March 20, 2020 Coats Museum News
The year was 1983. News reported that 33 percent of the babies born in New York City were born out of wedlock. Jockey Angel Cordera became the first jockey to earn $10 million a year. William de Kooning’s painting “Two Women” sold for $1.2 million on auction. According to federal calculations as many as 23 million Americans were illiterate. The quality of American education was poor, according to the report of a federal commission that, among other things, had tracked the decline in standardized test scores since 1957. Congress authorized $625 million in MX missile research and development. Astronaut Sally K. Ride became America’s first woman in space as she and four colleagues blasted of aboard the space shuttle Challenger. The vehicle glided to a safe landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California on the 24th of June 1983 (Dickson, Paul. From Elvis to E-Mail. Massachusetts: Federal Street Press, 1999, pp. 264-66).
In Coats, the Barnes Clayton family had a new arrival- Robert Paul Clayton. The mother was the former Phyllis Pope (Daily Record Mar. 4, 1983).How old is Robert Paul today?
Miss Cassie Lenae Stone, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Velton Stone, Jr. had died on Monday (Daily Record Mar. 9, 1983). Do you recognize this couple more as Buster and Angela Stone?
I do know that another young couple, well known to the folks in the Coats area, had their engagement announced. Vikki Kay Faircloth, daughter of Mrs. Billie Jo Faircloth, was engaged to Tony Curtis Byrd, son of Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Byrd (Daily Record Mar. 9, 1983).
On a sad note, James Allen Faulkner, 69, of rural Coats had died. His survivors were Mrs. Reba Stancil, Silas Faulkner and Paul Faulkner of Coats (Daily Record Mar. 17, 1983).
Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Bledsoe had announced the birth of a daughter, Melissa Ann Bledsoe. The mother was the former Linda Guin (Daily Record Mar. 18, 1983).
Another birth was announced in the March 23rdedition of the Daily Record. Mr. and Mrs. Timmy Wood had shared the news of the birth of a son, Jamie Ray Wood.
Death touched the Bennett family in Coats. Mrs. Bessie Page lost her brother, E.T. Bennett, on Wednesday (Daily Record Mar. 24, 1983).
A few days later, the Ennis family experienced the death of a wife and mother-Mrs. Lillian Spivey Ennis. Surviving her were husband, Howard Ennis, and children- Donnie Pollard, Mrs. Barbara Williams and Mrs. Wanda Turlington (Daily Record Mar. 28, 1983).
Don R. Whittington, a native of Coats, where he was salutatorian of his Coats High School class, was associated with the NC Memorial Hospital in Chapel Hill as a cost accounting manager (Daily Record Apr. 13, 1983).
As you have followed this Coats Museum News column over the past ten years, have you been surprised and proud of the great number of students who graduated from this rural Coats School who have become highly successful outside of the Grove area? There have been so many that I could not begin to name them.
Death announcements for Coats folks were numerous in the first months of 1983. Mr. Hubert Wesley Faircloth, 56, of Coats, had died on April 6, 1983. Survivors of Mr. Faircloth were his wife Mrs. Betty Johnson Faircloth and one daughter, Mrs. Vivian F. Myatt (Daily Record Apr. 13, 1983).
Claude Abate had earned respect among students at Coats High School. In 1983, Claude was a new policeman in Coats. He had a BS degree in physical education from Campbell University (Daily Record Apr. 18, 1983).
Another engagement was announced by a Coats couple. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Holmes had announced that their daughter, Terri Lynn Holmes, was to marry Gary L. Lewis (Daily Record Apr. 20, 1983).
The next edition of the paper wrote that Mr. Sherrill Pleasant of Coats and Mrs. Jean McGee of Angier announced the engagement of their daughter, Connie Cheryl Pleasant, to Mickey Lee Holland (Daily Record Apr. 21, 1983). How old are all these couples in 2020? Many of them were students of mine and their engagement announcements bring back fond memories of them in my classroom.
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Jenkins of Coats announced the birth of a daughter on April 15th, at Rex Hospital. The mother was the former Susan B. Stamps (Daily Record Apr. 22, 1983). Do you recognize those names? How many of you have eaten at Ron’s Barn?
