May 1, 2015 Coats
Museum News
If someone asked you to list as many sets of twins that you can think of who were from Coats, who would you name? Would there be the Grimes twins-Jewel and Judy Grimes and James and Jesse Grimes on your list? How many sets of twins were there in the Avery family? Were there twins in the Glover, Maness, Pollard, and Langdon families? Keep thinking. This I do know. Mr. and Mrs. Earl Ennis of Coats announced the birth of twins, a boy and a girl-Martin Dale and Donna Gale-on May 27, in Good Hope Hospital in Erwin. Mrs. Ennis was the former Berlene Langdon. Were there twins in her family and do you remember reading about her playing basketball at Coats a few years back?
It is interesting to wonder why Tim and Gale Ennis Penny did not have twins since there are many twins in both their families. Tim’s great-grandfather, Henry H. Penny, was a twin and Henry H. Penny’s half-brother, Preacher James Thomas Coats, was also a twin. Who knows the names of Gale’s uncles who were twins?
Inspection of markets, restaurants and other facilities that could cause sickness or injury have long been under the eye of trained inspectors and in most cases the ratings have been posted for all to see in the businesses. In 1952, there were several businesses that were visited by the Harnett County Health inspector who graded the M.E. Ennis, Johnson’s Market, the Kitchen, and the Coats Café. Recall that in years past that the grades were listed in the paper. If fact, in the May 16, 1952 paper, it recorded that the Coats School Cafeteria under Mrs. Lillian Earp had earned an “A” grade for the basement cafeteria.
In 1952, if a farmer needed to butcher a hog, the neighbors likely helped in community hog killing. Was that the case when a cow was butchered? I do know that there was Hayes’s Abattoir on the Coats-Bethel Road ( AbattoirRoad in 2015) where farmers took their cattle. Did this abattoir ever have owners other than Gerald Hayes?
Many of the people who graduated during the years of the WWII have shared memories of high school graduations. Some spoke of few boys in the graduating classes because they were on the battlefield and of the ceremonies being patriotic in theme using American flags and displaying red, white and blue color.
I do know that the Class of 1952 at Coats had the theme for class night exercises, “Future Train”. The seniors entered the auditorium followed by the juniors who carried the “Daisy Chain.” How many of you actually carried a chain with daisies or did you carry one made of running roses that were gathered from yards and the road ditch banks in the area?
I do know the paper wrote that the class salutatorian was Ruth Denning and Sue Langdon was the valedictorian. In the class night activities, Rudolph Miller was Ticket Agent; Delano Whittington was Custom Inspector; Dorothy Jean Barnes was Movie Star; Frederick Byrd- Sailor; Josephine Johnson-Sailor Girl; Raymond Jernigan-Reporter; Garnie Edwards- Photographer; Clara Mae Stephenson-Magazine Girl; Ruth Denning-Historian; Gail Pope-Statistician; Peggy Senter –Announcer; Melvia Williams-Prophet; Gertrude Byrd , Jo Ann Fox, ( Laura Ennis and Melba Clayton ?) –Bobby Soxers; Thelma Jackson, Sue Stewart, Edna Avery, and Phyllis Bowden-Bohemians and Donnie Pollard was Testator. Sophomores Bobby Smith, Victor Byrd and Larry Barnes sang a song.
Members of the Coats High School Class of 1952, can you recall who won honors at your graduation? I do know that all the officers were females. Was there a story behind that? Sue Langdon was president; Edna Avery-vice president; Dorothy Barnes-secretary; Ruth Denning –treasurer, and Laura Grace Ennis –reporter.
