Newspapers / West Craven Highlights (Vanceboro, … / April 28, 1983, edition 1 / Page 2
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Pag* 2, Wasi Cravan Hlghllghla, April 28,1983 The Town With The Bum Rap By JONATHAN PHILLIPS Mega-Columnist Talk about your bum raps. Now Vanceboro has lived with bum raps for allegedly being (a) a tough town that was easy to get beat up in, and (b) a notorious speed trap. Greenville has had a bum rap for being a town full of drunks and full-time partiers. The U.S. Census Bureau laid a bum rap on Jacksonville by releasing data showing that Jacksonville is one of the worst urban areas in the nation in terms of several statistics which allegedly reflect the quality of life. Why anybody would be down on a town chock full of wonderful business establishments such as the Hang ’em High Saloon, Big Ed’s Bowery Bar, and the Leatherneck Topless Lounge is beyond me, but that’s what the census bureau said. But J-Town notwithstanding, there is one town in the United States that undoubtedly has gotten the bummest rap of all. It ain’t Miami. At least Miami has sunshine. It ain’t Dee-troit, though the Motor City would surely come close. And it ain’t even Ernul, where they claim that the most exciting event of the year is suckering tobacco is simply not true. The place that is most often mentioned when people are asked to name the roughest, dirtiest, meanest, smelliest city in the nation, the veritable armpit of the North American continent is ... (the envelope, please). Newark, New Jersey. Forget all the Cleveland jokes. Throw out all those moldy old one-liners about Philadelphia. When it comes to a hardcore bad reputation, Newark is the bottom of the barrel. People who live in darkest New York fear to tread the streets of Newark, and even streetwise Jerseyans prefer to take their chances in Jersey City if given a choice. ' Even a recent Mutt and Jeff newspaper cartoon got into the act. “Why so glum?” Jeff asked Mutt. “I won the state lottery,” his pal replied. “What’s so bad about that?” Jeff wondered. "I won Newark,” Mutt said sadly. « * * * » OK, so the place has a little crime problem. That doesn’t mean you can’t stroll around the place without a flak jacket, kung-fu training,a “ sawed-off 12-gauge and a radio to call in the attack choppers, as so many would have you believe. And so the heart of Essex County had oil refineries and tank farms and other scenes from some sort of industrial nightmare. It also has more cherry trees than Washington, D.C. And so what if the dark and crumbling tenements of Newark would make a choice between living there and moving into a bulk barn a tough one to make? Where’s your pioneer spirit? Me, I’ve decided to adopt Newark. My lack of enthusiasm for New Jersey has been all too well documented in this mega-column. Newark is certainly no worse than the town I live in, however (a scary thought in itself, really), and if anyplace ever needed to be adopted, Newark does. I began thinking about it when I heard that a downstate legislator once suggested that Newark be ceded to Missouri. I thought harder about it when the head of the state Office of Coastal Protection noted that South Jersey beach towns are reluctant to provide free beach access because they’re afraid that 10 minutes after they do it there’ll be six busloads of people from Newark there with umbrellas, Schaefer beer, and ghetto blasters. Life's Lessons by Lela Barrow Why go to school? So many children ask that question, but do not get a satisfying answer. Somewhere, somehow everybody who intends to amount to anything in this world must get ready; and schools are the best answer we can give. It pays in dollars and cents. One who doesn't take advantage of school does not learn any profession in life; such as being doctors, lawyers, teachers, dentists, preachers, mechanics. The boy or girl leaving school early is condemning himself to hard labor with his hands—not his brain which was not nourished. Life's Lessons—“We've all got to go to school, I expect and we don't all get the same lesson to learn, but the one we do get is our'n, 'taint nobody else's, and if it's real hard, why it shows the teacher thinks we're capable”. (Rose Terry Cooke). 'Tis true, Mr Edison and Mr. Ford got along without much formal training—so did Mr. Lincoln and Mr. Whitman but they were considered above the average mentally and ambitiously. Today, when you go looking for a job—“Have you finished High School”? If the answer is no—he can work on a farm as a day laborer—or a girl can work in a 6-10? store. So many children go through High School and go to College not knowing what they want to do or to study. I knew in Elementary School I wanted to be a teacher, and I studied for that aim all through High School. I kept on taking arithmetic while studying Algebra and Geometry. After finishing the Spelling Books, I studied Webster's Dictionary with the meaning of words. Prof. G. E. Lineberry was a wonderful teacher. He taught all four grades in High School