April 20, 2018 Coats Museum News
The year was 1970. Richard M. Nixon was in the White House. He had been born on a California fruit farm and was one of five sons. The family had moved to Whittier, CA when Nixon was nine. His father had opened a gas station and grocery store where Nixon and his brothers helped. They picked up groceries in early morning and pumped gas after school. Richard worked hard in school and his grades were excellent. He was a champion debater in high school and college where he also acted in plays.
Many who visit the museum often share that they knew all about tobacco hand planters and cotton sacks and because they used both, it was the incentive for them to head off to college or the military with the intention of never pulling another sand lug or picking another bag of cotton. Wonder if Nixon had similar feelings about pumping gas and picking up groceries?
I do know that Nixon did not venture far from home to attend Whittier College where he was elected president of the student body and graduated second in his class. From there he attended Duke University Law School where he was known as “Gloomy Gus” because he always studied which resulted in his being third in his law school class.
After law school he returned to Whittier where he joined a law firm and a theater group. There he met his future wife, Pat Ryan, a high school teacher. The couple had two daughters, Tricia and Julie. Tricia later had a White House wedding and Julie married David Eisenhower, the grandson of former President Dwight Eisenhower.
Nixon had joined the Navy in WW II. He advanced to the rank of lieutenant commander by the time the war had ended. Because of his military experience, the Republican leaders decided to sponsor him after he answered a newspaper ad that a congressional candidate was wanted with no previous experience. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1946 (Bumann, Joan and John Patterson, 40 Presidents-Facts and Fun, Willowisp Press, Inc. 1981, pp.138-39).
In District 3 of Harnett County there was an unusually amount of interest in the Harnett County Board of Education seat race. Herbert Johnson and Edward Turlington were competing for the seat to represent the Coats area (Daily Record May 1, 1970).
Recall reading last week that the Coats area in the Cancer Drive had earned an all- time record when the area raised $825 of their $1,000 goal. This edition of the Daily Record recorded that the 1970 drive not only met that goal but doubled it by raising $2,000 (Daily Record May 7, 1970).
A terrible car accident had taken the life of a young man who had graduated from Coats High School. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Hayes, Sr., had posted a note of appreciation for sympathy in the death of their son, Kenneth Reid Hayes, who had been a college student at East Carolina. The same edition posted that Sybil Lamm had married Danny Wray Matthews of Angier. Sybil was employed at Nationwide Insurance and Mr. Matthews was serving with the Naval Reserves (Daily Record May 15, 1970).
The Sixth District meeting of the Junior Order of United Mechanics was held in Sanford with Shotwell No. 148 as host. J.D. Norris was elected District Councilor (Daily Record May 18, 1970).
The Coats High student body had had its own election for 1971. The high school students had selected Tim Penny as president, Shearon Roberts as vice-president and Kent Turlington as secretary and treasurer of the Student Council (Daily Record May21, 1970).
School elections were a reminder that school graduations were at hand. Neal Benton Harmon had graduated from Central Carolina Technical College while the following were graduates of Coats High Class of 1970: Ricky Allen, Diane Baker, Kenneth Barbour, Loraine Barbour, Ricky Beasley, Larry Barefoot, Tommy Bennett, Ronald Bryant, Carl Byrd, Sherry Byrd, Richard Cannady, Glenda Cameron, Wren Carroll, Jackie Coats, JoAnne Coats, Larry Cooke, Linda Denning, Kathie Denning, Linwood Denning, Betty Ellen Dixon, Steven Dupree, Dale Ennis , Gale Ennis, Ronnie Faulkner, Janie Ferguson, David Ferrell, Terry Ferrell, Lewis Gaskins, Terry Grimes, Danny Hedgepeth, Susan Hawley, Kenny Holmes, Octavia Holmes, Janelle Johnson, Larry Johnson, Gloria Langdon, Mary Ellen Johnson, Jerry Langdon, Joan Lee, Kenneth Lee, Marvin Lee, Ricky Lewis, Craig Matthews, Donnie Matthews, Donald McKoy, Donald McLamb, Brenda McLean, Scotty McLean ,Peggy McLeod, Bobby Norris, Mike Norris, Anthony Page, Donald Page, Danny Parker, Linda Jo Parker, Kenneth Parker, Keith Parrish, Hal Penny, Kent Penny, Edward Pope, Nina Pope, Clara Regan, Sheree Smith, Joyce Spears, Karen Spears, Rayvon Stephenson, Vickie Stephenson, Glenn Stevens, Buddy Stewart, Dewayne Tart, Jarvis Tart, Betty Temple, Lynwood Thornton, Debbie Trogden, Dennis Turlington, Lila Walden, Robert Weddings, Vickie Whittington and Harold Williams.
