Old newspaper excerpts from The Monroe Journal newspaper of Monroe County, Alabama

Charles Booker, Past Alabama Grand Master

TWO YEARS AGO

NOV. 3, 2016

Grand opening slated: Excel Mayor Jenny Countryman and the town’s council will hold a grand opening for the new storm shelter and community center located on Buffington Street Sunday beginning at 2 p.m. Refreshments will be served and the public is invited to attend.

TIGERS WIN 26-12: Monroe County High picked up a 26-12 win over in-county rival Excel, securing the game with under 10 seconds to play with a defensive touchdown.

With 15 seconds to go (Excel quarterback Ray Ray) Maye took the snap, dropped back to pass and the Tigers got to him, forcing a fumble that Colby Barnett scooped up and ran 35 yards for a touchdown to put the game out of reach, 26-12.

(Other top MCHS players in that game included Anthony Jackson and Daylan Packer. Standout Excel players included Jeremiah Hixon, Jalen Johnson, Dawson McCrory and Nolan Tilley. Juan Williams was MCHS’s head coach, and Jason Wambles was Excel’s head coach.)

Monroe Academy Queen: Faith Stabler, escorted by her father Patrick Stabler, was crowned Monroe Academy’s senior high homecoming queen Oct. 21.

Alabama River Cellulose and the Georgia-Pacific Foundation recently presented $12,000 to the Monroeville-Monroe County Economic Development Agency (MMCEDA) to support and promote economic development efforts in Monroe County. Pictured are Mike Colquett, MMCEDA board member; Tina Kicklighter, ARC’s public affairs manager; Mark Burgess, MMCEDA board chair; Whitney Hurt, MMCEDA executive director; and Paul England, MMCEDA board member.

27 YEARS AGO

NOV. 7, 1991

Harvey Angus Whitley of Monroeville was guest of honor at an Oct. 22 Alabama Award of Gold 50-year Masonic service emblem presentation at the Monroeville Masonic Lodge.

Past Master James A. Pipkin, lecturer of the 31^st Masonic District, represented Most Worshipful Grand Master Wayne Lucas at the presentation. Charles Booker, Past Master of Flomaton lodge, assisted Pipkin as Worshipful Master for the ceremony.

Area champs! Whippets collect 1A Area 2 crown: “Area champs! Area champs!” rang through the chill of the evening Friday at Frisco City High School during the final seconds of the fourth quarter as the Whippets edged Southern Normal School 19-16 to record the school’s first 1A Area 2 championship since 1985.

(Frisco City head coach Scott) Fountain, who is in his second season at Frisco, attributed the Whippets’ second victory of the season to the offensive line and the substitute running backs.

(Standout FCHS players in the Southern Normal game included Terrance Black, Roy Bonner, Adrian Bullard, Chris Davison, James Foster, Tony Gibbs, Derrick Harris, Jermaine Hetherington, Melvin Hetherington, Brian Malone, Bo Minchew, Clayton Minchew, Shannon Richardson, William Sheets, Shannon Smith, A.J. White and Eric Williams.)

What many believe to have been the oldest brick commercial building in Monroe County was virtually destroyed by a morning fire in downtown Peterman yesterday (Wednesday).

The building, formerly a Peterman Agricultural Co. appliance warehouse, is about a block east of old Highway 21, Peterman’s main street. Several people said it was the oldest in the county, and it had a sign on the side to that effect. It was built around 1900.

52 YEARS AGO

NOV. 3, 1966

Monroeville voters rejected a bid to change the present form of government by more than a two to one margin in a special election Tuesday.

In a light turnout, residents turned down the change, 424 to 164.

A petition was filed Sept. 26 in probate court asking that an election be held for the purpose of changing the present mayor-council form of government to a three-member commission type.

Panthers Break Losing String; Beat McKenzie: The Excel Panthers broke out of a six-game slump and overhauled McKenzie 26-0 Friday night.

Led by the three touchdowns of Tommy Jordan, the Panthers scored in every period but the third.

(Other standout Excel players in that game included Larry Bell, Talmadge Hoods, Harold Johnson, Chubby Murray, Eddie Nall, Amos Stacey, Terry Stacey, Donald Turberville and Stanley Wilson.)

Pastor Is Named At Enon Baptist: Rev. Luther Suell has accepted the pastorate of the Enon Baptist Church, Atmore Route.

Mr. and Mrs. Suell moved to the church field April 1.

Rev. Suell is a graduate of Fruitdale Baptist Bible Institute, Hendersonville, N.C., and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a native of Greenwood, S.C.

77 YEARS AGO

NOV. 6, 1941

Francis Nicholas of Frisco City, news president of the Alabama Association of the Future Farmers of America, will direct the activities of 206 high school chapters with a total enrollment of 6,000 active Future Farmers in the State Association this year.

The 17-year-old youth has served as president and vice president of his local chapter, and has filled the offices of secretary and vice president in the district organization. For two years, he has reached the quarterfinals in the State FFA public speaking contest, and he was county winner in the speaking contest sponsored by the Birmingham News.

Pvt. William I. Simpson of Monroeville has been transferred to Camp Polk from Camp Lee, Va. and has been assigned to the Detachment Medical Department, Station Hospital, Headquarters and Station Complement, Corps Area Service Command. Pvt. Simpson, son of J.D. Simpson, was inducted into the Army at Ft. McClellan on July 15, 1941, and was assigned for preliminary training to the 2^nd Medical Training Battalion, Camp Lee, where he remained until his transfer to Camp Polk, La. He is one of the 30 replacements transferred to Camp Polk to fill the vacancies created by the release of selectees in the medical detachment under the dependency and age rulings recently enacted.

Mr. and Mrs. Ben Poole are receiving congratulations upon the arrival of a baby daughter at Carter’s Hospital on Fri., Oct. 31.

The many friends of Miss Louise Snowden are glad to know that she is at home and doing nicely since undergoing an appendicitis operation at Carter’s hospital.

102 YEARS AGO

NOV. 2, 1916

Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Lee spent a few days in Selma the first of the week.

Before another number of The Journal is published the important issues of the present campaign; national, state and local, will have been determined. So far as can be determined from pre-election forecasts, indications point hopefully to the return of President Wilson to the White House and the retention of control of the legislative branch in the hands of the Democratic party. Locally and in the state, there is no considerable organized opposition either to Democratic candidates or to the politics endorsed by the party.

Mr. and Mrs. R.J. Hendrix are spending a few days at the Gulf Coast Fair.

Mr. G.B. Barnett returned home Monday after spending a week with his father, Capt. W.H. Barnett, in Pike County.

J.B. Barnett, Esq., went to Montgomery Saturday to be present at the hearing before the federal board with reference to the location of the farm loan bank for this district.

Mrs. Lucy Hughes presented The Journal with a mammoth Japanese persimmon, one of the finest we have seen. Had she exhibited this and other specimens of her horticultural triumphs at the recent fair she would have undoubtedly carried off the premium.