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J. D. Jones Publisher
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Doyle Jones Jr. Editor and Publisher
(1955-1975)
MRS. MARTHA G. JONES PUBLISHER
VTNCENT 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 Cos., Inc. Second Class
Postage paid at Jackson, Georgia 30233.
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TELEPHONE 775-3107
Editorials
To Be Or Not To Be
With no races developing in the
City Primary of October 4th, local
political attention for the next six
weeks will be focused on the school
bond referendum of November Bth.
The report of a Citizens
Committee of lay leaders appoint
ed to study the physical needs of
the Butts County School System
has been delivered and it calls for a
package of new and renovated
facilities to cost slightly under
$4,000,000.
State funds will be available
for some of the proposed projects,
however, and Butts County voters
are being asked to support a bond
issue totaling $3,300,000.
It is a large sum, but no larger
than the needs of a school system
whose physical plant has been
allowed to deteriorate to a pathetic
state.
In the weeks to come, there
should be lively debate on the issue,
with a full explanation of the costs
involved to individual taxpayers, in
order that the electorate may make
a decision based on facts and not
fiction.
The amount of millage requir
ed to retire such an indebtedness,
and a reasonable estimate of the
amortization cost, based on present
property valuations of each
taxpayer should be quickly arrived
at and widely publicized so that the
sunlight of truth will illuminate the
It's Only A Billion
Congress has passed, and
presumably the president will sign,
a budget of $458.3 billion for fiscal
year 1978. The projected budget
will show a deficit, that is,
expenditures greater than reve
nues, of $61.3 billion.
For fiscal year 1978, Congress
sweetened the kitty to the extent of
49.1 billion, that being the amount
of the increase over the 1977 fiscal
year’s budget.
The economists, government
and private, like to talk about the
built-in escalation costs of govern
ment, how certain costs are fixed,
how certain programs are inflex
ible and that there is precious little
pruning that can be done on a
budget of over $450 billion.
To which we say phooey. How
long will the taxpayers sit idly by
while the federal government
spends itself, and the nation, into
A Freshman Leads the Way
Illuminating the shadowy
Washington sky like a beacon light
of honesty is freshman Senator
Edward Zorinsky, of Nebraska,
who returned this year $313,016 in
unspent office funds to the U.S.
Treasury.
His philosophy is that one drop
in a bucket might help stop the'
trend towards fiscal irresponsi
A Prize-Winning
Newspaper
1977
letter Newspaper
whole issue.
For years, our people have cast
their eyes to the south and
expressed jealously of the beautiful
school plants found throughout
south Georgia. There is no doubt
that they have it all over us in
middle Georgia when it comes to
building, and maintaining, hand
some and useful school facilities.
But, for the most part, they did it
with their own money, out of pride
in their community and out of the
realization that their youth was
there most precious, and least
expandable, resource.
So now it is our turn to come to
bat. Will we continue cussing our
outmoded, antiquated school facil
ities or will we collectively hitch
up our pants and show our children
that we feel they are first class
citizens entitled to the best?
When the facts are all in, along
about first frost, the battle lines
will begin to be joined. Good,
honorable, honest and true citizens
will be in the trenches on both sides
of the issue.
Let’s keep the fight clean and
without any rancor or bitterness.
But let’s not be timid. After finding
out what the battle for better
schools will cost, enroll in the ranks
of the pros or cons but don’t be a
draft dodger and a sideline sitter.
To be or not to be. We’ll know
on November Bth.
financial ruin? How many tax
payers have allowed their personal
debts to escalate at the same rate
as that of the federal government?
One disadvantage the average
taxpayer has is that he has no
earthly idea how much money a
billion dollars is. Perhaps these
figures will help his understand
ing:
One billion seconds ago, the
first atomic bomb had not been
exploded.
One billion minutes ago, Christ
was still on earth.
One billion hours ago, men were
still living in caves.
Yet, one billion dollars ago (in
terms of government spending)
was yesterday.
And if that isn’t setting a record
for spending something you don’t
have then mares don’t eat oats.
bility that seems to have infected
every member of Congress and
most federal bureaucrats.
How fortunate Nebraska, and
the nation, is to have such a man in
Washington. If the nation is
eventually wrecked on the shoals of
profligate spending, at least here is
one man whose record and
conscience will be clear.
THE JACKSON PROGRESS-ARGUS. JACKSON. GEORGIA THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29. 1971
The Last
Straw
BY
VINCENT JONES
One of the hallowed
pastimes of yesteryear that
has been sacrificed to the
mad mania for television
viewing and other effortless
living room pleasures is the
possum hunt.
