New Philadelphia man’s book a tribute to Mayberry
David Millard of New Philadelphia with his new book, "Make Mayberry Real Again." The book features poetry written by Millard and co-author Ronnie Felker of South Carolina and features drawings and photos of some of the Mayberry Days events and club meetings they have attended.
A recently released book, "Make Mayberry Real Again," strives to bring back the neighborly feeling of small hometown life that has been enjoyed since the "Andy Griffith Show" first aired on CBS in 1960.
David Millard of New Philadelphia is the homemaker personal care manager for Starlight Enterprises Inc. in New Philadelphia, but now he can add published author to his list of accomplishments.
Millard has been a fan of the show for a very long time.
“I was only 3 years old when it came on, but we always watched it. It's always just so much fun to watch, and we watched it countless times, over and over again,” Millard said. “It never seems to get old. It kind of has a life of its own. It's amazing how after 61 years it's still such a great thing, and it's almost like a way of life.”
The show aired from 1960-68. It took place in the fictional rural town of Mayberry, North Carolina. Andy Griffith played Sheriff Andy Taylor in the town that was populated by simple folks whose focus on helping others sometimes led to some hilarious situations.
Other characters in the show were Deputy Barney Fife, played by Don Knotts; Taylor’s son Opie, played by Ron Howard; Aunt Bee, played by Frances Bavier; and Gomer Pyle, played by Jim Nabors.
Millard is a founding member of the A Dollar and A Quarter Club. Each club is required to have a different name that relates to something from the original show. When the club formed, they sent in 12 different names to an office for the "Andy Griffith Show" in Nashville, Tennessee for approval.
“They gave us A Dollar and A Quarter. It was from episode two and one of the last lines that Andy said,” Millard said. “They sent us a charter and made us official. We're in our 23rd year.”
The club currently meets six times a year, every other month, at The Barn at the First Baptist Church in New Philadelphia.
“It's very official. We have minutes. We have dues, which are a dollar and a quarter. We always have to watch an episode,” Millard said. “Most of the people who come, their favorites are in black and white, so we tend to stay that way. Of course, we eat. We just have fun.”
The group is meeting again after having to cancel some meetings due to the pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, meetings usually attracted about 30 members. For more information about the group, visit their Facebook page at A Dollar and A Quarter Club. Millard and a co-host also do Facebook live shows twice a month on Sunday at 8 p.m.
“We always talk about something to do with the show. We just have a lot of fun. The audience responds to us through Facebook. We have actually been in contact with people all over the world. The farthest away was a lady in Germany who would watch, and she's still watching occasionally,” Millard said.
His wife, Pattie, serves as director for the show, which has been on for almost three years.
Millard met the co-author of his book, Ronnie Felker from South Carolina, several years ago at Mayberry Days, an event that is held every year in Andy Griffith's hometown of Mount Airy, North Carolina.
“Ronnie and his wife actually travel through the South. He's a Barney Fife lookalike, and his wife dresses as Thelma Lou. They go mostly from church to church and talk and share,” Millard said.
Felker just started to write about a year ago and sent his poetry to Millard to read on the Facebook Live telecast. Millard has been writing poetry about Mayberry for the past 21 years. The two decided to collaborate on a book, and a friend of Felker published the book on Amazon.
In addition to the poetry, which captures the spirit of Mayberry, there also are photos of the authors and drawings of the people and places of the show. One photo shows Millard and his wife speaking with Dixie, the daughter of Andy Griffith.
The two authors may collaborate on another book too. Millard has plenty of material he keeps in a large notebook, but he never thought any of his work would be published.
“My main interest is writing. I love to write. It's so relaxing,” Millard said. “I have to picture the thing in my mind, and then once I get it pictured, I start writing. I can usually write a poem in 15 minutes, but I can see it.”
The 140-page paperback book is available for $14.99 on Amazon or directly from Millard or Felker. They are willing to sign the books and may schedule a book-signing in the future.
Writing the book was an enjoyable experience.
“We bring to life the people, places and memories that are Mayberry,” Millard said.
Millard contributed one of his poems about Mayberry that he feels best describes the town to the article.
The True Spirit of Mayberry
By David Millard
Mayberry has come to mean a lot,
To many people in different ways
It's more than just a TV show,
It's a way of life to lead each day.
Mayberry is all about friendship,
taking the time to truly care,
showing love to those around you,
being there, their load to share.
In a world that is so troubled,
there is peace found in this town,
it was done in a much simpler time,
but that image is still around.
The True Spirit of Mayberry,
is found within this town,
so, thank you all my dear friends,
for sharing your love all around.