The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 18

fei THE-NA lSHVTT iR TRNNRSSEAN Semt Strx-itn Page 21 Monday Morning Jan. 10, 1972 rbA'lllr vwsja 'wis, tow Mission Serving 12 More K5 jl lit Staff Mote by Jimmy El'' By WAYNE WIIITT The number of people provided with overnight lodging and meals by Nashville's Union Rescue Mission increased approximately during 1971 over the previous year. The Rev. Carl R. Resener, director of the mission's program, said 37,839 were provided with meals and lodging last year compared to 33.0i0 during 1970.

"For the past several weeks the number of people coming to us for help has been increasing," Resener said. "We provided 3,938 with overnight lodging during December." HE SAID 108,363 meals were served during 1971 compared to 89,000 in 1970. His remarks came after he and members of the Mission's board of directors received a new charter from the state. The charter was issued Friday by Secretary of State Jo C. Carr, who is a member of the board and who has served as director of the mission's farm board.

A NEW charter was issued because the mission, located at 129 Seventh has comined its two separate boards into a single board Ouf Wifh Formality With Fun Library employes examine material being stocked at the new "Storefront Library" in anticipation of its formal op eninj in the near future. From left are Jacob Mayes, David Phillips and Shirlce Strothcr. Turning On lurnedOff Is Goal of 'Read and Hap By FRANK RITTER to direct all of the activities. Formerly, there had been a separate board and separate charter tor the mission on Seventh and for the organization's rehabilitation farm in Dickson County. reach those who may find it difficult to go to the libraries.

A new system whereby many books and records may be checked out without the requirement of first having a library card. I addition, "Read and Rap" workers are attempting to devise creative new ways to turn the library branches into places where both youngsters and adults can have fun. For example, a choral group may be organized and it is anticipated a a creative dramatics group will try to devise projects to attract patrons, especially young fli: i Jonason Nashville community mothers with small children can bring them to the library frequently to hear stories read. Miss Burns added that story hours will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturdays in all -the participating branch libraries except North Nashville.

The schedule for story hours in the community centers has not been worked out. "We also hope to have puppet shows for the children," Miss Burns said. "And maybe we can have some little plays in which the children themselves can be involved." THE STORE FRONT will circulate records and there will be a record player at the library branch so records can be played there. Cassette Charter's New-Faith, Hope, Charity Still the Same Secretary of State Joe C. Carr signs the new charter the Rev.

Carl R. Resener, director of the mission, for the Nashville Union Rescue Mission as three and Ifred Adams a ncmber of and attorney for the members of the organization's board watch. Standing board. from left are Irving Wells, chairman of the mission's Dixon Merritt, Editor, Dies Dixon Lanier Merritt of Le-bannon, the colorful veteran editor, historian and poet who was called "the dean of Tennessee newspapaermen," died yesterday in St. Thomas Hospital after an extended illness.

Funeral arrangements were incomplete last night. Nave Funeral Home, Lebanon, is in charge. people. The "Storefront Library" being established illustrates much that the program's directors are attempting to do. AT PRESENT the collection of books at the storefront which used to house a barber shop is small.

But it is geared almost entirely to those things in which the librarians think the people who patronize new library branch will be interested. There is a emphasis on recreational material because the librarians anticipate that many youngsters will visit the storefront. In addition, there is a substantial amount of vocational and ethnic material. "But this is just to get us started," Miss Burns explains. "If the people show an interest in other material, it will be supplied.

We are trying to center our program around their needs and desires." INFORMALITY is the watchword. For example, the "Storefront Library" will have If silence is truly golden, then libraries have historically been its citadel where pipe-smoking tweedy types scowl over horn-rimmed glasses at any disturbance louder than a well-articulared whisper. But the Nashville Public Library is attempting to topple that stereotype through an innovative program financed by federal funds. THE GOAL of the librarians is to reach those people, particularly in the inner city, who perhaps have been turned off or intimidated by the way libraries traditionally have been operated. Miss Lillias Burns is project officer for the program, which is called "Read and Rap," or if you want to be formal about "it, the Reading Awareness Program." Working with five branch libraries in the inner city, one newly created "Storefront Library" in North Nashville and at least six community centers, she hopes to help break down barriers which may have kept youngsters and adults away from libraries in the past.

