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"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.