Page 95 - MOST RECENT

The parade concluded at Dunlap Springs where a
community picnic was held. The Kernersville Band
spent the day dispensing music, while the people, several
hundred in number, and of all ages, engaged in games
and other amusements. As soon as the crowd had as-
sembled in the grove about the Dunlap hotel spring, the
attention of all was called by Mayor Sam F. Vance,
\ I
state secretary of the Jr. 0. U. A. M., who was master
of ceremonies during a series of patriotic talks. Speakers
were J. B. Craver of Winston-Salem, Rev. Walser Allen,
pastor of the Kernersville Moravian Church, and Rev.
0. E. Cole, pastor of the Methodist Church. Prof. J. W.
Weatherly, former principal of the Kernersville graded
school, also spoke inspiringly."
Later in the summer of 1923 The Kernersville Citi-
zen advertised the coming "Follies of '23," an "Operatic Dr. and Mrs. J. R. Paddison
Minstrel Revue" which was to be a band benefit night.
Stars in the melodrama, The Fatal Cup, described as "far
above the ordinary" wer Miss Mozelle Culler, Miss Bere-
nice Linville and Miss Mary Lyon with Mr. James Justice
THE JOHN R. PADDISON MEMORIAL
as the hero and Mr. Tom Stewart as the villain. The or-
chestra was led by Mr. Larry Hill and his sister, Miss The John R. Paddison Memorial represents a wonderful Jink
between the past, present and future of Kernersville. This
Anna Bynum Hill. Surely the promise of "bright, snappy
building, dedicated on December 6, 1970, fulfils a dream of the
entertainment" was fulfilled! It was fun to be young and late Mrs. Zora Sapp Paddison who gave the money and land for
in Kernersville in the summer of 1923 and no one missed the building to the town of Kernersville in memory of her hus-
the television that did not exist. band, Dr. John R. Paddison, beloved Kernersville physican for
There were no more Fourth of July celebrations in many years. Mr. J. Harmon LinviJle served as chairman of the
building committee and worked ceaselessly for years to carry
Kernersville for a number of years. During the 1930's,
out her wishes regarding the memorial building.
however, many Ken1ersville citizens attended and some The building contains 20,000 square feet of space on two
took part in the Eagle Hill Horse Show each Easter floors. The upper or ground level co:itains a library with shelf
Monday. This show was held at the site of the old Eagle capacity for 36,000 volumes and all the most modern library
Hill School 10 miles south of Kernersville on the Gum equipment and facilities. It also contains a beautiful memorial
room for display of personal mementos of the Paddison family.
Tree Road. The main feature of the show was the fine
The lower level contains a large auditorium-dining room, several
work stock, beautiful draft horses in 2, 4, and 6 horse
other rooms for small group meetings and a modern kitchen with
hitches and band wagons. A group of Kernersville citi- stainless steel equipment. There are no exterior steps at the
zens determined to organize their own show, having the main entrance to the library making the facility easily accessible
Fourth of July for the date. Mr. Adam Leonard, Mr. to the physically handicapped.
Cicero Reid and Mr. Jonah Smith and others from the The lovely traditional Georgian style architecture, with a
fountain centering the front yard, is in keeping with the remain-
Eagle Hill show helped the local group tremendously.
ing old homes of Kernersville and is a reminder of the gracious
In 1938 Kernersville staged a Fourth of July cele- way of life of a bygone age. The ultramodern interior features
bration that went over so big it amazed everyone except are a symbol of our highly successful technology of today. In
those who had worked tirelessly for it. The first officials the combination of old and new Kernersville has been given by
of the celebration were Dr. 0. L. Joyner, general chair- Mrs. Paddison a priceless gift of both beauty and utility for
future generations.
man; Walter S. Linville, 1st vice-chairman; J. Harmon
Linville, 2nd vice-chairman; and Kenneth L. Greenfield,
secretary-treasurer.
A newspaper account of the celebration reads as
The John R. Paddison Memorial building.
follows: "The Southern Railroad's eastbound No. 10
held up things for about thirty minutes, but one of the
string bands struck up "The Old Apple Tree" and the
folks all but danced a jig today at Kernersville's big
Fourth of July Celebration and Live Stock Show. The
trouble with No. 10 was that it almost cut the parade
in half - being a little late as it was - and so the 12
string bands, and the floats, and the six-mule hitches
and the horseback riders all tagged up until No. 10
could get in and out of town and the parade could go on
all in one piece . . . A pair of blacks pulled the old car-

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