The Coats High Class of 1970 was my second graduating class and do I ever have echoing memories of so many of them. Many I have not seen since they graduated while others drop by the museum bearing artifacts from their school days or from their families to be displayed or placed in proper archival books or just to say “hello”.
What are some of the echoing memories that the 1970 graduates left for us to revisit in 2018? Kenny Holmes was selected as Editor of the Echoing Memories yearbook. He had Kent Hudson, Mary Ellen Johnson, Gloria Langdon, Octavia Holmes, Joan Holmes, Joan Lee, Betty Ellen Dixon, Larry Cooke, Gale Ennis, Jerry Langdon, Sherry Byrd, Mike Norris, Larry Barefoot, Ronnie Faulkner, Loraine Barbour, Kenneth Barbour and Linda Denning to assist with the yearbook.
Janell Weaver Johnson was Business Manager. Debbie Jo Lee, Glenn Stevens, Sheree Smith, JoAnne Coats, Vickie Stephenson, Vickie Whittington, Diane Baker, Betty Temple, Linda Jo Parker, Terry Ferrell, Kent Penny and Hal Penny assisted Janell with business tasks. H.L. Sorrell, Jr. was yearbook advisor.
As we revisit the memories of that 1969-70 graduating class, who recalls who was elected as senior class president? Did the name Craig Matthews come to mind? Indeed he was and David Ferrell, Sherry Byrd, and Octavia Holmes were the others elected to lead the class.
Picking class superlatives was a big event for the students. It was a day of joy for some and tears for others. I saw many devastated students who lost a nomination by a mere vote. In this particular year the following students were those selected by their classmates: Sherry Byrd and Kenny Holmes (Best All Around), Janell Johnson and Terry Ferrell (Beau and Belle), Betty Ellen Dixon and Dale Ennis (Neatest), Gloria Langdon and Larry Barefoot (Most Likely To Succeed), Diane Baker and Donnie Matthews (Wittiest), Octavia and Keith Parrish (Friendliest), Joan Lee and Glenn Stevens (Most Courteous), Linda Denning and Jarvis Tart (Most Dependable), Vickie Stephenson and David Ferrell (Cutest), Sheree Smith and Tommy Bennett (Most Original), Gale Ennis and Craig Matthews (Most Athletic), Loraine Barbour and Jerry Langdon (Most School Spirited), Debbie Trogdon and Mike Norris (Best Sports), Vickie Whittington and Larry Cooke (Most Talented), Betty Temple and Ronnie Faulkner (Most Intellectual), and Mary Ellen Johnson and Kenny Holmes (Mr. and Miss Echoing Memories). Amanda Byrd and Will Gage were class mascots.
Gale Ennis had won Miss Coats High and had as her attendants, Mary Ellen Johnson, Debbie Pollard, Karen Stewart and Gwen Smith. Mike Norris was FHA Beau and Gale Ennis was FFA Sweetheart. Sherry Byrd was Homecoming Queen and was crowned by Sybil Lamm, Homecoming queen of 1969. Craig Matthews escorted Queen Sherry Byrd and Mary Ellen Johnson was her Maid of Honor (Coats Echoing Memories 1970).
If graduation parties had occurred, bargains had been found at Winn Dixie where a 2 ½ gallon container of ice cream sold for $1.00. At Piggly Wiggly, cantaloupes went for 3 for $1.00 (Daily Record June 3, 1970).
