Constitution Week Kickoff with the James Waldrop Chapter DAR

Carolyn Balog and Regent Betty Harrah
Photo by Ann Eldredge

The James Waldrop Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution will kick off Constitution Week with bell ringing on September 17th at noon at the old Fayette County Courthouse in Fayetteville. The weeklong commemoration of America’s most important document is one of our country’s least known official observances. Our Constitution stands as a testament to the tenacity of Americans throughout history to maintain their liberties and freedom, and to ensure those unalienable rights to every American. The public is invited to bring bells and join in as our country celebrates the day. In addition to the bells, all are invited to publicly sign their support of the U. S. Constitution. The Marquis de Lafayette Chapter Sons of the American Revolution will be providing a musket salute for the occasion.

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Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone

Yes, Baby, We Have Come a Long Way!

HH Note: Celebrate, women! We have come a long way. The opportunities available to our young girls of today appear to know no bounds. What a tremendous contrast from American life just forty years ago.

Proclamation by the President of the United States of America on Women's Equality Day

With vision and determination, American women have helped build our great Nation. On Women's Equality Day, we remember the dedication of women who overcame many obstacles in order to secure the right to vote.

The struggle for women's rights is a story of strong women willing to take the lead and pave the way toward equal voting rights for all American citizens. In 1848, a group of determined women came together in Seneca Falls, New York, to proclaim that "all men and women are created equal," and demand suffrage. On August 26, 1920, their voices were finally heard, and the 19th Amendment to the Constitution guaranteed women the right to vote.

As we look back on the journey to women gaining suffrage, we remember the sacrifices of people like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. More than 160 years after the Seneca Falls Convention, we celebrate the spirit, leadership, and hard work of those pioneering women. We also recognize the women who continue in this tradition by acting as role models in their communities, helping raise the next generation of Americans, leading in their professions, and serving in the Armed Forces protecting our country. These women are continuing on the path set by those who came before them, so that all Americans can realize the great promise of our Nation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim August 26, 2008, as Women's Equality Day. I call upon the people of the United States to celebrate the achievements of women and observe this day with appropriate programs and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand thistwenty-second day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

GEORGE W. BUSH

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Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone

Public Invited to Tour Starr's Mill with Fayette County Historical Society

The next meeting for the Fayette County Historical Society is Sunday, September 28th at 3 p.m. at Starr’s Mill. Local resident, Bobby Kerlin is going to share the history of the Mill along with his stories of growing up around this area. The public is invited to bring a chair and join the Historical Society as they learn more about this Fayette County treasure.

To learn more about Starr's Mill, click here for an article by Tony Parrott on the Fayette Front Page.
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Temple Bombing Documented in Exhibit at Emory August 23

Fifty years ago, exploding dynamite ripped a gaping hole in the brick edifice of The Temple on Peachtree Street, home to Atlanta's oldest and largest Jewish congregation. The Oct. 12, 1958, attack was linked to an epidemic of hate group activity plaguing the South during the civil rights movement.

The impact of The Temple bombing on Atlanta's Jewish community and on the civil rights movement is documented in a new exhibit opening Saturday, Aug. 23 at Emory University.

"'The Bomb that Healed': Rabbi Jacob M. Rothschild, Civil Rights and The Temple Bombing of 1958," will be on display at Emory's Manuscript, Archives & Rare Book Library (MARBL) in the Woodruff Library building through Jan. 5, 2009.

The influence of the bombing was not what the bombers might have expected, says curator Ellen G. Rafshoon.

"The bombers had intended to intimidate Jews, who were seen as co-conspirators along with blacks in the civil rights struggle, but this act of terror had the opposite effect," says Rafshoon, a history professor at Georgia Gwinnett College. "When The Temple's spiritual leader, Rabbi Rothschild, returned to his office the following day, he was greeted with mailbags filled with sympathetic messages from Atlanta and from across the nation."

