1980 Amtrak in Soperton

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June 25, 1980

Were you in town to meet the Amtrak when it came through Soperton? It was quite a turnout! The train stopped only long enough to let out a special passenger who had ridden all the way from Dublin: JAMES MERRITT!

Others that week: Somebody's office, a reunion group, baby mocking bird, Sportsmen's Club cook-out, GPA Convention, T-ball, Ronnie Reid and Ronnie Phillips with rattlesnake, string of catfish and eels caught by Willie Shivers.

1975 SHS Class of 1955 Reunion

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June 25, 1975

Your homework assignment this week is to identify these members of the SHS Class of 1955 at their 20-year reunion. They have another reunion scheduled today (June 26, 2010) at the Masonic Hall.

Others that week: Softball, Snack Shack team lost their game after enjoying a fish fry earlier, tennis practice at FBC, Cubs and leaders in Iva Park, 4-H DPA, fireworks prep, grassing at TES, work on the stadium erosion, Wade Clark with Sportmen's Club guest Marilynne Garrett.

1980 Lothair UMC VBS

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June 18, 1980

We can credit Marilyn for the series of group photos of the Lothair United Methodist Church Vacation Bible School. See how many people you can identify and make comments. We can always count on the Lothair community to  lead and join in.

Others that week: 4-H DPA, Coursey Grove water pump, Mark Simons log tobacco barn, fire at Ernest Collins's (in a bamboo thicket), cancer plaques at courthouse, Assembly of God VBS, former Corner Restaurant became Coleman Barbecue, two boys with bikes, TPS bathroom renovation, Loutrelle Edenfield art classes for children, GFCWC state convention in Soperton.

For those who may be interested. I found the "lost" negatives behind my recliner in open view, once I moved the chair while looking for something else. Right where I left them last year with a couple of weeks of July 1980. The Lord doth provide!

1980 Some of my negatives are hiding

Sometimes last year I made an enlargement of the water pump at Coursey Grove Church. The photo was made during the week of June 18, 1980, and all my negatives are hiding under the 3-foot pile near my scanner. Until I clean up and find them, we won't be sharing the photos of that week, which included a couple of VBS groups, bathroom renovation at TPS, fire at Ernest Collins's, Georgia Women's Clubs state convention in Soperton, and 4-H DPA.

Luckily, I had already scanned a couple of photos from that week - for fun and profit. Coursey Grove was a part of the collection of Big Lou's Second Street Bistro, accompanied by a verse of Scripture about living water.

The old log tobacco barn photo was made at the Mark Simons farm, and I made a print for Glenda Simons.

1985 Nursing Home Retirees

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June 19, 1985

Retiring at the Treutlen County Nursing Home were, l-r: Nellie Fuqua, Annie Harmon, Ira Lee Turner, Sam Walker. Hospital Authority Chairman Charles Carr made the presentations.

Others that week: "Wrights Palace" on West Louisiana Avenue, across from Bakers Funeral Home burned to the ground, but all occupants got out unharmed; 4-H group, FBC VBS, T. C. Little named one of Georgia's 50 most influential black men; James Kight and Paul Scott attended Conservation Workshop; Mulberry Bush - Marnie Smith.

What's this?

Up in I Corps all the Vietnamese girls wore "pajamas". At least they looked like pajama shirts and trousers. For the six months we spent in I Corps, we never saw an Army nurse or any kind of skirt. We never saw a PX.  How surprised we were to learn that the Big Red One and 101st Airborne in III Corps had been enjoying PXs, recreation facilities, etc. Biggest surprise of all to visit the Phouc Vinh PX and see a cute Vietnamese girl with American style hair and a real skirt.  More December 1968 shots now running on the slideshow. Click on it if you'd like to read the captions.

1975 When Radio Came to Soperton

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June 18, 1975

Historian Clayton Stephens was on top of the news, as he talked with Fred Tippet as land was being cleared at the WYOK antenna site. Tippet helped put Soperton on the map. I-16 construction was going on; a chamber of commerce was in its third year; the city had sponsored two successful Million Pines Festivals, cable TV was new, and James Windsor was in his fifth year making the Soperton paper one of the best in the state. Tippet must be remembered for giving us WYOK and what it meant. He and his employees gave us good publicity, news, music, and interesting DJs. He brought Gene Watson to the McArthur Gymnasium to sing "Love in the Hot Afternoon".  Feel free to comment on what the radio station meant to you.

Others that week: Chuck Ellington won public speaking contest, Gene Bowers's RC&D was finishing the TPS grassing project, '65 Class Reunion, Stewart family reunion, Deputy Seaby Phillips, burning tires to clear the recreation site, and softball.