RECOLLECTIONS

PEA RIDGE — 40 years ago

The first public appearance of the Pea Ridge School Band was Monday, Oct. 12, 1970. Miss Mabel Hardy, PTA president, announced the band would be featured at the meeting.

A group of Pea Ridge citizens announced a meeting for Community Action to be held in Pea Ridge. Representatives from the Northwest Arkansas Office of Economic Opportunity were present. It was understood there was movement underway to investigate the possibility of establishing both a community center and a child care center in Pea Ridge.

The newly organized boy scout troop in Pea Ridge was looking for odd jobs to raise money for new uniforms. They were also looking for new members, boys 11 years old and up.

---

30 years ago

Seligman, Mo. - population 450 - approached its 100th birthday in 1981. The city officials were Mayor Clyde Mitchell and four alderman: Chester Browning, Lester Juel, Carl Mitchell and Clyde Mooney.

Dr. Dorothy “Sally” Le-Boeuf came to work at Dr.

Homer Russell’s practice in Pea Ridge after living in southern California for the previous 15 years. She said she and her children fell in love with northwest Arkansas and found a couple of acres with lots of trees, a treehouse and a Cape Cod house just right for her antiques.

An ordinance regulating the location of mobilehomes in Avoca was approved at the council meeting. The ordinance included area and setback requirements, foundations, minimum ground clearance, curtain walls or skirting and permanent utility attachments. No mobile home could be set up for the purpose of a rental.

---

20 years ago

Pea Ridge United Fund chairman Pat Patterson was ecstatic over progress of the campaign, which so far totaled $12,423, following an update of the Industrial Division and as a result of her door-to-door solicitation. Patterson’s goal was set at $20,000.

Pea Ridge residents protested the annexation that was to be on the ballot thatNovember’s election. One area resident, John “Sarge” Pierce, put of signs along his residence off Arkansas Hwy. 72 across from the Church of the Nazarene that said “Don’t annex me.”

Earl White of Modern Woodmen of America presented a check for $2,246 to Dorothy Williams, chairman of the Volunteer Ambulance Service of Northeast Benton County, and Jana Fisher, VAS media chairman. The proceeds were raised through a matching fund raffle sponsored by the Woodmen of America camp 14010.

---

10 years ago

Parents pushed the Pea Ridge School Board for construction of a dirt track to allow a place for theirchildren to practice. They were parents of Trackhawks, an elementary and junior high team of track runners coached by John McGee. Parents wanted to make the track program more serious, maybe even offering scholarships after high school. Superintendent Roy Norvell said the building of a track was one of the school’s long range goals in his annual report.

Ethan Higgins, 6, won second place overall at the Benton County Fair with a 49.5 pound pumpkin. He grew the pumpkin from a seed started in a cup in Mrs. Vickie Kennemer’s kindergarten class the year before. The pumpkin was on display in front of Everdale Gardens.