Newspaper Page Text
PAGE TEN
THE COVINGTON NEWS
BELMONT DENNIS
Editor And Publisher
LEO S. MALLARD
Assistant to Publisher
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF
NEWTON COUNTY
AND THE
CITY OF COVINGTON
"Reading — The Fifth
Freedom — Enjoy Ir"
This is the theme of National Library
Week, April 21 - 27, sponsored throughout
the nation by the National Book Com
mittee. Inc. in cooperation with the Na
tional Library Association.
Why is it important to sponsor a Na
tional Library Week in America, where
we enjoy such a high level of literacy; the
freedom to read; and an inexhaustible
supply of books?
First of all we must remember that
only an informed people can remain a free
people. Therefore, the freedom to read and
the free access to adequate reading mater
ials are not only the privilege, but also the
responsibility of a free democratic so
ciety.
We should be concerned not only with
the promotion of ideas and ideals of a free
society; but with the development of every
individual in our society to his highest
capacity, and the establishment of life
long reading habits. In today’s shrinking
world, we must not only be well read and
well informed on local, state and national
issues; but must keep abreast of world
concepts and history in the making.
Libraries throughout the nation make
available the wisdom of the ages, and con
stantly add contemporary contributions to
literature, the arts, philosophy, economics,
science, religion, humanities; and pioneers
of all phases of human progress.
We are deeply indebted to Andrew
Carnegie, the great philanthropist who,
realizing that all education was based upon
the printed word, left endowments for es
tablishing many of these public libraries.
Our gratitude also extends to local citizens
from various sections of Newton County,
who serve on the Newton County Library
Board, headed by Mrs. R. M. Paty; and
to Mrs. Harry Dietz and Mrs. Annie Laurie
Dodson, respective librarian and assistant,
at the local library, which is a unit of the
Newton - Rockdale - DeKalb Regional Li
brary.
The mind is a garden which only know
ledge can cultivate; and our libraries sup
ply us with a bountiful source of this en
riching ingredient. Truly — reading is a
“Fifth Freedom”, so let us continue to
cherish, promote and enjoy it!
A Fatal Disease
Epilepsy Is Not
In the little world in which children
have their existence, there is nothing so
finely perceived and so finely felt as in
i’ustice. The observation was made in a
ileaker, less just era by Charles Dickens.
It was echoed in our socially conscious
time by Dr. Charles Krain, a psychologist
who works with a snecial group of children,
those who have epilepsy.
Dr. Kram, Director of the Epileosy
Foundation told a reporter recently that
one nf every 50 American school children
is affected by this condition, which has
been with man since before Hippocrates
was prescribing for it in the sth Century
BC. During the intervening centuries, fa
miliarity might have been expected to
erase all of our primitive fears of epilepsy,
as it has removed the mystery from more
serious diseases. But Dr. Kram commented,
“One of the most disturbing things about
epilepsy today is not what it does to its
victims but what we do to them.”
Epilepsy is characterized by seizures and
temporary unconsciousness. There is the
possibility of injury to the victim in the
fall which may occur when he has a seiz
ure, but epilepsy is not a fatal or dread
disease. It is akin to diabetes in the con
trol over it which a sufferer can gain
from assiduous attention to medication.
However, children who have diabetes are
not shunned or excluded from attending
schools where a seizure might frighten
other children or arouse dark apprehension
in their elders. Children who have epilepsy
often are.
We Americans are proud of our advances
in the field of medicine and of understand
ing. But, while research and treatment of
epilepsy have progressed, understanding has
not. From wide-eyed childhood, epilepsy’s
victims are taught that one of their re
sponsibilities is to reassure the others who
are frightened by their illness.
The Epilepsy Foundation which is sup
ported by public contributions, will con
tinue to work in research and treatment.
Through its newly enlarged National Chil
dren's Rehabilitation Center in Leesburg,
Va., the Foundation will help more chil
dren adjust their lives to meet the prob
lems their condition creates. And it has
taken as another task the removal of this
^asl peculiar medieval terror of disease.
(Our Advertisers Are Assured Os Results)
NATION AI EDITORIAL
— Published Every Thursday —
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MABEL SESSIONS DENNIS
Associate Editor
MARY SESSIONS MALLARD
Associate Editor
Entered at the Post Office
at Covington, Georgia, as
mail matter of the Second
Class.
Mental Health Week
Mental Health Week this year is being
observed April 28 to May 4, with the entire
month of May designated as Mental Health
Month.
There is a new awakening by all our
citizens toward mental illness, for too
long we attached a stigma to those who
were afflicted with a mental or emotional
disorder.
