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VOL. II
subscription $1.50
m\ Rockdale Son Comes
I Home on Mother’s Day
I join) H. Wood, of Winder, Ga., lms
■ ni l u rather rugged experience in
He was horn Sept. 23, 1865, at Ce-
H,. shoals, now Porterdale, Ga., hut
father, the Rev. 1,. A. Wood, soon
H.,od to Sheffield District, Newton
(now Rockdale!, where he
Hi, I in 1808. From this time on, hard
Hines faced the family of mother and
Hx children; but by hard work on
Ha nous farms, hiring and renting and
Hhinll.v buying a little place, the fam-
Hv lived. John worked with the rest
H>oai a small hoy until he was nearly
His childhood friends and
were in Sheffield. He play-
H with them, went to school with
Hem and to church and Sunday
Hhool. He thought then, and he still
H>>“ks, that there is no place like Slief-
Hi'iil. and there are no better i)eople
H the world than are found there.
Sil His school j'lteachers during those
Hu ll! r years were Miss Molly White,
John Harville, Mr. Charles Mc-
Halia, Miss Jennie Gay, Col. Felix
Hrice. Mr. C. M. Swords, Miss Lucy
{Hiller, and Mr. N. H. Capehart. The
H>“‘ly attended church and Sunday
H'hool, for the most part, at Salem and
Hhiladelphia churches.
in October. liBBs. Rev. Baxter
H Colightly visited Sheffield and
a meeting at the Simonton school
Inis l , in the section known as Flat
ids, and organized Bethel. church
Huh 35 charter members, of whom
H>hn Wood was one. This new church
Has composed of Summerses. Cape-
Huts. Smiths, Sigmans, Trimbles,
H>wes, Whatleys, Cowans, Borns. Gra-
Hms. Woods, and others, and as time
Hissed its influence reached almost
Hcry family for miles around.
■At this time, John, then nearly
Henty-one, began to lay his plans for
H' Hf e work. Through the influence
H Mr. R. H. Cannon, late of Conyers,
■ devoted friend, he was persuaded to
Hter Kentucky University to prepare
Ur the ministry. So in September,
Hsd, he left for Lexington, Ky., where
Hi spent five years in hard work and
study. He started on this great
Hature with hut $50.00 in hand, and
H> place to send for more. He worked
Hs way through school. For a year.
B was a waiter in the college din-
Bg hall; twice he was Secretary and
H'easurer of the Boarding club, and
Hr two years he was mail carrier for
He college.
■He graduated in 1891, in a class of
Bventeen, who represented eight
Hates and three foreign continues. Of
Hese seventeen, thirteen are still liv-
Hg
■ During his vacations, the young stu-
Hnt taught school at Bethel in Rock-
Hile county, and preached as he had
Hiportunity. Many of his former pu-
Hls are now leading citizens of the
Hunty and many nearby cities. He is
Hill deeply interested in these men
Bid women and in their every effort
B do good and to make progress, and
He counts them among his dearest
B’i en <ls.
He held his first meeting at Bethel
i August, 1889, with thirteen added
) the churc-h, among these being his
rather, Samuel H. Wood, who died
Conyers in May, 1920. In 1894 he
id the preaching in another meeting
t Bethel, assisting the pastor, Rev.
1. L. Shelnutt. In this meeting there
•ere fifty-one added to the church,
t would be impossible to name all of
liese, hut almost all of upper Shef
ield was touched by influence of this
reeting. Needless to say that his love
nr* Sheffield and her people will never
case, and he looks forward eonfi
fntly to meeting them in the upper
nd better country.
Most of Mr. Wood's immediate fam
l.v are now sleeping in the Bethel
emetery. Of the original family, on
y he and his oldest brother, Mr. M.
Wood, of Conyers, are still living.
Mr. Wood’s work has been first of
ill pastoral; but in addition to this,
ie has organized six churches, dedi
cated fourteen, been instrumental in
'reeting nine church buildings, add
'd over 2000 members, married scores
ind buried hundreds. Besides this, he
aix been engaged as Secretary of his
-fate Mission Board for nine years,
"'orbed in the interest of the Orphan
ige for three years, and gave about
ieven years to educational work. He
received th elionorary degree of D.
" in May, 1922.
