Newspaper Page Text
VOL. 45. No. 47.
REV, L C, MIXON, THE OLDEST LIVING
TEACHER IN NEWTON COUNTY.
1 No citizen of Newton county has
.
ever served his day and generation
more faithfully than this veteran
teacher. We had the pleasure of a
visit to his home a few days ago and
found him enjoying good health for
one of his years.
2. The data which we give herewith
is taken largely from an article by G.
W. W. Stone, appearing in the April
number of the Emory Phoenix and
republished in a subsequent issue of
the Covington News.
3. Asbnry Coke Mixon, named for
Bishops Asbury and Coke, was born
twelve miles south of Covington in
Newton County in 1824. His parents,
Elisha and Charlotte Mixon, moved
to Oxfoid in 1837, building one of the
first, houses in the town.
4. At the age of fifteen he began
his preparation for College under Dr.
Meli, who afterwards became chan¬
cellor of the State University. In
two years young Mixon was ready to
enter Km >ry College and matricula
ted in the summer of 1841, and grad¬
uated in July 1815. Those who
member his College days say that his
work was characterized by
scholarship uad fidelity to every
duty.
5. In this class of 1845 the first
honor was shared by C. C. Richards
and W. H. Chambers, who afterwards
became men of note in Alabama.
Second lienor was taken by J. J.
Jones, who became amembrr of Con¬
gress. Mr. Mixon took third honor.
The winning of an honor in this class
is all the more significant when we
remember that Judge L. Q. C. Lamar
was one of its members.
6. After graduation Mr. Mixon se¬
cured a position as Assistant teacher
in Talbot County School. Later he
taught at Monticello and Jackson.
He was licensed as a Methodist Min¬
ister in 1848 and was afterwards or¬
dained deacon and elder.
7. In 1886 he bought and moved
back to the old homestead, where he
was born and now lives there. After
having continued the work of teach¬
ing forty-four years, he left off in
1895, not so much because of any fee¬
bleness, but because he felt that he
couldn’t give the work the same
strenuous attention which he had
given it in his younger days, and
hence could not conscientiously con¬
tinue “in harness.”
8. While in a reminiscent mood Mr.
Mixon discussed with us many things
Livingston.
Mr. Will Hardeman made a busi¬
ness trip to Atlanta last week.
Mr. Earnest Black, of Conyers, was
here last week, the guest of his pa¬
rents, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Black.
We are glad to note the convalesc¬
ence of Miss Ola Hicks, who has for
the past two months been critically
ill of typhoid fever.
Mr. G. W. Loyd, of Washington •
D. C., is on an extended visit to his
daughter, Mrs. Belle Blanton.
Miss Lueile Hicks, who is teaching
in Reinhart college, Waleska, Ga.,
will return this week to the home of
her parents, Mr. and Mrs. T. W.
Hicks to spend the holidays.
Messrs. Homer Bryant and Law¬
rence Turner, of Henry county, were
visitors to our community recently.
Where flowers bloom, bees hum.
Miss Fay Baker has accepted a
position in the school at Magnet, in
Rockdale county and has entered
upon her duties as teacher.
Several of our young people who
are away at school are expected home
this week to spend the Christmas va¬
cation. Among those expected are,
•Hisses Maude King and Mary Lucy
Hollingsworth, of Athens, Miss Byrd
Gibson, of Atlanta, and Mr. Ruby
Hull and Miss Nellie Morris, of Wa¬
leska.
The county convicts jire encamped
in this community now and the roads
in this section are being put in excel
l e nt condition. Hills are being cut
down, rough roads are being smooth¬
ed, and iu many places new roads are
made to take the places of old ones
which are difficult to travel, A num
ber of our enterprising citizens have
aided the progress both with their
teams and labor, and travel in this
section will ere long be a joy as well
as a thing of beauty.
No Christmas Issue.
As has been customery heretofore
there will be no Christmas issue of
5 his paper, but look out for the first
S8UG of the New Year to be the best,
' Hat has appeared in several months.
r~ rHE ENTERPRISE
of inter est. We were particularly
im l )re9sed with his characterization of
Mr - Lamar > his class-mate at Emory
College. When asked if Mr. Lamar
8 ave unusual promise as a student
Mr. Mixon replied that his work in
^he class room was by no means bril
liant > but that Mr. Lamar’s forte was
3,9 bebater. It seems too that he was
a young man of unwavering purpose
and determination.
