November 1, 2013 Coats Museum News
The year was 1947 and the Roosevelt dimes jingled in the Americans’ pockets. The hard line was used in relations with Russia. The electric blanket warmed cold sleepers and automation came to Ford car engines but that was old news. This was a new year-1947. This was the year of the Marshall Plan. This was the year that women’s dresses were full and fell close to the ankles. The Studebaker Champion debuted as the first true post war car. The move to the suburbs created the demand for power mowers when 380,000 were sold in 1947 (Dickson 14, 17).
Does that mean the days are gone when a family would work overtime chopping every sprig of grass from the yard and then sweep it with a brush broom to make it clean as the kitchen floor?
In Grove Township, Mrs. Naomi Hudson was picked as list taker for taxes. Farmers were being encouraged to buy McNair’s Tested Tobacco Seed at the Coats Mercantile Co. on Main Street (Dunn Dispatch January 2, 1947).
The marriage announcement of Madeline Denning, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James K. Denning, to Keith Stone Byerly on December 21, 1946 was printed in the January 9 edition of the newspaper. Coats had been without a bank for 20 years. An application had been made to First Citizens Bank and Trust Co. to open a bank in Coats (Dunn Dispatch January 9, 1947).
Dewey Yardley and Oris Autry offered the best in movies at the Coats Theater for the people of Grove. “Tomorrow is Forever”, “Son of Zorro”, and “Partners in Time” were shown during the week of January 13th. The women in the area had choices of Home Demonstrations Clubs to attend for there were 25 clubs to choose from in Harnett (Dunn Dispatch January 13, 1947).
Dew and Stewart were the top scorers in a basketball game with Erwin (Dunn Dispatch January 16, 1947). Did they have first names? Were they male or female?
A Coats boy’s poem was published in the Anthology of High School Poetry published by the National High School Poetry Association. Max Barnes, the 12th grade poet, was the son of T.E. Barnes. Young Barnes planned to attend UNC in the fall (Dunn Dispatch January 20, 1947).
It happened! The State Banking Commission approved the branch of First Citizens Bank for Coats. The newspaper reported that the Bank of Coats had failed 20 years ago (Dunn Dispatch January 23, 1947). (The Bank of Coats closed shortly after the death of N.T. Patterson. The Bank of Harnett was in Coats in the late 20’s. Are there newspaper articles that shared the failure of a bank failure in 1927? Can someone share more information on the bank failure?)
Emmett Edgerton donated $210 for prizes for a speaking contest. Each school was given $10.00 for the winner (Dunn Dispatch January 23, 1947).
Mrs. Ila Johnson Truelove died. Paul Johnson, Richard Johnson, Ray John son, Zel Johnson, and Oscar Johnson survived her. The widow of James Archie Truelove was half –sister to Daniel and Jarvis Stewart (Dunn Dispatch January 27, 1947).Did she help in the “Stewart Hotel” that operated from 1912 to around 1938 on McKinley Street?
I do know that Mrs. Inez Harrington could have given her “best wishes” to Johnnie Leroy Stewart and Mary Audrey Sauls of Coats as she issued them a marriage license (Dunn Dispatch January 30, 1947).
The seniors at Coats presented 4 one- act plays that were written by seniors in their English class. The individual student playwright directed the plays. Mrs. Pauline Wright Putnam assisted her students. Hugh Turlington directed “An Unusual Man”, the story of a man whose poetry solved all his financial problems. “Lost and Found”, the story of an American soldier who lost his girl in England and had to come back to America to find her, was written by and directed by T.J. Turlington, Jr. “Happiness Without Bounds”, the story of a young man who returned from service minus an arm, was written and directed by Addie Lee Pope. “Princess for a Night, the story of how a mother’s old wedding dress saved the day for an entire family, was written and directed by Sylvia Blalock (Dunn Dispatch January 30, 1947).
Would you not have loved to have been in the auditorium on February 21 when those plays were presented? An extra reason for attending that night would be hearing the winner of the World Peace speaking contest give the winning speech (Dunn Dispatch January 30, 1947). Who won that crisp ten dollar bill?