The Coats-Grove Fire Department honored several of its retired members; Gene Stewart (1953-1978). Delbert Lockamy (1963- ) and James Grimes (1961-1981).Don Stewart, chief, presented the awards (Daily Record Apr. 25, 1983). Don’t you bet that they could tell some stories about their times on the department?
Mrs. Iva Bayles Cutts of Coats died on Friday. Herbert and Billie Cutts were two sons (Daily Record Apr. 25, 1983).
Another Coats resident had died. Bessie Surles Allen, 76, of Coats had died on Saturday. Surviving was Stonewall Allen, Jr. (Daily Record May 2, 1983).
With all the deaths that were occurring in the Coats area in 1983, it was reassuring to have so many engagement announcements. Forest Clay Fleming, son of Joy Dan Clayton Fleming and the late F. Bland Fleming, was to marry Janet Carol McLamb (Daily Record May 3, 1983). Yes-Bland was the son of the beloved Dr. Fleming who also had died at a very young age. Some may recall that he died in his doctor’s office and left a young Dr. Donald Moore to take over all the patients.
Stacy Clay Horton, 16, of Benson, had died on Tuesday. Surviving were his family members-his mother Mrs. Allie H. Wilkins; three brothers-Larry, Cecil and Jimmy and one sister-Mrs. Celia Ann Pollard (Daily Record May 4, 1983).
The Coats Area Chamber of Commerce planned to have a Business Focus of the Week in the Daily Record and would highlight a new business every two weeks. The first focus was Avery’s Auto Supply and Service. William Avery started the business 28 years ago in a small building in Coats. Bill moved his business to his home a mile and a half off NC 27 on Bill Avery Road (Daily Record May 5, 1983). Who remembers where this business was located in town?
I do know that Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Gregory of Coats announced the engagement of their daughter Kathy to Kelly Vann Sorrell, son of Mr. and Mrs. S.C. Sorrell of near Lillington (Daily Record May 6, 1983). Yes, this is the Sorrell family that operates the Sorrell’s Cabinet business near where the boys’ home place is located.
Harnett County Superintendent R.A. Gray and Commissioner Jesse Alphin announced that the Harnett County Board of Education was scheduled to take action to make sure the beginning of the Area III high school was by October of 1983 (Daily Record May 11, 1983). Where was Area III? Was it Triton High School? The first students went to Triton in the fall of 1985. Did it take two years to build the school?
Mrs. Mary Penny Coats celebrated her 90th birthday. She was one of the 17 children of Henry H. Penny and Unity Coats Penny who moved to Coats from the Zack’s Mill Road in Johnston County (Daily Record May 11, 1983) This is not too far from Lanes Seafood and Steak at the Gregory Vineyards.
The Coats girls’ softball team swept a doubleheader from Roseboro to wrap up the regular season championship in the 1-A Carolina Conference. Tonya Gauldin, Beth Pope, Penny Weaver, Jamie Regan and Patricia Royals played outstanding ball. In the baseball game, the Coats boys lost despite the hitting effort of Thomas (Moon Pie) Johnson and teammate Jody Pollard (Daily Record May 11, 1983).We called Thomas “Moon Pie” and there has to be a story as to why. Anyone know?
We do know that the May 12, 1983 edition of the Daily Record printed that Mr. and Mrs. Larry Stancil announced the engagement of their daughter, Melissa Ann Stancil, to David Anthony Core of Erwin.
James Randy Hedgepeth of Coats was to receive his doctor of medicine degree from the School of Medicine at UNC Chapel Hill on May 15th. The 1975 graduate of Coats High was the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Robert Hedgepeth of Coats (Daily Record May 12, 1983). Does anyone know Randy’s specialty? Does he continue to practice medicine in 2020?
Mr. and Mrs. Andy Lamm of Coats announced the birth of a daughter, Alanda Jean at Rex Hospital. The mother was the former Kathy Honeycutt. Grandparents were Russell Lamm and Mr. and Mrs. Warren Honeycutt (Daily Record May 12, 1983).
