RECOLLECTIONS

50 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Vol. 4 No. 45 Thursday, Nov. 6, 1969

Winding up a 41-year career in the postal service is Roy (Shorty) Rakes of Bentonville. He is the one who shoves the mail pouch in the window of the Pea Ridge Post Office daily and even on the day before his retirement. Rakes, who has been the Rt. 4, Bentonville carrier the past 10 years, has been the carrier who brought the Bentonville mail to Pea Ridge each noon as he reached the midway point on his 93mile route. Route 4 takes in the area north and east of Bentonville, coming to Pea Ridge and Bella Vista.

Razorback football coach Frank Broyles was scheduled to visit Pea Ridge Wednesday. The Pea Ridge stop was to be one of two scheduled by Broyles for Wednesday. He was to appear at Bentonville at 7 p.m. and at Pea Ridge at 8 p.m. The Pea Ridge appearance was to be at the elementary school cafeteria. Broyles was expected to discuss the future of the Razorbacks, and to speak, also, on how the Razorbacks could be helped by the proposed Regional Airport on which Benton Countians are slated to hold their second bond election Nov. 18.

There are about 27 million living U.S. veterans of this century’s wars. At this time of year, America thinks especially of her war veterans. We acknowledge by appropriate, solemn ceremonies, the service and sacrifice of those who have borne the battle. Already, there are 3,412,000 (September 1969) veterans of the Viet Nam War. Our state has always answered the call to arms. More than 200,000 veterans live in Arkansas, and some 22,000 of them receive compensation for disabilities suffered in service. These figures tell the national story for all U.S. wars, including the Revolution, through June 1969: Participants —41,353,000; Deaths in Service - 1,055,000; Living veterans - 26,925,000. Veterans Day gives an opportunity to acknowledge with thanks those Americans who have worn the military uniform of this great land. It is a day to pay tribute to those who have fought tor the noblest goal of civilization as embodied in the American dream of permanent peace, with justice and freedom, for all mankind.

40 Years Ago Pea Ridge Graphic Scene Vol. 14 No. 45 Wednesday, Nov. 7, 1979

The Pea Ridge Park Commission, at its monthly meeting Thursday night, voted unanimously to accept the offer from Pea Ridge High School principal Jerry Marple to teach tennis lessons at the newly completed courts at City Park as a park benefit. Marple has offered to teach 10 lessons for $15 and turn the $15 into the park Commission. The new regulationsized courts are now ready for use in daylight hours, and the completion of the lighting installation was expected this week.

With the logging of a fire call Oct. 30 at the farm of Mrs. Mary Gladys Samuel near Buttram’s chapel, the Pea Ridge Volunteer Fire Department registered a record for fire calls, according to Fire Chief Sammy Spivey. The Samuels’ fire was listed as number 64 for the year. At this same date last year there had been only 36.

Pea Ridge hunter Andy Buck can tell you about the hazards of travel during last week’s blizzard in the Plains states. Returning from a deer hunting trip in Montana, Buck was stranded in Wyoming when the highway patrol closed all roads in the area. Unsuccessful in finding a motel, he turned back, although there had been nothing available earlier. He returned to Pea Ridge Thursday, a day late, but with a lot of stories about blizzard-coping. (Yes, he got his deer.)

30 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 24 No. 45 Thursday, Nov. 9, 1989

Concern over the amount of traffic and speed limits within the Pea Ridge city limits prompted city officials to request a survey by the Arkansas Department of Transportation. Pea Ridge Marshal Sam Holcomb said, “We think that there hasn’t been a traffic survey done in Pea Ridge in 10 years.”

In a special session Monday night, the Pea Ridge School Board accepted a $41,333 bid to repair the flat roofs at the school. The work, according to school superintendent Marvin Higginbottom, will start as soon as possible and will include repairs to the balance of the west wing of the elementary building, balance of the gymnasium, the agriculture building and the main elementary building.

At long last, the dedication of the newly paved

and straightened Arkansas Highway 265 was held Wednesday. There were laudatory words about the project and those who worked so hard to see to it completion. It a fine stretch of highway and one that, in retrospect, is well worth the more than a year of inconvenience cause some who live along it to travel it.

20 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 34 No. 45 Wednesday, Nov. 10, 1999

“We don’t want school uniforms,” was the resounding response from a survey presented to student and parents of Pea Ridge schools. Two months ago, the Pea Ridge School Board formed an exploratory committee of parents, students and a school board member to study the issue of school uniforms for Pea Ridge. They present their findings at the regular month school board meeting. With an almost 100 percent response to surveys distributed to students, faculty and parents, 62 percent of parents, 66 percent of students and 49 percent of faculty said no uniforms are needed.

In her 10th year at Pea Ridge Elementary School, Vickie Kennemer returned to kindergarten level last year after several years teaching first and second grades. Her first year of teaching was at kindergarten level. Today’s kindergartners are expected to learn the skills that used to be reserved until first grade.

Members of the Pod Squad celebrated as they took home the top prize at Saturday’s regional BEST competition. They took Most Elegant Robot; third place competition trophy and first place BEST trophy, which is given to the team that has accomplished the greatest school and community interest in engineering, science and technology. Next they compete at Texas A&M in national competition. The BEST team will be in action Thursday, Nov. 11 at Northwest Arkansas Community College in an invitational match.

10 Years Ago The TIMES of Northeast Benton County Vol. 44 No. 45 Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

Bonus checks are in the near future for employees, both certified and classified, of the Pea Ridge School District, thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. At their regular meeting Monday night, Pea Ridge School Board members were told by superintendent Mike Van Dyke that school administrators are meeting to find ways to improve test scores.

People with a sweet tooth have a new place to fulfill their desires. Cookies, Creams and Other Sweet Things opened their doors Monday. One special feature will be “The Hawk”—any slice of pie may be blended with any flavor ice cream. Featuring home-made cookies, brownies, pies and fudge, the new sweet shop is in the former Scoops ice cream shop in the Battlefield Plaza on the southeast corner of Lee Town Road and South Curtis Avenue. Gann and his wife, Donna, opened the shop as a longtime dream.

The community is invited to join Pea Ridge High School in honoring the veterans of the community during the annual Veterans Day Celebration at the high school. The students are collecting old and/or current photos of service men and women in the community to share in a slide show at the Veteran’s Day Assembly. Consider sharing photos, old and new, of family members who have served our country. Qualifying veterans may also receive their high school diplomas.