It has been his pleasure to aid
many young men in preparing for the
ministry, as well as for other lines'
' f work. He has only held pastorates
in four centers, and is nwo with one
"1 his first charges. He attributes
•"hat success he has been able to at-
Stjjif ftochfrale Record
An Unnecessary Evil
Is Being Patronized
We have been harping about our
town permitting tax free trucksters
teaching uikui the community life of
our town and have taken our folks to
task for patronizing them in opposi
tion to our regular or orthodox chan
nels of transportation. It lias develop
ed just as any thinking man might
have anticipated—in tlnit they would
ultimately retail from house to house
in opposition to our tax paying or
Orthodox mercantile houses. Trucks
are already selling our merchants and
then peddling the balance up and
down our streets. Why should a mer->
chant pay taxes, store license, school
and church maintenance fees and
then lie leached out of all sources of
income by reason of trucksters.
Whereof are we saving anything. Be
sides the Huckster who is benefit ted.
Why kill tlie goose that laid the gold
en egg. Who is the goose anyway.
Well, we don’t know exactly who is
the goose, but we do know it is not
the truckster. Why should he help
support our schools, our churches or
our city government when we don’t
even ask him to —it's all free to him.
We would like to he mayor long
enough to collect $150.00 license out
of every one of the dozens of Huck
sters that are building this chain sys
tem around our community, for if we
were mayor of this town, their speed
limit would he eighty-five miles per
hour as they passed through Conyers.
Prominent Educators
Visit Conyers Tuesday
Messrs. A. W. Baldwin and C. E.
Hawkins, superintendent and princi
pal respectively of the Covington
schools, visited with ye editor in Con
yers Tuesday afternoon. These most
excellent gentlemen are recognized as
state-wide leaders by the schools and
colleges of our state and Covington
is indeed fortunate and is to be con
gratulated upon their continuation
with that school. While in the city,
we escorted them over to Riverside
and followed a hot foursome around,
made up with Rev. Drake and Bob
Gailey versus Opher Cooper and Jos
eph Towns. It was quite interesting
to watch those athlets drive and iron
out rough places along the way. How
ever, Mr. Drake spoiled an otherwise
good day by missing an eight inch putt
to lose by one hole. It was just one
of those sad things that will happen
to the best of golfers and there is
nothing that you can do about it, es
pecially if you happen to be a preach
er. And this reminds us of a very
strenuous sermon preached by a golf
player in Conyers last Sunday night
against playing golf on Sunday. It
may be wrong to play golf on Sun
day, but we notice that they don’t
preach against it in towns of five
thousand people or more. It may be
that people in small towns don't do
much condemnable stuff and they
have to get onto us about things that
wouldn’t lie noticeable in larger places.
Anyway, it is one thing to lay a
chalk line and another thing to walk
it. • |'j
Fort McPherson, Ga., May 7, 1929.
Honorable L. B. Still,
Conyers, Georgia.
Dear Mayor Still:
I desire to thank you and the citi
zens of Conyers for the warm recep
tion extended the Twenty-Second In
fantry upon our arrival in your city.
Our visit to Conyers was the most out
standing incident of our march and it
was highly enjoyed by both officers
and men.
Sincerely,
LOCHLIN W. CAFFEY,
Colonel, 22nd Infantry,
Commanding Regiment.
tain very largely to the influence and
training and ideals of his mother,
who was unceasing in her efforts for
the right upbringing of her children.
To the people of Sheffield he feels
that he owes an everlasting debt of
gratitude for their love and sympa
thy and support in his early efforts.
Sheffield is sacred ground to him, and
it is his prayer that its people may
have the highest degree of success
and every blessing that is for their
good and for God s glory.
Mr. Geo. D. Malcom, Jr., of the Rail
way Express Agency in Atlanta, spent
Tuesday in Conyers guest of his par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. D. Malcom.
Mr. John B. McCollum left Tuesday
night for Atlanta where lie will spend
several days with Mr. and Mrs. Ernest
Plitfikett.
CONYERS, GEORGIA. WEDNESDAY, MAY S, 1929
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF ROCKDALE COUNTY
! [ MOTHER’S DAY ~~^IS
The noblest thoughts my soul can claim, An infant when her love first came H
The holiest words my tongue can frame, .n A man, I find it just the same; m J|P
Unworthy are to praise the name * Reverently 1 breathe her name, s|l|
More sacred than all other. Tho blessed name of Mother. || jjgs
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Henson Furniture in
Their New Quarters
The Henson Furniture Cos. moved
from Commerce street yesterday to
their new store, the Plunkett building,
on Center street, opposite Gailey's
This double door store room has.
been thoroughly remodeled and is now
one of the most attractive store fronts
in Conyers, and the large floor space
provides an unusually attractive dis
play of their well selected stock of
new goods Of the latest pattern and
designs.
Conyers is to be congratulated upon
bringing this firm here, and as a mat
ter of fact, this community has al
ready expressed its delight and satis
faction through patronage, even to the
extent of making larger quarters nec
essary. Messrs. \V. A. Henson, Joe D.
