Newspaper Page Text
VOLUME 37 — NUMBER 15
Swapping Letters For Litters Clayton County Man
Now Has One of Largest Guinea Pig Farms In World
Almost eight years ago Floyd
P. Davis, then an Atlanta mail
carrier, decided to buy five acres
on Highway 54, half a mile
north of Jonesboro, and swap
letters for litters. '
As a result he has today one
of the largest guinea pig busi
nesses in the whole world. It
may be the largest. He usually
has about 3,000 guinea pigs on
hand. Many people have passed
the guinea pig farm and won
dered about the. long hutches,
the low-covered buildings di
vided into pens. He has never
put up any signs because it is
more profitable to sell the pigs
to laboratories and hospitals.
The Atlanta Journal Maga
zine, in an illustrated article
written by Willard Neal, gave
Mr. and Mrs. Davis—she helps
him in the enterprise—a big
spread on August 26, 1951. At
that time the guinea pig farm
was thriving. And, as you might
well imagine, a great many pig
lets have gone to “market” since.
As Neal pointed out, you need
nerve to give up a steady gov
ernment job and stake your fu-
Grand Jury
Recommends
School Help
Clayton County Grand Jury
for the November term recom
mends in the general present
ments appointment of Earl L.
Baumgartel as Justice of the
Peace at Mountain View to fill
the unexpired term of Dan Vura,
who has moved, and Dr. E. A.
Dunbar of Forest Park as a
member of the Clayton County
Health Board to fill the unex
pired term of Dr. J. R. Wallis,
deceased.
Taking note of the “grave
situation” that has best the
County School system, relative to
tax inadequacies, the Grand
Jury recommends that ' County
Commissioners consider employ
ing tax experts for the purpose
of revalueing "every piece of
property in the county in order
that we all may share in the tax
loan equally.”
The Jury recommends that
County Commissioners proceed
with plans for a health center
and proceed with plans for erec
tion of a sewage disposal sys
tem for the county.
The Jury commends the work
of County Tax Commissioner
Robert Coleman and of the
Clayton County Water Authority
for work done toward the de
velopment of the County water
system.
The Jury recommends investi
gation of “honky tonks” and
close investigation of license ap
plicants.
The full list of general pre
sentments of the Grand Jury, E.
J. Swint, Foreman, will be found
elsewhere in this issue of the
Forest Park Free Press and Clay
ton County News and Farmer.
AMVET Activities
Numerous nominations for
the different Post Officers were
made at the regular meeting No
vember 17. Election night.
Thursday, December 1, should
prove very interesting.
Commander Watkins appoint
ed a committee to conduct the
election and various business
matters of the Post and Club
house were discussed.
Charlie Bartlett reported on
the progress of the Boxing and
Wrestling program and stated
the amount of money needed to
purchase the necessary equip
ment. Donations for this equip
ment are being requested from
various individuals and busi
nesses throughout the county. A
project such as this deserves the
co-operation of every- citizen in
the county since it is for the
betterment of the youth of the
county.
FP WOMAN'S CLUB
NOT IN POLITICS
The Forest Park Womens’
Club announces through the
President. Mrs. James J. Thom
as that it is not backing any
political candidate in the forth
coming city election Saturday,
Dec. 3.
The Woman's Club is inter
ested only in a capable adminis
tration, the executive committee
reported through Mrs. Thomas.
Jnrrst Park Prrss
anil
Gllaytntt dnunty anb IFarmrr
ture on two hutches full of
guinea pigs. But Davis did just
this, and he’s glad he did.
“Mr. Davis grew up around
More Cooperation Needed
In Rabies Control Program
Report on the Clayton County Rabies Control program
for the period beginning January 1, 1955, and ending Oct
ober 31, 1955, shows that two persons were bitten by rabid
dogs and treated with anti rabic vaccine at the health de
partment in Jonesboro, according to the report of Robert
E. Gunby, Clayton County Sanitarian.
Three of eight cases of rabies
occurred during January; two in
February; two in March, and
one in April. This fact, Gunby
points out in his report, dis?
proves the common belief of the
general belief that dogs are
more apt to go “mad” during the
spring and summer months.
Also, it ranks Clayton County
among the top counties in the
number of rabid dogs found in
counties throughout the State.
Dogs impounded at county
pound during the period: From
Forest Park area, 193; from Col
lege Park area, 180, and from
other areas of the county, 228,
or a total of 601 dogs.
Number of dogs from the cout
ty found to have positive evi
dence of rabies by state labora
tory during the period: three
from the Forest Park area; one
from College Park area, and four
from other areas of the county.
