Newnan-Coweta Magazine, September/October 2012 by Deberah Williams

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On Our Cover MAGAZINE Established 1995 A Times-Herald Publication President Vice President Publisher Editor Art Director Contributing Writers

William W. Thomasson Marianne C. Thomasson Sam Jones Angela McRae Deberah Williams Amelia Adams, Nichole Golden, Holly Jones, Alex McRae, Tina Neely, Cathy Lee Phillips, W. Winston Skinner, Lindsay Wood, Martha A. Woodham

Photography

Bob Fraley, Jeffrey Leo, Tara Shellabarger

Circulation Director Sales and Marketing Director Advertising Manager Advertising Consultants

Naomi Jackson Colleen D. Mitchell Lamar Truitt Doug Cantrell, Kevin Dickinson, Mandy Inman, Candy Johnson

Advertising Design

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Controller

Diana Shellabarger

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, call 770.683.6397 or e-mail colleen@newnan.com. Newnan-Coweta Magazine is published bi-monthly by The Newnan Times-Herald, Inc., 16 Jefferson St., Newnan, GA 30263. Subscriptions: Newnan-Coweta Magazine is distributed in homedelivery copies of The Newnan Times-Herald and at businesses and offices throughout Coweta County. Individual mailed subscriptions are also available for $23.75 in Coweta County, $30.00 outside Coweta County. To subscribe, call 770.304.3373.

The Coweta County Fair runs Sept. 20-29 this year, and Cowetans will once again be lining up for the popular fall attraction, which dates to 1874. — Photo of 2011 fair by W. Winston Skinner

10 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

Submissions: We welcome submissions. Query letters and published clips may be addressed to the Editor, Newnan-Coweta Magazine at P.O. Box 1052, Newnan, Georgia 30264. On the Web: www.newnancowetamag.com © 2012 by The Newnan Times-Herald, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

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FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

16 THE COWETA COUNTY FAIR

50 COWETA COOKS

With the Coweta County Fair opening Sept. 20, we take a long look back at the history of this most beloved of local events.

30 THE SQUIRREL WHISPERER Janie Swanson Tutterow is not your typical animal rescuer and has now saved nine squirrels from certain death.

36 A LEGEND IN THE MAKING The timely gift of a guitar strap to musician Zac Brown led to a unique business opportunity for Sharpsburg leather artist Kyle Landas.

44 KEEPSAKES OF A FATHER’S LEGACY Hugh Farmer Jr. loved to collect football programs, and today his sons carry on the tradition.

Tailgating recipes are a favorite this time of year, and Santa Fé Soup is one that’s easily varied using your own favorite ingredients.

54 SADDLE UP Meet a Coweta County woman for whom the four H’s of 4-H should include another H—for horses.

60 LOCAL HERITAGE Textiles play an important role in West Georgia’s history, and one Senoia manufacturing company produced canvas—for only one day!

76 TINA’S TIPS If you’re looking for a clever new flooring idea that doesn’t require a lot of money, try our do-ityourselfer’s tips for creating a floor out of paper bags.

64 EXTRAORDINARILY ORDINARY Kathleen Hunter shares her rich wisdom and some truths she has found lead to a happy life.

70 FALL FLOWER FESTIVAL In the mood to decorate for fall? St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Newnan will show you how at their Fall Flower Festival this October.

12 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

IN EVERY ISSUE 14 EDITOR’S LETTER 80 THE BOOKSHELF 81 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS 82 I AM COWETA

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{ From the Editor }

Fair-ly in love with Fall hen I joined the staff of The Newnan Times-Herald in the late 1980s, one of my regular assignments was to cover the Kiwanis Club of Newnan. I’d show up to write a piece about their weekly luncheon speaker, who might be an executive, or a developer, or perhaps someone from the gas company. I’d enjoy my fried chicken and green beans alongside the only other female in attendance back then, the club’s longtime pianist, Hilda Cates. Many of those who were leaders of the club then remain leaders in the community today, so Kiwanis has long had a good reputation in my eyes. But there was one Kiwanian, Mr. Walker Horne, whom I always thought of as Mr. Coweta County Fair. At almost every club meeting, it seemed, the outgoing Mr. Horne would be rounding up volunteers for the Coweta County Fair sponsored by the Kiwanians. Sometimes, he was urging his fellow members to ramp up their advertising sales for the popular annual Fair Book. Now, civic club business meetings are not known for their hilarity, but I’ve always remembered the time Mr. Horne asked a Kiwanian if he had had any success getting an ad from a local exterminator. “I’m still buggin’ ’em,” the man said. Although the fair did not begin or end with Mr. Horne, I will forever associate him

with his hard work on behalf of this beloved annual event. Future fairgoers won’t forget him either, since today the fairgrounds on Pine Road has a stage/theatre area named in his honor. Here at Newnan-Coweta Magazine we decided it was time to take a look back at the fair through the years. This walk down memory lane delivered lots of surprises, and I think some of you will be surprised as well! Thinking about the upcoming fair has me eager for the arrival of fall and all the good things it brings: cooler temperatures, fairs and festivals, football season. (Well, OK, I don’t much care about football season, to be honest with you, but I do get amused watching my husband and friends enjoy it!) Fall is also the time of year my tastebuds start asking for new treats. Whether it’s caramel apples and cotton candy from the fair or tailgate-appropriate treats like Amelia Adams’ Santa Fé Soup (see page 50), I’m eager to tuck into fall. Are you? Warmly,

Angela McRae, Editor angela@newnan.com

14 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

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By Alex McRae | Photos courtesy of The Newnan Times-Herald

16 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

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odayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Americans have a hard time choosing between entertainment options ranging from multi-screen cinemas to theme parks to 500 channels of TV. But until World War II ended, big-time entertainment was confined to Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s big cities. Rural communities like Coweta County settled for spectacles on a smaller scale. The occasional traveling circus passed through, and roving entertainers played one night stands, but Cowetans depended on the county fair to provide the biggest show of the year. Besides great entertainment, the fair offered a chance to exhibit prize

An ad in The Newnan Times-Herald from September of 1950 celebrated the opening of the new Coweta County Agricultural Center on Temple Avenue.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 | 17

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Colorful rides and amusements light up the night sky at the 2006 Coweta County Fair.

livestock, show off mouth-watering baked and canned goods and, above all, the opportunity to mix and mingle with neighbors. The formula must be working. For over 100 years the Coweta County Fair has kept the crowds smiling—and coming back. “People still look forward to the fair every year,” says Tray Baggarly, Director of Event Services for Coweta County. “We’ve got a better location, better rides and more parking and it’s a great family experience.” Baggarly says a check of license plates during the fair is proof of the event’s popularity. “People come here from all over,” he says. “It’s a great show.” 18 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

It is. But today’s visitors wouldn’t recognize the sights and sounds of earlier fairs. For years, the Coweta event was referred to as a Fall Festival. By 1874, it had grown into a full-fledged County Fair doing well enough that the Coweta County Fair Commission put a notice in The Newnan Herald announcing that prizes that year would be paid “in sterling silverware and not plated as is generally awarded at the fair.” The 1874 events included a “best plowman” competition, horse races and a beautiful baby contest. Not even a public health scare that would send today’s Coweta residents racing for the emergency room kept hardy locals away. At the

end of the 1874 event, a newspaper article gushed over the record attendance and said the turnout might have been even higher “had it not been for a small pox alarm which spread and circulated so rapidly the week before.” The 1875 fair received less news coverage and a fair-type event was barely mentioned again in local news coverage until 1911, when the Fall Festival returned, complete with the Royal Queen Contest. Instead of judges, the Queen was chosen by popular vote. Voters paid a penny for the privilege of picking the prettiest. Attendance figures weren’t reported, but it’s doubtful the 1911 fair could hold a candle to a fall

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Clockwise from above left: Fairgoers check out a display of baby chicks and one of the goats; and youth enjoy a spin on one of the rides.

appearance by legendary American sharpshooter Annie Oakley, who brought her “Young Buffalo Wild West Show” to Newnan and strutted her act’s stuff in a milelong parade. The Wall Street crash of 1929 ushered in the Great Depression and put the show on hold, but by 1935, the fair was back and bigger than ever, featuring horse and automobile races and loads of new midway games and shows. The midway went dark again during World War II, but the fair returned in 1946. Lifelong Newnan resident

Norma Haynes was a young girl when World War II ended and still

remembers when the fair was held just a few blocks from the Coweta

Coweta County Fair books from years past SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 | 19

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Vintage advertisements from The Newnan Times-Herald help chronicle Coweta’s history. Above left, a 1911 ad promotes a fall visit by Annie Oakley. Above and near right are ads from the 1950s promoting the upcoming fair.

