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ifarksofl progress-Argus
Volume 101 Number 19
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DEATH CAR EMERGES FROM TUSSAHAW CREEK
Photo by Jerry McLaurin
New Nazarene Church Will
Be Dedicated on Sunday
NEW NAZARENE CHURCH
Photo by Jerry McLaurin
Dedication services for the
new church edifice of the
Jackson Church of the
Nazarene will be held Sunday
afternoon, May 19th, begin
ning at three o’clock. The
dedication service will be
held at the church on
Highway 16, 1.3 miles east of
Jackson and is expected to be
one of the most important
days ever held in the history
of the local Nazarene
Church.
The dedication service will
climax a year long building
program and is anticipated
to be a highlight of this
church year for the members
and friends of the Jackson
Church of the Nazarene. The
new facility is the realization
of a dream come true and is
anticipated to be an asset to
the community and county.
The local Nazarene church
was organized September 12,
1937 following a tent meeting
which was located on a
vacant lot where the present
Red & White food store now
stands. There were 12
charter members. Of these
12, Mrs. Odie Blessett
continues to attend the
church faithfully.
Gordon Plans Open
House For May 19th
Barnesville Gordon
Junior College will host its
first open house since
becoming a unit of the
University System. The
event will be held Sunday,
May 19, from 1:30 to 5:00.
Some fifteen exhibits, and
special demonstrations are
The church first worship
ped in a rented hall which
houses the Bell Telephone
Cos. Following several years
here the church moved
forward and purchased a lot
on Indian Springs Street and
contructed the building
which stands there today.
Since moving into this
building in May 1943 an eight
room Sunday School annex
and anew building front has
been added.
Experiencing growth
through the years, there
became a need for larger
facilities. The movement for
the building of anew edifice
began in November, 1971, a
tract of land was donated on
Highway 16 with a stipulation
that a church be built on it.
Following a favorable vote to
build and the purchase of an
additional 1.1 acres, another
acre and a half was donated
fo give the Nazarene church
some four acres of property.
Rev. Lon Hadwin, pastor,
stated this week that the
dream of larger and better
facilities has now become a
reality and “God is working
among our people.” He
continues, “we are expecting
scheduled as a part of the
open house. All buildings in
the campus will be open to
the public and a model of
planned expansion will be on
display.
All the science depart
ments have scheduled labo
ratory demonstrations in-
yet another answer to prayer
on the day of dedication. The
membership has been pray
ing that God would pay off
the entire church indebted
ness on this day in order that
the Jackson Church may
support a Home Mission
pastor in salary and benefits
with what would normally be
a monthly building pay
ment.”
Rev. Hadwin stated that
May 19th will be a
memorable and exciting day
for the local Nazarene
Church and extends an
invitation to all Butts County
residents to attend and share
in the excitement with
church members.
The new edifice is T
shaped. The sanctuary will
seat 300 with overflow rooms
to seat an additional 100. The
facility includes a Baptistry,
Fellowship Hall, 12 Sunday
School rooms, steeple, light
ed cross and covered
walkway.
The public is cordially
invited to attend the dedica
tion service Sunday after
noon, May 19th. beginning at
three o’clock.
cluding the use of an air
track, genetics and cell
tissues, chemical analysis,
math applications, and com
puter golf. The Nursing
Division, in conjunction with
the Georgia Heart Associa
tion, will be conducting a
hypertension screening
check in the nursing lab.
The Humanities Division
will be demonstrating the use
of films in composition
classes and the music
department will present
“Maine’' at 3:00 P.M
Jackson, Georgia 30233, Thursday, May 16, 1974
Ridgeway
On Hospital
Authority
David P. Ridgeway, Sr.,
Clerk of Butts Superior Court
and active community lead
er, was elected as a member
of the Butts County Hospital
Authority to fill the unex
pired term of the late G.
Lawrence Morgan. This
action was taken at the
regular monthly meeting of
the Authority on Thursday
night, May 9th.
Mr. Ridgeway is a 1943
graduate of Jackson High
School. He was a charter
member of the Butts County
Jaycees and has served as
president of that club. Mr.
Ridgeway is also a charter
member of the Butts County
Lions Club and has served as
president of that organiza
tion.
Active in many areas of
community life, Mr. Ridge
way is a former president of
the Babe Ruth Baseball in
Butts County and has also
served as president of the
Little League.
Several years ago Mr.
Ridgeway served as Red
Cross Blood Recruitment
chairman for Butts County
and is one of two local
donors who has donated over
eight gallons of blood for the
benefit of his fellow man.
One of the honors most
appreciated by Mr. Ridge
way was accorded him in
1959 when he was named
Outstanding Young Man of
the Year by the Butts County
Jaycees. He is a Master 4-H
Club member and won an
out-of-state trip in 1941.
He is married to the former
Miss Saralyn Churchwell of
Macon and they have five
children.
Mr. Ridgeway is a retired
Chief Warrant Officer, Geor
gia Army National Guard,
and was awarded the
Distinctive Service Medal in
the National Guard in 1955.
