RECOLLECTIONS

50 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Vol. 4 No. 22 Thursday, May 29, 1969

If you haven’t taken the time to drive through the Pea Ridge Cemetery this week, please do so. We saw it Sunday morning, but took another tour by car Tuesday and it was still a blaze of beauty from last Sunday’s annual decoration day. That’s because there are many plastic flowers and arrangements mingled with the cut flowers and potted plants. There also are many beautiful flowers on the graves at Buttram’s Chapel (on Lee Town Road) and quite a few at Patterson Cemetery. Traditionally, Decoration Day brings many former residents back to Pea Ridge.

For 101, years Americans have set aside Memorial Day as a tribute to our fighting men who have fallen in battle. It is the one day of the year set aside to honor those who have give the “last full measure of devotion.” Tragic losses in the Civil War gave birth to the traditional observance. After the guns were silenced, special days began to be set aside in spontaneous actions in many communities, both North and South, “to honor the war dead of both sides.” The basic ceremony generally consisted of strewing flowers and decorating graves. Within a few months, the idea gained widespread popularity and the holiday was formally proclaimed in early May 1868. It was established in a highly unusual manner, in a General Order issued by General John A. Logan, the Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic. The order designated May 30 as “Decoration Day” to be set aside for observances across the nation. Thus was Memorial Day — or Decoration Day — was formalized as an American holiday to honor the brave Americans who have fallen in battle.

In all United States military conflicts, some 40,000,000 men have donned the uniform of our armed services. More than 1,000,000 have died in service. That toll includes the 35,000 who have given their lives in Viet Nam. The honor we pay the memory of these fallen heroes in a small measure acknowledges the debt we owe them all. Without their sacrifice of life, America would not exist in freedom as it does today.

40 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Scene Vol. 14 No. 22 Wednesday, May 30, 1979

Inspection of Pea Ridge School District facilities May 24 by a representative of the Arkansas Department of Health revealed that in 115 items checked only 11 were noted as needing attention. Dennis Harmon of the Department of Health Bentonville office commented to the district administration that it was a “good report.”

Vandalism was reported from Pea Ridge High School this week. The act, potentially destructive of school property valued over $2,000, occurred May 17 when glue and hand lotion was poured all over some audio visual equipment in the library and over one of the girls’ restrooms. The destructive act was discovered early enough to allow the school to clean the AV equipment and avoid permanent damage. Principal Jerry Maple reported the investigation narrowed the field of suspects to two and he expects to have the perpetrator, a student, responsible for the act before the week is out.

With the completion of the basic fire fighting techniques course last week by five Pea Ridge firemen, the Pea Ridge Volunteer Fire Department’s 18 members now have completed basic training and all members have their certificates in basic fire fighting, Chief Sam Spivey announced.

Sometime Monday night, burglars broke into the back door at Shrum’s Meat Market and Grocery, Pea Ridge, and stole some cigarettes, soft drinks, canned goods and meat. Pea Ridge Police Department is investigation.

With a goal to top last year’s $1,700 raised in the City Park bicycle ride, Beta Alpha and Alpha Nu sororities are pushing hard to sign up riders and sponsors for this year’s ride. The sororities are pledging the proceeds of the ride to the Pea Ridge City Park for construction of tennis courts at the park. Last year’s funds were used by the Park Commission to help finance the park’s construction of rest rooms, installation of the backstop and for other developmental purposes. None of the funds are used for maintenance or upkeep, according to Bob Harp, Park Commission chairman.

30 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 24 No. 22 Thursday, June 1,

1989 The highlight of Saturday night’s Pea Ridge High School Athletic Banquet was a standing ovation for the school’s first state champion baseball team. The theme for the banquet was “Pea Ridge Blackhawks — Year of the Champions, 1988-89.” There were tears, cheers and standing ovations as well as the awards.

Pea Ridge High School baseball supporter Jackie Wright said Tuesday that an auction and bake sale will be held to raise money to buy championship rings for the baseball team. The Pea Ridge squad won the 1A State Championship this spring, the first time a Pea Ridge team has one the state baseball tournament. Wright said that the estimated cost of the rings will be $1,300 to $1,400. “We’re going to use this money to buy championship rings for the boys,” he said, “and uniforms and equipment.”

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held Saturday for the nearly half million dollar Oak Ridge Retirement Lodge on South Curtis Avenue on Wade Lane. Constructions is expected to take less than four months, Goins said. He said, “I intend to open by the middle of September.” Goins, who plans to live on site during construction, said, “A total of 50 different people will work on the project during the different construction phases.” Goins said that he has appreciated the cooperation of the Bank of Pea Ridge, the City of Pea Ridge and others.

20 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 34 No. 22 Wednesday, June 2, 1999

D-Day, June 6, 1944, may have been 55 years ago, but for Max Walker, it was yesterday. Max Walker of Pea Ridge will be among 140 World War II veterans to be honored in a ceremony at the Jones Center in Springdale on Sunday, June 6 at 2 p.m. by the government of France for his part in its liberation during the allied invasions of Normandy. He was part of the 29th Division, American First Army, that stormed Normandy beach on D-Day. “I knew that I was going to land on the beach at Normandy,” Walker says. He remembers “ships loaded with men as far as the eye could see” in Southampton harbor. “We were told we would go ashore at dawn. The first day objective was to establish a beach-head. That took one month.” Max has a Purple Heart and

seven clusters and some other medals “not worth mentioning.” Without the perseverance and courage of tens of thousands of American soldiers like, World War II would not have been won.

Recently the members of the Pea Ridge High School Band traveled to Oklahoma city to participate in The Musical Carousel Band Festival and rode off with a new plaque and a bus full of memories. “The whole trip was excellent,” Dickey said. After the band contest, we topped off the trip with a visit to Frontier City, a western-styled these park that has some great attractions.” “Trips such as this broaden their knowledge so much and bring them closer to each other and become great memories and experiences to build on. I was very proud of the mature behavior exhibited by our students.”

Sandy Easley, Pea Ridge City recorder/treasurer, was named Municipal Court Clerk of the Year at the Arkansas Municipal Judges and Clerks Association State Conference in West Memphis May 14. Easley has been the municipal court clerk for 18 years.

10 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 44 No. 22 Wednesday, June 3, 2009

For 30 years, they’ve been on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Roger and Shirley Harris are slowing down. They are emergency medical technicians with the Pea Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Department. She is also the administrative assistant for the department, a positions she’s held since 1992. Roger graduated from Pea Ridge High School in 1960. He worked in Rogers for nearly 40 years for a local company, and began parttime law enforcement work for the Benton and Washington County Sheriff’s offices, then the Pea Ridge Police Department. As emergency medical technicians, Shirley and Rogers held certificates numbered 581 and 582 earlier, then re-certified with 13860 and 13984. The ambulance service in town was begun by Bill Sisco and Sammy Spivey who held certificate numbers 5 and 6, Shirley said.

Taking care of business, the Pea Ridge School Board will consider bids for playground equipment for the new Primary School, address naming the school building and review a policy for drug testing for students at their June meeting. Other items on the agenda include an update on the construction of the new primary building, the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and personnel, including hiring and resignations.

When policy officers pin on a badge, they know there is a possibility they will be involved in a shooting or other extremely violent situation. Few are involved in an officer-related shooting, but those who are find the aftermath brings unexpected results. Learning from his own tragedy, Pea Ridge policy officer John Langham has begun a project to assist other police officers involved in shootings. “They’re human, just like everyone else. The trauma is the same, whether you’re an officer or protecting your house. The use of deadly force has an aftermath for each officer,” Langham said.