20 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

For over 100 years the Coweta County Fair has kept the crowds smiling—and coming back.

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County Courthouse in a pasture owned by Hettie Long that stretched from LaGrange Street to First Avenue. Part of that pasture is now the parking lot behind Newnan City Hall. “We loved it,” Haynes says. “We couldn’t wait for the fair to come around.” Haynes was leery of the vintage Ferris wheel, but says the ride that scared her most was “The Swings,” which consisted of wooden chairs hung from chains attached to a pole that “was probably 50 feet off the ground.” The pole turned, and the chairs hanging from the chains swung and went so high, Haynes says, “if that chain had come off you’d have been in Franklin before you landed.” Haynes wasn’t a huge fan of midway games, but says many of her friends tested their skills in an effort to earn a prize. “You could win a nasty old teddy bear,” Haynes says. “I didn’t care about that.” Haynes says her mother’s greatest fear was germs imported from the fair’s last stop. “I’d have to take off my shoes before I came inside,”

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 | 21

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The Ferris wheel and carousel draw crowds at the Coweta County Fair of 2002.

Sights at the fair each year include, from left, little fairgoers enjoying a spin, livestock exhibits, and the local youth who always flock to the newest and fastest rides.

“Most of us never got to town but on Saturday, but when the fair came we got a half day off school to go. Farm kids spent a lot of time at the livestock exhibits. That was what our living was all about.” —Jim McGuffey

22 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

Haynes says. “Mother washed the soles of my shoes and then my feet and I’d run inside and take a bath and gargle with Listerine. I never caught anything so maybe it worked.” In 1950 a new fairgrounds complex debuted on Temple Avenue. The venue featured additional space for exhibits and livestock shows, upgraded entertainment acts (and restrooms), and new rides and

attractions. A highlight of the 1950 show was a man being shot out of a cannon and over the Ferris wheel. Locals were so eager for everyone to enjoy the new facility that inmates at the Coweta County Prison were bused to the fairgrounds for an afternoon of free rides courtesy of Johnny Tinsley, owner of John T. Tinsley Shows, which supplied the rides and midway shows that year.

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Clockwise from top: Youngsters enjoy a ride on the Scrambler in 2004; ever-popular caramel apples; fairgoers lined up for the chance to win a prize in 2003; and prize-winning canned goods and fresh eggs on display.

Coweta native Jim McGuffey grew up on a family farm near Moreland and says that in rural parts of the county, the fair was extra special. “Most of us never got to town but on Saturday,” he says. “But when the fair came we got a half day off school to go. Farm kids spent a lot of time at the livestock exhibits. That was what our living was all about.” Increased exhibition space

allowed display room for interests other than agricultural, including the antique collection exhibited by the local Daughters of the Confederacy. McGuffey says his favorite attraction was the Ferris wheel. And not because he was a die-hard thrill seeker. McGuffey would try and place himself in line so that when the next two-passenger car loaded, he would “accidentally” be paired with a pretty girl.

“I prayed I’d sit with a pretty girl and the Ferris wheel would get stuck at the top and we’d have to stay up there,” he says. “It never happened, but that was my dream.” Young men enjoyed testing their skills at midway games like throwing baseballs at milk bottles, but were more intrigued by “sideshows” held in the tents. McGuffey says he didn’t even consider sneaking into the hootchieSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 | 23

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Young thrill-seekers take a ride on a dragon-shaped rollercoaster at the 2003 Coweta County Fair.

cootchie show. “My mama would have worn me out,” he says. But he and some buddies got a glimpse of the “Wild Man,” whose act included killing and eating a live chicken. McGuffey says the bloody feast wasn’t as scary as the rumor that the chicken-eating “Wild Man” had actually dated some local girls during his stay in Newnan. “We wanted to know who they were so we could stay away,” McGuffey says. “We never found out.” 24 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

Fairs always reflected the mood and spirit of the times. In 1959, at the height of a national UFO craze, a “Spaceship from Mars” promoting the fair dropped miniature flying saucers all over the county. Each saucer had a number. Numbers were drawn at random each night at the fair, and winners got prizes. Fans packed the place. In 1960, as nuclear tension between the U.S. and Soviet Union soared, the local Civil Defense unit

demonstrated how to build a bomb shelter. But in 1962, succumbing to civic sensibilities, the fair canceled girlie shows and clip joints. As other entertainment options grew over the years, the fair lost some of its luster. That changed in the late 1990s when the Kiwanis Club of Newnan, which has sponsored the fair every year but one since 1949, purchased property on Pine Road and donated it to the county for use as a

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At the 2003 fair, Angel’s House volunteer Val Cranford helps the group sell raffle tickets for a Stetson donated by country singer Alan Jackson.

In 1959, at the height of a national UFO craze, a “Spaceship from Mars” promoting the fair dropped miniature flying saucers all over the county.

Clair Lynn Kight enjoys a snow cone at the 2011 Coweta County Fair as her grandmother Lynn Skinner looks on. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 | 25

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Visitors stroll the Midway at the Coweta County Fair in 2001.

Ribbon-winning canned goods, at left, draw local cooks to compete in the fair each year. Below, a scene from the last day of the fair in 2001, at left, and fairgoers getting buckled in for a ride, at right.

26 | NEWNAN â&#x20AC;&#x201C; COWETA MAGAZINE

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new fairground. The county bought additional property that now houses fair administration and exhibition buildings, expanded parking space and the midway area. A new fairgrounds complex began to take shape. Jim McGuffey served on the Coweta County Commission when the current fairground was developed and when it opened in 2001. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find a better facility anywhere,â&#x20AC;? McGuffey says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People love it. And the shows get bigger each year.â&#x20AC;? The fairgrounds property now includes the W.C. Adamson Horse Arena, named for a longtime county commissioner, a nature center named in honor of McGuffey, and the Walker Horne Outdoor Theater, honoring longtime Kiwanian and fair booster Walker Horne. Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fairgoers flock to the upgraded rides and midway attractions offered by the Dixieland Carnival Co., and exhibit spaces are packed each night with crowds eager to see everything from chickens to cows exhibited by local 4-H members. The fairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s popularity is reflected in attendance numbers. In 2011, over 40,000 attended, according to Kiwanis fair chairman Scott Cortner. None went home frowning. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got great amusements and the kind of entertainment every night you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find anywhere else,â&#x20AC;? Cortner says. But the main beneficiaries of the fair are Cowetaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children. In the last decade, the Kiwanis Club has donated over $1 million to local childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s charities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s charities are always our main focus,â&#x20AC;? Cortner says. Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re screaming yourself hoarse on a carnival ride, seeing a Blue-Ribbon hog for the first time or relaxing with the family on a blanket under the stars as you enjoy entertainment ranging from bigname acts to earnest efforts by local up-and-comers, the fair remains a unique slice of local life. But the Coweta County Fair is more than an annual event that offers great entertainment while providing for the needs of local children. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a reminder that while the place we call home embraces the future, Cowetans never forget to remember and revere their rural roots. NCM

The 2012 Coweta County Fair runs Sept. 20-29 at the fairgrounds on Pine Road in Newnan. For more information, visit cowetacountyfair.org.

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Beauty pageant rained out, organizers scramble to find judges for rescheduled event. By Alex McRae | Illustration by Deberah Williams Local resident offers $5 for the largest sage rabbit. No winner publicized.

1952

New fairground opens on Temple Avenue. Featured attraction is a man shot from a cannon over a Ferris wheel. County prison inmates are bused to fairgrounds to enjoy the rides free of charge.

Gate prizes include a Bulova wristwatch, a Dobbs hat, a Hemmer Feed Mill and enough paint to paint the exterior of a house.

1956

1950

1949

Advertisements promise a “mile-long midway” and 12 “high-class” shows.

1936 After a break for the Great Depression, the fair returns. Horse, auto and motorcycle races. Georgia Gov. Eugene Talmadge appears and blasts President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal.

