85 years ago – December 27, 1940: Officials report mostly quiet holiday

Dublin Courier Herald, Dispatch, And Press

Although one fatal accident and several minor ones occurred here over the holidays, the Sheriff’s Department, the Fire Department, and the Police Department reported one of the quietest periods this Christmas that they have ever seen.

A soldier, identified as Sgt. Roger Malcom of Monroe, was killed, and another, James Peters, also of Monroe, was injured when their automobile crashed into the Oconee River bridge structure en route to the army camp at Hinesville where they are stationed after a visit with relatives in Monroe over the holidays.

Peters, whose injuries consisted of a broken arm and a blow to the head, Coleman Hospital attendants reported today, was unable to give the name of his companion last night, and identification was not established until a group of officers from the camp, passing through several hours later, learned of the accident and viewed the body.

Today Peters’ condition was reported at the hospital to be good, and he was expected to be dismissed and removed to the army base shortly.

Dublin Fire Chief Otis Sanders reported that his department spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day without a call.

Laurens County Sheriff I.F. Coleman said that not a person was lodged in the county jail on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.

Dublin Police Chief J.W. Robertson said no arrests for drunkenness were made by city officers.

No cases in which it was necessary to bring in persons for incarceration were made by the State Patrol. Both Sheriff Coleman and Chief Robertson declared that it was the first such holiday since they have been in office that has passed without at least a few drunks landing in jail.

WATCH NIGHT SERVICES

Watch Night  Services will be held in churches of Dublin on Tuesday night.

Centenary Methodist Church

Rev. J.A. Wiggins, pastor of the Centenary Methodist Church, announces a Watch Night meeting, and all members of all ages a are urged to attend.

At 8:00, when everyone has been asked to bring a pound of food, a social hour will be enjoyed.

At 8:30, the new stewards of the church will meet.

At 9:30, a program of song and prayer will be held, continuing until the midnight hour. 

Nazarene Church

In the Nazarene Church, services will begin at 9:00 P.M. with Rev. Victor Coursey in charge. 

“Come with a prayer in your heart that the New Year will be a good one,” the pastor stated.

First Baptist

“Watch Night”services at First Baptist Church will be featured by a program of song, worship, and prayer with the members of the BTU in charge, Guy V. Cochran announces.

The service begins with a social hour at 10:30 p.m. when refreshments will be served, and at 11:00 the program begins.

The program is:

10:30-11:00 Social Hour – Coffee and fruit juices served in the Sunday School Auditorium

11:00 – 11:30 – Worship in Church Auditorium:

Organ and Prayer hymns for the New Year – Mrs. Guy V. Cochran

Congregational Singing

Vocal Solo, “The Blind Ploughman” -Cecil Walters

Piano Solo, “Moonlight Sonata,” by Beethoven – Carolyn Brown

Quartet – Vivian Register, B.C. Garrard, Cecil Walters, Rev. Michael Guido

Vocal Solo, “Speak to My Heart, Lord Jesus” – Miss Anne Cochran

11:30 – 12:00 Midnight – Dedication Service led by Rev. Michael Guido

The public is invited to worship with the young people.

83 BASKETS TO NEEDY FAMILIES 

A total of 83 baskets were distributed to needy families here on Christmas Day from the Empty Stocking Fund, raised through joint efforts of the Dublin Lions, Exchange, and Rotary clubs.

The baskets contained food, fruit, and in instances where there were young children in the family –  toys, and other special items for them to help make the Christmas tradition more complete.

A spokesman for the Empty Stocking sponsors said today that while contributions this year were  considerably less than in years past and were hardly adequate to to fill the needs, it was believed that few had been overlooked as efforts were made this year to provide only for needy families near the city.

Special mention is made of these three, who contributed to the Fund: employees of the Southern Bell Telephone Exchange for $18, the profits from a soft drink machine in the Exchange; Misses Adeline, Helen, and Jeannette Baum for $6; and J.M. Ward for $1.

