Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

EARLY COUNTY, GA. : Garden Spot Os GOD’S COUNTRY VOLUME NO. 111—NO. 28 Early County Submits Plan For Desegregating Local Schools PLAN OF EARLY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR ADMINISTERING THE PUBLIC SCHCOL SYSTEM OF EARLY COU.'TY, GEORGIA TO BE IMPLEMENTED ON SEPT. 1, 1970, The Georgia State Board of Education having been ordered, by the United States District Court of Georgila, Atlanta Di=- vision, to withhold funds from this school district unless a plan for the operation of a unitary schoel system is submitted to said State Board of Education by March 1, 1970; the Early County Board of Education pre=- sents the following plan which is to be implemented on the opening of school in September 1970. The Early County Board of Education submits for desegre gating the Early County School System a plan with the following reservation. Should the Congress of the United States by statute amend the existing laws and po licles or should the Executive Branch by Executive Order change the policies now in ope~ ration under the Department of Health, Education and Welfare of the United States of America, the Early County Board of Edu~ cation reserves the right to amend, modify, or rescind this plan to conform to such statutes 4 or exécutive order, In the ewent this plan is ac= cepted in part only, the Early County Board of Education re= serves the right to rescind the plan in whole or to amend or modify said plan. . RESOLUTION The following resolution was approved by the Early County Board of Education on February 27, 1970; WHEREAS, the concept of free= dom of choice has been written into the laws of certain states, WHEREAS, recent court de~ cisions indicate that a unitary school system may be achieved through the use of a freedom of choice, N WHEREAS, the Early County Board of Education believes the schools to be operdted for and by the people of the school dis= trict, e o Funeral Services @ for Mrs. Grist held Thursday Funeral services for Mrs. Ouida Dunbar’ Grist, 82, promi nent Blakely resident, were held Thursday afternoon at the First United Methodist Church with the pastor, the Rev. John Quillian, officiating. Interment Wwas in the Blakely cemetery, Manry= Jordan Funeral Home of Blak=- ely in charge of arrangements. Pall bearers were Bert Puck ett, John H, Williams, Jr., Ed=- ward Sealy, Ted Whitchard, Al Felder, Hugh L. Martin and James B. Murdock, Jr. A native of Beaufort, South Carolina, Mrs. Grist was born July 10, 1887 the daughter of Benjamin Hill Dunbar and Betty Rountree Dunbar. The family moved to Americus, Georgia and later to Valdosta, where Mrs. Grist spent her childhood and youth. She attended Shorter Col lege, Rome, Georgia and came to Blakely in the fall of 1908 as a teacher. She married William James Crist, a native of Blakely, on June 9, 1909 at the Presbyterian Church in Valdosta. Mr. Grist preceded her in death on Nov ember 25, 1939. Mrs. Grist was prominent in the social, civic and church af=- fairs of the community. She ‘served the First United Metho dist Church in many capacities, she was president of the Wo men’s Society of Christian Ser vice three different times, ser ving as president for nine years. ‘A charter member of the Blak ely Study Club, the first soclal and study group organized for (CON'T ON SCHOOL PAGE) Earlp Countp News WHEREAS, a majority of the citizens of Early County favor a freedom of choice plan for the desegregation of the schools of Early County, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Early County Board of Education shall assign students to any school that they may choose to attend by completion of a freedom of choice form to be given each student during the week of Feb ruary 16 - February 20, 1970, THEREFORE, be it further resolved that the Early County Board of Education wherever possible, will assign teachers, principals and staff members to schools so that the faculty and staff is not composed ex clusively of members of one race. This resolution is adopted in order to indicate the Board’'s willingness to develop a plan for the desegregation of the schools in Early County and to clarify its policies respecting desegregation; ile FREEDOM OF CHOICE PLAN (a) Effective with the come mencement of the school year 1970-71 and thereafter, no per= son shall be refused admission into or be excluded from any public school in Early County, Georgia on account of race, creed, color or national origin. All students shall have freedom of choice, and no student shall be assigned or