F rom the
Superintendent's Desk
by Raz Autry
by Raz Autry
My experiences with children
never cease to amaze me. Perhaps
this is why I feel so comfortable
with them.
In my many years of school work,
1 have always placed the welfare of
children at the top of my list. Even
my severest critics could not in all
fairness accuse me of not living up
to my commitment to children. 1
enjoy being around them. That is
why I am going to enjoy being a
grandfather so much.
I already have two adopted
grand-daughters. Practicing being
a grandfather has been a ball.
Their mothers were excellent,
former students of mine: Maxine
Colston and Ruth Ann Warren.
They have fine daughters but I
really can't brag on their husbands
too much because I have been
convinced for a long time that most
men marry above their standing.
Carol Colston and Meredith
Warren are delightful children.
Carol invented the word "hyper
active". I am fully convinced that if
you were driving down the road at
50 miles per hour and Carol was in
the car, if the window wasn't closed
she would get out and race the car.
Meredith is a born comedian. She
also has the knack of bringing one
down to earth very quickly.
Carol is my godchild. I became
involved with Meredith while tell
ing the children's story at church.
Meredith would always come down
and answer the questions with a
more than willing mind, much to
the embarrassment of her mother
but to the delight of her father.
Meredith gave me a good lesson on
humbleness recently.
I I was out at West Hoke School
where she is a student. While 1 was
talking to Mr. Williams, the prin
cipal, Meredith came by. 1 was
complaining about something one
of our folks had failed to do.
Meredith overheard the conver
sation and before I knew it, I felt a
tug on my coat. Meredith said to
me "You are a lot nicer in church
than you are out here". If you do
I not believe that is an humbling
experience try it sometime.
On occasion I have taken Carol
and Meredith to the movies. I took
them to see "Cinderella" and
during the Easter season I took
them to see "Robin Hood" in
Fayetteville. The experience 1 had
with them at Bordeaux was a real
adventure.
I arrived at the theater at one
} o'clock holding each one by the
hand to try to keep them from
doing the 100 yard dash in front of
a car. As we approached the ticket
window I saw a sign that said "Sold
Out for Robin Hood". The young
woman in the ticket booth said "I
am sorry sir, but we are completely
sold out." The girls were distressed
and I gave the young woman my
most distressful look. She said
* there was no way she was going to
" let a grandfather and his grand
daughters not see the movie. She
sold me the tickets and apologized
for the fact that we would have to
sit on the floor. I knew this would
suit the girls but I suspected that it
would be tough on "gramps". After
getting the girls situated at the
front of the theater. (They always
sit at the front. The last time I took
them they parked me on the front
^row. It took me three full days to
Pget my eyes back in place.) 1 had to
go to the concession because it was
to popcorn, coke and candy them
up.
As 1 was standing in line between
two young mothers at the con
cession stand, the one in front of
me remarked that she had seen me
coming into the theater with my
~ grandchildren. 1 told her that she
Phad and that I was afraid that we
were going to have to sit on the
floor. The mother behind me said
"Do you mean to tell me that the
theater is going to make a grand
father sit on the floor?" Both of
them said "No way is that going to
happen". Needless to say 1 was
enpying the attention.
As luck would have it. a young
man came out of the back of the
^theater. One of the young women
called for him to come over. She
asked to see the manager. He
replied "Mam. I am the manager".
She told him to go down and find
this grandfather a seat that there is
no way he is going to sit on the floor
and that the very idea that the
theater would even entertain the
notion that a grandfather would sit
on the floor was beyond her
^imagination.
The young man was somewhat
baffled and greatly apprehensive
about tangling with these young
women ana said "Come on sir. and
let's ftnd you a seat". I asked him
to wait until I could get the popcorn
and Coke, which he did. As 1
followed him down the aisle with
my arms full of popcorn, Coke, and
candy, I could see his flashlight
pointing frantically, but I con
? tinued because I knew it was
necessary for me to get the girls
situated.
He followed me down the aisle
and said to me "I have you a seat in
the middle".. 1 said "I can't leave
my granddaughters". He asked
where they would like to sit. They
immediately said the front row. All
I could say was "Oh, no". He made
arrangements for us to have two
seats on the front row. So, I
prepared for my eyes to go through
another traumatic experience.
If you can imagine a scene that
has one two - hundred - and - ten -
pound man sitting on the front row
of a theater among two hundred
and fifty screaming children, then
you have fully captured my situa
tion. Believe it or not, I was having
a ball. I knew I was fully accepted
when the little boy sitting next to
me reached his hand in my popcorn
box and helped himself.
About an hour and a half later as
we were driving home, Carol was
still turning flips in the front of my
truck and Meredith announced
that she was hot. I rolled down the
window but she said "My face is
not hot. My bottom is hot."
Without breaking their stride or a
sentence thev both wanted to know
which movie is next. I said "How
about Bambi?" They said Bambi it
will be.
' I
TO UNITED WAY ?? Ash well HarwarJ, community relations director for
Burlington in Raeford. is shown presenting a significant corporate
contribution for the United Way Campaign. Ken Witherspoon, campaign
chairman for 19H2. received the contribution on behalf of the United Way.
DRIVE CAREFULLY ? Children Don't Always Play Carefully!
Background Scripture:
Revelation 1: 13.
Devotional Reading:
Lamentations 3: 21-27. 31-33.
