Looking Backward 4.12.2012
25 Years Ago
April 9, 1987
Edna Thompson will be crowned Oats Queen at the annual Spring Fling that will be held at the Ava Community Center this Saturday, April 11.
Members of the Ava High School golf team that are making the circuit this spring are Mike Gehrke, Kevin Anderson, Lee Maggard Eric Sallee, Johnna Sawyer, Mark Burke, James Johnson and Gary Jenkins.
Lisa Ellison of Ava has been invited to join the Alpha Sigma Lambda national honor society at Drury Evening College.
On March 14, Sam Miller, son of Robert and Donna Miller, participated in the Young Authors Conference at Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg.
Cam Creel has purchased a house and nine acres near Wasola through Country Network Area Land Realty, Max and Wanda Murphy, agents.
On March 7, the Ava Girl Scouts held their first annual Girl Scout and Parent Bowling Tournament at the Ava Bowl. Sixty girls and sixty parents, grandparents, and other adult volunteers participated. Girl Scout bowling tournament winners in the Daisy and Brownie division are 1st place, Brandy and Denny Case; 2nd place Melanie and Sharon Sutton; and 3rd place, Jacqueline and Jim Meyer.
The Ava High School baseball squad treated Gainesville rudely on the home field last Thursday afternoon pounding out a nine-hit, nine run, shutout against the Bulldogs. Junior hurler Ron Wallace went the distance for the Bears, striking out 13 batters.
Pvt. Dean Wright, son of Roger and Linda Wright of Thornfield, has completed the basic field artillery cannoneer course under the one station unit-training program at For Sill, Okla.
50 Years Ago
April 5, 1962
Sale of $350,000 in bonds of the Ava R-1 school district was completed this week, and funds are now on hand for construction of a new high school building.
Dick Wallace, who sold Wallace’s Café on the square last month to Cleo Herd, has purchased a half interest in Gambles Store, located on the west side of the square, and Tuesday began a partnership operation of the firm with Ernest Uhlmann. Wallace purchased his interest in Gambles from Claude H. Hibbard of Ava. The business was established by Uhlmann and Hibbard in 1947 and been operated by Uhlmann since that time.
Norman Baker, who last month sold the Highway House, in north Ava to Denzil Barnes, purchased a 6-½ acre tract of land and business building from Glen Norman. The land is located at the northeast corner of the junction of Highways 5 and 14 just west of the city limits.
A fire apparently caused by faulty electric wiring caused an estimated $400 damage to the Highway House Restaurant Sunday morning. The building is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Murley Grabeel of Springfield and is leased to Mr. and Mrs. Denzil Barnes, restaurant owners.
Construction of a duplex on the Miller property on Jefferson Street in Ava began Monday morning. The site of the new building is on a lot adjoining the home of Miss Hester Miller and is located directly across the street from the Maples Café. The Posey Bros. of Ava are in charge of construction.
Toni Ann Jenkins, 5-year-old daughter of Linotype Operator Tony and Lucille Jenkins, had a keen observation after being mauled and bitten about the face by a large dog: “Daddy turned green after the dog had bitten me!”
Mrs. A.A. Adams recalls that the first 4-H Club in Douglas County was organized in 1931 and was called the “Calf Club.” Mrs. Adams then was child development chairman of the Home Extension Club, which was also organized that year. John Fawcett, then manager of Carnation Company, here, was chairman of the calf project and he purchased eight registered Jersey heifers and brought here for the youths. That project proved to be one of the first introductions of registered Jerseys in this area, and their number has spread greatly since that time.
As you suffer over your income tax report you may like to cogitate on this selected item recommended in the federal budget for next fiscal year: “$500,000 for the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice contemplating that ‘promotion of civilian interest in small arms marksmanship will continue at current level’.”
STAR (Mrs. O.K. Welton) – Twin heifer calves arrived at our house last day of March,
Mrs. John Moles hostessed a pink and blue shower at her home north of Ava Thursday afternoon, March 16 in honor of Mrs. Dee Cutbirth.
