March 24, 2008
Out of our past
Compiled by Bill Moose
Twenty-five years ago: Record & Landmark, March 24-30, 1983
“A committee composed of members of the Mitchell Community College Board of Trustees has been appointed to determine the feasibility of purchasing the old high school gym in Mooresville for use as a college learning center. The committee consists of Kenneth Wooten, chairman, Bob Dellinger and LeRoy Campbell.” (3/24/83)
Photo: “Andrew Jack Waring, vice president of personnel services for Hunt Manufacturing Co., was honored Wednesday night at a dinner at Statesville Country Club. Waring is retiring after 29 years of service with Hunt. He moved to Statesville in 1959 when the firm relocated to this area.” (3/25/83)
Photo: “Beverly Jamieson and Don Moore are shown judging entries in the Exceptional Children’s Art show sponsored by the Statesville Junior Service League. Approximately 260 students from 13 city and county schools participated in the show.” (3/26/83)
“The WalkAmerica Saturday resulted in a turnout of 1,746 participants. ‘It’s the biggest one we’ve ever had,’ said Bobbye Brooks, executive director of the March of Dimes, this morning. The highest previous turnout was 1,400. A complete report is expected in the next few days on the WalkAmerica contributions to fight birth defects.” (3/28/83)
“Statesville School Board unveiled its 1983-84 operating budget request Monday to county commissioners and, if approved without change will mean a 12.39 per cent increase in county funding per student. County commissioners would have to increase the per student allocation to the city schools from $220 to $279.56.” (3/29/83)
Photos: “Workmen today began demolishing the Stearns Building. The six-story office structure was built by Jack Stearns in 1927.The Playhouse Theater entrance was on the street level of the Stearns Building. A local preservation group spent several months trying to save the building and the old theater from the wrecker’s ball.” (3/30/83)
Fifty years ago: Record & Landmark, March 24-29, 1958
“Negotiations were completed today by The Northwestern Bank for the purchase of the G&M corner on South Center Street and a bank official said a handsome new building would be erected in the near future. The bank official said that since the plans had not been drawn, it was impossible at this time to estimate the approximate construction cost.” (3/24/58)
“Attorney Neil Sowers presented to the city council last night a petition bearing the names of several hundred citizens who favor the operation of curb markets on Sunday. The council accepted the petition, but took no action. Mayor J. Garner Bagnal told Sowers that the council is holding special meetings to consider proposed changes in the municipal code regulating business on Sunday.” (3/25/58)
“Fred G. Chamblee, local attorney, announced today that he will be a candidate for the office of solicitor of Recorder’s Court of Iredell County subject to the Democratic primary, May 31. This is Chamblee’s first political venture.” (3/26/58)
“State Board of Education gave the go-ahead signal for construction of the East Statesville Junior High School Wednesday. As it now stands, some $75,000 will be required to do the job. The contract now calls for classrooms and necessary office and toilet facilities, but deletes a combination assembly room and physical education facilities.” (3/27/58)
“It’s spring spruce-up time in Iredell. To facilitate the sprucing-up in time for Peter Cottontail’s annual arrival, most stores in Statesville will be open until 9 o’clock tonight and next Friday night. Although providing extra night shopping hours is standard procedure of Statesville merchants during the busy Christmas season, this is the first time they have kept their doors open late to help usher in the Easter holiday.” (3/28/58)
“Larry Ellenburg, Scotts’ senior righthander, started off the Iredell District Athletic Association baseball campaign with a big bang yesterday afternoon at Scotts. Ellenburg handcuffed Harmony with a 3-0 no hitter. The fireballing righthander had trouble with his control, however; Ellenburg walked 10 but counted 14 on strikeouts.” (3/29/58)
Seventy-five years ago: Statesville Record, March 24 and 28, 1933
Eavesdropper: “Gus (Augustus Baker, if you insist upon being formal) Raymer, one of the younger members of the bar, had quite a little to do in Superior Court last week before Judge Wilson Warlick, and this department heard that worthy jurist tell Gus that he had the makings of an outstanding lawyer. Father D.L. Raymer beamed proudly until the judge turned to him and inquired, ‘Brother Raymer, where does your son get his good looks. He doesn’t resemble you.’” (3/24/33)
