Octobers Past, 75 Years Ago

From the LaGrange Daily News

Front Page News

Plans progressing for memorial park in city — Plans have been perfected and bids submitted for the memorial electric fountain and the development of Court Square Park into a place of beauty, “Dedicated to the Builders of LaGrange and Troup County,” it was learned today from the executive committee in charge of the important civic project.

The exact amount of funds needed has been ascertained, and committees are now working to give LaGrange and Troup County citizens an opportunity to have a part in the building of this memorial to the thousands of men and women who have contributed to the city and county in which we now live.

The initial gift of $12,500 toward the memorial was pledged sometime ago by Fuller E. Callaway Jr. for the Fuller E. Callaway Foundation. Since that time, substantial amounts have been voluntarily pledged by others.

“The cost of the project will be about $30,000 and before the organized solicitation of funds begins, more than half the amount has been pledged,” said a member of the park committee. “We are confident that the balance of the funds needed can be raised soon.”

Work will start on housing project for LaGrange in December — J.R. Newman, chairman of the Housing Authority in LaGrange, was notified today that the $406,000 loan for a low-rent and slum clearance project in LaGrange has been approved by President Roosevelt.

Mr. Newman stated that work on the project is expected to start in December.

GEA convention in city termed ‘big success’ — Approximately 1,200 teachers and school administrators attended the Georgia Education Association convention in LaGrange Monday.

The convention was termed successful by everyone connected with it. The feature address was given by Howard A. Dawson, secretary of the Legislative Committee of the National Education Association. He spoke on “The Total Defense and National Aid to Education,” dealing with the education of children and defense of a country.

Local and area teachers and administrators headed departmental groups in an afternoon session.

Use of telephones in LaGrange greatly stepped up — Because of the rapidly accelerating demand for telephone service due to defense and general business activities, LaGrange’s telephone facilities and working forces are operating under the heaviest volume of calls ever experienced by the local system.

J.J. Milam, telephone company local manager, said today that the number of telephones here has increased from 1,918 to 2,511, or 31 percent since January 1939. Local calls have increased from an average of 17,364 daily to 27,275, a rise of 57 percent. Long distance calls have risen from an average of 383 daily to 505, a boost of 32 percent.

The average telephone in LaGrange now is used 23 percent more times daily than it was in 1939 or 11 times daily.

Mr. Milam said, “Our telephone facilities are operating at near capacity during some periods. In the future, this situation may result in some calls not being completed as quickly as before the defense emergency.”

Water restrictions go into effect here again this morning — Lack of rain, which has caused the depletion of the public water supply for LaGrange, has made it necessary for the city to invoke immediately an ordinance restricting the water supply, according to City Engineer George H. Sargent.

It is now against the laws of LaGrange for any person, firm or corporation to use water for the purpose of watering lawns, flowers, gardens, washing cars — either by the owner or by any service station.

Any person violating this provision shall be guilty of disorderly conduct, tried before the recorder of the city of LaGrange, and punished for the same.

Mayor R.S. O’Neal has appealed for the full cooperation of LaGrange residents.

College lovelies attempt to join Army — rejected — Two luscious lovelies from LaGrange swayed into Selective Service Draft Board No. 1 yesterday afternoon and floored Mrs. Duke Davis, clerk, by calmly and seriously stating: “We want to join the Army.”

“No doubt you mean that you would like to make applications for the Red Cross Nursing Corps,” Mrs. Davis replied.

“Not at all,” the girls said. “We want to join the regular Army — the one that the men are in.”

The girls were denied their request.

Any protests, soldiers?

Lt. Ely Callaway Jr. to serve on U.S. Defense Train — Lt. Ely R. Callaway Jr., of LaGrange, serving in the Philadelphia Quartermaster depot of the U.S. Army, will represent the Quartermaster department on one of the three Defense Trains which will tour America to see that no qualified manufacturer misses an opportunity to get a defense contract for lack of information.

One of the trains will visit Atlanta on Dec. 12 and Macon on Dec. 13.