Sunday, May 29, 2016

The Monroe Journal's News Flashback for the month of May 2016

USS Decatur (DD-936)
FIVE YEARS AGO
MAY 5, 2011

Apache helicopter pilot killed: A Dutch instructor pilot was killed when his Apache helicopter collided with a steel cable over the Alabama River at Packer’s Bend that guides the ferry there.
The accident happened around noon Thurs., April 28.
Capt. Richard van de Perre was piloting the helicopter when it apparently collided head-on with a steel cable stretched across the river at an estimated 50-60 foot height that helps guide the Davis Ferry, operated by the Monroe County Commission, as it crosses the river. The cable shattered the cockpit windshield and apparently killed van de Perre instantly.

Excel’s Lady Panthers closed out regular season play Tuesday of last week in Excel with a 5-2 loss to Thomasville’s Lady Tigers.
(Courtney Addison) pitched five innings against Thomasville and allowed five runs, two earned, on five hits and two walks while striking out two.  (Kayla) Jordan relieved her in the sixth and shutout the Lady Tigers.
(Other standout softball players on Excel’s team that year included Morgan Agerton, Lauren Anderson, Amy Hudson, Claire Jordan and Hunter Silcox.)

Prior to the first performance of the “To Kill a Mockingbird” play in Monroeville last Thursday, Georgia-Pacific officials announced the company will donate $150,000 to construct an amphitheater on the grounds of the Old Monroe County Courthouse.

20 YEARS AGO
MAY 2, 1996

The Monroe Journal has been sold: Ownership of The Monroe Journal has changed, and the new owners pledge to continue the newspaper’s tradition of outstanding community journalism.
New owners are Kermit P. “Bo” Bolton and Jodie Bolton of Flomaton and Journal editor Marilyn Handley. The sale was announced Tuesday by former publisher Steve Stewart.
The Stewart family sold The Journal to the Boltons. Ms. Handley purchased a minority of the newspaper’s stock from the Boltons, Bo Bolton said Tuesday.

Monroe Academy wrapped up its non-conference schedule Wednesday of last week at Escambia Academy at Canoe, beating the Cougars, 13-6.
Keith Gohagin, a senior center fielder, went four-for-four at the plate, slapping two doubles.
(Other players on MA’s baseball team that season included Trey Andrews, Travis Black, Justin Brown, Bud Hare, Ashley Hayward, Rob Hudson, Jake McCall. Joey Cameron was MA’s head baseball coach.)

“Circumstantial Evidence,” a book about a Monroeville murder case published in 1995, has been chosen as the 16th annual Robert F. Kennedy Book Award Winner. Its author, Pete Earley, will receive the award from Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy today (Thursday) at a ceremony held by the Freedom Forum in Washington, D.C.
The book details events surrounding the 1986 murder of Monroeville co-ed Ronda Morrison and the subsequent arrest, trial, conviction, sentencing and release of her accused killer, Walter “Johnny D” McMillan, who was released from Alabama’s death row in 1993.

23 YEARS AGO
MAY 27, 1993

Larry Woolfolk was named principal of J.F. Shields High School in Beatrice when the Monroe County Board of Education held a called meeting yesterday (Wednesday).
Woolfolk, 38, is currently the Shields assistant principal as well as a physical education teacher and junior varsity and varsity basketball coach.
Woolfolk will replace William Andrews, who is retiring June 30 after 26 years as principal of the school, which has about 345 students in grades 7-12.

Faulkner signs Howard: Jeff Howard, a 6-foot-1 standout pitcher at Monroe County High School for the last four years, has signed a baseball scholarship with Faulkner State Junior College in Bay Minette.
Howard completed his senior season with an .080 earned-run average, a 10-2 pitching record, 108 strikeouts, seven home runs and a .385 batting average. The highly sought-after left-hander led MCHS to the semifinals of the 5A state baseball playoffs, where the team suffered a pair of losses to state champion Daphne High School.

