Looking Backward 6.4.2015
25 Years Ago
May 31, 1990
A Kansas couple is in the custody of the Douglas County Jail on burglary and related charges following a series of break-ins west of Ava Tuesday. Burglarized were the homes of George Roberts, David Litwiller and Larry Giddens, all along Highway 76 west of Ava.
American Legion Post 112 and VFW Post 5993 conducted a Memorial Day ceremony at the Ava Cemetery Monday morning. Guest speaker was the Rev. L.E. (Buss) Reynolds, a member of both the American Legion and VFW.
Sherri DeGase, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James DeGase of Squires, received a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing during commencement exercises on May 19 at Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kan.
Tom Crommie, of Spring Valley Ranch, Drury, will have a team of his big draft horses in Ava this weekend for Poke Salat Days. Crommie will be here to talk to visitors about the magnificent animals and will also give hayrides around Ava during the three-day event.
Two Ava runners, senior Scott Sallee and junior Shana Swearengin, qualified for the finals in the state track meet at Jefferson City last Saturday, and both set new school records in their events.
BREEDON –– John Sawyer visited his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Rex Sawyer. Others visiting were Faye McKnight, Viola Haynes from Augusta, Kan., Mr. and Mrs. Edward Dooms, Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Thomas, and Annabell Walker.
First place winner of Monday Night Ladies Bowling League was Home Building and Loan. Team members are Bessie Hall, June Hollis, Lois Rust, Ann Garland, Sammy Yates, and Billie Taber.
50 Years Ago
May 27, 1965
A wind and rainstorm struck Ava about 11:15 a.m. Wednesday snapping tree limbs in most sections of the city, and interrupting electrical service in the west part of town for about two hours.
Officers and members of the Ava High School Student Council were installed at a meeting at the school recently. They are Mary Jane Herd, Donna Tidwell, Linda Bacorn, Carole Burk, Lendell King, vice president; Donald Davis, Greg Alsup, president; Hamlin Tallent, treasurer; Jimmy Williams, reporter; Carol Leeper, secretary; Rick Gipe, and Jeanette Vinson.
Approval of an $82,000 loan for construction of the Ava Country Club was announced Wednesday by Arthur Stanley, State FHA supervisor, and Kenneth Miller of Ava, district FHA supervisor.
The Standard Station at the junction of City Routes 5 and 14 has been purchased by Gene Riggs of Ava. Mr. Riggs is a native of this area of the Ozarks and has been employed for the past three and a half years by the Ava Gas Company. Two full-time employees, James Stafford and Jerry Huffman, who have several years experience will continue their work at the station.
Marsha Pettit, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Pettit of Ava, was chosen Tuesday night as Ava High School Key Club Queen over 16 other contestants in a ceremony at the Ava High School auditorium. Runners-up were Janet Curry, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Howard Curry, and Jeanetta Johnson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Monte Johnson.
Mrs. Ted Sallee of west Ava was honor guest at a pink and blue shower given Monday evening, May 17 at the First General Baptist Church on Southwest Fifth Ave.
Moe’s Drive Inn, north of Ava High School, Saturday & Sunday, Special! Fresh tenderloin sandwich, reg. 40¢, special 30¢; fresh cube steak sandwich, reg. 40¢, special 30¢. Try our burgers, reg. 19¢ each or 6 for $1.00.
Teen Tuesday was organized here Saturday evening with election of officers. David Overcast was elected president of the organization. Other officers are Linda Thompson, vice president; Marsha Wallace, secretary-treasurer; Larry Burnett, membership chairman; Joyce Cunningham, reporter.
A birthday supper was held Friday May 14, in the home of Mr. and Mrs. J.T. Robertson, 521 NW 5th Avenue, when a family group met to honor Mr. Robertson. Present to help Mr. and Mrs. Robertson celebrate his birthday were their children, the Rev. and Mrs. Cecil Robertson of Springfield and Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Robertson and daughter, Marjorie, Mr. and Mrs. Russell Robertson, and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kellogg, Ava, also Mr. Robertson’s sister, Mrs. Ernest Hamby and Mr. Hamby, also of Ava.
75 Years Ago
May 30, 1940
King Leopold the Third of Belgium surrendered his country to Germany in a surprise order Tuesday, throwing the allied forces of France and Great Britain in a still more precarious position than they have been. It was reported that about 700,000 allied troops in Belgium were left without protection on the north after King Leopold’s surrender to the Nazis.
Mose Workman, manager of Ava’s baseball club, which started out this season under the name of the Boosters, has been pretty discouraged the past week or so because of the lack of interest shown in an Ava ball club.
Dr. C.E. Harlin spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Kirksville taking post-graduate work in the Kirksville College of Osteopathy and Surgery.
Mr. and Mrs. Sam Exline and family moved last Thursday to the property of Mrs. Georgia Edmonds on Benton Avenue. The Exlines have been occupying the Holestine bungalow on Jefferson Street.
Mr. and Mrs. L.E. Reynolds and daughter, Louise, spent the weekend in Tulsa visiting with Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Reynolds, Jr., and daughter Gloria Suzanne. Mr. Reynolds returned to Ava Sunday but Mrs. Reynolds and Louise will visit in Tulsa throughout this week.
Avalon Theatre –– Grapes of Wrath, More people have asked about this picture than any other picture we have ever shown. This novel that startled the nation, becomes a picture that will startle and thrill you. Come prepared to see some “Stark Realism.” Henry Fonda and Jane Darwell head a cost that really makes a BIG picture. This is one of the years most talked of pictures as well as an OUTSTANDING ONE.
