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J. D. Jones Publisher
(1908-1955
Doyle Jones Jr. Editor and Publisher
(1955-1975)
MRS. MARTHA G. JONES PUBLISHER
VINCENT JONES EDITOR
Published fevery Thursday at 129 South Mulberry Street, Jackson,
Georgia 30233 by The Progress-Argus Printing Cos., Inc. Second Gass
Postage paid at Jackson. Georgia 30233.
Address notice of undeliverable copies and otner correspondence
to The Jackson Progress-Argus, P.O. Box 249, Jackson, Georgia 30233.
SIL NEWSPAPER |
ZIHjE
MEMBER—-1975
====*?—?===
One Year- $6.24
School Year $5.20
Editorials
In the Beginning...
Some of the better editorials
being written today are often done
by that great author Anonymous,
whose sarcasm is often so biting
and his insight so often piercing as
to stimulate the thinking of even
the most lethargic of us.
He wrote one the other day
about the insanity of some
governmental policies, entitled
“in the beginning” and we thought
you might get a laugh, or a tear, out
of it:
“...God created the heavens
and the earth, only to be confronted
with a class action suit by the
Environmental Protection Agency
challenging what this creation
would do to the delicate balance of
life as it then existed.
The creation of light and
darkness, and the division of the
two, brought charges by the
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration that such condi
tions would make working unsafe.
There instead should be light while
there is darkness.
Creation of firmament and
waters caused the Department of
Housing Urban Development to
raise questions over what formula
was used to allocate space to each
of these elements.
And when plants were added,
the Department of Agriculture
raised a howl because the growing
of plants and trees was against
departmental policy. The alterna
tive plan suggested was that plants
and trees be created but not
actually be put on Earth.
Of course, the National
The Voice of the People
The Latins, who had a word or
phrase for most any given
situation, coined one, Vox populi,
vox Dei (The voice of the people is
the voice of God.)
Whether this saying is applic
able to local elections, we would not
hazard a guess, but the voice of the
people has been heard over the
land and Butts County, as always,
finds itself with capable public
Summer s Last Hurrah
Coming up Monday, a little
later than usual, is Labor Day.
Besides affording a rest day for a
large segment of the nation’s labor
force, it is traditionally a signal of
the season’s change.
for one last glorious weekend,
the motorboats will skim the lake’s
surface with the skiiers dangling
precariously behind; Mom and
Dad and the kids may get one long,
lingering look at the beach grown
Advance Subscription Rates, Tax Included:
telephone 775-3..7
official organ
BUTTS COUNTY AND
CITY OF JACKSON
Six Months $3.91
Single Copy—— 15c
Aeronautics and Space Adminis
tration had something to say about
the plan to put the sun and moon
over Earth. The opinion came with
a multi-billion-dollar funding re
quest to study exact positioning of
the sun and moon.
As more of the creation plan
unfolded, more angry voices were
aroused.
The section on populating the
Earth with living creatures drew
comments from private and public
groups. The Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
objected to the proposed survival of
the fittest plan. And the National
Park Service cited the limited area
available for the proposed animal
life.
The creation of man caused the
biggest debate. And the loudest
voice in it was that of the agency
for Equal Evolution of Creation
(EEOC). That group demanded to
know why man received first
priority in creation, leaving woman
to second. Additionally, EEOC
requested that reports be filed
from the Garden of Eden listing the
percentage of all minority groups
there.
The final straw was the
proposal that all this creation be
done in six days. That, it was
agreed by the bureaucrats, was
much too short a time. A minimum
of 180 days was asked just to study
the plan.
We said that was a “what if”
situation. If that’s the way things
had been run then, it’s doubtful that
creation would have ever gotten
beyond the beginning.”
officials to serve it for the next four
years.
Considering some of the
rumors, and some of the charges
and counter-charges that have
been flying around in the last few
days of a hectic campaign, one
cannot help but wonder if the
Latins were correct in their
assessment of the people’s wisdom.
Vox populi, vox Dei. May it be
so.
lonesome for the shrieks of
children or the rhythmic stride of
lover’s bare feet.
But the time has come to pui
the boat in dry dock and to unpack
the suit cases ’til next June and get
on with the business of the
workaday world for the next nine
month.