"THE IDEA is to get away from stereotypes and attempt to create an interest in books and a love of reading through methods which may unorthodox," said Miss Burns. "Our whole program is being built around the interests of the people. We will respond to their demands. Whatever thev want, we'll try to supply'." The program, being financed by $147,000 in federal funds, will be in effect in the North Nashville, Hadley Park, East Nashville. Richland and Edgchill branch libraries as well as the Library" at 1717-C Jo Johnston St.

In addition, library services will be extended to these community centers: Centenary, Hadley Park, Wesley House, Bethlehem, East and South Street. Some of the things the program will supply, in addition to longer hours of operation and opening on Saturday at the branch libraries, include: Storv hour for youngsters. as being "still something of a Bible within the department but unread and unknown everywhere else." And, with the late Will T. Hale, Merritt produced "Tennessee and Ten-nesseans," an eight-volume history of his native state. But despite reams of colorful news copy and volumes of respected history, Merritt remained best known in many circles for a tiny poem he "perpetrated" in 1913.

The limerick, which was published in his 1 "Along the By-Paths," was quoted and misquoted in countless publications, Merritt gave his version in 1970: "A wonderful bird is the pelican tapes with stories on them will also be loaned to patrons. "We are trying to make it as easy as possible for the people to utilize the library system's services," said Miss Burns. "That is why we will be checking out books merely on the patron's name and address without requiring a library card. "In addition, no fines will be levied for overdue books and if a book is lost no pressure will be put on the borrower. That is why we are using a lot of paperbacks.

For one thing, they are small and can be carried in a pocket. Also, you can buy a lot more books" and you don't have to i worry as much about them I being lost." TWO "READ and Rap" workers there are 16 of them in all, 10 blacks and "We feci that one board will lead to a better operation and will eliminate confusion in the minds of some of the public about two separate agencies," said Irving Wells, chairman of the board. He said the mission will continue in all of the fields in which it now is engaged. This includes providing lodging and food for needy people at the mission on Seventh Avenue, shelter and care for needv families, shelter and care for women alcoholics and the farm for the rehabilitation of alcoholics. THE MISSION'S work is financed through contributions from individuals, churches and businesses in this area.

"We hope during 1972 to place more emphasis on rehabilitation and will try to send more alcoholics to the farm for work and therapy," Wells said. The farm now can provide shelter for 23 men. "We have the materials necessary to provide space for a dozen or more men," Carr said, "if we can get the labor to construct the building." RESENER JOINED mission as director last year. A graduate of Bob Jones Seminary, he was serving as pastor of an East Nashville Baptist Church when he accepted the post as director of the mission. Members of the mission's board in addition to Wells and Carr include Dr.

Beverly Douglas, Dr. George E. Duncan, Claude A. Gardner, Robert M. Glover, Henry E.

Green, Billy Hitt. Ernest R. Keller Buddy Lucas, Tom D. Lunn. Robert S.

Mason, Marvin E. Rainey, Allen B. Smith, Jack Spence, Russell L. Speights, Judson Carey Wood. Alfred T.

Adams Jr. N.T. Bartlcy, U. Grant Browning, the Rev. Robert Crumby.

Bill Dillon, Raymond Foust, Mac Freeman M. T. Gossett, Glenn Grossman, Joseph N. Matthews, Dr. Jack Miller, Don Schultz.

Jerry Smith, Harrison Tritschler, Fred Vick, Madison Smith, Reese Smith, Nelson Trabue, Enloe T. Truett, Charles Wheeler, Harold B. Wright, David F. Hicks, Jack C. Vicary, Mrs.

Darlene Rainey and Mrs. Marie Lillard. Owensboro, Messenger. He returned to the Eanner as associate editor, and he served as editor of the Ten-nessean from 1914 to 1917. A craftsman at the newspapering style of the early 1900s, Merritt was famous in the years before World War I as an "editorial paragrapher," when editorial columns consisted of cogent, cutting one-sentence opinions.