Mental illness is now recognized to af
fect more of our citizens than any other
disease, and has the highest rate of cur
ability.
We recommend to all our citizens that
they join with the National, State and
Local Mental Health Associations in the
observance of the “National Rally Against
Mental Illness” April 28 through May 4
Mrs. Pierce Cline is president of the
Newton County Mental Health Association.
Sometimes Railroads
Are Prevented from
Lowering Rail Rates
President D. W. Brosnan of the Southern
Railway System, in a recent address before
the New York Society of Security Analy
sts, declared his “thoroughly justified op
timism about the future of the entire rail
road industry,” adding that “there’s noth
ing wrong with the railroads that more
traffic won't cure.” And he made it plain
that they would get this traffic as soon
as they could be freed from “stereotyped
rate-setting formulae and other practices
of the cuspidor age” which now prevent
the roads from reducing prices to conform
with the low costs that modern railroading
technology has made posible.
A case in point appeared in the news
on the same day Mr. Brosnan was speaking.
The first grain shipment, a million pounds
of wheat, had just been delivered by the
Southern from Memphis, Tenn, to the mil
lion-bushel elevator at the new Seaboard
Allied flour mill at Chattanooga.
In spite of its economical haulage in
five of the Southern's new “Big John,”
lightweight 100 ton hopper cars, the road
was forced to charge conventional rail
grain rates. Had it been allowed to employ
the volume-shipment rates on which South
ern has been seeking approval for more
than a year, the milling company would
have saved $2,474.77. Passed along to the
baker and thence to the housewife, such
savings wuold soon show up in the price of
a loaf of bread. Savings on grain ship
ments alone in the states served by South
ern — and banned by the ICC for the
past 15 months — have been estimated at
from $35 to S4O million a year!
“The thin, anemic blood of inadequate
traffic volume,” Mr. Brosnan told the Se
curity Analysts, “is the chief cause of
the ills of the railroad industry. Health
charging higher and higher rates on less
and less traffic.”
Barge operators and unregulated truck
ers (who can charge what they please for
groin movements) or profiteering, he
charged, under the rail rate umbrella held
over them by the ICC. “Our train rates
were tailored to help cure this situation—
to the profit of all consumers of meat and
bread, as well as Southern. The delay
in making these rates effective is not—
definitely not — in the public interest.”
Congress, he told his hearers, can re
store true competition to American trans
portation by passing legislation in the next
session to permit all common carriers to
set minimum rates on agricultural and bulk
commodities.
Perfect Contrast
In the Soviet Union, despite its vast po
pulation and its wealth of natural resour
ces. the shortage of consumer goods has
become so acute that Premier Khrushchev
has been complaining, and official heads
have rolled. In Red China — also with a
vast population and a wealth of natural
resources — only subsistence items, food
included, can be found in the stores, and
even those are in tragically short supply.
Now we have another example, far clos
er to home. A short time ago Castro’s gov
ernment nationalized all of Cuba's shoe and
clothing stores, and established a tight sys
tem of rationing — most Cubans can't obtain
shoes at all. Then, just before Christmas,
according to an AP wire datelined Ha
vana, it was ordered that all baby goods, of
whatever kind, can be sold only to mothers
of infants or expectant mothers. The AP
quotes a leading Cuban newspaper as stat
ing that should a woman's pregnancy not
be evident, she must have a medical cer
tificate to demonstrate it.” How would you
like to walk into an American retail store
— and be greeted with an order like that?
THE COVINGTON NEWS
SnomorHl bt G» D«p< of Commerce A Ga Amu.
GEORGIA HERITAGE — A veteran of the American_Revolu
tion and Indian wars settled in northeast Georgia in 1784. The
home he built in the Tugaloo River valley (on present-day U.S.
123 six miles east of Toccoa) is still standing, along with addi
tions built later at both ends. The builder of the home was Ma
jor Jesse Walton, who aptly named it “Traveler’s Rest.” The
massive doors and walla are dramatic evidence to today's tour
ists of the typical protection needed on the frontier, when a
home might have to be turned into a fort if Indians went on
the warpath. Walton was killed by Indians in 1789; legend says
that he held off an attack by redmen for four days before the
Indian victory. Later Walton’s house passed into the hands of
Devereaux Jarrett, who became one of the wealthiest and most
successful businessmen and planters in North Georgia He en
larged the house and opened Traveler's Rest to the public as a
stagecoach inn, trading post, and post office. As Jarrett Manor
it became well-known for hospitality, comfort, and for the fa
mous people who stayed there. The Georgia Historical Commis
sion has maintained Jarrett Manor as a tourist and historical
attraction since 1965.