The overwhelming support extended to the congregation gave Atlanta Jews the confidence to become more active in bridging the divide between whites and blacks, Rafshoon notes. That is why Rothschild's widow, Janice, has referred to the otherwise tragic event as "The Bomb That Healed."

The exhibition, which draws on Rabbi Rothschild's personal papers and includes letters, photographs and published clippings, will show how the rabbi worked openly to build support for desegregation among Atlanta's religious and civic leaders. For example, he participated in plans to desegregate Atlanta's schools peacefully.

"This was an especially significant achievement, considering that some of Atlanta's Jews feared challenging Atlanta's rigid racial order," explains Eric Goldstein, associate professor of history and Jewish studies at Emory. "They themselves had often been victims of social discrimination, and even virulent attacks such as the lynching of Leo Frank in 1915. They hoped that if they kept a low profile, discrimination would pass, and they would eventually be accepted."

Goldstein explains that with Rabbi Rothchild's encouragement and the more accepting environment they found in the wake of the bombing, many Atlanta Jews found they could confront discrimination, both against themselves and African Americans, and even become leaders in the cause.

One of the most rewarding moments in Rabbi Rothschild's career will be highlighted in the exhibition: the rabbi's successful organization of the South's first racially integrated banquet, which honored Martin Luther King Jr. after he won the Nobel Peace Prize.

That event, held at the Dinkler Plaza Hotel on Jan. 27, 1965, was attended by 1,400 guests. In a letter thanking Rabbi Rothschild for the tribute, which will be on display at the exhibition, King confided that the encouragement he received that night would sustain him during the "many dark and desolate days of struggle" ahead.

The banquet evening, King wrote, "was a testimonial not only to me but to the greatness of the City of Atlanta, the South, the nation and its ability to rise above the conflict of former gen erations."

Other Events Commemorating the Bombing

The exhibition, which is free and open to the public, is being held in conjunction with several other events commemorating the bombing:

Rafshoon will present a slide show about the exhibition; Temple congregants, including the rabbi's widow, Janice Rothschild Blumberg, will share their memories of the attack. 9:45–11:45 a.m., Oct. 12 at The Temple, 1589 Peachtree St., N.E., Atlanta, 30309. For more information and to RSVP, please contact Ronnie VanGelder, program director for The Temple, at rvangelder@the-temple.org.

"Jews in A Changing South," the 33rd Annual Conference of the Southern Jewish Historical Society. Hosted by the Tam Institute for Jewish Studies and Emory University, Nov. 1-3. Lodging at Emory Conference Center hotel; most events on the Emory campus. Registration plus SJHS dues, $160; registration for SJHS members, $125; full-time students, $50. All Atlantans invited to attend special portions of the program at reduced rates. Registration deadline is Oct. 1, 2008.

More Information: "Jews in A Changing South" or email egoldst@emory.edu
Among the conference sessions is "The Bombing and Beyond: Jews, African Americans and Social Change in Atlanta during the 1950s and 1960s," a discussion featuring several activists and politicians of the era and moderated by writer and journalist Melissa Fay Greene, author of "The Temple Bombing." Co-sponsored by The Temple. 7:30 p.m., Nov. 2 at The Temple, 1589 Peachtree St., N.E., Atlanta 30309.

More information and to RSVP: Ronnie VanGelder, program director of The Temple.

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UGA to Name Campus Buildings for Former Governors Vandiver, Harris and Miller

The University of Georgia will name three prominent campus buildings for former Georgia governors S. Ernest Vandiver, Joe Frank Harris and Zell Miller. The namings honor the former governors, all UGA graduates, for their contributions to advancing higher education in the state and their support of the university.

UGA will name a residence hall in the East Campus Village the S. Ernest Vandiver Jr. Hall to honor the state’s chief executive from 1959 to 1963. A building known as East Village Commons will become the Joe Frank Harris Commons in honor of Harris, who served two terms from 1983 to 1991. The Student Learning Center will become the Zell B. Miller Learning Center recognizing Miller’s 60 years of public service including two terms as governor, from 1991 to 1999, and four years in the U.S. Senate.

