December 24, 2007

Out of our Past

Compiled by Bill Moose

Twenty-five years ago: Record & Landmark, Dec. 24-30, 1982

“Dear Santa, I want an E.T. game, refrigerator, sink and stove, big house and candy. Leah.” (12/24/82)

“The Record & Landmark will not be published on Saturday, Christmas Day. We will be back on Monday, however. Christmas is a day, however. Christmas is a holiday we observe at the Record & Landmark so our employees may spend the time with family and friends. We wish each of our readers a ’Merry Christmas’ and a safe and happy holiday weekend.” (12/24/82)

“Some 157 people attended the Christmas Day dinner sponsored by the Jubilee House Community, held in the fellowship hall of Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church in Statesville, at 12:30 p.m. on Christmas Day. The guests included many elderly who would have been alone on Christmas Day and families with few financial resources for gifts and special food with which to celebrate Christmas. The oldest guest attending was 86 years. The youngest was two months.” (12/27/82)

“Iredell County tax offices will be open on a regular schedule throughout the New Year’s holiday period to accommodate those who wish to make payments before penalties start on Jan. 6. Although all other county offices will be closed this Friday, the tax offices will remain open, said Tax Administrator Lois Troutman.” (12/28/82)

“When H.S. (Bill) Kennedy first came to Iredell 29 years ago to serve as county executive director of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, he determined Iredell would be known as ’the county with the green trademark.’ Announcing his retirement today, he said he hopes he has helped Iredell live up to its name and believes that the excellent participation by farmers has enabled it to do just that.” (12/29/82)

“The top seeded North Iredell Raider boys had their hands full with rival South Iredell in semifinal action of the 13th annual WSIC Iredell County Holiday Basketball Classic here Wednesday night but the Raiders came from behind in the final 90 seconds to pull out a two-point 59-57 decision.” (12/30/82)

Fifty years ago: Record & Landmark, Dec. 24-30, 1957

“Dear Santa, I have been a good boy this year and would like for you to bring me a BB gun, cowboy boots and hat, a pair of bedroom shoes and pajamas. Thank you, Jerry.” (12/24/57)

“H.C. Curlee, president of the Merchant’s Association, said this morning that the Christmas shopping season got off to a slow start but the last ten days have been ’terrific.’ This same viewpoint was echoed by business men around town in a spot check made by the Record & Landmark this morning.” (12/24/57)

“Defense Secretary Neil H. McElroy, on a recent tour of army installations in Germany, singled out a Statesville soldier for an informal interview when viewing troops and facilities at Gruenwald, Germany. Pvt. Jim Heath, a member of A Company Sixth Infantry regiment, stationed near Berlin, was the Statesvillian honored. McElroy talked to the Statesville native for about 10 minutes and reporters, who accompanied the defense secretary on the tour, questioned Heath about his hometown and other particulars for later stories.” (12/26/57)

“Work is progressing, despite the weather, on the $1,541,000 structures and grading portion of the new US 21 bypass around Statesville. The biggest, of course, is where the four-lane US 21 bypass crosses over the four-lane US 64 northeast of the city limits. A complete cloverleaf, it will cover 70-odd acres of land.” (12/27/57)

“While Statesville took a general holiday Wednesday and Thursday and will rest again next Wednesday, some public servants aren’t so blessed. Today, Fire Chief L.M. (Red) Gaither asked us to pass on the thanks of his department for the many kindnesses which were extended during the holidays. The same type of thanks came from Police Chief W.T. Ivey.” (12/28/57)

Photo: “Joseph C. Dickinson, shipping supervisor with C. Howard Hunt Pen Company, prepares the first order of locally produced ’Boston’ pencil sharpeners for shipment to the West Coast. Dickinson, who will move his family here in February from New Jersey, said 2,200 pencil sharpeners comprised the first order.” (12/30/57)

Seventy-five years ago: Statesville Record, Dec. 23 and 30, 1932

“Dear Santa Claus, I just thought I would write to you and tell you a few things going on in Statesville. Here is what we are doing in school. We are singing songs, ’Up on the House Top,’ ’Santa Claus is Coming,’ ’Way Down in a Manger.’ I haven’t been absent or tardy since I’ve been in the third grade. I have got both of my writing badges. Here is what I want for Christmas: A desk, some library books, a BB gun, and a leading chain for my dog Fritz. A Merry Christmas. Your friend, James.” (121/23/32)

Editorial: “’Merry Christmas.’ We are approaching another milestone in life, another glorious Christmas time when all men everywhere join to celebrate the birth of Him who came to serve and suffer and save. This has been a year of privation for many of us, and because of this we should be more profuse with those gifts not bought with money — kindness, thoughtfulness, friendly and neighborly interest, charity and compassion. The Record extends to each of its readers, heartiest best wishes, and a ’Merry Christmas.’” (12/23/32)

“It is probable that a number of county schools which operate busses over dirt roads will be forced to postpones resumption of activities for another week. Schools whose busses travel practically altogether over hard-surfaced roads, or whose students walks to school, will not, of course, be affected by the plan of postponement, and may resume work according to schedule.” (12/30/32)

Eavesdropper: “In roaming about over town just before Christmas, we received a tip that someone had released bunch of sneezing powder in Newberry’s store that afternoon, with the result that the great mob then inside had barged out through every available exit — front and rear. It was hinted that maybe the crowd of customers had become too unwieldly to be accommodated, and the management had resorted to the sneezing powder to relieve the congestion in the store. But when we saw the scowl on Manager Hansford’s face and heard what he threatened to do if he ever caught up with the perpetrator, well, we figured the manager hadn’t resorted to such measures.” (12/20/32)

One hundred years ago: Landmark, Dec. 24, 1907

“The Merchants and Farmers’ Bank, which was organized last week and which expects to begin business about February1st, has rented the first floor and basement of Mr. W.E. Anderson’s new building, on east Broad street, now in process of erection. The room will be equipped with modern fixtures for a banking business and the new bank will have comfortable and convenient quarters.” (12/24/1907)

“The Christmas trade possibly reached high water mark Saturday. The heavy rains Sunday night, which made already muddy roads muddier still, lessened the number of visitors to town yesterday. But a good many shoppers were on the streets, notwithstanding the mud, and more will be on the streets today. The merchants will be busy until closing time tonight and then they will have leisure for a season.” (12/24/1907)

“All of the larger factories have closed down for the entire week on account of the holidays. It is very unusual for the cotton mills to shutdown for a whole week. The recent financial disturbances is one cause of the lengthening of the holiday period.” (12/24/1907)

“A company of Statesville college girls who left for home on Friday morning attracted attention as they marched through town, on the way to the depot, bowing tin horns. The music was not exactly melodious but it was cheerful and suggestive of Christmas.” (12/24/1907)

Editorial: “CHRISTMAS. At the Christmas season there is more of kindly feeling, of good nature and generosity than at other times. Even the most crabbed and ill-natured are disposed to relax a little. That is the Christmas spirit that distinguishes the birthday of the Babe of Bethlehem from all other season and times. Let us at this Christmas make a special effort to have the Christmas spirit in full measure and allow it to be felt by those about us. We ought to hold on to the music of it as possible all the year — to have a sort of Christmas every day — but if we can’t do that we can at least feel the Christmas for a little time. And may God bless us every one.” (12/24/1907)