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The Houston Home Journal
Official Organ City Os Perry And Houston County, Georgia
BOBBY BRANCH
PRESIDENT-EDITOR-PUBLISHER 1974
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Joe Hiett Jimmy Chapman Phil Byrd c<mu.t.
News Advertising Production Mgr Sports Editor
Jeanie Pace Janice Colwell Vennie Moss
Class Ad Mgr Bookkeeper Typesetter
Mildred E. Warren Emily Montgomery
Food Editor Society Editor mmmi
“An Award Winning Georgia Weekly Newspaper”
.||O^STONJH)MI^OURNAI^THIJR&
We are in full support of Perry
Mayor James O. McKinley’s proposal
this week to hold the first annual
“Houston County Christmas Tree
Lighting” here in Perry on the first
Saturday in September. Mayor
McKinley’s proposal includes the
entire county and we especially like
his idea of re-establishing an “old
fashioned” Christmas spirit with the
first of what surely will be an annual
event.
In order to make the Christmas tree
lighting a success, plans and support
for the event must begin now. Without
the full cooperation of civic and social
clubs and individuals all over the
county, such an undertaking cannot
become the success the Mayor seeks.
What better way to begin the
Christmas season (see story on front
• *
Minister Has Kind
Words For Perryons
'Dear Editor:
On June 2 my family and I
will leave Ferry, moving to
Troy, Ohio, to work with the
Chureh of ('hrisl in that city.
But we could not leave Ferry
without expressing our ap
preciation to this town for the
hospitality and friendship
y Inch was extended to us upon
our arrival here two years
ago From the very beginning
we were made to feel
welcome, and that spirit of
friendliness has remained
throughout our stay.
Specifically, we want to
express our appreciation for
the sympathy and concern
shown to us at the death of our
son. Ernest (Ernie), on
February 7 At the lime of the
accident the police and am
bulance service responded
quickly and efficiently to our
need We were even touched
by the fact that they showed a
genuine concern and our son
was handled with gentleness
and feeling Those trying
moments were made easier
with that knowledge. At the
hospital we received the same
quick efficient care. We
especially appreciated Dr.
Arnall and the nurses who
were on duly who did all they
could to ease the shock of the
knowledge that our son was
dead
While those just mentioned
were directly involved, there
were many who responded to
our needs who were not. It
would be impossible to
mention everyone by name.
1
"It's Simple. You Don’t Get Income Tax
Rebate If You Don’t Pay Income Tax."
A Good Idea
for there were so many.
Certainly the Church of Christ
responded in a wonderful way.
And Mayor McKinley ably
represented the town as he,
along with many of our neigh
bors, offered, and gave, what
help they could. The three and
a half months since has only
increased our love for the
people of Ferry and our ap
preciation for the many
kindnesses shown. Many of
those kindnesses have come
from the youth of the town.
We have been amazed by
the thoughtfulness and
maturity demonstrated by the
young people from Ferry
High They are a credit to the
community and to their
parents. Their love and
support have meant much to
NOW Festival
Draws More Praise
From Perry Youth
Dear People of Perry,
I came into Perry from
another city and when I came
1 met some of the neatest
people One of the things 1
found were some fine teachers
at the high school who really
cared about their students
Another thing I found was
some real Christians who care
about the kids
A good illustration of the
PAGE 4-A
page) than by inviting everyone in
Houston County to come to Perry on
Saturday, December 6, to place a
hand-made Christmas decoration on
the tree. The giant Christmas tree
will be officially lighted on the night
of Dec. 6, and program of Christmas
Carols and the arrival of Santa will all
be part of the program being
proposed by the Mayor.
We know it is difficult to think about
Christmas in May but we urge the
community’s support of this project.
This will be a first for Houston County
and it will be held on the courthouse
square. There is no better place to put
a county Christmas tree than on the
square and we hope citizens and clubs
from all over Houston County will
take an active interest in this project.
—B.B.
our daughter, Rhonda, and to
our son, Jack. Certainly we
would not want to omit the
thoughtfulness of Mr. Hill and
Tucker School for their
dedication of a section of the
Tucker Library in memory of
Ernie. Or to those individuals,
businesses, and clubs who
contributed toward the
Memorial Library which has
been started at the Church of
Christ in Ashland, Ky., in
Ernie’s memory. (Ashland,
Ky„ was our home before
Perry, and it is in the Rose Hill
Mausoleum in that city where
Ernie is entombed.)
A part of our hearts and our
best wishes remain with Perry
and with her people.
