March 14, 2014 Coats Museum News
Do the high schools have speaking contests in 2014?? I do know that Imogene Pollard and Max Avery were the winners of the recitation and declamation contests held at Coats High School in 1948. Lucille Johnson, Irene Jernigan, and Lunette Sorrell received honorable mention. Students competing were Doris Messer, Dorothy Pope, Bobby Franklin, Billy Allen, Clelton Parrish, Sherrill Willis, Wallace Truelove, Bobby Stewart, Billy Dew, Betty Sue Willis, Evangeline Pope, Rebecca Whittington, Alene Pope, Lottie Stephenson, Eloise Pope, Wilma Barnes and Joyce Parrish.
Miss Bessie Mae Matthews, 59, died at her home near Godwin. Robert E. Dorman and Mrs. Jesse Parrish were Coats relatives. Mrs. Inez Norris Jackson, 19, had died. She had a two-day-old baby. Her parents were Mr. and Mrs. M.S. Norris. Her brothers were Willis and Graham Norris,
With weddings, funerals, and graduations all requiring Sunday attire, a suit could be purchased at Belks for $35 to $45 (Dunn Dispatch May 28, 1948).
W.E. Nichols was thanked for his generosity to the Coats community. He had given 8 lots for the community building site. The same edition of the Dunn paper printed that Dorothy Lou Stewart of Buies Creek had graduated from Woman’s College in Greensboro. W.J. Sauls was reelected as constable for Grove. The voters in Grove 1 and 2 supported Broughton for U.S. Senate, Kerr Scott for Governor, Taylor for Lt. Governor, Eure for Secretary of State, Harrington for Register of Deeds, Parker and Overby for Legislature. Back home in Coats, family and friends of Cecil Fuquay were likely proud that he had had graduated from Wake Forest (Dunn Dispatch May, 1948). Isn’t it sad that his parents, Dr. Garner and Gladys Fuquay, had been killed only months back in a terrible car accident and did not get to attend his graduation?
Do any of you have memories of a hailstorm? In May of 1948, some areas of Harnett County were hit with marble size hail which did severe damage to cotton, tobacco, and other crops. Did farmers have crop insurance in 1948? In Lillington, citizens voted on issuance of $15,000 in street improvement and paving. Property owners had earlier paid to have private contractors pave several streets. The Coats Theater was showing “Dick Tracy Returns”. Roddy McDowell was starring in “Rocky”, and Susan Haywood and Eddie Albert were stars of “Smash-Up”. Mrs. Roa Anna Baker, 53, wife of W.E. Baker, had died on Tuesday morning after a 5-month illness. She was the daughter of the late Jeff and Callie Lee Godwin. Stacy, Cecil, Carl, Billy, Edsol, Mrs. Pearl Poole, Mrs. J.D. Moore and Mrs. R.W. Poole of Coats, Route One, survived her. Four brothers were Blaney Godwin and Jesse Godwin of Coats, Bradley of Erwin and Lonnie Godwin. Half brothers were Jim and June Godwin.
With gardens producing fresh vegetables, families could purchase a home freezer for $329.75. To cook the food on an electric range, the family had to find $279.00. Did all rural families have electricity now? If so, they could purchase the electric appliances at Johnson Cotton Company in Dunn. Did you know that Nathan Johnson had his first store in Coats before moving to Dunn? Was his brother ever a partner in the business?
Mrs. Hugh Black gave a surprise shower for Mrs. Dave (Margaret) House. The highlight of the shower was when Jay and Edward Black gave a bassinette covered with pink crepe paper and filled with gifts to Mrs. House. Mr. Laurance M. Stewart, 80, of Coats died in his sleep. A Sunday afternoon service was held at Gift PBC and burial was at the Williams Cemetery. Mrs. Cassenda Sewart of Coats survived Stewart. His seven sons were Ross, Carlie, James, Elbert, Roger, and Laurence. Who was the 7th son? His two daughters were Mrs. Otha Stevens and Mrs. Hubert Williams. A brother was Willie Stewart and sisters were Miss Betty Stewart and Mrs. Luther Jones (Dunn Dispatch June 7, 1948).
Coats School had held its graduation program on May 27 in the school auditorium. Dr. D.B. Bryan of Wake Forest gave the address. R. Hal Smith, principal, presented the awards to the following students: Jane Stewart-best all around girl; Cecil Langdon-best all round boy; Neal Barnes-winner of speech on “How the United Nations Can Be Strengthened”; Max Avery-winner of declamation contest; Imogene Pollard-winner of recitation and Annie Laurie Barnes for outstanding work in Home Economics. Neal Barnes received the Vocational Agriculture award; Marie Byrd was outstanding in English; Mary Lee Pleasant won the commercial medal and Evangeline Pope was outstanding in Glee Club. Jenny Grimes won sportsmanship for girls while Marshall McLamb was the male recipient for the sportsmanship. Jane Stewart was voted best girl athlete while Charles Ennis was the best male athlete. Hayes Beasley was presented $10.00 for being the best bus driver in Coats. Laura Frances Pope received the certificate for being the essay contest winner.
