25 Years Ago
June 26, 1986
Some 18,000 pounds of food with a retail value of around $25,000 was distributed in Ava Tuesday afternoon through efforts of the Missouri Rural Crisis Center in Columbia. Some 1,666 individuals representing 454 families signed up for the staples being distributed Tuesday. The supply here was actually depleted before the line ended, and some families had to be short-changed.
The Green Thumb program has provided employees for maintenance work at the Ava R-1 Schools since the program was initiated in the mid-1970s, and the school has come to rely on the program for general maintenance work. Green Thumbers George Phillips and Clifford Walker were busy trimming around the elementary building last week. Sheryl Willhoit, Green Thumb coordinator for this area, will be in Ava today to interview Green Thumb applicants.
The famous Blackwood Quartet will open the 1986 Douglas County Fair on Wednesday evening, July 9, and free grandstand entertainment is planned throughout the four-day fair.
A spectacular electric storm passed through the Ava area last Sunday night, as Mother Nature seemingly celebrated the Fourth of July early. But while where were isolated cases of minor damage from the storm, nothing of major concern was reported.
On June 17 the family of Dorothea Uhlmann met at her home for a barbecue, ice cream and cake to celebrate her 89th birthday.
MOUND –– Mr. and Mrs. Bob Gann visited last week in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Rex Thompson.
OAK FOREST –– A large crowd attended the 50th wedding anniversary of Howard and Maydell Moody at their home.
50 Years Ago
June 22, 1961
Miss Nettie Mae Atchison, 17, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Oren Atchison, of Route 2, Ava, was crowned Dairy Queen of Douglas County at ceremonies before a large crowd at the city fairgrounds Saturday night.
A gas explosion and fire destroyed the four-room frame home of Mr. and Mrs. Arol Thomas and their 3-year-old son, Marty, at about 7:30 Saturday evening. The farm home was located about 14 miles west of Ava on Route 3. It was on the Pansy road, three miles south of Highway 14.
An Ava family, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Sutherland and sons, Billy, Donnie, and Ronnie, left their home on Kay Street, in north Ava, Sunday to establish a new home at 510 South Dollison in Springfield. Mr. Sutherland has been employed for some time in Springfield with Queen City Lumber Company, but his family had remained in Ava until the end of the school year.
Values at Sparks. Bates Fabrics, 1.39 quality, yd. $1.19; Stevens gingham, 69¢ yd.; Upholstered chairs, $9.95; platform rockers, $15.00 We offer a large selection of gift boxed pillow cases, hostess sets, towels and many other gift items. Come in – look around. Sparks Store, Northeast Corner Square, Formerly Gauldings.
Judge and Mrs. R.L. Gidson of Forsyth announce the engagement of their daughter, Marilyn, to John Robert Parker, son of Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Parker of Waynesville, former residents of Ava.
Mr. and Mrs. Harlan House of Ava, members of the Starlight Dance Club in Springfield, attended the club’s last dance of the season held Saturday night at Half-A-Hill and entertained as their guests Mr. and Mrs. Robert Jarrett of Ava.
County Wide Revival, Ava Football Stadium, July 3-16, plan now to attend nightly 7:45 p.m. Hear Evangelist Hyman Appelman, Russian born, converted Jew, world renowned evangelist nightly under the flood-lights of the Ava Football stadium. Sponsored by Douglas County Ministerial Alliance.
SMALLETT –– Mrs. Bill Huffman entertained Friday afternoon. Guests were Mrs. Grover Blakey, Mrs. Ben Fulton, Mrs. Mildred Walden, Mrs. Orlean Osburn, Mrs. Georgia Osburn, Mrs. Carrie Sellers, Mrs. Vee Hamby, Mrs. Sally Heard, Mrs. Bertha Haskins, Mrs. Alice Nave, Mrs. Hazel Kester, Mrs. Betty Kester, Mrs. Norma Mackey and Mrs. Mertie Osburn.
Someone did see Tinker, our lost Chihuahua, and our plea for info about the strayed pet was quickly answered last Thursday. Donald Cunningham brought Tinker home after reading the column, stating that the dog had been around his neighborhood for about a week. Tinker was a bit worse for the wear, apparently having considered that he was as tough as any full sized mongrel. Though scarred, he survived, and is again under the tender care of his mistress.
WASOLA –– Mr. and Mrs. George Prock and son were here visiting Mr. and Mrs. Ewing Prock and the Oscar Denneys. Other visitors were Mr. and Mrs. Boone Prock and children.
75 Years Ago
June 25, 1936
The program of the Fourth of July celebration to be held at the city park here a week from Saturday was announced this week by the entertainment committee. Free entertainment throughout the day is promised by the program. The celebration will start with a grand parade from the square to the picnic grounds at 10:30 o’clock. That will be followed by a flag raising ceremony by the local Boy Scout troop and a band concert. The Ava School Band will lead the parade. Prof. J. S. Mercer, well-known educator of Ava, will read the Declaration of Independence just preceding the noon hour. From 12 to 1 o’clock there will be an air circus. A dog and pony show will be presented between 1 and 2 o’clock. In addition to the dog and pony show there will be an aerial performance on the trapeze.
