November 6, 2015 Coats Museum News
Records show that there were over 1,000 students who attended Coats School in the mid 50’s. How did they get to the school? Our parents and grandparents like to remind us that when they went to school, they had to walk even if it was raining or snowing and sometimes that was five or six miles. We also know the very first person to provide mass transportation for students in the county was Gustave Stewart who transported some students from Turlington’s Crossroads to the larger Coats Grove 3 that had better learning options. He had used two mules, Nell and Maude, a gong and a covered wagon. When was the first countywide bus system for students?
This I do know. Mr. C.H. Hood reported that Tony Pope, Glenwood Byrd, Dwight Tripp, Faye Avery, Jean Ryals, Billie Jean Byrd, Willadean Johnson, Jo Ann Stephenson, and Jeanette Daniel were the individuals who took on the awesome responsibility of being student drivers.
Did you know that at one time, students were used to safely protect the students from traffic? Gwen Dixon, Delores Harmon, Patsy Stewart, Peggy Denning, Norma Lee Johnson, Charles Willis, Boyd Clayton, McKinley Whittington, Glynn Harmon (Chairman) and sponsor, Clifford Adams were the safety patrol at Coats School.
Oakdale School, the Grove 1 School District School, had closed in 1950 being the last of the Grove Township schools to consolidate with the Coats Grove 3 School. The old school continued to be a meeting place for many community activities thanks to Tinker Howard who purchased the old brick school and made it available to all who needed a meeting place. One such group was the Oakdale HD Club. This club had won second place for the best home demonstration exhibit at the Four County Fair (Daily Record September 15, 1955).
Do you know when the first Negro was admitted for undergraduate studies at UNC? According to the September 15, 1955 edition of the Daily Record, the year was 1955. That same paper reported that Privates Charles L. McLeod and Troy S. McGee of Coats were members of the 371st Armored Infantry Division of Germany. McLeod was the son of Fred McLeod. He had entered the army in February of 1955. He was a rifleman in the battalion’s Company B. Private McGee, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carlie McGee, was a rifleman in the battalion’s Company C. He had also entered in February 1955.
The Four County Fair winners were announced and they were Mrs. M.S. Whittington-$3.75; Mrs. Delmer Ennis-$15.25; Mrs. G. Rob Adams-$2.00; Mrs. Garland Johnson-$7.00; Mrs. Zola Roberts-$5.00; and Mrs. Joy Marie Walston-$2.00 (Daily Record September 16, 1955).
There was Hurricane Connie, then Hurricane Diane and now there was Hurricane Ione. The storm was a rampaging tempest with winds up to 120 mph smashed into the Eastern seaboard. Diamond Shoals lighthouse was torn from its moorings. Elsewhere in our area, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson Lee Pleasant of Angier announced the arrival of a daughter, Wanda Gail. Mrs. Pleasant was the former Margie Johnson. Mr. and Mrs. William Claude Howerton of Coats announced the birth of their daughter, Rhonda Carol. Mrs. Howerton was the former Joan Lloyd (Daily Record September 19, 1955).
The family of Harvey Barefoot thanked those who had shown kindness during his illness. Mr. Barefoot was much improved. Duncan Wilson headed the HCBOE. He had replaced Dr. C.L. Corbett. Shirley Norris of Coats was honored with a shower. She planned to marry Dewey Mangum on October 15, 1955. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Norris, Sr. and granddaughter of Mrs. George Miller of Coats. The guests were given a tour of the apartment in which the couple would reside after the wedding (Daily Record September 20, 1955).
Do you remember reading about Joseph Fish recently in the column? In 1955, he was a major force to contend with on the Coats football team. The six-man football team at Coats defeated Clayton with a score of 68 to 20. Joe Fish starred for Coats. Parkton was the Coats team’s next rival and the match was planned for Taylor Field. Is that field at Campbell today?
Who were the pretty cheerleaders who spelled out VICTORY to the players and fans of Coats? The young lasses were Barbara Pope, Marjorie Ennis, Lea Joy Johnson, Gwen Dixon, Patsy Stewart, and Delores Harmon (The Echoing Memories 1956).
Bailey’s Crossroads was faithful in reporting local activities to the news. Are you a descendant of any of the following? Mr. and Mrs. Glenard Bailey were dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Denning. Mrs. G. Edward Lee had visited relatives in Raleigh. Miss Faye Byrd returned home after spending several days with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. S.R. Byrd. Mr. and Mrs. Willard Wood, Ronnie, Dempsie, and Ray were dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. John Mills. Little Carl Puckett had spent several days with his aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Lee.
The September meeting of the Oakdale HD Club was very interesting when Assistant Home Agent Margaret Randall showed how to prepare meals without using the frying fan so much. Do you recognize that name? Mrs. Arthur Capps hosted the meeting and Mrs. Glenn Morris presided. The club welcomed the $45.00 that they had won at the Four County Fair for their exhibit-“Live at Home” (Daily Record September 22, 1955).