Packer’s Bend ferry needs repairing: The ferry serving Packer’s Bend has been declared unsafe for use and needs to be repaired or replaced, the Monroe County Commission was told Tuesday.
County Engineer Robert English said the ferry was brought in for a routine maintenance inspection about two weeks ago, and it was discovered that the bottom was rotting. The ferry will be out of service until the problem is solved.
English estimated the monthly traffic on the ferry, which operates eight hours a day Monday through Friday, at 300 trips per month.

24 YEARS AGO
MAY 14, 1992

Area residents will be able to take a close-up look at the new $700-million Alabama Pine Pulp Co. (APP) mill at Claiborne during its grand-opening celebration tomorrow (Friday).
On Friday, entertainment by school bands will begin at 11 a.m. Alabama Gov. Guy Hunt is expected to speak at the noon ceremony, which will also include comments by other government officials and George Landegger, chairman of Parsons & Whittemore Inc. of New York, the first that constructed the mill and owns and operates it.
The site for the new mill was dedicated in October 1989, and the first pulp was produced on Dec. 7, 1991.

Matthew “Matt” Redditt of Uriah has been named honorary king of the fifth annual Shrine Classic All-Star High School Football Game to be played June 20 in Mobile.
Redditt, the 12-year-old son of Wayne and Laura Redditt, will sit on this year’s throne along with honorary queen Courtney Harris, a five-year-old from Mobile.
Matt, a sixth-grader at J.U. Blacksher High School at Uriah, is currently playing outfield and first base for the Uriah Braves Little League Baseball team in the South Monroe Little League.

Chad Sessions, son of Mr. and Mrs. Winston Sessions of Monroeville, has been chosen for the Southern Pine Electric Cooperative’s 1992 Washington Youth Tour Program.
Sessions is a junior at Monroe Academy. He and Ellie Robbins, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. William Robbins, will receive a one-week, expense paid tour of the nation’s capital. Miss Robbins is a junior at Hillcrest High School.

34 YEARS AGO
MAY 20, 1982

Quiet on set! As a New Orleans camera crew waits, “That’s Incredible” producer Mark Grossen gives instructions to boat drivers Sunday at Haines Island Park. The network television program, which highlights the unusual, is doing a segment about Yancey Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Smith of Frisco City. Yancie, 13, participated in beauty pageants and is said to be both the youngest drag boat racer in the country and the only female to race drag boats.

Excel award winners: The Excel High School Quarterback Club held its annual sports banquet Saturday in the school’s cafeteria. Awards were given for the top 1981-82 baseball and basketball athletes. The winners and their awards were: best defensive baseball players, Tom Reed and Hagen Lambert; best baseball batting average, Mark Crutchfield; Roy Stacey 100-Percenter Award, Billy House; most runs batted in, Pat Downs; best field goal shooting and rebounding averages in basketball, Robert Costic, and best free throw-shooting average, Earl Hollinger.

Repton cross-burning being investigated: The Conecuh County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a cross-burning last week on the lawn in front of Repton High School.
Deputy Sheriff James Lambert said Repton principal David Johnson reported the cross-burning in front of the school sign when he discovered it at the beginning of school Wednesday of last week.
The cross was burned sometime late Tuesday or early Wednesday, Lambert said, and although the incident appeared to be a prank, it is under investigation.

35 YEARS AGO
MAY 7, 1981

A local bill providing for a referendum to determine if Monroe County citizens want to elect their superintendent of schools was scheduled to pass the state Senate yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon, according to State Senator Reo Kirkland of Brewton.
The bill last month passed the House of Representatives, where it was introduced by Rep. Jimmy Warren of Castleberry.
After the bill is passed and signed by the governor, the question of whether the school superintendent should be changed to an elected position will be put before county voters at the next general, special or county-wide election.

A dramatic win riding on the strength of two Burke Chance home runs put the Monroe County High School Tigers in the semi-finals for the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s 3A baseball crown.
Chance’s second home run of the game Saturday, a solo shot to left field with one out in the top of the ninth inning, gave the Tigers a heart-stopping comeback win over the Charles Henderson High School Trojans in Troy. Chance had tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the seventh inning with a lead off home run for the Tigers.
(Other standout MCHS players in that game included Billy Bowen, Tony Feaster, Von Ham, Toddy Hamilton, Kelvin Lett, John McCarthy and Keith Nettles. Howard Busby was MCHS’s head baseball coach.)