Sincerely,
The Clifford May family
Christian love Perry has for
her kids was the recent
“NOW” Festival. It was so
great to see 500 people
praising Jesus. Another thing
that was neat was to see
people really caring for each
other and showing love for
each other The only way we
can really love is through the
love of Jesus Christ. “NOW”
is over, but it will be
remembered. 1 thank the
people in Perry for putting it
on.
One of the main reasons I
wrote this letter was to share
my ideas about Perry. I read a
letter in this paper in which a
girl complained that she didn't
have anything else to do, so
she did drugs. People don't do
drugs just because they don't
have anything to do Big cities
like Atlanta have bad drug
problems and there’s plenty to
do in a town like that. The
person on drugs does drugs to
be cool, or because he just
can’t face reality.
In her letter she said Perry
doesn't have anything to do. It
has a theater, a good
recreation program and many
good youth programs. So my
advice to this young lady is to
“get involved".
A Concerned Person,
Bryan Thurmond
/
The Slanted Side
By Joe Hiett
V \y /
I regularly teach the Wednesday
night Young People’s class at the
Church of Christ, and as you can
imagine, it can be quite a revelation
at times. The other day, in our
studies, we were discussing problems
of youth today, so I posed the
question, “What do you think is the
greatest need for youth today?”
The answer was surprising... and
very enlightening. The near
unanimous choice as the greatest
single need of youth was “TRUST”,
by their parents, and adults in
general. Running a distant second
was "Something To Do”.
It seems common nowadays for
parents not to really, completely,
trust their children, especially
teenagers. Os course, I suspect that
may be a two way street... because
many young people do not trust their
parents or adults in general.
The hard fact is that trust usually
must be earned... as a child or as an
adult. But I fully feel that most young
people have done considerably more
than enough to earn that trust from
their parents and all adults. (The
same may not be true of adults.) Too
many adults equate the news-making
kids as “typical”.
Os course, anyone with a second
thought realizes that most teenagers
are no better or no worse than
teenagers of an earlier era. Some
argue that today’s teenagers face
more complex problems, but I’m not
sure that is true. Going along with the
crowd, i.e., the ones disrespectiful of
authority, has always been hard to
resist.
But it is true of adults too. How
many of us today do things we really
don’t want to do, for fear of ridicule
from others? Think about it. Should
we expect more moral righteousness
from our teenagers?
Let’s face it. Unless our teenagers
live in a vacuum, they are going to be
faced with problems and choices.
Some, possibly all, will make the
wrong choice in at least one of the
thousands of decisions necessary in
growing up. But with TRUST and a
» *' ———.i
Kellwood Wins Again
Kellwood Company’s Georgia
Decor Division plant in Perry has
again won the coveted “Sears Symbol
of Excellence Award’’. The Kellwood
plant here sells bedspreads and
draperies to Sears and has won this
high honor for the past several years.
The award was presented to the
employees of Kellwood based on the
quality of products they make here
and for excellence in supply services.
Kellwood is recognized nation-wide as
one of Sears top national suppliers.
We commend the employees and
______
little advice (not harassment), most
will eventually come out all right.
The news that Houston County
received a lot of rain during the first
five months of 1975 is certainly no
earthshaking revelation. But the
amount is staggering. Normally,
Houston County is powdered with
about 48 inches of liquid sunshine
every YEAR- which is every 12
months (Good arithmetic?).
But this year, through APRIL,
Houston County and Perry had
unofficially received 31.8 inches of
precipitation! That is 7.6 in January,
10.0 in February, 7.6 in March and 6.6
in April! And through May 10, another
three inches had pelted down, one and
a half in a ninety minute period two
weeks ago!
By those calculations, even
allowing for dry summer, Houston
will receive more rain than normal
far, far more than normal.
A newspaper reporter is subject to
many things, including angry
reactions from persons making the
news. We all are subject to letting our
feelings creep into supposedly
“straight” news articles, as do, of
course, our prejudices, without in
tention- or in some newspaper’s
cases- with intention.
A recent body urged news media
present to print more “positive”
reactions to occurrences, and as
might have been predicted, drew
immediate, angry “Analyses” from
the press. But I’m afraid some of the
criticism might be well-founded. Far
too often us reporters blow a story out
of context in an effort to “make”
news. We aren’t supposed to “make”
news, but to "report” it, if and when it
occurs.
By this, I am not in any shape or
form suggesting that anyone has a
right to tell a newspaper what to
print, but all of us should remember
that even if an official is wrong 30
percent of the time, then he is right
the other 70 percent. But far too often
that 70 percent doesn’t make the
paper.
