AMERICUS — Miss America and Manufacturers' Day in Americus

My friend and colleague at Habitat for Humanity, Mamie Dunston, recently brought me several copies of the Americus Times-Recorder from the 1950s. They had been saved by her mother, known to everyone as Baby Graddick, who had recently passed and Mamie figured I would be interested. She knows me all too well.

One of the newspaper editions was celebrating Manufacturers’ Day, an earnest attempt by the good citizens of Americus and Sumter County to diversify our economic base. They would see their plan reach fruition four years later with the advent of the mobile home industry which lasted for almost two decades thereafter.

From the Americus Times-Recorder of July 21, 1953: Under the headline “Special ‘M-Day’ Festivities Open This Morning; ‘Miss America’ To Ride Float in Gigantic Parade” “City Gaily Decorated For Many Outstanding Events Of Program” by Rudy Hayes, managing editor, the Times-Recorder.

“The big day finally arrived, Americus awoke with a wave of fiesta in the air this morning as she prepared to honor an important segment of her economic make-up with a gala and special “Manufacturers’ Day.”

“And “Day” it is, for activities are planned for more than 14 hours of the day starting at 11 a.m. with what is expected to be possibly the longest and most decorative parade in the history of this Southwest Georgia city of 12,000 population.

“And appearing at the zenith point throughout the entire period will be the nation’s number one beauty queen, “Miss America” herself, in the form of Miss Neva Jane Langley of Macon. “Miss America” will ride atop the Junior Chamber of Commerce Float in the gigantic parade, afterwards attend a testimonial barbecue for the merchants at the Community Center starting at noon, sit in on a concert by a military band from Fort Benning at 3 p.m., and then top the festivities off by being guest of honor at a city-wide dance at the Legion Home from 8:30-12:30 a.m.

“Initiated by the Americus Jaycees the entire section has rapidly fallen into line in the affair which is designed to pay tribute to the almost 40 industrial firms and organizations of the city. This, in an area where agriculture has been the predominant factor of income since the first settlers.

“Thus it is also planned to show Georgia and the nation as well that Americus is “alive” and wishes to grow and progress by extending a welcome to new industry.

“Arduous work and planning have gone into the presentation of “M-Day” by the Jaycees, and barring any unforeseen developments the day’s events are expected to be carried our like clockwork.

“The 62 units comprising the parade are scheduled to begin assembling at 10 a.m., the floats on Tripp street, the marching sections at Lamar and Forsyth nearer town. The latter is set to move into the overall parade as it moves down Forsyth street. The line will then continue down Forsyth to the intersection of Lamar at the viaduct in the west section of the city, precede back to South Lee down to College street, into Jackson avenue on to the Community Center where the assemblage will disband. Floats will be parked on the ball park grounds for the public to view.

“Following this the citizenry is urged to join in the expected 2,000-person group for the barbecue at which Frank Myers, Jaycee, will welcome the visitors

“Then at 3 p.m. in front of the Windsor Hotel the infantry band from Fort Benning will give a concert.

“The final event of the day will be a climactic semi-formal dance at the Legion Home with honor guest, “Miss America” attending. Music will be furnished by the “4-Clefs.”

“All in all it’s going to be a big day, and each and every citizen and visitor is cordially invited to join in the celebration of any or all of the festivities.

“The following is a list of the parade units: FLOATS: Dayton Veneer and Lumber Mills, Forestry (2 floats), Beavers (train) a. McCleskey, grain, b. Easterlin, canned food, c. Toney, pulp wood; Piggly Wiggly, Lott Bros., Recreational Center, Dixon Foundry, Recreational Center, Southern Burial Vault, Recreational Center, Kimco, Kiwanis Club, Still Building Co., Carl Ortman, Accurate Weight, Kearse, G.A. Tye, Lions Club, Shiver Lumber Co., Legion, Coca Cola Co., Legion, Gertrude Davenport, Legion (40 & 8), Foremost Dairies, Jaycees float, Dairy Co-Op, Crabb, Rotary, Thalean, Merchants’ Association, Colored Float, The Times-Recorder, Ga. Southwestern, Dairy Queen, Sumter Milling Co.

“122nd Army Band; 14th A.F. Band; Camp Fire Girls; Horse Unit; Boy Scouts.

“James Chevrolet, Forehand, Oxford, Turpin-Morton, Americus Auto, Watson Auto, Great Southern, Jones Auto Co., Bell Motor Co., Suber Motor Co.”

A Rudy Hayes editorial followed immediately after the above article.

