From the files of Oct. 24, 1940
Beech Grove News
By Jewel Harris
Miss Dorothy Skipper visited Mrs. Vedmer Hammond Saturday.
Mr. Eugene Ryan and Mr. Walter Godfrey of Guntersville visited Beech Grove Friday.
Mr. K. L. Clay and sons made a business trip to Holly Pond on Saturday.
Mr. W. E. Skipper spent this week in Birmingham with his brother, Mr. John Skipper.
Mrs. Estes Ryan spent Friday afternoon in Cullman.
Miss Margaret Clay spent Saturday night with Jewel Harris.
Misses Marie and Mildred Hick visited Miss Lois White Friday.
Mr. and Mrs. Ivory Johnson spent four days with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lonnie Cone.
Mr. Will Harris spent last week with his daughter, Mrs. Montell Kretzschmar of Garden City.
Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Johnson and daughter, Marie, spent Thursday with Mr. and Mrs. Berrie Hinds.
Mr. William White and sons, Henry and Clyde, spent Tuesday evening with his brother, Mr. Gaston White and family.
Miss Lillie Mae Harris spent Sunday evening with Miss Grace Moss.
Miss Dorothy Skipper spent this week with Mrs. Estes Ryan.
Everyone was glad to see Mrs. Ruby Moss back at church Sunday after a brief illness.
Mr. and Mrs. Gaston White and family spent Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. Noah Harris and family.
Mr. and Mrs. Amuel Williams of Birmingham spent Saturday night with Mr. and Mrs. Reese Williams.
We are sorry to report that Miss Elaine Scott is on the sick list. We hope her a speedy recovery.
Mr. and Mrs. Onie Miller spent Saturday night with Mr. and Mrs. John Williams.
Miss Vedmer White visited Miss Elaine Scott, Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. Avery Stricklin spent three days with Mr. and Mrs. Wess Stricklin at Beech Grove.
Rev. Walter Curl will preach at Beech Grove next Sunday, October 27.
Mrs. Rosa Lee Lynn spent a few days with her sister, Mrs. Helen Dickerson.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Elliott of Prospect visited her parents this week-end.
Mr. Hershel White of Crane Hill spent the week-end with parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. C. White of Beech Grove.
Mr. Clois Raney of Virginia is spending this week with friends here.
Mr. and Mrs. K. L. Clay and children, Jacqueline, Billy and Donald, spent Sunday afternoon in Hanceville.
Miss Marie Johnson spent Sunday with Miss Lois White.
We are glad to report that Mrs. Sam Casey is better after a short illness.
Mr. Curtis Gather is visiting friends here this week.
Mrs. Ruth Hammond spent last week with her son, Mr. and Mrs. Zellmar Hammond.
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Coggins of Birmingham spent Friday night and Saturday with his sister, Mr. and Mrs. John Williams.
Mr. Bill Chatham called on Miss Lois White Saturday night.
Mr. C. P. Smith has returned to his home after a month’s visit with his son, Mr. and Mrs. Homer Smith of Birmingham.
Miss Lois White spent Sunday night with Misses Marie and Geneva Johnson.
Miss Marie Hick spent Sunday evening with Mrs. McClendon.
To and Fro
County Agent C. T. (Doc) Bailey presided at the meeting of the Cullman Hunt Club on Monday evening at the Court House. Municipal officials W. J. (Bill) Nesmith and Rene Clark were accepted as members. According to Oscar Dunlap, secretary of the club, the first hunt will be November 20th and 21st.
Dr. L. H. Weaver, Cullman foot specialist, was elected Chairman of the Board of Governors at the twelfth annual meeting of the Alabama Association of Chiropodists which met in Montgomery on October 6th. At this meeting he was informed that he had been chosen Vice-President of the American Mutual Association of Chiropodists, a national foot specialist organization.
Carl DeLoach, who was the guest of his mother, Mrs. Cora Lee Cochran DeLoach, and relatives, left Tuesday for Norfolk, Virginia, where he will board the U. S. Tuscaloosa. Carl has been awarded medals for Expert Rifle and Sharp Shooter. He has passed a radio course and is now working for a promotion from a Private, First Class, to a Corporal in the U. S. Marines.
John McKibben, secretary of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce, addressed the Rotarians on Tuesday evening. Commerce Secretary McKibben stressed the importance of marketing farm products and told those in attendance that a Chamber of Commerce is a necessary organization through which better markets can be established for the agriculturists.
Henry Richter, well-known Cullman florist, has seven years experience in designing all-weather wreaths. Although weeds are included in the making of these beautiful wreaths it is difficult to believe that a special chemical process and paint would make such a transformation.
Warren Nesmith, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. (Bill) Nesmith, is among the 125 Auburn students pledged this fall to one of the 19 fraternities on the A. P. I. campus.
