Newspaper Page Text
"The Crossroads of Georgia"
VOL. 99 NO. 26
/Perry s Harvest'|Fe^^l^\
3 DaysofiTun, Sales, Events Jay!
Peach Harvest Festival
Opens Today for 3 Days
Perry’s merchants flexed their
civic muscles and finances to
present their first “Peach Har
vest Festival” of three big
days—today, Friday and Satur
day—to recognize the value of
the peach crop and draw atten
tion to this city—the Crossroads
of (leorgia.
Twenty-eight merchants have
raised more than $5,000 to stage
a three-day program of varied
events—from a fishing rodeo to a
pageant featuring beautiful
girls, with a big parade with
four hands Saturday morning.
The festival will try to make
newcomers to Perry, tourists
who may not know anything a
bout peaches, and the oldtimers
aware of peaches from the or
chard to the dinner table.
Peach Tours will be offered
by busses at the Courthouse
Square at 10 a.m, and 2 p.m.
today and Friday.
Peach Ice Cream
Peach ici (cream—homemade
will be sold on the courthouse
square at 4 to 6 p.m. Friday and
£ Saturday.
More than 10 floats and four
hands will form a Peach Parade
at 10 a.m. Saturday, said by its
sponsors to be bigger and better
than the annual Christmas pa
rade.
Food Editor Mildred E. War
ren has arranged a cooking con
test built around the favorite
peach recipes of Houston coun
ty s best-cooking housewives.
I hat's Friday afternoon and
You can sample the dishes at
the County Agricultural building
Irom 7 to 9 p.m. Friday.
Middle Georgia artists have
been invited to participate in
the display and sale of their
works of art in a sidewalk art
show from 2 to 6 p.m. today.
I'or the three days, the 28
merchants are featuring special
1 each Harvest Festival” val
ues for the shoppers.
There are so many special
events, the only way to handle
hem will be by a listing of the
mn sl important:
Thursday, June 26
I a.m. to 12 noon, free tours
or orchards. Board bus at Court
house.
'2 noon to 6 p.m., sale of
•arm produce. Courthouse.
to o p.m., Fishing Rodeo,
Henson’s ponds, board bus at
aycee Headquarters.
2 to 6 p.m.. Sidewalk Art
bl »w and Sale,
I t 0 4 P.m., tours of orchards.
}to P*m., barbecue, patrio
ic program and fireworks dis-
p ‘qy, 1 erry Athletic Field.
Friday, June 27
, a,m * to 12 noon, tour of
C , 0 1r ’ at Courthouse.
far n ° J on t 0 6 P ' m *» Sale °f
‘arm Produce, Courthouse.
Ah 01 3,111 ’ to P*m., Sidewalk
A rt Show and Sale.
• P.m,, tour of orchards.
c P* m V- Peach Baking and
cubJllT u 0 1 ’ County AKri
f.. ■' Elding. Sample this
from -™ klag 'at the same place
_ l to 9 p.m. o p en house.
Crp , P ' m ** homemade ice
s„l d at Courthouse.
i D,m V Teen Da nce at Nation
al i.uurd.
Saturday, J une 29
radc /* m *’ Peach Festival Pa
rade downtown.
Clasw’ m ‘u Peach Harvest Golf
Clut ’ OUBton Lake Country
lz noon to 6 p. m ., sale of
Perry 'Queen Center’
Saturday for Festival
Perry will be the “Queen Cen
ter of Georgia” Saturday, when
four beauty queens will be here
for the “Miss Peach Harvest
Festival” show at 8 o’clock
Saturday night.
Look at this lineup;
“Miss Perry”, Kathy Strick
land, will be master of ceremon
ies for the Peach beauty show.
“Georgia Peach Queen”,
Sharon Jones of Roberta, will
welcome the audience.
“Miss Georgia of 1970”, Mar
ilyn Olley of Marietta, will speak
to the crowd. She was chosen
Faculty lategratloa
Described by Couaty
To Aaswer U.S. Court
The Houston County Board of
Education reported to the U.S.
District Court this week that
33 Negro teachers have been
• assigned to formerly all white
schools and 10 white teachers
have been assigned to formerly
farm produce. Courthouse.
