Time capsule
As reported in The Columbia News 47 years ago on Thursday, July 28 1955.
Kiokee Baptist Church restoration gets grant
John P. Blanchard, chairman of the restoration committee of the Old Kiokee Baptist Church, Appling, announced this week that final approval of a grant of $3,000 toward restoration of the church has been received from Rev. J. C. Wilkinson, Chairman of the Historical Committee of the Georgia Baptist Convention.
Dr. Wilkinson and James W. Merritt of the Georgia Baptist Convention met in Appling on July 7, 1955 with Blanchard, E. H. Kuhlke of Kuhlke & Wade, Augusta Architects, Gerald Carter of Prather & Carter Construction Company, Harlem and Rev. W. E. Croft of Augusta, Pastor of the Kiokee Baptist Church.
At this time it was tentatively agreed that the local church would furnish plans, oversee the work and supply additional funds to complete the project.
Discussions on the project were begun in August 1954 and the proposal for restoration was placed before the committee on Baptist History by Mr. Blanchard at the Annual Convention held in Augusta in November 1954.
Road safety crusade set
Plans are underway for what is described as the "biggest safe driving campaign in the history of the state."
Known as the Georgia Safe Driving Crusade, the campaign will run from Sunday, August 28 thought September 5. It's purposes to prevent deaths, injuries and destruction of property on Georgia's highways and streets in 1955.
At an organizational meeting in Atlanta, plans for the statewide drive were formulated. Gov. Marvin Griffin is chairman of the campaign and J. H. (Tommy) Thompson of Hawkinsville, president of the Motion Picture Theater Owners and Operators of Georgia, who organized the idea for the special safety program is co-chairman.
Ministers throughout Georgia will be asked to "plead for the conservation of human lives" in their sermons, pulpit announcements and church bulletins. Georgia theaters will show special safety films during the campaign, with emphasis on the 17-minute, prize-winning RKO safety movie, "Devil Take Us."
Schools to get new wells
According to John P. Blanchard Superintendent of Columbia County Schools, the low bid for the Columbia County Schools well water systems was submitted by the Virginia Well and Supply Company of Atlanta Georgia in the amount of $14,887.
At a meeting of the Columbia County Board of Education on July 22, 1955, the board passed a resolution stating that the contract be formed with the company. Upon immediate receipt of this resolution and upon clearance of certain legal aspects of the deeds, which are already in the hands of the State School Building Authority, this contract will be in force and work will begin immediately on the school wells.