85 years ago – January 31, 1941: Laurens auto deaths lower

Dublin Courier-Herald, Dispatch, and Press

From the newly appointed Safety Commissioner John E. Goodwin came commendations today to Laurens Countians for their improved traffic death record last year.

“Our records show that your county was among 68 in Georgia to have fewer deaths last year than in 1939,” Major Goodwin informed the Courier-Herald.

He said that 69 counties chalked up higher rates and 22 maintained the same record both years. There were 11 fatalities in Laurens last year as compared to 14 in 1939.

 The Department of Public Safety records reveal that 714 individuals lost their lives in Georgia traffic accidents last year. This was more than in 1939 when there were only 31, or an increase of over 4 per cent. That was the first time since the establishment of the State Patrol in 1937 that Georgia failed to show a fatality reduction.

Major Goodwin appeals to all drivers and pedestrians to help keep Georgia’s record even lower in 1941 than in 1940. He promised that the State Patrol will “work harder than ever” and give even closer cooperation to local police and county officers.

He expressed his appreciation to the press for assistance in building “safety consciousness” throughout the state and asked the aid of all civic clubs, schools, and individuals in Georgia’s safety crusade.

HIGHTOWER VOTED THANKS

The Dublin Lions Club, at its regular luncheon meeting, extended a vote of thanks and appreciation to R.H. (Bob)  Hightower for his efforts in promoting the 1940 Christmas lighting and display project in Dublin. It proved to be a true success, including a civic business success.

The Club had previously heard a financial report on the project by Mr. Hightower, the General Chairman of the Christmas Lighting event. The report pointed out, among other things,that nearly $1000 worth of equipment is now on hand for staging a similar project for Christmas 1941.

SIGN IS UP AT BRIDGE 

Visitors to and from Dublin via the Oconee River Bridge will be warmly welcomed and cordially invited to return, due to the huge neon sign which is now on the bridge, Bob Hightower said today.

The sign, which was first used for a part of the Christmas lighting feature for the last Christmas season has been changed to read on one side

“Dublin Welcomes U”. 

On the other side it reads “Please Call Again.”

The sign makes a pleasing effect and should be seen for a long distance at night.

The new lights were made possible by contributions from the Chamber of Commerce, the Lions Club, the Rotary Club, and the Exchange Club.

TAX BOOKS OPEN 

Books are now open for making state and county tax returns, according to Laurens County Tax Receiver A.E. Hadden.

Property owners were also reminded that they must make application for homestead exemptions, regardless of whether they have received such exemptions heretofore. In other words, applications for homestead exemptions must be made each year.

Mr. Hadden’s office is located in the County Building (old Post Office) on Madison Street.

BANK DEPOSITS, LOANS UP

Outstanding loans of Laurens’ four state banks are nearly $225,000 more than at this time last year, and deposits are approximately $100,000 greater, according to comparison of current statements with those of the corresponding period of 1940.

Deposits in the current statements total$1,769,145.46; those of a year ago were $1,589,537.32.

Present loans aggregate to $1,013751.05 against $788,640.26 in the comparative 1940 statement.

The four state banks are the Citizens and Southern Bank of Dublin, the Farmers and  Merchants Bank in Dublin, the Bank of Dudley, and the Rentz Banking Company.

Bank officials and others queried saw in the increases an indication of better business for the new year.

COMMERCE BODY REPORT

Due to the holidays’ interruption, the canvas for the budget fund of the Dublin and Laurens County Chamber of Commerce all reports from workers have  not been turned in, and of consequence, the final results of the campaign cannot be totaled.

All workers who have not contacted prospects for whom they had cards should do so at once and make a report to Mr. Simmons, the secretary-manager, at the Fred Roberts Hotel.

An office in the business section will be opened by the middle of next week and due notice of its address and phone number will be given.

NEW WOODMEN INSTALLED

Leaders in Georgia Woodmen of the World circles will attend the gathering this evening at 7:30 here ‘when a fish supper will be served and new officers installed.

Distinguished Woodmen who will attend include H.C. Fabian, State Manager, from Atlanta;

Joseph M. Branch, Head Consul Commander of  Georgia; 

E.M. Baggerly, Sovereign Delegate, of Macon.

Rev. Branch will install the new Dublin camp officers.