12 noon to 6 p.m.. Art Show
and Sale.
3 p.m. Fashion models in
downtown.
4 to 6 p.m., homemade ice
cream on Courthouse Square.
8 p.m.. Peach Harvest Festi
val Pageant, 10 beauties in re
view at Perry High School gym.
Two of the best bands in the
South—the Third Army Band,
Fort McPherson, Atlanta, and
the Robins AFB CONAC Band,
will march in the Saturday pa
rade.
Sponsors of the floats include
Kellwood Co., Bank of Perry,
Perry Area Chamber of Com
merce, First National Bank of
Perry, Tolleson Lumber Co.,
Inc., City of Perry, Houston
County Commissioners, City of
Fort Valley, Peach Bowl, Flint
Electric Membership Corp., the
Order of DcMolay, and a special
float contributed by Red Ding
ier, builder of the floats.
“The Hingemen” is the band
that will play for the Teen Age
Dance at 8 p.m. Friday at the
National Guard Armory, Tickets
will lx? $1.50 per person.
Barbecue will I® available
at the Perry High School begin
ning at 6 p.m. Thursday, and
the American Legion Post is
providing fireworks display, to
be fired by Councilman John
Barton, a specialist from Rob
ins AFB and Commander Moody
Mulkey of the Legion. M. E.
Sisson is furnishing the fine
barbecue.
Bill Winkis, producer of the
“Miss Peach Harvest Festival’’
pageant scheduled for Saturday
night said he expects about 600
persons to attend, with four
beauty queens brightening the
scene.
The Houston Home Journal
OFFICIAL ORGAN HOUSTON COUNTY, CITY OF PERRY, STATE OF GEORGIA
only a couple of weeks ago.
“Miss Macon of 1969’’, Deb
bie Vick, will present a medley
of songs.
The 12 contestants will 1®
judged in evening gown compe
tition, play clothes competition
and poise in a question and
answer period.
Miss Juli Bush and the Peach
contestants will present a num
ber called “Up, Up and Away”,
and the same group will present
another musical number later in
the program.
all black schools Cor (he 19G9-
70 school year.
The response filed by the
counLy school board was in an
swer to an order of Federal
Judge W. A. Bootle asking for
the board to report on ils pro
gress in integrating faculties
in county schools.
In addition to the 43 students
who are crossing over racial
lines, eight white teachers are
working system-wide, the school
board said.
The board of education said
in the response that it is “re
spectfully submitting that it is
in compliance at this time with
the requirements of the law”.
The teaching staff for the
coming school year comprises
730 teachers, the board said,
approximately 140 being Negro
teachers. Twenty-four teaching
positions exist and 23 of these
vacancies are in the predomi
nantly Negro schools. Twenty
Negro teachers hive been hired
to fill vacancies in the school
system for the 1909-70 school -
year and eight of this number
have been assigned to the
predominantly white schools,
the board said.
The record shows that the
assignment of Negro teachers
has increased from 18 to 33,
representing an increase of 83
per cent in Negro teaching as
signments, with an overall in
crease of teacher assignment of
30 pier cent, prior to filling the
remaining vacancies.
The board said its position
in recruitment of teachers is
not favorable, and that it feels
that it is doing all it can in view
of the limitations placed on the
board in the matter of recruit
ment.
In the matter of integrating
students, the board said that
free choice has been allowed to
every student rmking applica
tion for certain schools. The
record of integration of students
will show that 21 per cent of the i
Negro students have made appli
cation for transfers and the ap- i
PERRY, HOUSTON COUNTY. GA. 31069. THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 1969
MACON'S MAYOR
HERE TODAY
Mayor Ronnie Thompson of
Macon will be the speaker at
the patriotic program at 8 p.m.
today at Perry High School, fol
lowing the barbecue.
“Mjss Georgia” of 1969, Bur
ma Ann Davis of Warner Robins,
will also be on the program.
She is expected to sing and tell
of some of her experiences ns
“Miss Georgia” during the lust
year.
