Julys Past, 75 years ago, 1942

From The LaGrange Daily News

Front page News:

With a formal dedication on Sunday, July 12, the First Methodist Church in LaGrange will celebrate the retirement of a debt of $75,000 incurred three years ago for the erection of an education building and parsonage.

Bishop Arthur J. Moore of Atlanta, will preach at the morning service at 11:30, a basket dinner will be served in the court adjoining the education building following the morning service, and the dedication service will be held following dinner.

The education building, erected at a cost of approximately $63,000, is modern in design and equipment. It is considered to be one of the best church school plants in the state and South.

The parsonage, located on South Greenwood Street, was designed as a unit of the church plant, the architectural lines being in keeping with the design of the educational building. It was erected at an approximate cost of $12,000.

The Reverend M.M. Maxwell, pastor, is serving the church as pastor for the fourth consecutive year, having been appointed by the North Georgia Conference in November, 1938.

City Purchases Well

The City of LaGrange made what is considered an economical move with the execution of deeds Saturday purchasing a well from M.F. McLendon of this city for around $3,000.

The well, located on the McLendon property on Springdale Drive in LaGrange, will provide the city with an additional supply of water.

In 1922 or 1923, when the city was in need of more water to boost its water supply, the well was dug by the city. Around 1930, the city equipped the well with better equipment and has used in continuously.

This well has been especially valuable during “low periods.” During these years it has been rented to the city and previous efforts to purchase it have been unsuccessful.

Now, through purchase of the well, it is believed that the city can save in rental fees and it is thought that the well will pay for itself in a short time.

Railroad Operated By Callaway Mills Cited For Service

A three-mile-long Georgia railway has been cited for setting the best railway freight record in the country.

O.D. Keown, traffic manager of the Callaway Mills in LaGrange, is traffic manager of the Millstead Line, which is operated by Callaway Mills.

The short Millstead Line, operating between Conyers and Millstaed with a total of 24 cars, earned an “E” from the Office of Defense Transportation for maintaining an average of 17 tons.

Local Boys Now In The Service

Two highly-trained airplane mechanics from LaGrange, Ga., were graduated from the country’s greatest Air Corps Technical School at Keesler Field in Mississippi this week.

Pvt. Jack McDaniel and Pvt. William H. Taylor, both of LaGrange, have just completed an intensive 19-week course in Air Mechanics and are now ready to take their places with a fighting unit of the Army Air Forces “on the line.”

Wrecked U.S. Army Bomber Creates Much Interest In LaGrange

Considerable interest was created here yesterday afternoon when a huge Army truck came through LaGrange and parked on Court Square. The truck carried a disassembled United States Army bomber which apparently had been wrecked and which was being carried to some point for repairs.

Due to military regulations, the Daily News is not at liberty to divulge where or when the plane crashed, nor the point to where it was being carried, but it is presumed that this was one of the Army’s many training planes.

Harriett’s Letter

W.M. Kiplinger, editor of the Kiplinger Business Letter which is widely circulated among well informed business men, has written a honey of a book. “Washington Is Like That.” The book is packed full with information and interesting observations.

For Example: “The White House is the only residence in America where royalty is entertained at the tea one day and the inmates of a girls’ reform school the next.

“During a normal year, over 3,000 invitations for meals alone are sent out. Ever since the days when Abigail Adams used to hang the family wash in the East Room, the White House has been, from time to time, the scene of mass entertaining, depending on how democratic the various occupants were. The Roosevelt hospitality is so extensive that some complain the White House isn’t exclusive any more.”

Chattahoochee Charlie visited the news room this week. He shared the latest words of wisdom with us: “War Bonds will take the hit out of Hitler, the muss out of Mussolini, the hero out of Hirohito.”

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