25 Years Ago
February 20, 1986
The National FFA theme for 1986 is FFA Leaders For the New Fields of Agriculture. This year’s officers of the Future Farmers of America chapter at Ava High School are Doug Lansdown, vice president; Rick Lansdown, president; Charles Sievert, parliamentarian; Sherwood Aid, sentinel; Stacie Baker, secretary; Sandra La Velle, treasurer; Jeannie Shrable, reporter; and Lynn Lambert, chaplain.
Freezing rain was followed by snow last Friday, creating slick roads and closing area school. The mercury dropped to near zero.
Initial steps in organizing an auxiliary sheriff’s unit were covered at a meeting of commissioned deputies at the courthouse here last Thursday night. The primary purpose of the organization is to provide the unsalaried deputies with liability insurance when performing in the line of duty.
Ava Attorney Roger Wall has filed for the office of associate circuit judge in the primary to be held later this August.
Kenneth Adams announces this week that he is a Republican candidate for western district commissioner.
The annual Ava High School Hoop King and Queen coronation will be held between games here Friday night at the high school gymnasium. Contestants this year are Sonia Lansdown, Shelly McKnight and Sheila Rasch; Doug Lansdown, John Mackey and Heath Wendell. The Ava Bears will be playing Sparta in the final home game of the basketball season.
OCIE –– Hobert and Maxine Ledbetter were honored Sunday afternoon with a crowd on their 50th wedding anniversary.
50 Years Ago
February 16, 1961
Students Win Prizes In PTA Talent Show Held Tuesday Night – A large variety of musical numbers was presented by participants in a talent show sponsored by the Ava R-1 Parent-Teachers Association Tuesday night in the grade school auditorium. First prize in the under-12-years-of-age group was awarded to Marjory Moore for her rendition of a piano solo, and Ricky Hale won second prize for a vocal number. A group of boys, Stevie Sanders, Junior Lockman, Jimmy Crisp, Richard Johnson, Dennis Miller, David Lister, Donald Woolsey and Ronnie Sutherland, was awarded third prize for an instrumental number. The Curry trio, Janet, Carol and Ronnie, was awarded first prize in the age group 12 years and older; second went to Eddie Hesterlee, and third to Ruby Jane Mackey. All three winners presented instrumental numbers. Judges were Mrs. Homer Grose, Mrs. Weldon Sanders and Miss Mattie Jane Casebeer.
Clyde Fleetwood and Jim Irby, employees of the Davis Bros. Tire Company, attempted to free one car from a large snow drift, but they gave up when the snow continued to fall throughout the day. The snowfall measured 10 inches at the end of the day, and up to 14 inches in some places of this area.
“Deere Day” will be held at the Avalon Theatre Monday, Feb. 20, at 1 p.m., presented by the Hailey Implement Co. of Ava, John Deere tractor dealer. A film entitled, “The New Generation of Power” will be shown, and there will be other entertainment.
The attempt of Douglas County farmers and cooperating organizations to get rural telephone service will be continued at Jefferson City Friday, Feb. 24, when the A&M Telephone Company presents its side of the case before the Public Service Commission. The telephone company is expected to state that it is willing to provide service, under certain number-of-phones-per-mile conditions but that the service will be provided gradually. The county farmers are asking for immediate telephone lines and service such as has been provided already to most adjoining counties.
Aloma Ludwig has been named the 1961 Betty Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow at Ava High School.
Mr. and Mrs. Burrel Loftin of Route 5, Ava, announce the birth of their fifth son at 4:15 o’clock Thursday afternoon, Feb. 9, at their country home. The baby weighed 8 pounds, 4 ounces, and has been named Michael Kent. The Loftins also have five daughters.
RED BANK –– Jean Lirley and Karen Lakey are absent from school this week with mumps.
Could be that fishing is picking up on Bull Shoals Lake? Mrs. Willard Hutchison and her party caught a string of seven nice bass Sunday, and she weighed a 7-pound, 15-ounce lineside in the Corner Store’s Big Bass contest. This was the first bass entered in the current event.
9¢ SALE, our BIG 9¢ sale starts today, Thursday, Feb. 16, with more than 100 items. Russell’s 10¢ to $1.00 Store, Ernest Russell, proprietor, Ava.
75 Years Ago
February 20, 1936
City Marshal Burnham Cummins did himself a favor on his last birthday, August 7, when he picked up Webster Brammer, 35-year-old ex-convict and jail-breaker wanted for post office robbery and numerous smaller crimes. Brammer was convicted on the postal charge and is now serving time on Alcatraz Island, federal prison in San Francisco bay. The marshal was notified last week in a letter from the postal department that a reward of $400 would be sent him for catching the criminal. The check was expected by Mr. Cummins the latter part of this week. Mr. Cummins has received several rewards for catching criminals the last was received last October when he identified and arrested Frank McDaniels, 27-year-old Kentucky reformatory escapee.