During the war, however, his editorial titled "The Little Sister of the Fleet," based on an ultimately futile invasion of Gallipoli in the Dardanelles, appeared in the Ten-nessean and won him national attention. IX 1923, Merritt became Washington correspondent for Outlook magazine, and he subsequently became its associate editor. He returned to Lebanon in 1929 and served as editor of the Democrat for 10 years. Merritt was editor and ch'ef contributor of the "History of Wilson County," published at Lebanon in 1961. During both major wars, he served on special assignment for the U.S.

department of Agriculture. He once was asked to describe war-time London where he conducted one of his "secret missions" for the USDA, and he replied: His beak will hold more than his belican. He can take in his beak Food enough for a week, But I'm damned if I see how the helican." "I wrote editorials and a signed editorial page column," Merritt said in a 1970 interview. "It was in this column that the damned Pelican limerical was perpetrated. It was almost an accident and I never had any pride in it didn't even think it a good limerick." BIT DESPITE the poet's opinion, the limerick soon began to appear in other newspapers throughout the nation and the question of its authorship eventually was at issue.

The issue was resolved by a Xew York Evening Sun columnist. An ardent conservationist, Merritt was a cofounder of the Tennessee Ornithological Society. He was also a former president of the American Press Humorists Association. Before he was hospitalized, Merritt resided at his family's ancestral home, "Cabincrott," a log cabin built in 1790. MERRITT IS survived by his widow, Mrs.

Ruth Yates Merritt; three sons. Dixon L. Merritt Nashville, Stanley Yates Merritt, Franklin. and Robert Lewis Merritt, Patuxent River Naval Base, a daughter, Mrs. Norwood J.

Gant, Nashville, nine grandchildren and three MERRITT, 92, a former editor of the Nashville Ten-ncssean, was hospitalized Friday and had been in poor health for much of the past year. A spokesman for the family said he died at 6 p.m. A native of the Baird's Mill community of Wilson County, Merritt was the son of the late Robin II. and Frances Merritt Abernathy. After their death, the son was adopted and reared by his unclr, Willis Merritt.

Merritt began his long journalistic career at 16 when he became a county correspondent for the Lebanon Democrat. After his graduation from the old University of Nashville, he located Mar-maduke B. Morton, editor of the Nashville Banner, and "pestered" him for a job. HE LATER worked for the Sierra Club To Hear Oil Firm Representative M. F.

Finfrock, general manager of Cities Service Oil Copperhill, will speak at 8 p.m. Friday at Cheekwood Botanical Gardens to the Tennessee Group of the Sierra Club. Finfrock will discuss "general environmental problems" of the Southeastern Tennessee area as well as what the company he represents is doing to correct them. 'Nuff Said Nashville Public Library officials who are directing the new "Reading Awareness Program" (RAP) came up with that title on their own. The librarians rejected the program title suggested by federal officials for several reasons.

They don't even like to say what the suggested title was but they do point out that initials of the title spelled out "LSD." Wu 313k six whites are Jacob May and Clarence Love, both of whom have been star football players at Tennessee State University. They will be working with young people at the storefront and in the branches and are expected to attract to the libraries boys who might have an interest in sports. In addition, Love will be driving the bookmobile to the housing projects. "We are also going to try to organize volunteers to help us in the branches and the centers," said Miss Burns. "And we are going to be pending on the people in the community to advise us on what is needed in the libraries.

"Our effort is aimed at making the libraries attractive places to be a place where people can have fun. If we can do this, we think they will develop naturally a love of books and reading as time goes by." "It was loggy wnen got there, and it was foggy when I left, and I never saw anything of it." HE WROTE a history of the agriculture department, which he recently described Dixon L. Merritt Distinguished journalist on a regular basis, at both the library branches and the community centers. Films for teenagers and adults. A large paperback book collection in most of the branches and community centers.

