Newspaper Page Text
IHE
CHATTER
...EOK...
Local-Couiity-Slatc
the Office Boy
A very dear friend who came
to call this week remarked that
he did not know of two fami
lies who really had more to
be thankful for at this Thanks
giving season, than his and
ours. Both have had loved
ones with serious illnesses,
with subsequent recoveries.
This was only one of the
things he named for which he
was thankful. We listened ap
preciatively as he recounted
many of his blessings, and re
joiced in his thinkfulniss.
We saw revealed another
secret of “the Peace that Pas
seth Understanding” which this
friend knows. For his is a life
of service to others—flowing
like a refreshing fount from a
heart spilling over with grate
fulness. Barren indeed is the
heart that lacks the glowing
warmth of Gratitude for the
abundant blessings we know
through the Father’s Provi
dence.
As we name our blessings on
this Thanksgiving Day, perhaps
none is so great as the Christ
ian Heritage preserved with
sacrifice through the ages and
passed on to us by our par
ents. Those of us who have had
parents whose lives and homes
were dedicated to God and
His Will, have a priceless
foundation upon which to build
our lives. Those of us who re
fused to accept the challenge,
and counted as naught such a
Heritage, have deprived our
children of the most priceless
treasure we might have be
queathed them.
Our families, and their fam
ilies, whose joys and sorrows
are so acutely our own; and
whose happiness is our happi
ness, we are grateful for.
Friends would have to come
next on our long list of things
Continued on 3rd Front Page
Porterdale
Church Ordains
Four Officials
PORTERDALE —Four
faithful members of the Por
terdale Presbyterian Church
were ordained as elders and
deacons on Sunday evening,
November 12, at seven o’clock
with the Rev. Irving G. Ru
dolph, pastor, in charge of the
worship service. This impres
sive and sacred event also
marked the eleventh anniver
sary of the dedication of this
sanctuary.
Chosen by the congregation
at b Congregational Meeting on
October 8. the men elected to
these offices of honor and re
sponsibility were: Mr. Claud
Cason and Mr. Homer Ham
monds, ruling elders; Mr. Dew
ey Sears and Mr. James C.
Singley, deacons.
Elders who assisted the
minister in the rites were: Mr.
T. B. Crowder, Mr. E. A. King,
Mr. Lester Martin. Mr. T. C.
Parker, and Mr. Charlie Phil
lips.
We Are Grateful
On this Thanksgiving Eve our heart is filled with
gratitude and love to our legion of friends who have
been so kind and thoughtful to me and my loved ones
during the severe illness and major surgery from
which we are now recovering.
Your prayers, in groups and individually:, interced
ing for me with petitions to God, the Great Physician,
were responsible for my recovery and we know we
will soon be restored to health and strength through
these petitions to Almighty God.
Our love and devotion to you all is increased in
heartfelt appreciation for your many acts of kindness
and the fact of your remembrance in sending us
cards, flowers and gifts. The loving hands which
have preoared food and either brought or sent to us
during my convalescence will always have a place
in my heart.
May we have the opportunity, as time passes, to
return to each of you in some manner service beyond
the call of duty and go with you the extra mile.
Our sincere thanks and appreciation also goes to
our loyal and faithful group of employees at the News
Office who have performed their tasks so faithfully
and well, often under many difficulties.
May each of you, employees, merchants, subscrib
ers and friends throughout Newton County enjoy
this Thanksgiving Day to the fullest, surrounded by
your loved ones in health, happiness and content
ment. May the Peace of God which passeth all under
standing rest and abide with you all forevermore.
BELMONT DENNIS
Editor, The Covington News
A Prise-Winning
Newspaper
1961
Better Newspaper
Contests
The Cov/ngton Enter prir 'in 1864 — The Covington Star, Established in 1874 and The Citizen - Observer, Established in 1953
VOLUME 97
FIRE r fROYS PALMER-STONE GYMNASIUM
% <s» $ ❖ <♦ ❖ ♦> ♦> ♦♦♦ ❖
Thanksgiving Holiday Set In Newton County
Merchants,
Officials Take
Day and Half
Thanksgiving will be ob
served in Newton County and
Covington Thursday (tomor
row) with the traditional day
off for business firms, city and
county offices, Post Office and
school holiday.
Tonight (Wednesday) a joint
Thanksgiving church service
will be held at 7:30 at the First
Methodist Church with the
Reverend Edgar Callaway, pas
tor of the Covington First Bap
tist Church, bringing the mes
sage. Congregational singing
will be a part of the program.
Rev. Grady Lively is the
host church pastor.
Downtown supermarkets in
Covington — Big Apple, Co
lonial and Kroger — will re
main open this afternoon (Wed
nesday) until 6 p. m. in order
that their customers may pur
chase groceries for the holi
day. These supermarkets will
be closed all day Thursday and
will reopen Friday at the usual
hour.
Officials who have offices in
the Newton County Court
house will take a day and a
half for a holiday. They will
close their doors Wednesday
(today) at noon and will re
open Friday morning. The Cov
ington Post Office will also
take a day and a half, closing
their service windows at noon
Wednesday as will City Hall.
