85 years ago: October 12, 1939

DUBLIN COURIER HERALD, DISPATCH, AND PRESS

LAURENS BAND TO LEAD PARADE

Laurens County’s smartly dressed drum and bugle corp, boasting some 70 lads and lassies from three schools of the county system, today looked forward eagerly to its biggest task – leading the state 4-H Club Parade at the Southeastern Fair in Atlanta tomorrow.

Selected from numerous bands throughout the state for the signal honor, the school band, comprised of students from Dudley, Rentz, and Cadwell schools, leaves Dudley at 5:00 a.m. Saturday in order to be on hand in ample time for the ceremonies.

Three Laurens County school busses, adequately chaperoned by teachers, will carry the band members to Atlanta. County School Superintendent Elbert Mullis and County Home Demonstration Agent Miss Nell Robinson will also be on hand for the exercises.

After leading the parade through the big fair grounds, the Laurens County Band, led by strutting 14-year old Havelyn Woodard of Dudley , will present a concert in front of the grandstand at 2:30 p.m.

The band, started in October of last year, by Superintendent Mullis, is directed by A.R. Morris of Dudley. Miss Woodard, pretty Dudley High school student, is drum majorette of the band. In each school – Cadwell, Dudley, and Rentz- there is a section of the band presided over by a majorette.

Already the band has gained state-wide renown despite its youth. Last summer the Laurens County group played at the Farm and Home Week program in Athens, gaining high praise for its carrying out of instructions and playing.

Local business men and concerns making the Atlanta trip possible for the band include the following:

B.H. Samples

Peacock Chevrolet Company

George Morris

Farmers & Merchants Bank 

Ritz Theatre

Rubert Hogan

Rogers Company, through Allen Scott, President, in Atlanta

C&S Bank

Members of the band are the following:

DUDLEY

Mary Whitaker, Majorette

Mahuel Smith

Janie Wilkinson

Pauline Lester

Barney Lee Johnson

Leila Thomas

Martha Weaver

Joe White

Atwood Knight

Algid Thomas

BlantonHaskins

Lyma Lord

Nell Lord

Junior Whitaker

Charles McDaniel

Robert Hatcher

Roy Hudson

Vickey Thomas

RENTZ

Myrtice Myer, Majorette

Lynn Mullis

EleanorSmith

Lawton Woodard

Denny Fordham

Renya Williamson

Curtis Browning

Annell Bracewell

Ralph Register

Myrtice Browning

Joy Mullis

Manetta Rowe

Margaret Goodrum

Sadie Lou Couch

Alline Faircloth

Maryan Coleman

Julie Horn

Lois Lindsey

Margaret Smith

Opal Register

Doris Register

John Will Dominey

Dorothy Knight

CADWELL

Dorothy Sapp, Majorette

Evelyn McCook

Marjorie Parkerson

Barbara Fay Beddingfield 

Zelle Warren

Bertie Mae Wynne

Kennan Smith

Doris Wynne

Gus Burch

Mettie Smith

Paulina Smith

Robert Westbrook

Taylor Daniell

Loomis Mullis

Marlene Faircloth

Cyril Daniel

Doris Kane

Brauleen Mullis

ClarkMorris 

Murriell Boone

When all official tasks are over and additional honor and glory bestowed upon the Laurens County girls and boys, an interesting sight-seeing tour of the fair will claim the attention of band members. Spending the night in Georgia’s capital city, the band will be carried on a sight-seeing tour of Atlanta on Sunday, returning to Laurens County on Sunday afternoon.

NEEDY FAMILIES GIVEN FOOD

During the past 30 days, according to figures released by District Commodity Supervisor J. Paul Wilkes, the county of Laurens received and distributed commodities having a total value of $1,772. 30.

Surplus food commodities are issued to and consumed by needy and indigent persons on the county relief rolls. In Laurens County, a total of 505 families participated in and received a portion of these commodities. This is an average month’s distribution, Mr. Wilkes stated.

It appears as if commodity activities will continue about as usual, it was said. There will be no spectacular increase in volume nor, on the other hand, will there be any decided decrease. 

New purchase programs are now being started by the Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation and will just about balance out those being concluded, and volume and variety will remain about the same, although the individual commodities may change considerably. 

There may be a slight trend in favor of the purchase of fresh fruit and perishable commodities.

Farm prices and income still are below parity, and the commodity program will continue to work toward assistance to the farmer and grower in order to achieve parity.

The distribution of commodities and foodstuffs in all counties is conducted by and under the regulation of the State Welfare Department. Governor Rivers has stated that the commodity distribution system is one of the most important and active phases of his welfare program.

