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History: Part II... |
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PART 2 Neither W. E. Matthews nor Tom Williams, who jointly leased The Herald in 1950 from its long-time owners, Mr. and Mrs. John N. Holder, were "strangers" to Jackson County. Matthews, who lived in Gainesville, was born and reared in Jackson County and had been in the newspaper and printing business in northeast Georgia for over 30 years, He was in charge of production at The Herald. Williams, whose wife was a native of Jackson County, was from the Northeast but lived in Jefferson. He had been associated with Jefferson Mills, serving as editor of its Mill Whistle house organ. He would be editor of The Herald. In his first issue, on Aug. 10, 1950, Williams had two lengthy editorials, "An Era Continues" and "The Time is Now." In the latter, he said: "Jackson County cities and communities are being looked
over quite often these days. This county is an ideal location
for new industry. Our city officials and civic leaders are working
for progress. They need everyone's help and with it we will enjoy
our share of new prosperity in the southland." Still, The Herald usually had only eight or 10 pages. This was in the midst of the Korean War and the 1950 Christmas editorial said: "After so short a time, our country is again on the brink of a world conflict. Again the Herods of our time are seeking to destroy the Christian freedoms and democratic way of life the world learned from a man who was born in a manger at Bethlehem." *** The Herald announced on Jan. 4, 1951 that the in-county subscription price would increase from $1.50 per year to $2. By May, The Herald was starting a "Parents' Column" written by Donald M. Maynard. It also continued several community correspondents' columns, including Dry Pond, Lebanon, Commerce, Nicholson, Center Grove, Thyatira, Jefferson, Plainview, Brockton and Holly Springs. In June 1951, the retired Mr. Holder picked up his pen again and wrote a history of the noted Harrison Hotel, which had been built in downtown Jefferson in 1850 by Joshua Randolph, one of the town's pioneers. Matthews remained as a co-publisher until September 1952 when his name disappeared from the masthead. Williams was then listed as "Editor and Publisher." Williams ran the newspaper for about nine years, leaving in October 1959. Mr. Holder then called on his "legal advisor," Floyd Hoard, to handle the newspaper and Hoard did so for several months. (Only a few years later, Hoard would be murdered by a crime ring in the county.) Mrs. Holder died in November 1959 at the age of 80. In a column of March 10, 1960, Mr. Holder discussed Jefferson's centennial of 1906. It was celebrated with a "great parade of floats and band and school children and soldiers and speeches by distinguished Georgians," he said. Mr. Holder announced on April 6, 1960 that he had sold The Herald to his daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. W B. Smith, and that they had in turn sold it to a 10-member corporation, The Jackson Herald Inc. Jack Hardy was the first president. The initial incorporators were: H. W. Summerour, N. C. Marlowe, R. H. McEver Sr., J. H. Kinney, Jack Hardy, Joe Davis, Jack S. Davidson, Tom Bryan, Morris M. Bryan Jr. and Belgrade Manufacturing Company. Virgil Adams, personnel director at Jefferson Mills, ran the newspaper about seven months---until Oct. 27, 1960. At that time, N. S. "Buddy" and Elaine Hayden of Greenville, S.C., were hired to run the paper. He was listed as the editor and she as the managing editor. *** Mr. Holder died shortly thereafter, on Jan. 12, 1961, at age 92. He and Mrs. Holder were survived by four daughters and some grandchildren. In this same month, The Herald announced plans for a "modernization" of its equipment and an expansion of its office supply business. Some $12,000 would be invested in these projects which would include a V-36 Miehle automatic job press offering color, an automatic paper cutter and a $6,500 Ludlow typecasting machine. The Herald would now have "the most complete and modern printing plant in its history," declared a page one news story. The next month, the Haydens announced plans for "Project 3000," a subscription campaign that would offer bicycles and wrist watches to youngsters who sold enough subscriptions. In April, a crossword puzzle feature was added to the newspaper which now sometimes had as many as 12 pages. In this month, The Herald also won first place in the state for its stories on highway safety. The subscription campaign ended May 24, 1961, somewhat short of its goal of 3,000 subscribers, but it had added 704, making a total of 2,112. The biggest Jackson Herald to that time, 18 pages, appeared on May 31, 1961. It featured an 8-page section honoring the 150 high school graduates of the three high schools in the county. The section was entitled "New Frontiers" and the front page of the section was adorned with a rocket along the left side, as befit the new space exploration era. "We stand on the brink of man's greatest achievement--the exploration of space," said the editors. "Truly, new frontiers have never presented themselves to youth in such abundance as they do today..." But by June 21, The Herald was down to only eight pages and its editors were urging people to "Shop at Home." A series of articles on key citizens entitled, "Meet ___________," was being run. *** "Color" was used for the first time in The