Looking Backward 2.16.2012
25 Years Ago
February 12, 1987
Candidates in the 1986 Ava High School “Hoopcoming” coronation are: queen candidates Melissa Waters, Julie Markin and Becky French; and king candidates are Jeff Alcorn, Jason Norman and Bobby Oliver.
Kenneth Borders, clerk at the Ava Post Office, was recently recognized by the U.S. Postal Service for having accumulated over 1,000 sick leave hours.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Nigel Oxley will host an open house on Sunday Feb. 15 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Ava Community Center, as the Oxleys celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
Heather Davidson of the Ava United Methodist Youth Fellowship has sold the most dinner tickets for “India Sunday” on Feb. 15. Cody French sold the second highest number of tickets.
Miss Amber Shull of Springfield was in Ava Sunday to celebrate her 15th birthday at the home of her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. V.A. Shull.
Anniversary Announcement –Charley Rowland and Beulah Vaughan were married Feb. 16, 1937 at Norwood by the Rev. Galvin Chadwell in the Chadwell home.
GIRDNER –– Danny Porter is home after spending several days in Cox South Hospital with a broken leg.
MT. TABOR –– This 16 degrees above zero this Monday morning is quite a change from what we have gotten use to. We have been having such beautiful weather up in the 60’s. It has everyone spoiled. This warm weather may not be for the best because a lot of shrubs and flowers are beginning to bud out.
WAGNER –– Brian Greer returned to the states from a tour of duty in Spain. He plans to come home for a visit with his parents, Dan and Darlene Greer, his brother Todd and sister, Kim and friends in April.
G.E. Electric Dryer to be given away Saturday, February 21, free. Wallace & Owens, Ava, Missouri
50 Years Ago
February 8, 1962
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Letsinger and family have been selected to receive balanced farming award. Maintaining a 30-cow dairy herd on 160 acres of typical Ozark upland is a major accomplishment of Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Letsinger, Douglas County district Balanced Farming award family.
Another gas war – which struck Springfield two weeks ago – seeped into Ava Wednesday of last week, and gasoline dropped nine cents per gallon. Pump prices were changed at “major” stations from 31.9 cents for regular to 22.9, and for ethyl from 35.9 to 26.9. Gasoline at non-major stations is generally two cents per gallon lower than at the major stations.
New officers to serve during 1962 were elected at last Thursday evening’s dinner meeting of the Chamber of Commerce. Outgoing president is Claude Hibbard, who served two terms. New officers elected were: Clifford Robertson, president; Robert Kottmeier, vice president; Robert Bowles, secretary; Mrs. Icy Reynolds, treasurer.
LOWRY AFB, Colo. –– Airman Third Class Charles Williams, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Williams of Campbell Farms, Smallett, Mo., is being assigned to Langley AFB, Va., following his graduation from the United States Air Force technical training course for weapons mechanics at Lowry AFB, Colo.
MOUND –– Uncle Frank Shipman celebrated his 96th birthday Friday, Feb. 2, at the home of his daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Ottie Stafford.
ATTENTION gas users, we will sell you a new 500 gallon tank installed for $3.38 per month. Bulk and cylinder delivery – Butane & Propane. Webster Hydro Gas Co., J.B. Stillings, Mgr., MU3-4640. Office north across street from courthouse. Phillips 66 dealer.
Drinking is a subject that floors a lot of people.
ALMARTHA –– Mr. and Mrs. Russell Walker and Gerald, Joe and Carrie Murphy visited until bedtime Saturday night with Lyle and Faye Murphy.
A son, Mark Wendell, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Springs, Jr., on Jan. 22.
Mrs. Henderson Gentry, who underwent a tonsillectomy at Burge Protestant Hospital in Springfield Friday morning, is now convalescing in her home in Ava.
Avalon Theater – Sun., Mon. – The Apartment – Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Edie Adams. Hilarious situation comedy.
Mr. and Mrs. Perry Posey (Coeta Hart) and sons, Roger and David, who have been living in Sedalia, returned to Ava Friday night and are again at their home in south Ava. The Poseys moved to Sedalia eight months ago when Mr. Posey, a carpenter, began employment on a housing project at Whiteman Air Force Base near Knob Noster.
Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Pickens of Ava announce the engagement of their daughter, Patsy to Jack Hutchison, son of Mr. and Mrs. Williard Hutchison of Ava. Miss Pickens is a graduate of Caruthers High School in Caruthers, Calif., and a graduate of Hil Cres College of Cosmetology, Springfield.
