Much of New Bern’s news dur
ing recent weeks has been of an
unpleasant nature, but under the
surface a lot of worthwhile things
are being accomplished.
One of the more commendable
projects underway is the plan to
bring an exchange student to the
city for a year’s attendance at New
Bern High school. To this end,
the New Bern chapter of American
Field Service has been organized.
The idea of having a foreign
teen ager in our midst was a brain
child of the Citizenship Depart
ment of the local Woman’s club
Members did the ground work,
and organization of the aforemen
tioned chapter expanded the ven
ture to include other people of
the community.
Earl P. Smith is the chapter
president. New Bern’s Cit^' Mana
ger, Ed Welch, is the member for
finance, and Connie Rabin is the
member for Home and Student
Family Adjustment. J. W. Allen,
principal of New Bern High school.
Is school adviser, and Hannah Wes-
kett is Americans Abroad coordi
nator.
Glenn Dunn is the student repre
sentative. Jimmie Smith who is
a member of the faculty at New
Bern High is project chairman.
Mrs. H. G. Dixon is serving as
secretary, and you couldn’t find
a better more enthusiastic one.
Although the foreign student
comes here may be from some
other nation, a request has been
placed for a Swiss youngsrter
preferably from Out mother city
of Berne. He or she will live in
a private home here, to be select
ed by the national office.
American Field Service is a vol
unteer organization. It is partly
subsidized by the State Depart
ment, but funds available have to
be supplemented to some extent
by citizens and clubs in those com
munities that play host to an ex
change student.
At the present time there are
2,200 foreign students in America
under the auspices of the program.
So successful and significant is
the project in improving inter
national relations that the State
Department has asked American
Field Service to increase the nuni-
ber to 5,500 next year.
The NEW BERN
Hr, Mrs. a. N. IJirphy
2000 Arandall St.
?forehoal City, UC
IN THE hear I wr
EASTERN NORTH
CAROLINA
5 Per Copy
VOLUME 4
NEW BERN, N. C., FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 1962
NUMBER 50
>  sT
Since Monday, if we remember
\ rig’htly, marks the-twentieth birth
day of Radio Station WHIT, we
extend our best wishes for a happy
anniversary. Born in the same era
that spawned World War II, the
station has played an important
role in the life of the town and
section for the past two decades.
In some quarters, animosity ex
ists between radio stations and
newspapers, but this has always ap
peared rather ridiculous to us. The
Mirror prides itself on being on
the best of terms with both WHIT
and WRNB, as well -as the two
. television stations that serve our
area, Greenville’s WNCT and
Washington’s WITN.
The public’s interests are de
pendent on all three — newspa
pers, radio stations and television
stations. Feuding won’t remove
any one of them from the Ameri
can way of life. Frankly, all three
can stand a lot of improving, and
we certainly aren’t exempting The
Mirror from publications that have
a long way to go before they reach
.perfection.
We’ve always felt that radio has
a great potential. It may never
achieve that potential — because
stations are rarely as fully staffed
as owners would like to have them.
There’s just so much money to
go around at the average station.
Most businesses have the same
problem.
Anyhow, we wish WHIT-a very
happy birthday on its twentieth
anniversary.
A FAMILY AFFAIR — Thousands of Masons from 22 coun
ties in North Carolina have received their higher degrees
from the New Bern Scottish Rite Consistory during its long
existence. However, it was an extraordinary event when
these five brothers from Conway showed up as candidates
at the Spring Reunion. Left to right, they are S. W. Wood
ard, 32; L. E. Woodard, 36; G. E. Woodard, 38; K. B. Wood
ard, 39; and A. 0. Woodard, Jr., 40. — Photo by John R.
Baxter.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN — Today we turn back the clock
to the laying of the very first brick in New Bern’s street
system. The scene on this memorable occasion is the inter
section of Pollock and Queen streets. Among those on hand
are Herbert Simpson (tho engineer) and Street Supt. Callie
McCarthy. Others include T. F. McCarthy, Frank Hackney,
George Meredith, John Thomas, Furney Gaskill, Richard
Colvin, Enos Henry, Raymond Eagle and John Wilson. Mrs.
L. C. Newman was kind enough to lend us the rare photo
graph.