Mr. Ridgeway is a member
and deacon of Towaliga
Baptist Church. He has
served as director of the
Butts County Chamber of
Commerce, Inc. and has
served as chairman of the
Clerks of Superior Court of
Georgia.
Miss Georgie Watkins,
chairman of the Butts County
Hospital Authority, said this
week upon learning of Mr.
Ridgeway’s acceptance, "we
are looking forward to
having Mr. Ridgeway serve
on the Authority and feel he
can contribute greatly to the
efficient operation of Sylvan
Grove Hospital."
Three Brothers Drown When Car
Plunges Into Tussahaw Creek
Tussahaw Creek is quiet,
peaceful and serene today,
the silence of its murky
waters broken only by the
occasional jumping of a fish
or the noise of a fisherman
ambling along its bank.
This tranquil setting was
not true Wednesday and
Thursday of last week when
hundreds of spectators
crowded onto the bridge and
its bank to watch with avid
interest rescue attempts to
locate the bodies of three
brothers who drowned Wed
nesday afternoon about 4:45
o’clock when a car driven by
19-year-old Aaron Conley,
one of the victims, left
Highway 36 and rolled down
an embankment parallel to
the road and into 20-foot deep
Tussahaw Creek, carrying
two younger brothers, Ray
mond Earl Conley, 8, and
Craig Conley, 3 to watery
graves. A cousin, Carlton
Brewer, 3, was rescued, his
life being saved by Douglas
Frost, 26, a former resident
of the Worthville Commun
ity, but presently residing in
Union City.
The car came down
Worthville Road that bisects
Route 36, north of the bridge,
ran across the highway, and
proceeded down the em
bankment into the water. All
four occupants escaped the
confines of the car and were
seen for a few moments
bobbing in the murky, yellow
water before disappearing
into the depths of Tussahaw.
A Jackson minister, the
Rev. John Freeman, pastor
of St. Paul A.M.E. Church.
Sparta, was fishing from the
bank near the scene of the
cars submerging and saw the
great tragedy unfold before
his very eyes. Mr. Freeman
said he both saw and heard
the car as it plunged down
the embankment and saw it
enter the water with its four
victims. He fervently ex
pressed the hope that “I
never see another sight like
this as long as I live.”
Mr. Freeman reported
seeing the victims emerge
from the car and for a few
brief minutes the heads of all
were seen bobbing up and
down in the deep creek. Mr.
Freeman said that he and an
unidentified black youth
attempted to hold out poles to
those in the water but they
were too short. Mr. Freeman
ran onto the highway and
flagged down a passing
motorist who was Mrs. Sue
Pope, a resident of Worth
ville, who was returning
home from work in Jackson.
Mrs. Pope said that she
joined Rev. Freeman and the
unidentified youth at the
creek's edge. They attempt
ed to find longer poles to
throw out to the victims but
were unable to do so. Mrs.
Pope stated that she ran up
the embankment to the road
to flag another passing
motorist who turned out to be
her neighbor, Douglas Frost,
26-year-old son of Mr. and
Mrs. Doug Frost of Worth
ville.
Mr. Frost, an excellent
swimmer, developed into the
hero of the hour as he rushed
to the water 's edge, removed
a few clothes and dove into
the creek, reaching Carlton
Edward Brewer and swim
ming with him to the safety
of the bank.
However, by this time the
other victims had disap
peared beneath the water
and subsequent diving at
tempts by Mr. Frost proved
futile. He returned to the
bank where he administered
mouth to mouth resuscitation
to the three-year-old boy who
showed signs of reviving. He
was rushed to Sylvan Grove
Hospital where he was
treated and later released,
the sole survivor of the
tragedy.
Mr. Frost borrowed a
snorkel from the Newton
County Rescue Unit and used
it to locate the car before
emerging from the cold
water and driving the short
distance to his parents’
home.
Within a short time,
members of the Butts County
Sheriff’s Department, the
Butts County Civil Defense
Rescue Unit, the Newton
County Civil Defense Unit,
the Covington Fire Depart
ment and rangers from the
State Game and Fish
Commission were on hand
and began dragging opera
tions to recover the bodies
and remove the car.
The first body to be
recovered was that of Aaron
Conley, the driver, whose
body was snagged by the
dragging bar about 6:15
o’clock. The body of Craig
Conley was recovered by
dragging operations about
7:45 o'clock Wednesday
night. Rescue operations
were continued until dark
and then cancelled until they
were resumed about 8:00
o'clock Thursday morning.
The body of the last victim
was recovered from the
creek about 1:20 o’clock
Thursday afternoon, May
9th. That was the body of
Raymond Earl Conley.
The tragedy attracted a
large number of spectators
who lined the banks and
observed dragging and div
ing operations to retrieve the
bodies and watched with
great interest as the death
car. a 64 Chevrolet, was
removed early Wednesday
evening from its resting
place in the bottom of
Tussahaw Creek in water 15
to 20 feet deep.
