August 31, 2012 Coats Museum News
Coats School had made the news for the events that occurred in December of 1931. The students in the 8th grade had a grand surprise on the last day before Christmas holidays. Most classes had a Christmas tree, but not the 8th grade. The grade mothers, Mrs. J.R. Butler and Mrs. Malcolm Stewart, had been invited to the Christmas program. Mrs. Stewart was ill; however, Mrs. Butler walked in with a huge waiter of fruits and candies. She had also prepared very attractive packages for those students ill with mumps and a special remembrance for a hospitalized student.
The news also reported that P.F. Pope had moved back to Coats. Who remembers P.F. Pope? Was he not the first mayor of Coats, a major businessman in Coats and the owner of the Coats brick mill? The paper also reported that Good Bayles was home from the Good Hope Hospital after a long stay. Wonder if this is the same student for whom Mrs. Butler had a special remembrance? The January meeting of the Coats P.T.A. was presided over by President Mrs. C.G. Fuquay. Mrs. Arnold made the audience forget that they were in a mere classroom as she sang “Curmenta” from the opera Carmen. How many of you were in Mrs. Arnold’s class? Miss Robertson presented a musical program and Mrs. Owen Odum gave a splendid article on “Radio” showing that good music can be heard on radio. Mrs. Eva Nichols, chairman of the P.T. A. Welfare Committee, reported that the response to the old clothes campaign was appreciated by the students in both the white and colored schools.
Times were very hard in 1932 and had been for several years. The stock market‘s Black Tuesday on October 29, 1929, was the beginning of the “Great Depression”. The era of fancy roadsters and parties of the 1920’s had faced away. The worst year of the Depression was said to be in 1932. Industries and factories closed that had once been so profitable. Henry Ford closed one of his car factories and put thousands of people out of work. Shanty towns called “Hoovervilles” popped up around the country. People lived in abandoned cars and houses made of cardboard boxes. Many people became “hobos” and stole rides on trains in search for a job down the rail. People looked for help but found none under Hoover. Most wanted the return of the Roaring Twenties. They missed the “flapper” and the painted faces, bobbed hair, and beads worn by living dolls in that era. Long dresses and short sculptures waves were the trend of the 1930’s. The new president was called a man of action. He assembled a Brains Trust to advise him. Within three months, laws were in place to bring America out of the slump.
The Harnett County News February 11, 1932 issue reported that there were 1500 less bales of cotton in Harnett County. In 1930, there had been 31,023 bales of cotton ginned compared to 29,517 in 1931. This meant less money for the farmer, the ginner and the merchant who survived only if people had money to purchase goods and services. A second part of the report stated that a total of ten people had been killed in automobiles in Harnett County in 1931.
Harnett County placed 25th of the 100 counties in teacher training with the county average of 2.98 years of college (Harnett County News February 18, 1932).
How many of you know for whom the town of Erwin was named? Was it W.A. Erwin who died on Sunday, February 28, 1932? He was one of the useful citizens of N.C. He was instrumental in getting the Cape Fear and Northern Railroad through eastern Harnett County (Harnett County News March 3, 1932).What happened to this railroad? It went through Coats. Have you noticed that the writers of obituaries often refer to the deceased as being “useful”?
Mayor Roycroft presided at the March 4, 1932 town meeting. Focus of the meeting was how to collect taxes. It was decided to put up signs giving 10 days notices of all concerned. After 10 days, all who had not paid taxes would be levied on or garnished according to law. Another concern was about the offensive odors from hog pens and toilets. The problem was to be handled according to town ordinances (Coats Town Board meeting minutes, March 4, 1932). Are you surprised that residents continue to have hogs, chickens and cows in the town in 1932? Do you know when they were no longer allowed within the town limits?
The county commissioners appointed H.A. Turlington as a list-taker for taxes for the Grove Township. Miss Lila Link, aunt of Harnett County Superintendent and Mrs. B.P. Gentry, died. She was injured in a fall at the Woman’s Confederate Home in Fayetteville. Miss Link taught school for many years (Harnett County News March 10, 1932).