75 Years Ago
February 11, 1937
Five defendants, tried in kangaroo court Thursday night of last week on charges of conspiracy to shock the conscience of a community, were completely disregarded in a verdict rendered by a jury of eighteen of their superiors. The jury returned a verdict convicting the “persecuting” attorney, a defense attorney and a witness. The only one of the six defendants favored by mention in the verdict was ordered sent to the home for the feeble-minded. The trial was before the “Court of dubious justice,” presided over by “Hizzoner” W.I. Barker, president of the Chamber of Commerce.
University Extension work in Douglas County for the year 1937 is being aided by the county court to the extent of a $200 allowance. The court has agreed to allow an additional $100 if funds are available.
Approval of Douglas County’s budget for 1937 by State Auditor Forrest Smith has been received by County Clerk W.G. Givans. The budget amounts to $23,175.
Three young couples were in Ava Saturday evening to attend the Wilson Theater following their wedding ceremonies that afternoon at Wasola in Ozark County. In the group were Miss Wilma Prock, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G.R. Prock of Souder, and Ray Lowe, son of Clarence Lowe of Almartha; Miss Elsie Prock, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ewing Prock of Wasola, and Andrew Wade of Souder; Miss Chloe Ware, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earnie Wear of Souder, and Alfred Prock, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nell Prock of Wasola. The young people came to Ava soon after the triple wedding at Wasola. Andrew Wade is a brother to D.P. Wade, local produce dealer.
Miss Opal Maloney is acting as night operator in the Missouri Standard Telephone office here. Miss Maloney took over her new duties last week.
Taney County Sheriff Simmons and Constable Otto Wolf recently found and destroyed a 12-barrel still near Forsyth.
W.I. Barker has traded his farm on Whites Creek, formerly owned by Jesse Jones, and the town property here, formerly occupied by Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Kropp, to John Lathrop for his property just west of Ava on Highway 14. This property is known as the Harry Dailey property. Mr. and Mrs. Lathrop expect to move this week to the farm property.
MANSFIELD THEATRE –– Sun., Mon., Joan Crawford and Clark Gable in “Love on the Run,” with Franchot Tone.
Marriage Licenses –– Euel Graves, Thornfield and Mildred Delp, Thornfield; Paul Comer, Roy and Leona Silvey, Ava; H. Herbert Garton, Ava and Agnes Lucille Sherrell, Drury; Alfred Prock, Almartha and Chloe Ware, Souder; Ray Lowe, Almartha and Wilma Prock, Souder.
100 Years Ago
February 15, 1912
February 14 was St. Valentine’s Day and the usual gifts, feasts and “love-tokens” was the occasion of much merriment and love-making in our little city. According to the legend, St. Valentine was beheaded on Feb. 14, at Rome, under Claudius. The old notion was that birds began to couple on that day, and hence arose the custom of young persons of both sexes choosing each other as “valentines” for the ensuing year by a species of lottery, and of sending love missives to each other. St. Valentine was a bishop of Rome during the 3rd century. He is reported to have been a man of most amiable nature and remarkable gifts of eloquence, so that he was very successful in converting the pagan Romans to Christianity and for this reason he incurred the displeasure of the Emperor Marcus Claudius who hated and persecuted the little Christian band, and he was martyred by order of that ruler, first beaten with clubs and then beheaded. The date of his death was Feb. 14, 270. His bones are still exhibited to the credulous traveler at the church of St. Praxedes, in Rome.
We have recently printed a new telephone directory for the Mansfield – Ava Telephone Co. and they are now in the hands of all the phone holders of the Ava system. They asked us to please notify, through the columns of the Herald, all holders of a phone to call by number and not by name. The book is arranged so that you readily find any name in it, and so if you call for “Bill Jones” and the central girl just keeps saying “number”, don’t lose your temper but kindly get your directory and see the party’s number that you want to talk to.
ST. JAMES NOTES –– The school board met last week and decided to have one more month of school, making seven months in all.
Price reduced on disc separators. The best disc cream separator in the world is the Jersey–bowl suspended on ball bearing, gear runs in oil, practically indestructible easier to run than any other separator, except the Tubular. Capacity 550 pounds per hour, fully guaranteed, sold on trial. Price is only $40. Timberlake & Burnet.
Marriage Licenses –– Thos. H. Inman to E. May Chaney, both of Ava; Andy Hampton of Goodhope to Alta Lawrence of Roy; J. H. Craig of Witty to Nora Allen of Little Beaver; Geo. B. Hylton of Idumea to Nettie Burgin of Basher; W.T. Oneal to Sarah Rebmann, both of Drury; Charley Pratt to Effie Jones both of Smallett; Harvey Young to S.E. Bean, both of Ava.
