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Looking Backward 6.2.2016

25 Years Ago

May 30, 1991

The streets of Ava will host hundreds of visitors from a wide area during the next three days as Ava celebrates Poke Salat Days.  This springtime celebration began back in the 1970s, was renewed in the 1980s and is growing even larger in the ‘90s.

Ava High School senior Shana Swearengin wrapped up a brilliant high school track career last week by placing eighth in the 200 meter run at the state track meet in Jeffer­son City.

Dr. Lloyd Johnson of the Douglas County Animal Hospital, Inc. is proud to announce the asso­ciation of Dr. Andrew Cunningham to his veterinary practice. Dr. Cun­ningham is primarily interested in large animal medicine and surgery with emphasis on dairy and beef herd health management.

Alisha Davidson, daughter of Joe and Doris Ann Davidson, cele­brated her eighth birthday with a party at the City Park on May 18.

Charles (Chuck) Denney, Ava native, was named recipient of the Missouri State ‘Honorary Trooper Award’ during a ceremony held at the Rolla Police Station.  Lieuten­ant Don Richard­son, with Missouri Highway Patrol Troop I Head­quarters, pre­sented the award.

Friday night music on the square is off to a good start.  What a great way to kick off the summer season!  We had a huge crowd Friday night to listen to Johnny Walker and the Kuntry Kunfuzion.  They were great! The members of this band are Johnny Walker, John and Betty Wynn, Jesse Grimes, Steve Byers, Keith Applegate, Dwight Armour, James Stutsman, Kerry Young, Hoot Gibson, comedian; and Rosie McHaffie as Aunt Minnie.

Sherry Allen was named to the University of Missouri College of Education dean’s list for both fall and spring semesters.  Sherry is the daughter of Albert and Joyce Erickson of Ava.

50 Years Ago

 May 26, 1966

In line with the changing of time in most communities in Southwest Missouri, Ava will make the change to daylight savings time at 2 a.m. Sunday, it was announced this week by Mayor Fred O. Lethco, after a special meeting of the city council Tuesday.  The action was taken after Springfield voted eight to one to make the change and most area towns followed Springfield in its decision.

Graduation exercises for 132 members of the Ava High School senior class will be held at 8 p.m. Friday in the high school audito­rium.

Commencement exercises for the 127 members of the eighth grade class will be at 8 p.m. today at the high school auditorium.

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. –– Jack C. Harris, 32, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Ray Harris, Route 1, Vanzant, was promoted to sergeant first class May 12 at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., where he is serving with Headquarters Battery, 53rd Artillery.

Mrs. Necia Kennedy was a Sunday dinner guest of Mr. and Mrs. Orville Peak, Sharon and Junior.

FAIRVIEW –– Lester Streight was injured last Wednesday at Sentinel Wood Plant while at work. He was treated by a local physician and returned to work Thursday.

A large crowd attended the 54th annual Douglas County Singing held in the Ava High School audi­torium Sunday, May 22.  Lloyd Weast, president of the Ava Chamber of Commerce, gave the welcome address at 1 p.m.

Forty-six Ava High School students and three Hartville High School students participated in a Waitress Training School at Ava High School, Thursday, May 12, according to Miss Marilyn Wade, area home economist.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Curtis of Ava announce the birth of a 7 pound, 7-ounce daughter, Cammie Jo, born Friday, May 6 at 10:21 a.m. at St. John’s Hospital. The Curtis have a son, Craig, 2.

The Rev. Russell Sanders, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Sanders of Route 3, Ava, has been named the pastor of East Side General Baptist Church, 1606 North Oak Grove, in Springfield.

First degree murder charges against Mrs. Grace Deyo of Clear Lake, Iowa, and formerly of Almartha, were dismissed Friday by Circuit Judge Douglas W. Greene of Republic. The charges have been pending for more than six years.

Janice Uhlmann, an Ava high junior, was named Key club queen last Thursday evening in competi­tion at the high school auditorium.

The monthly “Teen Dance” will be held at the Ava Country Club on Friday, May 27, following the commencement program at Ava High School. Sponsors will be Mr. and Mrs. Jim Collins.

75 Years Ago

May 29, 1941

Three United States Army officers of the Sixth Division, located at Fort Leonard Wood, were in Ava Tuesday looking for an overnight camp site to accom­modate 6,000 soldiers expected to go through here in August.  They said the 6,000 soldiers would stop here the night of August 12, stay overnight and continue the next morning from Fort Leonard Wood to Camp Robinson in Arkansas.

Seventy-four tons of milk in one day, (148,087 pounds to be exact), received at the local Carnation plant last Monday, sets a new high record for daily receipts.  The Car­nation plant was established here in 1936, and has always received a large volume of milk.  In fact, it is said to be the largest raw milk receiving plant in the United States.

Gilbert Grote, farmer of the Hilo Ridge community, 20 miles south­east of Ava, was displaying five wolf whelps here late Saturday afternoon.  Grote captured the wolf puppies, about one month old, in a den located in a buff near his home.  Wolves have been doing consider­able damage in that section of the county, it is understood.

The local draft board has been called on for ten men to go to Jef­ferson Barracks Tuesday next week and 17 more to go June 17. The ten who are scheduled to go Tuesday are Tomas Cleave Sanders, of Coldsprings; Samuel Lawrence Hannaford of Ava; James Chester Hicks of Twin Bridges; Russell Brake of Route 3, Ava; James Estil Hines of Topaz; William Hollis Hale of Route 1, Dora; Norman E. Denney of Route 1, Ava; Nova Nelson Davis of Vanzant; Francis Nichols of Rome; and Erman Earl Cudworth of Twin Bridges.