The Louisville & Nashville Railroad has announced plans to abandon within three years a 16-mile spur running from Camden to Nadawah, according to reports from the Washington Bureau of The Montgomery Advertiser.
Nadawah, located near the Wilcox County line, is a small community in the eastern tip of Monroe County.

38 YEARS AGO
MAY 25, 1978

Clearing the way: These bulldozers are clearing the land for the construction of a Monroeville city recreational park in Clausell, which is expected to be completed and ready for use by the end of the summer, according to city Public Works Superintendent Lyle Salter. Clearing began the first of this month and has been hampered only slightly by rainy weather.

Coach Bill McPherson of Frisco City High School presents V.P. “Junie” Burns with a plaque holding the names of Frisco City football players who have received the school’s most valuable player award named in his honor. Burns, a former Frisco City athlete, played college ball at Auburn University, where he was selected to the Coaches’ All-SEC team. He coached rather than accept offers to play pro football, carrying his team to a state championship. During World War II, he was wounded in the Normandy Invasion and has numerous medals. Each year the recipient of the award receives a trophy and his name is added to the plaque.

Senator won’t seek re-election: Reversing himself, state senator Maston Mims of Uriah this week announced that he would not seek re-election.
Mims, a first-term senator who is chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, last fall became the first person to announce intention to run in the Sept. 5 Democratic primary for his District 31 seat. But this week, Mims said “new opportunities” had surfaced “which conflict with (Mims’) running for the state Senate in this year’s election.”

40 YEARS AGO
MAY 13, 1976

Dr. Elijah Williams of Evergreen, pastor of Bethel Baptist Church in Clausell, drowned last Thursday morning while fishing in a private pond near Evergreen, according to the Conecuh County Sheriff’s Department.
Williams, 68, was pronounced dead by the coroner after his body was recovered from the pond by the Conecuh County and Bermuda rescue squads. Law enforcement officials said the boat from which Williams was fishing apparently capsized.

Patrick Henry fourth in state, best finish in school history: The Patrick Henry Junior College Patriots competed in the Alabama Junior College Athletic Association state baseball playoffs for the first time this past week and were defeated by both Calhoun and Chattahoochee Valley at Faulkner State in Bay Minette Wed., May 5.
The Patriots lost the opening game, 10-5, after giving up a three-run lead to the Warhawks of Calhoun in the fifth inning. They lost 6-4 in the second game that afternoon to Chattahoochee Valley of Phenix City.
(Players on Patrick Henry’s team that season included Johnny Bartlett, Buddy Black, Al Carr, Nicky Cofield, Eddie Crockett, Jerry Ferrell, Robert Fischer, Wayne Griffith, Tim Pullen, Larry Snowden and Greg Wright. John Lampkin was head coach.)

The Monroeville Fire Department, the Peterman Fire Department and the Bermuda Fire Department were among six departments called to Evergreen last Thursday night to aid firemen there who were extinguishing a large fire in the downtown area.

49 YEARS AGO
MAY 18, 1967

WHAT IS THIS CRITTER? – Leon Godwin of Mexia said he didn’t know what “this critter was” when he got into his car last Thursday night at his home and saw it in the driveway. Mr. Godwin said whatever it was, he decided to run it over with his car. After killing it, he discovered it was an armadillo, very rare for this part of the country. But there must be some kind of an invasion of them though because Fielder Reed of Mobile killed one at the home of Mrs. Mamie Lynam’s at Excel over the weekend.

Monroe County High dropped the third and final game of the Pine Belt Conference playoffs to Jackson High Tuesday for the PBC baseball championship.
Monroeville lost the first game last Thursday, 3-1, at Jackson, came back with a 2-1 verdict here Friday and then lost the deciding game, 11-2.
(Players on MCHS’s team that season included Pete Black, Gary Downs, Rusty Pitts and John Williams.)

