September 19, 2014 Coats Museum News
In February of 1950, one could expect to pay 37 cents a pound for picnic hams, 35 cents for a box of cake mix or a dozen eggs and 25 cents for 6 Hershey bars. Do any of you remember such prices? Was the following required? The Harnett County Health Department was checking for Diabetes and TB for those people fifteen years and up at Coats. I do know that when one was summoned for jury duty, one had to report as likely did Norman Denning, Claude McLeod and Bernice Byrd from Coats (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 8, 1950).
The name McLeod is a familiar name in Harnett County and there was one less of them when Duncan McLeod had died on Tuesday morning. He was half-brother to Mrs. Henry McLeod of Coats (Dunn Dispatch Feb.8, 1950).
Mrs. Donald Moore had joined the Turlington Home Demonstration Club, and the Oakdale HD Club had met at the home of Mrs. Dallas Norris. A new member, Mrs. Grayden Stewart, was welcomed into that home demonstration family. The project of the Oakdale club that year was the procurement of picnic grounds and a recreation center for the children of the community. Mrs. Norris and Mrs. J.H. Ennis served cake and ice cream (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 10, 1950).
A new business had come to Coats in early 1950. The Wellons Mercantile had a formal opening on Thursday through Friday-February 16-17th. Walter Weeks with 12 years of experience served as manager and David Norris was his assistant. Wellons was a Hotpoint dealer. Questions--Is this our mayor’s dad?-Where was this business located on Main Street and were Howard and Burl Barnes selling Philco products at the corner of Railroad and Main Street at this time?
This I do know. Mr. and Mrs. McRay Stewart of Coats had announced the birth of a new daughter, Kay, at Good Hope Hospital. Mrs. Stewart was the former Lorine Sellers. Elsewhere in Coats, another Stewart lady had entertained for her daughter-in-law’s birthday. A few people attending that event given by Mrs. C.G. Stewart were Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Stewart, Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Lamm, Mr. and Mrs. Keith Wayne Stewart, Mrs. Edna Parrish, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Ennis, Mrs. Winnie Byrd, Mr. and Mrs. Sherrill Coats, Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Stewart, Betty Sue Willis, Patsy Grimes, Mrs. Vic Lee, and Mr. and Mrs. Reggie Parrish. Who was the birthday girl? Mary Stewart, wife of Eugene, was the lucky honoree (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 13, 1950).
How many of you former FFA er’s recall taking your dad to the Father-Son Banquet? Those who attended the one held in Coats in 1950 had had the opportunity to hear Commissioner of Agriculture Ballentine. They enjoyed the food prepared by the second year Home Economics students. Was Commissioner Ballentine related to the Ballentine family who owned the dairy in Fuquay and did they later purchase the Carson Gregory’s dairy (Dunn Dispatch February 17, 1950)?
The students who joined Commissioner Ballentine on the program were Tommy Johnson who summarized the work the FFA had completed that year and Max Avery who directed a quiz show. Recall that quiz shows were very popular on TV in 1950. James Tadlock was recognized for his achievement in corn production (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 27, 1950).
The Coats Game Tournament was acclaimed as a big success. Ninety people attended the tournament held in the beautiful new community center. Proceeds of the tournament went to complete the building. What kind of games? Card games winners were Mrs. Al Johnson of Dunn and M.O. Phillips-bridge; Mrs. Leroy Stewart and Banks Pollard-rummy; Percy Parrish and Mrs. Manley Willis-setback; Mrs. Mack Hudson-canasta, and Mrs. Gladys Phillips-rook.
R. Hal Smith, principal of the Coats High School, had returned to the teacherage after a stay at Rex Hospital. Were there assistant principals in 1950? Who was in charge of the students and staff while Mr. Smith was hospitalized? The paper did share that some of those students were hearing about a Teenage Club being organized by the Jr. Woman’s Club. Mrs. Haywood Roberts was president of the club when the ladies voted to organize the club that would meet at the community building. Thirty members attended the organizational meeting where Joyce Ann Grimes was elected president; Bobby Stewart, vice president; and Sue Turlington, secretary-treasurer. Mrs. Haywood Roberts attended as chaperone. Members listed as being at the meeting were Joyce Grimes, Sue Turlington, Sherrill Willis, Sue Stewart, Bobby Stewart, Joanne Fox, Gertrude Byrd, Stacy Byrd, Doris Suggs, Peggy Weaver, Carl Grimes, Hilda Williams, Kenneth Keene, C.L. Hough, Joanne Ennis, W. Carol Honeycutt, Peggy Stewart, Rudolph Honeycutt, Jimmy Vaughn, Greta Lou Williams, Stewart Hough, Mac Stephenson, O.G. Gregory, Gloria Fay Wilmoth, Jerry Stewart and Glenda Parrish (Dunn Dispatch February 17, 1950). Who were the other four members not listed?
Joyce Parrish Turner recalled that the club met on Saturdays from 7:00-9:00 PM. She remembered Joyce Grimes and parents being in charge. The youth enjoyed games, square dancing, and the two step. Homemade cakes, pies, ice cream and Pepsi Colas were often served (Joyce Turner interview-2004).
