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A a *dm Mi £ t - Is J -Ja , yaw? wv I Perry High student Hillary Smith of the Georgia state FFA association met with the event sponsor represen tative Scott Rawlins, Director, Horticulture Dept., American Farm Bureau Federation. Smith was one of 45 state winners participating in the National FFA Extem poraneous Public Speaking Career Development Event at the 67th National FFA Convention in Kansas City, Mo. Smith was accompanied by advisor/coach, Argene Claxton of Perry. 1 RATIONAL FFA CONVENTIO | LJ Kansas City, Missouri mm aggf ftH I M t Ml lOS\| I I \ Ml \|s I Mil \l ION \M) 11 vII MM OID C \RI I U IU \II (tI'MIM HIM Encel Corporation Hormel Foods Corporation Oscar Mayer Foods Corporation PHS competes in FFA events This PHS FFA team, which is also Georgia State FFA meats technology and evaluation team, composed of Trey Allgood, left, Jason Long, Mike Soderman and advisor/coach Argene Claxton (not pictured) met with the Career Development Event sponsor representa tives Michael D. Van Ess, corporate fresh meats pur chasing manager, Oscar Mayer Foods Corp., and Gary Esbech, Hormel Food Corp. The team was one of 37 participating in the National FFA Meats Technology and Evaluation Career Development Event at the 67th Na tional FFA Convention in Kansas City, Mo. Author speaks at the annual Kiwanis Ladies Night Dinner Richard Speighi, renowned author, speaker and story-teller, was guest speaker at Perry Kiwanis Club’s Ladies Night Dinner held at the New Perry Hotel on Tuesday, Dec. 13. 1994. As a speaker and storyteller, Speight has a knack for relating his life experiences, and the experiences of others, in a style that charms, captivates and motivates audiences of all ages. He has been invited to tell his stories to church, school, corporate and civic groups in twenty six cities from coast to coast. Speight is completing his thilrd novel and has already begun the fourth which will be released next year. His first novel, Desperate Justice, was published in 1987 by Warner Books in both hardback and paperback. Warner published his second novel, Triple Jeopardy a year later. His third novel is Dead Wrong. His Desperate Justice was an ABC-TV Sunday Night Movie in the fall of 1993 under the title "A Mother's Revenge'. Triple Jeopardy was read by Dick Estell on National Public Radio. In 1992, The Pancake Man and Friends, a collection of original stories, was published. The second volume in that series, Second Helpings: More Stories from the Pancake Man, was published in 1993. He has just completed a third volume, Fried Egg Sandwiches and Other Comforts of Home, which is scheduled for a March, 1995 release. He recently began a new writing adventure. His human interest column now appears every Wednesday in the Nashville Biutner. Speight, a 1962 graduate of Vanderbilt University, earned his law degree from Vanderbilt Law School in 1965, with high honors. He served as an Assistant District Attorney for three years, then embarked upon a ciireer as a civil uial attorney which lasted until 19X8, when he bcciune a full-time writer and speaker. Sm/tf? competes in National FFA event Richard Speight and his wile, Barbara, have been married more than 31 years and have three grown children and one grandchild. Dr. Michael Drake is President of Perry Kiwanis Club. Past-President Earl Cheek is Lt. Governor of Division 25 of the Georgia District. f Pul your money in here L Year 1 - 6.50% Interest Rate Bank South’s 3-Year Escalating Rate Savings Certificate a higher rate for each of the next three years. And you is an insured investment with a great future. don’t have to sacrifice liquidity to achieve this Regardless of what happens in the economy. 1 7.24% APY j exceptional yield. You can withdraw all or part If you invest a minimum of SIOOO, you can choose either of your money one time without penalty after two years, a Savings Certificate or an IRA account that guarantees Stop by any Bank South office or call 1-800-299-BANK O 1994 Bank South Corporation Member FDtC TNs oiler is not good m conjunction with any other time doposit ofer and may be withdrawn without notice The above quoted rates are available lor a limited fcme only and are subject to change The given Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as ol December 1. 