Several new candidates for entry into the fraternal order are also scheduled to be inducted tonight. These include 

C.H. Dominy, Jr.

James W. Webb

Joseph C. Nobles

Emory A. Wolfe

New officers who will be installed this evening include

Charles E. Baggett – Consul Commander 

D.A. Moorman – Advisory Lieutenant

J.E. Townsend – Banker

David Dunn – Escort

David Morgan – Watchman

J.L. Lord – Financial Secretary

J.S. Kittrell, – Sentry

J.R. Cherry, who is District WOW Manager, has just returned from Mobile, Alabama, where he attended a national Conference of Woodmen. He will take part in the ceremonies.

As District WOW Manager he won the trip to Mobile and one to Miami, Florida, for his Woodman activity n 1940.

All members of the local Camp are urged to attend tonight’s important meeting.

CONDOR SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

Condor Consolidated School has re-opened after having been closed for a period of four school days due to the fact that 45 percent of the children were absent with influenza.

The entire school assembled in the chapel to hear the inaugural address of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and afterwards a talk by Mrs. A.M. Kirkpatrick, who had attended the inauguration exercises when Woodrow Wilson was inaugurated president.

Condor’s WPA lunchroom is proving quite successful. As the first WPA lunchroom in Laurens County, it serves as a model for the other schools.

Each student has been weighed and measured to show the improvements and good that the lunchroom is doing.

Ninety-five percent of the pupils were found to be underweight. Accurate records will record the weight and height each month.

The seventh grade, under Miss Ruby Coleman, had charge of the chapel program last Friday. Their program was on poetry and was most interesting. The sixth, ninth, and tenth grades are working on their Friday morning chapel programs.

The school Faculty and Board of Trustees entertained with an oyster supper last Friday night in honor of Miss Frances Roberts. 

Those present were

Mrs. A.C. McDaniel

Mrs. A.M. Kirkpatrick

Mrs.S.M. Kellam

Mrs. Frank Johnson

Miss Mary Rountree

Mrs. Izzie Bashinski

Miss Ruth Porter

Mr. and Mrs. Bonnell Jarrard

J.L. Roberts

Mr. and Mrs. W.L. Lake

C.B. Senn

Mr and Mrs. J.E. Beckham

Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Aiken

Mr. and Mrs. N.T. Beacham

EMERGENCY SEED LOANS

S.C. Turbeville, Field Supervisor for the Emergency Crop and Feed Loan Office, announced today that emergency crop and feed loans for 1941 are now available to Farmers in Laurens County.

Applications for these loans are now being received in Dublin at the County Agent’s Office.

As in the past these loans will be made to farmers whose cash requirements are small and who are ineligible for a loan from other sources, including production credit associations. 

Money will be loaned to meet the applicant’s necessary cash needs for preparing and cultivating his crops or for purchasing or producing feed for livestock.

Borrowers who obtain loans for production of cash crops are required to give as security a first lien on the crops financed.

In cases for loans for purchasing or producing of feed for livestock, a first lien on the livestock is to be given. 

PINETUCKY NEWS

     By M.L. Carey

Barry Williams has returned to Camp Jackson and Robert Earl Williams to Fort Benning after spending several days here.

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Jim Bob Kennedy, who have announced the birth of a daughter on December 27.

Friends of Mr.and Mrs.Dennis Holiday are sorry that they are moving from this community to make their home in Savannah.

Miss Betty Jean Southerland recently visited her aunts in Dublin.

Mr.and Mrs. P.H. Roberts visited relatives in  Dublin on Christmas.

Mr. and Mrs. Arch Kennedy had as their recent guests Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Carey and children, mr. and Mrs. Tullie Kennedy and children, Mr. and Mrs. M. C. Register and children, and Mr. and Mrs. Otis Fountain.

Mr. and Mrs. F.H. Roberts visited relatives in Dublin during the holidays.

Mrs. Annie Moore and Miss Dorothy Register are visiting Mr. and Mrs. Blanton Joiner near Excelsior.

Mr. and Mrs. Brooks Williams and others of Dublin were Wednesday guests of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. B.F. Williams.

Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Brantley, Jim Ellis, James Brantley, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Jackson, and Mrs. Sarah Kennedy were called to the bedside of Mrs. Brantley last Wednesday in Macon.

