The Way It Was: Work starts on new city directory
110 years ago
April 16, 1908: TEXARKANA’S NEW SUMMER THEATRE
Men are at work placing chairs and scenery and preparing for the opening of the airdome on Monday, May 4. Manager Greenblatt has 25 weeks of good attractions and will open with Frank Dudley Stock Co. The Palm Garden annexed to this beautiful place of amusement is one of the prettiest in the state. The Place will be illuminated with 570 lights. The music will be Prof. Hix’s orchestra and the usual high standard of attractions will prevail under the personal management of C.W. Greenblatt, the promoter of this pleasure resort.
April 17: LITTLE DAMAGE DONE TO CROPS IN RED RIVER OVERFLOW
Mr. E.K. Smith of the State National Bank spent yesterday at his Red River plantation near Garland City, returning home over the Cotton Belt last night at 10 o’clock. Mr. Smith states that while the river has been and is still very high, and although the levees have broken in several places, there has been comparatively but little damage done to the crops. It is believed the worst is now past, as the river had already begun to fall at Garland before Mr. Smith left there last night.
April 18: FOUR TRAVEL 1,000 MILES FOR HELP AFTER MAD COW BITE
Three men and a boy arrived here today for Arizona to be treated at the Pasteur Institute on account of being bitten by a mad cow. They entered the cow lot recently when this cow attacked them. The cow bit other cows, and they were killed. The men and the boy left at once for Austin, coming 1,000 miles to be treated.
April 19: HOPE CONTRACTS FOR SEWER SYSTEM
The city Board of Commissioners today sold the bonds covering the cost of construction of a new sewerage system and water system for this city for $175,000. The contracts for the construction of the two systems will be let in small parcels, and work is to be commenced not later than the middle of May on the sewer system.
April 20:
LIGHTNING WRECKED THEIR BED
Last night during a heavy rain and electrical storm, Mr. Harmon’s house, which is a short distance east of town, was struck by lightning, the bolt coming down the chimney, demolishing it and striking a bed on which Mr. Harmon and his wife were sleeping, tearing the bed all to pieces, the occupants coming out with only a bad shock. The other part of the house received no damage.
April 21: RESIDENT RECEIVES BAILEY POST CARD
A friend of Mr. A.L. Ghio at Jefferson sent him a Bailey postal card which was received yesterday and which is splendidly gotten up. The card has a picture showing Bailey as a fine race horse with Cone-Johnson yoked up with him as a very small donkey, dwarfed, longeared and the very picture of stupidity. Mr. Ghio greatly appreciated and enjoyed the card. Like most oldtime Democrats who have fought in the trenches and stood the fire of the enemies of Democracy for the past 40 years, Mr. Ghio is a great admirer and defender of Democracy’s matchless leader—the superb and eloquent Bailey.
April 22: NEW DIRECTORY FOR TEXARKANA
Active work has commenced on the new city directory of Texarkana, and the canvass and compilation will be pushed to completion. The new book will be issued by Polk’s Southern Directory Co., a semi-local institution with all the advantages and facilities of a national organization, and bids fair to be a model of completeness and accuracy. The city directory is a matter of great importance to the community, for it clearly portrays the growth, development and progress as no other work can.
50 years ago
April 16, 1968: ARKANSAS HIGH ALUMNUS WINS SONGFEST
Ross Beck Jr., son of Mrs. Francis Beck, 3023 Locust St., and the late Ross Beck, was first place winner in the fraternity songfest at Arkansas State College, Jonesboro, Ark., where he is a sophomore on a musical scholarship. His fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha, which he directed, has been first in the competition for the past seven years. His selections included Passing By and Waltzing Matilda. Ross was drum major for the Texarkana, Ark., High School in 1965.
April 17:
SELECTED FOR YOUTH CAMP
Bill King, former Texarkanian who is now a student at Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery, Ala., is one of two boys recently selected to attend Lions International Youth Camp in Stenungson, Sweden, this summer. They were selected after being interviewed by a committee of 25 Lions Club members. They will travel all through Europe before attending the camp for five weeks. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Billy T. King of Montgomery and the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. C.L. Simmons of 1416 Nolthenius.
April 18: DUNBAR HIGH SENIORS SELECT MYSTERY PLAY
“The Phantom Bells,” a play that revolves around a supposedly haunted mansion, will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday at the Dunbar Dramatic club in the school auditorium. Mrs. Otha Faye Pace is teacher-director for the senior presentation: Patricia Haywood and James Wright are student directors and Alvin McCray, Charles Collins and Samuel Aikens are in charge of props. The cast includes Ethel Bailey, Sheila Walker, Mary Grant, Doris Hawkins, Linda Rigsby, Luther Waites, Donald Lynch, Richard Tolbert, Bruce Douglas and Ray Spears.
April 19:
ESSAY WINNERS
Loretta Epps, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward C. Epps, and Samuel Rice, son of Mrs. Eula M. Crabtree, both Washington High seniors, were awarded first places in the recent Lions Club Peace Essay Contest on “Is Peace Attainable?” Plaques were awarded in a recognition assembly by Dr. J.W. Donaldson, assistant superintendent of Texas schools, and G.W. McGill, superintendent of Nash schools, who represented two of the local Lions Clubs. They were sponsored by Mrs. Betty H. Preston, chairman of Washington High’s English department, as they competed with contestants from all high schools in the city.
April 20: BSU GROUP HOLDS WIENER ROAST
A wiener roast attracted a group of 20 Texarkana College Baptist Student Union members and sponsors Friday night. Co-ordinated by Sherry Beck, BSU social chairman, the group ate, fellowshipped and then participated in a testimonial period. Accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Rollin DeLap, sponsors, those attending were Andy Burns, Rodney Creecy, Sherry Beck, Rex Daniels, Sharon White, Ronl Ebert, Sybil Neal, Bill Perkins, Nancy White, Martha Green, Bobby King. Barbara Dean, David Oubre, Jeenne Holcomb, Billy McCloskey, Margaret Musgrove, Stanley Holt and Betty Green.
April 21: EXPLORER SCOUT GETS EAGLE BADGE
David Jones of Explorer Scout Post 36 was presented the Eagle Scout award recently at a Court of Honor held at New Boston First Baptist Church. The son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Jones, David has been active in the Scouting program for seven years. Boy Scout Troop 36 Scoutmaster Tem Wheeler made the presentation, pointing out that only one Scout in 100 attains Eagle Scout rank.
April 22: EMPLOYEES RECOGNIZED FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE
Displaying their Texarkana Gazette and Daily News “Sparkplug” certificates for outstanding service in the month of March: Sammy Foster, Danny Kennedy, Dudley Wicker, Huey Smith, Herman Bishop, Chuck Camp and Tom Dudney; Bill Bowers, district manager, William Stewart, Donald McAnnally, Bill Crow, Darrell Sheets and Van Jones, district manager; District Managers Terry Lewis and Charlie Elliott, carrier Frank Smith and Kenneth Hoy. The young carriers were honored by the Texarkana Gazette and Daily News at a banquet at the Grim Hotel.