1935

Fair features Royal Queen contest to pick the “most popular and attractive girl in Newnan.” Queen chosen by votes that cost voters a penny each. Unfortunately, in 1911, even a Royal Queen couldn’t compete with a Newnan appearance by America’s most famous sharpshooter, Annie Oakley.

1911

Record attendance of over 3,000 despite a local smallpox scare the week before the fair. Fair presents award for “Best Plowman.” Prizes upgraded from silver plate to sterling silver.

1874 2001

ENTER HERE Pine Rd

28 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

New Fairgrounds complex opens on Pine Road. Future looks brighter than ever.

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Manure lovers weep as concrete floors added to main exhibition building. National UFO scare. “Spaceship From Mars” drops numbered mini flying saucers all over county. Winners get prizes.

1959

Local Civil defense unit demonstrates how to build a bomb shelter to protect from Soviet Union nuclear attack.

1960 1962

Fair organizers cancel “girlie shows” and “clip joints.” Baby elephant rides offered instead.

1964

1968

1976

1979 1980

NASA provides a space capsule for exhibition. Kiwanis Club nets profit of $2,737.03.

UNITED STATES

1957

Local artists exhibit for first time. Sows and cows still a big draw.

A new Ford Pinto is raffled off.

Fair offers for the first time both a dog show and health screenings.

Fair hosts a fishing clinic.

1984 Fair organizers bow to local sports fans, offer half price admission on Friday night to fairgoers who present ticket stubs from East Coweta or Newnan High football games.

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Janie, The Squirrel Whisperer By Cathy Lee Phillips | Photos by Bob Fraley

sk anyone at Woodward Academy about Skipper and they will smile and share their favorite story about her. She is quite popular, even adored by practically everyone. The janitor sneaks her mango pits, one of her favorite treats. She is a precious part of the Woodward family, even though she has never worn a uniform or paid one dollar of tuition. But it would be rather hard for a squirrel to write a check, now wouldn’t it? Yep. Skipper is a squirrel. She’s not your typical pet, and that makes her even more special. Though loved by the

30 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

entire school, Skipper actually resides with Janie Swanson Tutterow, a popular art instructor at Woodward for 34 years. Janie is also a lifelong resident of Coweta County. Skipper is, too. And Skipper isn’t the first squirrel to be rescued. She is actually the ninth squirrel Janie has saved from certain death. Skipper’s story began when she was found in a tarpaulin covering a shed that was damaged in a storm. The storm could have blown Skipper anywhere, and she was lucky the tarp broke her fall to the ground. Not much larger than a walnut, she was obviously newborn and finding her mother would be virtually impossible. The

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Found in a tarp covering a shed damaged in a storm, Skipper the squirrel was eventually nursed back to health by Cowetan Janie Swanson Tutterow.

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“I didn’t go out looking for squirrels,” says Janie Swanson Tutterow, shown here with Skipper the squirrel and her dog Snickers. “People bring them to me. I do what I can to save them because I love animals.”

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family wondered what to do with the creature, but their daughter, a former Woodward student, already knew. “Let me call Ms. Tutterow. She is always taking in abandoned animals and nursing them back to health. She has already done this with eight other squirrels.” “Eight other squirrels?” “I’m not kidding, Mom. She’s incredible and seems to know just

what to do with tiny animals. Let me call her.” The next day Skipper was delivered to Ms. Tutterow’s classroom for an evaluation. Her art students watched the proceedings because once Ms. Tutterow adopts a squirrel, so do her students. In fact, choosing a name is a class tradition. Potential names are submitted and a final one is selected by a majority vote.

Skipper was probably less than two weeks old, hairless and her eyes still closed. She was not much larger than a walnut. Janie carefully cuddled the tiny creature and talked sweetly to her. Of course she took the squirrel, knowing full well it would require constant care and feeding every two hours. Having had eight other squirrels, Janie had her technique. She fed the squirrel cat

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Skipper enjoys roaming around in her “Cadillac” cage at the Tutterow home.

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formula (found at pet stores) from a syringe with a nipple. As Skipper grew, other foods were introduced into her diet such as edible flowers, white corn, spinach, broccoli and nuts. She loves cashews but will not touch a mere peanut. If you really want to make points with Skipper, her absolute favorite food is a crinkle-cut french fry from Zaxby’s. In a pinch she will eat waffle-cut fries from Chick-fil-A, but a Zaxby’s fry wins top honors. M & M’s are welcome. Once you crack the outer shell, she dives right for the chocolate—proving, of course, that Skipper is a woman! Because Skipper needed constant care at first and because she suddenly inherited hundreds of Woodward brothers and sisters, Skipper attended school regularly. In addition to art, Janie uses the lost and abandoned to teach her students greater lessons— love, compassion and the need to care for all of creation. At Janie’s home, the squirrel has a “Cadillac” cage, approximately 5 feet tall by 3 feet wide, with multiple levels and pockets for hiding and playing. Her traveling cage is much smaller, so Skipper obviously prefers her home digs. She tolerates the smaller cage so that she can visit her Woodward family. She gets restless at times, so it is not unusual for Janie to teach class with a grown, bushy squirrel atop her shoulder. Is it any wonder that her room is a must-see when prospective students tour the school? Parents are astonished and children often ask to be placed in Ms. Tutterow’s and Skipper’s classroom. But … why squirrels? “Because they are beautiful, considerate and loving. Skipper loves to be scratched under the chin and snuggle warmly in my lap.”

Janie smiles, “I didn’t go out looking for squirrels. People bring them to me. I do what I can to save them because I love animals.” Squirrels 1-8 were all taken to the gradual release program at Cochran Mill Nature Center in Palmetto and now live in the wild. Skipper’s situation is different.

Somehow her teeth became hung in the cage and broke off. She cannot exist in the wild without their use to forage, crush food and survive. No worries, though. Skipper will turn 5 this winter and lives the good life. She is loved, fed, has cherished siblings, and she teaches … in more ways than one! NCM

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Leather artist Kyle Landas

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A Legend in the Making: Leather artist Kyle Landas By Alex McRae | Photos by Bob Fraley and courtesy of Kyle Landas

ountry music icon Hank Williams died in the back seat of a Cadillac on January 1, 1953. Fifty-six years later Kyle Landas was sitting in the same blue convertible, now known as “the death car.” He says the setting summed up his situation perfectly. “Hank died when he was 29 and I was just a little bit older than that, and I was remembering times when I was so sick I thought I was going to die,” Landas says. “It’s not a good way to live.” Today, Landas couldn’t be in a better place. The pain is still an occasional companion, but it’s also a reminder of how far he has come. On his sick bed, the former Iowa bricklayer discovered and nurtured a talent that brought him from America’s heartland to the Deep South as the personal leather artist for country music star Zac Brown, who calls Landas “a legend in the making.” Landas won’t go that far, but says he’s on the right path. “I never dreamed things would turn out like this,” he says. “I had to get sick to get where I’m at today, but that’s a trade I’d make anytime.” Landas was born and raised in Iowa. At age 28, 10 years as a commercial bricklayer had left him in the best shape of his life. But suddenly, he began suffering from intense pain that at times left him barely able to walk. He consulted with doctors as far away as the Mayo SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 | 37

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It was singer Zac Brown who first brought leather artist Kyle Landas to the area. Now a freelance artist, Landas remains proud of the work he did for Brown and his Southern Hide shop.

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Clinic but never even got a diagnosis. “They finally said it might be fibromyalgia,” he says. “That’s a medical catch-all for ‘can’t figure it out.’ They told me to just take it easy. They didn’t tell me how to make a living while I was doing that.” When he was physically able, Landas took odd jobs to support his wife, Melissa, and two young children. Landas had played guitar for years and when he was unable to work, he strummed tunes to comfort himself. But during sleepless, pain-wracked nights, his mind was continually drawn to a leather-wrapped Fender guitar wielded by country music legend Waylon Jennings.

“There was something about the leather that spoke to me,” Landas says. “I don’t know why.” Landas was a talented amateur artist, proficient with pen, paint and paper, but had never considered working with leather. On a whim, he bought a few basic tools, scrounged some scrap leather and with the help of a how-to book, began the work that now defines his life. Landas and leather were made for each other. “It just felt right in my hands,” he says. “You can’t explain it.” His earliest works were guitar straps painted

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Artwork, concert posters and guitar straps are just a few of the pieces crafted by leather artist Kyle Landas.