People continued to ask, ”When will this depression end?” Meals were sought that were tasty yet economical. Shepherd’s Pie, American Chow Mein, and Braised Veal and Vegetable Dinners were examples of depression economical dinners (Harnett County News April 28, 1932).
J. Shell Stewart and O.K. Keene interrupted their summer schedules to serve duty in Lillington. The Turlington Crossroads residents were saddened by the death of Mrs. Mildred Turlington, wife of Randall “Buck” Turlington. She had died at the home of her father who was Jessie H. (J.H.) Parrish. An infant daughter also survived her. A Coats man, John McKay Byrd, who was a former state representative, sheriff, and registrar of deeds, had been picked as the Republican candidate for the seventh congressional district (Harnett County News April 28, 1932).
May was half over and the school year for 1931-1932 had come to a close with the end of year activities. Pastors, speakers, and programs had all been written on the calendar. Reverend Eugene Olive spoke on Sunday and Dr. A.T. Allen addressed the graduates. The senior play was in the Coats Baptist Church on the hill according to 1932 graduate Allene Turlington. She mentioned that the school auditorium had been replaced into classrooms. She thought that there were about 23 students on graduation day that received diplomas (Allene Honeycutt “Remembering the Past” and 2004 interview).
Is Allene living today? Did they have marshals at the graduation and was May Day observed in 1932? Read next week to receive your answers if you do not know them.
The volunteers received some very positive compliments from the Harnett County Leadership group as they toured the Heritage Square last Thursday. To build our museum it has taken not only money but sweat, muscles, skills, talents, and love of many people in our area. This week we have witnessed good things from Joyce McLamb, the Stacy Williams Upholstery family, the Tony Mangum family, James and Jimmy Lee, Phillip Barnes, the Dan Honeycutt family, Malcolm Smith, Paul Parker and Jerry Tart—thank you for the people of Coats.
Please be mindful that this article appeared in the Daily Record on August 31, 2012.
Coats School had made the news for the events that occurred in December of 1931. The students in the 8th grade had a grand surprise on the last day before Christmas holidays. Most classes had a Christmas tree, but not the 8th grade. The grade mothers, Mrs. J.R. Butler and Mrs. Malcolm Stewart, had been invited to the Christmas program. Mrs. Stewart was ill; however, Mrs. Butler walked in with a huge waiter of fruits and candies. She had also prepared very attractive packages for those students ill with mumps and a special remembrance for a hospitalized student.
The news also reported that P.F. Pope had moved back to Coats. Who remembers P.F. Pope? Was he not the first mayor of Coats, a major businessman in Coats and the owner of the Coats brick mill? The paper also reported that Good Bayles was home from the Good Hope Hospital after a long stay. Wonder if this is the same student for whom Mrs. Butler had a special remembrance? The January meeting of the Coats P.T.A. was presided over by President Mrs. C.G. Fuquay. Mrs. Arnold made the audience forget that they were in a mere classroom as she sang “Curmenta” from the opera Carmen. How many of you were in Mrs. Arnold’s class? Miss Robertson presented a musical program and Mrs. Owen Odum gave a splendid article on “Radio” showing that good music can be heard on radio. Mrs. Eva Nichols, chairman of the P.T. A. Welfare Committee, reported that the response to the old clothes campaign was appreciated by the students in both the white and colored schools.
Times were very hard in 1932 and had been for several years. The stock market‘s Black Tuesday on October 29, 1929, was the beginning of the “Great Depression”. The era of fancy roadsters and parties of the 1920’s had faced away. The worst year of the Depression was said to be in 1932. Industries and factories closed that had once been so profitable. Henry Ford closed one of his car factories and put thousands of people out of work. Shanty towns called “Hoovervilles” popped up around the country. People lived in abandoned cars and houses made of cardboard boxes. Many people became “hobos” and stole rides on trains in search for a job down the rail. People looked for help but found none under Hoover. Most wanted the return of the Roaring Twenties. They missed the “flapper” and the painted faces, bobbed hair, and beads worn by living dolls in that era. Long dresses and short sculptures waves were the trend of the 1930’s. The new president was called a man of action. He assembled a Brains Trust to advise him. Within three months, laws were in place to bring America out of the slump.