Murder Charge Brings 20-Year Prison Term: Lieutenant McMillian, 33-year-old Monroeville man, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on a second-degree murder charge by a Monroe County Circuit jury Monday afternoon.
McMillian had been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Mildred Dale, who was killed June 19, 1966 in a café near Monroeville.
The jury, composed of 11 women and one man, deliberated about 45 minutes before returning the guilty verdict on the reduced charge.

50 YEARS AGO
MAY 5, 1966

State Jaycee Officer: Joe McKissick, a member of the Monroeville Jaycees, was elected state vice-president of the Jaycees at a district Jaycee meeting in Citronelle last Saturday night. He will serve a one-year term. As a vice-president of the state organization, Mr. McKissick will represent the six clubs in the district at all state meetings, will preside over district meetings, etc.

The Frisco City Whippets won one game and lost one last week and with two more games left on the schedule show a 4-4 record for the year.
The Whippets dropped a 5-1 decision to Monroeville Monday but came back with a 10-1 win over Beatrice Friday.
Monroeville picked up its five runs on only three hits off loser Jim Kelly. Winning pitcher Gary Downs allowed five hits with Frisco getting its lone run in the sixth inning.
Kelly came back Friday to record the win over Beatrice on a two-hitter. Fred Till took the loss for Beatrice.

A flying club was organized in Uriah last Thursday night. The men named the organization “The Flying Six.”
Les Hayles, president of the club, stated that the purpose of the club was for them to have mutual ownership in a plane and to learn to operate a plane on an economical basis.
C.E. Snow Jr., financial chairman and secretary, said the club plans to expand its membership at a later date.
Charter members of the club are Randolph Lambert, Alvin Smith, Mr. Snow, Lloyd (Whitey) Chunn and Mr. Hayles.

53 YEARS AGO
MAY 23, 1963

Graduation Plans Listed For Schools Throughout Area: Graduation exercises are scheduled at area schools during the following week when 146 Monroe County students and 25 Repton seniors will receive diplomas.
All baccalaureate sermons are planned for Sun., May 26, with commencement programs in Monroe County set for Monday night, May 27, and Fri., May 31, in Repton.

The Monroe County High School Tigers captured the Pine Belt Conference crown last Friday with a 5-2 victory of the Millry Wildcats. Monroeville’s finals record was 10-3 overall and 8-2 in conference.
(Players on MCHS’s team that season included Freddie Biggs, Gary Downs, Louie Hayles, Tim Jones, Tommy McMillon, Richard Otterberg, Ray Owens, Lloyd Sturdivant, Billy Taylor, Seth Watkins, Jimmy Wible and John Williams. Ronald Dees was head coach.)

UNUSUAL CATCH – Eddie Phillippi, eight-year-old resident of Peterman, caught the three and one-fourth pound eel pictured above. The eel measured 31 inches and was caught at Hardee’s pond near Beatrice.

Meeting Held Monday To Promote Jr. College: A group of businessmen and representatives from civic and study clubs met with Rep. Ralph Jones Monday afternoon at the Hi-Ho Restaurant to formulate plans for locating a state-supported junior college in Monroe County.
A delegation of Monroe County residents plans to meet with Gov. George Wallace and State Superintendent of Education Austin Meadows in Montgomery Wednesday, May 29, to discuss the county as a location for a college.

55 YEARS AGO
MAY 11, 1961

Nell Harper Lee, author of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” received the Literary Award at a banquet meeting of the Alabama Library Association held in Tuscaloosa April 13-14. The 57th annual convention was held in the Hotel Stafford when the theme for this year’s convention was “The Rising South,” which took up where our Civil War Centennial Commemoration left off.
At the annual banquet, John Hyatt, director of the Anniston Public Library and Chairman of the Literary Award Committee, presented the1960 award to Nell Harper Lee. Miss Lee, in turn, presented the award money to the Monroe County Library for the purchase of books.

Uriah Man Member Of Recovery Crew For Alan Shepard: Participating in recovery operations for Navy Commander Alan Shepard, first U.S. astronaut, was the destroyer USS Decatur.
Serving aboard the destroyer was Travis O. Jaye, commissary-man second class, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. Amos Jaye of Route 1, Uriah, Ala.

