March 20, 2015 Coats
Museum News
How many of you have memories of some of the entertainment that came into the schools for the enjoyment of the student body? For example, in 1952, a puppet show, “Jack and the Beanstalk,” was presented on stage in the Coats School auditorium for the students. Was that before we saw such things on television? For those of you who might remember, was the puppet show in a large box or were the puppets on the big stage? Were you amazed at all those strings? There were strings, weren’t there?
I do know that Richard Sorrell had registered at the University of Georgia. Had he graduated from Duke University already? I also know that the renovation at the White House was almost completed. Do you know what president was in the White House in 1952?
The basketball season was over but many of the players were busy with other extracurricular activities. Sue Langdon was president of the FHA and had attended the County Council of FHA where she held the office of treasurer. The FFA officers had presented a program for the high school students. Each officer had explained his responsibility in the organization. Dennis Pope presided. Vice President Delano Whittington, Secretary Donnie Pollard, Treasurer Rudolph Miller, and Reporter Donald Blalock were the young men in the program (Daily Record Feb. 20, 1952).
Many of our readers from all over the county will remember Mary Jo Johnson Mann from her years of devoted attention to the teachers and students in our county. When she was a student at East Carolina Teachers College, Mary Jo had made a name for herself there. She had been elected as the president of the Future Teachers of America organization. The article stated that she was very active in campus life. Joe. M. and Mamie W. Johnson were her parents (Daily Record Feb. 22, 1952).
The paper had earlier printed information about the Coats basketball teams and games that they had won; however, the Daily Record did not share who finally took home the tournament trophies until the February 25, 1952 issue. The Lillington girls and Lafayette boys were the top performers. Some folks from Coats will remember Norfleet Gardner from his days of teaching social studies and coaching at the old Coats High School, but the students at Lafayette in 1952 will remember his performance and that of Dan Andrews during that 1952 tournament where Gardner scored 7 points and Andrews 10 to help win that county title (Daily Record Feb. 25, 1952).
Communism was a fearful thought in the 1950’s and the prices of products in the USSR would likewise have put pause in Americans should they have had to purchase items such as a hat which had cost $34.90 there compared to $16.95 in America. In USSR, a dress had cost $128.20 compared to $35.00 in the US. Guess what—only shoes were more expensive in the USA where they sold for $14.95 compared to the USSR’s $14.50.
Some people in Coats were busy having babies, visiting families and doctoring the sick. For example, Mr. and Mrs. Theron Miller had welcomed baby Delain into their family. TSgt. James H. Lee, brother of Vic Lee, had visited Coats after arriving from Savannah, Georgia. He had earlier pulled a tour of duty in Alaska. After this visit home, he headed to England for another tour of duty.
Mrs. W.H. Turlington and Mrs. Ann Stout of Fayetteville had visited Mr. W.H. Turlington in Norfolk. Was this her husband or was that a son of Mrs. Turlington? I do know that Mrs. Kittie Willis was recuperating after surgery at Good Hope Hospital. Mrs. J.K. Denning had returned home after staying with her daughter, Mrs. P.D. Glover. Mrs. Billie Keene had sprained her ankle. Mrs. Mittie (?) Byrd, sister of Mrs. Eumanese Ennis, was very ill at the home of Mrs. Ennis. Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Guy, Sybil and Ann Beasley had heard Guy Lombardo and his orchestra in Raleigh.
Many of you may have remembered when Coats had the chain link fence added to the campus on the side of NC27 during the summer of 1951. From pictures taken of the school after that date, it looks as if there was no chain link fence on the NC55 side. When was it added? Do you remember when there were no sidewalks on the campus?
According to the Feb. 26 edition of the Daily Record, Mr. M.O. Phillips and his shop boys had begun work on the cement walks for the school. They extended from the south entrance gate to the south of the building thence to the cafeteria entrance in the basement. Can you visualize where that was?
Elsewhere in the Coats area folks were on the move. Mr. B.F. Parrish had stayed some time with his daughter, Mrs. Henry Turlington. He later stayed with another daughter, Mrs. Delma Grimes. Willie Carol Honeycutt and Peggy Stewart were chosen sponsors from Coats for the Lion’s Club dance in Dunn. Coats did not have a Lion’s Club at this time-right? Mrs. Ezra Denning underwent an operation at Good Hope Hospital. Mr. and Mrs. James Honeycutt and Becky had visited relatives in Fayetteville. Mr. and Mrs. Hunter Ogburn had spent some time with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. H.A. Turlington, Sr.
