Newspaper Page Text
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J. D. Johes — Publisher
LJ9OB 1955)
Doyle Jones Jr. Editor and Publisher
(1955-1975)
MRS. MARTHA G. JONES PUBLISHER
VINCENT JONES EDITOR
OFFICIAL ORGAN JIUTTS 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 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
Should Schools Fool, or Fail?
The search is on for the
scapegoat after the recent revela
tion that Scholastic Aptitude Test
scores of freshmen entering college
this fall dropped five points from
the previous year.
In fact, in the entire 51-year
history of this test that is designed
to measure the scholastic abilities
of incoming freshmen, this year’s
freshman class holds the record for
low scores.
Educators, Congressmen, edi
torial writers, plus John and Mary
Doe Citizens, are scratching their
heads in amazement and seeking
someone, or something, on which
the blame can be placed.
As usual when the fault-finders
deal in general rather than specific
terms, society comes in for its
customary scathing indictment.
One hears the old sing-song hymns
of the apologists, racial injustice,
discrimination, the plight of the
poor and one brave, but foolish,
editorialist suggests that each of us
has a share of blame in this latest
evidence of scholastic mediocrity.
How times do change. Most of
us old enough to have grandchild
ren couldn’t get away with such a
ploy. If we received an F in
geometry we blamed no one but
ourselves. And neither did our
parents. We just weren’t smart
enough to suggest that Mr.
Snapfingle, our grocer, should
share part of the blame for our
failure.
One of the braver members of
the press has even suggested that
the increasing number of women
entering college contributed to the
decline in test scores.
Have times changed that
much? Three or four decades ago,
the girls invariably led their
classes in grades and, more often
than not, walked off with top honors
at graduation.
So if we are going to find the
real culprit in this matter of our
high schools constantly sending
ill-prepared graduates to take
college entrance exams, we must
look deeper than the Supreme
Court decisions affecting educa
tion, or even the bureaucratic
bungles of the Washington experts
on how to ruin our educational
processes.
One of the practices, common
in most schools, that we must face
up and either accept or change, is
that of social promotions.
This is, purely and simply, a
matter of progressing a child
through 12 grades and awarding a
diploma to a student who can’t
read, write or multiply correctly.
Children are often promoted,
not on the basis of their mastery of
the material they should be
required to learn, but because they
spent nine months in the class, or
they are trouble-makers, or their
parents are influential, or they
came from a poor home and their
self-esteem would be damaged by
having to repeat a class.
But whatever the justification,
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§11)1 1977
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or the rationalization, behind
passing an incompetent student on
to another teacher who, nine
months later, will repeat the
process, the system is shot through
with hypocrisy and dishonesty.
The evidence furnished by the
latest SAT test scores is irrefut
able. Many of the freshmen
entering college this fall won’t be
able to cut the mustard in a system
in which the sham has been
removed and only the fittest
survive.
Giving a student a diploma
from high school and sending him
out into the business world
ill-prepared is grossly dishonest.
Not only is it harmful to the
student, who thinks he is prepared,
but it is equally harmful to the
businessman who feels he is getting
an employee with some basic
scholastic skills.
Better standards of promotion
from one grade to another or even
the establishment of minimum
competency levels for students
getting a high school diploma, may
be part of the answer.
But whatever the answer, and
let the educators seek dilingently to
find it. societv must feel that it
would be better to fail an
incompetent student than to turn
out an inferior product upon a cold,
cruel world.
One bright spot on an otherwise
dismal horizon is the realization
that, for a variety of reasons, not
all students are interested in
continuing their education beyond
the high school level. Family
circumstances, a lack of interest in
scholastic endeavors, the inability
to master the more difficult high
school subjects-these, and other
factors, dictate for many students
the necessity to pursue those
courses that are directly related to
employment opportunities in their
community.
Unfortunately, our educational
system to date has been heavily
weighted in favor of academic
rather than vocational training.
Getting students through twelve
grades, with some semblance of
scholastic background, inadequate
though it may be, has been the
main thrust.
The concept of the comprehen
sive high school, which Butts
Countians may hear more of within
the coming weeks, provides for
those students choosing not to go
to college a happy blend of the
practical and the theoretical. It
trains students for life-time
careers in useful and profitable
vocations, while providing them
with enough academic background
to cope with people of all
educational levels.
It seems the nation got carried
away in the post-war years with the
idea that a college education was
necessary for the good life. It still
may be for some but for the
majority of high school graduates
who need jobs worse than
education, the teaching in high
school of certain job skills makes a
THE JACKSON PROGRESS-ARGUS, JACKSON, GEORGIA
The Last
Straw
BY
VINCENT JONES
Surveys are interesting,
not because they prove
anything, but at least they
tell us how our fellowman is
thinking and feeling about
the common issues that
confront us.