compelled to at= tend any school on account of race, creed, color or national origin, or for the purpose of achieving equality in attendance or increased attendance or re=- duced attendance, at any school, of persons of one or more par= ticular races, creeds, colors, or national origins; and no school district, school zone or atten~ dance unit, by whatever name known, shall be established, re organized or maintained for any such purpose, provided that no thing contained in this section shall prevent the assignment of a pupil or pupils involved, or to such person standing in loco parentis to such pupil or pupils and such freedom of choice must be exercised atthe time and in the manner herein specified. Tea 9 T. J. Kimbrell, Garage operator, ® ® dies in Tifton T. J. Kimbrell, 49, garage and service station operator of Norman Park, died last Friday afternoon in Tift General Hos= pital at Tifton. He had been in ill health for two years. Funeral services were held at 11: a.m. Monday in the Nor=- man Park Methodist Church with the Rev. Richard Mitchell, of the Norman Park Church, and the Reve Paul Barrett, of Colume bus, officiating. Mr. Kimbrell, son of Mrs. Jo M. Kimbrell of Norman Park and the late Mr. Kimbrell, was born on October 23, 1921 in Dodge County, Ga. He had en= gaged in automotive operations for -a number of years. A meme ber of the Norman Park Metho dist Church, he also was a mem= ber of the Moultrie Masonic Lodge and the Shrine Club. Surviving are his widow, the former Miss Goldia Erin Luke, Norman Park; his mother, Mrs. J. M. Kimbrell, Norman Park; four sons, Edward Kimbrell, Norman Park; Jerry Kimbrell, Blakely; Michael Kimbrell, with the Air Force in Vietnam, and Tony Kimbrell, Norman Park; two daughters, Mrs. Mary Alice Cobb and Miss Janette Eliza beth Kimbrell, Decatur, Ga.; seven brothers, Hubert, Herbert and Milton Kimbrell, all of Al=- bany, Alton Kimbrell, Blakely, Aubrey Kimbrell, Moultrie, Levy Kimbrell, Jacksonville, Fla., and Labron Kimbrell, Valdosta; and seven sisters, Mrs. Ruby Swan son, Fitzgerald, Mrs. Gladys U=~ sry, Laios, Vietnam, Mrs. Hattie (CON'T CN SCHOOL PAGE) Success to All Who Pay Their Honest Debts chers, principals and other school personnel shall notbe per mitted to advise, recommend or otherwise influence such deci sion. Nor will school personnel either favor or penalize children because of the choice made. (b) In the event overcrowding results at a particular school from the choices made, priority of assignments shall be based solely on proximity without re gard to racial consideration. (¢) Those whose choices are rejected because of overcrowding will be notified and permitted to make an effective choice of a formerly Negro or formerly white school. e REGISTRATION (a) All pupils attending school in the Early County School Syse tem during the school year 1969- 1970 shall register for the school year 1970-1971 by returning the registration form to any teacher, principal or the Office of the Su= perintendent of Education at any time during the week of Feb ruary 16 to February 20, 1970. Should any student fail to regis ter during this period, registra=- tion will be opened again during .the pre-planning week and the first day of school, that is, from August 24 through August 28, 1970. During such registration periods it shall be mandatory that the parent or guardian of pupil registering to attend such school during the school year 1970-1971 exercise the choice granted in paragraph 1 (a) here of. For the school year 1970 1971 and thereafter the time for returning registration forms shall be from February 16th to February 20th of each year. () All pupils who will be six (6) years of age before Jan uvary 1, 1971 and who intend to commence the first grade for the school year 1970-1971 in the -Early County School System shall by and through their parent or guardian or other person stand ing in loco parentis, register at the pre~school clinic or at the Superintendent’s office atany time from June 15 to June 30, 1970, or at the school of their choice during pre-planning week and the first day of school, that Jack Sammons, ® 65, dies suddenly last Thursday Jack Sammons, 65, well known Early County citizen, died sud denly early last Thursday morn= ing of an apparent heart attack at his home in the Colomokee community. Mr. Sammons was born in Early County on Octo ber 9, 1904, the son of William David Sammons and Annie Cor= ley Sammons. He was a meme ber of the Early County Board of Commissioners, and was ser= ving the second year of a four year term. He was manager of