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As the Holy Christmas season
approaches there will be many
sacred services throughout New
ton County, the State and Nation,
in homes, schools and houses of
worship. We think there will be
none more sacred, and beautiful,
as was the Candle Light Cere
mony at the First Baptist Church,
with Rev. Callaway and the Music
Director, Alan Mitchell, in char
ge.
The Church was filled with pa
rents, Grands, Aunts, Unclesand
friends of the Church, along with
the members. The Choir Loft
and large pulpit was filled with
the young peoples choirs of the
church, in their Choir Robes,
looking like angels, and certainly,
singing like them. We would not
begin to express our opinion of
the beauty of the young people,
for you have learned that “Ye
Editor” is a wee bit partial when
it comes to the youth of our en
tire community.
God did not see fit to give us
children of our own, but He did
make it possible for us to work
with all the young people of our
town in some manner, for many
years, in Church and various or
ganizations. They still come first
within my heart, and life. Os
course, now, the parents all have
their place within our heart, be
cause they have so generously sh
ared their most blessed posses
sion with us.
Most of you have been busily
engaged in Christmas shopping,
while we somehow did our daily
round of this and that, and have
not come to the point of finding
gifts for Santa or anybody. . .
especially ones that fit the per
son, for we have really not be
gun, in earnest, our shopping.
There is one thing we can say:
The Merchants of Covington have
everything the heart can desire,
and we usually go out on the
“deep-end” and finally buy the
things WE, our selfish self, would
like to have.. .for others.. .that
costs money, but you know our
Merchants buy this merchandise
in the New York, and other far
away markets, JUST FOR US...
and we’d be sorter ungrateful if
we dashed off to what looked
like “greener pastures”, in the
City, to buy our merchandise.
Did you realize they went to
great expense to get this mer
chandise just for US? Then, it
is up to us to shop AT HOME,
where these merchants spend
their money with us, what ever
business you are in. Too, when
you make a purchase in your
Home Town.. .your money stays
here. . .it turns over and over,
in local hands, until in some
way, it comes right back to YOU.
Too, if you are not completely
satisfied with your purchase, th
ese merchants (your neighbors,
your friends, your church mem
bers, ) are eager to exchange the
merchandise for just what you do
want. They stand behind every
purchase, for YOU are their
friend also.
So friends, let’s keep Coving
ton and Newton County money in
the hands of Covington Merch
ants, friends and neighbors, for
sooner or later, as stated, it
will come right back to you. Did
you know our merchants buy in
the same markets in New York
that the Atlanta, and other city
stores do? Enough said. . .
“TRADE AT HOME WITH YOUR
HOMETOWN MERCHANT. . .
WHO PAYS HIS TAXES HERE,
WHO SUPPORTS YOUR SC
HOOLS AND CHURCHES AND
EVERY PHASE OF LOCAL COM
MUNITY WORK.
Speaking of our Churches. . .
we are watching with great pride
that new Baptist Church being
erected at Oxford, Ga. Prayers
were answered and these mem
bers are seeing their dream ma
terialize. We have many new
Churches, of various denominat
ions, going up within our County
for which we are grateful. . .and
this brings us around to saying
just this;
We have, within our County,
many of God’s children who have
not given their hearts to Him,
to the extent, that they have af
filiated with any Church. Hie
time has come when lbs plea:
"Come unto me, all ye that are
weary, and heavy laden, and I
will give you rest”, should be
answered. We all have the need
of Christ within our lives, and
somehow keep putting off start
ing to His house on Sunday, or
sending the children, sometimes
financial matters, seem to inter
fere, for we some times feel
that we cannot afford fine clo
thes for ourselves or children.
God does not want fine clothes
He ywants US. . .and NOW’. If
we wait, we are not sure but that
tomorrow will be the day He
calls us Home, to find that we
have rejected Him here, where
He sent His only Begotten Son,
to bring us the glad tidings we
could never have had so beauti
fully. . .God let HIM die, on the
Cross, that you and I might
have life eternal. . .WHAT ARE
WE DOING FOR HIM?
Are WE walking in the foot
steps our Saviour marked out
for us? Are we worshiping HIM
when the doors of the Churches
are opened? Are we giving our
selves in some kind of service
(Continued r ; age 13)
A Prize-Winning
Newspaper
1968
Better Newspaper
Contests
«> oE OF NEWS, PICTURES, AND FEATURES OF ANY WEEKLY IN GEORGIA
The Georgia EnK ^hed 1865 —The Covington Star, Established 1874—The Enterprise, Established 1902, and The Citizen-Observer, Established 1953
VOLUME 104 NO. 7
Jim Allen Most Outstanding Back
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JIM ALLEN received the Newton Ram citation and trophy as the
Outstanding Back of the 1968 Rams at the annual banquet Thursday
evening at the school cafeteria. Making the presentation on behalf
of the Covington Elks Lodge is B. C. Crowell (left).
