Looking Backward
25 years ago
Road crews were out this week spreading chemicals and abrasives on area roads after a thin layer of frozen precipitation fell during the night Monday and again on Tuesday night.
The Ralph and Sibyl Kerr Charitable Trust recently made a generous contribution to the Mt. Tabor General Baptist Church. A check in the amount of $2,000 was received by Bessie Hall, church clerk, and will be applied to the church’s building fund.
Mr. and Mrs. David Glenn Lafferty I, (Stephanie Sue Stokum)of Route 3, Ava, announce the birth of a son, Jared Dale, at 3:01 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 20, at St. John’s Regional Health Center, Springfield.
Delmar Guthery, of Ava, stopped by the Herald Office last week to share an item that tells us just how far we have come in three score and 10 years. Guthery had been visiting one day last week with his parents, George and Faye Guthery. The elder Mr. Guthery told his son about eating Christmas dinner at the Kirk Hotel in Ava 70 years ago that day. He said the full meal cost his wife 25 cents and Mr. Guthery paid 12 cents. He ate for half price because he carried the mail and often brought riders in with him, thus generating more business for the firm.
Brad Baxter, 6-1 senior center, is Ava’s leading scorer with 13 points per game, as of Dec. 22, and is second in rebounding with an average of six per game. Six-foot-5 sophomore center Aaron Dalton leads the team in rebounding with seven per game and is the team’s second high scorer with 11 points per game.
Staff Sergeant Preston D. Breshears received the Air Force commendation medal for meritorious service as Survival Equipment Specialist from Jan. 15, 1988 to Aug. 31, 1993, while stationed at Altus Air Force Base, Altus, Okla. He is the son of Jack and Barbara Breshears of Ava. Breshears is a 1981 graduate from Ava High School.
50 years ago
Two burglaries were reported here during the past week with the intruders taking cash and other items valued in excess of $280. A burglary at Pool’s Fina Station, one block east of the square early Friday morning, netted the intruders about $40 in small coins and a shotgun valued at $145, owned by Perry Pool. In a second burglary the same morning, thieves took $26.50 cash from a register at Hutch’s Place on the south side of the square, owned by Jack Hutchison. Also taken was a pistol valued at $65 and two cases of Budweiser beer.
Dr. and Mrs. Douglas Hays announce the birth of a son, Matthew Len, at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Gainesville Clinic.
Nine Springfield men, including three former Avans, have opened a music theater, known as the Four Star Opry, at 307 East Commercial in Springfield. Country-western and Blue Grass music will be featured at the theater. Former Avans in the new theater venture are Ralph Hunt, who is the business part of the company, and Souder Livingston and his son, Dennis Livingston, who play in the band.
Jeff Fleetwood, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ronnie Fleetwood of 320 NW 7th, celebrated his ninth birthday Monday afternoon, Dec. 16, with a birthday party hostessed by his mother from 4 until 5:30 o’clock. Those present to help celebrate were Terry and David Goodman, Timmy, Mickey, and Jimmy Sallee, and the honoree’s brothers and sisters, Junior Joey, Jarrod, and Jalana Fleetwood.
Mrs. Virgil Kester hostessed the Christmas meeting of Ava Art Group of SMMA Wednesday night, Dec. 11, in her home at 307 NE 5th Avenue. Members of the Art group attending, Mrs. Ben Callaway, Mrs. Wallace Williams, Mrs. Charles Cagle, Mrs. Bill Davis, Mrs. Harold Hutchison, Mrs. Howard Pettit, Mrs. Ramey Smith and Mrs. Vestil Taylor.
Anyone who sells firearms ammunition on or after December 16 must be licensed by the Internal Revenue Service under provisions of the gun control act of 1968.
FAIRVIEW –– Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Flattem were in Springfield Monday to meet their son, Rick, who had just arrived home from a year in Vietnam. Cpl. Richard Flattem spent Friday and Saturday with his brother, Terry, in Springfield.
ARNO –– Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Creech spent Sunday afternoon with their daughter, Mrs. Bonnie Phipps and daughters, Linda, Cecilia, and Debra.
CHAMPION – David Dooms visited Tuesday with his grandpa Rufus Keller, and with his grandmother, Mrs. Golda Dooms.
LSD and thalidomide come to mind immediately when we think of drugs which may cause birth defects. But more and more scientists are equally suspicious of the commonplace medications found in the family medicine chest.
75 years ago
Couples getting married on or after January 1 will encounter even more obstacles than the present three-day wait now required by state law, for beginning January 1 applicants for licenses to marry must also have blood tests made before they can obtain their license. The law requires applicants for a marriage license to file with the recorder of deeds a report of a negative laboratory serological test for syphilis and an affidavit signed by the applicant that he or she is free from syphilis.
Trooper R.R. (Luke) Copenhagen of the state highway patrol, stationed at Kennett, and Sergeant E.F. Graham, also of the patrol, were injured Friday night when a troop car they occupied turned over on Highway 25 near Holcomb. Trooper Copenhagen lived in Ava before going to the patrol. Reports reaching Ava this week indicated he is not seriously hurt.
The Ava High School basketeers scored another victory Friday night when they defeated Mansfield by a score of 25 to 3 on the Mansfield court. Teddy Sallee, one of the Ava Bears’ forwards, led the scoring with 16 points. This was the ninth game for the Bears this season, seven wins and two losses.