A resolution congratulating Miss Nelle Harper Lee of Monroeville for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel was passed by one branch of the Legislature Tuesday.
Passing the resolution paying tribute to Miss Lee for the recognition given “To Kill a Mockingbird” was a breeze for the House of Representatives, but Sen. E.O. Eddins of Marengo County objected to immediate consideration in the Senate, and it went to the Rules Committee there. Senator Eddins said he thought it should be studied before being voted on.

64 YEARS AGO
MAY 15, 1952

Little River State Forest is set to open Friday, May 16.
The state forest, located on Highway 11 between Atmore and Uriah is open to the public year round; however, the bath house, concession and swimming facilities will be in operation only during May, June, July and August.
State Forester J.M. Stauffer says the recreational area on Little River State Forest is being operated primarily for teenagers and that no profits are being realized by the state.

The Monroeville entry in the Dixie Amateur League picked up their first and second victories in league play as they rebounded from their previous defeat to Atmore with a 19-3 decision over the Escambia Countians in Atmore Thursday night and a 7-6 victory over the Jay nine Sunday afternoon.
Lefthander Tunney Cardwell proved of value to the local squad as he went the route in both contests showing a lot of action to his new batterymate, Marion Watson, who made his debut in a Monroeville uniform, banging out a two-run triple and a double in the Atmore tilt.
(Other players on Monroeville’s team included Clenner, Finlayson, Hanks, Bob Riley, Joe Tucker and Watkins.)

A list of six promotions for enlisted personnel in Monroeville’s Battery D of the 108th AAA National Guard Battalion were released this week.
Promoted from corporal to sergeant were James B. Barnes, Jessie Brooks and Andrew H. Welch. Elevated from private, first class, to corporal were Glenn H. Bayles, James D. Brown, George Klepac Jr. and Joseph H. Wood. All promotions were effective as of May 1.

65 YEARS AGO
MAY 3, 1951

Monroe County authorities were using bloodhounds early this morning (Thursday) in an attempt to track down two fugitives who escaped from the county jail at approximately 10:30 Wednesday night.
The two escapees are Tom Bailey and Henry Jones, both in jail on an indictment of second degree burglary.
Sheriff Nicholas said that this was the first escape to occur in more than eight years.

Monroeville, with two league games under its belt against potent Pensacola and Atmore, take on the other two “toughies” in the league this week, playing host to strong Selma tonight (Thursday) and journeying to Thomasville for the tilt Sunday afternoon.
Manager LeVaughn Hanks has announced that Edward Coniff, brilliant Mobile athlete who hurled for the Galveston, Texas professional team last summer, has joined the club and will be available for the duty on an average of once a week.
(Other Monroeville players that season included William Bayles, Cannon, Tunney Cardwell, Finlayson, Johnson, McKelvery, O’Keffe, Riley, Stephens, Tucker, Watkins, Buck Weaver.)

John Hill, editor of The Frisco City Sun since its establishment last June and assistant editor of The Monroe Journal, has resigned his position with the two papers effective at the end of this week. He will assume the duties of public relations representative of the Alabama Electric Cooperative in Andalusia next Monday.
He will be succeeded on the Sun and Journal staff by Riley N. Kelly of Excel.

Principals of Monroe County’s five high schools and one junior high school have been re-elected by the Monroe County Board of Education to return for the 1951-52 school terms, and all have indicated that they will return.
These principals include the following: Monroeville Schools – R.H. Vickery; Frisco City Schools – B.E. Lee; Beatrice Schools, John Harbour; Excel Schools – John Baggett; Uriah Schools – John Sawyer; Goodway (junior high) – C.E. Arnold.

68 YEARS AGO
MAY 27, 1948

Funeral Conducted For Slaying Victim: Funeral services for Leonard Howard Jordan, 25, of Monroeville were conducted Friday afternoon from the Assembly of God Church in Excel with the Rev. A.L. Shell officiating.
Mr. Jordan died Thursday morning about 1:15 as the result of knife wounds suffered the previous night in an altercation at a Little River fishing camp near Chrysler. Four youths, all residents of McCullough and vicinity, have been jailed at Bay Minette in connection with the slaying.
Mr. Jordan died approximately 40 minutes after being stabbed five times about midnight last Wednesday. His death occurred at Repton Hospital.