GREENIES PLAY AMERICUS

      By Billy Keith

The Irishmen of Dublin High School yesterday afternoon galloped through their last hard workout session in preparation for their second game of the season, with the Americus High Panthers on the latter’s gridiron at 8:30 tonight.

With their first victory chalked up and the initial contest of the season behind them – and confident that another will be added to the winning list tonight – the Irishmen left the practiae field shouting, “Beat Americus.”

The locals tapered off with signal drills, kickoff rehearsal, and polishing up on the pass defense, the latter being stressed by Coach Jarrard for 45 minutes.

With the Panthers playing host to the Greenies tonight, the spectacular show should develop early into a fierce struggle between the two teams who haven’t faced each other on the gridiron in six years. The Panthers are noted for their speed, but the locals will enter the fray outweighing their opponents.

Both teams have victories to their credit. Americus turned back Pelham 13-6 last Friday, staging an air raid in the last stanza, while our Irishmen nosed out a stubborn hard-fighting Vidalia eleven in the last 40 seconds of play, 7-6.

With the exception of two players, the entire squad is in tiptop physical shape. Pinky Smalley, who has been out of the lineup for the past week, is back in harness and will see plenty of action in tonight’s fray. Ed Shepherd, diminutive guard who has been confined to his home for the past two days suffering with a severe cold, will be held from the starting lineup. However, he will also later get into the battle.

Coach Ficklea, Panther head mentor, mourned: “Dublin has a good team. They were able to beat Vidalia last Friday, and Vidalia has been able to give Fitzgerald plenty of trouble for the past three years. We’re really going to have to play ball in order to make a good showing against the Irish team on Friday night. We don’t know what Dublin’s got – they haven’t played us in six years.”

A large crowd of student fans followed the Irishmen to the scene of the battle, leaving at 4 o’clock.

The Irishmen, 27 strong, departed for the south Georgia city at 3:30 in a special bus.

Players making the trip are these:

Ends – Morrison, Parrott, Black, Baker Jack Jordan, Proctor

Tackles – Clarke, Hughes, Henderson, Hancock, Rowland

Centers – Walters, Pearson

Guards – Bradshaw, Gay, Shepherd, Daniell, Dominy, Askew

Backs – Smalley, Brown, Wallters, Scarboro, Snider, Harpe, Leverett, Brunson

Student manager – Chandler Beasley

Tonight’s starting line up will be this:

Parrott – left end

Clarke – left tackle

Henderson – left guard

Wallters – center

Gay – right guard

Hughes – right tackle

Morrison – right end 

Scarboro – quarterback

Brown – right halfback

Smalley – left halfback

Waller – fullback

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE LOWER 

Average daily attendance in the 22 white schools of the Laurens County system during the first month of the current term fell slightly below the 1938-39 yearly average, reported School Superintendent Elbert Mullis today.

Attendance in the entire system, both elementary and high schools, during the first month of this school year was 3321,69, compared with 3,414 during the entire school term last year

Lower attendance in elementary schools pulled the average below the 1938-39 mark. Average attendance in the 22 elementary schools during the first month of this year was 2,597.65 as compared with 2,717 during the 1938-39 term.

Average attendance in the16 high schools of the county was ahead of last year: the attendance in the first month of this year average of 724.04 as compared with 697 during the 1938-39 term.

With the first figures representing elementary schools and the high second high schools where the higher grades are taught, average attendance in the schools of the county system during the first month of this year follows:

Baker, 63.85,  12.90

Bethsaida 58.2

Brewton, 120.45,  67.2

Buckhorn, 90,  27

Cadwell, 178,  70.5

Cedar Grove, 228.55,  86.5

Condor, 168.35,  24.85;

Cross Roads, 68.4

Dexter, 87.4,  47.75

Dudley, 265.25 ,115.45;

Harmony, 103.3, 12.5

Lovett, 44.35

Lowery, 161.15,  30.4

Marie, 41,1

Montrose, 60.6,  30.7

Mt. Carmel, 107.45,  29.7

New Bethel, 73.85,  16.65

Olivet 45.95, 6.40

Pine Forest, 104.7

Pine Grove, 73.5

Rentz, 225.7, 102.85

Wilkes, 227.55, 42.69

BIG CROWD AT MEET

Working smoothly and with a maximum of speed, the twentieth annual convention of the Laurens County Baptist Association swung into the final phase of its two-day meeting at the Jefferson Street Baptist Church today.

Reports of committees and final details of church programs remained on the program for consideration after officers had been elected in the opening session yesterday. Dinner, in the form of a barbecue, was served at noon today. 

Opening the annual meeting, which is meeting with District Two this year with the Jefferson Street Baptist Church of which Rev. R.W. Eubanks is pastor, acting as host church, the Association got underway at 10:00 a.m. yesterday.

