June 14, 2013 Coats Museum News
The students of 1940-41 had a busy schedule planned for them at the Coats High School. The school did not open until September 25th, but they were to have a Tillie-Mac Wedding on November 21st. On December 5th, they were scheduled to have a stunt night. The Father-Son Banquet was planned for December 13th. The younger students had on schedule a Grammar Grade Operetta. The Home Economics girls were to sponsor a Mother-Daughter Banquet on January 9th. February 5th was marked for the Sperandeo Singers and an Elementary Music Festival was to follow on March 4th. For those who enjoyed watching basketball games, they would be able to watch the tournament on March 7 and 19th. The High School Music Festival was on March 14th. The Recitation and Declamation Contest was to be held at Lafayette and the Track Meet was to be in Lillington on April 4 and April 9th respectively. On April 10th and 11th, a Parents Day and Alumni Day were scheduled. On April 18th, a Primary Operetta; on May 13th, a Music Recital; on May 14th, Recitation and Declamation Contest were red-letter days. The school calendar closed with Class Night and Commencement Addresses on May 18th and 19th. Did any of the teachers in 2013 ask, “Where were the testing dates?” ?
The seniors of 1941 published the first yearbook in the history of the school. They named it the “Panorama”. Josie Lynn Hayes was the Editor–in-Chief; Christine Stewart, Business Manager; Raeford Parrish, Assistant Director; Helen White Roycroft, Activities Editor; Frances Wood, Class Editor; Berlene Langdon, Athletics Editor; and Carsie Denning, Art Director.
The school also had a school newspaper in 1941. Helen White Roycroft was Editor-in-Chief; Christine Stewart, Assistant Editor; Wayne Stewart, Business manager; Zenobia Surles, Mildred Johnson, and Carsie Denning were reporters (Harnett County News September 12, 1940). Did you note that these items were planned activities? Do you wonder if the students used these learned skills after they left high school? I do know that Christine Stewart (Akerman Parrish) used her business skills at the Coats Museum. Mildred Johnson (Dorn) was my second oldest sister out of eight girls in my family. After graduating from Coats High School, Mildred graduated from Campbell College and then was off to Carolina where she majored in journalism. From Chapel Hill, she went to Washington, D.C. and was an associate editor and covered Capitol Hill for the “U.S. News” which became the “U.S. News and World Report”. Carsie Denning has published three books. This writer is sure that the other students also have success stories aided by high school experiences. Share them with our readers.
The new hospital in Dunn received reviews. It was touted as second to none. With men who knew hospital equipment best, the county’s new $125,000.00 institution in Dunn was right at the top (Harnett County News October 2, 1940). Did we read similar comments about the new hospital in Lillington after it opened recently?
The 84th annual N.C. State Fair would open on October 8-12th. However, a group of people in Coats was more involved in organizing a Young Republican Club. Roy Langdon was elected as its president and a large number of Grove Township Republicans were involved. Those in charge of the meeting were Ed Hodges, J.O. West, Leon Godwin, and Fred Byrd (Harnett County News October 2, 1940).
Two draft boards were named in Harnett County to assist with the task of selecting those men between the ages of 21 and 35 who would be picked for a year of military training as provided in the Conscription Act, which passed in Congress. Mayor J.B. Williams was picked to serve on the draft board. Surely he was wondering how can I make a living, serve as mayor, push for a Coats water and sewer system, and have time to evaluate the process of determining what young men must be drafted into the military.
Henry Turlington, Jr. was declared as a “chip off the block”. The old block referred to was Henry A. Turlington, Sr., who was a renowned Durroc hog breeder. Young Turlington was showing his dad’s hogs to Dwight Stephenson of the Angier vocational agriculture class. Young Stephenson selected one of the Turlington’s young pigs, but H.A., Jr. refused to sell him that particular pig saying he could have anyone except that one. At the N.C. State Fair, the pig Turlington kept won 1st place and Stephenson’s won 2nd. Turlington knew a winner and that is why he did not sell the pig to Stephenson (Harnett County News October 10, 1940).
