July 25, 2025 Coats Museum News
My dad use to say “You are not here to take up space but to make a difference.” That statement can be so true and can be accomplished with various degrees of effort and results. We can all make a difference and most times the choices we make determine the outcome.
Last week you read the “Future of Harnett County from the Perspective of HCBOE Chairman H.L. Sorrell, Jr. The Daily Record article was about a speech Mr. Sorrell gave to the Dunn Rotarians where he shared about the rapid growth in Harnett County and how it would impact the future 50 years from now if several issues were not addressed in 1995. Mr. Sorrell stated that the board’s choice in picking County Manager Neill Emery in 1992 had been a wise one and Manager Emery was instrumental in helping the board navigate through issues to meet the challenging needs of Harnett County.
What were those challenges? From the perspective of the wife of a “potential candidate” for the board, I saw H.L. spend hours touring the county and visiting all the towns, country stores, and departments of government in Harnett County. He saw strengths and weaknesses and talked to department heads and workers who worked in cramped conditions. He observed crowded conditions in new and older schools. He watched workers in county departments having to whisper as they spoke with clients because of close proximity to other workers. He recognized backlogs of permits and other necessary paperwork due to lack of staff which resulted in bad public relations with the citizens needing those services.
H.L.’s question was then-“Do I take up space or do I try to make a difference?” My question to him was “Can we stand the heat?” He was serving on a voluntary county board at that time in which there was so much heat between the opposing parties that he would call me from Lillington late at night and say-“Do not answer the phone or open the door until I get home!”
After much thoughtful conversation, he decided that if he could make a difference he would try for a seat on the commission for District #3. He won knowing that he would have to take voters to places they did not want to go. He would make enemies of friends if he won while making the decisions he knew were for the betterment of the people in Harnett.
The rest is history. The HCBOC inaugurated a most ambitious building program with the building of the Governmental Complex just north of Lillington. The $9 million building housed the Social Services, Health and Department of Aging and was near completion at the time of his Rotarian speech.
Mr. Sorrell said the county desperately needed a new courthouse and he expected the architectural committee to start mapping plans for it soon although construction would be down the road. He reminded them that tourism was rapidly over-taking agriculture revenue. Tourist attractions were bringing in revenue through motels, restaurants, and other establishments.
It was not mentioned in this Daily Record article but one of the greatest accomplishments that H.L was most proud was the improvements of the Harnett Regional Water system allowing for better fire protection and the availability of water throughout the rural Coats area which had not had access to county water (Daily Record post Oct. 19, 1995).
H.L. would have been the first to tell you that it took a team to make progress despite their varying opinions. Dan Andrews, Joe Bowden, Beatrice Hill and Walt Titchner served on the board during the time of this speech and all are now deceased except Mrs. Hill. As the wife of one of them, I witnessed choices they made then that have had a lasting effect today.
How many of you recall the first time you went trick or treating or had some little goblins come knocking on your doors on Halloween? Some will remember from much earlier columns about Coats School having Fall Festivals with fishing booths, fortune tellers and cake walks but actually when did kids begin going from door to door with containers to be filled with sweet treats?
Can you believe there was a time during Halloween that mischievous boys would go throughout the rural areas and would suspend farmers’ wagons in a tree or switch neighbors’ mules in the stables? Wonder if CPL night lights brought some of this to a halt or did those doing the tricks have the table turned on them as they aged into adulthood?
Today, many churches are replacing the trick or treating with Fall Festivals of games and food or having trunks filled with goodies for selections by the little goblins and such. One thing that had not changed in 1995 was the annual visit to the Daywood and Frances Langdon Beef Barbecues on their farm where most of the community gathered to enjoy beef cooked by Ron Jenkins whose name is known far and wide for not only his good barbeque but also for the philanthropic work he does through the Lions Club and other community events.
It was such a joy having Pat Sutton visit with us from Lillington. He shared fascinating information on the town of Lillington with us. He is a descendent of Troyville’s Rufus Beasley who was a fifer for the Black River Tigers of the Civil War. A big thank you goes to Vice Chair Lenny Parker of our museum board. Todd Pope of Small Town Flooring replaced our theater room carpet which meant some heavy lifting was needed. Thank you goes to Randy and Rhonda Stephenson for remembering Edna Lockamy with a Coats Museum Building Fund memorial.