Monroe County voters will go to the polls again next Tuesday but this time there will be only one local candidate on the ballot.
He is John M. Coxwell of Monroeville, county solicitor, who is seeking one of the two positions as delegate from the First District to the Democratic National Convention this summer. He is opposed by three Mobilians.

Work of marking the streets of Monroeville was well under way this week and Mayor Charles Cole said it will continue until all streets on which persons are now residing are properly marked.
The work is the outgrowth of efforts of the town to obtain free mail delivery within its corporate limits. The Post Office Department has refused to consider such delivery until streets have been named and marked and houses numbered.

70 YEARS AGO
MAY 9, 1946

An unusually heavy vote was cast in the county primary election on Tuesday.
In the race for sheriff, E.E. Nicholas won over his opponent, J.L. Bowden.
In the race for representative, W.W. Garrett and W.E. Deer will enter the second primary with O.O. McGinty running third, according to incomplete returns.
Melton Linam defeated C.C. Ward and G.E. Lambert for Commissioner in District One.
In District Three, E.M. Deer is said to have received a majority over his opponents, J.L. Dees and Victor Salter.

Twenty-six graduates of the Monroe County High School will receive diplomas at exercises to be held Tuesday night, May 21.
Following is the list: Emma Lou Agee, Evelyn Fay Andress, William Sam Bowden, Ouida Inez Byrd, Betty Hixon Chambers, Mabrey Thomas Easley, A.D. Dickson, Jean Farish, Thelma Louise Hall, Edith Grey Hightower, Saranne Hundley, Sue Millsap Jones, Patsy Estelle Lazenby, William Sadler McGraw, Ethel McKinley, Jacqueline Jean Pickett, Thomas Edward Riley, Julia Frances Ryland, Nancy Elizabeth Sheffield, Spurgeon D. Terry Jr., Owen Locke Lear Thompson, Margaret Katherine Thompson, Margaret Elizabeth Watson, Alice Jeannette Wiggins, Lonnie J. Wiggins Jr. and Debe Catherine Williams.

Building On Square Being Dressed Up: The post office is being treated to a new coat of paint and other minor repairs are being made.
Painters are dressing up the front and applying a new coat of paint to the interior of the V.J. Elmore Store.

79 YEARS AGO
MAY 20, 1937

Funeral Services Are Held For Alvin Rhoad: Funeral services were held Tuesday morning for Mr. Alvin Rhoad of Buena Vista, whose body was found in Flat Creek, near Corduroy on Monday morning.
Mr. Rhoad left home Saturday to go fishing and when he failed to return home, a search of the swamp was made and he was found in a deep hole in the creek. He had evidently slipped from a high bank into the water and in an effort to swim out, was caught by some of the hooks which he had set.
Interment was made in the cemetery at Buena Vista.

A large crowd attended the graduation exercises of the eighth grade of Goodway School, held in the school auditorium.
The program was as follows: Salutatory, Cleveland Jones; Class Will, Burnett Lane; Class Prophecy, Hazel Booker; Valedictory, Evelyn White; Graduation Address, Rev. Cameron; Presentation of Diplomas; Class Song, Graduating Class.
The members of the eighth-grade class are: Burnett Lane, Luvern Coker, Evelyn White, Vera Nell Morris, Iva Wiggins, Mary Spears, Doris Matheny, Cleveland Jones and Hazel Booker.

Funds For Rural Lines Released: The Rural Electrification Administration has advised that contract for the construction of distribution lines in Monroe County has been approved. The transmission line will be extended from Baldwin into the southwest corner of this county and serve homes between Uriah and the Alabama River.

83 YEARS AGO
MAY 25, 1933

Typhoid Fever In Monroeville: The Health Officer, Dr. T.E. Tucker, reports that there are two cases of Typhoid fever in Monroeville, a colored woman and a white man. He also reports clinics are being conducted in several places in the county each week, including Fountain, Monroe Station, Mineola School, A.E. Tucker’s place and Mexia. These clinics are conducted on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. On other days, vaccine can be secured at the office.