Back at the Coats School auditorium, the first graders of Mrs. Percy Parrish gave a creditable production of “Little Red Riding Hood”. Mrs. Nell Williams’ combination fourth and fifth grade students presented a grammar grade program for the week. Jone Godwin read a Bible selection after which the group sang the “The Lord’s Prayer”. A phonograph record from which they had learned the prayer accompanied them. The manner in which the students sang and performed in a playlet showed their fine training in naturalness, happiness in their work and interest in whatever they attempted (Daily Record Feb. 26, 1952).
The folks at the churches also made the news. The Ruth Eller Class met at Mrs. Fletcher Flowers’ home. Mrs. McRay Stewart presided. Mrs. Grace Yarbourgh was in charge of the program. Those who attended were Mrs. Johnny Barnes, Mrs. Banks Pollard, Mrs. Thomas Williams, and Mrs. Raymond Ennis. Others attending were Mrs. Ben Eller, Mrs. Frances Langdon, Mrs. Roy Roberts, and guest Mrs. Virgil Mason.
The same edition of the paper shared that Mrs. Wynona Ennis was visiting her husband, David Ennis, at Paris Island Marine Base in S.C., and she was accompanied by Mrs. Paul Fowler.
We have written about quite a few births in the recent columns. Do you wonder what was the life expectancy of a boy born in 1952 to be. It was written that the boy would live to be 66 which was 18 years longer than one born in 1900 (Daily Record February 27, 1952).
Hilda Pope has been a faithful supporter of the Coats Museum since its creation in 1990. She has shown continued support for the longevity of the museum by honoring the memory of Mary Stevens and Ken Johnson with a donation to the Coats Museum Endowment. Thank you, Hilda. Thank you goes to Joy Dan Spivey from Greensboro and Melba C. Moore from Spring Hope for their donations to honor the memory of A.L. Wood, Sr. Both of these Clayton ladies graduated from Coats School. Hope you can visit us soon.
Last year we had a visit from Bobbie Turner, sister of Dovie Beasley. She was moving to Tennessee to be near her family-Greg and Wanda Penny. Bobbie, Greg and Wanda have remembered Levin Beasley with a memorial to the Coats Museum. Thanks to all of these generous folks for supporting the museum.
A call from Eddie Vaughan shared that Dr. Bruce Langdon indeed was an urologist who had grown up and graduated from Coats School. Dr. Langdon’s partner treated Eddie for kidney stones when Eddie was a young man in Fayetteville. Thanks –Eddie for reading our Coats Museum News.
How many of you have memories of some of the entertainment that came into the schools for the enjoyment of the student body? For example, in 1952, a puppet show, “Jack and the Beanstalk,” was presented on stage in the Coats School auditorium for the students. Was that before we saw such things on television? For those of you who might remember, was the puppet show in a large box or were the puppets on the big stage? Were you amazed at all those strings? There were strings, weren’t there?
I do know that Richard Sorrell had registered at the University of Georgia. Had he graduated from Duke University already? I also know that the renovation at the White House was almost completed. Do you know what president was in the White House in 1952?
The basketball season was over but many of the players were busy with other extracurricular activities. Sue Langdon was president of the FHA and had attended the County Council of FHA where she held the office of treasurer. The FFA officers had presented a program for the high school students. Each officer had explained his responsibility in the organization. Dennis Pope presided. Vice President Delano Whittington, Secretary Donnie Pollard, Treasurer Rudolph Miller, and Reporter Donald Blalock were the young men in the program (Daily Record Feb. 20, 1952).
Many of our readers from all over the county will remember Mary Jo Johnson Mann from her years of devoted attention to the teachers and students in our county. When she was a student at East Carolina Teachers College, Mary Jo had made a name for herself there. She had been elected as the president of the Future Teachers of America organization. The article stated that she was very active in campus life. Joe. M. and Mamie W. Johnson were her parents (Daily Record Feb. 22, 1952).
The paper had earlier printed information about the Coats basketball teams and games that they had won; however, the Daily Record did not share who finally took home the tournament trophies until the February 25, 1952 issue. The Lillington girls and Lafayette boys were the top performers. Some folks from Coats will remember Norfleet Gardner from his days of teaching social studies and coaching at the old Coats High School, but the students at Lafayette in 1952 will remember his performance and that of Dan Andrews during that 1952 tournament where Gardner scored 7 points and Andrews 10 to help win that county title (Daily Record Feb. 25, 1952).
Communism was a fearful thought in the 1950’s and the prices of products in the USSR would likewise have put pause in Americans should they have had to purchase items such as a hat which had cost $34.90 there compared to $16.95 in America. In USSR, a dress had cost $128.20 compared to $35.00 in the US. Guess what—only shoes were more expensive in the USA where they sold for $14.95 compared to the USSR’s $14.50.