Not knowing to “drop and roll” when his clothes caught on fire was fatal to Ralph Weaver. When his clothes caught on fire at his home in the Currin’s Crossroads area, the 25 year-old Weaver met a horrible death when he ran looking for someone to help him. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Weaver who survived him (Harnett County News October 10, 1940).
Mrs. J.P. Byrd was honored on her 70th birthday on October 6, 1940 at a dinner given by her children (Harnett County News October 17, 1940). Would you not like to know more about Mrs. Byrd and who her children were? We conclude there was no Mr. Byrd. As the Byrds had a dinner, the Tarts of Coats planned a funeral for Mrs. Frank Tart was only 50 years old. She had died at Highsmith Hospital in Fayetteville. Her son William Jean Tart lived in Coats as well as Will Holder, one of her two brothers (Harnett County News November 7, 1940).
Death also had babies’ names on its list. One on that list was the three-month old son of Mr. and Mrs. Mayton Upchurch of Coats. He had died after being ill for about a week with a throat infection. The baby had one brother, Mayton Upchurch, Jr. Mrs. Upchurch, before her marriage, was Gertrude Gowan (Harnett County News November 7, 1940).
A total of 800,000 men were to be inducted into the Army by the Selective Service Act. One group would go to Fort Bragg. Surely, households with young men between 21 and 35 years of age were experiencing anxiety over the draft. However, households went on with activities. Mrs. W. E. Nichols had Miss Isabel Hoey, daughter of Governor Hoey, to speak to her Coats Book Club. The entire meeting was one of the most elaborate of the season (Harnett County News November 21, 1940). Does anyone know where the Nichols house was located? Was this prior to the construction of the Nichols’ beautiful two story brick house on McKinley Street later purchased by the Herbert L. Johnson family?
Don’t forget to consider honoring your dad with a memorial or honorarian gift to the Coats Museum. My dad loved history and I am delighted to give a Father’s Day memorial gift to the Coats Museum to thank him for all the stories about events and people that he shared with us around the dinner table.
The students of 1940-41 had a busy schedule planned for them at the Coats High School. The school did not open until September 25th, but they were to have a Tillie-Mac Wedding on November 21st. On December 5th, they were scheduled to have a stunt night. The Father-Son Banquet was planned for December 13th. The younger students had on schedule a Grammar Grade Operetta. The Home Economics girls were to sponsor a Mother-Daughter Banquet on January 9th. February 5th was marked for the Sperandeo Singers and an Elementary Music Festival was to follow on March 4th. For those who enjoyed watching basketball games, they would be able to watch the tournament on March 7 and 19th. The High School Music Festival was on March 14th. The Recitation and Declamation Contest was to be held at Lafayette and the Track Meet was to be in Lillington on April 4 and April 9th respectively. On April 10th and 11th, a Parents Day and Alumni Day were scheduled. On April 18th, a Primary Operetta; on May 13th, a Music Recital; on May 14th, Recitation and Declamation Contest were red-letter days. The school calendar closed with Class Night and Commencement Addresses on May 18th and 19th. Did any of the teachers in 2013 ask, “Where were the testing dates?” ?
The seniors of 1941 published the first yearbook in the history of the school. They named it the “Panorama”. Josie Lynn Hayes was the Editor–in-Chief; Christine Stewart, Business Manager; Raeford Parrish, Assistant Director; Helen White Roycroft, Activities Editor; Frances Wood, Class Editor; Berlene Langdon, Athletics Editor; and Carsie Denning, Art Director.
The school also had a school newspaper in 1941. Helen White Roycroft was Editor-in-Chief; Christine Stewart, Assistant Editor; Wayne Stewart, Business manager; Zenobia Surles, Mildred Johnson, and Carsie Denning were reporters (Harnett County News September 12, 1940). Did you note that these items were planned activities? Do you wonder if the students used these learned skills after they left high school? I do know that Christine Stewart (Akerman Parrish) used her business skills at the Coats Museum. Mildred Johnson (Dorn) was my second oldest sister out of eight girls in my family. After graduating from Coats High School, Mildred graduated from Campbell College and then was off to Carolina where she majored in journalism. From Chapel Hill, she went to Washington, D.C. and was an associate editor and covered Capitol Hill for the “U.S. News” which became the “U.S. News and World Report”. Carsie Denning has published three books. This writer is sure that the other students also have success stories aided by high school experiences. Share them with our readers.