Herald on Sept, 27, 1961. Four pages were printed on dark orange newsprint and contained ads from Belk's, Kesler's, Commerce Drug, Hurst Motor Company and Jay's Department Store. Another award came to The Herald in October 1961, when it won first place in the nation for its series, "Let's Stop Killing Ourselves." Locally produced editorial cartoons were being used weekly in the The Herald. Elaine Hayden, the managing editor, was the artist. Color returned to The Herald on Dec. 20, 1961 when red ink was used on pages 1, 5 and 10. A Santa Claus outline in red adorned the front page. Kesler's page ad was all red and Jefferson Mills had a page ad that featured both red and black ink. Stories had appeared periodically in The Herald about criminal activities in the county, including crimes of theft and bootlegging. Among its New Year's resolutions listed in a Jan. 3, 1962 editorial was this: "A crackdown on bootlegging in the county. It will be the duty of the sheriff's department and all other law enforcement agencies to see to it that bootlegging is stopped in the county and that the word is passed through the channels that this county will not tolerate vice and corruption." Another editorial and a cartoon on bootlegging appeared Feb. 7, 1962. The next week came a page one story about a representative of The Herald, working undercover, having bought illegal beer. A hard-hitting editorial appeared on page one under the story. Hayden launched a page one personal column on Feb. 28, 1962, devoting it to the illegal beer situation and City Court (now State Court). *** The Herald announced on March 14, 1962 that it had installed a Photo-lathe, "a new electronic machine." It would produce pictures on zinc or plastic for use in the newspaper. The Herald noted in April that the City of Commerce Council meeting was illegally closed. Hayden's personal column on April 18, 1962 called on the city to open its records. The Herald sponsored a spelling bee, put out a two-section graduation edition and won both state and national awards at mid-year. The first place "Most Fearless Editorial" award was given to The Herald by the state press association in connection with editorials on crime in the county. On June 27, 1962, Hayden announced he would leave at the end of the month. He and Virgil Adams were buying controlling interest in The Hartwell Sun in Hartwell, Ga. Jack M. Tucker, a Christian Church minister, became editor on July 4, 1962. An anti-crime editorial appeared Sept. 12, 1962. In October, a headline declared "Illegal Liquor Business Replaced By Stolen Automobile Industry." *** Tucker's name disappeared from the masthead and Willa Dean White was listed as managing editor on Nov. 7, 1962, only a little more than four months after Tucker had become editor. Color made a return to The Herald on Dec. 19, 1962. In fact, red, black and green inks were used in this 14-page Christmas edition. Charlotte T. Harris's name appeared as a "Herald staff writer" on Feb. 20, 1963. Her name later appeared on the masthead as "Advertising Manager." Reports of various crimes in the county continued, ranging from questions about City of Jefferson funds to indictments in Fulton County of Jackson Countians, including the sheriff, John B. Brooks. A fire occurred at The Herald plant in February 1964. The Feb. 26, 1964 issue noted that the paper would be temporarily made up and printed at The Commerce News through the courtesy of its owners, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Hardy. *** James Booth, 26, a native of Hahira, was named editor April 29, 1964, while the newspaper was still being printed at The Commerce News. Mrs. White, who had edited the newspaper some 21 months, became business manager. By June, The Herald was again being printed in Jefferson. It was announced that a Miehle No. 1 press had been bought from the DeKalb New Era, replacing the press that had been ruined in the fire, and a Mentges newspaper folder had been bought from a Rossville firm. The 89th birthday of The Herald was bannered across the top of page one on June 10, 1964. By this time the masthead contained the names of Booth, Mrs. White, Mrs. Harris and Dolores Garrison, who was "sales representative." The name of Jimmy Hall, as sports editor, was added a few months later. Some of them, like Hall, were part-time. Booth put a re-designed nameplate at the top of page one in July 1964, stating the former one had been in use "about 10 years." It had been in the "old English" style. The new one featured Roman type with a screened outline map of Jackson County and the words, "Devoted to the Progress of Jackson County." *** Wood Hill's retirement as full-time linotype operator for The Herald was featured Feb. 17, 1965. He had spent 44 years in the newspaper business, mostly with The Herald. Gene Sims was his successor. At the same time, Booth announced he would soon leave to become editor and publisher of The Forsyth County News at Cumming. The newspaper continued to have eight to 10 pages. Jack Davidson was president of The Jackson Herald Inc. at this time and it was his wife who filled in after Booth left. She was assisted by Mrs. Lottie Wilson in the office and by Mrs. Garrison in sales, as well as by the shop crew which included Sims, Mitchell Crane and Branson Morris. The Herald was sold to Herman and Helen Buffington of Summerville, Ga., on July 15, 1965 and they assumed duties on July 19, 1965.
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