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TODAY'S
ISSUE
Society plans fund-raising
barbecue at Elisha Winn house
By
Terry Manning
Chairperson, Elisha Winn House Restoration Committee
Special to GwinnettForum.com
JUNE 22, 2004 -- Barbecue sauce will be dripping down shirt fronts,
toes will be tapping to live country music, and mouths will be watering
over homemade desserts at the Gwinnett Historical Society's "A
Time To Remember."
This $50-a-plate, fund-raising barbecue dinner on Saturday, July
17, will be hosted at the site of Gwinnett County's birthplace --
the historic 1812 Elisha Winn House. The society is celebrating
the beginning of its second 25-year lease of the property which
it has been rehabilitating to the 1800s era.
The event for the previous eight years has been a black tie and
tux affair at the old courthouse to raise funds to continue the
operation and maintenance of this historic site. This year's gala
celebration will change to a dressy casual attire and take place
at 6:30 p.m. under a large dining tent on the grounds of the Winn
House at 908 Dacula Road in Dacula.
Since February the reorganized Winn House Restoration Committee
has been actively converting the former caretaker's addition to
the house into a Support Services Center. The three-room center
includes a kitchen, restroom, conference room, and timeline exhibit
room. Committee Chairperson Terry Manning of Lilburn notes that
with the opening of the Support Services Center, the house can be
open on tour more regularly and the property can be host to a wide
variety of community events, other than the single 1812 Fair held
annually the first weekend each October.
Visitors will find dozens of changes to other parts of the property
since the beginning of the year., They include placement of the
Jackson Log Cabin on a permanent foundation, upgrading the landscaping,
creation of a Patriot Garden, and enhanced interior furnishings.
Funds are needed to support this renewed interest in the property
and to further more repairs such as exterior painting. The renewed
efforts have brought plans for Eagle Scouts to complete projects
at the site this summer and to initiate plans to develop some nature
trails on the 20-acre facility.
The honorary chairperson for this year's gala is Elliott Brack,
publisher of GwinnettForum, whose background in area news media
and whose interest in Gwinnett history reflects the theme of the
event. Guests will be served a country meal of Brunswick stew, pulled
pork barbecue, ribs, chicken breast, cole slaw, baked beans, corn
on the cob, bread, iced tea, lemonade, and assorted desserts. Couples
will receive a commemorative Gwinnett Historical Society tote bag
filled with goodies donated by area businesses.
Elaine Roberts of Lawrenceville serves as the chairperson of the
Special Fund Raising Events Committee. She encourages those with
an interest in preserving county history to attend the barbecue
and enjoy the friendship, country cooking, and even a game of horseshoes.
The Elisha Winn House and out buildings will be open on tour, and
a silent auction is planned for those seeking bargains on quilts,
flower centerpieces, and other such treasures.
For reservations or to make a donation at the Gwinnett History
Center, send your check to the Gwinnett Historical Society, PO Box
261, Lawrenceville, Ga. 30046 (phone 770-822-5174). Seating is limited
to 100 people, so early reservations are recommended.
ELLIOTT
BRACK
Tidbits:
Gwinnett sees that diversity is a two-way street
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com
JUNE 22, 2004 -- Visiting in Savannah over last weekend, we were
struck by something you don't see much in Gwinnett any more: public
smoking. And it no doubt exists throughout much of South Georgia.
 With
more Georgia cities and counties considering a smoking ban, the
sight of people lighting up at restaurants and in other public places
was a not a pretty scene. It makes you appreciate living in Gwinnett
even more.
* * * * *
Now we hear that there is a definite correlation between smoking
and educational attainment.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say definitely
that the less educated smoke more. In a recent study, the educational
attainment levels of participants with the rates (in percentage)
at which those in each group said they smoked:
No high school diploma 27.6%
GED diploma 42.3%
High school diploma 25.6%
Some college 23.1%
Associate degree 21.5%
Undergraduate degree 12.1%
Graduate degree 7.2%
* * * * *
Most Interesting story of the week: Doug Nurse's revelation that
women were shunted off to a separate tent at the laying of the foundation
of a Hindu temple in Lilburn.
While there is a move on to embrace diversity in Gwinnett, when
we do that we must be prepared for some eye-openers.
What this really shows is that diversity is a two-way streeet.
* * * * *
A diploma just ain't what it use to be: More than 70 percent of
high school graduates who apply to two-or four-year colleges are
accepted, but 53 percent of them must take at least one remedial
math or English course sometime during college. Only 45 percent
of high school graduates who enter college complete a degree; of
those who were required to take remedial classes, only 18 percent
complete a degree according to a study by the American Diploma Project.
