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Dogwoods Planted At City Park
The Cumming Garden Club Council, composed of Cumming Garden Club and the Rose Garden
Club had as its project the Richard B. Russell Beautification Day. On this day garden clubs all
over the State planted dogwood trees as a living memorial to one of Georgia's most dedicated and
well-loved citizens.
Done with the permission of the Russell family, The Garden Club of Georgia, Inc., meeting in
April at Callaway Gardens, passed a resolution declaring February 10, as said date. Governor
Jimmy Carter proclaimed this day as Richard B. Russell Beautification Day only last week.
With the help of the Georgia Forestry Commission and Mr. Edward Wright of that department,
dogwood trees were obtained for this project. In giving the trees, the Forestry Commission asked
that they be planted on State or public lands.
In this picture are seen members of Cumming Garden Club and Rose Garden Club assisting Mayor
Ford Gravitt and Georgia Forestry representative Edward Wrightwith planting of dogwood trees at
City Recreation Park last Thursday morning. Also shown is Joe Nunn, executive secretary for the
Chamber of Commerce. Mrs. Furman Stansell is President of Cumming Garden Club, while Mrs.
Leon Boling is President of Rose Garden Club.
Counterfeit Charges Filed
In a telephone conversation
with a Special Agent of the U.S.
Secret Service Office in Atlanta
on Tuesday, it was ascertained
that a F orsyth County man was
arrested by agents of that fed
eral department and charged
with possession of approxim
ately $3,800 in counterfeit bills.
B. Wentz, special agent in
charge of the Treasury Depart
ment Office, identified the man
as being Donald Gene Pruitt,
Route 1, Cumming, Georgia.
The counterfeit currency was
in $20.00 denominations and
reportedly in possession of P
ruitt when agents took the man
into custody on Wednesday, F
ebruary 2nd.
Pruitt was arraigned the fol
lowing day after having been
arrested in Rome, Georgia. The
charges were made for poss
ession only. No known indict
ments were issued for passing
of the spurious matter.
According to Wentz, Pruitt
will go before a Federal Court
on said charge during early
Spring. No definite date is a
ssured. Pruitt was released
under SIO,OOO bond on February
3rd.
In other activities nearer
home, G. B. I. Agents and Fo
rsyth County Sheriff's Officers
Democratic Delegates To Be Chosen
Ninth Congressional district
delegates to the Democratic
national convention will be ele
cted on Saturday, March 11, at a
district convention of all party
members wishing to attend.
Called by Chairman Charles
H. Kirbo of the Democratic
Party of Georgia, the district
convention will be held at the
:ivic Center in Gainesville.
Bon Carter has been appointed
is chairman for the event.
As in all the state’s nine
Jther congressional districts,
he convention will select four
lelegates and three alternates
DJ’s And Faculty Meet
The Athletic Department of
•’orsyth County High School is
sponsoring a doozy of basket
ball competition next Tuesday
light, February 22nd at 8 o’-
clock. All proceed will go to the
ithletic department in promo-
Ing the various activities of the
{roup.
Tip - off time will see the
<VQXI QUIXIE QUACKERS going
igalnst a formidable FIGHTING
3ULLDOGS TEAM. The Atlanta
television basketeers have a
ine-up of four Disc Jockeys.
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The country with the lowest average ages for marriage is India with 20.0 years for males
and 14.5 years for females.
are investigating the abandon
ment of six automobiles found
by land surveyors in a pasture
near Cumming. Sheriff Donald
Pirkle said that all cars had
been stripped and were scatt
ered around over a wide area
in the 200-acre pasture in the
Cross Roads community.
The six owners of the cars
have been identified, and in
each instance the vehicles had
been reported stolen. Sheriff
Pirkle stated that the cars
belonged originally to resid
ents of Roswell, Atlanta, and
other places in Cobb County.
No arrests have been made at
this time.
Two trucks were stolen re
cently from lot of Howard En
terprises on Highway 20, near
the Cherokee County Line. In
each of the trucks were building
materials, already loaded and
destined for others beside the
culprits who swiped it and the
trucks. The trucks were later
recovered in an adjoining co
unty— minus the building mat
erials.
A similar occurrence was
recorded earlier when a $lO,
000 truck bearing structural m
atter was taken from parking
area of Coal Mountain Builders
Supply. It (the truck) was later
to the national convention in
Miami Beach next summer. The
40 delegates and 30 alternates
thus chosen will comprise a
statewide convention in which 13
delegates and seven alternates
will be elected, making a del
egation of 90.
The process is a historic c
hange from past years when the
governor and party leaders
handpicked all delegates to no
minating conventions.