The University System of Georgia Board of Regents today approved a request from UGA President Michael F. Adams to name the buildings for the former governors.

“Ernest Vandiver, Joe Frank Harris and Zell Miller stand out as three of the greatest champions of education in modern Georgia history,” Adams said. “Their leadership, vision and commitment were instrumental in helping build an outstanding system of public colleges and universities in Georgia and instilling in our citizens a deep respect for the value of education. The University of Georgia is extremely grateful for their service and accomplishments, and proud to pay them homage through these namings.”

While doing much to improve higher education for the entire state, the former governors also strongly supported their alma mater, said Arnett Mace, UGA’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost.

“Governors Vandiver, Harris and Miller all recognized UGA’s role in providing educational leadership for Georgia and they worked to ensure that the university received state resources and assistance to carry out this mission,” said Mace.

Vandiver, who died in 2005, held business and law degrees from UGA. As governor, he oversaw a 29 percent increase in state appropriations for higher education and helped fund major construction projects at UGA and other colleges. But his lasting legacy is his leadership in keeping UGA open in the face of efforts by other state leaders to close the school rather than accept racial integration in 1961.

The six-story building that will bear his name is one of four apartment-style residence halls in East Campus Village. Opened in 2004, the halls offer single-occupancy bedrooms, private or semi-private bathrooms, kitchens and furnished living rooms and collectively house about 1,200 upper-class and graduate students.

Harris, who earned a business administration degree from UGA in 1958, instituted the Quality Basic Education program, created the Georgia Research Consortium and boosted state funding for education by $2 billion. The number of students at the state’s public colleges and universities grew by a third and 1,100 elementary and secondary school buildings were erected. In 1999, Harris became the first former governor appointed to the Board of Regents.

His namesake building, which features a dramatic staircase and sweeping vistas of East Campus, is a hub of student activities on East Campus. The building houses the primary food service facilities for students living in East Campus Village including a large cafeteria with specialty food stations, a small café and a convenience store. The building also includes spaces for meetings and student activities, commissary and production facilities to support food venues, and offices of University Parking Services.

Miller earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from UGA. While he was governor, state higher education appropriations rose by almost 60 percent, faculty salaries climbed almost 30 percent and capital expenditures for the university system increased by $1 billion. A hallmark of Miller’s administration was creation of the HOPE Scholarship, which has provided more than $4 billion in college scholarships to more than one million Georgia students.

The Miller Learning Center, occupying a 6.5-acre footprint, is the second-largest building on UGA’s campus. Opened in 2003, the center includes 26 classrooms and 96 small study rooms, an electronic library that allows users to electronically access materials in other university libraries, and 500 public-access computers. Many classrooms and study rooms have laptop connections. The building also has a reading room and coffee shop.

Dedication ceremonies to officially name each building will be held later.


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Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone

The FAA Flies High for 50 Years

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is celebrating its first half-century as the nation’s guardian of aviation safety and maestro of the intricate air traffic ballet that carries more than two million people to their destinations every day.

Since President Eisenhower signed the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, the world of air travel has changed in ways even the most farsighted pundit could not have foreseen.

For example, in 1958 about 53 million passengers boarded airplanes, compared to the 776 million expected in 2008. In 1958, FAA air traffic controllers handled about 26.6 million takeoffs and landings, a figure expected to be around 44.1 million this year.

Even as the U.S. aviation system has grown tremendously, the FAA has made sure it runs safely as well as efficiently. In 1958, there were 9 fatal commercial air accidents in the United States resulting in 145 fatalities. For almost two years, there have been no fatal passenger airline accidents and no fatalities among the more than 1.5 billion passengers who have flown during that time. The FAA has become the “gold standard” for safety, and our regulations and best practices are copied by much of the rest of the world.