Things were picking up after the war. In 1940, $1,133 was the average income; however, in 1945, the income doubled to $2, 461. Harnett County had a population of 40,700 which was 1.22 percent of the state’s population. Harnett families averaged spending $1,135.26 during 1945.There were 13,571 people employed in Harnett in 1945. Industrial workers amounted to 2146 (15.8%) and agriculture workers totaled 7,092 (52.3%) (Dunn Dispatch February 3, 1947).
“Jungle Girl” Chapter 1 was showing at the Coats Theater. The James Grimes and Elizabeth Williford wedding had occurred on January 25, 1947. It had been an impressive ceremony. Mrs. C.G. Fuquay played the piano for Mrs. Jesse Turner to sing. The couple honeymooned in western North Carolina. Mrs. W.H. Turlington was visited by her daughter, Mrs. J. Pierpont Morgan (Dunn Dispatch February 3, 1947). Wonder if they attended the Grimes wedding? Aren’t they relatives?
Elwood Leon Whittington was born. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Garland Whittington. Everette Odell Adams, Jr. was also a winter baby as was Danny Keith Pollard, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Pollard (Dunn Dispatch February 6, 1947).
Now we know who the two finalists were in the World Peace speaking contest. They were Alice Johnson and Wilma Dew. One would receive a prize and medal (Dunn Dispatch February 20, 1947).
The Harnett County Community Fund met at the Community Center on October 24th and a large crowd heard Mary Ellen Lauder and Dal Snipes share how the fund helps many nonprofits in the county. The museum received two grants from that fund many years ago to assist in the purchase of cameras so the museum folks could interview individuals in the community who have stories to share about military experiences, farm life, home life and much more about life of yesteryear. The museum volunteers were proud to give tours of the museums to those who attended the event on the Heritage Square.
Yet another donor has come forth to help meet the $50,000 challenge to pay off the museum’s building debt. Many have memories of Ralph Denning from the 1963 graduating class. Ralph has honored the memory of his mother, Mrs. Hortense J. Denning. Thank you very much, Ralph. Thank you also goes to Hilda Pope, Robie and Lynda Butler, Dorsey and Pauline Daniel, and H.L. Sorrell for giving memorials to the Coats Museum for Jewel Whittington, Virginia Holmes and Coma Lee Coats Currin.
The year was 1947 and the Roosevelt dimes jingled in the Americans’ pockets. The hard line was used in relations with Russia. The electric blanket warmed cold sleepers and automation came to Ford car engines but that was old news. This was a new year-1947. This was the year of the Marshall Plan. This was the year that women’s dresses were full and fell close to the ankles. The Studebaker Champion debuted as the first true post war car. The move to the suburbs created the demand for power mowers when 380,000 were sold in 1947 (Dickson 14, 17).
Does that mean the days are gone when a family would work overtime chopping every sprig of grass from the yard and then sweep it with a brush broom to make it clean as the kitchen floor?
In Grove Township, Mrs. Naomi Hudson was picked as list taker for taxes. Farmers were being encouraged to buy McNair’s Tested Tobacco Seed at the Coats Mercantile Co. on Main Street (Dunn Dispatch January 2, 1947).
The marriage announcement of Madeline Denning, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James K. Denning, to Keith Stone Byerly on December 21, 1946 was printed in the January 9 edition of the newspaper. Coats had been without a bank for 20 years. An application had been made to First Citizens Bank and Trust Co. to open a bank in Coats (Dunn Dispatch January 9, 1947).
Dewey Yardley and Oris Autry offered the best in movies at the Coats Theater for the people of Grove. “Tomorrow is Forever”, “Son of Zorro”, and “Partners in Time” were shown during the week of January 13th. The women in the area had choices of Home Demonstrations Clubs to attend for there were 25 clubs to choose from in Harnett (Dunn Dispatch January 13, 1947).
Dew and Stewart were the top scorers in a basketball game with Erwin (Dunn Dispatch January 16, 1947). Did they have first names? Were they male or female?
A Coats boy’s poem was published in the Anthology of High School Poetry published by the National High School Poetry Association. Max Barnes, the 12th grade poet, was the son of T.E. Barnes. Young Barnes planned to attend UNC in the fall (Dunn Dispatch January 20, 1947).
