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THE B. C. PROBLEM
A newly married couple were looking for a house to rent out
in the country. After finding one they liked, they rented it and
moved in to make it their home.
After moving in, the young wife noticed that the bathroom
did not have a commode, so she decided to write the owner
about it. Being extremely timid, modest and shy, she
hesitated about spelling out the words (bathroom commode)
so she just referred to it as B.C. When the landlord got the
letter he was puzzled as to what the letters B.C. stood for, and
finally he decided she meant the Baptist Church, so he wrote
her as follows:
Dear Madam:
I regret very much the delay in answering your letter. In
reply we’ll say that there is a very nice B.C. just four and one
half miles down the road, due east from the house you rented.
It will seat 200 people. This four and one half miles distance is
a little unfortunate, that is, if you are in the habit of going
regularly; but no doubt you will be interested to know how
many people just take lunch and make a day of it They
usually arrive pretty early and stay pretty late, and enjoy the
fun and fellowship.
The last time my wife and I went was three years ago. We
were just a bit late, so we had to stand up. This did not bother
me too much as I am in the habit of standing quite a bit of the
time but it was rather inconvenient for my wife as she had
arthritis in both knees.
It may interest you to know that a box supper is being
planned in the near future to raise funds to plush seat the B.C.
This is a long felt need, as some of the seats are rough and
cracked, and a person likes to sit in comfort when he
meditates.
Avery friendly usher always greets you when you arrive at
the B.C. and takes you to a seat. Many years ago when my
wife and I were living in the little house that you just rented,
the men and the women did not sit together, but now in these
modern times, family groups along with personal friends all
come in and sit together for meditation.
Many people resolve to attend the B.C. only at
Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and Mother’s Day. It is a
known fact that people who do not go very often, don’t do very
much when they go!
I would like to add that it pains us very much not to go more
often, but it surely is not lack of desire on my part, as we grow
older it seems to be more of an effort, particularly in cold
weather.
In conclusion, I will add, that I hope to see you there soon.
THE LANDLORD
Submitted by Mrs. Guy Wallace
CITIZEN’S CORNER**
J£l HELPFUL IDEAS LOR SUCCESSFUL RETIREMENT TjJ
Know Yourself
Even in retirement, the
struggle to understand your
self never ends. You keep
changing as you experi
ence new things. Some
researches feel you are
really four people.
There is a “real you” —a
you that’s hard to keep up
with and really know be
cause you change so quick
ly. Everything that hap
pens to you affects this self.
The second “you” is the
person you think you are
your self image. The third
“you” is the person you’d
like to be— your ideal self.
Finally, there is a public
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“you” the person you let
other people see. You
sometimes hide the real you
because you can never be
sure that people will really
like or admire the real one.
Good mental health re
quires that you be comfor
table with all four selves.
The ideal you must not be
too far above the self-image,
the public image or the real
you. If it is, you’re usually
on the defensive.
And defensive people are
hiding. Rather than defend,
learn to recognize what is
happening. Once you see the
defenses you’re using, you
may find a better way to be
yourself.
the JACKSON PROGRESS-ARCUS, JACKSON, GEORGIA
Recently in a small
Georgia town, blacks went
on a “riot” when it was
alleged that some whites had
beaten a Negro boy. Asa
part of their resentment,
some blacks attempted to
boycott white merchants. To
do this some of them
picketed the downtown area.
One white merchant whose
store was picketed, attemp
ted to solve the matter in his
own way. He threw open his
doors and windows. Then,
he put on a record of
“Dixie” and left it to blast
all day.
Naturally, some Negroes
were disconcerted by this.
The writer could not under
stand why. Neither can she
understand why there has
been a rash of walk outs on
the part of Negroes in public
schools over this song since
integration.
When some Negro stu
dents in Arkansas walked
out of school when whites
played “Dixie” in 1972, they
filed a federal suit, claiming
their constitutional rights
had been infringed upon, for
“Dixie” for them con
stituted a badge of slavery.
A Missouri federal judge
rejected the student’s plea
saying that the singing of
“Dixie” violated no.consti
tutional right. To rule out
“Dixie,” stated the judge,
would mean ruling out many
other American songs.
But this is by no means a
closed issue. Last fall in
another small Georgia town,
a group of Negro students
walked out of school when
their high school band
attempted to play “Dixie.”
It is because of this recent
flare-up that the writer chose
to discuss it here. To do this,
the writer searched news
papers and periodicals to see
what some of the best Negro
thinkers had said about this
problem. One item which
appeared in the editorial
section of a 1972 issue of
“Crisis Magazine” was of
interest. Only the first
paragraph of that article will
THINK ABOUT THIS!
Man: You’re In Charge
“Man!” God called out to Adam, “have
dominion over this world I created. Be
fruitful and multiply! Explore it;
Probe it; Dig in it; Fly over it; Enjoy
it and remember I give you authority over
it and responsibility for it. In short,
Man, you’re in charge!”
