MID-SOUTH MEMORIES

25 years ago — 1994

There she is. When she steps out of the stretch limo, The Smile and The Walk that Bert Parks used to croon about say this is absolutely, positively Miss America. At that point, Heather Whitestone is not “the hearing-impaired Miss America.” But once an official appearance begins, that’s the role she takes on. It’s what she talks about, and it’s what everyone asks her about. “A lot of people said, ‘They gave you the crown because you are deaf.’ But it’s not true. I have an education and I work very hard,” said Whitestone during an appearance at the Memphis Oral School for the Deaf Thursday.

50 years ago — 1969

Evangelist Billy Graham warned yesterday that drugs and drug addiction posed the greatest problem facing American society today. Suntanned and dapper, the world-renowned minister arrived in the Holiday Inns’ Lear jet at Hi-air at Memphis International Airport. He will speak at a prayer breakfast today at the Holiday Inn Rivermont.

75 years ago — 1944

The Reconstruction Finance Corporation at Washington announced yesterday it was ready to negotiate for the sale or lease of six large Memphis war plants, including the $25,000,000 Chickasaw Ordnance Works at Millington. The other plants to be sold are Fisher Memphis Aircraft Division, Q.O. Chemical Co., Southern Acid & Sulphur Co., Mcdonnel Aircraft Corp. and Reynolds Metals Corporation.

100 years ago — 1919

When the University of Tennessee Volunteers and the Mississippi Aggies line up against each other Saturday afternoon at Knoxville, two former opponents of local gridirons will again face each other. Hunter Lane, who formerly starred with the West Tennessee Normal School, will be at left end for the undefeated Volunteers, and Ward Hower, a former Central High School star, will be stationed at right end for the Aggies.

125 years ago — 1894

That Memphis needs a house of correction for wayward boys is made evident by some occurrence every day. Small boys arrested for malicious mischief are released to their parents who promise to make them behave. But often their mothers are willing, even eager, to turn them over to police. Last night two such boys, 9 and 12, spent the night in dingy cells, designed only for degraded folk whose responsibility for their acts is never brought into question. The boys are too small to work on the rock pile, and Chief Davis does not know what to do with them.

THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL FILE Members of the CBC Mothers Club are busy setting up booths and decorations on Oct. 21, 1952, for their annual carnival to be held in the gymnasium at Christian Brothers College. Setting up the booths are, from left, Mrs. Sam Carey, chairman of the Nylon booth; Mrs. D.E. Rosenthat, telephone chairman; and Mrs. John Metz, athletic chairman.