Twenty-five years ago: Record & Landmark, Nov 28-Dec. 4, 1997.
Leaf crews: “Beginning their days at 7 a.m., these workers are responsible for picking up the leaves citizens have collected and piled where city streets meet private property. The city collects 2,000 tons of leaves per season.” (11/28)
Black Friday at Kay Bee Toys: “‘It’s been crazy,’ Andrea Walker, assistant manager said. Walker said that the check-out lines were an hour-and-a-half long wait. Sales from 8 a.m. to 12 noon this Friday totaled more than in the entire day Friday after Thanksgiving 1996.” (11/29)
President Dr. Douglas Eason on Mitchell Community College’s 1.7% student loan default rate in 1995: “The default rate is the percentage of federal student loan recipients who defaulted in the first or second years of repayment. ‘We are doing an outstanding job in our Financial Aid Office of counseling students as to what their responsibilities are before they take out a loan.’” (11/30)
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“The Evening Exchange Club has celebrated its 46th year of service to the Statesville community. Seven active charter members were recognized.” (John Benfield, Fred Chamblee, Frank Goforth, Baylor Henninger, Bob Hudgins, Allen Knox and Al Langston) (12/1)
“Officials at Crescent Electric Membership Corporation in Statesville are considering consolidating operations with Davidson Electric Membership Corporation. The board of directors from each corporation have agreed to participate in an in-depth study.” (12/2)
N.C. Livestock Show & Sale Facility: “The 10-member Council of State voted unanimously to buy 46.25 acres in west Statesville along Westminster Drive and Bristol Road between NC 90 and US 70. Now the Iredell County Commissioners have to make the same decision.” (12/3)
Mooresville: “The town’s board of commissioners approved spending nearly $73,000 to have a new population census taken next spring, instead of waiting for the next national census in 2000. If it reveals as many residents as officials predict, the town will qualify for $252,000 in state-shared revenues.” (12/4)
Fifty years ago: Record & Landmark, Nov. 28-Dec. 4, 1972.
Photos’ caption: “Work is progressing on the new Signal Hill Mall on E. Broad St. Thomas J. Pegram, local architect reported today that work is 28 percent complete on the project. At lower right, one of the three ‘Fountain Courts’ is beginning to take shape.” (11/28)
Statesville High 49, South Iredell High 45: “SHS was led by Dennis Kilby with 13 points and Mark Ogburn with 10 but the defense was the key to victory. The SHS pressure defense used two, three and four guards on occasion. (Statesville took its first lead with 1:44 left in the game.) (11/29)
“Exposition Properties, Inc., has purchased the Vance Hotel property. According to James B. Holcombe, manager of the Holiday Inn, which is also owned by Exposition, the structure will no longer be the Vance Hotel.” (11/30)
New store: “Woodcraft Tools features a complete line of woodworking tools. Three major brands of power tools are exhibited at the new store, located at 235 E. Front St. They are Rockwell, Black & Decker, and Skill. The new store is owned by A.L. Steelman.” (12/1)
County library director Flint Norwood on new gas furnace: “The library has operated on an abbreviated schedule for two weeks, following a fire which destroyed the coal furnace used to heat the building. ‘I have just been informed that it will be in by the first of the week.” (12/2)
“Dr. J.H. Nicholson, acting health director, reported that the removal of graves in the county paupers graveyard was complete. He said 506 graves were opened and remains were found in 162 of them. The remains were sealed in a cement vault and placed in the St. Paul’s Lutheran cemetery, with brief graveside ceremonies presided over by Rev. Paul Conrad.” (The old county home property had been sold for industrial development.) (12/4)
Seventy-five years ago: Statesville Daily Record, Nov. 28-Dec. 4, 1947.