TAX DISCOUNT
IS AVAILABLE
THROUGH JUNE 30
You can save 3 per cent on
your city taxes if you pay them
not later than Monday, June 30„
at 5 p.m.
The city allows a taxpayer
this discount if he pays by this
date because it gives the city
some operating money instead of
waiting until October to receive
city taxes.
If you owe,, soy SIOO in city
taxes, you can make a cool $3
if you get your check to the city
by Monday, June 30.
FISHING RODEO
AT 1 P. M. TODAY
The Perry Exchange Club wiil
sponsor a Fishing Rodeo Thurs
day, June 26, from 1 to 5 p. m.
at Henson’s Fish Ponds, located
at Hayneville, in connection
with the Peach Harvest Festi
val.
Prizes will be given for the
largest fish caught.
Tickets are $1 per person, for
adults or children. Tickets are
available from all of the partic
ipating merchants cr any Ex
change member.
Bus transportation will be
available at the Jaycee Head
quarters at 1 p. m.
Watch Perry grow
plications have been approved.
Since integration was ordered,
the board said, the number of
students asking for transfers *
has increased from 5.8 per cent
to 17 per cent last year and to
21 per cent for the coming year.
The board contended that
“the methodical implementation
of the free choice plan is de
sirable and when steady in
creases in transfers is shown,
the plan should be deemed to be
satisfactory.”
Judge Bootle’s order remind
ed the board of education that
130 Negro teachers have indi
cated that they would accept
crossover assignments and 82
white teachers had agreed to
crossover.
The judge asked the hoard to
show all efforts made by the
board to show that the freedom
of choice plan works.
The response was filed by
the law firm of Aultrnan, Hulbert,
Buice and Cowart, representing
the board of education.
Mwl • v... ■. .-
Developers Look Over Plans for Big Shopping Center Here
L. to r., H. P. Persons. Jr.. Owner; W. H. Jones, Contractor; Frank Leonard, Leonard Realty Co.
* EDITORIAL ¥
These are The Home Journal’s reasons for sup
porting efforts to establish a local housing authori
ty and to participate in one or more phases of pub
lic low-rent housing:
1. It will not cost the city ol Perry one cent.
It will not increase anyone’s taxes; in fact, the
local housing authority will make “payments in
lieu of taxes” which will be larger than the taxes
received from the sub-standard housing that will
eventually be replaced.
2. It is well known that Perry has scores, possi
bly hundreds, of sub-standard housing units that
should be replaced. Public housing will be neces
sary to make housing available to low-income peo
ple when they can leave the shacks and hovels.
3. Low-rent housing does not compete with pri
vate industry, which freely acknowledges it cannot
make a reasonable profit on building of this type
housing. Local realtors say they do not fear com
petition from low-rent housing.
4. Health conditions among the low-income would
be improved considerably, reflecting in the general
health and welfare of the community.
5. The Chamber of Commerce survey of cities
from all over Georgia shows that these cities are
proud of their public housing projects, some hav
ing obtained five and more projects after getting
into the housing field.
6. It has been emphasized that five of the best
and most qualified men in the city should be ap
pointed by mayor and council to form the local
housing authority and they would have the ability
and character to administer the housing program.
They receive no salary. An executive director would
be hired to run the program, subject to the policies
set up by the authority, the same way the Houston
County Hospital Authority is operated.
7. Persons of low income and many elderly with
fixed incomes have no hope of improving their sit
uation because of their financial limitations.
8. The chamber’s survey shows that most ten
ants take pride in their better housing and that a
strong housing auhtority can requre that they
maintain the property properly.
9. A total of 192 Georgia cities have constructed
thousands of housing units since 1937. Perry is one
of the few cities of any size that has not participat
ed in the housing program.
—l 1
City Will Vote on Housing Here Next Tuesday
Perry voters will go to the
polls next Tuesday, July I,
to express their altitudes toward
two questions—establishment of
a housing authority and whether
the city should pass laws to
reduce real estate taxes for per
sons 65 years old aivl above.
Public housing has oversha
dowed the tax reduction issue
to date.
The election will be only ad
visory, a straw ballot, to deter
mine the attitudes of the Perry’s
electorate.