The Harnett County News February 11, 1932 issue reported that there were 1500 less bales of cotton in Harnett County. In 1930, there had been 31,023 bales of cotton ginned compared to 29,517 in 1931. This meant less money for the farmer, the ginner and the merchant who survived only if people had money to purchase goods and services. A second part of the report stated that a total of ten people had been killed in automobiles in Harnett County in 1931.
Harnett County placed 25th of the 100 counties in teacher training with the county average of 2.98 years of college (Harnett County News February 18, 1932).
How many of you know for whom the town of Erwin was named? Was it W.A. Erwin who died on Sunday, February 28, 1932? He was one of the useful citizens of N.C. He was instrumental in getting the Cape Fear and Northern Railroad through eastern Harnett County (Harnett County News March 3, 1932).What happened to this railroad? It went through Coats. Have you noticed that the writers of obituaries often refer to the deceased as being “useful”?
Mayor Roycroft presided at the March 4, 1932 town meeting. Focus of the meeting was how to collect taxes. It was decided to put up signs giving 10 days notices of all concerned. After 10 days, all who had not paid taxes would be levied on or garnished according to law. Another concern was about the offensive odors from hog pens and toilets. The problem was to be handled according to town ordinances (Coats Town Board meeting minutes, March 4, 1932). Are you surprised that residents continue to have hogs, chickens and cows in the town in 1932? Do you know when they were no longer allowed within the town limits?
The county commissioners appointed H.A. Turlington as a list-taker for taxes for the Grove Township. Miss Lila Link, aunt of Harnett County Superintendent and Mrs. B.P. Gentry, died. She was injured in a fall at the Woman’s Confederate Home in Fayetteville. Miss Link taught school for many years (Harnett County News March 10, 1932).
People continued to ask, ”When will this depression end?” Meals were sought that were tasty yet economical. Shepherd’s Pie, American Chow Mein, and Braised Veal and Vegetable Dinners were examples of depression economical dinners (Harnett County News April 28, 1932).
J. Shell Stewart and O.K. Keene interrupted their summer schedules to serve duty in Lillington. The Turlington Crossroads residents were saddened by the death of Mrs. Mildred Turlington, wife of Randall “Buck” Turlington. She had died at the home of her father who was Jessie H. (J.H.) Parrish. An infant daughter also survived her. A Coats man, John McKay Byrd, who was a former state representative, sheriff, and registrar of deeds, had been picked as the Republican candidate for the seventh congressional district (Harnett County News April 28, 1932).
May was half over and the school year for 1931-1932 had come to a close with the end of year activities. Pastors, speakers, and programs had all been written on the calendar. Reverend Eugene Olive spoke on Sunday and Dr. A.T. Allen addressed the graduates. The senior play was in the Coats Baptist Church on the hill according to 1932 graduate Allene Turlington. She mentioned that the school auditorium had been replaced into classrooms. She thought that there were about 23 students on graduation day that received diplomas (Allene Honeycutt “Remembering the Past” and 2004 interview).
Is Allene living today? Did they have marshals at the graduation and was May Day observed in 1932? Read next week to receive your answers if you do not know them.
The volunteers received some very positive compliments from the Harnett County Leadership group as they toured the Heritage Square last Thursday. To build our museum it has taken not only money but sweat, muscles, skills, talents, and love of many people in our area. This week we have witnessed good things from Joyce McLamb, the Stacy Williams Upholstery family, the Tony Mangum family, James and Jimmy Lee, Phillip Barnes, the Dan Honeycutt family, Malcolm Smith, Paul Parker and Jerry Tart—thank you for the people of Coats.
Please be mindful that this article appeared in the Daily Record on August 31, 2012.
