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Looking Backward 6.29.2017

25 Years Ago

June 25, 1992

 

The long awaited announcement has been made. The new Ava Post Office will be open to the public Monday morning.

A new statute concerning driving while intoxicated in Missouri takes effect on July 1.  The Missouri legislature has redrafted statute 577.023 that sets out the procedure that the courts follow to enhance DWI offenses. The law going into effect July 1 broadens the range of violations to include some county and municipal intoxication-related offenses for purposes of enhancing the penalty DWI charge.

Ava’s first session of summer school begins July 7 and runs through Aug. 7, but much of the program will not really resemble school, as we know it.  All activities will center around a nature theme, and the students will take a field trip every Friday.

On June 13, Janice Campbell and Marjorie Hauser honored their father, Clifford Robertson with a birthday luncheon.

Dorothy Uhlmann celebrated her 95th birthday, Sunday, June 21 at the home of her daughter and son-in-law.  Fresh fish caught by Ronnie Curry and fryed by Howard Curry were delicious.

Scott and Gail Huffman and son Benjamin are proud to announce the birth of Mariah Caitlyn.

Wayne Garrett, of Ava, received quite a scare this week when a bullet passed through the windshield of the car he was driving and whizzed by him, falling harmlessly in the back floor of his car.  Garrett was traveling west on Highway 14, about two miles east of Ava, when the incident occurred.

A trio of Ava High School students participated in the Regional Teen Institute held at Camp Wakon-da. They are Jennifer Potter, Rick Harper and Tim Meyer.  These students received training in alcohol and other drugs, teen issues and life skills which they will share with their peers when school opens in the fall.

 

50 Years Ago

 June 22, 1967

 

An Ava landmark, the former Mose Reynolds home just off the northeast corner of the public square, which is believed to be over 90 years old, will be razed to make way for a city parking lot.

The Bureau of Outdoor Recrea-tion, Department of the Interior, is approving a $9,500 grant to Ava, it was announced this week by Senators Stuart Symington and Edward V. Long and Congressman Durward G. Hall.  The funds were used to acquire seven acres of land for outdoor recreation purposes in Ava.  The seven-acre parcel is located at the junction of Highway 5 and joins the fairgrounds on the east.  It was purchased for the con-struction of a municipal park featuring a swimming pool and recreational facilities.

The 1st Armored Division of the 52nd Infantry gave a farewell dinner recently in honor of 2nd Lt. Jerry L. Wallace and wife.  He was presented with a framed Certificate of Achievement from his colonel.  The award was for outstanding performance of duty as adjutant during the period 9 January to 13 May, 1967.

Mr. and Mrs. Willard Roberts have received word that their son, Dr. Howard H. Roberts, returned home from Dong Ha Vietnam June 15, and is making plans to move to Columbia where he will enter the University of Missouri.

Gary Kester, son of Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Kester, 307 N.E. 5th Avenue, received his master’s degree in Spanish in commencement exer-cises conducted at the University of Missouri in Columbia, June 6.

ARNO –– Those visiting in the Clarence Blakey home on Monday night from Arno were Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Gentry, Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Creech, Mrs. Charles Powers, and Mrs. Tom Pelham.

A report from the United States Department of Agriculture indicates that the average number of milk cows has declined every year since 1953, from 21.7 to about 14.7 in 1966. However, for the same period, milk output per cow has gained an average of 212 pounds per year.

Owen Drive-In Seymour, Mo. –  Gina Lollobrigida, Robert Morley in Hotel Paradiso. Filled with oo-la-la laughter.  In color.  See all the naughty fun that goes on in hotels.  Comedy, “Mexican Mousepiece.”

June is Dairy Month.

Cadet First Class James Pueppke a fourth year student in the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., has just concluded a nine-day visit with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Willard Pueppke, Route 3.

BEAUFORT, S.C. (FHTNC) June 8 –– Marine Private First Class Jerry L. Gipe, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Gipe of Ava, was promoted to his present rank while serving with Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron-32 based at the Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, SC.

 

75 Years Ago

June 25, 1942

 

Resignation of O.W. Woods, science teacher in Ava High School, was received this week by Superintendent C.W. Parker.  Mr. Woods is in Sandusky, Ohio, working as inspector of explosives for the ordnance division of the War Department. So far as he knows, he told Mr. Parker he will continue working in the ordnance division for the duration of the war.

Mr. Parker also has received word that Miss Colleen Armantrout, instructor of teacher training and history in Ava High School, is working this summer as a typist for the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C.

George Mullins, local supervisor for the Farm Security Administra-tion, went to his farm near Bakersfield last week intending to do some fishing.  But, there was too much water in the creek, so he went squirrel hunting instead.  But, on his squirrel hunt he found some-thing he prizes more than he would his limit in squirrels. It was a complete outer skin of a snake that was a good deal longer than a man.  Mr. Mullins brought it back to Ava with him and laid it out full length – not stretching it for fear of damaging it – and it measured six feet and four inches.

Six to nine Jap shells, landing on the Oregon coastline, near Seaside, Monday, June 22, brought the war to the United States mainland for the second time since Pearl Harbor. The shells, which the Fourth Army headquarters at San Francisco declared were fired from an “unidentified craft,” landed at 11:30 p.m. Pacific war time, Sunday, June 21.  Firing lasted about 15 minutes and no damage or casualties were reported. This attack followed about 24 hours submarine shelling of the Canadian government radio station at Estevan, Vancouver Island. No damage occurred there either.

