Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1929-01-10
Civitan Club to Hold
Business Meet Tonight

at the Daniel Boone hotel this
(Thursday) evening at 7:30 o'clock.
The board of directors is asked to
meet at the hotel 80 minutes before
the membership meeting.
The luncheon last week, the first
for the new year, was largely attend
ed, President G. K. Moose took oc-
casion to thank the membership of
the club for the fine cooperation
he had received during the first
half of his administration and ex-
pressed the hope that the club would
accomplish greater things during the
coming year. Civitan Hahn made
brief report of the activities of
mis- committee during the past two
weeks in giving aid to influenza
sufferers. He said a survey of the
town and surrounding communities
was made and aid given where
needed. Quite sum of money was
expended in this way, and the club
treasury still has funds for this pur-
pose. In this connection, the club
gave rising vote of appreciation to
the doctors of the town in for the
service rendered during the severe
flu epidemic-going wherever their
services were called for, without
consideration of remuneration.
The club also extended it's sympa-
thy to Civitan T. E. Bingham and
other families here in their recent
bereavements, following which DR..
Will O. Gordon delivered an address
on "Cynicism and OPTIMISM" de-
claring that it is well to consider
certain characteristics which count
for much in a developing future. The
real problem, said the speaker, is to
meet present and future conditions
with optimism and fidelity, with en-
thusiasm and purpose. First, con-
slider that in ones attitude to the
days ahead, one must be optimistic
instead of cynical. Cynicism has
never done much good in this world.
No man can practice cynicism on
everybody else long before it begins
to turn upon himself. The cynic is
usually embittered, or at least has
something of the sneer in his heart,
if not upon his lips. Optimism is
worth more than cynicism. The op-
timistic life is far more in demand
than the cynical life. Cynicism is a
fatal blight. 1t kills JOY, it saps
sanity, it stops life. A man who
has become a cynic about himself is
done. The cynic is destructionist,
but the optimist is constructionist.
If we are to meet the problems of
the present and future, we must
have hearts as we'll as heads and be
able to join hands in genuine sympa-
thy and fellowship with the age in
which we live.
The value of optimism, continued
DR.. Gordon, is that it accompanies
cooperation and service, and gains
inspiration. There must be the
inward longing to do; the ideal must
inspire; the practical must follow.
The great incentives the present
day opportunity will lure the noble
soul to greater effor. 1t is not
simply matter of idealism, but the
optimist will know the object of life
and with that object his expanding
spirit will gain the goal toward
which he aims. He will know just
where to go rather than blindly fol-
low an arbitrary and compelling
leadership.
Again cynicism is to be dreaded
in that it destroys faith in humanity.
That is why we should continually
value optimism as great asset to
life. The optimist has great faith
in human possibilities. Several years
ago, Dr. Gordon related, it was my
privilege to spend a few hours as a
guest in one of the southern prisons.
| was permitted to interview some OF
the prisoners, and l found out some
thing l had never suspected. l
thought those fellows would be Gym
ical in the extreme toward life; but
no, they were the most optimistic
crowd l have ever met. They had
hopes, ambitions, and aspirations. In
spite of their handicaps they had
faith in life and in humanity. Those
convicts were refreshing and inspi-
rational to me. They helped to re-
establish my faith in humanity. AS
l came home from that prison after
talking with those fellows, l found
myself singing the words of an old
negro spiritual, Gail Gods Children
Got Wings" Yes they have. They
may be invisible, they may be so
tightly folded you would not suspect
they have wings; they may be badly
broken; but nevertheless, "All Gods
children have wings"
Glancing at Civitan L.. L. Bingham
of the Boone Chevrolet Company DR..
Gordon, smilingly said: "Some years
ago l was owner of one OF the origl-
nal Chevrolets; you remember some
what of what they used to be; but
now it is different. If such marvel
Gus change can be made in an auto
mobile. then what must be the pos