Source: National Center for Policy Analysis
* * * * *
For years, we in Metro Atlanta have been used to the sometimes
slow start, but eventual fast finish, of the Atlanta Braves. Well,
if the 2004 Braves are going to bring us a 13th consecutive division
title, it's about time to get moving!
Starting in 1991, the Braves have won 12 straight division titles
(not counting the aborted 1994 season.) But here toward the end
of June, they are playing under .500 ball. Fans are hopefully waiting
for that charge…..but the way the team management has traded
or failed to sign key pitchers, many of us are wondering if the
Braves will uncharacteristically finish out of first place this
year.
* * * * *
Clara Basonetto in the AJC on travel:
"Tickets purchased on Independence Air are nonrefundable,
but changes or cancellations made prior to departure are permitted
for a $25 fee. Should you cancel a trip, the fare, minus the $25
fee, will be applied as credit for future travel taken within 12
months. If you need to reach your ticketed destination sooner than
planned, the airline will allow you to be a standby free for any
earlier flights on the day of your scheduled departure."
Why don't other airlines have the customer in mind about changes
in travel? We know many people cause problems by missing flights,
some even deliberately, and this can be a problem, and the customer
should be charged a fee. But allowing the remaining portion eventually
to be used on the booking airline would spur airline loyalty. Go
to it, Independence Air! You appear to have reason and intelligence
on your side in your bid to attract customers!
* * * * *
Sometimes there is danger in writing too far in advance.
But can you imagine this?
Benita Dodd of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation read an item
in a Sydney, Australia, newspaper and wrote them a letter. She said
about the venture: "The interesting thing is I was e-mailing
them on June 14 in response to an article published June 15!"
That International Dateline will get you every time. We understand
that if you work it right, you can leave Australia and get back
to the West Coast before your took off!
ABOUT
OUR SPONSORS
 The
public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com
to you at no cost to readers. Today's featured sponsor is Gwinnett
Community Bank of Duluth, Member, FDIC. Tom Martin heads this bank,
which operates out of its new facilities on Buford Highway, near
the intersection of Rogers Bridge and Old Peachtree Road. The web
site is http://www.gwinnettcommunitybank.com.
For a list of other sponsors of this forum, go to: http://www.gwinnettforum.com/about/sponsors.htm.
FEEDBACK
6/22: Maintains media
doesn't report view of war he sees
Editor, the Forum:
Once again I must take offense at your column about the war in
Iraq, or as you would rather call it, the "Bush father and
son wars." Please stop believing what you read and hear in
the liberal media. Check out some other side views, like Fox News,
who are not quite as biased as the AJC and New York Times.
You will see daily stories about many folks living in Iraq who
ARE approaching our soldiers and thanking them for the efforts to
stop the problems that were happening daily in their country.
The Democratic controlled liberal media (which I still consider
you a member) absolutely refuse to cover any "good" story
about this action. Rather they focus only on the information, (accurate
or not, that is not the issue to them) about the problems with this
war. War is ugly; any and all war is ugly; and we as Americans must
accept that situation when we take action.
If you stop and look at the information that the Clinton administration
left for President Bush to work from you will see that no other
logical decision could be reached except to go to war or back down
like Bill Clinton did and completely lose all respect for our country.
Just once in your Forum I would love to see some type of POSITIVE
reporting of the facts of this war and why we are there.
-- Steve Rausch, Norcross
(Dear Steve: Thank you for presenting your side.
There you go again, giving us the slanted views of the Bush Administration,
Fox News, other conservative media, and the various Clinton bashers.
When will you take off the rose-colored shades? We do agree on
one thing: war is ugly. And that makes lot of people question
anyone who starts a war.-eeb)
Found GOP backing
"anti" Web site about Michael Moore movie
Editor, the Forum:
While looking for information about Michael Moore's upcoming movie
"Fahrenheit 9/11" on the Internet, I was directed to a
site called "Move America Forward." The purpose of the
site was to attack Moore by urging people to phone, send e-mails
and letters to persuade theater-owners to refuse to show the movie.
WHOSIS, a searchable database, revealed that a GOP consultation
firm, Russo Marsh & Rogers, set up Move America Forward. A short
time later, the name of the Russo firm was "disappeared"
from WHOSIS - they obviously don't want publicity about their smear
campaign.
