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CAIRO, GEORGIA The Best City of Its Size In the Entire United States 50-S2 A YEAR. IN ADVANCE. VOLUME XLVI. BANK HERE TO ENTER UPON ITS GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY JAN. I Many Services, History Told Cairo Banking Co. Established In Jan. 1, 1900 Cairo Banking Company, Cairo’s and Grady county’s oldest financial institution, on Jan. 1, 1950 will enter upon its Golden Jubliee Anniversary or “50th Year Of Continuous Service With¬ out Loss To Any Depositor.” In that half-century of successful operations is bound up a huge bundle of progress and commun¬ ity service in which this bank has fully kept pace with the marked growth and development of the area it serves. Cairo Banking Company was established and opened for busi¬ ness here on the first day of this century, Jan. 1, 1900, by three of the community’s pioneer busi¬ ness leaders —Walter Davis, Wil¬ liam S. Harrison and Walter B. Roddenbery, Sr., all of whom have gone to their reward. Messrs. Harrison and Roddenbery gave counsel and financial sup¬ port to this first financial institu¬ tion venture in what was then a mere village of some 500 people; but it was Walter Davis, until then a merchant, upon whom fell the chief responsibility of guiding the bank succesfully in its early days. Older residents know the executive business abili¬ ties these men possessed; and can appreciate, as a result thereof, how the bank came to be firmly established on sound banking principles. The bank was incorporated Nov. 23, 1903, when its future became more certain, and it was moved to its present location on South Broad Street, where a building was specially construct¬ ed, from its first site on North Broad Street, where the A. & P. Tea Co. store is now located. At the time of incorporation stock in the bank was also issued to two sons of Mr. Davis—Owen T. and Seaborn R. Davis. The latter later met an untimely death but Owen T. Davis was to become a prominent figure in the operation of the bank for some 11 years following the tragic death of his father in January, 1920. Boykin Harrison, son of another of three founders, also became a stockholder on May 12 1920, fol¬ lowing the death of his father, but his active connection was terminated after his removal later to Coolidge, Ga., where he established a bank and other busi ness enterprises, which he ex Panded and operated quite suc cessfully until his death a few years ago. Owen T. Davis personally ac¬ quired 1. 1920, control following of the bank death Dec. of h the >s father early that year, and directed its affairs until his death in January, 1934. That Period included most of the period of the worst of all business de¬ pressions, in the early ‘30s, when e distressed condition of the nation’s general economy forced ■': aR >' financial institutions to dose. But, Owen T. Davis pos sessed faith and determination ff-nf led him to place all of his ersonal fortune solidly back of bank —and the exigencies of at trying emergency were fin au J’ overcome. Be also had the invaluable sup P° rt - beginning Sept. 1, 1918, of enry tester, Sr., a native Grady ontian who had gained busi Ss experience in Jacksonville, »h 0 Was destined later to direct t , bank of 7 in the far greatest era its 1 0 n g service. Immediately the death of Owen T. Davis, (Continude on page 11) (CiUrn 5# \U The Official Organ of Grady County. The man who wandereth out of the way of advertising shall remain in the congregation of the dead." TWELVE pages Names Wanted Of Children Parents: Write Or Call About Photo Among the pictures of children in Grady County which we have been publishing under the head¬ ing “Citizens of Tomorrow”, we have quite a few pictures which were sent to us without the names being typed on the back of the picture as most were, many of them are simply listed as “Chil¬ dren of John Doe”, giving their parents name. If your children’s pictures were made at the Grady Hotel when the photographer was there some eight months ago, and it has not been published in the Messenger we would appreciate your looking through the following list of names. If your name is here please call The Messenger office, or write, and give us the names and ages of your children that were photographed at that time. If you write, you may write something like this: “I had pic¬ tures made of my two children, one boy named Harold, age 6, and one