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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 every Thursday al 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.
One Year, in Georgia $6.24
Six Months, in Georgia $3.91
Editorials
A President's Last Hurrah
Former President Gerald
Ford, the consummate conserva
tive, pulled a Jekyl and Hyde act a
few days before leaving office and
decided to bestow healthy pay
raises upon his former Congres
sional colleagues, the federal
judiciary and the top echelon of the
federal bureaucracy.
Safely beyond reach of the
voting constituency and happily in
sight of his favorite golf course, the
ex-president evidently felt that
such generosity would have a
minimal backlash and a maximum
effect on his future political
aspirations. For who, among those
receiving such a financial gift,
would ever forget the greatness of
him who bestowed it?
The pay schedule proposed by
the former chief executive for
Congressmen and other top federal
officials provides pay raises of
from 5 to 30 per cent. Members of
Congress would have their pay
raised from the present $44,600 to
$57,500, a whopping 28.9 per cent
increase. Judges of federal district
courts would come out slightly
better, with raises from $42,000 to
$54,500, an increase of 29.8 per cent.
Using a technique devised by
that master legislative maneuver
ed ex-president Lyndon Johnson,
the Ford proposal will become
effective February 20th unless
President Carter, the House or the
Senate intervenes.
President Carter, anxious to
make friends with the federal
establishment after cursing them
roundly during the campaign, has
A Fireside Chat
Dressed casually in a sweater
before an open fire in the White
House library, President Carter
made the first of a series of reports
to the people on what he proposes to
do as our new leader.
He came across for what he is,
a good, studious, Christian gentle
man who looked the part of a South
Georgia peanut farmer in from his
fields, relaxing before the fire and
anticipating a quiet evening of
reading or television. That evident
ly is the image he desires to
project. He wants to be one of us.
Which is frightening, in a way.
For we know of no one of us who is
On Being 105
The Griffin Daily News
recently celebrated its 105th year
of service to the people of this area
and our sincerest congratulations
and best wishes go out to
Editor-Publisher Quimby Melton,
Jr. and his fine staff.
The Melton tradition of
excellence in editing has been
stamped on the Griffin Daily
News for over half of its existence.
Quimbly Melton, Sr. edited
the paper for years and carved a
Advance Subscription Rates, Tax Included:
TELEPHONE 775-3107
OFFICIAL ORGAN
BUTTS COUNTY AND
CITY OF JACKSON
One Year, Out-of-State $7.28
Six Months, Out-of-State $4.16
given his support to the pay raises.
The Senate voted 56 to 42 last
Wednesday to kill an amendment
by Sen. Allen, of Alabama, to block
the increases, with both Senator
Herman Talmadge and Senator
Sam Nunn of Georgia voting with
Allen to kill the raises.
The House isn’t likely to turn
its back on such largesse, so for all
intents and purposes the die is cast
in favor of better paid federal
servants.
But for Congress, ridden with
scandals of promiscuous secre
taries, kick backs, influence
peddling and gift taking, the timing
is atrocious. Any central Georgia
soybean farmer would have more
common sense than to give a
newly-elected member of Con
gress, who ran for a $44,600 job, a
raise of $12,900 even before he
could find his seat in the House or
Senate.
As frustrating as taxpayers
find the situation, there is a
relatively simple solution. The
Congressional raises should be
postponed until the next election in
1978 and take effect in January of
1979. Let the other raises go into
effect immediately, as they will
create little furor.
Taxpayers are just naturally
suspicious of any elected official
who has the authority to, and does,
raise his salary during his term of
office.
With all this pompous talk
going around about restoring trust
in government, somebody is
missing an excellent place to begin.
talented enough to direct the
complex mechanisms of this
country, or who is capable of
standing the emotional and mental
strains of the job.
And, too, if he is going to be one
of us, then he must learn to think
like one of us. And his decision to
pardon the Vietnam draft dodgers
certainly didn’t spring from the
grassroots of America.
On the whole, however, his first
fireside chat seemed sincere, well
prepared and effective. He is not
cut in the Rooseveltian mold as a
fireside chatterer, but then neither
is anyone else.
unique niche for himself in the
annals of Georgia journalism.
His son has taken the News and
broadened its circulation and
advertising base, given new
inspiration to its editorial and
reportorial coverage, and bright
ened its face with some fresh
pictorial innovations.