The new hospital in Dunn received reviews. It was touted as second to none. With men who knew hospital equipment best, the county’s new $125,000.00 institution in Dunn was right at the top (Harnett County News October 2, 1940). Did we read similar comments about the new hospital in Lillington after it opened recently?
The 84th annual N.C. State Fair would open on October 8-12th. However, a group of people in Coats was more involved in organizing a Young Republican Club. Roy Langdon was elected as its president and a large number of Grove Township Republicans were involved. Those in charge of the meeting were Ed Hodges, J.O. West, Leon Godwin, and Fred Byrd (Harnett County News October 2, 1940).
Two draft boards were named in Harnett County to assist with the task of selecting those men between the ages of 21 and 35 who would be picked for a year of military training as provided in the Conscription Act, which passed in Congress. Mayor J.B. Williams was picked to serve on the draft board. Surely he was wondering how can I make a living, serve as mayor, push for a Coats water and sewer system, and have time to evaluate the process of determining what young men must be drafted into the military.
Henry Turlington, Jr. was declared as a “chip off the block”. The old block referred to was Henry A. Turlington, Sr., who was a renowned Durroc hog breeder. Young Turlington was showing his dad’s hogs to Dwight Stephenson of the Angier vocational agriculture class. Young Stephenson selected one of the Turlington’s young pigs, but H.A., Jr. refused to sell him that particular pig saying he could have anyone except that one. At the N.C. State Fair, the pig Turlington kept won 1st place and Stephenson’s won 2nd. Turlington knew a winner and that is why he did not sell the pig to Stephenson (Harnett County News October 10, 1940).
Not knowing to “drop and roll” when his clothes caught on fire was fatal to Ralph Weaver. When his clothes caught on fire at his home in the Currin’s Crossroads area, the 25 year-old Weaver met a horrible death when he ran looking for someone to help him. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Weaver who survived him (Harnett County News October 10, 1940).
Mrs. J.P. Byrd was honored on her 70th birthday on October 6, 1940 at a dinner given by her children (Harnett County News October 17, 1940). Would you not like to know more about Mrs. Byrd and who her children were? We conclude there was no Mr. Byrd. As the Byrds had a dinner, the Tarts of Coats planned a funeral for Mrs. Frank Tart was only 50 years old. She had died at Highsmith Hospital in Fayetteville. Her son William Jean Tart lived in Coats as well as Will Holder, one of her two brothers (Harnett County News November 7, 1940).
Death also had babies’ names on its list. One on that list was the three-month old son of Mr. and Mrs. Mayton Upchurch of Coats. He had died after being ill for about a week with a throat infection. The baby had one brother, Mayton Upchurch, Jr. Mrs. Upchurch, before her marriage, was Gertrude Gowan (Harnett County News November 7, 1940).
A total of 800,000 men were to be inducted into the Army by the Selective Service Act. One group would go to Fort Bragg. Surely, households with young men between 21 and 35 years of age were experiencing anxiety over the draft. However, households went on with activities. Mrs. W. E. Nichols had Miss Isabel Hoey, daughter of Governor Hoey, to speak to her Coats Book Club. The entire meeting was one of the most elaborate of the season (Harnett County News November 21, 1940). Does anyone know where the Nichols house was located? Was this prior to the construction of the Nichols’ beautiful two story brick house on McKinley Street later purchased by the Herbert L. Johnson family?
Don’t forget to consider honoring your dad with a memorial or honorarian gift to the Coats Museum. My dad loved history and I am delighted to give a Father’s Day memorial gift to the Coats Museum to thank him for all the stories about events and people that he shared with us around the dinner table.