Census worker Jerome Jackson sits outside the Ritz Theatre Tuesday collecting and handing out Census forms. Jackson was also one of many Census Rally volunteers helping to pass out gifts promoting Census awareness.
Whether it was the proclamations read that morning, the musical groups and history being presented throughout the day or door prizes being given away in the afternoon, the group made sure people were curious about what was going on at the Courthouse Square April 6.
Talladega County Commission Chairman Kelvin Cunningham began the day by reading a proclamation the commission approved declaring April as Census Awareness month. He also encouraged everyone at the rally to fill out their forms if they had not already because everyone being counted affects the county’s funding for the next 10 years.
Atkinson agreed with Cunningham, reminding everyone that just one person not being counted in the Census could cost Alabama $13,000 in funding over the next 10 years. And sending a Census worker to knock on the door of someone who has not filled out their form can cost $65-$70.
Talladega Mayor Brian York also said the Census is a valuable tool in the reapportionment of federal funds to help Alabama. York explained to the students gathered at the Ritz the forms were simple to fill out, and if their parents had not filled out the forms the students should do so themselves.
Once the rally moved to the Courthouse across the street, Jimmy Jordan gave students and others gathered in the courtroom a brief history of piano player Johnny Propst.
Propst was a student at the Alabama School for the Blind who became a well-known musician while playing with the likes of Boots Randolph, Pete Fountain and Bob Phillips. Not only could Propst play piano, he was also able to play tenor saxophone and clarinet.
Other interesting facts Jordan threw in about Propst were that he had muscular dystrophy and stuttered and he attended Birmingham Southern College and he played at Madison Square Garden.
Then Archie Wesley took some time to tell students about Teddy Wilson, a talented black piano player who went all the way from Talladega College to playing Carnegie Hall with Benny Goodman’s band.
Back at the Ritz, Sylacauga trumpet player Bob Phillips said during his performance that Propst and Wilson were the only two musicians he knew who made it to playing Carnegie Hall. He even joked that playing that venue was better than being president in his opinion.
Phillips said he didn’t get serious about being a musician until about 1960 because he had first joined the U. S. Army and the paratroopers before being transferred to the Army band.
By the time Phillips had found his way to Nashville and invited Propst to play in his band for a few years, Propst told him he had the makings of a good jazz player if he just kept playing and improving.
The final entertainment for the day was provided by fiddler Randy Stewart and singer and guitarist Kevin Moon.
Moon is an announcer for WCKF 100.7 and Stewart is touted as knowing how to play every song there is on the fiddle.
The men played in front of the courthouse and moved over to the lobby of the Ritz as the rally came to a close.
The committee gave out door prizes for its final event, including flowers, gift certificates and bags from local businesses who had donated gifts to help promote awareness of the 2010 Census.
Those working on the Complete Count Committee included Robert Weaver, Dan Payant, Jason Hurst, Brenda Brooks, Judith Lavender, Josephine McKinney, Kelvin Cunningham, Marie Player, Janice Keith, Judy McSween, Barbara Dunn, Teresa Curlee, Michael Boldin, Ronald Wallace, Hayes Grooms, Alfreda Hendricks, Chris Stone, Bill Kennedy, Mary Williford, Lynn Hanner, Sally Mitchell, Joe Duck, Steve Dover, Jerry Jones and Cookie Adair.
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