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Looking Backward 3.5.2015

  25 Years Ago

February 29, 1990

 

The Ava fifth-grade class had the privilege of initiating the new school cafeteria last Friday as those students were the first to eat a meal in the facility.

The Ava High School Bears closed the regular season on a positive note last Friday night by soundly defeating Houston, 79-37. Then on Monday night the Bears slipped past Marshfield, 67-65, to advance in the district tournament at Willow Springs.

Jim Fleetwood, Lyle Clinking-beard, Don Haught and Don Walker were among the business eating breakfast with the Ava High School FFA last Friday. More than 40 business men and women celebrated National FFA Week by enjoying the breakfast prepared by the FFA officers.

Shawna Loftin, of Squires, received grand champion and two reserve grand champions in the Southwestern Missouri Hunter and Jumper Association for the past year.

Tim and LeaAnne Ellison would like to announce the birth of their son, Christopher John, born at 9:20 a.m. Feb. 18, at St. John’s Hospital in Tusla, Okla. He weighed 6 lbs., 15 oz., and 19 ½ inches long.

Edna Mae Davis and her Junior Booger County Square Dancers performed for the Ava Kiwanis Club at noon last Thursday. Dr. Davis is helping to preserve the art of square dancing by teaching classes for youngsters here.

RED BUD VILLAGE –– Bible study was at the home of Gladys Welton. Present were Goldie Oxley, Dottie Robertson, Eulah Howerton, Margaret Stahlman, Hester Hale, Flossie Landers and Willene Adams.

 

50 Years Ago

February 25, 1965

 

Approval of an $83,000 loan for construction of the Ava Country Club and recreational area was announce this week by Kenneth Miller, FHA county supervisor. The Soil and Water Conservation loan granted through the Farmers Home Administration will cover the construction of a clubhouse, swimming pool, bathhouse, golf course and a manmade lake, on an 80-acre site west of the city.

“I’m not retiring, I am simply taking a vacation and will go back to work in August.” That was the statement of Emmett Yeoman, owner of the Ava Hardware Company, the second oldest business firm in Ava, in announcing sale of the Hardware business to the West Plains Hardware Company of West Plains, Mo. Mr. Yeoman, who has been in business here in the same location for 45 years, announced sale of the firm this week.

Admiral Bill Martin gave a party for the selection board of the Pentagon. Among those invited was Lt. Cmdr. James Hunt, son of Roy Hunt of Rogersville. Cmdr. Hunt is a recorder for the selection board.

Winter gripped the southwest Missouri Ozarks Wednesday as about three inches of snow over a glaze of sleet blanketed the area – the first measurable snowfall in Ava this winter.

SMALLETT –– Mr. and Mrs. Billy Sellers and family of Potosi and Mr. and Mrs. Buddy Norman and children spent the weekend with Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Sellers.

Mr. and Mrs. James W. Jenkins and son, James Gregory of Memphis, Tenn., spent the weekend in Ava visiting in the home of her mother and grandmother, Mrs. Gladys Cantrell and Mrs. Melissa Hale, and with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Warden Jenkins and family of Route 4, Ava.

The Roy Royals Club held a regular meeting Wednesday, Feb. 10, in the home of Mrs. Orin Barnes. Mrs. Clella Cunningham, president, presided, and the ladies opening the meeting with the singing of hymns and were accompanied at the piano by Mrs. Orville Dewhirst.

GENTRY –– Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Denney have recently had new milking equipment installed.

Mrs. Elmer Spurrier and her son and daughter, Cal Ray and Janice of Jefferson City, made a short visit in Ava during the weekend and visited in the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Neiman and with the children’s paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Spurrier, Mrs. Spurrier and her children arrived in Ava Sunday noon and they drove home Monday morning.

Sam Heard, who formerly lived in Ava, has been visiting in this area with members of his family.

Mr. and Mrs. Cleo Herd returned to their home Friday after a two-week’s winter vacation in Downey, Calif., where they had been guests in the home of a daughter, and her family.

 

75 Years Ago

February 29, 1940

 

Final dividend checks to depositors of the Bank of Ava were mailed this week by special deputy finance commissioner, Richard Johnson. Printed slips enclosed with each check explained that the payment represents 3.7 percent of the deposit or claim against the bank.

Two salesmen have been added to the personnel of the Burdett Chevrolet Company. They are Fred Lewis, formerly of Mtn. Home, Arkansas who was salesman for Mr. Burdett in 1934 and 1935 and Carl Walker who for a number of years was manager of the parts department for the Burdett Company.

Lieut. and Mrs. D. M. Singer announce the birth of a 9-pound daughter, Virginia Ann, Tuesday morning, Feb. 27, at the St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. Lieut. Singer is the commanding officer at CCC Camp 3733 near Thornfield, and Mrs. Singer and the children make their home in Ava.

Missouri farmers soon will have a chance to see a cross section of their lives, as recorded by the moving picture camera. McKinley Sisco, chairman of the Douglas County Agriculture Conservation Assn. announced this morning that a cameraman for “March of Time” had “shot” scenes here in the Midwest for the latest release of the famous film series. “Uncle Sam _ The Farmer,” as March of Time film editors have titled it, will show in Ava from March 5 to March 7 inclusive.

There is no glamour in Stein­beck’s story of the Grapes of Wrath. It is a tale of life that is raw, blood red and dripping with trag­edy. A tale of beaten people swept from their moorings, the unen­lightened, the oppressive and des­pised, and filled with a ponderable hate. The most dangerous hate. The hate of the hungry for the cropfull who sit smug and content, the apex of hate that bites into the soul.

