April 1, 2016 Coats Museum News
If you were challenged to think of five items in ten seconds that cost one dollar today, could you name them? Harder yet, can you think of any items that cost a dollar when you got married? This I do know-the September 18, 1957 Daily Record printed that what a dollar bought in 1957 was what 50 cents bought in 1949.
I bet J.C. Hardee saw many price changes during his 68 years on this earth. He lived through four wars and the depression-Right? Mr. Hardee, a farmer of rural Dunn, had died at his home at 2 AM on Wednesday. He was formerly of Johnston County. Was he from the Hardee’s Crossroads area in eastern Johnston? He was a member of the Angier Primitive Baptist Church where he was a deacon. Elder G. Floyd Adams and Elder Blannie L. Godwin officiated. His wife Vara Stewart Hardee and seven children (Thomas, Stewart, James, Randall, Aubrey, and Mrs. Charlie Little) survived him. Who was the seventh child? Mrs. W.T. Williams, Misses Alva and Ila Hardee were sisters of the deceased who was buried in the Coats Cemetery? (Daily Record Sept. 25, 1957)
Question-was Mr. Hardee connected in any way with the Turlingtons and Stewarts of Turlingtons Crossroads where the Coats Erwin Middle School is located?
Weddings and births were also news worthy in September of 1957. Miss Jean Strickland married Frederick Byrd, son of Mr. Fred Byrd, in Dillon, South Carolina. Does anyone remember that beautiful couple? Her parents were Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Strickland. Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Maynor announced the birth of a son. The mother was the former Jean Williams. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Ennis and baby had been home to Coats to visit Mrs. Joel Ennis. She was Fred’s mom. Had Mr. Joel died since he was not mentioned? His obituary has not been written about, has it? Joel was a prominent merchant and town commissioner in Coats.
I’m sure you all recognize this name, Peggy Senter, who worked for the Guy and Eugene Stewart family car dealership, in Coats most of her life and knew everybody who came into the business and the car they were driving. Peggy and her sister Mrs. Louise Jackson and her daughter Reggie Ann Jackson had spent time in Raleigh. Elsewhere, Mr. Dwight Johnson of Chicago had visited the Coats Baptist Church. He was formerly on the Coats High School faculty. Was he originally from Benson and who took voice lessons from him? Mrs. Charlie Turlington and Miss Ola Byrd had attended the Primitive Baptist Association in Benson (Daily Record Sept. 27, 1957).
On the Coats High campus, students had settled in for a new year. The Echoing Memories staff was in place and had Norma Lee Johnson as the editor and Patricia Byrd as business manager. To assist the Editor Norma Lee a staff made up of Sybil Beasley, Julia Whittington, Linda Sue Ennis, twins Jackie and Shelby Stephenson, Eleana Wilburn, Joy Dan Clayton, Joyce Jernigan, and Barbara Pope carried out specific sections of the yearbook.
Patricia Byrd had many on business team such as Vickie Lou Lee, Jo Carol Penny, Donnie Dorman, Ernestine Creech, Janie Underwood, Joyce E. Johnson, Bernie Mack Byrd, and Billy Weaver to make her task run smoothly (Echo Memories 1958).
Off campus, Mr. and Mrs. Yancy Partin of Angier announced the engagement of their daughter, Nelda Rose Partin, to Conray Byrd, son of Mr. and Mrs Newton Byrd of Coats. Wonder if the family had heard that Coats had scored its first victory over Wakelon. The score 18-6 resulted from the outstanding teamwork from Donnie Dorman, Kenneth O’Neal, Harold Barnes, Wayne Stewart, Bland Fleming, and Bobby Pope (Daily Record Sept. 30, 1957).
