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

Ace Atkins

13 YEARS AGO
MAY 1, 2008

Writers in town for symposium: Hundreds of literary enthusiasts will spend the next three days in Monroeville, the Literary Capital of Alabama, participating in the annual Alabama Writers Symposium.
Alabama Southern Community College and the City of Monroeville are sponsoring the event that kicks off tonight (Thursday) with the opening banquet. Author Daniel Wallace will be the guest speaker.
In addition to Wallace, Alabama writers participating in the event include Ace Atkins, Kate Campbell, Beth Nielsen-Chapman, Wayne Flynt, Bob Halli, Patti Callahan Henry, Rebecca Gilman, Pulitzer Prize winner Hank Klibanoff, Michael Morris, Roger Reid, Philip Shirley, Pulitzer Prize winner Cynthia Tucker, Sue Brannan Walker and Elizabeth Wilder.

Lady Panthers take second: Excel’s Lady Panthers finished second in the Spanish Fort High School tournament last weekend. Team members are Lauren Anderson, Kelsey Ledkins, Hannah Qualls, Jessy Bradley, Courtney Addison, Claire Jordan, Coach Sam Hollingsworth Jr., Mikayla Nall, Kayla Nall, Deanna Henderson, Alycia Baggett, Courtney Blankenship, Lindsay Gulsby, Amy Hudson, Morgan Agerton and Coach Charlotte Wiggins.

Relay for Life Friday: The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life of Monroe County is set to kick off Friday at 6 p.m. at Monroe County High School’s Tiger Stadium.
The annual event, which raised over $254,000 last year and made Monroe County the top fundraiser in the state per capita, will have a new twist this year.
“We will be going for 18 hours this year instead of just 12,” local Relay Chairperson Tammy Coburn said.

38 YEARS AGO
MAY 5, 1983

Tree hits mill: Rikard’s Mill between Beatrice and Vredenburgh, one of Monroe County’s historical landmarks, received a crushing blow recently when this huge oak tree crashed down on it, damaging one of its sides and about one-third of the roof. Although the grist mill has been abandoned for decades, it is still a scenic attraction. Area residents said that although storms might have helped the tree fall, it had been tilting for years.

(Monroe Academy’s baseball team) clinched the district championship Tuesday of last week with a 12-1 win over Sparta Academy in Monroeville. The victory came behind the solid pitching of left-hander Tim Carter and the hitting of Keith Langham.
Carter had 11 strikeouts and allowed only one hit, while Langham collected three hits in four trips to the plate.
(Other top players on MA’s team that season included Jeff Brown, Pat Downs, Donald Foster, Steve Lambert, Michael McCrory, Don Smith and Steven Simmons. Eddie Tyler was MA’s head coach.)

Library donation: Monroeville Jayceette Faye Dueitt gives librarian Ann Pridgen of the Monroe County Library a $100 check which will be used toward the renovation of the new library building (the former LaSalle Hotel structure downtown). Even with the recent donation, which was raised through several Jayceette projects, the library still needs about $100,000 before it reaches its goal, Mrs. Pridgen said.

63 YEARS AGO
MAY 1, 1958

Ceremony To Start New Baptist Church: Groundbreaking services for the new Monroeville First Baptist Church building are scheduled Sunday as part of the morning worship hour.
The pastor, the Rev. L. Reed Polk, said the ceremony will be held around 11:45 a.m. on the site for the new building, adjacent to the present pastorium on Pineville Road.
Rev. Polk, Karl J. Lazenby, Chairman of the Board of Deacons, other church officials and older members are expected to participate in the program.
Cost of the proposed building is $183,000. The first unit to be constructed will be an educational plant. Erection of a sanctuary will follow. Construction will begin Monday by the S.J. Curry Construction Co., Albany, Ga.

The Monroeville Civitan Club, in its effort to promote youth baseball, recently presented $100 checks to both the Little League and Babe Ruth League Associations in Monroeville. Laurie Jones, Civitan president, is making the presentation to Ed Michaels, Babe Ruth Association president. John Williams presents the check to J.F. Lathram Jr., Little League president.

Monroe Champ Speller To Enter State Finals: Mack Lloyd, son of Mrs. Maye Belle Lloyd, Mexia, and a student at Monroe County High School, will represent Monroe County in the annual Alabama Spelling Bee in Birmingham May 15.
Each school winner is awarded a prize, and the state winner will go to Washington, D.C. for a week’s all-expense-paid trip, and to compete in the national finals.
The Bee is an annual spelling contest presented as a public educational service for Scripps-Howard Newspapers for elementary students through the eighth grade.

88 YEARS AGO
MAY 4, 1933

Lee Motor Co. Takes Over Chevrolet Agency: Lee Motor Co. of Frisco City has taken over the agency for Chevrolet automobiles for Monroe County. A new stock of cars of the latest models and a stock of parts and accessories will be on display in about a week.

The members of the Monroe County High School band will leave Friday for Montgomery to enter the state band contest. Twenty-five members of the band are planning to make the trip. Ed Clapp, Preacher Skinner, Dantes York, Neil Kilpatrick and Joseph Kennedy will enter the solo contests.

The many friends of Dr. and Mrs. W.A. Mason and family regret to learn of their departure from Excel. They are now making their home in Uriah.

Graduates Receive Diplomas Monday: The annual graduating exercises of the Monroe County High School were held at the auditorium on Monday evening at eight o’clock. The class of ’33 had 26 graduates.
Members of the graduating class included Myra Belle Hetherington, Rita Urquhart, Alva Thompson, Mabelle Green, Ouida Richardson, Elmo Metcalf, Mary Gregg Johnson, James Miller Dennis, Stith Stanton, Charles Crook, Eugenie Agee, Montez Hawkins, Ida Sproule, Ida Belle Johnson, Bessie Swanson, Euther Daniels, Alma Green, Geanie Bivin, Leroy Caine, Annie Waters, Rillie Nettles, Elizabeth McLaurin, Robbie Ruth Thompson, Edith Hestle, Jennings Ratcliffe and Oscar Biggs.
Charles Crook, representing the Class of 1933, presented the gift of china to the school.

113 YEARS AGO
MAY 7, 1908

Mr. V.J. Herlong, president of the Manistee Mill Co., was a visitor to the county capital the first of the week. Mr. Herlong stated that with the exception of a few washouts on his railroad and in the dam which confines the logs in his pond and the few days delay incident to making necessary repairs, his plant sustained no material damage from the recent storm.

It is believed that the fire which destroyed the stores of Dr. D.R. Nettles at Peterman a few days ago was caused by lightning striking the telephone wire which entered the building, and which was not properly insulated. The aggregate loss on buildings and stock was about $10,000 with only $4,000 of insurance. This loss falls heavily on Dr. Nettles, representing as it does practically his earnings since beginning business on his own account. But with undaunted courage and characteristic energy he has set to work to repair his fortune and in a short time his business will be running along as smoothly as before.

Mrs. Germain, an aged and highly esteemed lady of Excel, died quite suddenly in Pensacola on Monday while on a visit to her granddaughter, Mrs. J.D. Shiver Jr. The body was brought to Monroeville Tuesday and buried at the Baptist cemetery.

Misses Lula Sawyer of Beaumont and Cornelia Frye of Tekoa honored The Journal office with a visit Monday afternoon. Neither of the young ladies had ever inspected the modus operandi of producing newspapers and the experience was as novel as it was interesting.