Newspaper Page Text
The Summerville News, Thurs., Dec. 30, 1965
4
She Summrrmlk News
DAVID T. ESPY RAYMOND EDMUNDS
PUBLISHER EDITOR
Published Every Thursday by the News Publishing Co.
Entered at Post Office at Summerville, Georgia, as Second Class Mail Matter
MEMBER
The News Publishing Company will not be responsible for errors in advertising beyond
cost of the advertisement. Classified advertising rate 3c per word, minimum 75c. Card of
Thanks, Memoriams etc., same as classified advertising. Display rates furnished upon re
quest
SUBSCRIPTION RATE — IN COUNTY, $2 58 PER YEAR — OUTSIDE COUNTY, $3.81 YEAR
Never A Dull Moment
As 1965, creaking with age and
wobbling toward its inevitable demise,
makes its final marks on history’s
pages, it’s appropriate, we understand,
to look back and review what has
passed and evaluate the accomplish
ments, if any.
For Summerville, 1965 proved a
lively year. The city periodically mack
national headlines, and from this
bustling, North Georgia community
poured news that captivated reading
audiences throughout the nation—the
whole world as far as that goes, prov
ing that a town doesn’t have to have a
population of a million to stir up news
worth reading about.
The year was in its infancy when
two West Virginia youths were brought
to trial for the brutal slaying of Billy
A. Copeland, culminating a heart
breaking story that started in the
Christmas holidays of 1964.
Then in the early fall a triple
murder again brought Summerville
national headlines. This occurred
when a hunting party of six Summer
ville and Chattooga County men went
into the woods of Cherokee County,
Ala., in search of squirrels. Cherokee
County sheriff Max Garrett termed
the shooting “the bloodiest gun battle
I ever heard of.”
A few weeks back again saw Sum-
To Be Commended
Congressman John Davis’ an
nounced plan to visit cities in the Sev
enth Congressional District to explain
new laws is commendable.
The area citizens need to know
how new measures can help them, and
by reading some of the laws on the
surface only leads to confusion in
many instances.
Who better can explain legal
terminology than a man who has
spent a lifetime practically in the
study and practice of law? And who is
more qualified to explain a law than
one who in many occasions helped
write it into the books.
Perhaps the biggest service these
discussions will provide will be the
time saving factor.
Congressman Davis says the new
program is vastly changed, and that
Take It Easy Friday Night
Take it easy Friday night, espe
cially those of you who enjoy the prac
ticed art of elbow-bending.
Celebrations are enjoyable and
com° highly recommended, but please
usher old 1965 out with dignity. Don’t
mar what has been a good year for
most all of us by piling your automo
bile in some ditch, or by smashing it
head-on with another innocent vehicle.
Among the major projects facing
Chattooga County during 1966 will be
the badly needl'd construction of a
gymnasium and a football stadium at
Chattooga County High School.
The gymnasium, in particular, is
a definite need. At present the high
school girls and boys basketball teams
are forced to use the facilities of the
Recreation Center.
A school just naturally takes
pride in a modern, up to date gymnas
ium and football plant. The adult
spectators as well as the students look
upon such structures as monuments to
ar^a progress.
At its last meeting the County
Board of Education decided to delay
action on a bond issue for the express
purpose of constructing the football
The Summerville Newt
h the Official Organ
Os Chattooga County
Address All Mail to
THE SUMMERVILLE NEWS
P O Box 310
Summerville, Georgia
6
A DEFINITE NEED
A Prize-Winning
Weekly Newspaper
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER
merville’s name printed across the
front pages of newspapers throughout
the entire world. This is when one of
the residents, Billy Ray Pursley, al
legedly purchased a rifle and threat
ened the life of President Lyndon
Johnson. His guilt or innocence is yet
to be decided in a Charlotte, N. C., fed
eral court.
It was a prosperous year for the
city, with members of the Retail Mer
chants Association reporting marked
increases in profits and bulk business.
