DATE: Thursday, November 13, 1997           TAG: 9711120160

SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN             PAGE: 02   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: MR. ROBERTS' NEIGHBORHOOD 

SOURCE: Frank Roberts 

                                            LENGTH:   73 lines

CLEANING THE FILES OF BITS 'N' PIECES OF NEWS

Recently, I did a story about the Suffolk High School exhibit at Riddick's Folly which elicited a great deal of response, including words of praise from some out-of-town folks who never heard of the museum.

A lot of people came out to refresh their memories and enjoy the excellent display.

Also - recently - I wrote a column about Sarah Hammond, a 13-year-old singer with a great deal of natural talent. That piece also elicited a good response, including three singing dates for the youngster.

A lovely friend of mine, Suzanne Miller, told me about this grafitti, seen during last month's Boy Scout Camporee at Nike Park in Carrollton.

It is important to know that the sign was in a portable toilet: ``Scouts, remember to flush when you get home.''

I was never a joiner, although I did enjoy my days as a Jaycee, receiving the Key Award one year.

Every now and then somebody I know in the American Legion suggests I join - haven't done it yet.

I do want to recommend a new publication I recently received, the premiere issue of American Veteran, published by The Veterans of America Association. I'm not familiar with the organization - hope they're legit - they seem to be.

Their publication is well-written, a class piece with a good deal of information about benefits, claims, etc.

The most interesting article, ``The Changing Face of Veterans,'' takes us from the American Revolution to the Persian Gulf War - 290,000 participants in the former, 3,700,000 in the latter.

The most participants? World War II, of course - 16,535,000. Also, the most deaths - 406,000.

Another article sort-of makes me wish I'd stayed in the military. I went in the Army at 17, got out at 21. Now, I read that veterans earn more than non-veterans in civilian life.

If, perchance, you want more info on the magazine, the address is: 1616 K Street, NW, Suite 1210, Washington, D.C. 20006. Or, you can call them at (202) 296-3069.

Speaking of publications - The Pilot is justly proud of ``Shiloh,'' a boy-and-his-dog story it is running regularly. Good stuff, but not a groundbreaker.

In 1920, the paper ran a series called, ``The Love Quest That Triumphed Through a Song,'' about the importance of music ``in the treatment of unhappy and mentally depressed people.''

I only have a copy of part five from The Virginian Pilot and The Norfolk Landmark which also included an ad with this enticing headline: ``Sage Tea Turns Gray Hair Dark'' - grandma's recipe to bring color and lustre back to your hair.

And, there's a story about Courts of Domestic Relations, headlined, ``Make Life Hard For Newlyweds.'' Mother-in-law is prominently mentioned.

If you think child abuse is something new, look at the article with this headline: ``Kept Boy Bound and Tied for Four Days in Bedroom.'' It happened in Brooklyn where the lad's father and stepmother tried to ``break the spirit'' of a 10-year-old.

There were a couple of ads about cures for the ruptured, one of them with this ending: ``Why not tell your ruptured friends of this?''

And there's the article about suffrage. Senator Brandegee of Connecticut said he would oppose it, ``even if everyone in Connecticut were for it.''

An ad for Willis-Smith-Crall Co., Inc., Tazewell Street, corner of Duke in Norfolk, advertises, ``pre-war prices.'' Remember, that's World War I.

My favorite headline in this edition is ``Sunshine in Home, Moonshine in Barn,'' about a happy Washington state family and their home made brew.

Finally, my favorite prices - gas 31 cents per gallon - Ford Touring Cars, $440. Jeez, can't even get a set of tires for that price, nowadays. ILLUSTRATION: In 1920, The Pilot ran a series called, ``The Love

Quest That Triumphed Through a Song.''

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