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Jackson 'Prngrsss-^rgus
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 Class
Postage paid at Jackson, Georgia 30233.
Address notice of undeliverable copies and other correspondence
to The Jackson Progress-Argus, P.O. Box 249, Jackson, Georgia 30233.
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MEMBER-1975
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Editorials
Sugar Bowl Rip - Off
In the light of ticket availabil
ity, or lack of them, the contract
which sends annually the South
eastern Conference football
champion to the Sugar Bowl in New
Orleans would seem ripe for
review.
The University of Georgia
Bulldogs are the first team to win
the championship since the bowl
tie-up with the Sugar Bowl became
iron clad, leaving the SEC champ
no alternative other than a trip to
New Orleans on New Year’s Day.
Initially, both the Bulldogs and
the Pitt Panthers were sent 12,500
tickets, or one-sixth of the seating
capacity of the stadium. Georgia
later received another 4,000, giving
them 16,500 tickets to sell to 40,000
clamoring alumni and supporters.
The idea of the two competing
What About the Victims?
Always striving to be first, the
United States has succeeded in one
sphere; it protects its criminals
like no other nation on earth.
It not only offers the criminal
every hope and assurance of a fair
trial, it also often lionizes them to
the extent that criminal-worship
cults have sprung up to make idols
of many whose conduct has proven
them worthless.
Gary Gilmore has confessed to
the murder of two men and can’t
make up his mind whether he
wants to live or die. State and
federal judges can’t make up their
minds if he should face a firing
squad, or squander the rest of his
life in prison and have blues songs
and books written about him.
In either case, he has achieved
a stature in life far exceeding his
worth as an individual.
But what of his victims? Can
anyone recite their names, or their
marital status, or the number of
children made fatherless by this
man whom the public seems to
have grasped to its bosom?
What kind of morbid thinking
can collectively creep into the
minds of a citizenry that would
permit the rights of a criminal to
outrank the rights of his victims?
Some of the blame lies in the
Supreme Court and its obsession
with the idea of protecting the
A Senseless Investigation
The taxpayers are being taken
on another sleigh ride this
Christmas. It now appears that
Uncle Sam, through the benef
icence of Congress, is going to
expend several million dollars to
explore once more the circum
stances surrounding the deaths of
President John Kennedy and civil
rights leader Martin Luther King.
It makes as much sense as
appropriating money to determine
why children fall off of bicycles,
TELEPHONE 775-3107
OFFICIAL ORGAN
BUTTS COUNTY AND
CITY OF JACKSON
teams getting only one-third of the
available tickets is ridiculous. Who
gets the other two-thirds? The
airlines, the motels, the travel
agencies, the bus lines, the large
corporations, the scalpers?
The present ratio of ticket
allocation is in need of immediate
reversion. Let the two contending
teams share two-thirds of the
tickets and let the local yokels
compete for the other one-third.
And if ticket scarcity were not
enough woe to contend with, those
fortunate (or unfortunate) few who
do get a ringside seat are going to
pay double or treble the normal
price for food and accommoda
tions.
It appears that the fine art of
scalping, as once practiced by the
Indians, has not yet perished from
the earth.
rights of those accused of crime.
But it’s high time we paid some
attention to those innocent victims
of the crime spree that is now
sweeping the nation.
We can spend a million dollars
in tax funds defending a criminal
through our hierarchy of courts
and boarding him for 40 or 50 years,
and yet the victim’s family
receives nothing save a whole lot of
undesirable publicity.
Almost half of our states do
have a system of making some
financial restitution to victims, or
the families of victims, of violent
crimes.
It is a process worthy of serious
consideration by the Georgia
General Assembly. The voters took
one step down this road by passing
a constitutional amendment au
thorizing payments to families of
law officers, firemen, and other
public officials killed in the line of
duty.
Victims slain, or seriously
crippled, by criminal acts are
entitled to some compensation
from the state and the society
which permits, and protects, their
assailant. Simple justice demands
immediate action so that the
victim, as well as the attacker,
shall have equal protection under
the law.
which another of our federal offices
is doing at the present time.
The nation has lived through
the Kennedy and King tragedies
and maybe it has emerged a little
wiser and more tolerant as a result.
To reopen the investigations
now will accomplish nothing, save
the money that can be made for the
sale of book or movie rights by one
of the investigating team, who is
already being paid too handsomely
for a gander on a wild goose chase.
THE JACKSON PROGRESS-ARGUS. JACKSON, GEORGIA
The Last
Straw
BY
VINCENT JONES
The gaily tinseled store
windows, unusual looking
packages uncovered in un
common places, the happy
faces of people who for a few
days a year reveal the love
they constantly conceal
these are silent reminders of
the fast approaching Christ
mastide.
