RECOLLECTIONS

50 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Vol. 4 No. 5 Thursday, Jan. 30, 1969

Pea Ridge dates history back to the establishment of a post office here 119 years ago — and yet, when Argie Miller was named this month as the new rural route carrier, he was the third man ever to have held a permanent appointment to the position. The first rural mail carrier on Pea Ridge’s only route was the late Ezra Ricketts, who has often been recalled in letters to the editor of the Graphic. The second carrier — and the one whose permanent appointment Miller actually succeeds — was Max Walker, who resides on Arkansas Highway 94 South. It was on July 12, 1948, that Walker learned that he had been the highest scorer among the 14 who had taken the Civil Service exam for the local rural carrier’s position. Max was the mail carrier for 19 years in his home town. Concerning his 19 years on the route here, Walker has one regret: He wishes he had kept notes of some of the happenings. “But,” the retired carrier said seriously, “I had what I believe must have been the best rural route in the United States.”

Utah Smith reported that about $40 worth of geese and ducks were destroyed Saturday at Utah’s Zoo by two stray dogs. All but one goose in the zoo were killed by the dogs. Smith said that he shot one of the dogs but that the other got away.

40 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Scene Vol. 14 No. 5 Wednesday, Jan. 31, 1979

The weather, snow and ice, which has forced the closing of Pea Ridge schools will have to break very soon or the local schools could in trouble. School superintendent Roy Roe explained that for accreditation the schools must have 175 days. At the present time, schools have been closed in Pea Ridge for 17 days, including today. There has been only five days of school since Christmas. He pointed out that the schedule for this school year had provided for some “snow days” but those are all used up now. “If the schools could start Thursday and not have to be cancelled any more days this school year,” Roe explained, “we could get the minimum days in by June 1 by eliminating the holidays (Easter). If the bad weather continues, we’re in deep trouble. Our future scheduling depends on the weather.”

Medical coverage will be available in Pea Ridge starting Feb. 1 each working day as a result of the association of Dr. Neil D. Mullins with Dr. Homer B. Russell at the Pea Ridge Medical Clinic. Dr. Mullins says he especially enjoys obstetrics, pediatrics and cardiology. He will continue his family practice in Bentonville when he is not at the Pea Ridge Medical Clinic. Dr. Russell says he looks forward to his association with Dr. Mullins and is pleased that they can now offer broader, five-day a week, medical coverage for Pea Ridge country.

Twelve Corners/Gann Ridge road will be completed. The message left with those attending the JayCees breakfast Saturday morning by County Judge Al Norwood, substitution for State Senator Jim Hendren, was that the road “will be done if we have to bid it ourselves.” Norwood explained that he had discussed it with the state engineer (the road must be built to state specifications) and that the state engineer had told him the county could do the work with its own men and equipment. Using private contractors, Norwood state, would probably make the cost prohibitive. The major part of Judge Norwood’s time during the questions and answers session following a very short speech concerned roads and what the weather is doing to them.

30 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 24 No. 5 Thursday, Feb. 2, 1989

The Pea Ridge City Park Commission discussed last week the use of the park dumpster by people other than park patrons. Commission Chairman Bob Harp said, “Sign are being re-installed to inform the public that the trash dumpsters are for City Park users only.” Harp said earlier that the dumpster is emptied once a week during the warmer months and when needed during the winter. He said that some rural residents have apparently been using the dumpster as a depository for household garbage.

The Pea Ridge City Council held a special meeting last week to discuss whether to protest paying unemployment to former city marshal Kelly Wallace. The council let die at a Jan. 19 meeting a motion to re-appoint Wallace for another one-year term. Mayor Mary Rogers said, “As I understand it, it has been the policy of the city to automatically protest an unemployment claim.” City attorney Howard Slinkard said, “This is a unique case because of the re-appointment process.” Slinkard said that he could only speculate on the outcome of the claim, but said that Wallace may not be eligible for unemployment because it was an appointed position. The council approved a motion to pursue the matter and be represented at a hearing on the unemployment claim.