The Republicans must really be desperate, when they have to hire
a public relations firm to try to prevent the public from viewing
a movie. Perhaps they are afraid that people who have only seen
or read government-approved "news" about the Bush administration
will now discover the truth.
-- Ben Adams, Los Angeles, Calif.
UPCOMING
Aurora Theater extends
current offering for one week
Aurora Theatre in Historic Downtown Duluth says that Pete 'n' Keely
has been extended for one week only. Tickets are available for the
following dates:
- Thursday, June 24, proceeds benefit the Rotary Club of Duluth
- Tickets are $25 and include a cocktail party.
- Friday & Saturday at 8 p.m.
- Sunday at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $18 - $25 and group rates are available. Contact the
Box Office at 770-476-7926 or www.auroratheatre.com.
Chamber plans political
forum for early Friday morning
A variety of topics and positions will be articulated by public
office seekers at the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce's "Meet
the Candidates Forum" on Friday, June 25. Over 50 candidates
and campaign representatives will share with an audience of Chamber
members and other citizens their vision for the future.
Held in association with the Chamber's Governmental Affairs Committee
meeting, the Forum provides an opportunity for interaction with
individuals vying for public office. "Meet the Candidates Forum"
will be held at 7:30 a.m. at the Chamber, located at 6500 Sugarloaf
Parkway in Duluth.
Attendees for the forum will include candidates running for US Congress,
State House districts, Senate districts, judges, constitutional
officers, and county commission. The Forums will give those in attendance
a chance to learn more about the candidates while they share some
of the highlights of their platforms.
No RSVP is necessary to attend the meeting. Contact Alicia Krogh
today for more information by phone 770-232-8809 or e-mail alicia@gwinnettchamber.org.
BOOK
RECOMMENDATION
6/22: From Janet Gibson
of Lawrenceville
"I recently completed Mornings on Horseback by David
McCullough. I found the research and descriptive skills in his recent
biography John Adams so engaging that I was compelled to immediately
read another of his works.
"Mornings on Horseback is the fascinating story of
Theodore Roosevelt and the unusual circumstances of his life from
a social, historical and family perspective. Of course, the connection
of the Roosevelts to the Bullochs of Roswell is of interest to those
of us who have grown up around Bulloch Hall.
"Although, Franklin D. Roosevelt is remembered for his courage
in fighting polio, Theodore was equally courageous in fighting near
fatal attacks of asthma as well as circumstances in his personal
life that only a strong-willed person could have survived.
"I am now reading the autobiography of General H. Norman Schwarzkopf,
It Doesn't Take A Hero".
- An invitation: What books have you enjoyed? Send us
your best recent book along with a short paragraph as to why you
liked it, plus what you plan to read next. --eeb
ENCYCLOPEDIA
TIDBIT
6/22: Henry Clay white
gained early fame for UGA
An internationally known scientist, Henry Clay White served as
professor of chemistry at the University of Georgia from 1872 to
1927. White was especially interested in the application of chemistry
to the improvement of crops, and he advanced agricultural science
and education in Georgia.
Born in Baltimore, Md. in 1848, White graduated from the University
of Virginia, White served as the professor of chemistry at St. John's
College in Annapolis, but he left at the end of the term to become
professor of chemistry at the University of Georgia.
Finding poorly equipped facilities at the university, he set about
to improve the situation and developed one of the better chemical
laboratories in the region. He was particularly interested in improving
the quality of fertilizers.
White was appointed in 1890 as president of the State College of
Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, which was affiliated with the University
of Georgia. Deflecting the efforts of some of the Trustees to make
the college an entirely independent institution, he succeeded in
integrating it with the university in 1906 as the College of Agriculture
White's national and international standing had continued to grow.
In 1893 he was elected as a member of Britain's Royal Chemical Society.
White continued to publish articles in agricultural chemistry, and
he conducted a series of important dietary studies in north Georgia.
He was the recipient of six honorary doctoral degrees, the last
of which was awarded by Columbia University in 1908.
A confirmed proponent of the theory of evolution by 1875, White
organized a conference on the topic in Athens, Ga., in 1909, in
celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin,
whom he considered to be one of the four greatest thinkers in history.
During his later years White published a biography of Abraham Baldwin,
the founder of the University of Georgia. He died in Athens on November
30, 1927. More information: http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-952
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Not hard to figure
out which of these we're talking about
"Three things are certain: death, taxes and lost data. Guess
which has occurred?"
-- Message popping up on computer in Japan, forwarded by Von
Starkey of Norcross.
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