The Potomac Associates, a
Washington-based group
funded by the Rockefeller
Foundation, recently con
ducted a survey into the
public’s concern about major
national issues.
Check your own list against
the results, listed below in
descending order of impor
tance:
Crime.
The amount of violence in
American life.
Corruption or law-breaking
by government officials.
The rise in prices and cost
of living.
The problems of drugs and
addiction.
Insuring that Americans in
general, including the poor
and the elderly, get adequate
medical and health care.
Improving our education
system.
Unemployment.
Cleaning up our waterways
and reducing water pollution.
Protecting consumers
against misleading adver
tising, dangerous products
and unsafe food and drugs.
Bet you found some
omitted you would have
included and several listed
that you would have not
considered that important.
Based on the assumption
that we read first, and
perhaps only, those things in
which we are interested and
concern us, another recent
survey on newspaper reader
ship may prove revealing.
The North Scott Press, of
Eldridge, lowa, recently
conducted a survey of 1,123
readers to find out just what
and how often they read
certain items appearing in
the Press.
The readers were asked to
score as follows: Always
read, 5; usually read, 4;
sometimes read, 3; seldom
read, 2; and never read, 1.
The higher the composite
score, the greater the overall
readership. Here are the top
15 and their composite
scores:
Weddings, engagements,
anniversaries, 4.57.
Obituaries, 4.38.
Birth announcements, 4.34.
Special feature articles,
4.34.
Letters to the editor, 4.27.
Pictures of school and
youth activities, 4.19.
Area correspondence
(news briefs), 4.17.
Police and sheriff’s news,
4.14.
Fire call reports, 3.92.
Impressions, 3.90.
Magistrate court news,
3.86.
Official public notices
(legals), 3.67.
Notebook (community
calendar), 3.60.
Extension news, 3.53.
Real estate transactions,
3.52.
From this survey, one
could determine that your
best bet for being read about
is to get married, plan to get
married, be married a long
time, die, or be born.
Some of which evidently
don’t have a great deal of
appeal, or possibilities, for
today’s publicity seekers.
Editor’s Quote Book
Thoroughly to teach
another is the best way
to learn for yourself.
Tyron Edwards
lot more sense.
There is no logical reason why
high schools can’t provide at the
same time a choice for their
students-academic courses for
those planning to enter college,
vocational courses for those
Jr i
A ■ y X
A Stroll Down
Memory Lane
NEWS OF 10 YEARS AGO
Rev. Theodore B. Terry,
Chaplain of Westbury Medi
cal Care Home in Jenkins
burg, has been elected
president of the Butts County
Ministerial Association. Fa
ther Jim Anderson, of St.
Mary’s Chapel, was named
vice-president and Rev. Ray
Dunahoo, pastor of the
Jackson Methodist Church,
secretary and treasurer.
James Payne, Work Unit
Conservationist in Butts
County since 1946, has been
assigned as Agricultural
Engineer with the Soil
Conservation Service and
will be based in Soperton.
The Jackson Business and
Professional Women’s Club
will observe Bosses Night on
September 25th and Jimmy
Carter, of Plains, a candidate
for governor in 1966, will be
the featured speaker.
The Jackson Kiwanis Club
is helping the Butts County
Clothes Closet obtain some
much needed clothing by
conducting a house-to-house
campaign.
Members of the Mimosa
Garden Club conducted a
workshop at the Jackson
Presbyterian Church, the
theme being the Flower Show
at the Butts County Fair.
Two banana trees are
growing in Butts County, one
at the home of the A. E.
Bartons on McDonough
Road, the other at the home
of Kermit Williams on the
Griffin Road.
NEWS OF 20 YEARS AGO
P. H. Weaver has been
named president of the Butts
County Development Com
pany, a community-owned
realty company dealing in
industrial properties.
Julian Fletcher, manager
of Jackson’s Colonial Stores,
has won a Good Citizenship
Award in competition spon
sored by the National
Association of Food Chains.
The Red Cross Bloodmo
bile received 76 pints of blood
in its semi-annual visit to the
County. The quota was 115
pints.
Representatives of the
Gateway Luggage Cos., of
Claremore, Oklahoma, are in
Jackson to close the deal for
their new plant here.
Mrs. Gladys Wilson, fi
nance chairman of the Butts
County Red Cross Chapter,
announces that $166.68 has
been raised and forwarded
by the local chapter to aid
victims of the hurricane,
“Audrey.”
Mrs. Lynville Whidby
entertained on Friday after
noon with a party in honor of
her daughter, Kay, on her
seventh birthday.
