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Wednesday, September 7,1994, Houston Times-Journal Page 4A Editorials Houston Times-Journal P. O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll Street • Perry, Ga. 31069 Phone: (912) 987-1823 The Houston Tim«*-JOumel (USPS 000471) is published semi-weekly for *IB.OO per year by Houston Publications, Inc., 807 Csrroll Street, Perry, Ga. 31069. Second Class Postage paid at Perry, Ga., POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Houston Times-Journal, P. O. Drawer M, Perry, Ga. 31069. ISSN: 107 S-1874 Bob Tribble Daniel F. Evans Julie B. Evans Mitch Tribble President Vice-President Treasurer Secretary Jim Kerce Editor and General Manager Eddie Byrd Advertising Manager News: Jimmy Simpson, Pauline Lewis Sports: Veto Roiey Composition: Melanie Bullington Classified Advertising: Melanie Bullington Bookkeeping: Judy Morrow Here's how to get your news, photos printed in the Journal In an effort to cover as broad a spectrum of community activities as possible, we at the Times-Journal encourage our readers to submit their local news to the newspaper. Since we believe nearly every aspect of community life in Perry and South Houston County is ‘newsworthy,” we ask that you share news of interest to you with readers in our coverage area. We are interested in printing news about your dubs, social events, businesses and churches. In addition we want your news about events, such as engagements, weddings, births, birthdays, family happenings, class reunions, promotions, honors and just about anything you consider important to you, your family and friends. Pictures are especially important in coverage of your news events. For that reason, we encourage you to snap pictures at special events and submit them with your write-up. (Color snap shots are fine!) So, if you're are having a reunion, church event, or club function, be sure to include a picture to go with your write-up. When you are ready to get your news into the newspaper, bring or mail it to the Houston Times-Journal, 807 Carroll St, P.O. Drawer M, Perry, Ga. 31069. You can FAX articles to the newspaper at 988-1181. Our phone number is 987-1823. Should you bring an item by our office after our regular 8:30 a.m.—5:30 p.m., Monday-Friday hours, drop it in the mail slot on the front door. Your opinion Johnson needs promotion Editor: I would like to congratulate and commend Sgt. Willie B. Johnson of the Perry Police Dept, for patrolling some of the more secluded unlit areas of the business community of Perry, and catching three thieves in the act of stealing mobile home axles and wheels. This is the example a sergeant should be setting for his troops. This is exactly the protection and service the business community wants and deserves. He should be promoted to Captain right away and put over the Patrol Division. Thanks, Willie B. Pete Griffin Perry, Ga. 'Letters to Editor' welcome The Houston Times-Journal welcomes letters to the editor from its readers. Letters should be signed and include home address and telephone number for verification. Any letter not signed, or without proper information, will be discarded. We always give priority to letters written by local residents, or any subject which concerns loci activity. Letters should be mailed to: Houston Times-Journal, P.O. Drawer M, Perry 31069. Letters can also be brought to our 807 Carroll St. office. Olir Policies • Signed Letters to the editor welcomed. Please limit to 300 words and include address and phone number. • Liability for an error will not exceed the cost of space occupied by the error. • We cannot be responsible for return of pictures or material unless stamped return addressed envelope is included. Our Goal The Houston Times-Journat is published proudly for the citizens of Houston and adjoining counties by Houston Publications Inc., Perry, Ga. Our goal is to produce quality, profitable, community-oriented newspapers that you, our readers, are proud of. We will reach that goal through hard work, teamwork, loyalty, and a strong dedication towards printing the truth. Member Georgia Press Association-National Newspaper Association "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redree of grievances." Your right to rood this rwwtpaper is protected by ths First Amsndment ot ths Unitsd Statss Constitution (The following information was compiled by Pauline Lewis, Society Editor, from the Houston Home Journal’s files.) 50 Years Ago ♦Legal Blank Forms - Blank Mortgages, Bills of Sale, Promissory Notes, Retail Title Notes, and various Other Forms for sale at Home Journal Office. ♦Belter Home Town Contest Underway, sponsored by the Georgia Power Co. subject “Five Ways to Make My Community Better”, in which a total of $5,200 in War Bonds will be awarded to 60 contest winners. the purpose of the contest is to obtain ideas from as many Georgia citizens as possible on the subject of the improvement of home towns. Each community will be encouraged to make such civic improvements as will promote better living conditions and economic opportunities. An important objective of the program is the creation of additional jobs so that the postwar period will not bring a migration from Georgia of former soldiers and war workers seeking opportunities in other states. Essays will not exceed 100 words and may be enteral in adult and children’s