Another popular family name in the area was Faircloth. Joe Faircloth, who lived in Coats, lost his brother, Benny Faircloth. He was sixty-five and was formerly of Erwin. He had suffered from a stroke on Saturday (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 22, 1950).
Wonder if Rev. Ben Eller, who was the new pastor at the Coats Baptist Church after pastoring at the Asheboro Street Baptist Church in Greensboro, went to the county basketball tournament which had begun and included the teams from Coats. On the Coats Boys Team were Tommy Johnson, William Ragan, Max Avery, Rudolph Miller, Stacy Byrd, Dennis Pope, Frederick Byrd, Sherrill Willis, Johnny Parrish, and Bobby Williams. The girls’ team included Doris Johnson, Doris Messer, Hazel Holder, Josephine Johnson, Ruby Lee Ennis, Katherine Cobb, Eloise Pope, Wilma Barnes, Fannie Sue Langdon, Imogene Williams, Lucille Blackwelder, Joyce Turlington, and Rebecca Whittington (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 27, 1950).
The Coats teams did not do well in the tournament games. Buies Creek won by a 45 to 34 margin over the Coats girls while the Coats boys felt the sting of defeat from Benhaven by 50 to 26 (Dunn Dispatch Mar. 1, 1950).
Questions-did the Coats teams have a gymnasium in which to practice and if not, did they go to some other school in the county that had a gym to become familiar with playing on a wood floor?
Thank you goes to Levin Beasley for sharing an aerial view of the old Coats High School Campus taken before the railroad track was removed and the school was a K-12. Thank you to Juanita Hudson for sharing her beautiful figurine collection for display at the museum. Do you know what a tantalizer is? Come by the museum and see the two that Mack Hudson has placed on display.
How many of you recognize the name-Oscar Young? Greg Stevens dropped by the museum to place on loan Oscar Young’s transit and tripod that Oscar used to survey so much of the land in the Angier, Coats and surrounding areas. Oscar was a surveyor, teacher, preacher, banker and insurance salesman. Greg and Bethany gave the museum Mrs. Anna Odum’s quilting rack and Mrs. Frances Langdon’s pant stretchers. These are awesome additions to the museum. Thank you to the Stevens and Langdon families.
Thank you to Biscuits and Burgers from Fayetteville for adding its name to the Donors Wall in the Exhibit Hall at the museum. Thank you to all who give donations-small and large- for they help us meet payments and maintain the museum. If you like Facebook, check out Growing Up in Coats, the brainchild of Town Manager Kenneth Cole. You will find much enjoyment in going down memory lane.
In February of 1950, one could expect to pay 37 cents a pound for picnic hams, 35 cents for a box of cake mix or a dozen eggs and 25 cents for 6 Hershey bars. Do any of you remember such prices? Was the following required? The Harnett County Health Department was checking for Diabetes and TB for those people fifteen years and up at Coats. I do know that when one was summoned for jury duty, one had to report as likely did Norman Denning, Claude McLeod and Bernice Byrd from Coats (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 8, 1950).
The name McLeod is a familiar name in Harnett County and there was one less of them when Duncan McLeod had died on Tuesday morning. He was half-brother to Mrs. Henry McLeod of Coats (Dunn Dispatch Feb.8, 1950).
Mrs. Donald Moore had joined the Turlington Home Demonstration Club, and the Oakdale HD Club had met at the home of Mrs. Dallas Norris. A new member, Mrs. Grayden Stewart, was welcomed into that home demonstration family. The project of the Oakdale club that year was the procurement of picnic grounds and a recreation center for the children of the community. Mrs. Norris and Mrs. J.H. Ennis served cake and ice cream (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 10, 1950).
A new business had come to Coats in early 1950. The Wellons Mercantile had a formal opening on Thursday through Friday-February 16-17th. Walter Weeks with 12 years of experience served as manager and David Norris was his assistant. Wellons was a Hotpoint dealer. Questions--Is this our mayor’s dad?-Where was this business located on Main Street and were Howard and Burl Barnes selling Philco products at the corner of Railroad and Main Street at this time?
This I do know. Mr. and Mrs. McRay Stewart of Coats had announced the birth of a new daughter, Kay, at Good Hope Hospital. Mrs. Stewart was the former Lorine Sellers. Elsewhere in Coats, another Stewart lady had entertained for her daughter-in-law’s birthday. A few people attending that event given by Mrs. C.G. Stewart were Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Stewart, Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Lamm, Mr. and Mrs. Keith Wayne Stewart, Mrs. Edna Parrish, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Ennis, Mrs. Winnie Byrd, Mr. and Mrs. Sherrill Coats, Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Stewart, Betty Sue Willis, Patsy Grimes, Mrs. Vic Lee, and Mr. and Mrs. Reggie Parrish. Who was the birthday girl? Mary Stewart, wife of Eugene, was the lucky honoree (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 13, 1950).
How many of you former FFA er’s recall taking your dad to the Father-Son Banquet? Those who attended the one held in Coats in 1950 had had the opportunity to hear Commissioner of Agriculture Ballentine. They enjoyed the food prepared by the second year Home Economics students. Was Commissioner Ballentine related to the Ballentine family who owned the dairy in Fuquay and did they later purchase the Carson Gregory’s dairy (Dunn Dispatch February 17, 1950)?