Andy Howell Most Outstanding Lineman
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ANDY HOWELL was named as the Outstanding Lineman of the 1968
Newton County Rams at the annual banquet Thursday. Howell (right)
is congratulated by B. C. Crowell of the Covington Elks Lodge who
made the trophy presentation. (More photos of the banquet inside
NEWS today).
Sowell Vs Loyd In City
Council Race Wednesday
A special runoff City Election
will be held Wednesday, Decem
ber 18, to elect a Councilman
for Post 4 In the city.
In the annual City Election De
cember 4 the two top candidates
in the three-man race were La-
Newton Junior Symphonic
Band In Concert Tonight
The Newton Junior Symphonic
Band formerly known as The
Newton Cadet Band will present
its annual Christmas Concert
Thursday evening, December 12,
at 8 p.m. in the Newton County
High School Auditorium.
The concert will be highlighted
by the Junior Symphonic Band’s
performance of Claire Grund
man’s classic for band “Second
American Folk Rhapsody”. This
difficult piece uses several well
known American Folk Tunes (Skip
To My Lou, Billy Boy, Shennan
doah), as themes around which the
Symphonic number is created.
“Prelude and Fugue” by Geo
rge Frederick Handel composer
of the famed “Messiah”, "Cita
del” concert march, "Tropical
Twilight” -a latin American
number, and “Jingle Bell Fan
tasy” utilizing the simple
melody of Jingle Bells in
different forms from ballad to
jazz are other selections to be
performed by The Junior Sym
phonic Band.
Also on the program will be
the E. L. Ficquett School Fifth
Grade Training Band and a com
bined sixth grade band composed
of Students from Palmer Stone
and Ficquett Schools.
Admission for the concert will
be 50? for students and SI.OO
for adults with the tickets being
on sale only at the auditorium
on the night of the concert.
Tickets purchased for the con
cert tonight will also be good for
the Blue Rambler Band Concert
to be held on Thursday night,
December 19. No advance tick
ets will be sold for either con
cert.
Band members participating on
the program from the three
groups are: Fifth Grade advance-
• ^lnmngtnn News
mar Sowell and the Incumbent
J. E. Loyd but neither received
a majority of the votes cast.
Sowell had 277, Loyd 256 and L.
B. (Duck) Atkins 53.
Polls at City Hall will be open
from 7 a. m. until 7 p. m.
ment Beginning Band from Fic
quett School, Flute: Mary Car
michael, Teresa Mask, Suzy Ad
ams. Clarinet: Maureen Wen
del, Marcle Robertson, Steve To
wnsend, Tim Nellis, Janice Jo
nes, Lucy Brown, Mary Lynn
Bruce, Lynn Hudgins, Natalie
Lunsford, Gay Lane, Kim Street,
Terri Lynn Sammons.
Cornet: Matt Klim, Greg Jo
nes, Eddy Sherod, David Con
nell, Steve Connell, Dana strange.
Trombone: Tim Adams, Joe
Mobley, Paul Schlageter, Randy
Johnson, Paul Clemens. Bass:
Andy Gazaway. Drums: David
Dollar, Teddy Chancey.
Combined Sixth Grade Perfor
ming Group: Flute-Vera Lynn
Kellum, Winnlfred Clements.
Cornet-Bob Unger, Rodney Wil
liams. Trombone-Ricky Wyatt.
Tenor Saxophone-Scott Jay. Fr
ench Horn-Carey Tuck. Clarl
nets-Judy Watterson, Jimmy Ta
nner, Charlene Elliott, Melody
Savage, Paulette Callahan, Rita
Hastings, Tammy Greer, Phil
Johnson, Vickie Allen, Cindy Kli
maszewskl, Lynn Schlageter, Su
san Payne. Bassoon-Chrls
Adams.
The Newton Junior Symphonic
Band is composed of students
from E. L. Ficquett, Livingston,
Palmer - Stone and Porterdale
Schools. Members of this group
are seventh and eighth graders
with a few sixth grade students.