Anyone 18 years old or older
who will sign a party loyalty pl
edge and promise not to camp
aign openly for anyone other
They are Gary McKee, Barry
Chase, Chuck Knapp and Dave
Smith. The remaining members
range in height from 6-ft. to
6’-8”, and includes such stars
as Tommy Wilson, Cort Nagle,
Warner Peck, Mike Bracewell,
Paul Bloom, Terry Buchanan,
Phil Meadows, Ralph Mitchell,
Cary Vincent and Larry Larson.
Pitted against the above agg
regation will be the Bulldogs’
Dan Cox, Doug Graham, James
Smith, Gordon Moore, Doug Br
ooks, Larry Kohn, Richard Ha
found abandoned and undamag
ed; but, as in the case stated
above, all the building supplies
were missing. The truck was
found in Cedartown.
A hearing has been tentatively
set for James Lingerfelt and
Charles Bennett before a Just
ice of the Peace in Canton,
Friday, February 18th. Th£
hearing is being had for the
purpose of determining the n
ature of evidence and if enough
is available to charge the men
on all counts with which they
are charged. At present, Ch
arles Bennett, James Lingerfelt
and Herbert Dean Smith are be
ing held on multiple warrants
of Murder, conspiracy to com
mit murder, and burglary.
The murder charges were
made in State Warrants in con
nection with the dual slayings of
officers William Cantrell and
Larry Mulkey on Monday Morn
ing, January 10th.
The additional warrants were
issued against the suspects as a
result of burglary at Cannon
gate Country Club on night pre
vious to the Cantrell-Mulkey
deaths. Marcus Wayne Ratledge
was first to be apprehended and
charged with murder after a
concentrated manhunt in South
west Atlanta area.
than the Democratic nominees
for president and vice presid
ent is eligible to run for del
egate or alternate.
All such candidates must qu
alify before March 6 noon at the
office of Zell Miller, execut
ive director of the party, 2401
Bank of Georgia Building, A
tlanta. Delegates and alternates
will be chosen by majority vote
at the district and statewide
conventions.
Miller pointed out that the
district conventions have been
called in accordance with new
district lines enacted last year.
dden, Kelly Summers, Harold
Hammondtree, Johnnie Day,
Randy Kohn, Larry Compton,
Jan Parham, Wagner Brady and
Athon Studdard, These gents
will be recognized as faculty
members of Forsyth County
Schools. They range in height
from s’-4” to 6’-8”.
Students will be admitted at
the gate for SI.OO and adult
tickets will be going at $1.60
each. The play will begin at
8 o’clock sharp at Forsyth Co
unty High School Gym.
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CUMMING, GEORGIA LXV ISSUE 7 15 CENTS PER COPY
More Than Thousand Irate Citizens
Protest Excessive Ad-Valorem Taxation
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Shelley Turner Honored
Shelley Turner, a Senior at
Forsyth County High School, and
a member of the Flash ofCrim
son Band, has been accepted in
to membership in the Georgia
All-State Band. The All-State
groups are offered by the Geor
gia Music Educators Associa
tion as an instructional and ed
ucational opportunity for the
outstanding music students in
Georgia's schools.
High school students in 10th
through 12th grades who quali
fy under eligibility require
ments in the GMEA Handbook
may audition for Senior High
All-State groups. The first
audition for Shelley was on the
District level, in Gainesville.
Students who pass this audi
tion then audition on the state
level. After the State audi
tion in Macon, Shelley was no
tified that she had been accep
ted, and was one of 31 clari
netists chosen from Georgia’s
high-school auditioners for the
1972 All-State Band.
The students will meet in At
lanta March 8 and 9 for re
hearsals under the direction of
Dr. William Revelli, former
conductor of the University of
Michigan Bands. On Saturday,
March 10, the All-State Band
and other All-i..ate groups, will
perform for the 1972 Conven
tion of the Music Educators Na
tional Conference, whose mem
bers come from throughout the
world.
Shelley, the 17 - year old
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lon
Turner of Cumming, became a
band member in the 4th grade
in Cochran, Georgia. She was
accepted into the Cochran Roy
Wrestling Slated Friday Night
FOUR WRESTLING MATCHES are scheduled for Friday
night at the Forsyth County High School Gym, sponsored by
the effervescent Forsyth County Athletic Boosters Club. Pro
fessional wrestling at its best will be featured in each of four
contests. Lady “rasslin” will be on tap for those who like to
see rough-and-tumble amusement, and will pit Lilly Thomas
against Sandy Parker. The men bruisers sees Buddy Colt
and El Mongol (pictured above) tangling in a main event special.
