Staff Writer

A first haircut is always a rite of passage. For young Jake Wainwright, the occasion was also the continuance of a family tradition which began in a barber chair six decades ago.

"I had my first haircut in this chair sixty-two years ago. Tracy had her first haircut in this chair twenty-six years ago and today I am giving my only grandchild, Jake Andrew Wainwright, his first hair cut in this chair," said Sonny Webb of Webb's Barber Shop as he snipped off Jake's golden curls.

This third generation event of first haircuts took place Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Sonny has been a barber in Thomaston for over 48 years.

Tracy, Jake's mother, kept a very watchful eye as her dad cut her son's curls. Sonny and Jake's father, Jason, wanted to give the youngster a "boy cut," but Tracy was hoping to keep the curls.

"It is like he will not be a little baby after his first hair cut," said Tracy, her eyes filled with a mother's tears. "I have cried about this all day and was tempted to cancel. But a few weeks ago we were eating out and someone said to Jason and me, "How old is she?" After that Jason made the comment that we had to get his hair cut."

-See TRADITION, Page 3A

Jake, who is 13 months old, never shed a tear while his grandfather snipped away with the scissors. While Jason talked to keep his son calm, Jake's grandmother filmed the event.

"He wore his Georgia Tech outfit for his Pop (Sonny)," explained Tracy. Pop smiled as he hands Tracy the curls that had once hung down little Jake's neck. The rest is pulled into the vacuum operated by his grandmother.

The chair was ready for the next customer.