Flute-Joanne Schlageter, Julie
Thomas, Roxanne Callahan, She
rry Deloach, Susan Robertson,
Jackie Ellis, Pam Jackson,
Debra Maddox. Oboe-Andrea
Pinson. Eb Soprano Clarlnet-
Nell Mauney.
Alto Saxophone-Dan Bohannan,
Rita Rutledge, Bill Callaway, Ch
eryl Anderson, Leslie Mclntosh,
COVINGTON, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1968
''The Messiah” To Be Presented
Sunday 8 PM At Baptist Church
The Covington Civic Chorus
will present their annual Ch
ristmas program, "The Me
ssiah”, at the First Baptist Ch
urch on Sunday evening, Dec
ember 15, at 8 o’clock, "The
Messiah”, written by George
Frederick Handel, has become a
tradition in musical presentat
ions at this season of the year.
Director of the program this
year is Alan Mitchell, Music
Director of the First Baptist
Church, with Mrs. Julia Rumble,
organist. Soloists for the pre
sentation this year will be Mrs.
Leigh Jay, Soprano; Mrs. Louly
Fowler, Soprano; Mrs. Olive Ke
llum, Contralto; Jack Broshar of
Atlanta, Tenor; and John Van
Cura of Macon, Bass.
Members of the Chorus parti
cipating in this year’s program
are, Soprano; Louise Adams,
Marilyn Blankenberg, Connie
Danek, lola Dietz, Ila Dollar,
Fay Ewing, Louly Fowler, Pat
ricia Haymore, Vlckey Hunter,
Leigh Jay, Carol McCanless, El
eanor Moss, Mary Lou Murphy.
Contralto: Gayle Anderson,
Dura Austin, Bobby Banks,
Norma Bell, Nancy Briggs, Ra
chael Chapman, Harriette Davis,
Christine Ellis, Margie Ghees
ling, Virginia Harrington, Olive
Kellum, Ruth Pratt, Ila Randle,
Betty Robinson, Daryl Stimpson,
Joan Tuck.
Tenor: James Bell, George
Hutchinson, Owen Kellum, Jane
Lassiter, Harry Moore, Charles
Murphy, Hoyt Oliver. Bass;
Larry Anderson, Lawrence Bri
dges, Theodore Davis, James
Gillette, S. J. Morcock, Richard
Pratt and Goodwin Tuck.
The public is cordial)'’ invited
to attend “The Messiah”, which
is a highlight of the pre-Christ -
mas season In Newton County.
Chsistmo^ Concert
On Monday Night
The Newton County High School
Chorus will present their Christ
mas Contata, December 16 at
8:00 P.M. at the N.C.H.S. Au
ditorium.
The all-girl chorus, under the
direction of Mrs. Perry Hay
more, will present the Contata
"A Star In the Sky.” Various
special groups will be featured
throughout the concert. The
Chorus will be accompanied by
Mrs. M. E. Goode. Mr. Eddie
Najjar will narrate Christmas
readings throughout the program.
Since the theme of the program
is the Christmas story, there will
be no charge for admission. The
public is cordially Invited to att
end.
Tenor Saxophone-Scott Jay.
Clarinet-Fern Waldrop, Lisa
Tuck, Lynn House, Peter Jones,
Randy Smith, Harriett Jordan,
Jaynie Branham, Melinda Hen
derson, Crystal Luke, Donna Cr
iswell, Tommy Durand, Nancy
Burt, Janice Penn, Kenneth An
thony, Diane Ledford, Nathan Se
ars, Charles Brunson.
Alto Clarlnet-Janlce Rutledge.
Bass Clarinet-Clay Bailey, Luke
Gregory.
Comet-Trumpet - Phil Goins,
Jim Murphy, Warren Morgan,
Terry Stephens, Walker Camp
bell, Richard Mask, Rickey Free,
Dale Hamilton, Benny Hardy, Bill
Burt, Jon Clements, Kenny Nor
rington, Tony Dyal.
Percussion - Gordon Abbott,
Johnny Addison, Marty Gazaway.
French Horn-Biff Hutchinson,
Mike Pinson, Barbara Mitchell.
Trombone - Charles Robertson,
Mark Rainey, Doug Connell, John
Criswell, John Moody. Baritone-
Billy Floyd. Bass HOrn-Keith
Connell.
Third Quarter Sales Up 10%
Retail sales during the third
quarter of 1968 totaled $2,322,-
168,000 compared to $2,038,797,-
000 during the same period last
year, an Increaseof 13.9 percent,
according to a recent survey by
the Georgia Chamber of Com
merce.
Crawford County led the state
with an increase of 32.1 percent.
