K
Once in awhile even
talented people get break
J'VV
"5o Bloxam un*t coming. So there's plenty other public works directors in the sea.*
I ihould never have written that humoroue
profile on what It’e Uke to be an aeplrlng
novelist last week.
The calls from other aspiring writers have
not ceased. But, I suppose someone must
start by asking questions.
Moat of the questions deal with how one
gets one’s work to the proper publishing
flrnu. The only answer I have to that Is buy
yourself a copy of The Writers Market at
your newsstand or check with the library to
see If they have a copy you could peruse.
ThU Is a bad answer, but I doubt very
seriously If you will find copies at either the
newsstsuids or In the local libraries.
The area la ]ust not geared for that type of
publication. The City Newsstand In Shelby
does sell the mcnthly publications — The
Writer and Writer’s Digest and does handle
the annual Writer’s Yearbook sometime
after the first of each year.
These publications provide valuable In
formation about who among the publishing
firms are open to novice material and who
among the accredited literary agents will
accept material from new writers.
eDITORIM') &OPIMIOrK
Page 4A Thursday, November 18,1976
And so we bid fond farewell to Bloxam
And so we say a fond farewell to Leonard P. Bloxam, the little man who was
never there.
Mr. Bloxam, as you may recall, was hired as Kings Mountain’s new public
woilcs director back cm July 26. His selection, along with the dismissal of the
former PWD, Black Letmard, and a couple of other city employes, was of such
low importance at the time It didn’t even rate space on the commissioners
agenda the night It hai^ened.
’The next few weeks, the question, "When will Mr. Bloxam be here,’’ was
asked. And the answer was a firm “Next Monday.’’
Then the next thing anyone knew Mr. Bloxam had been granted an extension
so he could finish a Job he was working on prior to being hired by KM. The Job he
had to finish lacked final Inspection by federal agencies. At this point we have to
wander If Mr. Bloxam and the KM Commissioners were not aware that the one
final Inspection by federal agencies was not expected. If It was expected, then
what was the urgency to get rid of Leonard as PWD, hire Bloxam and announce
he would be on die Job In a couple of weeks?
Now, four months later, we are told Mr. Bloxam declines to be KM’s public
worits director. ’That means we’ve had four months of doubling over from certain
city emplosres. It also means that the search must now continue for a qualified
public works director.
Frustrating. Isn’t it, men?
Give them what they want and they turn out
The men and women behind the 1977 Kings Mountain United Fhnd are to be
congratulated.
And the people of Kings Mountain must share In the congratulations.
Starting with a goal of $89,000, the United FTmd has concluded with a total In
excess of $60,000. For the second year straight the community has gone beyond
set limits to provide vital services through various agencies In the community.
Tonight, the campaign workers will gather at KM Junior High for an awards
dinner and victory celebration.
Maybe they should proudly make note that three years ago there was no
camii^n to speak of. And even earlier In the campaign last year that a new
approach had to be taken In mid-stream and a lower goal set because the original
goal looked too far to reach. That was doubly amazing because then the area was
deep In the economic depression and unemployment was high.
But the United Fund Is a bona fide need In any conrununlty. It provides, through
many agencies, the services the community needs and wants.
Just goes to show you. Give the people what they want and they’ll turn out
everytime.
The Great Barnum began his
career here with a sermon
drinks."
-oOo-
€D
SMITH
P. T. Bamum, "The Great Showman,"
began his circus career In North OaroUaa.
At a country croasroad, half a mile from
Rocky Mount on November U, IBM, the first
. recorded performance of Barnum’s
travebng show took place. No menthm la
made of aqy specific act or attraetlan, but It
la recorded that Bamum himself preached a
sermon.
In 1976 The RlngUng Brothers and Bamum
and Ballsy Circus performed at the
Charlotte Coliseum to observe Its 140th
anniversary.
-oOo-
MlRROfliMLD
GARLAND ATKINS
PUBLISHER
TOM MCINTYRE
Editor
OART8TEWi|AT
Spo^ Editor
DARRELL AUS’^
Gen. Mgr.'
ELIZABETH STEWART
Womaa’s Editor
CLYDE mii.t.
A^rDir.
MEMBER OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS ASSOCIATION
Kings Mountain Mirror-Herald la pnbUshed each Thnrsday by Geaeral
Fubllahtaig Co., P. O. Box 6, Kings Mountain, N. C., 18616. Otfiees are located
downtown at 864 8. Pledmoat Ave. Phone 186-7466. Single copy 16 ooty Snb-
scrlption rates: In N. C., yearly, $6.86; Ont-Df-State, yearly, 86JM. Second elaas
postage paid at Kings Mountain, N. C.
On November 16, 1766, In Wilmington, a
ealonlal mob broke Into the home of William
Houston, the King’s Stamp Master In North
Carolina.
’The mob carried Houston to the cour
thouse and forced him to sign a paper stating
he would not attempt to perform hla duties In
the province. Then they carried him back
home where they “treated him liberally with
liquor."
^TMs was oiM of several acts of violent
opposition to the Stamp Act In North
Carolina.
-oOo-
Jcnathan Worth, governor of the state In
the turbulent post-CtvU War period, was
bom In Guilford County on November 18,
1808.
Elected in 1816 to replace temporary
governor W. W. Holden, Worth was removed
from office before the end of his term by the
Reconstruction Acts, which declared all
Southern Statee govemmsnt Illegal.