Joppa School is giving the Republican and Democratic candidates for elective offices in Cullman county a week’s notice about a political rally in their community. To make the rally, planned for Friday night, November 1st, more attractive, an appetizing oyster supper has been planned.
Luther Fuller, Farm Products Purchasing Agent for the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Co., in a speech at the Rural-Urban meeting at Fairview last Friday evening, praised the industriousness of the farmers of Cullman county. Commented Mr. Fuller, “While on a visit in South Alabama some of the people of that section asked how in the world the folks in Cullman county had such a good income from the soil. To this I replied, they get up early in the morning and work through the day, and one of the south Alabamians replied, I knew there was a catch to it somewhere.”
W. L. Davis, genial principal of the Fairview schools, says that the library at his educational plant is operated on the honor system. “In fact,” related schoolman Davis, “a recent check-up of the books showed we had one book more than was due to be in the records of the library.”
A Gentleman Gardener Shows His Products
J. C. McConnell Grows Gorgeous Flowers Because He Loves Them
With the Garden Club Flower Show hardly a week past, and still wondering where and how all those lovely blossoms grew, the reporter drove around town and finally spied a speck of yellow in Mr. J. C. McConnell’s garden.
Walking in the yard enjoying the balmy October afternoon was Mr. McConnell, himself. After the usual “how-do-you-dos”, the reporter asked about his flowers and at the mention of the word his step quickened, a gleam filled his eyes and the two were on their way to the garden to see these glorious plants.
Rows of large chrysanthemum stalks, almost as tall as the owner himself, bearing huge yellow and white flowers that really look like authentic florists specimens, are now the pride of the garden. They are neatly staked, scientifically debudded and carefully watched for infestation by insects.
“My, my, how the grasshoppers love to spoil them. You see they eat on a bud that is just opening, then it turns brown and is no good. Notice the pon-pons over there. They have a hard time opening before frost. So do those bronz. Last week when that cold spell came, I worried about my ‘mums’, so I came out and covered all of them with paper. This looked like a ghost garden in the moonlight.” He continued enthusiastically as he generously cut a magnificent bouquet for the reporter.
“I see you have turnip greens growing. You believe in useful as well as ornamental things … Oh are those your roses? gasped the visitor.
“Yes, roses are hard to beat,” replied Mr. McConnell as he led the way to the other side of the garden where exquisite roses, marigolds, salvia and numerous small flowers are growing.
“It must take an enormous amount of work to care for all these plants. Do you do it all yourself? How old are you, or is that a secret?”
“Yes, it does take a lot of work but I do enjoy it. My age?” He grinned as he spoke, “I am seventy-nine. I was born at Jonesboro, Ga., the year the Civil War began and came to Cullman county in 1883. We settled out at Fairview then moved here six years later.”
After several more questions we learned that Mr. McConnell had built his present home 43 years ago and has lived there since that time. However it is not about himself but about his flowers that he loves to talk.
“Let me tell you a good joke on myself. Last Spring I planted Salvia, got a good stand and petted the plants, gave my sister who lives near Eva some of them; I was truly proud of my salvia but the stuff just wouldn’t start blooming. Finally I discovered I’d been petting weeds. Yes sir, weeds that looked almost like salvia. Well, all my gardening knowledge has been learned by the trial and error method, pure experience! However, it is lots of fun. I love to grow flowers to give them away. I want my friends to enjoy them; that pleases me,” sincerely spoke the gardener.
“You won several prizes at the flower show, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” he spoke shyly. “I didn’t mean to. I just took some of my flowers to fill in the vacant spots, and I won prizes on them all. Do come get some flowers anytime you want some,” he generously invited.
As we parted he called, “Oh, don’t forget to come around next spring to see those jonquils pop up out in the fig orchard.”
It’s a date, Mr. J. C., we’ll surely come.
Hallowe’en Carnival at Cullman High
New Features To Be Seen This Year
Hallowe’en is here again and with the date October 31 comes the annual Carnival at the high school.
Barbecue will be served in the lunch rooms beginning at 5:30. Tickets for a barbecue plate are 50c to all. Mr. Woodall from Decatur will fix the barbecue. So if you want a good barbecue plate Thursday night, October 31st you won’t have to ride all the way to Decatur for it just come to the Cullman High School.
There will be booths, a Bingo stand, cake walks, and a touch football game.
The main program in the gym will begin at 3:00 and last approximately an hour. Mrs. King, assisted by Mr. Roberts and Miss Gary will have charge of this program. This will be climaxed by the Coronation of the Carnival Queen and King. Vote for your choice.