SOUR WEEKLY 4^ LES $O N FOR
unday School
Psalms of Personal Trust
Bible Material: Psalms 23;
46.
Devotional Reading: Psalms
27:1-5. 7-8. 13-14.
Memory Selection: Be still,
and know that 1 am God.
Psalms 46:10.
Intermediate - Senior Topic:
Whom Can I Trust?
Young People-Adult Topic:
Faith Gives Security.
Psalm 23 is one of the best
known and most beloved por
tions of Scripture. It has been
a source of comfort to more
people than almost any other
passage in the Bible. In times
of trouble and loneliness, dan
ger and death, the strong com
forting words of the Shepherd
Psalm have given courage and
hope to the believer
There is little that an inter
preter can add to the beauty
and sublimity of these words.
The poem shines forth of itself
and speaks clearly and directly
to the reader who listens to its
message with faith.
Yet there are new insights
that come to us with a better
understanding of the back
ground and contents of the
poem, and so we try to inter
pret anew these familiar words
in order to gain new spiritual
help for our daily lives.
It is our belief that the image
of God the shepherd persists
throughout the whole psalm,
although there are those who
see God as the gracious host in
the last two verses. The pas
toral theme throughout allows
for rich artistic treatment and
deep religious teaching.
The Hebrews, who were no
mads for centuries before they
settled in Palestine and tend
ed their flocks during the
Biblical period as well, were
aware of the rich symbolism
of the pastoral life—the lov
ing care and patience of the
shepherd for his sheep was a
constant reminder to the peo
ple of the divine love and care
for man.
“The Lord is my shepherd: I
shall not want,” is the keynote
of the whole psalm. It express
es in a summary way the all
inclusive faith of the writer in
the goodness and mercy of
God. The two parts of the
verse could be brought even
closer together for according
to the more accurate transla
tion of the Hebrew, the first
part implies a causal sense and
should be translated. “Since, or
because the Lord is my shep
herd, 1 shall not want.”
The word “shepherd” in He
brew means the one who feeds,
and the skillful shepherd is
the one who knows where the
fresh green grass grows. To
this spot he leads his flock so
that they may eat their fill.
Then, after a while, he leads
them to the quiet pools where
they may safely drink. Often
times the sheep are tired after
grazing over a large area; but
the considerate shepherd soon
revives them with his gentle
care and foresight—he restores
their soul!
In this image of the shepherd
providing for the needs of his
sheep, the Hebrew saw God
1 providing for his people. In the
! earliest days of Israel’s history
Jacob thought of God as his
I shepherd who cared for him
throughout his life: “And he
blessed Joseph, and said, God,
before whom my fathers Abra
ham and Isaac did walk, the
God which fed (the same word
as shepherded) me all my life
long unto this day” (Genesis
48:15). The God of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob is the shep
herd of mankind. Not only does
He care for man’s physical
needs, but He also satisfies his
spiritual longings.
Although the expressions of
feeding, and quenching the
thirst and restoring the soul
refer primarily to physical ex
periences, yet we may find
here also a deeper meaning
and significance of the spirit
ual refreshment and restora
tion of the human soul.
The man who hungers and
thirsts after righteousness will
find satisfaction and fulfill
ment in the new life which
God alone can give. It is for
this reason that Jesus Christ
could call himself the Good
Shepherd, for as the Son of
God he shows us the shepherd
heart of God, and by laying
down his life, saves us from the
hands of the enemy.
The image of God the Shep
herd not only brings out the
loving care of God for his peo
ple, but also the truth which
God’s people have in Him. In
fact, in Psalm 100:3, Israel is
described as God’s flock:
“Know ye that the Lord he is
God: it is he that hath made
i us, and not we ourselves; we
are his people, and the sheep
of his pastures.” Just as the
sheep depend entirely on the
shepherd for their sustenance
and protection, so we trust God
for his merciful blessings to
। sustain us from day to day.
The underlying theme of this
psalm is trust —the response of
■ man to God’s love for him. Just
as man depends upon God for
life, and the means to sustain
it, so he looks to God to lead
! and guide him along life’s
! pathway. This is the subject of
the next part of our commen
tary.
“He leadeth me in the paths
of righteousness for his name’s
sake.” The shepherd knows the
right track along which to lead
his sheep. The word “righte
ousness" here in the Hebrew
has as its basic meaning the
idea of “straightness,” and so
the shepherd leads his sheep in
straight ways, and not in the
narrow, winding vales where
dangers lurk on every hand.
"For his name's sake,” that is.
for the sake of his honor and
reputation as a Shepherd, he
selects the best route for his
sheep, and does qot mislead
them into thorny, winding by
ways.
