January 1921 news highlights from The Wilcox Progressive Era newspaper in Camden, Alabama

Camden's St. Mary's Episcopal Church.

I was looking through some old newspapers made available by the Department of Archives and History in Montgomery the other day and got the chance to review some century-old copies of The Progressive Era. It’s always fun to look back and reflect on how much has changed – and how much remains the same. The Progressive Era published four issues during the month of January 1921, and those papers included a number of interesting news items that took place 100 years ago this month.

In the Jan. 6, 1921 edition of the newspaper, publishers S.C. Godbold and O.C. Weaver let readers know that the “New Year was joyously ushered in last Friday night. When the clock struck twelve, watchers at St. Mary’s Episcopal church sang out the old and rang in the New Year. Pealing forth in melody were the bells of the County High School, St. Mary’s Episcopal and the Presbyterian and Methodist church bells. The whistles of the numerous saw mills joined the chimes. Rockets and fireworks were discharged and lighted the heavens. Pistols and guns were fired, and the automobiles and people’s yells enlivened the night.”

It was also reported that week that a “very interesting game of basketball was played Friday afternoon at the High School between Women’s College and Montevallo. The game was composed of the girls of each school which are at home. Women’s College scored four to Montevallo’s 0. The game was witnessed by a large and enthusiastic crowd.

“The game was fiercely contested from start to finish. The teamwork of the Women’s College team enabled them to keep the ball in the opponent’s territory, but the aggressive defense of the Montevallo girls, held the visitors down to one field goal, the other two being the result of fouls.”

Players for the Women’s College were Marlow Bonner, Mary Alma Stanford, Marcella Moore, Helen Burford, Olivia McArthur and Louise Matthews. Players for Montevallo were Mary Fore Stuart, Lena Miller, Elise Bonner, Ella Spurlin, Minnie Rentz and Minnie Holman.

Big front-page news in the Jan. 13, 1921 edition of the paper had to do with Mr. Van Metcalfe who “recently returned from Mobile, where he purchased a motor launch to be used at Hollys Ferry. This addition will make the river crossing much more satisfactory. He expects to have it in operation within the next two or three weeks.”

Also that week, under the headline “Indian Relics,” it was reported that a “rather remarkable collection of Indian relics is on exhibition in the show window of the Burnham Furniture Co. on Court Street. The collection was made and is owned by E.M. Graves of Montgomery, a member of the Anthropological Society of Alabama. The specimens in many instances are very pretty and unusual in character. There are around 1,500 objects in the exhibit, all collected since 1917.”

In the Jan. 20, 1921 edition of the newspaper, readers learned that a “mad dog was killed in Camden Saturday morning, after considerable excitement. No one was bitten.”

Also that week, it was reported that a “number of Masons from Camden attended the funeral of Mr. W.M. Fitzgerald, who was buried at Allenton Sunday.”

It was reported in the Jan. 27, 1921 edition of the paper that Jim Hart “while hunting last week, was unfortunate by the barrel of his gun bursting and shooting part of two fingers off.”

Elsewhere in that week’s edition, readers learned that a man “was found dead near Oak Hill, with a ‘white lightning’ bottle by his side. It is thought that he made a fire and being drunk was burned to death.”

Another oddity in that week’s paper involved “Dale Neville, a twin brother of Bonner Neville who broke his arm last week, broke his arm a few days since. Each of the boys broke the right arm.”

Readers were also informed that the “hogs and cows on the streets of Camden are becoming a public nuisance. A number of citizens are appealing to the town council to have the stock law enforced.”

As you can tell from the above, January 1921 was a lively time in Wilcox County, and there is little doubt that January 2021 will prove to be much the same. If you ever get the urge to look through old Wilcox County newspapers for yourself, I encourage you to make the trip to the state archives in Montgomery. The staff there will be more than happy to point you in the right direction and get you started.