Gunby reported that the re
sponse of dog owners to the
Rabies Vaccination Clinics held
throughout the county has not
been satisfactory. This matter
has been discussed with the vet
erinarians and plans are being
made to conduct more frequent
clinics and increase the number
of vaccinations. Manyunvacci
nated dogs are seen in all areas
of the county. The public, Gunby
says, must be better informed as
to the danger of rabies in order
that all dog owners will respond
more readily to these clinics.
Beginning January 1, 1955, the
Rabies Control Program began
full operations on a 12-month
yearly basis for the first time. A
full-time assistant for J. J. Ed
wards, Enforcement Officer, was
placed on the county payroll.
Numerous calls and complaints
concerning dogs are attended to
daily by these men and occa
sionally Edwards’ services are
required at very inconvenient
hours, the report sets forth.
The enforeemnt of the laws
governing the control of Rabies
is progressing as satisfactorily as
can be expected with the present
number of employees and the
present equipment, Gunby said.
E. Clayton Lions Present
Special Wedding Sat.
The East Clayton Lions Club
is presenting a Womanlcss Wed
ding Saturday night, Dec. 3, for
the benefit of the East Clayton
School’s Midget Football team.
The cast is composed of mem
bers of the East Clayton Lions
Club and other prominent mem
bers of the East Clayton Com
munity, including Bill Deaton,
President of the club; Ray Car
ter, Secretary; "Mac” Kaiser,
Pete Edge, Col. Frank G. March -
man, Hugh Phillips, Col. H. J.
Pictte, Jim Quigley and Olin
Blackwell.
Proceeds of the “Womanless
Blairsville, Ga., and like most
mountainers he is reticent when
it comes to talking about his own
business But he admits the pigs
Commissioners
Will Discuss
Tax Structure
County Commissioners B. C.
Haynie, E. P. Echols and E.
Tarp George will be special
guest speakers at the December
1 meeting of the Mountain View
PTA at 8 o’clock in the school
auditorium. Their subject will be
"The Tax Structure and the
County Government”.
This will be the third in the
series of discussions by all
branches of local educational
and governmental bodies on the
tax structure of the county, how
it affects the schools and what
can be done to solve our school
problems. At the two previous
meetings E. W. Oliver, principal
of North Clayton school, spoke
as a representative of educators
and Robert E. Coleman present
ed the story from the Tax Com
missoner’s viewpoint.
At succeeding meetings the
subject will be discussed further
by representatives from the
school board and the tax asses
sors. All patrons of the school
and residents of the county are
cordially invited to attend any or
all of the meetings.
Mrs. R. W. Veatch, Jr.
VISITING TEACHERS
AT MILLEDGEVILLE
Georgia’s visiting teachers will
gather in Milledgeville for a two
day conference December 5-7 to
talk about preventing juvenile
delinquency in the state.
Mrs. G. P. Babb, Lovejoy, is
visiting teacher in Clayton
County.
The topic of the conference is
"Recognizing and Helping the
Pre-delinquent”. Lynn Shufelt,
associate professor of education
at the University of Georgia, will
be the conference consultant.
Wedding" will be used to pur
chase uniforms and other safety
equipment. The Midget football
team consists of about 25 fifth,
sixth and seventh grade boys at
East Clayton School. The team
is coached by John Borders, a
member of the faculty at East
Clayton, assisted by J. L. Quig
ley, Recreation Chairman, Par
ent Teachers Association at East
Clayton.
The “Womanlcss Wedding” will
be held in the Auditorium at
East Clayton School at 8 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 3. Tickets are
50c for adults and 25c for chil
dren.
FOREST PARK, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1955
are making a profit,” Neal wrote.
A slender, wiry man, sunburn
ed a walnut brown after 12 years
(See Page 3)
MOTHER'S CLUB
GIVES BENEFIT
DINNER SATURDAY
Entertainment for the family
group, with dinner in a friendly
atmosphere and games, prizes
and fun later is the program ar
ranged by members of the
Mother’s Club, Forest Park,
sponsors of the dinner at the
Youth Center, 5 to 8 p.m., Sat
urday, Dec. 3, for the benefit of
the Little Red School House for
Special Children, Inc., East
Point.
Sponsors urge everyone to vote
and then attend the dinner and
plan to attend the Kiwanis
Club’s Womanless Wedding aft
erwards. \
Some of the prizes arranged
included steak dinners and chil
dren’s clothing. There will be
prizes for adults and children
alike.
All proceeds will go to the spe
cial project. The Little Red
School House is maintained pri
marily for the purpose of edu
cating mentally retarded chil
dren.
