MARY BRASWELL: Looking Back at February 1939

Many economists refer to 1939 as the last year of the Great Depression. Here is a look back at the news from The Albany Herald during the month ofFebruary.

— Albany’s newest department store, the Belk-Smith Co., had “Dollar Day” specials, including children’s dresses (3 for $1), men’s flannel shirts (2 for $1), pastel towels (11 for $1) and 40-inch wide sheeting (20 yards for $1).

— Georgia’s Department of Health began issuing free syphilis drugs to anyone diagnosed with the disease, regardless of ability to pay. The state estimated that 300,000 residents of Georgia had syphilis and approximately 20,000 new cases were being added each year. Treatment consisted of arsenical and bismuth preparations.

— A Dawson school teacher had her purse returned after it had been lost for two years. Emma Mae Baldwin misplaced her purse while attending an educator’s conference in Savannah. It was returned to her with 10 $1 bills and 40 cents in change, just slightly less than the $16 that was in the purse at the time of the loss. Who had the purse and why it was returned were never disclosed to the teacher.

— Rawson Circle lots were billed as “happiness promoters.” Lots were described as healthy and having high elevations. Further, “The neighborhood is ideal for raising the best family with the highest character records.”

— While all other state employees routinely received their paychecks in full, Georgia teachers often received only partial payment and, some months, no salaries at all. After this issue was brought before the state Senate, it was agreed to borrow $2.2 million to pay the teachers what was owed them for December and half of their January salary. What the teachers could expect for the remaining part of the school year was questionable, and it was possible that all schools would close at the end of February.

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QUIK QUIZ

Which of the following was NOT new to consumers in 1939?

a) Hershey’s Minatures Assortment

b) Rolling Rock Beer

c) Nescafe Freeze-Dried Coffee

d) Twist-Ties

Answer at the end of the column.

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— A comprehensive “Step Forward with Albany” program was presented at the annual Chamber of Commerce meeting. Under the heading of public health: Promote the building of a new general hospital with a black maternity ward and continue efforts to secure a tuberculosis hospital.

— Recreational opportunities available at Tift Park included basket-weaving classes; skating parties, held one night for girls and another for boys; bicycle clubs; square dancing for adults, and play nights for youngsters.

— A state health mobile spent a day at the Dougherty County Courthouse conducting a chest clinic. X-rays were performed free for 97 residents in a screening for tuberculosis.

— Before there were Georgia state income taxes, there were so-called nuisance taxes. Some of those taxes were: Ferries receiving more than $500 in a year from tolls must pay $15; Dog and pony (or horse and monkey) shows with 15-cent or more admission must pay $25 for each day of the show, and convict-made goods, which required the “convict-made” label, must bear a 15 percent sales tax.

— Preliminary work began on Albany’s new airport. Federal funding of $103,472 and city-county combined funding of $34,788 made the project possible. Located on Newton Road, the airport was expected to have three runways — 5,300 feet, 4,640 feet and 4,200 feet. The airport plans also called for a hangar and an administrative building.

— The Blakely City Council voted to charge no street tax in 1939. This move saved each man $3.50.

— E.M. McAfee leased the Johama Hotel in Smithville with plans to revive the “Chicken Pie Every Day” custom of the old McAfee Hotel, which burned a few years earlier. The chicken pie for noonday meal custom was started by Howell McAfee in the old hotel and, with rare exception, was carried out every day for 75 years. Before the fire, the McAfee Hotel was often called the “Chicken House.”

— Worth County reported that all its teachers had been paid through Jan. 27. There were funds on hand to keep the schools, which operated on a cash basis, open until April 8.

— Trustees of the Carnegie Library were presented with an ultra-modern bookmobile courtesy of the Dougherty County Commission.

— M.M. Wiggins, president of the Albany Baseball Club, announced that minor league spring training would begin on March 20. The St. Louis National League team planned to train three of its minor league operations in Albany.

— HI-DE-HO at 940 Pine Ave. offered free motor delivery of wine, whisky and beer. Open 24 hours a day, the business guaranteed 10-minute delivery within the city.

— The state health lab located on Eighth Street in Albany served 42 counties. In the year just passed, 1938, approximately 69,000 specimens were tested for various reasons, primarily infectious diseases.

— Albany Undertakers, Metropolitan Morticians, had a complete line of Packard equipment to service the business. The fleet included two hearses, one nine-passenger pall bearers’ limousine, two ambulances and one five-passenger family car. All vehicles were purchased through Hilsman Motor Co. in Albany.

1939 Prices

(national averages)

— Campbell’s Tomato Soup — four cans: 25 cents

— Average monthly rent: $28

— One pound of hamburger meat: 14 cents

— Gasoline: 19 to 23 cents per gallon

— Fresh cabbage: 3 cents per pound

— Coffee: 22 cents per pound

Each week Albany Herald researcher Mary Braswell looks for interesting events, places and people from the past. You can contact her at (229) 888-9371 or [email protected]. Follow @ABH_MBraswell on Twitter

QUIK QUIZ ANSWER: c) Nescafe Freeze-Dried Coffee was introduced in 1938