Retail sales decreased In seven of
Georgia’s 159 counties.
Newton County’s third quarter
sales in 1969 topped that of a year
Yule Buyers Shopping At Home,
With Imagination, On Credit
All signs point to this as the
most successful Christmas buy
ing season In the history of New
ton County. Judging from re
ports of local stores, people are
buying earlier this year and they
are buying more expensive mer
chandise.
"I think that people are mak
ing more money and have more to
spend at this one time of year
when they try to be happy and to
make others happy,” one store
owner said Friday. “If we can’t
solve the world’s problems I
guess we’re learning to live with
them.”
People’s emotional state of
mind definitely affects purchas
es and from reports of weekend
sales here, everyone must be
deliriously happy.
"I had a customer just now
who made two purchases and
never asked the price of either
item. She told me ‘I don’t care
about the cost, I just want it to
be pretty.’ This seems to be
how most people feel,” another
store manager reported.
Mrs. Jo Me Laney of Coving
ton Flower Shop said “This is
the very best Christmas we’ve
ever had. People are buying
early. They are buying more
Public Offices, Supermarkets,
Banks Give Yule Schedule
Christmas holiday closing sch
edule for the four super markets
of Covington, the public offices
in the Newton County Courthouse
and Covington’s three banks have
been announced.
Big Apple, Colonial, Kroger and
A and P will take Christmas Day
(Wednesday) only as a holiday.
These stores will re-open on
Thursday, December 26, accord
ing to information obtained by The
News this week. However, all
four super markets will be open
all-day Wednesday, December 11
and 18 to accommodate their cus
tomers.
Offices In the Newton County
Courthouse will be closed two
days for Christmas (Wednesday)
and December 26 (Thursday).
These same offices will take only
New Years day (Wednesday) off.
All three of the banks In Cov
ington, the Bank of Covington,
the First National Bank, and the
First Citizens Bank, have ann
ounced that they will take Christ
mas day and the day after (Dec
ember 26) off for the Yule holi
days. In order to serve their
Vietnam War
Claims Former
Covington Man
First Sgt. Earl T. Staffer of
Ft. Gordon, formerly of Coving
ton, was killed in Vietnam on
December 9, according to an an
nouncement received here by
Caldwell and Cowan Funeral
Home (yesterday) Wednesday,
December 11, from Fort Gordon.
Sgt. Shaffer was married to
the former Ruth Hewell of Cov
ington and had been In the ser
vice for 30 years. They have one
son, Pvt. Earl T. Shaffer, Jr.,
also serving In Vietnam and two
daughters, Miss Linda B. Shaf
fer and Mrs. Ruth L. West.
Sgt. Shaffer’s body is being
returned to Covington for bu
rial. Funeral services win be
announced by Caldwell and Cowan
Funeral Home on notification of
the arrival of his body In the sta
tes.
ago by more than a million doll
ars. The 1968 third quarter sales
sum was $9,466,000, as compared
to $8,614,000 a year ago. This
Is almost a 10% increase.
County estimates by calendar
quarters of business are based on
Georgia Department of Revenue
data for adjusted gross sales tax
amounts. These figures exclude
out-of-state purchases, which
relate to use tax amounts, and
they Indicate place of sale rather
than consumer buying power by
place of residence.
decorations for inside the home
for the family to enjoy rather than
just something on the door for
passersby. They are taking more
time to decorate.”
Howard Brooks of White’s
Dept. Store said “Business is
moving at an excellent pace. Peo
ple are in a good mood. They are
selecting better price merchan
dise because they want “some
thing good.”
He agrees with other mer
chants that there is a definite
trend to buying at home Instead
of going to other cities. Mr.
Brooks attributes this to the fact
that there has been an abundant
selection of better merchandise
in all the local stores this year.
Another aid to local shopping
Is the fact that most stores in
Covington will stay open until
9 p. m. beginning Dec. 13.
Don Wood of Wood-Dickinson
Furniture Co. agrees that this
current shopping season will
show the biggest sales volume
in the history of the town. Mr.
Wood is chairman of the Down
town Merchants’ Committee.
“Not only In my store but In all
downtown we’ve had the largest
crowds ever,” he said Tuesday.
"I think people realize the tre-
customers the Bank of Coving
ton and the First National Bank
have announced that they will re
main open all day Wednesday,
December 11 and December 18.
Ordinarily these banks have been
closed Wednesdays.
A definite closing schedule has
not been announced by all Cov
ington Meadows Shopping Center
merchants.
