Newspaper Page Text
VOL. 41—NO. 34
POINT OF VIEW I
— — By JACK TROY *
Salutes are in order for a great organization of young people
and a great new industry in Clayton County.
Clayton County 4-H Clubs are celebrating National 4-H week.
The youngsters pitched in and sold their own ads, wrote their own
And then on Thursday, the formal dedication ceremonies will be
held at 11 a.m.—that’s this Thursday—and a luncheon for offi
cials and other notables and customers and guests will follow at
the Piedmont Driving Club. Governor Ernest S. Vandiver and
William F. May, American Can Company Vice President, will
speak at the luncheon. The public is cordially invited to attend
Open House Thursday evening, 7:30 to 9.
Paul Adam is Canco’s plant manager and the plant, employ
ing som 250 people by midsummer, will have a payroll in excess of
a million and a half dollars.
We are indeed proud and grateful that American Can Com
pany selected Clayton County for this handsome plant, and we’re
also proud of the wonderful work done by the 4-H clubs.
This is the sort of progress that makes our county a better
place in which to live. Our heartiest congratulations to all con
cerned.
Many Homes Had Ao Lights or Heat
Emergency Declared.
As Ice Crippled City
In one of the worst ice storms in the history of Forest
Park, which paralyzed communications and power service,
Mayor W. Reid Puckett declared last Thursday morning
that a state of emergency existed in the town, and efforts
were intensified to struggle through the disaster. Com
bined units of Civil Defense, Fire and Police Departments,
and crews of Street, Sanitary and Water Department per
sonnel kept emergency facilities virtually unimpaired
throughout Thursday and Thursday night.
The ice began forming Tues
day night and by morning
Wednesday had spread a blanket
of destruction throughout the
entire area. Sleet and freezing
rain during the day Wednesday
added hazardous conditions to
the already iced-over streets,
and the weight of the ice began
toppling trees, tree limbs, and
utility lines. The City Hall it
self went on stand-by service
Wednesday at noon, as power
failed and knocked out heat,
lights and telephones. Genera
tors were set up to operate lights
and telephones in the Fire De
partment and Police Depart
ment, and street crews began
putting sand and gravel on
slicked-over portions of roads,
bridges and railroad crossings,
which had become dangerous to
travel.
The bridge on Old U. S. 41
Highway was closed during
Wednesday afternoon, and calls
began to flood the Fire and
Police Departments that power
lines were down. All off-duty
firemen were pressed into serv-
SERVICE GETTING BACK TO NORMAL
Citizens Thanked For
No Garbage Complaints
Mayor W. Reid Puckett announced today that he would
like to express the thanks of the Mayor and Council to the
entire City for not complaining of lack of garbage pickups
during the ice storm emergency just passed.
O. L. Berry, the Superintendent
of the Sanitary Department and
his crews discontinued garbage
pickup last Wednesday because
of worsening weather conditions,
and began working on iced-over
roads and bridges, and removing
trees and limbs which had fallen
during the storm.
Mayor Puckett stated that
regular routine service would be
restored just as soon as possible,
and said the general public had
been “wonderful” in not com
plaining during the storm. The
City Hall received only one com
plaint from the entire City, and
that one was Friday afternoon.
Clayton County 4-H Club Edition
(Ibr ISms
U.S. Postage Paid
fttfn BULK KATE
WILL* Forest Park, Ga.
/Ar W / Form 3542 Requested
(Elagtnn (uuuity Wms anh farmer
stories for a special newspaper edition cele
brating their achievements and progress.
You’ll find the results of their enthusiasm
and handiwork in the second section of the
official county newspaper. We congratulate
them and their outstanding leaders.
American Can Company, neck deep in
snow in New York and knee deep in ice in
Clayton County, went resolutely ahead with
elaborate plans for the official opening and
Open House of the new Atlanta plant of
the Canco Division of the company on Lake |
Mirror Road, Forest Park, Clayton County, J
one-half mile east of the Waldorf Motel j
exit from the South Expressway.
There will be several prime events cele
brating the official opening of the plant.
Newsmen and radio personalities were
given a preview of the plant on Tuesday.
COMMISSIONERS'
MINUTES
ON LEGAL PAGE
ice and policemen were recalled
from their homes.
