December 17, 2007

Out of our Past

Compiled by Bill Moose

Twenty-five years ago: Record & Landmark, Dec. 17-23, 1982

“Dr. Lonnie Little, family physician for several generations of patients in Iredell County, will close the door on 58 years of medical practice today. Now 83 years old, Dr. Little is closing his Court St. office today and ending a career which began before the Depression era, before antibiotics and before inflation hit medical bills.” (12/17/82)

“Frank Harmon, vice president of Century 21, Harmon and Associates, Inc., has announced that Doug Madison has assumed the position of sales manager with the firm. Madison will be responsible for recruiting and training sales personnel on the local level.” (12/18/82)

“Dear Santa, Please bring me an Atari game and a Pac-Man cassette, also a football and a surprise. I will leave cookies and milk under the tree. Love, Benji.” (12/20/82)

“The Statesville High jayvee boys basketball team of Coach Mark Ogburn raised its record to 6-0 for the season with a 50-43 win over Salisbury Friday afternoon. Sheldon Cuthrell scored 20 points with Mitch Rivers and Barron Imes added 12 and 10 points, respectively.” (12/21/82)

“Today we took a quick check on gasoline prices Down In Iredell. The prices are coming down at almost every station around the area. At self-service pumps we see regular gasoline selling as low as $1.069 a gallon and unleaded regular is down to $1.149 among some independent stations.” (12/22/82)

“Sixteen members attended the annual Christmas luncheon of Town and Country Garden Club Tuesday at the Statesville City Club. Exhibits for the month were gift wrapped packages, which were judged by the members and then exchanged. Mrs. A.D. Kornegay was awarded first place, Mrs. John Plyler second and a tie for third was awarded to Mrs. Louis Brown and Mrs. Ira Hefner.” (12/23/82)

Fifty years ago: Record & Landmark, Dec. 17-23, 1957

“Board of County Commissioners cleared the way at a meeting last night for the Iredell County Civil Defense medical board to receive a 200-bed pack hospital unit by approving a storage agreement submitted by Civil Defense director Sam Hall. The unit will be stored in the Long Hospital building now owned by the county.” (12/17/57)

“A full-court press in the fourth quarter erased a 41-37 Davie County lead and hot shooting by Bennie Miller, Booker Clark and Dale Beck enabled Statesville’s Greyhounds to remain undefeated as they took a 52-45 win. Statesville’s girls, with a three-pronged attack in Sue Sherrill, Gwen Parks and Kay Wagner, fought off repeated bids by Davie County for a 68-58 win in the opener.” (12/18/57)

“Dear Santa, What I want for Christmas is a typewriter and pocketbook. My sister wants a telephone and a pocketbook. My other sister wants a sewing kit and pocketbook. Love, Carol.” (12/19/57)

Photo: “Those person to person Merry Christmas wishes are keeping the long distance lines of the local telephone exchange busy. Keeping the situation in hand are Miss Mary Blanks, local operator, and Mrs. Ruth Parker, chief operator. Over 2,700 long distance calls are being handled daily.” (12/20/57)

“Extra city carriers have been on duty since last Saturday. These are part-time workers put on at this time of year to distribute the heavy run of mail in the city. Most sections of the city have had two deliveries each day. These workers are college boys at home for the holidays, Postmaster Jack Harmon said.” (12/21/57)

Statesville Brick Company Christmas party: “Santa Claus himself then took the spotlight, handing out gifts from the decorated tree and stockings full of fruits and candies to 97 children. Fruits cakes, blankets and boxes of oranges were given by Santa to wives of employees. Dillon Simpson Jr., plant manager, gave out Christmas bonuses and gaily wrapped hams to employes.” (12/23/57)

