Sheriff Candidate In 1935 Vows To Win Or Lose Race ‘Fair And Square’
The WVHS Rifle Squad in 1975 will present drill routines with performances of the Water Valley High School Band . Team members are (from left) kneeling Vivian Sanders and Sherry Smith; standing Paige Jones, Captain, Debbie Walker, Karen McMillan and Lorene Wilbourne.
It was a political year 90 years ago in the county and sheriff candidate C.W. Busby addressed voters about negative campaigning in the August 16, 1935 edition of the North Mississippi Herald. Busby was the top vote-getter on a five-man ticket for sheriff in the primary after the vote tally from each of the county’s 17 precincts.
“Folks, beware of last minute false reports and ‘whispering’ charges that may be put out during the closing days of this campaign. I have carried my duties on a high plane. I have not said one word derogatory to any-one who was or now is in this race with me, and I intended to win or lose this race fair and square and will not stoop to any low, petty, mean thing or unman- ly act to secure one vote….
“Friends, again I warn you to not pay attention to any of these false reports or rumors. If anyone comes to you with a ‘whispering’ charge against me, ask him to come with you to me and repeat the charge in my presence.”
• 50 Years Ago, August 21, 1975 – Herald Editor Edward Shearer wrote in his column that vandalism had been politically inspired. A sign located on Central Street advocating the election of William Winter was targeted. First, a large glob of yellow paint obliterated much of the sign. This must not have satisfied the van- dals, because on a subsequent night a vulgarity was superimposed on the yellow paint. This being a family newspaper, Shearer wrote, “We shall not use the words which are vulgarly used to denote the fecal excrement of a potent male bovine.”
• 60 Years Ago, August 19, 1965 – Voters of Yalobusha County approved the resolution to amend the Mississippi Constitution in Tuesday’s referendum by a vote of 1,025 for and 128 against. The changes in the Constitution eliminate some of the prerequisites to registration. It was believed by political leaders that this move might prevent federal registrars from entering all the counties of the state.
Coach Bobby Clark’s Water Valley Blue Devils, winners of 19 games in 20 outings since Clark took command in 1963, could be the “dark horse” eleven in this year’s Chickasaw Conference competition. But Clark warned, the team would have to overcome a lack of speed and a depth problem at quarterback to go the distance. Clark goes along with most of the other loop coaches in naming the defending champion Senatobia Warriors as the top team in the district. The Warriors were mentored by Bobby Tyler, former Blue Devil coach, who returns to the league after four years at Corinth and Okolona.
• 70 Years Ago, August 18, 1955 – Yalobusha students receiving degrees at the summer session com- mencement of the University of Mississippi Sunday evening include: Kenneth E. Johnson, William D. Fly, William Carl Nabors and Samuel C. Shoemake, all of Water Valley; Ervin E. Sayle, Jr. of Coffeeville and Ruth R. Donaldson of Oakland.
The Water Valley Jaycees will again sponsor the posting of the election returns on the second primary to be held Tuesday, August 23. Returns will be posted on the bulletin board in City Park. The group also had refreshment stands in operation and invited everyone to come early and do not worry about supper at home.
• 80 Years Ago, August 23, 1945 – Within the next two weeks it is expected that the Division Superintendent’s office, together with the train dispatchers and engineers office of the Illinois Central will move from Water Valley to Jackson, Tenn.
The number of farms in the County of Yalobusha, as shown by the preliminary count of returns of the 1945 Census of Agriculture was 2,807, as compared with 2,928 in 1940 and 2,710 in 1935. The total number of acres in farms, according to the data, was 243,498 acres down from 262,814 acres in 1940.
A picture on the front page of the Herald showed the birthplace of the atomic bomb in an aerial shot of Oak Ridge, Tenn. The town housed 75,000 workers who produced the nuclear energy for the atomic bombs dropped on Japan.
Miss E. V. Waldo of Coffeeville is a cousin of Staff Sergeant James Hendrix who received the Congressional Medal Honor from President Truman Thursday morning. Miss Waldo accompanied Sgt. Hendrix and his parents, of Lepanto, Ark., to Washington, D. C.
