Looking Backward 1.21.2016
25 Years Ago
January 17, 1991
The Ava High School Bears won three games in the Seymour Tournament last week, closing the tournament with a big 66-62 win over top-ranked and previously unbeaten Mansfield on Saturday night to claim the championship.
Ava R-I students finally got back I classes Monday after an extended Christmas vacation that used up practically all the planned spring break. Because of icy roads, a total of nine days have already been missed including one before Christmas and eight following New Year’s Day.
Stockton Cheese is looking for producers in the southern Missouri area who would like to sell manufacturing grade milk for $17 per hundred-weight. There is one catch, however. The company is not buying cows’ milk, but got milk.
The Douglas County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service office in Ava has a new county executive director. Tim Kennemer, former CED at Bethany, Mo., in Harrison County, assumed the duties here effective Dec. 16. He replaces Mandy Welton who transferred to a position in offices at Columbia.
Navy Seaman Apprentice Brett H. Welton, son of Jerry L. Welton of Dora, is currently deployed to the Middle East in Support of Operation Desert Shield while serving aboard the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga.
SQUIRES –– Theta Porter spent the Christmas holidays with her daughter, Joyce and family in Connecticut.
BRUSHYKNOB –– Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Page were the parents of twins, a boy and a girl. Paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Page. Paternal great-grandmother is Hazel Page.
50 Years Ago
January 13, 1966
The Ava Bears gained their fourth victory of the season at the expense of the Gainesville Bulldogs Friday night, 62-52. The visiting team could not contain their ex-teammate Jim Thomas as “Big Jim” canned 25 points to lead all scoring. Jim Reid displayed a bit of sharpshooting from the corner and added 11 points to the scoring column.
Ten local men left Tuesday for induction into the U.S. Army. They were: Phillip Edward Moritz, Eddie Dean Swearengin, Phillip Rodney Streight, Howard Lee Strong, Roy Lee Byerley, Russell William Loftin, Robert Wesley Downs, John Lee Webster, Danny Lee Russell, and Gary Wayne Robertson.
Dr. Meritt L. Gentry of Jefferson City has been named to head the new section of medical care within the Division of Health, Dr. L. M. Garner, acting division director announced. Dr. Gentry, a former Avan, is the younger son of the late Dr. and Mrs. J.L. Gentry.
Colonel E.I. (Mike) Hockaday, Superintendent of the Missouri Highway Patrol, announced today that new cars bought by the Patrol will have factory-installed air conditioning.
The SNOOP –– In the Harrison Daily Times: “The high school teacher asked her class: Who gave us all our interstate highways?” “President Johnson,” said one of the students. “And who gave us this lovely school?” “President Johnson,” answered another pupil. “And who is going to see that we are taken care of when we are old and sick?” “President Johnson.” “And who makes the sun shine, the rain fall and the flowers grow?” “God” said a voice from the back of the room. “Throw that Republican out of here,” roared the teacher.
The Midwest Auto Store at West Plains has been purchased by Richard Silvey of West Plains. Silvey, who has held the position of manager of the Carps Department Store for two and a half years, purchased the auto store from Joe B. Price. Silvey is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Claud Silvey of Ava.
Mrs. Harold Hutchison and her daughter, Mary Martha, entertained Friday evening in Hutch’s Country Inn, at Davis Corner, with a pink and blue shower honoring Mrs. Andy Bill Clinkingbeard.
Miss Marjorie Robertson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Robertson of Ava was installed as worthy advisor of Ava chapter Order of the Rainbow for Girls in installation ceremonies held at 7:30 Saturday night, Jan. 8, in Ava Lodge Hall.
Mr. and Mrs. Charley Jones will observe their 50th wedding anniversary Sunday, Jan. 23, with an open house at their home, 600 NE 2nd Avenue. Mr. and Mrs. Jones were married in a home wedding on Jan. 23, 1916 in the Gentry community northwest of Ava. They have a son, Charley Leonard, and a daughter, Mrs. Clyde Allen of Route 1, Ava.
75 Years Ago
January 16, 1941
The regular January term of circuit court, which convened here Monday, was a “hound dog” term, and one juror sighed with relief after leaving the courtroom Wednesday afternoon, saying he had spent twenty-four hours on two cases involving hounds. In the first case involving a dog, Henry Fletcher, charged with stealing a hound, was fined $40 and costs after being found guilty by a jury. In the other case Fred Barcus was charged with killing a hound. He was tried by a jury. The jury failed to agree and a mistrial declared. The case was afterward dismissed with the county and defendant dividing the costs.
The murder case involving Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe Swearengin and Mr. and Mrs. Delbert Swearengin, charged with poisoning McDonald (Mack) Swearengin, was continued on application of the State to April 15, 2nd day of the regular April term of court. The continuance was asked because Dr. Durward G. Hall of Springfield, witness for the state, was unable to be in court.
Rehearsals began this week on the annual junior class play, “Aunt Tillie Goes to Town,” which will be presented in February. The play is a riotous farce written by Wilbur Brown. Miss Emily Banes, class sponsor, will direct the play and the following cast has been selected for its presentation: Mary May Haden, Darlene Summers, Eva Belle Rowe, Mary Wiggins, Willamae Burdett, Eugene Clinkingbeard, Edwin Hailey, Roy Kelley, Jack Yeoman, Norma Durham and Louise Reynolds.
Mrs. Stella Plummer, state vice president of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, gave a temperance lecture on “Alcohol and its uses” at the school at Wasola Tuesday. The lecture was sponsored by the Wasola WCTU. Fourteen adults and 55 school children attended.
