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

Fannie Flagg

23 YEARS AGO
MAY 4, 2000

Fannie Flagg to open Writers Symposium: Alabama writers, scholars and literature buffs begin arriving in Monroeville today to spend the evening with acclaimed Alabama writer Fannie Flagg at the Monroeville Community House.
Tickets for the third annual Alabama Writers Symposium opening banquet with Flagg, author of “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café,” went fast as readers snapped up the limited seating.
Registration for the three-day symposium that ends Saturday increased this year because of exposure across the state.
Donna Reed, a symposium coordinator at the college, said about 300 people are expected to attend. Last year, there were between 200 and 250 people at the literary event.

Eager signs with Gulf Coast: Monroe County High School standout Trent Eager signed a basketball scholarship with Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, Fla. last Thursday. Eager, a 6-5 guard, averaged 17 points per game this season, and helped lead the Tigers to the 5A Southwest Region tournament. On hand for the signing were Eager’s father Kenneth, his brothers Janero and Maurice, his mother Geraldine, MCHS coach Willie White, GCCC coach Joe Pons and MCHS principal Larry Turner.

Organizational meeting set: An organizational meeting of the Red Hills Cemetery Preservation Committee will be held at the cemetery Sat., May 13, from 9:30 a.m. through lunch. The meeting is being held to discuss the formation of a preservation committee and to clean the cemetery.

47 YEARS AGO
APRIL 22, 1976

County solicitor retires: John M. Coxwell has retired from the office of Monroe County solicitor, a post he has held for 25 years.
Coxwell, who continues his private law practice in Monroeville, retired as solicitor April 13 and accepted an appointment by Gov. George Wallace as a supernumerary district attorney.
Coxwell, 60, who has practiced law in Monroeville since 1939, was first elected solicitor in 1940.

1975 Blacksher Bulldogs: The J.U. Blacksher High School Bulldogs opened their 1975 baseball season with a 3-1 record and although the team is young, it stands a good chance of taking the area title. Members of the team are George Colbert, Ricky Smith, Alan Mack, Michael Woods, David Martinie, Dale Martinie, Sam Lett, Coach Gary Lambert, Greg Harrison, Ben Rhodes, Russell Smith, Tony Kircharr, David Woods, Anthony Lett, Douglas Scott, Wayne Woods and Coach Paul Akins.

Hospital collections Saturday: Shriners, assisted by youth groups, will collect donations Saturday in shopping districts throughout Monroe County to help support the Shrine’s 22 crippled children’s hospitals and three hospitals for child burn victims. Where they can’t be in person, they’ll leave bright orange collection boxes. They also will pass out newspapers explaining the hospitals. Monroeville Mayor W.H. “Jack” Hines, a Shriner, and Monroe County Probate Judge Otha Lee Biggs give personal donations and receive newspapers here.

73 YEARS AGO
MAY 4, 1950

Local Church of Christ Completes New Building: The congregation of the Monroeville Church of Christ is now meeting for services in a new building, recently completed, on Poplar Street across from the city water tank. Presently seating about 125 persons, church officials stated that it is planned to add classrooms and an auditorium later. Church officials also expressed their appreciation to the Mayor and town council of Monroeville for permitting use of the City Hall for worship services prior to completion of the new building.

Self Resigns As Frisco Principal: David W. Self, principal of the Frisco City schools for the past year, this week announced his resignation at Frisco City to assume the principalship of Butler County High School and the Greenville Elementary School at Greenville. A former assistant Butler County High School principal, Mr. Self replaced S.J. Casey last year.

Monroeville, overcoming a two-run deficit with a four-run rally in the seventh inning, trimmed Atmore 6-4 here Sunday to take the opening contest of the Dixie League season.
Working behind the effective eight-hit hurling of lefthander Bill Hite, the locals grabbed a two-run lead in the second inning, fell behind when Atmore scored two times in the fifth and second innings, and then came back with the four-run outburst off starter Harry Brooks and his reliever “Dock” Vickery in the bottom of the seventh.
Hite, except for a couple of costly errors, would have had a shutout. None of the Atmore runs were earned.
(Other Monroeville players in that game included LeVaughn Hanks, Hop Stevens, Al Clenner, Nub Stacey, Robert Riley and Grady Gaston.)

98 YEARS AGO
MAY 7, 1925

Mr. O.O. Bayles, who retires from the position of postmaster at Monroeville after five years of faithful and efficient service, is enjoying a brief but long delayed vacation.

Miss Emma Yarbrough has entered upon her duties as the new postmistress here.

Mr. A.C. Lee returned last week from a motor trip in company with Messrs. George L. Nettles of Tunnel Springs and P.S. Jackson of Peterman to the oil fields of Louisiana and Arkansas.

Mr. J.U. Blacksher of Mobile was here Tuesday attending the regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Monroe County Bank.

With the completion of the new service station at the southwest corner of the square, the number of filling stations in Monroeville is increased to something like a dozen. This station will be operated by the local representative of the Standard Oil company.

DEATH OF MRS. BAYLES: Mrs. Marie Bayles, widow of the late Senator Oscar O. Bayles, died at her home in Monroeville on Wed., May 6, after an illness of several months, aged 50.

ADAMS-WHITE: A quiet but impressive ceremony, which came as a surprise to the many friends of the contracting parties, took place Sunday morning at the home of Rev. W.B. McCrary, when Miss Edith White became the bride of Mr. Armand Adams. The ceremony was witnessed only by the near relatives of the bride. Mr. and Mrs. Adams will make their home at Booneville, Ala.

123 YEARS AGO
MAY 10, 1900

A BIG LAND DEAL: The ownership of about 300,000 acres of timber lands lying in the counties of Baldwin, Escambia, Monroe and Conecuh in the southern part of Alabama, passed from M.A. Sullivan of Pensacola to General Russell A. Alger and associates of Michigan during the latter part of last week. The amount of money involved in this deal is approximately two million dollars. The lands are purchased with the view of establishing thereon a number of saw mills, the capacity of which, it is understood, will exceed any at present in operation anywhere in the South.

Died, at his home at Repton, on Wed., May 9, 1900, after an illness of several weeks, Mr. Everett L. Martin, aged 72 years and five months. Mr. Martin was a successful businessman, a member of the Masonic fraternity and a good citizen. His remains were interred at the Methodist cemetery, Monroeville, on Thursday.

By order of Chancellor Commander, each member of Prairie Queen Lodge No. 167, Knights of Pythias, is requested to be at the Castle Hall on Friday night, May 11, 1900. – A.R. BOULWARE, Keeper of Records & Seals.

Mr. H.J. Coxwell of Perdue Hill was here Saturday. Mr. Coxwell grew the prize watermelon last year and expects to break the record this season.

Capt. Geo. H. Gray of Perdue Hill was in town Saturday. Capt. Gray’s many friends are glad to know that his health is improving.