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with oils. They were as distinctive as they were gorgeous. “Traditional scrollwork was like painting inside the lines,” Landas says. “That’s not for me. I wanted to do something different.” People loved his style and Landas’ wife Melissa began peddling his product to up-and-coming musicians on social networking websites. A Landas strap finally found its way to Willie Nelson. “He loved it,” Landas says. As his reputation grew, Landas filled orders for country artists that include Hank Williams Jr., Jerrod Niemann, Brad Paisley, Lee Brice, Randy Houser and Miranda Lambert.

“I never dreamed things would turn out like this. I had to get sick to get where I’m at today, but that’s a trade I’d make anytime.” —Kyle Landas

Landas’ client list isn’t confined to country artists. Kid Rock sports a Landas strap as does Jerry Cantrell, of Alice in Chains, who says, “Kyle is known in certain circles for his great work and for good reason.” Landas was a huge fan of the Zac Brown Band, but repeated attempts to contact Brown failed. Landas managed to strike up an online relationship with ZBB guitarist Clay Cook, who suggested they meet at the Hank Williams Museum in Montgomery, where both would be attending a benefit auction featuring Landas’ leather portrait of the museum’s namesake. After sampling the back seat of the death car Landas had a nice visit with Cook, who suggested he make a strap for Brown. Nine months later, Brown got the strap and Landas’ life changed forever.

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Leather artist Kyle Landas spends his days molding, massaging and carving leather into everything from guitar straps to ladiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; handbags to tour posters to fine art.

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The Zac Brown Band was touring near Landasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Iowa hometown, and Landas was invited to present the strap to Brown personally. Brown loved the strap, which he called â&#x20AC;&#x153;amazing.â&#x20AC;? But he had more in mind for the man who made it. Landas says the two were talking when Brown said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just bought this leather business two days ago and now you walk onto my bus. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here for a reason. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to move to Atlanta and work for me.â&#x20AC;? Landas remembers thinking, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whatever, dude,â&#x20AC;? certain that Brown had been making small talk. His attitude changed drastically just a few hours later when Brown texted him a formal job offer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Man, he was serious,â&#x20AC;? Landas says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe it.â&#x20AC;? Two months later, in August 2010, the Landas family had settled in Coweta County and Landas was working at Brownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Southern Hide leather shop. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We just threw everything in the U-Haul and jumped in head first,â&#x20AC;? Landas says. A third child has since joined the crowd. Instead of laying bricks, Landas spends his days molding, massaging and carving leather into everything from guitar straps to ladiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; handbags to tour posters to fine art, including two- and three-dimensional hand-painted leather portraits. And while Landas is proud of the work he did with the Zac Brown Band and Southern Hide, he is now again working as a freelance artist. So far, Landas has just one workplace complaint. Seems like the man who makes a living from leather doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like the animals that provide it. At least not on his dinner plate. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a vegetarian,â&#x20AC;? Landas says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The guys at the shop (used to) love to rip me about it, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get by. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been through lots worse.â&#x20AC;? NCM

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Keepsakes of a Father’s Legacy

Hugh Farmer III and his mother, Charlsie Farmer, display some of the football memorabilia that Hugh Farmer Jr. began collecting decades ago.

Football program collection recalls family tradition of attending games together

By Lindsay Wood | Photos by Bob Fraley

44 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

ext to Hugh Farmer Jr.’s favorite chair, in 10 to 12 boxes barricading the laundry room door, there are 66 years of football programs dating back to the 1940s. Heaps of the neatly displayed packets are stacked in a colorful array across the Farmer family’s living room floor, and handwritten notes on the importance of each program top each pile.

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Hugh Farmer Jr. started his collection in his youth and kept collecting football programs until his death in 2010. “It was a hero thing as a young kid and it became a passion,” said Frank Farmer, Hugh’s youngest son. “He was an avid sports fan.” Hugh Farmer Jr.’s love of sports began with his mother, Zoe, and father, Hugh Farmer Sr. Hugh Sr. was a constant on the sidelines at Georgia Bulldogs games, and Zoe

would watch games while she knitted and “never miss a stitch.” Both parents instilled a love for football in Hugh Jr. from the beginning of his life. Hugh Jr. kept meticulous scrapbooks of sports events and his own sports accomplishments. Hugh Jr. was a 15-letter athlete at Newnan High School and was inducted into Coweta’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2011. Hugh Jr. didn’t just collect programs, however; he had a mind

for statistics and facts. He was the kind of man people chose first for a pick-up basketball game and for a night of trivia. He read the programs cover to cover. “He knew more statistics about sports and games,” said his wife, Charlsie. “It was remarkable.” The Farmer family tradition of attending games is partly how the collection became so large. Charlsie and Hugh were married in 1951 and raised four children: Hugh III, Frank, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 | 45

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With some of the Farmer family’s football memorabilia are, from left, Hugh Farmer III, Charlsie Farmer and Frank Farmer. In the photo propped against the wall at back is Mrs. Farmer’s late husband, Coweta Sports Hall of Famer Hugh Farmer Jr.

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Zoe and Nan. The decision to carry on the tradition of watching football games Hugh Jr. had loved since his childhood was automatic. “There was no other way to keep up otherwise,” Hugh III explained. “You were either outside playing sports or watching at a game. We sat right there in the stands next to Daddy and listened to the game and wanted to.” Football programs kept Hugh Jr. in the loop when he could not attend. Frequently, he and his wife would drive to a corner near Drake Stadium to buy a program after games. While Charlsie said she never spoke her husband and sons’ language in sports, she always enjoyed attending the games as she did while cheerleading for Newnan High in 1946 and 1947. “It was quite a production. I made pimento cheese sandwiches and we would take them with us to the games,” she said. “Hugh’s excitement rubbed off on me.” Hugh Jr.’s collection ranges from Newnan High’s Tiger days to college and some professional football programs. Each program typically contained each team’s roster, information about each school, each player’s position and number, and sometimes their height and weight. College and professional football programs sometimes included the player’s hometown and high school. “I didn’t know how many he had,” Hugh III said with a laugh. “I just knew we’d better come home with a program or we’d be in trouble.” While attending an Atlanta Falcons game with a family friend in 1966, Frank and Hugh III lost the program they’d bought for their father. Frank remembers looking under seat after seat for a left-behind program until one was found as a replacement.

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Newnan High School football programs were prized by Hugh Farmer Jr.

The Farmer family’s football memorabilia includes many programs from UGA vs. Auburn football games. 48 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

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As Frank flipped though a 1947 Atlanta Touchdown Club event program, a more unusual find in the stacks, he instantly recognized a photo of Charley Trippi, voted Most Valuable Player in the Georgia vs. UCLA 1943 Rose Bowl and a Maxwell Award winner. Above the photo, Trippi autographed the program, “To my friend Hugh Farmer.” College football programs comprise the bulk of Hugh Jr.’s collection. Auburn and Georgia games resulted in a bigger rivalry in the Farmer family than Georgia vs. Georgia Tech since Hugh Jr. attended Auburn and his father was a longtime Bulldog fan. Hugh Jr. managed to collect every Auburn University vs. University of Georgia program from 1942 to 1988 with the exception of three years. In addition to numerous important college game programs, Hugh Jr. possessed mountains of Newnan High School football programs—probably the rarest programs of his collection and those closest to his heart. While sitting surrounded by their father’s stockpile, Hugh III and Frank started reciting from memory Newnan’s football ancestry starting with the high school’s “golden years” from 1948 to 1952. “Their daddy was good, but I think his boys are equal in his ability to remember all about the games,” Charlsie said. “That was their conversations. They talked it, lived and breathed it during football season.” A love of sports led to a memorabilia collection that embodies a slice of yesteryear. Through his collection, the history of football is tangible—held in the hands of Hugh Farmer Jr.’s children as a keepsake of their father’s legacy. NCM

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Vintage memorabilia from Newnan High School football games is part of the Farmer family’s collection.