Seventy-five years ago: Statesville Record, Dec. 20 and 23, 1932

“Statesville merchants, anticipating a big business day Saturday, could hardly get to their own stores Saturday morning, through the snow and sleet banked against their doors. It is an ill-wind that doesn’t blow good to someone. Idle men in the city, eager to earn their bread, were given a shovel, a scoop or something and told to go to it. They went at their task with an eagerness and cheerfulness that was refreshing. Mayor Rankin and his lieutenants are to be congratulated upon their intelligent approach to a difficult job.” (12/20/32)

“Practically all the larger schools of the county, in which transportation is furnished the students, were authorized by County Superintendent J.H. Gentry to suspend operations until after Christmas. The heavy snowfall of Friday night made it impossible for the school trucks to operate with any degree of safety.” (12/20/32)

“Dear Santa Claus, Please bring me a double barrel stopper gun, a saxophone and a little pool table. Joe.” (12/20/32)

Eavesdropper: “Pointing out that Key-man W.P. Beaver was wearing a hat (which is quite unusual), Attorney J.W. Sharpe opines that it’ll be a hard winter. But the key-maker explained the head-dress by stating that he had just had his hair cut, and was afraid to face the elements without some protection to make up for the loss of his thick head-o’-hair.” (12/23/32)

Clarksbury news: “This community is gradually getting out of the snow storm. I haven’t heard of any pastors filling their appointments last Sunday but one, Rev. S.N. Bumgarner walked to his appointment at New Union a distance of 5 or 6 miles.” (12/23/32)

Simpson School community: “We are enjoying a real taste of winter for the past few days. The young folks are coasting and skating. The mail carrier made his rounds in this community Saturday but had to abandon his car and come on horseback.” (12/23/32)

One hundred years ago: Landmark, Dec. 17 and 20, 1907

“Sunday afternoon at 4.45 Mayor H.P. Grier turned on the current and Statesville is now supplied with electric power by the Southern Power Company — an event which has been in prospect for several months and one ardently desired. Sunday night the current was on for the incandescent lights only. It makes beautiful lights, much brighter than those supplied by our own plant, but voltage was rather high and some of the lamps burned out in consequence. The street lights will be turned on in a few days.” (12/17/1907)

“The rain and freeze of Friday and Friday night increased the supply of mud, which was already enough, and the roads are as bad as they usually are in January and February. This will to some extent, possibly, curtail the Christmas trade, but if good weather prevails for a week the merchants will doubtless do a lively holiday business.” (12/17/1907)

“Christmas is in the air. The street throngs proclaim it.” (12/17/1907)

“The first meeting of the stockholders of the Merchants and Farmers’ Bank of Statesville was held at the court house Tuesday afternoon. The directors held a meeting and organized by electing the following names officers: L.T. Simpson, president, C.S. Tomlin, vice president, F.B. Bunch, secretary and treasurer, and J.A. Knox assistant secretary and treasurer. They hope to be ready to begin business by February 1st.” (12/20/1907)

“THE LANDMARK mentioned a week ago that the funds desired for the reopening of Billingsley hospital, about $500, had been subscribed. The subscriptions are being collected and the work of renovating the interior of the building is in progress. As soon as this is done furnishings will be put in and as soon as nurses can be secured the hospital will be opened.” (12/20/1907)

One hundred twenty-five years ago: Landmark, Dec. 22, 1882

“It is authoritatively given out that Simonton Female College will be closed at the end of the present session, January 15. This is on account of the low state of Mrs. Grant’s health. The closing of the school is an event which is much to be deplored. Our people will deeply regret it as they regret the fact that leads to it. The college is to go on sale in February. It is to be hoped that it will fall into good hands and that the school many be continued successfully.”

“After all the false prophesies on the subject, snow came last Sunday afternoon and was followed by another Tuesday night.”

Mooresville letter: “Owing to the geographical position that Mooresville occupies on the line of railroad, Charlotte is her natural business centre, and she finds herself constantly drawn that way by commercial influences, consequently the Charlotte papers come in for a larger share of patronage her on the account of their daily issue and business importance; but for all that our people highly appreciate THE LANDMARK.”