RECOLLECTIONS

50 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Vol. 3 No. 33 Thursday, Aug. 15, 1968

Mrs. Hugh (Faye) Price, a long-time teacher in the Pea Ridge schools, has tendered her resignation due to health reasons, it is announced this week. Mrs. Price has spent 18 of the 45 years of her teaching career in the Pea Ridge system. The past five years she has taught sixth graders.

For the benefit of those born too late to have attended a one-room country school, we would like to tell you about old Sassafras school. Sassafras schoolhouse was located about four miles northeast of Pea Ridge and something like a mile and a half south of the Missouri state line. The school district was organized in the late 1870s or early 1880s and the schoolhouse was built on land donated by Stephen B. Webb, a pioneer in that section of Benton County. Mr. Webb was one of the enumerable Tennesseans that migrated to the new state of Arkansas in early statehood. Two of Mr. Webb’s grandsons, Frank and Albert Webb, taught at Sassafras school at various periods of its history. Both had long teaching careers in Benton County and it might not be far from fact to say that in the 50 or more years of the school’s existence, some of Stephen B. Webb’s descendents were connected with just about every term of school as students, teachers or directors. There was no plumbing in the schoolhouse or any outbuildings. Drinking water was carried from a spring in a three gallon bucket and a dipper hung on the side that served as a drinking fountain. On July 22, 1919 Sassafras District Number 117 became a part of Pea Ridge School system by consolidation. Classes were continued in the old schoolhouse, first through eighth grades, until 1922 when Pea Ridge School buses started picking up children in that district.

To date, no request for refunds have been made by those who’ve contributed to the band fund. In addition, Superintendent Andrew Widener said this week that he is continuing his search for a band director, though for a part-time one now, as a social studies teacher has been hired. Except for the part-time band director, Superintendent Widener had filled all the positions in the local schools until the resignation of Mrs. Faye Price was

received a few days ago.

40 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic-Scene Vol. 13 No. 33 Wednesday, Aug. 16, 1978

An ordinance calling for a street improvement bond issue election was at the top of a long list of business handled by the Pea Ridge City Council at its’ monthly meeting Thursday night at City Hall. Other business included: vote to purchase a billing machine for the water department; report from engineer Joe Tarvin who said plans for the new sewage treatment plant and line extensions will be sent to state and federal agencies for approval; approval of a new five year franchise agreement with Continental Telephone Company; renewal of the contact between the city and Sisco Ambulance Service and approval of pay raises for the librarian and court clerk. Volunteer Fire Chief Sammy Spivey reported that the fire department is putting the new fire truck on a regular, state approved, maintenance schedule to be done by local mechanic, Bill Patton.

Alderman Daryle Greene announced this week that he plans to seek re-election to his Ward 1 seat on the Pea Ridge City Council. He is the only candidate to announce so far for the upcoming city election. Mayor Carl J. Carter, Ward 1 Alderman Dean Messer and Ward 2 Alderman Carlos Lee said at Thursday’s city council meeting that they do not plan to seek re-election. Ward 2 Alderman Lee Otis Hall said he has not made plans to see re-election but has not definitely decided against it.

30 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 23 No. 33 Thursday, Aug. 18, 1988

Superintendent Marvin Higginbottom said that a meeting to organize a campaign to raise money to repair two Pea Ridge Elementary School roofs should be held by the end of this week. The Pea Ridge Board of Education voted last week to accept bids from a Bentonville construction company to repair the roofs at a cost of just over $17,400. The acceptance of the bids, however, is contingent on a successful campaign to raise the money for the repair work in the community. “We just don’t have the money in the budget.” Higginbottom said, adding, “I think it’s going to take a while for people to realize what a financial situation we’re in.” The roofs on the elementary school and the elementary annex have been a problem for years.

Debbie Reese, a teacher at Pea Ridge Elementary School, has been awarded a $940 grant by the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation to develop an elementary school newspaper. The project is designed to encourage participation by students and faculty, strengthen the curriculum, and improve communication with parents and the community. The foundation awards mini-grants of $2,000 or less to K-12 teachers or building-level administrators for innovate projects that will improve student learning, support professional development, or stimulate parental involvement in education.

The Pea Ridge City Council is expected to vote tonight on a proposal to increase water and sewer rates. The increase would range from about 7 percent for a minimum water and sewer customer to about 12 percent for those on the sewer system who use substantial amounts of water. Water and Sewer Department Manager Ronnie David told the council last month that the Rogers Water Department from which Pea Ridge buys its water, has increased its rates to Pea Ridge twice in the last two years and that the Pea Ridge department absorbed the increases.

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

There are 13 new teachers in the Pea Ridge School District this fall, school superintendent Roy Norvell said early this week. Norvell said that most of the new teachers are replacements. Norvell said that there are 77 teachers and three principals on campus. In addition, he said there are 46 classified employees. Norvell said that the only major construction project under say involves the new elementary media center. Norvell said that the High School principal’s office was enlarged and the Elementary School principal’s office was relocated. There were 1,050 students enrolled at the end of the last school year.

For the first time in many years, the Pea Ridge School Board turned down all out-of-district transfer requests presented to it. Several parents attended the School Board meeting last week to plead with the board, but were told that most all classes are filled. High School principal Gary Wayman told the board, “It would be questionable if there’s room for students in some classes.” School Board member Sandy Easley told parents, “Your child won’t get the quality education with 12 kids too many in the classroom.” Total enrollment for the 1998-99 school year as of Aug. 10 was 1,099.

With the 1998 high school football season rapidly approaching, Pea Ridge Blackhawk head coach Bob Bray is looking forward with “guarded optimism” to the upcoming campaign. “We’ll be young but not without talent,” Bray said Monday. “We’ll have a shot at a playoff berth if we play well and avoid injuries.” The Blackhawks’ fortunes in 1998 could largely be determined by keeping squad members’ health. If they can avoid the injury bug, their thin squad (21 players) will be competitive and exciting to watch.

10 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 43 No. 33 Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2008

Heather Marlow went to Lake Atalanta to rent a paddle boat Saturday. When she left, she was $500 richer. Marlow of Pea Ridge didn’t know about the preFrisco Festival event known as SpikeQuest. She hadn’t been picking up clues or searching through the downtown area. Luckily, her boyfriend knew immediately what the beige railroad spike was and why it was lying around Lake Atalanta Park. Marlow took the spike into the First Western Bank in downtown Rogers Tuesday and claimed her prize. “We were looking around the little cabin, and we just came across it,” she said. SpikeQuest started July 31, said Amy Tucker, marketing coordinator at First Western.

The Pea Ridge Volunteer Fire Department responds to fires and emergencies in a larger geographic area than just the city limits according to Fire Chief Frank Rizzio. In 2006 there were more than 1,500 addressed buildings in the unincorporated response area. Unfortunately, the fire dues collection rate from that area amounted to 126 at $25 each, or less than 10 percent.