University of South Carolina Libraries
PAGE 2—The Newberry Sun, Newberry, S. C., Thursday, April 22, 1971 GUje Neuibernj 1101 Boyce Street, Newberry, South Carolina 29108 PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY 0. F. Armfield, Jr., Owner Second-Class Postage Paid at Newberry, South Carolina SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $3.00 per year in advance; six months, $2.00. Letter to Editor Dear Sir, I would like to correspond with anyone in the Newberry area who has information on the descendants of Thomas Wilson who died in 1738 and is report edly buried near “Newbury, S. C.” (The report misspells it). T h o m a s’ great-grandson, James E., reportedly came to Mississippi and patented lands in 1822. With him in the wagon train were two grown brothers. One of those brothers was nam ed William, we believe. My great-great grandfather, William Summerfield Wilson, came along as a child on the wagon train from South Caro lina. He was only four years old when their wagon train pass ed through Fort Mims, Alaba ma, only one day before the ter rible massacre there by the Creek Indians. Specifically, we want to sub stantiate the names of the two brothers of James E. Wilson. If we can do this, then we can link up for sure with our „ South Carolina ancestors. Their birthdates and places would help, too. We would also like to know the location of the burying ground where the grave of Tho mas Wilson and his descendants is located. In connection with a book we are doing about our line of Wilsons, we plan to vi sit South Carolina to gather facts and photos firsthand. By the way, we have fairly complete records on many of the South Carolina Wilsons who settled in Copiah County, Miss. I was born nearby, in Vicks burg. Sincerely, James Wesley Wilson Dear Editor: The District Director of the Internal Revenue Service has requested that the Newberry Academy, Inc. announce to the public that the admissions po licy of the Newberry Academy, Inc. is nondiscriminatory. The Newberry Academy Inc. is at the present time receiving applications for students for the year 1971 and 1972. The New berry Academy Inc has never refused admission to anyone on the basis of race nor does the Newberry Academy have an ad missions policy which is dis criminatory on the basis of race. Any person desiring to make application for admission to the Newberry Academy should contact the office of the Newberry Academy Inc. locat ed at the school and obtain a form for making application. Each application is then sub mitted to a committee compos ed of both faculty and parents and recommendations are made to the Board of Directors for admission into the A cademy. Each application will receive individual attention and none will be refused on the basis of a racially discriminatory Hail Insurance Protects your pocketbook when nature won't. Call us for the latest information and rates without the slightest obligation. “YOUR PRIVATE BANKERS” 1418 Main Street Phone 276-1422 practice in accordance with the existing rules and by-laws of the Newberry Academy Inc. A deposit is required with all ap plications. Yours truly, W. W. King, Jr. W. S. Hentz E. C. Griffith BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF NEWBERRY ACADEMY INC. Kinard recalls Willowbrook The history of Willowbrook Park is of interest to many people in Newberry and former Newberrians. Willowbrook Park was built in the year 1910 or near about. Many can still re member there being a cow pas ture on that spot. Because of that cow pasture and fence, there was set out a row of about 50 osage orange trees, these trees served as post for the fence. Later these trees grew until they became the most beautiful trees in New berry county and perhaps in the entire state. They will exist at least some of them but many have gotten in the condition that they had to be removed. To build this park was the idea of the late Mr. Z. F. Wright and the late J. M. Da vis. They were the high offi cials of the Newberry Cotton Mills that owned the property. At first the only thing to be done was to clear off the grounds and build play ground equipment. The company hav ing many rope making ma chines, ropes were made for all type of swings for the ba bies and then for all sizes of children to adults. A wonder ful man to take charge was the late Mr. Rome P. Franklin. He was the community police man and his greatest work was to care for the park, and care for it he did. The Newberry Concert Band had been organized for about 3 or 4 years and the Band had an important part of the first success of the park. A Band stand was built and a skating rink was also built. They were side by side, the skating rink ■ added much to the pleasure of the skaters. At first the skates were bought by the Band and one person would rent the skates to each skater and help fasten them on, the small fee charged went to the Band for the pur pose of buying music. Very soon many had learned the art of skating by just getting out on the floor and learning the hard way. Very soon many at tractions were added such as shutes for all sizes, a colonade for sporting couples, a fish pond with electric lights in it that had fresh water at all times from a spring. Many benches were made and many were bought from manufacturers and within a few years there were well over 300 places to sit while listening to the Band concerts each Saturday night. Through the summer months the park would open for three nights during the week, these being each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday nights. The Band would play only on Saturday nights and some Sunday after noons. A thing of great pleasure for most people was the beau tiful cast iron fountain that would throw water up about 20 feet. The crane stood on a base and held its beak up high and the water was run through its mouth. Many chil dren went home wet because they got to close to the falling water. Many trees were soon plant ed and I have had such men as Mr. L. L. Stanley, Mr. Er nest Pittman, Mr. Jimmy Cart wright and Mr. Walter Kolodij, men that know the trees and they helped me to correctly identify each