25 Years Ago
May 8, 1986
The City of Ava is minus one trash truck this week, due to an accident that occurred near Hartville, Tuesday afternoon, enroute to the regional landfill there. City employee Marvin Stephens was driving the truck when the engine died and the brakes failed near the top of a steep hill on Wright County Route Y, just off Highway 38 east of Hartville. The truck then ran backwards down the hill some 800 feet before Stephens ditched the truck to avoid an oncoming car. The truck then turned over.
Chris Curtis, a fourth grade student at Skyline R-2 School, won first place in his school and also had the first place poster in Douglas County in the Soil and Water Conservation District’s annual poster contest.
Bret Adam Tredway graduated May 5 from Mid-America Nazarene College, Olathe, Kan. Tredway received his degree in business management at the 10 a.m. ceremonies.
Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Stillings of Souder, are proud to announce the birth of their son, Kyle Ross, born April 21 at Mercy Hospital. He weighed 7 lbs. 9 oz and joins two brothers Justin, age 5 and Lance, 2.
Sandra Smith won $100 this week in the Let’s Go To The Races game at Wallace & Owens Supermarket. Joe Wilson won $2,000 in the Let’s Go To The Races game at Wallace & Owens Supermarket this week. Wilson is the biggest winner Ava has seen thus far in the grocery store game.
Mrs. Ella Berry observed her 103rd birthday at Chastain’s of Ava last Friday afternoon with more than 40 friends and relatives attending the small observance held in her honor.
STAR –– Mr. and Mrs. Butch Merritt and family had dinner Sunday with his mother, India Merritt and Mabel.
50 Years Ago
May 4, 1961
Spring officially arrived over six weeks ago but residents of this area have only the calendar to prove that point. Following heavy rain over wide areas and sever hail storms in some section Sunday night, cool air and a heavy frost hit southern Missouri Monday night. The temperature fell to a low of 28 degrees Monday night and a heavy frost was reported.
Mrs. Shirley Piland, Ava High School English teacher and publications adviser, has been awarded a fellowship to attend an eight-week seminar at the University of Missouri School of Journalism next summer.
Next Monday, May 8, will be an important day in the life of every youngster of the Ava School district. It is election day, an important election for the youth of Ava and Douglas County. Will our thinking citizens rise to the occasion, or will they be sidetracked by propaganda of an anonymous origin, propaganda utterly false, slanderous, and verging on libel? Citizens who are sincerely interested in the welfare of the youth of this community surely will think for themselves, search out the facts, and not be sidetracked by falsehoods emanating from unreliable sources. Adequate housing has been provided in recent years for the lower grades, but nothing has been done for the upper grades and in high school. The only issue in this election is: Shall we adequately provide safe high school housing facilities for an enlarged district of some 1650 students, or shall we say “No” to these youngsters, that what was good enough years ago is good enough now.
Duty: A task we look forward to with distaste, perform with reluctance and brag about afterwards.
Miss Linda Herrell was honored Thursday evening, April 27, with a birthday party given in the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. C.V. Herrell of Route 4. Refreshments were served to the following: Donna Fae Cox, Judy Sievert, Wanda Roberts, Debbie Sherrill, Clair Mae Herrell, Jerry Applegate, Paul Cox, Larry Hampton, Larry Mackey, Ray Cunningham, Donald Hinton and Charlie Ray Herrell.
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Ward (Irma Jean Evans) of Ava announce the birth of a 7-pound 5 1/2-ounce son at 10:36 p.m. Tuesday, May 2, in the Gainesville Clinic. He has been named Larry Gene.
Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Brown (Jo Ella Farris) of Ava, Route 4, announce the birth of a son, Jeffrey Boyd.
J.W. Reese, president of the Citizens Bank of Ava, was honor guest at a surprise party Friday afternoon, April 28, when employees of the bank complimented him on his 88th birthday anniversary.
Mr. and Mrs. Ted Sallee and four sons have returned to their suburban home south of Ava to establish residence after living for several months on a farm on Route 1 in the Arno community.
SWEDEN –– Mr. and Mrs. James Holman recently purchased the Tom Gunter farm and moved to it.
75 Years Ago
May 7, 1936
Howell County officials entertained some hope this week of obtaining Alvin Karpis, nationally infamous as “public enemy number 1,” to face trial there for the killing on December 19, 1931, of Sheriff C. Roy Kelly. Karpis was captured in New Orleans Friday evening of last week by G-men headed by J. Edgar Hoover, chief of the bureau of investigation of the U.S. Department of Justice. Captured with Karpis were Fred Hunter, 37, an ex-convict, and a woman whose identity was withheld. The three were taken by the government agents without a shot being fired.