Does anyone remember George Campbell, 25, of Coats who had plans to marry Mary Hobbs, 21, also of Coats? I do know that Mack Elwood Bass was killed in an automobile accident, which occurred three miles south of Coats. His vehicle crashed into a truck which had stopped in the middle of the highway. Elsewhere in the area, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Daniel Weaver of rural Angier announced the birth of a son, Jeffrey Daniel. Mrs. Weaver was the former Mavis Rogers. It is not likely that the Weaver family went to the movies for awhile but should they, there was the choice of seeing “To Hell and Back” at the Stewart Theater in Dunn.
The Women at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church had their September meeting at the beautiful new home of Mrs. Roy Langdon near Benson. Mrs. Juanita Hudson presided. Mrs. Edward Ennis, Mrs. Vivian Bailey, Mrs. Mary Coats, Mrs. Naomi Hudson, Mrs. Lucille Gregory, Mrs. Edith Denning, and Mrs. Lloyd Stephenson took part in the drive to collect used cotton and woolen clothes to be sent overseas (Daily Record September 23, 1955).
So many thank you’s go out to the friends of the Coats Museum. Becky Adams remembered Lynda Butler, her good friend and coworker at museum, with a birthday honorarium to the Coats Museum Endowment. Martha Goff also remembered Lynda with a birthday donation to the Coats Museum. The Coats High School Class of 1952 has been faithful supporters from the inception of the idea of having a museum back in 1990. A special thank you now goes to them for adding a plaque for the Class of 1952 to the donor’s wall in the exhibit hall.
Ralph Denning, a faithful board member, comes by the museum often when in town to visit his sisters, Carolyn Barnes and Peggie Pope. Last week he came by delivering a mid 1970’s picture of the Coats Travel Group on a trip at the U.S. Capitol taken with Congressman Charlie Whitley. Most of those folks are now dead but their faces brought back so many wonderful memories to some visitors at the museum. Thank you goes to Debbie Grieder of Colonial Corners for giving the picture to the museum.
Read up all our Coats connected area veterans who were in service from 1946 to current, your day of recognition is on November 14th at the Heritage Square in the community building and museum. We look forward to your being recognized and thanked for protecting our American freedoms. You will be featured on our military event video for our website for future generations to view. At 1:00 pm there will be three stations on the square to teach educational information about our American flag. Inside the community building the participants will prepare for the program at 2:00 which begins with the firing blanks in a rifle. Following the event there will be cake and conversation. Free parking is provided behind the museums. NO chairs will be provided, so if someone cannot stand long, it is suggested that a lawn chair be brought. Information about the event can be printed from the coatsmuseum.com website or can be obtained at the museum on Thursday and on Sunday.
Records show that there were over 1,000 students who attended Coats School in the mid 50’s. How did they get to the school? Our parents and grandparents like to remind us that when they went to school, they had to walk even if it was raining or snowing and sometimes that was five or six miles. We also know the very first person to provide mass transportation for students in the county was Gustave Stewart who transported some students from Turlington’s Crossroads to the larger Coats Grove 3 that had better learning options. He had used two mules, Nell and Maude, a gong and a covered wagon. When was the first countywide bus system for students?
This I do know. Mr. C.H. Hood reported that Tony Pope, Glenwood Byrd, Dwight Tripp, Faye Avery, Jean Ryals, Billie Jean Byrd, Willadean Johnson, Jo Ann Stephenson, and Jeanette Daniel were the individuals who took on the awesome responsibility of being student drivers.
Did you know that at one time, students were used to safely protect the students from traffic? Gwen Dixon, Delores Harmon, Patsy Stewart, Peggy Denning, Norma Lee Johnson, Charles Willis, Boyd Clayton, McKinley Whittington, Glynn Harmon (Chairman) and sponsor, Clifford Adams were the safety patrol at Coats School.
Oakdale School, the Grove 1 School District School, had closed in 1950 being the last of the Grove Township schools to consolidate with the Coats Grove 3 School. The old school continued to be a meeting place for many community activities thanks to Tinker Howard who purchased the old brick school and made it available to all who needed a meeting place. One such group was the Oakdale HD Club. This club had won second place for the best home demonstration exhibit at the Four County Fair (Daily Record September 15, 1955).
Do you know when the first Negro was admitted for undergraduate studies at UNC? According to the September 15, 1955 edition of the Daily Record, the year was 1955. That same paper reported that Privates Charles L. McLeod and Troy S. McGee of Coats were members of the 371st Armored Infantry Division of Germany. McLeod was the son of Fred McLeod. He had entered the army in February of 1955. He was a rifleman in the battalion’s Company B. Private McGee, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carlie McGee, was a rifleman in the battalion’s Company C. He had also entered in February 1955.
The Four County Fair winners were announced and they were Mrs. M.S. Whittington-$3.75; Mrs. Delmer Ennis-$15.25; Mrs. G. Rob Adams-$2.00; Mrs. Garland Johnson-$7.00; Mrs. Zola Roberts-$5.00; and Mrs. Joy Marie Walston-$2.00 (Daily Record September 16, 1955).
