V
"ar
So much of what an oldster
sees as he walks along the
streets of hlshometown actually
Isn’t there any more. In hts
mind’s eyoj and for memory’s
sake, he perceives until his
dying day the things that once
were and for him will always
be. These things are lost to the
Johnnie-Come-Lately.
That’s why no stranger can
ever feel quite the same af
fection for this venerable first
State Capital that its natives
feel. Fondness may grow, and
does fairly often In the hearts
of newcomers, but the deepest
love comes from roots that go
equally deep.
Show us an outsider who takes
to New Bern within a period of
months of a few short years,
and we’ll show you a man or
woman who sees in the town a
good deal of what was left be
hind at the site of their birth.
Human nature being what it is,
they can find familiar things
and cling to them If they care to.
For example, those who loved
children in Uie commtmityfrom
whence they came are bound to
love our children too. Watch the
tourist who stops to pat a stray
dog on the head, and you know
for sure that somewhere many
miles away there are other dogs
that wag their tails in hai
them on familiar thoroughfares.
We’ve told the story before,
but it bears repeating. An old
man approached by a new couple
that had just moved into town
was asked, ” What kind of people
do you have here?” When asked
what sort of people lived in the
town they came from, their eyes
lighted up and they answered,
“They were sweet and wonder
ful and kind.”
“You’ll find the same sort of
folks here,” the old man said,
and he was so right. That’s why,
when we see newcomers wear
ing a chip on their shoulders
and complaining incessantly, we
have little doubt that &ey
grumbled just as much back
home.
This Isn't to say that New
Bern is perfect. It could stand a
lot of improving, but those who
knock it most—newcomers and
natives alike—usually do the
least to make it a better place
in which to live.
It has been said by some that
it’s hard ti get acqu^nted in our
village on the Neuse and Trent.
Admittedly, some folks are In
clined to be a little bit stand
offish, and there are a few
snobs. Thank goodness, they are
in the m.’nortty, and are invari
ably dull company anyhow. No
one is more boring than the
phony social climber, who uses
those who befriend as stepping
stones to more coveted things.
Get your dictionary out, and
look up the word aristocracy.
You’ll find it defined as “a
ruling body of nobles” and as
’ ’any class that is superior be
cause of birth, intelligence, cul
ture or wealth.” Significantly,
wealth rates last in the things
that are associated with aris
tocracy. With or without wealth,
how many New Bernlans would
you include if you were mak
ing up a ruling body of nobles?
Noble people, whatever their
station in Ufe, are those who
live nobly. Again turning to the
dictionary, we learn that a noble
is “high and great In charac
ter-showing greatness of
(Continued on Page 2)
The NEW BERN
St Per w, "
VOLUME 9
NEW BERN, N. C., FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 1966
NUMBER 10
HAPPY OCCASION—Posing for this Mirror photo,
snapped by John R. Baxter, pleased the members of
Garner Kindergarten, at Garber Methodist Church on
Country Club Road, immensely. Absent, and under
standably disappointed, were three other youngsters
equally cute, Tom Rossi, Jeff Carter and Jay Batten.
Seated, left to right, are Tommy Robinson, Charlotte
Holmes, Beth Arthur, Paul Sumrell, Carolyn Tuthill,
Julie Smith, Mike Pridgen, Keith Bordeaux and Rob
ert Osborne. Standing, loft to right, are Mark Watts,
Harris Huddle, Karen Walker, Carl Wheeler, Cindy
Overman, Mike Strader, Danny Neil, Liza Turley,
Mark Pelurie, John Johnson, Bob Gryb, Bill Pope
and Mark Amick. Four years ago, Mrs. Berleen B.
Burnette spent many months surveying the need for
a kindergarten in the Country Club area. With en
couragement from the board of directors and mem
bers of Garber Methodist Church, and their coopera
tion, her goal was accomplished. In a fast growing
community demands must be met and Mrs. Burnette
has skillfully and capably established a class for pre
school children that quickly earned a place in the
section where these youngsters live. Her major pur
pose IS to help children understand their world and
jive intelligently in it, gathering information, express
ing themselves creatively, and participating in the
molding of their own future. This sounds like a pretty
large order for kids who haven’t reached school age,
but they take it in stride, and have loads of fun in the
nrocess. Needless to say, th’» 25 members of Garber
Kindergarten have personalities that differ widely,
and expecting the unexpected is routine in the class
room. But careful supervision, without curbing a
child’s individuality, teachers each monpet to get along
with others. If nothing else was accomolished, and a
great deal more is, a project like the Garber group
would be worthwhile.
SCHOOL IS OUT
Please Drive Carefully
During Summer Vacation
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
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