Summer’s dreams may fade
slowly, but autumn’s beauty offers
an enchantment all its own.
THE JACKSON PROGRESS-ARGUS, JACKSON, GEORGIA
The Last
Straw
BY
VINCENT JONES
The recent column by
Celestine Sibley in the
Atlanta Constitution on
China-berry trees must have
sent shock waves of nostalgia
sweeping over all who knew
this tree on an intimate basis
in days gone by.
Fifty years ago, a china
berry tree graced the front
yard of nearly every farm
home in Butts County, its
thick, green foliage offering
summer shade and, in fall, a
storehouse of food for the
wild birds.
Evidently planted because
of their quick growth and
promise of early relief from
the summer sun, the trees
fitted nicely into the farmer’s
life style.
Watermelons were cut
under their ample shade for
family and friends, wild
game and fish were dressed
there while a bevy of hungry
cats and dogs crowded under
the tree’s shadow and they
provided a perfect play place
for the little ones.
But for the youngsters, the
chinaberry tree had two
fascinating seasons, coming
only a few weeks apart.
In mid-summer, when the
tree’s green berry had
matured and was still rock
hard, the art of pop-gunning
reached a feverish peak.
To the nearest swamp, or
low-lying place, the youthful
hunter repaired to seek there
an eight-to-ten inch cut of the
straightest elderberry trunk
to be found. The pith, or
marrow, of the elder was
easily removed, leaving a
straight, hollow cylinder
from which he was to fashion
an entertaining, if not a
dangerous, weapon.
The nearest hillside could
usually be counted on to
produce a second growth
hickory shaft of about the
same general dimensions as
the elderberry cylinder.
Careful whittling reduced
the hickory piston to size that
would permit its entire
length to be passed through
the elder cyclinder, with the
exception of the hilt which
was left its initial size in
order to stop the thrust of the
hickory shaft.
Thus, armed with a perfect
piston and cylinder machine,
only ammunition was needed
to send a projectile hurtling
into space.
The chinaberry was per
fect for the job. Round, solid
and tough, a berry could be
inserted into the popgun’s
cylinder, a quick thrust of the
hickory piston given and a
loud pop and a swiftly
moving berry was the result
Every boy had his popgun
with him at all times. For
who would want to be caught
at a shootout with no gun or
ammunition? Girls usually
avoided, and ran from, the
popgun toters, although some
of the tom-boys packed their
own and gave a good account
of themselves.
At 50 feet, the berry would
produce a slight sting when
fired through a well made
popgun, but at 15 or 20 feet it
would raise one heck of a
whelp and send - many
a voungster crying to mother
for pain relief.
In a classroom, the less
restrained popgunners could
cause havoc and were often
sentenced to the embarrass
ment of having to publicly
surrender their weapon and
stay after school as well.
But the teachers had time
on their side. In early fall, the
chinaberries lost their color
and toughness, turning beige
in color as fermentation set
in.
It was then that the robins
and jaybirds took over and
had their fill of the
fermenting berries, with
their flight patterns becom
ing more erratic with each
berry eaten. When the
drunken orgy ended, the
chinaberry lost its leaves and
settled down for the winter.
But the chinaberry was a
fun tree. We agree with
Celestine who says it is one of
her favorites, as we have one
in our own back yard.
A Stroll Down
Memory Lane
New of 10 Years Ago
Miss Mary Ruth Martin,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
George N. Martin, was a first
place winner at the recent
24th State 4-H Congress in
Atlanta. Miss Martin won in
the field of Dairy demonstra
tions.
M. L. Hodges, Jr. has won
a trip to Ponte Vedra, Fla.
given by the Motorola
Company for his outstanding
sales record.
Supt. Lee Roy O’Neal
reports that school atten
dance has reached an all
time high in the Butts County
school system, with 686
enrolled in the Jackson
Elementary School, and 517
at Jackson High School.
Henderson reported 854 in
the Elementary School and
55 in the High School.
C. C. Clifton won last
week’s fishing contest spon
sored by Jackson Hardware,
with a 1 lb., 5 oz. bream. Mrs.
A. E. Evett had a 2 lb., 9 oz.
bass.
Dr. Randolph Long, presi
dent of the Butts County
Jaycees, says a S2O jackpot
will be given each Saturday
night to a lucky couple
attending the Jaycee dances
at the Jaycee club house on
Indian Springs Road.
