed as to just what
are the duties of a Guarantee En
gineer. Mr. Wbbstey states the
word guaran'(ee meaite; an agree
ment by whidi one person guaran-
;tees something held, enjoyed by
another.”
And, with tongue in cheek, Ster
ling says “Naturally my immedi
ate boss interprets this as a man
who rides in deck chairs getting
sunburned on luxurious ships in
sunny climes, with beautiful wo
men, expenses paid in the best
hotels — also starting wars — and
should pay the department for be
ing allowed to roam the world
over.”
Furthermore, Becton elaborates,
“He (the boss) will point out that
I was in South America when the
Graf Spee was sunk, on my way to
Korea when trouble broke out
there, and he is now working on
how I started the Gettysburg trou
ble during the Great War between
the States.”
Speaking of Gettsburg, Sterling
lives close to the hallowed battle
ground, and one of his better arti
cles was written about events that
haippened when 43,000 men died
there, fighting for what they be
lieved to be right.
Getting back to the profession
that has taken him on runs to the
far corners of the earth, the New
Bernian observes that “Dock and
sea trials are like people, they vary
in many details. Some smooth,
while others are “characters.” Most
(trials can be controlled to a stand-
lard, others to the satisfaction of a
particular customer.
AS NEW BERN RECALLS HIM
NUMBER 16
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“The Navy, the U. S. Maritime
Adm., have some variations, but
with the exception of the Navy,
they all conform with the U. S.
Coast Guard and the classification
societies.
“Nearing the end of the ship’s
construction, the “operating
starts preparing to put the ship s
machinery in operation. This in
volves “getting passed” various
tanks, double bottoms, sumps and
oil reservoirs, and varied cleaning
operations.
“Simple isn’t it? Some fifteen
different oils go to servicing a
modern ship, not to mention two
grades of fuel oil. Generally the
Drawing Room will issue a direc
tive, on advice of the customer,
that the drawings have been ap
proved, and no deviation will be
tolerated by anyone.
“By this time the ship is advanc
ed to the stage where inspectors
have a finished view. Way back, a
couple of generations ago, an in
spector’s great-grandmother start
ed shifting the furniture around
and grandpop went to sea — now
it creeps out. The owner no doubt
realized this heritage and so ef
fected the “no change” directive.
“This should close the subject
—tout then you would be surprised
how often the inspector is right.
So regardless, more man-hours are
added to the job. Now we are ad
vanced to the “Boiling Out Stage”
of both boUers. Here some five
chemicals are involved, and about;
(Continued on back page)