Newspaper Page Text
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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
OFFICIAL ORGAN BUTTS COUNTY AND CITY OF JACKSON
Published every Thursday at 129 South Mulberry Street, Jackson,
Georgia 30233 by The Progress-Argus Printing.Co., Inc. Second Class
Postage paid at Jackson, Georgia 30233.
Address notice of undeliverabie copies and other correspondence
to The Jackson Progress-Argus, P.O. Box 249, Jackson, Georgia 30233.
One Year, in Georgia $6.24
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Editorials
The Opinion Makers
Never before in the history of
the communications industry has
there been such an awesome
opportunity, and responsibility,
thrust upon a single segment of the
news media as that which now
faces the chief opinion welders of
our time--the television commenta
tors.
Within the brief time span of a
few minutes, million of viewers
expect them to distill the wisdom of
the day’s news, discard the chaff
and give a capsulization of the
kernel in a few hundred well
chosen words.
Unlike the TV newscaster, the
interpretative reporter shares his
opinion as to why certain events
happened and how they are likely
to affect tomorrow’s news and the
results society may likely experi
ence from such earth-shaking
happenings.
To their credit, let it be said
that most of these opinion shapers,
both male and female, do a
creditable job, faced with the
pressures of time under which they
labor.
A blanket indictment of them
for their failures would be just as
unfair as a wholesale endorsement
of their art as a prime example of
the best in the field of journalism.
If indictments are in order, and
Preserving Human Rights
Despite the obvious dangers
involved in antagonizing the Soviet
Union, one finds it difficult to fault
President Carter for his firm
affirmation of the principle of
individual human rights through
out the world.
If we fail to oppose the
deprivation of human rights in
Hungary, or Poland, or East
Germany, then we are not worthy
of the basic freedoms we all enjoy.
We are engaged in a titantic
struggle with the Soviet Union for
the minds of men, a never-ending
battle between two opposing ways
of life that, short of war, can be won
by such aggressive actions as the
President is now taking.
The Soviets speak with forked
tongues in the field of human
All Aboard for Spring
As concrete evidence that time
does indeed march on, here comes
March marching right in past
February, a month whose passing
is regretted only by the candy
makers and greeting card manu
facturers.
March will officially bring
Spring, but it is also likely to bring
some capricious and probably
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we suspect some are needed, let the
accusing finger point at the great
mass of TV viewers who accept
their every word as gospel truth,
without any serious reservations.
You can’t blame the television
industry for grasping the oppor
tunity to shape public opinion in the
same manner, and on an even
larger scale, than radio' and
newspapers once did.
You can’t blame the TV
commentators who are paid
handsome sums for their distilla
tion of the news and their
interpretation of it.
But it is good to remember,
whether listening to TV or radio
editorials, or reading an opinion
expressed in your favorite news
paper, that opinions expressed by
any writer, or speaker, of the
English language are shaded by his
bias, his experience, his back
ground and his basic character.
That is why it is so important,
and healthy for the republic, for all
of us to cultivate the formation of
our own opinions, based on the
facts as they are presented to us.
The television networks are
important cogs in today’s com
munications media. They shape,
and influence, our daily lives. But
let us not let them imprison our
minds in the process.
rights, bragging about their
technological and social advances
while keeping millions of their
subjects enslaved, both physically
and mentally.
Timidity never won any
battle, either on the field of armed
conflict or the more subtle struggle
to win the minds and consciences of
men. The Soviets would like
nothing better than to cow us into
submission or, at least, acceptance
of their way of life.
With his big stick, President
Carter has rapped the knuckles of
the Soviet on this issue of human
rights and, as a result, the hopes of
millions of enslaved Europeans for
eventual freedom have been
revived.
Rap on, Mr. President, rap on.
severe weather with it before the
warmth of the sun can effectively
subdue old man winter.
A winter so extremely un
pleasant, however, cannot be
grieved for and so we say Hello to
March, with the hope that your
winds will be light, your rain
moderate and your warmth
delightful.
THE JACKSON PROGRESS-ARGUS, JACKSON, GEORGIA
The Last
Straw
BY
VINCENT JONES
The following is a conver
sation that could have
occurred at a recent chance
meeting of Princess Clear
Running Water and Chief
Pure Air-or-Bust in which
they jointly rejoice in the
latest victories of the
environmentalists:
Hello, Chief, get a breath of
that lovely fresh air; it’s just
like a tonic to my smoke
clogged lungs. Man, have we
ever been laying one on these
polluters of late.”