The Monroeville baseball team played Frisco City on the local diamond last Thursday afternoon with Monroeville winning the game by a 10-5 score. A return game was played on the Frisco City diamond on Friday afternoon with Monroeville again victorious by a 9-8 score.
On Sunday afternoon Monroeville played Chapman at that place, losing the game by 8 to 7 in 11 innings.
Chapman will meet Monroeville this Thursday afternoon on the local diamond. A hotly contested game is anticipated.
A grandstand has recently been completed at the Monroeville diamond and comfortable seats have been installed.

Mr. J.C. Hudson is building a swimming pool and fish pond on Hudson branch about one-half mile east of the courthouse. Workmen have been engaged about a week cutting the foundation ditch for the dam and spillway. According to the survey made by an engineer, the several springs at the head of the branch will afford a pond covering about two acres, the deepest point being about seven to eight feet.

85 YEARS AGO
MAY 14, 1931

The graduating exercises of the Frisco City High School were held in the high school auditorium before an audience of 400. The address was given by C.C. Sanders of Judson College.
Mr. Sanders brought a very interesting message to the class and to the people. He chose as his subject, “Success.”
A number of other special features were included on the program. The diplomas were presented to the class of five girls and 12 boys by County Superintendent H.G. Greer. Mr. Greer was former principal of this high school. The high school band contributed several selections to the program.

Baseball Game, Girls Vs. Married Men – June 4th: There will be a ball game at the high school ball park in Monroeville on Thursday afternoon, June 4, with the girls playing the married men. The game is sponsored by the Monroeville Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star. Those who saw a game of this type last fall at the local diamond will not want to miss this game. The girls are out to whip the men’s team for they received the low end of the score at the last game.

Commencement Exercises M.C.H.S. Begin May 18: The commencement exercises of the Monroe County High School will begin on Monday evening, May 18, with a recital by the members of Miss Juliette Hardy’s music class. On the following Wednesday evening, Mr. John C. Williams will present the band in a concert.
The Junior-Senior play, “Broken Dishes,” will be presented at the school auditorium on Fri., May 22. The cast includes Alice Stallworth, Jack Bowden, Mildred Farish, Jas. A. York, William Barnett, Merwin York, Albert Nettles and Winston Burns. The play is a comedy hinging around a henpecked husband who drinks something from a jug and then trouble begins.

94 YEARS AGO
MAY 18, 1922

Some of our merchants have begun to observe the six o’clock closing rule which usually prevails during the summer months.

Rev. A.E. Shafer delivered the commencement sermon of the Repton school Wednesday evening.

Judge Fountain and Dr. S.J. Yarbrough of Monroeville and Dr. D.R. Nettles of Peterman attended the Shriners ceremonial in Mobile last week.

Harry Kearley sustained a very painful injury when a cut-off saw mangled one of his fingers while at work at the Hudson-Rikard mill last Thursday.

Mr. A.L. Slaughter of Lower Peach Tree was among Monroeville friends Tuesday. Mr. Slaughter stated that work is progressing steadily on the oil well at Lower Peach Tree. The well is now more than 2,200 feet in depth and promoters of the enterprise have an abiding confidence in the ultimate development of a producing well.

The Moulton-Blacksher Orchard company at Uriah shipped on Tuesday the first car lot of snap beans that has ever gone out of the county. The company has 75 acres in beans and shipments during the season are expected to aggregate 25 cars. Should this experiment prove satisfactory from a financial standpoint the acreage devoted to this crop will be materially increased next season.

CASH OR CREDIT – BUENA VISTA, ALA. – BEATRICE, ALA. – Buy – Sell – Trade – General Merchandise, Buggies, Wagons, Saddles, Coffins, Etc., Mules, Horses, Cattle – J.J. FINKLEA & SON

COMMENCEMENT PROGRAM, BEATRICE HIGH SCHOOL: Wed., 8 p.m., Graduation exercises.


(Compiled by Lee Peacock of Excel from archived editions of The Monroe Journal at the Monroe County Library in Monroeville.)

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