“All of it?” asked Adam incredulously.
“All of it!” replied God firmly.
“The fish in the sea? the fowl in the
air? the beasts in the fields? and the
land and the water? and the land under
the water and....”
“All of it!”
“Wow! Lord!”
Down the ribbon of Time Adam and all his
begotten kin have taken turns accepting
authority and responsibility; some men
have harnessed fire; conceived the wheel;
developed engines; designed wings, while
others have drilled for oil; dug for
coal; refined for tools; probed for light;
searched for health.
Some who’ve assumed dominion have held
authority preciously, provided responsi
bility responsibly; some have grabbed au
thority but fumbled responsibility. Some
became authority and ignored responsibility.
Some listened to God while others
turned deaf ears to Him.
Today God still calls out: “Man! Have
dominion over this world I created! Ex
plore it; Probe it; Fly over it; Conquer
it; Subdue it; Enjoy it!
I give you, Man. authority and responsibility for it
In short, Man, you’re in charge!”
“Over all of it?” we ask incredulously.
“All of it!” is the resounding answer.
“The fish dying in the sea? birds fluttering
in the air? beasts moaning in the
fields? and the raped land? the stagnant
air and the fouled water? and...?"
“All of it!”
“Forgive us. Lord!”
Submitted by Mrs. Eliz. Hudgins
Let’s All Sing Dixie
be quoted here:
“The desegregation of
public schools in the south
since 1954 brought into
sharp focus the long
smoldering resentment of
Negro Americans against
the public display of the flag
of the late Confederacy and
the singing of “Dixie” ....
the tattered banner and the
patronizing anthem of a
dead racist regime. Black
students, backed by their
parents, throughout the
south are increasingly and
wrathfully -demanding that
the flag of the slavocracy be
permanendy silenced and
that the rhythm of racial
supremacy be silenced, at
least at all public institutions
and officially sponsored
gatherings. A perverse and
stupid sentimentality in the
north as well as in the south,
has enshrined the rebel flag
and the supercilious lyrics of
‘Dixie’ as treasured lega
cies of a romantic and noble
past. This appraisal reveals
an incredible insensitivity to
the victims of this mythology
.... those of us who know
that our forebears were not
‘happy darkies’ singing and
dancing in the fields and
streets of Dixie to express
their joy of slavery ...”
Now, is this the truth and
nothing but the truth, or is
this article expressing only
half-truths? To begin with,
this song, is clouded by
mysteries that will never be
cleared up. The origin of the
word “Dixie” itself, is
uncertain. Some say the
word "Dixie” came by the
way of Louisianna. When
that state was a part of the
French territory, it was the
custon for them to use the
French word for ten, dix, on
the ten dollar bill.
Others say the word came
into the language through
Dixon, one of the surveyors
who was responsible for the
Mason and Dixon Line. Take
your choice in this matter.
Again, the composer of
the song is questionable.
Generally, the credit for
composing the song goes to
Dan Emmett, a Yankee from
Ohio, who was employed by
Bryant’s minstrel. When
Emmett was in his 80’s, he
traveled throughout the
country with other min
strels. He gave this account:
“In 1859 while playing in
New York, Bryant, the
manager, asked me to write
a walk-around, a song in
which the entire troupe
could assemble on the stage
and sing at the conclusion of
the show. I composed
‘Dixie’ and it was an
instant hit. New Yorkers
went home from the show
whistling it."
But there is not just one
version of the song, there
are dozens and some
versions do not give Emmett
the credit for having
composed it.
Until 1836 there was a
southern version, but what is
confusing is that “Dixie”
has been parodied more than
any pther song in America.
There was a Virginia
version; there was* a
Kentucky version, and there
was even a northern version.
According to Emmett, the
words came in this fashion:
“As the minstrel travelled
from section to section, they
were sometimes caught in
the north at the time of the
frost. Since the troups
camped in tents, it was a
common thing when it
turned cold, to hear someone
say, ‘I wish I was in Dixie’,
meaning ‘I wish 1 was where
it is warm’.”
There is some confusion
about how the song reached
New Orleans in 1860. It is
supposed that Emmett’s
name was not on it.
However, H. S. Stanton of
Georgia, is credited with
having turned the song into
a war song. Asa result, it
became a national anthem
for the Confederacy, and
was sung from Virginia to
Texas.
Another reason why it is
difficult to understand why
some Negroes resent the
song is that “Dixie" does
not exploit Negroes in any
Coordinator
A coordinator has been
defined as one who trans
forms unorganized confu
sion into regimented chaos.
■
I never
figured that
one dag
Id need
help from
Easter Seals”
• Over the years, Norman
Wendt always contributed
to Easter Seals. Now he's
a regular at the Easter Seal
Center in his community.
• Easter Seals' stroke reha
bilitation program helps
return him to a produc
tive life.