tree. The outstand ing tree was of course the osage orange, this tree was most always incorrectly pro nounced of named. I went to the trouble to write to Clem- son College and they told me it was an osage orange as did later these men I just mention ed. Other trees added were basswood or linden, (This is the tree that the alte Mr. John Ear- gle saved by putting a bolt through it) the near by gin- ko (which was an o r i e n- tal tree) mulberry, hack berry, japaneese varnish (there seve ral of these they also being oriental) the beautiful sycamore, had the worms for Mr. Frank lin to catch cat fish) crepe myrtles on each sides of seve ral walks, several buckeyes, sweet gums and of course the weeping willows that lined each side of the creek and was the symbol that gave the park the name Willowbrook. The park was the meeting place of many and varied ac tivities, such as, the Shriners Convention, Textile Band Asso ciation of about twenty Bands, many political meetings for the Democratic campaigns, Kiwanis convention and a real day long treat for the Epworth Orpha nage in Columbia, S. C. that was perhaps the most outstnad- ing occassion for the park, this group of children numbering over 250 were treated by the entire West End community with a real picnic dinner (one person furnished 20 fry size chickens) the Sunday Schools of the three congregations gave the dinner and it was a real treat that I feel sure was never to be forgotten by the children. Each year from 1910 until 1947 the park became more beautiful, more equipment was added each year and those 37 years were years of great plea sure especially for the children and younger set. The great de pression played its part and the Band had to play on very con cert, ‘The Old Grey Mare She Ain’t What She Used To Be’ Finally when Franklin D. Roo sevelt was elected the Presi dent of the United States the band played over and over a- gain, ‘Happy Days Are Here Again’. The Boy Scout Troop number 69 of the West End community played an important part by helping to keep things in order. They helped in the parking of cars and they had a special parking ground, they helped the children and furnished first aid when necessary. Their Scout Hall was in the park and each night the park was open the scout hall would also be open. Perhaps one of the most beau tiful as well as serviceable things of the park was the beau tiful and ornamental bridge a- cross the creek. This bridge no doubt cost over a thousand dol lars as it was built of all heart lumber dressed to a uniform size for the floor and a baby carriage could be pushed over the bridge and never awake the baby. Extra space was add ed for benches on the bridge and the electric sign over the top was letters about 3 feet high. The Newberry Concert Band furnished and played some of the finest music ever heard in Newberry with its selections of varied nature such as mar ches that became well known, overtures of the standard qua lity, religious and popular se lections and people from not only the community but city, county and state would come to enjoy this wonderful music. Surely this park, the West End community and the Newberry Concert Band had an important part to play in causing New berry to be known as, ‘A City of Friendly Folks.’ But as the immortal Stephen Foster mentioned in one of hsi songs, ‘The Old Kentucky Home, They Sing No More By The Glimmer of The Moon, Yes things changed for in the year about 1947 the Newberry Cotton Mill Company sold out to a man by the name of Clairmont. He gave the park to the city of Newberry they have had it now for 24 years and the record speaks for itself. I feel it is the duty of each citizen of New berry to pay a visit to Willow brook Park. Dewey Kinard Safeguards cut cancer deaths Cancer killed nearly 330,000 Americans last year, and an even greater number will die of this disease in 1971. Researchers seek clues to cancer’s cause, physicians help cancer patients with increasing ly effective treatment techni ques. But still the figures rise. What else can be done to halt them? “Every adult in this city can help,” said Mr. W. W. “T” Parr, Chairman of Newberry County of the American Can cer Society, in an interview yes terday. “Each of us has within himself the power to help cut down the number of cancer deaths in Newberry County. Parr then explained the role each person can play in wiping out cancer. “If cancer is de tected and treated early enough, he began, “it is one of the most curable of diseases. The power each of us has to help himself against this disease is simply this—to take advantage of the safety precautions that have already been established.” There are seven of these safety measures,” he continued. “The American Cancer Society calls them 7 Safeguards Against Can cer.” According to Parr, these Safeguards focus on sites of the body where cancer strikes most often, and suggest a po sitive action each person can perform to give these sites the best protection possible. Parr detailed the 7 Safe guards: All adults can help guard themselves against lung cancer by not smoking ciga rettes; from skin cancer by avoiding over-exposure to the sun; from colon-rectum cancer by having a procto every year, especially after the age of 40; from cancer of the mouth by having dental examinations re gularly. A woman can take two additional steps: to help protect herself from breast can cer, she should practice breast self-examination each month; for uterine cancer, she should have a Pap test each year. Finally, everyone should have an annual health checkup. “These are the weapons,” Parr concluded. ‘W‘hat each of us must do, is use them.” NOTICE OF JURY DRAWING' We, the undersigned Jury Commissioners of Newberry County, shall on Wednesday, May 5, 1971, at 9 o’clock A.M. in the office of the Clerk of Court, openly and publicly, draw the names of Forty men and women to serve as Petit Ju re rs for the Court of General Sessions (Criminal) which will convene in the Newberry Coun ty Court House on May 17, 1971 at ten o’clock. MILDRED R. HARMON, CLERK OF COURT JEANETTE K. HAMM, AUDITOR J. RAY DAWKINS, TREASURER April 21, 1971 Newberry, S. C.