Mrs. W.R. Kennedy of Dexter visited Mr. and Mrs. Arch Kennedy this week.

COLORED NEWS

The New Years Queen Rally, sponsored by the Young People’s Class came to an end on December 31, 1940.

The contestants running for queen this year were

Miss Algerine Adams

Miss Cora Stanley

Miss Roma Butler

The contestant raising the most money was crowned queen.

Miss Butler came in first with $7.06. Miss Stanley was second with $6.50, and Miss Adams had $5.05.

The total amount raised was $17.01.

Five dollars of this was given to the pastor, Rev. S.S Southern, for a new year’s gift. The balance was given to the treasurer for the up-building of the church.

Miss Roma Butler was given a party for her and her friends. 

DUDLEY CHURCH GROUP FETED

The Young Peoples’ Division at Dudley Methodist Church enjoyed a delightful social at the Methodist Parsonage on Thursday night.

The Division had been divided into two groups, and the losing group entertained the winning one with the social.

Games were played, directed by Misses Martha Baggerly and Neta Thomas, and delicious refreshments were served.

Enjoying the affair were

Miss Louise Williams

Miss Pauline Lester

Miss Martha Weaver

Miss Mary Thomas

Miss Betty Ann Hogan

Miss Sarah Weaver

Miss Jewel Hodges

Miss Margaret Walters

Algie Thomas

Atwood Knight

Ramsay Jansen

Atys Bowles

Douglas Lester

Gilbert Haskins

Bobbie Moreland

Harry Smith

Thomas Bobbitt

Don Haskins

Franklin Smith

Alvin Moreland

Mrs. Pope Stanley

Mrs. C.M. Page

Rev. and Mrs. B.H. Moreland

BETHSAIDA ITEMS

    By Mrs.Ward

Rev. and Mrs. Kendall Everett have returned to Mount Vernon after spending the week end here.

Friends of Charles Register are glad to see him out after having had the flu.

Mr. and Mrs. Kirkland Grier of Fort Benning are guests of his mother, Mrs. Grier.

Mrs. Hattie Register spent last week as the guest of Miss Sudie Shelor in Dublin.

Elton Dominy is out after having been ill with flu.

Friends of Mrs. James Wolfe are glad to see her out after an illness with the flu.

Miss Mary Ward is visiting relatives in Atlanta.

NEW GOLF PRO

John Fowler of Dublin has been named pro for the Dublin Golf Club.

He has assumed his duties, it was announced today, succeeding D.W. Jensen, who has gone to Douglas to become golf pro at the club there. 

In naming Mr Fowler, the local golf club was reorganized on a larger scale, and plans to take a more active part in golf circles of this section during the coming months were made.

The course has already been put in shape under the direction of Mr. Fowler, and it is said to be equal to any sand green course in the state.

A Board of Governors was named, a membership drive is to be put on, and definite plans are being made for promoting a summer tourney with other clubs under the new set-up. Comprising the governing board are

Paul Alexander

Al Coleman

Tommie Wilcox

Nelson  Carswell

Walter Hobbs – secretary-treasurer.

As the membership drive gets under way, the Board announced that no entrance fee will be required at the present time and that out-of-town members will be admitted for half the regular dues.

A total of 44 members have been secured, and those desiring to join yet are advised to do so before the list closes.

To date, the membership list to date is the following:

Maynard Combs

Paul Alexander

Gene Scarborough

Billy Hightower

Tommie Wilcox

Spec Hall

Trammell Keen, Jr

Buddy Dunn

Ed Vaughn

B.H. Seville

George Morris

Robert Bennett

Wilkins Smith

Ed Browm

Jimmie Graves

Vince Simmons

Fred Middlebrooks

John Fowler

Lloyd Alexander

James Winn

Blakely Parrott

Scoop Whitlock 

Jimmie Canady

Ed Sanders

Tal Williams

Carl Hilbun

L.D. Woods

Harry Taylor

Jim Allen

W.A. Kelley

D. Walter Hobbs

Allen Arnold

Al Coleman

Nelson Carswell

Lanier Alligood

Ralph Attaway

Buck Brinson

Mrs. Al Coleman

Mrs. Nelson Carswell

Mrs. Jimmie Canady

Mrs. Dowdy Woods

Mrs. Tal Williams