Other top-notch wrestlers in the person of Joe re., and isco
Grlmaldo will set fans on the edge of their seats, is Ihe
Champ versus Alex Medina. The mat favorites will get into
action at 8 o’clock p.m. sharp. Advance tickets can be had at
Forsyth County Bank and Bank of Cumming. The Athletic
Boosters Club is fortunate indeed to secure these top-flight
wrestlers for appearances in Cumming and are expressly
delighted to present these matches for your enjoyment. The
club also wishes to announce that the regular monthly meeting
will be held at the High School Library tills Thursday evening
at 7:30. As stated above, the Wrestling Contests will be this
Friday night, beginning at 8 o’clock. A large crowd is expected.
Dedicated To The And Forsyth County
al High School Band in the 6th
grade, and since 1967 has been
a member of the Flash of
Crimson. Shelley is in her
sixth year as Ist Chair, Ist
Clarinet, a position not light
ly earned, and open to chal
lenge at any time.
Among the honors she has
earned during her Band car
reer are three Superior ra
tings which were earned by en
sembles of which she was lea
der in Festival; two Superi
or ratings for Duets in Festi
val; two Superior and one Su
perior Plus ratings in Solo Fes
tival; three Superior ratings
earned by the Bands in which
she was a member, in Festi
val.
Shelley was one of eight clar
inetists accepted statewide for
the 1970 Governors Honors Pro
gram, where she participated in
band, orchestra, and chorus.
She played bass clarinet in the
orchestra, E-flat clarinet in the
band, B-flat and alto clarinet in
ensemble work, gaining much
valuable experience.
Shelley says, of her accept
ance in All-State Band:
“I view this as the biggest
musical challenge I have ever
had, and look forward to being
a part of this select group. It
will be a great honor to wear my
Flash of Crimson uniform and
represent my Band and school
along with the other students
from all overthe state of Geor
gia at the MENC concert.”
Shelley will enter the Univer
sity of Georgia this summer,
where she will major in Music
Therapy.
More than a thousand irate taxpayers
from Fulton and adjoining counties crow
ded into North Roswell Elementary School
auditorium to protest ad-valorem taxation
on properties owned by them and other
over-burdened taxpayers throughout the
State of Georgia. The group met last
Sunday afternoon.
The Association of Concerned Tax
payers offered a 12-point program on which
to base their organization’s drive for
greater support among the people most hit
by the excesses now being imposed upon
them. Immediate plans are underway to
encourage more citizens to join in the
fight.
Former Lieutenant Governor, George
T. Smith, spoke regarding the property
tax situation in Georgia, and commented
that it would be much cheaper for he and
family to live in apartments than to own
their own home.
Smith urged the enthusiastic listeners
to prepare and work diligently toward
selling their program to the people. He
requested that they button-hole the legis
lators, write to them, lobby for their
plan and do any legal thing to save their
homes and property.
Furthering his plea, Smith said that
"this state is being operated by pressure
groups." He added, "Unfortunately,
however, the property owners are not
organized -- while at the same moment
those people who are in state and federal
government positions (and who are not
required to work) can roam the floors
Result Of Study Given
The decision to launch a St
atewide drive for removal of the
school tax portion of local taxes
from advalorem taxpayers was
reached after deliberate and ex
haustive research into the effect
this present system is having
and will have SOON on the home
owner in every county in Ge
orgia. The Association of Con
cerned Taxpayers believe that
the present ad valorem tax sys
tem is destructive in nature and
will, if not altered, destroy
that cherished American dream
of being able to own one’s own
home. They set forth the fo
llowing factors used in reaching
the decision:
1. A system is wrong that
allows for a tax structure that
prohibits young people and mid
dle class citizens from owning
a home and which system des
troys the desire of the wealthy
to own one.
2. A system is wrong that
forces our elderly citizens, our
disabled, and those on fixed
incomes including our poor,
but proud citizens to sell their
modest homes for taxes and
become wards of the State.
3. A system is wrong that
undermines the security one
should be able to feel if he has
worked long and hard to own his
home and makes him face in
stead the real possibility that
in his retirement years he will
be forced to give up this home
because of ever-increasing tax
ation.
4. A system is wrong that
discourages the building of nice
homes and promotes the nec
essity of its citizens to live
in low-cost, no style, modular
units of private homes or live
in rental units.
5. A system is wrong that
falls to recognize the impor
tant roll the homeowner plays in
the overall social and economic
welfare of our Country. (We
feel the homeowner is to our
Country what the backbone is
to the human body).
6. A system is wrong that
forces our rural citizens off
their land and into already over
crowded cities. This is being
done even though planning st
udies show it will be years
and years until this land will
be needing to be developed.
