UPSON COUNTY, GA - HISTORY  Memories  

*****************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm

http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm
***********************
This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Margie Hammack McDaniel 
 cbmmlm@bellsouth.net

 East Thomaston Memories


I also lived in East Thomaston and have many Happy
Memories from that time. 


We moved to Thomaston in 1947 when my Dad got a job in
the Old Mill.  I started school the following year at
Avenue L. and my first grade teacher was a Miss May.   My
second grade teacher was Mrs Wall for part of the year
and then a Mrs Harold.  My 3rd grade teacher was Mrs.Ward
There were 2 buildings side by side and the restrooms
were in a separate building between the class buildings
toward the back. The 1st grade buildings were in one of
the buildings along with the supply room and a canteen
where you could purchase milk, crackers or chips to go
along with the lunch you brought from home as there was
no lunch room.  I still have a receipt for school
supplies that was paid at the beginning of the year and
the amount was $1.25     Later on, It went to around
$2.50.   Every 6 weeks you were given a pencil, and
notebook.   I don't remember getting crayons every 6
weeks, but seems that it was just as you needed them. 


The other building was where the 2nd and 3rd classrooms
were. I can remember Miss Mary Mitchell coming about once
a week from the "Big Red Building" to visit each class
room.   I also remember Mr. Gordon Holston, the
supertinent coming about once a month and he had such a
strong voice that you could hear him in the next
classroom before he got to our room.


In the 4th grade I went to a one room classroom on Avenue
F. and Mrs. Reid was the teacher.   I can also remember
the radio programs on WSFT and especially the one in the
4th grade.  Our play was called "The Man and the
Alligator" and I was the narrator and can remember two of
the other class mates in the play. Being in one building
by ourselves, we were very close .   There was another
building  a couple of buildings from us that had other
classrooms. 


In the 5th grade, I went to the "big Red Brick Building" 
(the school on Park Lane. }  My teacher was Mrs Nelson.
My 6th grade teacher was Mrs. Cosey. My 7th grade teacher
was Mrs. Oxner and later on at R.E. Lee, I had her
husband, Mr. Guy Oxner. as a teacher. My 8th grade
teacher was Mr. Bill Amos and he was the first man
teacher I had and it might have been his 1st year
teaching there.  I remember seeing his obit not long ago
in the Macon telegraph. I remember that the library was
in Mrs.Covington's classroom. A lunch room was built and
was opened when I was in the 8th grade. I graduated from
the 8th grade and the service was in the lunch room there
at East Thomaston.

I also remember going to the "Tabernacle" and it had saw
dust floors.  I remember going there for gospel sings and
one in particular was when James and Martha Carson was
there.  The Tabernache was across the street from
Underwoods Grocery Store.


I remember that most of us children had roller skates and
we skated on the side walks.

I also went to church at East Thomaston Baptist and the
Rev. Herbert Morgan was the pastor then and he was
certainly great.  I think he was a great help in getting
the "Empty Stocking Fund" started.

I also remember the nights after supper sitting on the
front porch and the neighbors coming over.

I also remember that on the Mill Village you knew every
one and could walk down the streets and name everyone
that lived in each house.

Does anyone remember the 2 cafes on Barnesville street?  
I remember GADDYS having the best hamburgers.   I also
remember that you could buy a RC Cola and a Moon Pie,
both for a dime.

Glad David mentioned  the name of the Silver Moon Cafe,
for I had forgotten it.   I remember Kersey's store too. 
It was a small store but seem to have everthing you
needed.  I remember the big pin wheel cookies in the
glass jar.

What was the name of the dime store across from the cafe?
I also remember Day's Grocery across the road from the
cafe.

And what about Paulks Pharmacy across from the old mill!

You could get a big scoop of ice cream in a cone for just
a nickel.   I remember one time dropping mine after I got
out of the store and  Dr. Paulk saw it and came out with
another one for me.  We always like to skate on the side
and front of the store as the pavement was so smooth.

I remember the school taking us to the Hotel across from
the mill on various occassions to watch the TV. when some
historial event took place.   I remember having slide
projections, but no TV at the school.

I remember Daddy bringing home the Spinning Wheel, the
old mill's news paper, that ,I believe came out once a
week.  We couldn't wait to look at it as it always had
plenty of news about school. 

The Spinning Wheel News is in the Archives  and Penny has
them arranged by years in notebooks.   

In the early 50's,   "Gone With The Wind" came to the
Silvertown Theater and my older sister took me and my
younger brother to see it.  We walked from East Thomaston
to Silvertown and stood in a line about a mile long to
get in.  It was well worth the wait and to this day, it
is still my favorite movie.


The Ritz theater on the square was quite a treat.  It
only cost a quarter on Saturaday and a friend and I would
usually go to the matinee, and we always sat in the
Balcony.


There were no city buses back then and we did a lot of
walking.  Daddy had a car, but we always walked to
school,but if it was raining, he would come pick us up.
We enjoyed the walking and most of the time walked with a
classmate . 

We had school patrol , which were students usually in the
8th grade.  I was one at one time on Barnesville Street,
right in front of Policeman Porter's house.  We had to
arrive at school earlier and we would put our badges and
the white belt on and would help the smaller children
across the busy road.  We got out of school  a little
early every day so that we would be there ready to help
the smaller children cross the road.
Seeing all the valentine decorations in the stores
reminds me  of my school days at East Thomaston.


We students ,with the help of our teacher, would make
valentines and would decorate the bulletin board, which
was usually up over the chalk board, or we use to call it
"the blackboard", but that was before the chalk boards
were green.  Someone would bring a large cardboad box(we
called it a pasteboard) and it would be covered with red
crepe paper and decorated with hearts and have a opening
in the top.


We were vey poor, but somehow Daddy & Mama would always
get my younger brother and I a pack of store bought
valentine  cards. We would sit at the table and address
the cards to our classmates. There were various sizes in
the pack and always one for the teacher.  


The next morning, we would take the cards to school and
everyone would put their cards in the box. About an hour
before school was over the teacher would open the box and
call out all the names until all the cards were gone.
The Grade Mothers (volunteer mothers of several of the
students) would bring heart shaped cookies and the little
conversation hearts and usually cool-aid as refreshments.
We were always so excited and after we got home, we would
look at the cards over and over and read the verses and
think of the person who gave it to you.


Another custom was after it got dark, you would take the
least pretty cards and erase the name and put a
neighbor's name on it and throw it on the neighbor's
porch along with a rock to make a noise.  You would then
run and hide and watch as they came to the door and
realize they had been thrown a Valentine.


Anyone else remember this custom of throwing the
Valentines?