September 19, 2011 Coats Museum News
In 1922, the Coats School auditorium had become the convention center for the town of Coats. The First Annual Fiddlers Convention under the direction of George I. Smith convened on October 7, 1922. The following fiddlers were present: H.T. Faucett and W.H. Faucett of Lillington; R.C. Page of Angier; A.T. Suter of Four Oaks; S.H. Williams of Coats; W.T. Butler of Dunn and J.F. Gallery from Charlotte.
Banjo players present were W.D. Page and T.B. Young of Angier. Guitar players were I.G. Jackson, Dunn; W.T. Butler, Dunn,; Willie Clifton, Benson; M.E. Ennis and W.A. Ennis ,Coats; T.C. Keen, Four Oaks; and Willie Williams of Coats.
As you read the names, did you find yourself wondering if a certain musician was the father or grandfather of someone whom you know who has the same last name? Would you not like to know where all those musical instruments are today?
Let’s now read to disclose which contestants took home the prizes. Some data appears to be missing from the newspaper account. First prize fiddler who won the $10.00 in gold was I.G. Jackson; second place prize of $5.00 in gold went to W.A. Ennis of Coats. Willie Williams won $2.50 in gold for his guitar playing. W.D. Page won top prize for banjo playing while T.B. Young won $2.50.
The Honorable L.L. Levinson delivered the Welcome and J.M. Byrd led the singing of “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” while standing before a thousand people who had gathered to witness the feast of music. More than a 1,000 tickets were sold. Every available seat in the auditorium was filled with all aisles full to overflowing. The receipts were more than enough to discharge the last payment on the school electrical plant according to the “Harnett County News” October 19, 1922. Do you agree that was a huge number of people to be on the 3rd level of the school building? Did people take up less space in 1922 and were there lots of children in attendance?
This I do know. Later on Tuesday night, the Woman’s Club of Coats invited the men of the community to an oyster supper at the school building. A bounteous supper was enjoyed by all the guests who later assembled in the school auditorium where they were entertained by an excellent program of vocal and instrumental music, readings, and talks by various patrons of the school. The object of the meeting was to raise money to equip the school auditorium with comfortable chairs.
Wow—are we saying 1,000 people sat through a night of music on “uncomfortable “seats. They must have been because the patrons who were present made liberal donations and in a short time the school auditorium was to be equipped with opera chairs making it one of the “handsomest “ auditoriums in the county. The people of Coats were highly commended for their interest taken in their school and its needs. With the aid of the Woman’s Club, they were manifesting a community spirit that was a credit to any town. According to that same edition of the “Harnett County News”, the Woman’s Club would sponsor a Halloween party in the auditorium on October 27th.
What was going on in the rural areas around the county and state? The N.C. Crop Reporting Service said that the state had abundant yields of the 1922 crops. An increase of 13 percent in the tobacco acreage and a slight increase in yield, at 607 pounds per acre, insured an increased production of about 22 percent. The value per acre was expected to be $152.80 which was 2 percent less than in 1921. That was much hard work for that amount of money—right?
Irish potato profits were also down in 1922. Being very abundant meant low prices of 75 cents per bushel. Some farmers allowed them to rot in the fields. Sweet potato acreage had been increased in 1922 resulting in over supply. Sweet potatoes were not appreciated in the northern states yet because they did know how to cook them. The farmer averaged only $75.35 per acre if he sold them for 70 cents per bushel. The northerners did not know how to cook sweet potatoes? How did the southerners cook them in 1922? This I do know—the potatoes were grown largely for family consumption in the Grove area. The large number of “tater hills” on the farms were proof of that in the 1920, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s.
Read next week for Carsie Denning’s recollections of the “tater hills” on the Denning farm outside of Coats and read how Cornelia Johnson remembers helping make a “tater “bed.
We send special congratulations to Andy Cole, one of the Coats Museum volunteers and a Coats Museum Board of Directors member, for being selected as the Harnett County Teacher of the Year. Honestly, after working with him for many years, we were not surprised at the honor. Thank you Doug Johnson for helping remove posts on the museum grounds. Thanks to Betty Gregory for a copy of the history of Coats written by Jerry Moran. Jerry’s brother, Maynard Moran, wrote the Coats School song in 1947. Have you ever seen a pair of sheep shears? Dorsey Daniel gave the museum the sheep shears that were used on the Ben Dixon plantation in the late 1800’s. Thanks to all of you. The Class of 1956 had their class reunion last Saturday and asked to visit the museum—what an affable group and we hope they come back and spend more time.
Please be mindful that this article was published in the Daily Record in September 19, 2011.
