Social columns: Before there was social media

Published 10:15 am Monday, October 7, 2024

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An Editorial Opinion of The Lowndes Signal

Social media platforms allow users to share their day-to-day experiences — where they go, who they spend time with and even what they eat.

But long before social media platforms provided space for life’s everyday happenings, The Lowndes Signal published sections like “School News” for readers to enjoy.

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On Sept. 27, 1940, the Signal provided readers a glimpse into what was then known as Fort Deposit Grammar School, which boasted increased enrollment. Some 215 boys and girls attended, and sixth graders Jean Stokes and Billy Norman entertained students at assembly by reciting “Folly Nation.”

Alongside the academic update, readers learned of Governor Frank Dixon’s election proclamation and Steep Creek Church’s upcoming Homecoming Day service.

The page reads much like a social media newsfeed, with a request for “Brandy Peaches” recipes to print nestled snugly among advertisements for the latest and greatest modern conveyance — a fully-equipped 1941 Chevrolet available at Fort Deposit Motor Company.

A recent effort to compile historic volumes for digital storage led the Signal staff on a trip down memory lane, an adventure revealing the names of bygone generations whose descendants still operate in and around Lowndes County today. 

Soon, the articles will be available for viewing on Newspapers.com, where the ages cannot degrade the historic accounts of Lowndes County communities.

We appreciate the opportunity to help our readers share life’s important moments, the great and the small. Social announcements are still available. For more information email editorial staff at news@lowndessignal.com.