Some people in Coats were busy having babies, visiting families and doctoring the sick. For example, Mr. and Mrs. Theron Miller had welcomed baby Delain into their family. TSgt. James H. Lee, brother of Vic Lee, had visited Coats after arriving from Savannah, Georgia. He had earlier pulled a tour of duty in Alaska. After this visit home, he headed to England for another tour of duty.
Mrs. W.H. Turlington and Mrs. Ann Stout of Fayetteville had visited Mr. W.H. Turlington in Norfolk. Was this her husband or was that a son of Mrs. Turlington? I do know that Mrs. Kittie Willis was recuperating after surgery at Good Hope Hospital. Mrs. J.K. Denning had returned home after staying with her daughter, Mrs. P.D. Glover. Mrs. Billie Keene had sprained her ankle. Mrs. Mittie (?) Byrd, sister of Mrs. Eumanese Ennis, was very ill at the home of Mrs. Ennis. Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Guy, Sybil and Ann Beasley had heard Guy Lombardo and his orchestra in Raleigh.
Many of you may have remembered when Coats had the chain link fence added to the campus on the side of NC27 during the summer of 1951. From pictures taken of the school after that date, it looks as if there was no chain link fence on the NC55 side. When was it added? Do you remember when there were no sidewalks on the campus?
According to the Feb. 26 edition of the Daily Record, Mr. M.O. Phillips and his shop boys had begun work on the cement walks for the school. They extended from the south entrance gate to the south of the building thence to the cafeteria entrance in the basement. Can you visualize where that was?
Elsewhere in the Coats area folks were on the move. Mr. B.F. Parrish had stayed some time with his daughter, Mrs. Henry Turlington. He later stayed with another daughter, Mrs. Delma Grimes. Willie Carol Honeycutt and Peggy Stewart were chosen sponsors from Coats for the Lion’s Club dance in Dunn. Coats did not have a Lion’s Club at this time-right? Mrs. Ezra Denning underwent an operation at Good Hope Hospital. Mr. and Mrs. James Honeycutt and Becky had visited relatives in Fayetteville. Mr. and Mrs. Hunter Ogburn had spent some time with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. H.A. Turlington, Sr.
Back at the Coats School auditorium, the first graders of Mrs. Percy Parrish gave a creditable production of “Little Red Riding Hood”. Mrs. Nell Williams’ combination fourth and fifth grade students presented a grammar grade program for the week. Jone Godwin read a Bible selection after which the group sang the “The Lord’s Prayer”. A phonograph record from which they had learned the prayer accompanied them. The manner in which the students sang and performed in a playlet showed their fine training in naturalness, happiness in their work and interest in whatever they attempted (Daily Record Feb. 26, 1952).
The folks at the churches also made the news. The Ruth Eller Class met at Mrs. Fletcher Flowers’ home. Mrs. McRay Stewart presided. Mrs. Grace Yarbourgh was in charge of the program. Those who attended were Mrs. Johnny Barnes, Mrs. Banks Pollard, Mrs. Thomas Williams, and Mrs. Raymond Ennis. Others attending were Mrs. Ben Eller, Mrs. Frances Langdon, Mrs. Roy Roberts, and guest Mrs. Virgil Mason.
The same edition of the paper shared that Mrs. Wynona Ennis was visiting her husband, David Ennis, at Paris Island Marine Base in S.C., and she was accompanied by Mrs. Paul Fowler.
We have written about quite a few births in the recent columns. Do you wonder what was the life expectancy of a boy born in 1952 to be. It was written that the boy would live to be 66 which was 18 years longer than one born in 1900 (Daily Record February 27, 1952).
Hilda Pope has been a faithful supporter of the Coats Museum since its creation in 1990. She has shown continued support for the longevity of the museum by honoring the memory of Mary Stevens and Ken Johnson with a donation to the Coats Museum Endowment. Thank you, Hilda. Thank you goes to Joy Dan Spivey from Greensboro and Melba C. Moore from Spring Hope for their donations to honor the memory of A.L. Wood, Sr. Both of these Clayton ladies graduated from Coats School. Hope you can visit us soon.
Last year we had a visit from Bobbie Turner, sister of Dovie Beasley. She was moving to Tennessee to be near her family-Greg and Wanda Penny. Bobbie, Greg and Wanda have remembered Levin Beasley with a memorial to the Coats Museum. Thanks to all of these generous folks for supporting the museum.
A call from Eddie Vaughan shared that Dr. Bruce Langdon indeed was an urologist who had grown up and graduated from Coats School. Dr. Langdon’s partner treated Eddie for kidney stones when Eddie was a young man in Fayetteville. Thanks –Eddie for reading our Coats Museum News.