Receipts from a special picture at the Ritz Theatre also added to the Fund.

CHANGES IN COUNTY OFFICES

Coming of the New Year on Wednesday will see a number of changes to the Directory of Laurens County and circuit court officials, as well as those in Atlanta and elsewhere.

Judge R. Earl Camp of Dublin will succeed Judge J.L. Kent of Wrightsville as presiding jurist of the Dublin Judicial Circuit.

John E. Bedingfield of Cadwell becomes Clerk of the Laurens Superior Court, succeeding E.S. Baldwin, a veteran of 30 years in that office. Mr  Baldwin was first elected in 1910 and has held the office continuously since that time.

Lamar Thigpen of Rockledge and J. Lewis Allen of Dublin become members of the County Commissioners to succeed L.O Beacham and Joseph R. Lord, respectively.  Mr. Beacham is slat.ed to become Chairman of that Board

The third member of the Commissioners will be Joe Frank Graham of Cadwell, present chairman.

Judge E.L. Stephens of the Dublin City Court will be succeeded by Judge Palmer W. Hicks.

City Court Solicitor Stanley Reese will continue in his capacity, having been re-elected in his capacity for another term.

Other officials who will also begin new terms are Sheriff I.F. Coleman; Ordinary W.H. Adams; Tax Collector; Tax Receiver, A.E. Hadden; School Superintendent, Elbert Mullis; Coroner O.D. Knight; and Mrs. G.C. Bidgood, Treasurer.

Sidney F. Brown, City Court Clerk, will retire from his office, which he has served for 18 years, the office having been abolished

Among appointive officers to begin their duties will be James L. Keen, Jr., Clerk of the Board of Commissioners, replacing Walter Daniell, and Emory Baldwin, as Assistant Solicitor General, replacing W.H. White

VA GRADUATING SERVICES

C.L.A. Graduates

Graduating members of the Certified Laboratory Assistant School at the Dublin VA Center held recently were the following:

Sherrie P. Stonecypher of Eastman

Juanita Ikner of Dublin

Lillian Brinkley Jenkins of Tennille

Pamela D. McGowan of Dublin

Vera Suzanne Smith of Dublin.

Certificates were presented to each student who is now qualified to work in laboratories of clinics and hospitals.

The presentations were made by Harold O. Duncan, Center Director, and was attended by Dr. S.P. Chung, Chief of Laboratory Service, and by Arthur E.Blanchett, Instructor of the CLA School.

S.T. Course

Dublin Center Director Harold O. Duncan did, on Monday, present special certificates to thirteen employees completing the supervisory training course.

This 40-hour course was conducted at the Center and included guest lecturers as well as regular training instructors at the Center.

Concluding the course was the special presentation of “Supervisory Problems Relating to Alcoholism” by Mr. Ed Pierce and Mr. Joe Glisson of the Georgia Department of Human Resources.

Receiving Certificates were

Joann W. Paulk – Nursing Service

Emily C. Barnes – Nursing Service

Nan T. Miller – Nursing Service

Daisy R. Coleman – Fiscal Service

Bobbie L. Uliano – Laboratory Service

Mae W. Brewer – Nursing Service 

Betty G. Proctor – Rehabilitation Medicine Service

Susan N. Hall – Nursing Service

Tommie L. Moorman – Building Management Service

A.R. Alford – Dietetic Service

Frank R. Davis – Engineering Service

Ethel L. Plummer – Nursing Service

Johnny H.  Robinson – Supply Service

Also attending were Charlie Toole, Jim Caffey, and Owen Sweeten, Va course instructors.

HEAVY MAILING OVER HOLIDAYS

A total of 79,362 pieces of mail left the Dublin Post Office from December 16 through December 24, believed to be the heaviest holiday mailing in the city’s history, Postmaster M.J. Guyton reported today.

In addition to the outgoing mail handled, equally as much came in during the period, taxing postal facilities to the limit; exact counting of incoming mail is not kept, he said.

