Newspaper Page Text
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Local'Counly«Stdlc
By Hie Office Boy
My! Oh Me! Hearts of this
section were saddened at the
passing of our beloved Mr.
John L. Stephenson, but HE
would not have it that way.
His life was a ray of sun
shine. He was one of the most
prominent and capable busi
ness men of the State and
nothing ever dulled his sense
of humor. For many years now
he has been somewhat in re
tirement. He used to love to
walk and walk and walk, with
that faithful little terrior at
his heels, or scampering along
to ward off anybody who even
stopped for a friendly chat.
Those were happy days for the
Office Boy, who is also Gard
ener at our house, for he
stopped by and talked every
day with us. He was one of
the most interesting persons
we have ever had the joy of
knowning, and one of the best
conversationalists. His memory
was as remarkable as that of
Mr. J. O. Martin’s. Neither of
them ever forgot one thing
about the Newton County they
so loved. Mr. Martin sends
me envelopes of clippings,
notes about this person and
that, which we appreciate with
all our heart. His column
“Newton Memories” is a rich
heritage for the Covington
Continued on Page 20
J. L. Stephenson
Bank President,
Interred Sunday
Final tribute was paid John
Lee Stephenson, esteemed New
ton County native, and presi
dent of the Bank of Covington,
in services Sunday afternoon at
3:00 o’clock at the Covington
Presbyterian Church, conduct
ed by the Rev. Mr. E. Paul Nic
hols. Mr. Stephenson, who died
at 8:30 Saturday morning at
Newton County Hospital, had
been ill since Easter Sunday
when he suffered a heart at
tack; but had been hospitalized
only two weeks.
Mr. Stephensson, 93, was
born in the Rocky Plains Dis
trict, the son of Leonida Frank
lin and Mrs. Janet Thompson
Stephenson, both of Newton
County pioneer families. He had
made Covington his home since
1887; and had lived at the pre
sent homesite with his late wife
the former Miss Sarah Leak
Callaway whom he married in
1897, for over half a century.
He attended Rocky Plains
School and the Atlanta Business
College.
Prior to the turn of the cen
tury Mr. Stephenson was affili
ated with his uncle, Sam Thomp
son in the mercantile business;
and in 1889 established his own
company. In 1902 he was joined
by the late T. G. Callaway to
form the Stephens-Callaway
Company in which he was en
gaged for some 30 years, until
his retirement from active busi
ness. Agricultural interests and
banking were also included in
his business pursuits; and his
deep sense of integrity, business
acumen and ready wit rendered
him a leading figure in Coving
ton’s economic development.
One of the founders of the
Mank of Covington, Mr. Step
henson was a member of its
first Board of Directors where
he continued to serve through
the years. In 1918 he was elect
ed vice president of the Board,
and in 1939 became its presi
dent which office he filled until
the time of his death.
An active member of Coving
ton Presbyterian Church for
over 70 years, he had served 27
years as a deacon, and as an
elder since 1931.
Interment was in Covington
Cemetery, with J. C. Harwell
and Son in charge of the ser
vices. Active pallbearers were:
Donald Stehenson, Gene Har
vey, Lamar Callaway, E. E.
Callaway, Dr. E. J. Callaway,
Thomas Callaway, Dr. J. R.
Sams and Robert Fowler. The
deacons and elders of the Pres
byterian Church and the Direc
tors of the Bank of Covington
served as an honorary escort.
Survivors include one son,
Ernest Lee Stephenson, Coving
ton postmaster, two granddau
ghters, Miss Margaret Gail
Stephenson and Miss Sarah Call
away Stephenson, and numer
ours nieces and nephews.
The NEWS joins hosts of
other friends in extending deep
est sympathy to the family in
their bereavement.
APsWWfauung
L Newspaper
I 1956
' Better Newspaper
The Covin'iton Enterprise, Established in 1864 — The Covington Star, Established in 1874 and The Citizen-Observer, Established in 1953
VOLUME 94
COV' .ON SWIMMING POOL OPENS JUNE 5
3 ♦♦♦ ♦}» 6 ♦♦♦ ♦♦♦ 4* ♦♦♦
17^ Newton County Farms Were Under ACP
$57,08b relocated For Local
'SB Cost-Sharing Assistance
Newton County farmers used Agricultural Conservation
Program Cost-Sharing assistance to establish conservation
practices on 174 farms in 1957, according to W. Roy Aiken,
County Office Manager for the Newton County ASC com
mittee.