1994 Interest on this certilicate will compound daily A substantial penalty will be imposed lor any withdrawals other than the one permitted Fees could reduce earnings on the account How the tradition of the Christmas tree evolved By Dr. Kim Coder Special to the HTJ Cutting your own Christmas tree, choosing one at a local lot or bringing in a living tree tire all part of modem family holiday traditions. To many, the beginning of the Christmas season is getting a tree decorated. The aroma, beauty and special adventure of having a tree is sensed by all in the home. But having a tree at Christmas is a relatively new tradition in Amer ica. Across the Christian world, Christmas trees haven't aiways been associated with the holiday season. The roots (no pun intended) of Christmas trees can be traced back before the birth of Jesus Christ to early Egyptians who would bring palms ind(x>rs as symbols of eternal life. Artcient Jewish religious feasts were bedecked with tree boughs. The Romans exchanged tree boughs with friends for luck. They celebrated their winter festival by decorating the house with tree boughs and greenery, and they pa raded trees around with candles and trinkets attached to the branches. Many Christian traditions were derived from older p-ig-in celebru tions. Around A.D. 600, Pope Gre gory 1 told churchmen to encourage harmless folk customs, like the use of greenery and trees, where Chris tian interpretations could be made. In the 700 s, St. Boniface encour aged nature worshipers to stay out of die dark forest ;utd t;ike a tree in doors to worship in the light and warmth of the one true God. Many folk legends have grown around the Christmas tree. Christ's blessing and gift to mankind in the form of a decorated tree remains the central theme of most. Across Europe, people used folk tales to teach children about the cel ebration of Christ's birth. The ever green tree's symbolism of eternal life was strong. In the early 1600 s, many German If m Qreat Christmas Ideas throughout our store towns were celebrating Christmas with elaborately decorated trees. Decorations first used were paper flowers, fruits, nuts, gold foil, cakes, small gifts and candies. Martin Luther may have begun the Christmas tree tradition in Germany around 1500. It was said that he was walking on a bright, snow-covered, starlit night, ponder ing the birth of Christ. Enthralled by the evergreen trees, the stars mid the landscape, he took a tree inside and put candles on it to try and rep resent the majesty he felt about Christ's birth. German mercenaries used by the British in the Revolutionary War were responsible for bringing the Christmas tree tradition to the United States. Old Puritan doctrine banned any celebration at Christmas, and holi day festivities around the Christmas tree took a while to become estab lished in America. In the 1840 s the use of Christmas trees across the Christian world ex ploded. From the royal family in England to the elite of America, Christmas trees were fashionable. In 1851, the first retail tree lot was set up on a sidewalk in New York City and sold out quickly. Also in 1851, an Ohio pastor set up a tree in church and was told by congregation members that it was a pagan symbol with no place in Christianity. Despite these concerns, the pastor continued with the Christmas tree tradition. The first American president to show off his White House tree was Franklin Pierce. Benjamin Harrison declared his White House tree to be part of an old-fashioned American tradition in 1889. By the 1880 s the Christmas tree market was large, in the following decades, large numbers of trees were harvested from the native forests. Theodore Roosevelt decided for the sake of forest conservation that the f And three years later Ye a r 2 - 7.00% Interest Rate Wednesday, December 14,1994, Houston Times-Journal White House would not have a tree. But his two sons sneaked a small tree into their room and were caught, to the embtirrassment of their father. In the 1800 s, many referred to the decorated trees as "German toys". Airman Wheat graduates from basic training Air Force Airman Eric A. Wheat has graduated from Air Force basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. During the six weeks of training the airman studied the Air Force mission, organization and customs and received special training in Jg The First Baptist Church of Hayneville’s Higher Ground Ministries Christmas Contata “He Is Here”/5f Sunday, Dec. 18, 6:30 p.m. tJndyTo^ml Monday, Dec. 19, 7:00 p.m. ;niste rof Music) the blind and crippled, and f limL restore the beggar? Now I \ miraculous events take place! From the birth of Christ to the *|Pr P T BffinvOM days of His miraculous healings, l J B^Uyfli excitement of these events. For further information, you may contact The First Baptist Church of Hayneville at 987-3747 1 f It ends up here. Guaranteed^ Year 3 - 7.50% Interest Rate seven days a week til 10 p.m. to open your account. Step up to a smarter way to save with our exclusive 3-Year Escalating Rate Savings Certificate. Another new idea available only at Bank South. *||P^ Now, though, the Christmas tree tradition seems to have always been with us in the United States. (Dr. Kim Coder is a forester with the University of Georgia Extension Ser vice.) human relations. In addition, airmen who complete basic training earn credits toward an associate degree through the Community College of the Air Force. Wheat is the son of Mark D. Wheat of Kathleen. Page 3B