The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1951-01-26
NEW BIOGRAPHY
OF PAUL GREEN
NOW ON SALE
BY MARY ELLEN WEST


released biography PAUL GREEN
OF CHAPEL HILL. It's author,
Agatha Boyd Adams, extension Ii
brarian at the University of North
Carolina, wrote it in response to
the steadily growing expression of
interest in Green's personality and
his work. Mrs. Adams other writ
ings include studies of John
Charles M c N ell and Thomas
Wolfe. After her death last March,
Richard Walser, University Eng
lish Department.. completed the
1850 chapter of the Green biogra-
ply and edited the entire work
for publication.
Early Years
Paul Green was born March II,
1894, on a farm in Harnett Coun-
ty, some 80 miles south of Ra-
leigh. He knew all the chores
which fell to a boys lot on a big
farm, and he had the freedom Of
the woods, fields and rivers. He
inherited from his mother an en-
thusiasm for music and his great
love Of music. For six months
each year he attended one-room
school in frame building about
a mile from the farm.
At the age of ten he suffered
an illness which lasted almost a
year. Osteomyelitis made neces-
sary the removal of part of the
bone in his upper right arm, and
it was replaced with a silver plate.
It was after this illness that he
learned to use his left arm as
efficiently as his right. Later he
became known in Harnett County
as Lillington's star ambidextrous
pitcher Paul learned to pull fod-
der faster than anyone in his Sec
ton and was once adjudged the
champion cotton-picker of Harnett
County.
After his graduation from
Buie's Creek Academy, now Camp
bell College, he earned the money
to enable him to attend college
by playing professional baseball
and by teaching school. In 1916,
then several years older than the
average freshman, he entered the
University of North Carolina. The
following spring he interrupted
his study to enlist in the army
where he served with the 105th
Engineers, 30th Division. Here he
gained considerable knowledge and
skill in surveying and map-mak-
ing. This ability proved valuable
later in planning and designing
the outdoor theatres at Campbell
College, at Fort Raleigh near
Manteo, at Williamsburg, Va,
and Washington, D. C.
Resumed Study
In 1919 Green returned to the
University. He was described as
a solitary, Woodworking young
man who made slight impression
on his fellow students, and made
no effort at all to attain leader
ship in campus circles. He found
no time for baseball. Instead he
played the violin - remarkably
well for one self-taught. Prof.
Horace Williams led him to elect
philosophy as his major subject,
to spend two years graduate
study in philosophy and, later, to
devote considerable time to ex-
ploring the writings Of Hindu
mystics.
Before entering the army, Green
had spent seventy dollars of his
own money to have a small book
Of poems published. He had writ
ten the prize-winning freshman
play at the University. Both be-
fore and after his time in service,
his poems were published in The
Carolina Magazine. He was named
class-poet in his senior year, Lee
Gette Blythe, however, was voted
the best writer in the class.
When he re-entered the Uni
versity in 1919, he Joined the Car
DINA Playmakers, which had been
established a year earlier. Eliza
beth Ley, later to become Green's
wife, was the author of the first
play presented by the Playmakers.
The Greens were married in
1922 while Paul was in graduate
school. They now have four grown
children.
Mrs. Adams gives interesting
accounts of the Greens sojourns
in Hollywood, New York and for
eign countries, as we'll as the or
igin and production of the region
al historical dramas with which
Green has been so closely identi-
fed: THE LOST COLONY (1937),
Manteo; THE HIGHLAND CALL
(1939), Fayetteville; THE COM
MON GLORY (1947), Williams
burg; and FAITH OF OUR
FATHERS (195O), Washington,
D. c.
Recurring Themes