Newspaper Page Text
Perry
Company and celebrated the 110th
anniversary of continuous business
in 1999 as the Bank of Perry.
Optimism ushered in the 20th
Century. By legislative act in 1908
the county seat officially changed
from town to the City of Perry.
Dramatic technologies provided lux
uries never possible before.
Undoubtedly here as elsewhere, the
greatest changes came with electrici
ty and the automobile.
The magic ot telephone and radio,
or talking machines, captured imagi
nations although one cynic noted that
Nature had provided Perry a suffi
cient supply of talkers and there was
no need for the artificial kind.
Nonetheless, then Jim Winn placed
his amplified radio on the front porch
on Main Street and turned the vol
ume on high, crowds always gathered
to hear the latest news from station
KDKA in Pittsburgh.
But even that could not compete
with the silent movies that played in
the old Dew Drop In Theater. A new
water system and larger tank extend
ed water to all residential areas and
made a fire department possible
about 1910.
The quality of life had taken a
decided up-turn that was reflected in
local activities. With fanfare and cel
ebration, the town dedicated a mon
ument to the “Men who wore toe
gray.” The Civic Improvement Club
staged theatricals in 1912 to raise
funds for civic projects. The paper
carried a notice asking patrons not to
drive past during the performance as
the noise was too distracting.
In 1914 the Gen. Daniel Stewart
Chapter of the United Daughters of
the American Revolution was orga
nized with Corrine Mann Gilbert as
- yUb » .wjp ' MMriwy
A BIG EVENT A salute from the Perry
Rifles ends the dedication of Perrys Confederate
monument in 1905. It was first located at the
first regent and Martha Ansley
Cooper, vice regent
In the 19205, industrv developed
around the products of the land and
its resource ol lime, kaolin and tim
ber. Clinchfteld Portland Cement
Co., Georgia Limerock and Tolleson
Lumber Co. offered employment to
Perry citizens and brought new fam
ilies into the area. Prospects of a
tourism industry brightened with
the advent of a better road system
(many of them built by Ed
Beckham's construction company
and paved with lime and cement
from the local plants) and facilities
such as the Wells Hotel.. New Perry
Hotel, Moss Oaks Lodge and
Tolleson s Motor Court.
However, agriculture was still the
backbone of the economy.
Mechanization, scientific methods
of farming and diversification
increased productivity and profits.
The Perry Public School system
consolidated with county schools
and bonds were sold for building the
Main Street school which was reno
vated in 1995 as the Board of
Education Complex.
Under the first Superintendent,
Jim Gooden, Perry Consolidated
School developed a reputation for
excellence in education. He also
introduced varsity sports, primarily
to encourage students to stay in
school. Basketball and the success of
Gooden’s teams turned Perry into a
basketball town, a reputation pro
pelled to state and national attention
under Eric Staples., whose teams
brought home eight state champi
onships in his 39 years as Perry
High’s principal and coach.
In New Hope, the Perry Training
School on Spring Street also consoli-
Photo contributed by Bobbe Nelson
crossroads of Perry and later moved to the grounds
of the county court house.
OLD COURTHOUSE
Many Perryans will
remember this fine old
brick building. This was
the Houston County Court
House, built in 1856, and
demolished 50 years ago to
make way for the court
house building currently in
use. Plans are under way at
this time to build still
another courthouse.
dated schools for African
Americans. Thelma McCoy,
retired counselor for Perry High,
recalls with appreciation the edu
cation she received there.
Although there was no transporta
tion system them, she feels that she
never minded the walk to school
for neighborhood mothers
watched from porch to porch so
that she always felt safely in sight
of caring friends in her communi
ty. Later, at Houston High School,
Herman Ragin’s basketball and
football teams brought home state
trophies before federal laws blend
ed the two systems.
Thus the first century encom
passed a time of wealth, defeat, dis
illusionment, poverty and
regrowth. Through it all people of
faith never lost their commitment
to work together to create a special
hometown, clean and attractive,
City of Perry 175di Birthday, Nov. 17, 1999, Houston Home Journal
JajKgj£|ggj|^3
which offers educational and eco
nomic opportunities in a warm and
caring atmosphere.
Harriet Houser captures the
essence of the Perry hometown spir
it in her book, Hentz, of Things
Not Seen, “In Perry there is a quali
ty that I have never been able to
define for myself accurately. Let
trouble come and the quality is
there like a mother suddenly
appearing in a darkened room to
still her child and you thank God
for it. People in great cities are like
birthday ,
o from one ofyour
oldest friends !
Hnni'-- & r
The Houston ,
Home Journal
Founded in 1870
Continued from page 3B
Contributed by Bobbe Nelson
the stars in the heavens, separated
by the unknown spaces between
them but people in Perry are
more like the freckles on a little
boy’s face. The spaces between the
freckles are familiar and clear, what
separates us is known and loved."
(Bobbie Nelson is author of A
Land So Dedicated, the official histo
ry of Houston County.)
11B