Heaviest days’ mailing was on Saturday before Christmas when a total of 17,000 pieces were dispatched from the office. Of that number, 652 were packages.

A total of 2,914 outgoing packages were handled during the period, and 75,198 letters and cards were cancelled.

Miscellaneous items comprised the remainder of the mail handled by the post office.

The “Christmas Rush” commenced two days earlier than last year, and Postmaster Guyton very much appreciated the splendid cooperation of patrons in helping to prevent congestion in the delivery service.

WEST LAURENS HIGH HONOR ROLL 

The Honor Roll for the first grading period of the 1940-41 school term at West Laurens High School has been announced and is as follows:

10th Grade:

Luticia Clark

Judy Clements

Al Daniel

Michael Coleman

Jeana Floyd

Nancy Harrison

Johanna Hickerson

Hank Hicks

Len McCook

Jimmy Lowery

Robin Jones

Tim Horne

Jan Johnson

Susan Kemp

Bryan Miller

Randy Simmons

Ken Smith

Tim Smith

Cathy Snyder

Philip Thomas

Bruce Weatherly

Cecila Willis

Jeff White

11th Grade:

Tim Becker

Roy Burch

Gwen Alford

Michaele Chappell

Tammie Clifton

Cathy Colter

Brenda Edmond

Alan Fordham

Brenda French

Nancy Howard

Gwen Jones

Tammie Manley

Tammie Maxey

Patty Meeks 

Hal Monroe

Denise NeSmith  

Lisa Reinhart

Bennie Self

David Snyder

Connie Stevens

Donna Taylor

Beverly Waites

Cathy Watson

Chandra Willis

12th Grade: 

Carolyn Coleman

Shirley Coney

Ann Bryan

Charlotte Bracewell

Claudia Blash

Vinnie Bryant

Phillip Coleman

Kathy Fountain

Mike Fountain

Christi Gay

Jacqueline Hall

Michael Hooks

Brenda Howard

Jim Kemp

Bonnie Lord

Cheri Lord

Faye Lord

Gary Lord

Becky Lowery

Mary Beth Lowery

Bonnie McLendon

Janet Miller

Mona Miller

Denise Perry

Johnnie Ann Pittman

Patricia Raffield

Rusty Register

Betty Ann Shaluta

Debra Jean Smith

Otha Stanley

Debra Stuckey

Tim Stuckey

Rebecca Thomas

Jeanette Torrence

Ted Waites

Ben Warren

Keith White

EAST LAURENS ELEMENTARY HONOR ROLL

Students at East Laurens Elementary School who made the Honor Roll for the first nine weeks are the following:

5th Grade:

Rebecca Hughes

Judy Kibler

Barbara Mincey

Tina Powell

Jimmy Plumner

Mark Smith

John Watson

6th Grade:

Melody Brady

Gregory Maddox

Kay Howell

Donnie Mimbs

Faith Frost

Verndina Holder

Rita Hartley

Wayne Hilburn

Becky Patterson

Janice Robinson

Lisa Spivey

Steven Todd

Bobby Windham

Steven Wyatt

Renee Alligood

Cindy Warnock

Lisa Young

Derrick Young

Jeff Dover

Naomi Carroll 

Brenda Dixon 

Marsha Hughes

Kevin  Wicker

Laura Williams

Jeffery Wright

7th Grade:

Teasa Hanson

Anita Graham

Cathy Smith

L.C. Smith

Julie  Stinson

Angela  Edmond

Shirley Evans

Lisa Garner

Debbie Giddens

Peggy Pope

Van Savage

Lynn Hightower

Terry Tyson

Joseph Steve Daniell

Lori Daniels

Leila Davis

Susan McAfee

Linda Waters

Ester Wright

Lynn Warnock

Michael Jackson

Susan Jackson

Lori Beacham 

Gary Jones

Tim Lake

Scott Walker