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Looking Backward 6.9.2016

25 Years Ago

June 6, 1991

A pair of juveniles who burglarized a city maintenance building over the weekend found their loot to be sort of like marked money. There was no way to use it without being caught.  It seems the two youths broke into the mainte­nance building and took a couple of hand-held two-way radios. But when they transmitted on the radios they were heard by city and county officers who soon caught up with them.

A painting by Rita Fancher was judged “Best of Show” in the Poke Salat Days Fine Art Show last week.

Kiwanis Club won the Poke Salat Days Bed Race here Saturday afternoon. Members of the winning team are Joe Harper, David Davidson, Keith Jones, John Sutton and Sherry Davis, rider.

Poke Salat Days royalty named Thursday evening on the Ava square are Master Poke Salat Cory Berry and Miss Poke Salat Stacey Hodges; and Poke Salat King Henry Morgan and Poke Salat queen Edith Jones.

Mr. and Mrs. Orvil Potter, of Squires, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on June 14.  Orvil Potter and Effie Porter were married June 14, 1941, in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Kennedy, of Squires.

Jeannie Shrable, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Shrable, Sey­mour, has been included on the Harding University Dean’s List for grades achieved during the spring semester at the university.  Shrable, a senior majoring in elementary ed­ucation, is a graduate of Ava High School.

STAR –– Visiting India and Mabel Merritt for dinner Sunday was Butch, Evelyn, and the boy, Terry, Tammie and Cody McFarlin.

ARNO by Hellen Blakey –– Saturday I went down to the farm and Debbie, Chad and I put out a big garden. We planted 13 rows of corn, plus green beans, lettuce, radishes, dill, cucumbers, tomatoes, hot peppers, bell peppers and squash.

50 Years Ago

 June 2, 1966

Rod Alms, of Ava, assistant manager of the Carp’s Department Store, was a three-time winner Sunday at the speed boat races held on Lake Bull Shoals at Theodosia. Alms placed first in the 35-40 horsepower boat class, second heat, was second in the 45-50 hp first heat class, and won third place in the 45-50 hp second heat class.

The Ava Senior High Honor Assembly was held at 1 p.m. Thursday at the high school audito­rium with Principal Max Decker in charge.  Awards were presented to members of high school classes who exhibited outstanding abilities during the 1965-66 school year.  Law Day awards were presented to Glen Harville, Debbie Daugherty and Pamela Dennis by Judge Gladys B. Stewart.

Jimmy Huffman, 14-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Huffman, Ava, underwent knee surgery Tuesday at Springfield Baptist Hospital. Young Huffman is ex­pected to be returned home today.

ROLLA –– A total of 685 degrees were granted at the Univer­sity of Missouri at Rolla com­mencement exercises May 29.  Among those receiving degrees was Jerry Gene Coble of Route 1, Vanzant, a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering.

SPRINGFIELD –– A student from Ava who is attending South­west Missouri State College is among those honored at the recent annual ROTC Awards Day cere­monies.  James Roderick, son of Mr. and Mrs. R.F. Roderick of Star Route, Ava, was awarded the Chamber of Commerce Marksman­ship Trophy as the outstanding marksman in the freshman class of ROTC cadets at SMS.

ONGO –– Larry and Jerry Maggard visited Monday evening with Carroll and Randy Caudill.

  1. TABOR –– Mr. and Mrs. Don Knerim of Iowa spent the weekend with Mr. and Mrs. Jack Cox.

Mr. and Mrs. Glen Pool, Route 3, entertained with a family dinner at their home Wednesday evening, May 18, and featured on the menu was roast wild turkey prepared with all the trimmings.  Attending the evening dinner were Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Pool and son, Jeffrey, Mr. and Mrs. Perry Pool and children, Terry and Roger, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Hutchison and children, Harlin, Kim and Kristy, Mrs. Maggie Pool and Mrs. Delbert Burdan.

BLACK OAK –– Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Thompson, Brenda and Cindy of Oklahoma City spent the weekend visiting their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dwight Thompson and Mr. and Mrs. Norman Alcorn and family. Brenda and Cindy stayed for a longer visit with their grand­parents.

Carp’s Anniversary Sale – Area rugs, $3.66; Ladies straw sandals, $2; Men’s sport shirts, 2 for $5; genuine mohair sweaters, $4.59; first quality seamless nylons, 35¢; tennis oxfords, $1; chenille bed­spreads, $3.33.   Save at Carp’s.

75 Years Ago

June 5, 1941

Ava Schools Add Industrial Arts –– Addition of an industrial arts teacher to the Ava school fac­ulty for the coming year was announced this week by the board of education. The course will be taught by Merle LaMar of Pitts­burg, Kansas, and will include a variety of training in such courses as woodwork, mechanical drawing, cabinet making, metal working, finishing, machine shop, furniture upholstering, etc.

Gene Berry pitched the first no hit game of the season in the strongest of the Springfield leagues as the Carnation softball team turned back the Springfield Plumbers Monday night by a score of 6 to 3 in nine innings.  Ava is now in a four-way tie for first place in the Springfield league with three wins and one loss.

Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Kerr and Mr. and Mrs. Ben Callaway returned to Ava Saturday evening after spending a few days in Indi­anapolis, Indiana, where they attended the annual Memorial Day auto races.

Mr. and Mrs. Arlie Ewing of Brown Branch announce the birth of a daughter, Joan, on May 26.

War Secretary Stimson announced arrangements to train 8,000 RAF pilots, bombardiers and navigators in U.S. civilian and Army schools.

Thurman Hale, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.M. Hale of Dora, was mar­ried to Miss Mary Siler Thursday last week.

Dr. and Mrs. Ben Davis have established their home in an apart­ment in the H.M. Curnutt home.