About the last thing in Pea Ridge that anyone would have believed might be the center of controversy is the City Library. It certainly must have been the last thing on school superintendent Marvin Higginbottom’s mind when he suggested recently a consolidation of the City Library and the Pea Ridge Elementary and High School libraries. None of the libraries effectively serves its target constituency to the extent that it could or should. Higginbottom considered all things when he made his most pragmatic suggestion. A consolidated library open to everyone during the day, all day, a consolidated containing all materials in one building with non-duplicated utilities and personnel makes sense to him. The appropriate officials investigate the value of Higginbottom’s proposal and act, should their findings dictate.

20 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 34 No. 5 Thursday, Feb. 4, 1999

Pea Ridge residents can look forward to improved cable service. Shane Bell, general manager for Peak Cablevision, reported to the City Council progress being made in improving cable service in Pea Ridge. The City Council passed Ordinance 272 regulating sexually oriented businesses. The council approved recommendations for additional parking and improved entrance to the Emergency Services Building and that work will proceed as soon as possible. Among a long list of issues,

city resident Boyd McNiel addressed the council meeting with issues of concern to him. He said he feels the agenda for the council meetings should be listed in the paper prior to the meeting so the public can decide whether or not they want to attend the meeting. He stated that most of the meetings are boring and felt that was the reason there isn’t much of a turnout.

Did you ever find an exposed roll of film around the house and didn’t know what was on it? Sometimes, when you get it developed, it is a nice surprise, and sometimes it isn’t worth the cost of developing. Been there? Well, Carol Grotts of Garfield has, too. Picking up the newly developed pictures, she was pleasantly surprised to find that there were pictures she had taken of three young girls who were here with the Up With People troupe performing in Springdale during the 1997 Thanksgiving holiday. The Grotts were hosts to the three girls, two from the United States and one from Japan during their stay here, and the pictures were of the girls as they were leaving to to home. In the excitement of passing the photographs around, Martin Olsson, who is an exchange student from Soderhamn, Sweden, staying with the Grotts, became interested in the Japanese girl in the picture. Mrs. Grotts recalls him saying, “I think my family sponsored the same girl when the troupe was in Sweden: I’m not sure, but I think so.” He ran upstairs and returned with a photo album, and it is unmistakably the same girl. Mrs. Grotts said, “Of course, during the time she was at his house in Sweden, we had no idea that he would ever be here in our home.” What a small world!

10 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 44 No. 5 Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2009

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat of night…” In the cold dark, pre-dawn hours last Wednesday and Thursday, Pea Ridge postal employees worked. But, they weren’t outside. They were inside the Pea Ridge Post Office darkened by the lack of electricity which runs the lights, heat and computers on which they normally depend. Through the ice storm, through the lack of electrical power and heat in their office, the dedicated employees worked and even sorted mail by flashlight. “We delivered the mail,” said postmaster Jerry Robinson said, adding that as far as he knew, only one box holder did not receive regular delivery one day.

Consideration of changes to the 2008-2009 school calendar due to inclement weather days missed is one of the many items that will be discussed at the Pea Ridge School Board of Directors meeting.

Two Blachhawk teams who’ve earned state recognition will be recognized Saturday night. The team of 1934 has two living members — Hugh Patterson, 92, and Russell Walker, 91. They, along with members of the team of 1978-1979, along with their coach Jim Roe, will be honored at a special program at halftime of the Lady Blackhawks basketball games against Shiloh Saturday. “Anybody could have walked in and coached those kids. I was just lucky enough to get hired to do that,” Roe said recently, explaining that Pea Ridge came out in full support of their team. “There were like 1,200 to 1,500 people there — there was standing room only. People were sitting on the floor between the players’ legs. This team had an undefeated year as ninth-graders. They had eaten up all the big schools.”