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{Coweta Cooks }

Santa Fé Soup

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Football Weather By Amelia Adams | Photos by Bob Fraley

s a teenager from a small middle-Georgia town, I loved summer above all seasons as this interlude bid school vacation, trips to the city pool and languid nights for chasing lightning bugs. Nowadays, the first whisper of fall’s changes has replaced youthful summer longings. As well, my favorite sport, football, arrives with the crisp winds. In my high school years as a cheerleader, the captain of the squad would sometimes shout, “Amelia, get your eyes off the field; we’re lining up for ‘When You’re Up, You’re Up.’” I was more interested in who might be catching a pass or streaking down the field. Although my college alma mater, Mercer University, did not have a football team, I cheered the Bears in basketball. To my delight, the school has decided to put the Bears on the gridiron next fall, which will offer another team to follow. Young adulthood found me in the stands for Tech and Georgia games, as well as traveling to Alabama in the glory days of Bear Bryant and the Crimson Tide. As a

graduate from UGA at the Master’s level, I can claim dedication to the Bulldogs; however, my deep childhood devotion to Bobby Dodd can never allow me to wish Georgia Tech to lose. I could certainly have the Honda wear a “house divided” tag as I face the annual showdown. My younger son, Will Woodroof, “put on the pads,” as his fine high

As a graduate from UGA at the Master’s level, I can claim dedication to the Bulldogs; however, my deep childhood devotion to Bobby Dodd can never allow me to wish Georgia Tech to lose. school coach Mark Whitley named becoming a high school football player at Monroe High School—the same field where I cheered the

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Santa Fé Soup

Of course, food must be taken into account when a day of football viewing holds forth. Hurricanes 30 years earlier. While not a standout, Will loved the experience and the camaraderie among the team members. I still proclaim that ESPN was the music in my house during his high school days. As a follow-up, I continue Will’s love of the sport on weekends. Saturdays mean “Game Day” at 10:00. I enjoy the side stories of college football players, often leaving me a bit misty-eyed in noting the obstacles some of them overcome in 52 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

finding their way to university level. Afterward, the games begin, lasting way past my bedtime; I usually go to sleep on Saturday nights again with the music of ESPN. Before I moved to Newnan two years ago, my neighbor and friend Pat Salter was my Saturday companion. To say she is a rabid Georgia Tech fan is a grave understatement. She inherited her mania from her late father, Phil Upchurch, who played for Tech after

the war. To illustrate, Big Phil informed his wife Anne, “Don’t die during football season; I’ll have to put you on ice until after Thanksgiving.” Pat could easily do color for any of the networks as she understands the game, has great knowledge of players, and invests in stats. We have a little pool each year, no money as losers have not paid up; while I seldom win, I am most excited when I come in second or third.

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Of course, food must be taken into account when a day of football viewing holds forth. I often prepare the dinner meal ahead of time, so a mere heating is required. Pasta dishes do well, as well as barbeque or stews. One of my new favorites with friends is a familiar soup to many, Santa Fé. Fellow writer Loran Smith and his wife Myrna have two fine cookbooks for tailgating or dining in, Let the Big Dawg Eat and Let the Big Dawg Eat ... Again!, which I would never share with Pat. The recipe in the Smiths’ cookbook is quite fine. I cannot resist the urge to play with recipes, adding a few more ingredients; however, if time is short, just use meat, envelopes of seasoning, corn, Rotel tomatoes and beans. I prefer to cook a mixture of beans: black, kidney and cranberry, but the cook can use a favorite single kind or vary my suggestions.

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Santa Fé Soup 1-1/2 pounds ground meat (turkey, beef or game) 1 can diced green chilies 1 large onion in fine dice 1 red or orange bell pepper, diced 4 cups cooked beans (a mix) 1 cup diced celery 1 roll of frozen corn, thawed 1 (12-ounce) can diced tomatoes plus 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 cups beef broth 1 envelope taco seasoning (low-salt) 1 envelope ranch dressing mix Sour cream Grated Monterey Jack cheese Sauté the meat in a deep Dutch oven and drain it in a colander lined with paper towels. Add the vegetables to the pot with a little oil and cook until softened. Return the meat to the pan along with all the other ingredients and cook for 1-1/2 hours. If possible, make the day before. Serve with the sour cream and cheese if desired. Although no experience matches the mood of a college stadium, I am most content to watch football games from my living room screen. Nestled on my sofa, warmed by a comfortable throw, I do not miss the crowds. If only I could return to Monroe’s Legion Field and watch a childhood friend or Will run all the way with mere seconds remaining on the scoreboard, Saturday reverie would be complete. NCM

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{Saddle Up }

Head, heart, hands, health— and horses! By Martha A. Woodham | Photos by Bob Fraley

Coweta’s Angela Dennis has been active in the Coweta County 4-H Horse and Pony Club since her children became members in 2004.

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The Four H’s of 4-H Head - Managing, Thinking Heart - Relating, Caring Hands - Giving, Working Health - Being, Living

or Angela Dennis of Coweta County, the four H’s of 4-H should include another H—for horses. Dennis has been involved with the Coweta County 4-H Horse and Pony Club since 2004, when her children became members. Since 2007, when she took the reins as leader of the 70-member club,

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The Dennis family includes parents Bobby and Angela, seated, and children Lauren, Ben and Stephen.

Bobby and Angela Dennis

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Dennis has had her hands full and her heart into her volunteer job. â&#x20AC;&#x153;4-H teaches the kids how to become leaders,â&#x20AC;? she says enthusiastically about the 4-H program, which is managed by the University of Georgia Extension Service. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The kids learn so many skills, and they learn to give back to the community. There is a lot of community service work involved.â&#x20AC;? Under Dennis and her team of dedicated volunteers, the Coweta 4-H kids have been achievers who have won state and regional competitions that tested their riding and horse care skills as well as their equine knowledge. Owning a horse is not required for membershipâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;just an interest in all things horsey. There are plenty of ways for horseless kids to participate, she says. Besides, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great way for parents to determine if a child is serious about the sport, which can become a lifelong commitment. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what happened to Dennis, who says horses were a lifeline during a difficult childhoodâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;something she sees with some of her 4-H members today. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Horses saved me, got me through a hard time in my life,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen some kids struggling through issues. When they are going through tough times, horses just seem to know and understand.â&#x20AC;? An Arab named R.R.A. Zar Kuba was Dennisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; savior. She learned to ride and spent many happy hours with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Zar.â&#x20AC;? Dennis later had to give the horse up, which â&#x20AC;&#x153;about killed me,â&#x20AC;? she remembers. But â&#x20AC;&#x153;God knows the desires of our hearts,â&#x20AC;? Dennis says, and sent another Arabian, Ace, to the family 10 years later. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was like a dream come true. I never thought I would get to have horses again,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My daughter

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Lauren Dennis, above, and her brothers all rode on Coweta County’s 4-H Mounted Drill Team. Below, Ben Dennis works with a horse at his home in Newnan.

58 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

was taking riding lessons, and we prayed for a year for a horse! Ace was given to us, and we know he was a gift from the Lord.” By then her husband, Bobby, had retired after 21 years with the Clayton County Police Department, and the Dennises had moved to Coweta County to be near family. They found their 10-acre piece of heaven, where the couple now lives with their three children and their menagerie—five horses, four dogs and two cats. Horses are now a way of life for the entire Dennis family. Bobby Dennis is currently the drug task force commander of the Georgia Army National Guard and flies Lakota copters out of Dobbins Air Force Base. He prefers to trail ride, and the Dennis family has miles of trails around their farm. All three children—Lauren, Stephen and Ben—rode on Coweta County’s renowned 4-H Mounted Drill Team. Lauren, 22, who also excels at barrel racing, is looking for her first teaching job, and musically talented Stephen, 20, has started a DJ business and has his sights set on enlisting in the U.S. Army. Ben, 14, has discovered Cowboy Mounted Shooting, a sport where contestants on horseback shoot targets while trotting or galloping in a special pattern around an arena. Ben also was selected to participate in the Mustang Heritage Foundation Youth and Yearling Challenge. During the competition, Ben has 120 days to train a yearling mustang “from wild to mild.” Ben named the colt Gambler’s Lucky Draw, a/k/a “Gambler,” and hopes he will live up to his lucky name during the competition in October at the Extreme Mustang Makeover in Clemson, S.C. Angela’s latest horse project is a