The students who joined Commissioner Ballentine on the program were Tommy Johnson who summarized the work the FFA had completed that year and Max Avery who directed a quiz show. Recall that quiz shows were very popular on TV in 1950. James Tadlock was recognized for his achievement in corn production (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 27, 1950).
The Coats Game Tournament was acclaimed as a big success. Ninety people attended the tournament held in the beautiful new community center. Proceeds of the tournament went to complete the building. What kind of games? Card games winners were Mrs. Al Johnson of Dunn and M.O. Phillips-bridge; Mrs. Leroy Stewart and Banks Pollard-rummy; Percy Parrish and Mrs. Manley Willis-setback; Mrs. Mack Hudson-canasta, and Mrs. Gladys Phillips-rook.
R. Hal Smith, principal of the Coats High School, had returned to the teacherage after a stay at Rex Hospital. Were there assistant principals in 1950? Who was in charge of the students and staff while Mr. Smith was hospitalized? The paper did share that some of those students were hearing about a Teenage Club being organized by the Jr. Woman’s Club. Mrs. Haywood Roberts was president of the club when the ladies voted to organize the club that would meet at the community building. Thirty members attended the organizational meeting where Joyce Ann Grimes was elected president; Bobby Stewart, vice president; and Sue Turlington, secretary-treasurer. Mrs. Haywood Roberts attended as chaperone. Members listed as being at the meeting were Joyce Grimes, Sue Turlington, Sherrill Willis, Sue Stewart, Bobby Stewart, Joanne Fox, Gertrude Byrd, Stacy Byrd, Doris Suggs, Peggy Weaver, Carl Grimes, Hilda Williams, Kenneth Keene, C.L. Hough, Joanne Ennis, W. Carol Honeycutt, Peggy Stewart, Rudolph Honeycutt, Jimmy Vaughn, Greta Lou Williams, Stewart Hough, Mac Stephenson, O.G. Gregory, Gloria Fay Wilmoth, Jerry Stewart and Glenda Parrish (Dunn Dispatch February 17, 1950). Who were the other four members not listed?
Joyce Parrish Turner recalled that the club met on Saturdays from 7:00-9:00 PM. She remembered Joyce Grimes and parents being in charge. The youth enjoyed games, square dancing, and the two step. Homemade cakes, pies, ice cream and Pepsi Colas were often served (Joyce Turner interview-2004).
Another popular family name in the area was Faircloth. Joe Faircloth, who lived in Coats, lost his brother, Benny Faircloth. He was sixty-five and was formerly of Erwin. He had suffered from a stroke on Saturday (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 22, 1950).
Wonder if Rev. Ben Eller, who was the new pastor at the Coats Baptist Church after pastoring at the Asheboro Street Baptist Church in Greensboro, went to the county basketball tournament which had begun and included the teams from Coats. On the Coats Boys Team were Tommy Johnson, William Ragan, Max Avery, Rudolph Miller, Stacy Byrd, Dennis Pope, Frederick Byrd, Sherrill Willis, Johnny Parrish, and Bobby Williams. The girls’ team included Doris Johnson, Doris Messer, Hazel Holder, Josephine Johnson, Ruby Lee Ennis, Katherine Cobb, Eloise Pope, Wilma Barnes, Fannie Sue Langdon, Imogene Williams, Lucille Blackwelder, Joyce Turlington, and Rebecca Whittington (Dunn Dispatch Feb. 27, 1950).
The Coats teams did not do well in the tournament games. Buies Creek won by a 45 to 34 margin over the Coats girls while the Coats boys felt the sting of defeat from Benhaven by 50 to 26 (Dunn Dispatch Mar. 1, 1950).
Questions-did the Coats teams have a gymnasium in which to practice and if not, did they go to some other school in the county that had a gym to become familiar with playing on a wood floor?
Thank you goes to Levin Beasley for sharing an aerial view of the old Coats High School Campus taken before the railroad track was removed and the school was a K-12. Thank you to Juanita Hudson for sharing her beautiful figurine collection for display at the museum. Do you know what a tantalizer is? Come by the museum and see the two that Mack Hudson has placed on display.
How many of you recognize the name-Oscar Young? Greg Stevens dropped by the museum to place on loan Oscar Young’s transit and tripod that Oscar used to survey so much of the land in the Angier, Coats and surrounding areas. Oscar was a surveyor, teacher, preacher, banker and insurance salesman. Greg and Bethany gave the museum Mrs. Anna Odum’s quilting rack and Mrs. Frances Langdon’s pant stretchers. These are awesome additions to the museum. Thank you to the Stevens and Langdon families.
Thank you to Biscuits and Burgers from Fayetteville for adding its name to the Donors Wall in the Exhibit Hall at the museum. Thank you to all who give donations-small and large- for they help us meet payments and maintain the museum. If you like Facebook, check out Growing Up in Coats, the brainchild of Town Manager Kenneth Cole. You will find much enjoyment in going down memory lane.