Looking Backwards
25 years ago – February 9, 1995
Lynda (Robertson) Clouse graduated magna cum laude from SMSU, with a bachelor of science degree in agriculture communications, a minor in animal science and a second minor in art with emphasis on photography.
There was standing room only at the Douglas County Public Library when Dr. Max Decker presented a program on Ozark Folklore.
Holly Smoot, granddaughter of Beulah Creech and the late Cecil Creech of Ava, was named Employee of the month at the Department of Health.
Seymour’s Division Street railroad crossing – the scene of two fatal car-train collisions since 1992 – will be permanently closed to traffic later this month.
This year’s Hoopcoming candidates are Farrah Snelson, Laura Strong, Kristine Pedersen, Martin Hodges, Tim Meyer and Brandon Ellison.
Mary Boyd and family would like to thank everyone involved in her benefit singing.
Attending the Star Workers Club were Macie Shireman, Frieda Fletcher, Elma Lawrence, Marie King, Vada Mae Gutierrez, Geraldine Hartley, Marion Davis and Gwynne Kearns.
Parents as Teachers will hold a group meeting on Discipline at the Ava Elementary cafeteria.
Bobbi Day and Rodney Hicks are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Tiffany LeAnn Hicks. She weighed 3 lbs, 9 oz. and was 16 inches long.
Weekend visitors in the home of Delmer and Annette Caudill were Virgil Caudill of Cameron, Mo., Trudy and Dale Gunkel and Natasha of Cassville, Mo., and Tony and David Titus of Ava.
Bill Frye took second place at Brunswick, Ga. last weekend in his first race of the 1995 season.
There is an organization meeting for Sweet Adeline Group of Ava. All ladies who like to sing are welcome.
Philip Gressman and Aaron Corum received special honors when the Ava High School Quiz Bowl Team competed at Houston. Gressman was named to the Varsity All-Tournament Team and Corum to the Junior Varsity All-Tournament Team.
Sonic Drive-In reopens under new franchise ownership. Troy and Tina Dockery, part owners, have made updates to the interior including a new Ordermatic computer ordering and tracking system.
Mr. and Mrs. Ron Ryan went to Clinton, MI, to visit Mr. and Mrs. David Orlowski, Tracey and Katrina. The purpose of the trip was to take a puppy to their teenage niece, Katrina, for her birthday.
50 years ago – February 5, 1970
Airman Kilburn, who has been based at Chanute Air Force Base, Rantoul, IL, arrived here Thursday and will spend 15 days at home before reporting for duty at an Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyo.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cagle and their children are leaving Ava today to establish a new home in Clarmore, Okla., where Mr. Cagle has accepted a position as sales manager for Melton Pontiac.
Although some states have changed the color of state police emergency lights from red to blue, the Missouri Highway Patrol is going to stick with the familiar red until the trend becomes widespread.
Durward G. Hall, a five term congressman, filed for re-election to the United States House of Representatives.
Miss Nancy Lewis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Stankard, has completed United Air Lines stewardess training and is assigned to Chicago’s O’Hara International Airport.
John V. Borawski, Jr., was cited for littering.
Mrs. Marie Buckalllew, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Gay, has been named to the Dean’s Honor Roll at Centerville Community College in Centerville, Iowa.
The Alpha Warren Missionary Society met at the parsonage. They are making lap robes for wheelchair patients at Chastain’s of Ava.
Two school girls were injured when a school bus and a Clinkingbeard ambulance collided near the home of Virgil Sellers near Smallett during a snow storm.
Six music students from Ava High School placed in auditions for the South Central Association honors band. The students are: LuAnn Hendrix, flute; Marilyn Piland, clarinet; Sue Curry, flute; Alan Miles, tenor saxophone; Jean Ann Curry, clarinet; and Jim Huffman, tuba.
Richard and Cheryl Mitchell stayed with their aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Merle Davis and Brenda, while their parents were shopping in Ava.
Mike Smitley visited Mr. and Mrs. Merle Davis to see the new baby, Brenda Gail. He was the 80th person to stop by to see the new arrival.
The “flu bug” has taken its toll at the Ava schools this week. 12 teachers, 86 high school students, and 106 elementary school students were absent.