Yet sometimes the sheep
wander off into the deep, dark
crevices of a ravine, and the
shepherd must risk his life to
go after them and rescue them
from certain death. It is an
experience like this to which
the Psalmist refers when he
sings: “Yea. though 1 walk
through the valley of the shad
ow of death, I will fear no
evil: for thou art with me: thy
rod and thy staff they comfort
me.” Danger is ever lurking in
the wilderness, ready to harm
the defenseless sheep. In bibli
cal times we read of lions and
(Best Coverage: News, Pictures and Features) Thursday, April 25, 1963
Senator
Pennington
Reports
This week I would like to begin
explanation of some of the more
important legislation passed dur
ing the 1963 session of the Gener
al Assembly.
House Bill No. 1 dealt with the
reorganization of the State High
way Board. This bill was passed
by the House and by the Senate
and signed into law by Governor
Sanders.
The bill will abolish the present
three man highway board. Under
the old system there was one
member of the board from south
Georgia, one from middle Georgia
and one from north Georgia. Un
der the new system there will be
one board member from each of
the ten Congressional Districts in
Georgia. This will give us a ten
man highway board. This board
will meet once each month in At
lanta where they will set the poli
cies and program for the Highway
Department during the following
month. The ten man board will
elect a director who will Institute
the policies of the Highway Board.
This system has not been put in
to operation yet, however, it will
be very shortly. The membership
of the new state highway board
will be initially appointed by the
Governor for a staggard term.
The Fourth District member will
be John R. Hines of Hogansville.
Upon the expiration of the ori
ginal term the members of the
highway board will be elected by
the various Senators and repre
sentatives who represent counties
that lie in the Congressional Dis
trict.
The initial appointment of t h e
director will be made by the Gov
ernor for a two year term. Jim L.
Gillis. Sr. of Soperton. Georgia
has been appointed to this posi
tion. Upon the expiration of his
two year term the ten man High
wav Board will elect his successor.
When the new highway board
and the new system is implement
ed I feel that it will better be able
to represent the interest of all the
people than the old system. The
member from each Congressional
District will be able to be more
familiar with the road needs of
his district. It will be his respon
sibility to visit in each county
with the commissioners, repre
sentatives and senator and outline
a road program for that county.
It will be his responsibility to get
this program carried out by t h e
State Highway Department.
House Bill No. 305 makes it il
legal for anyone in Georgia to
shoot, trap and otherwise take any
type wild bird, unless that bird is
destroying crops or property. I
feel that this was an extremely
good piece of legislation. It will
protect our many song birds from
wantless killing. Georgia was one
of only six states in the united
States who did not have this pro
tection for song birds. This bill
was passed by the house and sent
to the Senate Agriculture and Na
tural Resources Committee, which
I am chairman. We perfected the
bill by certain ammendments and
passed it in the Senate. It will
probably be signed into law by the
Governor this week.
Brooks Pennington. Jr.
Senator. 45th District
bears in Palestine against which
men had to fight. Today,
wolves and hyenas still prey
upon the shepherd's flocks. Al
though the Hebrew word trans
lated "shadow of death” ac
tually means "deep darkness,”
yet it is death which really
awaits the sheep in the pre
cipices and caves.
Even though the sheep finds
itself in these dangerous places
he does not fear, for “thou art
with me." Notice the change
in the pronoun here! Up to this
verse the subject of the sen
tences has been "he,” mean
ing the Lord. But when danger
and death are near by, then
the more personal and inti
mate pronoun "thou" is used.
It is the nearness and real
presence of the shepherd which
calms the frightened sheep.
Two implements of protec
tion are mentioned by the
Psalmist. The shepherd has a
“rod,” or sturdy club, which
he use to beat the wild beasts,
and a “staff,” or long stick
with a crook at the end. where
by the shepherd can retrieve
the sheep from a thicket or
dangerous crag. It is the pres
ence of the shepherd with his
rod and staff that gives com
fort to the sheep and makes
him fear no evil.
Although the psalmist is us
ing imagery from the pastoral
life of Palestine, he is think
ing of God.s relation to his peo
ple. There are times of danger
in life when we need divine
protection and care. And when
we approach the vale of deep
darkness, it is good to know
that "thou art there,” ready
to receive us and take us unto
thyself.
Facts About Mental Illnesses:
The Extent of Mental Illness:
1. At least 1 person in every 10 — 19,000.000 people in all
— has some form of mental or emotional illness
(from mild to severe) that needs psychiatric treat
ment.
2. Mental illness is known to be an important factor in
, many physical illnesses, even heart disease and tu
berculosis.