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6-year-old buckskin who was rescued from an owner who starved him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He was emaciated, but heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a fat boy now,â&#x20AC;? she says of Spirit. Although she did all the basic training with Spirit, whom she rides Western, she sent him to a trainer for the finishing touches. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He was greener than I thought when I got him. When I got him, he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know anything but â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Whoa!â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? In addition to all of her 4-H activities, Dennis teaches math to home-schooled children and leads exercise classes at the Summit Family YMCA. She gradually has enlisted other mothers to help with the demands of organizing year-round activities for the 4-H Horse and Pony Club. Mary Frances Crowe, who serves as club treasurer, now coaches the drill team, and Cathy Goddard schedules many of the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s educational programs on all aspects of horsemanship. Dennis sees her years of service to the club as a way to not only help others but also to shape the future leaders of Coweta County, to make the community a better place for everyone. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Horses help kids stay focused,â&#x20AC;? says Dennis. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They teach kids to be responsible. The animal is totally dependent on them. Horses keep kids busy and out of trouble. For me, 4-H is an opportunity to give back.â&#x20AC;? With more than 6 million 4-H participants aged 9 to 18, 4-H is the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest youth development organization. To learn more about the Horse and Pony Club as well as the other programs offered by Coweta County 4-H, visit www.caes.uga.edu/extension/coweta/ or call 770-2542620. NCM

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{Local Heritage}

Mill for a Day Senoia Canvas Company ran for only one day, but elevator is still functional By W. Winston Skinner | Photos by Bob Fraley

he West Georgia Textile Heritage Trail runs from Dalton to Columbus—right through Coweta County where textile mills provided an anchor for communities for decades. In Newnan and in Arnco, Sargent, Moreland and Grantville, there are mill buildings that stand—reminders of the role those mills once played in the lives of Coweta’s people. The mills provided work and income in a way quite different from farming, the main occupation of Cowetans in the early days. 60 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

My grandmother, Carney Hunter Trammell, worked in the mill in Moreland as a young woman. I can still hear her proclaiming the excitement of working there and getting real, cash money at the end of the workweek. She had grown up on a farm where there was plenty to eat, but where little money was seen during the year. While numerous structures remain in Coweta to remind us of the textile mill era, the Senoia Canvas Company’s plant is long gone. But then, the canvas plant had a very different history from other textile facilities in the region.

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“It ran for one day,” said Carl McKnight, whose family was involved in the establishment of the factory, which stood near Horseshoe Bend. “As the railroad turns, it was right there,” Carl told me. Carl said his family always referred to the spot as “the duck mill property.” The origins of the plant had both patriotic and entrepreneurial roots. They were building a new railroad line through Senoia in the 1940s, Carl related. The new rail line meant new opportunities for shipping manufactured goods. Carl’s grandfather, Paul McKnight Sr., and an uncle, also named Carl, came up with the idea of a factory that would manufacture something to help the war effort. “They wanted to make canvas for the tents, for the trucks,” Carl said. Making tarpaulins for military units then serving around the world during World War II seemed like a grand concept. Paul McKnight Sr. took a class at the Georgia Institute of Technology to prepare for the venture—with the goal of manufacturing loads of the sturdy fabric that could be shipped to nearby Atlanta. C.P. Daniel of Senoia and Bill Estes of Haralson agreed to grow and sell cotton for the duck mill. By the time the mill was put into operation, the war was over. “They had to fold the tent, no pun intended,” Carl said. “It sat there and never did get off the ground,” Carl said. “It sat over there a couple of years.” Eventually, various components from the canvas plant were removed for use elsewhere. The elder Carl McKnight took rocks from the site, hauled them by mule and incorporated them into a lodge

The elevator Frank Hollberg’s father got from the now-defunct Senoia Canvas Company plant is now on view at Hollberg’s Fine Furniture in Senoia. Hollberg shows a vintage refrigerator displayed on the still-working elevator.

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Frank Hollberg III shows the elevator that once was part of the Senoia Canvas Company, which operated for a day. The elevator is now in a back area of Hollberg’s Fine Furniture in Senoia where an ancient refrigerator rests on its platform as if waiting for removal for delivery.

building that now belongs to the City of Senoia. A smoke house and a garage were built using components from the factory. Senoia businessman Frank Hollberg III also found uses for some of the machinery in the abandoned plant. “He ended up getting the elevator out of the building,” Carl said. “There were a lot of things they just pulled out of that building.” While the canvas factory is only a memory, its elevator is still around as a reminder of those days. The elevator can be seen at Hollberg’s Fine Furniture. The elevator is in a back area of the store where an 62 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

ancient refrigerator—traded years ago for a newer model—rests on the platform as if waiting for removal for delivery. Carl McKnight said the elevator came from somewhere in Atlanta. He thinks there may have once been a plate identifying the manufacturer, but—if so—it has been removed or lost over the years. “It’s a rope drawn elevator,” Carl said. “The thing still works,” noted Frank Hollberg III, who came back to work at the family’s Senoia business in 1958 after earning a degree from Georgia Tech and

serving in the Navy. “It was there when I got there,” Frank said. Several years later, Frank Hollberg III hired young Carl McKnight to work at the furniture store. Carl used the elevator to move items from one floor to another in the historic downtown store building. “I always thought it was more fun using it than not using it,” Carl said. Hollberg’s has a number of historical artifacts including the century old cash register Frank’s grandfather—a Union Army veteran who came south in the early 1890s— used in his business ventures. There

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While the canvas factory is only a memory, its elevator is still around as a reminder of those days.

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also is a clock that was punched by a night watchman decades ago as he made his rounds. Carl McKnight remembered Frank Hollberg III sold his father, Paul McKnight Jr., the first remote controlled television in Senoia. The clicker went around in a cycle. If you passed your chosen channel, you had to go around again. The elevator at Hollbergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brings together many threads from Senoiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s past. The elevator also is a bit of history from the era when textiles were a major economic engine in Coweta County and throughout the South. NCM

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By Cathy Lee Phillips | Photos by Bob Fraley and courtesy of Kathleen Hunter

“I’ve had the best life anyone could have. My husband felt the same way because our house was always filled with love. I call that success.” — Kathleen Hunter

iggling nervously, Jack and Kathleen ran handin-hand into the Moreland Baptist Church parsonage. It was 1945 and Jack was marrying the woman he fell in love with at first sight. Their story began two years earlier when Jack agreed to a doubledate with his Uncle T. J. Hunter. Opal Brown was T. J.’s date. They would pick her up and then go get Jack’s date. Destiny stepped in! As the guys waited at Opal’s front door, Jack noticed a pretty girl sitting in the living room. He was spellbound. The girl was Opal’s sister, Kathleen, and the reason Jack stood up his date that night. It was a while before Kathleen knew Jack’s feelings or that

he whispered to his uncle, “Someday I’m going to marry Kathleen.” World War II raged the day they married at the Baptist parsonage. Kathleen wondered how world events would impact their lives. Because Jack had asthma and was the son of older parents, he was deferred from military service. So the newlyweds concentrated on building their future. Wanting church to be central to their family, they joined White Oak Presbyterian Church then turned their attention to raising a farm and family. Kathleen shares, “This was a time when women had babies and men worked the fields with mules.” Jack did his part by working the farm, planting cotton, corn and other SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 | 65

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Kathleen Hunter’s parents were Lillie and Oliver Brown. Kathleen Hunter’s father makes syrup.

Jack and Kathleen Hunter, seated, are surrounded by children, clockwise from left, seated, Cheryl, Jacky, Donny and Norman.

