Do You Remember? Sept 07

September 26th, 2007 | webmaster | Memory Lane

By: Gene Norton

Do you remember when you could purchase a good used car in the 50’s and 60’s cheap? I paid $250 for my first car. It was a 1953 Ford, 2 door hardtop, in 1962, and it had a new paint job. You can’t get a paint job for that price today!

Do you remember when insurance was not required on a motor vehicle? I had to insure my first. It was called assigned risk insurance, (teenagers, we all went through that). My agent at the time was Pauline Pait. Mrs. Pait’s office was upstairs over the department store beside Cox’s Grill. Also, you could rent a room there and some people lived there. The stairs were located at the rear of the building. Bladenboro had a lot to offer then, and even now.

Do you remember when you could not wait to turn 16-years old so you could get your driver’s license and be free to ride around town and be cool? Teenagers still look forward to that time today. Some things never change; maybe just a little differently today.

Do you remember when drivers education was offered for the first time at the old Bladenboro High School? It was 1961. Bridger Motor Company loaned a brand new 1961 Ford 2 door to the school. It was light green with a white top. It had a dual clutch and brake pedal—yes, it was a stick shift. Mr. J.W. Black was our instructor, and as I remember, we had 8 student drivers in the class.

We hauled a lot of books from E-town to Bladenboro School during our training. I took my road test with that same car. After the school ended, the car was returned to the Ford dealership. Earl Ray Dove purchased the car. I’ll never forget that car!

Do you remember who the person at the time was, and the place you went to, to get your driver’s license? Mr. Ed Sutton was the man—yes, you were sweating all over on the way back to the armory building where his office was for years.

Do you remember when the new cars for the year had a show date and you could not see them until that day? When the cars came in, they would hide them in buildings behind fences and we all would try to get a look at them. We knew most of the hiding places and might get to see a fender or taillight and if you happened to be in town when they were delivered, you got a look at them. It was always fun and you couldn’t wait to see who purchased one of the first ones on the lot.

Do you remember years ago when people didn’t go places like they do today? Back in the 50’s and 60’s, maybe a trip to the beach or go see loved ones that lived in other towns. If you went on a 100-mile trip, that was a long way from home. Some people would ride the train to Wilmington for a day and return that evening. My school class rode the train to Wilmington the last time it hauled people and spent the day and rode back home on a school bus. That was a lot of fun for us kids. It would be nice to ride a train to Wilmington and return the same day now! The old train station has been used for all kinds of things over the years. Do you remember how the train would pick up the mail bag as it went by the depot? When it didn’t stop, it “grabbed the bag” and rolled on down the line.

Do you remember all the places to go and the things you could do right here in the ‘Boro? You could go see a movie at the Wonet, get a drink and popcorn, and see the show for 25-cent. You could see a lot of showings that would be put on there. You could go to Elm Theater and see a movie or a drive in movie at the Twilight out on 242, located at the first curve across the bypass. It was owned and operated by Curt and Evelyn Cain. It didn’t cost a lot to see a movie and on family night, you could take a carload for one price. Gone but not forgotten. Homes are now on the land where it was located.

Do you remember when 3-D movies came out and you had to wear those funny looking glasses to see the show? If you took them off the movie would be blurred. That was hi-tech back then. Anyone still have a pair of those glasses?

How about the color screen that came out? You put it on the front of a black and white television and made it look like color TV. It did add color to the television but that was about all. Now everything is hi-tech.

Do you remember when you could go out on game night and watch a baseball game at Spinners Ballpark? It was right here in Bladenboro. The club had a lot of outstanding players over the years. On game night people would come from all over the area to watch the game. The Bladenboro Cotton Mill was the sponsor of the ball team and some of the players worked in the mill. A few of the team members still live in Bladenboro.

Do you remember the little league team that had games at the ballpark? I played a little back then. Some of the little league players went on to play high school ball and some got to play with the Spinners team before things sort just played out. Bladenboro High School also had some good football games at the park over the years.

The old ballpark is gone now and Spinners Court Apartments cover the land where the Spinners Ballpark was once located. Ballpark Road is now Chestnut Street. Do you remember where the lights from the park went to? If you attended a game at the old Bladenboro High School, now a middle school, the lights were donated to the school by the owners and the Spinners lights are still shinning bright on game night. Gone but not forgotten. All the games, players, fans, home runs, the sounds and smells on game night, as well as the cars parked everywhere—gone but not forgotten.

As long as you have memories of people, places, things and the way the times were, never will they be gone or forgotten. To the past owners of the Bladenboro Cotton Mill and to all the players, “thanks for the memories!”