Look Back In Yalobusha History
The recent Bulldog success – winning six straight and ranked number one in the nation – is one the team’s strongest starts in school history. The team enjoyed another stellar season 40 years ago, Coach Bob Tyler’s second year as head coach for Mississippi State. The Herald reported in the Halloween paper in 1974 that Tyler was granted a contract extension through 1978. The extension came just before State’s win over the University of Louisville, earning the team their sixth win in seven games. The Bulldogs would complete the season 9-3 including a big win in the 1974 Sun Bowl over North Carolina.
• Five years ago, Oct. 22, 2009 – Farmers were trying to save what was left of their 2009 crop after recording almost 19 inches of rain in just over six weeks. In September, the Enid Lake field office recorded 11.11 inches of rain in September and another seven-plus inches in October.
The county was hot on the trail for a new county jail, with site prep work nearing for a jail that would house both state and county inmates. A sour economy would ultimately kill this idea as state funding dried up, and the jail saga would go on another five years before an official groundbreaking.
Bethel Community news writer Roland Buppert reported that Oktoberfest was scheduled Saturday ta the Joel and Nancy Rogers’ compound. Inquire as to what you can bring for this event, he wrote.
• 10 years ago, Oct. 28, 2004 – Cayce Washington had indicated a willingness to serve on the Water Valley School District Board after a vacancy was announced. Superintendent Sammy Higdon said the board would make the appointment at a subsequent meeting and asked for additional interested candidates.
City officials were encouraging residents to observe Halloween on Saturday, a day early. Water Valley Police Chief Mike King urged residents to accompany their children and wear clothing that can easily be seen by motorists.
The Pine Valley Volunteer Fire Department announced final plans for a fall carnival and Halloween carnival, an annual fundraiser for the department. Activities were scheduled both Friday night and full day on Saturday, starting at noon.
• 20 years ago, Oct. 20, 1994 – Although a lot of people from the area had become familiar with the trip to Tunica in the past few years, Herald sports writer Hugh Gurner reported the Blue Devil football squad made their first visit last Friday, a trip that paid off with a 48-7 victory.
Pastor Daniel Dickerson invited everyone to see the latest film from the Billy Graham Association, entitled “Come The Morning.” The film was scheduled Sunday night at O’Tuckolofa Baptist Church.
• 30 years ago, Oct. 25, 1984 – The Water Valley Rotary Club announced that Paul Parker and Toxey Fortinberry received top honors with Paul Harris Fellowship Awards. The award is the highest award a Rotarian can receive for service.
Wilbur Herring was encouraging everyone to come to the Yalobusha Chapter of Ducks Unlimited Banquet at the country club.
• 40 years ago, Oct. 31, 1974 – The Blue Devils were seeking their first win of the season again their oldest and most determined rival, the Coffeeville Pirates in Friday’s game. Not since 1926 have the Blue Devils, then the Yellow Jackets, failed to record at least one win in the season. The teams shared the same record going into the contest, both were 0-8. Sports writer E. J. Mays wrote that the records can be thrown out the window in this intense rivalry.
• 50 years ago, Oct. 29, 1964 – The Blue Devils were preparing for the top game of the Chickasaw Conference when they traveled to Horn Lake. An upset would give the Blue Devils a possible title game against the unbeaten Warriors of Senatobia. Just a week earlier, Coach Bobby Clark’s team had a 55-6 rout over Marks. That win marked the 16th win in 17 games since Clark took over as head coach a year earlier.
Mrs. F.E. Collins from the Coffeeville Home Demonstration Club gave a demonstration on ceramics at the County Council meeting. At the meeting, the council also voted to continue its Operation Santa Claus by again sending a box to Mississippi State Hospital in Jackson. Home Agent Mildred J. Bell said the gifts could make the holiday season a happier time for the 4,200 patients at the hospital.
The Water Valley Electric Department offered a bonus with the purchase of an automatic electric washer ($10), electric clothes dryer ($25) or electric water heater ($15).
• 60 years ago, Oct. 21, 1954 – Cotton picking was almost completed in Mississippi. Cotton in the hill area is about 86 percent picked while Delta cotton was 63 percent picked.
High School honor students for the first month of classes included seniors Jim Bell, Geraldine Bynum, Gloria Bell, Jean Edwards, Bobby Garner, Mary Helen Hoseney, Peggy Hart, Frances Earl Johnston, Ersel King, Charles King, Mary Ann Kendrick, Mary Ann Kendrick, Barbara Jo Keel, Shirley Larson, James Person, Dot Person, Patsy Bell Pittman, Mary Bell Spivey, Gail Williams, Grace Williams and Camille Webb.
The Water Valley Blue Devils lost a hard-fought football game to league-leading Holly Springs by the score of 31-6. Holly Springs scored their first two touchdowns after recovering fumbles early in the game.
• 70 years ago, Oct. 19, 1944 – The roving observer apologized for her earlier description of the school bus, adding that she knows it is the best available until the war is over. The bus was overcrowded, sometimes requiring a colorful exit that could include crawling on your hands and knees.
Although the freshman boys are very accurate with their shop work and agriculture, one pupil lost his finger in an accident with an electric saw. This tidbit of news was in the “It Really Happened” section of Station JDHS, published in the Jeff Davis Skool Scoop.
Mississippians were warned of gifts sent back home from friends in the armed forces after a package containing a captured German helmet also contained four pounds of cotton packing inside the five gallon tin container. The helmet was not alarming, but the packing was. The cotton included four live pink bollworms, most destructive of all cotton pests. Like the Trojan horse of old, this innocent looking gift harbored secret and dangerous enemies.
• 80 years ago, Oct. 1944 – Three men were seriously injured when their new Ford “V8” truck left the road, just north of town at the corporate limits on the Water Valley-Oxford Highway (No. 7). Sam Dickey, Jim Dickey and Oakly Blaker were headed north when something happened and the truck left the road, flipping three or four times.
Friday was described as red letter day in the lives in the children of Water Valley with an old-time circus was coming to town. The lineup includes Barnett Bros. big three ring circus and Menageries of wild animals, and Ted Lewis Wild West along with many men and women who will defy death in their exploits to entertain. The show was listed as one the few remaining that are still giving a street parade would start at noon and included many pretty ladies of the arena astride big steeds.