Today’s teen agers are
more interested in viewing
the wonders of the world
through a 21-inch screen than
they are in discovering the
wonders of nature at night as
illuminated by a kerosene
lamp.
The teen agers themselves
can't be blamed for their lack
ot interest in the grand old
sport of possum hunting,
however. Prosperity is the
real culprit that has robbed
them of this rich adventure.
For in the depression-ridden
■3o's, most folks went possum
hunting to put meat on the
table.
Now that a better balanced
economy has put meat, or
meats, on every table, the
true zest for the hunt--to
capture a family meal--has
been lost. Prosperity and
television together have put
possum hunts into the limbo
of the lost arts.
But those who have
listened to the mournful cry
of the hounds resounding
from the hills as they
steadfastly chased the furry
ball will remember and wish
again for the thrill of the
hunt.
Early fall when the leaves
were turning, and the first
frosts had sweetened the
persimmons, was the best
time for the chase.
Armed with a crocus sack
or two for transporting the
captured quarry, an axe,
small bore rifle, matches,
and with pockets crammed
full of goobers, pecans and
apples, the hunters stalked
silently into the dark forests.
Kerosene lamps to aid in
walking and flashlights to
spot the treed possums were
necessary items of equip-,
ment.
After viewing the headless
horseman-Ichabod Crane
types of thrillers on televi
sion, many young readers
will probably feel that just
going on the hunt took a great
deal of courage.
But, curiously enough, it
didn’t. Kids then, and adults,
too, knew there were no
dangers in the woods except
those few they were aware
of. Today, some of them
might not be quite so sure.
On the good nights, the
dogs struck a trail early and
would have a possum treed
before the first apple was
eaten. Then, the best tree
climber in the crowd would
step forward and, his way
lighted by the kerosene
lamps and flashlights, shim
my up the tree.
The possum, blinded by the
lights, was helpless as the
climber either caught him or
shook him from his perch to
the dogs waiting below and
raising holy halleluiahs with
their yelps. Then the hunters
would have a race to beat the
dogs to the possum and
protect him from bodily
harm.
Occasionally, the dogs
would lose the scent and back
track for hours and it was
then that the hunters would
build a small fire and warm
themselves as the hounds
barked themselves out of
their confusion.
We recall once when a
young black friend who had
been entrusted with the
possum sack went to sleep at
such a fire and the rest of the
party, banking the fire and
moving on, left him alone in
the darkness without a light
of any kind.
Mercifully, when his ab
sence was discovered, we
were led by the sounds of the
scuffling possums to his
resting place, thus saving the
County one Negro citizen and
six fat possums.
To be sure there were
times when the sacks were
empty at midnight and tired
legs called it quits with
nothing but mud, cockleburrs
and beggar lice to show for
the evening’s effort.
But, success or failure,
possum hunting was more
I 'I 'Tv I
twf
A Stroll’Down
| Memory Lane
NEWS OF 10YEARS AGO
Three incumbent council
men, Dawson Bryant, John
L. Coleman and John Robert
Pulliam will be nominated
without opposition in the City
Primary of October 13th.
Richard Johnson won first
prize of SIO.OO in the football
guessing contest last week,
with Mrs. Zodie Cash
claiming the second prize of
$5.00.
Members of the Butts
County Veterans Club are
offering a SIOO.OO reward for
information about the break
in of their clubhouse Thurs
day night. The club is located
in an isolated area, off the
road connecting Brownlee
Road to the Watkins Park
and Pool Road.
Jackson’s Tommy Carmi
chael contributed a field
goal, two extra points and
booming kick-offs to Tech’s
17-0 victory over Vanderbilt
on Saturday.
Telfair Hardy has been
presented the U.S. Army’s
Safety Award for his 25 years
of service with the Atlanta
Army Depot.
Messrs. Don Montgomery
and Stanley Maddox attend
ed the insurance institute
sponsored by the Georgia
Department of Independent
Insurance Agents in Macon
last week.
Deaths during the week:
Willie Gus Wise, 72.
NEWS OF 20 YEARS AGO
Miss Peggy McClure, a
15-year-old sophomore at
Newton County High School,
was crowned Miss Industrial
Day of 1958 at Butts County’s
fourth celebration of that
day.
At a speech before the
Jackson Kiwanis Club, Supt.
D. V. Spencer advocated the
election of both local and
state boards of education.
In observance of, the
birthdays of Mr. R. L. Glaze
and Mr. E. L. Reese, an
annual barbecue was held
Sunday at the home of the
Robert N. Reeses.