Did anyone attend a Junior- Senior Prom at the Plantation Inn in Raleigh? Does it still exist? This I do know. Susan Hawley of Coats was feted at the Plantation Inn. Her Smith side of the family honored the bride-elect of Gary Brown of Fuquay-Varina.
Alonzo Coats, 80, a retired farmer of Coats, had died on Monday, June 8. His wife was Mae Blackwelder Johnson Coats who survived him. He had three daughters-Mrs. Stewart Bailey, Mrs. Bronnie Ennis, and Mrs. C.A. Jackson. Daniel, Maynard, and Garland were his sons. W.T. and L.G. Johnson were his stepsons while Booker Coats of the Benson area was his brother (Daily Record June 9, 1970).
So many notable events occurred last weekend in and around Coats. There was the Bryan Avery Day at the Half Way House on Turlington Road. Bryan’s name is synonymous with preservation of our Harnett heritage. Baxter Ennis, a Coats High and Campbell University grad, has made a name for himself in both the military and political arenas. Baxter returned to Campbell on April 15th for a book signing of WHEN LEADERSHIP MATTERED-Inspiring Stories of 12 People Who Changed the World.
A very special Coats lady was feted with a surprise birthday party at Chicora Country Club on Saturday evening, the 14th. Gerri Honeycutt was greeted with admiration, respect and love from dozens of people who have witnessed her generosity, humbleness and graciousness since she came to Coats as the bride of Rupert Honeycutt.
Memorials and donations continue to come into the museum to honor loved ones. Fred and Laura Rambeaut and Cheryl S. Williams have remembered Mrs. Hazel Pope Tart with a memorial donation to the museum. The volunteers are so appreciative to all the friends of Linda T. Thompson and Joe Tart who have remembered their mom with memorials. H.L. and I are so appreciative of the hard work and support Gerri Honeycutt has given to the museum from its very inception; hence, we are delighted to give to the Coats Museum Endowment to honor her birthday celebration.
The year was 1970. Richard M. Nixon was in the White House. He had been born on a California fruit farm and was one of five sons. The family had moved to Whittier, CA when Nixon was nine. His father had opened a gas station and grocery store where Nixon and his brothers helped. They picked up groceries in early morning and pumped gas after school. Richard worked hard in school and his grades were excellent. He was a champion debater in high school and college where he also acted in plays.
Many who visit the museum often share that they knew all about tobacco hand planters and cotton sacks and because they used both, it was the incentive for them to head off to college or the military with the intention of never pulling another sand lug or picking another bag of cotton. Wonder if Nixon had similar feelings about pumping gas and picking up groceries?
I do know that Nixon did not venture far from home to attend Whittier College where he was elected president of the student body and graduated second in his class. From there he attended Duke University Law School where he was known as “Gloomy Gus” because he always studied which resulted in his being third in his law school class.
After law school he returned to Whittier where he joined a law firm and a theater group. There he met his future wife, Pat Ryan, a high school teacher. The couple had two daughters, Tricia and Julie. Tricia later had a White House wedding and Julie married David Eisenhower, the grandson of former President Dwight Eisenhower.
Nixon had joined the Navy in WW II. He advanced to the rank of lieutenant commander by the time the war had ended. Because of his military experience, the Republican leaders decided to sponsor him after he answered a newspaper ad that a congressional candidate was wanted with no previous experience. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1946 (Bumann, Joan and John Patterson, 40 Presidents-Facts and Fun, Willowisp Press, Inc. 1981, pp.138-39).
In District 3 of Harnett County there was an unusually amount of interest in the Harnett County Board of Education seat race. Herbert Johnson and Edward Turlington were competing for the seat to represent the Coats area (Daily Record May 1, 1970).
Recall reading last week that the Coats area in the Cancer Drive had earned an all- time record when the area raised $825 of their $1,000 goal. This edition of the Daily Record recorded that the 1970 drive not only met that goal but doubled it by raising $2,000 (Daily Record May 7, 1970).
