October 16, 2020 Coats Museum News
Does it seem possible that it was thirty-five years ago that high school students from the former Coats, Erwin and Dunn High Schools had made their way to a consolidated school named Triton. Those students are approaching middle age now and many many with children in college.
Does anyone remember the number of the bus that transported you to Triton before you were old enough to drive your car to the campus? The September 18th edition the Daily Record recorded that bus number 215 was the first bus to arrive for the opening of Triton. Assistant Principal Dan Honeycutt and Director of School Transportation Harrington Morrison were on hand to receive the new buses.
Who was the driver of bus 215? Was it a student or adult driver? You do remember that there was time when the buses were driven by high school boys and girls?
While writing about building things, who remembers seeing or hearing Earl Denning fly over the houses in Grove Township in his ultra light? Earl described his ultra light as a three axis controlled aircraft which could fly no faster than 63 mile per hour and weigh no more than 254 pounds. It had to have a stall speed no greater than 27 miles per hour and carry no more than five gallons of fuel. Mr. Denning was an automotive repair instructor at Wake Technical College since August 1981. Another building accomplishment went to Clarence Neighbors of Coats who was presented with an $800 check for his winning entry in a die-build contest conducted at Wake Technical College (Daily Record September 18, 1985).
A Coats landmark had just closed in September of 1985.The McKnight’s Drug Store, a local gathering place and one of the oldest businesses in town, had opened in 1950. Mr. McKnight shut its doors because he wanted to retire to spend more time with his wife, Mary Margaret, and children-David, Douglas and Mrs. Sarah McKnight Boone (Daily Record Sept. 18, 1985).
Who recalls going there after school? My rural friends and I walked to the drug store after basketball practice where our parents picked us up. I remember that Mr. McKnight would use capable high school students to work there and we thought those students were celebrities.
Some of you might recall that Mr. McKnight was credited for the success of the first Tractor Rodeo held in Coats in 1958. It was a modern version of the Community Fair held in the early days of Coats. Revisit this rodeo on page 242 column 1, 2, 3 of the Heritage of Coats, NC.
Who had twins as classmates? Lyle Pollard, the twin son of Danny Pollard who was twin brother of Debbie Pollard, was a kindergarten student in 1985. Kyle was pictured in the Daily Record (Sept. 30, 1985).He was enjoying lunch with his grandmother Mrs. Lottie Pollard of Route One, Coats. They were observing Grandparents ‘Day.
It is interesting to note that Danny and Debbie also had twin siblings-Kenneth and Keith Pollard. Wonder if any of their children or grandchildren has twins?
A common fixture at Woodall’s in Benson was Mrs. Octavia Gainey Neighbors. She was such a friendly lady. My family loved shopping at Woodall’s and after my sisters were off to college, my dad would drop me off in front of Woodall’s to shop for shoes and clothes while he went down the street to talk to his good friends-Ralph and Roy Medlin who ran a farm supply type store.
Mrs. Neighbors died at age 78. She was survived by her husband, Joseph Arthur Neighbors, and daughter Myra Jo Neighbors Quick (Daily Record Oct. 1, 1985).
For those of you who have lived in Coats all your lives, can you remember who served as mayor and commissioners when some major accomplishments occurred? When did the town get a water system, a municipal town hall, a town park—the list could go on?
I did not grow up in the town of Coats but three names that most of us in the area will recognize are Ronald and Joy Bowden Coats and Joe Tart. Joy served faithfully as the much respected and beloved secretary of Coats School for 48 years. Ronald served as mayor of Coats when he and his commissioners dared to want progressive projects to improve life for the citizens of the town.
Some might recall that Joe Tart served as a hard working town commissioner of Coats for several years. The Tart and Coats family served the town together, attended school and church together and loved the town of Coats. Thank you, Joy and Ronald, for remembering Joe with a memorial to the Coats Museum. Others who have also memorialized Joe are Keith and Linda Wallace and Gail Gilbert Denning-a big thank you for your memorials.
Another Coats native who returned to live in town was Eddie Vaughan who worked in newspaper publishing in CA. Eddie became a very active member of the Coats Museum by serving as a board member and active volunteer. Eddie has moved to Fayetteville to be near his daughters but continues to visit. A few weeks back he came to give a WW II book and memorial for Joe Tart. Eddie recalled Joe’s love of WWII history and the museum. Thank you, Eddie.
Steeves and Louise Smith and their daughters-Andrea and Rose Mary from Mitchell, SD attended a wedding in Coats where they met my brother, Stacey Johnson, Sr. and recalled how nice he was to them. They remembered him with a memorial to the Coats Museum as did Karen and Keith Parrish. Karen came to the museum bearing a hot peach cobbler and candy for the volunteers and giving a memorial for Stacey Johnson, Sr. She recalled the good times the two families had shared when their kids played sports together at Coats School. Thank you- Karen and Keith for remembering your friend.