Deaths during the week:
Mrs. James Frank Town
send, 45; J. E. Rucker, 59.
News of 20 Years Ago
David Deraney was having
a Hog Wild sale, complete
with prizes and bargains
galore.
Mrs. L. M. Spencer
attended an Insurance Insti
tute last week in Macon.
Jerry Long and Eugene
Prosser, stellar members of
the 1955 Jackson football
team, will report Sept. Ist for
tryouts with the University of
Georgia freshman football
team.
The families of the late Mr.
and Mrs. Walker Head held
their reunion Sunday at the
home of Mrs. J. A. Padgette,
Flovilla. Approximately 35
members were in atten
dance.
Miss Almeda Ballenger
entertained a group of
friends at a swimming party
at Indian Springs on Satur
day.
Messrs. J. A. Dodson, W.
Ted Evans and Lovett
Fletcher were named by
Judge Thomas J. Brown, Jr.
to terms on Butts County’s
Board of Registrars.
News of 30 Years Ago
A motor boat accident on
Jackson Lake late Sunday
claimed the lives of two
Jackson men, O. B. Pope,
operator of the Sinclair
Service Station, and W. J.
Pope, projectionist at the
Dixie Theater and a compan
ion, J. A. Thomas, engineer
of the Fulton County Tower.
Trapnell Industries is the
name of anew concern that
has leased the Nutt & Bond
warehouse at Jenkinsburg
for the manufacture of
educational toys.
Bobby Hammond has been
elected treasurer of the State
4-H Club Council for the
coming year.
Mr. and Mrs. Dan Hoard
invited the Indian Springs
community to a house
warming at their beautiful
new home.
Jack Smith, of Cork, had
two bales of cotton ginned
this week by Nutt & Bond, the
county’s first for the 1946
season. .B. J. Smith bought
the cotton at a price of 39>/ 2
cents per pound.
Deaths during the week:
Mrs. R. S. Brown, 90.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1976
News of 40 Years Ago
The firm of J. H. Goldstein,
of Atlanta, has leased two
buildings on the north side of
the Jackson court square and
plans to open a five and ten
cent store on about October
Ist.
The Pepperton Consoli
dated School opened for the
fall term on Monday with
Miss Eloise Beauchamp as
Principal and teachers Miss
Lou Beauchamp, Miss Annie
Rosa Bond, Miss Trevalu
Whitaker and Miss Elizabeth
Finley.
Mrs. L. J. McMichael has
sold her home on Covington
Street to Mr. B. H. Moss, of
Dames Ferry.
Mrs. Willis B. Powell
entertained the Gay Nineties
Club at her lovely Indian
Springs home, Idlewilde, in
compliment to Miss Lucy
Shelby, of Los Angeles, the
guest of her sister, Mrs. L. M.
Spencer.
Deaths during the week:
Vanie Luther Jinks, 16.
News of 50 Years Ago
The first cotton bale of the
1926-27 season was sold
Tuesday by Mr. C. F. Stroud,
of the Jenkinsburg commun
ity. E. L. Smith bought it for
Pepperton Cotton Mills at 17
cents per pound, or $90.10 for
the bale.
The Board of Registrars
announced that 1,412 voters
are registered for the
September Bth primary. Of
these, 1,071 were men and 341
were women.
Messrs. V. M. Freeman
and H. J. Maddox have
bought the Depot Store from
the L. B. Thompson estate.
They have also acquired the
stock of Mr. A. R. Conner,
who will join the new owners
at the old familiar Depot
Store stand.
Butts and Henry County
law officers captured an
automobile Saturday night
near the county line separat
ing the two counties and
confiscated 127 gallons of
whiskey.
Deaths during the week:
John W. (Cordy) Barnes, 70;
Miss Evelyn Smith.
The BCABC wishes to
express to you and your staff
our sincere appreciation for
the excellent coverage you
have given our association
this year. The Beauty Spot
photographs were just su
perb, and coverage of our
other projects could not have
been surpassed.
We especially appreciate
all the front page articles.
This is just what we need to
keep our citizens informed
about our work and continue
to solicit their interest and
cooperation. It will also help
tremendously in our contest.
