Page 2A-KINGS MOUNTAIN HERALD-Thursday, December 22, 1983
PUBLISHED EACH THURSDAY
GARY STEWART
Managing Editor
GARLAND ATKINS
Publisher
DARRELL AUSTIN
General Manager
ELIZABETH STEWART
News Editor
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The Herald is published by Herald Publishing House. P.O. Box 752. Kings
Mountain. North Carolina. 28086. Business and editorial offices are located at
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TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE
And she shall bring forth a son and shalt call his name Jesus; for he
shall save his people from their sins. St. Matthew 1:21
EDITORIAL
OPINION
\ (2)
Be Glad At This Season
The lobby serving the post office was filled with patrons one morn-
ing late this week, each trying to complete mailing of last-minute
Christmas packages and cards. “I wish Christmas would hurry up and
come,” said one lady who was busy stamping her cards and in a hurry
to get to the grocery store, “I'll be glad when it’s over.”
How many of us share her frustrations? So much to do, so little
time. That gift list still is long. All those Christmas cards to address and
mail.
Relax, people. Be still and know what you’re about.
Take time to read again the Christmas Story from the Second
Chapter of Luke.
“In those days a decree was issued by the Emperor August for a
general registration throughout the Roman world. This was the first
registration of its kind. It took place when Quirinius was governor of
Syria. For this purpose every one made his way to his own town; and
(50 Joseph went up to Judaea from the town of Nazareth in Galililee to
be registered at the city of David, called Bethlehem, because‘he was of
al i 2 “of ig by des ;
bethrothed to him. She was pregnant, and while they were there the
time cake for her child to be born. She wrapped him round, and laid
him in a manger, because there was no room for them to lodge in the
house.
“Now in the same district there were shepherds out in the fields,
keeping watch through the night over their flock, when suddenly there
stood before them an angel of the Lord, and the splendour of the Lord
shone round about them. They were terror struck, but the angel said,
“Do not be afraid; I have good news for you; there is great joy coming
to the whole people. Today in the city of David a deliverer has been
born to you, the Messiah, the Lord. And this is your sign: you will find
a baby lying all wrapped up, in a manger.
«All at once there was with the angel, a great company of the
heavenly host, singing the praises of God.
“Glory to God in highest heaven, and on earth his peace for men
and whom his favor rests.”
Be glad, people. More than anything you do during this time of self-
imposed pressure. Be glad. Take time to remind yourselves why are
you trying to do so much for so many?
Some Differences
There are some differences about Christmas 1983.
Christmas 1983 should be a more prosperous one for the vast
number of Americans. More people are working here in Cleveland
County in 1983 and from the looks of crowds at local stores shoppers
are buying more this season than last. And the economic forecast for
the New Year is the best news in many years.
Christmas 1983 is a time for reflection. We cannot stop the world
even if we wanted to get off. And usually at this season of the yar,
we'd want to hang on. There’s too much to celebrate, too much an-
ticipation and excitement. We'd wait until another time, another
place.
Holidays, it is true, can be the loneliest times of the year. For many,
Christmas is a time for memories of times that might have been or
times that will be no more.
Yet, that solemn, yet splendid celebration of the birth of Jesus, the
carpenter’s son who is the Messiah to Christians, transcends the lights
and the Christmas glitter and wrappings. That birth, longago, is reason
enough to get us through the holidays in better spirits than we might
have otherwise known under any current circumstances.
Man is imperfect and seems incapable of attaining the high goals set
by Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago.
But the observance of His birthday on this Christmas and every
year, cleanses the spirit and lifts the hopes of people all over the world.
All should strive to work and pray that Kings Mountain and the
world will more nearly practice the teachings of Jesus in their dealings
with their fellowman in 1984.
One More Christmas Wish
The Christmas lights in the business district this year are the pret-
tiest ever, thanks to the additions. And homes in the community are
decorated with lights and tinsel and glitter of the season. We ap-
preciate the beauty but hope Santa will grant us one extra present this
year. In 1984, how about a Christmas parade? We missed it this year
in both Kings Mountain and Grover. Town commissioners in both
towns agreed to spend extra funds on Christmas decorations and
eliminate the parades. We hope that early. next year the Merchants
Association and Chamber of Commercéfwilljoin in a concerted effort
in both the Kings Mountain and Grover to open the Christmas shopp-
ing season with big parades early in December.
