10 Years Ago
Week of August 25, 2016
SUGAR GROVE
The Big Yellow Bus Has Made Its Way To Country Roads
School is in again. Down the winding country roads, across high ridges and through narrow hollows, the big, yellow school buses are making their rounds. They return the school kids, tired and weary in the late evenings. It seems just a few days ago that the buses made their last run in the spring, and now another term has begun.
It has been a busy time for mothers, trying to shop for school supplies, clothing and all the paraphernalia that school children seem to require today. In days of yore, the requirements were a couple of pencils, a yellow tablet and the required textbooks.
With school in session, students will have reasons to be absent. With that, here are some excuses that have actually been received by the school for reasons of absences:
•Dear School: Please accuse John from being absent on January 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and also 33.
•May could not come to school because she was bothered by very close veins.
•Chris will not be in school becuz he has an acre in his back.
•John has been absent because he had two teeth off his face.
•Lillian was absent from school because she had a going over.
•My son has been under the doctor’s care and should not take fizical ed. Please execute him.
•Please excuse Sara for being absent. She was sick and I had her shot.
•Lynda was away as she had stripe infection.
•Please excuse Jane. She had an absent tooth. Wednesday she will have an appointment with the ornithologist.
•Dear Teacher: Please excuse my daughter’s absence for the past week, as she had a case of the fool.
August is making her tired and weary way out of the hills and valleys. The sweet smell of milkweed hangs in the air, visited by monarch butterflies.
The Butterfly Weed, Queen Anne’s Lace and Joe Pie Weed, along with the Chicory, brighten the landscape and gladden the heart. Even different colored morning glories twine up the fence posts to share their shade of the rainbow.
20 Years Ago
Week of August 31, 2006
Upper Tract School Eyed for Use As Courthouse Backup
The Pendleton County Commission is looking into the possible use of the now-defunct Upper Tract Elementary School as a back-up to ensure the continuity of local government should the courthouse ever become severely damaged in the event of a disaster, such as a fire.
At the commissioners’ regular meeting on Aug. 22, they heard from Curtis Crigler, the county emergency services director, who suggested that the old school in Upper Tract be considered as an emergency back-up for county offices.
He reported that it would take very little money to fix the bathrooms and install a couple of showers in the building.
‘MOPS’ Forms In Tri-County Area
Hey, Moms! Is one looking for some encouragement, a break from the kids, and some time to do a craft and actually complete it?
Mothers of Preschoolers is an international, non-denominational program designed for mothers with children under school age, infants through kindergarten, and is open to mothers in the tri-county area. MOPS meets the second Tuesday of every month (September through May) from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Brake Church of the Brethren in Dorcas.
Mothers are encouraged to bring their young children (“moppets”) to the meetings. The children are cared for on site by qualified workers as their mothers attend the meetings. Children, ages three to five, will enjoy a Bible-based story, craft time and a snack while the younger ones have a playtime.
30 Years Ago
Week of August 29, 1996
Japan’s Surrender Ended Bloody War 51 Years Ago
At 9 a.m. Sept. 2, 1945, General Douglas MacArthur stood before a large group of U.S., Allied and Japanese representatives on the deck of the U.S.S. Missouri and said, “We are gathered here, representatives of the Major Warring Powers, to conclude a solemn agreement whereby peace may be restored.
The issues, involving divergent ideas and ideologies, have been determined on the battlefields and hence are not for our discussion.
“It is my earnest hope, indeed the hope of all mankind, that from this solemn occasion a better world shall emerge out of the blood and carnage of the past.
As Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers, it is my firm intention to discharge my responsibilities with justice and tolerance, while taking all necessary dispositions to insure that the terms of the surrender are fully, promptly and faithfully complied with.”
MacArthur then directed the Japanese delegates to come forward and sign the surrender document.
So ended the worst war the world had ever seen. For America, it had begun early on the morning of December 7, 1941, with the devastating attack on the American Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Within days, Germany and Italy had declared war on the United States, and suddenly, this nation which had tried so hard to stay out of the war was not only in it but was the major combatant as well. Our allies looked to us for leadership.
SUGAR GROVE
There were 27 frame school houses and 31 log school houses in 1872. Pupils attending these schools totaled 1,682.
One school was open for seven months; two schools were open for five months; and 35 were open for four months.
There were 60 male teachers and four female teachers. During that time, there were 15 school districts.
The value of school property was $10,990 and the state school fund was $3,172.46.
With the opening of the 1996-1997 school term, one can see noticeable changes since then.
40 Years Ago
Week of August 28, 1986
Franklin Still Awaiting Repair Of Flood Damages
Almost 10 months after the November flood that devastated much of Pendleton and 28 other West Virginia counties, the Town of Franklin still is waiting for FEMA promised funds to repair major damages left by the roaring flood waters.