Does it seem possible that it was thirty-five years ago that high school students from the former Coats, Erwin and Dunn High Schools had made their way to a consolidated school named Triton. Those students are approaching middle age now and many many with children in college.
Does anyone remember the number of the bus that transported you to Triton before you were old enough to drive your car to the campus? The September 18th edition the Daily Record recorded that bus number 215 was the first bus to arrive for the opening of Triton. Assistant Principal Dan Honeycutt and Director of School Transportation Harrington Morrison were on hand to receive the new buses.
Who was the driver of bus 215? Was it a student or adult driver? You do remember that there was time when the buses were driven by high school boys and girls?
While writing about building things, who remembers seeing or hearing Earl Denning fly over the houses in Grove Township in his ultra light? Earl described his ultra light as a three axis controlled aircraft which could fly no faster than 63 mile per hour and weigh no more than 254 pounds. It had to have a stall speed no greater than 27 miles per hour and carry no more than five gallons of fuel. Mr. Denning was an automotive repair instructor at Wake Technical College since August 1981. Another building accomplishment went to Clarence Neighbors of Coats who was presented with an $800 check for his winning entry in a die-build contest conducted at Wake Technical College (Daily Record September 18, 1985).
A Coats landmark had just closed in September of 1985.The McKnight’s Drug Store, a local gathering place and one of the oldest businesses in town, had opened in 1950. Mr. McKnight shut its doors because he wanted to retire to spend more time with his wife, Mary Margaret, and children-David, Douglas and Mrs. Sarah McKnight Boone (Daily Record Sept. 18, 1985).
Who recalls going there after school? My rural friends and I walked to the drug store after basketball practice where our parents picked us up. I remember that Mr. McKnight would use capable high school students to work there and we thought those students were celebrities.
Some of you might recall that Mr. McKnight was credited for the success of the first Tractor Rodeo held in Coats in 1958. It was a modern version of the Community Fair held in the early days of Coats. Revisit this rodeo on page 242 column 1, 2, 3 of the Heritage of Coats, NC.
Who had twins as classmates? Lyle Pollard, the twin son of Danny Pollard who was twin brother of Debbie Pollard, was a kindergarten student in 1985. Kyle was pictured in the Daily Record (Sept. 30, 1985).He was enjoying lunch with his grandmother Mrs. Lottie Pollard of Route One, Coats. They were observing Grandparents ‘Day.
It is interesting to note that Danny and Debbie also had twin siblings-Kenneth and Keith Pollard. Wonder if any of their children or grandchildren has twins?
A common fixture at Woodall’s in Benson was Mrs. Octavia Gainey Neighbors. She was such a friendly lady. My family loved shopping at Woodall’s and after my sisters were off to college, my dad would drop me off in front of Woodall’s to shop for shoes and clothes while he went down the street to talk to his good friends-Ralph and Roy Medlin who ran a farm supply type store.
Mrs. Neighbors died at age 78. She was survived by her husband, Joseph Arthur Neighbors, and daughter Myra Jo Neighbors Quick (Daily Record Oct. 1, 1985).
For those of you who have lived in Coats all your lives, can you remember who served as mayor and commissioners when some major accomplishments occurred? When did the town get a water system, a municipal town hall, a town park—the list could go on?
I did not grow up in the town of Coats but three names that most of us in the area will recognize are Ronald and Joy Bowden Coats and Joe Tart. Joy served faithfully as the much respected and beloved secretary of Coats School for 48 years. Ronald served as mayor of Coats when he and his commissioners dared to want progressive projects to improve life for the citizens of the town.
Some might recall that Joe Tart served as a hard working town commissioner of Coats for several years. The Tart and Coats family served the town together, attended school and church together and loved the town of Coats. Thank you, Joy and Ronald, for remembering Joe with a memorial to the Coats Museum. Others who have also memorialized Joe are Keith and Linda Wallace and Gail Gilbert Denning-a big thank you for your memorials.
Another Coats native who returned to live in town was Eddie Vaughan who worked in newspaper publishing in CA. Eddie became a very active member of the Coats Museum by serving as a board member and active volunteer. Eddie has moved to Fayetteville to be near his daughters but continues to visit. A few weeks back he came to give a WW II book and memorial for Joe Tart. Eddie recalled Joe’s love of WWII history and the museum. Thank you, Eddie.
Steeves and Louise Smith and their daughters-Andrea and Rose Mary from Mitchell, SD attended a wedding in Coats where they met my brother, Stacey Johnson, Sr. and recalled how nice he was to them. They remembered him with a memorial to the Coats Museum as did Karen and Keith Parrish. Karen came to the museum bearing a hot peach cobbler and candy for the volunteers and giving a memorial for Stacey Johnson, Sr. She recalled the good times the two families had shared when their kids played sports together at Coats School. Thank you- Karen and Keith for remembering your friend.