Recollections

50 Years Ago

Pea Ridge Graphic

Vol. 3 No. 52

Wednesday, Dec. 25, 1968

Among the thousands of cities and towns in American, two happen to share the same name -- and both are famous. Neither is a large city -- in fact, the population of neither town exceeds one thousand. But the name of each is the secret its fame, for that name is Noel -- the French word for Christmas. One of these towns named Noel is a neighbor of ours, Noel, Mo. And at this season of the year, both towns are receiving cards and letters and packages by the thousands to be postmarked and mailed from "the Christmas City." We inquired about the matter at Noel, the week before Thanksgiving and learned that the Christmas mailing had already started arriving. Soon after that, the service clubs of the town would have set up their special tables in the post office lobby for stamping each piece of mail with one of the two special rubber stamps that decorates items mailed from Noel.

Ever wonder just old-timers were talking about they spoke of a "real old-fashioned Christmas tree?" Back in the 1890s, it seems Christmas trees were both charming and simple. At the very top of the tee was a gilded, sparkling star. The branches were adorned with such things as streamers, flags, popcorn and cranberries strung together, chains of gold and silver paper, candles in holders, (we don't recommend this, seems a fire hazard), peppermint canes, strips of gold paper, Santa Clause dolls, angels and cornucopias ("horns of plenty") filled to the brim with candles. Hard candies like sour balls and peppermint canes were the typical "penny candies" of the '90s. The candies were placed right on the tree, the sour balls either hung in the little bags or used to stuff the gifts such as wagons and drums at the base of the tree.

40 Years Ago

Pea Ridge Graphic-Scene

Vol. 13 No. 52

Wednesday, Dec. 27, 1978

Pea Ridge High School Bank Boosters report they are within $1,300 of reaching their goal for the purchase of new band uniforms and that they have already collected or had pledged $5,538 for that purpose. At the Band's Christmas concert on Dec. 17, a model of the new uniform was displayed and the Boosters report "the response from the parents and supporters was great." The organization has set a target date for collecting the remainder so that the new uniforms will be available for the band members for the spring concert.

At an emergency meeting, special session, the Pea Ridge City Council met the evening of Dec. 21, declared an emergency and passed an ordinance incorporating the State of Arkansas criminal code into the City of Pea Ridge's ordinances. C.A. Taylor explained that due to a decision by Circuit Judge William Enfield the city cannot prosecute on state statutes, the city should adopt the state's misdemeanor statutes for its own (Rogers City Council did the same thing Dec. 20). The attorney explained that unless such action were taken, all prosecutions not covered by city ordinance would have to be prosecuted by the County Prosecuting Attorney's office and all costs and fines would go the county.

Tony Fletcher, Jr., member of the Board of Education, School District 109, Pea Ridge, will offer for re-election to the board when his term expires in 1979 and the election is held March 13.

30 Years Ago

The TIMES of Northeast Benton County

Vol. 23 No. 52

Thursday, Dec. 29, 1988

What goes up must come down, but students in the Pea Ridge High School Trades & Industries Class had not intended the law of physics to be enforced so soon and in such manner. The students worked much of the fall to construct a pavilion in Pea Ridge City Park. The city agreed to furnish the materials to the class in return for the finished product, which was scheduled for completion before the Christmas holidays. High wind during the night of Dec. 19 leveled the nearly completed pavilion. Teacher Dan Johnson said, "It looked like it picked it off of that six by six. "It had to lift that roof completely clear."We lost very little lumber, I don't think we lost $100 worth." "We were just getting ready to put permanent bracing in it," Johnson said, adding, "If we had had the permanent bracing in place, I don't think it would have happened."

The Pea Ridge School district is spending several hundred dollars to improve heating efficiency in the gymnasium, school superintendent Marvin Higginbottom said last week. He said that the gymnasium proper is heated by natural gas units that hang from the ceiling. Higginbottom said that the systems were designed by an architect but have proved to be inefficient. Now, he said, most of the air heated by the systems will be recirculated from within the building. "We'll cut our gas bill at least half and you'll be a whole lot more comfortable," Higginbottom said.

The Pea Ridge Senior High Boys lost their opener Monday to Cassville in the Cassville Tournament, 51-54. Because of the Christmas Holidays, last week Pea Ridge only played on Monday and Tuesday. Monday night they traveled to Gentry, where they lost all three games. The Lady Blackhawks suffered only their second loss of the season, 76-84. Both losses have come at the hands of the number-one ranked team in AA, Gentry. Coach Larry Walker said the main problem the senior boys are having is, "They are not scoring points. Our defense is good and we are rebounding well. But we just aren't putting it in the basket."

20 Years Ago

The TIMES of Northeast Benton County

Vol. 33 No. 52

Wednesday, Dec. 30, 1998

There was a No. 51 printed on Thursday, Dec. 25. There is no No. 52 in the Vol. 33 book which would have been on Wednesday, Dec. 30.

10 Years Ago

The TIMES of Northeast Benton County

Vol. 43 No. 52

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008

Ozark rocks have slowed down the rehabilitation of the city's sewer line and continue to change the course of traffic at the elementary school. Boring beneath East Pickens Street at Klauss Lane, subcontractors hit rock -- again and again -- and a project that was to have taken four weeks is extending into the third month. This week, the drill bit got stuck, according to Ken Hayes, water and sewer superintendent. "The lines being replaced are all 8-inch lines... they're about 40 years old," Hayes said, saying some were from the 1960s and some from the 1980s. "It was projected to be a four-week job, but they hit solid rock. They've been pounding on the rock ever since," he said, adding that at one point, workers were working in the 25-foot deep hole with jack hammers.

The face of cheer leading has changed over the years -- the number of the members of the team, the stunts performed. Now, it's recognized as a sport by the Arkansas Activities Association and college scholarships are available. Courtney Hurst has watched that change and been personally involved in it. A cheerleader in school at Pea Ridge, she is now the coach of the senior high school cheer leading squad. This year, that squad placed in the top half of the competitors at the state competition. "I had four cheerleaders get offers to colleges last year," she said. "We hope people will recognize the dedication of these athletes and understand it is a sport and come to respect it more. "This is the first year the AAA declared cheer leading a sport," Hurst said. They have school practices, group practice at an area gym, some have private stunting lessons and they sponsor many fundraising activities throughout the year to offset costs for camps and competitions. In addition to practices, performances and competitions, the cheerleaders also give back to their community, Hurst said.

Rezoning 20.14 acres on Ross Salvage Road from A-1 to A-1A is one of the items on the agenda for the Pea Ridge Planning Commission Board of Adjustments first meeting of the new year. The same property was presented to both planners and the City Council for a rezone to R-2, but was denied. Other items on the agenda include meeting the candidates for planning commission seat and a discussion on the number of commissioners and the terms of commissioners. Mayor Jack Crabtree said at the council meeting that the ordinance establishing the commission requires a minimum of five planners, but does not set a limit of members.