Mrs. Marvin Gentry received word this week from her brother Private Rhufus Allen, that he had landed safely overseas and is now serving with the armed forces in north Africa. Also serving in the same area is another brother of Mrs. Gentry, Corporal Tommy Allen, who has been stationed there during the past year.
Eugene Clinkingbeard of Columbia arrived in Ava Wednesday and will remain here for a week with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C.V. Clinkingbeard. Eugene who is a student in the University of Misosuri will cut short his Christmas vacation visit here in order to return to school so that he may spend some additional time at basketball practice.
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Davenport will entertain the members of the Singleton families in their home Friday when they meet for their annual Christmas dinner and celebration. Present at this dinner will be Mr. and Mrs. Ray Singleton and sons, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Croslin, Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Reynolds and daughter, Catherine, Mr. and Mrs. C. Miller and daughter Hester, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Singleton, Mrs. J.M. Singleton, Mrs. Rose Croslin and Mr. and Mrs. C.O. Bennett of Houston.
Miss Florence Silvey, Wave petty officer third class of Chase Field, Beville, Texas, arrived in Ava Monday evening and will spend a 15-day leave with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hobart Silvey and family. Miss Silvey, who joined the Waves a year ago, is now in the Link training department at Chase Field and she flies four hours each month as an instructor. She made most of the trip home by plane and served as co-pilot from Corpus Christi, Texas to Clinton, Oklahoma.
DRURY –– A stork shower was held Thursday last week at the home of Mrs. Harry Shannon in honor of Mrs. J.D. Ridenour.
100 Years Ago
At a meeting of the City and County Boards of Health in Ava Wednesday morning of this week orders were entered for the lifting of the ban on public gatherings. The order will take effect next Monday when the Ava Public Schools will be permitted to resume work, and will take effect in all rural districts of the county on Monday, Jan. 6. The physicians have announced that the influenza epidemic in this county is now practically under control. There are only about three cases in Ava, and a few cases in the vicinity of Hest, eight miles south of Ava.
The Public Service Commission at Jefferson City has reached a decision in the matter of a proposed raise in the rates of the Ava Electric Light Company denying the Company the privilege of putting the proposed raise into effect.
The “Yellow Jacket,” the KCO&S Ry. motor coach, was badly damaged by fire in Mansfield on Tuesday of this week and will have to undergo repairs before being put into use again. The accident to the “Yellow Jacket” completely suspended all traffic over the road for the time being, the freight engine having been withdrawn about a week ago for repairs. The blaze that damaged the “Yellow Jacket” was started from a stove in the car shed which was being used by workmen.
Jesse King of Bryant, prosperous farmer and dairyman, was here Saturday to market his cream. Jesse milks on an average of about eight cows which bring him an income of approximately $80 per month, he stated. His cows do not produce as large a supply of milk as some other breeds, but for cream production, they lead anything he has tried.
TIGRIS ITEMS –– Drilling for mineral has been in progress on the M. Heinline farm during the past few days.
Olin McCullough has the typhoid fever, he was just recovering from the flu.
Otis Biggs who has just been mustered out of service at Camp Dodge gave his friends here a surprise when he brought a bride home with him. The bride will be known all over the county as Miss Maude Penner, and also as one of the county’s successful teachers. The young couple were married at West Plains about a week ago. Their friends here wish them everything that will make their life a pleasure.
Eggs are not bankable but the money from their sale is. This money is yours for the effort. How do you treat the hen that lays the Golden Eggs?
125 Years ago
Dr. Boulware of Butler says whiskey will cure diphtheria.
The Mississippi is lower than it has ever been since St. Louis was settled. The Missouri River is said to be so low at Jefferson City that the catfish have got the hay fever.
After the first day of January the man who shoots a quail will be compelled to answer to a charge of violating the law.
A monument dedicated to the Union soldiers of Johnson County will be erected in Warrensburg during the coming winter.
The beauty of a railroad through Stone County will be that it will run near Marvel Cave and open up that wonder to the world.
The Supreme Court has released a swindling lightning rod peddler from the penitentiary on the grounds that in Missouri, lying is not a state prison offense.
Natural gas was struck at Iola, Kansas at a depth of about 1,500 feet.
All federal officers in the Indian territory have been given special instructions to prevent the sale of liquors in that section.
There are now nearly 500 idle convicts in the penitentiary at Jefferson City, Mo.
The Washington police are much exercised over the expected coming to Washington of a crackpot who has threatened to do terrible things.
Columbia is getting to be a convention city.
The state poultry show in Warrensburg was a great success.
The women shirt makers of Sedalia won their strike.
China is preparing a new treaty, which she will soon present to the United States.
Rolla claims the best amateur orchestra in Missouri.
WASHINGTON –– General Wheeler, chairman of the House committee on territories, reported a bill yesterday to admit Oklahoma territory as a state. The bill was agreed upon by the committee. This bill does not include Indian territory, but is for Oklahoma as the boundaries exist. The report shows that there are 750,000 people in the territory and that its area is 238,000 square miles.
A Springfield cat managed to get along for four months without anything to eat. The poor animal was locked up in a room and forgotten, and although somewhat reduced when released, still lives to tell the story.