When weather conditions
worsened during Wednesday and
Wednesday night, Mayor Puckett
at 6:00 a.m. Thursday declared
that a State of Emergency exist
ed, and called upon Civil Defense
for aid. A mass-feeding pro
gram was set up at the prison
mess hall at the City Hall, and
Ash Street School was opened up
i for shelter from the storm. High
' winds blew trees and limbs,
heavy-laden with ice, on power
lines and telephone cables, and
; many homes in the town went
without heat, lights and tele
phones. Emergency crews of the
(Continued on Page 2)
THANK YOU
The Clayton County 4-H
Club members, Local 4-H
Leaders, and Extension Agents
would like to express their ap
preciation to Mr. Jack Troy,
Editor of the Forest Park Free
Press and Clayton County
News and Farmer, and the
business firms in Clayton
County that made it possible
to publish the 4-H special edi
tion during National 4-H Club
Week, March 5-12.
I HE HAS VARIED BACKGROUND
COL H. F. GAGNE NAMED
SUPPLY OFFICER AT AGD
ATLANTA GENERAL DEPOT, Forest Park—Col. Her
bert F. Gagne has assumed duties as the new Quartermas
ter Supply Officer at Atlanta General Depot.
A native of Fitchburg, Mass., and a graduate of Nor
wich University, Northfield, Vt., Col. Gagne succeeds Col.
William D. Smith who was recently assigned to the Army’s
Artillery and Missile Center, Fort Sill, Okla.
Howard Smith
,
Announces for
Sheriff Office
Howard Smith is announcing
his candidacy for Sheriff of
Clayton County, stated he had
resigned as Chief of Clayton
County Police because he did not
feel he should take the taxpay
| ers’ money while seeking an
I elective office.
Howard is 46 years old. He was
born on a farm in Crawford
i County. In 1929 he came to
| Clayton County where he met
■ and married his wife, the for
i mer Miss Violet Reeves of Jones
j boro. They have lived in Clay
ton County for the past 30 years
and have four children, ages 21,
j 16, 12 and 7.
He stated he has always been
interested in good government
and has worked in the law en
forcement part of government
; for many years as Patrolman,
Tax Investigator for the Alco
i hoi-Tax Division of the Revenue
Department, Investigator for the
Anti-moonshine League and as
Chief of Clayton County Police.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith and family
attend the Methodist Church in
Jonesboro, Ga.
Bobbie Whaley
Os Jonesboro
College Guest
LAGRANGE, Ga. — Bob bi e
Whaley, daughter of Mr. and
I Mrs. W. J. Whaley of 216 Lee
Street, Jonesboro, was a guest of
LaGrange College last week-end
:at the annual houseparty for
high school seniors.
BEAUTY CONTEST MARCH 25TH
Awards Announced
For Clayton Pageant
Awards for the winners of the Miss Clayton County
pageant were announced today by Malley Gay, Awards
Committee Chairman of the Jonesboro Jaycees, sponsors
of the Pageant.
Miss Clayton County of 1960
will be awarded SSO in Savings
Bonds, donated by William J.
Lee, SSO in Savings Bonds, do
nated by Edgar Blalock, the Pure
Oil distributor, and a beautiful
gold trophy donated by Herbert
Ledford.
The first runner-up will be
awarded a SSO Savings Bond. The
gold trophy for this winner was
donated by Dickson Funeral |
Home.
The second runner-up will be •
awarded a $25 Savings Bond do- |
nated by Loy Dickson and a gold
trophy donated by Harold Banke. ■
The Young Lady selected as
Miss Congeniality by the con
testants will be awarded a tro- '
phy donated by the Jonesboro ;
(Continued on Page 2) i
FOREST PARK, GEORGIA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 1960
Col. Gagne is a veteran of both
World War II and Korea and
brings a rich and varied back
ground in logistics to his new
assignment. Prior to coining to
the Depot, he served as Division
Quartermaster for the 25th In
fantry Division. Eighth Army, in
Korea, and as Assistant G-4. U.S.
Army Forces Far East.
The Colonel’s most recent as
signments were in Washington,
D. C., where he served as Deputy
Chief of Command Management,
Office of the Quartermaster
General, and held several other
important posts. His World War
II service was in the European
Theater where he was attached
to headquarters of seevral Army 1
groups.
Col. Gagne’s decorations in- :
elude the Bronze Star and Clus
ter ; European Theater, with five
bronze campaign stars; and Ko- ’
rean Service with three bronze
campaign stars.
The Colonel is married to the
former Loretta Seguin and they
have two children.
Q. eTBcII
Is Candidate
For Ordinary
Q. E. Bell oi Jonesboro has an- ,
nounced his candidacy for the
office of Ordinary in the Clay
ton County Democratic Primary j 1
Saturday, April 23. He ran a|:
• ■ %
good race in the recent special 1
election. 1
The facts about Bell are as I
follows: 1
I was born in Heard County, :
March 11, 1904. After finishing <
grammar school, I attended '
high school at the 4th District ’
A. & M., Carrollton, Ga., which
■ is now West Georgia College.
