Newspaper Page Text
TWICE-A-WEEK
VOLUME 53.
Meriwether Writes
A rouse Interest In
Education Children
In response to a request of the
County Board of Education, I am
■writing a few linesin the hope of
arousing at least a little more inter
est in the education of our children.
The seemingly great indifference
on tfi part<of a considerable number
of our citizens is appalling. It is
alarming.
The public term of our schools
for the ensuing year commenced
about a month ago. From reports
received from most of the schools,
hardly more than one-half the white
children of school age have entered.
Due to shortness of public school
funds, the terms are necessarily
’ short, six and a half months for the
past two years. Before that time
the terms were even shbrter; for we
had not then the right to levy a
county wide sft»ol tax. 11
When a rural child attends school
throughout the whole term he is at a
great disadvantage as compared with
the town child, who has the advan
tage of nine month’s school with bet
ter equipment; but the saddest fea
ture is, that only a'comparatively
few country children are privileged
to attend the full length of the term.
Numbers of, children in every school
enter from a week to a month or
more late and drop out from a week
to a month or more before the close.
Some attend very irregularly while
in school.
Worst of all, there is here and
there throughout the county a fam
ily whose children never go to school
at all. These more frequently live
in some remote corner and are con
sequently overlooked, and when
sometimes discovered, they tell a
woeful tale of poverty.
The writer a short time ago, made
a house to house canvas in a locality
which had been somewhat neglected,
in .order to learn the conditions.
Though the schools had been run
alas two weeks only about twenty
j»er cent of the children were in
hardly more than half the
children were In school the year be
flora, and several children ranging
in ago from twelve to fifteen years
had not been in school for three or
four years. The writer made an
other house to house canvas ni an
other school district in an effort to
S enough children in order to run
school at all. The teacher had
opuned school the first week with
bttly twelve or fifteen pupils. She
. closed for two weeks and opened
' again on the fourth week with only
pupils. Then, at the request
V»f the trustees we went to almost
’j%very house in he district and urged
Hith all the earnestness possible that
%e parents put their children in
School. We got a number of prom
ises but only four more pupils en
tered school during that week. This
district, think of it, has eighty child
ren of school age. It is samewhat
doubtful that the school can be con
tinued. ‘
The purpose of this artclle is to
acquaint the public with the true
state of 'things to the end that bet
ter cooperation may be enlisted on
the part of the citizens with the
teachers, attendance officer, and su
perintendent. Unless all classes con
cerned with the upbuilding of our
county pull together in this work,
our schools will never be what they
should.
Georgia has, though some seem to
doubt it, a compulsory attendance
law that requires all children, unless
providentially prevented, between
the ages of eight and fourteen* to
attend school for six months, or one
hundred and twenty days, beginning
at the opening of the term. The
law provides further that the teach
er in charge of a school shall report
to the attendance officer the non
attendance of those children subject
to the law. The law provides for a
fine of ten dollars for the first of
fense, which may be remitted on
the parent’s promise to keep the
child in school. It provides for a
fine of twenty dollars for each sue-,
ceeding offense, and each day of
nbn-atendance creates a new of
fense.
An attendance officer has been
employed each year to give his whole
time to the work of enforcing the
law. He has been earnest, tactful
and diligent. He has succeeded in a
large measure, but the task under
present conditions has been too
great to accomplish anything ap
proaching an adequate compliance
with the law. Besides, the law, as
*|»ied affects only those between
eight antJ fourteen years old, when
children pV*r under those ages
should attend aehool.
That Gwinnett is a large county
y»itb nearly seven thousand white
The News-Herald
children of school age giving rise to
a large number of delinquents; that
many teachers in the past have been
derelict in reporting cases of non
attendance; that the financial con
dition of the county for the past
three years has been unusually bad,
and, finally, the fact that there is
undoubtedly a sad lack of public sen
timent favorable to the enforcement
of the compulsory school laws; have
all combined made it impossible to
properly enforce 9 strict compliance
with the law.
The most common excuse given
by pfrrents for not keeping their
children in school is that they can
not dispense with their children’s
work in gathering their crops in the
fall, and in preparing for the plant
ing of their crops in the spring In
some cases the excuse is good, but
it is also true that in a majority of
cases, the parents could do better if
they were willing to make the prop
er sacrifice. Another large class of
parents attempt to excuse them
selves on the ground that they are
not financially' able to properly
clothe and equip their children for
school. At the present time it is
undoubtedly true that there is here
and there a family almost entirely
destitute of the bare necessities.
