Yalobusha Historical Society Minutes – April 15, 2010
The Yalobusha Historical Society held its monthly meeting April 15 in the Presbyterian Church in Coffeeville. There were 51 members and guests present, many from out of town, some for the first time. Our meetings are always open to the public, and visitors are given a cordial welcome.
The opening prayer was spoken by Carl Vick. President Mike Worsham welcomed everyone, especially the speakers and visitors.He then invited everyone to take a look at our Library, the former Masonic Lodge, adjacent to the Church. It is ready to move into, and a work day is set for April 28. Mike expressed appreciation for all the monetary donations, and the donations of labor that made this work possible. Dave Hovey was given a round of applause for the wonderful job he did in painting the walls. Thanks are due Carl Vick and Dave’s son, also. The Library will be a boon to researchers as there is a lot of information available. (We want to thank Mike for all the work he does, not just helping researchers, but a lot of other things for the Society) I must mention the huge pipe organ that sits at the front of the sanctuary, that hasn’t been played in years. Dave has been working on it, and has had his wife, Emma, come try it out. He has some more to do, and we thank him kindly. And, Emma, we hope you can come do a concert for us in the near future!!
The Society depends on membership dues to pay the utilities, insurance and maintenance on the building, and for publication of THE PIONEER. Membership is $20.00 per calendar year. The address is: YHS, Box 258, Coffeeville, MS 38922.
Mike reported that Vice-president John Moorman will head up the Publications Committee that is in the process of being formed. John, as Editor, and the committee members will be in charge of THE PIONEER, the Society’s quarterly which is currently behind schedule. More about this later.
We send condolences to the family of Martha Short, one of our members, who died recently. Also to Lena Jones in the loss of her daughter, Terry. We send get-well wishes to Lena, also. She was seriously injured in an auto accident the same day of her daughter’s death. She is a patient in the hospital in Calhoun City. John Moorman is suffering from pneumonia, and unable to attend .Frances Stewart as also been ill and unable to attend. We welcomed Jackie Weibley back after an illness. (There might be others that we are not aware of)
Program Chairman Opal Wright announced that the speaker for the May meeting will be Arnold Dyre, of Madison. Arnold grew up around Gore Springs and Grenada. He is a retired lawyer and writes a column for The Grenada Star. He is also an author, and will present his latest book
Home Again.” Opal then introduced the day’s speakers, “the Bailey twins,” Jean Kirk of Tupelo and Joan Bailey of Vicksburg. Their subject was “Growing Up In Coffeeville in the 1930s and 1940s.”
The Bailey twins grew up in Coffeeville, the daughters of the late John and Catherine Bailey. Growing up here, they loved the land, swimming in the lakes and creeks, horseback riding and hunting with their Dad. After graduating from Coffeeville High School, they attended Stephens College in Columbia, Mo., graduating with an Associate of Arts degree; then attended Ole Miss, both receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Education degree. After graduating, they both married Doctors and both taught second grade – Jean in Pennsylvania and Joan in New Orleans, while their husbands completed their residencies in medicine. They returned to Mississippi – Jean to Tupelo and Joan to Vicksburg, where they live today – but if you ask them where they are from, they will still say, “Coffeeville!” Jean has four children and five grandchildren. Joan has three children and four grandchildren. Their love for Coffeeville and all the people in it is still obvious today.
Jean, “the quiet one,” spoke first. She joked that her sister, Joan, (“the talkative one,” wanted to speak for two hours, and only allowed her FIVE minutes to speak!!
Jean thanked everyone for coming out to hear them, and about how wonderful it was to be back in their beloved hometown, Coffeeville. She began her talk with a quote from Charles Dickens: “It was the worst of time, but it was the best of times.” She is referring to the period of time in which the country suffered THE GREAT DEPRESSION, in the 1930s, and WORLD WAR TWO, in the 40s. Coffeeville was deeply affected by both, and although there was much hardship and heartache, the people were drawn closer by these adversities.
