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The Sylvania Times
Wednesday, November 2, 2022 - Page 9
Editorial
Take time first thins to visualize an incredible da
From the
Editor’s
Desk
Joe Brady
Editor
Y’all, I got stopped
by the GSP last week.
Now, this is only like the
third time I’ve ever been
stopped for speeding,
or shall I say, caught. I
am proud to announce that I have never had a speeding
ticket. I wouldn’t lie, honest, my license is blemish free.
I was on the bypass Tuesday morning, driving into the
Sylvania office, my mind was busily sorting out the
papers that needed to be mailed. Plus, I had to finish
Millen. What was I gonna put in the place of Brad this
week, he’s sick by the way, y’all say a prayer for our
preacher. I saw the trooper sitting at the bottom of the
hill, in the median and I nervously looked down at my
speed. Uh-oh, I was going 72 in a 55. He had me dead
to rights.
As he turned his car around, I was pulling onto the
shoulder. While he was grabbing up his tools, I was
grabbing insurance cards, driver’s license. I thought for
one fleeting moment, “Oh Lord, what if he thinks I’m
reaching for a gun or something?” As he approached my
open window, I handed him those articles and he said,
“Mr. Brady you were speeding,” I quickly agreed and
said, “yep, I was going 72 in a 55.1 was daydreaming.”
He was very courteous. I was very courteous. He looked
down at my dashboard, “it looks like you need some
gas.” I looked down and said, “oh, I sure do. Would it
help if I told you I was speeding because I need gas?”
Guys, I am telling you, it was a pleasant experience all
the way around. I didn’t have an attitude. I knew I was
speeding. He didn’t have to chase me down in the street
or raise his voice. I broke the law, okay. Let’s own up to
it.
Now, don’t get me wrong, not all brutal encounters
between law enforcement and the citizenry are the
citizens’ fault. There are a few officers who might need
to rethink their jobs. But the situation is only escalated
by our belligerence. Don’t argue with these guys, they
are doing their job. We must remember; these people
don’t know us.
Granted, most of my day is spent talking with law
enforcement, that’s what I do. But this man didn’t know
me. I speak with his office daily but not to him. As far as
he knew, I was gonna act crazy, belligerent, run across
the peanut field, or speed off. Before we complain about
those brave folks in blue, let’s take the time to think
about our attitudes.
Our little meet and greet ended with him telling me to
be safe and me telling him to do the same. If I knew his
name, I would happily share it but since I’m old and
can’t remember nothing that’s all for now, take care!
Local organization
thanks donors
Dear Editor
The Screven County Community Collaborative
would like to express our appreciation and thanks
to Elk Home and Lighting for helping us with our
fundraiser. Because of their generous donation of
home items, the Collaborative was able to raise
over $15,000! These funds will be used to help with
the Screven County Community Collaborative’s
programs such as the Learning on Wheels Tech Bus,
family night events like our Superhero Night and
leadership programs for our students.
Thank you again to Elk home and lighting and a
special thanks to Nick Martucci and volunteers for
making this fundraising event a true success.
Cathy Right
Screven County Community Collaborative
CROSSWORD SOLUTION
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Pastor Bill Kent,
Memorial Baptist Church
Sylvania, GA
Dishonesty and
deception are now
as common as
mosquitoes on a hot,
summer night. As the
mosquitoes sting us,
we've all felt sharp
pain when we realize
somebody deceived
us. Since we suffer
financial hardship
and other problems
when con-artists and
scammers trick us,
JOURNEY
Faith
we need wisdom
and should check
out everything
thoroughly before
making decisions.
When Solomon
spoke about nothing
new happening,
he knew every
generation makes new
inventions, but he was
describing how human
nature is the same in
all generations. In the
first book of the Bible,
more than one person
lost property and
peace of mind when
they believed a lie.
For example, Rebekah
and Jacob cooked up a
scheme to steal Esau's
inheritance. They took
advantage of Isaac's
poor eyesight as thieves
often take advantage
of people's weaknesses
today.
"Then Rebekah took
the choice clothes of her
elder son Esau, which
were with her in the
house, and put them
on Jacob her younger
son. And she put the
skins of the kids of the
goats on his hands and
on the smooth part of
his neck. Then she gave
the savory food and the
bread, which she had
prepared, into the hand
of her son Jacob. So he
went to his father and
said, My father, and he
said, Here I am, Who
are you my son? Jacob
said to his father, I am
Esau your firstborn; I
have done just as you
told me; please arise,
sit and eat of my game,
that your soul may bless
me," (Genesis 27:15-19).
Though we may think
we are too smart to
ever get conned by a
liar, the strongest and
wisest spiritual leaders
fall prey to deception
every once in a while,
as Joshua was tricked
by the Gibeonites.
Therefore, we all need
to be prayerful and
careful because the
devil continuously
stirs up schemes to
steal everything that is
valuable to us. "Beloved,
do not believe every
spirit, but test the
spirits, whether they are
of God; because many
false prophets have gone
out into the world," (1
John 4:1).
Unearthing
Camp Lawton
Dr. Ryan McNutt, Ph.D,
FSAScot, R.P.A.
