JflUi Swn-^raurtt (Hoauio Jlublfr Kthr^irtT
The NEW BERN
n ••‘BD WBBKLY
*‘SS.“5.T
i'7,
Pei ^
VOLUME 15
NEW BERN. N. C. 28560. FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 1973
NUMBER 45
A few of us here in New Bern,
wU dong in years, shared
President Nixon’s memories
last Saturday night, when he
made a brief gesture at danci^
to the Inaugural Ball music of
Les Brown and his Band of
Renown.
Nixon, then a law student at
Duke University, met and
became a friend of the coU^e
maestro at about the ttme that
Les brought his orches^ to our
fair city for an engagement at
Stanlw Hall.
To have labded the Uttle
known group a band of renown
would have been ridiculous in
those early days. Brown, with
no attempt at originality
simply billed them as his Duke
Blue Devils.
As best we remember, he
jumped at the chance to play
here for $400, under the
auspices of the Zulus Cotilllm
Club. Don’t feel badly if you’ve
never heard tell of it, since it
was only a fnmt fw dance
promotions here.
Several young New Bern
males, not opposed to some
extra money without too mu^
of a gamble, dreamed up the
make-believe club. The most
popular girls in dozens of
eastern North Carolina towns
were named “sponsors.”
TO be chosen as a Dance
sponsor, and have hw name
listed in the society sections of
state newspapers, and the
pqi>er in her own home town,
was enough to get any gal ex
cited. And wlut boy friend
would dei^ her the joy of being
present?
Being a sponsor did offer one
distinct adrantage. It enabled
the fortunate girl to participate
with her date in me Grand
March. All things considered,
the scheme, designed for profit,
wasn’t too sinful.
No effort was spared by the
local “Cotillion dub” to land
the best bands available. From
time to time it was possible to
book a big-name outfit on an off
night, as it journeyed north or
south for more important ap
pearances.
Everybody fw miles around
enjoyed coming to New Bern for
a dance. The one thing that
promoters dreaded was heavy
rain. If it started early in tte
day, and extended into the
evening hours, attendance
>pea somewhat.
' ough his international
fame cotudn’t be foreseen, Les
Brown, even at the outset of his
career, was no ordinary
maestro. He was personable,
fraternized with the dancers,
and worked hard to give them
their money’s worth.
Unlike some better known
band leaders (Ben Bemie was
the worst) he didn’t act suporior
to the cash customers.
Sniggling to pay his way
thro^h college, he realized that
dollars didn’t come easy for
those kids on the dance floor.
The dedication he had for his
chosen pnrfession is probably
what appealed to Bw Hope,
irito above all else admires a
showman who never lets down a
crowd. The two have teamed
t^ether for many years, at
home and abroad.
At the Inaugural Ball where
(Continued on page 8)
drop]
All
JUST LIKE PEOPLE—Human beings are
notorious for ignoring or misreading signs, so who
can really find fault with Freddie Squirrel?
Pickings were lean during New Bern's recent siege
of snow and ice, so when things tapered off, he Ud
udiat came naturally and invaded this well supplied
bird feeder. Of course, he had a guilty feeling,
wdiich explains a look in his eye that puts one in
mind of a small boy caught raiding the cookie jar.
Not ev^ squirrel can read, of course, but Freddie
can, which speaks well for him, since we don't
know any humans udio are capable of carrying on a
conversation in squirrd lan^age. Unfortunately,
our bushy tailed mend, in addition to becomi^
literate, has saddled himself with less com
mendable human characteristics. As you can see,
he is an awful litter bug, and that bay window in-.
dicates he pays absolutely no attention to weight
control.—Photo by Theodore Baxter.