Deaths during the week:
Mrs. Rosa Jester Huddle
ston.
NEWS OF 30 YEARS AGO
O. L. Parker, athletic
director and teacher of
mathematics in the Jackson
High School, has resigned.
“Cornzapoppin,” the hila
rious Grand Ole Opry with
local talent, sponsored by the
Finley-Gray post of the
American Legion, will play
here next Thursday and
Friday nights.
Two new telephone circuits
have been added to the
Jackson exchange, resulting
planning to enter the work force.
Our high schools are under
attack now with the posting of the
latest SAT test scores. Perhaps a
more flexible curriculum would
solve part of the problem. And that
the comprehensive high school
proposes to provide.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1977
in a decided improvement in
local telephone service.
Miss Barbara Brooks,
Flovilla, sponsored by the
Foy Hotel, has been chosen
“Miss Indian Springs State
Park” of 1947. Miss Alice
Hooten, Jackson, sponsored
by Carmichael Bros., Inc.,
was the first runner-up.
Pliny Weaver is enjoying a
10-day vacation in Bretton
Woods, New Hampshire,
courtesy of the New York
Life Insurance Cos. for his
splendid sales record of the
past year.
The William Mclntosh
Chapter of the D.A.R. will
meet Saturday with Mrs. R.
A. Rainer in McDonough.
Miss Ruth Phinazee and Miss
Elizabeth Finley will be in
charge of the program.
NEWS OF 40 YEARS AGO
The commercial course
being offered at Jackson
High School for the first time
this fall is proving popular,
with more than 120 students
already enrolled.
The home of Alonzo
Freeman, on the Jackson-
Forsyth highway just over
the Butts County line, was
consumed by fire on Sunday
afternoon.
Associate Justice Marcus
W. Beck, of the Georgia
Supreme Court, and a former
resident of Jackson, has
retired after 32 years on the
bench.
Carl Flock, of Jackson
Lake Inn, placed fourth in the
national championship motor
boat races held in Richmond,
Va. last week. Over 300 boats
were entered in the competi
tion.
Jackson’s newest business
enterprise is the Pace Style
Shop, which opened Wednes
day in the old Butts Supply
Company store on the west
side of the court square. Miss
Helen Thornton and Mrs. M.
H. Pace will operate the
business.
Red and Raymond and the
boys from “Ole Kentuck”
will appear at the Jenkins
burg auditorium Wednesday
night under the auspices of
the Jenkinsburg Garden
Club.
Deaths during the week:
Mrs. T. B. Tate, 28; W. E.
Smith, Sr., 51.
NEWS OF 50 YEARS AGO
Jackson’s water famine
was relieved by the rain and
hail storm Sunday afternoon.
Washing of cars and water
ing of flowers had been
prohibited by a City Council
decree.
A training course for Boy
Scout leaders will be held
twice weekly in Jackson.
Scouting has been at a low
ebb locally since Dr. Robert
VanDeventer moved from
the City.
Boxing matches at the
Jackson Rifles armory has
caught on with local sports
fans. The match for Tuesday
pits Battling Turner, of Ybor
City, Fla. against Knockout
Carr, of Pepperton.
Mr. J. H. Smith, Sr., 73, of
the Dublin District, lays
claims to the title of Butts
County’s champion cotton
picker. On Friday he picked
203 pounds, drew water for
his wife to wash and cared
for 14 hogs.
One of the largest livestock
meetings ever held in the
wHjv
11 ..m
DO YOU REMEMBER?
Do you remember when
the cost of a movie was only
ten cents and the cost of a
Milky Way bar was five?
Do you remember when a
“heavy” date consisted of a
Prom and your parents had
been persuaded to let you
stay out until 12:00 rather
than 10:30?
Do you remember when
girls never wore slacks or
jeans to school and when a
boy’s haircut meant just
that?
Do you remember when
“Weejuns” were THE ONLY
shoes to wear and bermuda
socks were popular?
Do you remember when
the big fad was little flat
ribbons worn in your hair?
Do you also remember that
the ribbons were expected to
match your outfit?
(Editor’s Note: About a
year ago, Mrs. W. Q.
Gresham, of Milner, the
accomplished organist of the
Jackson Presbyterian
Church, lost her pet cat,
Morris, and wrote with
feelings of her loss in this
story which appeared in the
Barnesville News-Gazette.
We believe it will touch the
hearts of all lovers of cats
and we are proud to
reproduce it in its original
text.)
Morris Is Dead
Morris is dead! On Friday,
October 29, 1976, my loved
and loving cat, Morris, after
a short illness, passed
peacefully away in his sleep.