Total assistance received
through the 1957 ACP by
farmers in the county amount
ed to $57,560. Federal assist
ance amounted to about 50
percent of the cost of perform
ing the approved conservation
practices. The farmers contri
buted the remainder of the
cost and used their own labor
and equipment in carrying out
the practices.
Mr. Aiken said that the farms
in the county on which con
servation practices were car
ried out with 1957 ACP cost
sharing contained 49 percent
of farmland and 56 percent
of the cropland in the county.
Major conservation estab
lished on Newton County farms
under 1957 ACP included:
Permanent grasses and le
gumes established for soil
protection, pasture and hay
364.4 acres.
Dams for livestock water,
25 structures.
Trees planted, 120 acres.
Permanent pasture improved
for better soil protection,
758 acres.
Farmland limed to permit
growing protective cover,
1277 acres.
Sod waterways, 13 acres.
ACS Office Manager W. Roy
Aiken said that Newton Coun
ty was allocated $57,080 for
cost-sharing assistance under
the 1958 ACP and that a sub
stantial portion of the 1958
funds have already been taken
up by farmers who are parti
cipating this year. He added
that any farmer who wishes
to receive 1958 program cost
sharing to carry out needed
conservation practices should
file his request with the county
ASC office and the county
committee will give the re
quest full consideration in the
light of whatever program
funds that are available.
DCT Cake Sale
The Newton D.C.T. Club will
sponsor a cake sale Saturday,
May 17, for the purpose of rais
ing funds to complete the club’s
activities for the past school
year. The public’s participation
will be greatly appreciated.
Doris Jeffries
(D.C.T. Reporter)
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JOHN LEE STEPHENSON
©ljr Gnuingtnn Nms
Rev. Splane Is
Speaker At
Kiwanis Today
The Reverend Peyton Splane,
Rector of the Church of The
Good Shepherd, Episcopal, will
be the main speaker at the Cov
ington Kiwanis Club meeting
today (Thursday) at 1 o’clock
at the American Legion Home.
Rev. Splane will speak on
the subject “Soil Stewardship”
in keeping with the national ob
servance of Soil Stewardship
Week, May 11-18. John Fuller,
chairman of the Club’s Agricul
tural Committee, will introduce
the speaker.
Mr. and Mrs. Bonham John
son supplied the program at the
meeting last Thursday.
Mr. Johnson’s speech was in
formative and enlightened all
preesnt as to the operation of a
county official’s duties while
serving the public.
Mrs. Johnson rendered the
vocal part of the program.
New Traffic
Regulation
Slated Here
A new traffic regulation will
soon go into effect in the City
of Covington, according to
Mayor Nat S. Turner.
Motorists approaching traf
fic lights will be permitted to
make right turns after a com
plete stop if the thoroughfare
is clear. Also persons driving
vehicles approaching blinker
lights will be required to stop
on red before continuing their
course.
Mayor Turner said that small
signs will be placed on all traf
fic lights advising the motoring
public of these charges in the
city.
COVINGTON, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, MAY 15, 1958
Covington Lions Club Gets Boy Scout Troop Charter
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PRESENTATION OF THE JOLLY HOME Bo" Scout Troop charter was the occasion for the pic
ture above taken at the meeting of the Covington Lions Club Thursday at the American Legion
Home here. Shown in the photo are. from left io right: W. A. (Dud) Childers, Jr., organisation and
extension chairman of the Newton-Rockdale District BSA; Louis Lang, Lions ClvJj President which
is the sponsoring institution; Rev. M. L. Williamson, Superintendent of Jolly Home; W. C. Blanken
ship, Troop 232 Scoutmaster; Homer Sharp, Chairman Newton-Rockdale District BSA; Joe Haymore,
Lions Club institutional representative.
Chamber Os Commerce Plans
Ladies Night Program Tuesday
Newton County Chamber of
Commerce will observe “Lad
ies Night” at a dinner-meet
ing Tuesday evening, May 20
at the Teen Can building on
Newton Drive. Starting time
is 7;30 o'clock.
Carl Smith, president of the
local Chamber of Commerce,
said the occasion will mark
the kick-off of the newly nam
ed Chamber of Commerce. The
association of business and
professional men of the coun
ty was formerly the Newton
County Businessmen’s Associa
tion.
Mr. Smith said that all
members and their wives are
invited to the banquet and
program.
