MID-SOUTH MEMORIES
25 years ago — 1994
Cheerleaders practice their moves and routines as football players work out on the gridiron. Workers are busy packing, loading, carting, sorting, painting and attending to myriad other jobs and tasks. Across the city, scenes such as these are being played out as colleges and universities prepare for the first day of classes. The start of the 1994-95 academic year offers significant changes for some area colleges and universities: Rhodes College and Christian Brothers University expect record numbers of freshmen; CBU and Shelby State Community College have new presidents; and the University of Memphis has a new name, several new deans and a new library. Several schools are offering new courses — many geared toward working adults who want to further or finish their education, or for those with interests in computers. U of M, for instance, is offering a first-time graduate journalism course via computer. It will cost more to attend most state colleges — tuition hikes range from 4 to 10 percent.
50 years ago — 1969
About 40 residents of Horn Lake, Miss., voted last night to leave the decision on whether to hold an election to incorporate the town and elect town officials in the hands of a committee they have chosen. The vote came after farmer-businessman Billy Gray Wright, head of the citizens group, discussed at a meeting at Horn Lake School the provisions of the dormant 93-year-old town charter he recently found in the state Capitol in Jackson. If the Horn Lake charter were approved by election or petition, Mr. Wright said, the town could then incorporate the area provided for in the charter, elect a mayor, four aldermen and a police chief. The town’s present population of 150 could be raised to about 750, he added.
75 years ago — 1944
Memphis club women continue their active interest in the sale of War Savings Stamps and Bonds, and a different group is serving each day at the Victory House in Court Square, which is open from 11 to 2 every day except Saturday when an hour is added to the time. Members of the Memphis branch of the American Association of University Women served as Victory House staff yesterday under chairmanship of Miss Birdie Mcgrath.
100 years ago — 1919
The throttling of a free press and of free speech, together with the modern trend of judges to take unto themselves powers not given to other branches of government, was deplored and denounced at a mass meeting in Court Square last night. An enthusiastic gathering of 4,000 to 5,000 citizens of Memphis attended. It was the “coming out party” of Edward T. Leech, editor of the Memphis Press, who yesterday completed a 10-day sentence in the county jail for contempt of court. Editor Leech was found in contempt for publishing an editorial commenting on Memphis politics.
125 years ago — 1894
On Sept. 1 work will begin on the erection of a fine seven-story brick-and-stone building on the corner of Main and Court, a site now occupied by the old Memphis & Charleston Railroad office. The new building is to be erected by the Continental National Bank, which will use part of it for its offices. It will be the first building in Memphis in which a steel superstructure is used.