Nevertheless, it is my honest»o|.inion,
that a'majority of this class can do
better. Again, a very large class of
renting people give as an excuse that
they are going to move and only a
few days in school would not do
their children any good. In all of
our elementary schools the same
text books are used, and the same
classes obtain. If a child enters
school only for a few days, he is all
the better prepared to enter his class
in the school he moves to. In the
performance of other work the par
ent does riot view the matter in the
6ame light. The trouble is, that in
our county as in other counties too,
for that matter, we have a large
class of people who do not care
whether children are schooled
or not.
It may not be generally realized
but it is true nevertheless, that in
this county, quite a number of child
ren each year pass out of school age
totally illiterate. Another large
class go to school a little each year,
but so little and so irregularly that,
though, in some way, some reach the
second, some the third, and some
the fourth grade, they are so lack
ing in thoroughness that they quit
school almost practically illiterate.
They fail to learn to read well
enough to enable them to Acquire in
formation after leaving school.
It is the illiterate boy that is most
apt to become a criminal. Society
suffers from the ignorance of cith
ers; that makes it incumbent upon
society to see that the children are
educated. Experience has clearly
shown that our children, generally,
will never get the schooling they are
entitled to without the active, hearty
support of all classes.
First, we need a thoroughly erous
ed publie conscience in the matter;
secohd, we need cooperation and
organization. There should be in ev
ery school community a committee
of citizens to seek out the children
not attending school and learn the
causes of their non-attendance. If
the cause is destitution, this commit
tee should solicit aid and equip the
child for school. This is being done
in so few localities. If the cause is
indifference on the part of the par
ents, convince them of their error,
if possible; if not possible to do tihs,
then appeal to the attendance officer
and assist him in enforcing the com
pulsory law.
The teachers and trustees should
serve with others on this cdmmittee.
Our people are taxed that our
girls and boys should be educated
and thus betpr prepared for life; our
girls and boys should receive the
benefits.
Gwinnett county has an Unenvia
ble reputation with respect to illit
eracy. The census of 1920 shows
that this egounty has a larger per
cent of white illiterates than any
other Georgia county. Let us erase
this blot from our beloved county’s
reputation.
The prosperity and happiness of
any community is contingent upon
an enlightened citizenship.
H. D. MERIWETHER, C. S. S.
WARNING!
The party who borowed or stc<e
my automobile crank might do well
to return the same at once and save
yourself embarrassment as your
identity is known.
J. A. AMBROSE.
LAWRENCEVILLE, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1923.
“Trade at Home” Is
Survey Expert’s Advice
BY GEO. ADAIR ECKFORD.
On the back page of this paper
you will find a business survey of
the progressive merchants of Law
rencevillle and Norcross. This sur
vey was made by Mr. Geo. Adair
Eckford, business survey expert,
who is well known throughout the
state for this class of work. The
firms written up in this edition were
found to be right up to the minute
when progresiveness is taken into
consideration. You may find larger
firms but it is Mr. Eckford’s opin
ion that you will find no better ones.
Now it takes money to get up a
survey of thsi kind and the mer
chants gladly defrayed this expense
CITIZEN OF WINDER
MAKES RECORD GIFT
Winder, Ga.—One of the largest
gifts ever made by a Winder citizen
to any benevolent cause wds the do
nation of $50,000 to Bessie Tift col
lege by John M. Williams, of Win
der, as announced a few days ago
by Dr. A. K. Chamblee, president of
that institution. Mr. Williams has
a daughter, Miss Essie Lee Williams,
a graduate of Winder High school
this year, in the freshman class at
Bessie Tift. Some time ago he vis
ited her at the college and while
there found that a number of young
women were working their way
through college. Impressed with
this and desirous of helping others,
upon his return home he talked the
matter over with his wife and they
<ta;ided to make this contribution to
education. The entire amount of
this gift will be in gilt-edged securi
ties and will be turned over to the
college authorities on January*' !,
1924.
