The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1956-08-24
BY GARLAND A.. HENDRICKS
lin the News and Observer

| A few minutes ago my children
and / stood in the ocean and let
the breakers beat us back upon the
sandy beach. 1t was fun. We grew
tired. Now I am sitting on the
sand, listening to the water lash
out at Mays Head, glancing now
and again at the sand dunes and
thinking about what lies west of
them.
During the past four days l have
come to appreciate afresh the
friendliness, the cordial spirit, the
hospitable nature of some of east
ern Cardinals finest citizens. As
l listen to the ocean and look west
ward across my native state, l am
convinced that we do not give
enough attention to this great as
set. 1t is spiritual quality. That
makes it less noticeable but more
significant.
Let me tell you what / have ex-
perienced in four days.
1t was my privilege to dine with
Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Belk, Sheriff
and Mrs. w. J. Hinson, and Mr..
and Mrs. Jim Roe in Goldsboro.
None of us were in a hurry. We
had time to talk about many
things. An indispensable quality of
life asserted itself while we were
together. The attitude of these
men towards many things told me
something about them and about
their community.
Sheriff Hinson told about a trip
with a prisoner. He was bringing
the prisoner from a northern state.
They had several hours in Wash
ington between trains. The pris-
oner indicated that he had never
seen the sights of the Capitol and
the Smithsonian Institute. So the
officer of the law took his captive
over to these buildings. The officer
was more than a representative Of
the law. He recognized the inner
feelings of a man whose soul cried
out for a sense of dignity. He gave
his prisoner a sense of dignity.
Who knows but that kindness
like that may one day be the most
powerful force at work in the con-
science and will of that man when
he is tempted to commit another
crime.
AS we left the dinner table at
Hotel Goldsboro there were greet
ings all over the place. In the home
of the Belks in the afternoon other
friends came. There was a sense
of humor in evidence, a good word
from someone in trouble, hope
full attitude about the future. My
heart was warmed within me as l
visited with friends who respect
so much the spiritual values of hui
man life.
Then l visited in the home of
Roy Justice in Belhaven. Such tas-
ty shrimp and fish 1 have not
found elsewhere. Mrs. Justice knew
exactly how to prepare them. Clau-
dia and Roberta Taylor told me
something about the life of the
younger set there. We had de-
Eghtful fellowship together. All of
them were so friendly, so eager to
make our visit pleasant, that it
made US feel good.
l met Ralph Harrington, Vernon
Morris, Glenn Carowan, Mr.. and
Mrs. T. A. Jordan, and Archie
Thomas. Again l was in the COM
pany of friendly people.
When / met Arson Smith, who
operates Hotel River Forest Man
or, he accepted my family as old
friends. He expressed personal
interest in place for US to stay
Those who work for him were just
as friendly. A waitress told us
about Mrs. Ways Museum, some
five miles out in the country. Be-
fore We left, the proprietor of the
famous lodge where many sports
men stop wanted to know if every
thing had been satisfactory. He not
only gave us the very best of at
tention. He gave it in such fine
spirit that we want to go back
again.
Last night met group OF
men and women at Manteo. Then
we went with Frank Cahoon to be
his guests at the Miramar Motel
here at Mays Head. We sat in the
lobby for a long time and talked
about many things. Frank told me
that a News and Observer would
be there for me about seven o'clock
this morning. We talked about
roads, schools, churches, hurri-
canes, the pageant on Roanoke Is
land and the future of North Caro-
lima.
have found the same quality
of character, the same friendly
spirit, the same spiritual qualities
in people at Goldsboro, Belhaven,
Manteo, and Mays Head.
know that we have all kinds of
people in North Carolina. We have
some of the worst and some of the
best. Many things are being said
about the development of our