9. As we shall write more fully at a
later time with reference to Mr. La¬
mar’s life, it is not necessary to con¬
tinue at length here, further than to
add that Mr. Taft in his speech here
this year remarked that when he (Mr.
Taft) was a young lawyer, no one
proved such a inspiration to him as
did Judge Lamar.
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10. In the conversation when Mr.
Mixon was asked if as a matter of
choice, he would like to retrace his
days and live his life over again,
his answer was that he might for one
reason and only one if at all; to do
better work than he had done in his
calling. Said he, “If I were to live
my life over again, I sl^iuld take just
as little thought of fame as I have
done all of these years.”
11. In so brief sketch of Mr. Mixon
no enconium is at all necessary for the
life of this sweet spirited man is an
open book, for in his work as a teach¬
er and as a preacher his personality
has left its impress upon thousands
unto whom he has so unselfishly min¬
istered.
Hayston.
On account of the inclemency of
the weather the congregation was
rather small at the Baptist church
Sunday.
Miss Myrtiee Morgan and brother
of Starrsville attended church here
Saturday night.
Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Hays an¬
nounce the arrival of a fine boy.
Mis9 Lily Weatherly, of Porterdale,
spent Saturday with her sister, Miss
Pearl Weatherly.
Mrs. J. M. Loyd, of Rutledge, is
visiting her daughter, Mrs. Harvey
Hays.
The school closes at this place on
the 23rd until the first Monday in
January.
Cards are out announcing the mar¬
riage of Mr. Ethridge Hays of this
place aud Miss Althea Hodgius of
Mansfield.
Mr. Joe Greer, of Griffin, came up
to see his brother, Mr. B. F. Greer,
Friday.
Mr. and Mrs. L. O. Piper went to
Covington shopping Saturday.
Mr. W. R. Greer spent Sunday ev¬
ening with his brother, Mr. Tom
Greer of Mansfield.
Mrs. Hubert Gunn and sister Miss
Mittie Kennedy, of Dixie, spent last
Wednesday "with Miss Norah Hays.
Mr. Parks Darby left this morning
for a visit to Fitzgerald.
We are sorry to chronicle the ill¬
ness of Mrs. A. L. Jackson.
Mr. Tom Greer of the Agricultural
college at Monroe, will arrive Satur¬
day to spend the holidays with his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Greer.
See the beautiful silks at cut price
at C. C. Robinson's, while Pre-In¬
ventory Sale lasts.
—8 packages of celluloid starch for
25 cents at C. C. Robinson’s.
Buy “Just Wright” Shoes for mel
They look well, wear well, and fit
well. For sale at C. C. Robinson’s.
COVINGTON, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1909.
A Commendable Example of Public
Spirit.
The effort of the ladies of Coving¬
ton last week, through the bazaar to
raise additional funds for the Library,
shows their interest in the movement,
and their determination to have a
building that will be a credit to the
town.
A charter was granted to the Li¬
brary Association several months
ago, a building site bought and pay¬
ments made thereon by installments
until every cent of the purchase price
was paid some time ago. The next
work is to raise adequate funds to
erect a suitable building.
As the ladies not only established
the present Library several years ago
—a mere nucleus for the larger move¬
ment ahead—but have actually
MAINTAINED it without outside
help, we believe that the public-spiri¬
ted pitizens of the town will not only
feel more interest in the movement
than heretofore, but that they will
feel in the right place—their pockets.
Sophomore Football Banquet.
Last Tuesday night Dr. Peppier en¬
tertained the Sophomore football teai
a + a banquet a the Stewart House.
The members gathered in the parlors
at eight o’clock and went to the din¬
ing room which was beautifully dec¬
orated in pennants and Sophomore
colors, blue and white. There a
course dinner w r as served. Toasts res¬
ponded to by every man present, and
a jolly good time wa» enjoyed by all.