girl named Shirley, age 4,” and sign your name. Then we will be able to look at the picture and correctly identify them by their parents’ names. Parents’ names follows: Mel vaneen Gray, John R. Hall, Al¬ bert Johnson, J. L. Lee, B. F. Brown, Wesley Ponder, Glenn Kincaid, Dutch McElvey, Fred Thomas, Cliff Stewart, Elmo Hancock, R. F. Mann, Henry Webb, Albert Johnson, John H. Faulk, Judson Whigham, Art Williams, C. M. Stewart, Donald Perkins, Joe Bond, E. C. Bar low, E. H. Hurst, Willard Walsing ham, LeRoy Ulmer, N. A. Perkins, James Long, U. G. Maxwell, Graham Mobley, F. M. Chason, Fred Bush, R. V. Collins, Clyde Singletary, W. E. Butler, Roscoe Dalton, Herbert D. Maxwell, J. L. Lee, Clayton Aldredge, E. L. McDaniel, Frank Giddens, and George Norman. Postal Receipts Here $41,000 First Class Rank Continuance Is ’ Assured "X '777^ 3 assures rank continuance of the first class for the Cairo post office. Cairo post office was elevated to first class rank last July 1st after the postal receipts for the calendar year 1948 totalled $40, 000, or more, for the first time. Had the $40,000 level not been maintained for the calendar year 1949 the post office would have reverted to second class rank next July 1st. First class rank provides better service and a number of other advantages, it is said. Postal receipts earlier this month indicated they were run¬ ning some four percent above last year and it is probable this per centage of increase will be held for the year, Holiday business set a new r ecord, it is said, Because postal receipts are widely regarded as an excellent barometer of business volume, and general economic conditions in the community served, the in¬ crease here to a new record total regarded r .s a wholesome in is < dication. CAIRO. GRADY COUNTY. GA.. FRIDAY. DECEMBER 30. 1949 Grady County Woman Chosen "Queen For A Day" At WMGR Mrs. Anna Schinkel Given Many Prizes; May Go To Hollywood And Get Request It always seems to happen to other people; but this week it happened to Mrs. P. W. (Anna) Schinkel, of Reno when Lady Luck waved her magic wand and, because of her good work, declared Mrs. Schinkel should be “Queen Anna for a day.” In a complete surprise move, Mrs. Schinkel was notified Tuesday that she had been selected over a host of other candidates to be “Queen For a Day” at the Bain¬ bridge radio station WMGR, in connection with the contest the Mutual Broadcasting System is sponsoring to choose one national “Queen” on the famous “Queen for a day” program originating in Hollywood. As a result Mrs. Schinkel was feted royally Wednesday night at a dinner-broadcast in the Rose room of the Gilbert Bon Air Hotel in Bainbridge, where she was crowned “Queen for a day,” and showered with upward of $500 worth of free gifts from the merchants of Bainbridge. “Her excellency Queen Anna” now has a chance to be chosen one of the five finalists from all over the country who will be given a free trip to Hollywood, and from these five one will be chosen grand winner, proclaimed nation¬ al “queen for a day” and given an expense-paid trip to Paris. In these preliminary contests one queen was selected from each of the some 500 mutual radio stations in the United States. Five out of this 500 will be chosen by the judges in Holywood, and will be announced next Friday night. These five will go to Hollywood, where one of the number will capture the “Queen for a day” title all over Amreica. The queens for the local sta¬ tion were nominated by women’s clubs—any woman’s club could nominate one of their number, and tell in a letter of 50 words or less why they thought this particular woman should be “Queen of America” for one day. Mrs. .Schinkel was nominated by the Cairo Woman’s Missionary Union (unknown to her) on the basis of her work and efforts to do something for two crippled children, Ruth and Franklin Sholar, who live at Reno. Each “queen” is given one re¬ quest-something which they want very much—and the winners are judged on the worthiness of this wish, Mrs. Schinkel’s re quest, which was broadcast over station WMGR Wednesday night, was that these two crippled children, whose mother is a wi dow, might be given hospitaliza- Re-Registration Cost Depends On I ndividuoIs-Patterson Taxpayers Urged To Respond Now And Save County Heavy Expenses The re-registration of voters, £ the average Grady County tax payer wants it to, a mournful chairman of the County Board of Registrars