the Trailways bus terminal in Blakely and was a retired farmer. Funeral services were held Friday, 4:30 o’clock in the Colo=- mokee Baptist Church of which the deceased was a member, conducted by the Rev. Howard Gaston, the Rev. J. L. Loper, and the Rev. Andy H. Lanier. Burial followed in the church cemetery, Manry-Jordan Fune ral Home in charge and the fol lowing, all nephews, serving as pall bearers: Bobby Bostwick, Ray Bostwick, Sammie Bostwick, Verna Sammons, Bill Sammons and Robert Sammons. The fol= lowing formed an honorary es cort: Lemuel Tiner, Donald McArthur, J. O, Evans, A, D Wilkerson, Norman Alexander, Earl (Tige) Pickle, Lowrey S, Stone, Phillip Sheffield, Edwin Swann. Survivors are the widow, Mrs. Melba Balkcom Sammons, one son, Jackie Sammons, a brother, Floyd Sammons, 3 sisters, Mrs. Herman Smith, Mrs., Maurine Bostwick, all of Blakely, and Mrs. Trilbey Hardin, Shorter ville, Ala., and a granddaughter, Jill Sammons, of Blakely. . BLAKELY GA.. THURSDAY MORNING MAR. 5, 1970 is, from August 24 through 28, 1970, (c) Pupils transferring into the Early County School System for the school year 1970-1971 who did not attend school in such system during the school year 1969-1970 and who are not commencing the first grade, shall by and through their parents or guardian or other person standing in loco parentis, regis ter at the Superintendent’'s of= fice at any time from June 15 to June 30, 1970 or at the school of their choice during preplan= ning week and the first day of school, that is, from August 24 through August 28, 1970. (d) The foregoing plan, with applicable dates of registration will be followed annually. e TRANSPORTATION Bus routes and the assign ment of students to buses will be designed to insure the trans portation of all eligible pupils to the school of their choice by the most feasible route. it FACULTY AND STAFFt Faculty Employment. Race or color shall not be a factor in the hiring, assignment, reassign= ment, promotion, demotion, or dismissal of teachers. Where= ver possible, teachers, princi= pals and staff members shall be assigned to schools so that the faculty and staff is not com posed exclusively of members of one race. I, Lonnie Chester, hereby cer= tify that 1 am Secretary of the Board of Education of Early County, Georgia; that I am cus= todian of the minutes of the meet~ ings of said board; that the fore=- ‘going resolution is a true and correct copy of a resolution a dopted by said board at a spe= cial meeting legally held on the 27th day of February, 1970; that said resolution has not been re scinded or amended and is in full force and effect. Witness my official hand and seal this 27th day of February, 1970, Lonnie Chester, Secretary of Board of Educa tion of Early County, Georgia e Rites for Wayne Lindsey held o here past Friday William Wayne Lindsey, who died suddenly in Jacksonville, Florida, early Wednesday morn= ing, February 25, was interred in the Blakely cemetery Friday afternoon, following services held at the chapel of Manry= Jordan Funeral Home conducted by Dre C, D, Horton. Pall bear= ers were Fletcher Thompson, Bernard Herring, Reuben Ro berts, A. D, Harriss, A. J. Sin gletary, Charlie Thomas. Mr. Lindsey, a native of Early County, the son of the late G, O. Lindsey and Mattie Lou Cooper Lindsey, was born February 1, 1909. He moved from Atlanta to Jacksonville four months ago. He was a retired salesman with the Massey Harris Implement Company. He was a veteran of World War 11, and saw service overseas with the United States Navy. Survivors include the widow, Mrs. Vallie Turner Lindsey, Jacksonville; a brother, Carlton Lindsey, Criffin, Ga., and a sis= ter, Mrs. Ira Brunson, and step~ mother, Mrs. G, O, Lindsey, Blakely. Patrol Report Sergeant C. R, Worthy of the Donalsonville State Patrol Post announced today that his post has investigated 7 wraffic ac= cidents, made 12 arrests and is sued 14 warnings in Early County during February. Commenting further Sgt. Wor thy said no persons were injured in the 7 accidents along with no one killed. “Be Sure You Are Right, Then Go Ahead” ;u B Sl i l" .:.. ::: B o “ P o > .'.. .; S | .... .;.v 5555 '::: z';;_;;. ’:: s 2.;,;;.' r.';;. l;'. l.:;.- R o . . s ..;;;& e S e KRR 1..' RS .L.;;;v_.._l. & s Id s ‘.:'. '.. !-. e X2OO o ! Sesesensl 0.- ... S ...' eeetets easesess (X ssare! ,'.. obelete ' Lo S L ...