Junes past, 75 years ago.

From the LaGrange Daily News, 1940.

Front Page News

Petition Asks Purchase of LaGrange Airport — A Chamber of Commerce petition urging either the city of LaGrange or Troup County, or both, to purchase the LaGrange Airport from Fuller E. Callaway was signed by 34 leading citizens and taxpayers of LaGrange today and presented to Mayor R. S. O’Neal.

The petition expressed the belief that “the possibilities of obtaining government aid are unlimited provided the airport is owned outright by a city, county or jointly by both.”

W. F. Jarrell, president of the Chamber of Commerce, in commenting on the proposed purchase, said, “We can get better results from our application for non-collegiate pilot training school here if the local airport is owned by the city or county.

If the city or county does not purchase the field, we still can have a civilian flying school here, but it would not accomplish half as much as one headed by government officials.”

Piney Woods Lake Fills Monday Night Following Rains — The 80-acre lake of the Piney Woods development at the Highland Country Club reached maturity at 7 o’clock Monday night when the water level rose to the spillway following the rains of Monday afternoon and night.

A group of local citizens interested in the filling of the lake were present when the first surplus water dropped over the spillway exactly 112 days following the closing of the drain March 18.

The lake was begun a year ago, planned by Cason J. Callaway following the general plan that his father, the late Fuller E. Callaway had in mind at the time of the establishment of the Highland Country Club. The dam is larger than the original plans called for. The greater body of the lake lies within the city limits of LaGrange.

Twenty eight lots of two to three acres have been laid off around the lake. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Swank was completed recently, and plans of J. K. Boatwright, and W. T. and W. B. Culpepper are in the hands of architects. The Callaway Mills also will build a lakeshore club house.

The development was planned to be one of the most beautiful and interesting residential spots in the state of Georgia.

Johnson is Elected to Lions Club Directorship — George “Skeet” Johnson, popular LaGrange businessman and active charter member of the local Lions Club, Thursday was elected to the international board of directors of the Lions International at their meeting in Havana, Cuba.

This marks the first time in two decades that a Lion from the state of Georgia has been honored with election to the 18-man board. He will serve for two years.

Johnson has served in almost every position of the Lions Club organization on the local and other levels.

Yankee Parrot Perches on Confederate Statue — The Lost Cause received a bit of insolence today when a Yankee parrot perched on the Confederate monument in Court Square and squawked his harshest denunciation of things in general, LaGrange in particular.

The parrot, a large orange and blue bird, escaped a tourist’s car, which was heading North, and settled on the monument. His frantic mistress finally persuaded him to come down after he had flown to several trees in the square.

When last seen, parrot and owner were on their way North again.

Males Ignore Marriage Despite Imminent Draft — The possible imminence of military conscription has failed to stampede the American male into marriage, as it did in the spring of 1917, a United Press survey indicated today.

Marriage license bureaus throughout the nation reported few gains in applications since Jan. 1, or since Congress began considering a conscription bill which would require millions of eligible bachelors between 21 and 31 to report for military training for one year. Married men would be exempt.

Males in LaGrange are no exception to the general rule, it was disclosed in the office of the Troup County ordinary today.

The applicants for marriage licenses have not shown an increase, it was stated. Although there are other places in the county authorized to issues licenses, the ordinary’s office was taken as a fairly accurate manifestation that Troup Countians have not used marriage to keep them out of service.

Editorial

Lamar Dodd — Friday was Lamar Dodd Day in LaGrange. It was a time of bestowing honor on a hometown boy who had risen to national fame in his chosen field of art, a day when the folks back home came to the full realization that the boy, so recently in knee pants, had grown to the stature of a man and a national leader in the world of art. It was a natural and spontaneous tribute which the hometown folks paid to the boy, the man and the artist.

Last evening one of Mr. Dodd’s prize winning pictures was presented to the LaGrange Memorial Library and the leaders of the community institutions and businesses gathered to pay tribute to him.

LaGrange is proud to call Lamar Dodd its own and it is a great satisfaction to all of us that Lamar returns the compliment and takes pride in the old home town.