The year in the state was one for
decision-making, and decisions were
arrived at that will affect Georgia for
many years to come. In January, the
House of Representatives was called on
to reapportion. The law makers drew
up a plan termed by Governor Carl
Sanders as ’’bold and mature.”
Revenue collections for the fiscal
year ending in June reflected booming
economy in Chattooga County and the
entire state of Georgia. More than $55-
million dollars over those of the pre
vious year were collected.
Chattooga County’s achievements
during the past 12 months were by no
means arrived at accidentally. They
are the results of conrentrated study,
hard work and long-sightedness.
May 1966 be as successful, in every
way.
workshops will help clarify the new
measures. He is correct. These sort of
public service discussions and lectures
have been found to be successful in
Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida and
other states for a good number of
years.
The leaders of the counties and
municipalities in the district should
make definite plans to attend when the
U. S. Representative appears in their
locality. They owe it to the people who
put them in office.
Representatives from each federal
and state agency involved in the new
program have been invited to attend,
and if they intend to shoot square with
the public they should most definitely
be there If not they should be booted
out of office.
Just think a little before you sit
down behind that wheel. An automo
bile can be a deadly weapon if handled
improperly. It’s usually a simple mat
ter to find a lift home, or a taxi, or to
just walk.
Use your head and take it easy.
And let us hear from you next
year.
stadium and gymnasium. The reason
for the delay is simply that the board
wants individuals of the community to
sponsor a drive for the issue, which for
all intents and purposes is a relatively
good idea.
If the citizens of the area get be
hind such a move, the final result will
be greatly more appreciated by all.
The area residents can feel as if the
sports facilities belong directly to
them and its upkeep and operation will
be handled with more sincerity and
efficiency.
The old football stadium at the
Upper Elementary School is inade
quate for a growing community that
sees the enrollment at Chattooga
High School growing with each pass
ing year.
I
Cc B
■ OF SO y * n| SskiOt'c
. WK
from HISTORY’S SCRAPBOOK
DATES AND EVENTS FROM YESTERYEARS
The first U.S. postage stamp was used, December 31, 1847.
January 1 is New Year’s Day. The United Nations Declaration
was signed, January 1, 1942. Born on January 1 were Paul Revere
(1735) and Betsy Ross, (1752).
The United States announced an open door policy for China,
January 2, 1900.
Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek became head of all Allied forces
in Chinese theatre of war, January 3, 1942.
The first chain radio broadcast was transmitted between WEAF,
New York, and WNAC, Boston, January 4, 1923.
The last spike was driven in the Great Northern Railroad, January
5, 1893.
President F. D. Roosevelt enunciated the Four Freedoms, Jan
uary 6, 1941.
Phone Bills to Show
Reduction After First
All telephone bills will
show a reduction effective
the first of the year, H. E.
Hussey, president of the
Southeast General Tele
phone Companies reminded
subscribers of the Chattooga
area this week.
The federal excise tax on
local service and long dis
tance calls will be lowered
from ten to three per cent
******
Placement
Tests Slated
Chattooga County resi
dents interested in Peace
Corps operations are in
vited to take placement
tests at 9 a.m. Saturday,
Jan. 8. at the main Post
Office building in Rome.
The Peace Corps uses the
placement test to determine
how an applicant can best
be utilized overseas. The
test measures general apti
tude and the ability to learn
a language, not education or
achievement. The placement
test requires no preparation
and is non-competitive—an
applicant can neither pass
nor fail.
The application form, not
the placement test, is the
most important factor in
the selection of volunteers.
Persons interested in serv
ing in the Peace Corps must
fill out an application, if
they have not already done
so, and present it to the
tester before taking the test.
Applications may be ob
tained from the Summer
ville Post Office or from the
Peace Corps. Washington.
D. C.
******
LETTER ™EDITOR
Editor:
Summerville News
Summerville. Georgia
Dear Sir:
We the Faculty. Student
body and PTA wish to ex
press our deep appreciation
for the manner that you and
your staff made our Home
coming Parade a success.
The write up is excellent
and pictures are superior.