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Jack and Kathleen Hunter enjoy a cruise to the Bahamas, above, and visit tulip gardens in Holland, below. In The Newnan Times-Herald clipping at right, they are celebrating their 58th wedding anniversary.

crops. Kathleen did her part by giving birth to four children. All are now grown with families of their own. Son Norman built a career in real estate. Son Jacky is president of

the South Carolina Association of County Tax Assessors and Auditors. Donny became a Certified Public Accountant. Cheryl worked as a radiological technologist at PAPP

Clinic until her recent retirement. The Hunter family continues to grow with seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The family is even larger because, as Kathleen SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 | 67

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Family photos are treasured by Kathleen Hunter.

laughs, “Our brothers and sisters go on and on!” Huge reunions are held at the family homestead on Shack Hunter Road in Senoia every year. Good food, love and laughter keep the generations “coming home.” Though she would never change a thing, Kathleen would have enjoyed going to college. But coming from a large family (she was one of 12 children), her parents could never afford to send her to college. “I lived at a time when you never went against your parents. I had a 68 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

chance to attend business school, but my parents said ‘no.’ I was a good student, but I picked cotton instead of going to school. I wonder sometimes what I could have done in college because I was an ‘A’ student. I love being challenged and still want to learn all I can. It didn’t happen and I’m happy with my life, but sometimes I wonder.” Growing up in a large family taught Kathleen about living on limited resources. Naturally, she wanted her children to do better and go to college. She remembers,

“People didn’t send kids to school when I grew up, but I would have given an arm to go to college!” Even without a college degree, Kathleen Hunter possesses deep wisdom and knows what makes a happy life. Her conversation is sprinkled with lessons gleaned from a lifetime of joys and sorrows— truths everyone knows but needs to hear again: • Faith is important and should be central to your life. • Try never to get mad. We can’t dwell on being angry at people. We usually get mad at somebody because of jealousy. Turning the other cheek usually makes people mad, too. Let things go and always try to like people. • Always listen to your kids. Never condemn anybody else’s kids because yours may end up in the same situation. • Everybody is valuable. I’ve known governors, singers and celebrities on a first-name basis. Nobody is better than anybody else. You are just what God made you, so be proud of that and do your best. Kathleen sincerely loves people and is loved by people of all ages, backgrounds and circumstances. In a world where 45 million Americans move every year, Kathleen Hunter embodies a way of life that is vanishing—one that provides security, a home place and a living family history. At age 86, she still lives in the Shack Hunter Road home she moved into as a young bride. Jack’s death on January 10, 2006, ended their 61 years of marriage, and the 80 years Jack lived in the same house. Some may see Kathleen Hunter’s life as simple. It is. But it is so much more. Look closely. Oftentimes the most phenomenal people are disguised as simply ordinary. NCM

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St. Paul’s will host flower-filled festival Oct. 27 By Nichole Golden | Photos by Jeffrey Leo

he four seasons will be represented in glorious blooms at this year’s Fall Flower Festival at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Newnan. To be held the afternoon of Saturday, October 27, 2012 at the Roscoe Road church, the third annual event also features a formal English tea. This year’s festival theme is “Four Seasons of Flowers,” said Louise Howard of the St. Paul’s Flower

70 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

Guild. The festival will feature arrangements and vignettes using

flowers, greenery and dried materials that reflect the seasons of the year. Displays will be placed throughout the church and grounds, and guests are encouraged to stroll through the sanctuary and beautiful gardens surrounding the church before taking tea in the newly remodeled Fellowship Hall. Howard said four vignettes will include a Christmas theme for winter, an autumn arrangement for

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A visitor admires one of the arrangements in a window at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Newnan last fall at the church’s Fall Flower Festival and tea.

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Flower Guild member Bonnie Umberger gives a presentation on flower arranging at last year’s Fall Flower Festival at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Below are two of the fall-themed arrangements on display for the festival and tea.

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In addition to being inspired by both fresh and dried floral arrangements, festival guests will also be treated to a flowerarranging demonstration with a surprise guest speaker. the altar, as well as a bridal scene for summer and an Easter vignette for spring. “We decorate the whole of the church,” said Howard. “We do a special décor for the entry.” The church’s flower guild is responsible for providing the fresh flowers for each Sunday service, and for special occasions. “We do stay

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A colorful fall arrangement graces a pedestal at last year’s Fall Flower Festival at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Newnan. 74 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

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busy,” said Howard. It won’t be tricky for these ladies to locate blooms from any season as they draw on their expertise and sources for flowers typically found outside of the autumn months. The festival will include a musical program, presented by church organist Nancy Lewis. The guild also plans to have a string quartet this year. In addition to being inspired by both fresh and dried floral arrangements, festival guests will also be treated to a flowerarranging demonstration with a surprise guest speaker. Following the demonstration, there will be a sit-down “very traditionally English tea,” said Howard. Scones, teacakes, other delectables and plenty of hot tea will be served as guests are seated at tables set with the china patterns belonging to individual guild members. “Each table is set differently,” explained Howard, and each will feature a floral centerpiece. “Everything is prepared by the ladies of the church,” Howard said of the delicious tea fare. Door prizes will be awarded at the event, and some of the floral arrangements may be available for purchase. Tickets for the Flower Festival, which runs from 2-5 p.m. Oct. 27, are $20 each, and the event is limited to 100 attendees because of space. The festival proceeds go to St. Paul’s Parish Life Fund. Tickets may be purchased through the church office at 770253-4264. St. Paul’s is located at 576 Roscoe Rd. in Newnan. NCM

A statue of St. Francis of Assisi watches over the St. Francis Garden at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Newnan.

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{ Tina’s Tips}

Brown Bag Story and photos by Tina Neely

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hat do you do when you have disgusting old carpet you hate—and only $50 to improve it? No, you don’t go buy some soap and rent a steamer. You open the windows, get some tools, rip out that carpet, throw it out the window and install a paper bag floor! It’s beautiful, it’s cheap and it’s easy! Once again dealing with my virtually nonexistent budget to turn the mess of a lake house into something magnificent, I came across the idea of paper bag floors on Pinterest. For under $50 our weekend project turned into something absolutely beautiful that everyone wants to see.

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Step 1: Remove old carpet/flooring. Lucky for us, the carpet came up quickly and easily. We pulled it out from the sides, popped up the tack strips and threw it all out the window, leaving us with a dirty plywood floor. After the old carpeting, tack strips, nails, dirt and any glue residue are gone, you’re ready to start with a good clean surface. 2

Step 3: Rip, crumple and wad your paper. I have read that you can use brown paper bags to do the floors, and I’m sure grocery store bags are fine, but we went to the local home improvement store and bought a roll of brown shipping paper. We then sat and tore the paper into large irregular shapes and crumpled and wadded them up, storing them in large trash bags. Keep in mind as you are ripping and wadding that the smaller the pieces, the longer it will take to put them down, but the more character the floor will have. 4

Step 2: Gather your supplies and mix your glue. You will need: • Brown shipping paper • 1 gallon Elmer’s Glue-All • 1 gallon clear polyurethane • 5 gallon bucket In the 5 gallon bucket, pour the Elmer’s Glue-All. (For this bedroom project we used the entire gallon.) You will need to mix the glue and water to a 1:2 ratio—for every gallon of glue, use two gallons of water. You can do this with cups instead of gallons for smaller projects. 78 | NEWNAN – COWETA MAGAZINE

Step 4: Take handfuls of the balledup paper and add them to your bucket. Smush the paper down into the glue/water solution to get it good and soaked, then squeeze it like a sponge until it is saturated. After it’s saturated, pull your paper wad up and squeeze as much of the glue out of each piece of paper as you can. Put it down piece by piece.

Unwad the paper one piece at a time and smooth it on the floor, rubbing over it with your hands to make it wrinkle-free. Overlap the edges and turn the pieces this way and that to add a little interest. We used the straight edges of the paper to start with and placed them along the wall edge. You can use your fingers or a sponge brush to dab on some glue if a few edges don’t want to stick. 5

Step 5: How long it takes will depend on the season and temperature in your house. For us, it was a hot summer day with a breeze coming in off the lake, so it took only a few hours. Other blogs and sites I’ve read said it could take a day or two to dry—I don’t have the patience for that—and our carpet was ripped out, paper floor put down, and first couple of coats of polyurethane were done in one full Saturday.

6 Step 6: When your paper is dry, it will dry back to basically the original

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color on the paper roll. You have to decide if you like this color (I loved mine and didn’t stain it), but if you want it darker you could do a quick paint-on, wipe-off process using the floor stain color of your choice. The stain gives the wrinkle marks and edges of the paper a darker shade, giving the floor the look of leather.

We’ve had our paper floor down for several months now and it’s holding up just great. We sweep it and use a damp mop to clean it. All done, all cleaned up and furniture loaded in. The boys’ room turned out better than I had ever

expected, and we have the best time explaining to folks that it’s brown paper. What a weekend! Yucky old carpet out, beautiful “brown bag” floor in, and all done for only $50. Now that’s a great project any do-ityourselfer would like! NCM

7 Step 7: Clear coat it. After we knew the paper was dry, we began to apply what would eventually be five coats of polyurethane. I have read where some used as many as eight coats. I guess it depends on walking traffic that’s going through the room. But for our bedroom, with two rough boys and a lot of wet swimsuits and towels left on the floor, the five coats we applied are holding up quite nicely. Make sure your area is well ventilated because the poly is very smelly. We used a paint roller on a stick and a paint pan to roll each coat on the floor (and a brush to get up sides and in corners). You can apply one coat in the morning and another at night, again just depending on the temperature and humidity.