A picture in the Herald a few months ago reestablished contact between two friends of many years ago who now are separated by half a continent. On Dec. 28, the Herald published a picture of the Rev. and Mrs. S.N. Hargis of Foil who had a few days before observed their golden wedding anniversary. Far away in St. Helena, Oregon, lives W. J. Johnson, who was a witness at the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Hargis. Less than a week after the picture was published Mr. Johnson wrote to Mr. and Mrs. Hargis.

BRYANT –– Mr. and Mrs. Everett Rippee entertained Sunday in compliment to their daughter, NeBoyd, who was celebrating her seventh birthday anniversary. Guests were Mr. and Mrs. Dock Rippee, W.H. Hinkle, Billy Allen and Misses NeBoyd, Patsy and Donna.

Wallace Hartley, who is stationed at the U.S. Naval base in Great Lakes, Illinois, arrived in Ava last Thursday and will spend a twelve days leave visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Hartley.

 

100 Years Ago

March 11, 1915

 

At the stock law election held in five townships in Douglas County last Tuesday: Findlay, Benton, Springcreek, Washington and Campbell, it was carried by a vote of 472 to 415, giving a majority of 57 votes.

This snow has spoiled our dreams of spring.

SCHOOL NOTES –– We have several new students. Those taking teachers course are: Misses Ethel Kirkman, Vera Northup, Vallie Spurlock, and Myrtle Damewood and Alvice Reece. Those taking teachers course and part high school course are: Misses Margaret Fletcher, Ethyl McDonald, Mayme Hibbard and Ethel Martin, Messers Bruce Rippee and Elias Vancil.

DRURY ITEMS –– We are having some very bitter cold weather.

T.J. Moorehouse of Denlow, and a candidate for County School Superintendent was in Ava last Friday and Saturday, “seeing” the voters and mingling with the teachers, during teachers’ meeting last week.

Marriage Licenses – Bert Morgan, of Brushy Knob, to Daisy Yandall, of Ellis, Mo.; Robert Orr, of Romance to Nettie Gilman, of Rockbridge; Neal Davis of Squires, to Bertha Brown of Ava; James R. Hendrix to Jenny Reynolds, both of Smallett; Broch Evans of Cross Roads, to Pearl Lethco of Roy.

With only nature’s weapons, Whitney Dodson, a prospector of Alamilino district fought for his life with a wildcat, finally killing him with a club. The beast, clinging to Dodson with its teeth, ripped and tore with its claws. Dodson finally seized the animal by the throat, and forced it to loosen its hold. He then snatched up a club and when the cat again made for him he crushed its head with a well-directed blow.

BUCKHART NEWS –– We have got a new merchant in Buckhart, Mr. Edgar Morris, son of Bye Morris, of Rockbridge, has bought J.P. Newton out and is going to run an up-to-date store.

The 3rd and 4th grades enjoyed a ciperlog match Thursday. Bessie Roberts was the winner in the 4th grade and Elza Fletcher in the 3rd grade.

DENLOW –– Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Murray have moved into the Mayfield house.

 

125 Years Ago

March 6, 1890

 

LONDON, March 1 –– The British India steamer Quetta, which sailed from Australia Feb. 27, struck an uncharted rock near Somerset in Torres straits and sank in less than five minutes. Two hundred persons went down, with scarcely a warning. It was a 2,250 ton steamer plying between English, Australian and India ports.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark, –– A tornado swept over a portion of this section yesterday, carrying away fences, overturning houses and doing untold damage. The old observatory, nearly 100 feet high, which has stood on the top of Hot Springs mountain for several years, was blown down. Reports are coming in that its tract is marked by wrecked farm houses, prostrated trees and general destruction of property.

Douglas County Clerk Curnutt is engaged in making a plot of the roads of Douglas County.

Holman and Wagner have secured the contract to furnish lumber for the new Baptist Church in Ava.

Prospects for a fruit crop in Douglas County and vicinity were nipped in the bud by last week’s blizzard.

Messers. Klineline and Yandall have completed all the necessary arrangements to start their new distillery and commence operations shortly.

FROM DOGWOOD –– The “grippe” is upon us. Your correspondent is just recovering from an attack of la grippe.

Mrs. Mary Jones of Bridgeport, Conn., and the twins to whom she gave birth a few days ago, are objects of great interest among many residents of the Fourth ward. The peculiarity about the infants is the startling contrast in their complexions. One is as black as the ordinary infant born of full African parents, but the other is as white as the clearest skinned representative of the Caucasian race. Mrs. Jones is the mother of nine other children, but in none of them is there any indications of white blood.

State Treasurer Noland is reported short in his accounts, and has been suspended from the duties of his office while an investigation of his books is being made by Gov. Francis. This is nothing more than might be reasonably expected. Democratic treasurers in Missouri as well as some of the other southern states have a reputation for getting short in their accounts of public funds, this time the shortage as far as reported is only about $45,000.

A young man known as A.G. Pennington was found dead in a room in the Pacific Hotel, by Chris Seiber, last Saturday morning about eight o’clock. Coroner Stephens was notified and the body removed to the morgue.

U.S. Marshall Roper made Douglas County a business call on Saturday last and arrested Mr. Brown, who was recently interested in a sawmill on Fox Creek. The usual charge of cutting timber has been preferred against Brown and whether he is proven guilty or not guilty, he will have costs to pay.