- o'.. !.:;::.. e 222 }Eés " & D.': R :35: % ::-': o BOTH TEAMS PLAY THURSDAY P. M. IN MACON The Boys. and Girls Class A State Basketball Tournament will be played this week at the Macon Coliseum in Macon. Blakely and Early County will be well represented as our Bobe= cats and Bobkittens will both be bidding for the State Crowns. This is the first year (accord= ing to memory) that both teams reached the State Tournament. For the Bobkittens it is the first appearance inseveral years, The Bobcats have played in the State Tournaments several times in the past years. The Girls will play at 5:20 today (Thursday) and the Boys tipoff at 6:40 P,M, SUPPORT the Bobcats and Bobkittens at the State Basket= ball Tournament, Macon Coli= seum, Macon, Georgia, - Prominent Cancer Crusader to 0y ® visit in Blakely ~ J. Arch Avery, Jr., who spends his full time conducting a one man crusade against cancer by offering gifts for examinations and touches base in Atlanta long enough ‘to collect his pay from the Trust Company of Georgia where he holds the title of Exe cutive Vice President, will visit Blakely, March 19 and 20, He will be the guest speaker at the Ella Jones PTA Thursday even= ing, March 19 and guest speaker at the Rotary Club onMarch2oat noon. The L&N Rail System and 16 other industries in Georgia, are supporting the gifts for examination crusade by do= nating their products for prizes. Operating for over a year this program has proven its success by the many lives it has saved. It is attracting attention all over the country. Mr. Avery, acolon-rectal can= cer victim who was cured by early detection examination, is a past president of the American Cancer Society. He has made more than 1,100 speeches in the past four years on the danger of cancer and what to do about it. Mr. Avery is a super salesman and what he is selling is a chance to save the lives of 5,000 plus Georglans who die from Cancer each year. Rotaryannes to be honored at ® ® party Fri. night e F L Ben W. Fortson Ben W. Fortson, Jr., Geor= gla's Secretary of State, shown in above photo, will be the prin cipal speaker at the Blakely Ro tary Club party Friday night at the Town & Country Club. This party is being held to honor Rotaryannes, and President Pete Underwood urges all members to attend. Ben Fortson was born in (CON'T ON SCHOOL. PAGE) : : : ’ , o\ | ; ‘ 2 G, e by ) il b E . i ‘:jvfl ‘gt'% 2 rw: il aa bl i 3 v o] % 7 g v § § gy, 3 ; ; 5 a o t.‘ ’ .‘:»: it ‘M T 3 o : e Mt O J. ] 4N | V'S T . - » ‘ L b :,‘4‘;:,:"{ ! ‘ f et < "9LCS ¥ 2 J éfi i u,{l : : A" T g { , : ?‘f fia f/ g.;w&%«;; 1 : 1 % 3 i T o 3 B 5 4 104 o ‘ : i i g “‘}"“; ;":‘:i:'» i ‘a,:#;._ g i “; : Coach Hilburn Dunahoo is shown with his guards discussing defense for the up coming game. Front row, (L~R) Gail Johnson, Coach Dunahoo, Pam Jordan, and Sammie Holman. Back row, (L~R) Kerry Waller, Loyette Stephens, Kathy Tiner, and Debra Ducati. SUN ECLIPSE HAS POTENTIAL TO CAUSE MASSIVE EYE DAMAGE By Amelia Barksdale The sun will wink at the earth the spectacle, warns a Univer=- sity of Georgia astronomer. Dr. Ernest G, Reuning said the total eclipse of the sun March 7 has the potential for produce ing blindness of ‘catastrophic proportions.”’ Many unwilling spectators, Re= uning fears may have the pheno menon permanently burned in a crescent shape on their retinas. The safest way to witness the solar eclipse, he advises, is to follow the moon's shadow on a piece of white paper in the bot=- tom of an oblong box ==~ or watch it on television. However, if you are in the path of totality, in Southeast Georgla, you cdn observe the three-minute total eclipse with= out danger of eye damage. Else= where, leave skyward viewing to the experts. ““Those of us to whom the possibilities of this eclipse are beginning to assume the dimen sions of a mightmare feel that to avoid confusion no exceptions whatever should be stated to the rule of not lookingat the partially eclipsed sun through any device,"’ said Reuning, associate profes= sor of astronomy at the Athens university. Commissioners hold Memorial ® Services Tuesda The board of county comml!