said Wednesday. M. G. Patterson, who is in charge of the process ditated by a 1949 act of the General As sembly, said only about 2500 Grady Countians out of a possible total 7,000 eligible have re-regist ered to data. Time Is Costly “The longer this re-registration continues, the more it will cost the individual taxpayer,” Mr. Pat terson said, “Unless citizens here begin to re-register in large numbers, the total cost of re¬ registration will be extremely heavy. Since Grady County tax money pays for this program, the cost is borne by every individual tion, and then training to equip them for earning a living. Be¬ fore the program was over Wed¬ nesday night a wire came in from J. W. Simonson, head of the Southern Industrial Training School in Bainbridge offering each of the children a one year’s free training, with the proceeds of whatever they made during the year such as handicraft, etc. be¬ ing given to them at the end of the training period. This contest, as explained by Carl Pierson, Master of cere¬ monies for the program and Man¬ ager of the Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce, is unlike other title contests. Where most are based on beauty or personality, he said, the “queen” will be judg¬ ed on the basis of unselfish ser¬ vice to her community and to others. In making her request, Mrs. Schinkel said: “I prayed to God that I might be able to help these crippled children, who need help so badly; and I feel that this is a direct answer to my prayer.” Among those from Cairo and Grady County present at the din¬ ner and broadcast were: Mr. P. W. Schinkel, Mrs. Schinkel, and their three children, Mayor Walter Wil¬ liams, Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Young, Norwood Clark, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Roddenbery, Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Schafer, Mr. and Mrs. Car¬ rol Barrett from Reno, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Connell, Mr. W. J. Boyett and daughter, Mabel; and the two crippled children Ruth and Franklin and their mother, Mrs. Ada Sholar. A distinguished list of guest were there from Bainbridge, in¬ cluding Mayor R. A. Griffin and Mrs. Griffin. Mrs. Anajo Vaughn of the Gilbert-Bon Air Hotel served as the gracious reception¬ ist. Ben Decal, manager of sta¬ tion WMGR was in charge of the 45-minute broadcast. Among the many gifts the “Queen” received were an elec¬ tric perculator, eight cases of Coca Cola, a collegiate Jersey gown, Westinghouse electric iron, a $10 gift certificate, RCA table model radio, pair of nationally advertised shoes, six pairs of fine hose, a 30-day pass to the Ritz theater, an 8 by 10 photograph by Knight Studio, a permanent wave, 100 day-old baby chicks, a year’s subscription to the Post Search¬ light, 22-karat gold-trimmed table lamp, an innerspring mlit tress given by the Georgia Fac¬ tory for the Blind, and many others. All these were contribut (Continued on last page) who pays taxes.” -KsSvS 5?7r! Q ranc j j ur y room at the Courthouse. Arrangements can be made for elderly persons to re register on the first floor of the courthouse, Mr. Patterson added, Contrary to popular poinion, he pointed out, the re-registration process is neither lengthy nor involved. “The average literate person may register in about two minutes,” he advised. “The only questions asked these applicants are about their names, dates, and places of birth and other such similar information, “We especially urge every vot¬ er in the county who has not al¬ ready registered to come in dur¬ ing the next week, and get this job over with, so we can save the County some money,” Chairman Patterson concluded. TWELVE PAGES Trains Hearings Are Assigned Georgia Date Is Now Feb. 15th ** • Ala. Jan. 17 The fight for and against the Atlantic Coast Line’ proposed cur¬ tailment of night passenger train service between Montgomery and Savannah via Cairo had some new developments this week. C. Dewey Norwood at Thomas¬ ville, secretary of the Association For Retention Of Trains 57 and 58 On Daily Schedules, revealed the Georgia Public Service Com¬ mission has for a third time post¬ poned its hearing on the ACL proposal, this time to Feb. 15th, 1950, although the local Chamber of Commerce reported it had re¬ ceived no official order to this effect as yet. Two postpone¬ ments had been requested by the Association, and granted, the last date having been Jan. 26th. How¬ ever, it was not known here that the Association had requested a third deferment so it is presumed the latest reassignment to Feb. 15th was brought about by the Commission itself or the appli¬ cant railroad company. Meanwhile, the Alabama Pub¬ lic Service Commission announc¬ ed assignment of the matter (Docket No. 12245) to hearing Jan. 17th, at Dothan. It was set to start at 9 a. m. (Central Standard Time) at the circuit courtroom at the Houston Coun¬ ty Courthouse here, Lamar Wiley, the commission secretary, report ed. Mayor Cheney Griffin at Bain bridge, president of the Associa¬ tion, and Secretary Norwood at Thomasville, however, have an¬ nounced urgent appeals to the Alabama Commission for a post¬ ponement of that hearing until some time in March. Various rea¬ sons were advanced for the re¬ quested deferment. If the Ala¬ bama and Georgia Commissions do not act together it is proble¬ matical just what situation might develop. Strong opposition has developed in Alabama, praticular ly in Dothan and Montgomery, to the proposed curtailment, but it is reported the opposition is even stronger in Georgia, particu¬ larly in Savannah, Bainbridge, Cairo, Donalsonville and Thomas¬ ville. Mayor Griffin has called an Association meeting to be held in Cairo, at the City Hall, at 2 p. m. next Friday, Jan. 6th. This meeting was called prior to the latest postponement of the hear¬ ing date by the Georgia Commis¬ sion but so far as could be learn¬ ed here this week the meeting is still planned here on the date specified. ACL proposes to reduce the night train service to three nights a week each way, with trains leaving Savannah on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays—and from Montgomery on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The directors of the local Cham er of Commerce, in unanimously adopting a strong resolution op¬ posing the curtailment, some month ago, declared the curtail¬ ment will, in effect, amount to discontinuance of the trains al together, since service as propos¬ ed could not be expected to serve the area. The resolution called the proposal “suicidal” on the part of the railroad company since it would result in a major backset to the economy of the area served that Wt>uld, in turn, adversely af¬ fect the railroad as to general patronage. The big tomato plant industry here would be im periled, it was stated. The resolu tion set forth, further, that if the daily night passenger train ser¬ vice should be modernized, with faster schedules, patronage could be expected to increase substanti¬ ally, as has been the case with other railroads where service has been modernized. The trains in (Continued on last page) GRADY COUNTY Greatest Diversified Farming Section In America SINGLE COPIES. 5 CENT! Monday Will Not Be General Holiday; Banks To Close Next Monday, Jan. 2nd, will NOT be a general business holi¬ day in Cairo, according to the permanent holiday agreement of local business concerns. The next general business holiday here is July 4th, 1950. However, since New Year’s Day falls on Sunday, Monday will be a legal holiday here and else¬ where. Banks will suspend for the day and the post office will observe a full holiday, although outgoing mail will be dispatched as usual and incoming mail will be handled for post office boxes. Some other local offices will also observe the day with a full sus¬ pension of activities. City Court To Meet Jan. 9th. Light Session Is Expected; Jury List Released The January term of the City Court of Cairo will convene the second Monday, January 9, with Judge G. L. Worthy presiding. A very light session is predicted now, probably lasting only about three days, said Clerk of the Court Leland Harrison. The court calendar will be published next week. The list of jurors follow below: E. A. Singletary, J. A. Collins, James A. Hudson, J. A. Gandy, Woodrow Banks, Delmus Cooper, W. T. Schafer, Wayne Single¬ tary, Ed. L. Childres, E. B. Stone, Jr., Leroy Hopkins, Jr., Henry Hullender, W. H. Carroll, J. H. Pyles, O. L. Chester, Roy Cassells, S. A. Sutton. Louis A. Powell, George W. Bond, J. F. Oates, Leon Bryant, George Harvey, J. V. Mullis J. E. King, David C. Hester, Ault man Palmer, Eugene Powe, David L. Perkins, H. H. Clay, Leroy Mann, L. L. Draffin, H. A. Sing¬ letary, Alton Bonner, J. P. Ren¬ frew, J. K. Newberry, Jack B. Bell, Ben F. Dixon, Earl Bell, Edgar Stringer, Jr., Douglas Har¬ rell, Lloyd