Copies of the paper have
been sent to many of the
leading Universities as well
as Colleges Among the col
leges and Universities that
copies were mailed to are:
Fort Valley State College.
Fort Valley Georgia: Albany
State College. Albany. Geor
gia: Atlanta University and
New York University.
Your paper has done
much to promote a better
understanding and relation
sh i p between parents and
teachers.
Again may I say we thank
you: and now may we wish
for you a "Merry Chrismas
and a prosperous New
Year.”
Very truly yours.
J. L. Thomas
Principal
A C. Carter Consoli
dated School
as a result of legislation
passed by Congress and
signed into law last sum
mer.
Additional one per cent
cuts will occur each suc
ceeding Jan. 1, so that by
New Year’s Day 1969 the
entire levy will be erased.
“We are deeply gratified
that subsequent savings will
be realized by our custom
ers,” Hussey commented.
He assured subscribers
that excise tax revenues
never have been shared by
the industry. “The tele
phone company merely col
lected the money for the
government since the tax
was levied as a ‘temporary’
measure of expediency dur
ing World War II,” ex
plained the president.
“We are proud to have
played a part in successful
efforts to have this tax re
pealed,” he said.
******
County Nears
Bonds Goal
Chattooga County has at
tained 81.3 per cent of its
goal in the 1965 Savings
Bond Drive, according to of
ficial figures.
The goal for the county is
$375,000 and through No
vember a total of $304,691
had been sold.
A total of $31,074 was sold
in November. Sales for De
cember are yet to be re
ported.
******
First Baptist
Has Yule Party
For Children
A Christmas party for the
children of the First Baptist
Church of Summerville was
held on Wednesday evening,
December 22.
Led by the pastor, Rev,
Robert L Franklin, a pro
gram was presented in the
sanctuary. Familiar carols
were sung. Christmas film
strips and films were shown
by Gerald Cook and Lynne
Franklin.
Assisting with the recita
tion of “Bells of Joy" were
Tom m y Brooks. Donna
Christol, Barbara Glore,
Coleman Ledford. Martha
Ann Martin. Scott Pullen.
Denise Wells. Fran Willing
ham. LeAnne Willingham
and Stan Willingham.
A short playlet was given
by Cynthia Bagley, Judy
Brooks. Susan Floyd and
Carole Thomas
Reading the Bible account
of the first Christmas were
Claudia Bagley. Paula
Easter. Butch Eleam. John
Jackson. Johnny Martin and
Celia Thomas.
Following the program,
refreshments were served in
the Fellowship Hall by Mrs.
Charles Brooks. Mrs Rex
Jackson. Mrs. Charles
Knight and Mrs. Paul Pul
len Jr.
Doctor
in the Kitchen
by W W Bauer, M.D.
Consultant, National Dairy Council
COMMERCIAL
FOOD PROCESSING
At a recent meeting of the
American Public Health Associa
tion, an executive of one of the
largest commercial food proces
sors and distributors pointed out
some of the advantages of the
modern methods of food prepar
ation and distribution, aside from
the obvious convenience of being
able to buy almost any food any
where at any time. Many of our
older people can remember when
fresh foods out of season were
not only more expensive, but
often simply unobtainable.
Food Readily Available
The ready availability of a va
riety of foods not only reduces
housework. It also improves nu
trition. In 1903 the average fam
ily consumption of canned goods
was 3 cans per year. A great many
consumed none, except what they
preserved at home. By 1963, the
average had risen to 683 cans
per family. This is exclusive of
frozen foods, unknown in 1903,
and now being in excess of 8.5
billion pounds a year. Other
types of processing, such as dry
ing, salting and curing, and smok
ing are not included, either.
Food is safe
The safety of this vast supply
is safeguarded from its origin to
the ultimate consumer. Milk, for
example, is supervised from farm
to table, cooled, pasteurized, and
protected from contamination by
automatic handling in spotless
dairies. Meat is inspected by fed
eral and local inspectors, and
graded for quality. Cooked foods
such as soups, meats, spaghetti
and vegetables, are prepared un
der conditions of scrupulous
cleanliness of premises, equip
ment, and personnel.
