The Monroe Journal News Flashback for May 27, 2024

The USS Dortch in 1943.

18 YEARS AGO
MAY 25, 2006

Stores to get biography on Harper Lee: The long awaited, first-ever biography of Monroeville’s most famous resident is scheduled for public release on Tuesday.
“Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee” by Charles J. Shields will be shipped to retail outlets on Tuesday and should be fully distributed to all major book stores by Mon., June 5, according to Emily Montjoy with Henry Holt & Co., the New York City publishing house that is publishing and promoting “Mockingbird.”
Shields’ 352-page book is the first-ever biography of Monroeville’s Harper Lee, the author of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the 20^th Century’s most widely read American novel.

FC rolls up 370 yards to beat MHS: Frisco City High School’s football team rolled up 370 yards of total offense on their way to a 40-0 stomping of McKenzie in spring football action Friday night in Frisco City.
Rising senior Jeffery Williams, The Journal’s 2005 Defensive Player of the Year, led the Whippets on both sides of the ball.
On defense, Williams made 21 solo tackles, six assists and recorded a quarterback sack. On offense, Williams carried the ball nine times for 140 yards and scored two touchdowns. Williams also scored twice on two-point conversion plays.
(Other top Frisco City players in that game included Jimmy Banks, Ladarrius Banks, Scotty English, DeAngelo Hill and Ephraim Johnson. Troy Quinn was head coach.)

The Goodway Volunteer Fire Department received its new fire truck Saturday morning that cost the department $175,000. Fire Chief Fred Brake said the new truck gives the department two pumpers, two tankers and a brush truck.

43 YEARS AGO
MAY 28, 1981

Search off for escapee: The official search for one remaining Holman Prison escapee was called off yesterday (Wednesday) at 8 a.m., according to Ron Tate, public information officer for the state Board of Corrections.
Tate said the search for James R. Straitz, the only one of eight prison escapees still at large after 10 days, was called off Wednesday morning and “we are satisfied that he is out of the immediate Atmore area.”
Straitz was one of eight prisoners who escaped Holman, a maximum security prison, May 17 between 9:30 and 10 p.m. during a blackout that happened when the prison’s power generator was sabotaged, Tate said.
Straitz was sentenced to 18 years in prison on April 30, 1980 from DeKalb, Elmore and Montgomery counties for grand larceny, escape and robbery.

Top athlete named: Monroe Academy senior Tracy McPherson was the winner of the coveted Bill Grant Award as the outstanding senior athlete when the local private school held its annual spring sports banquet last Thursday at Bill Grant Memorial Gym.
Bill Grant played at the school in 1970-71. He died while running track in Selma his senior year.
McPherson was an all-district basketball selection his junior and senior year, all-state basketball as a senior, the most valuable player the last two years at the Alabama Private School Association’s state track meet.

68 YEARS AGO
MAY 24, 1956

BIA Principal Plans Retirement After 50 Years As Teacher: After more than 50 years as an educator and principal, Horace J. Lamar, principal at Monroeville’s Bethlehem Industrial Academy, Clausell, is retiring from the teaching profession.
Lamar has served as principal of the BIA school for the past 32 years, during which time all of the present school buildings were constructed.
Prior to that time, he was founder and principal of the Washington Junior High School at Perdue Hill, the first colored school to be built in Monroe County.

Three Monroevillians Take Shrine Degrees: Three Monroeville Masons took their Shrine degrees Saturday afternoon in Mobile at the Shriner’s Day at the Abba Temple in Mobile.
They were Milton Thames, Kermit Branum and John Calvin Snyder. Also attending from Monroeville were Dayton Russell, W.S. Nash, Tommy Hines, Norton Wiggins, Fred Sheffield, Raymond Owens, Calvin Ryland, John Coxwell, Pap Geddert and James Burns.

Excel Sailor Spends Short Leave At Home: Jerald McQueen, Fireman, U.S. Navy, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.L. McQueen, and his wife, the former Miss Marian Jaye, all of Excel, are spending a short leave at home while his ship, the USS Dortch, a destroyer, is in the Navy Shipyard at Boston for overhaul, according to Chief “Red” Lee, the traveling Navy recruiter from Jackson.
Since joining the Navy three and one half years ago, McQueen has seen service on several Navy ships, including the USS Staten Island, an icebreaker, which took him to the North Atlantic and Greenland. Other Navy travels have taken him to Ecuador in South America and to the major ports of the Mediterranean Sea.

93 YEARS AGO
MAY 28, 1931

Katz Stores Are Nearing Completion: The two new store buildings of M. Katz are nearing completion and will be ready for occupancy early in June. In addition to making the front of these two buildings more attractive, Mr. Katz is having a wide concrete sidewalk laid from the south side of the new building to the corner and around to his property line in front of the store now occupied by G.C. Watson. This part of the walk in front of the store will be widened to eight and one half feet. Mr. Katz has planned other improvements to add to the attractiveness of his property. He believes in the future of Monroeville and is showing his faith by his work.

Small’s Market is Moved to the Jitney-Jungle: The C.L. Small Meat Market, which has been located in the Simmons Building, has been removed to the Jitney-Jungle where ample market and display space has been provided. Mr. Small will continue to handle the choicest native and western meats and kindred lines. The market will be equipped with an up-to-date cooling system and with Mr. Small’s experience as a butcher, the public is guaranteed first class service at all times. All sales will be made for cash only. No delivery.

On May 19, 1931, the Junior Chamber of Commerce had a banquet at the City Hotel of Monroeville with 35 present. Mr. A.V. Culpepper, president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, called on different committees for a report after which he turned the banquet over to the toast master, Dr. T.E. Tucker. Dr. Tucker called on all present for a short talk and all had a real good time. – L.L. Dees, Secretary.

118 YEARS AGO
MAY 24, 1906

The Journal tenders congratulations to Capt. J.F. Foster, editor of the Wilcox Banner, on his appointment as probate judge of Wilcox County, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge James T. Beck.

Drs. Clarence Jones of Camden, A.G. Stacey of Activity, John J. Dailey of Tunnel Springs, E.G. Burson of Furman and Dr. Farish of Wilcox were before the Board of Censors of the Monroe County Medical Society this week undergoing examination for license to practice medicine. Dr. Jones has been in the quarantine service in Mexican waters for a year past. The other young gentlemen were recently graduated from the Alabama Medical College.

Rev. W. Ira Powers, aged 81 years, one of the best known itinerant superannuated preachers of the Alabama Methodist conference, died at the Hillman Hospital, Birmingham, on Thurs., May 17, from injuries received on Saturday by being struck by an electric car at Woodlawn. Mr. Powers served for four years as preacher in charge of the Monroeville circuit just prior to his retirement on the superannuate list, and had many friends here who regret to learn of his tragic end.

Ice Cream Supper: The ladies of the Scotland Presbyterian Church will serve ice cream at the home of Mrs. M.L. McMillian on Friday night, June 1, 1906. Liberal patronage will be appreciated.