A terrible car accident had taken the life of a young man who had graduated from Coats High School. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Hayes, Sr., had posted a note of appreciation for sympathy in the death of their son, Kenneth Reid Hayes, who had been a college student at East Carolina. The same edition posted that Sybil Lamm had married Danny Wray Matthews of Angier. Sybil was employed at Nationwide Insurance and Mr. Matthews was serving with the Naval Reserves (Daily Record May 15, 1970).
The Sixth District meeting of the Junior Order of United Mechanics was held in Sanford with Shotwell No. 148 as host. J.D. Norris was elected District Councilor (Daily Record May 18, 1970).
The Coats High student body had had its own election for 1971. The high school students had selected Tim Penny as president, Shearon Roberts as vice-president and Kent Turlington as secretary and treasurer of the Student Council (Daily Record May21, 1970).
School elections were a reminder that school graduations were at hand. Neal Benton Harmon had graduated from Central Carolina Technical College while the following were graduates of Coats High Class of 1970: Ricky Allen, Diane Baker, Kenneth Barbour, Loraine Barbour, Ricky Beasley, Larry Barefoot, Tommy Bennett, Ronald Bryant, Carl Byrd, Sherry Byrd, Richard Cannady, Glenda Cameron, Wren Carroll, Jackie Coats, JoAnne Coats, Larry Cooke, Linda Denning, Kathie Denning, Linwood Denning, Betty Ellen Dixon, Steven Dupree, Dale Ennis , Gale Ennis, Ronnie Faulkner, Janie Ferguson, David Ferrell, Terry Ferrell, Lewis Gaskins, Terry Grimes, Danny Hedgepeth, Susan Hawley, Kenny Holmes, Octavia Holmes, Janelle Johnson, Larry Johnson, Gloria Langdon, Mary Ellen Johnson, Jerry Langdon, Joan Lee, Kenneth Lee, Marvin Lee, Ricky Lewis, Craig Matthews, Donnie Matthews, Donald McKoy, Donald McLamb, Brenda McLean, Scotty McLean ,Peggy McLeod, Bobby Norris, Mike Norris, Anthony Page, Donald Page, Danny Parker, Linda Jo Parker, Kenneth Parker, Keith Parrish, Hal Penny, Kent Penny, Edward Pope, Nina Pope, Clara Regan, Sheree Smith, Joyce Spears, Karen Spears, Rayvon Stephenson, Vickie Stephenson, Glenn Stevens, Buddy Stewart, Dewayne Tart, Jarvis Tart, Betty Temple, Lynwood Thornton, Debbie Trogden, Dennis Turlington, Lila Walden, Robert Weddings, Vickie Whittington and Harold Williams.
The Coats High Class of 1970 was my second graduating class and do I ever have echoing memories of so many of them. Many I have not seen since they graduated while others drop by the museum bearing artifacts from their school days or from their families to be displayed or placed in proper archival books or just to say “hello”.
What are some of the echoing memories that the 1970 graduates left for us to revisit in 2018? Kenny Holmes was selected as Editor of the Echoing Memories yearbook. He had Kent Hudson, Mary Ellen Johnson, Gloria Langdon, Octavia Holmes, Joan Holmes, Joan Lee, Betty Ellen Dixon, Larry Cooke, Gale Ennis, Jerry Langdon, Sherry Byrd, Mike Norris, Larry Barefoot, Ronnie Faulkner, Loraine Barbour, Kenneth Barbour and Linda Denning to assist with the yearbook.
Janell Weaver Johnson was Business Manager. Debbie Jo Lee, Glenn Stevens, Sheree Smith, JoAnne Coats, Vickie Stephenson, Vickie Whittington, Diane Baker, Betty Temple, Linda Jo Parker, Terry Ferrell, Kent Penny and Hal Penny assisted Janell with business tasks. H.L. Sorrell, Jr. was yearbook advisor.
As we revisit the memories of that 1969-70 graduating class, who recalls who was elected as senior class president? Did the name Craig Matthews come to mind? Indeed he was and David Ferrell, Sherry Byrd, and Octavia Holmes were the others elected to lead the class.
