Look Back In Yalobusha History
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Through The Years From The Herald
• 15 years ago, Oct. 1, 2009 – Qyleshia Woodard was crowned Homecoming Queen during festivities before the Independence game. Other members of the court included Cienna Olmstead, 9th; Davelin Woodard, 10th; Nakresha Folson, 11th; and senior maids Tatianna Doss, Qwatetric Williams and Lakenda Bounds. The Blue Devils were defeated by one point, 7-6.
Coffeeville was about to celebrate their 175th anniversary with a couple of thousand “old friends.” Coffeeville Chamber of Commerce members pictured included Tyler Wortham, Beverly Freer, Jan Dean Wortham, Patricia Moody, Mike Ayers, Mark Martin, Dixie Fernandez, Mike Worsham and Sarah Williams.
The unemployment rate in Yalobusha County had dropped by 2.6 percentage points over the past month, but was still at 14.7 percent, the highest in the northern third of the state.
The Garden Club of Water Valley was celebrating seven decades of service to the community. The first president was Mrs. C. C. Stacy from 1937-1939.
• 20 years ago, Sept. 30, 2004 – Members of the cast of “Beauty Lou and the Country Beast” were pictured on the front page during curtain calls at Davidson Elementary School.
Student cast members included Treshon Calahan as the beast; Jacob King as the imaginary friend; Cole Landry and Jacob Pritchard as farmhands; and Spencer Howell as Fleabite Clyde, the dog.
The Blue Devils fell to Ackerman, 34-13, making Water Valley 1-1 in district play.
BorgWarner Human Resource Manager John Broussard gave trick-or-treat bags to Davidson Elementary School on behalf of the company.
Mabel Dorris was pictured in 1994 with two six-week- old squirrels she raised with a bottle after their mother was killed. The babies were found by Mary Lois and Bobby Johnsey and brought to Mrs. Dorris.
• 30 years ago, Sept. 29, 1994 – The WVHS Blue Devils held off a last minute Okolona drive to earn their fourth win, 17-12.
Officers in the Yalobusha County Chapter of the American Cancer Society were Dorothy Shelley, president; Ora Phillips, vice-president; Mildred Nichols, secretary; Frances Gandy, service and rehabilitation chairman; Majorie Moxley, Reach and Recovery chairman; Leslie White, area director; Patsy Wilbourn, treasurer; Otis Jean Jones and Louise Champion, profession educators; Mamie Shields, Coffeeville Crusade chairman; Pauline Barton, Oakland Crusade chairman and Betty Shearer, memorial chairman.
New Anchor Club officers were Chastity Eubanks, president; Sandi Pullen, vice-president; Jinny Fachman, secretary; and Margaret Keith, treasurer.
Members of the Pilot Club were collecting for Alzheimer’s research at various traffic stops including members Mary McCain, Wan Hughes, Janet Dickey, Martha Williamson, Mary Chandler, Helen Leipstorff Mary K. Mooney, Patsy Wilbourn and Lynn Morris.
• 40 years ago, Oct. 4, 1984 – The Blue Devils blasted past North Panola, 42-0, for the first win of the season.
A bike-a-thon for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was about to be held and among the contestants were Daniel Ross, Brandon Hughes, Evans Gurner, Chris Rico and Jennifer Sartain.
Brownie Scouts visiting the farm and Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Reid were Suzanne Cofer, Elizabeth Goodwin, Candi Harris, Jinny Fachman, Audrey Cotton, Jennifer Whitehead, Amy Hodge, Alicia Marshall and Pennie Pullen.
Members of the WVHS Band drum squad were pictured working out including Chris Goodwin, Kerry Allen Morris, Mike Ferguson, Paul Phillips and DeMarc White. Beginning clarinet players pictured included Rena Wilson, Theresa Norwood, Felicia Spearman and Tawanda Eggerson.
Jesse Webb retired after 29 years of service to the Water Valley Street Department.
• 50 years ago, Oct. 10, 1974 – The WVHS Blue Devils were taken down, 50- 0, by a motivated bunch of Bruce Trojans.
Northwest Junior College President Henry Koon was shown “communicating” with a group of students including John Cox of Water Valley.
Dwight Jenkins completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
Mrs. Ruth Crews was shown with a 30-inch Germany bean, commonly called a “yard long bean,” that grew in her garden.
• 60 years ago, Oct 8, 1964 – Mrs. J. A. McCracken of Coffeeville won in the Dress Revue of the Farm Bureau district competition.
The new officers for the 1964-65 Y-Teens were Cheryl French, president; Paula Scarbrough, vice-president; and Brenda Morris, secretary-treasurer.
• 70 years ago, Sept. 30, 1954 – The city’s master water well was repaired and reconditioned at the staggering cost of almost $8,000. Mayor O. T. Hamner said that although the cost was high, after 22 years of service, it worked out to only $30 per month depreciation. The well tested negative for bacteria and only a small trace of minerals were found, principally iron.
More than 3,300 people attended the open house for the new Gulf Interstate natural gas pumping station at Banner.
Hubert Clark of Coffeeville was elected chairman of the Yalobusha County ASC. Others elected included S. A. Swearengen of Oakland, vice-chairman; and Wayne Williamson of Water Valley, member.
Joseph D. House and Billy J. Miller enlisted in the Air Force.
The second annual 4-H Poultry Chain Show and Sale was held at Coffeeville and the blue ribbon winners were Morris and Horris Holloway, Amy Ruth Anderson and Richard Dickey. Other winners were Travis Bonner, Charles Stone, Bobby Garner, Mary Bratton, Joan Brown, Becky Pendergrass and Frances Ann Wood.
• 80 years ago, Sept. 28, 1944 – Pvt. Willie Morgan was reported missing-in- action in France.
The trial of A. I. Shaw Jr. was set to begin in Circuit Court in Sardis. Shaw was charged with first degree murder in connection with the death of James Deskin, a soldier from Camp McCain. Attorneys James McClure and Hubert Fant of Sardis would assist Attorney John Horan of Water Valley with Shaw’s defense.
Navy F1c John T. Hayles Jr. received the Purple Heart posthumously. He was reported missing in action and then killed in action more than two years before.
• 90 years ago, Oct. 5, 1934 – Howard Kelly was injured while fox hunting. He fell into a ravine and fractured a thighbone and wrenched his back. Kelly crawled 200 yards to his car.
The town of Kosciusko was not popular with Water Valley railroad men because most of the strikebreakers during the 1911 strike came from that city. Herald editor Louis Barber wrote that a strike was now on at the textile plant in Kosciusko and troops had to be called to protect the strikebreakers. He noted that a number of people were out of work and wondered how the strikers would feel if Water Valley people came to work there.