“Americus Is Proud Of Her Industries; Look Them Over (An Editorial) Due to the excellence of the agriculture in the area surrounding Americus, there has been a tendency to overlook or perhaps minimize the manufacturing industry in Americus in recent years. Undoubtedly, many Americus citizens do not realize the extent of the city’s industry or its importance to our economy.

“It is very fitting and proper, therefore, that the Junior Chamber of Commerce conceived the idea of staging a Manufacturers’ Day to focus the spotlight on the various manufacturing concerns that provide jobs and payrolls for a large portion of our population.

“Americus is proud of the many industries, large and small, that are located here. We invite others to locate here. Americus is a city of happy and contented people – the kind that make the best employees.

“To the many visitors in town today for the day’s activities we extend a hearty welcome. If you are a stranger here, take time to look us over. We are proud of our stores, our schools, churches, colleges and homes as well as our industries. We hope you enjoy the day and return soon and often.”

Yet another famous visitor, although a good deal more hirsute than Miss America, came to our fair city to participate in the festivities.

“Smokey Bear Will Appear In Parade - Attention, kids (of all ages), the Georgia Forestry Commission’s prize mascot, Smokey Bear, will appear in the “Manufacturers’ Day” parade today.

“Jim Reed of the local forestry unit secured Smokey Bear from his head (zoo) quarters in Jeffersonville in Twiggs County where he has been in captivity since a cub.

“The three-year-old may be recalled as the “advice-giving-bear” on how to avoid forest fires, and is seen on many posters of the forestry department.

“Mr. Reed said that Smokey would remain in town several days, being kept at the Trade School.”

Following is a brief description of existing industries, large and small, with owners and the number of employees for each, except oddly enough, the newspapers. See, gentle reader, how many are still with us.

“Americus Manufacturing Firms Now Total About 40 In Number - In this Southwest Georgia county where agriculture has been the by-word and predominant source of income since the section’s earliest beginnings, Sumter County today pays tribute, but not strangely so, to its manufacturers.

“For the role of the manufacturer has become increasingly a bigger part in the economic forces of this section, and comparable increases are expected in the years which lie ahead.

“The community is fast proving that it cannot heedlessly fall into a typical one-crop or one-industry area. And while the great and appreciable part those engaged in agriculture and ranching have played in the market and proud progress of Americus and Sumter County can never be adequately praised, or ever be forgotten, the sign of industrial progress must also be sounded, and its further line of march be carefully sighted.

“Americus now has close to 40 manufacturers, each a comparative newcomer to its trade, but likewise each imbedding a firm impression in its field.

“The following is a thumbnail sketch of each of them and the number of employees.

“The Accurate Weight Distributing Co., which manufactures counter balances, is operated by C.A. DuPre and employs six persons.” “Americus Baking Company, owned by Theo. Baldwin, has seven workers.

“The Americus Coca-Cola Bottling Company, owned by J.T. Warren has 19 employees.

“The Americus Oil Company handles peanut and cotton seed, gins cotton and manufactures a dry fertilizer.

“J.T. Studstill’s Americus Provision Company, which is engaged in meat packing, has 200 employees. His Frozen Food Locker Plant has five workers.

“The Americus Welding and Radiator Co., owned by J.B. Dorsey Jr., has 12 workers and deals in sheet metal work and machines.

“The Americus Wood Preserving Company which treats wood is owned by Edgar Shipp and employs 15 men.

“The Dayton Veneer and Lumber Company, which manufactures agricultural hampers and cartons, is one of the largest organizations, employing 250-300 workers (seasonal).

“Dairy products and ice cream are manufactured by the Dairy Co-op under the managership of W.H. Vissage. Fifteen are employed.

“Chester Dixon’s Ice Company deals also in ice and cold storage and has three workers.

“The Durham Iron Company, under Darrell Durham has 8-12 workers.

“The Friendship Machine Shop, which specializes in welding and repairs, has three workers.

“E.L. Gammage’s printing and engraving company has ten workers.

“B.F. Easterlin Jr. is another of the big manufacturing concerns in Sumter County engaged in canning under the name of Easterlin Packing Co.

“Thirty-five people are employed at the International Mineral and Chemical Co., producers of fertilizers. Frank Butler is manager.

“E.P. Jacobs of Jacobs Lumber Co., which also manufactures furniture in addition to dealing in lumber, has 300 workers.

“Foremost Dairies’ Jefferson Creamery, which makes butter, has 12 employees.

“The King Contracting Co. and King Milling Co., of C.B. King, employs about 95 workers at the height of their season.