The Coats Board of Commissioners were continuing to hear plans of the NCDOT to identify present and potential traffic problems and recommend action for improvement of operation and traffic flow (Daily Record May 13, 1983).
Mr. and Mrs. D. Keith Parrish of Route One, Benson, had been chosen as the Family of the Year by the coats Woman’s Club. Martha and Keith had two sons-Kevin and Jason (Daily Record May17, 1983).
Her fellow members selected Laura Langdon as the Woman of the Year for the Coats Woman’s Club (Daily Record May 23, 1983).
The Shutterbug Productions, a branch of the Coats High School Photography class, had presented a program “An Evening of Nostalgia”. The program began with the music of the 1940’s and continued to the 1980’s. Mrs. Jeanine Ennis Klutz, Don Ennis, James Williams, the Dennis Family, and members of the Shutterbug group entertained. The Shutterbugs were Dana Barnes, Andrea Ennis, Alice Beasley, Sonya Barbour, Beverly Steele, Debra Smith, Gwen Bass, Patti Dennis, Buster Stone, Derek Tripp, Timmy Lane, and Todd Ennis. Two younger students involved were Jennifer Barbour and Nathan Smith (Daily Record May 17, 1983).
The museum volunteers had fun switching our winter decorations to spring and Easter ones to welcome our visitors to the Coats Museum. Drop by to see our changes.
Someone questioned if schools and universities had ever closed before because of a pandemic. In 1916 a poliomyelitis pandemic resulted in school closures. In the summer of 1944, major outbreaks of polio occurred. Then on May 13, 1946, polio shut down all schools including colleges and universities. Thanks to the work of Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin in 1955, cures for the crippling pandemic were available.
It is interesting to note the Sept. 1948 Minutes of the Session at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church recorded that a meeting was called to consider the possibility of reopening the church and Sunday school for service again after having been closed because of the Polio Epidemic. The session felt that since the public schools were opening soon that it would be safe to resume services at the church on September 5th.
The year was 1983. News reported that 33 percent of the babies born in New York City were born out of wedlock. Jockey Angel Cordera became the first jockey to earn $10 million a year. William de Kooning’s painting “Two Women” sold for $1.2 million on auction. According to federal calculations as many as 23 million Americans were illiterate. The quality of American education was poor, according to the report of a federal commission that, among other things, had tracked the decline in standardized test scores since 1957. Congress authorized $625 million in MX missile research and development. Astronaut Sally K. Ride became America’s first woman in space as she and four colleagues blasted of aboard the space shuttle Challenger. The vehicle glided to a safe landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California on the 24th of June 1983 (Dickson, Paul. From Elvis to E-Mail. Massachusetts: Federal Street Press, 1999, pp. 264-66).
In Coats, the Barnes Clayton family had a new arrival- Robert Paul Clayton. The mother was the former Phyllis Pope (Daily Record Mar. 4, 1983).How old is Robert Paul today?
Miss Cassie Lenae Stone, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Velton Stone, Jr. had died on Monday (Daily Record Mar. 9, 1983). Do you recognize this couple more as Buster and Angela Stone?
I do know that another young couple, well known to the folks in the Coats area, had their engagement announced. Vikki Kay Faircloth, daughter of Mrs. Billie Jo Faircloth, was engaged to Tony Curtis Byrd, son of Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Byrd (Daily Record Mar. 9, 1983).
On a sad note, James Allen Faulkner, 69, of rural Coats had died. His survivors were Mrs. Reba Stancil, Silas Faulkner and Paul Faulkner of Coats (Daily Record Mar. 17, 1983).
Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Bledsoe had announced the birth of a daughter, Melissa Ann Bledsoe. The mother was the former Linda Guin (Daily Record Mar. 18, 1983).
Another birth was announced in the March 23rdedition of the Daily Record. Mr. and Mrs. Timmy Wood had shared the news of the birth of a son, Jamie Ray Wood.