BE
cent, aid with him went Mary who was. ©
Forget Those Dolls,
And Fill These Requests
Dear Santa:
Well, big guy, it’s that time again.
You ought to know me by now. I've been writing you for years.
Sometimes you don’t come across.
1 know you've probably been pulling your whiskers out wondering
how in the world you’re going to fill all those requests for Cabbage
Patch dolls. I'll let you by on that one, but would you consider some of
these:
A good, pro football offer for Clemson’s Kevin Mack, an outstan-
ding runner who could also make it as a defensive back...
A Southwestern 3-A Conference championship for Kings Moun-
tain’s football team next year, and a place on the Shrine Bowl roster
for Tracy Johnson, a junior on last year’s KMHS team who'll be play-
ing for Kannapolis next year..While you're at it, Santa, bring the
North Carolina coaches a better way of selecting their Shrine Bowl
players. Either the Tar Heel coaches are doing a sorry job, or South
Carolina’s brand of football is head and shoulders above North
Carolina’s...
A major college football scholarship for Kings Mountain’s Curt
Pressley, a young man who could have been on that Shrine Bowl
roster a couple of weeks ago had he not been bothered by injuries late
in the season...
A pro baseball contract for Kings Mountain lefthander Tim Leach,
who'll be hurling his senior season for Wingate College come spring...
A conference championship next spring for Kings Mountain High
tennis coach Ed Guy, who'll be stepping down after the season
because of his recent promotion to assistant principal at Kings Moun-
tain Junior High. The saddest thing about Guy’s departure as tennis
caoch will be that he won’t get to coach his own son, Jeff, who along
with Bryan Jones should bring the Mountaineers a lot of victories in
the future...
A lot of victories for former Kings Mountain players and coaches
who are now at other schools. Let’s see, that would be Bob Hussey at
Davidson, Nancy Scoggins at Limestone, Mike Ware at Newberry
High, Jerry Adams and Darrell Van Dyke at East Gaston, Charles
Greene at South Point, Charlie Barnes at Richmond County, Dan
Brooks at the University of Florida, Tony Leigh at Bessemer City,
Frank Morehead of Cherryville, and maybe some others I can’t think
of. Just don’t let those wins come against the Mountaineers...
L
A SWC baseball title next spring for the Mountaineers and their
new coach, David Heffner, who is replacing a very successful Barry
Gibson at the KM helm...
SWC Player of the Year honors and a major college scholarship for
Sonya McClain of the Mountainettes, who is leading the SWC in scor-
ing after playing in the shadows of another outstanding player, Trina
Hamrick, the past two seasons...
A mounting size crappie for Rob Caveny. But he’ll have to get it ear-
ly in the morning. He quits in time for brunch...
Another NCAA championship for the N.C. State Wolfpack. In-
stead of trying to put so much coaching strategy into the game like
most other big college coaches, Jim Valvano lets his players go out on
the floor and play basketball...
A
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2 i ITE A
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Stewart’s
Slants
By
Gary Stewart
»
A lot of food, clothing, money and the other necessities of life for
organizations like the local Helping Hand Fund which serve needy
people, and more desire from the people who have to help those who
have not...
A league full of superstars for John Henry Moss and the South
Atlantic League, and some good pitchers, including the Goose, for Ted
Turner and the Atlanta Braves. Throw in Pete Rose for the Braves,
too. Maybe his hustle would rub off...
A quick opening of the new Highway 74 bypass. Many people feel
the bypass will hurt the merchants on King Street. I disagree. Many
local people, including myself, avoid King Street because of the heavy
traffic and stop lights...
A return to good health for all those persons who are suffering from
bad health or a disease. This Christmas, we especially think of two fine
people of our community who have been under the weather, Mrs.
Lauris Blalock and Dewitt Hambright...
More politicians like Jim Broyhill who go'out and see what the peo-
ple are concerned about. I’ve lived in Cleveland County for all of my
37 years and I've never séen a county commissioner in my
neighborhood... ;
A peaceful Christmas weekend for all rescue and fire volunteers in
the area, who are some of the most dedicated people ‘I’ve ever seen...
An end to the building of nuclear weapons, and a disassembling of
the ones now in existence...
