Looking Backward 1.29.2015
25 Years Ago
January 25, 1990
AHS seniors Halle Adams and Laura Hall were named Hoopcoming King and Queen at the Ava-Mtn. Grove Basketball game here last Friday night.
Despite opposition from a small group of patrons, the Ava R-1 Board of Education gave formal approval to the closing of the high school campus during the noon hour, beginning with the 1990-91 school year.
Ava Mayor James Norman said he was notified last week that the Missouri Highway and Transportation will designate a center turn lane on North Business Route 5 and Highway 14 (NW 12th Ave.) this spring. The center turn lane will involve all of the east-west route, extending from the Highway House Café at the corner of North Jefferson St. and NW 12th Ave. west to a point just west of the intersection of Highways 5 and 14.
Marine Sgt. Scott Huffman, son of Dorsey and Doyne Huffman, of Rt. 1, Ava, recently completed the U.S. Army Airborne Course.
Marine 2nd Lt. Randy Nash, son of Mary Nash of Rt. 1, Ava, was graduated from The Basic School, located at the Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico, Va.
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Swearengin will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, Sunday, Feb. 4 at Eastern Gate Baptist Church. They were married Feb. 6, 1940, at the home of Rev. Luke Marler in Ava.
Barnes Supply, Inc. has sold the plumbing and electric supply business to Mr. Ray Reynolds. It will now be known as Ray’s Electric and Plumbing.
Two eagles were killed in this area in recent months. This has generated interest not only from the public, but from around the state. The birds were killed in a remote area. The investigation is continuing, with bits and pieces of information coming in.
50 Years Ago
January 21, 1965
Ava schools were closed for two and a half days recently due to faulty furnaces in the elementary school and in the high school building, according to Principal Max Decker.
Three Ava men were arrested here about 11 o’clock Monday night in connection with the theft of three rolls of woven-wire fence from the Ava Lumber Company west of the square. State Trooper Joe Hart and Sheriff Chancy Sherman reported that the men sold the wire to a farmer “to get drinking money.” One of the men led officers to the place where the wire was sold.
A Douglas County student has been named as a principal appointment to the U.S. Military Academy by Cong. Durward G. Hall from the Seventh Congressional District of Missouri, it was announced this week. George Moore Hetherington whose guardians are Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Flattem of Route 1, Ava, was selected for the appointment on the basis of his scores made in competitive service examinations, and individual interviews with members of the Southwest Missouri Service Academies Advisory Council.
The Ava Bears continue in a losing streak with a 0-14 record for the season after a defeat Tuesday night by Mountain Grove, 82-40 in a South Central Association game. The Bears hold a 0-3 record in conference play.
Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Blakey entertained with a birthday party Thursday evening in honor of their daughter, Monica Ann, who was celebrating her fourth birthday.
Four persons, including two juveniles, were arrested here Saturday night by State Trooper Joe Hart for racing on Highway 5. Marvin Brown, 21, of Wasola, driver of a 1952 Chevrolet, and Verle Jones, 19, of Foil driving a 1956 Ford, were charged with racing about 10:15 p.m. Saturday, south on State Highway 5.
BASHER –– Bernie Deatherage, who was a patient at St. John’s Hospital, became worse and was taken to Barnes Hospital in St. Louis Friday by Clinkingbeard ambulance.
Mrs. Glenn Haskins was honored Saturday night, Jan. 16 at a 7 o’clock surprise birthday party held in her home on NE 9th St.
Church bells and the fire siren will signal the start of the Mothers’ March on birth defects here Tuesday evening, Jan. 26, and residents of Ava are asked to turn on their porch light or signal to indicate to the mothers that they wish to donate to the drive. Mrs. Ora Tallent, mothers march chair-man, said the volunteers will be out between 6:30 and 8 p.m. Mothers who have volunteered to serve as area captains are: Southwest – Mrs. Basil Spurlock, Mrs. Betty House; Northwest – Mrs. Wanda Haynes; Southeast – Mrs. Vivian Curry, and Mrs. Voyne Clinkingbeard; Northwest – Mrs. James Curry, and Mrs. Gorman Dye, Jr.
75 Years Ago
January 25, 1940
The case of the Junior play of Ava High School began rehearsals Monday night. “The Tangled Yarn” is the name of the play selected, and it will be presented in the high school gymnasium in February. The case includes Betty Norman, Lucille Haskins, Helen Jean Daily, Fern Bench, Mary Nancy Berry, Maxine Kester, Georgia Frye, Paul Barker, Robert Taylor, Howard Alderson, Norris Johnson and Veryl Case.
It is one case of smallpox after the other in the family of County Clerk and Mrs. Ramey Smith. One son, Paul, is recovering from the illness and the other has contracted it, according to the county clerk.
A man who cannot command his temper should not think of being a man of business. –– Chesterfield.
Before an improvised altar of roses, gladiolas and ferns set in the house of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. F.E. Burdett, Miss Wanda Burdett became the bride of J. Harry Williams of West Plains at 8:30 Sunday morning. The Rev. C. M. Kennaugh, pastor of the Ava Methodist Church, read the double ring ceremony.
