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                                                                                           April 11, 2014 Coats Museum News
Back to school clothes had a new look in 1948. Gone were the “Sloppy Joe” sweater and old plaid skirt. Mist weight wool skirts and softly feminine sweaters replaced them. Gabardine skirts had soft pleats or gathers on the sides. Fabrics such as corduroy, velveteen and soft wool in deep rich colors were the favorites. Avocado green, deep reds, purples and blues were seen on the students. Wide leather belts flattered the tiny waists. Scarves and sashes also were worn at the waists (Dunn Dispatch Sept. 13, 1948).
The following youth had to register at Dunn for the draft: Clarence H. Neighbors, Wadeford Coats, Paul McDonald, Thomas Grimes, Wallace D. Byrd. Robert C. Beasley, Robert E. Weaver, Wayne Grimes, Melvin Carroll, Newton Smith, Victor McLeod, Graham Y. Turlington, Mack R. Hudson, James Cossart, Eason C. Byrd, Mack A. Johnson, O’Neal Williams, Thomas Cooper and Cecil Stephenson. Younger boys in Coats were attending Boy Scouts meeting under the guidance of Haywood Roberts while others may have attended the Coats Theater where Gone with the Wind was showing (Dunn Dispatch Sept. 15, 1948).
The Seniors of 1948-49 at Coats had selected their class officers and voted Dorothy Pope as president, Neal Barnes as vice president, Jeanine Ennis as secretary; Joyce Parrish as treasurer, Mary Jo Johnson as historian, and Ruthleen Weaver as testator. Judy Rae Parrish and Larry Stephenson were picked as mascots. Senior superlatives were selected and the yearbook recorded them. J.A. Langdon and Jeanine Ennis were voted “Most Popular”. Sue Turlington and Bobby Stewart won “Best Looking”. Lunette Sorrell and Harold Flowers were named the “Wittiest”. The “Most Athletic” pair was Lois Smith and Shelton Ennis. Obviously, Harold Jernigan and Essie Ruth Stone were quite smart since they were thought to be “Most Studious”. The couple thought to possess all of the above characteristics in one package was Neal Barnes and Dorothy Pope who were named as “Best All Around”.
The cheerleaders who supported the participants on the team and the spectators on the sidelines were Peggy Weaver, Laura Grace Ennis, Jeanine Ennis, Dorothy Grimes and Norma Jean Wood. The FHA officers were Evangeline Stewart as president; Sylvia Ingold, as secretary, and Laura Frances Pope as reporter. The FFA officers were Neal Barnes as president, Waeford Williams as vice president, Tommy Johnson as secretary, Harold Flowers as treasurer, and Max Avery as reporter.
The students who published the Panorama were Dorothy Pope- editor, Laura Pope and Eloise Pope -assistant editors, Neal Barnes - business manager, Jeanine Ennis- production manager, Bobby Stewart- advertising manager, Irene Jernigan- art editor, Evangeline Stewart- literary editor, Lunette Sorrell - sales manager, and Lois Smith -the class editor.
The high school students also had access to local school news written by the students in the form of the school paper, the “Spotlight”. Joyce Parrish, editor; Lunette Sorrell, associate editor; Irene Jernigan, art editor; Claudius Byrd, business manager; Dorothy Grimes, circulation manager; Lois Smith, reporter and Lottie Gray Stephenson, reporter (The Panorama 1949-Coats High School). Did Claudius Byrd and his wife, the former Katherine Norris, open an ice business in Coats not too long ago?
Herbert L. Johnson, prominent Coats business and civic leader, had been elected president of the Coats Fellowship Club. He followed A.R. Byrd. Other officers were A.R. Byrd-vice president, Thomas Williams-secretary, and Rev. J.M. Long-reporter.
Have you ever been to a farm pond when it was drained down and the fish removed from it? In September of 1948, Joe Penny, Jr. of Coats drained his pond and the event afforded fun for the fishermen and food for the thrifty. One of the three acres ponds yielded 3 sixty gallon barrels full of fish. Long strings of beautiful jacks, jack clubs and brim were auctioned to the highest bidder. At one time more than 200 people were in the crowd. Do you wonder who was in the water scooping up those fish? Among the workers were Joe’s brothers, Talmon, Howard, Ed and Haywood. Neighbors and community folks helping were J.D. Fish, Clester Johnson, Lon Johnson and John Allen Smith (Dunn Dispatch Sept. 20, 1948).
From the Barclaysville area, the Goodwill Club composed of Mrs. David Campbell, Mrs. Rebeth Mitchell, Mrs. Sherrill Stephenson, Mrs. L.D. Jones, Mrs. E.L. Parrish and Mrs. Virgie Mason were big winners in the Four County Fair. Another winner was announced in the Coats area. Do you remember from an earlier column that a young Coats girl was in competition to win a sewing contest in 4-H. It was finally announced that the blue ribbon winner was Miss Gertrude Byrd. The 17-year –old won with an evening gown of turquoise blue taffeta fashioned with a tight bodice, a square neckline and bustle back featuring a black velvet bow. The cost to make the dress was $8.93. The lace on the hem in the back was French lace given to Miss Byrd from Mrs. Fred Fleming who had purchased it in France. “Wow”, you say (Dunn Dispatch Sept. 24, 1948).
Mrs. Fleming’s husband, Dr. Fred Fleming, got a new partner, Dr. Martin E. Jones, a resident physician at Rex Hospital from August 1947-September 15, 1948 (Dunn Dispatch September24, 1948).
An interesting note about Dr. Jones is that this summer we had a visit from Dana Coats Byrd and her sister, Marilyn Coats Starnes-wife of state Rep. Edgar Starnes from Hickory.  Marilyn had recently met a Dr. Jones who told her he had practiced medicine in Coats many years ago-a small world.
Many former Coats teachers and students will remember Annette Sauls, a talented artist, taught art several years at the Coats School. When she was fourteen or fifteen, she had wanted to go to New York and design clothes. She of course did not do that, but she did make her clothes and those of her two sons, Brian and Vann. She recently visited our museum bringing a box of patterns showing the change in styles of clothes over the years. Something else that changed was the price of the patterns. Early on, one could buy a pattern for under a dollar but some of her patterns cost over $12. Thank you, Annette.
Also, appreciation goes to Pat Godwin for the gift of History of the Vietnam War, a book from Jesse Ray Godwin’s wife. Peggy Senter dropped by the museum bearing many items. Did you know that mothers made baby clothes and diapers from white cotton sugar sacks? Maybe you didn’t even know sugar once came in cotton bags. When ration stamps were used during WWII, what did the merchants do with the traded in stamps? Peggy’s donations to the museum tell so much local history.
Lib Guy shared with me that there was not a hospital in the basement of Dr. Roberts’ house. She said that the basement had a dirt floor and that the doctoring took place in the back room of Dr. Roberts’ house. Many of you know that Dr. Roberts’ house was purchased from Sears and Roebuck catalogue and was assembled on site. The Roberts’ house is owned by Debbie Grieder and has lots of visitors seeking out some fine antiques found by Debbie and Dan who operate the Colonial Corners.
Many young adults have recently died from the Coats area. Thank you goes to Hilda Pope for remembering two- Johnny Pope and Kim Whittington Holmes- with memorials to the museum.  Thanks also go to all who supported the Coats Kiwanis Club’s golf tournament last Friday. Many of the Coats Kiwanians are strong supporters of the museum.