A bookmobile to tour the public housing projects to a rug on the floor and large cushions will be spread about so library patrons can sit on the floor. There will be a story hour at 10 a.m., every day, according to Miss Burns, and this fact will be advertised throughout the North City Suburban NEWS Johnny Cash Supports Police With Songs of Jesus "God bless you for comin' tonight." THEN THE Rev. Jimmy Snow's choir from the Evangel Temple in Hendersonville filed onto the stage and positioned itself behind and above the rest of them to sing the concluding spiritual, another Sunday song called "I Saw A Man," before he left the stage in cheers. It was only later, long after the Municipal Auditorium had emptied, that one would begin to wonder why whether it was out of deference to the sponsoring organization or what that he wound up not singing "Folsom Prison Blues." Brothers taking up positions around to help. AFTER GRADUALLY increasing in "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" and "Daddy Sang Bass," the tempo reached tent-revival proportions on a rollicking religious song called "Go Where I Send Thee," the spotlights switching dramatically back and forth across the stage at Cash's direction as the Carters, the Statlers.

Perkins and Cash all sang different solo parts. "It has been an honor to do this show for the benefit of widows and children of policemen killed in the line of duty." he said simply and brr ithlessly at the conclusion of the song. Then June came out and they again gratified a little of the weekday wish for the old and wild with "Jackson," the driving Billy Edd Wheeler song about a man threatening to leave home on a spree. BUT. immediately, they came back again with "If I Were A Carpenter," "Help Me Make It Through The Night," and their rocking country hvmn called "No Need To Worry." Indeed, from then on, the tempo rose perceptibly, but only on songs of the Lord.

They began this final, climactic segment of their show with "Peace In The Vallev," the Carter Family, Carl Perkins and the Statlcr in which his deep, resonant bass seemed to reach info rich American loam. He pushed on into "Me And Bobbv McGee." They were sad. sober songs of living, and the commanding voice of the big man in the spotlight made the darkened auditorium warm and friendly on a cold and rainy Sunday. AFTER "MAN In Black." he paused a moment to thank them for coming to see a man they saw around town many times, then went on with his musical trek. "Five Feet High And Risin' A snatch of the old hvmn "Unclouded Day "Wreck of The Old 97," "Orange Blossom Special" and "I Walk The Line." He did his tough but whimiscal "Boy Named Sue," squalling wordlessly through the place where they bleeped out an oath on the record.

"I ain't gonna say that in front of you, Mama," he yelled, grinning down toward the front row. THEN, WITH every succeeding song, he skillfully turned the mood. For the most part, it seemed to be away from the touch music of the old Johnny Cash who used to pop pills by the fistful and occasionally run afoul of the law in whose behalf he was performing yesterday. He did Kris Kristofferson's "Sunday Mornin' i Down," then a sharecropper song called "These Hands," prestigious preludes from Carl Perkins, the Slatler Brothers, the Carter Family, Glen Sherley and the Tennessee Three. In a spotlight which dispelled the total darkness which had been allowed to fall on the stage as the Tennessee Three began to play his famous "I Walk The Line," Cash appeared amid raucous yells and rhythmic applause throughout the auditorium.

PICKING UP a microphone and guitar and hanging the latter over his shoulder and singing into the former, he seemed to try to quench a little of the evident thrist for the kind of vintage Cash music that can sound a little ir: reverent on a Lord's Day. Coming to the stage for what was his first concert performance in the hometown from where he videotaped weekly segments of an hour-long ABC-TV show which was aired for 2'2 years, Cash thanked Nashvillians for coming to hear him in person. "YOU SEE me every day, driving up and down the road in my car or my jeep, and I reaily 'predate you all coming out to see me today," he said. Cash's mother and father, Mr. and Mrs.

Ray Cash of Hendcrsonville, watched from the front row yesterday not many seats away from Gov. and Mrs. Winfield Dunn as their son came to the stage after an hour of By JACK HURST Johnny Cash, who rode a tough-talking alliance with prison inmates to international prominence five years ago, yesterday supported his local police with songs of Jesus. Cash and his celebrated troupe of entertainers toiled for nearlv three hours on the stage of Municipal Auditorium for free, and Metro Police Capt. Paul Gill said it was Nashville's most successful Police Benefit Show.

"WE WON'T be able to tell you exactly how much money was raised until tomorrow (today), but I can tell you we sold more than 6,000 tickets," Gill said after the show. "It's the most successful one we've had.".