Hitler, in his speech to the Reich last October, said that Russia was destroyed, that she would “never rise again.”  Then it must be her ghosts that are pursuing him now and scaring the daylights out of him.

Friday afternoon Mrs. R.M. Norman entertained a group of boys at a birthday party in compliment to her grandson, Bobby Crain, who was celebrating his eleventh birth-day anniversary. Those present were Larry Belt, Robert Ellis, Jimmy Norman, Sammy Wiggins, Bill Hardie, Mac Callaway and the honoree.

Avalon Theatre –– “Man Power” action galore with Edward G. Robinson, George Raft and Marlene Dietrich. A story of two men – lifelong friends – until a woman came between them.

ROCKBRIDGE –– Bryant Creek was on a rampage last week following the heavy rain of Wednesday morning, doing quite a lot of damage to crops.

During World War I, airplane engines had to be overhauled every 50 hours. Today because their vital parts are machined to within a few ten-thousandths of an inch, they can go 600 hours without repair.

 

100 Years Ago

June 28, 1917

 

Wolves are becoming such a menace in sections of Douglas County and in the western part of Howell County, that many farmers are talking of abandoning sheep raising altogether, according to reports.

J.H. McMurtrey reports the loss of 65 acres of meadow, 13 acres of wheat, all the meadow, 1 acres of wheat, all of his corn and over a mile of fence in the recent high waters on Fox Creek.  Total damage to the farm is estimated at between $2,000 and $2220.

The youngest child of Mr. and Mrs. John Bozarth of south of town is very ill with Malarial fever.

Ted Yelayey sold his tailor shop to Roland Kerr and left for Kansas City Saturday.

Mr. Fred Livingston and Miss Elva Souder were married Saturday night at 8:30 by Judge Dyer at the latter’s residence.

Dr. Kyle of Hammond passed thru Ava Friday on the way home from Springfield where he had been to take Chas. Hampton to a hospital.  Hampton, who is suffering from 16 buckshot in his body as the result of the shooting at Dugginsville, as reported in the Herald last week, is now past the danger mark and will recover. None of the shot will be removed from his body.

Barney Singleton fell and broke his left arm at the wrist when he jumped from a moving car in the switch yards at the Ava Depot Saturday.

The Willow Springs Republican reports that four slackers at West Plains are to be taken to charge by officers, who will take them to the county clerk’s office in West Plains to be registered and later turn them over to federal authorities.

Charlestown, W. Va. –– As a war measure, every able bodied citizen of West Virginia between 16 and 60 must work at least 36 hours a week under a law passed by both houses of the legislature. The measure includes persons having incomes and who have no specified employ-ment.  The penalty for violation is forced employment by counties or municipalities.

After a day or two in a hustling, bustling western town a tramp shook the dust from his boots with a snarl. “They must be darn lazy people in this town. Everywhere you turn they offer you work to do.”

SILVERTON –– Hermie Miller and Miss Agnes Workman drove to Ava Thursday and were quietly married.

OLATHE –– Miss Hazel Turner, weight 9 lbs. arrived at the home of J.J. Turners last Monday night.

Some of our farmers are so busy these days trying to catch up with their work that they forget the day of the week and plan to do their trading on Sunday.

 

125 Years Ago

June 30, 1892

 

NEW YORK, June 27 –– It is believed that the Spanish steamer Vega, from Lisbon, has been in collision and is lost.  She is seven days overdue. There are 500 souls on board.

KINGMAN, A.T. June 23 –– A great gold rush has set into the new mining camp in Mojave County, Arizona, 50 miles north of here. Mining men who have visited the new camp estimate the amount of ore on the surface worth not less than $1,000,000.  The new town will be called Silverado.

An autograph manuscript of Charles Lamb, two folio pages in length, was sold in London the other day for $350.

While resisting a Constable and his posse a day or two ago, Frank Raney of Douglas County was shot and killed instantly. Raney espoused the cause of two women, whom the Constable had been sent to arrest.

There is quite a growing senti-ment among our leading business-men for the building of better roads from Ava to some point on the railroad.  At present, Mansfield is the acknowledged and accepted station by our people, but the roads are in a deplorable condition and at times almost impassable. Cedar Gap is the nearest point and is also the most feasible point, but it is poorly equipped for hotels and livery stables.  Seymour has the largest population, the most businessmen, good hotel accommodations and good livery outfits.  A few hundred dollars spent in a judicious manner would be of incalculable benefit to this place, the country south of us and all along the road.  We must have good roads.

1776 – 1892, Grand Celebration at Ava, Missouri, July 4th.  Sack races, foot races, potato races, and many other amusements.  The Grand Parade is in the forenoon, headed by the Ava Cornet Band.  States represented by handsome young ladies.  A baseball game in the afternoon between the Ava and Bryant Creek clubs.  Sinuous Snake Hunters, a spectacle never before presented in public.  A grand display of fireworks at night will conclude the day’s amusements.

Sheep pelts are being made into the strongest kind of lace leather by the Wright tanning process.

  1. J. Turner has improved his business property on the north side of the square by putting down a new sidewalk.

The letter that never came was not a dun.  Those always arrive on time.

The music teacher’s profession has a sound bank.

A stitch in the pitcher saves the other nine.

Advice is all right if we can only get enough different kinds of it to take our pick.

The farther away a man gets from his baby, the more he praises its good behavior.