Asa nation, we make a
fetish of holidays, vacation
periods, and transitory oc
casions. This strange wor
ship of national festival days
reaches its climax with the
observance of Christmas.
For then, as at no other
season of the year, the
expectation that some
strange alchemy shall trans
form all who are without love
and compassion and mercy
into beacons of love and light,
fills the heart of every true
believer.
The spiritual significance
of the season encourages
such hope and gives rise to
such beliefs.
As there is nothing which
God cannot do for you, then
by the same token there is
nothing which Christmas
cannot do for you, as
Christmas is the celebration
of His son’s birthday.
And Christmas does do
strange things for people. It
warms cold hearts and
changes the thoughts of
twisted minds from getting to
giving.
The only thing wrong with
Christmas is that it is too
fleeting. Our concern is too
often not with what we will do
with Christmas but rather
what we will do with every
other day of the year.
The true spirit of Christ
mas is not Santa Claus,
although that jolly old elf is
an indistinguishable part of
the season. The true spirit of
Christmas is the love brought
by the Christ child for a
world groping in darkness
and sin.
This love should be sought,
not once a year, but for every
day of our lives.
Why is everyone always
caught up in such a mad rush
at Christmas? Because of the
hectic efforts to cram into a
brief period all the love,
kindness and gentleness that
wraps the world in the
magical blanket of Christ
mas.
Most of the acts done under
the wonder of the Christmas
spell could have been done
all year long. Is it the season,
or the Saviour’s birth, we
celebrate at Christmas?
The spirit of Christmas is
real; it is magical. Christ
mas should be a gay, merry
and joyous occasion for it is
but our memorial observ
ance of a day which brought
tidings of great joy to all
mankind. But the spirit of the
season should linger, long
after the Yule log has
turned to ashes.
The true spirit of Christ
mas knows no calendar nor
rhyme. It is the same July 25
as it is on December 25th. It
is only the heart of the
believer that has faltered and
lost its bearings.
The real tragedy of
Christmas is that it is too
often celebrated in a hurry
and then forgotten in a hurry.
The specter of a Christmas
just past hovers behind the
season’s gay trappings, wait
ing to sow in the unwary
heart the seeds of doubt and
mistrust.
Will we lose Christmas
during the coming year, soon
after the last candle has
become a stubble of wax, or
will we keep deep within our
hearts the true Christmas
spirit all year long to
illumine our dark hours and
brighten our dreariest days?
Hard Sell
A rancher was trying to
sell his old horse. Suspi
cious, the prospective buyer
asked to see the animal trot
a bit. After taking a few
steps, the animal was gasp
ing for breath and its tongue
was hanging out. The ranch
er said quickly, “Hasn’t he
got a beautiful coat?” “His
coat’s alright,” said the
buyer, “but what about the
pants!”
| A Stroll Down
Memory Lane j
News of 10 Years Ago
T. H. Price, W. H. (Bill)
Collins and Neal Baker have
recently been elected to the
Jcnkinsburg Council.
Mrs. Ben Haisten reports
that Christmas Seals sale
have amounted to $415 to
date on a quota of SBSO.
Mrs. Irene Holder has won
a SSOO discount bond given
away by Jackson National
Bank in connection with the
opening of their new facility.
At the December 12th
meeting of Jackson Chapter
No. 54. Royal Arch Masons,
Wendell Spencer was elected
High Priest.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard
Watkins. Jr. complimented
Miss Carol Adams and Miss
Marilyn Patrick, recent
brides-elect. at a lovely
dinner parly at their Demp
sey Avenue home.
Miss Lane Carr, whose
marriage to. Paul Johnson is
to be an event of Sunday, was
the honoree at a dinner party
gven by Mr. and Mrs. J. L.
Garr and Miss Karen Garr at
their home on Woodland
Way.
Deaths during the week:
Mrs. Emory Ried Harper, 92.
News of 20 Years Ago
Edward Washington was
named president of the
Jackson Exchange Club for
1957 at its December 6th
meeting.
Robbers entered the store
of Doyle Johnson near Sandy
Creek Church Saturday night
and made off with merchan
dise valued at between S3OO
and S4OO.
Attending the 12th annual
YMCA Youth Assembly from
Jackson were Lola Caldwell,
Annette Prosser, Betty Jane
May, Nancy Ann Robison,
Bobby Jackson, Douglas
Coleman, Scott Coleman,
John Watkins and Bill
Garland, who was appointed
Chaplain of the House.
Miss Judy Fletcher,
daughter oi Mr. ana Mrs. tt.