Connell. J. F. Giddens, W. M. Tyson, H. A. Morgan. G. C. Ferrell, Paul Hand, Blanton Walker, Elton Smith, R. E. Lee, Horace Gainey, I. W. Coker, Frank C. Wight, G. G Connell, Jr., W. A. Lundy G. w - Rich - Gwen Walden, L. R. Shores, James T. Hicks, H. L. Davis, and L. A. Whittle. Santa Claus Quite Busy Last Week Santa Claus, in addition to his annual rounds last Saturday I night, was quite a busy man in these parts the latter part of last week. He probably gave more generously of his time and efforts than ever before here, it was stat e d. His last pre-Christmas visit as guest of Cairo merchants was on Friday afternoon, when he toured the business areas in a gaily be¬ decked and shiny blue Oldsmo bile convertible from Grady Motors, with Christmas music aboard supplied by Turner Radio Service. Chief of Police Boyd Vanlandingham and Policeman Clyde Voyles were his escorts. Old Santa, however, was call¬ ed on for numerous church and Sunday School functions every afternoon and evening last week —and he even found time to | ma ke a special personal visit to an unfortunate local youth who is confined closely abed for some ime with rheU matic fever. Chil <j ren found his generousity in abundance Sunday morning. Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Harrell and Robert expect to spend Sun¬ day and Monday in Miami, Fla., as guests of Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Stribling; they also plan to see the Orange Bowl game on Mon¬ day. NUMBER 51. Kiwanis To Get New Leaders Installation Is Next Tuesday Music Heard Cairo Kiwanis Club at is lunch¬ eon meeting next Tuesday will install a new set of leaders for 1950. The group is headed by Sam A. Pierce as president, with R. R. VanLandingham and Agnew Smith as vice-presidents. The di¬ rectors will be Earl Brinson, Carl M. Brown, Harris Jefferson, Carl Minter, Marshall Neff, Richard Porter and John A. Powell, 2nd. Billy Wells will continue as secre¬ tary and Walter Graham will con¬ tinue as treasurer. Norwood Clark, who has serv¬ ed as president during 1949 with much credit, will yield the gavel to the new president in a brief ceremony next Tuesday. The new officials, named some weeks ago, have been at work on plans for the new year. Standing com¬ mittees for the year will likely be named next week. Meanwhile, the achievement report for 1949, expected to be compiled in a few days, is likely to reveal the cur¬ rent year of activity as one of the greatest in the club’s history. Retiring President Clark pre¬ sided at last Tuesday’s luncheon meeting at the Woman’s Club. A musical program was enjoyed with W. G. Mizell, the club music chairman for the year, in charge. Mrs. Homer Reddick and Glenn Pelham offered vocal selections with Mrs. W. M. Tyson as pianist. Attendance tabs totalling 72 years of perfect attendance by various members were awarded. Those receiving tabs follow: One year: Lloyd Connell, J. H. House, John W. King, W. G. Mi¬ zell, J. L. Oliver, W. L. Oliver, Richard Porter, W. F. Wells and Chas. P. Whidden; Two years: Walter Graham, H. R. Madison, R. R. VanLanding¬ ham. Three years: Edward Forsyth, Agnew Smith. Ten years: Edwin Carlisle, J. E. Forsyth, M. L. Mayes, Frank Proctor, and Harris Jefferson. Guests included Thomasville Kiwanians Bob Heirs and C. E. Layton; and Rev. Fred C. Meyer, Poulan. Whitfield-Paulk Show 1950 Dodge Next Wednesday The new and greatly improved 1950 Dodge will go on display at Whitfield-Paulk Motor Company nxet Wednesday, January 4th. in Cairo, according to an announce¬ ment made this week by T. J. Whitfield. The 1950 model Dodge is re¬ ported to be a completely new car—in appearance with many added improvements—from “bumper to bumper” which the public will be anxious to see and inspect. “Everyone has a cordial invitation to come in and look the new 1950 Dodge over next Wednesday,” said Mr. Whitfield. Miss Laynett Singletary, stu¬ dent in the School of Nursing at the University Hospital, Augusta, spent the holidays with her par¬ ents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Single¬ tary; Miss Betty Harrison, a com¬ panion student, was her guest while here. YOU CAN'T VOTE— UNLESS YOU RE-REGISTER Harry Emerson Fosdick said: "Democracy is based on the conviction that there are ex¬ traordinary possibilities in or dinay people." Do you have enough extra¬ ordinary possibilities about you to re-register today, and once again become a voting citi¬ zen?