At its September meeting,
The Mimosa Garden Club
had as guest speaker Dr.
Raymond E. Fox, professor
at Cornell University, who
spoke on “Flower Arrange
ments for the Home.”
A poll of county officials
throughout the state reveals
that Lt. Gov. Ernest Van
diver should win the govern
or’s race easily, to be trailed
by Roger Lawson and Ivan
Allen, Jr.
Eugene Winfrey, of Rt. 2,
Locust Grove, has accepted a
position with Carter Motor
Company in their service
department.
Deaths during the week:
Dewey Dewitt Moore, 59.
NEWS OF 30 YEARS AGO
The Jackson Exchange
Club is pushing further
development of Indian
Springs State Park and a
committee composed of J.B.
White, R. F. Armstrong and
Spencer Johnson will handle
this special objective.
Elected to serve the
Jackson Kiwanis Club in 1948
were Vincent Jones, presi
dent; Tom Collins, vice
president; Mike Allen, secre
tary and treasurer. Named to
the Board of Directors were
Jimmy Cornell, B. B.
Garland, R. P. Harrison, C.
E. McMichael, J. W. O’Neal,
W. M. Redman and P. H.
Weaver.
Sheriff J. D. Pope will head
than just a sport. It was a
nighttime adventure in
woods lore that every boy, or
girl, should have the thrill of
experiencing.
the local drive to raise funds
for a statue honoring the late
Gov. Eugene Talmadge.
$87,000 is being raised
throughout the state, with
S3OO sought from Butts
countains.
The Assembly of God
denomination has acquired
the old Jenkinsburg school
building and five acres of
land and plans to convert the
property into a camp ground.
Walter Paschall, young
executive of radio station
WSB, will be the guest
speaker for the October PTA
meeting.
Mrs. Kate Glaze and Mrs.
Mae Day were co-hostesses
at a surprise birthday party
for Lawrence Wise on his
28th birthday.
Deaths during the week:
Willis Berlin Powell, 79; Dr.
Elam Franklin Dempsey, 68.
NEWS OF 40 YEARS AGO
The Central Georgia Elec
tric Membership Corporation
has begun work on its rural
electrification project that
will serve 852 farm families
in Butts, Spalding, Lamar,
Monroe and Jasper Counties.
Paul Tyler has purchased
70 acres of the O’Kelley lands
on McDonough Road and
J.O. Cole has acquired 90
acres of the same land across
the creek on Hwy. 42.
Rosyln Redman, a senior
at Jackson High School, will
represent Butts County at the
spelling bee to be held at the
Southeastern Fair. Thomas
Boone was chosen as the
alternate.
Prior to September 16th,
Butts County had ginned 887
bales of cotton, 10 less than at
the same date last year.
A marker was unveiled
Sunday at the grave of
Matthew Gaston, a soldier of
the War of 1812, in the
Macedonia Cemetery. Col. J.
C. Woodward, president of
GMA at College Park,
delivered the dedicatory
address.
The Jenkinsburg P.T.A.
held its first meeting of the
fall in the school auditorium
with forty present. Mrs. J. B.
Childs presided and Miss
Lucile Akin gave the pro
gram outline for the year.
Deaths during the week:
James Eramus King, 78;
William Elmo Washington,
61; J. M. Duke, 72.
NEWS OF 50 YEARS AGO
Prior to September 16th,
Butts County had ginned
3,042 bales of cotton, as
compared to only 162 bales at
the same time in 1926.
The Jackson Kiwanis Club
will hold its October 4th
meeting at the Towaliga
Consolidated school.
T. H. Nolen, of Jackson,
has purchased 76 acres of
land in the Iron Springs
District fronting State Hwy.
16 for $3,000, or about $40.00
an acre.
Dr. A. F. White, of Flovilla,
has been appointed to the
State Board of Medical
Examiners by Gov. L. G.
Hardman.
The Iron Springs Consoli
dated School will open for the
fall term on October Ist. The
faculty includes Prof. S. H.
Cunard, principal; Mrs.
Lewis Dodson, Miss Lorane
Dodson, Miss LaVert O’Neal,
with Miss Elsie Curry
heading the music depart
ment.
Mrs. George Head and
Mrs. Maurice Moore enter
tained the ladies of the Young
Matron’s Group of the
Methodist Missionary So
ciety Monday at the home of
Mrs. Head on McDonough
Road.
F^IFQIRRI
’ Ry Mrs. Cindy Brown
GRANDMAS AND
GRANDPAS
I have written about
several different folks in my
column: children, fathers,
mothers, mothers-in-law.