Adolph Hitler was, we are told, a poor paper hanger, but he is proving himself to be a darn good hater.

People are saying, frequently, that they are tired, tired to death of war and war news. We suspect that the peoples of Europe, the suffer­ing, agonized peoples, are tired of it too.

A cabriolet sedan, owned by the Kerr Chevrolet Company of Ava, led the parade at the recent cele­bration marking the beginning of work on the Norfork Dam in north­ern Arkansas.  Arrangements for use of the car were made by O.B. McClure of Mtn. Home, Arkansas, and Mr. McClure liked the car so well that he came back here and bought it.

SPRINGCREEK –– About 25 friends and young folks met Thurs­day evening at the home of Mrs. Rena Huffman to celebrate Rob­ert’s birthday. The folks visited and played games until a late hour when refreshments were served and all left for home wishing Robert many more happy birthdays.

100 Years Ago

June 1, 1916

The J.T. Singleton’s Grocery store will be moved into the Reyn­olds and Adams building on the west side of the square as soon as the building is completed, perhaps about the first of July. The new location will furnish plenty of room and will be one of the most modern business houses in town.

The Norman-Gentry Drug store was moved last week from the south side of the square into the Curnutt building on the east side. The new home was planned espe­cially for a drug store, and is indeed modern in every respect.  Frank Waters and C.E. Norman, members of the company, were in Kansas City last week and bought an up-to-date soda fountain which is being installed in the frontend of the store this week.

Thompson and Son located in the Ava Grocery have secured the agency for the Wear-U-Well Shoe Factory and are now selling shoes in Ava at factory prices.  These shoes are strictly first class and at prices ranging from $1.98 to $3.48, and can be found some of the best shoe bargains ever found ever offered in this part of the country.

Mtn. Grove, Houston, Licking and several other towns along the Frisco and the southern route of the Ozark Trail are laying plans for a get-together in Springfield June 27-28. These are the days set for a meeting of the Ozark Trails Asso­ciation, at which time decision will be made as to which route will be followed.   Ava has been asked to have representative in Springfield at the meeting and help boost the southern routes.

Quite a mining boom is on near Mansfield. Two miners from Greenfield, Mo., have leased a large tract of land two and one-half miles west of the town, and are let­ting out subleases to miners. Lead, zinc and silicate are being found in paying quantities.

The Ava Ice Plant is again making ice. You can buy a coupon book at a reduced price and get ice on it through the summer.

Did you know that every man is the architect of his own health?

Did you know that the defective citizen of today is oft-times the un­healthy child of yesterday?

The enumeration of school children in the Ava High School District has just been completed by H. M. Curnutt, secretary of the board. There are 365 children of school age in the district, 195 boys and 107 girls.

Miss Hallie Brown and Noah Wheat, both of Buckhart, Mo., were married in Ava at the home of Ed Swegart, on the 20th, in the presence of only a few friends.

125 Years Ago

June 4, 1891

The Dalton boys and their accomplices have again succeeded in evading their pursuers. Alexan­der Connelly, George Thornton and Heck Thomas, with their respective posse have returned and report that after a very hard ride the outlaws finally gave them the slip in the Creek mountains.  The report of their capture last week was simply the work of some imaginative re­porter’s brain.  Mr. Dodge, special detective for Wells-Fargo, is here at the agency and is perfecting plans to rout the robbers from their pre­sent, almost inaccessible retreat and speedily as possible effect their capture.  They are wanted in Okla­homa for the Pixley and Alita train robberies in which several people were killed.

The arrest of “The Gorilla” is a most important one, said Lieutenant Ripley today referring to the arrest of Robert Rathborn in Canton, Ohio, Saturday. Rathborn, who is known to the police as “The Gorilla” will be brought to Chicago for perpetrating the most daring bank robbery on the West Side over a year ago.  Rathborn is one of the cleverest all around thieves in the country.

Mexican Mustang Liniment –– a cure for the ailments of man and beast.  A long-tested pain reliever.  Its use is almost universal by the housewife, farmer, stock raiser and by everyone requiring an effective liniment.  No medicine chest is complete without a bottle Mexican Mustang Liniment.  Occasions arise for its use almost every day.

The jewelry establishment of J. A. Spurlock on north side of the square has been neatly refurnished and he has in stock a full line of elegant and cheap jewelry.

  1. F. Tallman has sold his new storehouse on the north side of the square to Curnutt & Ellmore who will put in a first class stock of groceries.
  2. F. Ellmore has purchased the Tallman residence in Ava and will take possession at once. Mr. Ellmore is an enterprising busi­nessman and an addition to our town of the right kind.

Bradleyville School has been dismissed until the middle of August when the fall term will open.  The school increased in numbers and interest during its en­tire session, notwithstanding, it had been threatened on every hand with the measles.  At last, in a very un­expected moment, the entire school was exposed by one of its own members and between 25 and 30 were taken down at one time.  The school being so near out, it was though best by the pupils and patrons for the school to close until the fall term.

From the Bryant Creek Lady –– It seems profane, perhaps it is, but I am tempted to ask tobacco users who profess Christianity, how they would feel to be told that Jesus while delivering that most beautiful of sermons, on the Mount, had a quid of tobacco in his mouth and was under the necessity of stopping his discourse frequently to spit the juice around about Him, and more, that the disciples sat chewing and spitting while hastening to their Master’s words.   You say it is an outrage on the cause of Christianity to indulge in such thoughts. Really, I think so, too.  You are right, but I ask is it not just as bad for His dis­ciples today to do this thing?  Just as bad?  Of course it is a bad exam­ple to have set before our young people.  God pity those who follow, and strengthen those who are striving to resist the temptations set before them.