White and C. W. Hall are outstanding
leaders in their field of endeavor, ev
en unto a town-wide and county-wide
spirit of cooperation that is bound to
reflect in a greater Conyers and Rock
dale county. Their opening day is set
for Saturday of this week and it will
be a treat to walk into such a store
as this in dear old Conyers.
Fool Legislation
Would Make Criminals
Loss of inspect for governmental
and parental authority and of rever
ence for the home fireside, was given
by Supreme Court Justice Price Gil
bert as the general cause for the un
precedented crime conditions in the
world today, esi>ecially in America.
A bunch of reformers met at the state
capital in Atlanta this week to stop it
all. But how are you going to stop
law violations with so much fool leg
islation. We have so many laws un
til you are a criminal every time you
cross a street. A bunch of smart fel
lows meet in the capital every sum
mer and every one of them want to
pass a law and just because they pass
it. don’t mean that you are any worse
off, criminally, socially or otherwise,
whether you obey if or not in fact
you've violated the thing before you
ever hear about it and then you are
a criminal. We are not saved by law.
but live and die under the mercy of
grace. Two months from now we will
have another thousand page volumn
of laws.
June Graduates
and June Brides
There seems to be some doubt in
the minds of a great many people as
to which is the sweeter, a June gradu
ate or a June bride. Well, the June
graduate and the June bride are both
indeed lovely creatures and it would
be hard to get along without either,
but to our way of thinking, the hand
somest thing in creations falls upon
the broad shoulders of the young man
for whom those divinely lovely crea
tures were created. Our imagination
runs riot when we look upon the new
day for America in their hands. Fri
day evening, May 24th, will settle the
lovely graduate problem for this year,
but as those boys and girls separate
never to meet again upon the com
mon ground of high school students,
they will have taken their first step,
so to speak, on a journey that will
lead to the four corners of the globe.
It is presumed that most of this group
will continue and spend toiler years
in higher institutions of learning, but
they have spent their happiest school
days and bend Ijorth there will be
more or less a sense of repsonsibility
resting upon them that will make life
quite diffe&Ont. but not necessarily
less happy.
We wish to congratulate these splen
did young people upon this comple
tion of a worthy task and assure them
that jp layers is highly honored in
their accomplishments. Good luck to
you boys and girls and may the God
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob accom
pany you on your journey unto greater
deeds and accomplishments.
Hapeville. Ga., May 1929.
Hon. Jos. M. Towns,
Editor Rockdale Record,
Conyers, Ga.
Dear Mr. Towns:
I am sure the nice little comment
in a recent issue of your paper was
quite uncalled for. Most editors are
prone to “see things,” always out of
a kindly spirit, however; and we lay
men must forgive them and thank
them for their generosity.
Now, here is some comment that is
deserved ;
You are publishing the best paper
that Conyers has ever had. Your ad
vertising patronage and support is
simply fine, much better than I ever
thought Conyers would do again, and
your news and editorial comment is
far above the average for papers in
towns the size of Conyers. The paper’s
Poultry Car Leaves
Us Without a Cackle
Rockdale county disposed of $971.00
worth of tilled out and worn out
poultry stock in our sale hist week.
With 27c tier pound for hens, many of
them brought close to two dollars a
piece and the beauty about it is, no
questions are asked if they had sited
their teeth it was alright or if they
limped with rheumatism, it was al
right—the man did not even feel of
them to see if they had meat on their
breast in otherwovds, he just pre
sumed they were liens or had been
once upon a time and paid 27c for
each pound of whatever they were
upon that particular occasion.
County Agent Holmes worked like a
trojan for more than three la nil's in
that chicken car and it was the first
time be ever had feathers on him.
He reminded us-of a hen our Ford car
struck once just after she changed her
mind about crossing the street feath
ers everywhere except where they be
longed.
County Agent M Mtillan, of New
ton, and Agricultural Agent Purcell,
of the Georgia railroad, were up with
Mr. Holmes this week and congratu
lating him over his most excellent
sale.
general make up is very pleasing.
Of course, you and your helpers de
serve most of the praise, but with
out the help of your merchants you
simply couldn’t do it. And here’s my
praise for them. They are to be con
gratulated on their farsightedness in
according you the support sufficient
to enable you to publish a paper that
is a distinct credit to Conyers.
Fellow told me the other day that
I lie most pitiable sight in tiie vtfirld
is a flat tire. But I don’t think a
flat tire can be compared to a town
without a newspaper when it comes
to matters calling for pity. A good
newspaper is simply a tonic for a
town and the community it serves,
and Conyers seems to be taking on
new life of recent months. A town
will grow and prosper in proportion
to the degree of community spirit it
puts forth. One of the first effects of
the proper community spirit is proper
support for the community newspaper.
