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

14 YEARS AGO
MAY 10, 2007

Those who gave to the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in Monroe County have set a new standard in giving, shattering the previous record to raise over $254,000 this year.
Friday night hundreds piled onto the track at Monroe County High’s Tiger Stadium to walk through to the wee hours of the morning. Because cancer never sleeps, neither did they.
The 38 teams had ornately decorated the tents centered on this year’s theme of “Relay Jones and the Quest for Knowledge,” based on the Indiana Jones movies.
One of the more interesting events of the night was the womanless beauty pageant, which featured 10 contestants from different Relay teams.

Monroe County High School’s Lady Tigers took second place in the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 4A, Area 2 softball tournament in Jackson Saturday. The team was scheduled to start play in the sub-state tournament Tuesday afternoon in Andalusia.
(Team members were Hayley Cassity, Rebecca Hayes, Sarah Allen, Anna Katherine Black, Caroline Ondrey, Hayley Carnes, Maggie Walsh, Taylor Bernos, India Koen, Katie Walsh, Kayla Welch and Shelby Rainey. Marty Hanks was head coach. Assistant coaches were Brandon Lee and Michael Brooks.)

Don’t tread on me: With warmer temperatures more common now, rattlesnakes like this big one are moving around more. Tyler Pharr and Neil Hudson, both of Excel, killed this one last week. It’s five feet, 10 inches long and has 11 rattles and a button.

39 YEARS AGO
MAY 13, 1982

Making progress: Work on the $3-million expansion of Vanity Fair Mills’ distribution center progresses as workers put up sides on the 60,000-square-foot building, which will provide up to 60 additional jobs during the firm’s peak shipping seasons. Vanity Fair vice president and secretary Frank Lee said Word & Boggus Contractors of Guntersville should have the outside of the warehouse completed by the first week in June, and Vanity Fair’s operational engineering department and subcontractors will finish the interior by October. The Monroeville distribution center is Vanity Fair’s only warehouse and products are shipped from there throughout the world.

Excel Twins minor league coach Aaron White was among the first coaches to operate the league’s pitching machine Saturday in Frisco City in opening play of the South Monroe Little League. The machine was purchased to help speed up the minor league games, since many of the young pitchers’ arms were not developed enough for the 45-foot pitching distance, according to League president Larry Ikner. A single Little League baseball is loaded into the machine. The machine is then cocked by stepping down on a lever. A hand release is used to fire the pitches, which are very accurate.

Monroeville Mayor B.C. Hornady examines a copy of the resolution he signed proclaiming today (Thursday) National Peace Officers’ Memorial Day. The day commemorates dead officers in all branches of law enforcement. Looking on are Sgt. Danny Ikner, Hornady, Police Chief Charles Colbert and Cpl. Charlie Steen.

64 YEARS AGO
MAY 9, 1957

B.E. Lee, principal of the Frisco City school for the past seven years, was named Wednesday to the position of principal of Monroe County High School, Monroeville, for the 1957-58 term.
Announcement of Mr. Lee’s transfer came from H.G. Greer, Monroe County Superintendent of Education. Mr. Lee will replace J.O. Hammer in the local position.

Mayor Opens Season For Little Leaguers: The Little League baseball season was officially opened in Frisco City Monday afternoon, May 6, with Mayor O.O. McGinty throwing in the first ball.
The Frisco City school band led a parade through town of Little League players in their new uniforms. Back at the ball park in front of the school, the boys and the managers were introduced. Then, Joe Tucker, president of the Monroe County Little League, spoke to the crowd.

Scouts To Have “Camporee” Here: Boy Scouts from throughout the Alabama-Florida District will gather in Monroeville’s Vanity Fair Park Friday and Saturday for their annual camporee.
Activities are scheduled from 4 p.m. Friday until 4 p.m. Saturday, according to A.B. Blass Jr. of Monroeville, District Scout Commissioner.
Scouts will dismount at the ballpark and hike to the opposite side of the lake to establish camp sites. Troops are expected to be present from Monroeville, Frisco City, Atmore, Brewton, Flomaton and Evergreen.
Other Scout officials assisting in staging the camporee are Chuck Pelham of Monroeville, Assistant District Commissioner; Frank Mathis of Brewton, District Scout Executive-Secretary; and Scoutmasters and Explorer Scouts from Monroeville and Frisco City.

89 YEARS AGO
MAY 12, 1932

Graduating exercises will be held at the Monroe County High School auditorium on Friday evening, May 13, at eight o’clock. A large class of graduates will receive diplomas.
A play “The Tinker” was presented on Monday evening. The cast included Elizabeth Harper, Louise Davis, Bessie Swanson, J.A. York, Jennings Ratcliffe, Dantes York and Leon Wiggins.
The band concert under the direction of Dayton Russell was given on Tuesday evening.

Commencement exercises of the Frisco City High School will begin on Friday evening with the oratorical contest. On Sunday, May 15, Rev. A.A. Hutto, pastor of the Beatrice Baptist Church, will deliver the commencement sermon.
Graduating exercises will be held on Monday night, May 16. Baccalaureate address will be made by J.A. Keller, superintendent of schools of Andalusia.

Mr. Lucian Jones went to Andalusia last Wednesday to play in the golf tournament held there.

Albert Nettles, student at Alabama Polytechnic Institute, spent the weekend with relatives here and at Tunnel Springs.

Mrs. T.S. Van Aller and her sister, Mrs. C.R. Crossman, returned Thursday from Monroeville where they visited Mrs. Van Aller’s daughter, Mrs. J.M. Agee and Mr. Agee, who are the parents of a baby girl born April 26. The new arrival has been given the name Jeanette Van Aller Agee. – Mobile Register.

114 YEARS AGO
MAY 9, 1907

New Pythian Lodge Organized: On Thursday afternoon a number of Knights went by private conveyance to Manistee for the purpose of instituting a lodge of Knights of Pythias at that place. The party was composed of the following from Monroeville: L.K. Benson, D.K. Smith, C.P. Smith, J.M. Burns, J.C. Hudson, Dr. W.T. Bayles and Senator Oscar O. Bayles of Monroeville; N.D. Andress, A.L. White and J.P. Farish of Beatrice. At sunset, Rep. John McDuffie of River Ridge dashed through Monroeville on his way to join the crowd and aid in the work and frolic.
The lodge starts off with 17 members. The following officers were elected and installed: Z.C. Herlong, Chancellor Commander; G.H. Harper, Vice-Chancellor; W.R. Blackwell, Master at Arms; Archie Heyburn, Keeper of Records and Seal; and V.J. Herlong, representative to the Grand Lodge.

Mr. Samuel A. McDuffie, for the last seven years postmaster at Monroeville, died on Wednesday morning, May 8, aged about 60 years. Mr. McDuffie was a native of New Jersey but had resided in the south since soon after the civil war, the last 20 years having been spent in Monroe County where he was engaged for a considerable time in educational work among the colored race until his appointment as postmaster. He was a brother of the late Judge J.V. McDuffie of Lowndes County.

The town election for Mayor and Councilmen took place Monday (in Monroeville), resulting in the election of the following officers for the ensuing year: Mayor, Thos. S. Wiggins; Councilmen, G.B. Barnett, J.D. Rawls, L.A. Hixon, T.M. McMillan and D.K. Smith.