Death touched the Bennett family in Coats. Mrs. Bessie Page lost her brother, E.T. Bennett, on Wednesday (Daily Record Mar. 24, 1983).
A few days later, the Ennis family experienced the death of a wife and mother-Mrs. Lillian Spivey Ennis. Surviving her were husband, Howard Ennis, and children- Donnie Pollard, Mrs. Barbara Williams and Mrs. Wanda Turlington (Daily Record Mar. 28, 1983).
Don R. Whittington, a native of Coats, where he was salutatorian of his Coats High School class, was associated with the NC Memorial Hospital in Chapel Hill as a cost accounting manager (Daily Record Apr. 13, 1983).
As you have followed this Coats Museum News column over the past ten years, have you been surprised and proud of the great number of students who graduated from this rural Coats School who have become highly successful outside of the Grove area? There have been so many that I could not begin to name them.
Death announcements for Coats folks were numerous in the first months of 1983. Mr. Hubert Wesley Faircloth, 56, of Coats, had died on April 6, 1983. Survivors of Mr. Faircloth were his wife Mrs. Betty Johnson Faircloth and one daughter, Mrs. Vivian F. Myatt (Daily Record Apr. 13, 1983).
Claude Abate had earned respect among students at Coats High School. In 1983, Claude was a new policeman in Coats. He had a BS degree in physical education from Campbell University (Daily Record Apr. 18, 1983).
Another engagement was announced by a Coats couple. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Holmes had announced that their daughter, Terri Lynn Holmes, was to marry Gary L. Lewis (Daily Record Apr. 20, 1983).
The next edition of the paper wrote that Mr. Sherrill Pleasant of Coats and Mrs. Jean McGee of Angier announced the engagement of their daughter, Connie Cheryl Pleasant, to Mickey Lee Holland (Daily Record Apr. 21, 1983). How old are all these couples in 2020? Many of them were students of mine and their engagement announcements bring back fond memories of them in my classroom.
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Jenkins of Coats announced the birth of a daughter on April 15th, at Rex Hospital. The mother was the former Susan B. Stamps (Daily Record Apr. 22, 1983). Do you recognize those names? How many of you have eaten at Ron’s Barn?
The Coats-Grove Fire Department honored several of its retired members; Gene Stewart (1953-1978). Delbert Lockamy (1963- ) and James Grimes (1961-1981).Don Stewart, chief, presented the awards (Daily Record Apr. 25, 1983). Don’t you bet that they could tell some stories about their times on the department?
Mrs. Iva Bayles Cutts of Coats died on Friday. Herbert and Billie Cutts were two sons (Daily Record Apr. 25, 1983).
Another Coats resident had died. Bessie Surles Allen, 76, of Coats had died on Saturday. Surviving was Stonewall Allen, Jr. (Daily Record May 2, 1983).
With all the deaths that were occurring in the Coats area in 1983, it was reassuring to have so many engagement announcements. Forest Clay Fleming, son of Joy Dan Clayton Fleming and the late F. Bland Fleming, was to marry Janet Carol McLamb (Daily Record May 3, 1983). Yes-Bland was the son of the beloved Dr. Fleming who also had died at a very young age. Some may recall that he died in his doctor’s office and left a young Dr. Donald Moore to take over all the patients.
Stacy Clay Horton, 16, of Benson, had died on Tuesday. Surviving were his family members-his mother Mrs. Allie H. Wilkins; three brothers-Larry, Cecil and Jimmy and one sister-Mrs. Celia Ann Pollard (Daily Record May 4, 1983).
The Coats Area Chamber of Commerce planned to have a Business Focus of the Week in the Daily Record and would highlight a new business every two weeks. The first focus was Avery’s Auto Supply and Service. William Avery started the business 28 years ago in a small building in Coats. Bill moved his business to his home a mile and a half off NC 27 on Bill Avery Road (Daily Record May 5, 1983). Who remembers where this business was located in town?
I do know that Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Gregory of Coats announced the engagement of their daughter Kathy to Kelly Vann Sorrell, son of Mr. and Mrs. S.C. Sorrell of near Lillington (Daily Record May 6, 1983). Yes, this is the Sorrell family that operates the Sorrell’s Cabinet business near where the boys’ home place is located.