M. Fletcher and a student
assistant in Wesleyan Col
lege’s History Department,
has been elected secretary of
the Southeastern Regions of
the International Relations
Club.
Thirty-five boys and girls
helped Ricky Singleton cele
brate his eighth birthday,
while 40 youngsters attended
the sixth birthday party
given for Miss Sandra
Brown.
Deaths during the week;
Mrs. Troy Lofton, 74.
News of 30 Years Ago
William Browning and
Jack Patrick attended the
4-H Club tractor main
tenance course in Griffin last
week.
A. A. Thrasher has been
elected High Priest of
Jackson Chapter No. 54,
Royal Arch Masons.
Butts County Representa
tive B. B. Garland says he
has no plans to introduce any
local legislation at the next
General Assembly.
Prior to November 14th,
Butts County had ginned
3,464 bales of cotton, a
decrease of 697 bales from
the 4,161 bales ginned to the
same date in 1945.
Capt. William T. Feely, Jr.
has received -the Army
commendation ribbon for his
service in Japan during
World War 11.
Miss Dawnie Ruth Ed
wards, daughter of Mrs. R.
C. Edwards of Jackson, and a
freshman at Bessie Tift
College, played the part of
“Mattie” in the play Stage
Door put on by the Studio
Players of the college.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1976
Deaths during the week:
Miss Sarah Frances Niblett,
79.
News of 40 Years Ago
Sixteen families have
applied for government aid
in the purchase of a farm and
home under the Rural
Resettlement Act in Butts
County.
A fatal disease, suspected
to be cholera, is prevalent in
Butts County and several
farmers have recently lost
hogs as a result of the
malady.
Butts County had ginned
3,913 bales of cotton prior to
December Ist, a decline of
I, bales for the same
period in 1935 when 5,175
bales had been ginned.
Miss Roslyn Redman,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.
M. Redman, has been named
a page to serve during the
next session of the legisla
ture.
The Towaliga Community
Club held its annual Christ
mas party on December 10th
with about 50 members and
guests present.
Morris and Standard had
Rio coffee for 12 cents a
pound and choice T-bone
steak at 30 cents a pound.
Deaths durng the week:
Mrs. W. J. Waites, 63;
George William White, 83.
News of 50 Years Ago
Prizes awarded by County
Agent Henry Wiley included
Cotton Club, first prize, $5.00
to J. W. Cook; Corn Club,
first prize of $5.00 to Julian
Evans; Pepper Club, first
prize of $5.00 to David Swint.
The Butts County Medical
Society has elected Dr. A. F.
W’hite, of Flovilla, president;
Dr. B. F. Akin, of Jenkins
burg. vice president, and Dr.
J. Lee Byron, of Jackson, as
secretary and treasurer.
The Jackson Kiwanis Club
named R. P. Newton as its
new president, Rev. A.
Ernest, vice president and
Charlie Moore, treasurer.
The Children of the
Confederacy will hold a
Christmas program with
Harriett Carmichael as the
entertainment chairman and
the program committee
consisting of Dorothy Ann
Carmichael, Frances Knox,
Mary Lane Mallet, Roslyn
Redman, Elizabeth Sitton
and Johnsie Settle.
Miss Lucy Minter asked
Santa Claus for “a basinette,
a little doll, a nice little story
book, and just lots of fruit,
nuts and candy. And please
don’t forget my little sisters,
Marian and Rebecca.”
Deaths during the week:
Mrs. Sara Rebecca Collins,
66.
Coolidge Comments
One Sunday, after Pres
ident Coolidge returned
to the White House from
church, Mrs. Coolidge
asked: “Was the sermon
good?” “Yes,” he answered.
“What was it about?”
“Sin.” “What did the
minister say?” “He was
against it!”
LJL BYPATHS iM
--Bl M.- r , [ At ' AG..: J
On December 19, 1776,
at Frederick, Maryland,
the local Committee in
response to the request of
Congress, December 9,
would march to Philadel
phia provided funds were I
advanced. There would be '
one thousand to twelve hun
dred men but only one in
five would have arms.
Brigadier Gen. Thomas
Johnson, Jr. would expedite
the march to Pennsylvania.
By Mrs. Cindy Brown
CHRISTMAS MEMORIES
I guees all of us have
childhood memories of the
Christmas Season -some
good and some bad. I
remember one particular
Christmas (I must have been
around four years of age)
; when Santa Claus had
brought me the most beauti
ful Ballerina doll in the
world. I was so pround of that
doll: I knew she had to be at
least partly human. As luck
would have it, the doll was
torn up before Christmas
Day was over. A young friend
of mine had committed the
crime and my heart was
broken. Mama, being an
expert in the affairs of doll
repair, fixed the little lady up
so that she might dance once
more. Thank goodness for
that ability my Mother had. I
was contemplating drastic
actions against the villain
friend of mine! Of course I,
like many other little girls
was well-blessed with a
succession of St. Nick’s dolls:
There was Tiny Tears, Terri
Lee (remember her?) and
“Mickey.” Now Mickey was
my most precious child. She
was a very ugly doll, all
wrinkled and crying; her
body was made of cloth. I
STILL love that doll almost
as much as my own children.