FORMER BUFORD MAN
CRUSHED TO DEATH
Chattanooga.—Mr. N. W- Bow
man, a car repairer «f the Nashville
Chattanooga and St. Louis railway,
ws crushed to death between two
cars in the Cravens yards Monday
afternoon. The body was sent to
Buford, Ga., his former home, for in
terment.
BOLTON-MILLS.
Mr. B. H. Bolton and Miss Ola
Nash Mills were happily married
November 3rd, Rev. !f. D. Reed of -
ficiating.
SAMPLES-HAYES.
Mr. Burel Sample and Miss Katie
Lee Hayes were married November
10th, J. J. Gofer, Esq., performing
the ceremony.
TULUS-KILGORE.
Mr. Hinton Tullis and Miss Paul
ine Kilgore were married November
11th, Rev. B, L. Lawsoa officiating.
KNIGHT-PHILLIPS.
Mr. J. Raymond Knight and Miss
Cleo Phillips were joined in the holy
bonds of matrimony November 11th.
Judge S. S. Mauldin performed the
ceremony. Miss Phillips is the
daughter of Mr. W. J. Phillips, while
the groom is the son of Mr. G. W.
Knight.
WILLIAM McELROY.
William McElroy, forty-six years
of age, died at the emsmty home No
vember 10th. The funeral and inter
ment were at Sweetwater church
November 11th.
Dig, Brother, Dig
Of all sad words
Prom our own kin;
The saddest are these;
No coal hi the bin.
WANTED— By Clyde T. Hannah
and R. B. Tuck, of Loganville,
Ga., five hundred bushels ©f field
peas at $1.60 per bushel, delivered
at the residence of R. B. Tuck in
Loganville, Ga. n22p
POLAND-CHINA PIGS.
A few extra fine pigs. Those
wanting pure bred stock and the best
breed, will do well to see me at
once. Also a nice lot of Duroc pigs,
nlflc I. B. WHITWORTH.
FOR RENT.
Good one or two-horse crop, good
land and pasture, to man who can
furnish himself. See H. H. Bramb
lett, Lawrenceville, Rute 2. nlsc
FOR SALE.
Purple Straw seed Wheat $1.50
per bushel; good seed oats 90c per
bushel. Stored at J. R. McKelvey’s
Mill and at W. M. Leatherwood’s
home.
nl9cM McKelvey A Leatberwood.
to bring to you the dire ne
cessity of Trading at Home. Your
comunityiand your county cannot
prosper if the money that is made
in Gwinnett county is not kept in
Gwinnett and left to circulate here.
Your merchants are giving you ser
vice unequalled before and they are
earnestly trying to give you the
same service that you would receive
in a large city. If you continue to
send your money t othe large cities
and give the mail order houses the
bulk of your business what is your
nerft door neighbor going to do, he
may be a merchant and he may need
your business. If he delivers the
goods, to express it in slang, then he
LOCAL OVERFLOW.
See. Mr. Brown and Mrs. Creen
Tuesday night at school auditorium.
Mr. Marshall Teague is rapidly im
proving from his recent illlness.
Rich, juicy, delectable fruit rake.
Let the Strand Soda Fount tupply
you with the ingredients.
Little Mary, Ruth Franklin under
went a succsfesiful removal of her
tonsils in Atlanta Monday.
Mrs. Eula Hamilton and children
have returned from a recent visit to
Mrs. Andrew Pirkle in Buford.
If you want your sides to split
see “How the Story Grew.” Tuesday
night school auditorium.
Mr*. J. D. Carter, who has been
the guest of hei mother, Mrs. J. H.
Britt, left today ifor her home in Bu
ford.
Mis Blanche Robinson, who is
teaching in the Bethlehem schools,
was at home Sunday. She had with
her Mis* Sarah McCook, of Macon.
Mies Jackie Nicholson bad her
tonsil* remvood Monday, being ac
companied to- 'Adanttt -Jjip her par
ent*, Dr. and M#b. J. W. Nicholson.
Misses Edith Gilbert, Lula nnd Ida
Herrington and Messrs. T. K. and
Johnnie Herrington were the Sun
day gueets of friends in Stone Moun
tain.
Mr. and Mrs. Edwin King and Dr.
and Mrs. Carlton Lee, of Atlanta,
and Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Monfort
were dinner guests of Miss Minnie
Peeples Tuesday.
