This month's guest editorialist is Honorable Mayor Ivan Allen, Jr., mayor
of the city of Atlanta. Mr. Allen, who was recently re-elected mayor, has
written this editorial so that the students of Grady will be aware of their
importance in Atlanta and of the goals of his new administration.
By MAYOR IVAN ALLEN, JR.
To all of us who have faith in Atlanta's future as a truly great city there
is no citizen more important than the teenager.
For it is the teenager who is training his mind in school today, who will be the adult citizen of the immediate future--the one who must carry forward the torch of leadership, who must live up to the responsibilities and duties of free adult citizenship.
Here in Atlanta Georgia as soon as a young man Dr a young woman reaches late teenage--the age of 18--he or she can and should assume one of the greatest privileges and responsibilities of the citizens of a free nation--the right and duty to vote.
So in Atlanta a great many teenagers have this privilege and this duty of casting their ballots and choosing the people to run city, county and state governments three years before their contemporaries in most other states.
Accordingly, teenagers play a very important role in our public affairs even before they complete their educations and reach the adult age of 21.
Many teenagers also participate in city government as workers, both part time and full time. For example, teenage workers were very active in the survey of the city carried out this past summer under our Community Improvement Program.
So as workers, teenagers participate very importantly in the present activities and future plans of our city, as well as preparing themselves for future leadership by training their minds.
Taking into consideration this present participation and prepar ation
for the future, the role of the teenager in Atlanta must be evaluated as
one of steadily increasing importance.
Now, just a word about the city administration which has been endorsed by
the vote of the people for the next four years.
It is our intent and purpose to keep Atlanta firmly on its course of steady progress. By the mandate of the large vote given to me, I am convinced that the citizens of Atlanta endorse the expansions and advancement made during the past three and three quarter years of my first administration. I am also convinced that the citizens of Atlanta want us to complete--the activities now under way, such as our splendid new auditorium and exhibition hall, and also to proceed with some other very important programs such as providing an adequate sewer system, intensifying our ceaseless war to reduce crime, carrying on a satisfactory program of air and water pollution control, expanding our already big urban renewal program to eliminate old slums and prevent the formation of new slums, stepping up our efforts to wipe out the pockets of poverty which still exist in our general affluence.
In summary, the aim of our administration is to bend every effort to make sure that our city achieves the destiny of greatness which stretches before it.
In this high endeavor, we invite and welcome the thoughts and actions of teenagers, for more of you will be voting each year as we move onward and upward.