Good health, peace, the love of our families and friends, and the
realization of the true meaning of Christmas for all persons all over the
world.
Nothing Sadder To Awake
6. Lost Christias’ has become a
perennial. We are reprinting it this Christmas.e
There is nothing sadder in this world than to wake Christmas morn-
ing and not be a child.
Not to feel the cold on your bare feet as you rush to the Christmas
tree in the living room. Not to have your eyes sparkle at the wonder-
ment of discovery. Not to rip the ribbons off the shiny boxes with such
abandon.
What happened?
When did the cold bare feet give way to reason and a pair of sensible
bedroom slippers? When did the sparkle and the wonderment give way
to depression of a long day? When did a box with shiny ribbon mean
an item on the charge”.
A Child of Christmas doesn’t have to be a toddler or a teen. A child
of Christmas is anyone who believes that Kings have birthdays.
Maybe they diminished the year you decided to have your
Christmas cards printed to send to 1,500 of your “closest friends and
dearest obligations”. You got too busy to sign your own name.
Maybe it was the year you discovered the traditional Christmas tree
was a fire hazard and the needles had to be vacuumed every three
hours and you traded its holiday aroma for a silver one that revolved,
changed colors, played “Silent Night” and snowed on itself.
Or the year it got to be too much trouble to sit around the table and
put popcorn and cranberries on a string. Possibly you lost your
childhood the year you solved your gift problems neatly and coldly
with a checkbook.
Think about it. It might have been the year:you were too rushed to
bake and resorted to slice and bake with no nonsense. Who needs a
bowl to clean—andlick?
Most likely it was the year you were so efficient in paying back all
your party obligations. A wonderful little caterer did it all for you for
$5 per person.
Children of Christmas are givers. That’s what the day is for. They
give thanks, love, gratitude, joy and themselves to one another.
It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to have children around a tree.
It’s rather like lighting a candle you've been saving, caroling when
your feet are cold, building a fire in a clean grate, grinding tinsel deep
into the rug, licking frosting off a beater, giving something you made
yourself.
CALENDAR
And Not Be A Child
AH g Vig } 3 aus iad
"Erma Bombeck’s. Th
It’s laughter, being with people you like, and at some time falling on
your knees and saying, “Thank Y ou for coming to my birthday party.”
How sad indeed to awake on Christmas and not be a child.
Time, self-pity, apathy, bitterness, and exhaustion can take the
Christmas out of the child, but you cannot take the child out of
Christmas.
To our family, Christmas has always meant a time to have the fami-
ly together in a happy state of love, companionship and good will. A
time that can win us back to the delusions of childhood, recall to the
older person the pleasures of youth and bring the traveler back to his
own fireside and the quietness and joy of a happy home. At our house
this Christmas the hand that directed us is missing for the first time, as
Daddy went to heaven on Labor Day. While we have many things for
which to be thankful, Christmas will never be quite the same. In the
spirit of the season I extend to each of you a warm and sincere wishes
for good health and happiness and a Merry Christmas.
-
THURSDAY: 12:00 - Kings Mountain Rotary club at Holiday
Inn. 6:00 - Christmas Party for “Swinging Mountaineers,”
Senior Citizens Band, at Depot Center.
TUESDAY, DEC. 27 - 4:30 - Children’s Art Class with Artist
John Brady at A.B. Snow Studio, 3600 Margrace Road.
7.30 - Adult Art Class with Artist John Brady at KM Depot. all
citizens interested in forming a Working Artists Guild are in-
vited. You don't have to be an artist to belong.
&ij Peeps Into The Past
(From the Dec. 23, 1952 edition of The Kings Mountain
Herald).
Annual Phenix Plant supervises and office personnel Christmas par-
ty was held at Masonic Hall dining room Saturday night with 34 peo-
ple attending.
A crowd which filled Central School Auditorium Sunday afternoon
attended the Christmas party for employees of Craftspun Yarns.
Mr. and Mrs. J.O. Barber announce the engagement of their
daughter, Iris Elizabeth, to Sr. William B. Thompson, who is stationed
with the U.S. Navy in San Diego, Calif. The wedding is planned for
late December.
Kathryn Ware entertained a group of friends at a surprise party
Sunday afternoon honoring Ronnie Kincaid on his 17th birthday.