* ""V
management of Kellwood for winning
this honor. The outstanding job done
by Kellwood employees in Perry
reflects on the high caliber operation
of Kellwood and it also reflects on the
community as to the kind of people
living in Perry and working at
Kellwood who take pride in their work
and do a great job. We are proud of
Kellwood and grateful to have the
Kellwood organization as a very vital
part of this community.
—B.B.
y
BOBBY
BRANCH ' \
OUT ON A
BRANCH
The Mayor and City Council have taken action
to relieve Perry city detective Eddie Findley of
his duties. Findley was taken off the job because
of what the council termed “financial problems”
and'“insubordination”. For whatever the reasons,
the fact is the city does not have an investigator
and in my opinion we need one.
Burglaries and robberies have risen greatly in
Perry in recent months and without a professional
investigator to follow up these crimes Perry is
going to be in trouble. Some argue the Sheriff’s
investigators and the Georgia Bureau of In
vestigation can conduct follow-up criminal in
vestigations in Perry. I don’t buy that. The Sheriff
and G. 8.1. have their hands full. The City of Perry
needs a trained criminal investigator who will
make it tough on those who commit crimes in thij|
community. The Perry police officers who are
summoned to a crime do not have the time to
conduct lengthy investigations into robberies,
burglaries or any other type of crime and ef
fectively do their primary job of patrolling the
town.
I hope the Perry City Council will hire someone
right away to fill the vacant post. This city cannot
afford to let one crime go without being in
vestigated with a vengeance.
The calendar shows clearly summer does not
officially arrive until late June, but the fellow who
set that date should have been out in the sun doing
some manual labor over the weekend. I wasn’t but
I saw some folks outside and they told me it was
hot. I had to take a nap Saturday after walking to
the mail box and back. The heat was too much. **
Summer always brings or^ nostalgia back in the
days when air conditioning was a real luxury and
not a necessity. The days when a long walk on a
dusty, country road was a real adventure and the
stretches of sand not covered by overhanging
trees would almost blister your barefeet. Days
when some of the boys would sneak off to a lonely
spot on the river and go skinny-dipping. And what
about getting a hand-sized chunk of ice from the
ice house and letting it trickle down your bare
back to cool you off.
The big occasion of a hot summer day in years
gone by was going down to the store and getting an
ice-cold bottle of Nehi orange or straw-berry soda
for a nickel —or as they were called in those days,
“bellywashers”. There were many ways to
cool off like going to air-conditioned drug stores
and reading the comic books until the druggist ran
you off. New comic books came in every Tuesday
and that was a ritual. You could also go to Iflh
movies on a hot Saturday and watch the double
feature, serial, Movietone News and a cartoon
twice. That just about killed the entire day and
you could soak up enough air-conditioning to take
you through until Sunday.
From the record-setting high temperatures we
have had so far, this summer is shaping up to be
one of the hottest ever. It is sort of sad to think
during the sweltering days ahead there is no ice
house from which to eat a chunk of ice; no nickel|
soft drink; no river to swim in, and no country
road you would want to walk along. But what the
heck, it’s too hot to walk’down a dusty road,
anyway.
Rev, Dan Ariaih*
* v First Baptist Church
v GRADUATION -
f OR COMMENCEMENT?
Walk worthy of the vocation
wherewith you are called.
-Kph. 4:1
A cartoon I have seen has
■ n the background
ivy-covered halls with many
graduates being
congratulated and
photographed by parents and
friends. Up close we see one
such graduate with a crest
fallen look on his face as he
stands with diploma in hand
before his bewildered parents.
His father is saying: ‘When
you graduated from grade
school, you wanted to become
a doctor; when you graduated
from high school, you wanted
to be a lawyer ... and now you
want to drive a choo-choo?”
When we were in high
school, an important part of
our lives revolved around
friends, teachers, and studies -
in about that order. As the end
of our senior year approached,
we felt that an important part
of life for us was coming to an
end; the term “com
mencement” may have
seemed just a bit out of place.
This was the termination, not
* the start, or so we thought.
But the start is what it really
was. It marked the beginnings
of maturity and adulthood,
new freedoms and new
horizons. Only after
graduation had come and gone
could we have realized that we
were not losing something
precious but were making an
exodus from childhood into the
promised land of maturity.
The young man in the
cartoon was already trained
so far as the academic world
could take him, but he was
apparently not ready to face
the sometimes harsh reaves
of living. Any time we must
leave some period in life, we
experience a feeling of loss
and nostalgia, and he seems to
have wanted to return to the
little boy stage and dodge any
responsibility as an adult. Yet
the mature person must move
forward; leaving a segment o I
our lives always means neW
experiences and new joys irf
the next. Very, very few of us
would, if we could, return to
the "carefree” days of our
education, because in the long
run, it’s more fun to be a
grown-up.