For the ceremony, Ray Coon directed the Girls Glee Club and band. Rev. S.L. Morgan, pastor of First Baptist in Dunn, preached the baccalaureate and noted how good it was to see boys again in the graduating class since there were few during the war years (Dunn Dispatch June 9, 1948).
Over in Dunn, a hog market was to open and was to buy 1,000 hogs daily and pay cash for them. It was to be located on the Dunn Clinton Road on the Alfred Blallock Farm.
Rachael Pleasant and Ruth Langdon had received teaching certificates from East Carolina Teachers School (ECU in 2014). A Harnett hero had been killed in action in Southern France. Pfc. Fred A. Myatt ‘s services were held at the Fellowship Presbyterian Church near Willow Springs on Wednesday with the Rev. J. Robert Phipps of Varina officiating. Private Myatt was killed in action on July 4, 1944. He had enlisted in the Army on October 19, 1942 and was 24 at the time of death. American Legion Post #116 gave the military rites at the grave. Surviving were his former wife, the present Mrs. Dayton Flowers, and one child, Gail Myatt and his mother, Mrs. Rena Myatt.
In Lillington the HCBOE requested $408,161.00 for the school term 1948-49 compared to $284, 968.13 in the 1947-48 (Dunn Dispatch June 11, 1948). Is that not amazing? How far would that go today? Recall, however, that the average income for a Harnett worker was only $38.77 per week in 1948 (Dunn Dispatch June 11, 1948).
How wonderful it is to work at the Coats Museum and meet new people from all over and in many cases reconnect with people who grew up in the area. The one thing that most of them have in common is the look upon their faces when they come into the museum. We enjoyed a visit from Coats Pharmacy’s Dianne Lischen who is one of many donors who made the museum possible. Eddie Vaughan was lucky to be working when JoAnne Stephenson Barnes and her husband, T.J. Barnes, visited from Fayetteville. You will be reading about both of these former Coats graduates as we approach the era of the 1950’s.
Many visitors come bearing items to be either displayed in the exhibit hall or placed in one of various history collections in the research library. Peggy Stone Arnold who graduated from Coats in 1960 visited from Wake County and brought a program advertisement for a “Big Round and Square Dance” at Westbrook’s Wagon Wheel located two and one half miles north of Newton Grove on Highway 70. The band playing was the Green Valley Boys of WCKB. The cost to enter was $1.00 for men, but women were not charged. Why? The Coats musicians are pictured in our museum. Who knows the names of the three musicians? Thanks a lot Peggy. Was one of them your brother?
Please be mindful that this news appeared in the Daily Record on March 14, 2014.
Do the high schools have speaking contests in 2014?? I do know that Imogene Pollard and Max Avery were the winners of the recitation and declamation contests held at Coats High School in 1948. Lucille Johnson, Irene Jernigan, and Lunette Sorrell received honorable mention. Students competing were Doris Messer, Dorothy Pope, Bobby Franklin, Billy Allen, Clelton Parrish, Sherrill Willis, Wallace Truelove, Bobby Stewart, Billy Dew, Betty Sue Willis, Evangeline Pope, Rebecca Whittington, Alene Pope, Lottie Stephenson, Eloise Pope, Wilma Barnes and Joyce Parrish.
Miss Bessie Mae Matthews, 59, died at her home near Godwin. Robert E. Dorman and Mrs. Jesse Parrish were Coats relatives. Mrs. Inez Norris Jackson, 19, had died. She had a two-day-old baby. Her parents were Mr. and Mrs. M.S. Norris. Her brothers were Willis and Graham Norris,
With weddings, funerals, and graduations all requiring Sunday attire, a suit could be purchased at Belks for $35 to $45 (Dunn Dispatch May 28, 1948).
W.E. Nichols was thanked for his generosity to the Coats community. He had given 8 lots for the community building site. The same edition of the Dunn paper printed that Dorothy Lou Stewart of Buies Creek had graduated from Woman’s College in Greensboro. W.J. Sauls was reelected as constable for Grove. The voters in Grove 1 and 2 supported Broughton for U.S. Senate, Kerr Scott for Governor, Taylor for Lt. Governor, Eure for Secretary of State, Harrington for Register of Deeds, Parker and Overby for Legislature. Back home in Coats, family and friends of Cecil Fuquay were likely proud that he had had graduated from Wake Forest (Dunn Dispatch May, 1948). Isn’t it sad that his parents, Dr. Garner and Gladys Fuquay, had been killed only months back in a terrible car accident and did not get to attend his graduation?
Do any of you have memories of a hailstorm? In May of 1948, some areas of Harnett County were hit with marble size hail which did severe damage to cotton, tobacco, and other crops. Did farmers have crop insurance in 1948? In Lillington, citizens voted on issuance of $15,000 in street improvement and paving. Property owners had earlier paid to have private contractors pave several streets. The Coats Theater was showing “Dick Tracy Returns”. Roddy McDowell was starring in “Rocky”, and Susan Haywood and Eddie Albert were stars of “Smash-Up”. Mrs. Roa Anna Baker, 53, wife of W.E. Baker, had died on Tuesday morning after a 5-month illness. She was the daughter of the late Jeff and Callie Lee Godwin. Stacy, Cecil, Carl, Billy, Edsol, Mrs. Pearl Poole, Mrs. J.D. Moore and Mrs. R.W. Poole of Coats, Route One, survived her. Four brothers were Blaney Godwin and Jesse Godwin of Coats, Bradley of Erwin and Lonnie Godwin. Half brothers were Jim and June Godwin.
