V '
',
i
I I
It will be a happy homecom
ing for James (jimmy) Mere-
ditti, when he is presented in
concert at the New Bern Golf
and Country Club on Monday
evening, Sept. 26, sponsored
by New Bern's St. Cecilia Mu
sic Club.
The young pianist, a rising
senior at the University of North
Carolina, lives in Cliapel Hill
now with his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. J. T. Meredith, but is a
New Bern High school graduate.
He is pleasantly remember
ed here as an easy going, soft
spoken teenager who displayed
none of the temperament that
musicians are accused of.
Aside from excepttonal talent
in his chosen field, he was
outstanding as a scholar.
Jimmy was hardly a child
prodigy. The truth of the mat
ter is he didn’t start his
study of the piano until he was
an eighth grader in Jimior
Hi^, Once the urge struck
him, however, he made rapid
progress under the tutelage
of Nara Snornleks, who was
his Instructor for six years.
By the time he reached High
school, he had become so pro
ficient that Donald Smith sing
led him out as the accompanist
lor die a capella choir. Despite
limited training at that point
in his budding career, the
constantly smiling yoimgster
' handled the assignment with-
ease.
While in New Bern, he serv
ed as organist for die Lutheran
Church for three years. An
Episcopalian, he used to rush
down to Sunday school at Christ
church, and then back to die Lu
theran church in time to
take over at die console there.
Deadlines and crowded
schedules never seemed to
worry him. Somehow he found
time to devote a great deal
of time and effort to North
Carolina Music Federation
work, and proved he was a born
leader.
In quick succession he be
came president of the West
New Bern Junior Music Club,
the Southeastern Junior Music
• Club lor two years, and final
ly president of the State Junior
Music Club. He presided at
the State Convention in States
ville, and for diree or four
years was District "King”
of Music in the annual compe
tition for that title conducted
by the FederatiOD of Music
Clubs.
As a New Bern High school
frediman, he was runner-up
for the State "King” of Music
crown. While attending NBHS,
he performed for State Junior
Music Federation conventlcms
at NagsHead, Asheville, States-
viUe and New Bern.
For five years he played for
DisMct Festivals for ttie Fed
eration of Music dubs, compet
ed inHigbsdioolpiano contests,
and received Siqierlor plus
ratings annually in Guild audi
tions. Nara Snomieks present
ed him in Senior Recital be
fore he graduated from New
Bern High.
At the Oniversity of North
■Carolina, young Mer^tb holds
a Blanduurd Academic Sdto-
larahip in die Bachelor of
Arts program, and studies
pdano with Dr. William New
man.
He has remained active in
Music Federation work, is
State Student President, and
(Continued on page 3)
The NEW BERN
FUBLISHID WIIKLY
IN THI HIAirr OF
lASTIRN NORTH
CAROLINA
Nc
VOLUME 9
NEW BERN, N. C., FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1966
NUMBER
SMALL WORLD—When these three youngsters ap
peared on Jo Ann Frank’s popular WNBE-TV pro
gram, Open House, thousands of Eastern Carolina
viewers heard an interesting story. Just a year ago,
when Nelson McDaniel enrolled with 30 other select
ed UNC students at the University of Lyon, these two
French girls, Genevieve Weltert, left, and Helene
Perroud, right, befriended him and he was enter
tained frequently in their homes. During the inter
vening months they became interested in coming to
America to continue their own studies, and arrived
early enough to visit Nelson and his family for sev
eral days before heading for the University of North
Carolina and Oberlin College in Ohio respectively.
Genevieve, 19, will be an observer at UNC, and hones
du^g her year’s stay in Chapel Hill to perfect her
English, which isn’t bad now. Helene, 22, is so youthful
looking she could pass for 14 or 15. It surprises every
one to learn that she is a Fulbright Scholar, and wul
teach French to undergraduates and post graduates at
Oberlin while studying American literature. She
dances well (her specialty is the Charleston) and can
do an imitation of Donald Duck (vocally and visibly)
that is fantastic. Genevieve skis often in the French
Alps, and didn’t have a moment’s trouble becoming
proficient on water skis the first time she tried skim
ming for miles on the Trent. Both girls were delighted
with the warmth of the ocean along Atlantic Beach,
compared with the surf they are used to back home.
Still loyal to the famed dishes of their native land,
they are enthusiastic about American hamburgers.
Genevieve found collards delightful, and Helene was
intrigued by the hush nunoies served with seafood.
They said that the hospitality shown them by South
erners surpassed anything they had ever encountered
at home or abroad. Inddentallv. Genevieve has al
ready learned to sing “Hark The Sound of Tarh»*»l
Voices’’ as perfectly as any Carolina student possibly
could.—Photo by Ted Carey.