The Newton County Pharmac
eutical Association voted to close
all Drug Stores In Covington two
days for Christmas. They will
be closed Christmas day and the
Thursday following Christmas
day.
Hays, Davis And
Kinard Win In
Mansfield Vote
The 1968 Mansfield Town ele
ction was held Monday and three
councilmen were returned to off
ice. Victorious were Lee Hays,
Leonard Davis and J. W. Kinard,
Jr., members of the present
governing body. Seven candid
ates aspired for the three co
uncil seats.
Mr. Hays polled 126 votes,
Mr. Davis 124 and Kinard 106.
Other candidates and their votes
Included: J. E. Thompson 45,
R. S. Peck 39, Tom Dooley 28,
and Lawrence Patrick 21.
Applications Accepted For Empty Stocking Program
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ROTARY EMPTY STOCKING PROGRAM got underway Monday at the Newton County Courthouse when
applications were received for Christmas boxes and clothing. Rotary President Jim Morgan talks with
Rotarlannes Mrs. Moncey Pratt (center) and Mrs. Bud Dennison (right) of the Applications Committee
as applicants are interviewed. The Emptv Stocking Fund Is a participating agency of the Covington-
Newton County United Fund. The Rotary Club has sponsored this project for 22 years, and provided
the leadership to get the United Fund organized and functioning.
Editor ial 2
Obituary 6
Society 9
Sports ...••• 21-22
Legal 31
Classified 28-30
Flaming Truck
Wreck At Newborn
Burns Driver
An empty gasoline truck wreck
in the city limits of Newborn Mon
day night severely burned the dri
ver of the vehicle. Suffering se
cond and third degree burns on
98% of his body was C. M. Tyler
of Lawrenceville. He was rushed
to Crawford Long Hospital in At
lanta by an ambulance of J. C.
Harwell and Son Funeral Home
of Covington.
Hospital attendants at the At
lanta Hospital said that Tyler’s
condition was very critical soon
after his arrival.
The truck belonged to Whit
aker Oil Company of Atlanta.
It was theorized that the fumes
from the empty truck caused the
explosion and blaze. The vehicle
left the road near the old school
building in Newborn and wrecked.
The driver was the only occupant
of the truck.
Oxford Elects
3 Councilmen
Hie Town of Oxford held its
annual town election Monday and
all three Incumbent councilmen
were re-elected.
Garland Williams with 95
votes, Fred Taylor with 87 and
E. V. Moss with 73 were vic
torious over the fourth candi
date, Henry Lamar Weldon. Mr.
Weldon polled 56 votes.
mendous buys to be found in all
stores right here at home. They
appreciate the courtesy with
which they are waited on and the
lack of traffic congestion as op
posed to Atlanta. This year
much more business is being
done here.”
At Covington Meadows Shop
ping Center, Donald T. Mitch
ell of W. T. Grant’s reports that
the entire year has been good and
that it is expected to continue th
rough Christmas.
“What kinds of gifts are peo
ple buying?” he was asked.
“Os course this time of year
toys and small gifts are big but
really you might say that they
are buying everything. People
show a lot of imagination in gift
selections this year. They give
girdles, piece goods, tools, th
ings you might never have ex
pected them to choose in other
years.”
Most merchants agree that
credit buying is strong here.
Some point to the presence of
bank credit cards as an induce
ment to shop many stores. Oth
er stores that do not actually
honor these cards will open an
account quickly for anyone own
ing one of these cards.
Covingtonian
Killed In
Vietnam War
Third Class Hospital Petty Of
ficer James Curtis Tarrance Os
Covington was killed instantly In
Vietnam on December 4, accord
ing to an announcement received
by his family on Friday, Decem
ber 6. He was killed In the Da
nang Sector ambush of American
service men on the fourth, when a
large number of Americans were
killed and wounded.
Tarrance was a native of Gads
den, Alabama and moved to Cov
ington In 1960, where he was a
graduate of Newton County High
School In the class of 1966. He
was 20 years old at the time of
his death.
Tarrance joined the Navy in
September of 1966 and had been
in Vietnam since July of this
year. He received his training
at Great Lakes, Illinois at the
Navy Hospital School and was
then sent to Jacksonville, Flor
ida Naval Hospital for one year
before being sent to San Diego,
California from which station he
was sent to Vietnam.
According to a Navy spokes
man his body Is to be flown back
to the states for interment and
funeral plans will be announced
at the time of the arrival of his
body.
Surviving are his parents, Ja
(Continued Page 4)
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