“Yes, Princess, and the
new pale face in White House
has helped our cause
tremendously, knocking out
the Richard Russell dam,
and evidently supporting the
EPA in its resolve to further
reduce smoke pollution at
coal-burning power plants.”
“Perhaps the soft-spoken
white leader got his fill of
pollution while harvesting
peanuts in Georgia, or during
the shelling process.”
“Without a doubt he did
and unlike his brother, Billy,
he evidently failed to realize
that there is nothing quite
like a cold beer to wash down
the peanut dust.”
“But we must never fail to
realize, Princess, that the
battle has just begun.
Eternal vigilance is the price
we must pay if we are to keep
this country free from those
pollutants that would destroy
it-and us.”
“How well put, Chief Pure,
and especially we must be
vigilant in our determination
to squash anymore of those
dreadfully-risky nuclear
power plants which, despite
their immense power, are
immensely dangerous.”
“Yes, Princess, we shall
never yield on this battle
field, although there be
blackouts from one end of
this land to the other. It’s like
we always say, ‘Better to
have less juice in the wire
than to all go in a nuclear
fire.’ ”
“As you say, Chief, what
are a few hours of brownout a
month when you consider the
alternatives. What are the
mathematical chances of an
accident at one of the nuclear
power plants?”
“I’m sorry I can’t give you
a quotable statistic on that,
Princess, but roughly about
1.000.000-to-l.”
“Is that so. And what are
the probabilities of a first
strike by the Russians in a
nuclear showdown?”
“About one in two.”
“Well, as we have always
contended, those nuclear
power plants are just too
hazardous for this country to
chance, at least as long as we
have oil, gas, coal and wood
to burn.”
“But you must remember,
we don’t have much of the
first two and both coal and
wood generate obnoxious
pollution.”
“Yes, but we are stopping
the new dams that were
proposed and keeping our
rivers wild and untamed just
like they were when our fore
fathers hunted and camped
beside them.”
“True, but have you ever
thought how much electric
energy those rivers could
generate if properly
harnessed and the devast
ating floods they could
control and eliminate alto
gether?”
“And that energy could
certainly come in handy if
the country suffered another
such winter as we are now
experiencing. Just think of
the heat pumps it could
operate and the electric
space heaters and the motors
it could power for the central
heating system.”
“Chief, are you saying for
one moment that we should
place the comfort and
convenience of our people
above our own little petty
concerns about a wayward
puff of smoke on the horizon
or a nasty fluff of washing
powder on our rivers?”
“Not exactly, Princess, but
it is a thought. And remem
ber above all else, if time
does prove us wrong, we
must never, never admit it.”
‘Til smoke the peace pipe
\) -**■ tST"
jL.
A Stroll Down
Memory Lane
News of 10 Years Ago
The Butts County Commis
sioners have named seven
citizens to work with a
committee of three appointed
by the February grand jury
to investigate the possibility
of anew county courthouse.
Named by the grand jury
were Frank Forehand,
chairman, E. M. McCord and
Doyle Jones, Jr. The Com
missioners named P. H.
Weaver, Whit Newton, V. M.
White, J. M. McMichael,
Robert Smith, A. G. Cowan
and G. W. Caston.
Miss Nancy Goff, daughter
of Dr. and Mrs. Roy Goff, and
a student at the Southern
College of Pharmacy in
Atlanta, has been awarded a
S2OO scholarship.
The thermometer plunged
to nine degrees here Satur
day, the coldest day of the
year and 10 degrees colder
than the 19 recorded on
Christmas Day.
Dr. J. W. Fanning, of the
University of Georgia, will
address the Butts County
Chamber of Commerce’s
annual meeting.
Mr. and Mrs. John L.
Coleman were honored at a
dinner given by Mr. and Mrs.
Douglas Coleman, the oc
casion being their thirty-first
wedding anniversary.
Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Riley,
Sr., of Flovilla, were honored
Sunday on their Golden
Wedding anniversary.
Deaths during the week:
Guy G. Head, 85: Mrs. A. A.
Howell, 90; Parks B. (Bud
dy) White, 48; Mrs. Willie
Curry Gray, 86; Mrs. Alleen
Maddox White, 70.
News of 20 Years Ago
P. H. Weaver, chairman of
the 1957 Fund Drive for the
Butts County Chapter of the
American Red Cross,
announced the drive will
begin March Ist.