All Ava school students’ transcripts have been microfilmed for preservation and safe-keeping, as well as eliminating a storage problem.
Annabel L. Briscoe has been named Ava High School’s 1970 Betty Crocker Homemaker of tomorrow.
Susan Self was able to be at Sunday School but had to miss school last week, due to illness from a tooth.
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Boyer entertained with a late Christmas dinner Jan. 31, in honor of their children who couldn’t get home Christmas due to icy roads.
Dallas Wayne Chambers fined $5 and costs for an overwide truck.
75 years ago – February 8, 1945
A trachoma clinic will be held at the community room in the courthouse. Everyone who suffers from trachoma in any form can attend. According to Mrs. Paul Morray, public health nurse, trachoma is one of the greatest causes of blindness in the world.
Corporal Frank Tompkins who has been overseas the past 18 months, came to Ava and is spending his furlough here with his father, David Tompkins, with his sister, Mrs. Ernest Bect, and with friends and relatives.
Sergeant Vernon Coble, son of Mr. and Mrs. A.B. Coble, has returned to duty after being reported by the War Department as “missing over Holland.”
Sergeant Virgil Kester is a member of an ordinance and supply division of the United States Army stationed in England which has just received the presidential citation for “outstanding work done by the division.” Sergeant Kester’s division took part in the “D” day landings.
Miss Vera Call and a friend, Miss Fern Branson, returned to Augusta, KS, after spending a few days here with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ivy Call.
Men and Women Wanted for War Work in St. Louis, Missouri. No experience necessary, Housing guaranteed, Transportation paid, Good wages and excellent opportunity for advancement.
The Ava High School student council sponsored a spelling bee, covering 200 words. The four winners were: Senior class, Miss Jeanne Everett, 192; junior class, Miss Juanita Hitchcock, 200; sophomore class, Miss Norma Lee Piland, 192; freshman class, Miss Roberta Scribner, 174.
Mrs. Lyle Ross entertained the members of the Merry Matrons in her apartment on Locust Street. The ladies played several rounds of pinochle. The high score prize was presented to Mrs. Norvale Watten. Mrs. Warren Robertson received the consolation prize. and the galloping prize stopped with Mrs. Clinton Maloney.
Leonard Owens, of the US Air Force, has been promoted from corporal to sergeant. Sergeant Owens is the husband of Mrs. Mary Owens and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Owens of Ava.
Mr. and Mrs. S.W. Grimes enjoyed a telephone call from their daughter, Miss Lucille, who is stationed in Kamulla, Hawaii with a USO unit.
Miss Betty Lou Stanton entertained a group of friends at a “coke party” in the basement recreation room of the Stanton home. The teenage group enjoyed the dancing and other features of the party.
Those folding bandages Thursday were Mrs. Juanita Hall, Miss Iva Allen, Miss Ester Caudill, Mrs. Golda Goin, Mrs. Eva Scribner, Mrs. Armour, Mrs. Ocie Armour, and Mrs. Madeena Harvill. They folded 760 bandages.
100 Years ago – February 5, 1920
Thirty-three years ago today the Douglas County Herald was first issued forth into the great field of Journalism, destined, as it were, to live on and on throughout the succeeding years and to struggle and grow in pace with the town and country round about. The Herald today bears testimony as to how well it has kept step in the steady march of time.
A thorough inspection is made in the grades each morning in order that no one who has the “flu” will be allowed to attend. No member of a family in which there is a case of the flu is allowed to come to school.
Ava school alumni we are proud of: Sybil Steward, who is stenographer for Lincoln Hausen Trust Co. of St. Louis; C.G. Blair, who is assistant cashier of a bank at Cabool; W.I. Barker, who is Circuit Clerk of Douglas County; Dewey Kay, who is Supt. of School at Mansfield.
Anheuser-Bush Brewery, at St. Louis, has been converted into a pork packing plant, capitalized at $1,000,000.
Mr. Hudson’s daughter, of St. Joe, came in to take care of her mother who is seriously ill from a stroke of paralysis.
John Cornelius, formerly a merchant at Granada, has purchased the general store at “String City.”