(Continued on Page 3)
FIRST CHRISTIAN
PUPPET SHOW
IS MARCH 13th
First Christian Church of For
est Park is to be the scene of a
most unusual, dramatic, and en
tertaining program, to which
the public is cordially invited.
Bruce and Marj Rodrick,
THE KING’S PUPPETEERS, are
bringing their nationally famous
“Preaching Puppet Show” here
for six nights, beginning Sunday
night, March 13th, at 7:30 p.m.
The Rodricks are members of
the National Brotherhood of
Ventriloquists, having been in
vited to membership in that or-
i (Continued On Page 6)
/ 1
■
COL. HERBERT F. GAGNE
Southern Bell
Battles Ice
For Service
At the height of the ice storm
in the general areas, 2,300
Southern Bell telehones were
knocked out of service, but by
Sunday only 750 were out of or
der, and by press time it was be
lieved by Charles Martin, area
phone manager, that majority
service would be restored in the
major areas.
There are some areas where
the lines are being rebuilt and
normal communication is due
probably by week-end.
About 500 poles were broken,
including long distance, and
this isolated Hamption, Jackson
and Locus Grove, and all but
five of the long distance lines in
Jonesboro and Stockbridge, were
out of service.
All long distance was restored
by Sunday.
Southern Bell rushed in work
groups from Alabama and Flor
ida to speed up the recovery. All
in all, it was a terrific job of
keeping phone service going and
a real job of restoration.
GORMAN AND LINDSEY ANNOUNCE
Charles Patterson
Scout Executive
Charles C. Patterson has been selected as District
Executive for the Tara District. This announcement was
made by Mr. O. B. Gorman, Scout Executive, and Mr. Grady
Lindsey, District Chairman. Mr. Patterson comes to this
assignment with a fine background in Scouting.
He served as Scoutmaster for
four years in Clemson and Sen
eca, South Carolina. His first
assignment was service in the
Okefenokee Area Council, Way
cross, Georgia, for two and one
half years as District Executive.
On September Ist, he joined the
staff of the Atlanta Area Coun
cil, Boy Scouts of America,
where he served as Assistant Dis
trict Executive in the DeKalb
District.
The record that he has made
in each professional assignment
has been such that the officials
of this district feel most for
tunate in having him serve as
District Executive of the Tara
District. Mr. Patterson attended
Clemson College, Clemson, South
Carolina, and is married and has
four children, Danny, Ellis, Lynn
and Lucy. His residence will be
at 156 Stoneybrook Road, Forest
Park, Georgia.
A WORD FOR
HAROLD BANKE
Harold R. Banke, who is unop
posed as a candidate for Judge
of the Clayton Superior Court in
the April 23 Primary, has served
with distinction as Solicitor-
General of the Court, and there
was no excuse for what appeared
in print last week as a comment
to the effect that it was too bad
he had no opposition, as anyone
could beat him. Anyone who
thought they could had the
right, if qualified, to register for
the race. A statement such as
that would never appear in a
bonafide newspaper. It was
gressly unfair to a public serv
ant who has served diligently,
ably and conscientiously, and
will do the same when he be
comes Superior Court Judge.
American Can Company
Opens New Plant Thursday
CEREMONIES SET FOR 11 A.M.;
OPEN HOUSE THURSDAY NIGHT
Opening of the new Atlanta plant of the Canco Divi
sion of the American Can Company will be celebrated
Thursday, March 10, with formal dedication ceremonies in
the morning and an Open House and plant tour to which
all members of the Greater Atlanta community are being
invited from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday evening.
Governor S. Ernest Vandiver
and William F. May. Vice Presi
dent and General Manager of
the Canco Division, will take part
in the formal opening cere
monies at 11 a.m., which will be
followed by a plant tour and
luncheon for civic leaders and
customers at the Piedmont Driv
ing Club.
Special tours and exhibits are
being arranged to make a gala
j event of the Open House for the
public on Thursday evening, i
Plant Manager Paul Adam, and ;
Atlanta District Sales Manager j
Walter T. Taylor and their staffs
are preparing to provide guided
tours, refreshments and sou
venirs for as many as 4000 vis
itors from the Greater Atlanta
community.
The modern one-story plant
occupies approximately 150,000
square feet of floor space on a
(Continued on Page 3i
Norma nDalton
Plans Formal
Opening in FP
Norman Dalton, a resident Os
Forest Park for the past five■
years, is the new owner and;
manager of the Standard Serv-I
ice Station, across from the new :
Post Office, and is planning for
a formal opening Friday and
Saturday, March 18 and 19.