One of the first orders of business was the election of officers for the ensuing year. All of the old officers of the Association were re-elected, as follows: Moderator, C.L. Lowery; Vice Moderator, John W. Parker; Secretary and Clerk, B.C.Keen.

Features of the day’s sessions were the devotional opening of the Convention by Rev. C.C. Maples; addresses by Dr. H.D. Johnson, head of the Christian Education School of Mercer University, Macon, in the morning and Dr. Acquilla Chamblee, President of the Georgia Baptist Association, in the afternoon.  Dr. Chamblee is also Vice-President of the Southern Baptist Association. He spoke on the denominational program, laying special emphasis on the Georgia Ministers’ Retirement Plan.  

Reports of Hospital, Sunday School, and Women’s Work were heard during the day.

A basket lunch, prepared by the women of the churches in District Two, was served in the Stubbs Park at noon to at least 700 people. 

DEXTER CHOSEN AS SITE

Laurens County Baptists will assemble at Dexter  Baptist Church during the first part of October, 1940, for next year’s annual convention, minutes of the two-day 1939 Association held Wednesday and Thursday  at Jefferson Street Baptist Church revealed today.

The 1940 convention of the Laurens County  Baptist Association will convene on Wednesday and Thursday after the first Sunday in October 1940 as determined by the convention yesterday in the final session.

Rev. J.E. Townsend of Marie Baptist Church was elected chairman of the executive committee of the association, and Rev. R.W. Eubanks, pastor of the Jefferson Street Baptist Church, 1939 host church, was named head of promotional work during the coming year.

A church visitation program, in which all Baptist churches of the county will be visited, has been tentatively set for March of next year. Definite details of this program will be announced at a later date.

Emphasis was also placed on the Georgia Ministers’ Retirement Plan at the final session.

A provisional gift of $5000 for the construction of a dormitory at Brewton-Parker Institute at Mt. Vernon has been made, and Baptist churches are asked to raise a like amount. Baptists of the county pledged $350 to the fund at yesterday’s session.

Reports on promotion by Rev. Townsend and missions by Dr. C.D. Graves of First Baptist Church along with the missionary sermon of Rev. C.K. Everette of Bethsaida Baptist Church  were features of the final session

It was estimated that 1500 Baptists attended the two-day session, which was brought to a close by Rev. Eubanks. 

38 SEPTEMBER BIRTHS

Males and females took top honors in Laurens County’s September birth race, records at the office of Dr. O.H. Cheek, County Health Commissioner, revealed today.

Dr. Cheek reported that of the 38 births in the county during the past month, 19 were girls and 19 were boys.

COURT FINES DOWN

Collections of Dublin’s Recorder’s Court for the first nine months of this year fell slightly behind the same period of last year, according to Chief of Police J.W. Robertson.

The fines imposed by Judge Dawson Kea for the period from January 1 to October 1 as compared with the same period last year showed a decline of $344.

The heaviest month of business in the Recorder’s Court during the nine months period in 1938 and1939 was in the past September, when $502.50 was collected, Chief Robertson revealed. The smallest amount collected was in July of this year when only $149.50 was brought into the city’s coffers.

                                        1938                       1939

January                       $ 164.00                 $ 209.25

February                         340.00                   220.00

March                             310.50                   285.50

April                                325.50                   232.50

May                                261.00                    258.50

June                               190.00                    229.50

July                                 336.50                   149.50

August                            368.50                    253.50

September                      338.75                    502.50

REUNION AT STUCKEY HOME

The Stuckey Reunion was held on Sunday at the old Stuckey home place, where N.J. Stuckey and family now reside. A delicious dinner was spread on tables under the shade trees in the yard for a large number of friends and relatives.

Present for the affair were Mr. and Mrs. E.A. Stuckey and  children of Brunswick; Mr. and Mrs. H.W. Stuckey and son of Macon; Mr. and Mrs. D.P. Hoover and daughter, Grace, of Irwinton; Mrs. L.J. Collins and children of Danville; Mr. and Mrs. L.M. Stuckey and son of Eastman; Mr. and Mrs. E.L. Wynn of Fitzgerald; Mr. and Mrs. J.B Jones and daughter, Marie, of Eastman; Mrs. Stanley Grimsley of Chester; J.L. Stuckey and daughter, Wylene, of Louisville;

Mr.and Mrs. Ben Jackson of Wrightsville; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Stuckey and children of Cadwell; Mr. and Mrs. N.G. FLoyd of Chester; Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Daniels of Plainfield; Mr and Mrs. Marvin Stuckey and T.A. Stuckey of Plainfield; Mr. and Mrs. Eschol Fordham and daughter, Mr and Mrs. Freeman Braswell and children, Misses Christine and Louise and Charles Porter, Miss Florence Hilton Smith, and Miss Laverne Daniels of Cadwell and others.

