Matter of Interest - 1951

by John Harvey

The year 1951 began with many of the merchants in the county looking toward a hopefully prosperous year.  The Christmas season just passed had been unseasonably warm and this had brought out many more shoppers during the days just before Christmas.

The first days of the New Year seemed to bear out this optimism.  B. F. Goodrich had just introduced the first new tubeless tire and a number of businesses advertised that they had them.  In an interview with The News, B. F. Polk of Monticello Recapping and Service Co said that this was the first true tubeless tire as it did not require a pneumatic pad between the rim and the tire as some so-called tubeless tires had required before.

Early in the year, the Mercer University Glee club and the Chapel Choir presented a concert at the Baptist Church and three months later the Emory at Oxford Glee Club also presented a night of music at the Methodist Church.

As the year progressed, many merchants began to speak of drastic drop-offs in business. Many young people were leaving for better employment in the larger cities.  In March, Mrs. Kate Thurman, UDC, and county historian, announced that the Lorenzo Dow plaque, which had been removed from the "pulpit rock" on Georgia Highway 11 during the summer of 1950, had been found and returned in High Springs Fla.  The plaque was being repair and would be bolted to the rock so that it would not be taken again.

The new swimming pool opened on June 7 for its first full season of use.  Mr. Love Minter, who had been one of the school bus drivers for many years, was to be the manager.

Monticello had entered the "Better Hometown Contest" for the third year in the "Sweepstakes Division."  The staff of the News had written in the "Our Folks" column an article subtitled "Our Town".  In it they had asked some questions that we might well ask ourselves today: When a friend from another state or community came to visit and you show him around our town, does he see us at our best or our worst?  Are our homes well kept or poorly kept?  Are there places that you hurry by and hope that he won't see?  Does our town tell visitors how we feel about history, art, education, recreation, political responsibility, economic adjustment, public welfare and health?  Are our citizens proud of their community?  All these questions are answered for our visitors by what they see.

1950 had been a census year and the figures were released in 1951.  This year is also a census year, so we might compare the figures of 1950 later on with those of this year.  1950 figures showed a slight increase in population in both Monticello and Shady Dale and a decrease in the rest of the County.

Monticello        Shady Dale            Hillsboro            County

                                                                                1940              1,746                159                    not given            8,772

                                                                                1950              1,918                253                    not given            7,473

On November 11, the American Legion sponsored a memorial service for those young Jasper Countians killed in Korea. 

On Novebember 29, the hospital was officially turned over to the Hospital Board.  Mrs. Helen Dickson was appointed administrator.  Dr. E. M. Lancaster admitted the first four patients.  The dedication program featured Gov. Herman Talmadge as the speaker.

The Georgia Georgia Department of Natural Resources has begun a program to locate, refurbish and in some cases replace, as many as possible of the 1,765 historic markers placed along the streets, roads and highways between 1952 and 1977.

Additional Comments:
Transcribed by Suzanne Forte (suzanneforte@bellsouth.net) April 2005,  from copies of articles contained in the Monticello News. There articles were prepared by Mr. 
John Harvey and published in this newspaper during the 1970's and 1980's time frame. Some were under the title "Jasper Reflections", others "Bicentennial Bits".
Permission has been granted by Mr. Harvey for use of these very valuable and informative articles.

Copies of articles provided by Benny Hawthorne.