A good newspaper is a credit to
a good town. And vice versa. In this
respect, Griffin and the Griffin
Daily News complement each
other handsomely.
THE JACKSON PROGRESS-ARGUS, JACKSON, GEORGIA
The Last
Straw
BY
VINCENT JONES
Bringing a distasteful dish
of unpredictable weather,
February comes skidding
upon the scene, riding the
low-scudding clouds with the
reckless abandon of an
eight-year-old bike rider
descending a 15-year-old’s
hill.
An interim month, half
winter and half-Spring, Feb
ruary is an interloper that
promises much and delivers
little in the realm of good
weather. But after January’s
paltry sum of pretty days,
even February’s hope is
better than January’s disap
pointment.
February ordinarily is
winter at the ebb, when soft
southerly breezes waft their
warmth over the frigid earth
and some of the sting is
missing from the north
wind's fury.
On the better days the
expectant maple, having
waited long for February’s
coming, turns its red buds to
the warm sun. By month’s
end, the first bold narcissus
should send its dainty blooms
shyly and fearfully from the
cover of its protected straw
and leaf-enshrouded prison.
Occasionally, a foolish
pear tree will burst courage
ously into bloom, only to
meet a cold death reserved
for those plants that try to
fool mother nature and
bloom out of time.
Despite the cold, the plant
world begins to stir in
anticipation. Almost done
with their hibernation, the
preparation now is for the
period of growth that lies
ahead. Along the stream
banks, the pussy willow will
soon nod its graceful boughs,
heavy with buds, awaiting
the silent signal to burst forth
into plush blooms.
Sunrise comes earlier and
sunset drags noticeably as?
the days begin to stretch out
towards Spring’s heralded
arrival. Gone is the rush of
December and January, and
the frantic preparation of
late fall for winter’s arrival.
The days have about them a
leisure that January lacked,
and none of the urgency that
March will bring.
On the warmer
from the still-chill waters of
the pond will rise a vocal
salute to the month from the
bullfrog who is more inte
rested in February’s promise
that he is perturbed by her
freakish weather habits.
Often, on the few sun
splashed afternoons, the
honey bee will be seen
conducting low-level recon
naissance flights seeking out
the first flower or weed that
has dared to send forth the
first bloom.
The rhythm of the season
stirs restlessly in all plant
life. Sap, heady and plusing
with life, tires of its
dormancy and begins to rise
in nature’s inevitable se
quence of resurrection and
death.
Not half so wise as the
soulless plants that surround
him, man often fails to see in
February anything save the
miserable spell of weather
that the month inevitably
brings.
Like a capricious woman,
the month changes its mind
with its mood, often deliver
ing rain, snow, and sunshine
in the same day. When
despondent, it has a breath
as cold as an iceberg’s bath
water and, when gay, it can
weave warm, westerly winds
and sun-silvered clouds into
a weather tapestry that is
piclure perfect.
But for all its puckish
caprice and erratic whimsy,
February is an important
month weatherwise, signal
ling winter’s end and
Spring’s beginning.
This year, of all years, you
may have to look hard for the
signs, but they will be there if
you search for them-the
warmth of the sun-dappled
ray on a living room floor;
the first cursory flight of a
bluebird examining nesting
potentials in your yard; the
comforting warmth of an
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1977
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A Stroll Down
Memory Lane
News of 10 Years Ago
The Central Georgia EMC
has been granted a loan of
$745,000 by the Rural
Electrification Administra
tion to finance construction
of 64 miles of new lines to
serve 900 more customers.
The Butts Education Asso
ciation celebrated the 100th
anniversary of the first state
teacher association with
Mrs. Obie Watkins, a retired
teacher, Phillip Bryant,
present, and Lucia Carr,
future teacher, on the
program.
Miss Jennifer Coleman,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
John L. Coleman, has been
named Jackson High
School’s 1967 Betty Crocker
Homemaker of Tomorrow.
Mrs. Robert Brownlee
Torbett celebrated her 100th
birthday at the home of her
daughter, Mrs. B. T. McMi
chael of Indian Springs.
Mrs. David Settle delight
ed members of the Jackson
Garden Club with her review
of the whimsical book, “How
To Tell the Birds From the
Flowers.”
Davis Wells, president,
opened the January meeting
of the 6th grade 4-H Club.
