Looking Backward 5.18.2017
25 Years Ago
May 14, 1992
Commencement exercises for the Ava High School graduating class of 1992 will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon, marking the end of an era for some 89 seniors who will receive diplomas.
Members of the Ava City Council and City Clerk Marilyn Alms met in the law offices of James Curry Tuesday morning to present Curry with a commem-orative plaque in recognition of the 44 years he served as Ava City Attorney. Those present were Alderman Oren Alcorn, Alderman Gordon Shanks, Alderman Joe Murphy, Mayor Bud Norman, Alderman Herman Davis and City Clerk Marilyn Alms.
Eighth grade honor graduates at Plainview R-8 School are Rachel McKoy, salutatorian, and Mark Wilson, valedictorian.
Eighth grade honor graduates at Skyline R-2 School are Sean Sweeney, valedictorian, and Jamie Lamb, salutatorian.
Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Alms will celebrate their 25th wedding anni-versary at a reception held in their honor at the Ava Country Club on Saturday evening, May 16 at 6 p.m.
Jeff and Karen Ellison of Branson, Mo. are proud to announce the birth of a daughter, Joe Lynn Kate. She joined a sister, Emillie, who is three years old.
Christina Robertson, a 1992 graduate of Ava High School, will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Shelter Insurance Foundation.
Mt. Zion Bible School 1992 Graduates: Lucas Witt, Thomas Fleming, Katrina Arender, and Claudia Bowle.
A surprise birthday dinner was held Saturday, May 9 at the Faith Rock Church in Ava in honor of Ida Mae (Rodgers) Bice. She turned 80 years old on May 5.
50 Years Ago
May 11, 1967
Graduation exercises for 108 members of the senior class at Ava High School will get under way Sunday evening, May 14.
Several members of the Ava Boy Scout Troop received advancements and merit badges Monday evening at a Court of Honor held at the Legion Hall. Those participating were Allen Dye, Darrell Burnett, Jeff Dye, Danny Thurman, Chuck Faszholz, Mike Eagle, Bill Hall, assistant scoutmaster; John Hen-drix, Neil Cook, Robin Mackey, Doug Alderman, Marvin Emerson, Jim Williams, Mark Musich, Bruce Pettit, James Cross, Rick Hale, and Harry Williams, scoutmaster.
The Douglas County Herald received a Blue Ribbon newspaper award during the Missouri Press Association Convention last week at the University of Missouri, during Journalism week activities. The Herald was rated among the top week newspaper in the state for its general excellence during the past year.
James (Buddy) Norman, 38, owner and operator of the Dairy Queen here, was seriously injured last Wednesday night 10 miles north of Ava on old Highway 5 when his Jeepster ran off the road and overturned. Norman underwent a five-hour operation last week to restore use of his right arm. He is listed in satisfactory condition at Burge-Protestant Hospital where he is being treated.
Mr. and Mrs. Baxter Gaulding of west Ava, observed their 70th wedding anniversary Tuesday, May 9. Mr. and Mrs. Gaulding, the parents of Claude Gaulding of Ava, both observed their 89th birthdays late last year.
McCLURG – PFC Gary Mitchell of Fort Leonard Wood and Miss Connie Jones visited Sunday with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ted Mitchell.
Mark Musich, son of Mr. and Mrs. Victor Musich, received his God and Country Award in Scouting recently in a ceremony in Springfield, and was cited officially during a Court of Honor held here Monday night. Musich is a member of the Catholic Church.
- M. Richards of Ava celebrated his 99th birthday Sunday, April 30, when members of his family and friends met at the MFA Hall for a basket dinner.
Little Kimberly Stillings, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Stillings, celebrated her fourth birthday Saturday afternoon, May 6, when her parents honored her with a birthday party from 2 until 4 o’clock, at the family home on Highway 76, west of Ava.
Ava High School Principal Max Decker was in Jefferson City Tuesday as a member of the State Department of Education AAA Advisory Committee.
Some people have a difficulty for every solution.
You can fight a woman with your hat –– grab it and run.
75 Years Ago
May 14, 1942
Appointment of air raid wardens for Ava were made this week by the executive committee of the Douglas County Defense Council after W.A. Spurrier and Wardell Stanfield returned from Fulton where they attended an air raid warden’s school. Wardens appointed who have accepted are Russell Meeker, Mrs. Bill Brooks, Bill Bowles, Russell Thompson, Clovis Gipson, Doyne Warren, Clinton Gaston, Clifford Reynolds, Everett Hesterlee, Ovle House, O.A. Atteberry and Cecil Harley.
14,549 applications for sugar ration books were received in Douglas County and 14,115 war ration books were issued, according to a report by O.E. Maxey, chairman of the local rationing board. Four hundred and thirty-one application books were not issued because of the applicant’s possession of excess sugar supplies.
Basil Burks, teacher of the Ava High School commerce department this week announced the high ranking students in his courses. Eileen Rogers and Lowell Scribner were the most outstanding students of the year, based on skills plus ability to use skill. Pauline Stafford ranked first in bookkeeping with Lowell Scribner second.
Announcement is made this week by Mr. and Mrs. Lee F. Thurman of the marriage of their daughter, Fay, to Bretney Sims of Vanzant, Mo, at Mountain Home Arkansas on Sunday, May 11, 1941.
Private Vernon Ray of Fort Leonard Wood and his sister, Mrs. Glenn Hibbard of Cape Girardeau, visited here the past week with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ray and other relatives.
The War Front –– The War Department announced the planes which recently raided Japan were U.S. bombers. The attack was made in clear weather in the middle of the day, and at low altitudes.