Joyce Morgan called the
Busy Bees to order at their
February meeting in the
grammar school library.
Cathy Wise was elected
secretary and Lydia Moore,
reporter.
The North Butts Home
Demonstration Club met at
the home of Mrs. W. L.
Collins, with Mrs. Gus Cook
serving as co-hostess.
Roy D. Goff, owner of
Jackson’s City Pharmary, is
one of the nation’s first
Rexall druggists to receive
the new Mortar and Pestle
Trophy, emblematic of excel
lence in the operation of a
drug store.
C. E. Washington, of
Washington Tractor Com
pany, announced this week
that Nevin Duffey has joined
his staff as a salesman.
Robert Edwards and Jan
ice Ballenger, vice-presi
dents, were in charge of the
4-H Club meeting Thursday
in the Grammar school
library.
Deaths during the week:
Mrs. Mary Mangham Young,
49.
News of 30 Years Ago
The Jackson Kiwanis Club
w ill deliver approximately 15
purebred 0.1. C. pigs to 4-H
Club members this Spring.
Julian Fletcher, manager,
and Hill Biggers, market
department manager, of
Jackson’s Colonial Stores,
have won trips to Miami for
leading their division in total
sales.
The 80-acre old Woodward
with you on that, Chief (hey,
cut down on those puffs). An
environmentalist who admits
error deserves no better than
to freeze to death.”
THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 1977
home place near Locust
Grove has been sold for
$5,000, according to O. E.
Smith, Jackson realtor.
Mrs. Charles Mcßroom
was hostess at the Liberty
WMS meeting in February.
Mrs. Edward Washington is
president.
Attending Therese Bar
field’s seventh birthday
party were Jan and Ann
Raven, Marilyn Patrick,
Nancy Ann Robison, Ann
Coleman, Jane Carmichael,
Emily White, Dickey Addi
son, Bill and Ben Garland,
Barry Jones, Denny O’Neal.
Therese is the daughter of
Dr. and Mrs. W. E. Barfield.
Miss Anne Roberts, daugh
ter of Mrs. J. B. Roberts of
Jackson, was on the Dean’s
List for the fall semester at
LaGrange College.
Deaths during the week:
Ralph R. McCord, 68.
News of 40 Years Ago
S. H. Thornton, owner of a
large peach orchard in Jones
County, says he fears the
recent cold weather has
seriously damaged the 1937
peach crop.
William M. Towles' has
been awarded the contract
for all electrical work in the
new Butts County jail.
A. S. Mills has been
designated as Highway
Maintenance Supervisor for
all state aid highways in
Butts County, succeeding B.
F. Mitchell.
A. L. Washington, of the
Rogers Store in Jackson, has
been promoted to the position
of assistant manager of the
Rogers Store in LaGrange.
The benefit bridge and
rook party sponsored by the
McDowell Junior Music Ciub
at the home of Mrs. Smith
Settle was a most enjoyable
affair. Assisting in serving
were Misses Josephine Sas
nett, Gwendolyn McMichael,
Catherine McMichael, Caro
lyn Farrar, along with
Blackman Settle and Thomas
Boone.
The Methodist Church is
sponsoring the showing Tues
day evening at the school
auditorium of the 1936
Vitaphone picture, “King of
Kings.”
Deaths during the week
Mrs. W. F. Capps, 61.
News of 50 Years Ago
The co-operative poultry
sale held last week in
Jackson by the Southern
Railway Company was suc
cessful, with 3,242 pounds of
poultry bringing $699.45.
Mrs. J. T. Stubbs, of
Covington, writes about the
Feb. 23. 1901 snow which left
eight inches on the ground.
Mr. J. S. Cumming, of
Flovilla, remembers the hail
storm of February, 1884,
when every windowpane in
Flovilla and Indian Springs
was knocked out by hail the
size of hen eggs.
The Jackson branch of the
Atlanta Business College
closed a five-month term last
week. Enrolled were Mrs. R.
I. Knox, Miss Lollie Car
michael, Miss Annie Smith,
Miss Mary Newton, Ralph
Cook, Robert Whitaker, Joe
Patrick and Edward Car
michael.
Paul Tyler and Company
has moved into its new store
on the corner of Second and
Oak Streets.
The Jackson Woman’s
Club has opened a “rent
shelf” at Hawkes Library
where the newest fiction can
be had at the cost of two cents
per day.
