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

Masonic Lodge at Perdue Hill

22 YEARS AGO
APRIL 26, 2001

Schools abolish portables: Monroe County’s public school system became one of the few in the state this week to boast of the elimination of portable classrooms.
Students at Excel School and J.U. Blacksher High School at Uriah began moving into the new classroom additions at their respective schools Monday.
At Excel, the new 20-classroom building will house the high-school students in grades 7-12, and at Blacksher the new eight-classroom addition will house the school’s fourth, fifth and sixth grades.

Blacksher wins seventh straight area crown: J.U. Blacksher High School’s baseball team clinched the school’s seventh straight area championship last Thursday at Uriah, beating area rival Frisco City High School, 12-6.
Blacksher senior right-hander Jason Matheny, who belted a three-run homer in the bottom of the first inning to tie the score 3-3, pitched the last three innings of the game to get the save. He struck out seven of the 14 batters he faced.
(Other top Blacksher players in that game included Keddrick Parker, Cliff Risher, J.B. Wilkins and Jesse Williams. Blacksher’s head coach was Skip Bell.)

Brenda K. Taite of Ellicott City, Md. recently donated 10 copies of “Pillar of Fire” by Taylor Branch to the Monroe County Library in memory of her mother, Johnnie Mae Powell Taite, and her grandmother, Georgia Mae Powell Watson. Branch was Taite’s civil rights movement instructor at Goucher College in Maryland.

47 YEARS AGO
APRIL 22, 1976

Ms. Johnson joins The Journal: Rheta Grimsley Johnson joined the Monroe Journal staff last week as an associate editor, succeeding Dianne Sellers, who had been an associate editor for about five years.
(Johnson) will work here as a news reporter, photographer and editor.
Mrs. Sellers resigned to devote full time to family responsibilities.

Whippet baseball team: The Frisco City Whippets fielded one of their youngest baseball teams ever this season for a short, six-game schedule. Members of the squad are Rance Wiggins, Mike Williams, Bill King, Michael Stevens, Julius Lambert, Dennis Curry, Frank Starr, Jeff Kilpatrick, Ben Wiggins, Mitch Johnson, Ray Charles Bailey, Johnny Ridgeway, Larry Walden, Cosby Logan, Ricky Barganier and Coach Herbert Haddock.

Perdue Hill structure on historical register: The Perdue Hill Masonic lodge has been added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage by the Alabama Historical Commission. The lodge, over 150 years old, is owned by the Perdue Hill Women’s Club.
Mrs. Walter Agee, president of the Women’s Club, was informed by letter of the commission’s decision to include the lodge in its listing of historical, architectural and archaeological landmarks. The commission called the lodge “worthy of both recognition and restoration.”
The two-story building was moved from its original site at Claiborne in 1884 to Perdue Hill. According to Mrs. Agee, the fee for moving the building by ox cart from Claiborne to Perdue Hill, about two miles, was $7. The Masonic lodge was first nominated as a historical site in 1973 as the result of a historical survey originating through the Alabama-Tombigbee Regional Commission office in Camden.

72 YEARS AGO
APRIL 26, 1951

Moonshine Again Poured Out By Town Council: For the second consecutive meeting night, the Monroeville town council, after disposing of the regular business, disposed of several gallons of “moonshine” by pouring it into the town’s sewers.
Two weeks ago, at the last meeting prior to the one Tuesday night, some 25 gallons were disposed of in this manner. This week, the “take” was smaller, amounting to some four or five gallons.
The destroyed whiskey had been confiscated by town law enforcement officers.

Monroe County High, by trimming Frisco City 9-8 Monday afternoon and Repton 3-1 Tuesday afternoon, pulled its record above the .500 mark with the prep season half gone.
(Top MCHS players in those games included Billy Dailey, Havard Jaye, Karl Mims Lazenby, Bobby Moore, John Arther Morgan, Jackie Pickett, Russell Smith and Joe Stevens.)

Local Guard Unit Organization Near: The organization of a national guard unit in Monroeville was nearing a successful conclusion this week. Monroeville attorney Windell C. Owens, one of the commissioned officers assisting in setting up the unit, reported early this week that only two more enlisted men were needed for formal organization of the unit.
Special meetings were held Monday night of this week – when physical examinations were given enlistees – and Wednesday night to push the organization.

97 YEARS AGO
APRIL 22, 1926

The epidemic of influenza which prevailed in this community for several weeks during March and April has subsided and nearly all victims are convalescing.

LOST: Male fox hound, white with brown ears and brown spots on body. Reward if found. Notify Raymond Fountain, Monroeville, Ala.

TAKEN UP: At my place on April 10, one black mule with white white mouth, weight 700 or 800 pounds. Owner can get same upon identification of property and payment of expenses. George Wiggins, Hixon, Ala.

Miss Gertrude Mann of Mobile is spending some time with friends in Monroeville, guest of Mrs. B.F. Ray. During her stay, Miss Mann, who is expert and experienced in stenography and typewriting, will give lessons in this work. Anyone desiring to acquire these very useful accomplishments may arrange with Miss Mann for lessons.

A modern electric Frigidaire plant is being installed at Nettles Place, which will add greatly to the serving of all kinds of soft drinks. It is the first one of its kind in this section and this store is to be congratulated on keeping pace with the times.

FOR REPRESENTATIVE: I hereby announce myself a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Representative in the state legislature from Monroe County, Alabama, subject to the action of the Democratic Primary election to be held on, to-wit: Aug. 10, 1926. – A.C. Lee

Hon. John McDuffie announces himself for re-election to Congress from the first district. The fact that he has no opposition is the highest compliment his friends could pay him for his faithfulness and efficiency.

122 YEARS AGO
APRIL 25, 1901

D.C. Henderson has been appointed by the governor a Notary Public in Pineville beat.

Dr. Yarbrough sent to this office a few days since the largest radish we have ever seen, weighing eight pounds. It was too large to be of edible quality.

Sheriff Harrengton returned Monday from a trip to the Gulf City.

Several cases of mumps are reported in the vicinity of Monroeville.

There were no services at the Presbyterian church last Sunday, Rev. Mr. Haney being detained, presumably by bad weather.

Frost is reported several mornings past, but the injury to fruit and vegetables in most instances was slight. In a few cases, however, early cotton on low lands was damaged and may necessitate replanting.

Some farmers complain that the recent heavy rains so packed the soil over cotton that had just been planted that it will be next to impossible for the tender plants to break their way through the hard crust that has formed on the surface. Unless another timely shower come, extra work will be entailed.

A washout on the Southern Alabama near Foshee last Thursday as a result heavy rains, caused a delay of a day and a half in the running of trains. The passenger train was held at Flomaton until Friday afternoon but went north on regular schedule on that day.