The Navy Department said 21 Japanese warships were sunk or damaged in the battle of the Coral Sea with relatively slight losses to U.S. forces.
O.W. Woods left Saturday for Sandusky, Ohio, to accept a civil service appointment in a powder and explosives ordnance plant. Mr. Woods will be rated as a junior inspector in the plant and will inspect the various types of gunpowder and explosives. For the past three years Mr. Woods has been teaching science in Ava High School and has been reemployed for the next year.
WEST LIBERTY – Mr. and Mrs. James Heatherly are the parents of a baby girl who made her arrival Tuesday afternoon. They are staying at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Grant Heatherly.
Clover Farm Stores home owned and operated by Fred O. Lethco: sliced bacon, 25¢ lb., lard, 2 lbs., 29¢; Van Camps Pork & Beans, can, 5¢; Crystal White Soap, 6 bars, 25¢; Quinn-Barry Mountain Grown Coffee tin, lb. 33¢; oleo, 2 lbs. 35¢
100 Years Ago
May 17, 1917
The most elaborate 8th grade graduation ever held in Douglas County was held at the Wilson Opera House in Ava last Saturday evening. More than 500 people witnessed the occasion. The rural graduating class this year numbered 153, by far exceeding that of any previous year. The larges class in any previous year was graduated in 1915 and numbered 110.
J.W. Kennedy of Mansfield is raising 140 acres of tomatoes. He has 130 acres in one body, and 10 acres in another. He will do his own canning.
We often hear of men who have “lots of gall” but it is seldom that one gets to see a hen that has a liver almost half its own weight. Mrs. W.G. Buckley, resident in the north-western part of the city killed a pullet a few days ago and found that the fowl’s liver weighed exactly 11 ounces.
James Farmer of Qulin, Butler County, has declined to renew his licenses to operate a saloon at Qulin. Owing to pending prohibition laws now before Congress, Farmer’s license expired last week, and he had applied for a renewal, but withdrew the application. A bill is now before Congress and is reported favorable, that would increase the tax from $1.10 a gallon to $2.20, and on beer, from $.50 a barrel to $2.75. This is a war measure and is like to become a law.
Noel Strait, who has been visiting with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.M. Strait of Girdner, left Monday for his home. He is a member of the Missouri guard and was just recently released from duty on the Mexican border. He is expecting a call at any time to serve on the European battlefield.
A compilation from British, French and German official com-muniques shows that 717 airplanes were shot down on the western front during April. The Germans lost 369, the French and Belgians, 201, and the British 147. This is a great increase over the casualties for any similar period. The highest previous total was 322 in September.
Three men, giving their names as Wilhelm Bark, Henry Holser and W.F. Fassbinder, were arrested at Fornfelt, Mo., last week charged with being German spies. They were taken to Cape Girardeau to await the arrival of U.S. Secret Service men for further investigation.
Acting upon orders from Judge Arch Johnson of the criminal court, Sheriff Will Webb began swearing in a large force of deputy sheriffs, whose work will be confined to arresting persons charged with dynamiting and shooting into street cars during the strike of motormen and conductors.
125 Years Ago
May 19, 1892
AUGUSTA, Kan. –– A cyclone struck this city about 6 o’clock last night completely demolishing the south part of the city. The portion struck was occupied by small residences. About 12 or 15 buildings were destroyed. The Santa Fe stockyards were blown down and the wires running into the Santa Fe depot are all down.
The Howell County Court made a contract with the Pauley Jail Company of St. Louis, whereby the latter company is to build a $4,000 jail at West Plains.
Governor Francis appointed delegates to represent Missouri at the opening of the Memphis Bridge.
A ghost of an old man who grins and says nothing, is reported to be making the occupants of a New York house uncomfortable.
Our tax valuations have been nearly doubled by the present county administration and the percent of taxes collected largely increased, and still the county debt is not being paid.
The financial statement of Douglas County for the past 12 months shows an increase of indebt-edness of about $2,000. Where are those wheelers who promised to pay the county out of debt?
The Ava and Mansfield hack remained at Bryant on Tuesday night being unable to cross the creek which was out of it banks. A crossing was made at 2 o’clock a.m. Wednesday.
Capt. Pennington has struck lead on his land two miles east of Ava, near Hunter Creek. He has been sinking a prospect shaft and struck lead at a depth of 20 ft. The lead was found in a crevice or pocket 15 ft. long and 5 ft. wide. The opening in the rock is filled with a red clay and lead ore. One piece of lead was taken out on Friday which is nearly pure and weighed 6 pounds.
William Hutchison of Cass Township has made a rich find of lead ore in town 26, range 13. He forwarded a sample of the ore to the Bank of Ava last week. He reports that he’s taken out something over 600 pounds of lead and that there is plenty more in sight.
- Eslick of Spring Creek Township has found lead on his farm four miles south of Ava on the head of Whites Creek, and work on a prospecting shaft will be commenced this week.
Circuit Clerk Hartin is now prepared to re-record marriage licenses of which the record was destroyed by the courthouse fire in 1886.
Call at the millinery store of Mrs. Phelps, northeast corner of the square. A nice new stock and prices reasonable.
Born –– to the wife of J.A. Spurlock, a girl, on Monday, May 16.
Contractor and Building Jno. Fry, successor to A.E. King, Ava, Mo. All kinds of carpenter work done with neatness and dispatch. Safe robbing bee gums in stock at $1.00 each. A full line of Undertaker’s goods consisting of coffins of all sizes, trimmings, etc., always on hand. I will continue the business at the old stand, south of the saloon. Jno. Fry.