The mascots for 1958 seniors were voted upon and Denise Currin and Jimmy Grimes won the honor. The class colors were red and white and the red roses fitted well in the scheme. The class superlatives named “Best All Around” to Barbara Stewart and Jerry Huff. Janie Underwood and Billy Weaver were the “Most Studious” and Bernie Mack Byrd and Patsy Byrd were the “Most Popular.” “Most Likely to Succeed” went to Norma Lee Johnson and Carson Gregory, Jr. The “Most Athletic” pair was Julia Whittington and Kenneth O’Neal and Jo Carol Penny and Carl Williams were the “Cutest”. Joy Dan Clayton and Wayne Stewart were the “Wittiest”. Linda Sue Ennis and Max Matthews were voted the “Neatest”. Carl Williams and Eleana Wilburn were the “Beau and Belle” and Barbara Pope and Wayne Stewart were the “Most Talented” pair. The “Most Dependable” was Ernestine Creech and Tony Pope and the “Best Sports” were Jackie Stephenson and Charles Sorrell. The “Most Original” in the class was Shelby Stephenson and Donnie Dorman and Ruth Stephenson and Jerry Fish were the “Friendliest”. Wonder if those traits followed the students throughout life.
Likely many girls aspired to be the Homecoming Queen or Miss Coats High. In 1958, Betty Lou Moore won Homecoming Queen and Sybil Beasley was Miss Coats High. The Spotlight staff had Barbara Pope and Joyce E. Johnson served as co-editors of that school paper. The FFA had Carson Gregory, Jr. as president; Tony Pope as vice president; Donnie Dorman, secretary; Billy Pope, treasurer; Jerry Fish, reporter and Tommy Ennis, sentinel.
Coats High Future Homemakers of America members voted Patsy Byrd, president; Ruth Lewis, vice president; Sybil Beasley, parliamentarian; Shelby Stephenson, secretary; Nancy Lloyd, treasurer; Janice Pope, historian; Jackie Stephenson, reporter; Eva Carol Miller, county reporter and Ann Beasley, song leader (Echoing Memories 1958). Do not all these names bring back memories for many of you?
Who remembers when a Brotherhood was organized in Coats? According to the October 3rd issue of the Daily Record, Eugene Stewart, president; Randall Turlington, vice president; Sherrill Coats, second -vice president; Johnny Barnes, third vice-president were elected. M.O. Phillips was secretary-treasurer and Ambrose Currin as assistant secretary. Was this a Coats Baptist Church group?
Little Cathy Peede was honored on her eighth birthday with a yard party. Those who attended were Teresa Avery, Bill, Don and Bob House, Jo Ann and Virginia McLeod, Lester and Debbie Stancil, Vickie and Annie Wescott, Reggie Jackson, Jerry and Mike Peede and Sharon Byrd. Where was this yard party held?
I do know that Mr. and Mrs. T. E. Denning of Coats announced the marriage of their daughter, Peggy Sue Denning to Pvt. Boyd Clayton of Coats (Daily Record Oct. 3, 1957). Wonder if Peggy was ever teased about being named “Peggy Sue”. Remember the song lyrics-“Peggy, Peggy Sue”? Many know that Larry, Ralph and Carolyn were siblings of Peggy whereas Boyd‘s brother was Barnes Clayton. Ralph is an outstanding member of our museum board of directors.
Our new exhibits are coming along and it is hard work but so enjoyable to hear stories about and from many the individuals who will be represented with vintage clothes in our glass tunnel. We are pushing to have every exhibit completed when a travel group of 37 will arrive to one of their mystery stops.
We are so fortunate to have many faithful financial supporters of our museum. Because of them, we can pay operational expenses and purchase items needed to showcase outstanding exhibits. Last week, Jutta Turlington and Robie and Lynda Butler gave memorials for Joey Johnson. This week Rhonda Denning Stephenson visited and also gave a generous memorial for Joey Johnson from Randy and her. Conrey Flowers who graduated from Coats High sent the museum another donation. The volunteers really appreciate our donors’ generosity.
It is interesting to note that Rhonda and Conrey were children of builders. Some of the prettiest houses in the Coats area were built by Conrey’s father, Fletcher Flowers. Rhonda’s parents built miniature tobacco barns, sleds and other farm related items. The wooden items are found everywhere from the Coats Pharmacy, to the Coats Museum and to other places far and wide. Thanks to the generosity of Verle Flowers and her children, we have a large number of the Fletcher Flowers family heirlooms in the museum.