Mr. W.E. Nichols, chairman of the County Board of Education and Herbert L. Johnson, Coats School Board Chairman, presented awards at the graduation ceremony. Three awards were handed to Sue Langdon for Good Sportsmanship, Woman’s Club Best-All-Around Girl and Valedictorian. Dennis Pope was presented Sportsmanship and the Carson Gregory Best-All-Around Boy. Gertrude Byrd received the Most Outstanding Citizen and Rudolph Miller received the Athletic Award. Due to her superior work on the school paper and school annual, Mamie Ruth Denning was rewarded. Imogene Williams received the Girl’s Athletic Award. Becky Upchurch earned the Commerce Award while Delano Whittington received the FFA Award and Allie Mae Barnes received the Home Economics Award. Howard Smith’s safe driving resulted in his receiving the outstanding Bus Driver Award. Did you notice that one of the recipients was not a senior but lower classman? Could the Home Economics Award have gone to Dorothy Jean Barnes rather than to her sister Allie Mae?
Read the following list of students who were named in the Daily Record as being 1952 graduates: Edna Mae Avery, Dorothy Jean Barnes, Phyllis Bowden, Frederick Byrd, Gertrude Byrd, Melba Lee Clayton, Lela Ruth Cobb, Thomas Cooper, Mamie Ruth Denning, Garnie Edwards, Albert Elliott, Laura Grace Ennis, Jo Ann Fox, Bill Garner, Shirley Gregory, Jean Hawley, Fred Holmes, Bill Howard, Jeanette Jackson, Thelma Jackson, Raymond Jernigan, Josephine Johnson, Fannie Sue Langdon, Betty Maness, Peggy Maness, Howard Miller, Rudolph Miller, Marvin McLean, Maynard Moran, Annie Lou Norris, Billy Norris, Helen Jean Parnell, Johnnie Parrish, Donnie Pollard, Dennis Pope, Gail Pope, Tyrus Powell, D.C. Ryals, Peggy Senter, Greta Lou Sills, Howard Smith, Clara Mae Stephenson, Sue Stewart, James Tadlock, Bobbie Gray Turlington, Becky Upchurch, Jimmy Vaughn, Delano Whittington, Hilda Williams, Imogene Williams, Melvia Williams and W.F. Williams (Daily Record May 30, 1952).
Just reading these names of students who did not win awards did not define their success after graduation. So many of these graduates you will be reading about as we continue our paper trip of yesteryear.
Mrs. Nell Williams, a 4th-5th grade teacher at Coats, had left for Atlanta to visit relatives and meet her husband who was to be returning from Japan. Lt. Col. K.R. Williams had been in Japan for 13 months. Mr. and Mrs. Neill McKay Salmon went to Wayneboro, VA. to return home with their son, McKay Salmon, who had completed his junior year at Fishbourne Military Academy (Daily Record May 30, 1952). Does anyone recognize those newsmakers?
A proposed new courthouse with pictures made the headlines of the Daily Record. The cost was to be $490,000 for the one story courthouse and offices. It was proposed to tear down the present courthouse, jail, library and welfare offices and replace them with a new building on the present square (Daily Record June 3, 1952). Did it happen?
Eloise Pope, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Willis Pope of Angier Route 2, graduated from Campbell College where she was an honor student involved in many campus activities. Helen Pruitt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B.L. Pruitt of Route One Coats, planned to enter ECC to obtain her teacher’s degree. Her sister had graduated from Campbell College. Who was her sister? Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hollingsworth and son Rickie of Ridge Springs, S.C. had spent the weekend with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Hollingsworth. They also spent a week with Mrs. Hollingsworth’s mother, Mrs. V.R. McGee of Coats (Daily Record June 3, 1952).
Lynda and Robie Butler recently volunteered at the museum on Sunday afternoon and really enjoyed a visit from Linwood Denning and Judy Denning Wood. Judy’s is the widow of Aubrey Wood and stepmother of Aubrey Wood, III. Aubrey “Lewis” graduated from Coats High School in 1983 and retired from the US Army with the rank of Colonel. Judy added his impressive record into our military collection. Hopefully, we will get a story from him for our book, “Red, White and Blue”. While visiting, Judy and Linwood honored their Uncle Carsie Denning with memorials to the Coats Museum.
Remember to drop by the museum and add your military information to the museum’s military history and think about writing a story about your military service to be published by the museum. Consider doing a video interview about your service to our country.
