100-year-old news highlights from The Wilcox Progressive Era

Grave of J.C. Ballard at Enon Cemetery.

What follows are 100-year-old news excerpts from the Oct. 25, 1917 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era newspaper in Camden, Ala.

Wilcox County High School Students: The following is a list of students attending our County High School of which Prof. Claude Hardy is Principal, Misses Stewart and Palfry as assistants, Domestic Science, and Mrs. Hardy, Music. The enrollment so far this year is 101.

The many friends of Dr. W.R.K. Beck of Birmingham, a former Camden boy, will be interested to know that he has been accepted in the Medical Reserve Corps of the army with the rank of first lieutenant.

In speaking of a large stalk of cane that the Editor saw at McWilliams last week, the type made us say it was 50 feet long. It was sure some cane, but the correct length was 15 feet.

Two monuments were unveiled near here (Pine Hill) by the W.O.W. Lodge last Sunday afternoon; one at Pine Hill cemetery to the memory of Mr. S.D. Hestle, and the other at Enon to the memory of Mr. Ballard.

Mr. and Mrs. Ball of Norfolk, Va. were recent Camden visitors at the Bloch Wilcox Hotel.

Grave of S.D. Hestle at Pine Hill Cemetery.

The County Board of Education, consisting of Supt. of Education Weaver and Messrs. Sheffield, Morris, E. Bonner and Roberts, met at the courthouse last Thursday. The public school funds of Wilcox County for the ensuring scholastic term was apportioned and teachers salary named.

Circuit Court: The fall term of the Wilcox County Circuit Court will convene at the courthouse next Monday morning. His honor, Judge B.M. Miller, will preside. There are on the docket as follows: civil cases, 17; criminal cases, 27. At present on grand jury docket, 37 cases.

All cases on the civil and criminal docket have been set, by order of Judge Miller, by Clerk S.M. Cobb, for trial in the first week of court.

Miss Stella Mason opened the Watson Crossing School last Monday with an enrollment of 18 pupils, which we shortly expect to raise to 22. Several of the parents were present at the opening. Mrs. G.R. Andrews made an encouraging talk both to teacher and pupils, which was greatly appreciated.

Hon. S.D. Bloch is at Montevallo today, attending the meeting of the Board of Trustees of the A.G.T.I.

TO JURORS – We are prepared to accommodate jurors who attend Circuit Court at a reduced rate. Call and see us at the Bloch Wilcox Hotel. – Mrs. W.A. McLean, Lessee.

Robert Lee Hawthorne and Willie Primm, who have been to Akron, Ohio, have returned to Camden and home.

Remember the Wilcox Live Stock Show is next Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 30th and 31st. Be sure to make your reservations for stalls this week in order that we may know how many stalls will be needed. Let B.H. Matthews, Secy., know.

Convicts for Hire: Bids for the hire of all convicts of Wilcox County, Ala., will be received by the Court of County Commissioners of said county by or before the 5^th day of November 1917. The court reserves the right to reject any and all bids. – Pat M. Dannelly, Chairman, Court of County Commissioners.