“At a meeting of local baseball fans at the Statesville Cotton Mills Tuesday night, a baseball club was organized under the name of the Statesville Weavers. W.M. Holcomb will be team manager and Jack Byers will be business manager. It is expected that the club will be part of a local league that is being considered for this season.” (3/24/33)
Eufola, route 1 news: “We awoke Wednesday morning and discovered that quite a bit of frost had fallen during the night. There was also some ice in pans and buckets where water had been left the evening before.” (3/24/33)
“Fire Chief C.L. Gilbert has issued a warning to all volunteer firemen and others against climbing on fire trucks after the vehicles get in motion. The practice is regard as dangerous, and unless the volunteers can get aboard before the truck starts, they are asked not to attempt getting on after the truck gets under way. The city has insurance to protect the regular firemen, but cannot assume responsibility for volunteers who persist in leaping aboard a fast moving truck.” (3/28/33)
“The annual meeting of the Iredell County Chapter of the American Red Cross was held Sunday afternoon at the first Presbyterian Church. The following officers were re-elected at the meeting Sunday: Dr. Wallace Hoffmann, chairman; Charles P. Davidson, vice-chairman; T.L. O’Kelly, secretary; C.V. Walton, treasurer; Mrs. W.R. Byford, home service officer; Clyde Alexander, first-aid and life-saving officer; Dr. T.V. Goode, disaster chairman.” (3/28/33)
Ad: “MOVIES At The Playhouse Today Eddie Cantor in ‘The Kid From Spain’ – Paramount Pictorial, Aesop’s Fable and News.” (3/28/33)
One hundred years ago: Landmark, March 24 and 27, 1908
“The ground hog, or something else, gave a sudden check Friday to the spring weather that had prevailed for some time. A cold rain turned to sleet about noon and a little later snow began falling and continued into the evening. It would have reached a depth of several inches had it remained on the ground but most of it melted as it fell. The snow clung to the trees tenaciously, however, and Saturday morning the snow scenes in many places were beautiful beyond description. Sunday morning there was a sharp frost which it is believed killed about all the peaches that were in bloom.” (3/24/1908)
“Mr. S.W. Jenkins has bought the interest of his partner, Mr. G.C. Critcher, in the Statesville Mantel & Cabinet Co., and will continue the business at the present stand on east Broad street. Mr. Critcher will continue his picture and undertaking business.” (3/24/1908)
New Stirling news: “Mr. H.G Morrison will change the position of his saw mill and connect his power so as not to throw the saw dust in the creek.” (3/24/1908)
“If there are no more freezes – a thing by no means certain – it is the general opinion that there will be a good fruit crop. Some of the peaches were killed Sunday morning but enough are left for a fair crop, if there is no further hurt, and apples and other fruit are yet safe.” (3/27/1908)
“Mr. T.L. Steele and his large force of carpenters have resumed work on the Shearer Music Hall – the new addition to the college – and will push the work along as rapidly as possible. They expect to complete the auditorium in time for the college commencement exercises.” (3/27/1908)
“A deadly disease, thought to be intestinal cholera, has proved fatal to 40 of Mr. J.A. Hartness’ hogs at his home north of town. All effort to check the disease have failed and it is feared that the rest of the herd will die. The disease is contagious and does its work in a short time. Mr. J.F. Harbin lost about 90 hogs by the same disease last spring and summer.” (3/27/1908)
“And cotton has dropped to less than 10 cents.” (3/27/1908)
One hundred twenty-five years ago: Landmark, March 30, 1883
“Snow commenced falling here last Sunday morning about 10 o’clock and continued to fall without intermission until about noon Monday, by which time it had reached a depth of about four inches. It came down rapidly and in very large flakes, and had it lain would have been deeper than any snow of the winter. It melted rapidly, disappearing almost entirely by noon Wednesday, and was followed by the worst slush imaginable.”
“The people all over the country have the epizooty. We never knew the like before. There is coughing in every pew at church, Sunday, and the children, even when they are free of croup, cannot sleep for the coughing of their parents. In the matter of colds we have fallen upon troublous times.”
“Steak is 12 ½c. per lb., and roast 10 on this market, against 10 and 8 a few weeks ago, and it is prophesied that the price will go higher still. The advance is attributed to the purchase of some much beef cattle in this county for shipment to Southern markets.”
