Look Back In Yalobusha History
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To better help the youngsters at First Baptist Church Kindergarten understand the first Thanksgiving, members of Water Valley’s Order of the Arrow Boy Scouts demonstrated Indian dances in 1984. The young men are (front, from left) Stephen Spence, Mike Dickens, Michael Avant, (back row) Scott Spence, Richard Craig, Matt Porter and Mike Boland.
Ellis Strickland’s letter to his parents was published in the Nov. 23, 1944 edition of the Herald. He was doing fine, but he wrote of a harrowing experience on the war front.
“Dearest Mother and Dad:
I got a letter from you today, written the 19th day of September. It surely took that one a long time to get here, but I was glad to read it just the same. I should get two or three in this afternoon’s mail.
Well, Mama, I told you in my last letter about the excitement we had one night. It’s something I will never forget. I wish I could tell you all about it, but I can’t.
I was in bed when the fun began and I was asleep. One of the boys came over to my cot and told me to get up, that this was the real thing and no fooling, and about that time our guns opened up. I thought I’d never find my shoes in the dark, but I did finally get them on and my raincoat and helmet and by the time I got outside and looked up this Jap ship was on fire and the tail gunner was still firing at our gunner, had him in a cross fire. Boy, they were giving it to him good. I just stood there and watched him hit the ground. But when the bombs began falling that moved me. I made a dive for my foxhole and I was saying my prayers as I went. I’m very thankful to our God that we got out of that as lucky as we did.
Mama, it’s all very funny to us now. We are all talking about it every day and laughing at someone, how they acted. Well, I guess I was something to laugh at but it wasn’t funny right then. I hope we don’t have that experience again.
I’m sending you a small piece of the Jap’s parachute I got out of the ship when we put out the fire.
Well, I’ll close for this time. Mama, don’t worry about me. I’m doing fine. All my love. Your son, (Ellis) Strickland
Through The Years From The Herald
• 15 Years Ago, Nov. 26, 2009 – Both Water Valley and Coffeeville schools were on the low end of accountability ratings released by the Mississippi Department of Education in a new accountability model. Previously schools were measured against in-state achievement and Water Valley High and Davidson Elementary had been Level 5, or Superior Performing since the 2004-05 school year.
Rotarian Paul Parker was presented an award for having 74 years of perfect attendance in the Rotary Club.
Army Reserve Master Sgt. Ronald A. Bell was mobilized and activated for deployment overseas in support of Operation Iraqi freedom. He was listed as the son of Ray Bell and Opal Bell, both of Tillatoba.
The U.S. Corps of Engineers announced that unseasonably high water would force an increase in the spill- way discharge at flood control lakes including Enid. The increased discharge was expected to inundate some crop lands downstream.
• 20 Years Ago, Dec. 2, 2004 – Almost 300 Thanksgiving meals were served by Compassion Ministries at Water Valley Cafe on the big day. The meals were cooked by the Rotenberry family. The event marked the third year Compassion had offered the Thanksgiving meals.
Acclaimed author Larry Brown of Oxford died Nov. 23 of a heart attack. Brown was described as among the very best contemporary writers in the country and his passing abruptly ended his career at 53.
First place winners in the Proud to be an American poster contest were Lexi Fowler, Austin King, Ashia Kee, John Christopher Tyler and Ketelyn Stanford. Second place winners were Timothy Kilpatrick, Cooper Clement, Maddie Hammond, Kenya Woods, Garrett King and Dillan Mikan.
• 30 Years Ago, Nov. 24, 1994 – A 34-14 win by Pontotoc ended the Blue Devil’s season in the second round of playoffs. Both teams were 9-3 coming into the game, but the Warriors advanced to the North Half Championship.
Serving as officers of the Water Valley High School Distributive Education Club of America for the 1994-95 school year were Lara Smith, reporter; Brandy Thomas, secretary; Chasity Eubanks, historian; Eric Stacy, treasurer; Bennett Hill, president; and Tyler Hill, vice-president.
Lisa Edwards was winner of the $100 bill in a fundraiser for cheerleaders to attend the Citrus Bowl.
High-Point Buckles were awarded to five Coffeeville Club members at the annual year-end Tri-Lakes Western Horse Show Association awards banquet. Bennett Crow led the way with his overall high point award for the 13-17 year-old age group. Anna Crow, Autumn Brown and Lisa Byford received runner-up buckles. Ross Burney received a second runner-up buckle.
• 40 Years Ago, Nov. 29, 1984 – After seven months of absence from the First Baptist Church worship the congregation was returning home to a new decorated and furnished auditorium. The church had been severely damaged back in April by the tornado.
• 50 Years Ago, Dec. 5, 1974 – Helping raise funds for the WVHS Athletic Department, the Jaycettes played the Booster Club Women in one of a couple of competitive games scheduled at the school gym. Some of the players in the woman’s game included: Sandra “Rimshot” Quinn, Ruth “Wonder Shot” Wilbourn, Lettie “Double Dribble” Blackwood, Diane “Odd Bounce” Burk, Johnnie “Free Throw” Person; along with Mim “Crookshot” Carpenter, Nancy Tyler, Mary B. VanWinkle, Sammie Cobern, Patty Goodwin, Camille Fly, Deborah Hervey, Katie Hoskin, Dorothy Sanders, Zandra Morris, Margaret Cox, Cherie Cotton and many other basketball greats.