If you were challenged to think of five items in ten seconds that cost one dollar today, could you name them? Harder yet, can you think of any items that cost a dollar when you got married? This I do know-the September 18, 1957 Daily Record printed that what a dollar bought in 1957 was what 50 cents bought in 1949.
I bet J.C. Hardee saw many price changes during his 68 years on this earth. He lived through four wars and the depression-Right? Mr. Hardee, a farmer of rural Dunn, had died at his home at 2 AM on Wednesday. He was formerly of Johnston County. Was he from the Hardee’s Crossroads area in eastern Johnston? He was a member of the Angier Primitive Baptist Church where he was a deacon. Elder G. Floyd Adams and Elder Blannie L. Godwin officiated. His wife Vara Stewart Hardee and seven children (Thomas, Stewart, James, Randall, Aubrey, and Mrs. Charlie Little) survived him. Who was the seventh child? Mrs. W.T. Williams, Misses Alva and Ila Hardee were sisters of the deceased who was buried in the Coats Cemetery? (Daily Record Sept. 25, 1957)
Question-was Mr. Hardee connected in any way with the Turlingtons and Stewarts of Turlingtons Crossroads where the Coats Erwin Middle School is located?
Weddings and births were also news worthy in September of 1957. Miss Jean Strickland married Frederick Byrd, son of Mr. Fred Byrd, in Dillon, South Carolina. Does anyone remember that beautiful couple? Her parents were Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Strickland. Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Maynor announced the birth of a son. The mother was the former Jean Williams. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Ennis and baby had been home to Coats to visit Mrs. Joel Ennis. She was Fred’s mom. Had Mr. Joel died since he was not mentioned? His obituary has not been written about, has it? Joel was a prominent merchant and town commissioner in Coats.
I’m sure you all recognize this name, Peggy Senter, who worked for the Guy and Eugene Stewart family car dealership, in Coats most of her life and knew everybody who came into the business and the car they were driving. Peggy and her sister Mrs. Louise Jackson and her daughter Reggie Ann Jackson had spent time in Raleigh. Elsewhere, Mr. Dwight Johnson of Chicago had visited the Coats Baptist Church. He was formerly on the Coats High School faculty. Was he originally from Benson and who took voice lessons from him? Mrs. Charlie Turlington and Miss Ola Byrd had attended the Primitive Baptist Association in Benson (Daily Record Sept. 27, 1957).
On the Coats High campus, students had settled in for a new year. The Echoing Memories staff was in place and had Norma Lee Johnson as the editor and Patricia Byrd as business manager. To assist the Editor Norma Lee a staff made up of Sybil Beasley, Julia Whittington, Linda Sue Ennis, twins Jackie and Shelby Stephenson, Eleana Wilburn, Joy Dan Clayton, Joyce Jernigan, and Barbara Pope carried out specific sections of the yearbook.
Patricia Byrd had many on business team such as Vickie Lou Lee, Jo Carol Penny, Donnie Dorman, Ernestine Creech, Janie Underwood, Joyce E. Johnson, Bernie Mack Byrd, and Billy Weaver to make her task run smoothly (Echo Memories 1958).
Off campus, Mr. and Mrs. Yancy Partin of Angier announced the engagement of their daughter, Nelda Rose Partin, to Conray Byrd, son of Mr. and Mrs Newton Byrd of Coats. Wonder if the family had heard that Coats had scored its first victory over Wakelon. The score 18-6 resulted from the outstanding teamwork from Donnie Dorman, Kenneth O’Neal, Harold Barnes, Wayne Stewart, Bland Fleming, and Bobby Pope (Daily Record Sept. 30, 1957).