- sioners just prior to the open=- ing of the regular March meet= ing Tuesday held a memorial ‘service for the late Jack Same mons, a member of the board, who died on Thursday of the past week. Relatives and court=- house personnel attended the ser= vice conducted by the Rev. Andy Lanier, pastor of Blakely's Southside Baptist Church. The commissioners took under advisement a plan to furnish garbage collection for residents of the county, and authorized Chairman A, D, Wilkerson to seek professional advice as to best methods and costs. James Bryant was appointed a member of the Blakely-Early County Planning and Zoning Com mission, to succeed Edsel Bryan, who resigned. Mr. Bryan and his family are moving to At~ lanta, Other business transacted was mostly routine such as approve ing and paying monthly bills. All members were present == Mr., Wilkerson, the chairman, Lemuel Tiner, J, O. Evans and Donald Mc Arthur, ; The vacancy on the board of county commissioners, caused by He says he is especially fear ful that amateur photographers will attempt to take pictures of the partial eclipse. Either the camera finder or lens can stren gthen the solar rays as to "fry the retina’’ of the photographer, ~aid Reuning. A camera with a one-inch lens would magnify the 'sun’s rays 256 times which then is con centrated on the viewer's eye. “There is no question about it == it’s lethal,’’ officials warn ed. Ironically, the eclipse will be a sight to behold. In the path of totality == an 89 mile strip running northeast to southwest in the eastern part of the state -- the moon will begin breaking into the sun's rays about noon Saturday. By 1:15 p.m., complete darkness will occur -~ except for a ring of fire around the moon's edges and will last about three minutes. Adding to the phenomenon, Re= uning said, is the difference that just a few miles makes. The sun will shine in downtown Brunse wick, but it will be dark in the Western part of town. Lyons also will have nightfall but in nearby Vidalia, it will be light. In the sky a black disc will hide the sun, The fiery red & Meeting planned f ° ® or registration of Boy Scouts The Tro!p Committee of Boy Scout Troop 91, sponsored by the Blakely Lions Club, had an organizational meeting March 2. Stanley Houston, president of the club, announced that Jan Jen kins would be the Scoutmaster. Organization of Troop 91 will be completed Monday, March 9, when the boys will be regise tered as Boy Scouts. The meet= ing will be held at the First Methodist Church at 7:30 p.m. All parents with boys, ages 11- 14, interested in Scouting, are urged to attend Monday night’'s meeting along with their boys. A very informative program on Scouting will be presented to the boys and their parents. the death of member Jack Same mons, will be filled by appoint= ment of Pataula Circuit Superior Court Judge Walter L Geer. Ac cording to a special act creating the present county commission passed in 1933, provision was made for any vacancy which might occur that the judge would ap point a member to fill the entire un-expired term. Mr. Sammons was serving the second year of a 4-year term to which he was elected in 1968. PULL FOR BLAKELY |} — OR =~ ' PULL OUT $3.09 PER ANNUM ring, the chromosphere, will cire cle the disc and a larger white halo will appear around the red ring. The halo is in the sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona. ‘“This is a strange mixture of daytime and night,’’ said Re= uning, ‘‘and it has fired the ima gination since man became half civilized."’ ; The days of smoked glass, carefully prepared by a ‘‘fat lightwood’’ fire and blackened so much a person just couldn’t see anything thru the glass on an ordinary sunny day, is a thing of the past in viewing a total eclipse. Authorities warn the eye may be endangered by these ‘“home made'’ viewing pieces. A total eclipse Saturday, March 7, at 1:15 p.m. in the southeast part of the state will cause many Early Countians to travel the 135 to 200 miles to withess this phenomenon. Perry, Florida's Chamber of Commerce has issued the most publicity of any one town nearest Blakely in the total eclipse 89 mile strip. But Tallahassee, Valdosta and Lyons are others expecting visitors for the oc= casion. Avuthority lets contract for Nursing Home Bates & Associates, a con= tracting firm from Bainbridge, was the low bidder on the Early Memorial Hospital extended care facility, R. G, Singletary, chair=- man of the Hospital Authority, announced following the bid open= ing Tuesday afternoon. : Bates’ bid was $517,700, the chairman saide The extended care facility to be built onto the east wing of the hospital calls for 40 beds, and will be one of the most modern anywhere in this area, Mr. Singletary stateds Actual construction depends = upon when the contracts are sign= ed and labor prices are approv= ed, but is expected to be around April 1. Time for completion is set for 15 months, but is hoped to be sooner, Mr. Single= tary said. : A Abreu and Robeson, an Atlanta firm, is the architect, the same company which planned the pre sent hospital. o sl Hospital Authority members are Mr. Stagletscy, W. H fhle dock, vice-cheliman. * SIS Middleton, Mack Jarrett, John Golden, V. L. McLendon and MRS I