100-year-old Wilcox Progressive Era news highlights from April 1925

Marquis de LaFayette

Today marks the first Wednesday of the month, so it’s time to take another trip back down memory lane for a look at some of the interesting things that happened in Wilcox County a century ago, way back in April 1925.

In the April 2, 1925 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era, editor Stanley Clifford Godbold reported that “Mr. Thomas Franklin Hale had the misfortune of being hit on the nose while playing baseball last Wednesday. It bled so profusely and continuously that he was carried to the Baptist Hospital in Selma. The latest report from him was that his condition was slightly improved.”

Also that week, readers learned that the “Lt. Joseph M. Wilcox Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, meeting will be postponed until April 16, 1925. Next week, the state is celebrating LaFayette’s visit here and this chapter has been invited to join the Selma Chapter at Cahaba for the celebration. Claiborne also near here is planning a large celebration with airplanes, etc.”

In the April 9, 1925 edition of The Progressive Era, under the headline “OPERETTA,” it was reported that “Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs is to be presented by the pupils of Miss Ione Nunnally and Mrs. Ruby McLeod at the school auditorium on Wednesday night, April 22. Admission 25 cents and 50 cents, proceeds for benefit of school.”

Also that week, it was reported that it “will be interesting news to the many friends of Capt. Emmett Kilpatrick to know that he has accepted a position at the Jacksonville Agricultural School and will have the chair of modern languages.”

In the April 16, 1925 edition of the newspaper is was reported that the “students of the Wilcox County High School are indebted to Matthews Hardware Co. for a splendid sanitary drinking fountain which was installed last week, in the hall near the main entrance.”

Elsewhere in that week’s paper, readers learned that the “Hon. R.H. Mangum of Selma will make the Memorial address on Decoration Day, Sun., April 26, at 3 o’clock. The public is cordially invited to the exercises which will take place in the Grammar school auditorium.”

In the April 23, 1925 edition of the paper, it was reported that the “Camden Bakery, owned by Mr. Julian Bonner and Mr. W.F. McWilliams, has moved from the store on the Jones block to the store formerly occupied by G.L. Wilkinson. We wish for the continued success at their new location.”

Elsewhere in that week’s paper, it was announced that the “women of Camden and vicinity are earnestly requested to meet at the Masonic Hall on Friday and Saturday afternoon to make wreaths for the graves of our Confederate dead.”

In the April 30, 1925 edition of the paper, it was reported that a “boy, about 15 years old, was killed at Oak Hill Tuesday by attempting to swing on to a truck loaded with lumber, when he missed his holt and fell under the truck. The truck crushing his head as it passed over. The driver did not see the boy and no blame can be attached to him. This should be a warning to all boys, who are accustomed to swing on moving cars and trucks.”

Elsewhere in that week’s paper, it was announced that the “picture fans had the pleasure this week of seeing the ‘Sea Hawk’ by Raphael Sabatini. This picture was the prize picture of 1924 and the author won the $10,000 prize offered by Pulitzer for the best story written in 1924. Mr. T.M. Baggett, manager of the picture show, is to be congratulated upon securing this wonderful picture for his screen.”

Well, I guess that’s all that space will allow for this month. On the first Wednesday of next month, I plan to take a look at the events of May 1925 in Wilcox County. Until then, if you get the urge to research the county’s past yourself, take advantage of the Alabama Department of Archives and History’s excellent selection of old newspapers on microfilm and other resources. Their friendly staff will be more than happy to get you started.