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New Bern Public Libiaijr
The NEW BERN
ISHED WEEKLY
' HEART OF
VORTH
Serving as hosts during re
cent days to Tom Van Waay,
26, and his 24 year old brother,
Bill, was no problem for mem
bers of the New Bern Lions
Club. The two young men from
Zoeterneer, Holland, fitted
right In everywhere they went.
Here, and In the other six
Tar Heel towns they are visit
ing—Greenville, Goldsboro,
Jacksonville, Wilmington,
Kinston andSmlthfleld—the Van
Waays are fast losing their
homeland conception that all
Americans are wealthy.
Discovering the average
North Carolinian has troubles
making ends meet, when it
comes to paying his bills, was
reassuring rather than disill
usioning. Tom and Bill—far
from native surroundings--felt
a common bond with folks who
aren’t too adept at staying within
their income.
For our part, we found the
pair witty enough to cope with
a small-town editor’s wise
cracks, and very much like our
own young people. They have
traveled more and' seen more,
however, and you can tell this
quickly In casual conversation.
In school, the two youths
learned four languages—Dutch,
German, French and English.
hard tongue for foreigners to
master, but the Van Waays say
It Is much easier than other
languages they studied.
Contrary to what you may
have heard repeatedly. Bill and
Tom say Americans are well
liked in Europe. The ones
they’ve seen abroad, and they
have been around, were, they
Insist, well mannered and a
credit to this country.
The two have been deeply
Impressed by the Carolina
brand of hospitality that has
been their lot. “I’ve never seen
anything to compare with It be
fore,” Bill told us, and you
could detect his sincerity.
Reminding the vlsitlngDutch-
men that Americans have their
share of faults, we pressed
Tom for criticism. Smiling, he
said, “Over here everybody
rushes. You eat too short, sleep
too short, and walk too fast.”
Bill told us that virtually all
of the movies they see In Hol
land are products of Holly
wood. He and Tom are Frank
Sinatra fans, and when It comes
to feminine screen stars they
are partial to Sophia Loren and
Bridget Bardotte.
In the land of wooden shoes,
you maybe sure, Elizabeth Tay
lor Is well known. Her sensa
tional affairs of the heart have
been heavily publicized, and the
Dutch are looking forward to
the showing of “Cleopatra”
there.
All television in Holland is
government sponsored, and
radio is non-commercial. TV
Is limited to three hours a
day, but viewers are treated
to their favorites—Perry
Como, Dina Shore, Father
Knows Best, and last but by no
means least, the Flintstones.
When we asked Tom and Bill
about Dr. Klldalre and Ben
Casey, they responded with a
blank expression. To our sur
prise, television epics that deal
with the innards of mortals,
under manipulation within the
four walls of a hospital, haven’t
captivated the Dutch.
There are no watermelons
in Holland, although other
(Continued on Page 8)
BRUINS COUNT ON HIM—Ashley Smith, with added
poundage picked up during summer construction work,
is the All-Northeastern back who must carry the brunt
of the attack for the New Bern High School Bears this
season. If he duplicates such 1962 touchdown runs as
the one seen here, the locals are apt to get ample re
venge against seven opponents who made them bite the
dust unhappily a year ago.
THEY WILL BE MISSED—Although Coach Bill Klutz
has seven of his regulars returning for the 1963 cam
paign, quite a few familiar faces won’t be present when
the Bears take to the gridiron for spirited action a few
weeks from now. Graduation took its toll, but the New
Bern High School mentor will be scanning his squad
for satisfactory replacements. Klutz, like every coach,
hopes for the unexpected star.