Tickets are available from any
of the Club members—Mrs. Art
Lundstrom, Mrs. Fred Durden,
Mrs. Earle Van Houten, Mrs. Ab
bie Anderson, Mrs. Martha Kille
brew, Mrs. Mary Shone, Mrs.
Louise Uffner, Mrs. Fred Farmer
and Mrs. Violet Schmidt.
SSO CHAMBER PRIZE
GOES TO LAKE CITY
Lake City has won the SSO
prize offered by the Clayton
County Chamber of Commerce
to the community in the County
showing the greatest improve
ment during the past year, Sec
retary-Manager Robert LaMotte
announced in a newsletter this
week.
LaMotte said that in winning
this prize Lake City has done a
most outstanding and impressive
job. Among other things they
are well on their way in the con
struction of a Community House
and Center. “Our congratula
tions to Mayor and Mrs. William
R. Duke.”
LaMotte said that he is keep
ing in close touch with Scott
Candler, who has directed the
industrial expansion of DeKalb
County and is now doing like
wise as Secretary of the Geor
gia Department of Commerce
for the State of Georgia. Candler
recently told LaMotte: “You in
Clayton County will have the
finest set up for industry in this
whole section.” LaMotte said he
was keeping in close touch as
well as with Harrell Perkins, In
dustrial Agent for the Central of
Georgia Railway; F. A. Norton,
Citizens and Southern Bank de
partment for industrial expan
sion; Walter Cates, Manager of
the Georgia State Chamber of.
Commerce, all key figures in the
bringing of industry to Clayton
County. "It is our purpose to
coordinate our efforts with
theirs in every way possible,” he
said.
He outlined the recent meet
ing of the delegation of 24 rep
resentative Clayton County lead
ers with other leaders at the In
dustrial Conference in Gaines
ville.
Relative to Board meetings,
LaMotte set forth—
At their meeting on Nov. 21st
(See Pjige 5)
EDITORIAL
It is, in the final analysis, the voters who make up their own
minds and decide who they want to serve them as Mayor and
City Councilmen.
This is their right and privilege in a democratic system. It is
their duty to study the background and records of candidates
and vote their own convictions.
When all registered voters do this, and go to the polls and
cast their votes, they have served their city as useful, active citi
zens.
Citizens of Forest Park will go to the polls on Saturday, Dec.
3, and cast their votes for mayor and three councilmen. It is our
earnest wish that everyone registered to vote will take part in the
election.
Forest Park is one of the fastest growing cities in the Na
tion and deserves the finest of municipal leadership. The men
who have offered as candidates have a desire to serve to the best
of their ability.
Citizens will select the ones they feel best fitted to serve.
Main thing is to exercise your prerogative as a registerd voter—
and VOTE. It is up to you as registered voters to determine the
leadership you want.
Teachers Are Allocated
On Average Attendance
By Ed Edmonds, Superintendent
Clayton County Schools
The question has been asked us by many of our people
relative to how teachers are allocated to us by the State
Department of Education. Since this question has partic
ular significance to Clayton County’s Financial Problem
we are going to use the question for this week’s article.
Average Daily Attendance of
last year’s (1954-55) Student
Body is the basis on which
Reachers are allocated. For ex
ample: each day your child is
out of school, regardless of rea
son, we lose that part of a teach
er next year. If we had had five
percent better attendance last
year we could have reduced our
financial load of County paid
teachers by that percentage and
so on up the increase in better
attendance.
Clayton County Schools are
not hurt by our children being
ill nearly as much as they are
by such excuses as children stay
ing out of school to go shopping,
doing little jobs around the
^ouse that could easily be done
witer school and on Saturday
and to go visiting. School ex
penses go on regardless of
whether children are in regu
lar attendance or not. Serious
though the financial loss be to
the schools the loss to the child
who does not attend school regu
larly Is even more serious. Ope
only has to check out juvenile
court records to find that the
majority of children who end
up in court problems are those
who are in irregular school at
tendance.
We urge our parents to co
operate with the school people
about regular attendance. Let us
think more seriously about what
a loss it is to a child to miss
school and see if we can’t have
one of the best attendance rec
ords in the state this year.
Again, we are not asking that
children attend school when
they are ill but we do believe
that education is most impor
tant to a child at all other
times.
Womanless Wedding In FP
Friday And Saturday Nights
If you were the groom, would
you let the bride wear her badge
on the honeymoon? Sheriff John
Davis is the bride in a Woman
less Wedding to be held at Forest
Park High School Friday and
Saturday, Dec. 2 and 3, at 8 p.m.,
under sponsorship of the Ki
wanis Club.
Admission price is adults 50
cents, children 25 cents.