“WALKING
DEAD”
One of the regular
questions I’m asked
about Camp Lawton
pertains to the sad story
of the 700 odd men who
died there. This not
particularly surprising,
nor is it a particularly
morbid question. Nor to
be frank, is it a question
that particularly bothers
me. Archaeologists
in general work with
the remains of the
dead: whether we
consciously realize it
or not, the last hand to
touch every object we
excavate has turned
to dust those drifts on
the winds of time. In
my own case, my past
career entailed working
for a company that
focused on mortuary
archaeology, which
meant conservation
and care of historic
cemeteries as well as
terminating cemeteries
on properties bought
by developers, where
no descendants
remained. Pay attention
to the landscape,
dear reader, the next
time you’re about
in the countryside.
Small groves of trees
standing sentinel in a
field, especially with
ancient cedars who
guard the glade, are
often indicators of small
family cemeteries: a
few generations, and
a few dozen graves.
People exist as long as
they’re remembered,
and unfortunately, as
those who remember
pass, so does the
care, and upkeep, and
memory of these last
places of eternal rest.
The land leaves the
ownership of those
who do remember, and
only the law exists to
ensure the eternal rest
remains. This is where
archaeologists like me
came in—the cemeteries
were excavated,
recorded, and relocated
to a place where they
remain undisturbed,
in the same alignment,
with their markers and
names preserved. Often
this is a just a green
space on the property,
or a sometimes they
are relocated to a large
municipal cemetery, but
regardless, the rights of
the dead are respected,
their rest shortly
disrupted but quickly
returned. Personally, I
always took relocation
as far more of a
kindness then eternity
under a Starbucks.
This same desire to
memorialize the dead,
and ensure their eternal
rest is I suspect what
drives the curiosity
about the dead at
Camp Lawton. And
curiosity over if they’ve
been encountered by
archaeologists working
on the site. Originally,
in 1864, the dead at
Lawton were interred
in three burial trenches
scattered across the
site. Which we still
aren’t sure as to their
location. There are
clues, but as ever,
these are difficult to
reconcile against a
modern landscape.
In 1865, the Federal
government acted over
the realization that
there were bodies of
dead soldiers strewn
across the south, on
battlefields, but also
at prison camps and
along march routes,
and in garrisoned
cities. They dispatched
repatriation and
reburial teams, who
excavated the scattered
burials of the Union
dead across the
south and reburied
them in centralized
National cemeteries.
One of these National
Cemeteries was placed
at Camp Lawton, a mile
west of the Savannah-
Augusta Railroad,
and half mile east of
the stockade. Which
is precisely vague
enough to be incredibly
frustrating to relocate.
.. especially since the
same document refers
to Magnolia Spring
itself being NORTH of
the stockade. Which it
absolutely isn’t. .. the
reason the location of
the National cemetery,
and the burial
trenches themselves are
important is because
the reburial crews were
somewhat less than
thorough in insuring
all the mortal remains
were gathered and
reinterred. At least in
the initial internment
at Lawton National
Cemetery, they were
supposedly placed in
caskets before reburial.
The alert reader may
notice that there is,
in fact, no national
cemetery at Lawton.
This is because the dead
interred there were
removed yet again a few
years after 1865, when
the Federal government
suddenly decided to
stop leasing the land at
what is now Magnolia
Springs, and moved the
remains to Beaufort,
South Carolina, and
the National Cemetery
there. Of course, the
burials at Lawton
National Cemetery
weren’t just the POWs—
it also included men
who had died during
Sherman’s advance
amongst various
skirmishes and had
been buried alongside
the ‘Waynesboro Road’,
or ‘Thomas Station’.
And in this context,
and in a few others, the
remains of the dead
are likely still present
at Lawton.. .despite
the marker in Beaufort
National Cemetery.
Which we’ll explore in
next week’s column. ...
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Notice is hereby given pursuant to O. C. G„ A. § 3-4-92. and oilier applicable election laws* for
the purpose of submitting, to the qualified voters of the City of Sylvania the question of whether
the governing authority of the City of Sylvania shall he authorised to issue licenses to sell
distilled spirits lor beverage purposes by the drink* such sales to be for consumption only on the
premises. The question shall read:
{ ) Vos Shall thi 1 governinj; inn thurify of the City rtf Syl van hi he inillmri/t'il to x.'gkiii*
licensc-s to .sell iLi-s tilled Kpirit.% fear huvcrugu purpu^s T>v the drink, kuitIi nuIc.s
( ) No to he for consumption only on fltv pmniNex?
Said election will be- held on November 2022, and the polls will bo open for voting from 7:00
A.M. until 7:00 P.Ivf. on that date. All persons desiring to vote for approval of the governing
authority being authorized to issue licenses to sell distilled spirits For beverage purposes by the
drink* such sales to be for consumption only on the premises, shall vote “Yes”* and all persons
desiring to vote for rejection of the governing authority being authorized to issue licenses to sell
distilled spirits for beverage purposes by the drink* such sales to be for consumption only on the
premises, shall vote ^'blo - ”.
Citizcnsi who are not registered to vole may register in the Office of Life Sore von County
Registrar's Olltte, lid Mirns Rond, SylvAtkia, Georgia, 304-6-7, Monday through Friday. 8:00
A*M, o'clock P.M, The deadline for registering to vote in tltis election is 5:00 o'clock
P,M r on October 10, 2022.
This day of J \ CL , 2022.
Election Superintendent, City of Sylvania