This is not an opinion. It is a proven
fact, whatever the “hard heads” may
say otherwise.
Well, best wishes to you and your
fine supporters.
BROWN TYLER.
Popular at Home and Abroad
Junior-Senior
Banquet Friday
The Junior-Senior hampiet lust Fri
day evening was one of the outstand
ing social events of the spring season.
Plates were laid for seventy-two and
young America demonstrated the lat
est methods of going over the top. The
junior class lsmsts of sixteen girls and
eighteen hoys, one of the largest
classes to knock upon the door of elev
enth grade wisdom and knowledge in
the history of Conyers and one of tlie
noticeable things about It Is the fact
that there ore more lmys than girls in
llu> grohp. This class spread a ban
quet upon this occusiou that would
have been a credit to any college group
and it was served by its own mem
bers without a hitch.
Rev. J. L. Drake offered thanks and
Hits was followed by each young man
who stood and Introduced himself and
In turn introduced the young lady
Whom lie brought as she stood smiling
like a June bride.
The welcome address was made by
Junior Class President Miss Lera Mae
Weldon, with the senior class response
by Miss Olive Mitcham. The address
the occasion was delivered by Rev.
1,. Drake. Mr. Opher Cooper, prin
cipal and room teacher in charge of
jlu* junior class was toast master and
presided in a most acceptable mnn
per. The musical program consisted of
several piano solos by Miss Florrie
Wallis and by popular demand, Caro
lina Moon, by Mr. Cooper.
| Those present " and going to make
kip such a' splendid group of chil
dren included the following couples;
Hubert Plunkett and Florence Bell:
A. L. Dabney and Mary Gladys Al-
mand.
Walter Giles and WllifaCStte' Stanton.
Joseph Tpwhs, Ja., and Mary Alice
Rice.
Eli Walker and Mary B. Leftwieh.
,1. B. Scarbrough and Mary Reafthn.
Foy Camp and Frances Farmer.
George Roebuck and .Mary Tucker.
Elliott Thrasher and Rosebud Wilson
Guy Stowers and Ora Guinn
Hamilton McDonald and Marv Potts
Howard Walker and Lula Mann
Mutt Tribble and Jewell Morris
Luther Cowan and Sara Hewlett
Horace Milligan and Lera Mae Wel
don
Klieaton Pharr and Rebie Wllkersou
Arthur W. Cowan and Mildred Bowen
Brice McDonald and Helen Almand
Apher Cooper and Mary Still
Ralph O’Neal and Olle Mitcham
Norman Walker and Ellen Conley
Billy Farmer and Clara Lee Chandler
,1. T. Willingham and Lois Reagan
Lewis Kent and Inez Welborn
Curtis Rice and Joe Butler
Lewis Mann and Florrle Wallis
L. B. Still, Jr., and I>onlse McElvany
Jno. B. McCollum and Margarett
Sprayberry.
Rev. ,1. L. Drake and Myrl Walker
Stedman Tuck and Rebecca Patrick
Willie Maloney and Lucile Bowen
Ernest D. Holmes and Ruth Robinson
P. .1, Rogers and Mary E. Cowan
Walter Huff, Jr., and Louise Almand
Frank Stewart and Vida Drake
Misses Sara and Jennie Joe McCol
lum, Oscar Lee Nelson and J. M.
Towns, Sr.
The junior class presented their
teacher, Mr. Cooper, a box containing
shirt, tie and socks, along with their
tributes of respect and love. One of
their disappointments among their
many happy and successful school
days was the loss of their dearly be
loved teacher, Mr. Cooper, for next
year —in fact, Conyers as a whole re
grets the loss of Mr. Cooper whose
plans carry ldm elsewhere next year.
Fort McPherson, Ga.,
May 6, 1929
Mr. R. O. Galley,
Conyers, Ga.
Dear Mr. Gailey:
May I take this opportunity to
thank you for the courtesy shown the
members of the 22nd Infantry base
ball team during their stay in Con
yers. We appreciate this courtesy very
much and wish to repay your kind
ness. We would like very much to
invite your ball team to play a game
here, Sunday, May 19 or May 26. We.
will furnish transportation and de
fray all expenses. Will you please re
fer this to the captain of the Con
yers baseball team and let me know
the decision?
Again thanking you for your courte
sies and hoping that I may again have
the pleasure of renewing our acquaint
ance, I remain, -
Respectfully,
V. D. WHATLEY,
2nd Lieut. 22nd Infantry, Athletic
Officer.
NUMBER 16