Memoried Glances: 1941 — Radio station takes to airwaves

Published 12:00 am Saturday, April 9, 2016

Memoried Glances

Julia Dyar

Contributing columnist

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Aprils past, 75 years ago.

From the LaGrange Daily News, 1941.

Front Page News

WLAG Will Officially Go On Air Tonight At 7:30 — Tonight at 7:30 o’clock, Radio Station WLAG, operating with 250 watts on the 1240 kilocycle frequency, will go on the air officially as the ”Voice of LaGrange.”

Listeners may tune the local station at number 124.

From 7:30 until 8 o’clock WLAG will broadcast a formal dedication program, during which time members of the station’s personnel will be introduced to the listening audience.

At 8 o’clock WLAG will transfer to the stage of the LaGrange Theater for “LaGrange Artists on Parade” to hear many of the city’s best known and most talented entertainers.

LaGrange Housing Authority Approved — Gov. Eugene Talmadge has removed the final obstacle remaining in the way of better housing facilities in this community by approving the LaGrange Housing Authority, composed of five prominent local citizens.

The Housing Authority, named by Mayor R.S. O’Neal recently and submitted to Gov. Talmadge for approval, is composed of George L. Cahall, R.C. Swank, W.F. Jarrell, John Wilcox and J.R. Newman.

Mayor O’Neal will call a meeting of the Authority very soon to discuss plans to get the building of the housing units underway.

In March, LaGrange citizens voted overwhelmingly to accept the $400,000 allocated by the federal government to build a housing project in this city.

500 Visitors From 10 States Join In Hills & Dales Weekend Pilgrimage — Over 500 persons from all over the country joined in the annual Hills & Dales pilgrimage, which was sponsored Saturday and Sunday by the Junior Section of the LaGrange Woman’s Club.

The beautiful, century-old gardens, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Fuller E. Callaway Jr., were at the height of their loveliness during the weekend, and visitors were lavish in their praise, both of the gardens and of the Junior Section members who acted as guides.

States represented by the visitors included Georgia, Alabama, Colorado, Texas, California, Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, Long Island and Tennessee, with persons from 40 cities throughout Georgia enjoying the tour.

Troup County Only State County With Free Dental Service — Troup County schools were cited by J.H. Melson, superintendent, at the recent meeting of the Georgia Education Association held in Augusta, as the only county schools in Georgia enjoying a free dental service during the 1940-41 year.

In his address, Mr. Melson paid tribute to Fuller E. Callaway Jr. of LaGrange, who has financed the free dental service given 2,283 pupils of eight county schools.

The result of Mr. Callaway’s interest in the county’s concern about dental health of the students was the inauguration of a free dental service for all pupils, a dentist being employed, equipment secured and materials for dental work provided, all through Mr. Callaway’s generosity.

The dental work in seven months has been accomplished in eight county schools by Dr. L.E. Howington, who has traveled to the different schools. Parents gave permission for him to do the necessary work. A striking commentary on the progressiveness of Troup County citizens is that only 2 percent refused to grant permission for dental work to be done.

The schools which have had free dental service during the past seven months are Abbottsford, Center, Gray Hill, Hillcrest, Mountville, Oak Grove, Rosemont and Tatum.

Four Brothers Volunteer Here — Four brothers volunteered for one year of service in the United States Army Friday at the Selective Service Draft Board No. 2. The boys filed into the office of Clerk J.N. Denny yesterday and placed their names on the dotted line. They are Earnest Leon Davis, 28; Raymound Eugene Davis, 21; George Herbert Davis, 19; and James Alton Davis, 18. The boys live on rural route 1.

LaGrange Girl Wins Aviation Honors At API — A popular LaGrange girl, Miss Doris Green, a senior at Auburn, has won two signal honors as a member of the C.A.A. class in flying at Auburn, where she will graduate in June.

Several weeks ago Miss Green became the first girl in the history of the school to solo, indicating marked progress made in aviation. Yesterday she became the first girl in the class to make her cross-country flight, required before the course can be completed.

She hopes to have her license before her graduation.

Harriett’s Letter — At the home of Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Carlisle in the Dunson community there is a tree that is both interesting and beautiful, a flowering peach with both white and deep, rose-shaded blossoms.

An amateur horticulturist of no mean skill, Mr. Carlisle grafted the white limb on the tree with the deep rose blossoms, securing the astonishingly beautiful result.

Julia Dyar, a retired journalist, is active in the Troup County Historical Society.