Announcement is made that the
members of the -Lawrenceville lodge
No. 21, I. O. Q. F., and the local Re
becca lodge will have a get together
meeting at the local hall Friday eve
ning, beginning at 7:30 o’<flock.
Friends w3l be pained to learn
that Miss Verena Dunbar, teacher
in the achosls of Miami, Fla., is al
most totally blind following an at
tack of fewer. Miss Dunbar will be
removed to her Georgia home as ear
ly as ber -condition will permit.
“W« gw> every day accept Sunday
Pay kigbeit mrket price for Cotton
Seed and remnants of Seed Cotton.
Sell HuHs at SI.OO per huudred
pounds. Sell Mepl at $2.35 per
mack.
E. B. ROCKMORE.
A large quantity of feed stuff
was consumed by fire which likewise
destroyed the barn belonging to Mr.
Lovic R. Martin on sthe old Jacobs
place Monday night. Mr. Martin
lost £be valuable residence on this
same lot some time ago, when the
family living in it had a narrow es
cape from the fire.
Our expert optometrist from the
Cha*. A. Green Optical Company,
Atlanta, Ga., wil be here again on
Tueaday, November 20. If you are
having eye troubles that require
glasses, -we would be pleased to have
you call in to see him. He has sat
isfied thousands of others and can
satisfy ywu. Jones Drug Co.,
Lawrenceville, Ga.
“ HOW THE STORY GREW.”
Tuesday night at 7:45 the P. T.
A. will give the play “How The
Story Grew” at school auditorium.
In connection with the play music
and readings will be given by the
school pupils.
Miss White and Miss Willis, the
expression and music teachers, will
render several selections.
Mrs. Brown Mrs. N. L. Hutchins.
Mrs. Green . Mrs. O. R. .hihan.
Mrs Bean Miss Lois Matthews.
Mrs. Rice Mrs. E. T. Hopkins.
Mrs. Doolittle Miss Minnie Peeples.
Mr* Snpw Mrs. Chas. McConnell.
Mrs. Taylor Mrs. T. L. Ambrose.
Mrs. White Mrs Ross Craig.
Popular prices, 16 and 25 cents.,
I ought to get that business.
Do you for one minute think that
Atlanta and its merchans are going
to do anything for you If you do
you are badly mistaken. It has its
own business to attend to. You
must look after your own. But if
you desire to murder your own mon
ey then send it to the mail order
' houses where you will never see it
i again. If you want to get another
chance at your dollar bill then spend
it here at home and you still can get
.another chance at it.
Say what you please. A TOWN
WORTH LIVING IN IS ONE THAT
IS WORTH TRADINNG IN.
LET THE TRADE AT HOME
SPIRIT PREDOMINATE.
WARDEN COMMANDS PRO
TECTION FOR GAME BIRDS
Atlanta, Ga.—Peter S. Twitty,
state game and fish warden, on Tues
day notified all state and county
game wardens to be on the watch for
hunters who attempt to “fudge” on
the open season for quail or doves.
This season does not legally com
mence until November 20, next
Tuesday, and Mr. Twitty is deter
mined that this year every eager
hunter shall be held in leash until
the proper time to start on the war
path.
He has also requested all superior
court judges to summon all game
wardens in the state before grand
juries to reveal any violations of
the game laws they may know.
Mr. L. R. Martin, of Lawrence
ville, has been appointed game war
den for Gwinnett county, and asks
that all hunters see him as early as
possible and get their licenses be
fore the season opens on November
20th. Mr. Martin will appoint depu
ty game wardens from other sections
of the county at an early date.
BOOK SHOWER AND
SILVER TEA FRIDAY
There will be a book shower and
silver tea givoa at the Community
'club house, Friday-afternoon, for the
benefit of school library.
This being “Book Week”, the sil
ver tea and shower will be a very
fitting climax for same. Those who
have books to contribute will bring
them at this time and if you have
none, a small amount of money will
be acceptable or a large amount as
the donor feels disposed to . give.
Let everybody come out and lend a
helping hand to this good cause,
which will be a very great help to
all of your children.
Don’t forget the date, Friday af
ternoon, November 16th.
The shower and tea will be spon
sored by The Parent-Teachers Asso
ciation and the Woman’s Club.