What fond memories Miss
Mickey and I shared.
Christmas also represents
other things to me -things as
those edible delights:
Ambrosia, Fudge, Divinity,
Oyster Dressing, mints,
fruitcake and the like. Each
and every December which
rolled by, my Father
received a homemade fruit
cake from two elderly ladies
who lived near us. Now, I am
sure that you are acquainted
with the notion of soaking
fruitcake in wine. Well, these
JANUARY 20, 1977
In the Winter, not in the
Spring or Fall, will be
President-Elect Jimmy Car
ter’s inauguration, and the
President’s inaugural ball.
People from near and far,
traveling in ship, airplanes,
boats, bus, trucks, cars, in
the winter, not in the fall. To
President Elect’s inaugura
tion. Later will be the
President’s ball.
Under the canopy of the
sun and moon and the bright
stars, we as citizens come to
this inauguration in hope that
something good will emerge
from this transition from
Ford Administration to Pre
sident Elect Jimmy Carter’s
Administration.
We all say: Lord God, our
Father, we as citizens of this
universe, acknowledge our
dependence upon Thee and
Thy loving kindness, toward
all citizens of the world.
May our gratitude by full
May our gratitude be full
to walk in Thy ways, give us
to know a citizen by the
process of thought and
conduct determines their
own destiny.
Good or bad. May they
forsake the bad choose and
work and strive for the good,
remember always that the
living Christ is a citizen’s
criterion of character.
Give us to know that the
crowning glory of a citizen is
to serve, harmonize our souls
with the sacred oath of
peace, inviolate as Thou art
our witness bless those in all
parts of the world.
Thy peace be in their
hearts and homes, God save
our great peace loving
nations, and help us be a
nation worthy of existence on
the earth. The sacred fire of a
devotion partisan for peace
in all countries and their
governments in this great
world.
We invoke thy blessings
upon the Honorable Presi
dear old ladies were rather
like the Baldwin sisters on
the “Waltons” television
serial, for they believed in
wining the cake. I shall never
forget one particular Christ
mas Eve afternoon. We were
having an open house and
our pastor was one of the
invited guests. Mother had
laid out one of THOSE fruit
cakes along with the other
goodies. Imagine her chagrin
when the preacher tasted his
cake and wine actually
squirted from the candied
cherries. I can still see his
face!
And then there were those
magnificent seasonal church
suppers and cantatas. We
were very fortunate in my
hometown to have an
extremely talented and pro
fessional church choir. What
inspiration it was to sit in a
candlelit chapel with songs
and anthems filling the air. I
don’t believe there is one
person in this world who
could fail to catch the
Christmas spirit after hear
ing such glorious music. Of
course, we youngsters would
dress in our little white choir
robes and carry small
candles as we marched down
the aisle to do our part. I
have to be the least musically
talented person in the world,
but I dearly loved that part of
Christmas.
I have always believed that
Christmas is the one time of
year when families should
get together. My fondest
memories of Christmas are
those that occurred when all
of my family was together.
And I, like many other
people, if offered the
chance to go back in time,
would probably choose a
Christmas Season to revisit
in wonderment. I only hope
that I can create such
cherished Christmas
nostalgia for my little ones.
dent Elect Jimmy Carter and
all honorable leaders of all
nations in peace and their
official families in their
major decisions pertaining to
the peace and welfare of the
people of this country and the
world.
Grant them wisdom and
grace and may each citizen’s
heart be inclined toward
them in loving loyalty and
unwaivering devotion.
Oh God, for Thy glory and
our God, we humbly ask
these things in the name of
Him who taught us to say,
When we pray:
Our Father, which Art in
Heaven, Hallowed be Thy
Name, Thy Kingdom come
Thy Will be done in Earth as
it is in Heaven, Give us this
day our daily bread and
forgive us our debts as we
forgive our debtors.
Lead us not into Tempta
tion but deliver us from evil,
for Thine is the Kingdom and
the Power and Glory and
Forever.
AMEN
By Guy E. Gray
Route No. 2, Box 337-E
Jackson, Georgia 30233
Viewpoints
And in the end, through
the long ages of our quest
for light, it will be found
that truth is still mightier
than the sword.
Gen. Douglas MacArthur