Looking Backward 4.28.2016
25 Years Ago
April 18, 1991
The Ava Zoning Commission denied a request Monday morning that would have rezoned a six-acre plot in east Ava from agricultural to general business designation. The zoning change, filed by Rod Alms, Ava, was requested to accommodate a boat and motor repair shop Alms hoped to establish at his residence. Alms indicated he would resubmit the proposal, asking for rezoning of just the lot where the business will actually be located rather than the full six acres.
State education officials have selected more than 300 gifted high school sophomores to attend the 1991 Missouri Scholars Academy, a three-week program to be held during June at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Among those students receiving recognition is Virgil J. Everett, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Everett, Ava.
FAIRVIEW –– I laid my dog “Pal” to rest Monday morning. We roamed the hills and pastures together for 13 years. He often stood between the cattle and me when he thought I was in danger. It is strange how attached a person becomes to a dog and how much you can miss them when they are gone. (written by Eva Garrison)
Jim and Lucille DeBerry, Springfield, and Moe and Barbara Cooper, Mansfield, were guests in the home of the ladies’ brother, Harold and Kay Hutchison in the Mt. Tabor community on Sunday afternoon and Sunday night. After a time of visiting talking about childhood memories and eating pizza, the time was spent playing canasta, with the ladies coming out ahead.
Genet Ellen McCullough of Ava, a freshman majoring in music education at Central Methodist College, was initiated into Alpha Lambda Delta. Genet is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lowell McCullough of Ava.
50 Years Ago
April 21, 1966
Grand opening of the A&M Kwik-Clean Car Wash, located one block west of City Junction 5 and 14, will be held here Saturday. The newest business, in Ava, the firm is owned by Dale Schuhknecht, 36, of Mountain Home, Ark.
The Baccalaureate address will be given Sunday evening, May 22, in the high school auditorium by Mrs. Billie Davis, “The Hobo Kid” of Springfield, a lecturer, author and missionary to Latin American.
Bill Bolding 33, resident of Ava for the past 2 ½ years, and a former resident of Fort Smith, Ark., has purchased Barnes Super Market, located four blocks south of the square, and will open the market Monday under the name of Bill’s Super Market.
Miss Connie Prock, 16, an Ava High School senior, and the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Rondo Prock of Ava, was the grand prize winner at the South Central Missouri Science Fair held over the weekend at the University of Missouri at Rolla. Her sponsoring teacher was Harold Reed. Other Ava winners were Lyle Gastineau and Stephen King in the Biology division and Jerry Shelton in the mathematics division.
Mr. and Mrs. Judd Corder of Mansfield announce the engagement of their daughter, Carol Sue, to Johnny Watterson of Mansfield. Miss Corder will be in the 1966 graduating class of Mansfield High School. Wedding plans are for July 22.
SPRINGFIELD –– A Southwest Missouri State College student from Ava, Mary Martha Hutchison, will be a featured performer in a program to be presented by the college’s physical education department the night of April. The program, entitled “Dance Concert,” is to be presented at 8:15 p.m. in the auditorium. Miss Hutchison, a junior, is a graduate of Ava High School.
Chief Interior Communications Electrician Robert McKnight, U.S. Navy, has graduated from the recruit procurement school at the Naval Training Center, San Diego, Calif., and is assigned to the U.S. Navy Recruiting Service at Rapid City, SD. Chief McKnight is a veteran of 14 years Naval service, and for the past three years has served on board the USS Spinax, a San Diego, Calif., based submarine. Mrs. McKnight is the former Betty McDaniel of Rome.
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Bell of Drury observe their 50th wedding anniversary April 23. The couple has one daughter, Geneva Newton.
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. –– Marine Private Donald A. Reece, son of Mr. and Mrs. N. Reece of Route 1, Vanzant, has completed individual combat training here.
Mr. and Mrs. Lou Prince and their two children, Becky and Gary, who had been occupying a residence at Sunrise Hill moved late last week to a new home in Rainbow Ridge, also in west Ava. The new three-bedroom residence now occupied by the Prince family is owned by Mr. and Mrs. R.A. Kottmeier.
75 Years Ago
April 24, 1941
Eight new streetlights on the square were turned on Tuesday night for the first time.
Rain and wind combined to do much property damage around Ava the past week. An inch and a half of rain that fell Friday night, following four inches that fell earlier in the week, brought creeks back up to flood stages again after they had been up to record high-water marks Wednesday last week. Most wind damage was done at Mt. Zion and at the E.H. Euler farm, which is just a half-mile west of Highway 5 at the county line. The Mt. Zion Store, owned by Floyd Nichols, was said to have been blown partly off its foundation with part of the building being separated from the rest. The tabernacle there and other buildings and property also were damaged.
A new soda fountain, containing the latest in modern fountain equipment, was installed in the Ferguson Drug Store over the weekend. The new fountain, which is yellow with red trim, is 20 feet long, and gives a third more storage space than the fountain it replaces. New tables and benches trimmed to match the fountain, also have been added to the store’s fixtures.
Ava High School Vocational Agriculture department will be represented at the Missouri State judging contest, which opens in Columbia today. Twelve boys from the department will form four judging teams, to compete in the judging of livestock, dairy, seed judging, and poultry. The livestock team is composed of Calvin Henson, Donald Philpott, J.G. Heinlein. Dairy team: Elwood Brixey, Jack McVay, Alvin DeVault. Seed judging: Phillip Peterson, Herbert Huffman, Denzil Goodnight. Poultry: Walter Evans, Robert Evans, Clarence Call.
