Friday, March 4, 2011

Still a Cutter!

Outside the barbershop.  The barn is a part
of  Treutlen County's school history
James Willis has been cutting hair ever since he joined his uncle J. D. Webb at the barber shop on Main Street way back in the 60s, in the building which was the original home of the Bank of Soperton, next to the alley and last occupied by Anderson Barber Shop.

In recent years Mr. Willis has operated from a comfortable barber shop beside the Willis house on the Adrian Road (GA 15).  About a month ago he had a sign posted on his door that he was going out of business, but as recently as yesterday he was still cutting hair.

When we told him we planned to put him on the internet, he said, "Don't be sending me too many customers." It sounded to us like he would enjoy having a few customers,  but not a full time business anymore, and we don't blame him.

Some of the seniors at the Senior Center, where he has lunch most days, just quietly ask him if it's a good day for a haircut.  The question might work on a phone call, too.

The "Going Out of Business" sign
was not on the door yesterday.

The Willis place was formerly owned by Roscoe Sammons, who bought and moved the old vocational agriculture shop from the old school to its present location behind the barber shop.  The shop had stood on today's Primary School campus between the old first and second building and the duplex house, facing College Avenue, that is now bricked up.

It's good to know that part of school history is still preserved and used.  Mr. Glisson used his paddle many times in the old office, and a variety of young men learned to make cedar chests and other wood work.

James's  wife, Jackie, stays busy as an officer of the Altamaha Bank.  They enjoy their children and grandchildren.

Inside the barn: Other than a few cobwebs, the old ag shop looks
just as it did when high school boys learned skills there.

Approved by Marlee
http://treutlenenews.blogspot.com
Thanks for subscribing to the  TREUTLEN E-NEWS
Photo files at http://picasaweb.google.com/jamesreese8/

No comments: