Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Lifestyles Memories of the New Perry Hotel's past years As signs announcing the 50th Anniversary of the New Perry Hotel are put into place, guests are eager to reminisce about stories of the hotel’s history. In the early years of this century, ninety-one year old Carl Moore visited the old Perry Hotel with his parents who traveled by car between their home in Sault Saint Marie, Michigan and Florida. He remembers well the excitement when the New Hotel was built and has kept up with its progress, for he has returned many times during his ninety-one years. When Mr. and Mrs. Albert Hafner of East Lansing, Mi., were recent guests at the Hotel, they shopped for a souvenir proclaiming the New Perry Hotel’s 50th Anniversary to take back home to their neighbor, Mr. Moore. Several years ago he had advised them to stop at the New Perry Hotel, “Try the pan broiled chicken and shredded yams for the best meal you’ll find from Michigan to Florida.” They did so and because they agreed with his critic’s choice, they continue to stop each year on their way to and from Florida. When the Lunch Bunch (a group of ladies who have met for lunch at the hotel on Tuesday for more years than they care to divulge) met recendy for lunch, the conversation turned to the upcoming hotel reception (July 16, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.). They recalled people and events of the past and memories of the New Perry Hotel when it really was NEW. Jo (McLendon) Skellie remembers her mother-in-law Rochelle (Cheves) Skellie, proprietor of the old Perry Hotel when the New Perry was built. It was Rochelle Skellie who gave the hotel its name which has stuck these seventy years. When Jo and her husband, Albert, came to Perry, they lived in the new hotel with Mrs. Skellie for two years. “We hadn’t intended to stay so long.” she said, “but there were few houses to rent in Perry and the hotel was so comfortable-really the only place in town with steam heat in the winter.” She remembered the fine food that was served by Mrs. Skellie in the dining room. The waiter “Uncle Henry” rang a dinner bell loudly when the meal was ready; then people would gather at the long dining tables to be served family style. Uncle Henry brought big bowls of fresh vegetables with platters of fried chicken, hot biscuits, and great chocolate desserts. Everyone pretended not to notice as he slipped a piece of the hot crusty chicken in his pocket on the way to the table. PUBLIC NOTICE GENERAL PRIMARY ELECTION COUNTY, STATE AND FEDERAL JULY 19, 1994 POLLING PLACES OPEN 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Houston County Board off Elections 2j ■huhp lUr/JT W&sKrJMr I I CHICKEN FINGERS CHICKEN FINGERS ■ SNACK MEAL S • 2 Chicken Fingers • 4 Chicken Fingers n VPi V|P • Curly Fries • Reg. Size Curly Fries PI I Bill • Your Choice Of • Your Choice Of £ £ Pp pP Dipping Sauce Dipping Sauce 00Hi69 $099 For A Limited Time! o,tt " II oNL h Life was interesting there with travelers on the road to Honda and peach buyers in the summer. She recalled many employees who also lived at the hotel. Herbert Boswell (brother of Mattie Lee Matthews) who worked as desk clerk. He loved to talk and was full of stories to entertain anyone who would listen. Mrs. Mamie Winn looked after the rooms and linens. Jo’s son, Albert Cheves Skellie, was bom in his grandmother’s hotel with Dr. Lee Evans (Horace Evans’ brother) in attendance. Recently Albert complimented his grandmother saying, “She was a woman way ahead of her time. She saw the potential in tourism for Perry and helped begin it.” Aurelia (Cooper) Evans, whose memory we might all envy, vividly recalled the excitement generated when people in Perry learned that a $50,000 tourist hotel was to be built by the Odum Realty Company of Macon to replace the old Perry Hotel. Because the New Perry hotel opened the year she graduated from college, she could easily pin point the month and year of its opening. With that clue we found the coverage of the event by the Houston Home Journal in the June 18 issue of 1925. For the New Perry Hotel Grand Opening, Mrs. Skellie entertained 300 guests with a buffet dinner—followed by dancing to the music of the Southern Serenaders band from Macon. Aurelia remembered attending the dance and recalled, “The band was set up in the corner where the watermelon picture hangs now.” Asked if dances were held often after that, she replied with a laugh, “No, Mrs. Skellie said, we made too much noise and disturbed her guests...the place was full of tourists. That was the only dance I ever remember there, but I remember going to dinner many times with my parents, J.P. and Martha (Ansley) Cooper.” Aurelia’s grandson, Jud Green, was given the bell Uncle Henry used to call patrons to dinner by Henry’s daughter. He has agreed to display it with other hotel memorabelia during the Hotel open house on Saturday. Another who shared early memories is Elizabeth (Cannon) Nunn. When she married Sam Nunn, Sr. in 1935, they too, lived in the hotel until they found a house to rent while their home was being built. (She still lives in the house they built on Beckham Circle.) Mr. and Mrs. J.J. Rooney, whom she had known in Cordele, were the proprietors then. Cohen Walker, who came to Perry in 1937, remembers that the Craig Mathis For congress The high cost of crime is sapping our nation's strength. Criminals must not keep the upper hand. Every citizen, urban or rural, should feel safe in their homes and communities. Our policy should be... pull the crime, serve the time. "Paid for by lots of good people wno want to see Craig Matnis in Congress’ m* m I Wn kxM si ■MV.