Newton County schools and
Emory-At-Oxford College will
afternoon, Nov. 22 and will
resume classes on Monday
morning, Nov. 27.
Girl Scout Fund
Drive Next Week
James Hutchins, chairman
of the Girl Scout Fund Drive
for Newton County, has an
nounced that the campaign
will be held next week, No
vember 27 through December
2nd.
Treasurer of the local drive
will be Ben Banks, whose of
fice is in the Bank of Coving
ton building.
The Covington news
Palmer-Stone Gymnasium Burns In Early Morning Fire Thursday
FIRE LEVELED THE PALMER-STONE Gymnasium shortly after
midnight Wednesday. This picture was taken early Thursday morn
iny and shows the smoldering debris of the structure. Oxford and
Mission Study
At Calvary
Baptist Church
The Women’s Missionary
Union of Calvary Baptist
Church is presenting a mission
study on Saturday, November
25th, from 10:00 a. m. to 1.00
p. m. in the church annex.
The title of the book to be
studied is “Hands Across The,
Sea” by H. Cornel Goerner. It
will be taught by Mrs. J. C.
Day, Mrs. Grady Cargile and
Mrs. Bill Snipes.
Members of the W. M. U. and
others interested are invited to
attend what should be an in
teresting study. A covered dish
luncheon will be served at the
conclusion of the course.
Early Morning
Fire Damages
Emory Dorm.
An early morning fire Fri
day did considerable damage
to Dowman Hall, one of the
new men’s dormitories at Em
ory-At-Oxford College. The
blaze in a hallway on the up
' per floor of the dormitory was
I discovered by Dewey Womack,
| night watchman and deputy
marshal at Oxford, x
i The fire is believed to have
started in a bunch of papers in
the hallway. Most of the dam
' age to the dorrhitory was the
result of smoke and water.
The Oxford Fire Department
quickly extinguished the blaze
soon after Mr. Womack turn-
! ed in the alarm.
Dowman Hall is one of
■ the three new dormitory
buildings on the Emory cam
j nits. The building is almost
fireproof and that was the main
factor in confining the blaze
to the top floor.
A. W. Jackson of the Em
ory-Oxford faculty said that
( much damage was done to the
ceiling and some of the doors.
This was the second fire at
Oxford in two days and each
broke out in the early hours
of the morning. One day earli
er the Palmer-Stone gymna
sium burned to the ground.
The latter fire started about
1:30 a.m. Thursday.
COVINGTON NEWS
OO Pages
wXb Today
COVINGTON. GEORGIA, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23. 1961
Porterdale Groundbreaking
Sunday For Church Annex
Thirty two and one-half
years ago the Porterdale Bap
tist Church broke ground for
the building they are now using
as an auditorium and educa-
tional space. This building was
erected at an approximate
cost of $32,000.00 one third of
which was paid by the Bibb
Mfg., Co., one third by James
H. Porter, and one third by the
membership of the Church.
This coming Sunday, No
vember 26, at 10:15 AM, the
congregation will once again
meet to break ground for a
new building. The new build
ing will be erected directly be
hind the current auditorium,
on land donated to the Church
by Bibb Mfg., Co. The building
will be used for Educational
purposes and will house Adult,
Young People, and Intermedi
ate Departments. Included in
the new building will be two
Nurseries, Pastors Study, and
Secretarys office.
Leading in the ground break-
Stephens Is
Farm-City Week
Speaker Here
Ronnie Stephens. Radio-TV
editor with the Agricultural
Extension Service in Athens,
will be the main speaker at the
Kiwanis Club’s observance of
Farm - City Week, Wednesday,
November 22 at 1 o’clock at
Legion Home. The regular
weekly meeting of the club
has been moved up one day
due to Thanksgiving tomor
row.
Ed Hunt, Newton County
Agent, will be in charge of the
program today. Many guests
will be on hand representing
the various farm clubs and
rural organizations in the
county.
« » • »
Newton High basketball
coaches Stone Cooper (girls)
and Ronald Bradley (boys)
were the guest speakers at the
Covington Kiwanis Club week
ly luncheon meeting Thursday.
Each coach gave a preview re
port of his team personnel and
the schedule they face this sea
son.
Players accomnanying their
coaches were: Sandy King,
Connie Hopkins. Sherry Jef
fries, Billy Shaw. Henry
Bowen and Butch Farr
Two NCHS Key Clubbers
Continued On Page 30
Covingion firemen contained the blaze from spreading to the
adjacent two buildings of Palmer-Stone School. Much science
•nd athletic equipment was lost in the fire.
'.ing ceremonies will be Mr. B.
'P. Snow, Vice President of
Bibb Mfg., Co., Mr. S. T. Gattis
' a retired Bibb employee; for
mer Chairman of Deacons,
Teacher, Sunday School Su
perintendent and Musician of
the Church. Others participat
ing will be Mrs. L. M. Lyda
whose husband was pastor and
leader in the erection of t h e
present building: Mrs. Sallie
Sowell, 89-year-old member,
Mr. Charlie Elkins; Mrs. John
Norwood; Mrs. Nina Day; Miss
Ruth and Jordye Tanner who
have served the church in i
many ways. Other members of I
long standing will be asked to
participate.
