February 21, 2025 Coats Museum News
If you were fortunate enough to know Mr. Joe Hawley who served as principal of Coats High School from 1959 until he retired in 1991, you likely can think of some wise advice that he might have given you. I recall that he often told students “You can PLAY now and PAY later or you can PAY now and PLAY later.” What do you think the advice was that he was giving the students?
A bit of advice that he might have given to some of his teachers was “You treat all your students with respect because one day that student that did not get your respect might come back and be your boss. Some amazing students passed through those Coats School doors and benefitted from the experience of going there.
The Class of 1985 was the last high school graduating class from Coats High School. From that year on, Coats area students attended a school that merged Erwin, Dunn and Coats to form Triton. How did the Coats students compare academically and athletically with those from the two other larger high schools after they consolidated? That was forty years ago.
Question-What school had the first valedictorian attended before earning that accomplishment at Triton High School. Was it Rhonda Pope from Coats or was she a later valedictorian who went on to become a pharmacist. I do know the Coats community has produced its share of pharmacists even before there was a School of Pharmacy at CU. Let’s name a few that some of you may recognize- Larry Denning (‘59), Ronald Langdon (’59), Wendy Williams (‘91) and Jane Tyndall (Wilson) (‘91) come to my mind.
What about Angel Hedgepeth who had quite a record at Campbell University? The Daily Record copy of May 4, 1995 printed that Angel was the recipient of the N.C. Pharmaceutical Association Woman’s Auxiliary Scholarship and the Letzia A. Thrift Scholarship. Angel was the daughter of Ellen Dupree Hedgepeth and the late James Hedgepeth of Coats. She was sister of Danny Hedgepeth and Dr. Randy Hedgepeth.
Another bright star originally from Coats was Grover Maurice Godwin. He had been awarded one of the University of Liverpool Postgraduate Scholarships for International Students. Mr. Godwin was the first American to be accepted into the investigative psychology program at the university. He had a very impressive college record. Mr. Godwin was the son of Halford Godwin and Priscilla McKinnie and the grandson of Mrs. Lector McGee (Daily Record May 4, 1995).
It seems Coats had all kinds of talent. Tony Johnson of Coats had won the Dunn-Benson Drag Strip ProDIvision title (Daily Record May 8, 1995).
A wedding anniversary and a death notice made the May 16, 1995 Daily Record news. Mr. and Mrs. Baxton Pollard had celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. The couple had resided in Coats all those 40 years. Allene Rowland,91, of Coats had on Monday. Her services were at Wesley Chapel AME Zion Church in Lillington with Rev. James L. Brown officiating. Survivors were a sister Ruby Rowland and brother Hubert Rowland.
Several others in the Coats area had also lost loved ones to death. Elma Langdon’s brother, Johnny Hood, had expired. Mary Forrest’s mother, Mrs. Hazel Ruffin Wiggins, had died. Great news was that Johnnie and Estell Williams were proud as punch of their granddaughter Susan who had graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a master’s degree. Susan planned to travel abroad in France and land in Normandy where her Granddaddy Johnnie Williams had served in 1944. Susan would be working with the Authur Anderson Company as a CPA.
Susan is the daughter of Larry V. and Ida Sue Neighbors Williams of Florida. A side note to those who know this Williams family is that Ida Sue Neighbors was member of the Sylvester and Ella Sorrell Neighbors family. Sadly Ida Sue passed away a few weeks ago in Baton Roca, Florida. Some of you will also recall that Larry had a younger sister Phyllis Williams McDonald who was also an outstanding graduate of the Coats High School).
A day of celebration took place to honor Mrs. Josephine Turlington on her 87th birthday. She was lucky enough to have most of her children attend church with her on that big day (Daily Record May 11, 1995).
Do you know who Josephine Turlington was? Do you remember Buck Turlington, Rosa Leigh, Johnny, Tommy and Betty Turlington? Were there others-do you recall them from your school days at Coats High?
I do know that “Buck” was a real down to earth guy who took pride in the care of the old Coats Baptist Church and served on the Coats High School Advisory Board.
A place that is so familiar and appreciated by historians is the Johnston County Heritage Center in Smithfield. With strong support of the Holding Family, the Johnston County community and so many dedicated volunteers, it is the destination from points far and near. Our own Mark Valsame of the Burl Barnes family of Coats retired from the NC State Archives and works there a few days each week.
The Ava Gardner Museum is a place that all would enjoy and with the leadership of Todd Johnson and others it is an amazing collection of rare items. Todd, who recently visited our museum, lost his father, Grant Johnson, a couple of weeks ago. Grant was a high school friend of my late husband and I am memorializing Grant on our Funding at coatsmuseum.com website.