Jean then gave a “trivia quiz” in which she asked a series of questions about life in Coffeeville in the ’30s and ’40s, such as “Who was our Mayor?” (Spearman McRee) Our doctors: Criss, Leonard and Spearman; Lawyers: Stone, Stone and Boswell; druggist: J. H. Bates; Depot agent: Frank Collins; Postmisttress/Postmaster: “Miss Frank” Cook, and E. E. Sayle; THE COURIER editor: Gerald Denley. Who had the barber shop: Chester Pate; Shoe shop: Homer Arrington; Dry cleaners: the Riddick family; School Superintends: Lovorn and Crowson;
And then: what Baptist preacher was made a chaplain in the military in WW2: Saucier; What couple married in The Little Church Around the Corner in NYC: Hilliard and Lea Griffin; What Coffeeville beauty was crowned “Miss Ole Miss” in 1933: Clyde Bryant; (and married Colonel Reb, Frank Everett) What brand of coffee did Ed Woodall sell: Dean’s; (the twins did a cute ditty about Dean’s coffee at this time) What store had the slogan “The cat came Back”: H. Gorden’s. The slogan “We Buy and Sell Everything?: Bailey’s; And on a lighter note: What was the juke join just north of town: Shady Springs: The one south of town: Circle Inn; (someone in the audience recalled that it was said that you “Circle In, Stagger Out”) Naturally, these businesses were off limits to those in the twins’ age group.
Jean shared many other memories of life in Coffeeville yielding her time to Joan. Thanks, Jean, for a very enjoyable trip down memory lane.
And now, on to Joan’s recollections of growing up in Coffeeville. She concurred with Jean’s thought that it was the worst of times, but was still the best of times. She said that there many, many things that we DIDN’T have, but that fact alone made everyone closer during that period. There were no television, refrigerators or air conditioners Their house, like many other homes, was heated with coal-burning stoves or fireplaces. Housewives cooked on a big iron wood stove. Almost everyone had gardens, and those who had a big lot would have a cow.
Coffeeville had electricity, and got butane gas in the late ’30s. This made life much easier. Gone were the wood stoves and iceboxes. Most everyone had radios, and Joan, and the audience, recalled many of the shows that were on during that period: Lum and Abner, Jack Benny, The Shadow Knows and The Hit Parade, among others. There were some telephones, but TV didn’t come about until the ’50s.
Joan talked about the town’s three churches: the Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian. Much of the young people’s social life revolved around the churches.(I believe Jean had mentioned that the big bell in the Presbyterian Church was never rung during the week, except when there was a fire in town. Coffeeville was a quiet, crime-free little town. Halloween was one of the best holidays of the year, and since nobody could afford costumes, the kids just put a sheet over their heads, with eye holes. She told about the time the new School Supt., Q. T. Crowson and his wife went trick or treating with the kids, and her buddy, Billy Dean Benoist, upon seeing the two ‘overgrown kids,’ demanded to know who they were, the only answer he got was from the lady, who only made ghost-like sounds. Billy Dean then proceeded to swat her – right in the seat! The Crowsons were good sports, however, and Billy suffered no consequences.
Joan then talked about the school, its sports, the band and the teachers. Students played basketball on dirt courts, on the South side of the school. There was also a track team. The CHS band was led by Mrs. Carolyn Bell, who was the much-loved music teacher. Some of people in the audience, Patricia “Chip” Miller, Sarah Collins Saucier and Eugene Spearman, played in the band. (and maybe others) Jean and Joan started of as majorettes, but moved on to play saxophone and cornet.
Joan spoke of the hard times during the Depression and WW2, and how everyone made do with what they had. As she said, nobody considered themselves poor, and were thankful for what they DID have. She talked about her grandmother, Mrs. Pearl Bailey, “NunDear” to the twins, and how she would dress up and walk to the grocery store every day. There were cars, of course, but a lot of people chose to walk. They didn’t make long trips in cars, either, but went by train or bus.
There were many other memories that Joan shared, but space has run out. Thank you, Jean and Joan, for a wonderful program. Coffeeville has a special place in the hearts of all of us who lived there, and it is still a wonderful town.
ATTENDING: Curtis Berry, David and Lois Bishop, Joe Moorman, Opal Wright, Betty Miller, Sarah Saucier, Thelma Rae Harbour, Alma Brandon, Jean Arrington, Jean M. Scobey, Kathryn Tierce, Kay F. Rodick, Kathryn French, Jean B. Kirk, Joan Bailey, Donna Bailey Dye, Steve Bailey, Betty B. Pechak, Jimmy D. and Toots Waddell, Patricia “Chip” Miller, Edward L. Sims, Eugene Spearman, Sally S. Trotter, Beverly Trotter, Carl and Mae Vick, Bobby and Bobbie Hutchins, Art and Joanne W. Fudger, Marge Kilgore, Julia Fernandez, R. O. “Red” Riddick, John E. and Nancy Kimbrough, Sue Fly, Dot Criss, Pat Brooks, Kay McCulley, Mike Worsham, Tom Moorman, Jimmie Pinnix, Dave Hovery, Steve Cox, Ray Cox, Dick and Jackie Weibley, Gary and Joy Tippitt.
Betty R. Miller
226-6975