“The biggest single employer is the Manhattan Shirt Company, managed by Matt Roughgardner. A total of 540 workers are employed.

“The McClesky Oil Company, which processes cotton, seed and peanuts, has from 40-140 seasonal workers.

“The Shiver Lumber Company, under J. Willis Shiver, which deals in millwork and lumber supplies, has 150 employees.

“The Southeastern Pipeline Company under Fred Fox, has five employees.

“The Still Building & Supply Company and Still Butane Gas Company, under Harold Still, has about 14 workers combined.

“Marion Wall’s Sumter Seed Cleaning and Drying Company, employing about 40 workers, deals in corn, grain and the processing of peanuts.

“The Americus Times-Recorder with James R. Blair, publisher, is the city’s only daily newspaper.

“The Tri-County News, a weekly newspaper, is published by Rawdon Barnes [it ceased publication two months later].

“Radio Station WDEC is also located here.

“G.A. Tye and Sons, dealer in millwork and lumber supplies, has 20 employees.

“The Americus Mattress Co., owned by Francis E. Pate, has three workers.

“Public utilities include Georgia Power Co., Bill Brennan, manager, and the Southern Bell Telephone Co., Lane Watson, manager.

“The Alabama division headquarters and shops of the Seaboard Railway Co., is another vital force found here. S.E. Esleeck is in charge.

“The South Georgia Trade and Vocational School and Georgia Southwestern College are also vital organizations located here.

“Americus’ newest manufacturing concern is the Kinnebrew Manufacturing Co., which makes the Kimco belt and bow-tie sets here. President of the concern is Hulme Kinnebrew.

“The Americus Seed Processing Company is operated by R.C. Marshall.”

Was Manufacturers’ Day indeed a success? Mother Nature threatened to ruin the event at first but declined to allow the waterworks shortly before the beginning of the ceremonies.

Americus Police Chief Reuben M. Cansler estimated the attendance at 12,000 to 15,000, who were entertained by two clowns, Bill Bradford and Linton Slappey.

Frank Myers, the past Jaycee president, was master of ceremonies and the welcoming speeches were given by C.E. Bell, vice president of the Seaboard Railway Co., Norfolk, Va.. and Tom Marshall, president of the Chamber of Commerce.

Very important persons attending were: J.J. Cragin, Seaboard Railway Co., Atlanta; H.C. White, Central of Georgia Railroad, Savannah; W.K. Barrett, director veterans’ service office, Atlanta; T.S. Davis Jr., Georgia Power Co., Atlanta; H.B. Dupree, district supervisor of A&P; food stores; Mr. Clapp, Georgia Power Co., Columbus; B.J. King, Seaboard Railroad, Norfolk; Jerry Auchenback, president, Tanner-Brice Co. (Piggly-Wiggly), Vidalia; Jim Houten, Martin Theatres, Columbus.

The winners of the float competition were Dayton Veneer & Lumber Co., with the $100 first prize, Dixon’s Foundry, with the $50 second prize and Gertrude Davenport, Inc., with the $25 third prize. Wallace Hazzard, on behalf of the Dayton company, donated the prize to the Americus Jaycees for their efforts in organizing the day-long event. The cash prizes were donated by the Bank of Commerce, Citizens Bank of Americus and First Federal Savings & Loan. Miss America Neva Jane Langley received gifts of a bird bath and stone bench from Pope Vault and Burial Co. and an aluminum lawn furniture set from Dixon Foundry and the Chamber of Commerce.

Miss America’s presentation was highlighted by her call for donations to the Bloodmobile due the next day. As a direct result, Mrs. Schley Gatewood’s coordination of the ensuing blood drive yielded seven-unit donations from Herschel Argo Jr., James Eldridge, Joseph C. Logan, Lloyd Moll, Father Brendan Pyle and John Rivard; six-unit donations from W.T. Beauchamp, J.E. Mims, Olin Rushin and Monroe Yarbrough; five-unit donations from Mrs. George Earl Ansley, Oliver F. Bagwell, Theo Baldwin, John S. Cato, Ross Chambliss, Ben Easterlin III, James G. Grady, I.H. Griffin, Charles Halliburton, James H. Hawkins, C.S. Hogg, Sidney R. Jordan, J.C. Logan, Mrs. June McIntyre, Sam McIntyre, Clay Mundy, W.P. Pryor, L.A. Reid, George M. Saliba, J.L. Saunders, C.W. Schribner, Emily C. Sheffield, Wilmoth Storey and John P. Taylor.

All in all, a delightful affair.