It was reported that the
victims had been to a store in
Worthville to make a
purchase and were enroute
home when the accident
happened. The Conley family
lived about a half mile from
the scene of the disaster on
the left of the highway
traveling in the direction of
Jackson.
Mrs. Pope said that none of
the victims made an outcry
that she heard, nor did she
see any making a real
attempt at swimming and
believed that they were
possibly stunned by the
impact of the car with the
water.
Mrs. Pope and Rev.
Freeman were quick to give
credit to Mr. Frost for saving
the life of the Brewer child
for as they pointed out "he
would have surely drowned
had not Mr. Frost been able
to reach him in time.”
Sheriff Barney Wilder and
John Chiappetta, director of
the Butts CD unit, thanked all
who cooperated in any way
during the rescue efforts and
wished especially to thank
those men from Covington
and Newton County who
assisted and for those who
furnished food to the workers
at the drowning site.
In an interview with Mrs.
Frances Frost, mother of
Douglas, she expressed pride
and pleasure in the heroism
of her son and exclaimed,
“Douglas always was a good
boy.”
Mrs. Frost told the
Progress-Argus she felt that
chance brought her son by
Tussahaw Creek at an
$6.18 Per Year In Advance
*
DOUGLAS FROST
opportune minute and that
she was thankful that he had
the courage and the swim
ming expertise to do what
had to be done to save the life
of at least one of the victims.
Mrs. Frost said her son is
extremely modest and shuns
recognition for his exploits.
She recalled that in his days
at Sylvan High School his
performances in track were
often rewarded with trophies
about which she had to pick
information from him as to
his latest success.
She recalls that he was
always a good swimmer and
this faculty was heightened
during his years as a Boy-
Scout and an Explorer Scout.
She remarks that he had
done considerable scuba
diving in Florida and
California where he served
two years in the U. S. Marine
Corps.
Mrs. Frost remembered
that when her son arrived at
home after his daring rescue
he was shivering and shaking
from his time spent in the
cold water. Douglas had
stripped off his shirt and
shoes and handed his wallet
to Mrs. Sue Pope, a neighbor,
before diving into the creek.
Mrs. Frost said that after he
returned home that she. her
husband and son returned to
the creek where Douglas
borrowed a snorkel and went
back into the creek and
located the car
ISA To Hold Round-Up
And Pre-Registration
Indian Springs Academy
will holds its Pre-School
Round-Up and Registration
for grades 1-12 on Monday.
May 20th. These will be held
between the hours of 6:30 and
9:00 p.m. at the Academy.
Mrs. Linda McClelland,
first grade teacher and
chairman of the Round-Up.
stated. “We will welcome all
students who would like to
enroll in grades 1-12. We
especially invite the new
students who will be in the
first grade. The first graders
will be given a very short
readiness test."
Porter Cawthon. Chairman
of the Board of Directors,
and Mrs. Sandra Moore.
Secretary, will be at the
school to answer any
questions and to show
parents the campus and
facilities.
Mr. Cawthon cited some
advantages of attending ISA
"We re proud of our school.
We provide quality education
Mrs. Frost said she told her
son she was proud of him for
having saved a life.
“I would be proud, too, if I
could have gotten the others
out," she said her son
replied
Douglas, who recently
married, is a contraction
firm employee and had been
working in Ft. Valley the day
of the tragedy. He was
enroute to Union City but
decided to stop by Worthville
to check on his father. C. E.
(Doug; Frost, who had been
injured in an auto-train
accident.
Joint funeral services for
the three boys were held
Sunday afternoon. May 12th,
at Oak Grove Baptist Church
with interment in Oak Grove
Church cemetery. Harold
Howard Funeral Home of
Jackson was in charge of
arrangements.
Survivors of the three
victims are their parents.
Mr. Stewart Lee Conley and
Mrs. Lizzie Kate Conley,
seven sisters. Mrs. Lucy
Crawford of McDonough;
Mrs. Naomi Stodghill, Mrs.
Elsie Ann Brewer, Audrey
Jane Conley. Marion Denise
Conley. Angela Conley, Ve
ronica Conley, all of Jack
son; three brothers. Leonard
Lemar Conley. Willie Lee
Conley. Bradley Conley, all
of Jackson; grandmother.
Mrs. Connie Mae Stewart of
Jackson, several aunts and
uncles, nieces and nephews.
with a low teacher-pupil ratio
1 15-20 pupils per class). All
our teachers hold at least a
bachelor's degree and are
certified by the State of
Georgia. We use the latest
teaching texts and methods.
Our school is well equipped
with modern teaching aids,
including audio-visual ma
terials and a library. The
buildings are completely
air-conditioned."
Parents are welcome to
come by anytime between
the hours of 6:30 and 9:00
p.m. Refreshments will be
served.
LIBERTY TO HAVE
GOSPEL SINGING
A gospel singing will be
held Saturday. May 18th, at
7:30 o’clock at the Liberty
Baptist Church The featured
group will be The Gospeletts
from Macon.