Here are some highlights of the FAA’s accomplishments over the last 50 years:

1958 – 1960

• The commercial jet age begins with FAA certification of the Boeing 707 and the Douglas DC-8.
• The FAA gains sole responsibility for developing and maintaining a common civil-military system of air navigation and air traffic control, a responsibility previously shared with others.

The 1960s

• The FAA publishes the first regulations on airport and engine noise levels.
• New technologies such as Instrument Landing Systems, Distance Measuring Equipment and Airport Surface Detection Equipment are commissioned.
• The first federal air marshals ride aboard commercial flights.
• The FAA mandates cockpit voice recorders in certain aircraft.
• The FAA becomes an “administration” within the Department of Transportation.

The 1970s

• The FAA requires passenger and baggage screening by scheduled airlines.
• New surveillance radars, an aircraft conflict alert for controllers and the Low Level Wind Shear System become operational.
• The FAA mandates a ground proximity warning system for some airliners to warn the crew when a plane is below 2,500 feet.
• The FAA’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center begins operations to coordinate the flow of air traffic in the nation’s airspace.

The 1980s

• The FAA implements special air traffic restrictions when President Reagan fires 11,000 members of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Association (PATCO) after the union stages an illegal strike.
• Landmark fire safety research leads to new FAA rules on fire resistant seat cushions, cabin materials and emergency escape path lighting.
• The FAA requires the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) on airliners with more than 30 passenger seats to help prevent mid-air collisions.
• The FAA gains authority to require explosives detection screening of checked baggage on international flights.

The 1990s

• Congress creates and the FAA implements the authority for airports to impose Passenger Facility Charges to fund airport-related projects.
• Congress gives the FAA authority to switch from the traditional Federal pay system to a system linking compensation with performance.
• The FAA acquires responsibility for licensing of commercial space launches.
• The FAA begins air traffic operations with a new, more capable generation of controller display systems for en route centers and terminal area facilities.
• The FAA’s Terminal Doppler Weather Radar system improves wind shear detection at airports where thunderstorms frequently occur.
• The FAA completes a massive effort to modify its computer systems for compatibility with the “Y2K” date issue.

2000-Present

• The FAA commissions the Wide Area Augmentation System to improve the accuracy of the Global Positioning System signal for civil aviation.
• The FAA stops all air traffic nationwide and safely brings down thousands of airborne planes after the 9/11 terror attacks.
• FAA engineers and scientists address the flammability of fuel tanks by developing a practical inerting system, eventually resulting in a regulation that mandates flammability reduction systems.
• The FAA implements enhanced navigation procedures that let commercial aircraft fly more precise routes, resulting in multi-million-dollar fuel savings for airlines.
• The FAA creates the Air Traffic Organization as a performance-based line of business.
• The FAA announces plans for transitioning to a next-generation air traffic system that will take advantage of the latest satellite-based technologies, allowing the agency to handle more aircraft, maintain high levels of safety, reduce flight delays, and cut noise near airports.

Facts & Figures: Then and Now

In 1958, the FAA had 26,805 employees.
In 2008 there are 46,338 employees, the vast majority providing air traffic services and maintaining the airspace system.

In 1958, about 49 million passengers boarded airplanes.
In 2008, 776 million are expected.

In1958, there were 354,365 active pilots.
In 2008 there are 590,349 active pilots.

In 1958, 66,000 general aviation aircraft flew a combined total of 11 million hours.
In 2008, approximately 228,000 aircraft are expected to fly a combined total of 28 million hours.

In 1958 FAA’s appropriation was $406.1 million.
In 2008, the appropriation is $14.9 billion.

In 1958, there were 107,072 active aviation mechanics.
In 2008, that number has grown to 322,852.

In 1958, there were 25,903 active FAA-certified flight instructors.
In 2008, there are 92,175 certified flight instructors.