Deaths during the week:
Mrs. Elizabeth Cole, 77; R
A. Thaxton, 59; Mrs. J. H.
Singley, 79.
RbfTOUFRI
By Mrs. Cindy Brown
I have decided to slow
down; I have also decided
that most of us are so busy
trying to get ahead, that if
and when we do, we are too
tired to know we have!
I ,am just an average
working wife and mother,
working both outside and
inside the home. It suddenly
struck me the other night
about 9:00 p.m. that I was
missing out on a few things:
the simpler things of life.
I get up every morning
around 6:30 and I get home
every night around 5:30.
Somewhere in the meantime,
I work, go to lunch, and see
the day fly by. When I get in
at night, it is time to fix
supper, wash dishes, bathe
and bed little people, wash
clothes and get ready for
another day .there never
seems to be any time to
really relax, and get to know
A Personal Review By A
Concerned Parent
ROOTS
The novel and television
production were quite good,
but very one-sided. By choice
I thought the performances
of Lou Gossett and Ben
Bereen outstanding; but
then, I’ve been a fan of both
these fine actors for ages.
I feel that things should ebb
now and all the to - do stop.
Both the book and the TV
program have accomplished
what they set out to do. The
past troubles out of Negro
Ancestry were put in the
spotlight and people have
become wealthy and famous.
Now! I have a bone to pick.
Not all white people known to
us in history were as cruel,
evil, and inhumane as is
depicted. Even so, the people
of the generation have most
surely all died; and the
young people of today
should not be punished,
penalized, or subjected to
discrimination because of
what ancestors did or did not
do.
I think all races have
contributed alot to our
modern culture and we
should be glad for that, and
proud. Rather than have the
young people start up anew
war, they should study the
histories and cultures of all
races so they will have a
better understanding of their
contributions to society.
They (the young people)
should be working together
regardless of creed, race, or
nationality for the better
ment of our country.
From my own research, I
find it hard and quite unlikely
to ever discover a pure and
true race of Negro, Indian, or
white people due partly to
intermarriages as well as
migrations to other coun
tries.
I’m only sure of two things
that remain constant in any
race: 1) There will always be
bad people; and 2) There will
always be good people.
ruth at random
By Ruth Bryant
WHY CONSERVE GAS?
Your gas is on! “So what, you say,
• “My house is comfortable today
And in my own accustomed way
I’ll let my thermostat just stay!”
Friends, do you know that you can share
Your comforts, although they are rare?
So all may know that you do care,
Just thank your Father with a prayer!
my children and husband.
“Back in the olden days”,
we all took more time to put
our feet up, talk a little and
listen a lot. Today we have no
time for these enjoyments,
and probably due to our
rush-rush syndrome, we’ll
not live as long as folks did
ten or twenty years ago. Oh,
the scientists tell us we will --
but the way I see it, our
hectic lives could not
possibly improve our
chances.
Tonight when I go home, I
am going to treat my family
to peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches on paper plates.
The kids are going to bed
without baths and I am going
to sit and slow down. It has
been a long time since I
really LISTENED to my
children or took time to find
out how my husband’s day
went. I think it’s time.
The lower middle class
white people are discrimi
nated against more so than
any of the Negro or Indian
people. The lower middle
class white workers have the
brunt of paying taxes, that
the wealthy get out of paying,
and paying welfare for a
majority of those who don’t
need it.
Please! Don’t tell me about
overalls and picking cotton.
My grandmother was left a
widow with eight children to
raise and live in a shack. She
picked and chopped cotton,
and split rails as good as any
man. She lived a hard, rough
life and died a very old
woman at a young age.
My ancestors were what is
termed or referred to as Poor
White Trash (that’s class
discrimination) and I’m
proud of every last one of
them.
I think for our children’s
sake we should get off this
thing of trying to make the
people of today pay for
mistakes of the past. Our
children will decide who their
friends will be regardless of
race or background, and
what directions they want to
aim for in their lives.
We should stop hating so
much and try caring a little
more for the other fellow.
There’s alot to be gained
from each race, each sex,
each age group, and each
background. We should try to
get along better since we
must share this world!
Try to do something kind
for others; or, if they refuse
your kindness, say a prayer
for those you dislike or don’t
understand. Before you know
it you’ll find yourself too busy
working and praying to fuss,
fight, or make war.
Try a little kindness with a
prayer. It really works.
Thank you
Mrs. Charles H. (Terry)
Price