If someone asked you to list as many sets of twins that you can think of who were from Coats, who would you name? Would there be the Grimes twins-Jewel and Judy Grimes and James and Jesse Grimes on your list? How many sets of twins were there in the Avery family? Were there twins in the Glover, Maness, Pollard, and Langdon families? Keep thinking. This I do know. Mr. and Mrs. Earl Ennis of Coats announced the birth of twins, a boy and a girl-Martin Dale and Donna Gale-on May 27, in Good Hope Hospital in Erwin. Mrs. Ennis was the former Berlene Langdon. Were there twins in her family and do you remember reading about her playing basketball at Coats a few years back?
It is interesting to wonder why Tim and Gale Ennis Penny did not have twins since there are many twins in both their families. Tim’s great-grandfather, Henry H. Penny, was a twin and Henry H. Penny’s half-brother, Preacher James Thomas Coats, was also a twin. Who knows the names of Gale’s uncles who were twins?
Inspection of markets, restaurants and other facilities that could cause sickness or injury have long been under the eye of trained inspectors and in most cases the ratings have been posted for all to see in the businesses. In 1952, there were several businesses that were visited by the Harnett County Health inspector who graded the M.E. Ennis, Johnson’s Market, the Kitchen, and the Coats Café. Recall that in years past that the grades were listed in the paper. If fact, in the May 16, 1952 paper, it recorded that the Coats School Cafeteria under Mrs. Lillian Earp had earned an “A” grade for the basement cafeteria.
In 1952, if a farmer needed to butcher a hog, the neighbors likely helped in community hog killing. Was that the case when a cow was butchered? I do know that there was Hayes’s Abattoir on the Coats-Bethel Road ( AbattoirRoad in 2015) where farmers took their cattle. Did this abattoir ever have owners other than Gerald Hayes?
Many of the people who graduated during the years of the WWII have shared memories of high school graduations. Some spoke of few boys in the graduating classes because they were on the battlefield and of the ceremonies being patriotic in theme using American flags and displaying red, white and blue color.
I do know that the Class of 1952 at Coats had the theme for class night exercises, “Future Train”. The seniors entered the auditorium followed by the juniors who carried the “Daisy Chain.” How many of you actually carried a chain with daisies or did you carry one made of running roses that were gathered from yards and the road ditch banks in the area?
I do know the paper wrote that the class salutatorian was Ruth Denning and Sue Langdon was the valedictorian. In the class night activities, Rudolph Miller was Ticket Agent; Delano Whittington was Custom Inspector; Dorothy Jean Barnes was Movie Star; Frederick Byrd- Sailor; Josephine Johnson-Sailor Girl; Raymond Jernigan-Reporter; Garnie Edwards- Photographer; Clara Mae Stephenson-Magazine Girl; Ruth Denning-Historian; Gail Pope-Statistician; Peggy Senter –Announcer; Melvia Williams-Prophet; Gertrude Byrd , Jo Ann Fox, ( Laura Ennis and Melba Clayton ?) –Bobby Soxers; Thelma Jackson, Sue Stewart, Edna Avery, and Phyllis Bowden-Bohemians and Donnie Pollard was Testator. Sophomores Bobby Smith, Victor Byrd and Larry Barnes sang a song.
Members of the Coats High School Class of 1952, can you recall who won honors at your graduation? I do know that all the officers were females. Was there a story behind that? Sue Langdon was president; Edna Avery-vice president; Dorothy Barnes-secretary; Ruth Denning –treasurer, and Laura Grace Ennis –reporter.