If you were fortunate enough to know Mr. Joe Hawley who served as principal of Coats High School from 1959 until he retired in 1991, you likely can think of some wise advice that he might have given you. I recall that he often told students “You can PLAY now and PAY later or you can PAY now and PLAY later.” What do you think the advice was that he was giving the students?
A bit of advice that he might have given to some of his teachers was “You treat all your students with respect because one day that student that did not get your respect might come back and be your boss. Some amazing students passed through those Coats School doors and benefitted from the experience of going there.
The Class of 1985 was the last high school graduating class from Coats High School. From that year on, Coats area students attended a school that merged Erwin, Dunn and Coats to form Triton. How did the Coats students compare academically and athletically with those from the two other larger high schools after they consolidated? That was forty years ago.
Question-What school had the first valedictorian attended before earning that accomplishment at Triton High School. Was it Rhonda Pope from Coats or was she a later valedictorian who went on to become a pharmacist. I do know the Coats community has produced its share of pharmacists even before there was a School of Pharmacy at CU. Let’s name a few that some of you may recognize- Larry Denning (‘59), Ronald Langdon (’59), Wendy Williams (‘91) and Jane Tyndall (Wilson) (‘91) come to my mind.
What about Angel Hedgepeth who had quite a record at Campbell University? The Daily Record copy of May 4, 1995 printed that Angel was the recipient of the N.C. Pharmaceutical Association Woman’s Auxiliary Scholarship and the Letzia A. Thrift Scholarship. Angel was the daughter of Ellen Dupree Hedgepeth and the late James Hedgepeth of Coats. She was sister of Danny Hedgepeth and Dr. Randy Hedgepeth.
Another bright star originally from Coats was Grover Maurice Godwin. He had been awarded one of the University of Liverpool Postgraduate Scholarships for International Students. Mr. Godwin was the first American to be accepted into the investigative psychology program at the university. He had a very impressive college record. Mr. Godwin was the son of Halford Godwin and Priscilla McKinnie and the grandson of Mrs. Lector McGee (Daily Record May 4, 1995).
It seems Coats had all kinds of talent. Tony Johnson of Coats had won the Dunn-Benson Drag Strip ProDIvision title (Daily Record May 8, 1995).
A wedding anniversary and a death notice made the May 16, 1995 Daily Record news. Mr. and Mrs. Baxton Pollard had celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. The couple had resided in Coats all those 40 years. Allene Rowland,91, of Coats had on Monday. Her services were at Wesley Chapel AME Zion Church in Lillington with Rev. James L. Brown officiating. Survivors were a sister Ruby Rowland and brother Hubert Rowland.
Several others in the Coats area had also lost loved ones to death. Elma Langdon’s brother, Johnny Hood, had expired. Mary Forrest’s mother, Mrs. Hazel Ruffin Wiggins, had died. Great news was that Johnnie and Estell Williams were proud as punch of their granddaughter Susan who had graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a master’s degree. Susan planned to travel abroad in France and land in Normandy where her Granddaddy Johnnie Williams had served in 1944. Susan would be working with the Authur Anderson Company as a CPA.
Susan is the daughter of Larry V. and Ida Sue Neighbors Williams of Florida. A side note to those who know this Williams family is that Ida Sue Neighbors was member of the Sylvester and Ella Sorrell Neighbors family. Sadly Ida Sue passed away a few weeks ago in Baton Roca, Florida. Some of you will also recall that Larry had a younger sister Phyllis Williams McDonald who was also an outstanding graduate of the Coats High School).
A day of celebration took place to honor Mrs. Josephine Turlington on her 87th birthday. She was lucky enough to have most of her children attend church with her on that big day (Daily Record May 11, 1995).
Do you know who Josephine Turlington was? Do you remember Buck Turlington, Rosa Leigh, Johnny, Tommy and Betty Turlington? Were there others-do you recall them from your school days at Coats High?
I do know that “Buck” was a real down to earth guy who took pride in the care of the old Coats Baptist Church and served on the Coats High School Advisory Board.
A place that is so familiar and appreciated by historians is the Johnston County Heritage Center in Smithfield. With strong support of the Holding Family, the Johnston County community and so many dedicated volunteers, it is the destination from points far and near. Our own Mark Valsame of the Burl Barnes family of Coats retired from the NC State Archives and works there a few days each week.
The Ava Gardner Museum is a place that all would enjoy and with the leadership of Todd Johnson and others it is an amazing collection of rare items. Todd, who recently visited our museum, lost his father, Grant Johnson, a couple of weeks ago. Grant was a high school friend of my late husband and I am memorializing Grant on our Funding at coatsmuseum.com website.