This section of the Ozarks experienced its coldest mid-February weather in forty-eight years Monday night and Tuesday morning, according to the weather office in Springfield. Officially, the temperature there early Tuesday morning was 8 degrees below zero. Thermometers here varied from 6 to 10 degrees below. Following Monday’s blizzard, temperatures still held well below freezing point here.
Addicts of marble games played on tables to be found in drug stores, lunch rooms and other business places will have to find another way to amuse themselves. The first of this week City Attorney Lz Banta instructed City Marshal Burnam Cummins that all the marble tables or similar machines that pay off prizes should be taken out of operation. “Our city ordinance provides for prosecution of persons playing such devices as well as persons operating them,” Mr. Banta said. “I’m convinced that operation of such tables is a racket in which the odds are in favor of the table at the expense of anyone playing them.”
The prohibition era, which was to eliminate crime caused by drunkenness and do so much for the country’s good, is now called “The bloody era”. An era of gangsters, liquor barons and murderers, who – from the slaying of Dion O’Banion on down did more to exterminate each other than could be done by the law that dealt with Al Capone for holding out on the government.
Mrs. Reba Crain and small son Bobbie are spending a few weeks in Chanute, Kansas, as guests of Mrs. Crane’s sister, Mrs. Ben Calloway and Mr. Calloway.
Ralph Peck of the Independent Oil Co., was host to four of his friends at a fish dinner Tuesday evening, at the Quality Cafe. Guests were Virgil Kester, Lyle Ross, Cloine Pettit and Boone Norman, Jr.
DOGWOOD –– This neighborhood was visited by a supposedly mad dog Saturday that bit several dogs, causing great excitement to the owners, who were close by watching their dogs.
MERRITT –– Alvin Sartin spend Monday night with Herbert Wall.
100 Years Ago
February 23, 1911
All persons knowing of soldiers buried in Douglas County having no markers to grave can secure same by giving No. of regiment and Co., and date of death free of charge by sending same to G.A.R., Ava, Mo. O.E. Johnson, Com.
Several of our citizens went up to Mansfield yesterday to see the Columbia University Agricultural exhibit, including their famous cow, Chief Josephine.
We had quite a cold snap the first of the week. It is feared that the peach crop is greatly damaged.
Harry Dailey has sold the Ava Produce Co. to Frank Morgan of Mansfield, and he will go to Ark. to go into business. Mr. Morgan comes highly recommended as a produce man and will no doubt prove a hustler in the business.
Mr. and Mrs. L.H. Pettit of this city are the proud parents of a fine baby girl, which made its arrival last Friday morning. The little daughter made its arrival on Lester’s 27th birthday and on their 6th wedding anniversary. This is their third child, and their first girl, and they think it is about the only thing that is.
Pat Roach, of Springfield, was in Ava the first of the week. He has rented the old Marion Lumpkins barber shop building and will move to this city about the 15 of March. Mr. Roach is a barber of 27 years experience. He will put in a first class shop, and may put in a bath tub.
Alpha Billingsley and Odetta Berry formerly of Blanche, Mo., were married in Springfield Friday by Justice of the Peace D.B. Rainey.
NOTICE –– I have rented the small building back of the Reynolds store, and will put in a pressing and cleaning shop. Old clothes made new on short notice. Give me a call Phone 69. Ted Yeisly.
G.P. Bradshaw is moving his Second-hand Store this week into the Dr. Geo. Osborn building on the east side of the square. This will give him a better location and a great deal more room.
Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Toothman, of three miles west of town, are the proud parents of a fine 12 pound boy, having made its arrival last Friday afternoon. All parties concerned are doing nicely.
There is a medicine show in Ava this week, and there is the usual bunch of suckers “tagging” after them. Some people grow to manhood and die of old age without knowing enough to let such fakers alone – They always get the money, and the people get the experience.
400 Pairs of Railroad Wrecked Shoes and Slippers, shoes of every size, kind and description. And the greatest bargains ever offered in Ava. If its shoes you need, come quick. We also have a fine line of clothing as cheap as dirt. The greatest value for the money invested you ever saw. Lawson & Lawson.
Candy dealers in Missouri are to be required to exhibit cards in their show cases telling how their candy is flavored or colored. Many of the cadies sold every day are artificially colored and flavored. In all such cases cards must be shown bearing some such statement as this: “Some of these candies are artificially flavored and colored with United States certified coal tar colors.”
