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Looking Backward 12.18.2014

25 Years Ago

December 14, 1989

 

Snowfall in the Ava area was light last Thursday night, but the frozen precipitation made black­topped surfaces very slippery.

Two local performers of tradi­tional arts have been recognized by the University of Missouri and the Missouri Arts Council. Robert Holt and Edna Mae Davis are among 21 artists from across Mis­souri selected by a statewide panel of experts to participate in the Tra­ditional Arts Apprenticeship Pro­gram for 1989-90.

Omer Twitty, Monett, formerly of Douglas County, was one of 19 former prisoners of war honored this fall at a ceremony at Webb City. Twitty, the son of the late Oliver J. Twitty and Mary (Fox) Twitty, who now lives in Monett, had not yet reached his 19th birth­day when he was sent to North Africa and then to Italy with the 34th Infantry Division of the Fifth Army, trying to halt the march of the German Army across Europe. Twitty was among some 50 troops who were captured Jan. 1, 1944. On Jan. 28, as the prison train was making its way from the camp north of Rome to Germany, Twitty and a British soldier escaped when the train was blown into the Tiber River by bombers. Some 500 of the 800 prisoner were killed.

Kay and Harold Hutchison were hosts for an early birthday celebra­tion Sunday afternoon for their grandson, Steven Tackett, Carl Junction, who will be four years old Wednesday, Dec. 13.

RED BUD VILLAGE –– The carolers from the Mt. Tabor Church called on Nancy Huffman Sunday.

OCIE –– Mr. and Mrs. Earl Watson from Ava had lunch yes­terday with Wanda Sowards at Ocie. … Tom Baxter is home from the hospital and able to walk up to the Cedar Hill Café.

 

50 Years Ago

December 10, 1964

 

Bond Sales Completed, Facility is Assured –– Bond sales totaling $70,000 have been completed on the $500,000 Assembly Homes, Inc., nursing home that is scheduled to be constructed here next year.

The A&M Telephone Company, which has several exchanges in Ava, was sold recently to General Telephone Company of Missouri. General has headquarters in Co­lumbia and A&M’s home offices are located in Springfield.

The Herald has just recently installed a new offset commercial printing press, and members of the office force have been getting their first lessons in its operation. The new press, a “Multilith,” 11×17 inch printing surface is the first step in upgrading equipment in the printing plan. Next, now in pro­cess, will be the installation and equipment of a dark room for pro­cessing plates for the new type of equipment.

Work has started on an 800-foot bridge across White River at the Highway 5 crossing at Calico Rock in Izard County. The bridge will eliminate one of the few remaining current-powered ferryboats used by the State Highway Department. A coffer dam has already been con­structed by the contractor to divert the stream and permit the placing of concrete piers.

Newspaper errors frequently take a humorous turn. Editor and Publisher magazine has made a compilation of them, as follows: “–– He was associated in low prac­tice with his father” (San Francisco Chronicle). “––LBJ’s charming daughter, Luci Baines, will be seen on the TV show in two parts” (Chicago Daily Tribune).   “––School lunch menus include fried children and gravy” (Sterling, Colo., Journal-Advocate). “––Nice bedroom, fan, privileges with one girl” (Shreveport Times).   “––The couples first two children were born in India while they were living in Arabia” (Jamestown, N.Y. Post-Journal).

Open house will be held at the new Buss Reynolds Insurors building, one block south of the courthouse, Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

SWEDEN –– Harold Lakey and family have moved into their new home on Highway 14, five miles east of Ava.

A wedding shower and charivari was given on Dec. 1 for Mr. and Mrs. Gene Williams at the White Oak School House.

Step into the largest, most luxu­rious and best-selling Ambassador ever built. 1965s most sweepingly changed car –– Ambassador is al­ready a smashing success. Sales up a record 91% over last year. Crain Auto Sales, Jct. Highways 14 & 5.

The annual Christmas party for members of the Ava Saddle Club and their families was held in the MFA Hall Dec. 2. The event, attended by 103 persons, was high­lighted with an exchange of Christmas gifts.

 

75 Years Ago

December 14, 1939

 

Trial of Floyd (Buoy) Taylor and his brother, Ralph Taylor, of Ozark County, charged with the murder in May 1938, of Palmer Gilliland, well-to-do Ozark County farmer, has been continued to an adjourned session of the Ozark County Circuit Court, to be con­vened January 1. The Taylors were scheduled for trial this week.

Fred and Pete Robertson, boxing brothers living four miles south of town were victors in bouts with Springfield boys at the Shrine Mosque in Springfield Thursday night last week. Fred won his bout by a knockout in the second round. Pete pounded out a decision over Hal Harless. A number of Ava fight fans were in Springfield to see the bouts.

Mr. and Mrs. Noble Livingston of Marshfield spent Saturday night and Sunday in Ava and were guests in the home of Mr. Livingston’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Living­ston.

Charley Ousley arrived in Ava Friday to join Mrs. Ousley and their son, Wayne, who returned to Ava earlier in the winter to estab­lish a home here. Mr. Ousley has been employed in Bayfield, Colo., for the past year.

J.W. Borden of Elizabeth, Ark., will open a new grocery store in the Taber building on the southeast corner of the square Saturday, Dec. 16. Mr. Borden, who came to Ava last week to start work on the store, is a partner with T. E. Hammond, also of Arkansas, and the store will operate under the name of Ham­mond’s Cash Store.

Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Pettijohn and daughter, Patsy, of Pondfork moved to Ava last Thursday and are occupying the Ola Sell property on South Ozark Street. This house was vacated earlier in the day by Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Forsling and children who moved to Mt. Vernon where Mr. Forsling is employed by the Carnation Company.