Principal speaker for the
program Tuesday will be Wal
ter Cates, Executive Vice-
President of the Georgia State
Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Cates, a former native
of North Carolina, has been
Newton County High FHA Chapter
Installs Officers For 'SB - '59
On Wednesday, May 7, the
Newton F.H.A. met in the
homemaking room. The presi
de at, Corra Costley, called the
meeting to order and Peggy
Moore presented the devo
tional.
Willie Moore, who is the
chapter sweetheart for the
second year, was presented a
personnal gift this year as he
was given an honor key last
year.
Merry Hertwig gave a re
port on the State FHA con
vention and the joint FHA
FFA social to be held May 20,
at the State FHA-FFA Camp
was discussed.
The members elected Dianne
Shaw as national project chair
man and Ophelia Wheeler as
state project chairman. The
following mothers were elect
ed to the chapter mothers next
year: Mrs. B. M. Paden, Mrs.
Albert B. Parker, Mrs. Edward
Hertwig and Mrs. H. V. John
son.
Corra Costley then presided
over the installation ceremony
in which new officers for 1 OSS
SO were installed. As the pres
ident lighted the eight candles
to represent the eight pur
poses of FHA, girls repeated
connected with chamber of
commerce work since 1941 and
was for eight years instru
mental in the industrial devel
opment at Macon, Ga. He also
established the Farmers Club,
Manufacturers Bureau, and
expansion of the Merchants
Bureau while he was at Ma
con.
Since 1952 he has been an
executive of the Georgia State
Chamber of Commerce. He is
a member of the Second Ponce
de Leon Baptist Church in At
lanta, a Mason, Elk, Kiwanian
and Sigma Phi Epsilon fra
ternity.
The local Chamber of Com
merce in a recent meeting an
nounced that some 94 mem
bers are now affiliated with
the organization.
Other than President Smith,
the official family is composed
of John Jernigan, secretary;
Otis Spillers, vice-president;
and How’ard Milligan, treasur
er.
the purposes. The flower of
the chapter, the red rose, was
pinned on each officer. The
girls installed were: president,
Sandra Cawthon; secretary,
Carolyn Freeman; treasurer,
Linda Bates; reporter, Made
lyn Bates; Historian, Jan
Sears; Parliamentarian, Diane
Johnson; Degree chairman,
Karen Stone; project chair
man, Merry Hertwig.
Corra Costley thanked the
group for their cooperation
during the past year and pass
ed the presidency to Pam Las
ter who expressed hopes for
continued progress during the
next year.
McKay Honored
By Metropolitan
For 20-Yrs. Service
James T. McKay, Covington
representative of the Metro
politan Life Insurance Com
pany, was honored with a
luncheon, Friday, May 2, in
honor of his 20th anniversary
with his Company.
Thirty of Mr. McKay’s as
sociates gathered at the Geor-
Continued on Page 20
Meeting Os High
School Students'
Parents Tonight
All parents of next years
(1958-59) High School students
are cordially invited to a meet
ing at the high school audito
rium tonight (Thursday) at 8
o’clock.
Homer F. Sharp, Supervis
ing Principal of NCHS, said
that the meeting will center
around curriculum and regis
tration for next year’s high
school students. It will also be
an occasion for parents to help
in the selection of subjects for
their boys and girls to take in
school.
All parents are urged to at
tend the meeting tonight.
Six Planes To
Salute City
Saturday at 2:05
A six-plane formation of
KC-97 Flying Tankers from
the Strategic Air Command
base at Hunter AFB, Ga., will
tender an aerial salute to the
city of Covington and sur
rounding communities on Sat
urday, May 17th as part of
Hun t e r’s demonstration of
Power for Peace on Armed
Forces Day.
The six-mile-a-minute all
purpose aircraft will pass over
Covington at exactly five min
utes past two o’clock then
wing their way on to Athens
and other cities on the 22
city salute of Georgia and
South Carolina communities.
National Guard Armory
Open House Sun. Afternoon
Armed Forces Week will be
observed here in Covington
with open house scheduled at
the Newton County National
Guard Armory from 2 P. M.
until 5:00 P.M. Sunday May
18th. The local Guard Unit is
Company “A’ 161st Tank Bat
talion, commended by Captain
Oliver A. Morgan, of Porter
dale.
This will be the first open
MORE THAN
20,000
READERS WEEKLY
Swim Classes Planned For
Children By Red Cross
Covington's swimming pool will be formally opened
to the public for the summer on Thursday, June 5, ac
cording to an announcement by Ed Robinson, chairman of
the pool committee. The Covington Kiwanis Club owns and
operates the pool.
