Many of us were surprised at what we found on The Square when we came to town for various reasons Saturday morning. The Square, Cheney Parkway, and down Robert Toombs Avenue and Court Street were lined with very old cars -- in fact, there were no cars built after 1936 allowed in the lineup. We eventually found out that the Horseless Carriage Club of America hosted a Social Security Run over the weekend in Madison. Saturday they toured to Washington- Wilkes for lunch, shopping, and more touring. The cars were mainly from Georgia, but some were from South Carolina and Alabama. They ranged from a 1914 Model T Touring Car to a 1934 V-8 Ford Coupe. The highlight of the gathering was when super-old-car-buff Chris Townsend realized that a 1919 Stanley Steamer once owned and restored by his grandfather, Wendell Townsend, was on the tour. The present owner took Chris for one more ride in his grandfather's car, and commented that they have put over 20,000 miles on it since the late 1980s. Chris was also able to visit with old friends of his family, including Nick Nichols, Harold and Barbara Dye, Dick Carnes and family, as well as the entire Woolf Family, traveling in three separate antiques. Other interesting and rare automobiles included a 1917 Locomobile in original condition; a 1932 Ford V-8 Roadster; and a 1930 Dusenburg valued at close to a million dollars.

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Robert Geiger and Ed Franklin of Talk of the Town restaurant, knew the cars were coming and catered lunch at The Livery on Court Street. Local people who talked to owners of the cars said all expressed interest in returning to Washington and visiting other sites in town. . . . And while we're talking car clubs, I know of a club in Augusta who wants to come, stay overnight in

The Fitzpatrick, patronize our restaurants, and visit our shops. They also want to attend a performance at The Washington Little Theater Bolton Lunceford Playhouse, but have not been able to get information on scheduled performances. That's the only thing holding them up.

A mention of high school students (boys, no girls allowed) who worked at Allen's Pharmacy during the 1940s and 1950s, brought a call from Grady Rogers who was one of those boys who learned to serve the public there. If you know Grady, you know he's always got some kind of "foolishness" going. While employed there he taped coins under the glass-top counter to make it look like they were ready to be picked up as change. He had a lot of fun watching customers try to pick up those coins. . . . He also remembers that the store had "curb service" with the boys going out to take soda fountain orders from customers, and returning with a specially-made tray that fit on the side of the car for serving the drinks or ice cream. On one such day he took an order from Miss Emily Fluker and Mrs. Mildred Hill, and possibly Rosemary Hill. When he delivered their drinks, he told them that announcement had just come on the radio about the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The ladies were so upset that they refused their order and drove off crying.

Rainfall recorded at Norris Ware's house on Hill Street during the past week was 1.05 of an inch. Total for the month of May thus far is 2.8 inches; and 22.75 inches for the year. . . . At Sonny Johnson's house in the Tyrone area, he recorded a total of 1.654 of an inch (a little over one-and-a-half inches) for the week; and right at 25 inches for the year. Both agree the rainfall thus far for the year is about normal.

The News-Reporter and Radio Shack will be closed Monday, May 25, in observance of Memorial Day. We will have the following deadlines for the May 28 issue of The News- Reporter: All classified and legal advertisements and society news are due in by Friday, May 22, at 5 p.m. Community correspondents are asked to slide their news under the door before 11 a.m., Monday morning. All other news and retail advertising is due by Tuesday, May 26, at 12 noon.

I usually try to give the after-graduation plans of as many high school graduates as I can in this column. Graduates and parents, please call (or send in) this information so that we can list them. . . . I'll start with the five graduates who are members of the First Baptist Church because we had a baccalaureate service Sunday and I know who these students are.

Christina Albertson, University of Georgia, Economics and Music Education; Thomas Howard, Tulsa Welding School, Jacksonville, Fla.; Breckyn Hudson, Anderson University, Human Resources; Hunter Jackson, University of Georgia, Pre-Law; Tyler McGill, Gainesville State College, Math Education; and

Betsy Roth, Brewton-Parker College, Early Childhood Education.

We have had several calls and responses to re-establishing the canopy of lights on The Square during he Christmas season. Tell us what you think.

Gas prices in Washington are still up. From west to east on Highway 78 through downtown they range from $2.19, $2.18, $2.27, $1.99, $2.18, to $2.29.

Unofficial information from Washington-Wilkes Comprehensive High School says that out of approximately 98 graduates, 42 have already been accepted at 30 different colleges, and 15 have signed up for military service. . . . Graduation will be held Friday night at 8 p.m. in Tiger Stadium. We don't know who the top graduates are because they are not announced until Thursday night, too late for this week's paper. Look for the announcement in next week's paper.

Thanks to local businesses, civic clubs, and individuals, and their contributions, Washington-Wilkes will again have a fireworks display for the big Fourth of July celebration.

  A full-page article in Sunday's Au- gusta Chronicle named America's Top Doctors and America's Top Cancer Doctors. Of the 15 top doctors, I recognized two who come to Washington to serve patients at Wills Memorial Hospital. They are Dr. David Lind, Surgical Oncology; and Dr. Bruce MacFadyen, General Surgery. Dr. Lind was also one of the four top cancer doctors. There may be more that I am not aware of.