Worth figured In the most famous Incident
Involving any chief executive of this state. At
a meeting In Columbia with Federal Military
Governor D. E. Sickles In 1887. Governor Crr
of South Carolina turned to Worth and said,
"The Governor of South Carolliut feels
constrained to say to the Govsrnor of North
Carolina that at these military cabinet
councils there la a long time between
John Branch, the first North Carolinian to
serve in a President’s cabinet, was bom on
November 14, 1788.
He la also the only tar heel cltlsen ever to
serve as governor of two states — North
Carolina (1817-80) and Florida (18-44).
At the time of ms eiecuon as Norm
Carolina governor, he was the youngest (88)
to have served.
Branch had one of me moat meteoric and
successful political careers In North
Carolina history. Though possessing
Inherited weaim, he was a rarity tor his time
and locale by being a political liberal. He
crusaded for expanded voting rights, less
severe panel codes, the abotlahment of
Imprisonment for debts and for me eman-
dpiaUmi of slaves and their recolonlsatlon In
Africa.
Branch served as Secretary of TTie Navy
under President Andrew Jackson and also as
a North Carolina Senator.
-oOo-
Dled November 14, 1868, Augustus S.
Metrlmon, U. S. Senator and Chief of the
State Supreme Court.
A native of Transylvania County,
Metrlmon was a leading Democrat In the
Reconstruction Period, m 1873 he was
narrowly defeated by a Republican, Tod
Chldwell, for Ctovemcr.
-oOo-
’The famous Chorokae Indian Chief
Junaluska died on November 30, 1868. He
was said to have been 100 years old.
Junaluska had allied himself with Andrew
Jackson while an active chief, and at the
Battle of Horse Shoe Bend had saved
General Jackson’s life.
In later years It would bo the Indlan-IwUng
Jackson, as President, who would order the
Infamous migration of the Cherokees from
North Carolina to (Fdahonw.
The trek, which almost destroyed the
entire tribe, came to be known among the
Indians as ‘Ths Trail of Tears."
TOM
Mcinme
Idon’twlsh to be discouraging, but the fact
is this business Is me toughest I know of to
get Into In the beginning. But me really In
terested new writers will not be discouraged.
They will grow to learn that It requires a
great deal cf help from people who know
people.
i 1
There Is a big problem right now as far as
getting a publishing firm Interested in new
fiction. New flctlm publication has been cut
60 percent In most cases and In a few cases 76
percent. It Is more profitable for the
publishing houses to reissue known saleable
works.
The biggest need today, may teU me, U for
non-flctlon work. Books on mainstream
personalities and historical works and how
to books.
But again you will need me help of people
who know people to even have your material
read.
The aspiring writer will have hla heart
broken a hundred times trying for mat one
break. But If you have me words tumbling
out of you and me fire and talent that go wim
It, then someday you will make a
breidcmrough.
All of the known and constantly published
writers and authors we read about today
have had to struggle to get somewhere. And
quite frankly, some of the ones in the money
do not deserve to be mere. They are hacks
who churn out Junk. There are omers who
have penned one-time bestsellers, not as
reporters of Interesting stories, but as the
creators at mose stories. I refer to people
like BUxabem Ray and John Dean and Bob
Haider man.
Tucks such as mese should be sentenced td, ,
be published only by Vanity Houses (firm!
that require me aumor to pay for having
material published.)
Family rated publishing policies of mis
newspaper prev ents me from really spelling
out how I personally feel about blights on the
maiket place such as mese type rlpoff ar
tists.
So hang In there, gang. Even people who
have something wormwhlle to contribute to
the literary scene get a break once In awhile.
-oOo-
LOOKIMG
Bl^Ck
From the Nov. 17,1866 FUes Of
The Klngi Mountain Herald
Mr. suid Mrs. Roger McDaniel announce
the birth of a son, Tliursday, Nov. 10, Kings
Moinitain Hospital.
L* Feto Rook Chib members met ’Thur
sday evening at me home of Mrs. Paul
McGinnis.
Cfrcle 8 of Central Methodist Church met
Mofiday night at the home at Mrs. George
Blalock. A,
Duplicate Bridge Chib members met
Monday night with Mrs. Howard B. Jackson
hostess at her home.
r *.»'
Here’s a final Item idSout Kings Mountain's
Invasion by the gypsies a couple of weeks
ago ... .
It seems one of me gypsies placed a
terrible curse on the head of that local law
enforcement officer, Ptl. Billy Benton.
A curse something on the order of "may
you Inherit a hundred mMslons. And In each
mansion may mere be a hundred rooms. And
msy you wrime from room to room wim
msUarla fever . . .’’
The gypsies didn’t count on a local exorcist
to take a hand, however.
Jimmy Dickey donned his monks robe,
skull cap and took up his large cross, waved
me cross at Ptl. Benton’s head a few times,
muttered an Incantation and removed me
curse.
Good move, Jimmy. May you find a shiny
new crystsd ball In your ChrlstmsM stocking. *.
Is me 1866 Mountaineer Team me best in
Kings Mountain history?
Most at the fans today will say It la. But ‘‘
some of me old-timers will scratch thsir
heads and say, "I remember back In 1986;’’
Santa Claus will come to Kings Mountain
for his annual pre-Christmas visit on Dec/8.
Frances Franklin, Central High School
senior, will represent Kings Mountain In the
Thanksgiving Day Carollnas Carrousel next
Thursday In Charlotte.
SOCIAL AND PERSONAL