Mr. and Mrs. Knowzy Oats re
quest the honor of your presence
at the big event for the wedding
of their daughter, Tiny Oats, to
J. F. Liverton Barley (Bill Mc-
Coy).
Lavish preparations have been
made for the Womanless Wed
ding and everyone is invited.
The event will be directed by
Myrtle Lindsey.
The all-star cast follows:
First Usher—Dr. Roberts.
Second Usher—Dr. Russell J.
Crouse.
Mr. Turnip Green, Soloist-
Bob English.
Odom Turnipsccd, (Official
Splicer)—Robert Coleman.
J. F. Liverton Barley, Groom-
Bill McCoy.
Mr. Percy Birdseed, Best Man
—Dr. Stoddard.
Mrs. Oats, (Mother of the
Bride)—Belton Haynie.
Miss Muddle Riccflcld, Matron
of Honor—Tom George.
Brides Maids -Andrew Leistle,
Emmett Owens, Lowell Terrell,
Lamar Beckwith, Dr. Sigman,
Eck Foster, Jewell Nash, George
Kilpatrick, Homer Thacker, John
Sargent, Hal Millican.
Shucky Stringbean, Ringbear-
FOREST PARK
HIGH YOUNGSTERS
HEAR CONCERT
Fifty-six members of Forest
Park High School and B Band
attended the Young People’s
Concert Monday, November 21st,
presented by the Atlanta Sym
phony Orchestra at the munici
pal auditorium. This was the
first of a series of three concerts,
the next one being held Thurs
day, March 29, 1956.
These concerts are arranged
and presented by tjie symphony
in such away as to enable the
students to understand and
learn to appreciate truly good
music.
Special interest is being shown
by the Forest Park students due
to the fact that their band di
rector, Mr. Benjamin Goodsell,
plays first viola in the concerts.
The concert offered such in
spiring music as Schubert’s Un
finished Symphony—First Move
ment, Brassy Prelude by Gantz,
Bebussy’s Claire de Lune, Song
from Moulin Rouge by Issac,
and Dance Macabry by Saint-
Saens.
DOG SAVES BOY, 2
Kelvington, Sask. — When a 2-
year-old boy entered a pen oc
cupied by 35 pigs, the pigs at
tacked the child. The family pet
dog fought furiously to keep the
pigs away from the boy until he
could be rescued from the in
furiated animals.
er— W. W. Foust.
Flower Girls—Terrell Starr,
Thurmond Starr.
Tiny Oats, Bride—John Davis.
Mr. Knowzic Oats, Father of
the Bride—Dr. Watts Lipscomb.
Kate and Duplicate Cornsmute,
Train Bearers—Mit Gunter, Mlt
Bradford.
Henry Wheatheart, (Uncle of
(See Page 6)
C OF (.PLANS
AN OPEN FORUM
DECEMBER 9
The Clayton County Chamber
of Commerce is setting up a
Forum Meeting to be held at the
County Court House on Friday,
December 9, at 7:30 p.m. for the
purpose of studying and dis
cussing the tax set up with
suggestions for revision to equal
ize the load and raise enough
revenue to operate schools and
other county services.
Commissioner B. C. Haynie,
Tax Commissioner Robert Cole
man, Superintendent of Schools
J. E. Edmonds and Tax Assessor
J. W. Easley will each make a
short statement, following which
Ed Kemp will moderate a short
question and answer session,
where citizens can raise the
question they may wish on
taxes.
It is hoped that from this
meeting some solution will be
gin to take form. Everyone is in
vited and urged to attend.
OFFICIAL CLAYTON COUNTY PUBLICATION
Vote For Mayor
And 3 Councilmen
Forest Park Registered Voters
Go To Polls Saturday, December 3
On Saturday, December 3, registered voters of Forest
Park will go to the polls and elect a Mayor and three Coun
cilmen. There are four candidates for Mayor, including the
incumbent, J. K. Currie, and D. M. Johnson, W. B. Alexan
der and Douglas L. Harper.
In the contests for City Councilmen, there are two
candidates in Ward 1, L. D. Strietelmier and G. O. Thomas;
three in Ward 2, a new Ward; Joseph E. Chappell, Paul T.
Addis and Orren Edward Haynes; and three in Ward 5,
Lloyd E. Helms, W. L. McMillian, and Carl E. Merck.
Information on the candidates in all races is presented
herewith—
JAMES K. CURRIE—for Mayor
Incumbent, seeking re-election
Residence—losl S. Central
Avenue, Forest Park
Married—one child
Member of First Baptist
Church of Forest Park, member
of Masonic Lodge No. 399 and
Royal Arch, Superintendent of
Fisher Body Division of Atlanta
Plant, General Motors Corpora
tion.