“Double memorial services will be conducted at Piney Grove church Nov. 30, for Edgar D. Bowers and K. Odell Bowers, cousins who were killed in action in the last war. The two cousins served together and both had been previously buried in a cemetery in Belgium.” (11/28)
“Dottie Lou Mills, which has been closed since last summer, will be reopened under a two-year lease by Bev-Wynn Products. Only one schedule will be operated for the first two or three weeks, but within 60 days it is hoped to have the plant going full time.” (The mill was a yarn mill.) (11/29)
Funeral services for Clyde E. McDaniel to be held Dec. 7 at New Union Methodist Church: “He entered the U.S. Army July 18, 1944, and was sent overseas in December of 1944. He served in Company ‘C’ 48th Armored Infantry. He was in combat duty in Belgium and was injured in battle, Jan. 21, 1945 and died from the wound Jan. 29, 1945.” (12/1)
“Miss Helen Johnson, manager of the Playhouse theater, today announced the installation of a new sound system, which claims to give, for the first time natural sound with talking pictures. It also banishes ‘good’ and ‘bad’ seats in a theater.” (12/2)
Statesville High 29, Harding 19: “Gene Smith led the way to victory last night dropping in 15 points, trailed by Fisher with 8. Coach Dave Diamont alternated two equally-capable teams to wear out Harding in the final stages to go ahead. The score was knotted 12-11 at halftime.” (12/3)
“There’ll be fewer aching backs Down in Iredell now that the first mechanical cotton picker in this section has been delivered to Richard Hicks, well-known farmer of the Harmony community. This picker is capable of delivering about one bale per hour.” (John Deere) (12/4)
One hundred years ago: Landmark, Nov. 30 and Dec. 4, 1922.
“Thursday, the electric power was idle to the mills of Statesville and other heavy users, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. This is due, it is stated, to the low water supply that feeds the plants of the Southern Power Company. The shut-off will affect the local plants only on Thursdays.” (The Southern Power Co. built dams on the Catawba River and in 1924 changed its name to Duke Power Co.) (11/30)
Mooresville: “The Mooresville cotton mills have been notified to shut down Thursday, the 30th. The notice is from the Southern Power Company. Concord mills are to shut down Wednesday. This is to save power curtailed on account of the low water, caused by the continued dry weather.” (11/30)
“Dr. Forest A. Carpenter died suddenly Saturday at Battle Creek Sanitarium, Battle Creek, Michigan, following a hemorrhage of the brain. A letter written by him last Tuesday to the Carpenter-Davis hospital that he would return to Statesville Thursday evening and resume his work Friday morning. He went away November 3 with the intention of taking a month of rest. Dr. Carpenter had made Statesville his home for the past nine years, having practiced his profession in Mooresville for the eight years previous.” (12/4)
Shepherds school: “The other Friday night there was a gathering at the school building. All the school children and patrons came out to buy candies, cream and play. The result was $37.10 for the school’s benefit. The money is being used in buying new shades, oil for the floor, and the like for the use of the school.” (12/4)
One hundred twenty-five years ago: Landmark, Nov. 30 and Dec. 3, 1897.
“The collection of North Carolina minerals owned by the late J.A.D. Stephenson has been sold to the State and will be placed in the State museum at Raleigh. The purchase was packed and sent to Raleigh Friday. The amount of the purchase price is known to The Landmark but is withheld by request.” (The Landmark stated the price in its next issue — $450 — after one of the agents who bought it revealed the price in the Raleigh papers.) (11/30)
“It is told on Mr. J.C. Sullivan that he went up in Alexander turkey hunting a few days ago, shot a turkey, which he secured after running it down, and that the incident so excited him that he came home without his mule and had to send back for it the next day.” (11/30)
“Deputy Collector Davis set up a new distillery in Iredell — W.S. Haynes in Eagle Mills township. B.A. Holman is the storekeeper and gauger.” (The next issue corrected the story to read B.A. Holmes, not Holman.) (11/30)
“The receipts of cotton on the Statesville market have been quite heavy this week. The ruling price yesterday was $5.40.” (12/3)
“The Observer says the A., T. & O. freight train will carry an extra car during the holidays for the convenience of the people who shop in Charlotte.” (June Bug RR) (12/3)
E.S. Millsaps of Clio on education: “Some people laugh at the idea of compulsory education, but I am glad to note a growing sentiment in its favor. It is surprising that parents will send their children to school without books. Men are always buying tools to cultivate the land. But they seem to think that the teachers they want to employ at $5 to $20 a month are wise enough to cultivate their children’s minds without tools (books).” (Local stores carried approved school books, and parents were to buy them.) (12/3)