There was Hurricane Connie, then Hurricane Diane and now there was Hurricane Ione. The storm was a rampaging tempest with winds up to 120 mph smashed into the Eastern seaboard. Diamond Shoals lighthouse was torn from its moorings. Elsewhere in our area, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson Lee Pleasant of Angier announced the arrival of a daughter, Wanda Gail. Mrs. Pleasant was the former Margie Johnson. Mr. and Mrs. William Claude Howerton of Coats announced the birth of their daughter, Rhonda Carol. Mrs. Howerton was the former Joan Lloyd (Daily Record September 19, 1955).
The family of Harvey Barefoot thanked those who had shown kindness during his illness. Mr. Barefoot was much improved. Duncan Wilson headed the HCBOE. He had replaced Dr. C.L. Corbett. Shirley Norris of Coats was honored with a shower. She planned to marry Dewey Mangum on October 15, 1955. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Norris, Sr. and granddaughter of Mrs. George Miller of Coats. The guests were given a tour of the apartment in which the couple would reside after the wedding (Daily Record September 20, 1955).
Do you remember reading about Joseph Fish recently in the column? In 1955, he was a major force to contend with on the Coats football team. The six-man football team at Coats defeated Clayton with a score of 68 to 20. Joe Fish starred for Coats. Parkton was the Coats team’s next rival and the match was planned for Taylor Field. Is that field at Campbell today?
Who were the pretty cheerleaders who spelled out VICTORY to the players and fans of Coats? The young lasses were Barbara Pope, Marjorie Ennis, Lea Joy Johnson, Gwen Dixon, Patsy Stewart, and Delores Harmon (The Echoing Memories 1956).
Bailey’s Crossroads was faithful in reporting local activities to the news. Are you a descendant of any of the following? Mr. and Mrs. Glenard Bailey were dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Denning. Mrs. G. Edward Lee had visited relatives in Raleigh. Miss Faye Byrd returned home after spending several days with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. S.R. Byrd. Mr. and Mrs. Willard Wood, Ronnie, Dempsie, and Ray were dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. John Mills. Little Carl Puckett had spent several days with his aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Lee.
The September meeting of the Oakdale HD Club was very interesting when Assistant Home Agent Margaret Randall showed how to prepare meals without using the frying fan so much. Do you recognize that name? Mrs. Arthur Capps hosted the meeting and Mrs. Glenn Morris presided. The club welcomed the $45.00 that they had won at the Four County Fair for their exhibit-“Live at Home” (Daily Record September 22, 1955).
Does anyone remember George Campbell, 25, of Coats who had plans to marry Mary Hobbs, 21, also of Coats? I do know that Mack Elwood Bass was killed in an automobile accident, which occurred three miles south of Coats. His vehicle crashed into a truck which had stopped in the middle of the highway. Elsewhere in the area, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Daniel Weaver of rural Angier announced the birth of a son, Jeffrey Daniel. Mrs. Weaver was the former Mavis Rogers. It is not likely that the Weaver family went to the movies for awhile but should they, there was the choice of seeing “To Hell and Back” at the Stewart Theater in Dunn.
The Women at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church had their September meeting at the beautiful new home of Mrs. Roy Langdon near Benson. Mrs. Juanita Hudson presided. Mrs. Edward Ennis, Mrs. Vivian Bailey, Mrs. Mary Coats, Mrs. Naomi Hudson, Mrs. Lucille Gregory, Mrs. Edith Denning, and Mrs. Lloyd Stephenson took part in the drive to collect used cotton and woolen clothes to be sent overseas (Daily Record September 23, 1955).
So many thank you’s go out to the friends of the Coats Museum. Becky Adams remembered Lynda Butler, her good friend and coworker at museum, with a birthday honorarium to the Coats Museum Endowment. Martha Goff also remembered Lynda with a birthday donation to the Coats Museum. The Coats High School Class of 1952 has been faithful supporters from the inception of the idea of having a museum back in 1990. A special thank you now goes to them for adding a plaque for the Class of 1952 to the donor’s wall in the exhibit hall.
Ralph Denning, a faithful board member, comes by the museum often when in town to visit his sisters, Carolyn Barnes and Peggie Pope. Last week he came by delivering a mid 1970’s picture of the Coats Travel Group on a trip at the U.S. Capitol taken with Congressman Charlie Whitley. Most of those folks are now dead but their faces brought back so many wonderful memories to some visitors at the museum. Thank you goes to Debbie Grieder of Colonial Corners for giving the picture to the museum.
Read up all our Coats connected area veterans who were in service from 1946 to current, your day of recognition is on November 14th at the Heritage Square in the community building and museum. We look forward to your being recognized and thanked for protecting our American freedoms. You will be featured on our military event video for our website for future generations to view. At 1:00 pm there will be three stations on the square to teach educational information about our American flag. Inside the community building the participants will prepare for the program at 2:00 which begins with the firing blanks in a rifle. Following the event there will be cake and conversation. Free parking is provided behind the museums. NO chairs will be provided, so if someone cannot stand long, it is suggested that a lawn chair be brought. Information about the event can be printed from the coatsmuseum.com website or can be obtained at the museum on Thursday and on Sunday.