We don’t know where we’re going, but we’re on our way. That’s what this nation might say about the course it is pursuing in its international relations. One faction says we will defend America by aiding Great Britain. Another says that course leads to war. Another group says we are already on the road to war. Another group says we can and must stay at peace. Where in the world are we? A man in a wagon behind a runaway team doesn’t know where he is going.
SQUIRES –– Miss Maude Spurlock, who was operated on for appendicitis seven weeks ago, began teaching her school. Her sister, Mrs. Martin Kellogg of Seymour, has taught since Miss Spurlock entered the hospital.
ROY –– Palmer McKnight moved from the L.M. Barnes place at Old Roy to the Henry Hampton farm near Goodhope last week.
DENLOW –– Mr. and Mrs. Harley Brixey and family have moved into their new home southwest of Denlow. The house is of cobblestone and was built by Mr. Brixey.
ROCKBRIDGE –– The mattress making work center here has completed 40 mattresses for the needy families of Jackson Township from January allotment of cotton and ticking.
100 Years Ago
January 20, 1916
On the nights of January 14 and 15, although the mercury was nearing the zero mark, the Ava eighth-grade basket ball boys took the Gainesville High School quintet to a warming that would put an August blister to shame. The games were fast, spectacular, clean but rather rough, considering the Gainesville aggregation was much heavier than the local lineup. Ava boasts no stars but won by consistent teamwork, which was materially aided by the goal shooting of Fletcher, Humbyrd and Eslick.
The following officers of the Demosthenes Lyceum were inaugurated Friday: President Sam Curry, Vice Pres. Lynn Stewart, Sec. Lilla Mankin, Asst. Sec. Cloia Simmons, Atty. Virgil Martin, Sergt. A.A. Jessie James, Treas. Ruth Davis, and Pianist Myrtle Curnutt.
THORNFIELD –– Guss Mallet, the new merchant near this place made a flying tip to Ava last week with a load of rabbits and chickens to exchange for groceries and dry goods.
C.W. Herd still continues to run the boarding house at Thornfield.
FOX CREEK ITEMS –– We experienced our first cold weather this winter last Thursday morning. It being several degrees “Below.”
It is estimated that American consumers of sugar paid $100,000,000 extra because of the increased price of that article during 1915.
Frank Huff came in last week from Montana where he has been for sometime, working for a nursery company.
Henry Townsend a new comer to Douglas County has rented the Mary J. Preston farm.
Ben Evans has started quite an extensive improvement to his blacksmith shop this week. The foundation has been laid for a fifteen-foot addition on the east side, and on the north end.
Miss Lela Curnutt entertained a few of her friends at cards Sunday afternoon. Those present were Misses Lena Wilson and Sybil Stewart, and Messrs Jack Sutherland, James Roberts and Cole Coffeen.
J.W. Hesterlee, a merchant and businessman of Manford, Okla., and brother, W.F. Hesterlee, a prosperous farmer living near Manford passed through Ava yesterday on their way to visit relatives in Ozark County. They formerly lived in Ozark County.
SILVERTON CHAT –– The weather is freezy, the people all sneezy, and ‘grippe makes us ache while stock are all shaky, with all sadly sighing tho time is still flying for “the good old summer time.”
125 Years Ago
January 22, 1891
PINE RIDGE, SC, Jan. 16 – The Indians have at last come in. They strung along the west bank of the White Clay Creek for a distance of two miles. They were mounted walking riding in wagons, and in fact advancing in every manner known to them. They drive and lead immense herds of ponies. The advance guard of the hostiles had scarcely reached the agency when Big Road sent word that he had collected the arms of his followers and wanted to surrender them to the agency. This surrender is evidence that the Indians don’t propose to give up all their guns and that they have hidden their best guns in the hills.
In these years of drought and agricultural depression, with our land steadily diminishing in productiveness, we begin to look around us for something to fill up the money purse when our two main grain staples fail. And sheep seem to fill the bill, or we might call them the debt paying and land-improving machine of the U. S.
Hints to Housekeepers –– For neuralgia, bruise horseradish and apply as a poultice to the wrist. … Examine nutmegs by pricking them with a pin, if the oil spreads it is a sign that the nutmeg is good. … A tea made by pouring boiling water over sweet flagroot will relieve worm sickness in children, and is also good for colic. …. Take bloodstains out by saturating the spot with kerosene, then wash with slightly warm water. Repeat the operation if stains do not come out easily.
A cave situated a few miles south of Cabool has been found to contain an immense amount of onyx. This gem is very rare and this cave contains enough to make the owners rich. The land is owned by several parties who bought if for the purpose of putting the product upon the market.
J.W. Thomas of Walls Town-ship, has purchased the Geo. B. McKay farm on Spring Creek. Mr. McKay expects to move to the I.T.
The Case of the State of Missouri vs Jasper Degase, who is charged with seduction before Justice Carson Tuesday, was dismissed on account of Jasper having procured a license and married.
Carson Hawkins of Buchanan Township has killed 27 turkeys since last spring. Who can beat the record?
Emerson said: “The highest compact we can make with each other is, “let there be truth between us forever more.”
Jean Paul says: “No one in the world behaves with less politeness to women than women themselves.
Mr. George Vanderbilt has already expended $400,000 on the foundation and first story of his North Carolina castle. He employs consistently a large force of men, who are at work modernizing the roads, laying out gardens, planting trees, building artificial lakes and doing everything possible to beautify the estate. And this is the way a man of many millions may build.