A 22-acre farm belonging to Frank Mays at Mt. Zion was purchased Friday by Dan Rogers of New York City. Mr. Rogers is employed with the United Press, a news gathering association. He plans to occupy the farm after a year of so.
The Ava Lions Club was host to a three-club ladies night dinner and dance Tuesday night. Lions and their wives of Ava, Mansfield and Seymour enjoyed a dinner and program at the school, and a dance afterward at the Spurlock Hall.
Garbee Wagenmann, new manager of the Ava Farmers Exchange and Miss Mary Louise Rauch of Billings were married Sunday evening at the Evangelical Church in Billings.
Onley Jackson, who is stationed at Little Rock, Ark., spent a weekend furlough in Ava and visited his mother, Mrs. Mina Jackson and daughter, Ruth.
ARNO –– The men are busy repairing the roads where the high waters had washed them out. The report is that one place on the Williams hollow road the school bus could be buried where the road is washed out.
100 Years Ago
April 27, 1916
William Gaulding of Hiattville, Kan., who received serious wounds from pistol shots at the hands of Warren Jury in February, as was reported in the Herald, is gradually recovering according to a letter received by Mr. J.J. Harris of Girdner from his daughter, Mrs. Wm. Gaulding. Gaulding is now able to sit in a chair, and it is expected that he will be able to walk within a few days.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Dyer have just opened a new stock of groceries in the old J.W. Singleton stand on the south side of the square. The new firm is to be known as Dyer Grocery Company, and will be conducted as a general retail grocery business, handling country produce, and caring for local grocery trade.
Francisco Villa has proven to be the real human competitor of the cat with seven lives, for his death was reported fully that many times in Washington.
Our track team is to meet the Mtn. Grove team on our track Friday May 5th. Our track team, having been well trained by Mr. Votaw is in good condition and we expect to have a rousing contest with the Mtn. Grove boys.
Cole Coffeen and Dewey Mankin have rented the Reynolds Garage just north of the post office, and will do a general garage business. Mr. Coffeen is an experienced workman at the trade, and Mr. Mankin is possessed with natural talent, together with some experience, along the line.
CHENEY ITEMS –– Uncle Doodle Medlock returned Thursday from a two weeks visit in Springfield.
BOOZE FIGHTING –– For the married man who cannot get along without drinks, the following is suggested as a means of freedom from bondage to the saloons: Start a saloon in your own house. Be the only customer (you’ll have no license to pay). Go to your wife give her two dollars to buy a gallon of whiskey, and remember there are 69 drinks in a gallon. Buy your drinks from your wife and by the time the first gallon is gone she will have $8 to put in the bank and $2 dollars to start business again. Should you live 10 years and continue to buy booze from her, and then die with snakes in you boots, she will have enough money to bury you decently, educate your children, buy a house and lot, marry a decent man, and quit thinking about you entirely.
125 Years Ago
April 30, 1891
The wool clip of Missouri it is said has shown a decrease of nearly 30 percent during the last few years.
Arctic whalebone made a remarkable advance last week to $5.25 a pound for choice quality. This is the highest price remembered by the trade.
After all the talk the Minnesota legislature failed to pass the bill forbidding woman wearing “tights” on the stage, and the leg shows will go on.
James Broderick, mayor of Carthage, was arrested for “participating” in a dogfight. The dispatch does not give the name of the other dog.
The whiskey trust at its annual election of officers dropped Gibson, its secretary, who was arrested for conspiracy to destroy a great Chicago distillery.
The Army officer acting as agent of the Indians at Pine Ridge is fearful that the trouble with the Sioux are not yet over. He reports a suspicious degree of unrest.
DES MOINES, April 24, Mayor Campbell, who was elected one year ago on his pledge to enforce the prohibitory liquor laws was found in a hack yesterday in a beastly state of intoxication. When found the mayor was alone in the carriage in a helpless state and with a whiskey bottle by his side.
The Court of Appeals met on Monday morning, and though they present a haggard and worn appearance at this writing, we are glad to announce that they are still alive.
Now the young ladies, of Ava, should as an attribute to the W.C.T.U., organize an anti-tobacco society, with the following beautiful and suggestive lines as their motto –– pledge: The die is cast, ‘tis left to see, if I shall lose or win; and if I win no more red juice, shall circle down my chin.
Ava has long needed a first class drugstore, and the enterprising firm of Will Johnson & Co. has supplied the demand, and invite you to call and examine the new stock.
Everybody’s wife and daughter was out walking Sunday even enjoying the beautiful weather.
The Ritchie Lumber Co. of Mansfield has purchased lots in Seymour and expects to open a lumberyard at that place.
Miss Ella Carter, organizer and lecturer of “Womans Christian Temperance Union,” has come and gone. She lectured Saturday and Sunday nights to a crowded house on the evils of temperance, and words of praise too high, neither as to her purpose nor her ability can be uttered. Eloquent in speaking, elegant in diction, sincere in manner and womanly in deportment, she won, and will hold the hearts of all who heard her. She is an honor to the stance she advocates. A Union was organized here with 18 members. We wish them success.
There is one business industry that has some snap to it even in dull times –– the whip manufacturer.