The mascots for 1958 seniors were voted upon and Denise Currin and Jimmy Grimes won the honor. The class colors were red and white and the red roses fitted well in the scheme. The class superlatives named “Best All Around” to Barbara Stewart and Jerry Huff. Janie Underwood and Billy Weaver were the “Most Studious” and Bernie Mack Byrd and Patsy Byrd were the “Most Popular.” “Most Likely to Succeed” went to Norma Lee Johnson and Carson Gregory, Jr. The “Most Athletic” pair was Julia Whittington and Kenneth O’Neal and Jo Carol Penny and Carl Williams were the “Cutest”. Joy Dan Clayton and Wayne Stewart were the “Wittiest”. Linda Sue Ennis and Max Matthews were voted the “Neatest”. Carl Williams and Eleana Wilburn were the “Beau and Belle” and Barbara Pope and Wayne Stewart were the “Most Talented” pair. The “Most Dependable” was Ernestine Creech and Tony Pope and the “Best Sports” were Jackie Stephenson and Charles Sorrell. The “Most Original” in the class was Shelby Stephenson and Donnie Dorman and Ruth Stephenson and Jerry Fish were the “Friendliest”. Wonder if those traits followed the students throughout life.
Likely many girls aspired to be the Homecoming Queen or Miss Coats High. In 1958, Betty Lou Moore won Homecoming Queen and Sybil Beasley was Miss Coats High. The Spotlight staff had Barbara Pope and Joyce E. Johnson served as co-editors of that school paper. The FFA had Carson Gregory, Jr. as president; Tony Pope as vice president; Donnie Dorman, secretary; Billy Pope, treasurer; Jerry Fish, reporter and Tommy Ennis, sentinel.
Coats High Future Homemakers of America members voted Patsy Byrd, president; Ruth Lewis, vice president; Sybil Beasley, parliamentarian; Shelby Stephenson, secretary; Nancy Lloyd, treasurer; Janice Pope, historian; Jackie Stephenson, reporter; Eva Carol Miller, county reporter and Ann Beasley, song leader (Echoing Memories 1958). Do not all these names bring back memories for many of you?
Who remembers when a Brotherhood was organized in Coats? According to the October 3rd issue of the Daily Record, Eugene Stewart, president; Randall Turlington, vice president; Sherrill Coats, second -vice president; Johnny Barnes, third vice-president were elected. M.O. Phillips was secretary-treasurer and Ambrose Currin as assistant secretary. Was this a Coats Baptist Church group?
Little Cathy Peede was honored on her eighth birthday with a yard party. Those who attended were Teresa Avery, Bill, Don and Bob House, Jo Ann and Virginia McLeod, Lester and Debbie Stancil, Vickie and Annie Wescott, Reggie Jackson, Jerry and Mike Peede and Sharon Byrd. Where was this yard party held?
I do know that Mr. and Mrs. T. E. Denning of Coats announced the marriage of their daughter, Peggy Sue Denning to Pvt. Boyd Clayton of Coats (Daily Record Oct. 3, 1957). Wonder if Peggy was ever teased about being named “Peggy Sue”. Remember the song lyrics-“Peggy, Peggy Sue”? Many know that Larry, Ralph and Carolyn were siblings of Peggy whereas Boyd‘s brother was Barnes Clayton. Ralph is an outstanding member of our museum board of directors.
Our new exhibits are coming along and it is hard work but so enjoyable to hear stories about and from many the individuals who will be represented with vintage clothes in our glass tunnel. We are pushing to have every exhibit completed when a travel group of 37 will arrive to one of their mystery stops.
We are so fortunate to have many faithful financial supporters of our museum. Because of them, we can pay operational expenses and purchase items needed to showcase outstanding exhibits. Last week, Jutta Turlington and Robie and Lynda Butler gave memorials for Joey Johnson. This week Rhonda Denning Stephenson visited and also gave a generous memorial for Joey Johnson from Randy and her. Conrey Flowers who graduated from Coats High sent the museum another donation. The volunteers really appreciate our donors’ generosity.
It is interesting to note that Rhonda and Conrey were children of builders. Some of the prettiest houses in the Coats area were built by Conrey’s father, Fletcher Flowers. Rhonda’s parents built miniature tobacco barns, sleds and other farm related items. The wooden items are found everywhere from the Coats Pharmacy, to the Coats Museum and to other places far and wide. Thanks to the generosity of Verle Flowers and her children, we have a large number of the Fletcher Flowers family heirlooms in the museum.