We will surely come out the
winner this year.
Again, to all of you at the
Progress-Argus a most sin
cere thank-you.
Mrs. Carol Weaver
Chairman, BCABD
America.
200 years at the same location.
JEj ‘Whatsoever
Things'
■ By Donald E. Wildmon
MAKING OUR OWN DEPRESSION
Once upon a time there was man who lived by the
side of the road. Being a good farmer, he had more
vegetables than he could use. So he decided to set up a stand
along the edge of the road and sell the excess vegetables.
To help sell his vegetables, he placed signs along the
road advertising his stand. Business got off to a good start
and kept growing. In fact, in a short time business was so
good the farmer made it a full-time, year-around concern.
Now it so happened that the farmer didn’t know much
about the national economic news. He didn’t own a television
or radio, and only read his little county weekly newspaper.
So, when business slowed down around the country, this
farmer knew nothing about it. But he did know how to raise
good vegetables and gave his customers good service.
One day one of his city friends stopped at his vegetable
stand. He asked the farmer how business was. “It is good,”
said the farmer, “real good.” “Well, you had better get
prepared for hard times,” said his city friend. “We are in the
midst of a depression.”
The farmer, knowing his city friend to be well informed
about such matters, decided to take his advice and prepare
for the depression they were in the midst of. He took down his
signs since they would not be needed if people were not going
to buy. He raised fewer vegetables since he didn’t want to
have something people were not going to buy. He began to
offer less variety since people would have less money to
spend. And, sure enough, his business began to decline.
Before long he was back making a living as he had been doing
before his business venture.
One day the farmer said to himself: “Well, my city
friend sure is smart. We are in the midst of a depression. I’m
glad I got prepared for it.”
In the Gospel of Mark there is a sentence which reads
like this: “But Jesus ignored their comments...” Quite often
overlooked while in the process of reading the Gospel, those
words could very well be some of the finest advice we could
ever be given. “But Jesus ignored their comments...”
There are those, unfortunately, who always see the
negative side. They are the people who tell you why
such-and-such a thing won’t work. They are the people who
always look for reasons why such a thing should not be
attempted. They are, like the city friend of the farmer, the
‘bearer of bad news.”
“But Jesus ignored their comments...” And that, my
friend, is often the best procedure for us to follow-to ignore
some comments. Expecially negative ones. When you think
of some high and holy and great and grand venture, don’t let
those “bearers of bad news” frighten you away from
attempting it. It is much better to try and fail than never to
try at all.
That farmer could have probably been the owner of a
chain of supermarkets had he ignored his city friend’s
comments. But he didn’t. He prepared for a depression and
he got a depression.
When you work to make a depression occur in your
life-economic, physical, emotional, or spiritual-don’t be too
surprised when it comes. For it is the truth that a person
reaps what he sows.
(Join Mr. Wildmon on his 10th tour of the Holy Land
and Switzerland. Departs Nov. 8.11 days. For info, write him
at Box 68, Southaven, Ms. 38671.).
Would it be possible to
obtain a copy of the obituary
of Samuel T. Haislipp
(Haizlip) as was mentioned
in a recent article “Stroll
Down Memory Lane”? This
was under the sub-title of
“News of 50 Years Ago” -
thus 1926. I do not have the
date of this paper as the
clipping was sent to me
without this - the date that
the item appeared in, I mean.
Sam Haizlip was my
grandfather whom I never
knew. I am vjery interested in
the history of Butts County
because so many of my
relatives lived in that area
ruth at random
By Ruth Bryant
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Shall I remain in Jackson
Or shall I go away?
My pine trees whisper softly,
“We all want you to stay!”
Shall I continue writing
“My Story” every day?
My type-writer clicks boldly,
“These keys will make it gay!”
Shall I continue sending
My poems to Progress-Argus?
My friends are calling daily
“Keep memories to jog us!”
from 1825 on.
I was sent a copy of your
Bi-Centennial issue which I
enjoyed thoroughly. I was in
several areas of Georgia
during that period and did
not see anything to match
yours. I know this required a
great deal of effort on your
part but am sure it was much
appreciated by all who read
it.
Mrs. Melvin G. Ward
18611 Lenaire Drive
Perrine, Florida 33157
EftMgSSiig
IS UP TO YOU