Announcement was made this week by Miss Una Ellison, senior class sponsor, of the list of seniors who have qualified for graduation from Ava High School this spring. The list contains thirty-six names, the class being much smaller than last year’s class of sixty-four graduates.
Ava High School won second place in the Altitude League tennis meet held here Tuesday. Seymour High School won first place with sixteen points, three more points than the Ava players could command. Ava won first place in mixed doubles and boys doubles, and second place in boys singles for thirteen points. Ava players were Noble Livingston and Howard Curry on the boys double team, Ruskin Norman and Roberta Cummins on the mixed doubles team, Audra Hunsaker in the girls singles, Chas. Melton in boys singles and Alberta Cummins and Audra Hunsaker in the girls doubles.
Immediate establishment of a game and fish refuge of 4,500 acres in the northeastern part of Ozark County has been announced at West Plains. The refuge will be known as the Blue Springs Game Refuge. It will be about thirty miles southeast of Ava.
A wedding of much interest to many Ava people was that of Miss Eula Alcorn and Dunning Hensley, of Mansfield.
Miss Betty McClendon, Basil Adams, Cloine Pettit and Ruskin Norman were in Springfield Monday night and attended the “spring formal” given by the Alpha Tau Phi at Half-a-Hill.
Our Greatest May Event – Attractive Round Mirror Modern Bedroom Suite, Isn’t this a beauty? Exquisitely veneered in Oriental Tigerwood, well-constructed throughout, 3-piece suite consisting of vanity, chest and full size bed for only $59.75. Clinkingbeard Furniture Company
EAST DOGWOOD –– As his family was retiring for the night, Bud Walker stepped out on his back porch last Wednesday and discovered one corner of his house in flames. Rousing his son, the fire was put out before any great damage was done. The origin of the fire was traced to a mop leaning against the house and set on fire by pipe ashes emptied carelessly.
BLACK OAK –– Mr. and Mrs. Earnest Kester are painting their new home this week. This makes their already attractive home even more attractive.
100 Years Ago
May 18, 1911
Parents who uphold their children in their devilment need not expect to raise anything but criminals. A little hickory tea, applied at the right time in proper doses, may save your child from the penitentiary walls or the gallows.
Cabool was visited last Tuesday by a $80,000 fire which consumed the Grant Davis Lumber Co., where the fire originated. Several business houses including the Cabool Times and one residence. It is reported that there was no insurance on the property destroyed.
C.H. Burdett informs us that he will rebuild on his lot on the south side of the square, just as fast as he can move the work along. He expects to get his building up and will be selling drugs again in a few weeks. He will put up a modern two story brick building which will be a credit to our city. We understand Mr. Mercer will also build a substantial two-story brick building which will make the south side of the square a solid brick wall, and of course, will render it less liable to a burn out.
FOR RENT –- Good 7 room house, about two acres of ground. $8.00 per month. Inquire of Harry Martin.
The K.C.O. & S. Ry. will run an excursion from Ava to Cedar Gap on Sunday, June 4th without change of cars on account of time honored “June Singing.” Train will leave Ava at 7:30 a.m.; leave Cedar Gap at 4 p.m. Adults $1.00 for round trip, Children under twelve 50 cents for round trip.
Marriage Licenses –– W.M. Bumes to Addie Sherrell both of Bertha; Albert Sweeten of Dora to Mary Ousley of Blanche.
Judge John Deeds and Joe Lethco have bought the Vinson restaurant, and will proceed to feed the hungry public. They took charge last Monday morning. Joe moved to town Tuesday. Mr. Deeds will not move up until this fall. Their main object of moving to town is to get their children in school.
Mrs. Dr. Coffman went to Springfield their first of the week to visit with relatives in that city for a short time.
The sensible masculine view would be that there is no objection to women putting on the divided skirt so long as they do not try to make the men wear the discarded petticoat.
Oklahoma is about to acquire a remarkable family Mr. and Mrs. Frank Scott, are seeking a location for a home somewhere in the state where they can obtain plenty of land. They will need it, for they have been married not quite ten years and are the parents of 19 children., all of them living. They hold the record for triplets, having five sets to their credit and two sets of twins. All of the thirteen boys are under five years old.
Street Commissioner and Marshal, Henry Klineline is doing some excellent work on the streets of Ava the past few weeks. Most all the City Poll tax is being paid in money, and the money is being spread on the streets. Good and well graded streets accompanied by grand old side walks is the best evidence of a live people, and a thriving City.