DEAN & GAULDING –– Gift Suggestions from A to Z! Full fashioned silk hose – newest shades in wide selection of sizes in gift boxes, 49¢ – $1.15. Women’s fine rayon bloomers, extra size with flat lock seams, 29¢ to 50¢. Sheet and pillow case set with fancy colored border, $1.98. House slippers, leather and felt, 79¢ – 98¢ – $1.39 pair. Quality merchandise at Dean & Gauldings.

Mrs. Virgil Kester entertained in honor of her sister, Mrs. Lyle Ross, at a birthday party Monday night.

A surprise party was held Friday evening in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Russell Robertson…to help Mr. Robertson celebrate his birth­day anniversary. Those present were Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Curtis and daughter, Barbara, Dr. and Mrs. C.E. Harlan, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Henley, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Pitts and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kellogg and son, Tom Mason.

Two victories were added to Ava High School’s basketball rec­ord the past week.

 

100 Years Ago

December 24, 1914

 

Our grandfathers did not gibe up $50 each for the privilege of spending New Year’s eve in crowded restaurants. Neither did they, at the stroke of twelve, put on caps of colored paper, ring cow bells, and throw confetti at strangers. Yet we, who ridicule their traditions and superstitions, can find it seems no more satisfac­tory way in which to sped the old and welcome the new. Perhaps we might profitably follow their example.

Postmaster General Burleson will recommend a reduction in the salaries of the postmasters of the country, totaling $200,000. This will affect many offices, including the office at Ava, which will be reduced something like a hundred dollars on the year. This precaution is recommended by Postmaster Gen. Burleson to meet a deficit in the postal receipts.

Not much optimism in this: Thirty-five of the richest eastern railroad lines which last year had a surplus of more than seventy-six million dollars are now facing a deficit of more than eight million, according to F. V. Ray, chairman of Business Men’s Railroad Defense Committee.

A merchant in a neighboring town says advertising ruined him – and we believe it. He had been in business three years and never ad­vertised, and a new merchant, who advertised constantly, got all the trade and the old merchant had to quit. That is the way advertising has ruined a good many men who do business without advertising. ––Ozark Democrat

A Kansas editor announced he would try for one week to print the truth, and today, he is still in the hospital. He didn’t get by the first day. The following item appeared in Friday’s issue, and now the boys are getting out the paper. This is what he said: “Married –– Miss Sylvia Rhode to James Cannaham, last Sunday evening, at the Baptist Church. The bride was an ordinary town girl, who didn’t know any more than a rabbit about cooking, and never helped her mother three days in her life. She is not a beauty by any means, and has a gait like a duck. The groom is an up-to-date has-been loafer, living off the old folks all his life, and doesn’t amount to shucks nohow. They will have a time when they live together.”

One night last week the ther­mometer ran down to zero, and it has been cold enough to freeze the ears off a brass monkey ever since.

The Ava High School will be dismissed this evening for the holi­days. School will be called again Jan. 4th, 1915.

TOPAZ –– While some boys were hunting last week, Alvin Reece accidently shot Troy Elliott and Newt Holt in the face but the doctor in attendance pronounced it not serious. Boys should be more careful.

 

125 Years Ago

December 19, 1889

 

The Bell Telephone Company has declared a dividend of $3 per share payable January 15.

Nettle Jack’s gang of horse and cattle thieves in the Big Horn Val­ley, eleven in number, have been lynched by a band of settlers.

The Russian influenza has made its appearance in London, two cases being under treatment by an eminent physician.   The influenza epidemic in Paris is spreading. The disease has made its appearance in the barracks, the markets and the Ecole Centrale.

A proposition is being discussed at Washington for increasing the membership of the United States Supreme Court from nine to eleven.

The Standard Oil Company has gobbled the Globe Refining Co. of Pittsburg, paying 4 million dollars for the concern.

Tests of the new 8-inch steel gun recently made at the Watervliet arsenal, New York, show that it has a range of nearly nine miles.

Moberly, Mo. has a better union depot now than St. Louis. And this is not intended at all as a slur on Moberly.

Speaking of a combination –– Divine & Bible is the style of a firm of whisky distillers doing business at Jericho Springs, Mo.

The deacons and elders of Lexington are puzzled how to dis­cipline the church members who have been playing at amateur the­atricals and dancing.

An offer of $30,000 was made the other day for the Springfield Leader and declined.

The saloon license in Spring­field is $1,800 a year; Joplin, $1,800; Rolla $800; St. Charles, $800; Poplar Bluff, $1,800; Pierce City $1,100. In Springfield, 18 saloons pay Greene County, which is a “dry” county, $13,000, and the city $1,000 each…

Young Emperor William of Germany has issued an edict to suppress dancing among the Ger­man youth, with a view to raising the standard of morality of both sexes and of stimulating the fervor of their religious belief.

Ava is rapidly increasing her number of dwelling houses and there is not a vacant house in town. A goodly number of dwelling houses could be rented if they were obtainable.

The citizens of Ava are talking of building a new school house. It is a much needed improvement as the present building is now too small to accommodate all the chil­dren of the district and our popula­tion is rapidly increasing.

Dr. Baldwin has purchased an acre of land east of Ava in the Reynolds addition and has con­tracted for the building of a new dwelling house.

Every resident of Ava ought to give something toward a new church building.

ARNO –– The bridge over Cowskin is nearing completion. It will be the best bridge that has ever spanned the creek.

If you are a kicker and see the shadow of a failure in everything that is proposed to help the town, for heaven’s sake go to some secluded canyon and kick your own shadow on the red banks and thus give the men who are working to build up the town a chance. One long-faced, hollow-eyed, chronic kicker can do more to keep away business and capital from a town than all the droughts, short crops, chintz bugs, cyclones and blizzards combined.

There is no question that the average detective had rather deal with five males than one female lawbreaker.