In 1958, flight data recorders used tinfoil to record five parameters (airspeed, pitch, roll, yaw, and altitude) for about 30 minutes.
In 2008, digital recorders chart several hundred parameters, each recorded several times per second, for up to 25 hours.

In 1958, number of all-jet airliners in U.S. service (On August 23): 0.
In 2008, estimated number of jet airliners in the U.S. fleet: 4,032.

In 1958, U.S domestic passenger and cargo planes used 1.3 billion gallons of fuel.
In 2008, the domestic passenger and cargo fleet is expected to use 13.7 billion gallons.

In 1958, FAA air traffic control towers handled 26.6 million takeoffs and landings.
In 2008, FAA and contract towers will handle approximately 44.2 million operations.

In 1959, FAA grant funding for airports was $63.6 million.
In 2007, the total was $3.3 billion, an increase of $3.2 billion.

In 1959, 358 airports received FAA airport development grants.
In 2007, 2,022 airports received grants, an increase of 1,664.

In 1959, airports reported capital funding needs of $1.3 billion over a five-year period.
In 2008, airports reported five-year capital funding needs totaling $41.2 billion.

In 1959, FAA grant funding for airports was $63.6 million.
In 2007, the total was $3.3 billion.

In 1959, 358 airports received FAA airport development grants.
In 2007, 2,022 airports received grants.

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Southern Storm: Sherman's March to the Sea

For the Civil War in particular and American history in general, there are few more powerfully evocative events than Sherman's March to the Sea. To this day Sherman is still remembered as both a savior of the Union and as an unprosecuted war criminal. Why?

The Georgia Historical Society invites you to attend a free lecture by award-winning Civil War historian Noah Andre Trudeau.

The lecture will be held on Thursday, August 14, 2008, at 7:00 p.m. at Congregation Mickve Israel, 20 E. Gordon Street, on Monterey Square in downtown Savannah.

Copies of Trudeau's book Southern Storm: Sherman's March to the Sea will be available for sale and a book-signing will follow the lecture.

Drawing on Research conducted at the Georgia Historical Society, Trudeau has written a fascinating new account of United States Army General William Tecumseh Sherman's epic march-a targeted strategy aimed to break not only the Confederate Army but an entire society as well. In vivid detail, Trudeau explains why General Sherman's name is still anathema below the Mason-Dixon Line, especially in Georgia...

The Georgia Historical Society, headquartered in Savannah, is the oldest cultural institution in the state and one of the oldest historical organizations in the nation. It is the first and only statewide historical society in Georgia. For nearly 175 years, GHS has collected, preserved, and shared Georgia history through a variety of educational outreach programs, publications, and research services. For more information visit: www.georgiahistory.com.

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Genealogy Class Scheduled in September at Fayette Senior Services

HH Note: Have you ever wondered about your roots? Have you ever longed to know why grandpa had that favorite saying or where that red hair came from? Here's your chance to learn how to try and answer some of those questions and more.

Fayette Senior Services (FSS)
Monday-15 Sept-6:00-8:00PM-Getting Started in Genealogy
Monday-29 Sept-1:30-3:30-Finding Your Family on the Census
Monday-20 Oct-1:30-3:00-No Cost Computer Genealogy

FSS Registration:
Patsy Deyton, 4 Circle Drive, Fayetteville, GA 30214, 770-461-0813
pdeyton@fayss.org

Class descriptions:

Getting Started in Genealogy
Are you wondering how to get started tracing your family tree? In this class students will learn how to record and organize family information using Family Group Sheets, Ancestry Charts, and Documentation Logs. Tips for places to look for information and organizing strategies will be discussed. This class is for the beginner genealogist.

Finding Your Family on the Census
The history of the census and the information available on it will be discussed. Strategies for finding ancestors on the census will be the focus of the class. Hands-on practice in using pre-1850 census data will be presented.

No Cost Computer Genealogy
This hands-on session will explore free websites valuable to family historians. Find out how to "google" your way to family history information.

