RECOLLECTIONS

50 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Vol. 3 No. 23 Thursday, June 6, 1968

The National Youth Corps has been set up on a 10-weeks program again this summer thus enabling the city to have the Log Cabin Information Booth open to tourists and visitors. Becky Gatlin and Shirley Rickert are manning the Log Cabin, while Sherlyn Street, Mary McBride, James Green and Larry Cockrell are assisting around the school.

Talk is cheap. The hills folk of the Ozarks have been utilizing that phrase for generations and its truth is still evident. A note in the Pea Ridge Graphic, stated that there is a fundraising drive in progress to purchase necessary instruments and music for a proposed band in the Pea Ridge Schools. It is generally thought that around $3,000 is needed to purchase the larger instruments to be owned by the school, the stands and around $500 worth of music. One School Board member said that he felt it was not necessary to buy so many instruments until it was determined whether or not enough students would be taking band to use them. Other schools in other communities have their bands, just as did Pea Ridge at one time. In Pea Ridge, not a single club or other organization has pledged help toward a school band. With such a report, it can only be presumed that Pea Ridge does not really want a school band. Otherwise, surely, her citizens and those outside the city who reside in this school district would be giving to this nonprofit fund, especially since such gifts are tax-deductible. If however, we do want a school band in Pea Ridge, let us either put or shut up.

40 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic-Scene Vol. 13 No. 23 Wednesday, June 7, 1978

A larger cafeteria, more elementary classrooms and teachers, better business and science departments for the high school are the main items on a shopping list in the top drawer of Pea Ridge School superintendent Roy Roe. However, he doesn’t expect to have the list filled anytime soon, because of the familiar problem of too little money in the budget, and a high millage rate on the school district tax bill. Roe said in a recent Graphic-Scene interview that he plans to have the school district’s finances analyzed to see how much borrowing power the district still has. It is possible, Roe said, that the school district could see

more bonds (borrow more money) without another tax increase. State law prescribes how far a school district may go into debt without raising taxes.

The Pea Ridge City Council hired a new policeman at a special meeting Wednesday, May 31, at City Hall. After discussing the matter in executive session, the council voted unanimously to employ Billy Peters, 28, as deputy marshal at a salary of $600 per month. In other police business, Pifer announced that a federal Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA) grant for the purchase of some new equipment has been approved. The grant for $549, matched by $30 state and $31 city money, is for a drug analysis field test kit, a field kit for detecting fingerprints, and office fingerprinting kit, camera and tape recorder.

Three persons were injured, two them hospitalized, Thursday, June 1, in a three-vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 62 between Rogers and Garfield. Cynthia Cluck, 15, and Donna Stroman, 16, both of Rogers, were admitted to Rogers Memorial Hospital following the crash in which their 1965 Chevrolet sedan was struck from behind and knocked into the path of an oncoming tractor-trailer truck. A 1963 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Henry Rover, 68, of Garfield struck them from behind. The impact knocked the Cluck vehicle into the southbound lane and into the path of the oncoming semi-rig driving by Richard Stirling, 41, of Blytheville. Miss Cluck was cited for a driver’s license restriction violation and Grover was cited for following too close. Both girls were released from the hospital after being treated.

30 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 23 No. 23 Thursday, June 9, 1988

Pea Ridge School superintendent Bill Alvarez said Friday that he believes a solution to the problems involving a spring sports program in the district may soon be reached. The Board of Education voted two months ago to suspend spring sports — baseball, track and cross country — for financial reasons. Parents, concerned about the suspension, met with members of the Board of Education in an attempt to get them to reconsider their position. Board chairman Ronnie Foster told the parents that a spring sports program would be possible with adequate financing, but the money would have to come from an outside source. Alvarez agreed to prepare a minimum funding plan for the three sports and make it available to parents.

Pea Ridge Police are still seeking information that might lead to the arrest of those responsible for slashing 16 tires on Pea Ridge School buses. The vandalism was initially investigated by Sgt. Roger Harris on a complaint by school superintendent Bill Alvarez. Damage to the tires was estimated at $5,000. Alvarez said Friday of the damage that occurred the weekend before, “We have no indication of who, what and why; it’s a complete mystery.” He said, “We’re dealing with Goodyear right now to see what it would take to replace them.” Alvarez said that the tires were punctured on the sidewalls. The damage was inflicted to tires on nine buses and was caused by “a knife or some sharp object,” according to the police report.

The Pea Ridge School Board approved in a special meeting last week certified and non-certified salaries for the 1988-1989 school year. The salaries range from an entry level teacher making $15,340 per year to one with a doctorate and 20 years experience making $24,460. Administrative salaries were also approved. The superintendent’s salary will be $39,500 and the two principals will earn $34,000 each.

20 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 33 No. 23 Thursday, June 11, 1998

An essay written by a Pea Ridge High School student won first place in its age group. The essay contest on the Civil War was sponsored by the Rogers Historical Museum. The theme of the essay was “How the World Would Be If the South Won.” The winner was Gunther Vinson. Vinson will be a sophomore this fall, won the $75 first place prize in the sixth- through ninthgrade category.

Five young ladies will vie for the title of 1998 Junior Miss Pea Ridge during the 48th annual Pea Ridge Community Fair next month. All will be sophomores or juniors this fall at Pea Ridge High School. Some of the activities in which the girls will be involved before the fair include a make-modeling party put on my VIP Modeling of Springdale, a care clinic put on by the Saturn dealer of Northwest Arkansas in Fayetteville and an ice cream social.

Vicki Ellington, a media assistant at Pea Ridge High School has been awarded the first Fresh Start Scholarship from the Pea Ridge Education Association. The Fresh Start Scholarship will be awarded to a member of the Pea Ridge support staff who wished to begin a college education. The amount of the scholarship is $500 and was awarded to Mrs. Ellington by Ray Neeley, the PREA president.

10 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 43 No.23 Wednesday, June 11, 2008

The approval and required conditions of the large-scale development plan for the new elementary school were not communicated to School Board members at Monday night’s board meeting, just less than a week after the Planning Commission meeting. During an update on construction plans for the new school, school superintendent Mike Van Dyke told board members the city had received plans from the school resource officer concerning the site plan for the new school. He said that the plans were presented at the last minute and would necessitate redrawing the building, costing as much as $20,000 in additional architect fees. School resource officer Lon Brown presented his proposals to city officials May 29, during a technical review meeting with the city building official and commissions. His proposals address traffic flow and security for the property and building, including separating staff and visitor parking and adding a drive access to the rear of the building for emergency vehicles.

Both a federally-mandated program and surrounding school districts’ recent action to refuse out-of-district transfers limit the action Pea Ridge School district can take in accepting out-of-resident transfers. Four students were denied transfers into the district from Rogers under School Choice because they do not qualify as members of a minority. “This is no choice of ours,” said superintendent Mike Van Dyke. “If you accept these children, you’re basically breaking the law.”

Shortly before 4 a.m. Sunday, May 18, cars slowly started to filter into the Pea Ridge High School parking lot. It was time for 23 members of the AP science classes to depart for their trip to Gulf Shores, Ala.