-KumJl il ...... • v.ll Y ft 11 The signs go up, announcing fifty years of Southern hospitality at the New Perry Hotel. Be sure to look In next Wednesday's edition of the Houston Tlmes-Journal for photos from the anniversary celebration to be held this weekend. Kiwanis Club, organized in 1938, has enjoyed the New Perry Hotel lunches for the last half a century. After the hotel was remodeled, they moved their meeting place from the American Legion Hall to the new banquet room which provided plenty of space for the club to grow...and it has. Now, proceeds from their very successful annual Farm-City Day project go toward college scholarships and scholastic incentives for high school students. People who travel hear similar Hammock selected to attend AMDA training The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City is pleased to announce that Wendi Hammock has been selected for admission into the professional training program for 1994. AMDA “ In these times of natural disaster, when our homes, lands, and roads have been destroyed k| flooding . . . Pudding Prldges in Houston Counti) for a new tomorrow is Bridges to Boost Economic Development • Bringing together local and state officials to bring in new industry and expand existing business • Bringing together the northern and southern areas of the county to coordinate economic expansion throughout the county • Bringing together local business leaders to create a strategy for county-wide economic expansion Bridges to Improve Roads, Schools and Public Safety • Bringing together city, county and state officials to push for more state funding for highways to speed traffic and improve roads throughout the county • Working with state legislators to bring in increased state support for public schools and public safety • Bringing together law enforcement personnel to develop tougher anti-crime programs and boost police protection for all citizens regardless of where they live and work Bridges to Bring Together All Citizens • Involving all citizens in county government decisions • Boosting dialogue between various communities • Helping people in Houston County serve the needs of others • Bringing together people of different personalities, talents and skills to improve the quality of life in our county stories often repeated, Jackie (Ward) Marshall wrote, “In our travels around the states we make many new friends. In conversations about our hometowns, when we mention Perry, they will say, “Oh yes, we know exactly where it is. We have dinner at the hotel there each time we pass through.” This happened over and over, on Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, in the mountains of Colorado, and on a boat on the Potomac River last summer.” auditions students throughout the United States and Canada as well as students from many international countries. Wendi is the daughter of Jackie and Shirley Hammock of Perry. '““Wayne Ragin Building Bridges in Houston County Houston County Commission, Post 2, At-Large Democratic Primary, July 19, 1994 Advertisement Paid For By Candidate Houston Times-Journal Wednesday, July 13,1994 Houston Times -Journal Mr. and Mrs. Richard W. Helms, Sr. of Snellville, Georgia, and Mr. and Mrs. William F. Bledsoe, Sr. of Perry, Ga., announce the forthcoming marriage of their children, Barbara Helms Goodwin and William Franklin Bledsoe, Jr. The wedding is planned for July 31, 1994, in Snellville Ik ' -4BV juir 91 lap, w Miss Helms, Mr. Bledsoe to become man and wife What's the attraction at Middle Georgia College? Why... • is enrollment up 10% in one year on the Cochran campus? • is dormitory occupancy up 26% in one year? • is combined enrollment for Cochran and Dublin cam puses up 37% in four years? Come to Visitation Day on Saturday July 16, and get some answers. High school students and their families are invited. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. in Russell Hall on the Cochran campus. The program begins at 10:00 a.m. Please let us know you're coming. Call (912) 934-3103 COLLEGE If Admissions Office • Middle Georgia College 1100 Second Street, SE • Cochran, Georgia 31014 A Two-Year Residential Unit of the University System of Georgia An AOlnnative Action/Equal Employment and Educational Opportunity Institution. Wayne Ragin Personal Profile: • Husband, Father, Church Leader • Personnel Manager, local major manufacturer • Certified Volunteer Mediator / Houston County Juvenile Court System • Perry Chamber of Commerce • Leader in local civic organizations - American Cancer Society, President, Perry Unit - Perry Evening Optimist Club, board member - United Way, Corporate Giving Campaign - Efficiency in Government Committee, member - Boy Scouts of America - DAE Citizenship Award • Leadership Perry • Coach, Perry Recreation • Former Legislative Assistant, U.S. Senator Sam Nunn • Education - Graduate, Perry High School, President, Senior Class -8. A., Howard University Page 1B The bride is employed as a dispatcher with the police department in Lawrenceville, Ga. The groom is a correctional officer at Phillips Correctional Institution in Buford, Ga. After the wedding, the couple will reside in Lawrenceville.