MERCER MEN ORGANIZE
AN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
Dr. Rufus W. Weaver, chancellor
of Mercer University, Macon, was
the honor guest at a luncheon
served at the Hotel Ewing last Fri
day, and while he was here an alum
ni association of the Mercer men in
Gwinnett county was organized.
Rev. L. E. Smith presided over
the meeting and called on all of the
guests for a word, each of whom
made appropriate responses. Dr.
Weaver was the principal speaker,
and he outlined the plans and pur
poses of Mercer, telling of the won
derful work being done for the de
velopment of the young men en
trusted to their care.
The association was organized by
electing Rev. L. E. Smith president
and J. J. Brock secretary and
treasurer.
The guests included Dr. R. W.
Weaver and J. K. Williams, Macon;
Rev. L. E. Smith, S. G. Brown, John
I. Kelley, J. J. Brock, Rev. L. F.
Herring, Grayson; J. H. McGee, Quill
Sammon, Jr., and C. M. Morcock.
GRAYSON P. T. A. MET
LAST WEDNESDAY P. M.
The Parent-Teacher Association of
the Grayson school held its regular
monthly meeting Wednesday, No
vember 7th.
After reports of different com
mittees plans for a box supper wit!
a literary and lhusical program
were made, to be held November
17th. The program is under the di
rection of the young lady teachers
and promises to be a most enjoyable
affair.
The proceeds will go on the build
ing in the course of erection.
Public invited.
SEND US YOUR JOB WOR*
Paved Road
Now Assured
Here-Decatur
A paved road from Lawrenceville to Decatur is now assured.
On Wednesday the Commisioners of Gwinnett signed jointly with the
Highway Commission to pave the road from Lawrenceville to the DeKalb
county line and the Commissioners of DeKalb, who are heartily in favor
of the road, will probably sign for their part at a meeting this week.
The project calls for a paved road, built at an estimated cost of
$17,000 per mile from Lawrenceville straight into Decatur. The money
from Federal aid wil come in June Ist and the road building will probably
start about April Ist, 1924.
A large delegation of local citizens appeared before the commission in
Atlanta Wednesday and it was shown by facts and figures that this wan one
of Georgia’s main highways, a dirt road that was practically impossible to
keep in repair owing to the heavy traffic and travel, and one of the state’*
main roads unpaved.
The highway commission and the local board of commissioners im
mediately signed the contract calling for the paving of the road and work
will start as stated above.
It is eestimated that with the money derived from the federal funds,
state funds and with the county's share of the gasoline tax and the work of
the Gwninett convicts the road can be built without any money being ex
pended by the county.
The highway commission is to be thanked for their generosity and the
local board of commissioners congratulated upon their stand. Just before
starting to Atlanta for the meeting citizens of Buford called and stated that
if needed Buford would send fify citizens with the Lawrenceville delegation
asking for the road. This road will prove of vast benefit to practically ev
ery citizen of the county and with the keeping of the other roads in good
condition Gwinnett will have roads to be proud of.
Sam G. Brown Lays Bare More In
equality in the Method of Raising
Money for Government.
In my last article I discussed the
tax problem which is the greatest of
all problems confronting our people.
This is such a big problem that it is
absolutely impossible to tell you all
about it in one reading through the
newspaper columns, so I am going
to take up this problem where I left
it off and if you will just follow me
I will open your eyes and show to
you what is going on In our country.
It has been sjiown that thgre are
now outstanding fftrtfOß.jUMlP and
more of non-taxable bonds, only a
few being partially taxed, find these 1
bonds are now in the hands of the
millionaires and rich people who pay
absolutely no tax on them and are
defeating the government of billioas |
of dollars in taxes that they should !
be forced to pay.
It has been shown further that
one man in twenty is on the pay roll
of the United States government, „ 1
It has been proven that you are
working one day in six to pay, taxes
which is a burden on any neopie.