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Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone

SECRET MEETING IN 1787

An article by the James Waldrop Chapter of the DAR:     The US Constitution:  Secret Meetings in 1787     "I consider the difference between a system founded on the legislatures only, and one founded on the people, to be the true difference between a league or treaty and a constitution." -James Madison, at the Constitutional Convention, 1787   The Articles of Confederation was drafted in 1777 during the American Revolution. The Articles were, in effect, the first constitution of the United States.  The men of the Continental Congress who passed the Declaration of Independence were the same who passed the Articles of Confederation.  The Articles were quickly found to be inadequate.   While they provided for a Congress who could declare war or peace among other things, it was apparent the individual states retained the bulk of the power.  The new government could ask the states for money but there was no means to collect from states who were either unwilling or unable to pay.  The federal government quickly plunged into debt.  The new government had no means to enforce treaties without the states' support.  George Washington warned in 1786:  "There are combustibles in every state which a spark might set fire to." Several conventions were called at irregular periods.  After the dismal failure of the Annapolis Convention in 1786, the delegates who had attended reported to their states that all states should be present to discuss the Articles and to see how the defects in the system could be addressed. It was also suggested the the second Monday in May 1787 be the start date of this convention in Philadelphia.   The official call from the Congress went out to the states in February 1787.  On the appointed day, only a few states' delegates had shown up.  The quorum of seven states would not be reached until later in May.  For four months, the delegates discussed, debated and sometimes argued on how the Articles were to be revised.   The summer of 1787 was hot.  The State House was comparatively cool when entering from the baking streets. The East chamber was large, forty-by-forty, with a twenty-foot ceiling  Tall, wide windows were on two sides, covered by slatted blinds to keep out the summer sun. Gravel had been strewn on the streets outside to deaden the sound of wheels and horses passing.  There was an air of secrecy about the meetings.  There was even a discreet diner at the table of Benjamin Franklin who would move the dinner topic to another subject when Franklin would start to relay stories of the day to his guests. After many heated debates over a six week period, a compromise would be reached on the subject of equal representation.  One by one, the points would be debated, and one by one, the delegates began to compromise and come together.  While the delegates would never completely agree on all points of the Constitution, 39 of them did agree to sign it in September 1787.   Ann Eldredge   submitted by CB Glover

"Today in Fayetteville" January 15, 1917

Let us take a look into Fayette County's past through the eyes of the "Fayetteville News"                            The Fayetteville News                          January 15, 1917                                Home Affairs   Mr. John Norton died at his home two miles east of here last week, and the remains interred at the Drennon Burying ground. he is survived by his wife and four children.   Mrs JW Culpepper was called to Greenville last Sunday because of a severe case of measles of her daughter, Miss Mae. Late reports say she is improving.   Rev. RF Eakes who represents the Wesleyan Christian Advocate, spent the weekend with Rev. AB Sanders and preached at the Methodist Church Sunday.   The ladies missionary society of the Baptist church observed the week of prayer this week and met Monday with Mrs. LA Ingram, Wednesday with ML Seagraves and Thursday with CD Redwine.   Mrs. Archie McEachern and Sister spent Sunday night and Monday with Mrs. ML McEachern at New Hope.   The family of Mrs Crawley all have measles.                                         Sheriffs Sale   One five passenger overland touring car, black body and yellow running gear. Levied on by FB Brown. Sheriff by virtue of a mortgage issued from the Superior Court of said county and against TW Head and turned over to me for sale.                                                         TM Kerlin, Sheriff   Miss. Sallie Chapman and Mr. Luther mask were happily married last Sunday. Their many friends join the News in congratulations.   Another Confederate Veteran crossed to the Beyond. Mr. WM Cook died at his home near the Rock Church last Saturday and remains placed in the Rock Cemetery Sunday with Masonic honors. Mr. Cook was 73 years old. He enlisted in 1861 Co. L 4th Mississippi Reg. and honorably discharged South Carolina 1865.   Submitted by CB Glover