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Clothing From Coo/eemee
~V ;
Helps In Leper Colony
By MARLINS BENSON
Captain Clyde Roberts of the U.
9. Army, now stationed at Fort
Campbell, Kentucky, was very
thankful to be with his family this
past Ohristmas. His wife, the former
Joan Pierceiqf Cpoleemee, and their
two sons Randy, 9, and Diave, age
7, were equally grateful to have him
at home.
home from Pled Mrong, Vietnam, after
completing a year's active duty as
a member of a Special Forces Camp
there. Tfie camp, located only 35 miles
from thdrtamhoriian border, consisted
of only lx American Gls in an entire
camp of Vietnamese soldiers.
It was heart-breaking to Roberts
and his men to see how other human
beings were forced to live. Things
we take for granted, such as food,
•shelter and clothing, were luxuries
to these unfortunate people, especially
the children.
LEPER COLONY
Only one-balf mile from their
camp was a leper colony that was
completely abandoned. These people
were separated from the village and
treated as outcasts by their own peo
ple. No one dared help them,
regardless of their condition or how
despsaalo they became. They were
gatabandoned in the colony and left
Many of the lepers were missing
an arm or leg or deformed in soma
way, bt* did everything possible to
exist The children bora in this colony
had never worn dotting, experienced
the taste of a candy bar and had «*>
Idea feei* were such ttflgoe m toys to
pfay with.
A imr number of the children
seemed to be comp&tefy normal, bt*
were never attvwed to ieawa the
colony. The kern lived in a very
small world att «>e4r own* with no oufc
eide until the Americans set up
he Special Fbrces Camp nteaitnr.
CsfMn Roberta explained w* at
this time, two mtodics Were sent to the
colony wfch metßcai supplies that
couM arrest the disease. Although it
is impossible to cure leprosy, with
proper medical attention, it can be
stopped.
Many times tie Americans found,
lepers that had been outcast by their
own tribe and left to die, and would
take them back to the colony for
medical
pap
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f 6 PoMi COOLEEMEE, N. C. fQ r n f M
Wednesday, January 10,1968
Johnson Ijames Begins
30th Year At School
Johnson Ijames it 77 years
of age Is still very active in
his dirties as janitor at the
Cooleemee Elementary School.
TWs year will mark Johnson's
90% year at the school. Daring
this time many children in
Cooleemee have become very
fond of him.
Johnson's first job was at a
very young age with a sawmill
in the county known as the
Charlie Seaford Sawmill. He was
married in 1912 to the former
Ida Noble. In 1917 he was
employed with Erwin Mills in
Cooleemee where he acquired 48
years seniority before his retire
ment several years ago.
Daring the time he was
employed at the mill, he also
worked the winter months for
the school and after 30 years
still enjoys his duties there.
Not Enough Feeling -
The elementary sctiool principal called a lather ~~
to school for a conference. "Do you know," he
asked, 'that your son swears terribly?" The father
nodded his head and said, "ain't it the truth?
He knows the words, but he don't put no feeling
into them."
What
See Page 3
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