A group of about twenty cubs of the local Boy Scout troop left today to spend the rest of the week camping at Browns Cave on Bryant Creek. They expect to return Sunday evening.
Work started Thursday of last week on the construction of 7.9 miles of farm to market road from Vanzant east.
Construction of the foundation of the new Douglas County courthouse by the middle of next week is expected by L.W. Weeks, contractor.
The envy of all the boys this week is youthful Gerald Platt, son of Mayor H.H. Platt. Tuesday morning Gerald was notified that he had won a brand new bicycle awarded in a selling contest sponsored by the Norman-Gentry Drug Co.
“Harvard was old Harvard when Yale was but a pup.” The oldest institution of higher learning in the country celebrates it’s 300th birthday this year.
PLEASANT GREEN –– Mr. and Mrs. Bertie Pettit have purchased a new Chevrolet pickup.
NICHOL’S, Ava’s most interesting store. Your money goes further at the 5 and 10 cent store. Open on concert evenings.
T.J. Nading, inspector for the department of liquor control here, was in Jefferson City Wednesday on a business mission.
Mrs. Minnie Robirds who formerly operated a beauty shop in the north side of the square, has moved her equipment to the A.A. Adams building just north of the W & H Motor Co. on Jefferson Street.
A group of young people who enjoyed picnicking and swimming Sunday near Jackson Mill included Mr. and Mrs. Carl Henley, Mr. and Mrs. Russell Robertson, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Pitts, Miss Helen Curnutt, and Harold Dugger of Springfield.
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Fletcher entertained Friday evening with a lawn party in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Glen Hooper, who were recently married. The guests included Mr. and Mrs. Frank Kelso, Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Pettyjohn, Mr. and Mrs. Leo Pitts, Miss Inez Curnutt, Charles Boulson and the honorees.
Announcement was made recently of the marriage of Miss Mary Blanche Victor, daughter of Chas. Victor of Ava, and George Zion of Kansas City.
100 Years Ago
July 6, 1911
W.F. Pearson of Deepwater, who won a 10 acre lot in Howell County, 100 miles southeast of Springfield, has found a rich body of silver and gold ore. This ore lies very close to the surface of the earth. In one place it was only three feet down, two places only six feet down and three places only ten feet. Mr. Pierson’s trace lies west of Pomona three miles.
It is reported in several places around over town, that there is some stock which gets out in the early part of the night and “gets up” again in the morning. It would pay our city marshal to “spry around” over town at about day break. Several gardens over town have suffered from this cause.
The State pure food inspector was in Ava last week rounding up some of the grocerymen and eating houses and other businesses. Among those pronounced in a sanitary condition was Timberlake & Burnet.
There will be a big meeting and dinner in the grove at the Bill Lee Mill on Hunter Creek, eight miles east of Ava, the 4th Sunday in July, 1911. Conducted by Luke Marler and Jess Matney. Everybody invited to come and bring well-filled baskets.
On Saturday evening July the first Ernest Daugherty and Miss Nora Inman were quietly married at 9 o’clock by Rev. Thomas A. Moore at his house in Ava. Mr. Daugherty is one of Ava’s best young men. He is employed with the Ava Milling Co. Miss Nora is one of Ava’s best young ladies and that Mr. Daugherty has won a prize.
The family of Emory Huffman and David Lee and family were poisoned by their 4th of July dinner in Ava last Tuesday. It is supposed to have been caused from a blackberry cobbler which was eaten by about ten or fifteen parties. However, as yet, no deaths have occurred and it is thought all parties will recover.
During the absence of Mr. and Mrs. T.L. Plummer, the business of the Ava Telephone will be in the hands of A.P. Miller and Will Sexton. The books will be in Miss Elaine Neiman’s charge and the switch boards will be operated by Miss Grace Lytle, Miss Vada Barnes. The patrons of the office will please be patient with the management. They will doubtless give us the usual good service.
The contract for the mail between Ava and Mansfield was let to Bert Cheney and he began his duties July 1.
ROME AND BEAR BRANCH NEWS –– An electric storm accompanied by a heavy rain gave us a call June 26, 2 1/2 inches of rain fell. The farmers are now mowing millet and cane.
BRUSHY KNOB ITEMS –– Two monuments were placed in the Brushy Knob cemetery last week. One to the memory of Uncle John Walker, and the other to the memory of Rev. Harrison Elliot. The people of this community have a well-kept cemetery.
RICHVILLE RAMBLINGS –– There is a mad dog scare around here at present, several dogs and some stock were bitten. The dog passed on into Ozark with an armed posse in pursuit.