With gardens producing fresh vegetables, families could purchase a home freezer for $329.75. To cook the food on an electric range, the family had to find $279.00. Did all rural families have electricity now? If so, they could purchase the electric appliances at Johnson Cotton Company in Dunn. Did you know that Nathan Johnson had his first store in Coats before moving to Dunn? Was his brother ever a partner in the business?
Mrs. Hugh Black gave a surprise shower for Mrs. Dave (Margaret) House. The highlight of the shower was when Jay and Edward Black gave a bassinette covered with pink crepe paper and filled with gifts to Mrs. House. Mr. Laurance M. Stewart, 80, of Coats died in his sleep. A Sunday afternoon service was held at Gift PBC and burial was at the Williams Cemetery. Mrs. Cassenda Sewart of Coats survived Stewart. His seven sons were Ross, Carlie, James, Elbert, Roger, and Laurence. Who was the 7th son? His two daughters were Mrs. Otha Stevens and Mrs. Hubert Williams. A brother was Willie Stewart and sisters were Miss Betty Stewart and Mrs. Luther Jones (Dunn Dispatch June 7, 1948).
Coats School had held its graduation program on May 27 in the school auditorium. Dr. D.B. Bryan of Wake Forest gave the address. R. Hal Smith, principal, presented the awards to the following students: Jane Stewart-best all around girl; Cecil Langdon-best all round boy; Neal Barnes-winner of speech on “How the United Nations Can Be Strengthened”; Max Avery-winner of declamation contest; Imogene Pollard-winner of recitation and Annie Laurie Barnes for outstanding work in Home Economics. Neal Barnes received the Vocational Agriculture award; Marie Byrd was outstanding in English; Mary Lee Pleasant won the commercial medal and Evangeline Pope was outstanding in Glee Club. Jenny Grimes won sportsmanship for girls while Marshall McLamb was the male recipient for the sportsmanship. Jane Stewart was voted best girl athlete while Charles Ennis was the best male athlete. Hayes Beasley was presented $10.00 for being the best bus driver in Coats. Laura Frances Pope received the certificate for being the essay contest winner.
For the ceremony, Ray Coon directed the Girls Glee Club and band. Rev. S.L. Morgan, pastor of First Baptist in Dunn, preached the baccalaureate and noted how good it was to see boys again in the graduating class since there were few during the war years (Dunn Dispatch June 9, 1948).
Over in Dunn, a hog market was to open and was to buy 1,000 hogs daily and pay cash for them. It was to be located on the Dunn Clinton Road on the Alfred Blallock Farm.
Rachael Pleasant and Ruth Langdon had received teaching certificates from East Carolina Teachers School (ECU in 2014). A Harnett hero had been killed in action in Southern France. Pfc. Fred A. Myatt ‘s services were held at the Fellowship Presbyterian Church near Willow Springs on Wednesday with the Rev. J. Robert Phipps of Varina officiating. Private Myatt was killed in action on July 4, 1944. He had enlisted in the Army on October 19, 1942 and was 24 at the time of death. American Legion Post #116 gave the military rites at the grave. Surviving were his former wife, the present Mrs. Dayton Flowers, and one child, Gail Myatt and his mother, Mrs. Rena Myatt.
In Lillington the HCBOE requested $408,161.00 for the school term 1948-49 compared to $284, 968.13 in the 1947-48 (Dunn Dispatch June 11, 1948). Is that not amazing? How far would that go today? Recall, however, that the average income for a Harnett worker was only $38.77 per week in 1948 (Dunn Dispatch June 11, 1948).
How wonderful it is to work at the Coats Museum and meet new people from all over and in many cases reconnect with people who grew up in the area. The one thing that most of them have in common is the look upon their faces when they come into the museum. We enjoyed a visit from Coats Pharmacy’s Dianne Lischen who is one of many donors who made the museum possible. Eddie Vaughan was lucky to be working when JoAnne Stephenson Barnes and her husband, T.J. Barnes, visited from Fayetteville. You will be reading about both of these former Coats graduates as we approach the era of the 1950’s.
Many visitors come bearing items to be either displayed in the exhibit hall or placed in one of various history collections in the research library. Peggy Stone Arnold who graduated from Coats in 1960 visited from Wake County and brought a program advertisement for a “Big Round and Square Dance” at Westbrook’s Wagon Wheel located two and one half miles north of Newton Grove on Highway 70. The band playing was the Green Valley Boys of WCKB. The cost to enter was $1.00 for men, but women were not charged. Why? The Coats musicians are pictured in our museum. Who knows the names of the three musicians? Thanks a lot Peggy. Was one of them your brother?
Please be mindful that this news appeared in the Daily Record on March 14, 2014.