Looking Back

Teresa McCrary,

(Editor’s Note: This column looking back at St. Francis County’s history is featured each Friday on this Lifestyles page along with the week’s History Photo. The items included in this column were printed in previous editions of the Times-Herald.)

January 1926

Box Company - The Forrest City Box Co. has been in steady operation for the past two years, and it is probable that the plant may be enlarged to about double its present capacity the next few months. The products of the mill find ready sale, and are principally used in Chicago.

Bridge Party - Mrs. S.H. Mann entertained with 10 tables of bridge, complimentary to Mrs. Walker Morrow, of El Paso, Texas. For the occasion the house was most attractively decorated with ferns and pink carnations. The one with high score at each table was given a potted plant, while the high score for all, a cluney cloth, went to Mrs. P.H. Barker Jr. Mrs. Morrow, the honoree, was presented with a beautiful tea apron. Delicious two course luncheon was served.

Bridge Party - Mrs. Linn Turley entertained with two tables of bridge, complimentary to Miss Frances Block, of Wynne. For the occasion the house was decorated with ferns and cut flowers. High score, a complete bridge set, was won by Mrs. O.N. Warren. Low score, a box of score pads, went to Mrs. P.H. Barker Jr., and Miss Block, the honoree, was given cut flowers. Favors, a corsage was given each person. Delicious two-course luncheon was served to the following: Mesdames O.N. Warren, Leo Vaccaro, P.H. Barker Jr., Joe Ferguson, Jno. Schlosser, J.R. Stinson, Misses Frances Block, Louise Turley and Elizabeth Hoshall.

Bridge Party - Mrs. Thos. Gatling entertained with seven tables of bridge. For the occasion the house beautifully decorated with ferns and potted plants. High score, a luncheon set, was won by Mrs. Freeman Irby, low score, handmade handkerchiefs, went to Mrs. H.T. Royce. Each guest was given a corsage. Delicious two-course luncheon was served. The following were present: Mesdames A.B. Nimocks, T.J. Aycock, Wm. Dawson, L. Bridgeforth, Ed Wright, Louis Haven, Bert Mallory, N.C. McCown, H.T. Royce, Freeman Irby, W.A. Morrow, P.H. Barker Jr., Robert Benson, M.B. Norfleet Jr, E.A. Rolfe, H.W. Gregory, Jas. Scott, J.T. Harris, Leo Vaccaro, C.B. Porter; Misses Elizabeth Hoshall, Elizabeth Sweet, Louise Turley, Lula Sinclair, Cornelia Eldridge, Mildred Cargill, Jenelle Eldridge, Mildred Williams and Karle Friar.

Crate Mill - Several hundred carlot shipments of peaches will be made this year from along Crowley’s Ridge. The number will be greatly increased next year, and for each succeeding year. Carlot shipments of sweet potatoes are made each your from Forrest City, and the number will be increased. Carlot shipments of strawberries are made each year from Wynne and carlot shipments of cantaloupes are made from Craighead and other East Arkansas counties. Forrest City is splendidly located for a crate mill, to serve shippers through this territory. Some town along the line will secure this mill.

Increase - The number of telephones in Forrest City increased six in 1925. During the year, 97 were lost and 103 gained, making a net gain of six.

Locals - Miss Louise Cooley, of Memphis, spent the Christmas holidays here with her sister, Miss Ann Cooley. ***Mr. and Mrs. Winfield Davis had as their guests Mrs. Davis' brother, Nolan Fields, of Memphis. ***Miss Ruth McGaha, of El Dorado, spent the Christmas holidays here with her mother, Mrs. Cordia McGaha. ***Louis Davenport Jr., of Memphis, spent the Christmas holidays here with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. L.E. Davenport. ***Mr. and Mrs. Winfield Davis had as their guests Mrs. Geo. Thaxton and Miss Edna Fields of Memphis. ***Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Gray and children spent Christmas in Little Rock with Mrs. Gray's, parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.R. Donham. ***Mrs. Arthur McDaniel and daughters, of Memphis, are visiting relatives in the city this week. ***Mr. and Mrs. Will David have as their guest Mrs. David's sister, Miss

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Mrs. A. Becker. Мгs. Henson will he remembered here as Miss Nona Isaacs, of this city. ***Mrs. M. L. Morley entertained with a luncheon party Saturday for her house guest, Miss Frances Block, of Wynne. Others present were Miss Louise Turley and Miss Jean Montague.