Resident of Forest Park for
past 18 years.
PLATFORM
Doesn’t promise' anything be
cause the Council must pass
upon anything which may be
accomplished under our charter
but does promise to stand ready
to furnish honest, capable and
energetic leadership to carry out
your dictates.
DOUGLAS L. HARPER—
for Mayor
Residence—2ol Glenn Drive,
Forest Park
Married—three children
Resident of Forest Park ap
proximately three years.
Attends Philadelphia Presby
terian Church. Member of
Amvets Stockholder in Forest
Park Finance Company—part
ner in Harper-Randolph Insur
ance & Realty Company.
PLATFORM
His desire is to give govern
ment of the people back to the
people of Forest Park and if
elected he will at all times en
deavor to represent the ma
jority of the people. Has no po
litical connections and owes no
person, party or organization
any favors. Doesn't make any
promises for the city. Thinks we
should progress as the city can
afford it.
L. D. STRIETELMIER—Ward 1
Residence—l4o Burks Road,
Forest Park
Married—three children
Has lived in Forest Park for
past five years.
Member of the Hapeville
Methodist Church where he is a
past member of the Board of
Stewards and a member of the
choir. Pilot with Eastern Air
lines.
PLATFORM
Only through the continued
and greatly expanded working
together of city government and
interested citizenry will we be
able to put into operation, these
much wished-for improvements
such as more paved streets, side
walks in our school areas, fair
tax assessment, better public
transportation and sewerage.
JOSEPH E. CHAPPELL—Ward 2
Residence—l 34 Warren Drive,
Forest Park
Married—one child
Has lived in Forest Park ap
proximately four years.
Member of First Baptist
Church of Forest Park.
Member of Mason Lodge No.
399 and member of Royal Arch
75. Owner of Forest Park Weld
ing Shop.
PLATFORM
It is my desire to give you
paved streets, sidewalks, equal
ization of taxes, a reduction in
water rates and a better public
transportation system.
Regular City Election
FOREST PARK, GEORGIA
Polls Open from 6:00 a.m. Io 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 3,1955
20,000 Readers
in Clayton
and Other
Counties
W. B. ALEXANDER— for Mayor
Residence — 102 Beecher
Street, Forest Park
Employed by B & M Express,
Inc.—in charge of Accounts Re
ceivable and Auditing.
Member of Masonic Lodge 590
in Hapeville, Royal Arch Mason
of East Point, Chapter No. 23.
PLATFORM
Desires not to promise the
people of Forest Park the im
possible things, not until such
time that he will be in position
to enter into the financial con
dition of the city, but does as
sure the people, as time will
permit, to have an adequate fire
department, police protection,
curbings, paved streets, stop sig
nals, to beautify the city, equal
taxation for all, reduction of the
' Sanitary Tax and reduce the
minimum of water bills.
D. M. JOHNSON—for Mayor
Residence—3ll Lee Circle
’ Married—three children
Resident of Forest Park since
1945
Has practiced law in Forest
Park since 1947 when he was
. admittedto the bar. Member of
r Masonic Lodge Number 399 and
■ Royal Arch.
Member of First Baptist
. Church where he is a Sunday
School teacher.
PLATFORM
Increase the tax digest sub
. stantially. work toward obtain
■ ing a better public transporta
. tion system from Forest Park
into Atlanta, better garoage
pick-up service, and a reduction
। in the mileage rates charged on
our phones. These improvements
• will be services that will cause
no added expense to the tax
payer. Also proposes to improve
the Police Department.
G. O. THOMAS—Ward 1
Residence—l 67 North Avenue
Married—two children
Resident of Forest Park since
1930.
Member of First Baptist
; Church and a past trustee of the
: Youth Center.
Had been in plumbing busi
ness for 37 years. Retired re
cently because of health.
PLATFORM
Says that since he is not
aware of the financial status of
■ the city, he felt it unwise to
make specific promises as to im
provements he would support if
; elected. He states that he would
■ at all times work for the good
of the taxpayer and the prog
ress of the town.
PAUL T. ADDIS—Ward 2
Residence—Gilbert Road, For
est Park
Married—five ‘•hildren
Member of the Southside Pen
ticostal Church—member of the
board of trustees. Secretarv
treasurer of Atlanta Contract
ing Plumbers Association which
is affiliated with the State
Plumbing Association.
President of Addis Plumbing
Company in Lakewood Heights.
PLATFORM
Honest and loyal service and
his earnest efforts to obtair
paved sidewalks to and from all
of our schools, a complete sew
erage system, better streets, and
better street lighting facilities.
(See Page 3)