Picking class superlatives was a big event for the students. It was a day of joy for some and tears for others. I saw many devastated students who lost a nomination by a mere vote. In this particular year the following students were those selected by their classmates: Sherry Byrd and Kenny Holmes (Best All Around), Janell Johnson and Terry Ferrell (Beau and Belle), Betty Ellen Dixon and Dale Ennis (Neatest), Gloria Langdon and Larry Barefoot (Most Likely To Succeed), Diane Baker and Donnie Matthews (Wittiest), Octavia and Keith Parrish (Friendliest), Joan Lee and Glenn Stevens (Most Courteous), Linda Denning and Jarvis Tart (Most Dependable), Vickie Stephenson and David Ferrell (Cutest), Sheree Smith and Tommy Bennett (Most Original), Gale Ennis and Craig Matthews (Most Athletic), Loraine Barbour and Jerry Langdon (Most School Spirited), Debbie Trogdon and Mike Norris (Best Sports), Vickie Whittington and Larry Cooke (Most Talented), Betty Temple and Ronnie Faulkner (Most Intellectual), and Mary Ellen Johnson and Kenny Holmes (Mr. and Miss Echoing Memories). Amanda Byrd and Will Gage were class mascots.
Gale Ennis had won Miss Coats High and had as her attendants, Mary Ellen Johnson, Debbie Pollard, Karen Stewart and Gwen Smith. Mike Norris was FHA Beau and Gale Ennis was FFA Sweetheart. Sherry Byrd was Homecoming Queen and was crowned by Sybil Lamm, Homecoming queen of 1969. Craig Matthews escorted Queen Sherry Byrd and Mary Ellen Johnson was her Maid of Honor (Coats Echoing Memories 1970).
If graduation parties had occurred, bargains had been found at Winn Dixie where a 2 ½ gallon container of ice cream sold for $1.00. At Piggly Wiggly, cantaloupes went for 3 for $1.00 (Daily Record June 3, 1970).
Did anyone attend a Junior- Senior Prom at the Plantation Inn in Raleigh? Does it still exist? This I do know. Susan Hawley of Coats was feted at the Plantation Inn. Her Smith side of the family honored the bride-elect of Gary Brown of Fuquay-Varina.
Alonzo Coats, 80, a retired farmer of Coats, had died on Monday, June 8. His wife was Mae Blackwelder Johnson Coats who survived him. He had three daughters-Mrs. Stewart Bailey, Mrs. Bronnie Ennis, and Mrs. C.A. Jackson. Daniel, Maynard, and Garland were his sons. W.T. and L.G. Johnson were his stepsons while Booker Coats of the Benson area was his brother (Daily Record June 9, 1970).
So many notable events occurred last weekend in and around Coats. There was the Bryan Avery Day at the Half Way House on Turlington Road. Bryan’s name is synonymous with preservation of our Harnett heritage. Baxter Ennis, a Coats High and Campbell University grad, has made a name for himself in both the military and political arenas. Baxter returned to Campbell on April 15th for a book signing of WHEN LEADERSHIP MATTERED-Inspiring Stories of 12 People Who Changed the World.
A very special Coats lady was feted with a surprise birthday party at Chicora Country Club on Saturday evening, the 14th. Gerri Honeycutt was greeted with admiration, respect and love from dozens of people who have witnessed her generosity, humbleness and graciousness since she came to Coats as the bride of Rupert Honeycutt.
Memorials and donations continue to come into the museum to honor loved ones. Fred and Laura Rambeaut and Cheryl S. Williams have remembered Mrs. Hazel Pope Tart with a memorial donation to the museum. The volunteers are so appreciative to all the friends of Linda T. Thompson and Joe Tart who have remembered their mom with memorials. H.L. and I are so appreciative of the hard work and support Gerri Honeycutt has given to the museum from its very inception; hence, we are delighted to give to the Coats Museum Endowment to honor her birthday celebration.