Dear Visitor:
The place which you haw just
entered is sacred. This small cave
some two thousand wars ago gave
shelter to the beloved disciple of
Jesus Christ, St. John the Evange
list. who around the year 95 A. D.
was exiled to Patnios by the Roman
Emperor Domitian on account of
the word of God and the testimony
of Jesus Christ.
Thus reads a small brochure
given me in May. 1980 in the Holy
Cave of the Apocalypse on the
island of Patmos in the Aegean
Sea. Tradition tells us'Wat a smalT
recess in the rock of the cave was
the place where St. John laid his
head when resting. Another recess
to the right and a little higher is the
place where he supported his hand
when he knelt to pray. A level rock
is believed to be the desk upon
which his companion, Prochoros.
wrote as the Apostle dictated. And
that which St. John dictated and
Prochoros wrote was the Revelation
of John.
According to the Apostle John,
in Revelation 1:1, this book came
to him as a revelation from God.
This was a message which God had
for the churches and. as John puts
it, "he made it known by sending
his angel to his servant John." So
the message is from God. but what
of the strange manner in w hich this
message is presented?
The style is called "apocalyptic."
a type of Jewish and Christian
literature in those days which was
used to reveal a message from God
through the means of images and
Empty
seats
outnumber
full seats
4tol.
visions of a highly symbolic nature.
The style is something that is hard
for most of us to understand in
these days, except to note that the
images and symbols are reminis
cent, to some degree, of those we
encounter in dreams or psychedelic
experiences. They are images that
seem to come from the deep
recesses of the unconscious mind.
Yet. although the images may
give us considerable difficulty ? as
sometimes our own dreams do ?
still the message that God imparted
through the Evangelist is pretty
clear. Writing in a time of persecu
tion against Christians by the
empire, the Evangelist is relaying
God's assurance that, no matter
how great th^earthlv powers that
? persecute the?, God is in control
and through nis Son. Jesus Christ,
he will prevail.
'"I am the Alpha and the
Omega." says the Lord God. who is
and who was and who is to come,
the Almighty." Since Alpha and
Omega are the first and last letters
of the alphabet, he is saying "1 am
the first and last of all things." In
between there may be principali
ties. powers and empires, but
"Fear not. ... 1 have the keys of
Death and Hades."
Dear visitor, your cumin)* t<i this
holy place is no I a chance event in
your life. God... has guided you
here to listen deep within yourself,
to the secret echo of the words
spoken to St. John. ..and for you to
see with your mind's eye the
heavenly vision revealed to the
Apostle.
And the meaning of that "hea
venly vision." now as then, is the
assurance from God through Christ
that the whole world, from Alpha
to Omega, is in his hands.
Doubling up can*
cut your commut
ing expenses in
half as well as
saving our Nation's
energy. It can also
make that daily
drive twice as nice.
VOTE FOR
CLEO BRATCHER
FOR HOKE COUNTY
COMMISSIONER
Paid By Cola's Restaurant
Who Supports Clao Brstchar. Jr.
For County Commissioner
? THE PEOPLE'S CANDIDATE ?
DO IT YOUR WAY
THE AMERICAN WAY
^^^T*Tnrn*w~irvLrL' u
Junior and Seniors
Before the Prom
Dine by Candlelight
in Raeford
Special Friday Night ? May 23
(JSDA CHOICE 8 OZ. RIBEYE STEAK *795
GET SECOND STEAK SAME SIZE */2 PRICE
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12 Item Salad Bar 1 .89 Earl McDuffie
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EDENB0R0UGH RESTAURANT
EDENBOROUGH CENTER RAEFORD, N.C. }
OPEN UNTIL 9 P.M. THURSDAY & FRIDAY J
HA R DIN'S FOOD S TORE
(BESIDE FIRE STATION)
ROCKFISH, N.C.
AND
COLE'S FOOD STORE
I Except Gasoline!
MAIN ST., RAEFORD^
uasano
? VAUTCS
We are small enough to be friendly,
and large enough to serve your every
need.
FRESH MEATS AT BOTH STORES
CUBE
STEAK
12 OZ.
FRANKS
99*
BONELESS
STEW BEEF
COBLE ICE CREAM
349
5 QT.
OLD SOUTH ORANGE JUICE
99*
Vi GAL. CTN.
GRADE A LARGE EGGS
69*
doz.
FOX DELUXE PIZZA
79*
DEL MONTE CATSUP
1"
32 02.
KRAFT BARBEQUE SAUCE
99*
28 oz.
CHARMIN
1 09
4-ROLL
CLOROX
1 GAL. 89C
SWEET POTATOES
29*
lb
JIFFY CORN MUFFIN MIX
BUDWEISER
BEER
12 oz. 6 Pack
249
TALL CAN SALMON
| 79
1 GALLON
COBLE
MILK
J 99
FRESH FISH
Dressed Daily
and
OYSTERS
< Cole's only )
2 LITER
PEPSI
MTN.
DEW
7-UP
DIET
PEPSI
GARDEN SEEDS
and PLANTS
of all kinds
in both stores
GASOLINE
REGULAR UNLEADED
1.04' 1 .09*
Hardin's at Rock fish
ONLY
Mon thru Sat. 6:30 A M til 9:30 P M
Sunday 8 A.M. til 8 P.M.
ALL STAR
FEED
ALL KINDS
AT REASONABLE
PRICES
ROCKFISH
STOne ONLY
OPEN 7 DAYS
DRIVE OUT & SAVE WITH THESE GREAT FOOD & GASOLINE SAVINGS
Grady Hardin, Manager, Rockfish
875-2201
WE ACCEPT
FOOD STAMPS AND
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