Drs. M.C. & J.L. Gentry announce a Tonsil Clinic at their office from Monday, June 16, to Thursday, Jun 19, inclusive. Please call or write for appointments.

ROBERTSON –– A large group of friends and relatives gathered at the Joe Huffman home Saturday night to celebrate the birthdays of Nola and Neva, twin daughters of Joe Huffman.

Specials, Stanley Brooks Stores, leading stores in leading towns… fresh meat loaf beef and pork, 2 lbs. 35¢; pork chops, small lean, 24¢ lb. pure vinegar, quart jar, 10¢; large 14 oz. bottle tomato catsup, 15¢; Roma brand coffee, 1 lb. bag, 15¢; and 2 tall cans Jack Sprat Best Milk, 15¢.

A baby boy was born May 28 to Mr. and Mrs. Etsel Wood. He has been named Max Alan Wood.

Last week the Missouri State Highway Commission announced that Highway 5 in Douglas and Ozark counties will be surfaced with an oil aggregate treatment.

Mr. and Mrs. Carl Shrader moved Saturday to the residence of Mrs. Dave Dunigan on north Ozark Street. The Shraders had formerly occupied an apartment in the Mrs. Mac Brooks cottage.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ray entertained a group of friends and relatives Tuesday of last week in honor of their son, Vernon, who departed May 28 for an army training camp.

100 Years Ago

June 8, 1916

About twenty persons are reported homeless along Fox Creek in eastern Douglas County as the result of a tornado which swept that section during the heavy rain storms of the first of the week.  The tornado swept up the Fox Creek valley from Bryant completely de­stroying the homes of Walter heath, Edd Dobbs and Bill Thompson, and leaving their families in a destitute condition.  Bill Thompson is re­ported to have been slightly hurt, and was the only person injured. Crops around Fielden and Bertha are reported almost completely de­stroyed. Barns and fences were swept away, and the Fielden School house moved about 20-feet from its foundation.

LITTLE ROCK, June 5 – Fifty-nine persons have been reported dead and more than 100 in a series of tornadoes that swept Arkansas this afternoon.  At Judsonia one-third of the town was said to have been swept away.

Work was begun on the Ava-Squires road early last fall and continued until crop time this spring. The result shows clearly what can be accomplished by a few energetic farmers.  Although this is not an inter-county-seat highway, and only $420 were donated by the county court, the road is one of the best leading out of Ava.  G.E. Kester, Overseer, Edgar Sellers, J.J. Thompson, W.A. Croslin, and a few others along the line pushed the work from the beginning until completed. The donation list shows a total of $328 in actual cash dona­tions and a total of 224 days work donated.

Preparations are being made for the grader now at work on the Ava-Squires road to be transferred to the Ava-Mansfield road via Mt. Zion next Monday.

Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Murray are rejoicing over the arrival of a new baby girl.

Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Daniels moved to Denlow last week and will occupy the J.M. Little prop­erty. Mr. Daniels has been em­ployed as principal of Denlow School and we heartily welcome them among us.

The Ava Canning Factory well has been completed at a depth of about 62 feet and has over 40 feet of water.

OAK GROVE NEWS – Fishing seems to be the go with a few for the past week. Two wagon loads passed Wasola Friday morning going south on a fishing trip.

125 Years Ago

June 11, 1891

NEW YORK –– The latest expedition to the North Pole is off.  At 4:57 p.m. today the explorers and scientist who comprise the ex­pedition sailed away from Brook­lyn in the stanch little steamer The SS Kite. The expedition is in charge of Lieutenant Robert Edwin Peary, Sr., of the Navy, and Profes­sor Angelo Heilprin, of the Acad­emy of National Sciences of Phila­delphia.  The object of Lieutenant Peary is to ascertain whether Greenland is a continent or an is­land, and the purpose of Professor Heilprin is to make scientific re­searches in the western coast of Greenland.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. –– In Lamar County, Mr. Joseph Crews and his family were sound asleep late last night when some person crept to the window and fired a full load of buckshot at the sewing machine, on which was a white cloth, mistaking it for the bed.  This morning Mr. Crews followed the tracks of the man to the house of one Stockton, who had been heard to threaten Mr. Crews’ life, and had Stockton arrested.

The trial and acquittal of the man Vaughn, of Finley Township, this week, charged with vagrancy, certainly exhibited in the shape of a prosecuting witness the most stu­pendous bulk of unadulterated cussedness it has ever been our privilege to gaze upon.

Saturday evening last a party of explorers consisting of B. Head, S. B. Simms, John F. Miller and Irving King started to explore the mysterious caverns of Brown Cave. The boys were some time in getting started, laying in provisions, and burning fluid for their torches, but all this was absolutely necessary when we consider the depth to which they must have penetrated this nature’s wonderful vault for it is said they actually came out next morning at Vera Cruz.

Some people appear never to be happy except when complaining about being miserable.

Silver has been found in a cave about three miles southwest of Sparta, in Christian County. The find is a good one and the speci­mens show up splendidly.

The many friends of Capt. Pennington will be pleased to hear that he has again opened out a fine line of fresh groceries at the old stand on the south side of the square.  Everything is bright and fresh, and a full supply of all kinds of canned goods, eatables, ciders, nuts, raisins, etc. The very place for the hungry to be fed, the thirsty to get a drink or the farmer to get his sugar, coffee, flour, or provisions.  Capt. will treat you square and will be glad to see you when you come to town.

Sieber & Company’s Mammoth Aggregation, Educational Exhibi­tions and Caravan of Wild Animals will visit Ava, June 15 and give two performances, after­noon and evening.  Get in town early and see the parade and the biggest elephant on Earth.