Maidwell - Ed Ash, proprietor of the Maidwell Garment Co., reports splendid business for his plant this year. The addition has been completed, and the force increased to 55 operators. Additional machines will be installed and about 10 more will be added to list employed. Orders are coming in fully up to his expectations and he is confident that by the end of the year his force will be increased to about 80 people. Maidwell garments are sold from coast to coast and the list of customers is constantly increasing.

Mrs. S.H. Mann Entertains Mrs. S.H. Mann Sr., entertained with two tables of bridge, complimentary to her guest, Mrs. Richard Mann, of Little Rock. The house was beautifully decorated with ferns and potted plants. High score, a bridge set, was won by Mrs, Jno. Grobmyer. Mrs. Mann was presented with a hand embroidered towel. Delicious salad course was served to the following: Mesdames Jno. Schlosser, Jno. Grobmyer, J.B. Johnston, W.W. Campbell, C.W. Norton and J.O, McDougal.

Old Time Fiddlers - Speaking of old time fiddlers. Since the invitation of Henry Ford to the champion fiddler of Maine to come to Detroit, the fiddling craze has spread throughout the land. Contests are being held in every city and village. St. Francis County has always been modest in her claims. Many things out of the ordinary are passed by with scarcely a notice. We could rightly lay claim to the champion fiddler in the person of Capt. John Stutts, of Pine Tree. He is a fiddler all right, and not withstanding he is nearing the four-score-and ten mark, draws a bow with the energy of a woodsawer. Gut strings was as spider webs, and steel strings bend to the strain. In running the gamut of A.E.D.G. preparatory to sounding "Billy in the New Ground" could make Billy kick up the dirt clean to the turnover. "Sweet Angeline," "Yellow Rose of Texas" and "Arkansas Traveler" bring in the notes and then some in variations. John can not be excelled.

Prewitt-Harris - Mrs. Nell Harris, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Harris, and Mr. Walter A. Prewett, were married at the Baptist Pastorium by Rev. Blount F. Davison, Miss Alberta Fields and Mr. C. C. Rolfe, being the only witnesses. Following the ceremony Mr. and Mrs. Prewett left for Memphis for several days, after which they will make their home with Mr. Prewett's parents, Mr. and Mrs. E.T. Prewett.

Rice Mills - A delegation of six men from Wheatley called upon the directors of the Arkansas Cooperative Rice Growers Association with a proposition urging the removal of the general offices and mills of the organization to Wheatley. They proposed to furnish free building sites for the rice mills which the association contemplates building or buying under new contracts now being signed with its members, and to finance the construction of such mills. Those in the delegation were Judge T.T. Bateman, E.D. McKnight, Frank Andrews, Roma Short, H.K. Smith and George P. Reid. New contracts being signed with members of the organization are for 10 years, and begin with the expiration of the present contracts, which expire with the handling of next season’s crops. The principal reason for the longer contracts is to enable the growers to either buy or build their own mills, a lengthy contract making the financing of the project much easier than with short contracts.