A first hand account of the suffering of civilians in war torn northern France was received here Tuesday by the Douglas County Chapter of the American Red Cross from John Maloney, American Red Cross staff member. “PARIS, FRANCE –– I have spent the past five hours talking to individual French and Belgian refugees from a stream of millions rushing southward toward Paris to escape roaring hell let loose behind them. It is impossible to picture to Americans in their comfortable surroundings the misery and terror experienced by these helpless victims of war. Paris itself is swamped by terror-stricken, hungry, exhausted men, women and children whose thoughts now are not of homes and possessions left behind, but of safety from bombs and bullets that have harassed their flight from battle. ”
Announcement of common requirements for the admission of students into the freshman classes of the liberal arts colleges of the member institutions of the Missouri College Union was made this week.
Just how tall are you when measured up by the Golden Rule?
100 Years Ago
June 10, 1915
At a 4th of July meeting at the courthouse last Monday night, it was decided to celebrate the 4th in Ava. J.W. Singleton was elected chairman of the meeting and E.W. Campbell, secretary.
We had a fine rain last Sunday night and crops are certainly looking fine. There is no going back on the fact, that up till now things are very flattering for a bumper crop of everything in this country.
At the present and for some time pasts, as to that matter, the Ava merchants are about the deadest bunch we have ever run up against. We realize that business is dull, and times are slow, but there is no excuse for a merchant settling idly down and letting the mail order houses “rake in” what little money there is in the country. Mr. Merchant you are asleep. Your condition is more serious than you are thinking of. The amount of money sent to mail order houses is appalling. Are you going to stand for it?
Russell R. Thompson and Miss Elva Mankin were married at the brides parents home last Saturday night. Squire Norris officiating. The bride is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Mankin and the groom is a son of Mr. and Mrs. S.S. Thompson of near Macomb. The Herald extends congratulation and best wishes to the happy couple.
Robert Uhlman and S.A. Russell of the east end of the county were in Ava the first of the week looking after some business with the county court. They deposited in the county treasury $152 to be used on the West Plains – Ava county seat road. The county puts up a like amount, and the state doubles that. They are very enthusiastic over the road prospect and the roads will no doubt be the benefactors.
There will be no stock law election in Springcreek, Washington and Campbell townships. A writ of injunction was issued by Judge John T. Moore, and was served on County Clerk E. C. Bench last Monday, enjoining him from sending out the election supplies. This is done pending a hearing of this case, which will be tried at the September term of Circuit Court.
SWEDEN –– The people of Sweden have got together and built a tabernacle, and organized a Union Sunday School, the following officers were elected: Supt., R. J. Chilcote; Asst. Supt., Mrs. Tim Elliott; Sec., Mrs. R. J. Chilcote; Treas., Mr. Tim Elliott, and Organist, Miss Maud Smith.
GENERAL BAPTIST CHURCH – Last Sunday was one of our best days. The attendance at Sunday school was 166, which is a fine beginning indeed for this month.
125 Years Ago
June 5, 1890
SPRINGFIELD, Mo., May 31 – Eight prisoners made good their escape from the county jail yesterday. As T.R. Dodson, an elderly man, who was acting as jailer, gave the prisoners their dinners, they assaulted him, forced him into a cell and locked the door, then fled. At last accounts they had not been recaptured. Three of the men are J.W. Officer, T.W. Berry and George Scott, who blew open and robbed a safe at Arno, in Douglas County, several weeks ago, and later on broke jail in that county, but were recaptured in Wisconsin and brought back and lodged in the jail here. The others are J.E. Berry, Henry Pealey, Tom Mergail, Ben Howard and Albert Officer.
Governor Francis granted a pardon yesterday to H.G. Hawes, of Ozark County, who was convicted at the April term of the Supreme Court of forgery and sentenced to the penitentiary for two years. The pardon was granted on the presentation of evidence to the governor that Hawes was convicted of a crime he did not commit.
A new mineral oil lubricant having the consistency of butter and with appreciably odor is being extensively used in France.
A new megaphone has been placed on the market in England, by which the human voice can be so magnified that it may be heard at a distance of several miles.
The new German military rifle has a range of 6,900 yards, and will shoot through the bodies of six men standing one behind the other at a distance of seven paces.
The railroads get a pretty good fee out of Uncle Sam for carrying the mails. The aggregate sum paid for this service by the government is 40 million dollars a year.
James Payne, the novelist, has written forty novels. He sleeps ten hours a day and has no use for a stenographer or typewriter. He believes that the presence of another person destroys to some extent one’s individually, and holds that man can only think at his best when alone.
The Government of the United States will certainly not permit a lottery to be operated in the Indian Territory. That form of industry can get protection only in a Democratic State, where it is held to be a sound public policy to reduce taxes by accepting bribes from gamblers.
On Monday, Bud Duren and Wm. Ryan, of Boone Township, got into a difficulty, which resulted in Ryan being dangerously cut with a knife. The parties are brothers-in-law and the cause of the difficulty has not been reported. Ryan is expected to die from the effect of his wounds.
Mr. J. M. Adams, from Springfield, Kansas, arrived here on Friday with his safe and bank fixtures and will open a bank at once for the accommodation of the people of Ava and vicinity.
Dr. Fullbright performed the astonishing feat of finding three babies at the residence of Mr. Jim Shelton, 5 miles south of town, Saturday night. The smallest one weighed 9 pounds, and the three were over 30 lbs. All boys. Mother and babies doing well, but Mr. Shelton is all broke up.
