Looking Back In Yalobusha History
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send your username and password to you.
Water Valley’s new junior high – high school attendance center was used for the first time Friday, August 31, 1962 when one fifth grade section and grades 7-12 will begin registration. The building, completed over the past summer, includes a gym-auditorium (at left), cafeteria (wing on right) and a vocational agriculture building (behind gym). The photo was credited to Ed Shearer III and Jack Thompson. The pair went flying to get this aerial photograph earlier that summer.
Clovis E. Steele, Superintendent of the Water Valley Schools, today announced the following schedule for the opening of the schools on Friday, Aug. 31, the Herald reported in the Aug. 23, 1962 edition. The Water Valley Schools will begin the 1962-1963 session Friday at 8 a.m. Registration will be completed about 11:15 a.m.
All students who live in town and attend school in town must furnish their own transportation. Those students who live in town but attend school out of town will be furnished transportation. All students of grades 7-12 will report to the new Water Valley High School. All sixth grade students and the fifth grade students who were listed would attend classes in the old vocational building at the old high school. (There were 31 students listed.) All other elementary students are assigned to the old junior high building except for the 1st grade section that was notified at the pre-school clinic to meet class in the new first grade room at the Markette Street center.
Along with the announcement, the Herald printed a photo of Pat Griffin making a final check on one of Yalobusha County’s 56 school buses, which averaged 2,000 miles per day carrying an average of 2,267 children at a cost of approximately $40 per child per year.
Through The Years From The Herald
• 15 years ago, Aug. 23, 2007 – Failed beef plant operator Richard Hall was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Neal Biggers Jr. to eight years imprisonment Aug. 17.
The Blue Devils were gearing up for their first game of the season against Coffeeville.
County prisoner Calvin Davis escaped from the jail and eluded capture for seven hours on Aug. 19.
LaRissa Arbuckle gave 14 inches of hair to Locks of Love, a charity that provides wigs for children with long-term hair loss.
• 20 years ago, Aug. 22, 2002 – The Pine Valley community center was designated a Mississippi Landmark by the Department of Archives and History. The building was once the Pine Valley School.
Water Valley Cheerleaders captured the coveted Home Pom Camp Championship at the Ole Miss – Universal Cheerleaders Association Camp. High School squad members were Lacey Harris, Megan Edwards, Kara Ward, Desiree Dickey, Courtney Lowe, Chastity McMinn, Ashley Wilbourn, Sara Ward, Brittany Mills, Maresha Harmon, Robin Goolsby, Naqueta Turner, Krystal Mister and Katesha Daniels. Junior High members were Kelsey Reed, Kalaila Spearman, Deana Harmon, Ashley Armstrong, Nikky Gilley, Austin Shaw, Margaret Black, Whitney Hodge, Meredith Burrell, Gretchen Harris, Brittany Harris, Molly Winters, Austin Mills and Steffi River.
• 30 years ago, Aug. 20, 1992 – A group of about 40 citizens appeared before the city board to express concern about an increase in crime and drugs and to give their support to the police and city administration. The group included Rev. Guy Reedy, Rev. Larry Hervey, Lamar Burgess, Coach Butler McLeod and Dr. Rayford Edgar. Among the suggestions offered by the group were increased numbers of police, better lighting throughout the city, attention to problem areas like “the block” and the area around the depot where crowds congregate.
• 40 years ago, Aug 26, 1982 – Crip and Jeanie Tyler were pictured turning over the keys to the baseball field as they retired from many years of involvement with the Magnolia Youth League. Brian Moorland, a coach in the Water Valley School District, took over the program.
Bruce Harding received his Ph.D in Forestry from the University of Minnesota.
Gail McCarley showed a first place yearling filly at the Northwest District 4-H Show. Her filly, Ginger, stood third in the state show.
• 50 years ago, Aug. 24, 1972 – Yalobusha General Hospital’s Coronary Care Unit was put into operation over the past week – less than a year after a decision was made to install it. The new three-bed unit, which was partially paid for with nearly $40,000 raised through a county-wide effort last fall, allows 24-hour monitoring of heart patients.Dr. Joe W. Walker was in charge of the facility, assisted by Dr. Mabry McMillan. The average patient stay in the unit is five days. The first patient in the CCU was Laverne Wolfe, a former nurse at the hospital.
The Highway Department announced that preliminary engineering on the “Water Valley relocation” (Hwy. 7 Bypass) would begin in September.
The first open boll of cotton was brought to the Herald by Neal Eubanks from the Bill Hall place.
Mrs. Walter Hunter was pictured with an eggplant that looked remarkably like President Richard Nixon.
• 60 years ago, Aug 23, 1962 – High winds approaching tornado velocity severely damaged the Thrift Courts motel and the Quay Jones residence within a mile-square area in the Jeff Davis community Monday, Aug. 20. The wind also blew over a billboard along Hwy. 7 and took the door of J. T. Williamson’s barn.
Nick D. Stamoles, well known operator of the Blackmur Cafe, passed away.
Harold Allen had the first bale of cotton ginned in Yalobusha County. It weighed 620 pounds and was made from 1550 pounds of seed cotton. It was grown on his property by Jim Polk and Herman Buck.
In the want ads, Clinton Wood was looking for the owner of an 800 pound bay mule. Woods said that the owner can have same by paying damages.
Tom Edwards was a graduate assistant in the department of entomology and zoology at Mississippi State College in Starkville.
In the want ads, R. S. Oakley was looking for his white-faced, dehorned cow. About six years old and may have yoke on. Reward.
• 80 years ago, Aug. 20, 1942 – The Enid Dam building project, a controversial flood control project in west Yalobusha County, was temporarily stopped due to lack of bids. The Army Engineers said that more than 600 construction companies had been asked to bid, but no bids were received.
Mrs. Buck Suratt was forming a chapter of the Junior Commandos, a patriotic group for young boys and girls between the pages of nine and 15 who would promote defense work and help win the war for our side.
Drivers were being reminded that the 40 mile-per-hour speed limit must be observed.
A trial blackout was soon to be staged over parts of Mississippi and Louisiana south of the A&V Railroad (mostly south Mississippi). It appeared that Water Valley would not be included.