in one room; and never complained. All of us remember something that happened in school—here's one—One day Mr. Lineberry To The Editor: Since I’ve been in the Philippines, I’ve really enjoyed receiving the Highlights. Being stationed overseas makes North Carolina look really good. The article about furniture salesmen (March 10) really touched me. I think I miss those silly commercials too! The Philippines is a lot different from Craven County, and your newspaper helps me remember Vanceboro and all its thrills and surprises. If it weren’t for your paper and mom’s letters I’d never hear about Vanceboro on this side of the world. Hi everybody! See you at Christmas. (I Hope!). Sincerely, AlC Anita Gaskins Clark Air Base, Philippines Address: PSC 1 Box 6149 APO San Francisco, CA 96286 called the dormitory students to meet him on the third story at 4:00 P.M. Everyone was excited and kinda scared. He began telling of so m letters and notes being passed between the Iw^ and girls. If it wasn't stopped, it would mean expulsion from school. Some girls would be writing to more than one boy. I wasn't guilty- some said they wished they were in my shoes. Here is something Mr. Lineberry stressed, “The great truths of the Universe are always simple truths, and the great men and women are not afraid to utter simple truths. He stressed to his pupils that in making a speech whether to the highly educated or the lower degree to use simple words that everyone understands. The big words some people use show a lack of expressing words. A friend of mine had a date with a school teacher who used big words continuously—She asked him a question about the subject. honestly answered, “I don't know. Cut it up aUnW wood length, and I can answer your question”. The most determined child I ever knew was Lera Smith. ’’Why do I have to go to school? I hate it”. Her brothers and sisters begged her to go with them. They had to leave her. Her mother came with her coat and hat on, ready to walk Lera to school. That went on each day for a week—soon as her mother was out of sight, Lera slipped out the door and ran home. She was in the school room the morning the nurse came to give the smallpox vaccination, but before she could get to Lera she jumped out the window and ran home. Her mother put her in the buggy and drove to Vanceboro and told Dr. Duguid to vaccinate her. Lera said, “When I get through seventh grade I never intend to go to school another day—I will sleep as late as I want to”—when she reached the seventh grade, she loved to go. To be a good teacher doesn't mean the highest educated teacher—it means those who love teaching—those who have patience, understanding, love children, preparing the lessons to teach before the day's work begins. Virginia Cary Hudson, a child of ten wrote, “Education is what you learn in books, and nobody knows, you know it but your teacher. I Continued on page 4- To The Editor: The family of Edna King would like to thank Dr. Underhill and associates and also the nurses of Craven County Hospital that were so patient and understanding during our Mother’s recent stay in room 238. Thanks to all our friends for the prayers, visits, phone calls, flowers and cards. The Family of Edna King. Deadline for Articles Monday Noon ! But the final straw came when I was actually at a meeting in downtown Newark. I had a few free minutes and strolled around a bit. The cherry trees were in bloom, the wind was carrying the Texaco fumes across the Hudson to the big apple, and as five Puerto Rican teenagers approached on the street, all they did was nod and smile. Now don’t get the idea that I’ve gone and gotten Yankeefied on you, as did one reader who referred to me in a letter as the 'Benedict Arnold of Dixie” for just moving up here. The adoption, like my tenure here, is highly temporary. It’s just that for right now, Newark needs me most. After all, Jacksonville has Big Ed’s Bowery Bar, and in Ernul they can always sucker tpbacco. Carrie Lee McVicker Trantpoiler , Mike Hodges Circulatiq] John McLw Sport* :iOi^ HIGHLIGHTS Craven County’s Family Weekly Newspaper R.L. Cannon, Jr. Sharon Buck ^‘****’ Hodges •Publisher Production Circulation Business Manager Christine Hill Office Manager P.O. Box 404, Main Street, Across from the Post Office Vanceboro, North Carolina 28586 Phone: (919) 244-0780, (919) 244-0508 PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY Second Class Postage Paid at Vanceboro, N.C. (Permit entered Mamh 1,1978) SUBSCRIPTION PRICES Single Copy 20? 1 Year Subscription $6.24 2 Years Subscription $10.40 3 Years Subscription .! $14.56 (USPS 412-110) (Payable in advance. Subscribers desiring their Highlights terminated at expiration shouid notify us of this intention, otherwise we will consider it their wish to continue to receM^ the paper and they will be charged for It.)
West Craven Highlights (Vanceboro, N.C.)
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April 28, 1983, edition 1
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