Yet I have never written
about some of the dearest
souls around-the grandfa
thers and grandmothers of
this world.
When I was growing up, I
would excitedly look forward
to trips to my grandma’s
house; my grandma or
“Mannie” as she was called,
always had time to talk with
me, no matter how many
other folks were around. And
the food, the food. Every
meal at Grandma’s house
was just like Sunday dinner,
even breakfast! Such an
abundance of food seemed
almost sinful.
I can remember still the
stories my Mannie told me
about her girl hood days. I
recall, too, the things told me
of her husband, my Grand
father, whom I never had the
pleasure of knowing; he was
“called home” before I could
know him. I highly valued the
remembrances which were
shared with me of that
fellow.
I was blessed in that my
OtitM/
Mr. Lewis Freeman,
Administrator
Mayor C. B. Brown, Jr.
City Councilmen
City of Jackson
Gentlemen:
Again, you have proven to
the constituents of Jackson
and Butts County, your
concern and commitment
toward “helping others help
themselves.”
The Piedmont Area Com
munity Action Agency and
the citizens it serves are
grateful to you for your good
will gesture in the donation of
a truck to be used to
transport men and materials
in the agency’s weatheriza
tion program for homes of
the elderly and the low
income.
The Piedmont Area Com
munity Action Agency owes
much of its continued success
in Butts County to the
cooperation and encourage
ment that has been generat
ed by a responsive city
council.
May you continue to
exemplify positive com
munity leadership.
Wish best wishes, I am
Respectfully yours,
EdluieD. Walker
Executive Director
MAYOR OF JACKSON
COUNCIL OF JACKSON
CITY EMPLOYEES
On behalf of the Jackson
Garden Club, we want to
thank all of you who helped
beautify the downtown area
in Jackson.
It is a beautiful sight, and
I’m sure when people pass
through our town they say
what pride we have, which
was through your efforts.
Also we want to thank all of
those who keep our cemetery
so neat and clean.
Respectfully,
Jackson Garden Club
Mrs. Wm. F. Hindley,
President
ruth at random
By Ruth Bryant
Ode to a Rainy Day
Because of sidewalks slick with mud
I cannot walk to school today,
Because of sheets of pouring rain
I cannot sweep my usual way,
Because of rhythm in my soul
I cannot keep from being gay!
Because of love for everyone
I never can forget to pray!
father’s parents both lived
long enough for me to truly
know and love them. They
are gone now, but I have such
lovely memories to hold. My
Grandmother Smith was a
pianist and an organist; she
was a talented lady. Lady is
an important word here,
because my Grandmother,
the musician, was a true
Southern lady. I remember
her best when I envision her
seated at a piano. Grand
mother Smith was not big in
stature, but her talent was
tremendous. Now Grand
dady Smith was a twinkly
eyed man who inevitably
gave me silver dollars after a
visit and before I went home.
He was a Judge, you see, yet
as a child I saw none of the
stern juge in him, just the
remarkable wit I loved.
Forgive a little reminis
cing, dear readers. Yet if I
can impress upon any of you
who have grandparents left
living to simply appreciate
them and visit them more,
then I shall really feel good.
The grandmas and grandpas
of this old world are so very
precious. Each and every one
of them needs a little
attention. Sometimes we
forget that.
A lot of congratulations are
due the people of Jackson,
GA. On Monday, September
12, 1977, you contributed 185
pints toward the 700 regional
daily need. With 225 people
presenting, we had 53
first-time donors. It is
because of people like you,
we are able to supply 116
hospitals in Georgia with
their blood needs.
Those of you that donated
on September 12 may have
noticed a slight backup of
donors. The cause of this was
the inauguration of anew
history card. Our staff, the
nurses, were just becoming
familiar with the new form,
therefore, there was a slight
delay. However, now that the
nurses have become familiar
with the form, things are
much faster.
The new history card is
just another part of the
progress that is taking place
in the Red Cross Blood
Program. Using the new
history card, we are able to
perform a better survey of
health guidelines for blood
donors, allowing for safer
blood in transfusions. Now
that the card has been used
for awhile, we are finding
that the bloodmobile is
moving a lot faster. With
more efficiency in the new
history card we can supply a
better quality blood to the
community. Through people
like you in Jackson, we can
supply the community with
the blood they need.
Again, thank you for the
185 pints of blood on
September 12. We look
forward to seeing you again
on December 19, 1977.
Sincerely,
R. C. (Bob) Batcher, Jr.
Atlanta Regional Red Cross
Blood Program