3. At least 50'c of all the millions of medical and surgical
cases treated by private doctors and hospitals have
a mental illness complication.
How Many Enter and Leave Mental Hospitals?
1. There are more people in hospitals with mental illness,
at any one time, than with all other diseases com
bined, including cancer, heart disease, tuberculosis
and every other killing and crippling disease.
2. Last year about 1,100,000 persons received treatment in
our public, federal and private mental hospitals
and in the psychiatric wards of general hospitals.
(This included the patients who were in the hos
pitals at the beginning of the year, plus those who
were admitted during the year).
3. On any one day of the year about 800.000 persons are
under the psychiatric care of these hospitals, includ
ing about 125,000 who are not actually in the hos
pital but are on “trial visit” or a similar form of
supervision.
4. Each year about 700.000 persons are admitted for psy
chiatric treatment in mental hospitals and in the
psychiatric sections of general hospitals. Os these,
over 100,000 are admitted for the second or third
time.
5. In spite of the increase in the number of patients treated
during the year in state and county mental hospitals,
fewer patients were in the hospital at the end of
the year than at the beginning. In 1962 the resident
hospital population declined again, slightly, for
a seventh successive year.
LIBRARIES ARE ESSENTIAL
Reading is an adventure that never grows old. The excite
ment of the past, the challenge of the present, the uncertainty
of the future, all are available for an investment of time.
In providing access to the unlimited vistas which reading
can unfold, libraries serve an important function. Unfor
tunately, it is a function that is accepted without comment
by many, unknown to others and ignored by a few. And yet,
a strong and aggressive library system is essential to the
preservation of our democratic processes.
A search for truth is dependent upon the availability and
the free flow of information. Although it is fashionable, it
is also dangerous, to depend upon interpretations of others
as the source of facts upon which to formulate decisions.
Libraries provide the raw materials from which the ele
mental facts may be relined in arriving at considered judg
ments.
So long as libraries flourish, the search for truth and
the advance of the frontiers of knowledge will continue.
As soon as libraries lose their sense of mission, grow com
placent, or suffer the indignities of insufficient public interest
and support, there will occur a deterioration in our credi
bility and vitality as a nation. We can afford many things.
We cannot afford this.
— Robert E. Sullivan, Dean School of
Law, Montana State University, in Montana
Libraries, January 1963
B?- ' “
AM TALMADGE I
Reports From 3
t&HINGTON | J
HERE IN THE capital of the
world’s most respected nation,
crime stalks the streets and citi
xens fear for their persons and
property.
The situation has reached such
shocking proportions that Wash
ington has become a disgrace to
all Americans.
Violence on the
streets, such as
assaults, rapes
and robberies,
and particular
ly involving
juveniles,
makes it un
safe to walk
alone after dark, even on Capi
tol Hill.
One can remember when the
District of Columbia was held
up a« a “showplace” of the
country and a “model for de
segregation.** The truth is—and
it can no longer be swept under
the carpet—that Washington is
no one's model for anything.
The dubious distinction the
city now holds is that of a
leader in crimes of violence.
• • •
IN THE SCHOOLS. an arro
gant “atmosphere of lawless
ness” makes educstion virtually
impossible, according to the
McCarthy Committee which in
vestigated the Thanksgiving
Day riot at the city’s football
stadium.
The riot forced into the open
the appalling disciplinary prob
lems in Washington schools. No
longer could it be said that all
was well in the school system.
An end to the ban against cor
poral punishment was recom
mended but public outcry indi
cated that it might be too harsh
«r«sw«4 ar FWM * awcruerw Mfwj
on the young hoodlums to spank
them.
Then there are the apologists
who contend that these law
breakers—whether they be adult
or juvenile—are not really re
sponsible for their misconduct.
I go along with the thinking of
the McCarthy Committee, that
“lawbreaking anywhere is not
the result of being underprivi
leged. Breaking the law results
from a fundamental lack of
self-discipline.**
• • •
THE CRIME RATE here is
not too surprising when yon
consider that there seems to be
more concern for the “rights’*
of the criminal than for the
public. For one thing, in the
District the accused virtually
goes to trial with a presumption
of insanity in his favor which
the prosecution must overcome
for a conviction.
This is because of the so-called
Durham rule, handed down in
1954 by the U. S. Court of Ap
peals here. It calls for an in
sanity acquittal if the crime was
the "product” of mental illness.
An example of how strangely
this rule can be applied cams
recently in the trial of a youth
accused of robbing two women
in their apartment and raping
them. Using the Durham rule,
the jury acquitted him of ths
rapes, but found him guilty of
housebreaking and robbery.
How much longer will the law.
abiding publie stand for such
as this?