A short time ago William Rocke
fellow died, who is a brother to our
rich John D. Boekefellow, and left
an estate of $105,000,006. It was
found in the ordinary’s office that
his estate 'had been disposed of by
Will and that -43,000,000 of this mon
ey was non-taxable bonds. He actual
ly sold Standard Oil stock to put his
money in non-taxable bonds of the
United States government which, I
expect, is the best stock on the mar
ket. He did this for two purposes:
One was to defeat all taxes he pos
sibly could himself personally, and
which he did; and, he knew that he
was going to die soon and leave his
eetate and his children would defeat
the inheritance tax on his $43,000,-
000, not only defeat the inheritance
tax under our law, but defeat gov
ernment taxes on this $4.3,000,000,
and thereby saving his estate mil
lions upon top of millions of money
that should have gone into the
treasury of the United States gov
ernment to pay our government ex
penses. This is just one case out of
many thousands of just such cases.
How long do you think this gov
ernment will stand under conditions
like this. How long do you think ,
any nation can stand where one-half
the people pay all the taxes and the
other half go tax free? This is the
situation we arc facing.
The people have been hoodwinked
and ignored long enough, and the
common people of this country arc
going to put a stop to it.
We are going to stop issuing these
non-taxable bonds by passing a con
stitutional amendment and never is
sue any more. This is one of the
issues that is going to be passed up
on by our people, just as soon as this
bill is passed by the senate.
Our Georgia legislature is now' in
session for the purpose of creating
some kind of a law to save the people
from the burden of taxation. Why
did they not pass this law in June
when it cost the state of Georgia
about one hundred thousand dollars
or more? They passed a few local
laws, and did nothing to relieve the
people. Instead of getting the
proper relief, they have lobbied,
passed a few local laws that could
have been passed in one day’s time
possibly and the balance of their
time was spent in fighting each
TWICE-A-WEEK
other like cats and dogs, each man
trying to pass some kind of law
that would give him notoriety and
his enemy doing his utmost to defeat
it to keep the other fellow from get
ting ahead of him in politics; their
time was spent in absolutely doing
nothing and the people paying the
bills.
This extra session of the legisla
ture will cost the tax payers of the
state of Georgia thousands upon
thousands of dollars, money Whig
thrown east and west, north and
sooth to a bunch of poliShum* who
seek office and the people we wßK
iag. It » a great pity that
Georgia legislature eduMU Sat,- lie*
abolished for at least ftvp y&e* or
* more and we would errtaijffy hr **-
relieved of this much /fuurftMr in *
beeping men in A»j4Ata imfurther
ing their political schemes:
Ask yoursqlfr'lhis question: How
j long can government stand with
one-hathe people who are the
P°Vfbr class pay aH the taxes, and
the other half, who are rich, go tax
free?
SAM G. KBGWN.
Lawrenceville, Ga., November lit.
MEETING SUNDAY SCIJOQL
WORKERS BAPTIST CHUfttR
A most interesting and helpful J
meeting was held at the Baptist
church Tuesday in the interest of? or
ganized classes of the Sunday schools
of the Lawrenceville Association.
Mr. Strickland of Nashville, Tenn.;
Mr. Merritt, of Gainesville; Rev.
Reed, of Norcross; Dr. Campbell, of
First Baptist church of Gainesville,
were the principal speakers.
Quite a number of visitors from
the different churches' of the Asso
ciation were present, and much good
was received from having met to
gether. •
Lunch wasserved in the church
basement by the ladies sf the local
church.
Meeting was closed at 4 o’clock.
EPWORTH LEAGUE.
Subject; “How I Can Discover
My Place.”
Hymn.
Scripture, Mary Hagood.
Prayer.
“God’s Purpose in Every Life”—
Nell Forrester.
“Trust in God”—Annie Brown.
“Study the Word”—Parker Ed
monds.
“Seek Divine Guidance”—Carolyn
Pate.
“An Obedient Heart”—George
Clower, j
“The Sacrificial Life”—Lola Hin
ton.
“The Needs of the World”—Julia
Morcock. i
“What the World Offers”—Annie
B. Cooper.
“The Separated Service”—Tom
Pate.
“Side Lights on the Topic”
Benedk'tion.
NELL FORRESTER, Leader.
FIRST CLASS FARM TO RENT.
1 have a splendid two or three
borse farm to rent, situated on Yel
low River, two miles from Lawrenee
ville, where J. W. Moulder now re
sides to a tenant who can furnish
his own stock. There is no better
farm in the county that can be rent
ed, there being good red upland, and
fine botton land for corn.
nl2c W. £- SIMMONS.
NUMBER &