Julys past, roundup

Having five weekends this month allows us to bring these items in a roundup column for July.

From the LaGrange Graphic, 100 years ago, 1916

Editorials

The Political Bee is buzzing a few more hats.

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Vote For Your Interest — In the selection of men to represent the interests of the people, we should choose such as are thoroughly identified with the interests which he is to represent. Personal friendship or party affiliation should never influence us to support anyone who is not fully capable of serving us along the lines for which he is chosen.

We too often acknowledge a man’s ability to serve in a certain capacity, but because he does not happen to conform to our ideas along some lines, we oppose him for the position in which he might be of the greatest service to the community.

So few men measure others by the standard of usefulness. Their personal likes and dislikes influence them to sometimes act to defeat men who are eminently fitted for public service.

Let us lay aside our personal prejudices, and vote for men to represent us in every department of legislation that are capable of serving us in a manner that will be to the best interest of each individual citizen.

From the LaGrange Daily News, 75 years ago, 1941

Six Illinois Girls and Jalopy Stop City Traffic — Girls will be boys. This morning six college girls from Bradford, Illinois, stopped traffic on Main Street in LaGrange for a couple of hours when they chug-a-lugged up to a parking space in a 1926 T-Model that defies all word description.

They informed a Daily News representative that their ancient jalopy is now on the way to Norfolk, Virginia; Washington and New York after having chugged from Illinois to New Orleans. This is the seventh consecutive year the girls have covered 72,000 miles in their wheeze-horse, visiting all but three states.

They even took in the sights of Mexico and Canada. Movie stars, governors and mayors have autographed the car.

Callaway Guest Lodge Will Be Built On Lake — Newnan Construction Company, local contractors, have been awarded a contract to build a guest lodge for Callaway Mills. The lodge will be located on Piney Woods Lake, east of Highland Country Club’s No. 1 fairway. The lodge will accommodate Callaway Mills’ visiting customers. Ivey and Crook, of Atlanta, are the architects.

Population of LaGrange In 1850 Was Just 1,523 — The population of the city in which you live was just 1,523 in 1850. In 1910 the figure had climbed to only 5,878, according to a report released by the U.S. Department of Commerce. From 1910 to 1920, however the figure made a sharp jump from 5,878 to 17,038, and in the last 41 years has reached the present total of 21,983

Editorial

It’s Going To Be Fun To Save Gasoline — Every LaGrange automobile driver worthy of citizenship will now take pride in joining other Americans in answering the appeal of the national coordinator for national defense to save gasoline.

The coordinator is asking that we do something that we should have been doing all along. We are going to walk more and trade the joy rides for walks through the woods on Sunday afternoon to enjoy the beauty around us.

We’re going to drive slower to save gasoline and by doing so save a lot of wear and tear on the nation’s ambulances, the knives of plastic surgeons and the spades of the cemetery sextons. We’re going to save gasoline and like it.

From The LaGrange Daily News, 50 years ago, 1966

LaGrange Boys To Attend Conservation Workshop — Two LaGrange youths will attend conservation camp in South Georgia next week.

Doug Mote and David Smith will leave Monday to attend the fifth Natural Resources Conservation Workshop at Georgia Southern College in Statesboro, Georgia. Troup County has had boys attend all the previous workshops.

Mansour’s is sponsoring Doug Mote and Belk-Gallant Company is sponsoring David Smith.

From The LaGrange Daily News, 25 Years Ago, 1991

LaGrange: 3,604 Miles Away — A LaGrange, Georgia, sign posted at Watson Lake in the Yukon, Alaska, shows that the sign is 3,604 miles from home. The sign was erected by Ralph Moore of LaGrange on a recent trip to the area with the Christian Travel Club, which covered nearly 9,000 miles by bus during a 25 day journey.

The city of LaGrange made the sign to be posted at Sign Boards at Watson Lake. The tradition was started in 1942 by a homesick sailor with one post and three signs. Travelers have added others each year increasing the number to nearly 5,000 in 1991.