Following the initial ground- ,
breaking everyone who brings a
shovel will be asked to par
ticipate in the ceremonies.
The contract has been let to
the Amerson Construction
Company of Macon. Cost of the
new building, minus furnish
ings, has been set at $73,820.00.
John M. Lance is Pastor.
Soil Conservation Essay Winners Receive Awards At Chapel Program
SOIL CONSERVATION ESSAY Contest awards were made Fri
day morning at Newton County High chapel program. Winners
and officials are shown in the picture above. Seated front, left
to right: Rufos Spears, first prize of S3O; Susan Elliott, second
$25; Wayne Maloney, third S2O; Bill Hodges, fourth sls: and
Newton Jaycees
Start Fire
Safety Project
Newton County Junior
Chamber of Commerce has
started a community service
project of Fire Safety and
members of the club will sell
Bomb Fire Extinguishers.
The project is now underway
and the extinguishers may be
purchased at State Farm In
surance, 30 Reynolds Street.
Tony Wilkie is handling the
extinguishers, but any member
of the Jaycees will take orders
for them.
Jaycee President James An
derson said that the extin
guishers sell for only $2 each.
Vets Service Office
Closed Thurs.-Fri.
The Veteran’s Service Office
will be closed Thursday and
Friday, November 23 and 24
for Thanksgiving Holidays.
MORE THAN
20,000
READERS WEEKLY
Science, Athletic Equipment
Lost In Early Morning Blaze
Fire swept through the 30-year-old Palmer Stone gym
nasium in Oxford early Thursday morning, leveling the
structure and three classrooms in the same building. The
fire was discovered about 1:30 by two Covington City po
licemen who were on their way to make a routine inspection
of the City Airport.
Bloodmobile
At Oxford
Wednesday
Newton County citizens who
live North of the Georgia Rail
road may obtain Blood Credit
Cards on November 29 at the
Methodist Church School
Building in Oxford.
A Red Cross Bloodmobile
visit in scheduled for that date
and you may be assured of
having the blood needs of your
family covered for 6 month in
return for a pint of your blood.
In the even you should be re
jected as a donor, your imme
diate family would be covered
for 3 months.
“The fine response of the
centra] and western portions of
Newton County has covered
blood needs of the entire coun
ty until November 29. It is now
the obligation of North Newton
to take its Turn,” stated M. R.
Elizer, Blood Program Chair
man of Newton County.
Blood donors are asked to re
port Wednesday, November 29,
at the Methodist Church School
Building in Oxford, 12 Noon 1
until 6 P. M.
Master Masons
To Be Honored
December 11th
Master Masons and their
families are invited to attend
the annual Eastern Star sup
per on December 11, honoring
Master Masons of Golden
Fleece Lodge No. 6 of Coving
ton, at the Masonic Hall.
Supper will be served at 7
p.m. and a short musical pro
gram will be presented in the
chapter room at the conclusion
of the meal.
Brenda Chambers, fifth $lO. Standing, left to right: Charlee
Ewing, District Supervisor of Upper Ocmulgee District who made
the award presentations; A. E. Hays, Sr„ also District Supervisor-
Tom Stubbs, Assistant Newton County Soil Conervationist; and
Jim Knight, Newton County Soil Conservationist.
NUMBER 47
Oxford's Volunteer Fire de
artment and the Covington
Fire Departments answered the
call but flames had just about
engulfed the building in a mat
ter of minutes.
Covington Patrolmen Tal
madge Cawthon and Harold
Pickett noticed a blaze in the
rear basement window from the
North Emory Street road.
Cawthon said that “in about
two minutes a terrific explo
sion burst through the build
ing like a stick of dynamite
had been set off.”
Cawthon reported that the
first flame they saw was some
what like a fire smoldering in
the basement. They immedi
ately radioed Covington City
Hall and Desk Sergeant Ed
King telephoned Oxford Fire
Chief Thomas Dial.
Eugene Whatley, Principal
of the school, was on the scene
in a matter of minutes and he
said that “the roof of t h e
gymnasium had eaved in.” He
said that he had no idea what
caused the fire.
Lost in the fire was about
$2,200 worth of science and au
dio visual equipment. Almost
all the athletic equipment be
longing to the school was burn
up. This included baseball uni
forms and equipment, football
equipment, basketball and
volleyball equipment. Mr.
Whatley said that the boys and
girls basketball uniforms were
issued to the blayers a few
days ago and they were saved
because they were at the play
ers' homes.
As for plans to rebuild the
gymnasium, Mr. Whatley said
that it would be sometime in
the future as the six classroom
plans are now on the drawing
board. The basketball teams
will most probably practice at
Newton High gymnasium or at
the Emory - Oxford gymna
sium.
Two of the school classes
had met in the portion of the
building adjoining the gymna-
Continued on 3rd Front Page