With the good construction weather of summer months ebbing, the six-inch water line leading from the town spring south of Franklin that was washed out in three different places resulting in a recent water shortage in town still has not been repaired.
The town lagoon that was badly damaged still has not been touched and raw sewage continues to run into the South Branch of the Potomac River.
The sewer line leading from the low water bridge in east Franklin that was washed out has not been replaced, and the gaping hole that was torn into High Street by the raging waters of Dirty Run remains a hazard to vehicular traffic.
West Virginia Timber Industry Shows Growth
The West Virginia timber industry holds “enormous promise” for economic diversification and growth, Senator Jay Rockefeller told a group of McDowell County business people and community and county officials last week.
“Over 22,000 West Virginians are currently employed in some facet of our state’s timber industry — and the number is steadily growing,” Rockefeller noted.
“With approximately 9.5 million acres of timber land, forestry can — and should — expand across the state. But in order to take advantage of such potential, West Virginia must be willing to invest in new facilities,” he said.
Currently West Virginia’s forest products facilities include 227 sawmills, 28 rustic fence mills, two veneer plants, a stave plant, two chip mills, eight log home manufacturers, 151 secondary wood processing industries and a casket manufacturer.
WV Highways Dept. Requires Permits For Private Driveways
The West Virginia Department of Highways has announced that persons or corporations wishing to construct driveways within a state right of way must secure a permit from the department.
The permits are free and subject to two major considerations: 1) that the driveway or approach is for the legitimate purpose of gaining access to private property; 2) that the location, design and construction of the driveway is in accordance with the WV Department of Highways specifications.
These specifications for driveway construction are designed to provide adequate sight distance for traffic, proper roadway drainage and suitable slopes for maintenance and road repair. Maintenance with construction of driveways is the responsibility of the land owner.
50 Years Ago
Week of August 26, 1976
DAHMER
The past several weeks the hot August sun is causing crops to suffer from the lack of moisture. In days gone by, when much buckwheat was grown here, folks sowed their buckwheat late, so the buckwheat bloom could avoid the hot August sun, which they claimed would reduce the yield of grain. If they planted too late, they were in trouble with Jack Frost.
U. S. Senator Robert C. Byrd was a guest speaker Sunday at the Alt and Kimble reunion. Everyone appeared to enjoy seeing him play his fiddle and hearing him sing. Ira Yokum, 84, had the pleasure to escort Senator Byrd across the grounds at the Old Judy Church in a two-horse surrey, where a large crowd was waiting to greet him.
This family reunion is believed to be the largest in the South Branch Valley, under the able leadership of president Gerald Sites.
The late John Dahmer once remarked in a talk at this reunion, “God must love the Alts and Kimbles, because He made so many of them.”
60 Years Ago
Week of August 25, 1966
Shoe Manufacturer Will Begin Operations In Franklin Friday jobs available for 30 women
A large manufacturer of footwear will begin operations in Franklin Friday.
The Hanover Shoe, a manufacturer of an extensive line of footwear, has leased the old McCoy house on Main Street opposite to the courthouse and will begin the manufacture of shoes there on a limited scale.
A representative of the company will be at the McCoy house Friday at noon to begin interviewing women for immediate employment.
The company expects to employ approximately 30 women initially to begin operations.
The Pennsylvania based firm has taken an option on a 30-acre site three miles south of Franklin on US 220 and plans to build a factory there after a nucleus labor force has been trained in the town operations.
It is estimated that it will be six months or a year before construction will begin on the Route 220 plant.
Officers of The Hanover Shoe company made an extensive study during the past year of the suitability of the Franklin area as a factory site before deciding to begin operations here.
The company was assisted in making the study by Pendleton Industries, Inc., a local non-profit organization working for the industrial development of the area, the Monongahela Power Company, the State Department of Commerce and the State Department of Employment Security.
At the present time only women will be employed, but both men and women will be employed upon completion of the plant on Route 220.
81 Children From County on Tour Of Nation’s Capital
A total of 81 children and 18 adults returned to Pendleton County last night from a three-day sightseeing tour of the Nation’s Capitol.
Conducted by the Eastern West Virginia Community Action Agency, the “urban experience” tour was planned to give fifth and sixth grade children living in rural areas a glimpse of life in a big city.
Children taking the tour in addition to those from Pendleton County were more than 500 from the counties of Grant, Hardy, Hampshire and Mineral.
The Pendleton County group left Franklin by bus Monday morning at 8 o’clock. While in Washington they stayed in private homes at night and spent most of the time during the days sightseeing.