75 Years Ago
April 8, 1937
Last week the Herald reported the finding of a homemade star wedged against foundation stones of the old courthouse. The star was cut from a tobacco tin, had a safety pin soldered on the back and on the front was painted in black letters, “the law.” This week comes the story of the badge. Four years ago, when C.S. Neiman became deputy sheriff during the term of Earnie Gentry, he received a bulky package from a friend, O.C. “Dad” Enloe, at Almartha. The package was about a foot and a half square. Neiman untied the strings, started taking out excelsior and other packing materials by the handfuls. In the very bottom of the box he found the tin badge. He kept the badge around the sheriff’s office, but after a time it became mislaid. When the story of its finding appeared in the Herald last week, Neiman recognized it by the description as his badge.
F. L. Thomas, local produce dealer gave a very interesting report to callers at his produce house this week. Mr. Thomas stated that last week he purchased 141 cases of eggs from one customer in Ava, a total of 50,700 eggs.
The first and third grade children of the Ava public schools, their teachers and several mothers made an educational and entertaining trip Saturday afternoon. The novel idea was sponsored by Miss Opal Shores, first grade. Miss Shores with twenty-two pupils and seven mothers, and Miss Mae Fugate, third grade teacher, with sixteen pupils and four mothers, enjoyed a railroad excursion to Mtn. Grove. While on the “Sunnyland” the porter showed the children the Pullman coach, prepared a bed for their observation and permitted them to ride in both lower and upper berth.
The little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R.F. Mundorff of near this city, was attacked by a mad cat last Friday, which inflicted a severe wound in its hand. The head of the cat was sent to the state board of health at Jefferson City and the report said it had a bad case of rabies. Treatment was quickly administered and the little one is thought to be doing nicely. The cat had a deep bite in the child’s hand and it was necessary to beat it loose.
HUNTER NEWS –– From the way snow is falling this morning we will have some more winter days.
Howard Helmeyer, newly elected city marshal, was able to return to his work at the Cobblestone Service Station Tuesday after being confined to his home for the past month suffering from a sever attack of flu.
Cadets Ruskin Norman and Howard Curry, students in Kemper Military Academy, returned to Boonville Tuesday morning after being called here Sunday evening to attend the funeral services for their aunt, Miss Nola Curry.
DENLOW–FOX CREEK – A new baby girl has made its arrival at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Byron Roberts.
100 Years Ago
April 11, 1912
Past experiments in sidewalk building and street improvements have not in every instance proven satisfactory. Property owners have been permitted to construct sidewalks on any grade best built to their convenience without regard to the welfare of the city in general. The result has been that there is no uniformity. Sudden rises or drops in the walks not only make them inconvenient and destroy their beauty but make it impossible to make the streets conform to them. The council has therefore determined to establish a permanent grade on every street along which it has ordered walks built or may hereafter order them built and request property owners to build their walks to such grade.
The new Beaver Creek bridge recently completed by Mr. J.H. Murray contractor, we believe this to be the best bridge in the state for the price. This is the first steel bridge in the county, but if we are not mistaken it will not be the last.
OLATHE NEWS –– There was an egg roast at Weavers Saturday night, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and they all had all the eggs they could eat.
BRUSHYKNOB ITEMS –– Mr. Ed Morgan has his new residence almost completed and it is something to be proud of.
Mrs. Lawrence Davis and little son Ralph, are visiting with Mrs. John Denney near Brown’s Cave this week.
Be sure to see the Watterson saddle horse before you breed. One mile north of Rome. He is sixteen hands high, weighs 1400 lbs. His looks and his colts are his best recommendation. I will pay $100.00 for the best colt at weaning time. Yours Respectfully, P. A. Watterson.
John Squires of Hammond, was in Ava the first of this week. He came up to unload a car of corn which he had recently shipped in. John says that the floods last summer damaged the creek bottom corn to some extent, and that the severe cold winter has made feed and breadstuff very short in his country.
Miss Sybil Stewart received a real nice piano last Monday, a gift by her parents in honor of her 16 birthday.
Misses Elsie and Esther Hailey gave a surprise party at their suburban home last Tuesday evening in honor of Miss Ruth Yount and Owen Schofield, who lately moved to this county from Sopris, Colorado.
TOPAZ NEWS –– Mr. and Mrs. B.M. Gott visited with Mr. J.C. Elliott and family Saturday night and Sunday.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Everett Stillwell a fine baby girl one day last week.