Vickie Kersey gave the
devotional and Debbie Moore
read a poem.
Deaths during the week:
Thomas Add Nutt, Sr., 86;
John Robert Whidby, 88.
News of 20 Years Ago
A large still near Rocky
Creek Church in south Butts
County was destroyed Satur
day by Sheriff V. H. Ham and
State Revenue agents.
J. Blackman Settle, a
former president, traced the
movement of Kiwanis Inter
national in an address to the
Jackson Kiwanis Club Tues
day night. The local Kiwanis
Club was founded in 1922 with
W. A. Dozier as the first
president.
Mrs. Rebecca Duffey ad
vises that the Salk polio
vaccine is being provided
free at the Health Center.
Members of Troop 80, Boy
Scouts of America, and Cub
Pack No. 80 will attend the
Jackson Methodist Church
Sunday in observance of
Scouting’s 47th birthday.
Jackson took two games
from Eatonton Friday night,
the local girls winning 63-38
with Peggy McElhaney and
Sandra Smith each getting 20
points and Faye Mitchell, 17.
The boy’s 73-60 win was led
by Donnie Caston with 30,
Charles Herring, 18, and
Barry Jones, 15.
The Jackson Senior Class
is sponsoring the movie, “A
Kiss Before Dying”, with
Robert Wagner and Joanne
Woodward at the Town
Theater on Wednesday.
Deaths during the week:
Herman Cole, 53.
News of 30 Years Ago
Dan Hoard has been
named superintendent of the
Indian Springs State Park.
He succeeds V. W. Cole.
Mrs. Marion Reeves has
won SIO.OO for suggesting
‘‘Southern Scenic” as the
name of the Atlanta-to-
Jacksonville highway.
Miss Carolyn Wells has
won the 1947 Chevrolet
sedari, top prize in the contest
sponsored by veterans in
support of the new war
memorial building.
Butts and Spalding Coun
ties will share in the SII,OOO
auto left in a sunny spot.
February promises as
much as it chafes. Let us look
for one. while enduring the
other.
cost of a steel and concrete
bridge over the Towaliga
River at the Heflin & Price
crossing.
The members of the
Nazarene Church are build
ing a Sunday School room
adjoining their church on
Indian Springs Street.
The Par-Teens met Satur
day evening, 35 strong, for a
treasure hunt. The group
then retired to the gym to
watch some reels of Popeye,
Our Gang and the Three
Stooges.
Deaths during the week: S.
L. Austin, 75.
News of 40 Years Ago
Arthur Cook, alias Son
Tank, has been given a 2V 2
year sentence for voluntary
manslaughter in the shooting
death of Eddie Lee Taylor.
E. H. Pace has acquired
the Jarrell-Finley building at
the corner of Second and
Mulberry Streets from Miss
Allie Jarrell.
The cold storage facility at
the Jackson Ice plant has
been swamped with meat.
The mild winter has not
given proper curing time for
fresh killed meat and, as a
result, the ice plant is full
and can accept no more
meat.
The Pace Beauty Shoppe
has moved this week to the
Commercial Building.
Interest centered here in
the announcement that con
victed murderer S. J.
Scarborough had escaped
from a Cherokee county
prison. He was serving a life
term for the murder of Prof.
W. ,C. Wright, former
superintendent of schools in
Jackson, who was living in
Eatonton when killed.
The marriage of Miss
Louise Nahra, of Douglas,
and Mr. George Deraney, of
Jackson, took place in
Atlanta on Sunday afternoon
with about 25 Jackson friends
of the groom attending the
ceremony.
News of 50 Years Ago
Members of the Butts
County Board of Commis
sioners on Monday signed a
contract for the paving of the
Jackson-Indian Springs road.
Tom Vaughn, an Atlanta
white man, has been appre
hended by City Policeman W.
T. Burke and charged with
the thievery of several
chicken houses in Jackson
during October.
The Watsonian, published
by the Tom Watson Book
Company, of Thomson,
Georgia, has made its
appearance on newstands. It
will be published monthly.
Mrs. David Settle and Mrs.
J. B. Settle entertained 16
guests at a rook party
Wednesday afternoon at the
beautiful home of Mrs. David
Settle on McDonough Road.
The occasion honored Mrs. S.
B. McLeod, of Grand Rapids,
Mich., the guest of Mrs. O. A.