Messrs Taylor and McClure of Seymour were buying cattle in this section last week.
Gentry & Hatfield Pro. Co. shipped 2000 lbs of chickens Thursday.
Mrs. Emma Collier and son departed Monday for their home in Michigan after an extended visit with her daughter, Mrs. Geo. Pease.
W.F. Reynolds and L.H. Pettit made a business trip to Norwood the fore part of the week.
Uncle John Haskins, who has been sick for some time, is still unable to attend his duties at the Haskins & Jones Grocery.
The House of Representatives at Washington appropriated a million dollars to guard 68,000,000 gallons of liquor in the 800 bonded warehouses throughout the country.
Jim Martin of Broken Arrow, Okla., arrived Sunday on a visit to relatives in Ava, and will accompany his wife and little daughter, who have been visiting here for the past several weeks, on the return trip to their home.
The first of last week Frank Ritter’s house caught fire while he was away and came near burning, but the women succeeded in putting out the fire.
If Methuselah had invested $1 at 6% on his 21st birthday, he would have left a fortune of $302,239,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 when he died 948 years later.
The music party at Monroe Mackey’s was well attended.
Mr. E.C. Platt has purchased another forty acres adjoining his pasture, formerly owned by a Mr. Nunn.
In an attack of acute rheumatism in which there is much pain, Ballard’s Snow Liniment is a necessary part of the treatment. It is powerful pain relief. Three sizes, 30 cents, 60 cents, and $1.20 per bottle.
125 Years ago – February 7, 1895
Tommy Sell expects to go to Springfield next Sunday, where he will attend college.
E.F. Ellison, of Beaver, has been granted a pension. Also Jasper Burchell, of Ava.
In the senate Mr. Chandler presented a resolution to oust Mr. Martin of Kansas claiming that the legislature which elected him was not legally organized.
Mrs. R.A. Kennedy, who we reported to be quite sick some time ago, is slowly recovering. Miss Sophia Frakes is attending her during her illness.
According to the “ground hog” theory, we are to have six weeks more of winter weather, as Mr. G.H. saw his shadow on the 2nd of February.
A canning factory is one of the best enterprises for the upbuilding of a town. It would be a great thing for our little city. What say you Avaites, can’t we all make a long strong push for this thing?
The extreme cold weather for the past ten days has not stopped emigration to this county. It’s a common thing to see a covered wagon with a stove pipe sticking out through the canvas and smoke pouring out like a locomotive.
Herbert Ross is the champion speller of Coloma.
Yesterday was the first “dry” Sunday in St. Joseph for several years. The temperance and social reform wave has struck the city with full force, and it was out of the question to get a drink in any manner.
Hannibal is reaching out for cheaper telephones.
The Dadeville academy has sixty-two students enrolled.
A midwinter picnic in Woodruff, Platte county, was attended by 1,500 people.
Linn county has discovered that the present need is more water and less bridge building.
The Texas County Teachers Convention meets at Cabool this month. Ava will be represented by Prof. Lewis, who will deliver an address on the subject of “Necessary School Regulations.”
Mrs. W.B. Cooper of Lafayette county, is the oldest resident, being about 100 years old.
Dr. Houston of Mexico, over 75 years old, thinks nothing of a daily constitutional of eighteen miles.
The first frame house in Holt county, which, with some improvements, is still standing, was erected in 1840.
Generous Carroll county has contributed in all five cars of provision for the relief of the Nebraska destitute.
Southeast Missouri has a bill before the legislature to prevent people from shipping green watermelons for ripe ones.
The average Missouri town is not happy without the usual revival meetings. Missouri is a good state for revivalists.
A census of Marceline shows a population of 3,150, a handsome increase over the population of 1890 which was 1,922.
Carthage Y.M.C.A. people are booming their membership roll to 253. They make no assessments and require no religious test, and the privileges include library, recreation room, various social features, free baths and a gymnasium.
Joseph Burris of Ray county was sent to jail six months for whipping his wife and every day since his incarceration his wife has brought him a nice warm dinner.
Judge Stier will hold the first term of the Probate court of Douglas County in Ava. There is quite a good deal of business to be attended to at this court.