7. A system is wrong that
The moct expensive coin in the world is a U.S. SSO gold piece of 1877, now in the
Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D C It is valued at $100,000!
THE FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS
BY: JOHN A. REYNOLDS
discourages investment in un
developed property and thereby
destroys the market value of
our vast areas of open lands.
(A man investing in savings
certificates and savings acc
ounts pays no property taxes
nor, in the case of investments
in municipal bonds, pays no inc
ome taxes).
8. A system is wrong that
threatens to break down the
zoning laws of our counties and
thereby endangers the orderly
development of our lands. This
will happen as the natural re
sult of the property owner being
faced with the choice of finding
a profitable NOW use for his
land, however undesirable, or
face having his land sold for
taxation). That growing number
of citizens concerned with ec
ology would do well to take
note of this particular factor.
9. A system is wrong that
discourages the recruiting of
new businesses for our com
munities through the inability
of the community, under the
present tax system, to guaran
tee that employees of any new
business will be able to own
adequate or desirable housing.
10. A system is wrong that
fails to regulate the percentage
rise of tax increases on pro
perty and allows instead for
balloon increases as a result
of permitting so-called'‘reapp
raisals” which are in fact
merely reflections of our dan
gerous period of unrealistic in
flated values. (Building a tax
base on such inflated values is
a dangerous departure from
responsible accounting and can
be likened to the man who built
his home on shifting sands).
11. A system is wrong and
certainly denies equity under
law that imposes the wide ma
jority of the cost of govern
ment, health, welfare, and ed
ucation on the property owner
alone.
12. Finally, a system is wrong
that does not contain built-in
safeguards against that age -old
maxim, or truth, that teaches
"THE POWER TO TAX IS THE
POWER TO DESTROY”.
The issue is whether or not
local governments (cities, to
wns, counties, school and ot
her special districts) can con
tinue to rely on the advalorem
of The General Assembly and influence
legislation." He concluded that the working
class of property owners are too busy
trying to earn enough to pay their taxes
until they don’t have time to influence
anybody.
The association plans to make immediate
contact with those counties and citizens
seeking relief from the problems existing
in almost every county in the state; and
to make appearances before the Georgia
House Ways and Means Committee, re
questing that they approve suggested ch
anges in property taxation. They are also
inviting others to join them in the fight.
The taxpayers group is to adopt a plat
form which will require prospective leg
islators to provide “yes” or "no” ans
wers to questions pertaining to tax issues,
before the August Primary. It is also on
the agenda to initiate a court test proce
dure which will eventually require the State
of Georgia to get out of the property tax
field for support of schools. They expect
to propose an amendment to The Consti
tution which will “roll back” and set
limits on ad-valorem property taxes, but
will support and work for the 1-cent
increase in Sales Tax and increased
income taxes to offset the loss of any
revenue resulting from the changes.
This newspaper has been informed that
the Forsyth County Democratic Executive
Committee and the Forsyth County Con
cerned Taxpayers concur fully with the
actions taken by the group as outlined
above.
tax as its chief source of re
venue to finance local govern
ment operations.
The facts in the home-owner
vs. apartment dweller squabble,
the main conclusion is simple
and direct:
Those who live in higher
priced dwellings, whether home
or apartment, pay more
property taxes than those who
live in lower-cost dwellings,
whether home or apartment.
A study discovered that mobile
home residents have been get
ting by virtually free.
The counties and cities of
Georgia spend more, per dw
elling unit, to provide services
to low-cost and lower-rent hou
sing, regardless of type, than
they get back in taxes.
The study was limited to three
urban counties which represent
a cross section of Georgia’s
more populous counties, and it
did not look into anything but
strictly county government ju
risdictions.
The investigators attempted
to determine how much it costs
a county to provide services
(water, sewage disposal, police
protection, fire protection, ed
ucation and others) per dwell
ing unit, and how much income
the county received in taxes,
also per dwelling unit. In no
case did the figures coincide.
Only the highest value (real
estate) developments show a
surplus when comparing the re
venues and expenditures for
general government.
These results were the same
when revenues and expenditures
strictly for education were
compared, and when both gen
eral government and education
were lumped together.
Low and middle-value subdi
visions, apartment house com
plexes and mobile home parks
produced deficits to the county.
The mobile home parks pro
duced the greatest deficit.
The study recommended that
serious consideration be given
to the merits of re-evaluating
and possibly eliminating ad va
lorem taxes.
The team recommended that
strong consideration be given to
classifying mobile homes as
real estate or real property
for taxing purposes, which is
not now the case.
FEBRUARY 17, 1972