The Housing Committee of the
Perry Area Chamber of Com
merce, after making a statewide
survey and conducting several
meetings with housing officials,
endorsed the establishment of
a local housing authority which
would determine Perry’s need in
low-rent public housing field.
The chamber's committee
apparently was opposed to pub
lic low-rent housing prior to
its study of the housing program,
Lewis Meeks, president of the
chamber, said he had noted a
complete reversal of the atti
tudes of the committee after
they conducted the statewide
survey and talked with federal
housing officials and architects
who have had extensive experi
ence in the low-rent housing
field.
Perry’s city council, after
urging by Mayor Kay for years,
63,000 Sq. Foot
Shopping Center
Being Built Here
Ground wan broken here thin
week for a (53,000 square-foot
shopping center, with nine
stores and 425 parking places.
Easlgate Shopping Center
will he located between Main
Street and Houston Lake Drive.
Construction of the building
will start on or before July 15
and opening of the stores is
scheduled for about Jan. 1,1970.
The land was leased from
Itohert Thompson. Heal estate
interests putting together the
shopping center were Murphey,
Taylor and Kllis, Macon, and
Leonard Realty Co., Perry.
The architect is Walter Kiley
of Levi and Kiley, Savannah.
The building contractor is W. H.
Jones of Jones and Harris
Const. Co. of Macon. The own
ers are H. P. Persons Jr. and
Thad Murphey of Macon.
The shopping center is being
financed by the State of Georgia
Small Shopping Center
Going on Main Street
A Thornasville man has pur
chased a large lot at the corner
of Main Street and Second Street
from Mrs. Mary Lee Griggs and
will develop a small shopping
center and service station.
Allen Whipple of Whipple
Realty and Insurance Co. said
Sing Oil Co. will have a ser
vice station there and a food
sUre has contracted for space.
Three other businesses will be
announced later, he said.
voted to put the housing ques
tion up to the people in a straw
i ballot to determine the people’s
feelings.
The tax-reduction for the el
derly is sponsored by Council
-1 nun Richard Goodroe. Other
. councilman have urged the el
derly not to”get your hopes up”
l)ecause the city attorney says
• it is not constitutional to have
a “special class” of people in
i the matter of taxes. Councilman
Goodroe says other cities are
doing it and he doesn.*t see why
Ferry can’t.
His proposal is that a person
who lives in his own house and
does not make over $4,000 a
year could get a 50 per cent re-
100 PER COPY
FOUR SECTIONS
THIRTY-SIX PAGES
ESTABLISHED 1870
employees Pension Fund, which
evidenced its belief in the fu
ture of Perry by making the loan.
The largest store in tlx* shop
ping center will be Piggly Wig
ly, which will erect its largest
store—lß,soo square feet. Others
in the center wi 11 be Sears,
Roebuck, (5,000 square feel, to
be under supervision of the
Macon store; V. J. hilmore, a
variety store, 10,000 square
feet; Elliott’s Drugs, a dis
count drug store, 10,000 square
foot; Jaynes Cleaners, dry
cleaning, 1,000 square feet; a
coin-operated laundry and dry
cleaning; a ladies and men’s
ready to wear store, and two
other stores which have not
been filled at present.
“This will surely make Perry
more attractive from a shopping
standpoint and we will build a
shopping center that Perry can
be proud of,” Mr. Persons said.
Richard P. Singletary of
Thornasville purchased the
properly.
The lot, formerly known as
the Curr Property, has a 235-
foot frontage on Main Street and
298 frontage on Second Street.
The property is bound on the
north and east by alleys.
The sale was handled by Mr.
Whipple, who will manage the
development of the small shop
ping center.
duction of his city real estate
taxes on that home. No reduction
would be made on tuxes going
for bonded indebtedness, which
would be left as is.
The problem will be to get the
voters to go to the polls to ex
press their opinion. Since no
persona lilies are involved, a
slim vote is possible, but the
mayor and council would like a
good vote so they would feel
that they had a full show of the
feelings of the public.
Paper ballots will be used,
with the housing question first
and the tux reduction question
second. h
All balloting will be in the
council room of the City Hall
from 7 a .m. to 7 p.m.