I had carried him to the
Veterinarian earlier, upon
discovering that he was ill,
but his illness was of such
severity, that although the
Doctor tried to save his life,
his efforts were to no avail.
About three years ago,
early one bright morning,
there appeared at my house,
apparently from no where, a
young cat, thin, hungry,
footsore and bearing unmis
takable signs of cruelty,
which had evidently induced
him to seek another home.
He must have decided that
he liked what was on the
menu at my house, for he
gratefully accepted the food I
offered him, though for some
time he was unwilling for me
to approach him with
overtures of friendship. After
a time, however he seemed to
realize that I meant him no
harm and he permitted me to
touch him, thus sealing the
pact of friendship between
him and me which made him
my cat forever, lock, stock
and barrel!
I named him Morris, for
the TV cat personality, and
the name seemed to be
perfect for him. He learned
to respond only to the call of,
“Morris” and to ignore the
more conventional call of,
“Kitty, kitty, kitty.”
With the passage of time,
he developed into a hand
some cat, with soft thick fur
and beautiful markings of
grey and white. A proud and
haughty tail as decisively
ringed as a raccoon’s own
completed his elegant outfit.
The Doctor discovered that
he had lost most of his teeth,
even though he was a
comparatively young cat,
due, no doubt to poor
nutrition when he was a baby
kitten.
He could push an unlatched
screen door open to gain
access to the outside world
and likewise he could open an
unlatched screen to enter the
house. If it was latched he
would rattle the door to get
in.
How he did love to have his
County was that of Saturday
when Mr. and Mrs. F. H.
Morgan entertained the
Butts County Jersey Cattle
Club, the Dairy Association
and Junior Calf Club at their
home at Stark.
Miss Jo Varner has sold the
Varner House at Indian
Springs to her great nephew,
Mr. Paul J. Varner, of
Brunswick.
Do you remember when all
the teenagers did NOT have
cars?
My friend, if you answered
yes to at least three of the
above, then you are probably
at least as old as I. I asked
my children if they had ever
heard of ribbons, weejuns
and five cent chocolate bars,
and they looked at me as if I
were from another planet.
And frankly, when I am
exposed to the fads of today, I
feel as if I definitely am from
outer space!
Why, I can’t even keep up
with my kids’ lingo, much
less the latest items of
interest.
I think I have reached that
famous, or perhaps infa
mous, point in life where I
am becoming outdated. And
that, dear folks, is the very
essence of HEAVY.
head and jaws rubbed.
Slowly and carefully! It must'
have given him reassurance
of some kind which he
needed.
He appointed himself a
committee of one to escort
me to and from the mailbox
every afternoon to get the
evening paper. He would
walk along a low wall
bordering the driveway down
which I had to pass and wait
patiently at its end for me,
until I had gotten the paper
and started my return
journey back to the house.
He would then escort me
back, putting out his paw
from time to time as he
walked by me on the wall, not
angrily, but very gently, to
let me know that he was still
present and wanted atten
tion.
It was with a sad heart that
I went for the paper the
afternoon after he was buried
and I realized that he would
no longer walk with me.
Yes, Morris has passed on!
I like to fancy that a pet like
Morris, who was capable of
sueh love and loyalty
towards me merits a place in
another and better world and
an existence upon a higher
plane than he experienced in
this world. Who knows but
that he is enjoying such
pleasures! He will be surely
missed by me. All he asked in
exchange for his love was a
bite to eat, a warm place to
sleep and a loving pat now
and then.
To many persons, I realize
such sentimentality concern
ing a mere cat (to them) is
pure foolishness, and to them
I apologize, but for persons
like myself who knew much
loneliness, • a pet such as
Morris was and can become
a real friend and companion.
He would make his way into
the living room where I often
practice upon my organ and
climb upon the bench where
he would sit and listen
patiently for a while. After a
while after becoming impa
tient, he would clamber up on
top of the organ, and then if
not successful in securing my
attention, he would step
gingerly down on the keys,
which usually resulted in
obtaining the attention he
was seeking! He is buried in
my back yard, close to a fig
bush, where he used to love to
lie on the cool earth under its
branches during the long hot
summer days, and his grave
will soon be marked with a
stone bearing his name and
the date of his death. I shall
not voluntarily seek another
pet of any kind, but if a lonely
homeless, hungry waif
chooses to cast its lot with
me, I shall accept it, with the
thought in mind that it
perhaps somehow was sent to
me to make the loss of Morris
a bit easier.
I am richer for his having
been loaned to me for a time
and likewise, I am poorer
because of his death.
Mrs. W. Q. Gresham
Editors Quote Bui*
Responsibility is put
on the shoulders of
those who can bear it.
William Feather