It happened! The State Banking Commission approved the branch of First Citizens Bank for Coats. The newspaper reported that the Bank of Coats had failed 20 years ago (Dunn Dispatch January 23, 1947). (The Bank of Coats closed shortly after the death of N.T. Patterson. The Bank of Harnett was in Coats in the late 20’s. Are there newspaper articles that shared the failure of a bank failure in 1927? Can someone share more information on the bank failure?)
Emmett Edgerton donated $210 for prizes for a speaking contest. Each school was given $10.00 for the winner (Dunn Dispatch January 23, 1947).
Mrs. Ila Johnson Truelove died. Paul Johnson, Richard Johnson, Ray John son, Zel Johnson, and Oscar Johnson survived her. The widow of James Archie Truelove was half –sister to Daniel and Jarvis Stewart (Dunn Dispatch January 27, 1947).Did she help in the “Stewart Hotel” that operated from 1912 to around 1938 on McKinley Street?
I do know that Mrs. Inez Harrington could have given her “best wishes” to Johnnie Leroy Stewart and Mary Audrey Sauls of Coats as she issued them a marriage license (Dunn Dispatch January 30, 1947).
The seniors at Coats presented 4 one- act plays that were written by seniors in their English class. The individual student playwright directed the plays. Mrs. Pauline Wright Putnam assisted her students. Hugh Turlington directed “An Unusual Man”, the story of a man whose poetry solved all his financial problems. “Lost and Found”, the story of an American soldier who lost his girl in England and had to come back to America to find her, was written by and directed by T.J. Turlington, Jr. “Happiness Without Bounds”, the story of a young man who returned from service minus an arm, was written and directed by Addie Lee Pope. “Princess for a Night, the story of how a mother’s old wedding dress saved the day for an entire family, was written and directed by Sylvia Blalock (Dunn Dispatch January 30, 1947).
Would you not have loved to have been in the auditorium on February 21 when those plays were presented? An extra reason for attending that night would be hearing the winner of the World Peace speaking contest give the winning speech (Dunn Dispatch January 30, 1947). Who won that crisp ten dollar bill?
Things were picking up after the war. In 1940, $1,133 was the average income; however, in 1945, the income doubled to $2, 461. Harnett County had a population of 40,700 which was 1.22 percent of the state’s population. Harnett families averaged spending $1,135.26 during 1945.There were 13,571 people employed in Harnett in 1945. Industrial workers amounted to 2146 (15.8%) and agriculture workers totaled 7,092 (52.3%) (Dunn Dispatch February 3, 1947).
“Jungle Girl” Chapter 1 was showing at the Coats Theater. The James Grimes and Elizabeth Williford wedding had occurred on January 25, 1947. It had been an impressive ceremony. Mrs. C.G. Fuquay played the piano for Mrs. Jesse Turner to sing. The couple honeymooned in western North Carolina. Mrs. W.H. Turlington was visited by her daughter, Mrs. J. Pierpont Morgan (Dunn Dispatch February 3, 1947). Wonder if they attended the Grimes wedding? Aren’t they relatives?
Elwood Leon Whittington was born. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Garland Whittington. Everette Odell Adams, Jr. was also a winter baby as was Danny Keith Pollard, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Pollard (Dunn Dispatch February 6, 1947).
Now we know who the two finalists were in the World Peace speaking contest. They were Alice Johnson and Wilma Dew. One would receive a prize and medal (Dunn Dispatch February 20, 1947).
The Harnett County Community Fund met at the Community Center on October 24th and a large crowd heard Mary Ellen Lauder and Dal Snipes share how the fund helps many nonprofits in the county. The museum received two grants from that fund many years ago to assist in the purchase of cameras so the museum folks could interview individuals in the community who have stories to share about military experiences, farm life, home life and much more about life of yesteryear. The museum volunteers were proud to give tours of the museums to those who attended the event on the Heritage Square.
Yet another donor has come forth to help meet the $50,000 challenge to pay off the museum’s building debt. Many have memories of Ralph Denning from the 1963 graduating class. Ralph has honored the memory of his mother, Mrs. Hortense J. Denning. Thank you very much, Ralph. Thank you also goes to Hilda Pope, Robie and Lynda Butler, Dorsey and Pauline Daniel, and H.L. Sorrell for giving memorials to the Coats Museum for Jewel Whittington, Virginia Holmes and Coma Lee Coats Currin.