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Bookshelf }

Beach House Memories By Mary Alice Monroe Gallery Books, $26 Reviewed by Holly Jones Along the South Carolina coast, on the islands of Folly Beach, Sullivan’s Island and the Isle of Palms, sea turtles lay their eggs. According to the Sea Turtle Conservancy’s website (www.conserveturtles.org), female sea turtles return to the same beaches each summer to nest. Females crawl up from the ocean, find a suitable spot to create a “body pit,” and lay an average of 80-120 eggs apiece. The mother turtle then heads back to the ocean, never to see her eggs again. After approximately two months, the baby turtles hatch from their nest as a group and fight their way back into the ocean, beginning the process again. Mary Alice Monroe’s novel Beach House Memories tracks one summer of sea turtle nesting through the eyes of Olivia “Lovie” Rutledge. That summer is 1974, and Lovie can’t wait to get back to her beloved beach house on the Isle of Palms and check on the loggerhead turtles she has been tracking since she was young. Most of the island’s summer resi-

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dents think Lovie is eccentric—the “Turtle Lady”—and she’ll be the first to admit that her turtle journaling is a passion even her family doesn’t understand. But for Lovie the turtles are part of her family, and southern girls are brought up to protect their family at all costs. Lovie has never had much help with her project. A few childhood friends hunt for nests occasionally, but Lovie’s husband Stratton has no interest in the island and her children are busy with their own youthful pursuits. Lovie and her turtles are on their own. That changes the summer of 1974 with a piece of paper on a grocery store bulletin board. When Dr. Russell Bennett comes to the island to study loggerheads, Lovie expects to be ridiculed. She expects a know-it-all to ruin her decade of hard work protecting the turtles. She expects to fight tooth and nail for what she loves. Well, she gets one right. The summer of 1974 is one that Lovie remembers all of her life. And the book opens and closes at the end of Lovie’s life as she reflects on that summer. It is that one summer that changes her, and in a way changes the turtles she’s diligently protected. Lovie learns–somewhat unpredictably–what love means and exactly how far she’s willing to go to protect those she loves.

Spring Fever By Mary Kay Andrews St. Martin’s Press, $25.99 Reviewed by Holly Jones Think about your typical romantic comedy. Every now and then both the hero and heroine are completely single at the beginning of the movie, but not often. Usually at least one of these main characters is already in a relationship when the movie begins; and it is not with the person he or she is destined to be with by the end of the movie. Mary Kay Andrews has not written your typical romantic comedy. In her latest novel, Spring Fever, Andrews has her romantic leads,

Annajane and Mason. Both characters live in the small town of Passcoe, N.C.; both are engaged to other people; and both work for Quixie Cherry Soda, which is pretty much the only industry in Passcoe. Based on the traditional rom-com formula, these two are destined to meet and fall in love, right? Well, not exactly. Annajane and Mason have already met. In fact, they’ve already been married ... and divorced. In flashbacks, Annajane recalls when she and Mason did meet and fall in love. She also remembers when they fell out of love, and why. The problem is none of these memories—the good or the bad— will go away. Mason’s family owns half the town, including Quixie. Annajane’s best friend Pokey just happens to be Mason’s sister. And Annajane adores Mason’s daughter, even though little Sophie was born after a one-night stand Mason claimed he had after he and Annajane separated. Annajane has decided the only way to leave her memories behind is to actually leave Passcoe behind. Her divorce has been final for years, she’s engaged to a musician, quit her job at Quixie, and

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{ Index moving out of town with a new career. In fact, to complete her closure, Annajane finds herself sitting in a church with Pokey watching Mason get married to someone else. Well, that is until Sophie has an appendicitis attack at the altar, stopping the wedding. That is just the first in a series of hilarious escapades for the romantic leads in this story. In a plot that involves family secrets, paternity tests, secret soda formulas, corporate espionage, and a golddigger determined to hide her past, Spring Fever is as much fun as a cherry soda on a hot day. Andrews may not know how to follow a traditional rom-com formula, but she has created a sweet, bubbly story that’s all her own.

Man in the Blue Moon By Michael Morris Tyndale House, $19.99 Reviewed by Angela McRae Remember the scene in A Christmas Story where the prize-winning “Old Man” opens the wooden crate to find he has won a leg lamp? Now try to imagine

how his family would have reacted if that leg had moved—and was attached to a living, breathing man. Just such a scene kicks off the newest Michael Morris novel, Man in the Blue Moon, but unlike A Christmas Story, Blue Moon is rarely comedic. The tale begins in Apalachicola, Fla. during World War I. Ella Wallace, newly-abandoned wife and a mother of three sons, struggles to hold on to her family’s land and the small store that serves as their livelihood. The husband who had swept Ella off her feet proved to be a gambler and opium addict. Though she was a well-bred finishing school lady earlier in life, Ella now finds herself “working like a man” just to keep a roof over her head and food on the table. Help arrives in the unlikely form of Lanier Stillis, a mysterious man who claims to be the cousin of her AWOL husband. When Ella’s property is about to go into foreclosure, Lanier joins her in an ambitious plan to cut and sell all the timber on the land in time to pay off the bank. In addition to a strong work ethic, Lanier possesses another unique skill: he can heal the sick. When one of Ella’s sons is near death with thrush, Lanier mumbles a few words and performs what looks like primitive CPR on him. The boy lives. Next Lanier works his magic on an injured mule, stunning those who watch as a severely wounded animal is made well right before their eyes. Lanier’s special touch is color blind as well. A black neighbor who knows of Lanier’s gift sends for him when the man’s young daughter accidentally falls into a wash pot of boiling water. In a dramatic scene, Lanier appears to take the heat out of the young girl’s body. Her boils vanish. She survives. Although there are kind people and even a few noble characters, the book features a terrific cast of villains, ranging from an utterly contemptible bank president to the town drunk, a famous revival leader and even the local gossips. Morris writes beautifully of turnof-the-century Florida, and his compelling characters will leave readers pondering the nature of faith, family and fortitude. NCM

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{ I am Coweta }

Lesley Goodwin By Nichole Golden | Photo by Bob Fraley Poplar Road Elementary School Principal Lesley Goodwin has spent her entire educational career in Coweta, serving at Eastside Elementary, Evans Middle, Madras Middle and Thomas Crossroads Elementary before her current position. Here, Goodwin gives tips for making this school year a success, and shares what she loves about life in Coweta. How long have you lived in Coweta? My husband and I moved to Sharpsburg in 1993. In 2000, we built a house in Senoia. I remember my husband bringing me to a cute little lot and even though it seemed like we were in the middle of nowhere, it felt like home immediately. What do you love most about being a principal and educator? The families (both staff and student) at Poplar Road are why I do what I do. For that matter, at each school that I have had the privilege of serving at, the families are what kept me going. To make a difference in the life of a child, it takes the cooperation of student, teacher and parent. I value my position as a principal to bring all parties to the table to do whatever it takes to achieve success for our students. My favorite part of my day is getting into the classroom. Our teachers are doing amazing things with their students. How can parents help their children succeed this school year? Communication between the parents and the school is essential. As we all communicate with one another, we can partner to help students achieve at the highest levels. We greatly value parents and know that parents play a vital role in the learning process. Parents are encouraged to communicate with the school via phone, e-mail and personal visits in order to be involved in every step of the educational process. As parents communicate with teachers, they form a relationship that allows everyone to work towards the same goals. Students, in turn, will know that they have the support of everyone involved. It is also important for parents to keep the lines of communication open with their children. Take time to communicate with your child by engaging them in meaningful tasks and conversations that inspire learning. Take the time to read to and with your children, as reading helps to increase vocabulary and increase attention. What are your hobbies outside of school? School is my hobby! But when I’m not at school, I like to read, shop and spend time with my family (but not shopping with them—I was blessed with two boys and they don’t enjoy shopping as much as I do). NCM

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Left - Right: Victoria Ellison- Business Banker Mark Fritz- Commercial Banker Ann Hand- Business Banker

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