In 1922, the Coats School auditorium had become the convention center for the town of Coats. The First Annual Fiddlers Convention under the direction of George I. Smith convened on October 7, 1922. The following fiddlers were present: H.T. Faucett and W.H. Faucett of Lillington; R.C. Page of Angier; A.T. Suter of Four Oaks; S.H. Williams of Coats; W.T. Butler of Dunn and J.F. Gallery from Charlotte.
Banjo players present were W.D. Page and T.B. Young of Angier. Guitar players were I.G. Jackson, Dunn; W.T. Butler, Dunn,; Willie Clifton, Benson; M.E. Ennis and W.A. Ennis ,Coats; T.C. Keen, Four Oaks; and Willie Williams of Coats.
As you read the names, did you find yourself wondering if a certain musician was the father or grandfather of someone whom you know who has the same last name? Would you not like to know where all those musical instruments are today?
Let’s now read to disclose which contestants took home the prizes. Some data appears to be missing from the newspaper account. First prize fiddler who won the $10.00 in gold was I.G. Jackson; second place prize of $5.00 in gold went to W.A. Ennis of Coats. Willie Williams won $2.50 in gold for his guitar playing. W.D. Page won top prize for banjo playing while T.B. Young won $2.50.
The Honorable L.L. Levinson delivered the Welcome and J.M. Byrd led the singing of “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” while standing before a thousand people who had gathered to witness the feast of music. More than a 1,000 tickets were sold. Every available seat in the auditorium was filled with all aisles full to overflowing. The receipts were more than enough to discharge the last payment on the school electrical plant according to the “Harnett County News” October 19, 1922. Do you agree that was a huge number of people to be on the 3rd level of the school building? Did people take up less space in 1922 and were there lots of children in attendance?
This I do know. Later on Tuesday night, the Woman’s Club of Coats invited the men of the community to an oyster supper at the school building. A bounteous supper was enjoyed by all the guests who later assembled in the school auditorium where they were entertained by an excellent program of vocal and instrumental music, readings, and talks by various patrons of the school. The object of the meeting was to raise money to equip the school auditorium with comfortable chairs.
Wow—are we saying 1,000 people sat through a night of music on “uncomfortable “seats. They must have been because the patrons who were present made liberal donations and in a short time the school auditorium was to be equipped with opera chairs making it one of the “handsomest “ auditoriums in the county. The people of Coats were highly commended for their interest taken in their school and its needs. With the aid of the Woman’s Club, they were manifesting a community spirit that was a credit to any town. According to that same edition of the “Harnett County News”, the Woman’s Club would sponsor a Halloween party in the auditorium on October 27th.
What was going on in the rural areas around the county and state? The N.C. Crop Reporting Service said that the state had abundant yields of the 1922 crops. An increase of 13 percent in the tobacco acreage and a slight increase in yield, at 607 pounds per acre, insured an increased production of about 22 percent. The value per acre was expected to be $152.80 which was 2 percent less than in 1921. That was much hard work for that amount of money—right?
Irish potato profits were also down in 1922. Being very abundant meant low prices of 75 cents per bushel. Some farmers allowed them to rot in the fields. Sweet potato acreage had been increased in 1922 resulting in over supply. Sweet potatoes were not appreciated in the northern states yet because they did know how to cook them. The farmer averaged only $75.35 per acre if he sold them for 70 cents per bushel. The northerners did not know how to cook sweet potatoes? How did the southerners cook them in 1922? This I do know—the potatoes were grown largely for family consumption in the Grove area. The large number of “tater hills” on the farms were proof of that in the 1920, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s.
Read next week for Carsie Denning’s recollections of the “tater hills” on the Denning farm outside of Coats and read how Cornelia Johnson remembers helping make a “tater “bed.
We send special congratulations to Andy Cole, one of the Coats Museum volunteers and a Coats Museum Board of Directors member, for being selected as the Harnett County Teacher of the Year. Honestly, after working with him for many years, we were not surprised at the honor. Thank you Doug Johnson for helping remove posts on the museum grounds. Thanks to Betty Gregory for a copy of the history of Coats written by Jerry Moran. Jerry’s brother, Maynard Moran, wrote the Coats School song in 1947. Have you ever seen a pair of sheep shears? Dorsey Daniel gave the museum the sheep shears that were used on the Ben Dixon plantation in the late 1800’s. Thanks to all of you. The Class of 1956 had their class reunion last Saturday and asked to visit the museum—what an affable group and we hope they come back and spend more time.
Please be mindful that this article was published in the Daily Record in September 19, 2011.