Raw materials, such as vege
tables, are controlled at the farm
by supervision dealing with pro
per use of fertilizers and pesti
cides, with soil analysis, and spec
ified time for harvesting to get
the most nutritive value. They
are sorted, washed and prepared
by experts, who can do a better
job than the most careful house
wife can.
Highly Supervised
Food processors shipping in in
terstate commerce are subject to
supervision by the U.S. Depart
ments of Agriculture, the Food
and Drug Administration and the
Public Health Service, and to
state, county and city authori
ties in many instances. Govern
ment standards of cleanliness,
safety and nutritive value are
exceeded by industry perform
ance.
And says, this food executive,
if the can you buy shows six
meatballs, you may get seven, but
you can be sure you won't get
only five.
******
Cars Collide
At Intersection
Two people were admitted
for observation at Chat
tooga County Hospital Sun
day, following a two-car
collision at the intersection
ot Commerce Street and
Martin Street.
Admitted and released
were Mrs. Milton McGuire
Jr., of San Antonio, Tex.,
and Mrs. Lula McGuire, of
514 Congress Street.
One car was driven by
Milton McGuire Jr., San An
tonio, and the other was
driven by Miss Beulah
Shropshire, S u m m e r v ille.
The McGuire car was
headed toward Menlo, and
the Shropshire automobile
was coming onto Commerce
from Martin Street.
Raymond
Edmunds
Memories that bless and burn . . .
We knew, all of us, that the end was near that
first week in January. Payday was on Friday and we
were told, rather bluntly, that it would be Monday
before we got our checks. And we knew then, all of
us in the editorial room, that what started out as a
fond dream was turning into a nightmare. We knew
that the Atlanta Times was dead
None of us wanted to admit it, and none of us
wanted to show disloyalty by shopping around for
other jobs. But we knew that our baby was dead, and
we were beginning to realize that regardless of how
much money a guy had, he tired of pouring it down
3> rat hole
It was my job as city editor to keep up the morale
of the staff, and I tried, really I did, to convince the
reporters that it was merely because of the holiday
that our checks were late in coming. I didn t tell
them what I already knew . . . that the paper was
broke
Paul Hemphill, a great writer, just sat at his
desk and shook his head. “What do we do now coach?
We all stay together or do we shove off anywhere we
can? Got some babies at home you know.” He’s now
number one col’’”nnist for the Atlanta Journal.
And Luther Thigpen, the managing editor, as
fine a newspaperman as ever sat before a typewriter.
He just stared back at me when I came right out and
asked if he was going to whittle the staff to the bone
in an effort to keep going. He just sat and stared and
I knew that he had his orders already. He didn’t ask
me if I would help him with selecting who would stay
and who would get the axe. He knew that I couldn’t
take any one name and say to let him go. He just sat
and stared and didn’t answer any of my questions.
And there was Ben Chester, bright young star of
the Associated Press now. Ben, brilliant beyond his
years, knew the axe would fall, and he knew it would
fall hard. So he resigned, just so somebody else could
keep his job. I asked him what he was going to do,
and he replied: “Just meat-hook it and go.” Tops,
that guy.
And Gene Stephens, one of those rare newsmen
who can spot a news story a mile away. Gene vowed
he’d stay to the finish and he did.
And Kirby Freeman. He got the axe, but he re
fused to quit. He worked a week for nothing and the
management, seeing the error of its ways, rehired
him and he stayed until the bitter end.
And Frank Stansberry, who called himself The
Dog. “The Dog took a long time to get to Atlanta,
and I’m not leaving now.” He stayed to the end. Now
he’s with Business Week magazine, and showing
them, like he showed us, how a top reporter operates.
And Joe Dooley, the last of the great rascals. Joe
is the best all around newspaperman I’ve ever had
the privilege to work with. Joe was business editor,
but anytime our city staff was in an emergency, Joe
threw in and helped. He’s a pro, and he has cap
tured the heart of Atlanta. He now directs The At
lanta Journal business section.