Harnett County Superintendent R.A. Gray and Commissioner Jesse Alphin announced that the Harnett County Board of Education was scheduled to take action to make sure the beginning of the Area III high school was by October of 1983 (Daily Record May 11, 1983). Where was Area III? Was it Triton High School? The first students went to Triton in the fall of 1985. Did it take two years to build the school?
Mrs. Mary Penny Coats celebrated her 90th birthday. She was one of the 17 children of Henry H. Penny and Unity Coats Penny who moved to Coats from the Zack’s Mill Road in Johnston County (Daily Record May 11, 1983) This is not too far from Lanes Seafood and Steak at the Gregory Vineyards.
The Coats girls’ softball team swept a doubleheader from Roseboro to wrap up the regular season championship in the 1-A Carolina Conference. Tonya Gauldin, Beth Pope, Penny Weaver, Jamie Regan and Patricia Royals played outstanding ball. In the baseball game, the Coats boys lost despite the hitting effort of Thomas (Moon Pie) Johnson and teammate Jody Pollard (Daily Record May 11, 1983).We called Thomas “Moon Pie” and there has to be a story as to why. Anyone know?
We do know that the May 12, 1983 edition of the Daily Record printed that Mr. and Mrs. Larry Stancil announced the engagement of their daughter, Melissa Ann Stancil, to David Anthony Core of Erwin.
James Randy Hedgepeth of Coats was to receive his doctor of medicine degree from the School of Medicine at UNC Chapel Hill on May 15th. The 1975 graduate of Coats High was the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Robert Hedgepeth of Coats (Daily Record May 12, 1983). Does anyone know Randy’s specialty? Does he continue to practice medicine in 2020?
Mr. and Mrs. Andy Lamm of Coats announced the birth of a daughter, Alanda Jean at Rex Hospital. The mother was the former Kathy Honeycutt. Grandparents were Russell Lamm and Mr. and Mrs. Warren Honeycutt (Daily Record May 12, 1983).
The Coats Board of Commissioners were continuing to hear plans of the NCDOT to identify present and potential traffic problems and recommend action for improvement of operation and traffic flow (Daily Record May 13, 1983).
Mr. and Mrs. D. Keith Parrish of Route One, Benson, had been chosen as the Family of the Year by the coats Woman’s Club. Martha and Keith had two sons-Kevin and Jason (Daily Record May17, 1983).
Her fellow members selected Laura Langdon as the Woman of the Year for the Coats Woman’s Club (Daily Record May 23, 1983).
The Shutterbug Productions, a branch of the Coats High School Photography class, had presented a program “An Evening of Nostalgia”. The program began with the music of the 1940’s and continued to the 1980’s. Mrs. Jeanine Ennis Klutz, Don Ennis, James Williams, the Dennis Family, and members of the Shutterbug group entertained. The Shutterbugs were Dana Barnes, Andrea Ennis, Alice Beasley, Sonya Barbour, Beverly Steele, Debra Smith, Gwen Bass, Patti Dennis, Buster Stone, Derek Tripp, Timmy Lane, and Todd Ennis. Two younger students involved were Jennifer Barbour and Nathan Smith (Daily Record May 17, 1983).
The museum volunteers had fun switching our winter decorations to spring and Easter ones to welcome our visitors to the Coats Museum. Drop by to see our changes.
Someone questioned if schools and universities had ever closed before because of a pandemic. In 1916 a poliomyelitis pandemic resulted in school closures. In the summer of 1944, major outbreaks of polio occurred. Then on May 13, 1946, polio shut down all schools including colleges and universities. Thanks to the work of Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin in 1955, cures for the crippling pandemic were available.
It is interesting to note the Sept. 1948 Minutes of the Session at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church recorded that a meeting was called to consider the possibility of reopening the church and Sunday school for service again after having been closed because of the Polio Epidemic. The session felt that since the public schools were opening soon that it would be safe to resume services at the church on September 5th.