Cullman County Fair Antique Exhibits
Photograph caption
Rolling Pin: Hand made, over 100 years old owned and entered in Antique exhibit by Mrs. J. R. Alldredge, Cullman, Ala.
Beer Stein: Made in Germany in 1752, owned by Mrs. J. I. Mayo.
Spoon: 150 years old, owned by Mrs. Wallace Green, Hanceville.
Salt Shaker: 100 years old, owned by Mrs. Wallace Green.
Cowbell: Owned by Mrs. Gray Nichols, Cullman. Was made by a woman black smith during the Civil War.
The above were a few of the prize winning exhibits at the Cullman County Fair.
—Photo by Wagner.
Arkadelphia News
Arkadelphia Fourth Grade
The first meeting of the Arkadelphia P. T. A. met Thursday night, October 17. The attendance was twenty. The paid memberships for the night was twenty.
There will be a Fiddler’s convention at Arkadelphia Saturday night, October 26th.
Mrs. Jo Ellen Laminack from Baldwin community is here visiting Mrs. Votis Laminack and daughter, Katherine Jean.
Mrs. Alton Boren and children from Damascus are spending the week with her mother, Mrs. S. P. Freeman.
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Perkins and family spent the week-end with relatives in South Alabama.
Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Hawkins are visiting in Birmingham and Montgomery this week.
Cleo Carlisle who is in the Norwood Hospital for an operation is not doing so well.
There will be an old book singing at Mt. Joy Church the fourth Sunday.
Mrs. Leona Watson, who has been in bed since June with a broken hip, is improving slowly.
Mr. and Mrs. Don Helten from Birmingham spent the day here with his cousin, Seth Helton.
Joppa News
The program given here by the “Melody Boys” was enjoyed by all present.
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Smith of Cullman Route 8, and Mr. G. W. Nixon were Sunday guests of G. W. Smith.
Mr. Aldie Adams of Oneonta visited relatives here Sunday.
Our Sunday School attendance was rather slim Sunday. Every one come out next Sunday and hear a good sermon.
Ben Hammond is slowly but steadily recovering from his recent illness.
School attendance is very good here considering the excellent cotton picking weather. We have 170 enrolled at present.
Two new teachers, Mrs. Spencer Walker (nee Irene Winn) and Miss Mary Jo Gross, have been added to our faculty this year.
Saturday night, October 26th, our school will give a box supper. We are also planning a “Political Rally” for Friday night, November 1st. Come out and hear some lively speeches by “your man”, also your opponents. We especially invite all the Cullman county politicians who are in the race and wish to be with us at this time to come out. An oyster supper will be served at a reasonable price.
Calvin Creel was badly bruised when thrown from a mule Sunday afternoon.
Beamon Taylor, who is home on a furlough from Pensacola, Fla., received slight injuries when the automobile he was driving collided with a wagon on the Cullman-Joppa road Friday night.
Many from this community and the surrounding communities are now working at Fort McClellan, preparing ample room for the boys who will go in training soon.
The Gulf Refining Co. is putting up an attractive filling station and store here. Paul Johnson will be manager.
Chester Chambers is remodeling his home on the Cullman-Joppa road.
The Joppa faculty spent Saturday in Cullman attending their regular monthly curriculum meeting.
Gold Ridge School News
The P. T. A. will hold its first meeting Wednesday night, November 6 at 7:00 o’clock. We will have a free picture show that night.
Thursday night, October 31, the Browning Melody Boys will appear in person at our school.
Our school opened October 15th with a large enrollment. The attendance has not been good due to so much work to be done.
The school has purchased two pigs to be sold at a later date.
West Point F. F. A.
The F. F. A. has been doing very active work this past year. This past Spring we set out an acre of strawberries. The boys were to work the strawberries on an equal amount of time. This worked out quiet satisfactory for the strawberries are in a good state of cultivation now.
This Fall we gave a Negro Minstrel and took in $31.80, of which $18 was profit. We plan to make a trip with this and the profit from the strawberries.
We have appointed some committees for the coming year.
They are: 1. Finance Committee, Chairman, Ned Tankersley, Wallace James, Oscar Jones; 2. Social Committee, Chairman, Chester Bennett, Hardie Cornett, Carl Reese; 3. Program Committee, Chairman, Alton Reese, Ardis Hudson, Gerald Davis; 4. Initiation Team, Chairman, Ned Tankersley, Franklin Knop, Alton Reese; 5. Publicity Committee, Chairman, C. T. Legg, Melvin Floyd, Warren Jones; 6. Years Work Committee, Chairman, Franklin Knop, Grover Crider, Herman Galin.
Officers for this year are: President, Grover Crider; Vice President, Chester Bennett; Secretary, Alton Reese; Treasury, Oscar Jones; Reporter, Ned Tankersley.