Twenty men were present including
the coach. After stories had been
told and everyone had enjoyed him¬
self to the fullest limit, Dr. Peppier
was presented with a handsome book
case as a token from the class and
team of their appreciation of his ser¬
vices.
Charles Middlebrooks was reelected
captain of the team. He is one of
the best players.in college and made
half-back on the All-Emory this year
and last. Sometime after twelve the
men came ont and gave three rous¬
ing cheers for Dr. Peppier and the
team of 1912.
Junior Football Banquet
Oxford, Ga., Dec. 14, 1909—An
event indelibly printed on the mem¬
ory of all present was the Junior
Football banquet given by Prof. G.
P. Shingler, Jr. at his house on Fri¬
day evening Dec. 10th.
On arrival the “1911” men were
ushered into the tastefully decorated
parlor which was brightly illuminated
by the broad smile of Prof. Shingler;
a smile before which the famous
“Taft smile” fades in comparison.
After a cheerful hour the doors
leading into the dining room were
thrown open. Over the table long
rolls of red and black, the class col¬
ors, hung from ceiling to floor. On
the plates were the favors, red and
black penants, on which were painted
girls holding footballs marked “1911”
There, between each of the six
courses, toasts were heard from six
or seven and good they were, giving
the minds of those present a feast
approaching the sumptious dinner
served.
After dinner a handsome silver
charger, bearing the inscription “G.
P. Shingler, Jr. from the class of
1911” was presented by Manager J.
B. Brown in the name of the class to
our coach.
Prof. Shingler gave a splendid talk
the burden of which was “Pull with
the other fellow and not wholly for
yourself.”
Then cigars were served and music
rendered by Mr. O. N. David. The
ten or twelve songs prepared by the
“Junior Football team Quartette”
were well sung and immensely en¬
joyed.
At all times Prof. Shingler was the
center of attraction and the life of
the occasion. Great credit is due
him for the well arranged program
and for the most delightful evening
and the boys are worthy of commen¬
dation for their thoroughly gentle -
manly conduct, After a business
session, in which Mr. B. B. Crane
w T as elected Captain for the 1910 sea¬
son, the happy group took their leave
singing heartily “Vive la-mour, Vive
la-mour, Vive la Shingler.
G. S. R.
Mt. Zion Dots.
Misses Ola Edwards and Belle Ow¬
ens and Mr. Oscar Owens spent Sat¬
urday and Sunday in Atlanta.
Mrs. W. B. Mann and daughter,
Miss Elina, spent Saturday in Oxford
with Mrs. S. T. Sandling.
Miss Loyce Eubanks is spending
the week with her sister, Mrs, Mamie
Kimble.
DEVELOPMENT AND
GOOD OF OUR PUBLIC
SCHOOL SYSTEM.
In our article in the last issue we
were made to say the Act discussed
viz: Legislation providing funds for
the education of the poor was passed
in 1862. Should have read 1852.
We find that inasmuch as the poor
would not avail themselves of this
fund, some in exceptional cases,
teachers were accustomed to draw on
this fund only after failing to collect
the regular tuition and by reason of
the fact that hardly any county com¬
plied with the_ requirements as to
keeping lists of the eligible poor chil¬
dren, a special act usually proved the
only way to meet the situation. For
instance the following approved Dec.
16, 1860: “Be it enacted that the
Ordinary of Newton county be and
he is hereby required to pay over to
Samuel Lindsay for teacher of the
poor in Newton county the sum of
|60 which is still due and unpaid.”
As mentioned heretofore, later in the
50’s the Board of Education were em¬
powered to disburse the school fund
not merely as a pauper fund but in
such a way as to best promote the
cause of education in their respective
counties. The war and conditions
resulting from those bloody years of .
the 6l)’s interfered with the working j
out of even a crude system of public |
schools, but in 1870 was passed an act
which as amended in 1871 and slightly
modified from time to time has given
us our present system.
This act provided for count} boards
on the basis of one person from each
militia district and each incorporated
town. Schools to be in session three
months. If open a shorter time de¬
nied the right to participate in public '
funds.
Poll tax, one half the net earnings J
of the W. & A. Ry., taxes arising
from sale of liquors, to be the main j
share of revenue for maintenance of
public school system thus established.