divisions. Awards will be given at county and state August meetings bring back fond memories “August” meetings have come to a close as summer begins to give way to fall, the kids get back in school and vacations come to an end for most folks, until another year rolls around. Most of you have either been to your church homecomings, anniversaries, pastor’s appreciation days or other special events, these are what the old folks call August meetings. They usually pack the church to the bream for that day to hear good preaching, good music and good food. All the August meetings will have “dinner on the grounds” following the service and delicious food is always in abundance, especially the sweet stuff. Many of the meetings will feature good old gospel singing after dinner and the country churches will ring with song and music. PEANUT GALLERY HOUSTON CO. RE-INVENTS SCHOOL FINANCING J‘t s nncvn~) -v /- —, , /F£ATH£JVr\ / TAXPAYERS \ S' / OUGHT Tt>&£ Y'l V A’SAIhJ, ) ( YO<J AA&Afv OUfl. ) l PUYl^Cr —-—' 15 L Fair offers new, exciting features Last year more than 150 million people attended more than 3,200 fairs in the United States and Canada. Fairs strive to attain new and varied activities for their respective patrons each year. This year’s Georgia National Fair is no different. The following is a partial review of “What’s New” at this year’s sth Anniversary Georgia National Fair. •’’Fair Bear” mascot. •’’Tower within a Tower” souvenir booth under the Clock Tower; Fair and Agricenter items on sale. •Reithoffer Calliope at North Gate with benches. •Motorcycles of Distinction exhibit. •Fine Arts display in Roquemore Conference Center. •Welliver’s Carriage shop exhibit. •Elephant rides (from Royal Hanneford Circus). •’’Rhett Butler” and “Scarlett O’Hara” look-a-likes, OCT. 7 AND 8 ONLY. •New Daily Free Entertainment: 5-H Ranch Petting Zoo (exotic animals); Dan Barth’s Medicine Show; Zeek and the Model A Hillbilly Car; Pro-Bot; Brad Bodary; Mime; and Wild Ones: rollerblade, skateboard, and bicycle spectacular. •Reaves Arena Concerts: Lome Morgan with special guest Collin Raye, Oct. 8; and an evening with Billy Ray Cyrus, Oct. 15. •Alltel Entertainment Stage Free Entertainment: Coasters (Charlie Brown’s Tribute), The Vogues, and The Waycross Express. •Pace Car from Atlanta Motor Speedway on display. •Miniature Horse Show, Oct. 10 and 11. r \ s ; levels. 25 Years Ago ♦ Sports Column begins in Houston Home Journal this week on the Sports Page. ♦ Telephone Co. in new office. ♦ Retail Sales rise by 14% in Houston County in the second quarter of 1969 over the figures for the same period in 1968. ♦ 1 lb., 11-oz-baby bom here; still living at 13 days. As newspaper folks we regularly get invitatiofls to the “August” meetings, homecomings, etc. In fact there was a time when most every Sunday during July and August could have easily been spent at a “dinner on the grounds.” Over the past 30 years my family has probably graced the tables at well over half the churches in the Tri-County area. I could name most of them, but the list would be too long. We have enjoyed good fellowship, good food, and good singing at every place we have visited. Last Sunday Frances and I attended the one-hundredth anniversary of the Fairview Methodist Church near Lavonia where I was raised (some English teachers prefer reared). My brother and his family were present as well as a third cousin who still lives in Agricenter Executive Director | •Draft Horse and Mule Show, Oct. 12-13. Demonstration for school field trips, Oct. 12-13. •’’The Wool Story” exhibit with spinning and weaving. •’The Dairy Story” exhibit, Oct. 10 to 15. •Junior Shepherd’s Lead Class split from adults, Oct. 7. •Professional Cake Decorating competition sponsored by Dixie Crystals, Sugar, Oct. 9. •Cooking with Pork competition sponsored by Georgia Pork Producers, Oct. 12. •Hobbies Department “Trash to Treasures”: items made from recycled plastics, fabrics, paper, glass, metal and wood. •Fair Bear Creative Writing competition. • Smokey Bear Collectibles competition. • Smokey Bear’s 50th Anniversary observed by Georgia Forestry Commission in Heritage Hall. Harry Rossoll, Smokey artist from Atlanta, will draw Smokey for children, Oct. 8. •’’Landscapes in Action” FFA competition. Winning landscape design will be executed at Fair in Heritage Hall. •Honey Bee exhibit greatly expanded to educate fairgoers on importance of bees to Georgia agriculture. •4-H Variety Show moved to Alltel Entertainment Stage. Will allow more people to see this youth Remember when? A look back at events from Perry's past 10 Years Ago ♦Local youth need more activities than tennis or little league, City Council told by Perry City Councilman, Jim Hendrix. He suggested a bowling alley and putt-putt golf Councilman Ralph Gentry said that the addition of new activities would not only keep youngsters busy and off the streets, but may also encourage businesses to locate within the city. Houston Times-Journal Lavonia. There was nothing spectacular about this event. In fact it fit right into .the pattern of “August” meetings; good fellowship, good food, good preaching and good singing. And let me tell those of you who don’t know already, I am not a Methodist and never have been, not that there would be anything wrong with it. As we sat in the nine year old church building, I noticed on the wall the number of those