Sarah Dockery. ***Misses Virgina and Carolyn Staten spent the first of the week in Haynes with their sister, Mrs. H.B. Hughes. ***Ed O'Grady, of Chicago, Ill., is a guest of Miss Nonie Rogers, this week, being en route to Miami, Fla., for the winter. ***Mr. and Mrs. Geo. P. Walker Jr.. of Banks, spent the Christmas holidays here with Mr. Walker's parents. Mr. and Mrs. Geo. P. Walker Sr. ***DeWitt Latham, of Chicago, Ill., is visiting in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jno. I. Jones, the guest of their daughter, Miss Catherine Jones. ***Tommie Whitted, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. F.T. Whitted, arrived Christmas Eve from the oil fields in Southern Arkansas and spent the holiday season with his parents. This was his first visit home in two years. Friends will be interested and pleased to know that he is enjoying the prosperity prevalent in Arkansas oil fields. ***Oliver Rowland has purchased an interest with E.A. Logan in his pool and billiard parlors, and will be glad to have his friends call. ***Mrs. Chas. L. Platt and son are visiting in Memphis. ***Louis McDaniel was a business visitor in Memphis, also attending the Ford Banquet. ***Mrs. Roger West and son spent several days in Wynne with friends. ***Eugene and Mortimer Williams visited during the holidays with their grandmother, Mrs. E.C. Williams, returning Sunday night to their home in New York City. ***Mrs. W.W. Bryan and daughter, Felice, returned to Hot Springs, where they are spending the winter, having spent the holidays at Bryanville with home folks and friends. ***The J.S. Shields drug store will soon be equipped with a new fountain, of the most approved type, electrically cooled, and thoroughly sanitary. A concrete foundation has just been completed by T.W. McClendon to support it. ***Mrs. O.N. Warren was a visitor in Memphis. ***Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Stevens were visitors in Memphis. ***H.W. Gregory left for a business trip of several days in Chicago. ***Miss Jean Montague, of Ft. Smith, arrived to visit for several weeks with her sister. Mrs. Otto W. Rollwage. ***Mrs. Maude Thompson, of El Paso, Texas, who is visiting her sister, Mrs. Louis McDaniel, spent the weekend with Mrs. J.C. Morris. ***Mrs. Carl Gustation was a visitor in Memphis, going over to see his mother, Mrs. A.D. Boyle, who is in the Woman's Hospital, following an operation. ***Mrs. A. Becker returned home from Chicago, and New York City where she had been visiting her children. ***Mrs. R.H. Payne and children, and Mrs. Payne's father, Robert Stevens, left for El Dorado to make their home, Mr. Payne being in the garage business there. ***Mr. and Mrs. O.E. Barker, of Marion, S.C., will make their home here. Mr. Barker is the new County Farm Agent, taking the place of Mr. Rogers, who has moved to Helena. ***Miss Opal Trout, who has been visiting in the home of her sister, Mrs. Earl P. Roberts, returned to her home in Piggott. She had been visiting for two weeks. ***Miss Mildred Cargill had as her guest, Jack Johnson, of Memphis. ***FOR SALE: A few good mules, Cheap for cash. C.W. Norton. ***Mrs. V.R. Norton, of Pine Bluff, is visiting her mother, Mrs. Emma Cummings and sister, Mrs. Jno, H. Tipton. ***Miss Frances Block, of Wynne was the house guest of the Rev. and Mrs. Myron Lewis Morley for the weekend. ***The Rev. Blount F. Davidson was a visitor in Little Rock, attending a meeting of the board of control of Ouachita College. ***Mrs. T.I. Smith will return home from Conway where she has been visiting her son, Flecther Smith, for several months. ***Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Fussell had their guests, Mrs. Ed Futrall and Mrs. Marshall Ford, of Marianna. ***Mrs. Hamilton Henson and son of Shreveport, La., are visiting in the home of

The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center (MTCC) will host its annual MLK Challenge from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan.15.

The MLK Challenge is a day of service designed to engage students ages 12 to 18 in volunteer work and to instill a sense of community in Central Arkansas youth. The challenge consists of a full day of service projects that will challenge them mentally and socially.

Registration is now open to

This event is designed to showcase the wide array of majors, careers and employable skills future students can pursue with a degree in communication through AState.

“Having students on campus and introduced to typical college activities such as dining with peers in the cafeteria, interacting with faculty, or attending a class allows students to envision themselves in the role of a college student,” said Dr. Jill Simons, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Communication and interim department chair.

Simons said when students visit a college campus, there is a level of comfort that can be associated with being on that campus that can have an impact on students’ long-term goals.

Rachel

Freeze, event students ages 12 to 18 and ends Jan. 12. Registration forms are available at the museum and online at MosaicTemplars.com.

Students should arrive at the museum, located at 501 W 9th St. in Little Rock, at 8 a.m. on that Monday to sign in. After a short opening ceremony, students will be escorted to their assigned volunteer sites before returning to MTCC at 12:30 p.m. for a closing activity.

Some require service physical sites may or outdoor labor, and there is a strong possibility that participants will get dirty. Participants should wear comfortable clothing appropriate for manual work.

Registration is free and participants will receive a free Tshirt as thanks for their hard work and so they can show the world how they honored the life and legacy of Dr. King.

For media inquiries, please contact Nathan Treece at nathan.treece@arkansas.gov, or call 501-683-2513.