The following article was published in the Feb. 4, 1959 issue of the Fulton Daily Leader, and is being reprinted as part of celebrating the city of Fulton’s birthday, July 21-22.
Laughter coming from Smith’s Rose Room last night could be heard the length of Lake Street, as members and guests of the Fulton-South Fulton Chamber of Commerce were entertained with a humorous address given by Dr. Frank L. Roberts, Associate Dean of the University of Tennessee Medical School in Memphis.
Adding to the enjoyment of the evening were the many witticisms voiced by James Warren, City Attorney, who acted as Toastmaster. Win Whitnel was the program chairman.
There was a serious side of the meeting, too, as activities of the past year and plans for coming months were enumerated by Dr. E.F. Crocker, President of the Chamber of Commerce who has been re-elected to his office for another year.
Dinner was served to the 92 attending at 7 p.m. with the menu featuring barbequed chicken. Rev. Oakley Woodside asked the invocation. Dr. Crocker recognized those who had served as directors of the organization during the past twelve months, and also paid tribute to the Secretary, Mrs. J.C. Olive.
Randall Burcham, chairman of the important industrial committee, gave a brief report on progress in this area, saying that last year at this time, all we had was hopes for new industry, while now “we have a number of acres under industrial construction.”
A report was also given by Vyron Mitchell, chairman of the centennial committee, who stated that plans were progressing and the organization formed for the celebration in July of the “Ken-Tenn-O-Rama.”
“This will be a community program – not a merchant’s program,” he said.
Mayor Nelson Tripp, who was a guest with Mrs. Tripp, also spoke briefly and invited everyone to attend the Open House at the newly decorated city hall Sunday. Milton Counce, Mayor of South Fulton, was unable to attend. Achievements of the Chamber of Commerce during the past year were cited by Dr. Crocker as follows:
A membership of 188, 159 of them active; 10,000 brochures about the twin cities printed and distributed; moving of the Chamber of Commerce office to larger, more centrally located quarters; sponsoring of a cleanup campaign; having local delegates at highway meetings; reactivation of the Twin-City Improvement Committee; preparing a scrapbook for the state contest; compilation of city maps; sponsoring the drive for funds to keep the Siegel plant in Fulton; and giving assistance in locating the Ferry-Morse Company here, the first official contact having been made last March 18. Dr. Crocker also announced that 46 new families moved to the community from June through December.
In the fact of these accomplishments, the Chamber president cautioned against complacency.
“One thing we must all steer clear of,” he said. “That is satisfaction. As long as each of you remains dis-satisfied with your town, your Chamber of Commerce, and yourself, and as long as you attempt to constructively help satisfy yourself, there is only one way we can go – and that is forward.”
The guest speaker for the evening, Dr. Roberts, was introduced by Mr. Warren. Dr. Roberts, who has earned a number of degrees in the medical field, is leaving in March for Iran, where he will act as consultant in medical education at the University of Shairaz for two years.
Dr. Roberts spoke on health, a subject, he said, “You are not concerned with when you are young and frisky, but in which you become very interested when the gray begins to show.”
He had much to say about the higher powered advertising of asp. in, tonics, and other medical products.
“The old time medicine show is still with us, but now it’s on television.”
The advertising is necessitated, he said, by the great increase in the number of products available. He stated that the number of things a doctor had to work with when he graduated from medical school in 1922 could be counted on one hand, whereas there is now a vast number of drugs available. Dr. Roberts also commented on the gullibility of the public in succumbing to the advertising of certain products.
“The cigarette people were smart when they introduced the filter,” he said in commenting on how many people had been duped into believing they were thus escaping the danger of tar and nicotine, and added, “If this doesn’t work in selling more cigarettes, they will probably convince the American public that cancer is good for them.”
The speaker also belittled the theory that everybody needs exercise and fresh air, stating, “I get enough exercise walking from the living room to the dining room, and enough fresh air through the key hole. My idea of outdoor life is having dinner on the Peabody Roof.”
Among the guests at the meeting were Judge John C. Bondurant and Mrs. Bondurant, Hickman, J. Boyd Ballard of Jackson, district traffic agent of the Illinois Central, Don Pace of the Tennessee AAID development commission, David Owens, Owensboro, of the Texas Gas Transmission Company; W.G. Kallenburg; Louise Lookofsky; and M.C. Dinwiddle, President and Vice President of the Mayfield Chamber of Commerce; John B. Sherrell and Carl Shrader of the Jiffy Steamers; and the following representatives of the Ferry Morse Seed Co.: Charles Pawlukiewiez, personnel director, John Sullivan, promotion superintendent, and Clayton Joyce, purchasing agent. Several other invited guests were unable to attend.