And little Billie Cheney Lovell. She was our re
ligion editor and she cried those big tears when the
handwriting sprang on the wall.
And Shirley Roloff. Now there’s a real trooper.
She was assistant city editor and there was no story
that she wouldn’t attack with the tenacity of a bull
dog. Unfortunately, she got caught in the big cut and
has left the newspaper business for a public relations
position.
And Jay Jenkins. Handsome, likeable and tal
ented, Jay resigned before the finish. He covered the
state capitol beat for us and did it magnificently.
He’s now an aide to lieutenant governor Peter Zack
Geer.
And I could go on and on, thinking back about,
those swell people who tried in vain to make a third
newspaper go in Atlanta. On and on, all the rest of
this year and the next and the next after that.
But what’s the use. It’s over now, and when peo
ple ask me what happened, all I can do is shake my
head. We ran out of money, that’s for sure, but why
we ran out of it so fast has many stories. Mismanage
ment, foolish buying, overstaffed composing rooms,
featherbedding in the press room. More, more, more.
They tell me that Atlanta needs a third newspa
per, and they tell me they sure hated to see The
Times fold. Hated to see it fold? Man I died.
THE
^GOLDEN YEARS
WIDOW PUTS SIOO A MONTH
INTO A NEW LEASE ON LIFE
Qhe was 69, and a widow. Her
children were married and far
away. Old friends were passing
from the scene.
Her health was failing, and as
she tried to cope with her loneli
ness and the old home her hus
band had left her she was largely
unnoticed.
In a period of five months this
widow has made over her life,
apparently regained her health,
and is now virtually a queen who
is referred to as "Miss Bless-You.”
She did it by spending a little
of her money.
Miss Bless-You, whose actual
name is Mrs. W R. Blessing,
changed her life without plan
ning to. Her existence had finally
become so miserable that, in com
plete resignation, she sold her
house and moved into a small
retirement home where she could
be taken care of.
She made a $7,500 down-pay
ment to the home under a plan
which required her to pay a
further $94 a month for life care
Lifetime income left to her by
her husband was sufficient for
that. Money from the sale of her
house and from her husband's
savings took care of the $7.5.00
down-pavment and there was
SIB,OOO left
Mrs. Blessing, once she was
settled in the home, started giv
ing the SIB,OOO away to the 51
other residents at the rate of
SIOO a month.
This is how a friend describes
the development:
“She came into the home with
all of her small personal posses
sions — jewelry, handkerchiefs,
scarves, etc. She began passing
some of these to other woman
residents as gifts.
“The reaction of the women,
most of whom had virtually noth
ing, was surprising to Mrs, Bless
ing. And very gratifying. She
continued giving, and as her per
sonal items diminished she began
ordering small gifts from the
stores . . . ,”
Out of all this Mrs. Blessing
got the idea of establishing a
monthly “Gift Day” at the home.
She set it for the 12th day of
each month, which was the date
of the month her husband died.
She decided to buy SIOO worth
of gifts for each “Gift Day." She
figured that to continue this for
five years would cost her a third
of her savings, or $6,000, and in
the process she would have given
out more than 3,000 gifts if
she lived that long.
“She worked out an unusual
plan," the friend continues. “Each
month she would give 45 resi
dents a $1 gift, then would
choose six gifts with the remain
ing $55 for special cases in the
home. She made arrangements
with a department store to send
a clerk to her room once a month
with gift suggestions . . .”
Miss Bless-You made her first
distribution of “Gift Day” pres
ents from her bed in her room.
She made the second by riding
down the halls in her wheel chair
She made the third by walking
from room to room.
She has 51 people praying for
her health
N.w GOLDEN YEARS 3S pogo bookie
, ”< I T Sond 50c ia coin to Dopi.
—SPS care of this newspcnxr to Box
iTny'” 11 Stati^T^Mow Took