present for the past two Sundays. Nine were present the Sunday before and 13 the Sunday before that. Probably 150 were present for the anniversary, coming from many miles away. The old church building burned in 1985 when struck by lightning. Great-grandfather McWhorter and his bride are buried in the old competition. •’’Farming, Then and Now” exhibit includes Centennial Farms on one side contrasted by modem fanning. •Railroad crossing safety program, “Georgia Operation Lifesavcr”, in Heritage Hall. •Georgia D.A.R.E. speedboat on display. •Boy Scouts of America locator service in Heritage Hall. •Kroger food stores present “Food for a Family of Four for a Year” exhibit. •Jay Reakirt Blacksmith demonstrations. •Lots of new food items and speciality booths all over Fairgrounds. •Georgia Living Center Artists in-Residence: Anthony A. Brown, watercolor, acrylic; Bruce C. McCain, Woodcarver; Joseph Favreau, blacksmith; Middle Georgia Woodcarvers; Annie Green, “paints” with yam; Atlanta Woodcarvers; David West, stained glass; Lola Robuck Josey, watercolor; Mildred Nix Huie, oil; Jim Davis, pottery; Jim Mitchell, pottery; Scott Wiederholt, wildfowl carver. I should note the above list is in no way all inclusive and many favorites such as the racing pigs, Grandpa Cratchet, livestock and horse competitions, the Reithoffer Midway, the Royal Hanneford Circus, arts and crafts, commercial exhibits and much more will be returning to this year’s Georgia National Fair, October 7 through 16. There’s much to see and do at the Fair. I encourage everyone to make plans to attend this year’s special sth Anniversary Celebration. 5 Years Ago ♦Religious clubs slated for BOE discussion. Houston County Board of Education will discuss the effects of the court decision to eliminate all types of formal prayer before football games at the regular scheduled board meeting Tuesday. ♦ Carl Pierce won the Perry Country Club Championship with a total of 140. "^^^Tribblej cemetery at Fairview, as well as other kin. When on visits places such as this the mind attempts to carry us back through the years into what seems to be past eternity. When my brother, sister and I grew up in Lavonia we had as many black friends as white. Back in those days the word discrimination had hardly been invented. We ate at the tables of our black friends because we wanted to. We spent many hours playing and working with them because we wanted to. Please see TRIBBLE, Page 5A | »4 Veto I Roley . T/j/t/r Staff Writer I One seven times worse comes calling Jesus looked at his followers, and addressed them on changing their lives. A man sweeps out his house. In doing so, he runs off a demon from the house. But, he replaces the de mon with nothing. Several days later the demon comes back and finds the house empty. He returns to the house with seven demons worse than the first. The Pilgrims came to America looking for a place where they could practice their religion free from the harassment of the Church of England. In America, they thought they had found the perfect land, a land big enough that all, ex cept the native populations, could worship God as they pleased. And so America was built as a Christian nation, even though from time to time we have had severe disagreements on what exactly that meant. We knew from the first moment we were founded, from the first moment European man stepped foot on this land and planted colonies that we were a land blessed. We were to be the land that God would use to lead the world back to him, we would the city on the hill, the new Israel. And for years, we strived, as a nation, to fit into the mold of the New Israel, conquering first the Canaan of the Western frontier, then the Canaan of a trade empire. But, somewhere, somehow along the way, the nation lost its faith. Somehow along the way, we stopped believing in the Christian God. Like that man who Jesus said swept out his house of a demon, we swept out our national house Christianity. Some areas, especially rural areas, have held on to the Christian God; but, the nation, as a whole, is what is as post-Christian. As a Christian, I believe in Christ; and, although I, by my ac tions, do not always show that be lief, I believe Christianity is the best moral code available, both to the individual and a nation. I say this to make this point—this is not about the validity of Christianity. We have, as a nation, swept the belief systems that we developed under Christianity out. And, like the man who swept the demons out in Jesus' parable, we have not re placed the former belief system with anything else. Perhaps five-ten years ago, this would not have meant much in a community like Perry. But, just last week the fruits of this action turned up in Perry when the Perry Police Department made a major drug bust. More and more what is wrong with the nation is making its way into our city, a city that has, for the most part, not rejected the old Christian system. However, the in fluences of the nation which has fil ters down in popular entertainment and culture. And, the rural areas, such as Perry, are beginning to look like the more urban areas in the late 50s and 60s. As that happens, the young lose. faith and embrace the national ni hilism so prevalent in our society. What is wrong with America? After we swept our belief system out, we put nothing in its place. Please see ROLEY, Page 5A