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

J.M. Wright's grave at Pine Hill Cemetery. 

What follows are 100-year-old news excerpts from the March 28, 1918 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era newspaper in Camden, Ala.

William Jennings Bryan Will Speak in CAMDEN, Monday, April 8.

THE WILCOX HOTEL – The Only Camden Brick Hotel – We will be pleased to have Commercial Travelers and County People Stop with us. New Beds and Furniture and a FIRST-CLASS TABLE. Rates $2 Per Day, Single Meal 50 Cents, MRS. W.A. McLEAN, LESSEE, Camden, Alabama.

The County Board of Education will meet Mon., April 1, at 9 a.m. Very important business will be presented to the Board and every friend of education in the county is invited to be present as matters before the Board will vitally affect the school interests of next year.

Reception for Colored Draft Quota: The citizens of Camden on Saturday evening, March 30, will give the 120 colored boys, who are called to the army, a reception at the courthouse. Speeches and music will be features of the program which is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. After the patriotic exercises, refreshments will be served. The leaving of these boys to fight for their country in the critical hour of its history, calls for the deep appreciation of all at home. Both colored and white will join in to make the program an appropriate appreciation of their event, and an inspiration to the soldier boys.

The most striking feature of the exercise will be a parade at 4 p.m. on Saturday afternoon in which the soldier boys will march through the principal streets headed by possibly the Snow Hill Institute band and Millers Ferry band. Everyone who feels the sentiment of the hour is asked to contribute to the success of the entertainment.

The following program will be rendered at the evening exercises:

PROGRAM: Song – “America,” Prayer by Rev. B.H. Grier; Speech by Prof. J.N. Cotton, Music; Speech by W.G. Wilson, Music; Speech by S.C. Godbold, Esq., Music; Speech by John Miller, Esq., Music; Speech by Rev. I.H. Bonner, Music; Closing by Prof. E.W. Berry; Closing Prayer, E.H. Rhone, Refreshments; Parade 4 p.m., Sat., March 30.

Pine Hill: Mrs. M.E. Stanberry, who formerly lived near Pine Hill, died at the age of 73 years at the home of her son-in-law, Mr. J.M. Crawford in Mobile last Thursday. The funeral was held here Friday. Mrs. Stanberry was a good Christian woman, having been a member of the Baptist Church since early womanhood.

Another death in this community was that of Mr. J.M. Wright Sr., who died last week and was interred in Pine Hill cemetery. He is survived by three sons, two of whom are in the United States army, and four daughters, to whom the sympathy of the community goes out in their bereavement.

Patriotic Rally: Plans are being perfected for the biggest patriotic demonstration ever held in this part of the country at Selma, Saturday morning, April 6. Two big military bands and soldiers from Camp Sheridan will lend inspiration to the occasion. A parade of military and civic bodies, Red Cross units, Fraternal Orders, school children, veterans of other wars, etc. will be a big feature of the day, together with open air concerts by the military bands. Selma invites and urges all patriotic citizens in nearby towns to come in and help “whoop it up” for “Old Glory” Sat., April 6. – Hugh Mallory, Chairman.