• Please support Easter Seals.
As Mr. Wendt says.
"Someday, you might
need their help.”
*Easter
Seals
serving' the
HANDICAPPED
l V I
THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1977
by Rose Moseley
way. Slang words Negroes
detest, such as “nigger”,
“darkie” or “coon" are not
used. But if they were, why
haven’t Negroes resented
much of Stephen Foster’s
songs, “Old Black Joe" and
“Suwannee River," to name
just two. And what of the
hundreds of songs the Negro
himself has created using
those slang expressions?
Further, if the Negro
resents “Dixie” on the
basis that it was created by a
minstrel composer, he will
have to rule out much of his
own music, such as ragtime
sling, blues and boogie
woogie.
If Negroes resent this
song because it was associa
ted with the Civil War, they
might also resent “The
Battle Hymn of the Re
public,” which Julia Ward
Howe wrote to the tune of
“John Brown’s Body,” a
song she heard the Union
soldiers sing.
She was asked to write a
more dignified version. The
white southerner might find
this song offensive.
If Negroes resent “Dixie"
because it pays tribute to or
because it quotes lines about
a southern hero, they are
wrong. Robert E. Lee is the
south’s greatest hero, and
the song pays no tribute to
him. If Negroes resent this
song because it reminds
them of the “stupid senti
mentality of the past," they
should take a second look
into the history of the Civil
War period.
From the 1820s through
the 1860s, the United States
was plagued by sectional
rivalries. Of the three main
sections, northeast, the old
northwest and the south,
each placed his own loyalties
above those of the national
government, for each feared
that a strong national
government would bring a
high tariff. Each section
followed its own line of
development. The south,
which based its economy on
cotton and slaves, was not
more sectional-minded than
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SHIELDS JEWELERS
129 East Second St. Jackson, Georgia 775*7798
The Leader-Tribune, Fort Valley, Ga., Thursday, March 3,1977
the others.
If Negroes resent this
song because it pays tribute
to an American flag, they are
wrong. At the same time, a
white northerner was shock
ed to learn that some
Negroes refer to Johnson’s
“Lift Every Voice and Sing”
as the Negro national
anthem.
Now, comes this question:
Why has this song endured?
First, it has universal
appeal. The composer, who
was accustomed to writing
catchy tunes, started out
with a bugle call 5-3-1
exactly as “The Star
Spangled Banner.” The
song ranges from an octave
to a major third, which is
within the range of an
untrained voice. It has a
good melody and a catchy
rhythm. Mainly, it has
endured in the south
because of two lines; “In
Dixie land I'll take my stand,
I’ll live and die in Dixie."
No matter how many
times the southerners
change this song, these two
lines are left untouched. In
defiance, the southerners
sing those words and is
reminded of those who made
a sacrifice to fight the Civil
War in order to preserve
their section and their way of
life.
Again, the song came out
in 1860, the year of
Secession, when southerners
were grasping at anything to
show their defiance.
The late Senator Bank
head of Alabama might have
expressed the sentiment of
all white southerners when
he said, “I’d rather hear
Dixie than
‘Fifth Symphony’.”
As the writer sees it, the
southerner didn’t win the
war. Let him hare some
thing.
In conclusion, the writer
thinks everyone should
accept Lincoln’s views on the
issue. Just a few days before
his assassination, he was
serenaded. Lincoln said to
the group: “I see you have a
band with you. I should like
to hear it play ‘Dixie’.” I
have consulted with the
Attorney General, who is
here by my side, and he is of
the opinion that ‘Dixie’
belongs to us. Now play it.”
Rose D. Moseley
13*5 State College Drive
Forth Valley, Ga.
(Editor’s Note: Mrs. Mose
ley is a retired teacher, who
formerly taught English at
Jackson High School and who
now resides in Fort Valley.)
IN APPRECIATION
The Butts County CB Club
of Jackson would like to
express their grateful
“Thanks” to the Jackson
Progress-Argus newspaper
and Radio Station WJGA for
the coverage they have given
us on the “Benefit Stew for
the Eberhart Family” which
was held last Saturday
evening, March 19, at the
Jackson Club House.
We also want to “Thank”
the various business estab
lishments and individuals
who donated the food for the
stew. It couldn't have been a
success without all these fine
people.
Also, a special “Thanks”
goes to all of those who
helped in the preparation of
the stew and also helped
throughout the day and
evening.
We all enjoyed talking with
old friends throughout the
evening and “ratchet
jawing" with CB'ers from
various surrounding CB
Clubs who came to the
supper to help the cause. The
supper was enjoyed by all.
The money that was
donated at the “supper" has
been deposited into the
“Trust Fund" which is still in
effect. Anyone may still
donate to it “Eberhart
Trust Fund" at Mclntosh
State Bank. Jackson.
Thanks again to each and
ail.
Helen Folmar
(Possom Lady)