Pound.
Miss Lollie Carmichael
and Miss Ruby Jones will
entertain the members of
their Sunday school class and
expression class, respective
ly. on Friday afternoon at the
home of Miss Carmichael.
The Indian Springs Civic
League met last week at
Rock Castle. In a debate over
tin signs being permitted in
the community, the affirma
tive team, Mesdames King
and Archer, won over the
Negative, Mrs. O. H. Torbett
and Miss Carrie Collier.
FfcirajFH
' By Mrs. Cindy Brown
"A VISIT”
Unfortunately, I have had
unexpected company this
week-the flu! I began feeling
poorly last Thursday-aches,
pains, coughing, sniffing--the
whole unwelcome bit. When I
went to see my doctor on
Friday, my temperature was
almost 103 and my IQ was
non-existent!
I have never had the flu
before. I have heard my
friends talk about the
infamous disease, but I never
really knew how bad it could
be.
And you should see me: my
eyes are red; my nose is even
larger than usual; my mouth
is smaller than usual-it’s all
pursed up due to all the
acid-fruit drinks I’ve con
sumed; and last-my favorite
sitting place is covered with
ON BORROWING SIOOO
Some time ago a friend of mine told a story. It was a
story about two women who each went to the bank to borrow
a thousand dollars. Because the story so beautifully
illustrates the extremes of human nature, I would like to pass
it along.
The two ladies lived in Atlanta, Georgia. And it so
happened that they both banked at the same bank. It was
through coincidence and Providence that the story came to
light.
The first lady went to the bank and in the course of the
discussion concerning the borrowing of the thousand dollars,
the banker asked her what she wanted the money for. She
explained to the banker that she had a wonderful
opportunity. The dancing club she was a member of was
selling life memberships for only one thousand dollars. She
wished to borrow the money to become a life member of her
dancing club. And then for the rest of her life, she could dance
and dance and dance.
The second lady came to the banker and sought to borrow
the same amount of money. Asked what she was planning on
doing with the money, she told her situation. She said that she
was a woman who worked for a moderate salary and never
had much money to command. She explained also that she
was a member of a certain church in that city, and that her
church meant very much to her. Then she told the banker
that she had always had a dream--a dream that some day she
would be able to give one thousand dollars to her church. She
explained to the banker that her church was at a point where
the money could be used to great advantage. She knew she
would never have a thousand dollars to give to her church. So
she wanted to borrow that thousand dollars and give it to her
church now while it would do so much good.
Two women. Each wanting the same amount of money.
But how far apart are the purposes for which they each
desired the money! Membership in a dancing club and
furthering the work of the Carpenter of men.
It is a story of life. A story of selfishness and love,
competing with each other for control of the individual. A
story of one who wished to borrow money to spend entirely on
herself, and a story of one who wished to borrow money to
spend entirely on others.
Basically, most of us are a mixture of the two. We want to
give away and we want to keep. This is the great struggle in
the hearts of mankind. There is something in us urging us to
wrap our hands around our money and there is something in
us urging us to give our money away toward constructive
purposes. In a few of us there is proper balance, but in the
most of us the desire to keep prevails.
The possessions we have are given to us for only a period.
We don’t own them, we can only use them. And while we can’t
take them with us, the way we use them now is an indication
as to the place we will go when we are through using them.
ruth at random
By Ruth Bryant
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY
Though we are far apart
There’s something in the heart
That makes its beating start
On Happy Valentines!
When we are close near-by
There’s something in a sigh
That makes the memory spry
On Happy Valentines !
And so, though near or far,
No matter where we are
This loving will not mar
Our Happy Valentines!
band-aids which are covering
all the sites of my penicillin
injections!
My husband suggested that
I move temporarily into the
Heart of Jackson motel. (He
thinks this would protect
him and the children from
my illness!) I told him the
last time he made that
suggestion that I would
breathe on him if he didn’t
hush.
My boss thought I was
faking sickness until he saw
me. After he took one look, he
pulled out his handkerchief,
covered his face and ran.
The one real advantage I
can see is that I have lost 6
pounds! Of course, I don’t
recommend having the flu as
a fun way to lose weight, but
it does get you a lot of
attention and sympathy
much deserved I might add!
‘Whatsoever
Things'
By Donald E. Wildmon