Sewer Rats Here
Menace Business
Resid'tial Areas
Action is being taken by the
City of Covington to ride the
business sesion and some resi
dences of sewer rats, which
have been a menace for some
time in local areas.
Mayor Nat S. Turner said
yesterday that an inspector
from the State Department of
Helath had found that holes in
sewer lines on individual’s pro
perty have afforded rates a pass
ageway into many homes. The
inspector said that trash piles
and rubbish heaps around many
homes breed rats and that
these hazards should be eli-
Iminated.
Mayor Turner has asked that
all people who have old trash
piles or rubbish heaps to clean
them up. If rat poison is needed
he said that the City will fur
nish free a pound of rat poison
to anyone wishing to eliminate
present rodents. Persons may
pick up the poison compound ai
the City Hall. It will not harm
pets or humans and will kill
rats only.
The City will put out the
poison around the Public Squ
are and areas adjacent to busi
ness firms.
561 Long Distance
Calls Placed Here
On Mother's Day
A large number of local res
idents were seized with the
Mother’s Day spirit and the
urge to share their day’s ex
perience as some 561 placed
long distance calls through the
local exchanges Mother’s Day.
Bell Telephone manager
Harold A. Rice said at least
31 per cent were directed out
of state. He said operators
worked in shifts throughout
the day to accommodate the
heavy long distance traffic.
He went on to point out
that on Mother’s Day, a Sun
day when all business houses
and merchants are closed, ap
proximately the same number
of calls were placed. Mr. Rice
said, “This indicates that most
of the long distance calls were
of a private nature made by
residence subscribers for the
express purpose of wishing
Mother a happy Mother’s
Day.”
He concluded more calls
were made out of town and
out of state this Mother's Day
than a year ago.
house scheduled since the unit
moved into its new armory last
summer. In additon to showing
off the new building to visitors,
all equipment, training aids,
and other facilities issued to the
Gauradsman will be on display.
The most expensive items on
display will be the Unit’s two
medium tanks, which cost ap
proximately $135,000.00 each.
Members of the Guard unit
NUMBER 20
Mr. Robinson said that Coach
Stone Cooper of the Newton
County high school athletic de
partment, will have charge of
the pool this summer. One of
the lifeguards will be Doug
Dooley with others to be named
later.
The pool will be open on
weekdays from 10 until 12 noon
and from 2 until 6 p.m. On Sun
day the hours will be from 2
until 6 in the afternoon. Sea
son tickets, which are now on
sale by all members of the Ki
wanis Club, are $5.00 for stu
dents, $7.50 for adults or sls
for an entire family. Daily ad
mission prices are 20c for stu
dents and 30c for adults.
Season tickets may also be
purchased from members of the
Key Club at NCHS, Gra-Y
Club at E. L. Ficquett School,
and the Circle K Club at Em
ory at Oxford college.
Mr. Robinson stated that the
pool, a non-profit project of
the Kiwanians, would offer free
courses in swimming for adults
and children during the sum
mer. The specific schedule will
be announced in the near fu
ture, he added. Several of the
classes will be in charge of Red
Cross personnel. The classes
for children will be held after
the various churches stage their
summer vacation Bible schools,
Mr. Robinson stated.
Extensive repairs have been
made during the past several
weeks in the amount of about
$300.00 which was necessitated
after hoodlums and vandals
just about wrecked the bath
house. Many windows were
broken and other damages in
flicted on the property since
last fall, Mr. Robinson pointed
out.
Both pools have been paint
ed and cleaned during the past
several days. The concession
stand will also be operated this
summer.
Other members of the Ki
wanis Club pool committee aid
ing Mr. Robinson are Lanier
Hardman and Mel Waggoner.
Until the opening date of the
pool to the public, the Newton
County high school physical
education department will be
given access to the facilities.
This is a free gesture by the
Kiwanis Club and no charge is
made for the use of the pool at
that time.
Newton County
Teachers Assn.
To Meet Tuesday
The Newton County Teach
ers Association will hold a
meeting at the Newton High
School Auditorium on Tuesday,
May 20 at four o'clock.
Mr. Pittman of the Georgia
Teachers Retirement office will
speak on Teachers Retirement
and Social Security.
A representative of the U. S.
Social Security Office will al
so be invited to speak.
Pauline Hardman,
Chairman of Publicity
will be on hand at the Armorv
to conduct visitors through the
Armory and will be glad to
answer any questions concern
ing the activities of the local
unit.
The Armory is located at the
corner of Clark and Carroll
public is cordially invited to the
Streets in Covington and the
open house-