He announced that there
would be a merry-go-round for
(Continued on Page 2)
■L’ I ^Bl
■
# * ww
* /
Jaycees Plan
April Fish Fry
The Forest Park Junior Cham
i ber of Commerce will sponsor a
; fish fry on Saturday, April 23rd,
| proceeds of which will be used
in their Youth Activities pro
gram. E. M. Gaultney, Jr., direc
tor in charge of the project, ad
vises present plans call for the
fry to be held in the area of the
Kiwanis’ watermelon stand at
the corner of Ash Street and
Central Avenue.
It is contemplated this will be
an all-day affair, beginning at
10:00 a.m. and continuing until
8:00 or 9:00 p.m. Primary elec
tions will take place on this day
l and it is hoped this will help to
bring out a large number of
! customers.
FISH FRY
This Saturday, March 12, from
11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Forest Park
High School Cafeteria. Home
made cakes and pies. Sponsored
by Boy Scout Troop 169.
Mr. Toymaker
Visits Brewer's
This Saturday
A repeat visit of Mr. Toymak
er, television personality ap
pearing on WLW-A TV, ch. 11
—tune him in at 10 a.m. on Sat
urday—will be a popular event
this Saturday, 2 o’clock, at
Brewer’s Rexall Drug Store in
the Forest Plaza Shopping Cen
ter, Highway 54. Forest Park.
Doc Franklin has planned an
attractive program which will
include free gifts for all the
children, and two gold fish and
a bowl with each dollar pur
chase, exclusive of cigarettes.
My Toymaker packed ’em in on
his last visit to Brewer’s, and
plans are being made to accom
odate another large crowd. Plen
ty of gold fish and bowls have
been stocked, as they went like
hot cakes the last time.
Dr. Franklin invites young
sters and their parents of Clay
ton County to come and enjoy
Mr. Toymaker.
James Wallace
School Board
Candidate
James Wallace of Riverdale
Road, College Park, has an
nounced his candidacy for Clay
ton County Board of Education
in the Primary election, April
23.
Mr. Wallace has resided in
Clayton County for the past 38
years. He is married and has
tour children. Sheila and Lynda
are attending North Clayton
School.
He has worked at Fisher Body
(Continued on Page 2)
Starr Unopposed
In District No. 1
C. L. Cox, Jr, of Morrow, has
withdrawn as a candidate for
I County Commissioner and in
! cumbent Terrell A. Starr is un
opposed in District No. 1.
March Came In to Test Lion Hearted
it Was Like Purity Ice
Company on Rampage
March came into Clayton County like the Purity Ice
Company on a rampage and returned the citizens to the
hardier days of their forefathers.
Ice formed on the telephone
| and power lines, and in some
cases sent poles crashing across
the railroad tracks. In mid
j week, an alert engineer on a
! three-diesel freight averted a
| wreck by stopping just in time.
Electricity went on the blink,
I causing quite a bit of hardship
| and suffering throughout the
j county. Georgia Power Com
pany rushed emergency crews
I from other areas and did yeo
man work in restoring service as
I quickly as possible.
Southern Bell worked as hard
to restore phone service.
I (Continued on Page 3)
Ki ■ ■
Clayton County
Official
Publication For
40 Years
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
■ ■■
NATIONAL
4-H CLUB
WEEK
• »
(SEE SECOND
SECTION)
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—
Jonesboro Old
Grads Win; Play
Again Saturday
In a very heated, well played
: game, before a small but en-
I thusiastic, cold weather crowd,
I the Jonesboro “Old Grads” took
revenge for last year’s trophy
game loss to Forest Park by
whipping the Forest Park Grads
by a close 28 to 26 score Satur
day night in the Second Annual
Optimist Sponsored Old Grads
game.
The game was very close
throughout and was well played
by both teams. Woodham, with
16 points, and Johnson with 6
points, led the scoring parade
for Jonesboro. Gus Haynie, with
(Continued on Page 3)
Health, Safety
Program for
Maple St. PTA
A specially good attendance is
desired for the PTA meeting
March 14 at 7 p.m. at the school
cafeteria. Mrs. Sylvia Herndon
will be there to preside, and
Mrs. Emily White, program
chairman, is delighted to an
nounce that Miss Ada West will
present the program, which will
be on “Health and Safety.” Spe
cial guest, Mr. Robert G. Gor
don, of Georgia Motor Club, will
show a film on the program
subject.
The attendance banner has
j been won by Mrs. Edna Duncan
over and over again, which cer
tainly should be a challenge.
Lake City School
Open House Sunday
Sunday. March 13. is the new
date set for “Open House” at the
new Lake City Elementary
। School. From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
the PTA will be hosts, happy to
show you this wonderful new
building, with all the latest fa
cilities. Bad weather was re
sponsible for the postponement
from the original date of March
, 6 -