RECOLLECTIONS

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

— 40 Years Ago

Pea Ridge basketball homecoming queen was senior Penny Hall. Members of the court included: Billye McElmurry, sophomore; Yvonne Snow, sophomore; Elaine Popken, senior; Peggy Arnold, junior; and Peggy McKinney, junior. David Patterson crowned the queen while Billy Buttry presented her a bouquet of red roses.

Junior high basketball homecoming queen was freshman Phyllis Evans. Members of the court included: Rhonda Hall, freshman; Kimberly Jenkins, seventh grade; and Beth Wicks, eighth grade. The queen was crowned by Johnny Brown and presented with a bouquet of red roses by Lester Hall.

Pea Ridge was the fastest growing town in Benton County, with an increase from a population of 380 in 1960 to a population of 1,088 in 1970.

The population increase for other towns from 1960 to 1970 included, Bentonville - 3,649 to 5,508; Centerton - 177 to 312; Decatur - 415 to 847; Lowell - 277 to 653 and Rogers - 5,700 to 11,050. Highfill had a decrease from 92 to 80.

From the files of Jan. 13, 1966, John Easley, owner of the White Automotive Store, went to Dallas, Texas, to attend a showing of spring merchandise.

Danny Ford of Garfield was the winner of the Carthage Lions Golden Gloves 88-pound class.

30 Years Ago

Councilmen Alva Lee Johnson, Chuck Colton, City Attorney Howard Slinkard, Alderman Billy Dryden and Jackie Patterson were sworn into office by Mayor Lester Hall.

Gary Fletcher killed a 35-inch long copperhead in his basement. He said it was the first time he had ever found a copperhead in January. The snake was so thin, Fletcher said he could easily see where the saying “poor as a snake” had come from.

Pea Ridge Blackhawk basketball player, Mark Howell, was saluted as the 1980-81 team floor leader.

Fred Sutton, quarterback and David Dye, center, on the Blackhawk football team will be among 48 players to be honored as members of the KURM football dream team.

Dedication of the route of U.S. Highway 62 through Rogers was marked with a speech by State Legislator Dick Barclay.

20 Years Ago

Pea Ridge school superintendent Marvin Higginbottom said he had doubts there will be school until at least Jan.

14. Students were supposed to return to school on Jan. 2, but a storm, which dumped as much as five inches of sleet on northwest Arkansas andsouthern Missouri, forced Higginbotttom to suspend classes indefinitely.

A retired educator from Colorado is the new minister at Pea Ridge Church of Christ.

Roger Autrey replaced Leroy Cowan.

Pea Ridge High School Scott Hi-Q team included: Leyla Maloney, Sharon Goates, Sheila Hall, Denise Patterson, Jennifer Jones, captain Cassie Mills, Chad VanLaningham, Jaron Collis, Greg Wilkerson and Jason Ingals. Sponsor was Wade Kniseley.

10 Years Ago

City road crews have been busier than usual this time of year and busier than they’ve ever been in his seven years with the city, said David Guyll, Pea Ridge street superintendent. Since Christmas, Guyll, Bryan Jones and Randy Roper have worked more than 168 hours and dumped more than 130 yards of sand and salt on Pea Ridge streets.

Thomas Wayne O’Dell was sworn in as Avoca mayor on New Year’s day.

Frank Manasseri of Pea Ridge solved the problem of being snowbound for more than two weeks. He created “Arkie Icewalkers” to enable him to travel from his house to the chicken coop. The gadgets Manasseri invented were made by sandwiching two pieces of plywood cut to shoe length, placing long screws into the bottom piece so they extend through the wood, joining the second piece of plywood atop the first, then strapping the layers to shoes using rope.

Church, Pages 2 on 01/12/2011