Mr. W.E. Nichols, chairman of the County Board of Education and Herbert L. Johnson, Coats School Board Chairman, presented awards at the graduation ceremony. Three awards were handed to Sue Langdon for Good Sportsmanship, Woman’s Club Best-All-Around Girl and Valedictorian. Dennis Pope was presented Sportsmanship and the Carson Gregory Best-All-Around Boy. Gertrude Byrd received the Most Outstanding Citizen and Rudolph Miller received the Athletic Award. Due to her superior work on the school paper and school annual, Mamie Ruth Denning was rewarded. Imogene Williams received the Girl’s Athletic Award. Becky Upchurch earned the Commerce Award while Delano Whittington received the FFA Award and Allie Mae Barnes received the Home Economics Award. Howard Smith’s safe driving resulted in his receiving the outstanding Bus Driver Award. Did you notice that one of the recipients was not a senior but lower classman? Could the Home Economics Award have gone to Dorothy Jean Barnes rather than to her sister Allie Mae?
Read the following list of students who were named in the Daily Record as being 1952 graduates: Edna Mae Avery, Dorothy Jean Barnes, Phyllis Bowden, Frederick Byrd, Gertrude Byrd, Melba Lee Clayton, Lela Ruth Cobb, Thomas Cooper, Mamie Ruth Denning, Garnie Edwards, Albert Elliott, Laura Grace Ennis, Jo Ann Fox, Bill Garner, Shirley Gregory, Jean Hawley, Fred Holmes, Bill Howard, Jeanette Jackson, Thelma Jackson, Raymond Jernigan, Josephine Johnson, Fannie Sue Langdon, Betty Maness, Peggy Maness, Howard Miller, Rudolph Miller, Marvin McLean, Maynard Moran, Annie Lou Norris, Billy Norris, Helen Jean Parnell, Johnnie Parrish, Donnie Pollard, Dennis Pope, Gail Pope, Tyrus Powell, D.C. Ryals, Peggy Senter, Greta Lou Sills, Howard Smith, Clara Mae Stephenson, Sue Stewart, James Tadlock, Bobbie Gray Turlington, Becky Upchurch, Jimmy Vaughn, Delano Whittington, Hilda Williams, Imogene Williams, Melvia Williams and W.F. Williams (Daily Record May 30, 1952).
Just reading these names of students who did not win awards did not define their success after graduation. So many of these graduates you will be reading about as we continue our paper trip of yesteryear.
Mrs. Nell Williams, a 4th-5th grade teacher at Coats, had left for Atlanta to visit relatives and meet her husband who was to be returning from Japan. Lt. Col. K.R. Williams had been in Japan for 13 months. Mr. and Mrs. Neill McKay Salmon went to Wayneboro, VA. to return home with their son, McKay Salmon, who had completed his junior year at Fishbourne Military Academy (Daily Record May 30, 1952). Does anyone recognize those newsmakers?
A proposed new courthouse with pictures made the headlines of the Daily Record. The cost was to be $490,000 for the one story courthouse and offices. It was proposed to tear down the present courthouse, jail, library and welfare offices and replace them with a new building on the present square (Daily Record June 3, 1952). Did it happen?
Eloise Pope, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Willis Pope of Angier Route 2, graduated from Campbell College where she was an honor student involved in many campus activities. Helen Pruitt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B.L. Pruitt of Route One Coats, planned to enter ECC to obtain her teacher’s degree. Her sister had graduated from Campbell College. Who was her sister? Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hollingsworth and son Rickie of Ridge Springs, S.C. had spent the weekend with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Hollingsworth. They also spent a week with Mrs. Hollingsworth’s mother, Mrs. V.R. McGee of Coats (Daily Record June 3, 1952).
Lynda and Robie Butler recently volunteered at the museum on Sunday afternoon and really enjoyed a visit from Linwood Denning and Judy Denning Wood. Judy’s is the widow of Aubrey Wood and stepmother of Aubrey Wood, III. Aubrey “Lewis” graduated from Coats High School in 1983 and retired from the US Army with the rank of Colonel. Judy added his impressive record into our military collection. Hopefully, we will get a story from him for our book, “Red, White and Blue”. While visiting, Judy and Linwood honored their Uncle Carsie Denning with memorials to the Coats Museum.
Remember to drop by the museum and add your military information to the museum’s military history and think about writing a story about your military service to be published by the museum. Consider doing a video interview about your service to our country.