Slim St'rti-CCvattrtt Olmtafy Public Slibranj
The NEW BERN
**««LISHED WEEKLY
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Jo, -^‘mson St
-'ZV° 2«?60
VOLUME 15
NEW BERN, N. C. 28560, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1972
NUMBER 39
Old age is only a point of view,
but you’ve got a few years
riding on your shoulders if you
can remember Satanet cum-
bing the Elks Temi^, Leo
Watson singing “Year^” and
’’Delaware” at Olenburnie
Park, Ras Rcwall peddling two
cones of sherbert for a mckd,
and “Big” Hill sunning in front
of his place on South Front
street.
You’re toting some mileage
too, if you recau that the Kehoe
was known as-lbe Athens btfore
it became the Show £3iop, a^
recollect that Rowland L^ber
company was Roper’s Mill
before it crumbled and
vanished from New Bern’s
industrial picture. And, if
you’re as ancient as that, you’re
bound to remember when
Cyclone Mack pitched his
revival tent where Board street
Christian church now stan&.
Those were the days when a
30-cent soiq> bone had enough
meat on it to give you not only
ample flavoring for the soup
you ladled out at dinner, but the
chief ingredient for that platter
of hash a large family could
feast on when it came time for
supper.
You’re still just a kid, or your
memory has failed you, if you
don’t recall when a tent snow
called the Mason Stock cmn*
pany played on the vacant lot
where our Central Fire station
is located. Dorothy Mason, a
luscious blonde with shoulder-
length curls, was the heroine
and there was a different play
every night.
Discarded baby carriage
wheels never went to waste.
They were utilized by en-
terprizing young lads on home
made pudunobOes, and cast-off
skate wheels were Just the thing
when you wanted to make a
scooter. Today a bey has hot rod
notions by the time he
graduates from diapers, but you
oldsters used to have fun just
roOing a metal hoop.
An airplane, in your long ago,
was a rarity, and when jubilant
Juveniles hrard one overiiead
they shouted for everybody to
come and look. It floato' over
majestically, instet of
zooming, so you could gaze to
your hrart’s content. Speaking
of thintt majestic, how about
the sailboats, large and small,
that us«l to grace the choppy
Neuse and the less turbulent
Trent? You didn’t go places in a
hirry, but it was more fun
getting there.
A fellow could date his steady,
or evoi a new girl, with just a
dime in his pocket. You strdled
tothe comer drug store, and sat
for an hour sipping a soft drink
apiece. Aqy maidm who would
order something that cost more
than a nickel was regarded as a
gold digger. If you modem
younuters think we’re
spoofing, ask Grandpa or
nuiybe Mom and Dad.
Yeste
the thumping i
denella” on m player piano, or
“kfr. Galla^r and Mr. Sheu"
or “Yes, We Have No Bananas”
on his phonograph. Speaking of
phonographs, remember bow it
(Continued on page 8)
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** And a pony, and a bicycle, and a train, and a
drum, and a horn, and a ball, and a puppy, and a tool
chest, and. .
9f