The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1961-08-25
cELEBRATloN
Continued from Page one)

SAAC AAA'ASe~"~01@ ~ JOA.e y - N@~~ - ~
day and to take part in your "Con-
solidated University of North Caro-
lima Day" ceremonies.
at is always wonderful expert
ence to come here to Roanoke Is
land and it is especially memorable
when such a visit can coincide with
an occasion of the nature. think it
is particularly appropriate that a
day be set aside here to honor the
Consolidated University, for had
it not been for the University, it is
quite possible that the "Lost Col
ony" drama would never have beer
staged. Certainly, it would never
have been staged as rnagnificantly
"Many of us here today can re.
call the fledgeling days of this
great production and l am sure
most of us will remember the peo-
pie who said it couldn't be done
And many who conceded that it
could be done had very serious
reservations about the longevity OF
the undertaking. That the skeptics
were wrong is clearly evident here
today, almost a quarter century
after the first opening night. / be-
lieve that here we have shining
example of the fact that the great
majority of the people in this state
do not appreciate being told that a
thing cannot be done especially
if it is worthwhile thing.
There can be no doubt today
that the "Lost Colony" is worth.
while thing. 1t has brought, and
continues to bring, many tangible
and intangible benefits to our state
Much of the credit for this must &c
to the people, both here on the
Outer Banks and across the length
of our state, who years ago had
sufficient vision to recognize the
Importance of this kind of pro.
ject. The real credit, however, must
go to that little group of men, wo-
men and children who landed here
centuries ago filled with an intense
desire to carve homes ont of 8
wilderness and build for themselves
a new and more abundant life.
"The story that is told here i.
one that must be told with warmth
and understanding, with an init
mate knowledge of what the cour
age and sacrifice and faith of tn,
Roanoke settlers has meant t,
North Carolinians down through
the years, with a personal aware
ness of the intense pride that tn,
people of this safe feel in datins
their history back three and three
quarters centuries to the uniqu,
real life drama that transpiret
here.
fortunately, this capacity fol
understanding our people and theil
history is contained within ou
University. 1t is the kind of thing
that makes university great, tina
unique spark that breathes lif'
and meaning and real purpose int
its activities. 1t is the kind of thing
that changes a university into oul
university.
eve find this kind of spirit, no
in the buildings or on the campus
of university, but in the people
who give it vitality and direction
1t is synonymous with such people
as Paul Green, "Prof." Koch, San
Seldom and the many others who
almost two and one-half decade
ago, dreamed the dream of a "Los
Colony" production and then sup
piled the hard work and determine
tion and faith by which dreams ar
converted into reality.
"These We're men whos coul
sense the bond that ties the Mort
Carolinian of today to the SINAI
band of gallant Englishmen who
centuries before, fought heroicall
to establish settlement in thi
once far from friendly environ
ment. And these are gifted me-
who had the ability to Transform
this very intangible relationship in
to something that is both tangibl
and profound.
"For them it was natural - per
haps even inevitable - that tn
University should emerge as tn
prime mover in the effort to per
petuate the memory of this fasci
mating and significant moment i
the history of our state. The won
derful production that we witnes
here is the product of many thing
- our traditional love for the fol
drama, our fascination with tn
mysterious fate of the colony, GU
pride in the great events of histor
that have occurred here, and, es
lpecially, our desire to insure tina
such names as Amandas and Bar
lowe, Granville and White, Ian
and Dare, do not vanish, as di
their colony, in the labyrinth Q
history.
Certainly, every North Carolin
owes debt of gratitude to tn
University and its people for tn
initiative and leadership they pre-