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

Alabama Gov. William Calvin Oates

THREE YEARS AGO
DEC. 5, 2019

England is Citizen of the Year: The Kiwanis Club of Monroeville named Paul England its Citizen of the Year and Jeanie Smith its Kiwanian of the Year Tuesday during the annual awards luncheon.

BHS wins county championship: J.U. Blacksher’s varsity boys defeated Monroe County (MCHS) and J.F. Shields last week to win the Monroe County Basketball Tournament at Blacksher.
On Monday, the Bulldogs upended Shields, 54-49, in a battle of unbeaten teams and on Tuesday, Blacksher edged MCHS, 34-31, in the championship game. The wins improved the Bulldogs to 4-0 on the season. Shields fell to 3-1, and MCHS dropped to 0-6.
(Top Blacksher players in those games included JaDaniel Nettles, Josh Peavy, K.D. Rabb and Jaiveyon Tucker. Top Shields players included Jamie Rabb and Ja’Kierien Montogomery.)

Chamber announces plans for annual membership dinner: The Monroeville-Monroe County Chamber of Commerce will host its annual membership dinner on Thurs., Feb. 13, 2020 at the Monroeville Community House.
The keynote speaker will be Mr. Robert R. McGhee, Chief Government and Public Affairs Officer for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. As an enrolled member of the Poarch Creek Indians, McGhee has been involved in and an advocate for Native American issues at all levels of government. Mr. McGhee is currently serving his fourth term on the Creek Indians Tribal Council, in which he holds to position of Vice Chairman.

28 YEARS AGO
DEC. 1, 1994

Area code to change: Starting Jan. 15, 1995, Monroeville Telephone customers will notice something different about their phone bills – and their phone numbers. According to information from the phone company, after Jan. 15, the southern half of the state – including all of Monroe County – will switch to a 334 area code. The northern half of the state will keep the 205 area code. The state will be divided on a line stretching from Randolph County west to Butler County. The phone company says the change is necessary because the state is running out of phone numbers.

MA seniors are chosen: Monroe Academy football standouts Tim Andrews, Shanandoah McLaurin and Robin Chandler have been selected to compete in the Alabama Independent School Association’s annual East-West All-Star game in Selma tomorrow (Friday).
Andrews, McLaurin and Chandler will play for the West team, according to MA head football coach Tim Carter.
Andrews, a 6-foot-4, 294-pound senior, and McLaurin, a 6-foot-2, 255-pound senior, played the tackle positions on offense and defense this season for the 8-4 Volunteers. Chandler, a 6-foot-1, 165-pound senior, saw action at wide receiver, running back and defensive back.
Tomorrow’s all-star game will be held at Bloch Park in Selma.

Perfect attendance: Randall Dean, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Dean of Peterman, was recently presented with his 34^th yearly pin of perfect attendance in Sunday school at Peterman United Methodist Church. The Rev. Paul Higdon made the presentation.

53 YEARS AGO
DEC. 4, 1969

12 Will Compete For Junior Miss: Some 12 pretty seniors from Monroe County high schools are scheduled to compete in the 1970 Monroe County Junior Miss pageant Saturday night, Dec. 13, at Greer Auditorium in Monroeville.
Girls who are entered in this year’s contest are Shirley Annette Kimbro, Monroe County High; Judy Annette Huggins, Excel High; Deborah Hutchins, J.U. Blacksher High; Cindy Dawson, MCHS; Mary Sue Brown, Blacksher; Debra Wiggins, MCHS; Kay Hutchins, Blacksher; Claire Boulware, MCHS; Teresa Lee, MCHS; Jane Bender, MCHS; Vicki Nichols, MCHS; and Theresa Annette Larrimore, MCHS.

Excel Captures State 1A Crown By Downing Sweet Water 30-6: Excel overpowered a strong, top-rated Sweet Water team in Linden last Friday night by 30-6 to win the Alabama 1A football championship.
The entire 48 minutes of the game was given over to an attempt by Excel at ball control. Evidently Coach Carvel Rowell was a Boy Scout for “Be Prepared” was his motto for the Sweet Water game, along with 11 other games this season.
(Top Excel players in that game included Jimmy Dawson, Mike Ledkins, Tony Narrimore and Danny Wiggins.)

John M. Stokes Now In Vietnam: Equipment Operator Third Class Johnny M. Stokes, U.S. Navy, son of Mr. and Mrs. William C. Stokes of Route 2, Frisco City, is serving with U.S. Naval Construction Battalion Eighth in Vietnam.
The battalion is scheduled to be deactivated in December as a result of the Nixon Administration’s cutback in military spending.

78 YEARS AGO
DEC. 7, 1944

GEORGE THOMAS JONES COMMISSIONED LIEUT. – George Thomas Jones was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army of the United States upon successful completion of the Officer Candidate Course at the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Ga. Lt. Jones is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lucian Jones of Monroeville. He held the rank of Technician 4^th Grade before being commissioned.

F.W. JOHNSON DIES SUDDENLY SUNDAY: Mr. F.W. (Shorty) Johnson was stricken near the Graham Oil Station on Sunday morning about nine o’clock and died a few minutes later.
Mr. Johnson came to Monroeville about 1924 to make balloon ascensions for the Monroe County Fair Association and when the Fair season was over, he decided to make this his home.
For several years, he was employed by the Chambers-Lazenby Motor Co. and in their mechanical department he was a valued employee.

LT. ISRAEL KATZ AT MIAMI BEACH: First Lt. Israel Katz, 28, Monroeville, has arrived at Army Air Forces Redistribution Station No. 2 in Miami Beach for reassignment processing after completing a tour of duty outside the continental United States.
He flew 50 missions as a B-24 bombardier during seven months in the European theater and won the Air Medal with three clusters. He was graduated in 1933 from the University of Alabama and joined the AAF July 15, 1941. His mother, Mrs. M. Katz, and his wife, Marjorie, live in Monroeville.

128 YEARS AGO
DEC. 6, 1894

Thanksgiving was observed in Monroeville with appropriate services at the Presbyterian church on last Thursday. Business generally was suspended and a good congregation was in attendance.

The Monroe County Corps went to Montgomery on Friday to attend the inauguration of Governor Oates, which took place on Saturday.

The Monroe County Educational Board met in Monroeville on last Saturday and a number of teachers passed examination.

County court was in session on Monday.

Honor Roll of Monroeville Academy for the month of November: Alvin Simmons, Hortense Deer, Lillie Broughton, Russell Broughton, Ella Walker, Willie Andress, Katie Roberts, Mary Stallworth and Joe Rickard. Five demerits debar a pupil from mention. – J.F. Marsh, Principal.

Residences in Monroeville are in greater demand now than ever, notwithstanding the recent erection of several new buildings. Let our landowners build more houses!

Rev. A.S.J. Haygood bade adieu to his many Monroeville friends on Monday and left for Covington County, where he will spend a few days with relatives before leaving for his home in the west. The best wishes of his hosts of friends will follow and abide with him.

SANTA CLAUS HEADQUARTERS: I am pleased to announce to the little boys and girls of Monroeville, and the public generally, that my store is Headquarters for all kinds of holiday goods, fireworks, toys, candies and fruits, and everything that goes to make the occasion enjoyable to both old and young. Call at once and make your selection. – S.W. Yarbrough.