My dad use to say “You are not here to take up space but to make a difference.” That statement can be so true and can be accomplished with various degrees of effort and results. We can all make a difference and most times the choices we make determine the outcome.
Last week you read the “Future of Harnett County from the Perspective of HCBOE Chairman H.L. Sorrell, Jr. The Daily Record article was about a speech Mr. Sorrell gave to the Dunn Rotarians where he shared about the rapid growth in Harnett County and how it would impact the future 50 years from now if several issues were not addressed in 1995. Mr. Sorrell stated that the board’s choice in picking County Manager Neill Emery in 1992 had been a wise one and Manager Emery was instrumental in helping the board navigate through issues to meet the challenging needs of Harnett County.
What were those challenges? From the perspective of the wife of a “potential candidate” for the board, I saw H.L. spend hours touring the county and visiting all the towns, country stores, and departments of government in Harnett County. He saw strengths and weaknesses and talked to department heads and workers who worked in cramped conditions. He observed crowded conditions in new and older schools. He watched workers in county departments having to whisper as they spoke with clients because of close proximity to other workers. He recognized backlogs of permits and other necessary paperwork due to lack of staff which resulted in bad public relations with the citizens needing those services.
H.L.’s question was then-“Do I take up space or do I try to make a difference?” My question to him was “Can we stand the heat?” He was serving on a voluntary county board at that time in which there was so much heat between the opposing parties that he would call me from Lillington late at night and say-“Do not answer the phone or open the door until I get home!”
After much thoughtful conversation, he decided that if he could make a difference he would try for a seat on the commission for District #3. He won knowing that he would have to take voters to places they did not want to go. He would make enemies of friends if he won while making the decisions he knew were for the betterment of the people in Harnett.
The rest is history. The HCBOC inaugurated a most ambitious building program with the building of the Governmental Complex just north of Lillington. The $9 million building housed the Social Services, Health and Department of Aging and was near completion at the time of his Rotarian speech.
Mr. Sorrell said the county desperately needed a new courthouse and he expected the architectural committee to start mapping plans for it soon although construction would be down the road. He reminded them that tourism was rapidly over-taking agriculture revenue. Tourist attractions were bringing in revenue through motels, restaurants, and other establishments.
It was not mentioned in this Daily Record article but one of the greatest accomplishments that H.L was most proud was the improvements of the Harnett Regional Water system allowing for better fire protection and the availability of water throughout the rural Coats area which had not had access to county water (Daily Record post Oct. 19, 1995).
H.L. would have been the first to tell you that it took a team to make progress despite their varying opinions. Dan Andrews, Joe Bowden, Beatrice Hill and Walt Titchner served on the board during the time of this speech and all are now deceased except Mrs. Hill. As the wife of one of them, I witnessed choices they made then that have had a lasting effect today.
How many of you recall the first time you went trick or treating or had some little goblins come knocking on your doors on Halloween? Some will remember from much earlier columns about Coats School having Fall Festivals with fishing booths, fortune tellers and cake walks but actually when did kids begin going from door to door with containers to be filled with sweet treats?
Can you believe there was a time during Halloween that mischievous boys would go throughout the rural areas and would suspend farmers’ wagons in a tree or switch neighbors’ mules in the stables? Wonder if CPL night lights brought some of this to a halt or did those doing the tricks have the table turned on them as they aged into adulthood?
Today, many churches are replacing the trick or treating with Fall Festivals of games and food or having trunks filled with goodies for selections by the little goblins and such. One thing that had not changed in 1995 was the annual visit to the Daywood and Frances Langdon Beef Barbecues on their farm where most of the community gathered to enjoy beef cooked by Ron Jenkins whose name is known far and wide for not only his good barbeque but also for the philanthropic work he does through the Lions Club and other community events.
It was such a joy having Pat Sutton visit with us from Lillington. He shared fascinating information on the town of Lillington with us. He is a descendent of Troyville’s Rufus Beasley who was a fifer for the Black River Tigers of the Civil War. A big thank you goes to Vice Chair Lenny Parker of our museum board. Todd Pope of Small Town Flooring replaced our theater room carpet which meant some heavy lifting was needed. Thank you goes to Randy and Rhonda Stephenson for remembering Edna Lockamy with a Coats Museum Building Fund memorial.