COLORED NEWS

Mrs. Dana Pitts has been ill for three weeks and is still ill at her home on Telfair Street; her many friends wish for her a recovery soon.

Happy Birthday to Misses Margaret, Nellie, and Lydia Pitts, three lovely daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Henry D. Pitts, who are celebrating their birthday anniversaries on October fifth, eighteenth, and twenty-third.

Miss Oda Jane White spent Saturday, October 1st, with Misses Margaret and Nellie Pitts and was highly entertained while there.

October 1st was the regular meeting day of the Mt. McRae A.B. Church. As it was so , our pastor could not be with us, Rev. Jordan of Dublin preached for us. The W.M.S.Society will have its anniversary on Sunday, October 8th. Everyone is invited to come out. The President is asking that all members be on time and remember the meeting hour, which is 11:00. All who fail to be there shall pay a fine. We will have a noble preacher on that day.

The many friends of Willie B. Thomas wish for him a speedy recovery after his undergoing an operation.

SCHOOL NEWS

Cedar Grove

The Senior Class at Cedar Grove High School met on Tuesday and elected their class officers, who are 

Mavis Purvis – President

Dorothy Walker – Vice President

Juanita Paristh- Secretary-treasurer

Marion Purvis – Reporter

The Brewton football team met the Cedar Grove team on the Cedar Grove field on Friday afternoon. This was the first six-man football game to be played in Laurens County this season, and Brewton got our team going tough right off the bat. However, our team made the  going tough for Brewton, and the game ended with the score for Brewton 20 and the score of Cedar Grove 12.  Alex Woodard is the Cedar Grove coach this season.

Among those here attending the football game on Friday afternoon were two members of the Cedar Grove faculty last year: Miss Eleanor Woodard, who is now teaching at Cadwell this year, and John Grahl, who, by his cheers from the sideline, was betting on our Cedar Grove team.

The United States Department of Zoology will present a program in the school auditorium on Tuesday. Admission of five cents will be charged.

The Senior Class, in order to raise money for a trip next spring, sold drinks at the football game last Friday.

We had with us at our chapel exercises on Friday morning Rev. Rhodes, who is pastor of the Cedar Grove Methodist Church.

Members of the Senior Class were glad to receive a letter one day this week from Miss Annie Lou Humphrey, a former member of the class, who is now working in Flortoa.

The seniors are very proud to have two members of their class  who  are                                                                                                                          members of the football team, Cleo Lowery and Thaxton Mullis, known by his classmates as “Link.”

Cadwell 

The Cadwell F.F.A. Chapter honored the teachers of Cadwell High School with a wiener roast on Friday night, which was a big success.

We had out regular monthly meeting of the FF.A. on the first Tuesday night. Plans were discussed for making our chapter a better one. We have better prospects for a greater success in the future than we have had in the past.

Dudley

The Dudley Home Economics Club had a called meeting on Friday morning, September 29th, in the eleventh grade room and elected the following officers and committees:

President – Laney Buchanan

Vice President – Sara Warren

Secretary – Martha Weaver 

Treasurer – Hazel Ellington

Reporter -Helen Thomas

Program Chairman – Montine Holland

Program Committee -Joy Waldrep, Hazel Hobbs, Jeanette Sapp, Bonnie Lee Johnson

Social Chairman – Leila Thomas 

Social Committee – Jeanette Parker, Nell Brown, Nell Lord, Manuel Smith

Brewton

Brewton’s six-man football team turned back a heavy team on Friday afternoon at Cedar Grove before several hundred fans.

Indications from the Friday game show an increase in interest in this section in six-man football in this section of the state, CedarGrove, Brewton, and Soperton being the only ones having teams.

Manus and Burch were the stars for Cedar Grove. Burch scored the two touchdowns for Cedar Grove. J.B.  Wynn of Brewton scored a touchdown on the first play and the last play of the game. Rawls tallied by taking a pass from Jordan, who passed to Tyre for the extra point.

Soperton and Brewton took the lead in Oconee six-man football league by virtue of their wins this week. Soperton defeated Brunswick Boys’ Club on Wednesday night, 20-19.

This Friday Cedar Grove and Soperton will clash at Soperton, while Brewton motors to Brunswick to meet the Brunswick Boys’ Club.

Line-ups:

Cedar Grove: Daniel re; L. Lowery, c; Causey, le; Burch, qb; Lowery, hb; Manus

Substitutes: Brewton – Tyre, Garnto and Jacikson

Officials: Smith (Cadwell); Curry (Cedar Grove)