The United Press reports that a 220-pound gar, which may have been the “White River monster” that fisherman reported seeing two years ago, was on display at a meat market in Mountain Home, Arkansas, last week. The gar was nine feet long and a foot wide across the head. It was caught in a branch of the White River by two fisherman who killed it after getting it into shallow water.
Miss Theta Phipps, grand-daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Hamby of Smallett, and Sterling Arnett, son of Mr. and Mrs. S.A. Arnett of Bakersfield, Ozark county were married last Thursday afternoon in the house of Mr. and Mrs. William Isham just south of town.
Snowed in, but cozy and warm behind a stack of Missouri paper, we still are not, too cut off from the rest of the world to be able to deduct that we have come to the heart of a typical Missouri winter. Four cows try to cross a pond and fall through the ice, a chain around their necks and a horse pulls them out.
According to Frank Wilson, director of the census, the annual birth rate is declining.
TWIN BRIDGES –– The weather in the vicinity of the Twin Bridges isn’t as salubrious as I would like to have it, but anyway it beats the kind that they have over at Ava. I was there Tuesday and it was mud, slush, ice, snow and slick. Over this way little of any kind was to be seen. The river North Fork has some ice on it.
ROME –– The millpond here at Rome is frozen over about four inches. Several boys have been skating on it.
GOODHOPE –– Fred Lethco has moved to his new home and Shelby Floyd has taken over the store, which he recently bought from Mr. Lethco.
100 Years Ago
February 4, 1915
The “Ava Dollar” was put in circulation Wednesday afternoon by John Byng, President of the Ava Welfare League. It is simply a piece of paper money but it has 100 percent efficiency, will be received on deposit by any of the local banks, local merchants will gladly give you credit on your account for it. It will do all any other dollar will do if kept in circulation. Please keep it moving if it comes into your possession.
There was a pie supper at Diamond last Monday night for John Strong who has the fever. The proceeds amounted to $12.00. The cake for the prettiest girl brought $8.00 The girls in the race were Miss Alta Leroy of Bertha and Miss Myrtle Gaskill of Rippee. The cake was awarded Miss Leroy.
- TABOR –– If the stock law does not carry at the coming election some of our farmers will have to go to building fence.
Jim Bradley and Ruby Creech were married Sunday, Rev. Ellis officiating.
Mr. John Snyder is preparing to put a wire fence around his farm near Bertha.
Michael D. Tchefizheff, the man responsible for the present governmental ban on vodka, the demoralizing Russian drink, is a peasant by birth and originally a house painter. The he became mayor of the city of Samara, and is now a millionaire. Physically he is a giant, standing over six feet four inches in his stocking feet and of powerful build.
SCHOOL NOTES –– Miss Lois Clinkingbeard enrolled this week and is taking Teachers course… An old-fashioned spelling and ciphering match was held Friday in Mr. Yeoman’s room. Homer Singleton was the successful speller.
JOHNS MILLS ITEMS –– Everybody is glad to see the sun shine once more after so much bad weather.
Jennings and Son, stockmen of this part, were seen driving in another bunch of calves. They have been buying calves and mules all fall and winter. Now that the value of mules has decreased, Mr. Jennings is looking rather blue.
125 Years Ago
January 30, 1890
Ava is well supplied with whiskey shops and neither the county nor city is devising any benefit therefrom. If whiskey is to be sold contrary to law, and no effort made to prevent such illegal sale, it would be better to license saloons and receive the additional revenue to help pay the criminal costs caused by its use.
The annual catalogue of Drury College for 1889-90 has just been issued. It shows an attendance of 48 students in the college proper, 270 in the preparatory school, and 64 in the other departments, making a total attendance of 382. This is the largest patronage in the history of the college and the faculty now number 12 members. There are 84 members of the alumni association.
Boonville will be lighted shortly be electric lights.
A huge panther is monopolizing the woods in Saline County.
Joplin is patiently waiting for her houses and offices to be wired and furnished with telephones.
Missouri stands tenth among the states of the Union in railroad mileage, having 6,001 miles.
Winter wheat in Missouri is reported up to or above the average. There has been some slight damage from Hessian fly.
Mrs. Trueax of DeKalb County has presented her husband with seven children within three years – two pairs of twins and one pair of triplets.
Many newspapers are trying to explain “the secret of the weather.” He who tries to be weather-wise is quite otherwise. “The wind bloweth where it listeth.”
The prices of camphor and gum promise to rise. The German government is making gigantic purchases of these articles for the manufacture of smokeless powder.
Hurrah for a telephone to Norwood! Hartville is making Norwood her shipping station and the two towns have arranged for telephone communication between them, and if our citizens will hustle themselves and establish connection with Norwood by telephone, we can talk business with the citizens of both places and have lots of fun besides.
A Boston man has discovered a process of making whisky out of beans.
TACOMA, Wash., Jan. 21 – At least ten human beings and thousands of cattle and sheep perished in the blizzard, which began with the year and raged over Washington for a week. Cattle are dying by hundreds from starvation and thirst in the Colville reservation and the ground is covered with over two feet of snow on the level. In some places the snow is drifted mountain high.