We fiiqjl from minutes on file that
in pursuance of the Act of 1870 the
first Board of Education of Newton
county met at the court house in
Covington on Thursday the 7 th of
February 1871 for the purpose of or¬
ganizing. The following members
who had been previously elected and
commissioned were present:
Henry Quigg (Downs); Henry L.
Graves (Brick Store); A. J. Webb
(Rocky Plains); J. J. Dearing (Cov¬
ington); Thomas C. Davis (Gaithers);
L. S. Mann (Wyatts); C. S. Thomas
(Town District); Henry Gaither (Ox¬
ford); A. C. Mixon (Brewers); T. W.
Merriwether (Bald Rock); L. M.
Brown (Stansells). Dr. J. J. Dearing
was elected president and Mr. W. T.
Shaw secretary or County School
Commissioner.
As the school law provided that ap¬
plicants to teach appear before the
entire Board of Education for exami¬
nation “in open court”—Newton
county having then upon motion of
the Brick Store member, Mr. Graves,
it was resolved that whenever a lady
applied to be examined for license to
teach, if it be her wish that three
members of the Board together with
the County School Commissioner be
appointed as an examining comm ittee.
Mr. Graves evidently surmised that
it would take a super abundance of
“nerve” for a lady applicant to un¬
dergo the ordeal of an oral examina¬
tion in the presence of thirteen Board
members. Incidentaily it may be
mentioned here that the expression
so current in this state “to go before
the Board” in the sense of taking an
examination, has its origin in the
above mentioned requirement as to
examinations. A few years later
thi9 dety was delegated to the County
School Commissioner.
Data will be given in next article
with reference to operation of public
school system in Newton county first
years after establishment of the
system.
A. H. FOSER, C. S. C.
Miss Delia Mitcham, of Oxford, is
at Mrs. Jim Cook’s.
Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Dial and Mr.
and Mrs. Will Owens spent Sunday at
Mrs. Jim Cook’s.
Mr. W. F. Bentley, of Atlanta,
spent Sunday here. He will move his
family to Atlanta next week.
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Plunkett, of De¬
catur are at Mr. T. J. Edward’s
home.
Mr. R. E. Everitt, one of the most
progressive furniture dealers in this
section, is now running a big furni¬
ture sale at his store in the Pickett
building. He has a page advertise
ment ln this issue of the paper and
prices he is quoting the goods
at are considered very reasonable.
$1.00 PRR YEAR IN ADVANCE.
KEEP WHAT YOU REAP
Good Crops, High Prices
For your produce are of no lasting ben¬
efit if you spend every year all that they
hring you. Make your successful harvest
do more than carry you until the next
one. Deposit the proceeds of this crop
with us and r heck it out as your needs
require it and see to it that there is a
surplus at the end of a year’s time.
A CLEAR PROFIT ON YOUR
BUSINESS
We will keep your money safe,
give you every consistent accommo¬
dation and co-operate with you in
every way possible to make * your
farm pay you greater dividends than
it has ever done before.
Dal 1 to -"/■v/% ^S.
FIRS I NATIONAL BANK
Covington, Ga. I
New Backet Store
Spot Cash! One Price! Big Values!
Christmas Goods are here and will
be on exhibition after December 1 st.
Come early and avoid big rush. [
have added many new lines and more will
follow. New goods of season arriving
every few days. Yours truly,
J. I. GUINN, Covington, Ga.
o LUNSFORD&MILNER o
© o
o OF COVINGTON o
Have secured the ageucy for TEXACO ROOFING,
made, and guaranteed in WRITING by THE TEX S o
OIL COMPANY.
o Wc buy in car lots and can save you the mfddle 4)
^ man’s profit. 49
^ This roofing is Fire, Acid and Weather Proof. o
^ SATISFACTION GUARANTEED or YOUR MONEY REFUNDED 49
49 49
©S©©SSS©© © ©©SS©©(5
EARNEST PARKER
INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE
Liife, Fire, Health and Accident Insurance
Written. Farm Lands ann city property bought
and sold.
Office 21 Star Building.